Chapter Twelve – Such a Susceptible Chancellor
Author's Note: Oh, my… forgive me O Lord…
Carl – Even I don't know whether Anakin will succeed or not – however, Palpy will win! (I love him too much to let him lose)
Cmdr. Gabe E- I'm much better thanks. But YES! Anakin is really in love with that cold-hearted sod. AND THUS I CREATE PLOT!
Agny- Does he or doesn't he? Well… loving is difficult for our darling Sith Master. He's just too bloody selfish.
Lady Sidious- Good… good! Everything is going as planned. I try very hard with the dialog of this chap – I just don't get Obi-Wan that well… I wonder why…?
LV- Ah ha! There's a reason that sneaky little sod said that about his mother and he will explain in this chapter.
Spelljammer – You read my mind, clever one. Abuse! Yes! …And hugs!
LL – We do think alike – but I never want Anakin (or the readers) to be sure if Palpatine's feelings are genuine or not. He's eroded all his credibility, poor dear…
Maelicia – He he! All us young things rapid for stuffy, old emperors! The story of Mr. Palpy and the Stupid Boy in Love continues…
Princess Desire- They are cute…! And disgusting! I'm trying really hard to keep updating! (Puffs theatrically)
Vampire Kid Kara – Yes, odd pairings are my forte too… I'm not an Anakin fan – but this idea was just too delicious to resist.
Blodeuedd – Have I spelt your name right? Anyway – I think it's weird! And if I think it's weird…
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Star Wars – if I did, I… Wait, thinking about that is simply unbearable! George Lucas is the Master and Owner.
"Our celebrated Supreme Chancellor appears not quite as celibate as we first thought. In a time when politicians are expected to keep highly attractive aides, it has always been Palpatine's policy to remain free of such scandal. But, as we now know, that appears to be because our beloved Chancelloris being serviced by a Jedi young enough to be his grandson!
Anakin Skywalker (25), a decorated war veteran, the hero of many a youngling, has served the Republic for almost all his young life. Little did we know, until now, how far his service extended.
Both the Jedi and the Office of the Supreme Chancellor refuse to comment, but we can reveal that Skywalker has recently been expelled from the Jedi Order for reasons the Jedi prefer to keep secret. It is common knowledge that Jedi Knights must remain free of earthly distractions, but you'd think they'd make an exception in such a noble cause!
Meanwhile, the young ex-Jedi Knight has been seen with the Chancellor, dining and attending the Galaxies Opera together…."
Anakin almost threw the holo-projector across the room. It wasn't like that! Those bloody… Anakin sighed and turned away. He'd beenmoping aroundin Palpatine's private apartments for a week. Palpatine had bought Anakin some practical clothes in a fine black material, similar to the tunic and pants of his old Jedi robes. Anakin didn't see the point in changing his boots. The Chancellor insisted that at some point Anakin would have to visit the tailor, but the ex-Jedi was resisting the pressure.
The truth was he just didn't know what to do. He had been regulated by others all his life, first by Watto and then by the Jedi. Now that he was free he just felt… purposeless.
The Chancellor, for his part, appeared to be waiting for something. Every time he saw Anakin sitting moodily on one of his elegant, black couches he would just smile slightly and turn away, getting on with his own copious workload. He clearly wanted Anakin to make the first move.
Well, Anakin thought to himself as he once again plonked himself down on the couch, I'd oblige him if I knew what to do, but I don't.
He knew Palpatine was evil… more that evil, if that was possible. That the whole of the Clone Wars had simply been an excuse to usurp power – but that didn't seem to change Anakin's feelings. He wanted it to change his feelings, but it didn't work like that.
How couldour love be a fake? Anakin knew Palpatine felt something for him, he must. No one is beyond redemption, Anakin thought. He conjured up an image of the Supreme Chancellor. Those pale blue eyes that were still rimmed with ginger, that small pink mouth, white skin and the exquisitely feminine hands…
Anakin shivered. Sometimes he thought he could all but disappear inside this apartment. It was like another world, a red womb where reality was somehow absent. Surely no one could be that cold? That devoid of love…
Anakin sat there for a while, glaring at one of Palpatine's sculptures. There was a short beep from the doorway and a section of deep red wall panel slid away, revealing a screen. An image appeared of Obi-Wan Kenobi standing in the corridor outside, arms crossed.
Debating whether or not to answer the door, Anakin got up and walked over to the door which led into the entrance way where Anakin knew there were two silent Chancellor's Guards, standing on either side of the door.
Obi-Wan must know that Palpatine was in the Senate, sowas here for Anakin – making an educated guess as to where his past apprentice would be.
Anakinpressed the one of the buttons next to the door, opening a voice channel into the entrance way. "You can let him in," said Anakin, voice slightly petulant.
When the Jedi Master walked in, Anakin was standing in front of the door, as if to block Obi-Wan from entering the apartment, body radiating aggression.
"Is the Chancellor in?" asked Obi-Wan in an airy tone, as if he didn't know perfectly well that Palpatine was currently chairing the Senate.
"What do you want?" said Anakin pointedly, dark eyes intense, locking with his old Master's.
"I want to talk," answered Obi-Wan, like it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy. "But not here."
"What makes you think I have anything to say to you?" asked Anakin slowly.
"Your natural curiosity," said the Jedi, almost smirking through his well-meaning features.
"So where do you want to hold this discussion?" Anakin said, putting an emphasis on the word "discussion," that made it clear he doubted that there would actually be one.
"How about some food?" asked Obi-Wan.
Sitting opposite each other in Dex's Diner, Anakin reflected on how very different this was to what had now become his usual fare. Palpatine would have probably closed his eyes in horror at the fried nerf burger Anakin had ordered to avoid talking to Obi-Wan for as long as possible. Unfortunately, Anakin had forgotten quite how much sauce they put in these burgers. He was becoming frustrated as the drippy sauce ran down his wrists and splattered onto his clothes, preventing him from maintaining his suave image.
"Anakin," said Obi-Wan seriously, his previous levity forgotten, "there's something you need to understand. There was another reason you were expelled from the Jedi Order."
Anakin remained silent, staring.
"We want to draw the Sith Master out of hiding. There has been no progress with tracing him since the battle of Coruscant. Your relationship with Palpatine actually works to our advantage. You see, we want you to find the Sith Lord without the suspicion of reporting to the Jedi."
"You're saying my continued public humiliation was all for show?" said Anakin incredulously.
"Anakin, listen to me. You must let go of your pride and think about everything at risk here."
"No, you listen! Although it might have been just pretendingto you – my decision was real." How could Obi-Wan be saying this? That all histortured choiceswere just a Jedi ploy? "I chose Palpatine over the Jedi. My decision was for real!"
Obi-Wan looked out the window at the air-traffic. "I'm so sorry, Anakin," he said regretfully. "I couldn't tell you. You're no good at hiding your feelings. You would have alerted the Sith Lord to the deception. I'm sorry."
"What deception?" said Anakin roughly, standing up, silencingall chatter in the diner.
Obi-Wanstarted to reply when a pretty Iridonian female approached their table. "Are you Anakin Skywalker?" she said all in a rush, giggling slightly.
"Yes?" said Anakin, wondering why the hell she was bothering him.
"Oh!" she said, awed. "Are you really banging the Chancellor?"
There were four guards in the entrance way when Anakin stormed back into Palpatine's apartments, although he didn't need their presence to tell him that the owner was in residence – now the Chancellor allowed Anakin to feel his Force signature, he could feel that deep ocean of power from miles away.
Palpatine had clearly just returned, as he was still dictating to Sly Moore and several other aides. The Chancellor moved from one to the other, dictating a few sentences to one before moving on to the next, in a stream of words that moved seamlessly from subject to subject without breaking his train of thought, remembering exactly where he left off with the last aide.
Anakin stopped in mid-stomp, watching with fascination until Palpatine finally sent them all away. The Chancellor wore robes of aubergine and deep sienna with fitted sleeves that tightened around his wrists. The puffed shoulders of the robe Anakin supposed were intended to make Palpatine appear taller, but to Anakin they only emphasised his lover's lack of height.
He's so very sensitive about it, Anakin thought. I wonder how many people realise he wears built up shoes… I can't believe he hasn't realised how incredibly attractive his size is to me.
Palpatine drew closer to Anakin, taking small, quick steps. He opened his mouth to speak when Anakin asked, "What size feet have you got?" It wasn't entirely spontaneous; Anakin had discovered that the best way to disorient Palpatine was by being illogical.
The Chancellor gave Anakin a look, but Anakin's face appeared entirely without guile.
"They are a size seven," said Palpatine slowly, carefully assessing Anakin.
"… And how tall are you exactly?" continued Anakin sweetly, in a mood to score points.
Palpatine leaned forward so that they were almost touching. "Anakin," he said quietly, "Stop this." The dangerous edge to his soft tone reminded Anakin just how dangerous Palpatine-baiting was.
"I was told you received a visitor," said Palpatine lightly, stepping away from Anakin and seating himself one the couch.
"Yes, Obi-Wan came." Anakin said simply, hoping to avoid the Chancellor probing to deeply.
"What could he possibly have to say to you?" asked Palpatine with a thin smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.
"Tried to make me forgive him," answered Anakin, attempting to stay as close to the truth as possible, knowing that Palpatine would easily detect an outright lie. He was slightly surprised that he didn't want the older man to know about Obi-Wan's plan. Did he want to betray Palpatine?
"And did you?" The Chancellor adjusted the fall of his robes.
"No," said Anakin truthfully, sitting down next to the preening Palpatine.
"How reassuring," said Palpatine sarcastically, although, as with most of the Chancellor's comments, Anakin wasn't quite sure of the sarcasm.
Palpatine's small hands rested on his lap, and Anakin studied the veins that stood out like pale blue rivers on a plain of ice. He's a Sith Lord, Anakin said to himself, but looking at the Chancellor, even now it seemed far-fetched.
He's just so finicky, thought Anakin. He couldn't imagine those delicate hands doing anything as half as brutal as wielding a weapon – let alone a lightsaber! And Palpatine was so very particular about things, his clothes, for instance. He just wasn't… warlike.
Anakin was brought back to realitya pealof laughter.
"My Master thought the same thing," Palpatine chuckled. "I was always a disappointment to him in that area. I have always despised the exertion of combat... I still do." He lifted his hands into the air and looked at them fondly, as if regarding old friends. "The appearance of weakness is useful, Anakin."
"I think your hands are beautiful," said Anakin, before he could stop himself. He gently took hold of them in his own large ones.
"Sith are as varied as the cosmos," the Chancellor explained as Anakin pulled him closer, "but they are all Sith."
The appearance of weakness is useful, Palpatine smiled inwardly. I wonder how far I should go in appearing emotionally vulnerable... Really! All that tripe about my mother – but Anakin thinks he can redeem me with love. How very predictable. But it suits my purposes perfectly.
Their kiss was slow, when it came. Anakin simply wanted to hold him after their separation over the past week – although, try to convince a member of the press of that! Palpatine was content to be held, and although he was loath to admit it, he enjoyed the sensation of being in Anakin's strong arms.
"I love you," said Anakin, as if he had only just realised this himself, his warm, natural hand running up through Palpatine's hair in that familiar way the Chancellor was beginning to like.
"Oh, Anakin…" he breathed softly as they continued to kiss.
Next stop, sadistic sex! Er… Trash the moment, why don't I? Leave a review – please? (Get Palpy doingsweet heavy-lidded eyelash fluttering)
