Yoda was worried. This was of course, more or less the ground state of being for one charged with Peace and Justice in the Galaxy. The Galaxy was vast and large parts of it were not at Peace nor Just. Additionally, he was old, so old that he remembered the fall of the Sith. He had been but a padawan then, he remembered celebrating when the Sith were defeated. He recalled the words of his Master.
"Destroyed for good? No, destruction good never is," said Yoda as he repeated the words as he shuffled along the streets of Coruscant.
The ending of the Sith had always bothered Yoda. The Sith were not just a species or people, they were also an idea, a concept. Over the years he had noticed that with the Sith supposedly gone Evil had not diminished, rather it had retreated, reassessed and was licking its wounds waiting for the moment to strike. So Yoda had waited, remaining vigilant. When everyone else died, forgot and moved on Yoda remained ever watchful. The Force had understood this duty and so extended his life, far longer than was normal even for his species so that should the Darkness return, that there would be someone to guide and advise those who would oppose it. That extension was now so extreme, even Yoda forgot exactly how old he was. He had been 'oh about 800' for a couple of centuries now. Which was a long time for any being. He sometimes wondered if the Dark Side was merely waiting for him to die. Well, if so he could teach it a thing or two about patience. It would be the ancient manifestation of evil that blinked first, not him, damnit.
And now it seemed the Dark Side had blinked. It was going through with its plans and all the signs pointed to, they pointed to, well this chef. Lesser beings would have scoffed and said it was ridiculous, impossible. Yoda however knew that most 'impossibilities' cropped up if you just waited long enough. He was also quite close to the Chosen One, young Anakin Skywalker. Yoda had also read the prophecies and always kept an eye out when someone matching them showed up. Of the five current candidates, Anakin had the best match to all the signs. He would have a mentor both from the light, which was the Jedi and, the dark.
Yoda paused as he regarded the elegant and enticing sign of Hyperfusion. Was Palpatine really the 'whisperer in the shadows' alluded to? He to, matched all the signs especially that they 'shall spring from the same grove as love and beauty' and Yoda certainly knew who that was! Now, was Palpatine the Sith or merely a pointer to the true evil? It was time to find out. Yoda took a deep breath and entered.
Sheev Palpatine, the only sentient being alive able to make a Vernphian souffle correctly and only being under seven feet to know which twelve spices went to make a Kashyyk Fried Chacook looked at the small alien who nonetheless was possibly the most powerful psionic adept in the Galaxy and tried to process the request.
"You want me to go on a trip with you?" he said.
Yoda nodded, "Mmm yes. To Dagobah shall we go. Yes. Many interesting fruits and vegetables there, interesting to find would you."
Palpatine picked up a dataslate and quickly consulted it. "Hmm, outer rim, dead end hyperlane, hothouse stage, unsettled. A little obscure?"
Yoda, "Went there I did. Stayed a while. Discovered some interesting things to eat. Remembered it now I did. Would pass that on to you."
"Why thank you Master Yoda. May I ask why?"
Yoda shrugged, "Sufficient thanks for the meals, training our padawans, credits are not." Yoda eyed him, "Knowledge of this nature, powerful knowledge it is.
Palpatine smiled, "Why thank you Master Yoda. I accept. When shall we depart?"
"Good now is. This way come, yes. Good food find shall we." said at the door.
Yoda stared dubiously at the small bowl. He was in the small stateroom of a courier en route to Dagobah with suspected Sith Lord. Were his suspicions true, he had just given them the perfect opportunity to poison him. Still, he had made precautions should any 'unfortunate accidents' happen. Revealing the Sith was the thing and if the price was his life, then so be it. Yoda picked up his spoon and dipped it into the soup made from the standard-issue ration packs and took a sip.
The unexpected sensation as his tastebuds, long acclimatised to Temple provisions, reacted to what was in the broth and fed that information directly into the pleasure centres of his brain nearly killed him. Yoda calmed, repeated several mantras and told his hearts to beat. He then looked at the Palpatine who was beaming.
"The frema zest? It can hit you like that should you not be expecting it," said Palpatine.
Yoda paused, mouth open as he mentally got his body working again.
"I do try to match each person to their meal, but I'm afraid Master Yoda that I do not know even what species you are. I apologise if I overstepped the mark," said Palpatine.
Yoda looked from the man to his bowl and back again in wonder, "How did you do that?" he said.
Palpatine waved dismissively, "Oh, the galley's a little spartan, but that's to be expected. Still, you can make do and I did bring my carry bag.", Palpatine then retrieved and showed Yoda said bag. It had several fruits, vegetables and a mini spice rack, all in something the size of a small purse that was a deep crimson red.
"Everywhere you go, take that do you?" stammered Yoda.
"Oh yes, one never knows and it brings so much to what can often be very bland fare. You have your tools," here Palpatine nodded towards where Yoda wore his lightsabre, "and I, have mine."
Yoda considered this as he ate the soup, when finished he held it up, "More, there is,"
"Of course,"
Under Yoda's guidance, the courier landed in a steaming, noisome swamp. Yoda then guided his suspect towards the site. Unknown only to him Dagobah hosted a site saturated with the Dark Side. What dark practices or deeds had transpired here to leave this mark Yoda did not know, nor did he want to even guess at. What he did know is that no darksider could ignore the siren call of the tree at the centre of it all.
"This place is simply marvellous Master Yoda," said Palpatineas he placed a small probe into a mushroom. A small green light lit, Palpatine then took a small cutting and popped it into his mouth. "Mmm, wonderful," he said as he gathered more samples.
By now, were he one of the enemy Palpatine should have sensed the tree and been drawn to it. While his process was in that direction he made frequent, erratic diversions as he spotted various flora. Yoda occasionally would point out some of the things he had eaten when here, but the mad Human seemed to be finding more.
"I am very wroth with you Master Yoda, keeping this veritable pantry all to yourself. Very, very unjedilike of you," mumbled Palptine, his mouth full of small green fruits Yoda had never realised were here. "We should share this with the entire Galaxy. It would be irresponsible of me to be the only one who, wait. Is that a Cocoa tree!"
Palpatine ran over to the tree and examined it before giving a small squeal, "It is. it is. How did you get here I wonder," he said addressing the tree.
Yoda tried to feign indifference to a plant famed not only for it's distinctive produce but also, known only to the Jedi, its affinity to the Dark Side. "A tree in a jungle? Surprised should I be."
"It's a Cocoa tree. They're almost impossible to grow and well, you've heard of chocolate? This is what you make it from. I could set up a small plantation and become as rich as Jolun the Hutt!" exclaimed the restauranteur. : Is this what you intended to show me."
Yoda eyed another tree, fully visible not twenty metres away as Palpatine sought a cutting of the Cocoa. Palpatine had not so much as even looked at it. Oh well. The search would continue. Palpatine was just what he seemed to be.
"Of course, of course," he replied.
They continued about the forest.
Some days later they were back in Corruscant. Palpatine was humming to himself as he unloaded several bags crammed with cuttings and samples and Yoda swore he had put on a few kilos. The man turned to him.
"That was an excellent expedition. Thank you Master Yoda. I shall make great use of this." he said.
"Always happy to serve the Jedi are," replied Yoda.
Palpatine turned and then presented Yoda with a small cutting already in a pot. Yoda stared at it. Impossible!
It was a cutting from the cursed tree.
"For he who watches in verdant clad," said Palpatine with a smile.
Yoda nearly had a second heart attack