Taking the Temple steps two at a time, I reach out using the Force and detect a larger than normal amount of people up in the corridor ahead. Once my head is even with the level, I scope out the scene ahead.
A gaggle of suited individuals, Four Secret Service Agents, with a Jedi Temple Guard flanking them on either side. Beyond them, presumably are Master Dooku and Senator Organa.
After a moment, both Master Skywalker and Senator Amidala's signatures become more clear through the Force.
Mask on, I have all my identification, my lightsaber, the receipt from the bookstore…
I think I'm ready.
Taking a steadying breath, I do my best to release my tensions out into the Force before fully rising the stairs, only to detect the anxiety and fear coming from the gaggle.
They know Lord Vader's coming.
My boots make no noise as I stride quicker than the group ahead of me. Within ten to fifteen steps, I catch the attention of the tail end of the civilian group.
I give them a polite smile before averting my eyes and keep it moving—
OW!
Pain erupts right in my sternum as I blink and find a man with a receding hairline with his finger in my chest. "YOU. You murdering, lying son of a bitch."
—
"You're exactly the same evil damned Sith as you were before." He says as I lock up and just stare at the man as he starts unloading. "You have no right to—"
The man suddenly gets Force Pushed away from me, and I hastily retreat while raising my hands to the Guards. "I didn't do it, that wasn't me. I didn't—"
That wasn't me! I DIDN'T DO IT!
"I know." I hear a growl before Master Skywalker appears, lip curled back to reveal a menacing snarl as he's now got the offending…whoever pinned against the wall with two Guards on either side of him. "We were very clear on the rules when we came in."
Feeling a lecture coming from Master Skywalker, I dip my head just as it begins. "Whenever Vader did arrive, give him his space and allow Master Dooku and Senator Amidala to handle the introductions."
"I—"
"SILENCE!" Both Guards overrule the man's feeble attempts to defend himself.
"There is a fine line between welcomed guest and—"
Something warm comes and slides itself around me for a hug. "Ignore that, c'mon…"
I can't.
Ignoring Senator Amidala's request, Master Skywalker continues reaming out Organa's…staffer or whoever. "—take him down to the detention level until the Senator is ready to depart. You." Skywalker's tone drops so low it could draw blood. "Are no longer welcome in this Temple. Take him away!"
Two of the Temple Guards slap the same restraint over his mouth that they use on me before the man is forcibly dragged out of there.
"He could have walked on his own." I hear a dignified voice protest.
That's him.
Padmé nudges me again with her elbow, trying to get me moving before Master Skywalker turns to me and nods. Respectfully, I bow to Master Skywalker before locking in on the spot two steps immediately in front of me and begin walking.
Don't color outside of the lines. Don't do anything the Council wouldn't want you to do. Don't say anything the Council wouldn't want you to say.
And if you mess this up, it's definitely over.
Don't relax. FOCUS.
Bypassing the rest of the gaggle, I keep my eyes down and ahead of me with my hands behind my back before seeing Master Dooku's boots and coming up short.
"Your sword."
Unclipping my lightsaber with my right hand, I tip it into my open palms and present it to Master Dooku. Dooku takes it and clips it to his belt before extending his hand again.
For the receipt.
Handing over the noisy piece of paper, the Force rings with Organa's confusion as Dooku takes it, then peers back to the remainder of our group. "The public viewing portion of this meeting has concluded. Please take our guests downstairs." Dooku says to somebody behind me.
The Force registers Organa's party's dissatisfaction, but nobody says anything as I keep my head facing forward and eyes down.
By the book. You are not a threat. Do nothing that would make yourself pose a threat to anyone here.
…
As soon as the coast must be clear, Padmé hits me hard with an elbow square in the ribs, knocking the air out of me—
Don't react.
"Hey. Look up. It's okay."
That's not for you to decide.
I give Padmé the smallest nod I can while maintaining my position as Dooku returns to walking while scanning the receipt.
"This is too much, young one."
Oh no…
The knot in my stomach tightens as I finally look to Dooku. "Pardon, Master?"
"This is too much. Are you sure that you selected the correct books?"
"Yes, Master." I nod once.
"Did you double-check on-site, with the syllabus as well as with the materials we have provided you with?" Dooku follows up.
"Yes, Master."
Dooku takes in this information, then replies. "Once we have concluded here, I want you to scour online for more competitive prices."
I—
I raise my hand, only for Padmé to scold me. "You don't have to—"
"Go ahead, young one." Dooku overrules her.
"In the syllabuses, they specifically state that we need the latest version. Used copies or the prior year aren't accepted."
I know in Biology and Computation the syllabus was very explicit.
"That's inane." Dooku replies.
"If I may interject Master, this happened to me when I was at Harvard. The books were outrageously priced, and the professors could demand that students spend an exorbitant amount." Padmé offers her insight.
"College textbook prices have risen 88 percent since 2006." Senator Organa finally speaks up, and I turn to give him my full attention. "Students cannot continue to be fleeced for cash while taking out exorbitant loans, leaving them in crippling debt, Sar."
"I am aware of the corruption and stale nature of these textbook companies, Bail." Dooku responds to him, eyes returning to my receipt.
He gestures to my receipt. "I'm just saying that if elected, I have a plan for that."
"What classes demanded the latest version of the textbook?" Padmé looks to me.
"Every class but my Bio lab. I was able to pick up one of the last workbooks that were returned last year."
That cut the price down I'm sure.
"If the workbook was returned, wouldn't it have been used prior and be unable to be used?" Padmé follows up.
"Not this one Senator," I reply. "I skimmed through, there are no missing pages or writing anywhere."
If I had to guess, it probably was somebody who dropped the class and returned the book for beer money or something.
Padmé swats my arm. "Don't call me Senator Ez—"
Padmé stops herself short, just before Dooku comes to a stop and turns. "Regardless of the Senators' opinions, I want you online researching. The shipping price doesn't matter, as long as we can return these and get a proper price. I refuse to be price-gouged like this."
I nod once, having received my orders. "Yes, Master."
"Do you still have the books or did you take them back to your apartment?"
"I have them, Master."
"Very good." Dooku nods then pivots to face Bail. "Now, Bail…Lord Vader."
"It's an honor to meet you, Senator." I finally lock eyes with the Senator while moving to shake his hand.
Senator Organa returns the handshake, even letting go without showing his disdain for me. "The honor is all mine. You are a very, very difficult person to meet."
"For very good reason as you just saw." Dooku says coldly.
Organa doesn't flush or anything before responding. "I apologize for his outburst. As Master Skywalker stated, me and my staff were explicitly briefed before you arrived."
And yet they lacked the discipline to follow through with it when push came to shove.
He just saw me and yelled.
"It's fine Senator. I'm in no position to judge others." I reply.
That's true. Everything he said was true, outside the part about being a son of a bitch.
I deserve every word of it.
Silence falls over our group before Organa turns to Dooku. "Is he usually this subdued?"
Like I'm not even here.
"No." Padmé answers for Master Dooku.
Organa absolutely seems like the type that, when all this is over, will return to his estate on Alderaan and his legions of servants and helpers, feeding him grapes and tending to his copious gardens.
He probably lives in a place similar to what Palpatine rented out for his fundraiser.
"The boy has had a very long and stressful week. And might I add, he has not received proper credit for defeating a Sith Lord." Dooku says to Organa.
"And summer," Padmé interjects. "He wasn't like this last time I saw him."
For Mira's birthday.
"A lot of things have happened since then." I point out. All three of them turn to look at me, and I turn my eyes down in front of me while continuing my walking.
Stay. Within. The lines.
"What has your Jedi Council decided when it comes to the Northridge debacle?" Organa asks Master Dooku.
"Nothing. That will be decided once we conclude here." Dooku replies, before the Force jolts with Organa and Amidala's surprise.
"What?" Padmé asks.
Organa, an instant later follows up. "How can that be possible? It's been six full days since the incident."
"As Master Kenobi explained to you the following morning, the Jedi Council was spread across every continent on the globe. It takes time for everyone to reconvene and discuss the matter before bringing in…" Dooku motions to me.
"Do you not have Skype?" Organa asks, almost flippantly.
"No." I can't help but laugh.
SKYPE?! Half the Council has flip phones!
"I didn't ask you." Organa replies, a cold note in the tone of his voice before we lock eyes.
He doesn't like me.
…
"I will not permit you to speak that way to him." Dooku's tone is twice as frosty as Organa's. "He is correct, the Council is hardly the most technically savvy group."
"Alright, but my point remains. It is extremely difficult logistically to gather Jedi such as yourselves, there must be a better way."
Dooku counters. "Every single matter when it comes to Lord Vader must be dealt with using the most delicate touch and care. The situation is quite delicate."
"Clearly." Organa almost laughs. "So I'll be walking out of here with old information, even if I do press Lord Vader here on any matter."
Not…necessarily.
"That is not entirely true." Dooku counters. "For example, the very reason he is here, that information and those details do not change."
"I've been denied this information, outside of a boilerplate quote."
Huh?
"This surprises you?" Organa asks me before anyone else can respond.
"I—yes sir." I nod once.
"He has no control or say in the information about him we dispense." Dooku informs Organa.
"You dispense nothing. It's like pulling teeth to get anything out of your Order. I have a right to know, as do the American people, to know—"
"The information we dispense is very carefully crafted, Senator Organa." Dooku cuts his compatriot off. "If it weren't there would be panic in the streets."
"Panic?" Organa echoes before an odd look pops onto his face, almost a touch deranged. "There are protests in every state in this country and over one hundred countries. People marching in the streets." Organa says before gesturing out to the window. "There's already panic!"
"I believe you confuse the words panic and protest, Senator."
"I believe you are mistaken, old friend." Organa follows right back.
Oh boy.
The Force surges with Organa's frustration before I detect slight nerves coming from Senator Amidala. "Up until this point, young Vader had been out in the world for an extended amount of time, with absolutely zero consequences."
"Outside of the fact that he killed a kid at UCLA."
—
"Bail!" Padmé says crossly, looking shocked.
"What I'm stating is a fact. The Order, well, ordered him to de-escalate a hostage situation at UCLA. He chose violence instead of a nonviolent solution."
"I tried sir." I say quietly.
I tried talking him down.
"I am afraid I don't believe you." Organa looks dead at me and informs me. "There is absolutely no reason or cause to believe you."
"That." Padmé raises her voice a touch. "Is false Bail. For as long as I've known him, all he's done is be honest and do everything he can to repent for the things he did. That's all he can do."
"There is no coming back from that amount of bloodshed. Five…Hundred plus confirmed kills—"
That's old intel. It's rapidly approaching six hundred now, thanks to Maul's compatriots that Vader dropped.
"All he can do is the best he can each day. And as we revealed to you in your briefings months ago, the common misconception is that Vader was captured. He surrendered—"
"There's hardly a difference—" Organa instantly counters.
Padmé raises her voice over both of them. "It makes all the difference in the world! Ezra chose to walk away and change his life for the better!"
"You were a serving Senator when we captured Sidious—" Dooku begins before Organa again cuts him off.
You gotta stop doing that.
"I was on the Armed Services Committee at the time!" Organa reminds Dooku.
"Then you recall that we knew of Vader and Sidious and Tyranus, but not where they were."
"Right under our nose!" Organa reminds Dooku.
"Precisely." Dooku nods. "If not for Lord Vader's change of heart we may never have found him. That is how well hidden he and his brother were."
"Sorry, but I'm not buying the story Dooku. You call it a change of heart, I see it as treason."
Treason?
"Treason?" Padmé speaks for me. "How?"
"A foreign agent operating on our soil, domestically. While simultaneously being a citizen of that same country? That's called treason."
"He was twelve." Padmé points out for him. "None of it was his idea, he was simply doing as he was told. He probably would have died if he refused."
No, I would have died.
"He would have." Dooku proclaims.
Probably slowly…painfully—
He might have had Elias do it.
"I don't care if he was twelve or twenty." Organa indeed looks indifferent.
"You would if you knew why he did it," Padmé says reasonably before Organa looks to me.
"Young one." Is all Dooku says, before everyone just starts staring at me.
You want me to just…tell him?!
Dooku gives me the tiniest of nods, and I clear my throat. "Okay, uhm…well, it's, uhm, a complicated story but I'll try to condense it. My—"
Oh jeez. Mom's…
"My Mom had already passed for over six months when my father ordered me to a Chemical Manufacturing and medical facility in Miami, Florida." I begin, then quickly glance around and see that they're all intently listening to me. "I, uhh…I'd suspected that something was wrong with how Mom died. It—"
It happened too fast. It all happened way too fast.
"It didn't make any sense. But I had a hunch, and followed it all the way to Miami—"
"A hunch." Organa's tone is cold.
"Yes sir," I confirm with a nod. "I, I tested multiple things in the house for irregularities. The closer I got to our refrigerator, the more I got. Eventually, I whittled it down to my mother's favorite mustard for her sandwiches at lunch—"
Organa huffs out a breath and stalks away. "I don't have time for a story about sandwiches."
"Listen…to the entire story. And the truth will reveal itself." Dooku tells Organa, before turning me and saying simply "Continue."
Speed it up, Bridger.
"I was coming around to the idea that he might have laced it with something. So I took the mustard with me to Miami, ran some tests…and it came back hot."
Literally.
"Hot?" Organa repeats after me.
"Yes sir." I nod. "Radioactive. My father deliberately poisoned my mother for months, and it turned into cancer. Once I…once I saw the proof, I couldn't go back to him. So I turned myself in."
…
…
"You want me to believe…a story like that, with absolutely no evidence outside of your mother, which I am sorry to hear—" Organa begins, not sounding sorry in the least.
NO.
You're not.
"There is proof! Under heavy, heavy protection!" Padmé points out. "Master Dooku, tell him!"
"This is true, we have said evidence in our possession."
Organa gives Dooku a look. "That's a crock."
—
"That's what happened!" Padmé fights for me as my stomach sinks through the floor. "That's the story Anakin told me when it happened, it's what Ezra himself told me, years later!"
"Have you seen the proof?" Organa asks Padmé.
Padmé balks. "No, not personally I haven't."
She's a sitting US Senator! She doesn't have time to…just go gallivant anywhere she wants. And besides, it's not like she's had people trying to kill her for years or anything.
Hah!
"Then I'm afraid that all your story is to me is just that…a tall tale. I don't know how you all can possibly have fallen for such a story, nor how you have him under your control. What's your secret?" Organa asks Dooku.
"There is no secret," Dooku replies as I feel Padmé hit the roof beside me.
"There's no secret!" Padmé almost exclaims. "This is all him, his own free will."
"I did this all on my own si—"
Organa's head turns to me. "I'm afraid I do not care what you have to say on the matter. House trained or not, you are still a Sith Lord and a criminal." He turns away from me and back to Dooku. "You need to turn him over to face justice."
"He has a far greater purpose than to serve as a justice pinata for the world to beat to death. That, among other reasons, is why we have chosen to take him in and train him."
Organa fires right back at Dooku. "Yes, and look where that has gotten you."
"Thousands of Sith sympathizers and patriots locked up, including his own father." Dooku points out. "He has answered every question asked of him and has shown beyond good faith that his transformation is genuine."
"Beyond good faith…to you. And you alone." Organa replies. "That is not justice."
"I never said I was pursuing justice."
"Because you are harboring, quite arguably, the most dangerous man on the planet!" Organa gestures to me so hard he hits me right in the chest.
Easy—
I allow the momentum to take me back a full step before averting my eyes. "Sorry." Organa apologizes. "I didn't mean to hit you, I was speaking with my hands."
I know.
I nod to show understanding before Dooku speaks. "If he were the man you believe him to be, we would be trying, likely unsuccessfully, to peel him off you." Dooku states like fact. "Or more accurately, your corpse."
People did die for lesser insults.
"Sorry if I'm not comforted. I have made bringing him to justice a central tenet of my campaign, and I intend to follow through with that." Organa plows ahead.
"The Order is very aware of that fact, as well as the young man himself."
Organa motions to me again. "He doesn't seem very bothered by it."
"He, is being pushed further into the protective shell we found him. The literature we have provided you did not shed light on that fact. He has come very far since his capture."
"And to be honest Bail, you're doing nothing to de-escalate the situation. He's not comfortable, you don't believe his story—" Padmé begins.
"There's nothing to believe, Padmé. You want me to buy some cockamamie story about some mustard and a cross country flight that led to some magical reveal that his father's super evil and that he had to get away from him? Please." Organa dismisses the idea completely. "You're almost insulting my intelligence, is that really the best you could come up with?"
The best story—
Dooku silently grabs me using the Force and bodily moves me so that Dooku is placed between Organa and me as Padmé moves to speak but instead opts to stay silent.
"If that is how you choose to view the truth, then I am afraid we have nothing left to be gained by continuing this conversation," Dooku tells Organa. "I understand that you have committed to bringing Vader down, but your unwillingness to hear the truth alarms me."
"Your steadfast and annoying refusal to hand him over alarms me!" Organa returns fire. "You're all really willing to let all this go, just for him."
Dooku looks around us, to the entry Chamber to the Council's chambers. "Yes, we are. An inability to let go of physical attachments around is a path to the Dark Side."
Organa lets out a dismissive chuckle. "…Now is not the time for one of your Jedi platitudes."
"Indeed." Dooku nods before turning to Padmé. "Senator, can you escort your colleague downstairs to the remainder of his party? We have a commitment to keep here."
"Of course, Master Jedi." Padmé nods as Dooku gently shunts me back towards the massive wooden door separating us from the Council.
"I'm sorry you cannot see sense, my old friend. You may find it difficult to secure our support once all this has blown over." Dooku says, before opening the Chamber door and shoving me inside before stepping inside himself and shutting the door.
(Flashback - Six Years Ago)
A sterile white room full of technicians and machines, humming and whirring as they work buzz around as I fully exit the stairwell.
I need a free machine, I need the right machine. I need to not get—
"Excuse me, this is a restricted area…where's your mom? How'd you even get up here?" An authoritative voice calls out in my direction.
I—
(End Flashback)
A muffled voice sneaks under the door to the Council chambers as Dooku's quiet footsteps pull me back to the present.
"That didn't sound productive." Master Mundi observes.
"I am afraid that the Senator is too blinded by his ambition to see the forest for the trees." Dooku replies. "He has no idea that his work could make it easier for the Sith we have not apprehended to infiltrate and destroy everything we have worked to build."
"Shame." Master Luminara Unduli says from her seated position. "He could have eased some of the widespread concerns about young Vader to the general populace."
I don't think he's going to do that now.
That's my fault, I didn't do a good enough job telling my story.
"That sounded like it didn't go well." Master Windu states plainly.
Dooku lets out a tired sigh. "I'm afraid it did not, my Masters."
'The best story we could come up with'…
I find my hand running through my hair as I blink and try to breathe.
He didn't believe any of it. The story, my conversion, any of it.
He legitimately thinks I'm evil.
Who knows, maybe I still am. I never thought I was evil during all my missions for my father.
I had questions, wondered about why he sent me to where he did.
(Flashback)
—THWACK—
"STOP. THINKING!" My father yells at me before swinging the massive wood plank and having it connect with my stomach. "It slows you down! Makes you substandard! Just do exactly as I tell you and it will all work out."
He winds up and connects the board to my body again and I'm left to grit my teeth and try to suppress any sound of my pain. "Your questions do NOTHING! For you, for me, for our Empire. Stop asking questions!"
—THWACK—
(End Flashback)
"Ezra." I hear, then glance up and see every single Jedi Master eying me intently, including Master Windu.
"Are you alright?" Windu asks gently before I sense the room around me lighten and warm.
That's—no, no way.
The Council's cold, calculating.
This is a trick.
"Yes, Master." I confirm for him, nodding once.
Here it comes.
My dressing down for allowing Vader to take control and nearly ruin all for the Order.
"I sense…uncertainty from you, young one." Master Jinn calls me out.
"A wavering." Master Mundi elaborates.
I'm not—
"Are you all sure I'm worth all this?" I ask the Council.
There's no way Dooku was serious about choosing me over the Order's duties to not only the country but the world.
No way.
"Yes." Master Yoda answers in a definitive tone.
"Have faith in yourself, and in the progress you have made." Kanan advises me.
"Trust in that, and our judgment." Master Shaak Ti speaks up. "It will not lead you astray, young one."
I'm not so sure about that.
I nod once to show that I understand. "Thank you, Masters."
The room falls silent for a moment before Master Windu starts to speak. "This Council has reviewed all relevant information and footage regarding last weeks' incident with Lord Maul in Northridge. Is there anything you would like to say before we begin?"
"I regret that Vader got out. I…it wasn't intended, and it is beyond lucky that nothing truly tragic occurred." I say to the assembled Council.
Vader could have turned back and cut through that whole party instead of pursuing Maul. And he chose the Sith over the free kills.
"Luck has nothing to do with it." Master Jinn corrects me. "There is no luck, only the Force. What you refer to is the Cosmic Force."
"We know that you did not intend for Vader to escape your control. Even when your mask was inert, our monitoring protocols recorded and captured the entire scene on the balcony." Master Tano enlightens me.
"She hit you." Windu states simply.
Technically, she did.
"I've tried letting the mistake go, Masters. I told her that I turned just as she moved her hand."
I have no right to hold a grudge over that.
"She told us the same when we spoke with her last week." Master Kenobi reveals.
"When'd you talk to Sabine?" I blurt out, before catching myself. "Sorry…not my place. I apologize—"
"Last week, on Thursday. That is why she was here, at the Temple." Master Kenobi elaborates to me. "We verified the core details of the night, as well as spoke to her about the events of the summer."
Oh.
"You have turned this Council's directive around and used it as a shield to protect yourself against the pain she has caused you," Windu states plainly. "You have gone beyond your bounds in doing so, exacerbating the issues you two have."
…
…
"Would you like to tell us why? Or shall we tell you?" Master Mundi gives me the option.
I—
I don't think I can.
"Your feelings for her scare you." Windu jumps down my throat. "Nobody else has become so important and valuable to you, personally, in such a short period of time."
…
"That is why you supplicate and continue to allow her to walk all over you." Windu tells me. "You're afraid, and allowing it to rule you."
…
…
"You are smart to fear, but not for the reasons you believe." Dooku takes the baton from Windu. "Miss Wren's decision-making is bad. Her thought process, many times, is rushed and incomplete. She acts rashly, immaturely and time and time again you find yourself at the blunt end of those decisions young one. Speak up if you believe I am wrong."
No, he's right.
…
…
"When did you first allow yourself to consider the possibility of you two becoming an item?" Ahsoka asks, in a gentle tone.
"In May," I admit in a whisper. "I…We were driving late at night, and I was—"
We texted all night. The whole way. I think she was going to go to bed, but she realized I was up and kept me company for the whole drive.
"—I made the mistake of considering the idea for five minutes. Telling her about…everything. And then it came out that I was in DC, and all that was blown away."
Straight to hell.
We never really got back on the same page, then Maul happened, and…
I haven't wanted to talk to anybody really since then.
"You could have to come us, Ezra." Master Skywalker states softly. "Myself, your Master…any of us."
"I understand to a degree what is going on. I once harbored feelings for a woman. It's not that we're not allowed to have these feelings. It's natural." Master Kenobi assures me.
"I'm not." I almost laugh.
I'm DARTH VADER.
"Learning to forgive yourself and accept your flaws, no matter how big or small is an important part of becoming a fully-fledged Jedi Knight." Master Dooku pontificates.
"Allowed to feel, everyone is." Master Yoda adds on.
Master Jinn shifts in his seat and speaks next. "I believe that none of this is news to you, young one. But encountering these emotions for yourself has overburdened you."
Over—
"You have not been the same since news broke in May." Master Plo points out.
"Masters, you have instructed me since the day I arrived that it is paramount that I learn to master myself. My impulses, worst urges." I remind the Council. "That's one thing, this…"
It's totally different!
I can't make Sabine love me.
"No!" Yoda admonishes me. "No different!" Yoda raps his wooden cane on the floor beside his seat. "Only different in your mind, hmm?"
"I have no control over it!" I counter emotionally. "I've tried, tried corralling everything, meditating, letting my feelings go. I've tried everything. Nothing has worked!"
"Then stop running." Master Windu suggests.
"I'm not running!"
"Not literally." Yoda points out. "But yes, running you are."
—
A flash of fury flows through me, and I instantly move to squelch and suppress it before slowly releasing it into the Force.
…
"Control of anything, you can have. For the Force is your ally, and a powerful ally it is…" Yoda reminds me.
"I—" I start, then stop myself.
It's not about power.
It's the fact that it's so overwhelming.
It all happened so fast. One second Sabine's…the first person to meet me and like me for who I am. When I'm not pretending or trying to be the Son of Sidious or a Jedi.
She likes me for me.
…
I think.
"We did not foresee this as a possibility when we said yes to sending you to college," Ahsoka speaks up. "We did not prepare you for this."
"They're my feelings, they're my responsibility." I reply to her.
I have to control them better.
"Then embrace that responsibility. Be the person she sees you as, not as the person you think you are." Master Jinn suggests.
"I don't think anything, Master." I counter quickly. "I know who I am."
I'm Darth Vader.
"Knowing who you are and accepting who you are, two separate things they are." Yoda replies to me.
"You pay far too much attention to the vitriol the world throws at you." Master Plo proclaims. Before I can argue, he continues. "Do not attempt to disagree, we have your screentime and all of your online activity monitored, remember?"
…
Yes, they do.
"You spend entirely too much time reading up on how much they hate you. And that has had an adverse effect on you personally."
"This is why, when you were first captured, we sequestered you." Dooku informs me.
"If you think this is bad—" Windu motions outside, to the city at large. "You should see what they were saying then. At least now we have Palpatine on our side."
That's…probably true.
"You did well self-reporting your meeting with the Rising Tide leader." Master Skywalker shifts gears slightly. "But that is also more of the same. The opinions of those on the outside, including Quinlan Vos, do not matter within these walls. Remember that."
"You could not have played that entire situation more perfectly." Kanan compliments me. "As far as we can tell, she thinks you're just another useful idiot that doesn't know anything about Vader, or any of it."
"Master Jarrus." Windu admonishes Kanan.
Useful idiot.
…
"Your ability to blend into such a situation is a testament to you. Not only your self-control and ability to ad-lib and create on the fly, but to remain composed throughout. A year ago, you would have cracked." Master Kenobi compliments me.
Yeah, I probably would have slipped up. And that would have been truly disastrous.
"You have come very far in the past year young one." Master Luminara says calmly. "Credit yourself on that count."
I bow my head to the Council. "Thank you, Masters."
"It is with all that in mind that we have concluded that last Wednesday's events were an aberration and not a catastrophic failure," Windu reveals. "You made every effort to resolve the situation as we instructed you to."
"And even when Vader dictated the terms of his duel with Sidious." Dooku begins. "You defeated him and tipped off Agent Orrelios that you had been compromised. Well done."
You should not compliment me on letting Vader OUT.
Yoda makes a slight face, before a majority of the Council shifts in its seats. "The development that you can infiltrate Vader's mind, and that it is a two-way street as opposed to what had been believed is massive." Master Jinn tells me.
"You have far more control over him than you give yourself credit for." Windu states.
Master Plo follows Windu. "How long had he been inside of your head?"
I—
"He's almost always in there," I confess. "I think he likes using Sabine as a leverage point."
Windu straightens quickly before many of the other Masters visibly take note of my statement.
"Then perhaps until she can come around…or proves herself to be unworthy of your affections…you should attempt to divest yourself from her." Master Luminara advises me.
Kanan quickly jumps in. "Master Luminara, if I may? That is far, far easier said than done."
"I know." Luminara acknowledges the fact.
"Perhaps until she gives up the delusion of affection for this…Frat Ryan." Dooku says, a look of disgust coming upon his face.
"Please don't call him that." I blurt out quickly.
Vader invented that. I hate it.
JJ used it as I was cooking for Daisy and everyone. Called him Frat Ryan.
Force, I hope it doesn't stick.
"I believe that it is an accurate depiction of him." Dooku counters coolly.
"I like it." Skywalker agrees. "Frat Ryan."
"That's enough." Windu snaps crossly, and I can't help but avert my eyes before probing out into the—
Uh oh.
I spin around and take a half step towards the Council at large.
That's Padmé.
She's coming this way.
That's a problem.
"Young Bridger—" Windu begins before I hear somebody stand and turn to see that it's Master Skywalker as he's already striding for the Chamber door.
That's NOT good.
I can feel her distress and concern.
"What is it?" Kanan asks the room.
I don't know.
Three sharp bangs on the door cause me to jump, and Windu grabs my attention using the Force. "Your mask." He reminds me while motioning to Master Skywalker's empty Council seat.
I—
I hurriedly move to stand beside it while fishing my mask out of my pocket and throw it on before hearing the reassuring beeps, telling me that it's working. An instant later, Skywalker opens the door.
"Padmé, what's going on? I can feel your emotions through the Force."
"We have a problem." She blows right past him and strides right into the Council's chambers.
WHAT ARE YOU—
"Problem, Senator?" Master Windu moves to stand, being the senior member of the Council.
"Yes, and I apologize for the interruption." Padmé says at a thousand miles an hour before looking back to Master Windu.
"One of Bail's people just went on TV. He said that Ezra's out there—in the real world."