Chapter Eleven: Two Emergency Sessions

Anakin felt a tremor of fear run through him as he boarded the Aether. There was a time not too long ago when such feelings would paralyze the young Dragon. Now, these waves of fear when they did come only annoyed him. Ahsoka, on the other hand, wasn't as robust as Anakin in that department. When she felt the tendrils of fear, the Togruta looked at Anakin and shivered.

"The Jedi only have hazy records on your people, Anakin." Ahsoka reminded him as they prepared for the trip to Coruscant. "The Republic at large doesn't know your people at all."

Anakin nodded. "That's why I'm not going to bring Palpatine before the Senate." The man then squeezed her shoulder gently. "You and Rex will take him before The Senate while I deal with the Jedi."

Ahsoka glared at him. "I'm not going to let you poison yourself in that Temple, Skyguy." Ahsoka slapped him. "You may think it's ok to scare me nearly every time we are sent on a mission together, but this is one mission I'm not taking suggestions on."

Anakin paused for a moment. He stretched out to the natural ebb and flow of The Force and felt tiny pinpricks in The Bogan. The source would have been undetectable for a Jedi even in the same room, but Anakin traced it back directly to the Sith Lord currently in his and Ahsoka's company. The amount of power behind these annoying disruptions in The Force proved negligible. Nonetheless, Anakin knew why Palpatine, try as he might, needed to goad the young Darith into an aggressive response.

Instead of rising to the bait as the Ro-Narta intended, the young hybrid laughed. "You remind me of a Dug I beat in a podrace as a boy: brash, angry, and petty. You can't have what you want, so you're trying your hardest to turn my anger against me." Anakin sighed. "I would expect more cunning from a man fueled by generations of Sith dogma than that. Then again, Ro-Narta train only beasts ruled by instinct, fear, and hatred." Anakin walked up to Palpatine and whispered in his ear. "You're nothing but a pet who thinks himself equal with his owner. Ro-Narta have always been that way."

Anakin shook his head and walked back to the cockpit slowly to give himself some time to regain himself. He would have killed Ahsoka! A soothing wave of comfort washed over Anakin before he sat down next to Ahsoka.

Anakin, your droid?

Anakin mentally nodded in recognition of Nicholai. Yes, father?

He would have recordings of the attack on Ahsoka in his databanks. Correct?

Anakin only grinned and looked at the little astromech as Artoo busied himself with maintenance routines around the ship. "Artoo, when wee get to Coruscant, I need you to follow us into the Senate for when I need you."

The droid gave a few beeps off conformation. Then, he went back to work.

As Anakin's thoughts returned to Ahsoka, she turned to look at him with concern on her own face. "Old pains rubbed raw by the Sith?"

Anakin nodded and opened himself to her in The Force, "Im trying to make this so air tight, Palpatine will hang himselF from any angle. He reminds me a little of Sebulba…"

Ahsoka shivered as she went through Anakin's memories of the podrace. All of it from start to finish intended on destroying Anakin because of fear and pride. "He really was like Palpatine."

Anakin nodded. "With Sebulba, all I had to do was win." He looked at Ahsoka and squeezed her hand. "I'm almost certain Palpatine will be much more difficult to unseat."

Nicolai frowned and looked at Ahsoka through Yggdrasil. The question I want to know is: Why do you even consider the Ro-Kita as part of the equation? He brushed his son's mind. This is a political matter, my son. Involving Jedi would only serve to help The Dartha strengthen his case against the Jedi and frame it as infringement of his rights as a free citizen of their system.

Anakin shared his father's frown at this new bit of information. "There's also the burden of proof."

"Anger, Anakin," Ahsoka said with a grin that made him a bit nervous. "Anger is how we get him."

The young Dragon felt his scales ripple in discomfort. "Anger can be a powerful ally, Snips, but it is also unrestrained within him when it shows." Anakin pointed out. "The bastard almost killed you when you fought him on Kamino!"

Ahsoka gently rubbed Anakin's back between this wings and smiled as she felt Anakin turn to putty under her hand. "Rex will go with us." She said before the young Togruta began to instinctually purr and relax herself. "We infuriate Sidious enough to activate Order 66. Rex pulls his blaster. Palpatine gathers his power to try and fry Rex when the good soldier DOESN'T follow orders. All the while, we have an entire senate watching."

Anakin's brow ridge rose in discomfort. "Remind me never to truly piss you off."

"No one tries to mind-control my friends and gets away with it." She growled with a deadly glare aimed at the hyperspace sky through the viewport.

Anakin walked up and put a firm hand and her shoulder. "Patience, Ahsoka, the time for justice and vengeance will come later when we have an audience."

Ahsoka sighed. She looked at him to be sure it was still Anakin who talked with her because her Mate was beginning to sound more and more like Nicholai as time continued to march. Then, she looked at her feet. I know, Anakin. I just don't like the idea of anyone turning into a puppet for the twisted Sith! Ahsoka squeezed his clawed hand hard. She then looked at him in confusion when she felt a surge of confidence from him.

Anakin smiled and hugged her gently. I don't either, Snips. Anakin assured her before he began to retreat to the bunks for the night. That's why we're not going to give Palpatine ANY room to maneuver. Then, Anakin smiled at Ahsoka. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day on Coruscant."

Ahsoka nodded as her body caught up to her exhausted mind and turned to lead. Without much rest since Komino, Ahsoka kept pushing back against her exhaustion because of the drive to pin this beast down before he could truly destroy the Republic and rescue her friends and their brothers before the whole army converted into organic droids. Thankfully, part of that was already resolved, but her mind still wrestled with the thought of Anakin having to duel Palpatine. Deep in her mind, Ahsoka feared Anakin's Darith pride would only kill him.

Anakin looked back when he didn't hear Ahsoka move to follow him. "Ahsoka, what's bothering you?"

The young Togruta shivered. "I faced him and tried to kill the dirty beast, but he only enjoyed my anger." Ahsoka looked up at him. "You know we're both more powerful now than any Jedi, but raw power cannot be trusted. There must be control. I…"

"You're afraid Sidious will use you to drive me to the Bogan?" Anakin asked before he stopped and wrapped her tightly in his wings, the thin black velvet of the membrane warm and soothing in that moment.

Ahsoka nodded as tears welled him her eyes. "You shared the pain of your rage on Tattooine with me, and I'm scared to feel that same rage come back in the Senate hall."

Anakin gently kissed Ahsoka's lips and wrapped his arms around her under his wings. "You forget yourself, Snips." The Hybrid said before he gently lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "I'm not the one who made Sidious tuck tail and run like a frightened womprat. I was preoccupied with deactivating millions of biochips."

Ahsoka sighed. "I was stupid."

Anakin nodded. "In the final moments of the duel, you were because you grew impatient in your anger and blind to the possibility of a surprise attack." Anakin gently brushed his Mate's lekku. "You had him terrified when you reached into The Bog'shla itself to remove his connection." Anakin smiled. "He acted out of desperation because in that moment as you reached for his link to The Force, he knew he was losing his power." Anakin frowned. "That's the only thing a Sith fears."

Ahsoka nodded and opened her mouth to thank him, but a yawn stifled the words. Ahsoka sighed and shook her head with a small smile at her own actions. Then, she lead the way to the bunk area to await Coruscant in the morning. "Good night, Skyguy."

Anakin nodded and went to climb in the bunk across from her. A familiar hand stopped him. As you wish… Anakin responded before he joined her.

The pair needed the rest more than either one of them thought because neither roused again until the destination alarm woke them from a shared dream of golden fields back on Earon. Ahsoka sat up and stretched. Then, she gently moved Anakin's arm to get up and begin bringing the ship in for a landing pad close to The Senate Building.

During this time, Anakin roused and reluctantly took his Human form. Even if the form was completely uncomfortable and restrictive, Anakin knew he couldn't play his trump card until he could use it to maximum effect. As it was now, that meant waiting for them to get in the Senate Forum. Anakin sighed and keyed Rex's comm frequency. "Merry me on Pad E-7 right outside The Senate Hall when you get this." With with almost all the polices in place and his surroundings in mind, Anakin donned his old Jedi robes, cursing the stench of The Ashla in them and dismounted to the landing platform connected to the Senate Building. Anakin grimaced, All the glitz and glamor of a Nekrio's den and filth to match. With all the shine and splendor put into Coruscant's upper levels, one would be forgiven if he or she thought the corruption contained in the Underground. Anakin fought a gag as he reached out with The Bog'shla felt a tidal wave of greed and slime roll over his body. For the briefest of moments, Anakin considered torching the entire complex.

Then, a familiar presence greeted him as Ahsoka walked out with a hooded figure in binders in front of her. "Who's The Sith prisoner, General?"

"Nice to see you, too, Rex." Anakin said before he caught Rex's address. "I'm not your superior anymore, Captain."

Rex glared at him. For a moment, Anakin thought he saw a large Besalisk tear through the night like a demon in Rex's visor. The vision brought Anakin's saber to his hand. A gentle touch from Ahsoka brought Anakin back from the moment of Dragon's Rage. No one treats brothers I've watched bleed and die like disposable droids!

"Honor and respect, sir." Rex said as if he could sense Anakin's rage at Krell. "You may not bear the title, but you are still leader of the 501st to me, General." Rex then signaled and Jesse seemed to materialize from atop the Aether.

Anakin nodded to Palpatine. "Watch this one, boys."

Ahsoka pushed him into the durasteel plate of the landing pad. "He tried to kill us on Kamino."

Jesse whistled. "I thought General Grievous was the only Sepie Jedi Killer."

Anakin growled low at Jesse, a sound that made both Jesse and Rex freeze in a moment of unconscious fear. "He isn't just a Jedi Killer. He is a monster who would be ripped apart slowly and broken to a whimpering mess for his crimes if he were tried on my homeworld."

Rex shuddered. "Sir, I know The Hutts are brutal, but that's overdoing it, even for them."

Anakin shook his head. "I wasn't talking about The Hutts, Captain."

Outwardly, nothing seemed to change in Anakin's posture, but a cold wind swept through Rex's bones when Anakin said "captain". Wisely, Rex signaled Jesse to flank Ahsoka while Rex did the same with Anakin. "Right this way, General. It's good to have you back, sir, both of you."

Without anything further, Anakin and Ahsoka nodded and walked to the Senate Building. Anakin shook his head as he walked in the Republic See. Shouting and cursing in various accents from around the Republic met Anakin's ears as he, Rex, Jesse, and Ahsoka walked into the viewing balcony off to the side of the main chamber. Rex looked at Anakin. "How do we gain the floor?"

Anakin shook his head and sighed. "There's only one way I can think of, Rex." He turned to the two troopers. "Turn your helmet audio dampeners to maximum."

With a mild look of confusion under their helmets, Rex and Jesse glanced at each other before they dialed back the audio receptors in their helmets. With a deep breath, Anakin then walked into the main waiting area to be taken to the speaking floor. Though the ceiling, Anakin could hear The Trade Federation, Kaminoanss, and the Banking Clan all trying to get pieces of The Republic's bloated arms budget. The argument kept growing in intensity even as Anakin and his squad with the prisoner moUnted the repulsorlift to be taken up to the audience chamber.

"What is this a outrage?!" A Nemoidian spokesman growled as Anakin pushed Palpatine into the light of the pod that held him aloft.

"Vice Chair Amedda ," Anakin's voice cut through the clammed and acoustic clutter of the rotunda. "If I may be heard, may I speak?"

"This is a breach of protocol!" The Nemodian worm interjected. "He has no right to speak! This is a session of The Galactic Senate. We cant hold everything for the petty gripes oF a few Jedi and two clones!" He then sneered. "Perhaps, you come with another false crime of your Jedi warmongers!"

Anakin took a deep breath as he felt his scales shiver violently under his robes. Not yet, time will come. Anakin then smiled at the senators and gestured grandly to gain their attention. "It would shock you to know that your beloved Chancellor has being lying to everyone since before he came up for nomination in the wake of The Invasion of Naboo." Anakin held up his hand as the Nomodian representative of The Trade Federation opened his mouth.

"I object!" The Nemodian growled as he glared at Anakin. "There is no proof!"

Anakin sighed and turned away as if he was going to relinquish the floor to the Nemoidian. Then, Anakin roared, "ENOUGH!"

The entire room vibrated and trembled with the power in Anakin's single word. Everyone froze, and all eyes, even Mads Amedda's, locked on Anakin. "You want proof, senator?" Anakin growled. "Artoo, if you would please?"

The little droid seemed to chirp and beep mischievously as he plugged into the port on the repolsorlift. After a moment, the Holo re-recording of Palpatine and Ahsoka on Kamino came to life in a heavily blue tent.

"Anakin has corrupted and led you away with the ways taught by these strangers he himself honestly knows little about." The disguised Chancelor challenged. "How do you know his teaching isn't going to destroy you one day, Miss Tano?"

The room erupted in quiet murmurs. Through The Force, Anakin could feel confusion and suspicion grow in the audience

"What can you hope to teach me, Chancellor?" She asked honestly through the recording. "Do you know anything of The Force, or do you simply whimper and cower behind a propped up reputation built with the hard work of others as you coast on the currents of those before you without adding any knowledge or power of your own?"

The prisoner between Anakin and Ahsoka crawled with anger, but he held his peace even as the recording continued until Sidious openly attacked Ahsoka and would have killed her had Anakin not intervened. The floor became madness for a few minutes afterword. Then, Bail Organa moved to be recognized.

"I move we suspend power of The GAR from the Chancellor until this shocking and horrifying charge can be confirmed in a court of law." Bail looked around. "Will anyone voice an objection in light of this evidence?"

The rotunda echoed with unnatural silence.

Más Amedda seemed angered and just a little scared as he nodded. "W-with no opposition to the motion, the Senate moves to suspend the Chancellor's military powers until the charges brought against him are met in a court of law." The man then looked around the room before his eyes lingered on Palpatine. "This session is adjourned."

Anakin and Ahsoka looked at each other when they both felt a twitch in The Force.

"Lieutenant Jesse and Captain Rex," Sidious said with a smile under his cloak. "Execute Order 27: purge the Senate of all traitors to The Grand Army of the Republic!"

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