Thank you, Athena. As it turns out Sidious/Palpatine is one of the main characters of this story – couldn't allow him to be portrayed badly. :-)

Thanks, ewan's girl. Obi-Wan is indeed popular, and the farther we go the more wanted he becomes. The question is who is going to get him. ;-)

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"So, do you imply that you are not curious about your family in the slightest?" asked Palpatine who had somewhat unexpectedly taken the side of Bail Organa in the argument that Supreme Chancellor deemed worthy interfering into.

Since being shifted into the middle of the large room the argument had grown to a full blown assembly as many senators found it tempting to bug a Jedi on his opinion of family. Family, after all, was a fundamental cell of society, and the tradition of taking children from their parents' care so widely practiced by the Jedi boggled many minds.

The argument between Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi had spouted a number of small conversations, leaving Obi-Wan facing Bail and Palpatine with a ring of spectators surrounding them and an even wider ring of those having their own discussions.

"Not at all, Chancellor," the Jedi replied calmly, though on the inside he was starting to lose his patience. What right did they have to ask him such things? Politicians…

For a second Obi-Wan's magnetic blue-green eyes locked with pale, as though discoloured, eyes of Palpatine, glancing something in their spooky depths. A tight feeling of unease stirred deep in the Jedi's stomach, making him wonder, but the sensation was so fleeting, so brief he wasn't quite able to grasp it, let alone understand its origins.

The group of curious senators now gathered around the debaters was trying to bring in their own assumptions and opinions, more for the sole purpose of being heard than anything else – much to Obi-Wan's annoyance. He had never been an appreciator of loud crowds, preferring quiet contemplations and organized even when heated debates, and now felt like he was being undressed in front of everyone.

He looked around at the shouting mob. They had no idea what they were speaking about. Most of them – if not all – had been raised in prosperous families and had a right to be proud of their clans. They could not consider growing up without their families, and they could not consider giving their children away. Amidst their circle Obi-Wan had quickly found himself being hopelessly outnumbered.

The knight shot an annoyed look to Organa, who had started all this, but the senator demonstratively ignored it.

"What I meant to say is that I know enough of my family, as knowing about them is not prohibited, and that the Jedi Order has become my family even more so than the first one," Obi-Wan continued.

A Bothan senator accidentally jogged Obi-Wan distracting him for a moment. And thus the Jedi Knight didn't see a look of unmasked displeasure and hatred that evanescently lit Palpatine's eyes – hatred directed at the Order the Chancellor's now-opponent belonged to.

"But I must draw your attention to the fact that from ancient times blood bonds were considered the strongest and most influential in a person's life. Don't you agree with that?" Palpatine's quiet voice was powerful enough to pass the entire hubbub to let the words reach the ears of the one they were intended for.

It felt like all other senators were shut out suddenly, leaving the two – the Chancellor and the Jedi – the Sith and his son – alone for their argument. Eyes locked again. A weird feeling returned coiling in Obi-Wan's stomach like a heavy cold snake. And still he could not grasp it. Just a moment more, and he would have caught that feeling. Just a second…

"Excuse me, Chancellor," a voice broke Obi-Wan's attempts, and the notion slipped away, unrecognized.

Palpatine wrinkled his nose unnoticeably in displeasure and turned to address the man who had had enough insolence to intrude.

"Excuse me, Chancellor," the man repeated. "But you requested to be informed when the senators you indicated gather."

"Ah, yes, I did."

~Pity.~

The unspoken word hung in the air, adding to the heavy atmosphere of creatures arguing.

~So many emotions. They have no limit in expressing them. Jedi at least have some discipline. These… these are worth for only ruling them. Slimes.~

With a quick swipe of his gaze Palpatine surveyed the variegated group, seeking the people who meant to him more than all the senators around. Obi-Wan was obviously very irritated by Organa – the bright flashes of venomous red and orange in his Force-aura were indication to that – but kept a mask of serenity firmly plastered on his face.

Organa, on the other hand, was more and more burning with enthusiasm – and a good deal of irritation too, Palpatine noted with smug satisfaction. He never liked Organa really. But that wouldn't be a problem much longer.

Nais… Wait a minute, where was Nais? The woman had been able to slip away unnoticed. Palpatine frowned. What was that intriguer up to? He was getting increasingly concerned about her – and that never ended well for the target of his concerns.

The observation took no more than a second. The Chancellor excused himself and followed the messenger. The noisy group didn't seem to notice his departure.

"Pardon me. Master Kenobi, could I speak to you, please?"

A female calm voice drowned out the senators' shouting easily.

"Of course, Master Billaba." Never in his life was Obi-Wan more glad to see the Councilor.

He quickly nudged his way through the crowd, giving excuses as he went, and joined the stately woman outside the agitated circle. She took him by the elbow and led away. Once they were out of the earshot Depa stopped and regarded the younger Jedi with a small smile.

"Thank you for rescuing me, Master Depa." A matching smile lit Obi-Wan's features. "I thought I'd never get out of there."

"You're welcome, Obi-Wan."

A frowned crossed the younger Jedi's face and drew a line between his brows.

"Have you seen Anakin? He should be somewhere around."

"No, I…" The woman's face abruptly darkened, her features sharpening. Her hand lowered to rest on the hilt of her lightsaber. "Do you feel it too?"

A sharp sense of impending disaster struck the Jedi's feelings, making them tense and look around for the yet invisible threat.

Next moment an explosion shook the building, sending shreds of glass and plaster raining down onto the scared senators, their no less scared aides and their guards most of whom had taken protecting positions around their respective employers who were ducking behind their wide backs, shaking with fear.

"Anyone hurt?" Obi-Wan called out and received a dissonant choir of denial.

"I'll go that way," Depa said pointing to her right. After a nodded acknowledgment from Obi-Wan she took off in that direction.

With a swift look around the room to confirm that no one got hurt Obi-Wan ran back to where Depa had rescued him moments prior. The bomb had exploded somewhere close to that part of the building. Chaos ensued here in the midst of several fallen pillars, crashed statues and shattered windows. Ostracized drapes covered the parqueted floor with crimson pools of fabric, creating an odd sense of blood spilled. Muffled moans sounded from every direction, slicing at the Jedi's heart.

Terrified cries filled the air with shrill cacophony of panic. Obi-Wan struggled to keep his senses keen under the powerful onslaught of so many strong emotions but was forced to strengthen his shields lest his brain gets overloaded. He paused for a moment looking around with sudden uncertainty.

Anakin. The Padawan was his first priority…

Yet his duty was also to help everyone he could. And there were many who needed help.

Abruptly everything started to remind him of his dream – that long forgotten dream when he ran to save his Padawan, when he fell into the bottomless abyss himself. Despite the heat Obi-Wan shuddered. For a split second he felt himself in that dreadful forest again. The Jedi opened his eyes wide to break the illusion. This was no forest. And Anakin was in no danger, was he?

Closing his eyes Obi-Wan reached out to Anakin through their bond, finding it filled with sheer panic – with fear for him. He hurried to send calming waves of Force through the bond. To his relief there was no trace of hurt in the Padawan's Force signature. If any harm came to Anakin… Obi-Wan clenched his teeth at the thought.

/It'll be all right, Padawan. Don't be afraid./

/Master, where are you?!/ Anakin's mental voice sounded more scared than Obi-Wan had ever heard it.

/I'm fine, Anakin. Take care of yourself, please. I'll be with you shortly./

What came back to him was suspiciously resembling a sob. Sending one more wave of warmth and reassurance to the distraught boy Obi-Wan opened his eyes and started to where his duty laid – to help the innocent who had gotten caught in the explosion.

And so focussed was he on his duty, on quelling himself that Anakin would be save that he failed to notice three men following him like shadows, moving stealthily through the debris.

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The halls – formerly so full of decorated glory, filled with stuffed air of arrogance and ostentation and prideful ignorance – were now basked in greyish black wreaths of acrid smoke. Here and there creatures of different species littered the floor like broken dolls left by a careless child. By this time they were being taken care of by numerous saviours and rescue teams that had mysteriously invaded the building – someone must have had placed a call to Coruscant security forces.

Obi-Wan spared precious moments to visually check on every single person as he went. This slowed him down considerably, yet he managed to keep a swift pace. Thus occupied he failed to notice the three figures following him as persistently as shadows.

Crimson drapes still covered some of the alcoves along the halls, billowing on the wind that broken windows could not hinder. Obi-Wan strode purposefully past them – until suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. In a moment of stunned surprise the hand pulled forcefully, dragging him inside the alcove, hiding behind heavy velvet curtains. The drapes wavered, then stilled behind him.

"Wha…" he started only to be silenced by a hand, placed firmly over his mouth.

"Sh-h-h," the dark silhouette of a person whispered. "Look!"

Drapes were parted slightly, just enough to give a confined view of the hall. Three men in dark grey imperceptible clothes were walking down the hall. They turned their heads around obviously in search for something – or someone.

The drapes closed, leaving Obi-Wan and his unexpected mysterious saviour alone in the thick shade of the small alcove.

"Do you know who they are?" Obi-Wan struggled to see his counterpart but only succeeded in discerning a cloaked figure slightly smaller than himself.

"No, but they were following you. Perhaps he has sent them…"

"'He' who?"

A hint of hesitation flowed in the air. Eyes gleamed from under the hood.

"Your father." The words were spoken in quick breath as though the speaker was wishing for them to be left unheard.

"My… father?! You know him? He… how he?.. what does he?.." Obi-Wan stumbled unable to form the questions to sate the almost painful curiosity that had surged up in him.

The cloaked shadow sighed. "He is an awful man, Jedi Kenobi." The words held the depth of knowledge in them – the knowledge Obi-Wan doubted he wanted to uncover and bring out into light.

"Who are you?" he asked instead of trying to pry any more information about Sidious. Obi-Wan had scanned the person with the Force and came to a conclusion that it wasn't someone familiar to him. "Why did you help me?"

The Jedi heard another barely audible sigh, almost drowned out by the quiet rustle of cloth as his saviour shifted.

"You are in a big trouble. More than you know," came the whispered elusive answer.

~Trouble!~ The word sparked the anxiety in him, making him tense. ~Explosion. People!~

"I need to get to the epicenter of the explosion. I must help…"

"Jedi!" The gamma of feelings mixed in this one word was incomprehensible: a faint mockery and disdain, slight irritation and, just possibly, admiration. Obi-Wan raised his brows at this – a gesture that had definitely gone unnoticed.

"Look, I really need to get there. The Chancellor…"

"Is safe and sound. He's the last you should worry about. All right, I'm not your nanny to cradle you, after all. Go if you must. But be very careful. HE wants to get you – and he is the one who always gets what he wants."

"Are you talking about my father? Wait a minute! Tell me more about him!" he almost shouted in a yet another painful peak of curiosity as the figure moved to the depth of the alcove away from him. A finger touched his lips again.

"Be quiet. I know some secret passages here…"

A hand took his hand lightly, leaving him a possibility to stay if he chose so, and lead into the dry obscurity of the alcove. Several steps later meager light of a single muted glowrod cut the darkness, illuminating a long winding tunnel. The light was still not enough to reveal the identity of Obi-Wan's cagey guide, falling softly onto the folds of dark hooded cloak.

"Who are you?" Obi-Wan asked again, feeling he would not get the answer this time either. But to his surprise the answer came, however cryptic.

"A friend."

"You…"

"Sent the warning note. Hope you got it."

"I did, but I…" He shook his head. "I don't understand anything. What is going on?"

"You are a mot stuck in a carefully schemed web. Think through your every step unless you want to get devoured alive or worse – become like your father."

Before Obi-Wan could come up with anything to say the scarcely lit tunnel abruptly ended leading the two into yet another alcove.

"Go and fulfill your duty, Jedi."

Obi-Wan moved to part the drapes.

"And take good care," the figure said aloud. It was a female voice – and Obi-Wan had a nagging feeling he had heard this voice not too long ago. But when he turned to address the woman she was already gone – melted away like a wisp of morning mist.

Suddenly filled with a sense of urgency the Jedi drew the heavy curtains apart and stepped out into living hell.

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