With the Force Anakin unlocked Palpatine's chains and told him that they
were going to get off the ship. Anakin looked outside and saw out the
window the ship was plummeting, plunging, and hurtling to the city streets
below, towards the Outlander District where the various shops, taverns,
saloons, nightclubs, and seedy lowlifes hung out. Flames were pouring out
of the ship's hull and sides, the computers were scrambled and fried, and
it was up to Anakin to get Palpatine and Obi-Wan on board Dooku's solar
sailor and off to safety. "THOOM!" More and more the ship was collapsing
and self-imploding and self-destructing. Anakin picks up Obi-Wan's body and
then puts him and Palpatine on the solar sailor and starts up the engines
and within no time the ship sails out of the hangar as a massive fireball
erupts behind them. Grievous though had regained and managed to maintain
support of his breathing apparatuses, his bodily movements, and
biologically, mechanically, and organically began repairing himself and
within seconds Grievous boarded his ship just before the hangar blew up
also leaving Dooku's carcass and his droid bodyguards behind, but no
matter. He would make new ones, more efficient and capable ones.
Inside the solar sailor cockpit...
"Very good Anakin. You held your ground and did not give into Obi-Wan's constant judging and disregarding. You're more than those Jedi fools think you are not. They do not see your full potential, your full abilities. They do not see what I see. I always said you'd become the greatest of all Jedi, even Master Yoda, and you've proved it here today. You shall be awarded and commended." Palpatine told Anakin as he steered towards a landing pad high above the city streets towards Palpatine's offices. He watched as Grievous's flagship crashed landed by Dexter Jettster's bar and grill. Somehow, someway he knew Grievous made it off that ship, and he'd be back shortly.
A few Republic Gunships and stormtrooper ships followed behind them as they landed too on the landing pad. Immediately, coming out of the clear blue sky Mas Amedda, Vice Chair of the Senate came by aboard a ship carrying the Red Royal Guards. They were here to start christening and praising Anakin for his exquisite rescue of Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor's shuttle set down, and a few seconds later its ramp began to lower. Four red robed Royal Guards filed out in their usual precision, followed by Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the senate. The Royal Guards and Mas came forward.
Anakin and Obi-Wan peered at the blue-skinned, Chagrian politician uncertainly. Neither of them knew what was going on.
Obi-Wan noticed that as he approached, Mas looked only at Anakin. Obi-Wan felt as if he wasn't even there. A deep frown crossed his face and his eyes narrowed as the man came to a stop right in front of Anakin. He had never liked or trusted Mas Amedda.
"Master Jedi Skywalker," Mas said with a slight bow. "We are deeply glad that you have returned safely."
"Thank you," Anakin said with a nod.
"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine requests your company aboard his shuttle back to the city. He wishes to speak with you," Mas said.
Obi-Wan was surprised, and did nothing to conceal it, but Anakin merely gave a nod and started for the large shuttle.
"Master Kenobi," Mas said coolly, as if he hated that he was even forced to recognize him. Then, he turned and followed Anakin with the four crimson, Royal Guards flanking and curtaining them. The Clonetroopers surrounded the group and walked with them all the way back to the shuttle, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone.
The clones stopped at the bottom of the ramp of the shuttle, their helmets scanning from side to side, until Anakin, Mas and the Royal Guards boarded and the ramp closed. Then they hurried to their Gunships and got onboard. The chancellor's shuttle took off and so did the Gunships, joining the other ten in escorting the shuttle back to the city.
Artoo rolled up to his side and Obi-Wan watched the ships disappear into the smoke as the sound of another approaching gunship caught his ears. The ship landed a short distance away. Seeing this new shuttle's occupants, Obi- Wan and Artoo headed for it. They got in, and as soon as Obi-Wan took his seat the ship took off.
"Where's Anakin?" Jedi Master Windu asked, sitting next to Obi-Wan.
"He's returning to the city with the chancellor," Obi-Wan replied, shouting over the rushing wind.
A puzzled eye-exchange was shared between Mace and the being seated across from he and Obi-Wan.
"Tell us, you must, what happened aboard the ship." Yoda said.
"We felt a disturbance in the Force," Mace added.
"Dooku's dead," Obi-Wan said, then added, "...and General Grievous escaped."
Mace and Yoda shared another quick glance, and then Mace asked, "How did Dooku die?"
Obi-Wan hesitated for a second. "Anakin killed him."
Yoda's ears drooped, and a pained expression came over Mace's face.
Obi-Wan continued, "They said it was done in self defense—that he had to do it or be killed himself."
"They?" Yoda asked, his curiosity peaked.
"Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine," Obi-Wan replied.
"You weren't there when it happened?" Mace asked, confused.
"I was unconscious," Obi-Wan said. "By the time I awoke it was over. Palpatine told me what'd happened later. Although..." Obi-Wan trailed off, deep in thought.
"What is it, Obi-Wan?" Mace asked.
"I'm not certain," he admitted, shaking his head, "but it felt as if they were holding something back...like they weren't telling me the whole story."
"Hmm..." Yoda said, his eyes closed to slits. "Question him concerning this matter, The Council will. Discover the truth, we must."
Obi-Wan was surprised by his statement, and immediately he felt guilty for revealing his doubts of Anakin's story. But he knew deep inside that those doubts were justified, and that it was important that the Jedi Council know exactly why Anakin had killed Dooku. He knew that his allegiance lay first and foremost with the Jedi, and that he shouldn't allow his personal relationships to get in the way. He must follow the code for the good of the Jedi...and possibly for Anakin's own good.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said.
Meanwhile...
Sidious was very displeased with the evitable events that occurred, but also displeased were his "so-called friends" he surrounded himself with: the Corporate Alliance, the Trade Federation, the Techno Union, the Intergalactic Banking Clan and the Commerce Guild. These friends were now unfortunately were brigading and contending to cause a racket and riot over seeing Grievous's ship crash and the Trade Federation's battle cruisers, or "doughnut ships" collapse into pieces after the Jedi and Ric Olie's team destroyed whatever chances of propitiating, appeasing, and conciliating their own ideas, their own purchases, their own rules and regulations in the galaxy. They were now finished, money was now thrown down the drain all thanks to the "so-called brilliant" strategist and military militiaman General Grievous. Sidious sat there in his chair, being the dark cloaked figure he always was, dressed in black robed garments, and black veil covering his stern, strict, delegating, deliberating, deputing, and grim face. Nute Gunray was having a fit, San Hill was being a jerk, Sultana, his aid was trying to calm him down with her monkey-sounding-banshee-voice, and Sidious had all he could do from popping into a heaping rage. But here he would keep his cool, sustaining and corroborating his rage into a ball, bottling and jarring in his rage till later when he'd take it out on the Jedi and Grievous. "Friends, friends, friends calm down. Please, shh...there'll be plenty of time for corrections of our mistakes and mistrials today. We will be in top shape soon, back on, and ready. The Jedi will pay. We will not back down so easily from this..." Wat Tambor assures. "Yes, Grievous is still alive and will erase this putrid slime off our slates soon. Dooku is dead, but Grievous will promise victory. We will achieve what we sent out to gain over so many years-----REVENGE!" Sidious declared as Sultana, Passel, and the rest all looked at him eyes bulging out of their eye sockets, but then that last word of revenge made them all smile and greedily want the same he wanted----REVENGE!
A robot on wheels begins wheeling and entering into the room with a message for Sidious. "Lord Sidious, with all do respect your acceptance, participation, and volunteerism is crucially and valuably needed at this time. We are breeching, or transporting, or transmitting a message from someone whom you know very well. A certain bounty hunter by the name of Boba Fett he wishes to speak to you immediately about personal measures and revenge...Should I put him on hold, or tell him you'll be able to talk with him?" the R5-732 droid electronically and robotically chipped and beamed. "Tell Boba that I want to speak with him as soon as possible. Time to get that wretched, scum-sucking Jedi Knight Mace Windu out of order and out retirement permanently." Sidious snarled. "Yes, I shall be sure to tell him." The droid spoke as it wheeled away. "You're bringing another bounty hunter into this?" Nute interrupted. "Bounty hunters are expendable, profitable, and disposable. They do their job, they live for awhile, die, and are replaceable and like history has shown us where there is a Jango Fett, there is a Durge, and where there's a Durge, there's Jango's offspring Boba Fett." Sidious snapped back. "But the Mandalorians have been wiped out for decades and Boba is the last of their kind. Do you really think this Mandalorian adopted son will be able to do his father's work cleaner, swifter, and more deadlier?" Figgie, Passel's servant asked. "He'll do his job." Sidious replied.
Meanwhile at Jabba's Palace...
A more grownup Boba Fett appears from the slave-quarters flirting with a group of dancers. One white-skinned Twi'lek tells him to join him later in her bedroom, but he sees his hands are tied with a purple-skinned, red- haired girl and a Rodian dancer named Uma Sizzurra. Boba had now become a chip off the old block to his dad. He was one badass guy who wasn't afraid to take chances and risk and put his life on the line if the price of a bounty was hot. After his father's death he met a lot of enrapturing and enamoring people. Some were like him some hotshot, on the scene warriors and assassins, but others well...they ended up breathing through a straw, or living six feet under. Boba however had given up the game for a bit he was too busy being bewitched, infatuated, entranced, allured, and enchanted by the bevy of beauties Jabba the Hutt had to offer. Each one was fancying and captivating full of fieriness, irresistibleness, lustfulness, eroticism, and beauty only found in the eyes of the beholder, or only found once in a lifetime, or a millennia. These girls were untouchable, they were priceless jewelry, and if Jabba found out you were sleeping with them, or had been humping and screwing them all night and daylong he'd feed you to the Sarlaac, but Boba just thought pompously and ostentatiously let him try. He wasn't afraid of some overweight, gluttonous space slug. Bib Fortuna, Jabba's highly trusted aid and little stooge however knew of Boba's little "affairs" and he also knew of Boba accepting jobs from outside employers.
Boba saw him coming from down the hall towards his slave-quarters where his ladies were staying and told them to sit tight in his room as he went to go and check up on things with Bib and also threaten him. "Maw, do wah de na wagha. Mi jugu di ne la waha moo joo poo joo..." Bib the Twi'Lek said. "What Jabba doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, you're not going to go snitching and tattling on me just because I am accepting a job from an outside employer are you? Because if I hear one word that you did I'd wring your little snake-tailed neck on a giant fishhook and cast you off in the Dune Sea and see if I could catch me one of those Sand Sharks I hear about sometimes from the local space pirates and spicers." Boba said pulling out a Mandalorian dagger given to him by his father who's father served in the Mandalorian Wars. "I have the right to. I am Jabba's humble servant, his divine guardian, advisor, and sometimes mentor. It is my duty."
Boba puts the dagger back onto his belt and with no time to spare pulls out a gun and points it at Bib's chest. "Ever wonder what it would be like to see your intestines go splattering, or smearing all over the place? Well, if you tell you just might get to find out."
Bib begins hesitating. Gasping and gulping down hard at this thought.
"Now, go and do some advising or mentoring while I go and do some business- talk. Okay?"
Bib begins nodding and obeying his command and goes off back where he came from.
Boba tells the three ladies he'll meet them in the same bedroom later after he does his jobs.
Boba walks away only to knock into an old enemy. One of Greedo's cousins, a Rodian by the name of Gree Tyrell.
"Boba my old accomplice, my old companion, my old friend so good to see you again...Nice costume you got there. Too bad you won't be the man your father was. Now, there was a man you could salute and pin a badge on. You are just some half-ass punk." Gree says making "chicking", "churking" sounds with his teeth and mouth. Gree on a spice mission to Yavin IV got blasted in his lip causing it swell up like a balloon, the swollenness and swelling never went down after and today he is still known as "Big Lips" Gree. His buddies begin to join him one is Bishop J. Finn, a dread-locked white Corellian and the other is a Chandrilian, Dax Jones.
"Gree, Bishop, Dax my old pals so good to see you. Here I thought you three ended up dead. Here I thought you were killed smuggling and shipping spices from the miners on Kessell? Or was it Corellia? I can't remember because the last I saw of you, you were being shot at and then there was an explosion, and then I saw you supposedly die." Boba admitted.
"You left me and my crew to die. I made it out alive except for one eye. You got a lot of nerve to show your ass here at Jabba's. Too bad when I'm done with you you'll just be a lump of bantha poop." Gree said balling his hands into fists. "Think again..." Boba said as he pulled out his twin pistols and fired at Gree and his men without even giving them a foreboding them, or portending them. "And here I thought you would've listened to those stories about me. You should know never to pick a fight with Fett. That's why people should always believe the hype."
For years young little Boba had arisen like the Phoenix out of the fires of pain and despair and had grown into a man with a physique, a look, a style all his own. He had classiness, debonairness, tenaciousness, jazziness, sassiness, and a liveliness all his own. He was unlike his father, mostly because in some cases he was smarter and knew how to plant traps, be more aware of things, and be quick on his toes. When he'd meet Mace again he'd have something up his sleeve that would shock and awe him to his death.
Back on Coruscant...
Senators far and wide came to greet Palpatine and thank Anakin of bringing him back and returning him alive and well. Anakin was thankful and delighted to be smothered with so much attention, but still felt a little strange about his fight with Dooku. Was it worth it? Was it necessary to take him down? Palpatine claimed it was. I mean after all he was the one that instrumented and contrived this long widespread Clone Wars, he was the one who sent Asajj Ventress after him, he was the one who brought all these greedy star systems and senators together to form an alliance capable of influencing, impelling, and compelling others to join their cause and create an even massive alliance than before. Palpatine had a point, but was it a valid one? All these questions managed to come up in his head as he, Palpatine, Senator Binks, and senators: Bail Antilles (Organa), a Vurk by the name of Eech Vindovwa, Feema Baab, Nee Alavar, Bana Breemu, Giddean Danu, Fang Zar, and some of the Jedi who survived the epic space battle and Yoda, Mace Windu, and Obi-Wan are present as well.
"Anakin Skywalker. A feel of hope in my heart I have to see you alive, but nonetheless defiant you were in bringing Dooku back alive. Master Kenobi you saved, but a direct order you failed to enact." Yoda said crutching and propping to stay grounded on his walking stick. "Still you fought valiantly and bravely, but you let Grievous get away, many clones lost their lives including some of the Jedi Order and Council, and you are behaving more and more defiant and daredevil-like than ever before. These two problems could lead you down a path you do not wish to go, or none of us would like to see you fall down on. A path to the Darkside." Mace said hoping to set a cord with Anakin. "He did not listen to me and he went in there without a plan. Sure, he is exceptionally and extraordinarily empowered by the Force, but..." Obi-Wan is suddenly cut off by Palpatine waiting in the wake to talk and to make an interjection, an utterance in the issue.
"Master Jedi we are not here to debate on what Anakin should've done and what he should've not done. He still did what some could not, or were too afraid to. Rescue me. The Clone Wars are now over. Yes, Dooku is dead, but if even he were to be captured and questioned, he'd find a way of escaping and be back to where he first started. I personally am pleased in Anakin's leadership and swordsmanship skills. He looked into the face of fear as a mere babe and came out a valorous, intrepid man. His gallant heroism shall not and will not go non-awarded or non-congratulated..." Palpatine objects. Palpatine was right in a way Anakin showed today the finest ounces of prowess and gallantry, but even if he did Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda were not convinced, or easily overtaken by Palpatine's speech, neither was Bail, or Fang.
Bail and Fang distrusted Palpatine ever since his ascent as Supreme Chancellor dethroning and usurping Valorum's reign. Valorum was a man who wanted peace and prosperity. Palpatine was a man who just wanted to appease matters and disputes with violence and active amounts of bloodshed. Palpatine had hidden motives and secrecies that needed to discovered and uncovered any way possible, but to find these motives would take a miracle.
"Still whether a hearty congratulation or not General Grievous jumped ship and survived which means he will get whatever is left of the Trade Federation armies and his Droid Army and formulate a plot to make sure the "Dark Days" are coming..." Bail objected. "He's right. The boy whether not to be "The Chosen One" remains to be foreseen, but until then we must deal with making sure the ending times do not come." Fang said in his very gruff, very rough voice. Nee and Bana both gave their opinions and objections too and it became clear to Palpatine that he was not as strong and opposing as he was a couple of minutes earlier. His voice was gone and now these senators who saw past his tricks and his trades were spider- webbing him up against a wall and there was no way of freeing himself, or escape, but two voices suddenly silenced the crowd of opposition and negativity. Giddean and Anakin suddenly spoke up and started defending Palpatine. That's when the tone, the atmosphere, everything all changed in an instant.
"ENOUGH OF THIS! IT WAS JUST A MINOR SETBACK! ANAKIN DID WHAT NONE OF YOU COULD! HE DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT, HE WORKED OUT OF INSTINCT, AND ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. MASTER YODA I DID NOT SEE YOU OUT THERE IN SOME HUNK OF JUNK STARSHIP AND YOU MASTER WINDU YOU VOLUNTEERED TO STAY BACK PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU'D MISS MASTER YODA TOO MUCH! YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK! GRIEVOUS WILL BE STOPPED! ALL OF THIS WILL BE AVENGED AND BE BROUGHT TO AN END. JUST HAVE FAITH!" Giddean's voice suddenly brought the room to halt, everything seemed to slow down, and everything seemed to now shift sides. Palpatine was back on the winning stretch and his wretched stench and menace had returned as well.
The Jedi became calm and so did the squabbling, quarrelsome senators that usually go on and on yakking, gibbering, and jabbering some more. Anakin felt like leaving however his one true friends Mace and Yoda were treating him like a kid who just pulled a naughty than someone who was open armed and congratulating, and the man who he admired most, who he looked up to, wanted to be more like, and wanted nothing more to make him smile, Obi-Wan, just looked down on him like he was some kind of toe-jam, or foot fungus.
Eech remained silent waiting for things to be overlooked and the tables to turn once again, but he knew with this awkward silence it would never be, or never become. Palpatine tiptoed behind Anakin and places his firm hands on his shoulders and whispered in ears. Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda immediately caught onto this, along with the other senators, and watched, but pretended it was nothing. Anakin turned his frown upside down and went off to the elevator.
"What did you tell him?" Obi-Wan asked. Palpatine just looked at Obi-Wan with a deep stare. "What did you tell him!?" Obi-Wan demanded. "I told him Padme was waiting downstairs for him. Why?" Palpatine asked not letting Obi- Wan find out his true story.
"Oh, well then..." Obi-Wan said trying to hide that he did not believe him at all. Mace and Yoda both exchanged glances and decided this meeting needed adjourning, deferring, and postponing for a later time. "Chancellor Palpatine. A pleasure it has to see you again alive, but grave matters we must attend to." Yoda said enigmatically and shyly. Palpatine let the three Jedi Masters leave and had his Red Royal Guards escort them out as the senators stayed behind to discuss the storm/clonetrooper issue.
"More you have to say Senator Organa?" Palpatine asked sitting back in his chair as his handmaidens came in to straightened his hair and apply makeup to take away the blotchiness, dryness, aridness, and bareness of his skin after his encounter with Grievous and his guards. Sly Moore was amongst them her skin paler and more colorless than ever, except for her ultraviolet rings around her eyes. She gives Bail a cold stare waiting for him to move his lips and speak.
"Since Senator Binks and you gave emergency powers to ensure a grand army for the Republic there has been hope, but yet defeat, joy, but yet woe, and now it seems as though they've become nothing but your soul protectors and not for the galaxy. It seems as though you are using them for your own purposes, your own agendas..." Bail said. Jar Jar gulped hearing the mentioning of his name. "My army was created to preserve and restore the Republic in my vision. After all I am Supreme Chancellor and I do have the right to do this, or that with them how I very well please, but I do recognize the galaxy's losses and struggles and I assure you gentlemen and gentlewomen I will attend to the matters at hand as dedicated politician should." Palpatine said using all his craft and quick tongue to get him out of jam once again. "That remains to be seen..." Fang scorned.
Meanwhile in the Jedi Temple...
"Palpatine is very secluded with his methods and motives. It seems he does not want any of us to figure out his true colors." Mace observed sitting in his Council chair. "Masking the future is the disturbance of the Force." Yoda said shaking his green, wrinkly head.
"The prophecy is coming true. The Darkside is growing stronger and more eminent. The phantom menace will soon be revealed." Mace remarked.
"Thirteen years it has been and the Sith have still not shown themselves. Out there they are. A certainty it is. Closer than we think, I fear they might be." Yoda says a jolt of fear and worry in his voice.
Meanwhile on the far off regions of the Outer Rim...
Grievous's ship begins porting and docking in a hangar on the planet of Mustafar, a volcanic planet where the smells of fire, brimstone, molten hot lava, and steam fill the air every single day and night. On this planet Poggle the Lesser, a few of his Genoisian bodyguards, Darth Sidious, and a senator by the name of Tarkin are seen mingling, associating, and befriending each other with handshakes and "hellos"; Grievous however just steps off his ship distraught after his inconsistencies and incongruousness. He clenches his robotic hands into fists and does not greet, nor politely say "hello" to any of Sidious's esteem guests, or gives a friendly eye to the protocol droid a model distributed and produced by the same people who made TC-14.
Poggle starts off the meeting with his distinctive voice, a combination of flatulent sounds, farting and burping sounds, and hiccupping and grunting sounds. Sidious takes the stand first and begins addressing the table. "We have lost our fleets. We have lost Dooku. We have lost our participators and active participants, but we have gained something more. Our good friends the Genoisians have given us brand new battle cruisers to take out the remaining table scraps and dog bones of the Republic. They have generously and pristinely given us---The Star Destroyers, an advanced, technological achievement capable of outrunning, out-firing, and out topping any ship before it. They've also graciously given us these new fighter modules called Tie-Fighters. The Tie-Fighters are fast, sleek, and agile, more so than the Vultures we had before. They're also still with the help of the Mustafarians and senator Tarkin's men working to build an Imperial Army to crush the Republic and split it in two..."
"Joot joot ji nanga worpi. Jinni dergana poki Samsung dedorpi." Poggle requested.
"Yes, yes, yes...I cannot wait either until our grand space station is built. It'll be the shining moment in a new era. A moment that will come like a thief in the night, or like a Nexu hunting its prey." Sidious replied.
"But Lord Sidious still one thing needs explaining. I have a few men capable of taking jobs and I have a strong military background, but we don't have much of an army left. Durge's army was defeated single handedly by the clones and General Kenobi, Grievous's army was now just recently sent to the scrap heap, and the Neimodonians can supply with a few assortments of newly polished droids, but even they would be no match against the Republic's army." Tarkin said with an attitude and voice all his own.
"We shall have an army; a grand army, grander than anything assembled. Ours will make the Republic's look like a spec, or a measly bug." Sidious assured. Tarkin however still did not believe him and Sidious knew by his expression and attitude right away.
Back in the Senate...
Palpatine addressed the Senate gloating, exulting, and exalting young Skywalker as a beacon of hope. He told the tale of his rescue, how he killed Dooku, and ensured that the Wars would be over shortly, but did not reveal anything of Grievous's escape and did not reveal how or why Anakin killed Dooku either. Bail Organa, Fang, Bana, Nee, several other senators, Jar Jar, the Jedi Council, and Anakin immediately caught onto this right away, but did not say a word. Anakin shook hands and received congratulatory pats on the back the whole way to the Senate Building as the cheering continued. It was exhilarating for him. Never before had beings showered him with such respect, admiration and honor. Never before had he been so recognized for his deeds. These senators—some of the most powerful and influential beings in the galaxy—were praising him. A swell of pride rose in his chest.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" Palpatine whispered into his ear over the cheering. "—being recognized for your abilities. You deserve this, Anakin. What you did for the Republic was a great thing!"
Anakin smiled and gave a nod of consent. The Jedi however and a few senators saw this as a winding, twisting trap to lure and trick young Anakin, make him a pawn, make him feel resourceful and respected, but then later make him feel like mud, or worthless. The senators and everyone else walked outside of the building, some senators conversed, others went home, or to their offices, or planets, but some patted Anakin on the back, shook his hand, and gave their praises to him. Palpatine and Anakin were like team, a pair of buddies, father and son. Obi-Wan was green with envy, but Obi-Wan knew jealousy, enviousness, and emulousness were not accustomed to Jedi, nor were welcomed so he held back the thought and watched the two brag and boast.
A few Mon Calamarians, Quarrens, a Toydarian senator, Grans, Ithorians, Aqualish, Biths, Bothans, Twi'leks, Duros, and Rodians all came and congratulated Anakin for a job well done. Palpatine whispered in Anakin's ear "See how much love and respect you're getting. The other Jedi are jealous of you. They believe it should be them up here, but we know who truly is the rightful person up here. Don't we?" Anakin smiled with an evil grin as he continued to handshake some more. Obi-Wan had no time for this. The Council needed a word with the two of them over the incident and if he thought that Anakin would just sit there and let Palpatine manipulate and seduce him, well, he was going to pay.
"ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan shouted across the room. The room turned their heads and stopped and looked at him. "Anakin. The Council wishes to speak with us. There'll be time for handshaking later. Come on. They do not wait." Anakin frowned a bit, but Palpatine dismissed him saying it was fine. Anakin joined Obi-Wan and went off to the Council.
Fang approached Palpatine. "I know what you're doing. You're turning him to believe he can do anything, like everything is possible, like everything in his path can be breeched. I know that his defeating Dooku will be long remembered throughout the galaxy and the history of this Republic, but in these times of seeing the Republic becoming ill and not what it once was. I pray you will not corrupt that boy. He is our last hope, whether I believe it in my heart, or with my eyes. He does not belong with a person like you. Good day Chancellor." Fang said as he headed off to join some of his friends and fellow senators. Palpatine watched as he left and gave a grim look, a look of "Death will become you"-look.
Inside the solar sailor cockpit...
"Very good Anakin. You held your ground and did not give into Obi-Wan's constant judging and disregarding. You're more than those Jedi fools think you are not. They do not see your full potential, your full abilities. They do not see what I see. I always said you'd become the greatest of all Jedi, even Master Yoda, and you've proved it here today. You shall be awarded and commended." Palpatine told Anakin as he steered towards a landing pad high above the city streets towards Palpatine's offices. He watched as Grievous's flagship crashed landed by Dexter Jettster's bar and grill. Somehow, someway he knew Grievous made it off that ship, and he'd be back shortly.
A few Republic Gunships and stormtrooper ships followed behind them as they landed too on the landing pad. Immediately, coming out of the clear blue sky Mas Amedda, Vice Chair of the Senate came by aboard a ship carrying the Red Royal Guards. They were here to start christening and praising Anakin for his exquisite rescue of Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor's shuttle set down, and a few seconds later its ramp began to lower. Four red robed Royal Guards filed out in their usual precision, followed by Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the senate. The Royal Guards and Mas came forward.
Anakin and Obi-Wan peered at the blue-skinned, Chagrian politician uncertainly. Neither of them knew what was going on.
Obi-Wan noticed that as he approached, Mas looked only at Anakin. Obi-Wan felt as if he wasn't even there. A deep frown crossed his face and his eyes narrowed as the man came to a stop right in front of Anakin. He had never liked or trusted Mas Amedda.
"Master Jedi Skywalker," Mas said with a slight bow. "We are deeply glad that you have returned safely."
"Thank you," Anakin said with a nod.
"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine requests your company aboard his shuttle back to the city. He wishes to speak with you," Mas said.
Obi-Wan was surprised, and did nothing to conceal it, but Anakin merely gave a nod and started for the large shuttle.
"Master Kenobi," Mas said coolly, as if he hated that he was even forced to recognize him. Then, he turned and followed Anakin with the four crimson, Royal Guards flanking and curtaining them. The Clonetroopers surrounded the group and walked with them all the way back to the shuttle, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone.
The clones stopped at the bottom of the ramp of the shuttle, their helmets scanning from side to side, until Anakin, Mas and the Royal Guards boarded and the ramp closed. Then they hurried to their Gunships and got onboard. The chancellor's shuttle took off and so did the Gunships, joining the other ten in escorting the shuttle back to the city.
Artoo rolled up to his side and Obi-Wan watched the ships disappear into the smoke as the sound of another approaching gunship caught his ears. The ship landed a short distance away. Seeing this new shuttle's occupants, Obi- Wan and Artoo headed for it. They got in, and as soon as Obi-Wan took his seat the ship took off.
"Where's Anakin?" Jedi Master Windu asked, sitting next to Obi-Wan.
"He's returning to the city with the chancellor," Obi-Wan replied, shouting over the rushing wind.
A puzzled eye-exchange was shared between Mace and the being seated across from he and Obi-Wan.
"Tell us, you must, what happened aboard the ship." Yoda said.
"We felt a disturbance in the Force," Mace added.
"Dooku's dead," Obi-Wan said, then added, "...and General Grievous escaped."
Mace and Yoda shared another quick glance, and then Mace asked, "How did Dooku die?"
Obi-Wan hesitated for a second. "Anakin killed him."
Yoda's ears drooped, and a pained expression came over Mace's face.
Obi-Wan continued, "They said it was done in self defense—that he had to do it or be killed himself."
"They?" Yoda asked, his curiosity peaked.
"Anakin and Chancellor Palpatine," Obi-Wan replied.
"You weren't there when it happened?" Mace asked, confused.
"I was unconscious," Obi-Wan said. "By the time I awoke it was over. Palpatine told me what'd happened later. Although..." Obi-Wan trailed off, deep in thought.
"What is it, Obi-Wan?" Mace asked.
"I'm not certain," he admitted, shaking his head, "but it felt as if they were holding something back...like they weren't telling me the whole story."
"Hmm..." Yoda said, his eyes closed to slits. "Question him concerning this matter, The Council will. Discover the truth, we must."
Obi-Wan was surprised by his statement, and immediately he felt guilty for revealing his doubts of Anakin's story. But he knew deep inside that those doubts were justified, and that it was important that the Jedi Council know exactly why Anakin had killed Dooku. He knew that his allegiance lay first and foremost with the Jedi, and that he shouldn't allow his personal relationships to get in the way. He must follow the code for the good of the Jedi...and possibly for Anakin's own good.
"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said.
Meanwhile...
Sidious was very displeased with the evitable events that occurred, but also displeased were his "so-called friends" he surrounded himself with: the Corporate Alliance, the Trade Federation, the Techno Union, the Intergalactic Banking Clan and the Commerce Guild. These friends were now unfortunately were brigading and contending to cause a racket and riot over seeing Grievous's ship crash and the Trade Federation's battle cruisers, or "doughnut ships" collapse into pieces after the Jedi and Ric Olie's team destroyed whatever chances of propitiating, appeasing, and conciliating their own ideas, their own purchases, their own rules and regulations in the galaxy. They were now finished, money was now thrown down the drain all thanks to the "so-called brilliant" strategist and military militiaman General Grievous. Sidious sat there in his chair, being the dark cloaked figure he always was, dressed in black robed garments, and black veil covering his stern, strict, delegating, deliberating, deputing, and grim face. Nute Gunray was having a fit, San Hill was being a jerk, Sultana, his aid was trying to calm him down with her monkey-sounding-banshee-voice, and Sidious had all he could do from popping into a heaping rage. But here he would keep his cool, sustaining and corroborating his rage into a ball, bottling and jarring in his rage till later when he'd take it out on the Jedi and Grievous. "Friends, friends, friends calm down. Please, shh...there'll be plenty of time for corrections of our mistakes and mistrials today. We will be in top shape soon, back on, and ready. The Jedi will pay. We will not back down so easily from this..." Wat Tambor assures. "Yes, Grievous is still alive and will erase this putrid slime off our slates soon. Dooku is dead, but Grievous will promise victory. We will achieve what we sent out to gain over so many years-----REVENGE!" Sidious declared as Sultana, Passel, and the rest all looked at him eyes bulging out of their eye sockets, but then that last word of revenge made them all smile and greedily want the same he wanted----REVENGE!
A robot on wheels begins wheeling and entering into the room with a message for Sidious. "Lord Sidious, with all do respect your acceptance, participation, and volunteerism is crucially and valuably needed at this time. We are breeching, or transporting, or transmitting a message from someone whom you know very well. A certain bounty hunter by the name of Boba Fett he wishes to speak to you immediately about personal measures and revenge...Should I put him on hold, or tell him you'll be able to talk with him?" the R5-732 droid electronically and robotically chipped and beamed. "Tell Boba that I want to speak with him as soon as possible. Time to get that wretched, scum-sucking Jedi Knight Mace Windu out of order and out retirement permanently." Sidious snarled. "Yes, I shall be sure to tell him." The droid spoke as it wheeled away. "You're bringing another bounty hunter into this?" Nute interrupted. "Bounty hunters are expendable, profitable, and disposable. They do their job, they live for awhile, die, and are replaceable and like history has shown us where there is a Jango Fett, there is a Durge, and where there's a Durge, there's Jango's offspring Boba Fett." Sidious snapped back. "But the Mandalorians have been wiped out for decades and Boba is the last of their kind. Do you really think this Mandalorian adopted son will be able to do his father's work cleaner, swifter, and more deadlier?" Figgie, Passel's servant asked. "He'll do his job." Sidious replied.
Meanwhile at Jabba's Palace...
A more grownup Boba Fett appears from the slave-quarters flirting with a group of dancers. One white-skinned Twi'lek tells him to join him later in her bedroom, but he sees his hands are tied with a purple-skinned, red- haired girl and a Rodian dancer named Uma Sizzurra. Boba had now become a chip off the old block to his dad. He was one badass guy who wasn't afraid to take chances and risk and put his life on the line if the price of a bounty was hot. After his father's death he met a lot of enrapturing and enamoring people. Some were like him some hotshot, on the scene warriors and assassins, but others well...they ended up breathing through a straw, or living six feet under. Boba however had given up the game for a bit he was too busy being bewitched, infatuated, entranced, allured, and enchanted by the bevy of beauties Jabba the Hutt had to offer. Each one was fancying and captivating full of fieriness, irresistibleness, lustfulness, eroticism, and beauty only found in the eyes of the beholder, or only found once in a lifetime, or a millennia. These girls were untouchable, they were priceless jewelry, and if Jabba found out you were sleeping with them, or had been humping and screwing them all night and daylong he'd feed you to the Sarlaac, but Boba just thought pompously and ostentatiously let him try. He wasn't afraid of some overweight, gluttonous space slug. Bib Fortuna, Jabba's highly trusted aid and little stooge however knew of Boba's little "affairs" and he also knew of Boba accepting jobs from outside employers.
Boba saw him coming from down the hall towards his slave-quarters where his ladies were staying and told them to sit tight in his room as he went to go and check up on things with Bib and also threaten him. "Maw, do wah de na wagha. Mi jugu di ne la waha moo joo poo joo..." Bib the Twi'Lek said. "What Jabba doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, you're not going to go snitching and tattling on me just because I am accepting a job from an outside employer are you? Because if I hear one word that you did I'd wring your little snake-tailed neck on a giant fishhook and cast you off in the Dune Sea and see if I could catch me one of those Sand Sharks I hear about sometimes from the local space pirates and spicers." Boba said pulling out a Mandalorian dagger given to him by his father who's father served in the Mandalorian Wars. "I have the right to. I am Jabba's humble servant, his divine guardian, advisor, and sometimes mentor. It is my duty."
Boba puts the dagger back onto his belt and with no time to spare pulls out a gun and points it at Bib's chest. "Ever wonder what it would be like to see your intestines go splattering, or smearing all over the place? Well, if you tell you just might get to find out."
Bib begins hesitating. Gasping and gulping down hard at this thought.
"Now, go and do some advising or mentoring while I go and do some business- talk. Okay?"
Bib begins nodding and obeying his command and goes off back where he came from.
Boba tells the three ladies he'll meet them in the same bedroom later after he does his jobs.
Boba walks away only to knock into an old enemy. One of Greedo's cousins, a Rodian by the name of Gree Tyrell.
"Boba my old accomplice, my old companion, my old friend so good to see you again...Nice costume you got there. Too bad you won't be the man your father was. Now, there was a man you could salute and pin a badge on. You are just some half-ass punk." Gree says making "chicking", "churking" sounds with his teeth and mouth. Gree on a spice mission to Yavin IV got blasted in his lip causing it swell up like a balloon, the swollenness and swelling never went down after and today he is still known as "Big Lips" Gree. His buddies begin to join him one is Bishop J. Finn, a dread-locked white Corellian and the other is a Chandrilian, Dax Jones.
"Gree, Bishop, Dax my old pals so good to see you. Here I thought you three ended up dead. Here I thought you were killed smuggling and shipping spices from the miners on Kessell? Or was it Corellia? I can't remember because the last I saw of you, you were being shot at and then there was an explosion, and then I saw you supposedly die." Boba admitted.
"You left me and my crew to die. I made it out alive except for one eye. You got a lot of nerve to show your ass here at Jabba's. Too bad when I'm done with you you'll just be a lump of bantha poop." Gree said balling his hands into fists. "Think again..." Boba said as he pulled out his twin pistols and fired at Gree and his men without even giving them a foreboding them, or portending them. "And here I thought you would've listened to those stories about me. You should know never to pick a fight with Fett. That's why people should always believe the hype."
For years young little Boba had arisen like the Phoenix out of the fires of pain and despair and had grown into a man with a physique, a look, a style all his own. He had classiness, debonairness, tenaciousness, jazziness, sassiness, and a liveliness all his own. He was unlike his father, mostly because in some cases he was smarter and knew how to plant traps, be more aware of things, and be quick on his toes. When he'd meet Mace again he'd have something up his sleeve that would shock and awe him to his death.
Back on Coruscant...
Senators far and wide came to greet Palpatine and thank Anakin of bringing him back and returning him alive and well. Anakin was thankful and delighted to be smothered with so much attention, but still felt a little strange about his fight with Dooku. Was it worth it? Was it necessary to take him down? Palpatine claimed it was. I mean after all he was the one that instrumented and contrived this long widespread Clone Wars, he was the one who sent Asajj Ventress after him, he was the one who brought all these greedy star systems and senators together to form an alliance capable of influencing, impelling, and compelling others to join their cause and create an even massive alliance than before. Palpatine had a point, but was it a valid one? All these questions managed to come up in his head as he, Palpatine, Senator Binks, and senators: Bail Antilles (Organa), a Vurk by the name of Eech Vindovwa, Feema Baab, Nee Alavar, Bana Breemu, Giddean Danu, Fang Zar, and some of the Jedi who survived the epic space battle and Yoda, Mace Windu, and Obi-Wan are present as well.
"Anakin Skywalker. A feel of hope in my heart I have to see you alive, but nonetheless defiant you were in bringing Dooku back alive. Master Kenobi you saved, but a direct order you failed to enact." Yoda said crutching and propping to stay grounded on his walking stick. "Still you fought valiantly and bravely, but you let Grievous get away, many clones lost their lives including some of the Jedi Order and Council, and you are behaving more and more defiant and daredevil-like than ever before. These two problems could lead you down a path you do not wish to go, or none of us would like to see you fall down on. A path to the Darkside." Mace said hoping to set a cord with Anakin. "He did not listen to me and he went in there without a plan. Sure, he is exceptionally and extraordinarily empowered by the Force, but..." Obi-Wan is suddenly cut off by Palpatine waiting in the wake to talk and to make an interjection, an utterance in the issue.
"Master Jedi we are not here to debate on what Anakin should've done and what he should've not done. He still did what some could not, or were too afraid to. Rescue me. The Clone Wars are now over. Yes, Dooku is dead, but if even he were to be captured and questioned, he'd find a way of escaping and be back to where he first started. I personally am pleased in Anakin's leadership and swordsmanship skills. He looked into the face of fear as a mere babe and came out a valorous, intrepid man. His gallant heroism shall not and will not go non-awarded or non-congratulated..." Palpatine objects. Palpatine was right in a way Anakin showed today the finest ounces of prowess and gallantry, but even if he did Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda were not convinced, or easily overtaken by Palpatine's speech, neither was Bail, or Fang.
Bail and Fang distrusted Palpatine ever since his ascent as Supreme Chancellor dethroning and usurping Valorum's reign. Valorum was a man who wanted peace and prosperity. Palpatine was a man who just wanted to appease matters and disputes with violence and active amounts of bloodshed. Palpatine had hidden motives and secrecies that needed to discovered and uncovered any way possible, but to find these motives would take a miracle.
"Still whether a hearty congratulation or not General Grievous jumped ship and survived which means he will get whatever is left of the Trade Federation armies and his Droid Army and formulate a plot to make sure the "Dark Days" are coming..." Bail objected. "He's right. The boy whether not to be "The Chosen One" remains to be foreseen, but until then we must deal with making sure the ending times do not come." Fang said in his very gruff, very rough voice. Nee and Bana both gave their opinions and objections too and it became clear to Palpatine that he was not as strong and opposing as he was a couple of minutes earlier. His voice was gone and now these senators who saw past his tricks and his trades were spider- webbing him up against a wall and there was no way of freeing himself, or escape, but two voices suddenly silenced the crowd of opposition and negativity. Giddean and Anakin suddenly spoke up and started defending Palpatine. That's when the tone, the atmosphere, everything all changed in an instant.
"ENOUGH OF THIS! IT WAS JUST A MINOR SETBACK! ANAKIN DID WHAT NONE OF YOU COULD! HE DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT, HE WORKED OUT OF INSTINCT, AND ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. MASTER YODA I DID NOT SEE YOU OUT THERE IN SOME HUNK OF JUNK STARSHIP AND YOU MASTER WINDU YOU VOLUNTEERED TO STAY BACK PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU'D MISS MASTER YODA TOO MUCH! YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK! GRIEVOUS WILL BE STOPPED! ALL OF THIS WILL BE AVENGED AND BE BROUGHT TO AN END. JUST HAVE FAITH!" Giddean's voice suddenly brought the room to halt, everything seemed to slow down, and everything seemed to now shift sides. Palpatine was back on the winning stretch and his wretched stench and menace had returned as well.
The Jedi became calm and so did the squabbling, quarrelsome senators that usually go on and on yakking, gibbering, and jabbering some more. Anakin felt like leaving however his one true friends Mace and Yoda were treating him like a kid who just pulled a naughty than someone who was open armed and congratulating, and the man who he admired most, who he looked up to, wanted to be more like, and wanted nothing more to make him smile, Obi-Wan, just looked down on him like he was some kind of toe-jam, or foot fungus.
Eech remained silent waiting for things to be overlooked and the tables to turn once again, but he knew with this awkward silence it would never be, or never become. Palpatine tiptoed behind Anakin and places his firm hands on his shoulders and whispered in ears. Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda immediately caught onto this, along with the other senators, and watched, but pretended it was nothing. Anakin turned his frown upside down and went off to the elevator.
"What did you tell him?" Obi-Wan asked. Palpatine just looked at Obi-Wan with a deep stare. "What did you tell him!?" Obi-Wan demanded. "I told him Padme was waiting downstairs for him. Why?" Palpatine asked not letting Obi- Wan find out his true story.
"Oh, well then..." Obi-Wan said trying to hide that he did not believe him at all. Mace and Yoda both exchanged glances and decided this meeting needed adjourning, deferring, and postponing for a later time. "Chancellor Palpatine. A pleasure it has to see you again alive, but grave matters we must attend to." Yoda said enigmatically and shyly. Palpatine let the three Jedi Masters leave and had his Red Royal Guards escort them out as the senators stayed behind to discuss the storm/clonetrooper issue.
"More you have to say Senator Organa?" Palpatine asked sitting back in his chair as his handmaidens came in to straightened his hair and apply makeup to take away the blotchiness, dryness, aridness, and bareness of his skin after his encounter with Grievous and his guards. Sly Moore was amongst them her skin paler and more colorless than ever, except for her ultraviolet rings around her eyes. She gives Bail a cold stare waiting for him to move his lips and speak.
"Since Senator Binks and you gave emergency powers to ensure a grand army for the Republic there has been hope, but yet defeat, joy, but yet woe, and now it seems as though they've become nothing but your soul protectors and not for the galaxy. It seems as though you are using them for your own purposes, your own agendas..." Bail said. Jar Jar gulped hearing the mentioning of his name. "My army was created to preserve and restore the Republic in my vision. After all I am Supreme Chancellor and I do have the right to do this, or that with them how I very well please, but I do recognize the galaxy's losses and struggles and I assure you gentlemen and gentlewomen I will attend to the matters at hand as dedicated politician should." Palpatine said using all his craft and quick tongue to get him out of jam once again. "That remains to be seen..." Fang scorned.
Meanwhile in the Jedi Temple...
"Palpatine is very secluded with his methods and motives. It seems he does not want any of us to figure out his true colors." Mace observed sitting in his Council chair. "Masking the future is the disturbance of the Force." Yoda said shaking his green, wrinkly head.
"The prophecy is coming true. The Darkside is growing stronger and more eminent. The phantom menace will soon be revealed." Mace remarked.
"Thirteen years it has been and the Sith have still not shown themselves. Out there they are. A certainty it is. Closer than we think, I fear they might be." Yoda says a jolt of fear and worry in his voice.
Meanwhile on the far off regions of the Outer Rim...
Grievous's ship begins porting and docking in a hangar on the planet of Mustafar, a volcanic planet where the smells of fire, brimstone, molten hot lava, and steam fill the air every single day and night. On this planet Poggle the Lesser, a few of his Genoisian bodyguards, Darth Sidious, and a senator by the name of Tarkin are seen mingling, associating, and befriending each other with handshakes and "hellos"; Grievous however just steps off his ship distraught after his inconsistencies and incongruousness. He clenches his robotic hands into fists and does not greet, nor politely say "hello" to any of Sidious's esteem guests, or gives a friendly eye to the protocol droid a model distributed and produced by the same people who made TC-14.
Poggle starts off the meeting with his distinctive voice, a combination of flatulent sounds, farting and burping sounds, and hiccupping and grunting sounds. Sidious takes the stand first and begins addressing the table. "We have lost our fleets. We have lost Dooku. We have lost our participators and active participants, but we have gained something more. Our good friends the Genoisians have given us brand new battle cruisers to take out the remaining table scraps and dog bones of the Republic. They have generously and pristinely given us---The Star Destroyers, an advanced, technological achievement capable of outrunning, out-firing, and out topping any ship before it. They've also graciously given us these new fighter modules called Tie-Fighters. The Tie-Fighters are fast, sleek, and agile, more so than the Vultures we had before. They're also still with the help of the Mustafarians and senator Tarkin's men working to build an Imperial Army to crush the Republic and split it in two..."
"Joot joot ji nanga worpi. Jinni dergana poki Samsung dedorpi." Poggle requested.
"Yes, yes, yes...I cannot wait either until our grand space station is built. It'll be the shining moment in a new era. A moment that will come like a thief in the night, or like a Nexu hunting its prey." Sidious replied.
"But Lord Sidious still one thing needs explaining. I have a few men capable of taking jobs and I have a strong military background, but we don't have much of an army left. Durge's army was defeated single handedly by the clones and General Kenobi, Grievous's army was now just recently sent to the scrap heap, and the Neimodonians can supply with a few assortments of newly polished droids, but even they would be no match against the Republic's army." Tarkin said with an attitude and voice all his own.
"We shall have an army; a grand army, grander than anything assembled. Ours will make the Republic's look like a spec, or a measly bug." Sidious assured. Tarkin however still did not believe him and Sidious knew by his expression and attitude right away.
Back in the Senate...
Palpatine addressed the Senate gloating, exulting, and exalting young Skywalker as a beacon of hope. He told the tale of his rescue, how he killed Dooku, and ensured that the Wars would be over shortly, but did not reveal anything of Grievous's escape and did not reveal how or why Anakin killed Dooku either. Bail Organa, Fang, Bana, Nee, several other senators, Jar Jar, the Jedi Council, and Anakin immediately caught onto this right away, but did not say a word. Anakin shook hands and received congratulatory pats on the back the whole way to the Senate Building as the cheering continued. It was exhilarating for him. Never before had beings showered him with such respect, admiration and honor. Never before had he been so recognized for his deeds. These senators—some of the most powerful and influential beings in the galaxy—were praising him. A swell of pride rose in his chest.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" Palpatine whispered into his ear over the cheering. "—being recognized for your abilities. You deserve this, Anakin. What you did for the Republic was a great thing!"
Anakin smiled and gave a nod of consent. The Jedi however and a few senators saw this as a winding, twisting trap to lure and trick young Anakin, make him a pawn, make him feel resourceful and respected, but then later make him feel like mud, or worthless. The senators and everyone else walked outside of the building, some senators conversed, others went home, or to their offices, or planets, but some patted Anakin on the back, shook his hand, and gave their praises to him. Palpatine and Anakin were like team, a pair of buddies, father and son. Obi-Wan was green with envy, but Obi-Wan knew jealousy, enviousness, and emulousness were not accustomed to Jedi, nor were welcomed so he held back the thought and watched the two brag and boast.
A few Mon Calamarians, Quarrens, a Toydarian senator, Grans, Ithorians, Aqualish, Biths, Bothans, Twi'leks, Duros, and Rodians all came and congratulated Anakin for a job well done. Palpatine whispered in Anakin's ear "See how much love and respect you're getting. The other Jedi are jealous of you. They believe it should be them up here, but we know who truly is the rightful person up here. Don't we?" Anakin smiled with an evil grin as he continued to handshake some more. Obi-Wan had no time for this. The Council needed a word with the two of them over the incident and if he thought that Anakin would just sit there and let Palpatine manipulate and seduce him, well, he was going to pay.
"ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan shouted across the room. The room turned their heads and stopped and looked at him. "Anakin. The Council wishes to speak with us. There'll be time for handshaking later. Come on. They do not wait." Anakin frowned a bit, but Palpatine dismissed him saying it was fine. Anakin joined Obi-Wan and went off to the Council.
Fang approached Palpatine. "I know what you're doing. You're turning him to believe he can do anything, like everything is possible, like everything in his path can be breeched. I know that his defeating Dooku will be long remembered throughout the galaxy and the history of this Republic, but in these times of seeing the Republic becoming ill and not what it once was. I pray you will not corrupt that boy. He is our last hope, whether I believe it in my heart, or with my eyes. He does not belong with a person like you. Good day Chancellor." Fang said as he headed off to join some of his friends and fellow senators. Palpatine watched as he left and gave a grim look, a look of "Death will become you"-look.