Chapter 3
A Jedi gunship headed for the clone landing platform. Mace, Yoda and Obi Wan were going to inspect the troops and send Yoda off to the Wookie home planet. "Anakin understands the importance of his mission, but he didn't take it with great enthusiasm. He's worried about getting caught." Obi Wan said.
"Very difficult mission this is," Yoda looked pensive.
"It's very dangerous, putting them together. I don't think the boy can handle it," Mace added.
"He'll be all right. I trust him with my life," Obi Wan said.
"I sure right you are. And now destroy the Droid armies on Kashyyyk, I will. May the Force be with you." he said as the ramp lowered and Yoda went to the transport. Mace and Windu stood and gave him a brief bow before the gunship took off.
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Padme's speeder landed at the platform. Captain Typho escorted her to the veranda where her handmaidens were waiting. It was sunset and the view of the city was beautiful that time of night. "Thank you, Captain," Padme said, dismissing him.
"Rest well. My Lady," Captain Typho got back into the speeder and disappeared into the traffic. Her handmaidens, Motee and Elle, came closer with 3PO standing nearby. A shodow could be seen moving in the background.
"I'll be up in a while," Padme said, wanting to enjoy the sunset.
"Yes, my lady," they said as they left through the door to prepare her bedchamber. 3PO stood confused.
"Is there anything I might do for you, my lady?" he asked.
"Yes, make sure all the security droids are working. Thank you, 3PO," she said, turning back to the view. 3PO followed the handmaidens retreat.
The figure in the background moved closer to her. Though he was very silent, Padme sensed she was being watched. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Padme jumped at the sound and turned around.
"You startled me," she said, turning to her husband. They moved to sit on the bench.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, rubbing her stomach in a comforting way.
"He keeps kicking," she said, looking adoringly up at him.
"He! Why do you think it's a boy?" he asked with a smile.
"My motherly intuition," she laughed. She placed her hand over his and moved it slightly.
"Whoa! With a kick that strong, it's got to be a girl," he said. They laughed. Anakin made a gentle probe inside to see how they were doing. Something he had learnt with the healers. He felt two little Force signatures. He smiled, but didn't say anything, he knew Padme would not believe him.
"I heard about your appointment. Anakin. I'm so proud of you," she said, looking up at him. Anakin continued to rub his hand gently over the bump, he was pleased to feel a response from his children.
Anakin took a deep breath and removed his hand to look at her with a smirk, "Obi Wan told me something interesting today."
"You mean apart from you being a Master and on the Council and all…" she said, as if there wasn't much more he could tell her.
"He's going to train our child," he said with a huge smile, "He told me the Council flipped for the choice. I can just imagine them doing it as well." He laughed again at the thought. It would keep him going the year.
"Well, there isn't anyone I'd rather train our child." she said, pleased that her child would be in such capable hands. "Now if only we can decide on a name," she said, sending him a dirty look. They had had continual arguments about it. Nothing had seemed right.
"Just because I don't want to name the child Rio or Paulo," he said.
"Well you think of some, I've thought of all the names so far," she said, resting her head against his chest, "Just don't say Obi Wan!" she warned.
"I wouldn't torture our child like that," he joked. There was a pause as Anakin thought over the possible names. Two struck a cord, they seemed like the ones. "How about Luke for a boy, and Leia for a girl," he said.
Padme smiled and felt her stomach kick, "Well the child obviously approves, and so do I." She turned around and kissed him on the mouth. "Luke and Leia, I like them."
Anakin smiled as they fell into companionable silence for several or so minutes.
"I think this war is destroying the principles of the Republic," Anakin finally came out with.
Padme remained silent for a while. "Have you ever considered that we may be on the wrong side?" she said, frowning now, she knew she would have to approach this carefully.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy?" she asked.
"Very treasonous speech," he said gently, not giving anything away.
"Anakin," she said getting up and facing him, "this war represents a failure to listen. Now, you're closer to the Chancellor than anyone. Please, please ask him to stop the fighting and let diplomacy resume."
"Don't ask me to do that, Padme." he asked, his voice desperate. He was involved enough. "Make a motion in the Senate, where that kind of a request belongs. Things are very complicated right now, but I cannot do what you ask at the moment." He needed to make the Chancellor think he was on his side to get the information needed.
"What is it?" she asked, suddenly aware there was more to this than Anakin was saying.
"Nothing," he said, trying to dismiss the subject.
"Don't do this . . . don't shut me out. Let me help you," she asked.
Anakin frowned, "You can't help me . . . I'm trying to help you." They looked into each others eyes. "I sense . . . there are things you are not telling me."
"I sense there are things you are not telling me," she replied. Padme smiled gently, knowing that he had good reasons for not telling her things. Anakin looked a little embarrassed at accusing her of the same thing he did. "Hold me . . . like you did by the lake on Naboo, so long ago . . . when there was nothing but our love ... No politics, no plotting ... no war."
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Anakin walked into the Chancellors box at the Galaxies Opera House. He was sitting with his aides watching something very odd. Anakin had never really appreciated Man Calamari Ballet, especially 'Squid Lake.' Padme had tried to convert him, but it hadn't worked. Now she just talked about it with Obi Wan, who had a greater appreciation of ballet than Anakin. Most of the time it made him fall asleep.
Anakin walked over to the Chancellor. "You wanted to see me, Chancellor," Anakin said bowing.
"Yes, Anakin! Come closer," Anakin walked over and sat on the empty chair next to the Chancellor that he had indicated to. In the distance, he could see Padme watching the ballet with her attendants. He was slightly amused to see Captain Typho gently snoring in the distance. "I have good news." Anakin turned to face the Chancellor, "Our Clone Intelligence Units have discovered the location of General Grievous. He is hiding in the Utapau system."
"At last, we'll be able to capture him and end this war," Anakin said with a smile.
"I would worry about the wisdom of the Council if they didn't select you for this assignment. You are the best choice by far …" Palpatine said, looking slyly at Anakin. He doesn't know it yet, but I am busy here.
"I am afraid that I have many duties here," Anakin said.
"Leave us," he said to his aides. They quickly left as Palpatine leant over to talk to him. He could see out of the corner of his eye that Padme no longer watched the ballet with such intensity and was actually sending concerned glances his way. "Anakin, you know I'm not able to rely on the Jedi Council. If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will."
"I'm not sure I understand," Anakin said, confused.
"You must sense what I have come to suspect . . . the Jedi Council want control of the Republic . . . they're planning to betray me."
"I don't think . . ." Anakin said shaking his head. I will have to talk to the Council, if true it would not be the best way to gain favour and would be too dangerous for the Order.
"Anakin, search your feelings. You know, don't you?" Palpatine said.
"I know they don't trust you . . ." Anakin said truthfully.
"Or the Senate . . . or the Republic . . . or democracy for that matter," Palpatine listed. They have lost faith with the corruption. Not the actual Republic or democracy. They see what I see, they end of it due to you.
"I have to admit my trust in them has been shaken," Anakin said, mentally substituting the them for you.
"Why? They asked you to do something that made you feel dishonest, didn't they?" He knows! Anakin thought, How! Anakin didn't say anything. "They asked you to spy on me, didn't they?" Oh, he's good! Anakin thought.
"I don't know ... I don't know what to say," Anakin made himself stumble. If I make him think I am unsure of this assignment then maybe I can find out what he wants with me.
"Remember back to your early teachings. Anakin. "All those who gain power are afraid to lose it." Even the Jedi."
"The Jedi use their power for good," Anakin said, making it sound unsure, when in actuality he was very sure.
"Good is a point of view, Anakin. And the Jedi point of view is not the only valid one. The Dark Lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be. . ."
". . . evil." Anakin finished. He glanced shrewdly at Palpatine. Is he working for the Sith? No, no it can't be.
". . . from a Jedi's point of view. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful." Sith aren't powerful, their greedy. They have the same amount of power as they would as a Jedi, but they are selfish.
"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inward, only about themselves."
"And the Jedi don't?" Where is this going?
"The Jedi are selfless . . . they only care about others." He's trying to catch me. I will let him to a certain extent. Palpatine smiled.
"Or so you've been trained to believe. Why is it, then, that they have asked you to do something you feel is wrong?"
"I'm not sure it's wrong," I have spied on people before, what makes you think you are so different?
"Have they asked you to betray the Jedi code? The Constitution? A friendship? Your own values? Think. Consider their motives. Keep your mind clear of assumptions. The fear of losing power is a weakness of both the Jedi and the Sith." Apart from the fact Jedi don't fear.
"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis "the wise"?" Palpatine asked, moving back slightly.
"No," Anakin said, not having come across the name in his study of the Sith.
"I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life ... He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying." He's trying to convert me to a Sith. But is he a Sith or is he a messenger? Why is he telling me this story? Does he know about my visions? How? I have to be very careful.
"He could actually save people from death?" Anakin said.
"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." If brought back what would they be brought back as? I have heard tales of zombies and gouls.
"What happened to him?"
"He became so powerful . . . the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Plagueis never saw it coming. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself." Palpatine smiled at the last thought.
"Is it possible to learn this power?" Anakin said, looking at the ballet.
"Not from a Jedi." Oh !
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