Disclaimer: It's George's sandbox. I just play here, cause it's fun.
AN: Here's chapter 23! Thanks for all the great reviews!
Never Gone
Chapter 23: The Council's Decision
Anakin walked through the garden, hoping to find Obi-Wan. He quickly spotted him by the pond and knew he was meditating. Or trying to, as Anakin could feel the conflict of emotions raging around him. Padme had insisted that he stay in bed today, and for the most of the morning, he obeyed. But now it was nearing evening, and Obi-Wan would be meeting with Master Yoda and Master Windu soon. Anakin had decided that he was not letting Obi-Wan face them alone. Obi-Wan turned, sensing Anakin's presence.
"What are you doing out of bed? Obi-Wan asked.
"I feel fine. Just a little stiff and sore. Besides, I'm not letting you face them alone. This is just as much my fault as it is yours," Anakin replied. Obi-Wan sighed and decided not to argue anymore, for he knew Anakin was determined to do this.
"Well then, I suppose we should go. They should be arriving very soon," Obi-Wan said. Anakin nodded, as he and Obi-Wan returned inside of the palace.
Anakin and Obi-Wan sat across from Mace and Yoda in one of the palace's conference rooms.
"Anakin, Master Yoda and I do not require your presence. This meeting is between us and Obi-Wan," Mace said.
"With all due respect masters, I would like to stay," Anakin replied.
"Stay you will Anakin. Explain your actions you both will," Yoda said.
"Obi-Wan, why did you not accompany Senator Amidala on her excursion," Mace asked.
"That is entirely my fault Master Windu. Padme and I decided we wanted to go by ourselves. It should have been perfectly safe and there was no way any of us could have known that we would be betrayed by someone right here in the palace. This wasn't Obi-Wan's fault and we're already investigating who could have possibly uploaded a virus into our ship's computer," Anakin said.
"You should not have allowed it, but I believe we have more pressing matter to discuss. I think you know what I'm talking about," Mace replied sternly.
"It's my fault. Obi-Wan shouldn't be punished," Anakin said. Obi-Wan turned to him.
"Anakin, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you don't have to defend me," Obi-Wan replied.
"Why train, young Skywalker, when not permitted by the Council?" Yoda asked.
"I felt I was doing what was right. Before I began training him, he already possessed abilities in the Force and I thought it was best to hone these abilities and train him to understand the Force," Obi-Wan replied.
"Your old master's defiance I sense in you. Training the boy, because Qui-Gon's spirit wishes it, you are," Yoda said.
"Yes master, Qui-Gon does wish for Anakin to be trained. I believe I am doing the right thing by doing so," Obi-Wan replied.
"If not for Obi-Wan's training, Padme and I would be dead. I could have never defeated Aurra Sing, if he had not taught me how to fight with a light saber," Anakin argued.
"It was not his place to decide anything. The council was against sanctioning your training ten years ago, and our position has not changed. You are far too old with far too many attachments to be learning the ways of the Force. It's too dangerous," Mace replied sternly.
"Instead of coming down on Obi-Wan, why don't you try finding Count Dooku! It's no secret that's he behind the assassination attempts on my wife!" Anakin yelled.
"Dooku has no real connection or reason for wanting the Senator dead. Viceroy Gunray is responsible," Mace disagreed.
"You're wrong, I've felt a dark presence," Anakin replied.
"When feel this presence, young Skywalker?" Yoda asked.
"Um...only a couple times. Never here on Naboo, but on Coruscant," Anakin replied.
"That's impossible. We would have sensed it if there was a Sith Lord on Coruscant," Mace replied confidently, but Yoda didn't look convinced.
"Then you're blind!" Anakin argued. Yoda tapped his gimmer stick on the ground.
"Enough this is. Anakin, discuss a few things with Obi-Wan we must in private," Yoda said. Anakin nodded in defeat and left the room. He felt around for Padme's presence, and found that she was in her office. He left in that direction.
Anakin slipped into Padme's office and saw her sitting behind her desk, with stacks of datapads everywhere. He walked around behind her and leaned down over her, kissing her neck. Padme smiled and giggled, as he feathered his lips along her skin.
"If you keep doing that, I'll never get any work done," she chided.
"Good, you work too hard anyway," he replied. She set the datapad that she was reading down and turned her head, so he could kiss her lips.
"You are very distracting," Padme replied, as she eagerly pressed her lips to his. She moaned, as Anakin plundered her mouth, passionately kissing her till she was breathless. Just as Anakin was about to lift her onto the desk, Lea came through the door.
"Oh, geez you two. You might want to lock the door next time," Lea chided, as she set a couple more datapads on Padme's desk.
"How did the meeting go?" Lea asked.
"It wasn't going well. They told me to leave so they could talk to Obi-Wan. Mace wouldn't listen to anything I had to say," Anakin replied sadly. Lea sighed and decided to go wait outside the meeting room. Anakin and Padme followed her not long after.
"Your actions border on means for expulsion. But because our numbers are spread so thin, we have decided that we will only reprimand you. We will leave for Coruscant in the morning," Mace said.
"Masters, I cannot return to Coruscant. My place is here," Obi-Wan replied calmly.
"No, your place is at the temple. This assignment is over," Mace replied sternly.
"Something you need to confess, Obi-Wan?" Yoda asked. Obi-Wan nodded.
"You have formed an attachment to the boy," Mace said.
"Yes master, I have. But that is not the only attachment I have formed. I have formed a romantic attachment as well," Obi-Wan confessed.
"A romantic attachment? You know the code Obi-Wan. We do not allow attachments, especially romantic ones. They are dangerous, thus why training Skywalker was a mistake," Mace said.
"I'm sorry masters, but I am in love with Lea Naberrie and I cannot give her up. I implore the council to allow me to continue to serve despite my attachments. I am confident that I can do both and believe that I deserve a chance to prove that," Obi-Wan replied.
"Absolutely not. You know the code forbids attachment! You are the last Jedi that I would expect this from. What kind of influence have you allowed Skywalker to have over you?" Mace said, getting angry.
"Anakin doesn't have anything to do with this. I love Lea and I did try to ignore my feelings for her. But I couldn't and if I am made to choose between her and the code...then I choose her," Obi-Wan said. Betrayal and hurt flashed in Mace Windu's eyes.
"Well, then I guess there is nothing left to discuss," Mace replied.
"A great Jedi you were Obi-Wan. But dangerous, attachment is. Agree with Master Windu, I must. If choose to keep your attachment you do, then no choice we have, but to expel you from the Jedi order," Yoda said sadly.
"I can't leave her master, it would destroy us both," Obi-Wan replied.
"Sorry I am then. Expelled from the Jedi Order, you are," Yoda said sadly. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and nodded.
"Your light saber please," Mace said sternly. Obi-Wan handed the silver cylindrical weapon to Mace.
"Make sure that you see to it that Anakin relinquishes his as well," Mace said.
"Anakin is not a Jedi and never was. He is free to own whatever he wants and he built it himself. I cannot force him to give it up, nor can you," Obi-Wan replied, as he turned and left the meeting room.
"Disturbing this course of events is," Yoda said.
"But we had to expel him! He not only formed attachments with unwillingness to give them up, but he also trained the boy without our permission!" Mace argued.
"Hope I do, that correct in our decision we were," Yoda replied.
"Of course we were," Mace replied confidently. But Yoda didn't look so convinced.
Lea, Padme, and Anakin all waited for Obi-Wan to come out of the meeting room. When he did, they knew what happened instantly, as his saber was missing from his belt.
"Obi-Wan? I'm so sorry," Lea said, as she wrapped him in a hug. He hugged her back tightly.
"I'm sorry, I never wanted you to give up being a Jedi for me," Lea cried. He lifted her chin.
"This is not your fault Lea. I had to make a choice and I chose you. There are still many ways things that I can do for a career. Anakin has taught me that," Obi-Wan replied. Lea kissed him gently.
"Obi-Wan, I'm sorry. They're wrong, they shouldn't have expelled you," Anakin insisted.
"It's all right Anakin, it is over and I made my choice. And I will have none of you blaming yourselves," Obi-Wan told all three of them.
"Obi-Wan's right, neither of you can blame yourselves. We're a family and we'll be fine as long as we're together," Padme said. Obi-Wan smiled.
"Padme's right," Obi-Wan replied. As he said that, Master Windu and Master Yoda came out of the room.
"Master Yoda, I can have my handmaidens prepare rooms for you and Master Windu for the night," Padme said politely.
"Thank you Senator, but there is no need. Return to Coruscant this evening, master Windu and I will," Yoda replied, as he and Mace headed for the docking bay where their ship rested.
"Perhaps we should return to the Lake Country for tonight," Lea suggested. Padme nodded.
"I'll meet you by the speeder in a few minutes. There's something I want to do first," Anakin said, as he kissed her quickly.
He entered the docking bay and approached Captain Panaka.
"Were you able to find anything on the holo camera recordings?" Anakin asked.
"I'm sorry Anakin, but whoever did this, cut the cameras. We don't have any feed from around the time the ship would have been sabotaged," Panaka replied.
"Who knew about the ship that the queen was going to give to us? Can you compile a list of names for me?" Anakin asked. Panaka visibly tensed and Anakin noticed. He used the Force to try and sense what Panaka was feeling, but the man surprisingly had strong mind shields. Was he hiding something? Anakin wondered, as the captain sighed.
"Anakin, please tell me you are not accusing someone in the royal cabinet," Panaka replied.
"I apologize captain, but this is my wife's life we are talking about. If there is a traitor among us, I'm going to find them," Anakin replied. Panaka faked a smile.
"Of course, forgive me. I will see if I can get a list together for you tomorrow," Panaka replied. Anakin smiled, watching the captain carefully.
"Thank you Captain," Anakin said, as he headed back to meet Padme.
The four of them returned to Varykino for the evening. After they arrived, they shared dinner and wine together, before retiring for the night...
"I think he may suspect something," Panaka said, as he conversed with acting Senator Tarkin over the holocom.
"I will inform the Chancellor then. He will have to see that Skywalker is taken care of if we are to eliminate Amidala as well," Tarkin said.
"From what I've seen, it seems that the Jedi have expelled Kenobi. We will have to contend with him as well," Panaka said.
"The Chancellor will know what to do. Just make sure you do not allow Skywalker to find out that it was you who sabotaged the ship. You would stand to lose a great deal, you know," Tarkin warned.
"Don't worry Senator, I have no intention of losing the chance of being regional governor of the entire Chrommell sector. Some boy will not stand in my way," Panaka said.
"See that you don't," Tarkin said, as the transmission cut out...
Will Anakin's suspicions be founded? And if so, will they lead he and Obi-Wan closer to finding the Sith Lord?