CHAPTER V

Developments

Barriss's chrono alarm buzzed an insistent reminder of the time as she abandoned her search and hurried through the corridors of the Coruscant political office buildings towards the Senate Council Chamber.

She was on the verge of being late for a meeting of the Loyalist Committee and Jedi Council and was reluctantly forced to admit that she didn't have any more time to devote to finding Anakin. Master Windu had said he was to attend this meeting as well, but she couldn't seem to locate him. What concerned Barriss most was that she couldn't sense Anakin's presence through the Force at all. It was almost as if he wasn't even on Coruscant.

She turned the corner and found herself in the vestibule of the ornate meeting room. Politicians and Jedi alike were milling around waiting to go inside. She spotted Masters Yoda and Windu where they stood a little apart from the crowd, grave expressions on their faces as they listened to Ferus Olin. Barriss went directly to them.

Ferus fell silent before she reached them. Master Windu took one look at her and said without preamble, "you could not find him."

"No, Master," Barriss said, slanting a curious glance at Ferus' composed face. She had a good idea what he was talking to the Jedi Masters about – a small rumor about an encounter between him and Anakin that morning in the training hall had been passed around in the Temple all day – but she had no idea what Ferus was doing here.

Master Yoda's ears had drooped at her reply and his moss-colored eyes were crinkled with worry. He opened his mouth to speak when (just as a) delicate chime sounded. All those present were being called into the meeting. Without another word, he and Master Windu started walking towards the open double doors. Barriss followed behind along with the rest of the Council members and the Senators.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was seated at the head seat of a large round table that dominated the room. Members of the Loyalist Committee filled in the seats to his left while the Jedi Council members filled in to the right. There were seven members of each group in attendance, which meant three Loyalist senators and five Jedi Council members unaccounted for. She wasn't familiar enough with the Loyalists to figure out who was missing, but mentally she ticked off the names of absent council members. Masters Adi Gallia, Depa Billaba, Even Piell and Oppo Rancisis must be on assignment.

Master Coleman Trebors had been killed on Geonosis.

Other Jedi had been invited and stood respectfully behind the seated Council members. At Barriss's right was Stass Allie, standing closest to the seated Master Koth. Barriss knew Master Allie well. She was Adi Gallia's cousin and one of the best healing teachers at the temple. Masters Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura, both veterans of Geonosis, stood behind Master Tinn. Over his shoulder hovered another veteran of that battle, the Zabrak Jedi Agen Kolar. He'd returned from Geonosis unharmed, but had lost his Padawan there on the arena sands. Since then his involvement in the war had been non-stop. He'd taken no time to grieve his loss and Barriss worried for him.

The presence of so many esteemed Jedi seemed to confirm the rumors that a replacement for Master Trebors was being actively sought. That explained everyone else, but Barriss was at a loss as to why she'd been invited to this meeting. With Master Luminara off on assignment she should have been relegated to studying and practicing her healing techniques.

The only other Padawan in the room was Ferus Olin. He'd followed her in and now stood just to her left. That added to the mystery. Ferus's Master was on assignment too. Come to think of it, so was Obi-Wan and Anakin was supposed to be here.

The Chancellor's aide, Sly Moore, a pale humanoid in white robes quieted the assembly before introducing the Chancellor and beginning the traditional roll call procedure.

"The Chancellor welcomes members of the Loyalist Committee: Bail Organa of Alderaan; Orn Free Taa of Ryloth; Darsana of Glee Anselm; Lexi Dio of Uyter; Ister Paddie of Sermeria; Onaconda Farr from Rodia, and our newest member, Ask Aak, from Malastare. It should be noted that Senator Aak is new to the committee, having been appointed to fill the vacancy left following the recent assassination of Senator Aks Moe. Senators Padmé Amidala, Zo Howler and Havriso Looruya are not in attendance."

The assistant turned to the Jedi Council, easily putting faces to names: "The Jedi Council is represented at this meeting by Masters Yoda, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Shaak Ti, Saesee Tinn and Eeth Koth."

Moore nodded to the assembly and moved to stand behind Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor folded his hands casually before speaking. "Welcome, my friends. I'm sorry to say that Senators Amidala, Howler and Looruya could not be with us today, but I can promise their allegiance is still to the Republic and their loyalty to this committee is unquestioned."

Senator Aak laughed derisively, drawing sidelong looks from everyone else.

"Senator?" Palpatine replied blandly, "Do you have something to add?"

The Gran from Malastare looked around the room, his three eyestalks focusing in different directions. He answered in gravelly basic. "I can't be the only member of this committee who finds Senator Amidala's stance inconsistent with her recent actions. Isn't it ironic that the leader of the opposition to the Military Creation Act was a soldier in the very first conflict? I think her actions speak louder than her words."

Senators Farr and Paddie nodded their agreement, as if the same thoughts had already occurred to them. Bail Organa remained stone faced. It was a known fact that several committee members had supported the Act itself, but Amidala had certainly been the loudest voice to oppose it. Barriss could recall her passionate speeches being broadcast on the holonet news well in advance of the vote.

The Chancellor sighed with the patience of a parent settling a sibling dispute. "Senator Aak, we are not here to question the honor or actions of other committee members, particularly those who aren't hear (here) to speak in their own defense."

Aak's eyes widened in surprise, but he said nothing. Palpatine continued.

"It has just come to our attention that Rhen Var has fallen to Separatists."

The politicians gasped, hearing the news for the first time. The Jedi, already aware of the situation, remained stoic.

"What do the Separatists want with Rhen Var?" It was Lexi Dio, a softspoken blonde woman from the world of Uyter, who voiced the question to the Chancellor. "It only has a few small colonies and has been loyal to the Republic for centuries."

"At this point we have only speculation that centers on mining the planets resources, though that isn't the best theory, given those metals are solid sheets buried beneath layers of rock and ice."

"Evacuated the colonists, have you?" Master Yoda turned his piercing gaze on Palpatine.

"We did our best, Master Yoda, but I'm afraid we lost over half the civilian population." There was silmutaenous sharp intake of breath at his words. Palpatine turned sad eyes to the Senators. "Around seven hundred surviving colonists were extracted by gunship, taken aboard the Republic Cruiser Nimato and delivered safely to Alderaan."

Senator Onaconda Farr stood, fixing his solid black gaze firmly on Mace Windu. His translator made his words expressionless, but his tone and mannerisms conveyed both anger and frustration. "We lost civilians in this attack! Why aren't the Jedi playing a more active roll in this war to prevent the casualty tolls from growing even more extensive? The clone armies are effective, to be sure, but they would be even more so under Jedi command! Faster to respond and more deadly. They could prevent losses like this."

Mace Windu's gaze was coldly analytical as he replied. "Senator Farr, the Rodians are a war culture, and it is only natural that you would want the Jedi to play soldiers. The time may come when we will be forced to do that, but it won't be until we've exhausted all of our alternatives."

"Alternatives?" The Rodian's oily voice resonated with more than a hint of sarcasm even as the device at his neck translated the words into a more neutral basic. "How many innocent lives must be lost before the Jedi will defend the Republic?"

There was an outbreak of murmuring then from the politicians. Barriss had to brace herself against the sudden wave of angry glares and even angrier emotions that seemed to strike the Jedi. She saw Master Yoda scan the irate politicians with a deep frown on his face.

Master Windu kept his impeccable calm, his cool gaze never wavering.

Palpatine stood then, raising his hands to both parties in supplication. In a quiet, firm voice he answered. "I assure you Senator, the Jedi are invaluable allies already. They have served the Republic for millennia and continue to do so. Even now they are placing their lives on the line in an effort to stop this war. You need not question their dedication to our cause."

It was no secret that Farr despised Palpatine and he didn't bother to disguise that animosity as he once again took his seat.

Conversation at that point turned to anticipating the next Separatist targets, but Barriss had tuned it out. She found herself replaying Palpatine's last words to the Rodian Senator.

Even now they place their very lives on the line.

She glanced up at Ferus. He stood listening attentively, but she could tell he'd heard the same thing she had. Lines of worry had etched themselves into his forehead. Master Luminara and Master Siri were both off-world on a mission of such importance that their Padawans hadn't been allowed to go along.

With Palpatine's words, Barriss was gradually realizing that perhaps this meeting had a lot more to do with her and Ferus than she had thought.

The young Padawan watched the rest of the proceedings with unseeing eyes.