TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith – You make my day. I love it when someone "gets" me. It happens so seldom. Yep, she does care for Obi-Wan. Young, handsome teacher…think of the Police song, "Don't Stand So Close To Me." Actually, "Every Breath You Take" also applies here with Palpatine. This does mean trouble for Padme and pretty soon at that.
Author's Notes
1. This is not the most of exciting chapter but it is necessary. Palpatine, of course, knows more about Anakira's situation than he is letting her on and has his reasons for his offer and plans for our Jedi lass. Not good ones, it goes without saying.
2. There will be two more slow chapters after this one but they are necessary to develop the plot. I will probably update quite often as I am anxious to get to the good stuff. I will offer you a list of my subtitles of all the upcoming chapters. The subtitles are Decisions and Loyalties (4), The Sith Revealed (5), Birth (6), Dark Lady Rampant (7), Duel of the Fates (8), Dark Lady Triumphant (9), and Eternal Queen (10).
A Twist of Fate III: The Chancellor's Proposition
Anakira put her long hair in its usual neat braid and curled it in a bun at the nape of her neck. This was out of long habit. It didn't do to have a lot of hair flying around during battle. It gave the enemy a convenient handle. Why, she and Obi-Wan even removed their cloaks before beginning a fight. She put on her best robes and went to meet Palpatine.
As she walked towards the Chancellor's office, the young Jedi thought that she could, possibly use the old man. No one was more powerful and he seemed to have taken a liking to her, though she sometimes thought there was something a bit oily about him but that was no reason for Obi-Wan and the Council to distrust him as they did. He was a politician. They were all a bit oily. He might help her. She would see what he had to say to her this morning.
"Come in, my dear," he said, in the most fatherly tones, "I have wanted to speak to you out of the public eye."
"Well," she said, "I am here. How may I help you, Chancellor?"
"I have a task for you, young one," he said with soothing tones, "if the Jedi Council will agree to it."
She nodded and said, "It is my privilege to serve the Republic. What do you wish me to do?"
"After the rather upsetting experience of being kidnapped and rescued by your good offices, I think I need to get away. Not immediately. I need to prepare but I have many whose loyalty I trust and quite a lovely planet in mind for my vacation, prettier than Naboo, I think," he said.
Anakira was puzzled. "Pardon me, Chancellor," she asked, "but how can I assist you with that?"
"Well, it should be obvious to someone of your intelligence, girl! I need a bodyguard. Who better than a Jedi? None better than a Jedi. In these times, the usual cretins will not do," he said with a laugh.
She thought about her secret she would not tell him yet but there was another barrier to taking such an assignment. "The Jedi Council might not want to spare me for that long, sir," she said, reluctantly.
He almost purred his response, "And does the Jedi Council run the Republic or do I. No, don't answer that. I do. I think we both have our problems with the Council, don't we young one? Well, I will ask them to put you on the Council."
Anakira thought that Windu would not like that one bit. Well, she was the heroine of the Clone Wars. She should be on the Council. She should be Master. None of them could have done as much as she had done.
"The Council may not agree to that, Chancellor Palpatine, but I will do my best to persuade them. Obi-Wan will take my side. I will do anything the Republic requires of me," she said.
"Anything, yes," said Palpatine, somewhat distractedly, "Hmmm…yes, Master Kenobi. Well, we will see about Master Kenobi." With more insistence he continued, "I am Chancellor. The Council will do what I tell them to do. It is only proper. After all, you will be working so closely with me; you should be the Jedi to represent the government to the Council, which entitles you to a seat."
Anakira walked toward the Council's chambers without revealing her secret to the Chancellor. There would be time for that. She was slender and he had more pressing concerns than her waistline which could be concealed by loose clothing as the pregnancy progressed. She was also quite confident in her ability to fulfill her bodyguard and, certainly, her representative duties until the very last days before the birth. This assignment would get her away from the prying eyes of the Council. She couldn't wait to tell Windu and the others what the Chancellor intended.