Chapter 31

Alliances

Obi-Wan was on a planet controlled by the Separatists. But he was not alone. There were some Senalians who helped him, people he had got to know when he had worked at the field hospital, and one young woman whom he had met at the Day of the Opening. They helped him keep his cover, assisted him on his search and provided him with information. One family even let him stay at their place.

It took him three days to discover the lightsaber burns on the armour of the killed clones. It left a bitter taste in his mouth: another Jedi who had turned to the dark side. What had been unthinkable a few years ago was just another side effect of the war now.

On the fourth day, he found a witness – a clone who had survived the attack and could give Obi-Wan a description of the fallen Jedi (human, male, tall, white hair, black robes). There were and had been many tall human males in the Jedi Order.

On the fifth day, he received a message from Anakin informing him that Master Windu had died in the destruction of the clone factory on Kamino where he had gone to investigate Master Dooku's supposed death.

On the sixth day, he found a video recording of the attack on Senali.

He destroyed it.

oOoOo

Anakin was back on Coruscant. They had given him a few days off so he could train and get used to his prosthesis. The Temple was eerily quiet because almost all of the Jedi Masters and Knights were scattered on the battlefields around the galaxy. It was not liked it used to be but nonetheless Anakin drew strength from the quiet and peace of the place. He mostly stayed on his own, meditated and worked through his lightsaber moves. Sometimes he indulged the younglings, who were so excited to see him and showered him with questions about everything. Showing them some of his Force skills was even fun but as soon as they got too excited about the war and treated it like an adventure he excused himself.

It was good to see Padmé again. Although the occasion wasn't entirely pleasant – a secret meeting of the Alliance. During all the time Anakin had been away to fight in the war, there had been no addition to the little group. How were they ever going to achieve anything with just eight persons?

"At some point, we have to take a stand," Padmé said. "The Senate's inaction is exactly what has got us into this situation in the first place."

"It's too risky," Scho-Lim said.

"It is," Bail Organa agreed, "but every day we do nothing people die or end up enslaved to the Separatists."

"That's not what slavery is like." Anakin couldn't stop himself from speaking up. Everyone threw him an odd glance. Normally, he didn't contribute much unless it was about matters concerning the Jedi or the Force.

"We will continue to work on our program to abolish slavery," Padmé said. She was the only one who knew. "But our priority now is to stop this war and restore democracy."

Anakin lowered his head in acknowledgement. Or course the war must be stopped. Still… the words 'program' and 'priority' left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We need to find out more about the Chancellor's motives before we act openly," Mon Mothma said. "We need to know if he still values democracy or if he has become power-hungry and doesn't want to give back powers to the Senate. And if the latter is the case, we need proof."

Padmé turned to look at Anakin. "Are you still on good terms with Palpatine?"

"He invited me to see him. I didn't know if I should-"

"You should definitely go," Bail Organa said. "Try to find out if he intends to give power back to the Senate."

"I could bug you with recording devices," Scho-Lim said. "As proof."

"No," Mon Mothma said, "the Chancellor has the best security system in the galaxy. We wouldn't be able to smuggle a bug into his office. And if he discovers it – the Alliance is as good as dead. Skywalker's word has to be enough as proof."

"It should be," Bail Organa said with a crooked little smile. "He is more popular than us politicians after all."

"It is settled then," Mon Mothma said.

After the meeting, Anakin stayed a little longer to talk to Padmé.

"How are you?" she asked. "You look better than last time I saw you."

"Do I? I guess that's what sleeping does to you." He clenched and unclenched the fingers of his new hand a few times. By now, he had control over it – most of the time. "Maybe I should've lost a limb sooner."

Padmé gave him a somewhat amused, somewhat exasperated look. Then she sat down next to him and cautiously put her hand on his prosthesis. "Seriously. How bad was it? Are you alright?"

"I was given the best medical treatment. And I'm getting more and more used to it."

Padmé did not say anything but kept looking at him so earnestly until Anakin could not take it anymore. He lowered his eyes and admitted, "It hurt like hell and I was scared shitless." He smiled self-deprecatingly and looked back up into her eyes. "But it's better now. And someone helped me. I'm in love. I think."

"Oh." That clearly took her by surprise. "Is that… a good thing?" Naturally she knew about the Jedi's stance on attachments.

Anakin nodded with a little smile. "It is. I was thinking… Maybe this person could join the Alliance."

Padmé pinched her lips. "Anakin, I'm happy for you, I really am. But you know we can't risk that."

"This group is so small. It's still only the founding members for, what, two years? How is this ever going to work if you're never going to trust anyone else? Besides, you don't even know who this person is."

"Then tell me: what can this person bring to the Alliance?"

"Resilience. Faith. Loyalty. Also, this person is a Force user."

Padmé raised her eyebrows at that last part but chose not to comment on it. "You would have to tell us their name and we'd observe them and do a thorough background check. They could join only if the Alliance comes to a unanimous vote."

Anakin did not like the sound of that. All those intrigues… The Alliance spying on Obi-Wan, Anakin spying on the Chancellor, the Jedi spying on Anakin – it did not seem right. Something of that must have shown on his face because Padmé said, "I'm sorry it has to be like this but you can't let yourself be blinded by love. We could lose everything! We all swore an oath to-"

"I know." …to never tell anyone about the Alliance, not even the closest family members.

"Anakin, I'm sorry I have to do this but I have to ask: Did you tell them about us? Anything?"

Anakin gave a short, bitter laugh. "Of course I didn't. I swore an oath after all."

"Like your oath to adhere to the Jedi Code?" She gave him a pointed look.

Anakin's right hand spasmed and his heartbeat sped up. "Are you questioning my loyalty?" She could get in line with all the others who had done so.

"It's not that I don't trust you-"

"But you don't." He stood up and paced the room. "How can you live like this? Never trusting, always suspicious of everyone… Is this what you want?"

"I trust in the good of people. If I didn't, I wouldn't be doing this." Padmé's voice was firm – it always was – but there was a harshness to it, like she was trying too hard to control it. Sensing her agitation in the Force made Anakin stop his pacing and look at her, really look at her. She had folded her hands in her lap and was intently looking down at them when she continued, "I haven't seen my family in more than two years. Of course I don't want this kind of life. But I need to protect them – and protect the cause." She finally looked up again. "We all agreed to this. You were there."

The anger left Anakin's body as quickly as it had come and was replaced with guilt. Much like the Jedi Padmé had given up her own happiness for a greater cause, and she was as lonely as Anakin, or even more so.

"I'm sorry. I am a lousy friend."

She shook her head. "This situation, this war affects all of us."

"I haven't even asked you how you are." Anakin said down next to her and put a hand on her thin, rigid shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?"

She smiled. "There is. We just talked about it. Your meeting with the Chancellor…"

"For you, I mean."

"I just need everyone to do their job." She bit her lip. "And, once in a while, somebody I can talk to openly would be nice."

Anakin smiled ruefully. "Likewise. Can I invite you to dinner?"

"As much as I would like that, I don't think it's the best idea to draw attention to ourselves. And we're sure to have the tabloids' attention if they see us having dinner together. But we can order something and eat here."

"I was counting on it." He lightly nudged her side to show he was joking.

"Oh, were you?" She grinned and nudged him back. "So, that person you're in love with. Is it Obi-Wan?"

oOoOo

The next day, Anakin met with Chancellor Palpatine.

"I heard about your injury. I am so sorry," Palpatine greeted him.

"It was only a matter of time, I guess." Anakin decided to get straight to the point. "Other people have had it much worse. Many Jedi have already lost their lives, not to speak of all the civilian casualties. It's been years and it's only getting worse every day. It needs to stop."

"True, very true, my dear boy. I just wish I knew how to find a solution."

"You are the most powerful man in the galaxy. You can stop the fight and resume diplomacy."

"Your idealism is admirable. But surely you have seen enough by now to know that negotiations with terrorists are not an option."

"Not even if it saved countless lives?"

"It's not for lack of trying on my part. But things are more complicated than they might seem to you. Sit down."

Curious, Anakin took the offered seat.

"Leave us," Palpatine told his guards.

So this was it. Something off-the-record, something not even Palpatine's most trusted guards could know. Why would he tell it to Anakin of all people?

"You may not be aware of the full gravity of the situation. Very few are. Anakin, you can't tell anyone about what I'm about to tell you now, least of all the Jedi Council."

"You don't trust the Jedi Council?"

"The Jedi have changed. They are not what they used to be. You've seen it, too, haven't you?"

Anakin could not deny that, not when he had so often thought exactly the same. He nodded gravely.

"They used to live secluded lives in the Temple," Palpatine continued, "but now the former peacekeepers are the most important warriors in the Clone Wars, they lead armies, they have political influence. They have learnt what it's like to have power. One might even say some have acquired a taste for it."

"Maybe," Anakin admitted. Palpatine was putting into words what had been unsettling him for some time now.

"During unstable times or when there is a power vacuum, many sense their chance. I know there is a conspiracy against me – not separatists on remote planets but right here, at the heart of Coruscant… in the Senate."

Anakin's stomach dropped. How could Palpatine know? How much did he know? Or was there another conspiracy?

"So you see why I can't just give up my emergency powers and risk the Senate overthrowing me."

"Overthrowing? Surely it's not as bad as that."

"Search your feelings, Anakin. You are too clever for self-delusion. You know something's not right."

At that precise moment, Anakin's comlink beeped – a summoning for a Council meeting. "I'm afraid I have to go."

"Mark my words, Anakin. Be careful who you trust."

oOoOo

It was Obi-Wan and Kit Fisto who reported from Rutan. Anakin was the only Council member present. Luminara Unduli, Plo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi took part via hologram – the others were probably engaged in the war and did not have time for a Council meeting.

"My cover was blown," Obi-Wan said. Even as a flickering hologram, he looked so tense, with his shoulders hunched and arms crossed over his chest, like he was expecting the worst kind of rebuke from the Masters.

It was certainly not Anakin's place to speak up on the matter (besides, Obi-Wan would kill him if he ever dared to rebuke or praise him in his role as a Council member) but maybe he could help anyway.

"Did you find out anything?" he asked, trying to direct the conversation towards Obi-Wan's achievements instead of his failures.

But Obi-Wan's stance did not relax at all, quite the contrary, he seemed even more tense. "A witness saw a dark Force user who attacked the clones with a lightsaber."

"A fallen Jedi?" Plo Koon asked.

Obi-Wan hesitated. "Maybe."

There were some aggrieved facial expressions and worried hums but no one was really shocked. How had this – a Jedi turning to the Dark Side – become such a normal occurrence? It should have warranted an emergency full assembly. One might even say some have acquired a taste for power. Anakin could not shake off Palpatine's words. Was this what was happening? Jedi who – through fighting – grew hungry for power and turned to the Dark Side to satisfy this hunger?

"Did you get any description?" Luminara Unduli asked.

"Human. Male," Obi-Wan said slowly. He turned into the wrong direction and his blue hologram stared at one of the empty seats. "Black robes. Red lightsaber."

"Not much to go on from," Luminara said.

"He needs to be stopped," Ki-Adi-Mundi said. "Master Skywalker, how is your injury? Are you up to this mission?"

"My arm is better. I'm up to it."

"At least some good news," Ki-Adi-Mundi said. "Padawan Kenobi, do you know anything about the fallen Jedi's whereabouts? Any clues?"

"I don't know where he is." Obi-Wan's voice had risen slightly. Something wasn't right. But the other Masters did not seem to pick up on it.

"Then I suggest you start looking on Senali," Plo Koon addressed Anakin. "Maybe have a spy sneak in there to gather more information."

"I strongly advise against this approach," Luminara Unduli said. "This is a delicate matter. We can't just tell anyone that there are fallen Jedi on the loose. We can't risk people losing their trust in the Jedi."

How ironic. Again, Palpatine's words came back to Anakin. The Jedi have changed. A tiny part of Anakin could understand a Jedi turning away from the Order. After all, he had played with the idea himself.

"I – I think I just remembered something," Obi-Wan suddenly spoke up. "Some people said they'd seen a… a strange starship made entirely of biological material. They build those on Koshyym, right? They said they'd seen it on the day of the attack on Senali. So maybe he's from there. Or his, uh, lair is there."

Ki-Adi-Mundi heaved a deep sigh. "It's not much but it's the only clue we have. So I suggest you start looking on Koshyym, Master Skywalker."

"I will."

"How's the situation on Rutan, Master Fisto?" Luminara Unduli asked.

"The Separatists have surrendered. But as long as Senali is in the hands of the Separatists, we can't withdraw our troops here. They'll take the first chance they get to attack again if they think Rutan is without defence."

"So, it's a stalemate?"

"It seems so."

"Do you see any chance of us taking back Senali?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

"Not without reinforcements."

"We don't have any clones to spare right now, and with the factory destroyed…"

"Shaak Ti said she'd return in a few days," Luminara Unduli said. "If her troop is in fighting condition, we could deploy them to Senali."

"It is settled then," Ki-Adi-Mundi closed the meeting. "May the Force be with us all."

"Padawan Kenobi, a word in private please," Anakin said quickly before Obi-Wan could turn his hologram off. He waited until the other holograms had vanished. "Are you alone? Can we talk?"

Obi-Wan nervously looked around. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes – I mean, no, obviously not. Things don't exactly look good right now, do they?"

"Did Master Fisto give you a hard time?"

"What? No." Obi-Wan lowered his voice. "Anakin, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to talk to you and, uh. I miss you." Anakin chuckled awkwardly. Obi-Wan didn't say anything but smiled tremulously. "I was thinking," Anakin continued, "my next mission – maybe there's a way they let us work together again. Not just on this one mission… you're probably not gonna like it and please don't shout at me but it could work. So. You're technically still a Padawan. And I'm a Master. If I were to take you as my Padawan – it wouldn't mean anything, it wouldn't change anything between us, it'd be just something official, for them to let us stay together-"

"No."

Anakin huffed in frustration. "I knew you were going to say that. But please just think about it. I promise I won't pull rank again."

"Master Fisto said I can stay with him on Rutan. You – you heard what he said. We can't just leave here."

"Right." Anakin tried to smile. "I understand. Just – it would've been nice to be together again."

Obi-Wan nodded jerkily. "I have to go now. Master Fisto…" He trailed off.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Anakin wished they were face to face. It would be so much easier if he could look into Obi-Wan's eyes properly, not just into this flickering blue light, and if he could feel Obi-Wan's presence in the Force.

"As I said, we're at war and there's another fallen Jedi – of course I'm not alright."

Finally Anakin understood. That there was another fallen Jedi hit too close to home for Obi-Wan because he was still plagued by what had happened on Vjun – or still worried that he could fall, too.

"You won't fall," Anakin said, wishing more than ever that they were in the same room and not planets apart. "I know it, I know you."

"Everyone can fall," Obi-Wan shot back heatedly.

Anakin did not agree but he didn't know how to make Obi-Wan believe him. "I would come after you and bring you back from the Dark Side," he said lightly, trying to brighten the mood.

"Would you?"

"Of course I would," Anakin said, completely earnest now.

Obi-Wan stared at him. "I have to leave now," he said at last. "Good luck on your mission."