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Chapter 5: Desperate measures

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Part 5

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Republic cruiser Dauntless

hyperspace

en route to the Tatoo system

Goosebumps covered Ahsoka's skin despite the balmy temperature inside the cruiser and her modified Jedi armor. She shuddered, feeling an unnatural chill ebbing and flowing forward from Skywalker's darkness-shrouded figure. Despite all the Order taught Ahsoka, and all her fears, the only thing she could sense coming from the fallen Jedi was amusement, colored by a hint of disappointment. There were no suffocating rage and aggression, no breathtaking fear. At least, there was no fear coming from the menacing figure sitting on a bench across the table from her.

Ahsoka felt more than a little appreciation, mixed with justified fear. Skywalker held to his word and hadn't even threatened her, that much was true. He didn't even hint at attacking her, yet his very presence was nothing short of terrifying. Skywalker no longer hid what he was. There was no need after Ahsoka told the Council about his fall.

Nevertheless, he still acted like anything but a fallen Jedi.

Skywalker picked up a large cup filled to the brim with steaming tea. He inhaled its scent, and with a wan smile, drank from the hot liquid. Ahsoka shivered in confusion as she felt him relishing in the sensation as if it was the best thing in the galaxy.

After long, passion-filled moments, a pair of glowing, Sith eyes opened and focused on the Padawan. Skywalker raised an eyebrow at her.

"You know, fear leads to the Dark Side and all that…" He said in a droll voice.

Ahsoka's hand shook around her hot cup of supposedly calming tea. The sheer gall of that man was infuriating! It was like he took some kind of perverse pleasure in getting a raise of her! Of course, he was! He was a Dark Jedi now!

"Anger too? What would the Council think?" Skywalker chided.

He sounded almost genuine!

Ahsoka glowered at him, earning herself a smile. This wasn't right! She should have had much better control over her emotions! It was just that, Skywalker's very presence made it nearly impossible now. He was a barely contained inferno made of dark flame in the Force. His very presence pulsed forth, chilling Ahsoka to her very core. It also confused the Padawan, because as scary as Skywalker was, he was nothing like a Dark Jedi or a Sith, for that matter, was supposed to be. That point of confusion kept returning to the forefront of her mind.

"Snips!" The moniker kindled even more indignation within Ahsoka's heart. "Do I look particularly evil to you?" Skywalker forged on. "Have I been beheading or torturing people for fun as of late?"

Golden glowing eyes sparkling with amusement met Ahsoka's indignant glare. Skywalker was having too much fun at her expense! What did she do to deserve this?!

"Not yet…" She eventually bit off, refusing to admit, even to herself, how much of a torture this awkward conversation felt like.

"To be fair, if I ever get my hands on the people who sent assassins after my Padme, I'll relish in having words with them," Skywalker admitted without a shred of remorse.

The dark fire that was his presence surged forward. It burned hot enough that it briefly dispelled the surrounding chill. Ahsoka didn't want to even think about what such a "conversation" might entail. The gleeful surges of what had to be the Dark Side were enough of a clue, right?

Skywalker drank more from his tea, and this time his whole signature pulsed with unrestrained joy. It was like this was the first drink he had after nearly dying of thirst in a desert, which was surely impossible. This couldn't be the unrestrained passions the Order warned about! That simply made no sense!

"You have questions, ask them, Snips."

Those matter-of-fact words weren't quite an order, yet Ahsoka struggled to keep her mouth shut. Her indignation grew so hot it burned out of control. Ahsoka knew that this was wrong, and it was somehow all Skywalker's fault! Yet, she simply didn't know how to handle this! If he was a Dark Jedi like the ones she had been taught, that would have been one thing, even if it meant a confrontation Ahsoka wasn't equipped to survive. If he was trying to turn her, proclaiming all the dubious "joys" of the Dark Side, then things would have been simple!

Instead, Skywalker just sat on the bench, acting all infuriatingly composed! He enjoyed a simple cup of tea like it was nobody's business! His very presence was undoing Ahsoka's control over her emotions, and she couldn't even begin to figure out how she should handle this!

"That's some serious amount of vexation, you're feeling, Snips. It's not healthy, I know from experience." Skywalker's gentle words washed over her like a soothing shower.

Ahsoka could feel a sense of worry and support burst forth from the dark flames, which threatened to engulf her in a mockery of a hug.

"Enough! Stop this!" Ahsoka snapped.

The dark flames paused in confusion, yet the emotions coming from Skywalker didn't change.

"Stop, what Snips? Talk to me, please."

A fallen Jedi wasn't supposed to be this reasonable, controlled, much less caring! What was wrong with Skywalker!? What was wrong with her? For that matter, why did she even entertain the thought of listening to him?!

"There is no reason for you to panic, Snips." Skywalker's gentle voice almost got her out of her funk.

Another wave of reassurance and warmth washed over Ahsoka, even as the dark flames closed in, almost touching her, before reluctantly retreating. That was anything but reassuring. Ahsoka's heart thundered within her chest, and her wide eyes darted around, looking for a way out, while ancient instincts kicked in. She was in the presence of a greater, more dangerous predator, and she had to either get away or somehow remain unnoticed.

This time, Skywalker's worry entangled with reassurance almost swallowed her whole, and Ahsoka got a strange notion that he was nearing his wit's end. A moment later, the dark flames pulled back further and seemingly flickered off. Skywalker's suffocating presence was all but gone until Ahsoka had to look at him to be sure he was still there. His presence in the Force collapsed on itself and vanished.

"That was a bit too much, wasn't it, Snips? Sorry about that…" Skywalker grimaced.

He sounded genuine, too, but how could Ahsoka believe anything he was saying? Even if he had kept his word so far…

"Let's try this again, shall we?"

Ahsoka found that she could properly breathe again, and her instincts calmed down a bit.

"What was that?!" She hissed at no one in particular.

"I'm quite powerful in the Force, you know?" Skywalker pointedly looked at her and drank more tea while waiting for her to respond.

Ahsoka was glad that she didn't experience the unusual pleasure that a simple sip of tea could produce in that vexing man! And yes, she knew he was powerful in the Force, thank you very much! Anyone with a drop of sensitivity would know it if they looked at him!

"The idea was that we would talk, not that I would monologue at you." Skywalker continued.

Ahsoka couldn't help it and growl at the infuriating Dark Jedi.

"What's wrong with you?!" She snapped.

"Mind you, if someone else asks, I'll deny it to my dying breath," Skywalker had the sheer gall to quietly laugh at her "There are a lot of things you can say are wrong with me. Or that I see as wrong." He shrugged. "Past a certain point, there isn't much of a difference."

"That makes no sense whatsoever!"

"It makes a lot of sense from where I'm sitting."

Ahsoka felt a shiver of satisfaction washing over her before Skywalker reinforced his grasp of whatever he was doing to suppress his Force signature and emotions.

"Now, let us first talk about your options, Snips. Because of the never sufficiently damned Hutts, there aren't many of them. We're currently cut off behind enemy lines and on desperate missions. Realistically, you have two, or perhaps three options. One, you stay on this ship and ignore everything that happens, until we can get you back to friendly territory. Second, you try your luck getting a transport to the Core from Tatooine. That isn't something I would recommend for obvious reasons, though it's an option I guess. Third, you aid us in trying to salvage something from the unfolding disaster we find ourselves in."

Ahsoka noted that neither option officially had a part where she turned to the Dark Side, or something like that. That had to be a trap, right? She glowered at Skywalker, unsure what to think, or believe in, anymore.

"And here I thought you'll be talking…" Skywalker grumbled. He stared at her, and his golden eyes all but screamed, 'What's wrong with you?'

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Part 6

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Chancellor's office

Senate Building

Coruscant

Hours of intense discussion passed like seconds. Various GAR officers from all over the galaxy pitched in over the holonet. Aides and government functionaries darted in and out of the Chancellor's office. Only four people remained present for the whole flurry of desperate activity.

The Chancellor himself. He seemed older and more exhausted with every passing hour, slumping in his chair.

Mace Windu. The Jedi Master stood tall and stout, resembling a pillar standing against inevitability.

Master Yoda. He was deep in thought, trying to find a resolution hidden by the ever-present darkness fallen upon the galaxy.

Admiral Coburn. He was the unshakable representative of the military.

Late in the afternoon, the emergency meetings were over for the time being. No more aides ran into the office bringing answers to countless questions.

A brief moment of peace reigned before Mace Windu shattered it.

"Chancellor, Skywalker is a Dark Jedi now. We could feel the Dark Side in him ever over the holonet. He has fallen." The Jedi Master tried again to make Palpatine see reason. Right or not, he submerged himself in the Force, seeking the right Shatterpoint to push. Beside him, Master Yoda's signature trembled in apprehension and indignation at Windu's actions.

"Is he?" The Chancellor asked carefully, wearily. He sounded more tired than ever. It was clear for all to see that he carried the weight of the whole galaxy on his shoulders. The heavy burden was burning through him at an alarming pace. "Master Jedi, everyone's philosophical outlook is their own private matter, unless they wish to share it. We have very strict laws against persecuting people over what they might believe, no matter how factually right or wrong their beliefs might be. I must ask you again, Master Windu, what is young Skywalker's crime? What did he do to warrant us stripping him of his rank within the military? What crime did he commit? When did he commit it? What evidence you have about him breaking any law?" Palpatine's frustration grew more apparent as he spoke.

The Chancellor's misplaced passion was painfully evident in his voice, and it mirrored the emotions burning through his exhaustion.

"We are not here to argue with you, Chancellor."

"No." The disappointment Palpatine put in that single word was painful to experience. "You're here to demand from us," the Chancellor nodded at Admiral Coburn, "to imprison a competent military officer!" Palpatine's eyes bored into Windu, burning with righteous indignation, "you want me to imprison a friend. A hero!" Palpatine slowly stood up, using his desk for support. "Without trial! Without even a pretense of legality!" He spat as if the very idea burned him from within.

"I have to agree with the Chancellor, Master Jedi." Admiral Coburn spoke firmly. "I feel compelled to go further. I must regretfully state that your conduct today has been most disturbing."

Mace Windu grimaced at the accusations. The veil of the Dark Side obscured everything. There were multiple Shatterpoints he could see. Nearly every single one of them made things worse for the Jedi by breaking the government's and the military's trust in them. At that point, it dawned on Windu that neither the Chancellor nor the Admiral understood. They might intellectually know that a Jedi falling to the Dark Side was a bad thing, but not why. They lacked the Force and Jedi training, thus they didn't possess the instinctual fear and loathing of the Dark Side. They didn't, couldn't know how dangerous it was, how it could twist the best of people. He had to find a way to explain it to them, to make them understand because anything else would ensure a disaster. Skywalker was the Chosen One. He had the potential to be the most powerful Jedi in history. His fall and its consequences, therefore, were unthinkable. They had to contain and stop him before it was too late.

At that point, Sidious had to use everything he knew, and everything he was, in order to maintain his disguise. The destruction of the Jedi as an institution was all but guaranteed the day the war began. Ensuring that they stayed destroyed this time was the complicated issue, along with turning the Republic into his future Empire instead of destroying it. Palpatine already had broad political support for his plans. One of the key missing elements was destroying the Jedi's support and reputation in such a way that it would make it as difficult as possible for them to rise again as guardians of the Republic.

The war was a trap not only for the individual Jedi but for the Order's reputation. While this outcome was almost too good to be true, Sidious was going to exploit it for all it was worth. After all, it was hard to believe that someone like Skywalker might fall, yet retain enough of his control and sanity without help to avoid doing something obviously illegal? The odd Jedi fell on a semi-regular basis. The Order's foolish dogma ensured that such people were weak-minded fools who were no threat to the galactic order. More importantly, when the Jedi of this era broke, they always tended to lash out and turn themselves into criminals in the eyes of the Republic, making things straightforward. That was to be expected really. The fools had no idea how to handle their emotions, much less their passions. It was only logical that all the unrestrained emotions they experienced after falling to the Dark Side would consume them.

Skywalker was different. By his actions and inaction, he was proving to be worth Sidious' attention. Amidala too! The Sith Lord was sure if it wasn't for her, his future Apprentice would have done something foolish, robbing him of such a priceless opportunity. That irritating chit finally proved herself useful. Perhaps she might be useful enough to keep in the long run, both as a leash and incentive to his Apprentice.

However, such plans were for the future. Sidious focused his attention back on the bickering Jedi. It would be sad if it wasn't so amusing. The heart of the matter was simple – Skywalker hadn't broken any law they knew of. The boy just proved himself a hero, he had the military's backing as well. There was no political or personal incentive for the government to close its eyes and let the Jedi do what they wanted with him. On the contrary.

Sidious frowned in his Palpatine guise. Now the Jedi were busy citing precedent, ancient laws, which contradicted many newer laws and strictly speaking, parts of the Constitution. Windu was doing his best to explain how falling to the Dark Side all but guaranteed that Skywalker would go on the deep end. While such an outcome at this time might be regrettable, that was something Sidious could work with as well. In the end, the truth was that the boy hadn't yet messed up and the Chancellor was going to run with that opportunity for all it was worth.

"I must stop you right there, Master Jedi." Palpatine made a show of tiredly raising a hand. "You're right. In the past, the Republic government backed you when dealing with the so-called Dark Jedi without a second thought. However, as far as I know, they all had one thing in common – those Jedi broke various Republic laws. That was the reason for such unwavering support, not whatever doctrinal or philosophical differences those misguided people had with the Jedi Order. The same is true about Count Dooku. It doesn't matter if he is a Jedi, Dark Jedi, or a Sith as you say. It's his actions that led to multiple systems seceding from the Republic and starting this war that is the issue, not his personal beliefs. As the elected leader of the Republic, all the issues I can legally have with that man are over his actions. My personal opinion shouldn't and doesn't enter the equation. The same is true for young Skywalker. If you wish to expel him from the Jedi Order because he no longer follows your philosophy, that is of course your prerogative. The Republic has no say in such matters. Just like we can't have a say in what General Skywalker personally believes. What we can have an issue with is with what he says and does in an official capacity."

"I completely agree with the Chancellor's point of view," Coburn grumbled.

Palpatine nodded in appreciation of the support. Inside, he was particularly gleeful. Undermining the Jedi's support within the military was turning out to be much easier than anticipated, all thanks to Skywalker. Who would have thought that Skywalker's fall so early would create so many opportunities instead of being a potential disaster in the making? Despite a few recent setbacks, the Force was obviously with the Sith!

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