Anakin opened the door as Ventress walked in looking stunned causing him to frown. Not much shocked Ventress, it must be bad if she looked half dazed. He stepped aside allowing her to enter closing the door behind her. "Ventress, it's a bit early. Is everything all right?"
"Not everything," Ventress answered as she turned her attention to Anakin with a frown. "Didn't you sense his death last night?"
"Whose death?" Anakin questioned in confusion. "Palpatine is dead?"
"If only it were that easy," Ventress answered honestly as she watched him with a frown. "Stretch out with the Force and tell me what you sense is missing?"
"Obi-Wan is just as annoying with lacking a straight answer," Anakin grumbled under his breath as he closed his eyes stretching out with the Force. Who could possibly be missing? He stretched out with his mind as he sensed Padme, the twins and Ben in the kitchen preparing breakfast. He stretched out further as he felt for Palpatine, the jedi and Dooku….. He paused for a second as he sensed something off.
Dooku, his presence felt like it was no longer in existence. Is that why Ventress was so shocked? Maybe Dooku was telling the truth about wanting to help them and if Palpatine found out. He sucked in a sharp breath as he drew in the same conclusion Ventress has. "Dooku's dead."
Ventress gave a short nod in agreement as Anakin ran his hand over his face feeling a stress headache take hold. "I'm shocked as much as you are. There is only one person planet side that would be able to kill Dooku. Any guesses?"
"Palpatine."
Luke sat down on the couch as Leia and Ben made themselves comfortable in the other chairs in the room as he watched Anakin with concern. He didn't know what to say, he sensed a death last night in the Force but wasn't sure who the signature belonged too. That's until Ventress let them know it was Dooku. Palpatine was acting desperate. "I don't know what to say."
"Neither do I," Ventress spoke in a calm tone causing Luke to shake his head.
"I should've realized he was telling the truth, he came to us in massive pain from Palpatine's Force lightning attack," Luke muttered under his breath.
"What's done is done, there is no time to regret former actions. Dooku knew he was taking a chance going against Palpatine," Padme pointed out as she entered the living area. "We need a plan and fast, I have a feeling time is no longer on our side."
"How is the search coming along for a Ysalamiri?" Luke questioned in curiosity "If we have one, it would give us the advantage we need to take Palpatine alive."
"We have someone who claims he has one," Padme answered with a hopeful smile. "I've entered negotiations with the smuggler. We have to do this in a way that Palpatine does not catch wind of this."
"The fleet is returning in a few hours from now," Anakin commented with a frown. "Why don't I meet up with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka and disembark with them. I'm hoping they can quickly debrief me so I can pretend I came back with the fleet."
"I don't know, dad," Luke spoke up with a frown. "Its a nice thought but Palpatine most likely knows you were never with the fleet to begin with. It's not a good idea."
"If we want to keep up with the charade of Anakin not being planetside and being with the fleet, maybe it will draw less attention if Anakin disembarked with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka," Padme agreed with Anakin's perspective. "After all, Palpatine is going to want to debrief you."
"As much as I don't like this, Anakin and Padme are right. Anakin should meet the fleet so it will appear he's been off planet the entire time," Leia agreed with a frown. "We'll have to sneak Anakin off planet without being noticed," She explained with a serious expression. She turned her attention to Ventress with a soft smile. "Ventress, would you mind?"
"Would be my pleasure, Princess," Ventress answered with a smile as Leia gave a smile in appreciation. "Come Skywalker, let's get you off planet."
"Right behind you, Ventress," Anakin agreed as he followed her out of the apartment.
Luke turned his attention to Leia with a frown. "Lets meet this smuggler and see if he really has a ysalamiri."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Leia agreed as Padme stood up with a slight smile.
Luke stood up as Ben grinned. "Ben, did you want to stay here or come with us?"
"Can I come with you?" Ben questioned with a wide grin as Luke gave a nod. "Wizard."
Leia raised an eyebrow as Padme smirked at Ben's response. He wondered where Ben had picked up that phrase from. Padme smirking made him wonder if this was part of his father's influence on the boy. Luke walked towards the door of the apartment. It was time to go meet this smuggler and see if he was telling the truth about having the animal on hand.
Obi-Wan turned towards the communications officer as the Defender II dropped out of hyperspace two hours prior to arrival to Coruscant. He hoped that Anakin had sufficient time and has Luke back in his custody. Knowing his former Padawan, he most likely had Luke by now. Anakin hadn't failed a mission yet he was on.
"General, we have a message incoming marked for your eyes only," the communications officer reported as Obi-Wan gave a short nod.
Obi-Wan glanced at Ahsoka with a frown. "Ahsoka, you have the bridge while I take this in my office."
Ahsoka gave a short nod as Obi-Wan walked to his office at a fast pace. He hoped it wasn't bad news he thought to himself as he closed the door behind him. He stepped towards the communicator as the call came through and Ventress appeared with a slight smile. "Ventress, what do I owe the pleasure?"
"My dear Obi-Wan, it's good to see you too," Ventress gave that annoying smirk of hers. "I have your former padawan learner with me, and we decided to carry out this little charade by sneaking Anakin off planet and meeting up with you. Anakin thought it would be best if he was seen disembarking with you and his filthy little pet."
"I see," Obi-Wan was surprised that Anakin had enlisted Ventress's help and wondered how much it cost Padme to buy her services. "And was said mission for Anakin successful?"
"If you mean by rescuing his brat, yes he has the brat in his custody," Ventress answered as Obi-Wan shook his head sadly.
"You never called my son a brat before," Anakin whined from beside her causing Obi-Wan to smirk.
"I'll send you coordinates on where to meet the fleet. We're still two hours away," Obi-Wan explained with a frown.
"Why don't I meet you halfway, Obi-Wan." Ventress suggested with a slight smile.
"Sounds like a plan to me, what changed your mind about helping?" Obi-Wan questioned with a frown.
"I decided that Palpatine needs to be stopped," Ventress answered with a serious expression. "Palpatine has gotten away with murder for too long."
"I welcome your help, my dear sweet Ventress," Obi-Wan gave a small reassuring smile.
"Don't flatter yourself," Ventress gave a smirk causing Obi-Wan to smirk in turn. "You're welcome all the same. I'm downloading coordinates three frequencies below this one. Meet me there and I will bring Skywalker aboard."
Obi-Wan checked the frequency and gave a short nod. "I have them, we'll meet you in one hour."
"See you soon my dear Obi-Wan," Ventress signed off as Obi-Wan contacted the bridge.
"Ahsoka, we need to make a small detour. I'm downloading the coordinates to jump to first before we make the final stretch to Coruscant."
"Yes Master," Ahsoka answered causing Obi-Wan to frown. Anakin, I hope you know what your doing. On the other hand, he wasn't surprised. Maybe he felt if he was seen leaving with the fleet, then Palpatine won't suspect that Anakin had Luke. On the other hand, Palpatine may know this is a charade on Anakin's part. He hoped this didn't backfire. They would have to debrief Anakin so he knew how to make his report in case he was asked to make one.
Anakin walked down the ramp as Ventress stayed on the ship ready to depart. It was best if she wasn't spotted at all from anyone on the ship. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were awaiting him there causing him to smile slightly. "Obi-Wan, Ahsoka. How did the mission go?"
"It went well, Anakin," Obi-Wan answered with a frown. "Lets go and get you debriefed so you know how to make your report just in case Palpatine asks you."
"There is a good chance he knows I was not with the fleet at some point," Anakin said with a frown as Ahsoka nodded in agreement.
"As soon as Grievous discovered you were not with the fleet, they made the jump to light speed," Ahsoka explained with a frown.
"That's not good and considering Dooku showed up at my place," Anakin paused for a second. "Good chance Palpatine knows I lied to him. If I show up with the fleet, I can't be in two places at once. Can I?"
"You're crazy, Master," Ahsoka pointed out with a slight smile and shook her head. "I'm betting Palpatine knows you lied to him. What's the plan?"
"Luke has a plan in how to apprehend Palpatine with little fuss," Anakin smirked as Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "It was my grandsons idea to be honest."
"The apples don't fall far from the trees in your family, do they?" Obi-Wan teased with a smile. "What kind of plan?" He questioned in curiosity.
"Lets discuss this in private," Anakin suggested with caution. "I don't want the opposition to know what we're up to."
"Very well, let's head to my office," Obi-Wan suggested with a curious expression.
Anakin glanced at Rex as he finished his scan around the room. "Well Rex?"
"You're all clear, General," Rex answered with a frown as he glanced at Cody and nodded towards the exit of the room. Both clones left the room as Ahsoka closed the door behind them as Obi-Wan sat down behind the desk.
Anakin took a seat in front of the desk as Ahsoka sat down beside him. He gave a weary smile as Obi-Wan raised a suspicious eyebrow as he waited. "There is this animal called the Ysalamiri, it creates a bubble in the Force. Luke said the planet they originate from is completely blocked off from the Force. He told me it's not the nicest feeling in the world."
"Really?" Obi-Wan questioned in curiosity as Anakin nodded. "And what's the plan for obtaining one of these animals?"
"Padme put some feelers out, and she's meeting with someone who claims he has one of these animals," Anakin explained with a frown. "My children and grandson have gone with her to confirm if this is the case. Leia appears to love politics just as much as her mother and married a smuggler and Luke married the Emperors hand."
"Really?" Obi-Wan questioned in a curious tone. "A smuggler, must be someone really special if Leia married him."
"I'm curious about this man myself," Anakin admitted with a frown. "So the plan to get one of these animals and it should render Palpatine powerless as well as ourselves in the process. Temporarily by the sounds of it."
"It would make holding him prisoner easier to bring him up on charges," Obi-Wan agreed with a frown. "Still, it seems almost too easy. How could these smugglers even have one?"
"That's the other part, this Emperors hand had become a smuggler after the fall of Palpatine. The smuggler who had this animal had made his base on the home planet where the Ysalarmiri are originally from," Anakin explained with a frown.
"Two smugglers in the family, did your children do this out of spite?" Obi-Wan questioned in a teasing tone as Anakin raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Oh come now, Anakin. They must be special if they took a liking to both."
"Who is to dispute true love?" Anakin questioned in curiosity as Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. "So how did the fight go and which part did I take in?"
Obi-Wan sat back with a smile as Anakin listened to his former master's debriefing.
Padme sat down into a booth as Leia sat down across from her. Luke and Ben were off scoping out the area. They definitely took after Anakin in that retrospect. She glanced at Leia as she glanced around the seedy looking bar. This was the only place their contact had agreed to meet them. A man slipped into the seat beside Leia causing her frown. "Who are you?"
"I'm your contact, mi lady," the man answered with a frown. "My boss awaits you with the item in question in another room."
Padme glanced at Leia noticing her daughter looked a little pale causing her to frown. "Leia, are you all right?"
Leia gave a short nod with a frown. "They have the animal. My connection to the Force is gone."
"Lead the way," Padme said as she stood up as the man did with a frown as he glanced at Leia with worry. "Shes not the one to worry about."
"Then who is this and is she trustworthy?" The man questioned in curiosity.
"That's for me to know, and for you to know she is trust worthy," Padme reassured with a smile.
"Very well, follow me," the man said as he stood up and lead the way to where his boss was waiting for them. Leia shot Padme an appreciative smile as they followed the man to where his boss was waiting for them. She hoped this was worth it in the end.
Thanks for reading :)