Author's Notes: And here we have the revelation of the Sith Lord. Or Lady, rather. Unfortunately, I'll need to add another chapter to the previous total because they decided the plan to take out Sidious would wait until the next chapter. (growls in frustration) Sorry about that … they're being particularly cagey about the confrontation. I'm hoping to have this finished by the end of May. We have commencement coming up, which always leads to … creative thinking, at least once we've made it through. So, in this chapter, we have Mace demonstrating his silly side; Palpatine's arrival at the Temple; and the revelation about Darth Sidious' true identity. When I first started wading into the Star Wars fandom, I came across a story in which Mace was making s'mores with (or for) the younglings in the afterlife … that image of him has never truly gone away, but hopefully, this version of Mace Windu is one that you can imagine doing just that.
Chapter Thirteen
Touchstone
"So, this is the majestic Jedi Temple … I must say, I am impressed," Sheev Palpatine wheezed and puffed as he walked alongside Master of the Order Mace Windu. The latter merely smiled, mentally reminding himself once again to shorten his strides. While the Chancellor had been here in the past, he'd been … contained to particular areas. They were particularly careful to keep him away from the younglings. Not just Anakin, but all younglings. Having the attention of the Chancellor of the Galactic Republic could be a heady thing, even to ordinary children … and Jedi younglings were anything but ordinary.
"It is that … impressive and majestic," Mace acknowledged as he led the Chancellor to Master Yoda's chambers. He was quietly proud of the Temple, of his home, and while he wouldn't exactly brag about it, he had no trouble showing it off. But that wasn't the reason for today's visit, of course. Once the Chancellor told Obi-Wan that he knew who the Sith was, it was quickly decided that the best place for him to relay that information was the Jedi Temple. The Grandmaster bade them to enter … inside, they found everyone who would be needed: the remainder of Yoda's line (including the twins); the Fetts; and Xanatos, all seated in a circle and all in the lotus position. This … could get interesting. Truthfully, Mace still wasn't sure if he trusted Xanatos, but he couldn't deny that the younger man was more Light-side than Dark. Nor could he deny that they'd made a terrible mistake with the padawan Xanatos. Yes, things improved … no, they weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination.
"Welcome, you are, Chancellor. Know everyone, you do?" Yoda asked as the two newcomers sat in the free spaces of the circle. Mace accepted Leia from her mother, playing peek-a-boo with the delighted toddler while the Chancellor got situated. He noticed Asajj's amused expression, and did the most un-Councilor thing imaginable: he stuck her tongue out at her. Which probably wasn't the smartest thing he could have done, because Leia immediately grabbed it. Boba Fett immediately started giggling, especially after Mace's attempts to speak around his tongue. Much to his consternation, he sounded more like Jar-Jar Binks than like himself.
"Leia, I know Mace is being silly, but please let go of his tongue," Obi-Wan said, sounding both exasperated and amused. Knowing him, the exasperation was directed at Mace and the amusement at Leia, the little brat (all right, not so little now). Leia merely giggled, but did as her father asked, and Obi-Wan added with a smirk, "And now that Jar-Jar Binks has been replaced with our illustrious Master of the Order, shall we continue?" Mace glowered at the younger Master, but didn't stick his tongue out again. That was just asking for trouble.
"This is definitely not what I imagined of the Jedi Council, much less the Grandmaster and Master of the Order … but maybe more people should see this side of you. It would go far in demystifying the Jedi Order as a whole," the Chancellor observed, a wry twist to his lips. It wasn't the first time someone said such a thing, and Mace was fairly certain it wouldn't be the last. Just as the Chancellor's next comment wasn't exactly a new idea, as he added, "Then again, perhaps you like that aura of mystery."
"Useful, that can be. Our main goal, it is not," was Yoda's response. Which was true enough. The Grandmaster went on, "Agreed to your request, we have. Time, it is." The Chancellor, uncharacteristically, looked down at his hands as if trying to figure out where the best place to start was, and Yoda added, "Know, we do … a woman, Sidious is." Palpatine offered a weary, resigned smile in response, and the shatterpoints surrounding his 'nephew' and Obi-Wan's padawan tightened up yet again. Boba Fett again muttered under his breath about 'a right old hag,' and his father hushed him.
"That she is. Tell me something, Master Yoda. Aside from the custodian … who is the most innocuous, and yet, knows the most about a given organization?" Palpatine inquired. It wasn't an idle question … or maybe it was. The Jedi looked at each other uneasily, while Anakin's expression was intently focused. Palpatine added a bit dryly, "I may be asking the wrong set of people … the Jedi Order doesn't exactly function in the same way as other organizations."
"Nor do bounty hunters … but we do come into contact with more than the flotsam and jetsam of the galaxy. Secretaries, Master Chancellor … you're talking about secretaries, the people who have to know everything about everything that is going on if the company or organization is to be successful. And if they're really good, they even know where the bodies are buried, metaphorically speaking, of course," Jango Fett commented. Mace glanced at Obi-Wan, who froze in his seat. Jango looked at the younger Master, adding, "You've figured it out as well, haven't you, Knight Kenobi? Not sure how you did, but you know who he's talking about, specifically. Not just in general, but in specific." Obi-Wan nodded, looking troubled.
However, as ever, he wasn't interested in being cruel and said a bit hoarsely, "I do. You mean your executive assistant, Kimi … don't you, Chancellor?" Kimi? Mace tried to think who Obi-Wan meant. He'd visited the Chancellor's office on more than one occasion over the years, and while he'd encountered the other man's executive assistant, he couldn't summon up an image of the woman in question. There was an impression of long dark hair, but not much more than that. And yet, if asked to provide a description of the night-shift custodian, Mace could do that.
There was a long, stunned silence as the rest of the Jedi (plus the Fetts) processed what was just said … and then all hell broke loose.
SWSWSWSWSWSWSW
It took some time to restore order (truly, he'd known that the revelation would shock his Jedi brethren, regardless of what the exact revelation was). In truth, Yan Dooku was shaken … but when he thought about it, it made sense. In Obi-Wan's visions, the Sith was the Chancellor, hiding in plain sight, for who would suspect the Chancellor of being a Sith? But this … a Sith Lady hiding in plain sight as a humble (or not so humble, as the case may be) executive assistant? Once order was restored, his most recent padawan observed quietly, "My initial reaction was to deny it … but the more I think about it, it's too ridiculous not to be true. There's something else we need to consider."
"What do you mean, Asajj?" Anakin inquired, looking as shaken as Yan felt. The elder Jedi looked from his grandpadawan to his padawan and son. Obi-Wan looked … resigned. Yan wasn't the only one who noticed, as Anakin added, "Master … what's wrong? I mean, aside from the obvious." A small smile graced Obi-Wan's features, and Anakin went on, "No, I mean it … you look the way you did after you met Cody the first time, when he told you that he was created to die for you."
That … was something Yan never heard before, but it did sound familiar. It was also something that would have such an effect on his son. He resolved to get the entire story out of his grandpadawan at their first opportunity. He knew better than to ask Obi-Wan. His boy would just laugh it off and then change the subject.
For now, Obi-Wan took a deep breath, answering, "There are several things. First and foremost, the Chancellor has figured it out … but how? I know you're Force-sensitive, Chancellor, but I don't think that's strictly how you worked it out. Secondly, Sidious in my dreams was someone who could out-do Xanatos in terms of contingency plans … which means we need to be even more careful of Kimi. The overlooked is often the most dangerous. Finally, Anakin, you brought up my final fear, without meaning to: Order 66."
"What in the Sith hells is Order 66?" Xanatos asked. Yan, however, was watching Jango Fett … and saw all the color drain from the bounty hunter's face at the reference. Xan went on, "I'd kinda like the answer to how the Chancellor worked out that his executive assistant is the Sith Lady … I don't remember her especially well, but my impression was of a young-ish woman with long dark hair. Definitely not an old hag. And someone who outdoes me in terms of contingency plans? Not possible, Obi-Wan, you're exaggerating. You must be."
That faint smile returned and Obi-Wan observed dryly, "Considering the Sith Palpatine in the other reality cloned himself so he could cheat death, and tried to possess Anakin's infant grandson, we'll have to agree to disagree, Xan." Yan's former grandpadawan looked like he nearly swallowed his tongue, and Obi-Wan continued, moving the conversation forward, "I can't answer for the Chancellor, but I can tell you that Order 66 is how the Jedi were wiped out in the alternate reality. In the skulls of the clones, an 'inhibitor' chip was placed. Supposedly, it was to suppress natural aggression … but in reality, when particular commands were given, it turned the clones into nothing more than flesh-covered droids. Order 66 … when that order was issued, the clones turned on the Jedi they'd been fighting alongside, killed them as traitors to the Republic."
"Oh, sweet Force … I wondered what I was seeing!" Mace breathed, sounding as sick with horror as Yan felt. For his own part, the second oldest Jedi in the room wondered how Obi-Wan managed to speak of Order 66 with a voice that trembled only a little. He thought of the friendship which was beginning to grow between Obi-Wan and his Commander, and then he thought about seeing a world where Cody tried to kill Obi-Wan … and he swore that he would strangle this woman with her own hair before he allowed such a thing to happen. (Fine … he really wouldn't, but he also wouldn't deny that he was sorely tempted to do just that).
"Quite. Chancellor, when we confront Kimi, she may try to manipulate you into issuing Order 66, assuming she hadn't worked out a way to trigger it herself. Is there anything she can use against you?" Obi-Wan asked. Yan began to smile … that little fool had no idea what she was about to unleash against herself. His son was trying to use the horrific images he'd seen to their advantage. And judging from the feral grin appearing on the Chancellor's face, he was realizing the exact same thing Yan was.
"The only thing she could have used against me is Jasleen. And she took that weapon out of her arsenal herself. As to how I realized it was her … there is no one thing. First, she was the only person near Jasleen when she died. Oh, I realize that doesn't implicate her … but she mentioned a Sith Lord to me once, not long after Jasleen died. I … honestly, I was in shock at the time … in shock and sick with rage that the very people who walked past Jasleen as she died had the unmitigated gall to approach me at her funeral and tell me how sorry they were for my loss and that really, Naboo had lost as well," Palpatine answered, his voice edged with an old bitterness.
"Power of suggestion, she was using," Yoda observed. Yan looked at his former Master, whose green eyes were glittering dangerously. The Grandmaster of the Order went on, "Similar to a Mind Trick, it is. Weak-minded, you are not. But vulnerable, you were." Palpatine dipped his head, and Yan's former Master continued, "Cautious, you must be … use your daughter against you, she still can." Also true … while Jasleen Palpatine was dead, this Kimi individual could still use her. He'd seen it happen before.
"Let … her … try," Palpatine all but bit out, his eyes burning with hatred, and he burned in the Force as well. That same Force whispered to Yan, warning him that Sheev Palpatine would take out this Kimi, or die trying and consider it a good death. If it was just him and Kimi, that was one thing … but Yan took the Force's warning to mean that he should see to it that no one else was hurt during Palpatine's drive for vengeance. The Chancellor swallowed hard and went on, "You asked what else forced me to realize that she was the Sith. She … she told me about Darth Plagueis the Wise. According to Kimi, he was known …"
"Because he could prevent people from dying," Obi-Wan finished, his voice barely above a whisper. But Yan heard his son. All of them heard him. Very slowly, Palpatine turned to face Yan's child, his eyes widening. Obi-Wan offered that faint smile he'd given to Anakin a few minutes earlier, the one that said it wasn't important how he knew that. But, just as before, no one was willing to accept that. Not Anakin. Not Yan. Not Master Yoda. And most assuredly not Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, whose eyes narrowed.
"You know the story … yet I doubt very much that it is common knowledge among the Jedi," the Chancellor observed, his voice hard. Obi-Wan merely stood his ground (even though he was sitting), his eyes locked with the Chancellor's. Mace murmured, 'it is not. But maybe it should be.' Palpatine went on, "There is much you have not told me, young Jedi … and I think it's time I heard this story of yours. Things happened to you while you were being held captive, and mention was made of incorrect memories. But there was more to it than that."
Obi-Wan looked first at Yan, and then at Yoda, as if asking what they thought. But in the end, it was Boba Fett who forged ahead, telling Palpatine, "They strapped him into a machine every time he told them something they didn't want to hear, the people who held him captive. I would watch from the ventilation shafts … and when they took him out of the machine, once they were gone, I would climb down. I was his touchstone, he said. If I held his hand or touched him, he could anchor himself and push the false memories back."
This was news to both Yan and the boy's father, although they were both getting used to that. Yan could tell from the uneasy glance Jango Fett sent his way that he really didn't like getting used to it. Mace glanced at all of them, before saying, "It's steadily growing more apparent that Obi-Wan was, for lack of a better phrase, programmed with new memories … memories kept on a continuous loop. Whether it was to punish him for failing to do what his captors wanted, or an attempt to brainwash him, we're not entirely sure. Obi-Wan … I can tell them, if you like?" Obi-Wan started to speak, and Mace added, "You've told it once. You don't need to tell it again. You aren't alone, little brother." Yan blinked, because he hadn't heard Mace call Obi-Wan that in years, not since the last weeks before Obi-Wan's knighting. His son's shoulders slumped, and he nodded in agreement.
Taking a deep breath (and placing his free hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder), Mace began to relay that other reality to Palpatine, who listened with mounting shock and horror. But it was when Mace spoke of the Empire that the Chancellor finally rolled to his feet and backed away from the ground, gasping out, "Enough, I beg of you! No more! Stars' end, child … how are you still sane?" Obi-Wan again smiled, but Yan shuddered, for that smile never quite reached his eyes.
"He's sane because he has to be, because if he doesn't keep it together, the galaxy will fall into darkness for real this time. So we have to figure out, Jedi Masters, Knights, and Padawans … what are we going to do? How are we planning to stop this woman before she turns my children into flesh-droids and the entire galaxy into her slaves?" Jango Fett asked coldly. The room fell silent, not just at his question, but at the description of the clones as his children (even though they really were).
"We figure out a way to use her arrogance and nastiness against her. I mean, it sounds like what Obi-Wan saw could have broken somebody else, like it should have broken him. But it didn't, it didn't break him. He's hurting, but he's not broken. Why can't we use that against her?" Boba asked, looking around the room. He was only ten years old, but he grew up in a rather unorthodox way (then again, the same could be said for the Jedi). Asajj gasped and all eyes turned toward her. She held Luke in her lap, a dazzling smile appearing as something occurred to her. As if sensing his mother's mood, the previously quiet child began to giggle and clap his hands with delight.
"Jango Fett, you have sired and raised a genius. That is exactly what we do! She wanted to break Obi-Wan, wanted to make sure that even if he survived and got rescued, that he wouldn't be able to stand in her way. She wanted to break him, she wanted to break the Chancellor … wanted to make them both into her tools. So here's what we do … we turn that against her. She won't be expecting it … why would she? She's the Sith Lady, the most intelligent person in the galaxy, at least according to her. And we use that arrogance against her as well. She's set a trap for us with Obi-Wan and Palpatine. I say we spring that trap," she vowed.
"Just make sure that you stand well away when the trap is sprung," Mace cautioned. Asajj merely grinned at him impishly, leading Mace to mutter, 'oh Force help us, one is bad enough, but two?' Yan merely smirked, because, well, welcome to his world. He glanced at his son, who was staring at Palpatine in clear astonishment. No … not astonishment. It was wonderment. Because this Sheev Palpatine wasn't the same as the one in the other reality? Perhaps. Or maybe he didn't expect any real compassion out of a politician. Didn't really matter … this reality had its own Sith Lady to deal with, and deal with her they would.
Or die trying.
TBC
Additional Author's Notes: Yes, the secretary is the Sith Lady. And just for the record, I'm an administrative professional myself, as was my mother before she retired, so … but the running joke when I was in college was that if you wanted to know the way things really worked in a department, you didn't ask the dean or the faculty, ask the secretary. Since then, I've found out just how true that is. And when you think about it, it makes sense … the individual faculty members focus on their specialty or students. The secretary deals with it all. Next chapter will be the confrontation with Sidious (once I figure out how that goes)