Chapter 3 The Voice of the Force

"Anakin seems to be reliving his nightmare; or at least a skewed version of it." Obi-Wan told the Council.

"You are sure of this, Master Kenobi?" Adi Gallia asked.

"Yes, Master Gallia, he said that he had killed the Jedi here in the Temple and that the Chancellor had taken care of the rest; I do not think he was referring to Chancellor Organa. When I told him that there were no dead Jedi and that Padme was here, he told me that I was lying and Force pushed me into the wall of the meditation room." Obi-Wan answered.

"Force pushed you from outside the Temple? Then he apparently has not lost any of the power he has gained after he destroyed Sidious." Mace deducted.

"No, apparently not." Obi-Wan confirmed.

"Then I believe it is too dangerous for you and your Padawan to proceed any further alone." Eeth Koth stated.

"It will be more dangerous, I agree; but I believe that I am the only one who has any chance of helping him." Obi-Wan countered.

"Well, first you have to find him; how do you propose to do that when it is very clear that Anakin does not want to be found?" Stass Ali asked.

Obi-Wan hesitated and then glanced around, "Ferri Cortis." He suggested.

"But he has already betrayed you once, Master Kenobi; do you really think we should trust him not to this time?" Saesee Tiin objected.

"Yes, Master Tiin." Obi-Wan replied without a pause and without further explanation.

"Do you really understand what you are asking of us?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

"Yes, I am asking you to trust in Ferri's post cognitive talent. He can trace Anakin's movements from the time he said goodbye to Padme at the Senate Complex." Obi-Wan answered, "Don't any of you think it's worth the risk if he can find one of our most valuable Knights?"

There was quiet murmuring between the Council masters lasting several minutes, "We do not feel Ferri Cortis can be trusted on this matter." Mace announced.

"Even you, Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked.

Yoda sighed and rubbed the top of his balding head, "Abide by the Council's decision, I must." He said.

Obi-Wan stood up and shook his head, "Then I must as well; but you are wrong, you are all wrong." He said and then added, "I just hope it does not cost Anakin his life." Before leaving the Council Chamber.

----------

As Anakin made his way to the Senate Complex, he began to elicit stares from those he encountered. He glanced at his reflection as he passed by a shop window and realized why; he was rather a mess. He shrugged, knowing there was nothing he could do about it, and jogged across the roadway in front of the main Senate building where Chancellor Palpatine's office was located.

----------

"Well, Ferri is ready to go as soon as we are." Zak said when he met Obi-Wan just leaving the lift he had taken down for the Council tower.

"Zak, you are not supposed to go near Ferri until Anakin…until you've been told that he is ready to meet with you." Obi-Wan reminded him.

"I didn't, Master; Khyber talked to him for me." Zak replied.

"And you should not have done that either until the Council approved." Obi-Wan told him.

"Why wouldn't they?" Zak wondered, "It's the only way we are going to be able to find Master Anakin."

"Because they don't trust him." Obi-Wan answered.

"Then they won't let him even try?" Zak asked.

"No, Padawan; I'm afraid not." Obi-Wan confirmed.

Zak looked at him and shook his head, "And you went along with this?" He asked in puzzlement.

"I had no choice, Zak; it was the Council's decision." Obi-Wan explained.

Zak huffed and shook his head again, "You were wrong, Master." He said, clearly disappointed and then turned and walked away from him.

"Zak, I had no choice." Obi-Wan repeated and then sighed when Zak continued down the hallway without acknowledging him.

"There is always a choice, my apprentice." Qui-Gon's voice stated.

"I am on the Council, Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan answered.

"And does that mean you must not listen to the voice of the Force if it disagrees with their ruling?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan sighed, "If we all decided to do whatever we wanted to do, then there would be chaos." He told him.

"I am not saying everyone should do whatever they wanted; but there comes a time when you must listen to the voice of the Force over the voice of the Council." Qui-Gon corrected.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I can't go against the Council." He insisted.

"Obi-Wan, the Council is made up of finite beings; and while they are all very wise, and always try to do what is for the good of all living inhabitants of the galaxy, they do make mistakes. That is why you must always listen to the will of the Force even if it goes against what the Council has decided." Qui-Gon instructed.

"But I am a member of that Council, Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan argued.

"Yes, and yet you disagreed with their decision even though you stated that you would abide by it; even though the voice of the Force told you it was wrong." Qui-Gon replied.

"And what if the Council's decision, in the case, is the will of the Force? How do I know that my desire to find Anakin isn't clouding my judgment?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Oh, Padawan, after all this time you still question your own wisdom?" Qui-Gon asked.

"In this case, yes." Obi-Wan answered, "Because of how close I am to Anakin."

"And the foresight of your own Padawan; do you doubt that as well?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I don't know." Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head again.

"Yes, you do." Qui-Gon countered gently.

----------

"I'm here to see the Chancellor." Anakin informed the guard standing watch in the lobby of the main Senate office building.

"I'm sorry, sir; I cannot allow you to come any further into this building." The guard replied as he took in Anakin's disheveled appearance.

"Oh, but you have no idea how much the Chancellor wishes to see me." Anakin answered.

"Well, you don't look like anyone Chancellor Organa would wish to see." The guard said.

"Chancellor Organa? What are you talking about?" Anakin asked, "Palpatine is the Chancellor; Organa is only a Senator."

The guard shook his head, "I don't know what your game here is, sir; but I think you had better leave now." He suggested, advancing toward him and starting to draw his blaster.

Anakin took a step back, "WHERE IS CHANCELLOR PALPATINE?" He demanded.

"He is dead, as I'm sure you know very well; now I must ask you to leave or I will be forced to take action against you." The guard ordered and took another step forward, raising his blaster.

"No, no; you're lying, and I'm going to get to the bottom of this." Anakin replied angrily, shaking his head in denial and stepping back several more steps before fleeing the building.

The guard shook his head as he watched the Jedi disappear out the door, "Poor guy; I wonder what he's been taking?" He asked himself before returning to his post.

Anakin wandered aimlessly, confused and lost, he tried to decide what to do next. He should report to his friend, his mentor; but now he did not know where he was. Surely, he could not really be dead; that must have been a trick…a plot to take over by Senator Organa. The Chancellor never did fully trust Bail Organa, and now Anakin understood why. He was trying to take over the government of the Republic; it was treason, just like the Jedi when Mace…. Never mind, that didn't matter now; he had to find Palpatine.

"They hope to overthrow the government…." Palpatine's voice sounded in his head.

Yes, that was it; they were in league with the Jedi…or were they controlled by the Jedi? Well, the Jedi were gone now; he and Palpatine had destroyed them together. But where could Palpatine be? He should go home; maybe Padme would know where he was…unless, no, not Padme. Padme would never betray the Republic, would never betray him. He would go home, to Padme.

----------

"You left the Council meeting before it was over, Master Kenobi; that was both defiant and rude, hardly appropriate for a Council Master." Plo Koon stated when he had caught up with him.

"Then the Council has my apologies, Master Koon." Obi-Wan conceded and then bowed.

"I know your feelings on this, Obi-Wan; but you must not let those feelings cloud your judgment." Plo Koon advised.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "And you think that your feelings about Ferri Cortis are not clouding your judgment?" He asked.

"We do not believe so." Plo Koon answered.

"I see; then I do not believe we have anything further to discuss, Master Koon. Good afternoon, to you." Obi-Wan replied, bowed again and turned down the hallway toward the Padawan wing.

Plo Koon shook his head as he watched Obi-Wan walking away from him, "He is too close to this." He said aloud to himself.

"Is he?" Yoda asked, "Or hear the voice of the Force, does he?"

"Are you saying that we should have agreed to trust young Cortis?" Plo Koon asked.

"Saying I am; that given a chance young Cortis should have been. Betrayal, on his mind is not; only regret, great shame and sadness." Yoda answered.

"I believe the Council made the correct decision." Plo Koon insisted.

Yoda shook his head, "Always right, the Council is not." He replied before moving away toward his own private meditation room.

----------

Taking the lift to the penthouse suite that Padme called home and he secretly shared with her, Anakin could feel his anticipation building. He needed to see her; to assure himself that she was alright…that everything was alright. He wondered if she knew about the Jedi rebellion and about their assassination attempt on the Chancellor. Maybe Palpatine felt he had to go into hiding after that near-fatal encounter; and if that was so, then surely, he would trust the Senator from Naboo enough to reveal his whereabouts to her. The lift opened and he stepped into the entry hall facing the door; as the lift door closed behind him, he entered the code to open the door into the suite….and the indicator light flashed red; puzzled, he entered the code again with the same result. He rubbed his left temple and tried one more time only to see the red flash indicating an invalid code once more. He shook his head; the fall must have caused him not to remember the code correctly. He pressed the bell; Padme would just have to let him in. He smiled, knowing that in a moment the door would slide open and he would….his smile faded as the door opened and an elderly humanoid stood in the doorway, "Yes, may I help…say, I don't think you belong up here; who are you?" The man asked.

"I might ask you the same thing; where is Senator Amidala?" Anakin demanded.

"She doesn't live here anymore; hasn't for some time now, as if it's any of your business." The man answered curtly, "Now, I think you had best leave before I call security."

Anakin rubbed his temple again, "No, that can't be; I was just here earlier today, I know she lives here." He insisted.

"Well, you didn't see her here, I've been home all day and haven't had but one visitor; and that sure wasn't a Senator." The man informed him.

"I don't understand; could I just come in and have a look around? Maybe…" Anakin requested.

"No, you can't come in; and if you took a good look at yourself, you'd know why. Now, you had better leave before I call security." The man advised and then slid the door closed leaving Anakin alone in the entranceway.

Anakin backed up against the lift door and sank down to the floor. This was all some kind of trick; they had taken Padme away and put this man in her place to confuse him. Maybe Obi-Wan was behind this; Obi-Wan probably dragged her away against her will just to drive him crazy….yes, that was it. Their plot to take over had failed when the Jedi were destroyed, so now Obi-Wan had come up with a new plan. Obi-Wan was trying to weaken him or….

"I have reports that a certain Jedi has been seen leaving the Senatorial housing complex in the early morning hours on several occasions." It was Palpatine's voice again echoing what Anakin had been told only a few days ago.

Oh, yes, now Anakin understood; Obi-Wan wanted Padme for himself, his beautiful Padme. Well, Obi-Wan wasn't going to get her; he would see her…oh no, what was he thinking? He would never hurt her….would he?

"Padme, where are you?" He cried as he drew his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his arms.

----------

"Padawan, let me in." Obi-Wan said from the hallway outside Zak's quarters.

The door slid open and Obi-Wan stepped in; Zak was seated, cross-legged on the bed. Obi-Wan sat down on Zak's desk chair, "Do you know where Ferri is now?" He asked.

Zak's eyes narrowed in puzzlement, "Why?" He asked.

"Because I am going to let him help us find Master Anakin." Obi-Wan answered.

"But you said you couldn't go against the Council; did they change their minds?" Zak asked.

"No, a wiser Jedi reminded me of something I had almost forgotten." Obi-Wan told him.

"Oh….it was Master Qui-Gon, wasn't it." Zak guessed.

Obi-Wan smiled, "Now how would you know that?" He wondered.

"Because Master Qui-Gon always helps you when you need it." Zak replied.

"Yes, he does; doesn't he." Obi-Wan agreed, "Now, where is Ferri?"

"Probably in his quarters, that's where he usually is." Zak answered as he slid off the bed.

"Well then, let's go see what he can do." Obi-Wan said as he stood up and followed Zak out and down the hall.

"Ferri? It's Master Kenobi, may I come in?" Obi-Wan inquired at the door to Ferri's quarters.

"Why? I heard the Council won't let me help; so what do you want?" Ferri asked behind the closed door.

"Let me in, Ferri; and I will explain everything to you." Obi-Wan requested.

There was a loud resigned sigh and then the door slid open and Ferri stood before them, "Zak…I…you shouldn't…I'm not ready…I…I can't do this." Ferri stammered and then stepped back and raised his hand to the door control.

"No, Ferri; I need your help, please." Obi-Wan said as he blocked Ferri's hand and stepped into the room, "We both need your help."

"And you want to go against the Council?" Ferri wondered, suspiciously, "Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

"No, Master Skywalker is in trouble and needs my help; I can't help him unless I find him, and I could use your help to find him." Obi-Wan explained.

"In defiance to the Council?" Ferri asked.

"Yes." Obi-Wan answered.

Ferri shook his head, "But you're on the Council; I don't think I believe you." He said.

Obi-Wan sighed, nodded and then turned back toward the door, "Then we will have to search without your help; come, Padawan." He replied sadly.

"This was your chance to regain the trust you lost, Ferri; I'm sorry that you couldn't recognize it for what it was." Zak added as he followed Obi-Wan out.

Ferri walked to the open doorway and watched them recede down the hall without looking back; maybe this wasn't a trick to get him in trouble….why would Master Kenobi want to do that, anyway? He had to stop being so suspicious of everyone; maybe he had to learn to trust too.

"Master Kenobi, wait." He called and left the security of his quarters, triggering the door behind him as he jogged down to join the pair who had turned and now stood waiting for him.