Author's Note: Howdy partners! Since I'll be finishing Episode IX sometime before the month's out you can expect the updates to increase from every three days to every two. Something to look forward to! A nice long and meaty chapter mixed with new and old material awaits you below.
Chapters 14-17 have been edited with editorial changes, but Chapter 15 also includes a dramatis personae of Episode III.
Chapter 58 responses:
G-Anakin 13: They can be nice when they want they want to be, and to whom they want to be. I like to think Antellica as the naturally nice one, while Arica has a bit more of a dark side.
Sica Meni: Natalyn's pathetic, but she gets what's coming to her.
Twisted Words (): Yeah,
watching fifty children would be a bit crazy, but not so bad if most
of them are civilized enough. With most bullies, the only reason
they're rude to you is, because the reason you said, jealousy. It's
best to just ignore it. (Memo: Pathetic Cody who got his review
deleted for his immaturity. Eye roll. I can respect substantial
criticism that goes into why you think something sucked, but to
simply use profanity trash and give no reason...it's worthless.)
Thank you for coming to my defense though, concerning the little
nasty. I appreciate it.
Both Telly/Wan and
Tellywan are cute, but I'd probably say that Tellywan, as you say,
floats my boat better.
The Lure of the Dark Side: Chronicle 1-The Turning of an Era
Episode V: Revenge of the Sith
Chapter 14: Secret AssignmentAnakin Skywalker was angry. Though if asked he would've denied it and probably would've thought he was telling the truth.
Right after the Chancellor had proclaimed him his Representative on the Jedi Council, Anakin left the Senate building and returned to the temple to discover that obviously the Chancellor must've called ahead of time with the news. Anakin had been told to wait outside the Council Chamber by Obi-Wan. But that had been an hour ago.
What's taking so long? He growled to himself angrily. I personally don't see what there is to discuss. I should've been made a Master ages ago. I deserve this, more than any of them.
They had left him out here so long with nothing to do but stare through the soot-smudged curve of the High Council Tower's window ring at the scarred skyline of Galactic City-damaged in a battle he had won, by the way, personally. Almost single-handedly-and with nothing to think about except why it was taking them so long to reach a simple decision…
He currently had his hands clutched into fists and was just considering barging his way into the room, demanding an explanation to the long wait, when the elevator doors down the hall suddenly opened to reveal Antellica. She came strolling down the hall and Anakin smiled at the sight of her. He could keep himself occupied by talking to her until those – he refrained from using a swear word – Jedi, he finally spat in mild rage, made their decision about his appointment.
"Antellica!" he called out to her as she approached.
"Anakin," she acknowledged with a nod before positioning herself across from him outside the Chamber doors and crossing her arms.
"What're you doing here?" he asked.
"I'm waiting for Master Adi," she replied. "I was keeping the younglings occupied after she was called off. I have them meditating now and simply wished to inform her of that."
Anakin nodded.
The next few minutes were filled with casual conversation between the two mainly about the younglings. Anakin hadn't been to see them for a while out of busyness and was interested in how they were.
Eventually, the Council Chamber doors opened and Jedi Master Adi Gallia came walking through with a few other non-Council member Jedi. Most of them totally ignored Anakin, while others gave him wary looks. They all however smiled and nodded when they saw Antellica. She happily returned the gesture and made her way over to Master Adi.
"I have the younglings meditating right now. I just thought I'd let you know that."
"Thank you Antellica," Master Adi said graciously. "Thank you very much." She than continued on with the rest of the Masters.
Antellica was about to join them and tell Master Adi of Natalyn's 'arrogant nonsense' when she noticed Anakin was no longer outside the Council doors.
He must've gone inside when the other Masters were coming out. I wonder what they're meeting with him about? Perhaps they're going to make him a Jedi Master. That would be nice, that way I wouldn't have to continue hearing him going on and on about it.
Anakin meanwhile, enraged about the other Jedi Masters cruelty towards him, yet they buttered up Antellica, stalked angrily into the open Council doors and proceeded inside the Chamber with his head down in a show of reverence. He eventually slowed his stalking to a slow walk and moved into the center of the circle of browntoned carpet, turning towards the Senior Members.
Yoda was unreadable as always. Mace Windu could have been carved from stone. Holographic-images of Ki Adi Mundi and Plo Koon hovered a centimeter above their Council seats, maintained by the seats' internal holoprojectors. Agen Kolar sat alone, between the seat that once belonged to Shaak Ti and the other seat that belonged to Adi Gallia.
Obi-Wan sat in the chair that once belonged to Oppo Rancisis, looking pensive. Even worried.
"Anakin Skywalker." Master Windu's tone was so severe that Anakin coiled instinctively. "The Council has decided to comply with Chancellor Palpatine's directive, and with the instructions of the Senate that give him the unprecedented authority to command this Council. You are hereby granted a seat at the High Council of the Jedi, as the Chancellor's personal representative."
Anakin stood very still for a long moment, until he could be absolutely sure he had heard what he thought he'd heard.
Palpatine had been right. He seemed to be right about a lot of things, these days. In fact – now that Anakin came to think of it – he couldn't remember a single instance when the Supreme Chancellor had been wrong.
Finally, as it began to sink in upon him, as he gradually allowed himself to understand that the Council had finally decided to grant him his heart's desire, that they had finally recognized his accomplishments, his dedication, his power, he took a slow, deep breath.
"Thank you, Masters. You have my pledge that I will uphold the highest principles of the Jedi Order."
"Allow this appointment lightly, the Council does not," Yoda said gravely. "Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine. On many levels."
Anakin inclined his head. "I understand."
"No, I'm not sure you do," Mace Windu said. "You are on this Council. But we do not grant you the rake of Master."
"What?"
It was a small word, a simple word, an instinctive recoil from words that felt like punches, like stun blasts exploding inside his brain that left his head ringing and the room spinning around him. Anakin was livid, he was outraged, he was so, so angry.
"How dare you?" he growled. "How dare you." He than found himself shouting. "This is outrageous and it's not fair! How can you be on the Council, and not be a Master."
"The Chancellor's representative you are," Yoda said. "And it is as his representative you shall attend the Council. Sit in this Chamber you will, attend meetings of this Council you will, but no vote will you have. The Chancellor's views you shall present. His wishes. His ideas and directives. Not your own."
"No Jedi in this room can match my power – no Jedi in the Galaxy!" Anakin roared. "You think you can deny Mastery to me! This is an insult to myself, and the Chancellor. Do not imagine that it will be tolerated!"
"Take a seat young Skywalker," Master Windu commanded coldly.
Anakin however was undeterred. "Perhaps I'll take yours," he spat.
But before Anakin could spit out anymore rude, and unnecessary, insults Obi-Wan's voice rang out.
"Anakin," he said softly, gesturing towards the empty chair beside his. "Please."
And something in Obi-Wan's gentle voice, in his simple, straightforward request, sent Anakin's anger slinking off ashamed, and he found himself alone on the carpet in the middle of the Jedi Council, blinking.
He suddenly felt very young, and very foolish.
"Forgive me, Masters." His bow of contrition couldn't hide the blaze of embarrassment that climbed to his cheeks.
After Anakin took his seat another moment of silence went by before Master Mundi broke it.
"We have surveyed all systems in the Republic and have found no sign of General Grievous."
"Hiding in the Outer Rim, Grievous is," Yoda said. "The outlying systems we must sweep."
"We do not have many ships to spare," Obi-Wan said.
"What about the droid attack on the wookies," Ki Adi suggested.
"It is critical that we send an attack group there immediately," Mace said gravely.
"He's right," Obi-Wan agreed. "It is a system we cannot afford to lose."
Anakin than spoke up in a bright, hopeful voice. "I can handle it," he offered. "I could clear that planet in a day or two-"
"Skywalker," Master Windu suddenly barked cutting him off. "Your assignment is here."
"Go I will," Yoda said after a moment. "Good relations with the wookies I have."
Mace nodded. "It's settled than. Yoda will take a battalion of Clones to reinforce the wookies on Kashyyyk. May the force be with us all."
Interested in the meeting inside with Anakin, Antellica had sat down outside the doors, with her ear pressed to it, listening. She was quite shocked and outraged to discover that they placed him on the Council, yet wouldn't make him Jedi Master. She would've given anything to see the looks on the Jedi Masters' faces when Anakin was shouting at them in full rage. They'd definitely deserved it. After he'd been put on the Council and the rest of the session continued, Antellica was going to leave, but still being interested in the rest of the meeting she stayed seated. She'd often wondered what went on in these Council meetings.
When Master Windu ended the session a few minutes later, she quickly got up, but not fast enough. As soon as she stood the doors to the Chamber opened and she found herself face to face with Masters Yoda and Windu. She let out a squeak of surprise.
"Masters." She gave an overly large curtsy. "I was just leaving, I mean I was, well kind of waiting actually, for Anakin and Obi-Wan. Yeah, that's right."
She quickly ran out of the way to the side of the hall, allowing the Masters to exit the room. The little frog laughed and both Masters nodded at her before they continued on. Anakin was now running towards her. "Were you standing out here eavesdropping the entire time Antellica?" he asked in mock rebuke.
Antellica put her head down and remained silent, smiling sheepishly at the floor. She felt Anakin's robotic right arm hook around her neck and his lips kissing her forehead. She giggled lightly and he laughed. Looking up showed her he was smiling brightly at her. He than stood back a bit, looking her up and down thoughtfully.
"Hmm. I'm not entirely sure I like the idea of you being as tall as me or almost anyway."
Antellica didn't know what to say so she just smiled nervously. Anakin chuckled. "I didn't mean that in a bad way Little Telly. I just meant I'm not sure I'd like the idea of you being taller than me that's all. I wouldn't be able to call you 'Little Telly' anymore for one thing. And for another, you're only sixteen; you've still got some years yet to grow."
Obi-Wan exited the Council Chambers at that moment and, remembering their last encounter, Antellica angrily flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked off, not even looking at him.
The greeting smile that had been on Obi-Wan's face at the sight of Antellica quickly vanished and he sighed tiredly, gazing at the angry teenagers' retreating back.
"Antellica," he called after her. She didn't respond. Glancing over at Anakin showed him that he was smirking. He sighed again. Young people.
"Antellica!" he called again, making to catch up with her. Her only response was increasing her pace. She was making for the elevator, probably intending to jump into it-for it was now open-and have the door close behind her, making him and Anakin either wait for it to come back up or take the winding stairs that went down the tower. He stopped her however before she reached it by grabbing her arm and pushing her against the wall next to the elevator. She refused to look at him though, more interested in gazing at the boot-imprinted carpet.
"Antellica, let's just let bygones be bygones all right," he said gently to her.
When she continued to say nothing and kept her gaze fixed on the floor he took his hand and lifted her face to look at him. She, however, closed her eyes in defiance. Obi-Wan was slightly amused. "Antellica, are you going to make me beg you?"
With her eyes still closed she nodded, a smirk tugging at her mouth.
Obi-Wan warily sighed, ignoring the still smirking Anakin beside him. "Please don't stay mad at me Antellica. I don't like it when we argue."
She finally opened her eyes. "Aho! So the great Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has learned to beg when he knows he's wrong."
"I wasn't aware that the argument had to do with anyone being wrong or right."
"You-"
"Ah shut up both of you," Anakin said in a jeer. "And let me do all the talking. You two can't have one civilized conversation with each other without someone shouting."
"That's not true," Obi-Wan protested.
"Name one conversation you've had were it didn't end in man slaughter."
"Man slaughter? I've never slaughtered any one because of Antellica. It's you two." He pointed at each. "You two that do all the slaughtering of helpless little animals."
The elevator ride down to the level below was spent with the three in playful bickering. Eventually, they calmed down and silence took over them, each in their own thoughts.
As soon as they exited the elevator however, Anakin suddenly exploded in rage. This surprised Antellica being that he'd been laughing and smiling a few moments earlier.
"What type of nonsense is this!" he roared. "Put me on the Council and not make me a Master. It's never been done in the history of the Jedi. It's insulting."
"Calm down Anakin you've been given a great honor," Obi-Wan said. "To be on the Council at your age, it's never happened before. The fact of the manner is you are too close to the Chancellor. The Council doesn't like it when he interferes with Jedi affairs."
"What's wrong with Palpatine?" Antellica wanted to know. "You Jedi Masters seem to have a problem with the Chancellor for some reason. Why?"
"Yeah what's wrong with him?" Anakin agreed, glad for Antellica's support.
"He's a politician," Obi-Wan said, as if that explained everything.
Antellica scoffed. "So is Padme, but I don't hear you trashing her and don't even think about starting," she warned.
"This isn't an attack on politicians," Obi-Wan said.
"I swear you to you Obi-Wan," Anakin said. "I didn't ask to be put on the Council."
"But it's what you wanted," Obi-Wan pressed. "Your friendship with Chancellor Palpatine seems to have paid off."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Antellica spat while Anakin angrily stated, "He has nothing to do with this."
"The only reason the Council approved of your appointment is because the Chancellor trusts you."
"And?"
"Anakin I am on your side I didn't want to put you in this situation."
"What situation?" Anakin pressed.
Obi-Wan was silent a moment before continuing. "The Council wants you to report on all the Chancellor's dealings. They want to know what he's up too."
Both Anakin and Antellica were shocked by this information. As Obi-Wan had spoken he'd made for a nearby window. The two followed them.
"They want me to spy on the Chancellor!" Anakin asked in disbelief. "That's treason!"
"We are at war Anakin," was Obi-Wan's brisk reply.
"Why didn't the Council give me this assignment when we were in session?" Anakin asked with crossed arms.
"This assignment is not to be on record."
"The Chancellor is not a bad man Obi-Wan," Anakin tried explaining. "He's befriended me and watched out for me as long as I've been here."
"That is why you must help us. Anakin, our allegiance is to the Senate not to its leader who's managed to stay in office long after his term has expired."
Both younger Jedi snorted. "The Senate demanded that he stay longer," Anakin said.
"But use your feelings Anakin. Something is out of place."
Anakin sighed, leaning up against the window they were next to, and gazing out of it. "You're asking me to do something that's against the Jedi Code and against the Republic. Against a mentor and a friend that's what's out of place here. Why are you asking this of me?"
"The Council is asking you," Obi-Wan said.
"Hmm, why do I get the sense that there's something you're not saying Obi-Wan," Antellica accused. "Why does the Council want to know what the Chancellor's up to? What reason would they have to want such information? And further more, why is it their business?"
"You know those aren't bad questions," Anakin commented and looked at Obi-Wan expectantly.
Obi-Wan sighed but said nothing.
"Well?" Anakin pressed.
Still Obi-Wan remained silent.
"I ask you questions and I expect answers Obi-Wan," Antellica said in a deadly whisper.
Obi-Wan simply looked at her a moment before glancing at the equally impatient Anakin, who had gone as far as tapping his foot impatiently. Sighing he proceeded to speak again.
"This is clearly confidential information. I know that the both of you are good friends with the Chancellor, so just listen to what I'm saying. We're not asking you Anakin to act against Palpatine. We're only asking you to…monitor his activities. You must believe me."
Obi-Wan stepped closer to them and after a long, slowly drawn in breath, he seemed to reach some difficult decision. "Palpatine himself might be in danger," he said. "This may be the only way we can help him."
Antellica scoffed again. "Man, what are you talking about? I don't think Arica's going to come back and kidnap him again."
"This has nothing to do with Arica, Antellica. I'm not even supposed to be telling you both this. Please do not reveal we have had this conversation. To anyone, do you understand?"
Antellica shrugged and said, "I'm no blabbermouth."
Anakin also shrugged. "I can keep a secret."
"All right." Obi-Wan took another deep breath. "Master Windu traced Darth Sidious to Five Hundred Republica before General Grievous' attack. (Antellica stopped dead) We think that the Sith Lord is someone within Palpatine's innercircle of advisors. That is whom we want you to spy on, do you understand? (This is just dreadful. I must tell Padme at once.) If Palpatine is under the influence of a Sith Lord, he may be in the gravest danger. The only way we can help him is to find Sidious, and to stop him. What we are asking you is not treason Anakin-it may be the only way to save the Republic!"
Anakin slowly nodded. "So all you're really asking is for me to help the Council find Darth Sidious."
"Yes." Obi-Wan looked relieved. Incredibly relieved, as though some horrible chronic pain had suddenly and inexplicably eased. "Yes, that's it exactly."
Anakin appeared thoughtful. "Well, I still don't think I like it that much. Spying on someone like the Chancellor to simply find a Sith Lord. Is it really worth it?"
But before Obi-Wan could respond, Anakin noticed Antellica standing frozen still, as if in shock. He quickly shook her out of whatever trace she was in.
"Antellica, are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, yes," she said shaking her head. "Yes, I'm fine." She walked over towards the side window Anakin had been standing next to a moment ago, that gave a clear, distant view of Five Hundred Republica. Obi-Wan and Anakin both followed her over.
"Antellica, are you sure you're all right?" Obi-Wan asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. Antellica jumped at his touch and whipped around. His eyes showed concern.
"Yes. Yes, I'm fine, and I do think I should be going now."
And without another word she ran out of the building and made for Padme Amidala's mansion. Anakin meanwhile went to visit the younglings and Obi-Wan went to see Master Yoda off with Mace.
"Anakin did not take to his new assignment with much enthusiasm," Obi-Wan informed Jedi Masters Yoda and Mace Windu as they rode a Republic gunship that would take them down to the Central Transport Center downtown Galactic City. The transport center had been extended and enlarged a great deal since the war started, due to all the Republic Star destroyers and other vehicles that went through it on a regular basis now.
"It's very dangerous putting them together," Mace said. "I don't think the boy can handle it. I don't trust him."
Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "With all due respect master, is he not the Chosen One? Is he not to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force?"
"So the prophecy says."
"A prophecy, that misread could have been," Yoda said.
Mace nodded.
"He will not let me down," Obi-Wan stated. "He never has."
"I hope right you are."
Mace looked even grimmer than usual. "Since the fall of Darth Bane more than a millennium ago, there has been hundreds of thousands of Jedi-hundreds of thousands of Jedi feeding the light with each work of their hands, with each breath, with every beat their hearts, bringing justice, building civil society, radiating peace, acting out of selfless love for all living things-and in all these thousand years, there have been only two Sith at any time. Only two. Jedi create light, but the Sith do not create darkness. They merely use the darkness that is always there. That has always been there. Greed and jealousy, aggression and lust and fear-these are all natural to sentient beings. The legacy of the jungle. Our inheritance from the dark."
"I'm sorry, Master Windu, but I'm not sure I follow you. Are you saying-to follow your metaphor-that the Jedi have cast too much light? From what I have seen these past few years, the galaxy has not become all that bright a place."
"All I'm saying is that we don't know. We don't even truly understand what it means to bring balance to the Force. We have no way of anticipating what this may involve."
"An infinite mystery is the Force," Yoda said softly. "The more we learn, the more we discover how much we do not know."
"So you both feel it too," Obi-Wan said. The words hurt him. "You both can feel that we have turned some invisible corner."
"In motion, are the events of our time. Approach this crisis does."
"Yes," Mace said. "But we're in a spice mine without a glow rod. If we stop walking, we'll never reach the light."
"And what if the light just isn't there?" Obi-Wan asked. "What if we get to the end of this tunnel and find only night?"
"Faith we must have. Trust in the will of the Force. What other choice is there?"
Obi-Wan accepted this with a nod, but still when he thought of Anakin, dread began to curdle below his heart. "I should have argued more strongly in the Council today."
"You think Skywalker won't be able to handle this?" Mace Windu said. "I thought you had more confidence in his abilities."
"I trust him with my life," Obi-Wan said simply. "And that is precisely the problem."
The other two Jedi Masters watched him silently while he tried to summon the proper words.
"For Anakin," Obi-Wan said at length, "there is nothing more important than friendship. He is the most loyal man I have ever met-loyal beyond reason, in fact. Despite all I have tried to teach him about the sacrifices that are the heart of being a Jedi, he-he will never, I think, truly understand."
He looked over at Yoda. "Master Yoda, you and I have been close since I was a boy. An infant. Yet if ending this war one week sooner-one day sooner-were to require that I sacrifice your life, you know I would."
"As you should," Yoda said. "As I would yours, young Obi-Wan. As any Jedi would any other, in the cause of peace."
"Any Jedi," Obi-Wan said, "except Anakin."
Yoda and Mace exchanged glances, both thoughtfully grim. Obi-Wan guessed they were remembering the times Anakin had violated orders-the times he had put at risk entire operations, the lives of thousands, the control of whole planetary systems-to save a friend.
More than once, in fact, to save Obi-Wan.
"I think," Obi-Wan said carefully, "that abstractions like peace don't mean much to him. He's loyal to people, not to principles. And he expects loyalty in return. He will stop at nothing to save me, for example, because he thinks I would do the same for him."
Mace and Yoda gazed at him steadily, and Obi-Wan had to lower his head.
"Because," he admitted reluctantly, "he knows I would do the same for him."
"Understand where your concern lies, I do not." Yoda's green eyes had gone softly sympathetic. "Named must your fear be, before banish it you can. Do you fear that perform this task, he cannot?"
"Oh, no. That's not it at all. I am firmly convinced that Anakin can do anything. Except betray a friend. What we have done to him today…"
"But that is what Jedi are," Mace Windu said. "That is what we have pledged ourselves to do: selfless service-"
Obi-Wan turned to stare toward the assault ship that would carry Yoda and the clone battalions to Kashyyyk, but he could see only Anakin's face.
"Yes," he said slowly. "That is why I don't think he will ever trust us again."
He found his eyes turning unaccountably hot, and his vision swam with unshed tears.
"And I'm not entirely sure he should."