The Jedi Temple hummed with activity. But it wasn't the usual traffic that flooded the temple's halls... These pedestrians were children and padawans who were too young to fight in the raging battle of the Clone Wars --- which was depleting the Jedi forces with shocking alacrity. Anakin raced by them to the Jedi Control Tower, where the Jedi Council awaited his next report. He was late. It almost seemed as though the chancellor held him up just to tick the masters off. Anakin was tired of being caught in the middle of their political jousting. A month or two ago he was a decorated hero of the clone wars. But now, he was just a sad memory of himself, a pawn... and it was wearing on him... wearing on him heavily. Compounding his problems were the intensifying nightmares of Padme dying in childbirth. And it seemed the only way to avoid the nightmares was to avoid sleep altogether. So he was tired too. And hungry.
His eyes sagged.
Anakin entered the meeting, met by Master Windu's cavalier attitude about his being late again. Anakin made his apologies then sat beside the blue holopresence of Master Plo Koon. He usually sat by Obi Wan. But Obi Wan was on Utapau, confronting General Grievous.
"It's been confirmed. General Grievous has been destroyed," Mace said.
There was an outburst of murmuring in the room. The blue holopresence of Yoda spoke:
"Good news this is. Confront the chancellor we must. Ask him, we will to concede power to the Senate and restore the Republic to its former glory."
Anakin sighed. Here they are with that again. Was it not the chancellor who told them where Grievous was? Is this the thanks he was to get? Could he not rejoice in the end of the war before the council were pouncing on him?
Master Windu turned to Anakin, as though sensing his reluctance. Without comment on them, he spoke...
"Anakin, take note. Tell the chancellor that General Grievous has been destroyed and that the war is over. He is to return full power to the senate, ending his reign."
And that's for you to decide? Anakin opened his mouth, but said nothing. What Master Windu spoke sounded suspiciously like politics to him. And the Jedi weren't politicians. They were keepers of the peace. So what was Master Windu talking about?
"Watch the chancellor closely... see his reaction to this news, and report them to us when you're done."
"Yes, Master Windu."
Anakin stalked out of the meeting, heading straight to his speeder to carry out Master Windu's orders. His order to spy on the chancellor... the order to commit treason, the order to betray his friend.
He closed the top of his speeder with a sigh, an ominious feeling overcoming him. A dread clanged at the bottom of his heart like a bean in an empty metal tank. The speeder lifted. Anakin flew top speed to the Senate Hall. He flew past Padme's balcony, knowing she was inside, knowing she was there, waiting on him.
Some minutes later, Anakin strode down the hall and into the chancellor's office past the redrobes as he had always done. They never stopped him. When it came to Anakin, the chancellor had an open door policy.
The leader sat behind his desk, chair facing the big window behind him as he gazed onto the busy Coruscant sky. Off in the distance stars exploded and rocketed through the atmosphere, incinerating into plumes of smoke. Only, these weren't stars. They were ships destroyed in the raging battle over their planet. Droid and Clones alike.
"You see that Anakin? The beauty of it... the magnificience?" Palpatine inhaled, as though smelling a bed of marsh flowers. "Invigorating isn't it?"
"What, sir?"
"Smoke... the smell of fire and burning flesh. The smell of defeat in the air..."
Palpatine spun his chair around in a dramatic flourish, an hand motioning toward Anakin. "Please... sit my boy... what can I do for you?" He smiled, a benign look upon his face.
How could the Council think this man unworthy of being Chancellor? Unworthy of staying in office?
"The Council has sent a message. General Grievous has been destroyed. They say the war is over."
A frown creased the old man's eyebrows. "I suppose the Council have asked you to note my reaction to this news, haven't they?"
"Well -- sir, I'm not liberty to say."
"You don't have to Anakin. It's all over your face."
Anakin's eyes dropped to his lap. Palpatine stood. "They want me to end my reign as chancellor don't they? I warned you Anakin... that this was coming. And I fear that time is upon us my son."
"What time?"
Anakin followed the chancellor with his eyes as he circled his desk to sit in front of him on the very edge.
"The Jedi are planning to overthrow the Republic."
"I told you, Chancellor Palpatine, the Jedi would never--"
"You're wrong, Anakin. Word has come back -- that if I don't leave office in the time frame that is demanded of me by the council, they will use force. They're planning to execute me. There are also talks of overthrowing the senate. They know I have friends there, friends who are happy with my service and wish me to remain in office. Please... Anakin. Say you are not a part of this ugly conspiracy. That you will stand beside the Republic. I know they're your brothers, but what they're doing is wrong."
"If it were true... I--I," Anakin stuttered.
"You don't have to answer me now. I know you will do the right thing, eventually. You always have. You know what I tell you is the truth, you've been a victim of their dishonesty. They don't trust you, Anakin because they know you are good. And it's unfair. They've kept you out of their deceptive plans because they know you will get in the way of their plans. That's why they fear you, son. But alas... you're a Jedi. And a very loyal one. I don't wish you to be dissuaded by your superiors to become a part of their evil plans. What can I do... to keep you on the side of the Republic?"
"I'm already on the side of the Republic. As are the Jedi."
Palpatine stood. His eyes read Anakin, reflecting the gaze of a man who looked upon a naive child.
"I need your help, Anakin..." The chancellor's eyes had gone soft. "There must be something I can give you, to save the Republic from treachery. Name it, anything your heart desires."
Anakin blinked. "Anything I want?"
"Yes... you've been denied long enough. The Jedi never allowed you to have anything, did they? Nothing but the clothes upon your back. Anything you want, Anakin."
"Are you serious?"
"As serious as I have ever been. I've not been a man of games before, so why now? Name something. It's yours."
Anakin looked thoughtful for a second. "A 459 class Z speeder," he said. Anakin didn't want it, he simply wanted to test the chancellor's reaction.
"Done."
Anakin looked stunned for a moment. "But they're very expensi-"
"I said anything you want, Anakin. Name it, go on, have fun." A look of casual malice entered Palpatine's gaze then disappeared.
"A villa on Aeeq. Near the ocean," he replied, thinking of Padme's dream house.
"Done. When would you like to move in?"
"Just like that?"
"Bigger, Anakin. Think big. Not of cars, not of houses, but of systems."
This time, Anakin gave him a look of complete doubt. Nobody had ever asked him what he wanted before. Well... not since Qui Gonn asked if he wanted to become a Jedi.
"Naboo. I want Aeeq and Naboo."
"Yours! Remember what I told you at the opera? All those who have power, are afraid of losing it. That's why they held you back. Denied your mastery. And you needed to become a master, in order to save Padme, didn't you? I can help you, Anakin. I can help you save the one you love. I can give you anything your heart desires-"
Anakin was suddenly on his feet. He didn't feel himself rise, he just did. He moved across the room, closer to the door. "How did you..."
"I'm from Naboo, Anakin. I have many connections. Did you think your wedding records wouldn't come across my desk?"
Palpatine circled him, like a animal about its prey.
"Stand by me, and I will help you save her."
Anakin's heart beat so fast in his chest, he couldn't breathe. He grabbed a nearby stand to steady himself. How did Palpatine know the secrets of his heart? That Padme's life was worth more than any speeder, house, or system.
Anakin gave him a confused look. "But how?"
Palpatine lurched, a predatory smile across his lips... "Become my apprentice. Only through the path of the darkside, can you learn the secrets of saving your wife."
"How do you know the ways of the dark side?"
"I was Darth Plaguis' pupil," he thundered. A veil of malice fell upon his face.
Suddenly, a ray of blue plasma appeared before them, blazing in a fury of ion heat. "You're the Sith Lord?" Anakin nearly collapsed... The Republic was corrupt from the inside out. The Jedi wanting to overthrow the senate, and Palpatine a Sith master?
"Don't be so shocked. I'm not the only one who kept secrets."
Palpatine was the cause of this destruction? This madness that took the lives of so many people? The threat that was tearing the Jedi Order asunder? The one who kept him away from Padme for so many months?
"You want to strike me down don't you?" Palpatine closed his eyes. "I know Anakin, I can feel your power...I can feel it surging through every cell of your body."
Anakin bit his lip, it took every ounce of Jedi restraint to hold him back. But he couldn't kill the chancellor without being arrested for murder. Without proof. This needed to be brought before the council and the senate. They would need to indict him.
Anakin lowered his lightsaber.
"Remember... I'm the only one who can save Padme. I'm your only hope." Palpatine's lips popped... hope.
Anakin turned and spun on his heels, walking out of the office.