The trip back home was incredibly uncomfortable. Everyone did their best to speak of mundane things, all the while ignoring the enormous bantha in the room—or rather, in the hold. Everyone, that was, except for Anakin, who spoke of nothing at all. Siri was the one who had to explain to Aelir and Tanith exactly what was wrong with him. In fact, the only time Anakin spoke during the entire trip was to give short consent to Tanith when she timidly offered to heal the cut on his face. When at last it came, the arrival on Coruscant was a great relief to everyone onboard the transport.
In the past, dutifully upholding the principle that the Senate could never completely agree on anything, a few senators had campaigned for the rehabilitation of Karan Toi, rather than execution. But even these misguided do-gooders could not ignore the fact that, as opposed to some isolated individuals, this time Karan Toi and his men had slaughtered an entire city in cold blood. There was a trial, but it was more a formality than anything else, and Siri gave testimony to the Ryloth massacre, as nothing in the galaxy could have induced Anakin to stand in the same room as his Master's killer. That precaution was as much for Toi's safety as it was for Anakin's sanity—Anakin avoided the temptation of Sith-like revenge by removing himself from the object of temptation altogether.
Hardly two days after they had landed back on Coruscant—many considered this a new record, as the Senate had never in known history reached a decision so quickly—Karan Toi was injected with a swift, yet supposedly painless, poison, and died within minutes. This fact was broadcast over the holo-news, and Anakin, watching, did not take the satisfaction in it that he had imagined he would.
He had no desire to speculate on why this was—whatever conclusion he reached in the end, Anakin decided, could hardly be good news—so he turned his attention instead to the small screen of his datapad, on which he was occasionally able to pick up holo-channels, if the weather was good that day. It had turned from the grim footage of Toi's body being wheeled from the execution room to Senator Amidala, standing in the center of the Senate Chamber and making a speech. Subtitles ran across the bottom of the screen, in Basic, Rodian, and Iklang.
"As you know, my esteemed colleagues," she said, not mincing words, as Anakin watched, "Less than two weeks ago, the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was killed."
There was a hush over the Chamber, and several heads bowed. While many had disagreed with Palpatine while he was alive, in death all were his friends and compatriots.
"The Republic is in desperate need of a new leader," Amidala pointed out. "Ours is a firm society, with a solid foundation, but without someone to guide it, its roots will grow shallow and it will fall. I move that a new Supreme Chancellor be elected, and soon."
To the loud murmur of approval that greeted these words, she only raised her hands, asking for silence. It was granted, and the senator continued. "I spent several years working by the Chancellor's side," she said, in a softer voice. "In all those years, he showed me exactly what qualities a person of his position should possess, simply by acting them out in his daily life: the honesty that is required in a fair and just leader; the reliability to stand by his people no matter what; the courage to do what must be done, no matter the obstacles; the kindness to show mercy when mercy seems weak; the strength to hold the universe on his shoulders, and above all, wisdom unequaled."
Amidala lowered her eyes humbly. "Even as I simply spoke with him each day, having the most ordinary of conversations," she said, "he could not help but impart these qualities to me. They overflowed from him, spilling out onto all who were close to him." Suddenly her voice was raised again, and she lifted her arms in a supplicant's gesture. "I pray wholeheartedly that it is these qualities the Senate will look for in choosing their next leader from its own ranks! And I beg them to remember Chancellor Palpatine's great deeds for this Republic, and find another who can do the same!"
The audience—for that was what the Senate had become—erupted as applause drowned out every other sound. Anakin was gaping at the screen in a mixture of awe and disbelief; in one short speech, she had managed to make Anakin himself look like a fool—worse, a murderer—and put herself in a prime position for being elected as next Supreme Chancellor. Once quite confident, now Anakin was beginning to feel the first stirrings of uneasiness concerning the trial that was to take place tomorrow.
As if on cue, there was a knock at Anakin's door just then. He distractedly motioned with two fingers, and the door slid open, allowing Master Windu to step inside. Immediately he saw what Anakin was watching.
"Worried?" he asked. His former apprentice grimaced.
"A little," he admitted. "She's not going to let me go easily."
"True," Windu said, sitting on the sofa beside Anakin. "However, I brought something that I think should turn the tide in your favor." From underneath his cloak, he pulled a black, cylindrical object. Anakin recognized it instantly.
"How did you get that?" he asked incredulously. Windu placed the lightsaber on the bed between them. Its design was simple almost to the point of rudimentary, but etched deeply into the dark metal were intricate designs that covered almost every inch of it, and carved around the very end of the hilt were what had to be letters, though nothing Anakin could read.
"I went back and retrieved it from Palpatine's study while you were busy with the count," Windu answered. "I thought it might be useful." His finger brushed against the writing at the lightsaber's base. "Jocasta Nu says this is an ancient Sith language, but she doesn't know what it says. She's working on translating it now, and quite enjoying herself."
Anakin felt shocked. "Do you—you think that's wise, Master?" he asked. "Obi-Wan told me once that Sith words have power in themselves."
"It could be dangerous," conceded Windu. "But think of it, Anakin—this is the first real link to the Sith that we've had in a long, long while, and whatever we can learn about them will certainly prove useful. Once we have no further use for it, we will make sure to store it where it is not easily accessible to anyone but a Council member."
Anakin nodded, satisfied but still perturbed. He didn't like this thing in his room—it reeked of an evil that was almost palpable. Windu, sensing his uneasiness, tucked it back under his cloak.
"I want you to take it to the trial tomorrow," he said. "I'd rather that the entire galaxy didn't have to know that we're in possession of a powerful Sith artifact, but I think in this case it's necessary. There are people—Granta Omega, for instance—who would do whatever it took to get their hands on such an object."
The less Anakin had to do with that lightsaber the better, was his staunch opinion, and he opened his mouth to protest Windu's suggestion. No sooner had he done so, however, than he remembered Senator Amidala's daunting words and thought better of it. Reluctantly, he acquiesced.
Windu left, and Anakin flopped onto his back on the sofa. A long breath escaped him as he stared up at the ceiling. A morbid sense of curiosity eked its way into his brain, and for the longest time, all he could think about were those Sith words, scored deeply into the metal. He would have to remember to ask Jocasta Nu, sometime, if she ever discovered what they meant…
If asked, Anakin would have liked to say that he slept calmly the night before his trial, confident that the truth would set him free. This, however, would have been lying; while Anakin did not toss and turn the whole night through, it seemed like hours before he finally managed to close his eyes in slumber, and when he awoke, he could have sworn that he had not slept for a second.
It was necessary for him to be at the Senate an hour before dawn, so it was still dark when Anakin arrived at the impressive building. But that fact did not hinder the dozens of news crews that had parked themselves around the various public entryways, waiting for someone of importance to come by. Anakin was exactly what they were looking for, and no sooner had he landed the speeder than it was surrounded. Resisting the powerful temptation to shove a pathway through the mass of bodies with the Force, Anakin resigned himself to pushing his way to the door, keeping his mouth shut in answer to the shouted questions of, "What is your basis for your accusation of Chancellor Palpatine?" and "Are you aware that Senator Amidala herself is prosecuting your case?"
When at last he was inside, the sudden quiet was a welcome change. Anakin looked around him, at the high, vaulted ceilings and beautifully tiled floors, and felt a bit intimidated. The Temple was as fine as this, if not more so, but he was quite used to those surroundings. He was standing in a long hallway, empty but for himself, and it suddenly occurred to Anakin that he had no idea where to go. He had a sudden, childish wish that Windu could have come with him and told him what to do, but his former Master had to arrive with the rest of the Council, and so Anakin was on his own. With not the slightest idea of where he was going, he started walking.
The further into the building he got, the more people he passed, secretaries and messengers of all species. The atmosphere was harried and frantic as people rushed to their respective destinations, and it was all Anakin could do to get past them as they walked purposefully by, until he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around.
"Master Skywalker?" inquired a tall young woman. Her features were stern and pale, and her hair, interestingly enough, was a deep shade of purple, though whether these chromatic traits were through genetics or human intervention Anakin couldn't tell. He nodded, and a satisfied smile was allowed to cross her face for a moment. "I've been looking for you," she said. "Please follow me. They're waiting for you."
Krif, was Anakin's immediate thought as he began to follow her through the thinning crowd. The last thing he needed was to be late for something as important as this. The woman led him swiftly through the hallways, and just when it seemed they could go no further, she opened a door to her right.
"Through there," she said, pointing. Anakin looked, and saw a large hover-dais sitting in the center of the room, not unlike the ones he had seen the senators use. "That will take you up to the Senate Chamber." And without another word, she walked off down the hallway, leaving Anakin alone.
Not wanting to be later than he presumably already was, Anakin quickly walked over to the hover-dais and entered it. Sensing his presence, the dais immediately and slowly began to rise into the air. For an instant, Anakin was almost afraid that he would be smashed against the ceiling; then the pattern in the metal began to move, creating an opening through which Anakin rose into the enormous Senate Chamber. He didn't know where to turn—every way he looked there were countless eyes fixed coolly upon him, condemning him before he spoke a word. The number of hover-daises seemed endless, reaching to the ceiling which could barely be seen, and to the ground, which was swiftly growing further and further away. Anakin felt very small indeed.
When finally his own dais ceased movement, it was in the center of the room and, of course, level with Senator Amidala's. She was dressed in a simply-cut gown of white and deep blue, and her hair was pulled back in a severe bun. Had she not been trying to get him killed, Anakin grudgingly admitted to himself, he might have thought her attractive.
"Anakin Skywalker," Amidala said loudly, her voice carried technologically throughout the entirety of the enormous room, "You are charged before the Galactic Senate with the murder of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. How do you plead?"
Anakin tried to answer, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat awkwardly and tried again. "Not guilty, Senator," he managed finally. His voice echoed through the Chamber, and Anakin flinched, startled. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the hover-dais in which the Council sat. Windu, towards the front, gave him a small but encouraging smile as their eyes met. It was not the smile, however, but simply the knowledge that Windu was there that made Anakin feel a bit less nervous.
"You understand the charges that are being made against you, and you understand the penalties that you incur if you fail to plead your case convincingly?"
"Yes, Senator," Anakin replied, and his voice was pleasingly stronger this time. Amidala gave him a cursory nod.
"Very well. Proceed with your statement, Master Skywalker."
Anakin took a breath. "Senator, I did not murder Chancellor Palpatine," he said staunchly. "I killed him, it's true, but the two mean different things. I only managed to kill him after a battle of several minutes, in defense of my own life and in protection of every Jedi that lives today."
He saw Amidala's eyebrows twitch. He had either piqued her curiosity or her anger, but whatever the emotion that the senator felt, she restrained it quickly and continued with the pre-assigned protocol.
"Please recount for the Senate, in your own words, the events on the night in question that led up to the Chancellor's death," she said coolly.
Anakin did so, relating everything that had happened on that fateful day, including the Council's decision to watch the Chancellor more closely, even the parts that he was not proud of. He did, however, leave out the vision, for that would have lengthened this dull business even further.
Hearing the words that issued from his mouth, Anakin knew that the story sounded ridiculous; had anyone told him the same story, he would have laughed in their face, wondering how they could have been so naïve as to believe the impossible. But he knew, as no one else did, that powerful, caressing seduction which Palpatine had offered him, the words that had been spoken that were laced with charm as though it were a drug.
When he finished, Amidala's face was stony. She did not like hearing these slanderous comments made against her idol, Anakin could see at a glance.
"Master Skywalker," she began, her voice cold—she was ready to take him to task—"You contend that the Chancellor told you that he distrusted the Jedi Council—that they intended to overthrow him." The unspoken accusation in her voice was clear, and Anakin could hardly blame her. It certainly didn't look good, as the Jedi had, in effect, overthrown him. "Did he offer any reasons for this wariness?"
Anakin shook his head. "Only that he believed that they intended to betray him," he said. "He did his best to shake my faith in the Jedi Order, by telling me that the Jedi and Sith were hardly dissimilar. He also told me a story of the Sith to prove his point."
"And yet he never admitted outright that he was a Sith Lord," Amidala was quick to point out. Annoyed, a muscle twitched in Anakin's cheek.
"I hope I can safely assume that you are not a Sith, Senator," he said, throwing caution to the winds. "So how many Sith legends do you know?"
In the stunned silence that followed—Amidala's cheeks had gone pink—Anakin added, "Not even the Jedi know these things, Senator, so how would he?"
"I assume you have heard the maxim, 'Know your enemy', Master Skywalker," Amidala shot back, sufficiently recovered. "Who are you to say that this did not apply to the Chancellor?"
"The Sith were no more his enemy than they were ours," Anakin pointed out. "And the Jedi would do all they could to keep from learning such dangerous things."
"But the Chancellor was in no such danger, as he was not Force-sensitive," Amidala said swiftly. "Perhaps it was wisdom, rather than weakness, that led him to study such things."
"But if Chancellor Palpatine was not Force-sensitive," Anakin inquired, with mock curiosity, "what could have led him to offer to teach me the ways of the Dark Side of the Force?"
Amidala's nostrils flared as she stood where she was, like an alabaster statue of an enraged goddess. "You forget, Master Skywalker," she said icily, "that whatever you say transpired on the night in question can neither be proved nor disproved. The Senate has no way of knowing the truth, and therefore the verbal evidence that you provide cannot be taken into account. A million things could have happened that night, and there are a million reasons that could be true as to why Chancellor Palpatine is now dead." Her eyes flashed dangerously; she would not be so foolishly bold as to accuse the Jedi outright, but she was close…oh, she was very close.
Anakin groaned inwardly. With reluctant fingers, he drew from his belt the Sith lightsaber, hidden until now under the long folds of his cloak. It wasn't that he didn't want to get off—he just didn't like touching the thing, and preferred as many layers between it and himself as possible.
"If you demand physical proof," Anakin said loudly, allowing the lightsaber to lift a few inches into the air from his outstretched palm, "then I offer this to the Senate." Of its own accord, it appeared, the lightsaber activated, and the unusually long, red blade sliced into the air above it. A simultaneous gasp was emitted from almost every hover-dais in the room, and Anakin met Amidala's shocked gaze steadily. "The thing about murder," he said, his voice low enough so that only Amidala and the few around her could hear, "is that the victim has to be unarmed." He stepped back a pace, and the lightsaber stayed where it was, on display for every pair of eyes that goggled at it.
"The lightsaber is a weapon exclusive to the Jedi—and to the Sith," Anakin said, his voice once more carrying over the Chamber. "And as any Jedi will tell you, the red blade is exclusive to the Sith alone. In all history, no Jedi has ever carried a lightsaber of this color." The lightsaber deactivated and rose toward Amidala—she fearfully reached out a hand for it. As she examined it, Anakin continued, "The designs on the hilt are Sith symbols, passed down for thousands of years to the darker users of the Force. The lettering is an ancient Sith language, which no one but a Sith could read. This is the lightsaber with which Palpatine fought that night, and it was found beside his body the next morning. So there," Anakin said, unable to keep the triumph out of his tone, "is your physical proof."
With a visible effort, Amidala straightened and held out the lightsaber for Anakin to take. He waved a hand and the hilt flew to him, and he hung it on his belt. Amidala's face had turned very white. Anakin, despite his profound relief, could not help feeling sorry for her as he sensed the mixture of despair and weary bewilderment that filled her as she understood the truth.
"There—" Amidala's voice caught in her throat; she swallowed and tried again. "There will be no further questions, Master Skywalker. The Senate will take a vote."
Every hover-dais in the room, besides Anakin's, was parked right up beside a door in the wall that led to the rest of the building. It was through this that Amidala quickly stepped as soon as she had finished speaking. At the same time, Anakin's own dais began sinking downward, back into the floor.
Only a few short seconds after the dais had landed and Anakin stepped back onto the floor, the door opened and Windu stepped inside.
"You did well," he congratulated his former apprentice. Anakin smiled at the praise.
"But—they still haven't voted," he pointed out. Windu waved this off dismissively.
"After that, it's only a formality," he assured Anakin. "Unofficially, you have already won."
At that, the last of Anakin's doubts vanished, and he breathed easy for the first time all day. They left the room, walking side by side in the crowded hallways, until they reached Anakin's speeder. As soon as they got in, Anakin remembered something. He fumbled at his belt.
"Here," he said quickly, pushing the second lightsaber in Windu's direction. Windu accepted it with the calm of one who knows he has nothing to fear from the temptations of the Dark Side. Anakin had no such security.
Author's Note: I was planning to add another little plot twist at the end of this chapter, but that would have made it run really long, so I had to settle with this. The next chapter shouldn't be long in coming, though--I'm already working on it.