"Master Jedi, I do accept that your order will be adjusting its principles, but will you really be allowing one of your best members to be involved with a former Sith? So romantically as to have a child?"

Mace Windu glanced first to his left, and then to his right. Shaak Ti, and then Yoda, caught his gaze. The Togruta Jedi took her cue, and stepped up to the plate. "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine," she started smoothly, "we are dealing with Ventress as swiftly and justly as we can. We have decided to deal with her ourselves, and not involve the Senate at all. She is a Sith assassin, and has acted as one in this war. Never once has she come across as a politician, an accomplice to a politician, or even expressed that she has political views. She associates with a certain political party, but to that extent, so do the Jedi. We see it fit to deal with her according to our own rules and principles."

"But has there ever been any romanticism involved in prior situations?" Palpatine retaliated, resting his elbows on his desk and touching the tips of his fingers together. "Master Ti, forgive my ignorance, but she has committed capitol crimes against the Republic, regardless of her Force-sensitivity, and I believe that she should be tried in the Senate accordingly."

"On the contrary, Chancellor," Shaak Ti countered. "Her Force-sensitivity has everything to do with it. Forgive me if I seem rude, but I will speak as bluntly as I may without disrespect: you would not understand why we are pushing so strongly for this, because you are not Force-sensitive. I beg of you, please, accept that there will be differences on our perspective of the world because we are Force-sensitive, and you are not."

Palpatine seemed rather taken aback at Shaak Ti's rebuke, but took it in stride. Shaak Ti sat before him, her back ramrod straight, hands folded in her lap. She wore her outer robe, concealing her lightsaber, but Palpatine's guards were careful to keep an eye on it. Shaak Ti speaking so boldly also drew their attention. They eyed her warily, as if they expected her to try something. Shaak Ti sat perfectly still, holding her head up and matching Palpatine eye-to-eye. Palpatine was feeling slightly intimidated by the Jedi master: he had seen her prowess with blade and Force both, and was not eager to pit himself or his guards against her. He doubted she would get angry-she was a Jedi, after all-but it never hurt to not tempt fate.

"I never meant to assume, Master Ti," Palpatine said finally, attempting to satiate the Jedi master. "But you must also respect that I am not Force-sensitive. If you would be so kind as to explain why this is such a Jedi affair, rather than a political affair?"

Shaak Ti was getting frustrated at this point. Whatever happened to trusting the Jedi? Palpatine wanted an explanation for everything, and sometimes, he wouldn't consent to something even with the explanation. Shaak Ti could swear he was deliberately trying to undermine them. She took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts, released all her irritation into the Force, and tried to explain to Palpatine what he was demanding of her. "Ventress followed the dark side of the Force," Shaak Ti began. She was trying to dumb it down to idiot level, so Palpatine couldn't possibly say that she left anything out. "We Jedi follow the light side. Ventress crossed over to the light side from the dark side. She had a horrible past, none that I would ever wish on anyone," even you, "and that drove her into depression. This depression led her to anger; she needed someone to blame. And so, she gave in to her anger, and began walking the path of the dark side. She simply had no direction, no guidance. And so, she followed her base instincts. She grew up on the dark side, and apprenticed herself to Count Dooku hoping to become a Sith. She fought for him, obeying his every whim and whine hoping she could prove herself worthy in his eyes. Once she met Obi-Wan, she figured out that he actually, truly cared about her, and she realized that Dooku was only using her: like everyone else in her life. Now, once Obi-Wan managed to capture her, they were still just friends. And he started pulling her away from the dark side. That was when Ventress started seeing the world in this new light. When she was returned to the Sith, they tortured her in the hopes that they could make her hate enough to root her forever in the dark side. Instead, she grew distressed, and called out to the only person she trusted-through the Force, mind you-and that person was Obi-Wan. He found her, and the two cemented their relationship. He brought her back to the light, healing her using the light side. When we got Ventress back to the Temple and healed, she expressed interest in pursuing the light side of the Force. We were happy to help steer her onto that path. She is also due to have a baby, which she cannot do if she is within a Senate trial."

Palpatine, to his credit, only looked a small bit shocked. He didn't look ready to relent, though. "Look, Master Ti, I have no interest in Ventress's personal life, nor whatever affair she holds with your Jedi. That is your business. But I am interested in her public life, such as during the war. And during the war, all she did was act as an unstoppable assassin for the Separatists."

"But her personal life is the cause for all of this, you must understand that," Mace interjected. "You expressed interest in her motives, and why this was a Jedi affair. We are telling you. And now you are telling me it means nothing? Chancellor, as my colleague stated, I do not mean to be rude, but perhaps it is I who needs some clarification."

Palpatine met Mace's gaze with his own steely glare. "Master Windu, I am afraid that, in this case, I do need to override the opinion of the Jedi in this matter. I am placing Asajj Ventress under military arrest for her crimes against the Republic."

"You can't do that!" Shaak Ti blurted out. "It clearly states in the Constitution that the Jedi have jurisdiction over all things involving the Force, and the Chancellor has jurisdiction over everything political. I refuse to surrender custody of her to you, and my rights to do so are clearly spelled out in the Constitution!"

"The Constitution is in shambles," Palpatine snapped. "You have no authority anymore!"

"Is that what this is about?" Shaak Ti growled, hands clenching and unclenching. The red-cloaked guards near the door and to either side of Palpatine stepped forward. "Just say it," Shaak Ti whispered. "Right here, in front of all these witnesses. Just. Say. It." I dare you.

Palpatine rose to his feet, looking appalled. "You, Master Ti, might be the one with confessing to do," he snarled, looking angrier by the second. "Seeking to undermine the authority of the Chancellor over the matter of a traitor to the Republic?"

"Chancellor, you said it yourself," Mace said, also rising, "the Jedi have no real authority anymore. And where did that power all go?"

"To you, it went," Yoda said sagely, eyes bulging and ears curling. "Seek to undermine you, the Jedi never would. But seek to undermine the Jedi, the Chancellor might."

"This meeting is at an end," Palpatine said curtly. "I am going to ask you to leave."

Shaak Ti stood up, eyes burning like hot coals as she did so. Yoda hopped down off the chair in front of Palpatine's desk he had been seated in, leaning heavily on his cane as he started for the door. As the Jedi reached the door, Palpatine sank back into his seat, and his guards returned to their positions. As Mace was opening the door, however, Palpatine added, "My agents will be by at oh-three hundred hours to secure Ventress."

Shaak Ti paused in her step, her back stiffening. Her hands twitched; her lekku jumped. Mace placed a hand on her shoulder, and pushed her gently, but firmly out into the hallway. As they walked, Mace could feel her pouring out all her negative energy into the Force. Still, she could barely siphon off enough energy to keep herself under control. Yoda stopped, and half-turned to see Palpatine's face as he announced, "Be ready for them, we will." And, on that note, he left.

Palpatine swore to himself. If Yoda was pulling something…he hurriedly excused himself from his red guards, escaping into his private quarters adjacent to his office. Palpatine might not be able to deal with this, but Darth Sidious was quite capable of showing these foolish Jedi exactly what they were up against…

OOOOOOOOOO

Obi-Wan hurried down the hallways, Ventress at his side. He was responding to a holo-message that had called an emergency Council meeting. Those who were not on-world were to attend by hologram. No exceptions, unless you were in a life-or-death situation. Obi-Wan waved aside the door to the Council chamber with a wave of the Force, and moved swiftly into the room. He took his seat, noticing with chagrin that he was the last one into the room. Every other Council member was there, either in hologram or in person. Obi-Wan took his seat, and Ventress stood respectfully behind him and slightly to his left.

"We have bad news," Mace started. "The Chancellor has been trying to undermine the Jedi's authority, and recognized it in front of myself, Master Yoda, and Master Ti. Needless to say, we are not in a good position here. He is also sending several of his agents to escort Ventress to prison to await trial within the Senate."

Obi-Wan and Ventress shared a panicked glance. "Is there any way we can stop it?" Ventress gasped.

"Yes," Shaak Ti said. "But only one. The only thing that would warrant excuse from a Senate trial: a medical issue. Are you on your period?"

Ventress blushed slightly. "Little personal," she mumbled. "But no."

Shaak Ti sighed. "Crap…no, you can pretty much use that as an excuse to get out of anything. And the Chancellor is a male, so he's especially easy to fool…"

Mace glanced at Shaak Ti. "How many times have you used that as an excuse?"

"Plenty," Shaak Ti muttered. "But that's not important right now." She turned back to Ventress and Obi-Wan, who were both looking like their heads might explode any moment now. "You pregnant yet?"

Ventress's flush grew even deeper. "Hey! You only gave us a couple hours. Even we can't accomplish anything in that amount of time!"

"Even you," Kit snickered. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Grow up!" Shaak Ti snapped. Kit looked down, an overly guilty expression on his face. Shaak Ti sighed, and put her face in her hands. "Alright, look," she said, dragging her palms out across her cheeks, "you can either get pregnant, like, now, or lie. I don't think lying is going to work, because I get the distinct warning that they will be checking for any medical ailments. We can pull the 'how dare you, I'm a lady,' but they might not fall for it…"

Obi-Wan sighed. "This is hopeless," he said. "How are we going to get her out of this, let alone regain our position in the Republic?"

"There are security cameras in Palpatine's office, correct?" Agen Kolar asked. "Why not just pull a clip from that, broadcast it to the general public, and finger someone in the Senate?"

"That could work," Mace said. "Only one problem: we're Jedi. We don't lie, or cheat, or pull dirty, underhanded moves like that. Despite our recently-revised rules, we still haven't changed our very core principles: we are keepers of the peace. We don't involve ourselves in politics, we are not soldiers, and we do not start anything stupid. This entire affair is stupid."

"Jedi mind trick?" Saesee offered. "Then, technically, it's not our fault if the guards fall for it."

"We can't," Mace said, shaking his head. His tone indicated that he was disgusted with himself; his dark eyes were downcast, depressed, deep in thought. "That would be just as bad as outright lying."

"I won't even suggest bribery," Adi chimed in. Kit glanced at her, and then at the seat next to her: Obi-Wan's.

"What are you two still doin' here?" he asked. "Get outta here and get a room!"

"Much as I would love to," Ob-Wan said, maintaining a perfectly straight face, "I'm sure Master Ti can tell us exactly when this was supposed to happen."

"Don't finger me!" Shaak Ti said, holding up her hands. "I didn't exactly choose to have this vision."

"Well, can we induce another one?" Adi asked. "If you had a lot of contact with her, and that brought it about, maybe more will give you another one."

"It won't matter," Shaak Ti said. "It won't be set in stone. I can't predict something as precise as the time. It just doesn't work that way."

Yoda sighed softly, curling up into a ball as he usually did when he was thinking. "Down a dark road, this path leads," he said. "Abandon the path, we must."

Ventress looked confused. "I can fall and break my ankle."

"You're not that clumsy," Obi-Wan pointed out. "You're actually very graceful, and Force help us the day you lose your balance so randomly and end up falling hard enough to break a bone."

Ventress shook her head. "Then my only option is to run."

"We can't let you do that," Mace said. "The dark side and the Republic and the Separatists all pursue you for different reasons. At least here, you have some measure of protection."

"I can take care of myself," Ventress argued. "I'm not a fragile little girl."

"Even Master Yoda couldn't fight against all those odds stacked against him," Mace said. "Let's face facts, Ventress: you can't win."

Ventress bowed her head slowly, thinking as hard as she could. There had to be a way…there had to be another way…she closed her eyes, sinking deep into the Force, anchoring herself to Obi-Wan and using him as a tether to hold herself to the light. She began searching through the Force, repeating to herself: there has to be a way, there has to be a way…this became her guiding mantra as she waded through the ever-flowing river of the Force's pattern of life, searching for the answer she feared she would never find. The looming shadow of the Sith appeared high on the horizon, threatening to black out her sun. Ventress squared her shoulders, and faced her fear. I am not afraid of you, she told the phantom firmly. And the shadow seemed to vanish.

The Constitution, something whispered. The Constitution…

Ventress hurriedly withdrew from the Force, heart leaping to her chest. That was it! Look within the Constitution itself for her answer. She glanced around the circle of Jedi masters, surveying each one in turn. All of them were looking at her expectantly, as if they knew she would find an answer to the problem.

"Does anyone have a copy of the Constitution close?"

A/N: You'll see…I'll explain later. Alright, so, I am looking for a hundred reviews this chapter. I need nine more reviews for this story to hit one hundred and, if we can hit one hundred this chapter, I will give you the next TWO chapters on the same day! :D Exciting, huh? Thought so! So start hitting the magic button!!