Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I am not that far gone yet, I think I can still discern between reality and wishful thinking.

oOo

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were not the only ones watching the sunset.

Padmé stood at the window of Palpatine's apartment. Although it should have been impossible between her address of the Senate, her returning to her temporary rooms and the sunset, she still had somehow managed to change her attire once again. She must have done it in record time.

As Padmé watched the busy bustle of Coruscant's air lanes, she sadly remembered her own planet, which only had the usual down-to-earth streets. Padmé worried for her people and wondered how they were faring, but she dreaded that the Neimoidians weren't too gentle.

Although Padmé had requested to be left alone, Jar Jar had never exactly possessed tact and so walked up to the sad Queen.

"Yousa tinking yousa people ganna die?" he asked bluntly.

Padmé was shocked. She had thought of her people not being allowed to watch their favourite holoshows or go out to party. That people might actually die seemed unreal to her, she couldn't imagine that happening, she didn't want to imagine that. She would never be able to find the courage to return to her planet if she did.

"I don't know," Padmé admitted. She really didn't want to think about that any further. She rather lost herself in the buzzing traffic again.

"Gungans get pasted too, eh?" Jar Jar's direct manner was rather unsettling.

Padmé thought about her answer for a long time. As much as she disliked Jar Jar, she didn't know whether all Gungans were like him, and it was her hope that this was not the case.

Padmé shuddered. "I hope not," she voiced her thought, a thought that was rather disconcerting. The idea of having to share a planet with hundreds, maybe thousands of Jar Jars was not a pleasant one.

"Gungans no die'n without a fight," Jar Jar, having misunderstood her worried answer, tried to reassure her. "Wesa warriors. Wesa got a grand army. Dat's why you no liken us, mesa tinks."

Padmé didn't regale that remark with an answer; her eyes were following the course of a bright red speeder she rather liked.

"Your Highness!" Captain Panaka came striding through the door, followed by a beaming Senator Palpatine. "Your Highness, Senator Palpatine has been nominated to succeed Valorum as Supreme Chancellor."

"Just as I had planned- erm, I mean, a surprise, but a welcome one. A surprise that perfectly fits my plans to attain unlimited power," Palpatine gleefully told her. "Your Majesty, if I am elected, I promise to put an end to corruption as it is now so that it can increase tenfold afterwards. I vow to instigate a war, to abolish democracy, to eliminate all Jedi and to become the sole tyrant ruler of the galaxy. Yes, I think I can honestly guarantee that I will do my very best to achieve those goals. I think I might even include these aims in my official policy, that makes me sound like a strong leader. And I strongly oppose the pro-anti-dis-establishment-arianism that has recently developed in the Senate."

Padmé didn't quite like the sound of that, though she couldn't exactly point a finger at what it was that caused her unease, and she really had no idea what Palpatine had just said.

The seemingly kindly Senator had in fact just stated that he strongly opposed the people who were for the people who were against the people who were against the establishment. To put it in a nutshell, he was against the establishment as it currently was, because he held not nearly enough power in it. He planned to rectify that in the near future by replacing the current organizational system of the Republic with another one that would be more to his liking. Much more. He had thought maybe of an empire or something similar.

Not that Padmé had understood any of that.

"Who else was nominated?" she inquired.

"Bail Antilles of Alderaan and Ainlee Teem of Malastare," Captain Panaka dutifully answered.

Padmé wondered who Bail Antilles was. Maybe he was somehow related to Bail Organa, but then again they only had the same first name which didn't necessarily imply family relations. Then again, the Senator might be the ancestor of a Captain Antilles who would play a minor role in the turbulent future that was to come, though Padmé couldn't imagine how the son of an esteemed politician should become a simple captain. Obviously she had never heard that political positions weren't hereditary. Then again, he did come from Alderaan, where everyone seemed to be related to everyone.

"I feel confident our position will create a strong sympathy vote for us, and if that shouldn't be enough, the Force suggestion I have in store for them should be," Palpatine assured the young Queen. "I will be Chancellor. I have seen it!" he finished more forcefully.

Padmé didn't seem reassured. "I fear by the time you have control of the bureaucrats, Senator, there will be nothing left of our people, our way of life, my entire wardrobe."

"I understand your concern, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, the Trade Federation has possession of our planet," Palpatine reminded her in a way that made crystal clear that he thought she didn't have the wits to have kept that important fact in mind nor to remember it for more than half a minute.

Padmé simply ignored his infantilising remark. "Senator, this is your arena. I feel I must return to mine."

Palaptine's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Padmé wanted to go to the arena on Geonosis? That seemed a bit premature, seeing as neither the arena was built yet nor had the conflict with the Separatists proceeded far enough for the Geonosians to want to execute the girl. Besides, she had even less of a chance getting rescued without her lovey-dovey Jedi protector and his deliberately oblivious Master.

The Senator only comprehended her intention when she theatrically turned around, the spectacular lights of Coruscant's brightly lit skyscrapers in her back, and announced: "I've decided to go back to Naboo."

Palpatine didn't quite believe his ears. This slip of a girl intended to do what? She must be mad! This was unbelievable. This was insanely dangerous not just for her but for everyone going with her on that foolish adventure.

This was even better than everything he could ever have come up with! This way, it would not only be highly probable that he would never have to see that annoyingly naïve and clothes-fixated girl ever again, but it also provided the perfect opportunity to have one or both of her Jedi protectors meet with an unfortunate little accident… or maybe with an unfortunate little deliberately set-up Jedi trap to get rid of these stupid, meddling Jedi. Palpatine could barely stand their presence, which was so full of self-righteous goodness and despicably serene composure and just so much sickening light that the secret Sith wanted to vomit just at the thought of it. Only by reminding himself of the bleak and devastating future he had planned for the entire Order did he manage to refrain from attacking them on the spot.

The evil, darkly gleeful smile that had slowly bled onto his face at these thoughts was quickly replaced with a phoney worried frown as the Senator voiced some token protest so as not to appear out of character.

"But, Your Majesty, be realistic. They'll force you to sign the treaty."
"I will sign no treaty, Senator," Padmé promised, her monotonous voice steady with determination. "My fate will be no different than that of my clothes."

Palpatine hoped for exactly that.

"Captain!" the Queen ordered sharply.

"Your Highness," Panaka replied, ready to fulfill his Queen's wishes.

"Ready my ship."

Palpatine felt he should protest a little more, but not enough to actually stop Queen Amidala.

"Please, Your Majesty. Stay here where it's safe. Here, you'll only have to deal with boring politicians, slimy green aliens and the occasional Sith Lord. That's not nearly as dangerous as a bunch of Gungans, a few spindly droids and a very, very overhung Sith apprentice or just about anything else you may encounter on Naboo right now."

"It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions," Padmé announced. "Something seems to be broken, you might want to check its hyperdrive generator. That's what was wrong with our ship. It no longer functioned, too, and that was the reason why we had to stop on Tatooine," Padmé said. Fixing the Senator with a sad yet hopeful gaze, she added: "I pray you will bring sanity and compassion back to the Senate." Padmé turned around briskly, and so she completely missed the look of distaste that crossed Palpatine's face at her words. Sanity and compassion were the last things Palpatine wanted to reign in the Senate, he would rather have aimed for chaos, difference of opinion, as much corruption and indecisiveness as he could possibly manage as well as quite a bit of maliciousness, indifference towards anything but themselves and also a good measure of mindless fear.

The Queen turned around and stalked off, her handmaidens following a step behind. Apparently, the Sith apprentice-look was quite the height of fashion this season, because both the handmaidens wore wide robes and their faces were hidden beneath giant hoods, their robes looking much like the clothes your average Sith would wear, except that theirs were red instead of the traditional Dark Side black.

Palpatine covered his gloating sneer with an entirely fake concerned frown as he watched the headstrong and oh so naïve Queen of Naboo fairly storm out of his office, unknowingly walking towards the destiny Sidious was busy devising for her. The Queen's crazy idea was very much to his liking, indeed.

oOo

High atop one of the tall spires of the Jedi Temple, the Council reconvened after a short break. Even Councillors had to eat from time to time, after all. During a light supper, the topics of their discussion had been Anakin Skywalker and what to do with him, as well as Qui-Gon's habit of bringing along stray so-called "Chosen Ones" and the results and implications of yesterday's sparring match between Master Yoda and Senator Palpatine (who had turned out to be surprisingly proficient with a lightsaber, much to the astonishment of the Jedi High Council, though Yoda had genuinely enjoyed to spar with someone of the Senator's unexpected skill and unusual style).

The honoured Councillors sat back down on their custom-made chairs, wriggling a bit to find the most comfortable position.

"Ugh! Do we really have to talk to Qui-Gon again? The man can be so blasted obstinate about the most irrational things!" Mace nearly whined. As much as he liked the unconventional Jedi Master, he had grown tired of having to listen to Qui-Gon's incessant ramblings about Chosen Ones this and Living Force that. And if the man should have the audacity to lecture the Council on the importance of bigger fish yet again, Mace had vowed that he would throw him out, never mind the Code or the fact that it would be an extremely un-Jedi-like thing to do.

Yoda sighed. He also felt tired and was reluctant to have his immense patience tested by the Order's most notoriously irrational Jedi twice in a row. But Yoda decided to do what he must, and besides, Qui-Gon was already once again outside the Council Chamber, pacing restlessly, waiting to be let in. He would inevitably talk to them; there was no escaping the stubbornness that was Qui-Gon Jinn. "Yes. Afraid, I am, that leave us alone, Master Qui-Gon will not. Get it over with quickly, we should," Yoda finally decreed.

A quiet sigh went around the circle of Councillors. Mace lifted a hand and reluctantly gestured towards the door, which swished open at his commend. It wasn't even fully open yet when Qui-Gon strolled through; followed by an intimidated and unsure Anakin Skywalker and an Obi-Wan Kenobi who once again couldn't do anything but offer an apologetic shrug to the Council.

The view from the Council Chamber was breathtaking. The city twinkling with thousands of lights stretched away in every direction as far as the eye could see and further. In the distance, the glittering lights of vehicles zoomed this way and that, creating an intricate pattern of moving light across the cloudy grey of Coruscant's night sky.

The beauty of the view was not completely lost on those within the chamber, but mostly it was. The minds of everyone present were on other things entirely, namely Padmé, the Chosen One in form of Anakin Skywalker, a defiant Jedi Master who simply didn't know when to stop (he was on more than one person's mind, to be sure) and a nicely cosy and warm bed, depending on who you were asking, of course.

As Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin came to stand in the middle of the circle of Councillors, Mace once again greeted them. "Good evening, Master Jinn, Padawan Kenobi, young Skywalker."

The recipients of Mace's slightly less than heart-warming greeting bowed, though the respectfulness implied in these bows ranged from barely existent to appropriately polite to a somewhat confused compromise somewhere between the former two. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood next to each other, with Anakin standing in the middle and in front of them.

"Have the honoured and respected members of the high and mighty Council finally come to a conclusion concerning young Anakin here?" Qui-Gon immediately asked, his bluntness, defiance and disrespect no longer surprising the Council. They had become quite used to the bad temper Qui-Gon would develop if he didn't get his way, though they had yet to figure out how to deal with it successfully. So far, they had only found out that trying to calm him down with words, acts of goodwill on their part, soothing fragrances and legato music did not work.

The only one who was able to put up with the eccentric and peculiar ways of the Jedi's most notorious maverick was his Padawan, and none of the Councillors envied Obi-Wan his task of keeping Qui-Gon in check, though the way the apprentice handled his Master was admirable, considering that as Qui-Gon's inferior he could neither really make his Master do anything nor keep him from doing anything.

Mace Windu steepled his fingers and fixed his cold, hard stare on Qui-Gon.

"We have discussed your request for Anakin to be trained very thoroughly and have come to a decision regarding the boy's future," he stated frostily.

"The Force is strong with him," Yoda concurred with Qui-Gon's assessment of Anakin, though for very different reasons. He had been quite impressed with the boy. Anakin had been one of the few applicants who had passed the image-on-screen test with flying colours. Not because his answers had been particularly correct, but because he had managed to give them answers that were much more understandable than the average child gave them. The usual answers consisted of excited gargles and gurgles, upset squeals and cries or happy chattering, because the average child tested by the Jedi was still an infant and not a nine-year old. But to Yoda, who as approaching his ninth millennium, such a small difference of seven or eight years seemed tiny indeed, and so he had been more than amazed at Anakin's articulate answers.

"He is to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon asked hopefully. Anakin turned around to gaze up at his idol, trust and anticipation shining brightly in his eyes at the prospect of becoming a Jedi.

"No, he will not be trained," Mace squashed the hopes of Anakin and Qui-Gon and immensely relieved Obi-Wan, who at the same time felt really bad about being so relieved when Anakin's hopes of becoming a Jedi had just been crushed so callously by the oh so kind-hearted Master Windu. After all, Obi-Wan knew all too well how it felt to so desperately want to become a Jedi only to be rejected and denied this dream.

"No!" Qui-Gon protested, completely stunned by the Council's refusal. Didn't they see Anakin's immense potential? Didn't they comprehend that training Anakin was of paramount importance?

"He is too old," Mace elaborated. Anakin glared at the shrivelled green Master he was sure was behind this ploy to get rid of him with stunned disbelieve and hurt in his eyes. The decision-making in the Council was by no means democratic; Obi-Wan had told Anakin. Yoda decided and mostly bullied the rest of the Council to comply, using his enormous age and his therefore immense wisdom as leverage. This little gnome was just about a hundred times as old as he was, and still he was a Jedi, wasn't he? To Anakin, the ability to become a great Jedi was not a question of age, and he thought that no one in the whole galaxy could possibly be better suited to become a greater Jedi than him! Wasn't he the Chosen One, after all? Qui-Gon had said so, and continued to say so.

"He is the Chosen One. You must see it!" Qui-Gon stood there, shaking his head at the Council's obstinate ignorance. He couldn't believe that the so-called wisest Masters could be so blind!

Yoda's eyes were closed in contemplation – or maybe because he didn't want to see Anakin's hateful glare and Qui-Gon's insistently intent look any more.

"Clouded, this boy's future is," Yoda echoed the misgivings Obi-Wan had voiced earlier. Although the Padawan definitely agreed with Yoda's appraisal of the boy, the sad slump of Anakin's shoulders and the distressed look on Anakin's face made him feel sorry for the boy.

The pity for Anakin was quickly replaced by utter shock when Qui-Gon stepped forward, put his hands protectively on Anakin's shoulders and pronounced: "I will train him, then!"

Obi-Wan's head snapped up and he stared at his Master. Qui-Gon might as well have slapped him in the face. Hurt, betrayal and sadness glistened in Obi-Wan's eyes, though he did his best to keep all the warring emotions suddenly swirling inside him from showing on his face. "I take Anakin as my Padawan learner," Qui-Gon stated without so much as looking back at his current apprentice.

"An apprentice you have, Qui-Gon," Yoda reminded Qui-Gon.

Yes, an apprentice you have, Master! Obi-Wan echoed in his head.

The little green Master didn't approve of Qui-Gon's rash and unthinking decision at all. "Impossible to take on a second."

"The Code forbids it," Mace seconded Yoda's opinion. The Code was sacred to him, and he took every violation of it very serious – and very personal.

"Obi-Wan is ready," Qui-Gon told the Council.

Obi-Wan looked once more at Anakin. The little boy with the chubby face and the huge questioning eyes, the slight quivering of Anakin's lip betraying his anxiety, the helpless and vulnerable look on his face as he glanced up at Qui-Gon, the hope in his eyes at Qui-Gon's promise… Obi-Wan had to admit that when it came to being pathetic, he would never stand a chance against Anakin.

The apprentice simply was no longer the hopeful young child who so desperately wanted to be Qui-Gon's apprentice, he had grown into a young man who was perfectly capable of taking care of himself – and so he was no longer interesting to Qui-Gon, he supposed. Obi-Wan had always known that one day Qui-Gon would find someone who was more pathetic than him, and at least this was a case where Qui-Gon's compassion and determined insistence were not entirely misplaced – and Obi-Wan had the tentative hope that if he wasn't that pathetic any more, maybe he would one day make a decent Knight after all.

It was not as if he didn't want to become a Knight, in fact that had been his dream since he could remember, and honestly, his long apprenticeship was becoming quite embarrassing. Most of his friends had been allowed to face the trials years ago, and Obi-Wan had silently berated himself many times for his arrogance because he couldn't help but think that he was certainly not that much worse a Jedi. Quite often, he had imagined what it would be like when his Master would finally declare him ready to take the trials. The joy and elation he had always imagined to feel were completely lacking, though, as was the proud gleam he had pictured in Qui-Gon's eyes. It seemed that Chancellor Valorum wasn't the only one to receive a vote of no confidence today. But although his Master's hurried dismissal hurt and saddened him, he made his decision in less than a second. "I am ready to face the trials," he asserted, also taking a step forwards.

Obi-Wan's tentative confidence and cautious hope that he wasn't completely useless were instantly erased once again by Yoda's words. "Our own council we will keep on who is ready."

Mace felt really bad for the unfortunate Padawan. Sure, they had agreed that the Council and all of its members would at any time do their very best to disagree with Qui-Gon and to never give in to Qui-Gon's insistent nagging, but to sacrifice the self-esteem and confidence Obi-Wan had fought so hard for on the altar of Qui-Gon's constant defiance didn't seem right. Though Mace did his best to hide it behind cold stares and disapproving frowns, down at the very bottom of his heart the intimidating Master Windu was a gentle and caring person, and he did neither support what Yoda was doing to Obi-Wan nor did Yoda's earlier actions concerning the Padawan meet his approval. They should have told him, Mace thought. We should have told him. I should have told him, at least, if nobody else had the courage to do so.

As was to be expected of the stubborn Jedi he was, Qui-Gon begged to differ.

"He is headstrong and has much to learn of the Living Force, but he is capable. There is little more he can learn from me."

Obi-Wan's heart plummeted even further at this demeaning judgement of his abilities.

If you wanted to push your redundant apprentice for trials, you would be well advised to at least say something even remotely positive about said apprentice.

"Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later." Yoda wanted to get this Council session over with as quickly as possible. He felt Mace's resolve to finally tell Obi-Wan what the Council had kept silent for such a long time harden, and he didn't want the beans to be spilled prematurely. In fact, he didn't want those beans to be spilled ever. Period.

"Now is not the time for this," Mace continued. "The Senate is voting for a new Supreme Chancellor and Queen Amidala is returning home, which will put pressure on the Federation and could widen the confrontation."

"And draw out the Queen's attacker," Ki-Adi Mundi pointed out to calm the tension and soothe Qui-Gon's ruffled feathers.

"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of this dark warrior. This is the clue we need to unravel this mystery of the Sith," Mace informed Qui-Gon of the decisions the Council had made earlier during supper.

"May the Force be with you," Yoda swiftly ended the meeting before Mace could do something Yoda would not approve of.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin bowed in farewell. Obi-Wan quickly hurried out, he had a lot to think about and didn't think he could face either Qui-Gon or Anakin right now.

Qui-Gon followed, leading Anakin from the Council Chamber.

As soon as they had left the room, Yoda turned a disapproving stare at Mace.

"Tell Obi-Wan about what the Council did, you will not!" he demanded, rapping his stick on the floor for emphasis. "Know about this, he must not! Necessary, it was. Proud of it, I am not, but for the greater good, it was."

The Council stayed up long into the night, discussing Qui-Gon, Anakin, and most of all the Padawan and whether to tell him or not.

oOo

Edited on 13th February, 2011