Thank you to the 22 people who reviewed the last chapter. Here is the next chapter in which our heroes return to Coruscant, Ahsoka returns, Anakin receives the biggest surprise of his life and more (though I decided to take out the twist with Jenica). Also, I changed a small thing that you might not even notice. I hope that you like this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
Chapter 58
Ahsoka watched as the newly rescued Chancellor Palpatine stepped out of the transport on his personal landing pad near the Senate Offices. She had been ordered by the Jedi Council to accompany the Chancellor and the senators who were meeting up with him just in case though, with the Separatists on the run, she doubted anything would happen. Behind Palpatine, being escorted by clone troopers, was a barely conscious Count Dooku who had received enough medical attention on the way from the remains off the Invisible Hand to the Senate Offices to avoid dying from his injury.
Ahsoka had to grin. "Oh how the mighty have fallen," she called in a singsong voice.
Dooku glared at her. "Funny, brat," he growled.
"Hey, I'm just saying the truth. I mean, after three years, we finally caught the all mighty leader of the Separatists. Guess you aren't as all mighty as you thought you were," Ahsoka said still grinning.
"You definitely take after your master, brat," Dooku snapped.
"Why thank you," Ahsoka said with a florid bow as the two clones escorted Dooku past her while Palpatine was met up with another squad of clones and several senators. She turned her attention to the transport as Anakin, glowering at the transport, jogged after the group and she slipped to her master's side.
"What's got you upset?" she asked.
Anakin looked at her. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I asked you a question first."
Her master smiled. "Obi-Wan's getting me back for putting him through that crash-landing though I did leave everyone onboard alive. He told me I had to deal with the politicians."
"Yes, that is definitely payback. Oh and the Council sent me to accompany the Chancellor and the senators just in case." After two years of training, Ahsoka knew a lot about Anakin but there were still things about him that she didn't know or that she was only suspicious. She wouldn't be lying if she said that one of the things she was suspicious about was Anakin's relationship with Padmé but she never let on that she suspected anything.
They entered the group of people and Anakin was immediately swept away into the process of shaking hands, accepting gratitude but was making his way through the crowd toward the familiar golden-domed protocol droid that Ahsoka knew was See Threepio. He was hanging beyond the crowd of Senators; his right arm lifted in a small, tentative wave that Ahsoka figured was directed at Artoo who was at Anakin's side.
Anakin looked at her a thoughtful look crossing his azure eyes. He seemed relaxed and yet wary and Ahsoka found herself wondering why he was examining her as if she was a piece of art on display. Blinking, her Master pulled himself from his thoughts. "Can I trust you, Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka blinked, startled by the question. "Of course, Master," she said.
Anakin still seemed to hesitate eyes flickering briefly to hers before away again toward one of the pillars that lined the hall where Threepio was standing. "I want you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about what you see here today," he said.
"What do you mean, Master?"
"Just, promise me you won't tell anyone. You'll see why in a moment but I need to know that I can trust you with this secret."
"Secret?" Ahsoka's eyes filled with puzzlement.
Anakin smiled a little. "Yes, secret, something I wanted to tell you sooner since you are like a sister to me and I decided that if I can trust Obi-Wan with this secret, and he's like a brother to me, then I can trust you with this. Please don't prove me wrong."
"I won't, Master." Ahsoka was surprised that Anakin considered her to be a sister and she was puzzled. What kind of secret could this be that Anakin would not tell anyone unless he was sure he could trust them? She thought. What is this secret?
"Thank you," Anakin said with a gentle smile. "Come, there's someone I have to meet." He walked away and Ahsoka trailed after him still confused but deciding to just let her master reveal what he wanted to reveal in his own time.
They neared Threepio who inclined his head in greeting. "Master Anakin. I am very glad to find you well! One does worry, when friends fall out of touch! Why, I was saying to the Senator, just the other day—or was it last week? Time seems to run together so; do you think you might have the opportunity to adjust my internal calendar settings while you're here?"
Anakin smiled. "I'll see to it, Threepio. Where is she?" Apparently, he didn't need to elaborate on who she was though Ahsoka was confused.
"Oh, well, certainly, certainly. Officially, Senator Amidala is extremely busy," Threepio said imperturbably. "She has been sequestered all day in the Naboo embassy, reviewing the new Security Act, preparing for tomorrow's debate."
Anakin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "And unofficially?" he asked. His voice was calm and a faint smile was on his face.
Threepio looked at Ahsoka warily.
"It's fine, Threepio," Anakin said.
The protocol droid leaned close with an exaggeratedly conspiratorial whisper that Ahsoka could hear. "Unofficially, she's waiting in the hallway."
Anakin smiled. "Thank you, Threepio," he whispered back before looking at Ahsoka who was still puzzled. "Are you coming, Snips? I'm sure Senator Amidala would be happy to say hi to you."
Ahsoka looked at her master until she realized that whatever secret Anakin was going to reveal to her, it dealt with Senator Amidala. At that realization, her suspicions about Anakin's relationship with Padmé came back full force. "All right, Master," she said.
Threepio laid an affectionate hand on Artoo's dome as the little blue astromech beeped. "Come along, Artoo. I have found the most delightful body ship down in the Lipartian Way." They moved away, whirring and clanking after the Senators who were already off among the HoloNet crews.
Ahsoka jumped when Palpatine suddenly appeared at their side. "Whoa, when did you get here?" she asked shocked as Anakin turned to find the Chancellor standing there.
"I am truly sorry for surprising you though I find it amusing that I was able to surprise a Jedi," Palpatine said with a gentle smile before he looked at Anakin. "And how are you, my boy?"
Anakin smiled. "I'm fine, Chancellor. I should be asking how you are considering all that's happened."
Palpatine chuckled. "It is thanks to you and Master Kenobi that I am fine," he said warmly. He paused for a moment resting a hand on Anakin's shoulder before adding, "I can't help but wonder how the Jedi Council will react to what happened. Perhaps, and it is high time that they do so, they may consider appointing you to the Council."
Whatever reaction Palpatine was expecting, what happened next obviously wasn't it.
Anakin laughed. "And if they did, I'd tell them that they need to get their heads checked. I haven't even finished training an apprentice. Someday I know I will be a Master, Chancellor, but I also know that I still have much to learn and I am not ready yet. Now then, if you will excuse me, there is someone I have to speak to."
"Of course, Anakin, my boy, of course," Palpatine said removing his hand from Anakin's shoulder before he walked away after the Senators while Ahsoka looked at Anakin.
"So did you really mean that?" she asked curiously.
Anakin looked at her. "Really mean what? That I'm not ready to be a Master? Yes, I did mean that. Besides, most Council members don't become members of the Council until after they've finished training an apprentice and I haven't finished training you yet even if you have come a long way."
Ahsoka beamed.
Anakin chuckled. "Well, I think I've kept Senator Amidala waiting long enough." He began walking toward the hallway and Ahsoka trailed after him. They walked across the Atrium to the Senate Offices Building, meandering around senators clustering around Palpatine who disappeared into the cluster. Anakin's eyes were fixed on the hallway though and it was only Ahsoka placing a hand on his arm that stopped him from running into Senator Bail Organa.
"Well done, Master Skywalker," Organa said with a small smile. "With the capture of Count Dooku, we can see the end of this war sooner and finally an end to Palpatine's police-state tactics."
"I wish that were so," Anakin said, "but fighting will continue until General Grievous is spare parts. The Chancellor is very clear on this, and I believe the Senate and the Jedi Council will both agree. If you'll excuse me, Senator—"
Organa nodded and walked off to talk to another Senator while Anakin made his way into the hallway, into the shadows of the hallway where Ahsoka figured Padmé was waiting. The two of them stepped into the shadows and Ahsoka watched, a little surprised, when Anakin and Padmé enveloped each other in a tight hug before their lips met.
Okay, that is a bit different from what I was expecting, she thought.
Anakin pulled away from his beloved angle and Padmé smiled clinging to him murmuring softly into his chest. He pressed his lips against the coils of hers softly scented hair. It was only then that Anakin remembered he wasn't alone and he gently pulled back causing Padmé to look up at him confused until she, too, caught sight of the third member of the group.
"Uh, oh, Ahsoka, what—?" Padmé stared in confusion at Anakin's Togruta Padawan before looking at Anakin.
"I'm sorry I didn't consult you first, Padmé," Anakin said gently, "but I trust Ahsoka. I know she won't tell anyone about us and I'm tired of keeping it from her. It makes no sense. She is like a sister to me. If I can trust and tell Obi-Wan then why can't I trust and tell Ahsoka?"
"She won't tell anyone?" Padmé asked looking back at Ahsoka.
"I won't tell anyone, Padmé," Ahsoka assured them, "though I honestly don't know what it is I'm supposed to keep a secret. So, are you two like dating or something?"
"Or something," Anakin said with a smile before his voice dropped to a whisper. "Padmé and I have been married since after the Battle of Geonosis."
Ahsoka's eyes went round. "Wow, no wonder you want me to keep this a secret. That's against the Code."
"I love Padmé and I don't see why that's wrong," Anakin said. "But let's talk about something else. So you won't tell anyone about this, Snips?"
"No, I won't, Master. Thanks for trusting me with this," Ahsoka said.
"You're welcome." Anakin leaned down and gently kissed Padmé again until Padmé suddenly put her hands against his chest to hold him away.
"Anakin, not here. It's too risky."
Anakin sighed because he knew that it was true but he still drew his wife into his arms. "I'm getting tired of this, Padmé. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We love each other and we're married. Just like trillions of beings across the galaxy—"
"No, Anakin," Padmé said, "Not like all those others. They are not Jedi. We can't let our love force you out of the Order—"
"Force me out of the Order?" Anakin asked amused. "Was that a pun?'
"Anakin—" Padmé sounded irritated and worried and Anakin frowned, something was wrong; he could sense that much. "Listen to me. We have a duty to the Republic. Both of us—but yours is now so much more important. You are the face of the Jedi, Anakin. Even after these years of war, many people still love the Jedi, and it's mostly because they love you, do you understand that? They love the story of you. You're like something out of a bedtime tale, the secret prince, hidden among the peasants, growing up without ever a clue of his special destiny—except for you, it's all true sometimes I think that the only reason the people of the Republic still believe we can win the war is because you're fighting it for them—"
"Padmé," Anakin said confused. "Padmé, I don't understand. What's the matter? Something's happened. Something's changed." He wasn't upset or angry; he was just puzzled and concerned. He was trying to make sense of what it was Padmé wasn't telling him but his mind kept drawing up a blank.
"Everything has changed," Padmé whispered lowering her head.
Anakin stretched out a hand before tilting his wife's head upward so that she was looking at him. "Please tell me, Padmé; just tell me what's changed. That's all I ask," he said softly caressing his wife's cheek with the back of his organic hand while keeping his mechanical fingers under Padmé's chin so that she remained looking at him.
Padmé swallowed before gazing into Anakin's eyes. "Something wonderful has happened, Ani," she said quietly, "I'm pregnant."
Anakin stared; that was all he could do as he felt joy surged through him. Padmé was pregnant? He was going to be a father? He never felt so great in his life; the happiness that surged through him seemed to drown out the worry of what would happen should the Jedi Order get wind of it. He didn't care; all he cared about at that moment was that he was going to be a father and Padmé, his beloved angel, was going to be a mother.
"That is…is wonderful. This is the happiest moment in my life. How long have you know?" Anakin asked.
Padmé looked up at him confused. "What are we going to do?"
Anakin leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to his wife's ear. "I do not know why you are so worried, angel," he murmured quietly. "Siri will help you with the pregnancy and I know that she will have tips on how to take care of our child when he or she is born. And Obi-Wan will help out as well. We have to remember that we are not in this alone. We have Obi-Wan and Siri."
He wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close chin resting on his wife's head. "Do not worry about this, Padmé. It will be all right, everything will be all right."
Padmé pressed her face into his chest. "I hope so," she whispered before she suddenly brightened up and she added, "Ha, Siri owes me five credits."
Anakin moved back before raising an eyebrow.
Padmé smiled a little. "Siri and I made a bet that you would faint when I told you," she said.
Anakin smiled. "And I take it Siri thought I would faint."
The senator nodded chuckling.
"Looks like she was wrong. Ahsoka?" He raised his voice a little so that Ahsoka could hear and his Padawan walked to his side.
"Yes Master?" she asked.
"Do me a favor. Go tell Obi-Wan that I'll be with Padmé tonight. You'll need to cover for me."
Ahsoka smiled. "Okay, Master."
Anakin lurched upright in bed, gasping, staring blindly into the alien darkness.
How she had screamed for him—how she had begged for him, how her strength had failed on that alien table, how at the last she could only whimper, Anakin, I'm sorry. I love you. I love you—thundered inside his head, blinding him to the contours of the night-shrouded room, deafening him to every sound save the turbohammer of his heart.
His hand of flesh found unfamiliar coils of sweat-damp silken sheets around his waist. Finally, he remembered where he was.
He half-turned and she was with him, lying on her side, her glorious fall of hair fanned across her pillow, eyes closed, half a smile on her precious lips, and when he saw the long, slow rise and fall of her chest with the cycle of her breathing, he turned away and buried his face into his hands and sobbed.
The tears that ran between his fingers then were tears of gratitude. She was alive and she was with him.
In silence so deep he could hear the whirring of the electrodrivers in his mechanical hand, he disentangled himself from the sheets and got up.
As quietly as he possibly could, he left the bed chamber gazing at the endless nightscape of Coruscant. The city-planet had always been an endless galaxy of light, even at night, shining from trillions of windows in billions of buildings that reached kilometers into the sky, with navigation lights and advertising and the infinite streams of speeders' running lights coursing the rivers of traffic lanes overheard. But tonight, local power outages had swallowed ragged swatches of the city into vast nebulae of darkness, broken only by the malignant red-dwarf glares of innumerable fires.
Anakin didn't know how long he stood there, staring. He didn't even realize he had stopped walking.
However, it was at that moment that he felt a faint disturbance. Frowning, he turned in its direction only to find that it was leading to the spare bedroom in Padmé's apartment, where Obi-Wan's twin children were sleeping. At least, they were supposed to be sleeping but Anakin could feel through the Force that one of the twins was locked in a nightmare even though it hadn't yet brought him or her out of sleep.
Walking across the room almost as if he was on autopilot, Anakin quietly entered the room. Smaller than Padmé's room, the spare bedroom had three beds in it, two of which were cribs for Obi-Wan's year old twin children while the third was a bed for one of Padmé's handmaidens who had taken to watching the children. The handmaiden was fast asleep and didn't seem disturbed by whatever was disturbing one of the children.
It was easy figuring out which of the twins was locked in a nightmare. Kira was fast asleep, curled into a ball with her thumb in her mouth but Jinn, he was tossing and turning, silent tears leaving tracks on his face.
Anakin felt his heart constrict and he slowly walked to Jinn's crib. Reaching into the crib, he gently lifted the one-year old into his arms, shifting his grip so that he was holding the child just as Obi-Wan had taught him. The baby was still crying silently and he was trembling but he did press his little face into Anakin's chest.
"What's got you so upset, little guy?" he whispered stroking Jinn's thin, auburn hair. He didn't know how he knew what to do but he seemed to be doing the right thing because Jinn's trembles were starting to die down. However, a soft sob escaped his lips.
Anakin shifted his grip on the child. "Hush, we don't want to wake up your sister," he whispered.
The baby didn't seem to hear, or didn't understand, for more sobs were starting to escape his lips.
Anakin thought quickly. He didn't want Jinn to start crying and wake up both Kira and the handmaiden. What do I do? He thought.
Though his memories of when he was a baby were hazy at best, especially before he was three, he did remember his mother rocking him and humming a lullaby whenever he couldn't get to sleep. He didn't remember the words to the lullaby but he did remember the tune; he didn't know if it would work but, right now, it was his only option.
Rocking the baby back and forth, he began humming softly. Jinn's sobs started to die down and he lifted tear-filled blue eyes to gaze up at Anakin. Anakin smiled gently at him and continued to hum unaware of the fact that two people were watching him. His attention was entirely on his brother's son and trying to calm him down and comfort him from whatever nightmare plagued his mind.
He continued to hum quietly rocking back and forth until Jinn's sobs had died away completely and he buried his face into Anakin's chest. It wasn't long before the tiny baby was asleep.
Slowly turning back to his crib, Anakin gently lowered the baby down before covering him with the blanket as his mother had done to him. Straightening up, he turned around only to find both Padmé and Padmé's handmaiden Dormé staring at him with something akin to surprise in their eyes.
Padmé gestured to him before leaving the room. Anakin followed. Once the door was closed, she turned to look at him. "I'm surprised," she said.
"Why?" Anakin asked confused.
"How'd you know to do that?"
Anakin shook his head. "I didn't," he admitted. "I just remembered what my mother used to do with me." He smiled a little as he thought about his mother and he wondered how his mother would take the news that she was going to be a grandmother. He sighed when he realized that it was unlikely she would ever know.
"What's the matter?" Padmé asked stepping forward before gently taking his organic hand in hers.
"I just wish there was some way I can let my mother know that she's going to be a grandmother," he said.
"I'm sure there is but keeping this from the Order is paramount right now. I was actually thinking of having the baby off planet so you won't get kicked out of the Order."
Anakin turned to look at Padmé before he leaned forward and gently kissed Padmé on the lips. Unfortunately, the nightmare that was the real reason he had woken up reared its ugly head in his mind again. He withdrew before drawing his wife close to him eyes closed as a single tear slid down it.
"Ani?" Padmé whispered. "Ani, what's the matter?"
Anakin drew in a shuddering breath. "I had a dream," he whispered. "It was what woke me up. Helping Jinn, I guess it distracted me from it but when you mentioned that you wanted to have the baby off planet, it came back."
"What was it about?"
Anakin gazed into his wife's eyes. "I saw you die in childbirth," he whispered.
Padmé blinked. "And the child?"
"I don't know." Anakin took a deep breath. "I don't know if I can go through losing you, Padmé."
"Anakin, the chances of me dying in childbirth are slim to none," Padmé said gently.
"It felt so real though, Padmé. It reminded me so much of those dreams I was having of my mother."
"And did those come true?"
Anakin stopped when he realized his wife was right. His dreams about his mother hadn't come true. Is it possible this dream won't come true either? He thought. It was because of Obi-Wan that his dream about his mother didn't come true—
"Tomorrow, I'm going to talk to Obi-Wan about this," Anakin said quietly. "He was the reason why my dreams about my mother didn't come true. Maybe he can help us now."
"That might be best," Padmé said gently. "Now come back to bed, Ani."
Anakin nodded hoping he could get some sleep even with the nightmare still haunting his mind.
Obi-Wan barely paid attention to the discussion between Yoda and Mace. For some reason, something was distracting him. It was coming from Padmé's apartment and it seemed to surround Jinn. He remembered the discussion Yoda and Mace were having from the first time around though most of what was actually said was lost from his mind. It was a discussion of Palpatine and the Sith; about how the dark side surrounded the Chancellor—truer words could not have been spoken—how Palpatine couldn't be trusted—true—and how the Sith's plot was aimed directly at the Jedi Order—also true.
"Been strangely quiet you have, Obi-Wan," Yoda said breaking into Obi-Wan's thoughts.
He blinked before looking at the wizened Jedi Master. "My apologies, Master," he said. "I was simply thinking."
Yoda nodded looking thoughtful. "Thinking that perhaps time it is to reveal more than what you have, hmm?"
Mace looked confused.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I am afraid not, Master."
"I don't understand," Mace said. "Are you keeping something from us, Obi-Wan?"
"Not by choice, I assure you," Obi-Wan said. It was true; he wanted to tell the Jedi Council at least some of what would occur in the future if he failed but the Force wasn't letting him at least it will not let him tell the whole truth.
"Tell us something you can, yes?" Yoda was as perceptive as ever.
"I cannot say how much I can say, Master Yoda," the time traveler/Jedi Master said. "If I can't tell you then the Force will stop me itself."
Yoda nodded. "Tell Master Windu about where you are from, can you?"
"Where he is from?" Mace sounded puzzled.
Obi-Wan looked at Mace. "I actually come from nineteen years into the future, Mace," he said. "At least, from around this time, it's nineteen years. The Force sent me back after I died to just after the mission on Ansion. My only task was to stop the future I lived in from coming to past."
Mace's eyes were wide with shock. "Time travel? That's impossible."
"With the Force anything is possible," Yoda said.
"You knew, Master Yoda?"
"Told me so the Force did itself. Tell no one we could not because jeopardize Obi-Wan's mission it would have. Risk the wrong ears hearing this truth we cannot. However, tell you now Obi-Wan can though know why I do not."
"I think it's because of the timing," Obi-Wan said. "Based on what occurred last time around, I have only a few months left to complete the task the Force gave me to complete before I run out of time. Perhaps that is why it has lifted its restriction on me even if only marginally."
"How can you be sure that you won't create an even worse future than the one you came from?" Mace asked after stretching out with the Force to see if Obi-Wan was telling the truth.
"The Force has faith that I can do it and I trust the Force," Obi-Wan replied. "I am afraid I cannot say more than that. The Force is telling me that I can't. And another thing, Anakin cannot know about this."
Mace frowned. "Why not?"
"All I can say is that, under no circumstances, can Anakin know about this. That was what the Force told me when I was first sent back. I have a feeling that it will lift that particular restriction in time but now is not that time. There is little else I can help you with other than to point out something I have already pointed out. Palpatine cannot be trusted."
"I agree with you on that," Mace said.
"This may be a plot by the Sith to destroy the Jedi Order," Obi-Wan said casually. The way he phrased the statement mingled the truth with a speculation and, therefore, didn't exactly go against the restrictions the Force placed on him.
"Speculation!" Yoda thumped the floor with his gimer stick, making his hoverchair bob gently. "On theories such as these we cannot rely. Proof we need. Proof!" He looked at Obi-Wan as he said that but Obi-Wan could only shake his head slightly; though he knew of what would happen, he could say nothing.
"Proof may be a luxury we cannot afford." A dangerous light had entered Mace's eyes. "We must be ready to act."
Obi-Wan simply raised his eyebrows.
"He cannot be allowed to move against the Order. He cannot be allowed to prolong the war needlessly. Too many Jedi have died already. He is dismantling the Republic itself! I have seen life outside the Republic; so have you, Obi-Wan. Slavery. Torture. Endless war."
Mace's face darkened with a distant, haunted shadow Obi-Wan remembered seeing the day before and the first time around. "I have seen it on Nar Shaddaa, and I saw it on Haruun Kal. I saw what it did to Depa, and to Sora Bulq. Whatever its flaws, the Republic is our sole hope for justice, and for peace. It is our only defense against the dark. Palpatine may be about to do what the Separatists cannot; bring down the Republic. If he tries, he must be removed from office."
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes as he remembered Mace saying the same thing the first time around but he said nothing.
Yoda shook his head. "To a dark place, this line of thought will lead us. Great care, we must take."
"The Republic is civilization. It's the only one we have." Mace looked deeply into Yoda's eyes and into Obi-Wan's and Obi-Wan could feel the heat in the Korun Master's gaze. "We must be prepared for radical action. It is our duty."
"It is treason," Obi-Wan said quietly. "At least, that is what it will appear to be." He said the last part too quietly to be overheard by the two Jedi Masters.
"I'm not afraid of words, Obi-Wan! If it's treason then so be it. I would do this right now if I had the Council's support. The real treason," Mace said, 'would be failure to act."
"Such an act, destroy the Jedi Order it could," Yoda said. "Lost the trust of the public, we have already—"
"No disrespect, Master Yoda," Mace interrupted, "but that's a politician's argument. We can't let public opinion stop us from doing what's right."
"And how do we know this is the right way to go about this?" Obi-Wan said before Yoda could respond. "Whether we distrust Palpatine or not, whether we really believe he is trying to bring down the Republic," although he is "by going about this plan, we may be walking straight into a trap, a trap that could set into motion everything we are trying to stop. We need to keep searching for Sidious and we need to do this before the Sith succeed in whatever their plan is. As we do not know what it is, it could be to turn both the Senate and the public against us. That would give the Sith an even greater advantage then the one they already have. There is a middle way. Palpatine gave us an opening. He told both to you, Master Windu, and in the Holonet address he gave following his rescue that General Grievous is the true obstacle to peace. If we, everyone from Republic Intelligence to every available Jedi, focus on locating Grievous then it will force the hand of the Sith Lord; he will know that Grievous cannot elude our full efforts for long, if we devote ourselves exclusively to his capture. It will draw Sidious out; he will have to make some sort of move in order to continue the war."
"The war has been a Sith operation from the beginning, with Dooku on one side and Sidious on the other—it has always been a plot aimed at us. At the Jedi. To bleed us dry of our youngest and best .To make us into something we were never intended to be."
He shook his head bitterly. "I had the truth in my hands years ago—back on Haruun Kal, in the first months of the war. I had it, but I did not understand how right I was."
I've had the truth in my hands since before the war began. If not for the Force's restriction then this war might have ended sooner, Obi-Wan thought. He didn't blame the Force; the Force knew what it was doing and Qui-Gon said himself that there were some things that could not be changed.
"Seen glimpses of this truth, we all have," Yoda said sadly. "Our arrogance it is, which has stopped s from fully opening our eyes."
"Until now that is," Obi-Wan said gently. "We understand now one of the goals of the Sith Lord, we know his tactics and we know where to look for him. His actions will reveal him. We cannot escape us. He will not escape us."
"One of the goals of the Sith Lord?" Mace echoed.
"I do not believe bringing down the Republic is the only goal Sidious has," Obi-Wan said.
Yoda's ears twitched forward. "Know you do that have more goals than just this Sidious does, yes?"
"Yes but I can say no more."
"Seen to the heart of the matter, young Kenobi has."
Mace nodded. "Yoda and I will remain on Coruscant, monitoring Palpatine's advisers and lackeys; we'll move against Sidious the instant he is revealed. But who will capture Grievous? I have fought him blade-to-blade. He is more than a match for most Jedi."
"We'll worry about that later," Obi-Wan said.
'Until the possible becomes actual, it is only a distraction,' Qui-Gon's voice reminded him causing him to smile and add, "I can practically hear Qui-Gon reminding me that until the possible becomes actual, it is only a distraction."
"Hello Anakin," Siri greeted Anakin as he made his way down the walkways of the Temple heading straight toward his room hoping he would find Obi-Wan there. He needed to talk to his brother about his nightmare and hope there was something he could do about it. Or at least some way to reassure Anakin that it couldn't happen.
"Siri," Anakin replied lost in thought.
"Are you all right?"
He blinked before looking up at Siri. The blonde Jedi was gazing at him with a hint of concern in her blue eyes. He smiled a little when he remembered what Padmé told him. "You owe Padmé five credits, by the way," he said quietly to avoid being overheard by anyone though no one was on the walkway they were walking down.
"Oh? And why's that?"
"I didn't faint when Padmé told me the news."
"Blast it."
Anakin chuckled a little bit before the memory of his nightmare came back into his mind and he sobered. He gazed at Siri and wondered if she could help him; she has giving birth after all. "Siri, can I talk to you?"
Siri nodded.
Anakin sighed folding his arms across his chest and gazing out at the distant buildings of the Senate distract beyond the windows that lined the walkway. "I had another vision," he began softly, "like the one I had about my mother, the one that sent you and Ferus to Tatooine."
"I remember," Siri said.
Anakin closed his eyes and spoke very quietly. "I saw Padmé dying in childbirth, Siri." He waited for Siri to respond to that and he was a bit surprised by what Siri said next.
"Are you sure it isn't your fears playing tricks on you, Anakin?"
He whirled around to glare at Siri. "I know what I saw," he snapped
Siri held his gaze calmly although a spark of anger flared in their depths. "I didn't deny that," she retorted. "All I'm saying is that it is possible this vision was brought on by your subconscious fear for Padmé. I say this because the chances are slim to none that any woman will die in childbirth."
Anakin blinked before he realized that he had responded with anger to Siri's words. He felt a little upset with himself; he was doing so well on releasing his anger into the Force. "I'm sorry, Master Tachi. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," he said. He shook his head, closed his eyes and slowly released his anger into the Force. "I don't know why I reacted that way."
"You're worried, Anakin," Siri said gently. "But you have nothing to be worried about. Padmé will be fine."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because if you don't believe everything will be fine, you'll start feeling more afraid and more worried. That is only inviting unneeded stress into your life. Padmé doesn't need extra stress on top of what she is already going through."
Anakin swallowed before turning his gaze to the windows. "I don't want to lose her or my child," he whispered.
"I know. Have faith in the Force and do not stress about it. I'm going to go check on Padmé myself right now. I haven't seen the twins since before the attack anyway." Siri walked away before Anakin could respond.
He watched her go before he turned around and made his way toward Obi-Wan's room. When he reached it, Jenica was just coming out. "Oh hello Master Skywalker," Jenica greeted him with a slight incline of his head.
"Hello Jenica, how was yours and Ahsoka's mission?"
Jenica's eyes seemed to go distant before she sighed. "I'm glad it's over and I'm glad to be back on Coruscant. If you're looking for Master Kenobi, he's in the war room listening to a report on the Outer Rim sieges."
"Blast, I completely forgot about that. Thanks, Jenica."
"By the way, Master Skywalker, do you know where Ahsoka is?"
Anakin frowned. He hadn't seen his Padawan since the day before. "I'm afraid I don't. Try our quarters. She could be there."
"All right." Jenica walked away.
Anakin walked toward the war room but stopped when Obi-Wan walked over to join him. "You missed the report on the Outer Rim sieges."
"Sorry, Master, I was held up." Obi-Wan gazed at him with concern in his eyes and Anakin added, "Can I talk to you in private?"
"You'll have to make it quick. The Chancellor wants to talk with you."
Anakin frowned confused. "With me? My beacon hasn't gone off. If the Council wanted me, why didn't they—"
"The Council wasn't consulted."
"I don't understand."
"Neither do I. Come." Obi-Wan led the way down the corridor until they reached his quarters. He led the way inside before turning around to face Anakin. "Where's Jenica? I haven't had a chance to check on her since we got back."
"She went to find Ahsoka," Anakin said as the door slid close behind him. "Master, I'm worried."
"About what?"
"Padmé. She's pregnant."
Surprisingly, Obi-Wan didn't look surprised and Anakin figured Siri already told him. "Did you have another vision?" There was genuine concern in Obi-Wan's eyes and the concern grew when Anakin nodded.
"I…I saw her die in childbirth, Master," he said quietly taking a few deep breaths and doing what he could to release as much of his fear as he could into the Force. "I will be honest, Master, I fear for her life."
"You do know that the chances of a woman dying in childbirth are slim to none, right?"
"Both Siri and Padmé told me that but why did I have this vision if it's not going to happen?"
"Did the vision of your mother happen, Anakin?"
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "No but that was because of you. You stepped in to stop it from happening."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said patiently, "I didn't know if your vision would occur or not but I wasn't going to take the chance that it would happen. However, as for your vision of Padmé, it doesn't seem realistic because of how slim the chances of someone dying in childbirth are."
Anakin wrapped his arms around his waist before taking a deep breath, releasing another portion of his fear into the Force. "I'm sorry, Master," he said.
"Whatever for? If you're sorry for feeling fear then don't be. Everyone feels fear. However, I can sense that you are doing the right thing with your fear. You're releasing it; you're not letting it cloud your thinking, your judgment." Obi-Wan walked forward before placing his hands on Anakin's shoulders before he added, "I will help you in any way that I can even if it's simply making sure you don't have a full blown panic attack when the time for your child to be born comes."
Anakin smiled a little at his brother. "Thank you, Master," he whispered.
"Anything for you, Anakin. Now, I think it would be best if you go speak with Chancellor Palpatine before he gets impatient."
"All right Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan watched his brother leave before he left the apartment behind him. He made his way toward the Council chamber where the rest of the Council was located. When he reached the chamber and entered it, he could see everyone was already in discussion. Mace looked up as Obi-Wan walked to his seat and sat down.
"You're late, Obi-Wan," he said.
"Sorry, Masters. It took a bit longer to find Anakin and tell him about the Chancellor's request."
"Speaking of Skywalker," Yoda said, "come a long way Skywalker has since the war began. Changed he has and for the better. Much clearer has his future become."
Mace nodded. "He certainly isn't the same boy he was before the war began. This war has changed every one of us but I find it surprising that it has changed Skywalker for the better."
"I agree," Adi said quietly. "I've been thinking—"
"What have you been thinking, Adi?" Mace asked when the Tholothian Jedi Master broke off.
She was silent for a long moment before she said, "I feel that Skywalker will be made a Master and a member of the Jedi Council in the near future."
"Still has much to learn he does," Yoda said.
"None of us has stopped learning, Master Yoda. Besides, I don't think it will be that soon. I just think that he will earn a spot on the Council of his own accord soon."
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement hand resting on his beard. "I agree," he said. "Not yet, no, but soon."
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and that was chapter 58
Darth: I liked it
Blaze: yup. The next chapter will cover Anakin being placed on the Council and some other things. I'm not sure when I'll stop the next chapter
Darth: that's cool
Anakin: GET BACK HERE, YOU BLASTED PIECE OF SLIME! (Chases after Palpypie with bazooka)
Darth: what did he do this time?
Anakin: he took both of our cappuccinos!
Darth: where's my portable turbolaser? On second thought, get back my ion turbo lava rock shooter
Anakin: what the heck is that?
Darth: you'll find out when I fire it at that thief Palpypie
Palpypie: I'm getting the hell out of here
Darth: (aims and fires)
Palpypie: (struck and transported back to Darth)
Darth: (takes cappuccinos and sends Palpypie off)
Palpypie: (explodes)
Anakin: I want one!
Palpypie's Ghost: that hurt!
Everyone: who cares?
Palpypie's Ghost: that's mean
Jar-Jar: Mesa care
Palpypie's Ghost: ahhh! (Floats off quickly)
Jar-Jar: mesa wanna talk to yous (chases after Palpypie)
Blaze: (laughs) Chapter 59 is not going to be posted for a while because I'm losing Internet connection for as much as two weeks (THE HORROR!). I hope you enjoyed this chapter and reviews are much appreciated.