Sheev Palpatine was a paranoid person. He had no problems admitting this as paranoid people tended to stay alive. So, the moment that another strong Sith had made themselves known, he'd rewritten almost all of his plans to include this new development. The following months had been both frustrating and anti-climactic at the same time, but as he'd been too busy focusing on the election and then planning for the future war and setting that up, along with looking for Vader and trying to obtain a new apprentice, well he hadn't had a lot of time to actually look into just who Vader could be.

Once Dooku had finally come to his senses (well, somewhat, the man was proving to be rather resilient, even if he was mostly compliant) it had freed up enough time for Palpatine to begin looking through his Master's records and plans. It had taken him a while to track down some of this information, but he wasn't the greatest Sith Master in history for nothing.

In all honesty, he'd expected to find at least a mention of the other Sith, and with the time constraints, it had taken him months to go through it all with a fine-toothed comb. He'd found a lot of interesting tid-bits that could definitely come in useful in the future, but – to his consternation – not a single hint of Darth Vader.

That worried him, and he'd been forced to consider the conclusion that Plageus didn't actually know about this Vader. But it still didn't sit right with him.

After that, he'd come up with three working theories:

First, his master's success in crafting life from the Force yielded better results than expected. And it would have had to be one of the earlier experiments for Vader to fit the mental image he'd taken from the mind of the assassin who had encountered the Sith. Perhaps his master had actually succeeded in influencing the Force to create a birth before he'd taken Palpatine on and their experiments together was him passing the technique on? Or him looking for an even stronger child? A Force Vergence could be taught and harnessed, and Plageus had said he needed Sidious to make one, but what if it had just been a cover up? Had Plageus already somehow made his masterpiece?

There were more than a few holes in that theory, but it wasn't inconceivable.

Second, the idea that Plageus – Mister Play-By-The-Book himself – had taken on another apprentice, whether that be the vergence he had created (?) or someone else, behind Sidious' back. Likely even before Sidious had come into the picture. That was... a disturbing idea. If that were the case, did the previous apprentice simply not meet standards and so Plageus found Palpatine? Or did that mean that Plageus had intended the first to be the true heir to the Sith and Sidious was the backup? Not that it mattered, Sidious had killed his master, and that made him the true Sith Lord, but what could have been left out of his training were that the case? What was he missing? That thought angered him greatly. He hated going up against someone who had a potential advantage like that.

The last theory, and the one he both liked the least but found the most plausible, was that Vader was somehow an awakened Sith from the past. Either a spirit who had taken a host, or a Sith that was thought to have been killed but who was merely put into a stasis of some kind, only to be recently awakened. It couldn't be a truly ancient Sith, if that were the case, as his tactics tended to fall more in line with Sidious' own, staying hidden and sending out subtle messages as warnings while setting things up in the background. A Sith from before Darth Bane would have likely been far easier to spot and track as they would have amassed a following before making any power play, and likely would not have outed themselves as Vader had. Other than Luke Lars (and the next time he appeared on the radar, Palpatine was going to confront him himself), Palpatine couldn't find a single person who followed this new Sith. Either the followers were that good at hiding – unlikely – or there weren't any. Yes, Vader's tactics seemed to be far more in line with Darth Bane's way of thinking than a truly ancient Sith, so there was that at least.

The biggest problem with each of his theories was that he just couldn't. Find. Proof. He could speculate all he wanted, but every one of the theories could be applied at this point and he couldn't, in good conscience, dismiss any one of them. Nor could he fine-tune without more information. There was nothing in Plageus' materials to indicate another apprentice or any successful vergence. Ultimately, that didn't mean a whole lot as Palpatine knew he hadn't found everything his Master had left behind, but there should at least be something indicating what was going on.

Which was why he was leaning towards that third option.

Ugh. Either way, as he had predicted, Vader had thrown his entire operation into question and he had to respond in kind. With as little information as he'd found and his Master's possible betrayal, he couldn't afford any more slips. No, what he needed was information and his own followers. He needed acolytes – well, more of them. More competent acolytes that he could pit against Vader. His current acolytes wouldn't do well as much more than guards for his person. They would put up a good show and little more. None of them were remotely apprentice material.

Hence why he was looking forward to meeting his Young Jedi Ambassador. And he would have three months to test where the younglings in the Temple were and just how far he could bend them at this point.

Almost as if his thoughts had summoned them, his secretary informed him that his new ambassador and Master Yoda were here.

Sitting in his office behind his personal desk, he couldn't help but stare at the holocom for a moment, a little taken back. Why would Master Yoda of all people accompany his new ambassador? Unless it was to show respect to the Chancellor. He just hadn't expected the Jedi to care that much at this point. Of course, he was a new Chancellor, and this was his first Jedi Ambassador.

Explainable, but still something he should explore.

A couple of rather long minutes later, Yoda finally shuffled through the door followed by a blank-faced boy with sandy colored hair. He looked awfully familiar... Oh, right. He'd been that boy who had accompanied Jinn and his apprentice on the older Jedi's last journey. He'd also been on Naboo during the 'Battle for Freedom' as the natives had taken to calling it (Palpatine wondered where his own intelligence came from if the general population of Naboo was really that idiotically idealistic). There hadn't been much news on him, though. He'd even spoken to Panaka, but didn't have the man firmly enough under his grasp to really get anything out of him yet. It wouldn't take too much more time, he was sure, but that was for the future, not now, and he still found it frustrating.

No, wait, there had been one rumor about the boy, that something horrible had happened to him while everyone had been trapped in the Throne Room, but no one seemed to know what that 'horrible' thing was. Palpatine guessed it was some kind of trauma at seeing the Sith Lord. And due to his Force-Sensitivity, he could have retained the memories when the Sith had wiped them from everyone else. After all, no one else had mentioned anything about another figure from that throne room, but the image he'd gotten from the assassin had simply matched what he'd sensed too well to be dismissed – and Palpatine didn't believe in coincidences.

Although that brought another thought to mind that he hadn't quite realized before: Just when had the Sith Lord arrived? Few others had spoken of what had happened in the Throne Room (hence why he'd had to torture it out of his assassin), but where had Vader been hiding? He couldn't figure everything out without more details. Hmm. Something to get out of Panaka later, once he finally won the man over completely.

"Chancellor," Master Yoda said with a nod of respect. "Good it is to meet you."

"And you as well, Master Yoda. I've heard so many things about you." He had to stand and bow for decorum. That didn't mean he had to like it. He hoarded the anger he drew from it though. Master Yoda shuffled forward. The boy didn't, standing in the doorway rigidly. Palpatine frowned.

"Initiate?" he asked. The boy blinked as if coming out of his thoughts (or a vision? But there hadn't been any indication with the Force? He'd have to think on that).

A couple of seconds later, the boy walked confidently forward, his steps long and firm as he strode in, made a sharp turn as if he'd been in the military, and then (much to Sidious' pleasure) he bowed. He never said a word, simply waiting to be acknowledged.

This was such un-Jedi-like behavior that Palpatine wasn't exactly sure what to do with this... yet. He'd figure it out soon enough.

"Well," Palpatine said as he turned his gaze to Yoda, who hobbled up beside the boy, "he certainly seems to know how to make one feel... respected."

"Hmm, breaking him of his old habits, we are," Master Yoda said nonchalantly. Huh. What kind of habits? The implications from this were so wide-spread, Palpatine almost didn't know where to start. Almost.

He plastered a kind smile on his face, making sure to include his eyes in the gesture. "You can be at ease, young man." He expected the boy to slump and relax. Instead, he simply nodded, stood straight and went into a military at-ease position. So it wasn't a fluke, he had some kind of military training. At his age? Something Palpatine approved of, but he was one of the few who did (not that he let anyone know that). Just where did this boy come from?

"I meant you can sit down," he clarified, gesturing to the disgustingly comfortable and lovely chair in the room. Those were going to change the moment he could justify it.

For a couple of seconds, the boy hesitated as if confused. He looked down at the chair, then back at Palpatine, then at Yoda... for permission? Palpatine would have to work on that. Then, as if he were some kind of mannequin, the boy stiffly lowered himself to the seat and sat on the very edge. Jumpy little thing, wasn't he?

Part of Palpatine was annoyed and disappointed because this child would likely not give him an accurate read on the rest of the younglings from the Temple simply due to the shorter amount of time he'd been there. Another part of Palpatine, though, couldn't help but be intrigued in the boy himself. That part of him itched to begin figuring this boy out. But the boy was so rigid and closed... so the Chancellor decided to throw the child a bone as his first 'attack'. "I suppose that meeting the Chancellor like this can be a little overwhelming," he commented, making sure to sound as kind and understanding as he could.

The boy didn't even look up and Palpatine couldn't get a read on him through the Force except for nervousness and worry. He couldn't really tell in regards to what though. Hmm...

Almost as if mirroring his thoughts (what a dreadful idea), the little troll spoke instead. "Mmm, indeed." The boy did look over at Yoda then, and as if taking a cue from the little Jedi, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and relaxed.

If they'd taught him this quickly to rely on their teachers and the Jedi Masters, just how ingrained would it be with the youngings who had been there longer? Sadly, it seemed like the Jedi hadn't gotten quite as lax as he would have liked to think. Good to know. He made a mental note to get started on undermining the Order with the public asap because that looked like it would be his best option at the moment.

Not that he couldn't work with this either. He was Darth Sidious. There wasn't a wall he couldn't tear down, physical, mental or political.

He continued his inner critique of the Jedi Order as he encouraged the boy to introduce himself.

"What is your name, my boy?" He made sure to visibly set aside anything in front of him so as to fully pay attention to the child.

Nervously, the boy's eyes flicked over to Yoda again. Really, Palpatine would have to do something about that reliance quickly. Maybe try to build on the boy's confidence while pointing out (subtly of course) the flaws in the Jedi? Valid but simple. He'd have to think on it some more.

The boy seemed to gain a bit of confidence as he said, "Anakin Skywalker, sir."

Palpatine smiled warmly. "Excellent. I'm pleased to have both you and Master Yoda here today." He made sure to address the boy over the Jedi Council member sitting in the room. Let the boy think that he valued his opinion first. That would definitely be something he could build on. "Although," he added on, glancing over at Yoda for a moment before turning his eyes back to Anakin, "I will admit, I didn't expect the Grandmaster to come himself."

And the confidence left the boy as he looked down again. Palpatine almost let his eyes narrow in thought. Almost. There was a story there, one that hinted at a darker past. He'd have to ferret that out of them. The sooner the better.

Before he could prod the boy into speaking, Master Yoda spoke again, cutting in smoothly. Maybe that was why the boy trusted him? Because the Grandmaster protected him? Plausible but he'd have to get more evidence to support the idea.

"Nervous to meet the Chancellor, Initiate Skywalker was. Some time, I could make."

Palpatine turned his focus back on the boy sitting in front of him. "Ah, yes. Well, now that you're here, I'm not so bad, am I?"

Unfortunately, the boy didn't respond to his smile, simply looking down again. Hmm, so he didn't trust easily. Palpatine could appreciate that, but he figured the attribute came from the boy's past outside the temple. Which he was getting rather curious about.

"I... suppose not, sir," Anakin said quietly, looking back up at Palpatine with a neutral expression that would be more at home on a man three times his age. So a hard history then?

He made sure his smile widened and he sat back to give an air of relaxation. The boy looked away again. A very hard history. Now the question was, did he not trust people in power (he doubted it with how he seemed to cling to Yoda)? Older males in general? Older humans in general? Or some combination thereof?

Thinking carefully, he realized that he could ask without seeming too intrusive.

"Well, why don't you tell me more about yourself. I know I've met you before. You were at Naboo, right?"

Stiffly, the boy moved his hand and put it into the pocket of his robe where he grasped something. Palpatine wondered what but decided not to press right now. Then he gave a smile that, while it wasn't bad, was obviously forced.

"I was," he confirmed. Hmm, mature despite his obviously distrustful nature. This was starting to paint a very useful picture. "I come from an outer rim planet fairly near there," the boy continued. Funny he didn't mention the specific planet. Was that deliberate? He could chalk it up to maturity or trauma, or the boy could be hiding something. Didn't kids love to brag about where they came from? "Master Qui-gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-wan Kenobi, landed there with the Queen and her entourage after escaping the blockade."

The desert planet. Tatooine, if he recalled correctly. At least, that's where Maul's tracker had led him. "Ah, yes, I remember that. Please continue."

The boy nodded firmly once. "Master Qui-gon secured my help in obtaining the parts he needed and in turn he freed me—"

And there it was. "Freed?"

The boy paled and his fear shot up before he managed to get ahold of his emotions. It was frustrating how far he'd come in only two years if he could control his emotions even that well. Palpatine also noted that the boy did not glance at the Jedi Master in this case, simply staring down at Palpatine's desk. Hmm, maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as he initially thought if he decided to choose this particular youngling to pursue.

"Yes, sir," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was a slave."

Well, that certainly fit the picture Palpatine had been getting. Sometimes confident because he was learning to leave his slave past behind him, but still unable to really shake off the ingrained habits. Yes, Palpatine could work with this.

He made sure to put on a suitably horrified face and sent out a pulse of revulsion through the Force, one that would be expected from a civilian non-sensitive.

He had to admit, he was proud of his control. Most Sith didn't care about control, but it was what would finally bring the Jedi down.

"That's... terrible! I... didn't know things like that still happened in the universe. The Republic's laws should counter all of that!" Ha! What could a broken republic even hope to do?

"It was hutt territory," the blond boy muttered. Inwardly, Sidious frowned. There would be no 'hutt' space when he was done with his plans... at least, not like it was today. Outwardly he kept his sympathetic face on.

"Your..." he paused as if looking for the right word, "master must have run you ragged." With how the boy reacted, he had no doubt. Although there was one thing that didn't quite fit the 'hutt-space slave'. "You speak very well for a child your age, let alone a slave. That's quite the accomplishment."

An expression he couldn't read crossed the boy's face. "He... was very strict," Anakin said, then looked away again.

"You poor child," Palpatine said, sympathetic without sounding too pitying.

Again, the boy didn't respond. The boy had been opening and closing his hand around something in his pocket, and now he'd seemed to stop on 'closed'. Some sort of comfort item, perhaps?

"I.. don't need your pity," the boy said in a harsh voice that was music to Sidious' ears. He could hear and feel the resentment, and the boy had quite the well of such a negative feeling... how delightful. Now if only it could be turned correctly...

Palpatine glanced at Yoda before turning back to Anakin apologetically. "Of course not," he said with a nod of his head. "My apologies."

The child searched his face for a couple of seconds before looking away again. Hmm. Yes, this would take a bit of work. But it would be so amusing. Something about this boy...

"In any case, please, continue," he said after a couple of moments that the boy should feel awkward or resentful in. From what Palpatine could sense, it was working.

The boy's eyes met his again. "I... was brought back to the Jedi Temple," he said simply.

Hmm, uncomfortable. Well, Palpatine wouldn't pry... for now. "Yes, I remember. How old were you?"

The boy glanced at Yoda again. "... Nine, My Lord."

Oh, Sidious liked the sound of that... but he couldn't allow it. He couldn't raise suspicions. His own gaze darted over to the green Jedi who seemed to have fallen asleep. The old troll. Still, better to be safe than sorry.

"Please, just Chancellor will do."

The boy paused for a couple of seconds before nodding slowly. "Yes, Chancellor."

"You were nine? I was under the impression that that was too old to begin training to become a Jedi." May as well get some more questions answered.

This time, the boy turned deliberately to Yoda. Palpatine decided to follow his lead in this case and did the same. Yoda, whose eyes had been closed not moments before, was not watching Palpatine. Once the two Jedis' gazes met, the old troll shrugged nonchalantly.

"Considering some changes, we are. Spoken about this before, the Council has. An opportunity we saw when presented Initiate Skywalker was." Oh, that was not good... no, he needed to stop or undermine any reform the Jedi were going through. He mentally cursed at not having a spy (unwitting or not) on the Council anymore... he'd have to change that. He hadn't heard anything about this before.

As of this point in the conversation, the best way to play this would be thoughtful. He could brainstorm on ways to stop anything from happening later. But better to play to placation for the moment. It would be detrimental to burn bridges right now. "Ah, so you might be the first of many new Jedi your age."

"If it goes well, sir," Anakin responded quietly.

Another grandfatherly smile. "Oh, I'm sure it will. You seem like a bright young lad."

A small smile appeared on the boy's face. So he did respond well to praise and other such stimulation if enough was heaped on. Good to know.

"Thank you, sir," he said softly.

Well, that could be the end of that particular conversation, and Palpatine had gotten plenty out of it, so he decided to move on.

"Well," he leaned forward on his desk towards Anakin again, folding his hands in front of him, "let me tell you what I expect of you, Initiate Skywalker." He went on with a short summary about running errands and emphasized how Anakin could come to him or his secretary (whom he hadn't gotten a chance to replace yet, but he wanted to find just the right person before he did) if he had any problems or questions. He didn't expect the boy to take him up on his offer initially, but Sidious could be very patient.

When he finished, the boy nodded and bowed a little. "Thank you, sir." The boy looked a little embarrassed. Perhaps he was getting over how worried he'd been? Either that, or the boy was a decent actor. He'd try and figure out which it was later.

"Excellent. Now, I have some holopads for you to deliver..." he said as he took out a stack of data pads and explained where each one went. Anakin had a look of extreme concentration on his face, as if he knew he'd be punished if he failed. A slave background, huh? He'd definitely have to look into that.

When he was finished, the boy nodded, stood and bowed before taking the holopads and turning to the door without a word. Funny, he didn't wait for Master Yoda, who had already gotten down from his chair and bowed at the Chancellor.

"I hope to see you before you leave today, Initiate Skywalker," he called out after the child's retreating back. The boy froze for a couple of seconds. "And thank you for coming Master Yoda," he said to the shuffling master.

"Hmm. No trouble, it was," Yoda said pleasantly. "Good day, Chancellor."

Palpatine watched the two of them leave, with Master Yoda calling out after the boy, who finally seemed to realize whom he'd left behind. The door shut behind Master Yoda and Palpatine sat back, contemplating.

How fortunate that he got the slave boy as his first ambassador. Which brought up the question, why would the Jedi choose him of all children? Were they trying to make something up to the child somehow? That didn't seem like the Jedi he'd known of. Even now Dooku could go on an hour-long rant about the Jedi Order and how inattentive (and stagnant) it was. He would have to ask exactly why Anakin was chosen. He doubted the boy had asked for this, unless he was some sort of masochist. He obviously didn't like being here – did he like being in the program at all? Hmm, there were quite a few ways to approach this...

He wondered if he could break the boy in only three months... or if it would take even that long.

xXx

Not an hour later, Initiate Skywalker came back. Sidious could sense him, but he didn't enter the office. A couple of minutes after that, the boy left, apparently having gotten something from Mrs. Meddion. It went on like that for the next couple of hours, making it rather obvious that the boy was nervous about coming in to talk to the Chancellor.

That was acceptable for now, but something Palpatine wanted to fix.

Finally, it was time for young Skywalker to leave. He felt the boy approach the door and made sure to keep doing his own work until his secretary called in. "Chancellor, Initiate Skywalker is ready to leave. Would you still like to see him before he goes?"

"Oh, yes," he replied, "of course. Please, send him in."

It took the child a little longer to come in than it really should have, but Palpatine pretended not to notice.

"Ah, there you are, my boy. Why don't you come in and talk with me for a minute before you leave."

The boy's face remained blank as he bowed and shook his head. "Please forgive me, Chancellor, but if I stay any later, I will miss an appointment myself. I... just wanted to thank you for this opportunity."

"You are more than welcome," Palpatine said warmly. "Can you at least tell me if you enjoyed your day, or learned something?"

"I did enjoy today," the boy said, although he didn't look it. "It kept me busy."

"You like to be busy then."

A slight pause. "Yes, sir."

"I will keep that in mind, but I want you to know that you are not here to be worked to the bone. You are more than welcome to take your time. I would like to get to know you as well, so don't be a stranger when you're here."

"I will... keep that in mind, sir. May I have your leave?"

Palpatine cocked his head to one side. He would not let this boy go without getting some answers. "Were you some kind of host before you came to the Jedi? I'm just curious as to how you speak so well."

He saw the boy stiffen ever so slightly. "I... often ran a shop for my master. I dealt with customers on a regular basis."

"Is that when you learned to speak basic?"

"Yes, sir. I have had to know both basic and Huttese for as long as I can remember, although Huttese is my native language."

"I can't believe you were worked so hard, especially at your age," he tutted quietly. "Utterly criminal. I'm terribly glad you were chosen to come here."

"As am I, sir," the boy responded mechanically. "Thank you. May I go?"

Well, if he was that dead-set on leaving, Palpatine figured pushing him was probably not his best option right now.

"Of course, of course. Thank you again for your hard work, Anakin. I will see you again next week, yes?"

"Yes, of course, Chancellor," the boy said with a picture-perfect bow before turning and leaving. Palpatine watched the door after he left for several seconds, unable to keep a grin off of his face. This was going to be amusing.

xXx

Anakin fled from the Senate building. Well, he didn't run out. He made sure to walk calmly down to catch an air-taxi that would take him and a couple of his fellow initiates back to the Temple. He did, however, take the most direct route and did not stop for anyone, putting the hood of his robe up and over his head before walking firmly out. If anyone noticed him or called his way, he didn't acknowledge them, despite being hyper aware of those around him.

He barely acknowledged the other initiates (thankfully Hik'te wasn't among them, apparently he had a different ambassador schedule than Anakin) and sat quietly in the back with his arms folded into his robes.

Walking calmly off of the taxi, he paused for a moment and allowed himself to think for the first time since he'd left the Chancellor's office and just allow himself to revel in the fact that the presence of the man who had oppressed him for years was no longer in the immediate vicinity. He didn't feel safe at the Jedi Temple, per se, but it was better. Right now he had to cling to 'better' because otherwise he would shatter... and he couldn't afford to do that.

"Anakin?"

The former Sith blinked and glanced up to see Siri Tachi standing there worriedly. He glanced around, and yes, he hadn't moved from the stairs of the Jedi Temple.

"What... are you doing out here?" he asked.

Her gaze flattened ever so slightly as if to wonder why he'd asked that. "We know that picking you up at the Senate Building would have been suspicious. That doesn't mean someone couldn't be here to meet you and make sure you're alright."

Oh. Well, he supposed that made sense.

So he bowed. "I am fine, Knight Tachi. Your concern is... appreciated."

With that, he strode past her and into the temple.

"Where are you going?" she asked as she fell into step beside him.

"I require sustenance. I wished to obtain what I could before going to speak with Master Xio."

"Anakin, wait." An arm on his shoulder stopped him. His first thought was that no one should touch him and it took a great deal of effort to not simply turn around and...

He blinked and realized where his mind had just gone. He shied away from the uncomfortable thought. Had he really just had the idea to try and hurt – maybe even kill Siri?

"What is it?" he asked, his voice as emotionless as he could get it.

Siri's eyebrow furrowed worriedly. "Anakin, what did he do to you?"

Anakin frowned ever so slightly. "Nothing."

She looked highly skeptical. "Then why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like..." she paused and glanced around, making sure they were alone. She had to wait a few moments and that alone raised Anakin's hackles. "Like Vader."

His eyes widened and he took a step back from her as if she'd slapped him, despite the fact that she'd delivered the words in a soft, concerned tone. "What?" he practically hissed, hoping that his face hadn't gone too pale.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I realize that you're not going around killing people, and I doubt you're about to—" he carefully avoided thinking about the thought he'd just had as she continued, "–but do you really think that's all there was to Vader? In the last couple of years, you've learned to relax and be ready, more focused on growing than putting on a mask. You've been far more open and honest with both yourself and everyone around you and you... you seemed happier. Now, it's like all of that is gone. Your stance is stiff and formal, like you're about to present something or be presented – like you're being scrutinized. Have you noticed how you lock your arms behind you back or put them on your hips when you're upset? Well, I have."

Anakin looked down and indeed found that she was correct. Part of him wanted to move out of the stance immediately, distancing himself from that time in his life, while another part wanted to pretend that this was normal, just to try and maintain some of his dignity.

Before he could really do anything else, though, Siri went on.

"You haven't called me 'Knight Tachi' in over a year and you're speaking far more formally than you have since you came to the Temple initially. So don't tell me he didn't do anything." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, a mixture of anger, disappointment and worry causing him to want to shuffle in place.

Slowly, he moved his arms down to hang by his side and relaxed his body as best he could, looking away from her.

"It's true."

He could practically hear her rolling her eyes as if praying for patience. "What is?"

His hands clenched into fists. "That he didn't do anything. He greeted me, with Master Yoda there, he gave me some instructions and then he let me go."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her anger melt to puzzlement. "Really? He didn't get you to give away any information at all? Didn't make you question yourself or anyone around you?"

Well, now that she mentioned it... "I... suppose he did get some information I would have preferred he... didn't." Then he snorted softly. "And it is impossible to come out of a discussion with him without him having tried to plant some sort of suggestion."

"So he didn't do 'nothing' to you. He was his usual nasty self, just hidden behind that warm, welcoming mask."

Anakin felt himself relaxing a little more as she spoke. "Yes... I suppose so. Not that we expected differently... but..."

"It's the experience again," she finished softly. Then she sighed and bent down to put a hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, I know that..." again she paused and glanced around. The hall was large enough, though, that he doubted any Jedi not purposefully trying to overhear them would even notice their discussion. She still dropped her voice down to a lower decibel as she spoke, which he appreciated. "I know that 'Vader' – the mask you put on when you were him – kept you safe from him. Well, the safest you could be. But it isn't keeping you safe now. It's just going to hurt you – and us – if you continue to act like who you used to be when that man isn't around."

Visibly, her words didn't seem to have as much of an impact as before, but the reality couldn't be further from the truth. He sat there for several seconds wondering on what she'd said and why her words seemed to put everything into a perspective he'd only vaguely even been aware of before. Had he really acted as he did when he'd been Vader as a way to keep himself safe? Eventually he came to the conclusion that yes, that was part of it. Towards the end, a large part of it. He had to act the way Sidious had expected so as to not draw too much negative (painful and restricting) attention. And acting in similar ways now was his mind's twisted way of protecting him.

Hadn't Girth and Master Xio both stated that he would be tempted to fall back into old habits? Was this why? Although that particular connection sounded like one of his therapists in particular.

"You've been talking about this to Healer Girth, haven't you."

She scratched at her cheek as her face colored ever so slightly, giving away the answer almost immediately. "Yes." She seemed to realize something and hurried to amend, "But we're not talking about you behind your back."

He shook his head and managed a small smile. It was leaps and bounds of improvement over how he'd just acted and how he'd acted when he'd first come to the Temple. The fact that he could realize and recognize that was probably a big step too and he was finally able to let go of his tension altogether. He knew it wouldn't last, but he could take advantage of it now.

"I know," he assured Siri. "I'm not exactly a subject you can avoid in your sessions."

She returned the smile through her relief at his assurance. "You're really not. Although you're not quite as prominent as some might think."

"Oh? And who else plays parts in these sessions, if I may ask?" He was surprised that he could sound a little teasing right now. It was like night and day to even five minutes before. Siri really was good for him, he suddenly realized.

She rolled her eyes. "Chosen one or not, the universe doesn't revolve around you."

"I'm guessing Obi-wan plays his part then."

Was it just him, or had her blush returned? "And Ferrus, all of my fellow Jedi – we've had some very interesting discussions involving Quinlain Vos."

Anakin snorted.

"And the war, and the clones and... Macro."

Something about how her tone dropped sadly clued him in.

"Was he your clone commander?"

She nodded grimly and turned to walk further into the Temple. Anakin fell into step beside her. "Yes. I know I... died rather early on in the war, but I still had a Clone commander at my side for a couple of battles. He... saved my sorry butt a couple of times."

He noted her pathetic attempt to raise the mood again, but didn't feel like trying to contribute to it as something had occurred to him.

"I... haven't even started to talk about my... death." Of course, a lot of that would probably come after they'd really started to tackle specifics of his life as Vader... which they hadn't yet. Both Girth and Xio insisted that he had to be in a fairly stable, supported and safe place before he could attack that particular monster and that he should do so when he's ready.

He still wasn't sure if he ever really would be.

"Did you see it?" he heard himself asking, suddenly curious. "My death?"

She glanced over at him before looking back ahead of them. "I remember it, yes. Relatively more peaceful than mine."

He blinked in surprise. "A cyborg electrocuted by his dark master?"

She didn't flinch, but he could tell it was a near thing through their Force bond. "Well, you died in your son's arms."

"You... died in Obi-wan's."

"It was still rather hectic."

"And my son dragging me away from a planet-sized space station about to implode wasn't?"

He could feel her rolling her eyes. "Fine. Neither of them were that... pleasant."

They walked for a couple of minutes in silence as both mulled on that.

Finally, Anakin found himself speaking, if softly. "I'm... glad Luke was there. I don't really remember much after that except it being peaceful... and wondering how I'd finally found peace when I didn't deserve it."

Wisely, Siri didn't comment on that, instead nodding with a far-away look in her eyes. "I remember that peace. It... was a bit different for me, though, I think. Everything changed after I died. My perspective, the way I processed information, it's a blur to me now... but I remember just wanting to meet the people I cared for in life. I wonder if how we go has something to do with our state of being after we die." She snorted softly. "I'm glad Obi-wan was there for me."

Another few seconds of quiet before they entered the hallway that would lead them to the cafeteria. Then he felt a wave of amusement and a much louder snort from his companion. He was a little concerned that he hadn't been able to sense her so well before... what did that say about his state of being just now?

Shaking that thought away, Anakin looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. "What, may I ask, do you find so amusing?"

She bit her lips as if holding back laughter for a moment before placing a neutral expression on her face.

"I was just wondering how confused someone would be if they did happen to overhear any part of our conversation."

Anakin blinked at her for several seconds, thinking back on everything they'd discussed before he too found himself chuckling.

"That would be... highly amusing to see," he conceded and then continued to chuckle as Siri broke into a full-on laugh. It didn't last long, but it felt very good.

"Oh," Siri said suddenly, "I just remembered. Apparently Obi-wan is taking Ferus out on a survival training mission."

Anakin felt his smile fade, although he tried to be happy for his old master. He really did. He couldn't help but compare though. "He didn't take me on one of those until I was fourteen."

"Well, to be fair, Ferus has lived in the temple for thirteen years."

He wanted to argue against that, and really, he could. Anakin had been caught up with the temple curriculum two years into his stay the first time, with the exception of a couple of his classes. Even his lightsaber had been at least up to par. He'd really been on his way to excelling by that point.

Still, he had to remember that this Obi-wan had had time to learn and grieve and be on his own before he took a padawan. He had to remember that this Obi-wan wasn't his Obi-wan and the fact that he could have been was irrelevant. It didn't stop him from being a little jealous though.

"Well," he said, trying to keep his tone light, "at least they won't have to worry about what happened when he took me."

She cocked her head, remembering. "That was the first time Granta Omega showed up, wasn't it?"

Anakin nodded.

"How did you get caught up in my slave-trade mission then?" Siri asked.

"That was one of our first missions. A simple escort mission, actually."

"Ah. I guess I just would have expected Obi-wan to do a survival training sooner."

"Well," Anakin returned, "as you said before, I wasn't exactly conventional."

"Point."

"Speaking of, have you heard anything about who took that mission instead of you?" the former Sith asked, mainly out of curiosity.

Siri slowed her gait and looked around. More Jedi were near now that they were so close to the cafeteria, and most of them were children seeing as it was the creche's cafeteria. She jerked her head to one side, motioning for him to follow her towards an alcove where they'd be able to see if anyone approached them.

"Well, no. I haven't really heard of anything, having gone through the knighting trials more traditionally this time." Actually, they were lucky that the Council had allowed her to be knighted with the occasional relapses she still had, but Adi-Gallia, a couple of her contemporaries on the Council and Master Xio had all argued for it. Siri was on probation, for the most part, but she was considered a full-fledged knight.

"I'm hearing a 'but' in there."

"Well, Master Billaba disappeared around the right time."

Anakin frowned. He hadn't had a whole lot of interaction with Depa Billaba in his previous life. He remembered a scandal surrounding her, though. Something about falling and a memory wipe? He couldn't really remember as it hadn't been extremely important to him at the time. He'd been so self involved... ugh.

"But she's on the Council. Wouldn't that defeat the whole idea of sending a padawan or knight in to begin with? For the unknown factor?"

Siri shrugged. "The Galaxy's a big place and she's very good at blending in when she wants to. I suspect that she didn't take the mission initially because the temple was beginning to try out more non-traditional ways of promoting padawans to knights. I volunteered to be a test subject and that was the closest mission they had of sufficient strength to the requirements I had yet to fulfill."

Anakin felt his eyebrows twitch upwards. "Trial by fire, so to speak."

The older blond nodded. "As you can guess, it didn't really catch on until the war broke out."

"Unsurprising," Anakin replied, tone a touch dry. Then he cocked his head. "So you think that Master Billaba is now undercover."

Siri shrugged. "Who's to say? But it does fit her M.O."

"Oh?" the former Sith asked, surprised. "I didn't know her well. Was she a..." he lowered his voice even further, "shadow?"

At that, Siri's expression fell sadly again. "She could have been if... well, her real status ended up being

something a bit more nebulous than that."

"And I suppose that's all you're willing to say."

"My, you're perceptive for a former Sith."

His face fell into a deadpan. "And you're awfully annoying for a former ghost."

She smirked at him. "Not your best comeback, kid."

He rolled his eyes and turned to walk to the cafeteria. "Your immaturity astounds me sometimes. Which one of us is older again?"

"Better," she said after him, and he could hear the smile she still held. "Although the point could be argued. I mean, between the two of us I only have about 45 years... you have what, 47? 48?"

"I'll remember that the next time you try to pull seniority on me."

"Oh, go get your food, old man! And remember, right now, I outrank you."

Anakin snorted and brushed her comment off, but he could still feel her amusement through the bond. Why was it that every time he talked to her she insisted on taking him for an emotional speeder ride. He didn't mind though. As long as he felt those emotions, he felt human still. Not like a ghost or a Sith or a relic of a world that would hopefully never be, and surprisingly, not even a Jedi, but human.

He slowed and turned to see her heading off down the hall and recalled his previous thought about how she was good for him. He didn't think he was good for anybody at this point, but if he was remotely close to being good for anyone, it was most likely her.

For several seconds he watched her as she disappeared around the corner of the hall. For the first time, he seriously considered asking her to take him as a 'padawan'. It would solve and even head off a lot of problems. Then he shook his head, because like most changes, it would create as many problems as it solved. That and it didn't really feel... right. Although he wasn't sure if it just wasn't right yet or if it would never be.

xXx

Extra long chapter to make up for the time it took to get it out.

Not gonna lie, I've had this chapter more or less done for a while, but I am of the opinion that if I cannot handle trolls/harsh criticism, I shouldn't post something. Due to some pretty nasty depression, I haven't been able to handle it recently, emotionally and mentally. It has to do with some personal changes, people who have left my life either by choice or by death (Love you and miss you, Grandma) and getting ready to move on top of my husband wanting to go and see his family, you know, states away... 14 hour drive there, another 14 back... yeah. It's been a busy, roller-coaster of a summer and now I'm FINALLY at a point where I feel I can post this and take whatever comes, for good or bad. Since I prefer harsher criticisms, that really should say a lot about how things have improved.

On a side note, one other thing that has taken time out of my life is me writing a screenplay for a pilot to a series. I'm entering it into a contest, so wish me luck! I'm also working on an original epic fantasy book series and I still have my webcomic going (it's on pause for now, but will be back next month). So, my fan-fic writing might not be quite the top of my list, but I promise that I will NOT abandon this fic! I will end it! It will happen! Although I might just summarize the fourth book, I will most definitely finish this one.

In any case, you have my apologies for being so late. I give permission to tear into it!

Thanks to Khalthar and Carradee for being my beta readers! You guys seriously rock!