Coruscant truly was a feat of sapient ingenuity; magnificent, pristine and state-of the art. It was also, simultaneously, the epitome of a true slum, showing the utter dregs of society; terrible, grimy and ancient. Anakin had seen the city world from multiple different angles many times before, and this route showed him nothing new, yet he found himself appreciating it more than usual. He'd taken the airbus from the Jedi Temple to the Senate Building hundreds if not thousands of times before – but rarely took the time to truly observe the structures surrounding it. He'd taken it for granted… much like he had the Force and his connection to it, he supposed.
He sighed as he watched the scene out of the window of the transport, unable to really keep his mind from wandering and not trying very hard to reign his train of thought in. Despite his upcoming time block of Ambassadorial duty, he found himself only mildly concerned instead of in his usual brace-for-disaster state. He chalked a lot of that up to the mind-healing session he'd had with Master Xio the night before, discussing the completely new view on the Force and both the Jedi and Sith codes, once he'd explained the Father and his vision of course. That had already thrown the older master for a loop, but when he'd spoken about how, if viewed as a warning, the Sith Code took on a completely new meaning, the older master had just stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. After a couple of seconds, though, she'd pulled herself out of her shock and they'd had an extremely interesting discussion on the sides of the Force and how different philosophies encouraged different mind-sets in the societies that had grown around them.
Unfortunately, they hadn't spoken much about Palpatine and Anakin's upcoming visit, but the discussion had led him to thinking of his former master in a different light. Not necessarily better, but definitely different. The dark liked to control those who touched it – especially those who had been raised with Jedi philosophies. Yet Palpatine wielded the dark so effortlessly. He felt, looked and acted like he owned the Force – like he was the dark side. It was a recurring theme with him as that's how he viewed his relation to the Senate as well. (Did his narcissism have no bounds?)
He'd always been so confident that Anakin had never really asked: Was Palpatine as free as he presented? To answer that, he supposed he needed to define freedom, so he pulled out his comm and opened the holoweb app. He was unsurprised to come up with many definitions from all over the galaxy, but it was a little overwhelming.
The top definitions included: The absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another: independence; the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous – freedom from care; unrestricted use gave him the freedom of their home; ease, facility spoke the language with freedom; the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken answered with freedom; improper familiarity; boldness of conception or execution; a political right.*
And that was just the tip of the iceberg. This… would be more complicated than he'd thought. Still, as he sat there on the airbus on his way to the Senate, he went through each and every one of them, applying the different definitions to the code. His results were… inconclusive, much to his annoyance and frustration. Some of the definitions applied to Palpatine, some of them didn't, and some of them hadn't made any sense in the context of the code. The Force shall give me ease and facilitate my ability to speak language unrestrained? He'd actually snorted outright at that one.
He was reminded yet again why this was Padme's and Obi-wan's strength, not his.
And that was before he realized that Palpatine's definition of freedom likely differed from Anakin's, and probably changed on a regular basis to suit his goals and narrative.
Did Palpatine strive for anything that wasn't power? He highly suspected that 'power' and 'freedom' were one and the same in the man's mind, so much as he applied the term to himself in any case.
He was still contemplating as he absently made his way through the Senate building, only really shooing the train of thought away as he exited the last lift. The new angle was interesting and thought-provoking, but ultimately changed nothing. In the end, Palpatine still had to be deposed and arrested if not destroyed (and Anakin would be lying if he said he didn't prefer the latter), for the sake of the galaxy. That meant Anakin had to focus on the here and now; on surviving the next couple of hours in close proximity to Palpatine.
"I'm a recently freed slave from Tatooine whose master used to be manipulative and emotionally… abusive," he paused for a moment, realizing that as much as he hated to admit it, the man had been abusive. And Anakin had been abused… well, Anakin had been groomed and Vader had been abused (was there really any difference?). That… was not easy to realize or admit even to himself. It hurt to realize how much he'd been taken advantage of, and what he'd been unable to stop, but both of his therapists (and many of the rest of those in the know) had verbally beaten it into his head again and again that that had not been his fault or anything he should blame himself for. Girth had helped him see, a couple of months back, that he had blamed himself in a bid to try and regain some control over the situation – that not having control… concerned him.
But how much of the world around him could he control? How much should he control? How many people had he hurt or killed trying to control his situation?
It had taken him a couple of sessions to begin to realize that in the end, he could only control himself, and that was what he had to do here.
"I don't trust older men. Around them, I tend to be withdrawn and guarded. I am just settling into the Jedi Order and Coruscant. This is all overwhelming." And of those, only the last had been truly incorrect. Coruscant and the Senate wasn't overwhelming in the slightest in and of themselves. Although with everything else going on…
Once again, he likely wouldn't be acting much.
He walked into the waiting room for the Chancellor's office and up to the secretary there as calmly as he could.
"Anakin," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you're here. He's actually asked for you immediately."
The state of calm he'd managed to achieve didn't shatter, but that was only out of sheer will, and some of it must have shown on his face because the woman hurried to reassure him.
"You've done nothing wrong, I promise! He just had a problem come up with his current meeting and thinks you can help him prove a point."
That… didn't help much. "Prove a point?" Anakin asked, hoping for more clarity.
"I think it will become apparent once you get in there," she said warmly. "Head on back. I think you'll like this. Few people would get such a chance!"
Anakin didn't believe that for a second, even if the secretary might.
He glanced at the door to the Chancellor's office once before steeling himself, nodding at the smiling woman and walking back with his head held high.
He made sure he didn't hesitate when pressing the alert button, and waited patiently (or, he hoped he looked patient) for the Chancellor to open said door. After just a few seconds, it whooshed open and Anakin faced the unfortunately familiar office. If it didn't have so many bad memories associated with it, he may have actually appreciated the nostalgia.
"Ah, Anakin," Palpatine said as he stood. "Just in time!"
The initiate felt himself straightening, keeping his attention on Palpatine, only allowing his focus to drift with the Force, taking everyone in the room in. With as uptight as he felt right now, he didn't dare fight old habits – keep his focus on the Emper… Chancellor, and only acknowledge everyone else once he received permission. That didn't mean he wouldn't be prepared. He could sense three other people there, one of them felt familiar but he couldn't place the signature.
The Chancellor gestured to the others in the room, and Anakin allowed himself to finally turn his attention to them. It took considerable effort to not show his distaste. He'd never been a fan of the being before him.
"This is Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, his aid Ms. Pampy, and his current secretary, Lan Supa." The former, of course, towered above everyone, his rather wide girth not as… impressive as Anakin remembered it being in the future, but if he recalled correctly, the twi-lek was a relatively new senator, not even on Coruscant a decade yet. He didn't remember either of the other two and could only guess that they would be replaced, fired or 'disappeared' before the Clone Wars began, when in the original time, Anakin would have been around enough to recognize their Force signatures.
Anakin bowed respectfully as Palpatine introduced him (much to his chagrin).
"This is Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi initiate who has recently become my young Ambassador."
"I see," the large Senator said, looking Anakin up and down before seemingly dismissing him and turning to face the Sith in disguise. "And why did you want him in this discussion?"
"Since we are discussing the ongoing trade of your people, and he was recently freed from slavery himself, I thought he could provide some first-hand insight."
The time traveler felt himself stiffen even further. The idea of Palpatine talking about Anakin's past so freely – in front of, for all he knew, strangers nonetheless – did not sit well with him. The twi-lek senator also didn't seem happy with the new variable… strange because Anakin remembered him being a staunch supporter of Palpatine's, throughout both the end of the Republic and the Empire. For the Chancellor to call him out like this, even in private…
There was something more to this… and Anakin had a sinking suspicion that it had to do with him and his slip-up last week, although he couldn't put together exactly why. He did hate how he had to tamp down his panic and anger. It was an old but familiar anger as Palpatine had done more or less the same thing multiple times as the Emperor, purposefully dragging Vader's insecurities into the light and parading them for the entire Imperial Senate to see, as a simple joke or passing remark to 'help him', of course. They'd always been such cruel passing remarks…
"With all due respect, Chancellor," the large twi-lek said, more than a little outrage in his tone, "the boy's experiences and my people's experiences are very likely completely different." Well, he wasn't wrong, per se, but that didn't mean his view should be completely dismissed. Especially by one such as this, who was likely dismissing Anakin simply because he didn't want to see the truth. He, himself, had been tied to his own people's trafficking several times, although nothing had come of the allegations, of course.
"I believe that remains to be seen," the Chancellor said, a little coolly. His voice warmed significantly when he turned to Anakin. "My boy, I am sorry to spring this on you so suddenly," a lie, "but did you happen to know any twi-lek slaves while in your unfortunate circumstances?"
Anakin glanced between Palpatine and Taa for a couple of seconds before focusing back on the Chancellor. "Yes."
"And their conditions?"
Anakin frowned but still answered truthfully, as Palpatine would expect. He had to remember that – keep giving Palpatine what he's calculated.
"On average, typical conditions for sex slaves on Tatooine."
Taa finally turned his disdainful expression onto Anakin. "Typical statement from ignorance, assuming all twi-leks are sex slaves." Anakin felt himself bristle. As if that made it better? Looking down on Anakin's experience simply because he'd made an easy, generalized statement.
"No," he returned, voice rock-solid, "but over 90% of biologically female twi-leks and 80% of male twi-leks are." A pulse in the Force came from the female twi-lek, a blue-skinned woman dressed in fancy robes. She didn't look up at Anakin and he suddenly had a very bad feeling regarding her. The male secretary – a rosy-skinned twi-lek dressed mostly in black with pops of color here and there, watched Anakin with curiosity.
"You could not possibly know that," Taa shot back.
The time traveler couldn't help his eyes narrow as he reached back and took out his comm, opening the same app he'd accessed before to look up the definition of freedom. Within seconds, he had the information he'd looked up multiple times before – he knew exactly where to find it. "According to multiple credible sources, the range goes between 90% flat and 98% for females, depending on which source you go to. The other 'duties' they have vary between dancing – very common – masseuse and other personal hygiene categories, nannies and child raring, personal finance, business finance, bodyguard and just standing, sitting or laying around as ornaments." He glanced at the woman again when he sensed another emotional flinch.
"Such claims! Outrageous!" Taa exclaimed.
"You claim the University of Coruscant – both the First and Fifth districts – are outrageous?"
"How could they have gotten their information?" Taa shot back. "Going into such places, they would have had to pose as slavers themselves."
"Some got their information that way," Anakin conceded. "Some simply interviewed freed slaves or even current slaves under various other circumstances. But the Slavery and Sapient Trafficking department of their security force on Corellia, CorSec, along with the University of Coronet, has similar statistics. Universities and research facilities from Balosar, Metellos, Plexis, Tepasi, Dowut all say the same thing.
"And even if they didn't, why does that matter?" Anakin asked the spluttering Senator. "They're still slaves! They've still had their very rights stripped of them for another's comfort, pleasure or amusement!" He paused.
"What is this 'meeting' even about?" he asked, turning back to Palpatine, and upon seeing the man's 'concerned' face (with that slightly amused smile that meant he was enjoying something), he managed to get himself back under control. He hadn't thought that he'd lose his composure like that for the old wound of slavery.
"Sir," he finally said, trying to sound as meek as possible.
"We are discussing the resources the Republic has set aside for the recovery of slaves – specifically from Ryloth, currently," the Chancellor responded with that false concern of his – false only because Anakin knew, not because he could actually tell. "I asked the Senator here if he would like to join a coalition of planets who are coming together to do something about their Sapient Trafficking problems. I simply thought you could offer some insight. I must admit, I didn't think you'd be so… passionate about the subject."
Anakin's gut clenched. The way Palpatine had emphasized the word 'passionate'…
Through Passion I gain Strength…
"Most unusual for a Jedi," the Sith in hiding went on. "It is very refreshing to see, I must say."
And, for just a moment, he wore an expression that was pure Sidious, no hint of the mask of Palpatine he hid behind. Then it was gone and the concerned Chancellor was back.
He let me see that, Anakin realized. Because he knows… What exactly Palpatine knew, Anakin could only begin to guess at, but he'd caught the slip and come to conclusions about Anakin and his relation to the Sith.
For a moment that lasted an eternity, Anakin contemplated reaching for his comm and sending the 'Red' code to Yoda, Girth, Xio and probably Siri. But after a moment, he dismissed it (for now, he was keeping the panic at bay, if only barely) and looked from the Chancellor to Taa again.
"It is something I am working on," he said, then nodded respectfully to the twi-lek, no matter how much it galled him to do so. "I did not mean to get so heated."
"Yes, well, perhaps you should remember that in the future," Taa responded haughtily. Then he turned to the Chancellor.
"We will not join this coalition! We can handle our own trafficking problems. We can always use more funds, but our system works the best for us as it is." The twi-lek was either extremely naive or lying through his teeth… almost certainly the latter.
"Of course," Palpatine replied, all false sympathy and calmness. "I simply thought you would want to do so, what with the recent bounties on your life. I wouldn't want you to be in danger right here in the Senate, of course, especially when I realized that the bounty was from a group from your home planet."
Taa looked a little taken aback at that. Had he not heard of the bounty? Or had he known but not expected Palpatine to bring it up? He recovered quickly, though, waving his hand nonchalantly. "That is from a faction group. All planets have one – including your own, from what I understand."
"Indeed," Palpatine said, "but I am allowed to show concern over a friend and supporter, am I not? Were such a thing to happen, I would do everything I could to bring your murderer before me to receive their just reward." For a second, Anakin's eyes met Palpatine's, and he looked pointedly at the Senator for just a moment… wait, was he suggesting…?
"And since I have heard you complain about the situation before," the Chancellor continued, "and heard of this new sub coalition, I simply thought it an opportunity for you to show how much you truly are working for your home and planet. But if they already know that, I suppose it is a useless gesture."
Every word seemed to calm Taa down, but Anakin was positive he hadn't misunderstood the meaning behind that glance and those words. Palpatine was offering him something – no, he was offering to let a slave kill a master. Anakin realized that he could kill Taa here and now, or later in the Senate, and Palpatine wouldn't even bat an eye. He was offering to cover it up…
And it bothered Anakin that he was tempted. Taa had always been corrupt at best, an outright criminal himself at worst, and while that tended to apply to several Senators, this one took joy in bringing his 'personal enterprises' to the next level. He was a disgusting piece of sapient garbage… and killing him would do so much good for the future.
But then he would tip his cards in front of Palpatine and he couldn't do that. He hated that ultimately, that was what stopped him.
"Yes, indeed it would be useless," Taa said, finally relaxing fully. Anakin could get him so easily right now… he shook that thought aside and looked away. "Is that the only reason you wished to see me today, Chancellor? Because I do have some proposals for the allotment allowed to Ryloth that I would like to run by you."
Anakin felt his anger spike and he turned a glare back on the Senator. Billions of his own people in chains, and all he wanted to think about was how he could skim more money – probably illegally – off of the Republic's (and Ryloth's) funds? The Senator wasn't even paying attention to him… but his aide was. She met his eyes, face stony, and he certainly sensed her well wishes and appreciation. He got the sense she'd never been a slave herself… but it was obvious to him that she knew someone who had been.
He felt himself soften ever so slightly and nodded back.
"That is an interesting proposal, and certainly something I can look into," Palpatine said, drawing Anakin's attention again. "If you can get a formal proposal to me before the next meeting, I can put you on the docket and you may propose that similar funds may be used in such ways in multiple systems."
Wait, that was his 'wrapping up' voice…
And Anakin did not want to be alone with him.
It was time to send the call… which code should he use? He ran through them in his mind. White for non-issue, blue for a couple of minutes out of Palpatine's office, yellow for the day away and red for forever.
(He was so tempted to send the red, but then his mind-healers may not let him go to the gala, and he had to… except now someone would need to distract Palpatine or he might figure out who had the information and get ahead of it, even if he only just suspected and… and Anakin would really have to think on that later, when he wasn't on the verge of being alone in an office with his former master who knew he was at least connected to the Sith.)
While the Senator and his entourage stood, and Palpatine copied the gesture, Anakin sent a quick message with the word 'yellow' in the title and a comment talking about some robes he supposedly saw on the way up to the Chancellor's office.
Anakin stood at ease while the party made their slow goodbyes. Not slow enough…
Master Xio, he thought. Master Yoda… please hurry. Otherwise all of their hard work may be for nothing. He wasn't sure who would walk out of here alive (and fallen…) if he was left alone with the man currently. He was glad he'd thought to bring his lightsaber at least, but… well, Palpatine was younger and theoretically not as good at fighting… would Anakin stand a chance?
When the Father had told him he'd have very little time to figure out a new way of balance to take on Palpatine he hadn't realized it would come this soon…
And then a loud call came from his comm, with a sound he hadn't heard since the war. It meant an emergency.
He didn't jump. He didn't.
He did almost drop the comm unit before he managed to open the text that had been sent.
It stated that all Jedi not currently undercover on Coruscant must return to the temple immediately for their own safety due to threats received.
Anakin just stared at the holo message for several seconds. They'd done it… they'd actually managed to come up with a viable reason for him to return and implement it in minutes. He had to fight to keep the relief off of his face – and out of the Force.
"What is it, initiate?" Palpatine asked from the doorway looking rather annoyed. Orn Free Taa just looked curious.
"Someone has threatened the life of a Jedi… as a terrorist attack. We don't know which one."
"Who would do such a thing?" Taa asked, although he didn't sound concerned in the slightest.
"Who indeed?" Palpatine asked with a deadpan look only Anakin could see. He refused to allow himself to gulp. Or smirk… that would be bad, no matter how tempting.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but I need to go, now."
"Surely the Senate will be more than safe enough," Palpatine countered.
"I don't think the temple would want to put the Chancellor at risk," Anakin returned as calmly as he could. "The message didn't stipulate Initiates and Padawans only and if this terrorist is able to pose a credible threat to a Knight or even a Master, then your security forces will likely be no match for them."
"Quite right," Taa said before Palpatine could say anything. For just a moment, Anakin thought the Chancellor might murder the twi-lek where he stood, he looked so angry. Then his face smoothed out and he nodded magnanimously.
"Very well. Do you need an escort?" the Sith-in-disguise asked.
"No, I will be meeting the other Ambassadors in a… specified area," Anakin said after glancing down at the holo message again. It didn't actually say that, but he needed to get out… now, and without any strings attached.
"Then perhaps I can escort you, so far as I can on the way to my own offices," Taa suggested. Anakin wanted to roll his eyes. Taa's offices were on the other side of the building. The building itself could be a small city on most mid-rim planets. He wasn't really offering any sort of protection. Likely, he was just trying to get him away from the Chancellor so only Anakin would be a target.
Still, that was as good of an excuse as any. "I thank you for your offer and will gladly accept," Anakin said with a slight bow.
"I do hope you can come to the gala at the end of the week," Palpatine said, the concern back in his voice.
"I do too," Anakin replied, and at least that wasn't a lie.
"Come. We should hurry," Taa said.
"Of course," Anakin said as he hurried past Palpatine and thankfully out of the office. He did make sure to turn and bow respectfully. "Again, my apologies, sir."
"Think nothing of it! I would prefer you safe in the temple than here working under such conditions, of course!"
Such a liar. Such a good liar.
"Good day, sir!" Anakin said, then followed Orn Free Taa and his entourage out of the waiting room.
Taa immediately fell into conversation with his aid, speaking of their 'date' that evening and how grand the Balucian Opera was, what she should wear, etc. Normally, Anakin would have rolled his eyes, but after everything that had just happened with Palpatine, he could only look away, pushing the thoughts of killing this being out of his head. He could, he knew. The darkness whispered to him and… even after two years, he still fell back like this? No matter what anyone said, shouldn't he be over this mind-set?!
"So, you were a slave?" a tenor voice far nearer than Taa's drew Anakin's attention to the pink-skinned twi-lek… a Sal Lupa?
"Forgive my bluntness," the man said, smiling. Despite his sharp teeth, Anakin could tell he'd meant it to be friendly. "Lan Supa," he said, holding out his hand.
Ah, yes. That was it. "Anakin Skywalker," he said cautiously, taking the twi-lek's hand. "And yes, I was born a slave."
The man tipped his head to the side, causing the lekku draped around his shoulders to shift. "And you remember it? It was my understanding that Jedi could only be taken into the temple at a young age."
"I… was a bit of an exception," Anakin replied, hoping his discomfort didn't show. Times like this he really missed his mask.
"I see," the man said, looking thoughtful.
Then he leaned down and whispered to Anakin in a language he hadn't heard in years. "Death to the masters." He'd said that in slave creole, a very basic version of it and highly accented to what Anakin had known but…
"Long lives to the worthy," the initiate said the next phrase.
"Freedom to the children," they said together. Anakin felt himself relaxing a little. Then he glanced at Taa, who didn't seem to be paying attention to them at all.
"You're here for him, aren't you," Anakin asked quietly, then switched to slave creole. "You're a spy." He'd forgotten a lot of the language after not using it for so long, but he remembered enough.
"Death to the masters," Supa repeated in a very low voice. "And yes, I am."
"Do you… work on the trail?" the time-traveler said, still glancing at Taa every few seconds. Anyone who knew that language would know what trail they spoke of. Anakin, himself, had never been part of the freedom trail, but every slave knew of it.
He'd helped to track several 'trails' down as Vader. Many of them had started to take Jedi and Force sensitives after the fall of the Republic.
He didn't want to think of how many slaves he'd doomed either to a painful death or a return to slavery.
Yet another evil act on the very long list of monstrous deeds he had committed in his pain and pride.
"I do," the twi-lek answered in basic.
"Then," Anakin started, thrilled to have met someone here, in the Senate, but Taa cut in.
"And here we are! Good luck to you, Initiate!" he said hurriedly, pointing to the lift that would take Anakin down as he turned to walk down a hall that would lead him to an indoor transport that would take him to the other side of the building. He didn't even look back.
The initiate scowled after him.
"Don't worry," Supa said, reaching out for Anakin's hand. The time-traveler's scowl melted as he shook the offered appendage. Then his eyes widened in surprise as he felt the man slip him a piece of flimsy.
"It was good to meet you, Initiate Skywalker. If you, or any Jedi at the Temple, have any questions, you may contact me and I will answer them."
Anakin nodded and then looked down at the card in his hand. It simply had Lan Supa's name, office and comm code, likely a personal comm code.
This…
Anakin wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Taking a deep breath, he put the card in his pocket and hurried towards the lift. He had to let everyone know what he'd learned about Sidious… and also Lan Supa.
And maybe go racing tonight because he needed something to soothe his frazzled nerves.
xXx
*Multiple dictionaries
AN: Thank you to Quathis, Hidden50 and Khalthar for their helping with this!
Sorry this is so late. Family reunion and day-long drives to multiple states... But yeah.
Thank you for reading. I do appreciate it. :)
Discord: discord. gg/xDDz3gqWfy (no spaces)
