Chapter 6 The Chancellor
In Barriss's room she would continue pondering on the vision as she remembered Anakin's face when that thing called out, "Come Vader, join us." While she was looking down at her chest where the spark of lightning came out before the dream. Touching the area wondering what it was and how it happened, she would then get startled at her door opening up. It was Master Luminara as she walked into the back of Barriss's room without any knock or even asking if she could come in. "Why aren't you ready?" Luminara said in a stern voice while putting her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry, right away just need to get a few things" Barriss would say as she hid the commlink with her hand hoping master Luminara didn't see it. Turning to her as Barriss quickly pushes the commlink under her pillow Luminara would say "Well hurry, you have a lot to learn about today." While she quickly walked out of Barriss's room. Barriss would sigh as she almost got caught with the commlink. Then thinking about her master's other student before Barriss. She was Kaysi Zanar another Mirialan female she was much like Barriss as she showed emotions but was not able to take Luminara's teachings so would leave the order. But that's what she was told but she knew it was Luminara's attitude and also feels at time that she would leave the order as well but if it wasn't for Anakin. But wondered what ever happened to her as Kaysi didn't go back to Mirial. But then quickly got ready as she didn't want to keep Master Luminara waiting.
As Barriss left her room with Master Luminara waiting with her arms crossed with a frustrated look on her face. "Sorry, I'm ready now" Barriss would say bowing to her Master. "Come we have much to talk about." Luminara would say while walking down the Hallway toward the garden as Barriss followed close behind her. As they walked Barriss had so much on her mind and Luminara could sense it. "Do you have something to ask me?" Luminara would say while continuing to walk towards the garden. But Barriss would stop like she froze in her spot. "About Kaysi? Right?" Luminara would say while turning back to look at Barriss as she continued, "I know you want to ask me why she left." Barriss stumbling to get the words out would say "Well I always wondered why she left the order?" As she looked down at her feet to avoid looking at Luminara. Luminara would walk up to Barriss and put her hand on Barriss shoulder saying, "because she fell in love with another Jedi and then attacked him when he didn't feel the same. She was then banished for the temple because the Jedi she attacked told the council not to arrest her, but she is a Jedi no more as its against the Jedi code to love." Barriss would quickly look up at Luminara asking, "why is it against the code?" Taking her hand off Barriss's shoulder Luminara would look confused by Barriss's question. She would then start saying "Love leads to loss, loss leads to anger, Anger leads to rage, rage leads to suffering. Love will lead you down to the dark side as Kaysi is a perfect example for why Jedi should not love." After turning back to continue walking down the hallway toward the garden. "But maybe its different for other jedi what if they both love each other!" Barriss would shout out while standing there in a somewhat angry stands. Luminara would stop in a shocked movement as she looked back confused at what her padawan just said. Luminara would walk back as she would ask "Barriss? Have you been having these feelings?" while reading Barriss's face. Barriss would somewhat blush as she hid it from her master but would say nervously "No. No just a question" as Barriss hoped Luminara wouldn't press on it. Continuing to read Barriss face Luminara would say, "It doesn't matter because it's against the Jedi Code." Barriss almost cowering from Luminara would say "Oh Okay Sorry Master" looking away like a child losing an argument with their parents. Luminara would turn back to walking down the hallway towards the garden as she said "Come Padawan I have much to teach you today." Barriss would begrudgingly start to follow Luminara while saying "Yes Master, right away." As they continued down the hallway in silents towards the gardens.
Anakin would be standing in an elevator that went up to the Chancellor's apartment sweet which was on the top floor of the apartment building. Anakin would think about everything: Barriss, the incident on Xxorn, Obi Wan, and the dream as he then looked down touching the area where the arm grabbed him noticing that the tunic was scrunched as if someone grabbed it. Trying to look closer, a bell would then ring as the doors to the elevator opened revealing the chancellor waiting in front of the door as if he knew when he would be there. "Ah Anakin welcome. Come, come in" The Chancellor would say gesturing Anakin while putting his hand on Anakin's back to pull him into the apartment. "We have much to talk about come take a seat" as he was pointing at a chair by a bay window in the apartment as he would continue saying as he finally gets Anakin into the apartment. "Yes, your Excellency" Anakin would say as he went to take a seat in the chair the chancellor was pointing too. "How was your first mission?" the Chancellor would ask while walking to the window of his apartment. "It was fine!" Anakin would say looking away from the Chancellor so he couldn't tell Anakin was lying. The Chancellor smirking while looking out the window as he knew he was lying to him. "Tell me, you can trust me" as he turns his head to the side as he started looking at Anakin. Anakin noticing would say "No nothing really happened just a boring meeting." As he made himself more comfortable on the chair and Palpatine would notice how nervous Anakin was. "And after the meeting?" Palpatine would ask knowing something happened with the force as he felt something when it happened. Anakin looking shocked touching his chest where the spark came from then saying "No! Nothing happened. Why?" as Anakin looks up at the Chancellor in somewhat fear. Palpatine would turn to Anakin looking with a stern face saying, "Oh okay. That's good to hear I heard a jedi killed a civilian, but I guess, they were wrong." As he turns back to the window. "No, it wasn't a Jedi!" Anakin shouted out well noticing the chancellor look back at him in shock but then would continue saying "Oh ah I heard… I mean I didn't hear that. But I heard a different story!" As he looked embarrassed. Palpatine would smirk as he can see Anakin's nervousness then Palpatine said "Ah yes well that's good to hear. I was afraid something happened to you, my child." Anakin would look away from Palpatine while saying "Sorry, but I wasn't there when it happened." While Anakin put his knees up to his face like he was hiding from the Chancellor.
But Palpatine would just change the topic by saying, "Ah but have you heard the news about your old friends?" Anakin would look towards Palpatine again while saying "What news your excellency." Palpatine would look back out the window as he said "Well, your jedi friend Tan Yuster has now been reported missing along with his Master during they're mission I heard." Anakin would look shocked as Palpatine continued "Yes, I heard him, and his master were on a mission in the depths of Coruscant." As Anakin then asked, "why did they go there? And how did he become missing?" Palpatine would walk towards his desk as he said "I heard the Council gave them a mission on the gangs in the underworld of Coruscant's lower levels. Apparently, it is getting worst down there, and they were sent to check it out and make a report for the council. But the council hasn't heard anything from them, and it was supposed to be done two weeks ago." Anakin would straighten up on his chair while thinking about Tan.
It was back a year ago during the youngling Lightsaber training when he was fourteen. Anakin would modify a droid to look and have the combat skills of the Sith assassin that Obi Wan encountered on Naboo. As Anakin was dueling the droid, Barriss would be sitting down looking on in amazement as she loved watching Anakin's dueling sessions. As he finished the droid off with a leap over the droid with a slash through the torso cutting him in half much like Obi Wan did. Barriss would jump up in excitement as she clapped, she would say "Good job Anakin that was amazing!" Anakin would bow in appreciation as he smiled at Barriss saying "Thank you everyone!" as he chuckled. When a bunch of people turned the corner, it was Tan, Tarados, and a few other Padawans. They would be laughing and mocking Anakin with Tan saying, "Look at the so called Chosen One trying to impress his only fan." While laughing even harder Tan would continue "Why don't you come with us Barriss. You'll probably get better company with us than him. I am the one, that's going on his first mission and could always use a goodbye." As he pointed to Anakin like he was mocking him. Anakin would grip his lightsaber tighter in anger, but Barriss would jump in front of Anakin as she shouted, "I would rather hang out with HIM than any of you guys he knows how to be a friend not an Oggdo!" Tan would look with frustration as he walked towards them as he continued looking at Anakin saying, "You're lucky, she thinks your great, but she will soon see I am the great one." Laughing as he looked at his friends then continued saying "The so called Chosen One so pathetic. I'm the Great One its better then Chosen" as he continued laughing as Tan starts walking away as Anakin got even angrier at the statement. But Barriss would put her hand in Anakin's hand holding it tight to keep his emotions from blowing up. As Tan and his friends kept walking away, he would say "Well come say goodbye to me before I leave on my mission Barriss when you get bored of this loser." Barriss would just say to Anakin while turning towards him. "Don't listen to him Anakin He is just getting under your nerves!" as she sees that it wasn't changing his mood would continue "Plus who else would teach me that amazing move you just did?" as she put on a huge smile for Anakin to make him happy. Anakin would start putting a small smile on while saying with sarcasm "Doubt that I can teach you it as I am not apparently a Chosen One." Barriss, seeing she had lightened the mood and would say "Well guess I should go to the Great One then" with sarcasms while laughing at the stupidity of Tan's claim. Anakin would laugh with her as he gripped Barriss hand more just liking the feel of another touch then saying, "Thank You Barriss."
"I Heard you two had past experiences is that true?" The Chancellor would say, breaking Anakin out of his thoughts. "Oh Yeah, we did in the jedi temple yes." Anakin would say as he tried to put himself back in the present day. Palpatine, seeing it hit a nerve of Anakin and start saying "Well he is a somewhat more experienced Padawan than you so he should hopefully be okay." Anakin would look up at the Chancellor with frustration at what he said "We weren't really friends!" Anakin would say with anger. "Oh yeah sorry about that. Isn't that one weird girl your friend?" Palpatine would say knowing he was getting Anakin angrier every time. "Her name is Barriss, and she isn't weird!" Anakin would pretty much shout it at Palpatine. With Palpatine giving a stern look Anakin would notice and say, "Sorry your excellency I didn't mean to say it like that!" Palpatine would change back to a normal look as he walked over towards Anakin and say, "It's okay my son, I didn't mean to say that." Anakin would notice the Chancellor was right in front of him as the Chancellor continued saying "but have you heard your old friend Padme has stepped down as the Queen of Naboo and has now become the Senator." Anakin would look in shock hearing about that and stutter out "Padme?" Palpatine would turn back and walk towards his desk again while smirking then say "Yes, she is also going to be living here on Coruscant as she will be working here now." Anakin continued to look blank trying to think about Padme but only could see faded memories. Then Anakin would get up from his chair. "Well, that's good for her but is that everything?" Anakin would say wanting to leave so he could go see Barriss and talk about everything. Palpatine, knowing he has got into Anakin's head would sit down in his chair at the desk and say "No that is everything you are okay to take your leave my boy. I must get ready for my meeting on this Separatist crisis." Anakin would start walking toward the elevator while saying "Thank you, your excellency." Getting into the elevator, Anakin would start to feel a cool chill while the elevator closed with Palpatine sitting on the other side with an evil smile grinning his face. As the elevator went down Anakin would be thinking about the first time, he saw Padme when she entered Watto's shop all those years ago but knowing he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. But now he couldn't even remember what her face looked like. Then his mind went to Barriss and her beauty to him. He thought whenever Barriss came up in his mind he would feel warm. But then remembered the dream and then thought he must talk to Barriss about it.
In the Jedi Meditation room Master Yoda and Aayla Secura would be sitting cross-legged on meditation pillows across from each other. As they meditate, time would go by in silents for a couple hours but then they would feel a brush of wind blowing out the candles in the room. Yoda and Aayla would be lifted out of the meditation pillows by the living force. As Qui Gon's voice called out saying "The darkness will come for them, and you all will fail them. The Chosen One and The Balancer must stay together. You must not fail; you must let them love. Love is the key to the light. They will bring Balance to the force. The Chosen One and The Balancer." As the voice disappeared both Jedi would be brought down back onto their meditation pillows. Aayla would then look across at Yoda saying, "Was that, Qui Gon?" As Yoda looked towards her saying "It is Good, that him you hear. Crazy I thought I became but now I know it was him." Aayla would look shocked as she muttered out "But how is it Qui Gon? He died on Naboo!" Yoda would look down as he said "Yes not sure I am. But his message I want to know its meaning." As he looked up at Aayla with more concern while continuing "Between us this shall remain until we can figure it out a little more." As Aayla nodded understanding even if she told any of the Jedi, they wouldn't believe her anyways as she said, "Yes Master Yoda what should we do now?" Yoda would get up from his spot and begin to walk while saying "Go to see Obi Wan, we must. Ask him about Qui Gon we must." Motioning Aayla to follow him as he leaves the room with Aayla catching up with him asking "Why Obi Wan?" Yoda continuing to walk would say "First and last of Qui Gon's padawan he was." With them continuing down the hallway towards the Jedi Hangar Bay to wait for Obi Wan to return from his mission.
Hope you are liking it so far and don't worry as there will be action and space battles in the future of this Story just trying to introduce and build up my characters before everything instead of just throwing random action scenes in. But don't worry its getting there and Chapters are to be released every Monday.