Hi, everyone.
I apologize for the long wait. I needed a bit of a breather during the holidays. Just a nice refresher. Sometimes, getting too deep into one fandom can be a detriment to writing.
But I'm back now and the regular update schedule should be back as it usually is. Two updates a month, sometimes three.
I told you all that the next chapter would be an important one and I hope it doesn't disappoint. It's also long to make up for the lack of a December chapter. Also in other good news, our dear friend Obi-Wan Kenobi returns this chapter! :)
Onwards!
"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds'. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind protects its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."- Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
Chapter 31. Scars
Obi-Wan Kenobi had been to many places throughout the galaxy. Some he rather enjoyed and some completely forgettable. The Clone Wars had taken him just about every which way. Sometimes it felt as though he'd explored almost every nook and corner of the universe, even though realistically such a feat was impossible. But seldom did the Great Negotiator truly experience an opportunity to enjoy life as it came. To unwind.
Spira fit that bill. A planet with no expectations and no creeds other than relaxation and restitution. Its wide, sandy beaches offered a kind of peace that he'd not allowed himself to feel since the days before the war. Clear, crystal waters soothed the soul, palm trees swayed lazily in the wind as though they had not a care in the world. The air was gentle and inviting, a caressing warmth that never dipped below twenty one degrees celsius. Tangy alcoholic drinks were aplenty and suited his fancy just fine.
Obi-Wan sipped one of those drinks, a tart, fizzy concoction comprised of multiple native fruits. This was all wonderful to be sure. But all of this paradise paled in comparison to the woman he currently shared it with.
"I'm going down to the shore for a little bit to enjoy the waves. Do you want to come?"
Satine sauntered up to him on the deck outside of their resort room. She pressed her soft lift lips to his neck and Obi-Wan received pleasant goosebumps.
"I'd better stay here," he said, taking her hand and kissing it back.
"Is that an excuse not to spend time with me?" she said with a teasing pout.
"On the contrary, we've been together almost every waking moment of every day during this retreat. I just…want to be prepared."
"Meaning you're waiting to be called back into service."
She wasn't wrong, and Obi-Wan didn't bother trying to deny it. But for as much as he loved this place, as much as he loved her, a small part of him remained on edge. It was automatic, reflexive and a full indictment on his role as a Jedi. A confirmation that the status of 'peacekeeper' no longer applied.
Many rules had been broken up to this point. Questions abounded about the true wisdom of the Order, including romantic relationships. But to shirk his duty now when the war neared its end? Never. What a stroke of good fortune, that both should coincide.
"The Council could call at any time. And as we reach the end of our time here, it is imperative I stay alert."
"Always on the move," she teased. It was a line he used on Anakin more than once and its usage here was no accident. "But may I remind you that we're on vacation?"
"Correction. You are on vacation. Officially, I'm here as your security…officially."
Officially was the operative word, or subjective depending on one's point of view. 'Officially', they slept in different rooms. 'Officially', they had not toured the island together. 'Officially', no improper relations of any kind had taken place. The Council assigned him the mission partially because of his familiarity with the Duchess and because the 212th was on leave. It gave pause to wonder just how in tune the Council really was with its members on a basic level. No one suspected any sexual liaison between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze. A darker thought occurred. Perhaps they rather chose to ignore it.
"It's also our last day. Away from Coruscant, away from the Council and our respective occupations. We don't know if we'll get another chance to spend quality time together…alone."
Her hands traced a path up and down his bare chest. Force, those hands. They worked magic, exploring places he'd never dared to dream of before. And when they linked with his, it felt as though a missing piece fit together. The better half of a complete whole.
Is this what Anakin feels when he's with Padme? he wondered to himself. Is this what the Jedi Order has forbidden to us?
Obi-Wan took those soft hands and kissed them.
"Go on ahead. Tonight we'll go out for one last dinner."
Her smile faltered just a little bit but a well placed kiss brought it back.
"I will never break my vow to serve the Jedi," he said to her. "But I will never break my vow to you either. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."
Satine accepted this with radiant happiness. Obi-Wan could sense it in her. And her happiness elicited the same emotion. He couldn't take his eyes off the Duchess as she walked away, her hips swaying in a mesmerizing dance from side to side in a bathing suit he was very partial to.
Blast it all. I've fallen in love, haven't I?
Even if there existed some guilt in breaking the Jedi Code, no part of him regretted it. For once, the heart and mind worked in tandem. How did this violate any clause of morality? Codes were essential as were the concepts of law and order. But this had nothing to do with any of that. He supposed he was 'attached' at this point in the relationship, and given its prohibition, why then did he not feel the call of the dark side? If anything, the reverse was true.
Yes, one shouldn't place their selfishness above duty and the greater good. But this did not embody the trappings of greed. If anything his love for Satine felt selfless. Something that brought out the best in both parties. A connection predicated on sharing, vulnerability, and affection. He'd do anything for her just as she would do the same for her.
Standing amongst one of the most beautiful places in the entire galaxy, Obi-Wan Kenobi finally understood the deeper meaning that sacred connection symbolized. Love conquered all. It could be manipulated, twisted, even used against a person. It could be coupled with lesser sentient traits like obsession or possessiveness. But love in itself was the greatest force in the universe. And it was stronger than the dark side for all its overwhelming power.
He stared back inside the darkened living room. Thankfully, the resort was a private one, reserved only for the wealthiest and most prominent among the galaxy's citizens. Satine certainly fit that bill. It also allowed them a degree of separation from prying eyes and those who might seek to put their relationship in a juicy gossip column, or worse, use it as blackmail.
His communicator sat on one of the tables, untouched and unused for nearly a week. There was also a built in holo projector with an encrypted channel should the need arise to talk to anyone on the Council. But no one called. Not even Anakin.
I can't wait to tell him everything.
They'd left on good terms. He even admitted to breaking his Jedi vows with Satine as her bodyguard as a youth on Mandalore. However, the full truth had not yet been revealed. Obi-Wan might have chastised his best friend for keeping secrets or at least turned a blind eye in the past. Not this time. He needed to tell him that he understood, to win Anakin's full trust.
There will be time. Patience.
Qui-Gon would have been proud of such self mastery. That didn't make it easy to dilute the strength of anticipation coursing through his veins. So much to say, so little time.
He inhaled the salty sea air, exalting its presence as it settled his nerves. Satine waved as she paced up and down the beach, which he reciprocated. A smile spread underneath a beard he'd failed to shave for the better part of a few weeks. The Force hummed in delight as though it were pleased with his actions. Maybe the time had come to shave it after the war?
Another sip of booze threatened to further send him into a supernova of delight. Then the Force gave an unpleasant twinge, a sure sign something was wrong.
It came in the form of the untouched communicator, which began beeping red. An emergency.
Obi-Wan stumbled into the room, spilling his drink awkwardly before setting it on the table. Then he realized that accepting a holocall half naked and in nothing but trunks might reflect poorly on his status as a 'bodyguard' acting in a platonic capacity.
Setting the communicator down, he quickly glanced around for something, anything to wear and settled on a thin, white bathrobe on the bedpost. It would have to do.
"Kenobi here."
The image of Master Windu popped up.
"Obi-Wan," he said curtly. "We have grave news, I-" he paused and tilted his head up and down. "Is everything…in hand, Obi-Wan?"
It was never fun to be on the receiving end of that sour, stern look of disapproval from Mace Windu. He did his best to play it off.
"Yes, Master. My apologies. My laundry is currently in the wash."
Windu parted his lips as though he might make a skeptical remark but then closed them.
"Right then. Are you with the Duchess?"
"Yes, she's down by the shore. Why?"
"This news pertains to her," the Grand Master said, taking on a grim expression (more so than usual). "The Republic has announced an invasion of Mandalore."
Obi-Wan's heart sank as glanced backwards at his beloved, soaking up the sun without a care in the universe. He hated to ruin it, but she would want to know.
Duty eventually called.
Why aren't they answering?
It was a question Luke had been asking for the past half hour. He'd ordered Commander Cody to contact the Jedi Council, and yet no one picked up. That in itself gave no cause for alarm. They were most likely not in session. But using the sequence for Master Yoda on his comlink should have merited some kind of response. None of it boded well.
Sighing, Luke calmed his frustration and reached out through the Force trying to detect any anomalies, or even the slightest touch of cold signaling dark side treachery. Nothing out of the ordinary. The suffocating black cloud created by Sidious stood above the planet and the galaxy at large as it had for years. But that terrible ripple through space and time- the one felt during Order 66, the agonizing sense of dread before Ben Solo fell to Snoke's evil whispering- did not materialize.
So what was going on?
Two clones saluted as they walked by in the hallway which he lazily returned. He sensed their anxiousness, however. Word spread like wildfire of Tup's attempt on his life and a collective anxiety grew among the rank and file with each passing minute. That he could feel.
No use staying out here, the rational part of himself said.
Best to check on Tup and see if he was okay. Kix should have been done with all the tests by now.
"How is he?"
No one inside the medical bay said anything, not even the lively Hardcase. Tup had stopped struggling after a short while and slipped from consciousness and was strapped flat on his back to a gurney. It allowed Kix to do his work minus any interference, but that gave little comfort to those standing at his side.
"Not good," Rex finally said with a shake of the head.
"Not bad either," Kix corrected quickly. "At least nothing that I can detect. All the scans have come back negative. There's no concussion, aneurysm, blunt force trauma, or anything physical. It appears he's had some sort of breakdown."
"Didn't look like a breakdown," Fives muttered, not taking his eyes off his friend.
"And what's your explanation?" the medic challenged.
"Murder."
The word cast a disturbing hush over the room. Luke was the only one among them who knew the truth of the situation. He needed to tread carefully. To risk exposing Order 66 risked killing them all but exposed it must be. Sidious could not find out too soon. His words, his actions, might very well decide the fate of many.
"We don't know what it is just yet," he lied as smoothly as he could. "There should be no conclusions until we know exactly what happened."
Commander Cody's posture became more rigid and he bit his lip before responding.
"With respect, sir, there doesn't seem to be much room for interpretation. Corporal Tup attempted to assault you. Strict disciplinary measures are needed."
"Commander, I know my men," Rex said, stepping in. "And I also know Tup. None of them would ever betray a ranking Jedi General. It's not in his character."
"Well what other explanation do we have?"
Cody's point was punctuated by the sound of Tup stirring against his restraints.
"W-What? What's happening?"
He looked down and began pulling at his binders, which stubbornly stayed in place.
"Echo? Fives?"
The ARCs rushed over in a frenzy.
"Tup, how do you feel?"
"Like I got hit with a bacta tank," he replied with a groan. "What's going on? Why am I strapped down in the infirmary?"
Echo and Fives shared a deeply uncomfortable glance.
"You mean…you don't remember what happened?"
"No?" The confusion in Tup's brow deepened. "What do you mean?"
It was Rex who broke the news.
"Tup, you tried to strangle General Luke."
The clone's reaction was almost heartbreaking as confusion turned to frightened horror.
"What? No! That's impossible! I could never! I could never!"
No amount of denial erased the truth and even Cody had to give a look of sympathy at how lost and disoriented Tup sounded. You couldn't fake that kind of emotion.
"Tup, you did," Fives reiterated.
But that only served to increase the corporal's frantic insistence of innocence.
"You have to believe me!" he shouted, tears brimming in his eyes. "I would never do something like that! General Luke is our friend! He freed us!"
The Last Jedi had heard enough. Biting down on his knuckle, he released the tension and allowed the immense power of his mighty Skywalker blood to flow freely in his veins.
This needs to end.
He stepped towards Tup. Cody and Rex looked like they wanted to object out of precaution but said nothing. Tup was strapped down, unarmed, and no match for a fully realized Jedi. But thick tension hung in the air, nonetheless. A merciful General, Luke's eyes were penetrating and ambivalent.
"Hold still," he ordered.
Tup did so and Luke placed a hand on his forehead. He channeled calming warmth into the clone's body and gradually muscles and tendons relaxed. Anxiety washed away like sand on a shore and Tup uttered a soft sigh of relief.
"I'm going to look inside his mind," he explained to everyone in the room. "The process won't harm him."
Clones weren't Force sensitive, but even they could feel the energy permeating throughout the room. A strong but gentle current of power. Little did they know it served another purpose. Powerful Jedi used coercive suggestion to trick foes into doing what they wanted. True masters could go further. Probe the mind, unlock memories, even detect subliminal messaging or things that weren't supposed to be there…inhibitor chips for example.
Luke could have located it even without Tup's cooperation but not without serious discomfort to the clone. Further brain damage was also possible if he resisted. Thankfully, Tup's faith in him aided in the process. The mind's iron gates creaked open, allowing the Jedi to probe freely.
A terrible wrong has been done to you. I will make it right.
And Tup's subconscious responded with complete trust which touched the blond but he stood steadfast in concentration. Blurs of images raced by– memories of growing up on Kamino, rigorous training across sterile white floors, laughing with his brothers over jokes, his acceptance into the 501st, the living nightmare of Umbara, tricking Pong Krell, right up to Ringo Vinda. But it was not what Luke needed.
Luke took his other hand and placed it on top of the clone's head, just short of the trademark man bun and closed his eyes. He began repeating the mantra taught to him in another timeline.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."
He repeated this several times, all the while using the Force like a scanner, grooving in and out of the fissures within the brain. Every synapse, every thought, every electrical impulse was now within his view. But no indication of anything unusual could be found.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."
Still nothing. Luke began to grow frustrated. This had to work. It was do or die.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."
When Tup began to chant the same words back to him, it unlocked the path to the inhibitor chip. The Force detected a blockage between the limbic system and frontal lobe. Something dangerous and decaying sending artificial, contrary demands completely foreign to its host.
'Good soldiers follow orders.'
Luke gritted his teeth as he located the chip, about the size of a small tumor but no less malignant. This also had the effect of awakening the accursed object from dormancy.
The connection broke. Tup screamed in uncontrolled rage, fighting harder than ever to break free from his restraints in order to manhandle the Jedi. His brothers switched on their weapons but Luke bade them to hold their fire.
"No!" he ordered. "Kix, put him under."
The medic complied immediately and Luke almost regretted his actions. Tup might die if the chip kept activating on and off. His brain wouldn't be able to handle it. But at least plausible proof of the chip's existence now existed. The time to remove it had come as well as informing the Jedi Council.
"General, did you see anything?" Rex asked.
"There's something in his brain," he told them quietly. "A tumor of some kind. I can't be one hundred percent certain of what it is, but I'm almost sure it's causing Tup's behavior."
He had to play dumb just a little longer. Jedi scanners at the Temple easily analyzed and reported on microchips such as the ones made by the Kaminoans. The healers would ensure Tup's safety and physical well being. He noticed the gray, stony faced expressions worn by Echo and Fives. They were piecing everything together bit by bit, but the full truth loomed larger than a flaming meteorite. He just hoped it wouldn't break their spirits.
"Cody, have you been able to contact the Council?"
"Nothing, sir. The channel is silent."
This was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.
"Keep trying," he ordered. "In the meantime, we need to move quickly and remove whatever's inside Tup's head. Captain Rex, run a Level 5 scan aboard the Restitution and prepare for surgery."
This caused Kix's eyes to bulge out of their skull.
"Level 5?! With respect, General, that goes against medical protocol. Tumors are extremely risky to remove and we don't even know what kind of tumor it is. You said so yourself."
Rex placed a hand on the medic's shoulder.
"That's an order, soldier. If General Luke thinks we can save Tup's life, we should trust him."
Luke thanked the Force Rex had foreknowledge of his plan to use such an intense scan. And that he held such respect among the men. Kix resigned himself to the order.
"Alright. But we're going to need to prep him and that takes time. I can have him ready first thing tomorrow morning."
"Very good. Prepare a transport. Let's get him to the ship as fast as we can. Once we find out what's in his head, we can make a judgment from there."
He gave just the slightest of nods towards Echo and Fives, who picked up on the meaning immediately. Whatever they discovered, it was the key to the possible Sith plot.
"Yes, sir," Rex said and he motioned towards Jesse. "Jesse, call in a shuttle ASAP."
"General." Cody's voice cut across the commotion and chatter. "If we can't reach the Jedi High Command, we still have to file an official report. Ordinarily, I like to keep discipline in house. But this goes beyond the normal infractions."
The answer to that was a resounding absolutely not, given that reports of that type were monitored by the Strategic Advisory Cell, a group crawling with Palpatine sycophants and loyalists.
"No one else is to be informed of this incident. I want to know specifically what we're dealing with before filing any report," he said a bit more sternly than usual. Cody was a stickler for rules and following the chain of command. This made him both an asset but a potential hiccup. "Rex, tell First Sergeant Appo I don't want any leaks from the 501st. Make sure they're in good spirits."
"Sir."
Luke was tempted to try Master Yoda again but instead checked up on Tup first. He lapsed in and out of a groggy, drugged state owing to Kix's medkit. The Force confirmed his life energy remained strong but vulnerable. A rare strain of black hatred coiled around Luke's heart at the thought of the Kaminoans and their practices. Their affection was as nonexistent as sunlight on the seawashed planet, empathy as sterile as the white and gray halls stretching across the infamous cloning facilities. He made a mental note to have Lama Su and Nala Se prosecuted following the end of the war.
The radio silence broke when his comlink lit up.
"General Luke speaking."
He expected Master Yoda and found himself listening to Ahsoka's voice on the other end.
"Luke, we have a situation."
"So do I," he said in a low voice, edging away from the sounds of the medical wing. "I've been trying to contact the Council for the last half hour. No one's picking up."
"That's because the Chancellor has just called an emergency War Council meeting in his office."
That certainly explained things. And why the dark side stood at rest. Sidious evidently still needed some dirty work to be carried out by the ignorant Jedi.
"What emergency?"
"He wouldn't say. But your presence is being requested. And mine. Whatever this is, it's big. Really big."
Luke half considered blowing the evil bastard off but knew such an action would be nothing short of foolish. And if this meeting turned out to be a ruse for something much more sinister, better to be aware of it than in the dark.
"Alright, I'll see you there."
"Copy that."
Luke sighed, gazing upwards at whatever galaxy wide deity might listen to his internal frustration. Wasn't there anything in changing the past that could be simple?
Evidently not. Silence was the only answer he received.
"Rex."
"Yes, sir."
The Captain stood at full attention given the delicateness of the situation.
"Keep Tup under medical surveillance after the surgery. And keep this quiet."
Rex flicked his eyes towards Cody and nodded.
"I will. I know Cody's going to want to alert the higher ups. But I'll tell him you'll take care of it."
Luke really did appreciate Rex's gift for intuition and suspected he might also be an eidetiker. His ability to understand and empathize with superiors and underlings alike was a gift one didn't simply learn. It came naturally. A gift beyond the genetic tampering of the Kaminoans.
"If I may ask, sir," the Captains said slowly and out of earshot of everyone else. "What do you think is going on?"
There truly was no fooling the man and he didn't bother to try. Only withhold the full truth.
"I don't know precisely, Rex. But I do know that a clone, a soldier bred to follow his superiors, who's shown no signs of mental illness until very recently, doesn't attack a Jedi out of coincidence."
Rex's mouth became an anxious line as he glanced backwards at his friend.
"I'll call you a transport to the Chancellor's Office," he said. "Hopefully, we'll have some good news."
Luke shared that hope. But he'd long learned not to put blind faith in it.
It had forsaken him more than once.
The minute the shuttle touched down on the ground, Luke hopped out and immediately picked out Ahsoka amidst the roaring engine and bits of dust swirling about from the wind.
As usual, the Western docks of the Republic Executive Building were a flurry of activity. He ignored all of that, remembering to stay present in the here and now. The moment required his attention. As did his chief ally.
"Did you find anything out?"
"Hello to you too," she teased but one look at Luke's set jaw removed any humor from the conversation. "No one from the Chancellor's press team is saying anything. But there must have been a leak because there's one word going around this building: Mandalore."
They began walking at a brisk pace. Neither was in any hurry to see Palpatine but nor did they desire to linger any longer than military decorum demanded. Luke felt far more secure seeing the future emperor with Ahsoka by his side, her presence a comforting beacon of light to bolster his own. But the overall atmosphere was troubling.
"Mandalore," he repeated under his breath as the automatic doors opened to allow them passage. "Why Mandalore?"
"I'm asking myself the same question," Ahsoka said. "They've stayed out of the war since they renewed their neutrality treaty with the Republic."
"And any invasion shatters that treaty into a million pieces. But Mandalore is an extremely difficult world to subdue."
"Maybe Palpatine is growing bolder?"
Luke thought about that briefly, observing every path and every turn this possible flashpoint might take. Mandalorians were lifelong enemies of the Jedi. Satine Kryze tried to reform and put that legacy behind, but failed in the end. Death Watch and other warrior cults thrived in the shadows, sowing seeds of chaos that ended in the Duchess's dethroning. To attack the planet foreshadowed many ends and possibilities. But which ones? 'Harder to answer' as Master Yoda might say.
"I don't think so," he said after a time. Bustling Senators whispered frantically to each other as they hurriedly passed by. Small pockets of aides clustered together for fear that their gossip might be punished if overheard by the wrong person. Another side effect in the fog of war. The Last Jedi witnessed it many times in his days leading the Alliance. Rumors about when and where the Empire might strike next, or the result of a far off battle always persisted.
"He still needs to operate under the cloak of legality," Luke continued as they came upon one of the many skylifts. "Proper pretext for an invasion matters in a circumstance like this."
"But what pretext could he possibly have?"
There was no immediate answer to that question. They would have to find out by sharing a room with Darth Sidious once more.
A light turned white and the two Jedi stepped onto one of the lifts and ascended. As they drew nearer to upper levels that housed the Chancellor's suite, Luke sensed others who were already there: Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and his father.
The thought of Anakin pushed unpleasant feelings back to the forefront. An odious mix of memories and dreams that oftentimes blurred together into one poisonous black mass of fear. And Yoda had been right: he was afraid. Not the kind susceptible to baser instincts such as power, greed, or control, but of failure. Loss. Indescribable sorrow. He'd been in the past for so long, at times he felt as though his own recollection was either fading or becoming jumbled. A sign that the future had already changed? The fallibility of human memory? Perhaps, history already pivoted to a new course.
'Always in motion, the future is.'
His Master's words steadied the ship steering its way through an ocean of untamed thoughts and nightmare scenarios. This was not so easily released into the Force. Not when a yet incomplete prophecy loomed large and the possibility of…no, no he would not speak of it. He could not fathom the idea. He'd fought Vader twice, once without knowing the truth about his parentage, the second in a struggle for Anakin's soul. But he did not intend to go through that emotionally traumatic experience again. Surely, the fates could not be so cruel as to doom them on yet another collision course? For two Skywalkers to oppose each other once more?
'You were fighting against your father.'
'Come with me. It is the only way.'
'By now you must know your father can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you.'
'Ben, NO!'
A hot flash later and Ahsoka was supporting him from keeling over.
"Luke!"
He placed his prosthetic hand on the glass and righted himself.
"I'm fine," he said, steadying his breathing into a manageable pattern of deep inhales and exhales. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not." Ahsoka was past the point of mincing words. "You haven't been right for some time. If ever."
"Whether I am is neither here nor there."
"Bantha shit."
Despite being three inches shorter, she squared herself fully and moved directly in front of him. Her blue orbs were a shade darker than his own and they penetrated into Luke Skywalker's very soul. But the Togruta's words came out like a gentle caress.
"You're in pain."
"Life is pain," he countered bitterly before he could stop himself. "The sooner you accept that, the better off you'll be."
"That's not the Luke Skywalker I know," she protested.
"It's the Luke Skywalker I became. Haven't you comprehended that by now?"
Right then and there, he knew he said too much. Because she didn't get it. She did not know of the full truth of his past or future. Only a summary of the events that occurred after Endor and the destruction of Sidious. He'd never told anyone anything beyond a brief summary of what followed. Ahsoka keenly pointed this out.
"You said you went into exile in the future. Why?" she asked.
He turned away from her but Ahsoka refused to relent.
"If you redeemed Anakin and brought balance to the Force, what made it go out of balance again?"
She was getting close. Too close. Luke tried to think of any retort, gesture, rejoinder, or off color remark that might keep her scent off the trail. Nothing clever came to mind.
"There isn't time to get into details."
"Or maybe you're just avoiding it like always."
For the first time in his life, Luke genuinely wished he could exit the lift and the conversation. Even if it meant seeing Palpatine's stupid wrinkled face.
"Something happened to you in the future. Something you're not telling me."
"Is this really the hill you want to die on?" Luke groused, attempting to side step her. She stepped with him. "Giving me the third degree with evil incarnate right above us?
"I'm not giving you the third degree. I'm asking why you're being so stubborn about this. "I thought you came back all this way to save the Jedi?
"Don't insult me, of course I did."
Luke turned again in an effort to block her from view but the seventeen year old edged in front of him.
"So why keep secrets?"
"This is the long game I'm playing, Ahsoka. I don't expect you to grasp every aspect of it, but that's the most important part."
The rebuttal came far more harshly than intended and the sting caused the Togruta to purse her lips and shift weight to her right hip. A danger sign.
"No, it isn't," she practically scorned him. "It's helping Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Master Yoda and the people we love. It's preventing the galaxy from experiencing a terrible fate. But instead, you're acting like you know better than everyone else."
The blond finally lost patience.
"Because I do," he snapped, facing her directly. "Because I'm the only one with the power to stop every horrible thing that's ever happened. It's my responsibility, my mistake, my fault."
"It wasn't your fault," Ahsoka commented, confused. "You weren't even born."
"You don't understand."
"You're right, I don't. So help me to understand. Come on, Skyguy, what's really going on here?"
She could sense tremendous guilt and turmoil inside Luke Skywalker. There was more to this story than meets the eye. She could feel the raging maelstrom inside of him.
"The Jedi's failures are my own," he finally croaked.
"You said the dark side rose again and destroyed your New Order," Ahsoka recalled. "But that isn't on you."
One small *ding later, they stepped off the lift and into the Chancellor's suite.
"Yes, it is," he said in the lowest voice he could muster as they approached the doors. "And if I don't fix it…no one will."
Upon entering the suite they could see Mace Windu, Ki Adi Mundi, Anakin, and Yoda standing in a semicircle around one of the holoprojectors stationed by the Chancellor's desk, where Palpatine sat on his makeshift throne of autocracy. In the middle of the circular hologram was none other than Bo-Katan Kryze, Mandalorian helmet in hand. Also present on a separate line was her sister, Satine who stood by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The atmosphere in the Force suggested a wide variety of emotional states, some nervous, some gleeful, and it didn't take much to sense where they originated from. Mace Windu gave no audible sign of discontent other than a hard stare while Anakin titled his head upwards with a beaming smile. At least his father was in good spirits. Yoda stood next to the Chancellor having recently been told of his true identity. But he gave no audible sign of distress. The wise Grandmaster had lived nearly nine hundred years; he could fake emotion as well as any Sith.
"Master Tano, Master Luke, you're just in time," Palpatine said with a pleasant smile as though they dropped by for afternoon tea. "Do come in."
They wasted no time in joining their fellow Jedi around the table as the leader of the Night Owls explained her position.
"Almec is in league with the Separatists," she wasted no time in telling them. "And like last time he's not being discreet about it."
Katan noted the last sentence with a heavy amount of disgust in her voice.
"I thought after Maul disappeared, he became the legal prime minister," Ki-Adi Mundi said.
"Almec is a traitor. Our Civil War was an internal one...despite the lack of assistance from the Republic I might add."
It was no secret that Katan very much resented the Republic for not intervening upon request, instead opting to sign a new treaty with Prime Minister Almec. The icy tone made that quite apparent.
"How do you know this?" Satine asked.
"Because we've intercepted and decoded transmissions sent to Count Dooku. He is using the Separatists for supplies and to prop up his government."
"If this is true, it violates several clauses of the treaty signed with the Republic," Satine observed.
"Exactly. We have the perfect opportunity to help each other. In exchange for restoring Duchess Satine, my sister back on the throne, you'll have Almec in custody and a possible link to finding and capturing Count Dooku."
Mace gave an inquisitive stare before speaking.
"And there's no other catch to this?"
"I seek one thing: the restoration of freedom for my people," Katan replied. "Nothing more."
Obi-Wan cleared his throat in a skeptical manner.
"Duchess, this is the same person who once sought to overthrow you. Sister or not, do you trust her to act faithfully on your behalf?"
Everyone waited with baited breath. Bo-Katan looked very much as though she wanted to slap Obi-Wan for that cutting remark of suspicion. Satine, ever the politician, took a different track.
"While it's true my sister has fought against me before, circumstances have changed. She has fought against Almec's regime, and rescued you did she not, Master Kenobi?"
The Great Negotiator confirmed as much with a nod.
"That being said, I abhor violence. My stance on this war and Mandalore's role has not changed. I would like to discuss it with the Jedi Council and the Chancellor before making any decision."
"Very well. Consult, we must. Have our answer soon, you will," Yoda told her.
Bo-Katan did not argue, instead bowing out of respect. Her transmission ended leaving the room open for debate.
"Seems pretty straightforward to me," Anakin began. "If Dooku's involved and there's evidence to prove it, we shouldn't wait a second longer."
"Nothing is ever as it seems when it comes to Count Dooku," Mace Windu said, pouring cold water on Anakin's enthusiasm. "There are many risks to invading Mandalore."
"But Master Windu, surely you must recognize the opportunity that stands before us?" Palpatine practically purred. "The Clone War is so close to being finished. Count Dooku is the last man standing among the Separatist leadership. If he is in the system, the time to act is now."
Luke didn't bother taking sides in the debate. Palpatine's grooming was on full display and as nauseating as it made him feel, to openly oppose it only risked aggravating Anakin further. He wanted to find out more about this situation. Everything and anything regarding politics in the Clone Wars usually involved some other kind of intrigue. If Sidious desired to invade, there had to be a sinister reason.
"Do we know how or why Dooku has interest in that planet?" he asked instead.
"No one knows for sure, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan told him honestly. "The move is somewhat peculiar, but the world is strategically valuable and we cannot have their warriors fighting against us."
"Add in the fact that Mandalore has a long history as adversaries against the Jedi Order," Mace Windu added. "To engage in another war while still fighting the first one is not in the interest of the Republic."
Palpatine interjected in a tone too light to be considered non threatening.
"I believe judgment of what is in the best interests of the Republic falls to the Chancellor, Master Windu. One would think the Jedi would have a personal interest in ending the war, especially considering public opinion."
That raised the intensity of the room a notch higher, and Luke saw the strategy clear as day. Yoda did too by the upward flick of his pointed ears. That steady flow of goading Sidious employed to put the Jedi on their guard. Not enough to alert them of the truth right in front of their noses. But certainly to provoke them into doing something rash. At one point in his life, he often wondered how the Sith Lord managed to stay hidden while not giving the game away. Here it was. He almost intervened, but Obi-Wan beat him to the punch.
"With respect to everyone here, I believe it is Duchess Satine who should have the greatest input. This is her home world at stake after all."
No one argued with that. Not even Palpatine, though the Chancellor retained that smug, self satisfied smile. The look of a man who possessed all the cards and foresaw every outcome. Another pawn playing right into his game. Her 'choice' was merely an illusion. The Last Jedi, despite desiring to smack that smirk right off his face, knew it too.
"It's the last thing I want," she finally breathed out, her eyes downcast. "And yet I am backed into a corner."
"Then you will give your approval?"
"It's not quite that simple, Chancellor." Satine's voice had a bit of an edge to it now. "I have led my people for years in the hopes that we can avoid the use of violence in order to solve our problems. War brings misery to every life it touches and I prefer to think of my people first."
Palpatine closed his eyes and gave a bow of respect.
"I respect your reasoning and your principles, Duchess-" (Ahsoka almost snorted) "-as leader of the free galaxy, I wrestle with that decision every day. But as you said, it is the people at stake…your people. Sometimes the price of liberty is worth the blood shed for it."
Ahsoka made the slightest of faces, Luke had to mentally slap her on the wrist through their bond. Thankfully, no one noticed.
"Almec leading Mandalore is not ideal. To substitute him for Count Dooku is intolerable," Satine reasoned. "I give my blessing to this invasion. But I want assurances that there will be minimal loss of life and destruction of property."
"You have my word, Duchess. We will speak in greater detail later."
Satine disappeared from view, leaving the Jedi and Chancellor host to hammer out the details.
"Are we sure that we can place our trust in the Kryze sisters?" Mundi asked aloud.
"It's not the Duchess I'm worried about. It's her sister," Mace said. "According to our intelligence, she's the leader of the Night Owls, an insurgent group devoted to the old ways of Mandalore."
"Though they have found themselves at odds, the Kryze sisters still care a great deal for each other. And I can assure everyone in this room that Bo-Katan has no love of Almec or her planet being held underneath the thumb of the Separatists."
Obi-Wan's words made sense to everyone. However, something about the scenario didn't feel right to Luke. An Almec/Dooku alliance certainly presented a problem but invading Mandalore felt...contrived almost.
"It could also be a trap," Ahsoka chimed in, speaking for the first time. "It wouldn't be the first time Dooku set one of those."
"Well you know my stance on traps. The only way to get rid of one is to spring it," Anakin countered with a playful wink.
"But one shouldn't toy with traps either," Obi-Wan reminded him, though his eyes could be seen twinkling within the blue hologram.
"I agree," Mace Windu said. "Not to mention that to occupy a world like Mandalore, three divisions would be needed at minimum.
"But we're not going to get a better chance than this," Anakin argued. "We have the manpower. The 501st, 212th, and 104th are all on standby."
"Well said, Anakin," Palpatine praised. Anakin took the cue and went further.
"This could be a three pronged assault. We just have to get there before Dooku can send his droids and catch them off guard. The plan will involve a lot of moving parts but it's doable with minimal loss of life. That is if the rest of the Council agrees," he ended cautiously, gazing around the room.
Though the animosity between the Chosen One and Senior Jedi had subsided, some yet remained tangible, especially in Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi, who had become distrustful of Anakin and more than a bit irritated that he outranked them. But the voice of dissent did not come from either one of them.
"I have reservations, Chancellor."
Ahsoka gave him a 'what are you doing' look while even Yoda crooked his brow upward just a tad. Luke had seen enough of the Sith's manipulation for one day and decided to raise the stakes just a little. Sidious didn't appear ruffled, not yet anyway. Those blue eyes stayed friendly, but they danced with piercing curiosity.
"No one is without reservations, Master Jedi," came the even response. "Which part of Anakin's plan do you not feel comfortable with?"
Oh, no. You aren't putting this on me, old man.
"Nothing," Luke said with a shrug. "General Skywalker's skill for tactics is unquestioned. No, my reservations run much deeper."
He was careful to avoid criticism of his father. Rather, he needed Anakin to truly see just how slippery and unscrupulous Palpatine truly was. He would force the issue if necessary.
"Oh, in what way?"
Challenge accepted. Ahsoka's silent protests were shrill throughout the Force. Yoda's were much more subtle but equally inquisitive.
"I have noticed a pattern, sir. Something that has played out time and time again. Every planet liberated from the Separatists has been placed under military occupation."
"What is so strange about that?" Palpatine said with a false laugh. "It is a necessary function of war. Otherwise the rebels would come right back."
By now even Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi were tuning in to this battle of wits. Obi-Wan appeared nonplussed. Luke couldn't see Anakin, but felt his confusion. He also raised his mental shields. Sidious couldn't use the Force without everyone in the room sensing it, but he took no chances.
"This extends beyond maintaining the front lines in vulnerable systems. For example, I've learned that the people of Ryloth have been subjected to martial law under Executive Directive fifty six ever since the Separatists were driven from there. This is also the case on several other worlds safely behind Republic lines."
"And what is your point?" Palpatine's good natured features had dropped into something not quite sinister but on the verge of it.
"Can Duchess Satine Kryze and the Mandalorians expect the same after we've driven out Almec's regime? We've liberated countless billions under the banner of freedom. And yet there is less of it every day. What guarantees do they have?"
"I have always done what is right for the Republic and will continue to do so," the would-be Emperor countered, the vaguest hint of irritation in his voice now. "Leave the politics to me, Master Jedi."
That should have been the end of it, but Luke was not going to let the psychopath gain a moral victory through silky words spun at the end of a silver tipped tongue.
"Indeed, Chancellor. You are a master of politics. Which is why you didn't answer the question."
The air went motionless and the laws of physics stopped. Luke felt it. The briefest of flashes in the Dark Lord. A stirring, savage beast inside that desired to rip out his throat right then and there. Luke almost welcomed the challenge, daring the Sith to act on his murderous, insidious instincts. But just as quickly it dissipated and it was Master Yoda who took the chance to clear his throat.
"No time is there to waste. Support Skywalker's plan, I do. Prepare we must."
The suite no longer seemed to be a potential battleground. Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi and Obi-Wan raised no objections. Palpatine's grandfatherly demeanor returned and he gestured with a robed hand.
"Excellent, my friend. I will leave the details to you and High General Skywalker and hope to see a final report by tonight. You are dismissed."
Every Jedi, even Luke bowed in respect before turning on their heels. The visage of Obi-Wan disappeared. But even Ahsoka could not resist muttering underneath her breath.
"What was that about?"
"I'd like to know that myself."
Anakin popped up behind them and while he did not appear upset, a quizzical curiosity lingered behind those blue eyes.
"Luke, is everything okay?" he asked.
There was a distinct irony in the question and Luke recognized it right away. He'd spent so much time invested in keeping his father's mental sanity in place, his own had been left behind. For the greater good.
He opened his mouth to reply but scarcely a word departed when an unwelcome interruption made itself heard.
"Master Luke, a word if you please in private?"
Luke's head snapped towards the Chancellor, who looked pleasant enough. Not even his own powers of perception could discern any kind of sinister motive. Yoda and Ahsoka's extreme concern urged him to leave the office at once through their bonds, but he did not look at them. He could not give any inkling to Sidious that anyone else in the Jedi Order was onto the Sith's Grand Plan.
"Of course, Chancellor."
One by one, the rest of the Jedi exited. Ahsoka brushed her hand against his back in a show of support, but soon enough he found himself alone with Darth Sidious.
But the Sith made no move to kill or maim. Instead he casually strolled over to a small liquor cabinet and pulled out two glasses.
"I really must congratulate you, you know," he said with the air of someone talking about something as mild as the weather. "It's not often someone comes this close to thwarting my plans."
Luke did not move a muscle as he watched Sidious pour polished, brown liquid into each glass. Just what was the old man playing at?
"None of them seek the truth. None of them have the wit to see it. But you do."
Sidious walked back over and offered the glass which he did not take.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," Luke said, his voice tight.
"Don't play the fool." The Sith's voice dropped an octave to a much more 'Sidious' like timber. "It's unbecoming."
He offered the glass yet again, and this time Luke accepted but refused to drink. Sidious smiled in a way that did not match his eyes.
"It's not poisoned in case you were wondering."
"You'll forgive me if I don't believe you."
A mirthless laugh followed.
"Oh, you are good. Let us take a walk, Luke Ahch-To."
No part of him wanted to do so. It screamed 'trap'. He didn't move and fortified his mental shield to their highest level of strength. But the familiar icy cold tendrils of the dark side were absent amidst the private lair of the beast. Was Sidious trying to lure him into a false sense of security?
"If this is an attempt to kill me, it's not a very good one," he said, not taking his eyes off the Chancellor for a single parsecond. "There's an entire contingent of Jedi in this building who will sense it."
"If I wanted you dead, it would be evident by now. Rest assured, that is not the purpose of this exercise."
Luke narrowed his eyes but reluctantly followed his enemy. Sith and Jedi began a slow pace leading from the main office into a small, conjoining hallway filled with mysterious, even downright macabre objects. He had no doubt they were relics of the dark side, collected over the years, perhaps stolen. It was the way of the Sith to take without recompense. Sidious embodied might equals right.
"So what's this about then?" he asked, willing himself not to have another hot flash. "What do you want from me?
Palpatine gave a feigned expression of innocence which made Luke's insides crawl.
"Want? I want nothing from you. Just a friendly conversation between two worthy adversaries."
Luke made like he was going to the liquor and purposefully stopped right before the glass touched his lips. "You're an excellent talker, Chancellor. You know how to push exactly the right buttons and whisper exactly the right things. But I've heard this speech before. It's not going to work on me."
He took just the smallest bit of pride in being resistant to Sidious's machinations. There was nothing the old man could offer he wanted or needed. He allowed himself to project just a little bit of that strength. Again, to his surprise, Sidious did not push back or try to probe his thoughts like on the Death Star. Instead, the Sith took a generous sip of alcohol, savoring its taste.
"I don't attempt the same method twice expecting a different result," he said smoothly.
Luke said nothing and seeing that Palpatine had not poisoned himself, followed with a sip of his own.
"I know you mean to oppose me as the war draws to a close. I suspect you are behind this recent effort in the Senate to remove me from power. And you are the only person among the thousands of unsuspecting Jedi who's gleaned that their ancient enemy inhabits these very walls. It has led me to one conclusion."
The Last Jedi's heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry.
There's no way…
"And what's that?"
Reveal no truth. Tell no lies. He had to keep Sidious guessing even if it meant his cover was blown.
"That you are not truly one of them."
Luke blinked twice, temporarily forgetting himself.
"What?"
"From the moment of our introduction, I perceived something different about you. You may wear their robes and ascend their ranks, but there is no adherence to their stale, utterly dogmatic philosophy is there? You understand power." Sidious said that word with such reverence Luke wondered if he desired to make love to it. "You understand the purpose of this conflict. You are able to see where they are blind."
The blond took a slight pause. Then he switched tactics.
"If I'm not a Jedi, what am I?" He intended for it to sound loyal, firm, and more than a bit naive. His chest unclenched in relief and in realization that this kriffing bastard still didn't know he was a time traveler!
"It hardly matters," Sidious said with a shrug as they moved along the hallway into the Chancellor's private office. "The Sith and Jedi have fought their struggle for so long we often forget there are others. Which of these groups you are an acolyte of doesn't concern me."
Luke could have sang in joyous celebration that Sidious's penetrating vision and power in the dark side had been fooled. And if a Sith could be fooled…he was vulnerable.
"And how do you know I won't run and tell them everything?"
"Because you figured out my identity long ago just as I figured out yours," came the sharp retort. "If you really wanted to expose me, you would have tried during the exact minute of realization. I could have done the same. But it really makes no difference does it? The Council would never believe you."
Roll with it. Keep letting him think he knows everything, said the rational side of Luke's brain.
"I see that the legend of the Sith has not disappointed," he said, feeding Palpatine's assumptions by pretending to play the game. "You truly are the Sith'ari."
Oh, that fed the ego alright. Even masking his Force presence, Luke saw the sheer amount of megalomania swelling within the Sith Lord. It was sickening to feel in the Force.
"Yes, and it's rare when someone is able to recognize it." He set the glass down on a side table and heaved something equivalent to a longing sigh. "It really is a pity that our little contest has to come to an end soon."
Luke was careful not to arouse Sidious's wrath and play into his one weakness: unchecked narcissism. "I'd say you have all the power a man could want."
"Not all of it," Sidious answered pointedly, nodding directly towards him. "It is clear that each of us is in the process of marshaling our respective forces before the final conclusion."
"If I'm such a threat, why leave me on the board?"
This question was genuine. Luke Skywalker had been wondering that same question since their last confrontation during the Battle of Coruscant. The Sith Lord did not share power nor did he allow potential adversaries to stick around long enough to muster a proper challenge. So what changed? What made him so special?
"Because you are their last chance. Their last hope," Sidious drawled in a much darker tone. "Like a savior you hurtled out of the sky, seeking to rescue them from their own impending demise."
The drawl turned into a full on sneer.
"But you're too late. This story's ending was written before it began. Years, decades, centuries in the making. A millennia ago, the Jedi wiped out every Sith Lord in the galaxy. All except one. And rising from the ashes of that failure emerged their doom. The one that got away. The one they couldn't see right in front of them. Just as they can't see me now."
Sidious stepped forward and allowed the mask to slip as blue eyes turned into sickly, vindictive yellow ones. His voice was now a full blown throaty snarl.
"You're still breathing at the behest of my generosity. I decide who lives and dies. I want you to keep that hope, cherish it even. So when the time comes, I may be the one who permanently snuffs it out."
Anyone else might have flinched. A lesser man might have wet himself. Luke did not. Steeling himself, he boldly stepped forward until he and Sidious were almost nose to nose.
"It's always the same, Sidious. In any time or place. Your overconfidence is your weakness."
He'd had enough of the Sith's attempted manipulations and threats, no matter how serious. His secret and plans intact Luke drained the rest of his glass and turned to leave. But Sidious reeled him back.
"Your faith in Anakin Skywalker is yours."
He stopped dead in his tracks, resisting the urge to turn around and strangle the man dead with bare bands. Sidious smirked, sensing he'd hit a sore spot.
"It's true, isn't it? You care for him. Attached even. How un-Jedi-like."
Luke turned around, blue eyes blazing with anger.
"I swear to the Force if you touch a single hair on his head-"
Sidious interrupted his vow with a full blown evil cackle.
"Why would I harm my apprentice?"
"He is not your apprentice," Luke said through gritted teeth. "And he never will be."
"Fool," the fake Chancellor growled. "He is already mine. He just doesn't know it yet."
"Anakin is the best person I know. He doesn't need you or the dark side."
This time instead of a cackle, the Sith rolled his eyes dramatically.
"You've spent thousands of hours among the Jedi. Are you not aware by now just how conceited they truly are? Master Windu's blind allegiance to rules, Master Yoda and the delusion of enlightenment, Kenobi and his pathetic inability to recognize that he's the most attached of them all. So ignorant of their own hypocrisies. Do you really believe I couldn't win over a fearful, angry, ambitious, married twenty-two year old?"
Luke stayed silent, refusing to bow to his temper which Sidious had yet again drawn to the surface.
He wants you to lose your cool. He wants you to lose focus.
"You think yourself incorruptible," Sidious continued when he didn't rise to the bait. "And that may be true. But the rest of them are not. Especially Anakin. A desperate former slave, smothered and disillusioned from an Order that has never truly accepted him will come running into my arms at first opportunity. That I can promise."
"And I promise this: that before this is all said and done you're going to lose bigger than you ever thought you'd win."
Sidious didn't laugh this time nor did he give a trademark evil smirk. Instead he tilted his head forward. Hatred filled those gleaming, soulless yellow eyes. But there was something else too. A sprinkling of begrudging respect perhaps?
"This conversation's over, Chancellor," Luke said and made a point of making a mock bow. But Sidious could not resist one last parting message.
"A temporary respite, Luke Ahch-To. But the final battle has just begun. Speaking of which, I believe you have one to prepare for. "
The Last Jedi didn't look back. There was no need to. He'd survived another encounter with the darkest Sith Lord in a thousand years. The gauntlet had been thrown down.
When Luke exited the Republic Executive Building, he felt overwhelmed from the sheer amount of tasks to fulfill. First and foremost were his obligations as a General in the Grand Army of the Republic…and to expose Order 66. Checking Tup's status and health before surgery was pivotal.
But before he could Yoda summoned him back to the Temple. The little green Master was waiting for him at the Temple entrance overlooking the steps, flanked by the four bronze statues- some of the greatest most legendary Jedi to have existed. By now, the sun had nearly set into the West, casting a magenta and orange glow over the enormous ziggurat. The scenic beauty went unnoticed by both Grandmasters.
"Master Yoda I-"
"Hush. Come with me, you will."
Oh, boy. That sounded bad. Yoda rarely ever expressed anger. But he could become stern and strict when necessary. He suddenly felt like a padawan back on Dagobah preparing to receive a scolding.
Sure enough, the reprimand came crisp and clear upon entering one of the private meditation rooms.
"Reckless you were today, Skywalker."
The disappointment stung worse than yelling. Yoda never yelled. But sometimes Luke would have preferred it if he did.
"Master-"
"Risked exposure you did. For yourself and our efforts."
Luke recoiled slightly.
"Our plan? With respect, Master, you wouldn't have any idea of anything that's to come if it wasn't for me."
"Sent you back in time, my counterpart did. This plan to save the galaxy, belong to no one it does."
Shame filled the blond knowing Yoda was right. He bowed his head.
"Forgive me, Master. I've-" he trailed off not quite knowing how to explain his mental state. How did one explain half a lifetime of adventure? How did one delve into the full magnitude of his success…and unspeakable failure.
"It won't happen again," he said, swallowing a random lump that had formed there.
Yoda eyed him intently but said nothing. For all the foundations he'd laid in reforming the Jedi Order to become a more flexible, emotionally healthy organization, past dogma endured. For all the wisdom endowed by his Master, Luke couldn't recall many instances in the past in which they'd shared tender moments. Unless you counted conversations post mortem but it was not quite the same as sharing depth of feeling with a live being. Those conversations had the benefit of hindsight. And hindsight was powerfully bittersweet.
"Perilous this has become," the Grandmaster murmured. "What did he say to you?"
"His usual brand of trickery and intimidation." Luke sounded almost bored. "Though, I have to admit, I didn't know what to expect. Sidious prefers to play with his food before devouring it. But he rarely ever allows loose ends to stay untied."
"Find out your identity, did he?"
"No." He had to marvel at the next words out of his mouth. "He thinks I'm trying to take over the Republic the same way he is. Except with the Jedi in charge instead of the Sith."
Yoda's eyes widened for a split second before returning to normal.
"Reveal his identity as a Sith Lord, did he?"
Luke gave a tilt of the hand.
"More or less. But not enough to consider it a viable confession in a court of law. Courts that he controls already."
He made a mental reminder to check with Ahsoka later on to see whether or not the holorecorder picked up anything. But that was a doubtful prospect at best. Only Palpatine's ceremonial office had been bugged.
"Hmmm," Yoda grumbled. "Strangely fortunate we are. Yet closer to the truth, Sidious is."
"The important thing is that he still believes he's ten steps ahead."
Yoda made one of his thoughtful grunting noises and Luke sensed he had many questions.
"Mandalore. A target it was in your future?"
"Yes. Though, I'm a bit hazy on the details. Originally, Ahsoka and Captain Rex were the ones who captured it near the end of the war in an effort to capture the renegade Maul."
"Everything you know, tell me."
Luke did his best to recollect everything about the battle, though the details were a bit fuzzy this time. Unlike his father or Obi-Wan, he did not have direct access to the memories of Ahsoka Tano, and what he knew came from scrounging official reports from the Empire and old clone trooper vets who once served in the GAR. However, he pieced together enough of the basic events to give a clearer picture.
"Hmmm," Yoda grumbled to himself. "A dangerous game, Sidious is playing. But play it we must for our plan to succeed."
"Master, I believe Sidious is setting up an invasion of Mandalore for a specific purpose. He's attempting to spread us thin in order to strengthen his own position before taking total control."
"Consider all possibilities and follow the will of the Force. That is the best way forward. If capture Count Dooku we can, try we must."
Luke understood that train of thought, sympathized with it even. But victory would be achieved through perception, not exposure by itself. If billions believed a Sith could deliver food on the table and stability, they would follow all the same.
"This war has already cost enough lives and blood. We cannot hope to win if we continue to perpetuate it by doing what Sidious wants."
"A suggestion, you have?"
Of course, he always had a suggestion. Some of the old twinkling returned to the Grandmaster's eyes.
"I am on the verge of exposing Order 66. A trooper named Tup had his inhibitor chip activated by accident. He's going into surgery tomorrow morning to remove it. We can bring the chip back here at the Temple and run tests."
Yoda scratched his chin. A tic Luke had learned by now meant he favored the idea.
"Trace these chips back to Sidious can we?"
"Unlikely. But we can trace it back to Dooku and Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. And that in turn will link the creation of the clones to the Sith."
Luke leaned forward and pressed his final case.
"We have recordings of incriminating evidence against the Chancellor. We'll have proof of the inhibitor chips. Bail Organa can use this information in the upcoming Senate session. I believe now is the moment to tell the Council the truth."
"And your father?"
Yoda popped the question on purpose given the sensitivity of the subject and how crucial it was to have Anakin on their side.
"Yes. He needs to be told as well. I wanted Obi-Wan to be here too but we can link him into the conversation via holonet."
The Last Jedi sensed a familiar probing, much subtler and observational than the coiling, serpent like exploration of Darth Sidious which made a person feel violated. Yoda's presence was comforting but also curious. And never without reason.
"Fearful you are."
That gravel voice came out softer than expected.
"What do you mean, Master?"
"Decisions influenced by fear, lead to dark paths they can."
Not for the first time in his life, Luke didn't understand where Yoda was going with this specific line of thought. Why did it always have to be so vague? Couldn't he just get to the point?
"I'm not being influenced by fear. This is about striking at the right moment in exactly the right place."
"Strong and wise you are, Luke Skywalker," Yoda said. "But many scars you carry, yes. Scars that refuse to fade."
It wasn't a personal attack yet it felt like one. The blond pushed down his own indignancy but what was the purpose of veering off into his personal problems? They were wasting time!
"What does it matter?" His words came out as bitter as they had towards Ahsoka on the lift earlier in the day. "If we don't stop this war, everything we've worked so far will amount to nothing. The Jedi, the Republic, the clones, and all the good people of the galaxy will be killed or suffer."
"And yet among those you speak of suffer the most, you do."
"Because I have to!" Luke shouted. "Better that I suffer than my mother and father! Better that the mistakes of my past and future never happen again!" He clenched his fists so tightly, he thought the skin might break. He swallowed a lump so large, it pushed against the walls of his throat. "Everything I do, everything I've done is for my family! I will not see them torn apart again!"
The burst of emotion made the lights inside the room flicker but Yoda gave no notice or noise of disapproval. Instead, he reached across from the cushion he sat on and began to channel warmth through their bond. Their bond hummed with approval as the Force soothed in rolling waves of warmth. Luke almost found himself shocked.
"You…you learned one of my techniques?"
"Much to learn I still have," came the soft reply. "And much there is you must unlearn. You must forgive."
In a powerful moment of deja vu Luke realized that his own words were being used against him.
"Lighten the burden, Luke. Do not wallow in self detriment and doubt. Only through trusting the Force and yourself will the dark side be defeated."
For a second, the urge to say something defensive became quite strong. But his master did not investigate any further or push for further details. Yoda flicked his claw and the door leading to the mezzanine opened.
"Rest, you should. Reconvene tomorrow, we will."
Luke sat on the cushion of the meditation room for a good while longer even as the Grandmaster hobbled away.
He could still hear the echoes of his advice bouncing off the walls.
Ahsoka was fiddling around with the bugging equipment, listening to various recordings, tinkering with the technology to see if it might have a greater audio field to catch more dealings in the Chancellor's Office. It was more Anakin's forte, but she'd picked up a thing or two about electronics over the years.
The Togruta glanced at the clock. 10:37. A yawn betrayed her own fatigue. It was getting late and she'd need to be up early in order to prep the 104th for Mandalore. Master Plo would be there too, but she wanted to take the lead in this one. A lot depended on this mission going right.
So much depends on everything going right.
There was a knock on the door. She sensed who it was and hesitated in pressing the button to open it, but did so anyway.
"Luke."
He stood in the doorway looking as miserable as she'd ever seen him. Five o'clock shadow darkened otherwise fair blond features. His normally bright, blue eyes were cracked with red lines. A dreary sadness cast a pall over his generous heart. She felt it.
"May I come in?"
"Of course."
Ahsoka didn't want another argument but had no heart to refuse his request. Despite wanting answers, she stuck to tactfulness and struck up a conversation.
"I was just checking to see if our holorecorder picked up anything from your conversation with Palpatine. It didn't get much unfortunately," she turned and began pressing keys on her datapad. "What happened? Did he try to recruit you again?"
Her line of questioning ceased upon seeing the heartbroken look on Luke's face. Tears cascaded into watery lines reflected by Coruscanti bright lights shining through an open window. The clunk of a lightsaber was heard dropping to the floor.
"I tried to kill my own nephew."
She reached him faster than the speed of hyperspace.
"I tried to kill my own nephew." Luke heaved with an almighty cry, clutching to Ahsoka as though he might fall into an abyss if he let go. "I tried to kill my sister's son. I tried to kill my sister's son."
"It's okay," she whispered, squeezing him tight. "It's okay."
"It's not okay," the Last Jedi continued to insist where his sobs permitted breath. "It's not okay. It's my fault, it's my fault."
"Luke-"
Suddenly, those baby blue eyes looked like they belonged to someone forty years younger as they peered into Ahsoka's. A little blond child so desperate to save the galaxy and those he loved, he'd denied himself the meagerest of joys, stripping away at any and all innocence.
"I c-can't do it, A-Ahsoka. W-What if I have to k-kill my own father? I can't f-face him, I can't m-make the same mistake again."
"Shhh, don't talk," the Togruta said, leading him over to bed. "I've got you. I'm here."
No further words were spoken. Ahsoka held Luke for hours into the night as he wept, allowing the tears to fall as they may. Explanations would come later.
Now was the time to heal.
Quick A/N: I've noticed that when Yoda truly gets serious and wants to impart a lesson on someone, he stops speaking backwards. So just in case someone wonders why his speech pattern isn't consistent. That's why.
A/N #2: I think Spira is in Legends but I'm not sure about canon. Either way, there is plenty in Legends that works with canon and I'll be incorporating more of it, including certain tidbits about Darth Plagueis.
Remember to leave those reviews and thoughts! Rock on!
~The Wasp