Author's note: this chapter has been edited to erase some grammar and spelling mistakes

~ 6 ~

Disdain

- Family secrets have a way of unraveling even the tightest of bonds -

The beeping of his commlink rattled Anakin out of his sleep. He grunted, wondering who would be disturbing him so early in the morning. His annoyance quickly turned to excitement as he saw the message was from Palpatine. Ever since he had arrived on Coruscant, the Chancellor had always taken a keen interest in Anakin, appreciating his talents and potential in a way the Masters and teachers at the Jedi Temple never did. In the message he had just received, Palpatine invited him to his office and requested he bring his new Master along. Clearly, the Chancellor wanted to meet the person now responsible for his Jedi training.

After a short search, Anakin found Kenshin in a secluded corner of the archives, surrounded by a pile of notes, his eyes sternly fixed on the screen before him, with an open, dimly glowing holocron at his side.

"Master? Chancellor Palpatine has summoned me, and he wants you to come as well."

"The Chancellor?" Kenshin raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes, Master."

"What could the Chancellor want with us?"

"He wants to see us."

"Why?"

"Chancellor Palpatine has always been somewhat of a mentor to me, ever since the Battle of Naboo. Sometimes I visit him, and he'll talk to me about politics and such, and occasionally I accompany him to smaller events or Senate meetings. Not very often, though; he's the Chancellor, after all. He's super busy."

"Curious," was all Kenshin said, frowning. Not Yoda, nor Windu had mentioned anything about the Chancellor regarding his new apprentice, let alone that the teenager was friends with the highest ranking being in the Galactic Republic.

"It is considered a great honor to meet with the Chancellor," Anakin explained eagerly

"I don't appreciate being summoned like a servant," Kenshin replied sharply.

"Isn't the Senate supposed to be above even the Council, and by extension, the Chancellor above you?"

"The Jedi Order is under the jurisdiction of the Senate, yes. That doesn't mean I have to like it," he said disapprovingly.

Is there anything this guy is not irritated about? Anakin wondered.

It was a short speeder ride to the Senate building where the Chancellor had his office.

"The Chancellor awaits you, Master Jedi," a protocol droid greeted them and opened the door.

"Anakin, come in," a jovial voice invited them into the large room. It had been a while since Anakin had last been here, and the office seemed even more elegantly decorated than before. Although Anakin didn't know much about art, he could tell the Chancellor had exquisite taste. Delicate statues and vases adorned the walls, while the wide viewport provided a breathtaking view of the Coruscant skyline, blinking and buzzing day and night.

"So good to see you again, Anakin. And you must be our revered Master Kano," Palpatine said, offering his visitors a wide smile.

Kenshin just nodded in response, his face expressionless. Anakin found this reaction borderline rude, but Palpatine didn't seem to notice and continued.

"The famous hero of Gentora. I was devastated when I heard about Master Atal's tragic death, but I am pleased to see the Jedi Order has once again chosen one of their finest Masters to oversee Anakin's training. I've heard a great deal about your talents and bravery in battle. You are a legend here on Coruscant!"

A wave of amazement washed over Anakin. His master was the hero of Gentora? Four years ago, a large mining federation allied with a separatist movement had invaded Gentora to seize the planet's settlements for new slaves to work in their mines. In response to the regent's call for help, the Galactic Senate had sent a small military contingent along with a Jedi team to stabilize the escalated conflict until the Senate could find a solution.

On the planet, the Republic forces found themselves vastly outnumbered and outmatched. With Gentora being far from the galactic core, reinforcements took too long to arrive. Wicked tongues claimed the slow response was due to the planet's minor political significance. The situation looked dire, with the Jedi and Republic military hopelessly encircled, and all attempts at negotiation had failed. One single Jedi had then broken through the enemy lines, relying solely on his speed. He single-handedly blew up the droid control station, destroyed the shield generators, and fought his way into the command center, where he took the leader of the enemy operation hostage. The enemy general tried to buy time and would not comply with the ceasefire, so the killing continued. Finally, the Jedi Knight ended the conflict by assassinating the general.

The act was frowned upon by many traditionally-minded Jedi. It had been a foolhardy, reckless operation—but it had saved the battle and many lives. Strangely, no report revealed the name of that Jedi, so he was merely known as the 'Hero of Gentora', a mysterious warrior legend. Reckless but brave, an example many younger knights and Padawans looked up to. So his master was this legendary Jedi warrior? It didn't surprise Anakin that Palpatine knew—he knew many things. Why hadn't Kenshin told him about it?

****** Gentora, mid rim sector 83, four years earlier ******

The place erupted in blaster fire. So this was the end, already? Makiri had just passed his trials to knighthood a few weeks before. So many years of Jedi training, and he still panicked, feeling utterly helpless. His friends, comrades, Jedi brothers and sisters were perishing on the battlefield not far from here. He could see the smoke, and lightsabers glowing and artillery shooting on either side. The air was thick with the smell of burning metal and ozone, the harsh cries of battle echoing through the desolate landscape.

Makiri had managed to sneak behind enemy lines to a communication tower, a feat that required every ounce of his skill and courage. But he was discovered too soon. He could barely set up one distress call before he had to dive for cover, blaster bolts whizzing past him. The console sparked and smoked from a direct hit, leaving him stranded with no way to send another message.

Only a few days before, the Jedi Council had promised to send reinforcements, but the enemy troops, mainly consisting of modern battle droids, were overwhelming and closing in too fast. What remained of the Republic forces and Jedi would be decimated if they didn't get help soon. The battlefield was a chaotic mess, with droids advancing relentlessly, their mechanical precision tearing through the defense lines.

Before the call was received by its intended recipient, a small ship that was travelling the sector by accident – it had had to deviate from its original trajectory for a minor repair - picked up the signal and altered its course to Gentora's capital. The ship's pilot, a lone figure with a grim determination, pushed the engines to their limits, racing against time and fate. By the time the ship landed on the planet's surface and its pilot reached the source of the signal, Makiri was dead.

Kenshin counted eight blaster shots through his chest, each one a fatal blow. The young Jedi lay motionless, his once-vibrant presence now a haunting symbol of the Council's, and the Senate's failure to act. Kenshin knelt beside Makiri's lifeless body, feeling a wave of sorrow and anger wash over him. For Makiri, there was nothing more he could do.

****** Coruscant, in the now ******

"You flatter me more than I deserve, Chancellor," Kenshin said, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"And yet, so humble. Certainly a virtue you will pass on to your apprentice. As you surely know, he's not an average Padawan learner, and I am delighted that a man of your talents will now help him unfold his potential. I would like to ask you, if you allow me, to have Anakin accompany me for the day. I have a few errands to run—nothing dangerous—and I would very much enjoy his company. I promise to return him safe and sound to the Temple in time."

"As you wish."

Kenshin's face was like marble. Anakin could not discern what his Master was thinking, but at least he had permission to spend time with the Chancellor. Master Atal had always been too restrictive in that regard. Throughout his life since entering the Jedi Order, Palpatine had been the only one to acknowledge his talent and see how advanced he already was. He saw more in him than the Council did and would surely have supported his promotion to knighthood by now. Unfortunately, this was one of the few things the Chancellor had no authority over.

As delightful as the afternoon with Palpatine had been, Anakin had not forgotten the questions gnawing at him. As he returned to the Temple, Anakin went looking for his Master right away. The entire time he couldn't stop wondering why Kenshin had not told him he was a famous battle hero. This time he found him in one of the dojos, practicing a complicated, elaborate series of katas. Kenshin didn't seem to notice Anakin was there—or he chose to ignore him; Anakin wasn't sure. The way the blade moved was mesmerizing, and Anakin contemplated whether to wait and watch. But his curiosity won out; he had to know more about Gentora.

"Master! I'm back."

"I can see that." Kenshin said absently, slowing down but not interrupting his practice.

"Why didn't you tell me you were the hero of Gentora?" Abruptly, Kenshin stopped, a scowl darkening his face. Anakin didn't understand. What had he said done wrong this time?

"Why would I tell you?"

His master tried to conceal it, but Anakin could see something fuming inside him—for what reason, he couldn't tell. Had he really done anything wrong? Was it because of Palpatine? Was Kenshin, too, jealous of his friendship with the Chancellor?

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're my Master and I'm stuck with you now and I'd like to get to know you a little? Maybe I want to know who the blazes you are?" Anakin snapped.

Dark eyes narrowed to slits, but his remark failed to elicit a verbal response. The Padawan rolled his eyes. By the Force, talking to Kenshin was like pulling teeth!

"What are you so mad about anyways?" he inquired.

"The lust for sensation, used by politicians for their own agenda, disgusts me!" Kenshin replied.

Anakin didn't fully understand what Kenshin meant, but this was indeed about Palpatine, he realized that much. "Palpatine is a good man!" he protested. "And getting to meet him, the Chancellor, in person, is a great honour! You should be grateful! I just wonder why he knows more about you than I do. Either way, he seems to have a high opinion of you." An opinion which I'm not sure I share, Anakin thought to himself but figured he shouldn't say that out loud.

"What, Padawan, makes you think I care about the Chancellor's opinion of me?" Kenshin said sharply, with a now unconcealed furious glare in his eyes, pointing his blade at the teenager. This is not going well, Anakin thought.

"Why are you getting angry? You're a famous battle hero! I've read the reports about it; what you did there was incredible! And you don't want people to talk about it? I don't understand!"

"I believe there is a lot you don't understand. So many died that day—friends, Jedi, natives—so many I could not, did not save. So much was lost, and people talk about glory." He shut off his lightsaber. "I'm not a hero. I failed!"

Meeting the grim stare in his master's eyes, Anakin deemed it better to abandon the subject.

"One more thing: When I said you're not to tell anyone anything about me—that includes the Chancellor." Kenshin added.

Irritation spiked up in Anakin once more. "Why? Don't you trust the Chancellor?"

"The list of people I trust is short. Very short."

"That's pretty sad, Master."

"I'd be long dead by now if I handed out my trust all too freely. Leave me alone!" he demanded, his tone making clear he wouldn't accept any more questions.

Anakin left as requested and went to the main hangar. Maybe he could lend a hand to the mechanics. They were always glad when he came to assist, especially with the starfighters. There was always something to do, and without long of a search, he found a task and got to work. Expertly dissecting strands of wires, removing and replacing fatigued screws and nuts and bolts, he was in his element. It was a machine; it didn't talk back, it didn't get mad at him for no reason, and it was easy to understand once one had it figured out. Not like his Master, who was, for the most part, the very opposite—sealed up and irritating. After he had discovered how to decrypt the holocron, he had hoped to reach a common ground with his Master, or to build something resembling a Master-Apprentice-relationship. Apparently, this was a more difficult feat than thought when it came to Kenshin. Several hours later, he had nearly completed the job, and it had even gotten a bit late, so he headed back to his room. Entering their shared quarters, he found Kyle pensively staring at the wall.

"Kyle... Kyle, hey!"

"Oh, hey Anakin. I didn't hear you come in."

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm in trouble. My Master and I were in the holocron vault today, and I managed to forget my lightsaber in there. I took it off my belt so I could crawl under a shelf where I had dropped my datapad. And then I just forgot. This is so stupid! My Master's gonna kill me."

"Why don't you just ask her to go back with you tomorrow under a pretext?"

"We're leaving for a mission really early in the morning."

"Would it really be that bad if you just told her? You could just pass by the archives and go grab it on the way to the hangar!"

"It would be bad, yes. It's not the first time I lost or forgot it, and she's made it really clear I'll get a big reprimand if that happens again. Dank ferrek, why am I such an idiot!"

Anakin pondered for a short moment, then his face lit up. He hadn't done it before, but technically, it should be possible.

"We'll go get it! I can slice our way into the vault."

"What?" Kyle gave him a flabbergasted look. "We can't do that! Seriously, Anakin, if we get caught, we'll be expelled from the Jedi Order! Now that I think about it, it's probably really better if I just tell my Master."

"Come on, we won't get caught! Trust me!"

Hacking the vault's access code was even easier than Anakin had thought. Or had he just gotten that much better? He wondered if one of these days he should try to get into the restricted vault section, the one only Jedi Masters had access to, where they stored Sith artifacts. Kyle and he slipped in and started looking for the lightsaber. Kyle soon found it under the cubicle where he and his Master had studied a few hours earlier. Kyle grinned at Anakin and froze.

"What is the meaning of this? This is the holocron vault; you're not allowed in this sector of the archives by yourselves! Especially not at this time of the day!"

Jocasta Nu! What was she doing here? Did she never sleep? The friends exchanged a terrified look. Madame Nu was hard to fool and fixed a very stern look on the boys. Anakin frantically thought of a way to talk their way out of this situation. Now they were in real trouble!