Spectre: Hopefully I made this well since I got a hard time figuring what reaction or debate they could pull out. Also, I would have to begin some scenes of ROTS after this
Note: I was not satisfied by the whole attachment narration given by the two hooded people and I decided to withhold that part until I would show to how exactly the Jedi failed by videos from Youtube
Chapter 27: Interlude 2.0 Part One
Obi-Wan Kenobi had fared better days before him.
He had lost his master, his lover and eventually the life he had ever known as a Jedi before the revelation of the terrible future before him.
But nothing ever prepared him for the revelation that caused his world to turn into shambles. The truth that the boy he had trained, one that became known as the Hero With No Fear throughout the Clone Wars, and the man who had earned the respect and admiration all around him within the Republic and the Jedi and the Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force...
Became the very being that he had tried so much to keep away from him. A murderer, destroyer of the Jedi, and a servant of the Sith.
Nothing could have prepared him for this. Where did he went wrong with all of this? He knew that Anakin's trust to the Jedi Council had plumetted over the years but he never thought it would escalate to this. From all the times that Anakin shared his mutual distrust to the Council, partly of Obi-Wan's own doing, he never imagined Anakin would turn to this. There has to be a reason why, and he knew that a certain Chancellor is to blame for all of this, but not just him, but to the order as well, now that he was witnessing his former apprentice held in blade-point by Master Windu. He was very remorseful and in complete denial, just as Obi-Wan would thought of his Padawan. He knew that Anakin hated this future, and he wouldn't turn his back on his friends like that, and he knew he had to do something before things could get worse.
"Master Windu", Obi-Wan began shaking off his earlier shock and disbelief that is replaced by caution and fear for his brother. "Stand down. Now"
Windu, however, was not taking any of it, not after realizing what had become of the future. "I should have known it was a mistake to bring him into the Temple!", he stated with malice never seen before, "He had become the very being he had sworn to destroy!"
"But he is not the Sith Lord!", Obi-Wan argued. What have you done to him, Palpatine?, Obi-Wan thought, cursing the man and himself for not watching him closely that may have drawn him closer to ths Chancellor. He could see and feel the confusion and conflict of the rest of the Council members present. Sure Anakin would disobey and probably knew that he distrusted them after several blunders, but the thought of him turning never crossed their minds, after all that he had done for the Republic and of the Jedi.
"Not. Yet", Windu spat towards the pinned Jedi Knight. "He's too dangerous to be kept alive!"
"Master Windu, you cannot punish Skywalker for crimes he had not committed!", Kit Fisto attempted to reason with the Korun Master in Anakin's defense and of the Council's reputation because of his actions. He was among who had often seen Anakin in a positive light, and he was certain that Palpatine had something to do with his fall to the Dark Side.
Shaak Ti seconded in support for the Jedi Knight. "We cannot stand by with your decision", her voice firm. "If he truly is the Sith Lord that we had seen, why would he be filled with remorse? As such, I fail to see Skywalker turning, unless there is something that we should have helped him for."
"You cannot do this Master Windu", Luminara surprisingly spoke out, realizing that Palpatine was the reason of all this. "Skywalker is not guilty, regardless if that is his future and you cannot brand him of what is happening there and after. And we don't even know what Palpatine had in his sleeve. And I highly doubt that Skywalker is responsible alone"
Obi-Wan looked at his fellow Council members. They had faith in Anakin, despite his often emotional outbursts and tendency to disobey their orders, but seen the good he had committed in them. He was thankful for their support at that matter.
Plo Koon, however was conflicted. A part of him knew that Anakin wouldn't simply turn against the Order and could vouch for him, but the fact that he may have murdered Ahsoka, the closest thing he had to a daughter, remained haunted in his memory, something that he cannot overlook.
"Which is why I have to end this", the Korun Master remained adamant in ending the so-called Chosen One in order to save the order. "Once and for all"
"You can't do this to him! Even if this was his future, this does not brand him guilty to the Galactic court", Padmé pleaded, hoping to help Anakin in any way she can despite seeing of what he had become and of what he done to their son. She just couldn't picture him in that light, and the holovids could carry the truth of why firsthand. And losing him would lose cause them to lose everything at learning more of the future.
"I'm sorry, Senator", Mace replied diplomatically towards her. "The Galactic Senate has no jurisdiction in Jedi affairs. And you are not obliged to plead in his case"
She couldn't see Anakin off all people, would betray the closest people he had, nor he would harm his son nor his friends. Sure he may be a little rash or impulsive at times, but evil?
No, he couldn't be. She knew that Anakin looked out to all his friends. There has to be a reason why, and it would be too little or too late if she couldn't hide it anymore.
"As senator of the Galactic Republic, I order you to relase my husband!", Padmé shouted desperately, and her outburst caused the rest inside the chamber to be stunned and look at the weeping Senator.
Anakin looked at her with both sadness and disbelief, knowing their secret is out. Obi-Wan looked at Anakin with a shocked look saying, why didn't you tell me?
"Husband?", Ahsoka tried to absorb the information in her mind. She had always suspected that there is something going on between the two but didn't think it would go that far.
"He has broken the code...", Mundi uttered, but that hardly mattered the situation at hand. Obi-Wan knew it was a matter of time before she had to come out but he kept the truth out of respect for his brother.
"This is Jedi business, senator", Windu declared towards the weeping Senator. "Husband or not, he is a danger to both the Jedi and the Republic!"
That statement infuriated Ahsoka even further, having had enough of the hypocrisy of the Jed. And she stepped in. "But this isn't the Jedi way!"
"And what do you know about being a Jedi, citizen?", Windu spat towards her.
Maustering all pent-up frustration that escalated on what they're trying to do with her Master, former Master but he still is no matter what. "I learn to accept my mistakes even if I didn't do it purpose, I don't need to blame anyone else just to save face, and I have patience to see things through!"
The rest were of the Council were all stunned by her words, pointing out their flaws as a whole. Ahsoka was on the verge of tears of the revelation as a whole. As much as it pained her emotionally and mentally, she knew that Anakin wouldn't turn into the Sith Lord she had dreaded, he was better than that
"And you would rather defend a Sith Lord in the making?", he asked the Togruta in a rather disaappointed tone.
"Better than siding with a Council who had plenty of flaws", Ahsoka finished, breathing out heavily due to the pressure of her frustration and anger towards them, consoling Padmé's still weeping form.
Windu then felt a cylindrical object at the left side of his head, and found Captain Rex holding him at gunpoint with one of his pistols. "With all due to respect General Windu", Rex began, almost emphasizing the title as an insult. "He is the leader of the 501st Legion, and not that monster Darth Vader" And as he said, loyalty means everything to the clones and he couldn't accept the truth either, there is no way that tyrant was his general, not by a long shot. "And if anything happens to General Skywalker, you'll have the entire legion to answer to."
Anakin looked at them, his eyes red from weeping. He didn't understand why people would still vouch for him despite all that he had done against the Jedi and the Republic. He became no better than Darth Tyranus, slaughtered helpless rebels without remorse, harmed and mentally scarred his own son...
And the worst of all, he murdered Obi-Wan Kenobi, his brother. And he...may have even killed Ahsoka...
"Stand down, all of you", Yoda then spoke up, rising from his seat. "Let him go, my apprentice. To brand Skywalker for what he has done, the way is it, hmmm?"
"Master Yoda, you have seen for yourself of what he had done!", Windu attempted to reason to the green midget, who shook his head in disappointment.
"Kill him to prevent the future, hmm?", he challenged the Korun Master of his convictions. "And kill our only hope who could stop the Empire, hmm? Skywalker responsible alone, is he?"
Mace heard a sigh that came from Ki-Adi Mundi, a look of both sadness and conflict shrouding him. "Master Windu, Master Yoda is correct. I doubt Skywalker was responsible alone in destroying the entire Jedi Order"
"Master Windu...", Kit Fisto attempted to reason with him once more. "You mus not let your judgements blind you into doing something that could make things worse. What would happen to Luke? Our only hope in the future? Please, do not let your hastiness be the undoing of our futures"
The Korun Master's expression began to soften, and realizing the truth in everyone's words. They were right to begin with and he loosened his grip, causing Anakin to land on to the floor. Without any thought, the Jedi Knight bolted out of the Chambers in fear for everyone around him.
"Anakin!", Obi-Wan tried to call out for his former apprentice but he was already far out. Ahsoka and Padmé wept together as Rex sat down pinching his temples.
"Senator Amidala. Captain Rex. Padawan Tano", Yoda quickly turned to them, seeing the possibility that they could talk him out of this. While he knew that Anakin had broken the code, he wasn't going to give him any penalties for that, as Anakin managed to fulfill his duties as a Jedi while hiding his marriage for s long. "Go after him, you will. Discuss matters in the Council, we shall"
Without a second thought, the three of them left the chambers to go after Anakin, desperately hoping he wouldn't do anything reckless. Obi-Wan wanted to go with them, but he had to be present at the meeting to provide a good defense for his former padawan as the Council gathered around for a meeting.
"A dark truth, it has been kept", Yoda began in a saddened tone. "Failed as Jedi we have. Failed to stop the Sith, we have"
"Apart from that, Skywalker has broken the code", Saesee Tiin pointed out but Depa glared at him.
"If it wasn't for him breaking the code, then perhaps Luke wouldn't be able to accomplish to where we had failed to provide. Hope.", she reasoned out, seeing that his choice to disobey the order's code had worked out in the very end to which she wondered whatever happened to her Padawan Caleb, who sat down in silence, still shaken to the revelation of seeing his hero and role model became a mass murdering tyrant.
"We have the knowledge that Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord we are looking for. And Anakin is close to him, from what we heard" Mundi informed them.
"Remember what Master Yoda said, Master Mundi", Kit Fisto quickly intervened. "We cannot act until we know what we could about Palpatine or whatever tricks in his sleeve"
"Patience...", Yoda quickly said, tapping his cane.
"Master Yoda, it is said that the future of the end of the Jedi and the Republic is within a short time's notice. We cannot simply sit around and wait for an answer", Mace argued to the Grand Master, who simply pointed the holovids with his cane.
"Patience...and provide the answers they will...", Yoda ordered them, who all nodded in obedience.
"Regarding to Anakin breaking the code, I am certain that had given much to keep it from the Jedi Council", Plo Koon spoke up. "And yet he still fulfilled his duties regardless"
Luminara held her chin, before giving out her own opinion. "It had garnered him much conflict due to the Order's code of attachment restrictions. I cannot see this on how this draws a connection between his marriage and of the Chancellor"
Her eyes widened in realization. "Unless...Palpatine took advantage of this once he got wind of it"
Obi-Wan looked at the Mirialian Master with widened eyes. It makes sense since Anakin trusted the Chancellor that he may even told him about his marriage. He loved Padmé just as he loved the Order despite their flaws, and he may even have manipulated Anakin's distrust on the council.
And all of a sudden, the holographic forms of the two mysterious individuals activated, causing everyone to look at the two and intently listen to what message they had left for them to interpret.
"Hopefully no rash action has been taken by everyone once the truth is presented", the hooded man mused before them, causing them to look at Master Windu, who seemed to be unbothered by the looks they gave him. "If so, then we still have time. Do not let your hastiness be your undoing"
"Noted", Kit Fisto eagerly said with caution, a feeling shared by everyone present.
"Remember, the future is not set in stone", the hooded woman firmly told them, giving them solace of what is to come. "If you tread carefully, you may yet save all those who fell prey to the Empire"
The man then spoke up once more, with another holovid activating on queue. "The answers provided here will show where it all started to fall apart, starting here..."