Trial of the Times

Chapter 32 - A New Reality - Rewritten

Anakin scowls. "I didn't ask for this."

Obi-Wan sighs lightly, already feeling emotionally drained by the first part of their conversation. He wishes so badly that he had raised Anakin differently, that Anakin had been able to trust him when he was still a Padawan. It would have made a world of difference, and they wouldn't now be trying to rebuild a relationship which was strained and damaged almost irreparably over time.

"I know," Obi-Wan soothes him, "But that is not what I meant. Dooku clearly believes that you studying the Dark Side is a good thing, doesn't he?" He waits until Anakin nods, before continuing. "He may not be able to understand exactly what you need with regards to the Force, given how much stronger you are. If the Dark Side has a detrimental affect on its users, that affect will be far more obvious on you than him."

There's a faint whisper of apprehensiveness which echoes through their bond. "I'm – I will let him train me," Anakin tells him, "But you'll be there, won't you?"

Obi-Wan clasps his shoulder firmly. "Of course." He would never not go unless Anakin insisted on being alone. If Anakin is planning to go ahead with his Sith training, Obi-Wan intends to be there every step of the way. He refuses to lose his former Padawan to the Dark Side.

"Then all we can do is wait and see what happens," Anakin murmurs.

Obi-Wan wishes he knew if the uncomfortable feeling twisting inside of him was a warning from the Force, or simply a product of his own anxieties. He doesn't think that it will be easy for him to accustom himself to Anakin using the Dark Side, not the way Anakin's planning to, that is.

"Yes," Obi-Wan agrees. "Indeed."

***

Sabe sighs a bit dramatically as she flops out onto the couch, groaning. "Nothing as of yet," she reports, voice muffled. Her face is pressed into the cushions, and Padme looks up at her from where she's sitting on the opposite couch.

"At least we know what we're looking for now, even if we haven't found any evidence yet," Padme offers. She glares down at the datapad in her hands as if it's personally offended her, before setting it down and rubbing her eyes. The sun hasn't even risen yet. "I can't believe that he's a Sith," she mutters.

"Me either," agrees Sabe sitting up and beginning to tap on her datapad again. "Have you finished any of those proposals, yet?"

Padme huffs. "No. The Senate is in an uproar, as you well know. No one can decide what to do, so as of right now, the motion to have a new Chancellor elected has been postponed."

Sabe makes a face. "That's dumb. The entire Senate is planning to oversee the whole investigation, then?"

"No, thank the Force." Padme shakes her head, her irritation at the situation mounting as she thinks about it again. "A committee is being put together, and I'm on it. If we can find some conclusive proof beyond the footage of the fight from the office, we might actually stand a chance at having a new Chancellor elected who will hopefully take control of the situation and start making changes."

"Do you think... Dooku might be willing to provide evidence?" Sabe inquires hesitantly.

"I think he would be glad to, based on what I heard, but the Senate may not want to hear his testimony, or at least it probably won't be enough to resolve anything," Padme informs her. "However, that's something to keep in mind. If we can get his cohorts to testify against him, that will go a long way."

"I really do admire your tenacity," Sabe comments dryly. "I doubt I could manage to not scream at the other Senators for being so unbearably sluggish."