Star Wars: Secrets of the Jedi (AU)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"What did you mean?" Siri asked her husband as Palpatine led their son out of their sight.

Broken from his thoughts, Obi-Wan looked at her. "About what?"

"You said this was your fault," she reminded. "Why is it your fault? You didn't know Palpatine was a Sith Lord. Did you?"

Obi-Wan sighed deeply. He'd never wanted to have to explain to Siri about his and Anakin's suspicions nor about Anakin's vision regarding Zakk. He'd never wanted her to look at him the way he knew she would as soon as he spoke the words.

"I...Anakin and I have suspected..." he stammered as he tried to bring forth the truth as he knew it.

"Suspected what?"

He met her eyes. "Anakin suspected that Palpatine...we didn't know, but we suspected that he was involved with the Sith; Anakin even...Anakin thought he might be the Sith Lord."

Siri's eyes widened. "You knew?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, no we didn't..."

"...when are Anakin's senses, or yours for that matter, ever wrong!?"

Obi-Wan's closed his eyes. He knew he had to tell her about Anakin's vision. She deserved that much.

"There's more," he began.

A few small tears fell down her cheeks. "A Sith Lord has my son under his control and you tell me that you and Anakin both suspected from...how can there be more?"

"A little more than a year ago, Anakin had a...a vision," he began haltingly. "He saw...he and I had just returned to the Temple from...from Jabiim. Zakk was...he was gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Siri demanded.

"I don't know!" Obi-Wan yelled in frustration. "It wasn't my vision, it was...Anakin told me that he saw us and nearly every other Jedi searching the Temple for Zakk and he was just...gone. He wasn't there; anywhere. He wasn't anywhere."

Siri closed her eyes as pain overwhelmed her.

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan whispered as his own tears began to fall. "I'm so sorry."

/

Three Days Later

Anakin was alive with nervous energy as the ship carrying him and Reeft set down on the main Temple landing pad, darkness all around.

"Look," Reeft pointed out the front viewport.

Anakin saw Masters Yoda and Windu along with Ferus Olin awaiting their arrival. Windu and Olin looked concerned while Yoda looked his normal, unflappable self.

"Looks like Ferus did what I asked," Anakin commented as he and Reeft grabbed their bags and prepared to descend the ramp while the ship powered down.

"When did you speak to Ferus?"

"In the fifteen minutes between you leaving our quarters on the Reliant and meeting you in the hanger bay," Anakin began. "I asked him to explain the situation to the Council so they would be informed by the time we got back."

Reeft nodded in approval. "Good thinking, Padawan."

It was the first time Reeft had addressed Anakin as such. He was about to apologize in deference to Obi-Wan when Anakin responded.

"Thank you, Master."

Anakin knew Reeft often felt inferior to Obi-Wan in Anakin's eyes, and if he was honest, Anakin saw Reeft that way as well. He knew it wasn't fair, and he intended to correct his behavior towards the man now guiding him in his quest to become a Knight. His unwavering support had earned Reeft that much, and more.