The Loyalty of the Dark

Chapter 13

"Perhaps he has some reason to believe," Obi-Wan began carefully, no doubt noticing Anakin was far from in the mood for whatever chaos he was about to be shoved into, "that the Council might have resisted sending you. Perhaps he did not wish to reveal his reason for the summons. Relations between the Council and the Chancellor are....stressed."

"Obi-Wan, what's going on? Something's wrong, isn't it? You know something, I can tell."

"Know? No. Only suspect. Not at all the same thing."

Anakin was again hit with how he probably would have been better off keeping his mouth shut about his vision. "And?"

"And that's why I'm out here, Anakin. To talk to you. Semiprivately," Obi-Wan said, trying to make the other man smile as he ever so briefly lightened his voice to a less serious tone. Anakin barely managed a small and brief smirk before the heavy weight of confusion and uncertainty took him again. "And not as a Council member. In fact, I'd much rather they not learn about this conversation."

"What do you mean? I still don't know what's going on."

"No one does, Anakin. Not really," he said with a sigh. "Anakin, you know I am your friend."

"Of course you—"

"No. No of courses, Anakin. You know I would trust you with my life, and I hope you would do the same with me. I am your friend, and as your friend I'm asking you to be wary of Palpatine."

"What do you mean?" Anakin asked, knowing this round about way they were talking—this reminder of something he knew as well as the color of his blade, though it did prompt part of his mind to tell himself to talk to the other Jedi about the vision right then and there—could not mean anything good. And be wary? Be mindful, those were the words that had been drilled into his ears by Obi-Wan over the years. Be mindful of the Force, be mindful of your flying, be mindful of your lightsaber, be mindful of others. Never something that sounded almost bad should he do otherwise.

"I know you are his friend. I am concerned that he may not be yours. Be careful, Anakin."

There it was again. "Careful, don't you mean mindful?"

"No, I mean careful. The Force has been growing ever darker around us, and we are affected by it just as much as we affect it. It is a dangerous time to be a Jedi. You can't tell me Eclipse's appearance didn't seem to actually brighten the Force, if even for a moment."

"Obi-Wan that's ridiculous."

"I know, but the truth remains that she froze the change regardless of what she is, even if it was only temporarily. And you can't say that it doesn't...." Obi-Wan paused, shaking his head even as he looked around much as Anakin had done earlier—the deck once again failed inspection. "It's just....odd her the arrival brighten the Force for even a microment, and you can't say her willingness to work with us isn't out of the ordinary. Almost...."

"Almost like the Force wants us to trust her," Anakin muttered, shaking his head. "I feel like I should and keep reminding myself not to."

"That trick she tried in the Council Chambers, do you think...."

"No. That felt....different. Trust me, I'd know if it was the same."

"Still doesn't explain why she's so willing to stay on our good side. You don't think she's gone crawling off to Sidious do you?"

"No," Anakin responded reflexively before shaking his head. "I mean I don't know. It sounded like she didn't like him, and it seemed she mostly tells the truth.... Honestly, I don't know."

"Where is she anyway?"

The Jedi shrugged, drawing out his datapad before showing Obi-Wan the blip. "Deep in the Underlevels."

"What is that?"

"Apparently she has a tracker implanted like a slave chip. Gave me the code for simplicity's sake."

"....Perhaps I'll pay her a visit," Obi-Wan muttered.

"Good luck, she rarely stops moving," Anakin responded before trying to send the code link to his friend, only for an error to appear on screen and a password request along with half a dozen other failsafes. He furrowed his brow. "Now that's weird."

"What?"

"Code won't send."

"It is tracking a Sith. I suppose it wouldn't be that simple to spread around."

Anakin shook his head as he put the datapad away. "Well, I'm going to have to track her down later once I figure out when she's going to have to start teaching whoever."

"Well, you'll be glad to hear that as of yet, you are the only one she's supposed to teach," Obi-Wan informed him.

"....You're joking."

"It was Master Yoda's suggestion. Until other members of the Council free up time and open their mind to the idea, it's just you; though I would be open to it if I were free whenever you start. Anyway, until someone else is free, you need to start learning so that if she leaves before anyone else can start at least someone knows how to recognize Force misdirection. Think about it, you'll be teaching me a few tricks."

"Thought I already was."

"Very funny, Anakin."