The Loyalty of the Dark

Chapter 26

"....The Council was....very sure in its decision," Anakin's voice said, seeming to drift into Eclipse's listening devices from a ways away.

"Certainty is a fine thing," Palpatine said, still soft from distance but growing louder as seconds passed. "Though it too often happens that those who are the most entirely certain are also the most entirely wrong. What will the Council do if Kenobi proves unable to apprehend Grievous without your help?"

"I'm sure I cannot say. I imagine they will deal with that if and when it happens. The Jedi teach that anticipation is a distraction."

"I am no philosopher, Anakin."

Yeah, right, Zilla commented to herself from where she was sitting out of sight on a ledge watching the sidewalk below, the darkside flowing around her in a small, invisible cyclone providing near constant relief from the burning underneath her skin.

"But in my work, anticipation is often my sole hope of success. I must anticipate the actions of my adversaries—and even my friends. It is the only way I can be prepared to take advantage of opportunity....and conversely, to avoid disaster."

"But if disaster comes about by will of the Force—" Anakin began only to be cut off even as Eclipse snorted. Will of the Force, she'd love to have some strong words with the Force if that were the case.

"I'm afraid I don't believe in the will of the Force. I believe it is our will that matters. I believe that everything good in our civilization has come about not by the blind action of some mystical field of energy, but by the focused will of people: lawmakers and warriors, inventors and engineers, struggling with every breath of their bodies to shape galactic culture. To improve the lives of all.... Please come in, Anakin. Much as I enjoy a philosophical chat, that was not the reason I asked you to meet with me. We have business to discuss, and I fear it may be very serious business indeed.... Please, Anakin, make yourself comfortable. Some of this may be difficult for you to hear."

"Everything is these days."

"It concerns Master Kenobi. My friends among the Senators have picked up some....disturbing rumors about him. Many in the Senate believe that Kenobi is not fit for this assignment."

"Are you serious?" came Anakin's surprised response.

"I am most serious, I'm afraid. It is a....complicated situation, Anakin. It seems there are some in the Senate who now regret giving me emergency powers."

"There have been dissenters and naysayers since before Geonosis. Why should it be cause for concern now? And even then, Chancellor, I fail to see how this affects Obi-Wan."

"I'm getting to that," Sidious's voice said, asking for the Jedi's patience without directly stating it. Zilla let out a long breath—some things never change and Palaptine taking forever to get to his point was one of them. "The difference is that now, some of the senators—actually a large number of them—seem to have given up on democracy. Unable to achieve their ends in the Senate, they are organizing into a cabal, preparing to remove me by....other means."

"You mean treason?"

"I'm afraid so. The rumor is that the ringleaders of this group may have fallen victim to the....persuasive powers....of the Jedi Council, and are on their way to becoming accomplices in the Council's plot against the Republic."

"Chancellor, be reasonable. That's ridiculous."

"And it may be entirely false. Remember that these are only rumors. Entirely unconfirmed. Senate gossip is rarely accurate, but if this is true....we must be prepared, Anakin. I still have friends enough in the Senate to catch the scent of whatever this disloyal fraction is cooking up. And I have a very good idea of who the leaders are; in fact, my final meeting this afternoon is with a delegation representing the cabal. I would like you to be present for that as well."

"Me?" Anakin's voice asked, carrying surprise. "What for?"

"Your Jedi senses, Anakin. Your ability to read evil intent. I have no doubt these Senators will put some virtuous facade over their plotting; with your help, we will pierce that veil and discover the truth."

There was a sigh. "I'm willing to try, Chancellor."

"We won't try, Anakin. We will do. After all, they are only senators. Most of them couldn't hide what they're thinking from a brain-damaged blindworm, let alone the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.... The Jedi Council, however, is another matter entirely. A secret society of antidemocratic beings who wield tremendous power, individually as well as collectively—how am I to trace the labyrinth of their plots? That's why I put you on the Council. If these rumors are true, you may be democracy's last hope."

"You still haven't told me what this has to do with Obi-Wan," Anakin's tired voice pointed out.

"Ah, that—well, that is the difficult part. The disturbing part. It seems that Master Kenobi has been in contact with a certain Senator who is known to be among the leaders of this group. Apparently, very close contact. The rumor is that he was seen leaving this Senator's residence this very morning, at an....unseemly hour."

"Who? Who is this Senator? Let's go question him."

Her, Zilla corrected in her mind—she, unlike the Jedi, knew exactly what his wife had been doing with her Senate friends. And it included founding the Rebellion to her amazement.

"Unfortunately, Anakin, the Senator in question is infact a her. Someone you know quite well in fact."

"You—You mean—" Anakin began, only for Padmé's name to remain lodged in his throat. Zilla could practically feel the seeds of doubt being pressed into the soft earth of the Jedi's mind with a pointed claw. Zilla growled low in her throat, eyes swerving to look in the direction of the two—able to find them despite the buildings in the way and easily sensing Anakin's currently horror filled presence.

"I'm afraid so."

"That's impossible! I would know—she doesn't....she couldn't—"

That's because she isn't!!! Zilla hollored into the Force in a fit of anger, mentally stomping her foot.

There was pure silence for a good few seconds. Anakin's presence now seemed less horror struck and more surprised than anything else.

"Well," Palpatine began, as though he was trying to bring both himself and Anakin back to the topic at hand after an interruption—though there hadn't been one Zilla could hear, "sometimes those closest to us are the ones we cannot see."

This time, though, the words failed to sink their teeth into Zilla's Master.

"I find that doubtful," came Anakin's response, his voice hard.

"This is only idle gossip, of course, and it all may only be a figment of my overheated imagination. After all these years of war, I find myself inspecting every shadow that might hide an enemy. That is what I need from you, Anakin: I need you to find the truth. To set my mind at rest," Sidious said, his voice soft and gentle, a lure back to comfortable knowledge, companionship, and trust.

"I can do that," the Jedi stated, though again, it sounded as though he didn't take the bait.

"Good, Anakin. I knew I could count on you."

"Aways, Chancellor."

They talked about time specifics—nothing too interesting—before there was the sound of Anakin leaving. The moment the door closed, Palpatine called in some guards.

"I want every centimeter of my office scanned!"

"Yes, Chancellor," an unknown voice—probably a guard—responded.

From there, the Sith Lord walked on, away to a more private room where he told his guards not to disturb him. A holocall connected.

"Why haven't you dealt with the girl?" Sidious—for now he had given up all impressions of a friendly senator, that Zilla could tell just from his voice—hissed.

"I haven't been able to—" another unknown voice responded.

"Find her and kill her before the sun rises tomorrow, or you will beg for a similar fate."