Chapter 4
The small Jedi Shuttle carrying Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Chancellor Palpatine landed outside the Senate Office building on Coruscant where senators and droids awaited the Chancellor's arrival. Ahsoka followed as Anakin and Palpatine exited the shuttle and started walking towards the senators, when Anakin's words stopped her, "are you coming, Master?"
Obi-Wan had remained in the shuttle, "oh no, I'm not brave enough for politics. I have to report to the Council. Besides, you two need to be the poster pair."
Anakin managed a grin, but then said, "hold on, this whole operation was your idea. You planned it. You led the rescue operation. Ahsoka and I followed you."
"Sorry, old friend. Let us not forget that you two rescued me from the buzz droids. And you killed Count Dooku. And you rescued the Chancellor, carrying me unconscious on your back."
"All because of your training, Master."
"Anakin, let's be fair. Today, you two are the heroes and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians." Ahsoka silently agreed. Despite the disturbing behavior she'd seen Anakin display earlier, she knew he had done well.
"All right," Anakin relented, "but you owe me. And not for saving your skin for the tenth time."
"Ninth time, that business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't . . . doesn't count," Obi-Wan insisted.
Ahsoka laughed, "you two will never change." Obi-Wan and Anakin smiled, and then she and Anakin trailed after the Chancellor and met with the waiting senators.
Mace Windu was present as well. "Chancellor Palpatine," he said, "are you all right?"
"Yes," the Chancellor answered, "thanks to your three Jedi Knights. They killed Count Dooku, but General Grievous has escaped once again."
Mace nodded, "General Grievous will run and hide as he always does. He is a coward."
"That may be true, but with Count Dooku dead, he is the leader of the Droid Army, and I assure you, the Senate will vote to continue the war as long as Grievous is alive."
"Then the Jedi Council will make finding Grievous our highest priority."
Solemn nods bobbed around, and the entourage of senators made their way inside. Ahsoka walked alongside Anakin and Bail Organa.
Bail addressed them, "Skywalker, Tano, the Republic cannot praise you enough."
"Thank you, Senator Organa." Ahsoka said.
Anakin said, "the kidnapping was a bold move by the Separatists, but it was a mistake that Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and I were able to take advantage of.
Bail continued, "the end of Count Dooku will surely bring an end to this war, and an end to the Chancellor's draconian security measures."
"I wish that were so," Anakin sighed, "but the fighting is going to continue until General Grievous is spare parts. The Chancellor is very clear about that."
Seemingly at the same time, Ahsoka and Anakin both straightened, sensing a figure following them in the shadow of the columns looming around them.
"I'll do everything I can with the Senate," Bail promised.
Ahsoka thanked him, and Anakin nodded distractedly. "Excuse me," he said.
"Certainly," Bail acknowledged, and Ahsoka nodded to Anakin as he left to see the figure.
Against her better judgement, Ahsoka continued walking with Bail, trying to put a finger on who the figure was. She could sense them through the Force, but she couldn't pinpoint their identity. All she knew was that it was female, and familiar.
✨
Nearly every Jedi had already left the briefing room when Anakin rushed in. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were shutting off the holograms and electronic maps.
"Where were you?" Ahsoka asked.
"You missed the briefing report on the Outer Rim sieges," Obi-Wan said in greeting to Anakin.
"I'm sorry, I was held up. I have no excuse," Anakin said.
Obi-Wan nodded, used to it. Ahsoka smirked, remembering when Master Skywalker would reprimand her for being late, yet he was almost always late himself.
"In short, they are going very well," Ahsoka reported.
Obi-Wan delivered the rest of the information, "Saleucami has fallen, and Master Vos has moved his troops to Boz Pity."
"What's wrong then?" Anakin wondered, sensing their emotions.
Obi-Wan sighed, "the Senate is expected to vote more executive powers to the Chancellor today."
"Well, that can only mean less deliberating and more action. Is that bad? It will make it easier for us to end this war," Anakin reasoned.
"Master, be careful of your friend Palpatine," Ahsoka advised.
"Be careful of what?"
"He has requested your presence," Obi-Wan informed him.
Anakin looked puzzled, but also eager, "what for?"
"He would not say."
"He didn't inform the Jedi Council? That's unusual, isn't it?"
Ahsoka shook her head, "all of this is unusual."
"And it's making me feel uneasy," Obi-Wan interjected. "You're probably aware that relations between the Council and the Chancellor are stressed."
Anakin folded his arms, "I know the Council has grown wary of the Chancellor's powers. Aren't we all working together to save the Republic? Why all this distrust?"
Obi-Wan sighed, "the Force grows dark, Anakin, and we are all affected by it. Be wary of your feelings."
✨
Ahsoka stood waiting outside the Jedi Council chamber with Anakin. "Master, should it be taking them this long?"
Anakin figeted, straightening his Jedi robes, "it isn't too unusual for them. But I'll admit, I'm starting to feel anxious."
"Well, I'm sure they weren't expecting it," Ahsoka reasoned. "The Chancellor appointed you his personal representative on the Jedi Council. They don't just accept it. And you know the tension between the Council and the Chancellor is growing every day. They don't just let someone outside of the Order control something like that."
"Yes, but—" The doors to the Council chamber slid open soundlessly, stopping Anakin. "There's our cue."
Together, Anakin and Ahsoka strode into the room and when they reached the center of the room, bowed before the Jedi Masters.
"Anakin Skywalker, we have approved your appointment to the Council as the Chancellor's personal representative." Mace Windu informed Ahsoka's former master, who smiled.
"I will do my best to uphold the principles of the Jedi Order," Anakin stated.
"Allow this appointment lightly," Yoda began, "the Council does not. Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine."
Anakin nodded, "I understand."
Mace spoke again, "you are on this council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master."
Ahsoka internally winced, feeling Anakin's anger build up through the Force. "What? How can you do this?" He demanded, his voice rising with each word. "This is outrageous, it's unfair. I'm more powerful than any of you. How can you be on the Council and not be a Master?"
Mace fixed his harsh gaze on Anakin, his voice hard and disapproving as he said, "take a seat, young Skywalker."
Anakin seemed to realize what he had said and how inappropriate his actions were. He sounded calmer when he said, "forgive me, Master," and took a seat.
Ahsoka was left standing in the middle of the room. She was about to ask about the status of the war and search for Grievous, when Ki-Adi-Mundi, sitting in his chair as a hologram, answered her unspoken questions, "we have surveyed all systems in the Republic, and have found no sign of General Grievous."
"Hiding in the Outer Rim, Grievous is," Yoda said, "the outlying systems, you must sweep."
"That may take some time," Ahsoka interjected.
"We do not have many ships to spare," Obi-Wan added.
Mace rubbed his chin, "we cannot take ships from the front line."
"And yet, it would be fatal for us to let the droid armies regroup," Ahsoka said, folding her arms.
"Master Kenobi," Yoda addressed Ahsoka's mentor. Even though Anakin had been her Master, she had learned much from Obi-Wan too. Sometimes she thought that the only reason she got injured less than Anakin did in the midst of a risky plan was because she had Obi-Wan's training as well as Anakin's. "Our spies, contact you must, and then wait." Yoda instructed.
"What about the droid attack on the Wookiees?" Ki-Adi-Mundi wondered.
Ahsoka grimaced as she thought about the Wookiees. When she'd been kidnapped by bounty hunters looking for a good hunt a few years ago, she'd met a Wookiee named Chewbacca. Together, along with other captives, they'd managed to beat the slavers and contact Chewbacca's fellow Wookiees who returned Ahsoka to the Jedi. Since then, she'd always had a soft spot for Wookiees.
"It is critical we send an attack group there, immediately," Mace said.
"He's right," Obi-Wan agreed, "that is a system we cannot afford to lose. It's the main navigation route for the southwestern quadrant."
"I know that system well. It would take us little time to drive the droids off that planet," Anakin offered.
"Skywalker, your assignment is here with the Chancellor, and Kenobi must find General Grievous." Mace ordered.
"Go, I will. Good relations with the Wookiees, I have." Yoda decided.
"What about me?" Ahsoka asked, wondering what she could do to help win the war.
"Stay here on Coruscant and wait for orders," Mace told her. Ahsoka nodded, only slightly disappointed.
"It is settled then. Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk. May the Force be with us all," Mace concluded.
Ahsoka felt Anakin's disappointment through the Force and tried to ignore. She didn't like how he'd been acting ever since The Invisible Hand.
Ahsoka began to leave the chamber, along with the Jedi Masters. Obi-Wan caught her eye as she walked passed him, silently communicating that he wished to speak with her—alone, it seemed.
~
Obi-Wan and Anakin walked side-by-side through the halls of the Jedi Temple, with Ahsoka on Anakin's other side. She wasn't quite sure why Obi-Wan wanted to speak to her, but she figured he didn't want Anakin to be there when he did.
Anakin's rage flowed off of him. "What kind of nonsense is this, put me on the Council and not make me a Master? That's never been done in the history of the Jedi! It's insulting!"
"Calm down, Anakin," Obi-Wan instructed. "You have been given a great honor. To be on the Council at your age . . . it's never happened before. Listen to me, Anakin. The fact of the matter is you're too close to the Chancellor. The Council doesn't like it when he interferes in Jedi affairs."
"I didn't ask to be put on the Council—"
"But it's what you wanted! Your friendship with Chancellor Palpatine seems to have paid off."
"That has nothing to do with this," Anakin insisted.
"Anakin, regardless of how it happened, you find yourself in a delicate situation. I warned you there was tension between the Council and the Chancellor. I was very clear. Why didn't you listen? You walked right into it."
Anakin sounded smug when he said, "the Council is upset I'm the youngest to ever serve."
"No, they are not. Anakin, I worry when you speak of jealousy and pride. Those are not Jedi thoughts. They're dangerous, dark thoughts."
"Master, you of all people should have confidence in my abilities. I know where my loyalties lie."
"I hope so . . ."
"Ahsoka, what do you think? Does the Council trust me?" Anakin asked Ahsoka, who wasn't happy about being brought into the conversation. She had been hoping not to be a part of it.
"I don't know, Master," she answered. "They're certainly cautious, especially when it comes to the Chancellor. And they should be. I don't like how much he's trying to interfere with the Jedi proceedings."
"No one does," Obi-Wan agreed.
"I sense there's more to this talk than you're saying," Anakin noted, his voice hard.
"Anakin, the only reason the Council has approved your appointment is because the Chancellor trusts you."
"And?"
"Anakin, look, I am on your side. I didn't want to see you put in this situation."
"What situation?" Anakin demanded.
Obi-Wan sighed. "The Council wants you to report on all of the Chancellor's dealings. They want to know what he's up to."
"They want me to spy on the Chancellor?" Anakin exclaimed. "That's treason!"
"We are at war, Anakin. The Jedi Council is sworn to uphold the principles of the Republic, even in the Chancellor does not," Obi-Wan explained.
Anakin took a few deep breaths and turned, facing one of the huge windows present through the Jedi Temple. "Why didn't the Council give me this assignment when we were in session?"
"This assignment is not to be on record. The Council asked me to approach you on this personally."
Anakin shook his head, "the Chancellor is not a bad man, Obi-Wan. He befriended me. He's watched out for me ever since I arrived here."
"That is why you must help us, Anakin. Our allegiance is to the Senate, not to its leader who has managed to stay in office long after his term has expired."
"Master, the Senate demanded that he stayed longer."
"Yes, but use your feelings, Anakin. Something is out of place."
"You're asking me to do something against the Jedi Code." Ahsoka managed to keep her thoughts from expressing themselves. Anakin was against breaking the Code? She hadn't witnessed that very much in the years she'd known him.
"Against the Republic," Anakin continued. "Against a mentor . . . and a friend. That's what's out of place here. Why are you asking this of me?"
Obi-Wan sighed again. "The Council is asking you."
Anakin took a moment to gather his thoughts, and without another word, he stormed down the hall.
"He worries me," Obi-Wan said.
"Me too," Ahsoka said, watching Anakin's retreating figure. She wished he didn't have to spy on the Chancellor either, but she understood the Council's thinking. She faced Obi-Wan, "you wanted to speak to me?"
Obi-Wan nodded, not meeting her eyes. "Yes. Ahsoka, the Council has an assignment for you as well. Also not to be on record."
Ahsoka's interest was peaked. What could they want her to do, that wouldn't be on record? This day was full of surprises.
"What is it?"
"The Council wants you to watch Anakin."
Ahsoka's jaw almost dropped open. "W-what? Why?"
"You and I aren't the only ones to notice his recent behavior. It's making the Council uneasy."
"But, Master Kenobi, he was my Master. I can't—"
"I don't want you to do this anymore than you do. But someone needs to keep an eye on him. I cannot, I'm leaving soon to search for Grievous. You're the only one Anakin trusts besides me."
Ahsoka sighed, feeling that everyone had been doing a lot of that in just the past hour. She slowly nodded. "I understand. I'm not happy about it, but I agree. We need to find out why he's acting like this. Before it's too late."
Obi-Wan gave her a forced smile and a comforting hand on her shoulder. A Padawan came up to Obi-Wan and asked him a question, prompting Ahsoka to walk away in the opposite direction that Anakin had. As she glanced back, she saw Obi-Wan speaking to the Padawan while rubbing his chin tiredly and staring off where Anakin had gone.
Ahsoka knew exactly what was on his mind. He was on hers too.
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