In the Senate, sentients were gathered for the afternoon session. Such events were not what they used to be. Formerly the representatives of the Republic would engage in debate, vote on an issue and it would be passed. Now all that was gone thanks to Palpatine’s emergency powers. The senators merely put forward proposals for his approval.
Such was the case with Senator Triev Stokra of the Corporate Sector. He moved his pod forward and was recognised by the chair.
“The Corporate Sector respectfully asks the Supreme Chancellor why Count Dooku has not been brought to trial yet,” Stokra said. “He has been held in the Jedi Temple for a number of days, surely this is a matter for the courts and not the Jedi.”
At this Danta moved his pod into the arena.
“Naboo wishes to remind thesa Senator from thesa Coprat Sect that theysa Jedi are holding Dooku as theysa can control him,” Danta explained.
“The Chair does not recognise the Senator from Naboo,” Palpatine said, meeting Danta’s eye briefly.
For a moment there was silence in the Senate chamber. Then Danta returned his pod to the Naboo box.
“I have been advised that the questioning of Count Dooku is nearing a conclusion,” Palpatine explained for the benefit of all. “Once this is done, as it will be shortly, he will be made to answer for his crimes.” A cheer erupted from the chamber. “If one has caused as many deaths as he does and caused this war to go on longer than it should, then they shall be answerable for their crimes in full!”
The Senate exploded, politicians on their feet and chanting the Chancellor’s name. Bail Organa rose with them, after all one had to keep up appearances. During this his aide whispered in his ear. With a few words, a figure in a brown cloak was admitted to the Alderaan box.
“I’ve spoken with Obi-Wan,” Padmé told him.
“And?”
Padmé thought for a moment. “I think they will be willing to side with you,” she whispered. “But it all depends.”
“It would,” Bail agreed. “Thank you.”
Padmé retreated discreetly, exuberance still the order of the day in the Senate.
But despite all the noise and the distance he was from the Alderaan box, Palpatine noticed her leave. Yet he said nothing, continuing to be the centre of the erupting storm.
Reports of this were heard by the Jedi Council, and when the next interrogation session was over Mace Windu approached Renust Nju.
“The Senate is calling for him to be brought to trial,” he told Nju.
“Impossible, how could such a thing be done?” Nju asked incredulously.
“We have done it for others,” Mace reminded him, thinking of Kar Vastor whom he had brought back from Haruun Kal early in the war. “Holding him longer gives no one any favours.”
“I’m going to be honest with you, Mace,” Nju said, falling into step beside the dark-skinned Jedi Master. “I haven’t learnt much from him that we already know. I put the evidence that we gathered against him and he refuses to acknowledge it, discounting it as circumstantial.” He stared at Mace for a moment. “I’m surprised you asked me to handle this, you’re the one who knows him.”
“And that’s why you are asking the questions,” Mace answered. “We’re running out of time, what happened this afternoon will only get worse if we continue to delay.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Nju promised.
In the late afternoon Anakin found himself in the Chancellor’s office again. He had heard what had gone on in the Senate and he was pleased. The sooner Dooku was brought to trial, the better.
“So Anakin,” Palpatine said once he had dismissed the red guards, “did you see your friend off?”
“Yes,” Anakin replied, “if I didn’t hate Grievous so much I’d almost feel sorry for him.”
Palpatine looked surprised. “I thought Jedi were not allowed to hate.”
“Figure of speech,” Anakin shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, Obi-Wan will soon have his head.”
“Provided that he is the right Jedi for the job,” Palpatine reminded him.
“The Council was…very sure of its decision,” Anakin told him.
“You don’t seem very sure about that,” Palpatine observed.
Anakin said nothing.
“It hurts me to see you in such pain, Anakin,” Palpatine said, walking towards him. “I had no idea that you being put on the Council would cause this.”
“They seem to resent you,” Anakin replied bitterly. “I still don’t know why.”
“Have you already forgotten what I told you about power?” Palpatine asked him. “This is not only limited to the Jedi, there are those in the Senate who resent the measures that need to be taken.”
“They don’t understand,” Anakin said loyally.
“They may not,” Palpatine agreed, “but their voices are quite loud and numerous, even after the display this afternoon.”
“I don’t have much stomach for politics, your Excellency,” Anakin murmured.
“I know, but I wouldn’t mention this if I didn’t think it didn’t concern you directly,” the Chancellor replied.
Anakin looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“It seems that a certain Jedi has been seen associating with these senators,” Palpatine explained slowly.
“Obi-Wan?”
“No, I believe this was a female Jedi Knight,” Palpatine told him. “She has close associations with Senator Organa, as well as Danta Pela of Naboo and…a few others.”
“Padmé?” Anakin could feel cold sweat start to gather. “But she…she would never…no.” He walked away for a moment, staring at the floor his thoughts whirling.
“Sometimes the closest are those who cannot see,” Palpatine said, and it was this remark that caused Anakin to look back.
How could he know? Anakin thought frantically, Master Yoda is one thing, but Palpatine?
“I may not be a Jedi, Anakin, but I do have eyes and ears,” Palpatine said. “I have noticed that you have a certain…fondness, shall we say, for Padmé Naberrie.”
Anakin could not trust himself to answer.
“May I be right in guessing she does not return these affections?” he asked.
“She said…” Anakin brushed his hair away from his face. “She said a while ago that we can’t let it continue. After all, there is a war on.”
“I see.” Yet Palpatine continued to look at him. “It seems very…unfortunate.”
“It’s the way things are for the Jedi,” Anakin told him with a shrug. “It’s not like we have a choice.”
“You may think you don’t Anakin,” Palpatine said mildly. “But it doesn’t have to be like this. There is a way you can have what you’ve always wanted, there is a way for you and Padmé to be together.”
“What do you mean?” Anakin asked.
“I think,” Palpatine replied slowly, “that you already know the answer to that.”
When the Vigilance cleared into real-space, Obi-Wan considered his options. Utapau was a Separatist-occupied world and it wouldn’t be wise to bring in his forces. At least, not just yet.
“What’s the plan, boss?”
Obi-Wan smiled, Commander Cody he had known for quite some time and he had no reluctance in leaving the second part of the operation to him. After all, that what was he was designed for, he was a clone of Jango Fett like all the others.
“We’ll do a two-pronged attack,” Obi-Wan explained, bringing up a holographic display of the area. “Fortunately for us, most of the cities are concentrated here—” he pointed “—on this continent on the far side. I’ll go in first and locate Grievous.”
Cody let out a low whistle, yet he knew what the Jedi was capable of.
“Send in two battalions, with the third in reserve to cover any escape routes,” Obi-Wan finished, deactivating the hologram and heading for his starfighter.
“Anything else?” Cody asked.
“No, but I can only keep them distracted for a little while,” Obi-Wan reminded him. “Don’t take too long with the attack.”
“Oh come on, boss,” said Cody nonchalantly, “when have I ever let you down?”
“Well…” Obi-Wan stroked his beard, “there was Cato Neimoidia.”
“That was Anakin’s fault,” the clone reminded him, “he was the one who was late.”
“Very well then,” conceded Obi-Wan as he climbed into his starfighter, “the burden is on me not to destroy all the droids before they get there.”
“I'm counting on you, boss,” Cody said, saluting him as the cockpit closed around Obi-Wan.
Soon enough, Obi-Wan was flying out of the hangar and heading for space. Yet as he did this he felt a momentary sadness. If only Anakin was here, he thought.
“Engage the hyperdrive, Arfour,” he told the astromech on his wing.
Arfour chortled affirmatively and the starfighter disappeared.
Padmé found Anakin in the Temple gardens, he was sitting idly beside one of the pools and examining some of the flowers. He looked up as she approached and plucked a small white one off the shrub.
“This one’s always reminded me of you,” he said, cupping the blossom in his hand. “I still don’t know why, but somehow it does.” He smiled and offered it to her.
“Anakin,” she warned. “We’ve talked about this, I’ve made my choice and I’m not going back.”
“Yes, I know,” he sighed, discarding the flower. “But I still can’t help thinking that it shouldn’t have to be this way. There’s something…” He closed his eyes for a moment. “…there’s something that holds me back, I've never given up my feelings.”
Padmé didn’t answer him, some things were better off not being said. The feelings might still be there, but Padmé knew there was a certain line Anakin would not cross because she had asked him not to. She knew that what stopped him from doing this was the hope that she might let her guards down again, something she had vowed to never do.
“Why were you in the Senate this afternoon?” he asked her suddenly.
She stared at him. “How could you know that?”
“It doesn’t matter how I know,” Anakin said loftily, “the fact is that you were seen there.”
Padmé sighed, she should have realised this. “Palpatine told you, didn’t he?”
Anakin didn’t answer but his face betrayed him.
“All right, I was there,” Padmé admitted reluctantly. “Does it matter?”
“It does if you were seen talking to senators of questionable reputation,” Anakin told her.
Padmé stood over him. “Who are you to say that?” she demanded. “I don’t believe this! You’ve got no views of your own as Palpatine’s given them to you.”
“So what if he has?” asked Anakin indignantly. “I still don’t understand why none of the Jedi can see him as I do.”
“That’s because your friendship benefits him,” Padmé retorted.
“How can it?” Anakin asked. “He’s never asked me to do anything!”
“Except be his representative on the Council,” she pointed out.
“That wasn't just for him!” Anakin flashed. “He told me that was for the benefit of the Jedi as well.”
Padmé examined Anakin for a long moment, was there any way she could get through to him so he could see what Palpatine as he really was? Well, not yet, if the Loyalists had their way then the truth would not just be apparent to Anakin but to everyone. Yet Padmé was not one to so easily give up.She shook her head, holding back the hot words she had meant to say to him. How could she approach this?
But before she could say anything, Anakin spoke again.
“I have found a way to save you,” he said.
She stared at him again. “Save me?”
“From my nightmares,” Anakin reminded her.
“Oh.” Padmé had almost forgotten about Anakin’s vision. “Is that what’s bothering you?”
Of course it’s bothering me, Anakin thought fiercely, he still could not face the thought of losing her. “I've learnt about something,” he told her quickly, not wanting her to break in and ask questions he didn’t want to answer. “I have found a way so I can keep you safe.”
“How?” Padmé asked, she didn’t like the sounds of this.
“I don’t really know,” he confessed. He had initially meant to tell her the whole story, but with what she had said about Palpatine he knew that would only lead into another argument. “But I won’t lose you, I can’t.”
“I've already encountered a Sith two—no three times and survived,” Padmé reminded him. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”
“No.” Anakin took her hand with a grip that surprised her. “That's not good enough for me.