Trial of the Times

Chapter 21 - A Step Ahead - Rewritten

Sidious is no fool. If he was, he would never have made it as far as he has. He relies on his skills and cunning, using his wits – and the Dark Side – to outsmart and maneuver his opponents. That's why he was always a better politician than Plagueis. Unlike his master, he's always preferred dealing with people, interacting with them, manipulating them. It's long been his forte, and Sidious knows that young Tano is not here simply because she is worried for him.

Oh, that girl is good, no doubt about that. He almost believed her. Almost. But something seemed off in the Force, and it only took a careful probe of the clone's outer thoughts to discern the reason. Apparently, Skywalker wanted his clone captain to know that he wasn't dead, that he needed to leave for some undisclosed reason, and together with young Tano, the two have begun to put together a few pieces of the puzzle.

They, like Sidious, suspect that the Dark Sider on Naboo is none other than Skywalker, and they believe that he's acting of his own free will. They're suspicious of Sidious, questioning if there's something which he's hiding which Skywalker now knows. Well, it's time to hasten his plans, and without his favored apprentice. Young Tano could be a suitable replacement if only he can get his claws in her just right. What delicious irony. The apprentice turning on the master. It would devastate Skywalker; it would break him, and it would throw him off balance enough for the threat he poses to be neutralized.

Perhaps Sidious ought to look into hiring a bounty hunter to capture Senator Amidala and hold her hostage. If nothing else, it might draw Skywalker out and force his hand before he and his allies are ready. Sidious has let Dooku go for too long without keeping him disciplined, and he's begun to get treasonous ideas, apparently, not that he expected anything else, for such is the way of the Sith. It makes him feel smug to see how far the respectable former Jedi Master has fallen, knowing that he played a key role in Dooku's Fall.

Kenobi will definitely pose a threat, but his coming actions, coupled with Skywalker's coming betrayal will give Sidious the perfect reason to issue Order 66 and be rid of the Jedi once and for all. All he'll need to do is hold out against three of the most powerful duelists who will be working in tandem to destroy him. If, by some chance, he fails to destroy them, he can improvise and fall back on his secondary, backup plan. Ever since he became Senator, Sidious has prepared for the possible eventuality that the Jedi discover the truth about him before he's ready. If he needs to flee, he's already prepared an escape route which is secure enough that no one will uncover it until he's safely away.

Now, it's time to make more plans and prepare for the imminent attack by his wayward apprentice and his two allies. Perhaps it's not too late to bring Skywalker back to him. Perhaps... But Sidious is not prone to sentimentality. He would rather kill the boy than try to keep him as a trophy to his victory, especially now that he has likely found a semblance of balance. Dooku has always been a good master, and Sidious has no doubt that he's been working on Skywalker, helping him repair the damage done to his mind from his childhood and Sidious' careful manipulations. So much time, and it's all for naught.

Well, if he has the opportunity to capture Skywalker, he'll take it. The boy may not join him willingly, but he can be broken, and break him Sidious will, though not at the cost of his own life. For now, he'll settle on finding a way to lure young Tano to his side, to the place that her erstwhile master would have otherwise taken.

***

"So, what do you think?" Ahsoka asks Rex after they've retired to a private conference room on the Star Destroyer. Nothing noteworthy has happened, and she's almost disappointed. She had hoped that they might be able to get a hint of something, but they – or she, at least – have sensed nothing amiss. Maybe they're worrying about nothing. Maybe something else is going on entirely. Still, she's not willing to give up after so short a time. They have to keep on searching. Anakin would never have acted as he did without good reason.