Trial of the Times

Chapter 23 - Gamemaster - Rewritten

Sidious steps into the antechamber of his office, concern plastered on his face as he looks Anakin up and down. Anakin is careful to keep his expression grim, gently projecting a feigned depression into his Force signature. Everything is done discreetly, but he doesn't know if it will be nearly enough to keep Palpatine fooled for long, if at all. "Chancellor," Anakin bows, "I'm glad you were able to meet with me."

Looking at the face of the man who has long been like a mentor to him, Anakin finds that he's unable to entirely think of him as a Sith. Even now, even after knowing the truth, he still cares about Palpatine. He shouldn't. He knows that. But he does, and he doesn't know how to wish away those feelings. He doesn't think he even can. Hopefully this wasn't a mistake. Dooku is right about him being vulnerable, about being unable to trust his judgement. He can't trust himself not to say or do something stupid. Palpatine has long been able to read him, and he has to be at least somewhat suspicious about what's been going on.

"My boy, I'll always make time for you," the Chancellor assures him. He moves closer, but Anakin can now see something almost calculating in the depths of his gaze. He's suspicious. He might even know why Anakin is here, and that thought arouses no small measure of fear which Anakin ruthlessly crushes. "It is wonderful to see you alive after what I heard."

"I'm – I'm sorry for deceiving you." Anakin forces himself to say. The words feel like a lie. They feel bitter in his mouth. Slowly he begins to feel detached from his surroundings, as if he's viewing everything from a distance. It shouldn't be this hard to fit into the role he's long played.

"Did the Council ask you to?" Palpatine queries with a grandfatherly concern. He doesn't get any closer, Anakin notices distantly. He stays just far enough away to be beyond Anakin's reach which is odd in and of itself.

Anakin mutely shakes his head. "I – I needed to sort some things out, and it was even harder when I learned the truth about – about the Hardeen mission." He swallows, inhaling slowly to bolster himself, pain and helplessness rushing over him as he lets himself remember.

"I was not aware of any tension between you and the Council," points out Palpatine, frowning. Anakin can see the dark gleam in his eyes. He's enjoying this conversation. He turns, shifting towards his office in invitation, and Anakin falls in step next to him as they enter the smaller room, the Chancellor walking to sit at his desk.

Anakin forces himself to nod, before staring down at the floor. "I'm upset over how they made me think Obi-Wan was dead," he admits. "I – it's hard to grasp how they could have done such a thing to me, and I – I don't understand why." He doesn't have to fake his rising frustration. He is still upset at the Council for their actions, even if he's trying to forgive Obi-Wan.

"I was surprised too," agrees Palpatine, nodding sympathetically. "They really need to trust you more. Do you see now how little trust they have for you?"

"Yes," nods Anakin, "I just – I don't know what to do or who to trust anymore." He looks at Palpatine with what he hopes is a pleading expression. "I'm so worried about Obi-Wan, but what he did – it – it hurts so much. I can't just forgive him, even though the Jedi would say I should. I – It's not something I can forget so easily." Without meaning to, he's saying more than he'd initially intended. It's so easy for him to fall back into old habits, confessing to Palpatine – Sidious – his deepest fears and insecurities.

"The Jedi don't really understand you," suggests Palpatine, "Maybe you simply aren't meant to be a Jedi." Anakin looks up at him in shock, seeing the silent challenge in the elder man's eyes. He knows, Anakin realizes with a chill. He knows where Anakin has been, what he's been doing. Well, that's not terribly surprising. Right after Anakin disappears and is allegedly dead, Dooku turns up with a new Dark Side apprentice. It wouldn't take a genius to connect the two, especially for someone who knows Anakin so well.