Insurrection

The Council - Chapter VIII

Anakin found himself weaving through the endless seam of Coruscant traffic. A never ending visage of speeders slowed him from his destination - and he had to be there soon. Even though the Jedi Council was understanding of such, they still did not approve of being overly late; which Anakin was soon to become. But the Jedi Knight had to compose himself - his mind had been wandering as of late; his recent nightmares embedded themselves within his mind, leaving him distracted and uneasy.

He took a moment to try and focus on something else; his eyes preyed for something irregular to the metropolis surrounding, something less steel and something less mechanical - something natural and surreal. There it was, the only thing that he could see that was natural... His reflection in his canopy froze before him, and Anakin found himself distracted and controlled by it.

"Watch where you're going!" Shouted a Rodian in his native tongue, in his neighbouring vessel alongside Anakin, of which he passed with dangerous speed.

Anakin had been brought back to attention, his lack of focus was dangerous, but even more so as a Jedi - feel, don't think; focus on the moment. That's what Qui-Gon instilled within Anakin, a lesson Anakin refused to let go, and lived by as much as he could. Anakin noticed the Jedi Council in the distance, omnipotently leaning over Coruscant's landscape, and prepared his craft for landing - lowering the landing gears and activating the reverse thrusters, which hummed to life when he hit the appropriate button on the console, and swerved into the Council's landing bays, held up by distractingly beautiful, large, marble columns.

The Council, as always, sent a representative to greet him - whilst they would usually send Obi-wan, he was indisposed and so it was Master Fisto who lightly graced the floor towards his craft, to which Anakin had just began to climb out of.

"Greetings, Master Fisto." Anakin said, bowing, as was the Jedi etiquette.

"A pleasure, Skywalker." Fisto too bowed, and as he spoke, an illusive smile cracked and his big insect-like eyes fixated on Anakin.

"It's been a while since our last meeting, Skywalker. How have you been?" Fisto said, as they both walked through the open space of the hangar towards the Temple, with columns on either side overbearing.

"I have been well, Master Fisto. Yourself?" Anakin responded, with his usual smirk.

"Time are tough, but i am a Jedi. So yes, i would say i am well." Fisto retorted, smiling once again.

The two Jedi arrived at an elevator, and Fisto reached out and pressed the call button - responding with a light beep and an orange glow. Both Jedi stood there patiently, waiting, in a silence that was very close to awkward - making both Jedi feel uneasy. The silence was broken with the sudden arrival of the elevator, which glass doors slid open almost as quickly as the Jedi who stepped inside.

The two Jedi had reached their destination; the Council Chambers. The doors made way for their approach, as they stepped from the cart and through the single hallway that connected the Chambers to the rest of the temple. Anakin felt uneasy; he had been completely off balance the past few days, and thought the Council might see right through him.

"A moment please, Master Fisto." Anakin silently pleaded with the Jedi Master, to which Fisto responded with a courteous bow.

"Ofcourse, Skywalker. I will go inside and inform the Council of your arrival. I shall meet you in there." Fisto responded, realising the plea, and turned away and vanished behind the small door that hid the Council.

Anakin turned from Fisto, after looking for a moment, and bared his eyes on the coruscant cityscape, through one of the two windows of the hallway, of which both were equally large, and made up the wall of each side. While looking out the window, he focused his eyes on the beacon that was the Senate; he couldn't help but wonder what his beautiful wife was doing. He missed her, and it felt like every single breath he took without her, was a failure. As he stood, the sun made a transition on his face, and he stood there, his face half consumed, engulfed by the constant tide-like atmosphere that was Coruscant; the multiple alley retreats, the mass of entertainment facilities such as bars and gambling hubs and places of the flesh. It amused him how he could even call this place home, especially how he had even come to admire it.

He had done enough preparation, and it was time to face the council. Mustering his willpower, he made each step slow, pivoting from the window and towards the door, which sprung open and revealed the Jedi Masters, each sitting (in person or hologram) on their chairs, calm and patient - all were looking when Anakin's presence made existence in the room.

"Master Skywalker, greetings." Mace Windu ushered, insightfully.

Anakin bowed before the council, and stood ready at the centre of the round room, as was custom.

"A new assignment for you, we have. Ord Mantell is a bastion for the Seperatists; infiltrate with a small contingency of clones, you must." Groaned Master Yoda, in his typical way of speech.

"More will be said in the briefing, but we want you ready in two days... In mind, and body..." Anakin's master, Obi-wan said, possibly implicating Anakin's weakness.

"I will do as the council asks of me." Anakin responded, with a bow, and then made his way for the exit.

"Council adjourned."

Anakin again followed the elevator to the hanger, where his ship await him, and made his approach to it - he didnt want to be here long. The canopy opened on his arrival and he climbed in, strapping in and flicking the engines to life.

"Artoo, take me home."

The droid responded in a few wails, and then the ship came to hover, and make its way forward towards the Jedi's home. The sun was disappearing behind the horizon now, so a beautiful orange crease ruptured like a wound in the sky, paying homage to the star's magnifence; which was ironic considering the planet which it atoned to. But it proved there was still beauty in this world, and that was also proved, because he was married to it.

Anakin arrived at his home, and began his descent to his landing pad, his ship touching gracefully. However, when he had exited the ship, he felt a presence in his home; his lightsaber unclipped and sat firmly in his grasp, ready for the incursion...