The Mandalorian Jedi

Chapter Twenty Three

Months passed. Nothing changed despite our best efforts and Anakin... I could tell something was wrong. Whenever I asked he muttered something about dreams and then brushed it off and changed the subject. I asked Padme but she just shook her head,
"Its just nightmares, nothing to worry about I'm sure."
Nothing to worry about for her maybe, but nightmares were rarely just that with the Jedi, especially with one so powerful as Anakin.

He grew closer to Palpatine. Too close. I tried to talk to him about it but once again he only changed the subject. I was getting more and more suspicious of the chancellor and his incessant need for Anakin to meet with him every few days. He tried to set up meetings with me a few times which I very politely declined with a 'I need to go on a mission'. Obi-Wan shared my concerns, we found ourselves discussing it over meals more than once and quickly shut up the second Anakin walked into the room. It wasn't like we were growing apart, we still laughed and joked, fought back to back and trusted each other with our secrets but whatever he was hiding it was making things just that bit more uncomfortable, so much so that I found myself with Norah more often than usual. We spent hours training together as if it would help us end the war. She continued acting strangely too but by that point I was used to it, I thought perhaps it was some Zabrak custom or something, I never once considered the dark look in her eyes was something more.

The thing that changed everything though was Palpatine's move to get Anakin onto the Council. That was the turning point, the action that truly made me question him. I cornered Mace after Anakin's meeting with the Jedi Masters, walking down the hall alongside him,
"Really?"

"What now Rhea?"
"You don't find it the least bit suspicious that Palpatine is placing someone onto the council?"
"I thought you would be happy. Anakin is your friend is he not?"
"I'm happy for him yes but why? Why would you approve of his joining the council?"
"Why do you think we denied him the rank of master? You think you're the only one who has your suspicions? By allowing Anakin onto the council without such a title we give him no real power and yet we have an opportunity to spy on the Chancellor."
"Through Anakin?" I scoffed, "I have no doubt Palpatine has already asked Anakin the same and I mean no offence to you Master but the Chancellor has given Ani a whole lot more than you ever have." Mace sighed and stopped,
"He will do it because in the end the Jedi are all he has, you are a Jedi, Obi-Wan is a Jedi and despite his better judgement it is clear that he has formed attachments to the both of you. I would hope you are not so foolish." I was so foolish. Of course I was and Mace knew that well enough. He had taught me to defend myself from the dark side precisely because he knew I could not help but forge attachments. I was a Mandalorian, family meant everything. He said it as a way to ask me a question without actually asking it of me,
"You want me to trail him. See what he does? You are asking me to spy on the spy."
"He wouldn't find it suspicious, you spend most of your time with him anyway. He has not been taught how to defend himself from the dark side and he is powerful. Besides you he is the most powerful Jedi and you do not access the full extent of your power."
"Right... so what you think Palpatine is a sith lord or something?"
"No, of course not but I do believe that he has the power to turn Anakin and that is something the Jedi could not survive. If you do this, it is for him."
"Sure, besides the reporting back to you right?"
"Rhea-"
"I'll do it. But only because I was planning on doing it anyway."

I did do it, I held to my word. Mace was my Master after all and in the end he was the closest thing I had to a father. Not to mention I was worried about Anakin and about Palpatine. I found myself at some kind of bubble opera, watching the Chancellor's buddies leave as Anakin came to sit beside him. Completely alone. I stood just outside the entrance, Palpatine started with a speech about the Jedi Council being traitors, great. Just great. I should have been surprised when Anakin started to agree. I should have been but I wasn't. I would have gone in at that moment but I paused as Palpatine moved on to talk about the Sith. Defending them... he told a story of a Sith lord. Darth Plagueis the Wise. I had done my research, deep into the archives of the Jedi to learn everything I could about our enemies, the Sith. It had been a kind of hobby as a child and not once had I seen a story of a Darth Plagueis which meant either he was lying or he was telling a story of a more recent Sith Lord, one who had hidden himself and how in gods name could he possibly know such a story then?

I barged in the second Palpatine started going on about immortality, cheating death that kind of thing because I could hear in Anakin's voice how dangerously close he was to wanting to learn such a power,
"Anakin! There you are! I've been looking all over for you! Obi-Wan told me he was expecting you for dinner, you have a long day tomorrow or something. I don't know I wasn't listening. I apologise Chancellor but we really must be going." My brother was gracious enough to not call out my blatant lie in front of Palpatine, he waited until we were on our way back to the Temple before confronting me,
"Rhea what the kriff was that about? How much did you hear?"
"Anakin please, you can't honestly believe him."
"What are you talking about?"
"I know the history of the Sith and the Jedi cover to cover. There is never one mention of a Darth Plagueis the Wise. How can you not realise that he is manipulating you?"
"Rhea! He is as good a friend and a mentor as I could ask for. It is the council you should be worried about, not the Chancellor."
"The Council?! Utreekov, they are not the problem here. Kriff Anakin, you need to get yourself back on track or it is all going to go to crap. I can't lose you Anakin. I can't."
"You won't. I swear to you vod you will not lose me and I will not lose you. I will always be here for you, okay? I promise." I nodded and half slapped the single tear trailing down my cheek away. He leaned across the seat and hugged me tight.

The next day we found ourselves saying goodbye to Obi-Wan as he left to hunt down General Grievous once more. I had yet to report what I had overheard to Mace and I was going to leave it to the last second, it was clear Anakin was in enough pain without Mace Windu breathing down his neck. I was not expecting him to apologise to Obi-Wan just before he left. Perhaps our conversation the previous night had changed something but he gave a whole speech about ignoring Obi-Wan's training. It was heart-warming, and all the more so and his Master returned it with a slightly smaller speech speaking of his own pride of Anakin. If I had known it was the last time we would be together as a family I would have said something too but I simply stood there and smiled, patted my friend on the shoulder and wished him luck. Even then I knew by the time Obi-Wan returned everything would be very different. Whether the change would be good or bad remained to be seen.

Utreekov – Idiot, fool – literally 'emptyheaded'

Vod – brother/sister