The Mandalorian Jedi

Chapter Twenty Five

My head was spinning. I had no idea where I was going, just away. Away from Norah, away from this useless kriffing war, away from the crushing rules of the order. Maybe I could go back, tell her I lied, tell her that I was just too scared to admit the truth- no. No. I had left for a reason. I was saving the galaxy. Right? Or maybe I was exaggerating my power, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if for once in my life I allowed myself to be happy. I pushed the thought away before it had even fully formed and collapsed onto one of the benches lining the hall. Naakla jumped up beside me and pressed her head into my shoulder, forcing me to stroke her. It helped, not much but it helped.

I sat there until my breathing slowed, it must have been hours before Anakin found me,
"There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere. Did you turn your comms off?"
"What? Oh, yeah, I must have. Is everything okay?"
"Mace wants us, there's an update on the Grievous situation."
"Right, yeah."
"He said he wants to talk to you afterwards so you don't have an excuse to skip out on it. Are you alright? Your eyes are red."
"Probably because you stink so bad you're making my eyes water." I forced a half smile, it seemed to work because he made an overly offended face and pulled me up off the bench,
"I just washed!"
"Huh, I honestly couldn't tell. It must be your awful sense of humour stinking up the place, you know they say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."
"Oh please, you're a thousand times more sarcastic than I could ever possibly hope to be." I snorted and linked arms with him, signalling Naakla and Ka'ra to follow as we started to walk,
"You're an awful person you know that right?"
"Rhea you break my heart, I can actually feeling it being ripped to pieces this very second."
"See what I mean? Lowest form of wit."
"I don't know what you think sarcasm is but that certainly wasn't it."
"I think you're the one who needs to check a dictionary vod."
"Smartass."

Ki Adi, Aayla, Plo Koon, Yoda and Cody's holograms were all already there by the time we arrived. Mace gave me an annoyed look,
"Thank you for taking the time out of your ever so busy day to join us my young padawan."
"Not your padawan."
"Maybe you should be, I could teach you a lesson about leaving your comms on."
"Master, please. I think we have more pressing issues than my tardiness."
"Of course. Commander Cody, continue please."
"General Kenobi has made contact with Grievous, we're beginning our attack now." He bowed slightly and his hologram disappeared,
"Excellent. Anakin, deliver this message to the Chancellor. Rhea, I wish to talk to you about something, in private." Anakin bowed and walked out of the room. The meeting continued on for maybe a half hour longer and then one by one the other hologram's vanished. All but Plo Koon,
"I don't mean to intrude but Rhea, might I ask if you have seen Norah?"
"Yeah, a few hours ago. Why?"
"She was meant to meet me two hours ago, I have yet to receive any message from her. If you see her tell her to hurry up would you?"
"Of course Master." We both bowed and then he too flickered away.

"You didn't report on Anakin. Have you found anything?"
"You aren't going to like it."
"Just tell me what happened, no games."
"Right. He met with Palpatine yesterday, some weird bubble opera. Palpatine was going on about corruption in the Jedi council, Anakin looked apprehensive but he wasn't exactly disagreeing. Then Palpatine started telling a story."
"About what?"
"Darth Plagueis the Wise, a sith lord who could cheat death, literally use the force to bring people back to life."
"I've never heard of a Darth Plagueis, who is he?"
"I have absolutely no idea. There are no records of him, no mentions, no scary ghost stories to tell younglings. He doesn't exist or..."
"Or we never knew about him. Then how did Palpatine know? He must have..." he was cut off by Anakin suddenly appearing back in the room,
"Master Windu there is something you must know-" before he could say anything Obi Wan's hologram flickered to life,
"Master Windu. General Grievous has been destroyed."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi." Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin and I, bowed and vanished once more, "Anakin, please continue."
"I believe Chancellor Palpatine to be a Sith Lord."

Mace didn't say anything, he just looked at me and I shrugged,
"It makes sense. How else would he know Sith stories from after the Sith were meant to have been destroyed?"
"You are sure of this Anakin?"
"Yes Master, he has been trained in the dark side of the force." We didn't bother to ask him how he knew, it was obvious enough. He wanted to teach it to Anakin.
"We must move quickly. Both of you must go to the council chambers and wait. Before either of you complain, Anakin I sense much confusion and fear within you and Rhea, I am trusting you to stop him should he decide to join us."
Anakin and I shared a look but we both nodded, bowed and made our way to the council chambers.