The Decision

Chapter 9: It's General...Skywalker

Anakin walked through the temple towards the archives.

Ignoring any whispers.

"Is that Knight Skywalker?"

"He dare show his face here again?"

"Why couldn't he just stay gone?"

"Why must you all be like immature children who can't have their candy?"

Anakin recognized the last voice to be that of Aayla Secura, he silently laughed to himself at that.

Soon he was in the archives.

"Skywalker? You've returned?"

He turned to see Jocasta Nu approach.

"No madame Jocasta, I merely came to inform the council of something important."

She nodded in understanding.

"I see. Well, please know that Jedi or not, you are always welcome here into these archives."

He smiled slightly at the kind words before she left to assist a youngling.

"Skywalker."

He turned the other way to see Eeth Koth now sitting beside him.

While Eeth was wrong for his judgement in Skywalker's 'trial', he wasn't really like Agen Kolar, in fact the two didn't exactly get along.

"I'm not sure what I should say or should not say."

Anakin frowned a bit, a sorry would do.

"Maybe, say you're sorry?"

Eeth nodded.

"Oh no, I mean I am sorry. I just don't get why you'd come back. I mean don't you feel more...I don't know, liberated?"

Anakin blinked, those words coming from master Koth were odd.

"What?"

"Well you don't have to abide by some old outdated, and ridiculous code all the time anymore, you get to live by your own set rules."

Anakin nodded.

"I...guess."

This got awkward fast.

"Forgive me Knight Skywalker, I just can't really-"

"Don't call me that."

Anakin was annoyed. At first the conversation with Koth was awkward, now it's just purely annoying.

"I'm...sorry?" Eeth inquired.

"Don't refer to me as if I'm still a Jedi like many of the others are doing, like Yoda himself is doing, it's general Skywalker. I am no longer naive enough to be a Jedi." Anakin spoke sternly but not quite coldly.

Mostly because he could feel nothing but genuine emotion from Koth, otherwise his tone would be cold.

Eeth nodded slowly before rising.

"No, it...would seem you are not. You're eyes are far more open than any of ours, I'm correct on that at least."

Anakin watched as Eeth walked off, as he'd heard a type of remorse in Koth's voice, but shrugged it off.

He honestly didn't care much.

At this point it was nothing but empty words.

He turned again just as Barriss sat beside him.

"Okay, so-"

"Kriffin'...Barriss you scared me!" He exclaimed quietly.

"Well excuse me, besides I was talking." Barriss comically scoffed before continuing.

"I looked at that tumor and...what you found is no tumor."

He looked at her in surprise.

"Then what is it?"

"An inhibitor chip."

"What's it do?"

"Well it can control one's behavior. However..." Her expression turned very grim, "I did a further analysis and came across a list within the chip, at least 150 separate orders, and you'll want to know this...order 66, which states if the Jedi went against the interests of the Senate, then contingency order 66 would be issued to every clone battalion in the GAR. Meaning any of all Jedi are to be executed on site, no exceptions."

...
...
...

He stilled.

W-what?

"But what's worse...is that order 66 can be issued only by our beloved supreme Chancellor."

What?

...

Wait a minute...

He recalled Obi-Wan saying Dooku told him the Senate has been under a Sith lord's influence.

That could only mean...

Palpatine was the Sith Lord.

...

However he suddenly had an idea.

Very risky, then again what plan of his isn't? But it could work.

It required the Jedi council though, which he would tolerate.

He rose without really thinking.

"Anakin what-"

"I've got an idea."

He rushed off, leaving Barriss in a confused state.

She sighed in exasperation.

"Honestly, can he never use the phrase 'thank you'?"