Love In A Faraway Galaxy-AnakinxOC

Chapter 16-Revelations

The fire in the Senator's office had been successfully doused. The lingering smell of smoke burned Obi-Wan's throat and stung his eyes as he entered. Senate security scattered around the room looking for clues, all a little lost on how to process the evening's travesty.

Five Jedi guarded Brig's body on the floor. Obi-Wan was only vaguely acquainted with some of them.

A Togruta named Vel looked up at his approach, her long head-tails draped over her narrow shoulders. A frown marred her colorful face but given the circumstance of the Senator's murder it was an appropriate response. "Master Kenobi. There is a problem."

Obi-Wan was the only Council member at the scene, placing him in charge of the situation. Yoda was on Kashyyyk and Mace was on a mission. The other members were scattered across the galaxy fighting the Separatists.

Obi-Wan sensed Vel's unease through the Force. "What have you discovered?"

The other Jedi glanced down at the Senator's body. "The Sith Lord the Order has been searching for. We located a lightsaber in his robes. The kyber crystal was red."

Lightsabers turned red when a Sith deliberately bled their kyber crystals. The only time Obi-Wan had seen a Sith weapon was during the fight with Darth Maul on Naboo when his master was killed.

He returned his attention to Brig's mutilated corpse.

Someone had placed the Senator's head in close proximity to his body which made the bulging eyes of Brig's surprise more disturbing. Somehow, the body had escaped the fire that scorched the walls and shattered the windows.

Eight block letters were carved into Brig's forehead. Congealed blood pooled in the depressions etched into skin, turning Obi-Wan's stomach. He had to look away for a moment, disturbed by the cruel, deliberate brutality.

Kavan Brig was part of the same cohort as the Banking Clan and Trade Federation using the war to fill their coffers. If Brig was truly a Sith, it would explain much about his allegiances.

Obi-Wan regathered the tattered threads of his composure, reminding himself the other Jedi would be looking to him for leadership.

Before he could speak, Chancellor Palpatine glided into the office with his staff and personal security team. Clutching his gnarled, arthritic hands, the politician gazed down at Senator Brig's body. "Good gracious."

"You were the one to find the Senator, correct, Chancellor?" Vel asked.

Palpatine's blue eyes softened, gentling the harsh angles of his face. "Indeed, that is correct Master Vel. I wished to speak with Senator Brig about a piece of legislation on the floor and discovered the office on fire. Once I located his body, I contacted Senate security immediately."

Suddenly exhausted, Obi-Wan rubbed a hand over his jaw. "Evidently, Kavan Brig was a Sith Lord."

"Oh, my." The mild-mannered Chancellor regarded Obi-Wan warmly, apparently pleased by the revelation. "This is fortunate news! After ten long years, the Jedi's search is at an end!"

"We cannot be sure of anything. I fear we have more questions than answers, Your Excellency." Obi-Wan cautioned. "Primarily, who dispatched the Sith Lord."

"Hmm." Palpatine circled Brig's body, pausing at the letters gouged into the head. His expression was unreadable. "How peculiar." He motioned to one of his hovering staff members, a tall Rodian. "Record an image of the word and run it through our linguistic database. The Senator's killer has left a message for us. We need to know what it says. This might be a message from our opponent, Count Dooku."

Obi-Wan had his doubts. The way Brig was killed wasn't Dooku's style. It was highly unlikely the leader of the Separatists could enter the Senate undetected.