Wartorn

Chapter 25 - Downfall

Author's Note: Did y'all see THIS coming? ;)

~ Amina Gila

"You wanted to speak with me, Chancellor?" Anakin asks, approaching his desk. It was apparently urgent – he'd gotten the call directly from the Council.

"Yes," he agrees, standing, "I have received a report that Ventress is currently on Utapau with the other Separatist leaders."

"That's... good," Anakin says, genuinely smiling for the first time... in a long time, aside from when he reunited with Leia. This is what they've been waiting for. "Then we can finally end this war."

Palpatine only looks disturbed, though. "So I am hoping," he replies, "But I question if the Council will allow it."

He frowns. "What do you mean?" Why would he even say that? Yes, there's the whole thing about finding the Sith, but even if the Council objects to things, they can't actually make decisions.

"I know you've seen the tension between me and the Council, Anakin," he replies, gravely.

"Yes. I don't... understand it." Obi-Wan's always had a thing against Palpatine that he doesn't really get – sometimes, it's almost like he's jealous of him, though Anakin doesn't really understand why – but he thinks his former master has always made an effort for that not to affect his duty. And it's a problem with the other Council members too, not just him.

"I fear that it may go deeper than we believe. They are hiding things. I believe they may be planning to take action against the Republic itself."

Anakin stills. "That – I can't believe they would do that." But then he remembers how Obi-Wan was saying that there's something he can't tell him, that he's had to make hard choices as a Council member. But Obi-Wan would never betray the Republic. Anakin can't believe anyone on the Council would, and yet... there is something huge they're hiding. It can't be without reason and that doesn't mean it's anything like what Palpatine is saying, but... the Force is murky, not really answering. That it doesn't immediately confirm there's nothing to be suspicious of is sets him even more on edge.

"You can sense it, can't you?" he presses.

"I... don't know," Anakin replies, shaking his head, "I can't believe it's as serious as you're saying."

"I hope you are right," he answers, "But for now, I'm afraid we must be cautious. I would like you to take the information on Ventress to the Council. I have already requested that you be sent to lead the mission." Why he's telling Anakin directly instead of the Council, he isn't really sure.

"I'll go immediately," he promises. And then they can finally end the war.

Right?

He doesn't want to believe anything else, but it feels like it's too easy for this to finally be the end. Something is still coming, something dark and that hasn't passed yet. Ahsoka was right about that. Anakin doesn't like it, at all.

What if Palpatine is right, on some level, even if not entirely?

***

"Do you want to come?" Anakin asks, standing on the landing platform to his waiting ship alongside Luke and Leia.

Luke exchanges a glance with his twin. "I... think I'll stay here."

"Alright." He expected as much, anyway. Maybe the battle for Coruscant will be the last fight his son will ever have to fight. He still wishes he knew what was bothering Luke. He seems to be doing a little better than he was a few days ago, but it's still distinctly there. There's something distant and closed-off about how he's acting much of the time, and now isn't the time to push for it, but if it's still a problem when he gets back, maybe he'll approach him about it.