Hymn of the Gods

Chapter 5 - You Are The Nighttime Fear

Author's Note: In which things get Interesting. Or more interesting, I guess. :)

~ Amina Gila

Sidious feels the Dark bearing down on him, staring at him as though it's a living thing, and beyond it, he can feel the sentience of a living person.

Of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

But that does not make sense. He has met Master Kenobi many times, and never before has he shown the ability to see through the Veil of the Dark Side with such overwhelming, smothering strength. He has never been that strong in the Force, not compared to Sidious himself, and yet... and yet, he knows something has changed. He's felt it, the ripples in the Force, the way there's something brilliant and blinding on Coruscant, the way the very air ripples as though alive, the way his chosen apprentice is... different.

Something has changed. Sidious does not know what, and he does not like it, either.

***

It's late in the evening when Anakin gets the summons for an emergency Council meeting, requesting that he bring along Ahsoka. There are no details, no reason for why it was called, and he can't quite help the apprehension that curls within him as they return to the Temple.

"Masters," he says, bowing to them. He might be stronger than any living being has ever been, but this is the Jedi Council, and he still respects them. "You called for us."

"Obi-Wan has discovered the identity of the Sith Master," Windu tells them without preamble. "He sensed it while meditating."

Anakin stills. That was something he'd never given much thought to, admittedly, too focused on trying to keep themselves and their new abilities hidden and under control. Obi-Wan is the Son now, so of course, it only stands to reason that he can sense Sidious, whoever he may be. "Who is it?"

"It is Chancellor Palpatine," Windu replies, and Anakin gapes at him in shock.

It rings with truth in the Force, and he reaches out, just the smallest tendril toward where Palpatine is – it is so easy to just know his location without having to search – and yes, there it is, the Dark. He's a Sith. The Chancellor of the Republic is a Sith. He's the one who started the war. He's the one who has been there for Anakin since he was a child. He's the Sith Master. He's Anakin's friend and mentor. He – what are they supposed to do now?

The Jedi way says they need to kill him, but Anakin refuses to believe that's the answer. That can't be right. Killing is of the Dark. Killing is not the answer. There has to be another way. Maybe Palpatine is a Sith, but he is also the one who has supported Anakin through everything. He is more than just a Sith.

He doesn't – what are they going to do?

"What now?" he asks, blinking hard as he tries to wrestle his power under control, tries to make his eyes and body stop glowing, tries to make himself corporeal again from where the edges of his body were fading into an aqua mist. Ahsoka's hand on his back probably helps.

"He cannot be allowed to remain in office, but we cannot forcibly remove him, not right now," Windu answers.

"Dangerous that path would be," Yoda adds. "Unrest to the Republic we would bring."

Yes, that – they would, if they did something... violent. It's not a crime to be a Sith, and for whatever Palpatine has done, he's still the Chancellor. Moving against him would be treason without evidence to back them up.

"There is another matter," Plo speaks up for the first time. "Master Even Piell has been captured by the Separatists. He obtained coordinates for a secret hyperspace lane, the Nexus Route, which travels into the heart of both the Republic and Separatist home worlds. They could prove vital in maneuvering our forces deep into remote Separatist sectors."