Star Wars: The Hero's Descent

Chapter 5: The Chancellor's Representative

Master Yoda, you wanted to see me?' Obi-Wan asked as he was lead into a meditation chamber by the Grandmaster.

'Yes, Master Kenobi. Our conversation from last week, I wish to continue. Some interesting developments, there have been.' Yoda settled himself on one of the large circular seats that dotted the room. Obi-Wan did the same, facing the older Jedi.

'What developments?'

'Surrounds the Chancellor, the Dark Side does. Feel it too, you can?' Yoda looked genuinely interested in Obi-Wan's opinion, so Obi-Wan thought for a moment. Before last week, his interactions with the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic had been rather limited, thanks to Obi-Wan's assignment as a General on the battlefront. But then during the rescue mission, he had sensed something odd. There was something something different about the Chancellor. Subtle enough he was sure no one would have been able to feel it if they had spent time with the man often, the same way it was sometimes difficult to comprehend how much a child has grown without an extended absence beforehand. Sure, they had been on a Separatist ship with a Sith Lord, General grievous and countless battle droids while a full-scale battle raged around them, but there had been a dark sense of foreboding permeating the Force that hadn't left Obi-Wan until he'd reached the Jedi Temple. Then, with the revelation of the nature of Dooku's death, the feeling had returned, as if the two were connected.

'Yes, Master. I sense it too,' Obi-Wan agreed.

'Clouded our senses the Dark Side has. No way to tell whether influenced by the Dark Side the Chancellor is, or influencing it himself.'

'Master Yoda, I hardly think the Chancellor has any power over the Force,' Obi-Wan protested. 'Surely you would have sensed something if that was the case?'

Yoda thought pensively for a moment and then shook his green and white head. 'The presence of your former padawan, Palpatine has requested,' he informed Obi-Wan. 'More to their relationship than we first thought, there may be.'

'Anakin and Palpatine have always had a friendly relationship, Master,' Obi-Wan admitted. 'Anakin looks up to him.'

'A powerful Jedi young Skywalker is,' Yoda mused gravely. 'If too close to the Dark Side he gets, a powerful enemy he would make.'

Obi-Wan sat back in askance. 'Anakin would never!' he protested. 'He's unconventional, yes, but he is a good Jedi.'

'Much like your former master, he is in this respect, but incorruptible he is not,' Yoda warned. 'Against the Jedi way, Count Dooku's death was.'

'Master Yoda, Count Dooku was a dangerous adversary,' Obi-Wan countered. 'Killing him did the Republic a service.'

'And yet, killed in the heat of battle he was not. A conscious decision to end his life, Skywalker made.'

Obi-Wan eyed Yoda cautiously. 'Anakin's heart is in the right place,' he began. 'He truly cares about the Republic and the Jedi Order, even if he does not always act in accordance with some of our mandates.'

'Know this, I do,' Yoda acknowledged, which made Obi-Wan feel a little better. 'But Skywalker's friendship with Palpatine... Concerning it is.'

'So what do you suggest we do?' Obi-Wan asked.

The tips of Yoda's ears drooped slightly as he thought.

'Alert the Chancellor to our suspicions, we must not. Allow the meeting we must. A dangerous pair Skywalker and Palpatine make. Watch them closely, you will.'

Obi-Wan understood.

Keep your friends close...

Anakin's mind was still reeling from his meeting with Palpatine. A position on the Council... It was an honour. It was more than that - it was a privilege, and one that Anakin had wanted to work towards for sometime in the future. It seemed the future was happening today.