A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away

Chapter 108

All the preparation in the galaxy would not have prepared Obi-Wan for this Council meeting. He almost wished Luna hadn't warned him about it. He had been worrying ever since Anakin had left to meet the Chancellor.

Why couldn't Obi-Wan even get a nice, quiet war and worry free midday meal?

Given, it wasn't worry for no reason, he just hadn't expected this to be the outcome. The worst part was that he knew he couldn't do anything about it.

That didn't keep Obi-Wan from continuing to try and talk them out of it. He had half a mind to bring Luna in the room and see if she could help considering her tendency to see things from entirely different perspectives.

"Yes, of course I trust him," Obi-Wan was saying. "We can always trust Anakin to do what he thinks is right, but we can't trust him to do what he's told. He can't be made to simply obey. Believe me: I have been trying for many years."

"An unintentional opportunity, the Chancellor has given us," Yoda said. "A window he has opened into the operations of his office. Fools, we would be to close our eyes."

"Then we should use someone else's eyes. Forgive me, Master Yoda, but you don't know him the way I do. None of you do. He is fiercely loyal, and there is not a gram of deception in him. We have all seen it, and it's argument many of you have used against elevating him to Master: he lacks true Jedi reserve. By that we all mean he wears his emotions like a HoloNet banner. How can you ask him to lie to a friend—to spy upon him?"

"And that is why we must call upon a friend to ask him," Agen Kolar replied.

"You don't understand," Obi-Wan nearly groaned. "Don't make him choose between me and Palpatine—"

"Why not?" Plo Koon's holo asked. "Do you fear you would lose the contest?"

"You don't know how much that friendship has meant to him over the years! You're asking him to use that friendship to stab Palpatine in the back! Don't you know what that will cost him, even if—especially if—Palpatine is innocent?"

"And that," Mace Windu told him, "may be the best argument in favor of this plan. Anything that will distance Skywalker and the Supreme Chancellor is worth the attempt."

Obi-Wan sighed, knowing that the argument was a lost cause, and had been for awhile. It seemed he was picking up an argumentative streak from Anakin. "I will, of course, abide by the ruling of this Council."

"Doubt that, none of us do," Yoda replied, looking around at the other councilors. "If to be done, this is, decide we must, on how best to use him."

"I too, have reservations on this matter, but it is a desperate time," Ki-Adi-Mundi's holo said, flickering in and out of focus as he leaned forward. "We know he had the power to battle a Sith Lord alone if needed. If he is indeed the Chosen One, we must keep him in play against the Sith and to fulfill his destiny before it's too late."

"And even if the prophecy has been misread, he is one of the Jedi that has the best chance of surviving an encounter with a Sith Lord," Agen Kolar added. "We can also use him to set our trap. We should emphasize the fact we are intensing are search for Grievous. Anakin will have to report this to Palpatine. Perhaps this will draw Sidious into action."

***

He had been waiting for too long.

That was the main thing that was going through Anakin's mind, that he had been waiting in the hall that lead to the Council Chambers for far too long after telling them what the Chancellor had requested. What was going on in there? How hard was it to come to such a simple decision?

He was angry, not that he would have ever admitted it. That he even really realized it.

"Are you trying to pace a rut in the floor?"

If Anakin had been anything other than a Jedi, he would have jumped. Instead he spun towards the voice to find Luna sitting in the shadow of a pillar.

"How long have you been there?" Anakin asked.

"Well, I saw you go in, so...." She shrugged. Anakin just blinked, wondering how in the galaxy he had managed to walk right on past her.

"What are they even doing in there?"

"Obi-Wan's trying to argue against something on your behalf. He's going to lose."

"Oh," Anakin muttered, suddenly appreciating his old master a ten fold. "Do I want to know what?"

"Nope, but you will," Luna told him.

"Does it have to do with becoming a Master?"

"Erm, more like getting a seat on the Council."

Anakin groaned.

"Far warning: They aren't going to grant you the rank of Master."

It took a moment for Luna's words to process in Anakin's mind.

"What?!" he finally said, his voice full of fury. He didn't sound right to his own ears, but for the moment, Anakin didn't care.

Luna, for her part, managed not to flinch.

"Calm down—" she started him, only to be cut off.

"How can they do that? How dare they?" He practically growled as he began to pace once more.

"They're on the High Council, and you'll never be on it if you don't control yourself." Her words fell on deaf ears.

"No Jedi can match my—"

"Anakin! Calm down!" Luna shouted. Anakin stopped, looking at her. She had gotten up from her corner and was now standing in front of him, gazing into his eyes. "Please. Just calm down. Padmé will still be fine. You have Obi-Wan looking at the holocrons. Nothing bad is going to happen, alright? Calm down."

Anakin took a deep breath of air and let it out slowly.

"You're right," he finally said, not noticing the miniscule relief appearing in her eyes as he finally calmed down. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Better you....blow up in front of me than the Council," Luna replied with a small smile, pausing midsentence as if she had to reword something.

"I shouldn't even do that though. I'm a Jedi."

"Everyone makes mistakes. Just working a bit on your control over your emotions might do you some good."

Anakin shook his head, smiling wryly: "You have no idea—"

"How many times someone's told you that?" she finished with a smile. "No, but it's a lot I'm sure."

"That it is," Anakin replied, before sighing. "How much longer do you think it'll take?"

"No clue. It depends upon how argumentative Obi-Wan's feeling today."

"He's never argumentative."

"He is for this."

"You are making me very curious as to what their arguing about."

"Don't worry," Luna said, walking back to sit in her corner. "You'll find out soon enough."

Anakin just shook his head, knowing he'd be getting nothing more from her. He have to be patient.

Sith, did Anakin hate that word.

As if reading his mind, Luna spoke, "Patience is a virtue."