In the Path of Revan

Season 1 Episode 3.2 - Lair of the Dark

Anakin left his Padawan to his thoughts and returned to his hovercar. His words had been more than he originally intended. As a teacher, he had a fair idea how laid out he wanted the stages to be in teaching Varus. He had done the stages he wanted, but then added on another or two in describing his mother's death and the aftermath in such detail. He didn't want to rush Varus or cause the young man to attach himself to him too strongly. It was important for a Jedi to be able to deal with separation without being completely shattered.

He would need to rethink the next phase or two of Varus's training and learning carefully. Thing had gone well so far. Considering the young man had Sith instincts, he would not have the patience to sit down and learn of patience verbally. The teaching method would need to be involving, physical in some way, and be blunt. Anakin could take a Jedi and have a lengthy conversation on battle theory and philosophy, but for a Sith, he expected the learning of battle theory was hands on, the hard way. Sith learned few lessons the easy way. Not only because of their stubbornness, but because they were quick to action.

Despite his initial fear of not being able to penetrate the ex-Sith's shell, he found it amazingly easy. If anyone had told the Jedi Knight that he would be successfully, slowly but successfully, converting a Sith aside from anger and rashness and hatred a week ago, he would have laughed in the man's face.

On second thought, the process was almost too easy. It did not look like Varus was rejecting, completely, everything he was seeing and hearing, but Anakin felt it was being rushed. He didn't want to overload the young man. Varus was absorbing everything like a sponge! His amnesia was bringing out a side of him that was laid back and calm about his situation over the long term, and he was choosing to make the most of it. It was more than he could have expected from a former Sith.

Varus wouldn't be overloaded, he would be harmed or confused if he pushed himself too far. Knowledge was something that needed time to settle. It was like puzzle pieces. You don't just throw it onto a board and expect it to make sense. You gave it time to settle, for the pieces to slowly fit together.

Progress was good, and Varus had much to think about. He had enough to deal with for the time being.

Anakin flipped on the holotransmitter and went through priority channels to both Jedi Master Mace Windu and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. They both appeared after a short time.

"Master, Chancellor. This is a secure private transmission." Anakin greeted officially. "My Padawan's and I have started our mission a few days late. We are about to begin looking into a site I chose. I did some investigating into a probable location, and this is a good one. Even if my mission is initially a failure, it may bring a good side effect."

"Mission?" The Chancellor asked curiously. He turned to the holo-image of the Jedi Master. "I know nothing of any mission? Weren't you supposed to be preparing your new Padawan for them instead?"

"I am doing that as well, Chancellor." Anakin nodded firmly and put his hands together behind his back.

Seeing his chance to speak, Windu spoke up, "Supreme Chancellor, we have reason to speculate that a person of interest may be hiding on Coruscant. The other Master's and I are sending out a small number of teams to see if the rumor is true."

"Oh, excellent! And who might that be?"

"Darth Sidius."

The Supreme Chancellor visibly flinched at the statement and looked between Anakin and Windu wildly. He paled and... just as quickly returned to neutrality. "I-I see." He coughed into his hand. "May I ask where this rumor originates from?"

Anakin interrupted as the Jedi Master opened his mouth, "I believe it a bad time for too much information to be in the air. This is a touchy subject and I don't want him getting wind of this. All I wanted was to inform you both I have begun to investigate my chosen site."