The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟓𝟒

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

Mace Windu waited for them outside as the four of them emerged from the smoking, wrecked ship. The fire speeders were still gathered around the blazing, now partially steaming ship as they continued to hose it down with water.

Mace Windu smiled at the sight of them, and he dipped his head as he remarked, "An impressive landing."

Anakin smiled tightly while Obi-Wan answered with a dry smile, "Quite so. We had precious cargo, after all."

Obi Wan turned around to where Astrid stood beside Chancellor Palpatine, and for a scary moment, she thought he was talking about her and her unborn child, but then she realized his kind, caramel colored eyes were on the Chancellor, and Astrid let out a shaky breath.

"I am grateful for your rescue," Chancellor Palpatine replied with a small smile. "It was rather eventful, I must say. Are all of your rescues always quite so... hectic?"

Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged amused looks before Anakin answered with a smirk, "It's just another typical day for the Jedi, Chancellor."

Astrid stifled a snort of agreement.

"What of General Grievous and Count Dooku?" Master Windu inquired before his gaze rose to the now-clear sky. The Separatist ships had all fled after General Grievous had escaped on his escape pod.

Chancellor Palpatine sighed regretfully as he replied, "General Grievous got away, but Anakin killed Count Dooku."

Astrid spotted the flare of disapproval and slight touch of alarm that crossed Obi-Wan's face as he glanced at Anakin with a frown. Astrid could practically read Obi-Wan's thoughts.

Why had Anakin killed the Count instead of turning him in to the Republic for trial? What had happened to get Anakin to do such a reckless thing? Didn't Anakin realize we could have used him to our advantage?

Master Windu crossed his arms over his chest as he replied smoothly, "Grievous will hide like he always does. He is a coward. A sheep draped in wolf's skin."

"Perhaps," Chancellor Palpatine replied evenly. "But he still controls the Separatist's droid armies, and he is now the leader of the Separatist with Count Dooku dead. As long as Grievous is alive, the Senate will continue to push for the continuation of the war."

Which the Jedi did not want.

"Then the Jedi must make finding and defeating General Grievous our first priority," Master Windu replied shortly, and Astrid caught the edge of irritation in his voice. Master Windu paused as if remembering he was speaking to the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, and he dipped his head respectively to the Chancellor before regarding Obi-Wan and Anakin and saying, "Well, you two have quite a few senators waiting to congratulate you on your rescue."

Astrid realized she had technically been rescued, too, meaning she wasn't one of the Jedi the senators were looking to congratulate. Her stomach curdled at the thought as she realized again how she'd failed her mission to protect Chancellor Palpatine. Her worst fear come to fruition.

"I have a shuttle waiting for us," Master Windu continued, his eyes flicking towards Chancellor Palpatine, and Astrid thought she sensed suspicion from the Jedi Master towards the Chancellor through the Force.