The Jedi raised their eyebrows in anticipation. And what would that be, Palpatine?, Obi-Wan thought.
"I don't understand."
"Anakin, I am asking you—as a personal favor to me, in respect for our long friendship—to accept a post as my personal representative on the Jedi Council."
...
The Council were baffled at the Chancellor's request, and they began to voice out their own opinions about it. "This is against our norms in whoever takes a seat within the Council", Saesee proclaimed.
"Given that one of the seats is empty, he saw this as an opportunity to put in Anakin as his messenger", Plo Koon mused, especially to fact that the seat has been empty since the death of Master Even Piell.
Anakin blinked. He blinked again. He said, "Me?"
"Who else?" Palpatine spread his hands in a melancholy shrug. "You are the only Jedi I know, truly know, that I can trust. I need you, my boy. There is no one else who can do this job: to be the eyes and ears—and the voice—of the Republic on the Jedi Council."
If considering Anakin's would-be position within the Council, why do I have the feeling that we are going to commit another blunder about it, Obi-Wan thought, not even thinking that he had nothing to do with it either...
"On the Council...," Anakin murmured.
He could see himself seated in one of the low, curving chairs opposite Mace Windu. Opposite Yoda.
He might sit next to Ki-Adi-Mundi, or Plo Koon—or even beside Obi-Wan! And he could not quite ignore the quiet whisper, from down within the furnace doors that sealed his heart, that he was about to become the youngest Master in the twenty-five-thousand-year history of the Jedi Order...
But none of that really mattered.
Palpatine had somehow seen into his secret heart, and had chosen to offer him the one thing he most desired in all the galaxy. He didn't care about the Council, not really—that was a childish dream. He didn't need the Council. He didn't need recognition, and he didn't need respect. What he needed was the rank itself.
All that mattered was Mastery.
All that mattered was Padme.
This was a gift beyond gifts: as a Master, he could access those forbidden holocrons in the restricted vault.
He could find a way to save her from his dream...
He shook himself back to the present. "I... am overwhelmed, sir. But the Council elects its own members. They will never accept this."
The Council members looked at one another. Logically speaking, the Chancellor had not jurisdiction on whoever is placed onto the Jedi Council, and Anakin knew this as well.
"I recognize that the Chancellor has made its decision, but given that this decision is against our norms, I would rather elect to ignore it", Mace voiced out his disapproval of the Chancellor's offer to Anakin.
"But after all of Anakin's deeds and of his contributions within the order, shouldn't he be granted the rank?", Kit Fisto inquired. "He is the Hero with No Fear"
"Skywalker does not meet the sufficient merits in obtaining the rank of master", Mace firmly reasoned out. "His Padawan not being made a Jedi Knight being a primary reason why"
"And why do you think Ahsoka left in the first place?", the master of Soresu glared at the Korun Master whose face remained firm at the snide remark.
"Master Kenobi, please calm yourself", Luminara intervened, seeing that this conversation won't get them anywhere. "We are aware that the Council has its fair share of errors that we wish we could have corrected. One of them included my own Padawan"
Mundi cupped his bearded chin. "However his position as Palpatine's representative would prove to be an advantage for the Jedi. He could spy on to the Chancellor's dealings"
This only outraged Obi-Wan further and he spoke up, barely hiding his dismay and his anger. "And do we have to wonder why Palpatine managed to get him under his thumb?", he hissed with such venomous tone that even surprised the other masters present.
...
The Council continued to watch, seeing Anakin's conflict along the way. When they watched as Anakin was ultimately accepted within the Council but denied the rank, they could sense his outrage towards the Jedi Order.
Which was further intensified when Obi-Wan revealed the Council's request for Anakin to spy on the Chancellor, which is clear that Anakin was against it and they could see that this increased his distrust and resentment to the Council further.
And then they have received word that Grievous was hiding at Utapau, something that Anakin mentioned that the Chancellor had asked him to lead the campaign, a decision that was ultimately vetoed by the Council and instead, Master Kenobi was chosen, since his form in Soresu would be excellent against Grievous given to his own previous encounters with him.
"I suppose denying him the rank and appointing him as a spy to the Chancellor is the best course of action?", Obi-Wan sarcastically asked, while noting his own inability to help his apprentice when denied the rank.
"Changing topic at the meantime...", Plo Koon interjected as a means to keep things under control. "Given that Master Kenobi is on his way to Utapau, shouldn't we be concerned as to how we had not known that Grievous was hiding there?"
"Palpatine sold out Grievous...", Mace simply said. "His usefulness to him has ended as he did with Count Dooku"
"In addition, Master Yoda is on his way to Kashyyk", Luminara added, also noting her presence within the planet to support the Wookies. "But then this would leave Master Windu in charge of the Jedi at the meantime..."
The last of the hovertanks whirred up the ramp into the sky-shrouding wedge of the assault cruiser. It was followed by rankupon immaculately regimented rank of clone troopers, mar-shaled by battalions, marching in perfect synchrony.
Standing alongside Obi-Wan on the landing deck, Anakin watched them go.He couldn't quite make himself believe he wasn't going along. It wasn't that he really wanted to go with Obi-Wan to Utapau—even though it'd be a relief to pull out of the political quagmire that was sucking him down.
But how could he leave Padme now? He didn't even care anymore about being the Jedi to capture Grievous, though such a feat would almost certainly bring him his Mastery. He was no longer certain he needed to be a Master at all.
Through the long, black hours of meditation last night— meditation that was often indistinguishable from brooding—he had begun to sense a deeper truth within the Force: a submerged reality, lurking like a Sarlacc beneath the sunlit sands of Jedi training.
Somewhere down there was all the power he would ever need. So no, it wasn't that he wanted to go. It was more, inexplicably, that he wanted Obi-Wan to stay.
There was a cold void in his chest that he was afraid would soon fill with regret, and grief. Of course there was no chance at all that Obi-Wan wouldn't go; he'd be the last Jedi in the galaxy to defy an order of the Council. Not for the first time, Anakin found himself wishing that Obi-Wan could be a little more like the late Qui-Gon.
Though he'd known Qui-Gon for mere days, Anakin could almost see him right now, brow furrowing as he gently inclined his head over his shorter Padawan; he could almost hear his gentle baritone instructing Obi-Wan to be mindful of the currents of the living Force: to do one's duty is not always to do right. Concern yourself with right action. Let duty take care of itself.
Yoda wondered for a moment, how things would have been different had Qui Gon lived to train Anakin, given his own Maverick nature would surely fit Anakin's mindset. While Obi-Wan is by means a good teacher to Anakin, Qui Gon proved to be a better mentor, since both shared one thing in common: their constant defiance of the Jedi Council.
But he couldn't say that. Though he'd passed his trials many months ago, to Obi-Wan he was still the learner, not the Master. All he could say was, "I have a bad feeling about this."
Obi-Wan was frowning as he watched a clone deck crew load his blue-and-white starfighter onto the assault cruiser's flight deck. "I'm sorry, Anakin. Did you say something?"
"You're going to need me on this one, Master." And he could feel an unexpected truth there, too—if he were to go along, if he could somehow bring himself to forget about Padme for a few days.
If he could somehow get himself away from Palpatine and the Council and his meditations and politics and everything here on Coruscant that was dragging him this way and that way and sucking him under, if he could just tag along and play the Kenobi and Skywalker game for a few days, everything might still be all right.
If only.
"It may be nothing but a wild bantha chase," Obi-Wan said. "Your job here is much more important, Anakin."
"I know: the Sith." The word left a bitter taste in Anakin's mouth. The Council's manipulation had a rank stench of politics on it. "I just—" Anakin shrugged helplessly, looking away. "I don't like you going off without me like this. It's a bad idea to split up the team. I mean, look what happened last time."
"Given our experiences Anakin, you have to be more specific", Obi-Wan warmly mused, that experience becoming all too familiar over the years.
"Don't remind me."
"You want to go spend another few months with somebody like Ventress? Or worse?"
"Anakin." Anakin could hear a gentle smile in Obi-Wan's voice. "Don't worry. I have enough clones to take three systems the size of Utapau's. I believe I should be able to handle the situation, even without your help."
Anakin had to answer his smile. "Well, there's always a first time."
Obi-Wan said, "We're not really splitting up, Anakin. We've worked on our own many times—like when you took Padme to Naboo while I went to Kamino and Geonosis."
"And look how that turned out."
"All right, bad example," Obi-Wan admitted, his smile shading toward rueful. "Yet years later, here we all are: still alive, and still friends. My point, Anakin, is that even when we work separately, we work together.
We have the same goals: end the war, and save the Republic from the Sith. As long as we're on the same side, everything will come out well in the end. I'm certain of it."
Those words however, prove to be giving an ominous feeling to both Obi-Wan and Yoda. The other masters could not help but admire the brotherhood these two shared, proving themselves to be the most formidable duo during the Clone Wars.
"Well..." Anakin sighed. "I suppose you could be are, once in a while. Occasionally." Obi-Wan chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Farewell, old friend."
"Master, wait." Anakin turned to face him fully. He couldn't just stand here and let him walk away. Not now. He had to say something... He had a sinking feeling he might not get another chance.
"Master...," he said hesitantly, "I know I've... disappointed you in these past few days. I have been arrogant. I have... not been very appreciative of your training, and what's worse, of your friendship.
I offer no excuse, Master. My frustration with the Council... I know that none of it is your fault, and I apologize. For all of it. Your friendship means everything to me."
The said master could not help but smile brightly like a proud brother of his former apprentice's words. He had grown so much ever since taking him under his wing after Qui-Gon's death, and seeing him realize those mistakes completely exemplifies on how Anakin had evolved from a Padawan to a Knight.
Master Yoda, Kit Fisto and Shaak Ti could not help but agree on what Master Kenobi was thinking, and their proud expressions proved to be evident as such.
'He certainly has his own way to express his thoughts and of his growth...', the other masters thought to themselves, perhaps realizing that they may have created a miscalculation at denying him the rank. If they had given him more time...
Obi-Wan gripped Anakin's mechanical hand, and with his other he squeezed Anakin's arm above the joining of flesh and metal. "You are wise and strong, Anakin. You are a credit to the Jedi Order, and you have far surpassed my humble efforts at instruction."
Anakin felt his own smile turn melancholy. "Just the other day, you were saying that my power is no credit to me."
"I'm not speaking of your power, Anakin, but of your heart The greatness in you is a greatness of spirit. Courage and generosity, compassion and commitment. These are your virtues " Obi-Wan said gently. "You have done great things, and I am very proud of you." Anakin found he had nothing to say.
'So will Master Qui Gon...', Obi-Wan internally added for himself.
"Well." Obi-Wan looked down, chuckling, releasing Anakin's hand and arm. "I believe I hear General Grievous calling my name"
Obi-Wan began to make his way to the Vigilance before turning back and smiling at him.
"Good-bye, old friend"
...
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