Chapter Text
7958 C.R.C / 19BBY / 0 BFE
The Holotransmitter on Obi-Wan’s hip beeps the moment he’s throwing the blaster to the ground, standing over Grievous’s smoking corpse. He dares to take his eyes off his dead enemy and lift the holopuck. It’s a Council code calling him. How they’ve managed to time it so perfectly he does not know, but he answers.
He’s not met with a small circle of Council members sitting that he can eagerly update on his success over the droid general. He’s met with a solitary figure. Anakin.
His former Padawan looks bad. His hair is a mess and his expression… he looks overwrought. A touch of the Force down their connection, as hazy as it is at this great distance, reveals Anakin’s conflict and near all-consuming fear.
“Anakin?” He entreats softly.
“Obi-Wan I-” Anakin’s fuzzy visage appears to gather itself.
“I need your advice.” He admits reluctantly.
Feeling a bit incredulous, considering the circumstances, Obi-Wan smiles lopsidedly and says, “Well you’ve caught me at a good time, I’ve just dealt with Grievous. Permanently. What do you need?”
Anakin doesn’t even react to the news about Grievous at all, which makes Obi-Wan’s humour drain away, quickly replaced with concern.
“He said he could save her but- but the cost, what would the cost be?” Anakin mumbles.
“Who said he’d save who? Anakin explain, what do you mean?”
Anakin’s chin lifts and his shoulders square. And then he utters a sentence that shatters Obi-Wan’s entire worldview.
“The Chancellor promised he could save Padmé from my visions of her… dying. But he’s- he means the Dark Side. He’s the Sith Lord, we’ve been searching for him.”
Obi-Wan attempts to breathe through a suddenly very tight chest for a long second.
“Palpatine is the Sith?” He repeats, struggling to believe it.
And yet it makes perfect sense. They’ve known the Sith must be close to him, must be in his office. So why not the man himself?
Because it begs the question of how they all missed it for so long. How did Obi-Wan, who let Palpatine meet his Padawan for years, miss it? Oh stars, he let the Sith have unrestricted access to Anakin.
“Anakin-” He starts, jaw locking.
But his former Padawan interrupts, “He promised to save her. I’ve seen her dying in my visions, like my mother did. And now Windu and the other members of the Council have gone to arrest him but- they’re going to kill him. And I need him.”
Anakin looks terrified, and Obi-Wan realises that he isn’t afraid of what he’s uncovered, or for the lives of the other members of the Council. He’s worried about losing Palpatine.
It makes Obi-Wan suddenly nauseous as his stomach pitches horribly.
“Don’t go anywhere Anakin,” He orders quickly, and then, “Are you at the Temple right now?” He belatedly thinks to check afterwards.
Anakin nods, “The Council chamber.”
“Stay there. Do not follow Master Windu and the others. Let them do what must be done. The Sith cannot, will not help you. I will help you and Padmé, as soon as I return. Don’t… don’t choose him, Anakin. Please. Don’t choose a path I cannot pull you back from. I’ll help, forbidden dalliances be damned, just don’t… don’t do this.” Obi-Wan’s voice trembles against his will near the end.
He wishes he was there right now, in the room with his friend. Rather than on the literal other side of the galaxy. But all he has is the grainy holo to beg through. Anakin is conflicted and doubting and terrified and only one step away from Falling. Obi-Wan recognises the conflict for what it is now, Anakin’s fight for the Light. And Obi-Wan is on the other side of the universe from him. He must pray his words will be enough. They have to be.
“You promise?” Anakin’s desperation is naked and out in the open, layered in those two words.
“You didn’t- when my mother- you- you brushed it off and then she died.” Anakin chokes and sobs on the last word, gloved hand coming up to aggressively wipe at his face.
“I know, and I am so, so sorry for that Anakin. But please, trust that I will do better this time. I’ll take the first ship back to Coruscant. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just don’t go anywhere or do anything first. Wait for me. We’ll face what you fear, what you’ve seen, together.”
Anakin nods, his face a mess from crying.
“Okay. Okay.” He answers as he takes a great heaving breath, sounding unsteady but relieved.
“Stay there, I’m going to rendezvous with Cody. The men should be able to clean the rest of this up, I’ll be in the air within the hour. I’ll see you soon.” He emphasises the last word.
Maybe he is revealing his attachment right now. Maybe Master Yoda will scold him later for doing this. But he’s killed Grievous, the worst of this fight is over now. His Commander can handle the last of it without him. Anakin has finally let him see exactly what is wrong. Obi-Wan cannot squander this. He’s been increasingly worried about Anakin, but the young Knight has only been pulling further and further away as he swirls with dark and darker conflict.
And anyway, the Chancellor of the Republic is the Sith Lord they’ve been searching for. The one controlling the other side of the war. Which means his plans run much deeper than just consolidating emergency powers, there is something much more sinister at play. Obi-Wan must return to Coruscant at once to have any hope of helping them to avert whatever is coming.
“Hurry, please.” Anakin replies.
“I will.” Obi-Wan reiterates before cutting the connection.
He takes two steps and then breaks out into a sprint, running for where he senses the largest cluster of his troops levels below.
⟡⟡⟡
Anakin sits and waits. It’s agonising.
But it’s a little easier, after the call with Obi-Wan. His head feels clearer.
Anakin wanted… he had wanted Palpatine’s knowledge. But that one question, when it had occurred to him, had stopped his steps towards the door.
What would it cost?
Anakin had been almost ready to choose- to choose-
But Obi-Wan’s voice from so many years ago had rung in his head. “The Dark Side always comes at the steepest price. Whatever power it may whisper as offer, you will pay back tenfold. It will never be worth what it costs not only you, but all those around you.” A much younger Obi-Wan told him, before he’d grown his beard.
It had frozen him in his steps.
Not the fear of Anakin’s own sacrifice, he would give whatever he had to. But Padmé’s. What would the Dark cost her? How steep would it be? Could Anakin pay it? Could she? Could the baby?
Already so close to choosing, to deciding what it is that he wanted above all, he’d paused. He’d paused and thrown caution to the wind. He’d called Obi-Wan.
If his Master hadn’t answered… if he’d still been fighting Grievous… Anakin would have left.
But he’d answered on the first ring. And he’d come through. Obi-Wan made him an unshakeable promise…
The choice before him stopped being binary. Padmé. The Order.
The Chancellor had made it sound like a choice between the two. Or worse yet, between Padmé and… Obi-Wan. But his Master has so easily proved that as deception. Has promised to save her. To help Anakin.
Has offered a third path. A more familiar path. Anakin is more comfortable with it. With its variables he can predict and know how to control.
He still dithers, pacing across the room until he eventually forces himself to sit back down.
Obi-Wan let him down before, what if he does again? What if Padmé dies anyway? He needs Palpatine. The Chancellor is his friend.
But the Chancellor is also the Sith Lord. The one who-
Anakin’s exhausted mind has been running so sluggishly for days but it finally connects the dots he should have immediately put together in Palpatine’s office earlier.
Palpatine was Dooku’s Master, that means he is running the Separatist side of the war, as well as the Republic side.
Indignation and betrayal burn scorchingly in his chest, lighting into rage. All his fear for Palpatine’s wellbeing, the worry that the Council will kill him, they all fall away like water off his back.
His friend has betrayed him in the worst way imaginable.
Was Palpatine ever truly a friend at all?
All those times he said he wanted the war to end, but the Jedi Council and the Senate were drawing it out longer were a lie. He had the power to end it immediately, but didn’t. Because- because-
He must have wanted it, for some reason. Anakin realises.
But what reason?
The emergency powers, the control over the Senate, the control over the Council that he was given just two days ago. That’s it. That’s what he’s wanted.
Total control. But for what? To use it for what?
This man has deceived and betrayed him. What did he want all that power for? Just for himself? Out of greed? That would fit with the Sith.
But there is more to it than that, Anakin senses.
Then his mind parts the shroud of the Dark that blankets everything now, and he Sees.
Palpatine has been subtly implying the Jedi are preparing for treason. Whispering word of it in Anakin’s ear. He’s going to accuse them of it. And then-
Anakin’s stomach drops as he gets a flash of Palpatine giving a speech to the Senate, speaking of eradicating the Order for its treachery. Just a tiny flash, a few words, but it has him up and out of his chair in an instant.
How will he do it? With what army? He’d need one to achieve such a feat. There are probably a thousand Jedi in the Temple this minute. What force could Palpatine conceivably muster to wipe them all out so quickly?
The clones.
Horror overtakes him and bile climbs his throat.
They wouldn’t…
The men are loyal. They wouldn’t.
He sprints out of the chambers in the direction of High Command. When he arrives it’s oddly empty, but he ignores that fact and calls up the security feeds for the bottom of the Temple’s steps. Lines of clones are amassing, and Anakin hisses a curse. He flips it to the other major entrances.
There aren’t any clones at the doors, but a great number of troops are gathering for a… siege. On the Temple. They’re really going to do it. What he saw Palpatine say is true. The Force is ringing in his ears, and he knows it is true.
Anakin darts his eyes around, what can he do to stop this? The Council is scattered off planet, most unreachable on such a tight schedule. The few who were here left for the arrest and must now be-
Anakin shunts the thought away. He cannot worry about that now.
He strides over to the Temple’s security measures and hovers a hand over the keys.
He is on the Council. Though it has only been two days since his coerced appointment, though he is not a Master, he is on the Council. He sends the Temple into lockdown with the press of a few buttons. Anakin doesn’t know the number of clones that will or possibly already are marching on the Temple. But he knows how much of the 7th Sky Corps are on planet. Too many. Too many to stop, if they all come. So he releases a warning to ranking Masters within the halls.
“This is Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, of the High Council. We are under attack. The numbers are too great. The Temple has locked its doors to give us time, but you must all flee. The Temple is not safe, Coruscant is not safe, not anymore. Gather what you can and run. Take secret exits or ships from the hangar. It doesn’t matter, just run. Go to-” Anakin freezes, staring at the device broadcasting and recording him as he speaks, “Trust in the Force, let it guide you where you must go. But go, and do not return unless you are certain it is safe. May the Force be with you.” The send-off tastes like ash in his mouth as he presses the button to end the address.
After that he sprints from the room.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
It’s been about two hours since he issued his warning. The clones have broken through the defences at this point. Anakin has gotten into several skirmishes with them already. He’s just trying to buy time. There are still too many Jedi in the Temple. The initiates, the children have been evacuated, he’s pretty sure. But the number of Padawans is still so, so many. Each and every one of them thinks it is their duty to defend their home. He’s just trying to reach them before their lives snuff out, and convince them to run.
He’s fighting a small contingent of clones when he’s flanked by another. He’s already tried to tell his men to stand down, he’s tried it with every group of the 501st he’s fought. None of them have listened, all of them have silently opened fire. He simmers with increasing heights of betrayal and hurt at each refusal, but he has no time to linger on it. Jedi are dying all throughout the Temple, and he can feel it. He has to deal with these troops so he can get to a small, scared signature he feels a level away.
The hum of a blade hits the air and the troops trying to flank him fall. As soon as he’s dispatched the four clones at his front he turns and finds Knight Eerin.
“Bant!” He says, as he canvases the hall for more threats with both sight and the Force, finding nothing to be immediately worried about.
She jogs up to him.
“Anakin! What’s happening? Why are the clones attacking? Where are the rest of the Council? I’ve been trying to find any of them since your message went out.” She sounds alarmed.
“We were betrayed. The Sith- this is their work,” He tries to paraphrase, because there isn’t time to explain everything, and he doesn’t even know it all himself, he’s just guessing some of it, “Why haven’t you left? You need to get out of here.”
“I’ve helped Master Che evacuate what patients can be moved, and then I… there are so many Jedi dying, I went looking to help whoever I could.” She answers.
“Right, same.” He nods. The news about the Halls of Healing is good, it’s something.
She silently falls in to step beside him and they move together, running for each lone presence they can feel panicking through the Force. They manage to rescue and calm two Padawans and a young Knight before Anakin senses them. Another, larger wave of troopers entering the Temple.
So many he instantly knows all hope is lost. He sees Bant straighten beside him as he steels himself.
I’m sorry Obi-Wan, he sends the thought out into the Force as a kind of goodbye. And then, I love you Padmé. There are still Jedi in the Temple, he’ll give them whatever time he can. He turns on his heel, already moving in the direction he needs to go to meet them down in the foyer. A hand on his arm stops him, and he blinks back at Bant.
“You need to leave, Knight Skywalker.” She says levelly.
He shakes his head, “I can buy more time by going down there and distracting them.”
It’s not heroics, it won’t be a heroic death. It’ll be painful and anticlimactic and sudden. That is what war has taught him. But he knows his men. He knows how they operate. He can distract and dance out of their reach for precious minutes.
“You’re the last member of the Council, you must live. Which means it’s time for you to go.” She says with a finality to the words.
He goes to protest but pauses as he realises what she isn’t saying.
“What about you?” He asks. If she means to take his place, he’ll stop her. She won’t last two minutes, it wouldn’t be worth it.
The Force tremors around her, and he senses her ruefulness before she goes to answer.
“Someone needs to warn all the Jedi in the field not to return. I’ll go and broadcast your message out beyond Coruscant.” She tells him.
The thing is, it’s a sensible plan. As soon as she’s said it, he realises he agrees. With the war coming to an end other Jedi Generals will be returning. Returning to the Temple just to be slaughtered. Someone needs to warn them away. The path to the comms hub will draw the men to follow her, without putting her directly in their sights.
“I should-” He starts but she shakes her head.
“Go,” She says firmly, grip tightening for a fraction, “We don’t know who on the Council is even alive right now. Someone needs to be, you have to survive.”
Anakin wants to protest. Wants to tell her Obi-Wan is fine. Because he has to be fine. He can’t be dead, or he’s broken his promise to Anakin. And he’s not here, so he should be fine. Yoda is also out in the field. As are Plo, Billaba and Allie. They’ll be fine. Anakin can do this.
But…
But they aren’t here. They don’t know what’s happening. Someone has to tell them. Someone who saw it with their own eyes.
Anakin is the only Council member who witnessed this, who knows.
The selfish voice in his head that wants to live grows louder at that than the part of him staying for duty’s sake, and he yields to it.
Resignation settles in his gut, and he gives her a slow nod.
He raises his com and waits for R2-D2 to trill through the speaker.
“Are you in that lower level, disused hangar buddy?” He asks as Bant relaxes and lets go of him.
Artoo answers in the affirmative.
“Get my Aethersprite ready, but do it quietly. I’ll be there soon, we’re getting out of here.” He mutters.
Artoo trills another affirmative in binary, and Anakin cuts the connection. He straightens and gives Bant a significant look.
“May the Force be with you, Bant.” He bids reluctantly.
She gives him the equivalent of a smile, on a Mon Calamari, and says, “May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker.”
He would tell her he’s not a Master, that they didn’t make him one, but there isn’t time for it, so he simply nods. And then he runs.
On the way to the hangar he types up a memo on his secret, secure com line to Padmé, warning her to leave. That she’ll find him on Alderaan. It’s the first place that comes to mind when he tries to think of where to go. He knows Senator Organa is a fierce ally of the Order, and his planet is only a short hop from Coruscant. It’ll do as an immediate destination, at least.
Then he tries to reach Obi-Wan. He fails to, which is no surprise. His Master will be in hyperspace right now. So he leaves an audio message.
“As soon as you get this turn around. The Temple was attacked, it’s a death trap Obi-Wan. Don’t go there. I don’t have time to explain it all but the Sith-” Anakin closes his eyes for just a moment in grief and self-recrimination at his failure, “They won. Palpatine sent the clones to attack the Temple. I’m going to Alderaan, meet me in Aldera. We can- just meet me there.”
Then he drops his com and meets a fussing R2-D2 at his fighter.
“I know you have questions Artoo, but let’s just get out of Coruscanti airspace before we get shot down.” Anakin placates him as he buckles himself in.
“Shot down?! What is going on???” Artoo beeps hysterically.
Anakin just sighs as he takes the steering yoke in hand and pilots the pre-warmed ship out of the silent and dim hangar.
Once he’s in the air he hails Bail Organa, and he hopes.
⟡⟡⟡
For the second time in just over an hour, Obi-Wan’s ship drops out of hyperspace. Last time it was over Coruscant. As soon as his ship slowed to sublight, he received a message from Anakin. A terrible, unthinkable message.
But one he’d had to trust, so he’d turned his fighter right around and plotted course for Alderaan.
Thankfully it’s only a short jump and it hasn’t taken him long at all. His fighter is now dangerously low on fuel, so he’ll have to land in Aldera one way or the other. He’s almost immediately hailed by a ship with Senator Organa’s codes as soon as he enters Alderaan’s airspace. A voice he doesn’t recognise tells him the Senator is requesting him and directs him to land on Organa’s pad.
He does so, and when he exits his ship, he’s relieved to see Anakin’s fighter parked parallel to his own. Not that he ever doubted Anakin is here. Unfortunately he believes everything he heard in the short message, as few questions as it answered and as many as it caused.
Bail is actually waiting at the edge of the landing pad and gestures him over.
“Senator.” He greets, aiming for a smile but coming closer to something that feels like a grimace.
He’s exhausted and grimy from battle and Anakin’s message has left his mind swirling with impossible thoughts.
“Master Kenobi, come quickly. He said you’d be arriving.” Bail says hurriedly, already turning toward the door to the building the pad is connected to.
His and Queen Breha’s home, Obi-Wan realises as he follows half a step behind. He’s never seen it personally, but that is where they must be.
“Anakin, where is he?” Obi-Wan knows he’s being impatient to the point of rudeness, but he needs to speak to Anakin urgently.
Bail glances back at him, “Come, he and Senator Amidala are waiting in a private meeting room.”
Padmé is here, he registers. And then brushes it off. Of course she is, after what Anakin told him on their call.
A few minutes later Obi-Wan has been guided down twisting white halls that feel too clean for a man straight off the battlefield without a sonic. They enter a seemingly random room and are greeted by a large table with only three seats occupied of many. One has a heavily pregnant Padmé Amidala in it, who doesn’t stand. Another has Queen Breha, who does rise to her feet. Lastly there is Anakin, who stands and rushes to Obi-Wan, checking him over first with his eyes and then with hands gripping his biceps.
“You’re here, you’re okay. Thank the Force.” He mutters lowly.
“Of course I’m-” The rest of the sentence catches in his throat as he takes in Anakin’s state.
His former apprentice is a wreck, even more than he was over the holo when they last spoke. His robes are torn and have burnt edges where he’s clearly barely dodged blaster fire. He smells like smoke and blood and sweat. He looks uninjured, but there is a terrible grief and betrayal swirling around him in the Force.
The Temple was attacked. It’s a death trap. Don’t go there. The Sith won.
The words echo back in his mind and anguish sweeps through him, hard and unforgiving. Obi-Wan blinks back the beginnings of tears.
“Anakin, what happened?” He asks, stricken beyond belief.
“That’s what we’ve all been waiting to hear.” Bail says.
Obi-Wan glances past Anakin and sees Bail and Breha gripping each other’s arms tightly. They sit down, side by side. Recognising the silent request, Obi-Wan guides Anakin back to his chair and sits down next to him, on the opposite side to Padmé.
“From the beginning, Anakin. The Chancellor claimed the Jedi Council committed treason.” Padmé’s eyes flick to Obi-Wan as she says it.
“No, it was him who committed treason.” Anakin disagrees, his jaw ticking.
“How? What happened?” This time it is Breha who asks.
“You discovered that he was the Sith Lord.” Obi-Wan prompts, because that’s one of the few pieces of information he has.
Anakin nods, looking around at each of them in turn before finally come to rest on Obi-Wan with an aggrieved expression.
“Yes, he revealed that he was the Sith Lord to me. The one the Jedi Order has known to be Dooku’s Master and the shadow leader of the Separatist side of the war.” Anakin responds. Obi-Wan recognises most of that is said for the benefit of everyone else in the room who don’t fully get what it means for Palpatine to be a Sith.
“He was controlling, running both sides of the war.” Obi-Wan whispers, queasiness overtaking him.
All the death, all of the horrible endless death and destruction over the last four years was for nothing. It was all the Sith’s plot, on every single level.
As the world begins to tilt and he feels a flare of concern from Anakin through the Force, Obi-Wan lets go of the pain, giving it to the Force. He steadies himself with a deep breath. There’s a lot more to hear still, he needs to be prepared for it. To take it, and let his anguish go.
“That’s… but that’s…” The horror in Padmé’s voice is unmistakeable.
“He was the one who committed treason,” Anakin repeats, “The other members of the Council who were on Coruscant... they went to arrest him. I remained at the Temple. I don’t know what happened, besides that they failed.”
“They were all killed. The exact nature of how has been… sidestepped.” Bail answers.
Anakin sighs.
“I was still in the Temple when I realised they’d failed. So I went to the external security feeds. Palpatine he… he sent the clones to exterminate everyone in the Temple.” There is a hollowness to his voice.
Padmé gasps, and Obi-Wan watches the way Bail and Breha’s expressions become fixed.
“I locked down the Jedi Temple, as the only one with the codes to do it-” Perhaps it is inappropriate in timing, but Obi-Wan feels a small burst of pride amongst the loss and hurt and horror. Pride for the way Anakin has used the resource he was given mere days ago, under less than ideal circumstances.
“-and sent out a warning, telling the Jedi to flee. Some escaped before the clones broke through the defences. Not everyone…” Anakin swallows, eyes dropping to the table as he bleeds guilt into the Force. As if such a thing is his fault.
“The clones didn’t discriminate. They weren’t just there for the Knights and Masters. They went after the Padawans and the younglings too. I… did what I could, before a Knight,” Anakin pauses here and looks up at Obi-Wan with a sad smile, “Before Bant finally urged me to leave. So someone could inform the surviving off-world Council members of the massacre.”
A pang of loss strikes Obi-Wan’s heart. A friend he now knows is gone, with the Temple. Someone he knows did not escape.
And he is suddenly pathetically, horribly grateful that she made Anakin leave at all. That he is here relaying the story, instead of lying amongst the bodies back there. For Obi-Wan to have found, if he’d survived returning long enough to enter their home and search.
“We have to go back, we-” Padmé freezes, glancing at Bail.
Bail shakes his head.
“He’ll come for the Delegation, there’s no point warning them now. If the entire war has been orchestrated by him, his intent was to amass these powers all along. He won’t give them up. He intends to rule outright.” He says to her.
Obi-Wan doesn’t know what the ‘delegation’ is, but is certain Bail is unfortunately correct.
Bail clears his throat, “I shall return to Coruscant. In the meantime the three of you should remain here. I will gather information about what has happened on the Senate side so we can make more long term plans, and I will communicate with Mon. She is the only other member of the Delegation who is likely to have escaped persecution.”
Padmé nods, expression tightening.
“I told you it was wise for the both of you to remain publicly unaffiliated, I just wish I hadn’t been this right about it. I can’t- I need to be there but,” She glances at Anakin, “But I’m too close to term. I’ll have to wait until after the birth now.”
Breha smiles warmly.
“We have the best medical facilities on planet. We’ll see you taken care of and recovering quickly, so you can return to the capital soon.” She offers.
“Thank you your Majesty, I will take you up on that.” Padmé replies graciously.
Bail and Breha share a quick look.
“The two of you are also welcome to remain here for the time being. It would be wiser to speak in person after I have ascertained the state of things on Coruscant. So if you are willing to bide your time Master Jedi I would appreciate it.” Bail addresses Anakin and Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan plasters on a fixed smile and says, “We had planned to remain with Senator Amidala until the child has been born regardless of the rest of it anyway. I should think giving things a few days for the dust to settle will help us to more clearly see what our next move should be anyway.”
Bail nods as he stands from his seat.
“Should I find any more Jedi while I am away, I will direct them here to meet with you.” He informs them.
“Thank you.” Obi-Wan nods.
Bail leaves the room.
Ignoring both Obi-Wan and Breha, Padmé turns to Anakin.
“Did you talk to him? Ask for his help with your dreams?” She asks softly.
Anakin’s eyes flick to Obi-Wan.
“Yes.” He answers.
Obi-Wan meets Padmé’s assessing gaze.
“I will do what I can Senator. Anakin… you can relay to me what you’ve seen in your visions, and we will dissect it.”
It’s not even close to the most pressing problem, but Anakin needs this, Obi-Wan can tell that with barely a look. They mostly have to just sit and wait until Bail returns with news. They can’t exactly send any transmissions looking for other Jedi themselves, they’ll give away their position. Not to mention implicate the Organas in their supposed treason.
If Palpatine has sent the clones to exterminate everyone in the Temple it’s clear that not only the Council is accused, but the entire Order. Which means nowhere in the Republic is safe. They’ll have to act as fugitives. Unless they can reverse Palpatine’s propaganda. But that would surely mean deposing the man.
And Obi-Wan is not one to rush into a plan. They cannot make a run at him without thought. Mace and the others have already failed at that.
“In my vision I see…” Anakin goes on to explain the contents of his vision. He has depressingly little detail, besides the fact that Padmé is apparently due to die in childbirth.
“Why don’t I have someone escort you to our doctors Senator? They can check you over while I organise rooms for you all to stay in.” Breha interjects after all of them have fallen into thoughtful silence over the dream.
Padmé smiles and nods at her politely.
“That would be wonderful your Majesty,” She then looks at both Anakin and Obi-Wan expectantly, “And I’m sure the Jedi have much to discuss without us anyway.”
Obi-Wan doesn’t disagree, and neither does Anakin. With a polite farewell they both sweep from the room.
Obi-Wan waits a minute before scooting his chair closer to Anakin. Close enough for their knees to knock. Then he leans forward in his seat and pulls the Knight into a hug. Anakin freezes, hands hovering for a moment before he returns it.
“I’m so glad you’re alive, and I’m so proud of you for resisting him and the call of the Dark. I couldn’t have endured it if you’d joined him Anakin.” Obi-Wan whispers into his shoulder.
Anakin’s hands tighten against his tabards. Obi-Wan doesn’t pull away either, drawing their hug out too long to be casual or lightly friendly.
“Master... I was, I was so tempted. I almost...” He chokes out. Swirling with shame.
“I know.” Obi-Wan replies.
And he does. He can feel how close Anakin is teetering. How shadowed and unbalanced he is. Obi-Wan hopes, he chooses to believe that some of that is from what Anakin witnessed at the Temple. Obi-Wan can scarcely imagine the horror of it.
“I know, but you didn’t. That’s what’s important, and you saved so many by staying and raising the defences. By warning everyone. There are so many Jedi alive right now because of your actions. I know your appointment was against the wishes of the Council, and you were unhappy with not being promoted to the rank of Master but... you more than exemplified the role of Jedi Councillor this day. Were the circumstances different, and you and I not the only members here... I would put forth the recommendation for you to rise to Master.”
Obi-Wan finally pulls back and smiles at Anakin. He knows it doesn’t really reach his eyes. It can’t, with the scale of his grief. But it is honest.
Anakin ducks his head, trying to hide his own earnest smile.
“Thank you Obi-Wan. Thank you for answering when I- for answering the call and promising to help. For not giving up on me.” Anakin says thinly.
Obi-Wan’s hand pets through the hair at Anakin’s nape and then slides down to cup his neck, before he can think to ask himself what he is doing and pull away. It’s far too intimate for what they are.
He pulls back until their knees are no longer touching, putting a more appropriate amount of space between them.
“Of course, Anakin, of course.” He smiles sadly.
Despite Obi-Wan’s resolution to put some distance between them, Anakin reaches out and takes his hand, squeezing it tightly.
“We can’t go back, but what else is there to do?” Anakin asks softly.
“I’m not sure yet. We need more information to form a plan. We’ll have to wait for Senator Organa to bring us some, I think, unfortunately. If we have been labelled traitors to the Republic, stepping foot on Coruscant ourselves will do us no good.” It hurts Obi-Wan to say it, but it’s the truth.
Anakin’s grip tightens for a second as his face falls.
“We’d be shot before we even managed to land.” He agrees, pained.
Obi-Wan tries to lift his expression and voice, as he jokes, “Not if you were piloting Anakin. You could get us through any blockade.”
The corner of Anakin’s mouth lifts, and his thumb rubs absently against the back of Obi-Wan’s hand. Obi-Wan clears his throat but when he attempts to withdraw his hand, Anakin traps him. The durasteel grip loosens as Obi-Wan relaxes a moment later and relents, letting Anakin hold him.
One of Breha’s aides arrives a few minutes later to direct them to their rooms, and they’re still holding hands when that happens. Anakin finally lets go as he stands and steps away from the table. Obi-Wan watches his silently for a second before following.
⟡⟡⟡
Obi-Wan receives a ping on his com while he’s meditating the following afternoon, when nearly a day has passed.
He looks at it and finds a message telling him a Jedi ship has docked on the pad.
He gets up from the floor quickly, forgoing the rest of his meditation and speeding his way out of the room. Anakin falls into step beside him in the hall as they make for the entrance Obi-Wan originally entered the Organas estate through.
The guards part and the door slides open just as they reach it. It permits a small, green figure.
“Master Yoda.” Obi-Wan says with relief.
Of course the Grandmaster would survive the horrors and make it out unharmed.
Yoda looks back and forth between them both. His gaze lingers on Anakin for a moment. Almost like he’s surprised to see him.
“Much to discuss, we have.” He croaks.
They lead the way to that meeting room, and sit down with the Grandmaster to hear what he knows.
It’s from his mouth that they both find out the clones in the field turned too.
Obi-Wan realises he must have only escaped it by a matter of minutes.
“But does that mean…” Obi-Wan’s words fail him. Horror growing until it suffocates him.
Yoda’s ears droop.
“No others, have I been able to reach. Feel them in the Force, I do not. Believe they have perished, I do.”
Obi-Wan blinks down at the table, trying to process the magnitude of what they’ve lost.
Anakin curses colourfully beside him.
“We have to stop him.” He says with conviction.
Obi-Wan has feared this. That Anakin would decide they have go after Palpatine, all risks be damned. With less than half a plan for how to even manage it.
He tries to gather his wits and come up with a way to convince his apprentice that this is utter folly that will only end in failure. That they must come up with a plan first, at least.
“Go after him so soon, you will not. Fail, you will. A new apprentice, he has. To replace Count Dooku. By his side, this apprentice is. Too strong, they are, when together.” Yoda refutes.
Obi-Wan sits up straighter, giving the Grandmaster his full attention.
“A new apprentice? To replace Dooku? How do you know this?” He asks quickly.
Yoda rubs his gimer stick between his small hands.
“Fought them, I did. Failed to reach the Chancellor, I did. Protect him, the apprentice did.” Yoda tells them.
“Who? We’ve seen no hint of another Darksider powerful enough to hold you off… Who was it?” Obi-Wan questions, deeply surprised by this.
Yes, he’d expected on some level that the Sith Lord would eventually cultivate another apprentice now that Anakin has ended Dooku’s life. But never would Obi-Wan have expected it so soon. Had Palpatine already had someone in mind all along? Had he been waiting for the end of the war to deal with Dooku and choose this new apprentice? And moreover, had he not wanted Anakin? That was the conclusion Obi-Wan had drawn, but perhaps it was wrong.
Yoda stares at Anakin. He almost seems to study him in the Force. Anakin clenches his gloved hand under the table, but doesn’t fidget. He stares back with a tight look.
“You, I believed it was, until I arrived here.” Yoda reveals.
Obi-Wan sucks in a sharp breath as Anakin scowls and snaps, “What?”
Yoda is unperturbed by Anakin’s anger as Obi-Wan attempts to calm it by reaching out to Anakin in comfort through the Force. As usual of late, it doesn’t really work.
“Had your face and a Darkness around him within the Force, he did. Believed you had fallen, I did. Surprised and happy I am, to have been wrong.” Yoda explains.
“He… looked like Anakin, exactly like him?” Obi-Wan clarifies, genuinely mystified by this revelation.
“A clone.” Anakin suggests or no- claims, Obi-Wan realises, when he glances at his face.
Yoda nods.
“No other explanation, is there. A clone, it must be. Fought differently to you, he did. But very strong in the Dark Side, he was. Too strong, alongside his Master, to fight directly. Separated, they must be, to succeed.”
Obi-Wan tilts his head as he thinks. A Sith apprentice with Anakin’s raw strength, and standing beside the Sith Master…
Yes, yes Master Yoda is right. There is no way they would survive that. Not even Anakin at his very best would have a hope. Maybe if they had the entire Council behind them, there would be a chance. But they do not. They only have the three of them. And Master Yoda has already failed. He does not sound eager to try again.
Anakin balls his hands into fists and slams them down on the table.
“We can’t just do nothing! If he’s got a clone of me walking around pretending to be me. Making it look like I’ve joined him-!” Anakin growls.
“But you haven’t.” Obi-Wan soothes him.
“You haven’t and we can find a way to get this new apprentice away from him somehow. We’ll have to deal with them separately. And Anakin,” He pauses until Anakin not only looks at him but also calms somewhat and appears to actually listen, “you and I will do it together. We will not face either of them alone. The risk is too high. Dooku was a terribly dangerous adversary. Let us not underestimate either of them.”
Anakin’s fists unclench and his scowl eases, giving way to something more sullen.
“But he has my face, and he’s out there…”
Obi-Wan frowns, “I know. And we’ll do something about it. But not without first coming up with a plan. I don’t know how Master Yoda made it past all of the planetary defences and into the Senate,” He looks at Yoda for quick confirmation, Yoda doesn’t disagree so he powers on, “but their security will be even higher right now. Since this has only just happened. Right now isn’t the moment to try something. We need to give them enough time to relax. And then we can take advantage.”
He can immediately tell from the annoyed, flat look that overtakes Anakin’s face, that his sensible words have been heard. Anakin doesn’t want to listen to him, but the strategist in his Padawan knows Obi-Wan is right.
Anakin slumps back into his chair.
“We will wait, and we will plan.” Obi-Wan announces to the room, though he’s not entirely comfortable ordering Master Yoda to do anything.
Thankfully Yoda doesn’t disagree with him, he nods seriously.