Redemption - A Star Wars Fanfic

Chapter 7

Anakin and Luke arrived at the Council chamber just minutes before the meeting was supposed to start. Obi-Wan was waiting outside the doors, pacing and trying his best to look like he was being patient, even though he wasn't. He looked up when the two of them walked forward, an annoyed scowl on his face. "Well it's about time. How you manage to be in the same building where the meeting takes place and still arrive with minutes to spare continues to baffle me, Anakin."

Anakin smiled playfully, patting Obi-Wan on the shoulder as the shorter man glared up at him. "Ye of little faith, Master. You should know by now that I am fashionably late."

Luke bit his lip to keep from laughing, watching as Obi-Wan simply shoved Anakin's hand off his shoulder with a huff. "The Council does not enjoy being kept in wait, Anakin. Especially with a situation as dire as this one."

"Dire?" Anakin parroted, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What's so dire about a rogue Jedi? Aren't there more important things they should be concerned with?"

"They are concerned with other things, that's what our other briefing was about. It's the fact that we know nothing about this boy that has the Council members on edge. People don't just appear out of thin air after all," Obi-Wan responded, annoyance flaring once more before he remembered that Luke was standing directly beside him, able to hear every word. He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to avoid eye contact with the boy. "That is, we are grateful for your help, Luke, just... concerned about your origins."

Luke smiled, "I understand. Wartime can make one paranoid. I...will answer what I can."

Obi-Wan sighed in relief, casting one more look at Anakin before gesturing to the doors, "Just be respectful and honest, and everything will be fine."

"Remember. I'll be right next to you," Anakin said with a nudge and a crinkle of his eyes, the look boosting Luke's confidence level up much higher than before.

"Thanks, Anakin."

"We're still a bit distracted with Grievous escaping at the moment, so I'm sure they'll go easy on you. Outside of your secretiveness, there's no reason to be suspicious of you. I've told them so myself," Obi-Wan comforted once more, knocking gently on the tall doors and patiently awaiting their opening.

Almost immediately, the doors creaked open, different from most automated doors that slid open with a door release. Force signatures Luke didn't recognize swarmed him and he quickly threw up his tightest shields, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with the high ranking Jedi Masters, their presence alone making a cold bead of sweat trickle down his neck.

His feet carried him forward while the upper half of his body remained numb, his brain frantically trying to stop his movements and yet powerless to control even the simplest of motor functions. Obi-Wan casted him one last look before moving to one of the empty seats that sat in a neat circle around the windowed room, his gaze just as wary as Luke felt. A tug on his sleeve made Luke jerk as if he had been shot, his eyes seizing to the side to see Anakin stooped in a low bow and gesturing for him to do the same. A squeak rang out amongst the silent room as Luke's boots chafed against the floor in his clumsy, agitated attempt to drop into a bow. How did one bow to a Jedi? Was it similar to bowing to royalty or more complex? Luke was sure he was overthinking things, the stress of his situation grinding at his mental stability, but he would not let the Jedi Masters see that, his face only revealing the slightest of emotions through a quiver of his lip.

If only Leia were here. She wouldn't be nearly as careless as I am.

"Skywalker," a voice said, catching Luke's attention only for him to stupidly realize that his father was being addressed and not him. "Missed the briefing, you did."