black swan | a. skywalker

( CHAPTER 5 )

"You wanted to see me, Chancellor?" Anakin arrived at the opera house.

"Yes, Anakin! Come closer," he gestured for him, and he did so, "I have good news. Our Clone Intelligence Units have discovered the location of General Grievous. He is hiding in the Utapau system."

"At last, we'll be able to capture that monster and end this war," Anakin agreed.

"I would worry about the collective wisdom of the Council if they didn't select you for this assignment. You are the best choice by far. . . but, they can't always be trusted to do the right thing," Palpatine expressed.

"They try," Anakin defended.

"Sit down," he had Anakin sit, then turned to his aides, "Leave us."

Anakin sat next to Palpatine as the aides bowed then exited the box. The Chancellor leaned over to him.

"Anakin, you know I'm not able to rely on the Jedi Council. If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will," shared Palpatine.

"I'm not sure I understand," Anakin stated, rather confused on what the Chancellor was telling him.

"You must sense what I have come to suspect . . . the Jedi Council want control of the Republic . . . they're planning to betray me," urged Palpatine.

"I don't think -" Anakin had been cut off.

"Anakin, search your feelings. You know, don't you?" Palpatine looked down at him.

"I know they don't trust you . . ." Anakin sighed.

"Or the Senate . . . or the Republic . . . or democracy for that matter," Palpatine finished for him.

"I have to admit my trust in them has been shaken," Anakin admitted to the older man.

"Why? They asked you to do something that made you feel dishonest, didn't they?" Palpatine asked.

Anakin didn't say anything. He simply looked down to the carpet flooring.

"They asked you to spy on me, didn't they?" Palpatine continues.

"I don't know. . . I don't know what to say," Anakin kept his eyes to the floor.

"Remember back to your early teachings. Anakin. "All those who gain power are afraid to lose it." Even the Jedi," advised Palpatine.

"The Jedi use their power for good," Anakin defended the Jedi once again.

"Good is a point of view, Anakin. And the Jedi point of view is not the only valid one. The Dark Lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be. . ." Palpatine considered a word.

". . . evil," Anakin finished for him.

". . . from a Jedi's point of view. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the dark side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful," Palpatine explained.

"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inward, only about themselves," replied Anakin.

"And the Jedi don't?"

"The Jedi are selfless . . . they only care about others," Anakin stated.

Palpatine smiled.

"Or so you've been trained to believe. Why is it, then, that they have asked you to do something you feel is wrong?" Palpatine interrogated.

"I'm not sure it's wrong," shrugged Anakin.

"Have they asked you to betray the Jedi code? The Constitution? A friendship? Your own values? Think. Consider their motives. Keep your mind clear of assumptions. The fear of losing power is a weakness of both the Jedi and the Sith," Palpatine explained once more.

Anakin was deep in thought.

"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis "the wise"?" Palpatine asked as he watched the performance below.

"No."

"I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend," Palpatine began, "Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. . . He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying."

"He could actually save people from death?" Anakin was now interested in the idea. He could save Kyra.

"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural," stated Palpatine.

"What happened to him?" Anakin tilted his head.

"He became so powerful . . . the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. (smiles) Plagueis never saw it coming. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself," Palpatine finished.

"Is it possible to learn this power?" Anakin asked.

"Not from a Jedi," he sighed, then returned his eyes to the show once more.