A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far Away

Chapter 107

When Anakin entered Palpatine's office, he wasn't anywhere near as at ease as he usually was. He had been there so often that most the time he didn't notice the deep red runner that matched the softly curving walls, the long comfortable couches, the huge arc of the window behind Palpatine's desk—all of it was so familiar, that they were practically invisible, but today....

Today, Obi-Wan's voice was echoing in the back of his mind:

"Be wary of Palpatine."

It made everything look different. New, and not in a good way. The entire room was somehow gloomy and dark despite being well lit. The light of the lampdisks on either side of the Chancellor's disks seemed brighter, and almost harsher, than usual. Anakin saw the curving view wall that shadowed the Chancellor's chair and noticed how similar it looked to the chair in the General Quarters on the Invisible Hand.

And it suddenly struck him as unaccountably sinister that the robes worn by the Chancellor's bodyguards were the exact color of Palpatine's carpet.

Who in the name of the Force was incharge of decorating the Chancellor's office?

"Anakin," Palpatine said. Anakin's eyes were drawn to the man who was standing by the window, gazing out into the city's hazy morning, the smoke still sticking around from the countless fires that had probably been burning well into the night before the firefighters managed to put them out. The Chancellor must have seen Anakin's reflection in the transparisteel, Anakin had not spoken. "Join me."

Anakin came up beside his longtime friend, joining Palpatine as he too gazed into the city. Space lane traffic was beginning to return to normal, rivers of speeders, air taxis, and repulsor buses ran through the city. Here and there, standing in the spaces, were the remains of shattered buildings. Through the haze he saw the Senate Building, and further still he could make out the quintuple spires that belonged to the Jedi Temple.

"Do you see, Anakin?" Palpatine asked, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Do you see what they have done to our magnificent city? This war must end. We cannot allow such....such...." His voice trailed away as he shook his head. Anakin gently placed a hand on Palpatine's shoulder, frowning in worry.

"You know you have my best efforts, and those of every Jedi," Anakin said.

"I know I have yours, Anakin. The rest of the Jedi...." Palpatine sighed. He looked more tired than the last time Anakin had seen him, which felt like a week or two ago, but in this time, it was only yesterday.

Maybe the Chancellor hadn't gotten the best night's sleep either.

"I have asked you here," Palpatine said slowly, "because I need your help on a matter of extreme delicacy. I hope I can depend upon you, Anakin."

"Of course," he replied, suddenly becoming worried. Something was obviously wrong.

"You see, I...." Palpatine sighed as though he was ashamed to continue. "I have begun to fear the Jedi themselves."

"Oh, Chancellor," Anakin said, shaking his head, a smile of disbelief finding itself on his face, "there is no one more loyal than the Jedi—surely, after all this time—"

Palpatine had already turned away, sinking into the chair behind his desk. "The Council keeps pushing for more control. More autonomy. They have lost all respect for the rule of law. They have become more concerned with avoiding the oversight of the Senate than with winning the war."

"That is far from the truth. They want to win the war as much as the rest of us....and with all do respect, sir, many on the Council would say the same of you."