Cure | Anakin Skywalker

chapter five

Padme is waiting for us in the dining hall when Anakin and I finally return to House Naberrie. We are both covered in sand and sweat, aching to get some rest after making the trip back to Naboo, but Padme insists that we need to talk.

"The Council is requesting your presence," She says, "Obi-Wan contacted me after you left."

"You mean they know? That we were both gone?" I say, my fatigue melting away at the thought of having to answer for abandoning our posts.

"I tried to tell him that everything was fine! You know how Jedi are," She responds, a look of guilt crossing her face. "I couldn't lie."

"It's okay, my lady. This is our fault. But Anakin is in no shape to travel again and we would have to bring you along with us back to Coruscant. I will talk to the Council but I think it best that we stay here for the time being. At least until—"

"There is no need for that, Siorah." Master Windu steps into the room and I immediately stand up straighter, preparing for the lecture I'm about to receive. Beside me, Anakin is still seated at the table, his head in his hands.

"Master," I bow, scrambling to find some kind of story that will keep us from getting in too much trouble, "I was not aware of your presence here on Naboo. Forgive me for not reporting back sooner."

He gazes at me sternly before turning to look at my companion. "Anakin, where is your respect? I've come a long way to speak with you."

To my surprise, Anakin rises and bows. He had been too distraught to speak to me on the ship but he seems to have recovered slightly, at least enough to respond.

"It came to my attention last night that both of you had taken ships off of Naboo. I stayed up all night wondering why you would possibly leave when your mission," He gestures at Padme, "Is right here."

I remain silent.

"And then Obi-Wan told me that you had commed and asked about Tatooine. I pieced together the rest of the story from there. So now, we not only have to report that two of my best Jedi went rogue, but we have to sort it out with the Tusken Raiders, in case they decide they deserve answers about why the two of you were there." Windu lectures.

I close my eyes. "There's no one to talk to," I say quietly.

"What's that, Siorah? Speak up,"

"There are no Raiders left to come looking for answers. They're dead," I report, glancing at Anakin who is staring at the floor.

Master Windu is silent, looking at the both of us like we've lost our minds. "Miss Amidala, you should retire to your chambers."

Padme stands, giving me one last worried look before leaving the room and leaving us alone with Windu.

"You mean to tell me that the entire Tusken camp is dead?"

"Yes, Master."

"Do you have any idea the problem you've gotten yourselves into? Or the political impact this will have on the Republic's spaceport? Siorah, this is so unlike you. You would never leave your post, let alone murder an entire group of people. I don't understand what's gotten into you," He says.

"It was me."

I look up at Anakin, who's eyes have still not left the ground. "I was the one who killed the Raiders."

Windu is silent, peering at Anakin as though trying to understand what was going through the younger Jedi's head. "You killed an entire camp."

"I helped him!" I interject, "We got caught up in a fight trying to get his mother off the planet and we had to defend ourselves."

"In what way does defending yourself mean killing the entire group?! A pair of Jedi as skilled as yourselves should've been able to make a quick exit without too many casualties. So, one of you, explain to me why you felt the need to stay and cause more damage?"

"Anakin's mother was killed in the battle and he... lost control. I apologize, Master. We will clean up any mess we've made on the Republic's behalf," I promise. If I had just made Anakin leave with me then we wouldn't be stuck in this situation. I wish I had been more forceful with him.

"What do you mean he 'lost control'," He says, growing more frustrated with us by the second.

"I don't know." I shake my head, afraid that if I say too much Anakin will be in even more trouble, "But after what he witnessed, you can't blame him for reacting!"

"So he was out of order?" Windu raises his voice.

"He was upset," I argue back.

"Oh, forgive me for not tending to Skywalker's emotions."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Is this what it's like every time Anakin gets in trouble? The lack of empathy in Windu's voice startles me. How dare he pretend that losing one's mother isn't a reason to grieve, to become emotional. I thought Anakin would get a pass for leaving Naboo but it's suddenly clear to me that he's just going to be held to an even higher standard.

"What is the council going to say? What's going to cross Master Yoda's mind when I tell him that one of our Jedi went against instruction, tried to pull a rescue mission behind the Council's back, and slaughtered almost forty Raiders? That is darkness. That is losing balance."

I ball my fists. "So what, Anakin is on the dark side now? You're just going to cast him away because he had an emotional reaction to a traumatizing event?"

"If I'm going to cast him away, it will be because he is guilty of murder, not because he acted out. I have to take this to the rest of the Council. Look at him! Skywalker has said ten words during this entire meeting. Clearly something is wrong and it is up to me to report it."

"And what are they going to do to him?" I ask defiantly. "Revoke his lightsaber? Imprison him? He made a mistake."

"That is not for you to decide."

"I can help him! Master, please. You know what they will do if they think Anakin has turned. He's too strong with the Force for the Council to turn a blind eye. Let me help him," I beg.

"You would help him... how? He's fully trained, there's nothing more you can do for him." Windu turns away.

"You have to let me try! Anakin!" I say desperately, looking at the man beside me. Why won't he say something? It's not like him to keep quiet during a fight. I don't know how I could possibly help but I can't let him be shipped off to a prison where the Council will poke and prod him for answers about his allegiance.

"I will speak with Master Yoda. He will hear the full story as well as the claim that you can help Skywalker, whatever that means. I would suggest you two stay here with the Senator, as instructed, and see this mission finished. Whether the Council decides to investigate Anakin's loss of control is out of your hands now. End of discussion." Master Windu steps away from the table that divides us and heads towards the door.

"Thank you, Master," I answer, bowing my head as he leaves the room. As soon as he disappears down the hall, I round on Anakin. "Were you really not going to say anything at all? Your future as a Jedi Knight has been put in jeopardy and you're standing there silently."

"Maybe he's right," Anakin says quietly. "Maybe I am turning."

I stare at him in shock as he leaves the dining hall, and I feel rattled and confused. Of course, I know Anakin is impulsive and yes, he annoys me more than any other person I've ever met but it has never occurred to me to wonder if he was giving in to the dark side. I've seen him do good before, though his methods are sometimes questionable, and there's no one else more intent on winning the war than he is. But that's not the same person I saw on Tatooine. The more I think about it, the more I realize how frightening Anakin became during that battle.

I rack my brain trying to think of something I can do to help him but for the first time ever, I'm completely clueless as to how I can fix this. I must speak with Master Yoda. He will help me figure something out, but until then I am stuck here on Naboo with a very confused partner. I'll just have to wait it out, business as usual, until I get the chance to return to Coruscant.