“Master, is it true?” Ahsoka asked, “Is he… He’s here? In the temple? We’re going to see him?”

  “Yes,” Obi-wan replied, his usual tranquility nowhere to be seen. Anakin had returned? After so long? And asked to see him after refusing to speak to the Council loudly right in front of a crowd of other curious Jedi?

  What could his former Padawan want with the two of them after all of these years?

  Obi-wan walked into the room where Anakin waited and froze as he saw the boy, no man in front of him. He had known intellectually that the boy was over twenty years old now. It had been almost four years since he’d last seen him, and he’d changed in that time. Instead of the brashness and borderline arrogance of the boy that Obi-wan had trained, there was someone else. This person was even different from even the brief glimpse of the more thoughtful and mentally scarred boy that Obi-wan had talked to over four years ago after he was taken from Jabba’s palace. The boy that Obi-wan had seen had been through much, enough to temper his arrogance down to a sort of quiet paranoia, always keeping an eye out for the next disaster that would befall him.

  But now… Even that boy was gone. The man in front of Obi-wan was different. There was wariness there, even nervousness. But nothing like how he had acted back then. Although Obi-wan supposed that made sense. His situation had changed over the last few years.

  “Obi-wan. Ahsoka. It’s been a while,” Anakin said, “Would you like to go on a walk with me out of the temple? There’s always so many curious ears around this place.”

  Obi-wan hesitated before nodding.

  “I will choose the place,” he said firmly. No matter their past, he wouldn’t risk putting Ahsoka in danger by going to a place that could be an ambush. Ahsoka shot him a look but didn’t say anything but lifted one hand lightly at her side to hover around one of her twin lightsabers hanging at her hips.

  “I just want to talk,” Anakin said, his eyes noticing Ahsoka’s defensive motion, “Really, that’s why I’m here. If I can’t convince you then I’ll just leave. I get it, but I guarantee that the Council’s listening in on this room probably even as we speak.”

  “This room is private, the Council wouldn’t do that!” Ahsoka protested. Anakin shot her a look and her fire died a little and she shrunk back.

  “Still. Lead the way, Obi-wan. I’ll go to whatever place you think will be safe.”

  “Then let’s go. I see that you’re still not carrying a lightsaber,” Obi-wan commented as all three of them exited the room, “Never found a replacement?”

  “No. Count Dooku did offer me one actually, but I refused. Just didn’t feel right after my clean break with the Jedi before.”

  “I see.”

  They walked out of the Jedi Temple and onto the streets of Coruscant where Obi-wan entered high alert looking for an ambush. He knew that the Council likely had watchers following them at a distance ready to intervene if things went wrong. But even they might be too slow to defend his padawan Ahsoka if things went wrong.

  Obi-wan led them into a bar and they sat at a booth in the corner. The privacy screen went up and all sound would stay inside the little bubble of their booth and a tint blurred their forms and made it impossible to read their lips from the outside.

  “Have you ever wondered what the Jedi might be like without the Council?” Anakin after all three of them sat down, Ahsoka looking the most uncomfortable as she fiddled idly with one of the lightsaber’s at her hips as she stared at Anakin.

  “...Sometimes,” Obi-wan said, “But things are what they are. Despite their failings, the Grandmasters are good people. They do what they believe is best, even if they are not always correct.”

  “Hm,” Anakin grunted in dissatisfaction, “Fine. I think you know that I don’t think that. They’ve done worse things than you’d think. Did you know that Knight Aurtera has been on a special mission for the Council for a long time? Only returned to the temple a few months ago?”

  “Yes. I know about it,” Obi-wan said, “Many of us receive special missions from the Council from time to time. Hers was much longer than most. What are you implying?”

  “I’m not implying anything. I’m going to tell you flat out. She was spying on me. That was her mission.”

  “Is that so? Do you have any proof? And so what if it’s true? No matter what else happens, it must be admitted that you’re a dangerous person. It would be irresponsible for the Council to not keep some tabs on you.”

  “This was more than keeping tabs on me,” Anakin said with a deep grimace of distaste, “You’re right. I probably could have accepted that reasoning if that’s all they were doing. No, she did far more than that. She went to my girlfriend and her family. Threatened them with legal action and bullied them to cut off all contact with me. Then she used my girlfriend's datapad and impersonated her, trying to pump me for information. Sending messages as Elara for months, tricking me and playing me like a fool in our messages…”

  Ahsoka’s eyes were wide as she stared at Anakin. But he wasn’t done.

  “And when even that didn’t work, she came down to the planet and trashed my house. Scared my family, who I thought she might be there to hurt. Then fled right here to Coruscant to report her success to the Council. The Council knew and even congratulated her afterwards for her good work.”

  “Liar! The Council would never order a Jedi knight to do anything like that!” Ahsoka shouted, “You’re just taking out your anger against the council on this poor Jedi Knight that probably wasn’t even involved with any of this! It must have been someone else!”

  “Do you have any evidence?” Obi-wan added, “Ahsoka’s right. I can’t take your word for this.”

  “Yes. This will have all that you need. Just make sure to use a disconnected device from the network to view the files,” Anakin said as he pulled out a pinkie sized device and handed it over to Obi-wan, “The Jedi Temple likely has monitoring software that would flag you for having classified information that you shouldn’t have.”

  “And how did you get it then?”

  “Classified.”

  Anakin smirked and Obi-wan saw a flash of the boy who was for a brief moment before it disappeared again.

  “And this has proof that it’s the Council behind it? And that she wasn’t acting alone?” Obi-wan confirmed as he eyed the device skeptically as he rolled it around in his hands.

  “Signed orders from Mace Windu himself,” Anakin said, nodding, “And some of the reports that she sent to the Council that my source managed to find. I may have some secrets... But the methods that she used to find out about them are all in those reports, clear as day.”

  “So, assuming that this is all true… What’s your goal here?” Obi-wan asked as he tucked the device into his pocket, leaving the matter be for now, “Why come all this way to tell me this? And why insist on bringing Ahsoka along too?”

  “Because that is only the first thing I want to talk about. But I think that’s enough for today. You can go look over that information and see that I’m telling the truth for yourself. Meet here again tomorrow at the same time?”

  “Tomorrow, same time,” Obi-wan confirmed, “Until then.”

  “Until then.”

  Anakin stood and walked off as Obi-wan and Ahsoka remained seated.

  “Master? Is that it? That felt too quick,” she said, seeming confused.

  He patted his pocket with the small device holding the supposed evidence of Knight Aurtera and the Council’s crimes, “It was very to the point. But Anakin was right. There is no use talking further when we can't trust his information just yet. Hopefully we will be able to learn more tomorrow when we've investigated his claims more thoroughly. But for now, we must return to the Jedi temple. I am very eager to look over this data for myself. Aren’t you?”

  “Yes, Master. Let’s go. He must be wrong, it’s all some big misunderstanding. Grandmaster Yoda wouldn’t let anything like that happen, no matter how dangerous they thought Skywalker might be.”

  “I suppose we’ll see, my padawan. We’ll see soon.”

  — — —

  Obi-wan and his padawan sat in the same booth, much more disturbed than they had been yesterday. Anakin had been a man of his word. The small datadrive had contained communications logs and transcripts between Knight Aurtera and various members of the Council, Mace Windu as the most prominent regarding her mission. Grandmaster Yoda had not been involved directly, but he must have at least been informed of the basics given some vague references in the reports. And he had chosen to let the mission continue unaltered even so.

  Knight Aurtera had written reports on her progress in her mission, and even an after action report on her reasoning for the break-in to the Skywalker residence before fleeing. All of it. Obi-wan had made his own subtle investigation into some of the background facts of the case. Using his access as a Jedi Master to perhaps pry into the secure files more than was strictly appropriate. But the access request had been approved, so clearly someone in Republic Intelligence had decided that him being a Jedi master gave him enough authority to obtain the records regarding the case. All of that collected evidence from Anakin and from the Republic Intelligence records matched the facts that Anakin had presented to him yesterday. Even now Republic Intelligence was subtly following up on some of the information that the Jedi Knight had uncovered during her mission.

  Obi-Wan had even been able to get the video of Knight Aurtera's full mission, recorded from her helmet as she infiltrated the house and destroyed the defensive droids. The military grade droids surrounding the house and her trashing the Skywalker residence and stealing the data were included. It seemed that Republic Intelligence had mostly been investigating droid suppliers and designers to determine the origin of the droids.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  But from the report, Republic Intelligence cared remarkably little about Anakin himself despite the Council's insistence to send more agents to investigate and dig deeper. Republic Intelligence had moved their attention promptly past Anakin and instead started investigating the source of the droids themselves.

  In the reports that Obi wan read, Republic Intelligence barely even mentioned Anakin anymore except in passing as they investigated the droid designs. There was even interest in the reports to making an order of their own for the advanced droids once the makers were found rather than punishing them for the secrecy over the clearly military grade designs.

  Even the larger droid near the end of the video had drawn some mild interest from Republic Intelligence, but not enough to prompt them to spend any more resources to investigate Anakin directly when things were so tense on his new homeworld after what had happened.

  Obi-wan did wonder where Anakin could have gotten such high quality droids. Clearly the larger half complete once had been built by him at least in part. The stolen data and half completed plans for its construction backed up Anakin as the nearly sole designer of that single droid. But all of the rest were clearly refined products that were more than a hobbyist, even a genius one like Anakin, could ever make.

  The Council was very interested in Anakin himself, and Obi-wan could practically feel Republic Intelligence's annoyance as the Council kept attempting to refocus the investigation on Anakin rather than on the larger focus on the droid manufacturer and the source of the droids themselves.

  It really was the Council itself not only approving but actively pushing for things to go even further.

  “So, do you believe me now?” Anakin asked as they sat in the same booth again, “What the Council’s done?”

  Obi-wan took a deep breath as Ahsoka remained silent beside him.

  “Yes. This is too far. But the Council is still good and selfless people even if they are not as… perfect or enlightened as we’d like to believe that they are. As I believed them to be. So, tell us what you’re here for. Why drag Ahsoka into whatever plans you seem to have for me?”

  Anakin sighed slightly and sat back and gave Ahsoka a brief glance.

  “Sorry, Obi-wan’s just reminded me. With how quick it was yesterday I forgot to say hi to you, Ahsoka. How’s your training in the temple been? I’m sure that by now you could thrash me in a lightsaber duel easily.”

  “Hmph,” Ahsoka harrumphed imperiously, “I could have beaten you years ago from what I’ve heard of your skill from the other padawans. Even with me learning the harder double bladed style, Master is always praising my skill in my forms.”

  “And I praise her humility as well,” Obi-wan added with a slight smile, “Right along with her skill in her forms.”

  Ahsoka blushed and looked away at the soft rebuke, looking embarrassed.

  Obi-wan took mercy on her after a short pause in the conversation.

  “I’ve been taking her on missions out of the Jedi Temple,” Obi-wan added, “The pair of us have gained quite a reputation in the local area here on Coruscant. I think she’ll be as ready to be a Jedi Knight as any other padawan as I’ve ever seen in the Temple before.”

  Ahsoka’s eyes widened and she blushed again for another reason at Obi-wan’s sudden high praise for her.

  Not that it wasn’t deserved. She really had been doing rather well on the missions that Obi-wan had selected for her. He’d even considered taking her off planet for a few more involved investigations. But there was plenty on Coruscant for her to still learn.

  “Tell me more,” Anakin asked in interest, “What kind of things? What were these missions like?”

  Obi-wan let Ahsoka slowly relax and chatter about her missions as he watched Anakin carefully. Ahsoka seemed to be feeling a little insecure in front of the calm and grounded Anakin and was doing her best to boast about her accomplishments. Anakin just nodded and hummed in affirmation at the proper moments as she kept going. His eyes were focused on her, seeming genuinely interested in her stories.

  “I’m happy for you,” Anakin said as Ahsoka wound down her stories, “It sounds like everything that I ever wanted as a Jedi padawan. Hey, at least me leaving made some room for you to be taught by my old master here, huh? You’ve done well under his teachings.”

  “Uhm, that’s— I—” Ahsoka stammered, not seeming sure how to respond to Anakin’s words.

  Obi-wan felt a faint sting of pain in his heart at the words, but kept his expression placid and calm to cover his reaction.

  Anakin turned to Obi-wan and his posture stiffened and Obi-wan’s gaze sharpened. This was it, the moment that he’d learn why Anakin was here. Why he had truly wanted to talk to them from the beginning.

  “Obi Wan. Ahsoka…” Anakin said before faltering for a moment before speaking again, “Things in the galaxy are… about to become chaotic. The Jedi will be called to defend the Republic. You and Ahsoka must stand aside and convince as many others as you can to join you. I’m not even asking you to fight, actually the opposite. All I want is for the Jedi to stand to the side and help who they can, not just the people of the Republic.”

  “Anakin, you talk of treason,” Obi-wan said sharply, “It is the Jedi’s duty to defend our sacred Republic. We have done so for over a thousand years, and if the Republic is in danger then we must answer. If you have some plan to harm the Republic in the works then it is my duty to do my best to stop you.”

  “And if you have to choose between the Republic and Justice? What if the Republic is in the wrong?” Anakin insisted, “It’s also your duty as a Jedi to do the most good possible for the galaxy and its people. And the Republic isn’t that anymore. If you see injustice and close your eyes to it, then are you any Jedi at all?”

  “You accuse me of not following my ideals? After everything that you’ve done? How hypocritical. And what of the ideal of Peace? The Republic has brought peace to the galaxy under its rule. Laws that while not perfect are far more enlightened than any other ones that we could realistically expect.”

  “No. Not just you,” Anakin said after a flicker of anger flashed across his face before fading again, “All of the Jedi, with the Council as the worst offenders. You call what’s happening in Hutt space peace? All those slaves were freed with nothing to their names? Their old masters allowed to keep their lavish manors and stolen funds built on all of their suffering and pain? Even now the Republic stands by and protects the old masters from the freed slaves. Treating the former slaves like they’re barely even worth their attention except for with annoyance when they dare complain about how they’ve been treated, after the Republic let them rot for almost a whole year before deigning to follow their own laws. Is that the Peace that the Republic has brought to Hutt space? Even now Republic fleets are there in Hutt space, occupying it even after so long. Not for the slaves, but to protect the old masters.”

  “The Republic is… not perfect. No institution can be,” Obi-wan said, which caused Ahsoka to shoot him a surprised look, “But Anakin, listen to yourself. You’re talking nonsense. Have you joined some kind of Separatist terror group? I thought you were better than this. From what you’ve said, I thought things were stable and you were happy to live your own life away from the Jedi and the politics. A better life for yourself, one away from larger concerns like this.”

  “No. I’m not doing anything,” Anakin denied, “But I know some people who will do some things soon. Even if I wanted to, nothing I could do would be able to stop them from going through with it. I came here for you two. I don’t want either of you to be drawn into it. You’ll understand just how big a risk I’m taking here talking to you about it once things start up. Once you have some more time to think about this conversation after everything is revealed.”

  “We’ll fight whoever it is who’ll be attacking the Republic!” Ahsoka said defiantly while glaring at Anakin, “How can we stop it? What about all of the innocent people that will be hurt? You’ve got to tell us what’s going to happen so we can stop it in time!”

  Anakin just shook his head, “Nothing will be able to stop it. It’s too late now, things are already in motion. Ahsoka, you don’t understand. Here, let me… Alright, nevermind. Changing directions. Have you ever killed someone before, Ahsoka?”

  “...No. I haven’t. But Master has when people are attacking us. And he’s not an unhinged terrorist like you yet.”

  “You don’t want to,” Anakin said, seeming unfazed by Ahsoka’s sharp comment, “It’s not something that you can forget. If you went to war then it wouldn’t even be self defense. You and Obi-wan would be soldiers. Killing people not to defend yourself, but because they’re wearing a different uniform and standing in the wrong places. I know that of all of the people that I’ve killed, all of them were from self defense. Well, not all of them. It feels different when you’re not sure if it really was self defense or not. That’s not something that I think you want to feel, Ahsoka. Even if you might be good enough at combat that you might not even be hurt yourself in battle.”

  Obi-wan shifted in his seat, disturbed by Anakin’s little speech. He hadn’t considered that angle. It was true. Obi-wan was hardened from his missions against the gangs and pirates. Seen some things during his missions that he’d never be able to unsee… He could only imagine that a true war like what had happened in the subjugation of Hutt Space would be a thousand times worse. Or her going off to fight whatever terrorist group Anakin was involved with. And to put Ahsoka through it too…

  “Ahsoka wouldn’t be fighting. Not yet,” Obi-wan said firmly, “You’re right, she’s not ready for that kind of damaging experience. But it would still be my duty to fight, as a Jedi Master. I don’t know why you keep speaking of war. Surely this separatist cell isn’t that big, or delusional enough to think that they could take on the whole Republic in a fight. What is this group you know of planning? An attack on the Senate building? Some kind of statement for propaganda, attacking Coruscant’s infrastructure somehow? I need details, Anakin.”

  “I promise that it’s not an attack,” Anakin said, “You’ll see. But I give you my word. None of them are planning on attacking the Senate or anything similar. As far as I know. It’s something else entirely. You’ll understand it all when you remember this conversation later. I can’t tell you anything more than that.”

  “I could have you arrested,” Obi-wan stated, throwing out the statement and letting it hang in the air for a moment between them, “Perhaps it’s even my duty to do so.”

  “A duty to the Republic,” Anakin replied, “The Jedi aren’t an organization, but a code and way of life. Somebody told me that a long time ago. Stick to your own convictions, not the Council or the Republic’s. I know that if you’re the one coming to the decisions then you’ll do the right thing, my old master.”

  Anakin stood to his feet and both Obi-wan and Ahsoka quickly rose to match him, their hands dropping to their lightsabers as they both eyed Anakin warily.

  “Please, think about it,” Anakin pleaded, a slightly desperate note in his voice, “Just sit it out. That’s all I’m asking. I’ll be leaving the planet soon. Once the chaos starts, feel free to contact me. Ask for help, if you need it. Despite everything, I think that I’d like for the two of you to be my friends. Friends again, Obi-wan.”

  Neither of the Jedi answered, and Anakin let out a heavy sigh.

  “Well, I… Good luck,” Anakin said, “Stay safe, the two of you.”

  Anakin stepped away from the booth and started slowly walking away. Ahsoka went to follow him, but Obi-wan’s hand shot out and restrained her.

  “But Master, he’s getting away! We have to question him,” she harshly whispered as Obi-wan held her in place with one hand.

  “No,” Obi-wan replied, “He’s too dangerous, especially when we have so little information on his strange applications of the Force. And with so many innocent people around us. We’ll leave tracking down any separatist group’s plots to Republic Intelligence. They’ll know what to do.”

  Ahsoka kept trying to push forward for another moment before relaxing and taking a step back again. He let go of her.

  “I guess…” she pouted, seeming disappointed that they weren’t chasing down Anakin on foot and attempting to arrest him on the spot.

  “Then let’s hurry,” Obi-wan added after Anakin left the building and merged with the crowd on the street just outside, “We must report what we’ve learned to the Republic and the Council as soon as possible before he gets away.”

  “Yes, Master! Let’s go!”

  By the time Republic Intelligence lethargically caught up with Anakin, he was already gone. Having left the planet immediately after finishing his conversation with Obi-wan. Walking directly to the spaceport and blasting off almost as soon as his feet entered the private shuttle that he'd entered.

  Obi-wan stared at the ceiling as he lay in his room in the Jedi temple. Every time he saw that boy, he only grew more confused. Always another mystery with Anakin it seemed. And while Republic Intelligence had dismissed Anakin’s words and vague hints without any evidence to back them, Obi-wan had a feeling. Something important was about to happen. He had to think about what Anakin had said. Obi wan had see if there was even a smallest clue in Anakin's exact words, how exactly he had acted. Obi wan had to do what he could to help the Republic, he was sure that Anakin had been alluding to some serious attack beyond the normal. Anakin wouldn't have risked coming to Coruscant to warn Obi-wan and Ahsoka for something insignificant.

  It was Obi wan's duty to defend the Republic as a Jedi knight. To preserve Peace and Justice of the galaxy through them.

  Right?