Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [205]
“Anakin, look, I’m on your side,” Obi-Wan said softly. He looked tired, too: he looked as tired and sick as Anakin felt. “I never wanted to see you put in this situation.”
“What situation?”
Still Obi-Wan hesitated.
Anakin said, “Look, whatever it is, it’s not getting any better while you’re standing here working up the nerve to tell me. Come on, Obi-Wan. Let’s have it.”
Obi-Wan glanced around the empty hall as if he wanted to make sure they were still alone; Anakin had a feeling it was just an excuse to avoid facing him when he spoke.
“The Council,” Obi-Wan said slowly, “approved your appointment because Palpatine trusts you. They want you to report on all his dealings. They have to know what he’s up to.”
“They want me to spy on the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic?” Anakin blinked numbly. No wonder Obi-Wan couldn’t look him in the face. “Obi-Wan, that’s treason!”
“We are at war, Anakin.” Obi-Wan looked thoroughly miserable. “The Council is sworn to uphold the principles of the Republic through any means necessary. We have to. Especially when the greatest enemy of those principles seems to be the Chancellor himself!”
Anakin’s eyes narrowed and turned hard. “Why didn’t the Council give me this assignment while we were in session?”
“Because it’s not for the record, Anakin. You must be able to understand why.”
“What I understand,” Anakin said grimly, “is that you are trying to turn me against Palpatine. You’re trying to make me keep secrets from him—you want to make me lie to him. That’s what this is really about.”
“It isn’t,” Obi-Wan insisted. He looked wounded. “It’s about keeping an eye on who he deals with, and who deals with him.”
“He’s not a bad man, Obi-Wan—he’s a great man, who’s holding this Republic together with his bare hands—”
“By staying in office long after his term has expired. By gathering dictatorial powers—”
“The Senate demanded that he stay! They pushed those powers on him—”
“Don’t be naïve. The Senate is so intimidated they give him anything he wants!”
“Then it’s their fault, not his! They should have the guts to stand up to him!”
“That is what we’re asking you to do, Anakin.”
Anakin had no answer. Silence fell between them like a hammer.
He shook his head and looked down at the fist he had made of his mechanical hand.
Finally, he said, “He’s my friend, Obi-Wan.”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan said softly. Sadly. “I know.”
“If he asked me to spy on you, do you think I would do it?”
Now it was Obi-Wan’s turn to fall silent.
“You know how kind he has been to me.” Anakin’s voice was hushed. “You know how he’s looked after me, how he’s done everything he could to help me. He’s like family.”
“The Jedi are your family—”
“No.” Anakin turned on his former Master. “No, the Jedi are your family. The only one you’ve ever known. But I’m not like you—I had a mother who loved me—”
And a wife who loves me, he thought. And soon a child who will love me, too.
“Do you remember my mother? Do you remember what happened to her—?”
—because you didn’t let me go to save her? he finished silently. And the same will happen to Padmé, and the same will happen to our child.
Within him, the dragon’s cold whisper chewed at his strength. All things die, Anakin Skywalker. Even stars burn out.
“Anakin, yes. Of course. You know how sorry I am for your mother. Listen: we’re not asking you to act against Palpatine. We’re only asking you to … monitor his activities. You must believe me.”
Obi-Wan stepped closer and put a hand on Anakin’s arm. With a long, slowly indrawn breath, he seemed to reach some difficult decision. “Palpatine himself may be in danger,” he said. “This may be the only way you can help him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am not supposed to be telling you this. Please do not reveal we have had this conversation. To anyone, do you understand?”
Anakin said, “I can keep a secret.”
“All right.” Obi-Wan took another deep breath. “Master Windu traced Darth Sidious to Five Hundred Republica before Grievous’s attack—we think that the Sith Lord is someone within Palpatine’s closest circle