Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [220]
“So, Anakin,” Palpatine said as the others moved away, “did you see your friend off?”
Anakin nodded. “If I didn’t hate Grievous so much, I’d almost feel sorry for him.”
“Oh?” Palpatine appeared mildly interested. “Are Jedi allowed to hate?”
“Figure of speech,” Anakin said, waving this off. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about Grievous. Obi-Wan will soon have his head.”
“Provided, of course,” Palpatine murmured as he took Anakin’s arm to guide him toward the entryway, “that the Council didn’t make a mistake. I still believe Master Kenobi is not the Jedi for this job.”
Anakin shrugged irritably. Why did everyone keep bringing up things he didn’t want to talk about? “The Council was … very sure in its decision.”
“Certainty is a fine thing,” the Chancellor allowed. “Though it too often happens that those who are the most entirely certain are also the most entirely wrong. What will the Council do if Kenobi proves unable to apprehend Grievous without your help?”
“I’m sure I cannot say, sir. I imagine they will deal with that if and when it happens. The Jedi teach that anticipation is distraction.”
“I am no philosopher, Anakin; in my work, anticipation is often my sole hope of success. I must anticipate the actions of my adversaries—and even those of my allies. Even—” He opened a hand toward Anakin, smiling. “—my friends. It is the only way I can be prepared to take advantage of opportunity … and conversely, to avoid disaster.”
“But if a disaster comes about by the will of the Force—”
“I’m afraid I don’t believe in the will of the Force,” Palpatine said, his smile turning apologetic. “I believe it is our will that matters. I believe that everything good in our civilization has come about not by the blind action of some mystical field of energy, but by the focused will of people: lawmakers and warriors, inventors and engineers, struggling with every breath of their bodies to shape galactic culture. To improve the lives of all.”
They stood now before the vaulted door to Palpatine’s office. “Please come in, Anakin. Much as I enjoy a philosophical chat, that was not the reason I asked you to meet me. We have business to discuss, and I fear it may be very serious business indeed.”
Anakin followed him through the outer chambers to Palpatine’s intimate private office. He took up a respectful standing position opposite Palpatine’s desk, but the Chancellor waved him to a chair. “Please, Anakin, make yourself comfortable. Some of this may be difficult for you to hear.”
“Everything is, these days,” Anakin muttered as he took a seat.
Palpatine didn’t seem to hear. “It concerns Master Kenobi. My friends among the Senators have picked up some … disturbing rumors about him. Many in the Senate believe that Kenobi is not fit for this assignment.”
Anakin frowned. “Are you serious?”
“I’m most serious, I’m afraid. It is a … complicated situation, Anakin. It seems there are some in the Senate who now regret having granted me emergency powers.”
“There have been dissenters and naysayers since before Geonosis, sir. Why should it be cause for concern now? And how does it affect Obi-Wan?”
“I’m getting to that.” Palpatine took a deep breath and swung his chair around so that he could gaze through his window of armored transparisteel onto the cityscape beyond. “The difference is that now, some of these Senators—actually a large number of them—seem to have given up on democracy. Unable to achieve their ends in the Senate, they are organizing into a cabal, preparing to remove me by … other means.”
“You mean treason?” Anakin had enough Jedi discipline to force away his memory of using that word with Obi-Wan.
“I’m afraid so. The rumor is that the ringleaders of this group may have fallen victim to the … persuasive powers … of the Jedi Council, and are on their way to becoming accomplices in the Council’s plot against the Republic.”
“Sir, I—” Anakin shook his head. “This just