Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [231]
Anakin’s head drew down toward his shoulders as though he found himself under enemy fire. “I don’t—they wouldn’t—”
“Ask yourself: why did they send you to me with this news? Why? Why not simply notify me through normal channels?”
And take careful note of his reaction. We will need a full account
“Sir, I—ah—”
“No need to fumble for an explanation,” he said gently. “You’ve already as much as admitted they’ve ordered you to spy upon me. Don’t you understand that anything you tell them tonight—whatever it may be—will be used as an excuse to order my execution?”
“That’s impossible—” Anakin sought desperately for an argument. “The Senate—the Senate would never allow it—”
“The Senate will be powerless to stop it. I told you this is bigger than any personal dislike between the Council and myself. I am only one man, Anakin. My authority is granted by the Senate; it is the Senate that is the true government of the Republic. Killing me is nothing; to control the Republic, the Jedi will have to take over the Senate first.”
“But the Jedi—the Jedi serve the Senate—!”
“Do they?” Palpatine asked mildly. “Or do they serve certain Senators?”
“This is all—I’m sorry, Chancellor, please, you have to understand how this sounds …”
“Here—” The Chancellor rummaged around within his desk for a moment, then brought forth a document reader. “Do you know what this is?”
Anakin recognized the seal Padmé had placed on it. “Yes, sir—that’s the Petition of the Two Thousand—”
“No, Anakin! No!” Palpatine slammed the document reader on his desktop hard enough to make Anakin jump. “It is a roll of traitors.”
Anakin went absolutely still. “What?”
“There are, now, only two kinds of Senators in our government, Anakin. Those whose names are on this so-called petition,” Palpatine said, “and those whom the Jedi are about to arrest.”
Anakin could only stare.
He couldn’t argue. He couldn’t even make himself disbelieve.
He had only one thought.
Padmé …?
How much trouble was she in?
“Didn’t I warn you, Anakin? Didn’t I tell you what Obi-Wan was up to? Why do you think he was meeting with the leaders of this … delegation … behind your back?”
“But—but, sir, please, surely, all they asked for is an end to the war. It’s what the Jedi want, too. I mean, it’s what we all want, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”
“Perhaps. Though how that end comes about may be the single most important thing about the war. More important, even, than who wins.”
Oh, Padmé, Anakin moaned inside his head. Padmé, what have you gotten yourself into?
“Their … sincerity … may be much to be admired,” Palpatine said. “Or it would be, were it not that there was much more to that meeting than met the eye.”
Anakin frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Their … petition … was nothing of the sort. It was, in fact, a not-so-veiled threat.” Palpatine sighed regretfully. “It was a show of force, Anakin. A demonstration of the political power the Jedi will be able to muster in support of their rebellion.”
Anakin blinked. “But—but surely—” he stammered, rounding Palpatine’s desk, “surely Senator Amidala, at least, can be trusted …”
“I understand how badly you need to believe that,” the Chancellor said. “But Senator Amidala is hiding something. Surely you sensed it.”
“If she is—” Anakin swayed; the floor seemed to be tilting under his feet like the deck of Invisible Hand. “Even if she is,” he said, his voice flat, overcontrolled, “it doesn’t mean that what she is hiding is treason.”
Palpatine’s brows drew together. “I’m surprised your Jedi insights are not more sensitive to such things.”
“I simply don’t sense betrayal in Senator Amidala,” Anakin insisted.
Palpatine leaned back in his chair, steepling