32 - Yes, I'm the mentor.
"I feel an odd sensation Dee-Jay." he comments as we advance.
"That's because you did this too."
"As, Him you mean? What happened?"
Anakin's reaction to his alter-ego's deeds is encouraging. He can understand why everything happened and It scares him. Knowing that if life had been different, various choices made or not made, then this would have been a very different type of triumphant march on the Temple. But Vader is another person to him, a path he will never choose because he had other options.
"Bad dialogue Anakin. Terrible, atrocious dialogue." I reply.
Shayla looks at us and laughs.
"Bad dialogue? Anakin?"
"It was a Dark time. This one is much better." I say smiling.
Different choices all round.
-----
There is a small crowd at the top of the steps. Yoda is using that stick of his to support himself. Not due to age but because otherwise he would be rolling on the ground laughing. Hera has her arms folded and has that habitual 'what have you done now', look that is her version of friendly. As for Mace.
"He looks upset." whispers Shayla to me.
"He always looks like that. It's a stressful job." I say back.
"Why do you think that is?"
"I don't know. All those forms, meetings, policy briefs or..."
"Master Dee-Jay!" calls out Mace as we get near.
Okay, it could be that too. Balancing Idun, I make a quick bow as does Anakin.
"Master Windu. As requested I am here." I say.
Mace regards me.
"What, do you call this?" he growls.
"Bring your children to work day?" I say.
"HELLO MASTER WINDU!" comes the cry from the crowd.
Mace just stares.
"Inside. Now."
"How much trouble is he in?" I hear Anakin ask as we are walking inside.
"Only most young Skywalker. After all, a Sith, he is not." replies Yoda.
-----
Once within the Council Chamber and the Masters are seated Mace begins.
"Is there a single part of the Code you have not flagrantly disobeyed and ignored? I gave you specific instructions to not pursue or develop this relationship. I heard rumours but I dismissed them as too outrageous, even for you. I see I, wait, what are you doing? Are you listening to me?"
I pause in waving the red squeeze toy in front of my daughter.
"Oh yes. Visual stimulation, very important. Yes I am listening. I am a bad Jedi. Broken the Code. I would suggest the same punishment I suggested to Hera years ago."
Hera grimaces.
"Coruscant. That is too cruel. For the reader."
"Well, there is that. I am still puzzled though. Which part of the Code specifically? Which Code for that matter?" I say.
"Are you serious?"
"For the moment."
"You stood here one standard year ago and agreed you would neither pursue nor indulge in a relationship with her."
I turn to Shayla.
"Over this last year have I pursued you?"
"No." says Shayla giggling.
"Did I indulge in our relationship?"
More giggling.
"No."
"Well, there you are. Almost everyone is a telepath here. Is Shayla lying?" I ask.
No one speaks up.
"Nobody? Excellent, so since I have been an exemplary Jedi." I continue but am interrupted by Mace.
"Exemplary? You have a daughter! Care to explain how that happened?" he bellows.
"You mean you do not know? 'Someone' failed bio. It's a bit impromptu but I can go over the basics if you want."
There is a small thud and we all turn round to see Yoda climbing back into his chair.
"Excuse me. Slipped must I have. Please, go on, continue." says the little troll.
"Dee-Jay! I want to know how come you two in particular have a new born daughter."
"It was on Ryloth, We had won. I saw that our dead were buried and commended them to the Force. The clones wanted to celebrate, so I shared a drink with them before retiring to meditate." I said.
"And then I went looking for him, he had become quite adept at sneaking off. I have to thank you Master Windu, this year has been very exciting, but I feel a change of pace is in order. I can't be aggressively seducing this Neobarb constantly. He's only human." says Shayla.
"You planned this." says Mace.
"Planned what? I needed time for reflection and I have done so. I also knew that Shayla would not sit idly by. Maybe you could have asked me what she might do." I say. I also wave the toy.
"Okay, okay. Now, the clones. Your children?" asks Mace.
"Apparently so." I say.
"You didn't think discovering you have adopted an actual army was drastic?" asks Mace.
"It's not as if I hid them. I don't think it's possible." I say.
"And it all started as a way to get them all declared people. Cloners are horrible, the boys had no one but each other. So what started as a joke really, became something more." says Shayla.
"We just gave them something they never thought they needed. Parents." I say.
"Parents?" says Plo Koon.
"Why is that so strange? They're people. Not organic droids. They want people things." I say.
"Especially with those hideous chips out. It's by my order that they had them removed." adds Shayla.
"Which means Shayla is their mother in some senses. By extension that means." I say.
"Yes, yes. We understand." said another Master interrupting.
"Do you? The real issue here is 'Where is Palpatine?' Remember him? Sith Lord? This high? Wants every single one of us dead? Does anyone know where he is? I say.
A long silence indicates no one does.
"You have to understand the magnitude of the problem. When his escape ship left it quickly entered hyperspace. He could be anywhere." says Mace.
I open my mouth to speak but then pause as a horrible thought hits me. I pass Idun over to Shayla.
"Take our daughter and leave Coruscant. At once."
"Why? Dee-Jay. What's going on?"
"Please love. Trust me on this." I say kissing her.
"Okay. I will need an explanation for this."
"Later love, I promise, just go, now. Remember, I love you."
I watch Shayla leave. As the doors close behind her I turn back to the Masters.
"We would like an explanation too." says Mace.
Very well. I take a deep breath.
"He's here. Palpatine never left Coruscant." I say with what will probably be interpreted as a mad grin.
-----
"That's insane! I saw him board that ship." says Mace
"Then what happened?" I say.
"His ship took off and I got Hera to safety."
"So, for example, if Palpatine walked to the other side of the ship and left, leaving it to depart on auto-pilot, you wouldn't know."
"Surely we would have sensed him?" says a Master.
"Really? He stood before you multiple times and you never suspected a thing. Subterfuge, misdirection, sleight of hand games, having all the pieces. It's what he does." I say pacing.
"If you did not use the Force how do you know this?" asks Mundi.
"Because..." I pause. Oh well, they're were hell bent on locking me up anyways. "It's what I would have done."
Hera laughs.
"You're mad Coruscant. Completely mad. Shame you're probably right. We haven't looked here, have we?"
"But Coruscant is immense. He could be anywhere. Where do we begin?" says a Master.
"We begin near the site of the greatest collection of Dark Side Artifacts in the Galaxy."
"And that would be?"
"Right here. I also suggest we start moving those things somewhere else. Come on Anakin. We have a Sith Lord to catch before he knows that we know." I say and turn to leave.
"Master Dee-Jay! We have not finished." says Mace.
I turn and walk back.
"Yes we have. What's important Master Windu? The Code? The Order? Who cares what one crazy Master does? Palpatine is the most powerful, most evil being this Galaxy has ever seen. So have your tribunal. Make your decision and, if I am still alive, well, we shall see."
"And if you're wrong?"
"Then I'm wrong. Throw me out of the order. I'll go quietly, peacefully. I'll enjoy it. But if I'm right Mace, then you will be forever known as the Head of the Order that ended the Sith."
There is a pause. Mace rubs his forehead.
"I don't know why I am agreeing to this." he says.
I decide to leave before he changes his mind.
-----
Outside I quickly find a few of the kids.
"Gandalf! Is Shayla bound off planet?" I ask.
"Yes. What's going on?" says Gandalf.
"I may have found Palpatine. If Anakin doesn't come back then organise with the other Jedi to find him."
Gandalf nods.
"Wait. What do you mean, if Anakin doesn't come back?"
I place a hand on his shoulder.
"If I am right, I am not coming back. I like you kids. All of you. Please behave for your mother."
"Then let us come with you. There's almost two thousand of us right here." he says.
I shake my head.
"Thank you, but no. Troops and guns won't matter here. This will be decided by the Force." I say.
"But surely a lot of Jedi..."
"It wont matter and may even make it worse. Palpatine will sense many Jedi and sneak away. Anyway, two or two hundred, it does not matter to the Force."
"And you're not coming back?"
"If I'm right, then no, this is it. Goodbye. Don't spoil your sister too much."
I turn and walk with Anakin towards a lift to take us to the lower levels.
-----
"Did you mean that Dee-Jay?" Anakin asks after a while.
"Yes Anakin. I'm sorry, I should have told you all earlier, but I was afraid. I was kind of hoping someone else would find and defeat Palpatine. I should have known better."
"Known better?"
We enter the lift and begin the descent.
"You are the Chosen One. You can end the Sith. Bring balance to the Force."
"So why do you think you will be destroyed?"
"Because I am the mentor. It's what happens. Don't worry, your universe has been a nice place to live and without Palpatine it will remain so."
"It's what happens?"
"Yes. I had few illusions about surviving all this."
"I, I still don't understand."
"Look beyond the material Anakin. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."
"What if you're wrong? That you survive this."
"Then you will have another duty to perform."
"What's that?"
"I am going to need a best man at my wedding."
"So, you don't really know? Do you?"
"I am allowing for a possibility for a miracle, that's all."
-----
The lift continues downwards. The walls fade from view and are replaced by stars.
"I cannot believe you are doing this?" says Abby advancing on me through the star field.
"I am sorry Abby. It's over." I say.
"You're going to die! I will be all alone again." she says.
"I was always going to die. It's just going to be now. You have made amazing progress. I had hoped to reconcile you with your family, but you are fully capable of that yourself. Remember, forgiveness is the key. They were afraid, like you were."
"I won't allow it!"
"Abby, please, with Palpatine gone there will be no-one able to summon you for a long time. Time enough to learn to resist such calls all by yourself. Without Palpatine or you out for blood the Galaxy becomes a saner place. It was a pleasure to know you as a friend."
"What will I do?"
"Reach out to others. In friendship. It may take a while, but there will be others willing to listen."
There is a moment of silence.
"I don't know. Alright then. Why am I doing this?"
I reach out and hug the ancient being.
"Because we do what is right. It's a Jedi thing. Goodbye Abeloth."
"One condition. I don't like that name. I want another."
Seriously? I have to do this now? Fortunately it doesn't take long. Naming several thousand clones on the drop of a hat has given me some talents in that direction.
"Aurora. Means she who brings the dawn, the light."
The entity changes from a star speckled void, becoming brighter, luminous. Soon, a shining figure stands before me.
"Thank you. I like it." says the newly named Aurora.
"Good. Just one thing before you contact anyone else."
"Yes, Dee-Jay?"
"Clothes. Highly recommended in my opinion."
My vision returns to the material. This is a clunk, the door opens. We're here.