Star Wars_ Labyrinth of Evil Part 20

"And when I have seen to that, Master?"

"General, I'm certain you recall the plans we discussed some time ago, regarding the final stage of the war."

"Regarding Coruscant."

"Regarding Coruscant, yes." Sidious paused, then said: "We must accelerate those plans. Prepare, General, for what will be your finest hour."

33.

"Fa'ale is doing fine," Anakin said as he approached Obi-Wan jauntily.

"Two more days of bacta and she'll be on her feet. She says she's through with Naos Three, though. She might even remain here on Belderone."

Obi-Wan looked at him askance.

"Your relations.h.i.+p with females is an interesting one. The more jeopardy they're in, the more you worry about them. And the more you worry about them, the more they worry about you."

Anakin frowned.

"You're basing this on, what, exactly?"

Obi-Wan looked away.

"HoloNet gossip."

Anakin stepped deliberately into Obi-Wan's gaze.

"Something's wrong. What is it?"

Obi-Wan sighed.

"We won't be returning to Coruscant."

They were in a visitors' lounge in the largest of the MedStars...o...b..ting Belderone. For four standard days they had been awaiting instructions from the Jedi Council and visiting the medical ward to check on Fa'ale's progress, and the strain of so much inactivity was beginning to show.

Anakin was staring dumbfounded at Obi-Wan.

"Hear me out before you go critical. Mace and Shaak Ti were able to locate the building in The Works. Not surprisingly, it turns out to have been the same one where Quinlan Vos met with Dooku last year. Once inside, Mace's team discovered more than we could have even hoped for - - evidence of a more recent visit by Dooku, and of the person he apparently went to Coruscant to see."

"Sidious?"

"Possibly. Even if it wasn't, it's likely that Dooku has other confederates on Coruscant, and tracking them down could eventually lead us to Sidious. Other evidence has come to light, as well. Intelligence discovered that the building belonged to a corporation called LiMerge Power, which was believed to have been involved in the manufacture and distribution of prohibited weapons during Finis Valorum's term as Supreme Chancellor. It was rumored at the time that LiMerge was responsible for funding acts of piracy directed against Trade Federation vessels in the Outer Rim. And it was those acts of piracy that led ultimately to the Trade Federation being granted the right to defend their vessels with battle droids."

"Are you telling me that LiMerge might have been in league with the Sith?

"Why not? At Naboo, the Trade Federation was in league with Sidious. The entire Confederacy is in league with him now."

Anakin shrugged impatiently.

"I still don't understand how this keeps us from returning to Coruscant."

"I've just been informed that the Separatists have attacked a Republic garrison base on Tythe, and occupied the planet."

"Who cares? I mean, I'm sorry for any troopers we lost, but Tythe is a wasteland."

"Exactly," Obi-Wan said. "But before it became a wasteland, it was headquarters for LiMerge Power."

Anakin mulled it over for a moment.

"Another attempt by Sidious to erase the trail we've been following?"

Obi-Wan ran his hand over his mouth.

"The Council was able to convince Palpatine of the need to retake Tythe, and he has authorized a full battle group to divert there. It seems he is finally willing to follow Master Yoda's advice about concentrating on dismantling the Confederacy leaders.h.i.+p."

"Grievous is on Tythe?"

Obi-Wan grinned.

"Better: Dooku is there."

Anakin turned his back to Obi-Wan. His face was flushed when he finally swung around.

"Not good enough."

Obi-Wan blinked.

"Not good enough?"

"The search for Sidious began with us. We discovered the first clues. If he's thought to be on Coruscant, then we're the ones who should be there to capture him."

"Anakin, Mace and Shaak Ti are more than capable of seeing to that - - if Sidious is even there."

Anakin was shaking his head.

"Not as easily as... we could. Sidious is a Sith Lord!"

Obi-Wan took a moment to respond.

"The way I remember it, we didn't fare all that well against Dooku."

"All that's changed!" Anakin said, becoming angrier as he spoke. "I'm stronger than I was. You're stronger. Together, we can defeat any Sith."

"Anakin, is this really about capturing Sidious?"

"Of course it is. We deserve the honor."

"Honor? Since when did this war become a contest for first place? If you're thinking that the capture of Sidious will earn you a place on the Council - - "

"I don't care about the Council! I'm telling you we need to return to Coruscant. People are counting on us."

"What people?"

"The... people of Coruscant."

Obi-Wan inhaled slowly.

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know, Master? Suppose you tell me?"

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes.

"Don't turn this into a game. There's something else at work here. Have you had a vision I should know about?"

Anakin started to reply, bit back whatever it was he had in mind to say, and began again.

"The truth is... I want to be home. We've been out here longer than anyone - - trooper or Jedi."

"That's what you get for being so good at what you do," Obi-Wan said, hoping to lighten the mood.

"I'm tired of it, Master. I want to be home."

Obi-Wan studied him.

"You miss the Temple so much? The food? The lights of Coruscant?"

"Yes."

"Yes, to what?"

"All of it."

"Then your protests have nothing to do with capturing Sidious."

"No. They do."

"Well, which is it - - home or Sidious?"

"Why can't it be both?"

Obi-Wan fell silent, as if struck by a sudden suspicion.

"Anakin, is it Padme?"

Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Here you go again."

"Well, is it?"

Anakin compressed his lips, then said, "I won't lie to you and say that I don't miss her."

Obi-Wan frowned sympathetically.

"You can't afford to miss her in that way."

"And exactly why is that, Master?"

"Because you cannot be married to both."

"Who said anything about marriage? She's a friend. I miss her as a friend!"

"You would forgo your destiny for Padme?"

Anakin's brows beetled in anger.

"I never claimed to be the Chosen One. That was Qui-Gon. Even the Council doesn't believe it anymore, so why should you?"

"Because I think you believe it," Obi-Wan said calmly. "I think you know in your heart that you're meant for something extraordinary."

"And you, Master. What does your heart tell you you're meant for?"

"Infinite sadness," Obi-Wan said, even while smiling.

Anakin regarded him.

"If you believe in destiny, then everything we do becomes part of that destiny - - whether we go to Tythe or we return to Coruscant."

"You may be right. I don't have the answer. I wish I did."

"Then where does that leave us?"

Obi-Wan rested his hands on Anakin's shoulders.

"Speak with Palpatine. Maybe he'll see something in this that I've missed."