Authors: Ian Doescher
ANAKIN
This doth but mean more action, less delay.
Do you think ’tis a problem? Surely not!
We sooner shall this awful war conclude.
OBI-WAN
Be cautious, Anakin, of Palpatine.
ANAKIN
Eh, wherefore cautious? What is it you mean?
OBI-WAN
He wills that thou shouldst meet him privately.
ANAKIN
But to what end?
OBI-WAN
—That secret he’d not tell.
ANAKIN
He kept the matter from the Council? Strange.
OBI-WAN
’Tis passing strange, this circumstance entire,
And maketh me uneasy in the height.
ANAKIN
I shall away to him to hear his words,
And shall report to you what he doth will.
OBI-WAN
Behold, he comes, and I shall hence away.
I put my faith in thee, brave Anakin.
[Exit Obi-Wan.
Enter
C
HANCELLOR
P
ALPATINE
.
PALPATINE
My friend, dear Anakin, I’d speak with thee.
Indeed, into thy confidence I come,
And hope thou shalt have cause to trust me, yea?
ANAKIN
My noble sir, you have my trust complete.
PALPATINE
The Chancellor doth need thine help, my son.
ANAKIN
What is’t you mean? How may I be of use?
PALPATINE
My future doth depend upon you, lad.
ANAKIN
So have you said, yet what the matter is
To me is yet unknown. Shall you reveal
The thing?—for still I do not understand.
PALPATINE
I would that thou becomest eyes and ears
And voice for our Republic, Anakin.
I hereby do appoint thee as mine own
Sole representative unto the Council.
ANAKIN
You would make me a Master? Can it be?
This honor that you proffer doth o’erwhelm.
The Council, though, its members do elect,
And shall accept appointment from no one,
Not even your esteem’d and noble self.
PALPATINE
I think they shall accept, for they need thee.
Indeed, thy pow’r is precious unto them:
Not for a billion credits would they see
Thee make departure from their merry band.
Shalt thou accept?
ANAKIN
—Where you lead, I shall serve.
[Exit Palpatine.
Enter
Y
ODA
, M
ACE
W
INDU
, K
I
-A
DI
-M
UNDI
other
MEMBERS OF THE
J
EDI
C
OUNCIL
,
and
O
BI
-W
AN
K
ENOBI
.
YODA
Dear, young Anakin,
The Council hath learn’d about
The chancellor’s choice.
Allow it we shall—
Palpatine’s strange appointment—
Yet not without pause.
Most disturbing ’tis
This move by the chancellor:
Unconventional.
ANAKIN
I understand, good Master Yoda, and
In part agree; his wish astonish’d me.
MACE
We do elect thee to the Council, yea,
But grant thee not the rank of Master yet,
For Palpatine—he the negotiator—
Shall not permitted be to force our hand.
ANAKIN
What did you say? How can this be?—say how!
’Tis monstrous and it hath no precedent.
You act not fairly—when has there e’er been
A Jedi on the Council who had not
The rank of Master yet achiev’d? ’Twas ne’er!
Such madness never was conceiv’d before.
MACE
We have done what was ask’d; seek not for extras.
Pray, sit thou down ere thou regret’st thy words.
ANAKIN
Forgive me, Master; I myself forgot.
OBI-WAN
[
aside:
] The youth’s reaction tells a tale entire:
He seeketh power, not the Council’s will.
KI-ADI
All the Republic’s systems, near and far,
Have been survey’d, but neither hide nor hair
Of Gen’ral Grievous hath discover’d been.
YODA
In the Outer Rim
Hideth General Grievous:
Sweep systems far-off.
OBI-WAN
The ships we have to spare are few enough.
KI-ADI
What of the Wookiees, by the droids attack’d?
What shall we do, this new threat to address?
MACE
’Tis critical we send a swift attack
Group, there to aid the Wookiees in their homes
Amidst the trees—lounge ’round and let them die
We certainly may not. ’Tis not our way.
OBI-WAN
Wise Master Windu speaketh sensibly:
Their system is too valuable to lose.
YODA
Go thither I shall,
For in the Wookiees’ graces
Good I do reside.
MACE
’Tis settl’d. Master Yoda shall a clone
Battalion take withal, unto the home
Of th’brave and kindly Wookiees on Kashyyyk.
The Force be ever with us all, my friends.
[Exeunt all except Obi-Wan and Anakin.
ANAKIN
I prithee, Master, what’s this gibberish?
To place me on the Jedi Council yet
Deny me rank of Master! Wherefore, eh?
Ne’er in the long and gallant history
Of Jedi Knights hath such as this been done.
It more than disappoints: it gives offense.
Methinks ’twould better for me be, mayhap,
If I did tell my sorrows to the stones,
Who, though they cannot answer my distress,
Yet in some sort are better than the Council,
For that they will not intercept my tale:
When I do weep, they humbly at my feet
Receive my tears and seem to weep with me;
And, were they but attirèd in grave weeds,
Coruscant could afford none like to these.
A stone is soft as wax, the Jedi harder,
A stone is silent and offendeth not,
Whilst Jedi by decrees doom me to shame.
OBI-WAN
O, Anakin, calm thy most anguish’d mind.
In truth, thou hast an honor vast been giv’n:
Mayhap ’tis true none e’er were on the Council
Lest they were also as a Master rank’d,
Yet it is true as well the Council ne’er
Hath let a one so young as thee be on’t.
This hath no precedent in either case.
Thou, Anakin, art far too close unto
The cunning chancellor. The Council doth
Reject his bold attempts to interfere
In Jedi matters. Hast thou eyes to see?
ANAKIN
Sir, by my troth, I never ask’d to be
Upon the Council.
OBI-WAN
—Yet ’twas thy desire.
Thy friendship with the chancellor hath brought
Thee dividends.
ANAKIN
—’Tis not the matter here.
OBI-WAN
Nay, nay, for truly ’tis the matter whole;
The Council hath accepted Palpatine’s
Appointment for one reason, one alone:
The chancellor doth place his trust in thee.
ANAKIN
What seed’s therein that bears the Council fruit?
OBI-WAN
Brave Anakin, I’d help thee as I may:
Thine interests are ever in mine heart.
I would not place thee in this grave position.
ANAKIN
And what, good sir, is this position, eh?
OBI-WAN
The Council wills that thou dost bring report
O’er all the dealings of the chancellor.
They would be of his movements well-inform’d.
ANAKIN
I am to prove a turncoat and become
A spy unto my friend the chancellor?
Such action’s treason.
OBI-WAN
—We are men at war.
’Tis treason none to make a sure defense.