“My
boy!” Chancellor Palpatine beamed warmly at him, gesturing for him
to enter as the other Senators left, several of them sending wary
looks at Anakin’s back that the Jedi just didn’t notice as they
hurried away while whispering to each other. “Please, come in, come
in and sit down. Can I offer you some mead? A gift from Alderaan.”
The benign man offered warmly, gesturing to his desk where a rather
large, half full bottle rested.

Blinking
curiously at the bottle, Anakin nodded as he came over to the desk.
“That would be lovely sir, I’ve never had mead before.” He
offered with a curious smile on his lips, watching as Palpatine took
one of the unused goblets to fill and hand over before refilling his
own.

Nodding
gratefully, Anakin settled down in the closet seat in front of
Palpatine, taking a curious sip of the luke warm mead.

It
was interesting, sweetened with honey or some kind of honeyish fruit
he would guess and a few interesting herbs that left behind an after
taste that Anakin couldn’t quite pin down.

“I’m
glad to see you my boy, it’s been so busy lately.” Palpatine
chuckled, relaxing back into his seat with the sun shining in through
the large window behind him.

Smiling
wryly back at the man, Anakin nodded. “It has been particularly
busy lately for some reason.” He agreed quietly, taking another sip
of mead to try and pin down that earthy herb flavor he couldn’t
quite figure out.

Pausing,
Palpatine peered at Anakin over the rim of his glass, blinking a bit
owlishly at him. “You don’t know? Most of this work comes about
because of Master Kenobi, as his closet friend, I thought you might
know.” He stated in a puzzled tone.

Automatically,
the Jedi’s hand tightened on the goblet, staring back at Palpatine.
“Obi-Wan?” Anakin questioned quietly, wondering what in the world
Obi-Wan could have done.

Waving
his hand lightly, Palpatine let out a hum. “Yes you see, this thing
he’s doing, the floating thing?” The Chancellor paused, peering
at Anakin which caused the other to give a tight, slightly angry nod.
Oh yes, he knew about the floating thing. “Yes, that thing, it
seems the Confederacy has gotten wind of it and some of the planets
are trying to negotiate.” Palpatine paused again, watching Anakin.

Bewildered
and angry, Anakin wondered if Obi-Wan knew. “What? Why?!” He
grunted, mead sloshing a bit over his glove.

Since
there were no sensors there, he didn’t notice as he stared at the
Chancellor instead.

Shrugging
slightly, Chancellor Palpatine took a small sip of mead, wetting his
throat most likely. “Something about power and having
underestimated the Jedi. If you want my opinion? Fear and wariness
what else your master might be able to do, though no other Jedi seems
to be floating around. He hasn’t spoken to you about this power
then?” The
man puzzled, eyes widening a bit and brows raising. “Peculiar, I
would have thought he trusted you to… oh well, it’s up to Master
Kenobi this power, I imagine he has his reason for not showing you
it.” He sipped his mead.

Clenching
his hand on the cup, Anakin felt the metal give a bit and mead drip
on his leggings, quickly trying to gather himself while wondering
what Obi-Wan was keeping from him.

Why
the other wasn’t trusting him with this.

Did
he think Anakin wouldn’t be able to do it?

Was
he holding Anakin back again?

Glaring
into his drink, he missed Palpatine’s eyes glittering vindictively
if a bit grumpily as he observed Anakin.

()()()

His
future apprentice clearly knows nothing about this power Kenobi has
managed to discover, which is too bad, it could give Sidious a lead
on what the kark it is and how to obtain it himself but no matter, at
least he could use the information against the Jedi and in particular
Kenobi himself.

Sow
more distrust and anger in Skywalker.

It
would be funny to watch it all blow up in the man’s face when
Skywalker eventually confronted him but Sidious would have to be
patient, he wouldn’t be able to watch as it happened but maybe he
could at least learn something after the fact.

Get
a lead on where this power came from and how to get it himself.

But
for now it helped him fuel the distrust and the rage in Skywalker,
slowly and steadily, he would fall into Sidious hands and Kenobi
would be a memory he could rage at, all these artful gliding as the
war council and the PR media was parading around, suddenly making
Jedi war time figures, in particular Kenobi himself.

Though
the rest of the order were getting some positive attention too, the
media and people suddenly more curious instead of wary of the Jedi as
they had been until now.

Sidious
would have some propaganda machinations to implement soon, get the
public to forget the interest in the Jedi, to turn the PR for the
Jedi to turn sour again.

But
he could be patient, he could wait.

After
all, he had waited this long on Skywalker and the war, he could wait
a few more years to get his total victory ensured.

Hiding his smirk behind
his goblet, Sidious instead observed Skywalker stew in his anger,
denting the goblet much to the Sith’s satisfaction, so much rage,
just waiting for the right ignition… delicious.