13 | SAVE ME

"You've missed the report on the outer rim sieges." Tara told Anakin who came late into the Jedi headquarters.

"I'm sorry. I was held up. I have no excuse." Anakin seemed sad. Almost depressed.

"In short, they are going very well. Saleucami has fallen, and Master Vos has moved his troops to Boz Pity." Obi Wan announced to Anakin to fill him in.

"What's wrong, then?" Anakin noticed by the look of Tara's face there was something wrong.

"The senate is expected to vote more executive powers to the chancellor today." Obi Wan folded his arms across his chest.

"That can only mean less deliberating and more action. Is that bad?" Anakin questioned.

"It'll make it easier for us to end this war." Anakin added.

"Be careful of your friend Palpatine." Obi Wan muttered to the two.

"Be careful of what?" Anakin asked.

"He has requested your presence."
"What for?"
"He would not say."

"He didn't inform the council? That's unusual, isn't it?" Anakin wondered what he would want.

"All of this is unusual. And it's making me feel uneasy." Obi Wan admitted.

* * *

"Allow this appointment lightly the council does not. Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine." Yoda reprimanded Anakin's proposal. Palpatine wanted to make Anakin a master Jedi to become his personal representative on the Jedi Council. Tara could admit she was quite excited and all for the idea to make Anakin a master, but Yoda and the other Master didn't like the idea one bit.

"I understand." Anakin nodded.

"You are on this council... but we do not grant you the rank of master." Windu told Anakin.

"What? How can you do this? This is outrageous. It's unfair. How can you be on the council and not be a master?" Anakin began to grow angry.

"Take a seat, young Skywalker." Windu snapped at him.

"Forgive me, Master." Anakin bowed his head then took his seat.

"If Anakin was to be made master before Tara, that would suggest he was better than her. Which he is not. She is much stronger and more mature in her abilities than he." Windu spoke to the rest of the council, disregarding the fact that Anakin was sitting right there.

"We have surveyed all systems in the Republic... but have found no sign of General Grievous." One of the members informed.

"Hiding in the outer rim Grievous is. The outlying systems you must sweep." Yoda instructed.

"We do not have many ships to spare." Obi Wan told.

"What about the droid attack on the Wookiees?" One member inquired.

"It is critical we send an attack group there immediately." Windu told.

"He's right. It's a system we cannot afford to lose." Obi Wan pitched in.

"Go I will. Good relations with the Wookiees I have." Yoda volunteered.

"It's settled then. Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk. May the Force be with us all." Windu announced.

* * *

"Obi-Wan and the council don't trust me. Yet, they trust you with their lives." Anakin was genuinely pissed off.

"Yes, because Palpatine was essentially telling them what to do. Don't you know the Jedi Order is a patriarchy filled with old men that don't know what else to do but be cynical? That's why they make all these crude rules for us to follow. That's why they punished Kryzta all those years ago and not Obi Wan. That's why I think they killed her once she brought me to them." Tara slandered the order even though she knew very well she'd still obey them.

"Something's happening. I'm not the Jedi I should be. I want more. And I know I shouldn't." Anakin admitted.

"You expect too much of yourself. We all want more." Tara told him as she kicked off her boots.

"I found a way to save you." Anakin sat himself right next to her.

"Save me?" Tara chuckled.

"From my nightmares." Anakin elaborated.

"Is that what's still bothering you?" Tara furrowed her brows at him.

"I won't lose you, Tara." Anakin squeezed her hand.

"I'm not gonna die anytime soon, Ani. I promise you." Tara squeezed his hand back.

"No, I promise you." Anakin pecked her lips, making sure that she truly knew that he was her true protector. Even if she felt that she didn't need it.

* * *