Chapter Text
Anakin woke up to a whack from Yoda’s stick. He’d been having a good dream, but it slipped away when he tried to remember it.
“Glad you could join us, Skywalker.” Windu said.
Anakin sat up, finding the room abruptly crowded. Half the council was there, and the rest were comming in. Master Che and Kix were there, comparing notes, and two healers Anakin didn’t know were managing the various devices attached to Obi Wan. Obi Wan was awake, sitting up in the bed.
“What’s going on?” Anakin asked.
“We are debriefing for the holocron mission and on Master Kenobi’s condition. Given the unique circumstances, the council has agreed to meet outside our usual chambers.” Ki Adi Mundi said.
Anakin sat up properly. Apparently he’d been sleeping through a council meeting.
“Care to give us a rundown of events?” Windu asked. Obi Wan nodded.
“We reached the holocron without incident, at the center of a force blocking field. We were discussing its safe removal when we were found by Count Dooku.” Obi Wan said. “I picked up the box containing the holocron, intending to retreat, but due to its age, the container’s structure was compromised. I came into direct contact with the holocron, and lost consciousness.”
“Skywalker?” Windu prompted.
“The troopers and I also briefly lost consciousness. When we woke up, Obi Wan and the Count were down, and the holocron had stopped emitting the force blocking. It has stayed dead ever since. Obi Wan was alive but unresponsive, the Count was dead. He wasn’t injured, no sign of struggle, we could not determine a cause of death.”
“Sir, if I may? I have since examined the body.” Kix interjected. Anakin nodded permission, and the clone continued, “There was very little to go on, but the heart was significantly distended. We performed a blood screening and found high levels of BNP, a hormone indicating cardiac distress. Usually this would be caused by an ongoing condition, or an immediate cause like a blood clot or stroke, but all signs of these were absent. His heart just seems to have spontaneously given out.”
“Our coroners concur with these findings.” Master Che said. “Acute cardiac distress, followed by catastrophic failure. There wasn’t even time for his body to develop any other typical symptoms. He appears to have gone through all the stages of heart failure in mere minutes.”
“Know now, do we, that this was caused by high levels of the light force?” Yoda asked.
“If it was the same as what just happened here.” Windu said.
“Which seems likely.” The holo of Depa Billaba added.
“What, so he had a heart attack because he couldn’t handle the light?” Anakin asked.
“Steeped in the dark side, he was.” Yoda said sadly.
“It’s possible his body couldn’t handle having that energy counteracted.” Windu mused.
Anakin looked at Windu askance. They both knew the other had also had their connection to the dark side counteractedby the force blasts. Why had they not suffered the same fate as Dooku?
“If he’d survived, he might have had his connection to the dark side drastically reduced.” Obi Wan said.
Yoda closed his eyes, and they all fell silent as he released his sorrow into the force.
“Speculation, this is. Certain however, that this power strains the body, we may be. Upon Obi Wan, what effect will this have?” The grandmaster asked, turning to the healers.
“He appears to be being healed for the duration of each episode, force healing as I’ve been told.” Kix said reluctantly, as if he didn’t want to give the episodes any credit. “This means that although his heart and brain are under tremendous stress, there is unlikely to be lasting damage. But it cannot resupply his body, his electrolytes and blood sugar are drastically reduced by each incident.”
“But, just to be clear, I am not in danger of heart failure?” Obi Wan asked.
“No, sir.” Kix confirmed.
“What is actually happening during these episodes?” The holo of Depa Billaba asked.
Kix and Master Che looked at each other.
“I can’t say what is happening spiritually,” Kix said, “but I can tell you that General Kenobi is experiencing spikes in his midichlorian levels. It peaks early in the incident, and then reduces exponentially, leveling out at slightly higher than his previous baseline.”
“The peaks he is reaching are concerning. The levels have reached almost five times his original count at their highest. I don’t need to tell you, masters, such levels are unprecedented.” Master Che said. “While it doesn’t physically harm him, psychologically and spiritually there will be unpredictable consequences.”
“Five times- that’s…” Master Mundi looked like he might need to sit down. Even Windu looked shocked.
“A conduit.” Yoda says enigmatically.
“Master?” Obi Wan probes.
“Possession by the force, Ancient Jedi sought, to conduct its pure power. Ancient Sith, perhaps, pursued this also.”
“Possession?!” Anakin exclaimed. Was the force possessing his Master? He didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“You suspect Master Kenobi to be channeling the living force.” Windu said thoughtfully. “But if that were the case, wouldn’t he be emitting more neutral energy? The force does not favor a side.”
“Neutral energy, the Sith would not want. Duplicate the users signature, perhaps the holocron does, hm?” Yoda theorized.
“The archivists have taken custody of the holocron. Though it appears to have gone dormant, I’m sure we can discover some indication of its function.” Eeth Koth said.
Anakin thought the function was pretty clear, but the council preferred to move a little slower on coming to conclusions.
“Alright, so he’s channeling and filtering the force. How do we get it to stop?” Anakin asked.
“I’ve reviewed Kix’s notes and numbers from the last week. It seems that the strength and length of the episodes is declining. Additionally, the spikes in Obi Wan’s midichlorian count are also growing weaker. The rate is gradual, but if it continues we can expect that eventually these episodes will become so minor as to be unnoticeable, if they don’t stop altogether.”
“So, what, we just wait? Do nothing?” Anakin asked incredulously
“Until we have a better understanding of the holocron, it doesn’t sound like there is anything we can do.” The holo of Plo Koon said.
“We will make this matter our highest priority.” Eeth Koth assured the council.
“If nothing can be done, might I be discharged? I’d prefer to be back to my own rooms.” Obi Wan said.
“I’m sure.” Windu said.
“I’d like to wait for another episode to occur so we can gather more in depth data, but after that, yes, you may go.” Master Che agreed begrudgingly.
“But until Master Kenobi recovers? This latest episode leveled every Jedi in the temple. Pleasant as it was, can we afford to be left so vulnerable in a time of war?” Saesee Tiin said.
“On the subject of the war, there is also the issue of the clone’s chips.” Kix said. “Every clone exposed to the General has had their inhibitor chips deactivated.”
There was a murmur through the council. Anakin tensed. If someone seriously suggested choosing to put the chips back, he was going to have words for them, council or not.
“Those chips have always been…troubling.” Yaddle mused.
“The Kaminoans must have put them there for good reason.” argued Master Rancisis. Anakin clenched his fists, the leather of his glove creaking.
“The Kaminoans take a different view of sentience and autonomy than the Jedi.” Master Piell grumbled.
“Master Ti, you are closest to the clones. What are your thoughts?” Windu asked.
“I am conflicted. While I understand the reasons for the chips, I cannot in good conscience argue for their reinstatement.” The holo of Shaak Ti said solemnly.
Anakin was relieved and astonished. The council seemed to be mostly against putting the chips back. It wasn’t often he agreed with them, but they seemed to be making the right choice with relative ease. It was not what he had come to expect of them.
“The force destroyed the chips specifically, no other mechanical components. Perhaps that is a sign we should heed.” Master Mundi mused.
“Not just the force, the force concentrated in the light. It treated the chips the same way it treated Count Dooku. I find that highly suspicious.” The holo of Depa Billaba said.
“Unfortunately, we may not get a choice in this.” Master Gallia said, gesturing with her datapad. “The clones are technically the property of the Republic. The Senate decides their fate.”
Anakin’s heart sank. There was no way the senate would agree to have less control over the GAR.
Maybe Anakin could talk to the chancellor?