The tension could be cut with a holo-knife.
"Chancellor, with all due respect," Windu said tensely, the three Jedi never taking their eyes off Vader. "What is he doing here?"
"I assure you, Jedi, the displeasure of this meeting is mutual," Vader answered in cold, dry honesty, irritation creeping from his synthesized voice.
Yoda furrowed his brow before tilting his head to gaze at Chancellor Grebleips with a vague suspicion of what was happening.
The short non-human sighed as he waddled into the front of his desk. "Masters, Darth Vader, I thank you both for accepting my request for a meeting. I apologize for not exactly being clear on the details for either of you."
Now it was the Dark Woman who did a double take. "Chancellor, are you saying you...requested an audience with Vader?"
"A meeting, Madam," Grebleips both confirmed and corrected before looking to the Sith. "I was admittedly not certain he would accept, even if the message ever reached him. Once he did, well, I knew very well I couldn't have this meeting without the Jedi Order in attendance."
"Indeed," Vader agreed, glancing back to the elected leader of the republic, perhaps the last it would have in its current form. "Your request, Chancellor, is... most unexpected."
Mace Windu grew uneasy at that, the way Vader's tone shifted as if the Sith Lord himself wasn't sure what to make of this unknown request. "What request would that be?"
Vader looked back at the Master of the Order, and Windu swore Vader was radiating a hint of confusion. "Your Chancellor has asked me to bomb Coruscant."
Dead silence filled the room for a moment.
"Chancellor?" Yoda asked evenly.
Grebleips sighed. "Our guest worded that in the worst possible way, I assure you."
"Is there a better way to phrase it?" The Dark Woman asked doubtfully.
"There is not," Vader confirmed before looking at the Chancellor. "But it would be best for you to explain before they assume I have somehow taken control of your mind."
Mace Windu said nothing, if only because he was sure that if Vader had done so, he would not be using it for something this... strange and unlikely. "Chancellor, please, what is it Vader speaks of?"
The Chancellor nodded and folded his hands behind his back with a grave look about him. "The situation within the Jaw is growing worse. As I'm sure at least two of you are aware of."
He made a notable pause to glance at the Dark Woman, who stared back acutely before glancing at Windu. "I knew it was worsening, but the specifics were not something I have pried into."
"The Cthons and Ghouls are no longer the only danger creeping up from this planet's buried past," Vader commented gravely. "The chancellor tells me that Jedi have been injured and slain in aiding the containment and purging of these creatures."
Windu balled his fist as he stared at Vader.
"I understand that you had no desire to let Vader know of such things," The chancellor said apologetically. "But the crisis is getting worse. Worse in ways we've only recently come to understand."
"Explain, please, Chancellor," Yoda remarked with a furrowed brow. "Happened, what has?"
Grebleips sighed heavily. "The creatures of the Jaw are mutating."
The Dark Woman tilted her head, just enough to show she was surprised. "In what manner?"
"Manners that are too varied to describe concisely. All that needs to be said for now is that they are posing a greater and greater threat to Coruscant. Not just the lower levels, but the surface," he said, shaking his head. "So much so that my advisers are considering a radical option if it continues."
"To bomb the Jaw," The Dark Woman said, her gaze turning sharply to Vader. "And you sought him out for this task, why?"
"Master Jedi, name a faction capable of performing such an operation on Coruscant, who would be more welcomed or trusted, and I shall apologize to Darth Vader for wasting his time," the Chancellor remarked neutrally, getting silence. "The navy could, in theory, do so. Trust me, it has been considered. But given recent events, we deemed requesting Vader's aid necessary."
"Recent events?" Mace Windu asked with a scowl. "What do you speak of, Chancellor?"
Yoda hummed. "A report, from Master Koon, read I have. Hunted, he believed, the Jedi might be, those aiding in the Jaw."
"I do recall that," Mace admitted thoughtfully. "But the last I read, he was uncertain."
"He is uncertain no longer," Grebleips said as he pulled a datapad off his desk and waddled over to the Jedi. "I was going to have you meet me and discuss this upon your return, but with Vader present, my hands were somewhat forced."
Yoda took the datapad and skimmed it, ears going high and eyes widening. "Sure he is, Master Plo Koon?"
"Very sure, Grandmaster Yoda," the chancellor said gravely. "He and I did not let this information spread until it was confirmed, and we're keeping it under wraps for as long as we can."
Yoda frowned to himself as he passed the datapad to Mace, the Dark Woman reading it from the side.
"...What?" she said in surprise as her eyes took in the contents.
Vader tilted his helm, a visible pulse of impatience and annoyance among him.
"This is a matter of the Jedi Order, so I will not share it," the chancellor said before looking at Mace Windu. "But if Vader agrees to aid us, he will have to know, for obvious reasons."
Windu furrowed his brow for a moment as he kept reading the datapad before looking directly at Vader. The Master of the Order seemed to have a long consideration, as if he was tempted not to tell the Sith Lord simply on principle. "...It appears that there is a creature, or creatures, in the Jaw that are targeting Jedi, and even those with strong, untrained potential in the Force."
"The newer generations of these creatures have bathed and gestated in the Dark Side from the aftermath of Sidious's Storm. Such a development is not that surprising, Jedi," Vader remarked coolly.
"What about creatures draining them of their connection to the Force?" The Dark Woman asked evenly, eyebrows raised.
There was a movement. Not a flinch; A jolt, maybe…a sign that went through Vader of some great unwanted surprise. He tilted his head to the Chancellor, as if readjusting his thoughts on the matter at hand. No one said anything as Vader silently considered the information.
"...I will consider your request, Chancellor," Vader answered as he turned to walk towards the door. "If the Jedi can avoid making attempts on my life, I will give you my answer before I leave this planet."
"Thank you, Darth Vader. I look forward to your answer," Grebleips acknowledged.
The Jedi watched Vader leave with various looks of caution.
Meanwhile
Obi-Wan hummed.
"I know that hum, Knight Kenobi," Padme remarked as they approached Coruscant in her ship.
"Oh? What hum is that?" Obi-Wan asked idly.
"'It's that hum you make when you're deciding if you have a bad feeling about something," Padme deduced with some annoyance. "What is it? What did you notice?"
Obi-Wan grimaced. "Vader is on the planet."
Padme raised an eyebrow. "And you think it might be a repeat of his March on the Jedi Temple?"
"No, there isn't nearly enough fear and anger in the air for that," Obi-Wan mused as he studied the city-planet they rapidly approached. "Still, the Masters being called back can't be a coincidence. Hopefully, no one tried anything stupid."
"You mean like when you tried to threaten Vader back on Tatooine?" Padme recalled pointedly.
"Trust me, Madam, I've never forgotten that either. My sabbatical to the medical corps gave me a renewed appreciation for my limbs and organs being intact," Obi-Wan quipped.
Padme allowed herself a snort. "Where would you like me to let you off? The temple?"
"I might as well go after the masters and see if I can't be of any help. I'll head to the temple afterwards on my own. If I'm not mistaken, Master Qui-Gon and Anakin are here as well," Obi-Wan remarked.
"What a small galaxy," Padme murmured as she brought her ship in for a landing at the government building. "...Knight Kenobi?" Obi-Wan stopped on his walk toward the exit, leaning his head back at her curiously. "Vader is here."
"Yes, we established-," Obi-Wan stopped as Padme looked back at him with a very pointed look. "...You mean, he's outside the Senate?"
"I mean, he's walking towards this ship," Padme clarified evenly.
"...Small galaxy indeed," Obi-Wan said as he shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "By the Force, this does feel like Tatooine all over again."
"Try not to repeat that; I do not believe he is in a good mood," Padme informed.
"How can you even tell?" Obi-Wan asked in exasperated amusement.
"It's the way he walks. You Jedi aren't the only ones who can read emotions through subtle and unsubtle clues," Padme reminded.
"Fair point," Obi-Wan said as he took a breath and continued towards the ramp. "Please don't somehow be annoyed with me already."
Bracing himself, Obi-Wan descended the ramp and left the ship. True to Padme's words, Vader was here and striding towards the ship.
*Kssss-Krrrr*
He barely held back a grimace at Vader's iconic breathing. Despite all the time he had encountered the Sith Lord, the noise was always a bit unnerving when it first hit his eardrums. Which Obi-Wan was sure was entirely intentional on Vader's part rather than being a requirement of how his suit operated.
"Knight Kenobi," Vader greeted. Obi-Wan took it as a victory that Vader didn't sound annoyed with him yet.
"Darth Vader," Obi-Wan returned. "I knew you were on Coruscant, but this is perhaps the last place I expected you to be."
"You will find that it was also not in my own expectations to find myself here today, Jedi," Vader admitted. "Your masters are still with the Chancellor. They may or may not divulge what was spoken of."
"You will not, in either case," Obi-Wan predicted, getting no response, which was answer enough. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were how the Chancellor knew they were with Dooku."
"I keep watch over all my potential enemies, Kenobi. Your Order is not unique in that regard," Vader retorted. "But that information did not come from me."
Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up at that, not sure how to respond.
"Just answer the obvious question."
Both males looked up the ramp to see Padme staring down at them with a bemused stare.
"Did a Jedi try to start a war with you, or something of that nature?" Padme asked bluntly.
"Nothing of that nature, no," Vader answered before looking to Obi-Wan again. "Your order can rest easy, or as much as you allow yourself. The Neverending War has not begun anew."
"Good to know," Obi-Wan accepted before nodding up to Padme. "Thank you for the lift."
"Of course, Knight Kenobi," Padme acknowledged in return as the Jedi left towards the building, leaving the two alone. "Vader," she greeted with a nod, something of a smile on her face.
"Should I still call you Handmaiden?" Vader asked with the slightest tilt of the helm.
Padme furrowed her brow. She wasn't sure if that was a joke or a genuine question, or both. "I don't suppose you can tell me what is going on?"
"Not now," he answered. "Unless you wish to accompany me to the Jaw."
Padme huffed. "I'm sure I'll have already displeased a few parties by allowing Obi-Wan to leave my side before I return to Naboo. Let alone going somewhere so dangerous."
"That is not a refusal," Vader noted expectantly.
"Indeed it is not," Padme said with a nod. "After all, they'll feel much more relieved to hear I had the Hero of Naboo in my company. And I doubt there is much there as dangerous as you."
"As you wish," Vader accepted as he turned and walked away from the ship, heading to the edge of the landing pad.
Padme followed and saw a hovercar parked near the edge of the platform. It was almost absurdly normal for Vader, and she had trouble imagining how he acquired it.
"The chancellor granted this for my personal use," Vader explained, obviously reading her expression.
"I'm surprised you trust it isn't being tracked," Padme said as she stepped into the vehicle.
"It is," Vader said as he reached under the wheel and casually yanked out a device, snapped wires hanging around torn metal edges. "More precisely, it was."
"...I'll assume that is the tracker and not anything more important," Padme said with a raised eyebrow of surprise.
"A standard device of the senatorial vehicles. Just in case important guests find themselves lost or in danger on this planet," Vader elaborated as he tossed it out before starting the hovercar. There was a silence as he began to fly them towards the Jaw before he spoke. "I hope that whatever you wished to speak of was worth the risk."
"I don't suppose you'd mind explaining what you were doing at the senate?" Padme asked idly.
"The chancellor requested that I bomb Coruscant," Vader answered without hesitation.
Padme stared, clenched her eyes shut, and opened them again. "I need more context than that."
"He asked me to bomb the Jaw," Vader clarified. "That is, essentially, the extent of the context."
"I suppose I should have assumed that," Padme said in disbelief. "Is the situation that dire?"
"It is worse than I imagined," Vader answered. "If you have something to discuss, it would perhaps be best to do so before we arrive."
"I have a request to make," Padme said honestly.
"A request you did not wish the Jedi to hear," Vader noted.
"A request I doubt you'd wish them to hear," Padme retorted as she looked fully at the Dark Lord.
He glanced at her ever so slightly.
"I was hoping you could tell me about someone. A friend of yours, Hego Damask."
Vader didn't flinch, but his breathing cut out, just for an instant.
Padme hummed. "So, I was right then."
"Amidala," Vader said with a great grimness. "You are playing a dangerous game, and very recklessly. Choose your next words carefully."
"If you were anyone else, I might take that as a threat," Padme said, unfazed as she tried to study the man next to her.
"How did you discover this?" Vader asked pointedly.
"I had my suspicions after I met the Muun, who claimed to be a victim of Sidious as well. I felt that was confirmed when Dooku asked me about him, just before I left," she explained.
"Hmm. So, the Jedi have taken notice of him. Do you intend to reveal him to them?" Vader asked pointedly.
"Should I?" Padme retorted evenly. "Five years ago, what I understood from that situation was that your original plan was to have both of them killed, not just Palpatine."
"Sidious was my aim. Plagueis has proven both a useful ally and willing to stand by the terms I placed at the Jedi: If the war between our orders reignites, I do not intend to launch the first strike," Vader remarked.
"While both of you prepare for if and when the Galaxy falls into civil war," Padme deduced cynically. "...Is he plotting anything for my planet?"
"Nothing that I am not as well," Vader answered. "That depends on how well your planet and your allies among the 'Anti-Federationists' fare in the chaos that will come."
"...I want him off my planet," she said simply. "That's what I want to say. But even just a cursory check into how much his businesses are tied to Naboo, I can see that removing all his influence from Naboo would quickly land my people in severe economic hardship."
"A wise conclusion. For you and Naboo, he is currently more of a boon than a bane. If I believed otherwise, this conversation would not be needed," Vader agreed.
"...Be honest with me, Vader, what are your designs for my planet if I cannot keep it protected and independent?" Padme asked evenly.
"Your Highness, my concept of worst-case scenarios is not something you wish to know and ponder," Vader warned. "All I can assure you is that I intend to aid you as I can at the moment. I am not a savior of any kind, merely an ally."
Padme nodded quietly as she took that in. She paused to look forward and truly take in the Jaw as they approached the edge of it.
What had once been known as the Works or the Flats, a highly abandoned industrial zone, was now a great wound upon Coruscant. She had seen it more than once over the years, but it never lost this air of morbid fascination. A large caved-in area stretched on for miles and miles, going down several layers of the planet's "levels," with the jagged metal edges of the infrastructure and collapsed buildings giving the twisted impression of giant teeth. Hence the name, The Jaw.
It got bigger all the time. That wasn't just a gut feeling, but a report she had read once. Slowly, the Jaw widened and more terrifyingly, deepened. The weight of the debris grew larger and larger until it found a point to collapse through one layer into another.
All of this, unleashed by a senator of her world that she once trusted
"I don't see how bombs will help here," she admitted out loud.
"I'll explain at another time," Vader said, looking over the ide. "I appear to have company, one I should have expected.
Padme didn't get a chance to ask as he brought the hovercar down near the edge of the Jaw. There was a large black ship landed there, placed slightly out of the way and out of sight in the shadow of a large wall of leaning metal.
As they landed, she realized that there were two figures sitting on top of the ship. One was a short, humanoid with a reptilian look about the creature, sitting rather awkwardly next to...
"Anakin...?!" Padme said in surprise.
"Padme?!" Anakin called, mirroring her tone.
"Skywalker," Vader spoke up as he swiftly stepped out of the vehicle. "Remove yourself from my ship and my agent, and explain your presence."
"Vader, you're the one on Coruscant for some reason. With Padme for some reason?" Anakin said, still looking very surprised. Albeit, happily so. "...Wait, Naboo isn't being invaded again, is it?"
"Not presently, Ani, but thank you for the concern," Padme said with an amused chuckle.
"Ma'lary, my apologies," Ghazhak said, eyeing Anakin strangely. "This human, he-"
"You do not need to explain yourself, Ghazhak. I am well versed in Skywalker's nature," Vader waved off, never looking away from the Padawan.
"I feel vaguely insulted," Anakin said with an unbothered tone. "So, are you going to actually tell us anything, or are you just going to fly off and leave us confused?"
Vader studied his younger self. This Anakin was definitely more level-headed emotionally, but still very much a headstrong maverick.
It was both a pleasant improvement and yet somehow annoying to deal with.