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showeth me:
Jealousy and fear.
May it never be.
Force, guide me as him you guide:
To peace and wisdom.
[Exit Yoda.
    Enter A NAKIN S KYWALKER and O BI -W AN K ENOBI .
    ANAKIN
Apologies, good sir, for I come late.
    OBI-WAN
Thou wert not present so to hear report
Of all the sieges in the Outer Rim.
    ANAKIN
I was by other matters sore delay’d.
For mine own tardiness there’s no excuse.
    OBI-WAN
The long and short is they proceed apace,
And all goes well for our Republic there.
Saleucami hath fallen, Master Vos
Hath mov’d his troops unto Boz Pity.
    ANAKIN
—Aye,
Then what is wrong, for I do sense some ill?
    OBI-WAN
’Tis thought the Senate shall proceed anon
To vote more pow’rs executive unto
The chancellor today, e’en Palpatine.
    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