At the hub of Galactic politics, Palpatine was all smiles, overseeing his election process with honeyed words and humble, gratuitous thanks, the man that would soon be Chancellor kept his calm, even as he felt the force fray and shriek around him.

His apprentice was dead.

No great loss really. Maul was a dog. A kath hound straining at the leash, little more valuable than an overly strong beast. The fact that he could barely slay a single, middling Jedi at the nadir of his physical prime, proved that easily enough.

But he'd hoped to use the Zabrak as a red herring a little longer. Leave the Jedi rushing across a galaxy chasing him while he and his true apprentice, Tyranus, enacted the final touches on their long term plan.

Maul's death, on its own, was not much of a setback. Maul's death, coupled with the Jedi's likely decision to train the young Skywalker along with the force howling at him of some danger that he couldn't focus on with all the goings on of his current charade was proving to be a headache at the moment.

The only thing brightening his mood, at all, was that he would win the vote of Chancellor by the equivalent of a landslide, the 'victory' over Naboo would cement his early political gains easily.

He stepped into his private speeder, the droid driver dutifully closing the door behind him as he offered one final wave and smile for the holo-cams before the tinted windows closed and he allowed the smile to drop, taking a breath to fully forgo the persona and immerse himself in the force. Subtly gathering his strength while keeping it hidden to try and peer into the skein and find the source of the disturbance.

It just so happened the disturbance found him.

"WARNING- IMPACT IMMINEN-"

The shriek of the alarm barely registered in his mind before something smashed into his private car a shriek of metal tearing across his senses before fire swallowed him whole.

Palpatine was no stranger to pain, or to fear or danger. His mind acted quickly, avoided the panic, took measure and stock of this before it could get out of hand.

The skein of futures cracked and forked like the lines of a spider web. Every fraction of a second more of them closing off as avenues of escape faded and were lost forever as he took in the flow of various futures and processed them.

He saw one, one future where he lived through this.

The Jedi would be suspicious, their hackles raised. But too teeming with life was Coruscant for them to know he was the cause.

He needed no further encouragement. Fully immersing himself in the shroud of the dark side and seized his salvation with both hands, sending a shriek across the galaxy as the Jedi became suddenly aware of a dark, sinister malevolence in the very heart of Coruscant all the while the worlds of the republic watched as their beloved, new chancellor's personal shuttle crashed in a spectacular fireball.

(X)(X)(X)

There was something wrong.

A disturbance in the force.

When he was young, and Master Yoda went on about them, Obi-Wan always rolled his eyes in secret, always thought it was just something the old masters said to make themselves look more omniscient than they actually were.

'I sense a disturbance in the force' could be anything.

It could be as small as a padawan cutting off a finger with a training saber, or a starship blowing up in the middle of a docking bay.

All one had to do was turn on the galactic news to 'sense a disturbance in the force' all day every day.

It was only after he got older, when his mind, and abilities were significantly sharper, did he understand what the hell they were actually talking about.

The force… as he chose to envision it… interpret it. Was like a crystal clear lake in a deep, dark cave, with hundreds of millions of tiny stalactites hanging over its surface, each one, slowly, intermittently allowing the tiniest of drops to fall onto its crystalline face each tiny drop sending the smallest of ripples flowing along its surface.

And this is what the force was. Ripples of a hundred million tiny drops ebbing, swirling, converging and breaking upon one another in constant motion.

The essence of life. A paradox of harmonious chaos

But every so often something happened to break the flow. Like a knife cutting across its surface to form new ripples.

Sometimes this blade was as thin as a razor, other times as thick as a cleaver.

And sometimes it was a bloody chainsaw that was dipped into the waters, its revving teeth sending water up everywhere and it's grumbling motor breaking the musical droplets with a cacophonous roar.

Now that was a bloody disturbance in the Force.

It felt sick, twisted and dark. Similar to the Zabrak, but so much worse.

They, every Master, every knight and even a few of the most dense and hard headed Padawans, were immediately aware of it. Across a thousand worlds, all across the galaxy they felt it at the exact same moment.

Master Quigon's body was still warm when Master's Windu and Yoda moved to the palace of Theed to conference with the other Masters.

He stayed with the others, watched over the body, greeted young Skywalker when he returned from his little… adventure.

All the while the chainsaw kept revving its teeth through the once calm waters.

(X)(X)(X)

"If that is the council's decision." The voice of Master Windu was clear and strong, easily carrying through the room and the comms."

"Forced this is not." Master Yoda said with a tap of his cane. "If significant objections are held, speak them now."

"My reservations are clear, but they are just that, reservations; not objections." Windu clarified. "If the council, and you Master Yoda believe this to be the best course I will follow it through."

"The best course, this is." Yoda said. "Ready to be a Master, Obi-wan is not. With the resurgence of the Sith and this new disturbance in the force…" The green alien trailed off shaking his head before turning away and beginning to walk towards the exit.

Mace really couldn't blame him. He and Qui-gon may have had differing opinions and methods, but the Jedi's loss was a grievous one.

He turned back to the other Masters. "We'll reconvene on Coruscant and plan further action there."

"We understand." Master Galia said with a nod. "Send our condolences to young Obi-wan. Try to be patient with him Mace."

She offered him a sardonic smile, he replied with a baleful glare before shutting off the feed.

Turning away from the holo comms, he walked up behind Master Yoda, hands folding into his billowing sleeves as he fell into step beside his teacher.

"This disturbance in the force. Its dark in nature, of a magnitude I've rarely felt before."

"Change swiftly, things do. Vigilant we must be. Clouds all, the dark side does."

Mace nodded.

He didn't have the faintest clue as to what to do about it either.

Master Yoda's fancy way of saying "Wait and see" was probably the only real recourse they had at the moment.

Determine what it was, act and adapt to it once they did.

As they moved out of the palace the cheers and hoots of joyful Naboo natives began to filter down into their ears. Mace tried not to begrudge them their revelry after the hard fought battle to free their city and their planet, but it was difficult. He, like Yoda was well aware that this was just a spark of a rapidly escalating issue with the Trade Federation. The Jedi's work to bring the federation into line was only just beginning in all likelihood.

Add to that the death of Qui-gon… and he didn't much feel like smiling, let alone celebrating.

He and Master Yoda walked in silence, easily finding the young Kenobi through the force and making their way closer to him.

And there, shining like a beacon amidst the storming tides and eddies of the force was Skywalker.

Qui-gon's last request.

The boy's face and clothes were covered in soot and grime, as if he'd been in a firefight or near an explosion, talking to Obi-Wan with a look of dismayed sadness.

Apparently he'd just learned about Qui-gon.

Their footsteps finally caught Kenobi's attention and the Padawan turned, his own eyes glimmering red with unshed tears. "M-masters. I was just-"

"Worry not Obi-wan. Allowed to grieve you are." Master Yoda smiled gently. "Your masters loss, we all feel."

"Thank you, Master Yoda." He bowed his head in respect, his gratitude easilly felt through the force, along with his palpable nervousness.

"Masters…" Mace did not miss the hasty look Obi-wan threw to the boy before he averted his eyes.

The battlemaster decided to take mercy on the Padawan, turning his eyes straight towards Anakin himself, who stared at both him and Yoda with tangible curiosity and trepidation.

"The council has decided to reconvene regarding your apprenticeship young Skywalker and we have come to a decision."

Both Kenobi and Anakin both seemed to freeze in place at the words. Equal parts hopeful and fearful.

"To be trained, by Master Kenobi, you will not be."

The disappointment seemed to gore Obi-wan like a spear, his whole body physically recoiling. While Anakin…

Anakin's face scrunched up, and his fists clenched in anger.

Mace felt those same niggling doubts crawl up the back of his skull warnings springing through his mind.

This boy should not be trained.

He knew...

"M-masters please. It was Master Qui-Gon's last wish that-"

Yoda chuckled, his raspy voice silencing Obi-wan. "Know your Masters wish we do Obi-wan. To train young Skywalker it is. But fail you, your ears do."

Mace decided to clarify. "You have defeated a Sith Obi-Wan. And that feat has proven you are ready for knighthood. But that knighthood is less than a day old. You are not ready to bear the responsibility of an apprentice, let alone an apprentice of such unique aptitude and needs."

Despite the words, Obi-Wan's relieved smile could have lit up the room "So… he will get a master. Another Master, not me but another?"

"Indeed." Yoda laughed.

"Who is it?"

Anakin's voice caught them all a little off guard. His timid query so quiet it was nearly lost amongst the cacophony of the Naboo people.

"Who's gonna be my Master?"

Mace unfolded his arms, looking down at this, the young man he had so many doubts over.

"Me." He said, meeting his eyes.

Behind them, the cheering and celebration began to die away as the clergymen began to prepare the funeral pyres, perfectly cut pieces of wood being set up to accommodate the dead

Mace moved to walk past the boy, gesturing to a nearby bench where he could wait with Kenobi for Qui-Gon. "Take a seat, young Skywalker. Today we mourn, tomorrow your training will begin in earnest.

(X)(X)(X)

Hello :) This is my first story and its an idea I've had in my head for a while, wondering what could be different with Mace Windu as Anakin's master as opposed to Obi-Wan.

And before anyone goes crazy, no, Palpatine is not dead he did however, use the force to survive, calling on dark side energy, hence the disturbance in the force that drove the council to be a bit more... prudent in choosing Anakin's Master. (Honestly, the guy was barely a knight for an hour)

Hope you all enjoy it, any criticism or thoughts you guys might have would be much appreciated. :)