Chapter 22: V.1-C.22│Phantom Menace VIII│
Day cycle, Coruscant.
Within the Jedi High Council's conference room the Jedi Masters are having a meeting with Qui-Gon and his Padawan Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon was speaking about his encounter on Tatooine. "He was trained in the Jedi arts. My only conclusion can be that it was a Sith Lord."
The Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi speaks first in response to Qui-Gon's declaration. "Impossible the Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
Mace Windu interjects drawing out his I. "I do not believe the Sith could have returned without us knowing." Said with confidence.
"Ah. Hard to see the dark side is." Grandmaster Yoda says.
"We will use all of our resources to unravel this mystery. We will discover the identity of your attacker." Mace Windu continues. "May the Force be with you."
With those finishing words meant as a way for the man to shoo the two Jedi away, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan leave but not before giving the council the obligatory bow.
As Obi-Wan begins to walk away, Qui-Gon stays behind because he has more to say.
"Mater Qui-Gon. More to say have you?" Yoda asks the Qui-Gon with curiosity.
"With your permission my Master. I have encountered a vergence in the Force."
"A vergence you say?" Yoda seems interested, because it had been not to long ago there were two such occurrences that had peaked their interest but were never able to locate it.
Mace Windu also gains an intense look in his eyes because he was the one sent to investigate both cases only to turn up with nothing. "Located around a person?"
"A boy. The cells of the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have ever seen in a lifeform. It was possible he was conceived by the midi-chlorians." As Qui-Gon says his bold statement the Jedi masters within the room look around to each other to see their fellow members expressions.
Most still have a composed and stoic face but their body language gives away their disbelief.
Windu decided to ask the about what he thinks Qui-Gon is referring too. "You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force. You believe it is this boy?" Windu has this look about him when asking about Qui-Gon's statement.
"I dont presume to-" Qui-Gon says before being cut off by Yoda. "But you do. Revealed your opinion is."
"I request the boy be tested Master." Qui-Gon asks.
"Oh, trained as a Jedi, you request for him, hmm." Yoda says.
"Finding him was the will of the Force. I have no doubt of that." Qui-Gon says confidently whilst the masters yet again look around to each other before Yoda looks towards Windu signaling something.
Windu sighs before speaking in a lazy tone. "Bring him before us then." Done with what he he had come there to do, Qui-Gon now begins to leave the room with Obi-Wan rejoining right beside him.
[]
At dusk, standing before the Jedi High Council, Anakin is talking out loud while being watched intensely by those surrounding him.
'Got to love the very disconcerting stares I am getting. It wouldn't make an ordinary child feel uncomfortable at all.' Anakin thinks to himself.
The Jedi are currently testing Anakin's abilities related to the Force. 'The task is quite easy, my extra sensory perception has only gotten stronger over the years. It is not that hard to identify what is on an electronic device, especially since my specialty is technology and mind based Force abilities.'
Windu holds a device and Anakin has to guess what the device is displaying. "A ship." The device switches every so often to see how well a persons ability to perceive the unseen. "A cup." Windu is staring at the boy intensely even more so then the original considering he doesn't even look like a 9 year old kid.
"A ship." Anakin's voice says again. "A speeder." And again.
Windu puts lowers the device before looking towards Yoda as Yoda does the same.
Contemplative Yoda stares at Anakin with an intense look. 'Man training the mind certainly does help me control the feelings I am having right now. What I am unsure of is how they are going to react to being unable to feel any emotion from me.'
Humming to himself Yoda directs his gaze towards Anakin whilst saying. "How feel you?"
Anakin responds. "I feel fine." Anakin's thoughts. 'The general way to say you are not fine, but I am only really feeling fine right now. Maybe a little nervous but for different reasons then what the Masters here may think.'
Anakin decides to start creating some minor feelings around himself that he and others would associate with worry or concern and nervousness. 'I think I should Uno reverse card my emotion sensing ability to help project some fake emotions.'
As if picking up on the emotions Anakin decides to let out Yoda continues. "Afraid, are you?"
"No, sir."
Instead of Yoda saying they could see through him, Yoda decides to approach from another angle and out right says some of his suspicions. "Are you trying to hide your feelings?"
Anakin surprised but it does not show on his face thinks. 'I should have given the Jedi Masters here some more credit, at least Yoda. He does have experience after all if not in the techniques that I have created but in many other things.'
Deciding to be truthful in this situation as lying would only increase their suspicions Anakin says. "Yes, I am a bit uncomfortable with the Jedi Masters here evaluating me so intensely."
"I also am thinking of other things and I know that those who are Force-sensitive are capable of reading the emotions and thoughts of others who's minds remains open for all to see." Anakin continues.
"Others, you are afraid of seeing what you think, I think." Yoda says.
"I do not deny your claim. I wish to pose a question, what has my fears of complete strangers have to do with anything?" Anakin replies whilst thinking. 'I dont really fear these people, more like have caution because of the way the Jedi are and how they act I am inclined to believe that shielding myself is a much better option.'
'I have felt the presences of all of these Force-sensitivity people within the room unintentionally probe me.'
"Everything." Yoda exclaims with some somber passion. "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."
Anakin looks towards Windu to see him stare at himself with a contemplative look.
"Sense much not, from you. I question your control. Tell me, tell us, your real emotions, young empath." Yoda continues.
'Well at least they didn't outright reject me like they had to the original. That is one step in the right direction. I do hate I have to restrain my presence within the Force though, knowing full well the reaction they would have.'
'I leak some dark side energies and they most certainly would interrogate me about that as well.'
Deciding to lie about his answer, Anakin says. "I have always been able to do so. Even from when I was young I could hide myself away from others or sense to a greater extant another's thoughts and predict their actions."
Yoda hums to himself again as Windu continues. "Interesting, boy can you tell us why you have also grown so fast compared to others of your species. Do you have any ideas?"
Anakin replies lying through his teeth. "Not that I know of, no."
[]
Night cycle, Coruscant.
Within the councils conference room, the Jedi Masters can all be seen yet again surrounding Anakin but this time he is not alone and is accompanied by Qu-Gon and Obi-Wan.
Ki-Adi-Mundi speaks first acknowledging Anakin's capabilities. "The Force is strong with him."
"He is to be trained then?" Qui-Gon questions.
Windu with no hesitation answers the question in a laid back manner. "No. He will not be trained."
"No?" Qui-Gon asks in a strange tone.
Their reasoning? "He is too old." Windu explained why with a not so simple answer because it was obviously much more then just his age taken into account.
"He is the chosen one." Qui-Gon replies, his voice resounded with a sure tone.
'Thanks for the vote of confidence buddy. If I didn't want to save you before, I would want to save you now.' Anakin thinks to himself. 'Obviously that is the very same reason but I think it is much more then just age, it also probably doesn't help I actually look and have matured faster then what my actual age should be.'
'I cant say I was surprised by their decision. It would be too much of a risk to have me enter the Jedi because they cant fully indoctrinate me, separate me from familial love, the list goes on and beat down my sense of individualism.'
'There are obviously more reason, just like the original they feared my power could be turned on them. I dont intend to go against them anyway, I am just here to get what I want, meet a few people and make connections. Then ima bounce.'
"You must see that." Qui-Gon continues.
Humming while also delving into the Force once again, Yoda tries to see the general direction of Anakin's future but he see nothing. It is undecided, or the Force itself cannot give a direction the boy would walk on.
"Clouded this boys future is." Yoda says.
Qui-Gon frustrated with the council states. "I will train him then." Obi-Wan looks at his master when he said that.
"I will take Anakin as my Padawan learner." Qui-Gon says looking proud in his decision.
"An apprentice you have, Qui-Gon. Impossible to take on a second." Yoda states at Qui-Gon's sudden decision.
"The code forbids it." Windu interjects.
"Obi-Wan is ready." Qui-Gon says having confidence in his apprentice.
Obi-Wan quick to step up and prove himself. "I am ready to face the trials."
"Our own council on who we will keep on who is ready." Yoda says to the eager Obi-Wan.
"He is headstrong and he has much to learn of the Living Force but he is capable. There is little more he can learn from me." Qui-Gon states.
Yoda decides to put off the topic until a later date. "Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later."
"Now is not the time for this. The senate is voting for a new Supreme Chancellor and Queen Amidala is returning home which would put pressure on the Federation and could widen the confrontation." Windu redirects the conversation.
"And draw out the Queen's attacker." Ki-Adi-Mundi adds to the new topic of conversation.
"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of this dark warrior. This is the clue we need to unravel the mystery of the Sith." Windu finishes off with his own thoughts coming through. He has after all gone on a wild goose chase across the galaxy not once, but two time because of some vergence they had all felt.
He had been annoyed, but that was just his duties as a Jedi to discover and locate if there are any problems that would arise and destabilize the peace.
"May the Force be with you." Yoda says in a tone that is final.
The three standing at the center then leave the room heading elsewhere.
Meeting back on the platform where they had parked the Nubian ship, Jedi Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are there to meet back up with the Queen and go with her back to Naboo.
"It is not disrespect Master, its the truth." Obi-Wan is currently debating about Anakin with Qui-Gon.
"From your point of view." Qui-Gon shuts down Obi-Wan's argument.
"The boy is dangerous, they all sense it. Why cant you?" Obi-Wan says.
"His fate is uncertain. He is not dangerous. The council will decide Anakin's future and that should be enough for you. Now get on board." Qui-Gon says in a final tone.
Anakin just so happens to overhear them but waits until Qui-Gon approaches him. "Jedi Qui-Gon, I thank you for your help getting me here and the things you have done for me. Like standing up for me against what I could only assume are your superiors."
"I dont want to cause you anymore trouble then I already have." Anakin finishes.
"Ani, you aren't trouble and have not caused trouble yourself. At least not directly." Qui-Gon continues. "I am not allowed to train you, so for now you will have to be mindful and watch me. Always remember, your focus determines your reality."
'Those are some wise words, thankfully I have already sort of been living that way. It isn't totally useless advice though.' Anakin thinks.
"Stay close to me and you will be safe." Qui-Gon finishes but Anakin decides to get a clarification about midi-chlorians from a Jedi because even though he has collected all the information he could it is nearly always better to get it directly from a source.
"Sir, I heard Yoda talking about midi-chlorians and I have become curious about what they are?" Heading straight to the point Anakin asks.
"Midi-chlorians are a microscopic lifeform that resides within all living cells." Qui-Gon then continues seeing Anakin has nothing to add. "And we are symbionts with them. Lifeforms living together for mutual advantage. Without the midi-chlorians, life would not exist and there would be no knowledge of the Force."
"They continually speak to us telling us the will of the Force. When you learn to quiet your mind, wait you already have a natural predisposition to that, well when you do a little bit of training I am sure you would hear them speaking to you." Qui-Gon finishes before turning around to await the Queen.
Bowing Qui-Gon says. "Your majesty, it is my pleasure to continue to serve and protect you."
"I welcome your help. Senator Palpatine fears that the Federation will destroy me." The Queen says.
"I assure you I will not allow that to happen." Qui-Gon responds.
The last to board the ship was Anakin finishing with some last thoughts. 'I'll be back.'
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