There was another
Chapter 1: Another plea, another prophecy
Qui-Gon Jinn had been standing at the window for the past hour, deep in thought as he stared blankly at the sunset. His reverie had been shattered, however, by a knock on the door. Obi-Wan Kenobi, his former padawan and close friend, entered the room followed by Dorma, one of Senator Padme Amidala's handmaidens.
"Master Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan said once the door had closed behind them, "she came to me and asked me to bring her to you." Qui-Gon looked at Dorma, who rushed up to him and fell to her knees at his feet.
"Please help my lady!" she cried, clutching the hands of the Jedi at whose feet she knelt. "She is in grave danger and is terribly distressed!" Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon, who presently pulled Dorma onto her feet.
"You must take us to her." He said.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan found Padme Amidala in her bedroom, surrounded by her handmaidens and very close to hysterics. The two Jedi exchanged looks of deep concern before hurrying forward. Qui-Gon knelt before her and spoke.
"Lady, please, tell us what has put you in such grave danger and we shall do all that is within our power to rectify the situation." He said.
"I'm so afraid, I don't know what to do." She said "I gave up the other two to protect them, but now…" she trailed off, but now they understood. The looked on Qui-Gon Jinn's face as he realised what she meant was one that suggested impending doom.
"Oh no," he whispered, "you don't mean that-"
"I'm carrying another child." She whispered. "Help me please, I beg of you." Qui-Gon's face was grave.
"I will speak with Master Yoda and Master Windu. I cannot deal with this on my own. Too many things must be taken into account before the future of this child can be decided." He told her. "Meanwhile, knowledge of this must not go further than the people in this room. Corruption is everywhere. If the emperor gets word of this, I fear that you may not live long enough to deliver this child." Everyone present nodded in agreement.
"We would die before we would betray our lady." Dorma said. Qui-Gon stood and bowed to Padme.
"Let us hope it will not come to that." He said, and exited.
"This is very, very bad." Qui-Gon said to Obi-Wan as they made their way to the Jedi headquarters.
"Bad?" Obi-Wan replied, "I think catastrophic is closer to the mark than just 'bad'."
"Don't lose all hope yet Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon told his one-time apprentice. "There may still be a solution to this that you and I cannot see."
"I hope you're right." The younger Jedi remarked as they entered the meeting room.
"Dark and unhappy this news is." Master Yoda said when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had finished relating this news to him.
"And she is sure that it is his child?" Master Windu asked the two.
"Yes, unfortunately there can be no mistake. It is his child, without a doubt." Qui-Gon answered. Yoda closed his eyes as he did when looking into the future but, surprisingly to the others present, he did not open them again momentarily as he did when the future was clouded. He stayed like that for some time. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exchanged a quick glance. Yoda opened his eyes. They all watched him is silence.
"Good news I have for you." He said. "This child becoming a great Jedi warrior I see. Greatest of all the Jedi. Greater that even him." He looked at them all. "Balance to the force this child will bring." Yoda concluded. Obi-Wan stared at him.
"But Master Yoda, that would mean-"
"-That this child is the true Chosen One." Master Windu finished for him.
"And that he was not." Qui-Gon added.
"Right you all are." Yoda told them. "Here this child must be trained in the way of the Jedi, knowing fully the truth of its parentage. Lies and deceit around this child's upbringing we can not have." The others nodded in agreement.
"So it is settled then. The child shall be raised as a Jedi. Lady Amidala must be kept is seclusion with Jedi guard until this child is born." Master Windu said. "this will prevent any assassination attempts from bearing fruit."
"I only have one question." Obi-Wan said. "who will train this child to be a Jedi?"
"Train this youngling I will." Yoda said. They all agreed.
"We will begin preparations for Lady Amidala immediately." Master Windu said.