"So Nathrrya was telling us the truth." Mace said as he and Yoda looked over the records of Jedi Masters Casavir Therin and Kira Carsen in the Jedi Archives.
"Does, it seems," Yoda commented, "Worrying this is, fighting alongside a Sith."
"Yes, perhaps." Mace agreed, "I find it strange there is no physical description of this Darth Avarice, only that she was a human woman." He turned to look at the diminutive Jedi, "It's almost as if the two Jedi masters were keeping her identity concealed for some unknown reason."
Yoda nodded slowly "Possible it is. Ask Nathrrya we shall. Answers she may have."
Little did the Grand Master of the Jedi Order know that by the day's end, he would have his answer but not quite in the way he was expecting.
It didn't take long for Nathrrya and Anakin to locate where the queen was staying. There was an apartment complex called 500 Republica that was used mainly by members of the senate and other visiting dignitaries. The Queen of Naboo had one of the penthouse suites near the top of the tower.
As the duo approached the door, they saw two members of the Royal Naboo Security Force standing guard.
"Can I help you Master Jedi?" one of the guards asked, though he understood Nathrrya was no Jedi. It had been decided that due to the surveillance equipment that monitored 500 Republica it was best to call Nathrrya a Jedi.
The Sith grinned slightly. "I'd like to speak to the queen if I may and Ani would like to see the handmaiden, Padme."
The guard nodded as he spoke into his commlink. "Jedi Nathrrya is here to speak to the queen and young master Skywalker is here to see Padme."
"Send them in please." Rabe replied, another of the queen's handmaidens.
The guard replied an affirmative and allowed them to pass into the queen's penthouse. Rabe greeted them both once they were in the main room of the apartment.
"I'd like to speak with Padme, if I could." Anakin asked
"I'm sorry, Ani. Padme isn't here right now." Rabe replied.
The Queen could be heard from the next room. "Who is it?" she asked
"Anakin Skywalker to see Padme, Your Highness." Rabe answered. "Jedi Nathrrya is also here to speak to you as well."
The queen moved into the doorway and studied Anakin. The boy bowed and looked down, then looked shyly up at her. Nathrrya couldn't keep the smirk off her face for she knew that Padme was the queen and not her decoy, Sabe. Having seen both young women wear the queen's cloths and makeup she could tell the two apart, though it wasn't easy. And she was perhaps cheating a little, by using the Force to sense the difference in the two young women's force signature.
"I've sent Padme on an errand." Queen Amidala said.
The boy nodded. "I'm going to the Jedi temple to start my training, I hope. I may not see her again... and... I just wanted to say goodbye."
"Anakin," Nathrrya said gently as the boy turned to face her, "You'll see Padme again I'm sure of it. Have faith in yourself."
Queen Amidala smiled. "Anakin, you should listen to the Jedi for she's very wise. We will tell Padme for you. We're sure her heart goes with you."
Anakin bowed again. "Thank you, Your Highness. I'm sorry to have disturbed you."
The queen smiled gently. "You didn't disturb me Anakin; it was good to see you again."
"Ani why don't you go with - Rabe isn't it - for a few minutes? I need to speak to the queen in private." Nathrrya suggested.
"I'll keep Anakin entertained, Nathrrya." Rabe replied before she led the boy away.
Queen Amidala beckoned Nathrrya to follow her and soon the two women were alone. "Thank you." she said. "You wanted to speak to me?"
The older woman smiled. "You rely on your decoy for your protection Padme. While I may want to see the look on Anakin's face when he realises that the handmaiden Padme and Queen Amidala are one and the same, I'm not about to do that to you." The Sith walked over to one of the large apartment windows that overlooked the planet sized city. "How well do you know your Senator?"
Padme looked a little surprised by the sudden question. "It seems as if I've known Sheev Palpatine all my life. I can best describe him as the kindly uncle always doing his best for everyone and hardly thinking of himself." The young woman frowned "Why do you ask?"
Nathrrya turned to face the queen who had come to stand alongside her "Then what I am about to say will be hard for you to believe. I come with a warning. Do not trust your senator, for I fear he may be under the sway of the Sith Lord I'm seeking." Padme looked concerned. "When I met Palpatine on the landing platform there was something... off about him. And considering that Coruscant is awash in the Dark Side, it makes me doubly worried."
"Awash in the Dark Side?" Padme asked not really understanding "Pardon my ignorance but what do you mean exactly and is that even possible?" Normally the subject of the Force was something best left to the Jedi but as Nathrrya had pointed out, Padme found herself and Naboo in the middle of a Sith Lord's plot. So being the intelligent person she was, Padme felt it best to try to understand what was going on.
Nathrrya nodded, turning back to look out the window. "Almost anything is possible through the Force. As to what I mean, that's harder to explain. Imagine seeing Coruscant from space and the planet has a reddish glow to it, that clearly isn't natural."
The young queen frowned "Okay I think I understand what you're trying to say. The reddish glow is the dark side of the force?"
The Sith smiled "Yes that's what the reddish glow signifies, though only those that are force sensitive have the ability to see it. It would have taken Sidious years to achieve; decades even. There is nothing natural about it. Unlike Korriban which is naturally steeped in the Dark Side, a city planet like this should be neutral in the Force, perhaps leaning towards the Light due to the main Jedi Temple being here. That's what I expected at least."
Padme looked thoughtful. "I may not fully comprehend what's happening but I thank you for telling me." She thought for a moment, "I trust Senator Palpatine far more than what is wise but he has more years in politics than I do. However, there was one piece of advice I was given years ago. 'If something feels wrong then it usually is'. It makes what Sabe told me even more concerning."
Nathrrya turned her head towards the queen, the look on her face explanation enough. "Palpatine was discussing what we can do about the Trade Federation's blockade. Which realistically isn't much. He did strongly suggest that I call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum. Something I'm loath to do."
The Sith's eyes narrowed as she folded her arms, "Let me guess, he said that he'd stand for the Chancellorship if you proposed such a motion."
"He didn't say as much but he clearly inferred such a thing," Padme answered, glad it wasn't just her irrational fears playing on her mind.
Nathrrya turned her head to look out the window, her brows furrowed before she began to pace back and forth. "What I don't understand, is why Palpatine is so desperate to gain control of the Chancellorship? It is my understanding that Chancellor Valorum's term is almost at an end and a new Chancellor will need to be found."
She paused, realisation dawning. "No... It's not Palpatine that's after the Chancellorship... It's Sidious!" Nathrrya shock her head "That still doesn't make sense... Why engineer this situation between Naboo and the Trade Federation? Why risk drawing the attention of the Jedi? Unless he miscalculated and didn't think Valorum would involve the Jedi... That I find hard to believe. For a supposed Sith Lord Sidious is acting remarkably rash." Reminds me of Darth Baras, his ego was almost as big as he was.
Padme looked concerned and with good reason. "Are you saying, if you were in Sidious' place you'd do things differently?"
Nathrrya nodded. "Spast yes. If I wanted control of the Senate, I'd just wait until Valorum's term ends, then lobby like mad to get Palpatine elected as Chancellor. While it may seem a little strange that a senator from a relative backwater would get elected nobody would think anything of it, least of all the Jedi. And as Sidious likely has some influence over the senate, it wouldn't be too hard for him to do." The Sith grinned as an idea came to her, she turned to face the young queen "And that's exactly what we'll force him to do. Your Highness when Palpatine suggests pressing for a vote of no confidence in Valorum don't go along with it. Force Sidious to wait and he might just get sloppy enough to reveal himself."
Padme considered what Nathrrya had said. "I feel better knowing that it's just not my imagination and Sabe's concerns about Senator Palpatine. I shall do as you suggest."
Nathrrya smiled "That's all I can ask of you, your highness. When is the debate about the Naboo crisis due?"
"It was to be later today but Senator Palpatine has informed me that it has been postponed until tomorrow. He cited he needed more time to prepare our case."
The Sith snorted "More like Sidious needs more time to prepare as he undoubtedly knows about me now. Still, don't take what your senator says at face value as I don't believe he can be trusted, Your Highness."
Padme nodded her understanding "Many would say the same about you, Nathrrya, if they knew the truth."
"I can't argue with that. Sith really don't have the most trust worthy image." Nathrrya admitted, "However, I come from a time when there were as many Sith as there were Jedi. I didn't have to hide who I was. I could be far more honest and direct in my dealings with people. Keeping my identity concealed isn't something I'm used to at all." She looked at her chrono and sighed. "I better get Anakin back to the Jedi Temple, he is to be tested later."
"It was good to see you again Nathrrya. Take care of Anakin for me please."
"I'll do my best Padme." The older woman paused a moment. "You know the boy has a crush on you."
The young queen nodded. "I had suspected as much. He's an easy child to like."
It was late afternoon on Coruscant and Anakin was about to enter the Jedi Council chamber to be tested.
"Are you ready, Anakin?" Nathrrya asked as she knelt on one knee to be close to the boy's height.
"I think so." Anakin replied though he sounded nervous and with good reason, he'd be facing the Jedi Council alone.
"You'll be fine Ani, just be yourself." Nathrrya assured him. "Remember that despite all appearances the twelve Jedi in that room are just as fallible and flawed as the rest of us. They're just good at hiding it. They'll also be able to sense what you're feeling so be truthful as you can be, now go show them you want to be a Jedi."
Anakin grinned, nodded his head and then turned to enter the Council chamber.
As Nathrrya stood, Shmi Skywalker came to stand beside her. "Do you think he'll be accepted?" she asked.
The Sith pursed her lips, thinking "I'm uncertain. My gut tells me they'll reject him due to his age and his attachment to you, both of which could be worked around. Anakin is still young enough that he could catch up easily. His emotional attachments would be harder to deal with but not impossible." She gestured towards where Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were on the balcony. "What I'm more worried about is what Master Jinn will do when the Council does reject Anakin." Nathrrya sighed. "Another disaster for me to try and avert no doubt."
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were stood on one of the many balconies of the Jedi Temple overlooking the city.
"The boy will not pass the Council's tests, Master, and you know it. He is far too old." Obi-Wan said matter of fact.
"Anakin will become a Jedi... I promise you." The older Jedi replied with determination in his voice.
"Don't defy the Council, Master... not again." The padawan said in a tone of long suffering.
"I will do what I must."
That's what worries me, Obi-Wan thought "Master, you could be sitting on the Council by now if you would just follow the code. They will not go along with you... not this time." However, Nathrrya may have more luck, the padawan mused. The irony that a Sith held the key to the Chosen One's future, wasn't lost on him. He had his doubts, though, if Anakin even was the Chosen One.
"You still have much to learn, my young apprentice." Qui-Gon lightly chastised, to which Obi-Wan merely smiled, thinking of what the enigmatic Sith woman would do to get the Council to see reason. The younger man looked back over his shoulder to the open door and smirked seeing Nathrrya and Anakin talking softly.
Just then Qui-Gon's commlink beeped "Yes?"
"Qui, it's Cin." The battle master's voice came from the device "There's a Professor of Archaeology, Lara Palatine from the University here on Coruscant to see Nathrrya. Can you bring her down to the main entrance please?"
Both Padawan and Master looked at each other "I can but what's this all about Cin?"
"Seems one of the Professor's team were the ones to free Nathrrya from her carbonite prison."
Anakin stood before the Jedi Council while Mace Windu held a standard datapad. In rapid succession, images flashed across the screen that only the Jedi Master could see. The test was a simple one. The boy had to determine what the images were.
Mace made eye contact with the boy. "A ship...a cup...a speeder." Anakin said in answer to the Jedi's unasked question. The dark-skinned Jedi master turned off the datapad and nodded.
"Good, good, young one. How feel you?" Yoda asked
Anakin thought for a moment before he answered. "Cold, sir."
"From a desert planet, you come." Yoda said, "Afraid, are you?"
"No, sir." The boy stated.
"Afraid to give up your life?" Mace asked.
"I don't... think so." the hesitation in the boy's voice was clear.
"See through you, we can." Yoda said pointing his gamma stick at Anakin for emphasis.
"Be mindful of your feelings..." Mace warned.
"Your thoughts dwell on your mother." Master Mundi observed.
"I... I'll miss her when she leaves." Anakin admitted.
Yoda smiled slightly "Understandable that is. Afraid to lose her... I think."
"What's that got to do with anything?" the boy asked with more curiosity than anger.
Yoda leaned forward slightly. "Everything. Fear is the path to the dark side... fear leads to anger... anger leads to hate... hate leads to suffering."
Anakin frowned, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. Nathrrya didn't seem all that angry or hateful. She could be as he'd seen in his vision if provoked. However, he couldn't really tell the Jedi that, as they didn't know that she was a Dark Side user.
"Become a Jedi wish you. Deep commitment, a Jedi must have, the most serious mind. I sense much emotion in you."
"I am not afraid." Anakin said, with more conviction than perhaps he felt.
"Then continue, we will." Yoda replied.
"Lara, what brings you to the Jedi Temple?" Nathrrya asked as she, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrived at the grand main entrance.
"This." the Professor of Archaeology replied as she produced the hilt of a lightsabre. "We found it in the same general area where we found your carbonate block."
The Sith let out a small gasp of surprise for even in the weapons decayed state Nathrrya recognised it easily and knew who it had once belonged. "May I see it?" she asked holding out her hand.
"I was hoping you can tell me more about it." Lara said as he placed the hilt in Nathrrya's waiting hand.
"I think I can... ahhh!" Nathrrya cried as she collapsed to her knees as an intense vision overcame her almost as soon as she took a hold of the ancient sabre hilt.
Nathrrya saw the carbonate detention facility and fighting along its narrow passageways were the Sith Lord Lana Beniko as well as her cousin's astromech T7-01, they made good progress against the skytroopers until they encountered a woman wearing a formfitting gray bodysuit with a hood, holding a golden yellow lightsabre. Nathrrya knew this was Vaylin, one of Valkorion's children.
Nathrrya watched the two women duel and had a sinking feeling, she knew how it would end. Eventually, Lana failed to block and Vaylin effectively disembowelled the blonde haired Sith. However, Vaylin wasn't done with the dying woman and toyed with her for a time before beheading Lana, giving T7 time to slip away unnoticed.
"Nathrrya!" Obi-Wan cried alarmed seeing her near collapse. "Are you alright?" he asked as he helped the woman to her feet.
"I... I think so." Nathrrya said breathing heavily "That has to be the most intense vision I've ever had." She turned to face the young man who was still supporting her. "They came for me Obi-Wan, they tried to rescue me."
"What did you see? Who came for you?" Qui-Gon asked stepping closer.
The Sith looked up at the Jedi Master "I saw my failed rescue, Lana and T7 tried to reach me, they got close but were stopped. Lana paid the ultimate price, T7 got away." She looked down at the sabre hilt she still held "This was Lana's, makes me wonder who else died trying to find me."
Lara's eyes grew in surprise. "Just who are you Nathrrya?"
The Sith was silent for a few moments "Someone others felt it was worth giving their lives to find." She said quietly.
"Who were they?" Obi-Wan asked, he had now let go of Nathrrya and was stood next to Qui-Gon.
"Lana was a Sith and almost as unconventional as I was, T7-01 was my cousin's cheeky little astromech."
Cin Dralling raised his eyebrows. Had Nathrrya let slip she was a Sith? It would make some sense given how she had talked about the Jedi when she had rebuilt her lightsabre. He glanced at the Professor of Archaeology who hadn't seemed to notice the misstep. He looked towards Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and they were clearly not surprised. The Jedi Battle master vowed he'd talk to the master and padawan later and find out what was going on.
Anakin, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stood before the Jedi Council. Nathrrya stood off to one side, observing proceedings.
"Correct you were, Qui-Gon." Yoda said, "Past every test he did."
"The Force is strong with him." Mace agreed.
"He's to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon asked.
The council all looked at one another. "No. He will not be trained." Mace said at last.
Anakin was clearly upset but didn't seem all that surprised. Nathrrya rolled her eyes at the Council's decision but made no comment.
"No!?" Qui-Gon was too shocked to say anything else.
Despite himself Obi-Wan smiled at the news, he understood the boy's disappointment all too well. However, he was pleased to see the Council trying to reign in his maverick master.
"He is too old. There is already too much emotion in him." Mace said.
Nathrrya let out a snort of dissension at that pronouncement, making most Jedi look at her questioningly. The Sith pushed herself off the wall. "Don't look so surprised. If there wasn't any emotion in Anakin, that's when I'd start to worry." She walked over to stand beside Anakin. "As for his age, that shouldn't matter. You're never too old to learn the Force."
Anakin look up at Nathrrya curiously. "How old were you?"
"I was thirty-five when I passed my trials." Nathrrya replied, enjoying the shock of the Jedi around her. "I was likely one of the oldest there."
Mace frowned. "That seems unusually old."
The Sith shrugged her shoulders. "Probably, but my force abilities didn't manifest until I was fifteen."
"How old are you now?" Obi-Wan asked, even as he mentally reprimanded himself for doing so. One thing was certain, Nathrrya was older than he'd thought she was.
Nathrrya grinned. "Forty-two give or take a few thousand years." There were a few chuckles at her poor joke and she'd swear she saw Master Windu smile.
Obi-Wan openly stared. Nathrrya was almost old enough to be his mother! He did the math in his head and she was seventeen years his senior yet she flirted with like she was only five years older then himself. For her age, Nathrrya looked stunning. Obi-Wan doubted that Siri would look as good at that age. He mentally facepalmed. I did not just go there. The padawan told himself.
"Anakin is the chosen one... surely you must see that." Qui-Gon said not letting himself be distracted by Nathrrya's revelation.
Yoda sighed. "Clouded, this boy's future is. Masked by his youth."
"I will train him, then. I take Anakin as my Padawan learner." Qui-Gon said shocking the room into silence.
Obi-Wan looked surprised, shocked and betrayed all at once while Anakin looked confused as to what had just taken place. Nathrrya was doing her best to keep her temper under control if the clenching and unclenching of her hands were anything to go by. She'd known the Jedi master would try some crazy stunt but she hadn't expected this.
"Kriffing hell, Master Jinn, have you finally lost your senses?" Nathrrya swore. "You already have a padawan and his name is Obi-Wan Kenobi!" she said pointing at the young man. "Until Obi-Wan passes his trials for Knighthood you can't have another." The woman nodded towards the Jedi Council. "And they won't allow it."
The Jedi Council looked between Qui-Gon and Nathrrya then at Yoda and Mace Windu, both of whom sat back in their seats, content to observe the developing argument between the two force users.
"Obi-Wan is ready..." Qui-Gon began.
Nathrrya took a several steps towards the Jedi. "Is he? Or are you so fixated on Anakin being the Chosen One?" she pointed an accusing finger at Qui-Gon's chest. "From what Obi-Wan told me while we were in the Archives you didn't even want him as a padawan, Yoda had to pretty much force you to take him." She looked the Jedi master in the eyes. "If you abandon Obi-Wan now, then you truly are a failure." She stepped back beside Anakin.
Qui-Gon was stunned by what Nathrrya had said to him. "That was unfair and uncalled for, Nathrrya."
The Sith folded her arms. "Really? I'm not so sure. Life's not fair Master Jinn and I don't play fair when you're acting like a total idiot."
Qui-Gon didn't know how to react but he did wonder if what the woman said was true, he'd become too focused on Anakin. The Jedi master looked at Obi-Wan and the expression on the young man's face told him all he needed to know.
"You know she's right Qui-Gon. You're an excellent Jedi but sometimes you get too focused on one thing." Mace said.
Qui-Gon nodded slowly. "Perhaps Nathrrya is correct; I withdraw my request to train Anakin."
The Sith placed her hands onto Anakin's shoulders "Anakin needs to be trained, for his own safety and those around him." She said glaring at the Jedi Council "You all sense his potential, imagine what he'll be like in another ten years. If you tell me that doesn't concern you I'll gladly call you a lair. And I shouldn't need to mention the Bantha in the room that is Sidious."
"You think Sidious knows of Anakin?" Mace asked clearly worried.
"If he doesn't, it's only a matter of time before he does." Nathrrya said "And I'm sure we can all agree this is something best avoided, for as long as possible."
Yoda nodded slowly "Consider more the matter of Anakin's training we shall."
"Speaking of Sith, Nathrrya." Mace said leaning forward "We were able to locate records of your cousin, Jedi Master Casavir Therin, as well as Master Kira Carsen in the Archives. There are several instances where they reportedly fought alongside a female human Sith identified only as Darth Avarice. We were wondering if you knew anything about her?"
Nathrrya rocked back on her heals in mild surprise. "Darth Avarice... Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time... a long time." She said nodding slowly in recognition of her title.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan shared a knowing look; Darth Avarice and Nathrrya were the same person. They silently agreed that the Council was in for quite a shock.
"You know her?" Plo Koon asked sounding slightly surprised.
Nathrrya grinned "Well of course I know her, she's me!"
A/N: I've had some guest reviews complaining about the Anakin/Padme romance sub plot. While I agree Mr Lucas handled it... poorly I see no reason to not use it as it is canon after all. However things will play out differently if I keep going after the end of events in TPM.