Interlude I (Part 4): Prophecy of the Chosen One
32 BBY
Coruscant
[Anakin and Group to Coruscant (Instrumental) - The Phantom Menace OST plays]
The Naboo royal starship exits out of hyperspace, showcasing the city-covered planet of Coruscant in orbit along with its four moons. The ship flies toward the daytime part of the planet and has already went past the atmosphere. Inside the cockpit, Anakin is beside the ship's pilot as the latter flies past the city's tall skylines where a landing pad is waiting for the ship to land.
"Coruscant. The entire planet is one big city." The pilot briefly describes before engaging the ship's landing gear. "There's Chancellor Valorum's shuttle. And look over there. Senator Palpatine is waiting for us."
In the back where Theron watching the vision of the past, he perked up at the mention of the Naboo senator's name and frowned, gritting his teeth in pure anger.
The large ship slowly lands on the floating landing platform within the city skyline that towers past the clouds below. Not long after, the queen and her people - along with her Jedi escort and the Force sensitive boy - exit the ship where Sheev Palpatine (yes, Sheev is literally his real first name; LOL) warmly welcomes his homeworld's queen and Jedi to the Republic capital as Chancellor Valorum (and his Senate Guard escort) arrives beside him.
"It is a great gift to see you alive, your Majesty." Palpatine greets in relief. "With the communications breakdown, we've been very concerned. I'm anxious to hear your report on the situation. May I present Supreme Chancellor Valorum."
"Welcome, your Highness." Finis Valorum greets with his arms behind his back. "It's an honor to finally meet you in person."
"Thank you, Supreme Chancellor." Queen Amidala says as everyone starts walking.
"I must relay to you how distressed everyone is over the current situation." The Republic leader informs. "I've called for a special session of the Senate to hear your opposition."
"I'm grateful for your concern, Chancellor." The queen appreciates before she, Palpatine, Anakin, Jar Jar, Padme (in her handmaiden attire), and the handmaidens walk towards an air taxi that'll take them to the Naboo senator's apartment to discuss some details regarding the session in the Senate courts.
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Valorum stayed behind as the group heads for the air taxi, and the Jedi Master turns his head toward the Republic's leader.
"I must speak with the Jedi Council immediately." Qui-Gon informs the Chancellor. "The situation has become much more complicated."
Theron was standing next to the ship's boarding ramp, listening in on the conversations.
"This must be when Naboo was occupied by the Trade Federation. Twenty years ago." He comments to himself aloud.
"Wow! You weren't kidding when you said that Coruscant is one giant city with tall skylines!" A familiar voice says in awe. "This makes Academy City's own skyline look like child's play."
"Yeah." He nods before realizing who that voice belonged to.
The Jedi turns to his right and sees a familiar girl next to him.
"Oh for the love of-!" He face palms. "What are you doing here?"
"What?" Saten questions him in defense. "I just went to sleep and I ended up finding myself dreaming alongside you."
"Our new Force bond must've grown slightly stronger, triggering into having the same vision together." He realizes in shock.
"Really?! That's so cool!" She says with excitement. "So what's this dream all about?"
"It's not a dream, Saten. It's a vision of the past." He explains. "And honestly, I don't know why I'm, or we, are dreaming of this in the first place."
"So we're actually watching historical events happening in front of us?" She concludes. "That's awesome!"
"Unfortunately, we can't interact with anyone here. In other words, we're spectral to the people around us."
"Awww." She whines in disappointment. "That sucks."
"What? It's a good thing. We can use this to our advantage."
"Um, how?" She asks in disbelief. "We're clearly invisible ghosts to them."
"Use your head, Saten." He rolls his eyes, annoyed with her obliviousness. "We listen in on the conversations."
Saten was slightly offended by his eye rolling but manages to stay her anger for now.
"What exactly are we listening in? I'm confused." The girl ask, confused to what's going on.
Theron briefly explains to her about what point in time they're in and why it's so important. This was a lot for her to take in but she nods in understanding.
"So what happens now?" She asks him, now that she's fully curious.
Just then the vision changes and everything goes white.
...
"Wha-?" Saten blinks in confusion as everything around her and Theron changed. Then she looks up and gasps in awe. "Whoa..."
The Jedi Temple
Standing before them was the Jedi Temple of Coruscant. Located outside the planet's Federal district, the temple is constructed around a natural mountain spire along with its five crowned spires atop of the large temple.
"This use to be the Jedi Temple." He narrates. "It was rebuilt after the Sacking of Coruscant that took place three thousand years ago. When the purge came and gone, however, the Emperor renovated this place as his own palace. Mainly because a Sith shrine was underneath the temple itself and the Jedi reduced it to nothingness when the Sith were nearly wiped out at the end of the Jedi-Sith War. Unfortunately, a small portion of the shrine was left intact and with power of the dark side, the energies clouded the Jedi's vision and collective use of the Force."
"Wow." She says while being awed at the temple's architecture and statues at the front entrance. "Wait, you said that the shrine's dark energies clouded the Jedi's vision. What do you mean by that?"
Theron looks away, angry that the old Jedi became an Order full of hypocrites and idiots. No wait, this has been going on since its foundation but much worse.
"The Jedi Council got involved in politics and became complete, lazy idiots." He concludes bitterly.
"Hypocrites, I get that. But lazy idiots? I don't know what you mean by that." She admits, though confused on that last part he said.
"It's better if I show you inside the temple's Council Chamber." He says before heading on inside. "Come on, and stay close. These halls can be very huge to get lost in."
"How do you know so much about the Jedi Temple?" She asks, surprised that he knows about the inside of the temple despite spending his entire childhood on a different planet, while following him inside. "Didn't you live on a different planet?"
"On the edge of the old Galaxy beyond the Outer Rim." He answers as good memories flooded his head. "I spent my entire childhood there, though I did went to a few worlds alongside my master such as Dantooine, Kashyyyk, Lothal, Tatooine, even the ruins of the Great Jedi Library on Ossus. Founded a few ancient texts and artifacts for my short-lived training in that library. Good times."
"And it took the Sith a long time in discovering your homeworld." The girl concludes.
"Three years, to be precise." He corrects her. "But yeah, I see what you're getting at."
"Damn. No wonder the Jedi and Sith never knew about you."
"Something like that." He chuckles.
...
The teens took a lift up to the Council Chamber located in one of the temple's four small spires with the large and tallest one being in the center. When they arrived at the chamber's closed doors, they hear that a session is taking place inside the room.
"Too bad we can't interact with some of the physical stuff." He mutters.
"Come on, let's go see what they're talking about." The girl excitingly says to him.
"R-Right." He nods.
And just like that, they walked through the doors and see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan already finishing on giving their report to the Jedi Council.
"Hey! That green guy in robes looks like the baby!" Saten point out at the old creature sitting in his council seat.
"That would be Yoda." He explains. "Jedi Grandmaster and one of the wisest Jedi to date."
"How old is he?"
"He's in his eight hundreds." He bluntly says.
"You're kidding?" She says with a surprised look.
"Nope. And the kid right now is fifty years of age."
"Fifty years old?!" She says in disbelief. "A fifty year old baby... Oh God. Now I just made things awkward with him."
"You didn't. His species can live many centuries, in which humans can't." He assures her just before the two teens overhear Qui-Gon's report to the council.
"...he was trained in the Jedi arts. My only conclusion can be that it was... a Sith Lord." Qui-Gon concludes his report.
The Jedi Council was in disbelief. And who can blame them? After all, there hasn't been any Sith seen in the last millennium.
"Impossible." The Cerean Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi says in disbelief. "The Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
"I do not believe the Sith could've returned without us knowing." Jedi Master Mace Windu agrees, also finding it hard to believe in Qui-Gon's report.
"Ah," Yoda agrees but isn't entirely sure either. "Hard to see the dark side is."
"He talks funny." Saten snickers.
"You'll get use to it." Theron says with a chuckle. "It's his way of talking to people."
"We will use all our resources to unravel this mystery." The stoic Jedi Master with dark human skin says to Qui-Gon and his Padawan. "We will discover the identity of your attacker. May the Force be with you."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bow, and the young Padawan begins walking out of the chamber but turns around to see that his master has more to report. Obi-Wan then stands by the exit, listening to what his persistent master has to say.
"Master Qui-gon. More to say have you?" The Jedi Grandmaster asks.
"With your permission, my master..." Qui-Gon begins. "I've encountered a vergence in the Force."
The twelve council members all perked up at this.
"A vergence you say?" Yoda further asks.
"Located around a person?" Windu specifies with his own question.
"A boy." The tall man answers. "His cells have the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have seen in a life form. It is possible he was conceived by the midi-chlorians."
Theron's eyes widen in disbelief and shock, while Saten remains confused.
"That word again." She mutters. "Hey Theron, you still haven't told me what midi-chlorians are. And what does that tall guy mean about a boy being conceived by them?"
"Shh!" He shushes her. "And that tall guy's name is Qui-Gon Jinn. He's talking about the boy from earlier being created through the Force instead of the regular way that parents would do. And I'll explain what Midi-chlorians are later."
The Urban Legend Hunter's face turns deep red, embarrassed for the fact that the Jedi teen mentioned about sex. In a discreet way, that is.
"You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force." Windu mentions aloud. "You believe it's this boy?"
"I don't presume to-."
"But you do." Yoda interrupts Qui-Gon. "Revealed your opinion is."
"I request the boy to be tested, master."
"Oh?" The Jedi Grandmaster wonders curiously. "Trained as a Jedi you request for him, hmm?"
"Finding him was the Will of the Force." The tall Jedi assures him. "I've no doubt of that."
Mundi and Yoda looked at Windu, hoping that the Jedi Order's leader would be all right with this. In the background, Theron had a cocky smirk on his face as he is enjoying this small moment.
Windu looks at the two masters and he sighs in defeat, shaking his head.
"Bring him before us then." The disagreeing Windu says.
Qui-Gon bows and walks out of the council chamber with Obi-Wan. Theron and Saten - who are spectral to the past - exit the room as well before the doors closed behind them.
"The prophecy's a myth." Theron deadpans in his thoughts. "I don't think Anakin could really be the Chosen One. There's no solid evidence, even if Qui-Gon says that it could be true."
"I guess you were right about one thing." Saten says to him. "From what I've seen in their appearances, they really are lazy, hypocritical idiots. And that stoic guy with dark skin... *frowns* I really don't like him."
"Mace Windu. The Jedi Order's leader back then, and a council member." The boy describes for her. "Stoic and self-righteous. A complete asshole and a really bad influence on Jedi that are compassionate and do what's right."
"No kidding." The girl snorts, agreeing with him. "His expressions and character gave it away. But anyway, what prophecy was he talking about?"
"The prophecy of the Chosen One. It foretells of a powerful Force user that would destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. So as the prophecy goes." He explains before sighing in disbelief. "Honestly, I find it really hard to believe in Qui-Gon's presumptions."
"Why?"
"You saw the boy from earlier, right?" He asks, getting a nod from her.
"Do you know his name?"
"The boy's name is Anakin Skywalker. The greatest Jedi throughout the war before the purge."
"Like your last name?" She wonders with a raised eyebrow. "Are you-?"
"No, we're not related. I took on his surname when you and I first met, so Skywalker isn't my real last name. Actually, I don't even have a last name because I never really knew my parents."
"Theron..."
"It's okay, Saten. I'm fine."
The girl wasn't really sure, but she decides to leave it alone for now.
...
Sunset had come, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are walking on a balcony as Anakin is in the council chamber being tested.
"The boy will not pass the council's test, Master." Obi-Wan says, unsure of his master's decision. "He's too old."
"Anakin will become a Jedi. I promise you." Qui-Gon assures his apprentice.
"Do not defy the council, master. Not again." The Padawan complains.
"I shall do what I must, Obi-Wan." The Jedi Master says with pride as they stopped at a balcony railing.
"If you would just follow the code, you would be on the council. They will not go along with you this time." The young man argues.
"You still have much to learn, my young apprentice." Qui-Gon smiles, placing a hand on his student's shoulder before the two watch the large sun setting in the horizon as airspeeders pass by the Jedi Temple.
...
Back in the council chamber above, Anakin stands in the center as the Jedi Council is testing him.
"Hmm." Yoda curiously looks at the boy. "How feel you?"
"Cold, sir." Anakin answers truthfully.
"Afraid are you?"
"No, sir."
"See through you we can."
"Be mindful of your feelings." Windu reminds the boy.
"Your thoughts dwell on your mother." Mundi agrees with the stoic Jedi.
"I miss her." The boy admits.
"Hmm. Afraid to lose her I think, hmm?" The elderly Jedi deduces.
"What does that got to do anything?" Anakin questions.
"I don't think you should've asked them that, Anakin." Theron comments.
"Isn't it okay to ask those kinds of questions as a Jedi?" Saten asks him.
"That was before the Jedi became dogmatic as a whole after the Galactic Republic was formed. Questions like those was the reason master Shan was kicked out of the Order thanks to Windu being arrogantly and self-righteously biased about the outdated Jedi code. He hates compassionate Jedi and sees that no attachments and emotions is what makes a true Jedi Knight. *scoffs* Bullshit. Bottling up your emotions and attachments leads to the dark side just as relying too much on said emotions and attachments."
"Everything." Yoda answers. "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate... leads to suffering."
Anakin was confused with what he means but understands some of it.
Yoda sighs, shaking his head.
"I sense much fear in you."
...
Nightfall finally came and the council's test was over. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin are standing before them.
"The Force is strong with him." Mundi says.
"He is to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon notes.
"No." Windu answers. "He will not be trained."
"No?" Qui-Gon further questions in confusion, his hands on his hips and Anakin frowning in disbelief.
"No?" Theron and Saten said in unison with frowns on their faces.
"He is too old." The stoic Jedi Master explains.
"Are you saying that children as babies or toddlers are only allowed to be accepted in the Order? But that's not fair! Anakin wants to be a Jedi his whole life! That's not your decision to make!" Saten rants at the council that can't see and hear her as the girl's blue eyes turned red and then back to normal.
"Of course it's not theirs not make." He agrees, scoffing at their foolish decision. "The council are too prideful and dogmatic to do that, even if Anakin really is the Chosen One or not."
"He is the Chosen One. You must see it." The tall Jedi Master insists.
"Mmm. Clouded this boy's future is." Yoda says.
Finding it hard to believe that the Jedi Council would reject Anakin like that, Qui-Gon decides to compromise with them instead.
"I will train him, then." He announces, surprising Obi-Wan at this unexpected revelation. Qui-Gon walks up behind Anakin and places his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I take Anakin as my Padawan learner."
"An apprentice you have, Qui-Gon. Impossible to take on a second." Yoda points out.
"The code forbids it." Windu agrees with the elderly Grandmaster.
"Code or not, it's not impossible to take on two or three students at a time." Theron argues with the past. "My master that you kicked out of your pathetic Order made sure of that in his new Jedi code. My code."
"Obi-Wan is ready." Qui-Gon says, aware of the outdated code many times over.
"I am ready to face the trials." Obi-Wan says with confidence.
"I don't know. From the Force you're emitting, your connection isn't really strong." The boy doubts his confidence.
"Huh?" Saten asks, confused.
"It's true." He explains, nodding. "Ever since he was a child, his connection to the Force is really weak. In other words, he is literally the weakest experienced Jedi to date, even as a Jedi Master."
"Seriously?!" She exclaims in disbelief again, dumbfounded.
"Our own counsel we will keep on who is ready."
"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 calmly argues.
"So Obi-Wan's intelligence makes up for his weak strength in the Force, then." Theron concludes with a deadpanned expression.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon then look at each other as the latter is definitely sure that his Padawan is ready to face the trials and become a Jedi Knight.
"Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later." Yoda says as there is another matter to discuss.
"Now is not the time for this." Windu begins. "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."
"And draw out the queen's attacker." Mundi finishes his colleague's sentence.
"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of this dark warrior." The stoic Jedi assigns the two Jedi before them with their new mission. "This is the clue we need to unravel the mystery of the Sith."
"May the Force be with you." The elderly Grandmaster says.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon bow their heads and leave the council chamber along with the spectral teens from the present day.
"What was that about a queen and a federation?" Saten asks him as they leave the Jedi Temple.
"At this point in time, taxation of hyperspace trade routes had engulfed the Republic." Her friend explains the backstory behind it. "This outraged the greedy Trade Federation and they cut off all trade from Naboo in the Mid Rim with a blockade of ships as a boycott. From what master Shan could learn as best he could before he died, Naboo was a Republic world occupied by the Federation's battle droids. The situation got worse after negotiations from the Jedi failed and the queen was forced to leave Coruscant in order to plead her case with the Senate. However, the Supreme Chancellor at the time known as Valorum, had very little power and influence to resolve this due to corrupted politicians - running the Republic - having more power than him. Not wanting her people to suffer and die by the hands of the Federation and their droids, the queen suggests that new leadership was needed."
"Hence why the queen's anxious to return home to resolve the situation without the Republic's help." The girl concludes.
"Exactly." He nods in agreement.
...
Soon after, the Jedi are back on the floating landing platform where the queen's ship. While they wait for Amidala and her Naboo escorts, Obi-Wan gets into an argument with Qui-Gon.
"It's not disrespect, Master. It's the truth." Obi-Wan reasons with his master to no avail.
"From your point of view." Qui-Gon bluntly says.
"The boy is dangerous. They all sense it, why can't you?" The Padawan argues back.
"His fate is uncertain. He's not dangerous." The tall Jedi Master calmly points out. "The council will decide Anakin's future. That should be enough for you. Now get on board."
The Padawan in disbelief from his master's words walks away from him and boards the ship.
"So naive." Theron shakes his head at Obi-Wan's pointless argument. "Never judge a book by its cover."
"Anakin's just a kid. There's nothing dangerous about him at all from what I sensed." Saten shrugs.
"The Sith shrine beneath the temple is clouding their sense of vision. The council may have the Force, but they have rocks for brains."
After the short argument, Qui-Gon turns to Anakin who has overheard them arguing and was very nervous.
"Qui-Gon, sir? I don't want to be a problem." Anakin says, nervous about his future.
"You won't be, Ani." Qui-Gon assures him as he crouches in front of the boy and comforts him. "I'm not allowed to train you, so I want you to watch me and be mindful. Always remember, your focus determines your reality. Stay close to me, and you'll be safe."
"Master, sir? I heard Yoda talking about midi-chlorians. I've been wondering, what are midi-chlorians?"
"That's right!" Saten perks up with excitement. "What are they, Theron?"
"Shh." He shushes her. "Qui-Gon's explaining. And honestly, he can explain the concept of it better than I can."
Qui-Gon smiles at the boy's curiosity and begins explaining.
"Midi-chlorians are a microscopic life-form that resides in all living cells."
"They live inside me?" Anakin further asks.
"Inside your cells, yes." The tall Jedi Master nods in confirmation. "And we are symbionts with them."
"Symbionts?"
"Lifeforms living together for mutual advantage. Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. It continually speak to us, telling us the Will of the Force. When you learn to quiet your mind, you'll hear them speaking to you."
"I don't understand." Anakin says, confused about that last part Qui-Gon just explained to him.
"With time and training Ani, you will." Qui-Gon reassures him with a smile and stands back up as the Naboo queen and her escorts arrived. "You will."
"Is that how we can use the Force, Theron?" Saten beams in awe. "That's amazing!"
"It truly is, Saten." He smiles in agreement.
"Can anyone use the Force?"
"No. It depends on having a mid-chlorian count of 10,000 or higher. Anakin's is over 20,000, making him the most powerful Jedi of this era, rivaling some of the greatest Force users from the Old Republic era that pre-dates the Galactic Republic. His power rivals my master's bloodline in almost every way, including Revan."
"Wow." She says, mind blown by all this new info about the Force and Jedi. "Wait, who's Revan?"
Theron simply chuckles at her curiosity.
"Now that would be telling." He cryptically answers.
"Aww." Saten cutely pouts and puffs her cheeks. "You're always cryptic and secretive, Theron."
"Don't worry. I'll tell you when the time's right." He assures him before asking her another question. "By the way, how are you able to understand English entirely?"
"Extra classes." She shrugs. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you can speak it, that's all."
"Like this?" Saten asks in perfect English with no Japanese accent.
Theron is blown away by how attractive and mature her voice is. She sounds and looks like a high schooler.
"You have... a really beautiful English voice." He compliments, flustering the girl.
"Oh! Uh, thank you. That's really kind of you to say that to me." She blushes red on her cheeks.
"Your majesty, it is our pleasure to continue to serve and protect you." Qui-Gon says to assure the queen.
"I welcome your help." Amidala welcomes the Jedi and his Padawan that's already on board. "Senator Palpatine fears that the Federation means to destroy me."
"I assure you, I will not allow that to happen." The tall Jedi Master swore as they all board the ship.
Theron scoffs at this, to which Saten catches this.
"What is it?" The girl asks in her English voice.
"That man, Palpatine, is a snake." The boy frowns in pure hatred with his English voice. "He has no regard in caring for his queen and people. Only himself. In my time, he's the Emperor of the Galactic Empire and is the mastermind behind the war, as well as the purge that nearly wiped all of the Jedi out."
"You mean that man with the kind looking face he has from earlier?! That's the Emperor?!" Saten asks before realizing with an uncomfortable expression. "Now that you mention it, there's something about that old man that makes me really uncomfortable. It's as if he's a creep."
"Very." He nods.
"Okay." She shivers in fear. "Totally a huge creep."
"Weesa going home!" Jar Jar exclaims in happiness as he boards the ship.
"Come on, Artoo!" Anakin says, earning a few happy beeps from him and being the last two to board the ship.
"Let's go see what happens, Theron!" Saten says with an exciting grin. "And if you want to protect me from getting into trouble, you'll just have to come along."
"Right behind you, Saten." Theron grins, thinking the same thing of going on an adventure but with the girl this time.
The two then board the queen's ship before the boarding ramp closes up and the ship takes off. A few moments later, the ship leaves Coruscant's orbit and jumps into hyperspace, making the voyage back to Naboo.
To be continued...