Chapter 10 - The Jedi Council

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. We only own Aniya Skywalker and Jaufre (pronounced Jaw-Free) Naberrie. =)

Aniya Skywalker

I'm both excited and worried as we walk through the halls of the Jedi Temple. It's the most magnificent building I've ever seen, far more beautiful than anything I could have imagined. The ceilings tower far above us, and the halls are filled with endless doorways, large pillars supporting the upper floors. The sight is breathtaking, and I find it hard to make myself keep walking instead of stopping to stare at our surroundings.

Qui-Gon seems certain that the Council – essentially the leaders of the Jedi – will agree for us to be trained, but he did warn us there's a chance they may decide against it. I just hope they agree, because if not, leaving our mother will have been for nothing. They will, though, right? There's no reason to refuse.

Finally, we come to a stop in front of the Council room. "We're here," Qui-Gon states, "You'll go first, Anakin. Just remember to stay calm."

"We'll be right out here waiting," I assure him, trying to hide my anxiety. I'm far more nervous than I care to admit, but I'm trying to put on an outwards show of collectedness. Somehow, I get the feeling the Council would not like if I was on the verge of panicking. I have nothing to worry about, but this is a totally new place, and I have no idea what it's like. I have the fear that I'll do something incredibly stupid in true-Aniya fashion, and they'll decide not to train me.

The doors slide open and I watch as Anakin steps inside. They close behind him again, and I stand there, watching them for a minute before turning away. "How long does it take?" I ask finally. I want this to be over with, so I'll have a definite answer about our future.

"Not long, usually," Qui-Gon replies, walking over to one of the nearby windows. Obi-Wan joins him. The sun slowly sinks over the horizon, casting a beautiful golden-orange glow across the never-ending city.

After what feels like forever, the door opens and Anakin darts out. "What's the 'Dark Side?'" It's the first thing out of his mouth.

"It's the side of the Force that relies on dark emotions like anger and hatred," explains Qui-Gon, "The Jedi are only supposed use the Light Side of the Force."

I'm confused as to what they're talking about, but before I can start asking a million questions, Obi-Wan interrupts. "I believe it's time for you to be tested, Aniya."

Oh, right. That. My gaze darts to my brother. "Don't worry. Just try to stay calm, and you'll be fine," he assures me as I slowly walk into the room. I don't really know what to expect. As I step through I doorway, I see twelve figures seated in a semi-circle around the room. Only one is human; all the others are strange species that I hardly recognize.

"I am Master Mace Windu," begins the dark-skinned human, "You are aware you are older than the usual age of younglings, correct?" His brown eyes stare at me coldly.

"Yes," I answer nervously. I hope that won't be too much of a problem. Why would it though?

"Master Yoda, I am," the little green being speaks next, "Your name, what is?"

"Aniya Skywalker," I reply.

"And you're from Tatooine?" Windu asks in an overly cold tone.

"Yes," I confirm, trying not to let his emotionless stare unnerve me.

"We will test you to determine if you qualify for training," Windu continues, "Use the Force to tell us what appears on this viewscreen." He holds out a viewing screen and an image flashes across it.

I reach out mentally, trying to keep track of all sensations I'm getting. There's so many pouring in from all over, but I try to hold onto the one coming from the screen. "A ship."

Another picture flashes across the screen, and I pause for the briefest moment, trying to figure out what it is I sense. It feels like something stupidly obvious, which is probably why I don't place it immediately. "A cup."

The image changes again. "A speeder," I state quickly.

Windu turns off the screen, looking over at Yoda. "Good, good, young one," he says, confirming that I've successfully passed this test. "How feel you? Afraid, are you?" he queries, his ears twitching as he studies me.

"No, sir." Afraid, no. Nervous, yes. I feel completely alone in my new life. My – our – futures depend on this decision. I wish Mom was here. It's a completely different place, and we're here, all alone. I don't know what kind of place this is, I don't know how to act. If she was here, she could help us, and part of me is afraid that we'll never see her again. We've never been in a situation without her, and I feel so alone. I miss her terribly. I can only take comfort in the fact that Qui-Gon is here. For how long? No, I can't dwell on those thoughts right now.

"See through you, we can," Master Yoda says not unkindly, his yellow-green eyes fixed on me.

"Your thoughts dwell on your mother," observes the tall-headed one sitting to Yoda's right.

"I miss her," I admit quietly, lowering my gaze. I don't want to talk about this. It wasn't easy to give her up, and I'd prefer not to think about it. I wish Anakin – or just someone – was in here with me. Our futures are on the line here, and if I do something stupid – no, I can't think like that.

"Afraid to lose her, I think," Yoda states, "But sense fear of something else I do as well." Of course. My nightmare. He's talking about my nightmare. I take a slow, steady breath, trying to calm myself, repeating my brother's words. Just try to stay calm.

"The day before we left Tatooine, I had nightmare," I tell them after a pause, "And I'm worried it might happen because that's happened before."

"Hm. Always in motion, the future is," Yoda states.

"Be mindful of your feelings," warns Windu.

"Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering," warns Yoda. I don't fully understand the phrase, but I assume he must have said something similar to Anakin, which is why he asked Qui-Gon about the "Dark Side."

I glance between Yoda and Windu. A tense silence falls over the room for a long moment. It seems like their waiting for me to say something, but I don't know what. "I sense much fear in you," Yoda finally observes.

I take a deep breath, pausing to convince myself otherwise. Mom's gone now, and… we will see her again, even if it's not for a long time. Anakin felt it, and I trust his judgement far more than my own. He's here, and nothing will ever take us from each other. Qui-Gon will help us. He'll take care of us; we'll be fine. "I am not afraid," I insist quietly.

"Then continue, we will," Yoda decides at last.

"I understand you're quite close to your brother," Windu remarks suddenly.

Of course, we're close. We're twins. We've grown up, side by side, together since before we were born. We do everything together; it's how we survived our life of slavery. "Yes," I confirm hesitantly.

The council members share glances, almost as if they're conferring silently.

"Tell the others to return," Windu orders. I exit the room, hurrying out to rejoin the others. Anakin gives me a questioning look.

"We're all supposed to go in there," I inform them awkwardly.

"Correct you were, Qui-Gon." Yoda is the first to speak as the four of us stand in the circle at the center of the room. Correct about what?

"Their cells contain a high concentration of midi-chlorians," Windu adds. I really need to remember to ask Qui-Gon about those later.

"The Force is strong with them," continues the one on Yoda's right.

"They are to be trained then," Qui-Gon says. It's a statement, not a question. He's clearly certain of the answer.

There is a heartbeat of silence and I practically hold my breath waiting for the answer. "No. They will not be trained," Windu says finally, without even the slightest shred of sympathy in his voice. He's tone is just as cold as it has been this whole time.

For a second, I'm not sure I heard correctly. Was our lifelong dream really just denied? Shock gives way to denial and pain. Everything we've ever dreamed of and hoped for will never happen. And we left our mother for what? Nothing.

Tears fill my eyes as my heart shatters further. It's only through pride alone that I don't cry in front of them. I refuse to let myself cry in front of people I don't know, and certainly not the ones who just ruined what was left of my life.

"No?!" cries Qui-Gon, indignation filling his voice. Despite my overwhelming despair, I still feel a sense of gratitude that at least he cares. Anakin wordlessly takes my hand and squeezes it, refusing to let go. I cling to him for the strength and support that we both need right now.

"They are too old. There is already too much anger in them. And their attachment to each other is far too strong," Windu states bluntly. Why? I don't understand. This is all we've wanted for as long as I can remember. How can they refuse so calmly as if it means nothing? And how can they say we're not supposed to have an attachment to each other? We're twins! Of course, we're close to each other. It's unnatural to expect anything else.

"The boy is the Chosen One, and the girl's destiny is forever intertwined with his! You must see it," argues Qui-Gon. He obviously has no intention of backing down.

"Clouded, these children's futures are. Masked by their youth," interjects Yoda.

"I will train one of them, then," Qui-Gon decides, "Obi-Wan can train the other." A single shard of hope blooms inside of me. Maybe, just maybe there's still a chance we'll be able to become Jedi.

"An apprentice, you have, Qui-Gon. Impossible to take on a second," replies Yoda.

"We forbid it," Windu adds. "Besides, Obi-Wan is still a padawan."

"Obi-Wan is ready," Qui-Gon argues, completely unfazed.

"I am ready to face the trials," Obi-Wan concurs, certainty in his voice as he speaks up for the first time.

"Ready so early, are you?" Yoda replies, "What know you of ready?"

"He's headstrong. And he has much to learn about the Living Force, but he is capable. There is little more he will learn from me," Qui-Gon argues defiantly, "And he is ready to take on an apprentice. Many others have taken padawans at younger ages."

Obi-Wan sends an angry glance at Qui-Gon, which he returns. I don't understand exactly what Obi-Wan is upset about. Maybe I'll be able to take the time to think about it when I'm not feeling like my life was ripped away.

"Our own council we will keep on who is ready. More to learn he has," Yoda insists, obviously unwilling to further contemplate the suggestion.

"Now is not the time for this. The Senate is voting for a new Supreme Chancellor. Queen Amidala is returning home, which will put pressure on the Federation and could widen the confrontation," Windu informs us, completely changing the topic. It appears they intend to discuss our situation later. I can only hope that maybe they'll change their minds. Qui-Gon is determined to see us trained, so I'm certain he'll find a way to make it happen.

"And draw out the Queen's attacker," adds Yoda.

"Events are moving fast… too fast," comments the one sitting to his right. That I have to agree with. Two days ago, we were on Tatooine. It feels like a lifetime ago.

"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of the Dark Warrior," Windu commands, "That is the clue we need to unravel this mystery of the Sith." What are the Sith? I have so many questions. I'll probably never even recall them all. Well, if we're going with Qui-Gon – I hope we are – then I can ask him as I remember.

"The young Skywalkers' fates will be decided later," concludes Yoda.

"I brought Anakin and Aniya here. They must stay in my charge. They have nowhere else to go," Qui-Gon decides.

"They are your wards, Qui-Gon. We will not dispute that," responds Windu. At least that's one thing I have to be grateful for. I want to stay with him. He's the only other person we're close with, and I can't let go of him too. Not now, and preferably not ever.

"Train them not. Take them with you, but train them not!" orders Yoda.

"Protect the Queen, but do not intercede if it comes to war unless we have the Senate's approval." Windu finishes giving Qui-Gon his orders.

"May the Force be with you," Yoda finishes.

Feeling depressed, but still bearing a glimmer of hope, I follow Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as we walk out of the Council room. I find it oddly relieving to finally be out from there. I squeeze Anakin's hand in an attempt to calm us both.

The sun has completely set by this point, and darkness is slowly beginning to cover the planet. The buildings of the city are now mostly alight, and while they aren't bright enough to make it look like daytime, the planet is still incredibly bright. It's nothing like nights on Tatooine, which are completely dark. With all the light here, I wonder if it's even possible to see the sky covered with stars from one end to the other. Probably not.

I'm feeling very heavy right now, but we're going to Naboo, which means another planet we get to see. Plus, we'll probably be able to see Padme and Jaufre again. Suddenly, some of the heaviness lifts, and a tad of excitement runs through me.

Wind whips around as we stand together near the ramp to the ship, waiting for the Queen and her entourage to arrive. It's amazing to finally be able to feel the wind without the unwelcoming accompaniment of clouds of sand. If not for the situation, maybe I could actually enjoy it.

Neither of us have spoken since we left the Council room, as we try to cope with the downturn of events. My future seems bleak in comparison to what I'd hoped. We gave up everything we had for nothing. All we can do is trust that Qui-Gon will figure this out. He had faith in us that we could win the Pod Race, so I'm sure we can trust him to find a way to convince the Council to change their minds. If not, maybe he'll disobey and train us anyways.

"It is not disrespect, Master, it's the truth." Although Anakin and I are standing next to Artoo, Obi-Wan's frustrated voice is still drifting to us from his position next to Qui-Gon on the boarding ramp. For some reason, they've been acting hostile towards each other since the Council meeting. I expect it might be because Obi-Wan agrees with the Council. Or maybe he doesn't like that Qui-Gon decided to train one of us without even talking to Obi-Wan about it.

"From your point of view," Qui-Gon retorts. I still don't understand. Why doesn't Obi-Wan want us to be trained? Why?

"The twins are dangerous! They all sense it. Why can't you?" demands Obi-Wan. Sense what? What is it that we're missing? What does he mean we're 'dangerous'? We're just children!

"Their fate is uncertain, not dangerous. The Council will decide Anakin and Aniya's future. That should be enough for you. Now get on board!" Qui-Gon commands, obviously unwilling to entertain any further arguments.

For a moment, I think Obi-Wan's going to keep arguing, but he cuts himself off and stalks up the ramp, disappearing into the ship. I feel a tinge of guilt as I watch his disappearing form. He and his master appear to have been really close, but since my brother and I came here, the tension only seems to be mounting between them. I hate seeing people fighting. It's worse that we're the cause of it. Anakin hesitates for a second before slowly approaching Qui-Gon.

"Master Qui-Gon, sir, I do not wish to be a problem," he murmurs.

"You won't be, Ani," Qui-Gon assures us. I join Anakin where he's standing a few feet away from the Jedi, sensing that he's going to tell us something important. "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 will be safe."

Anakin hesitates a moment before asking, "I've been wondering… what are midi-chlorians?" Oh right, that. I'd been wondering ever since we first heard the word back on Tatooine.

"Midi-chlorians are a microscopic lifeform that reside within all living cells and communicate with the Force," he explains.

"They live inside us?" I query in confusion. This doesn't make sense.

"In your cells. We are symbionts with the midi-chlorians," he elaborates.

"Symbionts?" Anakin questions, as confused by the word as me.

"Life forms living together for mutual advantage. Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to you, telling you the will of the Force."

"They do?" we chorus, bemused. I know almost nothing about the Force, but from Qui-Gon's words, it seems far more complex – and confusing – than I'd imagined.

"When you learn to quiet your mind, you will hear them speaking to you," Qui-Gon tells us.

"I don't understand," Anakin mumbles. I feel the same. This is more than a little overwhelming.

"With time and training, Ani… you will," he assures us. He looks at us, including both of us in his words. I'm still confused, but I trust him.