Chapter 2 - Qui-Gon's News

Yoda sat in his chair in the Council Chambers. Making a semicircle around the room sat the rest of the council. In the center stood the Master Qui-gon Jinn, and behind him, mast- no Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Yoda made a mental note to remember the man's old rank.

Meanwhile Qui-Gon was finishing his report. "...My only conclusion can be that it was a Sith Lord."

Beside him Yoda could feel Mace Windu's blood pressure rise. Yoda knew the man was still hoping it was all a clever prank.

Around the room the councilors whispered "Sith Lord?" Some were fearful, others disbelieving.

"Impossible! The Sith have been extinct for a millennium," said Ki-Adi-Mundi.

For them all, Sith were an ancient legend. They were used in stories told to keep younglings in the Creches at night.

Yoda took a deep breath before the anxiety sunk in deeper. They needed to focus now, he knew. "The very Republic is threatened, if involved the Sith are."

Depa Billaba looked over to her speechless former Master. When Mace didn't speak she voiced her defense. "But would the Sith have returned without us knowing?"

"Hard to see, the dark side is," Yoda answered. "Discover who this assassin is, we must."

"I sense he will reveal himself again," Ki-Adi said again, right on cue.

This conversation was going with very few changes to what happened before, Yoda knew. He would encourage his fellow councilors to different strategies, but that would take time. For now he applauded his abilities to keep things consistent.

"I agree," Mace spoke up at last. "The Queen is likely his target. We shall take the duty of protecting her. You will have backup when you take the Queen back to Naboo."

Yoda gave Mace a warning glare before he could reveal they knew too much. The Queen was still appealing to the Senate to intervene, and hadn't decided to return home yet, if the timeline was as Yoda remembered.

"Eventually she will be returning there, we presume." Mace corrected.

Yoda nodded, "With this Naboo Queen you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her. May the Force be with you."

Yoda watched as Obi-Wan turned to leave, while his Master stood there hesitating.

"Master Qui-Gon, more to say, have you?" Yoda asked as he tried to keep from smiling.

"With your permission, my Master. I have encountered a Vergence in the Force," Qui-Gon began.

"A Vergence, you say?" Yoda prompted.

"Located around a person?" This time Mace didn't have to use the Force to read the Master.

"A boy… His cells have the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have seen in a lifeform. It is possible he was conceived by the midi-chlorians.

"You're referring to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force… You believe it's this boy?" Mace summarized for the others in the room. He and Yoda had discussed this part in great detail earlier.

"I don't presume…" Qui-Gon started.

"But you do… Revealed your opinion is," Yoda interpreted.

"I request the boy be tested," Qui-Gon stated.

Yoda allowed a moment for his fellow council members to all nod in agreement.

"Trained as a Jedi, you request for him?" Yoda asked for clarity.

Qui-Gon took a moment to form his reply, then stated confidently, "Finding him was the will of the Force, I have no doubt of that. There is too much happening here…"

"Bring him before us then…" Mace ordered.

"Tested he will be." Yoda confirmed.

After Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left, the council recessed. Yoda was tempted to order a ban on the archives for a day, so they could all rest after learning such drastic news, but Mace advised against it.

"It's natural for us to order the research. Whether or not they find anything, impeding it will only increase their anxiety," he stated.

"Very well," Yoda sighed. "Join them, will you?"

"Uh, Yes. I wanted to gather our references on the prophecy to review later. And some of our oldest records on the Sith may help us understand our enemy. I can at least ask Nu that the books be gathered. Perhaps they should all be placed in the restricted section…"

"Trust you to do what is right, I do." Yoda resigned.

"Thank you, Master," Mace said.

The beginning of Young Anakin's testing went as it had before.

"A ship… A cup… A speeder." As the boy used the Force to read the items on a viewing screen, Mace Windu allowed his shields to drop slightly, and a proud feeling to shed off him.

The boy then smiled at them. This change was not provoked by Yoda and surprised even him. He knew giving Mace answers would help him become less cynical.

"Good, good, young one. How feel you?" Yoda asked.

"Cold, sir," the boy answered as a little shiver took hold of him.

"Afraid, are you?" Yoda asked, because he knew if he didn't his fellow council members would.

"No, sir," Anakin answered.

"Afraid to give up your life?" Mace asked next.

"...I don't think so…" Anakin hesitated with his answer.

"See through you, we can." Yoda warned.

"Be mindful of your feelings," Mace lectured. This introspection was an important part of the process, as being a Jedi was about more than simple knowledge. It could not be avoided, despite how uncomfortable they both knew the process would be. "Being a Jedi requires one to risk their life for the sake of innocents. It's important we know where your fears are."

"Your thoughts dwell on your mother," Ki-Adi read.

"I miss her," Anakin stated.

"A slave still, is she?" Yoda turned the conversation. He remembered in the original timeline, no one had mentioned the boy being a former slave, to the council. It was only later on, after reviewing Qui-Gon's written mission logs, that the connection between the boy from Tatooine and the Slaves that helped them off Tatooine was drawn. And that the Hutts were using explosive Chips to keep their slaves in line was noted in the margins. Yoda still remembered the white look of shock on Obi-Wan's face as the entire council ran into his chambers in a mad dash and dragged his brand new padawan off to the Healers to get his slave chip removed.

"She's a person!" Anakin stated defiantly.

"Of course she is." Depa said.

"If his mother is enslaved…" Even Piell started, horror in his eyes.

"Real danger, she is in." Yoda completed. Even nodded in agreement.

"Her freedom… Can it be bought?" Depa suggested.

Yoda took a moment to read the room. He was about to nod an affirmation to the suggestion, when he was interrupted.

"No, that would not be a good idea," Even said, looking down. "If we buy a slave, even with good intentions, we'd be promoting the vial institution. Their old Master will just buy a new slave, or worse, two. No…" Even trailed off, his eyes still down deep in thought.

"But we can't just leave her there. She's a Person, like the boy said." Depa demanded. Anakin just stood there amongst them. His anxious eyes followed their discussion.

"Tatooine is officially a Hutt Territory, not a represented world in the Republic." Even stated. "Last records gathered indicated, even with the slaves counted, the total population is not enough to rectify it's status. But, if the native population would agree to be counted, it would more than pass the bar."

"Native population?" Mace asked.

"The Tusken peoples," Even Clarified.

"Tusken Raiders!" Anakin exclaimed. "You don't want to go near the Tusken Raiders. The elders say they'll skin you alive." He gulped.

"I am willing to risk it, if there is a chance I could negotiate their peaceful inclusion in our republic." Even stated.

Anakin shared a look with Mace that said, 'Is this guy nuts?'

"And get Tatooine to obey the republic's bans on Slavery," Even continued.

Anakin's eyes returned to a look of contemplation. "So, does that mean my mother will be free?"

"Yes, it means all of Tatooine will be free," Even promised.

Anakin's eyes became excited again. "Oh Wizard! Thank you, sir."

"My duty as a Jedi." Even nodded to Anakin.

"The mission is a long shot at best. We'd still have to discuss how to explain it to the Senate." Oppo Rancisis stated.

"Plan this later, we shall," Yoda stated. Before he could dismiss Anakin, he was interrupted again.

"But this solves nothing. You're still anxious to lose your mother." Oppo objected.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Anakin objected.

"It has everything to do with it." Oppo answered.

"Fear Leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, and Hate leads to suffering," Yoda lectured, because, why not.

"I have felt similarly to this boy, leaving a casual acquaintance in Slavery. If she is in real, actual danger, fear is expected." Even argued, before the boy could argue that he wasn't afraid.

"As he said. If we visit this issue after we ensure his mother's safety, I'm sure we'll find that it's resolved itself." Depa tagged along.

"He's too old!" Oppo stated.

"Argue this here, we shall not." Yoda scolded his counterpart. He then turned back to Anakin. "Join Master Qui-Gon in the halls, you may."

"Thank you, sir." Anakin ran off through the large doors to their chambers.

Obi-Wan just had to shake his head at his Master sometimes. He supposed he did have a lot to learn, that much was true, but to disobey the council so blatantly! Nothing he imagined he could learn would make him want to turn his back on the very thing that gave the Jedi their purpose. The code was the very foundation to the Jedi life, and the council supported and enforced the code. Still, he shook his head, at least his Master was consistent, if nothing else.

They heard the creak of the doors opening and both turned to see youngling Anakin run out towards them. "Hey, I did as you said, Master."

"And, how did it go?" Qui-Gon looked as excited as the boy.

"Very good! They're going to free my mother!" Anakin answered.

"But what about your training? Did they say anything about your training?" Qui-Gon pressed.

"No… I don't think so. Did I mess up? Was I supposed to ask about training?" the youngling became anxious.

This was a shipwreck waiting to happen. Obi-Wan stepped up and put his hands on Anakin's shoulders. "No. no. You did everything we asked. They offered to buy your mother at least. That was generous of them." He eyed Qui-Gon as he said this.

"Yes, yes it was," his Master breathed.

"Oh, but they said they can't buy my mother… Something about supporting an insty - instat - institute."

"Institution," Obi-Wan filled in.

"Yeah, so they can't buy her. Instead one of them offered to…" Anakin lowered his voice to a whisper, "To go to the Tusken Raiders." He raised his voice back to normal levels, "I think he needs to count them. I don't understand it, but it means my mom will be free!"

"Can we discuss it now, Masters?" Oppo asked in a condescending tone.

"I myself was four when I was selected. It would be hypocritical of me to vote against the lad," Eeth Koth shared, as Yoda knew he would.

"But would he be able to keep up with his crechemates?" Ki-Adi questioned.

"He seems like a bright boy, I'm sure he'll be able to make up for lost time," Mace added. "Especially if we put our time into tutoring him."

"Very true, Master Windu," Ki-Adi conceded.

"Wait! If we're giving all this attention to the boy, how is this fair to the others," Oppo objected.

"He's the Chosen one!" Mace argued back. The conversation was getting heated, and they both would need extra meditations today to restore their balance.

"Argue this all night we can, and reach a decision we will not. Discuss this later, we will. After the Sith is dealt with," Yoda interceded. The way most Jedi Council meetings operated, they would debate an issue until a unanimous decision was reached, or in the case of emergencies, either Yoda or Mace called for a vote. In an extreme case both he and Mace had veto power over the council too.

That's what Yoda did, in the previous timeline, when he approved Obi-Wan taking Anakin as a Padawan. The man was threatening to leave the order to follow his dead Master's dying wish. It didn't do the boy any favors, though. There was always a divide between him and the council afterwards. 'Not this time,' he thought.

Yoda sighed. "More we have to discuss, there is."

The council doors opened again and Master Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and young Anakin walked in.

"Padawan Kenobi…" Yoda started.

Qui-Gon was shocked. He turned to eye his Padawan.

"Yes, Masters." Obi-Wan bowed. He shook his head to say that he didn't have any idea what this was about either.

"Great learning, you have shown. Prepared for the trials, are you?" Yoda asked.

"Trials! Yes Master." Obi-Wan became excited, but returned to the stoic look as quickly as he could.

Beside him Anakin smiled, clearly able to sense how proud Obi-Wan felt.

"If no objections, your master has?" Yoda asked.

"Oh, uh… Well, he's headstrong… and he has much to learn of the living force, but he is capable. There is little more he will learn from me," Qui-Gon stuttered.

"Schedule Kenobi's Trials when your mission is finished, we shall," Yoda sighed, glad he'd gotten that out of the way. Given they were still undecided on the boy's training, there was a chance Qui-Gon would make the same ultimate offer/threat, and he didn't want that resting on Kenobi's shoulders as it had before.

"And… What about Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked with an impatience rarely seen in that council chamber.

"Correct you were, Qui-Gon," Yoda answered.

"His cells contain a high concentration of midi-chlorians." Mace summarized.

"The Force is strong with him." Ki-Adi added.

"He is to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon inferred.

"Undecided, we are." Yoda answered.

As he said this, Mace winked at the boy. Thus Anakin did not react with tears to this news. He listened quietly at the Jedi Master's side.

"What?" Qui-Gon was floored.

"Discuss this more, we need to. Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later." Yoda added.

"But what more is there to discuss? He is the chosen one… You must see it!" Qui-Gon raged.

"The boy is angry and fearful. And he is much too old." Oppo was left to fill the silence.

"I will train him, then. I take Anakin as my Padawan learner," Qui-Gon offered.

Yoda nearly rolled his eyes. "Once Knighted, your padawan is. Discuss this, we shall."

Obi-Wan did roll his eyes. He smiled as his Master was made to obey the council's will.

"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." Mace Windu summarized their latest news reports.

"And draw out the Sith attacker." Yoda added.

"Events are moving fast… Too fast." Ki-Adi stated.

"We are sending you, along with Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon, Depa Billaba, and Yarael Poof. You will travel with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of the dark warrior. That is the clue we need to unravel the mystery of the Sith," said Mace.

Qui-Gon nodded. He had no more fight left in him to object to the council members coming along on his mission. "I brought Anakin here; he must stay in my charge. He has nowhere else to go."

Mace looked up at Qui-Gon with an annoyed expression on his face. "We can youngling sit, you know?"

No one noticed the boy standing there with a worried look on his face.

Yoda nodded his approval. When he told Mace the story of the original timeline. one of the things that bothered Mace so much was Yoda's explanation for why Anakin had been brought to Naboo.

"Trust Qui-Gon to do it. He'll Bring a nine year old boy onto a battlefield! Was he trying to get banned from padawanship?" Mace had ranted.

"A difference the youngling made in the war. Agrees with him going, the force does." Yoda had argued.

"Oh fine. I'll send Plo. He's a decent pilot. But I'm not letting them drag a youngling into danger." Mace had conceded.

After their meeting, the council members they selected went off to pack, and prepare for the trip. Depa had just returned to the halls outside the chambers.

"Assist the Naboo, you may. Divide forces, you may. But the Sith alone, do not let Qui-Gon confront." Yoda was sure he couldn't control all variables, but he wanted to do his best to invoke change to the timeline in one, maybe two key ways.

"Yes Master. Where is Anakin?" Depa asked. "I want to say goodbye. Is that boy still helping the Queen's men prepare their ship for travel?"

"Yes, yes he is," Yoda answered.

"How helpful. I do hope we can agree to train him. I don't know why you or Mace haven't declared it with the majority vote already in his favor."

"Wish to divide the council, we do not. One more thing for you to remember, there is." As the two walked back into the council chambers, Yoda spoke to her. "Capture the Darksider if you can, but if him, you must kill…" as he finished the statement, he lowered his voice to a whisper.

Across the room, Mace sat with Oppo, finishing a conversation of their own.

"Then I renounce my objections to the boy's training," Oppo declared.

Mace Windu bowed. "Thank you for listening, Master Rancisis."

Oppo bowed in response.

"May the force be with you." Yoda nodded in salutation to Depa, then went over to join Mace. "Told him, did you?"

"Uh, yeah. Not everything, but the core details. I told him you had a detailed vision of the future, that the Sith threat is real, and that the boy's training is key. I saw no other options but to continue to argue like a bunch of younglings," Mace said.

"And agreed, he has?"

"Yes, he just had one requirement."

Yoda nodded for him to continue.

"That Master Qui-Gon does not train the boy."

Yoda's face resembled that of a youngling told no. "Fine! Your suggestion, we will use."

Mace smiled. "This will work out. You'll see." He then ran out of the chambers, leaving the Grandmaster to pout.

Obi-Wan stood behind his Master as he said goodbye to the boy.

"Anakin, you're going to stay here with the Jedi. No, don't look down. You will be safe here. Pay attention to what they tell you. When I get back, you have my word that I will train you."

"I heard them talking. Is Naboo dangerous? They seemed to think the scary Zabrak will be attacking the Queen and her people there," Anakin asked.

"Yes, and that's why we need to go. He won't be coming here, though. The temple is a safe place."

To Obi-Wan's eyes, the boy didn't look more comforted by his master's words, but Anakin did take the initiative to follow Master Windu into the temple.

"Come Anakin. It's getting late, but if you're not ready to sleep, I can give you a little tour of the Temple, and see what the Refectory has for a late night snack," offered Mace.

Anakin didn't really respond to him with more than a groan.

"Or I can find you a place to sleep. I'll give you the full tour in the morning," Mace revised. "There might be a lightsaber duel we can watch then too." He poked Anakin and he did smile in response.

As They stood there watching the boy disappear into the Temple, Obi-Wan started to stare at his Master.

Qui-Gon turned suddenly. "What?"

"The boy is dangerous. They all sense it. Why can't you?" Call it headstrong, but Obi-Wan had to give a voice to his thoughts.

"His fate is uncertain, not dangerous. The council will decide Anakin's future...that should be enough for you. Now let's go board," Qui-Gon said without realizing the amount of wisdom behind his words.

The two walked out to the Temple hangar and bowed in greeting to the other Jedi Masters who were preparing to board with them.

As they discussed the upcoming mission strategy with the Masters, no one noticed the lone figure which slipped out of the Temple and crept to the cargo loading doors under the ship.

Hello All,

I used The Phantom Menace movie transcripts online to write much of this. Some of the lines come directly from there. Credit where it's due.

I also got the idea that Qui-Gon didn't psychically communicate Anakin's former Slave status before his death from several other fanfics out there. I can't remember them or I'd suggest you read them too. Most of them have Anakin going years with the chip still in him. In this I decided to cut it short by assuming the Jedi Master kept a mission journal or some sort of paperwork.

And here is the version of Anakin's testing with the Jedi Council that does not leave me wanting to report child maltreatment. Though, to be fair they all had just heard life shattering news. I don't think it's acknowledged just how big the news that the Sith were back actually was for the Jedi.

And yes, Yoda's initial plan was to allow Qui-Gon to mentor Anakin, assuming he survives, that is. Presumably they both got to know each other as Force Ghosts. But unfortunately for him Master Windu has another idea. You'll have to wait to find out who. I will be explaining why when I do this.

Next chapter will be of the mission, and we'll be leaving the Yoda Pov for this. I don't know how many chapters this will be, I may have to summary skip sections of the movie with few changes.