CHAPTER 3: MASTERS AND MISSIONS
"The Force is strong with him." Ki Adi Mundi confessed, despite the fact he knew saying this would only fuel Qui-Gon's frustration at their decision. "He is to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon said with hope and surprise in his voice. "No. he will not be trained." Mace Windu said flatly. "No!?" Qui-Gon blurted out, trying to contain his anger. "He is the chosen one. you must see it."
"He is too old." Mace said, not changing his almost smug, yet subtle tone. "Masters." Xanatos began to plead his case. He seemed to have picked up his former Master's habit of not knowing when to keep his mouth shut. "I took the boy's counts myself... You'd be foolish not to let Qui-Gon train him." "When want your opinion, we do, ask for it we will, Xanatos." Yoda declared. And with those few words, Xanatos seemed to be put back in his place. "Danger I fear in this boys training." Yoda added.
"You fear danger in my training him! Is that it?" Qui-Gon himself could hardly believe his own outburst. "Make this personal, you should not Qui-Gon." Yoda advised with a rare sternness in his voice. "Trust you we do. About your abilities we are not discussing." "I'm sorry." Qui-Gon said with a renewed calmness in his voice. "I've been looking for a new padawan, and I see no reason why it should not be Anakin."
Mace looked at the boy whom they were talking so much of. He stood a few inches in front of Qui-Gon who seemed to tower in front of him. Anakin's eyes were wide and Mace could sense an unease in him. "Now is not the time for this. The Senate is electing a new Chancellor and Queen Amidala is returning home." Mace said, changing the subject to try and avoid another heated discussion in front of the boy. "Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later." Yoda added, picking up on Mace's motive.
"Qui-Gon, you will escort the Queen back to her home planet." Mace said as if it were a command rather than a request. "Somehow, I get the feeling we will be hard pressed to keep you from joining him again, Xanatos." Ki Adi Mundi added with a sigh. "I started this mission, and I'm going to finish it." Xanatos said with a youthful, determination. "Very well, then may the Force be with you." Mace said with a sigh as if he was glad to be done talking to them. The three gave a respectful bow and exited the council room.
Darth Maul headed down the main corridor of the Sith Temple. He was heading toward the living quarters. He knocked on one of the various, unmarked doors. Moments later, a man with grayish-white hair and a neatly- trimmed beard of the same color answered.
"What news from the Master, Lord Maul?" The man asked. "There is a Jedi master known as Sypho-Dias." Maul began to explain. "Yes, I know him. He and I had training classes together long ago. What of him?" The man interrupted. "Kill him." Maul said simply.
"And what of the body? How shall I dispose of it?" The graying gentleman asked. "When you have finished the job, bring the body to me on Naboo. We will figure out what to do with his body, along with the other Jedi bodies I will have collected, at that time." Maul said with a bit of delight at the thought of slaughtered Jedi.
"It will be done." The man responded. "Your loyalty will be rewarded Dooku." Maul said with pride in his eyes. Dooku simply nodded and shut the door.
Maul then headed down the hall, toward the hanger to get into his ship. A few meters from the door to the hanger, he felt a warning from the Darkside: someone was following him. He kept up his pace hoping to entice whomever it was to keep following. Quickly he turned, expecting to see his assailant. Instead he saw an empty hallway.
Perhaps the Darkside of the Force was merely warning him of something yet to come. Perhaps it was just his imagination. Or perhaps, for the first time in his life, someone was one step ahead of him.
Out on a landing platform, somewhere on Coorascant, everyone seemed so busy. So much was swimming through Anakin's head that he hardly even noticed them, nor the incredible sights of the big city. Nor had he heard anything the Queen had said to Qui-Gon other than: "We welcome your help, Master Jedi," which she said to him before turning to board the ship.
"Master, I don't want to be a problem." Anakin blurted out. His Mother always told him to talk about what bothered him. "Too late." Xanatos said with a chuckle. In response, Qui-Gon shot him a look which instantly wiped the smile form his face. "Sorry." Xanatos said in a serious tone and then the Jedi Knight headed for the ship as well.
"You won't be Ani." Qui-Gon told him. "Always remember: your focus determines your reality."
Anakin wasn't quite sure what that meant, yet somehow it made him feel better. He watched as the Jedi Master headed for the ship. He wasn't sure how Qui-Gon had done it, but he made Anakin feel like he belonged. A smile broke over his face as he noticed Qui-Gon motioning to him to follow. Anakin had never had a father. He wasn't sure what it was like to have one, but he imagined it was a lot like this.
"The Force is strong with him." Ki Adi Mundi confessed, despite the fact he knew saying this would only fuel Qui-Gon's frustration at their decision. "He is to be trained, then?" Qui-Gon said with hope and surprise in his voice. "No. he will not be trained." Mace Windu said flatly. "No!?" Qui-Gon blurted out, trying to contain his anger. "He is the chosen one. you must see it."
"He is too old." Mace said, not changing his almost smug, yet subtle tone. "Masters." Xanatos began to plead his case. He seemed to have picked up his former Master's habit of not knowing when to keep his mouth shut. "I took the boy's counts myself... You'd be foolish not to let Qui-Gon train him." "When want your opinion, we do, ask for it we will, Xanatos." Yoda declared. And with those few words, Xanatos seemed to be put back in his place. "Danger I fear in this boys training." Yoda added.
"You fear danger in my training him! Is that it?" Qui-Gon himself could hardly believe his own outburst. "Make this personal, you should not Qui-Gon." Yoda advised with a rare sternness in his voice. "Trust you we do. About your abilities we are not discussing." "I'm sorry." Qui-Gon said with a renewed calmness in his voice. "I've been looking for a new padawan, and I see no reason why it should not be Anakin."
Mace looked at the boy whom they were talking so much of. He stood a few inches in front of Qui-Gon who seemed to tower in front of him. Anakin's eyes were wide and Mace could sense an unease in him. "Now is not the time for this. The Senate is electing a new Chancellor and Queen Amidala is returning home." Mace said, changing the subject to try and avoid another heated discussion in front of the boy. "Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later." Yoda added, picking up on Mace's motive.
"Qui-Gon, you will escort the Queen back to her home planet." Mace said as if it were a command rather than a request. "Somehow, I get the feeling we will be hard pressed to keep you from joining him again, Xanatos." Ki Adi Mundi added with a sigh. "I started this mission, and I'm going to finish it." Xanatos said with a youthful, determination. "Very well, then may the Force be with you." Mace said with a sigh as if he was glad to be done talking to them. The three gave a respectful bow and exited the council room.
Darth Maul headed down the main corridor of the Sith Temple. He was heading toward the living quarters. He knocked on one of the various, unmarked doors. Moments later, a man with grayish-white hair and a neatly- trimmed beard of the same color answered.
"What news from the Master, Lord Maul?" The man asked. "There is a Jedi master known as Sypho-Dias." Maul began to explain. "Yes, I know him. He and I had training classes together long ago. What of him?" The man interrupted. "Kill him." Maul said simply.
"And what of the body? How shall I dispose of it?" The graying gentleman asked. "When you have finished the job, bring the body to me on Naboo. We will figure out what to do with his body, along with the other Jedi bodies I will have collected, at that time." Maul said with a bit of delight at the thought of slaughtered Jedi.
"It will be done." The man responded. "Your loyalty will be rewarded Dooku." Maul said with pride in his eyes. Dooku simply nodded and shut the door.
Maul then headed down the hall, toward the hanger to get into his ship. A few meters from the door to the hanger, he felt a warning from the Darkside: someone was following him. He kept up his pace hoping to entice whomever it was to keep following. Quickly he turned, expecting to see his assailant. Instead he saw an empty hallway.
Perhaps the Darkside of the Force was merely warning him of something yet to come. Perhaps it was just his imagination. Or perhaps, for the first time in his life, someone was one step ahead of him.
Out on a landing platform, somewhere on Coorascant, everyone seemed so busy. So much was swimming through Anakin's head that he hardly even noticed them, nor the incredible sights of the big city. Nor had he heard anything the Queen had said to Qui-Gon other than: "We welcome your help, Master Jedi," which she said to him before turning to board the ship.
"Master, I don't want to be a problem." Anakin blurted out. His Mother always told him to talk about what bothered him. "Too late." Xanatos said with a chuckle. In response, Qui-Gon shot him a look which instantly wiped the smile form his face. "Sorry." Xanatos said in a serious tone and then the Jedi Knight headed for the ship as well.
"You won't be Ani." Qui-Gon told him. "Always remember: your focus determines your reality."
Anakin wasn't quite sure what that meant, yet somehow it made him feel better. He watched as the Jedi Master headed for the ship. He wasn't sure how Qui-Gon had done it, but he made Anakin feel like he belonged. A smile broke over his face as he noticed Qui-Gon motioning to him to follow. Anakin had never had a father. He wasn't sure what it was like to have one, but he imagined it was a lot like this.