Part Five: The Council Meets/Arnold's Decision

Our heroes arrive on the planet Courasant, capital of the Galactic Republic.

Looking out the forward window of the cockpit, Arnold stood in awe, no matter how many times he'd ever seen it.

The Planet Couresant was unique to most other worlds in the fact that it had no earthen surface . . . that had long ago been covered over with the technology that consumed the planet. The planet itself was a grayish-black in the sunlit areas and pitch black with numerous numbers of lights on the side in nighttime. There was absolutely no untouched area of the planet, the only trees and wildlife were held in large, special garden domes throughout the world. The atmosphere itself was regulated by a complex series of satellites in orbit, and the planet's oxygen supply was maintained by more than a hundred large filters constantly maintained throughout the planet. Even it's oceans, which dried up over a millennium ago, were no longer visible.

Stinky looked down at the beeping red light. "We've been cleared to land at skyhook one . . . that's the Supreme Chancellor's landing pad."

Arnold nodded. Next to him, Helga snorted derisively and muttered "Show off" under her breath. Apparently her old arrogance had returned.

Senator Helga Amidala and the Supreme Chancellor Olga Amidala were sisters. Arnold couldn't help but consider that weird in a small way. Chancellor Olga was a very wise ruler, with a very sweet and thoughtful nature, well liked by most races in the republic.

Helga, on the other hand . . .

He sighed to himself, 'Maybe she's the black sheep of the family?'

The Moave Avenger landed on the skyhook. As the gang plank of the ship lowered, they were greeted below by Eugene, the Supreme Chancellor's aide.

"Senator Helga," he began bowing. "We were informed of the incident on Naboo. The Chancellor requested your presence as soon as you landed."

Helga blew air through her teeth at that.

Before she could say anything though, Master Stinky cut in quickly, "Our apologies to Chancellor Olga, but I reckon under these here circumstances, would you inform her that the Senator must be taken to the Jedi council first. It is a matter of the highest concern."

Eugene blinked, surprised. "Master Stinky, what is the problem?"

Helga cut in this time and said, scowling, "Listen here, you little shrimp, you go tell Olga that I have to see the Jedi first, then I am more than happy to pay her majesty a visit." From the way she phrased the words "more than happy" Arnold suspected she wasn't being quite so sincere.

Eugene backed up a step and nodded, then turned and tripped over his own foot. "Ow! I'm okay!"

Watching the poor hapless aide walk off, Li-la Binks shook her head sadly, "Thatsa boy is ever-
so clumsy."

As they turned to go to the nearby public transports, Arnold looked at Helga, who was again her old "charming" self. They told her only an hour before of the powers she had. For someone who had their life completely turned sideways, she'd taken it quite well. She'd fainted again.

She glanced out the corner of her eye and noticed Arnold staring at her. "What are you looking at, geek-bait?"

Arnold turned away again facing forward and sighed, sounding really tired.

In the main council chamber of the Jedi temple, Master Stinky Kenobi and his padawan Arnold Skywalker stood before the only two members of the council not current on assignment, Master Jedi Gerald Windu and Master Jedi Phoebe, the smallest, but wisest of the order. Only the four of them were in the chamber, the others were awaiting in the adjoining waiting room outside.

Gerald Windu listened to their story, with both interest and disbelief on his dark face.

"The Sith!" He exclaimed, stunned. "How can that be, they couldn't have returned without our knowing about it . . . could they?"

The latter part he addressed to Phoebe, who looked at them, also surprised by this news, but not nearly as ready to disbelieve it.

"Hummm . . . hard to see, the Dark Side can be," She said softly "Clouds everything, it does."

"There's more," Stinky said, and Arnold looked over at the two Jedi masters as Stinky told them of what happened on the planet Naboo. Finally, he revealed the reason for this meeting, "They were after the Senator, because it appears that she has the powers of The Force."

Gerald looked absolutely taken aback by that. "How can that be? We never sensed it before?"

Arnold spoke finally, "It would appear until yesterday, that her powers were dormant, until she came under extreme stress."

Phoebe looked at Arnold with a piercing gaze, "Until she saved you, you do mean? Right, young padawan?"

He blushed with absolute embarrassment at being caught off guard like that by the bounty hunter. He should have known better, but he'd been too cocky . . . if Helga hadn't saved him, he would have surely met his end.

Gerald was confused now, "But if her powers were dormant, then how did the Sith know she had them at all?"

That was one question that Arnold tried his best to understand. There was virtually no way to detect such powers until they appeared. How indeed did the Sith Lords discover them even before she did?

"I don't know, master," Arnold answered truthfully, "But I do know that she herself didn't know until after the . . . the incident. In fact, Helga was shocked by the whole thing."

Stinky again noticed that his padawan had not used her title, but her first name. Gerald Windu and Phoebe also noticed this too, but none of them commented on it.

"Where is the Senator now?" Phoebe asked.

Stinky replied, "She's a waitin' in the waiting room."

Gerald nodded, "Arnold, go get her and bring her here so we can determine what to do."

Arnold went into the next room where Helga, Sid 3PO and Li-la Binks were all waiting. The droid and the Gungan were both looking out the windows amazed by the great city. Arnold didn't blame them. The sight of it in the morning hours was awe inspiring.

Helga on the other hand was standing before a table, on which a large bowl of fruit was set. She was studying the apple on the very top of the pile, so completely focused on it that she didn't notice him to her left. She raised her hand, trying to lift the apple using The Force, but not being successful at it.

Arnold smiled as an idea came to him.

Helga tried to concentrate, to move the apple . . . "Come on," she muttered under her breath.

Then, all of a sudden, to her amazement, it lifted almost effortlessly. 'Woah! I'm doing it!' She thought, smiling a small smug little smile of triumph. Then the apple suddenly began to move in circles and zig zags in front of her. Helga's smug demeanor suddenly became alarmed, 'Am I doing that!' Then she heard giggling from beside her and turned to see Arnold, moving his hand around, moving the apple himself, an amused chuckle on his face at her own expression of embarrassment.

Helga grabbed the apple out of the air. "That wasn't funny!" She said angrily and threw the apple at him.

Arnold stopped it with The Force before it came anywhere near hitting him and floated it back to the top of the bowl. "I don't know about that," he said, smiling. "I thought it was quite funny."
She gave him an extremely annoyed look, or tried to, but the corners of her mouth did sort-of turn up ever-so slightly as she thought about his little antics.

Arnold got serious again. "Master's Gerald and Phoebe would like to speak with you now."

Helga Amidala took a deep breath to calm herself and followed him in.

She stood between Stinky Kenobi and slightly closer to Arnold Skywalker as Helga faced Gerald Windu and Master Phoebe, the two ranking members of the Jedi Order. They both examined the evidence and did their own midiclorin scan and were amazed at its findings.

"Yes," Phoebe's calm little voice said softly. "Yes, strong the Force is with you. Very strong indeed."

"I agree," Gerald said, nodding.

Helga scowled, "Okay, I know that. Stinky and Arnold here told me that, but what exactly does that mean anyway?"

Gerald explained. "You see, only one being in a twenty billion, or so, is born with enough midiclorins to control the Force. Unless it is strong in your family history?"

"My family!" Helga asked almost amused. "Well I know my mom doesn't have any powers, and . . . " she scowled slightly. "...If Olga had them I'm really sure we'd all know that by now."

Arnold noted the way she mentioned and spoke of her sister again.

"And your father?" Phoebe asked.

Helga's scowl somehow deepened even more. "My father ran away and abandoned my mom and me three years ago. I haven't heard from him since."

They could all see that was a sore subject with her and didn't inquire further into her family history.

"Perhaps she is unique in her bloodline," Arnold offered.

Helga looked at him strangely. 'He . . . he thinks I might be . . . unique?' She didn't know why, but for some strange reason that thought made her heart seem lighter somehow.

"No matter," Gerald said. "The point now is that now that the Sith Lords know of your powers, this means that you are in very grave danger, Senator. Now that your powers have surfaced . . . "

"Surfaced! Heck I only used them once!"

"But now revealed they are," Phoebe told her calmly, her gentle tones countering Helga's angry ones. "The Sith would capture you. Try to turn you to the Dark Side of the Force, they would. Once you willingly start down the dark path, then forever it will dominate your destiny."

Gerald looked at her very seriously just then. "You were most fortunate that you started out using your powers to defend and protect rather than out of anger, otherwise the Dark Side would have already consumed you"

That statement hung there, leaving a cold chill in the room.

"Learn how to control your powers, you must," Phoebe explained. "Or consume you, and corrupt you, the Dark Side will."

Helga snorted, "Yeah right! I can't even get a stupid apple to levitate!"

That comment sent Arnold off into an uncontrollable giggle fit. Helga looked over at him, clearly not amused. Gerald, Stinky, and Phoebe all exchanged a puzzled look, not getting the joke. Phoebe, among them, smiled slightly at Arnold and Helga's behavior toward each other.

Gerald, ever serious, put everything back on track.

"Until we uncover the whereabouts of the Sith, you are still in danger. Further, you must learn how to control The Force. Until then, you will be under our protection."

Helga looked at them all, almost as if she were about to protest, but Arnold took hold of her arm just then. Again, Arnold felt something about her as he touched her arm, something he couldn't quite explain. She looked at him with those large blue eyes of his, which were very confused just then.

"Please trust us, Helga." Arnold said to her, never breaking eye contact.

Helga blinked, her impatience seemed to drain away, but not before she looked down at her arm and frowned. "Hey, who said you could touch me, 'football-head'!" She yanked her arm away, brushing it off.

She turned back to the four Jedi and nodded, her anger now gone, replaced by resignation. "I understand . . . but how am I going to learn this stuff?"

Arnold looked over at her now, a look of total sympathy on his face. He remembered how afraid he'd been when he first learned more than two years ago about his own skills with the Force. He had been fortunate enough to have relations who could guide him and Master Stinky Kenobi, who took him as his Padawan Learner. Without that, he didn't know what would have happened to him.

He made his decision in an instant as he thought about all of this.

Arnold stepped forward. "Masters, with your permission . . . I would like to take Helga Amidala as my student and teach her how to use The Force."

Helga looked over, as did Stinky, puzzled.

"Arnold," Gerald said softly, "You are still a padawan, and your own skill with The Force is still being developed. Do you honestly think you can teach her how to control it?"

Arnold shook his head slowly, "I don't really know, but I do know what it is like to be new at this and I want to help her, if I can."

Helga looked at him warmly, but trying not to let that visibly show.

Gerald seemed uncertain, as did Stinky . . . at least at first.

"Well, I reckon he did a good enough job on Naboo, so I reckon he's up to this."

Arnold smiled at his master in thanks.

Gerald looked at Phoebe, who was examining both Helga and Arnold closely, smiling. She turned to Gerald and nodded, "Agree with Master Stinky, I do. Her teacher, young Arnold will be."

Gerald still seemed skeptical of this, but only a little.

An idea came to him. "Helga will have to go somewhere safe to learn while you search for the Sith. With your permission, masters, I would like to take her with me to my home on Tatooine."

The three Jedi Knights blinked at the suggestion, then seemed to think it over. Gerald smiled now, "Yes that may just do, Arnold. It's settled. Stinky, Phoebe and I will go and try to find the Sith. We'll keep in touch and let you know the moment we learn anything."

Arnold nodded.

Helga spoke up, "Yeah, well I have to go see the Chancellor first (she said that title with no small amount of scorn to it)."

Gerald nodded again, "She will have to be informed of all this, of course. Arnold, you can do that before you leave."

Arnold bowed slightly.

"Oh and Arnold, this time try and stay focused, okay." Gerald said, smiling at Arnold's delayed reaction to his words. Helga smirked a bit too.

Still smiling, Gerald said to them, "Take care, both of you, and may The Force be with you."

Arnold, nodded to his comrades and said, "May the Force be with you all, masters."

To Be Continued . . .

Not much action, but this chapter is just to set more stuff up. More coming soon . . . till then, make like Han Solo in carbonite and freeze. -D.R.