CHAPTER-14

Things were a mess. The queen of Naboo decided to hold the elections earlier and retire quickly. The top candidate was Padme Amidala. In another hand, the Jedi were closer to discovering the location of the other kid. Maul was sent on more missions. He was sent to be the physical presence of Sidious as he had speed up the procedures. Sidious was getting flustered. Aarya had learned how to drive a speeder. She drove herself to her work as Maul was in longer assignments. Disturb would accompany her more. Sidious was exhausted by the discovery of recent events.

The day of coronation had arrived. Aarya was given a holiday by her boss. Maul took her to see the event from a distance. The new queen was in the garb of a queen. Her face was in the iconic white paint. The previous queen had removed a new crown and had placed it on the new Padme Amidala. The new queen of Naboo gave her speech. Sidious was standing beside her. He was pretending to be pleasant. He was irritated.

Far away in the galaxy, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi were in a starfighter. They were exiting the planet of Jakku. They sighed deeply.

"Another wasted time." Obi-Wan commented. They had been to eight sandy planets. They spent ages there searching for the mysterious source of the strong light side signature.

"Patience young one, patience." The Jedi master spoke calmly.

"Why are we wasting our time in searching for someone who only very few members have sensed?"

"Well the belief is that this SOMEONE is the chosen one."

"But the prophecy said two."

"That is the question everyone wants answers for; who does the prophecy mean by the two?"

"It is pretty confusing master, understanding a prophecy."

"It is confusing as only few can understand it."

"Hmm. But what would we get from searching just one?"

"The start of an answer. Now let us go to Coruscant. We need to report our discoveries."

"Yes, master." Soon the two were in hyperspace.

In the planet of Naboo, an eight year old Aarya was working in the Irkins' café. It was a month since she saw her friend, Padme Nabberie. It didn't take that long for Aarya to figure out that her friend was the queen. She was eight years and five months old. She could understand many things she couldn't now. She knew that meeting Padme would be more difficult now. So she adjusted her life to the tales of the pilots and her work. She continued her training in the dark side simultaneously. It was straining but it was going to make her stronger. Every time she faced strikes from Sidious' lightning, she would become stronger in her resolve to help and save as many as possible. She needed to be stronger. She just wanted power to help people. The one thing which Aarya received other than knowledge about the dark side was hate. Sidious removed all his rage and hatred for the Jedi on Aarya or Maul. Maul tried his best to be soft on her. But he was not trained for softness. He was trained to use his anger, to use his hatred.

Another month passed away, Sidious was more disturbed than anything. The Separatists' droid army was to attack Naboo by now. But the Naemodian were delaying stating useless excuses. He had to warn them and send Maul to fasten the process. In another month the invasion would begin. In another month he would be able to knock Maul out of his way. Aarya would train under her with more ferocity. She would become stronger. She would become the apprentice Sidious wanted.

Another month passed away, Aarya was rushing to the palace. Maul was in some mission. There was an army of droids who were just walking around with guns on Naboo. Her boss; Irkins, sent her early so that she could be safe. Aarya reached inside and locked herself in. She was confused. There was a droid invasion outside and there was no one in the palace. At least Sidious would be there. Disturb ran towards her.

Qui-Gon was determined to make the queen rethink about going into negotiation with the trade federation. If only they would contact the Republic. All of this was so sudden. It was just like yesterday that he and his Padawan were searching for the source of the light side which shone brightly and now they were negotiating on Naboo. The queen had finally accepted to leave with them. They boarded the royal ship of the queen quickly and left. Obi-Wan pointed out to an outer rim system called Tatooine. All of a sudden there was a shift in the force; something was there on this system that the force wanted them to discover. Qui-Gon was sure of it. Soon they were in the space. They were showered with blaster shots. They managed to escape all thanks to one astromech droid. Soon they were in hyperdrive. Soon they would reach the system of Tatooine.

Aarya was confused; there was an invasion on Naboo. She peeped out of the window and saw the droids drag some people. Maul had come inside the palace for one minute to tell her not to get out no matter what till she saw Sidious or Maul come near the palace alone. She nodded and stayed inside the palace. But what she saw hurt her. People were in pain and she couldn't do anything, or could she? She thought of using the force to lift rocks and throwing it on the droids but Maul told her do nothing. So here she was, hand tied, able to do nothing but see. She even heard the holonet say that the queen was rescued by two Jedi. As much as she hated them, she was grateful that they were able to save her friend.

Qui-Gon and the rest landed on Tatooine. The two Jedi suddenly felt the shift in the force. They exchanged glances. Obi-Wan walked up to his master and spoke, "Did you feel it master?"

"I did." Qui-Gon replied in silence.

The captain of the Queen's personal security came forward and called them. The queen in her regal uniform thanked the Jedi. Qui-Gon informed her that he would go along with the Gungan they picked up on their way to the palace on Theed and search for the necessary parts required. The queen nodded. Soon the two beings walked out of the ship onto the dessert planet. The heat was obliterating. Qui-Gon was ready to fight the force if one of the chosen ones were here. The planet's heat was enough to make the Gungan wail loudly. Qui-Gon couldn't really blame it. After all it was an amphibious being. Suddenly they were halted mid way. Apparently the queen decided that it would be wonderful to send a fourteen year old handmaiden with them for whatever reasons. The three walked down to what seemed like a city. Everything on the planet was sandy. Qui-Gon had given his instruction to Obi-Wan clearly. They reached the city. Qui-Gon felt a strong connection to the force emanating from one particular shop. So they entered the shop to be greeted by a dirty Toydaarian. The flying creature heard to the question asked by the Jedi master. It called out to a slave of his. A young boy of age eight or nine came running. The two had some conversation in a language none of the customers knew. Qui-Gon left the Gungan and the handmaiden with the boy and left with the creature.

After half an hour of negotiation and attempts on mind tricking, Qui-Gon returned and took the girl and the Gungan along with him. One thing he could not remove from his mind was the fact that he might have found the chosen one. But the chosen one was a slave in this planet. Qui-Gon sighed. The Gungan picked up a fight with another creature which was broken apart by the boy. He came and introduced himself to Qui-Gon. He then enquired their further plans and took them to his hut. Inside his hut his mother spoke with the Jedi master. The boy recognized the Jedi master who was in disguise. When explained the problem, the boy offered to race in a deadly competition and win. He claimed that the price of the parts they need would come from the victory prize. His mother objected so did the handmaiden. The Jedi master too accepted with the ladies. They had to search for another way. But the boy managed to persuade his mother and got the permission to race. Later in that night, Qui-Gon managed to get a blood sample of the boy and sent it to Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan I will need a midichlorians count test on the blood sample I have sent you." He spoke in a crystal clear voice as the boy ran away to sleep.

"Yes master." The Padawan spoke. After a few seconds, he gasped. "There is no way this could happen. Master the blood sample has more midichlorians than Grandmaster Yoda. Could this mean?"

"Yes my young one, we have found the chosen one finally."

"Finally after all this time, on this planet of all."

"I know young one. We shall be patient. He is a slave and in order to free him I must allow him to take part in a pod race."

"A pod race? Master aren't we risking him?"

"I know we are. But it is necessary. Do not worry, the boy is smart and has flown across a bunch of times."

"Are you sure master?"

"I am, young one."

"So be it master."

Qui-Gon smiled as he let the force flow through him. He let the ripples of calmness flow through him. Everything was happening so fast, so dangerously. He got up and left to rest. The next day was a large one.

The next day Qui-Gon woke up early. He got out of the hut and saw the mother standing outside. He walked out slowly. He reached her and called her. She turned sharply. The Jedi master noticed a slight shine in her eyes.

"He is a bright child." The master said slowly.

"He deserves a better life." The mother spoke slowly. She was fighting back her tears.

"Is something wrong?" he asked slowly. The mother shook her head and wiped her tears. The Jedi master sensed that she was hiding something. The mother then smiled sadly and walked inside the house.

"Lady Shmi…" he called her. Shmi turned towards him.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked slowly.

"Sure." She replied.

"Did you know that Anakin was special from his birth?"

"I did feel it."

"Can I ask something personal?" he asked slowly after a short while.

"Sure." She replied.

"Did you have another child along with Anakin?" he asked suddenly and slowly.

The mother froze. She went pale. She stared at the Jedi master. She then turned towards her son and nodded slowly.

"Where is the other child?" the Jedi master asked slowly.

"I don't know. They were just born. We were in the camp sleeping. Then all of a sudden someone came and took her. He waved a hand towards me and Anakin. We both were fast asleep. By the time I woke up, she was gone. My Aarya was gone." The mother spoke through the stream of tears that flowed. Qui-Gon took a deep breath as he digested her words. He waved his hands towards me and Anakin. We both were fast asleep. Could it be Xanatos? But he could not, then who? Then it hit him. The child he and his Padawan met on Ogem. Her name was something, what? He recalled the incident. The child tripped on her robes and Obi-Wan held her. Then he suddenly felt something and shook his head. Then Qui-Gon touched her hand and felt a darkness he couldn't define. Then a man of some species came and called her something. But what? Then he recalled what the mother said right now, My Aarya. The child's name was Aarya. He gasped as he realized. Aarya was the symbol of the dark side and Anakin was the symbol of the light side. If Aarya was kidnapped by a force sensitive, then the fears of the Jedi had come real; the Sith had returned. The man who called her was a Sith. The rule of two, if it was followed yet, stated that there would only be two, a master and an apprentice. If the man who called her was the master, then Aarya would be the apprentice. As she didn't seem to have had begun training under the dark side, it was not possible. That meant that the man was the Sith apprentice. Then who was the Sith Lord? Whoever it was would replace the man with Aarya. She had to be fund quickly if Qui-Gon was to save her. His thoughts were broken by the sobs of the mother. He bent forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, letting the waves of calmness flow through her. She stopped crying and lifted her head. She turned towards him and nodded. The Jedi master backed away as she got up.

"If you can, will you find her?" she asked.

"I promise you that I will." The Jedi master replied in heavy silence.

"Thank you." The mother replied as she moved away to start her work.

Qui-Gon turned to the rising sun. Soon there would be light. Soon the twin suns of the planet would let its deadly rays on the planet. He sat down to meditate. He had to let the force inside in order to clear the amount of fear and sympathy he felt. He let the force flow through him in waves, calming him. The soothing presence of the force in this planet was calming him. He felt the force radiate through the boy. The amount of light side he had was surprisingly calming.

All of a sudden, in a flash, the force decided to show him something which would disturb him. He saw a vision. In the vision, he saw a woman who was strong in the dark side battle the grandmaster of the Jedi and the master of Vaapad, Mace Windu. Along with them were three more Jedi. He saw her fight them with the rare form of Form IX; Kadeesh. It was surprising how she fought flawlessly with the rare form. She then let out a black lightning. The vision then moved forward to show her fighting the ghosts of the old Sith lords and another man. She held her ground till the ghost of Darth Bane stabbed her in the back. The vision moved forward to show her fighting along with another man who radiated the light side, Anakin. The two were fighting another man. The vision moved forward and showed him Anakin and Aarya leading an entire Jedi order consisting of warriors of all sides. He opened his eyes as he felt Anakin come towards him. He then turned towards him.

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