CATO NEIMOIDIA

Viceroy Nute Gunray was studying holographic charts depicting income and expense for the Trade Federation as a whole. All in all, the members of the Trade Federation were making a ludicrous amount of wealth at the expense of so many poor worlds. Not that Gunray cared, you did not become viceroy over the Trade Federation by being sentimental. As Count Dooku Serenno entered the large chamber, accompanied by his personal bodyguard - that terrifying creature all dressed in black, hidden behind a mask at all times - the viceroy ordered all his staff to leave them alone.

"Troubling news from Naboo" the viceroy said once his staff had all left. "Queen Amidala has escaped and is most likely on her way to Coruscant to speak before the senate. It could only mean disaster for our plans. She must be killed." The viceroy studied some holographic charts of the Trade Federations profits a bit closer. "We are placing interdictor-cruisers along their estimated flight-path" he said. "She will be drawn out of hyperspace and shot down. But by relocating our interdictors, several of our factories and mines have become vurneable to piracy. Many key members of the Federation are not pleased."

And not pleased for a reason, seeing as interdictor-cruisers had the ability to shut down hyperdrive-systems, which meant depriving pirates and privateers the chance to escape after conducting a raid. It also had the ability to draw ships out of hyperspace, if a ship passed by close enough to a system containing an active interdictor. The technology behind such vessels was intricate, expensive and not easily produced. As one could expect, the people that had payed vast sums of credits to be protected by such powerful ships, were now truly upset of having their investments removed from their systems.

"Unfortunate, but necessary" was Dooku's reply to the neimoidian. "And no one is to be blamed but your own troops, for letting her escape."

"She had help from two jedi knights" the viceroy pointed out. "Two jedi knights you instructed us to kill. The Federation has taken an aweful risk listening to your council."

"Again" Dooku said, "had your troops only killed the jedi we would not be in this position. My advice has been prudent. It is your execution of my plan that is at fault, not the plan itself."

It was not enough to calm the Federation viceroy. "You do realize that if the queen reaches Coruscant..."

"Do not worry, viceroy" Count Dooku said most reasuringly as he interrupted Viceroy Gunray. "I trust your interdictors will perform admirably."

THE ROYAL SLOOP OF HOUSE AMIDALA

"An extremely well put-together astrodroid, your highness" Captain Panaka said, standing next to the last surviving R2 unit from the sloops repair-crew, infront of Queen Amidala. "Without its efforts, we would not have survived."

"It deserves out gratitude" Amidala said with a smile and the R2 astromech-droid responded with a series of beeps and chirps.

"The R2 unit is glad to be of service, my lady" the golden protocol-droid translated.

Amidala smiled even more. "It is to be commended. What is its number?"

"R2D2, my lady" the golden protocol-droid replied, standing next to the white and blue astromech-droid.

"Well then" Amidala said, the smile never fading. "Let it be known that R2D2 is, from this point onward, the official royal astromech-droid, as reward for its bravery and resilience. And that it shall not be succumbed to memory-wipes, in honor of its loyalty and its dedication."

Panaka could not help himself. "Do we have to call it Sir aswell?" The comment made everyone laugh.

It was a rare honor indeed for a droid to not have regular memory-wipes, as the standard logic-engine, in use across the galaxy in nine out of ten droids, would eventually become self-aware and develop into an entirely independant entity.

From the neighbouring chamber, Obi-Wan and his master glanced at and listened in on the nabooans. The two jedi were not as cheerfull as the others.

"It all troubles me, Obi-Wan" Qui-Gon admitted. "This invasion. It is a very odd move for the Trade Federation. It seems to me they run a greater risk of loosing a whole lot more, than what they could ever possibly gain, from invading Naboo. There is more to this, I can feel it."

"Like what, master?"

"I don't know" Qui-Gon said as he gave it some thought. "But I think we better find out."

At that moment, Jar-Jar entered the same room as the two jedi were found in. "Pilot need to talk" he said. "Engine leak" he added.

The two jedi did not waste time and soon had joined Ric in the cockpit. The major pointed at one of the many displays.

"The hyperdrive is leaking" he explained. "If we don't shut it down soon it will overheat and explode, or, the cooling-liquid will melt straight through the hull and expose us to space. Either way, we end up dead."

"Then we better find a place to land" Qui-Gon said, quite calm despite the serious situation.

"I have a suggestion, but you may not like it" Ric revealed and it was obvious he was expecting to get voted down on his choice of destination.

"Let's hear it" Qui-Gon said.

"Tatooine" Ric Olié said. "Worthless to the big merchant-guilds, no industry, no wealth. A useless rock more or less."

"Doesn't sound like a place to go if in need of repairing a starship" Obi-Wan objected.

Ric shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Tatooine does have one advantage, if one can call it that. It is controlled by the Hutts, and where there are Hutts..."

"... There is a black market" Qui-Gon filled in. "And that means spaceports. It also means that the Federation will not have any presence there."

"How so, master?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"Hutts are not keen on sharing profit" Qui-Gon explained.

Ric smiled. "Tatooine then?"

Qui-Gon nodded in agreement. "Tatooine."

XXX XXX

Qui-Gon stood before Queen Amidala and had explained the situation with the hyperdrive, and the need to go to Tatooine for repairs. Even though the need for landing was all too clear, Captain Panaka did not agree on their chosen destination.

"The Hutts are gangsters! They are involved in smuggling and piracy and all manner of criminal activity" the captain said. "It is believed that their minions are responsible for more than two thirds of all crime on Naboo. If they find out about the queen..."

"I don't see why they should" Qui-Gon cut in. "We land in a remote area, make our way to town and secure the parts we need. With minimum contact with the population, I don't see how the Hutts should ever find out about the queen."

"It's too great a risk" Panaka argued.

"Yet it is our only option" Qui-Gon replied. "Hutts are fiercely territorial, and don't take too kindly to other factions trying to earn a profit at their expense. Which means that the Trade Federation will have no presence on Tatooine what-so-ever. And the Hutts are not looking for the queen, which gives us the advantage."

Baroness Amidala had given it some thought, not surprisingly. "I approve of this plan, master jedi" she eventually said. "Captain Panaka, as your queen I am well aware of how the Hutts affect Naboo, and how their business supports crime in our system. But, instruct the pilot to proceed and take us to Tatooine. With a little luck, perhaps it will throw the Trade Federation off our scent."

"As you wish, your highness" Panaka said as the decision was made.

"I must also advice you from making contact with Coruscant, or any possible ally" Qui-Gon continued. "Right now, the Federation believes we are heading straight for Coruscant, which works in our favor. Should they find out that we are stranded in the Outer Rim, we will truly be in danger."

The queen nodded. "I thank you master jedi. Your advice and council is most appreciated and we are greatful for your service to us in this time of need."

"My lady" Qui-Gon added, "you understand that this includes not having any form of contact with Naboo?"

"I understand" Amidala said, something cold taking hold of her aura. "My mothers fate is not a priority at the moment. I do understand, master jedi."

"Then we are in agreement" the jedi knight said.

THE JUSTICAR

"What did you see?"

Rahm Kotas question was aimed at Declan Skywalker who was recovering from a terrible fit, sipping water from a cup and trying his best to regain his wits. Dagobah had been left behind to ease the strain on Skywalkers mind and body; being so forcefully exposed to the powers of the Dark Side, without proper preparation, was stressfull and possibly dangerous. In orbit, the once notorious pirate and bountyhunter had a chance to rest and recover. Or at least, he should have.

Declan rubbed his face and took a moment to catch his breath. "I dont know... I saw something."

"Another vision" Joruus C'boath said and helped the worn freighter-captain back on his feet. "The Force allows us to witness the past, peer into the future, look beyond the horizon."

As C'boath sat Declan down by the table, Kota kept his eyes locked on the scruffy looking freighter-captain. "So? What did you see?"

"A suit of black armour" Declan said, almost with a whisper. "And the Jedi temple burning."

"Do you recognize the armour?" Kota eagerly pushed the question. "Mandalorian? Zygerrian?"

"Black" Declan simply said, "with a helmet. I couldn't see his face, but behind him the Jedi temple on Coruscant was burning and was crashing down."

"A man?" Kota inquired. "You are certain of this? It is a man?"

"Yes" Declan nodded. "I'm sure of it."

Kota turned to look at C'boath, and the two jedi were equally troubled by this latest development.

"There's something else" Declan admitted, gaining the attention of the two jedi. "In that cave, the man in the mask that I ran into. I think... I think I've met him before."

Kota sat down next to Declan. "Explain."

Declan sighed and appeared quite troubled. "When... When I sold out Windu and joined with the mercenaries, before the battle of Whills, there were two men there."

"What men?" Joruus C'boath asked demandingly.

"The leader of the mercenaries" Declan explained. "An old Muun. He wanted to recruit me, or something of the kind. He had a lieutenant, a second in command, and he looked just like that thing that I saw in that cave."

Kota and C'boath sat silent, their eyes betraying their internal fears.

"The lieutenant killed the muun shortly after they realized that the battle was lost" Declan continued, recalling the events during the battle of Whills. "He then also tried to recruit me. When I turned him down, he almost succeeded in killing me aswell. I only survived because he was forced to escape the ship before it was destroyed by the Republic fleet."

"Do you recall their names?" Kota wondered, eyes fixed on the former pirate and bounty-hunter.

"The man in the mask was only known as the Apprentice, as I recall" Declan said as he shared his memories of that fateful day. "But the muun, his name was Plauge'is, or something like it. Plaag'Esh? Darth Plaag'Esh?"

"Darth?" C'boath whispered, unable to accept what he was hearing.

Kota leaned in closer to the old and worn freighter-captain. "Are you sure? His name was... Darth? And he had an apprentice?"

"Without a doubt" Declan assured the two jedi. "Darth was the mastermind behind the attack on the Zygerrian empress at Whills."

"And now his apprentice appeared to you in a vision?" C'boath asked, only to be certain.

"It was the same mask, at least" Declan said. "The same hood, cloak and mask."

XXX XXX

"The boy is the Midichlorian, I am sure of it. He will bring balance to the Force."

Kota, placing food in his mouth, studied Joruus C'boath as the Mystic was pacing back and forth in the ships main compartment. That the vision provided by Declan Skywalker, asleep as it were onboard The Justicar, had gained the two jedi knights interest there was no doubt of.

"And he must be found at all cost" C'boath continued. "It is the only way to save the Jedi."

"You think the boy will stop this man in black armour?" Kota asked.

C'boath nodded. "I am certain of it, grand master. Can't you sense it?"

The grand master of the Rangers focused on the tides, the ebb and flood of the Force, as it expanded its influence across the galaxy and the universe. "The future is clouded" he then said. "The boy is present, but his destiny... It is elusive." He then reacted to a sensation, a tremor in the Force.

"What is it?" C'boath asked, taking note of Kotas reaction.

"I was blind" Kota said.

"To what?" the Mystic inquired.

"No, I mean in the future" Kota corrected the missunderstanding. "I saw myself and I was blind. Wounded after a terrible battle. A war."

C'boath nodded and sighed. "Dark times awaits us. The Sith have returned and will spread chaos as Darth Revan once did. Without the Midichlorian, the Dark Side will consume us all. We must find the boy."

"Only Declan can do that" Kota pointed out. "Only through his visions will we find him."

"That means strengthening his connection to the Force" C'boath said. "Make him understand his true potential. But he will not be able to control it, he will be consumed by the Dark Side and in the end he will be destroyed by it." C'boath dreaded the path they discussed. "There must be another way."

"There isn't" Kota sighed. "Skywalker is our only chance."

C'boath was not pleased by the situation, yet he could not come up with any other solution. "So what do we do next? How do we make his visions more potent and more precise?"

Kota gave it some thought, as the answer suddenly struck him. "I know where we must go."

Declan was asleep while the two jedi discussed his visions. Asleep and in the midst of a dream. Standing in a wasteland, a desert reaching from horizon to horizon, Declan was blinded by the two suns in the sky. Suddenly, a large group of swoops shot past, their engines roaring, and Declan was so taken by surprise that he fell over and tumbled down the sanddunes, engulfed in a cloud of dust and sand.

Reaching the bottom of the dune, Declan slowly climbed back on his feet, and to his great surprise found himself standing infront of the majestic entrance to the immense Jedi temple on Coruscant. And he found himself standing face to face with the young boy he confronted in the cave on Dagobah. Behind the boy, the temple slowly began to burn, crumble and fall apart, black smoke rising from its windows and cracked walls.