"You wished to see us Masters?" Qui-Gon asked as he and Obi-Wan bowed respectfully before the Jedi Council.
"Indeed, we did, Qui-Gon," Mace Windu said. "As you know, Master Gallia has been investigating the activities of the Trade Federation on behalf of Supreme Chancellor Valorum. She will tell you more."
Adi Gallia nodded to Mace in acknowledgement before speaking to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "This morning, the Supreme Chancellor informed me that the Trade Federation has placed a battle fleet around the planet of Naboo, effectively blockading the planet," she said. "The Trade Federation claims that this is in response to the recently passed taxation bill on hyperspace trade routes. Valorum doesn't believe it to be the case and neither do I. After all, the Neimoidians are known more for their cowardice, than their military strategy."
"That is why the Supreme Chancellor has requested that we, the Council, send the two of you to discreetly investigate the matter on his behalf," Mace continued. "He has not informed either the Senate or the Trade Federation of the Jedi's involvement, so you will have the element of surprise."
Qui-Gon bowed. "I understand, Masters. My Padawan and I will make arrangements to leave immediately." He paused a moment. "However, there is something I wish to inform the Council about."
"Wish to inform the Council about something, you do?" Master Yoda asked with curiosity "Then inform us, you must."
"On our way here, my Padawan and I met a most... unusual woman, named Nathrrya," Qui-Gon said.
That's... one way to describe her, master, Obi-Wan thought to himself.
"What was so unusual about this woman, Master Qui-Gon?" Mace asked, his Force senses beginning to tingle at the mere mention of the woman's name.
Qui-Gon looked thoughtful for a moment as he folded his arms over his chest. "She was strong in the Force, and I believe her to be a fully trained Force-user. She not only openly carried a lightsabre, but she also spoke to both myself and Obi-Wan telepathically, and it was as natural to her as breathing."
Obi-Wan was doing his best trying not to blush with embarrassment. He couldn't understand why his encounter with the woman was still affecting him and she wasn't even in the room!
Mace leaned forward, a deep, thoughtful expression on his face. "Interesting. What else did she have to say?"
"She expressed a desire to speak before this Council. Nathrrya claimed to be a three and a half thousand old Force-user," said Qui-Gon, noting with some satisfaction the shocked expressions on some of the Council's faces. "I do not think she meant that in the literal sense, as she did mention being frozen in carbonite. How she is alive and well after so long is a mystery to me as much as it is to her."
"I see," Mace said, as he leaned back in his seat.
Yoda looked at the Korun Master. "That look, have you, Master Windu," he stated. "Think Nathrrya, a shatter-point, could be?"
Mace nodded. "Possibly, there is only one way to be certain, Master Yoda." The Korun Master had a unique form of Force perception which allowed him to see the shatter-point in situations, beings and circumstances. These shatter-points revealed situations upon which other things were reliant. Shatter-points could form links between beings, creatures, planets, and if destroyed or utilized, these shatter-points could hold the key to averting disaster, sealing a fate, winning battles and fulfilling the very will of the Force itself. "Where is Nathrrya now, Master Qui-Gon?" Mace asked.
"She is currently meditating in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. I assigned Padawan Tachi to be her guide. As far as I know they are still there," Qui-Gon replied.
During the discussion, Yoda had been studying Obi-Wan. The young Padawan seemed almost embarrassed about something. "Before summon them we do, want to know, I do, what Nathrrya telepathically said."
Obi-Wan felt like burying his head in his hands, but he didn't. He didn't know how to explain that Nathrrya had flirted with him. For once, Obi-Wan Kenobi was at a loss for words.
"I believe she was flirting with my Padawan." Qui-Gon spoke up, due to Obi-Wan's silence. "Her exact words were, Like what you see, young Padawan?" The Jedi Master was doing his best to keep the amusement out of his voice and utterly failing. In retrospect, it had been amusing, even if it was at his Padawan's expense, though he didn't approve of the woman's flirtatious nature.
"She had just folded her arms over her chest, Master," Obi-Wan protested.
"True, but you should not have been so easily distracted, my Padawan," Qui-Gon lightly reprimanded. Wisely, Obi-Wan didn't comment further. "Nathrrya's choice in clothing is... one of a kind. You'll understand when you meet her."
"I see. Summon them we will. Stay here, you two shall," Yoda said with a slight smile. "Curious about her, you two are." He then turned to Master Gallia "Tachi, your padawan be. Contact her you must and summon her and Nathrrya here before this Council."
Master Cin Drallig, Battlemaster of the Jedi Order and head of the Jedi Temple Guard couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise as he was approached by Padawan Siri Tachi and a very oddly dressed red-haired woman.
He had just finished teaching a class on the finer points of building and maintaining the lightsabre, as he was the top instructor in lightsabre combat and knew more than most about maintaining the weapon. As the master looked around the room he noticed that many of his students were fixated on the redhead, not that she seemed to notice.
Both women bowed "Master Dralling, sorry to interrupt but as I am acting as Nathrrya's guide. This is her first time in the Temple and she asked if there was someplace where she could repair her lightsabre. I thought it best that we come to see you," Tachi explained.
"There is something wrong with your lightsabre, Nathrrya?" Cin asked.
The woman nodded, "Yes, it's spent too long in carbonite much like I have, sadly. I haven't had the chance to see to it until now and Padawan Tachi was kind enough to suggest that we visit you."
The Battlemaster was intrigued by Nathrrya's accent as he was sure he'd never heard anything quite like it before. "Are you saying you were frozen in carbonite for an extended period?" he asked with a frown.
"Yes. The length of time is unimportant and it's not something I really want to talk about."
"I understand Nathrrya." Cin said as he beckoned the two women to follow him to a workbench. "Here are all the tools and components you will need to make certain your lightsabre is functioning as it should."
Nathrrya nodded her thanks as she unclipped her saber and proceeded to disassemble it. The Sith let out a heavy sigh when she saw just how bad the internal components were but smiled as she carefully removed her beloved violet colour crystal. When she'd first built her lightsabre it had taken Nathrrya many months to find just the right colour crystal or perhaps more actually, it had found her. Thus, she'd grown quite attached to the violet crystal and she'd have been very upset if it had been damaged.
Cin was stood off to one side as he simply observed Nathrrya work on her lightsabre, it was clear to him she had done this many times before. There was something about her that the Jedi Master couldn't quite put his finger on. It was as if she were hiding part of herself, misdirecting those around her. He also noted the components she selected to rebuild her sabre. Nathrrya favoured a more refined, focused beam for more precise, targeted damage rather than raw power.
Nathrrya soon had her lightsabre reassembled and turned it on. The violet blade sprung forth, much to the obvious delight of the weapon's owner, for she grinned and her eyes sparkled.
Nathrrya then fell into a series of advanced katas, getting a feel for her weapon, as it was undoubtedly weighted differently than what she had been used to. The Jedi Battlemaster again observed the woman as she ran though the various moves, blocks, parries, counters and so on. Cin also noticed something subtler about Nathrrya's movements; it was clear to him that she'd seen actual combat and recently at that. Then the woman smiled, noticing the training dummies at the far end of the room. She threw her lightsabre, and successfully took off the 'head' of one of the dummies at its 'neck,' before her weapon returned to her.
"Impressive throw, Nathrrya," Master Drallig said, though he was a little concerned at just how accurate she had been. Even so he had to admit he was impressed with Nathrrya's lightsabre skills. It was clear to the Battlemaster she had intended her throw to behead the training dummy and it had done exactly that.
"Thank you Master Drallig," the Sith replied with a slight bow. "I can assure you, throwing a lightsabre that accurately isn't easy. It took me years to master it, but it has saved my life more than once." This was perfectly true; Nathrrya simply didn't mention that she had used it against Republic forces and by extension the Jedi as well.
Tachi stood off to the side, observing Nathrrya as she retrieved her lightsabre. She noticed when the woman had run through her katas, she had drawn more than a few looks from the class of Padawans. Given Nathrrya's outfit it was hardly surprising that she had most of the men and some of the women staring at her so openly. At one point Nathrrya had even caught the eye of one of her male admires and winked at him, a playful smirk on her lips making the boy blush. Then Nathrrya had thrown her sabre at one of the training dummies. The result drew a gasp from the crowd. Siri snorted; it was clear to the padawan that the woman was just showing off. A move like that had no place in lightsabre combat.
Siri's commlink beeped; she took it from her belt and answered it "Yes Master?"
"Padawan, I understand from Master Jinn you are Nathrrya's guide, please bring her to the Council chambers as we wish to speak to her as she requested." Master Gallia's voice resonated from the receiver.
Siri's eyebrows rose at that bit of information as the woman had made no mention of that. "Very well master, we are currently with Battlemaster Drallig as Nathrrya needed to repair her lightsabre. I will bring her before the council shortly."
After Siri returned her commlink to her belt, she approached the pair who were in an animated discussion about lightsabre techniques and bowed "Sorry to intrude, Battlemaster Drallig, but Nathrrya and I have been summoned before the Council."
Nathrrya looked impressed at the use of the man's title "Battlemaster of the Jedi Order? That's a very high honour to be given and if I recall correctly there is only ever one Batlemaster at any time."
Cin nodded with a slight smile "You're remarkably well informed."
"Indeed, I've picked up a few things about the Jedi during my travels." Nathrrya smiled at a found memory "I was once friends with a Basttlemaster of the Order but that seems like a lifetime ago now." She shook her head dispelling the thought "Well Padawan Tachi we had better not keep the Council waiting."
Siri and Nathrrya entered the Council chambers, with the Padawan in the lead. "Master Yoda," Tachi said, as both women bowed. "May I present our guest, Nathrrya."
"Welcome you to the Jedi temple, I do," Master Yoda said. He then looked at Qui-Gon Jinn, "See what you mean, I do," before he turned his attention back to Nathrrya. "Clothing unbecoming a Jedi it is you wear."
Nathrrya had debated long and hard with herself on ride up in the turbolift as to how she'd handle her Sith origins. As much fun as it would have been to watch the Jedi Council slowly realise she was Sith it would also have been extremely unwise. So, for now she'd play along with the Council's assumption that she was a Jedi. It would make the realisation she was Sith more shocking and far more entertaining when the truth eventually came out.
"Perhaps, but Grand Master Satele Shan was also known for her somewhat unorthodox clothing style." Nathrrya explained. "And Jedi were allowed to wear more or less what they wished once they gained the rank of Knight. If you think this is bad, I've seen far worse." And she had. Her friend Tara had liked to wear what amounted to a dancer's outfit; it was far more revealing than what Nathrrya preferred to wear. No wonder the Mandalorian Bounty Hunter, Leyland, hadn't been able to take his eyes off the girl.
Mace leaned forward in his seat and was scrutinising her through the Force. Nathrrya was indeed a shatter-point, for he could see the possible impact she would have on the Republic and the Jedi, most of it surprisingly good. But there was something amiss the he couldn't put his finger on, it was as if the Force itself was masking something of the woman before him. The Korun Master didn't know what to make of it.
Yoda studied the red-haired human woman before him, tapping his gammer stick on the floor as he did so. He sensed someone much, much older than they seemed. "Older than you look you are. Entombed in carbonite you were."
Nathrrya nodded. "Yes, from what I've been able to determine I was frozen in carbonite for three thousand six hundred and seven years."
Silence settled over the Council chamber as all present quietly processed the information.
"You should be dead." Master Ki-Adi-Mundi stated.
"Yes, I should be but here I am, alive. I was awoken from my carbonite tomb to discover that three and a half thousand years had passed. The galaxy I knew, gone in the blink of an eye. I could hardly get my mind around the fact I was alive, much less what I would do with myself." Nathrrya paused a moment. "However, as I recovered from hibernation sickness, I saw visions in the Force of what could be. A peaceful world blockaded, a queen in danger..."
"Dark Side rising it is, clouded the future be. Naboo blockaded has been. Queen Amidala, in danger will be." Yoda interrupted.
Nathrrya frowned at the news. So, things have already begun, she thought.
"What else did you see?" Mace asked intrigued.
Nathrrya took a breath. She had to be careful what she said. "The Republic being torn apart by civil war, the Jedi leading large armies into battle time and again. The Order stretched too thin and in the end the Republic burned, the Jedi massacred by the very troops they led. With the Jedi all but wiped out saw the rise of the Sith."
"The Jedi are not warriors, we're peacekeepers." Master Plo Koon said, there were murmurs of agreement from several other Council members.
Nathrrya suppressed a snort at that statement. The Jedi were excellent warriors, the idea of them leading troops wasn't silly, not to her as she'd spent the past six years fighting them. A disquieting thought crossed the Sith's mind, had the Jedi changed so much? What in the name of the Living Force had happened while she'd been in the deep freeze?
The silence in the Council chamber was deafening. "Always in motion, the future is," Yoda said at last. "The Force, out of balance, it is." He continued as he ears drooped. "Return of the Sith it could mean."
Nathrrya had to fight the urge to smile. The Sith had returned, she stood before them, wasn't she? But she knew what the small alien master meant, Darth Sidious.
The Korun Master leaned forward. "Nathrrya, you are a shatter-point. You can alter the outcome of events simply by your presence. It is for this reason..." Mace trailed off as a sudden pulse ran through the force and judging by the looks on everyone's faces they had felt it too.
Both Padawan's didn't know what to make of it and confusion reigned on their faces, as for all the masters in the room, they had some understanding as to what had just occurred.
"Nathrrya, I was going to ask you to stay here at the Temple so we could talk about what your visions had shown you, however, it would seem the Force wishes for you to accompany Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi to Naboo, to assist in resolving the blockade crisis." Mace gave her clothing a questioning look. "It might be best for you to wear Jedi robes."
Master Ki-Adi-Mundi frowned. "Are you sure it's wise Master Windu? We barely know anything about this woman." There was something about Nathrrya that bothered the Cerean Jedi though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Will of the Force it is." Yoda said ending any argument.
In his office in the Galactic Senate Sheev Palpatine, Senator for the beleaguered planet of Naboo, turned his chair to look out the window toward the Jedi Temple.
"I could have sworn I felt..." Palpatine said to himself looking intently at the Jedi Temple in the distance. The man frowned, had it been his imagination that he'd felt a tremor in the Dark Side of the Force?
Perhaps he would meditate on the matter later, when he had time. For now, though, he had plans to set in motion and people to manipulate – like that fool of a Viceroy, Nute Gunray. Fortunately, the Neimoidian had his uses.
Not for the first time Palpatine's alter ego, Darth Sidious, wondered if it had been wise to eliminate his master, Darth Plagueis sooner than he had planned. As far as Sidious had been concerned his master had out lived his usefulness.
"Look troubled you do old friend." Yoda said as he came to stand alongside Mace Windu; they were the only two left in the Council chamber.
The Korun Master nodded as he looked out over Corsuant. "Yes. Nathrrya, she is a shatter-point but I couldn't read her fully. If I had to describe it, it was as if the Force itself was preventing me from doing so."
"I too sensed there is more to her. In time, learn we shall." Yoda said at last.
