Stunned, perplexed silence greeted Nathrrya's revelation; however, she knew that it wouldn't last. She studied the faces of the twelve Jedi before her and watched as each slowly began to comprehend what she had said. The humanoid Jedi were the easiest to read but she had to admit that the more alien members of the Council were a harder proposition.
At last Mace Windu and three other council members stood with their hands on their sabre hilts. The offensive reaction caused Nathrrya to narrow her eyes and she growled internally, but she refused to reach for her weapon. Not yet, at least.
Mace was the first to speak, breaking the silent tension that was building in the room. "Nathrrya, in the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic and Jedi Order, you're under arrest."
"On what grounds?" Nathrrya asked as she accentuated her demand by crossing her arms over her chest and placing her feet shoulder width apart. It was a defensive stance but not in a way that would provoke a fight. That would be counterproductive to her intended goals. "As far as I'm aware, I have not broken any laws or regulations. There'd better be a damn good explanation for this supposed arrest, Master Jedi!"
Master Windu was mildly confused and it showed. He'd expected the self-proclaimed Sith to draw her weapon and resist arrest, attacking them. Instead, the woman was deliberating on whether-or-not the grounds for arrest were legitimate. The answer was the most obvious of conclusions, to him.
"You're Sith." There were murmurs of agreement from at least half the Council.
Nathrrya rolled her eyes. "Now there's something I've never heard before!" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "You Jedi are so pathetically predictable." All of the Council except Yoda looked clearly offend at this.
The three Jedi around Master Windu slowly advanced on the woman but she didn't move. Nathrrya could feel her instincts kicking in but she willed herself to stay still and not provoke them, though it was entirely too tempting. In the back of her mind she amused herself with how Tara would have fared in this situation.
Probably poorly, she mused.
"This isn't right." Anakin's voice was small but loud enough to be heard. Because of the perceived threat in the room, the council had forgotten about the young boy, which was surprising considering he was still standing in front of the Sith. "Nathrrya hasn't done anything wrong! Why are you treating her like she did? My mother and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her."
Oh, but I have Anakin, I exist and that's more than enough for the Jedi. Nathrrya thought bitterly. Well, most Jedi, she amended, thinking of Casavir and Kira.
Qui-Gon moved to stand beside Nathrrya and took a protective stance at her side. She needed the support and he had no reason to deny her. "Forgive me, Masters, but you seem to portray the fear of the unknown. Had you heard the story as my Padawan and I have, you would not be so quick to judge her."
"She has been in our presence for weeks now," Obi-Wan chimed in, taking the place on Nathrrya's opposite side from his master. "If she were truly Sith she would have had ample opportunities to dispose of us and take the boy; if he is what my master believes him to be."
"And if we want to get purely technical, the Sith were a red-skinned race that were Force sensitive. The last time I checked, I'm human without red skin and weird tendrils protruding from my chin." She tried not to smirk. Tara had used the same argument when she was threatened by the Mandalorians when she first married her husband, Leyland Ordo.
Nathrrya could not only see but also feel the glare she got from the Council for that comment.
The silence that ensued was almost oppressive. Anakin, not sure why the Jedi weren't backing off, stared at them with a growing dislike of their views and opinions. Qui-Gon's hand settled gently on his shoulder and the boy looked up, but the master only kept his eyes forward.
Yoda had sat silently, simply observing unfolding events and listening for the will of the Force as he often did. The diminutive Jedi had also gone over what little Nathrrya had revealed about herself. She had freely admitted that she had a cousin who had been a Jedi and it was clear to Yoda that the two had been close. The grand master realised that Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin had shown a lack of surprise at Nathrrya's revelation.
"A point you make," Yoda finally said. Master Windu and the other council members turned their attention to him. "Stand down we shall for now."
"You can't possibly-" Master Windu was cut off by Yoda's raised hand. Mace knew when he was defeated and with a sigh of resignation he and the other three masters returned to their seats though they were clearly unhappy about it.
Once the four masters were seated and Yoda was satisfied that everyone had calmed down he turned his attention to Qui-Gon. "Knew, you did."
"Yes, my padawan and I have been aware of Nathrrya's background since just prior to boarding the Trade Viceroy's ship." Qui-Gon admitted "We had both felt a flaring of the Dark Side and as Nathrrya was the only other Force-user aboard our ship it seemed reasonable to assume it had come from her." He explained "Imagine our surprise when Nathrrya joined us at the airlock and I asked her had she felt the flaring of the Dark Side that she admitted to being the cause. Not only that but she also told us that she had been trained as a Sith."
"Yet you never saw fit to inform the Council of this?" Mace accused. Several Council members nodded in agreement.
"With all due respect Master Windu, we have been without communications since our ship was destroyed above Naboo. When we had access to the long-range transmitter aboard the Queen's cruiser, the risk posed to Queen Amidala was simply too great. That is why I did not contact the Council until we were on final approach to Coruscant." Qui-Gon paused "Had I told the Council of Nathrrya's origins I would have betrayed the trust that Nathrrya had placed in myself and my padawan. Trust she has earned."
"You can't trust a Sith." Master Ki-Adi-Mundi stated.
Nathrrya rolled her eyes at the comment. The more things change the more they stay the same, she thought with dry humour.
"With respect, masters." Obi-Wan spoke up. "You fail to understand the significance of Nathrrya revealing her origins to us of her own free will."
It seemed the padawan had the Council's attention.
"Can we say with any certainty what a Sith is? What moral code they choose to follow? We have the Archives that do not paint them in the best light but most of those records deal with the more infamous Sith that have risen to prominence over the millennia. It would be unwise and against Jedi teachings to make such assumptions about Nathrrya solely on what we know." Obi-Wan paused "I suggest you simply talk with Nathrrya as I did. You may be surprised by what you learn."
"What did the two of you talk about?" Master Adi Gallia inquired. It seemed that she wasn't the only master wanting to know as most failed to hide their surprise at the thought of actually talking to a Sith.
Obi-Wan smiled "We talked about how she perceived the Light Side of the force. The answer was... not what I had expected."
"What was her answer?" Mace asked. Despite his misgivings, he was intrigued to hear her answer.
I'm standing right here, you know. Nathrrya thought with dark amusement.
Obi-Wan glanced at the woman at his side who gave a slight nod. The exchange between the padawan and Sith didn't go unnoticed, though none on the Council knew what to make of the silent communication.
"Nathrrya said she was aware of the Light. To her it's like the blue sky on a crystal-clear day but much more intense." Obi-Wan explained. "Nathrrya can see the Light but if she looks at it for too long, it can become almost blinding. Nathrrya also said she found it something of a comfort to know the Light was there… If Nathrrya can see the Light Side then she knows she hasn't gone too deeply into the Dark that she can't find her way back." the padawan smiled with some satisfaction when he saw the surprised and thoughtful expressions on faces of the Jedi Council. "It was not the answer I was expecting."
Obi-Wan turned to look directly at the head of the Council. "Master Windu, when the Council first met Nathrrya did you not say that she was a shatter point?"
Mace nodded slowly "Yes but that was before we knew the truth."
The padawan resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Mace's stubbornness as he knew Nathrrya would be doing. It occurred to the young man that the Sith was rubbing off on him. It was not nearly as a frightening realisation as it should have been. "Be that as it may, Master, regardless of the truth as you so eloquently put it, Nathrrya is still a shatter point."
"She is Sith, padawan." Plo Koon gently reminded Obi-Wan.
"Is she, Master Koon?" Obi-Wan asked rhetorically. "Nathrrya may have been trained as such but we must remember that for her the Sith Order, Sith Empire and the greater galaxy she knew and inhabited ceased to exist three and half millennia ago. All I see is a Force-user who has been trained in the Dark Side, nothing more."
"Yet Nathrrya you identify as being Sith?" Mace asked curiously. It seemed the entire Council wanted to know the answer as well.
"Why shouldn't I?" Nathrrya challenged, hands on hips "I was trained as such and have been called Sith all my adult life. I'm not ashamed of my heritage if that's what you're asking." Nathrrya replied "I was once one of the strongest and most influential of Sith yet I could clearly see the flaws in both the Sith Order and Empire just as my cousin could see the flaws in both the Jedi Order and Old Republic." She looked questioningly at Master Windu "But what you're really asking is, do I see myself as Sith here and now? I have Sith training, knowledge of both Sith history and culture; I have a Darth title. I am the living legacy of a dead empire. If that's relevant or not, is up to you. I know who I am and where I come from. I am Sith and will always be until the day I become one with the Force." She looked at each member of the council, in turn "Through this, I honour those of my lineage that came before me."
It occurred to Nathrrya that she was the last of her line and unless she had children then when she passed into the Force the last noble house of the Sith Empire would die with her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.
Mace leaned forward in his seat. Nathrrya was a contradiction in many ways. She clearly identified as being Sith and through doing so honoured her family line, something that was clearly important to her. Yet she had a Jedi cousin.
"Why would a Sith warn the Jedi of our possible destruction?" Mace asked at last.
"Perhaps you should ask why not?" Nathrrya suggested with a smirk "I have no real quarrel with the Jedi Order. While I might question, quite strongly, some aspects of the order, I do not believe the Jedi deserve to be destroyed, which is something this Darth Sidious seems very intent on doing." She tilted her head to the side "Though the order could use a swift kick in the backside to get it to realise just how stagnant and inflexible it's become."
Despite himself Qui-Gon chuckled "And am I to take it you're the one to give said kick?"
The Sith grinned, her eyes full of mischief "Indeed. You know me so well Master Jinn." Her expression became serious."I mean to find this Darth Sidious and deal with him. And by deal with I mean kill, he's far too dangerous to be left alive. I don't want to see the rise of another Vitiate." The woman shuddered at the thought. "Once was quite enough."
"Vitiate?" Mace asked with a frown.
"The Sith Emperor." Nathrrya clarified "More force entity than mortal being though he was once a pure-blood Sith. Whoever came up with the Rule of Two clearly did not think the long-term ramifications through or if they did, didn't give a damn about the galaxy. Too much Dark Side energy concentrated into just one living being is never a good thing. Vitiate was proof enough of that. Sidious isn't at the Emperor's level of power yet so he can be destroyed."
The Council was clearly taken back by this if the expressions on their faces were any indication. For a Sith to openly say such a thing was unthinkable or so the Council had thought.
Master Adi Gallia was thoughtful as she looked towards Nathrrya. "The prophecy states that the Chosen One will destroy the Sith. Does this not frighten you, Nathrrya?"
The Sith stared at the Jedi master then facepalmed. "Living force save me." She mumbled. "That part was clearly added some time after I was in a block of carbonite. The prophecy I am familiar with simply stated that the Chosen One will bring balance to the Force. What that means and how it was meant to be done was never mentioned. Ambiguity at its finest." She frowned for a moment and began to chew her inner lip as she considered her words and how she wanted to communicate it. "The Dark Side is as much a part of the Force as is the Light. They cannot and will not exist without the other. There will always be Dark Side force users, just as there will always be Light Siders." Her eyes landed on the boy in front of her. "Anakin is just a boy and he's strong in the Force. There is no hiding that fact. Believe me, if I had felt threatened by him I would have done something about it, him being a child or not. What I'm more concerned about is what could happen if Sidious gets his hands on the boy, or learns of his existence. If that's the case, it's going to be a dark future for us all."
Anakin looked up a question in his eyes. Ask me later. Nathrrya told him.
The room full of Jedi didn't know to react to what the Sith had said. For his part, Yoda simply looked into Nathrrya's eyes, which had begun to make the woman very uncomfortable.
"Want to protect the boy you do. Grown attached to him you have. Son you never had he is. Desire you have to train him, know the dangers of that you do."
The woman didn't know how to react to what Yoda said to her. He read her like an open book and basically brought one of the touchiest subjects up that she could be confronted with at any moment.
She took a deep breath and looked gently at the diminutive Jedi Master. "What master wouldn't want to forward their knowledge? With Anakin, the results could be disastrous. But I am fond of the boy and I am protective of him because I don't want to see him corrupted by Sidious. He's got a child's innocence but with a wisdom far beyond his years would suggest…." She swallowed hard to get the lump that was forming out of her throat. "I wanted a family at one time, to settle on some backwater planet and raise children and teach them and love them just as my parents did with me. Things happened that blew that idea right out of the sky." Perhaps I still do, but it will have to wait until Sidious is no more. She admitted to herself. But who in this galaxy would fall in love with a Sith? Nathrrya knew she wasn't the easiest person to live with.
"Master Yoda, there is something else." He nodded and she continued. "When we were arriving back with Queen Amidala I looked at Coruscant through the Force and I was disturbed by what I saw. The whole planet was awash in the Dark Side."
The news seemed to shudder in the room through the masters. Mace had a very concerned look in his eyes. "Are you certain of this?"
"Yes," she said. "I'm a warrior, not a sorcerer, but I've had my fair share of dealings with those who were. Whatever the Sith are doing in this era they've been at it for a very long time. It takes centuries for a planet to emanate that amount of Dark Side energy naturally, and what I saw was very unnatural."
The masters exchanged looks and murmurs as they considered what had been said. She swallowed again. "And a word of caution, though you find my accusations unfounded, please be aware that Sidious may have eyes and ears within the Jedi Order. Though those that act as his agents will most likely be unaware of who and what Sidious truly is."
"Take this news seriously we shall." Yoda said gravely.
"That is all I can ask." Nathrrya replied with a slight bow.
"How does a Sith have a Jedi cousin?" Adi Gallia asked as she knew more than most Jedi about how extended families worked. Adi would forever be grateful to her fellow Council Member Even Piell for he had saved her parents years prior on his home world of Lannik.
Lovely, the one question I didn't want them to ask. Nathrrya thought disappointed though she knew someone would sooner or later. The answer itself was straight forward but it would be like opening Pandora's crate of monkey-lizards. Once it was open you'd never get it closed.
"It's fairly simple; our fathers were brothers, which made us cousins. However, what makes me Sith is more than just my training." Nathrrya drew herself up to her full height. "I am Nathrrya Therin-Palatine, Darth Avarice and Empire's Wrath, daughter of Marrick Therin and Ro'wan Palatine. Last of the Noble Sith House Palatine of the Sith Empire." Her voice rang with authority and the Dark Side seemed to surge with pride.
Senator Palpatine was standing at the window in his office, hands clasped behind him, and he was looking out over towards the Jedi Temple as he felt a surge in the Dark Side of the Force and he knew, this time, where it had come from.
He'd met the woman briefly on the landing pad when he went to collect the Queen. What bothered the man was that he couldn't figure out why she was frequenting the Temple and how the woman was even able to get in there, being who she was and all. He had no idea where she had come from and this bothered him - he had never felt her presence in the galaxy until recently.
There was no doubt in his mind that she wasn't a fallen Jedi. She was pure Sith power. But her intentions were very different. Part of him believed that she wasn't here to join him - she could have easily contacted him to create a truce if that was the case, but that's not what she did.
Regardless… there was a new player on the game board and he would have to keep his eye on her very carefully.
Every Jedi Master, Knight, Padawan and initiate felt the surge in the Dark Side and no one knew what to make of it. In her room, a young Togruta girl saw in her mind's eye her older self walking behind Master Yoda as he hobbled across the Jedi Temple's hanger bay towards a ship that to the young girl, looked huge. It was purple and black and had four heavy laser cannons, two on each side mounted at the end of the ship's wings. Near one of the landing struts stood a red-haired woman along with an astromech droid performing some form of maintenance on the craft. The woman turned her head towards them and eyed master Yoda warily.
Ahsoka Tano slowly sat up in her bed as the vision ended and wondered what it could possibly mean. Who was the mysterious woman and what did she signify? She felt it best not to mention this to the crèche masters.
