Jedi Council
They had only flown a short distance to another set of buildings. There, Amara and the rest were escorted to Palpatine's quarters; the room was already made for the Queen and her handmaidens. One of her handmaidens led Amara to a room so that she could have a chance to clean up and change. The handmaiden gave Amara a new set of clothes; a navy henley top, tan pants, and brown boots. Thank goodness, she cleaning up and putting on her new clothes, she went to the waiting room outside Palpatine's office. Anakin and Jar Jar were already there. Better get comfortable, this might take a while. Amara sat on one of chairs and put her feet up on the table in front of her.
Anakin was trying to hear the conversation but he could only see inside, not hear. Amara leaned back into the chair and closed her eyes. She wished she could hear what was being said. Another thought raced through her mind. Palpatine. Somehow he recognized her, but how? She was pulled from her thought when Captain Panaka walked past her. The door to Palpatine's office was opened for a moment. Amara glanced at Anakin and saw he had the same idea. He moved to one side of the doorway, pressing close. Amara got up from her seat and moved to where he was. Through the crack between the open for and the jamb, Amara could see Palpatine and the Queen in a discussion.
Palpatine was standing before the Queen and shaking his head. "The Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates who are only looking out for themselves and their home systems. There is no interest in the common good...no civility, only politics...it's disgusting. I must be frank, Your Majesty, there is little chance the Senate will act on the invasion."
Amidala was silent for a moment. "Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope."
"If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power...he is mired down by baseless accusations of corruption. A manufactured scandal surrounds him. The bureaucrats are in charge now."
The Queen rose, standing tall and fixed before him. "What options do we have, Senator?"
Palpatine seemed to think for a moment. "Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor. One who will take control of the bureaucrats, enforces the laws, and give us justice. You could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."
Amidala didn't seem convinced. "He has been our strongest supporter. Is there any other way?"
Palpatine stood before her. "Our only other choice would to be to submit a plea to the courts..."
"There's no time for that," the Queen interrupted, a hint of anger in her voice. "The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate. Our people are dying, Senator...more and more each day. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation."
Palpatine shook his head. "To be realistic, Your Highness, I'd say we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being."
The Queen shook her head slowly. "That is something I cannot do, Senator."
Amara sat back down and her thoughts drifted to what Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were up to.
At the peak of the Jedi temple were the Jedi Council chambers. The walls were made out of glass that looked out all directions of Coruscant. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan quickly went directly to the temple after Amara and Anakin left on the shuttle. They both stood in front of the council. The council consisted of 12 Jedi from different species and planets who guided the Jedi order. The Senior Jedi was Mace Windu. To his left was an alien Jedi named Ki-Adi-Mundi, and to his right was Master Yoda. Qui-Gon explained briefly on the events of Naboo, the Podrace, and he described the fight on Tatooine in vivid detail.
"My only conclusion," he finished quietly, his story completed, "is that the one who attacked me on Tatooine is a Sith Lord," Qui-Gon concluded.
There was a moment silence between the council. Glances were exchanged and murmurs of disbelief quickly voiced. Mace Windu leaned forward, a shocked look on his face. "A Sith Lord?"
"Impossible!" Ki-Adi-Mundi snapped irritably, not bothering to hide his dismay. "The Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
Yoda spoke up, shifting in his chair. "Threatened, the Republic is, if the Sith are involved."
I do not believe they could have returned without us knowing," Mace Windu disagreed and looked at Yoda.
"Hard to see, the dark side is," Yoda said with a small snort. "Discover who this assassin is, we must."
"Perhaps he will reveal himself again." Ki-Adi-Mundi suggested with a nod to Qui-Gon.
"This attack was with purpose," Mace Windu warned. "That is clear, and I agree the Queen is the target.
Yoda turned to Qui-Gon. "With this Naboo queen you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her."
"We will use all our resources here to unravel this mystery and discover the identity of your attacker," Mace Windu added. "May the Force be with you."
Obi-Wan turned to leave but Qui-Gon continued to stay where he was. He held his breath, knowing what was coming.
Yoda cocked his head questioningly "Master Qui-Gon more to say have you?"
"With your permission, my Master," Qui-Gon began, gaze steady. "I have encountered a vengeance in the Force."
The Council glanced at each other while Yoda widened his eyes slightly. "A vengeance, you say?"
"Located around a person?" Mace Windu asked quickly.
Qui-Gon nodded. "Not just one person, but two. A boy and a girl... their cells have the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I have seen in a life form. It is possible the boy was conceived by the midi-chlorians."
Mace Windu sat back in his chair. "You're referring to the prophesy of the one who will bring balance to the Force. He gave Qui-Gon a long look. "You believe it's this boy?"
"I don't presume― " Qui-Gon began.
"―But you do!" Yoda interrupted him. "Revealed your opinion is."
"I request the boy to be tested." Qui-Gon proclaimed.
The Council exchanged looks and nod at each other before returning to Qui-Gon.
"Trained as a Jedi, you request for him?" Yoda asked.
"Finding him was the will of the Force, Qui-Gon responded firmly. "I have no doubt of that. There is too much happening here for it to be anything else."
"And what for the girl?"
Qui-Gon hesitated. "The girl, however, I'm not sure of. Her memory has been wiped clean when I encountered her on Tatooine. She stated that she felt the Force within me and followed until she came up to me. "
Again, the Jedi Council shared looks with one another. Mace Windu held up one hand, bringing the debate to a close. "Bring them before us, then."
Yoda nodded, eyes closing. "Tested they will be,"
The sun was setting as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stepped onto the balcony outside of the Jedi Council chambers overlooking Coruscant. They had collected Amara and Anakin from Senator Palpatine's chambers following their return from the Republic Senate. He wasn't watching the view thought, instead, his eyes kept looking toward the chamber, where Anakin was being tested by the Jedi Council. After the test, Amara would be next.
Obi-Wan noticed his stare and sighed. He moved to where his Master stood staring at the chambers, silent for a moment before speaking. "They will not pass the Council's tests, Master, and you know it. They're far too old."
Qui-Gon kept his gaze directed at the chamber. "Anakin and Amara will become Jedi...I promise you," he replied, calmly.
"Don't defy the Council, Master," Obi-Wan warned, sighing wearily. "Not again."
His Master seemed to go very still, before turning to him. "I will do what I must." Qui-Gon would defy the Council.
"Master, you could be sitting on the Council by now if you would just follow the code. They will not go along with you this time."
Qui-Gon studied him for a moment, then smiled at his Padawan. "You still have much to learn, my young apprentice."
Amara paced back and forth outside the Jedi Council chambers. Inside, Anakin was doing the test the Council requested. Don't be nervous, she told herself. Any moment Anakin would exit and it would be her turn. But what if they say no to me? Where would I go? Qui-Gon told her what to expect but she was still nervous. She leaned back onto the wall and picked at her fingers.
She straightened up as the door opened. Anakin hurried out the door and gave a small smile to Amara before disappearing around the corner. She heard her name being called from inside. Deep breaths, you could do this. Don't be afraid.
Amara walked into the room and stood before the Council. They were all in chairs that made a circle around the entire room. She noticed there were 12 members all from different planets. She mentally stated their names; earlier, Qui-Gon told her each of their names and where they sat.
"Welcome."
Amara bowed, hoping that was the correct way to greet them. Right now, she never felt more vulnerable and exposed.
They began to question her at great length, without any introductions or explanations, without showing any effort at all to make her feel comfortable or welcome. The Council asked about what happened the moment she woke up and if she remembered anything beforehand. When the topic changed to her vision, Amara was scared. She was afraid that they wouldn't believe her.
But they did believe her.
Mace Windu then told her what Qui-Gon said back on Tatooine; that the vision was something special and could look into the past/future. He then pulled out a viewing screen in front of him, which Amara couldn't see. Images were flashed on the screen and she had to see if she could sense what the images were.
Amara closed her eyes and tried to relax. You could do this. Pictures of a speeder, lightsaber, cup, and finally a speeder whizzed through her mind as she named them off. "A speeder, a lightsaber, a cup, and a speeder."
The view screen turned off and Amara wiped the sweat forming on her forehead. Thank goodness that's over, she thought as Mace Windu looked up at her.
"Good, good," Yoda praised, his sleepy eyes fixed on her. "How feel you?"
"Tired," Amara confessed.
"Afraid, are you?" Yoda questioned, though he already knew the answer. He could see through her.
"I-I don't know who I am or what did this to me," she stated as she fought back her tears, anxious to leave this discussion. If they were in her position, they would understand how she felt. "Of course of afraid!"
"Remember, you must. Be mindful of your feelings. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." Yoda stressed.
Amara swallowed the lump in her throat and recompose herself, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Yoda studied her a moment. "Continue, we will." With that, the examination resumed.
A/N:Thanks for the follows! Only 45 minutes left of the movie, then onto episode II. Yoda sensed a lot of fear in Amara. Why do you think that? (Leave a comment below)