Chapter Seven
When they arrived at Senator Palpatine's quarters, Padme steered Anakin, Jar Jar, and Sarali into a waiting room with instructions to stay. As she was about to leave, Padme paused and looked back at Sarali. "Sarali, I might actually have some old clothes that would fit you. We could alter them for your tail and ears!" Padme said quietly yet happily.
Sarali smiled and said, "That would be wonderful."
"Padme," the Queen said, interrupting that idea.
"Yes, your Majesty?" she asked, hurrying over into the next room.
Seconds later, another handmaiden dressed in the same red, orange, and yellow robe came over to them. "My name is Rabe," she said. "Padme said you needed new clothes."
Sarali smiled and said, "Yes. She said she had some extras that would fit me."
Rabe smiled and said, "Follow me."
oooooooooooo
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood in the centre of the Jedi Council Chamber, which was at the top of the central spire of the Jedi Temple. The windows around them displayed an unparalleled view of Coruscant's vast cityscape stretching out into the distance.
No one in the room was focused on that. Instead, they all listened intently as Qui-Gon described the events on Naboo, their reason for landing on Tatooine, and finally the fight against the black robed man. His final statement was, "My only conclusion can be that it was a Sith Lord."
Almost instantly, one of the Jedi Masters responded. "Impossible." Of course, it was Ki-Adi-Mundi. "The Sith have been extinct for a millennium."
"I do not believe the Sith could return without us knowing," Mace Windu put in confidently.
"Ah, hard to see the dark side is," Yoda said. He had no idea how true that statement was.
"We will use all our resources here to unravel this mystery. We will discover the identity of your attacker," Mace said. "May the Force be with you."
The two Jedi in the centre bowed, and Obi-Wan began to walk to the door. However, he was stopped by Yoda asking, "Master Qui-Gon, more to say have you?" Obi-Wan turned around to watch this next part unfold.
"With your permission, my Master," Qui-Gon said. Yoda nodded, signalling for him to continue. "I have encountered a vergence in the Force."
"A vergence, you say?" Yoda asked.
"Located around a person?" Mace asked.
"A boy. His cells have the highest concentration of midichlorians I have seen in a life-form. It is possible that he was conceived by midichlorians," Qui-Gon continued. At this, Obi-Wan had to wonder: what about Sarali? Her midichlorian count is second only to the boy.
"You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force," Mace said. He frowned slightly as he said, "You believe it's this boy?"
"I don't presume-" Qui-Gon began.
"But you do," Yoda said. "Revealed your opinion is."
"I request the boy be tested at once," Qui-Gon finished.
"Oh, trained as a Jedi you request for him, hmm?" Yoda said. He, as always, had found the true motive.
"Finding him was the will of the Force. I've no doubt of that," Qui-Gon said confidently.
The Jedi Masters looked amongst themselves before Mace sighed and said, "Bring him before us."
Qui-Gon bowed again before walking to the door. Obi-Wan, seeing this, bowed as well before walking out.
As soon as they were out of the Council Chamber, Obi-Wan asked his Master, "Why did you not tell them of Sarali?"
"Her path does not lead to the Jedi. I can feel it," Qui-Gon said simply.
"But the Council needs to know there's another," Obi-Wan protested.
"Why?" Qui-Gon asked simply. To that, Obi-Wan had no answer.
oooooooooooooooo
A few hours later, the Queen sat in Palpatine's office, dressed in a subdued blue robe that was, as always, ornate. A pearl and Shiraya fan headdress covered her Majesty's head just as white face paint covered her face.
Senator Palpatine paced around the Queen of Nabbo saying seriously, "The Republic is not what it once was. There is no interest in the common good- no civility, only politics. It's disgusting."
After a pause, he began to speak again, though this time much more gravely. "I must be frank, Your Majesty. Thereis little chance the Senate will act on the invasion."
Amidala frowned. She was still naive to the point that she thought the Senate would side with the Naboo immediately and end the invasion. "Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope," she said.
"If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power," Palpatine continued. "The bureaucrats are in charge now." He paused there in his pacing because he was at the right angle to look outside the glass doors to his office at the people waiting just outside.
She was there, standing straight. Her tail swished behind her, and her ears were facing forward. That in itself was surprising considering the amount of noise on Coruscant. He would have thought her ear would be pressed flat against her head to shield against the noise.
She was more beautiful than he had expected, but he had still recognized her so easily. She wore a brown-gold bodysuit, probably borrowed from one of the handmaidens. The yellow-gold sash was around her waist looked like it was only tight enough to stay on in action, rather than to change her figure. Over that, she wore a simple cedar-coloured cloak over that. Her auburn hair was twisted up into a simple, practical bun.
The Chosen One stood, trying hard not to pace. Instead, he fidgeted with his hands, hoping to keep using the adrenaline that was undoubtedly being pumped into his system.
Oh, and that Gungan was there.