Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything
Star Wars, I'm just an interloper exploring could-bes and might-have-beens.
Note: This is separate from my series of Star War stories. I guess
there are spoilers for TPM, AOTC, and hints at some of the Jedi
Quest and Jedi Apprentice books.
return to Index of Star Wars
stories
Qui-Gon stood, his arms behind his back staring blindly at the
thick Coruscant traffic that always traveled in perfect lines.
Any deviation from those lines would bring disaster.
Disaster. If he was correct, and his attacker on Tatooine was
Sith, then a disaster was inevitable--yet the council sat in their
tower denying the truth. Couldn't they see the Republic was in
turmoil? Or were they deliberately ignoring it? He didn't know
anymore.
He didn't know anything. Could the Jedi continue to defend the
ideals of the Republic from the senators who ignored them? He'd
watched the senate grow more quagmired in bureaucracy and self
interest. The better good of the Republic was a distant second
place--if it was even in the running anymore.
He sighed as he remembered the brief, but intense fight with the
fiery warrior. It had been close--closer than he cared to think
about. The warrior was well skilled and strong in the Darkside.
There was no question in Qui-Gon's mind, the warrior was Sith.
There had been vague rumors and whispers of a growing interest
in Sith artifacts over the years, but nothing had been done to
really investigate if there was more to that interest. It was
as if the council somehow believed that by ignoring the problem
it would go away.
"It won't go away," a deep voice said from behind him.
"Hello, my young Padawan. Once again your thoughts are so
deep that anyone can sneak up on you."
"Master," Qui-Gon said with a smile as he turned. "It
is good to see you again."
Dooku bowed his head. "It has been too long my friend. Much
too long. But I see that nothing here has changed. Once again
you have stirred up the council."
"And once again they ignore me," Qui-Gon retorted. "How
can they be so naive?"
Dooku shrugged. "The ways of the council are deep and mysterious,
even to me." He motioned toward the Coruscant sky traffic.
"They like everything in neat, orderly patterns. It is one
reason I chose to live elsewhere. The council was pleased with
my choice, I am now only a minor annoyance."
"They can't continue to ignore me..."
"My friend, realize you are not alone. Since you left me,
I have been researching these rumors of the Sith. There is much
the council has ignored." Dooku smiled sadly. "The Sith
never left us. They just hid well. There are always just two--a
master and an apprentice. The way of the Sith is a way of betrayal
and mistrust...The only way for the apprentice to become a master..."
He shrugged. Qui-Gon understood the unfinished sentence--the master
had to die, probably at the hands of the apprentice.
"That's why you are here? To offer more evidence the Sith
have returned?"
Dooku shook his head sadly. "That was not why I was summoned,
but I shall bring the subject up. The Darkside grows stronger.
You have sensed it's growing chaos. I trained you too well for
you not to have felt the lurking darkness."
"My apprentice has sensed it too," Qui-Gon admitted.
"But it's vague, unformed."
"It will form. Unfortunately the council will not act until
it does. They are old..." Dooku raised his hand slightly.
"Old in thought and belief. For a thousand years the Sith
have hidden from us--and in that time, the council and the Jedi
have become complacent, and I fear they will not acknowledge the
danger until it is too late. The Sith have not been idle. They
have developed an understanding of the use of power far beyond
our own." Dooku shook his head. "The kind of power that
corrupts..."
Qui-Gon closed his eyes. "So, we do nothing but wait?"
Dooku laughed. "No, of course not. I will continue to gather
evidence, you will continue to warn the council. Only the future
can tell us."
"Always in motion..." Qui-Gon's thoughts returned to
Tatooine.
"Do not dwell on the might bes, my Padawan," Dooku said.
"We will talk again when you complete your mission, but right
now the council is expecting me."
Qui-Gon returned to staring at the orderly lines, this time noticing
the flaws. It wasn't so orderly...He turned his attention to the
Senate Hall. Queen Amidala would be presenting her plea for help
soon. He hoped for the best...
But knew the Republic and the council would not act until it was
too late.