The Shadow of the Jedi

7. Fractured

As I made my way into Coruscant, I received information from my dear friend Palpatine Homeworld that his planet Naboo was being blocked and desperately needed assistance due to tax increases, and it was feared that people would be killed. However, as I suspected, the republic lacked the tools of reprisal and was obliged to rely on "peaceful" discussion.

As I approached the Jedi Temple, I ran into Qui Gon and Obi Wan Kenobi, who were also heading to the council meeting. When I met my padawan, who was expecting my arrival, I discovered that Naboo was under siege by the trade federation, which was concerned about my bond with my mentor, Senator Palpatine. I had to tell Tira a lie in order to conceal my true identity because she was attracted by the lightsaber's design and wanted to know how I obtained it.

When we arrived at the council chambers, we were informed of the situation and instructed that I protect Senator Palpatine with my padawan in order to prevent any assassination attempts. Quigon and Obiwan were to go to Naboo and negotiate as planned in order to establish a peaceful resolution, as requested by the Supreme Chancellor. This is concerning, in my opinion, because the trade federation is a powerful, growing trading organisation with a fleet and massive battleships. Imagine them finally deciding to attack the republic after discovering we have no better defence against them than a group of Jedi.

I had no voice to speak out against the council, so I had to remain silent and walk out of the rooms with my padawan, headed to the Senate Building to meet with Palpatine to discuss the status of affairs in Naboo. Along the journey, my padawan Tira showed a desire to complete the Knight trials and become a Jedi Knight. She merely required my permission, which I had to grant because she had evolved from a more innocent Jedi to a more mature Jedi.

When we arrived at the Senate building and chambers, I wanted to hear the senator's perspective on how the republic is responding to the trade federation's efforts. He explains this by stating that the trade federation is currently operating in an unorthodox manner due to a recent commerce issue, but it appears that they will move far beyond what the republic represents. If appropriate and fast action is not taken, senators will continue to bicker and talk like children, and nothing will change.

While keeping an eye on Palpatine, I learned about the latest reports and counted Dooku's involvement in the impending darkness. I had to realise that the Sith would never fully extinct because they would constantly return in the shadows, becoming increasingly powerful, and their vengeance would always crush the Jedi to ashes. The Jedi Council appears to have a different point of view, acting as senator lapdogs, despite the fact that historical evidence in the archives supports my allegations.

Qui Gon hasn't reported anything about what's going on in Naboo because we lost contact with him after they left the planet. The negotiations appear to have ended abruptly, and they were forced to flee away from surveillance. I was able to establish Quigon's existence while focusing on the force of locating him and his padawan orbiting and maybe landing on the sand planet Tattoine, which is dominated by criminals and the Hutts and has experienced an increase in the number of slaves.

I'm not sure why they're there, but I get the sensation that there's someone powerful there with a strong relationship with the force. Perhaps Qui Gon will accept them for who they are. Meanwhile, Dooku returned from his recent mission with Mace Windu to retrieve a murdered Jedi master, and he was also charged with protecting Palpatine. During our time in the chambers discussing the republic, Dooku and I appeared to disagree on what the Jedi had developed into.

We became arrogant about our concept of protecting the republic on the core planet from servitude and criminality in comparison to those living on the outer rim because the Jedi were expected to respect the republic's principles and obey the senator's commands, effectively becoming the senator's personal lapdog. Although the republic opposes slavery, little has been done to discourage criminals and slaveowners. The Hutt, Zygerrian, and criminal empires rely heavily on the selling of slave labour, which can be auctioned or displayed in public, to generate cash.