THE SENTINEL   By     SCOTT WELLER     BASED ON CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS CREATED BY GEORGE LUCAS   Something’s wrong!!! Luke Skywalker’s eyes suddenly burst open to glare at the rapidly ascending twin lights of Tatooine now breaking out from their hidden home below the equator. For a few seconds he winced, not at the heat and brightness of the Tatoo one and two suns, but at the fact that he had felt the cold hand of despair and fear rippling throughout his body. Leia!!   She’s in danger. They had all known of the risks when they decided on their complex plan to liberate their captured friend, Han Solo, from his Carbon frozen torture, and, after many setbacks on the long route to finding the secret prison stronghold that he was being held within, things had started to fall into place-the dangers encountered so far minimal. Not that minimal meant easy-Luke had never in a million years expected it to be that way-but it had at least gone according to schedule. And here, now, he stood, awaiting the call from the others should his abilities be required. He had jokingly told Leia that he didn’t want to see the mission ending up being a case of the rescuers needing to be rescued themselves!!   From what he had just experienced, however, it seemed that the worst case scenario had indeed happened… Three miles distant from the huge double domed complex belonging to the vile gangster known as Jabba the Hutt, Luke, at the top of the highest mountain peak of the valley on it’s borders, soon studied the building’s old and decadent veneer. The stench of death and evil lurked there, not just in the way that Luke had sensed it through the Force, but in a raw, physical way as well-in the same manner that the tree cave on Dagobah had stood out so much in his consciousness nearly two years ago. Two years? Has it really been so long, Luke thought. So much has happened since he first discovered the little droids Artoo Detoo and his companion See Threepio in the Jawa sale at the Lars homestead three years prior to that. So much good, yet so much evil. And so much pain along the way. Never more so for Luke than in recent events, with the realization from Darth Vader-the dreaded Dark Lord of the Sith-that the man that he had thought had killed his father was his father!! And it had been a discovery that had very nearly been the end of him. His emotional barriers devastated, he had never before succumbed to such pain than he had at the revelation from the man/creature that had very nearly butchered him on one of Cloud City’s dangerous gantry towers. Had it been the revelation that had hurt Luke so much, or the fact that he had been betrayed by Ben-Obi-Wan- Kenobi-the man whom he had loved almost like a father, had believed in and trusted for so long, since the day he had rescued him in the Jundland wastes all those years ago.  The notion, the very idea, that Ben-the kind and gentle man who had saved him from death by the Sandpeople, and probably other times before or since then that he un-consciously could only guess at- could have betrayed him, could have used him, that he could have lied to him, had seemed un-thinkable. Even now, Luke could not believe that this was the case. That there had to be more to it all than met the eye. There must be!! He remembered sitting in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon that fateful day they were escaping Vader and the Imperial Forces at Bespin-Luke, his once impervious, youthful spirit now fractured, had reached out to Ben, to seek his guidance –and yet he had not responded. Even now, eighteen months on, he had had no communication, no rapport of any kind, with the ghostly vision from the netherworlds of the Force. It had seemed that Master Yoda too, his teacher on the swamp world of Dagobah, despite Luke’s still feeling his presence within his Force energies, had also remained silent and non committal.   His hand previously slashed from his body by the red lightsaber skills of Darth Vader, Luke, thinking that his life had truly come to end on Bespin-that he couldn’t fall into the hands of the Dark Side- had been prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice against the Dark Lord, readying to give himself to the Force and commit suicide- for the safety of his friends, for Ben, for Yoda. But had it also been for himself? To escape the nightmare of what had seemed to be the dawning of a far more dangerous tomorrow? To serve my father?  In those few moments before his suicide fall, Luke had thought Vader to be lying. It had to be a lie!! Yet despite his injuries, and his mental and physical exhaustion from battle with the Dark Lord, Luke’s Force abilities remained intact, his instincts quickly detecting no maliciousness from Vader, and nothing had been hidden within his mind-in fact, it had seemed like a release for the Dark Lord to impart the information to him- a feeling, a longing of expression. If that was the case, how could it be a lie?   From his sick bed in the Falcon, Luke had called Vader “Father” when he had telepathically contacted him. Not out of fear but of a strange knowing. He could have dismissed Vader’s revelations as lies, yet deep down within him Luke had also felt the truth from Vader. Deception and lies were the useful tools of a Sith Lord, and Darth Vader, aware of the boy’s growing powers as a Jedi- powers that he had wanted to exploit- had previously betrayed falsehoods and instincts of hatred to Luke that he could keenly feel and respond to. Yet beyond the need for power, for Vader’s own desires of stability for the universe with the Sith, at no matter what the cost, Luke had still sensed no lies, no deception from him. It had seemed right. And if that were so, how could he ever trust his Jedi friends, his mentors, again. Ever since the escape, a duality of thought had entered Luke’s mind. His injuries on the outside had passed, but on the inside the shell shock of the revelation lived on, unrestrained and un-confirmed. The duality, his questioning of his life, his reasoning, had seemed to have lasted forever. Vader...my father? Luke had asked himself the question so many times, and not a waking day had there been when it hadn’t slipped back into his thoughts. Only the purpose of helping Leia and the others in rescuing Han had kept his thoughts occupied and concentrated away from it-yet there were times when the question would return to haunt his consciousness, and in some instances even Leia would sense that there was something wrong. She had felt the dark cloud around Luke, yet she had not pursued it further-respecting his privacy and knowing deep down that the battle with Vader had left her friend scarred forever-just how deep those scars went, however, she would never know. Despite his trust in his friends and their strength of character and honesty, as well as their utter compassion, Luke had not been able to confide in any of them, in any way, about the revelations that Darth Vader had shockingly revealed to him on the gantry at Cloud City. He couldn’t even force himself to tell Leia- the closest person he has ever known in his entire life. Or even his loyal and trusty Astro Droid, Artoo Detoo, who would always serve him un-questionably without judgment or frailty. Even if he did say anything, who would believe the incredible news? And if it were indeed all true, how would he be treated by his comrades in the Alliance? With the idea that his Force abilities could be compromised, as well as the fact that his Father had set out on an established path to destroy the entire Rebel organization, how could they ever trust him again?   Ultimately, Luke knew that the time would come when he would address the question of his parentage with Kenobi, and with Yoda, whom he had promised to return to on Dagobah and finish his training. His pent up demons, his worries for the future? Now was not the time to think about it. Such questions, despite their importance, would have to wait. Yoda had said to be mindful but not at the expense of the moment.  And at this moment, his responsibilities to the others take priority-as a Jedi Knight they will need his strength and agility to the fullest.     A Jedi Knight? Well, a self proclaimed Jedi Knight certainly. But was he really up to the challenges and responsibilities that lay ahead? Despite his skills, deep down within himself he did not know whether he truly was one or not. And having never really known or encountered another Jedi since the death of his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, how would he know what it felt like to be a Jedi? With Master Yoda’s personality and abilities, of which Luke had been shown a mere fraction of the creature’s Force potential whilst in training, and with so much of his teacher’s nature still shrouded in secrecy, Luke hadn’t dared ask the question that had resonated within him, of how to feel like a Jedi, for fear of a scolding, both mentally from the Force, and physically from his little teacher’s gimer stick prod!!!   Having previously delayed his final training period with Yoda, Luke, in the last six months, had worked hard to hone his mental and physical skills in the Force. He had broken through the barriers that had restricted his powers when he had first begun his training and he hoped that the 900 year old Jedi Master/teacher had been observing him, that he would be pleased with his continuing progress. Luke had felt himself growing more powerful with every day’s training refinements, and had taken great comfort in it, not only to heal his wounds but also to focus on what was to come-on the abilities that he would need to show, and face, if the worst were to happen.   And the Dark Side? Well, that had been there within him also. Like a distant periphery but still an always constant shape within his subconscious. He had felt the presence of the Emperor, of Darth Vader- their raw evil piercing the light with dagger like precision. And there had been telepathic communication too-only recently Vader had tried to contact Luke several times-so far he had resisted the calming words and temptations of power and destiny, to rule by his Father’s side. In blocking out Vader’s mind, Luke’s mental training had continued, his physical skills also intensifying as it helped to defy the darkness. It was in that long training that there had been periods when his friends had been worried for his safety, in the many abilities that he had dangerously stretched himself into during the numerous missions that had led him to his point-here and now-on Tatooine.     Though mentally and physically ready for anything that might be lurking on the misty road ahead, Luke realized that he was insecure in another way-namely in the fact that he carried no weapons about his person. Unless in an absolute worse case scenario, a Jedi generally had no need for a blaster-something that Obi-Wan had always stated and which Luke had found a correct belief in recent times, yet it was his lightsaber that Luke had keenly felt missing from his side, his belt attachment lighter from the fact that there was nothing adding weight to his thigh as he moved. Up until two days ago, the lightsaber he had been wearing had also felt different- no longer being his Father’s weapon- that now lost forever at Cloud City- but one that he himself had specially created.  Yet now he was without that too, but hopefully for only a temporary period-the device immersed in its own separate mission-to be re-united with its master at a point when he knew it would be needed the most. He remembered the crucial first test of his construction of the weapon-the weapon of which he had built from the old plans and specifications he had found in the hut that had formerly belonged to Obi-Wan. When entering Obi-Wan’s empty home after being so long neglected, Luke had expected it to have been ransacked by Jawa’s or Sandpeople, yet it had remained intact, with an aura of the departed Jedi about it that seemed to make it timelessly alive-to non Jedi its ghost like feeling was probably what had kept the low life’s and evil scavengers of the Dune Sea away from it-already scared of the cloaked figure coming and going from it they had become over the twenty year period that he had secretly lived there-as the mad old hermit Ben. Had Luke felt his old friend’s presence just before entering the dwelling? Is he here now, but hidden from my view somehow? Have my experiences with Vader clouded my abilities to see and contact him, perhaps?   As Luke’s thoughts set about constructing the cylindrical device, the construction plans on first perusal had seemed complex, and he had almost given up hope of building it. Yet, in that small period of hopelessness, he remembered Yoda, and his teachings on Dagobah. Do or do not. There is no try. Luke had looked at the book again and soon realized that he hadn’t looked at it with his mind-his instincts soon guiding him to the devices creation with ease. As he took the finished weapon out of the hut and into the blue/purple moonlight sky around him, he saw how polished it looked and how it suddenly seemed to give off a glare of goodness… a sudden feeling of hope for the future. Almost touching the sky with his enthusiasm, with a boyish like sense of awe and wonder now returned to his soul, Luke had raised the lightsaber high above his head and activated its hilt-a glisteningly intense green ray heading outwards from it. As he waved it high above his head and proceeded to perform with it in a variety of complex training maneuvers, Luke had shown immense pride in his creation-realizing his steps towards being a full Jedi Knight had instinctively made him feel more complete.   He had felt proud of his handiwork but again he had worried that it may be wrong of him, as a Jedi, to feel such a reaction. And pride was known to come before a fall- the fall into the Dark Side. He hoped that here, and now, would not prove to be that time. He could not allow himself to make the mistakes that had previously helped to destroy a generation of Jedi Knights. Deep down, however, Luke knew that this would not be the case. As before, on Bespin, he would die before he let that happen again. Thinking back to that happy moment in which he had constructed his lightsaber, Luke may have imagined things but he thought he had detected the slightest feeling of Yoda’s presence within him-the feeling of goodness- that the positive strength and maturity of his Jedi Knight status was building ever further within him. His cloaked dark frame now leaping downwards from the mountain top, the young Jedi knew that, should any Tusken Raider or other feared inhabitants of the desert had seen his shape moving so quickly, so determinedly, they would no doubt have trembled in fear at his presence and run for their lives, believing that they had witnessed the sight of one of the planet’s native, and highly dangerous, Cadera bat creatures now flying downwards to its destiny, the shadow of his cloak now reflecting dangerously from the suns-for a brief period looming so large it looked as if it were alive and moving to block, or even devour them, forever. Though it was not the Jedi way to manipulate fear in others, a process that the Dark Side had favored to great success in ruling the galaxy in a grip of tyranny, Luke knew that there had been times in the order’s history when it had been necessary to use the fear of an intimidated individual against them in order to save lives. This was an instance where Luke would have to use that fear. And the clothes he now wore would be a help in the installation of that fear. Of his friend’s reactions to his new attire, it had been Leia who had been surprised the most by what he now wore as a representative of the Jedi Order- the dark blue and black cloth different to anything she had ever seen before from the vid tapes of the Jedi that she had watched as a very young child on Alderaan- vid tapes that had long been removed and destroyed under orders of the Galactic Empire. And once more she been worried about him-about what happened against Vader.  Whether he had unconsciously referenced Darth Vader and the Dark Side of the Force in the creation of his clothes or not, Luke knew that the next generation of Jedi Knights-if they became a reality-if they truly won the war against the Empire- would be living within a different era from the one they had previously existed in-working in a devastated new universe long since changed by a template of evil that has lasted nearly thirty years-a new era in which the returning Jedi race would not rest on it’s laurels, that it would have to adapt, not only to survive, but to continue in it’s mission as being the sovereign peacekeepers of the New Republic.  Instinctively knowing that three further giants leaps would be required to descend from the mountain to the road leading to Jabba’s Palace fortress, Luke would quickly find the maneuvers effortless to achieve, with so little physical exhaustion, and now feeling a quiet confidence in the energies of the positive side of the Force as it started to re-affirm the cells within him. As he reached the floor and raised his body up to full height, he adjusted his hood, now raised once again over his head, his features hidden from both the glaring suns and the outside influences that may be waiting for him in the dark crevices and corners of the Jundland Wastes. Though he knew that he would indeed seem weaponless to observers of his appearance in the outside world, Luke knew that the Force-the only ability that he truly needed- was strong inside him. And it was with one particular “influence” that Luke would now be concentrating on. The legends of Jabba the Hutt that he and his friends had previously researched proved beyond doubt that the creature was one of the most ruthless of his race-it’s position of crime overlord in this part of the galaxy more than justified in relation to it’s ambitions of slavery, corruption, greed and murder. And its streak of cruelty knew no limits. Luke had offered Jabba a route to negotiation for the release of Han Solo, yet he knows how deep the anger towards Solo runs within the Hutt’s being. Despite the hope of negotiation, that money would rule supreme in Jabba’s twisted philosophy of life, as well as the extra “incentives” he planned to present as gifts, Luke knows that it will take all of his skills in the Force, as well as a few of his own personal tricks and ingenuity, to have even a chance of beating the loathsome creature, as well as the private army or mercenaries, bounty hunters and other scum that it has acquired as an entourage over the many years that it has been in power. And it will be a fight that Luke knows he has to win. He knows that failure will result in Jabba, who has killed Jedi in the past for pleasure, doing so again at the first chance it can get. Here, now, Luke will be the final stage of the plan, a plan now nearing it’s end with an alternate strategy that they hoped would not be needed to be activated, that in it’s original conception should only have needed him in the final stages of a successful escape, after Han had been freed-a decision that Luke had not agreed with-keen to be at the forefront of Han’s liberation- but which he had been forced by Leia to accept-his responsibilities as a Jedi-possibly the last Jedi-being too important to the Rebel Alliance in their battle against Vader and the Empire, to be spent on the rescue of one man- a man, though much loved and admired, who, whether they liked this fact or not, may already be dead.   But they had to rescue him. And this time they had to succeed. So many false starts in their pursuit of Boba Fett to Tatooine- an enemy that had more than lived up to his reputation as one of the most deadly and feared Bounty Hunters in the galaxy. Though his thoughts dangerously bordered on the Dark Side, Luke had scores to settle with this Bounty Hunter, his mercenary journey back to the desert planet taking longer than they first thought, resulting in their leaving their original rendezvous point to find him. Luke remembered the chase through the mountains of the planet Gall- the enemy in sight, Han’s rescue so near they could almost feel the taste of victory-and yet Fett had managed to slip their grasp. So many delays and last minute hitches, as well as a dangerous entanglement with the Black Sun criminal organization, would add further complications to their future rescue plans, creating added pressures that had affected them all. None more so than Leia. Poor Leia- so much in love with Han-the rogue, the scoundrel- that had changed her life and stirred such depths of love within her. With every delay, despite her courage, she had been slowly slipping into further grief-she had fought against it but it had been a struggle. Luke had loved Leia so much, from the moment he saw her waifish body in the detention cell on the Death Star, and she had loved him. But she would never love him in the way that she had loved Han. Their eternal triangle had finally been broken, and Leia had made her choice-that much had been obvious when she had been on the Medical Frigate with Luke after they had escaped Bespin. And Luke had accepted her choice, knowing that, with everything that had just happened, it had seemed right-that his destiny now lay elsewhere-never to be at Leia’s side.  He had hoped, however, that being a young Jedi would not lead to any kind of permanent celibacy-he wasn’t sure he could cope with a situation like that. Though he was unsure as to whether Jedi ever had relationships, deep down Luke optimistically hoped that, if he survived all the conflicts around him, he might one day meet someone-that the Skywalker family line, be they Jedi or not, might continue onwards somehow.   No matter what happened in the future, Luke’s love and friendship for Leia would always be there-no matter what the cost. And in danger they had been inseparable. It had been Leia who had answered his desperate call for help once before-had braved death to steer the Falcon to his aid. And now he had heard her call for help. And it wasn’t just Leia who had felt grief. What about Lando? He had felt the guilt of his having to betray his friends on Bespin. Force knows, Lando had done so much in such a short space of time to atone for his mistakes in not resisting the power of Darth Vader. But how does one resist such evil? Even now, Luke knows that Lando’s wish for atonement won’t be finished until he has restored the balance, that he has rescued his friend, alive and safe, from Jabba’s stronghold. And as for Chewbacca, his relationship with his smuggler co-pilot being both loving, like a pet, but brotherly as well, Luke knows that the Wookiee, now sworn protector to Princess Leia on his life debt to Han, feels isolated, alone-that he won’t be whole again without his Corellian friend by his side-that he would die to restore him from the Carbonite... a human for which he has owed so much of his life.   Sadly, for all of them, their plan for Han’s liberation has failed, and Luke knows that his friends are in the greatest of danger. They have no choice now- their alternative plan must be put into motion if they are to be saved in time.... And beyond that…. Luke knows that the nexus of events in the Galactic Civil War are escalating- that the end game is coming. Beyond Jabba. Beyond the galaxy of conflict between Empire and Rebels. The events and aftermath of this conflict on Tatooine, Luke knows, are nothing more than a taster, a foreshadowing, of the dark and sinister dangers that he knows lie ahead.   The pain must end. Luke’s family must once more be whole. In the days ahead, never before will so much be needed from so few people. The Jedi Knight knows that the galaxy will not be freed from its dark prison without their help. The time to rescue Han- their friend, his friend, forever- is now.   So much will depend on his actions and skills.   And Luke Skywalker knows that he must succeed.   That he will succeed. Or die trying......

OPPOSING FORCES   A “STAR WARS” STORY BY SCOTT WELLER   BASED ON CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS CREATED BY GEORGE LUCAS     My greatest disciple. My greatest failure.   The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious, quietly surveyed the remains of his fallen apprentice. When the two parts of Darth Maul’s deceased body were relinquished to the holding area for examination by those accursed Jedi, his feral countenance had continued to spark terror and apprehension in the battle hardened Naboo troops that had been guarding it from the prying eyes of the general populace. From their body language, from the small beads of sweat that lined their faces, the heightened fear they produced could almost be plucked away from their very being. The fear that the fallen body might suddenly come alive-that it could spring to action and demand vengeance for its bodily defeat.   Even in death we induce fear.   As well we should.   From the shadows he had earlier witnessed that same look of apprehension on the aged face of Master Yoda- a face that would age even quicker with its first glimpse of the recovered body-the body of the deceased warrior who had slain one of his Order’s best. One of their family- Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Like his comrades within the Jedi Council, Jinn, if only for a few brief seconds, had probably shown that same fear, that same revulsion, before he died.   A Sith Lord had done that.   All those years of training, of study, of patience, awaiting the right moment to strike back at the Jedi race. A race that had helped bring in our period of extinction a millennia ago. The return of the Sith to the universe had been a process of slow, sure steps, lurking in the shadows, building our strengths, making the fullest of our resources, using the enemies own weaknesses against them.   There had been other disciples before Maul, but all had outlived their usefulness, all had tried and failed in their bids to master the Dark Side and take control away from him. The losses were not unexpected-to be a Sith Lord was to embrace continued power and accept the fact that others, even your own blood, may attempt to take it from you. But with Maul, this had been different. The arrogance, the power of evil-his candidacy as a Sith was not to have been underestimated. He was the perfect servant, the perfect fighter. And a perfect heir to the power of Sidious, with a lust for the power of the Dark Side that seemed unquenchable, and almost equal to himself.   And yet he had still died.   And they would pay the price for his servant’s death.   I, Darth Sidious, swear vengeance and retribution on you all.   Sidious would always joyously remember that pained look on Yoda’s face- the realization that the nightmare scenario, previously predicted by Jinn, had finally come true.    Master Yoda, you do not yet know of the dangers to come. Nor will you until it is ultimately too late.   Even more delicious was the fact that that wizened green face was completely unaware of the very evil lurking within their foundations of goodness.   The time will come when I will see your precious order driven to destruction, my little green friend. Your temple will burn, your race will die. Every last drop of blood spilt from the heart of the Jedi will only intensify the power of the Sith. And I will relish it.   The annihilation of at least one Jedi warrior on Naboo had been keenly anticipated, but Sidious had expected Maul to have gone beyond the heightened plans- to easily win through and eliminate both the Jedi Master and his apprentice, the young and foolish Obi- Wan Kenobi, in swift time. All of those long, patient years of training, deep in isolation- hidden from the long reach of the Jedi and the light side of the Force. Maul had been the best apprentice he had ever known in his long life. Yet here he was, now, looking down at his fallen servant-defeated by Kenobi- a mere boy not yet confirmed with the status of being a full Jedi Knight until today.     Confirmed with the slaying of my servant!! Oh, Kenobi, you too will see the pain and suffering of imminent defeat-much sooner perhaps than you realize...   Sidious’s hand move out from its dark robed cover, outstretched now to meet the face of the fallen Sith, the deceased’s eyes, once a ferocious mixture of red, yellow and black, still wide open.   I felt you die…   From the other side of the galaxy-from Coruscant- a sharp, searing shockwave of surprise, the rush of anger, and then the violent sensation of pain rippling through his body, as he felt Maul’s unbelieving frame, the blood exploding from his chest, moving forward hesitantly, unsure, then descending, the floor beneath him now gone to gravity, his dark force energy, his very soul, now severed in half as he fell to his demise down that deep un-ceasing maintenance shaft. He had felt the dislocating of the body-the feel of the energy blade- a Jedi energy blade, and the way its different energy had torn through the flesh and blood with such speed.   But most of all he had sensed fear. Fear from Darth Maul. A fear that hadn’t been harnessed into anger. A fear not harnessed into power and control.   It was a fear that made you weak. You were my greatest disciple. Yet you failed me, Lord Maul. And I would not have thought it possible….   For a moment, Sidious had felt another shard of Dark Force energy-not from Maul, however, but from his slayer-a brief glance of satisfaction from Obi-Wan Kenobi at the death of the creature-a final retribution for his beloved master. His own need for revenge now satisfied.   In that barest of moments, Sidious had felt that surge of Dark Force power from Kenobi and it had felt.. good.   But it was not enough. There was no evil, no malice, nothing to be exploited or brought out in Kenobi. It had been merely a pin prick into his domain, and the weak side of the Force, that light side, had cleansed him of the darkness.   Kenobi, you have lost a father figure. But I, I have lost…   No, Maul was a servant, an instrument of my desires and needs-with a willingness to consume power and take it by force. A creature that had sworn allegiance to me until his dying breath.     Sidious realized that he had underestimated his enemies. The unlikely group of pawns, pawns in his meticulously pre-planned little game, had stepped away from their established patterns of duty, acting on their own initiative- interfering in ways that has truly been unusual and most unexpected.   He had particularly underestimated the presence of Queen Amidala-her resolve to win back her sovereign planet from the grip of his Trade Federation allies. When she had fled Naboo at the beginning of their blockade and invasion, he had, despite her unpredicted exuberance to bring freedom back to her world, considered her youthful naivety to be perfect-that she would be the perfect mould-able leader to shape in his hands, now that the world’s previous leader, the powerful, unshakeable King Veruna, had died in such…mysterious.. circumstances. Despite her off world activities, and her pathetic attempts in the Galactic Senate to restore her world, he had thought that she would eventually be worn down by the terrible state of events-that she would compromise herself and be forced to accept the fact that her people were enslaved, reluctantly signing an occupation treaty with the Trade Federation- now firmly dug in within the large confines of the Naboo system and at odds with the Republic- a Republic now at diplomatic breaking point with an ineffectual leadership of Finis Valorum. A Galactic Senate ripe for the taking-for greater control and manipulation by the forces of the Dark Side. Had things gone according to plan, Amidala should have stayed on Coruscant-with no other options open to her but to inadvertently damage the Republic with her continued presence in the Senate. The first steps in the beginning of the great war. The great war that he wanted. Wanted and desired. The great war that would ensure the Sith’s victory against the decaying and insolent Republic. Oh, he had had great plans for Amidala-his puppet Queen.   Yet, her defiance in returning to Naboo had been the nexus point for a chain of events that had never been anticipated, and she had been one of the main instigators in the death of Darth Maul.   Sidious had had no choice but to send his apprentice to find her- to force her to a sign the treaty declaring the Trade Federation invasion a legal act. He had previously located her Royal party’s presence on Tatooine-the backward desert planet in one of the dregs of space-the perfect hiding spot-a location which, in hindsight, I should have expected from such an un-imaginative mind like Qui–Gon Jinn. Jinn, a figure long considered a maverick in his own council. On Tatooine, Jinn had faced Maul in battle, and had briefly beaten him back. Disappointed by this news I was, yet I also knew, a short time later, that that Jedi Master’s days were numbered.   On Naboo they had met once more, and this time my servant had vanquished him, the double blade piercing Jinn’s heart. It must have been a tremendous battle- a battle that he would have loved to have seen. To witness his years of training Maul so effectively realized-wining through to slaughter one of his deadliest enemies. Tearing the Jedi life force from him. Qui-Gon Jinn was now alone in what could be the Jedi’s own form of darkness. And may he rot there forever…   Having known that Qui-Gon, acting as a bodyguard, would follow the Jedi code, yet not interfere with the Queen’s wishes and leadership, Sidious had been shocked to discover that Amidala, acting against all her previous beliefs, had now acquired a fighting force in an attempt to foolishly take back the planet. What should have been an easy victory by the Trade Federation’s Battle Droids-wiping out the small army of dim witted Gungans (a race who can barely walk let alone think) assembled in the outer plains of Theed- had been regrettably turned into a decisive victory for the Naboo people instead- a victory that would further cement her into the hearts and minds of the people-no longer shackled and held in their internment camp centers with the destruction of the Federations droid control ship. Yes, the entire conflict had been an unexpected move for Queen Amidala- an occurrence, a mistake, that he would not let happen again.   The loss of Naboo away from the Sith was unfortunate- a planet of such beauty and decadence, and so well suited, a ripe point, from which to destroy the Republic-as was the arrest and upcoming trial of my clumsy Trade Federation allies. But I have not been defeated. Those hypocrites in the Jedi Council know of the return of the Sith but even they have no idea of what is to come-the plans I have for them and their precious Republic. This quick route to war is lost but a further plan exists- a plan I will take the greatest of pleasure in initiating. And it is a long plan-one that will totally destabilize the galaxy-and from its ashes will be a victory and control that I will shape to my will. And yet they will have no ideas who has done this to them- not until the time is right for me to reveal my identity. Before then they will embrace me as their leader-for I will save them all from destruction- a destruction they have brought upon themselves.   The cowardly Neimoidians may be captured yet those moronic members of the Senate will not discover Sidious’s involvement-to them Maul will be little more than a paid assassin with the ability to use a lightsaber. With the Dark Lords connections in the Senate, the lawyers will soon be bogged down in so much court procedural tactics and loopholes that Gunray and the rest of the Trade Federation will escape criminal prosecution. The paying of immeasurable fines and the continued bribery of certain selected Senators should soon see them released and back into his future plans.   And as for the Jedi, well they will do very little. They will start their own discreet investigation into our presence -they can at time be relentless when they so choose-but it will all be to no avail. And they dare not reveal the identity of the Sith to the Republic for the fear our returning presence will cause, as well as the lack of faith the people will show in the Jedi for their failure at absolutely destroying us all those years ago. The Sith involvement cannot be disclosed to the people, nor to the highest power of the Galaxy-to the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic himself. Not now, especially not now, at this critical, delicate turn of events in the galaxy-the removal of Chancellor Valorum with the newly elected and highly ambitious Palpatine. And not now with the upheavals in the Senate-the continuing corruption that seems to be growing within the heart of the Republic itself, the insecurities of the various worlds as this grim trade battle has worn on, with so much for each of the individual worlds at stake, the last thing the Jedi need is more conflict-the revealing of the Sith would splinter the council and stretch the limited resources of the Jedi across the galaxy.   With the next stage of planning that I will shortly set into motion against them, they will always be one step behind me- one step behind on a course of action and pursuit that I alone will totally control. They will not be able to do anything about me. By the time they finally prepare to act it will be too late.   My servant is dead but there are others out there who will willingly take his place. Whilst there are so many power hungry corrupt senators and industrialists to play with in the political and celebrity arena of the Republic, there is only one figure in particular that I know has the presence to be nurtured as a Sith Lord. One who is defiant and angry. Angry about what is happening to the Republic around him. Defiant that this growing disease of corruption must be eradicated. A man of honour, yet his facade of goodness is crumbling around him- the need to exert his own order against chaos is showing as brightly as a candle in the dark. A powerful Jedi, but one unusually battle scarred, both mentally and physically. One that can be shaped and bended to service my will. Even now, my plans are in motion. He will take a different road than Darth Maul in becoming my apprentice, but in the end he will be more powerful and even more feared-his betrayl of the Jedi-his own brethren- will be my joy!!   The Dark Side of the Force is the only way for the galaxy. This Republic is stagnant and weak. There must be order. It must be united, driven towards greatness. There will be peace. My peace.   I see the future of the Sith and it is power…unlimited power.   The peoples of the universe will know fear, true fear, for the first time in a millennium.   And they will obey me. They will welcome me with open arms-for they will have no choice.   The time of the Jedi is over.   The dawn of a new era- the era of the Sith- has begun.         “Supreme Chancellor, I wasn’t aware you were here?”   The legendary stare of Jedi Master Mace Windu, strong in Force power, and second only to Master Yoda as the leader of the Jedi Council, would send many a man or creature to their knees in a willingness to talk or surrender before even the hiss of a lightsaber blade could be activated.   Yet Palpatine did not respond in such a way. His reply was without fear, without panic. It was confident and totally assured. “No, Master Windu. My apologies. I slipped away from my guard for a short time..” Despite the graying hair and aging facial features, Palpatine showed an almost youthful exuberance about his deed. “the prerogative of a newly elected Supreme Chancellor, I’m afraid. A trick I learned from my predecessor..” The smile stayed on his face. A smile too controlled to be totally convincing.   Mace moved closer, his eyes still continuing in their attempts to find the truth in all things within Palpatine’s soul. “A dangerous thing to do, surely, after what has just happened on this world? There may still be assassins or droids left behind within the Palace that may have eluded our sensor probes.”   Palpatine continued nonchalantly, gently walking away from Windu and now maneuvering nearer towards the dark figure that lay enshrouded on its marble resting place. “Oh, I don’t think so. No one would dare touch me whilst such a force of Jedi Master’s is so near.” He looked towards Windu with an almost smug confidence, and then his gaze seemed more serious as the face of the dark figure came into view proper. “No, I had to be here. To see for myself the body of the menace that had inflicted itself on my world. My people.” Windu saw the lack of fear in Palpatine as he approached, and silently examined, the fallen cadaver. “So this is the creature. In league with the Trade Federation and hired into finding Queen Amidala… to make their invasion legal within the Senate.”   Palpatine’s eye showed a keen intellect, an interest in the creature.“Though he denies any involvement with this.. person, it is indeed a bold plan by Nute Gunray-bolder than I ever thought any member of the Trade Federation could be.”   The Supreme Chancellor looked further at the body, his eyes now looking disgustedly as he saw the way it had been severed-the marks of a massive lightsaber blow through the waist, the wounds now cauterized. In a bizarre way, Windu considered the figure looked almost like a gargoyle within its own marble walled mausoleum- the rippled fin like blackness of the Dark Warrior’s shape seemingly merged into one with the beautiful white and grey marble patternings of the small, enclosed area around them.    “I assume he is of Zabrak origin?”   “Indeed. We will be sending a task force there to ascertain his identity and find any of his confederates.”   Palpatine tilted his head-was there a hint of further ambiguity in the way he heard Mace’s words? “Let us hope that this creature was not as meticulous in his associations as he was in his lightsaber skills. Interrogating his Trade Federation allies should prove useful. They are, after all, a cowardly race. I’m sure with the Senate legal committee working alongside you we will swiftly force their co-operation.”   In such a short time, Palpatine’s body language had certainly changed. On the numerous times that he had meet with the core members of the Senate on Jedi business, Windu had always considered Palpatine an almost shadowy presence-his integrity never seemed to be in doubt, yet his body language seemed vague…elusive, never truly showing his allegiances to the other Senators, and their ideals, but strong in a crisis, and always available to help, especially in situations involving the previous Supreme Chancellor, Finis Valorum- a good man that Windu never believed could be removed from office so easily. And yet, in a blink of an eye, it had happened so quickly. Now, Palpatine’s body language was strong, and his resolve seemingly un-waverable. Was Palpatine’s election to office a sympathy vote during the time of the Naboo blockade? Were the rumours of bribery and corruption leading to his being nominated accurate? And now that he was the Senate’s choice, would he truly prove himself as an effective leader? Only time, and the Force, would tell.    Following at a slow, respectful pace behind the Chancellor, who almost seemed to glide effortlessly along the polished floor, Mace continued to watch Palpatine’s methodical visual examination of the deceased, the long glint of tubular metal soon catching his eye, the object resting by the dead figure almost like a sleeping pet. “He.. it… was obviously a powerful creature. To handle a lightsaber, and such a distinctive one at that, with such skill…” His right hand now glided along the weapons polished exterior-down it’s middle of its double edged sections. “…and to have killed a Jedi Knight so revered as Master Qui-Gon…”His hand now ceased it’s gliding, becoming firmly clenched in it’s left sided counterpart. “If I didn’t know better I would assume that he had the training of another Jedi.. or even a Sith.”   Mace Windu would never show surprise to anyone outside the Jedi Order but was the Supreme Chancellor’s disbelieving laughter with those final four words playful, or a deliberate attempt at insult? Was there a hidden truth to be told? In those few seconds, Windu couldn’t tell for sure, as the sudden (?) air of realization, of his imparted insult, quickly dawned on the Supreme Chancellor’s face.   “Forgive me, my friend. I am aware that those wretched creatures were wiped from the Republic millennia ago.” He paused in his word, now studying the ornately violent red and black patterning on the dead Zabrakian’s face. “But to kill a Jedi….” He looked away from it and towards the Jedi, his head bowed down almost in apology, “It is an open wound I hadn’t planned to re-open. I gather Master Qui-Gon Jinn was a controversial figure, but he was a brave and noble individual right to the end-he will be much missed by us all.” Palpatine paused to let his words of sincerity sink in- the mark of a true politician. And a move that Windu was totally impervious to. “Yesterday was a sad and deeply touching occasion for all of us, but I felt honoured to have been with the Jedi at his passing into the Force. I only hope that in my position as Supreme Chancellor I can live up to the ideals for which he so bravely fought.”   Mace accepted the apology but stayed resolute in his emotional detachment.  “Master Qui-Gon served the Republic. There is no better end to his career within the Jedi. We can ask for no more.”   “More than worthy to enter the noble ranks of the Jedi order. Master Windu, I assure you that he did not die in vain. Together, we shall create a new age of peace, prosperity and fairness for the Republic. My Chancellorship will become more closely aligned to the Jedi. We shall work together in all the decision making aspects-in a bold and new way that will be more positive and inspiring than anything that has been attempted before. It’s a move that should have been initiated a long time ago.”   “The Jedi serve the Senate. The Republic. But our actions and decisions are not dictated by it, we answer to a greater calling-the will of the Force. It is a situation that will not be changed-no matter who resides in the office of the Supreme Chancellor.”   Mace Windu’s iceberg stance of control, almost defiance, was equally returned by that of Palpatine-his body now in full shape-his refined features acting like a shield against the Jedi’s words. “Your spirit is implacable and appreciated, Master Windu.” The Supreme Chancellor continued to stay respectful yet the tone of change in his voice was more than noticeable, almost like a whisper. “But things change..”   Their deadlock of fired debate seemed to last a small eternity, but, in this contest of words, it would be the politician who would decide to give way. The steeled ambition in his eyes had faded quite momentarily. His voice now returned to its earlier calmness and friendship. “Alas, an argument for another time.”  That ever gracious smile returned. “Today should be one of celebration. Queen Amidala has secured a major victory for Naboo and its people. And she has delivered a blow into the heart of any evil force that plans to do what the Trade Federation almost accomplished. The streets of Theed will later be playing host to one of the greatest peace celebrations ever seen in its history- an event that will bring us all together-Naboo, Gungan and the representatives of the Republic. The healing process has begun. Despite recent events this ceremony couldn’t have been a more fitting inauguration to my position as Supreme Chancellor.”   Palpatine’s voice changed to a somber key with his next request. “I know that celebration is not the Jedi way, but I request yours, Master Yoda, and the rest of the Council’s presence at the event-in the best interests of the people on this momentous day-as well as celebrating and honouring the Jedi in this most difficult time-and in particular the courage of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the late Qui-Gon Jinn.”   Windu nodded his head in respect. “I will inform the Council of your request.”   Palpatine returned the gesture. “I appreciate it. And speaking of Obi-Wan Kenobi, I hear that he is to become a teacher? To this boy, Anakin Skywalker?” Palpatine fondly remembered his brief meeting with the nine year old on the landing ramp of his ship, shortly after the Chancellor’s party had made their emergency return to Naboo. “A delightful child, full of energy and enthusiasm for life-it certainly brightened this old man’s heart to see such a new hope for the future. The Queen has told me much about him. And of his abilities. From what I was also told by Captain Olie, his piloting skills-the way he destroyed the Federation control ship-were incredible. Another fine entrant to the Jedi ways. In this time of darkness and corruption against the Republic we will need people like young Anakin now more than ever. I look forward to hearing about his progress….”   The Chancellor now looked restless-his business obviously nearing completion. “Now, Master Windu, if you excuse me-there is still much to do.” That playful smile returned to his distinguished features. “And I must return to my chambers before the guards sound the alarm!!”   Ever the politician, Palpatine’s arm firmly clasped Windu’s shoulder in a friendly departing gesture. “I trust I will receive the usual thorough report from the Council on this whole affair.”   “Of course, Supreme Chancellor.”   And with those return words, the powerful figure of Palpatine, the newly elected leader of the Republic, defender of freedom and justice, had swiftly exited the small chamber with confident, purposeful strides.   Watching the politician’s departure, the barest smile of consent appeared on Windu’s face. Palpatine’s brief, un-anticipated appearance in the chamber had brought an unusual, uncharacteristic foreboding to Windu. In his many years of service, these feelings of insecurity had never previously manifested themselves in his psyche. Now, with the first indications of the Sith’s return to the galaxy, and fully aware that the Dark Side was  feverishly plotting its next elusive, but elaborately destructive steps of vengeance towards both the Republic and the Jedi, the future no longer seemed so secure. Additionally a new factor had been thrown into the mix: the arrival of Anakin Skywalker, a nine year old boy with the highest concentration of Midi-Chlorians ever seen in a life-form-a being with the potential in the Force to be even more powerful than any other Jedi, even Master Yoda. A boy whose appearance would literally come out of nowhere-from the far off, isolated desert world of Tatooine- and now revealed to have untapped Force abilities that could forever change the once calm waters of the Jedi mindset. Despite Qui-Gonn Jinn’s protestations, the danger that Master Yoda felt would occur if Anakin began his training as a Jedi Knight-a dark quake in the Force- now seemed all too real, and all of the Council had sensed it. Yet the Prophecy of the Force-that the Midi-Chlorian created Chosen One would bring balance, was not something to be ignored. Better to train Anakin as a Force for good than to see such power fall into the wrong hands. Skywalker, no matter where his future may lie, will become a Jedi Knight.   From this one event-the blockade of Naboo-so much evil has sprung. The Republic would indeed be entering a dangerous phase in its evolution. And despite their large numbers, there were still too few Jedi able to keep a watchful eye on the comings and goings of the Senate, or of the vast planetary systems on the outside of the galactic core. So many worlds and peoples out there rife to be manipulated by the Sith. And within the Republic itself, even greater dangers. The Trade Federation had been a strong example of the greed within its borders that could be exploited for evil purposes. Will Palpatine live up to his noble words? Can his strength of character and will-power be enough to handle the menace buried deep within the approaching storm?   Whatever happens within the destructive word games of the political arena, the greater picture of the living Force must be considered a far greater priority-the very reason the Jedi have come to be. Despite the prophecy of the Chosen One, the balancing of the Force to a side has not yet been determined. The shroud of the Dark Side will soon rise, and both the Jedi and the Sith will be at a crossroads, of which there can be only one outcome...   The Force created the Jedi. The Force created the Sith.   Though the Sith’s beliefs are fundamentally, and dangerously, different to that of the Jedi-believing that the Force has created them so that they can attain the highest forms of power only for themselves-both groups still serve the will of the Force.   If the Jedi, for a thousand years the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, are destined by the Force to lose this fight, then so be it. Whatever it has in store for all sentient life in the galaxy, Mace Windu knows one absolute certainty: that both he and the Jedi Knights will weather what is to come-that they will face the Darkness-either fighting within the confines of the Republic, and the Force, or outside of it.   In both his life and in his death, Mace Windu’s obligations, his destiny, to the Force and the Jedi Order, had now never seemed more clear….