ED : Chapter 67: Fallout III

"I'm not one of those you need to be leery of offering the semblance of disrespect today, Anakin.

In addition to their discomfiture concerning some of the results of your independently authorized mission to Cato Neimoidia, the members of the Council have remained closeted in deliberation since I reported as to our discoveries in the Pammant System."

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Pausing for a moment to obviously consider his next words, the broad-shouldered Jedi Master's rugged features quirked into a faint smile, as he continued.

"I want to thank you for warning me of the likelihood the Quarren Secessionists were concealing that nightmarish prototype's fully operational status with dummy slip-scaffolding the vessel could free itself from without visible warning.

You probably saved the lives of the six Aces in the decoy-squadron, so for now, I'm going to go on pretending to believe you, when you say you're gleaning all these secrets from Far Sight and precognitive visions.

You just need to be aware of the tensions at work upon the Council due to the grave implications of what was just uncovered, and the fact I'm by no means the only one whose grown quite curious about the scope of your knowledge. These tensions, and that curiosity, are almost certainly going to bear on the Councilors' handling of your situation.

I wish I could say more, but the Council has made it clear they wish to hear your testimony untainted by a knowledge of developments which have transpired since the end of your activities on Cato Neimoidia.

Still, it would only be a common sense observation, if I were to point out you would be best served to be very early in your attendance upon the Council."

I nodded, my expression relieved, as I replied "It's extremely gratifying to learn I might have played some small part in keeping several of our brothers and sisters safe as you were all engaged in such an important operation.

The Republic needs to know what's going on at the Pammant Docks, because now that the C.I.S leadership knows their secret is out, I believe they'll use those ships sooner rather than later. Your point is well-taken and appreciated though, Master Jinn. I'll be returning to the Temple as soon as I'm relieved here."

Looking at Qui Gon's hologram steadily, I decided to offer a more specific conclusion, rather than simply wait and tell the Council.

"Based on Senator Amidala's discovery that the Archduke of Geonosis was securing funds to construct the largest Geonosian battle-droid foundry yet, and the fact he's planning to go ahead with the construction despite a blockading task-group of sixty heavy cruisers, I believe the C.I.S intends to break the blockade of Geonosis by destroying the task-group in-system using their new weapon."

Looking as serious as I'd ever seen him, the Jedi Master answered cagily "I would like to discuss this with you further, but as I said, I can't at this time.

Again, however, I would observe that it would only be reasonable for you to suppose a committed investigator with access to many of the same facts in your possession might well have come to a similar conclusion, and passed that conclusion on to the pertinent authorities.

Unfortunately, it would be equally reasonable for you to surmise that educated guesswork, absent hard evidence, is often greeted with a significant amount of skepticism by those more conscious of the health of their careers, than in carrying out their duties to the best of their abilities.

It's an imperfect system, Anakin, but the alternatives are worse. Perhaps the hard evidence you helped the Senator acquire will change some minds, before it's too late."

Raising his arm so the wrist with the chronometer on it was clearly visible in the hologram, he tapped it with one finger, then finished with.

"Regardless, I believe your concerns with respect to the safety of Senators Amidala and Robb are valid.

Regrettably, however, neither of us possess the authority to authorize Jedi protection details. Since you'll see the Council the soonest, I advise you to take this matter up with them. In the meantime, I find myself in need of some time away from the Temple.

If I should find myself in a position to give a friend a ride to S.B.I headquarters from the Senatorial and Delegate landing-complex in, say, twenty-five minutes, then extend an invitation to an early dinner which was accepted by a friend I wished to catch up with? Well, that would simply be a happy coincidence all around, wouldn't it? Assuming Senator Amidala has no objections, of course."

We both looked in Padme's direction, who quickly and graciously replied "It would be wonderful to see you again, Master Jinn. It just so happens I do find myself in need of a ride, and that I'm free for dinner with an old friend. Thank you for happening to think of me. I know how busy your duties keep you."

Her smile was a touch conspiratorial as she said this, and I had to suppress a smile of admiration at how she handled the prospect of mortal peril.

Qui Gon's smile was genuine, as he concluded by saying "Good luck with the Council, Anakin. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you for your counsel and assistance, Master Jinn. May the Force be with you, as well" I replied a moment later. Allowing the appreciation to be seen in my expression.

The moment his hologram vanished, I wanted to wheel about and begin questioning the woman who'd apparently been a great deal more aware of me, and possessed of more information in this respect than I ever could have guessed.

Instead, I kept a tight rein on my emotions, and calmly called a different airspeeder rental service than one of the three generally used by members of the Order.

I had my comm set to search the holo-net and deliver a random result for rentals in this sector of the ecumenopolis, because I had no desire to make it easy for a Jedi-hunter to sabotage my transportation as a prelude to an ambush.

Precognition would likely warn me about an outright speeder-bombing, but it was possible something subtler, like a means to deprive me of control of the vehicle when a signal was transmitted could slip through.

I had no desire to become the occupant of the latest pyre to be lit, because I'd underestimated the likes of Aurra Sing.

It wasn't a stretch to believe that one wanted me in particular dead due to Dark Woman being my former Master, so I exercised due prudence. I wasn't scared of her, I'd simply had it ground into me for fifteen years to ensure confrontations took place on terms of my choosing whenever feasible.

Seeing my deposit and rental-fee had both been processed, as well as confirmation the RGC-16 Airspeeder would arrive at the speeder annex adjacent to the landing complex in twenty-three minutes, I was finally able to pocket the device, then turn my attention back to Padme.

"Will you please tell me who this Gail is, and what she told you about me?" My voice was soft, but I could hear the underlying tension and concern in it, so I was positive she could as well.

Spelling out the High Galactic characters, Padme corrected me, then went on to answer "It's not her real name, but something similar to a childhood nickname, spelled G-A-L-E. Something she told me to tell you, specifically.

She was the initiate of the woman who taught me to guard my thoughts during my first term as Queen. After the two of them had finished teaching me, I didn't see her again until my first year in the Senate.

I'd gone to Mandalore as a representative of Queen Jamillia, to negotiate the details of a long-term plasma exportation agreement. Gale had apparently completed her training, because now she was working for Duchess Kryze. In what capacity, was never entirely clear, but seemed to me like something between bodyguard and informal advisor.

In any case, she approached me the night I was due to leave. Saying she needed to tell me some things she'd learned after recovering some relic she only described as important and extremely fragile, for a group of Force-sensitives she wouldn't tell me about, but which I could tell scared her a great deal."

Looking at me strangely, there seemed to be an edge of anticipation about her, as she continued "Initially, I was quite skeptical about what she was trying to tell me. Gale's account sounded more like the plot of a very imaginative holo-novel, rather than something which might have actually happened.

Finding an ancient relic on a lost alien space station. One which triggered a vision that lead her to a planet with sentient, teleporting wolves. Creatures with an agenda so mysterious, she never had a clue why they were helping her, or where they were leading her.

I was ready to end our meeting right there, to be perfectly honest, but she seemed so earnest, so determined I hear what she had to say, I decided to keep listening. If for no other reason than hoping it would put her mind at ease to say her piece."

It was obvious Padme was studying my reaction to what she was saying, but by the time she'd mentioned "Finding an ancient relic on a lost alien space station" I'd gone utterly still.

I was allowing the peace of the Force's steady thrum to flow through me, because otherwise, my heart would be trying to hammer it's way right through my rib cage with a fair chance of success.

"Gale's" identity was obvious, but disconcerting as it was to realize how dramatically I'd altered her life-path with an hour's worth of pointers, I was having difficulty processing just how far the alteration of events had propagated outside the sphere I'd primarily concerned myself with.

"If this is going where I think it is, I really have no idea what to do about it. Artoo was a bit of an anomaly, but he's a relatively passive actor. Wind's gotten sucked into the heart of a hurricane I created, and now the storm's grown so large, it's reached out to pull Padme in, too."

The thoughts running through my head were more than a little worrying, but I dug in, gritted my teeth, and drew my sense of balance up around me like armor. I wasn't an apprentice who could run with a blunder to my Master anymore.

This was my responsibility, I was a Jedi Knight, and as always, there were people I respected and admired, people I cared about, people I loved, who were counting on me to prevent the storm from tearing everything apart.

"Gale admitted to omitting the details of what happened with the mystical wolves, then picked up her account with the solving of some sort of puzzle which opened a kind of doorway.

One which took her to a place she said she could see past, present, and even future events happening like she watching through windows that looked out onto locations all over the galaxy. All of which seemed to involve her, in one way or another"

Padme continued, still watching me quite closely. She waited a few moments to see if I was going to comment, and; when I didn't, pressed on with an answer to my questions which had become a story in and of itself.

"Distracted by a scene of her older self fighting disc-blades to lightsaber against a severely scarred and tattooed Zabrak with multiple prosthetic limbs, she never got a good look at what rammed into her.

The glimpse she got from craning her head backward as it gripped her in it's claws while flying off into absolute darkness was of a great winged beast. Luminous, and possessing a stronger Force-presence than anything she could have imagined.

The beast flew with her in it's talons for what she said seemed like hours, then there was a sudden, blinding white flash, and the creature suddenly dropped her onto a hard surface which knocked the wind out of her while she couldn't see.

By the time she recovered from the fall and could see again, there was no sign of the creature. Just another pathway full of more circular openings looking out onto different places and times."

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