thoughtfully.
'Threatened, the Republic is, if the Sith are involved,' he observed in his soft, gravelly voice.
The others began to mutter anew among themselves. Qui-Gon said nothing, waiting them out. They had believed the Sith destroyed. They had believed them consumed by their own lust for power. He could feel Obi-Wan shift uncomfortably at his shoulder, having trouble maintaining his silence.
Mace Windu leaned back heavily, his strong brow furrowing. 'This is difficult to accept, Qui-Gon. I do not understand how the Sith could have returned without us knowing.'
'Hard to see, the dark side is,' Yoda said with a small snort. 'Discover who this assassin is, we must.'
'Perhaps he will reveal himself again,' Ki-Adi-Mundi suggested with a nod to Qui-Gon.
'Yes,' Mace Windu agreed. 'This attack was with purpose, that much is clear. The Queen is his target. Since he failed once, he may try again.'
Yoda lifted one skinny arm, pointing at Qui-Gon. 'With this Naboo Queen, you must stay, Qui-Gon. Protect her, you must.' The others murmured their approval, evidencing the confidence they felt in the Jedi Master's abilities. Still Qui-Gon said nothing.
'We shall use all our resources to unravel this mystery and discover the identity of your attacker,' Mace Windu advised. One hand lifted in dismissal. 'May the Force be with you, Qui-Gon Jinn.'
'May the Force be with you,' Yoda echoed.
Obi-Wan turned to leave. He stopped when Qui-Gon did not follow, but instead remained standing before the Council. Obi-Wan held his breath, knowing what was coming. Yoda cocked his head questioningly. 'More to say, have you, Qui-Gon Jinn?'
With your permission, my Master,' the Jedi replied, gaze steady. 'I have encountered a vergence in the Force.'
Yoda's eyes widened slightly. 'A vergence, you say?'
'Located around a person?' Mace Windu asked quickly.
Qui-Gon nodded. 'A boy. His cells have the highest concentration of midi- chlorians I have ever seen in a life-form.' He paused. 'It is possible he was conceived by midi-chlorians.'
There was a shocked silence this time. Qui-Gon Jinn was suggesting the impossible, that the boy was conceived not by human contact, but by the essence of all life, by the connectors to the Force itself, the midi- chlorians. Comprising collective consciousness and intelligence, the midi-chlorians formed the link between everything living and the Force.
But there was more that troubled the Jedi Council. There was a prophecy, so old its origins had long since been lost, that a chosen one would appear, imbued with an abundance of rpidichlorians, a being strong with the Force and destined to alter it forever.
It was Mace Windu who gave voice to the Council's thoughts. 'You refer to the prophecy,' he said quietly. 'Of the one who will bring balance to the Force. You believe it is this boy.'
Qui-Gon hesitated. 'I don't presume-'
'But you do!' Yoda snapped challengingly. 'Revealed, your opinion is, Qui-Gon!'
The Jedi Master took a deep breath. 'I request the boy be tested.'
Again, there was silence as the members of the Council exchanged glances, communicating without words.
Eyes shifted back to Qui-Gon. 'To be trained as a Jedi, you request for him?' Yoda asked softly.
'Finding him was the will of the Force.' Qui-Gon pressed ahead recklessly. 'I have no doubt of it. There is too much happening here for it to be anything else.'
Mace Windu held up one hand, bringing the debate to a close. 'Bring him before us, then.'
Yoda nodded somberly, eyes closing. 'Tested, he will be.'
'It is time to be going, Your Majesty,' Senator Palpatine advised, moving to gather up a pile of data cards from his desk.
Queen Amidala rose, and Anakin hurried back to his seat beside Jar Jar, giving the Gungan another warning glance for good measure. Jar Jar looked hurt.
'Me not gonna tell dem,' he protested.
A moment later Palpatine ushered the Queen and her handmaidens from his office and into the antechamber where the boy and the Gungan sat waiting. The senator went by them without a glance and was out the door immediately.
Queen Amidala slowed just a fraction as she passed Anakin.
'Why don't you come with us,' the handmaiden Rabe said without looking at him, her voice a whisper. 'This time you won't have to listen from behind a door.'
Anakin and Jar Jar exchanged a startled, chagrined look, then rose and followed after.'
Chapter 17
While the others waited without, Queen Amidala, accompanied by her handmaidens, retreated to her chambers long enough to change into yet another ensemble, this one clearly meant to emphasize her status as leader of the Naboo. She emerged wearing a broad-shouldered cloak of crimson velvet trimmed with gold lace d a crown of woven cloth horns and tassels with a center plate of hammered gold. The gown and headdress lent both size and majesty, and she walked past a wondering Anakin and Jar Jar as if come down out of the clouds to mix
