In the Jedi Temple High Council Chambers . Qui-Gon Jinn stood centered in the room, "…my only conclusion can be that the assailant was a Sith Lord," he said.
The silence cracked.
"A Sith Lord?!" Mace Windu's voice rang sharp with disbelief.
"Impossible!" Ki-Adi-Mundi interjected, . "The Sith have been extinct for a millennium!"
Yoda, slowly nodded, ears twitching in thought. "The very Republic is threatened… if involved the Sith are."
Mace Windu said nothing, arms folded, lips pressed tight.
Yoda's gaze turned toward him with quiet weight. "Mmm… troubled, you are, Master Windu. Speak, you must."
Mace exhaled once, . His words came slowly—measured. "Ever since… I was defeated by the Armored Man," he said, "I've been questioning everything. The words he said still echo in my mind. 'Why don't you look in the mirror?'" He looked down at his own hand, fingers curling tight. "Why did the sword—Excalibur Proto, of all things—choose him? Why not a Jedi? Why not any of us?"
There was a ripple of silence, then Yoda's eyes lowered in thought. "Harsh, his methods are… yes," the Grand Master admitted. "But truth, he does deliver. When four of us faced him on Naboo…."
Qui-Gon took a single step forward and gave a respectful bow before lifting a small holoprojector from his belt. "There is proof," he said evenly. "I brought it for this very reason."
He placed the projector on the floor at the center of the chamber. As the device activated, it projected the events from the battle in Mos Espa's grand arena on Tatooine. When the feed finally faded out .
Yoda was the first to speak, his voice low and distant.
"Hard to see, the dark side is… Discover who this assassin is, we must."
Mace Windu turned slightly in his seat, his gaze locked on Qui-Gon. "This person you keep mentioning… this Jin-Woo." He paused. "Isn't his midichlorian count zero? That alone is... very strange. he stopped a lightsaber in mid-air.."
Plo Koon let out a slow, electronic exhale through his mask. "He also seems to enjoy mischief. First, he cheered for you during the duel—like it was some kind of arena spectacle…"
The Kel Dor's head tilted slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Then he did the same for the enemy."
A pause. Then Yoda's ears twitched once.
"And there came the moment," Yoda added with a chuckle, "where both of you looked at Jin-Woo… and thought the same thing." "'Whose side is he on?'"
A few Council members allowed themselves thin smiles.
Qui-Gon exhaled through his nose, a wry expression tugging at his lips. "He's eccentric. Yes. Sometimes crazy. But calm, usually. Rarely speaks unless spoken to."
He let the quiet settle again. "But I assure you—he's just a merchant. The Leader of the Purple England Company. At least… on paper."
Mace Windu's , a trace of disdain crossing his face. "This Jin-Woo," Windu said, voice tight, "has a knack for mocking his opponents. Taunting. Playing games. That's the opposite of the restraint we Jedi are taught to uphold."
Yoda's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "Meet him, we must," he murmured. "This Jin-Woo… his presence, his confidence—familiar, it feels."
Qui-Gon gave a tired smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Jin-Woo… looks like today's the day. The galaxy's about to learn the face behind the armored man. Good luck with the 'celebrity' life you never wanted.
Windu gave a firm nod, his tone shifting to command. "Protect Queen Amidala from this mysterious attacker. And may the Force be with you, Master Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon returned the nod with calm certainty.
But just as he turned to leave,
Yoda raised one clawed hand. "Master Qui-Gon," he said gently. "More to say, have you?"
Qui-Gon bowed his head slightly. "With your permission, my Masters. I have encountered a vergence in the Force."
"A vergence, you say?" Yoda's ears twitched, his gaze sharpening.
"Located around a person?" Mace Windu asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yes," Qui-Gon replied. "A boy. His cells have the highest concentration of midi-chlorians I've seen in any lifeform. It's possible… he was conceived by the midi-chlorians themselves."
Windu leaned forward, voice measured. "You're referring to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force… You believe it's this boy?"
"I don't presume," Qui-Gon answered.
Yoda's tone was calm, but pointed. "But you do! Revealed, your opinion is."
Qui-Gon didn't flinch. "I request the boy be tested. His midi-chlorian count is over 20,000."
The chamber stirred with a quiet ripple.
Yoda leaned in slightly. "Trained as a Jedi, you request for him?"
"Not just that," Qui-Gon said, his tone shifting. "I also wish to request the recruitment of one other. A denizen of Mortis—the one Jin-Woo calls the Daughter."
Mace Windu blinked once, taken aback. His voice was quiet. "The Daughter…?"
Yoda's voice dropped lower. "The Ones, you say. The Mortis gods themselves?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "You are aware of them, Master?"
"Only as legend," Yoda said . "Whispers… rumors. I've never seen them. None here have. Are you certain of what you saw, Qui-Gon Jinn? You saw… the Ones themselves?"
Qui-Gon stood firm as the weight of the room settled on him. "The Daughter had pale skin, green hair, and green eyes," he said confidently. "She also has a habit of reappearing whenever she wants . She's unpredictable."
Yoda's brow lowered thoughtfully. "The description you give… correct, it is. Anything else?"
Qui-Gon hesitated only a moment before continuing. "Her relationship with Jin-Woo is… hostile. She calls him 'the Invader of the Galaxy.' And she told me directly—she is not the Chosen One." He let the words sink in before adding, "She said the Chosen One is the boy I'm here to present to you. Anakin Skywalker. The Daughter often stays near him… to protect him from Jin-Woo."
A low murmur rippled through the Council chamber.
Mace Windu leaned forward, his expression skeptical. "To protect the boy you want trained as a Jedi… from a man who is eccentric, strange, and by your own words, possibly mad?" His eyes narrowed. "It doesn't make much sense, Master Qui-Gon."
"I don't have all the information," Qui-Gon admitted. "But I have one last piece of proof. Something you all saw—though you may not have understood it."
He took a measured step toward the Council's circle.
"A few days ago… did you hear about the sky over Tatooine splitting?"
Windu nodded slowly. "Yes. We saw the holofeeds. Half the sky was shrouded in unnatural darkness… the other half was perfectly clear. It was written off as an atmospheric phenomenon."
Qui-Gon met his gaze with quiet gravity. "It wasn't," he said. "That happened… when Jin-Woo and Anakin glared at each other."
Yoda's ears twitched, . "Does Jin-Woo seek to kill the boy?" he asked slowly. "Without your knowing? ."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "Surprisingly… no. Jin-Woo was more amused than hostile. Anakin, by instinct, tried to punch him the moment they met . Jin-Woo smiled."
He let the silence hold before adding, "And it was Jin-Woo who freed Anakin and his mother from slavery.."
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At noon, the Senate Rotunda stirred with energy—a coliseum of power and posturing. Towering and vast, the Galactic Senate chambers teemed with thousands of delegates, aides, and protocol droids moving with rigid precision through the marbled hallways.
In the circular main chamber, hundreds of floating senatorial platforms hovered in concentric rings. At the very center of it all, high above the rest, Supreme Chancellor Valorum sat in his elevated repulsorpodium, overseeing the chaos below like a weary conductor.
From the far wall, the Naboo delegation's platform detached and began to glide smoothly toward the center of the arena. Onboard were Queen Padmé Amidala, Captain Panaka, Senator Palpatine… and Jin-Woo, standing silently at the rear of the platform with his arms folded, gaze unreadable.
As the platform reached its position, Valorum's voice boomed through the chamber's vast sound system:
"The Chair recognizes the Senator from the sovereign system of Naboo."
Palpatine stepped forward, folding his hands with practiced dignity. "Supreme Chancellor, delegates of the Senate. A tragedy has occurred on our peaceful system of Naboo." His voice was smooth, resonant. "We have become caught in a dispute you are all well aware of—one that began with the taxation of trade routes and has now engulfed our entire planet in the oppression of the Trade Federation."
As murmurs spread throughout the chamber, a second platform rocketed toward the center—sleek and bristling with metallic polish. Seated within were the representatives of the Trade Federation, led by Senator Lott Dod.
"This is outrageous!" Lott Dod shouted, rising to his feet. "I object to the Senator's statements! These are baseless accusations without evidence—"
Valorum leaned forward slightly, his tone firm. "The Chair does not recognize the Senator from the Trade Federation at this time. Please return to your station."
Lott Dod's jaw tightened. He hesitated for a breath, then turned with a stiff huff, retreating to his station. Whispers rippled across the Senate like a rising tide.
Palpatine took a composed step forward.
"To state our allegations, I present Queen Amidala—the recently elected ruler of Naboo—to speak on our behalf."
Padmé stepped forth, her voice steady but resolute.
"Honorable representatives of the Republic, distinguished delegates, and Your Honor, Supreme Chancellor Valorum—
I come to you under the gravest of circumstances. My home planet of Naboo has been invaded by force. Invaded… against all the laws of the Republic… by the Droid Armies of the Trade—"
Suddenly, the Trade Federation's congressional box surged forward, interrupting her. The platform bristled with indignation.
Lott Dod stood, voice sharp and theatrical.
"I object! There is no proof. This is incredible. We recommend a commission be sent to Naboo to ascertain the truth of these accusations."
Chancellor Valorum replied over the loudspeakers,
"Overruled."
Lott Dod didn't sit.
"Your Honor, you cannot allow us to be condemned without reasonable observation. It's against all rules of procedure!"
Before Valorum could respond, another platform slid into the center—this time belonging to the Congress of Malastare.
Ambassador Aks Moe stepped forward with heavy authority.
"The Congress of Malastare concurs with the honorable delegate from the Trade Federation. A commission must be appointed… That is the la—"
CLAP. The sharp sound cracked through the Senate Chamber like a blaster shot. One single clap—loud,
All eyes turned. Standing at the rear of Naboo's platform, silent until now, was Jin-Woo. His arms were still at his sides, but one hand lowered after the solitary clap. He made no further movement—except for a slow gesture: fingers lifted, then pressed to his lips. A wordless command. Silence. His eyes remained still… until one of them shimmered , a deep violet hue pulsing once, slow and threatening. ( img here )
Padmé only smiled slightly. Her aide was crazy—but in a good way. Without missing a beat, she stepped forward and continued,. "First, I haven't finished my statement. That's why my aide did that—to clear the noise." She raised a holopad, holding it up for the chamber to see. "And second, I have proof. On this holopad is video evidence of the invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation."
The chamber dimmed slightly as the projection flared to life above her.
The first scene showed battle droids herding Naboo citizens into confinement camps. Some were struck down without cause—blaster fire erupting in unprovoked bursts. The sound of panicked screams echoed through the feed.
Gasps spread across the chamber. But that wasn't all.
The feed shifted—cutting now to a private recording from the Lucrehulk command chamber. Nute Gunray stood in front of a looming hologram, a cloaked figure who radiated menace even as a mere projection.
Gunray's voice quivered. "The invasion of Naboo is on schedule, my Lord."
The cloaked Sith Lord replied, voice cold and deliberate. "Good. I have the Senate bogged down in procedures. By the time this incident comes up for a vote, they will have no choice but to accept your control of the system."
Gunray hesitated. "The Queen has great faith the Senate will side with her."
The Sith's voice sharpened with contempt. "Queen Amidala is a young and naïve little girl. You will find controlling her will not be difficult. You have done well, Viceroy."
Gunray bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, my Lord."
The holorecording ended with a hiss of static. A breathless silence filled the Senate chamber.
Palpatine blinked—once, twice—his mind racing.
That's me… I know it's me. Who hacked my communication? That was directly from the Lucrehulk. Thank the stars no one saw my face. I was … heavily cloaked…
Padmé, standing tall, kept her expression composed.
The first part—Jin-Woo must've altered that. My people weren't shot. They were already evacuated safely beneath the Theed castle in the bunkers. Still… I appreciate the spectacle.
She kept her hands steady and her voice ready. The trap had been set.