Chapter One

Jedi Temple

There was something coming, something felt by nearly all of the Jedi within the temple on Coruscant, but still, none knew for sure what it was that was coming, even those on the council. Mere days ago, two Jedi had been dispatched to Naboo hoping to end a blockade set in place by the Trade Federation because of a dispute between the worlds, but with contact lost afterwards, there was an uneasiness that was beginning to cloud their sight.

The oldest and the one regarded as the wisest of the Jedi, Master Yoda hobbled through the main courtyard of the temple. Next to him, another highly valued Jedi Master, Mace Windu, followed at Yoda's pace, listening to the Force on the goings on around them, though neither Jedi said a word.

Any younger Jedi that they came across gave way to their path, as when those two Jedi were seen together, a subtle feeling through the Force told all that they were not to be disturbed. Unfortunately, a messenger had been ordered by the council in the top of the temple to bring them to the chambers, and with a quick acknowledgement, the messenger hurried off. Both Masters of the Force adjusted their heading to towards the peak of the temple.

All of the other Masters were present by the time they had arrived, Yoda's pace remaining slow and steady, refusing to rush at the will of the Council as there was no immediate emergency felt. The wizened Jedi had elected to test his council for their patience, so few had it these days.

"For what have we gathered, Master Mundi?" Yoda spoke finally, having seated himself at the head of the chamber and having counted those present elected to address the problem at hand.

"There's a disturbance, Master Yoda." Ki-Adi-Mundi announced, "We have all felt it, but we have yet to address it within the council."

"Felt it, I have, yes." Yoda nodded, "Its nature eludes myself and meditating on it before this meeting I was."

"I have been unable to tell if it is of the dark side." Mace announced, "Though it is certainly shrouded from us. I cannot tell if it is a threat."

"Speak of Qui-Gon's mission you do?" Yoda looked at Windu.

"Isn't that where you sense this disturbance?"

Yoda closed his eyes and the time stretched past five minutes before he opened them again, "Agree with Windu concerning their mission to Naboo a darkness lies. However, another disturbance, felt I have."

None of the Masters answered on Yoda's insight, having only felt what Windu had been talking about, "Then what are we to do?"

"Patience, yes." Yoda concluded quickly, "Both disturbances, revealed they will in the timing of the Force."

As if summoned by the old Jedi, a visible ripple in the Force shook the inner chamber, several of the newer council members jumped to their feet, lightsabers drawn, "Away put your weapons!" Yoda's command was heard by all and ignored by none.

A heavy whining of an engine could be heard in repeating succession as the ripple seemed to solidify in the form of a Blue box. A single gong rang from said box before the room fell silent once more. Every person in the chamber was now standing, Yoda having only stood from the curiosity of the object rather than alarm.

"What is it?" Mace looked puzzled towards the older Master.

"Legend of the universe, this box is. Heard of it once, I have."

Before more could be said the door opened and in a hurry a tall man wearing a coat, trousers, suspenders and a bow tie stepped out of the box. He barely noticed the Jedi in time, skidded to a stop and with a hurry, scanned the room, his eyes falling on the green Jedi closest and he smiled, "Hello there. I seem to have parked in the middle of your meeting."

"The cause for our meeting, you are." Yoda answered.

"I see." The man glanced around again, always scanning with his eyes and calculating everything of the surrounding area that could be ultimately used to his advantage if he needed to before pausing longer on the darker skinned Jedi and then returning to look at Yoda again, "And you are?"

"You're the one who arrived here, don't you think we're entitled to know your name first?" Mace answered.

"Good point, I'm the Doctor."

"Who?"

"The Doctor." He answered again, "Let's see, a type of council chamber, set in the middle of a city world, wearing robey type clothes and," he pulled out a device so quickly that none of the Jedi registered that he had moved before the whirring sound that they had no idea what it was, "you have lightsabers!"

The rest of the Jedi were still on edge with his flamboyant and enthusiastic nature and his excitement over their tools brought a frown to Mace's face, "Now look here…"

"But if you're Jedi, then I'm here before…" the Doctor left the front of his blue box, the door slightly open still, and he hurried over to the window, "There hasn't been a full council of the Jedi in several millennium, so that means, I'm pre-emp…"

He stopped as the blue door opened again and a woman this time stepped out and froze at the sight of the Jedi. She was dressed in jeans and a colorful blouse that was covered with a hide jacket of unknown origin. On her hip was a holster, a weapon sheathed that was not recognized by any of the Jedi there, "Did you park in the wrong room again, sweetie?"

"We need to leave, River. We can't be here." The Doctor almost sprinted back to the door and tried to shove her back into the door.

She was having none of that, "But you promised me a good adventure, Doctor. I think the Tardis wanted to take me..." River noticed the lightsabers on the belts of the beings around them, "Are they Jedi?"

"Yup." The Doctor answered tersely, the Jedi in the room were trying to keep up with the actions of the man, "That's why we're getting out of here before…"

"I haven't met a Jedi before." River continued and held out a hand to Mace, "I'm Professor River Song."

"Master Mace Windu, Jedi Order."

"Jedi Order? Then this is before…" she looked at the Doctor to confirm her suspicions.

"Yes it is. Now we are leaving." The Doctor cut her off again, and tried to insist that she get back in the box, but she ignored him and began greeting the others of the Order.

"There's no harm in staying a little, Doctor." River cut in as she finished greeting everybody around the room. There was still a heavy question over who they were, but Yoda had instilled in them enough discipline to refrain from asking questions outright.

"Heard of the Doctor, I have." Yoda hobbled back to his seat, "Only once, record of your arrival, been noted it has."

"Whatever they said about me, all lies." The Doctor turned his attention to the Master Jedi and with another flurry of movement, the Jedi all heard the whirring sound from his device.

"A warrior, you are. Protector of the innocent."

"Well there is that." He conceded.

"Don't go filling his head, Master Yoda, with delusions of greatness. He doesn't need any help with that."

"What is it that brings you here?" Mace asked, having decided to treat them cordially as Yoda had been doing.

"My Sweetie had promised to take me somewhere exciting for our date tonight." River answered, glancing at the Doctor with a grin who responded in kind before gritting his teeth in reply.

"I wasn't planning on coming here, though. Or this early in the…well, before things start happening."

"Things?"

River shook her head at Mace, "Spoilers."

"Look, I hadn't meant to park here and disrupt your meeting…"

A commlink chimed and Mace pulled out the device, "Master Windu."

"Sir, Master Qui-Gon has contacted the temple and they, with the Queen are on approach to the Naboo landing platform."

"Qui-gon?" the Doctor asked, looking at Yoda and then back to River.

"Returning from Naboo, he is. A request to meet with the council he has."

The Doctor walked over to River and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "We can't be here for this. HE isn't even put into office yet."

"Did you ever think that we could change that?"

"I'm not changing anything, River. You know the rules."

"Haven't you always bent them to suit your fancy, Doctor?"

"I've learned a lot since I tried to change fates that weren't supposed to be changed."

"Travel through time you have?" Yoda asked, the few Masters that had not guessed or speculated by now, looked at Yoda in surprise.

"Yes, we travel through time and space and I'm sorry that we got here, but we REALLY must be leaving."

"Brought you here for a reason, the Force has, leave so soon, you should not."

"There are things that cannot be changed, Master Yoda. Things that happen in the future, cannot be altered and to do so would create a paradox that would work to unravel space and time."

"Agree with you, I do. Change your past, you should not. Alter our future, only if the will of the Force, it is."

The Doctor started twice to say something in response before Mace stood, "With Master Qui-Gon returning from Naboo, there are things to be done. The Queen will be meeting with the Senate in an emergency session. There are rumors that a vote of no confidence will be made once she realizes that nothing will be done for Naboo."

The Doctor murmured something that was too quiet for the others to hear, but River quieted him with a smack to his shoulder. In turn he looked at the Jedi and smiled, "Well, I should probably move my ship, because you'll be needing it."

"Appreciate that, we would. Recommend you leave, however, I do not."

The Doctor and River both shared a look and a slump of his shoulders indicated that River's will won out, "Where do you want me to move it?"