The Jedi League

I have been an officer within the Nabooan intelligence agency for many years, but never have I come up against such an adversary as the Jedi and his League. They are a group of men from both Coruscant and Naboo who save men, women and children sentenced to death by King Palpatine for crimes against the state whose only real crime was to live, to be born in a society that had abandoned each other in favour of fear and suspicion.

The League, led by a man who is only known as the Jedi, enters into our country to rescue the condemned innocents and take them back across the ocean to Coruscant where they can live free and safe.

I hunted this man on orders from His Majesty, the King, but I never came close, not until 2038, after spending three years tracking his ghost-like presence. I went to Coruscant believing him to be a noble of our neighbouring country. How was I to know what awaited me in the shimmering jewel that lay over the sea? This is how I met the Jedi, caught him and then let him go for reasons that only he and I know.

Chapter 1 – His Rescue, My Task.

His adventures began years ago. After Palpatine was elected ruler of Naboo our once democratic homeland became a dictatorship, but the people did nothing. Palpatine seemed to have their best interests at heart. And what of me, I was already in a position of power and wealth, what did I care? What did it matter to me what he was up to behind closed doors? It was none of my affair. However I was soon pulled in, and it became my business.

Soon after Palpatine had established himself as undisputed ruler, the executions began. Men and women accused of the crimes and causes of problems the people were faced with, were put to death. Innocent men, women and children died because the people needed someone to blame. I dare say among the victims were the guilty, but not enough to justify the level of bloodshed we endured. I don't think there is anything that could justify all those deaths.

We all feared we would be next; that we would be put to death; so we got on with our lives and when the time was necessary we cheered the executioner and his sword. I think it was about a year after it began that the Jedi and his League first struck. He began saving the condemned, taking them to the compassionate embrace of Coruscant. They were welcomed there in a way that people never were in Naboo.

Palpatine was furious, but he was never able to catch him. To hear of those rescues now makes me smile because they were so daring, so ingenious, so audacious, so like the Jedi. I was brought onto the case because I had served in the army and knew how to find people. For three years we found nothing and were constantly mocked by the Jedi's bold escapes. We were being made to look like incompetent fools, which for me, made it personal.

For three years I searched and found nothing, but that changed in 2038. It began with the escape of a woman named Amidala, who of course was aided by the League. The real story of the Jedi and I begins then and that is where I begin my tale. This is not an account of my search or his crusade, but of us, and here is where it begins.

5th Month 2038

Amidala Naberrie's apartment

Under guard, awaiting escort to prison.

Her rooms were dark; she had not lit any of the many candles that illuminated her home when night fell. What was the point? She would be gone soon, taken from her life to pay for crimes she had not committed.

Her life had been luxurious and without want. She was wealthy but she cared for those who were her responsibility. Her surroundings reflected her kindness. Although her home was a place of comfort and wealth, her possessions did not come at an expense to others. She employed servants and paid them handsomely instead of using slaves. But they were gone now, too. The plush rugs and wood floor went unswept, the cushions on her furniture went unbeaten.

The drapes remained open and the light from the stars was the only light she allowed. She sat alone, gazing down into the street where the men sent to guard her stood. She had been arrested two days ago, but the prisons were full so she had been held in her home until a place was found for her. Today that would end; today the Guard would come to escort her to her prison cell to await trial.

The prospect of a trial held no hope for the young woman. Everyone was found guilty. The people needed someone to blame and Palpatine kept finding people to accuse. They were guiltless. He was the one responsible hiding behind the faces and blood of the innocent.

Amidala Naberrie, accused of treason and bribery, sat alone; deserted by her friends, betrayed by her country. She had become one of the fallen, the whispered name of Palpatine's victims spoken by the resistance and the Jedi League.

-

It was cold. He did not know who it was he was detaining, all he knew was that it was cold and he had to stay there until the woman's Guard escort showed up to relieve him. Bruck supposed he should be grateful the woman had not resisted, having surrendered with quiet dignity, she now remained quietly in her home. Her alleged crimes were unknown to him, but he knew where she would be taken to, the Central Prison. It was one of the worst of all the prisons in the city; it was the oldest and most fortified. To enter it was to know you would not leave it alive. Its tall, stone walls, the grey bleakness of its cells and the small barred windows were all a reminder of Palpatine's justice to the prisoners and the Guards.

Bruck shifted his weight to his other foot. They should have come and gone and he should be tucked up in bed. He looked over at his companion and was not surprised to see the other soldier slumped over asleep at his post. He would have kicked the other man awake if he thought there was a point. He turned his attention back to the darkened street and was relieved to see a group of six men marching towards him.

"We've come for the prisoner." Ordinarily Bruck would have bristled at the man's tone but tonight he was tired and past caring.

"Papers?" He held out his hand waiting for the correct documentation, and when he was satisfied with their authenticity, he asked, "Password." Bruck stood waiting but didn't get the answer he was waiting for.

"Why all this security?" Bruck put his hand on his pistol

"Can't be too careful with the Jedi and his League about. Password." The Guard from the back answered in a soft, slightly accented voice.

"Perfect Day."

"That's correct, you may take the prisoner." Bruck watched silently as the six Guards trooped past him into the stonework building. He was impatient for them to retrieve the woman and be on their way. In the deep night their uniforms appeared almost black and they gained a sinister air that caused many to fear them. Bruck's trained eyes skimmed over them and their daunting presence. His eyes came to rest on the softly spoken man who had told him the password.

His features were hidden by the night and the shadows cast by the moon, but this man was different from the others. He moved with a deadly grace; in him Bruck saw a fellow warrior and skilled swordsman. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and his senses were suddenly on alert. Adrenalin flooded his system and his heart beat heavily against his chest. This man was to be feared, not because of stories and myths of the Guard, but because he was a man of knowledge.

-

The door burst open and six men wearing Guard uniforms marched in. Amidala gracefully rose to her feet not showing her fear or her resentment. She was the picture of serenity and the refined lady she had been raised to be. Two of the men stepped forward and grabbed her arms pulling her along roughly, showing her no respect.

One man, the one who had spoken the password softly, but with authority to the soldiers outside, kept his head bowed, his face obscured by the brim of his hat. She never even saw him, his fine features or his compassionate eyes. She never noticed the way he moved, different than the others, graceful and commanding. As she was escorted down the stairs and onto the street, he followed closely behind, barely seen, like a shadow cast by a flickering flame.

-

Bruck watched in silent detachment as the Guards brought the woman out of the building. The man who sent tingles along his nerves left last and remained by his side as the other Guards carried on up the street.

"Thank you for your cooperation, you may return home. You and your sleeping friend." Bruck could have sworn he heard amusement in the other man's voice. He turned to look at the other soldier who was still slumbering soundly, a soft snore escaping with his breath every now and again. Bruck turned back to the Guard only to find him gone. The street was deserted. Not even the retreating backs of the Guard and their prisoner could be seen. They were as phantoms.

"Johnson, wake up. We can go."

"Wha..? The escort?"

"Been and gone."

"Oh, really? Then who is that?" Bruck looked up the street where Johnson was pointing and saw more men in Guard uniforms.

"Oh, Lord. I think we have a problem." Bruck drew his sword. "It must be the Jedi thinking to free the prisoner." Johnson jumped to his feet drawing his own weapon. The two men stood shoulder to shoulder awaiting the duel that would surely follow. The six men dressed in Guard uniforms approached the two soldiers cautiously, surprised by the brandished weapons.

"Stand aside, we've come to escort the prisoner to her new cell."

"Papers?" Neither of the soldiers stood down, both glaring at the other six men. Neither group was sure of what to do or what was going on.

"Put away your weapons. We are no threat."

"The Jedi, not a threat?"

"What?"

"Your trick won't work, the real Guard has already been here. Now, will you come quietly?"

"How dare you? We are the guards." The leader of the supposed Guards drew his own sword, as did the other five men that accompanied him. The eight men stood before each other in a scene that was becoming farcical. I bet the Jedi enjoyed the telling of this tale every time he heard it from other's lips. To have the Army and the Guards with each others' swords to their throats was surely something to revel in.

"Have you no honour? Two against six?" Bruck snarled at the man who he believed to be the most wanted man in Naboo.

"You will regret challenging me, now defend yourself." Bruck and the man from the Guard leapt at each other, swords locking, faces set in grim determination. Bruck felt sure he would win, he was a soldier and this man was nothing but a glory seeker. His arrogance was his downfall. The Guards were picked from the best fighters in the army in order to defend against heroes like the Jedi and this man was a real Guard and his talent upheld the legacy of the Guards' skill.

All too quickly Bruck found himself on his back, his weapon in his opponent's hand. A look of pure disgust was fixed on the victorious man.

"My name is Lieutenant MacLeane, I am a Guard and I serve with the NIA, here are our papers." A folded piece of paper was dropped on Bruck's chest. "And the password is Perfect Day."

"But the others… you were late… they had papers."

"Jedi." MacLeane turned from the fallen man. "Spread out, find them." His orders were immediately carried out, his anger mirrored in each of their faces. Bruck had managed to scramble to his feet, and with Johnson's help he was able to stand.

"I don't understand, they even knew the password."

"We were late because we were stopped by a security check point. We hadn't expected it. It must have been a trick to discover the password." MacLeane was angry with himself for failing to realise that and it was that alone which saved Bruck for his own incompetence for not realising. "You two can go, there's nothing else for you to do." Before they could be called back Bruck and Johnson hurried away from the wrathful man to the relative safety of the army barracks.

On a high rooftop, unseen, yet seeing everything, a man in a black cape stood watching the scene below him unfold; the duel, the defeat and the search. They would not find anything because there was nothing to search for but phantoms that had long since evaporated into the night.

It would not be long before they found his message, before they knew for sure that the rescuer was the Jedi and the League. He smiled to himself, pleased by his own genius and humour. He would have to keep an eye on MacLeane, he appeared dangerous and determined and Bruck could be useful too; the man was incompetent to a point of amusement. I believe it is fair to say that the Jedi liked him and his sleeping companion instantly and perhaps felt a little sorry for them.

But for the time being these things didn't matter and he could glory in his victory. The open sea awaited him to carry him and Lady Amidala to Coruscant, the idyllic place of peace and justice. With a swirl of his cloak the Jedi disappeared into the night as six men searched for him on the street below, never knowing how close he was, but how far away they were from ever catching him.

-

MacLeane was relieved to see day dawning, but with the light came the arrival of the men from the intelligence agency. He stood at attention as I and two of my men approached. The two who I had brought with me were excellent investigators and had been with me since the beginning. I watched MacLeane's hawk-like eyes slip over them both, uninterested, and then watched as his eyes settled on me. He stood straighter, gathered his thoughts and puffed out his chest.

I walked over to him with confidence and authority, hoping to use his misguided respect to my advantage. The man was not a fool, I knew that, but that didn't mean I wouldn't be able to lead the little weasel around by his nose. I did not like the man, his overbearing attitude or his supposed expert swordsmanship.

"You MacLeane?" I asked curtly, jogging him out of his reprieve, him not realising I knew full well who he was.

"Yes, Sir."

"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn from the NIA. You will tell me what happened and show me the message."

"Yes sir, this way." MacLeane led us into Amidala's recently vacated accommodation, telling us of the night's events. We stepped into the beautifully furnished rooms, their airy brightness doing nothing to alleviate the Guard's fear of punishment or my anger at another escape.

I moved forward, away from the others, closer to the wall with the Jedi's message scrawled across it. My eyes traced the words, letting them burn into my memory. There had been no other clues, no other sign that it had been the Jedi. Only the message on the wall and the man's mysterious disappearance proved it to be him beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The strange words had begun some months before and I had the odd feeling that they were aimed at me, telling me something, trying to convince me of something. But my ears and mind were closed to anything he had to say; instead, the words mocked me, angered me. I did not listen to their meaning and only saw them as criticism.

I turned from the wall, away from the words. I struggled to understand. I did not spare it another glance as I left, I didn't need to. When I closed my eyes I saw that wall and the words, 'Knowledge over Ignorance.'

-

I left the apartment and made my way back to my horse. I left the two other agents I had brought with me to ensure nothing was missed. From that quiet part of the city I made my way to the palace to report to the King. I was required to investigate each escape and then inform Palpatine of all developments. With every report he expected some clue, some hint to the Jedi's identity. So far he had been disappointed. I had told him of the messages but not my belief that they were addressed to me. However when I first told him of them, I'm sure I saw a slight widening of his eyes, a slight slackening of his clenched jaw, as if in surprise and… recognition?

I don't claim to know his thoughts, but I was convinced he knew something, something he was keeping hidden from me. So be it, I would solve the mystery despite him. He kept many things from me, and his people, he never showed his hand, so why would the Jedi be any different?

My arrival at the palace was expected, but I was still kept waiting in the receiving quarters. One of the King's personal guards, the Liberators, kept me company. His name was Mace Windu, a man I had once spent a drunken night with years ago. Now he only looked at me with disdain.

The room itself was beautiful and lavish, but since Palpatine's rule began, the entire palace had gained a sinister air, so much so that not even the most luxurious rooms were welcoming or comforting.

I sat, I paced, keen to get the meeting over so I could continue with my job. This was not possible because the King liked to play mind games. He'd put you at ease only to kill you, or threaten you only to embrace you as a brother. He was unstable, unpredictable and unchecked, which put us all in danger every moment of our lives. Finally Maul, Palpatine's right hand man and captain of the Liberators appeared. He gestured to me and led me deeper into the lion's den.

When I entered, Palpatine was seated behind a large ornate desk covered in papers. He seemed absorbed in his reading and oblivious to the world around him but I knew he knew I was there. He had an uncanny sense, which frightened most people, myself included. The only person who seemed to be immune was Maul, but there was something about that man that was just as terrifying as our King. I stood before him, waiting for the meeting, which usually felt more like an interrogation, to begin.

"Well?" he finally asked, not even looking up from his papers. His voice was void of almost all emotion, almost sounding indifferent to the information he knew I held, but I knew that below his non-caring exterior His Majesty was enraged.

"It was the Jedi, Your Majesty. He left us the same message to ensure we knew it was him."

"Any leads?"

"No sir." My answer to that question had almost always been the same. The times I had answered 'yes' the leads had led to blind alleys and phantoms.

"Despite your continuing inability to find the Jedi or even find some clue as to his identity, you are still my best man." There was a pause and shuffle of papers but he still did not look at me. "The woman he rescued last night was Amidala Naberrie, my niece. She was charged with treason; a conspiracy to assassinate me in order to gain power and obtain the throne. She still has close family here, within my grasp.

"For a long time now we have believed the Jedi to be from Coruscant, but more specifically a nobleman. I want you to go to Coruscant to talk to Amidala, offer her her family's release in return for information and while you are there you will infiltrate Coruscant's high society. Sniff out the Jedi, Qui-Gon. Your boat leaves on the evening tide."

I stood a moment longer after I had been dismissed. I was heading for Coruscant in search of information and perhaps the Jedi himself. For the first time in some while I felt the exhilaration of the hunt, the possibility of capturing him. He would be mine soon. I headed for my small room to gather the few things I would need and by evening I would be aboard ship ready to continue the chase in earnest with the hope of success.

-

I stood on the top deck of the great ship that would carry me for four days over the ocean to our neighbour. The promise of night that had hung over us as I had boarded was fulfilled, as the giant canvas of the sky was painted black. The sky was clear and the stars shone down brightly, the only light brighter than their own was the shimmering moon. She was spectacular that night, glowing in all her unearthly glory.

I watched her for most of that night; absorbed in its presence, obsessed with the idea that the Jedi was gazing upon the same sky barely 4 days' sail ahead. Though I had accepted the assignment hoping for the excitement and thrill of the hunt, somehow it had only ever felt like a wild goose chase. But that night, as I stood there, the moon's light on my face, as I journeyed to a foreign country, I felt sure that I would capture him.

What manner of men are we if we can be manipulated by fate so thoroughly? What does it say of our free will and conforming? I do what His Majesty, the King, asks and cheer with the crowd. Why, because it was what I wished? I believe that it was, yet this man, the Jedi, for an unexplainable reason had sent me a message against exactly what I had learnt to do. He was man of morals and I, I am a man from a dictatorship.

-

The voyage across the sea became rough; a storm blew up half way through the journey, delaying my eventual arrival. Stepping off the boat on to Coruscant soil for the first time had a strange effect on me. I could almost smell the freedom. Or perhaps that was just the sea air?

I was met by one of the agency's operatives already set up in Coruscant. He bid me welcome and after much grovelling on his part, led me from the docks into the city itself.

If the fresh sea air smelt of freedom, then the hum of the city was freedom embodied in a physical form. The sense of the world around me was amazing. People here did not cower in corners in fear nor did they cheer a death of a fellow citizen. They were people and they lived as such, not as caged animals and most certainly not as slaves.

They belonged to themselves in that city and I think it's fair to say that I loved that place from the moment I set foot on its shores, from the moment I became immersed in their accepting nature. 'Knowledge over Ignorance.' Indeed. There was much to learn here and much to envy, also. Perhaps too much, perhaps enough to be my downfall. Would it lead me to the executioner's axe or down another road? A road never thought of because I never knew I needed it. Would my path be the one named redemption?

I stepped into his world not expecting what I found and embracing it. I stepped into his world expecting to trap him, but found myself ensnared instead.