category: Mostly Old Republic, but a piece of it takes place during the Rebellion (during "A New Hope"). Description: This story takes place DURING "The Phantom Menace." Mace Windu and Yoda are arguing about Anakin Skywalker and destiny, and it shows why Yoda later is not to eager to train Luke in the Force. email: tbjrobbie@prodigy.net Disclaimer: all the characters in Star Wars are owned by George Lucas. I don't mean to infringe on anyone's rights. This story is not written for profit, just for fun. I'm not being paid or anything, I just wrote it to enjoy myself. I don't mean to infringe on anyone's rights; this is just fan-fiction. Author's Note: this is written with a few big assumptions in mind, and remember that this has been written before the Phantom Menace comes out in theatres. Sorry if there are mistakes. I just wrote it one day when I couldn't wait any longer for the movie to come out. I suppose it starts sometime during the movie. Robin Roberts 5 May 1999 tbjrobbie@prodigy.net The Balance It was on the world of Coruscant that the Jedi Council met. They occupied a high tower, from which all important decisions concerning the Jedi were made. The members of the Jedi Council were just and fair, and Jedi across the galaxy trusted their judgement. It was late at night, later than any sentient being had a right to be up, but of course, this was Coruscant, the world that never slept. The room that towered above the Republic's Capital was empty - except for two. One was a tall, dark-skinned human named Mace Windu, a senior member of the council. The other was small and green - what humans would call an alien - named Yoda, and he was the only Master that one could possibly call senior to Windu. They alone had an inkling of what they faced - and they knew that one small boy was at the center of it. "He could be the one," Windu said. "He could be the one who brings balance to the Force." "What balance we need?" Yoda asked with a frown. Windu sighed with exasperation. He knew that his fellow Jedi Master was going to again argue about the virtues of longevity. Always with Yoda it was age and experience. Youth did have its advantages. "Frustrated you are?" Yoda asked playfully. "Yes," Windu admitted. It was rare that he was frustrated, yet Yoda and he always seemed to bring out the worst in eachother. Perhaps that was why they got along so well. "I know he is older than we normally like trainees to be, but he could still be the one." "No!" Yoda declared, making Mace Windu frown again. "The one he will not be!" Sometimes, Yoda is a very immature eight hundred-year-old, Windu reflected. "Yoda, that boy is incredibly strong-" "No!" Yoda repeated, this time with vehemence, jumping down from his seat to the floor. Windu waited for the old Jedi to regain his composure. It was not often that Yoda lost control of his emotions, and he did not know what Yoda was so worked up about - but he knew that he'd never seen him like this before. "We both know something is coming, Yoda. Be it the Sith or something else," he said softly. "Yes," Yoda whispered. "Coming it is. But the one he will not be." "He is stronger than any that has come before," Windu pointed out. "But not than another will be," Yoda replied. A stronger Jedi? Someone more powerful? Windu frowned thoughtfully. The young Skywalker was so very strong, so very dangerous... another would be still more dangerous. "There will be another?" he asked, not quite willing to believe. "There will be another." He looked at Yoda incredulously. "How? Who?" The Jedi Master was silent for a moment, and Windu knew that the old Jedi saw something, something that could change it all... "A son he will have," Yoda finally replied. "A... son?" Windu whispered. "Destroy or save us, he will," Yoda replied quietly. "Which, is not yet seen." "Anakin?" Yoda shook his head and turned to stare blankly out the window at the night lights of Coruscant. "The son." Again, the world was Coruscant, but it was a world of great change now. In thirty-six years the Republic's gleaming capital had turned into a dark world, a world devoid of light and hope. What was he doing alive? He should have died years ago. He remembered the battle... Then how? Oh, yes. Carbonite. He remembered it all now. Pain stabbed through him, and through it he heard a voice. "The powerful Jedi Master Mace Windu." The voice was just a trace mocking, but perhaps it held a measure of slight respect. Regardless of what it held, it was low and menacing - dark. He opened his eyes and tried to move, but he couldn't. Something held him down - he guessed it was chains - to a table of some sort. A shape came slowly into focus. It was the manipulator behind it all. "Sidious," he hissed. A low chuckle. "I see you remember at least one of my names," the Sith replied. His throat was so dry. "One?" he croaked. "You have been asleep a long while, my friend," Sidious continued as if he had not spoken. "Many things have changed. Your Republic is dead, as are your Jedi. I rule now." "That's impossible," he objected weakly. No... What of the Senate? What of Palpatine, Yoda, Obi-Wan, those would have stopped him? But in his heart he knew it was true. "I see you remember my other name as well," Sidious replied. "What...?" Windu's eyes widened in realization. "Palpatine." "Yes. I am the Emperor, now - oh, and your 'friend' Anakin is still mine." _He was not the one,_ Windu knew. Yoda was right. "Yoda is dead," Palpatine said with a cold smile, having only caught part of the thought. "And so is Obi-Wan. He tried to stop Vader and failed, yesterday." _"There will be another."_ Yoda's words from so long ago... "What do you want of me?" Windu demanded. "I presume you didn't wake me up just to chat." Palpatine's eyes narrowed slightly, and Mace reminded himself to tread carefully and not anger the Sith Lord on purpose. I have been around Obi-Wan too long. Obi-Wan... so you, too, are lost, and Yoda with you. This is a battle I should have seen coming. So I am the last. "There is someone out there," Palpatine finally answered him. "Someone who is very strong. I want to know who." Windu smiled despite the pain. There was ysalmari in there. "I can't sense anything," he replied. "But you know who," Palpatine hissed. _"A son he will have,"_ Yoda had said. There was on use lying. "Yes," Mace replied. "Tell me," the Sith demanded. "No." Again, Yoda's words - _"Destroy us or save us, he will."_ "I will kill you," Palptine threatened. "Then kill me," Mace replied. He had no fear of death; he was out of his time. "He will destroy you." "Who?" the Emperor demanded. He was silent. He never said what he knew... _"The son."_ Rage flashed in Palpatine's eyes. "You will die slowly, _Jedi Master._" Better me than Anakin's son, he thought. The Jedi might be destroyed, but there is another. Let me die so that he might live, and let the galaxy have a new hope.