R screen With all due respect for the Trade Federation Federation the ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor wish to board immediately she told the Neimoidian Neimoidian Yes yes of course the viceroy replied Ah as you know our blockade is legal perfectly legal We’ll be happy to receive the ambassadors The view screen went black The main Trade Federation battleship loomed ahead Qui-Gon closed his eyes carefully testing the feel of the Force The ship carries mainly Neimoidians Neimoidians And they’re nervous About what he had expected And yet something else hovered ominously ominously on the edge of his perception something he could not quite identify The impression faded as the cruiser settled to the floor of the battleship’s docking bay Qui-Gon opened his eyes Whatever he had sensed it was gone Now he had more immediate duties to attend to Rising Qui-Gon motioned to Obi-Wan The younger Jedi’s face was stern as befitted an important important mission and Qui-Gon sighed Not for the first time he wondered what Master Yoda had been thinking all those years ago when he brought QuiGon QuiGon and Obi-Wan Kenobi together as Master and Padawan apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi had great skill no question of that but sometimes he was so intense
Qui-Gon smiled slightly Master Yoda always saw farther than anyone else Perhaps he had thought that an earnest young apprentice would be as good for Qui-Gon as Qui-Gon would be for the apprentice apprentice It would be like Yoda to balance Obi-Wan’s headstrong nature and by-the-book methods against Qui-Gon’s patience and unconventional ways He would have to ask Yoda about it after Obi-Wan passed the trials and became a full Jedi Knight That will be soon Qui-Gon thought though he hadn’t said anything about it to Obi-Wan yet As he came down the exit ramp Qui-Gon saw a protocol droid waiting below Obi-Wan’s eyebrows rose and he gave Qui-Gon a quick questioning look Qui-Gon nodded in reassurance Neimoidians were a nervous race happiest doing business at a distance They were probably still trying to get up the courage to face the ambassadors in person The droid led them to a large room equipped with a round conference table One entire wall was made of windows providing a spectacular view of the planet Naboo and the fleet of battleships surrounding it Not the best background for peace talks Qui-Gon thought I hope your honored sirs will be most comfortable here the protocol droid said My master will be with you shortly Bowing it left Obi-Wan put back the hood of his cloak revealing R
R short dark hair with a single thin braid dangling over one shoulder He was shorter than Qui-Gon and clean shaven Qui-Gon wore his graying hair long and sported a small neat beard Only their clothing was similar both wore the dark hooded cloaks and cream-colored tunics of the Jedi order Obi-Wan stared out the window at the battle fleet I have a bad feeling about this he said finally I don’t sense anything Qui-Gon said The faint disturbance he had felt earlier had vanished completely completely But though Obi-Wan was only twenty-five and not yet a full Jedi Knight he had great sensitivity to the Force Qui-Gon had learned to respect his apprentice’s apprentice’s instincts Some new problem then It’s not about the mission Master Obi-Wan said quickly It’s something elsewhere Elusive Don’t center on your anxiety Obi-Wan Qui-Gon warned Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future But not at the expense of the moment Qui-Gon said gently Be mindful of the living Force my young Padawan Obi-Wan’s preoccupied expression held a moment longer Then he nodded Yes Master The two men stood silent looking out at the fleet After a time Obi-Wan said How do you think this
trade viceroy will deal with the Chancellor’s demands demands These Federation types are cowards Qui-Gon said The negotiations will be short But as he spoke he wondered The trade viceroy was taking a long time to arrive even for a Neimoidian He shook his head Staring at the Trade Federation’s fleet disturbed his thoughts Deliberately he turned away Taking a seat at the table he began to calm his mind After a moment Obi-Wan joined him Is it in their nature to make us wait this long he asked voicing Qui-Gon’s own unease No Qui-Gon said He paused concentrating I sense an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial trivial as this trade dispute Nute Gunray the Trade Federation viceroy had been nervous since the blockade began He had been frightened ever since the Republic cruiser entered entered the Naboo star system Now standing on the bridge of his battleship and facing the communication communication hologram of Darth Sidious he was quite frankly terrified Darth Sidious frightens everyone thought Nute but it was small comfort The Sith Lord was a shadowy shadowy evil figure Even though the Trade Federation had followed him loyally he always wore a hooded R
