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
R cloak that hid most of his face from his allies Mysterious Mysterious and powerful Nute reminded himself Somehow Somehow the thought was not as reassuring as he had intended it to be Beside him Daultay Dofine stammered objections and explanations to the Sith Lord’s hologram The ambassadors are Jedi Dofine finished We dare not go against them The holographic image of Sidious shifted You seem more worried about these Jedi than you are about me Dofine came the soft menacing voice I am amused Dofine seemed to shrink Sidious turned Viceroy Viceroy Nute’s skull ridges went cold and he had to force himself to step forward Yes my lord I don’t want that stunted slime in my sight again Sidious said Do you understand Yes my lord Nute said and glared at Dofine until he ran off the bridge This turn of events is unfortunate Darth Sidious went on as if nothing had happened We must accelerate accelerate our plans Begin landing your troops Nute stared completely taken aback Thousands of battle droids stood ready in the holds of his battleships battleships but he hadn’t expected to actually have to use them Ahh my lord is that legal Nute asked tentatively I will make it legal the hooded figure said flatly
Nute shivered Sidious tone left no room for doubts or questions If he can make an invasion legal legal what else is he capable of And the Jedi Nute asked The Chancellor should never have brought them into this Sidious said Kill them immediately Y-yes my lord As you wish Nute stammered automatically Oh no Even he can’t make that legal legal He stared at the dark figure in the hooded cloak and swallowed hard But if I refuse he’ll be angry And facing Darth Sidious is terrible enough when he’s pleased The figure chuckled as if Sidious knew what Nute had been thinking The hologram winked out Nute took a deep breath of relief then turned to the ship’s interior controls A touch of a button switched the main screen to a view of the docking bay where the Republic cruiser sat Another button brought a gun to bear on the cruiser Nute barely hesitated before he pushed the button down The gun fired and the Republic cruiser exploded That was easy enough Nute muttered to himself himself Now for the Jedi Qui-Gon felt the deaths of the cruiser’s crew at once Immediately he sprang to his feet lightsaber in hand He noted with approval that Obi-Wan also sensed the disturbance in the Force and reacted quickly Together they scanned the room weapons R
