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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟕
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐄𝐃𝐈 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄

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After their journey through hyperspace had come to an end, a large planet with flickering lights appeared in the distance. Aurora couldn't help the awe she felt as she stared at Coruscant with a gleam in her eyes. Unknown to her, Qui-Gon was watching her from his seat next to her. The Tinsley girl continued to stare out the window as they entered the planet's atmosphere to reveal buildings as far as the eye could see. It wasn't long after that when Anakin and Obi-Wan joined them in the cockpit to watch the scenery pass by them.

"Coruscant. The entire planet is one big city," Ric Olié told those who had never visited the planet before as they continued to fly toward their destination, "there's Chancellor Valorum's shuttle. And look over there. Senator Palpatine is waiting for us."

The pilot soon began to slow the ship down to land at the docking back so they could join the Senator and Chancellor. As soon as the engines were switched off, everyone exited the ship and made their way toward their allies. Aurora walked beside Padmé and behind Queen Amidala as they approached the two men waiting for them. Despite keeping a calm demeanor, the Tinsley girl had a million different emotions bouncing around inside her.

"It is a great gift to see you alive, Your Majesty. With the communications breakdown, we've been very concerned. I'm anxious to hear your report on the situation," Senator Palpatine told the Queen of Naboo with a smile before gesturing to the man standing next to him, "may I present Supreme Chancellor Valorum."

"Welcome, Your Highness. It's an honor to finally meet you in person," the Supreme Chancellor greeted with an expressionless look on his face.

"Thank you, Supreme Chancellor," Queen Amidala responded before she and her followers began walking with him toward their new means of transportation.

"I must relay to you how distressed everyone is over the current situation," the white-haired man announced from his place next to the young queen, "I've called for a special session of the Senate to hear your position."

"I'm grateful for your concern, Chancellor."

After the man gave Queen Amidala a small nod, she and her followers continued walking toward their cruiser. Aurora didn't hesitate to sit down next to Padmé, completely unaware of the two Jedi watching her from a distance. Their attention soon fell on Anakin, who was unsure of where to go. But after receiving the okay from Qui-Gon, the young boy sat down in the row in front of Aurora and Padmé and next to Jar Jar. As soon as everyone was situated, the pilot started the engine and began taking them toward the Senate building.

Once they reached their destination, Aurora followed Captain Panaka into Senator Palpatine's office after getting Jar Jar and Anakin situated in the hallway outside of the room. Silence surrounded the two Royal Guards and the Naboo Senator as they waited for their Queen to return. It wasn't long before Queen Amidala entered the room dressed entirely in white followed by her handmaidens. No one said a word as the young ruler walked across the room before sitting down on the couch. It was only then that Senator Palpatine began speaking about the dilemma they were facing.

"There is no civility, only politics. The Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates. There is no interest in the common good," the gray-haired man told them while pacing back and forth in front of his Queen before he stopped and turned to face her, "I must be frank, Your Majesty. There is little chance the Senate will act on the invasion."

"Chancellor Valorum seems to think there is hope," Queen Amidala retaliated while keeping her eyes glued to the pacing man.

"If I may say so, Your Majesty, the Chancellor has little real power," the Naboo Senator stated after stopping near a statue near the entrance of the room, "he is mired by the baseless accusations of corruption. The bureaucrats are in charge now."

"What options have we?"

"Our best choice would be to push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor, one who could control the bureaucrats and give us justice," Senator Palpatine stated as he walked closer to the Queen before stopping a few feet away from her, causing a sudden uneasy feeling to form in Aurora's stomach, "you could call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum."

"He has been our strongest supporter," Queen Amidala argued, shocked that her planet's Senator even suggested his plan.

"Our only other choice would be to submit a plea to the courts," Palpatine told his Queen before he went back to pacing back and forth in front of them.

"The courts take even longer to decide things than the Senate," the young ruler argued, causing the Naboo Senator to stop his movements and face her once again, "our people are dying, Senator. We must do something quickly to stop the Federation."

"To be realistic, Your Majesty, I think we're going to have to accept Federation control for the time being," Palpatine stated after he went back to pacing, only for him to stop once again as soon as he finished speaking to glance over at the young ruler.

"That is something I cannot do."

Aurora stayed in Senator Palpatine's office with Captain Panaka as they waited to accompany their Queen to confront the Senate. It wasn't long before approaching footsteps cut through the silence, causing the Tinsley girl to get to her feet and turn to face the door. Shock coursed through the young girl's veins when she spotted Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan making their way toward her and not Queen Amidala. An ominous feeling settled over her as she kept her eyes glued to the two Jedi while they pushed open the glass door and entered the room.

The brunette girl kept her lips sealed while she watched the Jedi walk across the room to stand in front of her. She did her best to seem confident as the Force users studied her, but on the inside the Tinsley girl was afraid. All the stories her parents told her about the Jedi ran through her head and the sudden feeling to flee filled every inch of her body. However, she refused to listen to it. Even if she did try to run, Aurora doubted she would make it very far.

"Is everything alright?" the brunette girl questioned, finally breaking the silence that surrounded them despite not wanting to speak at all.

"We would like for you to accompany us to the Jedi Temple," Qui-Gon responded while Obi-Wan continued to stare at the girl across from him with an unreadable expression on his face, "the Council would like to meet with you."

"May I ask why?"

"I think you know why," was all the Kenobi boy said, earning a slightly irritated look from his Master before the latter turned his attention back to Aurora.

The look that the Jinn man was sending her told Aurora that there was no way she would get out of it. Even if she refused, she knew they would find a way to get her there. So after glancing over at the confused Captain Panaka one last time, Aurora turned her attention back to the Jedi and gave them a small nod. It wasn't long after that when the Tinsley girl found herself walking between the two men toward the transport that would take her to the last place she wanted to be.

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Aurora's emotions were on overdrive as she walked between the two Jedi through the halls of the Jedi Temple. She did her best to ignore the stares of the unfamiliar Jedi that passed them and focused more on controlling her feelings. The Tinsley girl clenched her fist to hide their shaking from Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as they stopped in front of an elevator. What felt like an eternity passed before the doors finally slid open, allowing the trio to step inside. No one said a word as the small group of three rode the elevator up to the top. Aurora silently prayed that the doors would never open, knowing that what was waiting for her on the other side would be unbearable. However, it seemed fate wasn't on her side when the elevator opened to reveal the Jedi Council.

The brunette girl's feet felt as if they were glued to the floor as all eyes turned toward her. Before another full thought could go through her head, Aurora felt a hand placed on her back before she was gently guided into the room. She was forced to walk until she was standing between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in the center of the room, completely aware of every single Jedi Master studying her. A long moment of silence finally passed before it was broken by the small green creature seated in front of them.

"The one you were talking about this is?" he said as his eyes scanned over Aurora before he looked up at Qui-Gon.

"She is sensitive to the Force, Master Yoda. Her midi-chlorian count is high. Not as high as the boy's, but still high," the Jinn man stated, causing the Tinsley girl to look up at him with confusion in her eyes, unaware of when they were able to get her blood tested. That was until she remembered the small cut on her hand from when she worked on the ship with Obi-Wan. She never saw what he did with the towel they used to clean it.

Because her eyes were on the Jedi Master standing next to her, Aurora was oblivious to everyone's attention turning back to her. That was until she heard someone clear their throat, drawing her attention to the man sitting next to the one Qui-Gon called Master Yoda. "What is your name?"

Aurora hesitated for a moment, which didn't go unnoticed by the Jedi surrounding her. After staring at the man in front of her for a moment longer, the brunette girl finally found the courage to respond to his question. "Aurora Barlowe."

Yoda instantly sat up straighter in his seat, causing Aurora to break eye contact with the Jedi Master staring her down to meet his gaze. The two of them just stared at each other for a long moment before the Jedi Master finally opened his mouth to speak. "Hm. The truth that is not."

"I think I would know my own name," Aurora responded while trying her best to keep her false confidence in her voice, only to receive unconvinced looks from everyone surrounding her. It wasn't long after that when she realized that there was no point in continuing to use her false identity.

"Aurora Tinsley your name is. Langston Astor and Car-Ana Jinn's daughter you are."

As soon as Yoda finished speaking her parents' names, Aurora froze. All her life, she never knew her mother's name before she married her father but she never questioned it. However, she never thought that her father had a different last name. But it didn't take a genius to know why. She knew they didn't want her to know they were once connected with the Jedi, the same group that they spoke so lowly of. Or, more likely, they didn't want the Jedi to know where they were or of their daughter's existence. But what Aurora didn't expect was to meet another living member of her bloodline. She especially didn't expect the last living member of her family to be the long-haired Jedi Master standing next to her.

Another silent moment passed before Aurora found the courage to look up at the man standing next to her, only to find him staring down at her with a small smile on his face. "Did you know?"

"I had my suspicions. You remind me a lot of my sister," Qui-Gon responded while Obi-Wan watched the two of them with a shocked look on his face. It seemed that he was the only Jedi in the room who had no idea Aurora was connected to two former Jedi.

"The temple they fled. The night before a battle it was," Yoda announced, drawing everyone's attention back to him before he continued speaking, "twenty-three years ago it happened."

"They were cowards and traitors," the man sitting next to Yoda scoffed, making Aurora send a glare his way.

"That's not true."

"Aurora," Qui-Gon said in a tone that seemed to warn the Tinsley girl to stop talking, only for her to ignore him and take a step closer to the Jedi questioning her parents.

"They were not cowards or traitors. You just know the story from your point of view."

"You only say that because they were your parents."

"Right Aurora is, Master Windu. Cowards and traitors they were not. Once great Jedi they were," Yoda stated before his attention landed back on the young girl standing in front of him, "scared for their future child they were."

Silence filled the room once again as all eyes landed back on Aurora. It wasn't long after that when Qui-Gon took a step forward to address the two Jedi Masters sitting in front of them. "I request for Aurora to be tested, Master."

Small gasps cut through the air while Aurora stared at her newly discovered uncle with confusion in her eyes. As soon as everyone settled down a bit, their attention fell on Yoda, who was staring up at Qui-Gon with an indescribable look in his eyes. "Trained as a Jedi you request for her, hm?"

"Finding her was the will of the Force. I have no doubt of that," the Jinn man continued while a million thoughts began to bounce around within the walls of Aurora's head, "she has had some training from her parents. Obi-Wan and I have seen it firsthand. We just need to see how far they got and finish what they began."

As the conversation continued around her, the Tinsley girl couldn't help but think back to what her parents taught her. Looking back at her past, they may have trained her in their past ways, but what stuck out to her more was how they spoke of the Jedi. Langston and Car-Ana had been sure to make their daughter aware of how dishonest and untrustworthy the Jedi were. They drove her to believe that the Jedi were not on her side no matter what they said. Even though she discovered they were Jedi, why should what they said to her as a child be any different now?

So instead of letting their conversation continue any further, Aurora took a step forward to stand beside Qui-Gon and drew all of the Jedi's attention to her. "Who says I even want to be a Jedi?"

"Aurora-"

"No," the Tinsley girl cut off her uncle before he had a chance to begin before her gaze fell back on all the Jedi Masters staring back at her, "my parents taught me about the Jedi. That your kind are controlling and manipulative. They told me that you are not to be trusted. So why would I want to be a Jedi?"

"Your enemy we are not, Aurora," Yoda responded, completely unphased by the girl's words while everyone else in the room continued to watch their interaction in silence, "decided later your fate will be, along with young Skywalker's."

"Now is not the time for this," Master Windu announced, drawing all attention to him before he continued speaking, "the Senate is voting for a new Supreme Chancellor, and Queen Amidala is returning home, which will put pressure on the Federation and could widen the confrontation."

"And draw out the Queen's attacker," another Jedi Master added, making Aurora's fear for her Queen's safety grow even more.

"Go with the Queen to Naboo and discover the identity of this dark warrior," Master Windu continued, earning a small nod from Qui-Gon before he continued, "this is the clue we need to unravel the mystery of the Sith."

"May the Force be with you," was the last thing Yoda said before Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed in their direction. Aurora just stared at the small green creature for a moment longer before she turned and followed the two Jedi she met on Naboo into the elevator.

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