Saga Shifting Tides (Late/Post TPM AU. Anakin, Padme, Obi, Qui, and more) UPDATE 1/7/09!

Hello, and welcome to my fanfic. This is my first fic, and as a long-time (about 6-month) lurker and fan of the boards, I got inspired to write a fic of my own. Hope you guys like it. Constuctive criticism and suggestions are most welcome, so please read and respond (Of course, if you feel like your criticism might be too strong to post here, I'd be more than willing to take a PM...).

Title: Shifting Tides
Author: Specterace
Timeframe: Late-TPM era AU
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, PT-characters, and a semi-OC
Genre: Action, Drama, Angst, maybe some Romance.
Keywords: AU
Summary: Picking up near the end of TPM, this is the story of Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, and the rest of the PT crew had certain events both in that era and in the past gone a little bit different...

Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilms. No infringement is intended by me, nor do I seek profit in any way. In other worlds, George, it's your world. We just play in it.


Now, on to the story (or at least the first tiny part of it, anyway...)

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Chapter 1: The Staredown

Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in a battle-ready stance, glaring intensely at the scene before him. He was in the power station of Theed Palace on Naboo; to be exact, he was in the service corridor leading from the main generator room to a melting pit, where the residue of the power station was disposed.

Truth be told, however, he was not precisely in the corridor. And he was angry for it.

The corridor itself had laser-doors that segmented it into five even sections, which activated in set patterns and at precise times. Depending on the amount of power generated and residue disposed by the plant, the number of doors and the amount of time between their activations would vary, from one door in a few seconds to all doors for almost an hour. But in general, the doors would open and close at a fast rate with only a few doors actually activating.

Right now, though, all the doors were shut, and they couldn't open fast enough.

Obi-Wan himself stood before the first door, just outside the corridor. His Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was stuck three doors ahead, between doors three and four. Their nemesis, Darth Maul, stood beyond the fourth door, right in front of the door leading to the pit area itself.

As Obi-Wan waited out the torturous minutes until the doors would re-activate, he closely observed the two figures in front of him.

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was dropped in a crouching, kneeling position, in deep meditation, his deactivated emerald lightsaber on the ground next to him. The previous battle with the Sith Lord in the generator room had taken much out of the aging Jedi, for though he was very wise, experienced and battle-hardened, he was also not quite as fast, strong, or agile as he once was. His stamina, he noticed, was also not what it once had been, when he would train and perfect his lightsaber forms for hours and days on end under the close, wise, and venerable eyes of Master Yoda and the careful, observant eyes of his own Master, Master Yan Dooku. Though he would never consider himself as skilled with a lightsaber as those two luminaries of combat, he could honestly say he often held his own against them in their various, intense sparring sessions where nothing was held back and full effort was not only constantly put forth, but was expected. Also, in earlier years, he had even come close to defeating the only other two Jedi who were also regarded in such a high class: Master Windu and Master Sifo-Dyas. Indeed, Qui-Gon Jinn was truly one of the greatest Jedi swordsmen of his time.

Unfortunately for him, though his connections to the Force were still very strong, and his swordsmanship sharp, age had diminished his strength, slowed his blade and reaction time, and made it harder for him to use the Force at high, intense levels for extended periods of time. The toll the battle had taken on him was, at firs

 

Very nice start! I hope to see more of this

 

Lady Padme and Healer Leona: Thanks for the support and kind words. Sorry I can't really respond to you guys formally right now, but I've been working all day, and since today (or yesterday) was my birthday, I celebrated until about 9 or 10 pm. Then, on a bit of inspiration, I went all-out to complete this next part of the story, and now it's almost time for bed! Again, sorry for the non-response, but I will do so tomorrow.

Now, on to the next part:
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Chapter 2: Jedi vs. Sith

As the laser doors deactivated, Qui-Gon Jinn quickly leapt to his feet, his lightsaber blazing in his hand like a torch of emerald fire. He charged at Maul, who likewise had his own weapon fully activated and ready within a blink of an eye. Qui-Gon first slashed high, then followed up with a quick overhead strike and low slash combination designed to catch Maul off-balance on one end. But the Sith Lord, anticipating such a maneuver, quickly flicked his dual-sided blade back and forth, catching and deflecting each and every strike. The Zabrak then brought his blade horizontally and countered with a quick flurry of mid-to-low strikes from both ends of his blade, hoping to catch the Jedi Master unguarded on either side. However, Qui-Gon effectively parried the strikes, whipping his blade from his right to his left and back with the speed and grace worthy of an experienced Jedi Master such as himself. Qui-Gon, refreshed in both body and mind by his meditation, seemed to regain his focus, strength and vigor, and attacked Maul with a fierceness and intensity that slightly surprised the Sith Lord, who found himself having to quickly parry the staggering rush of powerful blows coming at him from all directions at various speeds. Though the Sith Lord was still the stronger of the two in terms of brute strength, and had a longer reach due to his dual-bladed saber, he was currently engaging Qui-Gon Jinn in close-quarters lightsaber combat, a situation that favored quickness and speed rather than power and reach. Wisely, Qui-Gon made every effort to engage Maul as close as possible, so as to not let Maul create the space he needed to make use of his greater reach. As soon as Maul tried to back up a few steps, Qui-Gon would doggedly charge in and rain quick, powerful blows on Maul?s guard, effectively forcing the Sith Lord to stand and fight at every interval. Not only did Qui-Gon have the advantage in blade quickness and hand dexterity, but the saber form he specialized in, Form IV Ataro, was designed for close-quarters, single-opponent combat, utilizing a large volume of quick, powerful blows designed to wear an opponent down and drive them back to a location or situation of the Jedi?s choosing. Qui-Gon Jinn was doing exactly that, forcing Maul closer and closer to the far wall of the melting pit chamber, while at the same time keeping Maul on the brink of the pit?s edge as much as possible.

Having tested the Sith?s middle-to-high guard extensively, Qui-Gon slashed high one last time, bounced his blade off Maul?s, then started a low 3-hit combination, striking at the Sith?s right hip, left calf, then quickly spinning all the way around into a low, powerful two-handed chop aimed towards the lower right side of Maul?s torso. Maul parried the first two strikes, then spun away gracefully from the lethal emerald blade. While still rotating, he quickly saw that Qui-Gon?s last attack had spun him completely around, effectively exposing his right side completely. Maul quickly stopped his rotation and finished the motion with a quick, fierce slash, confident that his crimson blade would land a lethal blow to the meddlesome Jedi at last.

Instead of Qui-Gon?s neck, the blade found empty space.

At the last possible moment, Qui-Gon sensed the incoming blow from the right. Cursing at himself for his carelessness, he bent himself back into a bridge, held his position for a spilt second, then collapsed the bridge and rolled towards the nearby wall, barely dodging first Maul?s

 

Seeing as I have a bit of time before I get to work, I suppose I could get on with the responses I promised last night...

LadyPadme: Thank you very much for your support. I hope to update consistently, depending on how I'm able to write the story. I have the basic story arc in my head and outlined, but I like to flesh out the details as I get to the writing itself. I'd like to say I will update as fast as I did yesterday, but the truth is I plan to be very careful and take my time with the story as it unfolds. But again, thank you and I hope you like the story.

Healer Leona: Thank you! The polarization thing was kind of what I was shooting for, so I am very happy you recognized it.

As for the fate of Qui-Gon, well, we'll just have to wait and see...

 

And now for the next part... Hope you guys like it...

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Chapter 3: Kenobi vs. Maul

Standing merely a few feet away, behind the laser door, Obi-Wan had seen the end of the battle in its entirety, as the unease and anticipation grew in his stomach with every step, slash, and parry. As the battle moved from the laser door towards the far wall, Obi-Wan started to feel like it had gone on forever, a constant stalemate in which neither combatant seemed to gain a decisive advantage long enough to win.

When it happened, it seemed to Obi-Wan as if time itself had slowed down.

He saw Maul?s right feint, and felt confident his Master would parry the blow. But as he saw the front blade come back as the second blade swung left, the ever-persistent feeling of dread came back in full force. As he saw his Master try to twist away from the second blow, Obi-Wan saw the feint for what it truly was, and with it, the color drained from his face as he realized Maul?s true goal: to set-up his Master for a lethal stab though the stomach. Sure enough, he saw Maul spin once again to the right, the tip of his crimson blade closing in inch-by-agonizing-inch on Qui-Gon?s exposed chest. Obi-Wan could only look on and hope that his Master?s emerald blade could catch the Sith Lord before the latter?s crimson one met his chest. When he saw Qui-Gon?s blade meet Maul?s right shoulder, Obi-Wan thought his Master had, against all odds, saved himself yet again.

But almost immediately, Obi-Wan?s eyes fell on his Master?and the angry pillar of red light that protruded through his right side and out his back.

After what seemed like an eternity, Obi-Wan tore his eyes away from the lightsaber and back to his Master. He saw Qui-Gon?s body stiffen up straight, then slowly fall backwards as the blade was withdrawn.

He saw his Master?s chest heave defiantly, then lower as the breath it contained seemed to pour out of his body.

He saw his Master?s blue eyes darken, then grow opaque as he fell to his knees.

And as he saw the bearded, careworn face of his Master?s settle into a tired, world-weary look, Obi-Wan felt his life with his Master flash before his eyes.

He saw how the two linked in the Force while they escaped a trap set up by Xanatos, Qui-Gon?s former apprentice, in the ionite mines of Bandomeer.

He saw himself, now a padawan learner, standing with Qui-Gon in a medical ward on New Apsolon, as they watched over the dying body of Master Tahl, the only woman his Master ever truly loved.

He saw himself on board the Trade Federation?s Droid Control Ship, fighting side-by-side with his Master against squads of battle droids and droidekas.

Just when he felt his mind calming his consciousness by replaying these happier moments, Obi-Wan suddenly began to see other moments, mostly of more recent times.

The turbulent bongo ride through the core of Naboo, in which Obi-Wan and his Master had a somewhat heated argument on his philosophy concerning the Force and his constant championing of what he, Obi-Wan, considered lost causes.

The meeting on Tatooine, where Obi-Wan called their young savior, Anakin Skywalker, a ?pathetic life-form? after his Master himself declared his belief that the boy was the fabled ?Chosen One? just the night before.

The scene on the balcony of the Jedi Temple of Coruscant, where Obi-Wan finally gave in to his frustration and berated his Master on his stubborn willingness to defy both the Jedi Code and the Jedi Council in favor of his conscience.

And finally, the scene in the Jedi Council chamber itself, when his Master clearly declared his intentions to train Anakin with or without the approval of the Council. A scene followed up by a declaration so unexpected that it left Obi-Wan shocked to his very core: that he, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was ready for the Jedi Trials. What followed was both a feeling of utmost pride and deepest resentment; pride that his Master believed in him enough to declare him ready for the tr

 

And the next part...

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Chapter 4: The Council of Naboo

Two days after the fight in the power station, Obi-Wan Kenobi was in his guest quarters in Theed Palace?s north wing. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor facing the setting sun, his mind deep in meditation, as he tried to piece together the events of the last two days for what seemed like the millionth time.

The millionth time, and I am barely any closer to completing the puzzle than I had been the first time, he mused to himself, chagrined.

Shortly after carrying Qui-Gon?s nearly dead body out of the melting pit chamber and into Theed city itself, Obi-Wan had run into a stray team of medics tending to the wounded from the battles that had taken place throughout the city during the uprising. When they saw the injuries Qui-Gon had sustained, they insisted on examining him, despite Obi-Wan?s tearful insistence that his Master was dead. So when the medics came back to Obi-Wan with the news that Qui-Gon was still alive, Obi-Wan had been stunned mute, unable to speak while an immense wave of hope, relief, and utter joy swept through every fiber of his being. He stood there, unmoving, for such a long time that the medics started to wonder whether or not it would be a necessary to examine him as well, despite the fact that he had suffered no visible injuries. After nearly 3 minutes of being prodded and shoved towards a stretcher next to his Master, Obi-Wan regained his senses and instructed the medics to take him to Theed Palace as quickly as possible. The medics, by now positively believing Obi-Wan to be gravely sick in the head, nevertheless acquiesced to his demands, put him and Qui-Gon into an ambulance, and drove to Theed Palace, breaking just about every traffic law on the way. Soon after arriving, the medics were mildly amused at the sight of Obi-Wan tearing into the palace at full speed, only to be shocked speechless by his swift return, with Queen Amidala and her ever-present handmaidens in tow, along with every member of the elite Royal Palace Medical Team. After the RPMT, acting on the orders of the Queen, whisked Qui-Gon?s stretcher away to the state-of-the-art medical center conveniently built right next to the West Wing of the Palace, the Queen herself personally thanked the stunned medics in the ambulance for their swift actions and aid regarding both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and sent them on their way.

Shortly after seeing Qui-Gon safely stabilized in a bacta tank in one of the medical center?s biggest recovery rooms, Obi-Wan, on summons from the Queen, went to the Palace throne room, where he was formally reunited with not only the Queen and her handmaidens, but Anakin Skywalker, Sio Bibble, Ric Olié, and Captain Panaka as well. He then, by request of the Queen, proceeded to recount his part of the events that transpired since their separation at the appearance of the Sith Lord. However, he omitted sharing the last words exchanged between he and Qui-Gon, believing they would be better suited for another time.

After he had finished, he stayed with the others as Anakin recounted his adventures aboard the N-1 Starfighter. He listened, captivated, as Anakin recounted every part of his fateful flight into space, detailing how he had semi-flown the ship straight into the heart of the Federation defense, penetrating numerous shields and guns as he made his way into the hanger of the Neimoidian flagship. Anakin then revealed how he had, in the process of trying to re-engage the N-1?s engines, torpedoed the droid control ship?s main reactor, setting off the chain reaction that destroyed the ship and the central transmitter, effectively disabling the droid army of the Federation. Though Anakin confessed to have had no general plan of attack nor any intention of firing the torpedoes where and when he did, such a declaration only served to amaze Obi-Wan even more. Now, more than ever, Obi-Wan was convinced his Master had been right all along. The more he questioned Anakin

 

The council thinks Qui-gon is EVIL?! And even after Obi-wan told them that Padme and Anakin are close the council still thinks that Padme will just let them send Ani back. They are even stupider then usual. Loving this story, very intresting so far. I like the changes and can't wait to see what you do.
Could you please PM me whrn you update, I would love to get to read more!

 

This is a great story - very well written. I loved your description of the duel with Maul - you have a real knack for writing action sequences.

What is up with the Council, thinking that Qui-Gon has been turned ? And how will Obi-Wan handle it? Please post more!

 

Time for some long-overdue responses:

Pokey: Thanks a lot for your support. I truly appreciate it. As to the story, let me just say this: It's quite a bit different from the canon story, due to various changes I made in my AU universe's past, so stay tuned. You may even be surprised by some of them...

nd_jedi: Thank you! Quality is what I am shooting for here, along with a good, long AU story with time, research and effort put into it, so I truly appreciate your approval. Those action scenes in particular took a bit of time and effort, because though the structure (start and end) was provided by the movie and book, I felt the need to bulk and spice it up a bit, since the Ep. I duel wasn't as good as it could have been, at least in my eyes.

Oh, and as for the stupidity of the Council, I can only say this: you haven't seen the end of it...

 

Very interesting. Looks as if the Council is up to something. And Qui-Gon is under suspicion? Perhaps it is that he knows too much and is to be sequestered before he can cause any trouble. Interesting start. Enjoyed the action sequences immensely. Curious to see where you will take this!

 

A quick response before I post the next part...

JediMasterRev: Thank you very much. I've admired your Naboo Chronicles story for months, and since that story was one of two that directly influenced this one, I appreciate you support very much. As for the Council's reasons and the direction of the story, all I can say is: everything will be revealed in time...

 

And here comes Part V...FINALLY!!!

Well, as they say in football, it's time to take a shot down the field...

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Chapter 5: Decisions in the Night

On the Skywalk bridge outside the north wing of Theed Palace, a young, sandy-haired boy stared forlornly at the white moon shining through the dark Nubian night sky as he pulled a woolly brown cloak around himself to protect against the coming evening chill.

Anakin Skywalker, the 9-year old hero of the Battle of Naboo, did not feel like much of a hero as he stood alone near the center of the stone bridge, his eyes shifting down from the moon to the waterfall of the Solleu River hundreds of feet below. Rather, he felt cold, lonely, and homesick, like any other young desert boy taken from his home planet to a strange world. Also, Anakin?s mind carried the added weight of not knowing what would become of him, now that the man on whom he had pinned all of his future hopes, Master Qui-Gon Jinn, had been left in a state of near-death by the mysterious Sith Lord. Since the Jedi Council had refused to train him upon his first examination on Coruscant, it was unlikely that any other Jedi besides Master Jinn would consider taking him in now, including his own apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Instead, it was far more likely that the Jedi would return him to Tatooine, his home planet.

Oh well. he thought. At least I?ll no longer be a slave. And I?ll be able to see Mom again. Maybe I can find some way to race pods for a living, and someday win enough to free her too?

As Anakin contemplated his future, he suddenly heard soft footsteps coming towards him from the left. His countenance brightened considerably as he saw a slim, petite girl approach him, draped in a large royal blue cloak with the hood slightly down. Though her face was partially covered by the hood, Anakin recognized the familiar form of Padmé Nabérrie, more commonly known as Queen Amidala of the Naboo, as she came and stood alongside him along the side of the Skywalk. Since she had removed her makeup, let her hair down, and changed out of her royal robes, Anakin now saw her as Padmé, the beautiful girl he had met and quickly befriended only a few days ago. Standing next to her, Anakin felt all his loneliness, sorrow, fear, and uncertainty melt away, as feelings of comfort, peace, and happiness quickly came to replace them.

?Hey, Padmé.? Anakin said.

?Hi Ani.? Padmé responded, her voice filled with warmth as she smiled at her young friend. ?How have you been??

?Okay, I suppose. It?s been a little hectic and confusing, with all the really important people walking around here. And the Jedi Council sessions have been really weird, since I feel like I?m being checked inside out in there. It?s like being in front of the other Podracers right before a race.? Even though Anakin tried his hardest to disguise his discomfort at the latest memories, Padmé picked up on it immediately.

?Oh Ani, I?m sorry I haven?t been able to see you much these last few days.? Padmé said, as she laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. ?I?ve just been too caught up in all of the things that have popped up since this invasion, and all of the people that I?ve had to greet, and??

?It?s okay, Padmé. I understand. You?re a Queen and all, so you have to do all this formal stuff like getting dressed, greeting important people, make big decisions, and stuff like that. I?m surprised they even let you take enough time away from that to eat, let alone come talk to me.? Anakin said, wrapping his own arm around Padmé?s waist as he covered her hand with his.

?But still, Ani, I?m sure you must be bored and lonely, since you don?t really know anybody here, and??

?Nah, it?s no big deal. Having been a slave, I didn?t really have that many friends back home, so it?s not like being alone is anything new for me. Besides, this place has way too much stuff to see and explore to be boring. I could spend a year here and still not explore it all. And the view

 

I've only read the first post, but BRAVO! Wonderful work!

 

Your not sure if it's a good post, well I think it is an amazing post! Wonderful, I loved the conversations between Padme and Anakin and then with Obi-wan. I think you did a really good job capturing everyone's speech patterns, I was really impressed. It sounded just like the three of them.

The Anakin-Padme part was very sweet, I love their realationship at this age. It has this wonderful innocence to it, and it's a realationship that isn't explored enough in Fanfics.

One question, you said "She hides it incredibly well" about Padme. Does she know she is force sensative and hiding it on purpose or is she doing it unknowingly?

Thank you so much for telling me about the update, I really enjoyed it!

 

(test post)

 

Sorry about the last post, but I'm having some browser problems in getting my responses up, so I'm trying to see what I can do about it. Since the server seems to accept the smaller test post, but won?t take the bigger response post, I?m going to break the response post in two parts.

And now for responses (Part 1)...

Healer Leona: Yes, Qui-Gon did survive. And indeed, Obi-Wan is feeling just a bit rebellious right now. How that will influence future events, though, remains to be seen...

Surely the Jedi Council could not be as ignorant as this?? Or wait, they never even sensed Sidious, so yes, they can!

Well, like I said in a previous post, you haven't seen the last of the Jedi Council's stupidity...

VaderLVR64: Thank you very much! I can only hope you will like the rest as well.

 

And now for Part 2?

Pokey: Thank you for the support. Though I did my best to keep Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan's conversations as believable as possible, I didn't exactly know if I did so or not. One of the reasons I believe not many fics explore a young Ani/Padme relationship is because such a relationship doesn't really exist in canon. It's one of those things where you kind of have to go by feel, personal experience, and instinct. I guess what I'm trying to say is that as a Fan Fiction author, you have to project what you believe such a relationship would look like, as opposed to expanding on how the original creator (in this case George Lucas) has already portryed it as being. It's the same thing with Anakin/Padme happy marriage fics. That's why I deeply admire many of the authors on these boards, particularly (but certainly not limited to), VaderLVR64 (married A/P in the "Force Help Me..." series), Darth Lex (A/P, L/M, H/L, and the fully OC Bryon and Sarre of "The Skywalker Prophecy" series), and (more currently) JediMasterRev (young A/P in "The Naboo Chronicles"): they have been able to successfully portray various character relationships (canonical and fictional) in a believeable manner that fits the overall images of the characters, even in settings and circumstances that are decidedly fictional.

As for Padme, the next post will be mostly a Padme-centric post, so stay tuned.

 

I read the trailer, and was hooked! I just started reading it, but I am very impressed. Good job

 

I too came here after reading the trailer and I am amazed! This is a wonderful story so far!

*shakes head* How can the Council be so blinded? Do they truly not see how foolish they are being? Or are they lying and really do see something of Anakin's future if he starts down the path of the Jedi, ultimately leading to the Jedi's destruction and the rise of the Sith and the Empire? Are they attempting to influence events so that this will not come about?

This business with Padmé being Force-sensitive has me really curious. I wonder where it is coming from... does it have to do with Anakin? And how was it missed when she was an infant?

Again, excellent job so far, Specterace! I can't wait to see more, especially with the Council's stupidity concerning Qui-Gon. Influence of the Dark Side, my... Well, you get the idea.

Can't wait for more!

AQ

 

Thanks for the compliments, but you really have done a very great job. The interactions and dialogues between the different characters has been excellent. I also like how you have kept each one very much 'in character.' Young Anakin especially hard to write, even more so when Padme is around and the natural inclination is to write them as a couple.

As for this part, I like the notion that Padme is Force sensitive and Obi-Wan seems like he is going to take on training them both. It will be interesting to see what consequences this results in. Also, curious about why they are sequestering Qui-Gon. I wonder what else he 'knows' that is a threat to the Council. Great job. Looking forward to more!

 

Time for responses, and something new...

Briman: Thank you very much! I hope you like the rest of the story, 'cause believe me, I've got some plans for this one...

AngelQueen: Thank you. I appreciate it, especially since this is my first one and I keep worrying about whether or not it will come out right. Judging from the responses so far, I guess I'm doing something right somewhere...

As for your questions, you'll get the answers soon enough. I will say this, though: the way my AU GFFA goes, certain things went a certain way, both in this time period (TPM-era), and in the past. What do I mean by that? Well, you'll have to stay tuned to find out. But if you don't want to keep waiting that long, you'll have to solve the rest of the riddle yourselves (Hint: Some of you [cough, JediMasterRev, cough] might find the trailer more than a bit useful )...

JediMasterRev: Thank you! I tried my best to make them sound in-character, even if some of them (like Obi-Wan) are no longer acting "in-character" per se.

Young Anakin especially hard to write, even more so when Padme is around and the natural inclination is to write them as a couple

You, my friend, have just identified the crux of the problem: In the PT saga, Anakin and Padme were almost inseparable before ROTS. In both TPM and AOTC, we never really saw any Anakin or Padme "character" scenes that did not involve the other. Therefore, we saw most of their personalities as functions of one another. This is especially true of Anakin, but Padme suffers from much of the same problem, especially in AOTC. And since their story has that powerful "tragic" quality about it, one can't help but write them as a couple (well, maybe Obidala fans would have something to say about that ). But since I'm not one of them, I cant say for sure.

 

I know I promised a Padme-centric post very soon, but due to certain proprietary issues, I'm unable to deliver quite yet (Don't worry, I'm working on trying to solve these problem as I write this). In the mean time, I'm gonna leave you guys with the trailer for this fic, just to see what you guys think of it. Since it all involves later events, it should be somewhat interesting to those who haven't seen it yet. And if you have already seen it, maybe you can solve my little "riddle" in the responses I put up.

Without further ado, the trailer for Shifting Tides...
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The Fox Logo appears and fades. The Lucasfilm Logo appears and fades. As a quiet rendition of the ?Force Theme? plays, the screen shows a panoramic view of Theed Palace on Naboo, bathed in sunshine. It is then followed by a number of scenes played simultaneously with spoken words.

Announcer (voiceover): ?For over one thousand years, the Jedi Order has preserved peace throughout the Galaxy?"
The screen seamlessly cuts to a view of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the tops of it?s spires reflecting the last golden rays of the setting sun while numerous speeders fly back and forth across the sky.

Announcer (voiceover): ??and have protected it from the evil clutches of the Dark Side.?
The screen fades to a scene on the Sith planet of Korriban, showing it?s various Sith monuments and structures in various stages of decay. As a swirling wind kicks up a cloud of sand, a flock of crows fly over the ruins, their cries echoing in the air as they fly towards the setting sun.

Suddenly, the music shifts to the ominous tones of the ?Imperial March?

Announcer (voiceover): "But after centuries of secrecy?"
In the dark hold of a ship speeding through hyperspace, a dark-clothed man is seen sitting in a cross-legged, meditative position, his back to the camera. Despite the slight turbulence on the ship, his body remains completely motionless.

Announcer (voiceover): ??the Sith have finally returned to renew their struggle against the forces of the Light.?
As a black-gloved hand is seen swinging down, a silver lightsaber slides from a black sleeve. The hand ignites the saber, showing off it?s red blade.

Announcer (voiceover): ?As the servants of the Dark Side gather??
In a large, dark room filled with various pieces of electronic equipment, a group of people gather together in a tight circle. All are cloaked in black, save one, who in place of a cloak has a distinctly Mandalorian set of armor, complete with helmet.

Announcer (voiceover): ??the Jedi Order grows blinder??
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn stands before the Jedi Council with a grim look on his face, his hands bound behind his back by Force-resistant durasteel handcuffs. Behind him, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, a young Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Nabérrie, and Master Yan Dooku look on, their expressions stoic, confused, angry, and cynical respectively.

Announcer (voiceover): ??and weaker.?
In his private chambers, Master Yoda sits cross-legged on a short padded chair, deep in meditation, Slowly, he opens his eyes, and as they take in the darkness of the Coruscanti night, he wearily mutters to himself: ?Fractured, the Jedi Council has become??

In the middle of the next sentence, the music seamlessly transitions to a straining, desperate rendition of ?Across the Stars.?

Announcer (voiceover): ?But in this dark hour??
Standing in front of a wide balcony, Anakin, Padme, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan observe the last bursts of solar light in the darkening sky over the city of Theed. Neither of them move as they see a small ship take off from the Royal Hangar, fly once around the palace, then speed off into the approaching darkness.

Announcer (voiceover): ??there are those who will heed the call of the Force??
In the museum of Theed Palace, Padmé looks up at the statue of a woman holding a dual-bladed lights

 

Nice trailer. Think I have some ideas as to what is occurring. Very curious now .