With You

Chapter 16

There was such a pounding at Obi-Wan's door that he couldn't help but jump up from his meditation and jog to it to see what could possibly be the matter. When he opened the door, she leapt inside towards his arms with such force that she almost knocked him over.

"Cecilia? Cecilia, what in the stars is wrong?"

"Obi—Obi-Wan, I—I know who the leak is. I know who has been giving away Republic secrets to the Seperatists. I know—I know who the Sith Lord is controlling everything..." she said as she clung to his chest.

Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide, but he realized she was trembling and held her close. "Who?And what has you so terrified, my love?"

She took a deep breath and leaned back, still looking down at his chest as if to ground herself, but wanting him to see her face. "I—I looked into the face of evil, Obi-Wan. He—he tried to... to recruit me."

Obi-Wan scowled now—whoever this person was—this Sith Lord—they'd tried to lure Cecilia to the Dark side? "Please, Cecilia—this is important—who was it?"

She gulped and finally looked up at him. "I think you're going to have to see it to believe it. And, you're going to want to sit down for this."

Soon they were seated on his sofa and she rested a device on the table in front of them. She took a deep breath and activated it. Obi-Wan leaned forward, realizing he was watching a holo-projection recording. It was bouncing around a bit, and he realized that Cecilia must have had it planted on herself somewhere.

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"Chancellor Palpatine, it is an honor to meet you."

The man turned from where he'd been standing looking out the window of his office. "Cecilia Quin, former Jedi and now rogue defender of all that is good in the galaxy—the honor is mine."

Cecilia bowed slightly again, the camera moving with her. "Tales of my exploits may have been a bit exaggerated, Chancellor."

"Oh, but I don't believe they have. I have seen report after report of your activities all across the systems. Freeing slaves, destroying underground drug rings. Not to mention tales of your great Force powers."

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Cecilia paused the image. Obi-wan's eyes had been glued to the images before him, and it wasn't till it disappeared that he blinked several times and looked up to her, questioningly.

"Before I continue the recording, I need you to understand, Obi-Wan. I was given a tip by.... A trusted source... that at least one very strong Force sensitive Jedi was being... groomed... recruited through a slow process... It was at this moment," she said, pointing to the device, "that I began a charade. You understand, Obi-Wan? What you are about to hear from my mouth was... bait."

His eyebrows were furrowed together deeply. She rested a hand atop his and leaned over, using the other hand to begin the recording again.

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"I have worked diligently to continue to hone my Force powers... away from the Jedi and their restrictions," Cecilia said, and the camera shifted as she sat in the chair that Palpatine motioned her towards.

"I am sure it must have been difficult... leaving behind all that you knew, your friends, your beliefs," Palpatine said carefully.

"My 'friends' as you call them—well, they could never understand what I did. The Jedi Order is restrictive, in order to maintain control over a mass group of Force sensitives, they encourage them to do away with their emotions, their passions... I find strength in mine."