We don't meet people by accident,
They're meant to cross our paths for a reason
- Vokara Che –
Without a word, Ceja Korri allowed her patient gaze to rest on each member of the Jedi High Council for but a few moments. Standing before the 12 elder Jedi, the Jedi that represented their entire Order had always been a daunting experience for her as a Padawan, but now as a newly Knighted Jedi, Ceja felt a quiet, comforting strength as she stood before her elders.
Flicking a look of stoic resignation to the Master of the Order, Mace Windu. Ceja noted he had barely moved. Master Windu sat with his gaze downcast, a strong hand covering the lower half of his clean-shaven face. Anticipation was bristling through her body, the need to act building within her core and yet, the Council seemed to be sloth in their reaction.
Korri had fully expected the horrified silence, the shocked reactions and one or two outcries from the Council upon her revealing the situation she had unsuspectingly encountered. Both herself and another of her trusted Jedi colleagues – Healer Sabien Tarr – had reacted in the same manner when they had stumbled upon the reason for this highly secretive Council meeting; it confused her how little the Council seemed to be reacting in the sense of action though…
Forcing herself to restrain a sigh, the young Jedi turned her chocolate brown gaze to the one Jedi Master she knew would thankfully have a solution; Grand Master Yoda.
Ceja noted how the small, yet powerful Jedi had sat in an unnerving silence throughout her recollection of events. He seemed to react very little to the vivid portrayal of scenes she had born witness to aboard the Outbound Flight; the ambitious space exploration brainchild of Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth
"Masters?"
She dared to breathe, her voice was low and hesitant
"Regrettable the actions of Master C'baoth- "
Master Yoda rose a three-fingered hand to silence his trusted friend and close ally, Mace Windu. Whilst his small form remained unchanged and his eyes firmly closed; the dejection that lined his elderly features rested thick and heavy
"Despairing and distressing, they are"
The dejected tone to his voice, the weight of his sombre words jolted all sense of action from Ceja's body and replaced it with a crashing wave of grief.
Opening his golden hued eyes slowly, Master Yoda woefully drooped his ears and shook his head before turning to Master Windu
"For Jedi to have caused such pain, such suffering…lost Jorus to the Darkside I fear we have"
Inhaling deeply, Master Windu replied with but a small, solemn nod that would have been overlooked by anyone not paying close enough attention. Lifting his dark eyes back to the hologram, he levelled his intense gaze on Ceja Korri
"Master Korri, are you absolutely certain of this woman? You believe that there is no other way this kind of harm, the suffering she has been subjected to, has come to her by anyone else's hand?"
Lowering her gaze to the extravagant marble floor of the Jedi Council chambers, Ceja allowed a strange and unwelcome feeling of responsibility for Jorus C'baoth's crimes begin to bubble within her chest.
After a few quiet moments of consideration, she finally lifted her gaze
"I'm afraid not, Master…this woman, she had been completely at the mercy of Master C'baoth. The evidence we have collated indicates that the only one who could have committed this atrocious act was he, and he alone; there doesn't even appear to be an accomplice"
"And what has become of this woman you have found?"
Lifting her gaze, Ceja was surprised at the sudden interaction from another Council member. She turned to find Master Ki-Adi Mundi studying her seriously
"She is…stable – Healer Tarr is tending to her injuries as we speak, Master"
"Injuries?"
Master Mundi inquired
"Yes, Master. I am unsure yet to exactly what extent she has suffered psychologically as, to be honest, it is perfectly immeasurable at this point. Physically…"
Ceja Korri dropped her gaze, pausing to push the unpleasant memories of a red-haired woman on the precipice of death, slumped to a cold laboratory floor; her face ashen, her painfully thin body littered with a vast assortment of fresh and healing wounds, scars and stitches sewn by an unskilled hand from the forefront of her mind; the young Jedi swallowed hard before raising a hard gaze back to meet Master Mundi's
"Physically Master, I fear there may be many injuries this woman has sustained. With consideration paid to the recordings Master C'baoth has meticulously kept, and the preliminary evaluation Healer Tarr has completed…but we should hopefully know more once he has completed all of his assessments"
"And are you aware of what Healer Tarr's initial assessment may have already concluded?"
Ceja turned in response to the question, her eyes finding the serious blue gaze of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. She inclined her head in response, noting the understandable concern lining his features
"The woman was barely breathing when we found her, Master Kenobi. Healer Tarr thought it best to stabilise her before medically inducing a coma. Master C'baoth's records have shown that this woman appears to have been through…a lot…during her time aboard the Outbound- "
Ceja flicked a side glance towards Master Windu
"Healer Tarr has mentioned he believes it best to have a transport sent to our location, with the intention of moving the woman back to the Temple…essentially, we are requesting that the Council consider offering this woman sanctuary"
Master Kenobi's face lit up in grim surprise
"Healer Tarr believes her condition to be that serious that it surpasses his skills?"
Jaw clenched, Ceja levelled the Council member with an unwavering stare
"He has murmured that without the help of Master Che and the facilities the Halls of Healing is able to offer, he fears that she will not survive long- "
Master Kenobi leaned forward in his seat; his eyes narrowed, returning Ceja's stare with an unflinching resolve
"You are fully aware, Master Korri, that the Halls of Healing is more suited to those with force sensitivity- "
He leaned back into his chair, his eyes never leaving hers
"Might I suggest that now be the time you reveal everything you know about this woman"
Master Windu shot Master Kenobi a pensive glance before speaking
"Ceja, you mentioned recordings, evidence of C'baoth's dealings – would you care to elaborate on them?"
Swallowing hard and sharing glances between Master Kenobi and Master Windu, Ceja paused to collect herself
"In an effort to provide Healer Tarr with some insight into his new patient's medical needs, I set about searching Master C'baoth's lab. I came across various files and recordings he has been keeping. Regrettably, he has been making full use of the lab facilities here on the Outbound, as all the experiments and tests he has been conducting here…and all have the running theme of this woman being at the centre of them- "
"She has been treated like a glorified lab rat?"
The outraged shill caused Ceja to pause momentarily, though her gaze remained fixed on Master Windu; there was a foreign hardness to his features as his mouth twisted dangerously around his next sentence
"What kind of experiments?"
Recognising the sudden shift in mood within the chambers, she paused. Suddenly reluctant to continue, the weight of Jorus C'baoth's actions dawning on her entirely. A fear bristled through her, although it wasn't a fear of the Council, but more of the unknown; of what would happen next; how the atrocities C'baoth had committed might somehow change the Jedi in some way…
Becoming aware of Master Windu's steely gaze, she swallowed thickly; realising that her idling was being noted by everyone within the chambers
"With the greatest of respect, Master's, surely it would be far easier for me to transfer the data through to the Temple…the files are extensive, I am not sure what you would like to know- "
"Everything, Master Korri"
Ceja met Master Kenobi's narrowed stare, it was apparent by the look on his face that he was also tempering the same well contained anger as Master Windu.
Taking a moment to contain herself, she breathed deeply
"Very well, Master's – from information I have been able to obtain, Master C'baoth has put this woman through various screenings and diagnostics; analysis of body fluids, measurement of body functions, liver counts and such. He has carried out numerous biopsies including analysis of genetic material. Many samples have been taken from her – blood, tissues, bone marrow…even her ovum's"
She paused, observing each Council member before continuing
"Once satisfied, he began to isolate the woman's white blood cells in an effort to compromise her immune system. Various experiments were then conducted; the medical history Master C'baoth has recorded indicates that he exposed her to a wide and vast array of illnesses and diseases. These ranged from the mundane like Balmorra Flu to the more severe like Falsin's Rot. Thankfully he successfully administered cures for each one but not before monitoring and screening the effects on her body and mental state…"
Ceja turned on her heels and reached over for a datapad and began to read from it
"He later turned his attention to her nervous system, and from his macabre notes appeared to be ecstatic when she displayed a high tolerance for pain; encouraging him to begin what he has termed 'Pain Tolerance Tests'. These involved exposing this woman to many different forms of pain, increasing them to such a rate that he was virtually taking her to the brink of death…many deprivation tests had been conducted such as sleep, food and water whilst results from sensory experiments such as hearing, sight and smell have also been noted-"
"But what were all these horrific tests in aid of? Surely there was an ulterior motive, a goal?"
Ceja considered Master Mundi with a remorseful gaze, his face was contorted with a mixture of anguish and inflamed confusion
"The goal, Master Mundi, was to establish whether she would be a strong enough candidate for his original objective"
"Original objective? What more could that raving lunatic possibly have planned for this poor life form!?"
The angered shrill of Jedi Master Opoo Rancisis swept through the Council chambers, the enraged horror laced within his words, Ceja could see was keenly matching his expression
She remained silent as the Thisspiasian Jedi looked around the circular room, his words being so obviously directed at his fellow Council members
"Has C'baoth gone completely mad?"
Without responding to Master Rancisis, Master Kenobi considered Ceja Korri sadly
"I believe I speak for all of us when I say this, but I fear to ask what exactly Master C'baoth's original goal was and what part this poor woman was to play"
She considered him for a moment, looking briefly at the data pad she still held in her hands; suddenly she felt very small. With her voice low and cautious, she met Master Kenobi's gaze
"We have found extensive evidence that he was in the process of experimenting with midi-chlorians. The woman in question was at the centre of them…"
"…and so, the reason for your request of sanctuary has finally been revealed"
She forced a humourless smile as he sunk despondently back into his chair, covering his mouth with a strong hand, Master Kenobi met Master Windu's gaze.
With a deep sigh, Mace levelled his gaze on each individual Council member within the seated half circle; their demeanour's matching Obi-Wan's in some form or another. Turning to Master Yoda, unspoken words passed between the old friends before he turned his attention back towards Ceja
"Have you been able to ascertain what kind of experiments Master C'baoth was conducting?"
The question was fruitless, he knew full well what Jorus C'baoth had been aiming to achieve; every one of them did
"Master C'baoth was obsessed with creating artificial force sensitivity. It would appear from the notes he had made prior to discovery, he had just finished introducing the midi-chlorians into the woman's bloodstream. From the earlier diagnostics…the woman's bloodwork showed her as not being force sensitive prior to the experiments, in fact, it appears she had no trace of midi-chlorians whatsoever"
"So, you're concluding that his adnomination of an experiment was successful? That the woman, is now in fact, force sensitive as a result?"
Ceja turned to Master Kenobi, gone was the despair…the sadness, now he looked incensed. Fear prickled along her spine, she had never felt any of the Council members as angered or ashamed as she was witnessing them now.
Opening her mouth to respond to his question, Master Yoda raised his hand to signal he wanted silence
"Heard enough, for the time being, we have Master Korri"
The Grand Master let out a heavy, burdened sigh as he regarded Obi-Wan sadly
"Agree with you the Council does; if refuge you seek for this woman, then sanctuary we shall grant- "
Master Windu nodded firmly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees
"We will prepare a team and arrange for them to leave immediately. I suggest that you prepare the woman, C'baoth and all his files ready for transport back to the Temple; Master Korri, may the Force be with you"
Ceja thanked the Council before bowing gracefully. With a contemplative stare, Obi-Wan watched as her holographic form flickered into nothing before turning to both Master Yoda and Master Windu
"I am requesting that I be sent out as part of this team, Masters"
"Surely that would be most unwise? Can we really afford to divert Master Kenobi's attention away from the war effort?"
Ki-Adi Mundi's brow knitted heavily following his response, the concern of Kenobi's request etching across his Cereanian features
Adi Gallia interjected firmly
"This is a matter of utmost importance. If the Senate or the HoloNet were to get a hold of this information…the consequences would be unimaginable. Master Kenobi would be the wisest choice for a situation as grave and sensitive as this"
Obi-Wan dipped his chin slightly in appreciation of her support before flashing her a grateful look
"Agree with Master Gallia and Master Kenobi I do, needed in this tragedy a Council member is"
Master Windu levelled Obi-Wan with a pensive stare
"Master Gallia is correct, Obi-Wan. This is a delicate situation; the Senate should not be involved in this- "
"Nor the Chancellor"
Ki-Adi offered, Mace nodded his agreement before turning back to Obi-Wan once again
"I advise caution. We cannot be sure of the mental state of this woman. Her presence within the Temple can not be revealed to the Senate nor the Chancellor, at least not until we can determine her identity and bring this situation under control"
"Oh, I couldn't agree more, Master and whilst much compassion is needed here, we still have the issue of how we should deal with Master C'baoth"
Master Yoda cast him with a troubled gaze
"Retrieving Master C'baoth and the woman, the only priority it is Obi-Wan; investigations launched later they will be"
Confident that the directive was clear, Mace Windu folded his arms across his chest as he leant back into his chair
"So, are there any suggestions of how we should execute this plan?"
With a clenched jaw and narrowed gaze, Obi-Wan leant forward to rest his elbows on his knees
"That brings me to my second request, Master's…"
"Obi-Wan- "
Anakin Skywalker flashed his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, a humoured grin before returning his gaze back to the flickering holographic figure of his old Master with a firm nod
"and to what do we owe this pleasure, Master?"
The jovial grin melted from his youthful features upon seeing the grim expression adorning Obi-Wan's. With a knitted brow, Anakin leant back into his pilot seat before folding his gauntlet-clad arms in front of his grey armoured chest plate.
A weary sigh was Obi-Wan's first response before mimicking his former Padawan's posture
"Anakin, it's nice to see you are as amiable as ever"
Deciding to cut the pleasantries short, Anakin narrowed his gaze
"What's wrong, Master?"
Obi-Wan flashed the younger Jedi a half-hearted, rueful smile
"And still as intuitive…"
Pausing to collect his thoughts, he glanced over to Ahsoka Tano before settling his gaze back on Anakin
"Do you recall the Outbound Flight Project that Master Jorus C'baoth was attempting to convince the Senate to provide funding for?"
"Of course, Master; the Chancellor, for reasons beyond me, seemed to be very supportive of Master C'baoth's 'little enterprise'"
Choosing to ignore the sarcasm, Obi-Wan cast his gaze downwards
"Well, it was due to this support and encouragement that you speak of that aided in him winning the Senate over- "
Anakin shook his head, grinning incredulously
"-And from the information the Council received this morning, it wasn't the only thing he had gained"
Anakin's brow furrowed in confusion
"I'm sorry, Master, but I'm not following?"
Pursing his lips, Obi-Wan paused; all most as if unsure with how to proceed
"Master C'baoth has taken a female human – it would appear from a planet; well another Galaxy to be exact"
Speechless, both Ahsoka and her Master exchanged astonished glances, much to the bemusement of Obi-Wan who continued to stand with his arms folded firmly in front of his chest; a look of deep brooding now framing his features
Overlooking the Council member's obvious discomposure, Ahsoka leaned back into her seat animatedly
"I can't believe that after having to listen to all of Master C'baoth's hyperbole filled seminars before he left, that his pet project actually worked! I mean I've always thought seeking out new life as highly commendable but another Galaxy? That is truly something else!"
The grin forming on Anakin's lips in response to his excitable Padawan dissolved into a look of growing concern upon turning back to his former Master's hologram
"But you don't seem as impressed?"
Obi-Wan released an unhappy sigh, shaking his head ever so slightly before setting Anakin with a sorrowful stare
"The human female wasn't invited aboard Anakin, she was kidnapped; taken against her will, subjected to…to truly horrifying cruelty by Master C'baoth; by a Jedi"
An unsettling disquiet began to inflame through Skywalker's veins, for a split second he wanted to laugh – all most disbelieving of Obi-Wan's admission, but then an unpleasant realisation began to establish itself deep within his core
"Not a Jedi, Master – a Sith"
His voice dangerously low, all most threatening – the words left an acrid taste on his tongue. Like a poison, causing a searing revulsion to burn in the pit of his stomach; an all too familiar tremor of pain momentarily flickered up through his upper right arm before disappearing all most entirely
Obi-Wan lifted his chin defensively in response
"The matter of C'baoth is in hand- "
Inhaling deeply, the Jedi Master folded his gloved hands behind his back
"For now, our main concern is the woman; thankfully a Jedi Healer aboard the Outboard has been able to provide as much medical assistance as he can with the limited facilities he has at his disposal. The directive right now, is to transport both Healer Tarr and his patient back to the Temple where arrangements are being made with Master Che as we speak"
Anakin leant back into his seat, arms still folded, he quirked an eyebrow in his former Master's direction
"So, the directive is directed at me and Ahsoka?"
Obi-Wan flashed his former Padawan a rueful smile and made a waving gesture with his hand before refolding his arms
"Essentially yes, but there are some finer details we need to iron out first; the Council have instructed this incident be dealt with swiftly and without the knowledge of the Senate- "
Anakin narrowed his gaze, suspicion rising within him
"But the Chancellor will, of course, be informed? He is the leader of the Republic, and it was the Republic – I believe, the Senate, that financed the Outbound Flight Project in the first place? Palpatine has a right- "
"I'm afraid not Anakin, not this time; Master C'baoth is a Jedi, therefore, he will be dealt with by the Council first. It has been decided that until the time is right, the circumstances surrounding this situation – including that of the woman – will remain strictly confidential; it is in her best interests- "
Anakin's brow knitted furiously
"In the best interests of the Council, you mean- "
"Anakin! -"
Obi-Wan bit back an inflamed retort, choosing instead to level his former apprentice with a hard, commanding stare
"The way this situation is to be handled is not of your concern, but what is, is seeing to it that this woman receives the care she desperately needs, and bringing Master C'baoth back to the Temple; I am sending you the coordinates as we speak, you are to leave immediately – is that clear?"
Obi-Wan chose to watch Anakin closely in an effort to analyse his former student; he had already foreseen his former Padawan rallying against the Council's decision not to disclose any information to the Chancellor immediately.
Whilst as his Master, Kenobi had never begrudged Anakin his seemingly unorthodox friendship with Palpatine, he had not encouraged it either; for it was in these instances, he witnessed first hand just how much the close relationship appeared to interfere with Anakin fulfilling his duties as a Jedi
"Anakin- "
Obi-Wan pressed gently, his features softening slightly
"Inform Captain Rex that he is to return to the Resolute; I will rendezvous with you at the coordinates when I arrive"
Anakin watched Obi-Wan silently, his jaw working; so many unspoken thoughts, more guilt to add to the never-ending pile of hurt…
"I will do as requested, Master"
Breathing a sigh of relief, releasing tension he had not realised he had been carrying, Obi-Wan inclined his head in response before ending the transmission. With his armour-clad forearms still folded in front of his chest plate, Kenobi began to stroke his beard in thought
"I'm afraid Anakin doesn't like the idea of keeping this from the Chancellor"
Master Yoda sighed, nodding gently in agreement
"Too close they are, a distraction Palpatine has become for young Skywalker"
Obi-Wan pursed his lips pensively
"Whilst I don't disagree with you, Master; I am afraid the distraction you speak of has been there from when he was but a young child – the Chancellor appears very fond of Anakin, he has always displayed a keen interest in any affairs that may regard my old Padawan"
"It is highly unusual for a politician to single out any one Jedi, especially a Jedi like Anakin Skywalker; I don't like it"
Accepting Mace Windu's words without comment, Obi-Wan mused over the Jedi Master's stoicism; Mace seemed to be handling the stress and hardship of the war well and without complaint, yet Obi-Wan had watched him grow all the more cynical with each passing day since the Clone War started…
"Obi-Wan- "
Master Yoda drew the younger Jedi from his private thoughts
"Burden yourself you must not; deal with Anakin later, we shall"
"I agree, for now, we should concentrate on bringing both Master C'baoth and the woman back to the Temple. Master Gallia's presumptions regarding the sensitivity of this unfortunate affair are accurate, I advise that the transport for both be kept separate"
"So, we are to escort them both to the Temple on different ships?"
Mace nodded slowly, nothing Obi-Wan's surprised countenance
"I don't believe any one of us here would savour the thought of seeing Jorus on the same landing platform as his victim- "
"And unsure we are of Jorus's mental state"
Obi-Wan stared incredulously at Master Yoda
"With all due respect Master, you cannot believe that C'baoth would actually relish in the idea of seeing the damage he has inflicted out in full view of the Council?"
"And up until today, would you have ever believed to have encountered a Jedi whom so willingly kidnapped and tortured another living being to the brink of death?"
Obi-Wan stared at Mace, considering the depth of the older Jedi's words.
Whilst he was all too familiar with the fact this war was being waged on more than one front, it had never truly occurred to him the enormity of how it was affecting the Order as a whole, or more specifically, if it had been affecting any of them individually.
But the truth was Obi-Wan wasn't deaf nor blind, Jedi were dying on the front lines every day; their blood spilling over the very foundations of the democracy they fought to protect.
What ailed him now was the dawning realisation that he had, consciously or unconsciously, chosen to ignore the Jedi Order's reality; the inconsolable actuality that the true threat wasn't the Sith themselves – the omnipotent Darth Sidious, Dooku or even his little pet Ventress…
Lowering his gaze, he spoke with understanding
"I will see to it that the Council's instructions are followed to the letter, Master's"
With a slow, gentle bow, Obi-Wan turned swiftly on his booted heels and made his way across the great polished marble, and carpeted floors of the Jedi Temple; the acrid sting of both Master Windu's and Master Yoda's mutually shared admission – however subtle it had been – now following him to the main hangar
…the greatest threat to the Jedi Order was never the Sith themselves, but the ones holding on to the hilts of the lightsabers in defiance of the Sith, and their insatiable ability to lure even the most grounded Jedi Master to want to use the power of Darkness to defeat them…