Obi-Wan emerged on the bridge a few minutes later, to several astonished gazes. "What?" he asked, taking a seat next to Luminara. The female Jedi master just shook her head.

"You got her to calm down," she said slowly. "I could still sense her within the Force, but she just seemed so much more…ah, mellow, I guess."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Just needed to hear a rational voice, I suppose," he said, eager to drop the matter. He wasn't going to lie and say that Ventress had calmed down, per say: just come to terms with her fate.

Luminara shrugged slightly, and the ship slowly began its descent to Coruscant's surface. The Mirilian female stared out the viewport with a blank look on her face, impossible to read and even more impossible to understand. Obi-Wan said bluntly: "I promised her we would do this with dignity."

Luminara nodded once. "I'll see if we can get an escort."

"No shot," Anakin said defeatedly. "There's going to be paparazzi for miles around. News of her capture's already leaked to the Holonet."

"Who leaked?!" Luminara asked incredulously.

Anakin shrugged. "I can find out."

"Do that now," Obi-Wan said. "It wasn't any of you, was it?" Several heads shook, and Obi-Wan fixated his stare on Ahsoka. The Togruta teenager shook her head vigorously, Akul-tooth headdress whipping around. Obi-Wan glared next at Anakin, who gave him his trademark, 'Oh, come on!' look. Luminara and Kit shook their heads before Obi-Wan even got to focus fully on them, and Obi-Wan knew he himself had not said a word to anyone outside the ship. "That just leaves the clones," he said softly. "And there are dozens of them."

"Plus bystanders outside the ship who might have seen her, plus the people on Christophsis, and the droids, and anyone in that building, plus security cameras-"

"Got a source!" Anakin crowed. He was sitting in front of what was supposed to be the ship's navigational computer, but he was using it to trace the coordinates of the first Holonet broadcast of Ventress's capture. "The first broadcast came from Christophsis itself," he said, pointing to a coordinate. "Right here. That's barely a mile from where we were."

"Anyone put down names yet?" Obi-Wan asked.

"One Holonet channel just points to another Holonet channel," Anakin said grimly. "It's an endless chain. But this last one says they got it from the commander of the Separatists himself."

"Dooku?"

"Appears that way. But we haven't had any contact with him as of yet."

"Then it was Ventress herself!" Kit said slowly. "Ingenious. You didn't cut off all of her access to the Force, I know. She must have meditated, allowed Dooku to open a channel with her, and then told him what had happened."

"New broadcast."

The entire command center fell silent at Anakin's words, and then, the Holoprojector sprung up an image of a Bith sitting at a desk, several sheets of flimsiplast in his hands. "This just in from the Separatists," he was saying, setting the paper down again. "For those of you who are just joining us, Asajj Ventress, the brutal assassin of the Separatist cause, has just been captured by Jedi and is being transported to Coruscant aboard an armored cruiser. Her employer, the Separatist commander Count Dooku, has offered the Jedi a ransom of over a million credits-before she has even reached the planet!"

Obi-Wan and Luminara exchanged horrified glances. Kit looked ready to kill something. Anakin looked mildly concerned, his mind not withholding the political significance of the move, and Ahsoka just looked confused. "Later," Obi-Wan said softly, patting her shoulder. Ahsoka nodded, and re-tuned herself to the Holonet broadcast.

"And more breaking news-the cruiser has just landed-"

Skid-skid-skid-bump.

Anakin sighed. "The poo," he muttered, staring at the footage of their very cruiser landing on a runway. "How are they getting live feed from us?"

Kit grimly pointed out the viewport. To Obi-Wan's horror, there were millions of humanoid species of aliens lining the runway, all of them Coruscanti eager to see Ventress receive justice. "What are they all doing here?!" Obi-Wan hissed angrily. "We need to get them out of here!"

"No chance," Luminara huffed. "I doubt even Shaak Ti can make it through this mess."

"Don't underestimate her," Kit said, standing up and preparing to exit the ship. "I've seen that vicious little bundle of energy fly through worse than this on a regular basis."

"Well, she better be here," Obi-Wan muttered. "Otherwise, we're all going to be eaten alive by these reporters."

"Only the one who's got Ventress."

Kit snickered. "I nominate Obi-Wan," he said. "He got her calm before; he can do it again."

Luminara nodded. "She's crossed blades with everyone here, though. She might bare some sort of grudge. Except against you, Kit; she's never fought you."

"I wouldn't trust him with her as far as I can throw him," Anakin scoffed, standing up as the ship finally came to a sliding halt. "Although, if I used the Force, I could probably throw him pretty far."

"Look who's talking," Ahsoka said, grinning. "Well, I couldn't keep her under control if I tried. Not without a lightsaber, anyway."

Obi-Wan sighed. "This is what I get for being so good at what I do, hm?" he murmured, heading for the doors to the main section of the ship. "You all go out and clear a path. I'm just going to grab her, keep her right by me, and run."

Luminara glanced at Obi-Wan. "Where are we taking her, anyway?"

"The temple," Obi-Wan replied shortly. "Where else?"

OOOOOOOOOO

Ventress's first thought was, I am going to kill him. So brutally and so mercilessly, it'll make Grievous look like a saint!

Obi-Wan had just broken it to her that there were more reporters hanging around outside than he'd seen in a good, long time. Ever, in fact. Ventress had known that Dooku was going to make some massive, public move, but this was ridiculous! Ventress sighed, closed her eyes, and let her head fall back against the wall. Slowly, the numbers ticked off in her mind: ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…

"Well, Obi-Wan. Since you swore it to me that this would be gone with dignity, how exactly do you plan to get me to the Temple in some manner of grace?"

Obi-Wan sighed, and ran a hand through his auburn hair. "I was thinking we could just make a run for it," he muttered. "Obviously, they have to see you come out of the ship. Just keep your head down, and let the lightsabers do the talking. If someone asks you anything, just tell them, 'no comment.' I wouldn't recommend swearing, or kicking."

Ventress offered a dry smile. "You know me so well."

"Come on," Obi-Wan said, helping Ventress to her feet. "Luminara, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Kit have already cleared a path. We can just go right through. There's a transport waiting for us to take us back to the Temple."

Ventress slowly nodded, letting Obi-Wan pull her up. He took his hands off her for a moment, letting her find her balance again, and then took her upper arm in one of his hands, guiding her towards the main loading ramp of the ship.

Immediately, they were assailed by aliens of every species.

Biths, Twi'leks, Toydarians, Mirilians, humans, Zabraks, and countless other species of every size, color, and number of arms had appeared, and each of them seemed bent on getting a statement. Ventress's first reaction was to kill them all in one bloodbath. Her next reaction was to simply run. Obi-Wan grabbed her and pulled her after him as he moved, seemingly along some known path. That was when Ventress realized-they were flanked by Jedi with their flashing blades, and clones with their rifles, pushing back the crowds and allowing them through. The Jedi, apparently, knew where they were going: Ventress could sense a pattern in their movements as they fought their way through the vicious crowd. Several times, she had to accidently-on-purpose kick someone out of the way; if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything. The press of thousands of bodies, each other their own unique and sometimes repulsive odor was beginning to make Ventress feel claustrophobic-even though she normally had no problem with small, smelly spaces. Maybe it was because the small, smelly place was moving all around her…?

And then, she could breathe again.

Ventress found herself aboard a small transport vehicle, several other Jedi and a few clones around her. Obi-Wan gently tugged her after him towards the back of the shuttle, and helped her to sit down in a seat not three rows from the back. Anakin sat down behind them; Luminara took up a seat left and in front of them, with Ahsoka next to her, and Kit directly across from Ventress.

Obi-Wan sat down right next to her.

Ventress flushed and looked away, scooting as far away from Obi-Wan as the seat would allow. A light purple-pink tainted her cheeks as blood rushed to the area, burning up with shame and embarrassment. Obi-Wan didn't pursue her; he just sat there, and let her do as she pleased. The entire ride to the Jedi Temple, while mere minutes, seemed to stretch on for an eternity to Ventress and the Jedi on board the shuttle. Ventress remained utterly silent, staring sourly out the window and refusing to speak. Luminara tried to start a conversation with Kit, but Ventress's thunder cloud of depression seemed to have settled over the entire shuttle. The conversation didn't hold, and fizzled out after barely an exchange.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the shuttle landed at the Temple.

Waiting for them was the entire Jedi Council, from Mace Windu to Yoda to Plo Koon. Ventress sighed, and slowly sat up, waiting until the engine had cut to stand up. Obi-Wan wordlessly took her arm and led her off the shuttle. Luminara and Ahsoka had practically raced off the shuttle; Anakin wasn't far behind them, and only Kit Fisto exited after Obi-Wan and Ventress.

"Rough time getting here?"

Ventress glanced over at the Togruta who had spoken. "Shaak Ti," she growled. "Don't talk to me."

Shaak Ti's face remained perfectly smooth and unreadable. "Relax, Ventress," she said softly. "I promise you, no one here will hurt you. Please understand that this is necessary, and we will treat you with as much dignity and respect as the situation will allow." As Shaak Ti spoke, Yoda stepped forward, and he didn't look pleased to see Ventress.

"Asajj Ventress," he grunted, hobbling up to her and looking up at her. Ventress lifted her head nobly, looking down her nose at Yoda. "Have anything to say for yourself, do you?"

"Don't even talk to me."

Yoda, to everyone's surprise, laughed. "Stubborn you are, Ventress, but see soon, you will, just how seriously you are being taken. Take not for granted our generosity in letting you live."

"I would sooner die than be your captive," Ventress spat. "What honor is there in that? I would rather die a warrior's death than be shamefully executed like a common criminal. And to be taken by Jedi!"

"Ashamed, are you?"

"You could say that."

"Your master has been in contact with us," Mace Windu said, stepping up to Ventress. "I suggest you start making apologies. Either that, or getting in touch with some old friends."

Ventress lifted her head, straightening up as tall as she could to match Mace's height.

"I'm not scared of you."

"Us, or Dooku?"

Ventress sighed, and looked away. "I wish I knew."

Mace nodded once, seemingly unaffected by Ventress's words. "I will be placing you under the eye of a female Jedi," he said. "Even I, as a man, know that females have certain needs, and so, I figured a female would be able to provide for those needs more so than a male could. Master Stass Allie will see to you."

Ventress said nothing still, and refused to speak again as Allie led her away. The tall, dark-skinned human female looked completely emotionless as she approached Ventress, Toloth headdress swinging slightly as she moved. Her bright blue eyes flashed, though, betraying her true feelings as she took Ventress from Obi-Wan's custody. Kit and the rest of the Council started walking back into the Temple; Obi-Wan fell into step beside Mace as they followed, albeit at a slower pace.

"Dooku contacted us directly after he broadcast this to the Holonet," Mace said. "I am concerned that this may be a Separatist trick of some sort."

"I doubt it," Obi-Wan said, frowning slightly. "If it was, they wouldn't have made it so public so quickly. Anything they do will almost immediately be made public. They can't move very much now; and, if they do move, it needs to be very, very carefully done. A mistake now could cost Dooku and the Separatists the war."

"But why do they care about her so much?" Mace murmured, voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Sith don't care about their own. Eat, or be eaten. Every man for themselves. They don't usually go through such trouble to rescue one of their own, except very rarely if it's for their own good."

"So maybe this is for their own good," Obi-Wan mused. "But for what? Public image?"

"It would certainly make them seem much more approachable if they appeared to genuinely care about their associates."

Obi-Wan sighed and bowed his head, staring at the tiles passing under his feet as he walked into the Jedi Temple with Mace. "I'll see if I can talk to her," he finally said. "She responds to me."

Mace looked confused. "You, Obi-Wan?" he asked skeptically. "I don't doubt you, but every experience she's ever had with you should close her off from you instead of opening her up."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I don't know why, but let's not look a gift kybuck in the mouth. You want to be there, or not?"

"Will she talk if there are others around?"

"Probably not."

"Then no, I do not want to be caught in your explosion."

A/N: Whoo. Chapter. Fireworks major next chapter. Review?