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Tristan Peregrine sat in his chair, the bill set in front of him. All that was required was a signature – his signature – and these tyrants could get what they wanted. Over his dead body. The men who had woken him, were quite clear: Kacia Flure was getting impatient.
Who is this Kacia Flure?
She's the woman behind this operation, she is the one who managed to get the unyielding Tristan Peregrine somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Here, in a chair, not twenty minutes ago he was being tortured to sign what he considered as 'The Republic's death certificate.' No, he would, and could not budge.
Yet there she sat, the goddess of death, a mask hiding her features. An unseen device distorting and changing her voice so it was probably more menacing and deeper than her true one. She would be unrecognizable, a phantom, a ghost on the wind which blew to cause terror and leave a person so tormented that they never recovered. No one knew her true name, for she seemed to come out of thin air. She appeared, with no background or apparent history following her as with most "normal" people. She was indeed something indescribable, a worst nightmare – heartless, and cold as tempered steel.
There she sat, across from the stubborn man, her mask of black more menacing than Silas' sneer. She told him that she had something in store for him if he continued to refuse – he could stand torture, he was sure of it. She laughed – no, cackled – telling him that torture was not what she had in mind.
"A different kind of torture" she said, "A torture of mind, not body. A mans body can be strong, but it is their minds that are weak. I could torture you all day, and long into the night – but my plan is far more effective." she said, placing her feet upon the table. She was going to do as she wished. He resolutely refused once more, with a sweep of her hand and an order, she sent the man who had drugged him originally to get something. A new form of torture perhaps? He knew not, but he looked at the mask, complete indifference to it. Whatever she had in store, he would take, but he would never compromise. . .that he promised.
The sound of crying was what awoke Anakin from his blackest night of unconsciousness. He opened his eyes, or at least believed as much since there was no light to speak of. A cold, hard floor beneath his back brought his attention to the fact that the black part of his vision, had not to do necessarily from his head being struck, but rather from the fact that he was somewhere that lacked light. How long had he been unconscious? Or better yet, where was he?
He listened to the person crying, the events of the last time he was conscious flooding back to him. Ozara's father had been captured, the three men, contacting Qui-Gon. . .Ozara's scream. Ozara. She must have been the one crying.
"Ozara?" he tried to say, but his throat was so dry, so raw that it barely came out. He swallowed; roughly, and tried again, "Ozara?"
The sobbing suddenly ceased, and all was silent. Hands touched his arm seemingly probing the darkness for his arm, "Anakin? You're awake? Are you alright?" he heard her trembling voice ask, he croaked out an 'I think so' taking her hand as he tried to sit up. She helped him, and soon she threw herself into his embrace, as little children do when they are frightened.
"Ozara?" Anakin said, still trying to gather his thoughts, "Where are we?"
Ozara sniffled, "We were taken where my father was, that cave we saw them go into. You were unconscious at the time, so they put us down here. That's why it's so dark." she told him hurriedly and almost manically.
Anakin took in his surroundings, that explained it – so his eyes were open, thats what he thought. "How long have I been out?" he asked in what he hoped would be a calming voice.
He could feel her shake her head as it was burrowed into his chest, "I don't know, for a while. I thought you might have been dead" she said, once more beginning to cry. Anakin shushed her, trying to contact his master – his headache however, caused for it to be rather difficult to focus. After some time, he was able to contact him. There was no answer, he instead found himself linking with Obi-Wan.
'Anakin?' The Jedi knight replied, 'Where are you?' He asked.
'Obi-Wan, I tried to connect with Qui-Gon, but failed. We are somewhere underground." The boy replied.
'Yes, Qui-Gon has been rather worried, he told you to stay where you were you impetuous child. Why didn't you listen?!' He demanded, but Anakin snorted in his mind.
'Oh, I was going to. But it just got so tempting, so we disobeyed and did as we wished without checking with you. Sorry, but now we're –-' Anakin's sarcasm was too much for the older knight.
'Anakin'. . . he growled.
'Do you really think I did that? No! Right after I severed my link with Qui-Gon we got captured, that's why we're underground!' Anakin retorted almost contemptuously.
'Captured?' Obi-Wan asked, 'Are you alright?' He asked with honest worry creeping into his mind.
'Yeah. . .I think. How long have we been gone?' Anakin asked.
'A few hours, Qui-Gon has already gone inside. Do you know where you are?' Obi-Wan replied.
'No, I won't ask Ozara either – she's pretty shaken up.' Anakin held the younger girl closer as he said this.
'Don't worry, we'll be there soon.' Obi-Wan said softly, 'I'll tell Qui-Gon that you contacted me, stay close to Ozara.'
'I will, don't worry.' Anakin promised.
'May the Force be with you.' Obi-Wan said.
'May the Force be with you as well, Obi-Wan, I'll see you soon.' And with that the link was severed.
Anakin wondered just what would happen when light suddenly filtered into the room. Silas, the man they saw before, entered the room. Anakin could now observe that there was a door on the left side of the small room, and a tunnel on the other side. Silas watched them for a time, then sneered, making a motion toward them. Four droids walked in, approaching the two youngsters.
"Take the girl to Pieu, leave the boy to me." Silas stiffly ordered.
"Roger, roger" the leading droid replied, forcefully taking Ozara out of Anakin's grasp as another droid held him down.
"No!" she shrieked, "Anakin!" he tried standing but found that Silas held onto his shoulder.
"Ozara!" he cried out, her screams soon fading away. "Ozara. . .no. . ." he sank to his knees – he had failed. He promised he would keep her safe as long as he still breathed, and he had been unable to help her as she was dragged away.
"Now, my boy, you will be left to your solitude. Perhaps you should meditate, as I hear Jedi's are good at that. Not that it will help you, you are far from help now." Silas said with a malicious chuckle, the light turned on in the room, he walked out and the door slid shut.
Anakin hoped that Qui-Gon would come soon, as his eyes adjusted to the light as he did as Silas mocked: he meditated. Yet he couldn't help but feel as if he failed
Ozara was carried down the hall, her tears no longer flowing down her cheeks – indeed, for she had none left. The droids were relentless, their metallic hands cutting into the soft flesh on her upper arms. It was painful, but her fear seemed to quench her pain, fight or flight kicked in. Unfortunately, she was a child, and there was little she could do.
They rounded a corner, and entered a room. Stark white, sterile was the thought that went through Ozara's head. It looked like a institution where one would try and torment someone. . . perhaps that was what they were going to do with her.
The imagination of a child is boundless, and Ozara's was no different. Her mind went through every scenario she had ever heard of, hoping that not one of them would be happening to her. The door behind her slid open, and a individual strode in. It was Kacia Flure, who had left the Senator in order to bring his daughter as a pawn.
Ozara scrutinized the person's appearance, noticing that they kept their face hidden. Her thought was similar to that of her father's: so as not to be recognized. Ozara concluded that it was a woman, as the person was smaller than the two guards flanking her. Ozara recognized them as the other men in the clearing.
"Well, well" the voice behind the mask said, "Ozara Peregrine. I have heard so much about you." The voice said rather mockingly. Ozara stared at the slits in the mask where the eyes belonged.
"Have you indeed? It must be from my father that you heard such, he is "staying here" after all." Ozara replied snidely, trying to act brave, but she felt farthest from it. She wished Anakin were here, she felt so alone, so vulnerable. This woman could cut her down in an instant, and who would Ozara be to stop her? A child against a full grown woman? At least with Anakin they had someone of an advantage, he was a Jedi.
"Indeed he is" Kacia replied, "You wanna see him?" she asked, she actually kinda liked the kid – her orders were to kill her though. Pity. The girl warily nodded, and Kacia took her out of the room and down the hall.
Anakin sat in the room, mulling over his sad fate. He didn't know where Ozara was, Qui-Gon was coming after them, Obi-Wan was obviously outside, Senator Peregrine was somewhere in this forsaken place. . .things were really messed up this time. He sighed, trying once more to contact Qui-Gon – he needed to know how long until the Jedi Master arrived, Ozara's life depended on it.
'Master?' He reached out, but there was no answer. He settled for the nice little feeling of defeat, he had no idea what to do. He felt so lost, alone, and helpless. He needed to get out of here. Gingerly, he walked over to the door, feeling a little light headed, and tried playing with the lock from the inside.
'Anakin!' Qui-Gon's voice resounded in his head, briefly frightening him before he collected his wits.
'Master! Master they took her!' He yelled in his head, 'They took Ozara! I don't know where she is!' He practically cried out.
'Patience, Padawan, we'll get her back. Now, we are inside the complex –'
'Complex is quite a way to describe it.' Obi-Wan's voice interrupted, he was obviously inside now. His dry comments were somewhat of a comfort to Anakin, more of a comfort than he expected them to be. He'd have to let the Knight know later.
'Do you know where you are?' Qui-Gon asked the young boy.
'No, I was unconscious when I was brought in.' He lamented.
'That's alright, we'll find you. Just – hold on – Anakin' heard his master wait for a moment, either hiding or fighting he didn't know which. 'Alright, give me a moment. Can you get out of wherever it is they're holding you?' The master asked. Anakin once more began playing with the lock, using the Force to manipulate it to do as he wished.
'I think so, Master, I'm working on the lock now. If only it would' – the lock slid out of place, the latch lifting – 'Never mind, I got it.' he said, opening the door with a slight smirk on his face, he looked into the hallway but it was empty; much to his delight. 'They ought not underestimate a Jedi, no matter how small.' He thought, perhaps Master Yoda was right, size did not matter as long as you had the Force.
'I take it you're out.' Obi-Wan observed.
'I am. Where are you?' Anakin replied, for once not sounding sarcastic.
'We are somewhere near their supplies, they seem to like those stones that Leiana has around her neck – they all are wearing one.' Qui-Gon said, 'I wonder what it means.'
'I'm sure it has something to do with people on Ergon, I've never seen it before. Perhaps it gives them their intuition.' Obi-Wan said, a tone of facetiousness lacing his voice.
'Whatever it's for, we need to get to Ozara. Anakin where are you?' Qui-Gon called.
"I'm right here, Master" Anakin replied aloud, he had been using the Force to find them as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon discussed stones.
Obi-Wan smirked, "Well you were right about one thing, Master," he began, catching Qui-Gon's attention, "You said that he would find us."
"Perhaps you should take what I say at more face value than you do, Obi-Wan. I tend to be right" Qui-Gon replied, "Come, we have someone that needs rescuing." He said, heading down one of the corridors. Anakin began following him.
"Anakin" Obi-Wan called, stopping the young boy, "You might need this" he held his hand out, Anakin's lightsaber in his hand. Anakin grimaced, and reached for it, "Don't lose it again" Obi-Wan said as the boy put it back in its holster.
"I'll try not to, Master Kenobi" Anakin teased, the older man smiled and together they followed Qui-Gon.
The door opened to the room that Senator Peregrine was in, and that demoness came back in. "Are you ready to sign that bill yet?" she asked, leaning over the table.
"I will not sign it. You can torture me until the end of my days, and then promise me immortality so that you can torture me some more – but I will not sign." He courageously vowed in a weakened voice, the woman sighed and leaned back.
"You should have signed Senator, for my days of torturing you are over. Now I can only give you motivation." she then called out for her guards. Senator Peregine looked at the woman until the guards came in with someone else – a little person.
The Senator's eyes widened – "Ozara!" she looked up, pushing her tangled brown hair out of her eyes.
"Father?" her eyes were bloodshot, her dress was torn, her hair was a mess – but her Jedi protector was absent. He hoped they hadn't done anything to the boy, he actually liked him. His eyes snapped to their captor.
"Why have you brought her here? She is innocent!" the Senator roared.
"Precisely" Kacia replied calmly, "She is your daughter, who looks like your wife, you love her and to see her hurt will be enough. You will sign the bill, even if I must terminate her life as I did your beloved." She began petting Ozara's head, running her hands through the silky hair tenderly. She looked like she could be a caring older sister, not a malicious killer. "Sign it."
Tristan looked at his daughter, there were only two choices. Sign the bill, and sacrifice the Republic; or don't sign the bill – and sacrifice his daughter.
