Cody looked around the room, feeling his stomach drop. He was back in the lab, back attached to all the machines and the equipment. He saw the shadows moving around him he knew were the scientists. He could hear their murmured voices, feel their hate filled glares on his tortured skin. Had it all been a dream, being safe, being with Obi-wan, Barriss and the others? What was going on?
"Hello, CC-2224," Palpatine's cold voice cracked through the still air like a whip and Cody flinched. This wasn't happening, this wasn't real. "Are we ready to try again and be a good little boy?"
Cody stayed silent, fear in his heart. It had all been a lie, all in his head. None of it had been real. Kenobi, Barriss, everyone was dead. The boys, Rex, Ahsoka…. all of them…dead.
"That's a good boy. We don't talk back to the master, now do we," Cody felt Palpatine's cold hands brush against his hot skin, sending chills up his spin. "Now, I need you to do something very special for me. I want you to be a good little soldier and go find the rebel base. Can you do that?"
Cody found himself nodding, even though he didn't want to. This wasn't right.
"Good, and when you do, you'll let Lord Vader know and he'll come get you. Once the rebels are dead, I'll give you what you've always wanted," Palpatine leaned in close, his lips brushing Cody's ear as he spoke softly. "I will give you what you've always dreamed of. I will give you your sanctuary. No more pain, no more suffering under the hands of these fools. You will become my personal servant and I will place you right beside Lord Vader. You will have your sanctuary at last. Does that sound good?"
Cody nodded numbly, it was what he was suppose to do. Wait… he was being sent to the rebel base now?
"Good, good. That is my good little soldier," Palpatine gripped Cody's hand tightly all of a sudden. "Now, we have to play this little charade out just right or the pathetic rebels won't believe us. I'm going to have to hurt you, CC-2224, but I promise I will make it go away in the end. Understood?"
Again a nod. Something didn't feel right.
"Good," Palpatine's hand tightened on his and he felt bones snap, pain racing down his arm for a fraction of a second before going numb. Palpatine let go and turned to the scientists. "Cut off his leg anywhere you want and damage his other hand. He is almost ready for the final stage. Contact me when everything is complete."
"Yes, my Emperor," one of the scientists answered and they all bowed as Palpatine stalked out of the room. In the corner, Vader stood, watching it all. Cody laid his eyes on his for a brief second before they drifted back up to the ceiling. Something was wrong here…something was off.
One of the scientists moved forward, an evil sneer on his face as he picked up a sharp looking tool from a table beside Cody, "Hello, CC-2224. I've been waiting to do this for a long time."
He lowered the knife down to rest on Cody's leg just below his knee. Cody felt it slowly cut into his leg, saw the blood slowly start to flow down his leg…
"ENOUGH!" a voice snapped through the stillness and the image warped and Cody suddenly found himself kneeling on the ground, gasping for air as a droid stepped away from him, its eyes going dim as it shut down. He heard a flurry of robes and someone was kneeling next to him, wrapping an arm around his shaking shoulders. "That is perfectly enough for you report, Duchess Satine."
"Master Kenobi, we were not done examining the suspect yet," a femine growl reverberated around the room.
"I think you are," another cold voice answered. "We have enough data to properly finish this case. We will speak later, Duchess Satine. Everyone is dismissed."
Cody heard movement around him, but didn't dare look up. He couldn't remember how he had gotten here, couldn't stop shaking. The strong arm around his shoulder lifting him up and shifted position, wrapping around his waist, "Cody?"
Cody lifted his head, afraid of what he would see. Obi-wan was looking him over, concern heavily lined on his face, "They went too far. You shouldn't have been forced to relive that."
"What…what…"Cody found it hard to form complete thoughts. His mind kept wandering back to the torture he had endured.
"We are still on Utapua, Cody, don't worry. None of that was real. They were using a droid to show the rest of us what you saw. They needed solid evidence that it was not your choice to act, but they went too far," Obi-wan growled, half carrying Cody out of the room. "I made the others stay back in the med center, I knew it was going to be hard. I am so sorry you had to go through that."
"It…it wasn't…wasn't real?" Cody's body was slowly calming down, the shaking subsiding.
"No, it was not. At some point it was, but it is not now. You are safe, Cody, and I will not let them do that again," Obi-wan gently lowered Cody down onto a bench before kneeling in front of him. "How are you feeling?"
"Sick," Cody mumbled, clasping his hands in his lap, looking over his legs. One was shorter than the other and now he knew why. He wished he hadn't been forced to remember.
"Think you can make it back to the others?" Obi-wan rested one of his hands on top of Cody's, holding them still.
"No," Cody murmured, still very shaken.
"Alright. I'll call Mace, he shouldn't be too far away, and see if he can get us a ride," Obi-wan pulled out his comm, staying right by Cody.
"I don't…. I don't remember going into there," Cody looked up at Obi-wan and Obi-wan frowned.
"I will have to talk to Meds, but its very possible that is a side effect from that droid. From my understanding of its use, it uses a mix of drugs and electrodes to draw the memories forth," Obi-wan turned to his comm. "Mace? We're done here. Cody doesn't think he can make it back."
"I will come pick you up," Mace's voice reached Cody's ears. "Sorry, Alpha and I will come and get you."
"Thanks, Mace," Obi-wan smiled a little before slipping the comm back into his pocket, turning back to Cody. "Cody, you agreed to this, if you don't remember. I wouldn't have let it happen if you hadn't agreed. It was either this or going to Courasant and doing this in front of the entire Senate."
Cody nodded, bits and pieces coming back to him, "This was better than in the Senate Hall."
"Is it coming back?" Obi-wan shifted a little before moving to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around Cody's still shaking frame.
"Bits," Cody nodded. "Do I still have to go to Courasant?"
"No, the Jedi Council has everything set up so that you can stay here and recover. Even if you are found guilty of whatever charges they come up with, you will be turned over to the Jedi and we will control your sentence. I mean it, Cody, I won't let anything happen to you," Obi-wan gently rubbed his shoulder. "Barriss tells me you two are engaged."
Cody could see a subject change right away and didn't mind at all, "Yeah, that's what she says."
"You just relax, Cody, "Obi-wan obviously had seen Cody's inability to keep his eyes open. "Just relax."
Cody nodded, letting his head fall onto Obi-wan's shoulder, his eyes slipping shut. He didn't notice when Mace and Alpha pulled up or when Alpha easily lifted him and climbed into the back of the speeder, holding his body close, gently rubbing his back. Thankfully his sleep was empty, no visions assaulting him and that's all he wanted right now. Because for all he knew, when he woke up this would all be a lie. It could all be a dream, a cruel, painful dream.
