Though it had been some time since he was forced to play the role of a unwilling prisoner of an enemy that was lacking in morals, the Jedi Master nevertheless knew what to expect, and thus prepared himself accordingly.

He used the first swig of water his captors allowed him to rinse away the unpleasant taste that always accompanied being knocked unconscious for long lengths of time.

He tested the power of his energy restrainers to see how much movement his captors had deigned to grant him, and was quickly rewarded with paralyzing currents of electrity coursing through his limbs.

And finally, once the pain managed to subside to a more manageable level, he stretched his senses outwards so he could gain a more accurate picture of his current situation.

And though the Force graciously allowed him to pick up the emotional state of each and every individual that was currently stationed on his prison transport, he was nonetheless confused by what he sensed.

From the armor wearing troopers, whether they be the black colored ones or the more standard white, he could pick up the familiar sense of contentment that his own Clone Troopers had experienced after accomplishing a particularly difficult mission. Though he noted that the Empire's training seemed to have trained its cannon fodder to keep their more human emotions in check while performing their duties.

He could feel the cold, yet tightly controlled presence of the force user who had abandoned the tenants of their order to enhance his own powers.

These things were to be expected from his captors, but what through him off was the mixed feelings he could detect from the being who felt slightly….foreign to the Force.

While he was greatly confused as to why this individual would illicit such a reaction from both aspects of the force, not to mention the way the Dark Side seemed to show the same hesitance one would expect from a predator that was uncertain if it was hungry, Obi-Wan was still able to detect the twin emotions of nervousness and satisfaction.

He didn't know why this oddly foreign being would be experiencing such an odd combination of emotions, though it probably had something to do with who he reported to, but one thing the Jedi master was sure of was that he would act like always did when confronted with such situations.

Remain calm and trust in the force.

"Master Kenobi. Though I doubt you will believe me when I tell you this, I am most pleased to see that you are still capable of drawing breath. I trust that your accommodations are to your satisfaction"?

Releasing his darker emotions into the force as he looked into the smirking shadowed visage of the man responsible for the near extinction of his order, Obi Wan managed to slip back into his negotiator persona as he stared at the holographic image of the Emperor.

"To tell you the truth Chancellor, I have had better. Though I confess that I am surprised to find myself still amongst the living considering the fate of not only my fellow Jedi, but also your latest apprentice. I do seem have quite the talent when it comes to depriving you of useful minions don't I".

Having expected the Sith Lord to show annoyance at either his refusal to call him by his new title, or the reminder of how he had personally threatened the man's vision by robbing him of his most powerful enforcers, the Jedi master was slightly taken back by Sidious's almost amicable tone.

"I suppose that's true Kenobi. But as I'm sure that green troll has said countless times over the years, suffering is an accepted part of the dark side. And thanks to your efforts, my apprentices were forced to experience suffering that they could never have expected. Though I confess that I would have preferred it if your actions had not been as….mutilating at they have been".

Doing his best to keep a neutral expression on his face, Obi-Wan resigned himself to being lectured by a man whose sadism was nearly a match for his ego.

"Lets see, while I cannot deny that Maul's defeat at your hands robbed him of the chance to become a more useful tool in my schemes, I cannot help but congratulate you for your success in teaching him what I could not. The value of patience. I suppose if I had foreseen how calculating he could have become, if I had known which planet he had chosen to crawl too before madness descended upon him, I would have considered rescuing him myself. However, despite his rather impeccable advances in distancing himself from his more brutish methods, his time away from my presence unfortunately caused him to develop a bit of an independent streak. And as I demonstrated with that little comedy involving the discovery of the clone inhibitor chips, independence is something that I find difficult to allow".

His eyes slightly widening at the realization that Clone Tr..Fives had actually been close to spoiling Sidious's plans, the captured Jedi held his tongue as the Sith lord moved towards a topic that was far more emotional than the reminder of the monster that killed Qui-Gon Jinn.

"And lets not forget what you did to my latest apprentice. I can understand why you might have been a tad upset with Lord Vader's first actions as a newly minted Sith Lord, but don't you think cutting off his remaining organic limbs, not to mention dunking him in lava was a bit overboard. I mean, at least he had the courtesy, sickening thought it was, to give each of the younglings a quick death, but you just let him burn. I must confess, if you weren't already set in your ways, I'd consider the idea of doing what Dooku wanted to do with you. But since my time is rather precious, plus the fact that you lack any sort of vision, not to mention the raw strength of your former apprentice, I'm afraid that the option of turning you into my servant is not one that is viable. Though I assure you that Skywalker's progeny possess no such limitations".

Though the reminder of Anakin's fall into darkness managed to only cause an expression of remorse to cross his face, the news that this creature intended to the same to young Luke was enough to cause his composure to crack.

Something that Sidious took great delight in relishing.

"Yesss. Both your and Master Yoda's failure is complete Master Kenobi. The children of Skywalker, and yes that includes the child you allowed the late Senator Organa to claim as his own, have now been claimed by the Sith, which means that the best hope you've had of reviving your pathetic order are gone. Still uncertain if I shall personally instruct the boy or have him join his sister once Vader begins her training, but make no mistake Master Kenobi. They, like their father and the rest of the galaxy, are now mine to do with as I please".

…

Cackling as he terminated the connection to the grief stricken Jedi, the rejuvenated Sith Lord, a fact that he would publicly attribute to experimental cosmetic surgery rather than the sacrificial nature Sith Alchemy, turned towards the image of the thankfully sedated form of the one would have caused his fall.

Yes it was his mechanical apprentice that dealt the final blow, but Vader would never have been placed in that position if it wasn't for the irritating naivety of his son.

However, from what he had been told about the adult careers of the Skywalker children, it was clear that Luke Skywalker would make a far more ideal apprentice than his sister.

While he was certain that Vader would infuse his daughter with a firm loyalty towards the Empire, it was also certain that Leia would develop into a more militant version of her thankfully deceased mother.

A pacifistic Padme, while highly insufferable, had nevertheless shown a strength of will that had delayed several of his operations before and during the course of the Clone Wars. And considering Vader's intent to groom her to be the key to usurping the position of Master for himself, as well as probably keeping her away from the lapse of judgement that had caused Padme to weaken her resolve, the task of manipulating her like he did her father would be far more difficult than he wished it to be.

Luke however was different.

After he had learned about his father's career before his ascension into the Sith, the boy had devoted himself to not only the cause of the Jedi, but also to the memory of those who had taken the time to help train him in the gift of his birth right.

Which made him the ideal candidate for turning him into a more competent version of his former apprentice.

Of course he would have to use a slightly gentler approach during the boy's formative years in order to foster the same sort of relationship he had enjoyed with Anakin before he chose to reveal his true identity. But once he reached his teenage years, rather than subjecting the boy to the same brutal training that had turned Maul into a brute instrument, he would subject the boy to the same sort of training he himself had gone through during his apprenticeship with Plagueis. But with a vital difference.

He would make no mention of his quest to achieve immortality, for that more than anything had resulted in his own decision to do away with the being he had been forced to call master.

But such things were for the future.

The more immediate concern was to decide what to do with the man responsible for robbing him of 2 healthy apprentices.

Killing Kenobi himself certainly had an appeal. For not only would the universe be rid of one troublesome Jedi, but he would also be able to ensure that his current apprentice's rage did not dim.

Robbing Vader of the pleasure of killing the man who was responsible for not only his physical condition, but also, from a certain point of view at least, for causing the death of the woman who would have ended up dying anyway, would probably do wonders in maintaining, if not increasing his apprentice's connection to the Dark Side.

For Vader's inability to let go of his resentment was a trait that was not only worthy of a Sith, but had also led to his fall to darkness in the first place.

Resentment over a rigid code that failed to properly acknowledge his abilities.

Resentment over a father figure that had failed to take his visions seriously.

And perhaps the most important of all, resentment towards himself for failing to protect those he cared about.

Another option would be to give his apprentice the chance to kill his former master himself. However this option carried a degree of danger that forced Sidious to give himself pause.

If Vader had the pleasure of killing Kenobi himself, then there existed a chance that his apprentice would lose one of the key anchors that kept him securely in his grasp.

The first and most important anchor was his attachment to his family. While the emotion of love was a double edged sword for those who drew on the force, inspiring an individual to commit either great acts of valor and sacrifice or wanton destruction and cruelty, its use had nevertheless been instrumental in seducing Skywalker to the dark side, and if properly manipulated, would also ensure he remained there. For while love was an emotion that could belong to both aspects, possessiveness, a trait that Vader had in spades, was a much darker emotion.

And knowing that the act of allowing his apprentice to raise his daughter, one that had been stolen by the Jedi and those who had rejected everything he stood for, would maintain this emotion, Leia's presence in Vader's life was to be maintained.

Especially since she could serve as a backup apprentice if Vader's son proved to be less than satisfactory in his training.

But while his family would continue to contribute to Vader's amusing need for attachments, Kenobi's continued existence would serve to maintain his rage.

The Emperor supposed that he could simply keep Kenobi imprisoned somewhere on a desolate rock, which would have the benefit of keeping him from meddling in his plans and causing Vader to continue his search for revenge, but truthfully, he would rather kill him and simply lie about his fate.

For it was Kenobi's actions that had always caused his plans to be put in jeapodary.

Maul wasn't trained enough to be considered a true Sith, though he had intended to increase his skill set after he had dealt with Plagueis, but his defeat had left him without a capable enforcer. And while Dooku's conversion eventually solved that issue, he detested anything that made his plans vulnerable, not matter how temporary.

And in Vader's case, the situation had been even more grave.

While it was true that the Sith had managed to strike a nearly fatal first blow to the Jedi Order, the great work he had planned for had only just begun.

Order had to be restored to a galaxy that was still coming to terms with the end of the Clone Wars.

Survivors of Order 66, those who had either been lucky or skilled enough to survive, had to be hunted down before they attempted to undo all his work.

And to accomplish all of that, he needed an apprentice with might.

Vader's power was indeed formidable, but because of his injuries, he was prevented from reaching his full potential.

Which was both a blessing and a curse.

For on one hand, he would never be strong enough to overthrow him, at least not on his own. But on the other hand he could never learn some the more subtle arts of the dark side of the force. Which meant that should Vader's eventual gambit to overthrow him succeed, not that it would do him much good due to the contingency plan that would be implemented should his quest for immortality fail, the new found supremacy of the dark side would be placed in danger.

So in short he had three options.

Keep Kenobi imprisoned on some isolated planet where he could be experimented on in a similar fashion to those beings who ended up in Plagueis's laboratory.

Give him to Vader so that his apprentice could have his vengeance.

Or kill the Jedi for his crimes, and lie about his continued existence.

Decisions, decisions.

….

Though her expression was one that could be easily mistaken for annoyed detachment, in truth the blue skinned beauty was experiencing the highly unwanted emotion of nervousness.

Her lofty position as a privileged fuck toy, though to be fair her recent client/boyfriend treated her with a great deal more respect and kindness than she expected of someone of his obvious rank, depended not only the continued ranking of her man, but also on his ability to remain amongst the land of the living.

Potential assassinations she could deal with. And following that rather intense yelling match she had after he had revealed that the Togruta girl had in fact been a Jedi assassin, at least that had been the excuse she had been given, she had begun to take measures to ensure that she was better suited to protecting the one responsible for her current position.

It was tiring work, far more than she was used to, but the results would hopefully pay off.

However, while she was beginning to gain confidence in her ability to keep her man safe from individual threats, right now he was currently waging war against one of the most hated enemies of her kind.

It was true that the Hutt's lacked the resources of the Galactic Empire, especially after that announcement that the Imperials had finally managed a way to shut down the droid armies that had been supplied by the Separatist Remnant, but that didn't mean that the armed might of the Hutt clans couldn't do some damage.

Still, if he did survive, there was undeniable proof that her situation would improve as well.

Thanks to some heavily experimental surgery, her young lover's physique, from what little she had seen of it before the Emperor had sent him on his mission, was greatly improved from the disappointingly average it had once been. And from what he had managed to tell her before going off, he wasn't only a participant in one of the battles that now stretched across the Outer Rim, he was one of it's leaders.

Of course his chosen planet was relatively minor compared to the system that Lord Vader had been sent to liberate, but that still didn't mean that he couldn't distinguish while serving as an officer in the Imperial Military.

For if there was one thing Anaha had learned during the course of her career, it was that success, especially military success, was always rewarded.

….

And I think I'm gonna stop here for now XD.

Hopefully you all forgive me for the wait, but writer's block, life, other stories demanding my attention, you know how it is XD.

Think I once again managed to capture the essence of Sidious with this little chapter XD, as well as the fondish/mercenary nature of the elevated OC escort XD. Have decided that Luke WILL survive. But in what capacity, still to be determined, though as you see I have listed options XD.

Anyways, on my profile, I will have a poll up to help determine Obi-Wan's eventual fate.

As always, plz review, flames aren't wanted XD.

Hail the Empire