K-Rock – As always, thanks. ;) And if you feel like having conversations with yourself again, go ahead. It's nice knowing I'm not the only crazy one out there. :p And here's that chappie you've been waiting for. ]:D
Howdy folks/Lurkers. Thanks for reading. I hope you like where this is all going. Enjoy! :D
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"Get moving." Jenna kicked at her prisoner mercilessly.
The burning flames that seared his internal systems did not lessen. Instead his blazing body gradually grew accustomed to the agony. Now he was being driven toward his captors' waiting ship. His hopes of rescue fading with every tortured step. Fleetingly, he stretched out with his mind to touch his Padawan or his friend one last time, but he could not sense them through the pain. So he focused his energies on moving his feet inch by painstaking inch.
Slowly, they herded him inside and forced him into a seat. Ona Nobis quickly restrained the Jedi from moving. As she fastened the binds, Obi-Wan began to feel the flames shrink back. Moment by moment relief trickled its way through his aching form. When he felt the fire smolder enough for him to start focusing again, he managed to question, "What did you do to me?" The Knight closed his eyes trying to relax his tight muscles and let his body recuperate from the stress.
"And I thought Jedi were supposed to be clever," the scientist sighed and mumbled under her breath. Nobis ignored her then left to pilot the ship to their new destination. Jenna continued to mock their prisoner, "My dear Obi-Wan, do you remember nothing? What have I dedicated most of my life to researching?"
His mind quickly recalled the purpose that lead to holding his Master and other Force-Sensitive beings captive; experimentation. She had been trying to learn how the Force worked and how beings tapped into it. Suddenly, the horror of what she was implying hit him and his eyes popped open. Her malicious grin only added to the possible terror he faced. "You have discovered how to use the Force?"
"Not exactly," she admitted. "I realized my research was flawed. I was trying to grasp the intangible. Until, I recalled that a way to test for Force sensitivity was by conducting a midichlorian count."
Obi-Wan found it ironic that it took the scientist so long to finally grasp what his Master had tried telling her almost 15 years ago. "I'm impressed, Master Qui-Gon didn't think you would ever grasp the concept."
"That man was a fool." The scientist flung her hands up in disgust. She began pacing as her agitation grew. "He could have gone down in history if he would have helped me complete my experiments. With his help, I might have learned everything so much earlier. But no, like all Jedi, he couldn't see how the Universe would benefit from my research."
Tending to agree with his beloved teacher, Obi-Wan could not see how her search for power could benefit anyone but herself. It was that type of greed and corruption that lead the Jedi to guard against misuse early on in it's development. "You still know nothing. Granting someone the power of the Force would only bring the Universe ruin if they are not properly taught how to wield it."
"Again the righteous piety of the Jedi," Jenna hissed over her shoulder. Abruptly, she spun around glaring at the young Knight. "Why should you be the only ones to wield its power? It should be obtainable to anyone."
Obi-Wan laughed at her weak accusations. "You're one to talk. Are you not the same person who let loose a plague onto a planet in order to steal their credits for a cure you already had prepared? What gives you the right to murder innocent children?" He countered her criticism step for step.
Caught up in her anger, she argued bitterly, "They pulled our funding. I was merely proving my point. Without our continual research there would be no one to find vaccines to the vast quantity of diseases that inflict people every minute."
He would not buy into her self-pity. "And that is how you justify the deaths of infants?"
Frustrated, she gave up trying to reason with him, "You simply do not understand."
"No, I don't and I am glad of it." Obi-Wan leaned back against the cool metal seat he had been strapped to. "The Jedi devote their lives to helping those in need. Our power is used solely for that purpose. Those with the knowledge of the Force and use it to gain position and intimidate, are our enemies. What you want with the Force and what you would do with it is for your benefit not the Universes'. I am thankful that you have not yet discovered its secrets."
Suddenly, her anger melted. The smug smirk returned as she glared at her captive. "I may not be able to control the Force but I do know how to imitate it in some sense."
Startled by this revelation, his head popped up. He pressed her for clarification, "Imitate? How?"
"Midichlorians are the key," she declared. "Without them you cannot access the Force. It's all a matter of getting them to respond to other stimulants besides the Force."
"It's true they are an indication of Force sensitivity but a being with a high midichlorian count may not be able to utilize it as well as someone with a lower count. It's a matter of training."
Her tone full of condescending, "Let me put this in terms that even a Jedi could understand. Right now, for example, Force collars are primitive yet effective. They create an energy field around the subject and then fill the enclosed area with a specific frequency. This often causes painful reactions in the subject and the strong sense of being in a void. I had to decipher what was really happening to formulate and validate my theories.
When I broke down exactly what Force collars do, I learned that the frequency would resonate so fiercely that the midichlorians themselves would vibrate violently. Hence the pain that most subjects feel. The higher the count the more vicious the reaction. That's when I realized that those molecules were the key and began focusing on how they reacted to various incitements. In my research, I have been able to identify specific reactions to specific stimulation. My device is different. It targets better and can cause many different reactions based upon what captors are looking for. As a result, I have created various control collars like the one you wear."
"Like the one you put on my Padawan." Stating his realization rather than asking a question. He remembered how his Apprentice did not even seem to notice when it had been clamped to his arm.
She confirmed, "Yes."
His thoughts scrambled to make sense of the bits of information she had fed him. "So your collar doesn't produce an energy field or utilize frequencies like its predecessors. And that's why the effects of being cut off from the Force didn't occur." He could see the look of surprise on her face, as he was able to compile the facts so quickly. But it was the feral look in her eyes that worried him.
"You are correct on most counts. I did not block the Force, I simply negated the midichlorian's reaction to its presence. Just as I am to you now. But I still can utilize frequencies within the collar to extract certain reactions if I so choose it." Jenna moved closer to Obi-Wan, straddling him, she sat on his lap. "I still have a few more tests I have to conduct. I hope you're up to the task."
"Do I have a choice?" Rhetorically, he asked knowing all too well what was in store for him. But he wanted to keep her talking, since she was in such a chatty mood. He felt there was much more that he needed to know about this new collar. "So, how far has your research progressed?"
"As I am sure you are still feeling some of the effects," she taunted, "I can turn your talents against you. By emitting certain frequencies or introducing certain 'chemicals' into your system via the collar, I can deceive your cells into believing something that isn't there. Like fire. And cold. And pure pain. All without having to physically inflict them."
Teasingly, he remarked, "Doesn't that take all the fun out of torture?" He had been through torture often enough in his lifetime. Some would argue that he had seen more than his fair share of it. But it disturbed him to think that there were even more diabolically devices out there such as her collar.
"Who said it all had to be torture? Don't you know that pain is very close to pleasure?" A finger traced his jawline, as she met his sarcasm with her own. "Oh, I forgot, Jedi don't know love. Maybe I should teach you. But they are no strangers to pain, are they?" Her words were a twisted form of humour.
"Miss Arbor," Obi-Wan looked directly into her clear blue eyes then allowed his own dry humour to take over, "you are at least twice my age and I have never found you attractive."
Quickly rising from her seat, she hissed and tapped something on her wrist. Instantly, his body flared with agony. Through the torment he heard her ranting, "Don't forget who is in charge. You had your chance. I offered you a way to die happily. Now you will die knowing pain." Obviously, the scientist could not handle mock insults well, not like the Knight would have ever entertained such thoughts.
Slowly, the sudden flares faded away, allowing Obi-Wan to think again. A little out of breath from the torment, he remarked, "That was more of what I expected from a heartless criminal. You have orchestrated plans causing the pain and deaths of thousands of innocent lives. To what end, just to get revenge on me?" The Jedi prodded at her hurt ego.
"I may be vengeful but I'm not completely without foresight. Once my revenge is complete, I will need to rebuild, to reestablish my laboratory. And to do that I will need credits." She explained willingly.
He finally had a path leading to the heart of the matter. Obi-Wan was a little disappointed with such a petty response. "So this is about money."
"This is about satisfaction," Jenna barked. She took a moment to recompose herself, "It is true, I want you to suffer. And believe me, you will know the true meaning of suffering when I am done. But I also want what I have always deserved. Wealth and Power. Once my experiments have been completed and this prototype has been perfected, I will have revenge and money."
Afraid of the answer, Obi-Wan forced himself to ask, "And how will you accomplish that?"
Jenna smiled that wicked smirk and a twinkle lit her clear eyes, "The Jedi have many enemies." With that Zan Arbor turned to leave, just before completely vanishing she touched the small control unit on her arm. No warning could have prevented Obi-Wan from gasping. The swell of pain swiftly overshadowed the dwindling embers of fire that still coursed through him. For some time he tried to fight, to fend it off, but it was too much for one man to withstand. Soon, he succumbed to the agony and slipped off into blessed darkness.
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