Hello, Everyone! I'm sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted! I've been having connectivity issues, which I hope are now permanently fixed. Thank you so much for your continued interest in the story!

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Sidious wished he could have access to Obi-Wan's mind so he could remove the memory block. That alone would be enough to completely obliterate the man's shields and his emotional control. The problem was, that block had been created by two very strong Jedi Masters and would not be easy to dismantle. It would probably require being in physical contact with Obi-Wan – which would be impossible if he couldn't find a way to get past the damn shields! The emperor worked to calm himself yet again. Getting thoroughly pissed off and frustrated would not do him any good here. But perhaps it would not be necessary to actually remove the memory block in order to use its existence to his advantage.

"Tell me, my Obi-Wan," Sidious said sweetly, "do you not hate the fact that a part of your past is hidden from you? I mean, you didn't even have a choice in the matter."

"Masters Yoda and Windu did what they thought was best for me. I hold no ill will towards them." It was true. It was frustrating for Obi-Wan to not have access to a part of his own past, but he still trusted completely in the judgment of his two mentors.

"Hmmm. It doesn't speak well of their belief in your ability to handle the memories."

"Sidious, I am not going to discuss their motivations or their thought processes in this matter with you. YOU are the reason those memories were so horrific that they made the decision they made in the first place!" Obi-Wan quickly released his irritation as he felt his shields waver ever so slightly. This is just a dream. I can't let myself get so emotionally involved that I weaken my shields!

"How do you know they are horrific? You simply had their word to go by."

"Oh, yes," Obi-Wan said dryly, "they blocked the memory because it was nothing more than a stroll through the park."

Sidious chuckled at the typical Kenobi sarcasm. "But you can't know for certain just how bad it was, can you? I think you were well strong enough to handle those memories. After all, I was there at their origination."

A chill went through Obi-Wan at Sidious' tone. He couldn't argue with the man. He had no basis upon which to form an argument. It was a frustrating, disconcerting blank! The emperor had him at a complete disadvantage. It's just a dream. Don't get too involved. It's just a dream.

"Yes, my Obi-Wan, it is just a dream. But truth can come through dreams, too, you know."

Now Obi-Wan was REALLY disconcerted. Surely Sidious couldn't have heard his thoughts? But then again, this is a dream. Anything is possible in a dream. For some reason, however, that thought was not much consolation.

Sidious was thrilled at the emotions coming from his prize. "I could remind you of a few things that happened during our time together all those years ago."

"No! I don't want to hear it! I couldn't know if you were telling me truth or not." Obi-Wan worked to stay calm. A sense of great foreboding – a heavy shadow – was eating away at his focus. Why is this affecting me so? It's just a dream, just a dream.

"What reason would I have to lie? Okay, so maybe the memories aren't exactly pleasant, but surely Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi can handle them? You aren't that newly-knighted, newly-appointed master to the Chosen One anymore." Sidious thought back to that stoic, yet inwardly vulnerable young man after the events of Naboo. "You were so young, yet so strong in the face of such overwhelming changes in your life."

"No," Obi-Wan said softly to himself, "I'm definitely not the same man I was at 25."

"No, you're not. I've watched you a long time, my Obi-Wan, even before that mission to Naboo. I noticed you a few years before that. You and your master had gone to a Senate gala as representatives of the Order." Sidious chuckled at the memory. "You were quite obviously – to me, at least – not happy about having to spend the evening with a bunch of self-congratulating, pompous politicians. I watched you, though. I was rather taken with your bright, pure Force presence."

Obi-Wan was again chilled at the emperor's words. He did not like the thought of having been watched by a Sith Master all of these years. If he remembered correctly, he was only 19-years-old at the time of that Senate gala.

Sidious continued his narrative. "I watched you charm everyone with whom you came into contact – especially the women." He chuckled again at the memory. "And your charm was completely natural, completely genuine. If I didn't already have a very promising apprentice in Darth Maul at that time, I would have focused on you right then and there." His voice turned thoughtful. "Ironic, isn't it, that you were the one who ended up killing that very promising apprentice?"

"Ironic, indeed." It was amazing to Obi-Wan to be finding out all of these things going on in the background of his life of which he had NO awareness.

"So, six years later, I was finally able to focus on you. Do you remember our meetings after our return from Naboo? Of course, despite being the Chancellor of the Republic, I was simply a Nubian citizen wanting to thank one of the heroes who saved my planet," Sidious said in a sickly-sweet voice.

If Obi-Wan had been awake, he would have rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course."

"Anyway, I tested you as much as I could by the questions I asked you. I found your trust in the Jedi Order, it's Code, and it's Council – misplaced though it was – to be complete and without question. I knew that I would not be able to manipulate you and turn you with words alone. No, you would require a more hands-on, direct approach."

Shuddering mentally, Obi-Wan worked to shake off the oppressive gloom that seemed to be pressing in on him. I want to know, but I don't. None of this is real. It's just a dream! How can I trust what is being said? Isn't this all coming from my own imagination – my subconscious mind? I need to wake up! If I stay in this dream much longer, my shields are going to weaken too much.

Sidious could tell Obi-Wan was wanting to wake himself up. He could not let that happen until Obi-Wan's shields were weakened enough to pinpoint his location! He gathered the energy of the Dark Side and continued to press in on the shields of his prize.

"You ARE dreaming, my Obi-Wan. But as I said before, truth can come through dreams. Perhaps the Force wants to unveil your past to you. If that is the case, who are you to fight it? I could very well be the voice, the representation the Force is using to unlock your memories – especially since I am so intimately involved with them."

That actually made some sense to Obi-Wan. A part of him was very uncomfortable with this whole scenario, but another part of him truly wanted to know everything there was to know about his own past. If this was the Force, then he just needed to relax and go with the flow. He had to be strong enough to maintain his shields and deal with the emotional ramifications of an unknown and, more than likely, not-so-pleasant time in his past.

Sidious could feel Obi-Wan's resistance change to be replaced with reluctant acceptance. He rejoiced at this small victory. He was so close, he could NOT waste this opportunity! "A great deal of planning went into how I would capture you. I knew it would be no simple task. And since I was keeping you on Coruscant, I had to be especially careful no trail could be followed."

"You had me on Coruscant the entire time?"

"Of course! I was the newly-elected Chancellor, after all. I couldn't take a leave of absence so soon after taking office. Having you close at hand was much more convenient. I spent as much time with you as my schedule would allow. And you thoroughly, stubbornly held onto the Light. It was quite...frustrating."

Obi-Wan snorted. "I'll bet. Why didn't you just give up on me and kill me?"

"I never had any intention of killing you, Obi-Wan. Everyone has their breaking point – even you. I was planning to...work on you until you were ready to accept your destiny." Sidious reveled in the feelings that evoked in his prize. "But then that interfering, pointy-headed windbag Mace Windu managed to find you, and shot all my plans to Hell!"

Sidious paused before continuing. "I knew that all the Jedi, Yoda and Windu in particular, would be watching over you like a Nubian hawk after that – and they were. And I knew I would have no opportunity to take you again anytime soon. I reluctantly decided I couldn't wait for you. I had plans that needed attending, and that required an apprentice."

"Dooku."

"Yes." To the emperor's consternation, Obi-Wan had calmed down considerably. That would just not do! "But that isn't what we're here together to discuss. As I said earlier, capturing you was no easy task. Despite all of my meticulous planning, you almost managed to avoid capture. It had taken special drugs and brute force to finally bring you down. It was obvious when you were brought to me that you had put up a valiant fight. Your lovely face was battered and bruised, and I was not pleased. I had told those I'd hired to bring you in undamaged. So, I'm afraid I had to dispose of them."

The calm that Obi-Wan had momentarily enjoyed was gone, and the ominous gloom was again pressing in. "Treachery is the way of the Sith."

"It was not treachery, my Obi-Wan," Sidious said in a hardened tone. "I gave them orders, they did not obey."

"And death is the sentence for disobedience in such a small matter?"

"Yes. And it was no small matter to me – not where you were concerned. You were MINE, and no one had the right to harm you in any way." If possible, Sidious' voice became oilier. "That was my job."

A shudder ran through Obi-Wan's spirit at the possessiveness and malevolence in the emperor's voice. "A job you no doubt enjoyed."

"Indeed. Just knowing I had you in my possession at last, knowing that the Jedi would be frantically looking for their precious Sith Killer while he was virtually right under their nose...it was thrilling! But best of all, I would have my chance to break you – to turn that vibrant, pure Force presence into something dark and sinister, but still beautiful."

Sidious sighed with pleasure at the memory. "You were to be a completely different apprentice than Darth Maul. Oh, you would be just as deadly and powerful, but you would also use certain innate talents and gifts that he did not share." The emperor smiled in satisfaction at the thought. "You have grace, elegance, charm, charisma, and the face of an angel. What Maul would have to do by violence and destruction, you could do by the power of your personality and presence."

"I think you overestimate my charms, Sidious."

"No, my Obi-Wan, you underestimate them, as you always have."

Irritation spiked in Obi-Wan at that remark. "You don't know me that well, Sidious. So don't speak as though you do!"

"I know you better than you think, my apprentice."

Obi-Wan could feel the truth in that statement, which made the feeling of foreboding worse. "I am not, nor will I ever be, your apprentice!"

"All in due time, my Obi-Wan, all in due time. You see, I do know you – better than the illustrious Master Jinn and Anakin probably ever did." The emperor's voice lowered to a whisper. "I've been inside your mind."