Chapter 30: The Palace of Mustafar

Obi-Wan was lounging, laying sprawled comfortably between the large, wicked horns of his rancor, the light gray behemoth on its belly on the warm floor, breathing deep and relaxed and not showing any indication of being bothered by the man on its head. Before the pair, Ventress paced restlessly, and she would have been yelling if the rancor didn't growl dangerously at her the last time she had raised her voice at its Sith Master. On the wall, a broadcast of the Republic victory on Christophsis played over the holonet, a victory that came at the cost of thousands of lives over the course of nearly a week of battle.

Kenobi's theft of the Star Destroyer Dauntless was easily accomplished, despite the frantic objections of his Dathomirian companion. It was easy enough to command the clones to go about their business, and even easier to obtain control of the bridge, and as an added bonus, the loss of thousands of troops forced the Republic to respond by sending more Jedi, more ships, and no way to follow them. The difficulty came later, when the Star Destroyer had come out of hyperspace, followed by Kenobi's Negotiator, and the two ships had flown to the Sith's home on the planet of Mustafar. Before the war, it had taken very little time for the Sith to execute the entirety of the Black Sun crime syndicate on the lava world and capture their fortress, turning the compound into a massive, sprawling palace that rivaled Dooku's on Serenno.

This, of course, irritated the Count, forcing him to make improvements on his own palace, and the two Sith continued their competition without restraint. The result was a magnificent palace equipt with everything a Lord of the Sith may need to rule, and Kenobi found the location, with its massive, slow moving lava rivers, oddly comforting and peaceful. He could feel the Force here, rich and undisturbed, the austere, severe planet keeping civilization away and allowing the Force to exert its own will upon the fragile ecosystem. Dooku often scoffed at his choice, but Kenobi felt that without the congestion of millions of life forms, the Force was clear and focused.

When Kenobi had anchored the Dauntless in orbit around the red, glowing planet, the difficulties began. On the ship were thousands of clones, and while he was powerful, the purpose had been to obtain a personal army, not fodder for his rancors. The clones would have to be placated, convinced to join him and fight against their brothers, against their programming. On Christophsis, he had tamed seven clone soldiers and the other three had died in the process. The success rate wasn't awful, but he intended to keep the entirety of the 212th attack battalion alive. The process was tedious and difficult, and working with each clone individually would be nightmarish and impractical, by his calculations taking several months to complete, if he did not eat, sleep, or have anything else to do. It wasn't feasible. Converting them en mass was the only option.

Fortunately, the solution came quickly. He had sealed off the bridge, lulling the clones on the ship into complacency over the loudhailer and turning his attention to the limited crew that manned the ship's helm. The commander, CC-2224, a clone the others had referred to as Cody, was immediately targeted, and the iron will of the man was tested and slowly bent as the Sith calmly entered his mind, gently grasping the man's consciousness and sifting through it with tender care, cooing to the convulsing clone as he did so.

And then, he found it. Something...something deep in the clone's mind, something hidden and secret and well protected, and with the slightest of pushes, the clone's eyes blackened with widening irises, eyelids fluttering as he looked absently around the room and softly muttered, "Good soldiers follow orders," like a chant, a mantra, and it became very clear that there was something within the clone that was driving his actions that wasn't Kenobi. He had heard his Master talk about a way to remove the clones from the service of the Republic when the time had come, but the young Sith never pressed the issue. It never seemed important how something like this was done, so long as it was. He could only assume this is what Darth Sidious had in mind. With the gentlest touch, Kenobi had managed to coax the clone into a lucid state, the effects of the ingrained command and the Sith's own mental manipulation leaving Cody with his mind in tact, his allegiance absolute, and a vicious, desperate belief that the Jedi were dangerous threats that needed to be eliminated. That was how Sidious had planned to win the war. With soldiers that were programmed to betray their Jedi Generals.

After that, the rest was easy. A task that should have taken months was reduced to the labor of hours, and with the clone commander Cody at his side, Obi-Wan had an entire battalion at the ready to follow his every command. After all, good soldiers followed orders, and each and every clone understood this. All that was left to do was relax and plan for his next move. After all, he now had the ability to man his ship with real soldiers. He'd have to reorganize the chain of command on his flagship, and the Dauntless needed a paint job and a new name.

Which led him to this moment, relaxed on the head of his rancor and watching the coverage of the victory of Christophsis and quietly ignoring Ventress' frantic pacing.

"Four Jedi!" Ventress snarled for the hundredth time that day, like every single day since they had left Christophsis. Kenobi sighed heavily, stroking the purring rancor between the eyes. "You had the chance to kill four Jedi! Two of them aren't even actual Jedi, and you just let them go!"

"We've been over this, Asajj," Kenobi said tiredly. "Christophsis wasn't about killing Jedi, it was about image. If we won that fight, we don't look as good. If we killed the Jedi, than we'll be taken seriously as a real threat. Christophsis is a publicity nightmare for the Republic." He pointed at the projection of the broadcast on the wall. "Look at this. Senator Organa discredited for calling in troops to seize a Confederate world without provocation. He's a warmonger now, which couldn't be further from the truth. A Republic invasion of a Separatist world during a cease-fire in light of ongoing peace talks. So the Republic is made to be the ones pushing the war. The defection of a capital ship controlled by a Jedi, along with its entire clone battalion. And might I add that the clones are supposed to be incorruptible, steadfast soldiers of the Republic." He turned over to lay on his stomach, his legs dangling over the rancor's thick neck. "This is a mess. And we reap all the benefits."

"...but the Jedi-"

"You've spent too much time listening to Dooku," Kenobi growled. "But even he knows the value of patience and situational manipulation. His public response to this outrage was completely brilliant."

"Well, as you keep reminding me, Kenobi," she growled, stalking up to stand closer to the quietly snoring rancor and its Master, "I'm not like you two! I'm not Sith!" She had said it louder than she had meant, and while the massive creature before her was placated by the Sith on its head, the other two on the other side of the room behind him began to snarl aggressively. Asajj's eyes widened slightly with nervousness. She knew Obi-Wan wouldn't allow his pets to harm her, but they were intimidating none the less.

"Control your anger, Asajj," Kenobi softly warned. "Remember what I've said about the Dark Side. Without control, it will consume you."

"Dooku says surrender to it is what makes you strong!"

Kenobi frowned. For some time now, Ventress had been teetering dangerously on the cusp of real power, a explosion of the Dark Side's wrath driven from intense rage and hatred. He didn't like what it was doing to his friend, but mostly, he didn't like how strong the woman was becoming. Not because of anything personal; Asajj was his friend and ally, and while she was growing in power by the day, she also wasn't a Sith Lord. Her anger made her strong, but also unrefined, a far cry away from the tempered, focused wrath of the Sith. No, Kenobi was concerned for her safety. She was growing too strong too fast, and such growth would certainly be noticed by Darth Sidious. His Master already suspected Dooku of harboring the traditional Sith desire of murdering the Master. That he had a powerful assassin at his whims wouldn't sit well.

"It's true," he began slowly, "that the hottest stars burn brightest. But they also burn out quickly." His golden eyes narrowed as the woman shivered in anger, her jaw clenched tightly as she struggled for control. "Take care, Asajj, that the Dark Side doesn't do the same to you. If you cannot control it, than you will burn with it. Never forget that."

She paced away, growling angrily and shooting nervous glances to the other two rancors that watched her as she moved, their black, predatory eyes following her every step, snarling and growling in response to her anger. When the rancor that Kenobi was draped over raised up and barked a ferocious, high-pitched screech, Ventress stopped her pacing, her rage replaced with fear, and the other two beasts stopped as well, whining softly before laying silent. Grinning as the massive creature laid back down, Obi-Wan scratched the rancor between the eyes, the hard, scaled skin wrinkling as the beast resumed its purring.

"Good boy, Yoda."

Ventress groaned loudly and threw herself upon the couch that sat just by the rancor's mighty head. "You could have named it anything, Kenobi."

"And I gave him the best name!" he chirped. That particular rancor was easily the biggest of the three bulls he had captured, and it very quickly established itself as the dominant creature by virtue of being the most ferocious, the most aggressive, and easily the worst temperament of the bunch. Among bull rancors, who were already aggressive and solitary, this was unheard of, as the beasts would quickly kill each other, but the other two didn't even try. There was no contest, and even the most stubborn of beasts had an instinct for survival. He was Kenobi's favorite. "I mean, he's the Grandmaster of Rancors! I can't think of a more appropriate name! And he even looks like Yoda, doesn't he?"

"Oh, yeah, just like him..." Ventress drawled sarcastically. She was silent for a long time, watching Kenobi as he watched the holonet, occasionally scrawling something on his datapad before he returned to watching. He frowned as the news correspondent talked, the Republic station condemning the actions of the Senate and the Jedi, who seemed to recoil from the war after the hollow victory. Ventress was confused when she sensed the Sith's displeasure and apprehension when everything seemed to be going exactly as planned. This didn't go unnoticed by the Sith Lord.

"It's not that things aren't going the way I wanted," he mused softly, more for Ventress' sake than his own. "It looks like the Jedi are being recalled."

"That's good, isn't it?"

Kenobi shrugged. "In the short term, yes. We'll certainly be able to gain more ground, and it gives me more time to plan." He drummed his fingers on the rancor's head. "What are the Jedi doing? Any ideas?"

"They're afraid," Asajj growled. "You frighten them."

"Yes, but they aren't withdrawing out of fear." Kenobi bit his lip. "Or maybe they are..."

"Could they be meeting to plan on how to deal with you and Dooku?" She watched Kenobi carefully, and very slowly, the man began to nod, his previous displeasure melting away as he considered the woman's idea.

"That seems likely, yes." The Sith Lord scoffed. "They're wasting their time. They don't know what I can actually do yet. This just gives me more time to secure Hutt Space and a Toydarian alliance. If I get to those fast enough, I can find time for a vacation to Mandalore as well."

"You sure do go on a lot of vacations to Mandalore."

"I like Mandalore."

"Mandalore is a desolate wasteland, there are other places in the galaxy, Obi-Wan."

Kenobi scoffed. "I'm a Sith Lord, I do as I like. I built my palace on a lava world, Ventress, what part of me seems conventional?"

"Well, you're a Sith that doesn't kill Jedi, so..."

"Not this again," he groaned, rolling his eyes. "You know, there are things worse than death, my dear. Look what I did to Master Koth."

"Yes, but you're restoring his mind!" The rancor growled in warning, and Ventress silenced herself.

"His mind will never be his again," he drawled, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm simply allowing him some leash. When I call, he will come running. This meeting may be the prefect time to reintroduce him to the Jedi."

Ventress sighed. "You're adding to the Jedi number..."

"Yes, so I can thin them in the future." He closed his eyes, sighing in satisfaction. "I see a future where the Sith rule the galaxy, Asajj, and my palace filled with fallen Jedi that live to serve my needs. All my former Jedi brothers will be faced with the choice to join us or die, and I can make them join. They all will when they see what I do to their Masters..."

"That will never come to pass if you keep letting them go..."

Kenobi sighed. "It will. They will break. But, since you are so thirsty for Jedi blood..." He tapped a few things on his datapad and tossed the device to the Nightsister. On the screen was a picture of an older man, his gray hair showing just the faintest hints of the black from his youth. "That's Jedi Master Tholme," Kenobi drawled. "Find him and kill him."

Asajj was quiet for a while, flipping through the data the Sith had collected on the Jedi Master. This wasn't like Kenobi at all. "Why don't you do this?" she asked softly, and those handsome features darkened with something that Ventress couldn't place, the rancor beneath him growling in response to the Sith's changing attitude.

"I have other plans, Asajj, I'm running a subversive war to undermine the Jedi Order. Their destruction is fine, but if I can make them see the truth of things, if I could bring them to my side..." He grinned wickedly, his yellow eyes flashing dangerously and giving Asajj a real glimpse of the depth of the darkness that ran through the heart and mind of Obi-Wan. "That would be the final triumph of the Dark Side. My Master has said that the Dark Side can bite back, but if the Jedi are made to choose the darkness..." He chuckled deeply. "That would be the final victory of the Dark Side. You can force people to obey, but if you can make them choose the shackles that chain them, there will be no resistance, no rebellion, no dissent."

"...so why kill this Master at all? Why not turn him to your side?"

"You are itching for action, my dear, and I can't deny you forever, and the Dark Side does periodically demand blood. You are an assassin, after all, which is why you're doing this, not me. This is an assassination, and the result will help aid the fall of Quinlan Vos."

"...the Jedi we fought on Christophsis?"

"The very same."

Asajj nodded. "I'll see that it's done. I won't fail you in this." Kenobi smiled when he felt the woman's elation through the Force. This was a mission, a real one, an important one, and she was being trusted to carry it out. Completing missions for Dooku was one thing, but Kenobi was her friend. This was different. This wasn't getting done because her Master commanded it, this was getting done for a man she greatly respected as a friend, a teacher, a...brother, almost. "When do I leave?"

"The Jedi are being recalled, so you have some time. If you want to do something in the meanwhile, I'll give you a ship and a division of my droid battalion and send you to begin laying groundwork on contested worlds."

She was about to respond when she quickly quieted herself, biting her lip and looking away from the Sith. "I'll need to return to Dooku. He'll be angry with me if I don't report in, as I said I would." She handed the datapad back to Kenobi and he took it, quickly clearing the information on Master Tholme from the screen and writing up a message.

"I'll send the file on the Jedi I want you to hunt to your ship, along with a message for Dooku detailing my plans. I'll have to stop by and see him at some point as well. Do you want to go together?" The Nightsister nodded, and with a groan, Kenobi slid off the rancor's head, planting his foot on one of the large, jagged teeth as he stepped off the massive reptile and the creature emitted a low, soft grumble. "I have things to do before we leave. Meet me for dinner later?"

"Absolutely, my sweet."

With a nod and a charming smile, Kenobi left the large living room, the alpha rancor Yoda lumbering beside him, its large, clawed hands dragging on the floor and occasionally using them to support its tremendous weight. He was heading toward a towering fortress that had once been a part of the Black Sun compound, the building having been incorporated into the palace that Kenobi had built, before serving as a fortified bastion that had now been re-purposed to hold Kenobi's own private quarters. At the top of the structure was a large, transparisteel dome, allowing for a view on all sides of the roiling lava rivers that ran below, causing the room to be cast in glowing red light, no matter the time of day.

It was there that Kenobi was headed now, rancor in tow, to speak with his Master over the holotable that he had installed in the center of the domed room. He wasn't in any hurry, though, and strolled at a leisurely pace, admiring the black obsidian walls, the intricately carved designs, the red and gold inlays that stood in stark contrast to the darkened halls and seemed to glow with the light of the lava that poured in through large, ornate windows throughout the palace. He briefly wondered if, after the war, he and Satine would rule from here, or if his Duchess would prefer the lighter elegance of Mandalore's Sundari palace. He supposed it didn't matter. It would all belong to him anyway.

He was met halfway to the tower by Commander Cody, his orange accented helmet under his arm and he saluted when he stood before the Sith. "Sir, I was just coming to find you."

"Well, the Force has a funny way of bringing people together." Kenobi gestured for the clone to follow, and Cody fell into step next to the Sith, eying the rancor on the blond's other side. "What can I do for you, Cody?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

"I came to report that the men are ready to fly at your command, my Lord."

"How is morale?"

"Very high, sir. They are glad to be free of the Republic. Each and every one of my brothers owes you a debt of gratitude."

"I don't need your gratitude, my friend," Kenobi purred, draping his arm over the clone's armored shoulders. "You know that I will be asking your boys to fight against the Jedi and their forces, yes?"

"We are happy to do so, sir." The clone looked away for a second, face serious, and, taking a deep breath, he quietly said, "Many of my men wonder if we can save our brothers that serve the Jedi."

"Mm, we can certainly try, but it may be difficult. They will see you as traitors." Kenobi shrugged. "You know how it is. They've been indoctrinated by the Republic and enslaved by the Jedi. But I assure you, I will do my best to save them, if it's possible, but slaves will defend their Masters."

"I understand, sir." He took a deep breath. "I told the battalion as much. We understand what must be done. We'll fight for freedom, no matter what, but if you can save my brothers..."

"I'll do what I can, Cody. But remember." He stopped, laying a hand on the clone's shoulder. "The Jedi and their armies will try to execute you all as traitors. Your desire for vengeance against the Jedi is strong, but if you are to survive, you will leave the Jedi to me. Engage them only if you must, but you will never be on the field without me. I don't want to lose my soldiers."

"As you command, my Lord."

Kenobi nodded. "Did you attend to the other matters we discussed?"

"Of course, sir." The clone stood, legs under his shoulders and hands clasped tightly behind his back. "The command deck of the Venetor-class Star Destroyer has been stripped of the Republic fittings and reworked, according to your specifications. It's also been painted in your black and red, sir."

Kenobi grinned. "Looks good?"

"Impeccable, my Lord. My men have been tossing around names for her, sir." The Sith nodded, but said nothing. "They like Liberation."

"Liberation..." Kenobi drawled slowly, feeling how the name sounded, and he smirked, nodding. "I like it. Have your programmers name her."

The clone smiled faintly. "I think they'll like that they got to name their ship."

"Well, it's yours as much as mine." Kenobi began walking again, this time at a brisk pace, the clone following easily at his side, the rancor putting more weight on its long arms as it walked. "We'll be on our way soon, Cody. Well done. Have you divided the troops between the two ships?"

"Yes sir." Cody frowned, his mouth pressed in a thin line. "Your clankers weren't happy."

"Mark any droid that disobeys you for destruction, and let them know you are doing so. I've been getting rusty, and I could use the practice. Feel free to tell them that disobedience will not be tolerated, and if they don't like it, they can bring their complaints to me directly." Obi-Wan sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair as the three rounded the corner, the elevator into the tower directly ahead of them at the end of the hall. "These droids are so temperamental, I'll be glad to be rid of them."

"My boys wouldn't object to using them for combat exercises," Cody said, amused, and Kenobi smiled at that. Cody knew that the man was no Jedi, but he was still powerful in the Force, something Kenobi had shown to be neither shy nor modest about, but the clone liked the honesty. He also found it terribly easy to talk to the man, which he supposed should be expected by a man that was commonly known as the Negotiator. Speaking freely to Obi-Wan was proving to be just as easy as talking to his former Jedi General, Quinlan Vos, and much, much easier than trying to talk to the other stoic Jedi that he had contact with.

"I shall have to keep that in mind the next time I get the urge to destroy something." He laid his hand on a small screen in the wall, and the device scanned the patterns of his hand, the elevator doors opening with a hiss. With a mighty yawn that bore rows and rows of deadly, razor sharp teeth, the rancor dropped to the ground with a monestrous thud, stretching its long body along the wall before coming to rest on its side, big eyes closed in contentment and nearly blocking the entire hallway. "I imagine we'll be leaving in the morning. I wouldn't object to walking your men through close combat and stealth drills, if you're so inclined to do so. I intend to establish an infiltration unit out of your best, and we'll see if we can't begin to teach you how to use the electrostaff. We have a droid model that uses them, and they are...shockingly effective against the Jedi lightsabers. I want my men protected."

"I'll make the suggestion to the men, sir." He saluted, the clone's harsh face softening slightly when he looked at the Negotiator's golden eyes, sharp, but understanding. "...Master Kenobi. It's an honor to serve you."

A lazy smile spread across the Sith's face. "Cody, you are all Mandalorians. They may have made you in a laboratory, but that doesn't make you any less of what you are or what you came from. Your culture has a long history of standing against the Jedi, and making obedient slave soldiers out of Mandalorians is...reprehensible. I can help you reclaim your culture, if you wish it."

"I do, my Lord. I think we all do."

"Verd ori'shya beskar'gam. We'll make true Mandalorians out of you. Starting with the language. I'll give your men access to materials to learn it on the ship."

"Thank you, my Lord." The clone saluted when Obi-Wan stepped into the elevator, the Sith smirking and saluting in return, and the door closed with a hiss, swiftly bringing Kenobi to the top of the tower. The dome was bathed in red light from the lava flows below, and with a sigh, he tapped the proper sequence into the holotable to contact his Master, leaving the table to drop onto a seat where he could observe the flowing red magma as it oozed down the surrounding mountains. He could be waiting a while. Lord Sidious was busy often, especially in light of the mess that Obi-Wan had created for the Republic.

He took a deep breath, reaching into the Force to feel the legion of clones that were wandering the palace, tending to the ships Negotiator and the newly named Liberator, and he could sense their contentment, their commitment, their dedication. The 212th attack battalion was a formidable force, and thanks to a combination of clever manipulation and...something else, the force was loyal, fanatically so, without bearing the broken minds that so usually accompanied such a sudden switch of loyalties. He...liked Commander Cody, more than he cared to admit, more than he thought possible. The clones may have been mass-produced, but despite his previous belief, the soldiers could be more than just that, if allowed.

"Lord Lumis," Sidious drawled behind him from the holotable, and Obi-Wan quickly stood, striding to stand before the clear, blue hologram of his Master, and he knelt, head bowed and eyes averted in respect.

"My Master. It's been far too long."

"It didn't need to be, but you have kept me busy."

"...good busy, or bad busy?" Kenobi looked up to find the Sith Master with a smirk on his face. Good busy, then.

"You are more effective than I imagined. But perhaps too effective."

"Is there such a thing?"

"There is when we want war, Lumis. A long, drawn out war that will thin the filth from the galaxy." Sidious exhaled sharply. "Discrediting the peacemakers was well done. It will be a long time before Bail Organa and his allies have any real power again. Amidala has put forth a motion to speak with you again. You will accept, but not in person. I need you to address the Senate directly. Peace is no longer an option."

"Of course, Master."

"I don't know what you did to cause the Jedi to withdraw, but that is a problem. We want the Jedi in the field, we want them to spread themselves thin, not gather their strength on Coruscant."

"...I'll see what I can do about that. I apologize, Master. I don't know why they withdrew. I'll draw them out."

"Hopefully our talk with the Senate will do the trick." Sidious' eyes narrowed in the shadows of his hood, and though he couldn't actually see it, he could feel the Master's displeasure in the Force, could feel the ghost of his touch on his mind. "I assume you took the Dauntless."

"I did. The clones and I have outfitted it as a Separatist ship. We'll be ready to leave by tomorrow."

"The clones?" the Sith rasped, and Kenobi nodded.

"I've brought them under my control."

"Are you certain?" Obi-Wan nodded. "...with so many?" He nodded again. "And your control will not slip?"

"No, Master, they are mine."

There was silence, and Kenobi could hear the bubbling of the viscous lava, the clear hum of the Force, and the shallow breath of his Master, and he could feel the Sith's hand upon him, light and gentle as he contemplated the new development. Finally, Sidious managed a soft, "No more clone stealing. Not unless I give you permission. The chaos it creates gives us an advantage, but not if it will prompt the Senate to decommission the clone production."

"I understand, Master." It made sense, of course. One group of defecting clones could be called a bad batch. More than one, and the integrity of the Republic Army would be called into question.

"How did you manage this feat, Lumis?" Sidious asked softly, and Kenobi held his breath.

"I've learned a great deal from the holocron." The Sith Master nodded, a pleased smirk on his face. "And...there's something else." The smirk dropped, leaving the Chancellor frowning, the feel of his Force presence strained. "Something is programmed in the clones. When I reached into their minds and touched it, they immediately snapped into complete obedience and they had a strong desire to kill Jedi. It took some gentle suggestion to get them to be what I wanted after that, but it was easy."

Sidious hissed, and his Force grip on his apprentice became tight, leaving Kenobi gasping for breath and fighting off sharp pain behind his eyes. It wasn't a punishment. There was no hatred, no anger, no displeasure behind his tight grasp. It was simply a reflex. After a few minutes of silence and uncomfortable pain, the Sith Master quietly said, "The clones are grown with bio-chips implanted with a list of clone protocols. Contingency orders, if you will, that will allow me to gain complete control of the army when it is time for the Empire to rise."

"...you've altered their brains to comply with orders they would inherently oppose." Kenobi grinned broadly. "That's genius." The pain eased, and Obi-Wan breathed freely. "I apologize again, Master, had I known about this, I wouldn't have compromised the integrity of your plans by doing this."

Sidious waved him off. "Dooku and I failed to tell you this. You couldn't have known, and a single group can be easily dismissed. This can...work to my advantage." He nodded. "I shall make it work." He pointed an accusing finger at Lumis. "But no more clones!"

"Unless I have your permission, I know."

"And only then. Though it is impressive that you have managed to tamper with the protocol. It's unlikely this unit will react when the command is given." He folded his hands before him. "Dooku has expressed to me your distaste for droids. I will make certain he orders the living beings enlisted in the Confederate army to serve upon the Negotiator."

"Or my fancy new Republic ship." Kenobi grinned when his Master frowned. "We call her the Liberator."

Sidious sighed. "Dooku has expressed frustration with your...acquisitions. He likens you to a child in a toy shop."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I'm a Lord of the Sith, I take what I want. He's just jealous, Master. My palace is bigger than his, and now I have a fancy new ship."

Sidious groaned and shook his head. "Remain in contact, Lumis. I want you doing nothing until you talk with the Senate."

"...nothing, Master?" Sidious' frown deepened, and he could feel the strain of the Force once again. "I've been keeping a Jedi here, as you know. Master Koth. I was going to send him back to Coruscant with some of my clones. I feel he's ready to be reintroduced to the Jedi." The Master said nothing, but he felt the tightening grip relax and return to a gentle caress. "If we're lucky, than I think it may scatter them. No Jedi will want to stay in the Temple when there are Sith influenced Jedi walking around."

"No Jedi will want to stay in the Temple because they will be too busy hunting you." The Dark Lord nodded. "Do it. And when the Jedi come for you, capture them, kill them, break their minds, I don't care what your pleasure is, but I want to see the results when you are done."

Obi-Wan bowed his head. "It will be done, Master."