Chapter 36: Dark Knowledge
Obi-Wan lay draped over the couch in his living quarters, rancor Yoda laying peacefully beside a window warmed by the lava flows outside. Nine Sith holocrons floated around the Sith Lord, all of them open and all of them whispering, the different voices, low growl and high hiss, male and female, all speaking at once, the ancient Sith cacophony in the otherwise still air. Obi-Wan couldn't hear anything specifically, but he didn't need to, not yet. The words themselves had power, and Lumis had opened himself to all of it, the power rushing through his body like a raging torrent that threatened to tear him apart, and he welcomed it. It was almost too much to bear, the surge of power and mind-numbing pleasure and satisfaction leaving him feel like he was amazingly, mindlessly drunk. Far more drunk than he had ever been with Quinlan.
The glowing yellow eyes slowly fluttered open, lazily looking around the room, but seeing nothing but the flow of the Force. He had so much to learn, and there was so much knowledge, so much power right there at his fingertips. He caught bits and pieces from the holocrons, things that he had never heard of, things he had never considered. One woman spoke of using the Force to alter objects and, more interestingly, living beings in order to make them stronger, smarter, and absolute tools of the Sith in a process she simply called Alchemy. He had recognized another voice, and he grabbed the holocron out of the air and listened closely, grinning when he identified the voice as one he knew.
Valkorion, the ancient Sith Emperor and creator of the holocron that Sidious had given to him, spoke in his smooth, compelling voice, not about mind control, but about life. He spoke of draining the very Force out of another being and using that life energy to prolong the life of the user. Kenobi's breath caught in his throat, and all the other holocrons closed, dropping to the floor as Lumis focused on the one in his hand. This was exactly what his Master had been seeking, what his Master's Master had sought, what every Sith Lord since the first exiled Dark Jedi had sought. Immortality, or at least a piece of it. He knew his Master had holocrons that focused on immortality, but the greed of the Sith always prevailed, and only small pieces of the information was recorded, leaving wide gaps in the knowledge just in case any Sith in the future surpassed those from the past.
Kenobi never desired immortality. Perhaps it was his Jedi training, but he knew that all things must end eventually. If it were truly possible, than the ancient Sith, in the height of their power, would have discovered how to do it. Valkorion was the closest, having lived for thousands of years, but in the end, he too had died. However, growing old was something that Kenobi never wanted. He prided himself on being young, strong, agile, and while he did know that the Force was the only ally a Sith Lord needed, being strong and vital never hurt. And now, he held a holocron that whispered to him the way to accomplish that, a way to literally drain the Force out of a being and take it within his own body, revitalizing him and making him younger, and, if done regularly, it created a pathway to eternal life.
It wasn't true immortality, the holocron explained. Making ones body younger did not extend a life span by much, if at all. If immortality was to be achieved, than it would have to be through a different means, but if one wanted to preserve a body they happened to be attached to, this was the holocron for it. His hand tightened around the pyramid. This was exactly what his Master wanted, above all else, and he did promise Sidious the holocrons from the Temple...
Kenobi breathed deeply, raising the other holocrons into the air, opening them and carefully listening to them in turn until he found the one with the details of Sith Alchemy. Grabbing that one from the air as well, Lumis put them on the arm of the couch and carefully placed the others into the pack they were delivered in. He'd deliver these to Sidious, as he promised. Two holocrons would not be missed when he delivered seven to his Master's waiting hands. After all, he did a great deal of work to steal these. He deserved them. Even if it was one his Master craved above all others. Especially if it was one his Master craved. There is no ignorance, only knowledge, the Jedi said, and knowledge was power.
"Koth," he drawled lazily, and the Jedi Master, on his hands and knees in the middle of the room, shook, whimpering pathetically as he was summoned, his broken mind fighting a body that yearned to obey. Eventually, the Master crawled to the Sith, his movements jarring and unfocused as he fought the order. His time with the Jedi was allowing him his mind back. "You're becoming yourself again." Those dark eyes narrowed, and Kenobi just grinned. "Don't worry. I'll fix that soon enough."
"You will never break me, Sith," the Zabrak snarled, but Lumis ignored him, picking up the holocron and opening it, the words of the Sith Emperor hungrily absorbed by his clever mind, the yellow eyes flashing in interest, concentration, and then understanding.
"Sweetheart, I already have. More than once." He reached out with the Force and brought it's weight down on the Jedi, his arms finally buckling and he lay helplessly on the floor. "Give me a moment so I can learn how to drain the Force right out of you. I'm sure it will be horribly painful."
"If you're going to kill me, just do it." Kenobi sighed, smiling as he looked at the Jedi.
"I haven't decided on what to do with you yet. You seem to want death, and I can't give you what you want." He shrugged, his long finger reaching out to lightly touch the holocron in the air before him, the slightest brush making the pyramid spin in the air. "Besides, you need to tell me about your time with the Jedi!"
With a groan, Eeth pushed himself to his knees, his dark eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed closed and silent. He would say nothing to this Sith Lord, if he could help it. He knew he could not, but he would resist for as long as he was able. The Sith Lord reached out and laid two fingers on the Zabrak's forehead, and Koth's eyes began to slide out of focus as he felt his resistance fall, his mind submitting and eager for the Sith's approval. The Jedi whimpered softly as he felt his will leave him. He was a Master of the Jedi Order, one that once sat on the High Council, and he could no longer resist the call of the Sith Lord at all. It's how he made him steal the holocrons from the Archive, and he couldn't even find the strength to hate Obi-Wan for it.
When Koth said nothing, Kenobi cheerfully whistled, pulling his lightsaber from his belt and lightly nudging the holocron with it. "How did they look? Have you been replaced?"
"You altered my memory, I lied to them..." Koth whimpered, his voice a wavering tremor, but the Sith just clicked his tongue and cooed to him, those long fingers running through the thick black hair and over the horns protruding from his head.
"Oh, no, baby, you didn't lie...you believed what you were saying was the truth! The truth is subjective anyway."
"It isn't."
"It is," the Sith hissed, fingers wrapping in the Zabrak's hair and pulling back, causing the Jedi to fall against the couch, his back to the dangerous man. He moved to turn around to face him, but a gentle, firm hand gripped his shoulder to still him, and Koth didn't move again. "The Jedi obviously saw nothing in you, or you wouldn't have been given the freedom to move about the Temple freely," Kenobi purred in his ear. "That means they can't sense my influence. That's giving me a great deal of freedom."
"It doesn't matter! The Jedi have been called back to the Temple so they can learn how to fight you!" The hand in his hair tightened and pulled back hard, leaving the Zabrak's neck strained and exposed, and Kenobi's free hand drifted over his throat, tracing the line of his trachea and gently squeezing, the Jedi tensing when he did so.
"The Jedi were called back for me?" Kenobi laughed, sending chills down Koth's spine. Anger and satisfaction roared through the Dark Side in equal measure. Lumis couldn't be sure if he was flattered that he caused such a panicked retreat, or raging against the Jedi that could share everything about him. If nothing else, the Jedi were smart and resourceful. He wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating them, like so many Sith before him had.
"They're going to beat you, Sith Lord."
"I'm really beginning to dislike your tone," he drawled, slowly pressing gently against the Zabrak's mind, and the Jedi shivered, his resistance giving way to the desire to submit to the stronger will of the Sith. Koth slowly began whimpering, leaning his head back to give Kenobi easier access to his exposed neck and leaning into his touch. Kenobi closed his eyes and carefully observed the memories the Jedi showed him, frowning as he listened to the Council, but delighting to see who was on it. Gone were some of the older members, and replaced by his old friends, Luminara and Quinlan, and a small part of him even felt pride to see his former Master sitting between them. He wanted him to suffer, yes, but it didn't mean he couldn't revel in the old Jedi's promotion, even if it was an indulgent whim of his former self, the young, dead Jedi Knight breathing from beyond the Force.
The Council had changed if they had allowed Qui-Gon Jinn to sit among them. He'd have to adapt to these changes, which wasn't a challenge for Kenobi. After all, the Dark Side thrived on change and struggle and adversity. It was the Jedi that had a difficulty with changing their ways. He was so focused that he only barely noticed Cody's long, powerful stride as he approached the Sith Lord, slowing as he saw what was going on and stopping completely when Koth moaned loudly.
Smirking, and standing with a fist on his hip, Cody said, "You would think that three days on Mandalore would have been enough for you, sir."
"It's never enough for me, Commander..."
"New pet, then?"
"Old pet. You haven't met him." He opened his eyes and looked at the clone, observing him carefully when he saw that the soldier's white and orange armor was gone, replaced with armor of jet black and blood red. "...new armor?"
Cody scoffed. "Old armor. New paint. Do you like it?"
Kenobi winked. "Terribly sexy. Get your men to do the same, if we're going to destroy the Republic, we're going to do it looking stylish."
"We've already done it, sir." He stopped when the Sith snarled, his hand wrapping around black hair and pulling, the submissive man's back arching with pain as he gasped. The gold eyes looked back up at him, and Cody stood taller. The Sith wasn't displeased with him. "We've also fashioned helmets and armor for your rancors. We don't know if they were pleased, but we think you will be."
"If I'm happy, they'll be happy. Right, Eeth?" Kenobi growled, grasping the Jedi's throat, and the dark eyes clouded.
"Yes, Master..."
Cody pointed to the Zabrak. "What did he do?"
"He's a Jedi," Kenobi purred, and the clone shuttered, his face marked with anger.
"I can get rid of him for you, my Lord..."
"Mm, I may do it myself, but Koth here is mine." He patted the Zabrak on the cheek and the Jedi groaned softly. "There's just enough of him left to hate this, but he can't resist me anymore."
"...is this what you plan to do to the Jedi?" Kenobi looked up at the clone, the man's features hard and unreadable, and while the Sith could simply look in his mind, he was beginning to develop a fondness for the clone commander. Cody's loyalty was absolute, of that he was certain. He didn't need to break the willing and the independently cooperative.
"Why? Does it displease you?" Obi-Wan smirked. "Allowing the Jedi to live may be against your basic programming." That made the clone's eyes flash with anger, and it amused the Sith Lord. These weren't droids, after all. They could be offended. Their free will is what made them formidable.
"I don't have programming, sir, you freed us of that. If you want the Jedi dead, we'll kill them. If you want the Jedi to be your slaves, or your pets, or...whatever this creature is, than tell me how to help you achieve it. We choose to follow you, my Lord. Wherever it may take us." The clone took a deep breath, relaxing his breathing when he saw the Sith Lord...amused, the light in his golden eyes devoid of the sinister gleam they usually held and replaced with what Cody thought looked like fondness. Kenobi rose, pushing the Jedi forward as he did so, and picked up the bag with the holocrons, slipping the two he was keeping for himself into the folds of his robes.
"I need to stop by my rooms on the way to speak with my Master. Walk with me, Cody."
"The training hall isn't far from here, sir. Do you want to see how the men are progressing?"
"I don't know. Is it worth it?"
Cody grinned. "I believe you'll be impressed."
Kenobi nodded. "Lead the way, my friend. Come on, Koth, you too." The Sith chuckled when the Jedi rose to his feet, swaying slightly but offering no resistance to the command. When they left the room, the rancor growled, scraping the floor as he rose to his feet and ambled after them, keeping a respectful distance away from his Master, but sniffing and growling curiously at the Jedi. Cody and Obi-Wan talked in hushed Mandalorian, and Kenobi was impressed by how far he had come with the language. He wasn't fluent, and he often had to stop to explain words and turn of phrase, but the commander was remarkably knowledgeable in the wealth of profanity, curses, and conversation unfit for polite company that was woven into the Mandalorian culture. Until recently, the warrior race could never be considered even remotely polite.
They went on at some length about Obi-Wan's woman and the things the two of them had done, and the Sith spared no detail when the clone expressed a great interest in the subject. Cody relayed that the men he had sent to Mandalore had come home with similar tales of their own carnal conquests, which they shared eagerly with their brothers and served as a motivator for the others to excel in their combat studies. The Sith wasn't inclined to discourage such behavior. After all, he followed his passions, and so long as duty came first, passion was an opportune motivator that could make his men strong, as well as pleased. Obi-Wan himself was happier as a Sith than he was as a Jedi. There was something to be said of feeding ones desires instead of burying them under a heap of guilt and self-loathing, as the Jedi did.
The training arena was filled with clones, many of them half dressed and all of them sweating and flushed from the exertion of their training, their bronzed, muscular bodies covered in burns and scars and blood that they had acquired in the rough training the MagnaGuard put them through to become deadly with the electrostaff. Others were training in hand to hand combat, and others still stood at the far end of the hall with blasters primed and shooting at hapless battle droids. The mechanicals were simply no match for the clone comradery, and it seemed to be less practice and more sport to the Sith Lord, and he smirked. They were soldiers, yes, but they enjoyed this. That was good. It was a feeling that the clones of the Republic wouldn't share in the same way. The Jedi Generals would see to it that the lust for violence was discouraged, but Obi-Wan would do no such thing. His army was made to kill, so they may as well enjoy what they do.
When the clones saw Cody enter with the Sith Lord, many of them bowed, many more whispered among themselves and pointed, and a few officers and soldiers who excelled in the combat they were practicing were brave enough to approach the men, saluting respectfully and engaging in small talk with their Lord that Kenobi was happy to participate in. Several others had come not to see the Sith, but to see the rancor when the massive creature dropped to the ground and closed its black eyes. The clones had taking a liking to the rancor, partially because the beast was kept well-fed by them, so the creature had no cause to be anything but amicable to its brood, and partly because it had developed an intense dislike of droids, courtesy of its Master, which allowed the clones to feel something of a kindred spirit with the ferocious beast. So much so that the entirety of the 212th had taken to calling themselves the Rancor Battalion.
Kenobi looked around the hall in between quick conversations with the clones, nodding in approval as he watched them train with fist and staff and blaster. The men were good, and they were dedicated, and above all else, they were inspired, which not only gave them an advantage over the emotionless droid forces, but gave them a distinctive edge over their Republic counterparts.
"Look at them all," Obi-Wan purred to Cody, the commander beaming with pride. "They are remarkable. They're ferocious and loyal and dedicated, I bet they can't wait to blood themselves."
"They are quite eager, sir."
"And it won't be enough," a soft, threatening whisper from behind them hissed, and raging yellow eyes fell on the Jedi Master, the dark eyes defiant and bright, devoid of the mindless haze of before. His time with the Jedi had strengthened him, and Kenobi was not pleased. Feeling the Dark Side swell within him, the quiet flames being stoked to a controlled blaze, Obi-Wan thrust the pack with the holocrons at Cody's chest, the commander gingerly taking it, and two strides put the Sith eye to eye with the Jedi.
"Say it again," Kenobi drawled, his voice sweet, a smile on his face, and golden eyes dangerous. The rancor's massive claws dug into the compact dirt of a training ring at its Master's swift emotional change, leaving long, deep claw marks in the ground, bearing its dangerous teeth and snarling. The room fell silent, every clone in the hall stopping to watch their leader.
"Your men," Eeth said again, his voice no louder than before, but now it echoed in the silent room, projecting so every being could hear him clearly, "will not be enough to stop the Republic. You won't be enough to stop the Jedi. No matter how strong you are, no matter how strong you become, you will always fall short, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Faster than anyone could see, a red saber ignited at the Sith's hip before it was properly drawn, the wicked blade swinging low and arching up in a wide sweep, and Koth fell to the ground, eyes wide and fixed in surprise at his legs, both severed at the knee and laying several feet away from where he fell. The cut was clean, sudden, and the shock seemed to keep the pain away, as did the fear of the Sith that stood above him, golden eyes blazing with red blade in hand, his careful defenses blown open and exposing the Dark Side within him, the controlled flames of before loosed in an all-consuming inferno.
"I promised you pain, Koth, for so long, I have promised it to you..." Kenobi grabbed the Jedi by the hair and dragged him up, the raw, burned stubs of his legs pressing against the ground and sending pain rushing through the Jedi so intense that he nearly lost consciousness. Lumis pointed his lightsaber at the legs on the ground. "Cody, give those to Yoda. He hasn't eaten Jedi yet, and I want to give him a taste for it..."
Snapping his fingers, Cody ordered two nearby clones to do as the Sith commanded, and they rushed forward, grabbing the appendages and running them to the snarling, drooling beast.
"I suspect," Kenobi drawled, leaning down to the pale and suffering Jedi, "that a great deal of your fellows are going to suffer this fate. You didn't need to. You could have joined me, Koth. I gave you the option, I gave you the chance! And now I need to make an example of you..."
Eeth Koth closed his eyes, his face peaceful despite the pain, and he whispered, "There is no death, only the Force."
"How right you are..." Lumis deactivated his saber and tossed it to Cody, and he struck the Zabrak on the forehead with two fingers, and thrust the Dark Side within him, the might of his own dark Force presence surrounding the defenseless Jedi. He closed his eyes and recalled the words of the holocron that he had listened to not an hour earlier. Soft, hissed words in ancient Sith that spoke of draining the very Force out of anything that lived in order to benefit the user, a way to physically drain the life out of a being to extend the life of the Sith that could use it. It was a technique, the compelling voice within the holocron had said, that could not be taught, could not be learned. It could only be understood through instinct and by experiencing the effects first hand, and Obi-Wan, who listened to and trusted in the Force, had instincts that were rarely wrong.
He felt the Force within the Jedi, strong and bright like a fire that burned with life and vitality. He felt his own Force presence, dark and powerful, like an intrusive, shadowed hand that reached into the body of the Jedi, and Lumis was never one to turn from flames for fear of the burn. Feeling the Force of them both, he closed his presence around Koth's, and drew it towards himself, the life force resisting with all its might. It was a struggle, requiring all his many years of focus and control, but eventually, the power of the Dark Side ripped the very Force out of the Zabrak, the Jedi screaming in agony as he felt life leave him.
Even the rancor drew back from the vicious cries, blood dripping off sharp fangs as he crawled backwards on his belly to come nestled among the wide-eyed clones. Kenobi could feel the flames of Koth's life flicker as it died, the strong flame becoming embers and than softly glowing coals. He could do it. He could drain his life completely, he just needed to...
Teeth grit, Lumis snarled, releasing the Jedi, the body dropping to the floor, still and hardly breathing, and Kenobi had to kneel, breath fast and deep as if he had physically exerted himself beyond exhaustion. He felt his lungs burning, and his mouth tasted of blood, but the Dark Side raged through him like a wild and feral beast unlike it had ever done before. There was pain, lots of it as his muscles spasmed, tremendous soreness settling in almost instantly. But there was satisfaction as well, pleasure derived from the swell of the Dark Side that made Lumis feel stronger, faster...younger. Gasping softly, he opened his eyes slowly, the glowing orbs focusing on the barely breathing Jedi.
"Make certain he doesn't die, Cody..." Lumis drawled, rising to his feet slowly and running a hand through his hair, chuckling when the clone commander handed him his saber and the pack with the holocrons. "I need to study what happens to a man after something like that."
Cody nodded. "Do you need assistance, my Lord?"
Kenobi shook his head. "Watch Yoda. I'll be fine on my own." He pointed his deactivated saber at Koth. "If he dies, Cody, I'm going to be displeased."
"Understood, sir." With that, Obi-Wan swept from the room, leaving the clones in awe of the Master they served.
Kenobi stopped by his room to lock up the two holocrons he was keeping from his heist with the one his Master had given him and he headed to the elevator. When he entered, he leaned his head on the smooth, cold metal of the wall as he was brought swiftly upward to the domed observation deck at the top of the palace. He stepped out, mindlessly putting in the call to his Master, and dropped into the oversized chair overlooking the lava flows, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.
The skill was dangerous, that much was obvious. More dangerous than any skill his Master had taught him. Kenobi had been wholeheartedly dedicated to his studies of the Dark Side, but he also recognized the dangers of it and did what he could to avoid the worst of it. The Force could bite back, Sidious had always said, and Kenobi was typically a temperate, moderate man. Prudence and caution came naturally to him, and he approached the Dark Side with the same patience and care that he had approached the Force as a Jedi. It was more than something to establish dominion over. It wasn't like the people of the galaxy, who he would subjugate. It wasn't like the Jedi, who he would enslave, convert, or kill. It wasn't Satine, who's heart, mind and body belonged to him, and him alone. No, the Force was a companion, an ally, a friend and advisor that was meant to be respected, lest it turn on you. As much as Kenobi exerted his will upon the Force, the Force also exerted its will upon him, and Obi-Wan never denied it.
It gave him visions, insight, dreams of the future, but only to those willing to listen, and Obi-Wan was always willing. This...new skill lay just on the edge of what Obi-Wan could safely accomplish, and he understood the danger, even as he was doing it. Draining the life out of a being was like filling his body with narcotic drugs, and even now, he felt hazy and high, the pleasure that the power gave him leaving him feel wanting and desperate for more. It was a craving, the early stirring of an addiction that Kenobi had no interest in feeding. If he was going to use this ability, he'd have to use it sparingly, and with great control, lest he be consumed by it, and Obi-Wan had no desire to become a slave to his desires when he had worked so hard and so diligently to master them.
He heard when the holoprojector switched on, the low hum of the electronic filling the domed room, and he could hear Sidious drawl, "Darth Lumis," in his low purr. Kenobi could almost not bring himself to rise out of his chair, but the pain that Sidious could inflict upon him for making the Master wait gave him the motivation to stand and saunter before the holotable, dragging the chair behind him and gracelessly throwing himself in it when he knew he was in range of the projection.
"The Jedi are frantic, Lumis," Sidious began. "They are redeploying their ranks across the galaxy to fight the war."
"Mm, I shall have to take to the field again..." Kenobi lazily drawled. His Master frowned, and he felt his presence upon his mind, but the power drunk haze seemed to stop Sidious from getting too far inside him. In person, it would have been no difficulty, but over all the distance, it was another matter. The Master could inflict pain upon him, but pain was easy. Mind reading, though, even through a deep and strong Force connection like they shared, was difficult at best over a long distance, and that was only if the connection was open. It was not. Kenobi's defenses were raised, and the high of the life syphon left him difficult to read.
"Are you intoxicated, Lumis?" His displeasure was palpable.
"In a sense," Kenobi smirked, crossing his ankle over his knee and waiving his foot in the air. Sidious threw back his hood, a deep frown on his face and his eyes blazing with rage, but Obi-Wan swiftly threw his hands in the air. "It's celebratory, Master! When you hear what I've done, you will want to do exactly as I have."
"I sincerely doubt that," he snarled. "If you are messing around with death stick dealers one more time, Lumis-"
"That was one time, Master! And I have been told they dull the connection to the Force! That isn't my idea of a good time, I know what containment is like..."
"So which is it this time."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and sat up, crossing his arms before him. "You talk like I am some degenerate drug addict, Master, honestly...I've never had a taste for the stuff, you know that, though this time, it may be a combination of sex and Slick."
Sidious' palm flew to his forehead and he groaned loudly. "Well you must have enjoyed your Duchess, since you look perfectly revitalized...but I am going to kill you."
Using the Force, Obi-Wan rose one of the Sith holocrons from the bag, smirking as his Master took no notice, grumbling his displeasure under his breath, and he turned a tired gaze to his apprentice. Sidious' eyes went wide, and Kenobi could feel shock register in his Master. "You said the Jedi were frantic, Master?" the apprentice purred. "How frantic?"
"Frantic enough..." Sidious tested, his pulse racing as his hunger grew, observing his smirking student with great interest. "How many did you recover?" Lumis grinned, and six holocrons joined the one that floated before them. Kenobi watched the Master stagger, having to grasp something for support, and while he saw and felt his Master's desire through the Force, for just a moment, through the desperate need, Kenobi saw weakness. It was just a moment, but it was enough for Kenobi to see the one weakness in the immense strength of his Master. It was desire, crippling and unchecked, a sudden loss of control that made even Sidious seem to be at the whim of the Dark Side, a slave rather than a Master. Obi-Wan made a mental note to perfect his own control to prevent this weakness from occurring in himself.
"Are seven holocrons enough for your taste, Master?" Kenobi asked sweetly.
"Have you opened them?"
"No, Master."
"Are there more?"
"I don't know. Koth didn't say if he recovered them all."
"I need those, Lumis. Find time to come to Coruscant and deliver them to me."
Kenobi smiled, inclining his head in respect. "As you wish, my Master." The Sith Lord hissed, and Kenobi watched him pace for a moment before coming to stand before the holoprojector again.
"Did you influence Senator Amidala?"
The question took Kenobi by surprise, and the smile dropped from his face. "I...yes, Master, on Mandalore, but it wasn't an intrusion, it was..." He scoffed. "Almost Jedi, really. It was a simple Force suggestion, I barely pushed. I couldn't, I was surrounded by Jedi, and their Grandmaster was there." The Master nodded, seeming to think of something for a moment before he looked at his apprentice again.
"If you have the opportunity to influence her further toward you, do so."
"Why, is she a problem in the Senate again?"
"Not yet, but she will. This serves another purpose."
Obi-Wan nodded. "If I get the opportunity, I'll see if I can't manage that."
"After you see me, I need you to run out to aid Grievous." Obi-Wan groaned, laying his head in his hands.
"What's he done this time..."
"Nothing. I was under the impression that you two got along." Obi-Wan nodded.
"I do. But this is bringing me off my high, Master."
Sidious chuckled, and Kenobi could feel his Master pulling at his mind, a gentle tug that neither hurt nor felt good, it was simply a reminder that Sidious was within him. "If that is the concern, I will fix it after we are done discussing business. With the Jedi returning to the war, we have to redouble our efforts. Knowing them, they will first go to aid the clones that have been failing, and Grievous has killed thousands of them on Haruun Kal."
Kenobi sat up straight. "That's Mace Windu's home world."
"Yes, it is."
Obi-Wan grinned viciously. "I've been waiting to kill that son of a bitch..."
"Then you should be pleased to be going. We must make haste, Lumis. Come to me tomorrow, and you will reach Grievous by tomorrow evening."
Kenobi stood and bowed. "As you wish. See you tomorrow, Master." Sidious smirked, and the hologram flickered and died, and Obi-Wan sighed, yawning as weariness settled over him. He had exerted himself in his use of the Dark Side that day, and his body keenly felt it as he came back under control. It was true that he had felt lighter and stronger, as if he were years younger, but it didn't stop the toll the weight of the Dark Side had taken.
He readied himself to leave when a jolt of mind numbing pleasure shot through his Force connection with Sidious, his legs buckling and falling back into the chair, helplessly moaning. And it didn't stop. Wave after wave of intense pleasure washed over him, leaving him breathless and panting as his mind slipped into a euphoric haze. His Master was, in fact, very pleased with him, if the intensity of the gratification was any indication, and there was no sign of it stopping anytime soon. This is what the Sith Master had said about fixing his high, and it was working. Obi-Wan lay back and committed himself to the bliss that raged through him, writhing and moaning as he lost himself to the pleasure of his Master through the Force.