Chapter 21

Time had turned into a meaningless construct. Obi-Wan felt trapped in his own mind. The silence, the darkness - they began to bite into his flesh, steadily tearing out small pieces.

Sleep he could not - and would not. Not with her waiting for him. The thought alone felt wrong. That Satine, the angel he had loved all these years and still did, was becoming the very demon who wouldn't even let him have his peace in his sleep.

Obi-Wan coughed wetly, wincing as the movement caused the twinge in his back to flare up again. His feet were still a little numb, and somehow the whole thing made him feel uneasy.

It's just the cold. At least that's what he tried to tell himself.

He didn't dare sit up to maybe warm his cold limbs a little, remembering the doctor's words. Force, he was more than tired and his body was crying out for rest he could not give it.

Another cough pushed its way out of his chest and Obi-Wan finally forced himself to roll onto his side, hoping to get a little air into his lungs. It did relieve a little of the pressure - but now his back burned. Obi-Wan bit back a groan, regretting his choice. But there was no return now - he simply lacked the strength.

With his bound hands he groped for the collar around his neck, restlessly tugging at it. Sadie had been right. There was no seam, no lock. It could only be broken by violently cutting it through.

Defeated, he lowered his hands again, for a moment just focusing on breathing.

A sound made him sit up and take notice. Footsteps - three pairs if he had to guess - moved along the corridor outside, until they finally stopped in front of his cell. Obi-Wan stilled, waiting like a predator for is prey.

Only that I am the hunted one.

With a click, the cell door opened and the three people briskly rushed in. A few moments passed and hands were on his arms, yanking him up mercilessly.

Obi-Wan screamed involuntarily as his hip twisted painfully - and just reacted. Gathering the strength he had left, he rammed his elbow into the person behind him, snarling with satisfaction as it actually made contact. A pained yelp was heard and set of hands came loose.

"Hey!", one of them yelled at him angrily, taking a hand from his upper arm to obviously reach for something. The now familiar whistle of a baton sounded, but this time Obi-Wan was miraculously faster. Ignoring the pain he was in, he twisted underneath the remaining hands and managed to loop the band connecting the manacles on his hands around the offending arm. Throwing his weight into the movement he tore the man from his feet, the baton clattering to the metallic floor not a second later.

The third man apparently learned from the mistakes of his comrades and backed away from Obi-Wan. For a moment, silence fell on the room, broken only by the occasional groan of the downed guards and his breathing. Obi-Wan strained his ears, hoping to locate his counterpart.

Apparently his luck had run out. The next sound he heard was the click of a blaster. His sluggish brain took too long this time to process that he should move.

The shot went off.

The thing about blaster bolts was that, unlike real projectiles, they melted into their target, be it metal, cloth - or flesh. It tore through his left ankle like it was nothing. Obi-Wan went down hard, slamming into the unforgiving floor chest first as his leg was swept from underneath him. The remaining air in his lungs turned into a scream, now pushing out of his chest as everything below his hip flared sharply - only to suddenly go completely numb. Panic rippled through him and he was about to move his still-bound hands to his suddenly unresponsive limbs when another click sounded and the hot muzzle of the blaster pressed between his eyes.

"Stop moving," the guard growled, his voice freezing the blood in Obi-Wan's veins.

Still choking on his breath, he raised his head a little and squared his jaw. "Come on...kill me," he forced out.

Huffing, the man pressed the gun harder against his head. "Love to," he breathed menacingly, so close that Obi-Wan could feel his breath, "Too bad I have other orders."

Before he could counter anything, the guard barked at her colleagues to get the hell up. Sure enough, they seemed to get up, and shortly thereafter Obi-Wan was hoisted up again, hanging limply between them. His legs felt like thousands of pins and needles were picking at his skin.

Maybe that's a good sign, he mused, At least it's not no sensation .

The muzzle of the blaster returned to his forehead. "Now listen to me, Kenobi," growled the guard, "I'm giving you a choice to cooperate - and things could turn out favorably for you. Resist," the man leaned into his space and Obi-Wan could smell his fetid breath again, "-and things could get worse."

A dry laugh escaped his throat and Obi-Wan snapped his head back, the weapon sliding from his forehead. "You know...," he wheezed, "You made one fatal mistake." He turned forward again, his milky eyes probably now right in front of the man's. "... I've got nothing to lose."

The logical part inside him screamed at him that this was a stupid idea. The irrational part - well - that one didn't care anymore.

With that, he jerked his head back - and shortly thereafter headbutted the man in front of him, their heads smacking together with a resounding crack. Blood filled Obi-Wan's mouth but that didn't keep him from grinning maniacally as he listened to the guard's pained noises.

His grin still didn't vanish as a fist collided with his face in return, snapping his head to the side. Spitting out a glob of blood, he rose his head again. "Is that all you got?" he challenged.

"Wait it out, you...," the guard angrily continued, before the beeping of his commlink interrupted him.

The man stepped back, suddenly silent, and left the cell moments later. Obi-Wan strained his ears but couldn't hear what was being said.

Anyway, it wasn't long before the cell door opened again. "Come on," the guard ordered coolly, "Bring him up."

Without further fanfare, they started moving, Obi-Wan hanging between them like a dead-weight. No one spoke.

For all the courage and sass he had just had, he now suddenly felt very different. He did not know where they were taking him - and who was waiting for him. He forced himself to calm down and even out his breathing.

He coughed again, slumping briefly in the grip of the two guards.

They didn't care. The men only strengthened their grip on his arms and hoisted him forward.

When they finally arrived at their destination they unceremoniously yanked his arms up and fastened his shackles to something above his head. As soon as they released him, his legs gave way, and with a thud, his entire weight hung from his wrists and shoulders. Obi-Wan stiffled a groan as he felt his shoulder joints strain and the metallic rims of the cuffs cut into his hands.

They simply left him like that.

Like a piece of meat that had been hung on a hook.

He lacked the strength to pull his legs back under him. Not to mention that everything down there still didn't feel right. The pain was everywhere, Obi-Wan couldn't even pinpoint which part of him wasn't hurting.

The chain they hung him from clanked as he slowly swung back and forth.

Is this the end?

Obi-Wan knew no one would come for him.

Why should they? He had nothing left to give. He was useless now.

But to die like this, he couldn't come to terms with that - he didn't want to.

He squeezed his eyes shut as tears welled up inside him.

"Don't you think that's unbecoming for a great Jedi Master?" a cynical voice suddenly asked right next to him, making him jerk in his restraints.

He was obviously not alone. But without the Force and his eyes - he was nothing.

And worse, he knew that voice.

"What do you want?" he rasped, trying to keep his voice steady.

A dark chuckle was heard. "I wanted to see how you were doing, Master Kenobi."

"Why string me up like that then? You could have at least brought a cup of tea." His attempt at humor fell flat. The air was thick with something unpredicable. Obi-Wan was at his mercy, trapped like a fly underneath a glass.

"I heard you were uncooperative," came the reply, and he heard the man move behind him, "..I won't have that kind of behavior," he whispered in his ear.

Run!, his mind screamed.

Obi-Wan tried to jerk away, to no avail.

"What. Do. You. Want," he asked again.

"Guess, my dear."

There was only one thing that man is interested in. For too long he had turned a blind eye to that - and now it was too late.

"Anakin," he stated solemnly.

"Good," his Tormentor commented, "I see your mind hasn't left you yet."

Obi-Wan licked his chapped and bloodied lips. "If it's him you want...then why am I here?"

"Because it is you who stand in my way."

Snorting, Obi-Wan shook his head. "Haven't been doing a lot of standing lately," he retorted dryly.

Something grabbed him by his throat, lifting him up.

Obi-Wan's eyes went wide, panic getting the better of him. He flopped uselessly in the air, struggling for breath.

The Force. He was using the Force .

"You think this is funny, Kenobi?" snarled the other, finally letting go of him.

He fell back harshly, his wrists again catching on the rough metal.

"The boy still clings to you like a child to is mother," the man continued, "Even after all that has happened...all I want is for you to show him that you mean nothing to him."

Obi-Wan swallowed thickly. "...No."

A moment of silence passed.

"No?" he sounded surprised. Footsteps sounded and Obi-Wan felt a breath on the back of his neck. "He took everything from you. Your home. Your family. Your seight. And you still dare to say no?"

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before answering. "I have protected Anakin since he was entrusted to me. He may have strayed from the right path," he opened his eyes again, "But it certainly won't be me who pushes him into the deep."

"Bold words for someone in your position, don't you think? You're just going to leave your boy alone - thinking he can save himself?"

"Anakin is not alone."

A dark laugh broke the silence. "Yes, but what he needs is you. And if you don't give him up willingly, then I'll have to remove you by force."

A shiver ran down his spine. "So you're going to kill me now?"

Cold and gnarled fingers caressed through his hair. "Oh no, Obi-Wan," purred the chancellor, letting his hand rest behind his ear, "You don't know how many people are interested in someone like you. A Jedi - even one as pathetic as you - science can learn a lot even from you."

Take it away. Take it away. Take it away!

Obi-Wan's heart thumped in his chest. Palpatine must have noticed his uneasiness and laughed. "You know," he lulled almost sweetly, "things could have been so simple had you decided to give me what I want. But no," he paused and suddenly grabbed his hair, yanking his head back, , „… But instead you decide to suffer."

He finally stepped out of his space again and Obi-Wan let his head fall against his chest.

„Prepare him for transport."