Star Wars: The Rogue Knight

Phase 03: Mercenary

=RK=

Republic cruiser Negotiator

Hyperspace

I should work on my presentation. I almost gave Obi-Wan a hear attack. Perhaps the next time... But I digress. The Jedi sitting across the table from me, had a shocked expression on his face and a faraway look in his eyes. It was obvious he was thinking about all the little things that should have rang a warning bell in his head as far as the interaction between those two were concerned.

I decided that it was best to play ignorant. The outraged part about practically stealing children from their families needed no acting from me; by the Force even the Sith did not had it institutionalized as an official policy to basically kidnap children for training! And to think that the bloody Republic just accepted that... Granted, in a lot of cases the parents were glad that their kiddies were to become Jedi... In others, well not so much. Officially, only children willingly given by the their parents were taken into the Order. Unofficially, a mind trick or two done by an expect could persuade even the most loving parent that their kid was best with the Jedi… Throw in a few scary stories about what the Dark Side does to people who weren't properly trained...

"I gather that your reaction is based on something more than those two lovebirds putting the wool over your eyes?" I asked feigning innocence.

"That boy!" snapped Kenobi. "He has to stop it at once! He could be expelled for this!"

I raised an inquiring eyebrow at this particular outburst.

"Isn't that a bit harsh you know? Boys being boys and girls being girls... It's not like it's the first nor the last time something like that has happened. How do you think most of the Force S.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e come to be? Usually the Force is not going around blessing random couples for the hell of it..."

Well I knew for a fact that it wasn't actually genetic but either being carried to term from Force S.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e mother or if the father was powerful enough in the Force he could get Force S.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e children even from a normal mother. Genetics really didn't come into it. One of my aquintances had been researching it extensively in his youth. I carefully never asked how many people died or were left broken during his experiments. He was too useful to risk what little was left of my conscience raising its ugly head.

"It's forbidden! Attachment and passion lead to the Dark side! He is too full of anger already and does not need further distraction! You saw Anakin when Grievous captured Padme on the Malevolence! If he had not suppressed his feelings..."

I snorted in disbelief. Ah, the powers of self-delusion! I wonder how the Jedi survived the last millennium like that.

"I call bantha poodoo on that! I came from an era when seducing Jedi to our side was a national sport! Let me tell you, there was not one of them who fell to the Dark Side because of love! Those who had someone to be in love with were the hardest to turn! And some of these people came back to your precious light precisely because of that love! So don't give me that nonsense you've been spoon fed in the Temple. You can think for yourself!"

Kenobi glared at me.

"How can you say that!? Now that my eyes are opened for Anakin's indiscretion..." I chuckled at his words, "I shudder to think what he would have done if Padme was wounded or if the worst happened!"

"And what is the worst, Kenobi? That the Senator could have gotten herself killed and thus removing a temptation for your precious chosen one? Or that he might have sought vengeance? You Jedi are deluding yourselves! You are not automatons without feelings! Dismissing them only makes you weaker! Why do you think that we were so successful in turning Jedi left and right during every major conflict? Because there were always some of you who wanted to cut off your feelings and that makes your kind such easy prey! What do you think happens when one of you Jedi is confronted with what he's been so busily ignoring for his whole life?!"

I could see the gears turning in Obi-Wan's head despite his persistent glaring.

"That's not what I mean and you know it! I don't wish anything bad to happen to Senator Amidala! If we do not discard our emotions we become vulnerable! They cloud our judgment! How could we fulfill our role as guardians of the Republic's peace if we let ourselves be swayed by our feelings?" Obi-Wan spoke passionately.

"Kenobi, despite the short time I've known you I am well aware that you are not that thick. Stop recycling those slogans and think for yourself! How could you guard the people of this galaxy if you could not understand them? Have you ever wondered how the average citizen sees your Order and its members? I'll tell you how! You are like a scary space wizards who prompt fear and distrust. You can't cut off a vital part of what makes you a living, breathing sapient being and call it an achievement!"

"It's worked for a thousand years! The Code is the foundation of what means to be a Jedi!"

See, there?! He did not argue that many people see the Jedi in a less than a flattering light!

"Only because these new Sith were not interesting in a bunch of new recruits and decided to stay low! Your Code was not given to the Jedi by the Force itself!"

Obi-Wan looked to be deep in thought.

"No it wasn't. Yet it served us for the longest recorded period of peace!"

"A time when there was no one obvious to challenge you! And now you are playing in the hands of a Sith Lord. There are always emotions no matter if you try to discard them or not! It's one thing to achieve an inner equilibrium and not let your emotions rule you! There are other feelings that fear, hatred and rage. You know that, right?" I asked rhetorically.

"I know that!" he whispered through clenched teeth. "It's not about whether we can or not let ourselves be somewhat influenced by our emotions when not on mission! It's about the temptation! How do you cut yourself from your feelings when it counts if you do not do it all the time?!"

"You don't. You simply train yourself to be in charge of your emotions so they do not control you." I said more calmly. "And that is not a Sith idea. We had to know our enemies in order to fight them effectively. What you are doing in today's galaxy has very little in common with the Jedi of old. Find a balance that works for you while you keep your feelings. You won't fall to the Dark side by doing that. On the contrary, you'll be not only stronger for it but it will be easier to resist temptation that way."

For a long time Kenobi was silent. When he choose to speak again a wry smile appeared on his face.

"Is this the way you turn Jedi from the Order? With logic instead of threats and torture?"

"Look at me and tell me, Obi-Wan, when do you think that I fell to the Dark side? "

He gave me a dirty look.

"How in the name of the Force should I know?!"

I allow a smirk to form on my lips.

"I'll tell you a deep, 'dark' secret, Kenobi." Sarcasm was dripping from my words. "As the Jedi of my time saw it, I never fell."

Obi-Wan gave me an incredulous and disbelieving look. It seemed to say 'Yeah, pull the other one'.

"I flirt and struggle with the Dark side every day. It is a part of my existence. A never ending conflict and I am stronger for it. To fall to the Dark side is not so simple as using it and reveling in it in combat. It means being lost to her and becoming the raging beast you Jedi believe all Sith to be. The danger is that it's always there, whispering to you. She is the sweetest seductress that there is. She promises ultimate power. A chance to sate all your passions. You just have to let go and let yourself be under its sway. Well, you know what happens then. I believe that most of the scary tales you are whispering about the Sith come from people that lost that struggle. In fact most did."

Obi-Wan contemplated my words. I believe he was comparing them to what he thought he knew about the Sith. And this time actually thinking.

"How do you do it? How do you stand it?"

I sit back and give him a long look.

"It requires iron will and unwavering discipline. But neither of those are the true secret." I leaned forward and whispered. "I know that all the promises of the Dark side are lies. The way to power through it lays in subjugating it to your will and never letting it control you. For that way lies madness."

"That's not what I expected."

"Do you want me to talk about the glories of the Dark side? About how it's stronger? Heh. Neither side is stronger, Kenobi. The Dark side simply makes it easier to progress in different fields then that of the Light. Where you excel in mediation, defense and healing, the Sith are masters of warfare and destruction. It is not only our philosophies, but what natural aptitudes the different sides of the Force are more suited for. I can as easily kill as heal with my powers but with me being Dark if you will, I simply find it more draining to mend wounds than a Jedi would."

"Hmm. You've given me a lot of food for thought. I'll think about it."

"That is all I am asking. I have no intention, or need even, to turn you into a Sith. We should continue this conversation at some other time. So, pray tell what are you going to do about Skywalker?"

"That boy will be the death of me!" Kenobi g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

"Obi-Wan, as things are now, it does not take a genius to figure out what your Council will do with such information. They will force Skywalker to choose between his Queen and the Jedi. And let me tell you something. I've seen a lot of young men and women just like him. Both Jedi and Sith. His primary loyalties are to people, not organizations. If he is forced to choose between her and the Order, there is no contest. He'll always go to Amidala. I think that, in his mind, the loyalty to whatever Jedi friends he has is what makes him loyal to the Order. So thread carefully. He is probably the Jedi with greatest potential of this era. Do not make something happen that you'll later regret."

There was another stretch of silence as the Jedi Master digested my words. When he spoke it was with resignation in his voice.

"I've always suspected that this may be the case but hoped that he'll change as he grows older."

"What about you, Obi-Wan? What would you do? You have to choose between someone that you obviously see as your little brother and the Council. Will you betray him? Because make no mistake, if you are the one to tell them about his feelings for Amidala that's how he'll see it."

"Bastard! You planned that all along!" His right hand fell over the hilt of his lightsaber.

I gave him a cheerful smile.

"That's correct. Just not for the reasons you think. Skywalker is one of the keys for the future of both the Republic and the Jedi. With the current dumb policies of the Order, he is forced to hide his relationship with the Senator, no matter what it is. That is not something that inspires trust. In that regard, he has to see the Jedi as adversaries. What do you think will happen if the Sith Lord behind the CIS finds out about it? He'll use the feelings of those two against them. Instead of a source of great strength, as it should be, their relationship will be turned into a deadly weakness. Because Skywalker would have no one to whom he turn to for help. Don't look at me like that. Depending on how long their relationship has been going on, he might be so wary of the Jedi Council that he'll not confide in you either. Only disaster lies that way."

I stood up.

"You've a lot to think about. See you around, Obi-Wan."

=RK=

The next morning I was awoken by a grumpy Jedi Master who looked like he has not slept (or meditated) well last night.

"What did you do this time?!" That was his greeting.

"Mmm... Nothing untoward as far as I know. My gambit for galactic domination is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Why?" I quipped, and wondered what that was about.

"Very funny." he deadpanned. "We just received message from the Chancellor's office. Apparently words of your exploits on the Malevolence had reached his ears. He has requested your services for a mission."

Well, well. The plot thickens. Palpy had sniffed something. The question was how much he knew, what he suspected and what he thought he knew.

"Palpatine is concerned for the safety of his former queen. As you may know, he was the senator from Naboo." Obi-Wan said.

"And if the rumors I heard are true then Amidala has a knack for getting into trouble." I finished for him.

The whole thing was obviously meant to be some kind of test. Despite his "wounds" Grievous may not have been believed. Nothing like blaming a boogey man to cover your a.s.s. And the loss of the dreadnought had to be a major sore point for the Separatists. Besides, while on the Malevolence, I did a lot to downplay my skills with the Force. Liberally using the weapons I usually carried as backups should have helped sell that deception.

"So let me get this straight. The Chancellor wants me to do what? Babysit the senator?" I asked incredilously.

"In a manner of speaking. She'll be visiting the Rodian's home world before the week's end. The Chancellor wants her to either travel on board of a Republic cruiser or get herself a bodyguard."

"What I am? The new rage amongst the politicians on Coruscant?!" I chuckled. "I hope the pay will be decent."

Kenobi's only answer was an amused smirk.

"So I'll have to keep Skywalker's girlfriend in one piece. If what I saw on the Malevolence is anything to go by, I'll have my hands full. I'll want additional hazard pay for this..." I muttered, playing up my fake freelancer persona.

My mind was busy calculating and discarding plans. Keeping such a high profile politician in one piece would do wonders for my reputation. With the war going on if I wanted my own command from the ranks of the GAR (one of my primary plans for dealing with the mess counted on such a developments) that was something I'll need. Especially considering the fact that as things stood the Jedi would do their damned best to block such an idea. I needed friends in high places both within the Senate and the GAR high command.

If this was during a peace time I would not have considered such a course of action. Sidious would have the deck totally stacked against me. But there was no peace to be found. And I had the knowledge of a good Sith general. This conflict presented a lot of opportunities.

This was the opening move of the great game between me and Sidious. I felt a shiver of anticipation run down my spine. After all the prize was nothing less than the galaxy itself.