| Title: The World We Loved Author: Anna Disclaimers: See page one! Notes: R&R please! PLEASE. Stress on the begging. I want to know if it's great, average, or stupid. C'mon, be responsible! I'll do the same for you! Also, if reviews are good, I'll try to add one every other day until it's done. Notes on the STORY: Okay, from here on out it gets much darker...P.G./P.G.-13 for violence I think. I'm not good with ratings! Chapter Three Cerasi lifted her head, trying to blink away the tears streaming down her face. As she tried to sit up, she realized her wrists and ankles were strapped to the rough stone bench. She was damp all over, her clothes soaked with water; which, looking up, she saw was dripping from the stone ceiling. "Hello, Cerasi," the pirate leader said cheerily from somewhere in the room that Cerasi hadn't noticed yet. "I know you must be so uncomfortable right now. Side effects of the sedative we gave you will be teary eyes, stiff joints, and you'll feel a bit lightheaded because your blood's a little thinner than usual." "Why?" Cerasi squeaked. "Why? Because it's a sedative, honey...oh. You mean, why did we knock you out? Well, for safety purposes, obviously. Look what happened to Lyu. Now that you're awake, let's talk business, shall we?" "With me?" "Of course. Cerasi, my name is Shora. Now that we're introduced, I want you to be assured that your age in no way makes me doubt your abilities. However, not everyone is like me. So I must ask, why are you going to the Senate?" "I'm trying to stop a war," Cerasi answered, lying her head back. "They can help." "Well isn't that nice for you!" Shora's voice rose with enthusiasm. "Sure." "Well, here's what I want you to do. I want you to go to the Senate." "Why?" Cerasi turned towards the voice, glaring suspiciously. "So that I will know what's going on there, of course." "Uh-huh. And...here's where I'm a bit confused...I would help you why?" "You're certainly a curious little thing, aren't you," Shora remarked flatly. She moved closer to the girl. "You'll help me because you want to. More than anything." Cerasi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Hmm...nope." her eyes narrowed. "I would never help you." "You're a 'freedom fighter' aren't you, Cerasi? No doubt you believe in the power of persuasion." she sat back, smirking at her. "I know I do." Cerasi shook her head, as best she could. //Light-headed is right.// "You act as though you scare me." she kept her tone mockingly incredulous. Shora's hand clapped around Cerasi's throat, cutting off the stale air of the prison room. She watched Cerasi relax after a few seconds, then released her. "No, I suppose you're not. Not afraid of your own death, anyway." she laughed. "Of course you're not! How could you be and still be a freedom fighter?" she looked at her prisoner thoughtfully. "On the other hand, how could you be a freedom fighter and not be afraid of others' deaths?" Cerasi drew in a breath sharply. "Shora, no-" "Oh, calm down. I'm not going to kill anyone just to make you obey me. That isn't really considered changing your mind, now is it?" Cerasi looked at her warily, fighting off the first waves of fear. "You can't make someone change their mind," she whispered. "Oh, shut up, girl," Shora snapped, looking irritated. "I'm through discussing this. Rila, help Miss Cerasi up. Take her to the medics. We need her done in two days, make sure they understand that." "Yes, sir." Rila walked over, unstrapped Cerasi, and hauled her to her feet. "Up you go." Cerasi leaned heavily on the pirate, wincing against the sound of blood rushing in her ears, and the swimming blackness in front of her eyes. "Yes, there's a good girl, walk with me. One foot...there you go. Here's the steps. Just a few more...there we go." ~If she doesn't shut up soon...~ //Why can't Shora be this nice?// the thoughts were nearly jumbled together, and Cerasi shook her head again to clear it. The medics said not a word when Rila placed Cerasi in a large leather chair and gave them Shora's orders. After one of them nodded mutely, Rila turned briskly and shut the door behind her. Cerasi didn't watch her leave. Three doctors stood around her, cleaning off the dried blood on her arm. //Wonder where that came from,// Cerasi thought when she discovered the blood was her own. Once it was cleaned, they took her blood pressure, checked her temperature, and then one of them turned and walked to a metal cabinet that was just far enough away to be blurry for Cerasi's still-drugged eyes. Cerasi hadn't allowed herself to feel fear, yet; fear, while useful at times, could bring you to panic and that was the one thing she would not do here. So she was surprised, but not at all relieved when they took her to a shower room. Taking the hint, she washed off, feeling slightly better in the humidity than she had in the med bay. When she came out, they washed her face with a flowery soap, and began applying some paint to her nails that, in her opinion, smelled stronger than any abandoned sewer line. They washed her hair and applied different powders and creams to her face; Cerasi nearly laughed. ~Why not go to the Senate in style?~ followed a moment later by, //So they want their little spy to look nice for her job, huh?// "Is this how you always treat your victims?" Cerasi asked the one painting her toenails. He looked up at her, said nothing, and went back to his work. "Now that was comforting," the green-eyed teen informed him sarcastically. "You look good," Shora said. Cerasi started and then turned halfway in her seat to look at her. "No, really, I mean that. You should, after all; I hired the best money can buy." "Why don't they talk?" Shora looked vaguely uncomfortable. "They are human, aren't they?" Cerasi pressed. "What else would they be? You think I'd hire, what...shape shifters? Humanoids?" "You're not keen on aliens." "I have no problems with them. So long as they aren't in my organization." Cerasi scoffed. "Makes sense to me." she frowned. "Why don't they talk?" A sharp prick in her arm. Shora smiled coldly. "Because, dear, of the things that unite these wonderful doctors. Their trade; my money; their telepathy; and, a side effect of this wonderful thing that gave them telepathy." "What is that?" Cerasi demanded. "What are they doing to me?" "Telepathy. Do try to pay attention." "So now I'll go mute?" "Don't overreact! Of course not! How could you speak with the Senators if you...well, couldn't speak? I'm giving you an additional tool." she nodded to the doctors. "Measure her for her gowns, then send her to her room." Two Days Later: Cerasi sat on the transport, her head rested against the window. Soon, she would be on Coruscant, where no one would know anything was amiss. She had no idea what had happened to the other passengers; and she didn't want to know, now. Not while she could see the pirates' memories and thoughts at odd times during a conversation. She felt tired, no doubt because of the changes taking place in her own head. //Not an easy thing, becoming telepathic// ~On the other hand, who hasn't wondered what the Jedi hear in other people?~ //This oughta be fun. Waltzing around in a bunch of greedy Senator's minds.// ~Not to mention Obi-Wan's.~ ***End Part Three*** |
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