| Title: The World We Loved Author: Anna Newest chapter, and as always DISCLAIMER is on Chapter One, I'm still broke so please don't sue me, unless you want payment in Monopoly money. Uhm...let's see...Oh! ^ text ^ is Obi's thoughts. Rating for this chapter: PG. Chapter Four Cerasi had her face pressed close to the small window as they landed on Coruscant. It was so...big! The spectacular buildings, the new sights-and smells-paled in comparison to what she was really waiting for, though. "Obi-Wan!" she yelled, running down to meet him. She caught him in an embrace so full of energy that the two of them spun around, Obi-Wan nearly falling over. He was simply laughing. Qui-Gon smiled slightly at the two; Jedi were rarely this frivolous in public, but he let his Padawan be. Finding out one of your best friends wasn't dead as you'd thought excused any "odd Jedi behavior". "Come on," Obi-Wan said. "I'll show you around." the two raced off and were halfway across the crowded transport station before Obi-Wan slid to a halt and looked back for Qui-Gon. Cerasi laughed. "Oh, don't worry. Your Boss-Master's gotta be ten feet tall; with legs like that he can see everything." Obi-Wan grinned, but didn't move. He hadn't meant to take off without the older Jedi...but he'd forgotten that Qui-Gon was there. ^Cerasi has always made being a Jedi confusing^. Obi-Wan continued searching for his Master, unaware that Cerasi flushed and turned away. //I do?// Cerasi was as inspiring as Obi-Wan remembered. Within a few hours, she had caused several initiates to skip classes in order to go exploring. She was swapping stories with some of them as they strolled around, Obi-Wan wondering if he should mention to the initiates that they really ought to be in class. "...Remember that, Obi-Wan?" Cerasi asked. "Huh? Oh, yeah," he answered, unsure of what she had asked. Cerasi had always had great ability in controlling, affecting, and convincing crowds. But on Melida/Daan it had been to gather the Young to stop a war. Here at the Jedi Temple, it was...what? To irritate the adults? He was beginning to think so, when she stopped the group in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. She jumped up on a rock, smiling at the crowd, her crystal-green eyes sparkling. "And so of course we weren't gonna stand by for that. So I jump up out of the vent, and take my little sling shot, shoot one down the hall and-" Everyone became silent as five Masters entered the room, looking for the lost students. Obi-Wan caught Cerasi's mischievous grin just before she turned it innocent and curious. He was now fully convinced she knew what she was doing. She jumped off the rock, landing softly next to Obi-Wan. "That's the calmest way of looking angry I've ever seen in my life," she whispered to him, keeping her face a mask of childlike naivete. As if sensing the flash of anger, she went on sorrowfully, "I guess I shouldn't have rounded up all the stray pada-Jedis, huh?" "It's alright," Obi-Wan told her, giving her a forgiving smile. "I think the Masters need some excitement in their lives here." Qui-Gon was less than pleased with Cerasi's little "adventure", but she told him gruffly that it wouldn't happen again, and that Obi-Wan had had nothing to do with it. "And...and Senator Bifizos doesn't like his wife much, he can't wait to get out of town with his mistress." Cerasi thought for a second. "I think that's all of them that had anything going on you'd be interested in." "Excellent," Shora said. "Keep at it. It's only been a few days there, right? Stay there until after you've stated Melida's problems-" "It's Melida/Daan." "Whatever," Shora said, her tone dismissing Cerasi's correction. "Call it what it is," Cerasi snapped. "Fine, fine. After you've stated Melida/Daan's case, you can leave. We'll take you back here." "Why?" Cerasi asked, fear seizing her thoughts. "You do ask that a lot. Because, Cerasi, we need to pay you, don't we? And by then you'll probably need another treatment." "Treatment?" Cerasi asked, but it came out a whisper and Shora didn't hear. "So we'll see you then. Call me tomorrow with updates." the com went silent. Shora frowned. "She can last that long without it, right?" the mute, telepathic doctor stared at her. How long? A week? A month? "I don't know. Probably a week." The doctor paled visibly. I thought that you...your orders...weren't they to... "To what?" An extra dose? So that she'd be ready on time? "How many doses did you give her?" Shora was on her feet now. Just the one...but...we...mixed it. The medic smiled slightly, The others are actually quite brilliant chemists. The usual solution is dilute, so we took out all the unnecessary water. "So how strong is it?" We were given five treatments over three weeks. This is, the medic grimaced, like giving her three treatments in one sitting. "And? What will happen to her?" What would happen to you if you suddenly became a powerful telepath? He sighed. That's not all. "What else," Shora asked, her voice low with anger. We, after the treatments, are able to tell-vaguely-what people are feeling. We know a little more than what they're thinking. But our doses were...well, weaker. Shora's eyes lit up. "This is the best news you've had so far!" Yes, I know how happy you are that she's powerful. There are down sides. For instance, she's not used to it. It can be a very frightening thing. Shora rolled her eyes. "She'll get over it." The medic looked down, then turned and walked away. The pirate captain was anything but interested, and even if she had been, there was nothing that could be done about it now. "Are you nervous?" Obi-Wan whispered. He and Cerasi were sitting in the small living quarters the young Jedi and his Master shared. Qui-Gon was in his own room, preparing for sleep Cerasi figured. "Not really," Cerasi answered, then swallowing back a giggle at Obi-Wan's look, went on, "I figure they're all so old by now that they'll all just give me what I want. If I'm lucky, they'll give me some treats for being such a good little girl." Obi-Wan hid a smile. "Ah hah. So you are nervous." "Of course not! I'm invincible. And who needs luck when you're dealing with prunes?" "Shh!" Obi-Wan hissed, laughing as much as she was. They both looked back at Qui-Gon's door, which remained shut. "Sorry," Cerasi whispered. "Master Qui-Gon wanted me to show you a list of all the Senators, and the ones we think you should appeal to the most." "Teach away." "All right. First on the list is the one most likely to help us out." Cerasi smiled. //Us.// "Eek. How old is he?" Obi-Wan swatted her with the datapad. Cerasi laughed. "He takes up many mercy missions," Obi-Wan told her, attempting to bring the conversation back to business. Cerasi nodded for him to continue. "He's Senator Palpatine, from Naboo." the girl nodded dutifully. "Okay. Next on the list is..." ***End Part Four*** |
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