Obi-Wan woke up naked in a room he did not recognize on a ship he did not know. The room was white, sterile, and filled with temporary medical equipment on portable tables. There were markings on the walls, but his blurred vision did not allow interpretation. At least, he thought to himself as he irritatedly rose onto his elbows and glanced around for his missing Jedi robes, someone had had the decency to cover him with a sheet as he slept exposed to the world.

For some reason moving exhausted him, so, obedient to his body's requests, he lay back down. The uncovered white lights above his head seemed to be the source of his chisel-and-hammer headache, so without thinking, he threw his arm over his face with a sigh.

Searing pain spread through his right side.

Obi-Wan inhaled sharply through his teeth and grimaced as he grasped his bandaged side, remembering now just why it was bandaged, why the skin felt burnt and stretched, why he was waking up in a makeshift hospital. He had been shot. But worse than that - worse than anything - the person who had shot him had somehow cut off his contact with the Force.

The Council must know of this. A development of a weapon, biological or otherwise, that could cut off communication with the Force would mean war; there was no doubt about it. But how could Jedi defend against something which left them without power? This was important, more so than anything that had happened in the history of the Jedi for the last thousand years. Except, perhaps, for the reintroduction of the Sith.

A presence.

He opened his eyes and peeked under his arm to find Anakin standing by his bed.

The boy looked miserable, resolute, defeated. Brimming eyes on the floor and wringing hands behind his back, Anakin began speaking without preliminary.

"I think I did something bad," he said, his voice very quiet.

Impatience flickered briefly across Obi-Wan's features. This was not the time for this; whatever Ani thought he had done could wait.

"Ani, I'm sure it wasn't-"

"I think I used the Dark Side," the boy interrupted, renegade tears sliding down his pale cheeks. "That man who shot you - I hurt him. I really, really hurt him."

Obi-Wan stopped in mid-chide. The Dark Side? Could that be possible? If it were so, if Anakin had accessed the Dark Side of the Force in anger and used it to hurt someone, then nothing Ani had done or could do would make any difference. It would mean that all his training was for naught - that he would not be allowed in the Temple as a Padawan ever again.

"Anakin, what happened?" Obi-Wan asked in as calm a voice as possible.

"I don't know, exactly. It just shot out of my fingers like purple lightening bolts and threw him out into the hallway."

Obi-Wan's sigh was a combination of relief and disgust. Lightening bolts? The infamous "Fingers of Life" (an irony, that name) which drew power directly from the Dark Side? Ridiculous. Fuzzy as his memory was, Obi-Wan was quite sure he would have recalled an event as notable as this. Why, even the famous Sith Lords of the past had not been able to master that - only one or two, and that was before the great Cleansing when they had all destroyed each other. Impossible for a Padawan two months in training to have done so.

"Ani...." he began, annoyance in his tone. Anakin interrupted again, speaking more quickly now in his panic.

"I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to kill him. I.... can... can you take me back to my mother if I have to stop being a Jedi?" Ani now looked up into Obi-Wan's eyes, his lips trembling with suppressed sobs.

Obi-Wan did not know how to handle this. This emotional outburst had to be quelled right now, before the fear involved got completely out of hand.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan painfully propped himself up on one elbow and spoke calmly to his Padawan, gaining and keeping eye contact. "What you did - whatever it was - you did because of protective instinct for me." That didn't quite feel right, but for now it would have to do.

"Protective instinct can be a good thing - it is a Jedi trait. It can be very intense, though, which is probably why you're afraid that you passed into anger and hatred. You maybe touched on them briefly, but let me reassure you - you are not a hateful boy, and the type of anger you're talking about takes years of bitterness to create." He waited for this to sink in, checking Anakin's eyes for understanding, then continued.

"That man, that assassin, had something with him or in him that cut off all contact with the Force. You felt it?" Anakin nodded. "Then you must realize that you couldn't have accessed the Dark Side the way you think you did. It was impossible." Ani's eyes went wide and he started to disagree, but Obi-Wan raised his hand signaling no argument. Obi-Wan continued.

"Whatever weapon that man was or had could be used against the Jedi Council. Do you understand that?" Ani nodded. "Our most important duty right now is to get back to Coruscant and tell the Council about it. From there, you and I can deal with your anger and fear. We will not cease working until you have control of them. For now, just do the meditation and relaxation that I taught you already and calm yourself until with get to Coruscant. All right?"

Anakin desperately wanted to deal with his own issues now, but he could see Obi-Wan's point. The many before the few. Priorities.

But he knew, no matter what his master said, that he had accessed the Dark Side. And he knew, wrong as it was, that he had liked it.

Later. Deal with it later.

"All right, Master Kenobi. I'll do that." Obi-Wan relaxed and with Ani's help positioned his pillows to prop himself in a sitting position.

"Could you bring me my comlink, please, Anakin?"

"Yes, Master Kenobi." Ani went to the corner where Obi-Wan's belongings - minus his robes - were piled on a table and fetched the comlink.

"Oh, and Anakin?"

"Yes, Master Kenobi?"

"Why am I naked?"

***

"Yes, I understand. Thank you." Mace Windu closed the communication between himself and Kenobi and sighed a deep, troubled sigh. The Council had known for some time now that the development of clones was going to be a problem. Their creation inside a Force-free bubble bespoke dangers of which their naive scientist creators could not imagine. Until now, however, no one had thought to use such a thing against the Jedi specifically.

Mace Windu was, without doubt, one of the wisest men in the galaxy. His powers of foresight were only surpassed by his unusual abilities of discernment. He alone shared the position of senior council member with Yoda. As often as not, he alone foresaw dangers on the horizon which threatened the already unstable peace of the Republic; and even if others saw them, he alone was often the only one to speak openly against them. Such tendencies earned him a reputation as a bulldog and doomsayer, but those who knew anything knew to trust his word.

Windu knew this. He knew much responsibility rode on his shoulders because of it: whatever he said had a weighty effect on Council and Senate policy. That was why he had thus far refrained from speaking openly against Morru.

He liked her, of course - all the Jedi did. She was kind, intelligent, selfless, and for someone not trained in the ways of the Jedi, remarkably perceptive. But Mace Windu did not rely on such feelings alone. He knew in his heart of hearts that there was something dangerous about her - something that had to do with the Sith. He knew that something she would do, or could do, would be detrimental to the point of apocalypse. What that something was, he had no idea, but he did not intend to find out.

Quite frankly, he was already beginning to regret his decision to send Morru off planet with Kenobi and Skywalker. He had thought she would be safe then, out of the Sith's reach, but....

Kenobi had not mentioned the Sith. He had not needed to. Mace Windu knew something, whether through forgotten vision or abandoned dream, he did not know and did not care: Morru's fate was tied up inexplicably with the Sith.

When the travelers returned, Windu was determined not to let Morru go again. She would not be allowed out of the reach or protection of the Council. That, surely, was the least harmful solution.

Mace Windu rested his head in his hands and wished the heaviness in his heart would lighten.

***

Lord Sidious, master of the Sith, mortal enemy of the Jedi, and Chancellor of the Senate, paced back and forth in his private quarters and fumed.

Some part of his conscious mind was aware that muttering to himself was not dignified - was, in fact, weak. But sometimes Fury has a will of its own and if not given some released, will find other, less productive venues. So, Sidious stalked his luxurious home and muttered, sacrificing dignity for the sake of sanity. There were times, albeit few and far between, when being immersed in the Dark Side was more than a bit difficult.

Sidious had been duped. He knew when he had been duped - even when the duping was done by the Good side of the Force itself. How It had managed to hide her from him was still a mystery, but such details did not matter in the ultimate scheme of things.

He had read the Council reports; he had seen the midichlorian count; he had listened - twice - to the recorded voices of young Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi recounting what had happened in their most recent adventures; he had read the report - the REAL report - of what had occurred at Senator Kirshel's home. Circumstantial, all of it. Perhaps not even enough to warrant his attention, even in these unusual times.

And then, he had watched the security video of the events in the Dusty Traveler.

The vid clip had been extremely hard to come by; the inset wall recorder was privately installed by the Rodian bartender/ owner, and only he and two of his family members knew of its location. Both surviving Rodians insisted that it did not exist.

Little encouragement was required to make them admit that there was such a thing. Even less was needed to make them surrender it.

Upon viewing it, Sidious had begun cursing sotto voce. Upon viewing it again, he had begun to mutter out loud. He had started to view it a third time, then instead decided it would be more beneficial to his state of mind to pace his apartments and rant.

There was no way - no possible, human way - that any young woman not trained in the Jedi arts could have moved as she had. Sidious was even beginning to think that he saw Morru begin to move before that fool of a Falleen had done so. Precognition.

She was connected to everything he had his hands in at the moment - and somehow, he had missed it! Never had his attention been this lax. Never.

Obviously, there was something very important about this woman. Even her proximity to Anakin was not something he was willing to dismiss at this point. Unfortunately, as his apprentice had discovered earlier, there simply was not enough outside information available on Morru S'mec to come to any real conclusions about her.

Sidious was not one to believe in coincidence. Always proactive, Palpatine decided it was time to make a move of his own in the direction of young Morru. Try as it might, the Light Side of the Force would never be able to protect her from him forever. His machinations would prevail in the end. They always did.

***

Morru arrived back on Coruscant and walked into the middle of a raging controversy. It seemed that news of Obi-Wan's encounter on Irdonia - in two or three different versions - had somehow gotten out, and curiosity mixed with Jedi-tampered terror to create a very interesting atmosphere indeed in the halls of the Jedi Temple.

Morru was not sure which bothered her more - the way her fellow temple workers were hurrying her (on orders) deep into the temple to change so that should be presentable for the Council, or the way so many people simply dropped what they were doing to stare at her as she passed by.

Half an hour later, wearing a borrowed dress (she had none of her own) and her hair coiffed carefully behind her head, she obeyed the summons and stepped into the Council room.

Twelve members sat and looked at her with unreadable faces. Obi-Wan, leaning on a small crutch, stood slightly off center, not meeting her eyes. Morru took her place at the center of the room and waited for them to speak.

"We believe you may be in some danger from the Sith," said Mace Windu.

"I thought that was established already," Morru said with a wry smile.

Windu hesitated - he did not want to do what he had to do here. Mundi saw the hesitation and stepped into the gap for him.

"Daughter, several of us have had a very powerful but vague premonition concerning you - one which we feel; we must follow up or face dire consequences later. I know that you gave a brief summary to the Irdonian officials and to Kenobi concerning your view of what happened with the assassin, but we feel that you may have left something out. Something dangerous."

Morru said nothing.

"Please, child," said Mundi. "For your own sake - tell us what happened."

Morru stood straight and unmoving, cool. When she was sure she could keep her dignity intact, she began. She told them exactly what had happened on Irondonia.

Of course, there were some things - like that curious filling which had touched her seductively and tainted her dreams - which she did not tell. How could such things be expressed in words? Instead, she told them simply what she had felt (dizziness due to the ysalamiri, fear of her own death because of the unexpected arrival of the Sith Lord). And then she told them what he - Darth Maul - had said to her.

And then she waited.

The Council members looked at one another, exchanging inscrutable glances full of meaning only to themselves. Finally, as often was the case, they looked to Yoda to verbalize their thoughts.

Yoda sighed; he did not know of an easy way to do what he had to now do.

"Understand what happened, do you?" he asked. Morru nodded silently, her back still ramrod straight and her own face emotionless.

"A danger to us you could be, were you to turn to him," said Yoda, and the first flash of true anger crossed Morru's face. Still, she said nothing.

"Very few options have we. Records we have of such things - the writings of Darth Bane, the Sith referred to. Knows him not that we have. In danger, grave danger, are you."

Morru's quiet voice carried tones of chilled danger as she spoke.

"How dare you assume that I am going to abandon all that I love and fight for to become one with the Dark." Mundi coughed disapprovingly, which Morru acknowledged with a slight nod of her head.

"I apologize if my words seem rude," she said, her tones not thawed at all. "But I have no fear of becoming `one' with him. He offers me nothing more than imprisonment - slavery. Pampered, perhaps, but slavery. I would lose my freedom." She somehow seemed to draw her posture even straighter. "I will die before I lose that," she said.

"I'm afraid that is not good enough," said Windu. "What we have decided...." Yoda silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"What think you our actions should be?" asked the small green Master.

Morru blinked. Why was she being asked this? It was obvious she would have no choice in the matter no matter what she said at this point.

"Well," she said, her voice now more pondering than nonplussed. "That depends on a great many things. You say you have documents - some record - of what Darth Maul was referring to?" Yoda nodded. "Then tell me, if you would, what makes me eligible for such a thing."

Yoda smiled almost imperceptibly. Good, good answer. He nodded at Plo Kloon, who rattled off a strange list - virgin, intelligent, orphaned, etc. Morru thought for a moment, then spoke again. He voice was steady - but only just.

"It seems to me that out of that entire list, there is only one thing that I can change to make me ineligible - and I don't want to lose my purity in order to save my purity. That makes no sense. But my personal opinions aside" here, she looked each of the council members in the eyes before continuing, trying with some success to judge her ground.

"I know of only three ways - following the presupposition that I would fall to temptation and join him if left to go my own way - that I can be saved." Windu raised an eyebrow - interesting. They had developed three solutions as well. "Go on," he said.

"One - you could have me executed. That would certainly take care of your problem, but I don't believe it would fit into your... code of ethics." Fortunately the Jedi were too busy being surprised at her first, accurate guess to pay much attention to the sarcasm, which with she had said her last three words. Her volume grew slightly with her second statement.

"Secondly, assuming of course that I am so weak as to not be able to control myself, I could be imprisoned - locked away in a hole somewhere, so deep and dark that the Sith could never find me. But that is not a fail-proof method." Some of the council actually began to mutter at this point: she had successfully guessed their second option - as well as their objections to it which made it improbable.

"Thirdly..." she swallowed, and some anger crept into her tone. No, not angry: indignant. "Thirdly, I could simply be made... ineligible. But there, unless you would countenance rape as a viable option, I am unwilling. And there is your difficulty."

Mundi smiled, only the tautness of his steepled fingers indicating his stress. "Very good, young woman - you have successfully fleshed out your options. We are prepared to offer two of them, modified, of course, to you. And please," he spoke quickly, cutting off her protest. "It is not that we do not trust you - you are a remarkable young woman. But we cannot afford the risk. So, here are our options for you." And he looked at Yoda.

"First choice: you could be married. Know, we do, that you fight to maintain purity of yours that is earned. But in marriage is no shame - what say you?"

Morru honestly did not know why the Jedi were presenting any of this as though she had a choice. She was sure they had already planned this all out....

"I suppose you've already picked a husband for me?"

Windu smiled. "Actually, you've had an offer," he said.

"What?" Morru asked, but she already knew. She refused to look in Obi-Wan's direction as Windu spoke.

"The Jedi Knight Kenobi, whom you know well, has offered to marry you if you will have him. This is not a forced decision, S'mec: you do have a choice."

Morru looked at Obi-Wan, no longer in her full mental battle gear, and tried to assess him honestly. Yaddle had been right; he would not hurt her. He was a good man. But....

If she did marry him, he would die.

How she knew this, she did not know - probably her famed midichlorians for which she was now paying dearly. But she knew that no matter how much or how little time they spent together, no matter where they went, if she went as Kenobi's wife he would die. True, she would be out of Maul's reach. But was it worth Obi-Wan's life?

Freedom over friendship.

"A horrible choice," she muttered.

"What?" asked Obi-Wan, who fortunately had not heard. "I cannot," she said clearly.

Mundi nodded. "We had expected you to say as much." Obi-Wan did not visibly react, so perhaps he had not expected her to accept either. Perhaps.

"There is, I'm afraid, only one other option," said Mace Windu. Morru finished for him.

"Pampered imprisonment," she said.

"Ah - perhaps not the way we would have phrased it," said Plo Kloon. "If you think of it more as protection...." he stopped, obeying Mundi's signal. Ki-adi-Mundi looked deeply into Morru's eyes, and found there only a resolute understanding bordering on defeat. His heart sank. They were destroying her.

"I am sorry," he said.

******

Palpatine swept up the halls in the Jedi Temple, basking in the admiration of the people and plotting exactly how he was going to take Morru away from the Jedi. He had heard about her imprisonment that morning - she had only been locked up for a few hours at this point - and decided that, as the Chancellor of the Senate, it was his duty, nay, his responsibility, to visit the young heroine and aid what comfort he could.

Maul had gotten back that morning as well, only a few hours behind Kenobi's medical shuttle. He had been uncommunicative, surly at best, refusing to say what had happened on Irdonia, why he had not killed his target, or anything at all beyond a sterile report concerning the attack by the clone.

Fortunately, Sidious did not care. He had learned, first from the Council report, and then from Maul's, about the Ysalamiri, and any strange behavior on the part of his apprentice he put down to that. Naive? Perhaps. But he had bigger rats to catch.

On his way to the temple, he passed a somewhat familiar looking figure. A moment to place him, and then...

"Oh! Professor Maldad! Ungrid Maldad, how good to see you again!" Part of his grand scheme included the necessary courting of the finest minds in science, and there was no arguing that Maldad was one of the finest.

Usually.

"Ah, Chancellor Vallorum," Maldad said, his voice missing obsequious by an eopie's hair. "So good to see you as well! Why, I haven't seen you since the Scientific convention for agricultural progress, nine years ago. So much has changed since then - how goes it?"

Palpatine stiffened slightly. One of his aides leaned and whispered into Maldad's ear, the owner of which blushed slightly and proceeded to extricate himself from his predicament.

"Pardon me," he said with a bow. "Chancellor Palpatine - I did know that. You must forgive me; I have been traveling for three days from Irdonia on a research vessel, and I fear that long hours spent in my lab over heavy fumes has somewhat befuddled my tongue. How is Naboo these days?"

Admirably done, thought Palpatine, but it was a slight that he would not forget quickly.

They chatted amiably for a short while, Maldad meanwhile recalling where they had met - at a cloning conference four years ago. And then Palpatine went on his way.

Well, that was two for two today; hopefully Morru's reception would be a little better.

***

Morru sat on the edge of her bed facing the balcony. The suns were setting over Coruscant; the lines of never ending traffic were beginning to glitter with artificial lights; and the air, maintained by special filtering systems to prevent pollution, was sweet as it passed her open window and caressed her cheek. She wanted to die.

Initially, she had wondered why they had been fool enough to give her a room with a balcony like that; it would be such a simple matter to just hop over the wall, plummet to her death. Perhaps that's just what they wanted her to do. Then she realized, to her chagrin, that they did not believe she was capable of such an act. Morru S'mec? Such a sensible girl? Nonsense. She would never do something so..... desperate.

Morru reflected morosely that even the Jedi Council members did not know her very well.

She sighed; Mundi had assured her before they locked the door that every effort was being made to locate the Sith. Once that threat had been eliminated, then she would be free.

No problem.

They had only escaped detection by the Jedi for a thousand years or so. Nothing to worry about.

Morru was just about to switch on the com unit and ask for a good book when there was a knock at her door.

Curious.

"Come in," she called, not bothering to stand.

Chancellor Palpatine stood in the doorway.

"I do hope I'm not disturbing you," he said with the utmost sincerity.

Morru immediately rose to her feet and greeted him in the High Court fashion.

"Of course not, Chancellor," she said as she straightened from her bow. "I am honored by your presence."

Palpatine smiled a truly wonderful smile and said, "No, my dear, the honor is all mine." He walked into the room and, at her gesture, made himself at home in one of her living room chairs. Brooking no argument, she went to her small kitchenette to get some tea.

He took the opportunity to look around.. Not a bad little place, actually - she could have fared much worse. Small, true, but cozy, with ample furniture, a living/dining/sleeping area, and two small alcoves which he assumed held the kitchen and refresher.

He knew she hated it.

Morru came back into the room carrying a small tray with several fine tea cups and proceeded to serve him and his entourage, once again in High Court fashion.

"Miss S'mec - I believe I said that correctly? - I have come here to express Adari's and my sincere gratitude to you for your actions at Senator Kirschel's house. Such bravery on your part, such creative thinking, must be commended and encouraged." And will be punished duly later, he thought to himself.

Morru finished serving and sat opposite him, perched on the edge of her seat in correct posture.

"Why thank you, Chancellor. I only did what anyone would do, given the opportunity. To be perfectly truthful, I really was very lucky." Although if I'd been really lucky, he would have killed me then and there, she thought. "I am surprised you chose to come all the way up here and visit me because of it, though."

Palpatine replaced his tea - it was mediocre anyway, but that was not her fault - and leaned forward confidentially. "Well, to be perfectly truthful myself, I...." here he looked at his following - aides and body guards, and with a wave and a nod ordered them all to leave the room. They looked surprised, but only slightly; Palpatine often did strange things.

Morru felt the first thread of apprehension tighten in her chest then.

When they were gone, he turned back to her and spoke in a low voice, tones warm with concern and not at all condescending.

"My dear, I have been studying your records. You have been through so much! In so many ways, you are exactly what I would like the youth of the New Republic to be - resourceful, intelligent, courageous, selfless - even physically healthy," he said with an appreciative but not even remotely lewd glance.

As was expected of her, she blushed and nodded for him to continue,

"And yet... I believe I am correct in saying that your life has been less than ideal." He searched her eyes for a reaction, and was slightly surprised at what he found there. She was "doing" all she was supposed to do, responding perfectly to his charm and warmth. But her eyes were cool and calculating. She was actually listening to what he said, and not just how he said it. He was impressed. Mildly.

"Your story - one of such perseverance through trials - has inspired me. I do not say that merely for your benefit. You have come from a background of slavery, of confinement - and, if you were completely truthful with me now, I believe you would admit that you hate this place." There. See what she made of that blunt statement.

She only nodded.

Interesting.

"As I continue to help society grow, I feel it wise to surround myself with those who can see my vision, who can help the New Republic form itself into a...."

"Excuse me, Chancellor. You have used that phrase twice now. What exactly do you mean by the `New Republic?'" Palpatine leaned back now, the teacher before a favored pupil, and began to explain. He had a feeling, from the seed of cynicism he saw in her eyes, that she would accept what he now said - not because she thought he was right, but because she wanted to believe it.

"The Republic, as you know, is growing stale in its effectiveness. Your very existence is proof; such atrocities as were done to you and your should never have been allowed." Morru looked amused; atrocities, indeed. It would be interesting to discover what privileged and pampered Chancellor Palpatine knew of atrocities.

Somehow, he heard her. Maybe not the exact words in her mind, but he knew. He knew.

He suddenly gave her a cat's smile which told her exactly how much he knew about atrocities, both those given and those received. And for the first time in her life, the first time before any person man or woman, Morru could not hold her gaze. She looked away.

"Pray go on," she said, not really paying attention to what she herself was saying.

Just as suddenly, Palpatine was simply Palpatine again.

"I wish to gather around me youth - youth who are on fire, who have purpose and the intelligence and talent necessary to carry it out. Morru, I would be honored if you would come to work for me. Not as anything special, not yet, but to be there, to have your say in my organization, to help me reform the galaxy as it is into the Jewel it once was." His fervor, his sincerity, was hard to resist. Morru looked up into his kindly eyes.

"Well... that might be a problem. Even if I were going to join you in.... whatever it is you're doing. You see, the Council..."

"I know what the Council has done, and I know why," he said with an odd mixture of authority, compassion, and sureness. Morru looked at him, both questioning and betrayed at the same time.

Palpatine smiled reassuringly. "My dear, the Council is required to tell me of all their proceedings. One of my tasks, tiresome as it is, is to oversee the Council's doings - occasionally, I rebuke their actions, and they must obey me. Today I was told of your situation," his gaze grew piercing - too piercing for a simple politician - "and I knew immediately that we could be of service to one another. I do not believe that you should be locked up here," - his grand gesture included and dismissed the room as unworthy - "useless, hopeless, your talent going to waste and your will to live withering as each day you forget more of what it was like to taste true freedom. I am here to offer you freedom. I have the authority to override the Council's decision on this - and, if you will pledge to me, to help me in my cause for bettering the Republic, I will use that authority to give you the rights you were denied." His voice had taken on the proud, stately cadence of a general rousing his troops before the battle. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and his eyes sparkled with sincerity and magnetic fervor. "I wish to correct such wrongs as were done to you, keeping you from the life that should have been yours because of an oversight.... a foolish oversight... which allowed slavery to continue! I wish to help others who may still be in that same compromising position - to offer them deliverance. Morru, Morru S'mec... will you join me?"

Morru did not answer. She had never been in the presence of so overwhelming - so rousing - a personality. He was overwhelming beyond understatement, and the temptation to simply bask in his glow was strong... Morru decided not to answer just yet. She did not trust her judgment.

"I... would like to think about this, for a little while. I am grateful beyond words for what you say, and what you offer me," she said quickly, hoping to prevent any disappointment that might register on his expressive face; such a sight in her condition would not be conducive to her objective thought processes.

"I need to consider all my options. Which are few and far between, certainly," she said, appreciating his responsive smile. "But I am never one to make decisions impetuously. Please, if you mean what say - that is, if you would be so kind, I would appreciate having in my hands a written statement concerning what my.... duties... would be as an employee under you." His smile was a little too cat-caught-the-mouse for her comfort, but she had to go on.

"What you offer me - has never been offered, in any form, before. A position of respect? Freedom? Advancement?" she looked a question at him. "Protection as well?"

Palpatine placed his hand over hers and she jumped. "All those, and more. Protection is guaranteed. I enjoy your thought processes, young woman; you would be in my personal entourage, which, in theory, is the safest place in the galaxy to be."

She pulled her hand away. "Sorry," she said to his surprised look. "I really don't like to be touched. And this sounds too good to be true. Which means it probably is. I...." she paused.

"Freedom, you say."

"Yes."

"Safety."

"Yes."

"Security."

"Yes."

Morru sighed. "I cannot think of any reason not to accept. Please - send me more information, and I will give you my answer within three days time. Is that acceptable?"

Palpatine beamed at her and rose. "My dear, it would be more than acceptable. Please - consider well. This offer will remain open to you as long as you will have it, for I am sincere. And now, I must leave you." He walked toward the door and opened it, startling his "entourage" into re-forming proper ranks. He turned back to her for one moment.

"Please consider," he said. "I want to see you free." And with that, he swept down the hall and away. As if to emphasize his point, the door automatically slammed shut and locked with an audible click.

Morru went back to her bed and continued to stare out the window, which now revealed the semi-blackness of starless night. Like her thoughts, the traffic continued to stream, as if from nowhere, across the sky and into nothingness. Morru did not know what she was going to do.

*** Somewhere, deep in mediation and unknown to his master, Darth Maul smiled.

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