the protector! → obi-wan kenobi ✓

iii. casualties of war

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆

SERENNE MAY HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL, but it was not to be underestimated. The cells housed on the tenth floor were made to hold the worst of the worst, making those criminals as uncomfortable as possible until they were moved to a proper prison or sent elsewhere. Vienna's attacker was held in one of these cells, with his visage displayed on the hologram table in the only real room on that floor. The five of them all stood around it, staring at the projection before them.

"So how do you want to go about this?" Anakin asked his master, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room for quite some time.

"Calmly, and no threatening." Obi-Wan gave his padawan a stern look, though it was obvious that he was holding back an amused smirk. Anakin grinned mischievously.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"By my calculations, threatening would reduce your chances of getting a helpful response by—"

"He's joking, TC," Vienna told him quietly.

"Oh." They were all certain that, if droids could blush in embarrassment, his cheeks would be bright pink.

"We should go in," chuckled Obi-Wan, and the two Jedi left the room. Soon enough, they appeared in the projected image, standing just outside the cell. The pair that had just been joking around now wore identical glares as they faced the man, who looked up and smirked at them.
"I think introductions are in order—"

"I know who you are," the man interrupted, his voice carrying a bit of an accent. His eyes fell on Obi-Wan, then on Anakin, who spoke next.

"Well let's make this even, tell us who you are."

"Doesn't matter," shrugged the assailant.
"You've already got me, eh? No need for you to know my name."

"Well let's talk about what we do know, then," said Obi-Wan, leaning against the opposite wall.
"We know that you and an associate were hired by Count Dooku to kill Ms. Eurelle, and that you both failed. We also know that your associate is still out there somewhere, and we need their name." The man in the cell didn't seem intimidated in the slightest—in fact, he chuckled, sending a shiver down Vienna's spine.

"There's so much you don't know."

"Enlighten us," Anakin replied.
"Maybe there can be something in it for you if you give us what we need." This caught the man's attention; he leaned forward with interest.

"Depends on what you can give me."

"A shorter sentence, a room with a window, a preferred work detail, take your pick," Obi-Wan relayed simply. Back in the observation room, Vienna worriedly looked to Colin.

"They aren't actually going to give him a shorter sentence, are they?"

"They're bluffing," he reassured her, and she nodded, turning back to the projection.

"All right, I'm sold," said the man, grinning at the two Jedi.
"First of all, I was hired along with—"

But something happened. Vienna noticed a few faint blue sparks around his neck area, and he went rigid before falling limply on the bed. It took them all a moment to properly react. Vienna found her mind swirling; he had been fine one moment, and the next...nothing. Shit like that didn't just happen, and he sure as hell hadn't done it himself...so how had it happened?