The Countess ━ OBI-WAN KENOBI

Chapter Twelve

Leilani had little time to process everything as events unfolded rapidly. Being in shock certainly aided her in coping with the chaos, but as she recovered, her duties resumed without pause. Her health felt off-kilter upon arriving back in Coruscant, the city's concrete jungle closing in on her. She wished things had gone differently, that this return didn't echo the one that had haunted her since "the day she lost everything." It was a memory she'd rather forget. But fate had a twisted sense of humour, and it seemed her return was precisely when she needed to fight for what little remained. As they landed on the platform, her troopers quickly faded into the shadows. Though Anakin and Obi-Wan were there, Leilani didn't even get the chance to say a proper goodbye. The Chancellor was quick to intercept her, preventing her from making any other foolish attempts to speak with someone else or even share a simple chat with her companions.

She felt trapped.

Now more, than in Skimmer's gloved hands.

"Come, my dear. We have much to discuss," the Chancellor said. His voice was syrupy sweet, almost too polished, a tone that set off alarm bells in her mind. Whenever he spoke that way, it was a sure sign that trouble was looming, and being near him felt like standing on the edge of a precipice.

Although, she held her ground. Straightening her posture, she brushed her fingers against the bacta-patch on her neck before following him onto the shuttle along with the other Senators—and only from inside, she took a last glace towards her two protectors.

As the shuttle's door closed behind her, the subtle hum of the engines grew louder, drowning out the voices of those around her. Leilani kept her expression neutral, her eyes scanning the faces of the Senators, searching for any sign of empathy or understanding. Instead, she saw only political ambition and veiled curiosity. The Chancellor sat at the head of the small cabin, his gaze fixed on her with a mix of authority and calculated charm. The Chancellor began to speak, his words filled with praise for her bravery and dedication to the Republic. Yet, Leilani sensed his compliments to be laced with ulterior motives; he spoke of unity and the need for strength in these troubled times, but she could sense the underlying tension, the power plays at work.

At that moment, she wished she could shed her newly acquired title and vanish into obscurity. But as they entered the Senate building and settled onto the marbled couch in the Chancellor's office, the feeling of suffocation grew stronger. Words failed her; her throat felt drier than ever, and she could hardly find her voice — as the Chancellor and Mas Amedda sat across from her, their eyes fixed on her, expecting a response.

Her confidence vanished in a boil of superheated glass.

"It grieves me to say that our only chance to capture Count Dooku could be in the hands of this operation," Palpatine said. "With your authority as Countess of Serenno, this will be a clear way to capture the Count and seal the fate of the war."

"My word and role alone will not be enough to destabilise the entire government. The Duke and Duchess of Solha, along with many of his court are loyal to his cause—not to mention the people. Some are capable of seeing the tyranny behind his actions but just as many would follow his words as law," she said. "We would only push the planet into an unnecessary civil war by invading it under my command."

Palpatine clasped his hands together above the table and leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Perhaps if we plan this more carefully, we can turn the Serenno government to our cause," he suggested, his voice deceptively calm.

"With all due respect, Your Excellency, that sounds like manipulative fraud," Leilani replied, her words sharp. "I doubt my people would welcome such machinations, and I refuse to force the Republic's agenda onto innocent civilians. I understand the stakes, but we shouldn't rush into another conflict without knowing if we can even succeed. We might do more harm than good."