As they were led towards the pillars at the center of the arena floor, Obi-Wan was in awe of the sheer number of geonosians before him. The only non-insectoid forms he could differentiate from the endless throng were in the Royal box. Jango Fett and a Droid-Controller flanked Dooku. On the arena floor, he found the two men he'd come so far to rescue. Qui-Gon and Anakin were chained to separate pillars. He could see his master's smirk even at the distance, and Obi-Wan felt a similar one tug at his lips.
The chariot pulled to a stop and Obi-Wan and Padmé were led to two of the remaining pillars, Obi-Wan turned to his former Mentor, "I'm lulling them into a false sense of security."
Anakin seemed to stifle a grin, while Qui-Gon inspected his bindings before turning back to Obi-Wan, "Ah, good job."
Padmé sighed then said, "Well, its good that the Jedi can laugh in the face of imminent death, however, I think the situation is serious." She used the brief distraction to reach into her cuff and palm the pick. She then allowed the geonosian to chain her up. As the guards moved away, Padmé began to work on her shackles; meanwhile the older members of the trio of Jedi were each testing their binds.
Anakin turned to Qui-Gon, "Master? Do you have a plan?"
Qui-Gon watched three sets of doors at the far end of the arena floor slide open. After a moment, three of the most gruesome creatures Obi-Wan had ever seen emerged. The first was green; it was twice the size of a man, insectoid and each of its six legs came to a point. However, what he found most intimidating were its sharp teeth, mostly because they numbered in the hundreds. He'd read about these creatures called acklays, and he knew for sure that their origins on Vandaxa would no doubt create a most vicious creature.
The second, white-furred feline creature was something Obi-Wan had had first-hand experience with, a nexu. They were as deadly as the acklay, but he was sure they were far more agile. He'd been on Cholganna and had seen a nexu chase down a bark rat from one-hundred meters and tear the child-sized rodent to pieces.
The third beast was a large grey and maroon reek, reeks were not known for agility, they were known for their power. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and began to listen to the whisper of the millions of tiny voices the midi-cholrians spoke with. He could feel Qui-Gon, drawing in the Force as well as Anakin, he could feel Padmé as she picked her lock, and he could feel the Dark Side flowing in the air from the immense hatred around him.
The Ackley was coming at him at the prodding of the wranglers. Obi-Wan leaned forward, taking the slack from his chains then waited. As the Ackley swung one of its fore-legs, he reached out with the Force, pushing on the creature's leg, taking what was true aim and driving it upwards. He could feel surprise in the simple creature's mind as it sliced through his chain. Suddenly freed, Obi-Wan rolled out of the creature's next attack in order to determine his next course of action.
He could see Anakin trying to ride the reek which was bucking against him. Qui-Gon had snapped his chain with Anakin and the reek's help. While Padmé had freed herself of her binds, used them to climb the pillar and was now using them to fend off the nexu, though her shirt and flesh were torn. He quickly squelched the anger at the creature, and concentrated on his own nightmare.
The acklay raised both of its forelegs and stabbed at the Jedi, but they found nothing but earth. He had dove away, and rolled to his feet. He charged one of the wranglers, and with a leap tackled the geonosian from his mount. He picked up the prod, and swung as he would his lightsaber, while the energy blade would have sliced trough his opponent, the effect of the metal spear was just as effective; it knocked the geonosian into the path of the charging acklay. The acklay's pointed legs pierced the wrangler fatally.
Obi-Wan flipped the spear in his hand, and hurled the bladed edge into the beast's torso. It was not very effective, only annoying it really. Turning its head, it clutched the spear in its mouth and tore it from the flesh it had embedded in. The acklay then bit down hard and the spear shattered, "Not good."
As the acklay was about to close the remaining distance between them, Obi-Wan suddenly found its path obstructed by the reek. Anakin and Padmé were atop the beast, and it reared back and let out a roar, a show of dominance. The acklay seemed convinced as it dipped its head in a submissive display and walked away. Qui-Gon approached them and was about to speak, when he was interrupted by a familiar rolling sound. Destroyer droids were approaching from the right, Obi-Wan sighed, "Blasted…" He turned to his former mentor with a morbid grin, "Look at all the trouble we've caused."
Qui-Gon nodded, "It seems I can't take you anywhere Obi-Wan."
Anakin leapt off the reek, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan assisted Padmé off, while Anakin soothed the beast as he would a beloved family pet. As Padmé's feet found the ground, her right hand squeezed Obi-Wan's lightly, and she smiled at him, he could feel relief at his safety beneath the sense of dread within her, and he soothed her spirit and helped her find calm. He then realized, his hands still encased her right, he reluctantly released her hand.
A movement in the Royal box and a familiar sound caught their attention, a flash of purple marking the presence of Mace Windu. Obi-Wan then watched as blue and green lights appeared throughout the arena, the rescue party had arrived… Only to have all hell break loose around them. Thousands of battle droids poured into the arena and the geonosians took flight. The Jedi leapt into action everywhere, and Obi-Wan pushed Padmé off for cover with Anakin and Qui-Gon following.
They were about to find that cover when more battle droids came pouring from a doorway in front of them. Then several Jedi found their way between the droids and he and the others, several deflected the blaster bolts that came, while two others produced spare lightsabers and tossed them to the captured Jedi. Anakin was the first to ignite a weapon, and Obi-Wan smiled at the slight disappointment the boy had with the green blade in his hand.
The Padawan turned as Qui-Gon held out his hands, the boy cut the binds and they clattered to the ground, Obi-Wan held his hands out in turn and once freed he ignited his weapon, and began to formulate a strategy to protect the Senator and get her out of there. He was interrupted from his planning by Padmé's voice, "Where's mine?"
He couldn't help the smile that came to his lips, even as he deflected blaster bolts back at their attackers and used the Force to damage the droids, "I'm afraid, Milady, you aren't ready, after all, they won't merely be throwing rocks." He reached out with the Force and drew a blaster to them, "You will have to settle for this." He handed her the weapon.
Padmé merely gave him a false pout as she took the blaster, "You Jedi keep all the fun to yourselves." She then opened fire on the droids.
The Jedi fought with all their skill and devotion and power, but the odds were too great. Hundreds of droids became thousands and the Geonosians numbers were thousands more than that. They came in waves, and were cut down as such. But the Jedi were suffering steady losses. The one-hundred plus Jedi and Padawans were soon numbering less than twenty, and were closing ranks.
Obi-Wan knew it couldn't last much longer, as he and Mace Windu stood side-by-side. The dark skinned Jedi deflected a blast, "You were not to bring the Senator."
Obi-Wan swung his blade across his body, sending three bolts back at the droids, "Forgive me Master, she is most persistent. Might be what makes her such a good politician." The dark skinned Jedi merely nodded. Both men were shaken when another of their ranks were cut down, then were surprised by the sudden cease-fire.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon checked on some of the fallen Jedi, while the rest stood at the ready, Dooku then addressed the survivors, "You and your number have fought valiantly Master Windu, you should be remembered in the archives my old friend. Now, stand down."
Windu looked up at his former comrade, "We will not be hostages for you to bargain with Dooku!"
"Do not be foolish! You are hopelessly outnumbered."
"We'll see about that!"
Obi-Wan could hear a sound reminiscent of repulsor-lifts; Padmé then looked up and said, "Look!"
Looking up, Obi-Wan found military looking transports descending from the sky. Gunners from the transports opened fire on the battle droids. The transports landed, surrounding the survivors, and Obi-Wan watched as white armored soldiers jumped out of the transport. Mace then called to the survivors, "Get on the transports!"
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon covered Padmé and Anakin as they boarded one of the transports then quickly followed. The transport took off, taking them out of the coliseum. Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan and Padmé, "These are Master Sifo-Dyas' clones from Kamino."
Padmé was stunned, while Obi-Wan could only ask, "What are they doing here?"
Qui-Gon merely shook his head, "There is no way to know without consulting the Council." They were now flying over a larger battlefield; the cruiser was offering some cover to the ground troops. He then turned to the pilot, "Pilot. Who is in command?"
The pilot didn't turn from his task, "Master Yoda and the Jedi Council. We were ordered to treat the Jedi as Field Generals, sir."
Qui-Gon nodded then said, "Very well, those Federation cruisers at negative fifteen degrees aim just above the fuel cells."
"Yes sir." They felt the ship buck slightly, and two rockets shot from the transport. They found their target; the ship seemed to cave in on itself before exploding.
Obi-Wan looked out and saw two fighters and a swoop-bike exit the Coliseum, "Master, look!"
Seeing his retreating Mentor, Qui-Gon directed the pilot to pursue the swoop. "He cannot escape! We will have to stop him."
Obi-Wan nodded grimly, while Anakin was more vocal, "We'll make him pay Master!" Obi-Wan couldn't contain his surprise at a Jedi, even a Padawan saying such a thing.
However, Qui-Gon smiled at the boy's outburst, "That we will my apprentice. Stay on him, pilot, and radio Master Yoda that we are in pursuit of Count Dooku."
"Yes sir."
Dooku was leading them out into the large dunes just to the south of the mountain range, rust colored sand stretched miles out into the horizon. Anakin watched the fallen Jedi begin to extend the lead he had, "He's pulling away!"
The pilot nodded, "I'm afraid we may not be able to keep up with him, sir."
Anakin sneered, "He's killed too many today to live! SHOOT HIM DOWN!"
The pilot shook his head this time, "I'm sorry sir, we're out of rockets and he's out of blaster range."
"Then stay on him! I'll kill him! I swear!" This time both Padmé and Obi-Wan looked at the young man in shock.
"I'll try sir."
"Don't try, just DO IT!" Anakin leaned forward, as if he was willing the ship to move faster. Obi-Wan could hear the Padawan mumbling, "C'mon, c'mon!" Obi-Wan quickly realized the boy was willing the ship to move faster, he could feel the Force being pushed by him, and could see them gaining on Dooku.
Dooku made a gesture and his fighter escorts broke off in opposing directions. Moments later, they felt a blaster shot narrowly miss them, shaking the transport. Another blast to the left was closer, and the transport lurched to the right. Obi-Wan watched in horror as a trooper stumbled into Padmé causing them to fall over the side. He reached out impotently for her hand and heard a disconnected voice, "PADMÉ! Set the ship down! We have to go back!"
It took him a moment to realize it was not his own voice, no matter how much he agreed… Rather it was Anakin.
Qui-Gon looked at the boy in shock. Just as the eldest Jedi began to reply, the ship lurched wildly the other way to avoid a missile; causing Obi-Wan, who was still in shock at the sight of Padmé falling away from him, to fall over the side himself. He was not surprised at all that when he crashed into the sand below that it did little to soften his fall. Things began to swim and everything went black…
