A/N: Chapter was rewritten!

Chapter 13: Capture and happy landing

"Ups." said Anakin sleeplessly. Then urgently in the com. "R2 shut down the elevator." "To late jump!" and they all let go.

They were free falling, and elevator was getting closer. So using grapping hooks with thin but strong cable that all Jedi wore on their belts, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Shaak Ti threw them, while Buffy was still holding an unconscious Dooku, and Chancellor was still holding Anakin's leg.

Successfully hooking the cables all six people swayed through one of the openings for the lift, while said lift barley missed them, landing in the tangle of limbs, groaning.

"Anakin get off me" groaned Obi-Wan, who like Chancellor, were at the very bottom of the heap.

"Can't, not before Buffy gets off me." he answers, then more quietly so that only Buffy can hear. "Not that I'm complaining." Flashing her husband a teasing smile, Buffy, slowly slides off him and felling giddy mentally sends him some images, of them together.

"What are you groaning about Anakin? No one is squashing you with their weight" said Obi-Wan crossly. Flushed, Anakin quickly scrambled off the pile, accidentally elbowing Palpatine in the ribs. Still flushed he apologized.

"There is no need to be embarrassed, Anakin, it was an accident." said Palpatine kindly. Anakin just nodded while Buffy stood just behind Palpatine smiling innocently.

Palpatine then went to Shaak Ti to thank her for her bravery when she was defending him before both of them were captured. Obi-Wan was dragging Dooku, who was just waking up.

Using everyone's distraction, Anakin shoot Buffy a heated look saying, 'you'll pay for that look', at which she just winked and mouthed, 'is that a promise?'

"Let's see if we can find something in the hanger that is still flyable." said Obi-Wan.

Nodding, Anakin pulled out his com. "R2, R7 get down here."

"I think we are clear." said Shaak Ti. Shooting her fellow Jedi a cross look, Buffy just muttered "jinx" under her breath drawing, disapproving scowl from Shaak Ti while, Obi-Wan and Anakin just rolled their eyes.

Suddenly a bright energy enveloped them.

"Ray shields." said Anakin calmly.

"See." drawled Buffy petulantly while looking at Shaak Ti, who returned "It is only a coincidence."

"Aha."

"Wait a minute we are smarter than this." said Obi-Wan ignoring the others.

"Apparently not." answered Anakin.

"There is no escape from here." interfered Dooku confidently. "It would be best if you surrender."

"You really need to shut up." glared Buffy at Sith Lord.

"That is the truth my dear..."

"If the next words out of your mouth will be 'join me' I'll drop kick you."

"I recommend patience." Said Anakin still looking at Obi-Wan.

Obi wan crossed his arms. "Patience?"

"Yes R2 and R7 will be here any minute and they'll de-activate the shield."

True to Anakin's words R2 and R7 came full speed through the door, R2 hit the wall. Bouncing off and crashing with R7 who was right behind him. "See. No problem." said Anakin.

"Don't look now, but our little friends have company." muttered Buffy behind him.

"Got a plan B." said Obi-Wan eyeing the droids.

Droids were leading their prisoners to the ships command bridge. Dooku was with them, he didn't want to miss what would happen to them next.

"Ahhh. The negotiator"

Buffy grimaced, just her luck it was the General. But the general of droid army had his yellow eyes glued at Obi-Wan and Anakin. "General Kenobi we've been waiting for you. That was not much of a rescue."

"Oh we are not finished yet." Interject Buffy.

"Buffy Summers, you won't escape this time." He said looking at her, but she just looked at him incredulous then rolled her eyes, trust the bad guy to have delusions, last couple of times he got away from her. "And Anakin Skywalker," Grievous continued moving to stand and stare at Anakin's face. "I expected someone of you reputation to be a little older." He wheezed trough his damaged lungs and coughed.

"General Grievous," Anakin said coolly." you are shorter then I expected."

"Now Anakin, you know that Buffy is shorter that you, so naturally he is tall for her." Said Obi-Wan calmly.

"Hey!" said Buffy indigently. "It's not my fault that all of you are so damn tall."

"ENOUGH! Jedi scum!" roared Grievous.

"Sorry!" said Obi-Wan. "I'm sorry too." Added Anakin then he looked at the droids. "R2, 7." At that the droids heads started to spin spraying black liquid and shooting electricity at all directions. Using the confusion, Anakin and Obi-Wan summoned their light sabers to them, then they cut through their own bonds and then they freed Buffy and Shaak Ti.

"Crush them. And make them suffer." ordered Grievous.

"Will you stop with cliché one liners!" shouted Buffy at him through the entire room. "What is it with the bad guys" she ranted while she hacked the near by droids. Then seeing that the two battle droids were holding Chancellor Palpatine, she quickly made her way to them, hacking through them before they could raise their weapons at her, seeing that one of the Grievous guard droids would attack her, she sent the chancellor stumbling, with a hard shove in the shelter. "Stay put!" she commanded not spearing him a look. Her attention was on the advancing guard.

Ducking low to avoid the staff she cut the droids legs, and the burrowed her light saber in its chest effetely destroying the guard's power center.

Looking around she saw that Obi-Wan, Anakin and Shaak-Ti won against their guard droids and were currently circling around Grievous'.

Holding one of guards quarter staffs Grieves threw it at the ship's window. "You loose general Kenobi."

In a fit of rage, General Grievous threw his staff, colliding it with the ship's glass window. Depressurizing the ship's cabin. All three Jedi grabbed the nearest solid object, before they too got suck out into space. Luckily their shields came up in the matter of seconds and the danger soon passed.

"Where is Dooku?" asked Anakin.

"Dooku left the building ...eh... ship." answered Buffy grimly.

"He escaped?" asked Palpatine coming closer.

"No. He flew out through the window."

"Crap." muttered Anakin.

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow at Anakin's choice in words. Anakin just looked at him. "Like you weren't thinking the same thing."

"Um guys, there is some flashy lights here that say that all escape pots have been lunched." cut in Buffy.

"Grievous." Spat out Shaak Ti grimly.

Anakin quickly moved to the pilot seat, the rest of them quickly following and seating behind other controls. "Can you fly a cruiser like this?" asked Obi-Wan when Anakin sat down.

"You mean if he can land this thing in one piece?" asked Buffy sitting down.

"Well?"

"Under the circumstances, the ability to land this thing is irrelevant." said Anakin sarcastically. "Strap your self's in. Open all hatches, extend all flaps and drag fins." he commanded.

The ship started to descent toward the planet, like a meteor. Drag fins and hatches extended, slowing down the ship. But the pressure was too high and the ship was ripped apart. Losing the rear end of the ship caused a sudden jerk. Anakin turned to his companions, with tense expression on his face. "We lost something." he commented calmly.

"You don't say." said Buffy dryly.

"Not to worry. We are still flying half of a ship." Added Obi-Wan drawing the looks of disbelief from Palpatine and Shaak Ti.

"That is a half full if I ever heard one." smiled Buffy.

"Thanks I'm working on positive thinking."

The ship started to pick up speed, small pieces falling away and burning in the sphere.

"Now we really are picking up speed." muttered Anakin.

"I think it might be good idea if we called ahead and tell them we're dropping in?" said Buffy then opened communications. "This is Commander Summers. We have the Chancellor, he is safe, but a little help from the fire department would be nice. Before we are burned to a crisp."

"Eight plus sixty, we are in atmosphere. Shaak Ti grabs that, keep us level."

"Steady." warned Obi-Wan.

The series of concerned beeps issued from R2. Anakin turned to the little droid and nodded. "Easy R2." He said calmly.

"5000"said Obi watching the monitors.

"Fire ships left and right."

"Finally." muttered Buffy, eyeing the screen which displayed the damage caused by the fire.

"We'll take you in." came through the com link.

"Copy that." acknowledged Anakin.

"Landing strip straight ahead." showed Obi-Wan.

The ship started to shake. Anakin grabbed the helm more firmly. "We are coming in to hot."

The ship landed with a loud bang, skidding on the landing strip, tearing down a couple of towers and then finally stopping.

All the passengers released the breaths that they were holding. "Another happy landing." said Obi-Wan happily. While others exchanged smiles, and the astro droids beeped.

TBC