Ben groaned, opening his eyes after a blissful sleep, a type of sleep he hadn't remembered having in a few weeks. Maybe it was the bacta, Ben thought as he tried to sit up, only to notice the strong arms wrapped around him. Ben sighed as his attempts to wiggle away proved useless. He would have to wake her up. "Padme, get up. I want to go to Theed." Ben stated, shaking her. She moaned for a moment as Ben continued to shake her. Finally, Padme sat up. "Ben. Did you have to shake me like that?" She asked as she released her grip on him and he gave her an innocent smile. "Only because you wouldn't wake up. Come on! I want to go now!" Ben demanded, tugging on her arm and attempting to pull her out of the bed. "Alright. I'm up!" Padme said, laughing at Ben's determination as he yelled out a 'yippee!' and ran towards the door to palm it open. It beeped at him once, and he moaned. "Will you ever turn these things off?" Ben asked Padme as she palmed open the door so that it could open for them. "Maybe, if certain little boys did what they were told and stopped trying to run away." Padme said, ruffling Ben's hair as he scowled at her again. "Ben, wait." Padme stated as they reached the door. "You'll want this." She said, handing him a black cloak that was in sharp contrast to his clothing. Ben smiled at the bundle and threw it on over himself, despite it being too big for him. "How did you know?" Ben asked as Padme palmed the door open, calling her goodbyes on the way out as she guided Ben over to the speeder. "Anakin told me." Padme replied.
Padme immediately grabbed Ben and lifted him up into the speeder before getting in on the other side of him as he frowned at her. "I could have done that myself you know." He stated. "Then consider it a kindship. Besides, your legs barely reach over the side of the speeder. Are you buckled in?" She added and Ben rolled his eyes. "We never used the seatbelts whenever we drove speeders around on Tatooine." She stared at him for a moment in shock. I'll definitely have to ask Anakin about this later, she thought to herself. "Well this is my speeder, so it's my rules. Besides, the law here on Naboo requires it." Ben sighed and pulled the seatbelt over him tightly. "Why are we going by land?" Ben asked as Padme started up the Gian speeder. "It only takes two hours by Gian speeder to get to Theed, and I enjoy the scenery." Padme said, slowing down a little so Ben could observe the passing trees. "It's beautiful out here." Ben decided, watching the greenery pass by under him in waves. Padme nodded, "I grew up here with my family. We'd come down to here every once in a while from our village or from Theed, depending on where we lived at the time." She paused for a moment as she relished in the memories. "I haven't even told my relatives about you yet." Padme said, glancing over at Ben, who just shrugged. "Tell them the truth, I guess." He said, Padme nodded, though she didn't think she would. Explaining how I suddenly have an eight-year-old grandson to Sola would not be the greatest conversation in the galaxy, Padme thought.
They arrived in Theed two hours later as Padme parked the speeder in front of a small parking zone outside a vast courtyard, handing over a few credits to the guard nearby as well as her ID. The guard handed it back to her, not even bothering to check the information as he recognized the famous politician, but then frowned over at Ben, whom Padme was now helping out of the speeder. "Shouldn't he be at school right now?" The guard asked, causing Ben to glare up at him as Padme grabbed Ben's hand and pushed him close to her, clamping his mouth shut before he could say anything detrimental. "He's homeschooled with me, though we haven't put him in the database yet for IDs. Besides, last I checked, you don't check a minor's ID when they are with a guardian." She stated with a cold tone, causing the guard to back off. "I apologize, Senator, please, proceed." The guard stated, bowing to her as she angrily tugged Ben along. "Padme! You're hurting me! Ouch!" Ben practically yelled as she pulled him along. Padme stopped for a moment at Ben's shriek of pain and knelt before him. "Sorry, Ben. I was just a little bit upset. Now, where do you want to stop first?" She asked as Ben looked around the huge courtyard, which led off into many other vast alleyways of Theed.
Despite its vast size, Theed in no way resembled Coruscant. While Coruscant toppled with elegant skyscrapers and vast factories full of abandoned warehouses in the never-ending straight down drop to the lower levels, Theed was a one level, elegant city full of intricate designs that resembled a medieval castle. The buildings were mostly one floored, cast of stones and entwined with vines. Each building took up its own space, leading in many different directions towards walkways and bridges that surpassed the central rivers that cut through the heart of Theed, all leading up towards a domed building that Ben recognized as a Palace of some sort, and later dropping off over the rocky edge into the valleys of Naboo below. "How about the ice cream shop?" Ben asked, and Padme smiled. "Come along then, I know the perfect place." Padme said, grabbing Ben's hand and pulling him through the traffic of shoppers dressed in elegant clothing towards a small shop at the end of the courtyard that had a few chairs lying around beside it. Padme pulled Ben forward towards the outside window of the shop and lifted him up so that he could see the menu. "What do you want?" She asked him as he gazed through the menu, finding nothing familiar other than the label 'made from fresh Bantha milk!' Under almost every ice cream. "I don't know, I can't decide!" Ben finally said, laughing. The attendee gazed at them in boredom and impatience as Padme whispered into Ben's ear. "Then I know just the right kind for you." She looked up towards the attendant of the stand. "Two scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream for him, and one scoop of vanilla for me, in Cerean cones please." She added, putting down the needed credits as Ben frowned at her. Why would you put this 'ice cream' substance into a cone? "Cones are better than cups on this. Trust me." Padme said with a small smile as she set Ben down and they waited patiently on their ice cream.
After about two minutes, their ice cream arrived and they sat down at a nearby table with their treats. "How do I eat it?" Ben asked, examining the ice cream as it ripped on his fingers. Padme laughed as she took a bite out of her ice cream. "You start from the top and you can either lick it or eat it." Ben nodded and attempted to bite into the substance, which instantly froze his teeth, giving him a slight brain freeze. "So where do you come from that they don't have ice cream, Ben?" Ben shivered for a moment as the effects of the brain freeze wore off, and took another bite of his ice cream, this time smaller, before speaking. "Coruscant." Padme raised her eyebrow at this revelation. "Didn't you tell me that you had never seen Coruscant in your life? And last I checked, Coruscant still had ice cream." Ben shook his head. "I said that I'd never seen your Coruscant before. Besides, dad never let me go down into the rebuilt lower levels whenever we were there." Padme almost chuckled, but settled for biting her lip. "That was probably for the best." Padme said, thinking about the dangers of the lower levels, it was definitely not the place one would want to be caught running around in. "You know, we should do this more often." Ben said, biting into the last bit of his cone. "Only if you eat your vegetables." Padme stated, laughing as Ben stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Like them or not, if you want another treat like this, you better eat them. Especially if your grandfather is the one cooking." Ben frowned at her in confusion. "What's so bad about Anakin's cooking?" He asked. "You'll see. Come on, we're going shopping." Padme said, grabbing Ben's hand and dragging him along, ignoring his moans of complaint. "You need new clothing, Ben, you only have that one pair and you can't wear Anakin's." Padme added as she pulled Ben into a nearby clothing store.
Far off in the corner nearby the store, a lone hooded figure, dressed in elegant Naboo clothing, sat against the wall, watching the small boy as he was pulled into the shop. She smiled as she examined a datapad in his hands. The boy's description matched, and her client had offered thousands of credits for his capture. She would be the first. Quietly, the woman stepped in to a nearby alleyway by the side of the plaza, pulling up a hologram of a bearded man. "I hope you have brought good news." The man said as the figure smiled under the hood. "I have found the boy you are looking for, Count." The figure stated. "Very good, send me your coordinates and set up position. Make sure your rifle is set to stun, I want the boy alive. You will be rewarded greatly for this." Count Dooku stated as the figure smiled again. "It will be my pleasure." She said as the hologram faded out. She put the device away and headed atop of a nearby roof with her sniper aimed directly at the exit to the store.
"Ben, come here!" Padme, and Ben sighed again, moving towards Padme. She held up a light blue shirt to his chest. "Perfect, go try those on." Padme said, handing him a pair of brown pants and the blue shirt as she headed towards the dressing rooms with him and her much more elegant clothing that she had picked out. Ben tried the pairs of clothing that they had piled up as Padme inspected each of them, throwing out the unwanted ones. In the end, they bought several new shirts and pants, including the brown and blue shirt, as well as Padme's own dresses that Ben had picked out for her. Padme laid down the credits needed and they left swiftly, with Padme pulling Ben on towards the next store she wanted to go to before they headed home. "Wait!" Ben commanded just as they were about to leave the store, but it was too late. Padme had already walked outside the door just as the shot rang out, stunning her instantly. "Padme!" Ben screamed and started to rush forward. He glared up at where the shot was taken from and noticed the bounty hunter attempting to run. Turning all his anger towards the situation, Ben immediately chased after her.
The bounty hunter smiled as she saw the small figure chasing after her in the streets below. All was going according to plan, the boy would soon be in her grasp, and the credits in her own. She leapt another building and headed down onto the lower levels of the street, attempting to "lose" the boy, though making sure he stayed close behind. She veered to the right, causing the boy to follow through a crowd of people as she led him towards the exit of the city. Ben pushed through and exited the city onto a narrow roadway, following the bounty hunter through the wide open plains to the western forest area.
Ben continued through, slowing down to ignite his lightsaber and push the vines out of his way as he hopped over the fallen trees, when all of a sudden, the bounty hunter stopped. Ben looked around, frowning as he approached her with his lightsaber ignited. They were in a large, unnatural clearing of the forest, surrounded only by the trees on which they stood and the low grass at their feet. The area was vast enough for a small spaceship to land, but Ben did not sense any danger. He approached her slowly and pointed the lightsaber at the weapon, careful not to let his guard down. "Drop it." He stated, but the bounty hunter just laughed. "What makes you think I would follow a child like you? Did you really think it would be that easy?" Ben's frown tightened as he glared at her in anger and repeated the statement with as much Skywalker like confidence as he could.
The bounty hunter complied. "Under the laws of the Republic and the authority of the Jedi Order, I hereby place you under arrest." Ben stated, repeating the words his master, Jacen, had taught him to say, though he twisted them to fit the current time period. Once again, the bounty hunter chuckled. "Pretending to be a Jedi won't help your predicament, little boy." Ben's anger rose, and he quickly attempted to dissipate it into the force. He would not allow this woman to control him. "Step forward with your hands up so I may turn you over." Ben said confidently, but the bounty hunter did not comply. "I don't think I will be the one being handed over today, child." She said, just as a ship appeared in the sky, which Ben recognized as the notorious Slave I. "Now Boba!" the bounty hunter yelled. Ben skillfully leapt backwards just as the weapon system fired upon him, blocking a few of the shots with his lightsaber just as the bounty hunter reached her weapon.
Ben blocked a few more shots from Boba as Boba simultaneously fired off two missiles in Ben's direction, causing him to have to flip through the air to avoid them as the bounty hunter took aim, Ben's eyes widening as he realized his mistake. Too late. The stun blast reached him just as he landed, and Ben could not block it as it hit him directly in the chest. Ben doubled over, collapsing to the ground in a heap as the darkness washed over him. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
Aurra Sing smiled as the boy's body hit the ground with a soft thud. "Nice one, Boba." She said, glancing up at the ship as the young boy landed it. Aurra walked over towards the child who she had shot. A deactivated lightsaber was clutched tightly in the boy's hand, obscured partly by the huge cloak the boy wore. She slowly pried it out of his hands and hooked it to her belt as she picked the boy up and carried him towards the awaiting Slave I. "What does this boy have to do with my revenge?" Boba asked her angrily as they reached the ship and she bound Ben in stun cuffs. "Patience Boba, you'll get your vengeance on the death of your father soon. Now get the ship started up, I have to deal with this child." She stated coldly. Aurra moved to the back of the ship and set the boy down, making sure to lock the door, then she returned to the front. "Head for the Palpatine's residence." She stated as the ship took off, flying high above the vast greenery of Naboo through the blue of the Nubian sky.
Padme woke up to the sound of beeping and groaned, blinking to adjust to the bright lights. She was in a medcenter, and a concerned man stood before him. She quickly sat up, blinking into Anakin's blue eyes. "Are you alright Padme?" Anakin asked, but she shook him off. "Where's Ben? Is he with you?" Anakin glanced at Obi Wan, who stood behind him and sighed, turning back to his wife. "I'm sorry, Padme. But when we got there… Ben wasn't with you. We had the security look for him, but they weren't able to find him." Padme's heart stopped, and she turned all her anger onto Anakin. "And you didn't go look for him? You're the one who has a force bond with him, why can't you find him?" Anakin shook his head, a small tear in his eye as Obi Wan placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I tried, but I can't. All I know is that he's alive." Padme continued to glare at him as Obi Wan tried to comfort the two, and finally, she broke down. Oh Ben, where could you have gone? Worried tears continued to stream down her cheeks, and Anakin gently attempted to wipe them away while addressing his own fears. "Now that you're awake, the least you could do is tell us what happened." Obi Wan said, glancing at Padme.
She nodded, and started to explain. "Ben and I went shopping, and when we exited the shop, he told me to wait. I didn't know what it was for, so I stopped, and then the shot rang out. I don't know what happened next, but the last thing I heard was Ben's screaming before I blacked out…" She trailed off for a moment as memories and thoughts swarmed her head. Suddenly, she shot up. "The comm unit!" She said in excitement, pulling out her own as Anakin frowned. "Whoever he's with won't allow him to talk to you, it will do no good." "No, not that! He never gave Sabe back her old one when he tried to leave. Ours are connected, which means we can track the signal!" She shot up from the medical bed, despite Obi Wan's and Anakin's protests, putting on her firm senator manner. "We're going to plug it in, now." She stated, storming off towards the nearest database, where she pulled out a datapad and connected both the comm unit and the datapad to the database. After several seconds of reading, the database located the other comm unit, and Padme downloaded the tracker to the datapad, handing it to Anakin. Anakin raised his eyebrows as he saw the coordinates. "That's…" He trailed off, not wanting to say the name, which felt like vile in his mouth. "The Palpatine's residence. Just where Ben's vision was telling him to go." Anakin nodded, his face contorting in anger. "Let's go then." He stated, and they stormed out of the medical center, ignoring the medical droid's and Obi Wan's protests as he followed closely behind. I'll get you back Ben, Anakin thought. I promise.
Aurra carried Ben along through the vast halls of the elegant Palpatine residence with Boba at her side. She unceremoniously shoved the boy and his lightsaber to the ground in the living room where a smiling Dooku stood in the center next to the two red couches that were on either side of him, matching the red carpet beneath. "Please, sit. You are my master's guests, after all." Dooku stated, collecting Ben and the lightsaber into his arms and placing the still unconscious boy on the couch as he sat down next to him. Boba and Aurra reluctantly followed. "I applaud you for your work." Dooku stated, clapping his hands to a nearby servant, who moved a table forward and set two drinks down along with the bag of credits, making a clinking sound as they did so. Aurra eyed them greedily, glancing between the drink and the bag of credits. "Take a sip, it's not poisonous, I assure you. I would not do that to my favorite bounty hunters." Dooku said, grabbing his own glass and taking a sip. Aurra nodded, but moved for the credits instead, opening the bag to make sure that they were in there. "Feisty." Said Dooku as he observed the scene. "You have your prize, Dooku. I have my credits. If you do not require my services, I'll be leaving along with Boba. He has some... planning to do." Aurra replied, getting up to leave, but Dooku held up a hand. "Which is exactly why I know you would not want to leave right now." "And why is that?" Boba retorted angrily. This was the man who had watched his own father die, and had done nothing, caring nothing more than about his "investment" with the child who stood on the couch before him. "Because I know where you can find Master Windu." Dooku said, smiling.
Boba's interest piqued, and Dooku knew he had his attention. "Your father was a good man, Boba. And for once, we both have similar interests. To eliminate a Jedi master." He paused for a moment, as Boba nodded for him to continue. "There is, however, a small price." "And that is?" Aurra retorted, causing Dooku's gaze to land on her. "Simply your services. If I give you the location of Master Windu, then you must ensure the Jedi stay off of our trail. I do believe that we are indeed scheduled for a visitation soon enough." With that, Dooku pulled the comm unit out of Ben's pocket. "So I was correct in my assumption, then. Very well. In exchange for this information, you will buy me time to carter Ben off-planet, and perhaps ah… deal with a few Jedi ahead of time." Boba couldn't take it anymore, now was his chance. Without it, he may never find Windu for many years. "I'm in." He said, and Dooku smiled as he explained the mission. "The Endurance is a Republic Vessel. It will be taking off in a few days from Coruscant with Master Windu aboard. I will provide for you the time and location of its takeoff, but from there, Boba, you are on your own. I suspect you will figure something out with Aurra." Dooku said, glancing over at Aurra. "The Jedi will be here soon, and I must prepare for my leave. Thank you again for your services." Dooku sat up and pulled Ben into his arms, nodding once towards the two bounty hunters as he headed off. "Come on Boba, let's go 'buy him some time'" Aurra said with distaste, she leading the boy out towards the roof.
Ben moaned as they reached the balcony and opened his eyes, observing his surroundings. Dooku smiled once and set him down near the edge of the balcony so the two could overlook the bounty hunters' progress. A Gian speeder was approaching the residence quickly, stopping just in front of the back steps to the residence. Two lightsabers ignited, and shots rang out quickly afterwards. Ben's eyes widened as he recognized the group. "I won't let you harm them." Ben stated. "I know, young Jade…Skywalker. Which is why you will no longer be needing those." He waved his hand, and the cuffs fell to the ground. "Convince them." Dooku stated, pushing Ben's lightsaber into Ben's small hands. Ben's eyes widened, but he said nothing, taking the lightsaber into his hands and walking off towards the stairs that led down to the living room, Dooku following closely behind.
Aurra opened fire with her rifle set to full power, her shots were quickly blocked by the two lightsabers, and Aurra nodded towards Boba. "Get to the Slave I." Boba obeyed instantly, heading towards the ship as Aurra continued to fire. "She's a distraction." Anakin noted as they continued to block fire, Padme shooting her own blaster out from behind the speeder. "Get to Ben, I'll deal with her." Obi Wan stated, blocking a few shots. Anakin nodded and started to run forward, blocking shots all the way as he dove into the villa. Aurra growled as the single remaining Jedi advanced, and continued to fire shots as she retreated. The Jedi blocked them effortlessly and leapt upwards, landing perfectly on the roof. Aurra continued to back up as the Slave I arrived, firing on the Jedi. He jumped backwards, giving Aurra enough time to fire off a few more shots before retreating onto the ramp. "Close it Boba!" She shouted as the Jedi rushed forward, preparing to jump onto the ramp as it closed behind her, but Boba was faster. The ramp clicked shut just as the Jedi reached her. Obi Wan sighed and sheathed his lightsaber, resorting to the alternate option of throwing a tracking beacon on it, which hit its mark just as the ship took off. "That was close." Boba remarked as Aurra approached him, shoving him aside angrily into the other seat so she could take over the controls. "If you want your revenge, you'll have to do better than that." She growled, angling the ship to exit the atmosphere of Naboo and onward towards hyperspace. Boba winced inwardly and bit his lip, shoving aside his worries. Windu will be dead soon enough, he thought.
Anakin pushed the door open and nodded once towards Padme. "Stay close, Dooku could be in here." She nodded in return, and followed him towards the living room, but stopped as soon as she saw the familiar small figure. "Ben?" She asked, and then she noticed the figure behind him. It was Dooku. Ben's eyes widened as he saw her. "Stay back." He said, but Padme wouldn't have it. "Ben, this isn't necessary." She stated, glancing at Dooku, who smiled at her. "You're right, this isn't. Go on then, tell them." Dooku prodded Ben.
Ben hesitated for a moment, this was his chance. He could choose between his families' guaranteed safety, but his loss of existence, or the destruction of the Sith, but perhaps an eternal darkness in the future ahead. His mind swarmed for answers as Anakin ignited his lightsaber, cautiously stepping forward. He could feel the confusion in Ben's mind through their fledging bond, and took the risk to talk to Ben. 'It doesn't have to be this way, Ben. It never did.' Ben's head drifted upwards in momentary surprise as he responded. 'I'm a slave, Anakin. I always will be. A slave to conflict, a slave to the light, and a slave to the dark. He won't let me go, and I'm afraid.' The voice did not sound like that of a child, but the fear did. 'Remember what Padme said? Don't be afraid, Ben. We're right here with you, we always will be.' More emotions stirred through the bond as Ben finally nodded towards Anakin and turned to face Dooku. "I'm not afraid." He stated, catching Dooku by surprise. "If you will not submit, then I will be forced to kill them." Ben's eyes lit up with anger, and all Anakin could do was watch as Ben screamed and turned his ignited lightsaber on Dooku. Dooku laughed and brought the blade up to protect himself, blocking Ben's strikes with incredible speed. "Impressive. But you will have to try harder than that." Dooku stated, clashing his lightsaber against Ben's and turning the lightsaber lock upwards towards Ben's chest. Anakin took the moment to jump in, and Dooku was able to swiftly push out of the lock, causing Ben to stumble backwards as Dooku's lightsaber clashed against Anakin's.
Ben stumbled backwards as his lightsaber clattered to the floor behind him from the force of the blow. He growled in agitation and fused the force to grab his lightsaber, barely managing to pick himself up off the floor as he rushed towards Anakin. "Ben!" Padme yelled, and Anakin lightly force pushed him backwards towards her. She grabbed him in her arms ignoring his screams towards Anakin as he tried to escape her grasp. Padme pulled Ben towards the exit just as Obi Wan rushed through to join the duel. He nodded once towards the pair in a 'glad to see he's safe' gesture, and then took off to join his Padawan.
Padme dragged Ben towards the speeder and picked him up as she climbed in, pulling him into her lap despite his protests. "Don't make me use this again, Ben!" She stated, pulling out a syringe as he continued to kick and scream and pointing it at his neck. Ben sighed and gave in, ceasing his fit. "They're not safe." He said, glancing at the door. Padme put the syringe away and gently squeezed Ben in reassurance. "They're Jedi, Ben, they'll be fine." She said. "It's you I'm more worried about." She said, a slight smirk on her face. "And I'm not a Jedi either?" Ben asked sharply. "No, not yet. But you're something much more important." Padme said, putting a hand to his mouth before he could reply. "You're my grandson, and that is a role that is more important than any other in the entire world. I don't know what I'd do without you, Ben." Ben turned around in her lap so that her brown eyes met his blue ones. "I don't know what I'd do without you either." He said as Padme pulled him into a hug, his face pressed tightly against her chest. "I'll always be with you, Ben. I promise."
Dooku smiled as he sensed Obi Wan's presence enter the living room. "Kenobi, how kind of you to join us." He stated, not taking his eyes off of Anakin's lightsaber as the two paced one another. "You won't get away this time, Dooku." Obi Wan said. Dooku narrowed his eyes at the two Jedi, who had now joined up in the center of the living room. Obi Wan ignited his lightsaber, and the two charged. Dooku parried the first two blows as they caught on the tip of his saber with ease and slowly backed off towards the upturned chairs, spinning once to catch a swing towards his thigh by Obi Wan. "I've been looking forward to this." Dooku said with eagerness. Anakin growled at him, and the lightsabers crashed again as they dove deeper into the residence. The pace of the battle quickened as they started to enter a hallway even vaster than the entrance, sporting two staircases that led to an overlooking balcony draped with red carpet and Nubian banners. Dooku leapt upward onto the large balcony and used the force to bring down three large chandeliers on the Jedi. "Look out!" Anakin yelled to his Master, but it was too late. Obi Wan barely managed to dive out of the way as the heavy metallic structure fell on top of him, shattering glass everywhere. "Obi Wan" Anakin yelled, rushing towards his fallen Master.
His heart leapt as he checked his bond with his was alive, but unconscious. Anakin growled at Dooku and grabbed Obi Wan's lightsaber, igniting the two blades and rushing forward, leaping just in front of Dooku and clashing his two blades against Dooku's one. Dooku thrusted his lightsaber forward, pushing Anakin back against the balcony edge as he escaped through the doors behind him, which led to an open platform overlooking a large waterfall that sprung from the beneath the residence. "You won't be leaving." Anakin stated as he followed Dooku out towards the edge. "No, not until this foolish duel has finished." Anakin spun the two lightsabers around, twisting to meet Dooku's blade. Dooku blocked it, but was unable to turn as Anakin spun the blade underneath his arms, effectively cutting Dooku's hands off.
Dooku stared at his hands in shock, dropping to his knees as Anakin pressed the two blades against Dooku's throat and Dooku looked up at him, knowing what must happen, what must come. Perhaps he had failed in turning the boy over to him, but he had not failed in turning the ones that Ben was loyal too. His death would serve as the beginning for two, now, rather than one. For if Anakin turned, then Ben was sure to follow. "Do it." Dooku stated in between clenched teeth. "Strike me down." Anakin sheathed one of his blades, but kept the other against Dooku's throat. "No, I will not kill you. Leave, and don't return. You won't be bothering Ben anymore, or next time, I will not hold back." Dooku stared at Anakin, was this really the boy his Master said he was? Either way, he had failed. It was either die here, or die by the hands of his Master. Dooku bit his lip. "You are a fool if you ever think that boy will be left alone, Skywalker." Anakin narrowed his eye, his lightsaber still pointed at him as Dooku used his elbows to get up and walk towards the edge, stepping behind the railing. "Fate denies it." Before Anakin could stop him, Dooku jumped backwards off the edge, falling backwards into the valley of Naboo below.
Anakin sighed and retrieved Dooku's lightsaber, hooking it to his belt alongside his own and Obi Wan's. He reached the fallen chandelier, where an unconscious Obi Wan lied underneath, and used the force to move it. Moments later, they were outside the residence as he settled Obi Wan into the front seat, where Padme had been sitting, but had moved back along with Ben, preferring to stay close to the boy. "Is he alright?" Ben finally asked once they were all settled into their seats and the Gian speeder had taken off towards the Amidala's residence. "He'll be fine, what matters is that you're safe." Anakin said. 'Though you'll have to explain how this all happened once we get back home.' Anakin added through the force bond. 'I know', "And Dooku?" Ben asked, this time out loud so that Padme could hear. "He won't be bothering you again." Anakin replied vaguely, and Padme's eyes widened. "You didn't kill him, did you?" She asked, a look of worry on her face. "No. If anything, he did it himself." Padme noticed the vengeance in Ben's eyes as Anakin said the words and gave him a light hug. "No one deserves to die, Ben. No matter what they've done." She said, she didn't need to be a Jedi to read her grandson's eyes. "Not even Dooku." She said, giving Ben a light kiss on the cheek as the Gian speeder continued onward through the vast plains of Naboo.
Half way across the galaxy, Palpatine sensed his apprentice's death and growled in frustration, sending sparks of lightning arching to his fingers. His apprentice had failed in capturing the boy, but he would not relent. The boy's destiny was with him, he was sure of it, and unlike his apprentice, he would not relent.
The boy would be his, one way or another.
Note-Ben still has his black cloak on the entire battle. It's still a material possession attachment thing, and will likely be like that throughout the book.
Extra/Hint-I prefer to keep the future a mystery. :)