Part Four
1 Year Later
Asajj Ventress observed with worried eyes the Coruscant sky. Above her head, in the planet orbit, Republican and Separatist warships were still fighting, as the occasional coloured flashes of ion cannon fire indicated.
She watched around from the control centre near the Senate. The land invasion of Coruscant by the Separatists' droid army had been blocked, but not before it had caused incalculable damages, to both people and things.
Galactic City was burning in several areas and half destroyed buildings stood where only hours before towers and skyscrapers had been. Medical ships and fireships crossed the sky incessantly, trying to save as many people as possible and to stop the fires from spreading.
"Incoming message!" her communication officer exclaimed. "An orbital outpost reports a ship has just entered Coruscant's atmosphere, and it's coming in too fast, losing pieces from the hull."
"Quick! We need to track its trajectory to see where it's directed," Asajj ordered and the clones busied themselves with calculations, until one cried, "Look at that!"
Raising her eyes, Asajj saw the ship coming down, its hull surrounded by flames. It didn't even look like a warship…but just a part of it.
"I caught their transmission!" The communication officer interjected. "It's General Kenobi! His code verifies, Skywalker is with him—and they have Chancellor Palpatine!"
"Understood," Asajj feigning a calm she was far from feeling. Obi-Wan was on that thing! But, at least, Skywalker was with him…
Despite her dislike for Anakin Skywalker, the fact the young Jedi was on board that ship made her hope that things might turn out for the best. If there was someone able to land that bulk of flaming, shapeless metal, that one was Skywalker.
"Report it to Head Quarters," she ordered to the communication officer.
"Yes, Commander! Head Quarters? This is Control Centre 2B-1A. We have an incoming transmission. Generals Kenobi and Skywalker and Chancellor Palpatine have just entered into the atmosphere. Their ship is damaged and they require assistance."
"What they need, tell us," Master Yoda's voice answered. "Contact them directly, we cannot."
"They need fireships," the clone answered promptly. "If they don't get the burnoff under control, there won't be enough hull left to make the surface. And a hardened docking platform, the strongest available. This won't be a landing, it will be a controlled crash. Repeat: a controlled crash."
"Heard and understood this is," Master Yoda acknowledged, as Asajj ran out of the Control Centre to board a gunship. As the clone talked, the Force had indicated to her the perfect landing place for the burning ship, and she simply knew it was where Yoda would direct Skywalker.
She commanded the pilot to direct to the industrial area of Coruscant, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on the contorted, burned hull, still coming down too fast across Coruscant sky, until it disappeared beyond a group of tall skyscrapers.
"Please be all right, Obi-Wan," Asajj murmured under breath. She didn't even want to think what she would do should he die in the crash.
She didn't need to.
Asajj already knew what she would do; she would kill herself in order to be with Obi-Wan again in the Force.
She knew herself well enough to be aware that, should she survive him, her rage and desire of revenge against those responsible for his death would take hold of her. Her darker side had been tamed, controlled, but not conquered.
Her Jedi training had not progressed much during the past year. She had learned how to control herself in battle and little else. Spending months fighting in the Outer Rim -- trying to stay alive to fight another day, negotiating treaties, building outposts and the like -- let little time for teaching sessions.
Yet, despite everything, the previous year had been one of the happiest periods of Asajj's life, for she had been doing something she could be proud of, and she had been doing it at Obi-Wan's side.
During the days, they had fought together. During the nights, they had made love and found a little peace in each other's arms.
The only thorn in her happiness – aside from Dooku's continued existence – had been her relationship, or lack of, with Anakin Skywalker.
Asajj had made an effort to get along with the young Jedi, but Skywalker's continued hostility and his jealousy regarding her master/padawan relationship with Obi-Wan, had made it impossible to become more than two colleagues that barely spoke to each other.
The gunship finally came in sight of Coruscant's vast industrial area, and Asajj let out a relieved breath when she saw the ship – or what was left of it – was still in one piece.
By the time they landed, Obi-Wan, Chancellor Palpatine and Skywalker had exited the still smoking hull and were now welcomed by Mace Windu.
Asajj took a moment to bask in the sight of the man she loved. She had not seen him in the flesh for the past two months, since she had been critically wounded on Boz Pity and she had been sent to the Jedi Temple to recover.
Boz Pity had been one of the worst episodes of the whole war. Almost the entire Jedi Council had travelled there, along with other knights, in order to capture Grievous and Dooku, and they had failed. Several Jedi had been killed, including Master Adi Gallia, and many more had been wounded, while their enemies escaped. Asajj felt blessed she was still alive and on her feet, while so many others had died or had been permanently maimed.
Asajj observed the scene as she walked closer to the group of Jedi.
Chancellor Palpatine's robes were scorched and tattered at the hem, and he seemed weak; he leaned a bit on Skywalker's shoulder as they moved away from the ship.
Asajj knew that Obi-Wan didn't like the relationship between his former Padawan and the politician, but it was now too late to do something about it. Skywalker was a Knight and Obi-Wan could no longer order him around. It would take a Council order to stop Skywalker from seeing the Chancellor, and even so it was unlikely it would work out, for Palpatine could still request to see the young Jedi.
Asajj studied Skywalker. She sensed something different in him, but she could not explain what it was. Some new ease, new confidence. An aura of inner power, maybe.
Shrugging the sensation off, Asajj stood by Mace Windu's gunship and waited for the moment she would be free to greet Obi-Wan.
"Chancellor," Windu was saying. "Are you well? Do you need medical attention?"
"There is no need, Master Windu, I feel fine." Palpatine answered. "Thank you."
Windu nodded. "Master Kenobi? Anakin?"
"Never better," Skywalker replied, looking as if he meant it, while Obi-Wan touched his head and winced.
"Only a bump on the head. That field surgery unit I see over there must be needed elsewhere."
It was then that Obi-Wan's eyes posed on Asajj, and they flashed briefly with pleasure and love.
Later, they seemed to say, before they returned to concentrate on Master Windu.
"Chancellor, there is a shuttle ready for you. We'll have you on the Senate floor within the hour," the Korun master was saying. "The Holonet has already been notified that you will want to make a statement."
"I will certainly do so," answered Palpatine. "Thank you, Master Windu. You have always been of great value to me."
"The Jedi are honoured to serve the Senate, sir," Windu answered and even from that distance, Asajj could not miss the slight emphasis he put on the word Senate. As she had learned during her stay on Coruscant, while she had served at Windu's command, the dark skinned master had no great sympathy for the Chancellor.
"Is there anything else to report, Master Kenobi? What of Dooku and General Grievous?" Windu asked.
"Count Dooku is dead," Skywalker commented, with just a hint of smugness.
"Dead?" Master Windu looked from Anakin to Obi-Wan and back again. "Is this true? You killed Count Dooku?"
"My young friend is too modest; he killed Count Dooku." Smiling, Obi-Wan touched his head. "I was...taking a nap."
Asajj stared ahead. Dooku was dead. The man that had lied to her, that had directed her hate against Obi-Was fully knowing he had been her master, was gone. It was wonderful news, even if she had hoped to be the one to kill him.
"This is the best news I've heard in a very long time, Anakin—how did you do it?" Windu asked, recalling her attention.
Skywalker reacted strangely to the question. He looked distinctly uncomfortable and instead of meeting Windu's eyes, his gaze flicked to Palpatine.
Asajj frowned. That was going on? Somehow she didn't think this was modesty. Skywalker's ego was big, and Palpatine's continuous praises, had made it even bigger.
No, there was something out of place in the situation, but the Force gave no hints about what it could be.
Apparently, Master Windu too had sensed something amiss, for he commented in a meaningful tone, "I'm sure the Council will be very interested in your full report, Anakin."
That's a report I would love to read, Asajj thought. Then a smile bent her lips. Maybe I will find a way to convince Obi-Wan to show it to me…
"We must also report that Grievous escaped," Obi-Wan said ruefully. "He was a coward as usual."
Windu accepted this news with a nod. "But he is just a military commander. Without Dooku to hold the coalition together, the Separatists will splinter, and they know it." He looked straight into the Supreme Chancellor's eyes. "This is our best chance to pursue peace. We can end this war right now."
"I'm afraid peace is out of the question while Grievous is at large," Palpatine answered. "Dooku was the only one able to control Grievous. With the Count gone, the general is free to unleash a rampage across the galaxy. I'm afraid that, far from being over, this war is about to get a great deal worse."
"What about Darth Sidious?" Obi-Wan interjected. "Dooku's death should oblige him to make some move. He is without an apprentice now."
"We will make sure he won't find another," Windu said pointedly, clearly indicating he didn't want to discuss the matter in front of Palpatine. "In the meantime, the Jedi will make the capture of General Grievous our particular task. This war has gone on far too long already. We will find him, and this war will end."
"I have no doubt of it," Palpatine agreed, as the four men moved toward the shuttle that would bring them to the Senate Building and the Jedi Temple.
As they passed by the gunship, Obi-Wan motioned with his hand, a Master beckoning his Padawan to join him. Asajj fell in step at his side, as they exchanged just a brief smile.
There would be more time later for a warmer and more intimate welcome.
Asajj couldn't wait for it.