ME: Time for an update. Warning: VERY AU fate for a certain character ahead. This story's already AU, but even though I'll still probably get criticized over it I feel obligated as a profession to warn you guys.
Where were the Republic and their Jedi thugs when Lythian pirates stole from, raped, and murdered us? Where was Master Yoda when Trandoshan slavers kidnapped our loved ones to be sold like livestock? What have we gotten for paying taxes to the Republic? When have we been rewarded for our loyalty?
(Alto Stratus, Chairman of the Jabiimi Nationalist Party, speaking at a pro-Confederate rally held in Choal, the capital city of Jabiim)
Chad groaned as he awoke and found that he was handcuffed.
Kriff.
To the Jedi Knight's relief, he could still sense Serra. Looking over, he saw that she was lying on a bed and had her hands were restrained behind her back by binders as well.
"Serra, you okay?" Chad asked.
She grunted. "Yeah, I got hit by an electrolaser round. Some Mando jackass shot you with ICE bullets."
He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, give that Mando some credit. Smart people go Jedi hunting with slugthrowers, not blasters."
Before Serra could retort, the door to their cell opened and a man in gray and blue Mandalorian armor appeared.
"On your feet, both of you," the Mandalorian said.
Chad said, "Alright," and struggled to his feet. The man kept his twin pistols trained on the two of them.
"Now march, Jetiise. And be grateful you two got shot by an ICE rifle and an electrolaser instead of a PEP laser."
Serra and Chad left their cell as ordered and saw another Mandalorian, this one a woman in green and blue armor.
Chad said, "Hey, Mando?"
"Shut up."
"Hey," he continued, "I was just asking if there were any other prisoners."
"The third Jedi and the Senator are being tried by Archduke Poggle for espionage, the murder of soldiers of the Geonosian Hive Army, destruction of property of the Geonosian Hive, illegal entry into Geonosis, and trespassing on property of the Geonosisian Hive. You two have already been found guilty of those crimes and sentenced to indefinite indentured servitude."
Chad's eyes widened immediately. "This is bullshit!" he snapped.
"Yeah!" Serra added. "How the fuck were they able to sentence us? We haven't had a trial!"
The female Mandalorian grunted. "Kids, this ain't Coruscant. I don't know how you aruetiise do it on the Planet of Lights, but out here the Geonosians have trial by magistrate and you apparently don't have to be present in court for a trial. Now take a left."
Eventually the Jedi and Mandalorians made it to a balcony. There they found Count Dooku along with three Geonosians (two who were undoubtedly guards due to their sonic rifles, while the third looked like a VIP), a young Human boy with dark hair and eyes, and Viceroy Nute Gunray.
"Chad, Serra..." Dooku nodded politely. "You two have gotten older."
Chad glared at his former caretaker. "What. Happened. To. My. Brother?"
Gunray, of all people, spoke next. "The other Jedi, along with Senator Amidala, has been found guilty of crimes against the Geonosian Hive," he said without tact, "and sentenced to death. The two will be publicly executed by monsters along with the Jedi we captured earlier very soon. Personally, I'd have just gotten it over with and shot them. This is taking too long."
"Patience is a virtue, Viceroy," Dooku chided.
Chad shook his head. "I thought you were an idealist, Count. Not a murderer."
The Serenno noble shook his head. "I had no hand in selecting the method of execution, Chad. This is a Geonosian tradition, and since Geonosis is independent of the Confederacy I could not overrule the judgment of Archduke Poggle. Besides, the five of you all entered Geonosis illegally, and both you and Serra have Geonosian blood on your hands. It was a miracle to be able to get the Archduke to sentence the two of you to indentured servitude instead of execution, my boy. I hope you two will not make me regret my decision, but rest assured, Chad, that both of you will be treated appropriately for as long as I live."
Serra: "So we're supposed to be grateful that Padmé and Anakin are gonna die while we live? What about the assassin who tried to murder Padmé and fled here? What about your planned invasion of Coruscant?"
Dooku sighed and put a hand on Serra's shoulder as though he was her grandfather. "The Republic cannot be fixed, my dear. It's time to start over."
*CUT TO: EXECUTION ARENA*
"I was wondering if you got my message," Obi-Wan told his Padawan as he and Senator Amidala were chained to their pillars.
Anakin grunted and said, "We retransmitted, just like you asked. Then Padmé decided we should rescue you."
"Good job," Obi-Wan said sarcastically.
"You are welcome, Master."
The Geonosian Archduke, Poggle, spoke in his native language and the crowd cheered.
Three beasts were then brought out into the open; a nexu, an acklay, and a reek.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Anakin commented.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "We'll be fine, just be evasive."
"What about Padmé?"
The Senator in question had uncuffed herself and began climbing up her pillar. "She seems to be on top of things."
The acklay tried to stab Obi-Wan to death with its pincers, but he not only dodged the pincers but managed the acklay to break his chain.
Looking over to check on his Padawan, Obi-Wan saw Anakin dodge the reek, get on top of it, and use its strength to free himself.
Amidala had the worst luck; though the nexu hadn't harmed her, it kept the Senator confined to the top of the pillar.
Stealing a weapon from one of the Geonosian guards with the Force, Obi-Wan stabbed the acklay in the head and killed it while Anakin got the reek to stab the nexu and kill it.
*CUT TO: HALLWAY TO BALCONY*
Mace Windu felt the familiar prescence of Chad in the Force and used it to guide him.
What Jedi that could be spared were selected as part of a strike force to arrest Dooku and his fellow conspirators rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi. Accompanying them were Antarian Rangers, a paramilitary group that aided the Jedi Order.
Accompanying Mace was a ten-man squad of Rangers and two other Jedi-Master Glaive, a burly and gruff male Human, and Padawan Zule Xiss, a temperamental and abrasive female Falleen.
Once they were in position, Mace signaled Glaive, who promptly ignited his lightsaber and held his blade to a Mandalorian's neck. The two Geonosians turned around but were hit by stun bolts before they could fire. A second Mandalorian did not surrender but held her fire, probably out of concern for her comrade.
"This party's over, Dooku," he said.
Dooku frowned as Mace sliced off Chad and Keto's binders off. Padawan and Knight thanked him before recovering their lightsabers from their former captor's belt. "What is the meaning of this, Master Windu?" Dooku said. "This is not Republic soil."
"Count Dooku, you are to surrender now," Mace warned. "Your crimes include the attempted murder of a Senator and the attempted murder of two Jedi."
Dooku tapped at a comlink on his wrist. "Reinforcements are on their way," said the older man. "I suggest you stand down now, Master Windu."
"Dooku," Mace said through gritted teeth, "this is your last chance to surrender peacefully."
"I refuse to beg like a coward, Master Jedi."
The second-in-command of the Jedi Council sighed. Dooku hadn't drawn his lightsaber, but Mace knew he was more than just an old man with legitimate complaints about the stagnant bureaucracy of the Republic. He was quite possibly at least a Dark Jedi now, and Dooku had not surrendered.
"Very well."
With one swing, Mace decapitated the former Jedi Master.
Both Glaive and Xiss were visibly shocked, evidently not expecting Dooku to be beheaded. Chad and Keto looked on in sadness. Gunray recoiled in horror (probably more due to the decapitation itself rather than because of any attachment to Dooku), while a young boy Mace now noticed vomited.
The Mandalorian Glaive held at saberpoint put his hands up. "Hey, my wife and I just work here!" he said.
"Yeah," said the second Mandalorian, evidently the first one's wife. "These guys are so barbaric, we can't wait to leave!"
ME: A/N: I said this was gonna be VERY AU. This chapter is dedicated to Sir Christopher *insert something I deleted out of decorum* Lee, a badass who probably could give Chuck Norris a run for his money. Besides being a prolific actor, Sir Lee volunteered to defend Finland from Soviet aggression, was a member of the British Special Forces, and helped hunt down Nazi war criminals. He also kept Dooku from begging for his life, even getting the script changed, because he did not believe Dooku would beg for his life.
Giving Dooku the best AU death I could for this story was the least I could do for such a great man. Dooku, for all his faults, actually died with dignity and had class so few villains have.
Now, don't think the Seps/CIS are gonna fold like a deck of cards. While the Seps did lose their founder, it'd be trivial for them to make propaganda and turn Dooku into a martyr. Plus some other Sith could take Dooku's place as Sidious's Dragon-in-Chief until Anakin was ready to takeover.
On the brightside, Jango lives!
Also, does anyone else notice that *spoilers* Stratus was kinda overpowered in the Republic Clone Wars comics? I mean, come on, all he has besides his repulsor boots is a sword (which probably is just a regular sword and isn't made of beskar or cortosis), a shield (which Anakin promptly sliced in half), and a pistol he rarely uses. The dude doesn't even wear armor but he somehow is able to be an efficient strategist in spite of no mentioned command experience. Whereas Durge is practically a mortal version of Satan when it comes to sheer evil and ability to recover, Ventress is an elite Dark Jedi, Grievous is a fucking cyborg with lightsabers (and apparently was a Badass Normal before becoming a cyborg in Legends), and Pre Vizsla is a Proud Warrior Race Guy who wears beskar'gam, isn't above using gadgets in one-on-one combat, and even wields a lightsaber.
I had Coruscant nicknamed "The Planet of Lights" because it's a city-covered planet.
Mace took Dooku's head off out of pragmatism. He was willing to decapitate Jango after disarming him, and an ex-friend named ForFutureReference (who I hope to reconnect with) said it would be too hard to take Jango captive and he could've used his suit to attack Mace. So if that's fine, killing Dooku for refusing to surrender is therefore justifiable homicide. Of course, Jango shouldn't have wasted time going for Mace's lightsaber and just shot his ass. Or just stay on the balcony and guard his client.
Padmé avoided getting slashed by the nexu because it was stupid Fanservice as CinemaSins pointed out. Also, realistically her wounds would have significant risks like blood loss and infection.
As for the Fetts being all, "Screw this, we're outta here!"...Mace decapitated Dooku. No client means no reason for Mandalorian mercs to want to stay. Boba vomited because an old man was decapitated in front of him, and when he laughed in AOTC I've noted he didn't know Obi-Wan at all really and it was space combat, not cauterized beheadings.
Now to finish Battlefront: Twilight Company. It's better than the new game (which apparently features no campaign, and no, not even the awesome option of playing as a female Stormtrooper could redeem the new game if that's true). Also, imagine Serra as being at least 5'11; y'all can thank my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 for that.
I finished this late at night, so I hope you guys liked this. Hell, I accidentally posted this on TECD. Thank you for your attention.