A/N: I own none of the characters, they belong to the great George Lucas. Lucky him! But, I do own Zankou, Ghanima/Chani and Alia (just three names which I'm borrowing from Frank Herbert's Children of Dune) so no stealing!
Chapter 53
Within the shadows of the Archducal Box, Ghanima sensed something. Looking behind her, she saw the shadowing figure approach. Smiling wickedly, she pulled out her lightsaber. Amid the uproar of the crowd, disappointed that the prisoners were still alive, Mace Windu ignited his lightsaber and held his to Jango's neck. Ghanima whipped around, igniting her own lightsaber and placed it to Windu's throat. Dooku turned to see Windu standing behind him, and masked his surprise elegantly.
"Master Windu, how pleasant of you to join us! You're just in time for the moment of truth. I would think these two new boys of yours could use a little more training," he mocked.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Dooku. This party's over," he replied fiercely and signaled. At strategic places around the arena, there were sudden flashes of light as about one hundred Jedi switched on their lightsabers. The crowd was suddenly silent, Dooku's lips curled in slight amusement.
"Brave, but foolish, my old Jedi friend. You're impossibly outnumbered. Stop him," he ordered Ghanima, and she held her lightsaber firmly. She looked at Windu emotionless, seeing no fear in his eyes.
"Yes, Ghanima, stop him," Windu stated coolly, nodding towards Dooku, and she twirled her lightsaber from his throat and pointed it at Viceroy. The alien backed up a bit, hands up in defense as he muttered fearfully.
"As you wish, Master," she stated ruefully, shrugging at Dooku as she stood beside Windu with the utmost confidence.
"You will die for your treason," Dooku stated vehemently, glaring at her.
"After you, Count," she retorted coldly, scowling at him now beside Windu. Ever the diplomat though, Dooku regained his regal composure quickly.
"You are still far outnumbered," he told them mockingly.
"The Geonosians aren't warriors. One Jedi has to be worth a hundred Geonosians," Windu noted, but Dooku looked around the great theater and his smile grew.
"It wasn't the Geonosians I was thinking about. How well do you think one Jedi will hold up against a thousand Battle Droids," he asked and signaled this time and thousands of Droids started to pour into all parts of the arena.
Jango suddenly fired his flamethrower at Windu and Ghanima, igniting their robes. Both of them back flipped into the arena and the battle began. Geonosians flew away in every direction as the Droids fired at Jedi, who deflected the bolts and slowly began to cut down the Droids. The Geonosian troops fired ray guns that were more difficult for the Jedi to deflect. Several Jedi ran to the center of the arena, and threw new lightsabers to Obi-Wan and Anakin.
The Reek and Nexu became spooked by the battle. The Reek bucked the riders off its back and stampeded around the arena, trampling Droids and Jedi that moved into its path. Padmé picked up a discarded pistol, and joined the fight. Among the crowd, Ghanima cut down swaths of Geonosians and Droids. She finally made her way to Obi-Wan, who had been separated from Anakin.
"Are you all right," she asked, deflecting a few blasts from a Droid that approached behind her. When he didn't respond, she turned to try to ask him again but ended up blocking the attacks of a blue lightsaber. "What are you doing? Are you crazy," she shouted as she jumped over his head, and used to Force to throw him back.
On the sand, they continued to fight one another. As Anakin was cutting Droids in half, he saw Padmé blasting away at both Droids and Geonosians. Obi-Wan suddenly lashed out and nicked Ghanima arm, causing her to drop her lightsaber.
"What is your malfunction!"
Obi-Wan glared at her, moving his lightsaber back as he stepped closer. Ghanima's eyes widened as she saw the anger in his eyes. She knew what he was going to do; he was going to decapitate her. He raised his lightsaber even higher and swung swiftly.
"Obi-Wan! Stop!"
The lightsaber stopped right at her neck, Ghanima's breath hitched in her throat. Windu ran over to them in the center of the arena and carefully helped Ghanima to her feet, leaving his companion in shock.
"She's not a Sith," he explained to the confused Jedi. "Are you all right," he asked Ghanima, handing her back her lightsaber.
"I'd be better if it wasn't for thatscruffy Nerf Herder," she quipped, nodding her head and smiling at Obi-Wan, who still seemed very confused. But there would be more time to ask questions after they got off the planet alive. The three soon fought back-to-back, swiping and mangling Droids as one unit.
Among the tiers, Jedi were slowly being driven back. They had killed heaps of Geonosians and had knocked out piles of Droids, but sheer numbers were telling. Individual Jedi were being cut down or blasted, one-by-one. The rest were retreating into the center of the arena. Anakin and Padmé were soon with the others, fighting back-to-back like everyone else.
"You call this diplomacy," he asked as he cut down even more Droids.
"No, I call it aggressive negotiations," she quipped, smiling at him as she continued to blast the borrow weapon.
While blocking at an attack near Luminara Unduli, Ghanima noted C-3PO's rusty and wired body with a Battle Droid head entering the arena. Immediately, the Droid was fired upon and knocked back and the Battle Droid head went flying off C-3PO's body. She hesitated a moment, in total amusement at the sight, then went back to deflecting attacks. Meanwhile, Padmé jumped on top of the Orray pulling the execution wagon, and Anakin jumped to land in the cart. As he deflected laser blasts with his lightsaber, Padmé blasted Battle Droids as the two rode through the arena.
The Battle Droid body with C-3PO's head entered the arena this time, carrying a blaster rifle. He was so frightened to find himself in a battle, announcing that he was just a Protocol Droid and that he didn't want to be destroyed. Lucky for him, Jedi Kit Fisto used the Force to knock the C-3PO Battle Droid backwards onto the arena floor. A downed Super Battle Droid fell on top of C-3PO's Battle Droid body, pinning him to the ground.
The two Jedi Masters, Ghanima and Luminara continued to fight back-to-back, lightsabers flashing. The Reek suddenly charged, and separated the foursome. The Reek chased Windu across the arena, the Master slashing at the Reek but he soon lost his lightsaber. Jango, watching from above, rocketed down into the arena to battle with Windu.
P.S.: Three pages total.
