Windu kept the hatch grip in a death clutch. His grim expression hardened against the wind gusts.
Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto kept themselves rooted in place with the force, rather than grip anything with a clutch of death like he was. Neither decided to shield their eyes from the glare of the orbital mirrors that concentrated Corsuscant's daylight, and Kit Fisto looked into the glare before he narrowed his eyes, trying to keep his anxiousness at bay.
Windu focused his eyes on Shaak Ti after a few moments and decided not to comment about her staring out the window with rapt attention, trying very hard to look as if she wasn't searching for a particular life-force.
To try and hide it was foolish. Shaak Ti radiated relief and excitement so intensely that Windu could hear the thunder of her heartbeat in the force. He sighed softly, closing his eyes. He had too good of an idea whose face she was hoping to see.
But, then again if Anakin's report was correct that meant Count Dooku was in his custody. The Republic achieved three critical victories in the war effort and captured the Head of State of the Confederacy.
Windu kept that same thundering heartbeat at bay, for he knew it was too soon. Even if he wanted to rejoice, now was not the time.
"Do you think he really did it?" Kit Fisto broke the deafening silence. "Anakin, I mean."
"If he did, it's a miracle if I've ever seen one." Windu admitted.
"Is it okay for us to relax, though? What if Dooku allowed himself to be caught?" Shaak Ti asked.
Windu's eyes focused outside. The gunship turned in a swift arc and roared over intersections of the bottomless city-scape that made the Galactic Capital so famous. It turned again, sharper, and speared straight for the industrial zone with no care of the rigid traffic laws that governed flight on Coruscant.
Martial law was officially in effect, and until it was officially lifted by the Senate, the skies of Coruscant would only have Republic military craft, Jedi transports, and emergency vehicles flying through them.
This particular gunship was all three and more, because it was capable of going outside of the planet's atmosphere to the nearest moon that orbited Coruscant if need be.
"I do not know what there would be to gain from allowing himself to be captured. He is the Head of State of the CIS. Without him acting as the glue..." Windu trailed off.
"Only time will tell with that one..." Kit Fisto himself trailed off.
Shaak Ti massaged her montral carefully, closing her eyes.
They spotted the warships without much trouble on the landing platform. The Vigilance proudly towering over everything else nearby. The clones disembarking with precision along with their hover-tanks and Jadthu-Class Landers made it all the easy to spot.
Windu seen Obi Wan and Cody disembark. He seen Cadus and Padme disembark. He seen Anakin disembark with his prisoner.
Windu shook his head.
These five again.
It was always these five getting into the most trouble.
They always did the impossible.
Anakin, Padme, Cadus, Obi Wan, and Cody.
Who else could have brought in Count Dooku? Who else could have mortally wounded Grievous and liberate Utapau? Who else could have defeated Ventress and liberate Naboo? Who could have repelled those invasion forces? Who else could have even come close to doing any of those things?
If his eyes were seeing right, Anakin did the impossible and captured Dooku.
The gunship swung in for a landing, repulsors howling. Windu hopped out long before it ever had the chance to settle for a landing, and gave the pilot an open-palm gesture. The pilot, faceless within his helmet, responded with a closed fist.
Across the platform, another ship came streaking in for a landing, and a moment later the Supreme Chancellor was stepping out of the ship along with his Royal Guard all on the deck before his ship, closely followed by the Chancellor himself.
The five people of the hour were moving slowly, gathering their scruples, checking on each other, laughing, joking, rough housing, and being thankful the other was alive and well. They spoke among themselves and shared their war stories as of recently.
Windu moved as fast as he could to meet them. Dooku's robes were scorched and tattered, and he seemed weak. He had no hands and his light-saber was not on his person. He was trying to not lean on Anakin, but it was clear he wanted to move into his shoulder a bit when they began to walk.
Obi Wan seemed to be in a similar condition.
The Jedi Master and Cody were both caked with dust, dirt, grime, blood, and leaking a trickle of blood from just not a scalp wound, but a small gash to his temple. Cody also had a small gash, but he was toughing it out thanks to victory.
Skywalker and Cadus didn't look like the Holonet heroes they were famed to be. Their bodies were bare. Their hair was wild, and both stood tall, like two Bull Rancors going on the hunt as a team. Both had the clear signs of massive bleeding on their faces.
Anakin's arms and legs had the telltale signs of light-saber burns, but miraculously, there was no sign of damage to his form, only his tattered robe told the tale.
"Masters Kenobi and Cadus. Anakin, Commander Cody, and Senator Amidala. Are you all well?"
"Do any of you need medical attention?" Shaak Ti cut to the chase, giving Cadus a quick look.
He met her eyes.
She gestured over her shoulder at the waiting gunship.
"We have everything for a field surgery and the Halls of Healing at the Temple are ready as well. Master Vokara Che and Barriss Offee are ready if you guys need it. Master Unduli went out to retrieve more healing crystals, but she will be back in two standard nights."
"No. I think Cody and I can savor in our victory." Obi Wan said.
"Thank you Master Shaak Ti, but I am well. Quite well, thanks to Master Cadus. He protected Naboo's sovereignty and ensured no harm came to me, or the people of Naboo." Padme replied with grace.
Shaak Ti nodded even more gracefully.
"Master Cadus? Anakin? You both look like you could go for a dip in a bacta tank and have some medical expertise right here as well." Windu ventured, gaze hardening.
"Just a few scratches, I'm fine." Anakin replied easily.
Cadus brushed his own face, wounds fresh, remembering the crimson mask it had been. "The worst of my wounds are taken care of thanks to bacta. The people of Naboo are quite advanced in their medicine and healing. Once Anakin and I get cleaned up we'll look good as new, for the most part."
The two shared a smirk.
Windu just narrowed his eyes.
"That field surgery is needed elsewhere. Pain is the best part of savoring the victory. We've been through worse than this, Master Windu." Cody said with a wry smile, keeping with the honorific.
"I still insist you all get medical attention by the end of the week. Go to the Halls of Healing and meet with Master Vokara Che and young Barriss when debriefing is over and you have time. I don't want anything to happen to any of you. Commander Cody and Senator Amidala, you are both welcome to our medical facilities if you both need it." Windu said, keeping his tone even.
"Thank you." Padme bowed her head a little, amicable.
Cody just settled on a mild salute.
Windu went to the gunship, relayed orders to the trooper piloting it, then waved off the gunship watching it speed toward the Senate Rotunda in the growing violets and blues that signaled it was almost night.
"A shuttle is on its way to take us to where we need to go. Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Amidala, we'll have you both on the Senate floor within the hour. A Clone and Republic contingent of soldiers has been sent to meet us there as well with Jedi Master Plo Koon. The HoloNet has already been notified that you both will be making statements regarding the capture of Count Dooku, the liberation of Naboo, the liberation of Utapau, and what this means for the galaxy moving forward..."
Windu trailed off, staring at Count Dooku.
He had no words.
"I will give a fine speech. A rousing speech, yes. Indeed, for we have the treasure of the CIS right in our hands. The Head of State himself." Palpatine grinned at Dooku.
Palpatine touched Windu, Anakin, and Cadus on the arms.
"You and the Jedi have always been of great use to me, a great help indeed in these dire times. Masters Cadus and Obi Wan and gallant Skywalker, you are all heroes of the Republic. You are our saviors. You are our heroes."
"The Jedi are honored to serve the Senate, sir." Windu replied, with the slightest emphasis on the word Senate.
"We are glad that we are so...Useful." Cadus said, looking off far away.
Anakin, Cody, and Obi Wan settled on nodding.
Cadus moved his arm away from Palpatine's hand, while silently, Anakin did the same thing. The two exchanged looks, not sure what to make of it. Mace remained expressionless as he was last to, more subtly, move away from the Chancellor's hand.
"Is there anything else to report, Masters Kenobi and Cadus? Anakin? What of General Grievous and Ventress?"
"Count Dooku was close to the core of Rhen Var. But, I am happy to report that I shut down the operation for good."
Windu couldn't trace the expression Anakin had at the moment. Proud, calm, valiant, brave, yet wary. On edge. Agitated. There was a sense of...Anger in his expression, in the way his eyes flickered, and in how his body tensed.
"How did you do it, Anakin." Windu looked from Anakin to Dooku and back again.
Dooku was the Head of State for the Separatists in the same way Palpatine was Chancellor of the Republic.
Count Dooku was the one holding together a galaxy-spanning legion of selfish bureaucrats, capitalists, politicians, business owners, moguls, dark acolytes, and self motivated driven individuals with equally ruthless associates.
With Dooku in custody, the CIS would no longer be a Confederacy at all.
It would splinter within days. They'd go to war with themselves. Those trained in the ways of the sith would war for power within the crumbling CIS.
In the end, their actions would destroy it.
The sith would destroy themselves, like always.
Windu was beyond overwhelmed.
"This is the best news I've heard since...Since I can't remember. Anakin, how did you do it?"
Anakin looked a little flustered and conflicted, remembering the fury that had been clenched in his will, that raging voice that drove him to eviscerate Dooku, but not before utterly humiliating him on every level possible.
To make the man beg. To make him plead. To make him realize that all of his wealth, stature, knowledge, skill, power, and everything else meant nothing before Anakin Skywalker. Then he would take that blue and red fire and sweep Dooku's head clear off with both.
"I...I'm not sure."
Windu blinked, not sure what to say.
Anakin shrugged a little. "The force?"
Windu nodded just a little, keeping his expression stoic.
"I guess the force guided my blade and allowed me to take Count Dooku into custody to pay for his crimes, rather than beheading him. I had the chance to kill him, but it is not the Jedi way. Besides, his pride is in tatters and he can't spin and dance around with a light-saber anymore so I'm satisfied. He can get the full sentence and spend the rest of his time rotting away in containment and obscurity. He deserves it for everything that he's done."
Palpatine cleared his throat, giving a sharp look to no one in particular.
"I am sure it was quite the extraordinary show of elan and valor, Anakin. I know nothing about swordsmanship except the basics, but...It seems that Count Dooku has been a little too overconfident in his offensive expertise lately and has finally overestimated it, the first and most fatal mistake in any duel. Especially after having disposed of so many Jedi so neatly these past few months with little effort on his part. It must make you furious, Count, to know someone sixty years your junior has taken your hands and left you so...Sorry."
Dooku scowled, his glare as venomous as his words.
"Chancellor Palpatine...Perhaps young Skywalker was just more motivated and that is what made the difference. Maybe if he wasn't so passive aggressive like the rest of the indolent Jedi, and you Chancellor, you decadent fool, if you hadn't manipulated him so...My head would be rolling right now somewhere on Rhen Var and he would be here."
Anakin would have taken his first step to embracing the dark side-far ahead of schedule as well.
Never mind his strange force abilities that had trapped him...
He wasn't going to acknowledge that.
Palpatine turned a fond smile upon Anakin before glowering at Dooku.
"Of course Anakin was going to defeat you. You were fighting for your own selfish and nefarious reasons. For the capitalist cause no doubt. You were fighting for greed, to keep the promise you gave to those mega corporations whose avarice and lust are destroying everything the Republic was built on. Anakin was fighting, if I may say this Cadus, as I know you made the words famous-to protect precious lives. Young Anakin was fighting for, if I may say, a friend, his friends, his comrades, and everyone he holds dear. He was fighting for the Republic."
Fighting for the Republic.
Mace's scowl darkened.
Fine words.
Protecting precious lives.
Fine words.
Protecting precious lives is what Cadus stood on-what the man believed in, what was his creed, what made him so powerful, what made him so approachable with Jedi youngsters, perhaps no truer words had ever been spoken by any Jedi, but Windu didn't like hearing them coming from the mouth of Palpatine.
Palpatine calling Anakin his friend was...
All of those words were just tainted.
Fighting for the Republic sounded too much like fighting for me. Protecting precious lives sounded too much like furthering my own agenda. Calling Anakin a friend meant that he could manipulate the young man and only considered him as such because he was useful.
Differing to Cadus meant that they were on mutual terms.
No one on the Jedi Council had ever been comfortable with Anakin's nor Cadus's close relationship with the Chancellor, and Cadus's had started long before Palpatine became Chancellor of the Republic. They had been close since before Palpatine was a Senator of Naboo in his youth.
There were too many conversations about it while Anakin had still been Obi Wan's Padawan and far too many to count with Cadus in private over the decades.
"The Jedi Council is very interested in hearing your full reports. Anakin, Master Cadus, and Master Kenobi."
Cadus sighed softly and looked into the twilight.
Obi Wan raked a hand through his hair.
"Of course, Master Windu." Anakin replied, strangely amicable.
"I must report that Grievous escaped. He is as cowardly as ever. But, I managed to wound him severely, if we fight him one more time he is finished." Obi Wan said.
"That is great news." Palpatine rejoiced.
"Ventress evaded capture, but I don't think she is the real threat here. It is the one pulling her strings and the strings of Dooku. They were quite firm about Naboo establishing a dynasty once more."
Cadus fixed Dooku with a flinty gaze before he focused the same flinty gaze onto Palpatine.
Cody spoke up before the bridge was crossed too soon.
"Those Seps left a network of battle droids in the sinkhole systems of Utapau. We got rid of all of them, but there were a lot. I'm going to say we need some advancements in our weapons and vehicles, because if estimates were right in our ship's systems-that hive system can be funneled through and around an entire planet. There can also be more than one hive system inside another one. That's over eight hundred trillion droids in total, and it keeps increasing until it is well beyond quadrillion."
"They can be funneled under and inside a planet's surface." Anakin interjected with a little hast, looking sheepish.
"Really?" Cody arched a brow.
"It was the same on Utapau on that one platform." Obi Wan noted.
"The one we blew to pieces?"
"That very one. Because the hive was actually inside of the platform."
Anakin shook his head in disbelief, still managing to speak.
"I was close to the core. Had to crush a whole bunch of droids, brought the whole place down around, over, and under me. Count Dooku had trillions of droids, and they weren't just the B1 or B2 lanky droids. There were MagnaGuards. There were Droideka. There were Super Battle Droids."
"Of course. You walked right into the nest." Obi Wan laughed.
"Knocked it down, too." Anakin smirked a little.
Windu accepted the statements with a wary nod.
"Grievous is just is a warlord with a near endless military. The same can be said for Ventress and anyone else foolish enough to listen to this fallen Jedi before us. Without Dooku to hold the so-called righteous coalition together, these independent systems will begin to battle each other, these so called sith will battle each other, and they know it in their hearts. They are motivated by capitalism and greed and are doomed for failure and internal strife because of that."
Windu looked Palpatine in the eye.
"This is our best chance to press the CIS for peace. We can end this war right now before it goes on too long. We have Dooku in our custody, we can use him to bargain with the CIS. They can't refuse us at this point, not with these crippling losses, let us not forget they lost three fleets in one battle."
"I am in agreement with Master Windu. Now is the time we pressure the CIS for peace and we ratify a treaty-with Dooku in our hands there is nothing they can do. They would have to be reasonable and wish to talk things out." Padme added on.
Because then Palpatine wouldn't have his way.
She was going to make things very complicated for him.
Windu reached into the force.
The world around him became a crystal, a cold gem of reality shot through with flaws, people, possibilities, scenarios, endless variations and fault lines of endless depth that could take him all eternity to navigate.
This was Windu's particular gift and what made him so powerful.
Shatterpoint.