Chapter 49
The gunship quickly carried its passengers away from the arena and across what was fast becoming a battlefield. The four Jedi and senator could see a mass of white-armored clone troopers led by Jedi wielding lightsabers charging ahead to meet advancing battle droids. Blaster bolts whizzed by the gunship as a thick haze of smoke settled over the area. Explosions began to rock the vessel.
"Hold on!" Obi-Wan called as all onboard steadied themselves.
Nearby, they could see several starships preparing to take off. "Aim right above the fuel cells," Anakin ordered as the pilots took aim at the target.
"Good call," Xanatos commended as the vessel exploded.
The gunship continued to lay down cover fire for the troops below as its occupants watched the steadily growing chaos in disbelief.
"You are actually a lot like I was at your age – not really a warrior, but a thinker, a strategist … something that will be needed in the coming days."
Dooku's words reverberated through Ben's mind. This is what the former Jedi master had been speaking of … war. Unless something was done to squelch it right here on Geonosis, it would spread across the galaxy like a wildfire fanned by strong winds.
"Look over there," Obi-Wan called.
All turned to see Count Dooku speeding away on a swoop bike, his cloak flapping wildly behind him. He was flanked and protected by two droid vessels.
"It's Dooku!" Anakin called. "Shoot him down!
"We're out of ordinance, sir," the clone captain replied as Anakin let out a deep sigh of frustration.
"Follow him," Xanatos commanded.
The gunship changed course, chasing the swoop across nearby sand dunes.
"We're going to need some help," Padme insisted.
"We have more than enough Jedi to handle this," Anakin shot back confidently.
The two fighters flanking Dooku broke off and veered away. They soon looped around behind the gunship. The vessel banked, but was still hit. The impact caused one of the clone troopers and Senator Amidala to lose their balance. As Padme fell, she grabbed onto Ben's arm, pulling him out the side of the ship with her.
"Padme … Ben!" Anakin called out in panic, only catching air as he reached to grab onto one of them.
The three Jedi leaned out, watching as Ben wrapped his arms around the senator. They could sense him using the Force to slow their descent. Booted feet touched down gracefully into the sand before the padawan settled Padme to her feet. Ben looked up and waved his master on as he assured him all was well through their bond.
"Continue our pursuit," Xanatos commanded as one of the pilots looked toward him to see if orders would change.
"What?" Anakin exclaimed. "We can't just leave them in the middle of a battlefield."
"They will be fine, Anakin. We don't have time to go back," Obi-Wan said firmly. "If we catch Dooku, we can end this war right now."
"Focus, Padawan," Xanatos urged gently.
Anakin took one glance back to the small figures that had already started making their way across the barren landscape. He took a deep breath, releasing his frustration to the Force. His master was right. Ben was a Jedi. He and Padme would be safe.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Ben paused for a second, making sure he was stable on his feet before he began to move. The sudden fall had left him wondering which way was up and which was down, only the Force bringing the clarity he needed to make a safe landing.
"Are you okay, Milady?" he asked the figure standing next to him.
Padme still appeared a bit shaken, but offered a soft, "I think so."
"Sir!" Ben turned as the clone trooper who had fallen approached him. "We should rendezvous at the Forward Command Center."
Another wave of vertigo rushed over Ben. He closed his eyes to steady the spinning as he thought of what needed to be done. "Negative. Gather up what troops you can. We need to find my master and provide backup."
The soldier seemed to hesitate for a moment before Padme ordered. "Get a transport. Hurry!"
"Thank you," Ben said to Padme as the trooper hurried off to comply.
The senator reached out to help steady him. "Perhaps you should go to the Forward Command Center," she suggested. "You are in need of medical attention."
"I am a Jedi Padawan, Milady. My place is at my master's side, which is where I would be at if we hadn't fallen," Ben snapped in irritation.
"And Master Marojni said that you and your master are the diplomatic ones," she commented as she jogged to catch up to him.
The implied accusation had the young Jedi pausing in his tracks. "I am sorry, Milady. I don't mean to be rude." Ben hung his head down before looking her in the eyes. "You are probably right. I am really in no condition to fight a Sith, but the Force is screaming to me that my master is in danger. I have to get to him now."
Padme had seen that same determination and certainty in another's eyes … Anakin's, when he insisted that his mother was in danger.
"Let's go," she said.
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Xanatos, Obi-Wan, and Anakin charged into a hangar hidden in a cliffside, sabers ignited and ready. Dooku was fidgeting with a control panel. He looked up nonchalantly with cold, regal eyes as they entered.
"I was expecting four," the count announced as thin lips turned up into a chilling smile. "Master Kenobi, I do hope your padawan did not succumb to battle. It would be a tremendous waste of potential."
"You are going to pay for all the Jedi you've killed today, Dooku," Anakin threatened.
Obi-Wan grimaced. While they were searching for Ben, Xanatos had hinted that something had happened between him and Anakin, though did not go into any detail. He could sense instability and disharmony within the usually formidable team. The anger rolling off both of his companions had him wishing for Ben's level-headedness at the moment.
"We'll take him together," Obi-Wan announced. "You two go in slowly on the …"
"No, I'm taking him now!" Anakin snapped impatiently.
"Padawan, no!" Xanatos barked out running to catch up as Anakin charged the older man. The count raised his hand serenely and blue lightning shot from his fingertips. The force of the blast caught the young Jedi in the chest and hurled him across the room into a wall. Anakin slid to the floor dazed.
"Anakin," Xanatos called in concern, making the worst of all mistakes. He turned his back on his opponent. Before Obi-Wan could react, Dooku wrenched a heap of nearby junked machinery from its spot and sent it slamming into Xanatos. The Jedi master was knocked to the ground and half buried under scrap metal and debris.
Satisfied two if his opponents were temporarily impaired, Dooku advanced on Obi-Wan, unleashing another burst of Force lightning. Obi-Wan used his saber as a buffer, absorbing the energy.
"As you can see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours," Dooku said.
"I don't think so," Obi-Wan replied. He did his best to block out his worries about Anakin, Xanatos, and Ben, focusing on his opponent.
As Dooku ignited a curved, crimson saber, memories of the Sith on Naboo flashed through Obi-Wan's mind. He banished the memories.. Dooku easily deflected his first strike with artfully delivered technique. As a Jedi master, Dooku had been renowned for his ability as a duelist. It was apparent he was toying with Obi-Wan as he continued to parry the blows aimed at him.
"Master Kenobi, you disappoint me. Yoda holds you in such high esteem," Dooku taunted as the fight continued. Obi-Wan stepped back to regain his breath. "Surely you can do better than that."
Focusing again, Obi-Wan stepped in for a renewed attack, driving Dooku across the hangar. With the knowing grin of one confident in his abilities, Dooku increased the speed of his attacks, putting Obi-Wan on the defensive. Their sabers crossed and held. Suddenly in a flash of crimson, Dooku's blade cut first along Obi-Wan's shoulder, then his thigh. Obi-Wan stumbled back, clutching his wounds. His saber skittered across the floor, landing not far from where Xanatos was just beginning to stir.
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The clone trooper had faithfully followed orders and gathered a ship and what troopers he could. As Padme and Ben advanced on the ship waiting for them, the Jedi padawan suddenly dropped to his knees in the sand as a burst of pain shot through the bond he shared with Obi-Wan. It was followed by a sentiment that suspiciously sounded like a goodbye.
"Master," he murmured as he struggled to his feet again.
"What's wrong?" Padme asked. "You're as white as a ghost."
"We have to hurry," is all he said, climbing into the ship.
As the vessel took off, he continued to wait. His bond with Obi-Wan was muted, but still not severed as his master's farewell suggested might happen. He hoped they would not be too late.
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"No!" Xanatos howled in anger, struggling with the heap of metal that pinned him. He relaxed in momentary relief when something streaked into Dooku's path. Anakin's blade intercepted what would have meant Obi-Wan's death.
"That's brave of you, boy - but foolish. I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson," Dooku threatened.
"I am a slow learner."
Xanatos drew the Force around him, concentrating all his efforts on freeing himself. He had cracked ribs, not to mention that jagged metal had pierced through his shoulder, but his brother was wounded and his padawan was slowly giving into his anger.
Obi-Wan was lying limp on the ground, fingers reached out in an attempt to draw his lightsaber to him. His wounds were deep. Rejoining the fight wouldn't be possible, but maybe he could help Anakin long enough for Xanatos to get free.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called, tossing his lightsaber to the padawan.
Xanatos sat up as the lights in the hangar went out. The pain that tore through his chest nearly made him collapse back to the ground. He ripped a piece of fabric off the bottom of his tunic and wrapped it around the jagged piece of metal protruding from his shoulder. Centering himself in the Force, he took a deep breath and pulled. Hit bit down on his lip, a chorus of loud curses clamoring to escape from his throat. Blood immediately began to soak his tunics, something he didn't have time to worry about as he stood on shaky feet.
Xanatos felt an intense burst of shock and pain from Anakin. Before he could look up, his apprentice's severed arm slid to his feet, still grasping a lightsaber. The haunting image was more than he could handle, rage poured through him as he raised his eyes to meet Dooku's.
"Come now, Xanatos," the count chided. "You aren't thinking of fighting me, are you?"
"I will do what I must," the Jedi master challenged, using his former master's words.
"You are injured, exhausted from your time in the arena, and we all know your footwork is weak. Not that I blame you. The proof that my former apprentice failed greatly in training his apprentices is before me right now."
Xanatos made a weak strike, something Dooku pushed away as though the saber was a twig catching at his robe. "Come with me Xanatos. You don't belong with the Jedi any more than I do. What will the Council say about Anakin? I sense the Darkness in him. Do you really think they will allow him to stay under your tutelage?"
"He is my padawan. I will have it no other way. I alone can teach him to resist the Darkness …"
"Pathetic fool," Dooku spat, brushing away another clumsy strike. "I shall be more than happy to put you out of your misery if you so wish to die a failure."
Dooku raised his saber, locking blades with Xanatos again. He saw renewed strength and determination shining in the Jedi master's eyes.
"Oh, but I haven't failed. We succeeded in detaining you."
The thought was punctuated with the insistent tapping of an approaching walking stick. As the small, but imposing figure of Master Yoda made its way into the hangar, Xanatos' lips turned into a smug smile. "It is best for a master to deal with his errant padawan."
The words were greeted with another burst of Force lightning that sent Xanatos sprawling across the floor to join his apprentice and padawan brother.