Chapter Fourteen: Death
Obi-Wan was not on Dantooine. He and Bail Organa had taken off into hyperspace, setting a course for Coruscant. They were due to arrive in two more days, and already Obi-Wan was feeling… antsy was the right word, but it seemed unsuited for a Jedi. There was something terribly wrong. He had tried to contact Anakin using a secure transmitter, but there was no answer. He had tried contacting the Temple too, but no one picked up his transmission, which was more than unusual, it was downright impossible.
Bail had gotten through to *someone*, though he was very secretive on who exactly it was that he had spoken to. But senators, trusted ones, had been informed of the situation and were due to meet Obi-Wan and Bail in a secret location on the day of their arrival.
Obi-Wan just hoped that they would be on time to stop any more of the Chancellor's devious plans.
*
After the light dinner she and Anakin had prepared, Padme walked out to the balcony. She stared out over the vast cityscape of Coruscant and felt a pang of homesickness. On Coruscant, she always felt alone, even if she was surrounded by people or with her husband.
A soft noise alerted her to the fact that she wasn't alone with her thoughts. She turned to see herself staring at Court Dooku. She gasped, but quickly recovered. "Dooku. Why have you come here? Weren't your defeats on Dantooine enough?" she asked, edging toward the glass doors.
Dooku smiled. "Senator Amidala, a pleasure to see you." He moved his hand slightly and she halted, completely unable to move. "I wouldn't try to get away, that might not be good for your health."
She could scream. Anakin would hear her and come running. Padme took a deep breath- only to find she couldn't breathe. Her throat was closed, constricted by Dooku's dark power. She tried to gasp for breath, but nothing went into her lungs. Finally, he relaxed his hold and she caught her breath. Before she could say a word, he let go of his hold on her body and shoved her, back through the glass door. The glass shattered at her weight. She landed in a pile of shards, and finally got around to screaming. Anakin came running, lightsaber ignited.
"Dooku," he growled, striking before the other could say a word.
She watched helpless from the floor as he husband and Dooku fought. Dooku had been more than a match for Anakin the last time they had fought, but this time it was different. Anakin had the upper hand, attacking Dooku with a strength and skill she'd never seen in him before. Joined with the glazed, mad look in his eye, it worried her. But she barely had time to worry, for soon they had backed onto the balcony and she had no more strength to watch. Sighing softly, she let her body go limp on the glass covered carpet.
*
The difference was that Anakin was using the Dark Side.
He knew it, and he knew it was wrong. But while the core of him was yelling that, his mind, his heart, everything else inside of him was screaming that Dooku had to die for trying to hurt his angel. And that was his objective- not to wound him or to disarm him, but to kill him- as painfully as possible.
The anger flowed through him, giving him power like he'd never tasted. It was intoxicating, even when mixed with the hatred and fear he felt also. He would have Dooku's life for merely scratching Padme. No one touched her. No one.
"No one," Anakin murmured and hacked at Dooku's lightsaber once more.
The old man hadn't said a word since the beginning of their fight. Dooku could feel the darkness within him. He had improved over the last four years, that was certain. Dooku wasn't sure he could defeat him.
That was his last thought before Anakin ran him through with the blue lightsaber. Dooku dropped to the balcony floor, staring down at the wound in his chest. With a gasp of shock, he tumbled over, his lightsaber shutting off as he fell.
Anakin caught his breath. Then, on impulse, he reached down and palmed the Sith's weapon, clipping it to his belt with his own.
Obi-Wan was not on Dantooine. He and Bail Organa had taken off into hyperspace, setting a course for Coruscant. They were due to arrive in two more days, and already Obi-Wan was feeling… antsy was the right word, but it seemed unsuited for a Jedi. There was something terribly wrong. He had tried to contact Anakin using a secure transmitter, but there was no answer. He had tried contacting the Temple too, but no one picked up his transmission, which was more than unusual, it was downright impossible.
Bail had gotten through to *someone*, though he was very secretive on who exactly it was that he had spoken to. But senators, trusted ones, had been informed of the situation and were due to meet Obi-Wan and Bail in a secret location on the day of their arrival.
Obi-Wan just hoped that they would be on time to stop any more of the Chancellor's devious plans.
*
After the light dinner she and Anakin had prepared, Padme walked out to the balcony. She stared out over the vast cityscape of Coruscant and felt a pang of homesickness. On Coruscant, she always felt alone, even if she was surrounded by people or with her husband.
A soft noise alerted her to the fact that she wasn't alone with her thoughts. She turned to see herself staring at Court Dooku. She gasped, but quickly recovered. "Dooku. Why have you come here? Weren't your defeats on Dantooine enough?" she asked, edging toward the glass doors.
Dooku smiled. "Senator Amidala, a pleasure to see you." He moved his hand slightly and she halted, completely unable to move. "I wouldn't try to get away, that might not be good for your health."
She could scream. Anakin would hear her and come running. Padme took a deep breath- only to find she couldn't breathe. Her throat was closed, constricted by Dooku's dark power. She tried to gasp for breath, but nothing went into her lungs. Finally, he relaxed his hold and she caught her breath. Before she could say a word, he let go of his hold on her body and shoved her, back through the glass door. The glass shattered at her weight. She landed in a pile of shards, and finally got around to screaming. Anakin came running, lightsaber ignited.
"Dooku," he growled, striking before the other could say a word.
She watched helpless from the floor as he husband and Dooku fought. Dooku had been more than a match for Anakin the last time they had fought, but this time it was different. Anakin had the upper hand, attacking Dooku with a strength and skill she'd never seen in him before. Joined with the glazed, mad look in his eye, it worried her. But she barely had time to worry, for soon they had backed onto the balcony and she had no more strength to watch. Sighing softly, she let her body go limp on the glass covered carpet.
*
The difference was that Anakin was using the Dark Side.
He knew it, and he knew it was wrong. But while the core of him was yelling that, his mind, his heart, everything else inside of him was screaming that Dooku had to die for trying to hurt his angel. And that was his objective- not to wound him or to disarm him, but to kill him- as painfully as possible.
The anger flowed through him, giving him power like he'd never tasted. It was intoxicating, even when mixed with the hatred and fear he felt also. He would have Dooku's life for merely scratching Padme. No one touched her. No one.
"No one," Anakin murmured and hacked at Dooku's lightsaber once more.
The old man hadn't said a word since the beginning of their fight. Dooku could feel the darkness within him. He had improved over the last four years, that was certain. Dooku wasn't sure he could defeat him.
That was his last thought before Anakin ran him through with the blue lightsaber. Dooku dropped to the balcony floor, staring down at the wound in his chest. With a gasp of shock, he tumbled over, his lightsaber shutting off as he fell.
Anakin caught his breath. Then, on impulse, he reached down and palmed the Sith's weapon, clipping it to his belt with his own.