(Rather Long) Author's Notes: Yes, I've been very naughty and have not updated for months. I'm very sorry, but inspiration hasn't been there, and I've been preoccupied with the fruits of the bizarre Snape-Hermione 'ship in the "Harry Potter" section. Twisted, yes, but so's this fic. I've also got university coming up, so I have a lot on my mind, and sometimes I just have to prioritise.

I've had the two chapters after this one written for months, you'll be irritated to know - it's just this one that's been causing me immense grief. I hope it's okay and it makes sense (I may trip up over some details - I forget what I've written beforehand after a while. If I make any plot mistakes or errors, point them out and I'll change them. I don't have a BETA to rely on, really.). I hope you enjoy it, anyway, and that it's been worth the wait. The rating's going up to an R, too - I don't think I can get away with a PG-13 any longer and I'd rather be safe than sorry with the rating. And sorry if the 'action' is in an unequal radius to the 'talking', but I prefer writing about characters and how they interact rather than all the action sequences.

If you want to talk/accost/slay/etc… me at all, please come and find me at Live Journal (under the name Jurious) or on Deviant Art (as darth-jurious - the link's in my FF.Net profile, anyway). Failing that, email me or just leave it in a review here. I like to hear feedback. Just no flames - you can criticise me, but do it properly and with reason, not for the sheer hell of it. If you don't respect me, I won't respect you.

Ms8309: Here you go!

Dark Poetic: Poor Ani ought to use his head once in a while. Heh. And I'm glad I've reached the middle – only another 100,000 words to go! OO Or something like that… LOL

Audreidi: A new Newbie (does that make sense?)! I'm glad you appreciate Padm's portrayal – I thought I made her too weak at first, but I'm doing my best as I go along. I hope it's plausible. And I love that word 'flaisy' – very nice! Almost onomatopoeic! Heh.

SilverWolf47: Beg all you like. LOL. I'm not sure if Qui will make another appearance, but I'm glad you appreciated his 'cameo'.

Cmdr. Gabe E: I'm going, going, gone. Sorry it took so long to update, but as is life. Thank you for your top support!

Merrymoll: I love all this chaos, all right. I'm in my melodramatic element. Hopefully the next 3 chapters will answer some questions. If not, well, you'll have to wait. Thanks for your continuing support!

Leela74: Thank you for the great comments – I'm glad you liked the battle-dialogue. It seems to be something I'm getting more praise for than I deserve, so I thank you again.

Infamous One: It won't change the events of "A New Hope", as far as I can see. I want my fic to be able to latch on to episode IV as an Alternate Story, just in a different way to how the canon story will. I really want to finish this before Episode III is released – I hope I can do it! Thank you for your continuing support!

The End: Cheers!

Boromir Defender: I think Dooku has a hell lot more to learn. Qui-Gon is the person who reminds him of his faults, I guess, and is a key to his past and all. It was a significant thing that passed between them and I'm glad so many people have recognised this. And I'd never want this to displace Episode I, though I thank you for the compliment.

TurtleNinja: Well, it's not supposed to be a heart-warming tale, so I'm glad it unsettles you. Thanks for reading my fic!

PadawanMage: Gee, I'd be frightened if Dooku was sat next to me as I wrote this. shudders How intimidating would that be! Thank you for the epic review – it was great, and even enlightened some points to me I hadn't thought about! I'm sorry for the looooooooooong delay in my updating, but it's here at last – enjoy!

Kynstar: Thanks for the great comments – I'm glad you find my Dooku a worthy one and you're enjoying the fic.

Blinky: Dooku's 'evil hold' over Padmé is diminishing for a reason. Think about it. she hints

Aleviel: Thanks for the compliments – I do try to keep everyone in character and developing at the right rate. It's great to hear people reassure me of that.

"ECLIPSE"

Part 26

Palpatine gave the Jedi called to him a short briefing before they left; "Unfortunately, our two Jedi ambassadors sent to Sullust have indeed fallen into a trap," he said, walking up and down before them, the group numbering ten in all, "And though we did plan, in a way, to cover this eventuality, the murder of San Hill was not amongst the foreseen circumstances and, therefore, things are a lot worse than first predicted…"

The Chancellor looked each Jedi hard in the eyes, "Talks with Passel Argente, Separatist head on Sullust, have all but crumbled and there is no chance of any further peaceful negotiations - we've been as good as asked to go to battle at Sullust."

All the Jedi remained still and attentive, preparing themselves for the task ahead.

"What would once have been a skirmish that we planned to launch on the unwary Separatists, should they choose to hold our Jedi captive, has now turned into a battle where both sides are well prepared and the element of surprise is long lost… To our misfortune, however, we also have no idea where the Trade Federation is, a faction of this rebellion that could well pose a threat and turn a battle, should they choose to intervene, nor do we have any notion of the whereabouts of Count Dooku. We are indeed in a delicate situation."

He took a seat in his large, black chair and steepled his fingers, "I now tell you but one thing - and that is that we must win. Failure is not an option, for failure to succeed now could lose us the entire war. I do not exaggerate - the Confederacy has played its cards splendidly, and it could be to our ruin..."

"The search for Anakin - who has now sparked off an atrocious calamity in a war that we could once have kept under control - is still ongoing. In the meantime, your task is simple: retrieve the two Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu, from imprisonment on Sullust, and win whatever conflicts face you. You each have a full star cruiser and division of troops under your command, and I expect only the best from the Jedi corps. One thing the Separatists don't have is a fine set of Jedi to command their armies…" He smiled sadly, "That is all… and May the Force be with you, always."

------

Passel called the Separatist army to him, realising that it would not be long until the Republican forces turned up. He first made sure to blast the hyperspace-rings of the two Jedi he held captive into oblivion - they would not have a chance of getting back out the way they'd come if he had anything to do with it - then he made his strategy and set up his garrisons in orbit.

The planet Sullust would not be an easy conquest for the Republic, however… Even if they breached the barricade of starships standing in their way and gained access to the planet, they would have a hard time getting below the surface to the cities in which the Sullustans dwelled.

Passel knew this; it was always pleasing to hold the advantage in battle. All he had to do was hold out for long enough to allow Dooku to do his dirty work on Naboo and get things there sorted before the Republic even realised that they had, indeed, been made to focus their time and energy on an obvious diversion.

Obi-Wan stared further at the ceiling in his cell - it was about the most interesting thing in there - and thought about what was going on in the world beyond. He tried to connect with the Force and sense his protégé, tried to find where he was and what he was doing, but he was only met by a wall of darkness, a wall he could neither scale or break through. This dead-end frustrated him enormously and forced him to return to reality and stare at the equally unconstructive ceiling.

"You too, huh?" Mace suddenly asked.

Kenobi turned to his comrade in captivity and gave him a wholly uncertain look, "What?" he asked quietly.

"Can you not feel the Force?"

Obi sighed, "I can only see darkness through it…"

Mace seemed unsurprised, "It's as we thought…"

Obi sat upright, clutching his knees to his chest, "What do you mean 'as you thought'?"

Windu stared at him hard, "The Council have long feared it… our ability to use the Force is diminishing."

Obi-Wan looked completely shocked.

"The imbalance has grown so great that it seems as though it is almost giving favour to the Dark side…"

"You've known this for long?"

"We've feared it for some time…"

"And you haven't told us?"

"What's to tell, Obi-Wan? What ends will we achieve by telling our students that their powers are failing?"

Kenobi nodded - Mace had a point, but the difference between telling students and telling fully-fledged Jedi was another thing all together. He opened his mouth to voice his opinion when, suddenly, the cell shook.

As one, the two Jedi leapt to their feet, staring at the aforementioned ceiling, which was beginning to finally be of some interest. All around them, the floor resounded with gentle tinkles as small chips of stone dropped from the cavernous roof.

"What's going on?" Mace muttered.

Another massive tremor rocked the chamber within the next few seconds, sending the two Jedi flying backwards into a wall. More fragments of rock broke away from the ceiling and clattered to the floor whilst, outside, sirens began to howl and the sound of rushing feet could be heard stampeding about the corridors, people all over shouting in raised voices.

"They're here," Obi whispered, looking toward Windu, "They must be."

"The Republic?" Mace gasped.

"Who else can it be?"

"So much for peaceful negotiations…" Mace shrugged with a shake of his head.

There was another gigantic quake in the foundations which threw Windu and Kenobi this time to the floor, where they had to rapidly cover their heads as stone rained down over them.

"Well, this is fun…" Obi heard Mace quip once the vibrations settled once more.

"Let's hope they reach us before the cave closes in," he added.

"Thanks for highlighting that possible eventuality, Obi-Wan, I feel much better."

"You're welcome."

-------

Passel Argente swore. He didn't care who heard him. Watching the progress from the holographic map he'd had set up in the mayor's quarters, he could see that he had, indeed, pushed Palpatine to the edge of his wrath - most of the Republican fleet was on his doorstep!

He suddenly had the incredible urge to switch places with Nute Gunray, who would be safe and at relatively little risk from the Republic's army over near Naboo whilst the bulk of it was cumulating here faster than winning pundits at a pod race.

"Excuse me, sir? What are your orders?" an aide to Argente's left asked him for about the third time, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

Passel shook free from his ruminations and bit his lip; "Deploy the Droid Starfighters. Send a brace of Starships round to the rear of the Republican fleet, if possible - we could draw some away with that kind of diversion. And watch for any that evade our outer defences."

The ground shook with another devastating vibration; "I think it's a bit late for that," the aide quipped despite the moment.

Passel threw him a death glare; "Deal with it, then!"

The aide scuttled off whilst Passel returned his eyes to the battle readouts at hand; "We just have to hold on," he murmured through gritted teeth, balling his hands into fists, "I pray you have things under control, Count - I cannot hold them forever."

------

The Count did have things under control. Easily. He was playing the part of 'blissfully unaware' as far as the actions of the Republic and his fellow Separatists at Sullust went - Sidious kept him well enough informed - and it was a part he liked to play, and played well. He wasn't, however, 'blissfully unaware' of the bleeding gash on his hand, nor the burn over his chest, nor of the fact that his head was so filled to the rim with a blazing wrath, he thought it might implode on him at any moment. The injuries didn't bother him - he could deal with them - it was the stress and infuriation that Anakin caused him that affected him most. He was wound up so tight he needed a release. As he thundered toward his apartment in the Nubian palace, glaring at anyone who looked likely to challenge him about his bloodied state, an idea formed in his mind, an idea wrought from the pit of his anger and hate. His lips curled into a wicked grin and he backtracked a little, pacing on in an altered direction…

------

Kit Fisto hated Sullust. He was a creature of the waters, an amphibious being who preferred to be near lakes and seas than land. Planets covered in volcanoes and prone to spurts of molten rock weren't an option. At least, not until they were forced upon him. Sitting in the close confines of his Jedi Starfighter, he fought against the tirades of sweat dripping down his skin and concentrated on zipping down, in-between the Separatist Starships and their Droid Starfighters, to find his way onto the planet below.

The sight of Sullust's molten surface was enough to make anyone wish to be on a storm-ravaged world like Kamino - it made Fisto feel quite sick. As he skilfully dodged the Cofederacy's army, his large eyes caught sight of a few low-flying Republic crafts blasting and searing the surface below, trying to break through into the underground cities, or even to just find evidence of a way in. Kit shook his tentacled head, his sharp gaze peering from nook to cranny below as he fought to find a small and unobtrusive entrance. He theoried that once you were underground, you would have the means to find your way to any other part of the world - each and every city, he was led to believe, was connected by a vast subterranean network. The Sullustans burrowed much like rabbits, and had strength in numbers, so stayed well connected.

His fingers slipped on the controls as his skin brimmed with moisture; patience wasn't a virtue he could be at liberty to value right now, and he strove, with all his might, to discover a way down onto the planet - more for Obi and Mace's sake, but also his own. He'd hate to turn up looking like a fried eel.

-----

"I thought I'd die with more dignity than this," Obi grimaced as the heat began to rise in the cell.

Mace threw him a cynical glare, rolling back his sleeves and pushing at the primitive iron bars across the cell door; he leapt back from them suddenly as though electrified, though; "Argh! They're hot!" he snarled as though it were the fault of the bars.

"Really?" Obi-Wan jibed, merely raising an eyebrow as he watched Windu rub his hands.

"You are so like Serenn, you know, Obi," Mace retorted, a little more harshly than he intended, "Dry humour is not appropriate right now!"

Obi flinched a little, "Sorry, master," he murmured.

They both stood in an uneasy silence as they heard the conflict thundering over the planet far, far above. Some molten channel from the surface had been ruptured overhead - they could feel the heat of the lava as it seeped down some part of the underground network or other, coming closer and closer to their vicinity. Obi feared that it might be via the ventilation shafts that the molten rock was now flowing, a thought with made him fear that they all might suffocate in the blinding heat.

The ground shook once, then twice more; Mace dropped to his knees whilst Obi barrelled into a wall for support.

Windu was breathing heavily - it was as though he couldn't believe their ill-fortune. Two Jedi, trapped in a shabby, archaic cell, unable to escape, with hot, molten rock creeping ever-nearer. They could no longer hear a panic outside their cell, or anywhere nearby - all the resident Sullustans seemed to have scampered and any Separatist guards had also fled for their petty lives. No one was much bothered about leaving the two Jedi to burn to death, if it came to that, or perhaps just die from overwhelming heat.

"Where's the damn Force?" Mace muttered, "I really can't feel it."

Obi-Wan conceded that he, too, felt as though he'd gone blind - the Force just wasn't there like it used to be. It was vaguely still hanging around them, like a thin mist lifting in the dawn, but was evaporating quickly, cowering in the corners like an abused child. It wasn't offering itself up to either of them, instead giving over to fear and darkness.

"I can't understand why it's so weak," Kenobi said, trying and failing to summon enough to blast the metal bars aside.

"It's not weak, Obi-Wan," Mace said with a firm shake of his head, "It's just our ability that is diminishing, like I've said. It isn't favouring us any longer."

"But why?!"

"You know. I've already said. The balance has gone."

The only word that came to Kenobi's mind then was 'Anakin' - he knew beyond doubt that it was because of him, of the troubled youth Qui-Gon had landed him with, that the Force was unbalanced; it was because of the 'Chosen One', the boy who would one day save them, or, failing that, clearly destroy them.

Obi didn't have time to dwell on the matter however as, with a blast, the cell door was blown in. He and Mace were, once again, thrown against the far wall, and, as they recovered their senses, they both looked up to see Kit Fisto, dripping with sweat, stood across the precipice as the dust settled around him, his green lightsabre glowing in the gloom.

Obi and Mace blinked, unable to believe it.

Kit was far too flustered to be doing with a tearful reunion, however; "Get off you asses and move!" he snapped.

And they did.

------

The centre of Theed was coming back into sight now. Sola walked alongside Padmé as she escorted her sister back into the centre of the capital, the gualara trotting between them with her newly-packed luggage hauled over its back. The glorious dome of the palace rose into view as they ascended a rise in the road. There was an electricity in the air, a strange sense that something was about to change, for better or for worst. And Padmé knew that she was at the centre of it all, a mere pawn on the chessboard of a man she never even knew she was playing.

TBC…