Chapter 7
Droidekas rolled into the centre of the arena, surrounding the Jedi.
Up in the Archducal box, Mace Windu ignited his sabre and held it to Jango's throat, Dooku turned around and masked his surprise well. "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."
"Sorry to disappoint you, Dooku. This party's over."
At Mace's signal, light sabres lit up all over the stadium. The crowd was suddenly silent at the arrival of one hundred Jedi. Dooku was only amused by the display, "Brave, but foolish, my old Jedi friend. You're impossibly outnumbered."
"I don't think so. The Geonosians aren't warriors. One Jedi has to be worth a hundred Geonosians."
"It wasn't the Geonosians I was thinking about. How well do you think one Jedi will hold up against a thousand Battle Droids?" Dooku signalled and thousands of battle droids flooded the arena. Jango fired his flamethrower at Mace causing his robe to burn. Mace jumped into the arena as the Geonosians flew away. The droids fired at the Jedi, as they deflected the bolts back to the droids. Several Jedi ran to the centre, throwing Anakin and Obi Wan swords. The Reek, disturbed by all the noise started to stampede around the arena trampling droids allowing the Jedi to move in it's path. Padme picked up a discarded pistol and started blasting away. Mace, now in the centre, fought back to back with Obi Wan. Amoung the tiers the Jedi were slowly being driven back. Everywhere droids and Jedi were falling, but there were far more droids falling that Jedi.
Anakin and Padme were also fighting back to back, "You call this diplomacy?" Anakin said.
"No, I call it aggressive negotiations." Padme said with a smile.
3PO entered the arena in separate parts. His body was quickly separated from his battle droid head with a quick blast. Padme jumped onto the back of the animal that had pulled the execution cart. Anakin got in the back. Anakin's skill with the light sabre was clearly shown as he easily deflected all the shots fired at him.
"Where are we? A battle! Oh, no! I'm just a protocol droid. I'm not made for this. I can't do it. I don't want to be destroyed!" 3PO said atop his battle droid body. Jedi Kit Fisto used the force to knock him down, a Super Battle Droid landed on top of him pinning him to the ground.
The Reek charged towards Mace and Obi Wan, forcing them to separate as the Reek chased Mace across the arena. Mace slashed at the beast. Jango was watching and flew down with his jets. He quickly ended up under the Reek though, but when he got free he killed the Reek. Firing at Mace, Jango didn't manage to get a single shot in. He ended his life with Boba watching as mace decapitated him. (I love that word, reminds me of my history lessons!)
While Obi Wan was slaying the Acklay by chopping it into pieces with his light sabre, R2 found 3PO's head and using various gadgets dragged it to his body and welded him together.
Mace, Obi Wan, Anakin and Padme stood in the centre of the arena, exhausted. They and the 20 Jedi with them watched as Ki-Adi and his group were escorted into the arena. Dooku lifted his hand from the box calling for the droids tolower their weapons as he addressed the Jedi. "Master Windu! You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished. Surrender - and your lives will be spared."
"We will not be hostages for you to barter with, Dooku." Mace replied.
"Then, I'm sorry, old friend. You will have to be destroyed."
The droids raised their weapons, Anakin and Padme looked at each other.
Above them, six gun ships descended. They clustered around the remaining Jedi as clone troopers started to pile out and fire at the droids. There was suddenly a storm of laser fire all around. In one fo the ships, Yoda could be seen, "Circle the Jedi. A perimeter, create, around the survivors."
The Jedi clambered into the ships as they ascended. Left behind, Boba picked up his fathers helmet and bent over it in sorrow.
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The Separatists command centre was large and circular with view screen in the centre. Geonosians were around the edges monitoring the clone army advances. In the corner was a hologram of a large mechanised weapon. It was spherical and planet sized. There were various schematics with it. "All our communications have been jammed, We are under attack." Poggle said.
"The Jedi have amassed a huge army." Nute said.
"Where did they get them? That doesn't seem possible. How did the Jedi come up with an army so quickly?" Knowing where they all came from.
"We must send all available droids into battle." Nute said.
"There are too many. They will soon have us surrounded." Dooku countered.
Looking around a view screen, they were all dismayed. "This is not going well at all." Nute said.
"Order a retreat. I am sending all my warriors deep into the catacombs to hide." Poggle said.
"We must get the cores of our ships back into space." Rune Haako said.
"I'm going to Coruscant. My Master will not let the Republic get away with this treachery." Dooku said, while thinking, everything is going as planned.
Poggle gave the downloaded the holographic schematics to Dooku, "The Jedi must not find our designs for the ultimate weapon. If they have any idea of what we are planning to create, we are doomed."
"I will take the designs with me. They will be much safer with my Master."
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Ground fire explosions rocked the ship causing Anakin, Padme and Obi Wan to steady themselves.
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Mace stared out at the sight of the battle commencing. "Captain, land at that assembly point ahead."
"Yes, sir."
The gunship landed, nearly everyone disembarked to join the battle. Yoda remained on board. "Capture Dooku, we must. If escapes he does, he will rally more systems to his cause." The clones opened fire with heavy artillery. The troopers advanced facing the mass of droids. Overhead fighter droids exchanged fire with Jedi fighters and gun ships. "More battalions to the left. Encircle them, we must, then divide."
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Anakin, Padme and Obi Wan watched the fight from an open gunship. Clone troopers on speeder bikes advanced, spider droids fired at the troopers and gun ships. Jedi slashed through the droids. The ship flew towards the Techno Union star ships, "Aim right above the fuel cells." Anakin ordered. Laser fire was belted at the ships.
Rocked with explosions the ships tilted over. "Good call," Obi Wan said, "Those Federation star ships are taking off. Target them quickly."
The
Trade Federation star ships began to rise up from the docking ports.
The gunship fired with no apparent damage, "They're too big, Obi
Wan. The ground troops will
have to take them out." Anakin
shouted.
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Yoda's gunship landed at the Command Centre. "Master Yoda, all forward positions are advancing." the Clone commander said.
"Very good. Very good." he replied. The gunships continued to fire at the starships, but the starships continued to fly upwards without pause. "Concentrate all your fire on the nearest starship."
"Yes, sir." Under constant fire the starships finally began to weaken and fall. They exploded in balls of fire.
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Anakin, Padme and Obi Wan were at the open sides of the gunship. The clones fired at the droids below. The gunship slowed and circled over a droid gun-emplacement, blasting it caused the ship to rock due to a near miss. It lurched dramatically. "Look over there…" Obi Wan pointed.
"It's Dooku! Shoot him down!" Anakin ordered.
A Geonosian Speeder could be seen racing past, Dooku could be seen riding it. "We're out of ordinance, sir." the captain said.
"Follow him!" Anakin ordered.
"We're going to need some help." Padme said.
"No, there's no time. Anakin and I can handle this." Obi Wan countered.
The two fighters flanking Dooku veered and looped to the back of the gunship. To avoid beak wing fire the gunship banked up a steep dune, but is still hit. The turbulance causes the Padme and a clone officer to tumble out. "Padmé!" Anakin cried. But when he saw she got up all right, he knew she was okay. He looked over to Obi Wan in slight askance, "Anakin, I can't take Dooku alone. I need you. If we catch him we can end this war right now. We have a job to do."
Anakin nodded in agreement. They continued onward, Anakin had a duty to perform, and he knew Padme would do the same.
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Yoda was standing next to the clone commander, he sensed that something was wrong with Padme, "Hmmmm…"
"The droid army is in full retreat."
"Well done, Commander. Bring me my ship."
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On the ground a clone trooper approached Padme, "Are you all right?"
"I think so." she said, dusting off her clothes.
"We better get you back to the Forward Command Centre." he said.
Padme shook her head, "No, no. Gather up what troops you can. We've got to get to that hanger. Get a transport. Hurry!" They ran off.
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