The capital spire of Geonosis was the nation's crowning glory. Constructed in the country's largest sandstone structure, it had been expertly hollowed out to maximize open space while still retaining structural integrity. Every single visible surface, both inside and out, were carved into fantastic designs that drew the awe of everyone who beheld them. All throughout the spire's galleries, Geonosians flew about on their insectile wings, going about whatever tasks the hive demanded of them.

Count Dooku strolled through the lower grand gallery on his way to see the prisoner that had been brought in. His cape billowed behind him, aided by the natural air currents that ventilated the entire structure. Hearing that the prisoner was a Jedi had intrigued him greatly, and he was eager to see whether or not he knew them.

As Dooku neared the prison cell, the Geonosian guards stood at attention. He held up a hand and they stood aside, one of them unlocking the iron door. The Count stepped through the doorway and was surprised to see that the prisoner suspended from the ceiling by enchanted chains and shackles was none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Traitor," Obi-Wan spat. This was his first time seeing Dooku in person since before he had left the Order. Dooku's hair was now fully white and he had a neatly kept beard and moustache. His garb was the typical earth toned attire expected of a noble of Serenno, complete with a fine cape.

"Oh, no, my friend, this is a mistake. A terrible mistake. They have gone too far!"

"I thought you were the leader here, Dooku."

"This had nothing to do with me, I assure you. I will petition for your release immediately."

Obi-Wan glared. "Well I hope it doesn't take too long. I have work to do."

"Speaking of, may I ask why a Jedi Knight is all the way out here in Geonosis?"

"I've been tracking a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. Do you know him?"

"If there are any bounty hunters here, I'm not aware of them. Besides, the Geonosians don't trust them."

"But he is here, I can assure you."

Count Dooku began to pace back and forth in front of Obi-Wan. "I do think it is a great pity that our paths have never crossed before now. I've heard many impressive stories about you since I left the Order. Even before then, Qui-Gon always spoke highly of you." Dooku's face fell. "I wish he were still alive today... I could use his help."

Obi-Wan sneered. "Qui-Gon Jinn would never join you."

"Don't be so sure, my young Jedi friend. Have you forgotten that he was once my Padawan, just as you were his? He was well aware of the corruption in the Senate that has inspired my separatism. If he could see how deep it now goes, I do not doubt that he would be just as disgusted in it as I am. Moreso if he found out the unsettling truth as I have."

Obi-Wan decided to play along. "And what truth would that be, praytell?"

Dooku stopped pacing and stood before the Jedi with his hands behind his back. "What if I told you that the Republic has fallen under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith?"

"Then I would say that's not possible because the Jedi would have sensed it."

"The Dark Side of the Force has clouded their vision. I realized that before I left. Surely you must have seen some evidence of this by now as well." Count Dooku sighed. "The point stands that hundreds, if not thousands of senators are now the unwitting pawns of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious."

Obi-Wan nodded dramatically. "I don't believe you."

"The Viceroy of the Trade Federation was once in league with this Darth Sidious, but he was betrayed ten years ago by the Dark Lord. The Viceroy came to me for help. He told me everything." Dooku held out his hand. "You must join me, Obi-Wan. Together we can destroy the Sith!"

Obi-Wan chuckled and shook his head. "I'll never join you, Dooku."

The Count's arm fell and he let out a sigh of defeat. "Very well." He turned to leave the room. "By the way, I fear it may be difficult to secure your release." The iron door closed behind him, leaving Obi-Wan alone once again.

Even though it was late at night in Coruscant, the Senate building bustled with activity. Chancellor Palpatine had called an emergency session to inform the Republic of the imminent threat that it now faced. Senators squabbled with one another in isolated debates in the Senate chamber before the Vice Chancellor called for order.

Jar Jar was near the end of making his case for giving the Chancellor emergency powers when Master Windu arrived. Master Yoda was already there, listening to the Gungan's speech.

"... It'sa clear desa Separatists made a pact with the Federation du Trade. Senators, dellow felegates, in response to this direct threat to the Republic, mesa propose that the Senate grant immediately emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor."

A cheer rose through the chamber and several delegations began chanting Palpatine's name. The Vice Chancellor called for order once again, and the chanting died off. A simple vote was called and passed with overwhelming support. The Vice Chancellor announced the results and turned the floor over to the Chancellor.

Palpatine stood at his pulpit, looking around the Senate chamber at the many platforms. "It is... With great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling... I love democracy, I love the Republic." There came a round of applause to this. Palpatine raised his hand to silence it. "The power you give me, I will lay down once this crisis has abated." More applause. "And as my first act with this new authority, I will create a Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists."

From high above, Mace Windu turned to Yoda. "It is done, then."

"Hmm..."

"I will take what Jedi we can spare and go to Geonosis to help Obi-Wan."

"Visit, I will, the artificers of Kamino to see this army they have created for the Republic."

Padmé's Nubian yacht slipped from a Hyperion gate in the morning twilight off the Geonosian coast. Anakin manned the helm and guided the yacht through the Belt of boulders, enjoying the challenge. Once through, he noticed a large amount of steam coming from a cluster of caves up the coast. With no other hints to go on, he thought this the best place to begin the search for his master.

Anakin headed below decks to tell Padmé of their arrival to find that she was already prepared. On her hip sat a Nubian matchlock pistol. She wasn't going to be taking any chances. "No matter what happens out there, follow my lead. I'm not interested in sparking off a war. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess."

"Is that why you have a pistol?"

"That's in case I can't."

"Very well, I won't argue with that logic."

As they headed topside to make the final approach into one of the caves, Artu chirped and whistled to Threepio.

"No, my obtuse little friend," said the diplomatic automaton to his nautical counterpart. "If they needed our help, they would have asked for it. You certainly have a great deal to learn about human behavior."

Anakin and Padmé hopped off the side of the yacht onto a low cliff inside the cave. There definitely was something of interest a bit further in as through the steam, they could both see well-maintained decorative carvings on the walls. As they moved deeper, they came to an iron door. Anakin tried the latch and was surprised to find it unlocked.

On the yacht, Threepio and Artu were busy bickering. Artu didn't want to stay on the ship and was rather vocal about his displeasure.

Threepio grew weary of the little nautomaton's complaining. "For a mechanic, you seem to do an excessive amount of thinking."

Artu responded with a series of beeps.

"My basic function is to understand people!"

A mocking sequence of beeps and whistles.

"It means that I am in charge here!"

Artu let out a low squeal that resembled someone blowing a raspberry. He rolled over to the yacht's railing.

"And where do you think you're going? Unless you are suddenly capable of flight, you are stuck here with me!"

Artu's domed head slowly turned until his round black glass eye was pointed straight at Threepio.

"I am sure they will get on just fine without our interference this time."

Anakin and Padmé walked down a dark hallway lined with alcoves, but something seemed off to both of them. Other than the quiet hiss of a steam leak in one of the pipes along the ceiling and their own footsteps, the hallway was completely silent. Anakin gripped the hilt of his Lightblade, but he didn't activate it.

Then, on the edge of hearing, there came a short chitter. Anakin held out a hand in front of Padmé and they both stopped. They stood there for several seconds, tense as a drawn bow. Suddenly, from one of the alcoves to their right came a stuttering shriek.

A flurry of limbs and wings rushed at them and on instinct, Anakin thumbed the activation rune of his Lightblade and swung at their assailant. The two halves of the Geonosian's chitinous body hit the ground with dull thuds.

Dozens rushed at them from the alcoves that they already had passed. Anakin tried his best to cut them down, but they seemed to never stop coming. Padmé watched, not daring to fire her pistol for fear of hitting Anakin.

"Go," Anakin yelled to her. "Get to the end of the hallway!"

Padmé ran as fast as she could and found another iron door, but this one had a sturdy padlock holding the bolt closed. As she thought of what to do, Anakin continued fighting against the Geonosians, but he was being pushed back by their numbers. Padmé suddenly remembered her pistol. She wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a try.

Padmé backed up a few steps and pointed the gun at the lock. She pulled the trigger and the bullet flew out the barrel and into the lock. Broken pieces of the lock body clattered to the floor. Padmé dropped the now empty pistol and pulled the lock's bent shank free from the door bolt and flung the door open.

Her heart sank at what lay on the other side. Instead of a room or another hallway for them to retreat into, there was only a small platform overlooking a massive manufactory floor. Wide conveyor belts crisscrossed in every direction as far as the eye could see carrying glowing pieces of metal to and fro.

The sight, combined with the scorching heat overwhelmed Padmé and she failed to notice that Anakin had already fallen back to the doorway in which she stood. As Anakin leaned back to dodge a swipe from one of the Geonosians, he bumped into Padmé hard enough for her to stagger forward onto the platform.

Anakin turned just in time to watch her stumble off the platform's edge. "Padmé!"

She landed on one of the conveyor belts and singed her shoulder on one of the glowing hot metal ingots it carried. Anakin cut apart another Geonosian and jumped down after her, stumbling a bit himself on landing. Geonosian floor workers by then had taken notice of the commotion above and flew up to attack the interlopers with their forging hammers.

Automated forging arms and stamping dies hammered down on the ingots ahead of Padmé. Jumping off the belt wasn't an option as the floor was several storeys below. If she timed things right, she could duck and pass beneath arms and dies in between their work.

She waited until they began an upswing and dove underneath them. She emerged on the other side, just barely avoiding being crushed by one of the dies. Another set lay ahead and again she rushed underneath it, but her timing was off. As she came out on the other side, the die snagged her capelet and tore it from around her shoulders.

She staggered forward as it came free and was almost crushed by the next die slamming down in front of her. Padmé took a few steps back and caught her breath before diving beneath the third die set. After clearing this obstacle, all that lay ahead were easily dodged forging arms.

Anakin, meanwhile, sliced his way through several of the workers in an attempt to catch up to Padmé. Instead of dodging the mechanical forging arms, he cut them apart, sabotaging the assembly line in the process. By then, the manufactory guards had arrived, armed with concussion guns. Anakin dodged the superheated blasts of air that the Geonosians fired at him and cleaved his Lightblade through guard and machinery alike.

One of the Geonosians finally took notice of Padmé and flew over to apprehend her. It landed at her side and siezed her arm with two of its own. Padmé threw a punch at her attacker's mandibled face, but was unprepared for how unforgiving its hard chitin would be. She recoiled from the pain in her hand as the Geonosian tried to grab her free arm. Padmé kicked it in its knee and it released her. She fell backwards and off the conveyor belt into a giant empty crucible passing by.

Padmé pawed at the crucible's rough sides, desperate for a way to climb out. She looked up and became somewhat dizzy as she saw the manufactory's tall ceiling and several other conveyor belts passing overhead. The crucible proceeded along its track, carried by a strong hanging cradle.

Anakin watched in horror as Padmé was carried away deeper into the manufactory. He jumped from belt to belt, aided by the Force as he chased after her. A group of guards stood in wait on a catwalk a short distance ahead of him, concussion guns trained on the Jedi. Anakin cut a forging arm free as he landed on another belt. He picked it up with the Force and hurled it at the unprepared Geonosians, knocking them off the catwalk.

The line of crucibles led to a spout on one of the stone channels that carried molten metal from the manufactory's foundry. A crucible lined up with the spout and white hot metal flowed into it, filling it over the course of a few seconds. Padmé panicked at the sound of the sloshing metal. If she didn't escape soon, there wouldn't be anything left of her to bury. The line advanced.

Anakin leapt to another conveyor belt, but failed to notice a swinging forging arm in time. It hit him in the chest, knocking him aside. He lay on the belt, stunned.

Another crucible filled, much closer to Padmé this time. She estimated that only one more lay between her and a quick, painful death. The line advanced again.

Anakin stood up, clutching his chest. Nothing was broken, but he certainly would feel the pain for a few days. The sound of pouring metal snapped him back to the moment. The crucible just in front of Padmé's had finished filling and the line was moving forward. Without even thinking of the ramifications, Anakin threw his active Lightblade towards the cradle holding Padmé's crucible.

The blade cut through the cradle and it fell, smashing through several conveyor belts on the way. This mercifully slowed the fall, allowing Padmé to survive the plummet to the manufactory floor with little more than painful bruises.

In Anakin's pride at his quick thinking he almost forgot to pull his Lightblade back towards him. He reached out and took hold of it through the Force. Then it was gone. The spout that was about to fill Padmé's crucible poured despite the lack of anything to catch the metal. Anakin's Lightblade went right into the cascade and was instantly obliterated.

"Oh, no... Obi-Wan's going to kill me..."

Padmé tumbled out of the crucible, groaning with pain. Anakin jumped down to her and helped her stand. As they both stood, they saw a swarm of Geonosian guards converging on them. From high above, another figure landed in front of them, holding twin flintlock revolvers.

"Don't move, Jedi," said Jango Fett as he folded his silver wings. "Take them away."

Rather than being escorted to a prison cell, Anakin and Padmé were instead brought to a decently spacious room with a large round table at the center. Not having any other options, they sat at the table while two spear-wielding Geonosian door guards watched them mistrustfully. Several more stood around the room's perimeter doing the same. Anakin and Padmé sat in silence, unsure of what fate awaited them.

Quite some time later, the door opened and a very serious-faced Count Dooku walked in quietly. Anakin and Padmé watched him carefully as he took a seat across from them. Once seated, he meshed his fingers together and looked at them expectantly.

Padmé broke the awkward silence. "You are holding a Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am formally requesting you turn him over to us."

"The Republic is not recognized here, Senator," said Count Dooku calmly. "However, if Naboo were to join the Separatist alliance, I would be happy to hear your plea for clemency."

Padmé glared at him. "And if I don't join your rebellion?"

Dooku sighed. "The Republic cannot be fixed, milady. The time has come to start over."

"I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, and the Commerce Guild, and all the others, Count. I will not forsake all that I have fought for and betray the Republic."

"Without your cooperation, there's nothing I can do for you. Since you trespassed in Geonosis, killed many of their people, and caused significant damage to their production infrastructure, the Geonosians have slated you both for execution." Count Dooku stood and walked towards the door. "I really do wish that things could have gone differently."