Thank you to my friends Aragorn II Elessar and Bl4ckHunter for their help with this chapter.
The Invisible Hand
Obi-Wan came to with the sensation of someone lightly hitting him on the face. Groaning, he opened his eyes to the sight of Anakin looking down at him.
"Did someone catch the wild Bantha that hit me?" Obi-Wan asked dryly.
"No Banthas, sorry Master," Anakin quipped as he helped Obi-Wan into a sitting position.
As he sat up, Obi-Wan took stock of the situation.
Dooku was on the his knees, cuffs wrapped around where his hands should have been. Palpatine was released, watching Dooku wearily before his eyes flicked a few feet away, where The Doctor was pacing back and forth as Amy and Rory stared at him, looking horrified.
"Grievous has the TARDIS?" Amy exclaimed in horror.
"Yes, which makes getting out of here all the more complicated," The Doctor said as he began pacing back and forth.
"The TARDIS, that's the ship you arrived in?" Anakin asked for clarification as he and Obi-Wan approached the pair.
"It's not just s ship. It's a time machine," The Doctor said and Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at him in complete disbelief.
"A time machine?" Obi-Wan repeated skeptically.
"You're part of an ancient order of monks who use laser swords and believe The Force is some mystic energy, not to mention you're in a galaxy with who knows how many different alien species, but a time machine you have trouble with?" The Doctor shot back.
"He has a point Master," Anakin pointed out.
"So he does," Obi-Wan acknowledged. "For the sake of argument, let's say you're right. Letting something like that fall into Grievous's hands is not something we can allow."
"I locked the TARDIS before we came up here, it'll take time for Grievous to force the doors open. And he'll be distracted by the battle outside," The Doctor said as he resumed pacing.
"With this kind of advanced technology, it'll only be a matter of time until Grievous can open the TARDIS doors," Rory pointed out and The Doctor nodded.
"Exactly Rory. Desperate times call for desperate measures," The Doctor said as he turned to face them all. "We need to get to the TARDIS. Which is why we're going to let Grievous capture us."
Everyone looked at him in shock but before any of them could question him, the ship was rocked by a huge explosion and then turned downwards. Everyone began to fall towards the other side of the room.
The Doctor and Jedi managed to hold onto the frame of Palpatine's chair and Anakin and Obi-Wan held out their hands, stopping Palpatine, Amy, Rory and Dooku from crashing into the walls.
"Okay, this is weird even by our usual standards," Rory mentioned as the four of them hovered in the air.
"Are you really going to complain right now?" Amy asked in exasperation.
"I'm just saying!" Rory shot back.
"Oh spare me your melodramatic bickering," Dooku grumbled.
"Oh shut up Saruman," Rory snapped.
After a few moments, the ship seemed to go back to normal, turning upwards. Once the ship's flying even out, Anakin and Obi-Wan lowered everyone to the floor as they and The Doctor let go of the chair.
"That was too close for comfort," Palpatine said grimly.
"The Chancellor is right, it's not safe here any longer," Obi-Wan said grimly before looking over at The Doctor. "I cannot believe I am going to say this, but what is your plan Doctor?"
In the main hanger bay, R2 was buried under a pile of destroyed battle droids when he received a signal from his Master.
"R2, get down here. R2, do you copy?"
Bursting out of the pile of droids, R2 gave an affirmative before tracking his Master's signal and beginning to head towards it.
"Doctor, you've had some mad plans, but this one might take the cake," Rory said as the group, plus the restrained Dooku were heading down a corridor.
"As I said, desperate times Rory," The Doctor said without turning around.
"And I thought your plans were reckless," Obi-Wan mentioned to Anakin.
"Hey, this is a little too crazy even for me. But if this ship really is a time machine, we can't let that power fall into Grievous's hands," Anakin argued and Obi-Wan paused, realizing, while he may not like it, The Doctor and Anakin's logic was sound.
"If this ship truly is a time machine, why did you not go back and prevent this war from ever occurring?" Palpatine demanded, his voice sounding angry.
"Because there are certain rules of time travel that must be followed. No interacting with your own time stream, no changing big historical events. There are fixed points in time. Trying to change them would result in the end of the universe," The Doctor explained.
Not to mention that something was going wrong with history, as this war was never meant to happen. But The Doctor wasn't going to mention that to Palpatine. There was just something off about that man, and it wasn't just the fact he'd ordered Anakin to commit a murder. But The Doctor would have more time to look into that once they all got off this bloody ship.
"Either way, once we got off this ship, we'll be one step closer to winning this war, especially with Dooku in custody," Obi-Wan said with a glance at their prisoner, who had remained silent since they entered the corridor.
"Oh Master Kenobi. How is one who is so wise can be so oblivious?" Dooku mocked.
"Your taunts won't work this time Dooku," Obi-Wan said coolly and Dooku laughed humorless.
"I am not taunting you Obi-Wan, merely pointing out your willful ignorance of what goes in the Republic you serve like a loyal dog," Dooku sneered. "Even after all these years, you still do not get it."
"And what exactly is that they don't get?" Amy questioned and Dooku flashed a sadistic smirk.
"The Senate of the Republic is under the influence of a Sith Lord," Dooku declared and The Doctor stopped cold, whirling on his old friend with a look of shock on his face.
"That's impossible. The senate could never be influence unless…" The Doctor trailed off as the realization set in.
"Exactly. Congratulations Doctor, you've managed to work out in seconds what the Jedi haven't in three years," Dooku said as the others looked at The Doctor in confusion.
"Doctor? What is it? What's going on?" Amy asked, bewildered by his reaction.
"The only way a Sith Lord could influence the Senate is if they were a member of it," The Doctor almost whispered, horrifying the Jedi.
"That's impossible," Anakin said immediately.
"Would not the Jedi know if a Sith Lord was so close to the senate?" Palpatine asked his voice carefully controlled.
"Perhaps not," Obi-Wan said, a hollow feeling filling him. "I do not want to believe it…but we did not want to believe that the Sith had returned either. And there is a conspiracy to destroy the Jedi. For one to manipulate both sides in this war…"
"Dooku's trying to distract us," Anakin said angrily, not wanting to believe it.
"Maybe so. But what if I'm right?" Dooku taunted Anakin.
"Whether he is or isn't, we need to get out of here," Rory reasoned, seeing Anakin was about to lose it.
"Rory is right. We can figure out whether Dooku is right after we get off this blasted ship," Obi-Wan agreed.
Before any of them could take another step, they were suddenly surrounded by a barrier of energy, trapping them inside.
"Ray shields," Anakin noted calmly.
"Exactly as you predicted," Palatine pointed out as he glanced at The Doctor.
"Well, if Grievous has evaded capture by the Republic for this long, it was a good guess he was competent enough to track us," The Doctor noted.
Further conversation was interrupted by a high pitched squeal followed by R2 rolling into the room, hitting the wall slightly.
"R2," Anakin said in relief.
Anakin's relief was cut short when several battle droids rolled it, R2 getting kicked down by one after shocking it.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Anakin muttered to The Doctor.
"That makes two of us," The Doctor agreed before raising his hands. "As they say, take me to your leader."
Shortly after, the group was led onto the bridge by the droids. All of them were in cuffs, save Dooku who had been released and R2, who had been given a restraining bolt.
Grievous was waiting for them, the TARDIS standing directly behind him. The Doctor also saw his screwdriver hanging from Grievous's belt. The Doctor subtly gesturing with his head to the Jedi, who both nodded.
"General Kenobi," Grievous said in greeting. "That wasn't much of a rescue."
Obi-Wan remained silent as one of the battle droids handed Grievous his and Anakin's lightsabers. He was used to Grievous's taunts by now.
"And Skywalker," Grievous said as he glanced over at the younger Jedi. "I hardly recognized you without the little Togruta."
If looks could kill, Grievous would have burst into flames from the look Anakin was shooting him.
"Don't you talk about Ashoka," Anakin almost growled as The Doctor, Amy and Rory looked curious about this exchange.
"Clam down Anakin. Don't let him cloud your judgment," Obi-Wan said lowly.
Although filled with rage, years of Jedi training allowed Anakin to take a deep breath and release his anger into The Force. Now was not the time to lose his head.
"We should resume our plans to deliver the Chancellor," Dooku said as he walked forward, hoping if he stalled enough, he would find a way to slip away.
Grievous chuckled with a cough before looking at Dooku smugly.
"I no longer follow your orders Dooku. Lord Sidious has given me new orders," Grievous sneered.
Faster than any of them could blink, Grievous had ignited one of his lightsabers and brought it up towards Dooku, the blade easily slicing through Dooku's neck. Amy let out an exclamation of horror and Rory looked horrified as Dooku's head flew across the room. Palpatine face was carefully neutral as The Doctor and Obi-Wan looked enraged.
Whatever else Dooku may have been, he was once a good man.
Anakin looked at Dooku's heedlessly body emotionlessly as it fell to the floor. It was not lost on him that had The Doctor not been here, it would have been him that had done that. A sense of shame filled him.
"Now, down to business," Grievous said as he extinguished his lightsaber. "You three, how did you get onto my ship?"
"We just thought we'd drop in," The Doctor said with a slight grin.
"On this ship," Grievous noted with a cough as he turned around to face the TARDIS. "It's impossibly small, and I can't seem to open it. How did it get on my ship?"
"I doubt you could comprehend how it works," The Doctor said, trying to rile him up.
"Doctor, what are you doing?" Rory hissed on him, worrying antagonizing Grievous would get them all killed."
"Just wait for it," The Doctor said lowly, his eyes having the glint they got when he had a mad plan.
"This ship will help me win this war. You will tell me how to use it," Grievous snarled as he turned around to glare at The Doctor.
"Oh I don't think so Grievous," Obi-Wan said calmly.
"R2!" Anakin shouted.
The droid squealed, opening up several panels on his domed head and unleashing streams of electricity. These took out several of the droids and shocked Obi-Wan's restrains enough that one of his hands was loose. Obi-Wan whirled around, calling his lightsaber to him. The weapon flew from Grievous's belt and into Obi-Wan's hand and he ignited the lightsaber, destroying the rest of his restraints.
Anakin turned around so Obi-Wan could cut his restraints as well. Now free, Anakin called his lightsabers to him along with The Doctor's screwdriver. Igniting his lightsaber, Anakin cut The Doctor free before handing him his screwdriver.
"Go, be Jedi!" The Doctor shouted as he began using his screwdriver to free Amy and Rory from their restraints.
While Anakin and Obi-Wan began engaging Grievous's guards, The Doctor finished freeing Amy and Rory before noticing some of the droids leading Palpatine away. The Doctor turned towards them, turning on his screwdriver and overloading the droids. They sparked and fell to the floor.
"Thank you Doctor," Palpatine said as The Doctor used his screwdriver to free Palpatine from his restraints.
"Thank me when we get out of here," The Doctor said.
The Doctor then whirled around, using his screwdriver to take out all the battle droids and Grievous's guards. Within a minute, only Grievous stood to oppose them.
As Anakin and Obi-Wan rushed him, Grievous picked up one the staff of one of his guards and turned towards the viewing port.
"You lose again, General Kenobi!"
Grievous threw the staff at the window and the glass shattered. Grievous was sucked out the window as the others were forced to cling to random objects around the bridge to avoid being sucked out. Amy lost her grip and nearly was sucked out but Rory grabbed her hand as Anakin pushed a button and a metal casing sealed the room. They all fell to their knees, breathing deeply.
Then an explosion rocked the ship and they all looked up. As Grievous's crew fled the room, one of the screens flashed with an alarm.
"The escape pods have all been launched," Anakin said as he read the screen.
"Grievous," Obi-Wan realized.
"Seems likely, which is why we don't have a moment to waste. There's no telling how long this ship will remain airborne," The Doctor said as his mind raced.
The Doctor snapped his fingers and the TARDIS doors flew open. The Doctor, Amy and Rory all rushed towards it.
"Come on unless you want to be left behind!" Amy tossed over her shoulder as she noticed the Jedi and Palpatine not following.
Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a weary glance before deciding to trust their new allies. They followed them into the TARDIS, Palpatine and R2 hot on their heels. As the group entered the TARDIS, Anakin and Obi-Wan looked around in pure astonishment.
"What in the blazes?" Obi-Wan almost whispered.
"It's bigger on the inside, you get used to it," Rory assured him.
"I'll explain everything later, but right now we need to go," The Doctor said as he put in the course before flipping the lever. "Geronimo!"
Coruscant
Not long after
Outside the senate building, the people of Coruscant were looking up at the skies fearfully when they heard a 'vwoorp' sound. They looked over as the TARDIS materialized in front of them. They looked at it in confusion before the doors opened and The Doctor stepped out, followed by Anakin, Obi-Wan, Palpatine, Amy, Rory and R2.
"Hello! Can someone get me in contact with Master Yoda? I really need to speak with him. Oh, and maybe call a medic for the Chancellor, he was kidnapped after all," The Doctor said cheerfully.
And that's the end of the Invisible Hand portion of the story.
Had Anakin not killed him, I do believe Palpatine would have found some other way to arrange Dooku's demise. But Dooku would not take that lying down, so he would probably leave hints about Palpatine's true identity, knowing Anakin and Obi-Wan would not believe him but giving them food for thought on the matter.
