Chapter Sixteen: Geonosis Rescue and Sith Encounters.

Harry flew off to Geonosis, not feeling very happy with anything. He had hated having to be so harsh with Anakin but really, such blatant use of the Dark Side, not to mention the short duel couldn't be let go with nothing said. He checked their bond and found his apprentice to be subdued and generally upset but no longer bordering on hysterical. Digging deeper he discovered that the rage he'd sensed earlier had completely gone, to be replaced with deep guilt and sorrow. Shaking his head Harry shut off the bond again, keeping it only lightly shielded though in case Anakin tried to contact him.

He sent the Marauder into hyperspace in the direction of Geonosis, and then set the ship on automatic control before going to his room for a half hour nap. He would need all available energy for the rescue, and he needed to recover from the happenings on Tatooine.

En route to Coruscant, Padme was piloting again while Anakin sat in the common area, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. James and Lily sat on either side, not sure what to say to him. They had attempted comfort, which hadn't worked too well. The only real comfort that Anakin would accept would come from Harry and that wasn't likely to be coming anytime soon. The only grain of comfort that Anakin could take from the whole episode was what Harry had said just before taking off for Geonosis, that being the fact that Harry still loved him. Apart from that the Padawan felt lost and very much uncertain of his future. He knew that if he told the Council what happened, before Harry got back to defend him then he would be toast. Shaking his head he got up and went to his room, curling up on his bed and falling into an uneasy sleep.

James and Lily watched him go, before beginning to talk quietly. James looked round before saying, "This has really stuffed up the relationship between Harry and Anakin."

Lily nodded before replying, "Yes it has, I've never heard Harry be that cold, that stern before. I suppose with what happened it's warranted but what Harry said to Anakin must have really hurt. He seems lost now."

"I agree but there's nothing that we can really do about it Lils, he won't accept comfort from us, he'll only really accept it from Harry and Harry won't be giving that anytime soon I don't think."

Lily nodded and leaned into James' embrace drawing strength and comfort from him like she did whenever she was worried about something. James himself sent out a silent plea to Harry, a plea for Harry to forgive Anakin so Anakin could get past the guilt that was currently almost crippling him.

On Geonosis, Obi-Wan was currently held in a small room with electrostatic shackles on his hands and feet. He was waiting to see if anyone was going to come to his rescue, but knew that he had to have a back up plan in case no one did. With that in mind he catalogued his captor's routines and soon built up a picture of what happened each day. He was just about to drop into a light meditation when a black falcon flew into the room and alighted on the floor.

"Harry" Obi-Wan breathed in relief. The falcon looked round and then transformed back into Harry. Within seconds Harry was examining the bonds that kept his friend captive, and had worked out how to free him in an instant. The bonds kept Obi-Wan from using the Force but didn't have any effect on a Force user that wasn't trapped in them. Thus, Harry was able to use the Force to free Obi-Wan within a few minutes. He also handed him back his lightsaber.

"This is wonderful Harry but two questions. First, how the hell did you get in here and second, where is Anakin?" Obi-Wan whispered. Harry looked at him and a flash of pain shot across his face for a second before he replied, "Anakin is taking care of Senator Amidala, and I got here via the Marauder and then I used my animagus form to fly to where you were, after retrieving your weapon. Let's go though, before we're discovered."

Obi-Wan and Harry made their way along the corridors of the hive until they ran into trouble. A couple of Geonosians saw them and raised the alarm. Obi-Wan fell back, igniting his lightsaber in a flash of blue light. Harry smirked and said, "Don't kill me" before transforming into Goldshadow. The griffin roared and charged, killing the Geonosians with a couple of swipes with its paws. More reinforcements arrived and Obi-Wan backed up, along with the griffin. They backed up until they reached an opening that led off a cliff.

"Uh Harry, we're in trouble" Obi-Wan muttered. Goldshadow swung his head round and eyed the cliff, before roaring at the Geonosian warriors, picking up Obi-Wan by the scruff of the neck and put him on his back. With Obi-Wan secure he leapt off the cliff, spreading his wings and soaring into the night, letting loose a cry of triumph.

They flew away from the main hive and up until they found a rock outcropping that could hide them until they worked out what to do next.

Obi-Wan slid off Goldshadow's back and then watched as the creature transformed back into his brother. Harry shook himself and sat down so he'd be hidden from air patrols, casting notice-me-not charms on both Obi-Wan and himself for extra security. He also cast a privacy charm so no one could hear their conversation.

"Right, now we can talk and figure out a plan for getting out of here" he said as he put his wand away. Obi-Wan looked at him and frowned. "Harry we need to find out what's happening here, it sounds like Dooku's ready to unleash war on the Republic and we need to stop him."

Harry frowned back. "Obi-Wan my mission in coming here was to get you out. I agree that the Republic needs to know what Dooku's planning but we can't tell them unless we're there."

Obi-Wan shifted slightly and then said, "If we captured Dooku then we could end the war right now."

Harry raised an eyebrow at his friend and then smirked. "Possibly, however it's very risky. We don't want to be caught and executed now do we?"

Obi-Wan smirked. "Shall we get to it then?" Harry grinned and the two Jedi moved from their hiding place cautiously. When they were peering round a rock, Obi-Wan hissed, "Hey Harry, where's your ship?"

Harry patted his robe pocket and replied in a whisper, "In here. Shrinking and lightening charms are so useful don't you think?" Obi-Wan shook his head and then said, "I don't suppose you've got my ship too?"

He almost fell over backwards when Harry patted his other pocket and grinned. "Same treatment old friend, although your droid didn't appreciate it. I finally had to Silence him to get some peace." Obi-Wan shook his head and chuckled before they moved forward to where they sensed Dooku was.

Suddenly they leapt apart as Jango Fett landed right where they'd been standing. Obi-Wan moved to engage him, not seeing the two droids that rolled up behind him. He surrendered when he heard the sound of blasters behind him. Harry had swiftly turned into Farsight, and watched as his friend was taken away. He followed on silent wings, following the procession right to the execution arena. Apparently the sentence had been passed while Obi-Wan was in absentia and was now to be carried out.

Harry heard noises down the corridor to his left and floated off to investigate. He was reasonably certain that Obi-Wan was going to be publicly executed, and wasn't in danger of being shot. Drifting closer to the noises, he discovered three pens, each holding one massive creature.

"Hmm, an Acklay, a Reek and the other one I'm not sure of" he murmured. Making a quick decision he silently jumped into the first pen, the one holding the Reek. Checking to make sure the Geonosian guards weren't watching, he held the blade emitter of his lightsaber against the side of the beasts head and then pressed the activator switch. A brief flash of silver and the Reek sunk to the ground dead. Its brain had been flash fried thanks to Harry's blade.

Harry felt a moment of regret that he had to kill these beasts but then thought that if he didn't, there was a high chance that the beasts would kill Obi-Wan and that wasn't acceptable. He repeated the process with the Acklay and then swiftly changed into Farsight, not able to finish the job before the cages opened.

The cat like creature headed out for Obi-Wan and Harry noticed that the other Jedi was chained to a large post, and had no means of defence. 'Other than me that is' Harry thought with a grin.

He changed into Goldshadow and headed out of the cave, ignoring the gasps from the crowd at this new creature. He caught up to the cat like creature, which turned to meet him in battle. Harry had to give it credit for fighting but it stood no chance against the griffin which ripped it to pieces.

Goldshadow then advanced on Obi-Wan, not intending to hurt the Jedi but needing to put on a show for the crowd. Obi-Wan thankfully guessed his intentions and gave a minute nod, telling Harry to do what he wanted as long as it didn't involve permanent harm.

Harry threw back his head and gave his battle cry which was a combination of a lion's roar and an eagle's screech. The Geonosians scattered at the noise, and the hair on the back of Dooku's neck stood up straight. Goldshadow then walked up to Obi-Wan and patted him with one paw. Harry made very sure to keep his claws retracted as he pushed Obi-Wan from one side to the other, then shoved the Knight up against the post as he rose on his hind legs to try and reach the top of the chain. Having found it he pulled it loose with one tug. The griffin then backed off and looked round the arena, seeming to be thinking about something.

Dooku had been keeping Obi-Wan's lightsaber with him and had one hand on it, wondering what the unusual creature in the arena was waiting for. He got his answer a minute later as Goldshadow gave his battle cry again and rose into the air, heading straight for the Sith Lord. Jango Fett, standing behind Dooku drew his blaster but Dooku put out a hand.

"Wait, let's see what it wants" he said. Jango reluctantly lowered his weapon but kept it in his hand. Harry meanwhile had landed on the ledge and was eyeing Dooku with interest. Dooku slowly put his hand out, only to have the griffin go for his belt.

"Oh you want this do you?" Dooku said, holding out Obi-Wan's weapon. Harry cocked his head to the side and then made an affirmative noise. Dooku looked at the lightsaber, then back at the odd animal before shrugging.

"It's not edible" the Sith said before handing it over. The griffin gave him a look of disgust as if to say "I KNEW that!" and took it in it's paw before lifting off and flying back down to Obi-Wan.

Dooku had a momentary feeling of dread before Goldshadow threw the lightsaber up in the air and then transformed back into a familiar figure. Harry unhooked his lightsaber and activated it before freeing Obi-Wan's hands from the handcuffs they were in. Harry then transformed back into Goldshadow and Obi-Wan leapt on his back, before Harry took off and flew up to Dooku. The Sith gaped in shock as Harry transformed back into himself and he and Obi-Wan advanced on the Sith Lord with determination written on every feature of their faces.

Jango shot at them with everything he had until Harry immobilized him and stuck him to the hive wall with a sticking charm before removing or immobilizing all the bounty hunter's weapons. At seeing this, Boba moved forward, angry with the Jedi for hurting his dad. One look from Harry froze him in his tracks.

"I haven't hurt your dad boy; I've only immobilized him so he can't interfere. This isn't his fight, nor is it yours. Just stay out of our way and you won't get hurt."

Boba nodded and moved over to his dad, who was watching Harry with a measure of respect in his eyes. Jango inclined his head when he noticed Harry looking at him and said "Thanks for not hurting him."

Harry inclined his head back and replied, "I'm not in the business of hurting innocent children, nor will I knowingly deprive a child of his parent. Just stay out of our way."

Jango nodded and then watched with admiration as the two Jedi fought Dooku with grace and skill. He winced when Dooku sent Harry crashing against the balcony and turned to watch how the other Jedi fared against the Sith when it was one on one.

The answer to that was only just. Obi-Wan was a skilled fighter but Dooku had experience and a different fighting style to him. While Obi-Wan was a sword fighter, Dooku was a fencer and the different style gave him a small advantage. Obi-Wan was jumping around, tiring himself out, while Dooku had an efficient, economical style which conserved energy.

Obi-Wan had forced Dooku backwards down the corridor into the meeting room at the end of it. There he had more space to move and used it, trying to get inside Dooku's guard and injure him enough to capture him. This was an admirable move in theory, in practice it was difficult to implement as Dooku was more experienced and had the Dark Side to draw on which made him more powerful, and a lot less inhibited in terms of tactics. Obi-Wan held out for another 5 minutes before Dooku dug his blade into Obi-Wan's leg, and then his arm as he went down. Obi-Wan winced as he saw the red blade begin its descent towards his neck.

Suddenly Dooku's arm exploded in a shower of blood and gore. Obi-Wan and Dooku looked towards the hallway leading to the balcony. There they saw a terrifying (for Dooku) and comforting (for Obi-Wan) sight. Harry was standing there, his lightsaber activated and his wand out, his aura creating a visible halo of light around him. Harry strode forward his power crackling round him, eyes ablaze with a fire that only entered them when his family or friends were threatened. Dooku fell back, trying to stop the bleeding from the stump of his upper arm, which was all that was left of his left arm as the blasting curse that Harry used had blown off the rest of it.

Harry cast a quick coagulation charm, he didn't want the Sith bleeding to death before he could be questioned after all. Dooku gasped in pain and used the Force to suppress the pain so he could continue to fight. He moved away from Obi-Wan, and focused on his new opponent.

Harry shifted Obi-Wan out of the way with a quick levitation spell before bringing his lightsaber up in challenge. Dooku raised his own, somewhat awkwardly given his new one handed status. Harry smiled ferally and started a slow circle round the Sith that had harmed his brother and was planning the downfall of the Republic.

Dooku watched the slowly circling Knight and ran through his options. The man had destroyed his arm from several meters away, using just a stick. This was a new way of using the Force that he didn't know about, and he was wary of it. He had heard of Harry's skill in battle and knew to be respectful of his opponent's ability.

Harry was equally respectful of Dooku, he knew that despite losing an arm, the former Jedi Master, now Sith Lord was a man to be wary of. Smiling slightly he advanced, lifting his silver blade, his thumb hovering over the activation switch for the second half of his lightstaff, only wanting to activate it if absolutely necessary. Jedi and Sith circled one another for a minute more before Harry moved forward.

Red and silver clashed as Harry and Dooku tested each others defences. They attacked and defended almost without thought as they each realized that what they'd heard about the other's fighting ability was true. After one brief encounter they separated, Dooku breathing slightly harder than Harry, due to their ages. Dooku decided to try and talk Harry round, see if he could make the Knight turn.

"You're powerful Knight Potter, very powerful. Why do you serve the light side when the Dark side can offer you far more in terms of your abilities?"

Harry smirked. "I've been told that before Dooku, I didn't turn then, I won't turn now. Give it up."

Dooku sighed, frustrated. "My master has ordered me to kill you at all costs if you will not turn. Please reconsider, you could be great with us."

"At the cost of my soul. No. I won't. Tell your master that I told him to stick his offer in the nearest black hole."

Dooku growled and shot Force lightning at Harry who absorbed it with his lightsaber blade. Growing annoyed, Dooku attacked Harry with everything he had. Harry grinned and met the Sith strike for strike. He retreated, not giving the Sith any chance to penetrate his guard, and searched for a way through Dooku's.

Suddenly Dooku locked his blade with Harry's and then used the Force to bring down a wall on Obi-Wan. Keeping the blades locked, Harry used his wand and cast a silent blasting curse which blew the wall fragments apart, and then banished them away from his friend. He felt the pressure on his blade ease and looked back to see Dooku running from towards the balcony intent on escape.

Harry sighed and then sent his lightsaber blade spinning towards the fleeing Sith. Like a boomerang it flew towards Dooku's legs, guided by the Force. Dooku had almost reached freedom when the silver blade sliced through his legs just above the knees.

Dooku fell to the floor, and lost his weapon. With only one hand and no legs he couldn't run, nor could he reasonably fight. He tried though, as Harry approached, he used the Force to throw objects at the Jedi who had brought him down. Harry deflected each and every one before using magic to cocoon Dooku in ropes, before attaching Force suppressant cuffs to his wrists. He rolled his eyes and silenced his captive when he grew tired of Dooku's threats, before levitating him back to where Obi-Wan was.

The other Knight had managed to get to his feet although he was wincing as he put weight on the injured leg. Harry cast a general pain-relief charm that Lily had taught him on the offending limb and smiled at Obi-Wan's sigh of relief.

"Thanks Harry. Shall we get out of here?" Obi-Wan questioned. Harry nodded and then walked back to the balcony area, followed by Obi-Wan and the still levitating form of Count Dooku. There they found that the Geonosians had scattered, not willing to deal with two Jedi. The arena was filled with battle droids awaiting orders from Dooku. Jango and Boba Fett were still where Harry had left them and he gave Dooku over to Obi-Wan while he went to talk to them.

"So you captured him then" Jango said neutrally. Harry nodded and replied, "Yes we did. He's missing a few limbs but otherwise he's OK. I need to discuss something with you. Our Council wishes to ask you some questions, questions that we need answers too. Would you be willing to accompany us to Coruscant in order to answer those questions?"

Jango looked at Harry calculatingly. On one hand he hardly trusted anyone, especially not a Jedi. On the other hand, this particular Jedi had just restrained him from taking part in the fight, he hadn't otherwise hurt him or his son and deserved a small amount of respect and gratitude for that. Finally he came to a decision.

"Only questions? I won't be thrown in jail the instant we get to Coruscant?" he asked. Harry shrugged. "I can't promise that you'll go free after the questioning session, but what I can promise is that you'll come to no harm while you're with us. Your son will be allowed to either remain with you or he'll stay with me while you're being questioned."

Jango considered his options for a minute before asking, "Why did you cut off his limbs?" indicating Dooku as he spoke. Harry smiled grimly. "Firstly he hurt my friend here and was trying to escape. Second, well, my apprentice did something rather annoying earlier and I was letting off steam before I have to see him again."

Jango laughed and said, "I like your style Jedi. OK I'll come, just keep those lightsabers well away from Boba. I don't want him accidentally beheaded, nor do I want him beheading me."

Harry chuckled and released the bounty hunter from the charm before saying, "I'll just clear these droids out of the way so I can set up my ship for departure." He then turned and cast a wide range blasting curse which destroyed half of the available force of droids. He continued casting curses until the droids were all destroyed. Satisfied that the droid army was fairly significantly reduced in number for now he cleared a space among the droid parts in the arena and brought his ship out of his pocket. Putting it on the ground he tapped it with his wand and the ship enlarged to full size.

He turned to find his passengers waiting to get on board. Before they did though Boba turned to his father and said, "What about our ship Dad?" Jango turned to Harry who raised an eyebrow in query.

"If you lead me to it, I'll make it able to come with us" Harry offered. Jango nodded and led the way with Harry following. Obi-Wan and Boba got on board the Marauder, and Dooku was safely locked in the small cargo hold. Five minutes later Harry and Jango returned, with Jango holding a toy size version of his ship and staring at Harry in amazement. Obi-Wan shook his head and muttered, "What is it with Harry and shrinking hardware?" A few minutes later they had taken off and had left Geonosis behind, with both Obi-Wan's and Harry's mission completed, and valuable information sources as well. Their reception on Coruscant would be interesting.