The elevator slowed to a halt and the doors opened onto a large landing overlooking the main floor of the observation tower. Around the room's perimeter ran an elevated walkway that hung from the ceiling by steel cables. At the far end of the observation deck, framed by tall glass windows sat Chancellor Palpatine, restrained in a large chair by enchanted chains. Outside the windows, the battle raged on, much closer than before.

Anakin and Obi-Wan descended one of the sets of stairs onto the observation deck. They strode up to the Chancellor while cannonballs slammed into the shield wards outside. The two Jedi bowed.

"Chancellor," Obi-Wan said. "Are you alright?"

The Chancellor had his eyes fixed on the landing the Jedi had come from. "Count Dooku."

The Jedi turned and saw the Sith Lord standing at the railing, flanked by juggernaut automata.

"This time we will do it together," Obi-Wan whispered to Anakin.

Anakin smirked. "I was about to say that."

Dooku jumped over the railing and landed on the observation deck with a flourish. He put his hand on his Lightblade's hilt and slowly walked towards the Jedi and the Chancellor.

"Get help," said Palpatine. "You're no match for him. He's a Sith Lord!"

Obi-Wan turned to him with a twinkle in his eye. "Not to worry, Chancellor. Sith are our specialty."

Count Dooku stood in front of the three men. "Your swords, please. We don't want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor."

"You won't get away this time, Dooku." Obi-Wan ignited his Lightblade. Anakin followed suit.

Obi-Wan made the first move as Dooku ignited his own blade. The two Jedi charged, swinging their swords in their similar yet distinct styles. Dooku blocked each attack handily, but he was quickly put on his back foot.

Obi-Wan circle strafed until he and Anakin were on opposite sides of the Count. Despite their tactical advantage, Dooku blocked and dodged the Jedi's whirling attacks with the skill that comes from a lifetime of dedication to swordsmanship.

Dooku ducked under swings from his opponents, rolling and standing as the two blue Lightblades met. Dooku smiled with joy. "You have no idea how much I have been looking forward to once more crossing blades with you both."

Anakin scoffed. "You may have bitten off more than you can chew, Count. My skills have doubled since our fight in Geonosis."

Dooku continued smiling. "Good! Twice the pride, double the fall!"

Obi-Wan made an overhead swing towards Dooku while Anakin swept up from below. The fallen Jedi Master blocked both as he stepped back, tucking his left hand behind his back in one of his fencing stances. After a few more exchanged blows, Obi-Wan lunged at the Count, but the Sith hopped back and Obi-Wan staggered forward.

Anakin brought his blade up just in time to stop Dooku's from hitting Obi-Wan, but the elder Jedi was still left vulnerable. Chancellor Palpatine watched as the Count used his offhand to shove Obi-Wan away with the Force. Obi-Wan slid across the tiled floor while Anakin engaged Dooku further.

Anakin slashed horizontally, narrowly missing as the Count ducked the swing. Dooku backed up the stairs towards his waiting juggernauts, blocking Anakin's brutal strikes. Count Dooku wasn't sure if he agreed that Anakin's skills had doubled, but they had undeniably improved. But there was something else...

Obi-Wan jumped to his feet and sprinted up the other set of stairs, blocking the shots the juggernauts had started firing at him. He closed the gap between shots and in two quick movements, he cut both juggernauts to pieces. Chancellor Palpatine gave a short "heh" at how easily the Jedi had destroyed the automata.

Once Obi-Wan reached the upper platform he tried another overhead strike at Count Dooku. Several things happened in the span of just two seconds. Dooku blocked Obi-Wan's blow and guided it into a swing from Anakin. As the Jedi locked blades, both were caught off-guard and Dooku exploited this. Using his Dark magics, he lifted Obi-Wan off the ground by his throat. As Anakin stumbled from losing the blade lock, Dooku kicked him in his chest and knocked him into the wall. Finally, the Sith Lord threw Obi-Wan across the observation deck and slammed him into the elevated walkway's railing.

Obi-Wan hit the floor of the observation deck with a hard thud while Anakin tried to stand. Count Dooku broke off a section of the elevated walkway and pinned the unconscious Jedi Master beneath it before returning his attention to Anakin. The Chancellor watched this turn of events closely, narrowing his eyes imperceptibly when the walkway section came down on Obi-Wan.

Anakin launched himself at Dooku, planting his boot squarely in the Sith's chest. The Count grunted as he was sent over the railing back onto the observation deck. He landed on his feet, but only just. Anakin jumped down after him, holding out his Lightblade for a diving strike. Dooku held up his own sword and the two combatants locked blades as Anakin landed.

"I sense great fear in you, Skywalker," Count Dooku said, breathing heavily. He was fairly certain that the dropkick had broken one of his ribs. "You have hate, you have anger, but you don't use them."

Anakin ignored him and pushed the Count back. He stumbled and winced as his hand went to his chest. Dooku had the feeling that this would be his last duel, but he would not go out without a fight. He held up his Lightblade.

Anakin swung with all his might. Even though Count Dooku blocked, the force sent him reeling. Strike after strike, the Sith Lord was pushed back. After a particularly powerful swing, Dooku saw an opening. He thrust his Lightblade at Anakin, but the young Jedi parried.

Count Dooku tried to block, but was in poor position to properly do so. Anakin moved his Lightblade inwards and rode the blade down Dooku's, cutting both of the fallen Jedi's hands off at the wrists. Dooku grimaced at the sights of his cauterized stumps and his severed hands falling to the floor. He fell to his knees in front of Anakin.

Anakin pulled the Count's Lightblade into his offhand and crossed the blades over Dooku's shoulders. Chancellor Palpatine smiled and chuckled. "Good, Anakin! Good! Kill him." Dooku looked to Palpatine in abject horror. "Kill him now."

Anakin looked down at Dooku, who wore an expression of shock. He pleaded with his eyes for the Jedi to spare his life. For several seconds, Anakin debated internally for what to do. "I shouldn't..."

Palpatine's face hardened. "Do it," he growled.

Dooku opened his mouth to say something, but he never got the chance. Anakin moved the two Lightblades apart, cutting through Count Dooku's neck in the process. The Count's body fell to the floor as his head rolled away. Anakin deactivated both Lightblades and dropped the slain Sith's hilt. He looked at wisp of smoke coming from Dooku's neck with mixed emotions.

Chancellor Palpatine smiled. "You did well, Anakin. He was too dangerous to be kept alive."

Anakin walked up to the restrained Chancellor with worry on his face. "True, but he was an unarmed prisoner." He reactivated his Lightblade and cut the chains. Magic sparked off of them harmlessly as the enchantment shattered. Anakin shook his head. "I... I shouldn't have done that. It's not the Jedi way..."

Palpatine stood and rubbed his wrists where the chains had been. "It's only natural. He cut off your arm and you wanted revenge. It wasn't the first time, Anakin." He smiled at the young Jedi in an almost fatherly way. "It's like what you told me happened with your mother and the Tuskens."

The Chancellor was the only one in the world that he had told the story to. Anakin shuddered in revulsion at the memory of that night. Even after three years, he could almost hear the cries of the people that he had slaughtered. Despite himself, he still couldn't shake the feeling of power that he felt as he cut them down. Anakin shook his head to dispell the thought.

"Come now," the Chancellor said. "We must leave before more automata arrive."

Outside, more cannonballs were slamming into the shield wards. Although they were holding for the time being, they were visibly weakening. Strangely, it seemed as though the ship was turning towards Coruscant.

While Palpatine headed straight towards the elevators, Anakin rushed over to Obi-Wan. The Chancellor frowned. "Anakin, there's no time. We have to get off the ship before it's too late."

Anakin knelt down and moved the piece of walkway off of his mentor. He rolled him over and checked his pulse. "He's still alive."

"Leave him or we'll never make it."

Anakin put Obi-Wan's Lightblade on his belt and slung the unconscious Jedi over his shoulder. "His fate will be the same as ours."

General Grievous stood at the window of the Invisible Hand's bridge watching the battle. The tide was turning against his forces and the Republic's ships had started firing towards him. At some time during the fray, a blockade of Star Destroyers had encircled the Separatists, cutting off much chance of escape.

He folded his arms behind his back in thought. Strategies and contingency plans swirled around in his head. "Captain?"

"Yes, General?"

"Sail straight at the city."

"Sir?" The Captain was horrified.

Grievous spun around and pointed a skeletal finger. "Do not question my-" He fell into a violent coughing fit. "Do not question my judgement!"

Even though much of the intimidation factor was lost because of the General's fit, the Captain obeyed his orders. He had seen what Grievous was capable of.

The Republic lines were weaker towards the city thanks to their efforts to block escape. Grievous planned to smash through the lines, loop around, and withdraw while he still had his prize aboard. He only hoped that the wards would hold for long enough to get through.

The Invisible Hand's movements drew the attention of several Republic ships. Within minutes, their fire was focused on the ironclad Dreadnought with cannonballs hitting the wards from all sides.

The Captain started to panic. "All batteries fire! Fire!"

The automaton cannoneers, who had been on standby for some time, sprang into action. Iron balls as large as a child's torso were loaded and fired while the decks once more filled with acrid gunsmoke. The automata didn't care though. With no eyes to water from the smoke and no nostrils to curl up from the smell, they kept up their merciless barrage against anything that dared be on the receiving end of their guns.

A lucky shot punched through a weak spot in a Star Destroyer's ward. The cannonball hit one of the gun ports and destroyed a cannon just as it was firing. The resulting explosion shredded dozens of homunculi and ignited a fire on the gun deck. Fire crews rushed in as quickly as they could to try to stifle the flames before they could spread.

Anakin frowned at the elevator call rune. He had pressed it several times but there was no indication that it was working. He shifted Obi-Wan's weight and reached for his comm crystal. "Artu, activate elevator number eleven."

The Invisible Hand had almost completely passed out of the closest Star Destroyer's broadside profile when a few more cannonballs hit the observation tower's shield wards and they finally failed. The tower's base buckled on one side as a cluster of balls struck it. It remained standing, but it wouldn't be able to weather another salvo like that.

When the shots landed, Anakin and the Chancellor stumbled. The once level floor now sloped to one side. Anakin and Palpatine exchanged nervous glances as they heard the groaning of metal.

Anakin gently placed Obi-Wan on the floor and forced the elevator doors open. "Chancellor, if you would please-"

The slope suddenly became far steeper. On instinct, Anakin pushed Chancellor Palpatine into the shaft. The Chancellor cried out in alarm, but landed on the smooth wall and started sliding down the now gentle slope.

At the top of the shaft, Anakin held on to the elevator door frame with one hand while his other held Obi-Wan by his belt. Obi-Wan grunted as his consciousness slowly returned.

After the essentials like affirming that he was a thinking, breathing person, the first thing Obi-Wan realized was that he was not on the ground. The second thing was that he was dangling by his waist. The third and most relevant thing was that what he took to be the floor was a considerable distance away from him. He yelped.

"Ah, hello, Master," said Anakin. "Try not to move too much, we're in a bit of a situation."

Obi-Wan looked around and quickly recognized that he was still in the observation tower but that everything was now sideways. "What did I miss?"

"Dooku's dead. Chancellor's alive. We're in trouble."

"I see. Swing me and I'll climb up."

Anakin gritted his teeth and swung Obi-Wan enough for him to pull himself into the elevator doorframe. Together, the two Jedi climbed in and slid down the shaft after Chancellor Palpatine. Despite his head start, they were able to catch up to him as his robe had become snagged on a protruding rivet halfway down the shaft.

The Jedi slowed their slide and stopped next to the Chancellor. "Hello, your Excellency. It's good to see you safe."

"Your idea of safe is not the same as mine," Anakin snidely muttered under his breath.

"Hello, Master Kenobi. Er, could I have your help? I'm stuck."

"Of course." Obi-Wan reached over and released the Chancellor from his snag. The sound of straining metal echoed up the shaft. "Er... What was that?"

The wall of the shaft that they had been using as a floor went from sloping towards the base of the tower, to level, to sloping towards the top of the tower.

Anakin sprang to his feet. "Run!"

The two other men stood as quickly as they could and took off after Anakin. Far behind them came the sound of rushing water. The observation deck had hit the sea and was starting to flood. The base of the tower screamed as the top of the tower resisted being dragged through the water.

Anakin stopped. "Chancellor! Hop on my back! Master, the Ansion dash!"

Chancellor Palpatine hesitantly climbed onto Anakin's back and the Jedi took off running again. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan focused their magics into their legs and suddenly their strides were many times their own body lengths.

As fast as they were, it seemed as though they might not have been fast enough. As the top of the tower continued to sink, it caused even more drag. The tower's base was tearing and rivets were popping like firecrackers. At the end of the shaft, they could see the blue of sky. The Jedi pushed themselves onwards, hoping that the metal would hold out.

And it did until they were two strides away. There was a brief feeling of near weightlessness as the tower finally broke free. The two Jedi made their last strides and jumped out the jagged end of the tower. The momentum from their running gave them just enough distance to make it into the remaining elevator shaft on the rest of the ship.

Independently, Anakin and Obi-Wan pulled out their grappling hooks to halt their freefall. The hooks caught in an open elevator door and the three of them swung into another open door several floors below.

For several moments the three of them just laid on the floor, breathing heavily and trying to calm themselves from their harrowing escape. Obi-Wan was the first to stand. "Now, all we need to do is get back to the hangar."

Anakin stood on shaky legs. After helping the Chancellor to his feet, Anakin tapped his comm crystal. "Artu, do you copy? Follow the Chancellor's tracker and meet up with us. We could use your help again."

The observation tower continued to fill with water and sink into the cold depths of the World Sea. Once it hit the sea floor, it became the final resting place for Count Dooku. It was far from his home of Serenno, but close to the Jedi Temple and the Order that he had turned his back on.