Chapter 35 – Crisis on Naboo

Author's Note: In which everything on Naboo comes to a close. :')

~ Amina Gila

The door to the banquet hall hisses open, and Anakin instantly tenses as the familiar cold sensation crashes into him. "Welcome," Dooku states from the head of the table, and Anakin can hear his smugness. This was what he wanted; to wait until a time where Anakin was alone with Palpatine.

A million emotions rush through him at once, too chaotic for him to take the time to try understanding, but the largest being the very familiar fear of what he could lose in this sure to come fight, and the ever-smoldering fury. He's off-balance – has been since Theseus was lost, Anakin thinks – and the instant realization that all of this happened because of Dooku is enough to set him off.

Theseus... is still on-planet, though he hasn't been staying with the Chancellor the entire time like Anakin has been. While he would much rather not get the younger boy involved in a fight with the Sith, Anakin knows he may well have to.

"My gracious, it's a trap!" Palpatine exclaims.

"Stay back," Anakin warns, pushing him out of the way of the MagnaGuards heading towards them, and he struggles to suppress his surge of fear at the sight of them and being here in Dooku's presence. The last time that happened – it was also on Naboo – it didn't go well for him. As he moves away from them, shuffling forwards to face Dooku, he discreetly comms Theseus. It should be enough to let the padawan come looking. The doors slide shut behind him, and Anakin ducks out of the way as one of the droids nearly hits him with its wildly swinging electrostaff. He's had quite enough of that, thanks.

"You should have quit while you were still alive, Dooku," Anakin growls. He has every intention of ending this here and now if he has any say in the matter. He can feel Obi-Wan's presence on the planet still, and he knows his former master will be coming as well, though that's something he prefers not to think about. If both Obi-Wan and Theseus show up, Dooku won't stand a chance. Anakin's been preparing for this; he always is. Every encounter he learns something from, and it won't be long before Dooku's out of tricks to pull.

And if he doesn't succeed, everything that he and Ahsoka and Theseus have gone through the past few days will mean nothing. Palpatine had personally entrusted his protection with Anakin, after all, and he can't afford to fail.

Dooku rises, laughing in a way that grates on Anakin's nerves like nothing else can. "Fighting off the entire Jedi security force would have been difficult, but now they are gone." He ignites his lightsaber, holding the blade in front of himself. "Defeating you alone will be an easy task."

Anakin delves into the Force as he always does before battle, wrapping it around himself protectively, anger burning hot and fierce within him. That ceaseless craving to prove himself surfaces again, and he loathes how somehow, despite everything he's accomplished, he means nothing. He's nothing to Obi-Wan – he knows that now – and he's always been insignificant to everyone else.

Anakin tries – he really does – not to let Dooku's words affect him, but they hit too close to home, to his greatest fear. Still, he remembers their last encounter. He knows how Dooku works a little better now; he knows to take out the droids first. The two behind him move, and Anakin spins around, blocking their blows. He finds an opening in a matter of seconds and ducks out of the way of the second to stab the first. He kicks the now destroyed first to the floor and spins around to the second. They trade a few blows before Anakin grabs its arm with his metal hand, crushing the metal of the droid before swinging up his blade to chop through that, stabbing it through the center.

"Chancellor, get out of here," Anakin advises as he turns his attention back to the Sith Lord.

"Good idea," he agrees, heading for the door, and it slides open, only for another MangaGuard to enter.

There's a whoosh of air and Anakin glances up as Theseus flies – literally, because he's in his armor with a jetpack and all – through the door, landing gracefully beside Anakin and igniting his lightsaber. "You called?" he asks cheerfully.

"We have a... situation," Anakin replies, not taking his focus off Dooku.

"So, I can see."

They stalk towards the Sith together, breaking apart from each other to circle to opposite sides of the table. Anakin clashes blades with Dooku first. The Count blocks his blow, shoving him back, then spins his blade to parry a blow from Theseus as the boy slashes at him. Anakin lunges for Dooku again, and their blades clash into a brief saberlock for a moment, broken when Theseus swings for the Sith's head.

He's quick to pull back from Anakin, instantly spinning to intercept the purple blade. Anakin doesn't waste a second or let him have a moment to consider his next move, throwing strike after strike at him. Theseus is doing the best he can on Dooku's other side.

The Sith begins backing across the room and they give chase, continuing to press their attacks. Finally, Dooku throws up a hand, Force-shoving Anakin a few steps backwards, and then throws Theseus into the wall, before lifting a chair and a bunch of dishes from the table with the Force and hurling them at Anakin.

Theseus charges for the Sith again, batting aside the flying dishes that Dooku directs at him next, as Anakin detaches several stupid forks from his leather glove and runs to join him. Dooku's blade moves in a blur, furiously blocking their blows.

The Force hums a warning as lightning leaps from Dooku's fingers. Anakin instantly positions his lightsaber in front of himself to block it, trying not to let the mere sight of it affect him. Theseus pauses, holding his own blade in front of him, obviously preparing for an imminent similar attack.

Anakin charges Dooku again, raining attacks all around him furiously, forcing him to keep retreating. He won't let the Sith get away this time. He can't. They finally have their chance to stop him once and for all.

The fight travels out the door of the room and back into the hall. Theseus activates his jetpacks, flying past them over to the MagnaGuards holding onto Palpatine. He slashes through one of them from behind as he hits the ground, then whirls around to attack the other.

Anakin doesn't take the time to watch the fight, instead focusing all his efforts on defeating Dooku. At least he has him on the defensive now, although Anakin is still pretty sure part of the reason he's retreating so quickly is because he's trying to lead the fight somewhere.

The fight finally travels to the end of the hallway, all the way to the staircase. Anakin kicks Dooku, and he stumbles, half falling onto the stairs, hastily bringing up his blade to intercept a blow that would have otherwise taken off his head. Anakin shoves down on Dooku's blade, reaching out with his other hand and wrapping it around the Count's neck, strangling him. He can't help the vicious satisfaction surging through him. Dooku struggles against his lightsaber but can't force it aside. The Force suddenly flares in warning, a split second before lightning engulfs him.

The all too familiar burning pain sears through every inch of his body, the force of the blast throwing him down the hall. It's to be expected; it happens nearly every time he fights Dooku, but nothing seems enough to prepare himself for it. Force, it's like he's cursed or something, because this never seems to happen to anyone else. He struggles to shake off the effects of the still oppressively lingering pain, especially when he sees Theseus finally finish cutting down the last MagnaGuard and promptly charge at Dooku.

A blast of electricity catches him next, throwing him down the hall as Obi-Wan runs into view. It's only through sheer willpower that Anakin shakily forces himself back to his feet. "Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asks, pausing.

"Come on," he urges instead, sprinting back for the stairs where Dooku disappeared to. A worried Palpatine is standing off to the side watching, but Anakin doesn't stop to see if he's alright. He can handle that later.

They don't manage to catch up with the Count in time. He's already hurrying up the ramp of a shuttle which is blasting off from the landing platform

He was too late. He failed. Again. But there's nothing more he can do now. Darting past Obi-Wan, he runs back into the building, hurrying over to Theseus who's still on the floor.

Obi-Wan appears next to them. "Are you okay?" he asks again, and Anakin's hardly sure which of them he's talking too. Maybe both?

"Obviously," Theseus mutters sarcastically, moving in an attempt to sit up, only to fall back against the floor with a groan.

"You may consider not moving for a few minutes," Anakin advises quietly. The boy has thankfully never gone through something like this before, and it makes him despise Dooku even more.

As soon as Theseus is able to move again, Anakin helps him to his feet, ignoring the effects of the lightning that are still clinging to himself, too. "We should get you to a medbay for a checkup," he advises finally.

"You should get checked up too," Obi-Wan reminds, giving Anakin a pointed look as they start making their way down the hall.

"How do you manage?" Theseus asks finally.

"Manage what?" Anakin repeats.

"You've literally been walking this whole time."

Oh. So that's what he's asking about. "You get used to it," he offers finally. He's been electrocuted so many times – especially by Dooku – since that day back on Geonosis he's gotten far better at handling it and shaking off the effects afterwards.

"Well, that sure made me feel better about it," Theseus mutters, "You know what? I agree with, Master Obi-Wan. You better come along in this trip to the medbay."

**w**

Of course, Theseus had already figured that he was going to be given back to Obi-Wan as soon as they got back to Coruscant. The Council agreed for him to be his mother's padawan because it was only going to be temporary. He'd almost rather stay as his mother's padawan, but he doesn't really have any good reason to complain. Besides, if he's with Obi-Wan, he'll be around Anakin and Ahsoka more. They need him right now.

It's strange, being back at his apartment with Obi-Wan and hearing him literally moving around right in the next room. He underwent a transformation so he looks like himself again – or at least will once his hair grows back – but it's awkward being here. Theseus doesn't think he'll ever be able to trust his master again. Not like he used to.

He's still angry with him, and he's not sure this is something he can ever forgive him for. But he doesn't want to go around being hostile and causing constant arguments between the two of them either.

That's going to drive the point home even more and make everything worse. He doesn't want to deal with that, either. Instead, he supposes he can try to do about the only other option at this point: fake everything is back to normal on the outside, even if it never will be. At the very least, he'll try to avoid unnecessary hostility. But it's not going to be on Theseus if his still-not-entirely-normal attitude makes Obi-Wan bring something up that starts a fight between them all over again.

He's sitting in the living room when Obi-Wan steps back in. "That armor... you got it from Death Watch, right?" he inquires. Apparently, he's going to try and go for normal, too. He's not sure if that irks him more or makes this easier.

And also, why do people always have such stupid ice breakers? "Yeah," he says instead.

"I saw you using back there on Naboo," he continues. Duh. Whatever he's trying to say, he should just say it. Although Theseus has a sneaking suspicion he already knows where he's going with this.

"It's useful," Theseus shrugs.

"It's not the kind of weapons a Jedi uses."

"And your bounty hunter armor is?" he shoots back, anger flaring. The armor is his last connection to the life he's always wanted, and no one is going to tell him if he can't wear or keep it.

"It was for the mission," Obi-Wan replies

"Well, this worked pretty well for the mission too. I'm beginning to think more Jedi ought to carry blasters, too."

"I'm not saying you can't keep it," Obi-Wan retorts, "I'm reminding you that how a Jedi chooses to fight is as important as what they are fighting for."

If he's trying to go about saying in a very roundabout way that he wants him to get rid of his armor, that's not going to happen. "I know," Theseus replies flatly instead, moving past him to stare out the apartment window. So much for trying to go for normal. Coupled with the fact that he hasn't been here in a month, he doesn't even know how to act anymore. It's going to take a long time before he gets used to this again.

**w**

"I thought I'd find you here."

Ahsoka brings her lightsabers up to parry Anakin's next blow, returning it with a strike of her own as she looks up to see Theseus standing in the entrance way to where her and Anakin are sparring. And there's another boy with him who she doesn't recognize. Who is that anyway?

She can't help her flare of amusement as she sees the boy staring at them with awe as they trade a few more blows before finally pulling back and turning their attention to their audience. She's far too used to other padawans or initiates running across her master sparring, and totally hero-worshipping.

"Meet Caleb Dume," Theseus chirps, patting the boy on the shoulder, "Master Shan's new padawan."

"She took a padawan?" Anakin asks in surprise.

"Yeah," Theseus agrees, "Decided she liked having one after me, I guess."

"Hi!" Caleb offers, then blushes slightly for no apparent reason. Except that he's probably dying from awkwardness now that is his probably-hero is paying attention to him.

"Nice to meet you, Caleb, I'm Ahsoka," the Togruta introduces herself, "And I'm sure you know who my master is."

"Of course!" Caleb splutters, "I uh... just wanted to meet you." His gaze darts over to Anakin, though he seems at a serious loss for words. She could almost feel bad for him, so she does her best not to laugh. It would only embarrass him farther, and that's not nice.

"What do you think about finally being a padawan?" asks Anakin, likely in an attempt to break up the awkwardness of the moment. He tends to be the best at that then all of them, even if he firmly denies his abilities at handling younglings. Ahsoka sometimes finds herself wondering how he didn't get stuck on that duty permanently.

"I can't wait for my first mission," Caleb chirps. Like all initiates and new padawans, it seems. Excited for something when they truthfully don't know what it is they're wanting.

"You might find it a little less exciting when you actually get out there," Ahsoka informs him. At least he deserves a forewarning that the missions he's looked forward to might not be quite as fun as he's expecting.

"Really?" the boy asks doubtfully.

"You are going to be a commander now. Not just a padawan," reminds Theseus.

"It's a responsibility you can't take lightly," Anakin adds seriously.

"I know," Caleb says, though Ahsoka's pretty sure he won't truly understand that until he's actually out there fighting, "But I'm ready."

Ahsoka glances at the others. She remembers how when she was young, she used to believe the same. She, like so many other Jedi, believed there was nothing she couldn't handle. She knows better now. It took many lives for her to realize otherwise. If she can help it, she'd rather not let Caleb have to go through learning that the hard way. "Just remember that the clones have had more experience. Listen to what they believe would be the best strategy or approach in situations," she advises him finally.

"Okay, I'll remember that," Caleb promises.

"Don't ever rush into something unless you know you can handle it," Theseus adds. "It will only get you killed."

"It's easy to think that you can handle everything until you actually get out there and get into a situation where you can't," Ahsoka speaks up again. She used to be like that far too much when she was younger, like in the Citadel when she could have so easily gotten herself killed. She can understand now, why Theseus was so upset with her for what she did afterwards. Sometimes, it's hard for her to remember even now, but the important part is that Ahsoka understands that sometimes she needs to run.

"... Okay," he says slowly, sounding a little uncertain now, and she's pretty sure they've taken the edge off his excitement with all their warnings and advice, but he needs to know it now. Still, it's not something he'll truly understand until the situation arises. And speaking thereof...

"When are you going to leave on your first mission anyway?" Ahsoka inquires.

"I think it's going to be soon, within a couple hours," Caleb replies, "Master Shan said I didn't have long."

"I expected as much," Theseus responds. "War can be... a bit stressful." Ahsoka somehow manages not to snort at the absolute understatement.

"Trust in the Force, don't pull any heroic stunts without your master's approval, and you'll be fine," Ahsoka assures finally. Or at least he should be.

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