The liquid was getting higher, it was nearly shoulder deep now, and the Nitto Fobos were attacking from below as well as above the surface. Fortunately the viscosity of the mixed fluids reduced both attack and defense to a slow motion ballet - and the opacity of the liquid was no problem for a Jedi Master using the Force rather than his eyes.
Dooku focused on fending off the Nittos, trusting his perceptive former Padawan to find them a way out of this mess - he always had. Dooku sensed Qui-Gon's sudden decision, felt him make a swift sideways slash at the corridor wall, then he was sucked under by a sudden rip current and hurtled down a narrow tube to land with a splash in an even more noisome pool of liquid than what they'd left behind.
Dooku rose, robes dripping lubricant and twists of wire. 'Be grateful for small favors, at least there's no organic waste.' His dignity was really taking a beating this mission, and the glint in Qui-Gon's eye suggested the fact was being noted and appreciated. "I'm not sure the waste compactor was a good idea, my former Padawan" he said chillingly.
"There wasn't much choice - Master." Qui-Gon replied, amusement very apparent.
Dooku sighed, turned to the hatchway. "Let's get out of here."
Qui-Gon laid a quick hand on his arm. "Yan, this time let's do it the hard way."
The old Master's thin mouth twitched in a half smile. "Perhaps you're right." simultaneously they ignited sabers and plunged them into the thick metal of the hatch. It glowed red, then white hot and drippings of molten metal rolled down the surface to plash, steaming, into the ooze.
Perhaps it was the miniscule change in temperature caused by the drip of hot metal that disturbed the Dianoga. There was a splashing behind them, like a massive bulk raising itself up, and a low moaning roar. Qui-Gon and Dooku looked at each other and then back.
The creature's lumpish body glistened in the dim light wreathed by a multitude of long, muscular tentacles, its singe great eye gleamed red. It looked hungry. Undoubtedly it was hungry given the lack of organics to feed on. The two Jedi faced it, sabers at ready.
"This is not according to plan." Dooku murmured.
"I think maybe its time we forgot about the plan." Qui-Gon answered equally softly.
"I think you're right."
The elevator doors slid open. Anakin peered cautiously around one side and Obi-Wan around the other. The lobby looked empty, was empty.
"Made it at last." Anakin breathed. They stepped through the doors.
"Remember, Anakin, this is a trap - one about to spring."
"I know, I know."
They crossed the semi-circular lobby to enter a second elevator, smoothly it rose upward. "Anakin." he looked at Obi-Wan, the older Jedi's face was very grave, almost worried. "Anakin this entire operation may be the trap - and aimed right at you."
"Huh?" He stared. "You mean Grievous attacked Corsucant and kidnapped the Chancellor -"
"As bait. Bait for you."
Anakin shook his head. "Obi-Wan that's crazy!"
"Is it?" the blue eyes burned into his, luminous yet hard. "You are the Chosen One, Anakin. Darth Sidious has good reason to want you dead, and he controls the Separatists."
Anakin felt sick. Obi-Wan was saying this battle was over him - all this death and destruction was about him. And he was right. He was always right.
"What do we do?" he asked helplessly.
Obi-Wan smiled that small, dangerous, wild smile of his that made his eyes glitter like blue ice. "We rescue the Chancellor of course."
Confidence flooded through Anakin's body, washing away fears, regrets and guilt. "Right." enlightenment struck. "That's what I sensed, the presence of a Sith!"
"Maybe Sidious himself."
Anakin grinned. "We can hope."
The elevator doors opened. This time they didn't bother to check but strode boldly out, side by side. Time to spring the trap. And there was the bait, pinioned to a massive black chair under the panoramic windows with their ninety degree view of the battle raging outside.
Anakin descended one set of curving steps to the main floor, Obi-Wan the other, and headed for the Chancellor. Palpatine looked terrible; exhausted, in pain - and terrified. What had they done to him?
Obi-Wan's smooth bow and noncommittal: "Chancellor." seemed chillingly unsympathetic.
"Are you all right?" Anakin asked gently, letting his affection and concern show.
"You shouldn't have come." Palpatine answered in a tortured whisper. "It's a trap."
"Yes, Excellency, we know." Obi-Wan answered. "We have a policy about traps."
Anakin shot his companion a hard glance; hey a little more empathy here! "Everything's going to be all right, sir. Trust us." he told Palpatine soothingly.
The Chancellor's eyes moved past him and widened in fear. "Anakin, behind you!"
They turned. A figure had appeared on the entry balcony, it was flanked by super-battle droids, but held Anakin's entire attention. It had the shape of a man, muscular body sheathed in tight black with a cloak of thick sable fur hanging down its back. But the head, the head made him wonder if it really were human. It wore a weird hammer head helmet with a wide slit that could have been a mouth and eyes at the tip of each side branch. Eyes that glowed red.
"Interesting look," Obi-Wan murmured, "but not Sidious I think."
"Must be the latest Apprentice." Anakin muttered back.
"Get help." Palpatine urged behind them. "You're no match for him, he's a Sith Lord."
Obi-Wan glanced back at the terrified man. "Chancellor Palpatine, Sith Lords are our speciality."
Easy for him to say, Anakin thought wryly. Obi-Wan had killed his Sith but Anakin had fared less well when he faced his. 'Some Chosen One.' He reminded himself to stay focused, stay calm. Obi-Wan's life - and the Chancellor's - depended on it. 1
The Sith didn't bother with the stairs but leapt, with a flourish of back flips, to the main floor, ignited his red lightsaber and advanced in slow, measured steps towards them. Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "There's no need for further bloodshed, I am empowered to accept your surrender."
The Sith stopped in his tracks. Anakin rolled his eyes upward.
"And I am empowered to kill you both." the Sith growled. Well at least it could talk like a man.
"I take it that's a no." Obi-Wan said pleasantly.
"Sure sounded like one to me." Anakin agreed.
"Very well, it's business as usual then."
Blue and green blades of pure light hummed into being. The two Jedi separated and circled towards the Sith, smoothly graceful as if they floated on repulsor plates.
The trouble with fighting a multi-tentacled being is you're always outnumbered - even when it's two to one. It was a brutal, inelegant battle with the Jedi dodging sweeping blows from coiling tentacles, some wielding broken metal beams and bits of plating, and hacking them off when they got the chance. And with each cut the Dianoga roared louder and got angrier.
Simply cutting off limbs wasn't getting them anywhere, Dooku reflected in annoyance.
He sensed a tentacle coiling around him under the fetid surface and let it close, seizing him and lofting him high into the air.
Qui-Gon of course had realized instantly what he was up to, but Dooku could still feel him tense with concern. Not that he blamed his old Padawan, it was a risky tactic but they needed to end this and get back on mission.
The Dianoga swung Dooku towards its open, tooth lined maw. He waited until he was bare inches away with the creature's sickening breath all around him before activating his saber and plunging it into the mouth and through it into the Dianoga's brain case.
The remaining tentacles whipped wildly, hurling Dooku hard against the compactor wall, then coiled around the big body as it sank below the surface.
Qui-Gon sloshed across the tank to his half submerged Master. "Yan! Are you hurt?"
Dooku groaned a little. "Only in my dignity." and allowed his former Padawan to help him to his feet. "Let's not tell the boys about this either."
Qui-Gon grinned. "My lips are sealed."
This Sith didn't have anything like the Witch's finesse. Speed and sheer physical power were his strong points and he knew how to use both to full advantage. But Anakin had speed and strength too, and Obi-Wan had speed and finesse. They careened around the huge room, lightsabers drawing dazzling lines in the air as they struck and blocked. Force hurling the occasional piece of furniture and resorting to spectacular leaps to dodge both projectiles and saber blows.
Then the two super-battle droids decided to join the party. They clumped down the left wing of the stair and opened fire. Anakin nearly panicked - Palpatine was pinned to his chair, helpless and terribly vulnerable.
But the same thought had already occurred to Obi-Wan, and he didn't panic. He spun to engage the droids and Anakin redoubled his efforts against the Sith to guard his back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the flash of ricocheting blaster bolts, heard the clunk of heavy metal torsos hitting the deck, and then a flare of light and a hum both familiar and unexpected.
He jumped, back flipping onto the entrance balcony temporarily out of range of the Sith's blade, and looked around for Obi-Wan. "Oh no!" The older Jedi was caught, trapped motionless in a cylinder of golden light - a restraining field!
The Sith aimed his wide branching eyes up at Anakin then turned and began stalking deliberately towards Obi-Wan. The restraining field wouldn't prevent the Sith from dismembering his helpless opponent.
Anakin force leapt halfway across the room, spurned the Sith aside with his foot then landed foursquare in front of Obi-Wan blade at the ready. "Why not pick on somebody who can fight back!" he snarled.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice was low and urgent. "stay calm!"
Right. His two best friends in the universe were at the mercy of a Sith and he, Anakin, was supposed to stay calm?
"Remember Jacen!" Obi-Wan pleaded.
Anakin's heart clenched at the memory. Losing focus, letting himself be goaded into anger had killed Jacen. If he gave way again now it would kill Obi-Wan and Palpatine both.
"Calm, control!" The Sith spat scornfully. "Stupid Jedi. It's hate and rage that give the Sith strength, that make us more powerful than you can ever dream of being!"
Anakin took a deep breath and let it out slowly, exhaling his fear and anger with it. "We'll see." he said calmly, and leapt forward with an overhand strike.
Qui-Gon helped Dooku through the hole they'd cut in the compactor hatch. The corridor outside was blessedly dry and empty of threats, for the moment at least. Dooku took out his palm sized holo-unit and switched it on. The blue and green dots that represented Obi-Wan and Anakin had joined the yellow dot representing Chancellor Palpatine on the observation deck. But Obi-Wan's light was suspiciously still, and Anakin's excessively active. "The boys have reached the Chancellor." Dooku reported. "It Looks like they're in trouble. We'd better get up there fast."
Notes:
1. See my AU Attack of the Clones for the details of Anakin's first Sithly encounter. (adv.)