JediAngel001: I so want get to that conversation, but I need to get everyone caught up with Obi, so we'll have to wait a little to see how that meeting goes! Thanks for the speedy response to this chapter!

AndrossKenobi: Thanks so much! I'm so glad it's chugging along so well.

So, I have no idea what Count Dooku's first name is, so I made one up! I looked, I really did, but the internet let me down! Curse you internet! Maybe I didn't look hard enough, so perhaps someone could enlighten me and I'll retroactively insert the true one. Promise.

Okey dokey, Now where were we? Ah, yes,…..

For once, Kenobi wanted to wake up in familiar surroundings. Right now he was suspended in an energy field with force binders holding his wrists and ankles locked in place. He dimly recalled being knocked flat on his back after a droideka appeared out of nowhere and slammed several heavy blaster shots in their direction. His already battered skull hit the ground heavily, and that was about it until he woke up the first time with a bunch of Geonision natives poking at him and asking him questions. That hadn't lasted long as he had drifted off rather quickly, thinking the bug-like people sounded like R2 when the droid got really excited.

His head was still pounding right now, but it wasn't as bad as he had expected and he could feel the bandage placed over the wound above his left eyebrow.

/That's something, I suppose./ he thought to himself as he was slowly spun in the field. That was not helping his headache and a wash of nausea swept through him, but he managed to breath through it.

He was alone in the cell, which had him worried about Jango and Boba. If they had treated him, they surely would have taken care of the boy and Jango had been unscathed the last time he had seen him, he just hoped they weren't getting quite the same treatment as he was. He had admitted he was a force sensitive over the comm., so it was obvious they were taking the extra precautions for his benefit, but they had no way of knowing about Jango and Boba, he just hoped Jango was better at communicating with them than he had been.

A force presence was drifting towards him. It felt oddly familiar, but he could tell it was shielding itself, much like he had done for all those years. He decided to test his growing connection to the force and reached out to it, hoping to slip in under those shields. He took things very slowly, not wanting the person to become aware of him too soon and block him out. He knew this figure was heading in his direction, and probably already had the former padawan on his mind, so Kenobi exploited that to appear as though he was present as part of the persons own thoughts. It was a trick he was sure would have the Council screaming "Dark Side User!" but he was fed up with being out of sorts all the time and his connection to the force was growing and welcoming him further into it's bright glow the more he explored his newly fully opened connection to it. He wondered if this was happening to other Jedi, or if this connection had been growing for some time and the only reason he hadn't sensed it before was because he had closeted himself away from it.

The mind he approached was elegantly protected with shields that seemed almost fluid with their complexity. It was unmistakable whose mind he was ever so gently probing, the grief that Kenobi felt for Qui-Gon ran through this mind like echoes, and it was obvious that Dooku used part of that in his shielding. There was also great pride and love for Qui-Gon that had Kenobi backing out of the mind probe, suddenly feeling very guilty for intruding on such private feelings. Later he realized that had been Dooku's point to using such feelings about Qui-Gon in his shielding as it made an effective deterrent to force sensitives who might try such probes. Kenobi had to control his own feelings towards his dear master before they threatened to overwhelm him and he was barely aware of his cell door being opened.

A gasp from the man entering had him look up to see the tall elegant figure of Count Dooku who raised his arm and used the force to turn off the force field and binders holding Kenobi in place. He fell rather roughly to the floor, feeling weakened by the need to control his emotions and Dooku came to his aid to help him stand and guided him to the wall where he activated a ledge bed.

"Count Dooku, I presume?" said Kenobi as he recovered his composure.

The Count merely replied by taking Kenobi into a great bear hug and Kenobi found himself clinging into the man as waves of love swept over him that reminded him too much of Qui-Gon. He pulled away to look into Dooku's face that was beaming with relief and joy.

"My dear Obi-Wan," he began, "what an honor it is to finally meet you. Qui-Gon spoke so highly of you."

Obi-Wan pulled away, not sure what to make of the sudden affection.

"Where are my friends? Where is Boba, is he alright?"

Dooku withdraw a little from Obi-wan so as not to crowd him, realizing his outburst had shocked the boy beside him.

"Boba is fine, his injury was minor and he is comfortable in my apartments. As for Jango, the Geonisians have him in custody for his crimes against the Separatists."

"What do you mean? What.." and then it hit him, the reason Jango had been so guarded about their trip here and why the security forces of the planet had been so aggressive towards them. His attack on the Naboo home world had been a set up against the Separatists and he had agreed with them to call it off, only to give the go ahead anyway. It had been under duress and Obi-wan could understand a man protecting his son, but he had gone back on his word with rather dire consequences, which had almost led to war.

"Oh, Jango, why didn't you tell me!" said Obi-Wan quietly. Perhaps another path could have been chosen, he would have had Jango send him to the surface in an escape pod or something to avoid all this. "How is Boba taking the news?"

"Not well, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan could tell the Count was concerned for the boy, but there was something he was hiding. "The Geonisians won't let him see his father, that's why I came down here to get you. These people have no quarrel with you or Boba, you are free to leave whenever you wish. I was hoping you could calm the boy."

It was only at that moment that Obi-Wan realized the door to the cell had been left open since Dooku's arrival. He got up, a little shakily at first, but without help and he stood for a moment unsure of what to do next. He wanted to find Boba and reassure him, but he also wanted to speak to Jango. Then there was Dooku, who he had a million questions to ask about his former master, and the Count's own motivations in his obvious Separatist sympathies. Then he remembered that feeling that Dooku was holding something back.

"When is his trial?" he asked, sensing this was the area of inquiry Dooku wanted to avoid talking about. Dooku studied Obi-Wan's face, he had wanted to keep that for another time, but the perceptive lad had come straight to it.

"The trial has already taken place in his absence where he was found guilty on all charges. I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. The penalty is death by public execution."

"When is this to be carried out?" asked Obi-Wan urgently.

"Tomorrow at midday within the Geonosian arena."

"Can't anything be done? You could speak on his behalf. Le me talk to him. Let me talk to the authorities here, maybe we can make a deal."

Dooku rested his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders, his face stern but understanding, just like Qui-Gon used to get when Obi-Wan needed calming down.

"I have tried, believe me, I have tried to have the sentence commuted to imprisonment, but Geonosian law is rather cutthroat, shall we say. I have some influence here, but not enough to through out an entire civilizations judicial system."

"His crime was against the Separatists as a whole, not just these people. Couldn't we appeal to another world where this barbarity is not accepted?" he asked desperately. Jango had risked his life to get Obi-Wan face to face with this man and away from Maul. Now he understood the sacrifice Jango had made with that decision and it was haunting him to know someone would suffer for his escape. It showed just how desperate Jango had been to willingly fall into the Geonosians hands.

"I will see what I can do, Obi-Wan, but as I said, my influence has it's limits. Now, we must get you somewhere more comfortable and Boba has been asking after you. As for an audience with Jango, I think that is something I can arrange for you."

"Thank you, Master Dooku," Obi-Wan replied, unsure of how to address the Count.

"My dear boy, call me Ryn."