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| - Finally they arrived at the top of the Invisible Hand, yet there was the constant reminder of the battle that raged around them. Aside from the occasional flashes and fireballs there were distinct shudders and at times it was hard to keep one’s footing. Opposite the elevator was a balcony, a set of stairs either side of it. Down this and with his back to the window was Chancellor Palpatine, he sat in a heavy chair with his hands shackled to the arms. He smiled softly at their approach, yet that small smile did little to placate the sheer terror on his face. What has Dooku done to him? Anakin thought in anger, and where is that coward Grievous? When I find him… “Thank goodness you’ve arrived,” Palpatine said breathlessly. “Chancellor.” Obi-Wan inclined his head respectfully, yet showed no emotion. “Are you all right, Your Excellency?” Anakin asked urgently. “Anakin, look out!” Palpatine pleaded. “Behind you!” Padmé nudged him and they all turned to see Dooku standing on the balcony, three super battledroids either side of him. “Get help!” Palpatine hissed. “You’re no match for him! He’s a Sith Lord!” “Not to worry, Chancellor,” Obi-Wan reassured, giving Palpatine a confident smile. “Sith Lords are our speciality.” “Skywalker, Kenobi,” Dooku nodded to each of them and then turned to Padmé. “And I believe we have met.” Padmé didn’t answer, it was all part of the deception Renust Nju had concocted yet she did not protest. “You’re not going to get away with this, Dooku,” Anakin said, stepping protectively beside Padmé. “We’re not going to let you escape. Not this time.” “Escape?” The idea seemed absurd to Dooku, he laughed. “If I wanted to escape I could have taken the Chancellor outsystem hours ago. I have better things to do than wait for you to show up to attempt a rescue.” “This is a little more than an attempt,” Obi-Wan challenged. “And a little less than a rescue,” Dooku returned, jumping from the balcony to stand before them. He brought out his hand from beneath his cloak and summoned his lightsaber, the red blade ignited and was brought into a salute position. “Let’s make this quick, shall we? We wouldn’t want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor.” “I don’t think so,” Anakin said, activating his lightsaber and Obi-Wan and Padmé followed his lead. They discarded their cloaks and formed a line before Dooku, Padmé in the middle and Anakin and Obi-Wan either side of her. “I have been looking forward to this,” Dooku said, smiling at Anakin in a way that seemed to enrage him. “My powers have doubled since last we met,” Anakin retorted, staring Dooku down. “Excellent,” Dooku replied. “Twice the pride, double the fall.” “Surrender,” Obi-Wan said, his tone as sharp as his weapon. “You will be given no further chance.” Dooku chuckled. “Unless one of you happens to be carrying Yoda in your pocket, I hardly think I shall need one.” The ship shuddered suddenly, the floor swaying underneath them and Dooku decided the time had come. He glanced quickly over his shoulder to distract then attacked, the three Jedi moving on him at once. Padmé brought her green lightsaber up to cross with the two blue blades. Though it was the same colour as her old one that she had lost on Imbroglio it had been made with a rather different purpose in mind. No time to make the special pilgrimage to Ilum to construct a new one, she had used several crystals already at the Temple. And it was not wrought with the care and attention that her old lightsaber had been, this new weapon was constructed along the lines of endurance and strength, not out of any personal preference but pure necessity. Yet even with Obi-Wan and Anakin with her, Dooku clearly had the upper hand. Ask someone else to fend for himself in a three-on-one duel and they would come off second-best, but not Dooku. The former Jedi was clearly in his element, knocking back their attacks with polished finesse before adding a few of his own. His smooth, fluid movement was a match for Obi-Wan’s strong, understated style or even Anakin’s brash yet powerful attacks. Added to this was Padmé, who had some of the smoothness of Dooku’s style yet carried it differently. Each movement was clearly made so that it would not need another, she neither stopped nor needed to. Each attack, each parry, and even the times she had to back away seemed carefully calculated. Padmé had come a long way in the five years since she faced Renust Nju and this was for a simple reason: she had needed to. In an off-guarded moment, Anakin caught himself watching her. It’s like she’s dancing, he thought with a smile, bringing his own lightsaber down to clash with Dooku’s. Yet for all that, it was still difficult for him to see her as another Jedi. To him, she was just Padmé. They were separated now, but still continuing to attack together even if on different sides. However, Dooku seemed able to contend with this as he had done with any other situation he had so far dealt with. Yet even Dooku knew he could not let this three-pronged barrage go on for long. If it had been up to him Dooku would have let the whole charade play as long as it would let. But he had orders from Sidious, and those orders were very specific. And Dooku was not willing to find out what would happen if he went against those orders. His master was a very jealous one. Yet first things first: Kenobi. After all, he was the more experienced of his three opponents and better to dispense with him first. Dooku began to focus all his attention on Obi-Wan, if Padmé or Anakin attacked he merely deflected the blows away. All his efforts were focused on one purpose, and only that. What’s going on? Anakin thought, feeling his anger rising. Why is Dooku not paying attention to me? I can take him, I know I can but he just keeps…batting me away. Anakin attacked again, the same result. He ground his teeth in indignation, swinging his ‘saber savagely at Dooku’s left shoulder. Dooku evaded this gracefully, turning his back on the young Jedi and attacking Obi-Wan. Anakin could feel his anger rising as Dooku lured Obi-Wan away, away from the Chancellor and up the stairs before either he or Padmé realised this. What was going on? Anakin was fuming, after all, this was as much his fight as it was Obi-Wan’s or Padmé’s. Yet Padmé seemed to sense this, and she knew that this kind of tactic was as transparent as it seemed. She exchanged a glance with Anakin, he caught her eye and his anger subsided. They advanced on Dooku together, lightsabers swinging in one motion. Up the stairs, along the catwalk and to where Dooku was in combat with Obi-Wan. The two blades swang dangerously close to Dooku, he only just managed to dodge out of their way and deflect Kenobi’s next attack. What had gone on there? This wasn't in his original plans, he had counted on Skywalker’s lack of self-control to hinder him. Yet this plan was considered earlier, not counting on the unknown factor: Padmé. Why did that girl always have to insert herself at decisive moments of conflict at the worst possible time and come away unscathed? It clearly could not be allowed to continue. But first, Obi-Wan. “Your moves are clumsy, Kenobi,” Dooku taunted, once again ignoring Anakin but to bat him and Padmé away from him. “Still far too predictable.” Obi-Wan chose not to respond to this, bringing his deflection around in a counter-attack and locking his weapon with Dooku’s. “Surely you can do no better,” Dooku snarled, elegantly evading Anakin and Padmé’s blows to attack the older Jedi. “Should I have expected from the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn?” At this remark Dooku knew he had struck the Jedi’s weak point, it was small and slight but it was there. Dooku felt into the dark side to give his attack strength and purpose, then he moved so quickly that everything seemed to happen at once. He knocked Anakin and Padmé back then gave Obi-Wan such a blow that the Jedi was left reeling. But Dooku hadn’t finished yet. He threw Obi-Wan back with the Force so hard that he was almost stunned, then held the Jedi up in the air and started to close his windpipe. “It seems,” said Dooku calmly to the choking Obi-Wan, “that the tables are now turned.” He turned to fend of Anakin’s attack, throwing the young Jedi back and kicking him down the stairs. Padmé was dealt in the same way while all the time Obi-Wan was still suspended in mid-air. “Pity it has to end this way,” Dooku said with mock-apology. He made a gesture with his free hand that sent Obi-Wan flying over the railing and to the level below. With a smile he made another gesture and collapsed the balcony, letting it fall on top of Obi-Wan’s prone form. But Dooku did not have the time to revel in his achievement; Skywalker was on him the very next moment. It took him a while to overcome the young man’s frenzied attacks and once again gain the upper hand. And then there was Padmé to contend with, she had a fury of her own. Quieter, and more subdued but nonetheless formidable. To his surprise Dooku could feel himself tiring. But Skywalker…he was getting stronger. With each blow, with each step he seemed to add to the endless reserves of energy he possessed. They fought across the platform to where the super battle droids were still standing idle. “Open fire! Now!” Dooku ordered, his voice revealing his desperation. Yet the droids proved little hindrance to Skywalker, he deflected all the bolts keenly and cut them down quickly with Padmé taking up the rear. Then, as Padmé moved to the side to trap Dooku against the rail Anakin attacked again, crossing his lightsaber with Dooku’s and kicking the former Jedi over the rail. Anakin jumped down after him, Padmé followed in a smooth flip that had her at Dooku’s back. They were now once again right in front of Chancellor Palpatine, right where they had begun the fight. Palpatine remained silent, his eyes alert to every action, his hands clenched with the palpable tension. Dooku brought his lightsaber up and stepped back to block the oncoming attacks, yet he did not withdraw but held his weapon there. “I sense fear in you, Skywalker,” Dooku taunted, his face very near Anakin’s. “You’re nothing but a posturing fool. And you,” he turned to Padmé with a look of utter contempt. “Don’t you have the sense to know when you’re beaten?” “Do you?” Padmé replied dryly, drawing back her green blade to attack again. Then came an explosion and the ship shuddered violently, so much so that Padmé lost her footing and took several steps backward. This was all the time Dooku needed to attack with strength and vigour. He slashed quickly at her, forcing her back to where the Chancellor was seated, then when Padmé could not retreat anymore she side-stepped Palpatine’s chair. The next moment another explosion rocked the ship and Padmé fell back, right in the middle of an attack. Her green blade swung wildly, missing Dooku completely and severing Palpatine’s chair from its stand. Palpatine fell forward, still strapped to the chair and hit his head on the metal floor. Anakin paled at this, but he did not let it stop him advancing on Dooku and putting his blue lightsaber blade in front of Dooku’s red to stop it from getting to Padmé. “Thanks,” Padmé said with relief, giving half a smile to Anakin. “No problem,” Anakin replied, following through with an attack on Dooku’s left side. Padmé got to her feet and walked over to where the Chancellor lay while Anakin engaged with Dooku. Palpatine was knocked out, but still alive. Yet when Padmé looked up she saw that Anakin didn’t need her help. He was in complete control of the fight, he backed Dooku towards the wall in a series of attacks. And Dooku was faltering, that was apparent in the way his parries were less poised, his defences slowly opening up. Finally, Anakin knocked Dooku’s lightsaber from his hand, catching the weapon as it arced through the air. He held both lightsabers out like a pair of scissors, forcing Dooku down, forcing the Sith Lord to submit. “Anakin?” Padmé’s voice was soft as she approached him, she couldn’t see his face but she could see Dooku’s. There she read fear, the same fear she had seen in Palpatine’s face when they had arrived. “Please…” Dooku’s voice was laboured and desperate. “The Chancellor promised me immunity!” “You don’t deserve that!” Anakin said in a low voice that Padmé didn’t recognise. “Anakin!” Padmé made her voice loud enough to attract both their attentions, he turned to look at her. He was smiling…why? They had won, they had managed to defeat Dooku despite what else had happened. But something in Anakin’s smile, his easy pleasure at the victory, that made Padmé stop breathing, made her walk up to him quickly with the most sombre expression she could summon. “Padmé?” The smile was starting to slip. “Is there something wrong?” “He’s surrendered,” Padmé said slowly, she had to approach this one step at a time. “We have to take him into custody now. He’ll have to be questioned.” “No!” The shout came from Anakin’s lips before he was aware of it. “He’s too dangerous to be kept alive, Padmé. I know you don’t like it, I don’t like it myself but it has to be done.” “But think about all the lives we could save,” Padmé pointed out. She placed one of her hands on top of his. “He’s got secrets about the Separatists, he knows what we’re going to do. We could even end this war!” Anakin stared at Padmé as if she were a stranger. Why was she even considering this? Dooku had cut off Padmé’s hand, hadn’t he? Why was she showing him mercy? If it had been him… “Anakin, I can restrain him,” Padmé told him. “We can make it so he’s not a danger to us, and he can get us out of here with the Chancellor.” Anakin examined Dooku for a long moment. “Are you sure?” His voice was doubtful. Padmé pulled a think black strip with a buckle on the end. It was a choke-collar, designed to restrain prisoners on work-details. They were monitored by a remote control device and when they were moved out of the device’s range the collar would constrict, closing the wearer’s wind pipe. Yet this one that Padmé had also possessed other capabilities, evidenced by the short prick in the back that would rub into the wearer’s neck. “It’s supposed to interfere with the Force,” she explained to him. “It’s pretty strong.” “I’ll cover you,” he said, moving the lightsabers back so she could slip it around Dooku’s neck. Padmé activated it using a small remote, then gave the nod when it started working. “Your mercy is appreciated,” Dooku said humbly, getting to his feet. “It’s not my mercy,” Anakin growled. “Just because you’re alive doesn’t mean I trust you. Hold out your hands!” Anakin applied a pair of stun-cuffs to Dooku and put the Sith’s curved lightsaber on his belt. His own he kept lit and pointed at Dooku’s throat. At this moment the Chancellor gave out a low moan. “Oh, my head!” Padmé knelt next to him, gently rolling the chair so Palpatine was on his back. She used the Force to free him from his restraints and helped the politician to his feet. “What happened?” Palpatine asked vaguely, looking from Padmé, to Anakin to the captured Dooku. “Isn’t it rather a dangerous idea having him as a prisoner?” “He can’t hurt us and he will be invaluable to Republic Intelligence, Chancellor,” Padmé said curtly, she added in a softer tone. “Are you injured, Your Excellency? Are you able to walk?” “I shall be fine,” Palpatine replied with dignity. “A little bit dazed, but I am fine.” He glanced around him. “I suppose this is a good time for leaving?” They were at the foot of the stairs when Anakin suddenly remembered. “Obi-Wan!” Padmé stepped in to guard Dooku while Anakin knelt at his Master’s side. He pulled Obi-Wan loose from the metal slab and bent over his body. “Anakin, there’s no time,” Palpatine said quietly, looking nervously at Dooku. “We must get out of here before more security droids arrive.” Anakin wasn’t listening. “There’s a pulse,” he said with a smile. “Breathing’s fine, no broken bones, slight concussion, he seems to be all right.” “Anakin, leave him,” the Chancellor pressed. “We’ll never make it, we’re held up as it is.” Anakin stared at the Chancellor as if he were looking at the face of a complete stranger. Didn’t he understand? Didn’t he know that you never, ever left anyone behind if you could help it? Yet that bitterness subsided, as Obi-Wan would have said Palpatine was a politician. A politician and not a Jedi, or a soldier. With that conviction he swung Obi-Wan’s body on his back, letting the Force balance the weight. “His fate will be the same as ours,” he said firmly, walking up to the elevator with Padmé and the others. Palpatine muttered to himself yet didn’t argue anymore.
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