Murder the Dawn: Chapter Twenty One: Suitable Complacency

[ladyofleithian]

In which the battle of Geonosis begins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Notes: This was another one of my favorite chapters to write. I just love the little character beats between Obi-Wan, Anakin, Satine and Padme here. 

They were placed in one of the carts. Even now, Obi-Wan already had a feeling as to where this was going -- it was a time-honored Geonosian tradition to send political enemies (or perceived spies, such as themselves) out to the arena to be executed. Obi-Wan was far from scared of facing whatever hellish beasts the Geonosians could think of in order to terrorize them. And yet...

“Are you all right?” Satine’s voice was soft now. Subdued.

“I am,” he said. “And you?”

“More than ready for what comes.”

Even now, that reply was enough to console Obi-Wan, at least somewhat. And yet...

“Satine,” he began, “There was something I wanted to tell you, back on Mandalore, but I wasn’t able to. It’s just...”

“I know.” Even now, looking at her, looking into her eyes, Obi-Wan felt, almost, as if he had achieved some sort of stability in this place. They were most likely going to die, but at the very least, he had some measure of peace. Satine was worth fighting for -- more than worth fighting for. Brave. Principled. Kind. Good.

And at the very least, if he could die fighting (so to speak) side by side with her, it was more than worth it.

***

The cheering of the crowd was almost deafening. Even with a quick “Good luck, Anakin Skywalker” from Padme, even with a quick reassurance to her that he would be, Anakin still could not help but feel almost nervous. Still, he tried to compose himself, tried to tell himself, over and over again, to remember the Jedi Code.

There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no death, there is the Force.

The last one was the most reassuring – and yet the most blatantly untrue. There was death; he had seen plenty of death on Tatooine. He had seen death claim Qui-Gon Jinn, the man who would have been his mentor. Though Obi-Wan was firm and gentle and kind and good, at the same time, he could not help but wonder what life he might have known should Qui-Gon have lived to train him.

The sunlight on Geonosis was almost blinding, and for a moment, Anakin could have sworn he was back on Tatooine again. Still, he willed himself to be calm. There is no emotion, there is peace…

Finally, Anakin’s cart came to a halt – and yet at the same time, he could have sworn there was some degree of movement from the corner of his eye. Could it be –

No, he had to be hallucinating.

Then the cart drew up by his side to reveal Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze. Even now, he grinned in relief – though the grin was slightly strained. There was something different about the two of them – something that almost bespoke…closeness. It was probably best to leave it unsaid, though. There were more important things at stake.

“You two all right?” he asked.

“Relatively,” Satine said. “We decided to come and rescue you.”

Anakin grinned. “Thank you…I assume.” He sighed, looked around at the cheering crowd, eager for blood. “I can’t say we’re in very good circumstances, though.”

“That,” Obi-Wan said, wryly, “Is obvious.”

Then the carts jerked again, and they were brought over to the poles, chained to them. Anakin turned to look at Obi-Wan. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Obi-Wan gave a good-natured snort. “I’d be more worried if you didn’t, frankly.”

Eventually, the crowd quieted down as Archduke Poggle The Lesser stepped out to speak. “People of Geonosis,” he said, “What a unique occasion we have before us today! For we do have in our midst, the most heinous traitors of the Republic!” Even now, listening to Archduke Poggle the Lesser continue to speak, rattling off the most disgusting bantha poodoo that was no doubt written for him – probably by Count Dooku, Anakin thought – before finally: “What do these…traitors deserve?”

“There’s an instance of hypocrisy right there,” Anakin whispered, leaning towards Obi-Wan the best he could.

“Not now, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, but Anakin thought he could see Obi-Wan smile, if only slightly.

And even that pleased him.

And then they brought out the beasts. The reek came first – a bulky, oversized creature with mighty horns and an almost beak-like shape to its snout. Prodded by Geonosian guards, the reek was flushed red – it had no doubt been bred to specifically execute “traitors” and political enemies.

Next came the nexu, an almost feline creature with spines all over its back, and four eyes, its mouth filled with sharp teeth, drawn back into a smile that brought to mind the maalras of Dxun.

And finally came the true crowd pleaser – the acklay. An almost mutant mix of insect and amphibian, the acklay had great pincers and that face, with its almost bill-like mouth…from above, Anakin could hear the young boy, Boba Fett, eagerly reciting to his father the acklay’s many, many feats.

“It would be touching if we weren’t about to die.” Obi-Wan, as usual, trying to find some degree of a sarcastic reply for the situation. Anakin almost admired that – almost.

“We just need to find a way to get out of this situation,” he said. “What do you suggest?”

“I say patience.”

At Anakin’s snort, Obi-Wan said, “And by that I mean, lull the crowd into a false sense of security. Then, once they’re suitably complacent, turn the tables.”

“I think by the time they’re ‘suitably complacent’, we’ll be dead – ’’

“Not quite,” Obi-Wan said. “See the reek over there?”

Anakin nodded. “It looks…riled up.”

“They’re supposed to be,” Obi-Wan said. “They’re bred that way for gladiatorial purposes.”

Even now, thinking of that – slavery, even – Anakin could not help but feel some sympathy for the reek. Instinctively, he reached through the reek’s barriers – if anything, the reek seemed to be in pain. He sent waves of calm to the beast, and the beast seemed to relax, if slightly.

Obi-Wan merely gave him an approving nod.

And then Anakin sent a suggestion to the beast – break my chains. Let me help Obi-Wan.

The beast charged towards him. Anakin braced himself, almost worrying, for a split second, that he had angered the beast, that something hadn’t worked –

-- only for the beast to break the chains. Wresting himself free, Anakin turned to look at Obi-Wan, grinning, before saying, “You’re going to have to keep still, Master. I’m going to get these off.”

And he cleaved through the chains with his lightsaber. Obi-Wan and Anakin then leapt on the reek, Anakin once again sending soothing feelings to the beast. Satine, meanwhile, seemed to have made her way to the top of the pole – much to the outrage of Nute Gunray. “She can’t do that!” the Nemoidian protested. “Shoot her, or something!”

Anakin had to chuckle to himself. If they could find a way to all but anger Gunray in the process, it was more than worth it.

“Patience, Viceroy,” the Count said, seeming almost amused by the Nemoidian’s petulance as much as Anakin – if anything, the Nemoidian sounded like a child who hadn’t gotten his way. “She will die.”

Over at the end of the arena, Padme seemed to be the only one who was suppressing a smile. Good work, Chosen One, the hidden smile seemed to say. Good work.

Anakin had to grin back in spite of himself. He had, after all, learned from the best. Then he turned back to Obi-Wan. “We have to go back for Padme.”

“Padme?”

“She helped me,” he said, “Back in that cell on Geonosis. When Dooku injured me –’’

“We need to find a way out of the arena first. Then we can worry.”

And then, at the same moment, battle droids marched out of the arena – heavy built, ready for action.

“Oh, this can’t be good.” Obi-Wan said.

“Don’t worry, Master. It’s nothing we can’t handle.”

But even now, Anakin could not help but agree.