ladyofleithian | Murder the Dawn: Chapter Twenty Two: The Cavalry Arrives

In which the Jedi arrive at Geonosis, and things get a lot more complicated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Master Windu never imagined that it would come to this. But then again, long ago, he never would have imagined Dooku, no matter what misguided convictions he had, resorting to assassination plots with the Separatists.

So he could hardly be blamed, really, for having no choice but to corner Dooku in the arena. The Count, as usual, masked his surprise quite well considering the circumstances. “Master Windu. What an unexpected surprise.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Count,” Mace said, “The party’s over.”

He signaled towards the Jedi. Even now, Count Dooku smiled.

“Brave, but foolish, my old Jedi friend.”

“I assure you, Dooku; these Jedi are more than capable of standing up to Geonosians.”

“But what of battle droids? Can they stand up to them?”

Dooku knew nothing of the Jedi Order even now. And that, Mace mused, would no doubt be his downfall.

***

“Anakin, look!”

Satine’s voice jarred Anakin out of his thoughts on how to best take out the battle droids with the reek as the Jedi flooded into the arena. Even now, something in Anakin almost – almost – loosened with relief: they were saved.

Even now though, as the battle began, it seemed that they were losing. Even now, long after Anakin had done the best he could on the reek, using it to trample the battle droids, occasionally raising his lightsaber to deflect blaster bolts, he mouthed to Padme, “Go, go!”

She shook her head.

“I don’t want you to get hurt!” Anakin continued to mouth.

Again, she shook her head.

It was then that Obi-Wan’s voice interrupted Anakin and Padme’s conversation, of sorts. “The others need our help,” he said, “There is no time for vengeance. And besides…”

Anakin turned to see Mace Windu fighting the acklay, while Kit Fisto fought the nexu. He sighed.

“Looks like this is going to take a while.”

And he, Obi-Wan and Satine proceeded to Mace Windu and Kit Fisto’s aid.

***

Even now, Mace Windu never thought that he would be happy to see Anakin Skywalker. But the moment that the acklay fell to a blaster bolt, after Mace’s constant hacking at it with a lightsaber (it was plenty weakened, of course, if resilient), and Mace turned to see Anakin behind him, he realized that he was wrong.

“Skywalker,” he said, “It is good to see you.”

He could have sworn that a smug smile flashed across Skywalker’s face, but the young Jedi was good at hiding it, rearranging his expression into an expression of the utmost serenity and respect.

“Thank you, Master Windu,” he said. “Get on here.”

“How did you even commandeer a reek –?’’

“Get on!” Anakin sounded frantic. “We don’t have much time!”

Normally, Mace would have questioned some of Anakin’s methods. The boy, after all, was dangerous -- brilliant, some would argue, but dangerous nonetheless. They had all but sensed his potential for good and evil in him the moment he had arrived at the Temple. Brave, and yet vulnerable from the separation from his mother. Kind, and yet with a potential to be manipulated into unthinking cruelty. Still...

“Very well.” Mace sighed and climbed on top of the reek behind Anakin. They did, after all, have a battle to win.

***

They were brave. More than brave, really. Perhaps some of the bravest Jedi one could ever know. They certainly earned their position, and yet --

Even now, watching battle droids cut them down, watching them fall, Count Dooku, now Darth Tyrannus, could only sigh. He had to end this. Once and for all.

He could only hope that the Jedi could see reason.