Author's Note: This arc is almost over, but unlike previously, I think that this arc, and the last one won't have much of a time-skip. :)
WARNING: Depression and general darkness! (From what I remember, this is all that applies in this chapter.)
~ Amina Gila
The first thing Obi-Wan feels is the cold. It seeps into him, rousing him from unconsciousness. A groan escapes from him when he finally opens his eyes, feeling the throbbing in his head. Going after Dooku like that, alone, had been stupid. He hadn't been thinking clearly; he had let his anger cloud his judgment, the very thing he's chided Anakin for doing in the past.
But none of that matters now. Right now, it only matters that he's been captured.
He sits up, looking around the cell. It looks like every other Separatist prison cell does, with one major exception. The Force. He can't feel the Force. Somehow, the walls of the cell are dampening the Force enough that he can't reach out to it. And because of that, it means that he has no idea at all where he is. He can't feel any faint vibrations in the floor that indicate he's on a Cruiser, but he might not be able to feel them properly without tapping into Force. Alternatively, he's been unconscious for longer than he had expected, in which case he might be in one of Dooku's private prisons – not a pleasant thought.
Anakin will come, he starts thinking before remembering that no, Anakin will not come for him. Anakin left the Order, so he's entirely on his own.
Wonderful.
Exactly the kind of situation Obi-Wan had hoped to get himself into. His only consolation is that Grievous is dead, and that Artoo should have gotten the Separatist intel back to Cody. Even if he's not there, the clones might still be able to win the battle on Ringo Vinda.
But if he can't expect a rescue, at least not soon, he needs to find his own way out. Somehow. He has no idea how, yet, but he'll have to work quickly, though it's hard to do when he doesn't even have any information to work with. The last thing he remembers is being Force thrown into the wall, and then, before he could get up, lightning was coursing through his body. He must have gone unconscious after that, unable to fight through the pain. It could have been mere hours since then, or even... days, especially if he was drugged. From the lingering fuzziness in his mind, he's suspecting drugs, but it could also be a residual effect from the electrocution.
Suddenly, the cell door slides open, and Dooku himself steps through, followed by two MagnaGuards. Outside, Obi-Wan can see several more of them, and probably additional droids to keep him secured should he tries to escape. For a moment, he can feel the Force, but then, the door slides closed. Strange. This isn't like any prison Obi-Wan has ever been in before.
"I see you are awake," the Count declares, clasping his hands behind his back.
"Clearly," Obi-Wan gripes, glaring. Despite the lingering unsteadiness in his body, he pushes himself upright, determined to talk to Dooku on equal ground. "To what do I owe the pleasure of such unusual accommodations?" He gestures to the cell around him, letting Dooku know that he's noticed the strangeness.
"This is a holding cell specially constructed to contain Jedi," Dooku answers smugly. "There is no escape, and no one is coming for you. They will never find you."
It's the truth, Obi-Wan is certain, but he won't let it faze him. "What do you want from me?" he demands sharply, narrowing his eyes.
Dooku's expression is more amused than anything else. "Do you still persist on maintaining that you have not embraced the Dark Side?"
The urge to lunge at him crawls under Obi-Wan's skin, but he resists it, knowing that it would only mean being electrocuted by the MagnaGuards' electrostaffs. He isn't stupid. He knows when and where to pick his battles, and now is not one of those times. But that does not mean he doesn't desperately wish to commit a major act of violence upon the man in front of him. "You are delusional," he states frostily.
The Count actually smirks. "Am I?" he queries lightly. "Or are you?"
The question hangs in the air while Obi-Wan ponders if it would be worth it to slam his fist into Dooku's nose. It would definitely make him feel a lot better, even if he did suffer the consequences. Before he can go through with the inane, stupid move, Dooku keeps talking, "What I want from you, Obi-Wan, is simple. I wish for you to join me, to become my apprentice."
Obi-Wan stares at him for a moment, before he realizes that Dooku is perfectly serious. And then, he laughs, hard and cold. "You are more stupid than I thought, Dooku, if you think I would ever consider such a thing."
The Sith gives him a smug look. "We shall see. Let me know when you change your mind."
He turns to go, but Obi-Wan cannot stop himself from throwing a parting shot at his back. "Don't hold your breath waiting. You'd be dead long before I even consider it. Nothing could ever induce me to join you."
Dooku glances back, a knowing look in his brown eyes that is enough to send a chill skating down Obi-Wan's spine. When the cell door closes, even though Dooku doesn't respond, Obi-Wan cannot shake the feeling that he somehow, inexplicably, has lost.
And he has no idea how.
It is not a feeling he particularly cares for.
***
In the shuttle on the way to the rendezvous point with Rex and the rest of the 501st, Anakin works through his lightsaber katas before practicing sparring with Ahsoka. Their maneuverability room isn't great, but it's enough to let them work, which is good, because Anakin desperately needs the practice. He hasn't held a lightsaber in weeks, and he's hardly done any exercising at all.
He's badly out of shape.
That Ahsoka was nearly able to defeat him because of a clumsy slip that he never would have made in the past is proof enough.
But they're low on time, and he can't worry about it. He doesn't have time to worry about it. All he can do is work through the katas repeatedly and practicing sparring against Ahsoka to get his body somewhat back in shape. At least he still has muscle memory. That will help, because he can use the Force to provide more energy and siphon away his exhaustion for a time if needed.
And it will be needed, he knows. Even though he has something to focus on, it's hard not to get carried away by thoughts of everything else. It's easier to push it aside though, and it makes him wonder if he should have tried to keep up his training after leaving the Order. It would have given him something to focus on, and he wouldn't have been so stressed about how he's not in good shape when he's on a crucial mission to hunt down Obi-Wan and rescue him.
Somehow.
Before leaving Coruscant, he sent Padme a message, giving her a summary of what happened and assuring her that he'll be back before she knows it. Now, if only he can keep that promise.
He doesn't know what label to put on the feelings that wash over him when the shuttle comes out of hyperspace to reveal the familiar Cruisers of the 501st ahead of him. Nostalgia maybe. He misses them, misses the boys, the camaraderie. It was relaxing to be with them, even if it was never truly enough to take away his depression, but it was... better than what he had after he left the Order.
Leaving was... it was. While Anakin can't call it a mistake because he could not have stayed, he still regrets that he did, regrets that he was put in a position where he had to do so.
It feels like the entire 501st Legion is in the hangar to welcome them back, and the Force is abuzz with relief and elation when Anakin disembarks from the shuttle with Ahsoka right behind him. He wishes he could have had time to shower in the 'fresher from his extensive training session, but it doesn't matter now.
Artoo is the first to greet him, whistling and beeping animatedly, as he bumps into his leg. Anakin pats his dome, not needing to say any words, to express how much he's missed the droid.
"It's good to have you back, General," Rex says, falling in step next to him as they walk through the halls, towards the bridge.
"It's good to be back," Anakin admits, surprised to realize that he truly means it. Somehow, being surrounded by so many people who he knows will have his back no matter what, has brought him a comfort that he was sorely lacking. Perhaps it's not all that surprising. He has always been so prone to needing people, to craving the connections and bonds between them, no matter how un-Jedi-like it was.
And here he is, no longer a Jedi. He was never meant to be one.
Hastily, he shoves that train of thought aside, focusing on the situation at hand. "Tell me everything you know about what happened when Obi-Wan was captured," he requests, looking at Rex once they've arrived at their destination. They're standing around a holotable, and it feels so much like old times, as though nothing has changed at all, even though everything is entirely different now.
"We were on Ringo Vinda," Rex replies, "And I can give you the reports of the missions there if you need them, but as we were trying to take the Separatist command center, that's when it all happened." He taps on the console, and a hologram of the facility appears.
"We were here," he points, "And the Separatist forces were located here. General Kenobi slipped past enemy lines to tap into their security network in a bid to get enough intel that would allow us to win. Artoo came back with the information we needed to achieve victory as well as the news that the General had been captured by Count Dooku. Dooku's starship was tracked leaving the system, headed towards Serenno presumably. That is all that we know."
Anakin studies the map for a moment, weighing their options. "Artoo, did you get any recordings or anything of when Obi-Wan was captured?"
"Negative," whistles the droid. "I was busy with the mission."
Understandable, but it still means that they have absolutely no leads... and the clock is ticking down. The longer Obi-Wan is in Separatist hands, the more injured he will be when they find him. The thought of Obi-Wan being hurt fills Anakin with a helpless anger as well as a rage at himself for walking away. This is what he feared happening most, and – and he cannot lose Obi-Wan. He could never forgive himself.
"I'll try meditating," he says finally. "The Force will give me a path forward." In that, he has faith. The Force was with him when he fought Sidious, and it helped him defeat the Sith Master. It had been a hard fight, and even now, he only vague remembers what happened. Those are memories which, he knows will never fully return, but he can recall the sheer power he felt in that moment as the Light rushed to his defense, protecting him from Sidious' assault.
He and Ahsoka go to his quarters together, settling on the floor and sinking into a meditative trance. She is a calm, steady presence next to him, warm and soothing, and he holds onto their bond like a lifeline as he throws himself into the Force. He can feel and see so much that it's as though he's drowning. It's like swimming towards the bottom of an ocean, not knowing which way is up. If not for Ahsoka, he might become utterly lost; this is why he struggles to meditate. It's too easy to give himself over to the Force, and he could so easily... fade, disappear.
It could be minutes or hours before blurry, distorted images coalesce in his mind. He can see Obi-Wan in a dark cell, one that looks different from any Anakin has seen before, and he gets a vague idea of his surroundings. Serenno. It looks like Serenno. Obi-Wan is not being tortured, but something about him... doesn't seem right. Anakin can't figure out what it is, and the image disappears before he can fully grasp it, but it concerns him. He'll deal with it later.
Listen, whispers the Force just as he feels Ahsoka nudge him through their bond. He pulls out of the trance, blinking open his eyes to see his former Padawan looking at him. "Rex just commed," she tells him, expression worried. "The Separatists have launched a major assault against a battalion not far from us. They're being overrun. The Council has requested us to go to their aid, and they think Dooku will be there."
Go. The Force is adamant, certain, and Anakin is certain, too. He will do whatever it is that the Force tells him.
He gives out the orders, and before long, their Star Destroyers are jumping into hyperspace. He had wanted to get away from all of this, but people need his help. He should never have left. Once he has a chance to settle, it will all come crashing down on him, but for now, he'll embrace the momentary, fleeting moments when he doesn't feel overwhelmed and crushed by... his emotions and everything.
***
They come out of hyperspace into sheer chaos, and Anakin is caught up with organizing his men, sending them out into the battle. He's done this exact same thing a thousand times over, and it never gets easier, but he's used to it. No matter how long he's been gone, he slips back into the same routine as though it's only been a moment.
Even now, he and his boys work together flawlessly.
Dooku is out there, too – Anakin can feel him in the Force, the Dark Side shining around his presence, giving him away. More than anything, he wants to go after the Count. He wants to capture him, to demand that Dooku give Obi-Wan back to him.
He leaves his men to face the droids. He and Ahsoka have an engagement with the Sith Lord himself, the only one who remains. If they can defeat him, they can end the Clone Wars.
It's a risk, but it's one worth taking.
Sneaking onto the Cruiser where Dooku is located isn't easy, but they manage it without setting off any alarms. Somehow. Or maybe, Anakin realizes belatedly, they're walking into a trap. But they've sprung traps a hundred times over. He's used to it.
Still, that doesn't stop the Force from twisting around him, uneasy, uncertain, and somehow, he knows that this won't end well. It will be easiest to find Obi-Wan, the Force tells him, not in so many words, but he can interpret the feelings, put them into words. You can find him if you go forwards, but it will not be a path free from burden. And yet, when he probes, trying to understand, it's... hazy. The Force is not willing to divulge to him anymore than it already has.
And that's fine, because if this is the fastest way of finding Obi-Wan, Anakin will follow it.
(Later, he realizes he should have questioned what it means to "find" Obi-Wan. Perhaps then, he could have asked the right questions.)
Dooku is on the bridge, and he spins around when they enter, side-by-side, lightsabers ignited and ready. He doesn't look surprised. If anything, he seems pleased. "How nice of you to join us," he says pleasantly. "I've been waiting."
"Dooku," Anakin spits, narrowing his eyes, "Where do you have Obi-Wan?"
"Right to the point," Dooku smiles, "But if I told you, you would rush away, and we can't have that." He gestures, and Anakin's heart drops when he hears the clank of droids from behind them. Spinning, he sees MagnaGuards and destroyer droids fencing them in and dread sets in.
No matter what happens, both of them won't make it out of here, and Anakin will always protect Ahsoka. If he had been in good shape, perhaps – but no. There's no use wondering about the what ifs when the odds are not in their favor.
He doesn't think; he just reacts, delving into the Force, gathering it close and hurling a Force wave at the droids closest to them and the exit. "We have to run," he tells Ahsoka. "We'll never succeed if we stay."
The look on her face is one of grim determination and panic, but she nods, jerkily, as the destroyers open fire on them. They react instinctively, moving to block the blaster bolts raining down on them. If only they had brought some clones with them, but Anakin hadn't wanted to, knowing that his boys would probably die. For them, it would be a suicide mission. Maybe it will be one anyway, he doesn't know.
But he isn't going to let Ahsoka die.
He can feel Dooku's eyes burning into his back as he and Ahsoka fight their way to the exit. It isn't far, but it's far enough when they have destroyers facing them.
Reaching out with the Force, he shoves the ones in front of him backwards, and they roll away crashing into the opposite wall. Before they can reactivate, he leaps the distance to the door, slamming the button to open it. Ahsoka is next to him as they skid into the hall, but then, Dooku's voice stops them in their tracks.
"Leaving so soon?"
Anakin turns, slowly, to see the Count coming towards him, unignited lightsaber hilt in his right hand. With a faint, sardonic smile, he thumbs the ignition, and the red blade hisses to life. "I thought you wanted to find Master Kenobi."
"We'll find him one way or another," Anakin vows fiercely, glaring. Perhaps it was a mistake to come here... but the Force encouraged it. What he needs to do, he thinks, is let go and stop fearing what may happen. The Force answered him before when he fought Sidious. Dooku is weaker, even if he has droids to aid him.
He reaches out, and the Light answers him. "Ahsoka," he says, not taking his eyes off Dooku, "Run. I'll be right behind you."
She feels torn, but then, she turns, bolting off down the hall as Dooku advances on Anakin. Their lightsabers clash together, and Anakin backs down the hall, following Ahsoka. Dooku follows, but Anakin is merely toying with him. So long as he and Dooku are fighting, the droids will not risk shooting, and he's using that to his advantage. Maybe he's not in the best of shape anymore, but the Force is with him. As always.
He retreats until they approach the area where the escape pods are, and then, he Force shoves Dooku hard. He slams into the wall, and Anakin spins to escape. Ahsoka is already inside, waiting for him. If only they had been able to take Dooku by surprise. If he hadn't been waiting for them, they would have had a chance. It was a foolhardy attempt, anyway.
Everything happens in a matter of seconds.
Dooku rises, looking not at Anakin and Ahsoka, but towards the controls for the pods, and in a heartbeat, Anakin can see it all playing out. The controls will be shorted out and they'll both be trapped here, just like Dooku is anticipating – and hoping – for. He cannot let that happen, so he flicks a hand, pushing the buttons to close the pod Ahsoka is in and eject it. The last thing he hears is her started cry of his name, but then, it's cut off as she's hurtled away and to safety – leaving him to face Dooku alone.
Anakin is ready, and more than willing, to fight, but... when destroyers roll in, weapons aimed at him, he knows this is not a fight he can win. It would be more likely to kill him, and for all that he does not mind the thought of dying, he cannot do that to Obi-Wan. His former master is counting on him, and this, for whatever reason, is the path the Force has shown him. If this is how he will find Obi-Wan, then he will allow himself to be taken into custody.
For a heartbeat, no one moves, and then, Anakin drops his lightsaber on the floor and raises his hands in surrender. Dooku's expression is smug, but even so, Anakin cannot shake the feeling that he is the one who has won. Perhaps it is not obvious yet, but there is only one way this will end. All is as the Force wills it.
***
Ahsoka slams a hand down on the control panel of the escape pod – careful not to damage anything though – as anger and fear grip her. No. Nonono. Anakin is – how could he do that?
Well, she knows how, because she can understand his desire to try and protect her, but what she doesn't understand is why. Why did this happen? How could they have walked into a trap like that? And yes, they were terribly outnumbered – if they had tried to stay behind and fight, she is certain that both their bodies would be lying dead right now, riddled with blaster bolts. But... none of this makes any sense. How did Dooku know they were coming? And how did Anakin not sense anything?
He had been so certain that they would gain a victory if they went, that it was the path forward for them, so then... how?
Already, Anakin has not been in a good mindset, and Ahsoka dreads how he'll be now that he's been captured by Dooku. All they can do is try to fight, and maybe, maybe it will be enough to get Anakin back before Dooku captures him, too.
First Obi-Wan. Now Anakin. Is she next?
No, she thinks, resolved, directing the escape pod towards the Republic side of the space battle, comming Rex and trying to avoid being detected by the Separatists. She will not let herself be captured. She will rescue Anakin, and she will rescue Obi-Wan, too. But that resolve is not enough to fully hold back the threads of panic.
By the time she's been picked up by Republic forces, by the time she's raced from the hangar all the way up to the bridge, the Separatist ships are turning around, preparing to jump into hyperspace, abandoning the hard-fought battle that they were willing before the 501st came to the rescue. And even now, Ahsoka thinks that they might have prevailed if they had kept on fighting. She ought to be relieved, but how can she be, when Anakin has been captured?
Perhaps their whole attempt on Dooku was foolish and doomed from the start, but hindsight does nothing to change the here and now.
Her bond with Anakin jolts sharply as the cruiser carrying him makes the jump to hyperspace. Her fingers dig into the edge of the console table as she stares into the darkness of space.
"Track the command ship," she orders, trying to sound more certain and confident than she feels. "Dooku got Anakin. I think that this whole thing... was somehow a trap. Somehow, he knew we were coming. We can't let him know again." She looks around the bridge, at the clones she had fought alongside ever since she became Anakin's Padawan. "I think the Republic still has traitors. Until we find Anakin and Master Kenobi, we won't send any updates at all, or if we do, we'll submit counterfeit information. We will find them."
Rex steps up next to her, nodding. "We will," he promises, "And I know a group of specialized forces who can come in to assist us if we'll be tracking down General Kenobi on Serenno." That was where Anakin said he thought Obi-Wan was being held.
With Rex and the boys at her back, Ahsoka feels a little less alone. "Who?" she queries, though, because she has never heard of this group in the past. Since when is there a group of clones who are better than the 501st?
Rex gives her a half-smile, even though, from the look in his eyes, he knows that she won't know who he's talking about. "Clone Force 99."
"Call them," she decides. "We're going to get them back." It is a promise.
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