Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 35 - Crisis on Naboo

The door to the banquet hall hisses open, and Anakin instantly tenses as the familiar cold sensation crashes into him. "Welcome," Dooku states from the head of the table, and Anakin can hear his smugness. This was what he wanted; to wait until a time where Anakin was alone with Palpatine.

A million emotions rush through him at once, too chaotic for him to take the time to try understanding, but the largest being the very familiar fear of what he could lose in this sure to come fight, and the ever-smoldering fury. He's off-balance – has been since Theseus was lost, Anakin thinks – and the instant realization that all of this happened because of Dooku is enough to set him off.

Theseus... is still on-planet, though he hasn't been staying with the Chancellor the entire time like Anakin has been. While he would much rather not get the younger boy involved in a fight with the Sith, Anakin knows he may well have to.

"My gracious, it's a trap!" Palpatine exclaims.

"Stay back," Anakin warns, pushing him out of the way of the MagnaGuards heading towards them, and he struggles to suppress his surge of fear at the sight of them and being here in Dooku's presence. The last time that happened – it was also on Naboo – it didn't go well for him. As he moves away from them, shuffling forwards to face Dooku, he discreetly comms Theseus. It should be enough to let the padawan come looking. The doors slide shut behind him, and Anakin ducks out of the way as one of the droids nearly hits him with its wildly swinging electrostaff. He's had quite enough of that, thanks.

"You should have quit while you were still alive, Dooku," Anakin growls. He has every intention of ending this here and now if he has any say in the matter. He can feel Obi-Wan's presence on the planet still, and he knows his former master will be coming as well, though that's something he prefers not to think about. If both Obi-Wan and Theseus show up, Dooku won't stand a chance. Anakin's been preparing for this; he always is. Every encounter he learns something from, and it won't be long before Dooku's out of tricks to pull.

And if he doesn't succeed, everything that he and Ahsoka and Theseus have gone through the past few days will mean nothing. Palpatine had personally entrusted his protection with Anakin, after all, and he can't afford to fail.

Dooku rises, laughing in a way that grates on Anakin's nerves like nothing else can. "Fighting off the entire Jedi security force would have been difficult, but now they are gone." He ignites his lightsaber, holding the blade in front of himself. "Defeating you alone will be an easy task."

Anakin delves into the Force as he always does before battle, wrapping it around himself protectively, anger burning hot and fierce within him. That ceaseless craving to prove himself surfaces again, and he loathes how somehow, despite everything he's accomplished, he means nothing. He's nothing to Obi-Wan – he knows that now – and he's always been insignificant to everyone else.

Anakin tries – he really does – not to let Dooku's words affect him, but they hit too close to home, to his greatest fear. Still, he remembers their last encounter. He knows how Dooku works a little better now; he knows to take out the droids first. The two behind him move, and Anakin spins around, blocking their blows. He finds an opening in a matter of seconds and ducks out of the way of the second to stab the first. He kicks the now destroyed first to the floor and spins around to the second. They trade a few blows before Anakin grabs its arm with his metal hand, crushing the metal of the droid before swinging up his blade to chop through that, stabbing it through the center.

"Chancellor, get out of here," Anakin advises as he turns his attention back to the Sith Lord.

"Good idea," he agrees, heading for the door, and it slides open, only for another MangaGuard to enter.