Trial of the Times

Chapter 2 - The Offer - Rewritten

Count Dooku stands about a hundred feet away, a curious expression on his face as he regards Anakin. Anakin stares back at him, stunned. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Reaching out with the Force, he feels the Sith's familiar Force presence. Actually, he's not sure how he didn't feel it a long time ago. Probably because he was too busy thinking.

His hand creeps towards his lightsaber. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. If Dooku decides to fight him, he doubts he'd be able to hold him off. He knows he couldn't. He's too exhausted to put up much of a fight. And maybe he'll die quickly. Yes, that doesn't sound so bad... unless he gets electrocuted again. A faint chill creeps down his spine when he remembers their last encounter. None of them have been filled with pleasant memories for him.

"Dooku," hisses Anakin, narrowing his eyes and finally finding his voice, "What are you doing here?"

"This is a surprise, Skywalker," returns Dooku, still watching him carefully, "Though I must say it's not an unwelcome one."

"Just say whatever you want to say, unless you're planning to kill me, in which case, go right ahead and try," retorts Anakin coldly.

"It's such a pity that Kenobi is dead," muses the Sith Lord, "He was a very fine man. Honorable. A worthy opponent. I had dearly hoped he might join me."

"Don't you dare talk about Obi-Wan," snarls Anakin, his fury rising, "He was a much better man than you ever could be. He would never join you. He's not a traitor."

"You can't be too certain about that," chides Dooku as though he's talking to a child, "Kenobi never heard my most recent proposal, and I dare say that he would have joined me so we could put a quick end to the war."

"Considering that you started and are prolonging the war, I really don't see how or why you would suddenly end it," snaps Anakin, standing up. His pain is gone. All he feels is anger. And hatred. May the Force help Dooku if he hired the bounty hunter to kill Obi-Wan. He'll never find a safe place from Anakin's wrath. That should scare him. He's talking about using the Dark Side, but right now, he just doesn't care.

Dooku sighs slightly, "You have much to learn, young Skywalker, and since your master cannot help me, perhaps you might be interested."

"I will never be a Sith," Anakin replies, his hand inching towards his lightsaber again. He can never be too careful. If he's going to die, he'd rather die fighting.

"No, I wasn't going to ask you to become a Sith." Dooku's answer – it surprises him. He'd been certain the Sith would want him to become his apprentice. But if not... then what is he planning?

Anakin just stares at him, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

Seeing his unspoken question, Dooku keeps talking, "I don't like what my master has planned for the galaxy," he tells Anakin bluntly, "It is not what I had in mind when I joined him. He's getting out of control, and I want to stop him." That – it's a shocking confession. He is... intending to turn on his master, whoever he might be, but maybe not so surprising after all, for such is the way of the Sith.

"So, what do you want from me?" questions Anakin, intrigued despite himself. Dooku has never before shown any interest in Anakin whatsoever, unless torturing him brought him some benefit. He doesn't let his mind drift to what happened in their last meeting on Zygeria and the one on Naboo before that. He had nightmares for days after their encounter on Naboo, and the lightning scars took significantly longer to fade than normal. Always, always Dooku has been interested in Obi-Wan. Never him.

"Assistance," Dooku answers without hesitating, "I could never defeat my master in a duel alone. I need someone who is skilled."

"And you thought that someone would be Obi-Wan," Anakin deduces, wincing slightly as he says his former master's name. Dooku nods in confirmation.