Of Love and War Book 2: The Oncoming Storm

Chapter 16: Count Dooku

"It's Dooku!" Anakin exclaimed out loud. "Shoot him down!"

"We're out of rockets sir," the pilot informed him.

"Follow him!" Anakin and Zelina said at the same time, though Anakin sounded much more exasperated then Zelina.

"We're going to need some help!" Padme added, shouting to be heard over the engines.

"There isn't time!" Obi-Wan returned. "Anakin and I can handle this. Zelina can too if she's up to it."

"With pleasure," Zelina said in a dangerous voice, eyeing Dooku's retreating form.

Dooku's escorts turned around to come up behind their gunship, and the sound of their fire ripped through the air.

"It looks like he's decided to send us a gift," Zelina exclaimed bitterly.

One of the blasts hit home, and the gunship lurched. Zelina slung her arm out in a desperate attempt to catch Padme, failing miserably as she tumbled out of the gunship.

"Padme!" Anakin screamed, running to Zelina's side, his gaze glued to Padme's unmoving figure even as it rapidly disappeared from view. "Put the ship down!"

"Anakin, don't let your personal feelings get in the way!" Obi-Wan scolded him. Anakin continued to stare in Padme's direction as Obi-Wan turned back to the pilot. "Follow that speeder!"

"Lower the ship!" Anakin repeated angrily.

"I can't take Dooku alone! I need you! If we catch him we can end this war right now!" Obi-Wan shouted at him over the sound of heavy fire and the engines. "We have a job to do!"

"I don't care, put the ship down!"

"Anakin, he's right!" Zelina added, grasping his wrist. He shrugged her off.

"You will be expelled from the Jedi Order!" Obi-Wan shouted at him.

"I can't leave her!" Anakin shot back.

"Come to your senses! What do you think Padme would do if she was in your position?" Obi-Wan finally said.

Anakin looked away, refusing to meet Obi-Wan's eyes and breathing heavily. He had hit home. "She would do her duty," he finally answered gruffly.

Obi-Wan simply turned away, ending the discussion there. Zelina, however, latched onto Anakin's arm again.

"She's going to be okay Anakin, I promise, alright? There weren't any enemy troops down there with her, and there was a clone that fell out with her too," she said quietly.

Anakin shook his head. "We shouldn't leave her behind, we shouldn't! Zee, she wasn't moving!"

"Do you really think a fall that small onto sand would really beat her out Anakin? I'm sure she was just stunned. She'll be fine Ani, relax."

"How can you tell me to relax after everything that's happened?" he shot back.

"Because if you don't start thinking a little clearer we're probably going to find ourselves in a really bad spot Ani. Just trust me please? Let's focus on getting Dooku, then afterwards we'll go and make sure Padme's well taken care of. Deal?"

Anakin eyed her for a few moments. "Deal," he finally said quietly. Zelina clasped his shoulder gently.

"Don't worry Ani, she'll be fine, I know she will."

He said nothing more for the rest of the trip, and they all waited in silent anxiety as they drew closer to the hanger that Dooku had disappeared into. Zelina ran her hand through her hair a few times, doing her best to calm her sudden nerves as they glided to a stop on the landing pad. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and she raced off of the gunship, quickly making their way inside after Obi-Wan gave the soldiers an order to stay put.