quickened his pace and almost slid down to the deserted landing platform.

Behind the large transport, a sleek interstellar sloop dropped down from the sky, a sail ship, like none other in the galaxy.

'Dooku has arrived,' Obi-Wan said.

The solar sailer landed. The landing ramp slid down and the tall, elegant figure of Count Dooku emerged. Obi-Wan felt Anakin tense.

Unconsciously, he touched the metal hand that had replaced the one Dooku had severed.

'So Dooku hired the assassin,' Obi-Wan muttered as Robior Web skidded to a stop in front of Dooku, then bowed. 'With or without Lorian, we don't know.'

Distracted, he had not realized Anakin was rising until his Padawan was almost to his feet.

'Anakin what are you doing? Get down!'

'Let's get him now,' Anakin said.

'Get down!' Obi-Wan insisted. To his relief, Anakin crouched down again. He faced him, his eyes full of fire and purpose.

'We have our chance to end it here,' Anakin said. 'Let's kill him. We can take him together. We won't make the same mistakes this time.'

'Like being reckless and rushing him without a plan?' Obi-Wan asked pointedly. 'It is what cost you your hand last time, and you are doing it again, Padawan.'

'What are we waiting for?' Anakin asked. 'We missed him at Raxus Prime, but we won't here. If we kill him, we kill the Separatist movement. What is one life against thousands? Maybe millions?'

'Anakin — '

'He killed our brothers and sisters on Geonosis,' Anakin said bitterly. 'Have you forgotten how they died?'

'I remember it every moment,' Obi-Wan said. 'But this is not the time.

This is not the way.'

'You don't know what I can do,' Anakin said, and there was an ominous tone in his voice. 'My connection to the Force is stronger than yours.

I'm telling you I can do it! No matter what you say.'

Obi-Wan was shocked. 'You are still my apprentice,' he said sharply.

'I am your Master. You must obey.' The set of Anakin's mouth was sullen.

'Anakin, you must trust me,' Obi-Wan said forcefully. 'There will be another time to face Dooku. This is not the time.

Anakin looked at him. The sullen look was gone. His gaze was clear and cool. Obi-Wan could almost read contempt in it. But as the thought occurred to him, the look was gone. Had he really seen it?

'Look below,' Obi-Wan said. 'What do you think is in that transport?

Super battle droids. We would be dead before we took two steps on that platform. They're being unloaded now.'

Anakin looked down at the platform. Lines of droids clicked into formation as they rolled off the transport. Obi-Wan could see the way Anakin's mind focused on the immediate problem. He could almost feel Anakin's anger drain away.

But why had it been there in the first place? Obi-Wan had a feeling he had seen a flash of something much deeper than he'd ever known before.

'He is taking no chances,' Obi-Wan guessed. 'If things do not go his way at the meeting, he will use force.'

Reluctantly, Anakin tore his gaze away. 'We should warn them.'

'Yes,' Obi-Wan said. 'But who? Any one of them could be secretly in league with Dooku. We must consider our next step carefully. We must figure out who to talk to first.'

'I say we talk to Floria,' Anakin said.

'Why Floria?' Obi-Wan asked, puzzled. He didn't know what Anakin was thinking. He rarely did, anymore. But at least he was glad they were talking.

'I sense she is not telling all she knows,' Anakin said. Obi-Wan thought back. He realized that he had picked up something from Floria, too. But he had been too focused on Lorian to consider it.

Your mind must be everywhere at once, Padawan. The truth has many sides.

Yes, Qui-Gon.

'There is more going on here than the Force can sense,' Anakin said, repeating Lorian's words. 'Feelings, he said. What did he mean?'

'I don't know,' Obi-Wan said.

'That is why we must talk to Floria,' Anakin said. He rose to his feet in one quick movement and began to run. Obi-Wan had to put on a burst of speed to catch up.

'Do you remember,' Anakin said, 'how upset she was when the body of Samish Kash was found?'

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