Author's Note: Hello again and sorry for the lack of updates. I'd like to thank everyone who is still reading this - and especially those who reviewed the last chapter. And of course thanks to Sentrosi, my beta reader.

I've reposted the final sentences of the last chapter so that you'll remember what happened before. (Even I got a bit confused by my story because I had completely forgotten what I had planned for Dooku. Fortunately, I finally found the notebook again where I had written down a detailed plotline for the story.)

What you want, you can have. What you desire, you can take. He can be yours.

Anakin had not been ready to give him what he wanted. Now Obi-Wan would take what was rightfully his. And no one could stop him.

Obi-Wan slowly moved forward and knelt down in front of Anakin. Staring at Anakin's bloodstained lips, he unconsciously licked his own lips. Very slowly, he lifted one hand to gently trace the trail of blood running down Anakin's cheek.

"Kiss him."

Chapter 29

The Taste of the Dark Side

In a trance, Obi-Wan's fingers slid down Anakin's cheek until they rested at the corner of his mouth. Unexpectedly, Anakin opened his mouth. Surprised by the sudden movement, Obi-Wan tore his gaze from the blood-red lips and looked Anakin in the eye. The eyes were glazed and the eyelids fluttered as if Anakin could hardly keep them open.

"I…I'm so glad…you've come," Anakin croaked in a very quiet, very hoarse, very weak voice. It sounded like he had not spoken for a very long time. Or like his voice had become raw and exhausted from screaming so much in pain.

Obi-Wan blinked and his gaze rested on Anakin's lips again, where his fingers were placed – and where his ring shone the brightest shade of blue.

Master, why is it shining blue now? - That's the dark side in you. You must know, Padawan, that every being has a dark side in themselves. Everyone, even Master Yoda, has darkness in their soul. But the important thing is to control the darkness, to defeat the darkness within you. That is what you must learn. Only then can you become a Jedi.

The dark side. It was the dark side that was taking control of him. He had let it do it, he had welcomed it. Horrified, Obi-Wan stared at the radiating gemstone.

Promise me it will be a selfless love.

He had broken the promise he had given to Qui-Gon … to himself … and to Anakin. He had told Anakin he did not ask for anything in return. But his love was not selfless. He would have exploited this situation … Anakin, who was so weak and had been tortured for days … Obi-Wan would have done it, he would have – He gulped, feeling disgusted with himself.

I am very disappointed at your behaviour, he heard the distant echo of his Master's voice from so many years ago. I thought better of you but obviously I was thoroughly mistaken. You should be ashamed of yourself. You are a disgrace to the Jedi Order, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Horror-struck, Obi-Wan stared at the blue shining ring at his hand, which hovered still over Anakin's cheek. There was blood on his fingers. He had touched it: the dark side. He was tainted.

How could he have ever even considered doing it? He loved Anakin – how could he have -?! What have I done?! I'm sorry, Anakin, I'm so sorry. Anakin had trusted him. He had not doubted for a moment that Obi-Wan could fall. I'm so glad you've come. And what had Obi-Wan done? He had just selfishly thought of nothing but himself. He could not believe he had done that. They had all been so wrong to trust him: Anakin and Qui-Gon …

Pulling himself together, Obi-Wan fought down the feelings of despair and shame. Now was not the time to wonder what he had done and why he had done it. He had come here for a purpose: saving Anakin. He had to act now. Ventress was still watching him intently. She still seemed to be convinced Obi-Wan would do as she had told him.

Well, I'm going to play along with your game just a little longer. Pretending to be still under her influence, he leant further towards Anakin. But Obi-Wan did not kiss him, but instead carefully wrapped his arms around Anakin's thin frame. His whole body seemed to be reduced to bones.

"Don't be afraid," Obi-Wan breathed, his mouth close to Anakin's ear.

Anakin smelled horrible: a mixture of blood, sweat, urine and vomit. But Obi-Wan could not bring himself to care. He just held him close and pressed his own eyes tightly shut, willing the tears back. I'm sorry, so sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry …

Obi-Wan's hands slowly slid down until he reached Anakin's hands, which were tightly shackled. In one swift movement, he activated his lightsaber, cut through the shackles, jumped up, spun around and met Ventress's red blade with his own blue blade. Ventress had reacted quickly when she had noticed his intentions.

Unfortunately, she had a second lightsaber, and she was very good at wielding two lightsabers at the same time. Obi-Wan felt like he was fighting against two opponents. Two very powerful opponents. It was not like fighting against the assassin droids at all. Oh, sure, he still could use all the power of the Force of this place, but the difference was that Ventress could, as well. She was not a droid, after all, but a Force-sensitive being. And she was a Master at using the dark side of the Force. Obi-Wan was not.

What had Yoda told him, all those years ago after his fight against the Sith on Naboo? - Yes, yes, dark side there is in you. But not enough dark side to defeat a Sith. Frowning with the effort, Obi-Wan parried another one of Ventress's vicious onslaughts. Brilliant. So I have dark side traits in me but then it doesn't even help me … He was helpless against the series of wild blows Ventress rained down on him.

He felt stronger than ever with the Force as his ally, the Force which was so strong in this place. Never before in his life had he fought so well. His stabs were precise and quick, his movements swift and graceful. He fought the hardest he was capable of, but there was one problem: It was not enough. He could not deny it: Ventress. Was. Simply. Better.

Although that observation was not very encouraging, he did not consider giving up for even a single moment. He knew he could not win – but giving up was not an option. He would rather fight until he tripped over his own feet in exhaustion and had to crawl at her feet.

Once again, the blue and one of the red lightsabers met in a clash of hot energy. Obi-Wan quickly wanted to pull his lightsaber back to be ready to defend himself against the other lightsaber but Ventress locked their lightsabers over their heads. She brandished her other lightsaber – and Obi-Wan almost lost his feet. He could jump up at the last possible moment. That, however, meant he lost his balance as Ventress still pushed her lightsaber hard against his blade. He dropped down and did a backward role to land on his feet again.

Ventress was already there, waiting for him. He had no time to recover his breath when she aimed her next stabs at his chest, with both lightsabers. He drew up his own lightsaber and pulled up both of her lightsabers. Taking his chance, he kicked her hard in the stomach. She stumbled slightly backward and Obi-Wan used this little moment of her insecurity and somersaulted backward to take cover from her behind the huge, old-fashioned couch.

He gasped for breath, forcing air into his lungs. He could not remember ever having fought such a fierce battle. And Ventress fought in the same style he used. Where had she learned it?!

Ventress came back towards him and paused at the other side of the couch. Their lightsabers were close enough to clash but they were not close enough to injure the other. Come on, jump over, Obi-Wan tried to provoke her by dancing out of her reach again and again. Just jump over and I'm going to chop off both of your legs. Unfortunately, Ventress was not that reckless and stupid. Impatient because she could not finish her victim off, she growled softly in her throat.

"We cannot play cat and mouse forever," she snarled. "Come on, you're not that cowardly, are you?"

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. It was so obvious what she was trying to do. "You know, Ventress, it might work once but it won't work again on me."

But eventually it was Ventress who made the first move. She darted around the couch – straight in the direction of Anakin. Obi-Wan jumped in her way and blocked her vicious onslaught once more. The muscles in his arms already started protesting against the excessive use. How, in the galaxy, was he ever going to come out of this alive? Frantically, he looked around to see Anakin still crouching motionlessly on the floor. His eyes were unfocussed; he hardly seemed to notice what was going on around him. What good is there in me fighting to the death if he doesn't even take his chance to escape? Obi-Wan thought in exasperation.

Strangely enough, Ventress chose that moment for an incredibly insensible move: She leapt up and somersaulted over Obi-Wan. No doubt in order to land behind his back and attack him from there. It confused him greatly because so far she had fought in the same style he used, so she should have known how easy it was to disarm an opponent if they somersaulted over you. But now was not the time to wonder about her unexpected stunt. Obi-Wan lazily twisted his right wrist and, with a little flick of his lightsaber, he had one of her lightsabers clatter against the wall at the other side of the room.

It was a short-lived triumph. One lightsaber less did not mean Ventress was less dangerous, as Obi-Wan painfully had to realise when she trailed the deadly weapon down his unguarded left side. He groaned in agony at the feeling of it burning his skin. Next second, the lightsaber also swished over his knees. They were not lethal wounds, but it was bad enough to make his knees buckle and to cause him to fall to his knees in pain. He tried to hold on to his lightsaber handle. It was the only thing that seemed to be able to separate him from certain death. He knew that if he let go of his lightsaber … But the pain clouded his mind, everything got fuzzy and the deep rug was so soft… And in the end, the lightsaber fell out of his weak fingers. All he could see was a red blur coming towards him.

But it never hit him. There was even more red now, which did not make sense at all. Then the red blur moved farther away from him. Obi-Wan used all his efforts to extend his hand towards his fallen lightsaber. When his fingers curled around the cool metal, his senses cleared a bit. After blinking a few times, he identified the red blur as a second lightsaber, which was wielded by Anakin. He must have somehow got hold of the one which Ventress had lost earlier.

Anakin was fighting a losing battle. He was barely able to stand on his wobbly legs. Ventress was ruthlessly driving him into a corner because he could not counter her vigorous strikes. All he did was ducking to avoid her blows. Obi-Wan knew he had to do something. But how – when every movement of his made pain shot like a blaster shot through him and threatened to knock him out again? He tried to exert all the Jedi relaxing techniques to control your body and the Jedi self healing powers. He finally managed to rise into a kneeling position (oh, how they burnt, his knees!) It was not much yet, but it was a start. Painstakingly slowly, he crawled towards the wall, to which he clung while trying to get up. He ignored the duel between Ventress and Anakin. There was only so much his dizzy mind could focus on and getting up on his feet was a task difficult enough right now.

His raspy intakes of air hurt in his lungs when he leant back against the wall to struggle for breath. He lifted one shaking arm to call his lightsaber into his hand. In a normal situation, it would not have worked but here on Vjun, this planet on which the Force was so strong, his weapon soared into his hand effortlessly. He took a deep breath and then staggered forwards to join the fight.

We make a fine pair, Obi-Wan thought when he and Anakin almost collided due to their clumsy movements. Both of us are busier with not collapsing than with actually attacking her.

Ventress obviously thought along the same lines when she taunted, "You two wouldn't even win against a protocol droid like this."

Neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan had the energy to come up with a witty retort. They had forgotten everything about lightsaber techniques and the different styles. All they did was holding their lightsabers up to stop Ventress from slicing them to pieces. She seemed to be enjoying it, teasing them, like a cat playing with a womp rat before finally eating it.

And then the inevitable happened. Ventress aimed a hard kick at Obi-Wan's legs, he staggered backwards, stumbled over something on the floor and landed hard on his bottom. Swaggering wildly, he scrambled into a standing position again but too late. Ventress had locked lightsabers with Anakin, grabbed his arm with her free hand, pulled her lightsaber down and then up again – and cut straight through Anakin's arm with a quick slash. Howling with agony, Anakin collapsed to the floor. Her lightsaber raised, Ventress advanced on him, snarling in triumph.

It was sheer desperation that gave Obi-Wan the strength to lunge forward. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was coincidence. Or maybe it was just sheer luck - or simply the will of the Force. When Obi-Wan flung his lightsaber towards Ventress, it pierced right through her back and chest.

She was killed instantly.

There was the sickening thud when her lifeless body hit the soft rug. The discarded lightsaber went off with a little hiss. Obi-Wan gasped loudly, then his knees gave away and he staggered down. And then there was only the dull ticking of the ancient chrono. It went on and on, monotonous, uncaring, never affected by the things that had just occurred here.

Recollecting his last energies, Obi-Wan crawled to Anakin's side, trying - in vain - to ignore the arm stump that just lay there, severed from the rest of the body.

"She's dead," Obi-Wan croaked. "You're safe now. Everything ... everything will be alright."

Anakin's eyes focussed for a short moment. His voice was slurred, delirious from the pain. "Cody and -- and other clones ... are still here ... imprisoned ... gotta free them." And with that, he passed out.

"Okay," Obi-Wan promised, "I'll do it." He surprised himself by simply standing up and starting to walk forwards. With the confidence of a sleepwalker, he reached the cells and opened them, letting several clone soldiers out. He did not hear what they said to him. He heard just the rushing in his ears that got louder and louder.

Ironically, it was the clones that had to support the two broken Jedi on their way back to the spaceship that would bring them back to Senali.

xxxxx

It was night at Senali. The two moons illuminated the ink blue, almost violet night sky. Everything was quite but the constant rush of waves rolling on the shore.

Master Dooku, now also known as Darth Tyranus, approached the camp of the clone soldiers. He felt a strong tug of impatience, something he had seldom experienced before in his former life as a Jedi Master.

It was time. Finally.

Confidently, he strode towards the first row of identical tents - only to be stopped by one of those useless clones.

"Sir, state your name and your purpose. This is a camp of the Grand Army of the Republic. You are not allowed to enter it without explicit permission."

Dooku eyed the ... creature with distaste. They were just so hopeless and all too common. Really, just producing living beings – how uncivilised. Dooku lazily waved his right hand, adding just a tiny hint of Force suggestion to his voice: "You will let me pass. No further questions." Naturally, the weak-minded clone let him pass. How pathetic, Dooku thought contemptuously.

He knew where he had to go. The tents of the Jedi generals or commanders were always more luxurious. If you could call life in a tent on the battlefield 'luxurious'. There it was: Taller than the clones' tents, considerably bigger and a decent distance away. Dooku entered it without announcing his presence – to find the tent empty.

Growing more impatient with the minute, he searched through the tent in the hope of finding any indication as to the whereabouts of his apprentice. He needed him now. Needed him to overthrow his Master (because Dooku was not an apprentice, was not someone to obey) and then establish a new Sith rule. He discovered the comm station and saw that a message had been left there. He activated the hologram. There was his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Dooku frowned. Why was his hair so long? It was not the proper Padawan haircut ...

"Master Fisto," the hologram-Obi-Wan said, "I have gone to the planet Vjun to look for Master Skywalker there. I have proof that he is still alive and held captive there by Asajj Ventress. I am fully aware that I disobey a direct order by the Council and I apologise. But seeing that there is nothing left for me to do here on Senali and that I am the one closest to Vjun, I had no other choice but to go there. If you're listening to this message, it means I'm not back yet, which means I've probably not been successful. So now I may be dead or may be being held captive. I would appreciate it if you or someone else came to Vjun to rescue Master Skywalker and, if I'm still alive, me, too. May the Force be with you."

If Dooku had not been so angry and perplexed, he would have maybe been amused by his Padawan's odd logic. But he was angry. And perplexed. He could not believe that Obi-Wan Kenobi, the boy he had trained, one of the most respectful and modest Padawans, would disobey a direct Council order in full awareness of it. A part of Dooku was proud of his Padawan. He thoroughly despised people who blindly followed orders without thinking for themselves. Standing up against the Jedi Council – that certainly required a backbone. But why had he not done it earlier? Darth Sidious had informed Dooku that Obi-Wan thought he was still alive. Then why had Obi-Wan not disregarded the Council's orders in order to go looking for Dooku? Of course, it was something different if the Chosen One was missing. Then orders and rules did not matter anymore. Everything for the Wonder Boy. It was pitiful. The Jedi were so fixated on their Chosen One that they had forgotten their principles. And obviously, so had Obi-Wan.

What annoyed Dooku most was that Darth Sidious had known it. All along, the Sith Master had been convinced Obi-Wan would come looking for Skywalker. Dooku had been so sure he would not. He had thought he could rely on Obi-Wan's sense of duty but he had been disappointed. All the efforts he had invested in the boy's training – for nothing.

In a way, it was all Qui-Gon's fault. If he had not practically forced Dooku to train Obi-Wan ... it would not have been such a severe disappointment now to realise that he stood alone. It had never bothered him before. But now it did.

"Sir?"

Dooku's temper rose. Not a clone again.

"Sir, this is Commander Karan. It is my duty to check your identity and confirm if you are allowed to be here."

"Why should I not be allowed to be here?" Dooku snarled.

"Sir, this is General Skywalker's tent. Only someone with an explicit permission --"

Commander Karan never came to finish his sentence before his head fell to the ground.