Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 15

"By the Force, he's good," Dooku stated as objectively as possible.

"You sure a member of the council should be praising a Sith, Master?" Qui-Gon asked with a scowl as he leaned against a window, watching the affair with a troubled look.

"Qui-Gon, I'm watching Knights, Guardians, Consulars, and at least three Masters of the Jedi Order being defeated by one lone warrior who, to be frank, has displayed relatively minimum mobility in this fight," Dooku countered dryly. "And even if I ignored that? Unless I'm mistaken, he's incorporated and modified elements of nearly every style to his technique. As a duelist, I'm forced to admit his skill."

Qui-Gon winced as he felt the Dark Side crash against the temple again, glancing up at where he sensed the mass of unseen darkness. "And drawing all the Dark Side to himself just to bash the temple with it?"

"That's more my Master's area of expertise. I'm not even sure to make of what it means, esoterically or as a battle tactic," Dooku admitted with a frown. "His power has swelled to its zenith, but..."

"It's swelled ONLY to his zenith," Qui-Gon finished stoically. Despite all the might and terror that Dark Side inspired, the power of its own champion had not broken any previous heights Qui-Gon had sensed in Vader's power.

"Master! Master!"

The pair glanced away to see the younger Jedi Master's Padawan came running towards them. "Obi-Wan? What is it? And where is Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked in concern.

"Helping a youngling," Obi-Wan said as he came to a halt. "But that's not important. Masters, we have to stop this," he urged.

"Do you have some power over this Sith Lord, Young Kenobi?" Dooku quipped with a raised eyebrow. "Otherwise, ending this nonviolently seems unlikely."

"With respect, Master Dooku, I wasn't referring to Vader," Obi-Wan corrected grimly.

Both Jedi Masters regarded him as a bewildering subject to study, Qui-Gon searching intently through their bond. "You want to stop them from attacking Vader?" the maverick Jedi summarized with a scrunched brow.

"Masters, look. I mean really, LOOK," Obi-Wan stressed while pointing out the window.

Rather confused by the normally conformist student's odd behavior, both looked back out to the battle as Vader countered and defeated everyone that came at him with a precision that only experience could bring. "Yes, we are well aware he has avoided slaying anyone, Padawan," Dooku acknowledged, only to raise a brow at Qui-Gon's look of deep thought as his old student studied the scene. "Qui-Gon?"

"Is it really that simple?" Qui-Gon murmured.

"Hmm, and here I thought only Master Yoda could still put me in this position," Dooku remarked in interest. "What is it, my old friend?"

"He's only attacking when attacked," Qui-Gon pointed out with a sigh as he wiped a hand all over his face. "And if that is true for what happened with those first four-"

"Mace Windu is about to fall into a trap," Dooku deduced grimly. "All Vader needs is a valid reason for coming to the Temple, and this entire situation legally becomes one man defending himself."

"It's Vader, of course he'll have a reason," Obi-Wan said knowingly, obviously a bit frustrated.

"Which means-," Qui-Gon paused to sigh. "-the only way to keep this situation from getting worse is to stop this now."

Dooku stared as understanding kicked in. "Well, this will certainly be a new level of "maverick" even for you, my former Padawan."

"Technically, this is Obi-Wan's idea."