CHAPTER FOURTEEN : GEONOSIS

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ATLAS followed Padmé and Anakin into the stalagmite city. They stopped, looking around in wonder at the emptiness. The three of them started forward. As they pass, Atlas noticed that the surface of the pillars seemed to pulse slowly and move. High above, winged creatures grew from the pillars and detached themselves.

"Wait," Anakin said. He, too, seeing the creatures.

He turned around as one of the creatures attacked him. Lightsaber blazing, Anakin cut down three creatures as Atlas and Padmé exited through a far doorway. The Padawan reached the two of them and they stood on the edge of a short walkway extending over a deep crevasse.

"Shit," Atlas muttered, grabbing Padmé's arm to prevent the dark head from falling.

Just then, the door behind them closed, stranding the three of them. The walkway retracted and Padmé slipped and then jumped down onto a conveyor belt leading into the droid factory, dragging Atlas with her.

"Atlas! Padmé!" Anakin exclaimed.

Atlas groaned upon landing onto the hard metallic belt but was quick to jump onto her feet again, pulling Padmé with her. In a glimpse of an eye, she had taken her blasters and was shooting down the creatures that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

A stamping machine caught Atlas' eye and she turned around to face her friend.

"On the count of three," she said, taking her hand.

Padmé nodded determinedly.

"One . . . Two . . . Three!"

The two women leaped under the stamping machine and were quick to pass it.

"Jump!" Padmé yelled and the two of them jumped over a robot arm.

"Look out!" Atlas exclaimed, taking her blasters once again as two green creatures appeared on their path. Atlas quickly dealt with hers before looking over to Padmé who was wrestling with hers. The creature pushed Padmé off the belt before being shot by Atlas.

"Padmé!" The dark haired woman exclaimed to her friend, who had fallen in a vat. Without thinking about it, she jumped after her.

"Stand on my shoulders," Atlas ordered as she kneeled down in front of her friend. "I can lift you up so you can get out."

Padmé hesitated but after a glare from Atlas, she nodded and stepped carefully onto her knee before climbing up her shoulders. Atlas gritted her teeth as she tried to stand up, holding Padmé's hands with her own.

It didn't take long for Padmé to climb onto the edge of the vat and with the help of the Force, Atlas was quick to land next to her. The two friends jumped down. However, the moment they touched the ground, they were surrounded by a dozen of green creatures, all who had their weapons pointed at them. The creatures took their blasters and Atlas was surprised they had yet to notice her saber.

It didn't take long for Anakin to surrender and the three of them were brought in a larger room where Count Dooku was already waiting for them.

Padmé sat down on one side of the large conference table, Atlas and Anakin standing behind her, the back of their hands slightly touching but neither of them dared to take the other's hand. Atlas was looking at the Sith, she had heard a lot about him. Not many good things, though.

"You are holding a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Padmé began deplometically. "I am formally requesting you to turn him over to me, now."

"He has been convicted of espionage, Senator, and will be executed," Dooku replied calmly. "In just a few hours, I believe." He smiled.

"He is an officer of the Republic," Padmé stated. "You can't do that."

"We don't recognize the Republic here, Senator," Dooku said. "But if Naboo were to join our Alliance, I could easily hear your plea for clemency."

"And if I don't join your rebellion, I assume this Jedi with me will also die?"

"I don't wish to make you to join our cause against your will, Senator," Dooku said, his eyes staying on Padmé, "but you are rational, honest representative of your people and I assume you want to do what's in their best interest. Aren't they fed up with the corruption, the bureaucrats, the hypocrisy of it all? Aren't you? Be honest, Senator."

"The ideals are still alive, Count," Padmé replied fiercely, "even if the institution is failing."

"You believe in the same ideals we believe in!" Dooku exclaimed. "The same ideals we are striving to make prominent."

"If what you say is true, you should stay in the Republic and help Chancellor Palpatine put things right."

"The Chancellor means well, My Lady, but he is incompetent. He has promised to cut the bureaucracy, but the bureaucrats are stronger than ever, no? The Republic cannot be fixed, My Lady. It is time to start over. The democratic process in the Republic is a sham, no? A shell game played on the voters. The time will come when that cult of greed, called the Republic, will lose even the pretext of democracy and freedomm."

"I cannot believe that," Padmé said, shaking her head. "I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, the Commerce Guilds and the others, Count. What is happening here is not government that has been bought out by business . . . it's business becoming government! I will not forsake all I have honored and worked for and betray the Republic."

"Then you will betray your Jedi friends? Without your cooperation I can do nothing to stop their execution."

"And what about me?" Padmé asked. "Am I to be executed?"

"I wouldn't think of such an offense. But, there are individuals who have a strong interest in your demise, My Lady. It has nothing to do with politics, I'm afraid. It's purely personal and they have already paid great sums to have you assasinated. I'm sure they will push hard to have you included in the executions. I'm sorry but if you are not going to cooperate, I must turn you over to the Geonosians for justice. Without your cooperation, I've done all I can for you."

He nodded at a bounty hunter. "Take then away. Except —" his eyes fell on Atlas, who had been eying him in silence "— you."

Atlas could feel Anakin's worried gaze on her skin and she tried to give him a reassuring smile. It didn't comfort him in the slightest.

The bounty hunter took both Padmé and Anakin with him, leaving Atlas alone in the presence of Count Dooku, who was observing her curiously.

Atlas didn't move, not wanting to show the Sith how he intimidated her.

"I presume you are Atlas Reef?" Dooku said, standing up from where he had been sitting and striding over to her. Atlas had the urge to back away but she resisted it.

The dark haired didn't reply as she gazed up at him.

The Count started walking around her, looking at her more closely.

"You can hand over the lightsaber now," Dooku said, once he stood back in front of her.

Atlas didn't move. "I have no idea what you are talking about, I am no Jedi, so therefore, I have no lightsaber."

Dooku tilted his head. "You're a good liar, I'll give you that."

With a sigh, Atlas took the saber from her back and handed it over.

As soon as Dooku saw it, a flash of surprise crossed his face. He looked at it almost fondly and Atlas raised her eyebrow.

"Do you know whose lightsaber this is?" Dooku asked slowly, his hand going over the vest.

"I do."

The room was filled with silence as Dooku looked from the saber to Atlas and back, as if trying to put things together.

"Why did Qui-Gon give this to you?"

"I don't know," Atlas lied smoothly.

Suddenly, a invisible hand grabbed her throat and lifted her off the ground.

Atlas choked as she tried to remove it. Needeless to say it didn't work.

"Don't lie to me, girl, or you may end up like your friends."

Atlas didn't reply as the hand let her go and she fell down onto the ground, coughing.

"Master?"

A young man, around Atlas' age, entered the room. His blue eyes dashing from Count Dooku, who was still observing the saber, to Atlas, who sat kneeled onto the ground.

"Aster, take her away and throw her in a cell, away from the others. I need to check something."

Count Dooku turned around and exited the room. Aster walked towards Atlas and pulled her roughly up. Atlas eyed the saber that was secured onto his belt.

Great, another Sith.

He dragged her through the dark halls while Atlas tried desperately to come up with a plan.

"Don't bother trying to escape," Aster told her, not bothering to look at her. "You won't succeed."

"Don't read my mind," Atlas snapped, trying to built up the walls around her mind.

"I didn't have to," Aster replied. "You are strong with the Force."

"I am no Jedi if that's what you're asking."

"Then what are you?"

"A woman."

"That's specific," Aster said sarcastically, dragging her down the stairs.

They passed a row of empty cells and although Atlas hoped she would catch a glimpse of Anakin and Padmé, she knew they would be separated.

Aster pushed her into the last cell and swiftly closed the door behind her. "Why is my master so intrigued by you?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?"

"What's your name?"

Atlas tilted her head as she eyed him carefully. His dark hair fell in front of his blue eyes and she could swear he looked familiar.

"Depends, who's asking?"

"You already know my name."

"And why would I tell you my name, Aster?"

"Because I am the one who can make it bearable for you to stay in here."

"I'm not planning on staying here for long," Atlas replied, staring at him before her eyes drifted towards the vest of his saber that hung onto his belt.

Aster placed his hand onto the vest, glaring at her. Then, he turned and walked away.

Atlas sighed and let herself slide onto the ground. She was so deep underground she couldn't hear a single thing of what was happening. She only hoped her friends were alright.

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It took Dooku half an hour to figure out who the girl in his dungeons was. It took him five minutes to get to her cell.

"Qui-Gon was your father," he said, looking at her through the bars.

Atlas didn't reply.

"And Amelia Reef was your mother."

Atlas didn't reply.

"You know, Qui-Gon was my apprentice a long time ago."

"Funny, he made no mention of you," Atlas replied dryly, looking up at the Sith.

They started at each other until Aster interrupted them by entering the dungeons.

"Master," he greeted the Count. "What can I do for you?"

Dooku averted his gaze from Atlas to Aster. "Remember when I told you about your mother?"

Aster nodded. "Yes, Master."

"She happens to be Atlas' mother, too," Dooku continued, glancing back at Atlas. "Actually, the two of you don't only share the same mother, but also the same father. You are twins, you see."

Silence filled the dungeons as Atlas looked from Dooku to Aster and back.

"He's kidding, right?" she asked, tilting her head to Dooku while looking at Aster.

The dark haired man didn't reply, instead he frowned.

"You told me my mother abandoned me."

"She did," Dooku said. "She sold you so she could raise her other child with the money."

"This cannot be true," Atlas stated. "My mother would never do such a thing."

"So she chose me to sell?" Aster said quietly, hanging his head. Dooku placed a hand onto his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, son."

Aster shook it off before turning towards the wall and slamming his fist into it. He then charged towards Atlas.

"What makes you the better child?"

He was so close now that Atlas felt the need to take a step back, but she didn't. Instead, she gazed up at him, processing all of this. Why hadn't Qui-Gon told her?

"You don't look special," Aster continued, looking her up and down.

When she didn't reply, he grabbed her tunic and slammed her against the wall.

"Tell me!"

"I don't know!" Atlas exclaimed, trying to get him off of her. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know."

"She can't be better than me!" Aster exclaimed, glancing over at Dooku who was watching the scene with an unreadable expression. "And I'm going to prove it." He looked at her. "We're going to duel before the execution starts so that I can show everyone how wrong she was for choosing you instead of me."

With that, he turned around and strode away.

"You're not actually letting him do this, are you?" Atlas asked, glancing at Dooku.

"Actually, I am."

Published 04.02.2021

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