"Ah. This isn't good," Lorian said.
"No, I'd say so," Dooku said. "It's murder."
"Exactly!" Eero said. "How did you talk me into this! We'll be tried for murder!"
"Only if they catch us," Lorian said.
"I just got into this for the credits," Eero said fretfully. "I'm a politician, not a murderer!"
"Yes, this certainly changes things," Dooku said smoothly. Eero was just as afraid of getting caught as an adult as he'd been as a young man. ''You've killed a Senator. The full might of the Senate security force will come down on you. Not to mention the Jedi. They are already looking for us. This will certainly give them a reason to hurry."
"We have to get out of here!" Eero said shrilly to Lorian.
"Calm down!" Lorian barked. "Can't you see what he's doing? Shut up and let me think!"
"Don't give me orders!" Eero suddenly drew out a vibroblade. "I'm sick of it. You've bungled everything!" "You fool!" Lorian hissed. "Put that away!"
But it was too late. Dooku summoned the Force. The vibroblade flew from Eero's unsteady hand and landed on the energy cuffs binding Dooku's wrists. The blade cut through the cuffs easily. With split-second timing, Dooku slipped out his hand before the vibroblade could injure him. He felt only a slight burn of heat.
Within seconds, he had released the other cuff and the ones binding his ankles.
Eero took one look at him and bolted out the door. Dooku reached out a hand and his lightsaber flew from the room next door into his palm.
When he turned, lightsaber activated, Lorian had Eero's vibroblade and a blaster in his hand. Dooku smiled. This time it was not a game.
Lorian backed up toward the door. Dooku saw that he meant to escape.
He would try to avoid the battle if he could. Dooku leaped, blocking his exit. Lorian would not leave this room alive.
He had never forgotten Lorian, and he had never forgiven him. It was not in Dooku's nature to forgive or to forget.
"You betrayed me once, and now you've tried to make a fool of me,"
Dooku said.
"So glad to see you haven't changed," Lorian said, giving his vibroblade a twirl. "Can I point out again that the galaxy doesn't revolve around you, Dooku? The kidnapping wasn't personal. I didn't know you were on that ship." He grinned. "But I have to admit, I enjoyed winning."
The light mockery that danced in Lorian's eyes inflamed Dooku. The old resentment balled up in his chest, the choking rage he had felt as a boy. Now it joined the fury of a man. Dooku felt it surge, and he didn't fight it.
He was older now, and wiser. Anger no longer had the power to make him sloppy. It made him more precise.
"Talk all you want. You will never leave this room," he said with such icy control that the smile faded from Lorian's eyes.
"Let's not be so dramatic," Lorian said uneasily.
"Master give me my lightsaber!" Qui-Gon called.
The words only buzzed faintly, as if they came from a long distance away. Dooku did not need his Padawan. Qui-Gon would only get in his way. He needed to finish this alone.
Lorian had seen his intent in his eyes. Between them now was the knowledge that Dooku would not allow him to surrender. He fired the blaster. Dooku deflected the fire easily. There was no way that Lorian could win this battle. Dooku could see the desperation in his eyes, the sweat forming on his brow. He enjoyed seeing it.
Lorian kept up a steady barrage of fire while he swung the vibroblade, using the same Jedi training he had absorbed so long ago. Dooku kept advancing. He knew perfectly well where Lorian was headed — to Qui-Gon's lightsaber. Dooku decided to speed up the process. He lunged forward and with an almost casual swipe severed the vibroblade in two.
Then he whirled and kicked the blaster out of Lorian's hand.
Lorian sprang and fumbled for Qui-Gon's lightsaber. Dooku allowed him to pick it up. He had no reason to fear.
Qui-Gon cried out, but Dooku didn't hear what he said. All his focus was on Lorian now.
"Go ahead, attack me," Dooku said, holding his lightsaber at his side, letting it dangle casually. "Show me how much you've forgotten."
Lorian activated the lightsaber. Even in the midst of a battle Lorian could not win, Dooku could see the pleasure the former Jedi took in holding a lightsaber again.
He leaped at Dooku. The first strike was easily deflected. Without his connection to the Force, Lorian could not handle the weapon as he once had. Dooku enjoyed this humiliation the most. He parried Lorian's attacks, barely moving.
"Pity," Dooku said. "You were a worthy opponent once.
Now a flare of anger lit Lorian's gaze. He suddenly shifted his feet, moved unexpectedly, and came close to landing a blow.
Dooku decided it was time to stop playing with him. It was time to show him what fear was. Time to show him who the winner was.
He moved forward in perfect form, gathering the Force and molding it to his desires. His lightsaber danced. Lorian managed to evade one strike and parry the next, but it cost him. He stumbled with the effort.
"Master!"
Qui-Gon's voice cut through the heart of Dooku's concentration with the same annoying buzz.
" Master. Stop."
Qui-Gon did not shout this time. Yet his tone penetrated Dooku's concentration better than his cry had. Dooku looked over. Bound and helpless, Qui-Gon looked back.
That gaze. Dooku almost groaned aloud. He saw integrity and truth there, and he could not hide from it. He saw himself through Qui-Gon's eyes, and he could not do it. His Padawan had revealed to him what he should have known already. He could not go down this road.
He deactivated his lightsaber. Lorian took a deep, shuddering breath.
"It's over," Dooku said.
Chapter 13
Dooku handed over Lorian and Eero to Coruscant security. He didn't speak much with Qui-Gon on the journey back. Dooku knew that there were things that needed to be said, but he wasn't sure what they were.
He knew that Qui-Gon had saved him from something, and he was grateful. Yet he did not want to admit that he had come so close to violating the Jedi code he was so proud of upholding.
They walked past the rows of cruisers in the Temple landing area, the place where he had said good-bye to Lorian so long ago, for what he thought was forever.