It was
a brittle smile he sent Anakin, he knew that even as he walked
further into the old sith temple that reports had placed Dooku at
several time the last month. “Commander Cody, please set up a
perimeter and make sure everyone keeps radio contact, despite
ancient, the dark side tends to…linger.”

“Yes
General Jinn sir.” The commander quickly turned to the troops as
Anakin slid to Qui-Gon’s side, looking around. “What do you suppose
he’s doing here? I mean…I know its a sith temple and all but…the
force doesn’t feel purely malicious…” He frowned.

“I
know Anakin, but that’s why we have to be on guard. Whatever is here
was important enough for Dooku himself to go instead of sending his
apprentice. We have to be cautious at the very least, if only because
of Dooku himself.”

“…Are
you alright Master?” The young knight murmured quietly.

“…Not
really. But I’ll survive, I just…I always knew I’d eventually have
to see him. I just didn’t expect…” He sighed then smiled the same
brittle smile as earlier. “Having Xanatos fall and then failing
Obi-Wan as I did, I had hoped for support from Dooku, instead this is
what happens.”

“You
didn’t fail Obi-Wan master, Maul…” Anakin sobered up and touched
Qui-Gon’s elbow carefully. “Maul killed him while you two were cut
of from each other. Obi-Wan was a good with his lightsaber, a lot of
the holos I saw when I was younger proved that but…with sprained
ankle…”

“…Lets
focus on the here and now Anakin. And let Obi-Wan’s ghost rest.”
Qui-Gon clapped the other carefully on the shoulder, smiling a bit
more at his former padawans assurance. ‘Obi-Wan would have been proud
to call you a brother I think.’

()()()()

“You
know, it would be simpler if you just give in and tell me what I want
to know.” Dooku’s cultured voice rung through the otherwise empty
halls, startling not only Qui-Gon but the clones behind him. Anakin
just narrowed his eyes, having felt the man but there was something
else, something lighter, almost golden in the Force, familiar yet
not.

“I’m
sure Darth Tyranus, and it would also be simpler to let me sit
instead of having me floating around in a stasis field, but alas,
neither of us are getting what we want today.” A male voice with a
high
Coruscanti accent piped up.

Qui-Gon
almost dropped his lightsaber in shock, recognizing the albeit older voice. ‘What
in Starbirds name is going on?’ He stepped forward slowly.

“I
told Sidious that this would not be in vain. I did not expect a Jedi
to appear though.”

“No
you expected a powerful sith didn’t you.” There was a low snort.
“I’m all for experimentation grandmaster but really, ancient
unknown sith magic
that hasn’t been seen in millenniums? Really, you have to draw the
line somewhere.”

“Grandmaster?”
Anakin whispered in confusion and looked at Qui-Gon’s pale face.

“Obi-Wan?”
He whispered and stepped around the corner to look into the large
room Dooku and a troop of droids were in, storm eyes growing wide.

It was
Obi-Wan, a much older Obi-Wan, arms crossed over his chest, a auburn
beard and long hair with the faint traces of grey in them at the
temples. The tunic and boots looked like they could have fared better
but he was there, alive, breathing as he held up in a stasis trap
that must have been set up by Dooku and his droids. But still
uninjured even.

And
sporting the most unimpressed expression Qui-Gon had ever had the
pleasure of seeing towards Dooku ever.

“I
mean, honestly, did you dig some old sith scroll out of some ruin and
decide that the game changer in it would most certainly be a sith?”
The copper haired male snorted in amusement.

“Would
you be silent?”

“I
would but you forgot to gag me.” Obi-Wan offered dryly. “Instead
you have me hanging around like a ham. Good job. I’d applaud you but
that would require being able to move my hands.”

Dooku
ran a hand over his face. “You vex me. I was certain the scroll
talked about darkness.”

“Touched
BY darkness more likely. I survived the massacre of the Jedi order in
my own dimension. If nothing else, I’m certainly touched by darkness
though I have not fallen to it.” Obi-Wan grumbled. “I do like
what you’ve done to your hair here though, how’d you get them to come
out of your nostrils like that?” He smirked.

Dooku
snarled at him and started to pace.

Obi-Wan
continued smirking until he caught sight of Qui-Gon, his face falling
into shock for a few seconds before quickly arranging his face back.
“Tell me Dooku, what’s tall, blue and likes strays?” He chuckled
at his own joke.

“Wha-”
Dooku’s blade barely came up in time when Qui-Gon pounced, the older
master falling into the makashi. Anakin joined in quickly while the
clones took up position. “Qui-Gon! And young Skywalker, what
a…pleasant surprise.” He snapped, anger and maliciousness coating
his words.

“He
means that sarcastically.” Obi-Wan called out from the stasis then
he snorted. “I’d give you a nasty look Dooku but you already got
one going I see.” He yelped as a clone knocked into a control panel
and started twirling him around. “This is not a merry go around and
I am not merry!”

For
all their efforts, Dooku escaped into the temple and got away from
Qui-Gon and Anakin, though the clones took out all the droids quite
effectively.

“Commander
Cody, get that stasis shut down.” Qui-Gon called out while moving
towards Obi-Wan, catching the other man before he could fall fully
when the stasis field shut down fully.

‘Warm…he’s
warm…and alive.’ He took a heavy breath, both from exertion and
shock as he stared down at the copper head until it moved and stared
back up at him, green eyes glittering in the low light.

“…Hi.”
Qui-Gon murmured, carefully cupping the bearded cheek and smiling
when Obi-Wan stayed right there, feeling the beard against his palm.
A adult, grown, developed Obi-Wan who had the time to flurish and
become a knight and even a master from the looks of it.

“Hi
Qui-Gon.” Obi-Wan murmured back before flopping against him again,
forehead against the others chest. “Excuse me, I’d love to talk
but…I think I’m going to pass out now…I’m…very dehydrated.”
He went limp.

Qui-Gon
made a low noise in his throat then picked the other up. “Kix!”