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〃Then I'm sorry； old friend；〃 Count Dooku said； in a tone that didn't sound at all sorry。 〃You will have to be destroyed。〃 He raised his hand and looked to his assembled army； prepared to give the signal。
But then Padme； exhausted； dirty； and bloody； raised her head to the sky above and shouted； 〃Look！〃 All eyes turned up to see half a dozen gunships fast descending upon the arena； screaming down in a dusty cloud about the Jedi； clone troopers rushing out their open sides as they touched down。 A hailstorm of laserfire blasted the new arrivals； but the gunships had their shields up； covering the debarkation of their warriors。
Amid the sudden confusion and flashing laserfire； Master Yoda appeared in the dropdoor of one of the gunships； offering a salute to Mace and the others。
〃Jedi； move！〃 Mace cried； and the survivors rushed to the nearest gunships； scrambling aboard。 Mace climbed in right beside Yoda； and their ship lifted away immediately； cannons blaring； shattering and scattering battle droids as it soared up out of the arena。
Mace could hardly believe the incredible sight unfolding before him； as thousands of Republic ships rushed down on the assembled fleet of the Trade Federation； dropping tens of thousands of clone troopers to the surface of the planet。 Behind him； Yoda continued to orchestrate the battle。 〃More battalions to the left；〃 he instructed his signaler； who relayed it out to the field manders。 〃Encircle them； we must； then divide。〃
After many minutes of a glow so bright that it hurt C…3PO's eyes； R2…D2 retracted his welding arm and tootled that the job was finished…C…3PO's head was back where it belonged。
〃Oh； Artoo； you've put me back together！〃 C…3PO cried； and with some effort； he managed to stand upright。 He realized then； from the hailstorm of fire outside the arena tunnel； and with many of those bolts ricocheting inside； that he was far from safe； and so he turned and began to amble away。 Unfortunately for him； though； R2…D2 had not yet disengaged the sucker projectile from his forehead。 The cord went taut； and C…3PO tumbled backward to the ground。
R2…D2 gave an apologetic whistle as he rolled by； disengaging and retracting the sucker as he went。
〃I won't forget this！〃 C…3PO cried indignantly； and he scrambled up again and shuffled off after his infuriating friend。
With the gunships flying off and the battle droids in pursuit； Boba Fett finally found the opportunity to slip down onto the arena floor。 He called for his father repeatedly； rushing from pile of carnage to pile of carnage。 He passed the dead acklay； and then the reek； calling for Jango； but knowing what had happened； simply because his father； who was always there； wasn't there。
And then he saw the helmet。
〃Dad；〃 the boy breathed。 His legs giving out beneath him； he fell to his knees beside Jango Fett's empty helmet。
Chapter Twenty…Four
Archduke Poggle the Lesser； led Dooku and the others into the Geonosian mand center； a huge room with a large circular viewscreen in its center and many other monitors about the walls； where Geonosian soldiers could monitor and direct the widening battle。
Poggle rushed to the side to confer with an army mander； then came back to Dooku and Nute Gunray； his expression fierce。 〃All of our munications have been jammed！〃 he informed them。 〃We are under attack； on land and from above！〃
〃The Jedi have amassed a huge army！〃 Nute Gunray cried。
〃Where did they get them？〃 Dooku asked； sounding perplexed。 〃That doesn't seem possible。 How did the Jedi e up with an army so quickly？〃
〃We must send all available droids into battle；〃 Nute Gunray demanded。 But Dooku； staring at the myriad of scenes； at the many battles and explosions all about the region； was shaking his head before he Neimoidian could begin to argue his reasoning。 〃There are too many；〃 the Count said； his voice full of resignation。 〃They will soon have us surrounded。〃 Even as he spoke； the three winced as the central screen flashed； showing the explosive destruction of a major Geonosian defensive position。
〃This is not going well at all；〃 Nute Gunray admitted。
〃Order a retreat；〃 said Poggle； and he was trembling so forcefully that it seemed as if he might just fall over。 〃I am sending all my warriors deep into the catabs to hide！〃 He nodded to several of his manders as he finished； and they turned back to their links； relaying the orders。
〃We must get the cores of our ships back into space！〃 one of Nute Gunray's associates cried； and Gunray was nodding as he considered the words and the devastating scenes of battle flashing across the viewscreens。
〃I'm going to Coruscant；〃 Dooku announced。 〃My Master will not let the Republic get away with this treachery。〃
Poggle the Lesser rushed across the room to a console and punched in some codes； bringing up a holographic schematic of a planet…sized weapon。 With a few keystrokes； he downloaded the schematic onto a cartridge and pulled it from the drive； turning to Dooku。 〃The Jedi must not find our designs；〃 the Archduke insisted。 〃If they have any idea of what we are planning to create； we are doomed。〃
Dooku took the cartridge。 〃I will take the designs with me；〃 he agreed。 〃The plans will be much safer with my Master。〃
With a curt bow； the Count swept from the room。
Obi…Wan； Anakin； and Padme crouched in the open side of a gunship as it sped across the expanding battlefield outside the arena； its laser cannons blaring； its shields turning back the responding fire from the droids。 Below them； clone troopers rushed across the battlefield on speeder bikes； weaving their way and firing all the while。
〃They're good；〃 Obi…Wan remarked； and Anakin nodded。
Their attention went right back to their own situation； then； as the gunship approached a huge Techno Union starship and opened fire。 Its laser cannons slammed away at the giant； but seemed to be having little effect。
〃Aim right above the fuel cells！〃 Anakin cried to the gunner。 With a slight adjustment； the gunner let fly his next burst。
Huge explosions rocked the starship and it began to tilt ominously to the side。 The gunship； and others rushing in nearby； swerved aside as the great craft toppled。
〃Good call！〃 Obi…Wan congratulated his Padawan； then he shouted to the crew； 〃Those Trade Federation starships are taking off！ Target them quickly！〃
〃They're too big； Master；〃 Anakin replied。 〃The ground…troopers will have to take them out。
The gunship roared across the widening battlefield； lasers blasting away； explosions erupting all about it； a scene of spectacular destruction and frenzy。 Mace Windu shook his head and looked to Yoda。
〃Capture Dooku； we must；〃 Yoda said； his calm and steady voice as strong an anchor as Mace could have asked for in that momentous moment。 〃If escape he does； he will rally more systems to his cause。〃
Mace looked to the diminutive Master and nodded grimly。 〃Captain； land at that assembly point ahead；〃 he ordered the lone driving his gunship； and the obedient pilot fast settled the craft。 Mace； Ki…Adi…Mundi； and a host of clone troopers jumped out； but Yoda did not follow。