The Geonosians made a collection of clicking noises as they wretched Sol from her cell. They clicked in commands and undid the chain from the loop on the floor, but did not unlock the cuffs from her wrists. She thought better of struggling, as she wouldn't know what she would do if she got away from one guard. There would be others just waiting to catch her again, and she would still end up being taken to her execution either way.

So, the Jedi followed obediently as the winged species pulled the chain attached to her cuffs through the cells. She glanced into each one, hoping to see a glimpse of Anakin, or anyone who was on death row, but felt defeated when she saw that all were empty. The guard clicked and Sol thought about what awaited in the arena. Would the people Geonosis watch as they tortured her and the others? Or would there be some gladiator-style fight off? She didn't know what the people of Geonosis liked to do to their prisoners, much less what Count Dooku liked to do.

The guard stopped as they approached a clearing. Winged-guards held prisoners like Sol with chains in their three-fingered hands that led to the cuffs around Padme and Anakin's wrists. Sol eyed the two, seeing how they held helpless expressions at the thought of their fates. Padme made sure to appear as strong as she could in a lasting attempt to make the Geonisians fear for the wrath of the Galactic republic at the death of a Naboo senator, but Anakin only looked at Sol.

Their conversation in the spiritual realm had played on his minds since it occurred in his cell. With their execution set, they risked the exposure of their forbidden feelings in a place only they could hear. Anakin was surprised to hear that Sol had taken a liking to him in such a way, and what was even more surprising was how he felt at her confession. When she admitted she liked him, there was a rush of heat to his cheeks and the uncontainable urge to grin at her words. His stomach filled with a flood of thick, gooey liquid that filled his limbs with the energy to jump around in excitement. But the cuffs around his wrists contained him, and he hoped that Sol wasn't able to see his foolishly large grin through the Force.

Anakin wished he could speak to her. The way she stood with her hair tied back in a long braid and with her purple eyes holding the sparkle they always did, Sol didn't look like she had been kept in a dirty, underground cell. He gazed at her while knowing that his face showed that he avidly wanted to talk, but the guard that held Sol's chain yanked, and her head turned in a jolt.

'H-Hey, where are you taking her?' Padme was the first to act. Through Anakin's gawking, the guard had pulled Sol away from the other two who stood in chains. There was some clicking between the Geonosian guards in the corridor before Sol was being pulled in another direction.

'What is this? Is Sol being executed?' Anakin whipped around to the guard behind him. 'Where is he taking her?'

The panic that ran through Anakin was overwhelming. His breath shortened and he saw how Sol looked over her shoulder with eyes wide in fear. Anakin wanted to run after her and pull the iron cuffs from around her wrists. He knew he could if he used the Force, and he was sure that his desire to embrace Sol would make it all the easier. They would almost crumble from the strength in Anakin's hands, but he couldn't even make it a step away from the guard that held his chain to his own cuffs. He had to think of Padme, who broke her stoic expression at the sight of her newest friend being taken to the unknown.

At the sound of unintelligible clicks, Anakin grew angry. The guards did nothing as Sol's guard turned a corner, leaving Anakin and Padme to have one last look at the young woman. She looked at them with parted lips, wanting to say a farewell of some sort, but she was gone before her mind could articulate the action. Anakin's heart jumped at her disappearance, and he turned to the guards beside them with a deep desire to cease their existence.

'This is an act of war. Do you hear me?' Padme seethed at the Geonosians. 'You will suffer for this.'

More clicks served as their reply and Anakin's fists clenched in fury. He would die fighting if it meant that there was a chance to see Sol one last time before they become one with the Force.

---

Sol hoped that her destination would meet up with Master Obi-wan. At least then, she would be executed alongside someone she knew. Maybe they were holding executions in pairs, and Anakin and Padme would be first, and Sol and Obi-wan would follow. Whatever the Geonosians had in store, it could not be good.

Through corridors that Sol noticed were on a gradual incline, the guard started to pull Sol's chain up a staircase. It was long and tiresome, but Sol made sure not to lag behind. The last thing she wanted was to be touched by the hand of the insect species that looked to be coated in a sticky sap. Instead, she thought of Anakin. The only peace she could find was that she had admitted her true feelings to herself and partially to him in their connection to the Force, but she had more to ask him, more to reveal, and more to learn about each other.

With another tug of the chain, Sol realised that they had made it to the top of the staircase. There was a turn to the right before Sol saw the first stroke of daylight she had seen since dropping into the droid factory. A rumble of noise could be heard and the closer she got to the daylight, the louder it became.

She squinted as they stepped out of the dark corridors and saw the grand arena. From the top floor, Sol could see the rows of Geonosians who clicked and buzzed to create the rumble she heard from inside. They flooded the spectator stands that surrounded the centre of sand, where three large polls sat in a row. The sun beamed down, yet no shadows were seen darkening in their wake, making Sol realise that it was midday. They had been held captive on Geonosis for a whole day and were yet to see Master Obi-wan. Sol had felt his teal-coloured Force signature in the cells, but she couldn't decipher how much time had passed since then.

The man could be dead already, or maybe he had been taken off the planet, and their rescue mission had been for nothing.

Sol turned her attention to the crowd of people that she had been led to by the guard. Part of the group was the head of the trade federation, Viceroy Nute Gunray. A Neimoidian, Gunray had red eyes and greying green skin. The species were known for speaking with their bottom lips, and the man had made a name for himself in the republic for being untrustyworthy. She knew that there had been some disloyal actions from the trade federation to the republic, so it was no surprise to see the man there. To his left, was a man with broad shoulders who stood tall at the front of the group. His white hair was slicked back, and he dressed in black, with a black cape skimming the heels of his boots.

'Ah, Jedi Padawan Solaris.'

Count Dooku grinned at her with his hands clasped together. His teeth were large in his mouth and his dark eyes burned into hers. Sol shifted in discomfort at the gaze of the ex-Jedi, but gave him a hard glare in retaliation to the name only one person could call her.

'That's not my title, Count Dooku,' her tone was flat.

'Ah, forgive me, Sol,' he bowed his head in politeness, but it meant nothing of the sort. 'I just assumed it was your true name. I trust you're wondering why you are up here as opposed to down there.'

The man gestured down to the centre of the arena, where ant-sized dots had entered from a large opening in the wall. From what she could see, it was the first and likely the last appearance of Master Obi-wan Kenobi. There was no point for Sol to feel relieved at his presence as he was shackled as she was and was being chained to the pole furthest to the left. But she still was content to see him unbruised, and hoped that he would be able to speak to Anakin before their crippling fate took its place. Sol glanced down but was forced to look back up to avoid having her attention away from the man in front of her. Dooku was dangerous and Sol knew not to underestimate him. He was, after all, the ex-Padawan of Master Yoda.

'But I thought we could further the negotiations away from the senator,' he continued, the cheers from the crowd increasing at the entrance of more prisoners. 'You know how Senator Amidala can be with her threats of war and such. I thought you would be much more level-headed.'

'I am not a negotiator. There is nothing I have the right to compromise on nor give,' Sol said. This conversation confused her, and she feared that her presence in the archducal box meant that she would have to watch Anakin, Obi-wan and Padme be executed. But she tried to appear strong in front of the Count, knowing Master Yoda would be proud to hear that she didn't falter in the presence of his ex-Padawan.

'That is where you are wrong, my dear. There is so much for you to give. Perhaps the most valuable information of all.'

'And that is?'

'The information on the Chosen One.'

Sol could not hide her shock at this. Count Dooku chuckled at his prisoner's expression and glanced over his shoulder to the arena below. The two last prisoners had been guided to the poles where they were chained with their arms crossed above their heads. Spectators were getting restless, and it was time for Dooku to make his grand address, before the executions would begin.

'We will begin negotiations after the show. I'm sure you can wait,' he said, and Sol was even more confused. Count Dooku went to raise his arms to silence the crowd, but Sol inched forward in haste to stop him.

'What? Negotiations after they've already been killed?!'

'Nonsense. The Chosen One is down there. The negotiations will be for both his and your benefit, my dear,' Dooku said over his shoulder and grinned at her. 'Now, sit tight and enjoy the power of the Chosen One.'