Star Wars : Tanya the Evil

"We should talk." Dooku spoke softly.

Rather than reply, Athemeene gently put the child down, and after a moment to make sure Ideon didn't wake, she softly left the room, closing the door behind herself.

...

When they were out in the hallway, she turned to look at him, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms without saying anything.

"I just wish to know your intentions." Dooku began. "If-"

"My intentions?" Athemeene cut across him, coldly hissing. "What do you care about my blasted intentions? You're the crater-brained fool who intended to play the scapegoat for an entire Galactic war."

Dooku paused, waiting for her to continue her tirade. When she didn't, he said. "It's right that you feel betrayed. I have betrayed you."

"Well, I'm glad I don't have to explain that to you."

"...If you wish to leave, and take the children with you, you may."

"What? So you can get involved in another Galactic scale conspiracy? My handmaid found out her husband had massive gambling debts he was concealing, and now I envy her. Dooku, you… you… I just can't believe you." She shook her head, her voice infuriated and incredulous. "You know what happens to the families of deposed rulers! At best they're imprisoned, but usually they're just killed. When Emperor Palpatine was done spitting out your bones, did you really think he was going to leave your children alone?"

"I know." Dooku replied. "Realizing that was why I broke my alliance with him."

"After almost a decade!" She grabbed his arm, pulling on it desperately. "Dooku, this isn't just foolish, because I know you're not a fool, this is madness. This whole plan, from start to end, was absolutely crazy. Can you not see the incredible spell this man had over you?"

"...When he met me, I was at a moment in my life where everyone and anything I had ever fought for or believed in had come to disgust me. I was… desperate."

For the first time in the conversation a current of sympathy ran through Athemeene's mind. "Dooku…"

"It's no excuse." He told her, finally meeting her gaze. "I… just came to tell you, that if you wish to leave, I won't try to stop you. I only insist that you take a jedi bodyguard to keep you and the children safe."

"Dooku, if we leave you're just going to go straight back to huffing the Dark Side." Athemeene scowled at him.

Dooku blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You're not an idiot, and you were acting crazy. I know you're not taking spice, and I've been around enough Jedi now to have heard plenty of warnings about the Dark Side. Incredible power but a loss of self control, and delusions of grandeur. Dooku, I'm still angry at you, but I figured out why you've been going along with this madness pretty quickly."

Dooku stared at his wife for a long moment, trying to think of a way to argue against what she said. The Dark Side wasn't a drug, he couldn't 'huff' it the way she suggested. It was true that Sidious had likely been using his powers to influence his thoughts and feelings, but the Dark Side itself couldn't control him. The Dark Side specifically offered control. He was a Jedi Master, a great one even among that lofty rank, and he had mastered the force, not the other way around.

One look at his wife's face, and he knew that trying to argue with her would achieve nothing.

"Please." She said to him, "Promise me that you'll stop."

"Athemeene-"

"Promise me." She insisted, holding his arm close to herself as she looked up at him.

He hesitated for only a moment longer, before finally nodding his head. "I promise."

He felt guilty, knowing it was an oath he couldn't keep.

Darth Sidious was still out there, and he had to be destroyed for Dooku's family to be safe.

Finally they arrived at Serenno. Athemeene was still angry, but she was no longer avoiding him. She'd even agreed to keep what he'd been doing a secret from Tan'ya, though she warned him that eventually he would have to tell their daughter and heir everything.

At the landing pad, Dooku and Athemeene were both greeted by Tan'ya. She patiently waited for their arrival, with Master Silas standing a small distance away, watching over her like Dooku had asked him to.

"I saw the news of your victory, Father." Tan'ya said to him, smiling quite smugly. "You modified our plan slightly, but I suppose when your opponent gives you such an opportunity you simply seize it as fast as you can."

The plan had always been to bait the Federation into attacking first, then leaping away to a prepared jump site, before returning in close to finish the job. What Tan'ya couldn't have known was that Dooku had used the force to ensure that the enemy commander had lost all rationality. He committed his entire fighter force to a task they were fundamentally ill suited for, and thus was completely defenseless when he returned.

"How was your time while we were gone, Tan'ya?" Athemeene asked her.

"Mostly, I worked on Volume four. Though I did indulge myself by watching the Coruscant news broadcasts to see the reactions to Father's victory over the Federation." She smirked. "Responses were divided, but I think the words 'Jedi Lord' were said a dozen times in one talk show alone."

Dooku nodded, though he wasn't overly interested in what the chattering simians of the major press outlets had to say, they were all owned by special interests, anyway. "Was there anything to suggest the Republic might take action?"

"Senator Palpatine was publicly grateful on the issue, but his main opponent for the chancellorship, Senator Coordeen was quick to accuse him of being responsible, somehow. I suspect that as the law and order candidate, Palpatine will be more trouble for us if elected."

More than Tan'ya knew, that was for certain.

"Oh, before I forget, I went into your office." Tan'ya added. "I wanted to consult with Master Sifo's holocron about a source I was trying to track down, I hope that's fine."

Dooku paused in his steps, blinking. Sifo's holocron. He'd almost forgotten about it completely. It had been such a chaotic time since the man's death. Before he let Tan'ya use it again, he would have to check to make sure Sifo hadn't chosen to include any knowledge he wasn't ready for her to learn yet, but otherwise he saw no reason not to let her keep it for herself. "It's fine. I asked him to make his holocron for you to use."

"Next, in regards to our three Munificents, we should begin by trying to reach out to the Trade Federation as soon as possible." Tan'ya added, hurrying along behind her Father. "So far, no one has declared war, and we need to keep it that way. I'm sure we can draw out a legal battle for long enough that-"

"Oh sweetie, please." Athemeene interrupted, turning to face her daughter, smiling gently. "This is all very important, and I know your father is grateful for the help. However, a former padawan of his has just… passed away."

Tan'ya blinked, before turning to him. "My condolences Father, I hadn't heard." She hesitated, before lowering her head. "I'll return at a more appropriate moment."

"...Thank you, Athemeene." Dooku told his wife, and then turned to Tan'ya. "And thank you as well, Tan'ya. For watching over the Palace while I was gone. I know there is much important business to attend to, and I have little time to mourn Qui-Gon's passing, but for now, please proceed as you think is best while I collect myself."

In the force, Tan'ya seemed to spike with excitement, before she remembered the passing of Qui-Gon, and she forced a level of contrition into her thoughts. "Yes Father, of course." Then she hesitated, before adding, "Only one thing I would bring to your attention, before I proceed."

"Yes?"

"We've been contacted by Hego Damask the Second. Our initial background check shows that he's a multi-trillionaire and very influential within the banking clan. He wants to meet with you, specifically. Shall I go ahead and arrange something? Attracting an investor like this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that I'm afraid to waste by hesitating."

Dooku thought back, that name sounding vaguely familiar. He remembered meeting Hego in a time that almost felt like it was a lifetime ago when he was still a Jedi Master, though it hadn't been that long. The Munn hadn't left much of an impression, though if he was as wealthy as Tan'ya said he was, then it would definitely be worth meeting him in person. Though, now that Dooku thought about it, wasn't he an associate of Palpatine's? That party had been arranged by him. Was he here to deliver a warning from his Master? Or perhaps negotiate a settlement between the two parties?

Either way, this could be important.

"Make the arrangement." Dooku told Tan'ya.

...

Later, when Tan'ya was alone in her bedroom, she carefully locked the door, before sealing herself in her walk-in closet where the countless articles of clothing would make her a little harder to overhear. With her holocom she called a number, and after just a few rings it was answered by Gon Seith.

The connection was terrible, with Gon's form wavering in the projection, and a loud background sound of rain and loud waves drowned out his initial greeting.

"Gon, can you hear me? Is it there? Is Kamino real?"

"Yes, I can hear you." He shouted back, pointing to a bud in his ear. "It's here, your Highness. And they do make clones. They've the facilities for billions of them."

So Sifo was right. That didn't mean Tan'ya's father had really been the one to arrange for his death, but it seemed more and more likely.

Gon continued, shouting to be heard over the pounding rain. "I can't tell you much more than that, Your Highness. I posed as a potential client, so they showed me some of their production lines, but they won't say anything more to someone who's not an official representative to one of their existing clients."

"Were you able to see the clones? Did they belong to Jango Fett?"

"Too young to tell, but the hair and eye color match."

"Alright, don't do anything to provoke them." Tan'ya told him. "Exchange contact info with an official representative, and get me a catalog or pamphlet that I can use as physical evidence, then come back here."

It seemed that for Tan'ya to further her investigation into this matter, she would need help from a Jedi… Asajj was just about to become a Knight, wasn't she? Once she was promoted, she would be the Jedi whom Tan'ya trusted the most. Surely she would be willing to help?

...

Apparently, chapters write themselves faster when Power Stones are involved. Who knew?

Feel free to test the theory go ahead, toss a few my way.

...

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