Five Things that Never Happened to... Count Dooku
I
"The answer is no." His parents tell the inquiring Jedi who visit his rose-covered mansion upon Serenno one evening. "Our son has a responsibility to his own planet before the Galaxy." His father says. "He will become the heir upon our deaths of a vast fortune. Being a Jedi Knight would only take him away from that."
He is disappointed; he always felt that he could have been one of the greatest Jedi of all time. His parents tell him such fantasies were pointless and as a Count he has a greater destiny. The fact that he is force-sensitive is a blessing, no doubt, but pursuing it to the ends of the universe seems wasteful.
So he accepts their guidance and grows up a fine Count of his world, pursuing a role in politics and even becoming the Senator of Serenno. He advances through the ranks, eventually becoming Supreme Chancellor of the Galaxy in a time of peace and prosperity, baring the odd trade disagreement which with his superior skills he solves well enough.
He even keeps on good form with the Jedi Council despite everything. But he knows what his parents wanted for him was right. Everything turned out for the best.
His parents would be proud.
II
"Tell them we wish to board at once."
"Yes Sir." The pilot activated the com screen and the face of Nute Gunray leered upon it. "With all due respect for the Trade Federation, the Ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor wish to board immediately."
Nute's face flashed some levels of fear but nevertheless nodded. "Of course. As you know, our blockade is perfectly legal. We would be happy to receive the ambassadors."
The Republic cruiser landed as several Trade Federation Battle Droids nervously glanced at the vessel before carrying on with their duties. The ship cargo hold opened to reveal two shadowed figures walking down into the hanger bay as the silver Protocol Droid approached them. "I'm TC-14 at your service. This way please."
The two hooded forms entered a formal conference room, the window into space displaying the beautiful green planet of Naboo below as TC-14 returned to the door. "Please remain here for the time being. My honoured masters will be with you shortly."
As the doors closed, the two men pulled back their hoods and glanced about.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Qui-Gon sighed.
"I do not sense anything out of the ordinary, Qui-Gon." Jedi Master Dooku raised an eyebrow at his former apprentice. "Perhaps it is merely the concern your felt for leaving your apprentice back on Coruscant, my friend. But the Council were wise in thinking him not quite ready for this level of assignment."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "It's not about Obi-Wan, Dooku. It's something… elsewhere. Elusive." He shifted stance and turned to his former master. "My apologies, I should be concentrating on the here and now, like you told me many times."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, my former Padawan." Dooku permitted a smile on his face. "In any case, Master Yoda is taking care of young Kenobi's training, and we both know what cowards these Trade Federation types can be. We'll be back on Coruscant soon enough."
III
Yoda smiled across at Senator Padme as she entered the Chancellor's chambers. "With you the force is strong young Senator. To see you alive brings warm feeling to my heart."
Count Dooku nodded. "As does it I, Senator."
Padme nodded in respect. "Thank you, Master Yoda, and to you also Master Dooku. Its pleases me that such great Jedi as yourselves and Master Windu continue to sit upon the council." Her face turned to worry as she continued. "Do you have any idea who was behind the attack?"
Mace Windu spoke up. "Our intelligence suggests that it was disgruntled spice miners upon the moons of Naboo."
The young senator shook her head. "If you forgive me for disagreeing with you Master Jedi, I think that perhaps it was San Hill." The stirs of surprise caused her to raise a hand. "I know perhaps you think it paranoid of me, but the fact that the Trade Federation and thus Nute Gunray is part of his Separatist movement makes him an ideal suspect to want me dead."
Yoda closed his eyes, almost sagely. "Hm, difficult to determine if true this is."
Dooku rubbed his beard in thought as he glanced at Palpatine and then the senator. "He is not the type to assassinate anyone, at least not directly He is a politician, not a murderer." He sighed as he looked across at his old master. "It's at times like this that I wish that my old apprentice was still alive…"
IV
"This isn't how it's supposed to be! Jango, finish her off!"
Dooku smiled as Nute Gunray fumed at him over the continued breathing of Senator Padme as she battled in the arena below. "Patience Viceroy… she will die soon enough."
As he watched the Destroyer Droids surround the trio, Dooku was suddenly aware of something protruding through his chest.
A purple lightsaber.
"Master Windu. Most impressive…" was his last words before he slumped to the ground. Through an increasing veil of darkness he watched as Jango Fett let loose a volley of blaster fire in Windu's direction, as the terrified Neimoidians attempted to flee, as the colours of a hundred lightsabers filled the arena floor.
Then there was only the Dark Side of the Force to keep him company.
V
Victory. His heart burned with it.
Dooku had thought this day might never come, particularly when he realised the full plans of Sidious.
Rage filled his thoughts. To think that Palpatine had intended to replace him with young Skywalker! He'd quickly rectified that – he still recalled the surprise on the Chancellor's face when he'd arrived not with Battle Droids but Grievous and his strongest Guardsmen at his side when he'd entered the Observation Deck.
The Jedi Knights fought bravely but Grievous eventually cut them down with ease. Palpatine needed more effort, but Dooku had learnt all he needed of the old Sith's skills and cut him down. True that he had a large scar across his once beautiful face, but it had been worth it to see Palpatine beg like a dog once he'd cut both his legs off.
With that settled, the Confederacy forces had fled Coruscant – there would be time for a significant invasion later. Once Utapau had been conquered it was a simple task to tell the CIS about Sidious' intentions for them all. And the plan he'd had for beating the Republic was better than the Chancellor could have ever come up with.
The Jedi were always the real problem. It was a simple task to activate that Anti-Clone Virus of the rogue Kaminoian from all those years ago – with a few modifications of Dooku's genius – and finally give the go ahead for Grievous' grand scheme of forging captured Jedi Padawans with his own cybernetic technology. In short – Jedi Cyborgs utterly loyal to the CIS. It was a little sickening, Dooku had thought, but it was a worthwhile investment against the Jedi Council.
Oh, and of course the fact that Palpatine was a Sith Lord came out, the Jedi could never hold that back enough! The election of Senator Bail Organa to the Chancellorship did mean that Dooku didn't gain quite as many new allies for the Confederacy as he'd hoped, but hundreds of new systems flocked to his cause without a fight all the same.
The Republic was on their knees even before Dooku executed Revised Order 66.
A masterstroke… the Jedi Council must have been horrified to see huge ships of the Separatists above their Temple – and find that not one Clone Trooper responded to their call. They had watched as he and Grievous had led a gigantic army of CIS and Republic soldiers into the temple, Battle Droids and Clone Troopers working together to bring down the Jedi forever.
Again, only the notable Jedi present posed any sort of problem. Grievous sustained significant damage at the hands of Mace Windu but still seemed to enjoy crushing hundreds of Jedi at once. Dooku had smiled when after the massacre he'd seen the Droid Commander order all the lightsabers of those he'd slain to be sent to the ship… for his collection.
And Yoda… yes, Yoda was crafty enough to track Dooku to Mustafar once the Second Battle of Coruscant was done. That had been one of the toughest fights Dooku could ever remember, a fitting end to the Clone Wars and the Jedi. When he snapped Yoda's neck with the Dark Side of the Force, he had the body thrown into the molten lava, just in case. He'd even paid his respects to his former Jedi master, if just for a moment.
He turned his attention back to the huge structure in front of the Invisible Hand, hanging in space. It had been a simple task to overthrow the crews Palpatine had working on the Death Star and put the Geonosians which had originally come up with the thing to work on it. They'd even spotted the odd mistake which the Chancellor had missed – why Palpatine had missed that thermal duct fault was beyond him.
But his thoughts were on greater matters. Grievous was powerful, but not a Jedi or Sith. Sev'rance Tann was dead. Dooku frowned. She was out there, somewhere in the Outer Rim… hiding from him.
"You cannot escape destiny, Ventress." Dooku chuckled. She would be his successor in this great new empire he was forming… whether she liked it or not.
Chapter Notes
I - A logical early AU, as Dooku only became a Jedi because of his parents acceptance with the idea and I thought it interesting to think what would have occured if they'd said no. Dooku becoming Senator and eventually Chancellor seemed feasable to me, since I reckon if he hadn't become a Jedi the political side of his life would have been more significant.
II - This originally started with three Jedi - Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were joined by Dooku - but I figured that this could be an AU where Obi-Wan was not yet deemed suitable for such a mission as expected upon Naboo. Doing a scene with former Master and Apprentice seemed to make sense too. A suggestion has been made for me to expand this into a full story and though I didn't intend to, I might do at some point in the future.
III - Dooku never leaving the Jedi Order after the events of Episode 1 and the Battle of Galidraan was the thread for this AU. Its fairly similar to the opening moments of AOTC but I gave Jedi Dooku his own thoughts on the matter. I decided that after Dooku, San Hill seemed the most logical figure to start a Seperatist movement, not sure how different it would be though.
IV - I think its a rule to always have one 'Five Things' story where the character dies early and this was it. Muleteer once suggested on one of his SW fics if Windu had grabbed Dooku instead of Jango Fett. I simply took it up a notch and let the purple sabered Jedi get a kill shot in early. I'm glad people think the death scene reads well.
V - The one I wanted to write over all of these five, the 'Victory for Dooku' thread. Dook uis one of my favourite SW villains and though he got a decent death sequence I've always wanted to see him and the Confederacy win. The 'Clone Virus' and 'Cyborg Jedi' are concepts taken from the Dark Horse comics. The storming of the Jedi Temple was the part I liked writing the most and I will most likely be turning this into a full length story one day, though chances are likely I'll give the Jedi a better chance.
Hope your enjoyed this first set with Dooku, guys. Next up will be General Grievous, followed by that lovable Wookie Chewbacca. Please do send your comments and requests for other characters and I'll see what I can do. :)