The Grand Convocation Chamber was an immense room at the very centre of the Senate building. The chamber stood over a hundred meters in height and held over a thousand repulsorpods, one for each set of planetary delegates. During Buffy's last visit, when she'd received the title of Lord Vader, she'd been so anxious about what was to come that she'd hardly noticed what the place was like. This time, as she waited for the Supreme Chancellor to end his long-winded opening speech, she'd plenty of time to examine her surroundings.
She and Count Dooku were here representing the planet Serenno. The Count had used his position and his previous family's strong involvement in politics to secure them a seat during this session. Both of them wore the brown, quilted cloaks of office that were traditional to that planet. The Count stood proudly, his head held high, and his aristocratic face visible to all. Buffy, on the other hand, had pulled the cloak's hood over her head and down onto her forehead to disguise herself. There were other reasons why she needed to keep the cloak fastened, but hiding her identity was the main one. She planned on surprising Sid.
From within the confines of the hood, Buffy surreptitiously scanned the Senators seated in the pods alongside theirs. The delegates in each one were humans. In the first, two dark-haired human males in long swirling cloaks watched their screen's images of Palpatine with no outward sign of emotion. In the other booth, were two women. One of them, a tall, haughty blonde woman wearing a fancy headdress and what looked like clothespins in her hair, stared at Palpatine coldly.
"Who's that?" Buffy whispered to the Count, nodding towards the woman.
Dooku shot a look at the haughty woman before whispering back, "That's the Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze." He added, his expression one of distaste, "I hear she's a pacifist."
Buffy regarded her thoughtfully. "She's got a long nose and I don't like what she's done with her hair."
"I believe Qui-Gon and Kenobi had dealings with her in the past," replied Dooku, his eyes on the screen and listening to Palpatine's incessant babble about the Trade Federation and the glory of the Republic.
"Yeah, Andrew told me all about it" Buffy replied sourly, "I've not forgotten." She pulled her gaze from the other woman and back to the screen. "When do you think Sid will spring his addition to the agenda on everyone?" She'd looked through the files sent her as a planetary representative, but there was nothing there about a campaign vampire rights.
"Traditionally, it's done only if time allows at the end of the session," Buffy groaned, and Dooku tried not to smile. "However, as this is Palpatine he'll most likely use his power as Supreme Chancellor to bring the subject up earlier rather than later. If he is going ahead with this, it won't be something he'll delay."
"I hope so. Slayer's aren't good at waiting around." Actually, some Slayers were good at waiting around, but Buffy wasn't one of them. Her gaze slid over again to the Duchess in the next box and then away. Yeah, she definitely was more of an action-girl and always would be. Her thoughts grew reflective as she stared out at the myriad of lights dotted around the chamber walls. Obi-Wan and the rest of the Jedi should be in position by now, although there was no way of being certain. Unofficial com-links were not allowed inside the chamber and she'd needed to leave hers behind along with her lightsaber. "I hope everything goes to plan," she mused.
"You still believe Kardash is telling the truth? Palpatine could have engineered this."
Kardash had warned them that Palpatine intended to revoke all previous laws that outlawed vampires. He would persuade the Senate to accept them as sentient beings with a health condition (food and sunshine allergies) and then issue warrants against her and the Jedi Order. Once she and most of the Jedi Order were out of the way, Palpatine and Desolate's vampires would overrun the Senate, turn all the politicians, and create a brand new undead Sith Empire.
"Look at it this way," Buffy reasoned. "If Kardash is telling us the truth we're acting on valuable information. If it's a lie, and we've been set up, then Sid has forgotten that I know more about vampires than he does. Either way, we have to stop him. A Sith vampire in charge of the Senate is not a good thing for the galaxy. No one can argue with me about that."
In fact, Dooku had asked her this question already, as had the entire Jedi Council, and Obi-Wan. She didn't blame them for being cautious. A lot was riding on this and, for the Jedi at least, an easier course of action would be to ignore the warning, stick their heads in the sand, and talk about the will of the Force. Buffy had seen the movies, listened to Andrew expound, and wasn't overly impressed with what the Force had to offer last time. It was time for a Slayer to turn the tide of darkness.
Dooku nodded and then cleared his throat self-consciously. "Whatever happens, I want you to know that it's been an honour and a pleasure having you as my apprentice."
Surprised, Buffy turned to regard him from under her hood. The Count faced Palpatine's screen-image, but his cheek colour had heightened as if his words had embarrassed him.
"I've enjoyed working with you as well. You're a good teacher."
"I don't blame Kenobi," he added so softly that she wondered if she was meant to hear it. "If I'd met you when I was his age... I'd have chosen the same path that he's done."
Buffy didn't know what to say. The Count had always disliked Obi-Wan and treated him with scorn, had jealousy been the cause?
He waved a hand, still not meeting her eye, and brusquely replied, "I regard you as a daughter, Buffy. Don't read more into it." He looked up, the usual stern and forbidding look on his face once more. "I also expect you not to repeat this conversation to anyone. If you do, I shall deny it most vehemently and no one will believe you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir!" Buffy mock saluted him, knowing he'd appreciate her lightening the atmosphere between them. "Will do, Sir!"
Behind the Count's amused face, Buffy could see their interaction had caught the woman's attention in the next box. She was gazing at them both with open curiosity and Buffy's hand automatically went to her hood, pulling it further across her face. If Satine was following Obi-Wan's career she'd know that he was working with her, Lord Vader, and she didn't want to be recognised until the last possible second.
Around Buffy, the Senate broke into spontaneous applause as Palpatine's introduction came to a close. Checking the screen, Buffy could see the hover cam had panned out. It now showed images of the Supreme Senator benevolently smiling as he sat beside the Vice-Chair, Mas Amedda.
Once the applause died away, he took to his feet once more. "My fellow Senators, I would like to use my prerogative as Supreme Chancellor to discuss another topic not on today's agenda that is a matter of some urgency..."
Buffy and Dooku, tensed. Was this what they'd been waiting for?
…...
A/N:
Thank you
Ellerose reverie who took the time to review.
Nice to know so I still have readers on here!
