Firestorm II
Chapter 5: Broken Ideologies
Dooku turned Cassiopeia around to face him. He bent down to kiss her. "It's been far too long since we last saw each other," he said just before his lips brushed hers.
"Don't," she pulled away from him. "I haven't been your wife for a very long time, D."
He was delighted to hear the nickname she had always called him yet he raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Really? That's news to me. I have never been given any dissolution papers to sign."
"That's not what I mean," Cassiopeia sighed. "Maybe on paper I'm still your wife, but in practice I haven't been for quite some time."
Dooku smiled. "Then it's time we begin practicing again."
Cassiopeia smiled and shook her head. She looked at him for a moment. "I don't know you anymore," she said. "I'm not sure if I ever really did. But I do know this, your view of the galaxy is very different from mine. I do not believe in dictatorship, it's too oppressive."
"You have been blinded by the Republic, my love. True democracy is not possible in large venues and it never will be because of the vainness and egos of democratic leaders. They end up serving their own desires and those of their financial backers instead of the beings who trust in them and need their help the most." He paused to gauge her reaction to his words. Dooku could sense Cassiopeia's desire to retain her democratic ideology of the Republic but in part because of recent events and her own personal experiences, he sensed her beginning to waver. He smiled, he almost had her. "But if there is one being, a decent, caring being, to rule the entire galaxy, that being will do what is best for all of the beings in the galaxy, not just those who back him."
"And what of those who oppose this dictator?" she asked. "What happens to them?"
"Why do you think there would be any opposition?"
"Oh please," Cassiopeia scoffed. "Any kind of change is difficult and you know there would be opposition to a dictatorship. Many beings would not take kindly to losing their representation to their government."
Dooku smiled. He had recently received word that Chancellor Palpatine had been granted emergency powers by the Senate. "But, my dear, that is exactly what has just happened. Because of Obi Wan's message to Coruscant, the entire Republic is in fear and Palpatine has been voted emergency powers of office. The Republic has effectively given up its right of representation to one being."
Cassiopeia was shocked. "No, I don't believe you. The Republic would never do that."
"Wouldn't they?" he smiled.
Cassiopeia's mind raced. She supposed if the Republic had voted the Chancellor emergency powers, then the Senators must have had good reason. She looked at Dooku and knew what that reason was.
"Then tell me, D, if you do not have violence in mind, why does the Republic see you as such a threat?"
"I suppose I am a threat to them," he answered. "But not in the way you insist I am. I am a threat to their livelihood. Once I am in power, they will no longer have their jobs as Senators. That is why they are desperate to stop me."
"Back to my question, then: what will you do with the opposition?"
"I will not kill them, love. However, if they are the ones that begin the violence, then I am afraid I will have to finish it. But I will not start it, I promise you that."
Dooku tilted Cassiopeia's head up so she would look into his eyes. "I need you beside me, Cassi. Be my Queen. Queen of all the galaxy. Let me take you away from the chaos of the Republic, take you away from all of this."
Cassiopeia closed her eyes. She was torn. Dooku's plan went against everything she had ever believed in. But the idea that the Senate had voted the Chancellor emergency powers, essentially had given him the powers of a dictator, was confusing and disturbing. It seemed that everything and everyone she had ever believed in had changed so drastically. And his comment about being Queen, she had to admit it appealed to her. She had never been power-hungry or driven by self-interest. But if she were Queen, she would be in a position to help beings first-hand through consulting with Dooku. The two of them together, she and Dooku, could work for the betterment of the galaxy. But what if he doesn't mean what he says, she thought. What if he has no intention of working for the good of beings?
"I need some time, D," Cassiopeia finally answered. "I just don't know. I mean, how can I begin to trust you?"
"The only way to learn to trust me is to spend time with me. I know what I'm asking of you is difficult. I know you're scared and confused and I'm sorry that you are in this position. But I love you, Cassi, I always have. I can only imagine how difficult today has been for you, my love." Dooku took Cassi in his arms and held her close. "Seeing me again after so many years apart, learning of the Republic's actions, dealing with your emotions regarding Senator Amidala and Obi Wan; you're dealing with an awful lot right now. Of course I will give you some to think things over." He kissed the top of her head, let her go and strode swiftly toward the door. He paused and turned back to her. "But don't take too long, my dear, or I will be forced to turn you over to the Geonosians."
With that, Dooku was gone, leaving Cassiopeia alone with her broken ideologies.
Some time later, Count Dooku returned. He found Cassiopeia standing in front of the window, looking out upon Geonosis. He moved to stand behind her and put his arms around her.
"Well, Cassi?" he asked. "What's it going to be?"
She turned to look at him. "I have pretty much reasoned in favor of going with you but before my decision is final, I must request that I be allowed to see and speak with Obi Wan."
"Why?" Dooku demanded.
"I need to ask him something," she replied simply. "And perhaps I can reason with him, help him understand our cause so that he will be able to be released."
"Very well," Dooku replied. "I'll take you to him."
Chapter 5: Broken Ideologies
Dooku turned Cassiopeia around to face him. He bent down to kiss her. "It's been far too long since we last saw each other," he said just before his lips brushed hers.
"Don't," she pulled away from him. "I haven't been your wife for a very long time, D."
He was delighted to hear the nickname she had always called him yet he raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Really? That's news to me. I have never been given any dissolution papers to sign."
"That's not what I mean," Cassiopeia sighed. "Maybe on paper I'm still your wife, but in practice I haven't been for quite some time."
Dooku smiled. "Then it's time we begin practicing again."
Cassiopeia smiled and shook her head. She looked at him for a moment. "I don't know you anymore," she said. "I'm not sure if I ever really did. But I do know this, your view of the galaxy is very different from mine. I do not believe in dictatorship, it's too oppressive."
"You have been blinded by the Republic, my love. True democracy is not possible in large venues and it never will be because of the vainness and egos of democratic leaders. They end up serving their own desires and those of their financial backers instead of the beings who trust in them and need their help the most." He paused to gauge her reaction to his words. Dooku could sense Cassiopeia's desire to retain her democratic ideology of the Republic but in part because of recent events and her own personal experiences, he sensed her beginning to waver. He smiled, he almost had her. "But if there is one being, a decent, caring being, to rule the entire galaxy, that being will do what is best for all of the beings in the galaxy, not just those who back him."
"And what of those who oppose this dictator?" she asked. "What happens to them?"
"Why do you think there would be any opposition?"
"Oh please," Cassiopeia scoffed. "Any kind of change is difficult and you know there would be opposition to a dictatorship. Many beings would not take kindly to losing their representation to their government."
Dooku smiled. He had recently received word that Chancellor Palpatine had been granted emergency powers by the Senate. "But, my dear, that is exactly what has just happened. Because of Obi Wan's message to Coruscant, the entire Republic is in fear and Palpatine has been voted emergency powers of office. The Republic has effectively given up its right of representation to one being."
Cassiopeia was shocked. "No, I don't believe you. The Republic would never do that."
"Wouldn't they?" he smiled.
Cassiopeia's mind raced. She supposed if the Republic had voted the Chancellor emergency powers, then the Senators must have had good reason. She looked at Dooku and knew what that reason was.
"Then tell me, D, if you do not have violence in mind, why does the Republic see you as such a threat?"
"I suppose I am a threat to them," he answered. "But not in the way you insist I am. I am a threat to their livelihood. Once I am in power, they will no longer have their jobs as Senators. That is why they are desperate to stop me."
"Back to my question, then: what will you do with the opposition?"
"I will not kill them, love. However, if they are the ones that begin the violence, then I am afraid I will have to finish it. But I will not start it, I promise you that."
Dooku tilted Cassiopeia's head up so she would look into his eyes. "I need you beside me, Cassi. Be my Queen. Queen of all the galaxy. Let me take you away from the chaos of the Republic, take you away from all of this."
Cassiopeia closed her eyes. She was torn. Dooku's plan went against everything she had ever believed in. But the idea that the Senate had voted the Chancellor emergency powers, essentially had given him the powers of a dictator, was confusing and disturbing. It seemed that everything and everyone she had ever believed in had changed so drastically. And his comment about being Queen, she had to admit it appealed to her. She had never been power-hungry or driven by self-interest. But if she were Queen, she would be in a position to help beings first-hand through consulting with Dooku. The two of them together, she and Dooku, could work for the betterment of the galaxy. But what if he doesn't mean what he says, she thought. What if he has no intention of working for the good of beings?
"I need some time, D," Cassiopeia finally answered. "I just don't know. I mean, how can I begin to trust you?"
"The only way to learn to trust me is to spend time with me. I know what I'm asking of you is difficult. I know you're scared and confused and I'm sorry that you are in this position. But I love you, Cassi, I always have. I can only imagine how difficult today has been for you, my love." Dooku took Cassi in his arms and held her close. "Seeing me again after so many years apart, learning of the Republic's actions, dealing with your emotions regarding Senator Amidala and Obi Wan; you're dealing with an awful lot right now. Of course I will give you some to think things over." He kissed the top of her head, let her go and strode swiftly toward the door. He paused and turned back to her. "But don't take too long, my dear, or I will be forced to turn you over to the Geonosians."
With that, Dooku was gone, leaving Cassiopeia alone with her broken ideologies.
Some time later, Count Dooku returned. He found Cassiopeia standing in front of the window, looking out upon Geonosis. He moved to stand behind her and put his arms around her.
"Well, Cassi?" he asked. "What's it going to be?"
She turned to look at him. "I have pretty much reasoned in favor of going with you but before my decision is final, I must request that I be allowed to see and speak with Obi Wan."
"Why?" Dooku demanded.
"I need to ask him something," she replied simply. "And perhaps I can reason with him, help him understand our cause so that he will be able to be released."
"Very well," Dooku replied. "I'll take you to him."