Chapter One; "Meeting with Dooku: Nute Gunray"
"I am beginning to lose my patience, Count!"
Count Dooku did his best not to look too bored. He was after all a gentleman. And a gentleman has certain rules to follow, codes of etiquette that separates the superior being from the rest of the rabble. He was also a Sith Lord, a follower of an ancient belief that the Force was meant to be used as a tool, instead of an ally.
The creature that was wasting his precious time was none other than a Neimoidian named Nute Gunray. The creature was the leader of the Trade Federation, one of the greatest assets of the Confederacy. The Trade Federation was responsible for most of the Droids and investments in technology.
Dooku decided to give the wretched creature a smile of comfort.
"I am terrible sorry for hearing that, Viceroy."- said Dooku.
I could crush you like a bug, you damn creature. Like a bug. Yet I suppose that doing such action would be beneath me.
"Sorry? I am sick of your diplomatic tongue, Count! Be honest for once!" – demanded the Viceroy.
Now that was just plain rude. Such a vile and disgusting creature, this Neimoidian. Speaking to me like that, as if I was his butler or slave. Yet, he continued to show his smile of comfort. He was after all a gentleman.
"Why should the General upset you so much, Viceroy?" – asked Dooku.
The Viceroy seemed angrier than usual. He and the General didn't seem to be good friend. Forget friends. There were no friends in here. They were all business partners. But those two couldn't even keep a professional relationship. Now that was quite unpleasant.
"I mean… He was just following orders." – continued the Count.
"That damn idiot destroyed yet another world!" – screamed the Viceroy.
That was that last straw. He may be a gentleman, but he was not a commoner. He was a Count. He had noble blood. And more importantly… He had a lightsaber.
"May I suggest that you lower the tone of your voice, Viceroy?" – suggested Dooku. – "I am not deaf, nor do I enjoy being shout at. Understood?"
The Viceroy seemed to lose his momentum. He looked a bit confused for a moment and then nodded.
"I… I am sorry, Count! But that creature is uncontrollable! We needed that planet! We needed its resources! Droids don't grow on trees on know?" – explained the Viceroy.
Creature, indeed… That Grievous lad was quite troublesome. Not to mention horrible. Still he had his uses. He was a brilliant strategists and a fearsome warrior. Although he hated Grievous with all his soul, he couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied to know that that creature was on their side.
"That planet wasn't that special, Viceroy. I confess that it was very rich in poisonous gases that would be handy in your attacks. Other than that it was just a piece of rock." – stated Dooku.
Yet you want to make this matter serious, don't you my little greedy creature. You really don't like Grievous, so you want to make this matter sound serious. Well, two can play that game.
"Anyway, Viceroy, I respect your views on this matter. You are after all an important member of the Confederacy." – said Dooku. – "But my hands are tied up. What would you want me to do? Destroy Grievous?"
The Viceroy's eyes gleamed. Oh, how he wanted that to happen.
"Think, Viceroy, think… Who would command our droid armies? You?" – asked Dooku.
The Viceroy seemed to hesitate for a moment.
"What about you, Count?" – suggested he Viceroy.
Dooku couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"Me? Viceroy, I am flattered! Alas I am not a warrior or a strategist. I am simply a mere diplomat." – explained Dooku.
"Yes… But aren't you a Jedi?" – asked the Viceroy.
So that was it. That was this wretched creature's plan. Damn stinky money-grabber!
Dooku face lost its charm. His eyes became darker, and his smile simply vanished. He looked at the Viceroy as if the Viceroy was a pile of garbage.
"I was a Jedi once, yes…" – said Dooku, with a dark tone to his voice. – "But I quit the Jedi Order, Viceroy. Or weren't you paying attention?"
Nute Gunray started trembling and sweating.
Dooku knew that he was overreacting, but he wanted to pass this message to that wrenched creature: "Never mention my past again, slug. You aren't even worthy of thinking about it".
"I am terrible sorry, Count! It won't happen again!" – the Viceroy squeaked.
Dooku nodded and calmed himself down. How he hated to be remembered that he had once been a Jedi. A weak and gullible fool! A pawn of the Jedi Masters… He was not a Jedi anymore. He was a Sith Lord, master of his on Destiny and Fate. And he wasn't either weak or gullible anymore. But he wasn't too sure about the pawn part. Darth Sidious, his Sith Master, could very likely betray him. It was the way of the Sith.
I will take care of that little problem in a near future. A very near future. But for now he should mind the present and its current problems.
"Good. Smart move, Viceroy." – said Dooku in a cold manner.
At that precise moment, a hologram appeared on the table standing in the middle of the two members of the Confederacy. It was a Battle droid.
"Sorry to interrupt your meeting, Sir." – said the Battle droid.
Count Dooku showed the Battle droid an irritated look.
"I said that I didn't want to be disturbed." – stated Dooku.
How he loathed droids. How he wanted to destroy every single one of this dumb and useless things. Mindless idiots, the lot of them.
"Roger that, Sir. But you also ordered us to inform you when the General arrived." – explained the Battle Droid.
Count Dooku smiled. So he had arrived? Good!
"Thank you, soldier. Dooku out." – said Dooku.
The Battle Droid saluted the Count, and the hologram disappeared.
"It would seem that the General has arrived, Viceroy."- said Dooku in an amused manner. – "Why don't you personally make your complaints to him? I am sure that he would love to listen to them."
And smash your filthy little head, Dooku added in his mind.
The Viceroy suddenly went pale. He got out of his chair and bowed slightly to Dooku.
"No need to do that, Count. You were right, I overreacted! Silly me! I apologise for this inconvenient!" – said the Viceroy hastily.
Before Dooku could respond to the Viceroy's words, the wretched creature left Dooku´s meeting room. The Count couldn't contain a mocking smile, while Nute Gunray made his leave.
He was finally left alone in his meeting room. He was very proud of it. The room had a table and some comfortable chairs around it. It also contained priceless works of art that belonged to his family. Statues, pictures, ancient weapons, some old tomes… Oh! And it also contained a secret entrance, which leaded to his training room. He would never use his lightsaber in this room. That would be barbaric. Besides being his training room, the room also contained the consol that he used to contact his Master.
There was a knock on the door.
"Enter, Grievous." – said the Count.
The door opened and the General entered the meeting room.
"Yes, LordTyranus."