Darth-Taisha: Thank you for your praise and comments; I hope you find more intriguing thoughts as you go along.
ofywan: Thanks for reading! I hope to keep your interest piqued :)
Sifo-Dyas shot back a quick message to Dooku, consisting only of a date and time, using the same ciphers to encrypt it. Dooku had proposed the "where" of their meeting, Sifo-Dyas had responded with the "when." Sifo-Dyas hoped that the "why" of the meeting would become clear soon after he arrived at the Galactic Museum fourteen hours hence.
Sifo-Dyas decided to arrive an hour early, to ensure that nothing unseemly awaited him within the museum. He strolled casually through each hall of the museum, using the Living Force to sense any untoward or unduly watchful presences, anyone who seemed to be paying just a bit too much attention to his movements. But no one seemed to be paying him any mind, not even the token security guards. If anything, his Jedi robes encouraged people not to pay him any mind. Though the vast majority of the residents of Coruscant respected the Jedi, they also feared the Jedi because of their incomprehensible powers, their preternatural ability to sense the future, and their uncanny knowledge of what passed through people's minds. Most of the Coruscanti believed that if they stayed far enough away from the Jedi, their minds would remain unreadable, so Sifo-Dyas was granted a wide berth by the patrons of the museum.
Finally, with half an hour to spare, he parked himself on a bench inside the museum's atrium, across from its only entrance, and waited peacefully. He continued and deepened his meditations on the Living Force, which helped him stay focused, mindful of the present and any threats that might appear. And fifteen minutes into his meditations, he felt the overwhelming Force ripples that would only be generated by a powerful Force sensitive like Dooku. Sifo-Dyas opened his eyes and stood to greet his old friend, smiling as he strode toward Dooku.
Dooku's gaze lit up when he spied Sifo-Dyas through the crowd. He quickened his pace and embraced Sifo-Dyas as they met. Sifo-Dyas could not help but startle as the folds of Dooku's cape fell along Sifo-Dyas's arms – this was the first sign of tenderness that Dooku had exhibited in at least ten years. Never mind the fact that to Sifo-Dyas's knowledge, Dooku had never embraced anyone, never let anyone violate the vacuum of half a meter of space he cultivated around himself. But there Dooku was, releasing Sifo-Dyas from a warm clasp, effusive about how happy he was to see Sifo-Dyas.
Something had changed. And Sifo-Dyas was determined to figure out what.
The two men strode out of the museum, rendering Sifo-Dyas's surveillance efforts moot. They ambled down the glittering pathways of the upper layer of Coruscant's architecture, which were suspended in the sky by architectural legerdemain and repulsorlifts. The footfalls of Dooku and Sifo-Dyas mingled with the air blown up by millions of vehicles passing under those pathways, tracing through hundreds of stacked and staggered hoverlanes. The volume of the unending traffic dwarfed the two men, their cloaks rustling softly, in their trek to nowhere in particular.
Dooku's dulcet voice had regained its silken smoothness. No longer sounding bedraggled and desperate, he told Sifo-Dyas about his discovery of the identity of the Sith Lord. Sifo-Dyas blanched at Dooku's words, but he was not entirely surprised. The former Senator from Naboo had always instilled a vague sense of unease in Sifo-Dyas, though he could never pinpoint precisely why. After all, like most Jedi, he was at least somewhat uneasy around nearly all politicians. Their self-serving duplicity was foreign to the Jedi way of thinking.
And yet, politics made perfect cover for a Sith. A host of curiosities, oddities, and mysteries regarding the behavior of the Trade Federation and Galactic Senate were resolved for Sifo-Dyas in a stunning flash of insight. So that was why the seemingly insignificant planet of Naboo had been blockaded! Why Senator Palpatine had convinced Queen Amidala to move for a vote of no-confidence in Chancellor Valorum! But how had Palpatine concealed himself from the Trade Federation viceroy Nute Gunray – of course! By using only his Sith name, by dressing as a Sith whenever they communicated. And that hooded, cackling voice Sifo-Dyas had heard when he last opened his mind to Dooku – Dooku had discerned the identity of the Sith Lord subconsciously all this time!
A small smile creased Dooku's lips as he saw Sifo-Dyas's eyes widen in understanding. And Sifo-Dyas now understood why his friend seemed possessed of an almost unnatural calm now. Dooku's laborious researches, so costly to his body and mind, had finally borne fruit! Sifo-Dyas felt a swell of pride puff his chest for his friend's accomplishment, which was all too quickly followed by a deflation of defeat as he remembered that he had doubted Dooku and his methods. But they were beyond the need for apologies. Yet Sifo-Dyas also recognized that it would be difficult to reveal the dark lord.
For even with the regents of the Trade Federation facing prosecution for their actions over Naboo, Viceroy Gunray had steadfastly refused to divulge his co-conspirator's identity to the tribunal. Who would believe him, even if he spoke the dark lord's name? To blame his invasion on a member of a long-dead evil order would have been as ludicrous as a child blaming his misbehavior on the mythical imps of Ithor. Though Palpatine likely would have...induced...Gunray's silence through other means. Threats against Gunray's family, his fortune, his power would likely be carried out, were the name of the Sith revealed outside the black vortex of their conspiracy. It was clear that Palpatine had taken pains not to be exposed.
Thus, Sifo-Dyas restively inquired as to what Dooku planned to do to stop the Sith from continuing its rule over the galaxy. Dooku replied that his designs were indeed complex, perhaps too complicated to explain with mere words. He asked Sifo-Dyas to open his mind to him, to allow Sifo-Dyas to see for himself what he was planning. By so doing, Sifo-Dyas might also spy flaws lingering in Dooku's plans that Dooku had overlooked.
Sifo-Dyas was now convinced. Dooku had returned to his somewhat grandiose but cautious self. No longer was he insisting that his way was the only way. He was inviting criticism now, not running from it. This was the Dooku that Sifo-Dyas knew, the Dooku he had befriended decades ago. The Dooku he had trusted with his life so many times before.
Sifo-Dyas opened his mind to Dooku. Immediately, crimson and black streaks of psychic pain felled the Jedi Master, sending him to his knees, then to the ground. All too easy, Dooku mused silently as he bent down to pick his friend up while sending the most horrific visions imaginable through his mind.