Geonosis. 22 BBY.
Count Dooku; Darth Tyranus; traitor, Sith, an agent of evil. The Jedi's greatest failure.
This is how the Galaxy saw Dooku now. But it wasn't always like that.
The former Jedi Master stood above a paralyzed pair of Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi's hand fell on Anakin, who had screamed in pain as his hand was severed. The two Jedi brothers laid still, too drowsy to sneak Count Dooku a look.
Dooku turned his lightsaber off, loosening his sweaty grip on its curved hilt. He was exhausted. Far into old age, the Count sighed and looked in disappointment at the two Jedi he had heard so much about. But it wasn't his disappointment in them. It was his disappointment in what the situation had come to. If only the Jedi could see past their dogmatic, narrow view of the Force - and challenged the corruption of the senate...Count Dooku, the branded traitor, tyrant, sith...knew this much.
In his tired state, his mind began to wander. And within an instant, he was home again.
His memory took him back over a decade ago, before the Clone Wars. He once had a great apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn, whom he had trained from a boy.
"The Republic will be held accountable!" Count Dooku said emotionally to a young Qui-Gon.
"Surely they mustn't have known…" Qui-Gon suggests, but is cut off by his Master's rage.
"Fools. Half of the Knights, butchered by Mandalorians. And under my command." Dooku grieved.
Count Dooku struggled to keep his anger under control, and Qui-Gon could sense it. Dooku had returned from the Battle of Galidraan. In a political move by the Republic, Jedi were sent to confront the True Mandalorians, who were not the real enemy. Word had spread that the Mandalorians were murdering political activists on the planet, when in reality they were sent on a governor-sanctioned mission to eliminate hostile rebels in the vicinity. The misguided Republic believed the former, ordering the Jedi to engage the Mandalorians. There were heavy casualties on both sides, it was a pointless bloodbath.
"Peacekeepers. Not soldiers. The Jedi are not the Republic's military to be dispatched in their wars." Count Dooku explained.
Qui-Gon tried to console Dooku. Who leaned heavily on the empty room's window to Coruscant. "Master...I understand it must be frustrating. If it vexes you so, you should speak to the council. They respect you." Qui-Gon said.
Dooku rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I'm not sure if I would get anywhere with them. Lately I'm losing faith in the Council. I'm losing faith in our Republic, its democracy is on the verge of being torn apart by bureaucracy."
He turned to Qui-Gon, who was noticeably shorter and less imposing than him. He started "When you were first brought to me, I knew there was something different about you boy. You remind me of myself, only younger, and wiser. You will achieve great things - but do not let the Council prevent you from becoming who you are meant to be."
"Why would they do that?" Qui-Gon asked, intrigued.
"You will find the Council imposes their will on anyone who dares question the traditions of old." Dooku looked intensely into Qui-Gon's eyes. "I know your power, and for you, it is governed by your emotions. I've seen the way you tackle problems in the field. You do not analyse, you feel. You act on impulse."
Qui-Gon looked embarrassed, never having met a Jedi so open and honest. Dooku was certainly unorthodox, and most controversial.
"My apologies Master. I will do better."
"No." Dooku said. "Use your intuition, and trust in your senses. Trust in the Force, do not let the Council's ancient code betray your purpose. Abide by it and it will feed you knowledge, but bind yourself to it entirely - and a duller Jedi you will become."
Qui-Gon nodded. He and Dooku's ideologies seemed to be aligned. But this did not mean Qui-Gon was not worried. It was a dangerous view.
"Master, I care for you deeply, and on some level - agree with you. But what you suggest….if the council knew of your opinion, it could shake your reputation. You know of this."
"Those on the council are becoming blind fools. Their incompetence will be their downfall my young padawan. Trust in yourself, the Force and your own judgement - always. And if the other Masters wish to chastise you for it, they will answer to me."