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Narglatch in Shaak's Clothing Chapter 7

67 BBY

Qui-Gon had never been much of a reader, always preferring the bright landscape of nature and the confusing turmoil of living things. Dooku muses as he walks down the hallway that this is only one of scores of differences between his late padawan and his current charge. He is not certain how he feels about that, that he sometimes wishes Qui-Gon would have studied harder. It feels strangely like betrayal, but Qui-Gon betrayed him first… if he had only followed Dooku's warning… Forever gone.

"You do love your books," Dooku sighs when he discovers his wayward padawan tucked into a secluded corner of the Temple Library, a stack of ancient and traditional tomes gathered in a fortress formation around him. "Were you born with a datapad in your hands?"

Palpatine glances up, a sly smile glancing off his white teeth. "As Senator Frea-t'ell often says, Master, 'knowledge is power.' I thought we should be prepared for eventualities."

Dooku slides into the chair beside him, running a long hand through his thick hair and short beard and sighing. "Senator Frea-t'eel should practice what he preaches, but power is not our ultimate goal here, my Padawan. We are to act as ambassadors, to mediate – not control – the proceedings of this conference."

Palpatine gazes steadily at him, fingers stilling on the thin paper. "Of course, Master. Still, such unique cultures interacting for the first time in centuries…I think it might be a bit…delicate?"

He injects a note of wondering, but Dooku knows better when the youth's smile grows conspiratorial. His own lips remain perfectly straight, but his eyes catch the contagious gleam from the other. "It might at that. Even as facilitators, being forewarned is being forearmed, my Padawan, and we have a duty to ensure that each side is fairly represented."

Palpatine inclines his head, sought confirmation bestowed.

Dooku lingers for a moment in the chair. He knows it's all semantics. He knows all too well.

The chair scrapes back. "We leave in four hours, Padawan. Make sure you bring what you need."

"I'll be there, Master."

The first day of the mission is a complete success, thanks in no small part to his padawan's academic preparations, which Dooku has determined to test. Dooku watches with reserved pride as the inhabitants of the long council hall bow their thin necks to listen to Palpatine mediate between the opposing factions. He is a natural at this, Dooku realizes as the teenager paces solemnly, his mere fifteen years lending him a freshness that captivates his audience. Some are openly amused, but Dooku sees them slowly falling under the spell. However, those with the most to lose in currency and power continue to resist every point.

Before anything is solved, they break the session early in the afternoon as is tradition on that planet, and Palpatine impatiently paces after his master, sometimes passing him and then slowing down to draw alongside. Dooku remains stately and measured, aware of the multitude of eyes on their backs as they stride along a wide expanse of red stone balustrade. Someday his padawan will learn patience, or at least the appearance of it.

"Don't they understand, Master, that the Burondi Alliance is only a thinly veiled mockup of the Trade Federation?" Palpatine asks at last, breaking the long silence.

Dooku slows to a stop and turns to face the boy, watches him scuff his brown boot against the cobblestones. He lowers his voice to hide their conversation from the distant crowds. "Ignorance is easier than knowledge, Sheev. If they don't know the truth, they cannot be culpable for the repercussions. That's what they believe, and that's why they continue to stuff their pockets with fat profits."

Palpatine scowls. "They exploit their own people for petty rewards, Master. If they were to reopen the negotiations, then at least they could demand worthwhile investments."

Dooku grimaces. "Their world is not their primary concern, my Padawan. Like any other government, corruption eats at the heart of this planet like a malignant disease. We'll patch the exterior wounds, return to Coruscant, and be lauded as peacekeepers."

Palpatine tilts his head. "And when it all falls apart, the Republic can say it did its best. I know, Master." He turns and begins to walk away. "Maybe it won't always be – ahhh…"

Dooku feels the Force suddenly darken and convulse as his Padawan stutters and collapses bonelessly to the hard surface. "Palpatine!" he cries and lunges forward, kneeling behind the stiff figure and gathering it into his arms. Palpatine is rigid, seized in the grip of some terrible power, his eyes rolled so far back in his head that Dooku cannot see his pupils. The master feels a surge of genuine alarm.

Dooku presses his hand to the burning forehead and reaches out with the Force, and the kickback that flows through his arms nearly causes him to drop the boy, but he pushes back with the Light, and the Dark recedes before his merciless pressure. Palpatine's breathing slows, regulates, and his padawan's eyes flicker closed as he sinks into unconsciousness.

Carrying him back to the Jedi starship, Dooku passes him into the care of the Republic medical droid until he awakens once more nearly a standard hour later. Dooku sits beside his padawan cautiously, aware that Palpatine is angry and confused. "Are you well?" he asks, knowing that he is awkward at this sort of thing.

So is Palpatine. He looks at the floor and mumbles, "I'll be fine, Master."

"That has never happened before," Dooku is undeterred, and he injects a note of warning in his low voice. "What did you experience?"

Palpatine still will not meet his eyes. "I think I had a vision."

"I felt the Dark Side."

Finally their eyes meet. "I don't know, Master."

Dooku is not satisfied. "Well, what did you hear? What did you see?"

Palpatine looks away and sighs. "I heard only whispers. I saw only shadows."

And his reply is so bleak, so empty, that Dooku decides to give him time. They can explore this incident further upon their return to the Temple, and they will. But there is a wildness here, right now, that Dooku senses would be wiser to leave alone. He makes a note to look deeper into Palpatine's early records, to learn more of these visions.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Something big went down in 67 BBY, something that will have repercussions for everyone in this tale. Leave a review, if you would like!