Chapter 9

Fire. Fire everywhere.

That was all Jedi Master Dooku saw now. Fire, all over the city-planet of Coruscant, burning, red hot fire, melting everything it came in contact with. People fleeing in fear. Darkness cackling as the fire spread across, burning many alive.

Dooku could feel the searing heat of the fire, he could feel the pain of the millions dying due to the monstrous burning.

Qui-Gon was near the fire, trying to defend others from it, people ran in fear as the Jedi Knight went close to the fire, the voices that laughed in Dooku's dreams laughed now, as the smokes from the fire spread, creating a dark sheet across the city-planet.

Suddenly, the Jedi Knight caught on fire, and screamed in agony. Dooku felt his heart tear, as it always did when he had the dreams of him being swallowed by darkness. Qui-Gon burning had a similar feeling to it

Dooku turned away, not being able to look at his poor former-apprentice, his son, burn. Many people were burning around him, dying, helpless against the forces and destruction the fire bought, not even the buildings survived this.

The smokes suddenly changed form, becoming something more recognisable… cloaked figures cackling at the suffering of the people. And Dooku hated this… hated them who laughed at the pain of others.

Especially Qui-Gon's pain.

"The people, they are all mine…" A hissing, dark voice stated, as Dooku felt the world rumble around him…

…And suddenly stop as the Jedi Master opened his eyes to see that he had slept inside of an airbus.

Dooku looked around in horror, to find that everything was… okay, no fire, no fearful people… just… calm, peaceful Coruscant, the darkness wasn't malevolent as he sensed it earlier, but instead, an eerie, but distant darkness.

Just like how it always was.

The Serrenian realised that what he saw was just a dream… similar to the ones of his former apprentice, except, with the suffering of people added to it. More suffering of Qui-Gon, being burnt by the malevolent fires.

And, it felt horrible. Even if it was a dream. Dooku was equally determined to make sure the people, the innocent people, did not suffer at the hands of evil. Whatever side they were, Jedi or Sith.

Dooku was not stupid, he knew that all the Jedi would not turn evil, but he knew that some Jedi were not to be trusted and may turn dark at the opportunity.

The doors of the airbus slid open, as the people stood up, as they were at their destination, the famous Republica 500 Airbus-Stop, named due to the building it's close to.

Dooku was headed to the Republica 500, to get Senator Damask's opinion on the previous meeting he had with Chancellor Kalpana, who had changed a lot recently.

The words from that meeting were still fresh on his mind, what Kalpana said, about him being the Chancellor's Representative in the Jedi Council. And not trusting the Jedi, which was suspicious all by itself as the Republic's leader was one of the Jedi's biggest supporters during the war.

But, Qui-Gon, that was another story. He was very different from the young and energetic Padawan, becoming much more detached and obedient to the Jedi Council, and Dooku did not like that one bit.

Dooku noticed that Qui-Gon had argued with the Council less and less, as the Knight held more secrets everyday, who's presence now seemed to be very, very cloaked and shrouded in secrecy. And the Master did not like that one bit.

It made him feel like Qui-Gon previous words of loving him like a father seem a lie.

The Jedi Master's thoughts ended as he approached the lavishly-designed elevator of the Senate's Apartment, he entered and set the destination to be for Senator Damask's floor in the apartment.

Hopefully that Senator would be able to figure out what was needed to do for Kalpana's request for Dooku.

Meanwhile, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn was in the under-levels of Coruscant, as he had decided to check in to find clues on the Sith Lord, even Separatist evidence. He felt the need to.

As he walked around, cloaked, all that was seen were people walking around, either innocent or not-so-much, poor or rich, many cloaked. Qui-Gon couldn't even sense if there was another Jedi around him, it was that crowded.

These were one of the places the Knight did not like, he preferred quieter places, places which are more peaceful and lots of nature.

The Under-levels was the exact opposite of that, as the rest of the planet, it was bustling with life, the noises of talking and zooming speeders, obviously also the metallic environment of the planet. It had no qualities of the environment Qui-Gon preferred.

But one thing the Jedi could sense, was the amount of darkness and light around the places, based on the Force. There was much dark around, as many unsavoury people walked around, and light was almost non-existent in this area, being on the auras of the poorer and more honest people, quivering at the existence of the shadow.

But… there was one place darker than the others, and it was coming off an alley, the dark reverberated hauntingly, as Qui-Gon attuned his senses towards it. The exact signature of a Dark-Side user, taunting, calling the unsuspecting towards it.

If luck served him well, he might find a Sith Lord. So, he headed towards the alley, careful not to reveal his true identity and keeping his cloak on, hiding his facial features.

The Jedi didn't take off his cloak, as he walked into the alley, he expected to walk into some meeting between two dark beings, but instead… there was no-one. Just himself surrounded by litter on the streets of the alley, flying around with no purpose.

"Hello. I have been looking forward to our meeting." A dark voice boomed, as Qui-Gon turned around, only to see something that only very few Jedi have reported to see, a Dark Devil.

Dark Devils were mere shadows, incarnations of the Dark Side of the Force. It seemed to be of a woman's figure, a shadowy lightsaber hung off her hip, and had flowing, purple hair, red triangular eyes, though the rest of her body was shadow.

Jedi reported seeing these things before any Dark Lord rose. Qui-Gon guessed this was also the case.

"You're a Dark Devil." Qui-Gon stated, trying to keep his cool.

"Yes. You are a smart one." The Devil commented

"What do you want?" The Jedi asked, distrusting

"I want nothing. It is what I can give you that matters." The Sith Devil cackled a reply, as she walked the other person

"What… do you mean?" Qui-Gon asked, now confused

"Power. Knowledge. All to defeat the current reigning Sith, Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious"

That sparked Qui-Gon's interest, the Jedi never did know both Sith's names, let alone their identities and where they currently are. Along with that, the Force was telling the Jedi that those names were true, there were two Sith currently reigning with those names.

"You know their identities?" Qui-Gon asked, jerking his head towards the devil

"Oh yes. I am a Sith Devil, am I not?" Was the answer, the Knight swore, that if this woman was actually a person, she would be smiling.

"Yes. And as a Jedi, I demand that you give me their true identities!" Qui-Gon exclaimed, as the devil only cackled in response, then disappeared

"Patience, my young… friend, you can summon me with the Force, if I am allowed to come to you." Qui-Gon heard the voice of the Devil, before it completely disappeared from the living realm.

The Jedi Knight looked around, to see that he was all alone again, but this time, a bit more satisfied, seeing that he now possessed the names of the Sith Lords, both of them, who the Jedi have been looking for.

Qui-Gon walked away from the alley, knowing that he just took advantage of the Dark Side, the power traitorous Jedi and Sith held. For that, he felt guilty.

In Republica 500, Dooku was having his meeting with Senator Damask. The Jedi Master had just entered, and the Senator seemed all-too-happy to receive his friend at his room in the grand apartment.

"Ah. Dooku, what brings you here?" Damask asked, seeming to be a very curious man

"Something that the Chancellor told me earlier, I know that you are allied with him." Dooku stated, as Damask smiled softly in response

"I am, so… what about Kalpana?" The Senator asked, as Dooku cleared his throat, and answered:

"Earlier today, Kalpana summoned me into his office, and told me something… that he did not trust the Jedi, and that he wanted me to be his representative on the Jedi Council. I told him that I would think about it… but… I don't know whether this is a good decision or not…", the Serrenian's voice was filled with hesitation and uncertainty, unlike Damask, who heartily laughed, though mentally, Darth Plagueis roared in victory, another part of the plan had been set.

"Dooku… Dooku… a seat on the Council is a great honour, from what I have heard. Being on the Council might make you be able to access the more secretive Jedi holocrons, is that not what you want, as was what you told me, 'To get the holocrons to save your apprentice'." Damask quoted, as Dooku remembered that moment

"Yes… that is true…" Dooku was still uncertain, and Plagueis was determined to squash that feeling out

So Damask told Dooku, "You could even influence the high decisions of the Council, your words may carry more weight, someone on the Council could change the whole galaxy, by one motion."

Those words, combined with Dooku's recent dream of Coruscant burning made the brown-haired man more convinced of taking up the offer. He smiled, realising that he could potentially stop the Sith through a motion to dedicate more Jedi to the cause.

"Can you put me on a comm. with Chancellor Kalpana?" Dooku suddenly asked, smiling happily, something he had not done in a while

"Of course." Damask smiled kindly, as he took out a small holoprojector and set on the desk, fingers typing down Kalpana's name.

The small, holographic figure of Kalpana sitting came up on the holoprojector, as the surroundings seemed to go darker in order for the image to be more clear and bright. Kalpana saw Dooku and immediately bowed in respect from his chair.

"Master Dooku, have you thought upon my offer?" The Chancellor calmly asked, as Dooku frowned

"Yes. I shall be your representative on the Jedi Council, if they allow it." Dooku answered, as Kalpana smiled

"Of course.", that was the last response before the call was cut off, Damask kindly smiled at Dooku.

"That was a great decision you taken, I only wish you good luck." The secretly-Sith stated, as Dooku frowned, knowing that the Jedi Council might stop him from being on the Council

"Yes.", the Jedi Master stated, as he left.

Now, both Qui-Gon Jinn and Dooku were headed towards the Jedi Temple after their interactions with the Dark, and now going to the Council in order to report the events that occurred to them. They both felt similar emotions, looking back at their lives and trying to figure out why the darkness seemed to call at them, pull them both.