"Qui-Gon! You mustn't run ahead of me." Dooku scolded his young apprentice as they exited a turbolift.
They strode along the scarlet carpet past sleek white furniture, gold trim along the ceiling, and a spacious emptiness. There was a noticeable absence of windows. The overhead lights blinded them with stark illumination.
Qui-Gon quipped, "Catch up, Master!" He pointed to the grand navy door before them. At the center was a symbol of the Republic. "I'm so excited! I can't wait to see the Chancellor!"
Dooku put a hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder and told him gently but sternly, "Qui-Gon, we're a team. Although I may be slow, the whole point of a team is to work together. To combine our strengths and weaknesses. Do you understand?" Qui-Gon nodded along.
Dooku's words went in Qui-Gon's ear and out the other ear. Dooku sighed deeply as Qui-Gon rang the doorbell to the Chancellors quarters.
Dooku could sense folly and unprecedented chaos awaited them on the other side of the door. It was called a "party" or what Dooku would call it: a gathering of the uncivilized.
An unruly Kel Dor answered the door with a bottle in his hand. Dooku's nose crinkled at the smell of his breath, "What are you ringing the doorbell for? It's a PARTY!" The Kel Dor stumbled forward and fell.
Dooku caught him by the arm and set him upright. He told the Kel Dor sternly, "Be careful." The Kel Dor barely acknowledged Dooku's words.
The party goer leaned against the wall, slumped down, and began to snore. Dooku rolled his eyes as he swept past and Qui-Gon followed uncertainly behind.
It was what Dooku expected, an over-the-top penthouse because of course the civil servant Chancellor owns such a place. Dooku guessed it must have been sleek and clean hours ago. Now it resembled it was strewn with rubbish.
Many of those who surrounded him were either Youth Senators, senators, or bureaucrats.
Qui-Gon whispered to Dooku as they seamlessly dodged flying drinks and falling party goers, "Where is Master Sincer?"
Dooku ducked as a younger Wookie jokily threw a punch at a mouthy Mandalorian, "I believe she's already arrived…" Dooku mumbled to his apprentice.
"There she is!" Qui-Gon pointed to the northeast corner up atop a mezzanine overlooking the party.
Master Sincer was almost unrecognizable. One could think she was a roguish bureaucrat at a glance. The only thing that could possibly give her away was the gold tattoo on her left shoulder: the symbol of the Jedi. The other tattoo was on her right shoulder, the symbol of the Republic.
Master Sincer was speaking to Chancellor Harrow himself. Many other bureaucrats and senators were attempting to get a word in but failed. Some gave up, joining their fellow fame seekers drinking exotic wine and tasting savory appetizers.
Dooku and Qui-Gon stepped atop a floating platform that ascended to the indoor balcony. The Chancellor swiveled around as Dooku stepped onto the mezzanine with his padawan beside him.
Dooku greeted him, "Good evening, Chancellor Harrow. You have quite a lively celebration occurring." He gestured to the festivities that surrounded them.
A server seamlessly appeared and handed Dooku a drink. He offered Qui-Gon one as well, but Dooku deterred the server. Qui-Gon frowned but remained silent.
Chancellor Harrow spoke, "Ah, thank you, Dooku. It's all thanks to the Jedi that I may enjoy my celebration without fear." The Chancellor looked the middle-aged Jedi up and down, "So, they sent you and Master Sincer to survey the party?"
Dooku narrowed his eyes at that and stated, "We're peacekeepers…not party security."
Master Sincer cut in. "I'd say—"The Chancellor laughed loudly cutting off Sincer, her lips pursed.
The Chancellor moved on, "Well, call yourselves what you'd like." He tilted his glass slightly towards Sincer. "Master Sincer was just telling me that you two had something to discuss with me?"
Dooku nodded as he took a sip of his teal drink.
"Yes, indeed." Master Sincer said with subtle disdain that only Dooku recognized, "Is there someplace…more private?"
Chancellor Harrow looked around the area. The Chancellor wavered but eventually replied. "Yes, there is." He threw the two Jedi a scrutinizing look, "Why?"
Dooku cleared his throat and lowered his voice, "We must discuss something private, confidential with you…Jedi business."
The Chancellor's eyes lit up, "Jedi business?" He set his emptied glass on a nearby server's tray and took a new one. He swept away in his ostentatious robes. The crowd parted, "Come, come, I know just the place." Dooku and Sincer exchanged a look before following.
Dooku whispered to his apprentice, "Scout around, Qui-Gon. Look and feel for anything out of place."
Qui-Gon nodded and replied, "Yes, Master." He practically skipped away. The young Jedi glanced around at the crowd before decided to return to the ground floor. He stepped onto the descending floating platform and disappeared from view.
A small crowd was clustered in front of the Chancellor's study. The Chancellor shouted at the top of his lungs, "JEDI BUSINESS! JEDI BUSINESS COMING THROUGH!" The crowd dispersed and watched as the two Jedi passed.
The Chancellor dramatically threw open the study doors and sauntered through. Harrow clasped his hands together excitedly and as the doors closed behind, "Has the Jedi Temple been broken into by a masterful sleuth? Have the Sith returned?"
Master Sincer laughed. "As exciting as that sounds, Chancellor, neither of those events will occur ever again," She paused, and her voice hardened. "I'm afraid we have something much more realistic to speak to you about."
Dooku nodded along then told the Chancellor flatly, "On the day of the terrorist attack the majority of the Senate guards on the upper levels had been extracted by a higher up official earlier that day." Dooku stated.
The Chancellor crossed his arms and asked. "What of it?"
Master Sincer went on, "We were wondering whether you had any knowledge of who the official was? We simply want to speak to them and fully understand why this action was taken."
"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that!" The Chancellor said indignantly. He dodged the two Jedi's gazes, "You'll find no answers here. How about you talk to me about something I can fix? I heard there has been some vandalism in the Grand Jedi Temple—"
Dooku replied sharply, "I'm afraid that is something you cannot help with." The Jedi crossed his arms, "Honorable Chancellor of the Republic, keeper of all government secrets…can you tell me what happened to those fifty guards that day?"
Meanwhile on the ground floor of the penthouse, five minutes later, Qui-Gon had stopped for a break at "Dex's Diner" catering stand. "Thanks for the moof milkshake, Dex." Qui-Gon took a sip and exhaled happily. "I thought you didn't do catering."
Dex laughed heartily, "Even though I've been running my diner for…hm…maybe three hundred fifty years a businessman knows a great opportunity when he sees one. And you know, the Chancellor likes to throw around his money. Luckily, he chose the best cook in the galaxy to feed his guests!" Dex swung a towel over his shoulder. "If you need anything else, kiddo, just ask."
Qui-Gon nodded as Dex plodded a few paces to two tired looking Senate Guards. He handed a menu to the pair, and they ordered a caf.
Qui-Gon slurped his moof milkshake loudly. A glowering Devaronian senator a few stools away to the left of him barked at him, "Hey, quiet down, you!"
Qui-Gon cleared his throat. He turned around slowly making sure his Jedi padawan braid could be seen.
Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow, "Senator Tinno Nist, why should I be quiet? Because slurping is uncivilized? This whole party is a 'gathering of the uncivilized' as my Jedi Master would call it."
Tinno Nist stared at him. She glanced from his braid to his face then her gaze swept over the crowd.
Nist's eyes returned to the young apprentice, "I'd know those over-the-top sayings anywhere…you're Dooku's padawan?" Qui-Gon curtly nodded. Nist managed a somewhat charming smile with her sharp fangs and spoke. "Nice to meet you."
INist told him quietly, "Don't tell your master you saw me!" In less than a standard galactic second Nist hopped off her stool and rushed off into the crowd.
Qui-Gon shrugged and went back to slurping his drink. He didn't bother to follow her. Her no doubt unlawful antics had already been put to an end by Master Dooku, at least as far as Qui-Gon knew. "No need to upset the old man." he murmured quietly.
Meanwhile one of the Senate guards was complaining very loudly to Dex. "…I mean, Dex, it's simply absurd! The Chancellor is crazy! Why does he need over fifty guards to just look after some mistress of his! I mean she was going to Naboo! It's perfectly safe there!"
Qui-Gon's ears perked up at those words and he glanced over surreptitiously.
Dex replied sympathetically. "I get it, Teran, it's always a pain when work dumps that kind of Kaet waste on you. It was probably some lame gesture to impress his lady." He outstretched his arms and shrugged, "At least it's over now."
The guard, Teran, shook her head. "Nonsense, I tell you, nonsense! I'm about ready to quit." Teran sighed deeply and fiddled with the mug in her hands.
Teran went on, "I heard the Wavonois Guild is looking for some security. They reached out to me about fourteen rotations ago. I'm thinking about taking their offer. At least I won't be sitting around and waiting on some pretentious rich lady!"
The second guard beside her interjected, "Shouldn't we come forward about this? I know for a fact that when were gone, some guy got in and murdered all those rebels…. I mean terrorists." Teran turned her head at that. "If we told the Jedi, I'm sure that good for nothing Chancellor would be in real hot water. He deserves to be exposed."
Teran sighed deeply, "I don't know, Yan, I don't think it's worth it. The last thing I need is the Chancellor to put me on his list." She downed her drink in one gulp and slammed it on the counter. "I'll just take that Wavonois job and be done with it."
Dex leaned in and put his large forearm on the counter. "The Wavonois aren't all as respectable as they seem." Teran and Yan looked up with interest. "I had a run in with them only a few years ago. Nasty encounter to say the least…"
Qui-Gon drank the last of his moof milkshake and chucked it in the disposal chute on his way back into the crowd. He reached his hand out slightly and dropped into the Force sensing for his Master.
He didn't have to sense for long. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, JEDI! RIGHT NOW! BOTH OF YOU! OUT!" the doors to the Chancellor's study were thrown open.
The partygoers fell silent at the Chancellor's full-on rage. Master Sincer and Dooku walked calmly out of the study. The Chancellor was pointing a shaking finger to the door.
"SECURITY! GET THESE CONSPIRACY MONGERS OUT OF HERE!" the Chancellor commanded. At least two dozen Senate Guards zeroed in on the two Jedi.
Dooku and Sincer walked at a fast and steady pace to the door. Qui-Gon joined his master at his side as Dooku told the Senate Guards, "There's no need. We know the way to the door."
The penthouse door slammed behind them. It caught Dooku's prized cloak in the door. It tore slightly as he pried it out. He frowned at the torn cloak and returned to his fellow Jedi.
Master Sincer's voice dripped in sarcasm, "What a pleasant party."
Master Dooku agreed wryly with Master Sincer, "Pleasant for a foul-mouthed man such as Chancellor Harrow."
Master Dooku turned to Qui-Gon noticing his young padawan was practically beaming.
"What is so amusing, my young apprentice?" Dooku inquired.
"I've got some news for you, Master," Qui-Gon told his master excitedly. Qui-Gon launched into what he had discovered from Dex and the guards.
Dooku listened intently. He thought it over for a few minutes after Qui-Gon finished. "Anything about the perpetrator who murdered all those terrorists?" Dooku inquired. Qui-Gon shook his head.
Abruptly Dooku swept off to the turbolifts. Master Sincer called after him, "Dooku? Dooku? Where are you going?" Qui-Gon pursued his master when Dooku didn't answer.
Qui-Gon made it to the turbolifts a little too late as the door slid shut and Dooku disappeared. Qui-Gon called after him.
"Master? Master! MASTER DOOKU?"
