KEYnote MAJOR RETCON: Maul stayed dead and Pre Vizsla, Obi-Wan's older brother, killed Satine in the Mandalore arch.

Chapter 7 - Start a War

Dooku sighed, something had shifted in the Force, it was neither good nor bad, just chaotic. And while the Sith may tout glorifying chaos, Dooku somehow doubted Sidious would be pleased by recent developments.

Sighing again, Dooku opened the secured frequency to Palpatine.

The Chancellor didn't keep him waiting long, —Our next meeting is not for another week, Apprentice.

"There have been some developments, I suspect you would like to be informed of."

Sidious didn't look pleased, —What developments?

"You are aware of the mysterious nature of my grandpadawan's death?"

—Yes, I am aware. The Jedi Council has been annoyingly vague about the circumstances.

"That's because there was no body. He demineralized into the Force. Windu described it as a passing on into the Force."

Sidious was silent for a long moment, —I assume then this has something to do with Jinn and the Jedha Temple?

"Undoubtedly, though he was unclear as to what exactly he was attempting to do or had done."

—He?

"Obi-Wan."

—He's dead.

"He's not."

—What do you mean he's not dead? They had a funeral for him, they incinerated his lightsaber.

"He came here to Serreno, in the flesh, so I can attest to his death being an exaggeration."

—Why didn't you kill him?

Dooku bit back his rage at the idea he would kill his own grandpadawan, the last piece of Qui-Gon left to him. Sure, he had considered it, but that Sidious thought he could command it of him?

He spoke calmly, "He didn't arrive alone."

Sidious believed in his loyalty, not realizing that for Dooku he was only using him as a means to an end.

Dooku was a Master Jedi and soon he would be a Master Sith. Sidious might be more powerful, but that didn't mean he couldn't out maneuver him.

Sidious was responsible for Qui-Gon's death, and Dooku would make him pay for that. The Jedi Order and Sidious would pay for it.

—Who was he with?

"Jango Fett," Dooku answered but didn't tell him how fully together they had been.

Sidious hologram flickered, —Why?

"They were not explicit in their reason." Not verbally at least. "Fett clearly didn't know much about Obi-Wan, that much is for certain."

—The connection between Fett and Kenobi, will it be a problem? Would Fett betray us?

Dooku fought not to roll his eyes, Fett, betray them?

Of course, he would, you moron.

However, the Kaminoans would kill the clones if Kenobi got too involved.

Which Dooku was fine with. Dooku liked the Separatist movement, what he didn't like was the idea of having to fight both the Order and a Fett fashioned Mandalorian army.

Originally, they had meant for the Republic army to have the droids led by the Jedi. Dooku had picked Fett because he had wrongly assumed that he would be given the Mandalorians.

The reverse would be disastrous and Dooku despised the idea of using the chips.

Dooku didn't want to hunt younglings or Force sensitives into extinction, and feared that was Sidious's end game.

If that happened, Dooku would have to work with the Hutts and the Zygerrians.

He would rather smite them all.

Palpatine was too focused on destruction; there just came a point when what you had left wasn't worth ruling.

Still, Dooku was a seasoned enough politician to give Sidious the run around. "I don't see why Jango would betray us for Kenobi. Kenobi is a Jedi and descends from a line of Death Watch, he represents everything Fett hopes to destroy. I cannot imagine why Fett would endanger his clones for such a person."

—Our clones, Sidious snapped.

Dooku hid a smile, bowing his head as he said, "Of course, M'Lord."

Sidious wasn't a complete fool, but when it came to Kamino he had to trust Dooku.

If anyone discovered the link between Chancellor Palpatine and what essentially was a slave army, it would be his ruin and the Jedi would turn on him.

Dooku wouldn't mind that, he would much rather wage a political war than spill that much blood. The Republic was already shattering, the Outer Rim was free territory.

—What do you mean, Kenobi is Death Watch?

"His father was Tor Vizsla."

—Kenobi is Tor Vizsla's son?

"Yes, is that a problem?"

Sidious made a harsh sound, —It may mean he could be militarily competent.

Dooku almost laughed at that. Aloud he said, "My grandpadawan has been on and off battlefields since he was thirteen, he even fought on Mandalore during the Great Clan Wars, I would venture that it is safe to say that Kenobi is militarily competent. Perhaps even more so than Fett. Fett is a mercenary who has only fought in skirmishes, a few battles, but Kenobi has been in full scale planetary combat before."

—His brother is Pre Vizsla?

Dooku again fought not to roll his eyes, "Yes."

Sometimes Sidious had a one track mind.

—I have met Pre Vizsla. He too is a Force sensitive, a powerful one at that, with more raw potential than Kenobi. Contact him.

"To what end?" Dooku asked, wary.

—Brother against brother, it would be poetic.

"It would also be folly to trust our fates to a terrorist group like Death Watch. If Mandalore is hit too hard too fast, Duchess Satine will join the Republic."

—I don't see the harm in that.

Force, Sidious was insufferable.

"May I remind you, Master, that we are dependent on Fett. If Mandalore joins the Republic the planet will be plunged back into civil war. Kenobi being drawn into that will be the least of our worries."

—How do you mean?

"I mean," Dooku said through his teeth. "If Fett thinks I am working with the Watch, he may very well cut his losses, and we cannot afford it. The clones are a year behind in production."

—I thought the latest clones were viable.

"They started their 'perfected' recipe last week, clones that will be loyal to you above their commanding officers. The last year's batches had some sort of genetic mismatch that self-aborted the embryos, so the next batches aren't due to hatch until sometime next year."

Sidious looked furious, —They guaranteed us an army.

"It's a Mandalorian army bred for obedience from one of the least obedient individuals in the entire galaxy. I have been assured these batches are perfect. Nearly three hundred thousand, by the end of a three year war, there will be close to a billion troops produced."

—But only if Fett is alive.

"We could have used his son," Dooku couldn't help but remark. "But you crippled him."

If they produced another unaltered clone at this point the youngling wouldn't be old enough to take as many samples as they would need in time.

Sidious was quiet for a long moment before saying, —Can the Fett boy be healed?

"Yes."

—Then do it. Thankfully, the Watch are still mercenaries for hire, it should be easy enough to persuade them to take out Kenobi who they doubtless view as a traitor.

Dooku didn't comment on how that was a terrible idea because the idea of giving the Order a legitimate reason to go after the Watch would in itself spark conflict.

He knew several Masters, Mace and Tholme prime among them, who would leap at the chance to smack down that group.

The Watch had been very careful since Galidraan not to hit any Republic targets, because, given the chance, a group of their most seasoned Masters would be sent after them, and this time no Padawans would be present.

Dooku had watched Jango kill five of his Jedi in a fit of rage, unaware that the extreme amount of sorrow and rage he had poured into the Force had been as much a weapon as his speed and strength.

It was that ability to project that would make the clones so dangerous to the Order.

Starved of affection and belonging, the clones would cling to anyone who would offer them even a sliver of care.

The Jedi would sense that need and be unable to abandon them even if the war was something they wholly disagreed with. They would stand by the people given to them.

And they would all falter when their attachments to each other were snapped without explanation.

"I wish you luck," Dooku said, cutting the connection lest he gave himself away.

If Sidious sent Pre Vizsla after Obi-Wan, the Jedi might mobilize faster than Sidious would imagine.

Dooku left his study, going to his greenhouse which housed a garden that would have pleased his late apprentice.

It was the only place in his palace that was properly heated.

He came to sit at the pavilion that was surrounded by Qui-Gon's favourite flower, a type of jasmine that only bloomed at night.

Dooku sighed, closing his eyes, doubting for the millionth time siding with Sidious.

Dooku wanted to change the galaxy by any means possible, but he couldn't help the feeling that Sidious' plans went too far. Dooku had no wish to raze the galaxy.

Using Jango Fett had been Dooku's idea, a just punishment for the Order's arrogance, for Yoda's complacency.

But now that he had met his grandpadawan in person…

Dooku shut his eyes, and let out a long breath, letting the memories play in his mind's eyes.

"He already left once," Qui-Gon had said.

"And you think he'll leave again?" Dooku had asked.

"No, but sometimes, I wish he would. He might find happiness if he did."

"A Jedi's goal is not self-happiness, Apprentice."

Qui-Gon sighed, "Of course, Master, forgive me for thinking one finding self-fulfilment might bring them happiness."

Dooku didn't check his tone but let his disapproval ring through the Force, "I don't understand your concern for the boy, everything I've heard about him has been above reproach. Even his missteps were more true to the nature of being a Jedi than even the Council embodies."

His old apprentice rubbed his face, and Dooku couldn't suppress the wave of fondness that washed over him.

Qui-Gon had never outgrown his gestures and quirks of humanity.

"I know, I know, it's just…"

"Just what, Qui-Gon? It is not like you to be so unwise. I sense your doubt, I know your apprentice senses it. If you truly care about him, then you must overcome whatever holds you back from accepting into your affections. He is not, Xanatos."

"I know that!" Qui-Gon said, rising to his feet and pacing the room Dooku had rented, refusing to step foot in the Temple.

"Then what is the problem? If you would just let me meet him, I might better—"

"No!" Qui-Gon all but yelled at him.

Dooku raised his brows, letting the rudeness of his apprentice's exclamation sit between.

Qui-Gon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Forgive me, but I know what will happen if you two meeting."

Dooku waited.

"You'll take him from me. The two of you will get along like fire and fuel."

Dooku shook his head, "Qui-Gon, I am not going to steal your apprentice. I fail to see why us getting along would worry you so deeply."

"Because I know you, and I know him. The two of you wouldn't be able to leave well enough alone, and I will not endanger him again by throwing him back into war."

Dooku laughed, "You think the two of us would start a war, after one meeting?"

"Yes," Qui-Gon said, deathly serious.

Dooku shook his head, "Oh, Qui-Gon, never lose your sense of melodrama, it remains vastly entertaining."

Qui-Gon scowled at him, "I don't know how to teach him how to accept all of himself without embracing the wars."

"You think he will rejoin the Mandalorians?" Dooku asked, setting aside the pointless accusation that a Jedi Padawan would needlessly start a war if he embraced a bit of his past..

"I don't really care which side he picks, but what I fear most is that he will do the same thing he is doing now. At least as a Jedi, he will have less opportunity to throw his life away."

"One, as a Jedi Knight he with plenty of opportunities to throw his life away. Two, and this will be the last time I repeat myself, Padawan, what is he doing that upsets you so deeply that you are sabotaging your relationship with him."

"He is killing himself, Master. He thinks to be a Jedi, he has to slice pieces of himself away."

"Is that not a result of your teachings?" Dooku asked.

Qui-Gon squawked.

Dooku held out a hand, "Let me finish. You were critical of the boy from the beginning, unjustly so. In fact, I believe the whole of the Order has been cruelly watchful of him. How can you now blame him for being self-critical, for distancing himself from things that might displease you?"

"I know I failed him. He is twenty-one; he is more than ready for the trials, but the two years on Mandalore…"

"Stop talking in circles, Qui-Gon, what is it that troubles you?"

"I do not have the words. He is suffering, he looks for a cause to throw himself at but he is always running away from himself. He almost left again, to follow Satine, but she rebuked him for being a Jedi."

Dooku sat back in his seat, "So you fear he will suffer no matter what he chooses. The Order will never fully accept him if he does not annex all of himself that might be construed as being a Mandalorian, and the Mandalorians will not accept a warrior who openly practises the Jedi arts."

"Exactly, but what he wants more than anything to fit in. Yoda fills his head with ideas of being perfect, but perfect means reciting the Code, always deferring to the Order, not listening to his own instincts. The past haunts him and he is doomed if he keeps listening to the Council, their methods are outdated. He's always looking to the future, his mind is never focused on the moment, never on what is right in front of him. He could be Knighted tomorrow and be one of the best of us, but he can't see it."

"He is young, Qui-Gon. The entire point of having levels of rank is that there is room for improvement."

"But that's the problem, he never sees any of his actions as being good enough, he has no sense of self-recognition. He looks at a job well done and always thinks he could do better."

"And that is not at all your own doing," Dooku chastised.

"I know it is my fault! But I don't know how to fix it!"

"Dispell your doubts," Dooku instructed. "Knight him, and he will not desert you. He will come back to your side and learn from you as a friend, a relative, not as a child so despite for his parent's approval he is unable to think for himself."

"And leave him to the Council's mercies?" Qui-Gon asked. "Tell me the Council will not do to him what they did to you and me."

Dooku was quiet at that, because yes, he knew that Qui-Gon had been… disillusioned by his teachings at his Knighting, but after his Knighting, Qui-Gon had had every excuse not to meet with him.

Partially, due to the Council putting them on endlessly separate missions.

"How do I teach him that he is enough?" Qui-Gon asked. "How do I get him to see his own worth?"

"Knight him, Qui-Gon," Dooku advised. "Let go of your doubts, trust him and he will learn to trust himself."

"I will not leave him to Yoda's machinations," Qui-Gon said stubbornly.

Dooku sighed and did not say aloud what he knew to be true.

Yoda had already won.

Obi-Wan had been placed with the one Master in the entire Order that the only way to rebel against was to follow the Code strictly.

His com chimed reminding him of the meeting he had with Fett, he wonder what the True Mandalorian would do when the Jedi waged war against the Watch.

Would he watch them both burn or would he find a way to extract himself from the deal he had made with the Kaminoans?

Or perhaps the better question was, would Dooku let him?

Probably, considering he was already planning to let Obi-Wan go free.

Dooku opened his eyes, staring into the garden, the warm humidity of the room making his clothes feel heavy and damp.

Qui-Gon had been right after all; Dooku and Obi-Wan had met in person for the first time, and it was going to launch a war a full decade ahead of schedule.

AN: This was only supposed to be like a five hundred word detour, it turned into it's own chapter… Thoughts, singing crawdads, or feedback, pretty please?