Coruscant
News quickly reached the High Council Chambers that Ahsoka Tano was missing. Abruptly, the entire High Council jumped to their feet, causing the three Senators to recoil in surprise. Without being dismissed, Anakin bolted quickly out of his chair and sprinted to the turbolift. He was already aboard and out of sight before anyone else could react.
"Lock down the entire Temple!" Windu barked into his wrist-comm. "No one goes in or out!"
"Is that really necessary?" Bail Organa asked. "We have a meeting scheduled with the rest of the delegation in under an hour."
"Unfortunately, it is," Windu answered unapologetically. "Stay here. Masters Shaak-Ti and Saesee Tiin will watch over you."
Saesee Tiin and Shaak-Ti nodded to Mace Windu without protest, moving closer to the turbolift. Without any confusion, every other member of the High Council who was present in the flesh walked as quickly as possible onto either of the turbolifts leading down from the tower.
It was Yoda, Coleman Kcaj, and Ki-Adi-Mundi who shared Windu's turbolift.
"Check on Dooku, we must," Yoda muttered.
Alarm momentarily flushed over Windu as he raised his wrist-comm back up. "Security, is Dooku still secure?"
"Yes, Master. I see him right in front of me."
"Excellent," Windu replied briskly, then sighed with relief after lowering his hand.
The Cerean let out a sigh too, but he was more tired. "At least that hasn't gone wrong."
"Not yet," Windu said grimly.
Yoda, Coleman Kcaj, and Ki-Adi-Mundi were all silent at that. The worst-case scenario, no doubt running through all of their minds, was one where Palpatine's troopers made it to Dooku, attempted to extract him to Senate custody, and lost control of the situation.
When Windu and most of the other High Council members arrived in the medical wing, they found a few Temple Guards and Anakin Skywalker. The latter was completely furious, screaming incoherently at a group of a dozen or so cuffed troopers kneeling up against the wall.
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! THE CHANCELLOR WOULDN'T—HE WOULDN'T! YOU'RE LYING!"
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan cried out. "Come to your senses!"
Anakin leaned back against a marble pillar, dropped the datapad he had been holding, and slid to the ground defeatedly. "They won't—they won't tell the truth. Ahsoka is very ill. She will die if we can't find her."
"They won't get out of the temple with her," Obi-Wan promised, kneeling at Anakin's side.
It took every ounce of Mace Windu's self-restraint not to chide Anakin for throwing a tantrum like this. Even in the case of abduction, acting so emotional was not proper Jedi behavior, especially for a Jedi Master.
The rest of the High Council, except for Yoda, avoided looking at Anakin and Obi-Wan as if watching would make the scene even more awkward.
But he could empathize somewhat—Palpatine was clearly responsible for all of this. On the bright side, Windu thought grimly. Perhaps this will teach Anakin not to trust that snake.
"Why don't you go up to the Council Chambers and help them watch after Padmé," Obi-Wan said soothingly.
"I—I need to find Ahsoka," Anakin gulped, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
"We've got this, Skywalker," Windu said sternly. "All exits are sealed. There is absolutely no way anyone will remove her from the Temple."
"I've heard that before," Anakin grunted but stood up with a reluctant sigh. "But you're right. Anything could happen… We need… Padmé needs protection." At that, he strode out of the medical wing.
When Anakin's footsteps could no longer be heard, Windu turned to the nearest masked Temple Guard. "Were there any witnesses?"
"Two patients, Jazal and Rael Averross. Both were stunned during the attack and don't remember anything.
"Are they suffering any permanent injuries?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked concernedly.
"I don't know. The patients have been moved to ward five. Master Nema is looking after them."
Windu nodded. "Good work. Take these Clones to the detention block. I'll interview them later."
Promptly executing Mace Windu's order, the Temple Guards summoned the troopers to their feet and escorted them through the exit.
"Curious," Yoda muttered under his breath.
"Grandmaster, what's curious?" asked Agen Kolar, who stood nearest the exit.
Yoda waited until the Temple Guards and Clones had shuffled past the Zabrak and stepped out of earshot to answer. "Master Kenobi mentioned Senator Amidala's name, you did."
Obi-Wan, having been stooped over inspecting the sheets of one of the empty beds, quickly jolted straight up. "What do you mean?"
"When Skywalker was in turmoil, mentioned Padmé Amidala's name, you did, but not Senator Bail Organa's, nor Senator Polo Se'lab's. Why?"
For years, Mace Windu had his own quiet suspicions about Anakin and Padmé. He had also noticed Obi-Wan staring at Padmé, who was obviously pregnant, and thought it was more likely than not that Anakin was the father. Windu privately had considered raising this with the High Council more than once, but now was certainly not the time.
"Respectfully, Grandmaster," Windu said evenly, "We need to focus on Dooku and Tano at the present."
"Correct you are," Yoda hmm'd. "Still. Curious."
Beginning to look more than a little defensive, Obi-Wan swallowed. "I… There are some things I believe we will need to discuss about Anakin, and soon."
"But not now," Windu nodded. "Where is Dooku?"
o.o.o.o.o
Halfdan
The Vergence Scatter
Veryk's abrupt departure into the Jedi Temple had caused alarm to spread amongst most of the Veil Dwellers. In response, Halfdan had summoned every Loth-wolf in the World Between Worlds to the Coruscant portal.
"Where did you say you saw Veryk?" Halfdan asked Skathi, a white-furred female Loth-wolf who had once been a Bardotan Queen before she ascended.
"I did not see him," Skathi answered, turning her snout to the right. "A while ago, I smelled him in the direction of the future. He may have been bending the light to make himself invisible. Ever since he opened the portal to that Defel village, he's been quite good at that."
"Or he may have traveled to the future, was gone for a time, but then returned," Halfdan whispered thoughtfully. He looked around at the dozen other Loth-wolves. "We are supposed to be investigating the time around the Clone Wars and working to stop Sidious. Has anyone else seen Veryk where he shouldn't be?"
His son, Zoltan, froze in place, his black tail rigid as he pointed a paw to the Coruscant portal. "He—he shouldn't be there!"
"We all know he went to the Jedi Temple. I mean anywhere else…"
"No, dad! He's coming back, and he's not alone! Oh! Oh noooo!"
Halfdan sensed something was very wrong before he turned around. By the time he made his 180º four-legged turn to face the Coruscant portal, Veryk had already emerged. Ahsoka Tano floated off the ground a meter above the Savrit Cat.
Zoltan and most of the younger Loth-wolves completely lost it. They began barking, howling, and dancing nervously on their paws, simultaneously wanting to approach Ahsoka but at the same time being too terrified to get within a snout's length of the Togruta.
All of them were born Loth-wolves and had never actually lived an existence as any other type of sentient being. They had never known the hardships of having a strictly regimented schedule, holding down a job, or even doing things that did not interest them. Halfdan always thought it made them too soft.
"Be quiet," Halfdan said over the commotion, then when no one listened, he let off a series of barks. "SILENCE! YOU ARE GOING TO WAKE THE JEDI UP!"
"BUT SHE CAN'T—" Zoltan started with a whiny howl, then began loudly stage-whispering, "But she can't be here! This is so bad! Oh, this is sooooo bad!"
{"Alas, young Zoltan, she has already been here before quite a few times,"} the diminutive Savrit Cat said nonchalantly. With a flick of his purple wrist, he set Ahsoka's sleeping form on the ground—or what passed for ground in this place.
"Alright, Veryk, you have completely lost my respect, but you have my attention. Why in the name of the Force is Ahsoka Tano here?"
The Savrit Cat tilted his nose up in affront at Halfdan—which was not particularly effective body language given his diminutive size. {"Your respect! Why? I never!"}
"What is Ahsoka Tano doing here?" Halfdan repeated in an angry whisper.
{"It's not like I could teleport from Coruscant to hyperspace with her. Nor could I borrow a ship—No, this is the only way."}
"The only way to do what?!"
{"The only way to get the Separatists onto the right side—I've seen what Bendu's done, and it's not enough."}
"Veryk, the plan is to get Kelia to stop Order 66. What are you talking about? Bendu has no plan for the Separatists! If you don't start making sense, I am going to—VERYYYYYK!"
The Togruta and the Savrit Cat both seemed to vanish from existence. Most disturbingly, Halfdan could no longer sense them with the Force either.
"Where did he go?!" Ito howled.
"Quick!" Zoltan yelped. "He might try making a run for Coruscant!" He and the younger Loth-wolves sprinted to the Coruscant gate, forming a Loth-wolf shield with their own bodies.
"Veryk is small enough to walk under you," Skathi scoffed impetuously.
"Not anymore!" Zoltan retorted, promptly dropping to the floor and lying down. The other Loth-wolves followed his lead, forming a giant dogpile before the gateway.
Halfdan ignored their antics, sniffing the ground and walking down a narrow branch leading to the Kestrel. Veryk could hide his presence in the Force, but he could not hide his own stench or that sanitized, sickly-clean hospital smell Ahsoka was wearing.
After just eleven paces, Halfdan was so close to Veryk that he could taste the Savrit Cat smell in the air. But abruptly, a pair of sharp and unseen claws dug into his nostrils, and an overwhelming command flooded the Loth-wolf's mind.
SLEEP!
Halfdan barely let off a whimper of pain before he collapsed to the cold transparent ground, unconscious and with a bloody nose.
o.o.o.o.o
Lir Sey'les
As far as brig cells went, this one was not terribly uncomfortable, but it was interesting.
Sey'les had found herself escorted to the cell Nebhir had been confined to for the duration of her detox. It had no forcefield and none of the typical spartan furnishings of a Venator's detention block. Instead, it had cushions. Lots of cushions everywhere. From floor to ceiling, there were cushions. The entire floor space was covered in cushions. The only spot in the cell without cushions was the single open toilet with no walls.
Looking like she had been going through very rough withdrawals, Nebhir had dark circles of wet fur under her eyes.
"If Veryk told you to eat a whole Kommerken steak, would you?"
"I'm vegetarian," Sey'les growled. "He wouldn't."
"But if he did," Nebhir insisted.
Much to Sey'les's annoyance, the half-Squib had been asking question after question like this.
"I suppose I would," Sey'les sighed, staring up at the off-white ceiling. "When you worked for Trajan Kran, you did stuff I am sure you—"
Staring at the Bothan, Nebhir interrupted with another question "If Veryk told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?"
"I—well, is there water underneath it?"
"Yes, but it's a bridge that's high up."
"I guess I'd just have faith that Veryk would save me," Sey'les shrugged. "Nebhir, you're really beginning to get on my nerves."
Nebhir folded her arms, sitting up straight in bed. "You could have killed everyone. We might all die because you sent that message to the Jedi Temple. We might all die anyway."
"Since when are you the one to lecture me? You've been in this cell the whole time because you assaulted—"
"If Veryk told you to have sex with someone, would you?"
Sey'les sat up in her bed across from Nebhir's. "I—What?!"
"If Veryk—"
"I heard the question!" Sey'les spat indignantly. "Veryk wouldn't do that!"
"But he is the quote 'Prophet of fertility,' isn't he?" Nebhir insisted.
"I am beginning to get offended," the Bothan snarled, not at all comfortable with her Polar Clan's beliefs being questioned. It was bad enough that the majority of Bothan society had practically outcasted them, but now a being who was half Squib was—was… Asking reasonable questions…
A small voice in the back of Sey'les's mind had been saying so for a while. Veryk had made mistakes since taking Sey'les through time, and there were Prophets like Morai who clearly thought Veryk was flawed—the Loth-wolves had gone so far as to practically drag Veryk kicking and screaming off the bridge of the Kestrel.
But Sey'les was not about to concede that point to a spice-addicted Squib. Thankfully, a distracting smell wafted into the cell.
"What are you doing?"
Sey'les was already standing in front of the doorway, peering through the tiny window. "I smell a Wookiee."
"A Wookiee? A—Hey! You're changing the topic!"
Three cleaning droids rolled past the cell, followed by a mouse droid and a Wookiee with a toolkit on his belt. He was holding a diagnostic datapad.
"Awerl?!" Sey'les cried out in amazement, fogging up the transparisteel by speaking so close to the surface.
The brown-furred Wookiee turned, and Sey'les was more sure than before that it was Awerl.
"AWERL!" Sey'les yelped louder, wondering how the Galaxy could seem like such a small place sometimes.
"Egh na wighu shyrii sa oh, Sheylesh." ["I don't want to talk, Sey'les,"] Awerl moaned, scratching the back of his head. ["I am very busy, and I don't want to get into trouble."]
Shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, Awerl had been an extractor working in the Republic Judicial Forces. After a series of incidents culminating in a bar fight that quickly escalated to lightsabers, blasters, and balls of molten metal flying about, the Wookiee had been dishonorably discharged and sentenced to ten years in prison.
"Wuahh oh ga-yug hu?" ["What are you doing here?"] Sey'les asked in her own thickly-Bothan-accented Shyriiwook. ["I thought you got… I thought you were…"]
["They needed Wookiees with military or law enforcement experience after the war broke out."]
["So you're using your Judicial experience to clean a starship?"] asked Sey'les incredulously.
It took Nebhir more than a few seconds to realize Sey'les hadn't just gone completely mad—that the Bothan wasn't merely howling and snarling at passersby with animal noises. When the half-Squib realized something more was happening, she gasped, shakily stood up, and stepped behind Sey'les. "I didn't know you could speak a language with those noises… How are you doing that? Your throat! It must hurt your throat!"
"I can speak Shyriiwook," Sey'les boasted nonchalantly. "When you practice, a throat can handle a lot."
["You can barely speak Shyriiwook,"] Awerl scoffed.
"He says I am the best Shyriiwook speaker ever," Sey'les lied.
["Are there Syren fibers clogging your ears, or is your Shyriiwook that bad? No, I did not say that."]
Awerl wasn't angry yet, but Sey'les knew that he was close. Wookiees were very bad at understanding jokes. Insulting them was a quick way to cause a tantrum.
"He is now… I think he's hitting on you, Nebhir."
Awerl roared at that so loudly that it caused the transparisteel to rattle slightly.
"That's one of his species' mating calls," Sey'les said in a deadpan. "Wookiees, that is… Yup, definitely a Wookiee mating call."
"I… Oh. Oh my," Nebhir squeaked in a tiny terrified voice. "I don't know—He's so big, and he's not wearing any clothes and—Eek!"
Sey'les continued to give bad translations as Awerl began banging on the door to their cell. "Now he's, wow… He's talking about how he has a thing for spitting. He's really talented. He spits into the air and can catch it in his own mouth!"
"Wow. That's kinda nasty, but okay. Can I see?" Nebhir asked in an impressed tone.
The Wookiee abruptly stopped banging on the door and shook his head. He disappeared for five seconds, then returned, holding a silver protocol droid with navy markings under his arm in a headlock.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" the droid wailed, head jerking back and forth between the occupants of the cell and the Wookiee. Awerl began growling slowly and deliberately, in an extremely menacing tone which the droid translated into a panicky whiney monotonous basic. "Sergeant Awerl says that he will tell the security Clones that he needs the keys because you made a mess on the floor. Then he says he will… Oh, dear! He will unlock the door, wrench your lying maw open, and spit in your foul mouth."
Nebhir gasped. "I—I don't think I am ready for that! I just saw you for the first time five seconds ago… My mouth isn't foul! I barely even know—I don't know you! I don't want to! I won't let you!"
"No, not you," the protocol droid said more calmly, then gestured a slightly-bent arm to the Bothan. "Her."
At that, Awerl released the droid and ominously disappeared out of sight. The protocol droid quickly scurried away while muttering to itself.
Sey'les sighed, staring into the hallway. There was a time when both Awerl and her were members of the Republic Judicial. They were never in the same squad, but she had some cordial conversations with the Wookiee at a few of Yarua's parties and couldn't figure out why she had decided to antagonize him just now.
I see an old friend for the first time in years and… Why?
"I thought… You said he was hitting on me?"
"I lied," Sey'les admitted, slinking to the floor. "He wasn't hitting on anyone. I just… I wanted to make him mad, I guess."
"Did Veryk tell you to?"
"No," Sey'les answered, managing to stifle the edge of anger out of her voice at that suggestion.
The half-Squib shrugged. "Well then, I have absolutely no idea what's going on."
Sey'les was about to reply but stopped. An odd sensation, almost like pressure, began building up in her head. It didn't feel like essence transfer, but she was nearly certain it had something to do with the Force. "Do you feel that?" she finally managed.
"Feel what?"
"A… buzzing pressure… It's in my head. I don't know where it's coming from, but it… Oh." The Bothan jumped to her feet, gasping in surprise as the door hissed open.
She had not actually believed the security troopers would give Awerl the code to open the door. But sure enough, the Wookiee was standing silently in the doorway, surrounded by quietly-whirring cleaning droids, without a security trooper in sight.
Sey'les swallowed hard, standing up straighter. "I am sorry. I really didn't mean any of it."
Awerl stared forward. His eyes were so unfocused that it was like he wasn't actually looking at Sey'les at all. ["Any of what?"]
The Bothan shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean 'any of what?' A second ago you were very angry because I… Actually, never mind. Did you bump your head on something? Maybe you need to go to the medbay."
["No, you need to go to the medbay."]
The buzzing was still in Sey'les's head, and she couldn't figure out what it was. Truth be told, she did think she should get her head examined, but how could Awerl know that? It's not like he was force sensitive, and why was he acting so strange?
Nebhir gasped as Awerl stepped into the room. Sey'les flinched as he reached for her, then anticlimactically gripped her hand.
["Come. I want to take you to the medbay."]
"I—Awerl, you can't! You need permission from the captain or at least the security!"
"He hasn't spat in your mouth," Nebhir said thoughtfully.
"No, he wants to take me to the medbay now," Sey'les explained, then snarled at the Wookiee. "Awerl! No, we need to—Ugh!" Her feet dragged on the padded floor as the Wookiee pulled her along. "Fine, I'm coming! I'm—Let go of me!"
Awerl released his grip on her hand and stared at her blankly.
"Do you want me to come along?" Nebhir asked, still standing within the room. "I could use some fresh hallway air."
Sey'les looked incredulously at Awerl, then to the security trooper standing down the hall ten meters away. "Trooper! Hey trooper!"
"Is there a problem?" the Clone asked in an oddly dreamy and distant voice.
"I have a headache and…" she shook her head, thinking of how stupidly insignificant that ailment might sound. "I need to go to the medbay and… And… Did you give Awerl the passcode to unlock the door?"
"What door?" the Clone asked. It seemed that the Trooper was even more confused than Awerl.
"Hey, Sey'les!" Nebhir whispered loudly.
"What?!"
"It's better to ask forgiveness than permission. If that security guy lets Awerl take us out of here, who are we to say that was a mistake."
Sey'les frowned disapprovingly but conceded the point. "Fine." She turned to face the Clone. "Trooper, Awerl is taking us to the medbay."
"I want to let the Wookiee cleaner take you to the medbay," the trooper chanted as if something or someone was convincing him of the point.
Sey'les's ears perked up. She had seen Jedi do mind-tricks, even been subjected to them by a Jedi now sitting in a prison cell, and this sounded very much like a mind-trick. But Awerl was no Jedi… And Sey'les wasn't doing this herself.
Or am I?
Nebhir smiled. "That was convenient. I like convenient."
"You're not going to assault anyone now that you're out?" Sey'les growled cautiously the half-Squib.
"Heavens no," Nebhir gasped.
["I want to take you to the medbay,"] Awerl moaned dreamily, gripping both Sey'les and Nebhir's hands.
"I know you want to take me to the medbay. Why?"
Rather than answering the question, the Wookiee took a step forward, then another, guiding the two far shorter sentients towards the turbolift. The trooper didn't even turn his head as they passed.
The buzzing felt like it was getting worse as they stepped on the turbolift. Sey'les struggled with the pain for a moment, but then Nebhir said something so baffling it distracted her.
"You know, for someone whose job is to make droids clean, you taste very dirty."
The Bothan looked over at Nebhir, then down at Awerl's leathery black fingers, poking out from beneath his hand fur and gripping the half-Squib's hand. She had forgotten that Squibs could taste anything they touch.
"Awerl, you don't need to hold our hands."
Obediently, almost absentmindedly, Awerl released his grip.
"Thank you," Nebhir said serenely.
"Sorry about that," Sey'les muttered. "Most Wookiees don't bathe very often. I forgot about Squibs."
Nebhir's ears perked up. "Or wash their hands?"
Sey'les grunted neutrally.
Mysteriously, the halls were empty as the trio walked toward the medbay. They did not encounter a soul until they reached the blastdoors, but the buzzing sensation in Sey'les's mind had grown so intense that she didn't even notice the emptiness.
Squinting against the pain, she stepped through the door and was greeted by Veryk's melodious voice in her mind.
{"Took you long enough! Oh good, you brought Nebhir too. I could—I could use an assistant! The Wookiee would be useful too, but he is very angry, and I fear he will kill you should I release my control over his mind!"}
The nurses, as well as the Mon Calamari doctor Perla, all seemed to be sleeping in the surgical and recovery beds. Likewise, the surgical droids were all deactivated. Most concerningly, none other than Ahsoka Tano was lying on the medbay floor.
"Veryk…" Sey'les whispered in horror, fur flat as she stepped into the room. "What have you done?!"
{"It's the only way,"} Veryk said solemnly.
She spun around and looked at Awerl. There was something going on between Veryk and the Wookiee, which she could sense in the Force. When she focused more on Awerl, she started sensing a struggle. He didn't want to be here at all, and he felt a great deal of fear.
Sey'les turned back to the Savrit Cat, realizing what he was doing. "Veryk, you have to let Awerl go—You're hurting him! Stop!"
Another voice echoed in Sey'les's and Nebhir's minds just as a Convor screech pierced the air. {"RELEASE THE WOOKIEE!"}
Morai darted into the medbay, swooping the Savrit Cat with both of her talons out.
{"Hey!"} Veryk protested, {"What are you—Ouch! You could have poked my eye!"} The Viverrid's eyes glowed bright white, and suddenly Morai was frozen in mid air, caught in a bubble that was being manipulated by Veryk's hands.
{"You dare ask me what I am doing! What are you doing?! What have you done to Ahsoka? Why is she here? What have you done to that Wookiee? What have you done to the crew—The disturbance in the Force you created is so great Sidious could have perceived it!"}
"Veryk, please," Sey'les pleaded, "Just release Awerl."
{"Fine. But if he eats you, I will have to go travel to the past again and fix it!"}
Awerl gasped and lost his balance. He nearly fell to the floor but managed to grab hold of one of the hospital consoles.
"Awerl!" Sey'les yelped, trying to help him stand by gripping his elbow.
Moaning tiredly, the Wookiee stood up straighter and massaged his forehead. ["What are these creatures?"]
"That's Veryk and that's Morai. They're prophets," Sey'les explained in Basic, "and they won't hurt you anymore. I think Veryk might need help though, with…" Buzzing in her head caused the Bothan to once again wince.
{"I think it's time for you to lie down, Sey'les,"} Veryk said soothingly, releasing his grip on the Convor. {"Nebhir, can you lift Ahsoka onto this hospital cot?"} he asked, gesturing to the bed next to him.
Nebhir struggled momentarily, but Awerl stepped to her side, lifted Ahsoka with ease, and laid the Togruta down on the indicated cot. Sey'les occupied the cot beside it, while the Savrit Cat stood in the middle.
{"This might feel uncomfortable,"} Veryk explained, wiping his paws off on the set of blue bedsheets on Ahsoka's bed. Most disturbingly, his fingers seemed to be coated in blood.
{"Oh Veryk, what have you done?!"} Morai asked in an alarmed tone.
{"Nothing… Actually, sorting out your mind and Ahsoka's shall be easier if you're asleep."}
Sey'les frowned, staring up at the ceiling. Easier said than done. "I don't feel very—"
SLEEP.
o.o.o.o.o
MACE WINDU
Jedi Temple, Coruscant
"Ah, Master Windu, you're back and I see you bring… Good. I was wondering when I would get my audience," Dooku said impatiently, sitting up in bed with white hospital sheets covering his legs.
Mace Windu and the rest of the Jedi High Council members stared at Count Dooku with expressions ranging from blank to incredulous.
"We have been busy," Obi-Wan said with a raised eyebrow. "Ahsoka Tano is missing. Is there anything you know that can help us?"
"Has it begun then?" Dooku asked.
Ki-Adi-Mundi stepped forward to the front of the group. "Has what begun?"
Lingering by the doorway, Mace Windu rubbed his eyes. Not this again.
"Order 66. Has it been activated? Are there legions of mindless Clone Troopers descending upon the Temple, shooting every Jedi on sight?"
"I suggest we sedate him," he said to the rest of the Jedi Masters, who were now gathering closely around the Count's forcefield.
"Have you come to execute me then?" Dooku asked dryly. "A foolish decision. I am the Galaxy's last hope."
Windu snorted angrily at that. "Last hope?! After everything you did, you expect—"
"Calm, we must remain," Yoda said solemnly. "Even now, weaving webs meant to ensnare us in our passions, the Sith are."
"You're right," Windu sighed, not denying his feelings. "Okay, let's get this over with."
"Get what over with?" Dooku inquired, sitting up straighter.
Windu glowered at the fallen master. "The Council has decided to sever you from the Force as punishment for your crimes. Afterward, you will be handed over to the Republic Senate to stand trial."
Dooku let off a scoff. "Impossible! The knowledge to do so has been lost since the days of Revan!"
Yoda slowly ambled to the edge of the forcefield and sighed as he leaned on his gimer stick. "Beneath the Jedi Temple to the Sith Shrine, we shall go. One of the Order's darkest forgotten secrets, it is, as you would recall from your time on the Council, my former Padawan. Through a concerted effort, neutralized it was, by the Jedi who retook Coruscant. Up until centuries ago, in the High Republic, at the Shrine in the Depths, nullified the powers of dark side tainted artifacts, the Jedi did. Take you to that place, we shall."
Dooku's mouth fell open in complete shock. His eyes darted from Jedi to Jedi, like a caged animal looking for a way to escape. When the red light from the forcefield terminated, it was clear that the Count's skin had gone several shades paler.
Two Temple Guards marched in and seized him by the arms, roughly pulling him out of bed.
As they passed the Council members, Dooku glanced at Mace and softly uttered words that chilled the Master of the Order to his core.
"Even now, you are all oblivious to the darkness festering under your very feet. Bring me to that place if you dare!"
Mace Windu moved to follow Dooku, but Ki-Adi-Mundi seized him by the sleeve.
"Could it be?"
"Could what be?" Windu asked incredulously.
"The Shrine," Mundi whispered in a tone just loud enough for all Masters present to hear, "could the shrine be active?!"
"Find out soon, we shall," Yoda said softly, standing at a height far shorter than them.