A/N- This is the last chapter I've had written up for several months so please expect the next update sometime later this month or beginning of June as school will be out and I will have some free time over the summer. Please review or follow! -GP
Chapter 32- Death of a Master
Summary: Alternate World: The Empire Prevails and the Jedi have all been in hiding for thirty years. Emperor Palpatine searches for a way to live long past his dying body through cloning technology and his attempts at descendants. One of his " experiments' ' escapes and comes to live a slave's life on Naboo. He will meet and forever his destiny changed by the fateful meeting with none other than one young Naberrie girl…
Location: Naberrie Residence, Coruscant
Month 5 Day 16 Year 28 BBY
The constant beeping of his comm. link signals Anakin's eyes to finally open and answer whoever is calling him this early in the morning. He grunts and tries not to awaken his sleeping partner beside him. He rolls out of bed and takes the call into the hallway. He presses the on switch and mumbles out, " Hello?"
" Skywalker, we have a situation. You need to report for your shift immediately," demands Inquisitor Maul's voice.
Anakin notices the urgency in his voice and replies, " Sir where do I report?"
" Count Dooku's office, I expect you to arrive within thirty minutes." He commands with a fire Anakin hasn't heard in his voice before.
"Sir, was there a break-in at Count Dooku's office?" He questions, his mind waking up with this knowledge.
Maul's voice is hard and comments, " Dooku has been murdered."
Anakin's mind freezes hard with those words flying out of his superior's mouth. His mind reels thinking of his father who should be told. He swallows knowing he will be notified after the investigation has taken in all evidence from the crime scene, as Anakin knows his father is the emergency contact for Dooku. Who murdered him? He had many enemies but why now?
" Ani?" Comes Padme's sleepy voice, next to him as she had been snuggled up against him fast asleep.
He replies to his commanding officer, " Understood sir. I will report there within thirty minutes."
Padme' rubs her tired eyes and notices the concern within his blue ones. She yawns and asks, " Why are you reporting to work at 4 am?"
Anakin runs his hands through his hair and comments, " Dooku was murdered last night."
Padme's eyes widened with this news. Dooku was high on the chain of command and one of the Emperor's right-hand men. For someone to have security clearance and access to Dooku- meant many things. It meant someone had finally decided to murder the man who had murdered thousands; he's made many enemies over the years, but he'd also been in charge of the building of the Battle Station. Who would take his place?
" Anakin- does your father know?" She whispers quietly.
Anakin shrugs and murmurs, " No- but I should warn him- I don't have a lot of time- Angel."
She nods silently and suggests, " Then call him now-he deserves to hear it from his son- Dooku was like a father to him."
Anakin nods in agreement and eyes the comm. link. He had his father's comm. link number programmed into his. He presses the connect button and waits for him to answer. It rings several times before his quiet voice echoes through the comm. link.
" Anakin, is everything all right?" His father's voice sounds more tired than usual.
" Father- No. Maul has demanded I report to Dooku's office promptly."
There is silence at the other end; dead silence.
" Father?"
" Is he dead?" Qui-gon's voice questions almost to confirm what he already senses.
" Yes- once I know more- I'll call you."
Silence is greeted again. Anakin wishes he could be there to support his father. Qui-gon's loss is much that of losing someone he felt was a second parent to him. He cannot imagine the agony he must be feeling at this loss. If something happened to Qui-gon- Anakin could not imagine the grief he'd feel losing his father.
" Father- I'm sorry." Anakin consoles quietly through the comm. link.
Qui-gon finds his words and comments, " It was only a matter of when. Dooku has- had many enemies. Thank you for telling me personally, son. Keep me updated."
Anakin replies, " Of course."
Without saying another word, Qui-gon's comm. link cuts off the connection. Anakin turns to Padme' watching the interaction between the two men's call. She says quietly, " Find who did this for your father's sake."
He nods quietly- steps forward and kisses her forehead. " I don't know when I'll be back. I'll call Obi-wan on the way to the crime scene. Rush's guards are downstairs. Please just don't go anywhere."
She smiles and replies, " I'll be fine. I'm going back to bed."
He nods and heads to refresher to dress for the day.
Dooku's Office - 0500 Hours.
The stench of death has filled the room. Anakin tries to keep his attention to the task at hand. He had reported to the crime scene within the last ten minutes. Maul had been personally overseeing the crime scene. He had ordered Anakin to scan the body for images to look over and any prints if there were any.
Anakin had seen dead bodies before- back during the days of enslavement. He had watched old men and young men die at the hands of his owner- being beaten to death for not doing their job correctly. His mind had flown back to those dark memories as he had smelled the scent of death upon Dooku. He had noticed the look of shock on Dooku's expression as he had been murdered. His eyes are still open and there is a large burn mark through the back of the chair and his chest.
A few droids are on the scene as well- but only three Inquisitors; Maul, Holodo and Anakin. Anakin scans the images using his datapad and Holodo commented that the burn pattern probably was that of a blaster being fired. Anakin studies the burn pattern on the back of the chair. His eyes trace the burn circle pattern- someone with less training would think it is a blaster burn, but Anakin knows it's a lightsaber burn. He had made such indentations with his lightsaber as Vader.
" I don't know why you are staring at that burn pattern, I told you it was a blaster that killed Dooku," complains Holodo.
Anakin's eyes snap back to the senior officer. He suggests, " If you weren't in a hurry to get back to bed, you would have ruled out a blaster. The circular pattern is a clear indication the weapon is a lightsaber- pushed through the back of the chair and through Dooku's chest."
Holodo's eyes narrow and he comments, " No, because that would indicate that an Inquisitor was responsible for his murder."
" Skywalker is correct, it was a lightsaber burn." Maul comments, keeping his eyes on his datapad.
Anakin's mind roams Holodo's comment. Some Inquisitors carried lightsabers- mainly senior officers who had the correct training- most of the trainees like Anakin did not carry such a weapon because they had not graduated from the Academy. Some Inquisitors chose not to carry such a weapon either. Holodo was one of those men. He felt more comfortable using his blaster. Many Inquisitors would benefit from killing Dooku, as that would mean rising in the ranks- none more than Maul himself.
Maul would rise to power. He is after all right under Dooku within the ranks and the Emperor trusts Maul- well- as much as the Emperor trusts anyone. The question is why now and who is Maul going to frame for the murder? His thoughts quieten as Maul gestures for Holodo and him to come peer at his datapad. Maul had been working on the security code for the cameras within the office as they had been on when they arrived.
" We have our killer," comments Maul, smirking through his black lips.
Anakin peers down at the footage and his eyes cannot believe what he is seeing. It's Vader standing in the darkness, waiting for Dooku to enter the office. There are no words expressed between the two of them as Vader's blue lightsaber glides through the back of the chair and into Dooku's limp body.
Anakin's insides freeze. Maul had to have planted the footage. The footage reminded him of similar footage he had seen within their database- when he had murdered two of those RA Officers. The only difference is the stage of the crime scene as it appears to look like Dooku's office spliced together with other footage.
" The Rebellion had him killed," comments Anakin quietly- keeping his true thoughts to himself.
Maul nods and there is a touch of compassion in his usual darker tone. " Yes- what an end to such a brilliant man."
Anakin's the footage replaying and asks, " Sir, what do you wish us to do?"
Maul's white teeth appear through his black lips as he eyes his trainee. His golden eyes simmer with plotting. " Put a bounty on Vader. Any information provided or its whereabouts. 500,000 credits should bring enough intel for us to follow any leads we can find."
Anakin nods and pulls out his own datapad. Maul comments, " Not you Skywalker, you are to report Dooku's death to his emergency contact."
Anakin's notices the glint of humor in the older Inquisitor's eyes as if he knows his closeness to Admiral Jinn. He frowns and asks, " And why do you request me to do it?"
Maul's smirk reappears and he murmurs, " He is one of your close friends, is he not?"
Anakin swallows sharply, hoping Maul has not picked up on their closeness, but he does. Anakin nods and says, " What am I allowed to tell the Admiral?"
Maul shrugs, " Admiral Jinn has enough security clearance for him to know the truth of the investigation. He should know who murdered his former Master."
Anakin swallows sharply again- and tries to keep his fearful thoughts to himself. " I will report to his home promptly then."
Maul turns to Hooldo and commands, " Holodo you are in charge of Dooku's body. Prepare the body to be taken downstairs to the morgue."
Holdo's expression is one of disgust and he attempts to complain, " Sir- as I am the senior officer on this case- perhaps Skywalker should take the body-"
Maul snaps back at him. " Skywalker is the one who determined the cause of death. He will report our findings to Admiral Jinn and you will keep your mouth shut if you want to live."
Anakin feels the amusement of Maul's lecture brush through him. He never liked Holodo's attitude towards their work. Maul notices his amusement through the force and does not squash it. He simply commands, " On your way Skywalker. Admiral Jinn needs to be notified within the hour."
Anakin says no more and turns to exit Dooku's former office. His mind turns to the case and being framed for Dooku's murder. The question remains with a bounty like that on Vader's head, he won't be able to continue his antics as of late. His father hopefully will have some suggestions as to how they are to continue.
To Be Continued…