3 Years later (32 BBY) Jedi Temple
Dooku watched 3 year old Dylan Shan played with the other younglings in the Jedi creche.
It has been 3 years since the disappearance of Noah Shan and Naomi Grace. Dooku attempted to continue locating them for the next year behind the Jedi Council's back, but it was in vain. Dooku was unable to find either of them, and eventually accepted that his former apprentice is not coming back or may be dead.
Dooku eventually left the creche and left Dylan to continue to play with a youngling named Ahsoka Tano.
Master Dooku walked towards the direction of the Jedi library. He found his thoughts drifting towards something that could lead to his arrest if found out by the Jedi council. He has been secretly collaborating with a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious for the past few months. Dooku, earlier this year, had been promised freedom for the galaxy if he would do what Sidious asked. The Jedi order is not bringing peace, the order is only severing a corrupt senate and not the people who truly matter!
Dooku felt conflicted. He has betrayed everything he knew and everyone he knows by working with the Sith. He does not know what would happen if Qui-Gon found out. He couldn't bear to face that terrible prospect.
Dooku shook his head. He knew he shouldn't dwell on the potential outcomes of his actions with the Sith. He had a job to do, and he couldn't afford to get distracted.
Arriving at the Jedi Temple's library, Dooku wasted no time walking toward the back-end of the library. Making sure no one saw him, Dooku unlocked the door and entered the restricted section.
He swiftly made his way through the restricted section and soon accessed a computer containing data about every known planet in the galaxy.
Dooku activated the computer. "Archive memory access. Please enter security code clearance" The computer voice echoed quietly through the restricted section. Dooku entered a security code that was his late friend Sifo-Dyas, whom he had recently killed by hiring the pykes to do the job.
"Code accepted, Master Sifo-Dyas," said the computer voice as it projected a hologram of an aquatic planet. "Planet Kamino" spoke the computer voice.
Dooku gazed at the planet for a moment before he entered a code to erase the planet's record from the council's library.
"Kamino location deleted. Kamino archive data deleted." The computer voice said as the hologram of the aquatic planet soon faded away pixel by pixel.
The computer soon turned off, Dooku even after completing a mission from Sidious just stood there in silence. "The greater good, yea... its for the greater good" Master Dooku thought.
Dooku soon exited the restricted section of the library and made his way out. As he was leaving, he noticed that there were a lot of people in the library. It was an odd sight to see, Dooku had never seen this many people in the library before.
Dooku noticed the librarian Jocasta Nu as he was walking by and stopped to talk. "What's causing all the excitement Master Jocasta?" Dooku asked quite curious about the large number of Jedi in the library.
"Your apprentice." The elderly Jedi master answered.
"Qui-Gon?" Dooku said surprised that his former apprentice is the source of all this excitement.
"Yes, it would seem he has encountered a Sith Lord. Or he so claimed to the Jedi High Council" Jocasta Nu told Dooku.
Dooku looked uneasy at this. His former apprentice had encountered Sidious' apprentice, Maul? He faintly remembered meeting him one time two months ago for a brief moment.
"Where was this encounter?" Dooku questioned the elderly Librarian.
Master Jocasta Nu paused for a moment before recalling, "Tatooine. yes, I think that was it. Deep in the outer rim of coarse" She answered to Dooku.
" Qui-Gon Jinn always had a active imagination, just like you, Dooku." Jocasta Nu said.
Dooku agreed in his mind, although his bitter thoughts about the Jedi Order interfered. "A quality valued less and less in these great halls," Dooku said.
Jocasta looked towards Dooku when she recalled something else. "How is that investigation going on with your missing second Padawan Master Dooku?" She said. Jocasta Nu was aware that Dooku was secretly continuing his investigation for Noah Shan without the council's knowledge.
Dooku looked down with a annoyed look. "It went nowhere, Noah is still missing. Either he is dead or is still out there, somewhere beyond my vision." Dooku said.
Jocasta placed a hand on his shoulder, expressing sympathy. "I am truly sorry about him. He was a remarkable person. Although he did break the Jedi code, he was very kind and selfless." She said towards Dooku. Word had spread about Noah Shan violating the Jedi code while still in the Order. Some Jedi looked toward Dooku and judged him because of the rumors. Dooku however, did not care about being judged and focused solely on finding Noah, but without success.
Dooku thanked Jocasta Nu for her time and walked away. Dooku had to speak with Qui-Gon.
On the other side of the Jedi temple, Qui-Gon Jinn and Master Yaddle walked down a corridor, passing several Jedi. Some Jedi watched Qui-Gon with questioning eyes as he passed by.
"I guess word travels fast," Qui-Gon Jinn said to Yaddle, quite surprised that so many Jedi had already found out about his report of his encounter with a Sith Lord.
"Well your statements to the council were rather surprising." Yaddle responded. When Qui-Gon informed the Jedi Council that he was attacked by a Sith Lord on Tatooine, they dismissed the claim saying they would have sensed it.
Qui-Gon and Yaddle stopped in front of an elevator, waiting for it to open.
"Qui-Gon," said a voice to Qui-Gon and Yaddles right. Qui-Gon looked and saw his former Master and friend, Dooku. Dooku walked up to him with an uneasy look on his face.
"Master" Qui-Gon said with respect to him as bowed for a moment. Dooku walked up and stood in front of Qui-Gon in front of the elevator.
"I heard of your report to the council. Tell me about this mysterious attacker on tatooine." Dooku questioned his former apprentice.
"I encountered a highly skilled warrior one obviously trained in the jedi arts." Qui-Gon answered. Qui-Gon noticed that Dooku looked more uneasy than he already did. Ever since Noah disappeared and with his frustrations with the council, he was probably tired. Right?
"And you believe it was a Sith Lord?" asked Dooku.
"Yes." Qui Gon answered with confidence. The attacker was in black robes, brandishing a red lightsaber, with yellow eyes and he displayed great skill in the Jedi arts. Undoubtedly he was a Sith.
"I gather that the council was not eager to validate that conclusion." Dooku said. Dooku didn't need an answer to know what the councils decision was.
"No they were not master." Qui-Gon confirmed. "I knew it" Dooku thought. Of all the idiotic things the council could do in this situation.
"I've been warning them about the coming darkness for years. Never to be taken seriously. Just like with Noah's disappearance." Dooku said in a low tone. Dooku's agitation was almost to a breaking point. "If only the Jedi from the beginning could see what the order has become." Dooku thought.
"On behalf of the Council, there's no reason to cause undue alarm." Master Yaddle spoke after silently watching the conversation.
"So you doubt his claim?" Dooku accused Yaddle.
"No, I do not. But the wisdom of the council is to be cautious, until we know more" said Yaddle. This surprised Dooku slightly.
"Master Yaddle is right about one thing. A Sith Lord is not to be trifled with." Dooku said.
Dooku placed a hand on Qui-Gon shoulder "And I will not be there to protect you, my old Padawan. " said Dooku trying to convince Qui-Gon to stop searching for the Sith attacker because he doesn't want to lose Qui-Gon like he lost Noah.
"You need not worry master. Obi-Wan fills that role now. He acquits himself quite well." Qui-Gon said reassuring his former master.
"That's is good. I hope nothing gets in the way of me meeting him finally. Your always singing his praises." Dooku told Qui-Gon. Though his pursuit of Noah and Naomi was important, it interfered with meeting Obi-Wan.
Finally, the elevator opened, and Qui-Gon stepped inside. Dooku watched with a slightly worried look as the elevator closed.
Dooku gazed downward, filled with unease. Yaddle noticed his expression and asked, "Master Dooku, are you alright?" concerned for her fellow Jedi.
"They grow up so fast, our students" Dooku said as he continued to look at the closed elevator.
"Yes, it is the way of things." Yaddle told Dooku.
"Indeed" Dooku agreed solemnly. "I must take my leave." Dooku said before walking off to go check on Noah's son.
As Master Dooku walked off, Yaddle watched him walk off for a moment with a worried look on her face.
What is going on with Dooku?
2 days later. (Jedi Temple training ground)
Dooku stood in front of the Great Tree in the middle of the training grounds. Dooku stood motionless, uttering not a word. His mind was filled with annoyance, irritation, anger and above all, sadness.
Master Yaddle approached Dooku, sensing a whirl of emotions as she stopped a few feet away from him.
"I used to bring Qui-Gon here as a boy, he was fascinated with this tree. Having been born here on Coruscant, a planet of steel and stone... He knee nothing like it." Dooku said solemnly. Dooku even brought Noah here as a boy; he was born on Naboo. So, he was automatically intrigued by the only tree on Coruscant.
"The Council is leaving for Naboo. The funeral is to be held there." Yaddle informed Dooku, thunder rumbled deeply in the sky as the dark grey clouds slowly approached the temple.
"I doubt I will be pleasant company." Dooku said as he continued to stare at the ancient tree in front of him.
"You hold them accountable?" Yaddle asked Dooku. Why would he blame the council for Qui-Gon's death?
"Qui-Gon Jinn has become one with the force. Even Noah Shan. It is time to let them go." Dooku said as he walked past Yaddle.
"And you can do this?" Yaddle questioned Dooku, Dooku stopped walking away and looked down. "What choice have I." Dooku muttered darkly.
Dooku continued is walk away from Yaddle with his hands behind his back. Yaddle watched concerned as the thunder continue to rumble in the distance.
Jedi Temple Hanger
Dooku arrived in the Jedi Temple Hanger and walked towards his DC0052 speeder, ready for a nice chat with Sidious.
Dooku got into the speader and activated it. The speader floated off the ground and blasted off into the distance.
Unknown to Dooku he started to be followed by Yaddle who was in her own personal speader.
Coruscant (The Works)
Dooku continued flying his speader as he arrived at The Works Distract within Coruscant. Dooku flew his speader towards a abandoned power building formely known as LiMerge Power building. Dooku landed his speader in the abandoned power buildings hanger, still unknown to him Yaddle flew her speader and landed it on a rusty old walkway just above the hanger.
Yaddle deactivated her speader and got out of it and started to sneak into the hanger.
Dooku walked towards a hooded figure, this person was Darth Sidious.
"You've gone to far!" Dooku said darkly. Why would he allow Maul to kill Qui-Gon!
"I don't know what you mean?" Sidious said in a low tone. He gazed darkly at Dooku, with half of his face covered by his black cloak.
"Qui-Gon Jinn, you allowed Maul to kill him!" Dooku said angry.
"You lost an apprentice and so did I. All in service of are greater goals." Sidious said as he walked away from Dooku. Dooku stared at the ground with a angry look before he started to walk after him.
Yaddle overheard everything and watched Dooku and this mysterious Black Cloaked man talk. Was this cloaked stranger a Sith Lord? The way he talked, the darkness, the dark side flowed through him. It definitely was a Sith Lord!
"The galaxy will not be remade without sacrifice." Darth Sidious told Dooku without any remorse for anyone, not Maul nor Qui-Gon.
"He could have been a powerful ally, especially Noah and Naomi." Dooku said confidently, they would've listened. Would they?
"For you perhaps, besides. Noah Shan and his wife are dead. They are useless to our plans." Sidious said to Dooku.
"You question my loyalty?" Dooku asked darkly but also bewildered. After everything he has done for this Sith Lord he dares to question him!?
"Always." Sidious said without care.
"I have done everything you asked." Dooku said with a little bit of anger in his voice.
"And I will continue to ask more of you if we are to succeed." Darth Sidious informed Dooku.
"Sifo-Dyas, Kamino, the Clones. I have betrayed everything and everyone I have ever known!" Dooku said darkly
Yaddle hid behind one of the shuttles in the hanger as she was listening in on Dooku and this Sith Lords conversation. How could Dooku do this!? What happened to make Dooku do this! Would Qui-Gon and Noah want this?
"No, you have been loyal to a greater cause." Sidious said trying to convince Dooku to stay on his side. He sensed he was losing his grip on Dooku.
"How many have died because of my actions!" Dooku said sadly. All of this could have been avoided if the Jedi Order didnt lose their way and stayed loyal to the people who matter.
"Such is a price of freedom." Sidious said darkly not caring if anyone died, he is a Sith Lord. He did not care one bit if anyone died. Only if they were of some use to his greater plans.
"No!" Yaddle exclaimed as she revealed herself to both of them. Sidious and Dooku spun around and saw Jedi Master Yaddle standing right before them.
"This ends here, Sith Lord!" Yaddle said serious as she starred with a hard gaze at her fallen friend and the Sith Lord.
"So I have been betrayed?" Sidious said jumping to conclusions. Dooku looked at him with a dark gaze. "No!" Dooku said with a hard voice. Dooku walked foward and stood a few feet away from Yaddle.
"Dooku, whatever your crimes are, help me now." Yaddle said trying to convince Dooku to do the right thing before it is too late.
"Then you heard, you know." Dooku said with a sad tone as he didn't want his friend to find out like this.
"Whatever lies he's told you, whatever you have done. You can make up for it by bringing him to justice." Yaddle said still trying to help Dooku before he is corrupted by the darkside even futher.
"Remember what you told me. The Jedi blindly serve a corrupted Senate that fails the republic it represents." Darth Sidious told Dooku. Dooku glanced at Sidious behind him. Yaddle looked down, though she would not be fooled by the Sith Lord's lies, she couldn't help but believe him on that part.
"Do you want to prove your loyalty? kill her!" Sidious ordered Dooku. Dooku was conflicted - should he help Yaddle, a friend, and arrest Sidious, or help bring freedom back to the galaxy?
"There is still a chance to make things right. Dooku, would Qui-Gon Jinn and Noah Shan want this?" She asked Dooku. She was confident that Qui-Gon and Noah did not want Dooku to become a pawn of the Sith.
Dooku shook his head as the darkness continued to poor into his mind and soul. "I'm afraid." Dooku said.
"I know you are." Yaddle said. Her face had a sad look on it. She hopped dearly that Dooku would make the right choice.
Dooku looked towards Yaddle with a broken look. "I'm afraid its to late." Dooku said sadly. Dooku took his lightsaber from his belt and ignited it, a blue blade shot out of the hilt.
"No." Yaddle said sad. Her hopes that Dooku would make the right choice crushed.
Dooku then charged straight towards Yaddle, but before he can kill her she quickly activates her lightsaber, a green blade shot out of the hilt. She quickly deflects Dooku's strikes.
Dooku and Yaddle continued to duel in the hanger, Yaddle spun on her feat after deflecting a hard strike. They shared lightsaber blows, Yaddle jump as Dooku tried a low swung but only slashed the floor.
Dooku swung hard hits against Yaddle as she deflected the best she could. They moved deeper into the hangar as Darth Sidious stood silently watching the duel between a Jedi Master and a Fallen Jedi.
Yaddle dodged and deflected Dooku's attacks as they made their way next to a shuttle. Dooku did a spin and pointed his lightsaber at a empty spot. Yaddle disappeared.
Dooku cautiously looked around the hangar for any signs of Yaddle's whereabouts. The hanger was quiet and empty with no sign of Yaddle. Dooku walked slowly beside the ship looking for Jedi Master Yaddle. Sidious watched on with a dark smirk on his face.
"I'm on your side Dooku." Yaddle's voice echoed through the hanger, Dooku quickly looked backwards looking for her.
"I stepped down from my position on the Council." Yaddles voiced echoed. Dooku continued to look for her cautiously as he walked slowly in the hanger.
"You were right about so many things. The Council should've listened. Qui-Gon did not have to die. They should have sent out a search party out for Noah." Yaddle said hiding behind the shuttle breathing heavily. Dooku stopped walking and glanced down with an angry look.
Yaddle continued to hide behind the shuttle, but out of nowhere the shuttle was moved violently to the side and Yaddle was pushed a few feet away by it. Dooku charged straight towards Yaddle as Sidious cackled madly as he watched with glee. Yaddle activated her saber and jumped away from Dooku before he could strike her down.
Dooku missed and looked to the left and swung heavily at Yaddle. Yaddle continued to deflect and dodge Dooku's lightsaber strikes, his attacks started to get more faster and more pressing so Yaddle jumped away and landed on the maw of the hanger. Yaddle looked towards her ship debating on leaving or staying and fighting. "Running back to your Council?" Dooku mocked as he stepped forward toward Yaddle.
"It is you who has run, Dooku. Into the arms of evil" Yaddle said. While being tired from the duel she got into a stance ready for Dooku. Dooku charged and swung at Yaddle, she deflected, she dodged, she jumped and she struck blows. she continued to do all that while Dooku swung madly at her trying to kill her. She jumped toward Dooku but Dooku swung his lightsaber at her and hit her forcing her to the maw of the hanger. She collapsed to the ground defeated, Dooku looked towards the level switch that controls the hanger. He used the force to pull the switch which activated the Hanger door.
Yaddle looked upwards at the Door coming down at her, she raised her hand but it was too late. The Hanger door shut completely on top of her. Dooku gazed at the door, then collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily after the intense duel.
"You have done well my apprentice." said Darth Sidious as he slowly walked over to Dooku.
Dooku had a distraught look on his face. What has he done! what would Qui-Gon, Noah and Naomi say if they say him now. Those thoughts went through his head at a rapid pace as he closed his eyes.
"Rise, my friend." commanded Sidious. Dooku looked behind him and toward Sidious.
"Master" Dooku said tired but serious. Out of nowhere the hanger door slowly opened. Dooku and Sidious looked away from the blinding sunlight, Dooku looked back confused, Yaddle stood on her two feet, hands raised in the air with a struggling but a heavy determined look on her face. She looked towards both Dooku and Sidious with a hard gaze. But after a few seconds she fell forwards completely drained as the hanger door slammed back shut behind her.
Yaddle attempted to stand up but failed due to exhaustion. Dooku stood back up and walked over to Yaddle. Dooku looked down at her with a stern gaze as he stood over her.
"I want only to bring peace and order to the galaxy." Dooku said. His mind was already made up. There is no turning back.
"Already so many have suffered for what you call "order"." Yaddle said disappointed as she looked upwards at her fallen friend.
Dooku looked down at Yaddle. "Then let me give you peace, Master Yaddle." Dooku said as he activated his lightsaber once more.
Yaddle closed her eyes as she accepted her fate. Dooku raised his lightsaber, and swung down striking down Yaddle. Killing her instantly.
Dooku deactivated his lightsaber and continued to stare at the now deceased Master Yaddle, contemplating what he had done.
Darth Sidious stood menacingly, a wicked smile on his face, his yellow eyes piercing from beneath the black cloak as he looked at his new apprentice.