"If I were in their shoes, I would pursue you with all vigor. It's in their interest to recover their assets as quickly and brutally as possible."
Dooku agreed.
When they left the courtroom, Dooku grimaced when he discovered Mace Windu waiting for him in the hallway.
...
They stared at each other coldly, waiting in silence even after they were finally alone, Dooku's legal team reading the atmosphere and leaving to find cafstim. Striding away, Dooku heard Windu fall in behind him, and eventually he found a small courtyard, decorated with white mountain flowers. It had a clear view of the blue sky above, and Dooku raised his gaze to watch the many speeders pass overhead. He stood with his back turned to Windu, waiting for him to speak as he rested his hand on the garden fence.
"You spoke with Queen Amidala about a Dark Side sect that you believe Chancellor Palpatine to be a part of." He paused, waiting for Dooku's response, and when none was forth-coming, Mace Windu continued. "Do you have proof?"
Now they were finally taking his warnings seriously? Dooku doubted it, not after all these years. Likely, Mace Windu was just probing for information to use against Dooku. After Tan'ya made the mistake of calling the Jedi on Coruscant, Mace had no doubt found the Sith ruins to be suspicious. From the perspective of a man who deeply believed in the Republic, Dooku's work in the Outer Rim could only be a threat to peace and order.
"If you have proof, or even just personal testimony…" Mace hesitated. "If there's anything at all, then you must share it with the Council."
Dooku couldn't help scoffing.
Mace's voice hardened. "You think this is a joke, Dooku? The entire Republic could be at stake. Trillions of lives will be affected by the outbreak of war." He paused. "I know you have good intentions, Dooku, but we can see what you're doing. You want to create an army to overthrow the Chancellor."
Finally turning around to face his former friend, Dooku met Mace Windu's gaze with his own, not saying anything.
"Grandmaster Dooku, if war can be prevented, then any evidence you have could save the Galaxy." Mace insisted. "You must share it with us."
Dooku considered the man, a range of emotions swirling around inside him. How dare this fool come to him for help, after trespassing on his home? What was sick inside Mace, that he thought he could betray Dooku endlessly and expect to still be loved as a friend?
"When I have evidence, you will be the first to receive it." Dooku said to him, maintaining eye contact. He gave the man a small smile, one that didn't touch his eyes. "I'm glad you're finally willing to see reason."
And may Sidious strike the head from your worthless shoulders, you blind wretch.
Dooku met up with his lawyers when he was finished with Mace. Obviously, Windu wasn't just there regarding Sidious, but he was also probing for signs of corruption in his former friend.
In the end Dooku promised him much, but delivered little. He gave his word that in time he would find the evidence he needed to prove Sidious' guilty, if Mace would only wait for him. By the end of it, Dooku was sure he came across as a stubborn, vain-glorious fool, and Windu thought even less of him.
Still, when the time came, Dooku would be more than willing to use Mace to kill Sidious.
Dooku found his lawyers just outside the courtroom, talking to each other with disposable caff-stims in hand. One of them offered a cup to Dooku, and he took a sip as he listened to them strategise with each other.
Finally the recess ended, and all of them filed back into the courtroom. The Judge returned to his podium, and after just a few minutes they resumed.
The Federation's representatives began to present their argument, and it didn't take Dooku long to realize they would be here for a while. The lawyer droned on and on, to the point where even the judge didn't seem to be paying attention. At first he seemed to be taking notes, but after a while Dooku realized he was just doodling. Checking the judge's thoughts, Dooku realized that he was mostly thinking about the restaurant he planned to visit for lunch.
Suddenly someone's mood spiked. Dooku glanced across to find Grib Siv smirking as an aide approached the Viceroy to whisper something in his ear. The news he received was clearly expected, and he was obviously pleased by what he heard. The neimoidian glanced over at Dooku, sneering triumphantly. In the distance, Palpatine's dark amusement echoed through the Dark Side, and the hairs raised on the back of Dooku's neck.
Something was up.
Suddenly suspecting an assassination attempt, or who knew what else, Dooku began probing through the courthouse. Trying to find what their plan was, only to feel the minds of his royal guards stationed outside flaring with angry thoughts and fears for their… loved ones? Turning around in his seat, Dooku watched one of his men fling the courthouse doors open.
Fully armed and armored, the soldier ignored the stares of the onlookers as he marched across the room.
"Son, you need to wait outside." The Judge called out, but the guard ignored him.
When he got to Dooku, the Soldier leaned close, whispering in urgent, thickly accented Basic, "Serenno is under attack! There's a pirate fleet approaching!"
Dooku stood up immediately, taking out his holocom as he did.
"Count, you can't interrupt the oppo-" The judge began to chide, but Dooku cut him off.
"My people are under attack." He shot a glare at Grib Siv, who was clearly relishing the moment. "My representatives can-"
Glancing up, the Judge said. "You're required to be here for this stage of the process, Count. If you leave now you forfeit the case."
Now that Dooku was away from his homeworld, he wouldn't be able to coordinate its defense or lead his people. Even if he were to attempt to leave now, even the best hyperdrive would still take forty eight hours to return to Serenno.
"Your Honor, I request a recess-"
"Denied." The Judge dismissed with an annoyed wave of his hand.
"There's been an emergency-"
"This is your last warning, Count."
Dooku weighed his options. Obviously, he wouldn't be able to make it home to aid the defense in time, but this court case was clearly destined to be a sham, and there was no reason to waste his time here when his people were sure to need him. There was symbolic power to be won in defying this representative of the Republic, while rushing to his own people's defense.
Without another word, Dooku turned to leave, and he felt his worried guard's minds rush briefly with pride and relief. As he walked down the steps of the courthouse, taking them three at a time with his long strides, Dooku's cape billowed out and the media's cameras flashed all around him. The Royal Guards scrambled behind him to keep up with the force enhanced run of their Count.
His speeder's driver pulled up just as Dooku reached the bottom of the stairs. He didn't wait for one of his guards to open his speeder door, yanking it open with the Force and piling inside. A few seconds later, his two guards climbed in next to him.
"Take me to my ship." Dooku ordered.
As the speeder rushed through the Coruscant traffic, Dooku typed a message. Tanya was to take command of the planetary defense. He would return as soon as he could, but she was to defend their home until he arrived. He briefly considered sending her instructions to try and delay the pirates, slowing them down so he could arrive and take over, but decided against it.
Fleet battles were risky things, and could be settled in minutes or seconds thanks to hyperdrives. The last thing Tanya needed was him trying to micromanage her decisions from halfway across the Galaxy.
All he could do was trust her.
It was with some relief that Dooku realized he really did.
Shortly after he hit send, his message beeped with a new communication. It wasn't a reply from Tanya, who had read his message, but from Duke Harrad. Dooku answered his call, the portly profile of his longest standing ally appeared in front of him. He looked furious.
"Dooku, we've been hit! By a pirate fleet, I suppose, but they were nothing like any blasted one I've ever seen!" He completely skipped over formalities. His wide chest gave him a deep basal growl, and as he spoke he ground his meaty fist into the palm of his hand, like he wanted to brawl with one of the attackers personally.
...
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