Saga Dooku Never Fell ( A prequel trilogy AU, post 4 of 4)

Title: Dooku Never Fell
Characters: Dooku-centric, but Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, Mace, and many other PT usual subjects appear. At least one EU character as well.
Timeframe: Prequel Trilogy AU
Synopsis: Dooku never falls. The Prequel Trilogy timeframe is rather different as a result.

----

In his ancient family castle on Serenno, Dooku sat uneasily in a rich, plush chair. He had left the Jedi Order. He had thought long and hard, and was wondering if perhaps this had been a mistake. He had his issues with the Jedi Order, it was true, and still did. But without him, would those problems get any better?

He closed his eyes. He could feel the Dark Side calling to him. Somewhere out there, a dark figure made of Shadow was calling to him, calling for him. Calling to claim him.

Then he saw his old Master's face. Yoda...

Need you, we do. Back to us, come. Please. Yoda's old wise face was sad and weary.

Perhaps this would not have been enough. But then he saw another face. The face of his student. Qui-Gon....

There was a pulse of pain in the force, and Dooku opened his eyes. "No, not you my apprentice..."

----

It caused quite a stir when Dooku returned to the Jedi temple. But they admitted him.

He knelt before his old Master.

"Welcome, you are, my old Padawan. Returned to us, you have?"

"Yes...I believe so. Master..." Dooku faltered. "Master, is Qui-Gon dead?"

Yoda nodded sadly. "Felt it, did you?"

Dooku nodded and hung his head.

"Destroyed by the Sith, he was."

Dooku raised his head. "The Sith have returned?"

Yoda nodded.

Dooku's face became firm. "Then I must speak to the Council. I have felt the stirrings within the Dark Side. I beleive the Sith were trying to turn me from afar."

Yoda widened his eyes.

-----

"What you say confirms our own worst fears," said Ki-Adi Mundi.

"We must find this Sith," Mace said. "Master or Apprentice we do not know. But one of them at least still lives. Thank you, Master Dooku."

"And you, Master Windu," Dooku bowed.

"Request a place on the Council, do you?" Yoda asked politely, but there was a cautious undercurrent to the question. They were testing him.

"No, Master. You need me in the field, to find this Sith. But first I would meet young Obi-Wan, and this boy you speak of."

-----

The apprentice of his apprentice. And the next apprentice beyond that. A chain stretching back to Yoda, now broken with Qui-Gon's death.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Dooku said. "I share your loss. I cannot help but feel this is my fault. If I had been here...."

"I was there, Master, and I could do nothing." Kenobi wiped away a tear. His hair was still Padawan-short, although his braid had been cut off. "I saw him fall, and I could not save him. I avenged his death, but that was no use to him."

"Vengeance itself is no use, young Knight," Dooku said. "But to destroy a Sith, that is a good thing."

"Master, sir? Did you know Qui-Gon?" Little Anakin looked up at him with wide blue eyes.

Dooku smiled and knelt before him. "He was my apprentice, just as Obi-Wan was his, and you are now Obi-Wan's."

Anakin's little face crinkled in thought. "Does that make you my Jedi grandfather?"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan protested in horror. But Dooku was laughing. Laughing uproariously. Laughing as he hadn't in years.

----

Two years later.

Dooku hunted relentlessly through the spacelanes and spaceways for the Sith Lord. But he was well hidden, nowhere to be found.

Yet Dooku couldn't help but feel that the Sith Lord was somewhere closer to home. Someplace the Jedi would never think to look. But where??

---

Another three years.

Anakin was growing into a fine Jedi apprentice, if a touch impetuous and headstrong. Dooku smiled sadly; he could see so much of Qui-Gon in the boy.

I promise, this boy will not suffer your fate, my apprentice, Dooku promised silently.

----

Another year.

Dooku still had taken no new apprentice, and would not do, until the S

 

What? I beat Kynstar to a Dooku story!? It's a new year's miracle!

Seriously, I love it. I can't wait to see where you go with this!

 

Love this idea. Keep up the great work.

 

Loving it! Loving it!

please PM me when you've posted again.

 

Very well done! I've always wondered this question. I look forward to more.

 

ooo PM when the next chapter comes, i'm liking this a lot thus far

 

Good story so far.

I always enjoy fics where Dooku remains a Jedi. I'm certain he'd be a good influence on Anakin, as well as someone Obi-Wan could turn to. (As Anakin is now about fifteen, I suspect Obi-Wan is likely in need of some heavy duty medication. LOL)

BTW, will Dooku perhaps teach Anakin his own specialty of the Makashi style of lightsaber fighting? With a new war with the Sith pending, special training in saber-to-saber dueling would be most advantageosus.

Also, will Dooku perhaps have some say in reshaping the Jedi Order? As he admits there are numerous flaws within it, he should help remake the Order and modernize it. (i.e. Eliminating the old Code about attachments, etc.)

Can't wait for the next post.

 

Oi missed this! Thanks for the PM!

Loooooving it so far! Great start! Glad to see the Count decided against joining up with the Sith and instead attempting to hunt the Sith down.

Poor Sidious w/o an apprentice. Guess he'll have to look elsewhere for a bit

Excellent start!

 

"Master Dooku," said Obi-Wan.

"Knight Kenobi," Dooku smiled. "It is good to see you. How are you?"

"As well as can be expected," he sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "Anakin is a handful these days."

"Yes, I've noticed." Dooku clapped him on the shoulder. "He reminds me of Qui-Gon in many ways."

Obi-Wan nodded, eyes far away. Dooku knew he was remembering Qui-Gon's fall. The old Master could see it himself now, in his mind's eye. Obi-Wan's description would remain burned into his memory forevermore. But to his mind, Obi-Wan should not blame himself. At least you were there, young one, and did all you could. I was far away, and did nothing. The fault is mine, not yours. But he did not say this aloud; he and Kenobi had had this conversation many times over the years.

Instead, he said, "If you need my help again, say so. I was pleased to do so before." He was referring to the fact that twice, over the years, he had taken charge of Anakin while Obi-Wan had been called away on Jedi business. It was the closest thing to having a Padawan the old master would allow himself until the Sith were destroyed. Of course, Anakin had been a child then.

"If the need arises, I will glady do so," Obi-Wan promised, and the two of them shared a soft laugh between them. "But now," Obi-Wan went on, " I hear you have been chosen by the Council to investigate these Separatists?"

Dooku nodded. "To Utapau I go. It appears they have a base there. And there are whispers of some sort of ultimate battle droid among them now."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Meanwhile the Chancellor has requested that Anakin and I protect Senator Amidala. There have been assasination attempts, even here on Coruscant."

Dooku frowned. "That is cause for concern, indeed."

"May the Force be with you, Master."

"And with you, apprentice of my apprentice. Guide the Chosen One well."

----

The world of Utapau was plagued with sinkholes, so many that the two native races had retrated into them to build their cities, away from the howling winds of the surface.

Both races cowered in fear and terror from the Separatist droids stationed here, Dooku could feel that even from orbit. But it was not merely the droids that troubled them. There was something more here.....a wisp of the Dark Side, a foul smelling mist.

What was worse, Dooku found as he leapt form his new style Jedi fighter, the droid army was expecting him. A platoon escorted him into the bowels of their station.

There was a hulking mechanical shape in the shadows of the command center. The top-level droid he had heard about, perhaps? He was given no time to think on it, as a hologram flickered into life before him. A sepulcheral figure, dressed in black robes and hood, undoubtedly a Sith Lord. He could only see the lower half of the face, and in hologram he could not be entirely certain of the details, but it seemed naggingly familiar to him, somehow.

"Welcome, Count Dooku," the hologram intoned. "I have been expecting you." The voice was deep and resonant, with a gritty sort of undertone.

"The Sith Lord, I presume," Dooku said.

"You presume correctly. You heard me call to you years ago. You could have joined me then. Even now, it is not too late for you."

Dooku's mouth became a thin line. "I have had time to consider my actions, and I have no wish to assist you in any way."

The Sith Lord cackled. "Oh, but you have. Even if you are fool enough to refuse me, just by coming here you have given me the legal pretext I need to declare war against the Republic. One last chance. The name Darth Tyrannus awaits you, and untold power. Take it. Embrace your destiny."

The name chilled Dooku to the bone, but he held firm. "My destiny is none of your affair," Dooku sniffed. "Since you feel so forthcoming with Sith Titles, however, perhaps you could tell me yours."

The Sith Lord smiled and shook his head. "My name you shall not learn. But one name I will give you befor your death...that of your executioner. Ge

 

Another great story.
You write a great Dooku. I loved how he dismissed Palpatine's vieled attempts to turn him at their meeting. And it was awesome how he handled Grievous. Looking forward 2 more of this.

 

Yay! And still he denies Palpy!

But oh... what is this? He has found Asajj? Oh dear... this most definitely is getting better!

Loved the fight with Grievous! Standstill there!

 

Oh-uh. Nice, very nice. Please update as soon as you can!

 

"You will take command of the Fourth Army," said Palpatine. "It is likely this....General Greivous, did you call him?....yes, likely that he will seek you out again."

"Most probably," Dooku agreed as he stood in Palpatine's vast scarlet office. "Meanwhile, I cannot help but notice how much more centralized your authority has become, Chancellor."

Palpatine smiled thinly. "That disturbs you?"

"Meaning no disrespect, but yes. Any one person having that much power concerns me."

"Do you speak for the Jedi Council in this matter?"

"The Jedi as a whole stay out of political affairs. This you surely know."

"That is not what I asked, Master Jedi."

"Actually, it is. And that is the answer."

Palpatine's eyes glittered. "So you only speak for yourself in this, then?"

"Yes."

"Yet the Jedi Council holds far more power than I."

"Only over the Jedi themselves, and we accept that leadership. And some defy the Council. I myself have been notorious for that."

"How convenient for them," Palpatine muttered.

"I assure you, Chancellor, they find nothing convenient about it." Dooku smiled, trying to restore levity to the conversation.

"Yes, well, as may be, I am certain you will prove an excellent commander of the Clone Troopers."

"I hope you are right, sir."

"I often am, Count. I often am."

----

Dooku's title as Count of Serreno was largely ceremonial, yet he still had some duties to perform there. That put the lie, at least in part, to what he had said to the Chancellor about Jedi and politics, but the spirit of what he said remained true.

And besides which, the Clone Wars called him away from home, more and more often. He missed his homeworld more than he ever had before. In quiet moments to himself, he wondered about that; had his departure from the Jedi order to begin with been, in truth, nothing more than homesickness, at least at it's root?

Whatever the reason, he had to be in the field now. He marched up the ramp into the ship. The Clone Commander bowed to him.

"Have you a name, Commander?"

"Only to my troopers, sir. You can refer to me by my serial number."

"No, truly, I would wish to call you by a proper name."

"They call me Vlad, sir."

"Then I shall be happy to refer to you as such."

"Thank you, sir."

They shook hands.

----

Six months later.

Dooku led the troopers through the baking hot desert of Tattoine, Anakin's homeworld. The boy had no desire to return, and Dooku could see why. The heat of the two suns burned into his old flesh even through his clothing.

For some unfathomable reason, the Separatists had set up a giant processing plant here, taking in the moisture stolen from the conquered moisture farms. Dooku couldn't see the tactical advantage to such a thing, really. He rather suspected that Greivous, or his mysterious Master, was doing it out of spite.

Greivous was there, waiting for him, but he was not alone. With him stood a cloaked, hooded figure, wielding a saber in each hand.

"My Master sends greetings, Count," said the hooded figure, in a raspy voice. "I am who you should have been. And this time, you shall die."

"You have skill," buzzed Greivous. "And perhaps you could take either of us alone. But not both together."

"I wish I had thought to bring help myself," sighed the Count. Then he smiled, raised an eyebrow, and gestured.

Two of the troopers behind him took off their helmets...to reveal Anakin and Obi-Wan.

"Oh, wait, I did." Dooku chuckled.

The hooded figure screamed and rushed at him, ignited it's blades. The hood blew back to reveal a bald, white head and black eyes.

Dooku gestured, and Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped aside, moving around to face Greivous.

"I am Darth Oblique," the alien hissed into Dooku's face. "You are dead."

"No," he said, blocking her blades with his own. "I am merely unimpressed."

"That shall be rectified!" She shrieked and pressed her advantage. Dooku held his ground.

The Clone troopers, led by Vlad, stepped up. But so did the b

 

Well done! This was sooo Dooku!

Dooku gestured, and Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped aside, moving around to face Greivous.

"I am Darth Oblique," the alien hissed into Dooku's face. "You are dead."

"No," he said, blocking her blades with his own. "I am merely unimpressed."



I can so hear Mr. Lee's voice saying that!

Uh oh... Palps and Obi kidnapped? Oh dear this is gonna be scary! Dooku in a Aerosprite fighting? Sweet! Wonder if he's as graceful flying as he is fighting?

Great update!

 

I love that Obi and Ani diguised themselves as clones and then surprised them!

Obi was kidnapped?

 

The Separatist battle fleet, having won their prize, was slowly pulling out of Coruscant's gravity well, powering up their hyperdrive engines for escape. Privately, Dooku wondered why they simply hadn't launched into hyperspace already, which they could do.

"It seems a trap," he said to Anakin over the communications channel as their fighters raced after the Separatist Flagship.

"I know," Anakin said grimly. "But what can we do? We can't let them have Obi-Wan and the Chancellor."

"Indeed, son. So what we do is spring the trap, but make sure we are not inside it when it closes."

Anakin was silent as their ships slowly closed the distance, but Dooku could feel a surge of emotion through the Force from the boy. "What is it?"

"Thank you," Anakin said softly.

"For what, in particular?"

"Calling me son."

Dooku smiled. "You're welcome. But stay focused on the moment. Your focus determines your reality."

"Yes sir," Anakin said, breathing out in somthing that was not exactly a sigh. "Qui-Gon once told me that."

"Well he did learn it from me," Dooku returned, and smiled to hear Anakin's laughter through the comlink. "Now, let's save Obi-Wan and the Chancellor, shall we?"

"Let's!"

----

Their fighters slipped into the flagshp's hangar just before the ship activated it's hyperdrive. At the moment of transition, both the Jedi Master and the Chosen One felt a strange sense of dislocation. Dooku grimaced, realizing what it meant.

Anakin could not interpret the feeling, but looking out the hanger into space he could see the problem. Instead of stars, there was a dark mottling of blues and purples. "A dimensional bubble?"

Dooku nodded. "The hyperdrive has malfunctioned. We are caught, trapped between motionlessness and light speed. Strange things can happen in this state, including a slower passage of time. We are fortunate the ship was not torn to pieces." He frowned, looking around. "Where are the droids to challenge us?"

"Here they come!" Anakin shouted.

They lit their blades, but Dooku couldn't help but feel they should've been challenged before now. This was too easy.

----

They fought their way to the observation spire. The Chancellor was trapped in a throne like chair, his bonds glowing faintly. Obi-Wan stood next to him, trapped in a cone of blue light, apparently drugged, his eyes half-closed.

They were flanked by Greivous and Darth Oblique. "So it ends," said Greivous. They charged.

This time it was different. Anakin was more than just angry, he was furious. And Dooku was grimly determined.

Dooku and Greivous faced off. At first they matched eachother once more, but Dooku eventually stepped back, and dropped his saber. Greivous was so surprised he had no time to react as Dooku used the Force to keep the saber activated as it slid across the floor and chopped both of Greivous' feet off. Greivous was forced to drop his sabers and use his hands, and he scuttled away.

Anakin hammered away at Oblique's guard until finally she lost her weapon. Anakin called it to him with his free hand, and crossed his blades just over Oblique's face. He could kill her before she could counter with the Force, and well she knew it.

"Good, good!" Palpatine chortled. "Kill her now, she's too dangerous to leave alive."

Anakin hesitated.

"No, Anakin, we must question her about her Master."

Palpatine stared at him for a long moment, then looked back at Anakin. "She won't talk. Do it."

"You can only kill in the heat of battle, not cold blood," Dooku said. "That leads to the Dark Side."

Anakin froze.

"Anakin, please, for my sake..." Palpatine pleaded.

Oblique stared at the Chancellor, then back at Anakin. Finally, she spat in contempt at the crossed blades, then turned and lunged at the Chancellor, pushing him back in his chair, trying to crush him with the Force.

Anakin smacked her in the back of the head with the lightsaber hilts, and she crumpled, unconscious.

"Well done, Anakin," Dooku said. He went to Obi-Wan and dea

 

Oh dear... I had so thought I'd replied to this all ready! My humble apologies my friend!

Totally awesome! Loved how it was Anakin's blow that sent Sidious to his death!

Dooku retired and died happily knowing the Republic was safe once more! And Qui was there on the other side to greet him!

Well done!! Loved it!