32 BBY
Sitting by herself in her bedroom, Tan'ya typed away at her keyboard without glancing at the keys or looking away from her work. When she was like this it was easy to lose track of time, hyperfocusing on her writing. With the Palace to herself for a few days, Tan'ya decided to spend her time productively by working on Volume Four of a Complete History of the Galactic Republic.
It was a fascinating topic, and after all those hours discussing it with Master Dyas she felt well prepared to continue where he left off. Especially since he'd bequeathed all his research notes to her, which included an extensive collection of reference materials he'd gathered over decades of travel across the Galaxy.
Of course, Tan'ya wasn't quite alone in the Palace. Other than the servants she had a bodyguard now, in the form of Jedi Master Sturn, who seemed to her surprisingly soft for his profession. He spoke in a gentle, measured way, and seemed to delight in almost every answer she gave to his occasional questions. At first Tan'ya thought it was because he was treating her like a child, but then he spoke to all the Palace servants and even the House Guards in the same way. When she told him about the book she'd worked on with her former Master, he'd immediately been interested.
Of course Tan'ya had provided him with a copy, and since then between meals and patrols of the Palace perimeter, Master Sturn had been reading his way through the series over several days, surprising her at the speed with which he consumed each volume, the shortest of which was over five hundred pages long.
"What did you think?" She asked him when he finally put down Volume Three, after returning it to her shelf.
"Bit of a decline over the first two volumes." He shrugged. "I just don't see why it needed to place so much emphasis on each battle and commander, when it started as a political and social history."
Tan'ya paused in her typing. "I agree, but when I pointed that out to him, Sifo told me that was how he wanted it."
"Are you working on Volume Four now?" He came over and sat next to her bed. "Where are you up to in the Timeline?"
"The Great Hyperspace War." Tan'ya answered.
"Ah, our first contact with the Sith."
"Not quite. There had been encounters before then, and you have to remember that the Sith originated with the Jedi."
"Oh, is that so?" Sturn asked, sounding impressed. "I'm more familiar with Correllian history."
"Understandable. I began my own historical studies with Serenno's history, my homeworld." At this point Tan'ya was distracted enough from her writing that she looked away from her work over to the Jedi Master. "I guess it's tricky, because we use the word 'Sith' to describe two separate groups. There's the species and culture, called the Sith, or maybe Imperial, and then there's the reactionary philosophy, which I haven't gotten access to any primary sources for, but seems to mostly just be an attempt for Dark Jedi to justify to themselves the things the Order may have denied them."
"You don't sound very impressed."
Tan'ya wrinkled her nose. "Sources are important, and so far I've mostly only had access to Jedi and Republic accounts with a distinct bias. Serenno had its own run in with the Sith, when we were conquered during the New Sith Period, so that's a gap of three millennia to the culture I'm writing about. We have some Hutt accounts, but they mostly paint themselves as the height of civilization, and paint the Sith as mere vassals whom the Hutts generously allowed to succeed."
"So none of those view the Sith in a positive light?"
"No." Tan'ya shrugged. "Orthodoxy would have me believe the Sith are nothing but psychotic monsters, hopped up on the Dark Side like an entire people using dangerous combat stims. The problem with that view is they were a distinct civilisation that on different occasions ruled vast empires for thousands of years, so they had to have some kind of stability. They led gargantuan armies that were willing to fight and die for them, in Galaxy spanning, decades long wars. They must have had some capacity outside their fearsome prowess in combat, or they never would have been able to construct a single fleet, let alone the hundreds of thousands of ships that participated in the sacking of Coruscant."
"Sounds like quite the conundrum." Sturn considered for a moment. "Have you considered consulting Sifo's holocron?"
Tan'ya blinked. "His holocron?"
"Didn't he have one made?" Sturn shook his head sadly. "It would be such a shame for such a wise scholar to have not left his thoughts on record."
"...Actually, he did." Tan'ya remembered. Right before he died, Sifo made a holocron and gave it to Tan'ya's father. Now that she thought about it, it was probably still in his office.
Tan'ya left Sturn there, while she went off to find the holocron. It didn't take long at all, it almost called out to her in the Force when she came near. It was just sitting in one of her Father's unlocked draws, not even hidden or secured. She supposed that her father, like her, had forgotten all about it, with the distraction of the funeral and the political fallout and the conflict with the Trade Federation.
She hesitated briefly, before reaching out to engage with the Holocron. The moment her mind connected with it, the device unlocked itself. This was the first time Tan'ya had ever used a holocron, so she wasn't sure if that was unusual or not, but she could have sworn reading about the process being more involved.
Projected in front of her was a life size image of Master Sifo Dyas, coloured blue.
As Tan'ya looked up at her former Master, a strange surge of emotion ran through her. No, who was she kidding? It wasn't strange. It was grief. Letting out a pained sigh, Tan'ya put her head in her hands.
"Is something wrong, Tan'ya?" The Holocron asked.
Of course it would be able to name her. Sifo had made this for her tutelage. "I wanted to ask about sources." Tan'ya looked up at the image. "Do you know of any more neutral sources on the…" Tan'ya paused, looking at her teacher. A new question formed in her mind, one that had gone unanswered for too long.
"Master Sifo… Do you know who may have had you killed?"
The holocron considered the question for a second. "Actually, when I made this holocron, I was expecting your father was going to try and assassinate me."
The revelation made Tan'ya slip her grip on the Force, the blue image of Sifo wavering and vanishing, leaving Tan'ya gaping in disbelief. It took her a moment to collect herself, before she picked up the holocron, and began to interrogate it.
This wasn't Athemeene's first visit to Indinor and the New Temple, but her circumstances now were very different from last time. In the past, she came to the place to visit her son, Kenth, meet his teachers, and see where he would be taught for the next twenty years. It had been a heartwarming visit, where Kenth had enthusiastically ran about and played with dozens of children his own age, and eagerly began to practice his use of the Force. At the end of the visit, Athemeene had left feeling warm and fuzzy, and optimistic about the future.
This time, she was struggling to keep her anxiety under control, not just for her own sake, but for the sake of the Younglings who were here. Most of the children in the Temple had already been taught to detect the thoughts and surface level feelings of those around them, and so in some ways they were particularly susceptible to the moods of the adults around them.
If Athemeene went stalking through the halls, letting herself be directed to nervous flights of fancy by her own fears, those feelings would upset the children. Trying to not feel something was usually a losing battle, so Athemeene chose to distract herself by reading to and playing with them, meditating when she was alone, and busying herself with trying to learn everything she could about the New Temple's creation and upkeep.
Any time not spent focused on the present, she found herself checking for the news about what was happening at Naboo. Questions would occasionally slip their way through her thoughts unbidden, about why her entire family now needed Jedi protectors? Had Dooku made an enemy of the Grand Temple on Coruscant? Would they be targeted by assassins?
As much as she tried to keep her thoughts away from these things, no amount of Kenth's mud cakes could really sooth her anxiety.
Finally, after days of worrying, Athemeene at last received a call from her husband. Taking shelter in her room, she answered it and before even greeting him, the moment she saw her husband's projected holograph, furious words hissed out of her.
"You better tell me what's going on right now, or I'm taking our children to my parents for the rest of your life!" It was a pathetic threat to her own ears, but it was the best she could do.
The Count regarded her for a long moment, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Athemeene, I-"
"No! Dooku!" She shook the projector angrily with each word, like she was trying to shake him across time and space. "What have you done? Who is it that threatens my children! Our children?!"
"Athemeene. Please. You're calling over the New Temple's holonet, which means the local administrator can access our call quite easily."
"How much longer do I have to wait, Dooku?" Athemeene demanded, fighting to keep her hands from trembling. "I need to know! I can't bear this any longer…"
"...Yes, I'll tell you everything." He spoke calmly, which at this moment almost made her feel more angry. "Go to my ship, it's still parked at the New Temple. Go alone. Use the secure line, and call me on this number again. I promise you the truth."
Athemeene didn't wait. She hung up, and paused only to wipe the tears from her cheeks, before rushing through the Temple. Prialla tried to speak with her, but Athemeene asked her simply to watch the baby, before she hurried up to the Temple's landing area.
When she called her husband back, she felt more in control of herself, if only just.
Dooku answered the call, but stood silently in his image, face deep in contemplation.
"Now, Dooku."
"Yes, I know."
"Everything. Please."
"...I'm not sure how to begin this." Dooku finally said. "There's so much that you don't know, and I've never told this to anyone."
"Just start at the beginning."
"...For me, this began at Galidraan, four years before I met you. I… was part of a Jedi quick response team. We were called in to handle an emergency involving Mandalorian pirates. There was a terrible battle, and many good Jedi died, though we were victorious. Only afterwards did I learn that the whole thing was part of some absurd gambit by the governor, hoping to secure his own interests. Nothing was done by the Senate or the Jedi Council… I suppose there were other incidents before that. Senator Dagonet was-"
"Husband, please." Athemeene interrupted him, beginning to feel frustrated. "What does this have to do with our children?"
"...Yes." Dooku breathed out. "After many… failures of the Senate, and the Council, my faith in them began to waver. I was becoming despondent, and hopeless. At that time I was contacted by a man, who began to explain to me the Republic's many flaws, and unlike anyone else I'd ever met, he began to offer solutions. It wasn't very hard to persuade me, and together we began to concoct a plan to finally bring peace and stability to the Galaxy. Now that I think about it, he was the one to suggest most of our ideas. I suspect that he already knew what he wanted to do. Eventually I left the Temple, and began to put our plan into action. It was a coup, a revolution, and a great reformation, all at once. We were to destroy the Republic, and replace it with a government that could protect all of its citizens."
He looked up at her, as if waiting for her response, and Athemeene chose not to let that sink in. If she stopped now to consider the absurdity of such a scheme, she would have to laugh or scream. Instead, she asked, "This man. Is he the one you're afraid of?"
He nodded.
"Who is he?" Athemeene demanded.
"You would know him as Senator Sheev Palpatine, but his true identity is Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith."
Somewhere in the Galaxy, someone had dared to utter his name. His true name.
Sheev Palpatine grit his teeth, and swallowed down his rage. Dooku was spreading secrets that weren't his to share.
"Sheev, are you okay?" A man to his left asked. Senator Hoden Baab, he reminded himself. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing of great concern." The charming, wise old senator from Naboo reassured his friend and ally. All around them, Sheev's personal quarters buzzed with the sound of campaigning. Holocalls, last minute negotiations, and ceaseless tallying. Right up to the last second, Sheev's whips would be prowling the Senate building, breathing down the necks of any and every senator. Not even the lowliest, voteless representative could be allowed to utter a word against Palpatine's bid for the chancellorship if a senator might overhear them.
The race was getting narrower and narrower. What had once seemed like it would be a clean win for Palpatine was shifting as he declined in the polls. Many of the democratically elected senators were beginning to feel nervous about supporting him, when a narrative was creeping about the halls of power through whispered rumors.
Palpatine had used the crisis on Naboo to advance his own career. Even if he hadn't, the crisis had passed, thanks to that Jedi Lord who'd taken over Serenno. Let the Outer Rim nonsense stay in the Outer Rim, why should that affect us?
Of course, he'd countered with his own narrative. A modern day Jedi Lord! How could that be acceptable? It was past time to reform the Republic into something that could deal with these things. If you wanted the Outer Rim to stay where it was, someone would need to keep it there.
Uncertainty infuriated Sidious. So close to completion, decades of preparations were threatening to come undone, all because of a single fool. Nemesis.
Sheev Palpatine was becoming angry again. He let out a slow breath, and forced himself to smile. It became a more genuine smile, when he remembered Plagueis was on his way to deal with this.
Soon Dooku would be dead, and so would his entire family. Most likely they were the ones he was talking to.
Everything would be fine. Palpatine just had to stay where he was, and win the election.
"Tell me, Hoden, I heard you had a daughter who was taking an interest in politics? I was thinking perhaps now was the perfect time to introduce her to some of my friends." Sheev continued the game of lies and intrigue like nothing was wrong.
It was what he did best.
Traveling from Naboo to Indinoor had taken days, and from there it was another full day before they arrived at Serenno. In that entire time Dooku's wife had not spoken to him, not that he blamed her.
He told her his secrets. He told her all of his secrets.
It felt good, even if she still refused to speak with him.
What would he do if she tried to leave? Now that she knew everything, there was no way that Sidious could allow her to live. Dooku could provide her with a permanent jedi bodyguard, if he had to… But he didn't want her to leave.
Of course she would likely be happier with a younger man, and Dooku knew that even setting aside his age he was far from a great husband. He probably wasn't even a good one, if he was being honest. Looking back at his wedding made him feel like hiding his face in shame. Of course he felt the anxiety and nervousness in his young bride's mind, but to him it had been irrelevant. She was terrified of him, but he made no effort at all to reassure or comfort her.
Athemeene had been the first one to commit to making her life with him work. After suffering in a long, lonely silence, an anguish that Dooku had known full well about, she was the one to reach for him, to compromise and change her ways to adjust for his plans and goals. She was the one who had drawn him into the home she was building, while he was off plotting to bring a Galaxy to war in the name of peace, all because he trusted a damn Sith.
Of course Athemeene would want to leave now. For years, she had been made a pawn in a vast and crude game. She and her children, their children, had been obvious threats to the most powerful, ambitious and conniving man Dooku had ever met, and he had kept that from her for years while working with him.
Dooku gazed out upon the hyperspace tunnel from the bridge of his starship for so long that even the officers on the bridge grew concerned, exchanging questioning looks among themselves.
Finally, Dooku reached a decision. He turned and left, walking straight to the crew quarters where his wife and children were staying.
After knocking on the door, he waited for a moment. When there was no response, he let himself in and found the room dark.
Kenth was asleep in the top bunk. He was resting with one leg above his blanket, and his arm propping up his cheek. Beneath him on the bottom bunk, Madalee lay flat on her back with her arms spread wide, mouth hanging open slightly. Athemeene was still awake, watching Dooku in the dark, while holding Ideon in her arms and rocking him gently.
She was partly hidden in shadow, only her shoulders and neck visible as the rest of the light from the hallway was blocked by Dooku's shoulder and the doorsill. In the force she bled a complicated weave of emotions, bewilderment, frustration, betrayal, anxiety, disappointment, mixed with a simmering rage as she beheld him there in the doorway.
"We should talk." Dooku spoke softly.
Rather than reply, Athemeene gently put the child down, and after a moment to make sure Ideon didn't wake, she softly left the room, closing the door behind herself.
When they were out in the hallway, she turned to look at him, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms without saying anything.
"I just wish to know your intentions." Dooku began. "If-"
"My intentions?" Athemeene cut across him, coldly hissing. "What do you care about my blasted intentions? You're the crater-brained fool who intended to play the scapegoat for an entire Galactic war."
Dooku paused, waiting for her to continue her tirade. When she didn't, he said. "It's right that you feel betrayed. I have betrayed you."
"Well, I'm glad I don't have to explain that to you."
"...If you wish to leave, and take the children with you, you may."
"What? So you can get involved in another Galactic scale conspiracy? My handmaid found out her husband had massive gambling debts he was concealing, and now I envy her. Dooku, you… you… I just can't believe you." She shook her head, her voice infuriated and incredulous. "You know what happens to the families of deposed rulers! At best they're imprisoned, but usually they're just killed. When Emperor Palpatine was done spitting out your bones, did you really think he was going to leave your children alone?"
"I know." Dooku replied. "Realizing that was why I broke my alliance with him."
"After almost a decade!" She grabbed his arm, pulling on it desperately. "Dooku, this isn't just foolish, because I know you're not a fool, this is madness. This whole plan, from start to end, was absolutely crazy. Can you not see the incredible spell this man had over you?"
"...When he met me, I was at a moment in my life where everyone and anything I had ever fought for or believed in had come to disgust me. I was… desperate."
For the first time in the conversation a current of sympathy ran through Athemeene's mind. "Dooku…"
"It's no excuse." He told her, finally meeting her gaze. "I… just came to tell you, that if you wish to leave, I won't try to stop you. I only insist that you take a jedi bodyguard to keep you and the children safe."
"Dooku, if we leave you're just going to go straight back to huffing the Dark Side." Athemeene scowled at him.
Dooku blinked. "Excuse me?"
"You're not an idiot, and you were acting crazy. I know you're not taking spice, and I've been around enough Jedi now to have heard plenty of warnings about the Dark Side. Incredible power but a loss of self control, and delusions of grandeur. Dooku, I'm still angry at you, but I figured out why you've been going along with this madness pretty quickly."
Dooku stared at his wife for a long moment, trying to think of a way to argue against what she said. The Dark Side wasn't a drug, he couldn't 'huff' it the way she suggested. It was true that Sidious had likely been using his powers to influence his thoughts and feelings, but the Dark Side itself couldn't control him. The Dark Side specifically offered control. He was a Jedi Master, a great one even among that lofty rank, and he had mastered the force, not the other way around.
One look at his wife's face, and he knew that trying to argue with her would achieve nothing.
"Please." She said to him, "Promise me that you'll stop."
"Athemeene-"
"Promise me." She insisted, holding his arm close to herself as she looked up at him.
He hesitated for only a moment longer, before finally nodding his head. "I promise."
He felt guilty, knowing it was an oath he couldn't keep.
Darth Sidious was still out there, and he had to be destroyed for Dooku's family to be safe.
Finally they arrived at Serenno. Athemeene was still angry, but she was no longer avoiding him. She'd even agreed to keep what he'd been doing a secret from Tan'ya, though she warned him that eventually he would have to tell their daughter and heir everything.
At the landing pad, Dooku and Athemeene were both greeted by Tan'ya. She patiently waited for their arrival, with Master Silas standing a small distance away, watching over her like Dooku had asked him to.
"I saw the news of your victory, Father." Tan'ya said to him, smiling quite smugly. "You modified our plan slightly, but I suppose when your opponent gives you such an opportunity you simply seize it as fast as you can."
The plan had always been to bait the Federation into attacking first, then leaping away to a prepared jump site, before returning in close to finish the job. What Tan'ya couldn't have known was that Dooku had used the force to ensure that the enemy commander had lost all rationality. He committed his entire fighter force to a task they were fundamentally ill suited for, and thus was completely defenseless when he returned.
"How was your time while we were gone, Tan'ya?" Athemeene asked her.
"Mostly, I worked on Volume four. Though I did indulge myself by watching the Coruscant news broadcasts to see the reactions to Father's victory over the Federation." She smirked. "Responses were divided, but I think the words 'Jedi Lord' were said a dozen times in one talk show alone."
Dooku nodded, though he wasn't overly interested in what the chattering simians of the major press outlets had to say, they were all owned by special interests, anyway. "Was there anything to suggest the Republic might take action?"
"Senator Palpatine was publicly grateful on the issue, but his main opponent for the chancellorship, Senator Coordeen was quick to accuse him of being responsible, somehow. I suspect that as the law and order candidate, Palpatine will be more trouble for us if elected."
More than Tan'ya knew, that was for certain.
"Oh, before I forget, I went into your office." Tan'ya added. "I wanted to consult with Master Sifo's holocron about a source I was trying to track down, I hope that's fine."
Dooku paused in his steps, blinking. Sifo's holocron. He'd almost forgotten about it completely. It had been such a chaotic time since the man's death. Before he let Tan'ya use it again, he would have to check to make sure Sifo hadn't chosen to include any knowledge he wasn't ready for her to learn yet, but otherwise he saw no reason not to let her keep it for herself. "It's fine. I asked him to make his holocron for you to use."
"Next, in regards to our three Munificents, we should begin by trying to reach out to the Trade Federation as soon as possible." Tan'ya added, hurrying along behind her Father. "So far, no one has declared war, and we need to keep it that way. I'm sure we can draw out a legal battle for long enough that-"
"Oh sweetie, please." Athemeene interrupted, turning to face her daughter, smiling gently. "This is all very important, and I know your father is grateful for the help. However, a former padawan of his has just… passed away."
Tan'ya blinked, before turning to him. "My condolences Father, I hadn't heard." She hesitated, before lowering her head. "I'll return at a more appropriate moment."
"...Thank you, Athemeene." Dooku told his wife, and then turned to Tan'ya. "And thank you as well, Tan'ya. For watching over the Palace while I was gone. I know there is much important business to attend to, and I have little time to mourn Qui-Gon's passing, but for now, please proceed as you think is best while I collect myself."
In the force, Tan'ya seemed to spike with excitement, before she remembered the passing of Qui-Gon, and she forced a level of contrition into her thoughts. "Yes Father, of course." Then she hesitated, before adding, "Only one thing I would bring to your attention, before I proceed."
"Yes?"
"We've been contacted by Hego Damask the Second. Our initial background check shows that he's a multi-trillionaire and very influential within the banking clan. He wants to meet with you, specifically. Shall I go ahead and arrange something? Attracting an investor like this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that I'm afraid to waste by hesitating."
Dooku thought back, that name sounding vaguely familiar. He remembered meeting Hego in a time that almost felt like it was a lifetime ago when he was still a Jedi Master, though it hadn't been that long. The Munn hadn't left much of an impression, though if he was as wealthy as Tan'ya said he was, then it would definitely be worth meeting him in person. Though, now that Dooku thought about it, wasn't he an associate of Palpatine's? That party had been arranged by him. Was he here to deliver a warning from his Master? Or perhaps negotiate a settlement between the two parties?
Either way, this could be important.
"Make the arrangement." Dooku told Tan'ya.
Later, when Tan'ya was alone in her bedroom, she carefully locked the door, before sealing herself in her walk-in closet where the countless articles of clothing would make her a little harder to overhear. With her holocom she called a number, and after just a few rings it was answered by Gon Seith.
The connection was terrible, with Gon's form wavering in the projection, and a loud background sound of rain and loud waves drowned out his initial greeting.
"Gon, can you hear me? Is it there? Is Kamino real?"
"Yes, I can hear you." He shouted back, pointing to a bud in his ear. "It's here, your Highness. And they do make clones. They've the facilities for billions of them."
So Sifo was right. That didn't mean Tan'ya's father had really been the one to arrange for his death, but it seemed more and more likely.
Gon continued, shouting to be heard over the pounding rain. "I can't tell you much more than that, Your Highness. I posed as a potential client, so they showed me some of their production lines, but they won't say anything more to someone who's not an official representative to one of their existing clients."
"Were you able to see the clones? Did they belong to Jango Fett?"
"Too young to tell, but the hair and eye color match."
"Alright, don't do anything to provoke them." Tan'ya told him. "Exchange contact info with an official representative, and get me a catalog or pamphlet that I can use as physical evidence, then come back here."
It seemed that for Tan'ya to further her investigation into this matter, she would need help from a Jedi… Asajj was just about to become a Knight, wasn't she? Once she was promoted, she would be the Jedi whom Tan'ya trusted the most. Surely she would be willing to help?