It was when he explained to her just how long it would take for him to finally be elected and then bring the Senate to heel, that she realized the extent of his disloyalty.
What would he even gain from killing her? He used her to convince the senate to start a vote of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum.
...
She paused.
Did Senator Palpatine really need her specifically to do that? No, what he really needed was a good cause for the vote to take place. If she had died, there was no reason to believe someone else couldn't be persuaded to push for it in her place, with all the more weight behind it for her being a martyr.
Thinking about it further, if she was killed by the Trade Federation, and everyone else in her cabinet was captured as well, wouldn't Palpatine have been Naboo's acting head of state? There were a dozen names ahead of him in the line of succession, but if it hadn't been for Padme's own escape and survival Palpatine would easily be able to call for the vote himself with all the moral and legal authority required.
The Senator was the one who had clearly benefited the most from this whole ordeal.
"...This sect, are they likely to continue to pursue us?"
"I cannot possibly say." Dooku replied. "Presumably, you've served your usefulness to him, but then a second assassin chased you into the swamps despite that. It may be that you'll need Jedi protection for some time to come."
Padme froze, thoughts of being plagued by force sensitive superhuman assassins for the rest of her life feeling all too plausible. A cold shiver ran down her spine at the idea.
"Perhaps you can persuade the Jedi Council of your needs, Yoda's coming here right now." Dooku told her, though his tone said he doubted it. "Young Kenobi has proven himself very capable."
"You don't think the Council will listen to us?"
"They certainly never listen to me." Dooku scoffed. "Of course, if you find them as stubbornly blind as I did, then you can discuss the matter with me. The New Temple is more than happy to provide permanent Jedi protection to worlds that need it."
"For a price, Count?" Padme glowered at him. "You offer us a Deveronian bargain."
"Of course not." Dooku replied. "The New Temple isn't a business, it's not run for profit. We seek to protect the Outer Rim."
"And the Mid Rim as well, now?"
"Only if you wish it so, Your Majesty."
Padme considered. If there were going to be more assassins with the power of the Jedi chasing her, she would need a bodyguard to match. Hopefully the Jedi Council would be willing to see her need, but if they weren't, where else could she turn but to Dooku and his New Temple?
Not to mention more mundane threats. Her Naboo Security Services were in ashes, and their patrol fighter fleet destroyed. Pirates were known to occasionally penetrate this far into the Mid Rim, and even the Gungans might make an attempt to drive the despised human population of Naboo off their homeworld if they thought they had a chance to do so. Not that the Gungans' military situation was much better than hers, but King Nass hadn't been particularly friendly before the occupation, and Padme doubted that would change much now that she'd used his people as canon fodder.
"Count, there are other matters we would like to discuss before you leave-"
Dooku held up a hand to forestall her, looking back to the entrance. "I hesitate to interrupt, Your Majesty, but it seems we have company."
The doors to the hotel room opened, and in came Jedi Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Windu. The two of them stopped just in the doorway, both looking at Dooku in a way that would have seemed almost hostile if they weren't Jedi, to whom emotions like anger were supposedly alien. Padme felt as if she wasn't standing there, the yelling would have already started.
Seemingly reading her thoughts, Yoda looked to her. "Apologies, Your Majesty. Happy to see you in good health, I am. Celebrations are in order, for the liberation of your people."
"You honor me, Grand Master. Your former student's intervention has saved millions of our people from suffering. He has my gratitude, and through him we are grateful to you as well. To free our people, he has suffered a terrible loss of his own." Padme lowered her head to all three of the Jedi. "We will always remember this."
There was a pause as Yoda and Windu looked at each other, then at her.
"Your Majesty, the Order apologizes that it took so long for help to come." Master Windu said, before turning to Dooku. "And sorry that it came at such a high price. Grandmaster Dooku, if you would, we can retire to our ship and talk in private."
With a dismissive curl of his lip, Dooku turned and bowed to Queen Amidala, showing his back to the other two Jedi. "If you wish to discuss future security arrangements, you will always be a welcome guest at Serenno or the New Temple." Then he walked out straight past the two Jedi Masters.
"Nothing to say to us, have you?" Yoda said, turning to watch his student leave.
Dooku paused in the doorway. He didn't look back at the Grandmaster as he spoke softly, "The Duke of Raxus once shared with me a tale about his younger brother, who was battling a terrible Glitterstim addiction. Again and again, he would try to help his brother, paying for his rehabilitation and giving him chances and responsibility to prove himself. Every time, the brother would disappoint the Duke by misusing funds, enriching himself and feeding his own hunger. One day the Duke was ready to begin the cycle anew, when finally it was his younger brother who refused his help. He looked him in the eye and said wisely, 'If you still trust me at this point, whatever happens is your fault.'"
Padme winced internally at that.
"And the funeral, Lord?" Yoda asked. "Will you not attend?"
"...I doubt I would be pleasant company."
The door slammed shut as Dooku stalked away, the sound loud enough that Padme nearly flinched.
She was now alone with the two Jedi Masters, but for Minla. "He told us that there may be more assassins coming for our life, and that I should ask you for protection."
Mace Windu replied. "The Council thinks this is unlikely. Padawan Kenobi has debriefed us, and we've identified the Second Assassin as a mercenary named Aurra Sing, a fallen Jedi Padawan. Though we've yet to identify the first assassin, we've since learned that he's targeted other Jedi Masters previously. We believe his targets were Padawan Kenobi and Master Jinn. He likely hired Aurra Sing to kill Kenobi as revenge for the injuries he sustained."
Padme frowned at that. "Count Dooku has informed us that Maul was sent by a hidden sect on Coruscant. And that our own Senator Palpatine is a part of it."
Both Yoda and Windu exchanged a look at that. "Certainly, Dooku may believe this. We, however, think this unlikely. The first assassin was from Dathomir. Most likely, the sect is there."
"It's possible they could be in contact with Senator Palpatine." Windu conceded. "Of course, we will investigate this and find out who's really behind the assassination attempts. Our top investigator is already on it."
"And what of Padawan Kenobi? He'll be recalled now, won't he?"
"After such an ordeal, Padawan Kenobi has earned his rest." Yoda answered with a nod.
Padme supposed he had at that, but in the meantime it seemed the Count was right; She would have to make her own security arrangements.
...
With his lip pulled back into a snarling grimace, Darth Sidious stalked through the Coruscant Undercity to his lair. Moving with surprising speed for someone of his age, his hateful shadow seemed to drive away even the rodents and predators of the Undercity, human and alien alike each shied away from him fearfully, understanding by some instinct not to cross his path.
He passed through the darkened streets into his hidden lair, where he bypassed his labyrinthine traps and security measures, before finally coming to his landing pad. Parked there was his own stealth ship, the Scimitar, the dark spirit that inhabited it felt excited to see him for the promise of violence he brought. Without any thought of the Sith guiding it, the ramp lowered.
"Going somewhere, Darth Sidious?" A voice rang out.
Sidious whipped around, surprised to see a pair of yellow eyes gleaming at him from the shadows.
The tall, narrow form of the Munn emerged into the light, hood disguising his face and crinkling slightly at the neck where it bent around his breathing apparatus.
"This close to the election, you don't have time to waste. There's votes on the line." Plagueis chided.
Sidious grimaced, and spat out. "Of course, but the Count has gone rogue. He threatens to reveal our plans to the Jedi."
"He doesn't know our plans."
"But he knows my identity!" Sidious snapped. "If he tells the Jedi that, then the election may be lost on rumors alone!" He was too proud to speak aloud the even greater threat of ten thousand Jedi attacking him at once. Any one he could defeat, even any dozen, but all of them? "He must be silenced!"
Plagueis nodded. "Even the best hyperdrive would take forty eight hours to arrive at Serenno, or the New Temple, then there would be the return journey. He won't wait for you at Naboo, and you can't disappear for so long. Two days' absence could cost you the election, let alone four. Isn't this what your pet is for?"
"I've been… retraining Maul. He's not in a fit state to defeat a Jedi Padawan, let alone Nemesis." Sidious was forced to admit none of the other assassins he might use would stand a chance against the Jedi Order's greatest duelist.
Plagueis regarded his apprentice for a long moment. "Then I will go."
Sidious blinked in surprise. It had been years since Plagueis had willingly risked his own life, devoting his time almost entirely to research.
"You are right. Your assassins are not up to the task, and you are indisposed. This is a problem that must be dealt with." The Munn walked past him, up the ramp to the ship. "I'll be borrowing this."
Sidious nodded, smiling for the first time in what felt like days. "Yes. Good. Gooood."
At the top of the ramp, Plagueis paused and turned to face his apprentice. "Don't be so pleased, Sidious. I will clean this up for you, but you were to be the one who would interface with him not me, and now we have to replace an important cog in our plans at this late hour because of your mistakes."
Internally Sidious seethed, burning with humiliation. Rather than reply, he turned and walked away, heading back to the Senate Tower. After some time he allowed himself to be relieved, and even pleased as a decision was made.
Fate was on its way to meet any who dared declare themselves Nemesis to Darth Sidious, the future Emperor of the Galaxy. He leant back into his chair, finally feeling resolved. Fate would be waiting here for Plagueis' return as well…
...
Apparently, chapters write themselves faster when Power Stones are involved. Who knew?
Feel free to test the theory go ahead, toss a few my way.
...
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