( 32 BBY )
It was a few nights after returning from Coruscant, when Dooku felt a dark presence lurking outside the palace. He could tell almost immediately that it wasn't Sidious, this assassin wasn't nearly as powerful, but a formidable presence nonetheless. After making sure his children were in bed and Athemeene was asleep he left the palace to confront them.
Amidst the thinly spread, narrow trees that dug their roots into the steep, shallow soil of the mountain side, Dooku found the man waiting for him.
A zabrak, bald but for the crown of horns sprouting from his head, his face covered in a swirl of red and black tattoos. His eyes were an off yellow and bloodshot, a sure sign that excessive use of the Dark Side had turned him completely rabid. He was of average height, but with a powerfully athletic build, and a feral surety to his movements as he paced restlessly, treading small half circles into the loam before suddenly changing direction, like he was waiting for a chance to strike Dooku.
"Jedi." He breathed out, drawing the word into a low growl.
"What are you doing here, assassin? Your target is elsewhere."
"Yes. Elsewhere. Sometimes he's in your New Temple, and sometimes… he's here." He shrugged, like the idea of it was amusing. "Strange for a Jedi to have a palace."
Dooku's eyes narrowed, but he didn't yet reach for his lightsaber.
"I could strike Sifo while he's surrounded by your… 'new' Jedi, or I could strike at him here, where he's not nearly so well protected." He glanced past the Count for a moment before making eye contact and smirking. "Strange for a Jedi to have a family. Powerful, isn't she? I can feel all that potential from here."
Heart beating faster and hot blood rushing through his ears, Dooku was on the verge of attacking the man. In that moment the dark side wasn't cold to the touch, but scalding hot, seductive, beckoning Dooku to use it, to revel in it… But Dooku withheld himself. Clearly the Sith apprentice saw Dooku as a potential rival, and was not above any act he thought could give him an edge in seeking his Master's favor. There was no reason for Dooku not to kill him right then and there, and save himself the trouble for later.
Just do it now. This mad animal was threatening his family, and there was only one appropriate response.
With a long, deep breath, Dooku spoke to the intruder in a carefully measured voice. "This house, and everyone and everything under its roof is under my protection. If you dare to step foot across the boundary, your Master will find himself in need of a new pet."
"Is that so?" The man shrugged off his robes, bringing up his lightsaber staff.
Dooku noted the red blades coming from both ends; similar weapons were used by the Sentinels at the Temple on Coruscant. His keen eyes took in the assassin's stance, and well practiced movements.
The two stood motionless for a long moment, on the verge of combat but neither striking the first blow. Seconds ticked by, the wind ruffling Dooku's collar, before finally, the Assassin lowered his weapon.
"Temper, Jedi. I was merely showing courtesy." He returned the lightsaber to his belt in a practiced motion. "I can't attack your old friend at the 'new' Temple, and your family is here. So, you will help me. Send him away, and I will deal with him when he is alone."
Dooku scowled. "It will look suspicious if I order him to leave and he is killed immediately."
"Then what are we to do?"
A fresh wave of contempt for this man, no, beast, washed over Dooku. He made threats to his family just a moment before, yet now he dared to demand assistance? "You're the assassin, not me. Is this not your expertise?"
"Afraid to get your hands dirty? What will our Master think?" He smiled mockingly.
"Sidious," Dooku drawled out, "can think whatever pleases him." He replied. "Now begone."
"...Very well." The assassin pulled the cloak back over his shoulders, before turning and disappearing into the shadows.
Dooku remained long enough to make sure the shadowy scum had truly left, before returning back towards his house. After a long moment, he let his breath out and released his anger and the Dark Side with it. The fire in his veins was gone, leaving him cold and alone atop a mountain.
In the absence of rage, all Dooku felt was fear.
...
The purchase of the Hammerhead hulls was all but ready to go ahead. Before her master approved the payment, he wanted himself and Tan'ya to go to Raxus Prime to check on their condition first, and speak to the engineer who would be handling the restoration. You always had to be careful when purchasing a used ship, after all.
The morning they were due to leave, she went to the spot in the garden where Tan'ya, her mother and Asajj would practice their lightsaber forms, and was surprised to find her father there. Normally he would be at work around this time of the week, and even when he was home he preferred to practice by himself.
Tan'ya's mother wasn't Force Sensitive, but in the interests of maintaining her fitness she had persisted with her form 1 practice, and had slimmed down considerably. Though Tan'ya doubted her mother would ever hold a real lightsaber, she moved confidently and ably through the simple katas of Shii-Cho.
Asajj had been Dooku's apprentice for four and a half years now, and in that time had blossomed under his teachings. Tall and lithe with an ethereal grace, she had a natural talent for Makashi, which combined with the expert eye of her teacher and her own determination to become an excellent Jedi had resulted in a remarkable growth.
Even though she was only a padawan, Asajj had proven herself more than capable of dueling the knights and masters who occasionally visited the New Temple, and was even a match for Master Narec, no mean feat to Tan'ya's estimation. Even the staunchest of the Orthodox Jedi had to reluctantly concede that Asajj would soon be ready for her Knighthood.
Having practiced with the woman for years now, Tan'ya knew she had a long way to go before she rose to that level. She had mastered Form 1, and had memorized all the Form 2 katas, but had yet to fully integrate them into her movements the way Asajj had. So she persisted in the tedium of repetition of forms and stances in an effort to ingrain them as a habit that would serve her on the battlefields of the future… and to one day match her excellent senior.
After her mother left as usual part way through the morning, Dooku called Tan'ya over to spar.
It was immediately apparent that he was taking it easy on her, but that was to be expected. Tan'ya's father was rumored to be the greatest swordsman in the entire Jedi Order after all, and he certainly wasn't silent about any mistakes she made while practicing with him. Nervous despite herself, Tan'ya did her best to put on a good showing, though his expression gave away not even a hint of pleasure. The entire time they practiced together, the Count's expression was fixed in a cold frown.
Tan'ya must have been doing worse than she thought. Her experience as a mage was of little use, and she still knew too little about the way Jedi fought.
At the end of the practice, Tan'ya was left feeling embarrassed and worried as she watched the back of her Father stride back into the house, plainly unimpressed.
"Hey, you did great." Asajj offered an obvious platitude, and Tan'ya accepted it with grace.
The youngest children had already been fed by Athemeene before they got there, so at breakfast the three ate in silence. Feeling glum about what was a poor performance review, Tan'ya hardly even noticed when her own Master, Sifo, joined them.
"Have you packed your bags yet, Tan'ya?" He asked her, taking his seat.
Tan'ya nodded once. "Yes, Master."
Dooku paused, then looked at his daughter. "Going to the New Temple?"
"We were going to visit Raxus Prime." She said.
Sifo added, "We were going to carry out the final inspection on the Hammerhead hulls."
"...Raxus Prime is a hub of the Dark Side, it's too risky for her to go as she is." Dooku said.
Sifo looked at him for a long moment. "Is that so? I think she's ready." The two stared at each other until finally at last Sifo broke eye contact. "I see. Shall I inspect the ship hulls alone, then?"
"That would be for the best."
The rest of their meal passed in uncomfortable silence, and Tan'ya left the table not feeling quite as hungry as she had when she sat down and not having eaten much at all. On her way up the stairs to her bedroom, suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, let's meditate together." Asajj said.
They both sat cross legged on Tan'ya's bedroom floor, with their eyes closed. Tan'ya's cheeks started to grow wet, though she was careful to keep her breathing even.
"That's it, let the feelings run through you." Asajj said softly. "Then we let go of them into the Force. The sadness, the disappointment, the frustration. It's okay to feel these things, but don't hold onto them. Just let them flow into the Force."
It was a method of emotional control that Tan'ya had been taught already, but she rarely used it unless instructed to do so. Only an overly emotional weakling would need such a thing, yet even so, Tan'ya occasionally found it valuable. Though amidst other feelings, there was gratitude to Asajj before she let that go as well.
...
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