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Indeed, I will be turning over the training facility to Master Giiett and Knight Ti. She is a master in all but name at this point, and an excellent lightsaber instructor, as is Giiett. My absence will not be missed, and I feel the Force is telling me I am needed on this hunt."
Frowning now, Fay looked at Dooku unblinking for a moment. "I can tell there is more to this than that, but I would say you are underselling your presence here. I would wish for the Force to be with you, but if it is already telling you that, then it is telling you more than it has me about this specific issue. Just make certain it is the Force you are hearing and not the voice of your own hubris, Master Dooku. Also, remember that if anything were to happen to you, you would be sorely missed."
"Thank you for the word of warning and the compliment, Master Fay," Dooku said, allowing a faint smile to appear on his face. "I will take them to heart, I assure you."
The next day Dooku watched as Master Fay and the young padawan whose presence had already changed the Order so much took the shuttle up to the Lucrehulk, whose name the two padawans were apparently arguing over at the moment. The thought nearly made him chuckle, but his mind was already on other things. I am sorry, Master Fay, but the Force can often be cruel. While I would be happy to remain here, to see you and young Harry return, this is my burden, my penitence. I may die on this mission; in fact, it is almost certain. But I will join the Force gladly if in so doing I can end this threat to the universe once and for all.
But that does not mean I cannot plan for what will occur after I am gone. With that thought Dooku returned to his room and sent for his family's dictation droid. He had a few legal documents to ready…
Dooku remained on Serenno for several days after Fay and her group had left, preparing for his own departure. Since it was not the first time he had done this, no one made any comment, not even the newly arrived Depa Billaba. And with the arrival of Knight Vosa, a Jedi Knight of some repute with a lightsaber, it wasn't as if Master Dooku's presence was required any longer.
Yet some kind of feeling, not quite enough to tell her that it came from the Force, told Depa, standing by the yacht that Dooku had commissioned for this trip, that this would be the last time she saw Master Dooku alive. "May the Force be with you, Master Dooku," she said formally, clasping the tall man's hand. "And whatever you are doing, please be careful?" she asked, more of a hint of warning in her voice. But she felt she could not question the older Master more than that.
"I cannot promise to be careful," Dooku said softly, making no mention of his mission. "I can only promise that I will be successful."
Depa stared at him for a moment, but her Force senses could tell her nothing about what Dooku planned, and in the end she sighed, nodded, and released the other Master's arm. She was still there, watching the stars, as Dooku's yacht went to hyperspace.
OOOOOOO
"That was a masterful stroke, Sidious, even if it does look to be taking you away from Coruscant for a few days. You made Senator Gdrilla look like a fool, and thus his entire Separate Legislative branch movement,"
Plagueis said, giving a tiny, somewhat sardonic handclasp as he stared through the communications screen to his fellow Sith. The movements Sidious had been making of late in the Senate had made the Muun Sith realize how much the human male from Naboo meant to the Great Plan every time he looked at them. Plagueis had hoped that they would become true equals at this moment, when the Great Plan began to enter its final stages, but it was excellent to see that such was indeed the case.
"Thank you, master. I do admit that Gdrilla surprised me by asking me to come to Alsaka, but I can use this to further our hold in the Core Worlds. Alsaka might once have been a rival to Coruscant, but those days are millennia in the past, and it is time they learn who their masters are, even if the reins will need to remain hidden from most for now," Sidious said, allowing a smile to cross his face for a moment. "I have already given Sate Pestage and my other aides their orders for while I am away."
"Indeed. You leave tomorrow, correct?" When Sidious nodded, Plagueis went on. "I will remain here until you return. The few days away will not matter overmuch to my current experiments. However, there are a few I would like you to see, so schedule your return in such a way that you can get away for a few days."
"I look forward to it, master," Sidious replied. "However, I am afraid I must sign off here. I need to be back and visible in my office within thirty minutes."
Plagueis nodded, immediately cutting the connection, and Sidious turned away, moving over to once more don his Chancellor robes. As he did, Sidious raised a hand to his face, feeling the actual, real smile there for a moment. Deluded fool, to be so surpassed by your apprentice and never even realizing it! You will die, and I alone will control the Veil and the Sith for all time!
While a droid put the finishing touches on his ensemble, Sidious wondered if he should try to take some precautions, just to make certain that Dooku was able to truly do away with his former teacher. Plagueis was, after all, an incredible duelist, and master of many more esoteric combat arts. Dooku, for all his skill, might well be overwhelmed by him. And who knows what information Plagueis's ship contains. I need to be certain it too is destroyed.
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