Dooku stroked his beard as Windu finished his tale. "A most dangerous game, my Padawan and his own student found themselves in. Damask might indeed be Plagueis himself, or a pawn of his at the least. Perhaps a failed apprentice who was kept for other uses. Regardless, Damask's involvement explains a great deal of the power the Sith have behind the curtains."
"It's best to investigate him subtly, to know what we're facing. If he's Plagueis, we might never have another chance to catch him. If he's just a piece on the board, then Plagueis will know we're getting closer. He'll silence Damask as quickly as possible before covering his tracks, as he does in hiding," Windu remarked.
Dooku scuffed. "You've still learned little, old friend."
Windu scowled at the Count with an inquiring look.
"Vader may not be of the Order of Bane, but they can still learn from his example," Dooku cautioned. "It's entirely possible that Plagueis will not have a reaction to being exposed."
"You believe the Republic will not want him held accountable for his part in what happened with Naboo and the Trade Federation, and the plot against the Republic? Not to mention other parties involved in that," Windu reminded grimly.
"Oh, I'm sure some will. But Valorum was ready and willing to accept that Sidious was simply a rogue element of the Sith that Vader helped expose and deal with. Unless we find evidence of his involvement in the planning of that or some new plot, dealing with Plagueis may have to remain an issue of the Jedi and not of the Senate," Dooku warned.
Windu tilted his head. "I see you still maintain that the Order should act completely independent of the Senate."
"Indeed, but this is not that," Dooku said as he turned to face him squarely. "The Sith are no longer acting as enemies of the galaxy that want to conquer it. Believe it or not, they are simply acting as fellow members of a fracturing republic and galaxy. If Plagueis truly is our enemy, which I believe he is, he will act as an enemy to the Jedi and not the Republic as a whole. Plagueis is someone who cannot be ended by being brought to trial, you know this."
Windu didn't react to that, which was his own admission of agreeing with the former Jedi. "He'd likely take control of the courts, through influence or the Force. And that is assuming he doesn't slip away."
"I might not agree with your loyalty to the Republic in its current state, but I do understand it," Dooku stated sympathetically. "Perhaps, in your own way, you should take Vader's advice from years ago and clean your own house before worrying about the Republic's."
Windu glanced up in thought. "The Sith returning crossed my mind more than once in the past. I'm sure it did for every Jedi at least once. But I never imagined that the Order would be so divided on how to face them, or that the Republic might be closer to a bystander to such a conflict."
"Expectations make fools of us all eventually. Even Master Yoda. Why do you think he has such a sense of humor as he does?" Dooku asked with a knowing smirk.
Whatever more they might have said was cut short by the door opening to reveal a silvery, humanoid droid that shuffled in.
"Ahhh, there you are, Count Dooku! Thank the Maker! I've been searching everywhere for you!" the droid greeted in relief before noticing Windu. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Did I interrupt something important?"
"It's quite alright, C3PO," Dooku assured. "For you to be so relieved, I'm sure you have a good reason to be searching for me. What's amiss?"
C3PO glanced at Mace Windu for a second, as if wondering if he was allowed to say much around him.
"This is Jedi Master Mace Windu, Master of the Jedi Order," Dooku introduced, as if to answer the droid's question. "Windu, this is C3PO, a protocol droid of a nervous persuasion but strangely reliable."
"My deepest apologies to you, Master Windu. I meant no disrespect," Threepio offered sincerely, bowing awkwardly as his frame would allow.
"It is no matter. I am sure the Count is very careful about what information his guests are privy to," Windu remarked, glancing at Dooku out of the corner of his eye.
The Count raised his chin but didn't otherwise react to the statement.
"Oh, you have no idea, Sir," Threepio agreed good-naturedly, oblivious to the tension in the room. "Count Dooku, a message was received on your secure line, marked as urgent. I tried to contact you, but your communicator wasn't working."
Windu looked interested now, wondering if they should be concerned.
"You come to my home with concerns about my mind being used against me without my knowledge. Did you think I might not think it best to deactivate my normal communications and check for attempts of conventional spying?" Dooku remarked dryly as an answer as he walked over to his desk and activated a datapad.
There was a moment of silence as Dooku scanned the message, his brow furrowing and his scowl deepening with each second.
"What's wrong?" Windu asked, sensing something was off.
"I'm not sure," Dooku admitted, his voice curious yet edged with something else. "C3PO, please search for Kenobi. He should be with one of my friend's colleagues, a silver-haired woman with a cloak. Ask them to meet us at the dining room."
"Of course, Sir. I'll find them as quickly as possible," Threepio assured as he shuffled out of the room as fast as his legs allowed.
Windu almost wondered if that was sarcasm, but didn't bring it up. "Well?"
"The message is from Coruscant," Dooku said simply as he moved forward. "It might be best if we meet with Master Yoda before I say more."
Windu narrowed his eyes but didn't argue. If it was urgent, then it was best to only have to explain it as few times as needed.
Meanwhile
In the dining room, Yoda had remained with Shmi and Padme. And the hall echoed with Shmi's laughter.
"Ahh, that does sound like Ani. He is the sort to go on a simple errand and stumble into trouble," Shmi said with a fond, nostalgic smile. "He must be happy to be putting it to good use."
"Helping others, a natural calling, he has," Yoda said with a chuckle before gaining a tone of grandfatherly amused disapproval. "A show-off, though, I believe, some might call him."
"A young boy out of slavery and becoming a Jedi Knight?" Padme remarked in observation. "I think it might be strange if he didn't feel the urge to prove his worth, as a person and as one of you."
Yoda nodded sagely. "Unusual one, the boy is."
There were some implications on all sides that were left unsaid. All three of them knew that the Jedi had been reluctant to admit Anakin, given his age, among other factors. After all, Yoda had been a part of that decision.
"Qui-Gon once told me that if not for the chance of Ani being taught by Vader or the... other Siths, you all might have turned him away," Shmi mused idly, her small smile possibly a smirk. "He also says he would have trained Anakin with or without your permission."
Yoda shook his head in fondness and exasperation. "My student's student. Very willful, both are. Views on the force and the order, their own, they have. Respect us, they do. Respect and follow our decisions? Less inclined, they are. Taught them that, when I did, I am not sure."
"People often pick up lessons from their teachers that their mentors often did not mean or want to pass on," Padme observed with a head tilted. 'Forgive me if it sounds rude, Grandmaster, but perhaps you simply became too accustomed to being the standard that most Jedi agreed upon for being a Jedi at all."
There was an ancient look about Yoda. Not of sadness, but of memory. Of many things that had long since passed into history that only he was left to remember vividly. "Correct, you likely are. Surprised my fellow Jedi, I have, more than once."
The trio grew silent as Dooku and Windu entered the room, both of them looking strangely serious.
"Is something wrong, Count Dooku?" Padme asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Decidedly so. How much is still to be seen," Dooku answered vaguely as he walked over to the group, pausing to look at both Jedi Masters. "Who knew you three were coming here, exactly?" he asked with a tone that almost sounded idle…almost.
Yoda's eyebrows and ears rose at the question and implication.
"What is this about, Dooku?" Windu asked warily.
"I received a message from Coruscant through one of my secure lines of communications," Dooku explained. "All it says is that the situation is urgent."
"Coruscant," Padme murmured with displeasure, her mind flashing back to the terror and destruction unleashed by her traitorous senator all those years ago. "A crisis might be unfolding, but you seem more concerned with the message itself?"
Dooku hummed. "Because the message was not for me; it was addressed to you three. Asking for you to immediately return with all haste. Someone knew you were here."
"Some Masters, they did know. Yet concerned more greatly, you are," Yoda noted curiously.
Shmi tilted her head subtly at Dooku who, after a moment, nodded sharply. Shmi sighed before explaining. "The Count's Secure lines are known only to a few people. On Coruscant, less than a handful. And if Dooku is put off by the message, there is more to it."
"Oh, yes, indeed. The message is addressed from the Supreme Chancellor himself," Dooku remarked with feigned amusement, to their surprise.
"The Chancellor?" Windu said, furrowing her brow thoughtfully, "If a crisis is unfolding, it would not be strange that the Order might have told him exactly where we are..."
Something about that didn't fit. Shmi was the one to ask the obvious question. "Was there a situation that bad before you left?"
Windu shook his head. "Many things couldn't be called "good" in state, and worsening, but steadily. Nothing immediately volatile to our knowledge. Something must have happened."
"Depart, we must, and soon. Find Obi-Wan and the Dark Woman, we should," Yoda agreed with a frown.
"I already have a droid searching to direct them here," Dooku said. "I will be journeying to the capital myself soon after, once I have made some arrangements here."
Shmi nodded at some unspoken instruction while Padme stood up. "Count Dooku, I thank you for your hospitality. But given the situation and that we have already concluded our own talks, I think it best I depart as well."
Dooku raised an eyebrow. "With a stop at Coruscant along the way back to Naboo, I take it?"
Padme simply nodded in confirmation.
"With all due respect, Lady Naberrie, but the situation could be dangerous," Windu cautioned.
"No offense taken, Master Jedi, but I am no stranger to danger," Padme reminded firmly. "More to the point, I could hardly say I did my diplomatic duties well if I didn't at least try to collect information about an emerging situation in the capital world of the Republic."
Yoda hummed and nodded, conceding the point. "Into disaster, the whole planet has not fallen. That much, I sense. Safe, you should be."
As safe as someone could be on Coruscant, it went without saying.
Meanwhile
Plagueis had never overly cared much for droids. Biological life was more his domain. But he couldn't deny their usefulness. After all, they were perfect at dealing with anything that only affected organics.
That said, he had never cared for the mass-produced models of the Trade Federations. They were made as cheap as possible while still servicing their function, their intelligent processors at an almost insulting bare minimum.
"I really must thank Vader for these design blueprints," Plagueis said with a chuckle as he observed the Modified Battledroids. Their frames were only moderately thicker and sturdier than a B1-Battle Droid, but were equipped with retractable daggers at the wrists. More importantly, they were much better programmed, with rounder heads, and engineered to handle delicate tasks with their hands. In theory, they would make excellent bomb disposal units.
According to Vader's own notes, they were chiefly his own redesigns he had come up with in his own timeline, but were visually modeled after what would have been known as the BX-Battledroids in the Clone Wars. Plagueis had given them a black color with green markings, dubbed them BP-Battledroids. He only had a small reserve of them, a task force of a few hundred in reserve for special needs.
"Lord Plagueis," the commanding droid, addressed via holocom. "Shuttle has landed covertly among the deserts of Aridus. Shielding and protection from Atmospheric interference are functioning as predicted for all droids and the ship. Awaiting orders."
"Very good, BP-08," Plagueis praised, a thoughtful frown upon his visage. "My spies tell me that the Jebble Box is indeed here. Locals and offworlders often find and quarrel over it. Remain on standby until I receive word of its current location."
"Yes, Lord Plagueis. All droids will remain in low-power mode to await new orders or hostile attacks," BP-08 answered before the communications flickered off.
Plagueis scuffed. "Of course a Sith relic that affects organics ends up on a planet that has an atmosphere ionized enough to wreak havoc on electronics."
A beep was emitted in his left ear, causing the Sith muun to reach up and answer another message on a more private line. "Yes, what is it?... What did you just say?" Plagueis asked, more confused than anything. "You're certain? Very well, keep me informed."
He ended the call and shook his head as he tried to make sense of this information.
"Just what is going on back on Coruscant?" he murmured. "I suppose I have no one to blame but myself. I told Vader those three were off-world; I should have expected something interesting to happen if he went."
Now he just had to decide how important this little event was, if he should make an appearance. And if so, as Darth Plagueis or Hego Damask?
Decisions, decisions.
Meanwhile
It did not take long for the Jedi Masters to return to Coruscant, even though it was quicker than they ever intended.
Mace narrowed his eyes as they approached the planet upon entering the system, all three of them keenly observing what they could see with their eyes and sense with the Force.
"It doesn't appear there is any kind of obvious emergency," The Dark Woman remarked, "No unusual amount of people leaving the system, no disturbances we can see from here."
"Perhaps the situation is with the wider republic,' Windu remarked, wondering if a war had broken out. "Maybe someone-"
He stopped as they grew closer to the planet. A familiar and not exactly welcome presence fell over each of them.
"Darth Vader," Yoda said with a frown. "On Coruscant, he is. Hiding his presence, he is not."
"Vader knew we were off-world," Windu concluded.
"Vader might love advertising his presence as a form of intimidation in the Force," The Dark Woman remarked evenly. "But he is perfectly capable of reining it in if he deems it needed. This is not some covert operation. He wants us to know he's here."
Yoda frowned as all three of them shared a look, a similar concern passing between them. Had someone in the Order acted rashly and tried to attack Vader, causing some kind of incident? They each hoped not.
"This could be the last thing the Order needs right now," The Dark Woman herself muttered gravely.
"Dwelling on it, no good, it does us. Of the situation, learn more, we must," Yoda advised sagely.
The other two heeded his advice as they made the final approach to Coruscant. Through flying traffic and mountainous skyscrapers, they made their way to the Federal District. They saw the Jedi Temple out of the side and took some ease in not being able to sense or see any sign of trouble there. Unease, undoubtedly, but if Vader was at the Temple, it was not to hide.
Finally, the Jedi masters landed their ship directly at the Senate Building, before disembarking to head towards the working office of the Supreme Chancellor.
They walked in silence through the halls, but there was something off, and they did not need the Force to sense it. The guards and senatorial staff all looked distinctly on edge, as if relieved to see the Jedi Masters but yet also unable to relax.
They had each seen those looks before in their own times. Yoda knew it very well after all these centuries; gratitude that help had arrived, but not certain that the situation would end easily or peacefully.
After what felt like a longer walk than it actually was, they finally reached the Chancellor's Office and were quickly granted entry.
"Jedi Masters, thank you for returning so quickly," the Chancellor greeted them respectfully.
"Of course, Chancellor Grebleips," Windu greeted as they approached. "What-"
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
All three of them stopped, bodies rigid as steel. To the side, just out of view until they stepped through the door, was the last person they expected to be here, in the office of the chancellor.
Darth Vader stared back at them, as if he had been waiting for them.
The Chancellor cleared his throat at the awkward tension. "I trust no introductions are needed?"