Star Wars : Tanya the Evil

( 31 BBY )

As Dooku's personal cruiser breached Serenno's atmosphere, his heart leapt at the sight of three Munificent class Frigates parked at the City's only spaceport. They were so large that they loomed over the venerable old port itself. Their dark, distinctive shapes were even visible through the sheets of pounding rain, illuminated by the occasional bolts of lightning.

If they were here, that meant that Tan'ya had succeeded in bringing them under control. Of course Dooku had faith in his daughter, wise and controlled beyond her years, but even so knowing that she had succeeded filled him with equal measures of pride and relief.

He was further surprised when, as his ship approached the Palace, he noticed his House Guard arrayed at parade, despite the howling wind and driving rain. In front of them stood his daughter, accompanied by Colonel Seith. The ramp came down and he saw her standing there, giving a crisp salute. Dooku finally realized why his daughter occasionally seemed to walk, talk, sit and stand like a soldier without realizing it. She always strove to excel at any task he gave her, and he had passed the role of managing the House Guard to her when he killed Sifo.

Seeing her waiting there for him in the rain, loyally ignoring the discomfort for the sake of her love and duty to her neglectful father, Dooku felt a profound sorrow that he almost couldn't bear.

Reaching out with the Force, he formed a dome to shield her and the House Guard from the rain. It was a pitiful, late and half hearted gesture, but Dooku had to do it. As he approached her, still wearing the symbols of his House at her neck, she offered him three small code cylinders.

"The ships are yours, my Count."

Struggling to contain himself, Dooku reached out and put a hand on her head. "Well done my child." He took the cylinder's from her hand, and stood tall to regard the rest of the Guard. He projected with his voice. "Congratulations are in order. Your first battle has been a victory! With a second one soon to come!"

"The Rider Count!" A voice from near the back cried in Basic. "Rider! Rider! Rider!"

The chant was echoed by the rest of the Guard, ten thousand lungs crying out in unison that for just a moment drowned out the storm.

'The Rider?' Dooku would have to ask about that later.

"Come Tan'ya." He said for her to hear. "We have much to do."

...

Tan'ya was brought into her Father's study, along with her Mother. Of course Athemeene had been horrified when she learned that her seven year old daughter had been put in charge of the dangerous operation to claim the Federation ships, and sensing the gravity of the situation was controlling her nervousness when she stepped through the door.

Dook said to her firmly, "You are going to take Kenth, Madale and Ideon, and go to Indinoor. I've brought some of my Knights from the New Temple, they will escort you. Take my ship."

"What about Tan'ya?" Athemeene demanded, interrupting Tan'ya before she could speak.

"She will remain here with Jedi Master Sturn. He will protect her. She must stay here to inherit, should the worst happen."

"The worst?" Tan'ya asked, finally speaking. "Father, where are you going?"

"I'm going to take the ships, and crush the blockade over Naboo." He replied.

"What?!" Athemeene burst out. "Why?!"

"Because I must." Dooku replied. "Just as you must keep our children safe, and Tan'ya must do her duty as my heir and keep the succession secure."

Athemeene opened her mouth to speak again, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. "Lady Athemeene, I'm Jedi Knight Prialla. I'm here to help you get ready to go."

"Go." Dooku told his wife so firmly that it was clearly an order.

She was obviously upset and frustrated, but after a moment she turned away. The look she sent him as she left promised a long talk later, but keeping her children safe was the most important thing right now.

Once she was gone, Dooku turned to look at Tan'ya. "X is moving against us. Can this foolish old man rely on you some more, daughter?"

Puffing her chest out, Tan'ya answered immediately. "Of course, Father… But, I'm sure I can help you in the attack if I come with you."

"I know you could, daughter, but you will remain here." Dooku replied. "If both you and I were to die, the succession would be in peril. Your Auntie Jenza would be made regent until your brother is of age, and may be tempted to seize power for herself. She would only have three very small bodies to bury."

The realities of feudal politics, Tanya dimly realized. The bonds of blood and honor were only so thick when the possibility of power presented itself. Auntie Jenza may be a trustworthy ally to the mighty Jedi Master Dooku, but there was no guarantee she would be the same for the helpless little Kenth.

He was a smart enough boy for a five year old, but still only a normal child of his age.

"I understand, Father. The succession has to be preserved." Tan'ya hesitated before adding, "Perhaps I can lead the attack to Naboo instead."

Dooku smiled at that, looking at her fondly. "No. I will not hide in safety, while my seven year old daughter goes to battle in my place."

Tan'ya opened her mouth to object, then closed it. There really wasn't any sensible argument to be made against that. He was right. How could his reputation as a Count possibly survive such a scandal? Dooku's fame as one of the Galaxy's greatest warriors was part of what kept Serenno safe, and so had to be preserved.

Tan'ya knew it, but still felt the sting of being given the lesser duty. To once again be left away from power and responsibility merely for appearing to be several decades younger than she actually was.

Only now that she had attentive and loving parents did Tan'ya occasionally miss being an expendable ward of the Kaiser.

Dooku turned on the holocom in his office, and projected an image of Naboo from it. It was a still frame, taken from holonet news footage, and displayed a dozen Trade Federation lucrehulk class battleships holding in loose formation above the planet.

"Now, help your Count plan out his attack."

...

Outnumbered against much larger vessels with full compliments of vulture droid fighters, it was on the surface an almost impossible task. The issue was made worse by the fact that the sailors Dooku had to rely on had never crewed this class of ship before.

The Republic's Outland Region Security Force was a shadow of its former self, which wasn't all that much to begin with. After a disastrous defeat during the Stark Hyperspace War and the death of its founder, the RORSF funding was slashed by the Senate, meaning their already small surviving fleet was downsized even further.

Before the war had broken out, Dooku had worked with them on occasion, and was able to leverage his contacts to scoop up many former sailors and officers for his own Hammerheads. It was only a matter of reaching out to them and offering bonuses to those interested to find the thirty officers and engineers necessary to staff the Munificent-class frigates.

Dooku had been worried many would want to leave when they learned the audacity of what he was about to do, but he was pleasantly surprised when all chose to remain. The Trade Federation had played a not insubstantial role in the Stark Hyperspace War, and the former officers of the RORSF had all been eager for payback.

As they approached the system, Dooku found himself thinking of Qui-Gon Jinn. Was he still alive? Had Dooku waited too late to intervene? He only learned of the dangers his former Padawan was facing a few days ago, he couldn't have come here any sooner.

He even sent his daughter into harm's way just to get here a few hours faster.

Briefly, Dooku closed his eyes and released his worries into the Force. Now wasn't the time to think of this, now was the time to focus on what he was doing.

"We're five minutes from our target destination." The ship's navigator announced, glancing back at Dooku before focussing again on his instruments.

The green lights of the Munificent's bridge displays had been headache inducing to look at, apparently well suited to Nemoidian eyes but not human ones, but now they were a much simpler dark gray background with white text. The Comms officer had found a way to adjust them in the settings, and for that Dooku was grateful. They would leverage every advantage they could get to achieve victory here.

"Coming out of Hyperspace now." The navigator announced, and a moment later the ship dropped back to relativistic speeds, the silver smear of a trillion stars blurring past finally slowing down to a still image of white dots against the black void.

"Put me on comms now." Dooku ordered, and his image was broadcast out to the Trade Federation fleet. "This is Count Dooku, at the head of the Serenno Planetary Defense, as requested by Queen Amidala of Naboo. To all the ships currently illegally blockading the sovereign world of Naboo, you are hereby ordered to leave the system or you will be fired upon."

...

Don't forget to throw some power stones ;)

...

if you want to read ahead of the public release you can join my patreon :

patreon.com/Rimanovi