Star Wars: The Rogue Knight

LAAT en route to the Senate Building

Coruscant

I was strapped into a seat at the troop compartment of the gunship with Shaak Ti sitting next to me. We had barely exchanged couple of words after my induction in the Republic army. I wondered if a chat between her and the council was the reason for the meeting we were about to attend. My attempt to gather information from the Jedi Master were faced with stoic silence. It was not ominous. Not at all…

When I felt the transport enter the upper layers of the atmosphere I opened the side door and took in the sights as we descended towards the Senate building. It is early in the evening so the local sun was visible from this height. I could clearly see skyscr.a.p.ers which were dozens and few even hundred kilometers high. Below us the planet sized city was blazing with countless lights reminding me of a star covered sky. The gleaming towers of Coruscant were breathtaking feats of engineering.

As we got lower and lower I could make out thousands vehicles which were flying in what resembled multi-colored rivers suspended in mid-air. Even now, when the memories of Darth Vael were more or less mine, the sight of the capital world of the Republic was amazing.

The gunship flew into a travel lane restricted for military traffic and the only vehicles which came near were other LAATs or various GAR transports. All too soon the mushroom shaped Senate building came into view and our ride headed to a brightly lit platform near which waited a pair of senate commandos wearing their distinctive blue armors.

When the LAAT landed they rushed to our side and saluted.

"Sir, I am Major Garm Falks. I have a temporally ID card for you, General. However you should go to GAR headquarters ASAP to get yourself permanent ID and log it into the net, sir!"

"Thank you Major Falks. I'll do it at the first opportunity I get. "I returned his salute.

=RK=

Senate Building

Coruscant

Ten minutes later we were in front of the Chancellor offices where we met with Masters Yoda and Windu. The Vaapad master glared at me. It's a good thing that his look was not able to kill or I would be a stain on the floor by now.

I greeted them amicably. This was not the place to make a scene.

"Masters, do you know why we are here?" Shaak Ti.

"Chancellor Palpatine summoned us here. He said it was vital to meet him as soon as possible." grunted Windu.

It was clear that he was not impressed by Palpy. Only if he knew…

"General, Masters, please follow me. The Chancellor will see you now." A middle aged human aide opened the door leading to the Republic's leader office and waved us inside.

Wow. Palpatine really looked just like in the movies and he did have that kindly old man's look perfected. If I did not know better I would have believed his every word. He had an aura around him that whispered to you that he was your friend and you should listen carefully to his words.

It was nothing I had not seen before. Standard Sith Lord trick. With my mental shields heavily reinforced it was easily to disregard.

To my surprise, Padme was in the Chancellor's office. She was wearing a blue and purple dress which probably was the high of fashion in the Core words but looked strange to my eyes. After exchanging the expected pleasantries, our host waved us to sit before getting down to business. When Palpatine told us why we were there I had to valiantly fight not to explode into a fit of giggling like a young schoolgirl.

This had had to be the Dark Side's idea of trolling. There was no other way to explain it. The Force itself wanted to mess up with our resident Sith Lord. Dooku got caught by pirates. At least that a self-styled Pirate Leader had said when he had somehow contacted the Chancellor's office. In few minute the cutthroat would call again and that's why we were here... It was bloody hilarious!

The Jedi were surprised by that development too. They as well as Palpatine did not believe that it was a credible information but it was not something they could ignore. I was torn. On one hand, by being a Force user I was aware of the capabilities that Dooku should have. Getting captured by pirates was highly unlikely, embarrassing too. If true. There was a more reasonable explanation – we were dealing with a very bold and resourceful outlaw trying to pull off a fast one. I kept silent and waited to see how the events were about to unfold. At least with three Jedi Masters in the room, Sidious had his own Mask firmly in place and was not about to do any Dark Side tricks.

=RK=

"If you want the Sith it will cost you a million credits in spice. I want it delivered on a diplomatic transport." declared the Pirate TM we had to deal with.

Palpatine's face was an unreadable mask. The Chancellor was obviously not amused. All of us could feel his irritation.

"We want proof that you have him and that he is still alive before agreeing on anything." Palpatine glared at the pirate.

I gleefully watched what happened next and was forever thankful that my helmet had a built in camera. The expression on Dooku's face when he was matched in front of the holocomm was hilarious.

"And now I present you the fearless Sith Lord Count Dooku!" declared the pirate.

The bastard obviously enjoyed the show. I can't blame him. It was priceless.

"The hologram is fixed." said Palpatine.

He was smiling thinly at the pirate.

"If you don't believe me." The cutthroat took out a curved lightsaber from under his jacket and activated it. "This is his lightsaber."

"Yes. Dooku's this lightsaber is." Yoda added his two cents.

"It still proves nothing." I interjected. "It's no big secret how his lightsaber looks like. For all we know it is just a clever toy you cooked up in your spare time, pirate."

While the Jedi gave me looks which were shouting 'Shut up!', the Chancellor gave me a grave nod.

"General Veil is correct. You have not shown us anything that cannot be easily faked."

"Is that so?" growled the Pirate Leader. "Perhaps the CIS Council would be more receptive to my offer. But I can give you further proof. Bring him here!" he shouted an order and then nodded to someone off screen.

We could hear few blaster shots and soon after Dooku's body was dragged so we could see him.

"Stretch his left hand!" ordered the pirate.

I grinned under my helmet while the Jedi and Palpatine bolted to their feet. They watched in horror as Dooku lost his left hand as a demonstration.

"Is that proof enough? If you want I can send you the arm so you could run the necessary tests."

"That won't be needed." stammered Palpatine.

I think that he wanted to bash his head on the desk. Those were bad few days for him and his plans. Even worse for his minions.

"This is our chance to capture Dooku!" exclaimed Padme.

"If that's him at any rate. This could very well be an elaborate scheme from our pirate friend." I pointed at the disgruntled looking man on the other side of the channel.

"We want to send two Jedi to confirm that you do have him before we pay you." said the Senator.

"Fine. But they won't be armed."

"Out of the question!" she snapped at the Pirate.

"They will be safe. I guarantee it." The outlaw smiled with what might have been reassurance if you squinted hard enough.

"Because the word of a pirate is beyond reproach. Riiight." I sneered at him.

"We do not want to be part of your war! They won't be harmed!" He explained.

"Fine, but one of my generals who is not a Jedi will accompany them. And he will be armed." Palpatine gave me a nod.

The pirate gave a long look at my apparel.

"So the Republic is now desperate enough to hire bounty hunters as generals? Heh. You can keep your guns, mercenary. They won't be enough if you try something." With those parting words the pirate cut the connection.

"Kenobi and Skywalker are near Florrum but we could not establish connection with them."

"Hmm. Safe they will be, I sense. But Count Dooku they won't find this time."

"We are short on Jedi who we could sent right now, Chancellor." declared Windu.

"Master Ti is right here. Padawan Ahsoka Tano needs few hours in bacta to mend her leg and she well be ready. We are few days away from there anyway." I baited the Jedi.

"That will have to do, General. If the Jedi Masters agree to it?" he asked.

Yoda and Windu looked at each other and gave small nods.

"Then I'll arrange the payment. General go tho GAR high command and arrange for a ship to transport you to Florrum. You are acting with my authority in this matter so there should be no delays. Act with all possible hate, General Veil." He retrieved a data chip from a drawer in his desk and threw it at me.

"Yes, sir."

"Master Ti, please make sure that Ahsoka is ready to be transferred to our new ship." I said to the Togruta Jedi before giving nods of respect to the Senator and the other two Jedi Masters, and leaving.

GAR Headquarters

Coruscant

When I went to the GAR Headquarters I spoke with a Clone commander who said that he'll start the wheels running on acquiring me a ship for the mission. Then I went to get my new military ID's and all the necessary paperwork that went with my new exalted rank. I spent more than a few hours in medical where I was subjected to myriad of tests. From DNA scan and taking biometric measurements to a full medical checkup. To say that I was disgruntled by the time the medics were finished with me would be a great understatement.

After that ordeal was over I met an admiral who was on staff at the Headquarters while waiting for his next assignment. He was grizzled, scar covered Mon Calamari called Arikakon Baraka. The green navy uniform looked out of place on his massive frame.

"You are the fella that led the raid in which Grievous was caught." declared the Admiral.

"I got lucky." I deadpanned.

"And now you are the newest pet of the Chancellor." he said with dismissive tone.

I shrugged. I was not about to explain to him that both Sidious and I were trying to use each other before one of us stabbed the other in the back…

"I need a cruiser for extracting another high value CIS target. After what happened at Rodia I want it with full load of starfighters, their pilots and at least a battalion of ground troops with their equipment. You know that I have the authority to get what I need." I waved my hand in front of his face to help concentrate the suggestion through the Force.

He glared at me for a moment longer then nodded.

"I will see what is available. "

"That is great, Admiral!" I grinned. "I would also want few people transferred to my new ship.."

Twenty minutes later I had confirmation that Firmus Piett was transferred under my command as my new aide as well as the remains of 36th and 71st platoons. However that was the end of the good news. Unless a Venator was detached from the Coruscant defense fleet there would not be a cruiser a viable for at least a day. My cart blanch from the Chancellor covered a lot of ground but weakening the defense of the capital was not part of it. The Admiral proposed that I check what other sh.i.p.s I could use and I started checking a list he sent me. I most of those were Acclamators which had full complement of ground troops and few even had squadrons of fighters just as Dauntless.

One particular ship caught my attention. While I did not recognize its name, that of its captain was something else. I grinned wolfishly.

"I'll want this Assault Ship for my mission. Let's check if it has fighter contingent on board and if not how long it will take to load couple of squadrons and their support equipment and staff on board."