Brotherhood

Chapter 63 - Loss

Author's Note: I promise that things will get better. Y'know... eventually... :')

~ Amina Gila

Dooku is not having a good day. At all. He had been expecting to see the first of Sidious' actions against him, but he has not anticipated that it would come in the way it did. The Hutt Council was just destroyed by an unknown person with a red lightsaber, and the survivors are blaming Dooku for it. The entire alliance with them has completely fallen apart, and it's a massive blow to the CIS.

He has no idea who was behind it; he doubts it was Sidious himself, but it could have been another, new pawn he doesn't know about. It also... could have been Anakin. He desperately hopes not, if only because that means Anakin has fallen under Sidious' sway, despite how certain Dooku has been that he wouldn't. Somehow, he doubts that Anakin would have done that on his own after going rogue and not even contacted them.

But he won't tell Kenobi or Tano his fears, not unless he has actual evidence to support the possibility of it truly being Anakin. However, that does not mean that he won't take precautions of his own. If Anakin has joined Sidious, his worst fears have been realized, and he will have to stop him no matter what it takes.

Perhaps, it is time for him to give Grievous... instructions.

Dooku had been, perhaps foolishly, counting on the Separatist's upper hand in the war effort. He had wanted to use it to his advantage, to use it against the Republic and Sidious when needed. But he's lost that now, or at least some of it. With the loss of the alliance with the Hutts, it will be that much harder to sustain operations in the Outer Rim. At least the Republic hasn't gained anything, but it's hardly a comfort. He needs to take time to make plans and fast before Sidious makes his next move.

It might be advisable for him to invest time and effort in securing supply lines as a top priority. It's something else he'll have to instruct Grievous on, and perhaps Asajj, if he can get ahold of her on Kamino. Her mission is important, but he needs her skills more, and the clones will be alright without her. And it's time for him to involve Kenobi and Tano in more operations as well. He has many assets, and he must use them all effectively if he is to overcome Sidious in this game and see him destroyed.

The Clone Wars have just become real.

***

Felucia is not a pleasant world by any means, and it's especially bad to be fighting there long-term. This is Vader's second mission, coming only two days after he successfully wiped out the Hutt Council, Gardulla among them. It was... thrilling to feel the Dark Side flowing through him as he took out his anger and hatred on the Hutts who were more than deserving of their fates. The Hutt control in the Outer Rim has been crippled now, and it will only take a good tactical leader to entirely free the planets from the Hutt's grip.

It's something that Vader hopes he can do himself, perhaps after he has shown his chosen master more successes. Because destroying the Hutts is a personal matter, and it's not one to which they need to attend now, not when Dooku is still a concern. Vader wishes that there was a way they could work this out without a battle, but he knows better. He knows that Dooku will never negotiate, that he'll never seek any end but Sidious' destruction. And Sidious has knowledge that Vader needs, so he will protect his master and fight for him.

And that means covertly helping the Republic win a battle it has slowly been losing. If the Republic gets control of Felucia, it will control the shipping lanes in this sector, thereby crippling the CIS even further, especially given that their alliance with the Hutts has collapsed, and they are no longer welcome in Hutt space.

When it comes to politics, Sidious is truly brilliant, and Vader can only admire his skill. He is an excellent manipulator. Even Vader is no longer certain how much of his willingness to help Sidious is a result of his own desires versus the Sith Master's cunning. He tries not to think about it, because he knows what he wants, and he will stop at nothing until he can get the power to bring his mother back.