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Dooku is drawn to the boy. For all that he is a Master in name, he is a boy still, far too rash and unwilling to listen. His Force presence shines like a shooting star. He would reach out and grasp that star for himself. Mold the boy into something more pliable. It would be easy if only he could get him out from within the yoke of the Temple, he thinks.
The idea first takes root at Geonosis. Seeing Kenobi stuck in the force field, slowly spinning in the empty room, is a fine sight indeed. The low light highlighting the strength in the set of his shoulders, the defiant clench of his jaw. He allows his eye to wander, safe in the dark of the entryway.
"Traitor." Kenobi spits at him, when he finally senses his presence. As if he can possibly know the reasoning behind Dooku's actions. As if he, in his blind adherence to the Council, can know just how deep corruption in the Republic truly runs. Foolish boy.
He means it when he says he is sorry their paths have not crossed sooner. Qui Gon had occasionally spoken of his Padawans to him on the rare occasions where they were both in the Temple at the same time, but he had never made much of an effort to meet his grand Padawans. By the time the boy was old enough for longer missions, Dooku was already drifting away from the Temple. Kenobi shines in the Force however and it's a shame that he seems to have picked up Qui Gon's more irritating trait of stubbornness.
If Qui Gon were still alive this would be an easier task he imagines, and says so to Kenobi. Qui Gon Jinn, who never stopped asking questions, even to the High Council. Surely his Padawan would have needled at the Council, picking away and calling on favors until he had uncovered the decaying stench of corruption.
But there is little to be gained by focusing on the past and Dooku quickly dismisses the feelings of melancholy that memories of his former Padawan bring forth. Qui Gon is gone. Yet his Padawan remains, and Dooku would have him. Swaying him to join the Separatist cause would deal a great blow to the Republic and be a much celebrated victory among the Confederacy.
It would be a great personal victory as well.
Things quickly fall apart.
The defeat at Geonosis was…unexpected. He'd expected resistance of course. He would expect nothing else from Kenobi and Skywalker; but the number of Jedi drawn out from the Temple to come to their aid was surprising. Surely there had not been such a showing since before his own Master's lifetime.
They'd hid their presence well, but they would still be a causality of this conflict if they did not take up his offer and surrender.
Senator Amidala surprised him as well with how well she took to the fight. Not many politicians were so innovative out of the senate building. He vowed to watch her career closely after he noted her safely making it to one of the incoming transport ships.
The appearance of Sifo-Dias' army was in line with Sidious' plans but this was earlier than Dooku had expected, and his unpreparedness helped this first battle to take a surprising turn. The loss of Jango was particularly annoying. Bounty hunters weren't hard to come by of course, but the lost of the man who was the clone template might throw a wrench into the war…though which side would be effected more by this was still uncertain.
Dooku escaped Geonosis, by a closer margin than he is comfortable with. His emotions in surprising turmoil after a defeating Skywalker in his arrogance, and scoring marks on Kenobi that would not soon be forgotten. Even bacta was not likely to erase scars from a lightsaber. A fine fight…until his old Master had appeared. Yoda had held ground admirably, meeting blow for blow. Dooku had resulted to dirty tactics to win in the end, compromising Kenobi and Skywalker and dividing his old Master's focus. He knew he couldn't make Yoda see his way. The Grandmaster sat in the heart of the city daily and felt nothing amiss. Like a frog in slowly boiling water, he and the Jedi Order had become blind to the ever rising tide of corruption around them. They had grown complacent.
He would change things. Alone if need be, but as thoughts began to coalesce, he imagined another by his side. A bright star gone supernova. It would be difficult to meet the boy face to face again in any sort of privacy like they'd had on Geonosis. He would have to devise a most cunning plan. One more task on an ever growing list.
The long struggle ahead did not bring Dooku pleasure. If only the Republic would have allowed for a political separation, than so much death could have been avoided, but of course the bloated festering mess of a Senate couldn't reach any sort of compromise.
He would not shrink from the War though, no. Now that it was here, he would revel in the thrill of battle. He would continue to fight, and perhaps at a later date, find a reason to meet with Kenobi again. Perhaps find a reason to see the scars he'd left behind. To be able to trace over them with callused fingers, beginning a more…intimate acquaintance.