CH 95

Palpatine remained unmoving as he considered the prospect, "Perhaps. The Wookiees have few declared allies, none prepared to offer significant military support. The Jedi will try and help, further stretching themselves, and no doubt giving us further opportunity to thin their numbers."

Count Dooku nodded, "An invasion can be arranged, within twenty-four hours as a matter of fact. We were ahead of schedule in preparing a larger set of feints and attacks that we can repurpose for this."

"Do it," Palpatine commanded after several seconds of silent consideration, his voice taking on a harsh tone.

"Right now the Republic does not have the ships or manpower to lend military support in the event of an unfortunate Separatist attack upon Kashyyyk," Palpatine continued, his voice turning to sound saddened and sympathetic.

Count Dooku nodded, "And what of interference from the Jedi Order? Will I need to factor their presence into my plans?"

"As per the summary of the last full council meeting, the pathetic female Twi'lek Jedi Master is either en route or will be there before you arrive," Palpatine commented neutrally.

"What is she doing there?" asked Count Dooku, as his brow lowered in consideration of this information.

"The Order is attempting to find information on some … Force-using bounty hunter," Palpatine responded dismissively, amusement entering his voice.

"Aurra Sing? Why would she suddenly merit additional interest to the Council?" asked Count Dooku. He was well aware of the Jedi Order's concern with the former Jedi Padawan who had not only become a bounty hunter but had fallen somewhat to the Dark Side in the process. The girl certainly had a knack for taking down Jedi. He was also well aware that his Master made a point of facilitating her continued escapes from different prisons.

"No, some other bounty hunter. He apparently played some sort of trick on a pair of Jedi Masters. They have become determined to figure out how. There is even some suspicion that he is perhaps an acolyte of their dreaded Sith Lord who has influenced and perhaps seduced a poor lost padawan," Palpatine responded, a raspy chuckle escaping his throat.

"They continue to jump at shadows and chase gundarks in the darkness," Dooku observed, humor in his own voice.

"Of course they do. They remain completely ignorant to the dangers in their very own midst, and as I have foreseen, they will remain so until it is far too late," Palpatine said while a small chuckle escaped his throat, allowing himself a moment of pleasure. "Do we anticipate further Jedi interference on Kashyyyk beyond her?" Dooku asked with a slight bob of his head that was the only acknowledgement of his Master's comment.

At that question, Palpatine actually smiled before replying, "I do not see it, though it cannot be entirely discounted. However, the Jedi Order now has more of its own problems. Problems that are only growing, though they do not yet realize it. And we are going to fan those flames."

Dooku tilted his head curiously waiting for his Master to expand upon his point. Sometimes it was better to let him come to his point in his own time.

"The trial of Ahsoka Tano and her actions afterward have given us a unique opportunity," Palpatine answered the unspoken question by once turning serious.

"I followed the trial. I expected her death to be quick. One more Jedi fallen." observed Dooku in a not-quite-question.

Palpatine resisted the urge to chuckle again. He had thought the exact same thing, and in fact had expected to use her as yet another nudge to help twist young Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side.

While he had been very subtly and remotely a part of the downfall of the young Jedi Barriss Offee, subtle compulsions and nudges were certainly effective; the entire affair with Ahsoka Tano had been an unexpected, yet completely welcome gift from the Force itself. He had not expected the young Jedi to frame another Jedi so well, nor that the specific target was to be Ahsoka Tano.

Further, he had been carefully cultivating Anakin for years. At first it was just because he had arisen from nowhere and distinguished himself in the invasion of Naboo. Having good relations with a young publicly acknowledged hero was always good for public relations. As Anakin's strength grew he became a possible and unknowing mole in the Jedi Order. However, Palpatine realized that even that was not enough and he was looking at a Jedi whose powers could outstrip even his.

He considered it intervention from the Force that he had already begun to groom the boy to the Dark Side.

No matter what had happened with the trial, he had thought to play it to his advantage.

If the subhuman padawan had been found guilty, despite his provocative words at the trial, which allowed him to appear as a strong and decisive leader; he was going to step in quietly and overrule the decision afterward. Tarkin was fast tracked to promotion already and would support him, and they wouldn't make a public announcement. And the Jedi had no public relations specialists to worry about countering. Of course if they had any significant skill in that area, his ascension and manipulations would have added difficulty.

But stepping in and 'saving' Anakin's apprentice after the Jedi Council essentially refused to help her in any significant way would have gone a long way in cementing his hold over the young man. Especially if he told Anakin that he was doing it because he trusted the young man's belief and judgment. Sometimes, even as a Sith Lord in opposition to them, he honestly couldn't fathom what the leaders of Jedi Order were thinking when they acted in certain ways.

He knew his cloak of darkness had affected the Order's leadership and their ability to function, but the sheer incompetence they demonstrated more often than not surely couldn't be laid strictly at his own feet? Perhaps it was something in the water or air in that light-forsaken temple of theirs. Unfortunately he knew that wasn't the case as the temple water and food was thoroughly scanned for any type of foreign addition. Palpatine knew, he had explored the possibility before. The idea of a sickness spreading through the Jedi had been very tempting, he just couldn't figure out how to accomplish it whenever he had occasionally pondered the idea.

The humorous thought of such a thing was enough to further cement his plans to level the ancient structure at the first opportunity after his ascension.

If the judges had found the former padawan innocent, then he was going to imply to Anakin that it was some words on his behalf that helped tip the scales. Perhaps not quite as effective, but either way it would have helped his grip on the young and very powerful Jedi.

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