Star Wars PT- "Lineage" - Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku - G
Title - Lineage
Author - Sealgirl in seal_girl
Fandom - Star Wars
Prompt - “PT, Dooku/Obi-Wan: Dooku has always wanted to meet his padawan's padawan - we have a lot in common”
Word Count - 1205
Rating - G
Summary - A missing scene during AotC. Count Dooku confronts Obi-Wan again.
A/N - Written for the starwarsficfest 5th July 2008. Strictly speaking, I didn't actually claim this one. It just sort of happened.
Lineage
Obi-Wan waited for Dooku to return. Trapped in the force field, there didn’t seem to be much else to do.
And he was sure the Sith Lord would return, as pride would compel him to visit once more. Obi-Wan had spent time in the Jedi Temple studying the Count, to understand him and to be better prepared to defeat him. He was an aristocrat of an ancient line; and he would not let the opportunity to subvert Obi-Wan pass.
Nevertheless, Obi-Wan did not relish the thought of their next meeting. He had sensed before that Dooku was strong with the Dark Side, and he had little love or affection for anything in the universe except himself.
So when Obi-Wan heard the sound of the door sliding open, he drew a deep breath, hoping that his training and his resolve would counteract any tricks from the Dark Side. He feared his own weakness, and somewhere deep inside he was afraid that he would give in and agree with the other man; that Dooku spoke the truth about the Senate and that somewhere along the line the waters had become so muddied that he had lost his way.
The Count swept in, his head held up regally.
Qui-Gon had talked infrequently of Dooku; it was as if the subject was difficult for him. Obi-Wan had never dared to ask why.
‘I have given you some time to reconsider, Master Kenobi,’ Dooku said quietly. ‘Will you not join me?’
It was more blunt a question than Obi-Wan had expected.
‘You are a Sith Lord!’ he hissed. ‘You stand for everything I detest!’
Dooku merely looked at him as if he was an exhibit in the archives. Though he tried not to show any emotion, Obi-Wan shivered. Dooku clearly had a reason for being here, and he also thought that he could turn Obi-Wan to the Dark Side, just by talking to him. At least, Obi-Wan hoped it would be just talking.
‘But you can still see the link, can’t you Master Kenobi?’ the Count asked at last.
‘Link?’ echoed Obi-Wan in an innocent tone. Better to play to ignorance than second-guess the Sith and guess wrongly!
‘I taught Qui-Gon the intricacies of the force, and Qui-Gon taught you. I sense his teachings in you, even now.’
The smile that Dooku gave him was gentle, and echo of the smile of Qui-Gon’s. Obi-Wan didn’t dare speak. The similarity was perhaps only wishful thinking, Obi-Wan was wise enough to realise that. He waited.
‘Master Qui-Gon Jinn was very proud of you,’ the Count continued. ‘Did you know that? He always spoke so highly of you, and he knew what sort of Jedi Master you would become.’ Obi-Wan didn’t trust himself to reply. Words seemed to stick in his throat as the mild annoyance changed into fear; he wasn’t totally free of pride himself, and knowing what Qui-Gon had said about him to his own former Master was dangerous; especially considering his current predicament. Dooku continued, not seeming to care what Obi-Wan was thinking.
‘It is an honour to have one of the greatest Jedi as my… guest,’ he said.
‘Guest?’ said Obi-Wan incredulously. There was a great deal he could have said at that moment, but he kept himself under iron control. He was not going to be outdone by Dooku in this war of pleasantries. ‘Then I would hate to see how you treat your enemies.’
Dooku gave a thin smile.
‘I think perhaps you misunderstand me, my dear Obi-Wan. You see, in a sense, you are the culmination of my teachings of Qui-Gon.’
There was a great swell of power in the other man’s voice as he spoke, and Obi-Wan recognised the emotion on display. So that was how he had fallen, thought Obi-Wan. Pride. The way to the Dark Side of Dooku had been through pride.
‘Qui-Gon was like my own son, and I know he though the same of you.’
The very fact that the Count was proud should have stopped him, and Obi-Wan knew the warm glowing rush of pride was the wrong reaction to Dooku’s words, but he couldn’t help it. Qui-Gon had never spoken of such things; being the Jedi that he was, he never felt it necessary. But the few times he had spoken Dooku’s name, it had been with a reverence and love that he had used with no one else. The memory was so strong and so personal, that Obi-Wan had to close his eyes for a few moments. Dooku gave him a respectful silence, waiting until Obi-Wan was ready to continue, courteous to the very end.
‘We have much in common, Obi-Wan,’ he said eventually. ‘In many ways Qui-Gon as a Padawan was much like Anakin Skywalker.’
Obi-Wan suspected it was true. He had heard the occasional rumour about Qui-Gon’s impulsiveness; and even some of the more outlandish stories that circulated the Temple were likely to be true as well. Maybe that was why he had taken such a liking to Anakin as a boy.
‘Qui-Gon was wilful,’ continued Dooku. ‘Disobedient, even. And fearless to the point of arrogance. There were moment when I despaired of even being able to make a Jedi out of him.’ The other man gave a wolfish smile ‘No doubt there are times when even you despair.’
Obi-Wan wanted so much to agree with the Count. Anakin was nearly impossible, though that piece of important information he had only shared with Master Yoda! Telling Dooku anything about Anakin was dangerous, as was listening to the other man reminisce about Qui-Gon. But though he knew it was dangerous, he couldn’t help but want to know more about the man he had loved as a Father, and had never had the chance to know as an equal. Dooku could give him that knowledge, or at least part of it.
But it was wrong to dwell on that attachment now. Worse, it was dangerous. He couldn’t afford the weakness in this situation. And he would be damned if he was going to give Dooku, a man who had turned his back on everything that a Jedi stood for, the satisfaction of breaking down his resolve.
‘But Qui-Gon is dead,’ he said, his voice sounding my stronger and more composed than he imagined it would.
For a few moments, the Count glared at him, then he gave a slow, sad nod.
‘Yes, Master Kenobi, He is dead. And how we both miss him.’
Though his senses were dulled, Obi-Wan sensed that this at least was true. Dooku missed Qui-Gon almost as much as he did himself. Much to Obi-Wan’s surprise, Dooku stepped up close to him, and brushed a hand across his cheek with the lightest of touches. The feelings grew unbearably acute; the sense of family and loss and deep, deep regret from the other man took Obi-Wan’s breath away.
‘Think about what I have said, Obi-Wan. And think about Qui-Gon. You think you knew him well? I knew him as well as I know myself.’
Looking into the older man’s eyes, Obi-Wan almost faltered. But before he could form a suitable reply, Dooku turned and vanished out of the cave.
And he did not return.
= = =
And thanks to everyone who has commented on my fics so far - your support is very much appreciated. I will be incommunicado for the next few days, but I will eventually get the chance to reply and enjoy all the other fics.
*disappears, for fish*
Sealgirl