C5E

Pregnant. Padme could barely believe it. But she couldn't fool herself into believing that they had taken every precaution, every contraceptive measure. They hadn't even used any contraceptives after their marriage on Naboo. During their rare moments, they hadn't even considered it. They met up so rarely that it simply hadn't occurred to them, the inevitable byproduct.

When was the last time they had some privacy between themselves? At least three or four months ago. She gripped the medical blanket with both hands and tried not to think about the complications that would soon make themselves reality once the news got out to Coruscant... and the Senate.

And she was here, trapped in this sterile medical room, without Anakin.

"Ma'am?"

She started at the voice and glanced towards the doorway.

A clone soldier. Rex, if she remembered correctly. He held an apologetic expression on his face, helmet tucked under an arm.

"Captain Rex," she greeted, voice brittle. "How can I help you?"

"Its, ah... I thought you should know, since you're currently stuck in medical, that Generals Shaak Ti and Kenobi both know-" Almost at once, Padme felt her heart sinking. "-about your pregnancy. And as a result, the news is spreading around the troops as well."

Silently, Padme's shoulder fell and her eyes closed as she realized just how widespread this news would become. Even with the discipline of the clone troopers, by the time she returned to Coruscant, the Senate would know.

There would be no damage control.

The captain coughed and she slowly raised her eyes to meet his. Rex seemed a little nervous, as if unsure of himself.

"I know that the General isn't always... the most, ah... cautious of individuals," Rex said to her. "I know he likes to be on the point of the spear, so to speak. I'd just like to say, on behalf of the troops, that if he ever tries anything that seems particularly, ah, bold... that we'll try to hold him back."

Unexpectedly, Padme felt a twitch at the corners of her lips. She was surprised, amused, and perhaps a bit touched by the Clone Captain's attempts to reassure her. It was... comforting.

Rex kept talking, twisting his hands as he stood by her bed, rambling on about some of Anakin's daredevil antics and how he tried to talk sense into the Jedi. How Obi-wan 'hasn't stopped smacking him over the head' but taking it all in good humor.

Padme let herself relax as she listened to Rex, his voice soothing her with tales of Anakin's stupid foolhardy exploits, and how Rex was now even more devoted towards preventing any further antics on her husband's part.

-

Though Dooku had not given her due with his tacit approval, Ventress' focus was not on her master's praises but on her droid general. Ever since the fleet dropped out of hyperspace, it had been one thing after another. Once those tasks had been taken care of, she had been summoned to speak with Dooku to give him her report, giving the dathomirian acolyte no time to hunt down Seven One One.

The thought that the droid might actually be hiding from her ran through her mind as she stalked down a grand staircase. A pair of BX-Commando droids stood guard at the bottom. They saluted her as she approached.

"Where is Unit Seven One One?" She demanded.

"Unit Seven One One is in a meeting with Count Dooku," the droid said promptly.

She frowned. She had just finished her own meeting with her Master. If Seven One One had indeed a meeting with him, then she would have seen him waiting outside of his study. Something was not quite right.

Asajj paused and thought for a moment.

If he wasn't waiting in her quarters, then logically he was still in his meeting with Dooku... but she had not seen him enter, and nor had she seen the BX-Commando squad that served as his bodyguards.

Dooku... whom 711 had mentioned to Grievous, telling the Kaleesh general that the Count had a habit of... interfering with his plans.

Asajj's hand settled gently on her belt, just above her lightsabers.

Dooku - who had outright told Asajj that the ways of the Sith were of Power and Betrayal, of the Apprentice killing the Master.

But why couldn't it happen the other way around? If the Master saw a threat, and took steps to eliminate it preemptively? Was Seven One One a threat to him? The Acolyte thought back on the events of late. Once a simple battledroid, now an aspiring commander of legions who had done what most could not. Were he organic, a leader of flesh and blood, perhaps. But a machine?

'Yes...' Asajj thought slowly, her frown turning harsher, into a sneer.

It was time to have a little talk with Grievous, she thought. The good general would be in his private infirmary, healing from his wounds. The Kaleesh cyborg's mind was even more paranoid than hers, and he had been affected by Dooku's machinations far more times in the course of the war.

A few casual words would be all it took, she realized. Just a few words, and she could have Grievous and Dooku suspicious of each other, perhaps even battling for control. And if the good Count did turn towards her, then preparations can be made.

She found Grievous examining his trophies, lightsabers, hair braids, or even preserved body parts distinctive to the Jedi that fell victim to his predations. The kaleesh cyborg suppressed a cough as she entered his little sanctuary in Count Dooku's citadel. Yellow reptilian eyes narrow as Ventress approached, fingering lightsabers or stroking the odd braid of hair.

"What do you want, Ventress?" Grievous was in no mood for games, the surgery he had suffered through had left him short of breath (and temper) after his lungs needed reinforcement.

"Have you seen my Toy General, Grievous?" She asked silkily, examining the braid of a padawan. "I thought he would be here, discussing strategy with you... or sharing his holo collection of Jedi military blunders."

Grievous stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "No. I had attempted to contact your droid earlier. He is in a meeting with Count Dooku."

"Ah, I see, then I'll take my leave," she smiled graciously towards the cyborg general, ignoring his inquisitive stare as she left.

Asajj could feel him watching her even as the doors shut, knowing the confusion in his mind would soon give way to suspicion.

Just as planned.

-

This was not going as planned at all, Chancellor Palpatine decided, distantly aware of Director Isard's report winding down. Kamino was never supposed to take this much damage. It was never supposed to be a site of a major Separatist victory.

It was supposed to be something to galvanize the fools in the Senate, to further increase funding towards the Republic war machine and allow him to further expand his influence.

"How could it have gone so wrong," he murmured as Armand Isard finished his final tallies, cupping his face into his hands. It was a true gesture of weakness, however much he felt the words appropriately, for it was a sentiment shared by many in this room.

"Unforeseen, this was." Came the voice of Yoda, the ever-wise little goblin. Palpatine favored him with attention, his disgust disguised by weariness. "A single cause, we can find. This new droid general that was spoken of."

Ah, yes. That. He'd be wondering about that as well. It wouldn't do for a sudden new rogue element to simply appear. Especially one that he had never seen or noticed.

"The only real evidence of this new 'Droid General' is from a decrypted transmission of a conversation between Asajj Ventress and General Grievous." Isard tapped the holo-projector and the familiar two most wanted war criminals in recent history appeared.

"The Clone Planet of Kamino is a dangerous target," hissed Ventress.

"Just make sure you hold up your half of the mission. We must end the production of new clones, if we want to end this war," snapped the cyborg general.

"Don't you worry, Grievous. My commander will see to it that the Republic's defenses are destroyed, paving the way to the all-out invasion of Tipoca City."

"Your commander is an incompetent droid," growled Grievous angrily, pacing like a restless animal. "I guarantee that his leadership will spell the doom of this operation!"

"General, as a competent droid commander, my dear Toy General is certainly more competent than you! He'll perform admirably," purred the Sith Assassin. "I will take note of your protest and be sure to rub it in your face after we have taken Kamino."

"Bah!"

Palpatine had seen this transmission before. He himself had allowed the modifications to the war fleet traveling to Kamino, even let the massive war cruiser be transferred into the command of that droid commander. At the time, he'd simply assumed it was merely a prototype of the new 'Super' Tactical Droids being put into field testing.

He'd simply not expected it to succeed so wildly beyond his expectations.

"According to reports on this new Droid General, it has been attached to Asajj Ventress, Dooku's right hand, enforcer, and assassin. Intelligence believes that it is responsible for multiple disappearances of star destroyer taskforces throughout the Outer Rim. Until now, this it's only true major victory attributed to it." Isard's prognosis was grim, mirrored by his expression as he turned to address the rest of the committee. "It is the belief of Republic Intelligence that these minor victories were initial field tests, culminating in testing it's true limits during the battle over Kamino. Without it, the losses would likely not have been so catastrophic."

Master Windu, ever the serious Jedi, spoke up. "With the destruction of so many cloning facilities and the loss of the clone trainees on Kamino, our reinforcements of clone troopers will be seriously depleted, Chancellor. We will have to expand recruiting efforts."

"What do you mean, Master Jedi?" Asked Palpatine, a sinking feeling in his chest as he came to the same conclusion.

"Clone troopers are highly effective, but without the steady reinforcements from Kamino, we will need to recruit from local populations to maintain a bulk of the personnel in both the navy and the army," interjected a portly General, his bush-like mustache twitching as he spoke. Bavris glanced towards Windu. "Master Windu is right in this; though the common people of the Republic will not like this, we will need their help in filling out the ranks of the common soldier. As it is, militia and rangers are not enough. If need be, we will have to begin conscript-"

"That, I hope, will not be necessary," Windu interrupted, a tone of warning in his voice.

General Bavris bristled, but Palpatine stood, hands raised in a placating gesture. "I understand completely of the necessity of finding new sources of soldiers to defeat the Separatist threat, but as I understand it, it will be not an easy task."

"With the loss of Kamino as the steady supplier of clone troopers, we will have to rely on the common citizen to do their duty for the Republic," he continued, eyes sweeping over the advisory council. "I will call for the implementation of increased recruitment efforts. However, the quality of those troops will take time and resources. The latter the Republic has, but the former I fear will be in short supply."

"Then work quickly, we must," said Yoda determinedly. The Jedi Master nodded in acknowledgment to him, as did Master Windu. Palpatine felt a short thrill of amusement every time they did that.

Next, General Bavris and Director Isard both bid their farewells, leaving him to quietly return to his seat.

The work of a Sith Lord never truly ended, he decided sardonically. Darth Sidious sighed softly as he activated his personal computer and rang his secretary for caf and a light dinner to be brought up to his office. It was going to be another sleepless night ahead of him today.

Chancellor Palpatine smiled thinly, quietly contemplating the work ahead, of plans shifting, schemes being altered, and contingencies activating for these new unwanted variables.

"Yes... I will need to work very quickly indeed."