Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars

Count Dooku stood on the command bridge of the Separatist Alliance's massive Providence-class star dreadnought, his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for further instructions from Darth Sidious regarding the crisis of Nute Gunray's capture.

He had been contemplating various rescue scenarios when the familiar blue holographic projection of his Sith Master materialized before him, casting an eerie glow across the darkened bridge.

Dooku immediately dropped to one knee in respectful submission and asked with careful deference: "Master, what are your commands?"

"Is there any need to ask such an obvious question? This is about Gunray's situation, naturally."

Count Dooku nodded gravely and reported: "The Republic has successfully captured Viceroy Nute Gunray and is transporting him for interrogation. Master, what course of action do you wish me to pursue?"

Sidious's voice carried cold calculation as he explained: "Gunray will not withstand extended interrogation by the Jedi Council. He is fundamentally weak-willed and cowardly. If they succeed in breaking him and extracting information, we will find ourselves in an extremely compromised position. Such intelligence could deliver a catastrophic blow to our entire war effort."

Dooku had long anticipated his Master's ruthless pragmatism and responded with understanding: "I comprehend completely. I will dispatch Asajj Ventress to infiltrate the Jedi escort frigate transporting Nute Gunray. If the rescue operation fails, I will ensure that the Viceroy is permanently silenced."

Sidious seemed to consider Ventress's name for a moment before responding with obvious skepticism: "If I recall correctly, Ventress participated in the failed operation on Naboo. Are you seriously proposing to assign someone who has already demonstrated failure to execute an even more challenging and critical mission?"

"She is an exceptionally talented and skilled assassin, Master," Dooku insisted with conviction. "I have complete confidence that she will execute this mission with perfect success."

Sidious adopted an tone of absolute authority, shaking his head decisively: "Regardless of her previous accomplishments, this particular mission cannot afford any possibility of failure. If the opposition consisted solely of Jedi Knights and clone troopers, I might consider your recommendation. However, this time the Jedi have included additional personnel in their escort operation."

"Master?" Dooku inquired with growing concern.

"In addition to the three Jedi assigned to the mission, there is also an Avenger accompanying the transport to Coruscant. There is absolutely no doubt that this Avenger will present significant complications for your assassin apprentice. Isn't that precisely what occurred during the Naboo operation?"

When Dooku learned that an Avenger was directly involved in this mission, he no longer felt confident making any guarantees about success. After all, Ventress had recently been defeated and forced to retreat by several Avengers during the Naboo incident. He asked with obvious caution: "Which Avenger has been assigned to this operation?"

A detailed holographic image of War Machine appeared beside Sidious's projection, and the Sith Lord continued with a tone of grudging respect: "Colonel James Rhodes, known within the Avengers as War Machine. Based on all intelligence we have gathered, this individual is unquestionably a formidable combatant. His armor system is essentially a mobile arsenal containing numerous advanced weapons platforms, and his personal combat capabilities should never be underestimated. He truly lives up to his moniker as a 'war machine.'"

Sidious glanced down at his kneeling apprentice and continued with emphasis: "He, like the other members of this increasingly dangerous team of so-called 'heroes,' cannot be approached with anything less than absolute seriousness. Therefore, to ensure this mission achieves complete success, Ventress cannot possibly accomplish it alone."

Dooku considered the tactical challenges quickly, weighing Sidious's concerns against available resources, then looked up with a potential solution: "Master, there may be someone available who could make this operation more... balanced."

Sidious regarded Dooku with interest and gestured for him to elaborate.

Dooku continued with growing confidence: "My agents recently discovered an ancient warrior who possesses extensive experience battling many different types of enemies, including Jedi Knights specifically." He paused for emphasis before explaining further: "Interestingly, he shares certain characteristics with the Avenger you mentioned—this War Machine. Beyond his own considerable personal combat prowess, he also functions as a mobile weapons platform. Additionally, he has survived for an extraordinarily long time and possesses incomparable combat experience accumulated over centuries."

"Indeed? Do you have complete confidence in this ancient warrior's capabilities?"

"Absolutely confident, my lord," Dooku declared without hesitation.

Normally, Sidious's naturally suspicious nature would compel him to question his apprentice's recommendations extensively, but after a moment of contemplative silence, he actually nodded in agreement with Dooku's proposed plan.

When Asajj Ventress arrived on the bridge, the holographic communication between Dooku and Sidious had already concluded. Dooku stood alone on the command platform, apparently lost in deep thought about the mission ahead.

Ventress approached and offered the traditional greeting: "Master."

Dooku turned around, his expression stern and uncompromising as he addressed her: "Come with me immediately. There is a critical assignment you must undertake, but before we proceed, I must provide you with complete briefing details."

Ventress followed Count Dooku off the bridge as he began explaining the gravity of their situation: "There is absolutely no margin for error in this mission. It must be completed successfully. If this operation fails like the previous one, not only will you face severe consequences, but I will also be held accountable by our Master."

Ventress asked with professional interest: "Master, what specific challenges does this mission present?"

Dooku glanced at his apprentice and spoke with calculated calm: "Nute Gunray has been captured by Republic forces and is currently being transported to Coruscant for intensive interrogation. Your mission is to rescue him from custody. Even if you cannot successfully extract him, that is acceptable—but you absolutely must not allow him to provide information to his captors. Do you understand the implications?"

Ventress nodded with grim understanding.

Dooku continued with tactical details: "There are three Jedi Knights assigned to escort duty for this mission, and there is also one member of the Avengers team. Although you have never encountered this particular individual, you have engaged three Avengers during the Naboo operation and are familiar with their combat effectiveness. Therefore, this time I will be sending an additional operative to execute this mission alongside you."

"Master, during the Naboo incident, I was simply caught off-guard and failed to adapt quickly enough to their unconventional fighting methods," Ventress argued defensively.

"I accept your explanation of those events, which is precisely why I am not sending you alone this time," Dooku replied with a nod.

Ventress was momentarily stunned by the implication, then asked with obvious disbelief and wounded pride: "What did you just say?"

However, Dooku remained completely unmoved by her reaction and simply stated: "You heard my words clearly. Do you require me to repeat them for clarification?"

Ventress fell silent, processing both the mission parameters and the implicit criticism of her previous performance.

The two soon stood before a sealed chamber door, and when it opened with a mechanical hiss, Ventress found herself looking at an unusually massive figure encased in heavily dented and battle-scarred armor. The being stood alone in the center of the room, radiating an aura of limitless violence and bloodlust, as if he were some kind of ancient killing machine awakened from a long slumber.

Dooku addressed Ventress with formal introduction: "Allow me to introduce you to your new mission partner."

The imposing figure began approaching them with heavy, measured footsteps that seemed to make the entire room vibrate slightly with each impact.

Ventress craned her neck upward, frowning as she studied her assigned "partner," noting both his intimidating size and the extensively damaged condition of his armor plating. She asked with incredulous skepticism: "A bounty hunter?"

"He is considerably older than any bounty hunter currently operating in the galaxy," Dooku explained with obvious respect, "and he has killed more Jedi Knights than any other individual alive today—including both you and General Grievous combined."

Upon hearing this revelation, Ventress regarded the towering warrior with a mixture of awe and newfound respect. She was no longer quite so opposed to having another operative join her on this critical mission, and asked with genuine curiosity: "Does he have a name?"

"Bounty Hunter Durge."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~