Star Wars : Tanya the Evil

Commodore Utro wasn't a man given to energetic pacing or furious gesticulation, and the moment those Munificents jumped from the system all the energy that had been propelling him about the Bridge disappeared. Feeling as though he'd run nearly a mile at a dead sprint, he dropped into his command chair as a pounding headache grew between his ears.

He winced, and sent his aid off to find him some medicine. What the heck had that been? Utro, someone who had climbed the famously slippery ladder of the Trade Federations ranks, certainly had his share of resentments. All his life he'd been able to stuff his frustrations and bitter thoughts into the back of his mind to be forgotten and never acted on, but then in that moment it was like every moment of anger in his entire life had come to him at once. He hadn't been able to think of anything except punishing that smug human who dared to lecture him in front of his own crew.

Now, he slumped into his chair glad that the battle was over. He considered what he'd said, and found nothing there that would get him into too much trouble with the Board of Directors, though having expressed his distaste for humans aloud might affect what deployments he might be given in the future.

"Sir, the enemy has escaped the system."

"I can see that."

Another officer spoke up. "Actually, the Munificents haven't left the system. Sensors have them regrouping at the edge and spooling up their hyperdrives for another jump."

"Whatever." Utro dismissed him. "Recall our vulture droids."

"Roger that, Sir, I've broadcast the order for them to return. They should be here in eighty minutes."

Utro blinked at that, and looked up. "Over an hour?" He repeated. "Over a full hour?"

"Yes, sir. They don't have hyperdrives-"

"I know they don't have hyperdrives!" He snapped, standing up as he felt panic begin to take hold.

He dimly recalled the orders he'd issued; 'Send all of them. All of them!' he'd screeched, paying no heed to how it would affect his defenses.

"Spool up the hyperdrives! Get us out of here, we're sitting-"

With the crash of vessels returning to real space, all three frigates returned to Naboo in a short range hyperjump.

Utro felt his blood run cold, as he realized they'd jumped into formation around his ship, facing it from multiple different directions. All at once, the three Munificents began to reorient their main guns on his capital ship.

Utro looked down at his command console, and saw that his hyperdrives had only just begun to warm up, and realized he wouldn't have time to make the jump before those turbo laser cannons were firing at his Lucrehulk. Running the calculations through his mind, it took him moments to realize that even his ship's shields wouldn't last more than a volley at full strength, and he had already taken several hits in the proceeding fight.

"Evacuate the ship!" He gave the order, standing up and rushing away. "Everyone evacuate right now!"

Everyone rushed to the escape pods, and Utro stayed just long enough to broadcast command codes for the droids to the next ship in the line. He hurried towards his own escape pod, his fingers just touching the control pad before an explosion rocked his ship.

Utro's last thoughts were that that sounded a lot like his reactor had been hit, before a nuclear blast consumed him.

...

Asajj watched in awe as the Federation fleet crumbled. Individually, none of the converted cargo haulers could take on the munificents, not without their fighter complements. If they had bombers, it would be a different story, but Dooku had explained to her that the Federation might be able to argue the Lucrehulks were upgraded for self defense, but that already thin lie would be made a self parody by the inclusion of a bomber compliment.

Instead, each Lucrehulk had smaller armaments than a frigate, and a poor superstructure that left their main reactors vulnerable. The Vulture Droid swarm was still almost an hour away from being able to rejoin the battle, and in the meantime the Frigates were picking off the scattered Lucrehulks one by one. After the droid command ship was destroyed, another Lucrehulk had been designated the controller before it too was destroyed. The frigates were about to converge on the next ship in the sequence, before finally Dooku received pleas of surrender.

"We accept." The Count said "Broadcast the shutdown command for the vulture droids, and prepare to be boarded." Then he sent an order to Asajj. "Take your ship, and go collect the crews as prisoners, then seal them in crew quarters for temporary holding."

It was a lengthy process, but Asajj found the terrified Nemoidians waiting for her at the docking point each time, and they were all ferried to the increasingly cramped crew quarters before being locked inside. After Asajj cleared away the last ship, Dooku scuttled them all one by one, destroying each with a turbolaser blast to the now exposed reactors.

Finally the entire Trade Federation fleet, all six ships, were left as nothing but wreckage floating above Naboo.

The sight of it took Asajj's breath away. She shivered with excitement, the hairs raising on the back of her neck as she watched the massive pieces of debris spiral through the void towards parts unknown, probably to become another piece of rubble in the system's asteroid field. It had been an incredible victory! And Asajj had been a part of it!

She smiled to herself, promising that she would learn from this! This battle hadn't been won by just the Count's evident genius, or even the advantage offered by the Munificents. The key moment of the battle had been just before it began, when her Master applied just the smallest hint of his powers on Commodore Utro. A mere change in the Nemoidians' temperament had been the deciding factor, which had been brought about through the power of the Dark Side.

A power that Asajj saw no reason she couldn't possess for herself one day.

...

When the last of the Trade Federation ships was destroyed, the electronic jamming that had covered the entire planet disappeared with it.

The first thing Dooku did was take out his compad and try to call Qui-Gon's private number. The call went through, and hope filled Dooku's breast as he heard the ringing. It was dozens of seconds that seemed to drag on for the longest moment of his life, before finally the call was answered.

Dooku's heart leapt as at last he could see his old friend, only for him to realize that wasn't his apprentice at all.

A gaunt and haggard looking Obi-Wan was projected across the commlink. His clothes looked filthy and ripped, even through the blue holographic projection.

"Padawan Kenobi." Dooku greeted him, hopes still not dashed. "Is Master Jinn with you? I wish to speak with him."

Obi-Wan's expression fell, and Dooku felt a cold feeling grip his gut. "I'm sorry Master Dooku, but Master Jinn was injured during the attack on the Palace, and again when we were targeted by an assassin."

"I see." Dooku's stomach turned, and finally he asked. "Master Jinn has passed away, I take it?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "We were forced to hide in the swamps when our attack failed. My Master's wounds festered, and he passed away."

"I see. Thank you, Padawan Kenobi." He paused for a moment, before informing him. "I'm sending you my Padawan's commlink. Please arrange with her to have yourself, and whoever else is with you recovered."

Then without another word, Dooku hung up. He sat there in the chair on his bridge, feeling as empty as he did after Galidran. Like his chest was just a hollow cavern filled with the stench of death and failure. Worse even.

An assassin.

Of course that Sith had sent an assassin.

The compad in Dooku's lap crunched into a tiny shivering ball, glass shattering and dusting his lap as he clenched his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white, and his fingernails drew blood from his palm.

Sidious. Liar. Traitor. The Senate. Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.

I am your Nemesis.

...

Don't forget to throw some power stones ;)

...

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