Asajj Ventress hurried through the corridors of Count Dooku's castle.
The Count's sudden summons clearly indicated a new mission, and she was about to learn its details.
"Master," she said, stopping before the door to his study and bowing slightly.
"Asajj, your timing is perfect," Count Dooku said from his high-backed chair, his voice carrying the authority of one in command. "We have a new mission for you. You must depart for Jabim immediately, accompanied by Durge."
"That lunatic?" Ventress frowned.
The Dathomir Witches had heard rumors about this bounty hunter employed by the Banking Clan—stories of his brutality and madness.
"Exactly him. The Dark Lord believes he will play a crucial role in this battle. He possesses the combat experience we need." Dooku paused before continuing. "Moreover, you will command three million battle droids, including heavy armored vehicles and elite sabotage squads. Later, I will also deploy a batch of assassin robots specifically designed for Jabim's complex environment to support you."
"The scum of the Republic plans to attack that planet?" A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Ventress's eyes.
"Correct. Jabim is rich in mineral resources, and its ruler, Alto Stratus, fully supports us. Upon arrival, you must maintain the necessary courtesy toward him. Your primary mission is to eliminate all Jedi Knights stationed at the planet's command."
"Yes, Master."
"That's all the information you need for this mission." Count Dooku tossed a holodisk to her. "Study it carefully. You'll depart with the first escort fleet in a few hours."
Ventress caught the holodisk, bowed again, and turned to leave the count's study.
In the cockpit of her ship, Ventress casually skimmed through the documents on the holodisk when a name suddenly caught her attention.
She blinked, leaning closer to the screen to scrutinize it.
Solo Victor.
A cold, anticipatory smile slowly curled the lips of the Dathomir Witch. "We're finally going to meet. I'll find you, you bastard."
Today's Senate session was no different from countless previous tedious and inefficient meetings, filled with empty rhetoric and meaningless delays.
Padmé Amidala subtly clenched her fist, her loose senatorial robes concealing the gesture—the only permissible expression of her discontent.
Two long weeks had passed since she and Chancellor Palpatine insisted on dispatching both Jedi and clone trooper forces to Jabim.
So much had happened since that fateful meeting of the Jedi Council.
First, she had to endure an unpleasant conversation with her supporters, particularly Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. Her actions, and her close collaboration with the Chancellor, ran counter to the Loyalist Committee's peace policy.
However, a few days later, Organa's attitude softened after reviewing the mission details. He argued that 40,000 clone troopers were insufficient to control a planet, suggesting that the hasty decision of the Jedi Council had likely sealed the fate of the mission, leaving open the possibility of a diplomatic solution.
Second, they agreed that Bail Organa would propose sending a diplomatic envoy to Jabim during the next Senate session.
But the Senate's bureaucratic system was bloated and inefficient. It wasn't until two weeks later that Organa finally secured the floor.
During this time, Padmé visited numerous galaxies, meeting with local government officials to discuss a myriad of pressing issues: food shortages on some planets, mass refugee crises, the escalating piracy and slave trade—
She also managed to find time to spend with Anakin.
He escorted her to Naboo, and those four days were unforgettable.
But all good things must come to an end, and now she was intently listening to Bail Organa's speech.
He had been speaking for over an hour, using every persuasive technique at his disposal to convince the politicians present to pass a resolution for a peaceful resolution to the Jabim conflict.
"Honored Senators and Representatives!
As a representative of the Loyalist Committee, I implore you to remain rational!
Critical issues cannot be resolved through brute force alone! We request your support for a peaceful resolution to the Jabim conflict!
We should send a diplomatic mission there, not more troops!
The war in Jabim will be a filthy and brutal battle, where our troops will face both rebels and the robot armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems simultaneously.
I fear the Republic will suffer catastrophic losses, and I fervently hope this costly campaign can be avoided through diplomatic efforts!"
Sparse applause echoed through the chamber.
Mas Amedda, the Speaker's assistant, rose to call for order. Then Chancellor Palpatine stepped up to the podium.
"Honored Senator Organa!
How I wish I could support your peace initiative! However, the current situation is extremely urgent."
Losing Jabim would be an immeasurable loss for the Republic, and all the recent victories of the Republic Corps could go down the drain!
I hereby inform you that the Jedi Order is preparing a large-scale offensive against Jabim, aiming to reclaim this planet for the Republic and restore the democracy and order stripped from its people by the usurper and separatist Alto Stratus!
We cannot allow the separatist movement to spread, no matter the cost!
The Republic is indivisible and invincible!"
The Senate chamber erupted in thunderous applause.
Padmé shook her head in despair, thinking to herself, "The attempt has failed."
"How is she?" Solo asked as he approached Ahsoka's bedside, addressing the hovering IM-6 Medical Droid.
"The patient's vital signs are stable. We have successfully treated her wounds, removed the metallic fragments, and applied bio-fabric to accelerate healing. However, this Togruta has lost too much blood and requires massive transfusions to recover. Unfortunately, we have no compatible blood reserves; our current inventory consists entirely of blood types specific to Clone Troopers. The medical frigate is equipped with universal synthetic blood, but we are currently unable to contact the frigate to obtain it. Therefore, the patient's recovery process will be prolonged," the robot reported truthfully.
Solo fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke: "Can I use my blood?"
"I'm afraid not, Commander. You belong to different biological species. Although some physiological parameters are barely compatible—"
"Nevertheless, perform a blood compatibility analysis first," Solo interrupted the robot, driven by a strong intuition that this method might work.
"But—"
"Don't argue with me. What is your core mission?"
"I was designed to provide medical assistance and emergency care to the troops—"
"Then do as I say. Modern robots are becoming increasingly presumptuous." Solo had no patience for arguments.
The robot relented, extending a blood collection needle attached to its mechanical arm. It gently pricked Solo's arm to draw a blood sample, then flew to the adjacent laboratory.
Solo turned his gaze back to Ahsoka lying on the bed.
After treatment, her complexion had improved significantly. With the oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose, she looked from the side as if she were merely asleep.
Soon, the medical droid returned. "Commander, I cannot explain the underlying principles, but the analyzer shows a high compatibility between your blood and the patient's. Most physiological parameters are perfectly matched. The probability of such a cross-species match is less than ten percent."
"Perhaps it's because we're both Jedi. The Force might have created some kind of connection between us?" Solo speculated.
"It's not impossible, but my database contains no discernible patterns, and there are unidentified variables at play."
"You don't need to understand. Just initiate the transfusion according to protocol. Request any necessary support."
"Understood. Initiating now." The IM-6 Medical Droid nodded, flew to the storage bay to retrieve the transfusion equipment, and skillfully connected the tubes with its mechanical arms before beginning the transfusion.
"General," the robot suddenly paused, seeming hesitant. "There's something about her injuries I must inform you of."
"What now?" Solo's tone instantly tensed.
The transfusion equipment was fully set up, and the blood began to flow slowly.
As Solo watched his own blood leave his body through the transparent tubes and slowly flow into Ahsoka's veins, the robot's words echoed repeatedly in his mind: "Alright, let's put this aside for now—unless it's necessary later."
Driven by some inexplicable impulse, Solo gently placed his free hand on Ahsoka's forehead, closed his eyes, and slowly entered a meditative state.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 10+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon