Chapter Forty-One

Asajj had never been one for art.

Pretty paintings, little sculptures. She had no use for these sorts of things.

She could appreciate some, of course. The tattoos of the Dathomiri were art, but they were art because they were expressions of the self. The best were guided by the force. The large statues and corporate advertisements plastered across Antar IV weren't worthy of any appreciation.

Today, however, Asajj was learning to appreciate a new sort of... thing. She wasn't sure what to call it. A dance, perhaps? Acting? But it was more than just a stage play. It was guiding ones foes into traps within traps, it was dancing to one beat to disguise another. It was... it was an art.

Was this what Dooku did all the time? There were certainly places where she saw a repetition in the pattern that the Darth set. She was quite certain that she wouldn't be able to imitate what she was seeing, not yet, not without a lot more strength in the force.

Darth Khepri had laid a string of traps for the Jedi, and the Jedi, in their hubris, stepped right into them without caution or awareness.

It started with their greetings.

Asajj had watched from the sidelines as Darth Khepri met the Jedi. There was tension there. The force roiled like a sky in a storm. The Jedi, the weaker ones, wanted to push, to fight, and yet they were held back by their masters.

The first trap was sprung and the Jedi weren't even aware that its jaws had clamped around their ankles.

Asajj had been there when Darth Khepri planned this operation, it afforded her a great deal of knowledge as to what was truly happening.

The Jedi were here for several reasons. To quell the insurrection on this world, but also to investigate the Sith presence.

By being here to greet them on their arrival, Darth Khepri had shifted the Jedi's focus onto them entirely. This was the first stage of her trap, and it had worked already.

"Come, Asajj," the Darth said as she rejoined her at the back of the starport. She was keeping just far enough to avoid capturing Asajj within her strange aura. "We have places to go to."

Asajj nodded, then carefully followed the Darth back through the spaceport. There was a long transport vessel waiting for them by the exit. A rented out craft designed for cargo transportation. It was at least robust, and the ramp opened up on its side allowed for easy access.

The interior was filled with Darth Khepri's droids and a dozen large boxes that hummed and buzzed ominous and gave off uncomfortable amounts of warmth.

Asajj didn't know what dark Sith sorcery allowed for the control of so many insects, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"Greetings: Please, Master, take a seat as we prepare ourselves to cross this barbaric city," the assassin droid said as he carefully pulled back a seat for Darth Khepri.

Asajj chose to stand as the ramp was folded up and the ship took off. "Onto the next part of the plan?" Asajj asked. The next step in this dance that the Sith lady had planned.

Darth Khepri nodded. "Next part, now," she said before frowning. "We're onto the next part, now." Her Basic was improving, if slowly. "HK-47, let me know when the Jedi move."

"Statement: I will let you know as soon as I'm aware," the droid said.

The first part of the plan had played multiple roles. First, it was bait for the Jedi. If they attacked, then the droids would rush out to protect the Darth while they pulled back. A dozen spy drones and cameras around the spaceport would then send everything they captured onto the Holonet for the galaxy to see.

They hadn't, but the Jedi were clearly distracted by the presence of a Sigh lady, and now they'd be entering the second phase.

Asajj didn't know if there was a term for a plan where success or failure of each part of it would still lead to an inevitable victory, but she had never considered it before. Was this what it meant to be a Darth?

"The Jedi have been given the information packet?" Darth Khepri asked. Her little astromech chittered an affirmative. "Good, thank you, Tattletale. The Jedi know now where the Roshu Sune headquarters on Antar IV were located. If the Jedi are as strong as HK-47 thinks, then they will not win a battle against the Jedi."

"Correction: I have not indicated that the Jedi are strong, Master, only that they are somewhat more capable than the average idealistic meatbag who would join a backwards terrorist group."

The Sith lady nodded in acknowledgement. "Fair enough. Our goal now is to do what I think Count Dooku wants."

"And what's that?" Asajj asked.

"Sarcasm: Does the little Sithling need everything explained to her?" the droid asked.

Asajj lit one of her lightsabers faster than most people couple blink. The droid raised a large gun her way.

Darth Khepri slowly reached up and lowered the end of HK-47's barrel. "No fighting," she said. "We are all friends here."

Asajj seethed. She had to stop letting that droid get under her skin. "Are you going to answer my question or not?" she asked.

"The goal, I believe, is to improve the standing of the Separatist movement. We have many ways of doing this. By helping the terrorists--but that is short-sighted--by helping to Gotal Separation Movement, or by appearing to make the Republic look bad."

"And you chose the last two," Asajj said.

The Darth shook her head. "I chose all three. Tattletale, did the delivery arrive?"

"Delivery?" Asajj asked.

The Darth grinned.

"Explanation: This planetary system is the home of a group called the Rangers. They are meatbags that act to assist Jedi in times of need. In order to appear less incompetent, they have recently made a large purchase of medical supplies and armaments."

"From the Trade Federation," Darth Khepri said.

"Addendum: A purchase which we noticed, and one which the Roshu Sune were made aware of."

Asajj grinned. "You armed them?"

"The day before the Jedi arrive, yes," Darth Khepri said. "Now, if they are smart, the Jedi will find them well-armed for fun and dismemberment. Can Jedi and Sith live through thermal detonators?"

"Yes," Asajj said.

The Darth blinked. "Oh. Well, we will see. The second phase is about us watching the Jedi make mistakes. They do not trust us, and will not want us to help, so we will sit back and watch. We will capture them being bad. We will show all of Antar IV them hurting gotal who just want to be free of the Republic. Then we step in to talk to the media. The Jedi have a good reputation, but they are not good at..." She turned to her assassin droid and had something translated for her. "Public relations," she said at last, almost as if tasting the words.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Asajj thought she was catching on to how the Sith was thinking. This was all very convoluted, and while the Sith seemed to have a knack for finding the best solution to any situation, it was hard for Asajj to keep track of it all. She did see that this was a trap of sorts. The Jedi were the prey. And they were walking right into the jaws of a predator even as they kept their eyes on her.

They had arrived.

Asajj followed Darth Khepri off the transport ship. Two blocks over was the headquarters of the Roshu Sune. It was a simple building, with large windows and a flat roof. Somewhere, a few blocks away, the Jedi would be preparing themselves for an assault.

They were next to a commercial district, a part of the city where the skyscrapers weren't skyscrapers, and the streets were packed with a bustling crowd.

Their landing had been noticed, and some were looking at the Darth and her entourage with wide-eyes.

Asajj smirked and made a show of drawing her lightsabers, spinning them in her hands. She wasn't going to attack anyone, but the idea was to let the Roshu Sune members know that someone was ready for them. The more time they had to prepare, the harder they would make things for the Jedi.

It took several minutes for the Jedi to arrive.

Jedi Master Saesee Tiin, Jedi Master Coleman Trebor and their padawan walked out from an alleyway, looking fresh as they could be. The older of the two, Master Saesee Tiin, was the one who came closest. She paused when Darth Khepri raised a hand to stop her, but didn't seem like she was going to question why the Darth wanted so much space.

"This is the location of the presumed Roshu Sune base?" the Jedi master asked.

Darth Khepri nodded. "It's close, yes. RS-C2, come here please." The droid warbled as it came closer. "Can you... show the building, please?"

The droid swayed from side to side, then its front opened and it projected a hologram of the building in question.

Jedi Master Coleman Trebor leaned forwards and stared at the image. The building itself was tall and boxy, with plenty of windows and balconies on the lower floors. On the top were a pair of large antennas and a communications tower. "Are you certain this is the correct location?"

"Yes," the Darth said.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary," he added.

The droid swayed, and the projection changed, showing the building's blueprints. A second projection on the side flickered through gotal faces. Members of the organisation. Then images captured from local security cameras showing them entering the building in question.

"I can sense them in there now," Darth Khepri said. "It is the right place. You can ask local police too, if you doubt me."

Master Saesee Tiin shook her head. "We did, and this does seem like a local gathering point for them. We will go and confront them then. Hopefully we can end this with a discussion, peacefully." She eyed the Sith lady as if expecting a protest.

Asajj could feel that the Darth was pleased, even if she didn't say anything.

"We can help," Darth Khepri offered.

"Thank you, but no," the Jedi master replied.

"I am very capable," Darth Khepri continued. "And I have droids, as my Sith friend here."

The Jedi masters looked at her, and then they shook their heads. "No, thank you," the Jedi said.

"Very well," the Darth said with a shrug. "May the force be with you."

They bowed, the padawan and the masters both. It was an oddly formal gesture, and when the two masters turned towards the building and almost scampered away. Asajj chuckled darkly, and the Sith turned to her. "What is funny?" she asked.

"I'm laughing at the Jedi, of course," she replied. "You've had your hooks in them. They're afraid of your help. They're scared that you will do something, that you'll attack them. It's hilarious."

"Is it?" the Sith asked. Asajj imagined that she was smiling beneath her mask. "Will they bring those children with them?"

"The padawan? No, probably not," Asajj replied. She was certain that the Jedi wouldn't be risking the younglings. They were weak, and while they would fight, they wouldn't be the first line in a siege.

"Good. I hate it when children die because of me."

Asajj felt a small wash of guilt coming from the Sith, but she didn't pry. Instead, she followed her and the assassin droid back to the ship. They pulled the ramp back in, then carefully moved over a few blocks. By the time they arrived, the Jedi were arrayed before the building, waiting for something. Asajj wanted to be out there. She was feeling antsy, but she was quite certain that some of that feeling were the emotions of the younger padawans and knights bleeding out into the force.

"Do you think they'll attack?" the Darth asked.

"Probably. If not, the gotal will."

The Sith hummed, then gestured for Asajj to move out of the way as she brought up the droid's camera feed. It was a bit grainy and distant, but the audio was clear. The little R3 unit was projecting what it could see from a few cameras into the air for them to view.

"Attention, occupants of this building. We are the Jedi of the Galactic Republic. This building is under investigation, and we ask that you vacate the premises," Jedi Master Saesee Tiin spoke loudly enough that Asajj could hear her even from a block away.

Nothing happened for a long moment, and then the building's door opened, and a pair of gotal walked out, their hands on the side of their heads.

"That's not good," the Darth murmured. "Tattletale, put in an anonymous call with the local police, and alert our media friends to hurry up."

"What is it?" Asajj asked.

"I hate it when terrorists try to turn into martyrs," Darth Khepri said. "It's a waste."

"What do you mea--" Asajj started.

She was cut off when a blast rang out and a wash of flame rushed outwards from where the surrendering gotal had been.

***