The sun was setting off in the distance as its rays leaked over the tree tops and sprayed the long concrete walkway.
Admiring the cool crisp weather, Count Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, stood at the bottom of the steps leading to his massive Palace.
His gaze was stern almost expecting.
In fact, the Count of Serenno was indeed expecting someone.
His young apprentice, Asajj Ventress was en route and he was growing impatient.
Dooku enjoyed his training and shaping of Ventress. He often instructed the young Sith one thing and expected another.
He expected her force abilities to show her his true intentions.
But now it was getting late and Dooku’s patients were running thin.
***
A mix of darkish green leaves and vines whipped by her face as she practically glided just above the land.
Using the force to augment her speed, Asajj Ventress knew her presence was expected, even though she was instructed to rendezvous with her master in a little over two hours.
Difficult to predict and impossible to plan for, her master trained her to always expect the unexpected, and today was no different.
Her senses were telling her that Dooku was getting restless which meant Ventress had to hurry.
Taking it up a notch, she began to jump from place to place in an attempt to get to her destination faster.
Six meters here, nine meters there seven meters over there, Ventress was zooming through the Serenno forest.
She was close now, all that stood in her way of being in the line of her master’s sight was seven giant trees that were six feet in diameter.
Sparing no time, she took a mighty leap and landed no more than 10 meters away from the end of the forest, planted her feet firmly in the cool ground and cleared her mind.
At that instant she tapped deep into the Dark Side and allowed her past experiences of painful memories, times of sadness and heartbreak to pull her deep into the force.
She saw nothing but red, as fury and pure hate filled her heart. Ventress let out a blast of pure energy through the force that sent the humongous trees flying through the air, clearing her path.
In the near distance, Dooku sensed it before it happened.
He felt the massive output of relentless energy followed by the first row of the trees in the Serenno forest launched.
Staring to the sky, with his hands evenly clasped behind his back, Dooku calmly watched as chunks of wood and clumps of soil rained down on the stone deck.
Like a meteor shot out of the space, Asajj Ventress came crashing down directly in front of her master, already kneeling on one knee with her head bowed.
“Master?” She said with a half-smile.
Dooku slowly lowered his gaze to meet his apprentices, “We have little time for games Ventress, this act of showing up when you decide to is getting tired.”
“Yes my lord,” She responded.
Eager to continue his plans, Dooku said, “The Confederacy’s manufacturing plants on Charros IV is in danger. I have received word from my master that the Republic is launching a full offensive. We will match them in firepower and outnumber them three to one.”
“It will be your responsibility to covertly make your way to the Republic staging area and sabotage the heavy machinery that will be used in the ambush,” Dooku bluntly stated.
Ventress lifted her head, with a blank expression on her face she simply said, “Consider it done, my lord.”
***
Piercing through the blackness of space, Ventress was in deep meditation, anticipating the events of what was to come.
She had her mission.
She was to land in a hangar hidden to the Republic that was designed for diplomats visiting Charros’ government.
The hangar was seized by the CIS when the planet was hijacked by the Separatists and was now a key strategic point to an impending battle.
As her Ginivex-class starfighter eased to the floor, she remained in the cockpit and meditated.
She was a master assassin, with the power of the Dark Side to guide her, Asajj Ventress was in her element.
All at once, she flashed her eyes open, activated the craft’s hatch and burst through in the air.
When she hit the ground, she was already running. The sky was gray, the trees were leafless and the Sith apprentice was picking up speed as she bolted through the Charros forest.
It didn’t take long for her to find a path towards the Republic staging ground. She looked on as tracks of heavy machinery of the Grand Army of the Republic winded down, through the forest.
Right at that moment, the currents in the force lashed out as her as a warning, she could feel the immediate danger through the force as she froze and observed her surroundings.
The air was still and all was quiet when she saw no more than 15 meters away, a Republic scout marking the land for the imminent attack.
“Too easy,” she told herself as the corners of her mouth curled to form an evil smile.
Launching herself through the air, she ignited her twin lightsabers and rapidly approached the lone trooper.
At the last second, the clone turned around, looked up and saw her. He was too late. Reflecting on his visor, she could see her own reflection and her own wicked smile plastered on her face.
Altogether, Ventress gracefully landed on the forest floor while the clone’s body and head audibly did the same.
There was no time to admire her craft however as she continued her pursuit for the staging area.
***
Count Dooku lowered himself to the ground on one knee as he bowed his head.
“My lord?” Dooku formally stated.
Above the Count was a large hologram of a dark figure with a pasty white face, covered from just above the nose by a black hood, the image was surrounded by darkness.
For a moment, the figure just hovered there without saying anything.
Then with a slow deliberate almost angry tone,”Darth Tyranus, a predicament has arisen.”
“A pair of Jedi are leading the assault on the CIS factories of Charros IV.”
Dooku tilted his head towards the image and said,” Ventress will dispose of them with ease, my lord.”
Almost impatient, the shrouded figure retorded,”Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker are the Jedi leading the assault.”
His voice was sharp and bitter.
Struggling with what to say, Dooku did his best to respond.
But without warning, the opposing figure ended the transmission.
The last image Dooku saw was a flash of teeth in a fury-filled scowl.
***
Hydraulic engines and clanking and clashing metal filled the air. Republic AT-TE and HAVw A6 Juggernauts dominated the landscape.
Asajj Ventress was taken aback at the sight but almost instantly regained composure.
The Republic forces were flexing their might with all this fire power. Ventress was unsure if she could ravage the machinery in time.
As she was plotting her first move, her next discovery left her in shock.
Walking side by side, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were quarreling over what seemed to be a childish argument.
“Master, with all do respect, I was on my way but you wanted all of those battle droids destroyed,” Skywalker said.
“Oh please Anakin, just admit you were taking your time. There was more than sufficient time for someone of your caliber to get the job done,” Kenobi returned.
“What are these idiots doing here,” Ventress said to herself as she grinded her teeth in anger.
She had many battles in the past with Jedi and almost all of them she emerged victorious.
But with Kenobi/Skywalker, she was lucky to escape with her life.
Now she had no choice, her master gave her a mission and failure was not an option.
Easing out of the tree line, Ventress crept towards the first giant vehicle.
She planted the charges right next to the fueling apparatus and moved on.
One by one she sabotaged the Republic equipment as she heard the clone commander issue the order for the assault to begin.
Many Republic and Confederate spies/assassins were good at what they did but Asajj Ventress was the best.
Retreating back towards the camouflaging tree line, her advance was blocked.
“Hello there,” Obi-Wan Kenobi sarcastically welcomed Ventress.
“Oh Kenobi, you can put an end to the charade. You are a pest that will never catch a hint!” Ventress said through gritted teeth.
“Charming as always,” Kenobi replied with a smiile.
To Kenobi’s surprise, Ventress returned his smile and said,”You’re too late to stop me this time.”
With that, Ventress took off in a dead sprint, leaving the Jedi Master behind her.
Abruptly, a figure came crashing down in front of her, knocking the Sith down.
“I should have known our presence would draw out a coward like yourself,” said a stern-faced Anakin.
But instead of Ventress jumping to engage Skywalker in a duel as he expected, she took another course of action.
“Leave me, you imbecile!” Ventress shieked almost frantically.
Puzzled and confused, Obi-Wan caught up with Anakin saying,”It appears our friend is in a hurry.”
Ventress then made a desperate attempt to rid herself of the Jedi as she smashed the ground with a shockwave of pure surging dark energy.
Sensing impending danger, the two Jedi went into motion.
Anakin and Obi-Wan augmented their abilities as they launched themselves away from the area as a massive explosion detonated.
Enormous scraps of metal flew in all directions as clone troopers succumbed to the explosion, igniting into clone fire balls.
Before the Jedi even reacted, Ventress was on the move.
She didn’t even attempt to look back as she felt a wave of heat at her back as the putrid stench of gasoline filled the air.
Ventress knew her strike was a direct hit, her mission was done.
She had little interest in reengaging her Jedi adversaries and desired to leave the planet as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for Ventress, Kenobi and Skywalker had another idea.
Ventress, who already finished her mission, knew if she could take the two Jedi Generals away from the battle, the Separatist factories would have a much higher chance of survival.
As she sensed the Jedi tandem rapidly approaching behind her, Ventress stuck her foot in the ground, pivoted towards the Jedi and unleashed her dual lightsabers.
“Come and get it boys,” Ventress said egging on her pursuers.
Confident in her ability and with a burning hatred in her heart for Jedi, Asajj Ventress had a passion for disposing their kind.
This time would be like no other.
Ventress thought of herself as unstoppable, the Jedi were about to get a taste of the Gentle Assassin.
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