[21 BBY]

[Six Miles West Scrap-town of Ugtoi-Ugtoi, Sump, Sump System, Koradin Sector, Non-Aligned Territory]

Assajj Ventress held her lightsabers at the ready in a defensive stance; projecting strength, rage, power, despite the injuries still barely healed. Injuries that meant she hadn't notice the two pathetic excuses of Dark Acoytles that were Saato and Kadrian Sey from managing to ambush her...or the quasi-Mandalorian armoured form of who she guessed was one of the Republic's Generals. The former Jedi Padawan know called The Stormcrow who, apparently, had not let go of his Force using powers despite all claims of CIS Military Intelligence; and such a time to discover that it was here and now...

He and the four MagnaGuard droids moved.

...or perhaps not she thought, remaining on guard as Commando-droids died and her two hunters had to concentrate on another threat. For now she merely deflected the blaster shots of the nearest droids; meant to suppress her of course, but she wanted to see what was being offered as part of these...negotiations...as Sith Lightning erupted from the free hand of the 'former' padawan turned Republic General and destroyed a droid, and the one behind it, that had shoot at him.

The four Magna-Guards were also in motion as two jumped forward and engaged her fellow Dathomiri, and the Zabrak, with swings of lightsabers of their own, while the other two engaged the droids. More of the two dozen Commando-droids to the swirling electro-blades of the Magna-Guards, and the slashing and deflecting lightsaber of the armoured Darksider striding towards the two Dark Acolytes. There were others nearby...she glanced for a fraction of second in either direction; there were people nearby, a sniper at that as one of the furtherest away Commando-droid went down from a slug-thrower looked like.

'Hmm, that makes a clean escape somewhat difficult if they've ship in orbit and flying units to pursue out here in the wilds' she thought feeling the flow in the Force, drawing upon her anger and rage to strengthen herself, making herself battle-ready. She sneered at the weaklings feeling the embrace of the Dark Side pushing away any doubts, any weaknesses...and there was an enemy right there in front of her. Her hands gripped the hilt of her lightsaber even more tightly, rage growing as that filthy whore Saato turned her back on her...her, Dooku's Apprentice, A SITH! HOW DARE SHE!

Peace is a Lie, there is only Passion

She dashed forward to inflict her wrath, crimson blades flashing...

...though Saato ducked the first blade, dancing under it in desperate fear and anger as she simultaneously dodged the blade of the Magna-Guard, then deflected Assajj's second blade. Enraged at the failure to slay her foe, she snarled at the droid "Be Gone! She is my prey!"

To her mild surprise the Magna-Guard did just that, swirling away to destroy a nearby Commando-droid as an energy riot-shield extended from another arm to block Saato second strike at its back. No matter Assajj grinned viciously as lightsaber met lightsaber and her weakness faded away, the pain of her injurie disappearing as strength filled her limbs and she drove forward against the other Dathomiri. Their four lightsabers slashed and flashed, blocking and deflecting each others as the Commando-droids died around them and the armour clad warrior engaged Kadrian Sey with obviously Force-enhanced speed.

But she ignored that as she fought Saato, slash, block, slash...

...dodge the shoto strike towards her rips and slash down with her own lightsaber. Snarl in rage as she was flung backwards by a sudden telekinetic slam by the other Dathomiri, then snarl in pain as her back slammed into the damaged shuttle-fighter she'd managed to acquire. Pain grew, and she drew upon it as injured ribs cracked and blood began to flow from where the bulkhead and ripped across her left side when she had escaped her damaged flagship. Kriffing droids.

Gritting her teeth Assajj used the Force to propel herself forward, Pain into Power into Strength as the weakness was suppressed. Feet touched the ground, arms out as she dashed forward to meet the other woman's incoming Force jump based attack; blades meeting as the Dark Acoylte swung down, both of them sweating with their exertions. The Dark Side swirled around them as their blades flashed and danced off each other, as Assajj grunted in pain as she extended her leg into a kick and, enhanced with the Force, smashed her foe in the stomach with it to send her flying backwards. Sucking in a pained breath she moved forward in pursuit, attempting to catch the other female when she was off balance as she landed a few metres away.

The Commando-droids had been destroyed she noticed, as were the Droidekas and Assassin-droids, the duo of Dark Acolytes had brought with them and only the clashing of the fake-Mandalorian and the other Acolyte taking place. Strangely the Magna-Guards stood back, two watching the fight as the fake-Mandalorian merciless dominated the Zabrak, and the other two watching herself and Saato with glowing mechanical eyes, black cloak-like garments over their backs barely flutter despite the winds in the swamp. She ignored them, focusing on killing this kriffing useless witch before her, the useless witch that was denying her victory, that wanted to TAKE HER PLACE!

"RAAAGGHHHHH"

She raged at Saato the Dark Side a swirl about them as the witch dove deeply into the Force as well as they met each other blow for bow. If not for the wounds leaking blood and jolting warnings of pain and over exertion of muscles that her body was signalling then she would have butchered this simmering weakling before. Even with them she drove Saato back relentless like she would with a weak Jedi, crimson blade slash down and taking off a hand...

"AAAAAGHHHHH" the ugly kriffing bitch's scream of pain was glorious to her ears, but her own vision blurred, her legs wobbly, and she needed a moment to regain her strength. Drawing deeply as her enemy still managed to deflect one, then two, then three, of her weakening killing blows despite losing a hand Assajj reversed a slash and Force pushed with all her might. Saato went airborne, flying backwards with slam with a loud crack into the rotten tree about ten metres distant...

"Hah...hah...hah...hah" was all she could do she found dropping to one knee as everything seemed to go silent around her. Saato wasn't getting up...or moving at all beyond sliding down the tree, bleeding and body limp despite but still there in the Force. Taking in a deep breath, drawing renewed strength from the pain, she stood back up and took a guard stance as the fake-Mandalorian and his four Magna-Guards stood over the equally battered and unconscious body of the Zabrak. Turning towards him in a stance of strength, back straight, injuring her wounds with lightsabers held easily at the ready.

"She...haa...still lives? Feeling mercy like...haa...weak Jedi?" she growled at the armour clad figure as he held his own lightsaber to his side in an easy, technical non-threatening stance. Much as she wished to say otherwise she was at a severe disadvantage in the here in now as he was clearly uninjured, and his four Magna-Guards were clearly on, or above, the level of that filthy cyborg Grievous's ones. No, she had seen enough of this Darksiders brutal dismantlement of the Zabrak female to know how that fight would end; much as she wanted to finish off Saato right now there was no way she was turning her back on the now free Republic General.

"Interrogating the living is usually easier than the dead..." the mechanically adjusted voice replied in a cold and clinical tone as a free hand gestured at the Zabrak, and then to where her own foe lay dying "...and her? Do you wish to finish her perhaps? Or should I consider it a gift in furtherance of our negotiations?"

Assajj narrowed her eyes, considering the matter. Moving to kill would open her up to a surprise attack, and this one was dangerous, perhaps even a secret apprentice to Dooku's other Sith ally. The one she didn't know nearly enough about. Non-Sith blade, and clean Force signature aside, that had been Sith Lightning and a flash of the Dark Side earlier, clear and strong in its use...she would not show any more weakness than she must. Appear strong and generous rather than weak and open "Do what you will with her! Now what do you want General of the Republic?"

"Aaron secure the other Acyotle, nerve-agent and secure before treating her wounds. Betty, secure the Zabrak likewise..." the fake-Mandolariran stated to the Magna-Guards and gesturing at one, then the other, of the fallen Acolytes before a hand touched something on the side of his helmeted head "...Strike Two. Prepare Clean Up Crew. Two for Black-Nine Secure. Copy"

Then turned his gazed towards her as two of the Magna-Guards moved swiftly to do as commanded "What do I want? Many things, but relevant to yourself I want to make a deal"

She hissed back at that "What sort of deal?"

"Information, all you know on Dooku, Confederate command codes, his training, anything that an intelligent Apprentice such as yourself can bring to the table"

"And what do I get out of this...deal?"

"Healing firstly, those wounds are quite severe, and the Force merely hides them from ourselves..." the cold voiced replied calmly gesturing at her slowly and carefully "...from there, what do want? A transport and a pile of gold? Credits? Revenge against your former Master? I'm sure we have many commonalities of interest that would ensure we would give you something commensurate to your desires"

"Charity is it? Not sounding I can trust you eh? Out of the kindness of your heart I suppose"

"Hmm...I prefer to see it as enlightened self-interest..." the mechanical synthesised voice replied body language betraying nothing as the two fallen Acoyltes were secured and treated "...I have two acolytes too...interrogate lets say, but your cooperation would be much more valuable, even if is telling us what you know before fleeing off into the Unknown Regions, or shooting off to try kill those that betrayed you. I'd expect that, it is rather the Sith thing to do after all"

She sneered "And what would a failed Padawan know of the ways of the Sith?"

"Many things..." he replied "...such as the antagonising potential allies due to anger induced Dark Side usage for instance. If was going to kill you I would have, and if I wished to simply torture things out of you I would not have bother talking to you now would I?"

Assajj stayed silent, gripping her blades as the armoured warrior turned off his waiting for words, then speaking as the silence lasted "I offer you a place to heal, you may keep your lightsabers by the way, and a shuttle to go wherever you wish once a few basic things are confirmed. I swear if you keep the peace, cause no trouble aboard my vessel, I will treat you as an honoured guest and wish you well when you depart. Now, what is your choice?"

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