Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 216, Section 218 - Procrastination
“We’re not here to kill you, Ventress.”

On one side is an emotionally unstable Sith assassin, and on the other side is a renowned Jedi Knight.

Naradan Dulin crossed his arms, as if the standoff before him was nothing at all.

Some might mistakenly believe that the Mistral Shadow Guard, as ordinary mercenaries, would be at a disadvantage, but that's a misconception.

The Mistral are well-prepared for any conflict, and even Anakin Skywalker dares not underestimate them.

There's a reason why Umberton hired them to establish military order, and why shrewd figures like the "Battle Hydra" hired them.

Anakin noticed a curved hilt of a knife protruding from Naradan's waist, and several jeweled hairpins neatly inserted among his thick black hair.

He understood that once he took action, casualties were inevitable.

Those swords were likely made of Frick alloy or Cortosis braid, while those hairpins were probably poisoned Shinji needles.

The Mistral people's darts are notorious for easily piercing armor.

Anakin was more wary of the needles.

“Then I don’t understand what you mean by chasing after me relentlessly.” Ventress’s voice was hoarse and full of doubt.

Her presence within the Force was extremely unstable, bordering on madness, and even revealing a sense of panic.

Anakin realized that Ventress was in a state of extreme agitation.

Given his less-than-pleasant past with this Sith apprentice, this situation... had never occurred with her before.

Even during the fierce battle on Yavin 4, Anakin was emotionally charged and nearly out of control, while Ventress remained calm and silent, like a quietly sliding blade.

This erratic behavior at this moment means only one thing.

She encountered a tremendous change.

“The Major General has already given you a way out,” Naradan continued, the Mistral men behind her spreading out in a fan shape. “You also have enough time to think it through.”

At this moment, Commander Apo seized control of the bridge compartment. He quickly made a hand gesture, ordering the soldiers of the 501st Legion to form a standoff with the Mistral on the other side of the room.

Anakin surveyed the size of the compartment and the entrances and exits, mainly the front and rear bulkheads.

Once the fighting starts, I doubt anyone will leave alive...

Anakin struck a pose often used by Count Dooku.

He holds the sword in a two-part stance with one hand, while the other hand is clenched into a fist behind his back.

He could sense that Ventress and Mistral were scrutinizing him, wondering why he had adopted a dueling stance in this worst possible situation.

He stared at them and quickly made a series of hand gestures with his hands hidden behind his back, ordering Apo to send two squads of soldiers to flank the Mistral men from the port and starboard corridors.

He couldn't hear the clone soldiers' internal communications, nor was he sure if Apo had noticed the instructions.

But when Anakin, with his enhanced hearing aided by the Force, caught faint footsteps coming from elsewhere on the ship, he knew the clone commander understood.

Anakin made another gesture.

Ready to fight.

Two Mistral destroyers have broken away from the formation and are eyeing the "Storm-001", but for now they are only facing a Mistral squadron.

Anakin would bet his robotic arm that another Mistral squad was boarding the ship.

“I don’t understand half of what he did,” Ventress growled. “All I know is that he expected this to happen.”

"Where are your fighter jets, Ventress?" Naradan's eyes turned cold.

“It’s floating in space,” Ventress replied menacingly.

A hint of annoyance flashed across the face of the beautiful Mistral woman.

That starfighter had what she wanted.

She finally assumed a fighting stance, pulling several Makiji needles from her hair and holding them between her fingers.

“In that case, your testimony is absolutely necessary,” Naradin announced. “You have to come with us, cooperate obediently, and not resist.”

Just then, Anakin stepped forward and brandished his lightsaber: "Ladies, I don't like being left out in the cold. I'm afraid you're done for, Ventress. I do want to kill you right now, but it seems I'll have to give you a chance to be tried in Coruscant. That way, your pathetic little life might be able to linger in jail a little longer."

“None of you are leaving,” Naradan raised a fist, and the Mistral people drew their weapons—gleaming black-bladed longswords, electric whips, jewel needles, and concealed blaster guns. “Listen up, Ventress, you either go with the Republic or with the Confederation.”

“The Confederation betrayed me,” Ventress roared, her two curved lightsabers blazing with intense energy. “The Republic wants me dead, but I won’t die here. I have things to do.”

"What is it?" Naradan raised an eyebrow. "To stick a sword between Count Dooku's eyes? You couldn't do that in your current state."

“Count Dooku?” Anakin was stunned. “Count Dooku betrayed you?”

Is this the reason for the sudden infighting within the "Storm Fleet"? All for killing her?
First, why did Dooku suddenly want to get rid of his most capable apprentice?
Secondly, how did Ventress survive?

Then Anakin laughed.

“Count Dooku betrayed you,” he repeated, as if to confirm the absurd yet believable fact with his own ears. “Count Dooku led you to a secret super-fleet and then ordered your death. That… is truly Sithish.”

If his intention was to provoke Ventress, then he achieved his goal.

Naradan's anger, which had been directed at Ventress, suddenly turned towards him.

But Ventress didn't pounce like a trapped beast; instead, she surprised everyone.

She took a deep breath, lowered her body, and adopted a more compact fighting stance, bringing her lightsaber close to her body, clearly switching to a three-stage defensive posture.

Looking at her dual-sword stance, Anakin could imagine the defensive barrier she was building around herself.

“Seriously,” Anakin said impatiently, “what are you still stubbornly insisting on? This destroyer has no hangar, no starship, you can’t escape…”

He suddenly stopped, noticing a calculating glint in Ventress's pale eyes, which forced him to reassess the situation.

That wasn't the look of a trapped beast, but the look of a hungry wild animal plotting its next hunt.

Although they seem similar, they are completely different in how they are dealt with.

The soldiers of the 501st Corps must have sensed the general's newfound vigilance, as they all leveled their blaster rifles and carbines.

The tension inside the cabin was so intense it could almost be felt with the Force.

“…What exactly does Bontelli want?” Ventress gripped his lightsaber tightly in the back of his hand, slowly turned around, and analyzed the two groups blocking the exit.

Anakin began to connect the clues.

Her defensive stance, her refusal to take the initiative... he realized Ventress was stalling for time.

She is protecting something.

but what?
What's behind her?

This explains why she held the sword with her hand reversed.

So... is it the data control console?
Should I let her stall for time?

However, Anakin had no choice but to wait for the soldiers to surround the bridge; without them, he could not achieve a decisive victory in the impending firefight.

“He wants the ‘Storm Fleet’,” Naradan replied casually.

Anakin squinted. "I thought you were here for her fighter jet?"

“I need evidence of Dooku’s betrayal,” Naradan said sternly, “whether it’s her fighter jets, her, or this whole damned fleet! I need something to show the separatist Senate, something to completely destroy Dooku’s credibility.”

“Bounty is anti-Dooku,” Anakin said suddenly. “I…have heard that.”

“Now you should understand that we are not enemies of the Jedi Order, right?” the Mistral man advised. “The common goal of the Jedi Order and the Pelmian Alliance is to bring down Dooku and put him on trial.”

Anakin's lightsaber felt heavy, but his mechanical arm felt no weight. "Answer me, mercenary, was it Dooku who ordered the destruction of Ariador?"

Naradan Dulin was stunned.

Anakin immediately realized that Dooku and the Ariadne incident were unrelated.

“You may be talking to me,” the Jedi Knight said, shifting back into his five-stage fighting stance, “but all I hear are the sweet talk of Hydra and the hissing of its forked tongue. I don’t know what the Jedi Order is fighting for, but I know the Republic is fighting to end the Separatist Alliance, and for me, that is my goal.”

“Ariaddo was a madman. He lost everything because of the Republic,” Naradan said through gritted teeth. “He lost everything in his bloody obsession with revenge. Right now, Dooku and that Pantora woman are being summoned to Laxus 2 for a formal hearing.”

"But General Ambigine, the mastermind behind this, didn't go?"

“…that Pantora used his influence to protect him,” the Mistral whispered resentfully, as if saying it caused her pain. “They believe the front lines cannot be without him now.”

"Then I know what the separatist alliance prioritizes."

"Don't pretend the Republic is any better, Jedi."

Anakin let out a low growl, "I put Pom Krall in prison with my own hands!"

Before he could finish speaking, a thunderclap shook the "Storm-001," and the bridge was filled with the sound of people staggering and regaining their footing.

The holographic screen flickered and hissed, while red and blue light shone through the observation window above.

Then, the cabin darkened, and a huge shadow swept across from above.

It was the belly of a Jagdpanzer-class warship, so close that Anakin could even count the number of gunboats inside its belly compartment.

(End of this chapter)