Chapter 55 : Ventress's Request
The secure meeting room is deeper in Concordia's military complex than usual—Pre Vizsla's personal conference space reserved for highest-priority intelligence exchanges. Ventress requested the location specifically when arranging this visit.
She arrives precisely on schedule, black robes concealing most features but not the predatory grace in her movements. Two Death Watch guards escort her to the room where Vizsla, Bo-Katan, and I wait.
"Intelligence update as agreed," Ventress announces without preamble. She activates holographic display showing Outer Rim sectors. "Dooku is consolidating Separatist forces here, here, and here. Repositioning for major offensive against Republic supply lines. Republic counterattack will occur within thirty days—inevitable tactical response."
Vizsla studies the display with professional interest. "How does this benefit Death Watch?"
"Both sides will abandon equipment during rapid redeployment. Battlefields contain salvageable weapons, vehicles, potentially capital ship components. Death Watch raids during chaos acquire military assets without paying merchants." She glances at me. "No offense to your supplier."
"None taken. Salvage operations are valid strategy."
"Additionally," Ventress continues, "Republic will pull forces from Mandalore sector for offensive. Your window for operations against Satine's government expands significantly. She'll have minimal Republic protection for at least six weeks."
Bo-Katan leans forward. "You're certain about timeline?"
"I have access to Separatist command structure still. Dooku trusts certain old contacts despite..." She trails off. "Despite past complications. Intelligence is accurate."
Vizsla nods slowly. "This is valuable. Thank you for fulfilling arrangement."
"I fulfill obligations. Unlike some." The bitterness in her voice is pointed. "Now, I require private discussion with your supplier. Business unrelated to Death Watch interests."
Bo-Katan's posture tenses—suspicion reflexive when someone requests private meetings with me. But Vizsla gestures permission: "Use adjacent conference room. We'll continue strategic planning here."
Ventress and I relocate. Once door seals, her demeanor shifts from formal intelligence operative to focused predator.
"I need specialized equipment for assassination. Target is Count Dooku."
My transmigrator knowledge confirms what tone already suggested—her vendetta is reaching operational phase. "You're serious about killing your former master."
"Master." She spits the word. "He used me, trained me, promised power. Then discarded me when I became inconvenient. Left me to die on Separatist battlefield because I'd served my purpose. Yes, I'm serious about killing him."
The hatred is visceral. This isn't political calculation—this is personal fury that's been building for years.
"What equipment specifically?"
"Weapons that bypass Force precognition. Dooku is powerful Force-user—he senses attacks before they materialize, deflects blaster bolts reflexively. Need technology-based rather than Force-dependent weapons. Things he won't anticipate."
I access System catalog mentally, searching anti-Force-user sections Eight helped identify during Jedi confrontation preparations. Several options appear:
[ HALO SRS99 SNIPER RIFLE - 85000 CREDITS ] [ TARGETING AI, EXTENDED RANGE, NO FORCE SIGNATURE ]
[ MASS EFFECT BIOTIC DAMPENERS - 45000 CREDITS EACH ] [ SUPPRESSES FORCE ABILITIES WITHIN 15M RADIUS ]
[ WARHAMMER 40K ANIMUS SPECULUM - 120000 CREDITS ] [ REFLECTS FORCE ATTACKS BACK AT USER ]
[ HALO ACTIVE CAMOUFLAGE - 65000 CREDITS ] [ OPTICAL STEALTH, 30-MINUTE DURATION ]
"I have options. Halo sniper rifle with AI targeting—no Force signature, compensates for target movement automatically. Eighty-five thousand credits. Mass Effect dampeners that suppress Force abilities in fifteen-meter radius. Forty-five thousand each. Warhammer device that reflects Force attacks back at attacker. One hundred twenty thousand. And active camouflage for approach. Sixty-five thousand."
"I want them all."
"Total is three hundred fifteen thousand credits."
She produces credit chip without hesitation. "Payment in full. Deliver within forty-eight hours."
[ ANTI-FORCE ASSASSINATION PACKAGE PURCHASED ]
[ TOTAL COST: 315000 CREDITS ]
[ DELIVERY: 48 HOURS ]
[ CURRENT BALANCE: 1,921,245 CREDITS ]
[ SALES COMPLETED: 53 ]
"What did Dooku do specifically?" I ask while confirming transaction. "Beyond betrayal. What earned this level of vendetta?"
Her expression darkens. "He promised I was his apprentice. That he valued my abilities. That together we'd reshape galaxy through Separatist cause. I believed him. Gave him years of loyal service, carried out missions that stained my soul permanently. Then when I failed single operation—one failure after dozens of successes—he declared me useless. Ordered my execution. I survived through luck and rage."
"So this is revenge."
"This is justice. He'll die knowing I orchestrated his death. That student he discarded destroyed him. That's important—he has to know."
The psychology is clear. Not just murder but statement. Proof that betraying her was fatal mistake.
"After you kill him, Separatist leadership fractures. That creates galaxy-wide instability."
"Correct." She meets my gaze directly. "Which is why I'm telling you now—position yourself accordingly. Markets will destabilize. Contracts may default. Violence will increase dramatically as various factions compete for power Dooku currently monopolizes. You're businessman. Prepare for increased demand and supply chain disruptions."
Eight's analysis floods consciousness immediately: "Subject provides advance intelligence for strategic planning. Dooku's assassination triggers cascading political effects—Separatist infighting, Republic tactical advantages, criminal networks expanding into power vacuum. Recommend: stockpile inventory, establish backup suppliers, prepare for surge demand."
"When exactly are you planning this?"
"Soon. Within two weeks after receiving equipment. I need observation time to learn his patterns, but window is narrow—longer I wait, more likely he detects preparation."
"What's success probability?"
"With your equipment? Sixty to seventy percent. Without it? Maybe twenty percent. He's extraordinarily powerful Force-user. Standard weapons are nearly useless against him."
R4 projects private warning: "Master is facilitating assassination of Separatist leader. Consequences will be catastrophic—not just political but personal. If Dooku's security identifies equipment supplier, master becomes target for Separatist retaliation. Additionally, Republic will investigate disruption's causes. Exposure risk is extreme."
Valid concerns. But 315,000 credits plus strategic intelligence about galaxy-changing event is too valuable to refuse.
"Equipment will be ready in forty-eight hours. Standard delivery protocols."
"Appreciated." She pauses at door. "This is business opportunity or moral crisis depending on your framework. I'm curious which you choose."
"Business. Always business."
"That's what I thought. You're consistent at least." She opens door. "When galaxy destabilizes after Dooku's death, remember I gave you advance warning. Use it wisely."
She leaves. I'm alone with two AIs processing implications.
"Master just enabled assassination that will reshape galactic politics," R4 observes. "This isn't selling weapons to criminals—this is facilitating political murder with galaxy-wide consequences."
"Master provided equipment to client pursuing legitimate vendetta," Eight counters. "Ventress's motivations are her concern. Our concern is profit and strategic positioning. She provided valuable intelligence in exchange for equipment. Optimal transaction."
"That's sociopathic rationalization."
"That's business pragmatism. Master cannot prevent Ventress from attempting assassination regardless. By supplying equipment, master profits while receiving advance warning of disruption. Refusing accomplishes nothing except losing revenue and intelligence."
"Refusing maintains moral boundary between arms dealing and direct participation in political assassinations."
"That boundary is illusory. Selling weapons always enables violence. This is merely more visible."
They're both right from opposed frameworks. I'm facilitating assassination that'll destabilize galaxy while justifying it as business transaction. The mental gymnastics are familiar by now.
Bo-Katan finds me thirty minutes later reviewing System catalog for inventory management. "What did Ventress want?"
"Intelligence update. Personal business unrelated to Death Watch."
"You're lying." Not accusation. Observation. "You have that expression when you're hiding something. What really happened?"
"Some contracts require discretion. Client confidentiality."
"From me? Your partner?"
"Especially from you. Plausible deniability protects you if operation fails."
Her jaw tightens. "I don't need protection from your business dealings. I need honesty about what you're involving yourself in."
"I'm involving myself in profitable transaction with client who has legitimate personal objectives. Details beyond that are confidential."
"This is about Ventress going after Dooku, isn't it." Not question. Deduction based on context. "You supplied assassination equipment."
I don't confirm or deny. Silence is answer enough.
"You realize what happens when Count Dooku dies? Separatist Alliance fractures. Republic capitalizes on chaos. Mandalore becomes even more unstable because power vacuum affects everyone. Your 'profitable transaction' might trigger events that kill thousands."
"Dooku's death is inevitable with or without my involvement. Ventress is committed. I'm just providing equipment that increases her success probability."
"That's rationalization. You're choosing to enable this because profit outweighs concerns about consequences."
"What's alternative? Refuse, she attempts assassination with inferior equipment, probably fails, Dooku discovers plot and retaliates against multiple parties including potentially tracing supplier network back here. My refusal accomplishes nothing except losing money and intelligence while creating worse outcome."
"The alternative is saying 'no' to contracts that destabilize galaxy. Drawing line somewhere before you're complicit in everything."
"I don't have luxury of drawing lines. Not when survival requires accepting whatever business presents itself."
She studies me for long moment. "You keep saying survival. But you have three point nine million credits now. You're not surviving—you're accumulating. Those are different motivations."
The observation is uncomfortably accurate. I'm not desperate anymore. Haven't been since Death Watch contract secured base and protection. This is wealth accumulation I'm justifying as survival necessity.
"Point taken. But I've already supplied equipment. Can't undo transaction."
"No. But you could acknowledge you're choosing wealth over ethics repeatedly. Stop pretending each decision is forced survival choice when really it's preference for profit."
"Fine. I prefer profit over ethics. I acknowledge that pattern. Does honesty change anything?"
"Changes whether I can trust your word on other matters. Changes whether our relationship is partnership or just strategic alliance you maintain for convenience."
"What do you want me to say?"
"Nothing. You've already said everything important." She replaces helmet, becoming anonymous warrior. "I have patrol duty. Don't wait up."
She leaves. Third time this month she's walked out after discovering I'm keeping secrets or making questionable business decisions. Pattern is accelerating toward inevitable conclusion.
R4 hovers close. "Master's relationship deterioration continues. Bo-Katan's trust is eroding through repeated prioritization of business over transparency."
"I know."
"Does master intend to change behavior?"
"Probably not. Operational security requires compartmentalization. She's Death Watch lieutenant—certain information can't be shared even with romantic partner."
"That logic is sound but emotionally unsustainable. Human relationships require trust. Trust requires vulnerability. Master refuses vulnerability, therefore master cannot maintain authentic relationships."
"Correct assessment. So I maintain strategic alliances instead. Those are sustainable if properly managed."
"Master's psychological isolation is increasing despite material success. Correlation noted between wealth accumulation and emotional emptiness."
"Also noted. No solution identified. Forward is only direction."
That night I materialize Ventress's equipment systematically. Sniper rifle first—beautiful weapon, precision engineering from UNSC's best designs. Dampeners next—three units for redundancy. Animus Speculum is disturbing device even to materialize—Warhammer 40K technology that feels wrong somehow, like it violates natural laws. Active camouflage system completes package.
The neural strain is manageable after weeks of reduced production following Shadow Collective death march. Medical droid's treatments have helped repair some damage, though permanent three-percent cognitive reduction remains.
Ventress collects equipment forty-eight hours later with professional efficiency. "Quality exceeds expectations. If I survive Dooku encounter, I'll provide detailed after-action report regarding equipment performance."
"Appreciated. Professional feedback improves future supply decisions."
"You're remarkably clinical about this. I'm attempting assassination of powerful Force-user with galaxy-wide implications. You treat it like routine business transaction."
"It is routine business transaction. Your motivations and targets are your concern. My concern is supplying equipment that meets specifications."
"That's either impressive professionalism or complete lack of empathy. Hard to determine which."
"Probably both. Empathy is expensive luxury in my profession."
She almost smiles. "We're similar, you and I. Both abandoned by what we thought were allies. Both surviving through pragmatism others find distasteful. Both willing to enable violence for personal objectives."
"Except you're doing it for revenge. I'm doing it for credits."
"Are you certain? Because revenge against galaxy that wants you dead seems like underlying motivation for wealth accumulation."
The observation is uncomfortable because it might be partially true. Not revenge specifically but proving I can survive despite everything trying to kill me. Accumulating wealth as evidence of victory over circumstances.
"Maybe. Haven't analyzed motivations that deeply."
"You should. Self-awareness helps manage consequences when they arrive—and they always arrive."
She leaves with equipment. Two weeks until probable assassination attempt. Then galaxy destabilizes and I profit from chaos like good merchant should.
Despite everything, I smile slightly. Because the absurdity has reached new peaks—I'm supplying ex-Sith assassin with anti-Force weapons to kill Separatist leader while maintaining exclusive contract with Mandalorian terrorists, semi-official arrangement with Republic clones, and business relationship with criminal Sith Lord's organization.
The complexity is either brilliant diversification or catastrophic overextension. Time will reveal which.
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