Chapter 294 - An Obvious Trap (1/2)

Unbeknown to them, Hell Squad and Ragout were being watched by a small, black, floating ball. A probe droid.

”Bzttzzz... Bzzz... Ttt...”

The probe let out a series of weird noises, before floating after the group quietly. The data it was sending traveled quickly, arriving in a dark room on Red Stone.

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Count Dooku looked at the images on the screen in front of him, and frowned. He had expected the Republic to send two or more Jedis. He wanted to kill them, and deal a suffocating blow to the Republic and the Jedi Order. He had never imagined that only one Jedi - and an ordinary one, considering he didn't recognize the Togruta - and a squad of clones would be the ones to come. It seemed they were underestimating him.

”Uhmm?”

Staring at the video for a while, he saw one of the clones turning his head back. He looked straight at the probe droid, but then looked forward again, as if he hadn't seen anything. He probably hadn't. The probes were designed to be almost undetectable, even when being looked directly upon.

But even if it had been discovered, the white-bearded Sith lord wouldn't care. The Republic force was already in his claws, and couldn't escape his trap. What surprised him, however, was the design of the clone's helmet. A single brownish-red horn adorned the right side of the helmet. A drawing he had seen very recently.

He quickly flipped through the intel the Separatist had, easily finding an image of Dageer, and from the other members of Hell Squad. The CIS had acquired those from the invasion, and consequent escape, of the prison orbiting Sull.u.s.t. Count Dooku had never heard of Hell Squad before that, but when the Separatist dug deep, they found many occasions that they were probably involved. That made them put Hell Squad on the same threat level as Delta Squad.

”Interesting. Someone even Asajj couldn't kill... So, this must be Ragout. He faced so much pain... Uhmm...”

Half an hour later, three speeders left the city. One of them carried Count Dooku, while the other two were piloted by MagnaGuards.

They only stopped a couple hundred kilometers away from the city, and Count Dooku sat on the ground, eyes closed, meditating. Now, all he had to do was wait. And he was patient. He had waited ten years for the Clone Wars to start, and even now, he still had to make any big moves. Waiting a couple more hours to start his big plan was nothing. But when he did, he would destroy the Jedi Order. He would tear it apart, piece by piece.

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”General, we are being followed. A Separatist probe droid.”

Hearing Dageer's whisper, Ragout resisted the urge to turn around, and look for their stalker. Instead, he continued walking normally.

”Don't look back. Let's wait to see if it does anything else. If not, then we will just ignore it.”

The clones glanced at each other, somewhat unwilling. They didn't like the idea of having their every move observed.

”Sir? We could be walking into a trap.”

”We most certainly are. The fact that we are already being watched means that Dooku knew we were coming. Whatever trap he prepared for us, it has been set in motion a long time ago. But now we know that. This gives us an advantage.”

Dageer looked at his general, and shrugged inwardly. He didn't like the idea of knowingly going into an ambush, but he knew Ragout would do that anyway. And he wouldn't be anywhere other than by the Jedi's side.

”You heard the general, men. Stay sharp, and weapons ready. Let's see what the seppies have in stock for us.”

...

Dageer could see Count Dooku long before they got close to the Separatist leader. He wasn't making any effort to hide, and just sat on the ground, eyes closed, and legs crossed. The MagnaGuards by his side turned on their electrostaffs, making purple sparks fly, but even then, Count Dooku stood in the same position.

”Count Dooku. I see you were expecting us.”

Not surprised, Ragout signals Hell Squad to stop when they were a few dozen meters away from Count Dooku.

”I thought the Jedi Order respected me more than to send a padawan and a bunch of clones after me.”

The Sith didn't even open his eyes, or move, as he said that. However, he was somewhat stunned by the lack of reaction by Ragout or the clones. Apart from a slight chuckle, he couldn't sense anything else from them. Their minds were calm.