Space above Ithor, 20 BBY

It's a period of war in the galaxy. The Clone War has spread to the Outer Rim. In an attempt to bring the war to a quicker end, the armor-clad Jedi Knight Naat Alyrose leads her fleet of three Venator-class star destroyers against an armada of seven CIS Munificent-class star frigates.

???: General!

The Jedi turns her head to face the origin of the voice. Holding her helmet by her side, she offers a smile to Republic officer Captain Jenn Tonks.

Naat: What is it, Captain?

Captain Tonks: Our sources have confirmed: Asajj Ventress is leading the armada.

Naat: Good. We can't let them reach Mandalore. Have our reinforcements arrived yet?

Captain Tonks: Yes, General. They are awaiting your presence in the hangar.

Naat: Very well. Let's not keep them waiting, shall we?

The two leave the bridge and make their way to the hangar. Once inside, they are able to easily identify their reinforcements. A red and black Mandalorian Kom'rk fighter/transport, a ST-70 class Razor Crest M-111 gunship, a YT-1300 freighter, and a heavily modified, navy blue, black, and gold star courier.

Standing outside the ships are two Mandalorians, a Nautolan, and a giant cyborg bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Separatist military commander General Grievous. The only differences being that the cyborg before them wears a Kaleesh bone mask and has six arms.

(A/N: Ignore the lightsabers.)

Naat: Gentlemen, I'm sure you know why you're here. You four were hired by the Republic to help us in the capture of Asajj Ventress before she can launch an assault on Mandalore.

The Cyborg: I don't want to see Ventress captured. I want her dead.

His raspy, robotic voice is almost the same as Grievous'. The similarity causes the Jedi and Captain Tonks to shiver a little.

Silver-and-Red Mandalorian: We are here to protect Mandalore.

He gestures to the brown armored Mandalorian standing next to him.

Silver-and-Red Mandalorian: We are not here to get involved in your war.

Naat: I respect your loyalty to your planet and your people. Not much is known about you three other than you're the best. Could you introduce yourselves?

Silver-and-Red Mandalorian: The name's Cassus Mereel. The Mando to my left is Isaac Djarin. The Nautolan smuggler is Cif Tenno. The Kaleesh cyborg over there is General Greed.

Naat: Mereel? According to Mandalorian reports, he was very close to the man that became our Clone template. Do you have any relation to Jango?

Cassus: He was my uncle.

Naat: I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure you understand that his death was a casualty of war.

Cassus: Jango died just as he lived: a warrior. Now, let's get to business, shall we?

General Greed: The sooner that Dathomirian witch is dead, the better!

Naat: Right this way.

The group follow the Jedi Knight and Captain Tonks to the bridge. Once there, Captain Tonks activates the holomap, allowing her and the Jedi to brief the hunters on what their mission is.

Captain Tonks: There are six Separatist frigates moving past the planet. Ventress is on the command frigate in the center of the formation. It'll be nearly impossible to get through the ships surrounding her.

Cif: The Starstrider and I have done the impossible before. What's the plan?

Naat: We want you to smuggle General Greed onto her ship and get them both back to us. How you apprehend Ventress is up to you.

Cassus: Where do we come in?

Naat: We are going to destroy their ships before they can reach Mandalore.

Isaac: We?

Naat: Yes, we. I'm going to take my squadrons and aid in the assault along side you two.

Cassus: Why do you care about Mandalore so much, Jedi?

Naat: Your people don't deserve to be brought into this conflict. There is enough bloodshed already, we don't need to add Mandalorians to the body count.

The answer seems to satisfy the armored warrior. After going over the plan a few more times, everyone, except Captain Tonks, goes down to the hangar to prepare their ships.

Cassus: Where'd you get your armor, Jedi?

Naat: I saved an armorer and his family on a Mandalorian moon before the Clone Wars. He fashioned this for me in return.

Cassus: Interesting. If you wear it, then you know it's importance in our culture.

Naat: I do.

Cassus: Good. Try not to disgrace that armor.

Naat, smirking slightly: I haven't so far.

Her retort causes the silver and red Mando to smile a little. He's never met a Jedi with a since of humor before. Other than the one he met on Kamino.

Knowing the parts they're going to play in on this mission, the Jedi, the bounty hunters, and the smuggler climb aboard their ships and get ready for take off. Naat goes to her Delta-7B Aethersprite-class Interceptor.

Naat: R8, are you ready?

Her droid, R8-V3, beeps and whistles in a high pitch. Normally, droids don't really have genders, but Naat is one-hundred percent convinced that R8 is a female.

Naat: Good girl. Let's get going. Don't want those hunters and smugglers making us look bad.

R8 whistles in agreement. And so, the Jedi, her squadron of clone troopers, the bounty hunters, and the smuggler take off. Over the coms, Naat checks in with her squadrons.

Naat: All squadrons, listen up. The freighter, gunship, and Mandalorian fighter are with us. Make sure that freighter gets to Ventress' ship. We can't let her get away this time.

Commander Prince: Copy that, General. We'll make sure those Seppies don't leave here in one piece. Granger, up front with me and the General. Let's take the fight to those clankers.

Cassus: That's quite a squadron you have there, Jedi.

Naat: They're the best.

Commander Prince: That's right, General. Try not to get yourself killed, Mando.

Cassus: Funny. I was gonna say the same thing to you. Try to keep up, boys.

With that, the Kom'rk fighter, the Razor Crest, and the YT-1300 freighter blast past Naat's Delta-7B and the squadrons of V-19 Torrent starfighters behind her. They rush towards the enemy ships as the Venators get into attack position and fire at the Separatist frigates.

Meanwhile, aboard Ventress' vessel, the ground beneath them shakes as the ship is rocked by the impact of multiple blasts from the Venators.

Ventress: You there! What is going on!?

B1: It appears three Jedi cruisers are moving in to intercept us. They sent several squadrons of fighters to attack us.

Ventress: Well what are you waiting for? Fire back! Launch our fighters!

B1: Yes, mistress.

Several Vulture Droids launch from the Separatist frigates. The Mandalorians and the smuggler make short work of the fighters separating them from their objective.

Cif: All too easy.

Cassus: Don't get cocky, Cif. We'll keep as many off of you as we can.

General Greed: Let them come. I could always use some target practice.

Cif: Y'know, I've heard a lot of stories about you, General Greed. Is it true you stole a bounty from Bossk?

General Greed: That bounty was mine to collect! Bossk tried to steal it from me and paid dearly for it. He's lucky I left him alive to tell the story.

As they talk, five Vulture Droids form up behind the Starstrider. Within seconds, they're blasted apart. All that fills the comm channels is Greed's rough, course, robotic laughter.

Cif: Nice shot, General.

General Greed's skills on the center turret are undeniably impressive. Meanwhile, at another part of the battle, Naat is leading her men against the Separatist frigate closest to the Venators.

Naat: Hang in there, boys. This is gonna be one hell of a ride.

The Jedi blasts droid after droid to pieces. Her men do their best to follow her as she twists and turns, bobbing and weaving through the ship's defenses and blasting any turret or support system in her path.

Granger: General, our fighters can't follow you under their shields.

The Jedi General swoops through space and blasts another support system to pieces. She smiles a little to herself before speaking again.

Naat: That's not a problem anymore, Granger. Their shields are down.

Granger: We read you loud and clear, General. Jackson, with me. Let's show these tinnies how the 1992nd Attack Legion flies!

The Clones fall in behind their Jedi General and finish off the first of seven ships, with the final blow coming from Commander Prince, who fired at the command bridge and destroyed it.

Naat: Nice job, boys! One down, six more to go!

Cassus: Make it five.

As soon as his voice comes through the comms, a Separatist frigate flashes and turns into a ball of fire. The Kom'rk and the Razor Crest fly through the blaze and head towards a squadron of Vulture Droids. The two ships make short work of the fighters, while the Starstrider stealthily docks on one of the docking rings along the side of Ventress' frigate.

Cif: We are docked. Ready to break in, General?

General Greed: Always!

Naat: Good. Get in there and capture Ventress. Alive!

General Greed: You Jedi are no fun!

With that, Cif gets out of the cockpit and walks towards the docking port. There, he meets up with General Greed.

Cif: Have you started cutting yet?

General Greed: Your ship, your rules.

Cif: Fair enough. I opened our end of the docking tube. The door you're staring at belongs to Ventress.

Before he can finish the name, two acid green lightsabers are shoved into the docking ring door. General Greed laughs as his sabers melt through the door. Moving two of his six arms in a circular motion, Greed cuts the ring apart. A loud clang sounds as Greed kicks the detached metal door in.

Cif: Where did you get lightsabers?

General Greed: My father used to have more lightsabers in his collection.

Cif: Fair enough.

General Greed: Where is your blaster?

Cif: Blaster? General, I believe a little tradition goes along way.

The Nautolan reaches behind his back and retrieves a bow.

It is then that the cybernetic Hunter notices the quiver strapped to the daring smuggler. Greed proceeds to retrieve a cycler rifle and a vibrosword.

General Greed: I agree.

The smuggler and the cyborg make their way through a corridor that heads right for the command bridge. As they make their way there, they stumble upon a patrol of B1 battle droids.

B1: Is that General Grievous?

B1: No, you idiot! General Grievous only has four arms. That guy has six.

General Greed, laughing: Nice to know you droids can count.

Before the droids have a chance to raise their blasters, sharp blades rise up from different cracks and crevices on Greed's armor, covering him in metallic swords. With another haughty laugh, Greed drops his blaster and vibrosword, leaps forward, and curls into a ball. He rolls towards them like a droideka, moving faster than any living thing Cif had ever seen before.

He explodes out of the ball with his six arms raised outward and crushed the B1s with the weight of his cybernetic body. Greed stands up, the torsos of the B1s sliding off of his middle two hands.

General Greed: Too easy!

Cif: That's one way to defeat droids.

Not really listening, Greed bends over and rips the heads off of the battle droids. He ties the wires to his right hip, allowing the droid heads to hang next to an array of skulls and tusks.

Cif: The command bridge is up ahead. Let's move.

The cybernetic mercenary and the amphibious smuggler run along the corridors. Meanwhile, on the bridge of Ventress' vessel, the droid commander watches as another ship is blown to smithereens by the Razor Crest gunship.

B1: Mistress, we lost another frigate! The Mandalorian starfighter and that gunship are tearing our defenses apart!

Ventress: Order all remaining fighters to attack the Mandalorian and the gunship! I'll deal with the Jedi!

General Greed: If you can make it to the hanger!

Ventress turns around stunned. Standing before her is the robotic psychopath and the Nautolan archer.

Cif: If you surrender now, you'll leave with all of your limbs.

General Greed: Please, try to resist! I'd love a reason to mount your head on my wall!

Cassus: We need her alive, Greed.

Cif: What'll it be, Ventress? A cell or a fight you can't win?

Ventress: You're oddly cocky for someone surrounded by my droids.

General Greed: Your droids couldn't hit a giant space slug! Now...

As he speaks, he pulls out four vibroswords and his two, acid green lightsabers.

General Greed: You are under arrest for your crimes against the Republic! Surrender now, and you might stand a chance during your trial.

Ventress: General Greed, you know I never surrender.

General Greed: I was counting on that.

Asajj quickly whips out her crimson lightsabers and evades a flurry of strikes from General Greed. Greed catches up the her and their sabers lock, his six blades against her two. Their duel travels across the command bridge, sparks and bright flashes flying everywhere.

Ventress: All cannons, fire at the Mandalorian and the gunship!

At the bridge entrance, battle droids point their blasters at Cif, who shoots the one to his right with his bow. He ducks, spins, and fires at the other, effectively deactivating it. The Nautolan archer stands back up and fires three times, lodging arrows in three different battle droids stationed across the bridge.

Cif: I'm afraid you three won't be firing on anyone. Mereel, Djarin, do you copy?

Isaac: We copy.

Cif: All fighters and cannons are going to lock onto your position! Ventress wants you guys dead!

After a few moments of silence, the silver-clad Mando speaks up.

Cassus: Let's give those droids something to shoot at then. Djarin, full attack run on the ship furthest away from the Jedi and her squad.

Cif: Do you think it'll work?

Cassus: I guess we'll find out, won't we?

In the battle outside the frigates, three Separatist tri-fighters tail the Kom'rk. With its wings spinning and Fett piloting expertly, the Kom'rk avoids getting hit too often by the powerful lasers flying its way.

Cassus: I got three on me.

Isaac: Tri-fighters. Hang on.

The Razor Crest twist through the void and flips upside down. Flying straight over the Kom'rk at an angle and firing, Isaac manages to destroy all three tri-fighters.

Cassus: Thanks.

Isaac: Don't mention it.

The two Mandalorians lead the rest of the droid squadrons toward the frigate furthest away from the Venators. The Jedi watches on as she leads her squadrons forward full of nervousness. Just because she doesn't like working with bounty hunters doesn't mean she wants them to die.

Five Vulture Droids follow the Razor Crest. They fire on it, their blasts sparking against the ship's shields before dissipating into empty space. The Razor Crest trails behind the Kom'rk towards the command bridge of the frigate. Cassus squeezes down on his trigger tightly, weakening the shields with a bombardment of the Kom'rk's wide variety of armaments.

He pulls up and flies out of the way, allowing Isaac to fire several torpedoes at the shields. As they ripple and weaken, he too pulls up, causing the Vulture Droids tailing him to slam into the command bridge. The bridge erupts in a ball of fire with the rest of the ship falling out of formation before exploding itself.

Naat breathes a sigh of relief, then attacks the engines of another frigate. Without heavy ordinance, she and her men have to do multiple attack runs before one of the engines ruptures, detonating the rest and blowing the ship up.

General Greed: Your defense frigates are all destroyed. You are alone.

Ventress growls and pushes upward with her sabers. She strikes at the General's shoulder. Her blades shut off and the bounty hunter laughs once more.

General Greed: Cortosis is a bitch, isn't it?

Ventress takes two steps back and thinks about her options. Then, she quickly slides between the cyborgs legs and makes a run for the door. Cif is quick to fire three arrows at her, but she dodges them all.

She dashes out of the door and runs down to the hanger. Greed growls in anger, buts his blades down, and crawls on his hands and feet after her.

Cif: Blast! Cassus, Master Jedi, Ventress is escaping!

Naat: What!? We can't let her get away!

Cassus: If she gets off the ship, she won't jump to hyperspace.

Cif: Are you sure?

Cassus: Positive.

Cif: Well, I wouldn't be too worried. Greed is chasing after her now.

General Greed: You won't escape me, assassin!

Ventress looks back, then pushes harder, Force dashing through the ship. The General rolls himself back up like a droideka and speeds towards the Dathomirian. She pushes forward evermore, rushing faster than she ever had before.

Ventress finally makes it to the hangar and orders a few droids to stall the cybernetic monster. Their blasts bounce and splatter against his armor, but a switch in his head flips and he can't help himself. He must destroy the battle droids!

While he is preoccupied slaughtering the droids, the Sith assassin boards her Ginivex-class starfighter and prepares to take off. Just as she finishes lifting off the hangar deck, Cif runs in and fires an arrow at the ship. The arrow pings off the hull, leaving behind a small, metallic disc. The device beeps to life as Ventress leaves the ship.

Cif: Cif to Mereel, Ventress is fleeing the ship. I placed a tracer on the bottom of her hull.

Cassus: Copy.

The silver and crimson armored warrior steers his ship, the Mythosaur Mereel, behind the Banshee and fires an ion torpedo at her, firing a series of laser blasts to prevent her from evading them. Electricity sparks throughout the fighter as its systems shut down.

Cassus: Her hyperdrive is down.

Naat: She'll head for Dathomir. It's not too far from here. We'll ambush her there. I'll inform the Council on our progress. Everyone back to the Venators. They'll finish off that last frigate.

Cif: Copy that. On our way out.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. This chapter has taken me months to finish, so I hope it's good. Thanks once again and I'll talk to y'all next time.