Natasha had her own mission to focus on.
She chose to remain completely in the shadows, using the dim lighting and her position in the corner of the building's dining hall to her advantage. At the far end of the room, Padmé sat with Clovis, Dod, and several other Neimoidians. On the opposite side, wearing an elegant black dress, sat Asajj Ventress—Dooku's Sith apprentice—with her back to her target, sipping her drink gracefully and eating with refined movements.
She made few obvious gestures, but to the trained eyes of an Earth spy, it was clear to Natasha that she was dealing with a skilled assassin. Whoever this Asajj was, she couldn't be underestimated.
The dinner between Padmé, Clovis, and the Neimoidians continued, and aside from Padmé appearing tired on several occasions, nothing significant occurred.
This continued until Asajj tilted her head slightly and casually stood up from her seat, walking toward one of the dining hall's exits.
Their eyes met briefly.
Natasha felt herself tense before crouching and backing away, silently moving down the corridor where she'd positioned herself, while Asajj had turned the corner and now stood waiting.
Her golden eyes scanned the area, her face creased with suspicion and concentration.
The hallway was relatively empty, but she knew that any confrontation here would attract unwanted attention.
Moving down the corridor, her footsteps were relatively quiet, muffled by the carpeted floor.
However, her head jerked to the left, eyes narrowing, and she changed direction.
Natasha noticed the focused gaze as the Sith apprentice appeared nearby.
"I know you're out there, somewhere," Asajj said, her voice controlled but loud enough for Natasha to hear. "What an intriguing development."
Natasha remained silent, moving down the winding staircase as quickly as possible, while Asajj chose to take her time.
"I've always been curious about your kind," Asajj said, ensuring her dress didn't catch on the steps. "How is it possible for beings like you to exist without the Force?"
Natasha paused, processing what the Sith apprentice had just revealed.
"I know who you are, or rather, what organization you belong to, Avenger," Asajj continued. "Your group's arrival in this galaxy has created ripples. Every Force-sensitive must have felt it. I certainly did, as did my master and the other apprentices."
Natasha now found herself in a darkened chamber with numerous pillars and a holo-table at the center. She heard the sound of heels clicking against hard stone.
"When the Senator arrived earlier today, I sensed an unusual disturbance—something strange, but when I focused, I immediately detected you," Asajj said, now standing in the center of the large room where she had contacted Count Dooku. "My sensing abilities are unmatched among my peers. Unique individuals like you who lack Force sensitivity aren't difficult to locate."
"It's like a living void... no, something else entirely," Asajj muttered, though her voice still carried. "You truly are an anomalous presence. How is it possible for you to exist without the Force? I'm curious what you really are. Yet somehow, the Force still flows around you. Did you know that?"
Natasha raised her wrist, and the Widow's Bite sparked to life.
Asajj paused, extending her hand. Her golden eyes burned with intent and purpose as the Force provided her with information about her surroundings. While it was challenging to sense someone unaffected by the Force, Asajj believed there might be other methods to detect those without her abilities. After all, their very presence in this capacity left quite an impression in the Force.
Ventress ignited her crimson lightsaber and hurled it at the pillar where Natasha was hiding, the red blade slicing cleanly through the stone.
Natasha abandoned the pillar and revealed herself to Asajj.
"There you are."
Natasha rolled aside, the humming lightsaber forcing her to duck as it returned to Asajj's waiting hand.
The Sith apprentice grinned malevolently and extended her free hand as if grasping something invisible. Natasha frowned at the gesture and coughed twice when she felt an odd sensation in her throat. The feeling subsided.
Asajj blinked in confusion when nothing happened, then attempted the same technique again.
This time, Natasha felt as though something was constricting her airway. She worked her throat muscles and coughed several times until the strange sensation disappeared again.
"What's happening?" Asajj asked herself in frustration.
"What the hell?" Natasha was incredulous. "You're trying to choke me?!"
Without waiting for a response, she immediately drew her sidearm and fired several rounds at the Mirialan.
Asajj casually swung her lightsaber, expecting to deflect all the projectiles aside, only for the humming blade to melt the bullets into molten metal that splashed across her body.
The apprentice's eyes widened as she hissed in pain, feeling the superheated liquid burn her skin before the metal solidified moments later. Asajj snarled, clenching her fist around her lightsaber while pressing her free hand against her injuries.
Asajj's head snapped up as she charged toward Natasha.
Natasha threw herself backward just in time, but her torso still absorbed the impact of the apprentice's flying knee strike.
Ventress rolled away with her lightsaber raised defensively, steadying herself on one knee while watching Natasha reach for her weapon again. She wouldn't allow that to happen twice.
Instinctively, Asajj raised her hands, and Natasha's eyes widened as she was lifted off the ground by an invisible force. She was slammed to the floor, groaning in discomfort before getting back to her feet, with Asajj glaring at her with pure hatred.
"You witch!" Asajj charged forward, putting Natasha on the defensive.
Natasha rolled across the ground, spinning to avoid the incoming strikes from the apprentice. Once back on her feet, she unleashed a flurry of punches as the two began blocking and countering each other's attacks.
"I intend to deliver you to my master as a prize," Asajj snarled angrily.
"Good luck with that," Natasha replied, activating her Widow's Bite and sending an electrical shock that made Asajj flinch. "Can't you come up with something more original? This whole 'capture the hero' thing is getting old."
With a roar of frustration, Asajj used the Force to blast Natasha away.
Once again, Natasha found herself hurled through the air by the Force and crashing to the ground. She looked up just in time to see Asajj airborne with her lightsaber raised overhead. Natasha barely managed to avoid the downward strike of the crimson blade.
She dropped to one knee, raised her wrist, and aimed at Ventress. She fired her stun weapon, but Asajj was ready and batted it aside.
"Such a pretty face," Asajj said condescendingly. "It's a shame I'll have to ruin it."
Asajj rushed forward with her lightsaber at the ready, and Natasha began retreating rapidly.
Before any further damage could be inflicted on Natasha, Asajj felt something brush against her face. She dismissed it as nothing until something struck her head from behind moments later.
The Mirialan apprentice stumbled and hit the wall. She shook her head and saw that reinforcements had arrived.
"Sorry I'm late," Hope announced.
Natasha shook her head. "No, your timing was perfect."
Asajj steadied herself and gripped her lightsaber with both hands. When she looked up, she saw Natasha standing beside another woman—clearly another Avenger she could identify at a glance.
Natasha and Hope stood side by side, ready to engage Asajj, the former wielding two electrified batons that extended from her wrists.
Asajj snarled, a malicious grin spreading across her face. "Oh, this should be entertaining."
"So she's one of those Sith the Jedi mentioned?" Hope whispered.
"Yeah," Natasha stared at the Mirialan. "And she's a real piece of work."
No further words were necessary as the three women charged forward. Hope shrank while Natasha had to duck and weave to avoid the lightsaber that Asajj swung at them.
Rolling forward, Natasha leaped up and grabbed Asajj's wrist, a move that gave Hope the opportunity to deliver a series of rapid strikes to Asajj's torso, then her jaw.
Asajj stumbled and was caught by Hope's spinning kick.
She retaliated by swinging her lightsaber at Hope, but the attack missed as Hope shrunk down. Suddenly the Mirialan was thrown off balance. Natasha seized the opportunity to kick the apprentice in her exposed ribs, then delivered a downward elbow strike.
Falling to the ground once more, Asajj was furious at being pushed back so easily. Gritting her teeth, she unleashed another powerful Force blast that sent Natasha flying backward and the miniaturized Hope tumbling through the air.
Natasha's back and head struck a pillar, her vision blurring as she looked up to see Asajj airborne, her lightsaber raised and angled down, ready to impale her.
Fortunately, Hope was still airborne, and just as Asajj was about to drive the blade through Natasha's heart, the Sith apprentice felt her jaw struck with such force that she fell beside Natasha.
However, Hope's timing was slightly off, and the crimson lightsaber sliced through Natasha's outfit and seared her side.
Natasha's eyes widened in agony, the former spy clutching her wound and gasping in pain.
"Natasha!" Hope returned to normal size and appeared beside Natasha.
She scowled, seeing her teammate injured only fueled Hope's determination to eliminate the Mirialan apprentice.
Asajj was dazed from the blow and stumbled slightly as she regained her footing.
Returning to full size at the last second, Hope kicked Asajj in the head. As their opponent began to fall, Hope spun again and delivered a powerful flying kick to the apprentice's face.
Asajj finally collapsed to the ground and lay motionless.
"I think you got her," Natasha said wryly, wincing in pain as she held her side.
Returning to Natasha's side, Hope pulled out a small cylindrical canister and used it to spray some kind of blue-white liquid on the wound.
Natasha groaned in pain and glanced down at her injury. "What is that stuff?"
"Bacta spray. You're going to love it."
Hope helped Natasha to her feet. "We need to check on Padmé. I hope our fight didn't draw too much attention."