Dooku sent more orders to the Jedi Knights in the long range patrol fighters, telling them to board the surrendered enemy ships and ensure a smooth capture. Finally, he sent word to the commander of his own small detachment of Marines.
"Prepare to board the station."
...
If Maul was there, Dooku would face him personally, but he had serious doubts that the man was. Perhaps he was out on some other mission for Sidious, or maybe he'd delegated command here to incompetent subordinates. Either way, Dooku didn't want to give the Jedi Knights a chance to discover something that might incriminate him before he had a chance to inspect the ship.
His hammerhead, the Rider, docked with the station directly. Dooku allowed his heavily armoured troops to form the vanguard, rushing down the docking tube and piling into the corridors of the enemy ship.
Inside, Dooku wrinkled his nose at the smell of mold and rotten food that permeated the air with no obvious source. Someone must have left crumbs in the air filters, suggesting it had been a long time since anyone had done maintenance on Life Support.
He pulled his helmet on, sealing it in place and turning on its atmospheric filters. The rest of his men did the same, pausing for just a moment before pushing deeper into the station.
The non-combatants aboard the station huddled fearfully in their quarters, watching with a terrified tremor as Dooku and his forces passed by, images of black armoured titans burned into their minds. They were all clad in old rags, apparently lacking food or the means to clean themselves, a mix of different alien races, though they all offered no resistance.
Anyone armed or armoured had hidden or discarded their weapons, trying to blend into the regular crew. Rust clung to the bulkheads, and there were piles of garbage often scattered around, old food wrappers, empty cans, and abandoned rags.
His Serennoan vanguard looked disgusted, regarding the voidkin that would be in this filth with clear contempt. Some of these people looked quite malnourished, and it took Dooku a moment to realise they were captured prisoners for the most part. These were future slaves that had been collected through raiding, and gathered here at the station. The pirates had brought them here so they could be sold later and their ships could operate unburdened. It also gave whoever ran the station control over the rest of the fleet, with the potentially valuable slaves acting as a kind of hostage. If each captain wanted their cut of the sales, they needed to cooperate with whoever controlled the station.
There were thousands of them. Tens of thousands. These pirates must have been operating with near impunity for a long time before their attack on Raxus.
Knowing this, Dooku did feel sympathy for the filth covered wretches, ripped from their homes and loved ones. Amongst their number there would now no doubt be their jailors, trying to hide from justice.
No, Dooku wouldn't allow them to escape. He and the Jedi Knights would find the depraved scum responsible for this, and make them pay dearly.
Finally, after passing through the endless corridors, junctions and bends of the ship, Dooku and his squad arrived at the executive wing. The walls weren't covered in rust here, but there were signs of plasma scouring on the walls, and the distinctive slashes of a lightsaber carving lines of boiled metal in the bulkheads. Maybe the Black Sun's Vigos had made their last stand here, their bodyguards trying to stop Maul as he carved his way through the syndicate's leadership.
Already reaching out in his mind, Dooku could sense no hint of Maul's presence. "Wait here." He ordered. "If anyone other than me comes out, slay him."
"Yes, Rider." The leader saluted, and his men fanned out, taking up positions facing the door.
Striding forward alone, Dooku kept his lightsaber drawn. Inside, the lights had been left off, leaving the burning blue beam of his weapon as his only illumination. Though he didn't expect to find Maul, he searched with his eyes and the Force, seeking his foe in the Dark Side.
There was nothing. Dooku made it all the way to a power junction without provoking attack or ambush. He flicked the switches, bringing the lights back on one by one.
It was a conference room of some kind. Maybe the Kajidic of the Black Sun would have taken counsel here before Maul killed them, but now the room was barren. There were several guest rooms, once opulent, now empty as all valuables had been stripped away and sent elsewhere. Any art works, jewels or gold had been plundered at some point, as had been silk bedding, and the valuable furniture. All that was left was the occasional plasma scoring, or lightsaber scar in the metal.
Finally, Dooku found what must have been Maul's room. It was empty as well, the only thing distinguishing it from the others was an immersion tank of cloudy used bacta. How long it had been here, Dooku could only guess, but evidently Maul hadn't brought it with him when he abandoned this hideout.
Somehow, this empty place filled Dooku with an even greater sense of foreboding than the threat of ambush had. He was on his way back to the squad when he heard the sound of metal boots on the deck as they came forward to meet him.
"Why are you out of position?" Dooku demanded, annoyed.
"Sir!" The man saluted. "Emergency message from the fleet, relayed from Serenno."
"What about?" Dooku asked.
"Jungle patrol intercepted an infiltrator, but they were still able to force entry before the barrier went up. A Sith has entered the Palace grounds."
Dooku's stomach plummeted. Without another word, he rushed past his men, storming down the corridor at a pace they simply couldn't match. Enhanced by the Force, he returned to his docked ships within the minute, and even as he did he cast his mind out. Searching for his home through the great emptiness of the Galaxy, he found the beacon of his daughter's power without even breaking stride. She was distracted, to the point she didn't even notice his probing at first. Her emotions were a grim mix, plans and images of corridors, weapons and chokepoints swirling through her mind as she tried to find a way to win. When she did notice her father's presence, she only regarded him for a few seconds, before dismissing his presence as a non factor, and refocusing on the task at hand.
Not far from her, moving through the Palace was a blazing fire. Maul's hatred seemed almost directionless, focussing briefly on whatever happened to cross his path. His thoughts were a flurry, moving fast, but it was Dooku's face in his mind. There were moments of Sifo Dyas standing with a lightsaber, which Maul viewed with a sense of betrayal. Amidst it all was a great sense of anticipation. What Maul wanted was revenge, and he felt like he was on the verge of achieving it.
Dooku didn't know, or care what Maul wanted revenge for, but he did know Maul had to be stopped. He searched further, trying to find Master Sturn, but not finding him in the Palace. Dooku expanded the search, and almost tripped when he found the Green Jedi, aboard a starship, and leaving Serenno. His mind was so clouded with worry that he didn't even notice Dooku's probe at all.
Taking out his holocom, Dooku tried calling the man, but his line was engaged, and all his calls were ignored.
"Sturn!" Dooku growled, bass voice causing his crew to jump as stepped onto his starship's bridge. If he ever saw the man, he'd have him executed! "Plot a course for Serenno! Now!" He snarled and they hurried to fulfill his orders, a sense of urgency and worry overcoming the crew.
Even if they left right now, it would be hours before he made it back to Serenno.
His final desperate ploy was to try calling the Coruscant Temple. Maybe, just maybe they would have a Jedi nearby who could help.
The device rang, and Dooku's patience stretched thin the entire time. Minutes passed, the sound of the ringing mingling with the ambience of the crew hurrying about the bridge. Slowly, Dooku's frustration gave way to despairing helplessness.
...
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