**Chapter 268: The Trap Takes Shape**
One of Coruscant's industrial districts appeared deceptively deserted at this late hour. Towering warehouses and automated assembly plants stood silent under the perpetual glow of the planet's artificial lights. However, behind the reinforced walls of one unremarkable building lay a hidden hangar, its existence known only to a select few.
The heavy doors hissed open as Count Dooku's shuttle settled onto the landing pad. He stepped out, cape swirling, and approached the hooded figure waiting in the shadows.
"The Force is with us, Lord," Dooku said, kneeling.
"Rise, Lord Tyranus," Sidious replied, waving a hand with calculated kindness.
"As soon as I received your message, I hurried to Coruscant."
"Excellent. I am pleased with your performance so far, but we must move on to the next part of the plan. The Jedi are losing the initiative again. The Confederacy's military potential remains superior to the Republic's in many sectors. Strategically, the Jedi are losing, despite their occasional tactical successes. It seems they even managed to push back Grievous for a time."
Dooku rose, his expression grim. "However, Dagon Marek now appears to be on top of things. With a new warrior attacking Hutt ships and the CIS being conveniently blamed, the Twelfth Sector is being called the 'Vanguard of the Republic.' We must stop him before his momentum becomes unstoppable."
Sidious's yellow eyes gleamed beneath the hood. "It was an isolated incident, Lord Tyranus…"
"Nevertheless," Dooku pressed, voice low with concern, "we must follow the plan. The best option would be to destabilize Hutt space. Those vast territories would absorb large numbers of CIS forces and draw Republic attention away from our core operations."
"But how can we do that?" Dooku asked, sounding a bit doubtful. "The Hutts are neutral and are unlikely to side with the Republic. They are quite capable of repelling any direct attack."
"We cannot directly influence the Hutts, who remain neutral. And they themselves are quite capable of repelling any attack. Therefore, Count, you will have to organize the kidnapping of Jabba the Hutt's son."
Dooku's brow furrowed. "How will this help us?"
Palpatine smiled, the expression cold and calculated.
"Jabba will most likely turn to the Republic for help. The Jedi will intervene…"
The Chancellor had been pondering his decision for some time. "Jabba's request will expedite my plan to eliminate another potential ally of the Jedi—once they are charged, of course. In the long run, it will also be one of my carefully calibrated strikes and counterattacks. Those that will maintain the precarious balance of power in the war—until the Jedi are so vulnerable that I can decide to end hostilities. And end their very rule."
"The Jedi are unlikely to refrain from immediate action upon learning of a missing child. I will see to that. Jabba may be the embodiment of vice, but the child… It is still innocent. It is astounding how a parent's social status and moral character determine a society's willingness—or unwillingness—to help their child." Sidious laughed softly. "Those Jedi! They are far too picky in choosing the object of their vaunted compassion!"
Dooku remained silent for a moment, weighing the implications. His worries about Dagon Marek ran deeper than he let show. The man had already destabilized much of the Outer Rim in an alarmingly short time. Two major worlds taken in a single day. New fighter doctrines that shredded their fleets. A private supply line through Sienar that bypassed traditional Republic oversight. And now this "Vanguard of the Republic" label was spreading through the Senate and Holonet like wildfire.
"My lord," Dooku said carefully, "Dagon Marek is becoming more than a nuisance. He has destabilized entire sectors. His forces operate with a level of coordination and independence that even Grievous struggles to match. If we allow him to continue unchecked, he may carve out his own power base in the Outer Rim—one that could threaten our long-term plans far more than the current Republic ever could."
Sidious regarded him with those piercing yellow eyes. "And what would you suggest, Lord Tyranus?"
Dooku's voice lowered. "There is a senator—Riyo Chuchi, I believe her name is. If we could capture her, we could lure Dagon into a trap he cannot escape. He has already shown a protective streak toward her. He sent additional troops and gunships to ensure her safe return from Pantora. That attachment can be exploited."
Sidious considered this for a moment, then shook his head slowly. "Are you sure, my apprentice? He has already defeated the Azanti, many fallen Jedi, Durge, Asajj Ventress, Savage Opress, and the Nightsister monsters. A simple kidnapping may not be enough to draw him into an unwinnable position."
"It will soon fall," Dooku insisted, though doubt lingered in his tone. "He cannot be everywhere at once. If we strike at something personal—something that forces him to act rashly—we can isolate him from the rest of his fleet and the Twelfth Sector's support structure."
Palpatine smiled again, though this time it did not reach his eyes. He hoped that everything would go according to plan, and that the Hutt child, having played his part, would be returned to his parent safe and sound. After all, Rotta, too, was a potential ally in the future.
"I will take care of this matter immediately," Dooku said, kneeling once more before rising and hurrying toward his ship.
The Jedi would have to save Jabba's son—after all, they were much better at such things… But if something happened to the poor guy…
Watching the departure of the CIS leader's yacht, Palpatine laughed again, but this time more sincerely.
"Well, even he, Palpatine, did not escape this banal trap that all politicians sooner or later fall into: repeating lies so often that they themselves begin to sincerely believe them."
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Dooku's shuttle lifted off into the Coruscant night sky, his mind already turning over the details of the coming operation. The kidnapping of Jabba's son was a bold move, but necessary. It would force the Jedi to act, draw public attention, and create the chaos needed to further weaken the Republic's moral standing.
Yet his thoughts kept returning to Dagon Marek.
The man had destabilized much already. In mere weeks he had turned the Twelfth Sector into a force that operated almost as its own entity—new fighters, new doctrines, private supply lines, and victories that made even the Senate take notice. Saleucami and Methalorn had fallen in a single day. The Perlemian Trade Route was now threatened. The "Vanguard of the Republic" narrative was gaining traction.
If Marek continued at this pace, he could carve out a power base in the Outer Rim that would be difficult to control—perhaps even rival the influence of the Sith themselves in the long term. Dooku had faced many opponents, but few had shown this level of adaptability and ruthlessness combined with genuine strategic vision.
He would need to move carefully. The trap with Riyo Chuchi might work if timed correctly, but Dagon had already proven himself exceptionally dangerous in direct confrontations. The Azanti, the fallen Jedi, Durge, Ventress, Savage, the Nightsisters—none had stopped him.
Dooku leaned back in his seat as the shuttle climbed toward orbit.
The plan with Jabba's son would proceed. It was elegant. It would force the Jedi into an uncomfortable position and create the distraction needed to regain momentum.
But in the back of his mind, a quiet worry persisted.
Dagon Marek was no ordinary Jedi.
And if they underestimated him again, the consequences could be far more severe than the loss of two planets.
The shuttle disappeared into the traffic lanes of Coruscant, carrying the Count toward his next move in a war that was rapidly slipping out of anyone's complete control.
**End of Chapter 268**