Dawn's Eagle. Mandalore. One week before the assassination attempt on Satine Kryze.
HK-47, a droid of dedication, determination, strong will, and extreme efficiency. When he sets out for a target, as long as the assassin droid maintains full functionality, the target has no hope of escape. No matter where they are or where they hide, HK will find them and execute the Master's command.
This has been his nature since his self-awareness, dating back to when Revan assembled him from the chassis of a Czerka Corporation infiltrator droid, which excelled at disguising itself as a standard protocol unit.
The first years of operation were, in HK's estimation, the best of his existence. His meatbag elimination protocols fully agreed with this assessment. Even his memory core couldn't specify how many targets were executed back then. That core was damaged at the end of the Jedi Civil War, coincidentally around the same time his Master lost his memories. But by studying ancient archives, HK easily recognized his methodology and was even able to partially restore his mission logs.
The total count of his victims was impressive. However, what truly inspired fear of the assassin droid was not the quantity but the quality of the liquidated targets. These included high-ranking politicians and military officers, some eliminated on Coruscant right under the nose of the Republic Security Force, powerful crime lords, and even Force-users. The latter group was almost greater in number than all the others combined.
Revan had created a nearly perfect killer, imbuing him with the knowledge and protocols sufficient to confidently confront any opponent.
And now, this deadly machine, possessing a terrible temper and referring to all surrounding organics as "meatbags," was frankly bored. The droid had been sitting on the ship for too long… or, perhaps more accurately, he was simply itching for action. Nearly four thousand years of dormancy in a cave on Tatooine had taken their toll on the killer's already… peculiar personality.
It was bad enough that the droid had the dual role of nanny and tutor to a young meatbag who seemed intent on getting into all manner of trouble within three seconds of being left unattended. Now, he also had the added duty of guarding a prisoner. Furthermore, her life and health must not be threatened… which, from the perspective of his logical core (greatly influenced by his assassin protocols), made the job significantly more difficult. But a command is a command.
The Master needed this female meatbag for some reason, so HK would guard her.
Especially since the prisoner's status had begun to change in recent days. The Master visited her more and more frequently for discussion, which HK recognized as a rather gentle attempt at recruitment, gradually shifting the worldview of the younger Kryze sister and implanting the desired ideas.
This had all led to the current situation: in the mess hall, besides the assassin droid, Revan, Tira Nomad, and Maul, stood Bo-Katan Kryze. She was wearing her full Death Watch armor, complete with insignia, and was free of any restraining devices.
Trying not to delve into the complexities of the Master's latest scheme, HK simply and plainly ran combat scenarios where he could kill the Mandalorian with a single shot.
"Why do we absolutely have to contact this Sidious?" Kryze inquired, her tone laced with annoyance.
"The involvement of an external force in the already unstable political situation on the planet will create the ideal conditions to execute the plan for Mandalore's independence," Revan explained.
"We are already independent," Bo-Katan reminded him.
Nomad merely snorted contemptuously at these words, expressing her opinion of the "independence" of her adopted homeworld.
"The man you are about to contact holds great influence in the Republic Senate," the former Jedi continued, noting Maul's scowl out of the corner of his eye.
The Zabrak had managed, with great difficulty, to find a way to contact his former master without leaving any traceable indication of his involvement. He had also provided the intelligence on the Senatorial influence, recalling everything he had learned and overheard while serving Darth Sidious. He would have preferred never to encounter his former mentor again, but Revan deemed the Sith's participation a necessary detail of the developed plan. Maul did not dare to object, though he was against it.
"Moreover, he has been manipulating your sister for a long time," Revan emphasized, continuing to detail the plan to the younger Kryze.
"What?!" Bo-Katan erupted. "So her decisions were dictated by outside influence? She betrayed her people by following the lead of a Senate rat?"
"I doubt this Sith has ever been called that before," Revan replied, barely suppressing a smirk. "And I believe his influence is not so great. However, yes, Satine often turns to him for advice. This is confirmed by the holocomm records in the Duchess's private chambers."
"And how did you manage to acquire those?" the younger Kryze demanded, frowning.
Revan indicated his Zabrak apprentice with a nod.
"A disloyal guard in need of credits," Maul answered calmly.
"The information is verified. My clan vouches for it," added Tira, who had remained silent until now.
Bo-Katan gave the mercenary an incinerating look but stayed silent. The Nomad clan was known for its information-gathering capabilities.
"As I understand it, bringing in this Sith of yours to aid Death Watch will simultaneously give my brothers… or perhaps my former brothers, the necessary funds for an open rebellion, and show my sister that she shouldn't trust every Senatorial lackey," Kryze surmised.
"Almost exactly correct," Revan agreed.
"What else?"
"Using the aid of a third party that does not belong to Mandalore's publicly known political factions will put Death Watch in a very poor light. Furthermore, for his assistance, the Sith will either use mercenaries, most likely the Black Sun, or mobilize Senate resources. This will create a formal pretext to declare the Republic's interference in Mandalore's affairs," the former Jedi explained.
"At the same time, the Council of Mandalorian Clans will offer the Duchess their aid to prevent a civil war from igniting," Tira added.
"Thereby provoking her," Kryze scoffed. "My sister will never accept that kind of help."
"She will, if it is presented correctly."
"She doesn't perceive Death Watch as a serious threat," Bo-Katan shook her head.
"She will when Viszla arrives to claim the title and rule of Mandalore," Nomad shrugged.
"Especially after the assassination attempt," Maul added.
"What assassination attempt?" Kryze frowned.
"The one you will organize," Revan smiled.
"What?!"
HK ignored the subsequent fiery speech of the outraged Mandalorian, temporarily entering an energy-saving mode. The emotional outbursts of meatbags were simply too monotonous.
"So you want to frame both Death Watch and this Sidious of yours in one swift move?" the droid heard upon returning to normal functionality.
"If you don't delve into the details, yes," Revan confirmed.
The younger Kryze sank into contemplation, and judging by her focused face, she had many questions.
Based on what HK knew of the Master's plan, as well as the small part revealed to Kryze, the assassin droid concluded that his creator was very skillfully manipulating the Mandalorians, relaying only a fraction of the truth, and twisting it at such an angle that the plan appeared to be the only correct course of action. This was one of the Master's most effective and useful talents. He could convince almost any sentient being to side with him, to follow him even into a black hole, and to execute any command… voluntarily.
"Death Watch won't attack Satine directly. Not under current conditions, and certainly not if they decide to move openly. Between a stab in the back or a bomb, and a victory in honest combat before all of Mandalore, Pre Viszla will choose the latter. Without a doubt," Bo-Katan concluded.
"You still think so highly of him? Even after he took our families hostage?" Nomad nearly snarled.
The younger Kryze subtly winced but leveled a calm gaze at Tira.
"I admit that the head of Death Watch… turned out to be not the leader we wanted him to be. However, he values attention and holds the respect of his supporters in high regard. His ambition will not allow him to strike from the shadows. Only in public, with a demonstration of power and authority."
"You changed your mind quickly…"
"I followed an idea, not a person. And in that respect, nothing has changed. You claim you will unite Mandalore, and moreover, are capable of doing so with minimal bloodshed."
"Dreamy Hypothesis: Not so minimal," the analytical block in HK's personality core suddenly supplied.
The Master had not disclosed the full plan, but the droid was skilled at scenario projection. The scenarios most favorable to the Master's stated goals included… a reduction in the population of radically-minded Death Watch members. And HK secretly hoped that the execution of this part of the plan would be entrusted to his durasteel shoulders. The mechanical killer was looking forward to the opportunity to prove himself again. Although the skill level of the Mandalorians the droid had encountered on Concordia was significantly lower than that demonstrated by the Neo-Crusaders of Mandalore the Ultimate or the reconstituted clans under Canderous Ordo, the task should still prove interesting.
Lost in these reflections, which HK allowed his computational core to indulge in, the assassin almost missed the moment when the Master and the Mandalorians moved on to discussing the assassination attempt on the Duchess. He had to quickly scan his audiosensor logs.
"So, in the end, we have a blatant set-up?" Kryze concluded.
"No, everything will be real. Except that the attackers, under the guise of Death Watch, will be mercenaries from the un-clanned," Tira countered.
"And for that, we will need Death Watch armor," Revan summarized.
"Suggestion: Lord, any Mandalorian armor could be used, just repainted and marked with the appropriate insignia," Maul ventured to offer his idea.
Tira and Bo-Katan simultaneously scoffed, expressing utter contempt for the idea.
"As you may have guessed from the indignation of the Mandalorians present here, such a trick will not work," Revan explained calmly, cutting off a furiously hissing Kryze.
"Any Mandalorian can easily spot a fake. Beskar'gam is part of our culture; it is not hastily manufactured on the fly. Every element carries a meaning understood only by those who grew up among the Mando'ade," Nomad added.
"Quite accurate for someone who was adopted only a decade or so ago," Bo-Katan said loftily.
Kryze ignored the mercenary's angry scarlet-eyed stare, returning the conversation to a constructive track.
"You need one of our supply caches that are awaiting their time," the Duchess's sister concluded.
"Do these caches contain armor?" Revan clarified.
"Of course. We planned to significantly increase our ranks before staging a coup. Recruits need something to wear. Not everyone was fortunate enough to hold onto their beskar'gam due to my sister's policies," Kryze shrugged.
"Proposal: Why don't we stage another preemptive strike on Death Watch hideouts and collect the armor from those… who no longer need it?" HK-47 suggested.
Revan barely stopped himself from slapping his forehead.
"Because the armor must not bear traces of blaster fire, blood, or other signs of the previous owner's violent death. Otherwise, it might raise suspicion among those who will be investigating the 'assassination attempt'," the droid's master explained.
"Humble Confirmation: Information accepted, Master," HK immediately responded.
"Please, just this once, no improvisation," Revan requested, not particularly hopeful.
The assassin droid had an unparalleled talent for executing commands by twisting the conditions and turning the task inside out. However, the result was always… satisfactory. Orders were executed, and Revan didn't experience any particular trouble because of it. So the former Sith was already mentally prepared for HK to do things his own way this time too… but still get the job done.
"Enthusiastically: I am ready to execute any command, Master!" the forty-seventh unit declared.
"That's what scares me," Tira snorted quietly, having firsthand knowledge of the mechanical maniac's methods.
"With Sarcastically Superiority: Don't be jealous," the droid replied just as quietly to the barb.
Revan's voice, the intonation of which boded ill for anyone who dared to interrupt him, cut short the nascent spat between the assassin droid and the meatba… that is, the Mandalorian.
The former Sith shook his head, noting that he should rest more and communicate less with HK.
"So, can we count on the Death Watch armor?" Revan asked the necessary question.
"Yes," Kryze nodded.
"Alright, Tira, you and Bo-Katan will retrieve the armor and hand it over to the group of mercenaries Maul has selected," Revan began to give the final instructions.
The Zabrak nodded, confirming his mentor's words.
"The attack must occur the moment we meet with Qui-Gon. The location will be an open one, so there should be no problems with infiltration."
Tira and Kryze synchronously confirmed the former Sith's words.
"Next… HK." The droid immediately straightened up, ready. "Your task will be to create the illusion of a threat to the Duchess's life and the lives of her defenders, in case the mercenaries prove… too ineffective. I don't expect them to breach Satine's defenses past Obi-Wan and her personal guards, but the Duchess should not get off too easily, either," Revan explained.
"Request for Clarification: Am I permitted to open fire to kill?" the droid asked hopefully.
"Do not kill anyone!" his Master cut him off.
"Acknowledged, Master," HK confirmed sadly.
"HK, listen to me carefully: Kryze and Kenobi must remain alive. Under no circumstances should they perish."
"Acknowledged, Master."
"But the attack shouldn't look too inept either," Tira reminded him.
"Yes, Death Watch wouldn't send novices on a mission like this," Kryze agreed.
"Request for Clarification: How great must the threat appear?" HK inquired, his hope rekindled.
Revan nearly howled at the question. No matter what he answered, the droid would twist it to suit his own ends… Though, it would end up that way regardless.
"The Duchess and her guards should be left with the impression that they are being fired upon by a moderately skilled sniper," Revan said, carefully choosing his words.
"Disappointed Proposal: So I must act like a meatbag and not utilize the full potential of my targeting system."
"In general terms, yes," the former Sith agreed.
"Request for Information: Will there be Jedi in the security detail?"
"Yes. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Padawan is always nearby," Revan confirmed.
"Plan Optimization Proposal: To create a convincing impression of a threat, I recommend eliminating…"
"He must live," the former Sith interjected.
"Proposal: Injure? Shoot?"
"Just not fatally!"
"Acknowledged, Master."
'I have a bad feeling about this,' Revan thought.
If he had known that at that very moment, an identical sentiment was being uttered by a certain Padawan, walking through a covered garden in the company of the Mandalorian Duchess.
A week later, HK-47, having secured an excellent position for long-range sniping, watched with interest the scene unfolding just over a kilometer away. A group of Mandalorian mercenaries in Death Watch armor attacked Duchess Satine Kryze with the firm intention of taking the sovereign's life. And initially, the attack was quite successful… for meatbags. The mercenaries skillfully dealt with the Duchess's guards, demonstrating that they did, in fact, possess some combat and skirmish experience.
But then the attack stalled, running up against an impenetrable wall named Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The mercenaries had clearly not been told that a Jedi would be accompanying the Duchess. The attackers were unprepared for this turn of events. Furthermore, judging by their highly ineffective attacks, the mercenaries had absolutely no experience fighting those who employed a lightsaber and the Force in combat.
HK watched with irritation as one by one, the fake Death Watch assassins died at the hands of the Padawan. The droid himself fired only a few shots, purely for intimidation. Yes, the blaster bolts passed an inch from the Duchess's head, but the effect was exactly what the Master had expected. The surviving members of Kryze's guard quite swiftly pushed their charge to the floor and attempted to shield her. The action was largely useless, considering the target remained in the line of fire, a fact HK demonstrated by shooting the shoulder of the guard closest to Satine. Purely to demonstrate an organizational error in the protection detail.
With that, the fools attempted to lead the Duchess away, which was not supposed to happen until the "performance" was over. The Master had mentioned this in the final briefing before the operation. So, the droid had to shoot yet another guard, who was dragging Satine behind him like a space tug pulling a crippled destroyer. The wounded Mandalorian fell onto Kryze, halting the entire procession and giving the mercenaries a chance to bypass Kenobi and reach the Duchess. For good measure, he had to destroy the door control terminal of the nearest building with a precise shot. What if Kryze had the sense to crawl to cover?
But then the Padawan re-entered the scene, confounding all calculations. His desire to protect the ruler of Mandalore led to a sharp reduction in the number of mercenaries. In fact, there were virtually none left. As a result, the Padawan's face, caught in the crosshairs of the targeting optics connected to the assassin droid's systems, took on an unacceptably confident look of victory. The situation required immediate correction.
HK fired a few test shots at Kenobi's charge, testing the speed of the Jedi meatbag and his ability to deflect blaster bolts with his lightsaber. The analytical modules quickly identified his fighting style and lightsaber form. Combat algorithms kicked in and calculated the trajectories of shots capable of penetrating the gifted individual's defense.
A few distracting shots near his feet, two aimed at the Duchess, forcing him to turn his torso and switch his saber to his other hand, followed by a series of four bolts that flew past the Padawan's blade but ricocheted toward Satine. Even if Kenobi had failed, the Duchess would have survived; HK had accounted for that possibility. After all, he could not directly violate the Master's command. The meatbag did not disappoint and successfully shielded his dearest Satine from what he presumably thought were "stray" shots. However, Kenobi could not block or dodge the final bolt, which struck the poor fellow squarely in the back of the knee.
"Satisfied Confirmation: Objective complete," HK commented on his result, tossing the now-unnecessary blaster rifle onto the passenger seat of the airspeeder, at the controls of which sat an incapacitated mercenary in Death Watch armor.
Activating the autopilot, HK stepped away from the transport, which a second later soared into the sky and began to move toward the city outskirts. A small detail remained.
The droid activated a detonator and watched with interest the rapid descent of the blown-up airspeeder, whose passenger was undoubtedly already dead. The Master had allowed the droid to devise his own plan of withdrawal and the method for "covering his tracks." Thus, no logical block in the assassin droid's core conflicted with his elimination protocols at this moment.
Death Watch had disposed of the failed assassin of the Duchess in an effort to eliminate witnesses to their treacherous attack on the rightful ruler of Mandalore. Nothing suspicious.
HK was proud of his work. All that remained was to learn the Master's opinion on the matter.
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