Chapter 295 - A Wounded Sith Lord

"Your tricks don't work on us, Dooku."

Seeing Dageer and the other members of Hell Squad shake off the confusion and control he was imposing almost immediately, Count Dooku was truly surprised by the first time since he met them.

"Interesting... So what my apprentice said was true. You really can resist the Force. Impressive."

"That's enough, Dooku."

Ragout stepped forward, and pulled his lightsaber out of his robes. The green glow reflected on the dead MagnaGuards.

"You know, young one, I originally didn't plan on killing you. I was hoping for Obi-Wan, Skywalker, or even that old master of mine, Yoda. I hoped I would be able to fight a real Jedi, not a young Banta who just learned how to battle."

"Your attempts to anger me are useless."

As if by magic, A curved lightsaber appeared in Count Dooku's hand. A red blade extended from it. Immediately, he disappeared from his previous position, faster than any human should have been. But Ragout was ready.

The two Force users clashed, lifting a small cloud of dust. Ragout stretched his fingers, and the Sith stumbled a few steps back. At the same time, Hell Squad fired, forcing Count Dooku to disengage.

With a single downward swing, the blue lasers were all deflected or dodged, two of them almost hitting back the clones.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ragout advanced once again, holding his lightsaber backward, and cutting up, forcing Count Dooku to block. Before the Sith could retaliate, Ragout swept his right leg, throwing the Separatist off his feet, and onto the ground.

However, Count Dooku wasn't so easy to beat. Showing strength and agility a man of his age shouldn't have, he twerked his body out of the way of Ragout's lightsaber, and the weapon pierced the ground beside him. Now, the one who was at a disadvantage was the Jedi, and he received a kick to the chest, powered by the Force.

Doing a backflip, Count Dooku got up, and threw his lightsaber. The red light spun, almost cutting Ragout's throat, but he was able to deflect it. Controlled by an invisible hand, the lightsaber returned to Count Dooku's hand.

Fully concentrated in Ragout, the Separatist seemed to have forgotten about Hell Squad. Maybe he thought they weren't a threat. He was mistaken.

Several dozen blue lasers flew towards him, many not even aiming at his body, but at the air around him. If he moved to dodge a laser, he would put himself in the way of another. As such, all he could do was block with his lightsaber, revealing an opening. Ragout jumped forward, and his weapon cut the flesh of Count Dooku's left arm. The wound wasn't deep nor life-threatening, but it forced him to take the fight seriously.

"Ugh! That was a cowardly strike, Jedi!"

Examining the cut, Count Dooku frowned, showing anger. Ragout, on the other hand, maintained a stone-cold expression.

"Others may call me a coward, Dooku, but not a traitor such as you."

"Ha! So you are still stuck on the illusion that the Jedi Order is righteous? So naive."

As he said that, the Sith used the Force to pull Ragout, making the Jedi stagger forward, directly in the path of the red lightsaber.

Ragout tried to lift his own lightsaber to parry, but he knew he was too slow. All he could do was try to wriggle his body out of the way, but Count Dooku's weapon still pierced all the way through his right shoulder, and Ragout let out a yell of pain.

The Sith lord grinned maliciously, preparing to shake his hand, and tear Ragout in half, but suddenly a clone appeared between them. Instead of a blaster, Dageer carried a vibroblade, and used the handle to pummel Count Dooku's head. He would have preferred to use the blade, and end the Separatist's life at once, but Ragout was on the way, so he could only opt for this more awkward approach.

Count Dooku fell to the ground, dizzy, and Ragout retreated, holding his shoulder. There was a hole on it, about three centimeters in diameter. More surprisingly, it was possible to see through it. Only lightsabers could leave this kind of wound, basically evaporating the flesh.

Seeing his general and friend wounded, Dageer grunted in anger, and kicked Count Dooku's lightsaber out of his hand. The weapon spun on the ground before falling inside a puddle in the surrounding marsh. Then, the commander aimed his blaster pistol at the fallen Sith, preparing to finish him off.

"Dageer, no! We need him alive!"

"General? He is too dangerous!"

Glancing back at the Jedi, Dageer furrowed his eyebrows. Count Dooku was a Force user. He could, at any moment, use this mysterious power to do almost anything. To a soldier like Dageer, that meant he had no control over him as a prisoner. He didn't like that.

"He is defenseless. I can't let you kill him."

"Defenceless? You think that because I don't have my lightsaber, I am done? You underestimate my power, young one."

"Shut up."

In an impulse, Dageer kicked Count Dooku on the face. Ragout frowned at the clone, but said nothing. He was a Jedi, and was against needless violence, but he was also a Jedi trained in the war. He had long grown used to violence and death, and he wasn't dumb or hypocritical enough to treat Count Dooku like a prisoner who had given up. His words proved that he still had fight in him.

"Get up, Dooku, and don't resist. You shall be judged by the Republic Senate."

"Hahaha... I don't think so."

Suddenly, Count Dooku extended his arms, palms facing Dageer and Ragout. And then, something impossible happened.

Blue lightning left Count Dooku's fingers, hitting Dageer and the Jedi, and inflicting immense pain. The lightning coursed through their bodies, scorching Dageer's armor, and Ragout's clothes. The lighting then made a bridge between them and Hell Squad, sending the clones in the same extremely painful torture.

If it wasn't for Dab, they would have all died there. But the sniper - who was almost a kilometer away, and had the high ground - fired his charged shot, throwing Count Dooku - who thought it was a normal laser - away.

Seeing Hell Squad and Ragout get up on their feet again - although shaken - the Sith decided it was time to go. He had never expected the Jedi to be so powerful, or the clones beside him to be so good. It was a mistake he wouldn't make again.

Jumping on his speeder, he started speeding towards the capital city, where he would have battalions of droids as support. At the same time, he used the Force to pull his lightsaber out of the swamp.

"Dab! Stop him!"

Ragout hadn't even finished talking when a laser was already flying at Count Dooku, hitting the speeder's engine. The Separatist jumped off before the vehicle crashed, and shot a venomous glance at the Republic group.

"Republic dogs!"

Having uttered that last curse, Count Dooku ran to the depths of the marsh, disappearing amidst the trees.

"Get up! We have to go after him!"

Using the Force to lift Dageer and the other from the ground, Ragout started pursuing Count Dooku. Without any hesitation, the clones followed him.