While Durge and War Machine had been engaged in their brutal combat, Luminara worked alongside Commander Gree and a squad of clone troopers to systematically eliminate the super battle droids that had managed to penetrate deep into the Tranquility's interior corridors.
After destroying the last of the mechanical invaders in their sector, Luminara received an urgent communication from War Machine, his voice carrying obvious strain and concern.
"Luminara, we have an extremely dangerous hostile operative aboard this vessel," Rhodes reported with grim seriousness.
"What's the situation, Colonel Rhodes?" Luminara asked, immediately detecting the tension and labored breathing in his transmission.
Rhodes delivered his warning with urgent clarity: "There's a specialized warrior among the Separatist boarding party—a bounty hunter named Durge. We just engaged in combat in the main hangar bay. He represents an extraordinary threat level. If you encounter him, do not underestimate his capabilities under any circumstances. Anyone who spots him should avoid single combat at all costs."
Luminara immediately turned to Commander Gree with tactical instructions: "Gree, notify all clone personnel and Senate Commandos to maintain maximum alert status. Regardless of who this Durge character is, instruct them to avoid direct confrontation. Their objective should be containment and delay—do not allow him to reach Gunray's location."
"General Unduli, I've just received reports that the ship's barracks section is under attack," one of the clone troopers reported with obvious anxiety.
"The barracks?" Commander Gree repeated, considering the tactical implications. "That's quite a distance from the interrogation chamber where Nute Gunray is being held."
Luminara analyzed the situation carefully before speaking to herself: "It appears that this Durge's primary objective is not rescuing Gunray." She then addressed her communicator: "Colonel Rhodes, the Durge you mentioned has moved to the barracks section."
"I'm heading there immediately."
"I'll meet you at that location," Luminara confirmed.
The ship's barracks had descended into complete chaos, with every available clone trooper firing desperately at the rampaging bounty hunter while Durge methodically slaughtered the Republic defenders without mercy or hesitation.
Durge seized one clone trooper and used him as a human shield, allowing several blaster bolts from the victim's comrades to strike the helpless soldier. He laughed with contemptuous cruelty: "Pathetic clones." Then he callously discarded the lifeless body.
Suddenly, Durge was engulfed by a barrage of micro-missiles that instantly surrounded him in flames and smoke, but he emerged from the conflagration completely intact except for additional damage to his already battle-scarred armor. The explosive ordnance seemed to have no meaningful effect on his physical condition. He looked directly at War Machine and taunted: "Have you returned for another beating?"
Rhodes attempted to provoke the bounty hunter psychologically: "Who was running away from our fight like a coward—"
Durge roared with savage excitement: "Fool! I have never encountered anyone as spectacularly stupid as you. Instead of taking the opportunity to escape when you had the chance, you rush headlong toward your own death."
Rather than engage in further verbal sparring, Rhodes activated his armor's comprehensive weapons systems. Various cluster cannons, grenades, missiles, electromagnetic pulse generators, laser arrays, and other armaments all targeted the ancient warrior.
Durge examined this mobile arsenal with genuine fascination, and rather than displaying any fear, he became visibly more excited. He studied War Machine's technological capabilities with obvious interest, then released a maniacal laugh while hunching into a predatory crouch, ready to strike like a beast preparing to pounce on its prey. He spoke with deadly anticipation: "How interesting... let's discover if you can truly satisfy my hunger for combat."
As Durge accelerated forward with blinding speed, Rhodes deployed incendiary ordnance, but his sensors indicated that the bounty hunter had not decelerated and would reach him within seconds.
Rhodes retracted his ranged weapons into his armor systems and deployed his energy staff again, swinging the melee weapon toward Durge's head with enhanced force.
Thanks to his armor's strength amplification, Durge was knocked sideways, but he quickly recovered with a combat roll and unexpectedly launched his arm toward War Machine. The limb extended with unnatural flexibility and quickly wrapped around Rhodes' armored appendage.
Rhodes gritted his teeth as he felt tremendous pulling force that threatened to tear his arm completely off. Glancing at the extended limb, he was horrified to see a mass of what appeared to be nerve tissue and muscle fibers, with no visible skin or bone structure.
Refusing to allow Durge any tactical advantage, Rhodes began repeatedly striking the extended arm with his electrified staff weapon.
Durge screamed in obvious pain as the electrical discharges from War Machine's weapon caused visible damage to his appendage. However, instead of releasing his grip, he tightened his hold on Rhodes' arm even more intensely.
The two relentless combatants brought their battle to a temporary stalemate until Durge's extended limb was severed by concentrated blaster fire, followed immediately by the green lightsaber blade of Jedi Master Luminara cutting through the remaining tissue.
"Perfect timing, Luminara," Rhodes said with relief as he shook his arm to remove Durge's severed appendage.
Luminara raised her lightsaber in a defensive position, pointing the weapon in Durge's direction while fixing him with a defiant stare: "I will say this only once, bounty hunter—surrender immediately. You cannot defeat us both."
However, Durge showed no retreat or intimidation despite his severed arm, nor was he frightened by Luminara's ultimatum. He regarded both opponents with calm assessment as his damaged limb began regenerating at an alarming rate.
Both War Machine and Luminara recoiled in shock and disbelief as they witnessed the complete restoration of his arm.
Durge looked at Luminara with anticipatory pleasure: "It has been quite some time since I have engaged a Jedi Knight in combat. I am pleased that I accepted the Sith Lord's generous offer."
"Sith Lord?" Luminara immediately understood who Durge was referring to.
Commander Gree, unwilling to allow this monster to attack again and kill more of his soldiers, issued tactical orders: "All troopers, concentrate fire and bring him down!"
"No, don't!" Rhodes shouted, but his warning came too late.
All available clone troopers began firing at Durge, but the bounty hunter's savage counterattack quickly resulted in additional casualties among the Republic forces.
Witnessing so many clone troopers making unnecessary sacrifices, Rhodes immediately rejoined the battle, with Luminara following close behind.
Durge moved like a hurricane of death, continuously killing clone soldiers while simultaneously engaging both Luminara and War Machine directly. The ancient warrior attacked both opponents without mercy or restraint.
Luminara maintained combat at medium range, utilizing her lightsaber and Force abilities, while Rhodes chose to engage in close-quarters combat where his armor's capabilities were most effective.
Durge drove War Machine backward toward Luminara's position, then pivoted to assault the remaining clone troopers while continuing his psychological warfare: "Count Dooku informed me about your genetic template. Jango Fett should have been the finest warrior in the galaxy." He delivered a devastating punch to one clone's head, instantly breaking the soldier's neck, then quickly drew his sidearm and eliminated several troopers attempting to flank him. Moving toward Gree, he continued: "For my part, I believe Jango Fett was fortunate in his timing. I spent sixty years in hibernation. Now I simply need to eliminate all of his disappointing genetic offspring to compensate for lost time."
"You will not succeed," Luminara's voice carried across the battlefield as she used the Force to hurl Durge away from her subordinates.
Luminara positioned herself protectively beside her clone commander: "Gree, are you injured?"
War Machine took advantage of this brief respite to engage in close combat with the now-recovered Durge. He seized the larger warrior's wrist and attempted to throw him to the deck, but the bounty hunter's superior strength allowed him to lift the "smaller" War Machine completely off the ground.
Rhodes quickly activated his repulsors and used both feet to kick Durge squarely in the chest, the energy from his thrusters combined with his enhanced strength actually penetrating the bounty hunter's armor plating.
Luminara watched in amazement as Durge's burned tissue healed rapidly and muttered with growing understanding: "Gen'Dai."
"General?" Gree asked with obvious confusion.
Durge smiled with malicious satisfaction: "So you recognize my species."
Luminara kept her lightsaber trained on Durge: "Your race is indeed exceptionally rare. To be completely honest, I believed you were all extinct."
"We are far from extinct, Jedi. And I am here to eliminate every last one of you." Durge's entire body began expanding and morphing as he extended two flexible appendages toward both War Machine and Luminara, who quickly evaded the attacks.
"Gree, maintain your distance! It's obvious this creature specifically targets clone troopers," Rhodes warned loudly.
Luminara advanced, raised her lightsaber, and struck with precise timing, severing Durge's extended arm before asking: "Bounty hunter, what is your true purpose here? Are you attempting to rescue the prisoner we're transporting?"
"The prisoner?" Durge laughed with genuine amusement. "I am not here for that pathetic fool. That responsibility belongs to another operative."
Rhodes repeated with alarm: "Another operative!"
Luminara also spoke with sudden fear: "Ahsoka! Barriss! Gree, get to the interrogation chamber immediately and take all available clones with you!"
"Acknowledged, sir!" Gree and the surviving clones responded, quickly evacuating the barracks area.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Durge roared furiously, extending his arms to intercept the retreating Republic forces.
Rhodes' wrist-mounted assault weapon immediately fired high-velocity rounds through Durge's extended appendage. The bounty hunter released a pained roar and turned to glare at War Machine with savage intensity.
Rhodes shrugged with casual defiance: "Sorry, freak, but your fight is with me."
Luminara moved to stand beside him in solidarity.
Durge snorted with contempt, then began laughing maniacally again: "Very well, then I shall honor your death wish by killing you both, and then I will hunt down those insignificant clones."
Rhodes understood that Ahsoka and the others might desperately need assistance, so he turned to Luminara with firm resolve: "You need to get to the interrogation chamber as well. Ahsoka and Barriss require your protection."
Luminara's expression showed obvious conflict as she looked at War Machine with deep concern: "Colonel Rhodes, I cannot abandon you here."
Rhodes attempted to reassure her: "You're not abandoning me. You're making a tactical withdrawal to ensure mission completion."
"But Durge—"
Rhodes interrupted with stern authority: "Luminara, your Padawan and Ahsoka need you far more than I do right now." He softened his tone slightly: "Trust me, I can handle this situation."
Before Luminara could respond, Durge launched another attack.
Rhodes grabbed Luminara and used his repulsors to fly both of them out of Durge's attack range, landing near the barracks exit. He gently but firmly pushed her toward safety.
"Go, now!"
"Can you handle him alone?" Luminara asked with genuine concern.
Rhodes looked at her with determination: "Maybe, at least long enough. But right now, those two Padawans need you more than I do."
Luminara desperately wanted to remain and fight, but her tactical training told her she should proceed to the interrogation chamber immediately.
She heard the sound of metal grinding against metal and turned to see Durge emerging from the hole he had smashed through the bulkhead.
Biting her lip with reluctance, Luminara shook her head and took one final look at War Machine, who was staring intently at the approaching bounty hunter. She turned and ran toward her duty, while Rhodes launched himself into the air to face the renewed assault alone.
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