Chapter Text
As Count Dooku watched the contestants of the Box assess their situation, he sensed something different about one of them. Unlike the others, who were aimlessly watching the columns shift, this one was carefully evaluating the movements of each column. The Force was telling Dooku there was something off, and if there was anything his years as a Jedi taught him, it was to always trust in the Force.
"I sense something different about that one," Dooku voiced his thoughts. "Tell me what you know about this Rako Hardeen."
Moralo Eval typed into the terminal, bringing up an image of Hardeen. "He killed the Jedi Obi Wan Kenobi," Eval answered after a moment, scanning the screen.
Did he now?
"But only with a sniper rifle," Eval finished, waving a hand dismissively.
Impossible. Had the targeted Jedi been Knight Skywalker, Dooku may have found it prudent to believe that with no proof. Though admittedly gifted in the Force, Skywalker was brash and improvident. Even his blustering young Padawan was a more worthy adversary than him. But Kenobi? No. Kenobi was too competent to be taken out by nothing but a trifling sniper shot. So why...?
Kenobi has always prided himself in his deceptive tactics, Dooku reasoned. Perhaps he was not truly dead, and only laying low? Undercover?
Dooku would contemplate on that later. Whatever the case, Rako Hardeen could still prove himself an indispensable player in Eval's plan. He at least had enough field knowledge to recognize dioxis on sight, and it was mostly due to his quick thinking that there were no casualties in the first challenge. But only time could tell how qualified the mysterious man really was.
Dooku found himself mildly impressed by Hardeen's success in the second challenge. It took the marksman surprisingly little time to discern the pattern to the columns' movements. He had shown himself to be the most astute of the group, to say nothing of his fine skills as a traceur. This Hardeen was shaping up to be quite the asset to the plan.
"Hardeen has done it again," Dooku observed. "I'm beginning to think he may be the best one to lead this operation."
"Hardeen is crafty, I will grant you," Eval responded, apparently ruffled by Hardeen's unexpected successes. "But let us see how he does when he is no longer the key to their survival."
Not the key to their survival, indeed, but somehow he still was, handing the serum off to the correct contestant with not a second wasted on deliberation.
"He's a Parwan," Hardeen explained to the others. "His blood can take the electrolytic serum."
"You certain?" Bane asked, skeptical.
"Fifty-fifty. Depends on the blood type of the Parwan."
Skillful and well-read! Yet again, Dooku found himself impressed with the adroitness of one Rako Hardeen.
Dooku was at first disappointed by Sixtat's death. The operation required a sniper, and Sixtat was a good one. But then Hardeen stepped up to the challenge, accomplishing the task with even more finesse than Sixtat.
A traceur, a scholar, and a phenomenal sniper. If only Hardeen were force-sensitive, he would make for a brilliant Sith.
Alas, not everyone could be force-sensitive. Or perhaps Hardeen already was, and simply wasn't aware. A few of his leaps looked just a tad enhanced—
Despite Eval's cowardly actions, Hardeen refused to kill the Phindian: "All due respect, I just wanna do the job and get my money."
Ah, how disappointing. He has a moral code. Perhaps, as a sniper, he has never killed someone face-to-face. At some level, Dooku recognized that watching the life drain out of a person's eyes could be much more punishing on the conscience than sniping them from afar. He personally, of course, had long given up on matters of conscience. The dark side does not allow for such foolish considerations.
But how polite, this Hardeen. An unexpected quality for a bounty hunter. Dooku can say in all confidence he has never met a bounty hunter that cared about 'due respect' — though all things considered, he also hasn't met a great many bounty hunters in his lifetime.
It was peculiar, however. This wasn't the only instance of Hardeen's courteous nature, either. Throughout the challenge, he had been helping out the other contestants: warning them about the dioxis, scouting a way out, and offering a hand to several. In some respects, it was his strength, seeing as how Cad Bane — a criminal notorious for his nonexistent moral code — had saved Hardeen's life when he had been tricked by Eval in the final challenge.
It is almost as if Rako Hardeen was really Obi Wan Kenobi undercove—
Rako Hardeen was Obi Wan undercover.
What a shame. Finally a competent bounty hunter, and he was Obi Wan Kenobi.
Why couldn't Kenobi just join him already? He would be such a great bounty hunter. Such a great Dark Jedi. Such a great Sith. Such a great apprentice.
If only he could see through the lies of the Jedi, then he'd reach his full potential.
Such a shame.