At the heart of the galaxy, a Dejarik Master sat, contemplating the game. It was a game being played on a truly massive scale, larger than any had ever been played. He had been planning his moves for years, and had put them in motion before his opponent ever knew the game had started.
As his adversary had first begun to comprehend one square of the game board, his first planned sacrifice of the game was played- a mere pawn, taken by one of their knights, but his enemy had focused all it's attention on that single piece, letting him maneuver his other pawns into place.
Years later, as the game had progressed silently, unnoticed, he allowed yet another revelation to occur- he revealed another piece of the board, and allowed the enemy's pawns to come into play, and their other pieces to roam the board, battling his lesser, unimportant fighters.
He gave them a decoy to follow and focus on- a knight, which exemplified all the chivalry and honor that goes with the title, which swooped expertly around the board, always out of reach. He gave them, also, a glimpse at his king, so immeasurably far away, yet so tantalizingly close. And as the game intensified, he unleashed his other knight- this one embodying all of the ferociousness on the battlefield and the grasping tenacity with witch it pursued its prey; a symbol of terror and malicious grace for all who stood before it. But as the game drew to a close, one of the knights had to be sacrificed.
His artful and chivalrous knight was swept from the board, leaving his foe with a feeling of triumph, searching for another target. He drew their attention to his other knight, sending his fighting scourge into a retreat. The wretched thing would be his next sacrifice on the great, galactic Dejarik board known as war.
As one of his opponent's knights was drawn away to this engagement far from the true battlefield of the game, he could concentrate on their other knight- capable of brilliance and power, yet underplayed and unexploited. This little piece of his enemy's would become one of the most powerful instruments he had ever controlled.
As the Dejarik Master stood, pulling his dark robes closer around him, he smiled, coldly. For all of his foe's many feints and cunning plans laid down, they had yet to realize the game was already over. How could it be anything but, when they never even comprehended the rules of the game? When they never even saw, never even dreamt that they could be betrayed.
The Dejarik Master pulled the hood of his robes over his head, his brown eyes falling into impenetrable shadow, and turned to face a holoprojector. A blue image flickered, and then resolved into a tall, skeletal form, which bowed gracefully.
"Yes, Lord Sidious?" His knight addressed him, its voice hissing from behind its ivory-colored war mask. It clasped its metal hands behind its back, drawing back its dark cape to reveal the rest of its shell-like avatar, its yellow eyes gazing up at him.
Now, my little knight, I condemn thee to your fate, the Dejarik Master thought as he opened his mouth to speak in a cold, pitiless voice.
"General Grievous…"
