Chapter 2: Rude Awakenings

His eyes opened and immediately he noted his sideways position upon the metal floor. A tinge of anger rushed across him and a boiling rage so common now he barely remembered what it was like not to be so turned to wrath. All the same, his golden reptilian eyes closed and reopened as he planted his ghostly white hands against the floor and propped himself up to his knee. A deathly growl escaped his vocabulator as he shook himself of a stupor that muddled his mind and eyesight.

Grievous looked about the bridge from where he knelt. His eyes gracing the viewports and the glass now showing from behind the emergency shutters. Those metal gratings had shut long before they made reentry into the atmosphere, but now some hung loose and vibrated with undoubtedly torn and broken gyros and bolts. Whatever it was these contraptions needed to run, Grievous didn't care, but only saw the condition they were in. He rose to his clawed metal feet and the General brushed his cloak idly from before himself, and flicked just as idly at dust that likely wasn't there. His eyes taking another moment then to glance left to right and into a circle around himself at the mess of broken and sparking terminals and their B1 handlers scattered about the floors in disarray. Though he noted with the faintest hint of satisfaction possible, that most of those B1 drones began moving and pulling themselves back up into stands. As much as one could stand slanted at a general angle in the way the ship had obviously planted itself into the dirt outside.

Grievous loosed another low rumbling grow as his head shook and eyes closed. That familiar rage spiked inside of him and he felt his metal body throb as his anger became unbearable. Of course the mission ended this way! Of course he was on a dead ship on an as of yet world in the middle of the Outer-Rim! He didn't take note as his Magnaguards joined him in standing as Grievous loosed a robotic tinged howl and sprung forwards. His right ghostly fist crashing into an idle terminal near snapping it in half. Before he pounded into it gain, and again, and again until the sparked and cracked and cried as its internal motors and bits broke down beneath the full hammering of his rage. The droids around him hardly took notice anymore of this organic creature's outbursts. Though the B1's did slide further and further from him as he his fists went in again and again and his grunts turned guttural and beastly with his savagery.

He whirled around with an equal and striking suddenness, his cloak whirling with him as his head bolted left to right across his field of vision.

"Captain!" He called with a trembling voice. There was, however, no response, and all he was left with, was an emptied command seat. His head shook some more and eyes sharpened as he stomped forwards. His pronged claws threatening to bore holes in the floor beneath him as he did. He came to the Captain's seat and with a single motion the cyborg warrior leapt atop back of the chair rest with both clawed feet planted into and clawing into the seat as he loomed and turned his head to the spot directly behind the seat. These his eyes glowed and narrowed just a fraction further as he found the Captain curled up on his knees one hand raised in desperation upwards towards him in shaking terror.

"Disgusting!" Grievous growled jumping down and in one swift motion he grasped at the Neimoidian's collar and rising back into a stand himself, pulled him upwards with him and further still into the air. All the while the alien gasped and squirmed murmuring unintelligible and unappreciated apologies.

"When I call for you," Grievous began in low and trembling a whisper, threatening as it was grumbling. The Captain paused and his wide beady eyes gawked down at the machine creature he and his people so dreaded.

"You make yourself known, understood?"

"Ye..yes I-"

"When I call for you, you answer! Is that clear?!" Grievous's arm shook and the Captain along with it who yelped in terror and began nodding profusely as he sounded on the verge of tears.

"Yes General sir! Yes, sir I...I'm sorry General!"

"Keep your apologies." Grievous commanded with an idle toss of his arm back and forwards sending the Captain unceremoniously to the ground in a huff and grunt.

"Now get back in your seat." His command become unnervingly and suddenly low and the Captain scurried wordlessly towards his armrest. Clawing and crawling his way chaotically over the armrest and unnaturally back into the seat where he fought with himself into the normal sitting position.

The machine clanks and clangs of Grievous's feet stomped out and echoed the bridge as B1's idly began working at their terminals, or trying to fix them. The General circled in on the Captain's right and he jumped at his closeness. Grievous's head remained fixated facing towards him as his hands pushed back at his cloak idly, and his talons of white metal clasped at one another as both hands came together at the General's back.

"Begin lockdown protocols at once, Captain! I want visual contact and constant battle droid patrols on every possible entrance and exit. Built or made by the crash, am I understood?"

"Ye...yes Ge...General, sir!" The Neimoidian's hands began sporadically running along his armrest controls to send commands throughout the ship. In uncomfortable silence Grievous watched him. His head tilting towards his fingers running along the keys for a time before he returned to his pace around the chair. His head finally lowering and sinking with his back as he skulked his way into a circular stride.

"Next you will contact the Unrelenting Force. We know those fools crashed along with us, and I want their battle droids, and personnel aboard my ship now! I want answers as to what they're going to do to get us back into orbit! Back into Confederate space and back into operation!" He seethed as he rounded along the Captain's right again, making him jump and nod more profusely as he feigned or genuinely followed every word Grievous said. It didn't matter so long as the General was pleased in the end.

"Al...all entrances have been se...sealed, General. P...posting guards t...to them now, G...General sir." The Captain explained still pressing keys along his armrests. Grievous merely gave a gravely grown on acknowledgment as he kept restlessly pacing around the command chair.

"What of the Unrelenting Force?" Grievous finally asked after another moment of silence passed over them.

"Ye...yes they uh...they haven't re...res...p...ponded, General. But," The Neimoidian quickly grew loud as though to preempt any harsh retort from Grievous.

"The ship is sh...showing wide s...scale failures ac...across all sys...sys...systems, General. Our communications are sh...shaky at best."

"And not only the ship's." Grievous intoned with glowering eyes pinned to the Captain who sunk away at the hateful gaze.

Nonetheless, Grievous stomped over towards a console. Before him and with his back pointed towards the General a B1 stood fiddling with the computer terminal. Grievous snarled and with a swift motion his left arm went over his right shoulder and flung back out in a harsh sweep. The white metal slammed into the B1 sending it flying across the room against the far wall with a crashing thud as pieces of it came twisting and falling off from it as it slumped and shook with sparks.

The Captain tried sinking away further from the show of wrath of the General, and raised his hands in feeble attempt to protect himself from any strike or blow, but obviously the B1 hadn't come crashing his way. Instead Grievous stood and leaned himself against the terminal. The reptile eyes scanned across the terminal as he snapped his right bony fingers along its interactive screen and watched as a host of mind numbing pieces of data swept across his vision. Warning icons and declarations in aurebesh added to by bold and flashing compartments of the ship shown in holographic detail showed through. His hands clenched hard and the audible sound of metal straining under his grasp sounded as Grievous shook with another furious rage. Another deep bellow loosed from him and his right fist came up before slamming harshly down and straight through the monitor cleaving it in two.

"This whole ship has been torn apart!" Grievous howled spinning towards the Captain, pieces of metal and wires falling from around his arm as he did so.

"We haven't a chance of repairing even half of it!" He went on shaking as he towered even from afar over the Neimoidian who could only nod in agreement, dumb and uncoordinated agreement.

"Ye...yes General! I...I mean we coul...could try to...to-"

"Shut up!" He commanded pointing a harsh finger his way. The Captain acquiesced easily and lowered his head away from Grievous who snarled and slammed his feet towards one of the bent viewports facing the outwards environment of whatever world they had landed on. He scanned the surroundings, his eyes moving from left to right and back over several times. His growls were low but no less full of wrath and simmering anger as he noted the hellish landscape just outside his ship.

The ground was black and harsh looking. Jagged rocks stuck out from the ground facing the skies as distant mountain loomed high and climbed towards the ground like their smaller rock kindred. Bellowing smoke pulsated into the air from a volcano Grievous could see in the distance though nearer than the mountains and he made out the orange fiery glow of molten rivers moving in multiple directions from that flaming maw.

"It would be a good day were it Mustafar or Sullust." He intoned gravely as he realized what a strange thought that was. To be happy to imagine falling onto Mustafar's rock and magma laden soil.

However, the General paused as he took note of another structure in the distance beyond the nearer volcano. His head cocked to the side somewhat and his eyes narrowed further as he saw clearly what he knew had to be none other than a tower. It was slimmer than any mountain he had thus far seen on this planet. Little as that may have been. It seemed to slim from the wider base at the bottom into a thin rising pillar as it grew higher and higher. Certainly it wasn't the size of a Coruscant skyscraper, but he did have to admit inwardly that it was a rather large structure all the same.

The glow of an orange light flashed over his body. Briefly it illuminated the bridge, or at least a fraction of it before moving on, and across the ship. Grievous felt a tinge, a very slight tinge of discomfort as this light came into view. He turned his head up and away from his feet where the glow had reseeded from back towards the distant tower. Yes, yes he could see it at the very top now. A single, but illuminating orb. A light, like a beacon shown from atop that distant blackish tower and swerved from left to right from Grievous's point of view. It again flashed over him, turning back away in a nonlinear manner, as if having a mind of its own.

Without even thinking about it Grievous felt himself back away as the light seemed to remain on him for just a second longer than before. A strange prickling and...uncomfortable sensation welled 'inside' of him as it did. His head cocked sideways, curious to his own thoughts as the light seemed to bob up and down before pulling away again and following along the rest of the Invisible Hand's body.

"Odd..." Grievous intoned as he looked to that dark distant tower for a but a moment longer.

"General sir," The Captain's meek voice broke his moment of uncomfortable musings. The ghostly shaded cyborg turned sideways facing the Neimoidian who visibly shivered in response.

"Th...the entrances...those we can still...maintain con..control of have been put un...nn...nder lockdown, sir. I...I'm directing contingents of dr...droids to them. A...as well as any we c...ccc...cccc...can't directly control due to da...mmmm...damage."

"And the Unrelenting Force?" Grievous questioned with a hint of expectation in his robotic voice. The Captain nodded, or maybe he was shaking as his head tilted towards his armrest as his fingers furiously snapped at several keys over and over in desperation.

"I...I've been hail...lllling them General, b..bbbbb...but so far n...nnnn...no response, sir." Grievous growled turning fully towards the Captain who jumped and began stammering again.

"Ma...many of our systems are down, General sir!" He suddenly barked raising a defensive hand as he did.

"Communications are down, as are mul...multiple systems. The crash probably knocked them out, or the arr...arr...array is out, sir!" Grievous glowered towards the Captain in silence for a moment longer. His piercing yellow eyes unmoved as they seemed to scan the Neimoidian who remained sickly and pale plastered to his seat. His right hand twitching and floating above the armrest as though ready to fly up and defend himself. As though he could in the first place.

Until another growl harshly erupted from Grievous and the General turned his back once more on the Captain. His metal talons clawing ahead towards one of the damaged viewports until he stood before it once more. His own eyes scanning the distance with an unspoken and well hidden hesitation within him this time.

"Get those systems operational at once! Or," Grievous cast a glare over his left shoulder.

"I will have you personally walk this hell-scape to the Unrelenting Force and gain their attention." The Neimoidian nodded hurriedly once more. Grievous scoffed and turned towards the viewport again.

"In the meantime I shall attend to our surroundings, personally. You two," He glanced over his right shoulder towards his Magnaguards.

"Follow me." As he commanded he stepped forwards and the Captain visibly sighed in relief.

"Y...yes, General sir, allow me to open a doo-" Grievous suddenly thrashed his right talon against the viewport and the glass shattered immediately sending a cracking crash through the entire bridge making the Captain jump high in his seat. His leg recoiled back some and the General observed, almost proudly the gaping hole he now made in the forward of the Invisible Hand. The Magnaguards followed suit and left the Captain and droids to tend to what they could.

"Why in all the galaxy did I get assigned this command chair?!" The Captain seethed in little more than a shallow frightened whisper as he turned back towards his command chair. His pulse still in overdrive as he prayed to...something to help him get what the General needed done, done.


Stepping with heavy thuds and clangs of metal meeting metal Grievous clasped onto the rim of the bridge viewport that held the now shattered glass. He took a slight jump forwards and allowed his body to fall downwards with a slight slam where he landed onto his right knee without any pain felt and a slight indent made in the outer plating of the Providence-class. A slight and hoarse gravely cough erupted finally from his lungs upwards and outwards. His body racked from the exertion and he lowered his head as the fit took hold. His coughs gagging and wheezing where he knelt, his anger ebbing and rising in its intervals as he numbly noted the crash of two more pairs of metal boots behind his low form.

His breathing slowed and his wheezes began to subside as his skeletal frame calmed. His head turned upwards with a notable glare as he looked outwards down the length of his command ship. He pulled himself up into a stand, his right foot crashing downwards as it moved from underneath his frame back to actually aiding him stand. His cloak whirled around him as the winds of this harsh land whipped as he and his Magnaguards. More important at this moment, however, was his ship. He took a few slow steps forwards and allowed his eyes to scan from left to right and back over again. Down the bow rose several thick smoke stacks that choked the air. Though, as Grievous turned his head curiously upwards and noted the black clouds that barely let enter a ray of natural daylight, he figured it did little to effect the actual surroundings of this place. So, he kept walking forwards.

His eyes turned downwards and noted gashes and torn metal, sparking wires of unknown meaning and importance were exposed and several noticeable fires thrashed I the winds further down mingled among the black clouds of those other and unseen flames. His growls seemed to have no end this day. Though even he knew that was hardly noteworthy. Another cough tore at those damnable lungs hidden beneath his frame and he felt his arms recoil into himself. A twitch he found all too uncontrollable as of late. Like a wild beast risen from the depths of a bath he shook his head as though willing the fit to end, and much to his happiness it did so just as he looked off the slightly upwards angled portside of his ship. His feet clawed at the metal pulling him up the angled hull with his Magnaguards in silent step behind him. Once better position though, Grievous noted the distance. Great black clouds covered this land and spewed seemingly with no end from the volcano now at his back. Yet, in this direction away from the volcano he could see rays of light dancing and breaking through down.

He wondered numbly and idly just where that light broke down towards. He thought it unfortunate that he had to crash deep under this endless black miasma. Though he did little to actually bother him, but something in him old and primal from memory disliked this manner of scenery. Kalee was, for all its weakness and faults, a world of rich greens and flowing blue waters. So far he had seen little to convince him this wasn't another Sullust. Either way he gave a slight and low audible rumble before turning back and faced off the starboard side of the Invisible Hand. That spewing mountain of fire meeting his eyes once more before he glanced a bit further away. Where that dim orange light, like a primitive lighthouse banked back and forth up and down his fallen ship.

"What do you see, over there?" Grievous asked lowly pointing towards the dim light as it traveled along his ship towards his right. The Magnaguards came closer behind him and looked where he pointed.

"Is that artificial light?" The droids were silent another moment. The whir of their photoreceptors focusing only barely audible.

"Well?"

"Unclear, General."

"What do you mean 'unclear?!'" Grievous commanded of the droid who answered him.

"Light appears natural, General. A large fire."

"It, however, appears to have some manner of mobility unnatural of common fires, sir." The second droid responded, and Grievous cast a curious glare back towards the light. A curious grumble sounding out as he did so, and as that light cast another orange even if distant light upon him. He stood defiant of that feeling, some strange unease, and disquiet inside that told him to leave the light, but Grievous drew on that rage of his and anger. His body trembled in that anger, and his defiance grew as he pulled himself upwards and straight, tall and ghostly.


All the while an Eye little different in shape than the General's, wreathed in burning fire centered by the shadowy mass narrowed upon that which it saw. A curious thought entering into an imperceptible mind, and soon a command would follow. A few expendable Orcs should be more than enough. So, he believed.


The first thing he realized was the aching! Force, it felt terrible, he felt terrible. A noticeable groan loosed from his barely parted lips as he perceived something bothering him beyond every inch of his body that felt like another Gundark nest expedition with his Master. His eyes winced without opening as he could easily tell a blinding light bore down on him from beyond the confines of his eyelids. He pulled both arms inwards and gave a tense stretch. A seethe escaping from him quickly thereafter as he continued to groan outwardly.

Anakin barely managed to open his eyes.

"Kriff!" He cursed lowly as that light damn near threatened to tear away at his retinas. His right forearm rose in vain to block out that abominable light, but he knew it was a lost cause even as he sunk back into the sheet s of his bed. His comfy, smooth, relaxing bed. In fact, it was inordinately so.

"Master!" He cried with a suddenness forcing his eyes to open and throwing himself forwards into a sitting position atop the bed. However, he was as quickly silenced by the pain that shot through him, and he loosed another long and groaning growl of discomfort as both hands rustled through his hair and at the same time kneaded at his temples.

"Ugh...where am I?" He intoned to no one but himself finally finding the strength of will to open his eyes more fully.

"What is...all..." He carried on to himself as he finally took in his surroundings. He glanced across the room, and of course found himself in a bedroom. Well someone's bedroom anyways. That brought an all but unnoticeable redness to his face as Anakin shoved it aside along with the fine silky sheets covering his form. Another growl of pain loosed from him as he shoved both legs over the side and felt his bare feet meet what felt like wood, or more likely some synthetic wood.

A cough escaped him and he cleared his throat as he peered upwards and around himself through groggy senses. He looked down at his left where his hand was still interlaced with those sheets that had comforted him moments before. He lifted the material rubbing it between his palm and fingers as he did.

"Hmm." He hummed as he looked back and upwards around the room. There seemed to be little in this room in the ways of doors. He found one, off to his right that led into a hallway and was ajar slightly. That put him somewhat on edge, and he used the Force to extend himself outwards. He sought out Obi-Wan, and though it took him another moment, he could certainly sense his master somewhere. Though what made him recoil in mild surprise was just how...well pure and light the Force felt all around him.

He glanced back left and found several...well he would've called them 'windows' but they looked more like a series of terrace doors heading out to an encircling gazebo. Though he knew that wasn't what it was that's all he could imagine as he stared in mounting awe. Finally pushing himself up into a shaky stand that had him wobbling and flailing his hands to maintain balance, Anakin took steps towards the terrace. The shining daylight of this planet's star shone down, but Anakin ignored it as he made his way just outside onto the landing from his room.

"Force. This looks like the Lake Country." He intoned lowly as his eyes were graced by a thundering, yet calming waterfall just ahead of his room falling from a nearby whitish-gray cliff side into a valley below. Distant thoughts, and old memories of just as bright daylight, falling water from green cliffs and beautiful brown hairs extenuated by rosy cheeks deep in flush flashed over his mind. A smile grappled at his face for but an instant before he forced such thoughts aside with a shake of the head. He didn't know how much Obi-Wan could gleam from his mind while he was still a bit groggy after all.

He took a deep breathy inhale through his nostrils and felt his eyes close more on their own than by will. The Force bound through this place, and it was calm. Calmer than some places in the Temple even. He turned back towards his room noting the craftsmanship of the building, the sheets, the paintings lining the interior of the room unnoticed until then. Tables where set expertly along the room along with a fine wooden wardrobe while leaves seemed to flow freely along the grown, but rather than deter from the look they added to its 'natural' aesthetic. He loosed a whistle as his blue eyes continued dancing over everything within and without the room.

"Someone sure is rich that's for sure." He smirked to himself with a shake of the head and slight rub of his achy left shoulder. Only then did he realize his clothes were different. His expression turned to that of a frown as he picked at the thin, though comfortable fabric that was laid across his chest. He looked down at his chest and patted his hands across it and felt the warmth of the tunic, so it seemed, press into him. A slight shrug came from him as he relented to the nothingness around him that the shirt was comfortable. Though his frown immediately returned as he realized someone else had to change him. Made ever worse by the simple leggings he saw gracing his lower body.

"Great. Now that's a pleasant thought." He intoned before his blue eyes widened and shot towards his hips.

"Aww kriff!" he gave a louder curse as he shot his eyes all across the room to no avail.

"Dammit, not again! That's a lecture and a half for sure." He gave a lament as his right palm smacked up against his forehead. Once again his lightsaber was gone. The thought alone of his old Master giving him another lecture made his head hurt far more than he could hope to accomplish with his own hands. That and he didn't want to explain to anyone at all back at the Temple how he lost his lightsaber...again. Only for the sixth or seventh time...at least he thought so.

He gave a slight sigh as he relented to the reality of his saber going missing again, but only then to hear the door give a faint creak. The Jedi Knight jumped where he stood, in an instant his senses set alight in shock. His hands flew into a common fighting stance trained for Jedi who lost their lightsabers. Though Anakin felt unsure of himself using his bare fists he was ready to give it a try. That was until he saw a woman standing in the doorway. She cast him a curious look, her long black hair glistening in the daylight that fell upon it, and her eyes showing what looked to be amusement at his pose. Anakin looked her up and down in the awkward silence between them, his blue eyes darting between her and the room's wall to his left. A slight sense of embarrassment mounted in him, but did not stop him from noting how she looked.

Beyond her black hair, she was extremely fair skinned. Her eyes shone a dull green, and her ears were oddly...pointy. That caused him to squint as he thought he had seen them wrong at first. No, sure enough they were pointed.

"A Sephi maybe?" He intoned lowly.

"Well, it's good to see you're awake, my Lord." She offered with a widening and inviting smile. She pushed the doorway more fully open, and Anakin awkwardly began lowering his arms and raised fists. The Force around her shone, and it shone strongly with a calm light. She damn near matched his surroundings in how utterly pure and lax the Force flowed through and around her. Anakin noted this while still awkwardly noting what she wore.

"Uh...yeah I guess I am." He offered with a slight rub of the back of his neck and thin blush. She only bowed her head some and moved by him towards the bed. Immediately she went to work tidying it. Which Anakin found odd, as she wore a long dress with extravagant patterns lining the length of it. They seemed like white vines traveling up the length of the dress which was a base light blue accentuated by white collars and what seemed to be and under-dress. Though in that regard Anakin didn't try too hard to verify. That would've just been...well improper.

"I apologize for startling you, my Lord." She offered with a sweet and low voice that Anakin found both off-putting and...well relaxing.

"Though I am pleased to see you up and about. We had not an idea how to think of you and your friend when we found you beyond the city. Though now I would guess to say you are as man as any." Anakin felt his brow cock to that, but immediately the thought was lost as he registered what she had said.

"'Friend?!'" He repeated a bit louder than expected.

"Yes, of course. Your companion, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, no?" She asked glancing over her shoulder as she finished expertly folding the bed covers over themselves towards the headrest.

"Ye...yes Master Kenobi, right. Where is he? Is he alright?" She cast him another calming smile before nodding.

"Yes, he's very well. Both in health and spirits. A very nice and well mannered man I should say. I have not had the pleasure of meeting more than a few, but he certainly shows great character in his manner." Again Anakin was left with a few questions on his mind. Only a few men? He wondered if he had the...'fortune' of ending up on some matriarchal world. Not entirely something to lament, but then he recalled both Dathomir and what little news came from within the Hapes Cluster.

"Not a very appealing thought."

"Pardon me?" Anakin smiled and shook his head.

"Nothing Ms., just thinking aloud is all." She accepted his response easily and gave a few final pats to the bed sheets before turning fully back towards him. Her stance was very regal, or at least that's how Anakin viewed it. He had met his share of royals...hell he married one. She didn't seem like royalty though. She was after all tidying a bed recently slept in. But, she was certainly graceful. Yeah that was the word.

"I must imagine you're hungry, my Lord. If you desire I can fetch you a plate of fruit?"

"Uh, no, no that's okay really." Anakin replied with another awkward but sincere smile and shake of his hand.

"If ya' don't mind me asking Ms., can you tell me where I am?"

"Oh, apologies, my Lord. I forget that most men know little of Imladris if anything at all." Okay well he had a name anyways.

"You are a guest of my Lord Elrond of Rivendell as it is known in the common tongue. Of course, we Elves call it Imladris."

"Elves?" Anakin repeated questioningly as he processed this place having two names. Though in reply she tilted her head with a furrowed brow.

"Has knowledge on Elvenkind faded so greatly already among men?" She sounded genuinely curious and even sorrowful in speech. Which again Anakin found odd, but Corellian-hells he had to limit himself to what information he could process for the time being.

"Uh, well I and Master Kenobi well we...come from far away Ms." She scanned his face and Anakin gave a slight shrug. After all he wasn't really lying. Just the truth from another point of view, as Obi-Wan would say.

"I see." She gave simply in reply.

"Well then, yes my Lord, I and all who live within Rivendell are Elves. Save one among us at least." Anakin nodded as something gnawed at the back of his head. He swore he had heard of Elves before out in the galaxy. Though he couldn't remember if they were described pretty much looking like humans. Looking at this woman again he figured the giveaway had to be the ears. Maybe the complexion too?

"I am Melima, humble servant of my Lord Elrond." She carried on with a very formal and seemingly perfect curtsy. It embarrassed him just how formal and proper she seemed. Anakin could only dumbly half nod and half bow his head in return.

"Well a pleasure to meet you, Ms., or I mean, my Lady. I'm Anakin Skywalker, Knight of the Jedi Order." He gave his own formal bow at the waist. Though his face immediately soured as he looked down at the floor. His back shooting pain through him as he bent himself.

"Well, a pleasure it is to meet you, my Lord." She offered sweetly as Anakin picked himself up into a stand. His face red with pain as he held back the groan that wished to loosen from his lips. Melima gracefully carried herself back towards the door. Only the subtle shuffling of her dress sounding from her as she did. As though her footfalls held no discernible noise. Though, Anakin was sure he was just imagining that...he thought.

"Please, if you'd just follow me this way I'd be more than happy to reunite you with Master Kenobi. He was in council with my Lord Elrond. Both of whom held desire to see you upon your waking. That is, if you're up for it, my Lord?" All painful thoughts and sensations in a second dashed aside Anakin shook himself and quickly then nodded.

"Oh, yes please, right away!" He replied smilingly and nudging her back towards the door. She smiled and bowed her head before elegantly strutting out the door into the hallway.

Anakin obediently, and without real prompt followed after her. He peaked his head into the hall quickly. His gaze turned downwards at his thin and simple apparel and soon a renewed frown crossed his face. The hall seemed empty, at least where he and Melima were currently. He could, now that his senses were a little more alert sense others around them, all of them 'feeling' just as light and extravagant through the Force as Melima. Though, he held a vain hope no one would exactly see him in so...flimsy a getup.

"Well," He sighed lowly and stepped into the hall more completely.

"It's not like this is the worst thing you've had to walk around in." He felt his nose involuntarily wrinkle as a particular campaign came to mind where he and Obi-Wan had to wade through a sewer into a Separatist held city. The thought alone reawakened memories of the smell, and he silently tried counting himself lucky by comparison.

"This way, my Lord." Melima's voice cut through his thoughts. Anakin yanked his head up to see her already decently down the hall from him. His own pace slowing to a crawl at his inner musings and memories.

"Right, sorry." He offered sheepishly and added some quickness to his steps as he proceeded after her. She merely kept smiling and seemed to pay his apology no mind. As he reached her down the hall she motioned down another.

"This way should be quickest. My Lord Elrond, and Master Kenobi were within my Lord's study when last I saw them." Anakin nodded and followed as she folded her hands before herself atop her dress and began moving ahead of him down the hall in question. He took a moment to note all the halls looked just as finely made as his room had. Fine wood that seemed to mingle with vines and stone, and free floating leafs along with ornate arches that seemed to make up the hallways surrounding him. Though he did note the smooth stone like walls. The arches lined these halls with pillars supporting them and holding them in place. His eyes wandered where he saw many greatly crafted stones, and fine paintings of scenes obviously unknown to him.

Anakin kept moving after Melima, his feet stung with the cold of the stone beneath him as he only then remembered his lack of foot cover. That made him feel a little exposed. Though he supposed he'd have to deal with it.

"This way, my Lord." Melima quietly called form ahead turning to make a left. Anakin followed and turned the corner. This lady Elf moved ahead again. Anakin glanced towards his right through a series of open windows. Well, that's what he would've called them anyways. They didn't have glass, or panes really. Only what looked like silks hanging above them, really nice silk at that. Some vines and the omnipresent leafs of course. These too looked out into the small valley he had seen from his own room. A deep waterfall flushed thousands of gallons of water over the nearby cliff side. The rushing waters sounding less like rapids and more like a calm and relentless drizzle. The star shone down with an orange hue that was far more calming than dusk on Tatooine.

Within an instant his face soured, and his eye darkened as that desert world came to mind. Sounds of grunts and the firing of primitive blasters and slug throwers sent a shiver over his body, a deep rage bubbling only mildly before subsiding. He had to force his eyes closed, and take a calming breath to will it away.

"Not over it yet." He breathed to himself in so low a whisper as he felt unease tingle at the back of his mind. His mother's last words echoing in him, and that blinding blue light hanging close to his eyes before falling and turning grunts to squeals. His hands balled into fists, but he willed it back down. Now certainly wasn't the time for old memories to bother him.

"Tell me, my Lord," Melima's voice cut in and Anakin jolted his head up.

"What think you of Imladris?" She asked with genuine if subdued curiosity in her voice as her hand motioned out those open windows. Her own eyes twinkled in bliss. Anakin didn't need the Force to see that. She certainly was fond of her home, and Anakin could see why.

"Well, it's certainly uh...very pretty, my Lady." He replied attempting to recall his more formal voice. Though eh cringed at the use of 'pretty.' Melima in kind hummed a little chuckle.

"Indeed. So beautiful a land, so relaxing a Homely House. Rivendell." She sighed, and Anakin caught what he swore was the faintest sound of sadness in her voice. He tilted his head right trying to catch a better look of her face ahead of him. She looked distant, a contemplative gaze in her eyes as she let them travel over the open valley. If he didn't know better he'd say she looked a little homesick. While being at home...at least as far as he had been led to believe.

"Yeah well, it reminds me of another place I visit...sometimes. At least when I can." He left it vague even as memories filtered through his mind. Most leaving him silently bashful and flushed even now after years.

"Oh? What is the name of this place?"

"Uh, Naboo, my Lady." She hummed quizzically as they reached another ornate doorway.

"Naboo? I've never heard of it. Is it to the far south? Perhaps Elves have made it so far?" Anakin rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh yeah. It's really, really far away, my Lady. It probably wouldn't even be on one of your maps. If you have them." She again presented a room warming smile across her fair face.

"Of course we have maps, my Lord! Though, so far away that even our maps should fail to see? Sounds almost like the far Western Shores. Though I am doubtful it's that." She offered seeming more in her own thoughts than actually addressing him.

"It's just very far, my Lady." Anakin offered simply once again.

"Oh well, perhaps you can attempt to show me where upon a map it lay someday, my Lord." She pushed the doorway open slowly and without a creak to be heard. Anakin nodded and cast her another thankful smile as he moved through the now open doorway.

"This is my Lord Elrond's study. He often meets with any of our guests here."

"Well it certainly seems...nice." Anakin began as she entered in after him. He glanced about the room and found another floor above him. Several stacks of books lined the walls, paintings, and the open doorways and windows as was now common also greeted him. Several finely crafted seats and tables lined the borders of the room leading to the terrace. Sure it was no Senate Library, but heck that was a good thing. No one should have to suffer sifting through that maze of knowledge.

"Lord Elrond, may I present, my Lord Skywalker." Anakin snapped around to see Melima pull herself up from another expert curtsy. Coming down from a stairway that seemed to twist inwards towards the second floor was another of these 'Elves.' A tall man with a prominent brow and calm serene features like those of Melima though of course, more masculine. His ears were also pointed and down his back flowed hair in silky and fine seeming a fashion. His eyes were steely blue in hue as he cast a somewhat sideways glance Anakin's way. He seemed also to radiate wisdom. Anakin didn't really know how to describe it, but it was akin to when he had first met the Jedi Council all those years ago. Their demeanor and his were similar and spoke of age and knowledge way beyond him. Though he inwardly shrugged. He wasn't really so sure anymore these days how 'wise' the Jedi Council was.

"Oh uh, nice to meet you, sir." Anakin blabbered out after his momentary observation. His usual waist bow again pulled form him another bout of muscle strain that elicited a barely audible grunt and tightening of his face as he fought the pain.

"And a pleasure in turn it is to meet you." Elrond responded as Anakin pulled back into a full stand and loosed another breath of relief.

"Thank you Melima, you may take your leave." Elrond offered with a small motion of his arm. The Elf maiden again gave a cordial curtsy and cast a final friendly smile Anakin's way before turning swiftly and flawlessly towards, and then out of the door. Then alone in the room with this tall lordly man Anakin felt somewhat uncomfortable. The Force from this Elrond shone through bright, even if Anakin sensed a dim weariness from the less guarded parts of his emotions. That didn't change the fact that Anakin cast another wary glance down at himself to the little bit of cloth between his body and the open air. For a second he wondered how awkward a situation like this might have been were Elrond, Bail Organa, or the Chancellor. Another frown quickly crossed his features.

"It pleases me to see you in good health, my Lord Skywalker. Your friend Master Kenobi and I have been talking at length on your coming to Middle-Earth. And I must say it is beyond words, the journey you and he have taken." Elrond began as he strode towards the terrace and motioned Anakin to follow him.

"Oh? Good. Then I don't have to be the one to explain things. Master Obi-Wan has always been much better at that than myself." Anakin gave a halfhearted chuckle and Elrond gave him an empathetic and understanding smirk in reply as he moved towards a small silver pitcher of water. Well Anakin thought it was water, but mostly noticed the pitcher was even carved with elegant swirls and leafy designs upon its sides. It shone when the sunlight hit it and Anakin could only shake his head. Heck some senators didn't have this kind of opulence. Though maybe the technology made up for it.

"Well he has told me nothing but good things of you." Elrond offered a small cup Anakin could see was in fact filled with water. He took it with a nod of thanks.

"Well, hopefully so, my...my Lord. Oh, and you don't have to call me 'Lord,' sir. I'm hardly a Lord, and don't ever think I will be." Anakin offered with a genuine if still awkward smile and sip of the glass.

"Ah, forgive me. Master Kenobi told me as much, but it is our way I think. What title would you have me acknowledge you as then? Master, like Master Kenobi?"

"Oh, uh no, no that wouldn't be right either." Anakin replied with a barely noticeable crease of his brow.

"I'm not a Master of the Order. They don't tend to make 'reckless' types Masters." Anakin gave with a hint of terse criticism.

"Nor do they give it to those who haven't yet earned it, my old padawan."

Anakin jumped and turned towards the upper landing to see Obi-Wan leaning against a finely made rail looking down at him with a near whimsical smile upon his bushy face.

"Master!" Anakin gave a relieved cry and his face immediately lit up in happiness and relief as he motioned his hands outwards as if to envelop Obi-Wan even with the distance between them.

"Thank the Force you're alright! I woke up in a bed and hadn't any idea if we made it out of the ships! Let alone where the...where I was and where you-"

"It's alright Anakin." Obi-Wan offered with a chuckle and silencing hand as he moved quickly down the same steps Elrond had come from moments prior.

"Trust me, I think I understand how you felt. I've only been awake for maybe a few hours now." Obi-Wan reached him and placed a comforting but firm grasp on Anakin's right shoulder. Anakin in kind bowed his head both in submission and to nod.

"Now, I'm relived you've gotten up. Any longer and I was ready to begin thinking you had finally done yourself in this time, my old friend." Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Yeah yeah, I'm the one always pulling you out of the fire, old man." Anakin playfully declared sticking his nose up towards Obi-Wan.

"Or, has the old age thing finally taken its toll of you?" Obi-Wan chuckled more openly then. His bluish-gray eyes lighting up as he gave a playful shove of Anakin.

"Well, you're certainly feeling better." He pushed past Anakin towards where the Elf Lord remained, and whom Anakin had nearly forgotten of.

"Forgive us, Lord Elrond. We sometimes forget ourselves. Or, at least my old apprentice does most days." Anakin rolled his eyes, but his smile maintained as Elrond looked between the two men and motioned away Obi-Wan's appeal.

"No forgiveness is needed. It's refreshing to see such merriment between men. Dark times and dim days have led me to forget sometimes what humor can be found between friends." Anakin noted Obi-Wan nodded without much question. Though he himself cocked a curious brow at the statement.

"Well, maybe more formal introductions are called for, my Lord." Obi-Wan motioned towards Anakin, but returned to his common clasped hand Jedi Master stance, as Anakin knew it.

"This is my old padawan learner. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, of the Jedi Order. As you know already, I am Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master of the Order. We are honored to be made guests of your lands." Obi-Wan bowed prompting Anakin to follow suit again. His face immediately twisted in pained aggravation but he did so dutifully.

"An appreciated gesture I assure you, though you needn't worry so much for formality's sake." Elrond kindly offered dipping his head.

"Though I shall return the gesture. I am Lord Elrond Half-Elven of Imladris. I am honored to welcome so curious a pair to Rivendell." He motioned his arms outwards to encompass those lands in question.

"Half-Elven?" Anakin blurted out which made Obi-Wan cast him a sideways half glare.

"Uh, sorry I didn't-"

"It's alright." Elrond offered.

"It's a long story, Knight Skywalker, but with time perhaps I will tell it to you." Anakin expressed his gratitude by remaining silent and tipping his head again as Elrond motioned both men to follow him towards the open terrace nearest to them. A part of him wanted to not do so, so Anakin could have a few moments to actually work out with Obi-Wan what had happened. But, ever the political and niceties type, Obi-Wan followed and so did Anakin. With a faint sigh of course.

The three made it onto the terrace where Elrond offered them both a seat at a small marble table. Anakin was all too quick and thankful to take one and get off his feet with a none too proper grunt of satisfaction. Obi-Wan on the other hand folded his hands over before himself and sat down next to Anakin with all the expected propriety of a politician.

"As I was telling Master Kenobi mere moments before you arrived, Knight Skywalker, the arrival of you two has not gone unnoticed. No small amount of interest has been found among my people, though they know little by comparison to myself. And with what you have told me, Master Kenobi, there may be others upon Middle-Earth who are from where you hail." Anakin leaned near to Obi-Wan.

"Does he know where we come from?"

"Hmm?" Obi-Wan hummed back questioningly.

"You know, space?"

"I have indeed been informed, Knight Skywalker." The Elvish Lord declared for Obi-Wan with a hint of humor about him as he smiled Anakins way.

"I uh...how-"

"You will find my people have excellent hearing." He gave a light chuckle and Obi-Wan followed suit which brought a renewed heat to Anakin's face.

"And while I may find the tail woven for me by Master Kenobi hard to believe, I have neither reason nor evidence before me to doubt either of you. In no small part am I swayed by what we found among you." Almost as if planned by the two of them Obi-Wan produced up into the air at his right Anakin's lightsaber. With a smirk crossing his features he reached over and grasped his right arm around the hilt and tried yanking it away.

"Don't lose it again." Obi-Wan intoned barely looking Anakin's way and only then releasing it from his grasp.

"Being unconscious is not the same as losing something, Master." Obi-Wan merely chortled again in reply. Meanwhile Elrond turned from them and moved towards the railings of this terrace which he leaned into with both hands and looked out over the waterfalls.

"Even still I must reiterate that you both have come to us at so impertinent a time. Though, perhaps there is reason there I cannot yet see it." Anakin furrowed his brow while Obi-Wan nodded calmly and in 'understanding' as per his usual. Though he figured he already knew a little more than Anakin himself did based on how Elrond was talking.

"I would never imagine sending those in need away from my realms. Though," he turned back towards them.

"I cannot say we can be of any help for your return to...'space,' as you say." Anakin tossed Obi-Wan a questioning look, but his Master seemed to ignore him.

"Yes, I recall. A rescue party usually would be sent to retrieve us, however, based on what I can gleam of this world the Republic would have no records on its existence." He glanced Anakin's way at last.

"We may be here a while."

"Define 'while' Master." Anakin shot back as thoughts ran through him at a mile a second. As if the notion hit him only then in full force, and a sudden panic came over him. There were things at stake, duties he needed to attend to! Of course she flashed over his mind for a second again, and again he suppressed it for the time being. Though his heart quickened as that agitation took root inside.

"A while meaning, our ships are beyond even your skills, my old padawan. We're lost on an uncharted, and unknown world to the galaxy. And if you recall, Grievous's ship and an entire army of battle droids crashed somewhere on world. Clear enough?"

"Explicitly." Anakin retorted as he rubbed the back of his neck again and processed more thoroughly what Obi-Wan said.

"What about Artoo and Arfour? Wait, what happened to Artoo?! Is he okay?!" Obi-Wan again cast him a calming and quieting hand.

"Yes Anakin, yes. Lord Elrond was gracious enough to let me return to our ships and retrieve the both of them. He's keeping them in a storage unit until we can take them with us hopefully off planet. Artoo is damaged, but Arfour said he'd need some serious repairs but his personality matrix and memory should be fine. Though Arfour was also exposed to quite a beating on the dive in, so I had him switch off as well." Anakin lowered himself back into the seat not realizing he had risen in his worry.

"Well, thank you, Lord Elrond. The droid means a lot to me." So too did the one who 'gifted,' it to him, he mused inwardly.

"It's of no trouble I assure you. I do not understand what these things are, but, nonetheless, I will hold onto them until you are prepared to take them back."

"Yes, but that's not the worst of it." Obi-Wan cut in.

"Arfour did inform me before shutting down that signal pings were picked up from the southeast. Confederacy in make, so Grievous for sure made it on world. Where exactly I couldn't tell you."

"Great." The thought of that monstrous half machine sent another shiver of revulsion through Anakin. He couldn't fathom the Kaleesh's existence, let alone empathize with the mass murderer. Another frown, a grimace even crossed his face and his palate suddenly soured.

"Before you arrived I was speaking with our host about any possibility to repair our ships. However, it doesn't look...so good" Obi-Wan gave a matter-of-fact shrug

"We don't have the capacity I'm sorry to say. It surprises me to even say this, but I do not think my people have the ability to help you with your 'ships.'" Elrond offered apologetically as he glided over towards a seat opposite the two men with his back to the waterfalls.

"Not only that, but as I've mentioned you've come to us at most...perilous a time. Even were we able to help you I...I am unsure." He offered genuinely as his hands folded over top themselves over his robes and his expression sunk into thought. Anakin glanced Obi-Wan's way and the Jedi Master only nodded his empathy for this Elf Lord.

"Yes you mentioned your troubles before."

"Troubles?" Anakin repeated with creased and curious brow about him. Obi-Wan sent him an oddly wary glance before Elrond spoke up.

"Indeed. A council has been called. All Free-Peoples of Middle-Earth will attend, or so is my hope. Some have come at my call, and others by chance, or so some would think it." He offered as cryptically as ever. Anakin felt this might be common among Elves just from what he could gleam from Melima and this Elrond.

"The Dark Lord Sauron has forged, and continues to mount many more thrall to his black armies. His new ally, his puppet in Isengard now follows suit and the both of them will soon loose an assault upon all that is good and free in Middle-Earth." Elrond's face darkened.

"We haven't the strength left in us to resist the oncoming darkness. My kin are departing these lands." The last sentence sounded more like he was speaking to himself, and Anakin felt a sense of deja vu hit him. Melima had acted the same way though a bit more vaguely on it. Now he got it, well sort of anyways.

"H...hold on a minute." Anakin cut through raising his hand much to Obi-Wan's immediate unspoken condemnation.

"Dark Lord? What kind of 'Dark Lord?'" He asked glancing between both Elrond and his Master.

"Is there many differing varieties of 'Dark Lord's' where you hail from, Knight Skywalker?" A faint hint of humor came from the Elf Lord who smiled thinly. Anakin in kind shrugged, a silent recognition of taking the man's point.

"It's...a rather long tale I must say." Elrond again began rising to his feet and turned back towards the rushing waters. A sigh obvious upon his voice as he gathered himself. All the while Obi-Wan cast Anakin another warning glare. A glare he had become accustomed to when he said something Obi-Wan hadn't liked, all throughout his apprenticeship, so he was used to it by now. Though most of the time he got the look just for talking in general. So, as usual he waved his hands out in silent confusion. Begging his Master through look alone to explain what he'd just done wrong.

"Forgive my friend, Lord Elrond. He's often times curious to a fault." Anakin fought back the urge to roll his eyes. Instead issuing a sigh his own before leaning back into his chair.

"It's quite alright." Elrond responded.

"I am merely tired. Sauron has been a persistent threat for uncountable years. Like his old Master before him, Morgoth." Saying the name alone seemed to send a sickening feeling through the Elf who gave the most subtle shakes of his head afterwords.

"Sounds an awful lot like a Sith Lord to me."

"Sith Lord?" Elrond repeated as Obi-Wan fought the urge to tell Anakin to shut up. Anakin, however ignored his old friend and leaned forwards again, placing his own hands on the table as he did.

"A Sith Lord. Men, or usually men anyways, who walk around in dark robes and armor. They use the Force to do what they want, get what they want, kill whoever, or whatever gets in their way to get more power. A longtime 'boogeyman' of the galaxy. Err...where me and Obi-Wan are from I mean." Elrond tilted his head subtly to the side.

"The 'Force?'" Anakin opened his mouth to respond, but then suddenly found himself lacking in words.

"It's a...energy. It's where...it's how we, uh Jedi I mean, and Sith too, where we all get our power from. Well we don't really get power form it I guess. It's more like it flows through everything...and everyone. You can use it if you know how to. If you're...more attuned to it." Obi-Wan watched Anakin intently as he tried his best to quickly summarize over a decade in Force philosophy teachings from the Temple days. It certainly felt like being back in one of Master Yoda's instructions. The little green Grand Master staring at him with a twinkle in the eyes, a smile upon his face and expectant look to him. One could never really know if they were doing or saying it right until afterwords.

"Energy you say? A power then." Elrond offered and Anakin immediately nodded.

"Yeah something like that." Honestly he just wanted to not have to say anymore. He didn't feel like embarrassing himself in front of Obi-Wan...well not any further at least.

"Often do those beyond my people claim we conduct 'magic.' The true meaning of what they say is usually lost to most of my kin. Though, I have met many wizards in my time. Their true identities lend more reason to their 'power.' How do you access these 'powers' of yours then?" His eyes showed a new interest, all dark shadows of the previous moments suddenly gone, at least for the time being. Obi-Wan for his part remained silent and watchful.

"Well it's not really any big deal to it. You just kinda...do it." Elrond raised his right hand to his chin in a clear thoughtful or intrigued look. Anakin shuffled somewhat in his seat. His mind flashing over everything to say to explain better. Until at last, like a bolt of lighting, it hit him. His eyes lit up and his expression brightened as he held up his right pointer finger.

"Here, I can show you!" With a simple extension of his fingers curved outwards away over the top of the fine marble table a pulse loosened out from his palm. A warmth, a tingling sensation, a flutter of energy and breath of wind started to flow. The awakening of his own inert and tremendous powers began in an instantaneous moment and in the very next a low near inaudible rumble throbbed through the open air. Anakin set his blue eyes upon the table itself, and without anything nearing effort on his part he curved his fingers inwards towards his palm and very gently and slowly tilted his hand upwards towards the open sky above.

Elrond watched with a curious gaze, but did not for a moment pull his attention off of the young traveler from afar. However, he had felt it. Something odd an unusual, but not unpleasant like being upon the fields of Gorgoroth, or back upon the highs of Dol Guldur. A low hum sounded in his well tuned ears, and his eyes were only then drawn away by a subtle low shake of the table. He cast his gaze downwards and felt his eyes widen and expression for the first time in many uncounted years, turn to shock. The table, a thing of tremendous weight and of great effort to move pulled free from the ground. Weightless it seemed like the air itself was willing it upwards. Until but seconds more it rose higher and higher. The very bottom spinning slowly like a leaf torn free of its tree in the midday wind before the face of these two strangers.

"I think that's more than enough Anakin." Obi-Wan intoned which Anakin silently adhered to and with an easing and lowering of his hand the table slowly drifted back down before clanking against the floor.

"So, that's the Force." Anakin smirked all to happy with himself.

"Not exactly how I'd label the entirety of the Force, Anakin, but..." Obi-Wan shrugged while Anakin again fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Certainly you come from strange a place!" Elrond began.

"Never have I seen such power save but from a few. Even then it was easy to understand how they came to hold that power. But, you are mortal men." He said more in disbelief to himself than to either of them.

"Well...I mean we're all mortal right?" Anakin offered with another smile, though it quickly faded as Elrond looked to him quizzically.

"We Elves are immortal, my friend. We shall not fade until the ending of the world." Anakin's eyes widened and he again felt awkward.

"Oh...well, my apologies." To his clear embarrassment Obi-Wan showed a smile Anakin's way. Obviously he took some sort of sick pleasure out of it all. And to that Anakin knew he'd have to get him back...someday.

"Forgive him, he's always quick to act rather than listen." Obi-Wan cut in again and Anakin this time allowed his eyes to roll in response.

"Back to the original matter, my Lord Elrond, we are used to Dark Lords as they call themselves. However, we're strangers to your world. We don't have much context to this...Sauron you call him. Not that I demand any of course, but-"

"How bad is he?" Anakin decided to interject himself again eliciting a sigh from Obi-Wan. Elrond's expression immediately blackened once more where he stood. His demeanor tightened and turned rigid as he turned himself away back towards the waterfalls in a silent moment of contemplation. Obi-Wan looked Anakin clear in the eyes this time and shook his head. Anakin decided to just ignore him this time around and maintained his own gaze on the Elf Lord. His mind alight in thoughts and questions, as he was sure was Elrond's was.

"Sauron the Deceiver...he was once a great Maiar. A student and aide to Aulë the Smith. His love of all things Orderly turned him away from his Lord, and he was brought into darkness and wrath by Morgoth. When his new Lord fell, bound in chains and sent beyond the Doors of Night he exiled himself and waited for his time to come." Elrond went on, and as he did Anakin was given a sudden sense of something akin to nostalgia. It was like hearing his mother tell him a story before bed all those years ago. Though, he still shoved her face from, his mind before he allowed himself to get lost in any reflections. Even still, names were being lost to him rather quickly, but he followed what Elrond said with such clear wisdom that Anakin was led to believe it had to all be historical in nature.

"When he returned he bore a new form, for it is the power of his kind, a Maia and that of the Ainur, to take on whatever shape they so desire if allowed."

"Sounds like a Clawdite." Anakin intoned to an ever passive Obi-Wan while sneer inducing memories of a chase through Coruscant's spires fluttered over the young Jedi Knight's mind. Elrond for his part seemed to ignore Anakin as he paced somewhat before the railings and continued on with his tale.

"He came then as the Lord of Gifts. He bestowed great knowledge on poor Celebrimbor and the Elves of Eregion. They forged with his knowledge and their skill rings of power. Simple bands of gold, and jewels that gave to the bearers strength of will and power to command and control." Elrond oddly turned his head downwards and rubbed his hands as though he had a ring. But, as Anakin narrowed his eyes when Elrond turned back towards him and paced he saw nothing on his fingers. That was kinda strange, but could've just been a tick of course.

"Nine were given to the race of Men, seven to the Dwarf Lords in their halls of stone...and three were made for the Elves which he had no part in. In secret he crafted One Ring all his own. The Ring of Power." Anakin leaned himself forwards. A strange tingling excitement and fascination nipping at his mind. Honestly today was one extravagant blow to reel from after another.

"Into this Ring he poured the majority of his spirit, and through it he could command the others. He could corrupt them. We Elves in an instant understood his presence and his deception and the three were at once removed. The same could not be said for the Dwarven Kings, or those of Men." For some reason a chill ran through Anakin that he mentally paused at and wondered what that was about. The Force also sent some tingling whisper through him he found odd, especially as he glanced towards his Master to see the older Jedi roll his shoulder in discomfort.

"He waged terrible war on all of Middle-Earth, and he brought low great kingdoms of Men and Elves. Until finally he was struck down upon the Plain of Gorgoroth by a Prince of Men, Isildur. I was there, I saw him cut the ring from Sauron's black hand. Yet, its power is not in what it can do alone. For, the One Ring reaches out and turns you against your senses. Until all that is left is your love for the Ring, and you wouldn't dare be parted from it. The will of Sauron speaks through it, his power commands from it, and his grip tightens from the neck of but a finger." Elrond turned back to face the Jedi with an austere expression about him.

"His body was broken, but his spirit was not upon those plains. He has returned and made himself known to the world. He gathers all things foul, all armies that thrall to his banner and he means to make war upon all of Middle-Earth. All to reclaim his Ring and take to himself all power and glory he believes he needs to enforce that control and order he has for so long desired. That, my friends from so far away, is what you have stumbled into." The Elven Lord offered in sympathetic a tone as his expression remained somewhere between dismay and forlorn.

"Okay..." Anakin began, his right hand rubbing his forehead.

"I think I followed most of that, my Lord." He tried to remember to be as polite and proper for Obi-Wan's sake.

"While I can't say I understand everything, and I'm even more sure it'd take a lot longer to explain, all I want to ask is why now? If this big bad Dark Lord wants to kill and rule everyone why doesn't he go get the Ring from this Isildur?"

"Because Isildur is dead." Elrond declared matter-of-factly.

"The man was felled many centuries ago now." Anakin also had to remember this guy was apparently immortal...and apparently a lot older than he looked.

"The Ring was lost to the Gladden, or for a time it was perhaps." The elf Lord intoned.

"It has been found, so I have been made aware of. Not but a few days before your arrival a small company was brought to us here in Imladris. One among them a hobbit bearing the Ring of Power. It had been found centuries ago by a creature, Gollum. Whose history I shall not go further into, but it was taken from him by another hobbit so, it would seem." Anakin nodded trying his best to keep quiet for Obi-Wan's sake. That and he realized he was in information overload even if it was all actually pretty interesting.

"That is why the council has been summoned. Of great a coincidence you two should come before me and my people at so precarious a time." Elrond intoned his voice trailing as he turned and looked out towards a waterfall in what looked and sounded to be gloominess. The elf Lord paused, and Anakin remained silent as did Obi-Wan. Each one processing what Elrond said, even the elf himself in their own ways. Elrond turned back, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked between the two newcomers.

"I have heard between you the mention of a name. 'Grievous,' I believe. Certainly one who bears so terrible a name with so terrible a meaning is not among the 'friendly' sort." Elrond deduced and correctly as Anakin nodded more to himself.

"My Lord Elrond, as I tried my best to explain before, Anakin and myself come from a place where we too are at war."

"Yes, your 'machine men' as I recall. A terrible thought if ever there was one surely." Well Anakin then realized the concept of droids was not wholly lost to the elf. Even if a little bit off, though he didn't feel like assaulting him with all the ins and outs.

"Yes. General Grievous is the Supreme Commander of the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. He is in service to one of the Sith Lords we have mentioned before. The Confederacy seeks to destroy the Republic and the Jedi."

"Then he is certainly dangerous, and...more than likely an enemy." Elrond intoned as his eyes darkened once more and averted from the Jedi. His robes shimmered and whirled as he turned his back towards them again and leaned into the rail that separated this balcony from a fall below.

Anakin for his part felt his own sight averted. It sounded pretty damn bad he had to admit. Sure he didn't understand everything nor have all the context but these people seemed fine. The Force shone brightly around them all and Elrond at least seemed earnest and honest when it came to the darkness that surrounded the whole affair. The very name of this 'Sauron' seemed to make him uncomfortable. This Ring seemed to truly frighten him, though Anakin wished for a second to just have a look at it. Such spooky items in the galaxy had proven in the past to often times be less than scary once he had a look at it.

"Master..." Anakin began causing Obi-Wan to turn to him.

"You do realize we're the only ones that could possibly stop Grievous here right?" The Jedi Master eyed him for a moment and Anakin could feel the Force shake a little as his Master was clearly concerned with this line of thought. Elrond, probably due to his hearing turned towards them with.

"The...thought has crossed my mind, Anakin." The knight nodded and motioned his hand towards Elrond.

"Can you even imagine what would happen to these people if this Sauron and Grievous meet? Let alone if they team up?"

"Why would they team up?" Obi-Wan countered in an instant. To that Anakin cocked his head questioningly. As though his Master was talking insanely.

"'Why?' What do you mean 'why?!' They're both of them clearly well I don't know...'evil' comes to mind as a good descriptor!"

"So, but their being evil they will work together for evil's sake?" Obi-Wan questioned and Anakin felt his lips turn to a half sneer. What, was he being philosophically lectured right now? It boggled him, but he showed his irritation by pushing some of his blonde hair aside aggressively and leaning into the table.

"From my experience, Anakin, those who we would label as evil, or who use the dark side tend not to make great allies when brought together."

"Not unless they have a common enemy." Anakin pointed out and Obi-Wan sighed crossing his hands over his chest.

"Who is the 'common enemy' here Anakin?"

"Us, you me!" He accentuated by pointing back and forth between himself and his Master who cocked his brow in that certain special way. The kind of brow that let Anakin know his Master just felt like he caught someone in a debate.

"Are we a common enemy? You're the one implying what I think you're implying. We haven't yet committed to anything, and how would Grievous or the droids know where we landed, if we landed? You assume much, my old padawan."

"Yeah, and so do you." To that Obi-Wan shifted in his seat as Anakin paused lowering his head to gather his thoughts. Any smart man, or one who wanted to at least save face needed to do so when debating Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"What do you think will happen to these people? Sauron be damned then, take him out of the equation. We have Grievous," He began stretching out the fingers along his right hand and pointing to each finger with his other.

"We got a droid army, weapons that based on what I've seen so far more than likely would slaughter anyone and everyone who even thinks about resisting. They have a hangar bay full of fighters, bombers, transports, and armor probably still operational, and who knows how long it'll be before they get their own relief force! What, do you think he's going to just sit down and wait for pickup? What if he does know we're here?! he'll tear the planet apart looking just for you and me, everyone else be damned!" Anakin declared and Elrond shifted where he stood as the power these two implied this Grievous to have seemed all too terrible. A great misfortune coming as the Dark lord of Mordor truly began moving again. Obi-Wan for his pat remained silent.

Anakin's eyes looked to his Master's and he could see the older Jedi debating the points with himself. Until finally Obi-Wan shook his head and lowered it with a tired sigh.

"I'm not about to get dragged into a philosophical or political debate with you right now Anakin."

"Well then don't, you know I'm speaking logically here." Anakin retorted at once. Obi-Wan again remained silent and Anakin waited patiently for him to speak again. A certain kind of victorious swelling inside of him admittedly taking hold. It was rare he found an argument to get under Obi-Wan's skin. So, he'd enjoy even with the dire circumstances at hand.

"If I may, Master Kenobi." Elrond began and took a step nearer. Obi-Wan turned to him giving him his full attention.

"If this, General Grievous you speak of is as powerful as the two of you make him out to be, and as dangerous with an army such as his he would be of great danger to all of Middle-Earth. If," Elrond continued seeming to be on Anakin's side, so the knight thought.

"This Grievous is inclined to find you, if he believes you are here, then he would be so inclined to make allies upon our world. For, he does not know the land surely. Even if he strikes out upon his own I assure you Sauron, in his cunning and deception would seek to ally him, even if this Grievous would not do so himself. With an army of orcs, and these...'droids' allied together I fear those of my people who have yet to leave Middle-Earth and the other races will suffer dearly." Elrond intoned clearly and honestly as worried as he declared himself to be.

"However," He pulled away and bowed his head respectfully.

"I have no power to force you to consider aiding us, nor would I desire to. The choice is always within your hands. I simply speak for my people and those of Middle-Earth with what knowledge has been presented to me."

"I understand that, and I thank you." Obi-Wan began nodding.

"Have you considered how long such a venture could take us Anakin?" He asked turning pointedly towards his old padawan.
"Have you considered how long we'll be here anyways?" Anakin began leaning into the table again.

"Have you considered that we could find Grievous's ship, take what parts I could use to rig up either a transmitter or even maybe find a way to get off this world back to the Republic?"

"You intend to build a hyperdrive from scratch?" Obi-Wan nearly snorted he sound so unimpressed causing Anakin to frown.

"I could give it a shot. Until something better comes along at the least. Until maybe you have a better idea, Master." Anakin smiled a fake and sarcastic smile causing Obi-Wan to shake his head.

"At the very least if we find him we could kill the monster."

"Anakin!"

"What?!" He shot back as his Master rubbed his forehead in clear annoyance.

"We haven't any idea if Grievous and this Sauron will have chance or be near enough to one another for such a meeting to begin with." Anakin immediately turned to Elrond.

"Where does Sauron live? I mean, where are his armies, and base of operations?"

"To the southeast, in the land of Mordor." Anakin turned triumphantly to Obi-Wan.

"There ya' go, southeast. Grievous is southeast, his ship is southeast, and our chance to get off world is southeast. Furthermore Master, wouldn't it be a crime to just let these people get slaughtered? To allow a world just discovered to fall into the Confederacy's hands?"

"Anakin I hear you, but you're...asking a lot of me to consider all at once." The Master reclined into his seat then. His right hand cupped to his chin in deep thought as Anakin knew to be the normal look and method of his old Master.

"Please," Elrond began again holding up both hands, one to Anakin and the other towards Obi-Wan.

"I mean not to drive a wedge between the both of you. Perhaps it would be best if the both of you waited until the council meets to come to any decision. Until such time you shall be welcome guests of mine. So long as you both should stay, whether you join our cause or not." The elven Lord offered kindly and respectfully. Obi-Wan cast Anakin a look in silence and the knight shrugged showing his willingness to take the elf up on his offer.

"That...would be appreciated, my Lord Elrond. I mean not to be so crude, nor unsympathetic to your cause-"

"It's quite alright." Elrond interjected again holding up a hand.

"Such things should not be decided upon over a single conversation." To that Obi-Wan smiled, nodding his thanks.

"Well, thank you again, my Lord."

"So," Anakin cut in rather quickly as he looked to Elrond.

"What are orcs?" To that Elrond cocked both of his brows and Obi-Wan turned his head. Not giving Anakin the satisfaction of seeing him roll his eyes.


Moments in time had quickly turned into an hour as he could tell. Then that hour turned into hours. The entire time he paced up and down, his claws clanking against the metal hull of his once glorious warship. Grievous paced back and forth nearly across the entire length of the Invisible Hand, trying to alleviate the frustration and anger that rattled his mind endlessly. It did little to help and all he ended up doing was growling, his head shaking from shear anger and a cough loosing from him as his magnaguards stood underneath the bridge along the hull.

The night had just fallen. Though within these lands it hardly was noticed. Grievous had to peer to the far distance, looking beyond a mountain range beyond them to see no light casting through the cloud cover. His eyes turning upwards every so often to look at the thick blackened clouds that seemed to be spewed forth in perpetuity from the volcano beyond. His metallic bony hands clasped behind his back he continued to pace. Nearing the bridge as his guards eyed him before turning back as they realized he didn't need them.

Another cough loosed and the General tried peering towards where he knew the fallen Unrelenting Force to be, but he knew it was hopeless. The massive hull of his warship stood in the way. It was more be reflex, and a desire for something, anything of interest to occur! His mind and what was his body wracked with a need to do something, release some of the pent of aggression that gnawed at him.

"What are you staring at?!" The General turned growling in a bark as again the orange shadow descended upon he and his ship before moving away as it had been doing for hours! His cloak whirled as he had turned towards it and his hands clasped into fists shaking from the force of his grips.

"Oi!" Grievous was shaken. His head turned around himself, but he saw nothing. His eyes narrowing though as he swore he had heard something.

"...think this be?" There it was again. He swung around, his cloak again whirling about his frame. His clawed feet clamped down one after the other and continued until he was at the edge of the hull looking down from the slightly slanted position it rested in. Again his eyes narrowed and he lowered himself into a kneel. Far, far below he could see them. Little black dots hanging near the very bottom of where the hull was dug into the soil and rock of this hellish landscape.

"At last..." The General intoned, and a slight cackle loosed from his vocabulator. He, without a second thought leapt from the side of the upper hull and with loud crash came slamming claws first into the side of the hull. He ran along the outer shell each stomp loud and banging as he kept moving down the slightly curved shape of the Providence-class vessel. Coming to a stop only after he could more clearly see the creatures and digging his claws against a metal plate. His stomps had not, however, gone unnoticed.

"Oi, what be that sound?!" One called, as Grievous did not bother to shrink away and stood tall. His back practically facing the skies above. What little hellish glow that descended from there casting his shadow down and turning him into a black figure set against the little light.

"Sounds like scraping or soming!'" Grievous felt as though he would sneer if he still had a mouth capable of doing so.

"Disgusting creatures." He intoned looking upon them like a phantom in the night. They were all of them shorter than most. Greased and caked in filth, their clothing a mix of simple cloth and armor of bygone an era, or at least not suitable for a fight in these times. Indeed they carried swords and spears some with shields at their sides, and those too were often ugly, bent, jagged, and dirty. Grievous could see that even from his vantage point, and as a hunter himself he felt it a travesty such a pack would form with so little care for their look and quality. A pack of them, being the thirty or so he saw.

"Made all ah' metal this thing is!" One of them cried slamming his spear against the exposed plating of the ship. This one seeming to ignore the others who were concerned by the stomping Grievous had made.

"Think any sport be in it? Some meat or fine men-folk to have funs' with?!" Another rather measly, slumped one asked snickering as it did.

"Ain't worth it if it be any men-folk! Killing em' ain't too much fun anymore these days."

"The Dark Lord sure does make it too easy he does!" Another laughed causing some of the others to join in as Grievous listened intently.

"Dark Lord?" he again intoned thoughtfully, saving that little bit of information for later a time.

"Who says the men-folk gotta be killed off? Find us some of their women and I can have me a fun ole' time!" That caused an uproarious set of chortles from all of those gathered. Grievous for his part grew bored of listening to them carry on like the little worms they were. So, the General deliberately picked his foot up and slammed it down hard against the metal plate beneath him bending it with ease. The group of the creatures all jumped and some fell as they scrambled back into a stand.

Grievous placed his hands behind his back and quite openly, boldly, marched down the hull towards them. Each footfall eliciting a whir and crash, finally catching the look of one more observant of their lot as it looked up. A squeal erupted almost sounding gamorean like as it thrust its spear up at him.

"Look'it there!" It cried out and all the other creatures looked first to the one calling among them, and then up towards Grievous who paused where he loomed and towered above and just beyond them.

"Strange looking ain't ya?' How you be upon the wall of this thing ere?!'" One of the louder ones from before asked as it stepped forwards. This one was larger than most of the others, and fatter too as a gut protruded far from its face and body. Two axes looked to be held aloft in both hands. Its gestures and voice threatening were altogether amusing to Grievous who scoffed audibly.

"This," Grievous stomped his foot down again hard. Those among the group that jumped moved away as they did. While only five or so didn't. Even they, however, shook a little where they stood.

"Is called a ship, you insignificant fools!" Grievous informed raspy and menacing as ever.

"Ship? Ain't look like no ship I's ever seen!" The same little cretin cried smugly. Seeming fully enraptured by its own intelligence and deduction skills.

"Well, that is a shame." Grievous cackled and loosed his clawed hold on the hull. His form fell and with a thud that sent dirt flying up around him he fell to the ground and caused all from among the group to jump away this time.

The creature, now more clearly visualized by the gathered group looked white, pale and mingled with dark bits and pieces of armor that shone through. However, it all looked to be armor and ghostly as the cloak it wore swung freely in the often times tumultuous and unpredictable winds of Mordor. Its head turned up and looked to them from where it had fallen into a crouched manner, both clawed talon laden feet planted into the ground. Its eyes shining yellow, slit black and glowering upon them all as its hands remained hidden. The right underneath itself to its left and its left underneath itself to the right reaching towards its waist so it would seem, though it was unseen as the cloak whirled protectively around it.

"Y...you keep yourself wheres' I can see ya! You trespass on the land of the Dark Lord scum!" Another cretin cried pointing a curved scimitar against Grievous who turned his head tilting it somewhat menacingly. The creature pulled away as he did frightfully.

"None of you know who you're dealing with, do you?" Grievous cackled again slowly rising into his full height as the joints within his knees whirred mechanically and he placed both arms back at their respective sides. Each hand there holding a single simple metal cylinder.

"Oi, what ee' say?!" One from the back asked clearly having heard him, but being brave. That made Grievous even more happy.

"He said we don't know who we be dealing with!" One nearer kindly informed all the others.

"Not a clue in em' then! Let's cut em' open and sees what he's got on the inside!" One of them snarled and Grievous hissed into a slight cough that turned quickly back into laughter. He towered over them and the winds suddenly turned again. His cloak whirling behind him revealing his robotic frame and imposing skeletal look.

"As you wish then!" Grievous cried joyously as his sabers both burst to life, one blue the other brilliant green. He ran forwards and slicing both sabers one up the other down, the first creature in front of him was strewn in two in diagonal a direction. Immediately the cyborg General flung both arms right cleaving one down with a squeal, and then both arms swung left cutting two down in heaps before they could respond.

"Kill em' kill em!'" The portly taller one cried even as he himself pulled away with freight etched into his face. Grievous turned to him eyes narrowing as the orange glow of the distant light once more fell across them all.

Grievous, however, howled and leapt again, this time high into the air, where he crashed down both talons sunk into one of them crashing them beneath himself as one saber flew down and slit its head clean off, and Grievous swept the other out left cleaving ones head off in that direction as well.

He flew into a frenzy then. Both hands swirling and cutting one after the other through creature after creature. Each one gasping, shrieking, wailing and with cleaved burns shining outwards for the seconds they last until the cooler air faded them. They fell dead all the same. One of them came up behind him and Grievous turned just as it swung down overhead with a blade. He slashed his right saber up and the blade split in two. The beast pulled the hilt back and looked wide eyes to Grievous who turned and sent a savage kick of his clawed foot into this ones chest who flung back with a cry.

Then they began to break. Grievous twirled both sabers in only the fashion he could. Both spinning and rotating around him as he slashed into a circle slaying at east seven of them as he did who feel in varying displays of bits and pieces as he came to a stop. He eyes four of them charging off towards that same tower which now had its light planted upon him even from so far away. Grievous didn't care, however, the blood lust having taken hold once more.

Again spinning both sabers for sheer effect Grievous slammed his feet against the ground and dove after those who fled. Each crash of foot to ground eliciting a crunch or crack of rock and stone. He leapt up and fell slashing downwards cleaving one in half and falling into an immediate roll that he recovered by rolling back into a stand and giving chase right after. He ran u alongside the second of four along its left. It turned to him as it ran dropping its weapons, and Grievous chortled running past it at great speed. He came to a stop twisted back around on his feet and simply stuck his saber at his left outwards. The creature squealed, adrenaline, madness, or fear, either way it lost control, and simply ran through his saber. Its head cleanly removed where the cyborg had held the saber out form himself.

Grievous turned and saw the last two running at full pace. He cackled robotically and flung himself atop a rock outcrop that pointed up towards the blackened skies. He flung his right saber behind his head and with a shot of pure precision he tossed the thing vertically as it hummed into the air, and with a mighty crash slammed into, embedded itself through the chest of one of them. It fell down dead and slide along the hard ground, unmoving afterword.

Grievous menaced thereafter. Shutting down his second blade he placed the hilt back to his cloak and waist. His stomp as slow and methodical as he came upon the corpse that bore his second long ago taken trophy. From whom or where he had gotten this one he didn't even remember. Taking his right foot and wrapping the claws to the hilt he pulled and thrust it up, catching it with his right hand and deactivated it, putting it away also as he did.

The General turned his head left and peered into the distance watching the last little worm run as fast as those stubby little legs could take him. He chortled loudly and joyously. He turned back around, his cloak whirling freely as he did. He began stomping back towards the Invisible Hand. His lust for destruction and death sated, at least for a time. For that he would thank the littered corpses now strewn before the downed warship. Much to the thanks as ell, of both the Captain and the bridge droids.

All as the Great Eye watched in distant amazement and blooming thoughts.


Authors Note: Updated on 4/11/2018. Updates are slow but eventually each chapter will be done for my benefit as I am unhappy with some of my earlier choices in verbiage and grammar. People will still declare their undying hatred, but that's up to you to do, I suppose. Once again any further grammar issues pointed out to me are welcome, and future chapters with continuity or writing errors/differences should be expected since these are being written years apart from one another.