Writer's note:

I am SO sorry for the mega-slow update, I started playing this game called "World of Warcraft" again, and it pretty much has been eating my time away. For a moment, my Star Wars fandom had died, if it wasn't for these two fanfics I read, these chapters would have never gotten finished. I managed to finish two chapters though, weee!

I also want to thank you all for the kind reviews! I kept forgetting to say thanks! So. Thanks for the kind reviews people!

Also a note to all those who have played Republic Commando, I have not read the book to find out what ends up happening to 07, so... This is pretty much my view on what happens to him.

Well, enjoy!

Chapter fourteen: Enter Oh-Seven

Grievous paced impatiently as he waited the arrival of his new captured soldier, how greatly he wanted to see the fear-struck face of his adversary. He constantly walked back and forth; still the droids hadn't arrived with the prisoner. Had the enemy already escaped? He was itching to know; he would let out small grunts and growls to show he was losing what was left of his patience. Shika watched him out of the corner of her eye as she helped Graka and some other Geonosians round up the surviving Trandoshans for medical treatment. Although her Geonosian friend was with her, the two never said a word to each other, they acted as if they had never met, mostly because they were busy attempting to get the job of retrieving the wounded.

When all the surviving Trandoshans were out of the room, Graka gave a farewell greeting to Shika, she returned the wave, and then he left with the rest of his staff. She sighed and fell back onto a busted up chair, she fiddled around with her hair as she watched Grievous continue his route. She only shook her head, the guy was too impatient, if the droids did managed to capture a soldier of the Republic, then the solider would most likely be struggling to escape, meaning they'd have to drag the soldier to this room. Grievous gave out another growl before his head snapped to one of the droids.

"Where ARE they?" He asked his voice was jumping slightly as he attempted to remain calm. The droid pressed a button on his computer screen before looking to the General.

"Only a few meters away, sir." It answered. Grievous leaned back a little; finally he'd get to see that fear-struck face he always enjoyed seeing. He looked to Shika who, for a first, did not return his gaze. Her eyes remained lowered to her lap as she plucked away at a loose string from her arm sleeve. At least she was entertaining herself, kept her out of his business. Then the room doors slid open, his five Magnaguards walked in, followed by two super battle droids who were dragging behind them: A Clone Trooper.

Grievous looked over his shoulder at the struggling armored clone; his armor almost represented that Bounty Hunter, Jango Fett, the man who Count Dooku hired a while back, such a pity he had to die. Feh, right. He was annoying anyway. And although his armor was white, black in some areas, he had red paint splattered across it, almost as if he attempted to make it look like blood, meaning he was no ordinary Trooper, most likely one of those special elite troops. Grievous turned fully to the trooper; he stopped struggling when his gaze fell upon Grievous.

"Ahh, so you were the one firing our cannons… Should have known it was a slime spawn of the Republic." The soldier went to lunge out at Grievous, though the battle droids pulled him back, he grunted. Shika lifted her head from her sleeve to the soldier." Take off his helmet." Grievous ordered. One of his Magnaguards walked towards the trooper, he only struggled harder. Grievous snickered. When the Magnaguard successfully removed the Troopers helmet Shika leaned forward in her seat, attempting to get a better view of his face. He looked like all the other clones, except his face had several scars in various areas.

"What do you want with me, Grievous?" The trooper hissed his voice was deeper than normal clones. Grievous took the helmet from his guard, observing it.

"I know you weren't the only one firing our cannons, there were three others. Where did they run off to?" Grievous answered as he slowly ran his fingers across the visor of the helmet, making a light tinkering sound.

"I don't know…" The trooper snapped. Grievous then slammed the helmet hard against the troopers face, Shika winced the moment she saw the helmet collide with the trooper's face. The trooper only grunted, although the pain he felt was more than he could bare, he still made it seem as if he felt nothing.

"You're lying." Grievous hissed. The trooper looked up at Grievous, panting heavily." Where are they?"

"I told you I don't-" Grievous once more smacked the helmet upside the soldiers face, this time harder, almost denting the helmet. The soldier swayed aside and coughed, blood splattering across the ground. Shika watched silently.

"Tell me where they ran to hide!"

"My team doesn't run…"

"Answer my question."

"No!"

"ANSWER IT!" Grievous slammed his metallic foot into the stomach of the soldier, he make a faint squeak as he flung forward." Tell me where your allies are hiding!"

"Why should I tell you? Your nothing but a no good peace of scrap metal!" Grievous had enough, he threw the helmet over his shoulder and grabbed one of the Electrostaffs his guards had, he then switched it on and whacked it against the leg of the soldier, he made a small grunt, his teeth chattering as he tried not to scream.

Shika couldn't help but watch in terror as the torture continued, was this how Grievous really acted on the battle field? Showing no mercy what so ever? This actually frightened her greatly, what if she got on his bad side and he decided he was sick of it? And what was going to happen to the trooper? For some reason, Shika believed him, she didn't know why though, she felt as though he was telling the truth, but it seemed that wasn't good enough for Grievous. And what was he to do, lie? Either way, the trooper would have died. Grievous wasn't one to take prisoners… More importantly, why did Grievous even care? Did he just like torturing people from the Republic because he thought it was enjoyable? Then again, Grievous seemed like the type who would torture for the fun of it.

It was a few moments before the trooper finally collapsed unconscious, Grievous growled and tossed the staff to the guard again. He then looked down at the smoldering soldier." Take him to the holding cells. When he wakes up, let me know immediately…" The super battle droids dragged the soldier out of the room. Grievous turned to the frightened Shika. He was silent for a moment before he began walking towards her." What is the matter with you?" He snapped. Shika jerked up towards him.

"Uhhh… Nothing, sir." She quickly answered, Grievous gave her an awkward look, Shika only got up from the seat." Excuse me General, but I'd like to go guard the cells, if the soldiers team is still near by, they would most likely attempt to rescue him, and you know the droids aren't capable for handling situations like keeping the soldier in his cell."

Grievous allowed those words to flow through his mind before stepping aside." You may go." Shika nodded and quickly walked out of the room. Grievous only watched her leave until the doors to the room slid close.

Shika wandered into the holding cells with a small Bacta tank she retrieved from Graka on a quick stop to the Medical room. Most of the cells had dead Wookiees, and the room had no guards in it at all. Some jail cell this was. When she reached the final holding cell, she saw the trooper lying on his side and almost smashed up against the back wall. The droids must have just thrown him in, she thought, poor guy. She looked over at a control panel near the door, she shifted over to it and looked over the buttons, she pressed one and the door blocking the cell holding the trooper opened, she then walked back to the cell and wandered inside. She paused about half way in, should she really be helping him? Then again, she thought, Grievous only told me the Jedi was my enemy, so… I can help out a Republic soldier, because he isn't a Jedi. She grinned to herself before walking up to the trooper; she kneeled down beside him and set the Bacta tank on the ground, she then slowly turned him over. He only coughed.

"Hey, are you awake?" She asked. His eyes twitched for a second before they opened, he stared at her, narrowing his eyes to get a better focus.

"Who…" He coughed before his blurred vision faded, his eyes grew somewhat large." A woman?" He asked. Shika rolled her eyes, what was it with these people and seeing a woman?

"Yes. A woman." She answered as she helped lean the trooper against the back wall. He watched as she fiddled with the Bacta tank.

"How can a human woman be on here?" He asked." It's highly impossible…" Shika looked up at him with a faint smile.

"Would you believe me if I said I work for Grievous?"

"Not a chance…" He answered coldly. Shika tilted her head.

"Why not?" The trooper grunted as he lifted his arm to set on his stomach, he then rested his head on the wall behind him.

"That abomination wouldn't allow a woman to work under him, heck; he wouldn't let anyone work under him. He's nothing more than a mindless killer." Shika's gaze fell back to the Bacta tank, why did everyone consider him a mindless killer when they know nothing about him? He most likely seemed that way because they were on the receiving end of his saber. The trooper's gaze traveled to her." You going to use that or not?" Shika looked to him, then to his armor.

"You'll need to take some of that off," She answered." I can't really jab this into you if your armor is in the way…"

"Nah, just stab me right here." He said as he weakly pointed to his neck, Shika's eyes grew large.

"No!"

"Why? It will just feel like a tiny pinch so long as your arms aren't shaky." Shika looked to the Bacta tank, then to his neck, she took a deep breathe before reaching up to his neck. She pulled the neck cover to his suit down and pressed the tank against his neck. He grunted as the fluid went in. As soon as the tank was empty, Shika removed it and set it on the ground; she then wiggled her hands through the air, making small grunts. I never want to do that again! She thought.

"You have soft hands." The trooper complemented as he rubbed the area she had stabbed. She paused and stared at him, she felt her cheeks slowly turn warm, and she knew she was blushing. She had soft hands? She hadn't heard a comment in a long time; it felt like years almost, even though it wasn't even half that long. Spending most of her time with Grievous made her forget things like that. The trooper only looked at her, blinking out of confusion." What?" He asked.

She snapped up." OH! Nothing, just thinking about something." She answered; he shrugged as his wounds slowly healed, he flexed his hand." Do… You have a name? I know most Clone Troopers go by numbers an-"

"Sev."

She stopped." Sev? What kind of name is Sev?" She asked, partly confused.

"It was a nickname given to me by a comrade. My original number was 07, everyone else called be Sev for short." He explained before looking from his hand to her." So it's not weird, if that's what your thinking."

"Sorry… Anyway, I'm Shika." Sev's head jerked back a little, his face showed confusion now.

"Shika? As in, Shika Cloudrunner?" He asked. She raised an eyebrow before nodding slightly." So you're the Jedi who just vanished? Leaving nothing but an R4 unit behind?" She nodded again.

"How did you know?"

"Over-heard a few troops talking about it," He replied." He said you named him Daniel?"

"Daniel! Oh I completely forgot about him!... Did he take the note well? How is he?"

"Uh. Not as well as he used to be." Sev answered, Shika cocked her head." He's dead."

Shika sunk back in shock. Daniel was dead? Did he get himself killed because she left? Was it her fault he was dead? There was only one way to find out." How did he-"

"He died when several Droidekas cornered him and opened fire; he was out-numbered and fell easily." Shika couldn't believe it, he was gone. Sure, she didn't get to know him any better with the war going on, but she still felt as though she had lost a close friend. Another one… Gone. Sev went to say more when two Magnaguards entered the cell; Shika's head snapped to them quickly, it couldn't be, she thought. And sure enough, it was. Grievous walked into the cell after his guards stood aside. He came to a halt once seeing Shika and Sev. He stared at Shika for a moment before his gaze traveled to the small Bacta tank that was set beside her. Shika looked down at the Bacta tank before gasping; she looked back up at Grievous.

"This… This isn't what it looks like!" She quickly said. Grievous narrowed his eyes at her, showing he didn't buy it.

"You were helping the enemy." He hissed. How could she reply to him? Lie and say he made her do it? There was no possible way for her to squeeze her way out of this one. Grievous stormed over and grabbed Shika; he pulled her to her feet and shoved her aside." I'll deal with you later…" He growled towards her as he reached down and grabbed Sev by the neck; he lifted the trooper into the air and slammed him against the wall behind him." As for you, I've come to the conclusion that I'm just going to kill you now and find your little comrades later, leaves me with the best part of the hunt." He then pulled out one of his sabers and ignited it; he then held it back in a thrusting position. He then went to drive it through the soldier.

"GENERAL STOP!" Cried Shika. Grievous stopped. His saber blade an inch away from Sev's chest. Slowly Grievous looked at Shika, she was somewhat shaking." Please don't kill him," She said." He-… He wanted to join the Separatists, that's why I… I was healing him." Sev looked at Shika as if she were crazy. Grievous only scoffed.

"All fools who want to live use that excuse to crawl their way out of death…" He hissed before shifting his gaze to the trooper, once more he went to thrust his saber through the man. Shika panicked, and through this, she quickly said:

"He wants to serve under me!" Grievous stopped again, this time looking over at her with puzzlement. She stared at him before looking around the room quickly, what could she say now? It had to be believable! She then noticed the Magnaguards, she then returned her gaze to Grievous." He wanted… To be my personal bodyguard…" Grievous looked at Sev.

"Is this true?" He asked with a cold tone of voice. Sev noticed Shika out of the corner of his eye; she looked as though she wanted him to say yes. He stared at Grievous before nodding slightly. Grievous' grip weakened and Sev fell back onto the ground. Shika sighed in relief.

"Thank you Gene-" Shika paused when Grievous marched up to her, grabbing her arm and pulling her up to him. His face was close to her own, making it so she could look at nothing else but him.

"Count Dooku will decide his fate, if he turns down your offer of having the soldier as your bodyguard, I will kill him…" He growled. Shika stared in horror at Grievous, he was really angry with her; his voice alone gave her chills that ran up her spine. He then looked to his two Magnaguards." Watch him, do not allow him to move from that spot, if he does, kill him." He snapped. The guards both nodded and Grievous looked back down at Shika." You're coming with me…" He then dragged her out of the cell. Shika stumbled behind Grievous as he yanked her behind him, having a tight grip on her arm.

This wasn't going to be pretty…