A/N: We're getting close to some big showdowns and interactions with other important characters, so stay tuned!

The war…over…LIES!

General Grievous, crouched on one knee in his glowing prison, screwed his organic eye shut as his mind went to war with itself.

Dead…fifteen years…A REPUBLIC TRICK…

It was then that Grievous heard it. Clear as a bell, momentarily silencing the roaring voices behind his mask.

Grievous…

"Show yourself! Don't try to play games with me, Trench!" Even as the words left his vocoder, Grievous felt a new wave of pain flow through his mind, as if the word had become physically lodged inside him. A series of meaningless images flashed before his eyes as he fought to keep himself from crying out in pain.

"Supreme Commander! General…we don't have much time!"

Slowly, Grievous raised his head as the voices faded away. Through the glowing blue walls of his cage, he perceived a small figure hurrying towards him.

"A thousand apologies, Supreme Commander. Trench…he deceived me."

Grievous let out a growl, scraping at the floor of his cage with his clawed feet. "Your excuses change nothing, Seegor."

"He…he is lying, mighty General. The war continues. And with your help…maybe it can be won. But first, we must try to get you out of that ray shield."

"Why should I believe you, slime? You intend to fool me again!" Grievous drew back a fist, and Seegor cringed back as it impacted against the ray shield with a dull thud.

"I cannot release you. Trench is not foolish enough to have given me the override codes for any security shields on the ship. Only him and his tactical droids can deactivate them."

Seegor reached into his uniform, and withdrew a pair of bulky silver goggles.

"There was once a dozen or-so Nemodians working on this ship, before they were replaced by tactical droids. I happened across a pair of these in my own quarters some time ago…perhaps they could be useful."

"How?"

"You are the Supreme Commander. I believe my brethren installed some communications hardware in your body. If you could somehow interface with these goggles, and then take control of a tactical droid…"

Seegor trailed off. Grievous glared at him, his mind grappling with the new information.

"Then what?"

The elderly Geonosian smiled. "Then you will truly be the Supreme Commander again."

"Ezra…there's someone coming!"

"I know…just a little closer…"

Sitting cross-legged in a cramped cell, Ezra Bridger was fully immersed in the Force, blocking out his other senses. On a bench on the far side of the corridor outside the cells, the droids had dumped Ezra and Sabine's personal equipment in a pile. As Sabine looked on, Ezra reached out through the Force, hunting for the familiar shape of his lightsaber.

Then the door to the brig opened, and two figures came running in. As they did, the ray shields suddenly deactivated, and Ezra called his lightsaber to him. He only had time to close his fist around the grip before something bowled him over with a vicious blow to the chest, knocking him to the floor of the cell. Wincing from the pain, Ezra looked up as a uniformed alien stepped into the corridor outside his cell, flanked by two tactical droids.

"Governor Trench, at your service. Formally Admiral Trench of the Separatist Navy, and now the Imperial Governor of the Ando System. Impressive, Jedi. You are certainly the fastest opponent my Magnaguards have had to deal with for many years. It was a good thing that I took the liberty of reading your file, Ezra Bridger. Otherwise…you may have hurt yourself. Attach the restraints."

One of the two droids that were holding him down produced a set of bulky handcuffs, while the other returned his lightsaber to the pile. Ezra gritted his teeth, and tried to summon up a blast of energy, but the bindings suddenly tightened in response, and he sank to his knees with a cry of pain. Trench tutted as the Magnaguards dragged the Padawan to his feet.

"Stun cuffs. They tighten in response to escape attempts. Particularly useful on uncooperative subjects such as Jedi. I should know…I've seen a few in my time."

Sabine spoke up from her cell. "What do you want from us?"

"Only your cooperation, Sabine Wren. Yes, I have heard of both of you before. It seems as though you have a dislike of authority figures, correct?" Trench twirled his cane. "As an agent of the Empire, my role is simply to oversee your transfer to the appropriate body for punishment. That is…"

As he spoke, Trench stepped over to the pile of confiscated gear, and picked up Ezra's lightsaber. A chittering chuckle escaped his mouth as Ezra momentarily reached out with the Force, only to be brought up short by the stun cuffs.

"I know for a fact that there are several parties interested in my offer. An Imperial delegation will be arriving shortly to arrange compensation for the capture of Grievous, and I would be willing to hand you over as well. That is, unless the others make me a better offer."

"You're lying! The only people who know where we are would never make any kind of deal with you! They're probably on their way to this system now, with a whole fleet, and I doubt this old ship could last more than a minute against them!"

Trench chuckled. "On the contrary, boy. I received a sizeable offer for your capture almost as soon as you arrived. It seems as though that ship of yours was tracked here." The Harch narrowed his eyes, and rapped his cane on the deck. "And as for your fleet, this warship is more than capable of scattering a handful of fighters, and I have the ability to call on considerable Imperial reinforcements stationed in neighbouring systems. You forget, I hold the equivalent rank of Admiral in the Imperial Navy. Now, before I arrange for your transfer, I wish to know more about your dealings with Grievous. Where did you find him?"

Sabine frowned at Ezra and shook her head. In response, one of the Magnaguards struck the deck with the end of its staff, activating the electric prongs.

"We were investigating a wrecked Separatist cruiser…near the Utapau system. Grievous was aboard, in some kind of preservation device. Some stormtroopers attacked, Grievous got out…then he hijacked our ship."

"Did you visit Mustafar, by any chance? I recall hearing that it was recently attacked by rebel craft, and that one of those vessels revisited the area only a day or so ago."

Ezra nodded.

"Then he truly is mad! Ch-ch-ch, it is a delight to see him so utterly confused and helpless." Trench's face gave the Harch equivalent of a satisfied smile. "I hope you children don't think of me as a…petty individual. You would feel the same, serving under that incompetent creature for so many years." As he spoke, one of the tactical droids that had entered the brig with Trench gave a brisk salute and hurried out in the direction of the turbolifts.

The Harch stepped back, and the other tactical droid reactivated the ray shields.

"Ch-ch-ch…Thank you for your cooperation, children. As soon as I obtain some more accurate data on your value to the Empire, I will send you on your way."

The tactical droid held a hand to the side of its head. "Admiral. We are being hailed by an Imperial vessel. They are requesting permission to board and view the captives."

"Perfect timing. Prepare a guard of honour to receive them in the hangar. And ready these two for transferral!"