Disclaimer: I still don't speak Scots Gaelic nor Irish Gaeilge aside from a few words ( I do know slightly more Gaeilge though), so if my translations are wrong then blame Google Translate, not me. I also don't own any character that is not my own creation, obviously. Wish I did though. Could use the kind of money Star Wars rakes in. At this point I'm just too lazy to get rid of this disclaimer so it's staying despite getting my point across by now.

A/N: As soon as I say, "I will update daily," there's another emergency every other day. I really need to stop making time-sensitive commitments. I will try to update every day but some days it might not be possible. If this is the case, then expect a longer chapter the next day or the day after to try and make up for it. I'm so sorry. =-(

Caibideil 12

General Grievous inspected the droids selected for this mission. They were among the newest models of Jedi-Killers, with the latest combat software. Emboldened by his last successful infiltration of the Republic capital planet, he opted for a less covert style of droids, ones with far greater AI and combative potential. This would not only be an extraction mission but a field test of these new models. These ten droids would seize this "Gràinne MacGuffin," at least if the plan went perfectly. Their orders had been downloaded and they would be dispatched within a few minutes, with their journey taking approximately three days.

In that time, Dooku would be launching an attack on Alderaan to cause even greater chaos among the Republic and inspire greater confidence among the Confederacy's Parliament and citizens while also causing enough of a distraction for Dooku to snag his planned apprentice right from under the Jedi's noses. Plus, if they actually managed to capture the planet then it would be an extreme boost to morale and a strategic chokepoint to cut off Republic trade routes and only a be a few jumps from a full invasion of Coruscant itself. With that looming threat and the political chaos in the Republic, they would be forced to sue for peace, giving Dooku nearly everything he would plan to ask for. Sure, a few million extra droids had to keep the peace on the more riotous worlds but their replacements on the front could be built in a few hours. As far as they were aware, Republic forces were still converging around the planet Shili. All was going according to plan.

Dooku's flagship came out of hyperspace around the orbit of Alderaan, followed by 35 dreadnaughts and 20 troop transports. The small Republic garrison fleet around the planet of five Venator class star destroyers were no match for the fully prepared offensive. He smiled, without Palpatine to demand the droid army be at a disadvantage they would be able to win the war in short order. They easily outnumbered the clone army six million to one, and it didn't matter how good the clones, or the Jedi were, none of them could take on a million droids single-handedly. Unleashing a torrential volley of plasma, the Separatist fleet easily shredded the Republic star destroyers before they could even scramble their fighters. With all orbital resistance vanquished, the invasion could begin.

Padmé was walking through the hallway trying to ignore the protests of a Mon Calamari Senator being arrested. The Republic Senate was in absolute chaos, police droids were everywhere dragging men and women out of their offices, some going quietly and others kicking and screaming. Nearly a quarter of the Senators were either in league with Palpatine's coup plot or were revealed to be a part of some other scandal or illegal activity: drugs, arms deals, sentient trafficking, the occasional child abuser, murder plots, and on one occasion apparently a bank robbery. That was a fun one to read about, especially when the dude was already so rich that what he stole was literally pocket change to him, so he really just did it for the fun of it. Senators' files and family holos were constantly being leaked to the media, including her wedding holos. Much to her surprise, nobody else was.

Knocking on the door to Senator Organa's office, he was not guilty of anything illegal but improperly storing some rather… sensitive images of his wife on his work computer thus having to pay a small fine for it and probably being chewed out at home, she waited on him to answer it. When the door swished open, he simply looked at the chaos behind her, shrugged, and let her in. "So have you seen the new bill yet?" she asked.

"Been a little busy with the whole 'government is in a state of total collapse' thing," Bail answered, "Haven't really been able to get much work done."

"Yeah, I'm trying my best to ignore the chaos."

"So what's it about?"

"Restructuring the election system so the Chancellor gets chosen by popular vote instead of just the Senate deciding it."

"Makes sense to me, it'd be a bit harder to manipulate an entire galaxy than it would be to manipulate just the Senate."

"I wouldn't be so sure, if local and planetary elections have taught me anything, it's that election-time politics can become a game of insults and empty promises fast."

"So basically the Senate?"

"Yeah, pretty much. But with holonet ads and people punching each other in the street."

"Didn't some girl end up punching Bonteri so hard he went into a coma?"

"That was different."

Organa shrugged and said, "Frankly? I don't even know what's going on anymore, so how could it possibly get much worse?"

An exhausted Alderaan guardsmen burst into the Senator's office shouting, "Senator Organa! Separatist invasion of Alderaan! Millions of droids! Everyone's dead!" and collapsed.

"That's how," Padmé observed, pulling out a candy bar from her pocket and nervously nibbling on it while Organa went pale.

In the Jedi Temple the news was just as desperate, and Master Yoda had assigned Anakin Skywalker, his apprentice Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Kit Fisto to lead the counter-invasion of Alderaan. They stood in the Council chambers with a hologram of a Clone Admiral by the name of Ship. "Take the Coruscanti Defense Fleet, you will."

"With all due respect General," Admiral ship replied, "Only the Supreme Chancellor can order the Coruscanti Fleet to move anywhere outside the system. I'm not getting court martialed today."

"Of course, Admiral. Notify you we will, when confirmation we have," Yoda answered.

"Yes, sir," the Admiral said with respect as he closed the call.

Master Adi Gallia glanced to her left and right, "So… does anybody know who the acting Chancellor is today?"

"I'm pretty sure it was that Senator Faa character," Mundi replied helpfully.

"No, he got arrested for child abuse," Ti answered, with a shudder, "I'll never look at mustard the same way again."

"I think it was supposed to be the Senator from Corellia?" Windu answered.

"He committed suicide," Obi-Wan retorted.

"Oh…"

"To avoid being arrested." Obi-Wan finished.

"Ah."

"I think the next one up was Senator Ami- erm, Skywalker." Master Tiin interjected.

"She outright refused," Anakin corrected him, "Pretty sure her exact words were 'I'd rather be mauled to death by a hundred wamp-rats than go anywhere near that damned chair.' Of course she was also stress-eating an entire wheel of cheese while crying during another nervous breakdown at the time, so I might have misunderstood."

"I think she might have a problem," Ahsoka added quietly.

"I'm just glad it isn't deathsticks, and that she's swapped alcohol for cheese and chocolate."

"When I checked this morning," Obi-Wan offered, "It was Senator Free Ta."

Pulling up a holographic image of acting Chancellor Free Ta, the Master Yoda requested, "Acting Chancellor Free Ta, require the Coruscanti Defense Fleet we do."

"I've just heard about the attack on Alderaan. Let me just sign this order and-"

Six police droids entered the office "Senator Orn Free Ta, you are under arrest for tax evasion."

"What do you mean? I paid my taxes!" Senator Free Ta protested, "If I paid the wrong amount then go after my accountant!"

"Tell it to the judge," the droids replied as he hastily scribbled his signature onto the order before being handcuffed and dragged from the room.

"I am innocent! I paid only what I was told to pay! I didn't know any different!" Free Ta could be heard shouting as the hologram faded.

"He, uhm, he did actually send it, right?" Fisto remarked.

"Don't think so." Ki Adi Mundi stated.

Sighing, Anakin relied, "I'll call Padmé and ask her to hit the send button."

General Grievous and his droid extraction team were in the Coruscant System, just beyond scanner range of the large Republic fleet. As soon as they began to depart for the Alderaan System, he began to chuckle his sadistic, mechanical laughter followed by coughing. Giving the order to proceed with the plan, the extraction team began their maneuver to orbit Coruscant and stealthily enter the atmosphere. Under the cover of night, they managed to land unnoticed at one of the less busy spaceports. The Jedi Temple was only a short walk away. Looking at the droids behind him he ordered "You three, follow me. The rest of you, follow the plan." The plan when the group of droids split would Grievous would go to cause even more chaos in the city while the commando droids bagged MacGuffin. He knew exactly where to start.

Clones milled about at 59's, some getting drunk to deal with the horrors of war, some picking up women, others were shot down while their comrades snickered. Overall, it seemed to be a normal evening for the clones on leave. Until a certain cyborg sliced open the door and charged in, lightsabers whiling as commando droids began to open fire on the unarmed clone troopers. Waitresses shrieked as they tried, and mostly failed, to avoid the blaster fire. Grievous cackled madly as he sliced through inebriated clones. Soon enough he'll attract Jedi to slaughter.

Alarms went off across the Jedi Temple as several masters rushed to the clone bar to defend against Grievous. How he even got there was a horrifying question in and of itself. Masters Ti, Tiin, and Koth drove as quickly as possible to 59's. Nearly crashing the speeder in an attempt to stop quickly, the three Jedi leapt from the vehicle right in front of Grievous. The cyborg chuckled, "Hello there," as he activated his other two lightsabers.

The commando droids scouted the Jedi Temple entrances looking for the best way to breach the building without being sliced into paperclips. Wearing Jedi robes with their hoods covering their droid features, they made it into the Temple unobstructed.

Shaak Ti was flung into the bar, cutting herself on the broken glasses and bottles and grunting in pain. Standing up, she saw Grievous and Koth locking blades while Tiin went in for a slice across the cyborg's back, which Grievous of course expertly blocked. She was about to leap in for a third attack angle until she had an idea. Reaching out with the Force, she grabbed the distracted general's body and squeezed his metallic torso, crushing the metal exoskeleton and causing him to yell in pain and surprise before stumbling into a coughing fit.

Now was the time for him to flee. He had caused his chaos and distracted the Jedi. Taking out a blaster as he tried to run, he fired at the Jedi, who largely deflected the bolts back to him save for one which struck Master Tiin in the chest. Falling over, Tiin's lightsaber deactivated as it fell from his grip. Koth kneeled to help their comrade while Ti gave chase, following General Grievous through the Coruscant alleyways and the sounds of horrified panic as the civilians saw the infamous Separatist commander running through the streets.

Slinking through the labyrinthian halls of the Jedi Temple, the disguised droids narrowly avoided becoming lost even with all of their tracking software. On more occasions than the leading droid cared to admit he had to process "Eenie, meenie, miney, that one," when another split in the halls came about. However their sensors finally detected a young adult Togruta sleeping with a large human male guarding her. Surely this had to finally be their target. Not wanting the noise of blasters to alert the Jedi to their presence, four of them drew their swords while the fifth prepped the bag.

Barriss and Riyo were enjoying a quiet dinner date, openly affectionate in public with one another for probably the first time. Now that everything was being leaked, they both had little to fear anyway and largely ignored the occasional whispering around them which mostly seemed to revolve around "How cute," or "Is that who I think it is?" For Riyo, it was finally time to decompress as the investigations found her to be totally clean legally save for a parking ticket three years ago and any scandal that came with her being a lesbian was surprisingly minimal. It was the fact that she kept it secret that seemed to annoy potential voters more than anything but given that that was the only secret she seemed to have it was a much smaller problem than she had expected. For Barriss, well after the insanity passed the Jedi Order would either need to completely restructure itself or boot half its membership at this point so she wasn't even concerned anymore. She fingered the little box she had in her bag, wondering if it was the right time as her darling nibbled cutely on a roll, her amber eyes never breaking contact with Barriss's blue. She took a small sip of her wine to ease her nerves. Steeling herself, she grabbed the ring box and that was when Grievous was hurled through the window, sliding across the floor and stopping just under their table. Tossing the table aside casually as he stood and activated his lightsabers, he ran towards Master Shaak Ti who was in battle stance just outside the restaurant as all the other patrons dashed away screaming in a mad panic.

Still sitting in their seats, table and thus dinner now halfway across the room in pieces on the floor, Riyo looked at Barriss, who looked back at her. "Should you get on that?"

Sighing in annoyance, Barriss replied, "I guess I have to." They just couldn't have a nice evening, could they? She grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it, muttering "What are the kriffing odds?"

Séamus and Gràinne were holding back the droids as best as they could. With a swing of his Dane axe he buried the blade into the droid's head, where it got stuck. While trying to tug it back out, another droid ran him through his back, his chainmail being a simple carbon steel as opposed to the blade's durasteel or Gràinne's Damascus steel, it was like paper to the droid's blade. He cried out in pain and Gràinne in horror as he fell.

She could hardly stand or hold her sword as she stood frozen, shaking at what just happened. Her lover was dying at her feet. The latest in the long list she had of reasons to hate everything about the wider galaxy. She cried out for help with no answer when the droids first started attacking, then in dismay as Séamus fell with no answer. Now she was angry, nay infuriated, as she screamed an animalistic cry. The droid holding a bag over her head was the first to experience her wrath when she railed her sword straight through it, cutting it in half. Something within her had been stirred with the voice and the visions, but now it was awake. It was angry. It lusted for blood and destruction. In a whirlwind she decimated the droids surrounding them, barely even conscious of her surroundings as she was completely focused on the droid that killed her beau. Just she had seen in her vision, she raised her right hand towards the metal demon and unleashed a fury of lightning as her left wielded the blade that sliced through the last of its companions. She didn't know if it could feel pain, she didn't care. All she wanted was to torture it. As she fried the guilty droid, one of its damaged compatriots slowly stood, grabbing its own severed arm, and conked her on the head hard enough to knock her out. Flopping her into the bag, it tossed the Togruta-filled sack over its undamaged shoulder and bolted towards the exit.

Grievous blocked the two women's lightsabers as he backed away from them, slowly but surely making his way to his ship. Coruscant Guard Troopers and police droids were finally arriving as they had been in one spot long enough to locate them. Using two of his blades for defending against the Jedi's onslaught and the other two to deflect blaster fire, he eyed his options, knowing above all else that he could not risk getting captured. Sure the PR hit the Republic would get by having General Grievous launch a near-one-man assault on the capital world and wrecking half the Senate District would turn more people against continuing the war in fear, but him being captured would give them a massive bargaining tool in negotiations. Grabbing a clone by the head with his left foot, he hurled him at General Ti, knocking her at least three meters away and flat on her back with an unconscious or possibly dead man on top of her. Using his newly freed hand, he quickly jabbed at Barriss who crumpled to the ground in pain. Grievous sprung to the lower rooftops and leapt his way out of sight, destroying police cruisers and clone speeder bikes which dared come too close. Ambulances arrived shortly after, every hospital in the district and for the next five levels down was sending emergency response teams to everywhere Grievous rampaged to care for the injured and dispose of the dead. Shaak Ti was holding a screaming Barriss as she tried to put pressure on the gaping hole in her stomach. She was among the first loaded onto an ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital. Barriss would spend the next 12 hours in emergency surgery.

Running into the ship just as the only surviving droid tossed in the bag with their quarry now squirming and yelling in what Grievous assumed was defiant nonsense, he started up the engines and made a direct ascent out of the atmosphere, police cruisers, and now star fighters giving chase as he came closer and closer to the planet's Karman line. Within minutes of him exiting the gravity well of Coruscant, evading the blaster cannons the entire time, he could finally safely use the advantage his transport had over the starfighters, a built-in hyperdrive. Pushing the lever he saw the blue lines begin to form. He was homefree, and Dooku would be most pleased with his utter success.

Dooku was not pleased at all when Grievous arrived on Alderaan and recounted his tale. "I sent you on a stealth mission," he repeated, trying to retrace his imbecile general's thought process, "and you interpreted that as 'destroy half of Coruscant?'"

"Half the Senate District," Grievous corrected, not sure why Dooku was upset.

"Ok, half of the important part of Coruscant."

"I captured your little Togruta brat and I terrified the Republic while doing so. I even killed two Jedi and dozens of clones." Grievous defended himself in angry confusion, "How can you interpret that as failure?"

"It was an unnecessary risk you took for nothing but your own glory! You should count yourself lucky you weren't captured!" Dooku shouted, "And did you make sure those two Jedi actually died?"

"I shot one in the chest and stabbed the other in her stomach, how could they possibly survive?"

"You idiot! Anybody could survive a lightsaber to the stomach with timely medical attention!"

"Well I killed at least one Jedi!"

"Did you make sure?"

"If he wasn't dead yet he would have died by the time he got medical attention."

Groaning in frustration, Dooku ordered, "Just, go. Get out of my sight and leave the bag. Go torture a droid or something."

Indignant but ever obedient, Grievous turned and stomped out of the room. Dooku rubbed his eyes in annoyance then looked at his other captive, the Queen of Alderaan. "Can you believe this guy?" he asked.

The bound and gagged Queen muffled furiously through her bindings.

"I know," Dooku replied, rolling his eyes, "Help with half a brain cell is so hard to find these days. He may be an idiot, but he's an effective idiot I'll give him that. Blowing up his ship and putting him in that armor was both the best and worst decision I ever made."

Grievous, while outside the room, was not out of earshot and heard Dooku's declaration. Frozen in shock and seething with fury, he questioned everything he had ever known.

Smiling like a child at Life Day, Dooku carefully unwrapped his new apprentice, who had since stopped shouting and kicking at the bag. He slowly opened it, peaking in, and received an orange fist square in his eyeball.

Gràinne resumed her screaming, "Ciamar a mharbhas tu mo rèiteach? Bidh mi a 'murt do theaghlach gu lèir! Cò an ifrinn a tha thu a 'smaoineachadh a tha thu? Marbhaidh mi thu agus sgriosaidh mi a h-uile dad a bha thu eòlach agus measail a-riamh!"

Nursing his struck eye, Dooku grinned ear to ear as he closed the bag back with the Force. This would be beautiful.