CHAPTER 8

THE INVISIBLE HAND

Angrily I stalked further and further away from Mace and his trooper clones. "The nerve of him," I muttered under my breath. "And to think I actually liked him!" I looked down at the object in my hand. Mace Windu's lightsaber. When I'd used the Force to pull it off his belt I hadn't expected it to actually work. "He deserves to be weaponless!"

I clipped it on my belt next to my green one. Heh good riddens to him..

I marched on. I'm not sure just how long I walked but by the time I stopped it was getting dark.

"Phew," I said sitting down on a rock to rest. "I wonder how long I've been walking?" I looked around myself. "Where am I?"

Great. I was lost!

This always happens. Whenever I get ticked and yelled at I always stalk off before I give myself time to think! Stupid me!

Before I could get all depressed about it I heard a loud shooshing sound. I looked up. I looked around. My eyes centered on a large open area almost completely hidden by rocks. The sound seemed to be coming from there.

I decided to find out what had made the sound.

I got up, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and slowly and quietly made my way to the spot. This was hard for me because when I usually try to be quiet I'm real loud, I walk heavily though I don't weight much. Once there I peeked over the rock and stared in surprise at what I saw.

General Grievous' flagship the Invisible Hand...or at least the bottom part of it. The rest was still in the air so I couldn't see the whole thing. Why is his whole ship here anyway?

I saw hundreds of skimpy little battle droids milled around saying every once in awhile. "Roger Roger. Roger Roger."

Without even realizing it an evil smile spread across my face. Oh yeah! Targets! MWAHAHAHAHAA!

A sudden urge pulsed through me. I had to get on that ship. And... I had to destroy the guards.

It seemed as if someone else was controlling my body and I pulled the lightsabers off my belt and ignited them. Laughing like a maniac I rushed out of my hiding place and charged the droids. Their brains were slow working. Before any of them could as much as pull out their weapons they were destroyed. I wonder what style I was using, if I was using one at all.

When I had control of myself again I stared at all the droids littering the area. Oh my goodness! I thought. How did I do this? I don't know how to fight! Was it... the Force?

I noticed something. The ship's ramp thing was down and open. Not one droid came out of it. Oh boy! An opportunity!
Once again my body moved without me telling it to. I deactivated my lightsabers and picked up my backpack. I ran up the ramp and into the ship a little bit...

And was instantly lost.

Okay, I thought looking around. I have successfully infiltrated the Invisible Hand but now I'm lost. Since I'm lost I'd better get unlost. I should chose a direction to go until I see something familiar...

I went left.

I walked down the hall a few minutes without much excitement. In fact I didn't see one droid. Not even the big neckless fat ones. Oh brother, I thought rolling my eyes. This is boring! I think I should try to find an elevator to Grievous' room..

I grinned. If I can find it I'll be able to get a chance to sit in his swivel chair! I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. That's if I'm not spotted and killed by then-

Suddenly I was knocked off balance. I fell to the floor and cried out. "Ow!"

I heard that rumbled rat sound again and instantly realized what was happening. The ship was rising into space.. with me still on it! This can't be good.

"Hey!" I shouted without thinking. "You can't take off yet! I'm still down here!"

"Roger Roger. Roger Roger." I heard a bunch of droid voices say at once.

"!" I screamed hearing the droids coming at me. I dashed down the corridor. "EEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!"

I saw an elevator ahead. I was too freaked out to even think about pushing the button. I lifted my hand and swung it sideways. I'd seen Obi-Wan do it in Attack Of The Clones. I hoped the Force was with me and it would work for me too.

To my surprise the door swung open. I clamored inside. A blaster bolt grazed my arm as the door shut. I grunted in pain and grabbed my arm. It stung as if it was burned.

Man, does that hurt!
That same instant the elevator door closed all the way and it started going up. All by itself! I gasped startled. I hadn't even pushed any of the buttons!

Grievous! I thought. He knows I'm here!

I sat down on the floor. Okay what to do? I looked at my lightsaber and the one I'd taken from Mace. "I think I'd better hold these just in case," I told myself.

The elevator rumbled to a stop a few minutes later. The door opened. I peeked cautiously into the hall. I half expected Grievous to be right there imagining my head being a wonderful trophy or my lightsaber for that matter.

I remembered a scene I'd seen in the Star Wars Episode Three deleted scenes on the Internet. Grievous killing Shaak Ti! The bastard! She was my favorite female Jedi!

I'd always thought he'd liked her. I wonder if he only did that to be a show off. After all Obi-Wan and Anakin had been in the scene too! Stupid men!

"HE'D BETTER NOT DO THAT!" I felt like screaming.

Instead I kept my mouth shut and pushed the scene out of my mind. It wouldn't help me any if I happened to run into him. I stepped out of the elevator. The doors shut instantly. I almost jumped out of my skin. He's expecting me I just know it! I told myself. Waiting patiently around the next corner waiting to strike!

I started walking. My boots clacked noisily on the metal floor. Darn it! He's sure to hear that! I activated my lightsabers just in case.

I walked down the hall full of paranoia.

A blind corner was up ahead. I tensed. I hate blind corners! You never know what could be behind them waiting for you! Battle droids. Super battle droids. MagnaGuards. Your Math Teacher!

I'd just reached it when one of Grievous' stupid flat faced MagnaGuards turned the corner and nearly collided with me.

That was it. I freaked. "Yikes!" I screamed shoving the blades into it's chest.

The thing stared at me dumbly for a second. I bet it wasn't expecting a stupid, red haired, Jedi wannabe to walk into it much less try to run it through.

The thing swung at me. I saw it coming and panicked totally. I pulled my lightsabers out of its chest and used them to block.

Half of its arm came off.

It stared at the sparking stump for a minute then went. "RAARG!" and pulled out an electrastaff.

"AAAHHHH!" I screamed, instantly in panic mode.

I turned around and ran back the way I had come.

The thing came after me!
"Stupid!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "I'M SO DUMB! I'M SO DUMB!"

You've got that right, my brain told me. You have two lightsabers and you're running away.

I don't know how to fight with them! I argued back.

Let the Force take over, stupid!

Okay...

I let the Force take over all right.

I wound up turned around and throwing my lightsabers at the thing. The Force held in the power buttons so the blades stayed activated.

Its arms came off but the rest of it kept on coming. What's it going to do now? Headbutt me? Maybe I can do something now...

I ran at the thing. Now that it was unarmed, no pun intended, it didn't look as threatening. "I'm going to kick your shiny metal behind!" I yelled.

Well the Force had other ideas. It plowed me right into it. I wound up running it over. My lightsabers came back into my hands and I cut off its head. The thing spit sparks then died.

I stared down at the guard a minute just grinning. I'd actually killed one! They aren't that tough! "Never mess with me!" I told it. "Nobody can beat the great Jedi Stephanie the Slayer! MWAHAHAHAHA!"

"Congratulations," a voice said behind me.

"Thank you," I said then realized who had spoken.

I heard the sound of lightsabers activating. They came down at me. I turned around and blocked them with my own.

I found myself staring into two golden eyes with cat like pupils. "Grievous!" I exclaimed staring at the cyborg in disbelief.

"What are you doing on my ship, Jedi scum?" he demanded.

A/N

So now I'm going to have to do something since she has now have met Grievous. I can't let him kill her so I'll have to wing it. You'll find out what happens in my next chapter. Hehehe.

Anyway I hope you liked this one. I tried my best to make it run smoothly but I think there were a few rough spots in here. :shrug: all well. There's nothing I can do about it.