Chapter Four; "The General's Past: Reborn"
"He is ready, Count!" – said San Hill.
Finally! I have waited four damn days! A nobleman shouldn't have to wait for the others. The others should have to wait for a nobleman.
"Good, good… And… Is it all going according to plan?" – asked the Count.
The alien showed the Count a smile.
San Hill was from the planet Muunilinst and of the Muun species. He also was one of the key leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
"Of course! Of course! Just say the magic words… All according to plan, Count!" – reassured San Hill.
"That's great, then! So? What are you waiting for? Wake up the beast!" – ordered Dooku.
He was so tired of waiting. His Master, Lord Sidious, was really interested in the result of this particular experiment. According to his Master, if the experiment was a success, this process could be used on several Jedi that were captured by the Confederacy. An entire army of Jedi cyborgs.
Somehow it all seemed rather silly! But it was nevertheless a possibility.
"Patience is a virtue, Count!" – said San Hill.
The Count looked at the alien as if he was a mere pile of dust.
"I didn't hear you, my friend… Could you repeat that?" – said Dooku.
San Hill went suddenly pale. It was that look. That dark and vicious look. He doubted that the Count hadn't heard him, so he decided to let the matter rest.
"I didn't say anything, Count!" – lied the alien.
"Good! I thought so!" – murmured the Count.
The two leaders of the Confederacy entered the room where Qymaen jai Sheelal was being kept. There were several scientists in the room. All of them were busy looking at the computers and analysing the several diagnostics.
One of the scientists bowed in front of the two leaders of the Confederacy and pointed towards a metallic figure that was standing in an operating table.
"Difficult job it was! But we succeeded, my lords!" – said the scientist.
Dooku nodded and gestured for the scientist to go away.
"Good! Wake him up! I have more important matters to attend to!" – ordered the Count.
San Hill sighed. Such impatience… Very well!
"Leave this room! All of you! This is an order!" – shouted the alien.
The scientists looked startled for a second, and then obeyed the order. San Hill went over a consol and pressed a few bottoms.
"Awaken, my friend! You are reborn!" – said Dooku.
The metallic figure seemed to move a bit.
"He is alive, Count!" – observed San Hill.
"Can you hear me, my friend?" – asked the Count.
No one answered the question.
"Strange! He should be able to talk with us… At least according to the diagnostics he is in perfect condition." – said the alien.
Dooku decided to give it another try.
"Can you hear me?" – asked the Count again.
The metallic figure raised its head. . His yellow reptilian eyes blinked a few times.
What a revolting creature! Such a disgusting aberration! And that face… It looked like a Human skull. How horrible!
The metallic figure got out of the operating table. It looked at his hands and at the rest of its new body. It had a suit, built of Durasteel and armorplast-plated Duranium. This creature was meant to intimidate others, and so far it was doing a fine job.
He is also revolted with his new body. How interesting!
"What… What have you done to me?" – asked the metallic figure.
Dooku showed the pathetic creature a smile of reassurance.
"We resurrected you, my friend!" – answered the Count.
San Hill was impressed. He could barely stand on his feet.
"You are incredible! Unique! Such a powerful and perfect creation! You are now a cyborg!" – said the alien.
Perfect? That awful creature? Was he blind?
"How do you feel?" – asked Dooku.
The cyborg closed his eyes and sat at the operating table.
"I feel… Pain… So much pain! All over my body!" – said the cyborg.
"Pain?" – asked Dooku. – "Was he supposed to be in pain?"
San Hill looked surprised.
"What? No, no, no! He wasn't supposed to feel anything! How strange! A side effect, maybe?" – volunteered the alien.
Dooku looked at him confused.
"How should I know?" – said the Count.
The cyborg looked at the two leaders of the Confederacy and screamed.
"What have you done to me? What have you done to me? The pain is still here! The pain… It is stronger than ever!" – shouted the cyborg.
"Qymaen jai Sheelal, control yourself!" – demanded the Count.
The cyborg grabbed the Count by his neck. Dooku tried to free himself from the cyborg´s grip, but failed.
"Control myself? Control myself? You dare give me orders? After what you did, Count?" – said the cyborg.
San Hill shouted for help and six Battle Droids entered the room.
"Stop him!" – ordered the alien.
The cyborg threw the Count at the wall and attacked the Battle Droids. He destroyed all of the Battle Droids in mere seconds.
"Damn you! I will kill you all for what you have done to me!" – threatened the cyborg.
San Hill tried to calm the berserk creature, but in vain.
"Give us some time! I am sure that we will find the answer! We will end your pain!" – promised the alien.
The cyborg looked at the alien and started to walk towards him.
"How do you plan to do that?" – demanded the cyborg.
"I think that what you are feeling… The pain… it is all in your head!" – explained the alien.
The cyborg didn't stop. He was still walking towards San Hill.
"When someone loses an arm or a leg, he will sometimes swear that he can feel it! As if it was still there! That's what is happening to you! Your brain must think that you are still in a bad shape! It hasn't got used to your new body! That's why you are in pain!" – said San Hill.
The cyborg grabbed the alien's neck and started to tighten his grip.
"We can help you!" – squeaked San Hill.
"I am tired of your foolish promises! You will all die!" – said the cyborg.
The alien screamed for more help, but none come.
"I will kill you first… Then I will kill that damn Count!" – said the cyborg.
"You will do no such thing… You will in fact work for us and obey all of our commands!"
The cyborg looked behind him. It was Dooku.
"Oh? And what makes you so certain of this… Count?" – asked the cyborg.
Dooku showed him a smile. A smile that promised the cyborg a very dark future.
"Because you are just a thing, my friend. An aberration! Such creatures don't possess free will!" – mused the Count.
The cyborg looked angrily at the Count.
"What do you mean? I have free will! And I will prove it! By killing this worthless scum!" – said the cyborg.
Dooku bowed at the cyborg.
"Qymaen jai Sheelal is dead, my friend…" – said Dooku.
"I am right here, you fool!" – shouted Grievous.
Dooku seemed to pause in order to savour the moment.
"No! Qymaen jai Sheelal died in that "accident" with the shuttle. An "accident" that we provoked!" – continued the Count.
The cyborg loosened his grip and let San Hill fall on the floor.
"You what? Why?" – asked the cyborg.
"Because you refused our offers! So we decided to make you an offer that you couldn't refuse!" – continued the Count.
"And now… You are ours! Forever!" – said Dooku.
The cyborg looked at the leader of the Confederacy. He showed a look full of hate and rage.
"Qymaen jai Sheelal is still alive! And I will prove it!" – said the cyborg.
The cyborg attacked the Count, but Dooku remained calm.
"Qymaen jai Sheelal is dead! Grievous is born!" – said the Count.
Dooku´s voice became darker and more sinister.
"Codename: Grievous!" – said Dooku.
And the cyborg suddenly stopped. He looked at the Count and kneeled down.
"What are your wishes, my Lord?" – asked the cyborg.
Dooku couldn't contain a smile. Although part of the creature's brain was still Qymaen jai Sheelal´s brain, most of it was now some sort of a computer. And computers followed their programming.
"Rise, Grievous!" – ordered the Count.
Qymaen jai Sheelal was dead. Grievous was born.