Chapter Six; "The General's Past: Loyalty Test"
"Every thing is going according to plan, my Lord." – said Dooku.
He bowed at the figure that stood before him. It was a hologram of a very dark figure.
"Good… Good… You have done well, my apprentice." – said the shadow.
Dooku couldn't contain a smile of relief. Darth Sidious could be very demanding and he didn't like failures. He often punished those that failed him… And he could be very cruel in his punishments.
Darth Sidious was a Sith Lord. He was probably the most powerful Sith of all time. Few could match his connection with the Dark Side. Those that tried to challenge him didn't live long.
His voice was dark and sinister; you could feel his power just by listening to that voice. It promised you pain and death if you disobeyed it. It promised you rewards and power if you obeyed it.
"Thank you, my Lord." – said Dooku.
The shadow appeared to show a smile, but it was hard to tell. The figure was covered by a dark aura that seemed to erase the light of the Count's training room.
The figure wore a dark robe. It only added a more shadowy look to the already sinister figure. Darth Sidious wasn't just a Sith Lord… He was the Dark Side's avatar.
"Enough of this small talk, Tyranus. I want to see some results." – ordered the shadow.
Dooku looked surprised at his Master.
"Results? The Geonosians made a report, my Lord. According to them the operation was a success. I even had some of my trusted scientists working with them, in order to make sure of those filthy creatures words." – explained the Count.
The shadow seemed to look at his apprentice with disappointment.
"And you trust your trusted scientists?" – mocked the shadow.
Dooku seemed to be out of words. He was of course embarrassed. A Sith Lord should never trust anyone, but himself. Ever!
"I… I am sorry, my Lord." – begged Dooku.
Darth Sidious nodded.
"Don't trust anyone! That is the way of the Sith, my apprentice." – reminded the shadow.
The Count's face began to show some traces of sweat. He was nervous, of course. Had he failed his Master? There were no second chances when you were dealing with a Sith Lord. Especially one such as Darth Sidious.
"Of course, my Master! What are your orders?" – asked Dooku.
Darth Sidious looked at his apprentice and smiled. This time you could see the smile very clearly. It was a devious smile. There was nothing there but hatred and cruel amusement.
"One should know its allies weakness, Tyranus. Everyone has a weakness." – explained the shadow.
Dooku looked intrigued.
"I have a weakness, my Lord?" – asked the Count.
Dooku was a proud nobleman that believed that a gentleman such as himself was born perfect. He was a superior being. He was different from the rest of the rabble. He was a Count and a Sith Lord. The other scum was just there to please him. If not, they were his enemies.
"Of course, Tyranus. Would you like to know it?" – asked the shadow.
Dooku nodded.
"You don't think that a man such as yourself has weaknesses. And that will be your downfall, my apprentice." – answered the shadow.
"You think that you are perfect. That you were born without flaws. A man that can't name his own flaws and weaknesses is incapable of seeing the obvious. He is incapable of figuring out his enemies weaknesses and spotting out the possible treachery that someone planned for him." – continued the shadow.
The Count gave his Master an angry look. Had his Master dared to say that he wasn't perfect? Had that silly old dust worm just insulted him?
"Thank you for that piece of knowledge, my Lord. What about your weakness?" – asked the Count.
"My weakness, Tyranus?" – asked the shadow.
"Everyone has a weakness, my Lord. You said so yourself." – reminded Dooku.
"I… have… no… weakness." – stated the shadow.
Dooku felt somehow threatened. That dark voice seemed to promise pain to the Count.
"I apologize, my Lord. I acted like a fool…" – said the Count.
Dooku tried his best to hide his true thoughts which were:
Anyone that paid close attention to your actions, my Lord, would have figured out your weakness. Indeed. You are a Sith Lord, a Master of the Dark Side… You have so much power and deadly knowledge. But you are nevertheless a Master… And a Master wishes that his knowledge doesn't die with him. You need an apprentice.
Ah! But not just any apprentice. You wish to train the most promising of pupils. You wish to train the one that they call the "Chosen One". You wish to train Anakin Skywalker.
You are probably the most powerful Sith Lord of all time. You think that you deserve the best as your apprentice. You are like a painter that wishes to make a work of art. You wish to pick up a Jedi… Not just any Jedi… You want to pick up the Jedi that gives the Republic and the Jedi Order hope for a brighter future… And turn him into a Sith. A follower of the Dark Side. Your apprentice.
Dooku knew this. He wasn't blind. And he wished to prove to his Master, that the he was in fact that perfect pupil. He would one day face the boy and prove once and for all that he, Darth Tyranus, was the most worthy of that honor.
But for now… He would play his part.
"Indeed. Try to hide that foolish part of you, my apprentice. It bores me."- said the shadow.
Dooku nodded and cleaned the sweat that crosses his face with a handkerchief.
"In order to find the General's weakness… A Loyalty Test should be made." – stated the shadow.
"A Loyalty Test? But aren't those for Sith only?" – asked the Count.
Dooku remembered his Loyalty Test. He hadn't forgotten it, because it had pained him so much. He had to kill a Jedi Master… named Sifo-Dyas. And it had pained the Count, because he and the Jedi Master had been close friends. Sifo-Dyas shared his belief that the Jedi Order was not what it once was and that it shamed itself by serving a corrupt Senate.
But that was the point of the Loyalty Test. You had to prove yourself loyal… You had to murder someone that you loved or liked.
You had to prove that you followed orders.
You had to prove that you were a Sith.
"The General wishes to take part of our brilliant plan? He must take that Test! I will not have a weakling as my ally." – explained the shadow.
"And… What will be his Loyalty Test, my Master?" – asked Dooku.
The shadow seemed to grow darker. His eyes seemed to be two black holes that sucked the light around them. And then he spoke:
"Let him murder his family. With his bare hands."
…
Qymaen jai Sheelal was still alive. And at the same time he was also dead.
He was still there, yet he couldn't control his body. It wasn't in fact his body. It was the General's body.
He could think with the part of the brain that wasn't mechanical. He could see with the creature's eyes.
A tormented soul, within a mechanical prison. And his prison was named Grievous.
The cyborg was currently in the Count's meeting room. Dooku had summoned him, and the Count's wishes were his command. Grievous respected the Count. He had to. It was in his programming.
Qymaen jai Sheelal hated the Count. Dooku represented the pain and grief that he was facing.
"You summoned me, Count?" – asked Grievous.
Qymaen jai Sheelal wanted to kill Dooku. But the mechanical body didn't obey his wishes. It obeyed the General's wishes.
Dooku seemed troubled. He rarely looked so preoccupied. Something was troubling him very deeply. Some sweat was crossing his face.
"Yes, I did. General?" – said Dooku.
"Yes, Count?" – asked the cyborg.
"Call me Tyranus." – said Dooku.
Dooku couldn't continue his task if the damn creature kept reminding him of his noble blood. The Count knew that he wasn't good, he had no false illusions. But neither was he without honor. He was in fact a gentleman. He was a superior being.
Count Dooku would never murder innocent women or children. The thought of dishonor troubled him immensely.
But that was Count Dooku. Darth Tyranus was different. Tyranus was a Sith Lord, capable of murder and horrible acts.
It wouldn't be Count Dooku to give the orders to Grievous. It was going to be Darth Tyranus.
"Yes, Lord Tyranus." – said the cyborg.
"Good… I have a little mission for you…" – said Darth Tyranus.
"I want you to go to Kalee, your homeworld. There you will murder your family. In cold blood… With your bare hands." – continued Darth Tyranus.
Grievous listened to the orders calmly and coolly. Qymaen jai Sheelal screamed with rage and wanted to break the Count's neck.
"Do you understand your orders? This is a very important mission, General. This will be yourLoyalty Test… And if you succeed in this, you will be part of a brilliant scheme. You will be an ally of the Sith." – explained Darth Tyranus. – "So I repeat… Do you understand your orders?"
Qymaen jai Sheelal cried for mercy. He cried for the lives of his family and loved ones.
But Grievous had no family nor loved ones. He only had his orders. He only had his pain and grief.
"Yes. It shall be done." – said Grievous, coldly.
…
Some shuttles landed on a Kaleesh settlement. It was a poor settlement, with some armed Kaleesh.
"What is the meaning of this?" – asked one of the armed Kaleesh.
Some armed Battle Droids got out of the shuttles.
"The Confederacy again? I thought we told you to leave us in peace!" – said another of the armed Kaleesh.
Then… The General got out of one of the shuttles. The mere sight of his mechanical body, intimidated the Kaleesh.
"We are armed…" – said the armed Kaleesh that had spoken first.
Grievous looked at what had once been his kin and shrugged.
"What a coincidence... So are we." – said the cyborg.
The Battle Droids reacted as one and fired at the armed Kaleesh. Then they started to shoot every Kaleesh that were on their way, including females and children.
Grievous couldn't care less for their lives. They were insignificant. They were all weak and useless.
Qymaen jai Sheelal´s pain kept increasing with every death. They had been his kin! He had been their leader! And now he was the one responsible for their deaths! All of them!
The cyborg started walking towards on of the huts. He recognized instinctively that hut. He had walked to it many times… It was his hut. Now it was his family's hut. But not for long…
Qymaen jai Sheelal tried with all his will to stop the mechanical body, but it wouldn´t listen. Grievous was charge of the mechanical body. The General was in charge of his actions.
The cyborg entered the hut. He could feel fear that existed within it. And there they were… His wives and children.
They looked petrified at the cyborg. They feared him… They knew why he was here… They knew that they would all die… He could feel their fear. It made him stronger.
One of the children apparently wasn't that afraid of him. The little Kaleesh looked at the General and seemed to study him for a moment. Then he seemed to smile and ran to hug the cyborg.
"Father!" – said the little Kaleesh.
The cyborg looked confused at the little Kaleesh. He had recognized him. Even after his transformation into a cyborg. Even with a face that looked like a Human skull. He was meant to intimidate others, but it hadn't intimidated this little Kaleesh.
Qymaen jai Sheelal looked at his son and wanted to hug him. He wanted to tell him that he missed them all so much. That he loved them all. Never had such a word held so much power to him. Father… A word that was a sign of respect and love.
But Grievous felt nothing. He was meant to fell nothing, besides hate and rage towards such weak and useless creatures. He was in constant pain, and he wanted to share his pain with others.
The cyborg grabbed the little Kaleesh by the neck. Grievous seemed to enjoy the way that the pathetic creature cried for help and asked his father to spare him. He was crying… He feared him…
Grievous grip tighten and the little Kaleesh´s neck cracked. Everyone in the hut started to scream in grief and fear.
The cyborg liked that… It made things more interesting… It made his mission a lot more enjoyable…
Qymaen jai Sheelal screamed with rage at the sight of the dead little Kaleesh. Of the only Kaleesh that and recognized him and still love him. He asked for Grievous to stop, he demanded that the General ceased his murderous actions. He begged for the life of his family and loved ones.
But Grievous didn't listen. He felt no pity for such weak and useless creatures.
He was Death. He was Pain. He was Hate. He was Cruelty. He was Grief.
He was Grievous.
…
The General got out of the hut. He was covered in blood… Yet he didn't mind it. The deaths of those pathetic creatures had been enjoyable.
He looked at the settlement that had once been his home. Huts were on fire, and corpses were everywhere. The Kaleesh that he had once lead and cared for.
And it didn't trouble him. They had been weak. The weak deserved to die.
"General. The settlement has been conquered. No survivors just like you ordered." – reported a Battle Droid.
All the Battle Droids in the settlement started saying: "Roger! Roger!"
"Good! Contact Count Dooku and give him the news." – ordered the General.
The Battle Droid saluted the General and went away in order to carry on its mission.
"Pathetic creatures…" – said Grievous while looking at the corpses of the Kaleesh.
Qymaen jai Sheelal was still alive. And at the same time he was also dead.
A tormented soul, within a mechanical prison. And his prison was named Grievous.
And there was one thing that a tormented soul could not do… And that is to forget.