Chapter 6

Star Wars – Episode III

The night had finally fallen on a long day within this marvel of stonework and engineering. The White City of Minas Tirith was slowly but surely falling asleep. A clear sky above them bristling with the dancing glints of far off stars. These lights, all they had seemed before, now raised questions as to what secrets they held within the minds of some upon the world of Arda.

Regardless, the capitol was beginning to slumber. Small wisps of smoke rose from many a home below within the lower rungs of the seven-ringed city. Families awake late into the night, perhaps taverns still bristling with men and women seeking to drink many a woe away, or have 'fun' in those common simplistic manners. Or, perhaps elders sat alone within their homes reading by fireplaces made of similar white stone charred black by the many flames that lay stake to those places. Stray guards tiptoed along the many walls striding about in their silver-gray armor, carrying shields upon their backs, strapped to their bodies, and upholding finely made spears toward the heavens.

The far fields of Pelennor, held only dim reminder of what had transpired here not too long ago. One could still easily count the days, but it was the ability of men, human beings, to push horrible things so easily from their minds. To give them respite and carry on even when acute reminders of reality smacked them full force. The jagged mountain peaks to the east were dormant, silent, and no longer brooded in the orange thunder and roar of the now slumbering Orodruin. These pillars of rock and ashy dirt remained silent reminders. Not as easily replaced or hidden as dead bodies, fallen blades or blasters, and abandoned siege materials.

On and on, the night seemed to have gone, but Taruk was not so interested in all these little realities that now befell Minas Tirith. His eyes danced over a datapad in his hands. He had yet to turn it on, his right leg was shaking, more bouncing really, upon the stone beneath. Up and down it went, a mild tick of his, restless as his legs often could be. His eyes were drooped some, heavy with weariness, and his drink from earlier in the day...and the sips he had throughout thereafter weren't helping either. He was lucid though, definitely lucid as need be, when he was summoned to the Tower of Ecthelion, he believed it was called, by one of the tower guard. The King wished to speak with him, and it was said he should bring materials related to the 'delegation.'

Of course he had leapt at that. His smirked remained even now, with a content breath loosing from his nostrils. He wanted so badly to send a message to that little princess, to Sipillona, right now and let her know he had his delegation coming! Alas, comms were still down. He hadn't spoken with the token task force in orbit for a few hours about it. In fact he mentally reminded himself to get to doing just that when he was done here. Still, that wasn't as important as his little victory! He knew the King would come around. Well, maybe not on everything, not yet. He would though, he will, and Koll would be all the more well off. Free of Sipillona's threats, and responsible for the addition of an entire new planet and quickly thereafter, the whole system into the Republic! He had to admit, that rather mundane task of his job still filled him with a bit of excitement even now.

"Delegate Koll." He turned his head right from where he sat. Another guard, maybe the same as before maybe not, stood outside the entryway to the tower's throne room.

"His Majesty is ready to meet with you, my Lord.

"Ah, many thanks!" Koll called with a heaving sigh as he stood from the bench. He dusted his robes of dirt and dust that may or may not have existed and took a breath of the night's fresh air, glancing his eyes over the courtyard once more. He took in the four guards who diligently protected a single white tree, that was now in beautiful bloom, and the far off mountains beyond.

"Quite a fine night I'd say."

"Aye, milord." The guard cordially agreed as Koll moved towards the ajar doorway awaiting him. Koll thanked the man with a slight bow of his head and moved into the great hall. On either side in what seemed to him to be white marble, were the same finely made statues of men, obviously long since passed in time upon this planet. Kings, or Lords of some manner and worth in their times. They, however, were now irrelevant. Consigned to history and only to be remembered via the stone that alone gave life and memory to their faces. One day to be forgotten as bygone reminders of darker and less lucrative times. Such was the way of history when progress and advancement pushed forward. And no one, no matter how badly they fought tooth and nail, could or can stop the machines of progress. To that thought he gave himself another smile. Although a dim thought in the back of his head made him question if he had sobered up as much as he had hoped to.

"Hail to you, your most High Eminence, King of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor, my Lord Telcontar." Koll, began with a voice higher than he had meant and cringed as he bowed and warned himself to get on top of his game. The guard and he came to a halt some feet away from the twin-seated throne. The guard joined him in a respectable bow.

Koll took note of the King as he rose back upward. The glow of many orange hued flames lit the room, kept safely within black metal rims, where oil lit fire within the ornate torches. The King stood there, his hair prominent in its waves as they cascaded down his back, with beard finely kept, his hands clasped behind his most regal and strong stature. He wore a simple reddish shirt that bore little in the way of regalia, but atop this was a vest of a fine black though equally unremarkable. Trousers of respectable make and design for a simple King fell down his legs to equally simple boots, clean as they may be.

"Welcome again, Delegate Koll." King Elessar bowed his head, with a thin smile gracing his features.

"I do hope the hour is not proven too late for my summons."

"Oh no, not at all I assure you!" Koll waved the King off after picking himself up fully. He made a mental note that the guard had already turned and began to leave them. Koll thought this momentarily odd. Most kings across the galaxy draped themselves in the company of their guard or servants. Then again, this 'Elessar' clearly held great faith in his own strength. Two guards stood to the far doorway, but too far to really be of any aid to their King should he have need of them. Perhaps a chauvinistic trait? A worthy observation for potential exploitation later on. For now he pushed such musings aside.

"Anything concerning the delegation has me most enthused, your Highness, I assure you." Koll chuckled aloud and idly waved his datapad up. As though that meant anything to the King. Elessar gave a breathy half chuckle, before carrying on.

"As I had my guard indicate, I wish to inform you that I have my company chosen for this venture to your Republic. Their names and who will be the head of the company at that."

"Ah, excellent! Please if you wouldn't mind, your Highness." Koll awkwardly had to flip the datapad over, and snap the machine alive lighting his face in the blue light it bore. Across it streamed aurebesh keys and letters of no concern or knowledge to the King.

"Do please list them off! I can build and submit an itinerary to the fleet in orbit, for a quick retrieval and departure of your 'company' after our meeting! Set for…"

"Tomorrow morning. Break of dawn I believe would be for the best."

"Ah, even more excellent!" Koll chirped in excitement.

"Do please go on, your Highness! I apologize for my display, I am merely enthused at your shift of mindset!"

"No shift has yet to occur, Delegate Koll." Elessar cautioned with a one raised hand.

"The delegation was never in question. Merely the when. I have yet to make an oath nor am I bound to join into this Republic as of yet either."

"Yes, do forgive me, I get ahead of myself." Koll reprimanded himself and felt just the faintest tingle of irritation nip at the back of his mind, but did his best to quiet that agitation.

"Regardless, the names and number would be welcome. To better provide accommodations and comfortable transport to the capitol world." The King nodded his understanding.

"Very well. Their number will consist of eight persons from across Arda. Alas, those to the east and south cannot yet be brought into this venture, but perhaps in time, when peace can be allowed to take root, they too can see to the notion of joining into this Republic."

"Yes, perhaps indeed, your Highness! However, we needn't limit what you or your people can or cannot do because of those who refuse to play nice. Politics of one nation need not constrain themselves by the needs or lack of action of others. So I would think."

"Perhaps." Was the lone worded answer of the King.

"Right, well eight it is then! May I be so lucky as to have their names before their departure, your Highness?"

"Of course. At the heead of the company shall be Gandalf the White."

"Ah yes, I've seen him before. Has he any...official titles or affiliations?" The King's brow creased for a moment, and his eyes turned away in a thoughtful manner.

"Representation of the Powers. Mithrandir will represent many, and he goes with the good will of all who know of him. This much can be assured." Though slightly confused, and recognizing the use of two names, Koll nodded and entered the name in a converted aurebesh manner into his datapad.

"Very good, and who else, your Highness?"

"Gimli son of Glóin will accompany, and will act as representative of all dwarven lands."

"Another I am familiar with! By reputation I mean, of course." Koll chuckled adding the name.

"Third and fourth shall be Meriadoc Brandybuck, Esquire of Rohan and representative of both that Kingdom and of the Shire-folk, as well as Peregrin Took. He goes as Guard of the Citadel of Minas Tirith, Knight of Gondor and representative of the Reunited Kingdom."

"Yes, of course! I must admit I knew of their joining to this delegation beforehand."

"Of course. You did provide them fast transport, if I am not mistaken." The King offered knowingly.

"I do hope it was not unwelcome, your Highness. The two 'shire-folk' are very kindly little fellows. I merely wished to extend a kind gesture of my own."

"Assuredly." Again a one worded response that left Koll little to go off of. He let it be, however.

"Fifth and sixth among the company will go the twin sons of Elrond of Rivendell. Elladan and Elrohir. They go representing those Eldar that remain to the northwest, Rivendell and those elves that dwell yet in Lindon."

"Ah, two names I do not know. Nonetheless, I welcome them with open arms, your Majesty. As I am sure the Republic will."

"They are...an energetic sort. Best to keep your wits about you when they are around." Koll sensed an air of whimsy in the King's voice. That let Koll know there lay history with these two. Best to make these unknowns as happy as possible on their trip.

"I will be sure to give their escort fair warning, your Highness." Koll entered the names as with the others and awaited the last two.

"The seventh member of the company will act as the trusted representative of the Woodland Realm, and both the Sindar and Silvan elves whom reside therein. As well as those that have decided to take up residence within Ithilien. Her name is Tauriel."

"Hmm, very well. Another name I do not know. Did she take part in the conflict at all by chance?"

"She was involved. Tauriel has seen plenty of wickedness borne of Sauron and his works. She will make for a studious observer of the good will your Republic is stated to hold." Sounding almost a threat or cautionary note to Koll, he entered this woman's name.

"And the last, your Highness?" Koll quickly inquired.

"A late addition to the company I must admit. My Lady Galadriel will be with the company shorter than the rest."

"To why is that, your Highness?"

"She goes on a mission her own. There is no ill will nor intent, however, it is believed important by myself and several who go among this delegation, that she come with them. She will act as a representative for her realms in the north. That which remains. She will look to your Republic, but her mind will not be set upon it. Will that be acceptable?"

"Oh, but of course! We should welcome any who come from so fine a world as this into the Republic! Even if only for the mundane matters concerning politics." Koll gave off another chuckle. This one a bit lacking in genuine mirth, but he now began to feel the weariness of the night, coupled with the excitement fueled adrenaline, leave him.

"'Mundane?'" The King echoed moving from where he had stood before toward a nearby statue. Koll looked to him expecting the King to finish whatever thought was currently upon his mind. However, the King's eyes had turned upwards looking to one of those marble stone statues, upon an unknown and nameless face of an aged man with facial hair etched and carved down across his chest.

"Politics...the domain of those who have sought and will seek power. Such is the reason why none will truly believe in the righteousness of those involved in it. Mundanity leads to complacency and to the need of power for power's sake. Such a mind turned towards what should be used for the benefit of your kin, your people, will lead you to drape yourselves in that which some of these men did. Halls finer than their Kingdom. Wills and strength lesser than their weight in gold or silver." Koll remained silent as the King turned back to him. A far off look to his eyes.

"It is not a mind I should look to be part of. Mundane is not the word I would use. Though I do not think your intent ill in its use. Should it be that we view this matter as 'mundane?'"

"Well...I can't say I've ever looked at politics that way, your Highness." Koll earnestly replied.

"To be honest, many across the galaxy, err, stars view politics as mundane. Many lords, ladies, kings, queens, emperors, caliphs, masters, presidents, chancellors, on and on, see it as a means by which to exercise their wills. If not that then to live their lives of luxury. You have a point, perhaps. Though I would say it's a utopian vision. Politics are the providence of the ever hungry and unsatisfied, your Highness."

"Then they feed a beast that has a fathomless hunger." The King noted, a muted emotion to his voice that Koll could not place as silence, heavy as it was, passed between them.

Koll, now feeling incredibly awkward felt a yawn coming upon him. He stifled it as best he could raising a hand over his mouth and trying desperately not to squint his eyes, but alas it was an impossible task for him.

"The hour is now proven late." The King remarked, a thin smile gracing his features once again.

"You should return to your room for rest, Delegate Koll."

"I apologize, your Highness. I have had...a longer day than I had let on." Koll offered with a laugh.

"It is quite alright." The King waved a dismissive hand.

"I should retire myself. We should both have an early start come the morning."

"That we will! I should do well to leave you to your rest, your Highness." Koll offered and took a step backward, bowing as he had before.

"Very good, Delegate Koll. We shall meet within the courtyard come first light."

"As you wish, your Highness." Koll gave one last final bow before making quick exit. The guards that had stood silently against the doorway entrance opened said door for Koll as he did so. He backed out of the door, and stumbled just slightly as he whirled around to the outside courtyard where his eyes fell upon that same white tree and its guards again.

Heaving in a breath he sighed aloud and groaned as the weariness of the day really began to manifest upon his eyelids with a heaviness weighing them down, and as a dull ache began to form at the base of his neck. Koll glanced right and nodded to the guard from before who bid him a silent bow before he gave another hefty yawn and made his way towards his room on the level below this.

Koll felt another wave of elation pass through him, a final small shot of adrenaline following in its wake as he did. He chuckled and stretched both arms out at his sides forcing him into a stretch as he made down the winding stairway to the sixth level. His eyes glanced upwards toward the clear night skies and the moon of this world looming in a crescent.

"Ah!" He intoned and snatched at his robes, fumbling there for a moment before finding his personal comlink.

"This is Taruk Koll, contacting Captain Maesters of the Subordination." Koll spoke and awaited a response as his comlink beeped in waiting for just a moment.

"Representative Koll, it would seem it's late where you are. This is Captain Maesters." A gruff, if welcoming voice of the Captain replied as Koll circled around the winding stairs leading to a long alleyway where his office and quarters lay.

"Indeed it is late here. However, I wished to inform you of a change of plans. I had sent an itinerary earlier this morning, our localized time, for transport of VIP personnel from world to the capitol. I'm afraid I'll be sending a further revision in just a moment here."

"I'm afraid to ask just what is expected of us now, Mr. Koll."

"Ah, shouldn't be too bad I assure!" Taruk laughed as he passed by a few other offices and rooms, before turning left and entering one of many residences. Therein lay his office and room. He was quick to lock the door behind him, and thanks to the Republic, he snapped alive a barely noticeable ray shield across the entryway behind him.

"I will say though, transport will be needed in a few hours time, and accommodations prepared accordingly. I'll fill out some small notes here in a moment, and send the updated information your way as I said."

"Any different destination, sir?"

"Oh no, the capitol is still the top priority! Speaking of which," Taruk carried on snapping off the snaps on his robes, and allowing himself to breathe more easily as he sunk into the seat behind his desk.

"Has contact been fixed between us and Coruscant?"

"That would be a negative, sir. The Separatists relay we've been taking advantage of looks to be functional, but I had sent a few techs out to see what the problem was with our communications. Some old scoring seems to be present from the battle. They don't think any of it pierced the outer shielding, but to be sure we're going to give the relay another retrofit with some our system wide short wave communication materials. Come mid-morning tomorrow, they're hoping communications will be fully back online. Even if communications are an out-of-system problem, we won't be able to send or receive any comms. Forewarning is all, sir." Koll gave a sigh and stifled another yawn as he reviewed his datapad and made small notes or changes.

"Shouldn't be a problem, Captain. So long as our hyperdrives still work, we shouldn't have need to talk with the capitol too much. Well," Koll snorted.

"Unless a whole Separatist fleet drops in right on top of us. Then I'd say we'd be sorely missing that relay."

"That we would be, sir." The Captain laughed along with Koll.

"Well, as you noted, it is late, Captain. I'm sending my revision now. Do have the transport and other arrangements ready. We would do well to play the most eager and welcoming of hosts to gain another system for the Republic's cause. The spread of democracy, and ideas." Koll knew he sounded unenthused, but he allowed his weary tone to play off his more or less earnest disinterest.

"Of course, sir. I'll make the proper arrangements. As well I'll keep you updated on our relay situation as it progresses."

"Much appreciated, Captain. Signing off." Koll snapped his comlink off and relaxed into his seat. His eyelids drooping as he sent his revision. Another contented smile gracing his features as he felt himself overcome with an immense feeling of self satisfaction. He would so love to shove his little blurb, which he counted as a personal victory, into Sipillona's damn face.

He dimmed the lights, and fell into a content sleep. Even if he would come to regret it later. He was in a chair, after all.

(Previously)

The speeder dove underneath another walkway in the government sector. Upon it could be seen a swarm of metal clad soldiers advancing with a spray of crimson blaster bolts against white soldiers shimmering in their own armor. Their return fire a mixture of blues, green and even some reds. Explosions rippled out from further off. A plaza in the government sector was under full assault by droid units and clone detachments with small numbers of Coruscant Security were fighting tooth and nail to hold every inch of ground.

"Be careful my Lady!"

"Working on it, Captain!" Padmé replied clenching her fists, tight as they have already been, harder onto the speeder's controls. The whir of the vehicle howled out as she dove it downwards yet again. Typho beside her gripped onto his own seat tighter with each rabid turn and maniacal twist she seemed to take through the government sector.

"The right!" She didn't need to be told twice as a screaming oncoming wing of ARC's bolted past them. Behind them, firing madly with crimson sprays of scorching bolts came the vulture droids numbering at least a dozen. The droids paid her no mind. Seeming not to care about the lone speeder. All the better for her, so she thought. Her eyes narrowed, her heart racing beyond any fear she had previously known. Her pupils dilated as her fight of flight was kicked into overdrive. This day, she was not running. Her instincts kicking in. What a baptism of fire it had become.

"Force, they're everywhere!" Typho cried over the blistering winds they careened through. Around them the sounds of war echoed as a thunderous orchestra of percussion. Above them, the lowest orbiting warships of both sides slammed bolt and flame into one another. The cry of a falling starfighter echoed as it slammed into the side of a building erupting and expelling a wave of fire and metal that rained into the depths of Coruscant. Dropships of the Republic bounded down, reminding her of a scene seeming so long ago now. Back upon Geonosis when the LAATs that had picked her and Anakin up dove out of the line of fire of droid AA guns. These ships were now defending, firing their beams, loosing rockets, and warbling in disarray around Coruscant. This...this attack made some part of her, a newcomer to her own subconscious, mock herself. Peace?! What peace could come after this? An anger, unlike anything she had felt before, a seething vow entered into her mind. An imagination of all these droids destroyed and those who commanded them dead. That thought shot another round of adrenaline through her. If any of them dared to imagine to hurt them, she would personally see them all dead. It took a moment after for her to realize that thought had crossed her mind, and her only response was to breathe. Keep breathing…

"Alright we're here!"

"I see it! Are any of the landing pads free?"

"I...yes, my Lady! Your balcony is still open! Pull in and collect. Quickly!" Again, Padmé didn't need to be told twice. She pushed down on the controls and this speeder, one she had managed to make Typho 'acquire' for her, gave another howl as it circled around the apartment building her official residence lay atop. She circled around, and numbly noticed a distant sight of dozens upon dozens of starfighters, seeming like dots in the daylight, bound upward towards the atmosphere. The Jedi Temple seeming untouched, as fire raged beyond it and around it.

Regardless, she pulled back on the throttling and the speeder came to a harsh stop. Both her and Typho were swung forward and thrown back into the seat cushions. A moment passed, and she stared ahead.

"My Lady?" She whipped her head toward him. His face laced with concern as he appraised her. Only then did she allow herself to realize she was still gripping the controls harder than she had ever gripped something. Her breathing was rapid and deep, and she could feel the strain in her eyes from how fixed they had become.

"Come, my Lady. Let's go." Padmé struggled in another breath through her nose, and allowed a second to pass where her eyes closed, and she loosed it from passed her lips.

"Ye...yeah, come on!" She sprung once more to life jumping from her seat tossing the straps from her body, as Typho jumped over the side onto her apartment's balcony. Following in after the Captain, Padmé tripped to the floor with a slight cry as behind her the sky exploded into a bloom of orange fire in the distance. A nearby skyscraper had been sliced through by a falling fighter or bomber and its rupture rippled across the entire sector.

"Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine." She assured even as her hands, which had caught her fall, now burned in pain from slamming against the floor. Still, she was quick to cast all pain aside and jump back to life.

"Come along then!" Typho urged as he pulled her up and faster toward the interior of the apartment.. They both sprinted through and the Captain slammed his hand against the inner doorway security console, typing in his security clearance in mind numbing speed. The door then pulled open as the building gave a thud that sent dust whirling into the air.

"Threepio! Dormé!" Padmé called in as Typho, at some point, had produced his single blaster pistol. Padmé felt a chill radiate down her spine, and then back upward as a stab of horrified imagining entered her. Had droids come here?! Would they?! It made her skin crawl, turn cold, and then burn hot in fear molted to wrath in a mere instant. Anything or anyone who dared come here, she'd tear them apart herself.

"Ah, Ms. Padmé!" Threepio's familiar accented robotic voice called out. The shimmying of his legs echoed thereafter as the golden droid came into their view from around the hallways corner. He waved his right arm at them, and Typho aimed back just for a moment on reflex.

"Ah, oh dear!"

"Threepio, where are they?!" Padmé demanded breathless as she was coming to within a foot of the protocol droid.

"Back in their room, my Lady. Safe and sound. Ms. Dormé had left hours ago to retrieve further amenities for the children. She has not returned." The droid, with his ever present neurotic tone of worry, informed further.

"We'll just have to hope she made it to safety." The Captain began checking over his shoulder. The sound of passing vultures warbled just outside the apartment followed by the sound of chasing fire and explosions.

"We need to collect the children and get you to safety, my Lady."

"Oh, I concur fully." Of course Threepio would.

"What about..." She hated herself for it, but Padmé in that moment couldn't genuinely bring it out of her to be too overly concerned for her most trusted attendant. Her mind was on her children, and them alone. Typho placed an assuring hand to her shoulder.

"She'd want us, more than anything else, to get to safety, my Lady." Frankly, all Padmé could do was nod. Her yes hardening and set as she pushed past Threepio who shimmied out of the way. Wordless, she opened the room door set aside for her twin children. Within, the two were nestled together within a single crib. The both of them somehow managing to sleep through the chaos unfolding.

"I'll take both of them. Threepio, take the bag over there. Captain, lead the way." Typho gave a single nod and pointed his blaster toward the main entrance facing the interior of the building.

"We catch the turbolift and head to sub-level thirty. I've maintained a personal bunker there for you." Padmé cocked her brow even as she dipped to cradle Luke into one arm and Leia the other.

"Since when?"

"About the time you had bombs planted onboard your transport yachts, Milady."

"Yeah, good memories." Rare for the Senator, she snorted aloud.

"Alright then. Mommy's got you." Padmé beamed a genuine smile, only partially upset by the battle unfolding, as she peered down upon the twins. Luke having managed to nestle himself further into her chest as Leia fussed only somewhat along her left arm. The anxiety from before having ebbed some, if only partially.

"I'm quite ready, my Lady."

"Alright, let's move!" Typho commanded as Threepio followed in Padmé's hurried, but careful steps. Her mind only then allowing her to flutter onto thoughts of friends, and colleagues. Whether Bail and Mon managed to get to any of the myriad of bunkers spread across Coruscant. The same went for the Chancellor. The same went out, even if he was far off, toward her husband.

"Where are you Ani?" She whispered so low that only her daughter's eyes fluttered open. She only smiled in response. Sadder than before. After all, at her age, her daughter couldn't see that mingled in her mother's eyes. All as the group gathered into the turbolift which rocked and swayed, allowing Padmé's heart another jump. Before they descended down into the bowels of Coruscant. As far away from the war as this world layered in metal now allowed.

(Currently)

The LAAT came in for a landing along a cleared patch of seared metal. Clones ran along the walkway ahead of them as two flanking AT-TE's fired blistering bolts of plasma into the far distance that ruptured the sides of spires beyond and sent scores of droids into the air and careening to the depths. The troopers now held a stable defensive position along the outer pathways of Sector 4. Fordo retained official command of the defensive operation while Master Yoda took a moments rest, and peered upon the Republic gunship as its hatches opened. A wing of accompanying ARC-170's buzzed by as it did so.

From within its confines stepped out Master Windu. His robes burnt and tattered along the lower folds. Behind him several troopers jumped out and one of them directed a mobile floating medical capsule. Within lay Master Ti. Yoda could only wince and sigh, his ears dropping along with his eyes as he made a silent wish through the Force for her recovery.

"Master!" Mace called and neared. Yoda leaned into his gimmer stick as a volley of renewed blaster exchange erupted. Supporting them came a hail of artillery fire that blew another set of chunks out of the walkway.

"I apologize for my state, Master." Mace bowed.

"Apologize, do not. Welcome your safe return, I do." Yoda bowed in kind with earnest a voice.

"Master Ti?"

"She'll make it. Grievous left her bound in shock-chords of some kind. She's also tired, but...she'll pull through."

"Moudama and Corobb, joined with the Force, they have." Yoda stated, not asked. Mace nodded once.

"A dark day, this is."

"Indeed, but we have to keep our priorities on the Chancellor. Any word from Master Sageon or Jill?" Yoda's face tensed once again, and his eyes averted their gaze from Mace. Yoda delved into the Force, and Mace watched him do so. A foreboding entering into his mind as he watched Master Yoda do so.

"Heard nothing, have we. Shrouded, the Force still is. Fear I do, what has become of them."

"They made it inside Grievous' ship?"

"Hmm." Yoda hummed his response, to which Mace understood. The Jedi Master turned to the skies and noted hundreds of fireballs entering the atmosphere. Ground defense turrets firing from around the planet to destroy the incoming debris of notable concern.

"I think we should begin properly mounting a rescue operation for the Chancellor."

"Unwilling to await Master Kenobi, and Knight Skywalker, you are." Again, a statement rather than a question.

"They may be on their way, Master, but we have to keep that fleet in orbit. That requires us to keep the battle engaged. As well to ensure the Chancellor is kept alive. The fact Grievous made the effort to abduct and not kill Palpatine shows they need him alive. For now, at least. We should use this to our advantage." Mace went on, his thoughts and reflections coming to him in the moment as he placed thoughtful hand to chin.

"Devastated, the Home Fleet is. Reinforcements, some time they will take to arrive. Until then, needed where they are, all forces remain."

"We could redirect Master Tiin! I sent him into orbit to take charge of the immediate situation."

"Lost a ship, he did. Boarded and re-purposed an enemy destroyer, he has." Mace gave a satisfied huff.

"We could use that to our advantage then! We-"

"Attacked on all sides, his ship has become. Move to another vessel, I have advised. Crippled, the commandeered ship is." Mace sighed running his hand over his head down his neck.

"Perhaps we could-" Both Jedi paused, both having sensed the approach of Captain Fordo.

"Generals!" The clone commando called, jogging toward them.

"Captain." Mace counter-addressed.

"Apologies, sirs. However, the Separatists have begun transmitting on wide-band. It's bouncing off the planetary HoloNet hub."

"So, they want everyone to see it."

"Correct, General Windu. It's being broadcast for both full video and holo-transmission reception. From General Grievous himself." Without further word, Fordo produced his personal comlink and tuned into one of the main HoloNet channels. The little communication device beeped before producing a figure of Grievous' armored face midway through some speech. Both Jedi shared a concerned glance before turning their attention fully onto the transmission.

The Force shuddering a dark foreboding across all who could feel it.

Though only those searching could truly feel it.

"General, the uplink is complete." Grievous heaved his body forward again and again. The sheered metal plates of his chest cavity scraping against one another as his eyes remained nearly constant slits. Squinted through the spasms he was feeling from his lungs unlike anything before. The last vestiges of his organic self, the parts he clung to were bending under the pressure of this metal coil burdened by the damnable Jedi! However, he would not remain silent, not yet. There was still terror to induce, and he had breath in him still.

"Are the preparations complete elsewhere?" He flew into a vicious gagging cough, but the magnaguard nodded its capsule shaped head in affirmation.

"Then I am ready." Grievous yanked his tattered and utterly ruined cloak, reset now across himself, over his chest to obscure his chassis. He was to be seen by all, not just a select few. It fell to him now to show his power, and his resolve. To exude the might of himself, and his victory.

Two more magnaguards clanked nearby into position. Between them they had corralled the Chancellor forward. A cam droid mounted onto a swivel beeped its readiness to begin. The General slammed his clawed talon onto the ground and pushed his body into a full stand, as rigid as his body would allow, and its spasms of worn gears and torn servos made the task nearly impossible. He raised his left hand and swung it out. The cam droid beeped again and the light stating the uplink was active showed.

He allowed silence to remain for a heavy moment. It dragged out, as he kept those yellow eyes of his boring daggers into the cam droid. He wished all those who saw him now, heard him, to understand the terror of him. From his sight alone, from billions upon billions of miles away he was a looming vision. A hunter without a hunter in kind. An apex predator. Then, and only then did he speak.

"There need be no..." Grievous restrained a cough and it hissed a guttural whine.

"Introductions." He seethed, elongating that word like a serpent slithering its tongue.

"I have launched my attack upon the very heart of this bloated, corrupt Republic! My blows have come as a decimating strike into the heart of the decaying and stagnant beast! Even now, my armada continues to spew forth by the dozens! Were it of true concern or need I could easily enough take this world for the Confederacy! However, I need do no such thing." Grievous began, taking mental note of the possible trillions viewing him now. He swept his left arm out as he gagged back a chest rumbling wretch. The cam droid followed his movement and fell upon the aged face of Palpatine. The Chancellor made no move nor spoke a word.

"The vaunted resolve of the Republic...I have heard time and again of the resolve to win, and to push back against the tide. The tide I spew forth with my armies and my own strength! Here lay the resolve of the Republic, and it is upon MY ship!" Grievous growled both victorious and viciously brooding in manner. The cam droid turned once more to him.

"To obtain my prize, and seal the end of the Republic I was gifted the chance to seize two further trophies from the equally vaunted Jedi Order." The General held up two saber hilts within his right hand. He allowed them to fall to the floor for theatrics, for what was to come.

"Two dead Jedi, small a number as it may be for the equally corrupt institution, but I would have allowed it to end there. Yet, I was delivered two further trophies." Grievous produced two more sabers. Those gained from the fools who had boarded his command vessel.

"The Jedi are so kind to bring me further prey. Even when their leaders claim I am weakened, that I am 'less than combat effective!'" Grievous, careful to not throw his cloak aside from his body, growled.

"As you can see I stand tall, and ready! I am victorious here and now! The Republic dies this day, even if the Republic clings for another hour, another day, a week and hold us here above Coruscant, it was here this day that its death was screamed into the void for all to hear!" Grievous allowed himself, his true wrath to cut loose for a moment, even as he openly gagged on a cough that sent his head jutting forward.

"I am," Grievous raised one bony finger.

"Not without mercy." He intoned with no less amount of venom or menace. Again he swept his arm out, this time his right, still clung to his two saber hilt trophies.

"To you, General Windu, I return your fallen comrades. Rest assured they were gifted a warrior's death." He allowed that sentence to linger heavily upon the air.

"To those who remain loyal to the Republic beyond this hour, I cannot promise the same. The longer my fleet is kept tied to this dying world, the more pain I will reflect back upon you. But please, continue to fight the inevitable." Grievous gave a trademark cackle, and allowed his coughs to resume without care thereafter as he had the feed swept to an exterior of his ship. A lone cam droid loomed in the vacuum of space. Around it the tremendous space battle raged. So small and so innocuous was this droid that none paid it any mind as it loomed near an airlock. What had seemed to be little more than a trash compactor release port really.

The droid remained fixed on it as it opened and with force it ejected two corpses. Master Sageon and Jill. Thrown, as garbage, into space for all the Republic, for all the galaxy to see. Their bodies were followed by the cam droid, as the trajectory of their release would send them slowly, painfully slowly, on a course for Coruscant's atmosphere.

The scene reminded the General, as he gloated from his position within his ship, of that worthless backwater world. When those ugly little creatures cast the heads of their fallen enemies over the walls of that white city. He gagged and laughed all at once as he ordered the Chancellor taken to his hold, and he allowed himself to be escorted, hobbling as he was, to a medical wing.

A new chassis awaited him.

"As we feared, it is." Yoda grumbled lowly, his eyes closing and ears drooping as his heart felt heavy. The Force relenting past the shroud of the dark side, and finally allowing him and Mace to feel the passing of both Sageon and Jill. Mace bore a look of hard Mandalorian steel upon his face. Yoda could feel the Master beside him loosing fold upon fold of anger into the Force. He would've admonished him were it not for the wisdom he showed in letting it go into the Force.

"My condolences, sirs." Fordo added pocketing the comlink.

"My thanks, Captain. Return to your men, you should. Convene with you, we shall. Once plans, if made, are agreed upon."

"As you wish, General." Fordo saluted, grasping to his rifle he swung around and stomped off back to the front line.

"Master Moudama, Sageon, Corobb and Jill. All of them lost, in one battle." Mace intoned, his breaths heavy and sigh-like as he eased his anger from himself.

"Terrible for the Order, this day is. Rejoice, we still should. Joined with the Force, they are."

"A lone and seldom thought, Master." Mace honestly replied, and Yoda appreciated it despite the bitterness he sensed there.

"What are we to do, Master? What is your council?" Mace asked turning to Yoda fully. His face still stony, but genuinely searching his diminutive elder for advice.

"Defend Coruscant, we must. Hold Grievous in orbit, we must. Divided, our forces remain. Recall order, sent it has been."

"You mean to wait for reinforcements."

"Draw us apart, Grievous seeks to do. Rescue attempt mounted from the ground, victorious it may be. Yet, retain the advantage, Grievous does."

"Then we even the field."

"Once thin, his forces are spread, easier it will be to coordinate a rescue." Yoda advised, and Mace could only yield with another sigh and nod.

"Then defend we must. I think-" The platform gave a violent shudder and both Jedi whipped about calling and igniting their sabers.

"Incoming!" A clone howled over the comms. It sent troopers along the walkway into panicked disarray. From above a vulture droid slammed at a blistering speed downward through the walkway where troopers had been. Another fiery explosion ejected metal and smoke outward.

Mace tilted his head up, his face scrunched further into determined observation. Anger was there, but he did as all good Jedi did and released it to the Force.

The skies were dotted with hundreds of vulture droids. All screaming, and all falling rapidly. Suicide missions? Could droids even commit suicide? Was it suicide if ordered by another? All question with no reasonable answer.

AA guns pounded the air and set it alight in black smoke and the same menagerie of blue, red, green and other assorted colors. They fell and sliced through landing platforms, buildings in haphazard an array, and where troop concentrations were notably thick.

"I curse whatever dark corner of his mind gave Grievous this idea." Mace dared to intone aloud.

"Come, defend the city, we must!" Yoda's form turned to a blur as he broke for the walkway, now missing 75% of its mass. Still droids swarmed along this thin sliver of metal towards retreating clones.

That was until a green form with his equally green blade fell upon them and tore them asunder. Joined soon thereafter by a purple beam of light, and the mighty, if subdued, righteous indignation of Master Windu.

This day would turn into a long night. The howls of war, and screams of battle coupled with the whimpers of death and buzzing of metal men sounded out. As the hours dragged only ever further on.

A dark cloak was swept down over the shoulders he wore. Atop the head he counted as his was the cowl that obscured the features of the face he bore. The eyes he wore he had already turned back toward a normal color. Sauron had chosen to make them green. No particular reason, but it was the color that had come to mind when he had come to thinking on their presentation.

He paused himself and turned right. A large window, these sort called it a 'viewport' ran the length of the hallway he found himself. Sauron stepped forward and dully watched the scenes outside. Hours had passed since last he bothered to truly take the sights in. Many of them in fact, but this battle showed no sign of relenting. The day had turned to night, and the sky was alight with fire and beams of 'plasma' erupting from 'turbolaser batteries.' Such words, such names and designations now flashed to mind so many images and thoughts. Both what he had read of them, and those memories the witch retained in her mind.

Sauron watched as a shattering eruption of many blood colored 'bolts' dotted the air in the near distance. 'Vulture' droids spun in circles and flung about themselves and one another as they gave chase to what seemed to be an 'LAAT.' The fat white beast of metal flung into the air was on fire. One of its wings torn clear free of its body as it careened and erupted falling into the core of a spire. One of many that sent debris collapsing far, far down below. This as 'ARC-170s' came into view. Pelting as massive rain droplets against the blood colored ones shone about the sky by the vultures.

The one time, Lord of Mordor, raised the left hand he bore and took in the sight of the ring that hummed there. The golden band, untouched and unblemished gave only a faint shine that sent only a tinge of gold across his features and eyes. Its presence subdued, and the writing upon it faded as he did not impart upon it the heat needed to show its true power and purpose.

He let his hand fall and turned back left down the hallway as he had been before. The battle outside was of little consequence. Even now, after he and the witch had learned of Palpatine's abduction by that metal ghost, the hound Grievous. The witch had been so sure Sauron was wrong in that moment. That indeed this would spell the end of the Republic, but he was quick to remind her of the point he had made prior. No move was made without that man's will. Were he murdered by the ghost then perhaps she would have been correct, but he had not been. What did that say? What would the point of taking the enemy leader hostage be if little would be gained by ransoming him off? This was nothing more than a party trick. A show for someone, though Sauron knew not whom yet.

Hours upon hours he had kept these eyes planted to book, old and fashioned as he knew them, and new in the way of 'holobooks.' He had watched long step by step programs on the construction of materials common throughout these worlds among the stars. He had seen much on the nature of how the body is crafted. The very essence of creation itself brought down to a science, and he had to admit he was jealous. The Secret Fire, it seemed so far away, and yet these scientists, men and women and others of stranger sort, clothed in garbs of white, took 'cells' and toyed with the very heart of nature itself. To create life, to change life, and to end it. It seemed now so simple, and his mind was set upon it. There was much work need doing. Hence he had departed that hold Sidious had gifted to him and the witch. Sauron had walked for sometime, looking for something. Testing the strengths of this body and its connection to the Force. In that too, he had discovered much, but somehow thought it more important to feel the power, rather than think on it.

Hours had passed, though he had only just left the confines of his residence about two hours ago, and had not ceased walking since. Save for the view he had taken in but a moment prior. Sauron had also not heard from the witch in some time. WHich provided him some silence and momentary relief.

"Huh, where are we?" Though clearly that was to come to an end.

"I haven't a clue, witch. I've been walking for some time."

"You mean we left the suite?! It really must be one of those rare miracles unseen in a thousand years!" She mockingly retorted as they conversed within the confines of their shared head.

"On that note did I fall asleep?"

"It would appear so."

"How is that even possible? Ya'know what, never mind. All I'll get out of you are some postulations that'll make me wanna blow a blaster bolt through my skull."

"Needlessly are you dramatic, witch. It is simple. We share body and mind, but as I have told you we are separate even though the same. Your mind requires rest, and so you sleep. I, as I have done tend to your body and my mind is my own."

"Yeah, real simple. It's like multiple personality disorder or whatever those overpaid pill pushers call it, but…not." Ever did this woman have a way with her words.

"Anyways, why are you...we walking now?"

"I have mind to test these powers of yours further."

"So we do that by walking…?"

"No. I have learned much in my time researching. Much in the ways of your galaxy's sciences, and much in the ways of your Force. This battle has presented me opportunity. One I seek not to waste whilst we have it."

"Does it involve killing somebody?"

"If it did would that comfort you?"

"No, just wondering is all." She poorly lied.

"I am beginning to suspect your appetite for killing is compulsive rather than out of any form of necessity."

"Blame yourself!" She snorted.

"You're the one who made me this way."

"I merely showed you more of what you are. We've discussed this, witch."

"Yeah, uh huh." She internally waved him off.

"Alright, so you're testing...things out. May I inquire as to what these 'things' really are? If it has to do with the Force maybe I would know a thing or two of use!"

"I have already utilized what I have sought to understand about the Force. That was the first step. The second is finding my target."

"Wait, what? What target?" Sauron passed through a set of doors that led out from some random building they had been passing through. Once outside the smell of distant fires and pulsating plasma rounds of large and small measure entered their shared nostrils. Echoes of nearby battle coupled with the far away ones, almost dully now, fluttered into their ears. Sauron paused their body and turned the head from left to right, feeling out what he was seeking.

"There is much to learn, and feel concerning about this Force of yours. My mind is abounding with imagining and prospect. Already has a foundation for what must come has been planted. Yet, before I make my steps there, I shall take onto myself initiative to discover the nature of this Force. Both through use of these hands," He raised them before their eyes.

"And through these sciences of the galaxy." Sauron finished looking left and eyed an alleyway that he promptly walked them towards.

"Okay, whatever that means, but uh one quick thing; what did you do to me?!" Sauron paused again when they reached the alley. He turned them right against a wall of metal plates along the spire. Raising his left hand he allowed the ring to glow hotter and brighter, the words upon it shining through as the light bore their reflection upon it.

"It is far more wise a decision I chose a form such as this upon my venture. The silencing of all prying eyes will come swiftly as is needed. Yet, even still the possibility of someone viewing our actions must be undermined by precautions such as these." Before their shared vision was shown a man. His eyes were a dulled green that seemed weathered by age, a feeling more than a reality. Hair, was short and of a brown sort that was parted upon his right and was naturally swung back. His face clean of any blemish, he seemed to be young, mid twenties would be a good guess. A slender look to him, hardly seeming the physique of a warrior or even athletic, just slim. His hands were manly, hair lined his forearm from the very cusp of his wrist up the forearm. Likely what made the witch acutely aware something was off. While he wore a long cloak that made him mostly obscure, across his chest was a simple modern tunic common on Coruscant. Itself dark blue with golden-yellow linings that was matched by dark blue jeans and black boots.

"Okay...can't say I ever saw this happening."

"As I told you before witch, so long as it is within the realm of possibility bound by this mortal coil, I can and shall shape this form we share as needed when needed. I will return it to how it was before, for your own sanity's sake." He spoke aloud that time. The voice he spoke with a generic male one, neither too low nor too high. Eloquent as it seemed, but dull in how muted it was.

"Never thought I'd see the day I would look in a mirror and see a man. Gotta say, I'm unimpressed with myself."

"You shouldn't be. Tis' an unimpressive form for the sake of conspicuous need."

"Now this is a little more fun, gotta admit!" She laughed internally once more as Sauron turned back toward where he had originally been walking.

"Your fun may or may not last. For it is we come upon the object of my will. With this form and this power I shall seek to impose my will."

"Here we are with the grandiose speak again. Pray tell what is 'the object of your will' today?" Sauron stepped out of the alleyway and they came upon another long walkway that was wide enough to accommodate what was probably a massive amount of daytime leg traffic. He stepped forward until he stood upon the far edge, cloak whirling in the high winds about himself. He cast their eyes down and looked there. The sound of blaster fire rung out and he pointed his index finger there.

"That is our target." There stood a Jedi. Two green sabers in their hands. A platoon of clones at their side and a swarm of battle droids opposing them. They exchanged fire and death. Common upon Coruscant this past day.

"The Jedi?! Can't say I'm disappointed! Well, beyond the fact I doubt you'll let me fight…her." The witch deduced.

"You are correct. Alas, it is no fight we enter into here. The confrontation between these men of metal, and white armor is of no concern. My mind is set upon her. Your Force led me to her, and now that I've found her I shall see to it that I make use of this quarry."

"Sounds predatory. Some would say salacious...I like it!" She giggled, and Sauron again paid her no mind. The eyes he wore narrowed upon that Jedi, her sabers spinning and flinging bolt back at a droid that fell back with a whine and thud. Sauron leaned the body down into a kneel, clamping his right hand onto the walkway's edge, and dimming the light of his ring once more. Indeed he was in this moment a predator ready to pounce. He just awaited the moment to do so. When it came, and it did, he would leap into the darkness below, and go to them.

Down the walkway came stomping their metallic feet at least seven B2 battle droids. Flanking them on either side were maybe a dozen or so B1 battle droids. Around this entire grouping were metal scraps, shards, debris of their fallen 'compatriots.' Opposing them stood her team. A contingent of clone troopers numbering seventeen. Their Captain was prone along the ground using upward sheered metal as his cover from which he loosed bursts of bolts that dropped droid after droid, or at least singed the B2's. His own companions were hunkered around similarly upturned and torn metal for covering positions, or the bolder ones, stood opposite the droids to the rear of the walkway firing rapid spray from mounted turrets that offered just the faintest metal covers.

She on the other hand was more direct. A slight smile upon her face as she dashed forward once more. Her green saber tips dancing off and onto the metal below leaving faint singes as she ran with speeds unnatural to all but those who could feel and utilize the Force. She gave a cry and leapt upwards her sabers spun up into a downward thrust, and she fell. One saber bore through the heart of a B2's chassis and her second to her left cleaved through two of the B1's that gave whirring robotic cries as they fell. The B2 beneath her had fallen and she rose up dancing into a circle that sent incoming bolts careening off into the distance. She spun a full circle and dashed out spreading arms from herself and tearing through one B2 and singing another that gave a guttural sort of robotic sound and swiped at her with its heavy metal forearm. Missing as she ducked under and swept around, cleaving it in a horizontal slash.

She pulled herself back up and slashed both sabers side to side from up left down right tossing another set of bolts away and tearing down another droid. Followed by a line of bolts blasted into the B2 behind her target and it fell back in a metal slump.

"General, grenade!" The Captain called and wordless, she kicked herself into a backward flip using the Force to do so. A grenade, as warned flew beneath her and she used just the barest nudge of the Force to toss it further ahead. She landed onto one knee, easily and safely. She looked up in time to see the explosion ripple out and throw the droids left and right. The ones still functional falling into Coruscant's abyss. Likely not to be found for decades...if at all. The smoke cleared and all that was left in the wake of the blast was more upturned and torn metal walkway and the leftovers of destroyed droids.

"A small group, General."

"No less in need of decommissioning, Captain."

"Too right, ma'am." The clone replied. Serra deactivated her humming blades and turned to see the other clones giving their sectors another once-over, but she felt herself ease as the Force did so before her. Giving her, and the men a moment to breathe. It allowed her to turn to the distance and see the Jedi Temple. So far, as she was aware, untouched by the battle, and rising as a pillar of strength into the night littered with warfare. Speaking of which, she grasped at her comlink and set the channel to dial out. It beeped once, twice, and then sprang to life.

"Serra, what's your situation looking like?"

"All is well, Master Drallig. I've just cleared uh...walkway 3224…no wait, 3228 of enemy resistance. Residential module, so enemy numbers are low. They don't seem too concerned with entering the buildings. On my end at least."

"A common sight. With the abduction of the Chancellor, it appears Grievous hasn't changed the droids standing orders concerning ground operations on Coruscant. Regardless, until the situation in orbit changes we still need the streets as cleared in the government sector as possible."

"Of course, Master. I'll move my contingent to the secondary level. I think Master Master Koth reported an influx of buzzdroids being escorted by a few hundred droids down there. They're probably trying to wreak havoc on all the wiring interconnected between the buildings."

"Very good. Report back in one standard hour, if possible, my old padawan." She smirked to this.

"Yes, Master. Keto out." Serra ended their call, her Captain having taken to tending a small burn wound on one of his men to her left. Serra took a glance over her shoulder to see the other men checking their equipment and tending to other, luckily as benign wounds they had across themselves.

She allowed herself a moment to close her blue eyes and take a moment to breathe again. Her eyes felt heavy, a whole day of fighting would do that to you. However, she took in a long gulp of air and allowed the Force to flow through her, revitalizing her weary muscles, tendons, everything.

"Alright, Captain did you hear my conversation?"

"Indeed General, I think we can access the lower levels through-"

"Contact!" One man to the rear cried as he aimed his blaster down back the way the droids had been. Serra activated both sabers and twisted herself into battle ready position. The men all raised rifles along with the Captain who turned even whilst still kneeling. However, Serra felt her brows furrow in confusion. Her heart rate for some unknown reason, even to herself rising as she looked and saw a lone figure standing there. No droid, at least it didn't appear so. It had to of been the adrenaline still circulating in her.

Regardless it seemed to be a man, but his face was nearly...coated it seemed in darkness. A cloak they wore, not unlike a Jedi's fluttered in the high winds of Coruscant's spires. Serra reached into the Force and gave the faintest of probes, and indeed sensed life, not machine, but life from this being. Yet, she felt nothing else. Their presence was all she felt, and she had not sensed their approach as they stood motionless dead center the walkway now. She didn't need the Force to feel on edge, and so she did not deactivate her sabers. Her face, lit in their glow, turned hardened.

"Civilian!" The Captain called raising his balled fist to the air.

"One can never be to sure, Captain." She whispered just low enough for him to hear. He cast her a glance, but said nothing, instead keeping his blaster primed and at the ready as he rose to a stand. The figure did not move and had not yet spoken a word.

"Hello! Are you alright?!" The Captain called. The figure still did not move, but did tilt their head a bit more upwards and into the light of Coruscant's two glinting moons. It was a human man, or at least a near-human. He seemed somewhat gaunt, but otherwise unremarkable, but his face betrayed little emotion as his eyes bore into Serra, and she felt her hair stand on end. The Force rippling with...something, but it hadn't felt of any worry or concern just yet.

"Identify yourself!" The Captain now barked, and Serra took a step forward.

"If you need escort to a bunker or...something you best tell us now!" She added aloud. For a moment Serra considered if the man was perchance...mute? Or perhaps deaf? It irked her, but something was off, she knew it. She wasn't an idiot. Serra loosed a small bit of the Force, raising her left hands fingers from the hilt she held and it fluttered over the man's cowl dropping it to show more of their face and dark hair. The man turned their eyes up and numbly noted the loss of their cloak before returning to Serra.

"Such a fascinating power, the Force. Such a thing, too long has been kept secret to me. However," The man spoke eloquently, matter-of-factly, almost lordly in mannerism as he took a lone step forward.

"Now I see it, and now I wield it." Serra didn't need another word to know this being was now a threat. Maybe a delusional loon, but even they had their own dangers.

"Captain!"

"Aye, General!" The men returned their blasters up high and aimed down their sights. The unknown figure observed the clones then and his eyes seemed almost amused. Though it was not an amusement of mirth. In fact, as she gazed there she gained a sense of bemusement rather than amusement. Why was she shaking? Why was her hair still on end, and throat growing dry? She pulled the Force a bit more around her to ease this unwelcome sensational trip she was on. Sudden as it was.

"Men born of tubes. The first of whom to come born of the womb." The being held a glimmer, a glint of mirth now returned into their eyes as he raised his right hand.

"I cast you all, to your doom."

"Open fi-" Serra jumped as the man had but waved his hand lazily. She didn't know why...not at first. The Force gave a sudden lurch, and death permeated it. She glanced right, a shaky breath, and she didn't know why it shook, escaped her. The clones, all of them fell over dead. Their heads...they were all twisted. All of them to their backs, and she could only turn back to see the man lower his hand.

So...fast. So incredibly fast and sudden in their execution of power, and cruelty. Those seventeen men snuffed out with a lazy swing of the hand?! Who was this man, this thing? Her body was rigid in worry, in concern. Another shiver rippled there and her nostrils flared in a controlled bout of disgusted anger that she quickly released back into the Force. Even as she raised her sabers pointedly toward the man. The threat.

"Dark Jedi or Sith? Doesn't really matter I suppose. You're all disgusting in your cruelty." Why had her voice shaken so much? Why were her hands jittery? What was wrong?!

"Indeed it does not matter. These titles, trivial as they may be bare no power nor purpose unto me. To you, 'Jedi' holds worth. Yet, to me, you are but a woman. That which you have access to, by way of blood and by way of this binding power that flows into and out of all things that alone is what interests me. Countless are your number as I have seen in the mind of another, and through the eyes of the flesh I bear. It is your unhappy fortune to be nearest to me in my time of learning, and these you will find to be little comfort." The man again raised his left hand simply pointed to her sabers.

"We...we'll see about that!" Serra pulled the Force into her, and she felt her resolve stiffen and her muscles tensed.

"If it's a fight you've come for, then one you shall receive! I don't know what hole Dooku pulled you from, but let's try and send you back!" Serra dove into another Force aided run toward the man. She made ready to give an inward X slash as she approached, and pulled the Force into her, around her, and she felt the light guide her. She neared and swung her fatal attack. her intent to put an end to that which had so suddenly and unfeelingly taken the lives of seventeen before her very eyes. Yet, her body gave a lurch, her breath huffed from her lungs and she felt herself go stiff…go cold.

She was indeed frozen, her arms stuck in their motion to slash in and decapitate this man. She only then questioned herself if what she was doing had been right? He was defenseless, but those who used the Force were always hard to exactly call as such. Yet, such a question was moot. He had not raised any hand or did anything to stop her, but she felt the Force binding her in place. Her feet just off the ground as she had been plucked into the air, and her arms held outstretched ready to strike.

"'Fight?'" The man repeated with almost confused a look to him as he tilted his head upwards. A lordly and demeaning posture.

"There is no fight. I have not come here to quarrel with you in this way. I have come to collect you."

"Wha...what?!" She hissed trying to pull her arms either forward or backward.

"Quiet now. I have wasted enough time and breath upon you." The man placed his right index finger to her forehead, and all fear finally left her. As darkness swiftly took her.

"Now I know I could have done that, but not so easily as you did! To snap so many necks like that! Such a thing takes time and learning to do, and let me tell you 'test necks' are not usually readily available!" The witch giggled within their mind. Sauron chose not to respond to her as he watched the woman before them slouch in midair, her 'lightsaber' hilts falling from her hands to the ground with clangs and clanks of metal. He released her from the bind he had caught her in with but a thought and she fell forward to which he caught her and quickly thereafter placed her to the cold ground beneath them.

"When you said we weren't coming to a fight, I didn't know we were coming to a massacre! Though I am a bit curious. What are we gonna do with this uh...body here?"

"She shall sleep now. I will require quiet and uninterrupted a domain to place her in." Sauron informed calling those two fallen sabers to his hand. He held them aloft and before his eyes.

"I do say, Grievous would be quite jealous at how quickly we've gained these trophies. The poor General has to fight tooth and nail to get each one of his toys."

"That ghost has merit." Was all Sauron said as he clasped the two blades of light to his wast strap. With strength unexpected of the form he bore, he used the Force to pull the woman back up and threw her over his left shoulder and without so much as a slouch let her fall and grasped his arm around her thighs.

"Hmm, well anyways, I still haven't gotten an answer as to what is gonna happen to little Serra Keto here."

"You know of her?" Sauron asked, and as he did, her thoughts suddenly flashed into his mind.

"Don't you have access to my mind?"

"Indeed I do, witch. I do not sift through all your mind and memory upon every waking moment. Into my own mind enters knowledge of vast and plenty from beyond what you know. Especially of late. Now that you speak it to me I have once more seen your mind."

"Oh good, because I find info dumps irritating. Regardless I know a certain Cin Drallig who'll be out an old padawan! Another pampered Jedi schutta." Her voice inwards gave a horrific seethe, and a bitterness of bile and utter contempt crawled across their mind and Sauron perceived a hunger for destruction gnaw away at the witch.

"To your question, she shall be made use of. I seek to test the reliability of these sciences I have been awakened to. She is a 'test subject.' I care little for who she is, only what she is. A wielder of the Force, and I have no desire to test our body in these coming ways."

"Science projects?! Ugh..." The witch scoffed.

"Well there's no helping it now I guess. Still!" She beamed inwardly. As was her sudden swings of mood and manner.

"I do hope the tests will be invasive! Painful?"

"Likely."

"Then I'll manage!" Again she laughed in crazed a manner so it seemed.

"Alright so, I know I know, you're all knowing and mind reading, but I think the Works district has enough abandoned buildings and factories to hide one lonesome Jedi. You should see it soo-"

"Indeed." Sauron answered and cut her off.

"It is in this district that Sidious placed us. From where I left. I do not intend to return to the same building, but indeed that region seems devoid of much life."

"So long as you're not a lower-city dweller that sucks in fumes all day. Or, one of the industrial worker droids...do they still use droids? Well, whatever." The witch mused.

"Uh, please tell me you do not intend to walk all the way there."

"Indeed not. You shall see to our timely arrival."

"Me?" Sauron rounded a corner from where he had been walking and from where the clones had once been, and paused.

"You, witch." Before them stood silent, a lone LAAT, devoid of life.

"Can't you see how to drive one of these?"

"Comprehending two upon two equates to four does not inherently mean one understand why it does. I see how you drive this 'vehicle,' but I am untested in its workings and mechanisms. It will require time I have yet to spare."

"Alright, fair I guess." Sauron entered the hold, and dropped the fallen Serra Keto to the ground, before Vica took control of their body.

"This feels weird." She looked down at 'her' own body. She then patted her chest, her stomach, her waist…further down...

"Very...very...VERY weird."

"Then let us complete our task quickly, witch." Sauron replied having taken the witch's place within their mind. She gave a sneer and moved to the cockpit.

"You are far too thorough." She intoned before priming the gunship and quickly thereafter lifting off. Their destination, the Works.

The day had gone by him and he had honestly paid it little mind. The scourge of this war had made its face revealed upon the capitol of the Republic at last. Perchance it would awaken the Order to the travesties that had been allowed to fester within? Doubtful. So it is he was committed to do what needed doing in the quiet of the insanity set down by the conflict. The Temple was all but emptied, in its quiet he found an ominous echo of silence. Yet, the Temple would often feel empty, or hollow in these last few years, and it made his heart heavy. The Temple and the Code, even when his fellow Jedi had failed him they had not, and he would defend them until his last breath if need be. Such is why he was doing as he was.

Kolvori found himself within the dark. The archives of the Jedi Order were known for their light. Blue hued holo-books lined the walls, and the hum of computers gave the room a life unto itself, however, he was not really in that section of the archives. Truly this place of learning of knowledge and most assuredly full of power and words that could lead many Jedi astray, was open to all. Yet, some of it was not, and it was to these places he now sought further, and greater knowledge. He had heard whispers. Jedi were being recalled by the High Council. Something was happening, and Kolvori had felt the Force whisper to him it had to do with his investigation. His mission.

Had they taken his word, and his knowledge at last? Had they sought to unmask those Jedi who were nothing less than heretical in their actions? He certainly wished upon the Force such was true. However, until he heard anymore on the matter, he would collect the data needed, and find that information needed. Whether it be hidden under rock, around any and every dark corner. To find those who would commit the Order to rot. The tragedy of these years, the sowing of the seeds of failure within the Order.

"People often think," Kolvori spoke to himself as he pushed a cable jack into a port that had once been hidden behind a now removed wall panel.

"The fall of a nation, a people, a culture must have come from weakness against an external force." He continued whispering in low and sardonic a voice as a datapad he clutched sprung to life casting himself in its blue hue.

"When the truth is, weakness comes from within. Weakness of spirit, of sight, of view and of commitment to ideals. So it is, and so it shall ever be." He continued on, proselytizing his ideals into the cold empty room around him.

"It is that Xendor found teachings beyond him and the Jedi did not put an end to his heresy early enough. He and his ilk metastasized, and the First Great Schism was had." Across his screen came a flood of denial responses to probes he was now sending into the Jedi archives. His datapad continued to test the internal firewalls of so vast a library of knowledge. Especially against those documents and information hidden from himself and those deigned unnecessary to know. That seemed to encompass many among the Order's rank and file.

"The fall of the Legions of Lettow then led to the eventual rise of the Second Great Schism. A Schism brought about by a cabal of Jedi who did not temper their lust for power and greed for wicked knowledge within the Force and fell into the dark. Whose legacy is felt till this day, over six thousand years later. Had the rot been found, had those who schemed been brought into the light then they would have been brought low! It is our fate that this did not happen. We sought to blind ourselves in the darkness of naivety, and it has cost us many. The galaxy, billions upon billions." He felt his nostrils flare but Kolvori closed his eyes, loosening the tremor of anger into the Force.

The datapad showed a subroutine within the Jedi archives. He paused the data stream and accessed it. An old, and he meant old, pathway inside of the archives made during the time of a Jedi by the name of 'Vrook Lamar.' Kolvori noted the name, and thanked whomever this Jedi was for creating such an old and seemingly well hidden backdoor into the council's archives. Kolvori felt the smallest shame travel through him. Especially as the shifting of pipes and the easing of the metal walls around him caused a creak that, despite himself, caused the man to jump.

He was sure he had not been the first Jedi to seek to gain the knowledge of the High Council. However, he doubted so many in the past were awarded an opportunity as this. The Order in uproar and chaos surrounding them as those who could were spread across the planet, if they were not already across the galaxy. Fighting droids, machines of war on two metal legs. He knew not, where Master Nu was, but he was glad to her absence. To the lack of diligence where he now quietly crept.

Moreover, the Council suffered from a common error. One that Kolvori allowed himself to shake his head at with the faintest tinge of mirth crossing his features. More towards the sheer ridiculousness of it. He thanked a simple IT security holo-book he had rented from this very library for informing him of simple truths. Security, in any system or industry especially of the technical sort would, with time, grow to become lazier. Surely the war had made security more important, but the Order had become so assured of their control within the Temple, that Kolvori knew them to have become lax. Were an actual team of Jedi well versed, well informed and well trained in the simple arts of programming, coding and security of the computerized sort, given task to rummage about this system they would have surely found errors and backdoors in need of clearing. Alas, they had not, and likely would not for a long time to come. The rot within the Order was not within their treatment and view of the Code alone. It extended to their manner when it came to security. The sure signs of a decaying ideal and organization, a lack of respect for even the most basic of aspects and security. He loosed a scoff of breath from between his lips as he ran a brute force protocol along this ancient backdoor, compliments of Master Lamar.

"My zeal shall not lead to my fall." Kolvori spoke almost mantra like.

"A desire for restoration of what you care for does not mean a loss of self. Even in my acts that fly in the face of the declarations and will of those above me, I must act as vanguard." He whispered, his eyes hardening in a familiar sense of duty that had long since begun to fester inside of him. His eyes falling upon a list. His eyes immediately then widened and heart quickened as he wondered if he had found it!

"No matter your rank within this thing, our Order, it is a solemn duty to act as protector, vanguard and defender of the ideals you are inducted into. To acquiesce this duty is a failure from within. It is weakness, and it contributes to the rot. I shall not be the rot, but the antibody." Even alone he felt self initiated goosebumps travel up his spine onto the back of his neck, cascading down his arms, and he shivered at the sense of righteousness.

"To the Jedi Order I am committed, and to the preservation of the Light." He smiled broadly as his face became illuminated by more words.

"This hour the Force is my ally!" Kolvori gave a single laugh. It was, however, very quickly swept aside, with a renewed dissatisfaction. The names listed here within the High Council's deeply hidden special archives lay a list of Jedi who had vanished from the Order during the course of the pre-war and war time periods. Not unremarkable, in fact such a list was available to all Jedi. This one, however, was a list containing a nuanced sum of these names. Names of Jedi supposedly lost, but whom the Council had reason to believe still alive. Their reasons for vanishing a sorted selection. Some perhaps taken captive by the Separatists, to those he cast his thoughts into the Force. Others though their reasons were listed as 'unknown.' Those who had vanished and the Council knew well enough the chance their vanishings were self initiated, and heretical to the Order itself! Would they, and could they stand by so idly while they let these men and women who vowed to the protection of the Republic, but better still, more importantly still, to the Order, go free?! Free of charge, repercussion? Blasted all, free of official revocation of their Jedi status?!

"I shall not take this matter into my own hands...just yet." He assured himself as he loosed more anger into the Force and felt the calming passivity sooth him again. He copied the archive files quickly, and was sure to create a new backdoor entry for himself through long dead Master Lamar's. Pulling the jack free, Kolvori pocketed his datapad and returned the wall panel into place as quietly as he could. Stepping back he appreciated it and ensured it seemed as it was before his coming here.

He made quick exit from the room and out into the main hallway that had led to the Jedi Archives. As he did so a small cleaning droid wiping away at the floors bumped his knees, and he stepped aside with a mild chuckle. Watching it enter the room he had just left. A simple cleaning droid service closet. The hall was as empty as before he had come, and he patted his robes as he turned and made for his room.

He had not been called up to fight. Instead he was instructed by comlink relay to attend to the defense of the Temple. Inherently placing him under the direct control of Master Drallig. However, the Master merely ordered him to commit to security rounds, and had done so expertly thrice already. So, he picked his datapad up and reactivated it for just another moments glance.

Some of these names he knew already from his own...research. However, he found a file amongst the names that read a planet's name rather than a persons.

"Talus." Kolvori hummed the name thoughtfully and accessed it. Within lay a post-mission report from some nameless and faceless Republic General about an incident. Something had happened, two Jedi were missing but no bodies found. His brow narrowed and he probed the Force for validation to their deaths. It gave him none. Not a smoking slug-thrower in and of itself, but he felt his suspicions spring to life. He skimmed down to find the names of the Jedi lost.

"Mallie, no surname, and Kento Marek." Kolvori silenced the datapad and felt his walk become more pronounced, heavy and invigorated.

"Contributors to the rot. The lot of them." He promised to repent his words if proven in error.

He doubted he would be though.

The whirs and beeps of the room filtered in through his audioreceptors. Grievous' golden eyes opened up and he was assaulted by the blinding white of the room they had taken him to. Immediately upon awakening he loosed a thrumming growl and swiped his left arm out knocking away one of the repair droids that had been working on him. Grievous came to a sitting position and peered down across his chest and saw his new chassis. More open, more accessible than he would have liked, but this model was the standard gifted to him as of late.

He pulled his right hand up and twirled his fingers outward and back into a balled fist. He did the same to his left and the bone white prongs seemed well in working order. Grievous was ready to leave this room, even as the droids around him seemed to be making ready to dive into some lecture until it hit him. A horrid cough wracked him again and the General jumped from the table and to the floor. His right hand clutched the cold steel where his neck would have been. The general gagged and coughed over and over, four, five, six times. Until he swiveled his head and forced a last and final rasp that was laced in the sound of what seemed like phlegm. Was that real? He didn't know, but it made his eyes narrow and a sudden renewed rage shake his chassis.

"What is this?!" He demanded jumping back to a stand and digging his claws into the simple repair droid that still bore a welding torch along its arm.

"My cough is..." He gagged out another two heavy breaths of it and shook in wrath.

"It is as it was!" The droid's central eye focused on Grievous.

"Apologies, General." It's voice sickeningly unconcerned as it was mechanically monotone.

"Your organic sac was perforated by several embedded pieces of your old metal chassis. Damage, though minor upon first review, was committed to your right lung. Upon secondary inspection a portion of the solvent flooded both the inferior and middle lobe. I have taken the necessary measures of inducing your lungs to expel all unnecessary fluid, but not only does the lung require some time to heal, as I have added a bacta infusion. It will also need to expel the fluid remnants in a natural manner." Grievous threw the droid back and it slammed to the far wall with a crash, but seemed otherwise unbroken.

"'Natural?!' Natural!" Grievous howled coming to a full imposing stand.

"Yes, General. Or, a lung transplant. However, we haven't the means to commit to such an action here on-"

"Shut up!" Grievous warned and fell into another offsetting coughing fit that saw him cling to the table.

"My things!" Another droid, this one a protocol, waddled over and presented his cloak and sabers he kept on hand. He snatched them and threw the robe around himself clasping the magnetic pin to his chest-plate. He stomped, not another word, toward the door which swung open and revealed a hallway to him. On either side of the doorway awaited one of his guards, and opposite them two more guards.

"I am back to full strength." Grievous assured, more to himself, in his greeting.

"What has become of the Republic fleet?"

"Much." Grievous paused. He had asked his guards, but the voice that responded to him was familiar. Deep, strong, cold and invigorating when it needed be. His internal gears whirred as he gazed left and down the hall stood the Count in full regalia.

"Dooku." Grievous bowed at the hip as the old human approached.

"General. It would appear much has happened since our last meeting." Dooku chuckled knowingly.

"Indeed." Grievous gagged another hoarse cough, but said nothing of it. Even as his eyes narrowed casting his wrath inward.

"I have completed my task as ordered!"

"Yes, we all saw your transmission. Lord Sidious was pleased with your theatrics. Four Jedi in one day? Your reputation precedes you, my friend." Dooku praised him and filled the General with a sense of pride in himself. He cackled as he and Dooku began moving down the hall at the old man's silent beckoning. Grievous rummaged through his cloak and produced the saber of the old man he had shot out the airlock some hours ago.

"These pathetic Jedi stand no chance! They merely must accept the inevitable and our victory will be complete!"

"What is the inevitable, General?"

"They need to release us from their pathetic gravity wells! The Chancellor is lost, their Jedi cannot breach our defenses, and their fleet lay in tatters! Even if they can breach they cannot defeat me. Let alone the both of us, my Lord." Grievous bowed his head as he pocketed the saber again and kept at Dooku's side. The sounds of battle and the thrum of the ships shields taking hits or sending back turbolaser fire rocked the hallway. The present and persistent clang of the guards behind them also trailed as an echo.

"Ah...yes the retreat. We would do well to pound the enemy fleet into submission, General. I...did not anticipate such a presence to still be viable upon my arrival in system."

"They struggle even when they have no hope of victory! Their Jedi push them to keep fighting even in the face of absolute defeat, my Lord."

"Well your fleet is many times larger. However, with the loss of our jamming capacity reinforcements will surely arrive any moment now." Dooku portended simply.

"Yes..." Grievous paused in thought. His eyes darting around as he did so.

"Even still. The Republic will only have capacity to recall their battered forces from beyond the Rim. They will take two days at quickest hyperspace jump speeds. Their capacity for war has been crippled. Sadly in my absence, so it would have seemed."

"You were gone for over a year, General." Dooku reminded as the two of them entered into a seemingly random room. Within was found a sort of secondary systems control station. Several B1 droids of engineering colors were at the helms of their computers and ensuring the secondary systems of the ship were being maintained from their secondary location. To the far end of the room was an observation deck. Nothing like the bridge's, but a small one, with two steps leading up to it, and a sliding metal hatch. Upon their nearing it began to pull back along the outside of the ship revealing the battle to them. Their immediate vision showing Grievous' ship, the Phantom Fist, flanked by two distant lucrehulks and at least a dozen forward munificents. Themselves firing on all forward batteries against five Republic warships. One of which was in two and decaying into Coruscant's atmosphere.

"Hmm." Dooku hummed after their momentary silence. Both beings coming to a stop upon the observation deck.

"The smart thing would certainly be to anticipate all possibilities, General. If we cannot escape the Republic before a substantial relief force arrives to reinforce them, we will do well to expect a rescue attempt."

"They tried it already."

"Yes, but one so that I think will be less...heat of the moment."

"What do you suggest?" Grievous asked.

"Nothing too fanciful, General. I shall take up residence alongside the Chancellor. Should our enemies come for him, and should our droids make themselves incapable of stopping the Republic...the Jedi I will tend to them myself." Grievous was thoughtful for a moment. Wondering if he should complain. Wondering if he should state aloud his wish to tend to any interlopers himself. However, his eyes in the end turned downward and he bowed once more. Sweeping his hand under his chest as he did so.

"As you wish, Count." Dooku nodded.

"Wonderful. We should perhaps-" The computers behind them began whining out and crying along several monitors. Unused to speaking aloud to one another, unless needed because of an organic officer's presence, the droids simply began snapping their clunky metal hands across the screens.

"Status report!" Grievous commanded.

"Incoming hyperspace ping signatures, General."

"Where?!"

"Along expected reversion points, sir."

"The Republic!" Grievous growled. His mind racing. How could they have...oh...well assuredly these reinforcements must be scraps sent form other Core worlds and systems.

"Are the mass-shadow mines set?!"

"Along all common reversion points, yes sir!" The droid responded from its console, its cone-like head turning to him and then back to the monitor.

"Well then, whatever token task force the Republic has foolishly called up will be in sorrier a state than the dregs of their Home Fleet then!"

"Bring these points up on deck, if you would be so kind." Dooku ordered and the droid did so. A holographic projection materializing before Grievous and the Count in front of the observation window. Soon the holograms managed to adjust and turned to full colorized projections from remote scan droids and beacons.

"Ah! A light show." Grievous cackled, which fell into a whining cough made all the more raspy by the whir of his servos. Both sought to ignore the outburst as they plastered eyes to screen.

"Incoming in five, four, three..." on the screen a mine erupted and out from the void a venator-class warship was pulled out of hyperspace and exploded into a series of ruptures along its hull.

"HAH!" Grievous laughed aloud, triumphant in his mirth.

"The fools!" Dooku remained silent as a second mine detonated pulling out of hyperspace early, two more venators. One suffered a similar fate to the first and its command deck was eviscerated as a cascading rupture caused by the vacuum of space tore down the command deck across the forward half of the ship. The second ship suffered damages and already showed fires along multiple decks, but its guns opened fire on the defensive screen of ships Grievous had plotted to leave behind at said reversion points. Their numbers in the hundreds.

Upon another screen a set of mines exploded and multiple acclamators and venators were torn from hyperspace and shredded to massive debris fields. Along a third screen another venator was careened from hyperspace and its hull was made slanted. Causing it to crash hull first into a nearby providence-class. Both vessels erupted in a rainbow of bursting colors that sent ripples around the nearby ships and sent a cloud of debris tumbling in all directions of space. A pathetic loss for Grievous, but one ship among thousands meant nothing.

"Reversion pings climbing." The droid from before noted.

"What do you mean?!" Grievous called over shoulder. The first screen the erupted in a series of shocks and booms as dozens of mines began exploding destroying or battering a stream of Republic ships. A dozen, two dozen...three...four...five...six…seven.

"WHAT?!" Grievous howled turning to the second screen and much the same was showed as dozens of ships, mirroring what he had done about a standard galactic day prior began to unfold. Then the third showed the same.

"How many ships are reverting?!"

"Sensors count two hundred, General. Climbing...three hundred."

"Secondary ping reversions noted to the rear of planet's atmosphere. Four hundred ships incoming."

"All reversion units are to engage! I want this fleet pinned down!" Grievous howled, his mind racing, his anger unbearable as a drum beating in his head.

"Where did this fleet come from?! The Republic has no such capacity for reinforcements! Not this deep into the Core!"

"It would appear otherwise, General." Dooku, ever calm, intuited. To Grievous, the old man almost sounded as if he had expected this. No, no that was stupid. Where though...how?!

"Have a third of the Second Advance Flotilla break off from their orbital engagement! Pull them around onto this fleet!"

"Aye, General." One of the droids relayed the command to the upper bridge of the ship, which was then relayed thereafter.

"This makes no sense! I wou-" Grievous fell into a labored fit, one that caused Dooku to cast him a sideways glance, but the Count made no move to involve himself even as Grievous slanted to his right and his hands flung in to his chest in contraction.

"You overburden yourself, General."

"These..." He gagged into another fit, and growled between the gasps of breath he needed.

As he did so Dooku watched the screens. Watched the flood of Republic warships come into the system, and reignite this battle anew. Dozens of Confederacy vessels broke away and joined the screen set up by Grievous. The flash of lights, the stream of fighters and bombers were exchanged as swarms against both sides. All as upon the main screen, come as a looming mass that shadowed even the venators beneath it came to view a ship Dooku had...heard rumor of but never seen. Until now.

The General managed to control himself and gazed upwards. His eyes narrowing. A mixture of pain from his gagging coughs and rage from what he was seeing mingled with a sort of uncertainty.

"What is that?!" The General demanded.

"It would seem to be a new ship." Was all Dooku mused.

As the two gazed upon an imperial-class stardestroyer. Its green turbolaser fire pounding there into an unprepared recusant.

She would soon explode in a fiery display of might, and of power.

L's Note: Any and all grammar issues you see that I don't get to in the next day or two (upon posting this) either ignore or let me know and I'll fix! I have gone through it, but I'm tired and Lord Kun has a terrible writing schedule, lol. Regardless, to those reading, things are getting juicy!

Also, Lord Kun wanted me to say a few things.

1.) Glad to see you back Wandering Scion! Lord Kun and I both thank you for your support and review. (Goes to all reviewers by the by.)

2.) 101Asa, thanks for letting me, ergo, Lord Kun know what you think! He's always trying to fix old errors, so he wanted me to apologize to you for his early chapter in the Arda Campaign. (He's too worried about those in my opinion, but what are you gonna do?) Glad to have you aboard the Crossover train!

3.) To Black direwolf. Lord Kun congratulates you on guessing a member of the delegation before he revealed it. XD He told me to tell you that he hopes he doesn't disappoint in what he does with her. Of which I have nothing to say. :) Oh and he also has taken your complaints on Gimli to heart and will see what he can do to maybe rectify this perception of the character.

Anyways, Lord Kun and I always appreciate reviews guys! Hopefully ya'll like this chapter. Again I, L, will update this sucker maybe later today/night but I feel close to passing out as I type this so we'll see! Pardon all my errors and those of Kun until then. :)

-L

Edit Note: Edited/Updated 9/25/2019