Notes: Yo, here's an update. Recently I re-read this story and decided to abandon it would be a bit of a waste really. I have a clear and unusual idea as to where this story's going.
In case anyone who originally read this story is reading it now, I apologize for the lack of updates. My temporary disillusionment with the Star Wars franchise was probably the main reason. But hey, I finally realized that Star Wars can be whatever you make of it. Fanfiction is a good way to see how you might like for it to have played out.
Also, I'm aware that this chapter is short and somewhat, well, poor. Certainly the first half. But I'll update regularly now and get this story done.
But again: big apologies, and if you get chance, please read and review. Many thanks.
Battle raged on the bleak plains of Cosko. Grievous had unleashed the full might of his droid army against the invading Republic forces. For hundreds of miles around, war was waged on a vast scale the level of which was unknown to this area of the galaxy.
Platoons of clone troopers gunned down hundreds of battle droids and super battle droids, blazing away with heavy weaponry to obliterate even the deadly droidekas, only to be wiped out by a squadron of AAT and Corporate Alliance tanks. Battle droids swarmed over clone defences, blazing away with blasters, while fighters and cruisers warred overhead, lighting the grim sky with flashes of cyan, green and crimson.
Missiles screamed through the air, fired by both sides. Clones and droids were wiped out, only to be replaced by thousands more streaming from the reserve ranks. Mayhem engulfed the battle.
Through one chaotic storm of a conflict in a bleak ravine, Jedi Knight Aayla Secura sped towards the enemy droids. Behind her the clones were opening fire, and she relied on the Force to avoid the lasers skimming past her. In front of her, the mechanized CIS forces unleashed their wrath, and she was hard pressed to avoid them too.
Soon she was within one hundred meters of the droids, and she leapt through the heavy air, flipping forward once to avoid a barrage of shots. She landed in the midst of the robots and was slashing before she even hit the floor, weaving her saber in elegant arcs and slicing up the enemy in showers of sparks and shards of metal.
With a Jedi in amongst their ranks, the closest droids had little choice but to open fire on her. She took advantage of their fire, deflecting it back at them and dodging nimbly so they only ended up hitting each other. Her body was tired and aching but the Force gave her energy and speed.
The clones bombarded droids around her, shattering them and reducing them to scraps with heavy artillery. ARC troopers leapt down from a Republic Gunship swooping overhead, firing with unusual weapons as they zipped down support cords.
The next hour was a blur of fire, explosions, screams, gunfire and the crash of metal. At last the remaining droids limped away from the canyon, tanks belching smoke, pursued by Republic vehicles. Commander Bly approached Aayla Secura as she bisected a droideka that's shield had lost its energy.
"General Secura, we have destroyed this force. What are your orders?"
Aayla breathed hard, sweat on her brow, "Head east and engage the army there. They're positioned to ambush Master Windu's forces. We must stop them".
The battle was horrific for Aayla. She was most at home in the Jedi Temple, meditating and being at one with the Force, not slashing down machine monstrosities. There was no excitement in it for her as some Jedi had told her they experienced: it was just brutal, sickening violence.
However, she had a duty to protect the innocent of the galaxy, and as long as she did, she was not going to back down from combating the Separatists until her body was physically incapable of fighting anymore, no matter what stare her war-weary mind was in.
As Aayla surveyed the battlefield, Commander Bly was talking into a commlink. He stopped suddenly and looked at the Jedi.
"General, that was the Command Center. You've been summoned there".
General Grievous stalked about the War Room, making the various staff edgy. The four brutal MagnaGuards stood by the entrance to the dark room, lit by the flickering lights of control panels and holo-maps of battlefields.
The General loped over to a console and typed in a command. A holo-map of the entire battle appeared. Grievous stared at it intently, at the waving formations and battalions clashing over the plains. There was no expression is his stare, but the Neimodians at the consoles edged away nervously.
"We're losing this conflict", he rasped finally.
"Yes, General", one muttered.
"There are too many", Grievous said, apparently to himself, "We hardly outnumber them at all. They're too well prepared, and not even my leadership can pull off a victory here".
There was silence in the room. None of the Neimodians dared breathe. The MagnaGuards stared directly ahead. Grievous hunched over and did not speak. After a while, he convulsed and coughed violently, his exhales sounding like gunfire in the small room high above the battle.
Grievous mused over the map. Scans had confirmed that most of the clones were of the 2nd Legion. Separatist Intelligence proved that the 2nd Legion was commanded by legendary Jedi Council Senior Master Mace Windu. A mighty adversary indeed, perhaps the mightiest Grievous would ever encounter.
If Grievous could have smiled, he would have. While the planet might be lost, there was still an excellent chance for a symbolic victory. The death of Mace Windu would be a huge blow to Republic morale, to the Jedi in particular. He was probably the most revered hero in active service, although the two upstarts Kenobi and Skywalker were fast challenging him. But at any rate, at a personal level, that famous amethyst lightsaber would make a splendid addition to Grievous' collection.
Count Dooku would probably advise against such action. Grievous was aware Dooku had little faith in Grievous' ability to tackle what he called "real Jedi": the Windus, the Kenobis and the Koons of this world.
Indeed, Grievous' pride had taken a harsh blow already today. That wretched female Twi'lek Jedi had surprised him and left him rolling in the dust like a fool. If Dooku had seen that, he'd reprimand the General and demand he return to commanding armies rather than leading them.
Absent-mindedly, Grievous began a search on the Separatist Military Database for the Jedi he had met earlier. He found her almost instantly, to his surprise. He scanned the records casually. She was only a Jedi Knight, yet she had been promoted to a General. Interesting. She had what the Jedi would call an excellent military career, although to Grievous it looked patchy: too indecisive, many lost opportunities. Jedi General Aayla Secura.
He planned to have her saber by the end of the day.