Author's note: After a few helpful hints to update (hehehe, all reviews much appreciated) I finally got this posted. Apologies for the wait, been busy in work.
Anyway, about the vocabulator vs. the vocoder thing – turns out that the two terms are interchangeable, according to Star Wars wikipedia when I looked one of them up. Yo, many thanks for mentioning that.
Anyway, here's an update. Please read and review if you got the time.
Aayla stepped into her room in the Jedi Temple living quarters. She breathed a sigh of familiar relief at her dwelling, or as she dared to call it, home. It seemed like a long time since she had seen it: in fact it was before she had set out for the mission on Inacc, let alone Cosko.
The room was bare and featureless, with dull red carpets and a single humble bed. Two chairs, a bedside cabinet, a cupboard and a bathroom completed her home. She smiled in appreciation of the cosy setting and walked over to the bed. She unhooked her battered lightsaber from her belt and placed it on the bedside cabinet before lying on the bed, flat on her back facing the ceiling. She was so incredibly tired, and could already feel weariness taking her…
There was a knock on her door. She rose to her feet and unlocked the door with a minor manipulation of the Force. The door slid open and Kit Fisto walked in.
"Hello, Aayla. I hope I'm not interrupting anything", he said pleasantly.
"No, of course not Kit", she yawned and sat back down on the bed as she motioned to a chair, "Take a seat".
The Nautolan nodded and sat down, "So you've been to the medical centre, I see?" he commented, gesturing at a bandage on her right arm.
"Yeah, I just got back", she replied, "The droids were pretty quick to patch me up and they said I should be in perfect shape again pretty soon, but I'm excused military duty for a minimum of two weeks".
Kit smiled, "Good, Aayla. I'm glad you actually bothered to visit the medical centre this time. Remember what happened after the Bellator mission?"
She laughed light-heartedly, "Are you still going on about that?"
"Oh yes", he did his best to look stern, something that seemed impossible for this particular Jedi Master, "A droideka bolt to the waist is something that requires immediate medical attention, young Secura".
She arched an eyebrow, "It only skimmed me!"
"Be that as it may, you should have followed my orders, young Secura".
Aayla sniggered at Kit's attempt to look serious, and before long he beamed and laughed, "Alright, so I can't play the serious Jedi Master. I'll get Master Windu in here if you want to be further admonished".
"No, I think I've had enough scolding today", she replied, "I shall strive to follow your teachings closer in future, Master Fisto".
The pair of them laughed again. Aayla felt good. It was great to laugh again, and it was something so easy to do with Kit around. He was living proof that the Jedi Council weren't as stuffy as some beings thought: in fact he was more childish and silly than the youngest Jedi trainees. How he managed to sit around in the circle of powerful Jedi Masters and hold his own in conservations, meetings and debates was a mystery to Aayla.
"I'm here for a reason actually, Aayla", Kit said, snapping Aayla back to the moment.
"Oh, you're not just here for my private entertainment?" she grinned.
"No, I'm afraid not. Master Windu asked me to give you a message. You see, the clones on Cosko have captured Grievous' shuttle and have sent it back to Coruscant".
"And?"
"Well, it contains most of Grievous' personal possessions, few though they apparently are. What is included though is all of the lightsabers he took".
Aayla sat bolt upright, "What?"
"Oh yeah. Nearly one hundred lightsabers in total. Master Yoda is calling a meeting for the Jedi who have connections with the stolen sabers to collect them: Masters of slain Padawans, Padawans of slain Masters, next of kin, and in some cases, the still-living owners".
Slowly, Aayla nodded, "Of course. He claimed several sabers off us at Hypori without actually killing us all".
"Yes. In fact, your saber has been identified already".
Aayla started. She had never expected to see that lightsaber again. It had been the first she had constructed: unlike many Jedi she had not constructed a new one after passing the Trials to Knighthood. She had used it for the best part of twenty years, always taking great care of it. And then Grievous had taken it from her for his own amusements.
"I see", Aayla said.
"The meeting will be tomorrow at noon. Will you be there?"
"Yes, I will", Aayla smiled up at him, "Thanks for letting me know, Kit".
"No problem, Aayla", Kit placed a hand on her shoulder before rising and turning to leave.
Before he walked out of the door, he turned to look at her, "Take care of yourself, Aayla".
"You too, Kit".
He left and Aayla was alone. She curled up on the bed and fell into deep sleep.
"What's the condition of the patient?" Mace asked as he whisked over to Ki-Adi-Mundi.
Ki-Adi was standing looking through the window of the operating theatre, "He's stable. The operation is proceeding as planned".
The two Jedi Masters looked on as nearly a dozen state-of-the-art medic droids went to work on the comatose form of Grievous. The cyborg had been anesthetized without difficulty, in fact since his arrival at the Temple he had lapsed back into silence again, even refusing to acknowledge the explanation of the operation by the medic droids. He was now removed from the bacta tank although he was still wired up to life support systems on the operation table.
As Mace and Ki-Adi watched, several more droids rolled into the room. These weren't medic droids: they were in fact here for the technological side of the operation. Great damage had been caused to his robotic torso where Aayla had stabbed him, many of his circuits had overloaded during the battle and there was the extensive slash on his shoulder caused by Mace Windu.
The droids went to work, sparks flying as they went to work on the General with immaculate precision and speed. None of the droids got in each other's way and they co-operated silently.
The two Jedi were lost in their own thoughts as they watched the proceedings. After half an hour the droid in charge of the operation hovered over to them.
"The operation is going well", it stated in its blank monotone voice, "The patient is recovering from the injury exceptionally well".
Mace nodded. That didn't surprise him. He was fully aware just how tough Grivous was: he had the scars to prove it.
"The bodywork on the cybernetics is obviously unique, however", the droid continued, "We were unable to locate any matching parts, and so we have performed makeshift repairs with other droid parts. It should suffice until we construct the correct parts".
"And what of his bodily damage?" Ki-Adi asked.
"As I said, he is recovering well. The wound was cauterized and so prevented too much vital fluid being lost; however his lungs have been a little burned. He is going to be in a stable position after the operation: however he will not be permitted to move".
"I don't think that'd be a good idea even if he were physically able to", Mace said grimly.
The droid did not acknowledge his comment, "The patient will require a further operation soon. Hopefully by then we will be able to provide the correct droid parts and also Kaleesh internal organs. At the moment he should be kept motionless and secure, and on a life-support system".
"Very well. Thank you for the update", Mace said and he and Ki-Adi walked away as the droid returned to oversee the last stages of the operation, "Not many cyborgs have passed through the Temple's doors, Master Mundi".
Ki-Adi nodded his his grave head, "No. But I am surprised with the progress of the operation, given its complex nature. It seems that even this cannot keep Grievous down".
Two hours of blissful sleep had passed for Aayla after Kit had left. She couldn't remember ever feeling so grateful for comfort. However, her luxurious resting was interrupted after a knock on the door. She jumped awake and stood up.
"It's open", she called.
The door slid open and to her surprise, Mace Windu stepped inside, filling the doorframe with his solid build. He nodded to her in acknowledgment.
"Master Secura, how are you feeling?"
"Fine, Master Windu. Yourself?"
"Better than I was", Mace could feel the stinging pain in his leg where Grievous' talons had seized him.
"What brings you here, Master?" Aayla asked, moving to pull back the shutters over the window.
"He's asking for you", Mace said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Lost in her thoughts, Aayla whirled around, "Kit?"
Mace looked at her sceptically, "Master Fisto? No, why would he be asking for you? Hasn't he given you the message about the meeting?"
Aayla realized her error, "Sorry, Master, Yes, he has been here. But who is asking for my presence?"
"Grievous".
Aayla paused. Mace didn't move or say anything.
"Why?" Aayla eventually asked.
"I don't know", the Jedi Master said, "The first operation is finished and he's fully conscious. He's being held in the holding room, but he's restrained for now on a life support system".
Aayla nodded slowly, looking down at the floor.
"Aayla", Mace said in less formal, more kindly tone, "If you don't want to, you don't have to. It's not a Jedi order, it's a request from him alone".
The twi'lek considered it. What on earth would Grievous want to see her for? And furthermore, could she force herself to go and see the psychopath? His presence was the most unsettling thing she'd ever felt.
But her duty as a Jedi took over, "I'll go to him now, Master Windu".
Mace nodded, "Very well. Good luck. If things get bad, just leave. And remember not to worry – he can't hurt you".
The dark room was cast in blinking red and green lights, reflecting off the duranium armour of the cyborg General. Aayla entered through the small door as the various control panels and life systems beeped and flickered around her. Grievous was hung up before her, with his arms hooked up above his head and his legs disabled by bands of wires. Various tubes were linked to Grievous' organ sack, and Aayla noticed the silver metal work where the repair droids had had to synthesize substitution plating.
Aayla was silent when she stepped into the little room. The bleeping of the controls was regular and shrill, and the General was wheezing as he had done before his injury, except even more severely.
The Jedi waited a moment for a reaction. After a moment, Grievous coughed loud and bitterly, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Are you in pain?" Aayla decided to risk asking.
There was no answer. Grievous was motionless.
"Can you hear me?" she tried again, to no avail, "Grievous?"
She was beginning to give up and was considering turning away when Grievous rasped, "Yes".
Aayla looked at him, "What?"
He coughed again, and then looked up, opening his eyes, "You asked if I was in pain. Yes, I am in pain".
"Oh. Do you need me to get a medic droid?"
"No".
Grievous winced again as a shuddering cough erupted from his torso. After he had finished his convulsions, he looked into a distant corner of the room.
"Skywalker's young", he said quietly.
Aayla's brow creased in confusion, "What?"
"Anakin Skywalker. He's younger than I expected".
For a moment Aayla tried to figure out how his statement related to anything they'd been talking about. She couldn't find anything. Was he…trying to make conversation?
Eventually Aayla said, "Yes, he's young. A real protégé".
"Younger than you, even", Grievous continued, "But he has quite a reputation".
"Yes", Aayla replied, musing on Anakin. The so-called Chosen One, Anakin was a well-known face in the Jedi Temple. However Aayla had never really mixed with him very well. He was too sullen, snappish and cocky for Aayla to be able to want to spend any real amount of time with him. But from what she had seen of his skills, she knew he was an exceptionally talented Jedi, at the level of a Jedi Master despite having only recently been promoted to a Jedi Knight.
"Not to say that you're not skilled", Grievous declared, turning to her, "Look what you managed to do to me".
There was very little to say to that. She waited.
"Are you proud of your victory?" Grievous asked.
"No", Aayla said.
"Lies", Grievous snarled instantly, "I saw the flourish of triumph in your eyes when you struck me down".
Aayla sighed, "What do you want, Grievous?"
He chuckled maliciously and seemed to lean forward, "The same thing you want. I want you to kill me".
She stared, "What?"
"You heard. I asked you before on the shuttle", he reared up as far as his restraints would allow him, "I want to die".
Aayla opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words. Finally she asked, "Why?"
A spasm wracked through Grievous' body and he coughed and hacked frantically, his explosive exhales punctuated by laboured wheezing. When he had finished, his voice was even more hoarse than usual and his eyes were tinged with red.
"Why do you think, Jedi?! This pain is too severe and the humiliation of being held prisoner by the Jedi is worse. Now I'm going to tell you again. Unplug this life support system and let me die".
"Not a chance", Aayla replied, somewhat harshly for some reason.
"Are you worried about repercussions? You don't need to be", he angled his mask to peer at her, "Tell them I struggled and began to escape and went to kill you. And tell them you had no choice but to switch the system off otherwise I'd escape".
She shook her head and spoke without thinking, "They'd never believe that".
"Hah!" he yelled in triumph, "So you don't reject the idea out of morality, merely out of practicality? Good".
Aayla shook her head furiously, "No, that's not it".
"Isn't it?" he continued, savouring the moment, "Admit it, Jedi. You want me dead".
"You're wrong".
"Oh, am I? I saw the look in your eyes when you wounded me. You were triumphant, thrilled, pleased to defeat a powerful foe. Just like me".
"You're wrong", Aayla repeated, hoping that was true.
"But it's more than that", Grievous continued, clearly enjoying himself, "I killed your comrades, didn't I? I slaughtered them like they were farm animals. And I enjoyed it. I was going to kill you, and I would have enjoyed that too".
Droplets formed in the corners of Aayla's eyes, misting her vision. She bowed her head and looked away from Grievous, suddenly awash with emotions as she hadn't been in a long time. The General's words were finding their mark as she remembered the deaths of not only Gwangi, Derturo and Jular, but also K'Kruhk, Tarr Seirr, Master Daakman Barrek and Sha'a Gi who had met their ends at the Hypori mission. But she also shed tears for all the Jedi who'd met their ends with the hideously fast blades of General Grievous.
"So you enjoyed trying to kill me, didn't you?" Grievous was relentless and pressed the advantage, "You want me dead, Jedi, and you know it".
"You're wrong!" Aayla yelled again.
This time, she lifted her head to stare Grievous directly in the eyes. She was sure of herself now. She would never want to kill another being, even one as vile as Grievous. She owed it to her dead comrades to fulfil her oath as a Jedi.
However, Grievous was undeterred, "Hah. Suppose I was to kill the Nautolan Jedi?"
Aayla froze and said without thinking, "Kit?"
Grievous snorted, "Ah, that's him? The "'hero" of the Battle of Dac on Mon Calamari? I saw you talk with him on the landing platform. He's a close friend? Well, imagine his saber dangling from my belt, another sad statistic in the Jedi Archives".
There was no reply. Aayla stared directly ahead, unblinking for a moment. Grievous leered and sneered in triumph. The regular beeping and twittering of the life support system was suddenly very loud, reminding both of them just how vulnerable Grievous was.
Aayla looked at the cables and tubes connected to the cyborg's vitals. All it would take was a quick flick of her fingers and the system would shut down, with Grievous dead in moments.
She looked up from the flashing control panels to Grievous' illuminated face and said, "Never", before turning and walking out of the room, leaving the bio-droid alone.