Episode III: Attack of the Clones
Chapter 15: Deadly Weapon Created
Arica arrived on Coruscant by midday Coruscanti time the next day. Before exiting hyperspace, however, she lifted Lovely Lady's cloaking shield up over the ship so no one would see her arrive out or inside the planet. With the cloak still on, she landed it outside the Five Hundred Republica building, on a private ship dock reserved only for politicians. Meeting no one on her way out of the docking bay, Arica proceeded to walk in the shadows of Galactic City, making her way to the New Republic Executive Building.
Upon arriving, she went straight to Chancellor Palpatine's office. As she expected, two Royal Guards were outside the door, guarding it. Not so expected was to see his Rodian administrator gone. That was strange.
If only I could use the Force. I could use it to do a Sith mind trick on those guards or simply Force push them out of the way.
Alas, she could not use the Force. She was not Force sensitive. With a sigh, she stepped out of the shadows. The Royal Guard became more alert as she approached. Stopping several paces in front of them, she spoke.
"I wish to speak to Chancellor Palpatine on behalf of Senator Amidala of Naboo. I am one of her handmaidens, and my name is Arica Grievous."
The Guards seemed to study her a moment before moving aside and letting her pass.
She rang the beeper outside the door, and after hearing the Chancellor say, "Come in," did so. The door shut behind her.
Palpatine had his back to her and appeared to be studying a glowing red hologram as she quietly approached. The feeling of being watched soon left her and she noted that he must've turned off the security cameras. Looking up at them confirmed this; the red activation lights were off. With a smirk, she went over to stand beside him, slowly turning to face the Chancellor.
Palpatine was still engrossed in the suspended in air hologram. Now that she could see it up close, she noted its resemblance to be a moon-shaped battle station of some type.
After a few minutes, he finally spoke. "Do you know what this is Arica?"
"No," she replied.
"This," he pointed with a finger, "is the Death Star."
"Death Star?" she repeated. "That sounds like the name of a military space craft."
"Ah, but it is; a space station to be precise. Production will begin on it at the war's end; precisely three years from now."
"How interesting," she commented, studying the Death Star hologram. "And what will this space station's purpose be?"
"To spell doom into all the hearts and minds of those who look upon it. It will have the fire power to annihilate entire planets."
"Annihilate…planets?" Arica repeated in surprise.
"But of course. I am sure that once I have my Empire there will be those who wish to oppose me. I shall simply eliminate them and their families with my Death Star."
Arica laughed dryly. It was kind of funny, she supposed, in a twisted sort of way.
Palpatine switched off the hologram from a hand-held black device and turned in his chair to face her. "So Arica, why are you really here? I hardly doubt you are here on Padme's account, being as she called earlier saying that you'd run away."
Arica sighed in defeat. She hadn't think of that. "Chancellor, please don't tell her I've been here. I don't wish to be bothered by her anymore."
"I don't intend on telling her you're here child." He gestured her towards one of the soft chairs across from his desk and she sat.
"Tell me Arica, why did you run away?"
She sighed again and complied. She told him how she was tired of it all, tired of being overshadowed and compared to Antellica. She refused to take it any longer and would not continue to be treated like dirt. She then requested a job in the war, on the Separatists side of course.
"I see," he said once she'd finished. "That can be arranged. But what type of job, if I might ask?"
"I don't know, maybe a Jedi slaughtering assassin or something. I'm quite good at wielding lightsabers."
"I know you are." He gave her an appraising smile. "Padme tells me you can wield four at a time, two in each hand."
"Yup."
"Prove it!" he barked.
Arica smirked. "Gladly, only I don't have a lightsaber with me. However," she glanced over at a few 3- meter rulers that were sitting across the room, "I just may have thought of an alternative."
Without another word, she backflipped across the room towards them. There were four. Taking them in her hands, she whipped around to face Sidious, who had his blood red lightsaber lit.
She smirked again. "I'm not sure about this Sidious. How am I supposed to fight against your lightsaber, which can easily slice through these pieces of wood?"
"How indeed?" he cackled. "Not too worry. Fortunately for you, I only have it on practice mode. It won't slice through your rulers."
Arica nodded and then attacked.
She didn't consider herself much of a match against Sidious, and indeed she wasn't. However, she felt that he was holding back a bit, as not to go all out fully against her since she was not fully trained. He let her have the upper hand at the beginning before then taking it away from her.
Slash after slash, stroke after stroke, she did get back the upper hand, yet all too briefly. She lost it again, and for good this time. Sidious activated his saber back to its regular mode and sliced the rulers out of her hands. Knocking her to the ground, he pointed the edge of his fully activated blade at her throat. Arica merely scoffed. "You're not going to kill me Sidious."
He smirked down at her, deactivating his lightsaber and putting it back in his sleeve. "No. Indeed I'm not. You have much potential."
He walked back over to the window, which gave a clear view of Galactic City, gazing out it in deep thought. "Yes, I do like the idea of a Jedi slaughtering assassin. Very well Arica that will be your job. However, I am going to have you train with Lord Tyranus for a while. Oh about a year or so," he said answering Arica's unasked question. "Just to sharpen up your skills a bit. You are a very good fighter Arica, but you do have room for improvement, as I think everyone does. Within that time, I may come up with another job for you to do additionally."
"Thank you," she bowed before him, "master."
"Rise," he commanded.
Doing so, she then spoke. "If I may say something master?"
He nodded. "You may."
"If you could not tell Padme of this conversation it would be most appreciated."
"Very well." Sidious respected her request. "I shall only tell her you are safe and do not wish to be bothered, and tell her not to go looking for you. I will cloak your Force signature in the case she happens to want to do that."
Arica bowed once more. "Thank you, my master."