Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.

Here's the latest chapter of this story.

Hope that you enjoy.

Please be sure to leave your thoughts down in the review section.

A/N: Also, sorry for not updating in a while. I had final exams and projects to deal with, and work in between. But since the semester is out, I'll have more free time to work on my stories. I have 4 stories, including this one, in the works. . . . and an un-Godly amount afterword. (See profile for more details)

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Invisible Hand, command bridge.

General Grievous - the supreme commander of the Droid Army - stood on the bridge of his flagship, a Providence-class dreadnought, and watched with great amusement as Viceroy Gunray's shuttles were chased by a squadron of Republic star-fighters and a trio of light warships.

Explosions erupted all across his viewport, as Vulture droid star-fighters fought desperately to chase off the Republic fighters, who were persistent in their pursuit of the Viceroy.

Grievous had half a mind to just keep watching, since the Viceroy had detoured to Cato Neimoidia, wasting time and valuable Confederate resources to liberate a few trinkets. But also, because he hated that ugly, money-grubbing scumbag, and considered him a cowardly liability.

Nevertheless, he had orders from Count Dooku and Darth Sidious.

But that didn't mean he was going to cut his amusement short just yet.

He walked over to weapons-control station at the front of the bridge, and stood behind the two droids that sat at the terminals. He then pointed a metal finger over to the space battle off in the distance. "Target the Republic fighters, and make sure to destroy half of the Viceroy's escort."

One of the droid's turned his seat around to face the General. "But sir, we can't fire on our own ships. We could end up- OH MY GOD!" The droid shouted as the massive cyborg commander bashed his fist through the droid's head and neck, sending sparking fragments of metal everywhere, getting the attention of everyone on the bridge.

Grievous then turned to the other droid at the weapons station. "Do you have anything to say?" He asked, staring into the droid pilot's soul. Or he would if he had one.

The droid swiftly turned toward the terminal and started dancing his fingers across the screen. "Acquiring targets now."

Moments later, another droid, who replaced the dead droid, sat down and started doing the same. "Firing now."

Grievous watched as clouds of billowing fire began to erupt to both sides of the Viceroy's shuttles, and then twelve droid fighters vanished from sight. The unexpected explosions wreaked havoc on the rest of the escort, leaving the shuttle vulnerable to strafing runs by the Republic star-fighters. With the Formation in tatters, the Vultures followed protocol by attempting to regroup, only to end up crashing into other shuttles or each other. But were even brought down by precisely placed blaster bolts from the Republic fighters.

Grievous had to take a second to commend the clones for their bravery, flying into droid fire while outnumbered 2-1, and felt compelled to just let them destroy their target and fly away.

But what would his masters say?

At that moment, he decided that enough was enough.

"Now launch fighters, and destroy the Republic fighters. And prepare to receive the Viceroy."

Grievous watched as swarms of Tri-droid fighters flew in to overrun the Republic fighters and light warships, which rapidly started to disappear. When he saw that the Viceroy, and what was left of his escorting ships had landed, he stalked off of the bridge, chuckling with his sinister laugh.

Grievous' quarters, observation spire.

Gunray was still shaken up by the whole ordeal that he has just been through. In his mind, he knew that it was Grievous castigating him for being late, and he had half a mind to inform Dooku of what Grievous had just done. But he decided to keep quiet about it, afraid that Dooku would take the General's side.

He looked around the conference table in the middle of the chamber, which sat atop the conning tower on the aft section of the ship. Rune Haako was sitting next to him, and his other colleagues from the Separatist Council were taking part in separate conversations.

That's when they all heard the door hiss open, and then a sickly set of mechanical footsteps clanged into the room.

The cyborg appeared in the hatchway, the rounded crown of his elongated death mask of a helmet grazing the top of the opening. His claw like feet clanged against the doorstep floor, echoing throughout the room in an unsettling manner.

Behind the holes in his mask, sallow reptilian eyes fixed Gunray with gimlet stare. In his synthesized voice, deep and grating as always, he said, "Welcome aboard, Viceroy. For a moment we feared that you weren't going to arrive."

Gunray felt all of the eyes in chamber fall on him. Everyone knew that these two hated each other with a burning passion.

"I can only assume that you were troubled by the prospect."

"Viceroy, you must know how important you are to our cause."

"I know it, General. Though I confess to wondering if you do."

Grievous stood with his arms outstretched. "I am your keeper, Viceroy. Your protector." He said before he clanked down the metal stairs and striding into the chamber, before he began to circle the conference table, stopping behind Gunray's chair, towering over him. In his peripheral vision, the Viceroy could see Rune Haako slouching deeper into his chair, with his arms nervously crossed over his chest, refusing to look at either the General or the Viceroy. "I have no favorite among you," Grievous said at last. "I champion all of you, which is why I summoned you all here today."

No one said a word.

"The Republic fools itself into thinking it has you on the run. But, in fact, Count Dooku and Lord Sidious have engineered this, for reasons that will be made clear soon enough. All is proceeding according to plan. However, with your homeworlds fallen, you will have to remain as a group for the foreseeable future. I have been instructed to find you a safe harbor, here in the Outer Rim."

"But what worlds will accept us now?" San Hill, chairman of the banking clan, spoke up.

"If none offers, Chairman, then I will simply take one."

Grievous walked over to the hatchway, his talons screeching along the deck. "When a world has been selected, you will be informed in the usual manner."

When the cyborg General disappeared behind the hatch, guarded by commando droids, and careful not to reveal his misgivings, Gunray traded a nervous glance with Haako. The 'usual manner', as Grievous had said, was with the Mechno-Chair.

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Coruscant, Jedi Temple Communications Center.

In the depths of the Jedi Temple, Jedi masters Mace Windu and Yoda were speaking to a hologram of a Republic intelligence officer.

"Captain Dyne. What do you have to report?" Master Windu asked.

The captain snapped off a crisp salute to the Jedi General, before he began to gesture to the hologram of a Mechno-Chair, which was seized on Cato Neimoidia. "Yes General. We've been inspecting this chair's inner workings, and we were able to find a highly advanced hyperwave transceiver. That's when we found a message from General Grievous."

Windu and Yoda looked at each other.

"Interesting, this is. Play it, you may," Yoda said.

Dyne nodded, and pressed a few keys on the Mechno-Chair.

That's when a hologram of General Grievous appeared. "Members of the Separatist Council. . . you'll be pleased to learn that I've chosen a world for us. Belderone will be your temporary home for the duration of the conflict. You will be settled in once we've cleansed the planet of the Republic infection."

The General turned to someone off screen and barked out an order to 'end transmission'.

Dyne paused he image before it faded from view.

Mace's clean-shaven upper-lip curled. "What was the source of the transmission?"

"Deep in the Outer Rim," Dyne said. "An Arquitens-class light cruiser, two frigates, and a full squadron of clone pilots pursued a convoy of Separatist shuttles and droid fighters that had jumped to the sector after the battle of Cato Neimoidia. None returned."

"Rendezvous of the Confederacy fleet, it is," Yoda said.

Mace nodded. Then his gaze fell on Dyne again. "Anything further on the source of the original Sidious transmission?"

Dyne shook his head. "Still working on it."

Mace paced away from the table. "Belderone is not a highly populated world. But it is a Republic-friendly world that's close to the Separatist capital on Raxus. He's trying to block off the route to that sector, and as long as Grievous occupies that planet, he'll kill millions just to prove a point." He said before he glanced at Yoda. "We can't let that happen."

"Act we must. Liberate the planet from the separatist clutches we will."

"This information from Gunray's chair has proved vital. Should we inform the Chancellor?" Mace asked

Yoda's ears twitched. Difficult, this decision is."

The information stays here then," Mace said firmly.

Yoda sighed with purpose. "Agree, I do. Use the beacon we will. Plan for this invasion carefully we must."

"Anakin and Obi-Wan are available. I'll contact them and direct them there at once." Mace said.

"Wait they will. Go in alone they must not. Gather in force we shall, to bring swift and decisive victory."

"And what about the Sith Shrine in the undercity?" Mace asked.

"Go, I will." Yoda said. "Investigate the ruins, and uncover the Separatists interests, I will."

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Senate Building, Office of the Supreme Chancellor.

In a reception area, just outside of the Chancellor's office, Bail Organa paced restlessly while several of his colleagues sat patiently outside. Bail was preparing to vent his exasperations on Palpatine's Rodian secretary when the doors hissed open, allowing several important members of the Republic military to file out of the room.

Among them were Armand Isard of Republic intelligence, Orson Krennic of the Republic Corps of Engineers, and Admiral Tarkin of the Republic Navy, and several senators that were members of Palpatine's political inner circle, including Sate Prestage, Mas Amedda, and Sly Moore.

"Senators. You're still here, I see," Sate Prestage said.

Bail straightened his outfit, and his colleagues stood up. "We're nothing if not patient," Bail said as he walked right passed Prestage, not even looking at him. Just then, Palpatine himself appeared, glancing at bail and the others, then at his secretary.

"Senator Organa, and Senator Amidala - all of you. What a delight to find you here."

"Supreme Chancellor," Bail said. "We were under the impression that we had an appointment with you."

"Indeed," he said, raising an eyebrow. He then looked passed the senators at his secretary. "Why was I not informed?"

"Your schedule is so full, your excellency. I did not want to overburden you."

Palpatine frowned. "My day is never so full that I cannot make time to confer with the members of the loyalist committee. Come in, come in." He said, stepping aside to allow the senators to enter into the room.

C-3PO was the last to cross the threshold into the office, turning his head to take a glance at the motionless red-cloaked guards who stood at attention.

Bail and Amidala stood in the two seats directly across from Palpatine's desk, which was in front of a large panel of glass, which was rumored to have a shield over it, which would've been unnecessary three years ago.

Times have truly changed.

"So, what brings you here on this glorious Coruscant day?" The Chancellor asked from his chair. "I can't help but sense a certain urgency. . ."

"We'll come directly to the point, Chancellor..." Bail said. "With our recent victories in the Core and Inner Rim territories, we wish to discuss the abrogation of some of the measures that were enacted in the name of public safety."

Palpatine gazed at bail over steepled fingers. "Our recent victories have made you feel so secret?"

"They have, Supreme Chancellor," Padme said.

"The Enhanced Security and Enforcement Act in particular." Bail continued. "specifically those measures that permit the unrestricted use of surveillance droids, and searches and seizures without the needs for warrants or due process."

"I see," Palpatine said slowly. "Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that the war is far from won, and I, for one, am not entirely satisfied that traitors and terrorists are not a continued threat to public safety. Oh, I realize that out recent victories give the appearance of a quick resolution to the war. But my advisors are telling me that the Separatist are still in control of many key worlds in the Outer Rim, and are digging in for a siege, which could do on indefinitely."

"Indefinitely?" Senator Chuchi of Pantora asked, sharing a glance with Bonteri of Onderon.

"Why not consider ceding some of those worlds?" Fang Zar asked. "Trade in the Core and Inner Rim have risen back up to Prewar levels."

Palpatine shook his head. "But some of those worlds are Republic planets, taken by force. I cannot stomach the idea of telling those people that they'll just have to live with a Separatist occupation. I believe that we must press our attack, until the Confederacy no longer presents a threat to our way of life."

"But is there not some other way than a prolonged conflict?" Bail asked. "Surely Dooku can be convinced to listen to reason now."

Palpatine continued.

"You misjudge his resolve, Senator. But even if I'm wrong, suppose we decide to cede some worlds, as a conciliatory gesture. Who will choose such worlds? Me? You? And how would the people of those worlds respond? Would Alderaan prefer being a Separatist world? Naboo? Should loyalty to the Republic count for so little? Such decisions are what prompted many worlds to ally with Count Dooku in the first place."

"But can we even triumph in the Outer Rim?" Chuchi asked. "With the army so reduced, and the Jedi dispersed? And might this prolonged conflict make the Jedi look like he villain?"

Palpatine stood up and paced away from his large chair, turning his back on everyone to look out the window. "This has become a vert regrettable situation - one that we have attempted to correct, with limited success." He swung around. "W must consider how others view this war. A former Jedi leads the Confederacy. The Jedi lead the Clone Army, and many believe that the Jedi are not to be trusted, with their 'aggressive negotiations'. But we know better. And we will have many hearts and minds to win back once this war is over."

Realizing that he had allowed the discussion to go off track, Bail said: "Returning to the matter of rescinding the Security Act-"

"I Serve the Republic, Senator Organa," Palpatine said, cutting him off. "Introduce a measure to repeal it in the senate. I will accept whatever outcome ensues from the vote."

"Will you remain impartial during the debates?"

"You have my word."

"And these amendments to the Constitution?" Mon Mothma asked.

"I view the constitution as a living document," Palpatine interrupted. "As such, it must be allowed to expand and contract according to circumstances. Otherwise, what do we have but stasis."

"If we can be assured of a certain . . . exhalation of power," Lux Bonteri asked.

The Chancellor grinned faintly. "Of course. Good day, senators."

"Then we've made a beginning," Padme said. "Just as I knew we would."

Palpatine beamed at her. "A moment please, Senator Amidala." Padme froze for a moment, as her colleagues filed out of the room. Then she sat back down in her seat. "Is that not the droid Young Skywalker constructed?"

Padme looked up at C-3PO. "Yes, it is."

For a moment, 3PO was speechless. But only for a moment. "I am honored that you remember me, your excellency." He said.

Palpatine returned an abrupt laugh. "A title more fit for a king or emperor." He glanced back at Padme. "In fact, speaking of young Skywalker, I have just spoken with him, your highness."

"You spoke with Anakin?" Padme asked in surprise.

Palpatine held her gaze. "Why Senator Amidala, I do believe you're blushing."

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