Writer's note:

Oh. My. Gosh. Can I be any slower? Geeze. Sorry about the freakin' long wait, there was a ton of deciding I had to do on this chapter, I actually couldn't come to a decision, so I had my friends choose for me. xP

Well, the fanfic is 16 chapters long, sorry there was no double up-date, been doing 50 different things at once. I will try my best to write out 17 as soon as I can!

And once more thank you for the kind reviews and for being patient with slow little me :D

Still no beta-reader. Yaaay. xD

Enjoy!

Chapter sixteen: He is only a General

Shika stared out the view port leading out into the hanger bay on board the Invisible Hand. Her hands were placed behind her back, her face was expressionless. Exactly three years have passed since she had joined the Separatists, and just as Lord Sidious had foresaw, the girl became an excellent addition to the Separatist army. Her saber skills had improved greatly due to her training sessions with General Grievous, and with each passing day, the Force became more of a myth to her.

She was skinny, she had lost much weight over the past years; every day it felt like she only had a little to eat before she was dragged off to war with the General. Sometimes she brought rations along with her on the missions she was dragged to; so she could eat when she got hungry. She was a tad taller as well, and her face was showing signs of age, she was almost in her thirties. And even with her three years of fighting off the Republic soldiers and several Jedi; she still hadn't earned a title to call her own, Grievous still referred to her as girl or woman, and the droids hardly paid any attention to her. She was still just a mere shadow, following Grievous whenever she was ordered to.

Standing at her left side was her bodyguard, Sev. He too had grown to be quite useful. Every weapon he picked up he knew how to use, and was always good with it. He followed Shika's orders without question, and he never left her side unless ordered to. Grievous slowly got used to seeing him around, but would give a glare and grunt towards him, showing he still didn't like the fact a clone was working under his apprentice. Although, Sev would made one quick rude gesture at Grievous when he looked away, showing he still hated the Separatists. He also had grown a bit, almost in his fifties! Because he was like all the other clones, he grew quickly, but he didn't show any signs of age, no wrinkles or grey hair. Perhaps a trooper like him was meant to last a longer time than the normal clones? Did he get up to one hundred and ten years old till he finally killed over? No one really knew why he didn't look as old as he was, and they never really bothered looking into it. They just treated him like a Magnaguard that needed to be fed.

On Shika's right side was her second bodyguard, Daniel. It was the Magnaguard she had received from Grievous just as Dooku had ordered back on Kashyyyk three years ago. Still feeling guilty for the death of Clone Trooper 1659, Shika named her guard Daniel after the trooper. Grievous didn't understand why she named him, and he really didn't care, the guard wasn't his responsibility anymore. He looked like all the rest of Grievous's guards only with several scars in various areas of his body. His personality was like most Magnaguards, quiet unless spoken to. But after awhile, he began talking to Sev and Shika, starting his own conversations when ever he felt bored and maybe even lonely. He mainly talked to Sev, being Shika was spending most of her time with Grievous; but he managed to fit in some conversations with his owner whenever there was free time to talk.

With a quick sigh, Shika turned on her heel and walked away from the view port; she folded her arms and lowered her head. For the past years, Shika always made strolls down the flag ship halls, and like normal, she had already done her several strolls down the halls of the flag ship while Grievous was in his chambers doing… Whatever he did. Grievous normally came in around over several hours ago, barked several names at her and then dragged her to his personal fighter or to the bridge of the ship. But he was still locked up tight in his room; she hadn't seen him all morning. It was awkward not hearing the sounds of his metallic, deep accented voice screeching away at her, mixed in with several deep breaths. He must have been doing something, something involving Count Dooku or the Separatists. He never got her involved with business occasions such as that, he always brought her in at the actual fights with light sabers and left her out of the chatter and meetings, knowing quick mission brief was all she really needed to hear.

Other than that, the relationship between the two hadn't grown much… Or had it? Shika really didn't know. She often felt comfortable with him lurking around her, she even send smiles at him, and he grunt and look away, acting like he lost interest, then he'd peek at her out of the corner of his eye and she'd grin larger, then he'd walk away. Other times she felt like screaming her head off while he yelled away at her for doing something he did not approve of. It was all very confusing to her. She had never felt this way about anyone before, not like she was allowed to back in the Jedi Temple, love was forbidden… Wait. Love? That couldn't be it. She couldn't love him! He was nothing more than a pair of eyes, lungs and a brain sealed up inside a metal suit! Not to mention he was cold-hearted, angry all the time… Sometimes his voice sounded all too soothing- No. No. He was not one to love; he would laugh if she ever showed that kind of affection towards him. Not to mention it was stupid to feel that way about him. Heck, love was stupid all together.

She continued to walk down one of the halls of the ship, head still slightly lowered; her guards following behind her silently. It wasn't long until the peace was disturbed by one battle droid.

"Ma'am," It had said.

Shika looked up at it, blinking, why was it that the droids were always here to ruin her peace? It was so weird how they showed up at the right or wrong time. It's like they were created to be annoying. Sev ended up shoving his elbow into Shika's back as a sign for her to snap out of her train of thought. And she did." Yes?" She asked in a yelp before sending a quick glare back at Sev. He only shrugged at her and looked away.

"General Grievous wants to see you in his quarters immediately," The droid answered, Shika returned her gaze back to the droid and went to ask something else when the droid continued." He wants you to come alone; your guards are to wait in your room." That answered her question, smart droid, telling her everything like that. She looked back at the two guards and they both nodded; then walked ahead of Shika, heading towards her own resting chambers. Shika watched the two turn a corner before looking back to the battle droid. She gave a slight hand gesture for it to leave and it did, once it was gone; she turned and headed down the hall leading to Grievous's room. What did he want with her? Hopefully it wasn't one of his surprise training sessions, she hated those. He just popped out of no where with his sabers flinging at her from every direction. But that was the price she had to pay for being his apprentice.

When she approached his room, she straitened her clothes out and fixed her hair up like normal. She then readied herself, she didn't know what to expect, so she had her hand near her saber pocket. She took a step forward and the door slid open. And there was Grievous, staring out at a planet through his large view window. When she stepped inside, Grievous turned around, when he saw it was her, he stood a bit taller. Shika only stared back at him, she was not expecting this. He was standing there, in the open, no sneak up from behind, no attacks, nothing; he just stood there in his normal General pose, arms placed behind his back, sabers resting on his belt and in his cloak pockets. She slowly eased a little. Grievous tilted his head upward, almost like he was giving her a proud gaze; he saw her ready to pull her saber out at any given time. That was something he had taught her, very good, he was slightly impressed.

"You… Called for me, General?" She spoke up. Grievous nodded slightly and pointed out at the planet he was staring at. She slowly approached, to get a better view at the planet.

"Do you know where we are?" He asked once she reached the window. She stared for a moment before narrowing her eyes at the planet.

"That looks like Neimoidia…" She answered before shifting her gaze towards Grievous." Why are we here?" Grievous looked back out the window again, slowly allowing himself to hunch back over.

"Viceroy has arranged a victory banquet for Count Dooku," Grievous answered." I was invited." Shika blinked. Why was he telling her this? Did he just need to rant to someone on how he didn't want to go?

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked. Grievous was silent for a moment, his head then trailed away from the window, removing all eye contact he had with the girl. He coughed. She stood there, and then spoke up again." Are you going to answer me?" She asked. He coughed again, only louder. Actually, it sounded more like fumbled up words that formed a cough. Now this was new, he was always flat out straight with her, and now he wanted to play the coughing game? Then she finally got it. She sighed, shaking her head with a faint smile." I get it now," Grievous looked over his shoulder at her." You don't want me to feel bad and say I can't go, right?"

Grievous was silent, he then coughed again. He quickly looked away and coughed several more times in a failed attempt to hide his un-controllable laughter. Shika stared at him." What?" She asked.

"You think I would feel bad for you?" He asked, looking back at her, his chuckles gone, and so quickly too." Nonsense. I would never feel such things for you. If you do not have what you want, then it means you do not deserve them." Shika's shoulders dropped, she felt upset now, he always managed to ruin those happy moments she sometimes got, like actually making him laugh, it was nice, but he just shot it down." The real reason," He started again." I called you here was to tell you… That… Count Dooku… Has invited you… As well."

Her face lit up in happiness again, she was invited to dine with the Separatists? This was new, really new. But that meant Dooku wanted to talk with her, maybe she would finally earn a rank or something? Shika continued to ponder her thoughts; Grievous only looked back out his window again." I will be expecting to see you dressed in formal attire, you are to look your best…"

"Of course!" She said with a faint giggle, Grievous's eyes traveled towards her." I wouldn't want to go dressed like this! Its not normal for a woman to go to a banquet in casual wear-" She paused."… General. Uh. Riku… Doesn't really have any formal clothes that fit me-"

Grievous pointed to one of his chairs, sitting on it was a white box, Shika looked over towards it." I have already taken care of that." He answered. She slowly walked over to the chair, when she reached it she stared down at it with an un-trusting look. It's probably something he got the droids to throw together, she thought before reaching down and lifting the top off the box. Inside was a dark red dress, she reached inside and pulled it out, allowing it to fall open. It didn't look anything like she expected, it was actually very pretty. Something she would never see a battle droid throw together.

"Oh… My…" She said, practically speechless, her jaw dropped open and her eyes wide.

"I take it you like it…?" Grievous asked, turning his full attention to her.

"Like it? I absolutely love it!" Shika answered as she held it against her chest, looking down at it." It's so beautiful!" She looked up at him, smiling." Thank you so much!"

"You're… Welcome." He cleared his throat; he shook his head and regained his train of thought." You can do whatever you want to yourself, except remove the face paint…" Shika nodded as she folded the dress neatly and tucked it into her arms.

"When will the banquet start?" She asked.

"This evening… I will be stopping by to pick you up."

Shika nodded." See you then, and thank you again!" She bowed and quickly scampered out of the room, holding the dress tightly, a bright smile on her face. She couldn't believe she was going to dine with the Separatists, and to top it all off Grievous got her a dress and would be escorting her? It sounded almost like a-

She came to a stop about half way down the hall. Dress, escorting and dinner? She thought for a moment, staring down at the floor, allowing everything to sink in." Dooku invited me… And it's a banquet with the Separatists, and Grievous only got me this dress because he knew I didn't have any of my own. He most likely doesn't want to upset Dooku, like normal… For a moment there it sounded like Grievous asked me to dinner…" She then walked back to her room, holding the dress tightly in her arms, shaking her head for a bit. She actually felt a little scared, what was she feeling now? This was way over her head. Grievous. Was. Her. Master. That was all he would ever be to her. He couldn't be anything more than that! And it's too stupid to even think such a thing.

But what if he did become something more to her? And what if she stopped thinking it was stupid? Most importantly, why was she feeling this? The past three years was nothing more than training, fighting, training, fighting… Slaughtering of thousands of Clones and some Jedi here and there. There was nothing he did that actually made her heart skip a beat… Maybe it was the fact that everything he did seemed perfect? Or his light saber skills were un-matched? Or maybe it was the fact that even though he hated the Jedi…

… He still took her in as his apprentice?...