Alternate Start (ARCHIVE)

Chapter Eight: Calm and Storm

What began as a simple routing plan turned into a two month long campaign to destroy all the droids and dissuade backup. Other battalions filtered in and out like water through mesh, while at the center of it all were the Kiibalsa Warriors and the 201st.

They had all evolved as people by the end of the campaign. They had travelled through various villages and none could come up with a better person to represent the Kaleesh in the senate than Tolna.

In the beginning of the second week of the second month, Kalee was officially inducted as a Republic world.

A resounding victory for Kaar.

That's when Grievous showed up.

The battle had begun as usual. Warriors reported more droids and the cavalry moved in. Until Kaar heard a shriek over his comm and the whirling of lightsabers.

He barely turned in time to block, eyes narrowed behind his mumuu mask. "Grievous." He hissed. Grievous pushed against Kaar's block harder. "A Kaleesh Jedi? Your lightsaber will be a fine addition to my collection backstabber."

Kaar put some distance between them, letting out a deep growl. He swirled his lightsaber. "Qymaen Jai Sheelal. A warlord renowned as a demigod." He scoffed slightly, "My how the mighty have fallen."

Grievous looked slightly shocked, reeling back a little as Kaar slowly enunciated his name. "How." His rage seeped into his voice as he lashed out, "How do you know that name?!"

"The same way I know that the Jedi would have had no reason to blow up that shuttle you were on, Sheelal."
"They wanted me dead!"
"Oh come now use your brain Sheelal, I know you have one. They had no more qualms with you. And was it not Dooku and San Hill who tortured you into giving up yourself for cybernetics?"

The cyborg's step faltered for a moment. He snarled in rage, movements becoming more clearly motivated by hatred. "Shut your wretched mouth, Jedi scum! You know nothing of my past! I did not give myself up!"

Kaar put some distance between himself and Grievous. "Well they did not listen to your pleas to go home and just let you die in peace. I wonder why that was." He jumped back as Grievous advanced on him, screaming at him to just die already.

He blocked blow after blow from the raging cyborg, who swirled the stolen lightsabers like a howling storm. Kaar had seen a tactic like this before. The tactic of sticking your fingers in your ears and trying to drown out the opposition just in case they made too much sense. In any case, it was supremely childish.

"Have you heard the news? Kalee is a Republic world."
"Lies!"

Kaar had the feeling he was finally getting somewhere. He smirked a little, "Oh believe me, it's no lie. The Kaleesh are sick and tired of the Separatist abuse."

Grievous looked shocked at the insinuation that he'd ever allow his armies to abuse his people. Kaar raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Has your dear Count Dooku kept you in the dark? Do tell, how has he told you that our people are being treated? Did he tell you how he's stripping the land of it's resources? Or how he's enslaving us? Or how he allowed the droids to slaughter an entire village?"

The cyborg's next step stuttered. He shook his head. "You are lying! You must be! He swore no harm would come to Kalee!"

Kaar left a gash along Grievous' faceplate, narrowing his eyes. "Then I suppose you should just ask him yourself."
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Grievous showed up multiple times afterward. He never fought, but observed from a distance.

It was unnerving.

"Augh, why does he have to stare like that?" Fives complained, sitting with Desnuri in his lap. Why was Desnuri still there you may ask? Well, anyone who tried to handle her that wasn't Fives or Echo promptly got bitten for their troubles.

Kaar sighs, "I think I broke him Fives. I think he's trying to figure out if I was actually telling the truth or not." Tolna, painting her formal mumuu mask she would wear to Corucsant, looked up and shrugged. "If he does not believe you, that is his problem. Sheelal is blind. What happened to him is a shame. I hope the gods can save him."

Kaar chuckles, "Indeed Senator. May the gods and the Force have mercy on him."

Desnuri, a feral little child like most Kaleesh and Togrutan three year olds, ripped apart some of the tender meat that Kaar had given her. He grinned watching that. "Is that good Desnuri?"

She nodded, a tiny purr rumbling out of her throat. Kaar smiled softly, leaning forward and rumbling a purr of his own. Desnuri stared for a moment before giggling, reiterating the purr. Lasmoso chuckled as he took his seat, lightly stroking his false horns. "What are you two dorks doing?"

Kaar laughed. That kind of laugh that made some of his men and a few of the warriors around him turn red in the face and flounder. He grinned, looking over at her, "Just playing around Lasmoso."

He glanced at a few of his men joking around with some of the Kiibalsa Warriors. He watched Ladybird, in all of her talent, serenade one of the women with her bes'bev. He also recalled that the sharp end of that bes'bev had just been in a bird's skull, but he didn't mention it. It looked clean after all.

It almost felt like a dream. His two cultures colliding and meshing together so well. He knew it wasn't though. He had never had dreams like this. One thing concerned him about the current circumstances.

Little Desnuri Jai Sheelal.

If he, Lasmoso, and Tolna had read those records right, then Desnuri was the granddaughter of Qymaen Jai Sheelal.

The granddaughter of General Grievous.

That concerned him. Not because of the affect it may have on her as a person, Togruta and Kaleesh were naturally wild as children, and Desnuri was an exception all on her own. She was patient and quiet unless Fives and Echo were involved. She shared Grievous' earned name. No, the concern was her being judged for her grandfather. He was unsure that anyone else knew Grievous' true identity. Perhaps Master Fisto did. Kaar had read the report, including the portion on the statues.

"Kaar."
He looked up, noticing that Desnuri was trying to get his attention. He leaned closer, smiling a little, "Yes Desnuri?"

"Look grumpy."
Fives had been teaching Desnuri as much Basic as he could. She was getting the hang of it, but often forgot to say "you" or "me" when she spoke. Usually you could get it based on context though.

He chuckled, "Sorry about that Des'. Go on back to Fives, I'll be alright." She reached up and patted his head, scampering back over to Fives to finish her food.

Kaar had the feeling that everything would be fine.

•—END OF CHAPTER—•