An Unthinkable Alliance

Chapter 2

Nal Hutta

Shaak Ti waa working hard on preforming the moves An'hara was making. She was so good she looked like a hologram made for watching. That couldn't be said about Shaak Ti though. She moved her leg wrong and she fell on her side.
'You truly are useless, girl. Where have you been this entire time? You don't know nothing about dancing.
'I wasn't supposed to be a dancer.
'Well, pity for you that you look too good. Maybe if you were uglier, no one would want to see you dancing.
Shaak Ti just sighed. She didn't liked being complimented in that way. She was there for 2 days and she was already missing the halls of the Jedi Temple. The Hutt Palace was dull, filled with sick people or oportunists. But she had a mission in order to stop them from expanding. She stood up and An'hara was ready to start the session again when a gamorrean appeared.
'The master is calling for us.
Shaak Ti nodded and followed the woman to the main hall. Many bounty hunters and liutenants were there along with dancers and musicians.
They were all looking at a familiar face, or new face for Shaak Ti.
'Commander Bakuntu! My majordomo said you have died. How is that you are still breathing?
'Greetings, my master! I come with grave news!
'Speak quickly!
'The CIS has attacked us! They wiped the entire army in the Kol Dooine system!
'A capable commander would have destroyed them!
'My lord, no one could have won that battle. The confederate fleet was composed of dozens of capital ships! And on top of that, the Invisible Hand was there!
'The Invisible Hand? Is this a joke? Why is that so important?
Shaak Ti knew that name very well. A bounty hunter spoke, the one that escorted the Jedi:
'That is the flagship of General Grievous.
'Who is that? Isn't Dooku the leader of the CIS?
The majordomo answered immideatly:
'He is, master. But just as you are the leader of your Empire. He doesn't lead his armies. Grievous does.
'Well, deal with him! Poison him or something!
'He isn't organic.
'Huhuhuhuh...
The laugh of the Hutt confused everyone.
'A droid leading a droid army. I should have known that. Well then, destroy that useless scrap! We can't let a puny robot thwart me!
Shaak Ti glanced at the Hutt. So stupid. Even if the General was her enemy, she couldn't ignore his achievements. Grievous wasn't a droid, he was organic inside with a tactical mind. He was one of the reasons the CIS wasn't crushed by the Republic or by the Jedi. She knew that she was one of the few that survived the General's wrath and that meant when he will arrive on Nal Hutta she will have to have already left. The deep voice of Tabarous intrerruped her thoughts:
'Bakuntu, prove yourself worthy and kill those droids! You may get as many ships as you like, but make it quick!
'Thank you my lord! I will do my best!
'Don't return the next time you fail! Be gone now!
The crowd listened to him and went to their usual jobs. The Hutt saw Shaak Ti and An'hara and made a sign for them to approach.
'So, An'hara , is the girl ready?
'No, master. She is still learning.
'Bah! What good is a dancer without her dancing? Next time I summon you, she will please me or you will both die!
'Yes, master.
Both of them left the room. After taking a few steps, Shaak Ti could see the tension in An'hara's movements. The Jedi couldn't helo but feel pity for her. She whispered:
'Don't worry, I will learn quickly now.
'You'd better. I don't want to die...
With that they both continued their walk. They passed by a big closed door. Shaak Ti stopped.
'Where is this door leading?
'This is a restricted area. It accesses to zones. One you will surely visit soon. It leads to the fighting pit. The other one gets underground to the Ion Cannon computer.
'The planet has an Ion Cannon?
'Yes. It is a surprise for invaders.
"Grievous will want to know of the Ion Cannon"the Jedi thought. But why would she help the bane of her Order?
The two women continued until they reached the previous dancing room.
'Now, please, listen to me and move as I do...

Kol Dooine

The once controlled pirate world was now effectivelly in ruins. The planetary bombardment Grievous issued hasn't been kind. Most of the cities were in shambles and the population died when the droids landed. They slaughtered every organic being they found. On the Invisible Hand's bridge, Grievous was standing on his chair looking at the galaxy map. At his side was the flagship's captain, Dofine. The Neimoidian crewman was one of the few of his race Grievous respected.
'We could continue the campaign by capturing their production facilities on Circuterion. I am sure that without the supply centre, the worlds will surely crumble under siege.
'It is a good plan, my lord. But why not directly attack Nal Hutta?
'We can't. We must be cautious and gain as many advantages as we can. Our victory here was assured by the element of surprise. They will be prepared this time, and Nal Hutta will be heavy fortified.
'Send a spy then?
'We only have droids at our dispossal. We will win by force!
'As you wish, General.
Suddenly, Grievous rose from his chair and pointed at the space.
'Prepare the fleet! We are going to smash Circuterion and erase it's surface from the face of the Galaxy!
The huge fleet arranged in position and, without a second thought, jumped into Hyperspace.

Circuterion

Bakuntu knew that this planet was vital for feeding Tabarous empire and please it's pirate population. Without it, people would give a second thought about supporting the slimy Hutt. He had prepared a decent fleet for defense as fast as he could: 50 small Corvettetes and ten capital ships. Fortunately for him, the planet's defense grid was strong enough to shoot down a few frigates and give Bakuntu a minor advantage. He looked with a glim of hope at the space. He may have a chance...
A crewman announced quickly:
'Sir, a huge number of ships are approaching.
Bakuntu sighed.
'Are they pirate or Separatist?
'Separatist sir.
Bakuntu issued a quick command with a buttob. Then looked at the window and saw how one hundred ships jumped from the high speed. They immideatly started firing at his fleet. The Commander contacted the ground surface Centre.
'Fire the Defense Grid!
'What should we target sir?
'The Recusant Destroyers. Destroy as many as we can!
Moments after the channnel went down.
'What happened?
'We are being dragged to the Separatist flagship?
'What? How?
'Sir, they are targeting our engines!
'Fire back, you damn fool!
The Invisible Hand was advancing through space, destroying with ease all the pirate starships. The Providence-class Carrier was going for the enemy command dreadnought.
'It is of no use. Prepare for fighting boarding parties!
The bridge shaked for a second.
'They have docked to us!
'Lieutenant, stay here and lead in my absence.
With that, Bakuntu took 5 bounty hunterd and ran to the lower level. He was desperately trying to contact the crewman there. At last a device answered:
'Sir! The droids are capturing all the wings. They have taken control of the lower deck.
'Why are you still alive then?
'I hid under an engine.
'Very well, then stay put and await my command. We may have to destroy this ship.
'Yes sir!
After a few more corridors, the commander reached the Reactor Core. He was greeted by 5 figures turned with the back on them. They were covered in cloaks.
'Hey!
They turned at him. Droids. But these ones were special. They weren't armed with blasters but... staffs.
'Men, be carefull! These are magnaguards!
The 5 robots ignited their weapons and charged at their enemies. Bakuntu barely had time to dodge an attack, but he heard as some of his companions screamd as the electricity took away their lives. The commander turned around and shot one of the magnaguards in the head. The droid remained still for a second then tried to impale Bakuntu. He ducked away and shot his opponent in the red point on his chest. This time, the magnaguards remained still and fell down on the ground. A few steps away, Bakuntu observed that his bounty hunters were killed by the droids. The Commander crawled away and ran to the Reactor's computer. His comm channel came back to life. He answered the call from the Command Bridge. But it wasn't the Lieutenant. The skelethic image of the General appeared.
'I see you are smarter than I thought.
'Grievous...
'I can already see your fear, puny pirated! Though I am surprised you are still alive. I thought my magnaguards would have finished you by now.
'I am not so easily killed. You won't escape this ship alive.
'Oh really? And how do you intend to do that.
Bakuntu just closed. He contacted the Engine room.
'Yes sir?
'Detonate the room! Now!
'Aye aye!
Bakuntu then looked at the reactor computer and typed the self-destruct command. He had 2 minutes to get to his ship. Without hesitation, he ran to the Hangar.

The Command Bridge

'Secure all the databanks they had in storage!
'Sir. Someone has activated a command on this ship.
'What? What do you mean?
'The Reactor Core will self
destruct in 1 minute and 50 seconds. 49..48...
'Arghh!
Grievous punched away the droid from his way and sprinted as fast as he could the Docking Area. The computer in his mind was counting the second down. He had one minute left. Still, he contacted Dofine:
'Yes, General?
'Fire the Command Bridge! Quickly!
Still running, Grievous crossed a corridor and saw the door he cut with his lightsabers when he entered the ship. He had 10 seconds left. Activating his hook, the cyborg shot it and fixated on the crossing corridor. In a few seconds he was flying in the air, dragged back to his ship. He looked back and saw flames coming for him. Then an explosion. The General was thrown in the Invisible Hand's Docking Area. The space vacuum left behind started to suck him out. In the last moment, the pressurised door appeared and Grievous fell on the floor. Some battle droids appeared.
'Sir, are you alright?
Grievous growled and cut all the droids with his lightsabers.
'I will find that mongrel and make him suffer!
The cyborg snarled a second time and went back to the bridge to assume control of the battle.