Chapter 37: V.1-C.37│Slave Rebellion III│
Grievous had landed on the home planet of his Master and was walking through the streets of Mos Espa trying to be as low profile as possible.
But considering his height, stature and cyborg looks in general that was pretty hard to do on a planet like this where there are hardly any other people who were somewhat like him.
He could hear some whispers coming from some people. Grievous could also see various species native to Tatooine scuttering around. 'If I remember correctly those are the Jawas and the others are referred to as Tusken Raiders.'
These creatures would come in handy when locking down on the Hutt's and in fact played a large role in Anakin's information network here on Tatooine.
Who would care for unimposing creatures such as them? Especially the Jawa with them having set up shop on some of Anakin's territories allowing him to the ins and outs of the criminals here. A lot of the time he is able to get pretty benign information but sometimes it helps.
With the rebellion about to start they would be key as he had them infiltrate Jabba's palace. Jabba was immensely satisfied with their jester like nature.
Grievous comes into the now named Skywalker district as sees the people that were apart of the public company known as Skywalker Industries. Many faces that had once been impoverished, many people whom had a chip implanted inside their body now removed.
Their chains removed, free people. Free beings that can live their lives anyway they wanted. Grievous had come to appreciate freedom and liberty himself as he had seen the atrocities committed, and some he had done himself.
'Skywalker really does good, spending all that time on Dathomir must have made my perspective on life quite bleak.' Grievous spent most of his time on Dathomir around the dark side and its energy.
It does slowly warp ones sense of being, but one does not truly lose themselves to the dark side. It is just that another part of them comes out from the embrace and Grievous was a wiser man than he once was before.
Coming to another planet like Tatooine that is seeped in a large amount of dark side energy because of the residual hate, anger and desperation of the people that lives here certainly makes itself known.
Being Force-sensitive does have its ups but Grievous had also come to learn the negatives as well.
In general the areas where Skywalker's touch has influenced there is a sort of balance. This balance is something forming a bond between the light and the dark as if one could not be separated without the other.
Anakin had once told him some wise words of his own. "The code of the Jedi is flawed, but that does not mean the Sith code is any better as well. Both will lead to the extremes of either side and I believe there is a balance to be struck between the two."
"There is both chaos and harmony. Both peace and war because within chaos there is order and within order there is chaos." Anakin then continued. "For every action there is an equal reaction. It is simple laws of physics whether they be applied to the physical world or otherwise be applied to the mind or the spirit."
"Everything has some connection despite the total randomness of everything."
What Anakin had said to him had struck an accord as many things that had happen and can happen has consequences. His own actions have lead him to this point but so has the actions of others indirectly moved him.
'Truly I have become enlightened. I may just start calling myself a Jedi now.' Grievous has now come across the secret entrance to enter the base, he enters the special code by first knocking on the door.
"Yes?" Someone answers from the other side.
With his gruff voice aided by the systems to vocalize his voice, Grievous replies. "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood."
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." The voice from the other side answers back
Grievous sighs within his mind before continuing with the silly code sequence. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, a peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked, if Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?"
"Good." The voice goes quiet for a bit before the door opens where the person from behind the door reveals themselves.
A female Twi'lek who seemed to be around 15 years of age started to gesture towards Grievous. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and come in. The names Trella Bare'Ah by the way."
"Right, if you would excuse me." Grievous had learnt and adapted so he had proper manners.
Walking in Grievous was then guided down to the basement of the house but where they were really going was the true entrance to the underground facilities that has housed the resistance.
Trella asks Grievous because he was mostly silent and did not reply to her. "So, what is your name?"
"Just call me Grievous."
"Grievous huh? Ok, sure, I can do that. So are you here to help out? I haven't seen you around here before."
"Yes, you could say I have come to Tatooine to help with the rebellion."
Trella raises her eyebrows. "So your an outlander then."
"You could say that."
"Know anyone around these parts?"
"Not really, I only know of a couple of people and it is mainly because of them that I am here."
"That is fine, as long as your willing to help out." Trella smiles before saying. "I am needed elsewhere right now but you can interact with anyone here and see what you could do to help."
Grievous pauses before saying in an unsure tone. "Sure..."
"Bye bye, I got to go back and man the door. Wouldn't want anyone else not affiliated with us to get in."
Grievous looks around contemplating his situation. 'What am I to do now?'
[]
Back with Anakin he had gone back to the Skywalker residence within the Skywalker district going unnoticed because of the invisibility feature that came from his Nanosuit. Looking around the home he had helped to build he becomes nostalgic once again.
'Truly. I guess I had missed this place.' Anakin enters making no sound whatsoever and begins to move towards the package left behind.
A large crate had been placed within Anakin's childhood home. 'It is time to become Vader.'
Using the Force to open the crate from the outside, what is revealed is the infamous dark black suit of Vader.
Anakin connects with his droids on Coruscant creating a distraction for him and decides he may want to troll a certain individual. 'It would not pose much risk to try something against Palpatine.'
Seeing through the visual perception of the droid, Anakin could see that the temple had been evacuated to the inner most safest areas. There were hardly anyone present and through the sound based preceptors on the droid he could just hear off into the distance the firing of blasters and the hum of a lightsaber.
'I guess they have started to respond properly to the attack. Maybe this would serve as some sort of wake up call but I doubt it, as not even the incident with Geonosis had changed the Jedi.'
Simultaneously Anakin puts on his suit as he becomes a spectator of what is happening in the temple. 'Hopefully I have not caused much distress, I only need a distraction.'
As Anakin is putting on Vader's mask and helmet multiple figures rush over from another direction. 'Are those...'
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Mace had come into his view allowing him to see that they had not been ruffed up but were disheveled and heavily breathing due to exhaustion.
"Master Qui-Gon, Master Windu. There are some droids over there!" Obi-Wan calls out.
"I got this." Mace ignites his saber into action and dashes across the room towards the droid Anakin is in control of.
Deciding to test his skills out on the three Jedi, Anakin controls the droid to move away from the attack. Mace misses and confusion could be seen across his face. "What? How did you do that?"
"Getting old now Master Windu?"
Mace harrumphs then states. "Not that old but this droid in particular is weird, I think we should destroy it together Knight Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan you shall take care of the rest of the droids then join us."
"On it." Obi-Wan dashes of towards the other droids within the area.
"Ok."
Qui-Gon and Mace jump into action swinging their sabers in the hopes of destroying the droid Anakin is in control of. 'This is my chance to distract the Supreme Chancellor as well.' Anakin enhances the droid from all the way over on Tatooine to increase its capabilities but most importantly its speed.
"Quick, get after it!" Qui-Gon yells out and starts to chase along with Mace behind him.
The 'special' droid Qui-Gon and Mace chase after starts to gain ground as it is running towards the exit of the Jedi temple and the same thought passes through their minds. 'What the hell is this thing?'
Anakin, controlling the droid decides to see if he can make it to where the Chancellor may be to give him a surprise and take his attention from whatever he is doing to the current predicament. By now he should have noticed or been informed about what is happening within the temple.
'This should be interesting.' Anakin now within his Vader persona begins to cloud his presence and to chance the essence of his aura making it much darker in alignment with the dark side.
His pure blue eyes have now turned the deep glowing yellow eyes that give off negative emotions. 'This is never that fun to do.'
Anakin has been experimenting with Force alignment and has been switching back and forth between the two. As Anakin he represents the light side of the Force, while as Vader he has the passion of the dark side seeping through his being.
"Quickly it is moving towards the senate building!" Mace calls out from behind Qui-Gon.
Anakin continuously has his mind at two places at once and can split his consciousness within multiple directions, would be unhindered and can still work at full capacity as his mind based Force training has payed off the more time passes.
With the droid, Anakin moves its mechanical parts as fast as he can zooming towards where he can somewhat sense Sidious' Force presence.
'Calling group 2 of droids on Coruscant now is the time to make your way towards Sidious.' Anakin mentally calls out and activates the other droids in place.
"What the-" Mace stops himself from saying more. "There is more of them, where do they keep coming from?"
"And why are they headed towards the senate building? Is it an attempt at causing chaos." Qui-Gon says just out of the droid Anakin is controlling hearing range.
"I thought we had established the reason already." Mace then continues. "It is meant to work as a distraction but for who or what, I do not know. At least that is what I believe now."
"Maybe we shouldn't be following this droid around."
"It sure beats doing nothing as this droid is the only one acting differently."
"That is true, lets continue." Qui-Gon then says out loud so the droids hearing sensors can pick up what he is saying. "Whoever is controlling the droids, I suggest you stop what you are doing and peacefully hand yourself over."
The droids mechanical synthesized voice is heard. "Peace was never an option."
"So be it." Mace says as he speeds up trying to get the droid.
Back on Tatooine, Anakin has become fully suited within and is now making his way to the uprising hideout. This time he is not invisible but tries to discreetly exit the Skywalker residence without being seen.
Despite the heavy suit weighing him done, Anakin is easily able to maneuver himself within it.
After getting to a safe distance to finally reveal himself he starts to walk the street of Mos Espa as the suns of Tatooine are finally setting and night time rolls around.
His humongous frame causes alot of people still out and about step away from him. His very presence scaring those closest with an invisible barrier no one wishes to cross into.
To overcome evil, sometimes you must become evil yourself.
Fortunately the only people out at night time were either children living off of the streets looking to make a quick buck or criminal scum doing the same but are willing to do things that are much more worse.
"Move." A simple statement is said from behind the mask Anakin speaks through and it scares the person who had been brave enough to approach him.
"You think you fool me, dont you. All big and tough hiding behind that armor of yours. I bet you cant even take a hit."
Deciding to give a last warning before making his way, Anakin states again while increasing the pressure he exerts on the drunken man. "Move, or you will be dealt with." The breathing behind Anakin's mask starts to terrify the man as he feels that somehow he is heavier.
Before much else can happen though, someone makes their way towards him. 'What is this?'
"I am sorry sir, but my father has had too much to drink for the night. Please forgive him." A young lad comes out to aid his drunken father.
"He should lay off the drinks, he could hurt someone." Pausing for dramatic effect Vader then continues. "Or he could be hurt himself."
The young lad gulps. "Ye-yes sir, I will keep that in mind and will make sure my father does too."
With a flick of his wrist, Anakin decides to make his exit more dramatic by controlling his cape to billow with the wind.