Grievous stared pensively out the window of the shuttle as it descended from the skyhook's suborbital launch apparatus to Harnaidan. He was impatient to see Ronderu in person at last. He just wished, that of all the places they could have met again, that it hadn't had to be here.

Munnilinst was not intrinsically an unpleasant planet. Quite the contrary, actually. The green and blue world was covered with forests, plains, scenic mountains, and calm oceans, all of which were enhanced by a larger-than-average temperate region. The skies were clearer than those of most any other inhabited planet due to the tight pollution regulations, the cities filled with tree-lined walkways, tube transports, and restrained skyscrapers. And what little interaction Grievous had had with the denizens of this world besides San Hill and his ilk had seemed to hint that a fair number of friendly, pleasant people dwelled here.

But that was the problem. Most of his time on Munnilinst had been spent directly in the service of one Mr. Hill and his equally unpleasant corporate associates. And so Grievous regarded the planet he was rapidly approaching through the lens of those less than pleasant memories.

"Ah, home sweet home," Mr. Hill said, exiting the skyhook shuttle in front of Grievous. He smiled fondly at the scene before them. "This," he said, gesturing to the cityscape surrounding them, "is where you'll be staying for the next-little while. Eventually, I'll need you on Coruscant, but for now, you'll stay here with me as part of my personal guard."

Grievous frowned. "What about paying off Kalee's debt?"

"That will occur as we have agreed," the Muun said, glancing up at him. "It's all in your contract."

"I can't read my contract," Grievous said, frowning behind his mask. He had made that clear to the banker already. It wasn't that he didn't know any Aurabesh-it just wasn't yet up to par with his spoken Basic, and the contract was full of specialized jargon and words with more letters than his eyes knew what to do with.

"You can have a protocol droid read it for you," the banker said, waving a hand dismissively. "There's nothing in there we haven't discussed. But I assure you that your planet's debt payments have already begun, and if you perform all the tasks I assign you, those debts may be paid off in as little as thirty or forty years."

"That's-a really long time," Grievous said.

Hill looked over at him, regarding him with mild curiosity. "You think so? How long is your species' natural lifespan?"

"Perhaps 90 years or so," Grievous said.

"Ah, that's unfortunate," Hill said, frowning. "I suppose you might be-rather old-when your contract is completed."

"Is there any way I can finish my contract more quickly?"

"Hmmm, I suppose," Hill said. "Yes, I will look into it. I'll not keep you past retirement age, I assure you."

"Thank you," Grievous said cautiously.

"Think nothing of it," Hill said. "You are a rare find, Grievous, and I have little doubt that your services, however brief they may be, will be of great value to the IBC."

Hill's eyes flitted to the people around them, and he frowned. "There is one other thing."

"Yes?" Grievous said.

The banker held out a hand. "Give me your mask."

Grievous narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because," Hill said, "it does not conform to my company's dress code. Also it is attracting attention."

"It's mine," Grievous growled, looming over the banker menacingly.

Hill pulled his hand back, his frown deepening. Grievous heard the Iotran guards and MagnaGuards behind him shift their weapons. A word from the Muun would be all it would take for them to attack Grievous. He could probably still win, but that would defeat the purpose for which he had come here. The Kaleesh backed down and reluctantly removed the mask.

"But if you insist I not wear it, then I will put it away."

"Good. I've been criticized already for my decision to hire you, given your-background. I will stand by that decision, but it would be in your own best interests to avoid appearing overly-primitive."

"-again, please state your name and purpose," A Muun man wearing a blue jumpsuit said, looking over at him with a slight frown. Grievous shook his head as if to shake away the memory.

"Apologies," Grievous said. He answered the questions without much thought and was soon allowed to exit the shuttle. He had an airtight excuse to be visiting the planet, after all. San Hill had personally requested his presence. That Hill's request had been made under considerable duress was not something that need be known.

He walked onto a wide pathway that wound through the city. A crowd of pedestrians flowed along the path. Most of them were Muuns, though Grievous saw the occasional group of Iotrans and a few aliens of various species who appeared to be tourists.

He thought back to the flashback he had had to the first time he had been here. He had tried to stay optimistic about the situation, but he had known even before that time that Hill's interest was not in helping him, but in having him serve the banker and his company. Grievous had not had much of a choice in agreeing to Hill's offer, though he wouldn't have continued enduring such dishonorable work at all if the Muun hadn't kept to his end of the agreement. But he hadn't broken his word on that, at least. The famine caused by the Republic sanctions had been alleviated.

As he looked up, he noticed a Muun woman was standing in the middle of the path. Other Muuns walking past her gave her a wide berth, not looking at her as they passed. She was wearing a tattered grey robe with a hood and she held a cane, though from what he could see of her face and hands, she did not look particularly elderly. She smiled up at Grievous, and that was when he saw that her eyes were a filmy white. "Have you any credits for a poor blind woman?" she asked.

Grievous stopped in front of her. He was unused to random strangers approaching or speaking to him. They usually avoided him due to his intimidating appearance. But he supposed this one wouldn't be aware of that.

"I apologize," he said. "But I do not have any credits on me." He wasn't on Munnilinst to buy anything, after all.

She tilted her head, her blank eyes widening, though she showed no other sign of surprise or fear. "Chancellor Grievous?"

"Yes," he said, somewhat unhappy at the reference to his new, unwanted title. "I am Grievous."

"Good. I've been waiting for you."

Grievous narrowed his eyes. He didn't know anyone from Munnilinst, excepting San Hill and his associates and a few of the Muuns who served in the Separatist military. He certainly didn't know this woman. "Who are you?"

"My name is Lora Far," she said. "And I believe that I have something that you are looking for."

"And what is that?"

"Force abilities."

Grievous narrowed his eyes further, his stance shifting slightly. "Are you a Jedi?"

The Muun woman laughed. "Goodness, no. I've never been off Muunilinst, and the Jedi are not allowed here. In any event, I don't hold to their ideology."

"Then are you a Sith?" A clawed hand trailed towards one of the lightsabers at his waist.

"Again, no. Their philosophy holds no appeal to me."

The hand stopped its path towards the lightsaber.

"In that case, how did you come to learn about your powers?"

"They made themselves apparent to me at an early age," she said. "I am mostly self- taught, but I've occasionally encountered others like myself who have sometimes shared their own insights with me."

"And how do you plan to help me?"

"I have visions of possible futures. It's how I knew you would be here." She tapped her cane around her until it hit the top of a rock. Gesturing with a hand, she lifted up the rock from the side of the path. Another gesture, and it began to slowly spin in midair. "I also have many of the standard talents one might expect of a Force-sensitive, and I've learned a few of the more unusual abilities as well."

Grievous considered the Muun's words. "And what do you wish in return?"

"Well, I will expect to be paid," she said. "I'm not a Jedi, after all. I don't have a Temple to feed and clothe and house me. Also, I'm not a warrior of any sort, so I wouldn't suggest bringing me to any battles. I can defend myself adequately against the more ordinary sort of troublemakers, but that is the extent of my fighting abilities. As I said, though, my talents can be helpful in anticipating future threats, among other things." She held out her hands, still holding her cane in the left. "Now, as you may have guessed, I am currently-unemployed. So, what do you think? Do you want my help?"

Grievous considered his situation. The Separatists currently had no Force-sensitives of any kind on their side. And while he had once fought a war against the Jedi with the aid of the Sith, he was now fighting against both of those ancient and powerful Orders. It hadn't occurred to him that there might be Force-sensitives who didn't align with either group, but now that he thought about it, it was obvious that such individuals would exist somewhere within the immensity of Galactic space. The single Force-sensitive Muun in front of him would not be sufficient to defeat both the Jedi and the Sith, even if she had been a battle-hardened warrior. But recruiting her help would be a start. Perhaps she would be able to find others like her as well.

"Yes, I like this idea," Grievous said. "What do you want to be paid?"

The amount she requested was ridiculously low, so Grievous offered to triple it, and she agreed to the offer.

"Excellent!" Lora said, smiling, her hands clasped together. "So, where to now? Do we return to your ship?"

"Not yet," Grievous said. "A friend of mine is currently in the company of a certain troublesome IBC executive-I'm here to meet up with her so we can travel to Kalee."

Lora frowned. "Really? That sounds unfortunate. Is she being detained by them?"

Grievous lidded his eyes and said in a quietly amused voice, "No. In fact, I'd say it is rather the other way around."

Lora had followed Grievous to San Hill's residence, which was the same tall, light green tower he had spent countless hours inside of as part of Hill's security team. The gate it was protected by had been unlocked by Ronderu for their arrival. Inside, they passed through the banker's large, intricately sculpted garden.

The Muun woman didn't ask further details about where they were going, but instead talked with the cyborg about the Separatist government and her visions.

"I've heard that a lot has happened lately, with Dooku's death and all," she said. "I'll admit, I was reluctant to be involved with any of this, despite my situation, but I had the most terrible vision of what would happen if the Republic wins this war."

"Really?" Grievous asked, concern in his tone.

"Yes," Lora said. "I know it is only-a possible future-but right now it is also an all-too likely one."

"What did you see?" Grievous asked.

"The total subjugation of the Separatists, and, inexplicably, the complete destruction of the Republic as well. Uncountable casualties on all sides."

"How does this come to pass?"

"It's not clear," Lora said. "Many things in Force visions are not. But I think I may be able to see more from this future in time." She frowned. "To achieve sufficient clarity may require delving more into the Dark Side than I would like, though."

"You would become a Sith?"

"No," Lora said. "That is a particular philosophy on the usage of the Dark Side, just as the Jedi employ their specific beliefs in their usage of the Light Side. I find them all a bit strange and superstitious, to be honest. No aspect of the Force is intrinsically good or evil. Dark Side abilities do not have to be offensive or harmful, and Light Side abilities can be turned to unsavory uses. Though I admit to favoring the use of the latter, as I find that the former requires an exhausting expenditure of emotion. Such intense feelings do not come naturally to me, especially anger."

Well, that's very much the opposite of my current difficulties, Grievous thought ruefully. An idea occurred to him then. "Could you use someone else's emotions in place of your own?"

"I-I don't know," Lora said, sounding surprised. "I hadn't considered that. I'll have to investigate the possibility."

As they entered the tower and took the series of elevators up its length, they passed through the security checkpoints Grievous remembered-large open lobbies with no apartments or offices of any sort attached to them, just a single door to the next elevator. Each lobby was strewn with demolished droidekas, chunks of MagnaGuards, and streaks of dried blood. Ronderu must have dealt with the bodies earlier. She had always been tidy like that.

When they reached the top floor, Grievous finally saw a place he'd never been-A smaller lobby attached to a suite with a metal door that had been cut clean through. He looked through it and saw Ronderu in the room on the other side. She saw him as well, and ran to him.

Grievous and Ronderu embraced, then pulled apart and clapped each other on the shoulders.

"It's about time you got here!" Ronderu said. "There is no more battle to be had in this place, and the futile pleadings of its sole inhabitant cease to amuse me."

"Where is he, anyway?" Grievous asked.

She gestured to another set of doors. "He stays in that bedroom of his most of the time. Apparently he has everything he requires to survive in there, which leads me to wonder what he needs this room for. And that one! And that one!" She pointed to two other doors in the suite.

Grievous laughed. "So then you've had all the rest of this to yourself?"

"Mostly. Every so often he would come out here to try to get me to leave."

Grievous felt amused. "I can only imagine how he expected to accomplish that."

Ronderu laughed, but then her face grew serious. "I'm sorry I let those Huk get the better of me and let you think I was dead. None of this would have happened if-"

"There was nothing you could have done," Grievous said. "There were too many of them." He was silent for a moment. "After I saw-what happened, I tried to call you up from the Jenuwaa Sea."

"Fool," Ronderu admonished him. She looked at the floor. "I tried to do the same with you."

Grievous laughed. "All those years I cursed the gods for doing nothing, and here it was because there was nothing for them to do."

Ronderu smiled.

"I wish we had never been separated," he said.

"I feel the same," Ronderu said. "Though I wonder if we were not meant to be apart for a time, to seek power outside ourselves sufficient to defeat the Republic forces who aid our enemies."

Grievous sighed. "Perhaps."

It was then that Grievous saw the bedroom door open and Hill look over towards them from the other side of the room, his expression brightening as he approached. "Grievous! Why, how truly heartswarming to see you two reunited-and ready to leave these premises, I presume." His gaze then moved to Lora, and he grimaced. "Who is this? Is there a reason you've allowed this riffraff to trail along with you?"

Lora's mouth compressed into a thin line. "Is that-San Hill? The IBC Chairman?"

"The one and only," the banker replied with a frown, his yellow eyes narrowing.

"Do you know him?" Grievous asked.

"Only from what I've heard on the HoloNet," Lora said. "But I can sense the presence of others in proximity to me, and what I sense right now is an endless well of malice and arrogance. Which is-about what I would have expected."

Hill looked up at Grievous. Pointing at Lora, he asked, "Again, who is this? Why is she here?"

"She's my new employee," Grievous said. Then, because he was feeling contrary, he added, "She says she can see the future. Clearly she has an uncanny ability to read people as well."

Hill scowled at him. "You hired a mystic? Their powers aren't real, you know."

Grievous tilted his head. He had been about to explain about her Force abilities, but noticed that Lora was making no attempt to clarify the situation and in fact seemed faintly amused by the misconception. So instead he merely said, "Seems real enough to me."

Hill rolled his eyes. "Looks like a beggar, too. I don't think she's even showered in months." He crinkled his flattened nose in distaste.

"That's because I haven't," Lora said. "I'm looking forward to reacquainting myself with the experience."

The banker shuddered, backing up a step away from the other Muun. "Fine. Fine. Now that you and your other half have been reunited, Grievous, you can take your new friend with you on the way out." He made a shooing gesture towards the three of them.

Ronderu casually pointed her blaster at the banker. "Actually, you'll be coming with us as well."

"What?" Hill said. "What conceivable reason would I have to accompany you to Kalee?"

"Because you don't have any other choice," Ronderu said. "I insist."

Grievous looked over to Ronderu, puzzled. "If you want him along, I won't object, but what advantage would that give us?" It wasn't as if the banker could fight.

Ronderu sighed. "Leverage, Qymaen. This one hoards considerable wealth and power. If we ensure his fate is tied to ours, he will use that wealth and power to help us succeed. Otherwise, he may be less-motivated to agree to our requests."

"Ah," Grievous said. "Yes, that is true." It was not something he would have done on his own. His personal obligations towards Hill, while certainly not on the order of a life debt, prevented him from directly defying the banker quite so brazenly. But Ronderu had no such obligations, and by both their thinking, was in fact owed recompense from Hill. And if she wasn't going to kill or severely wound him, there was no need for Grievous to attempt to stop her. In fact, there was no reason he couldn't assist her in having the debt she was owed repayed.

"Are you taking me hostage?" Hill asked, outrage now apparent in his tone. "This is extortion! This is very illegal."

Ronderu laughed. "Yes, yes it is. Illegal is in my job description, after all."

The banker looked imploringly at Grievous. "Please, think of all I've done to help you!"

Grievous stared at him. "Define help. Perhaps it includes getting me out of situations you originally allowed me to be put in? Forcing me to do grueling, soulless work for you to pay off my planet's crushing debt?"

Grievous, who was enjoying this turn of events, continued on. "Of course I will eventually release you. But not right away. After all, if you can take a few years to get around to resolving your contractual obligations, then certainly it would only be fair of me to take my time as well."

Hill laughed nervously. "Alright, perhaps 'help' is too strong a term. Still, would taking me as a hostage not be bad for your reputation, Chancellor? Surely you don't want to be involved in this."

Grievous looked down at Hill. "You're right. I don't want to be involved in this. Which is why we won't be leaving with you."

San smiled. "Well, I'm glad we could come to an agree-"

"We'll be leaving with Fal Nim, who we hired as an additional-" he thought back to the word San had used for Lora, "-mystic."

San gave him a wide-eyed look of horrified comprehension. "No. No."

Grievous, who was enjoying the banker's obvious dismay, then said, "No reason to be worried. We will release you, in time. After all, you did finally correct that little issue with my contract. But-you did also take a few years to do that. Perhaps we will take our time as well!"

Ronderu laughed. "Okay, troublemaker. Time to go."

San frowned. "No, I refuse to-"

Ronderu nudged the blaster into his chest. "You refuse to what?"

San looked at the ground, his expression sullen. "Nothing."

"Good. Qymaen, we will need him to wear some more colorful costume," she said. "What do you think-?"

"My wardrobe," Hill said tonelessly. "I have some terribly garish items in there that I never wear. If you will allow me, I will find something suitably-hideous."

Lora frowned. "General Grievous, how large is the ship you came here on?"

"The Invisible Hand is 1 km in length," Grievous recited from memory. "Why do you ask?"

"So I'll know how much space I can put between me and this loathsome man."