Sidious was walking down the hallway when he encountered Master Yoda. Smiling politely, he began walking back toward his private apartment. He had important matters to attend to. Important nano-sized matters.

"Chancellor, news we must discuss, there is."

Sidious stopped and sighed. Must we? At any other time, he might have been quite interested in what Yoda had to say. The ancient Jedi never spoke to him merely to make idle conversation, and his tone indicated that the news was of great importance. But the Sith Lord's mind was on what he considered a significantly more urgent matter that had already been put off far too long. After all, while he was quite confident that Ventress would obey his command not to activate the nanites, he felt that, in this case, a higher level of assurance was necessary.

"Apologies, Master Yoda, but I'm afraid the latest Senate meeting has left me quite exhausted. Perhaps we could reconvene in another-three hours? I might be more attentive after a meal and a short afternoon's nap."

"Urgent, this news is," Yoda said. "Apologize for the inconvenience, I do. Follow me now to the Jedi Council chamber, you must."

Sidious frowned. "If you insist. But you might need to rouse me if I nod off." He followed Yoda to the meeting place of the Jedi. It was not a place that non-Jedi were typically allowed.

"This is most irregular, Master Yoda," Sidious murmured. "We could speak of these matters in my office. It is closer."

"Hmmm," Yoda said. He didn't elaborate.

When they arrived at the Council chamber, Yoda used the Force to close the door behind Sidious. They were the only ones in the room. Sidious briefly considered attacking the Jedi Master now, but almost immediately dismissed the idea. Any fight between him and Yoda would be a close one, and the deceptively diminutive Jedi would likely have ample time to inform the others of the Sith Lord's identity. Anyway, he couldn't help but be curious about what the ancient Jedi thought was so important.

"Information about General Grievous we have, but highly confidential it is."

Sidious raised an eyebrow. He looked around the empty Council chamber. "What is it?"

"The report to the Senate on Dooku's death-missing an important detail, it was."

"Really?" Now Sidious was interested. He had had a lot of questions about Dooku's death, and had wanted to interview Obi-Wan about the matter personally, except the Jedi had left again before Sidious had had any chance to speak with him. So instead he had continued to wonder how it was that both Grievous and Obi-Wan had claimed to have killed Dooku. And how they had seemingly both independently come to publicly claim that Obi-Wan had done the deed. That had been quite the mystery to him.

"Killed Dooku, Grievous did," Yoda said.

"I thought the credit for that accomplishment went to Master Obi-Wan," Sidious said.

"A necessary misdirection, that was, as is our meeting here," Yoda said. "Known to the Sith, the truth cannot be."

Funny you should say that. He feigned a concerned expression. "You think the Sith have compromised my office?"

"Know, I do not. But take any chances with this information, I will not."

How inconveniently paranoid you've become, Master Yoda. If Coruscant glowed with the presence of the Jedi, their council chamber practically oozed with presence of the Light Side. It was like standing suspended in syrup. Sidious did his best to ignore the uncomfortable sensation.

"All right. Why would Grievous kill Dooku?"

"Controlling Grievous, he was," Yoda said. "Through cybernetic implants. Found this out, Grievous did. Allied with Obi-Wan temporarily to kill Dooku, Grievous did."

"So, the cyborg General was being controlled all this time?" Sidious asked. "And now you hope we might negotiate with him to end the war?"

Yoda nodded.

"Who removed these implants?" Sidious asked, eager to know who he should make pay for this turn of events. "I surmise it would not have been possible for Grievous to have removed them himself."Rather, I know it would not have been possible.

"Correct, you are. Help, he must have had. But know who they are, we do not," Yoda said. "Sent Obi-Wan to find more information on Grievous, we have. Perhaps also determine the identity of this person, he will."

"It's unfortunate that we still don't know who they are," Sidious said, disappointed.

Yoda nodded solemnly. "Indeed. A great reward, such a heroic deed merits."

Or rather, a horrific punishment, Sidious thought. I'm really going to have to think up something more creative than the usual forms of torture for this one.

"I agree. And I thank you for keeping me updated on these important events. I will prepare a transmission to let Grievous know that the Republic may be willing to grant him a full pardon. To be sent confidentially, of course."

"Thank you, I do, Chancellor."

"There is no need to thank me, Master Yoda," Sidious said, smiling benevolently. "I am merely doing my duty to end this war as swiftly as possible." And to end all the Jedi along with it.

Grievous dropped his ships out of hyperspace to the sight of a satisfyingly underpowered Republic fleet. Unlike most of the engagements he'd had with the Republic of late, this one was against a considerably smaller force. And given where Kalee was located, the Republic wouldn't be able to send reinforcements immediately. A few Huk battlecruisers also surrounded Kalee, but given their relatively insignificant size and number, it seemed that they expected the Republic to fight their battles for them. It was clear that neither group was prepared for a concentrated Separatist attack. The Republic admiral still had the gall to send him a communication warning him to retreat. Grievous laughed at the weak attempt at bravado. It was time to run the Huk and the Republic off from Kalee once and for all.

"Execute Karabbac Nest maneuver. Open fire on the Republic and Huk fleets," Grievous said, sitting back in his command chair. "And release ten squadrons of Vultures and tri-fighters each." The droids responded immediately. They moved the Munificent-class frigates and Providence-class dreadnaughts into position. Then a hail of lasers shot toward the Republic Venator and Victory-class Star Destroyers, and he saw a number of droid fighters appear in the viewport.

The sides of several of the enemy ships exploded. Grievous lidded his eyes and watched contentedly as his enemies were decimated by the combination of unrelenting lasers and droid fighters.

"Is this all you have to do?" Ronderu asked. "Just tell these machines to attack?"

"Usually it is not quite that simple," Grievous said. "But they are woefully unprepared for us. This will be a short battle."

"An entire fleet of ships and droids, at your command. How did you manage to get the position you have in the Separatist force, Qymaen?" Ronderu asked. "And-what kept you from returning to Kalee with this fleet before now?"

Grievous sighed. "It's a long story, and I confess I don't really know why they wanted me to command the Separatist fleet so badly. I never expressed an interest in the position. As for why I was away for so long, well, that was because there were chips implanted in my mind when they made me a cyborg. Chips meant to control my mind."

Ronderu growled. "Who did this?"

"Count Dooku."

Ronderu tilted her head. "I heard he died recently."

Grievous lidded his eyes. "Yes, although few are aware that I was the one who killed him."

"You mean it wasn't Obi-Wan? The Jedi?"

"He did provide some-minor assistance. But no, he did not strike the killing blow."

"Then, you took revenge on Dooku for what he did to you. But-how did you get out from his control?"

Grievous sighed again. "Mr. Hill. He had the control chips removed. Apparently he had been aware of Dooku's tampering from the start, and had finally mustered up the courage to actually do something about it. Hence why I have asked you not to kill him-and why I have not killed him myself."

"Oh," Ronderu said. "I had wondered about that. He is extremely irritating and troublesome."

"Yes," Grievous said. "He is."

"But I understand now why you let him live."

"I do sometimes wonder how far he can be trusted, but I am indebted to him for his assistance." He sighed.

"But he was also the one who originally took you from Kalee."

"Yes." Grievous said. "He was."

The droids brought him to a thin, pale creature who was complaining about the heat and humidity to one of their guards. Upon noticing him, the alien stopped speaking mid-sentence and tilted their elongated head in apparent curiosity. "Is this the-General Grievous?"

"Yes," a droid intoned.

A wide smile appeared on the alien's face. "Excellent! You've caused me quite a bit of property damage, General! Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Yes," Grievous snarled. "I wish I could have caused more. Republic scum."

"Oooh, you speak Basic! Convenient." The creature clasped their hands together at their waist. "You misunderstand my presence here, however. I do not work for the government."

"What do you want?"

"To offer you a trade. My name is San Hill," the alien said, gesturing to themself. "And I am the Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. I understand you have a bit of a money problem."

"I understand that you are the source of that problem," Grievous growled.

Hill frowned. "Oh, no, you are mistaken. As I said, I am not an agent of the Republic. I am simply here to collect on the debts your planet has incurred due to the Republic's unfortunate embargo here."

"That still makes you part of the problem," Grievous growled.

"Yes, but I recognize that trying to extract credits from your planet is like trying to squeeze water from a stone. I cannot take what you do not have. It's a waste of my resources and efforts. But the Republic doesn't care about that-they just want to punish Kalee."

"What's your point?"

"There's another option," Hill said. "You work for me for-a time, and I will pay off all your planet's debt from this embargo."

Grievous looked at the droids who held him firmly and at the other droids who stood around them. There were perhaps thirty of them, plus a few bulky green-scaled guards who surrounded the fragile-looking alien. Grievous was alone, and without any weapons. The droids had caught him while he was sleeping. This alien was a coward who hid behind those who were stronger than them.

"And if I refuse?"

Hill shrugged. "I hand you over to the Republic. I hear you've got quite the reward attached to your capture. Though I'd rather not do that. Still, it's up to you."

"Qymaen!" Ronderu said, standing over him. "Qymaen, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, I-had a memory flashback," Grievous said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"A memory flashback?"

"Yes. When it happens it's as if I'm stuck in my own head. I don't notice what's going on around me."

"How long has this been happening?" Ronderu asked.

"Ever since the control chips were removed," Grievous said. "My mind may never work normally again because of the damage they did."

Ronderu growled. "If Dooku were still alive, I'd kill him myself."

"Has the Republic surrendered yet?" Grievous asked.

Ronderu shook her masked head.

Grievous surveyed the results of the battle. The Huk battleships were now nowhere to be seen and most of the Republic ships had been destroyed, their wreckage floating harmlessly in orbit. Some were spiraling towards Kalee's moon. The remainder had been forced away from Kalee, though they continued to fight.

"Perhaps I should suggest the possibility," Grievous said. He turned to the droids manning the battlestations. "Hail the Republic vessels."

The droids followed his instructions and opened a communication channel.

"You have ten minutes to surrender what remains of your fleet, Republic forces," Grievous said. "What do you say, Admiral?"

The line was silent for a full three minutes. Then, a holo of a Republic officer appeared, but not the one the cyborg was expecting- Grievous could see he was a captain from his rank insigna.

Grievous narrowed his eyes. "You're not the fleet admiral."

The human gave him a dour look. "No, I'm not. Admiral Dreevan is currently indisposed, and, I am inclined to believe, dead. That makes me the commanding officer of this fleet."

"And who are you?"

"I am Captain Tarkin," the Republic officer said. "And I will give this answer to your ultimatum-we will not surrender."

"Then I will destroy every last one of you," Grievous said, his eyes narrowing.

Tarkin gave him a small smile. "You will try."