An Unthinkable Alliance

Chapter 9

Makeb

A strategically uninmportant planet for the war, Makeb has been a neutral planet since the first colonists landed there. It was a world rich in resources and , being in Hutt Space, it couldn't be conquered by either the Republic or CIS. Most of the Jedi even forgot about the planet. But it housed a secret base for the Hutt leader. The Hutts took interest before in the planet when they tried re-eneacting their pirate empire back in the Old Republic era, 3000 thousand years ago. But, they were stopped as well by the forces of the Old Sith Empire and the same Republic. Grievous documented himself about the history of the planet. He was now looking at it through the windows of his Command Ship, the Invisible Hand.
'Sir, there seems to be a small fleet on the other side of the planet. They appear to haven't noticed us yet.
'Are they pirate of Republic?
'Unknown, but reports suggests pirate.
'As expected... that puny majordomo was usefull after all. Prepare landing crafts to land on the planet. We will attack them by land and space at the same time.
'But sir, the planet's atmosphere will not support heavy forces to land!
'I know, stupid droid! I only need a few ships and my shuttle to land. Have you found the Hutt's location yet?
'No sir, but...
The Captain remained silent. He wasn't often suggesting new strategies and he was hesitating adjusting the General's plan.
'Speak Dofine! I want to finish these slimy scums immeadiately!
'Sir, why not attack their main flagship and learn of the location?
'And delay the ground assault?
'You will only be delaying their aimless search on that hostile planet.
'Fine! But set up a blockade! No one leaves this planet without my approval!
'As you wish General.
The Invisible Hand along a few cruisers started speeding to the pirate small fleet. Grievous couldn't say which one of the ships was the leading one. The droids were waiting for their master's orders which they knew already but decided not to act.
Grievous however remained deep in thoughts. Dofine approached him and asked the General:
'Sir, are you alright?
'Yes...  try hailing those ships.
'Why bother?
'Just do it already!
The Captain backed away scared by the outburst. He let out his hand in a sign so that the droids will execute the order. Grievous waited impatiently at the holotransmitter. Nothing happened for a few minutes.
'Sir... maybe they won't....
But the Neimoidian Captain was shut down by the appearance of a Wequaay pirate.
'Hello there, Seperatists!
Grievous just glared at him. The Wequaay saw the cyborg and a look of fear crossed his eyes. After a few moments of silence, Grievous finally inquired intimidately at the captain:
'Are you in charge of this force?
'Yes...
'Good...
He looked at Dofine and shouted:
'All droids prepare to board that ship!
Target the closest enemy cruiser!
The captain trembled in fear when he heard that order and started pleadeding desperately:
'Please, we can surrender! What do you want?
'You can offer me nothing, filthy slime! But don't worry! I will have your heard personally, not by your ship's explosion!
With that, he punched the holotransmitter and ended the communication.

Makeb's surface

The ground of the planet was quite deadly. The only habitable places where the rocky formations that rose above a barren desert. The clouds were always a sight to see in the settlements of the people that lived there. On one of the mesas, a plateau was covered by the fortress of Tabarous the Hutt.
Inside his palace, the Hutt was standing on his usual throne, but now surrounded by soliders and tacticians.
His new Commander that took Bakuntu's place was a deadly Gen'dai. A powerfull species that could survive almost everything you could thow at them. Good bounty hunters and fighters for their survival skills. His name was Thorge. His body was covered by a cortosis armor, a very resistant one and his face was hidden by a helmet. His deep voice filled the silence in the throne room.
'Boss, the fleet's commlink above the planet has gone silent.
'What? That means that our enemies found us?!
'It appears so.
'But we haven't finished the preparations!
'Don't worry, boss. We wil handle it. They can't target us so they will have to land forces. And the atmosphere isn't actually helpfull.
'Still there would be either a Jedi filth or that threacherous droid to fight with!
'I will deal with him, master. After all, I did beat your Jedi slave in the pit.
'Yess... defeat our enemies and you will be rewarded! Now all of you leave! I want to enjoy another fight down there!
All of the bounty hunters and soliders left the room, and the ground went away revealing a large hole where beasts roared.
'Bring our Jedi friend!
The only door leading to that pit was opened and the female togruta was shoved inside. Tabarous revealed an electrostaff from behind him. He threw it into the pit.
'Fight Jedi or die painfully!
Shaak Ti was barely able to pull the staff with the force. This time she had to fight 5 rakghouls. Terifying beasts made in Sith laboratories 4000 years ago. They were weak but fast and could give you a plague that may transform you in one of them. Shaak Ti had to be carefull. All of them charged as one, running on all their four limbs. The Jedi jumped away and pushed one of them into the wall. The others turned around and jumped directly at her. She used the staff to defend herself and electrocuted 2 of the monsters. They fell down dead. The intensity of the weapon was set to very high so Shaak Ti found herself surprised the Hutt even gave her a weapon. She had been facing beasts with sticks and fists for a few days already. She was always chained and dressed in that slaver suit and rarely given to eat. The togruta tried not to let her emotions of hate or fear overcome her, but her training was starting to falter. She thought about escaping but she couldn't . She dreamed for anything to come save her. Whoever that being is, she would be gratefull forever. The last two rakghouls were more cautious. They started circling around her like hunters smelling their prey. Up there, Tabarous was savoring every moment. He was hoping she wouldn't die though. The Hutt really liked having a slave Jedi. Much more entertaining than a normal one. At last, one of the monsters growled and charged while the other tried bitting Shaak Ti's leg. The Jedi jumped and kicked the rakghould in the face while hitting the other one with the staff. Finally, all of them were dead.
'Huhuhuhu... very well! Cage her again!
From behind Shaak Ti, two strong gamorreans seized her while she tried to escape. One of them put a collar around her neck and shocks started to make the Togruta scream. She fell uncounsciouns after a few more, in the sound of the cackling Hutt...

The Invisible Hand

The battle was soon over. Grievous personally boarded the Wequaay ship and killed everyone on it, except his new prisoner, the captain. He was now standing on the bridge, free to his surprise. Grievous was walking around him, his white cloak stirring behind him. His entire form was white with a hint of dark tones made by the dust or scars. His reptilian cold eyes where the only lively thing in his entire body, the pirate thought. The fact that the inside of his cloak was crimson red was sickening. At last, he stopped and glared at him right into his eyes. Only hate and fury was coming from the cyborg's golden eyes.
'Where is that Hutt?!
The wequaay didn't respond, too scared by him.
'Tell me already!the General shouted.
'He... he is on... a secluded mesa...
'Where?!
This time, Grievous punched him, sending him crashing into a droid. He was prepared to hit him again when the captain spoke:
'Wait... wait, he's at these coordinates... look, these! They gave me his location! Take it!
He showed a datapad from his jacket.
Grievous took it and examined the location. His brain computer registered the numbers in his databanks quickly. Grievous then threw the datapad away, and the Wequaay screamed , fearing what will happen to him. However, the sweet tone of the cyborg's voice took him by surprise:
'You will be released.
The pirate stood up happy and started thanking the General. Dofine rose an eywbrow curious.
'Thank you, sir! Thank you...
Grievous put one of his claw in the back while the other padded the captain's shoulder.
'No, thank you...
As fast as the eye could blink, Grievous shoved a lightsaber hilt in the belly of the scum and ignited it. The Wequaay was so shocked that he could only gasp for air, then fall down dead. Grievous laughed darkly for a few moments. The Neimoidian approached him , looking down with disgust.
'I was almost thinking you will let him go...
'Hehehe... That coward was doomed. Now... check the location he gave us!
'Roger roger!
One minute after, the droid responded again:
'Sir, there is a mesa at these coordinates. A secluded mesa on which is built a set of building surrounded by walls. Detecting energy shields all around it!
'So it's them... Dofine, you know what you are told...

Makeb

The cell in which the togruta Jedi was kept was ray shielded. She couldn't touch the walls or she would be electrocuted by the energy. She sighed when she saw a being dragged to a similar cell near her. She was shocked to see an alien she didn't saw before. The being seemed familiar to her, yet she didn't recognize her. It was a girl quite young, almost a kid with strange clothes, in the style of the sand people from Tatooine. She was wearing a mask on her face and her skin was bownish-red. She didn't say a word when the gamorrean pushed her into the cell and closed it. Shaak Ti was surprised to see that their cells were actually connected so she could be able to speak easily to the other one. The gamorrean left shortly afterwards snorking like a pig. The Jedi didn't waste the free moment and greeted her cellmate:
'Hi... do you speak Basic?
The female glanced at Shaak Ti but then put her face down. She answered in a strange accent:
'I do.
'I am Shaak Ti...
'You are a Jedi aren't you...
'Yes, I am... how old are you?
'Why do you care?
The rapid response stopped the Jedi from answering right away. She sensed fear behind the words even if the girl tried to shield them.
'You don't need to be afraid...
The alien didn't say anything.
'Who are you?
'Qalisha...
'Well hello there, Qalisha... aren't you so young? Why are you here?
Still no answer. But Shaak Ti was sensing a great fear in her. Fear directed to herself. That girl was scared by her. But why?
'Please, can you look at me?
The girl hesitated but did as she said. Behind that bony mask of her, Shaak Ti saw two golden reptilian eyes. She was amazed by the resemblance. The sight wasn't new to her.
'Can you tell me why are you afraid of me?
'You are a Jedi... she whispered.
'But Jedi aren't evil.
'Yes, they are. That's the reason I am here.
'Why do you say that?
'My dad was forced to work as an enforcer... a slave!
'Why would that be our fault?
'Because if the war hadn't been lost, I would have been on Kalee now, happy...
Shaak Ti remained silent. So, the General wasn't bluffing. And that only made things worse. Even if Grievous was puirsuing genocide against Jedi, he almost had the right to. She just realised the girl was a Kaleesh slave that wouldn't have been here if the Jedi didn't interfere in the Huk War.
'I am sorry.
The girl blinked surprised.
'I am sorry for your people. I wasn't on Kalee when it happened... but I wish my people didn't help your enemies.
'But your kind did! You helped the bugmen! Bugmen that sold me to this place, away from family...
She started sobbing quitely while thinking about her past. Shaak Ti couldn't say much about it. She was right. And Grievous was. She wondered if the cyborg had any children before his transformation. Where they slaves, free, even alive?
'You are the first Jedi to show compassion I know...
The togruta was taken back by the whisper.
'Thank you... I hope we'll leave this place soon.
'Oh, I doubt it...
'Why do you wear that mask?
'It's one of the few things my father left me before he went into space.
'Who was your father?
'He was our savior but he failed in the end...