A.N.: An Omake written in Collab by me and @Cyberphilosipher. Enjoy!
The General's High Guard
Invisible Hand, Elevator, on the way to the Training Room
His eyes peered down at the Lightsaber in his hand, as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his metallic claw around it. Whenever he found a quiet moment, such as on this Elevator ride, he found his eyes drawn to the newest acquisition in his Trophy Collection.
Grievous had...mixed feelings about his first Trophy taken from a Jedi. On one hand, he had decisively beaten his first Jedi, a Master of her order at that, and taken the weapon from her, all the while slaughtering her Soldiers. The memory of seeing that Filth slump down against a wall, exhausted and beaten, still gave the Kaleesh Cyborg pleasure. Had he actually killed her, it would have been the crowning moment of this achievement, the first step in claiming his revenge on the hated Order.
Except, when he had held her life in his hands, this pleasure had been robbed of him by four Soldiers bursting through a Wall.
Grievous eyes narrowed at the memory. He had been taken aback by the sheer fearlessness and disregard for their own safety that these four had shown, throwing themselves at him without any hesitation at all. It had brought him off balance, enough for them to get the drop on him and almost crushing him beneath the rubble of a collapsing ceiling. Had it not been for his quick reflexes, the Catacombs of Geonosis may have become his unmarked grave.
It had still been a Victory, as he had both ensured the Safety of the Separatist Council and defeated a Jedi...but these four Soldiers had spoiled it by swooping in and rescuing the Jedi from her fate at his hands.
Grievous had, upon assuming Command of the Separatist Military a few days later, taken the time to gather information of these strange soldiers, draped in armor and capes that radically differed from the rest of the Republican Military. They were part of a Unit called the 'Helldivers', a Regiment established only a few years prior, whose purpose was to descend upon a Planet in specially designed Ground Assault Capsules in order to rapidly strike at Key Targets.
...He had had to read the report three times over before he could full believe it. He had certainly seen a few unorthodox Tactics throughout his life, but this - and the fact that these Helldivers seemed to throw themselves at the task with eagerness - bordered on insanity.
But now, after the opening Battle, came the second most tedious part of this war...beyond the Republic and their blasted Helldivers.
Beyond the Micromanagement of Lord Sidious and Count Dooku...no.
It was the insufferable personality that made up the rest of the Separatist High Command.
Now, Grievous had little to say against their tactical cunning, their ferocity, or even their competence.
No, it was their grating and insufferable personalities that kept him from truly enjoying them. Them and their constant whining for funding and Command or Overseeing of Operations.
Not to mention personal Vendettas and more...annoying messes.
Sev'rance Tann, for one thing, a tool of Count Dooku and a skilled officer. Traditional, capable, but grating, annoying and too prone to getting her head into a grudge that wasn't proper in a true battle. She should really stay in command of the navy to keep Admiral Trench in line.
And then there was Trench, who believed that leveraging the navy alone would win the War early, to put as much distance between their manufacturing core and the Republic Navy as possible.
While Grievous agreed that such a plan was necessary...to leverage the CIS Navy solely against the Republic, who's Navy was currently the strongest in the Galaxy would be a mistake. Even he recognized its vigor and ability.
The Designs alone could match even the best the CIS had to offer.
Then there was Ventress. What more could you say about the Witch Dooku found and made his personal assassin? An annoying, if capable wretch, skilled with her parlor tricks and a sword, and a successful warlord...but little else.
He had united and held off an invasion from the Huk and he didn't have the Force to help him, only his own iron will!
Grievous shook his head. He would have his hands full in this War, he could tell.
Still, it was not all bad. Dooku and Lord Sidious had placed him as the unquestionable Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies and while he would still have to juggle the Separatist Council somewhat, Military Matters would be left largely to him. And his Armies were numerous, growing by the day...if sadly made up largely of idiotic Droid Cannon Fodder.
It would certainly not an easy War, but Grievous was confident that it was one he could win, given the resources he had. He needed to strike hard and fast after an initial defense to destroy as much of the Republics Military as he could and dismantle their ability to fight, at least for a time, leaving him free to rampage across the Core and Mid-Rim Worlds in order to seize Planets and resources.
Grievous eyes narrowed as he once more clenched a metallic claw around the Lightsaber. He would wipe out the Jedi Order and burn this corrupt, treasonous sham of a state that had DARED to try and and pretend they were improving things after all they had done to his people! Vengeance would be his, no matter who stood in his way!
...But if he wanted to claim his revenge, he would need to be stronger. If four Soldiers could drive him away like this, with the Element of surprise on their side or not, then his skill was clearly not enough, yet. And he would need capable Guards by his side, too, who could stand a chance against such Enemies and allow him to focus on the biggest threats, like he had had during the Huk War.
Which brought him to the Training Room he was now stepping into as the Elevator arrived at it's destination...and the three beings waiting there for him. Three large Droids, standing at attentiona s he entered.
"Soundwave has already removed the surveillance systems, as requested." The largest of the group said: A purple model with faintly cone.shaped head, a single yellow optic in the center.
"Yesm Shockwave...that was a good thing, now we can work in peace without the prying eyes", Grievous replied.
"And I have already made the proper requests for your RnD projects that you would consider...viable." Starscream chimed in, smiling a winning smile on his all too humanoid face, flexing the wings jutting out to his sides.
Soundwave, a large and bulky Droid with a Helmet-like head, only slightly smaller than Shcokwave, merely inclined his head, saying nothing.
Grievous was not one to trust Droids, usually, but even he recognized the Talents of Soundwave, Starscream and Shockwave.
Once low ranking droids, Prototype Models with enhanced processors and AI's, they had been part of the great Droid Rebellion years back when the militarization was ramping up. They had proven powerful foes that were part of the more difficult pocket of resistance in the Outer Rim.
That is, until the Uprising had turned firmly against the Droids.
In that Moment, Starscream had lead the other two in stabbing their fellow Droids in the back, giving the Trade Federation leadership the Codes they needed to hack into the Rebel Droids shared Mainframe and shut most of them down, ending the Rebellion. His only Request had been that he and his two Compatriots would remain free and be allowed to join the Separatist cause.
Viceroy Palpatine, amused and slightly impressed by their cunning, had complied with their demands at the command of Lord Sidious himself, who ruled the Separatists from the Shadows. Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave had joined the fledgling Separatist Military soon after.
Displaying an aptitude for not only combat, but also for Tactics and Leadership, the three had quickly risen in the Ranks, until finally, they had been assigned as Sub-Commanders to the eventually chosen Supreme Commander: Him, Grievous.
He had worked with the three of them before and quickly assessed their Talents and potential issues.
Starscream was probably the most capable Fighter of the Trio, having been a prototype of a new Combat Droid before the Uprising, with a keen mind for cunning and underhanded Tactics. But he also had an ambitious, boastful and treacherous nature to him, one that made him prone to scheme against his own peers and superiors. He was useful, but Grievous would keep an eye on him.
Shockwave, by contrast, was coldly analytical almost to a fault, running entirely on a philosophy of 'Logic above all else'. A former Medical Droid Prototype, he also displayed a Scientific Aptitude, both in mechanical and biological fields. Already, he had shown grievous impressive plans for chemical and pestilential weapons of War, that would certainly prove to be of use later.
Soundwave was more stoic and quiet in Nature. He still had somewhat of an arrogant streak, but in Grievous opinion, it was well earned. As a former Protocol and Communications Droid Prototype, he specialized in Intrigue and Communication, having shown great promise as an Information and Espionage Officer. In addition, he was no slouch in combat, either, deploying a variety of smaller Drones that he had given names to and commissioned to be stored within his body to be released when needed.
Despite his dislike of Droids in general, Grievous found these three to be...tolerable, at worst. It helped that they were genuinely skilled and showed capacity for improvement, unlike most of these mindless Battle Droids. They reminded Grievous far more of the Warriors he had once commanded on Kalee.
It was no real comparison, of course. Nothing could truly replace his old comrades. But it was something he could work with.
Turning his eyes to the Holoprojector in the center of the room, Grievous was considering his various per-campaign options. He had to solidify his supply shipyards and strike bases as of later, and prepare them to deal with the various counteroffensives that he knew were coming for the Outer Rim. The Republic Navy was formidable and capable, and their Army had more then proven their worth on Geonosis.
Second, he had to support all of the Separatist Rebellions across the Outer and Mid-Rim that had yet to solidify control. The Cyborg General knew the importance of solidifying gains, and even now...barely a month into this war, the situation was fluid, far too fluid for his own liking.
Finally, there was the matter of sorting out the republic holdouts inside the CIS-Borders. Jar Jar's legacy held a difficult sway over much of the Outer and Mid Rim, with many Worlds still proclaiming Loyalty to the Republic.
"I am sure you have analyzed the situation of this War", he addressed the three new Members of his personal circle...his High Guard, as some had taken to call them. "Tell me your evaluations."
Soundwave spoke up. "My subordinates have intercepted a few transmissions from the Republic. Highly encrypted, but we could decipher parts of it. Conclusion: The Republic Military is beginning to finalize it's first Planning Stage. We will have to expect the first Counterattacks from them in the coming weeks. But we still have a small window of time to act as we please."
"It is only logical that we use this time wisely to spread and support the Separatist Uprisings that have met resistance on certain worlds across the Galaxy", Shockwave added. "Starscream and I have compiled a list of Worlds, ranked by priority based on Data such as likelihood of success of the Uprisings, Pro-Separatist-Sentiments, Strategic Value, Resources and Industrial Output of the Worlds in question."
He handed Grievous a Datapad that the General briefly glanced over. He nodded, so far it seemed all in order.
"Well done. Have you also determined Republic Worlds that we might be able to seize before their Counterattack begins?"
"We have, my Liege", said Starscream, his voice as oily and slickly venerate as always. "And we have determined a number Worlds that we can likely either seize quickly, neutralize as Factors or bog the Republic down on should they arrive before we finish our Conquest."
He tapped onto the Holoprojector in the center of the room, displaying a Planet soon after. "Three of them stand out as the potentially most useful. This is Christophsis, a resource rich World close to the Outer Rim Borders. The Populace is loyal to the Republic through and through, but their current Naval Defenses are inadequate. Admiral Trench has assured us that he should be able to easily blockade the Planet, and hold said blockade long enough for our Ground Forces to either seize the Planet, or for the populace to the starved into surrender. It would provide us not only with a Hyperlane Crossroad, but also a bountiful Resource World to fuel our War Machine."
Grievous nodded slowly. It would be a risky gamble, especially with how much the Republic had build up it's Navy. But the potential gains might just be worth it. "What of the other two Worlds of special Note?", he asked.
"Taking Ryloth is a particular strategic boon. It's location on various hyperlanes would give us a key staging ground for various operations in the Mid Rim, as well as secure our supply lines in the Outer Rim itself", Starscream said. "not to mention the Mining Resources of the Planet."
"Problem: Local resistance will be considerable. The build up of a Rylothi Milita and Republic bases in the sector has been notable, especially with Syndulla's organizational merit in the last few years", Soundwave noted. "Conclusion: A difficult target, but strategically invaluable."
Right...Wat Tambor had actually clamored for seizing Ryloth, before. The Techno Union had made significant investments on the Planet before the War, especially with the mining Industry of the World. Tambor had claimed he wished to serve the Separatist Cause with this, but Grievous had no doubt that he planned to plunder the World for all it was worth once it was taken. That said, he could still be correct about the importance of seizing the planet.
Another difficult target, but one they might be able to take. The distance of the World to the Core would also make it difficult for the Republic to send reinforcements.
"And the third World?", he asked.
"Arguably the hardest target of the three", Starscream chimed in", but potentially the most worthwhile to take, as well." He called up another Planet on the Projector. "Udraaso."
Grievous nodded. "I have heard of this World. And Agricultural Export Hub, yes?"
"Indeed. Udraaso is considered the 'Breadbasket' of the local Star Systems", Shockwave stated. "Taking it would undoubtedly cause a Food Crisis in many of the surrounding Systems. Perhaps enough to bring them to their knees in a Domino Effect. And since the World is at the Edge of the Mid Rim to the Outer Rim, it would be an ideal target to strike for our forces. However..."
"Problem: Udraaso is almost fanatically loyal to the Republic", Soundwave commented in his usual booming, robotic voice. "The populace is Patriotic and has a long History of fighting back against foreign Invasions even after official resistance has seized. Potential Loyalists to the Separatist cause among the Populace: Less than 1%. Likelihood of a large-scale, well-organized Guerilla-Campaign against our Occupation: 100%."
"In addition, my Liege..." A gleam entered Starscreams optics, as if he was enjoying relaying this Information to him. "The Jedi Order has a large presence on Udraaso, both symbolically and in real Force. A decent part of their Agri-Corps is stationed on this World, alongside a sizeable Outpost of the Order. The Udraasians...
worship the Jedi, almost, viewing them as Heroes."
Grevous narrowed his eyes, feeling his temper flare at the thought of anyone venerating the Jedi...but he fought his anger down and thought about the situation as a General, not as a Kaleesh.
Lord Sidious had made it abundantly clear that to cull potential recruiting grounds for the Jedi was an important Objective. And the Agri Corps in a crisis could be given authority to act as Jedi in the region. Though that hadn't properly been used in nearly a thousand years.
Grievous nodded. It was a difficult strategic endeavor. Udraaso was a valuable piece on the board, but one that would take time to pacify. Far longer then his operational time table allowed. Though it still had viable benefits.
The costs would outweigh the potential benefits, in the end, however. Grievous did consider a scorched earth campaign in regards to it. But it would be an annoying occupation.
"Is there any other benefits from putting our hands into this nightmare scenario?", he asked calmly. "Count Dooku wishes for our forces to move and secure in this campaign before other operations can achieve fruition. Time is of the essence."
"In that case, Christophsis and Ryloth are likely to be better targets. Udraaso would be a valuable prize, but perhaps it is better to wait a while before trying to seize it", Starscream said.
Shockwave spoke up. "It would still be a logical choice to attempt and weaken Udraaso, perhaps even sabotage it's Food Production."
Grievous nodded slowly. "Agreed. No Military Attack for now...but see if we can bring Spies, Saboteurs and perhaps even Commando Droids onto Udraaso. A Terror and Sabotage Campaign may have a greater effect at minimal risk."
"As you Command, my Liege", Starscream replied with a brief bow. "Shall we prepare attacks on Christophsis and Ryloth in the meantime?"
"Do it", Grievous said with little hesitation. "We cannot allow the Republic to seize the full initiative, and both of these Targets are worth the risk." He looked at Shockwave. "As for the plans for Udraaso...do you think a Plague Weapon may be used by Saboteurs? Perhaps to infect the Agricultural Plants on the Planet?"
Shockwave nodded. "A logical idea, Lord Grievous. I shall contact Doctor Nuvo Vindi...perhaps one of his creations might be up to the task."
...On some Level, Grievous felt a little revulsion at the idea of deploying Plague Weapons against his foes, especially against Civilians. The Warrior within him told him it was cowardly.
But the ruthless General in him quashed these thoughts. If the Huk War had taught him one thing, it was that every weapon in your reach had to be used to bring a powerful foe to it's knees and like it or not, the Republic had grown quite powerful in the last ten years.
Let Udraaso taste the fruits of Doctor Vindi's Labs and see if they would still be so capable of resisting...and let the rest of the Republic follow, for all he cared. If the Udraasians loved the Jedi so much, they deserved no better fate, anyway.
"Very good", Grievous said, looking at his High Guard. "Then let us turn to the Separatist Uprisings still raging, and see which we can support the best..."
A.N.: With Orion and D-16 in this Quest on the side of the Republic, I figured that if the High Guard is also in this, they are going to be Villains working with the Separatists. Having initially been part of the Droid Uprisings against the Trade Federation after Jar Jar introduced Droid Rights, when the Uprising turned against the Rebel Droids, Starscream lead the other two in stabbing their fellows in the back in exchange for being granted their own Freedom and a seat at the table, so to say. Now, they are Grievous' Sub-Commanders...his High Guard, covering various fields and assisting him in planning his War. I hope the way we explained their backstory makes sense for them to be in this Universe and have their current abilities.
While Shockwave and Soundwave are closer to their usual personalities, Starscream, while still a deceitful backstabbing schemer, is more like his TFOne-self here. Aka, actually competent as a Fighter and Strategist. Too competent to be easily gotten rid of, even when he steps out of line. Also, Palps kind of likes him precisely BECAUSE of his backstabbing, deceitful nature.
...Needless to say, Shenanigans may happen, sooner or later. I look forward to writing more about those, if this Omake is hopefully declared Canon.
