45 Years After the Droid Wars
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, sat at the central Council table. Around him sat the most wealthy and powerful individuals in the galaxy, all silently appraising the holographic image displayed before assembled Confederate leaders. At the center of the table, the holo-image of a moon's decaying orbit illuminated the dimly lit room with an ominous red glow. As Kenobi pensively stroked his ragged white beard, the orbit decayed every further towards the helpless planet Sernpidal.
"What is the moon called again?" asked Sentepeth Findos, Viceroy of the Trade Federation.
"Dobido" Wat Tambor answered in his metallic voice.
Looking at Tambor, Obi-Wan shook his head in dismay at the Skakoan. The techno-union leader had just undergone a complete life energy transfer into a droid body through the newest Ssi-ruuk entechment process. In place of an environmental pressure suit cutting him off from the world, he was now forever encased in a completely artificial body. A shining example to the galaxy of the Confederacy's wisdom in admitting their new Ssi-ruuk allies to the Council. Well...at least the man didn't have to manually adjust his voice modulator any longer.
"Standby..." Gizor the Tenacious hissed and popped in staccato Geonosian as he relayed remote commands from his Council chair to tactical droid TA-175 commanding the distant space station Gunray. "Standby..."
Suddenly a new moon, a steel moon, appeared upon the holographic viewer before the assembly as the massive, spherical Gunray entered range. It descended upon Dobido with unnatural speed that defied solar gravitation.
At once, the Gunray fired its massive weapon. The holographic image before the Confederate Council could hardly do justice to what the citizens of Sernpidal looked up and witnessed at that moment. Just as many on the doomed world gave in to despair and screamed out to the heavens for deliverance from the impending cataclysm, their prayers were suddenly answered by a green blast of laser light that streaked across the sky and slammed into the descending moon. The explosion was stupendous, throwing an entire world into chaos as the gravitational pull of their moon was suddenly eliminated forever by the breathtaking blast of the super-weapon. What was a single moon instantly became a thousand small fragments of rock which descended into the planet's atmosphere.
A collective cheer rang through the Council Chamber. Even the newest member of the Council, the normally reserved Ssk-ruuk E'Thinaa, began twitching his nasal tentacles excitedly as the mood in the room became infectious. Banking Clan Chairman Graemon put down his dianogan tea and turned to embrace the Corporate Alliance Magistrate Denaria Kee. Commerce Guild Presidente Aril Nunb was enthusiastically congratulating Gizor the Tenacious, who was buzzing with pride at the only remaining holo-image before the Council: Sernpidal orbited by its new metal moon , its savior, the massive super-laser Gunray.
Only Kenobi remained seated and silent. The old man's glowing yellow eyes blazed beneath his tattered black hood as he examined the descending fragments of Dobido's remains, now entering Sernpidal's atmosphere.
As the assembly one by one noticed the searing glare of their Head of State, they all grew fearfully silent. Although he was the precisely strong leader they needed in these harrowing times, the Council all knew well enough to fear ever crossing the powerful Force user.
Stroking his white beard, Obi-Wan sat forward in his chair.
"How many fragments will hit the planet?"
"It...is impossible to predict." Gizor the Tenacious twittered nervously as he studied the fragments. "But surely some destruction is unavoidable. The important thing is that we have saved the planet itself."
There were assembled murmurs of agreement. Obi-Wan's cold voice cut through it all.
"Unavoidable..." He scowled. "Bring him in. Now."
The automated door hissed open, letting in more recycled air to the room that served as center of government of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Through the door came the fearful visage of General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies. A strange, ophidian creature was coiled around the general's waist, near his trophy lightsabers.
The General held in his grip an alien whose species none of the Council had ever before laid eyes upon. Whispers filled the Council table as the droid general brought his captive before his assembled leaders. The creature was beaten and bleeding, clearly Grievous's brutal handiwork. A broken and cracked shell-like armor encased the powerful body of the defeated alien.
Obi-Wan narrowed his yellow eyes at the strange alien before him as Grievous proudly strode up upon the Council table and walked right onto the holo-emitters in the center. Sentepeth Findos wrinkled his mouth in annoyance, deactivating the holographic imager and watching pensively as Grievous's claw-like droid feet scratched the surface of the expensive table.
Grievous released his captive and dropped him violently onto the center of the circular table, displaying his trophy for all to behold.
"I found this slime on Belkadan." Grievous announced in his synthesized voice. "He used bio-technology to unleash an ecological disaster upon the planet."
"Huh!" Sentepeth Findos chortled. "I trust now he realizes just who he is up against!"
The battered creature pulled his bald head up to glare directly at the Viceroy who withered under the malevolent stare. Kenobi examined the unknown alien closely, noting the numerous scars across the back of its head and exposed skin. Clearly not all of these wounds had been inflicted by Grievous. Some appeared to be decades old. But stranger still was the complete lack of any sense in the Force emanating from the creature. Almost as if this strange being were completely devoid of the Force.
"I am Yomin Carr." The alien announced proudly to the assembly. Sentepeth Findos nearly hid behind his seat at the sound of the creature's voice. "The harbinger of doom. I am the beginning of the end of your..."
Grievous cut off the alien's words, stepping down on his back violently, crushing him onto the table with disdain.
"You must realize..." Grievous growled at his prey, "...that it is you who are doomed."
"I am but the tip of the amphistaff fang." Yomin Carr gasped under the cyborg's merciless leg. "The Praetorite Vong shall tear through your worlds like—"
"Yomin Carr." Obi-Wan demanded as he stood from his chair and began slowly pacing around the table to face the alien warrior.
Grievous released his foot from Carr allowing him to raise his bleeding head to face Kenobi. Carr's defiant gaze was met with the burning malice of Kenobi's dark power.
"You are going to be executed for your crimes on Belkadan." He explained as if addressing a petulant child. "But before that, you are going to witness the utter annihilation of your invading force in this galaxy."
Carr spat upon the table.
"My people are coming for you all."
"Your people," Obi-Wan explained casually, "Are all going to die."
At the sound of footsteps entering the room, Kenobi turned to face the late arrival. The only other person in the galaxy who could freely come and go as she pleased from a Council meeting entered clad in dark flowing robes of the finest quality. She glided into the room silently, her striking beauty and auburn hair matched only by the lithe grace of her slim body.
