Hello, guys, thank you for your patience and for the reviews/follows/faves! I know it's been months since I last posted a chapter. I wish I could've updated sooner but I ran into some roadblocks with this story and I was busy with real life stuff and other literary projects. I've had a stroke of inspiration and I managed to churn this out. It's a bit shorter than the previous chapters but stuff happens so it shouldn't be too boring. I can only hope I'll maintain my creativity and drive for this story so I can get another chapter out sooner. Again, sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoy this update!

Chapter 14 Return of the Son

(…)

Celia patiently waited as she attempted to comm Kalla in. The seconds ticked by and for a few moments, she feared that the Kaleesh botanist might've been too busy with working in the field and was unable to answer her. It wasn't uncommon for her to be wrapped up in her expeditions and to not reply back to Celia until a day or so had passed.

Though she knew her longtime friend was busy with her studies on Felucia currently, she deemed it absolutely necessary that she should make haste and return to Kalee. In her mind, the youngest daughter of Grievous needed to be reunited with her father for possibly the last time. It'd be a massive betrayal landed on their friendship and trust if Celia remained quiet and not inform her of his arrival. There was no way that she wouldn't let her know about his brief visit. The last time Kalla had seen her father was when she was only two years old. Her only memory of him was when she saw his battered and limbless shape suspended in a bacta tank on Geonosis after his fateful crash.

Melica, Kalla's daughter and aide, would also meet her maternal grandfather for the first time. The young woman had heard much about him and yet never had the chance to meet him. Like many of her brethren and family members, she held Grievous in the highest esteem and she was truly honored to be of his bloodline.

While Grievous remained in the cockpit and maintained vigilance of the vessel while it was in hyperspace, the woman snuck off to go contact Kalla. She had intentions to surprise the cyborg with her arrival and she didn't want him to know whom she was contacting. Alaric was still asleep and Ahab was also slumbering in the co-pilot's seat in the cockpit so she had her peace and opportunity to try to call her.

"Kalla, please…" Celia sighed as she tapped one of her feet restlessly against the floor. "I've never had to talk to you so urgently before, pick it up already!"

Almost as if on cue, a small, blue, holographic figure of a Kaleesh woman popped up. Celia let out an exhale of relief and satisfaction upon realizing it was her companion's shape. Now she only hoped Grievous wouldn't come looking for her if he grew bored with monitoring their transport.

"Celia," Kalla spoke. Her voice was slightly distorted due to the device but she still spoke clearly enough. "Are you enjoying your vacation on Hyleea? I wasn't expecting you to be contacting me."

"The vacation turned out to be everything but an actual vacation," Celia said in a hushed tone. "Kalla, I'm so relieved you answered me when you did."

"What's wrong?" Her eyes narrowed and she gazed back at Celia with obvious suspicion. "Something happened clearly. Are you alright? Are Ahab and Alaric alright?"

"Kalla, you need to drop what you're doing on Felucia and you need to come to Kalee. Take your daughter with you too, there's not much time."

"I don't like that tone too much." She crossed her arms. "You're hiding something from me, Celia. I'm no psychologist like you but I've known you long enough to know there's something awry."

"I can't explain much to you right now. I wish I could but I don't want to elaborate much on it. I will say it's very important and this is an opportunity you can't miss out on." She paused, deciding to take a gamble and give Kalla a more clear reason for returning to her homeworld under such short and sudden notice. "It's about your father."

Celia could see her expression soften at the mention of him. Kalla fell silent and for a few seconds, she remained still as she processed what she just told her.

"Celia, what's going on?" Her assertive tone had died away and had softened considerably. "What about him?" She blinked as a thought occurred to her. "Was his body finally recovered? Gods, we've wanted it to return home for so long so we could bury him and lay him to rest…"

She knew full well that his family was aware of his fate. He was confirmed to have been killed on Utapau and after his body was seized and stored away by Republic forces, a week later it disappeared without a trace and was never recovered. The Sheelal family paid various scavengers and adventurers over the years, both reputable and questionable, to try to locate some trace or lead on his remains. However, all of their agents' efforts were fruitless and no legitimate results were ever yielded. As time wore on, their hopes started to dwindle and they suspected that perhaps some vengeful spacers had seized his metal frame and defiled it beyond recognition or destroyed it.

"I don't want to talk too much about it until we all meet in person," Celia explained, deciding to not be too straightforward about the truth. "You need to come back to Kalee as quickly as you can. I'm on my way there as we speak and I will meet you there."

"This better not be some hoax," Kalla retorted. "I know that Imperial bastard who attacked and razed Kalee, the one called Thrawn, supposedly possessed my father's mask…" Her tone was hot and venomous as she spoke of the Chiss officer.

"It was never confirmed to be the real thing." Celia smirked inwardly as she knew the truth of the matter. "It was likely he acquired a spare mask of your father's. In his citadel on Vassek, there were many masks and spare parts for his body but I do not believe he had the mask he wore at Utapau. Those spare parts were in pristine condition and were shown to have no signs of wear or use and never implemented to his frame."

"I suppose so." The Kaleesh woman huffed tiredly. "Fine, I'll try to wrap my studies here on Felucia. Melica and I will return as soon as possible."

"Good, thank you. We will see you soon. I promise you, there's a good reason for you to come home."

The friends disconnected at the same time. Celia exhaled and rubbed her hands together, feeling that sweat was accumulating on her palms. Apparently, she was far more nervous about this reunion than she previously thought she was. She wasn't entirely sure why she appeared to be so anxious about the looming issue. Privately, she assured herself there was no reason to fret. All would be well…

Celia sighed and rubbed her temple. She made her way back to the cockpit to join Grievous and keep him company for the duration of the trip.

Once she entered the small control bridge, she took an available seat beside him. The cyborg seemingly paid no heed to her presence and he continued strumming his fingertips along the armrest of his seat. His eyes were fixed on the whirling stars and beams of light they passed as the shuttle was still in hyperspace.

Ahab was still fast asleep in his chair and lost in whatever dreams he was locked in. He was leaning back in his seat and his legs were crossed.

"It's holding up well," the cyborg abruptly said. His tone almost sounded awkward and strained.

"That's comforting," Celia replied. She quietly observed his mannerisms, getting the hunch that perhaps he was nervous with the impending visit. "It'll be fine. You'll get to see them again."

"I want to be there but I don't. It's the oddest thing. I want to embrace all who remain… Yet I don't want to figure out who died." He growled and balled his hand into a fist momentarily. "In my old age, I've gone soft and weak!"

"Not necessarily. It's normal. It's alright to feel the way you do. They are your family after all."

"I should only silence myself and say no more. I am foolish…"

Celia wet her lips and leaned in a little closer to him. Grievous eyed her back for a few moments before he resumed his original task of staring emptily out the viewport.

"At least you found out about Ronderu before you got there," she said. "It probably wouldn't have made a pleasant scene if the truth was revealed at your home."

He said nothing in reply to her. The half-droid could feel tears coming to his eyes as he reflected on her but he stubbornly forced them back. There was simply no way that he would mourn in front of another living soul. If he did, it'd be an ultimate sign of weakness. He couldn't let anyone see him buckle and break down from his sorrows. Tears served no purpose in his mind.

"I will find out the truth," he promised. "She wouldn't and couldn't have taken her own life. She knew of the dishonor. She knew of the grief and heartache she would sow in her demise."

Honestly, the Human didn't know what to think of this. A part of her wondered if he was going through some stage of grief or if he was refusing to accept reality. She was always told that the steward of Kalee, Ronderu Sheelal, had committed suicide. Celia was unsure what else could've happened. None of the other family members ever said anything was strange. They all confirmed Ronderu was under a great amount of stress and strife. She fretted over doing a poor job and failing her duties. It was speculated and treated as a fact that the accumulated hardship placed much unease on her mind and caused her to snap and end her life. There was no other possibility in the eyes of her family members.

Yet Celia wasn't going to try to dissuade Grievous from trying to cope with the reality. Neither was she going to try to dismiss it all and tell him it's nothing to worry about. Clearly, he was devastated by the news and was taking it very roughly. It'd take time and patience for him to heal. She also knew it'd be an arduous process for he would soon see how many of his other children and wives died over the decades. Many more were dead than alive.

"They will be happy to see you," Celia said, trying to change the subject and lift his spirits. "Taru, Belfis, Renvara… Those three wives remain and they'll be overjoyed to see you. And you'll get to see your grandchildren and a few great grandchildren as well."

"I suppose the catacombs are rather full," he mused. Her attempts at discussing happier things were largely disregarded by his dreary mindset. "That is a reality I must face."

"You shouldn't dwell on that." Celia paused and then spoke again. "Yes, there is sorrow and there are some unhappy truths to acknowledge but there is happiness and joy too. You ought to be thankful and happy to see those who managed to survive this long. If you were to turn around right now and resume your tenure on Hyleea, I'm sure you'd regret it."

"There is no returning to Hyleea until my business is completed and that is final. Returning to Kalee will be the most bittersweet thing I have ever experienced. I will hate it and yet I will love it. But I will not be able to die peacefully knowing I haven't seen them and touched foot on my planet one last time. Once I accomplish what I wish to do, I will go back to Hyleea. From there, I care not what happens to me." He blinked and his eyes narrowed at her momentarily. "Tell me, Celia, where do you see yourself in the very end?"

Desperately, she wanted this morbidity to be banished. She only wanted to discuss lighter and brighter things with the man she had long thought to be dead for decades. If he was in a melancholy mindset when he landed and reunited with his family, Celia felt it would be a miserable experience for all.

"I don't want to discuss that," she said firmly and truthfully. "Please. Please, as your friend and ally, I beg you to drop this. They will be so happy to see you, I promise you! I know you will be sad and there will be some unhappy realities you'll have to face but you have to relish the good and joy that's there."

His fearsome eyes softened considerably and his posture relaxed a little. He lowered his masked cranium and seemed to mull over her words for a few moments. Grievous folded his hands together.

"Very well," he said in a rather level and quiet tone. "However, I encourage you to see through my eyes. I wasn't there when they needed me the most during my absence. If I had been there, many of them might still be alive."

Then he fell silent. He didn't urge her to leave but wanted her to think about what he had to say. Grievous didn't want to get too personal and in depth with the matters of the heart and soul. Not only that, he had no idea how to even properly address things of that nature. He only hoped she would reflect and understand his perspective in the midst of this.

(…)

It was a moonless and cloudy night. A storm brewed on the horizon and lightning danced across the sky, heralding the inevitability of rain. The storm only seemed to make things darker and that offered more camouflage and an advantage to those who were trying to land their shuttle.

To him, these were the perfect conditions. No one would likely be out in the oncoming, inclement weather and it was already late in the evening so many were still fast asleep in their beds and lost in their dreams. He would only be seen by a select few and that was his initial aim. It would be perfect. This couldn't afford to be inconvenienced or sabotaged.

Ahead was the landing strip. Adjacent to that small airfield was a meager structure where the airfield's supervisor dwelled. Even as the shuttle was beginning its descent, they could see lights inside the building, giving away that the middle-aged Kaleesh man residing within it was awake. Undoubtedly, he'd emerge to confront the landing party.

Balor was a soul that she had known for quite some time. He was actually a close friend to one of Grievous' younger sons and they had grown up together. The son in question, Angnim, was killed during the Imperial occupation. Despite Angnim's death, Balor remained close to the Sheelal family and maintained good relations with his fallen friend's siblings. With Celia's friendship through Kalla, she became quickly acquainted with Balor and they were on affable terms with one another. Surely, Balor would welcome their unexpected arrival and allow them passage.

The plan was set into motion as the shuttle closed in on Kalee. Celia and her family would distract the supervisor and allow Grievous to slip away and make his way to his ancestral home. The warlord would only allow to be permitted by his immediate family and he would allow no one else to see him. Balor would have to be ignorant of his arrival.

The transport deployed its landing gear as it slowed to an appropriate speed. As soon as that was done, the door to the shelter opened up and Balor emerged to address the occupants. He strode over to the ship and patiently waited for the bay door to open up. The ship powered down and the doors parted. A ramp slid out as the doors opened, allowing the occupants to step out.

There was a grim look in Balor's eyes as he waited. No ship was clear to land for the night at this airfield. To say that he was annoyed was an understatement. He automatically deemed that some ignorant off worlder read their coordinates incorrectly and was landing here instead. Anymore, he had no patience for this sort of thing. Yet he urged himself to cool his blood and try to maintain his calmness no matter how faltering it was. A storm was due to blow in at any moment and lightning had been dancing threateningly across the sky. Balor wanted to be out of these conditions and remain within the safety of his cabin.

Any hostility that he had towards these unexpected guests was entirely dissipated when he saw who was tramping down the ramp. He smiled and chuckled, having not foreseen this at all.

"My, I'm happy to see these three Humans!" he stated. "The hour is late but I shan't complain! What brings you here?" He blinked as he looked their transportation over in the darkness. "That's an old ship too… How'd you come across that hunk of junk?"

"That hunk of junk got us here, that's all that matters," Ahab answered. "How're you, Balor?"

"Fine, I suppose. You folks picked the wrong night to land here though, have you not seen the skies?"

"It's a long story and we had to come here unexpectedly. We have to make an emergency visit."

"Are things alright?"

"We discovered some information about Grievous," Celia explained. She hoped that by using that excuse, Balor would allow them to pass all the more swiftly and be on their way. "We wanted to talk to Qymaen and the other family members about it."

The Kaleesh man's eyes widened at those words. While all Kaleesh knew that he had supposedly perished at the Battle of Utapau, they also knew that his body disappeared. The planet's populace mourned the loss of its great liberator and khagan and they still held onto some hope that perhaps his body would turn up somehow, some way, someday. Then his remains would be given a proper burial and entombed with his ancestors.

"Have you now?" Balor asked, genuinely intrigued by the news. "Then I won't delay you! You ought to hurry anyway, the storm is about to hit at any instant." He shifted about nervously. He had a phobia of thunderstorms but would never readily admit it to anyone. "The Sheelals' dwelling is some miles away, do you want me to call someone to take you up there?"

"That'd be wonderful, thank you, Balor," Celia grinned.

Balor began to walk away but gestured them to follow him.

"Come, you can rest in the cabin until you get your ride," he said. "I'm not going to leave friends out in ominous weather. I've got a fire going and you can warm yourself up and rest for a bit."

As Balor turned away from the ship and made his way to the shelter, the small family accompanied him. Celia glanced over her shoulder momentarily, seeing a blurred shape race out of the shuttle and under the cover of darkness. Luckily, the rolling of thunder camouflaged the sound of his footsteps on the surface and Grievous melted into the shadowy jungle that surrounded the airfield. Balor remained completely unknown of what unfolded around him as he was far too invested with getting inside.

Once she saw Grievous make his way to his home, she knew this part of the mission was done. He'd travel to his dwelling where he'd wait for Celia, Ahab and Alaric to show up. Then they'd progress to the next objective.

(…)

Swiftness was with him and as he trekked along this path, his memories came flooding back to him. Grievous recalled the way to his home and he knew that if he travelled fast enough, the few miles that separated him from his destination would prove to be nothing. He had speed and the weather on his side and he pushed himself to keep going. Running through this stretch of jungle filled him with a great sense of nostalgia and as much as he wanted to stop and sit so that he could reminisce, he knew he had to carry on. If he lingered in this place for too long, there might also be the risk of him being spotted. Hunters frequented this area during his day and it was possible future generations still roamed here.

He pressed onwards, encouraging himself to maintain his course of action. Brief flashes of lightning intermittently lit up his way, giving him some assistance in his flight. He could hear raindrops slowly start to fall to the earth around him and he kept moving. There was no desire to be drenched by this coming deluge but he felt fortunate that it wouldn't really affect him much if that was the case. Grievous only hoped that Celia would make haste so he wouldn't be skulking outside the perimeter of his home for too long. He yearned to see his kin again and he knew he only had so much time left before he'd need to depart.

While he raced through the thick undergrowth and foliage, he found himself becoming more nervous and anxious. It irked him that he was experiencing these emotions and tried to dismiss them. But they kept resurging and pestering him. He couldn't believe that he was so antsy about reuniting with his family. Grievous longed to see them and enjoy their company once more and yet he was concerned about how they'd react to his unexpected arrival. For so long, they branded him deceased. Perhaps they'd be angry at him for his self imposed exile. Perhaps they'd accuse him of abandoning them and Kalee and thereby subjecting them to a brutal stint of Imperial occupation. Perhaps he should've come straight home after all…

Growling to himself, he tried to cast these dreadful thoughts out of his head. He reasoned to himself that he made the right choice. By pretending to be dead and lost to all, he saved his family. If was alive and came back to Kalee, they'd be subjected to blackmail, murder and other insidious practices by his enemies. It was probable that if he did return, the complete annihilation of his family might've transpired.

His heart was already heavy over the musings over who had passed over the decades and he didn't want to know who they were. But he knew that inevitably the time would come and he'd have to deal with the grief and woe. There was no escaping it. It always seemed to be a constant nemesis of his.

Now the rain was steady and heavy. There were a few times that he nearly slipped on the already slick surfaces but he remained mindful. His talons briefly dug into the ground as he ran, giving himself some traction and stability as he continued his journey. His head was on a swivel and he was on a constant lookout for anyone who might've been in the same area he was in. To his luck, he was alone.

Another few minutes passed and he came to an all too familiar clearing in the jungle. Once he got to this landmark, he slowed down. He knew he was on the right track and he was getting closer to home. Perhaps one more mile and then he would be that much closer to his family.

A particularly bright flash of lightning lit up the area for a brief second. But that second was enough to cause Grievous to nearly trip over his own feet.

He dashed off to the side and hid himself behind the trunk of a rather large tree. The half-droid was certain he thought he saw a figure situated across the other side of the clearing. They were standing at the edge of the trees and he could've sworn he saw them brandishing a rifle. Grievous brought some lightsabers with him just in case but he had no intention to use them unless if it was absolutely necessary. He only hoped that whoever this person was, they wouldn't take the shot at him. Whatever would happen next would be entirely in self defense.

He pondered over his options and he wished that the gunman didn't happen to notice him earlier too. He had to make haste and not waste time with this roadblock of sorts.

Grievous decided to run a little further down the tree line and then cross the clearing. Hopefully in the darkness he would be lost to the gunman and he'd be on his way. So long as no lightning betrayed him, he knew he'd be fine.

"Hey!"

The voice actually spooked him so much that he quickly clambered up a nearby tree to hide his shape. Once he was up in the safety of the canopy, he tried to peer out and look in the direction where this voice came from. It was obviously from the same area where the gunman was parked earlier.

Grievous' eyes perked as he noticed seconds later that the voice sounded off. This didn't sound like a voice that came from the throat of a man, let alone an adult. Inwardly, Grievous cursed this predicament. What was a youngling doing in the middle of the jungle with a gun during a storm? There was no war being waged on Kalee from what he heard of Celia. The planet was at peace for the time being and still recovering from the scars given to it during the Imperial occupation.

"Come on out!" the voice commanded. It was undoubtedly that of a younger individual, most likely a boy. "You're skulking around my family's property at this hour and in this weather?! Show yourself! I don't see you but I can hear you!"

The cyborg's eyes grew larger slightly as a suspicion was roused in him. He debated over it for a few moments but he made a choice.

Quietly, he scaled down the tree he hid in. He kept low and knelt down, again hoping the youth wasn't a good shot and wasn't so trigger-happy.

"State your lineage," he ordered. "I do not believe this is your property!"

There was silence after Grievous said those words.

"I-I'm Amon, son of Anda," he said. When he said those words, he sounded nervous at first. "Anda is the daughter of Ceres and Ceres is the daughter of Qymaen jai Sheelal, the greatest khagan Kalee has ever known!" Amon sounded bold once more once he recited part of his family tree. "That's who I am! Now answer to me, trespasser!"

Ceres was indeed his daughter, specifically his second. Alaric also mentioned he had a friend named Amon amongst his descendants. It appeared to Grievous that his great grandson was confronting him at this very moment. More than anything else, he was amused and now he was no longer so concerned about being caught. If it was one of his descendants, he thought it would be harmless since he was due to reunite with his family anyway.

"Lower that weapon, boy," he said. "There is no need for such hostility."

Grievous stood up to his full height and strode over to where the figure of his great grandson stood. Lightning flashed again and he could see that he was heading over to the right direction. At that point, he knew Amon could see him clearly now that he was walking across the clearing.

"Is this some sort of trick?!" Amon demanded.

He took a few steps back and was seriously considering running. The luminosity of the storm revealed the impossible to him and the cyborg was closing in. Amon could feel panic welling up inside of him. Grievous was supposed to be deceased and yet here he was. He deemed that this was some sort of trick playing before him but he didn't know how this could even be. While he wanted to run, he also wanted to hold his ground and see if this was actually happening.

"I would've asked the same question if I was in your position, Amon," he said assuredly. "But what you see is the truth."

Amon made no move to flee. He had heard all about his great grandfather's endeavors and the boy was proud he was of his bloodline. Grievous had long gone and it was accepted that there was no way he was able to come back. Now that notion was utterly turned upside down before his very eyes. The youth stared back at him in wonder and a trace amount of fear.

At last, Grievous stopped. He towered over Amon, causing the Kaleesh boy to swallow dryly. The blaster in his hands slipped from his grip and Amon's back leaned against a nearby tree trunk for support. There was no way that he could deny what he was bearing witness to. It was all too real.

"You're…" he managed to croak. "You really are here!"

"As your elder, I ought to discipline you," Grievous scolded him. "Does your grandmother know you're out at this hour, in this weather?"

Amon paused, feeling confused. He then felt shame burn within him as he saw that even though he was meeting him for the first time, Grievous wasn't going to stand for any insubordination and defiance.

"…no," Amon answered sheepishly. "I snuck out. I wanted to hunt and prove my worth as a hunter and warrior. I just wanted to bring back food for our family."

"If it was one of my children who defied my orders and needlessly went out in these compromising conditions, I would've taught them a stern lesson," Grievous cast him a sneering glance. "However, I will be lenient for I have come to Kalee to visit you and our other family members. But I cannot stay for long since I don't want anyone else to catch onto my presence."

"Where have you been all this time? How are you alive?" The flustered Kaleesh lad shook his head and growled. Far too many questions were running through his head and he was still struggling to comprehend that this was actually happening. "Come on, I have to get you home so you can see everyone! Everyone will be so happy to see you're alive!"

"Patience, little one. You must understand a few things first."

"Which is..?"

Now Grievous found himself hesitating. He far preferred to address all of his family members at once since he knew his time was limited. As much as he wanted to practice patience, he saw that it most likely wouldn't be displayed at a time like this.

"Never mind, Amon," he admitted. "You are right. We must go. I will only say that I cannot stay on Kalee for long. I must leave in a few days."

Shock and disbelief began to eclipse the reverence and joy that was on Amon's face. He sputtered mentally, wondering what his ancestor meant by that. He finally came home at long last and he was already intending to depart? This couldn't be happening. His appearance was a miracle and all of Kalee needed to bear witness to it. Everyone was supposed to rejoice and celebrate his reemergence.

"No, you aren't allowed to go!" he argued. "You came home and you're supposed to stay here!"

"Curse my lack of foresight," Grievous muttered to himself.

Deeming he couldn't be standing outside in this storm and arguing with his great grandson any longer, Grievous snatched Amon up. He held him close to his chest plating and resumed his trek through the jungle. He ran swiftly but his footing was careful. If the slickened terrain caused him to trip or fall, he could injure Amon and he had no intention to do that.

"Please, you have to stay!" Amon begged. Even while he was still being ferried away, he had to state his case.

"It's for the safety of relatives and yourself as well, boy," Grievous stated. "No one except my family must know I am alive. I am supposed to be dead. Now don't speak anymore of this until I reunite with everyone else. You will learn more when I address the rest of our family."

"You know where to go?"

"Yes. When I was your age, I hunted and roamed these lands as well. The memories will never fade…"

(…)

Ceres was infuriated. With the death of her daughter, Anda, the aged Kaleesh woman took custody of Amon and raised him as her own. While she stood by her death bed, Ceres swore to her daughter she would take care of the infant she'd leave behind. Although she loved her grandson dearly, there were times that she wanted to throttle him for disobeying her and his elders. As much as she was proud of his wild, bold and adventurous spirit, it also caused her great worry and frustration as well.

Her headstrong charge had disappeared into the night and his rifle was nowhere to be found as well. Ceres was concerned since he was out in this inclement weather and she had no idea how long he had been out there for. He had been put down for bed some hours earlier and she checked on him only five minutes ago. It was possible he had been out for some time and that worried her immensely.

She already made up her mind and decided to go out and try to find him. Ceres only hoped he didn't wander off too far. She debated over enlisting her relatives to help her locate him but they were all asleep at this hour.

"May the gods restrain me from killing that boy when I find him," the old warrior murmured to herself. She grabbed her Lig sword and tied it around her waist. "I will have to put bars over his window. Or better yet, I'll have to chain him to his own bed post so he doesn't do this!"

She much preferred to be in her own bed at this hour and sleeping the night away. But duty called and she wouldn't be able to rest until she found her grandson.

Briskly, she walked through the stone halls of her ancestral home. She made her way down the corridor and over to the large, dark wooden doors that served as the entrance to her home.

Before she could make it to the end of the hall, she could see the door was being pushed open seemingly of its own accord. She halted in her footsteps, thinking for a second that someone was breeching her home. Ceres drew her sword and slowly began to walk down the corridor. It'd take Amon a great deal of effort to be able to open one of the doors on his own so she suspected this wasn't her grandson returning home.

To her confusion, however, she could see his familiar shape enter the foyer once the door opened enough. Her relief was replaced by anger in no time at all upon seeing Amon had arrived and looked intact and in good condition. She put her sword away and strode over to his spot.

"Where have you been, you little mongrel?!" she sharply asked. "I am certain you delight in giving me a heart attack!"

Amon cringed upon seeing that his grandmother had found out about his absence. He had hoped she wouldn't notice that he was gone.

"Grandma, I'm sorry!" he pleaded. "I just wanted to go hunt and bring back a kill! But I'm okay and I'm home now!"

"No," she said sternly. "Amon, you will be disciplined for this continuous string of disobedience. I think I will do that by taking away your rifle for a whole month! And how about I sentence you to helping your great aunt Jeska with the looms for a week for extra measure?"

"Grandma, I'm sorry but that can wait, you won't believe whom I found!"

Ceres' eyes blazed angrily at her grandson's dismissal of her words. She growled and she set her hands on her hips.

"You better have a passable excuse for this, young man!" she demanded. Her nose wrinkled as she glanced to the door. "And how did you get that door open so easily? You're not that strong."

An answer was provided to her when a flash of lightning illuminated a tall and hulking silhouette that was standing in the darkened doorway. A tremor of fear surged through her body and she drew her sword once more. It appeared to her that there was an intruder in her midst after all.

With her available hand, she seized Amon by his arm and yanked him over to her side. Then she released him and Ceres stood in front of him protectively. Whoever this soul was, she wouldn't let them lay a hand on her grandson.

"Amon, run to our family members and wake them, there's a trespasser here!" she ordered.

"Ceres."

The Kaleesh woman's eyes widened as she heard that deep voice utter her name. Her sword slightly trembled in her hand but she refortified her courage and her heart. Though she was in her sixties and age was gradually taking its toll on her, she wouldn't back down from this confrontation. Putting her livelihood on the line for her family members was something she had done many times before and she wouldn't hesitate to do it for the umpteenth time.

"Grandma, it's okay!" Amon promised her. He tugged on her tunic and clung to her side. "Put the sword down!"

"Ceres, you are still as brave and confrontational as you've always been," the voice spoke. There was obvious affection in it. "Even when you were a toddler, you wrestled with your elder siblings and followed them everywhere. And I remember you gave your own mother much stress when you wandered off and insisted on proving your worth as a warrior as well."

For as long as she listened to that voice, it became more familiar to her. She easily recognized it was her father's. But he died a long time ago and his body was lost to all. There was simply no way that he was here. This had to have been some sort of elaborate hoax that was playing out before her. She'd have the head of whoever had the blasphemous gall to pull a stunt like this in her own home.

She was snapped from her thoughts when she heard the clanking of his metal feet. He stepped out of the darkness of the doorway and entered the foyer. He shut the door behind him and she could see him more clearly in the glow of the torches.

With a loud clang, Ceres' sword slipped from her hand. Her knees became weak as her eyes looked over the cyborg. She had seen her father in his reconstructed body before. Truthfully, it unnerved and disgusted her and she couldn't bear to look at him. After that, she tried to avoid him as much as possible. She didn't even see him off whenever he left Kalee to officially begin his tenure as the general of the droid armies.

When she learned of his demise, she was filled with remorse and she cursed herself for shunning him. Ceres hated herself for never giving him a proper goodbye before he left. Years later, that anger and pain still remained.

"Ceres," Grievous went on, "surely you remember me? I know I couldn't forget my second daughter."

To Ceres, it seemed as if the tears that were pouring from her eyes came from nowhere. Her emotions burst forth like a breeched levy and she felt as if she was being reduced to a child once more.

"Forgive me, Father!" she cried out.

She rushed to him and she outstretched her arms. A moment later, Ceres wrapped her arms around his shape and embraced Grievous. She buried her face into his chest plate and wept.

Grievous allowed her to do this and his arms encircled her as well, keeping her close to him. Her weeping prompted him to shed a few tears and he chose to bask in this reunion. It had been far too long since he had last seen her and he was all too happy to hold her like this.

In this instance, there was no weakness in his mind. There was only bliss and relief.