Precipitation lashed against Rain's face, blinding her. She struggled to get her bearings amidst the frenzy of battle, catching flashes of light between her drenched lashes. Someone ran at her. She cut them down. A flurry of shots flew past her and she saw the brief outlines of the surrounding figures as they hit their targets. Grievous was nearby, wildly slashing at the bodies that threw themselves at him, his war cry resounding across the battlefield.

Some part of Rain was still shocked that he was there at all. He had hung back for so long, but after watching his troops spiralling towards inevitable defeat, he had decided to enter the war zone himself, but not before requesting some much needed help.

Dooku's reinforcements should have been here by now...

Lightning crackled across the inky black sky. An angry shout warned Rain of an incoming attacker. She turned and swung, watching her assailant crumple at her feet, illuminated in the eerie red glow of her twin sabers. Her gut twisted in horror. It became hard to breathe.

I hate the rain.

Her thoughts were muddled, her ears ringing with the terrified screams of the dead and dying. She was chilled to the bone.

Another shadowy figure dove at her. Something sliced across her cheek as she tried to dodge. She felt dazed.

Why am I hurting these people? They're just defending their home.

The figure attempted to strike again. Rain kicked his feet out from under him, raising her lightsabers to deliver the final blow. But she just stood there, frozen.

A blade pierced her attacker, but it wasn't her own. A cold, clawed hand closed around her throat, lifting her off the ground, suffocating her. Two golden eyes stared into her own.

"You dare hesitate, assassin?" a hoarse voice growled at her, "You would let your enemy get the better of you?"

Rain's hands hung limply at her sides. She made no attempt to fight back.

"Must I question your loyalty?" the General pressed.

My loyalty?

A warning sounded at the back of Rain's mind and she raised her hand, letting the force flow through her. She watched the oncoming blaster bolt gradually slow its progression before reaching a complete stop mere inches from where Grievous stood. Had Rain not stopped it, it would've taken off both their heads.

The General turned, gazing at the laser frozen in midair. His expression revealed nothing.

Rain felt a sudden surge of defiance and she kicked out, catching Grievous in the chest and freeing herself from his grip. She landed on one knee, her eyes fixed on the General's face. She drew a deep breath.

"I am loyal," she hissed.

Grievous watched her, unmoving.

Then he released a deafening shout, "Retreat! Pull back to the ships!"

He turned, forging his way through the mob. His magnaguards promptly appeared at his side, fending off any attackers. Rain fell in behind them, clutching her lightsabers tightly. Her shadowy surroundings turned into the dimly lit grey walls of General Grievous' private shuttle, and soon enough they were airborne, rising steadily towards the roiling, black clouds.

Just my luck that we'd end up here.

The planet's surface was mainly comprised of oceans, swamps, and jungles. Storms were a frequent occurrence.

What's the point in conquering such a miserable place?

The ship jerked suddenly and Rain had to stop herself from faceplanting into the wall.

"Sir!" The pilot addressed the General in alarm. "We're being targeted by the planet's surface cannons!"

"Stay the course!" Grievous ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

The shuttle continued to surge upward, but the enemy fire was thickening. The pilot struggled to evade the blasts, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. One shot came so close that Rain felt the whole ship rattle. She grabbed onto the head of Grievous' chair, feeling nervous.

If we can just make it past those stupid storm clouds—

The shuttle slammed edgewise, the hull tearing open. Smoke flooded in, burning Rain's eyes and filling her lungs. Then gravity disappeared and they were plummeting downward. The ridge of Grievous' chair dug into her hand as she hung on for dear life. Then one of the General's magnaguards struck her broadside and she lost her grip. She was flung against the interior mercilessly, bright points of light flashing before her eyes as pain stabbed into her skull. Her mouth opened in an endless scream which cut short as she smacked into the opposite wall and lost consciousness.

As it returned to her, the first thing she was aware of was searing, blinding pain all over.

Then a roar of anger.

Her eyes snapped open and she took in her surroundings. A broken tree hanging over her, with some vines dangling from it. Next to it was another tree, and another, and another. The only out-of-place object there was the demolished shuttle and the debris scattered around it.

And Grievous, standing a few feet away, pounding the side of his ship in a rage while a partially damaged magnaguard watched silently.

And me.

Rain tried to sit up and immediately regretted it when her head started throbbing painfully. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to die away but it didn't. She sighed, checking herself over for wounds. Her sights came to rest on a deep gash on her leg, and her stomach twisted itself into a knot.

"Ah. The assassin lives."

Rain turned to Grievous, her gaze sticking on his tattered cape.

"Sir," she said quickly, "I need your cape."

"Why—"

"I need it!" Rain snapped.

Grievous turned to his magnaguard.

"Give her your cloak."

The magnaguard obeyed and Rain promptly tore it into shreds, using it to bandage her leg. When her work was complete, she carefully pushed herself onto her feet. Her leg held out but the surrounding scenery began violently spinning in circles. She gritted her teeth, somehow managing to stay on her feet.

"Sir," she said, "We need to regroup with the main force immediately."

"And how do you propose to do that, assassin?" Grievous inquired, stifling a cough, "Those of my troops that did not retreat are most likely lying in pieces."

"Well, we can't stay here," Rain insisted, "Perhaps if we can infiltrate the enemy base unseen then we can hijack one of their ships."

"Do you intend to walk there?"

"If that's what it takes," Rain replied unflinchingly.

Grievous stared at her, silent. Then he erupted into a fit of coughing. Rain waited impatiently for it to end.

"I admire your determination, young assassin, but I doubt your frail organic body will withstand the trip."

Rain felt a spark of anger.

"Don't worry about me, General," she said coolly.

"Don't flatter yourself," the General rasped, "I would never waste such an emotion on a subordinate. I was merely stating a fact."

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Rain's hands curled into fists, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Thank you, sir," she ground out, turning and trudging off.

I've had enough, she thought, If he wants to wait here until the sky falls thinking help's going to come, he can keep on dreaming. I don't care about the consequences. I refuse to die FOR or BY this coward.

The rain struck her full force, trying to push her back. The pain fueled Rain's anger, driving her forward. The pounding in her head went on and on, seemingly magnifying every sound: the thunderous downpour, the squelching of her feet in the mud. Then another sound registered in her mind, the sound of two extra pairs of footsteps following in her wake. She turned to see Grievous and his magnaguard pursuing her. Rain looked to the General in surprise, but his expression was utterly passive.

"Have you lost your nerve, assassin?" Grievous queried, "Perhaps you wish me to lead instead?"

Rain frowned, "No, sir, I'm fine."

She turned, continuing to forge her way through the unforgiving torrent. But Grievous hadn't finished.

"This is quite a bold move, young assassin. You did not seem the type to devise such a strategy."

And you would know all about bold strategies, wouldn't you?

"How about we speak plainly, General?" Rain proposed, "You think I'm stupid, don't you?"

"To think you stupid would be an insult to Count Dooku's judgement, and the Count is not to be disrespected."

"But you see me as a child."

"Undoubtedly," the General wheezed.

Rain's anger spiked and her pace quickened.

"And what did I do to deserve such a low opinion?"

"Aside from your repeated failures," Grievous explained, "The regrettable truth is that you are a child. You obviously lack experience but presume to know more than your superiors."

"I lack experience?" Rain spun on her heel, coming face to face with the General. Her surroundings started spinning violently, the ground unsteady beneath her feet. "I've been fighting in this war for years!"

"You have been fighting under the name of the Jedi for years," Grievous hissed, "And that still remains evident."

"So that's why?" Rain snapped, "Because you can't put the past behind you?"

"The Jedi have caused me nothing but pain, and I intend to repay them a hundred fold!"

"I am not a Jedi!" Rain screamed.

Her balance gave out and she pitched forward, her hands catching on the sharp ridge of the plating on Grievous' arm. As her surroundings came to rest, she kept her eyes trained on the ground.

"We should keep moving," she said.

"Perhaps you should choose a different direction, unless you intend to lead us straight into the ocean."

Rain turned back, squinting against the downpour. Sure enough she could see the tempestuous waves in the distance and hear the roar of the angry water.

Something inside her snapped, and she began to laugh. She doubled over, hysteric.

"I hate this planet," she gasped, her head swimming, "Look at me! A Rain caught in the rain. I hate the rain."

"How unfortunate."

Grievous seemed unamused. The world was spinning faster and faster. Rain lifted a hand to her head.

"I don't feel so good..." she muttered.

Suddenly the ground was rushing up at her, darkness flooding her vision. She felt like she was floating in a vacuum. Then the sensation disappeared, and she opened her eyes.

She was lying under a great wizened tree, Grievous seated on her left, with the magnaguard keeping a careful lookout. The storm seemed to have let up somewhat but Rain could still hear the steady patter of raindrops against the trunk of the hollowed out tree. She tried to sit up but fell back with a groan.

"It's unfortunate that you have such a useless body," Grievous remarked, "I've quite forgotten the troubles of an organic frame."

Rain turned her head in his direction, wincing in pain as the pounding in her skull returned.

"You should have left me lying in the mud and carried on without me. No help's coming."

"I trust Count Dooku's word."

"Then why did you order a retreat?"

"I saw little reason in depleting my troops and risking my own safety before he arrived. I am, after all, the leader of the grand Confederate army, and I plan to personally deliver the Jedi their retribution. It would be senseless for me to allow myself to be killed on the battlefield."

So he who runs away lives to fight another day, huh? And he intends to win a war that way?

"You said the Jedi caused you nothing but pain," Rain recalled, "What did you mean?"

Grievous turned away, saying nothing. Rain studied him for a moment.

"Why do you think I'm here?" she said, "I have no love for the Jedi."

Silence stretched between them. Rain closed her eyes, focusing on the sounds around her. Beyond the pattering precipitation, she could hear the distant crash of the ocean tide.

"When I was little," she said, keeping her eyes closed, "I was sent to the ice planet Ilum with the other younglings to undergo the cave trials. It's been tradition for countless generations that before a Jedi youngling becomes a padawan, they're sent into the ice caves to choose a kyber crystal for their lightsaber. But the caves play tricks on you; they push you to your limit. And if you can't escape the caves before the sun sets, the entrance will freeze over, and you'll be left to die."

She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.

"I almost drowned back then. I saw my crystal lying at the center of a frozen pool, just sitting there, taunting me. I was terrified out of my mind. I ran back to the Jedi masters, begged them not to make me go back. But they just patted me on the shoulder, told me my time was running out, and sent me back in. I found the pool again, tried to cross it, and fell through. I barely managed to pull myself out."

She opened her eyes, staring up at the sheltering tree.

"My mother drowned. I don't ever want to die that way. Not because I'm afraid of the water. Not because I'm afraid of the burning pain as your lungs scream for air. It's because I refuse to let myself share the fate of the woman I despise. It was no mistake how she died. She decided she didn't want to be a mother, so it was better for her to be a corpse."

Rain laughed bitterly, digging her nails into her leg and watching the blood seep through her makeshift bandage.

"Honestly, I can't figure out who was the worse parent figure. My mother...or the Jedi. The funny thing is my sister practically views them both as saviours."

Grievous finally spoke up, "You have a sister?"

"Yes. Which is why I can't stay on this miserable planet any longer. One day I'm going to see her again. I can't let myself die before that happens. Tell me, General," she said, turning her head to face Grievous and watching as the world became an intangible blur, "Have you ever lost someone?"

Then she blacked out.

When her eyes opened again, they revealed a room bathed in stark white light. Rain blinked, letting her eyes adjust to her surroundings. She no longer felt the chill of the rainfall or the unpleasantly muddy ground beneath her. Instead she was lying on a warm, comfortable cot. The pounding in her head was gone, and a quick check revealed that her leg had been rebandaged. Her clothes had disappeared as well, replaced by a hospital gown.

What...what happened?

A medical droid appeared at her side, greeting her in a cheery tone, "Ah, you're awake. I trust you're feeling better?"

"Yeah, yeah," Rain replied weakly, "Where exactly am I?"

"The medical station aboard General Grievous' flagship. Is there anything else you wish to know?

"Yes. How did I get here?"

"Count Dooku's forces rescued you after the battle was won. Is there anything else you wish to know?"

Rain could hardly believe her ears.

Please tell me I'm not actually dead.

She sat up hurriedly, sliding off the cot.

"As you no longer require my services, you are free to leave whenever you wish," the droid explained, "You may find your belongings—"

But Rain was already out the door and racing down the corridor to the bridge. She stumbled in, her eyes settling on two figures standing with their backs turned to her engaged in conversation. It was Dooku and Grievous, without a doubt. Rain stood there, breathing heavily.

We won the battle, she thought, still trying to process everything, I was rescued. But...why?

They could have left her there to die in the mud, then Grievous might've been free of her at last. What reason would he have to pass up such a golden opportunity? Was he afraid of what Dooku might've had to say? No, it couldn't be. The General had already tried to strangle her to death twice. He definitely wasn't afraid of the Count. So what had possessed him? Did he simply have other plans for her? Come to think of it, Rain's reputation with the Count currently relied on whatever Grievous reported of her.

He doubts my loyalty, she thought, her stomach twisting in panic, He doubts my capability, my maturity. He could be telling Dooku as much right now.

She ran forward, causing both men to turn in her direction.

"Master," she greeted, offering a quick bow of her head.

"Apprentice," Dooku said in his usual grave manner, "I was wondering when you might rejoin the living. Are you still—" His eyes swept up and down Rain's form, taking in her strange attire. "—out of sorts?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Rain insisted, "Thanks to your efforts." She cast a nervous glance at Grievous before continuing. "Might we speak in private?"

"Of course," Dooku replied, "I was hoping you might fill me in on your progress since we last saw one another. Though perhaps you would like to change into something more appropriate first."

Rain hardly heard his suggestion.

"Has the General offered you his report yet?" she asked uneasily.

Dooku and Grievous exchanged a glance. Grievous was the one to reply.

"I have requested to withhold my judgement for now, assassin," he wheezed, "You are still under trial."

"Ah...I see," Rain mumbled. She cleared her throat, turning back to Dooku. "Master, might I again request that we speak in private?"

"If the matter is so urgent."

"I believe it is."

"Very well," Dooku sighed, turning to Grievous, "Excuse me, General."

The two of them walked off the bridge, Rain turning as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Master, I think I should return to Serenno with you."

The Count raised an eyebrow at her.

"I placed you under Grievous' command so you'd be able to employ my training on the battlefield."

"Yes, and I've done that, so surely there's something more you can teach me."

Dooku narrowed his eyes.

"I had hoped you'd be able to learn something from Grievous. He is, after all, the leader of my master's armies for a reason."

Rain felt a twinge of annoyance.

I have yet to see that reason.

"Forgive me, master, but I believe General Grievous' particular...skills are unconducive to teaching me. The whole thing seems rather ill-conceived."

"Nevertheless," Dooku began, causing Rain's hopes to plummet, "I trust the General's judgement. When he believes you are ready to assume your own command, I will allow it."

Assume my own command?

Rain thoughts echoed the Count's words in surprise. This was something she had deeply desired during her later years with the Jedi, but now it seemed like a distant dream. She could hardly recall the last time she had even entertained the thought, but she had been unknowingly working towards it this whole time.

I don't even know if that's what I want anymore.

"Now," Dooku said, interrupting her thoughts, "Perhaps you'd like to go change into your own clothes while I conclude my business with the General. I plan on returning to my home planet as soon as affairs are settled here, so if you have any actual urgent matters which you'd like to discuss, I suggest you do so sooner rather than later."

"Yes, master," Rain said, watching in a daze as the Count swept past her, "Thank you."