So I decided to go ahead and make a companion piece for Wells of Silence. (You guys ever get that one fic that just gets completely out of hand from when you originally start it? Yeaaaah... that's Wells for me)
This piece really isn't going to have an overarching theme, or chronological order, other than all taking place in the same universe as Wells. And Fair Warning, it's not going to have long, masterfully crafted, complete chapters. Really the purpose of this piece is somewhere for me to share extra pieces. Chapter ideas I couldn't quite work out into a full chapter. Scenes that fall out of the timeline of the story that I wanted to take a look at for this universe. Drabbles. I'll even take request prompts over PM or on my tumblr [my blog name is beck-a-leck. Because ff doesn't allow anything that resembles a link to be typed in] and post them here. Really it all boils down to not-quite-complete chapters. But I think it should still be fun to read.
To Start!:My original opening chapter! (Kind of)
I was watching Clone Wars around the time I decided to turn Wells into a full, post-able fic and was nearing the end of the series. I did a little futzing with the timeline and the math and realized that the Inhibitor chip stuff probably happened around 7ish months before RotS. That meant it would have been a good place to start the fic. Then I started typing it up, and it just got to close to completely reiterating the episode arc with next to no changes except Anakin's pronouns. I kind of abandoned it halfway through and went onto writing the chapter that did become the first chapter.
When I decided to put Echos together, I knew this little bit floating around my hard drive was going to be the first. So I went through and edited what I had and finished up the scenes I left partially finished. But I didn't complete the arc. We've all seen the Clone Wars episodes, we know now it ends.
I hope you all enjoy!
-The Beckster
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Inhibitor Chip
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"Keep pushing forward!" Anakin commanded, her voice carrying clearly over the din of the battle.
The clones closest to her initiated a rallying cry. It spread through the battalion as the Republic forces surged forward. Anakin hesitated for the briefest moment, a grimace crossing her face. She frowned and swallowed her rising wave of nausea. Now was not the time to be sick, but it was hard today. For whatever reason, the smells of battle were turning her stomach in all the wrong ways. She had long ago become numb to the scent of spilled blood, and scorched flesh, the sharp ozone tang of blaster fire, and the noxious smoke of charred droid parts.
Maybe she was just getting tired. This battle had been raging for several rotations now, but they were so close to taking the station. She and her clones surged through the corridors, ready to meet with Tiplar's and Tiplee's troopers as they took the last hangar. All they had to do was seize the command post and the battle would finally be won.
Anakin dodged blaster fire automatically, deflecting bolts with her lightsaber, moving forward with her troops and cutting through the droids. They breached the hangar and she saw masses of droids approaching, blaster fire rained down on them. The Seppies were making a final, desperate push to stop the Republic. Anakin smirked knowingly, this was their final stand and her forces were more than adequate to defeat the Separatists.
Suddenly, there was a shock through the Force, it jolted Anakin to her core and her nausea pushed at the back of her throat with a vengeance.
"Sister!"
Anakin turned slightly, still returning the droid's blaster fire, she saw Rex tackle another clone, she saw a body on the ground. Was that Tiplar? Was that Tup? Tiplee rushed to her sister's side and cradled her gently. Tup struggled under Rex's unrelenting hold.
What just happened?
Anakin could feel the shock go through the witnesses. Their advance lost its drive.
"Pull back! We've lost our momentum! Pull back!"
Many of the clones were confused, but they obeyed without question. A few closest to the Jedi helped Tiplee lift her sister's body. Others helped Rex haul Tup off the floor. Anakin watched behind her as she moved back, waiting for the others to clear before she turned and ran. The droids would only have a slight hesitation as they processed their sudden retreat. They wouldn't have long to escape.
Anakin was the last one into the central bunker. She made sure the clones were sealing the blast doors behind them before moving over to her fellow Jedi. She could feel Tiplee was upset, a deep sadness and anger coursed through her. She knew the two were twins. She imagined her loss felt akin to what she felt when she had lost her mother.
"Why?" Tiplee asked coldly, laying her sister's body out on the floor. "Why would he do this?"
"I don't know," Anakin admitted. "But I'm about to find out."
She moved over to the small storage closet they had shoved Tup into. The clone sat on a crate, his hands bound behind him, his eyes locked on the floor. He sat unsteadily, his head lolling slightly. Fives and a medic stood over him. Rex stepped forward to intercept her.
"What happened, Rex?"
"We're not sure, sir, it seems like he just snapped." Rex crouched down and placed a hand on Tup's shoulder. "Tup, can you hear me?"
Tup lifted his head a little. His words came out slow and unsure. "Yes, Captain."
"What happened out there?"
Tup blinked slowly. "What… what do you mean?" His eyes started roving around the group.
Anakin crossed her arms tightly. Tiplee had joined her at the doorway.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Rex asked, shaking his trooper a little.
"I… I…" Tup's gaze finally met Anakin's. She sensed a focusing in him. "Good soldiers follow orders... Good soldiers follow orders… Good soldiers follow orders..."
Tup repeated this over and over; rocking himself back and forth, head lolling, eyes roving at random. The medic knelt beside Tup, checking his eyes, and trying to snap him out of whatever this fit was.
Anakin furrowed her brow and took a step forward, reaching a hand out. Tup's eyes met hers again, and she saw his pupils constrict. Then Tup's gaze moved over her shoulder to Tiplee behind her.
"Good soldiers…" Tup stopped his muttering, and a fierce scowl crossed his face. "Kill the Jedi!" he snarled, lunging to his feet.
He charged at Tiplee, catching Anakin with his shoulder and knocking her and the medic aside. Tiplee stopped Tup in his tracks, holding him off the floor with the Force. Tup struggled against her hold, still snarling fiercely. Tiplee shoved him against the wall, holding him there with a furious scowl of her own.
Anakin recognized immediately that Tiplee would kill Tup if not stopped. She stepped forward and placed a hand on Tiplee's arm. "We need to get him to the medical frigate."
Tiplee blinked and released her hold. Fives and the medic were on Tup immediately, restraining him. With practiced efficiency, the medic procured a sedative from his pack and pushed it into Tup's neck. The rogue clone struggled for a few seconds before he fell into unconsciousness.
"Keep him restrained," Anakin commanded. She was deeply disturbed by Tup's mental break. Clones weren't supposed to have mental breaks What could have possibly caused this?
The sound of explosions reached her ears. Anakin looked over her shoulder at the blast doors. The durasteel was beginning to buckle on the central door.
"The droids are breaking through, generals!" one of Tiplee's clones reported.
"Let's move out," Anakin ordered. "Full retreat. We've got to get back to the fleet."
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XXXXXXXXXX
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Anakin didn't like retreating, particularly not in a case like this. They had been so close to victory, but this thing with Tup. Tiplar's murder. It had thrown everything out of synch. They had lost the battle. They might lose this system. Now the best they could do was get their ships out and back to the blockade before the Separatists could rally another strike.
Fortunately, the Separatists seemed a little slow on the uptake... or they were letting the Republic forces retreat. It was unusual, but not unheard of, particularly when the commanding officers weren't one-track minded droids.
They reunited with the fleet without any more losses. Anakin walked quickly from the bridge of the medical frigate to the bay where they had taken Tup. She had to report their retreat, and the loss of Tiplar, but she wanted to be there when Tup regained consciousness. The med droids should be done with their diagnostics. It was time for some answers. Her stomach still twisted painfully, keeping her nausea ever present in the back of her throat.
Truthfully Anakin had been avoiding med bays recently. Some irrational fear that if she stayed in one too long someone would notice something was off. She was particularly keen to avoid the med droids and their scanners. This visit would be unavoidable though. She'd have to make it quick.
Anakin stepped into the med bay. Tup was still unconscious, restrained with heavy straps and bound to the exam table. Rex and Fives hovered at his bedside, a med droid stood ready to be of assistance, Kicks read from a datapad.
"Anything yet?" Anakin crossed her arms tightly and took her place by Tup as well.
"Nothing yet, General." Rex reported.
Anakin sensed Tiplee approach and keep herself at a safe distance from the clones. She was present, yet removed in the doorway. Anakin could feel Tiplee's cold fury and her pain. She silently admired her strength and self-control. They shared a look, but otherwise said nothing.
After a few minutes of waiting in silence, Tup finally stirred.
He tried to sit up, the confusion evident when he realized he was restrained. "Fives? What happened? What happened to me?"
Fives looked briefly to Rex before stepping closer to the struggling clone. "Tup you… murdered General Tiplar."
"What? No! I couldn't! I never!" Tup increased his struggling.
Fives stepped even closer, placing a hand on Tup's arm. "You did." he confirmed.
Tup only struggled more, pulling at the restraints. A stream of partially coherent protests fell from his mouth. Fives stepped back as the med droid approached with a sedative.
Anakin waited until he fell still before speaking again. "So what happened? What do his scans look like?"
Kicks lifted his datapad. "His scans are all clear. As far as we can tell this was a combat related mental break," he offered unhelpfully.
Rex furrowed his brow. "Kicks, you know that's impossible. We're built to withstand any kind of stress."
"I know," Kicks continued. "The only other possibility is that he's been infected with something, like a virus."
Anakin stepped farther away from Tup at the word 'virus.' She looked to Rex. "Let's discuss this outside."
Their group stepped just outside of the med bay doors. Anakin waited until the door slid shut before speaking again. "You're suggesting that someone made Tup do this?"
"It's possible," Tiplee offered. "There have been rumors of the Separatists trying to develop an anti-clone weapon. Biological warfare."
Kicks shook his head. "We aren't equipped to deal with a situation like this. If we want our answers, he'll have to be taken back to Kamino."
Anakin nodded. "We'll get a shuttle prepped, you should leave as soon as possible. Keep him restrained and sedated until then."
Kicks nodded. "Yes, General."
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XXXXXXXXXX
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Anakin had thought that this mess with Tup would have been cleared up after he made it to Kamino. But apparently, Fives had stirred up a whole mess of trouble. Tup was dead by uncertain circumstances. Something about a chip in the clone's brains? Tup's had gone bad, and it was still unclear whether that was his cause of death. The Kaminoans said it was a virus that caused Tup's break, and the chips were unrelated. She was inclined to believe them. They were the experts after all.
But still… Fives' chip was fine, though he had removed his own. He had been brought to Coruscant for further diagnostics but then had tried to assassinate the Chancellor! She knew Fives; he was part of her squadron. Was he infected by the virus too? Or was it because he had removed his own chip?
She tuned back into the conversation just as Master Windu suggested they investigate this matter independently. The Chancellor hadn't asked for Jedi assistance, so they couldn't openly investigate.
"I'll lead the investigation," she volunteered. "Fives was part of the 501st. If Rex and I find him, he'll trust us. We might be able to bring him in peacefully."
"Be wary," Shaak Ti warned. "Since he removed his inhibitor chip, Fives may no longer be the man you once knew. He is erratic. He may be dangerous."
"I will." Anakin nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "I think it would be best to try and take him alive. Deadly force should only be used if absolutely necessary."
"I agree. We can get more answers from Fives if he can still talk to us." Windu said with a nod. The holograms flicked out of existence and Anakin turned away from the table.
If she wanted to find Fives, she needed to get the 501st in on the hunt. They wouldn't want to see their brother get hurt either. Her gut twisted as she remembered the last manhunt she had taken part of. A few months ago it was her Padawan. Now it was Fives. She grit her teeth, determined for this hunt to have a better ending than the last one.
She took a speeder straight to the barracks. Her troops would still be there. They were on Coruscant for a few days of R&R, but technically that didn't start until sundown. Rex would still be there, and there was time to get the word around to the rest of her squadron.
Rex was easy enough to find. He saluted her sharply as she approached, as did the other clones he was talking to. She recognized Wolfe, but not the other clone.
"At ease," she waved down their salute. "Do you have a moment, Rex? I need to talk to you."
"Of course, General." Rex turned to the other clones and offered them a quick "Catch you later," before following Anakin. "Is this about Fives, sir?" he asked after a moment of silence.
Anakin nodded, her gut twisted even more painfully. "Yes. He attacked the Chancellor earlier today. He's on the run somewhere on Coruscant."
"He attacked the Chancellor?" Rex echoed disbelievingly.
"Fives seems to believe that he has uncovered a Separatist plot against the Jedi. He believes there is a conspiracy that involved you clones." She frowned, swallowing another wave of nausea. "Clearly he isn't in his right mind. I've been tasked with finding him. I'll need your help, Rex."
"Of course, General, I'll do anything I can."
"It's likely that Fives is going to see out help from his brothers, from the 501st. I need you and the boys to keep an eye out for him. If anyone sees him, I need to be the first to know."
"Yes, General. Is… is Fives dangerous?"
Anakin paused, and took a deep breath. "Most likely, yes, given his behavior earlier. But I want him brought in alive. Only use force if absolutely necessary. Understand, Rex?"
"Yes, sir." Rex paused a moment, thinking on something. "General, they said that Tup caught a virus that made him go crazy. And Fives might have the same thing. Is it contagious?"
Anakin shrugged, and her stomach twisted again. "I don't know. I don't think it's highly contagious, or else our entire battalion would probably be showing symptoms." She shot Rex a wry look. "You don't want to kill me, do you?"
"No, General!"
Anakin cracked a tense smile. "It may be a virus, but I doubt it's very contagious. Fives spent a lot of time with Tup between Ringo Veda and now. Still… I wouldn't recommend kissing Fives until we know what's wrong with him." Both she and Rex chuckled weakly at the attempted joke.
They stopped outside the canteen and a quick look in showed that most of the 501st was taking a meal before a free night on the town. At least spreading the news would be done quickly. Anakin wrinkled her nose at the smell, whatever they were serving for dinner smelled awful. She realized belatedly, that the smell wasn't bad; her stomach just didn't like it. It lurched and she clapped a hand over her mouth. She ignored Rex's concerned question as she ran to the nearest trash can and heaved the contents of her stomach over uneaten portions of tonight's dinner.
"General, are you alright?" Rex asked again, once Anakin was done heaving.
She straightened and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she shook off Rex's hand from her shoulder. She looked around, wondering how much attention she had managed to draw, but Rex had placed himself between her and the rest of the canteen. Nobody else had taken notice.
"I'm fine," she muttered, walking away quickly.
Rex wasn't assured and followed her. "Are you sick, sir? Did you catch that virus?"
Anakin almost laughed. If only her problem was as simple as a virus. "No, it's not the virus. I'm just feeling a little off, that's all."
Rex stood in front of her and stopped her attempted retreat. "Forgive me for saying, General, but you're been 'off' for several weeks now. Ever since… well, ever since Mygeeto. Did the Separatists cause some serious injury?"
Anakin winced. She had really hoped nobody else had noticed. Obi-Wan had already said something about her being sick, but she had managed to put him off her scent. They hadn't had a mission together since shortly after Mygeeto. "Nothing that hasn't healed, Rex. But thanks for watching out for me." She clapped the clone captain on his shoulder and moved past him.
"Sir." Rex was unconvinced and followed her closely.
Anakin closed her eyes and suppressed a groan. She almost considered pulling rank and telling Rex to forget about it, but that wouldn't have been fair to her friend. He was worried about her. She had just vomited, seemingly unprovoked, into a trash can. "It's nothing, Rex, really. Just combat related stress or something. This R&R has been a long time coming for all of us."
The clone still looked unsure, but he stepped a little ways away from Anakin. "If you say so, General."
"I do," Anakin stated. "Now go tell the rest of the 501st about Fives. I want to find him a quickly as possible, before he or anyone else gets hurt."
Rex snapped her a quick salute. "Yes, sir." He turned back towards the canteen.
Anakin waited until he was out of sight before she slumped against the wall. She rubbed at her temples and willed away the headache that was encroaching. She was beginning to feel that unfortunately familiar fuzz at the back of her eyes that signaled a bought of vertigo was on its way. She couldn't deal with that right now. She needed to be her sharpest so she could help Fives.
She took a steeling breath and squared her shoulders. She just needed to help Fives. If she could stay focused on that, she wouldn't fall apart.