Mace Windu jumped out of the taxi that just barely landed on the platform. He tossed a few credits to the driver, who caught them skillfully in midair before taking off. Mace looked up at the large Senate building, only to be picked out from the artificial lighting of the surrounding city. He took a breath before sprinting to the doors. Be open be open be open, he prayed in his thoughts, well aware that most of the people within were out celebrating by now. The doors got closer. He had tried several times to re-contact the group but it seemed that no one replied. They must have either been busy or maybe-
Maybe something is wrong. The thought had crossed his mind, only because by the fear in their voices Jar-Jar must have…really been a threat. Mace Windu shuddered as he came to the doors, he couldn't imagine what that must have looked like. He pressed the button on the side and the large doors opened. He sighed with relief before sprinting into the building.
The inside was dark, dim lights hovered above with little warmth to give. The Jedi's footsteps echoed off the tall walls as he ran deeper and deeper into the emptiness where no one was in sight. Maybe a cleaning droid or two passed him by, but otherwise the usually busy Senate building felt abandoned. Mace Windu tried to concentrate on his mission, but found that his train of thought fell back to how he has never been here after hours before, not even when he was in a meeting. He turned into an elevator and stabbed one of the floor buttons automatically. The doors closed, and just faintly he could hear a shattering bloodcurdling scream rise in the distance above him. Mace threw his hands out to use the force, and the elevator lurched upward quickly, speeding over its usual limit.
Upstairs something was definitely wrong.
Warning: the following scene has been rated for its extreme cartoon violence. Viewer digression is advised.
Mace Windu did not think, or barely breathe as the elevator reached the appropriate floor. He lunged out before the doors opened all the way. He turned and rocketed down the hallway in the distance there was a horrible electric sound followed by cries of pain. Windu's pulse quickened as his heart pumped blood throughout his system. He automatically went for his lightsaber, igniting it, and allowing its pink glow to light his way towards a far door down another hallway. There was a muffled commotion but under the door the Jedi could see random flashes of blue light. There was a shocking noise of intense static, and Mace could recognize it in the back of his head. He banged his fist on the door, "Guys! It's me Mace!" There was no answer, only the sound of yelling and screaming replied. The man took the weapon and shoved the ignited end into the steel door. He began to carve a shaky circle. Dang, he thought, I'm so used to the guide circle drawn on the doors; I can't even do a perfect circle without it! It took a lot of strength but the circle was done, and with a powerful kick in the center the door caved in onto the floor with a hiss.
He saw chaos.
In a circle of people a man in the middle screamed again. Palpatine laughed hysterically as he pointed his hands at Tarkin to embrace the force for bright blue light to zap out of the tips of his fingers and attach them to the skin of Tarkin. Tarkin screamed. He would stop for a moment to allow a fellow character to walk up and punch the "officer" in the face. Mace Windu stared in shock before Ahsoka turned her head to see him standing in a part of the doorway. Her eyes widened. She turned to Cad Bane and tapped his shoulder furiously. He twisted around to meet her gaze but then found himself gazing to the Jedi. He raised his hands in the air,
"Hold it everyone! We have company!" Everyone halted to look at Mace Windu. There was an awkward few moments of silence.
"Well…hey Windu?" Fives slowly began. The crowd moved slowly to block the view of a man tied in a chair; they placed their hands behind their backs.
"Hey Windu." They all shyly chorused. Jesse tried to distract him, he pointed to his hand,
"I see you cut the door open…."
"I see you don't remember the rules either: lightsabers are supposed to be locked in the safe." Obi Wan corrected, "Does no one use their prop lightsabers?"
Mace Windu entered reality for a moment,
"We have prop lightsabers?"
Count Dooku tossed his hands in the air, "I'm not the only one!"
"Wait wait wait wait!-" Mace Windu turned off the weapon and placed it in his belt, "You called me for help, what the heck is going on now!?" He rushed forward and shoved past the crowd. They tried to kindly stop him but they couldn't hide their torment. Mace was in front of Fives, which where he tried to move around. Fived shuffled to his side to block him. Mace tried again. Fives stood in front of him. Mace Windu straightened his back and folded his arms. Fives sighed and gave in. He moved off to the side to reveal a beaten Tarkin strapped to a chair and tape over his mouth. He reeked of a singed smell to reveal that he had been electrocuted. He looked up to the man with wide eyes, he tried to speak but all that came out was a muffled shout. Windu twisted around to look at everyone.
"What is the meaning of this?!" He asked, looking to the Sith, "You electrocuted him!"
Palpatine made a face, "Better him than you." Ventress snickered as everybody began talking at once.
"He deserved it!" Said Barriss, "He knew the whole time!"
"Yea he betrayed us and then almost got us killed!" Hondo continued.
"Jar-Jar almost killed Tup because of him!"
"We weren't going to kill the Hutt slime," Rex informed, "Just…. punch him a couple times-"
"The lightning was my idea," Dooku smiled, but by this time there were too many voices Windu couldn't hear. He lifted his hands in surrender, but before he could say anything-
"QQQUUUUUUIIIIIEEEEETTTT!" The noise died down as Grievous coughed into his fist again, looking to Mace to take control. The Jedi looked down as Master Yoda approached him.
"Ashamed, we should all be…. The Dark Side, we have embraced….."
"It's not that bad…." Padme hit Anakin's shoulder to shut him up. Yoda looked back to Windu. But Windu had processed some of what they just said, and it confused him. "Wait…..What did Tarkin know?" The small green Jedi sighed, and everyone looked to each other solemnly.
It took fifteen minutes for an ambulance to show up to the Senate Building, and within that time Tarkin was freed, knocked out, which allowed the time to come up with a story where Jar-Jar went mental after his insults, attacked him and knocked the power out, the electricity shocked him when he tried to open the door and he fainted. It would be a case of a provoked attack which turned into an accident. Before hitting Tarkin in the back of the head to shut him down Yoda was able to use the Jedi mind trick; when he wakes there should be no problem.
In the meantime the rest explained the problem to Mace Windu, who became very upset. The ambulance came, took Tarkin away, and as the specialists came in to look at the damage of the meeting room, members of the show crew swung by. Everyone was outside in the night when a large limo hovered by. The man asked if everyone was alright, yelled at Dooku and Mace for carrying the real lightsabers, took them away, and informed them of another meeting for the entire cast within two weeks to announce the cancellation. He left them and sped away.
Hondo placed a hand on Windu's shoulder, "You ok?"
He sighed, the last twenty minutes a blur. "Not really."
"It's a shock," Cody approached, "But it's their loss." Captain Rex went to his brothers side, "We're going to get a drink, anyone is welcome to join us."
"You're going like that?" Barriss asked from behind.
Rex and Cody exchanged looks, "It was Fives's idea, I would lie to spend the last night as Captain in style," Rex said, looking to his helmet in his hand. By this time a full circle had formed. It was late, very late. But no one felt like sleeping, they did not wish to wake and never see each other again.
"Well I can call the girls and tell them to meet us?" She offered. People began nodding their heads in agreement.
As they walked Rex took this moment to stand in front of the sulking group, "No matter what the "almighty" Disney has to say. I believe we were a success." He stood there rock solid, with everything he believed in. Tup came out of the crowd to face them as well,
"As do I."
Fives followed after, "Come on, we can always find something else to do and love…." No one seemed to believe him, "Like fighting back." All their faces lit up with excitement.
So together they piled into their vehicles and sped off to the nearest open diner. There they called more cast members to join them. By midnight the word had spread to everyone on the show and all across the system did people hear the death of the Clone wars show. It was posted on blogs, described on websites, chanted over the radio. Fans of the show were appalled and set up sites to save the show. Posters were hung everywhere. Grievous did throw out his Disney movies, but needed his friend Dooku to get rid of Aladdin for him. Captain Rex began helping clones think of other career options. When announcements of the new show and new Star Wars movies came out the cast didn't as much blink. They didn't care. Fives spends his weekends with Ventress tossing toilet paper around Disney Park and egging the building where they are developing the new show. Tarkin does eventually recover, but doesn't remember most of what happened. He attempted suing Jar-Jar but lost everything: his Jet, his three houses and all his money. He is now working with Krell as janitors. Barriss began going out to auditions for DreamWorks films. Cad Bane gets a role in a Western show. Hondo and his pirate friends purchased an antique shop and make plenty of money now. But as much as they try to pick things up, every weekend they get into costume, pile into Padme's beach house, and have a marathon of their show. Their show, the adventure they had together as a family.
They never did go to that cancellation meeting.
Hey, maybe they'll ban together and finish it themselves? Maybe one day Disney will change their mind. If not, we as the fans have the imagination to make anything happen.
"The strong survive, the noble overcome"
The Box, Season Four, Episode 17
Hey guys! I know it's been a while I was on vacation for the past few weeks, but I'm back now to give you this final ending! I have to say this is my first finished clone wars fan-fiction and I am really proud of it! All of your support really gave me the confidence and ability to finish this story, and I can't thank you enough! There was so much I wanted to do with this but there can be only one ending. This journey has been…short but I still cannot believe my beloved show to be over forever. And it really hurts too. May you all heal from this tragedy and long live the clone wars!
-NN
