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Chapter 28
Trying to think of a way to explain to the younglings why they had to leave the Temple was a nightmare; in the end, Mace just decided to tell them to trust their Masters and that they were trying to protect them. Perhaps not the best course of action, in Koresck's opinion, since lack of knowledge often breeds fear and fear was the exact thing they were trying to avoid. But then again, it wasn't like they wouldn't be scared if they found out that the clones and possibly two big bad men with lightsabers were coming after them, so he supposed it was the best they could do in their situation.
To be honest, though, telling the other Knights hadn't been particularly easy either. They had told them all at a quick meeting after the 4 of them, Calleg, Mace, Anakin and Koresck, had decided on their course of action. Though they all knew what was going on, all of them were still trying to wrap their heads around the idea of the Chancellor actually being the one they had been fighting from the start. Not that it wasn't a hard thing to imagine, but trying to process surprising information such as that can often be a hindrance in matters like getting 200 people out of a building done in a timely manner.
Plus, many of them did not agree with the idea of running away; only Mace's firm words, stern looks and the fact that he did happen to be Jedi Master Mace Windu, could convince them to follow his orders. Even then, it was clear that many of them thought that the Master Jedi was making a big mistake in not confronting the Sith Lords.
Clearly, the whole situation was an all around, really big, really awful mess. And it's right about to get harder, Koresck thought as he and Anakin headed for one of the most important levels in the upstairs: the nursery.
"How exactly are we going to get all these babies out and into the Underlevels?" he asked.
Anakin paused for a second, then kept walking as he shrugged. "Not sure. I'm beginning to think that the whole 'recruiting Jedi before the age of 2' may not have been the best idea after all."
"Yeah," Kory nodded. "But then again we're biased. We both were recruited long after that."
"Yeah," Anakin chuckled and agreed. "And look how brilliantly we turned out."
Koresck only laughed in reply, walking into the nursery behind him. The 4 knights that were in charge of that area barely looked at the two of them; they were far too busy bustling around, getting the children, all of them under the age of 3 standard years, ready to leave, to notice two Jedi Knights standing lost in the doorway.
"Good, you're here," one, a red-skinned twi'lek said to them. "Master Windu said he'd be sending two Jedi to help us out. I suppose you can figure out how to put younglings into their carriers?"
Though he normally would've been annoyed, Anakin just ignored her snarky tone. They were all under a lot of stress, and besides, he was really too tired to try and come up with some sort of witty response anyway. "I think we'll manage."
She nodded shortly and walked into the adjoining room to help the others.
"You really think we'll manage?"
Anakin looked at Koresck. "Koresck, please tell me that you know how to put a youngling inside a travel carrier. I mean its not like it takes a genius."
"Course I do. I was just wondering whether or not you did."
Anakin rolled his eyes and picked up a human baby, carrying him to one of the nearby carrier seats. "For your information," he said, as he pulled the two straps snugly around the child. "I do."
Koresck nodded approvingly. "Good thing, too. Suppose you'll be doing it for your own soon enough."
Anakin paled, whipping his head around, eyes darting frantically, to ensure that no one was around to hear. "Koresck," he hissed. "No one is supposed to know about that! You can't just say stuff about it in public!"
Anakin had told his best friend about his marriage shortly after he'd returned to the Temple after the Battle of Geonosis, and he'd told him about Padme's pregnancy the day after he found out. Even though he'd known from the beginning how important it was that as few people as possible knew about him, Padme, and now, their family, he had told Koresck anyway. Partly because Koresck was his best friend and they told each other everything. And partially because Koresck had plenty of secrets of his own.
At that moment though, Koresck only rolled his eyes. "The only people here are the younglings." He picked up a baby Togruta and held him up. "You really think this adorable face is gonna rat you out?"
The baby gurgled and then drooled all down his blue onesie and Koresck's hands.
Anakin glared at him, not amused in the slightest. "There are cameras."
Koresck cast a few mocking looks over his shoulder, then turned back to Anakin with a withering look. "In the nursery?"
"Fine. I guess you wouldn't mind then if I asked about you and Lael?"
Koresck shrugged, putting the baby in his carrier and wiping the drool off his left hand. "Not at all. We had a good time actually. Kissing and everything. It was great," he replied, in his who-the-force-cares, nonchalant way.
Anakin groaned in frustration. "You're gonna get us both kicked out, Kory" he said, placing another baby inside another seat.
Koresck's almost ever-present smile slipped into a slight frown. "Anakin, after today, I'm not too sure that there will be anything to get kicked out of."
Anakin frowned as well, but for a different reason. "The Jedi will always be around, Koresck. No longer in this Temple for a time - a short one - but we'll be back."
Koresck sighed. "I really hope you're right. And I hope that we're doing the right thing."
"What do you mean?"
"I understand why it makes more sense to run away, but it feels like, well, it feels like we're letting him win."
Anakin shook his head. "Letting him slaughter us for our pride would be letting him win. Not that I like this anymore than you do, but it is necessary."
Koresck smiled, shaking his head in amazement. "Who would've thought I'd see the day when Anakin Skywalker would choose hiding over fighting till the death? Obi-Wan would be proud."
Anakin laughed a little, but the happy sound died swiftly on his lips.
"I'm sure they're fine," Koresck said after a moment of silence, knowing exactly what Anakin was thinking about. "Acacia and Obi-Wan are two of the smartest, most resourceful people in the Order. They'll be alright."
Anakin nodded. "Of course. I know they will. I was just, um, thinking about what you said. About not wanting to run away."
"Sure you were. You doubting your own plan now?"
"Course not. I was just... thinking about whether or not we could really pull this off. Cuz if we don't, we're all toast. Toast and bantha burgers."
Koresck just laughed as he put the last baby in the last carrier. "Anakin, we are far beyond toast and bantha burgers already."
Acacia blinked her eyes open, slowly taking in the dark world around her. Tiny bolts of light pulsated in front of her eyes and her head pounded madly, like a million tiny droids were running around and hitting the inside of her temples with the butt of their guns. But she did her best to ignore that. There was something she had to remember, something important...
"Good," she heard a voice say, "you're awake."
And that was when she remembered: she'd been shot. She should be dead.
Ignoring the pain in her head, she forced her tired eyes fully open and concentrated on the face in front of her. "Cody?"
His aura radiated relief. "I'm so glad you're alright!"
"Why would you be glad?" she spit angrily, as everything came flying back into her memory. "You tried to kill us."
The clone commander turned his face away. "Yes, I know. I apologize for that."
"You apologize? I guess that's supposed to make everything better, yeah?"
Cody sighed. "I don't expect you to understand, Acacia. But when the Chancellor gives orders, they must be followed. Well, normally. But, in case you haven't noticed you are alive."
It was true; that was one of those facts that there was simply no denying at that point. "But you shot us with blasters," Acacia said, as the anger slowly drained out of her voice and was replaced with confusion.
Cody shook his head and gestured toward a gun in the corner. "I shot you with a blaster gun. The missiles inside were stunners. Sorry about that, though, because you're gonna have a bad headache for a while."
"Thanks for the warning."
They both shared a quiet laugh before Acacia whispered, "So, you never did turn against us?"
Cody shook his head. "No. I was commanded to and many of my brothers have and many even in this regiment said that we should. But," he shook his head, "no matter what sort of excuses the Chancellor came up with, I knew they were lies. And I always knew that, when the time came, I would save you both."
"Wait... when the time came? And where's Obi-Wan?"
"Over there." He nodded in her master's direction. In the darkness of the earthy, confined space, that she was beginning to realize was probably some sort of cave, Acacia could just make out Obi-Wan's form lying out on the floor and snoring slightly, as if he were just taking a little nap. "It's taking the medication a little longer to wear off for him. Not sure why. And yes," he turned back to Acacia. "When the time came. We knew of this order, this Order 66, from our creation."
"But you never told us." She knew the words were unreasonably accusing - he had just saved them after all - but they came out anyway.
Cody shook his head. "You have to understand Acacia, I couldn't."
She nodded. "I do understand." Even though she didn't. "Why is it that the Chancellor is after us?"
He shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know. I only know that whatever reason it is, it's not a good one. Because I've been out here on the battlefield with you and I've seen you lay down your lives and put aside yourselves to help so many people. Whatever he's got against you, it can't be that important."
Even though she could tell that her situation was about to get very dire, Acacia smiled. "Thanks, Cody."
"After all that we have fought for, Commander, it is my honor. Now, I don't know whether or not the Chancellor will request proof of your bodies later, so you must leave now. I have a ship ready for you, along with an R4 unit so that you and your Master can get off-planet. You must run, Acacia. Run and hide and find whatever surviving Jedi you can along the way."
Acacia nodded, standing up slowly, glad that her vision was clearing and the headache had finally begun to ebb. "All right. Thank you, Cody."
"None needed, Commander. Allow me to get General Kenobi in the starfighter and then you can be off."
She nodded again and took a few seconds to collect her thoughts and get her bearings while he effortlessly lifted her Master into the second seat of the ship. This day had changed so fast; it had started with something as simple as capturing Grievous. Now, only that evening, her and her Master were running for their lives and she wasn't even sure why.
But the girl steeled herself, telling the tears in her eyes that she refused them entry into the world. She would not cry, because she had a job to do. She would be strong and she would survive and one day, she would defeat whatever evil had caused this sudden uprooting in her life.
As she climbed into the cockpit of the starfighter, a thought entered her mind that gave her brief pause. She turned to Cody and asked, "Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" She had suddenly realized just that she would miss him. A lot.
The clone commander, feeling the same, took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. "I certainly hope so, Acacia. I certainly hope so."
"Sir there's an unidentified flying object headed out the west side. Permission to shoot it down?"
Cody looked up in the direction of the small gray starfighter shooting through the atmosphere and shook his head. He placed his gloved hand over the soldier's, that was already poised to end the lives he'd only just saved. "No, trooper. We're going to let this one fly."
Thanks for reading! Please review!
And special thanks to LongLoreLover for the suggestion that Cody still had some goodness left in him and was playing the Chancellor. This chapter was not my original plan, but I think the story will turn out better for it. So thank you for the suggestion, LongLoreLover!
If you have any ideas, please send them in! I'd be so happy to hear them and who knows? I just might use them!
