Chapter 17 – CC-2224 / Commander Cody
The imperial royal guard's red robes swayed in the artificial winds of Coruscant as the Emperor stepped out from behind them and took his place at the podium. He slowly placed his wrinkled hands down on either side of the microphone while watching the imperial army take their positions behind him.
On any other day the royal guard would have been enough. But today was Empire Day and the city was overflowing with people. So CC-2224's elite group of Storm Troopers took their position just behind the royal guard. They were an impressive group, one of the best trained in the imperial army. But to C-2224 they were a sorry group of soldiers. No one could ever measure up to his brothers. But the other clone troopers were mostly killed or retired now. But not CC-2224. He had never finished his mission. Had never killed his Jedi. It was an itch in his mind that never healed. A blood thirsty need to complete an act that made no sense to him. But it wouldn't let him leave. Not until his mission was done.
The 501st marched in behind him, commonly known as Vader's fist though they had once…. CC-2224 musings were suddenly cut short when he noted that their leader was very conspicuously absent.
"Where is Lord Vader?" a few of his men whispered, and he glared at them least the Emperor blame him for their break in protocol. But when he looked back to the Emperor he only smiled at his contrite look. What that meant CC-2224 could not tell. He never liked Vader but even the black cyborg was easier to predict than the Emperor.
"People of Coruscant, and of the Greater Galactic Empire…."
He would prefer to be doing drills with his men then listening to another of the Emperor's bloated speeches that the crowd pretended to eat up. Buy into the propaganda or be on the opposite side of it a fellow soldier had once said. One that had defecated long ago. Sometimes CC-2224 wondered why he didn't as well. But a solider didn't desert, didn't leave an Empire built on the blood of his brothers to the rabble. Even if it looked nothing like the Republic he had been born to protect.
"Many of you may have noticed the conspicuous absence of Lord Vader," declared Emperor Palpatine and CC-2224 suddenly felt his attention drawn back to him. "I assure you his absence on this monumental day is due only to the fact that he is doing a great service for the Empire. He is out pursuing the terrorist rebels that have been plaguing my good people of the Empire. Though he could not be here in person Lord Vader has asked to address the people of the Galactic Empire from afar to share his recent victories with you."
CC-2224 watched in wonder as a large holograph appeared above the podium. Vader appeared magnified in front of them, and there beside him stood a lone trooper stood. He was only half on the screen but there was something so familiar about him…..
"Emperor Palpatine," came the grating voice of Lord Vader and CC-2224 watched the slight flinch of the people in the street. "I apologize for not being present in person. I very much wished to be there today. But leaving could have compromised my mission."
The Emperor nodded, narrowing his eyes slightly then nodded for Vader to continue.
"I promised you the figure head of the rebellion – and I present to you Bail Organa."
A sharp intake of breath was heard from the crowd as the disgraced Senator showed on the holograph. He was kneeling down near Vader's feet with hands behind his back. A second later he could hear thousands of citizens quickly swallowing their words of protest lest they be implicated as well. The Alderaanian contingency took a small step back from the rest of the crowd.
"A traitor within our midst this whole time?" declared Emperor Palpatine in a show of anger. "Within the senate itself? Good people of the Empire, the corruption of the Senate cannot stand. The whole institution must be upbraided. But, that task will wait for another day. Today we will celebrate by cutting off the head of the traitor, and show all people of the Empire that terrorism and rebellion will absolutely not be tolerated."
Calls of "execute him," murmured through the streets in agreement. But many who said it looked down, as if in shame. Saying it so no one looked at them too closely. Going through the motions they felt they had too. CC-2224 understood that feeling. Of needing to comply. But why didn't they do something else? What stopped them? What stopped him? He was a soldier. They didn't question orders.
"I will be glad to heed the order of the Emperor and of the people of the Empire," declared Vader. "But a leader of the rebellion is not all that I have for you today," he continued. "I have also found the last of the Jedi traitors."
Palpatine's eyes sparkled at Vader's words and CC-2224 felt his heart catch in his chest. Could it be?
"Commander, present them to the Emperor," commanded Vader and CC-2224 felt his heart catch as the holograph focused on the other man and revealed it to be his brother. He knew it by the familiarity of his voice as he named the person next to him. "Ahsoka Tano."
No. This wasn't right. He wouldn't betray her. And yet. Of course he would. It was natural for the clone trooper to be holding the Jedi scum kneeling and handcuffed.
CC-2224 was barely done processing seeing Ahsoka and Rex again, when another shock racked through his body as the holograph moved to the person kneeling next to her. "Obi-Wan Kenobi," he heard in his head before Rex could say the words.
So he was alive. And his first emotion was of relief. He was alive! But the joy, it hurt somehow. His head ached and he realized that he could kill him now. He could still carry out his mission. That was why he was happy. But then, he wouldn't. Lord Vader would surely get to kill him. And that brought him such anger and sadness. Because of the mission? Because he couldn't finish it? Or was there some other reason?
"Excellent Lord Vader," replied Palpatine and CC-2224 swore the man sounded like he was purring in pleasure. He did not remember ever seeing the Emperor happy before.
"That's not all of them your Excellency," replied the trooper and Palpatine actually looked shocked. CC-2224 had definitely never seen him looking shocked.
"Who else is there?" he asked, a greedy glint in his eyes and a touch of worry in his tone.
"The children of Anakin Skywalker – the girl known as Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker," declared Rex and CC-2224 looked in amazement at the two young people on the screen. He wondered if Rex would demand he pay out that bet if he ever saw him again or if there was a statute of limitations on that sort of thing.
The Emperor looked really on edge now. As if he couldn't decide to be overjoyed or perturbed about the developments. "They are not known to be Jedi and are very young. Perhaps we can be lenient in their cases Lord Vader and bring them back to Coruscant," declared Palpatine, pausing on Vader's title as if threatening him somehow while praising him at the same time.
CC-2224 awaited Vader's response. But he never spoke. Never came back on screen. Instead Rex appeared again. "They have been trained as Jedi, Sir. Shouldn't they be treated as Jedi?"
A clone trooper contradicting the Emperor. It made him hopeful in ways he couldn't explain.
"Lord Vader," prompted the Emperor again, not bothering to speak to the mere soldier.
But Vader did not reply. Instead there was a giggle. And then a small green thing appeared on the screen with another person who was only half on the holograph.
"Darth Sidious, I'm afraid dead Vader is," declared…. was that Master Yoda?!.
"I killed him," confirmed another voice. What? Was that Anakin Skywalker?! But younger? Wait, that must be his son. But he hadn't been dressed like that a moment ago? Had he?
And then the Jedi were all standing together, doing something that did not make sense to CC-2224 but did seem to perturb the Emperor greatly. In fact he was staring at the people on the holograph as if he had just bet everything on four of a kind only to have his opponent reveal a straight flush.
"You won't do it," he snarled suddenly and then… well it looked like tiny bits of light were being pulled out of him. These same tiny bits of light seemed to be coming out of everyone, and then flowing back in, and then out again as if in some unseen tug of war. And the lights were coming from everyone, but a lot more from the Emperor. He had by far the most light. Except for the man in the holograph. He practically glowed.
"You will be nothing," screeched Palpatine, the light moving back towards him. "Just as you were before you joined me. Can't you see that they are still using you? Only this time they are using you to destroy yourself."
"The only one who ever destroyed me was myself," declared the Anakin Skywalker look alike as the light moved slowly out of him. "With you manipulating me the whole time. But this time I'm done Sidious. This is the end for us."
Palpatine cackled. "Then I'll rule them all in death," he declared, pulling back the light before CC-2224 felt a burning shock tear through his body, and saw lightening hit everyone surrounding him. He was going to kill them all he thought as he felt his consciousness fading.
Just as he was resigning himself to his fate he heard it. It was the voice of Anakin Skywalker, and a million others speaking with him. "NO" it screamed.
And it wasn't just a word. It was a feeling, and the feeling tore through CC-2224 just like the light that was bursting like a supernova from the holograph. And then suddenly the light was gone, and everything was dark. He couldn't see and his head ached terribly. But he felt free.
"Help," came the pitiful cry a few moments, or perhaps days, later as his eyes slowly adjusted to the relative darkness of the mid-day Coruscant sun. There were confused faces all around him. Some people were fleeing, others fighting and in the middle of it all there was Palpatine lying on the ground a few feet from him. A pitiful old man wearing ridiculous robes, his protectors long scattered.
"Trooper, help me," the man half begged, half ordered.
"My name is Cody," he declared as he walked away.
End Chapter 17