Promise for Treason

by Tybolt Silver

When Ares of Serenno wakes up with fresh wounds and painful memories on an empty ship hurtling through hyperspace, he has a mind for one thing: patricide. To get it, he must align with the enemy of his enemy, The Jedi Order. In his way stands the Order's underlying distrust of him, his sister's ambitions, and the secret plot to dupe the galaxy. AhsokaxOC. Slowburn.

16. A Promise For Treason

Responses to Reviews

RainfallMyth, 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: Yeah, Order 66 is coming soon, although there is still one order of business to deal with before that chaos begins. It would be interesting to see Palpatine and Ares and I think you have it right about what tactic Palpatine would use to manipulate Ares – tell him Ahsoka is dead. But oh well, time will tell. Now, prepare for the most epic chapter of the series. Tell me if your mind is blown.

TheChamp123, 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: That's the thing with happiness – it gets taken away real fast. I'm going to have to disappoint you about the indigo blade, but fear not! Mace Windu is still going to be pissed off, albeit some time later. Yes, Ares felt Palpatine, though he didn't know it. The Dark Lord of the Sith is a force to be reckoned with. Enjoy Ares and Anakin bonding while it lasts. Ares having a moment with his father or sister? Man, if this isn't the chapter for touching moments then nothing is. Order 66 will still happen, sorry man. Now, strap on a helmet cause your mind is about to be blown.

DojoYoyo (Guest), 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: Ooh, new reviewer! Welcome! Sorry man, Order 66 has to happen. Great that you love the story. Let me know what you think of this chapter.

Falconfighter1427, 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: Can't wait for more? Well, here's more! Enjoy it and let me know what you liked, what you hated, what made you laugh or tear up.

LewtonSpoons, 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: Thank you for loving this story. Don't let Anakin fall and Palpatine rise to power? "But that's not how the story goes" (sorry if you don't get that A Series of Unfortunate Evens, but your name really reminded me of Lemony Snicket). Enjoy the chapter!

Starwarsfan1114, 06.07.2020, Ch. 15: Really? I made you legit cry last chapter? Good – I'm doing my job right. Just keep a tissue supply on you every Monday and Friday – that's just good life practise because there's always something to cry about on those two days. Grievous jealous of Pallas' people skills? I hadn't considered that – what an astute observation. As a cyborg, one's ability for people skills must be severely diminished. Glad that I got the council's stupidity just right – boundless stupidity is always a delight to portray. There is no such thing as a review that is "a tad long" – being submitted one is a privilege in itself, but the longer the better. If I hold the last shards of your emotions in my hands, prepare for them to be completely obliterated with this new chapter, which doesn't have anything to do with Fives. If you don't have tissues on hand, go now and get some, the chapter and I will wait. Proceed with caution!

Hghg, 07.07.2020, Ch. 15: Glad that you liked the chapter. From what I understood of the canon episode, Barriss must have turned off the sound so that Ahsoka lost credibility in her trial and so that no one heard Ahsoka yelling for help. You can never really predict what a person will do in such a circumstance. Barriss is just a smart killer – she basically did the equivalent of a false rape claim against Ares. Mace Windu is repulsive because he's a very stubborn and traditional character, although I agree that Samuel L Jackson is a fantastic actor. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one. Schӧnes wochenende!

DuckBoi, 08.07.2020, Ch. 15: I wonder what July's apocalypse will be – keep me posted. I'm happy that I made you cry. Ares giving her his lightsabre symbolises quite a lot. It shows what she means to him (not coincidentally, he tells her that he loves her at the same time). Two separate readers have pointed out that a Jedi (light, dark or grey) giving away to someone their lightsabre is basically a marriage, since they're putting their "life" in the other person's hands. The ultimate act of commitment and attachment. But don't worry, the instrument of revenge is not forgotten. I love it when canonically dead characters live to kick more ass – Steela certainly has another part to play later. I don't think Krell was spoiling the ending, since we all know what the ending is. Krell was just foreshadowing what is yet to come. That's some good dramatic irony. We are all in Sidious' plan as the forgotten ones – only the emperor is ever remembered in the history books. Ahsoka kinda did learn subtlety last chapter – she became The Air Vent Pervert, didn't she? Anyway, enjoy my characters get ripped apart!

AdamBomb, 09.07.2020, Ch. 15: Anakin training Ares? Now that's an interesting concept. I suppose you feel that suspicion because Ares has out-grown Obi-Wan, much like Anakin had in Revenge of the Sith. Alas, we must make use of the teacher we are given, not the ones that we want. Enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think.

Announcement

This much awaited chapter was the premise idea for the whole story, hence the chapter title, and I've been waiting for months to post it. Savour every moment because you can only read it for the first time once.

Chapter 16 – A Promise for Treason

Coruscant's morning rays streaked into the room. Having developed the habit of waking up at dawn, Ahsoka blinked awake easily and found herself pressed tightly against a warm body. Ares was still asleep. It had been the first time they'd slept together all night in an actual bed. No more air vent scuttling, she thought to herself for the first time as she sat up and rested against the headboard.

There were a few things she noticed about sleeping in a bed with Ares. Firstly, he didn't snore, which was fortunate because she was a very light sleeper. Secondly, he gripped things, mainly her, so tightly he could suffocate someone. Fortunately for both of them, Ahsoka was a gifted force-user and had, during the night, unconsciously loosened his grip. Thirdly, because he clutched so tightly, he was very warm. She was getting cold just being out of that grip, so scooted back into his arms.

She looked at his face and gently traced a finger on his features. Her thumb found his lips, which she had become very well acquainted with.

With him here, the uncertain future didn't seem that dark to Ahsoka. Ironically, she thought. She briefly wondered how soon it would be taken away from her. True to sod's law, the commlink on the bedside table buzzed a few seconds later. She'd have to let this… him… go. Duty called.

The commlink whirred irritatingly. Ares didn't even open his eyes. He reached up to press the mute button, buried his head under some pillows and pulled Ahsoka closer to himself.

"Ares… Obi-Wan is calling," she whispered, watching him avoid the problem with amusement and enjoying the tight pressure of his embrace. Feeling his hard muscle against was nice, safe even.

"Really? I can't hear anything," he said, eyes still closed. "It's still dark."

"It's not. It's very much morning," she said, amused. She looked out of the window where the morning light was streaming in. "Ares get up. Obi-Wan will send a squad to look for you if you don't answer," she said.

He groaned loudly. "Fine," he said. He reached for the commlink and answered the call. Ahsoka immediately felt the warmth leave. "Yes, general? What do you want?"

"Captain, it's time to go. Where are you?" Kenobi's voice sounded tired. "The cruiser is ready. Our next term of service begins today, and you should have—"

"I'll be right there, general," interrupted Ares and turned it off. He looked at Ahsoka, sprawled under the covers. "Your leaving comes at a very inconvenient time, troublemaker."

Ahsoka lifted herself and rested her head on her hand. "Yes, because when I planned all of this… whatever it was, I thought specifically about how you would be affected," she replied, sarcastically.

Ares stood up from the bed, groaning as if the act gave him physical, excruciating pain. He started to pick up his scattered clothes and laboriously put them on. Ahsoka watched him, smiling lazily, from the bed.

"It just occurred to me that I have no idea when we'll see each other again," he said, sitting down to strap his boots on.

She had a playful smirk on her lips. "I'm sure you'll find me easily enough," she said. She leaned forward, wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed him on the shoulder. When he tried to turn around, she pushed him off.

"Tease," he whispered.

"Go. The cruiser is waiting," said Ahsoka. "And you still need to get a lightsabre replacement."

"You know, I don't have to leave now. A few more minutes won't kill Obi-Wan." He leaned towards her, aiming for her lips.

She put her fingers on his mouth, stopping him. "You're already late. Go! Get out," she said, pushing him away lazily.

"Oh, come on!" he said, laughing. "You know, I could die out there. What if those are the last words you ever say to me?" Ares mocked.

She rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "I have complete confidence in your survival skills," said Ahsoka.

"You sure you'll be alright?" asked Ares.

"Go!" exclaimed Ahsoka.

[][][]

Kenobi's frown and Skywalker's fatigue were the first thing that the young man saw. In contrast to them, Ares was the happiest he had ever been. He walked with a bounce in his step. His mood seemed to have no place amongst the two Jedi. "Where have you been?" asked Kenobi, accusatively.

"Out," replied Ares, nonchalantly. "What have I missed?"

"The sieges that you brought to the Council are starting, remember?" said Kenobi.

"That's today?" said Ares. "I've lost track of the days. You know, mourning Ahsoka's banishment from the Order took its toll on me," he said without a touch of remorse.

"It's not a banishment," huffed Kenobi. "She's welcome to come back any time she wants."

"Whatever," said Ares, dismissively. "I need a new lightsabre."

"What happened to your old one?" asked Skywalker.

Ares shrugged. "Lost it. I looked everywhere for it, but I'm afraid that it's lost in the abyss of Coruscant," Ares said. Kenobi knew Ares was lying. Skywalker knew Ares was lying. Ares knew Ares was lying. They all knew where exactly that lightsabre was.

"That weapon is your life. You can't just lose it! You can't let it fall into the hands of… civilians!" said Kenobi. If Ares had been a slightly worse mood, he would have resented Kenobi for that remark, but the birds were chirping, and sun was shining, and all seemed great with the universe.

"Technically, I'm a civilian too. Not quite Jedi material," reasoned Ares with a shrug. "Besides, that weapon is my father's life. I should have thrown that thing away years ago."

Skywalker tapped his master on the shoulder. "Leave this to me, master. I think I have one or two he can use." Obi-Wan huffed and nodded. They didn't have time for this. Skywalker waved for Ares to follow him to his chambers.

"Is she safe?" asked Anakin once they were out of Obi-Wan's earshot. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine," said Ares. "You don't need to worry."

"I know what you're up to. You have that bounce in your step," said Anakin, waving a warning finger in front of Ares' face. For the first time, it occurred to the young man that Skywalker knew the nature of his and Ahsoka's relationship. He must have put two and two together when Ares didn't return from the Temple. A part of him wondered if the Knight suspected it even before that.

"I'd never let anything happen to her," said Ares. "You must know I'd never make her do anything she didn't feel comfortable with."

Ares searched in the Force for Anakin's emotions. There was envy that Skywalker couldn't have the same freedom from the Order. Guilt was rife too. Skywalker felt responsible for being a bad influence on his padawan. Feelings of pain and abandonment were swelling too. The general was an emotional mess with the departure of his padawan, his best friend.

He must have sensed Ares' emotional probing for his shields went up immediately. "I'm warning you now: hurt her, you die… slowly and painfully," said Skywalker.

Ares blinked. "Hurt 'her'?" he asked, confused. "I'm sorry, have you met Ahsoka Tano? You ever been on the receiving end of her punch? You should be making those threats to her, not me. I'm the vulnerable party."

"Good. I specifically taught her how to beat up boys like you," said Skywalker. A satisfied smirk had curved on his lips.

"Thanks for the heads-up… pointless and about three years too late, but whatever," said Ares. "So, where are you being sent?"

"The Council is sending the 501st to Ringo Vinda," said Anakin. "The 212th is to defend our shipyards on Anaxes."

"Great," said Ares, rubbing his eyes and groaning. "This is going to take months, isn't it?" Of course! Of course, now that Ahsoka said she loved him and they didn't have to hide their affairs, he would be gone for an extended military service leave. Why would he ever assume otherwise? Why is this my life? he thought dejectedly to himself.

They rounded into his quarters. Ares had never been inside of Skywalker's Jedi chambers. It was lined with models of ships, mechanic parts and crates. On the wall, there was a poster of some pod racer or other. The captain noticed a familiar maintenance box for prosthetics with skeletal-like metal replacements for hands and fingers. Amidst the junk of the room, Skywalker took out a small velvet box and held it out to Ares. Inside were Ahsoka's two lightsabres.

"After she left, I retraced her steps. We don't have time for you to return them to her now, but when we come back from the Sieges you're welcome to," he said.

Ares took both of Ahsoka's lightsabres in his hands. He clipped the little shoto safely onto his belt and examined the main-hand white hilt. The straightness would need some getting used to, but otherwise Ahsoka had constructed a perfectly balanced weapon. He ignited it and a green blade shot out. Ares practised a few moves to get familiar with the grip. It felt like her, a piece of her. At least he would have a physical piece of her by his side in battle if he could not have the whole.

"I haven't had time to tinker with them yet," said Skywalker. "Do you think she'd find it funny if I switched her crystals to blue?"

Feeling instantly possessive of the two weapons, Ares gave Skywalker a deadly look. "Do that and I swear I'll bleed your crystal red," said the captain.

A haunted look crossed Skywalker's face. "I've been up all night… thinking about how she could have left me," he said.

Ares briefly entertained the idea of telling Skywalker that he too had been up almost all night, though for very different reasons. It would get the general out of his misery, though Ares would have to deal the general's anger instead. He decided on a different approach instead.

"Skywalker, just shut up. Not everything is about you," he said, reminding himself of all the reasons he had previously disliked Skywalker. He couldn't believe he had forgotten them so easily. "You're like a clingy, sad boyfriend or… no, more like an emotionally-insecure dad. You know what's appreciated by 17 year old girls? Being saved from a death penalty for false charges of terrorism. You know what they don't appreciate? Being blamed for the emotional insecurity of old men like yourself. Grow up, Skywalker, and stop being selfish. Let the girl live a little. She has her own problems to deal with, without your emotional clinginess."

"What problems?" Skywalker sprung up immediately. Though he didn't say it, Ares saw the underlying offer: who do I need to beat up?

"I don't know. Being stripped of an identity by the people who raised her? Figuring out a place in the world without the Jedi Order? Finding a purpose? Finding a job, a more permanent place of residence? Dealing with war trauma? Committing to a real sleep schedule, like a normal person? Just to name a few off the top of my head," said Ares.

Skywalker slumped his shoulder. "It's all my fault."

Ares gave the general a deadpanned look. "Yes, Skywalker, because you are so omnipotent that the sun and moon rise and fall on your command. I had no idea I was in the presence of a god. Let me kiss your feet, Chosen One. Everything that happens in the world, good or bad, is exclusively, unequivocally your fault." Skywalker was silent. "Shut up, Skywalker. Don't annoy me with this kriff anymore."

[][][]

Pallas of Serenno found herself in a room of holograms. In the background, the chaotic battles she had instigated played themselves out. In the forefront, three bounty hunters stood, speaking to her. They were trying to sell valuable information. Typically, Pallas' spies were much more reliable individuals, but time was running out now and she'd take anything.

"A man named Maul has taken control of Mandalore and uses it as his base for spice trading," said one cloaked figure.

"It's not just spice. I've heard he has illegal arms and piracy in the palm of his hands," said another.

"If he has control of Mandalore, it is just from the shadows. Prime Minister Almec is still the Head of State," said the third figure. "No one knows where Maul is."

"A resistance movement called the Night Owls has assembled to resist him. Death Watch divided in two after Maul killed their leader, Pre Vizsla," added the first.

"How can I speak to this… Maul?" asked Pallas.

"The Pykes. They'll have constant contact with their master," said the second bounty hunter.

"But be weary, mistress. The Pykes hate Separatists. Your father murdered their clansmen in the past," said the last bounty hunter. Of course he did, Pallas thought, almost bored.

"Thank you. You have been most valuable," said Pallas and turned off the holograms.

She leaned forward and put her fingers together, deep contemplation. 'Never trust a Sith' was one of her husband's ironically favourite mantras and one she had come to understand. So what do you do when you need a Sith's help? Time was running out and she was getting desperate.

An engineering droid saluted her and broke her out of her thoughts. "General, the refurbishments have been completed and the Jedi-restraining cell has been assembled."

She looked at the droid. "Is it portable, like I asked you to make it? I want to be able to drive my captured Jedi prisoners anywhere I want," she said.

"Yes, general," said the droid. "It's outside. Ready for your inspection."

"General!" another droid hailed her. "Commander Pompeii is requesting boarding. We've verified his identity and security codes. He confirms that he has the cargo."

"About time. Let him land!" ordered Pallas. "I'll receive him in the new refurbishments."

"Roger, roger!"

Her engineers had outdone themselves. They had furnished one of the hangers into a soundproof, bulletproof safe room akin to a mental hospital. There was the main holding cell large enough to fit a ship and a few separate, smaller ones for individuals. Thirteen operating tables were planted in the centre of the room with their glistening bonds and restraints. The mechanisms for the whole place were linked to Pallas' wrist controls and she played with them for a moment to see that they all worked. The Operating Theatre was finally fully functional and ready for use.

A squadron of droids entered the Operating Theatre, escorting Pompeii and a hooded guest.

"He was not difficult to find with your instructions," said Pompeii, after saluting his general.

"Good, good," said Pallas, patting the Zygerrian's shoulder. "Now, I want you to set up quarters on Frigate 15 and make a patrol sweep of these co-ordinates." She transferred them onto his commlink. The Zygerrian exited the Operating Theatre leaving Pallas alone with her guest. "Long time no see, Doctor Vindi. I trust your journey was smooth."

"Ze journey might have been," Vindi said, his accent thick. "But you have no idea how unsmooth my time in a Republic prison vas!" his high voice shrieked, and his grey and black eyes turned manic. One of his many deranged oddities, Pallas reminded herself, think nothing of it.

Pallas sighed. "Calm down, doctor. You were there a relatively short time before your rescue. You should be a little more grateful. I don't call in favours and hire bounty hunters to rescue my associates from prison often."

"Ah, but I has zomething zat you need!" he said and waved his finger, mockingly. She had forgotten how much this man annoyed her. She knew that scientists and geniuses were strange people, but this one was a drop too much. "Now, let us discuss payment."

"Name your price," said Pallas with a deep sigh.

"My last vork for you vas paid… poorly," said Vindi.

"I gave you what you asked," said Pallas.

"And zen I vas captured by the Republic forces," said Vindi, angrily.

"That's hardly my fault or responsibility. You should have hid your droids better, doctor," replied Pallas with a shrug. "I warned you against putting a secret lab on Naboo."

"I needed their climate to develop the Blue Shadow Virus, but I see your point, general," said Vindi. "Zis time I vant a friendly planet. A system where I am free to do my experiments in a luxurious palace, not zome hovel in ze ground! I also vant it fully funded."

"Very well," said Pallas. "You'll have your payment. After the surgery."

"And zpeaking of which, where am I supposed to vork? Zis is a hanger, not a laboratory. Where iz all my equipment?" he looked around the Operating Theatre with disdain.

"No. This is not for you. Your work will be done just in the next room. Come, allow me to show you to your new workstation," said Pallas, turning on the heels of her boots and leaving the Operating Theatre. The malevolent doctor followed behind her, twitching and fidgeting.

The Laboratory was one corridor down. It was another part of the refurbishment that Pallas had personally paid for out of her own accounts. It was a spacious room that smelt of antibacterial disinfectant. Cold instruments waited for the doctor. Pincers, scissors, lasers, needle-holders, and forceps of all kinds were laid out. An operating table was at the centre of the room. Computers and scopes were waiting for fingers to dance upon their keys.

"Is this suitable for you, doctor?" asked Pallas.

Vindi seemed to be tearing up. "Ooh, it's beautiful. It's everything I've ever vanted," cried the mad scientist. "Thiz is ze standard I vant my payment to uphold."

"Good. You'll work comfortably then," said Pallas. "Make yourself at home. Your patient will arrive shortly." If I can catch them, that is, she thought grimly.

[][][]

As she watched the two sisters bicker between themselves, Ahsoka was left with a difficult choice: reveal her Jedi past to two orphans whose parents were accidentally killed by a Jedi and use Ares' lightsabre to escape their captivity or wait in the Pyke prison until a better alternative arrived. The curved hilt itself was secreted in her boot, but to avoid any accidents she had removed the red crystal and secret that in a pocket of her belt.

Their previous attempts of escape had failed and she had been using plenty of help from the Force. If she did reveal herself, how would they even escape? Sure, she could use the Force to unlock the cell and cut down any of their assailants, but could she keep all three of them from getting shot or caught? Their previous attempts suggested discouraging answers.

"What do you think we should do, Ahsoka?" Trace asked her, but, before Ahsoka could answer, she sensed a familiar presence in the Force. Ahsoka stood up from her seat and went to the jail bars to see if her senses were true. She tuned into the conversation with the Force.

"What business do you have with our client, Mistress Minerva?" came the voice of Marg Krim. He was far from the cell, but the lazy footsteps were coming closer.

"I wish to do business with him. I was hoping you would be able to put me into contact with… your client," said an all too familiar voice that confirmed Ahsoka's worst suspicions. Why was she everywhere?! The Togruta thought furiously. How was this even physically kriffing possible?!

"Damn!" she whispered quietly and looked around the cell for her options. "Can you two stand right here?" she whispered, moved the Martez sisters and sat on the bench behind them so that their shapes could hide her from view. She wasn't a fan of hiding, especially behind these two, but if Pallas found her then things would go south really quickly. "There's someone out there who cannot see me here."

"And they should see us?" Raffa said, distrustful as ever.

"The person I'm hiding from doesn't know you, but if she recognises me then we're all done for!" Ahsoka hissed, praying that the sister's distrust wouldn't ruin an otherwise perfectly good plan.

"Who is it? Someone you owe money? An ex-girlfriend? See, Trace, I knew Miss Goody-Too-Shoes has some skeletons in her closet," said Raffa, looking out of the cell.

"Be quiet! Both of you!" said Ahsoka.

Her Togruta senses heard the footsteps come closer. The Pykes were giving Pallas a tour of their dungeons. She was flanked by two tall figures whose cloaks hid everything except their gleaming red eyes: Magna Droids. Pallas herself was cloaked and was being addressed as 'Mistress Minerva'. It seemed that she too did not want to be found. Curious, thought Ahsoka.

"I'm afraid that such a business transaction will not be possible. Our client will not be indisposed to grant us many favours of late," said Marg Krim.

"Why not?" asked Pallas.

"A shipment has been lost. You can thank these three greedy idiots for hiding a shipment of spice," said Marg Krim as he hit their cell's bars with his fist angrily. "Until I crack its whereabouts from them, there can be no deal."

Pallas fixed her eyes on the prisoners. Ahsoka contemplated using a Jedi mind trick to turn their attention away, but something told her that Pallas' mind was not feeble. "Who's the third one there? In that back?" asked Pallas.

Raffa, not wanting to be hit by a shocker one more time, moved almost instantly. Trace whispered an "I'm sorry" before moving aside. Ahsoka felt exposed and looked up to see Pallas' face.

It could have been the poor lighting or maybe Ahsoka had been hit with a shocker one too many times, but she could have sworn that Pallas was… delighted to see her? An instant brightness took over the older girl's face, as if a solution to a complicated math puzzle had been presented to her.

"Fascinating," said Pallas, not lifting her eyes from Ahsoka's. "Master Krim, what if I offered to pay off their debt? How much did they lose?"

Marg Krim laughed, and his Pyke comrades followed suit. Pallas watched them patiently. "How generous of you! Why would you do such a thing?" said Marg Krim, distrustful as ever.

"I… happen to enjoy the company of young women," Pallas said. It shouldn't have surprised Ahsoka, but the young general was a very good liar. "Here's a deal: I'll pay off their debt and you give them into my custody."

"As slaves?" asked Marg Krim.

"…Sure," said Pallas.

"What?! No!" Raffa exclaimed but was instantly hit by a shocker by one of the Pyke guards. Trace let out of a terrified whine. Ahsoka regarded Pallas with scepticism. What was she up to? Ahsoka wouldn't put it past Pallas to dabble in slavery. She had personally seen Pallas be the guest of the Zygerrian Queen, but… the disguise, the false alias, the sneaking around, the shady negotiations with criminal syndicates? This was not Separatist business. There was another side to this story.

Ahsoka took a moment to consider the options. If they stayed in the Pyke prison, they'd be tortured for spice that they didn't have. If they were bought by Pallas, they'd be… what did Pallas even want with them? Bait for Anakin or Ares? Republic secrets? Revenge? Against all logic, the Force guided Ahsoka to stay quiet.

"50,000 credits," Krim set their price. He was greatly exaggerating the number. "Is that a number you would like to pay for… the company of young women?"

"Hey, we come with a ship! We're worth more than 50,000 credits!" Trace shouted out.

"50,000 including their ship," said Pallas. "I know you're exaggerating the price, Master Krim. No rookies would be given 50,000 credits worth of cargo."

"50,000 with the ship then. I have no use for that piece of junk anyway," said Krim.

"Hey!" Trace protested her prized ship being called junk, but Raffa put her hand on her sister's shoulder to shut her up.

Pallas ignored them. "Do you accept Confederate credits?" she asked the Pyke.

"No. Wupiupi only," Krim said.

"Damn, the Hutt's exchange rate is awful these days," she whispered, seemingly absent-mindedly, as she riffled through her pockets for her account book. "Stun them before you bring them onto my ship."

The ray shield door went down. "Wait, wait, Pal—!" Ahsoka shouted out before the blue circle of the stun gun made her drop to her knees and everything to go dark.

[][][]

They landed in the main hangar of The War God. One of Pallas' bodyguards had navigated The Silver Angel and set it down next to their ship.

Pallas saw the hanger maintenance crew look for orders. "Fill up the fuel on that thing. It's going to go on a long journey," she said, pointing at The Silver Angel. Her orders were met with a round of 'roger, rogers!'

The magna droids brought out the unconscious prisoners. Pallas set her hip blaster to stun and shot Ahsoka with it once more. "Take that one to the Jedi holding cell. Stun her if she wakes up," she told one of the guards. The red eyes nodded and two of them dragged Ahsoka off. Pallas turned to the other guard. "Wake them up," she said.

The magna droid took up his double-bladed electrostaff and bumped both young women with the purple zaps of electricity on the soles of their feet. They lurched immediately awake.

"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Raffa demanded, seeing Pallas stand over them.

"My name is Pallas. I'm a general of the droid army," answered Pallas.

"Where's Ahsoka?" Trace asked, looking around. "What have you done with our friend?"

"Unharmed, for now," said Pallas, casually. "To make sure she stays that way, you're going to do a job for me."

"We're not doing any job for you, Separatist scum!" Trace declared, proudly, ignoring the red glare of the magna droids with their purple electrostaffs.

"How much?" asked Raffa, pragmatically. "What kind of job?"

"I see you're the smart one, then," said Pallas. "You're going to take your ship. You're going to fly all the way back to Coruscant and you're going to deliver a message, an invitation even, to the Jedi Council. In particular, you're going to find someone called Ares of Serenno and Anakin Skywalker and you're going to tell them that I have Ahsoka Tano. If they want her to live, they are cordially invited to come and collect her. I'll be right here, waiting for them," said Pallas.

"Why would the Jedi care about Ahsoka?" asked Trace.

"I see she hasn't shared with you many aspects of her life," Pallas said. "Look, I just want you to deliver the message. Then you can consider your debt paid. You can even keep your ship."

"You want us to deliver a message for 50,000 wupiupi?" asked Raffa, unable to fathom such a ridiculous request.

"Do not make me second-guess my generosity," said Pallas. "The task is simple. Deliver my message to the Jedi and be cleared of your inordinate debt or fail and I'll hire bounty hunters to haunt you for the rest of your lives until you repay me 50,000 wupiupi credit by credit. I hope you're competent enough to manage that. I'll know if you failed."

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, general," said Raffa, made a vague imitation of a soldier's salute, grabbed her sister and pulled them to her ship.

"You're not serious!" Pallas heard Trace yelp out as they walked onto the ship.

"Shut up, Trace!" muttered Raffa. "Ahsoka has some crazy ex-girlfriends."

Worst criminal duo ever, Pallas thought with an eyeroll.

[][][]

Ares stretched out his sore arms as he entered the command bridge of The Negotiator. The Battle of Anaxes had been exhausting. He didn't remember seeing that many droids in one place in his entire life.

Kenobi beckoned him over to the holotransmitter. He was with Skywalker and the holograms of Plo Koon, Mace Windu and Yoda were present. There were also two strangers with them: two girls who looked similar enough to be sisters. They were looking at the Jedi with an eye of distrust and nervousness.

"What's going on?" Ares asked.

"These two young women have come to the Jedi Temple claiming they have a message for Ares of Serenno and Anakin Skywalker from General Pallas," said Plo Koon.

"I'm Ares of Serenno. What's this message?" said Ares.

The older girl regarded him with suspicion, eye darting to the two white hilts on his belt. Then she spoke up. "My name is Raffa Martez. My sister and I found ourselves in the companionship of Ahsoka Tano and the three of us were captured by General Pallas. She sent us to Coruscant to tell you that she has Ahsoka Tano. If you want her to live, you are 'cordially invited' to her ship. She provided us the co-ordinates of her fleet."

"Thank you for your message, Miss Martez," said Windu. "Is there anything else?"

"She paid 50,000 credits to deliver this message," said Raffa. "She really wants you to come and get Ahsoka."

"Thank you. I will," said Ares. The two girls disappeared from the hologram and so did the Jedi Council.

"This is obviously a trap," said Kenobi, looking at the co-ordinates. They were almost on the other side of the galaxy. "She means to lure us away from the Sieges. And to capture you for your father."

"Obviously," Ares said with an eyeroll. "But she still has Ahsoka."

"I agree with Ares," said Skywalker. "We need to help her."

"I don't disagree with you two, but we have our hands full with the sieges. We need to defend both Saluecami and Yerbana," said Kenobi. "And… unfortunately, Ahsoka is no longer a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Your personal feelings cannot cloud your greater purpose, the greater good. That goes for both of you."

Anakin looked at the captain "I can't go because I'm needed here at the sieges, but I can give you a platoon – 36 men. Unlike some, I can win Saluecami and Yerbana with one platoon less," said Skywalker to Ares. "Find Ahsoka, rescue her and capture Pallas. The war will end so much sooner if your sister isn't in it. Rex will go with you," said Skywalker.

"How will you explain this division of forces to the council?" asked Kenobi, crossing his arms.

"We have the location of one of the best generals of the droid army. A rare opportunity. We can end the war faster!" said Skywalker.

"Please, general. Let me do this," said Ares, softly, praying for Obi-Wan's understanding.

Kenobi's blue eyes looked at his two students, young men that were like sons to him, who had united against him. It was a fight he couldn't win and, what's more, he couldn't afford. "Fine," he said.

[][][]

Rex's efficiency with rounding up a platoon to go save their old commander from the clutches of a Separatist general was record-breaking. Not only did he assemble them and have to deny the surplus of volunteer troopers who also wanted to come, but the platoon was able to organize the appropriate gear. Ares walked in on 36 soldiers, who were all now sporting orange helmets with a familiar white pattern.

CL-Y, who was by his side, looked up at him with her metallic eye. Don't get horny for the clones now, she beeped at him.

Ares glared at the droid. "I could do without the attitude, droid." He approached the clone captain. "Rex? What is this?"

"The boys thought the commander would appreciate it," said Rex, grinning. "We've had the idea on the backburner for some time now. Just needed an excuse to use it, sir."

"She's gonna love it," said Ares, with a wide grin.

Rex looked at the droid. "Guess we'll need a navigator, but the droid is the limit. There is physically no more space on the ship," said Rex. Just as Rex said that, they all saw Cody walk into the hanger. Rex stepped forward. "Sorry, commander. You can't come with us," said Rex.

"I couldn't even if you did have the space, though I would have loved to join," said Cody. He put a muscled hand on Ares' shoulder and squeezed. "I came here to wish you good luck, kid. I would have gone with you, but who's going to watch General Kenobi's back if you're not there."

"Thanks commander," said Ares. The emotions in this room were becoming too much. When Cody left, Ares faced the rest of the platoon. "We should go. I know how much she hates damselling in distress."

[][][]

"What's the plan, captain?" asked Rex, taking the co-pilot's seat on the ship. Jesse and Vaughn stood around him.

Ares was lifting the ship off the hanger and getting ready to jump to hyperspace. Skywalker had gifted them with a fresh model of a Republic freighter for transport. "The plan is simple. For whatever reason, Pallas wants me alive. She's made that clear. So, she'll let us land in the main hanger. From there, we fight our way through."

"That's your plan? Just fly there, land, hope they don't blow us up and rescue the commander?" asked Rex with a deadpan look on his face. Just when he thought he could have a breather from reckless plans.

"Basically, yeah," Ares said with a shrug. "Anyone have a better idea?" No one volunteered.

"Has anyone ever told you that you and Skywalker have a lot in common?" asked Jesse.

"No," said Ares. "I've always been told that I 'pull too many Kenobies'. Today is a day for Skywalker-style plans."

[][][]

Ares piloted their ship into the main hanger of The War God with the landing gear switched off. He crashed the ship into a waiting battalion of his sister's battle-droids and the whole platoon ran out, blasting. Ares was on the front lines brandishing Ahsoka's green lightsabre to deflect the blasts, but he soon found that it was a pointless strategy.

The clankers had their blasters set to stun. With a larger circumference, the blue circles were able to catch a clone even if they dodged the shot. Ares watched troopers fall into sleep-like states all around him and was infuriated. He took out Ahsoka's shoto lightsabre from his belt and wielded the dual swords. He charged at the enemy line, cutting down the droids quickly.

As he was cutting them down, he heard the yellow-crested droid commander contact Pallas. "General, the Republic forces are overwhelming us!" just as Ares lopped off the droid's head. He picked up the communicator and heard his sister's voice.

"I don't care. Hold the line no matter the casualties and keep the blasters on stun!" were the only words that came from the general.

The clones gunned down the rest of the droids with ease.

"That was… too easy," said Rex, as he and the boys ran up to Ares.

"She certainly wants you alive, captain," said Jesse.

"Why are they stunning us?" asked Ares, confused. CL-Y rolled up to his side and he patted her head.

"I don't know, captain," said Rex. "Clankers don't seem to be putting up much of a fight."

"I don't like it," said Ares and started looking around for cameras from which Pallas could have been watching them. "What are you planning!?" He shouted out into the emptiness that did not answer him.

"She's cut down our numbers," said Rex, finishing the count of his troopers. There were 20 of them left. "We can't leave the stunned troopers, but we can't bring them with us either."

"Droid reinforcements will be coming," said Sterling, a young trooper.

"They're not jamming our communications," said Jesse, checking his wrist commlink.

"My sister doesn't make such sloppy mistakes," said Ares, trying to figure out his sister's intentions and coming up empty. "We should split up," said Ares, rubbing his eyes. "Rex, have a couple boys stay with the stunned ones and try to wake them up. Then I want you to go disable all the transports on this ship. I'll go after the commander and general. Meet you on the command bridge. We'll bring her flagship back to the Republic fleet like a trophy."

"Yes, sir," said Rex and the clones ran off to the next hanger.

Ares gripped the green lightsabre tightly in his hand and looked at the little droid looking up at him expectantly. "Come on, CL-Y. I hope you know how to steer a Separatist frigate." He kept the green blade on, though they encountered almost no droids on their way. "This feels so… strange," he told his mechanical companion.

[][][]

The doors of the command bridge blew open and Ares walked in with his astromech on his heels. Finally, this nightmare could end. He came face to face with his sister in the flesh. She stood on her bridge with no intentions of leaving it. Four magna guard droids stepped forward to surround him with their purple electrostaffs, waiting for their general's command.

She turned, as if she'd been waiting for him. "It's good to see you, brother, though I expected Skywalker too," said Pallas. Her lack of fear was infuriating. A quick look around revealed that Ahsoka was not there, which didn't help his temper.

"Where is she?" he said as he pointed the blade at her, but it failed to intimidate. He looked around at the bodyguards and calculated he'd need precisely five minutes to make short work of them.

"I haven't seen you, the real you, properly in three years. The last time… the last real time… was on your ship, albeit you wouldn't remember it," Pallas said. What the hell does that even mean?

"If you don't tell me where she is, you will discover a new definition for pain," he said with gritted teeth.

"You'll see her soon enough," Pallas said, dismissively. "But only after your surgery. Your head is so full of lies. It is time for them to be removed."

"What are you-?" but before Ares could finish his words or act on his promised threats, the blue circle of a stun blast shot his back and he fell to the cold ground. Behind him, CL-Y stood with her unique blaster ejected, smoking from the barrel.

"Nice work, CL-Y. You've done well, my friend," said Pallas. She leaned down beside him, touching her brother's face. She had waited so long for this day to come and couldn't believe that it was finally here. "He's all I have left," she whispered to herself. "I can't lose him."

[][][]

The doors of the laboratory slid open. A squadron of battle droids rolled the unconscious Ares into Vindi's workspace and transported him onto the operating table. Pallas followed close behind. The spy droid, CL-Y, was on her true master's heel.

"Ah, Master Ares, ve meet again finally," said Vindi, putting on his surgical gloves. "It's been quite zome time since I've been acquainted viz your brain. Let's see how vell you've looked after it, hm?"

Pallas' voice hardened. The fist by her side tightened. "If you fail, your pain will be unimaginable. Succeed and you'll have all the riches that you desire."

"Yes, yes, general. All vill be done properly," said the mad doctor. Checking that the droids had put the force-sensitive restraints on his patient properly.

Pallas turned to look at her brother. "I'll see you soon, brother," she whispered her promise. She looked at the red and gold droid that had followed her in. "Call me when he wakes up. And make sure that the doctor makes no mistakes."

The droid beeped in the affirmative and Pallas left the Laboratory.

[][][]

As Rex slowly regained his consciousness, he knew that something had gone very wrong. They had been ambushed and he had blanked out. His limbs felt sore as he sat up. The platoon were scattered all around him in varying states of consciousness. He and his brothers had been deposited into a cubicle that had clear ray-shields for walls. They didn't have their weapons.

"How you doing, Rexter?" Ahsoka's voice made him jolt and turn around. He found the Togruta suspended on a special Jedi holding cell. She was enclosed in a clear ray-shielded container that slowly rotated her clockwise. Around her wrists and ankles were force-restraining cuffs. "It was foolish of you to come here. Although, despite our current arrangements, I must say that the helmets were a heart-warming surprise."

"Commander, where are we?" asked Rex.

"On board Pallas' ship in what she so delightfully dubbed 'The Operating Theatre'," said Ahsoka, spinning slowly. "Force, I hate damselling in distress."

"At least you make a good perimeter check," Rex said with a serious face. Ahsoka shot him an unamused look as she spun around. "It's good to see you, commander," he said, quickly, never one to cross boundaries with his superiors.

"Rex, I left the Order," said Ahsoka. "When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"When you get promoted," said Rex, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "How are we getting out of here, commander?"

"Well, I've already… done a perimeter check," said Ahsoka, still spinning. "There are no controls for the ray shields in the room. I have Ares' lightsabre in my boot, but, even if I could reach and assemble it, it won't cut through the ray shields. So, I'm open to ideas, captain." Rex looked around at his cellmates and counted 35 men, including himself. Ahsoka read his puzzlement. "I've already checked that too. Old habits die hard after all. There's 35 of you in there and Jesse is out here." Ahsoka' jerked her head to the one individual cell, which housed a groggy lieutenant. "He seems unharmed."

"Where's Ares?" asked Rex.

"No idea," said Ahsoka.

Rex looked beyond their cell's boundary. He saw several adjacent smaller cells, one of which was occupied by Jesse. At the centre of the room, there were thirteen, eerie operating tables. They gave him unpleasant childhood memories of Kaminoan medical facilities. What did the general have in store for them?

The sound of the entrance opening got the attention of the room and they saw the young general walk in. She was flanked by a squadron of medical droids and carried one of the clone's assault rifles in one hand. She passed Ahsoka's container without saying a word, but her finger pressed on a wrist control and Ahsoka stopped spinning, facing Jesse's cell. Then, Pallas looked at the clones through the clear ray shields. "Some are still stunned I see," she said. She looked at her wrist controls and pressed a button. An overheard spray of water gushed down on them, soaking the clones and waking up the unconscious ones.

"What do you want, you Separatist brat?" Jesse yelled from his isolated cell.

Her eyes focused on Jesse with amusement. "You're going to regret those words, clone," she sneered. "I'm going to show you something and I need all your men to witness it." She pressed another button on his wrist controls. The back wall of the main cell suddenly glowed and dragged itself across the floor, gathering all the clones like rats and pushing them up, towards the front wall. The clones were now shoulder to shoulder, standing in a straight line, a ray shield pressing on their backs and chests. There wasn't even enough space for the clones to turn around or move. They would have to watch what was about to occur, whether they liked it or not. She's going to torture Jesse for Republic information and make us watch, thought Rex, looking at a desperate Jesse in his separate cell.

"Good," she said. "Guess I should start." Taking a deep breath. Despite the power that she wielded, she seemed nervous. Pallas put the blaster she had brought with her on the ground and overstepped it to walk up closer to Jesse's cell. His ray-shield pushed back, deeper into his space. A beam that blocked sound shot up, isolating the general and lieutenant from the others. They all watched as the general leaned in and whispered something that only Jesse could hear. Then, surprisingly, she opened the cage and Jesse was free.

To the surprise of the clones, their brother did not pounce on their relatively unguarded enemy. As soon as she whispered her secret words to him, something changed. A fiery, violent madness took over him. He looked like an unhinged animal and he looked around the room in search of prey. Ahsoka felt Jesse's eyes land on her and never really leave her. That terrifying gaze reminded her of a disgusting Trandoshan hunter in a dark, far-away jungle.

He pushed past Pallas, snatched the blaster from the floor and starting shooting at Ahsoka, without even a second thought.

"Good soldiers follow orders! Good soldiers follow orders!" He was screaming. His blaster shots had the precision and deadly aim of an ARC trooper and would have killed the Togruta had the ray shield not protected her.

The entire battalion watched with horror as their brother turned on their beloved Jedi commander. He screamed for Ahsoka's murder as if it pained him that she was alive. The blue light from the blaster kept firing. There was smoke clouded the room in a thick fog as an entire blaster round was emptied of its ammo, which was not an easy feat with Republic issued rifles. The ray shield remained impenetrable.

"Jesse! What are you doing?!" Rex screamed out to his brother.

"Why aren't you following orders?!" Jesse screamed at him. "The Jedi are traitors! They are all to be terminated for treason!"

"Trooper, stand down!" Ahsoka implored, but he didn't hear anything. She had seen this only once before – during a medical supply run when the clones were infected by a Geonosian parasite – but then the clones were absent from their actions and here Jesse seemed to be fully aware of what he was doing. She realised that had it not been for the ray shield, one of her own men would have killed her by now. "What is happening?" she asked, helplessly.

"Why aren't you all following orders!" Jesse screamed at his brothers. "We all have orders to terminate the Jedi! You're all traitors!" Then he tried shooting some of his brothers, but their ray shield protected them too.

Seeing his attempts were futile, Jesse turned his attention to Pallas. "You are obstructing my orders. Open the shield! Let me follow orders! I have orders to terminate the Jedi! Let me carry out orders—" but the zap of a stun shot silenced him and Jesse fell to the floor.

Pallas did not release her aim on the clone until the medical droids lifted him up and strapped him down on one of the operating tables. She allowed for a moment of silence for that horror show to fully sink in. "Remove the chip. I want him alive!" she ordered.

"Roger, roger," the medical droids nodded and immediately began the surgery.

Pallas turned to face them. "What you saw just now is the fate of all clones and Jedi. Separatist or Republic, we are all pawns in a game none of us fully understand," she said.

"What did you do to him!?" shouted Spearhead.

"What are you doing to him now?!" screamed Foxtail.

"Allow me to explain," she said, trying to collect the right words into the palm of her hand. She had prepared for this for a long time. Now was the moment. The moment of truth. "Your comrade here was acting on a programming chip that has been placed in the genetic code of every single clone that has ever been produced. If I give the word, every one of you could turn on the closest Jedi in a similar manner and try to assassinate them."

"Is this some kind of Separatist trick?!" shouted Brasseye.

"This goes beyond such puny differences such as Separatist or Republican," said Pallas. "This is a Sith plot to destroy the Jedi and to establish a new order in the galaxy. Very soon, this protocol will be issued. Every last Jedi will be executed by their own troops in the cruellest way imaginable." Those words seemed to bring more horror to the clones than the treachery of Jesse ever could.

"But, that's not possible…" Ahsoka defended. "The clones have been loyal soldiers!"

"Yes, all part of the programming," said Pallas. "The clone army was built for perfect loyalty. No one would ever suspect their true allegiances to the Dark Lord." The young woman who had been such a fierce general seemed to shudder even at the mention of the honorific.

Rex had been in deep contemplation this whole time. Recent memories of Tup and Fives came rushing through his mind. He remembered the desperation in Fives' eyes and the smoking bullet hole in his chest. "Who… who is the Dark Lord?" demanded Rex.

Pallas fixed her gaze on the captain. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't reveal that information to you now," said Pallas. "I will however say this. He is strong and powerful. He controls the Senate, he controls the Jedi and his influence in the clone army cannot be underestimated. What the Jedi know, he will know too. He has spies in every wall."

"So how did you come by this information?" asked Rex.

"My late husband, Admiral Wodin, had been Dooku's right hand man. Amongst many ventures, he was responsible for developing the programming of the biochips that would exterminate the Jedi Order. Conveniently, he was gunned down in his first battle, but not before he could send a message of where to find his life's work. We found it and set… all of this," she waved her hand in the air vaguely, "whatever it is, into motion."

"'We'? Does Ares know? Has he been a traitor this whole time?" asked Ahsoka, voice breaking.

Pallas looked at the Togruta girl with sympathy. "Partially," she said. "After discovering the Dark Lord's plan, we conceived this counter-plot together. I could not have done it alone. To thwart the plans of the Dark Lord, we needed to infiltrate both sides of the war and to help one another rise up in the ranks. It was our intention to steer the plot from within."

"How?" asked Ahsoka.

"I'll spare you three years' worth of tiresome strategic details. The first step was to get Ares away from the Confederacy. In my husband's notes, Ares' was supposed to be a commander of the droid army and, after a lengthy mentorship with Grievous, become a violent Jedi-killer and warlord. Sith Empires need warlords and Jedi-killers and plenty of them. So, we arranged for Ares to be delivered into the custody of the Dark Lord's enemies and I took my brother's place instead. However, given that my brother's acting skills are mediocre at best and that truth serum and the Dark Lord's own powers at telepathy are not to be underestimated, Ares could not know of our own plot. So, we employed the skills of one very skilled scientist who would remove Ares' memory of ever conceiving such a plot and plant false memories in his brain. When the time was right, I would return him to his original state. He's in the other room … remembering… I hope."

"So, Count Dooku's banishment-?" asked Ahsoka, still confused.

"Was one of the false memories. Ares needed a story for why he wanted to fight for the Republic, both to tell himself and his allies. What is a more believable story to sell to unsuspecting fathers, forgetful sons and old masters than a child yearning for patricide?" said Pallas.

"But… he sent assassins," said Ahsoka.

"Some of those were my doing, I'm afraid. To sell the story, I had to play my part as the obedient, patriotic daughter who wanted to rise up the ranks," said Pallas. "Others, like Ventress, were the work of my father… the Dark Lord doesn't tolerate weaknesses after all."

"Why have you told us all this?" asked Rex. "What's in it for you? You're the daughter of a Sith Lord. You'd benefit from all this."

"You are mistaken. My familial closeness with the Sith does not give me or my brother immunity from the Dark Lord's plans. Though not ideal, an order under the Jedi is a better fate than serfdom under the Sith. Trust me, I would know," said Pallas. "I tell you all this because I need your help."

"Are we really going to help a Separatist?!" said Warhead, a young clone. No doubt his brain was boiling with all this new and unfathomable information. It was natural for him to fall back on information that he knew – such as the distinctions between Separatist and Republican – rather than grapple with the horrible truth that was before them. To see something, one had to believe in it first.

Perhaps it had been too much information to consume at once, but Pallas had had no choice. She needed them to know. "If you had sight of the bigger picture, trooper, you would see that the superficial labels of Republican or Separatist matters little in the grand scheme of things. This war was made for the Dark Lord's rise to power. You've all been engineered for his plots." She looked amongst her prisoners. "Don't you believe anything I've said? Anything I've showed you? Your friend over there," she pointed to Jesse whose operation was now over and he was lying on the table, slowly regaining consciousness, "would have killed your Jedi friend."

"She's right," the heavy words came from Rex. The troopers looked to their leader for guidance. "Some of us watched Tup kill General Tiplar at the Battle of Ringo Vinda. I watched Fives die for this… he had discovered the truth… and he was killed for it! By his own brothers!" The words of their captain reassured the clones of the authenticity of this horrible truth.

"That sounds like a fascinating story, but perhaps for another time," said Pallas. "If you want to prevent your brothers from doing such mindless killing in the very near future, I must ask you to make a terrible sacrifice."

"What kind of sacrifice?" asked Rex.

Pallas pressed a button on her wrist and the ray shield was released. The press of another button relieved Ahsoka of her force-restraints and her container. Though they all sighed a relieved breath, an air of uncertainty hung around them. The clones looked at their captain and commander to see if they would give the order to subdue the general, but none came… thankfully. Given these developments, none of them really wanted to. A few of the young clones ran up to Jesse. Pallas didn't criticise them for the comfort of being close to their brother.

"Everyone in this room has fought too hard and too much for the galaxy to fall into the hands of the Dark Lord. It would have all been for nothing if the protocol is executed. I've developed a droid that will neutralise the effects of the biochips, but I don't know if it will work because brain surgery of this kind is an excruciatingly difficult artform. I've made many prototypes and I've narrowed it down to these twelve. I'm almost 100% certain that one of them will be successful," said Pallas.

"Then what were they… you… doing to Jesse?" said Hound, one of the clones standing by Jesse.

"The chips can be removed by a surgery of that kind," said Pallas, pointing to the medical droids with their equipment at the ready. "But try sneaking those into an army and performing complicated deep brain surgery on millions of clones without the Dark Lord finding out."

"What do you propose then?" asked Ahsoka.

Pallas reached into her long coat's breast pocket and retrieved a long, silver box with what appeared to be tiny bugs inside it. "A droid small enough to be snuck in that can search for the chips and burrow through flesh like a bloodsucker to freeze them, rending it useless."

"It looks like a louse," said Rex, crossing his arms and looking at it with scepticism.

"That's what it's supposed to look like. The only conspiracy anyone will see if they find this is a conspiracy of lice, picked up from a filthy battlefield," said Pallas. "…At least that's what I'm hoping for."

"So, what do you want from us?" asked Vaughn.

"It's a terrible price I'm asking you to pay when you're so close to being free of the biochip," said Pallas, her hands trembling, shaking the box. "Here hold this, commander," she said and gave it Ahsoka, not trusting herself to keep them safe. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "But I need to see if the prototype works before I can make millions of them and smuggle them into the Republic army. I need twelve of you to be a test subject for them. I've tried to mitigate the effects as best as possible, but I can't confirm that all the test subjects will survive."

"You sure know how to sell this thing, general," said Joker, prompting a chuckle from the others.

"I do apologise. I'm a general of a droid army after all," said Pallas. "Tactful speech has become an arbitrary skill for me lately."

"Let me put it in terms my men will understand, general," said Rex and spoke to his men. "This could be the most important sacrifice of the entire war. It will save millions of our brothers and friends. We make sacrifices for the Republic every day on the battlefield. This one is no different," said Rex and turned to Pallas. "With that said, I'll be the first volunteer."

The willingness of the clone captain to sacrifice himself so easily for his men surprised Pallas. Leading men by example on the battlefield or in this laboratory was brave. Very quickly, she had a whole platoon of brave volunteers ready to do their part for their brothers.

"35? Ok, too… many… there's way too many of you. I only need 12," said Pallas. "And captain Rex, you are not permitted to take part. These men will leave the ship soon and they'll need a leader to follow. That cannot be Commander Tano or my brother – theirs is a different mission. You would be the natural choice."

"I lead by example, general. If my men suffer death, then I must lead them to it on a frontline," said Rex, defiant.

"Yes, but this isn't a frontline. It's a surgery," said Pallas. "You are needed elsewhere."

"Rex, listen to her," said Ahsoka. She couldn't believe she had said those words with regard to what had been their mortal enemy only an hour ago.

[][][]

Seeing as the whole platoon were willing, every third man was chosen to be a subject. Their names were Spearhead, Foxtail, Blackjack, Droidbeat, Joker, Jackal, Pascal, Artois, Hound, Brasseye, Warhammer and Goldfist. They were instructed to lay down on the operating tables. Each one was surrounded by their brothers and dealt with their likely death in his own way, whether making jokes or holding hands or making empty promises or even staying silent, waiting. These boys were bred for death.

Pallas came up to each soldier and set the bug upon each one's head. Some of the robotic louse scurried across their heads, whilst others instantly burrowed. It was almost as if the mechanical parasites could smell the biochips.

"Those things are going to be easily spotted on the bald clones," said Ahsoka, watching the process.

"An excellent point. I haven't thought about that," said Pallas. "I'll make the coating the same colour as the clones' skin when I mass produce them. They'll have some camouflage. I can't promise that every single clone's biochip will be disabled." They both stood back and watched the effects take place. "Uh… perhaps it would be best if you waited inside the ray shields, in case the biochips go off preliminarily. I don't know what the effects could be." Ahsoka nodded and followed the suggestion. Pallas locked her in.

Spearhead and Warhammer died instantly. When Pallas examined them, she saw that the chips had been frozen, but the clones had been unable to survive its absence from their brains. Pascal, Hound and Goldfist survived, but, as soon as the bug's body fell from their head, as it was supposed to once it completed its purpose, their eyes rolled into their skulls, dead. Artois survived both entrance and removal, but his eyes searched the room for Ahsoka and he attacked, stopped only by the ray shield. He had to be stunned and subjected to the regular surgery by one of the medical droids, which he didn't survive. Droidbeat and Brasseye did not attack Ahsoka but started screaming that they wanted to kill the Chancellor with the same zeal that Jesse had displayed earlier. They survived their standard surgery and muttered apologies for their fits. They didn't know what had come over them. Jackal and Foxtail lost the ability to speak, though their brains, personalities and loyalties were functional. Joker and Blackjack were the last ones left and seemed to be unchanged on the outside.

Pallas approached Joker and whispered the verbal command to elicit the order. He demonstrated a desire to execute it but seemed to be able to overcome it through sheer force of will. His face contorted and there was agony in his head. Pallas ended his suffering by shooting him with a stun shot and beckoning the medical droids to remove the chip with standard surgery.

She was terrified to approach Blackjack. This was the last one. The last hope. Do or die. Her body trembled in fear of it.

"General?" Rex prompted her to be brave. She took a deep breath, leaned in, and whispered the words into Blackjack's ear. She stood back and looked for a reaction. The whole room looked at him for a reaction.

The clone trooper blinked.

"I don't feel anything," he said. He looked at the front and back of his hands. "Am I… doing something?"

"Ahsoka come here, please," said Pallas and unlocked the ray shields. The Togruta approached the operating table and stood at the foot. "Look at the Jedi. Do you have any orders, trooper?"

"No, general," said the trooper. "I feel fine."

Pallas reached into the depths of her coat and retrieved Ahsoka's lightsabres. She handed them to the Togruta. "How about now?" asked Pallas.

"No different, sir," said Blackjack.

"Where did you get these?" asked Ahsoka.

"Ares' replacement lightsabres," Pallas explained simply. She stared at the trooper, thinking of ways that she could be wrong about this. "He might have a reaction if he sees a Jedi's weapon being used. Ahsoka, ignite them."

The green blade buzzed to life in her hand. Blackjack exhibited no differences in his behaviour or answering of questions. Pallas allowed the feeling of hope to finally enter. "What's your name, trooper?" asked Pallas.

"Blackjack, sir," he replied.

"I do believe we've found our cure, Blackjack. This is the One – the Blackjack Droid," Pallas said. Some of the clone brothers erupted in cheers, whilst others cradled the bodies of their fallen heroic comrades in grief. "We are fortunate that all clones have identical DNA. I don't imagine that his code would have been easy to override if there was genetic variation," she pondered, muttering to herself. She clicked her commlink. "Unit B813, begin the production of Sample Number 7. I want ten million copies but change the plate to camouflage with clone skin colour… and bring 23 to the Operating Theatre. We'll immunise the rest of the test subjects with the lice."

"Roger, roger," responded the voice of a droid.

"Where are you producing them?" asked Rex.

"I've built a facility on board my ship," answered Pallas. She looked at the clones. "If you would be so patient, the lice will be reproduced shortly, and my droid will bring it here for you to become immunized and –" The commlink channel changed and the beeping of CL-Y came out, interrupting the general. "It's finished?" Pallas asked, in disbelief. She received positive beeps back. "I'll be right over." Her eyes became glassy and a shadow of fear crossed her face, despite her best efforts to repress it. She focused her gaze on Ahsoka. "Will you come with me? I… don't know if I can face him… alone. I fear what he will think. He could still hate me. His hatred scares me."

"Sure, I'll come with you," Ahsoka said, watching the general cautiously. "But you must have been waiting for this moment for so long… and I know he has mourned you too. Do you really want me to be there?"

"Yes, I do," said Pallas, her hands fidgeting. "I know… I just… I don't know what I'll find in that laboratory. He hasn't been my brother for… a very long time. I'd feel safe if you were there. You're the only person who could stop him if he…" she didn't dare give words to her worst fear and shook her head, "Yeah, anyway, let's go."

"Ok," Ahsoka nodded. She looked at Rex. "Stay put here. Wait for the lice."

"Yes, sir," said Rex.

[][][]

Pallas and Ahsoka sped walked across the corridor. The general felt her knees shake and her stomach drop as the door of the Laboratory slid open. They could both see Ares lying down on the table, as if on his funeral shroud. The mere sight of him even from a distance made Pallas take a sharp breath. She forced her shaking feet to take one step after another, until she reached the table.

As she drew closer, she noticed CL-Y bouncing on her two legs, looking between the two siblings and Vindi moving around and cleaning up the materials and equipment. His white doctor's cloaks were bloodied. Pallas guiltily averted her gaze from her brother's gore and look at his face instead, not noticing the nervous silence of the doctor. Ahsoka, meanwhile, kept her eyes firmly on the doctor that had, not too long ago, developed a virus that had almost killed her and Ares in an underground lab.

Ares looked dead. He was pale. His hair had been shaved off and the scalp sported harsh red lines that Pallas knew would heal quickly with enough bacta-spray. The restraints had been lifted by the doctor, but his hands and legs remained in place. His eyes were closed. The mighty warrior looked so frail. A shell of his true self.

She took his hand and realised that it was the prosthetic and felt guilt shoot through her like a burst of electricity. The memory of the day he left flooded in.

Pallas remembered interlacing her fingers with his and lifting the heavy arm up. There had been tears streaming down her face as she ignited their father's red lightsabre and sliced through the young flesh. It had been agreed before the surgery that proof and a constant reminder would be necessary. For Ares to turn against his father and master, he would have to sport a devastating injury as testimony of his betrayal. Credibility was important if their plan was to go ahead. The sound had been agony and the smell had been putrid. After she'd done it, the heaviness was gone and all that she could see was a white, calloused hand clutched in hers like a sick, horrifying spider. She had been gripping it so tightly that the blood started trickling out even after it was cauterized. Ares' face had contorted in pain, but he had made no noise. It had been an unfair burden to place upon her.

She shook the memory away. "Why isn't he awake?" Pallas demanded of the doctor. "The operation is over, no?"

Vindi sighed and wiped his hands against a towel. "I have done vat you asked me to do. I have transferred the removed memories back into hiz brain. The operation haz been medically successful—"

"So why isn't he awake?" Pallas said with gritted teeth.

"Operations like zis take time. Ze body must heal—" Vindi began his doctoral spiel, but then faced the barrel of Pallas' blaster and shut up.

"He didn't need long to heal last time," said Pallas. "What have you done to him?!" Vindi stared at the gun. "Answer me!"

"Ze procedure you performed on him vas highly dangerous, not to mention illegal. Because of zis, it is not a perfected art… even by such specialists like me," said Vindi, slowly and cautiously. "If he wakes up, he vill remember, but there iz nothing more zat I can do until he does."

Wrath flew into Pallas' eyes like a pack of wild dogs and she screamed at and threatened the doctor with incredible pain. "If you were incompetent, then you should have said so, you swine!" She even shot him once or twice in the leg to get him to continue the operation, but he moaned that it would be more dangerous for him to do anything more.

In the midst of this, Ahsoka bridged the distance between her and the head of the young man. His force signature was weak, but still there. She placed her palms on both sides of his bald, wounded head and focused on the Force, ignoring the noise around her. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me…" she whispered. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me… I am one with the Force and the Force is with me… I am one with the Force and the Force is with me…"

It was faint at first. "I am … Force and… is with me," he chanted with her. "I am one with… Force and… Force is… me," it became stronger. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me!" The brown eyes shot open and he bolted upright. Breathing heavily with panic, he looked at his surroundings until his eyes met Ahsoka, then Pallas and then Vindi.

"What… where?" he couldn't even begin to form a question.

Pallas was startled. "Uh…" she looked from the doctor, then to her blaster and then at Ahsoka with bewilderment. "Shh… You are on board a friendly ship, Ares. Your troops are in the other room. Ahsoka is right next to you," Pallas said and Ahsoka stepped forward to reassure him of her presence.

Ares turned to get a proper look at Ahsoka. A sense of calm washed over him from seeing here there. She was his anchor, his constant. She was alive. Ares grabbed her hand and pulled her to him to embrace her as if to assure himself that she was there, real, when so much was muddied inside his head.

"It's okay," Ahsoka promised him. "Everything is okay."

"Do you… what do you remember?" Pallas whispered, keeping her blaster still trained on Vindi.

His breath was shrunken, and his face took on a look of existential dread. His hands pressed the sides of his head. The migraine was unbearable and the red gashes on his skull pounded from inside his head. "Everything… I remember… everything. The plot. The Chancellor…" his eyes were wet with tears. "… father. He- He didn't fight me, did he?... what about Father? I'm so confused!" he demanded, and tears escaped him.

"No," Pallas said. "He did not fight you. That was a false memory. I cut off your hand and you stole his lightsabre while he slept."

"Palpatine… I… I've been in his presence…" said Ares. "… It was awful… I felt the dark side, and it was beyond anything I've ever felt..."

"I know," said Pallas, reaching out to touch his shoulder, but then retracting her hand, unsure if that was wise. "I saw. CL-Y showed me." She paused. "Do you… remember our plan?" she asked. "The full plan?"

"…Yeah. I remember it…" he said, shock and trauma in his eyes. "Skywalker… is the weapon."

"Wait- what?" Ahsoka stepped up and looked at the general with accusation. "What about Skywalker?"

"I'll explain later. I promise," said Pallas. "One thing at a time, commander." Ahsoka nodded, aware of the present chaos.

"…Father, master… our father… I've been plotting to kill him this whole time…" whispered Ares in horror, clenching his eyes shut. The insides of his skull were boiling, screaming.

A coldness took over Pallas. "Our Father deserves to die. Because of our Father, Mina Bonterri is dead. Because of him, countless others are dead too. If…" she paused. "If you do not end him, I will. Even if it takes the last breath in my body."

"But we conceived my hatred for him out of convenience," Ares cried out.

"And in that convenience, we have both discovered his true villainy," said Pallas. She paused and spoke softly. "Ares, don't you remember? We agreed to conceive of father as the enemy because he betrayed us. He did betray us. He chose the Dark Lord over us, his family."

Ares looked at Pallas. "He chose the Dark Lord over us," he repeated, as if convincing himself of that. The headache eased. Things started to make more sense. Everything began compartmentalising into their rightful places; the right and wrong, the false and true.

"He chose the Dark Lord over us. Don't forget that," said Pallas. She closed her tired eyes and suppressed the tears. "I've had to do so, so many awful things because of he chose the Dark Lord… more so than you could possibly imagine. I've done… so many awful things that haunt me every day and… every time I endangered the people I loved most… you, the Bonterris, Pompeii… I died a little inside, but that was our plan. Our grand plan to defeat the Dark Lord required… so much sacrifice."

She reached out to touch his shoulder. There were few things she wanted more than to be reunited with her brother finally. It seemed that he wanted the same thing for he reached out and grabbed his sister and embraced her with crushing force. She dropped her blaster and wrapped her arms around him, weeping of the loss and tragedy that had befallen both of them in the chasm of distance and hatred that three years of war had caused.

"I've… done so many mistakes," Ares moaned. "I have been so wrong!"

"Not as many as I have," Pallas whispered. "Force, I've missed you so much." She pressed her cheek to her brother's forehead. "I'm so sorry… for all of it."

"Me too," he whispered back. "I'm sorry too." He let go of her, pale-faced and trembling. "Whose dumb idea was this anyway?" he laughed and cried simultaneously.

"Ours, remember? Fifty-fifty," said Pallas, her voice breaking. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "We were both… so dumb. So incredibly stupid."

"The stupidity is not over yet," said Ares, letting go of his sister.

Pallas looked at the doctor. "You deceived me," she said.

"No. I varned you about the risks and dangers of zis operation. You both vouldn't believe me," he protested. "It is not my fault zat he—" he didn't finish his sentence. The smoking blaster shot through his chest silenced the doctor forever.

"What the hell?!" Ares barked at her.

"I cannot afford his price and he… damn him, I thought I'd lost you all over again," said Pallas, hoisting her blaster back into its holder. "Come on, lovebirds, your troops are waiting," she said.

"Can you walk?" asked Ahsoka.

"I'd better be able to," Ares said. He stood up and immediately would have fallen had Ahsoka's strong frame and build not supported him. "Thanks, commander," he said, as he tried to get his brain to rewire the basic function of walking again.

"He's not going to need to relearn how to walk, is he?" asked Ahsoka.

Pallas shrugged. "You think I know?"

"I think I got it," he said, as he gradually let go of Ahsoka and stood on his own two feet, though he wobbled unsurely and stretched his arms for balance. She was there to catch him if he fell. "I got it."

CL-Y beeped excitedly by Pallas' side and for the first time Ares realised that she was there. He leaned on Ahsoka. "Traitor," he mumbled and then looked at his sister. "How did you get the spy droid to me?" he asked, eyeing the red and gold droid from the table with mixed feeling. "It's a military issued unit."

"Wat Tambour owed me a favour after I gave him Ryloth. He has a few friends that owe him," she explained. "CL-Y has been watching you and reporting back to me all that you've been doing."

"…How much did she show you?" asked Ares.

"Everything," said Pallas. "That's the point of a spy."

"Did she give you Republic intel?" asked Ahsoka, aware that the droid had had constant access to their computers, military data, movements, transmissions, everything. No wonder Pallas had won so many battles and risen up the ranks so quickly.

"Sometimes," said Pallas, simply.

It didn't matter anyway, thought Ahsoka, this whole war is a sham.

"Zygerria… You didn't have to send me to the interrogation, did you? You knew where Pompeii was all along," said Ares. There were a thousand Republic secrets that droid had heard, and a million more questions Ares had for his sister, but their time in the slaver's custody was one that stood out the most.

"Yeah," said Pallas, swallowing bitterly. Zygerria had been… excruciating. "I knew where Pompeii was, but… you know… I had to keep up the charade. And I had to send you away before Father could get you. Sorry about punching you in the face, by the way, but you were being a little shit."

"You're apologizing for a punch? After all this?" asked Ares.

Pallas shrugged and looked down. "I was supposed to be… above it all, but I was angry. At everyone. And I felt guilty afterwards."

Ares was silent for a moment as his mind rifled through the things he had done that sisters shouldn't to see. "Did you censor anything?" Ares asked the droid, helplessly.

"I wish she would censor more," Pallas muttered, shuddering. CL-Y beeped at her, apologetically. "Droid, understand this one simple fact: I don't need to hear my brother's lame pick-up lines and jokes."

Ahsoka snickered. "Oh, so you had to suffer the punishment of hearing those, too?"

"Honestly? I had the option of turning off the hologram, but you? I'm sorry for what you went through," said Pallas to Ahsoka, sympathetically. "That's real trauma."

"Can you two stop being friends? First of all, lame as they were, they worked and secondly, I had no idea that my sister was in the room. It's not my fault," Ares said.

"Come on, we should get back to the clones," said Ahsoka.

[][][]

They re-joined the clones in the Operating Theatre. Ares was leaning on Ahsoka with much of his weight. He looked awful.

The medical droids had brought the lice droids and almost all of the clones were now sporting tiny scars on their temples where their biochips had been.

"Are you alright, captain?" Vaughn asked.

"Just a scratch, trooper," said Ares. Ahsoka guided him to one of the empty tables to use as a perch to rest on but didn't leave his side.

"What next then?" asked Rex, waiting for orders. The other clones had a similar look of anticipation for new orders. "Why can we not reveal what we found to the Jedi? My men deserve better than to think of themselves as deserters."

Pallas regarded them coolly. They must have been talking whilst she and Ahsoka were away with Ares. "Because the Jedi have been compromised by the Dark Lord. Everything they know, the Dark Lord will know. They cannot sense his presence and they cannot stop his influence. Their minds and intentions are open books for the Dark Lord. And when I say that the Jedi have been compromised, I include your beloved general Skywalker. He has great affinity with certain members of the Senate," said Pallas.

"General Skywalker is a wise Jedi and a good man. He should know about what is going on!" said Ahsoka.

"I'm afraid not, commander," said Pallas, patiently. "The Dark Lord has plans for Anakin Skywalker that we seek to prevent. Alerting him about the protocol may be… counterproductive. And besides, who would believe you? Even when you witnessed it yourself, you had trouble believing it."

"Ahsoka, if you told Skywalker that someone he knows, who he admires and has been watching out for him since he was a child, was a Sith Lord, what do you imagine Skywalker would do?" asked Ares.

Ahsoka sighed deeply, knowing the answer. It was Rex who spoke for her, "He would confront him… headfirst."

"Exactly. Especially when personal feelings are involved," said Ares. "I know he's your beloved general and everything, men, but you know him well enough. This mission needs… tact and subtlety, which Skywalker is not known for."

"What mission is that?" asked Jesse.

"Distribution," said Pallas. "It's pointless to know about the biochips if you can't act on it. You boys are going to be very busy spreading these things to all your brothers on all corners of the galaxy. If the protocol is activated, we are all doomed and the Dark Lord will reign supreme."

"Who is the Dark Lord?" asked Rex, persistent to know an answer to that terrible question. "If we are to go undercover, we need to know who the Dark Lord is."

Pallas and Ares looked at one another, as if they had a language of their own. Pallas sighed and nodded. "Do you all agree to the mission?" Ares asked his troops. "The mission to save your brothers from committing mindless murder of your friends and allies for the benefit of the Dark Lord?"

"Sir, yes sir!" they chorused loudly.

"Sheev Palpatine," said Ares the name dropping from him with a shiver. "He's the Dark Lord. He's been working both sides from the beginning. He's orchestrated everything to play into his hands even before any of us were born. His plan is brilliant, but nothing is truly indestructible."

"The Chancellor?" asked Ahsoka, ashen faced. "But… that's not possible!"

"If only that were true," muttered Pallas. "His plan was to issue the protocol, wipe out the Jedi and then frame them for treason before the Senate. You will find that the Jedi have a dwindling number of supporters in the world of politics. They are great warriors… sometimes, but poor politicians." Pallas gave a pointed look to Ahsoka, who did not need to be reminded of their political ineptness. "Especially since the Dark Lord has been playing them."

"The Chancellor has been a mentor to Anakin," said Ahsoka, coming to the horrid realisation. "All this time, all these years, he's been grooming him?" Pallas nodded, gravely.

"As you can see, if he knows what we are doing… if Skywalker gives him an inkling and the Dark Lord thinks that his plan has failed… he, or one of his agents, will issue the protocol early, even if it's the last thing they do," said Ares. "Every dead Jedi is a victory for the Dark Lord."

There was silence as the clones processed this new information and the new treachery.

It was Rex who spoke up. "Then for General Skywalker, we will keep the secret and do everything in our powers to stop the Chancellor's plans!" His brothers agreed with him.

"What would you have us do, general?" asked Ridge.

"I have ships waiting in my hangers. You're all each going to take packs of these lice and travel to all the corners of the galaxy with them. You're all going to blend into the battalions and free your brothers from these biochips," said Pallas. "For the sake of this mission, we will need to fake your deaths to the 501st. When you don't report back, they'll suspect that you were killed in action. I will give you my private frequencies for you to contact me and each other." She turned to Ahsoka and Ares. "You two have a different mission, though no less important."

They wrapped up their most unlikely of pacts with a promise for treason against the Chancellor.

… So, any thoughts? Gives a whole new paradigm to the story, doesn't it?

All you quiet lurker readers, I see you! Now is the chapter to make your feelings known to me. Please REVIEW!