Noelle had finished securing the bandage around her shoulder and Rex got up from the table.
The clones were working to break down the door again.
"How are we gonna get out of here?" Rex asked, putting his helmet back on.
"I have an idea," said Ahsoka.
"Do you?" Noelle asked. "Because I don't see too many options right now."
"Just set your blasters to stun. We're not trying to kill anyone," Ahsoka said to Rex.
"Tell that to them," said Rex. "They're almost through!"
"Wait..."
The door was ninety percent cut down.
"Ahsoka!" Noelle yelled.
"Wait..."
The door was cut.
"NOW!" Ahsoka Force-pushed the door open in the opposite direction, knocking the clones off their feet.
The three of them, followed by the droids, ran out of the medical bay, weapon-ready. Noelle and Ahsoka blocked Rex from the blaster bolts on either side, while he stunned the programmed clones.
"R7! Find us a path out of here!" Ahsoka called to her droid.
R7 beeped in acknowledgement and closed one of the doors behind them.
"Alright. Now what?" Rex asked after they had stunned the last two clones in front of them.
"R7 says the escape pods were deactivated," Noelle said. "Should have figured that'd be the first thing they'd do."
"Shuttle's our best bet," said Ahsoka.
"Did you hear Maul also escaped?" Rex asked as they headed down the hallway.
"He didn't escape. I let him out," Ahsoka called over her shoulder.
"What?" Rex stopped in his tracks. "Why?"
"That's what I said," Noelle added, rolling her eyes.
"Diversion! Come on!" Ahsoka yelled from up ahead.
"That's one word for it," Rex muttered, shaking his head.
"Where exactly are we going?" Noelle asked Rex as they ran.
"She's taking us to the hangar control, so we can get ahold of a shuttle," he explained.
They ran down the hallway a bit longer, catching up with Ahsoka and the droids. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise. Noelle could see the walls shaking and the alarm rang out.
"Oh, I don't like the sound of that!" Rex said.
They were approaching the hangar control room. Rex went in first, stunning the two officers at the door. Ahsoka Force-pushed another one against the wall. As soon as she peered out the glass window, Noelle knew they weren't going anywhere.
"The hangar bay doors are sealed," confirmed Rex. "They've got everything locked down. If they weren't trying to kill us, I'd be proud."
Noelle gave a short, sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, well. They are."
"R7, start unlocking the doors on bay twelve," Ahsoka commanded the droid. "Cheep, prep the shuttle. GG, find out what happened to this ship."
GG stuck his mechanical "arm" into the outlet.
"What do you mean 'the hyperdrive is offline?'" Rex questioned him skeptically.
GG beeped some more.
"Destroyed?" Noelle gasped. "But that's impossible, isn't it?"
The screen in front of them on the control pad was beeping. The ship, represented by a red arrow, was shown to be orbiting a moon instead of speeding through hyperspace like it should be.
"R7... open the main hangar doors," Ahsoka said slowly.
As the doors began to open, Noelle saw the brown, green, and white colors of a moon instead of black space dotted with stars. This was bad news. Because they weren't going anywhere anytime soon without a hyperdrive. By staying here, they were simply waiting to crash into this moon .
"We need to get out of here," whispered Ahsoka.
Noelle swallowed. She wasn't sure what she was afraid of right now. The fact that she was going to die, or her friends were.
"Any luck with those doors?" Rex asked R7.
"And the shuttle?" asked Ahsoka.
Beep.
There was the alarm signaling the hangar door had been opened. Noelle could see the shuttle.
Our ticket out of here.
But more doors began to open that R7 hadn't activated. Dozens of clone troopers came pouring into the hangar bay.
"Oh no," Noelle whispered. "Not good."
"They were waiting for us," Rex commented in a disheartened tone.
Lining up, the clones pointed their blasters up at the hangar control. All they would have to do was fire, and they'd be dead. At their head was none other than clone trooper Jesse, who had been one of their oldest friends.
Rex turned to Noelle and Ahsoka. "So what do we do? Fight our way to the shuttle?"
Noelle was silent, because she didn't know the answer. There were too many troops. Not even two Jedi could fight their way through that. They could go back where they had came from, but then what? Hide and hope the troops leave the docks? They were going to be caught eventually. It was only a matter of time.
"I don't want to hurt them," Ahsoka was saying quietly.
Rex stared at her for a moment. "I hate to tell you this, but they don't care! This ship is going down, and those soldiers, my brothers, are willing to die, and take you and me along with them!"
And they have no idea that this isn't their fault, Noelle thought with tears in her eyes as she turned away from the window to face Rex and Ahsoka.
Ahsoka stepped towards Rex and gently removed his helmet.
Rex looked down, avoiding the gaze of Ahsoka, who put her hand on his shoulder.
"You're a good soldier Rex, so is every one of those men down there. They may be willing to die, but I am not the one who is going to kill them," she said.
Rex looked up at her. Then he closed his eyes. "So we're just going to surrender? Admit defeat? Is that it?"
Ahsoka paused. "No."
"Well I don't see any other option," said Rex.
Ahsoka, still holding Rex's helmet, headed over towards the window peering down at the army pointing guns at them from down below.
"I... have an idea."
Noelle finally found her voice. "You do? I hope it's good," she said softly.
Ahsoka handed Rex back his helmet. "Don't worry. It's a good one... I think." She knelt down to face the three droids. "Can I count on the three of you?"
The droids beeped in unison.
"What is this plan of yours?" Noelle asked as Ahsoka stood back up.
"I'll explain on the way."
They ran out of the hangar room.
"So this is a classic Anakin fake-surrendering plan?" Noelle asked with a laugh after Ahsoka explained the details. Rex and Ahsoka would fake-surrender while Noelle and the droids dropped the clones down the hangar elevators into a lower level, giving them all a chance to make a break for the shuttle.
"Yup!" Ahsoka confirmed. They had now reached the door to the hangar bay where the clones were waiting for them.
Noelle stopped to face her younger friend, who now, had become so much older than her. "Anakin would be proud of you, Ahsoka. I'm proud of you."
Ahsoka gave the faintest hint of a smile. But hidden underneath the smile, Noelle could see the sadness in her eyes.
Ahsoka nodded at Rex, who pointed his gun at her. "Let's hope this works," he said.
Ahsoka put her hands behind her head, and she and Rex entered the main hangar where the troops were waiting for them.
"Hold your fire!" Rex shouted.
Noelle ducked behind the three droids, hoping she wouldn't be noticed. She and the droids had to sneak to the other end of the room where the controls were. Hopefully, Rex and Ahsoka's distraction worked.
The clones immediately pointed their guns at Rex and Ahsoka.
"Hurry it up!" Noelle hissed at the droids.
"I said hold your fire, Jesse!" she heard Rex shout again.
Rex and Ahsoka walked up closer to the clones. Noelle couldn't hear what they were saying, but she and the droids had now reached the area where they could lower the elevators.
Noelle saw Ahsoka glance in their direction, wondering if they were ready yet.
Noelle shook her head wildy and mouthed not yet!
Ahsoka whispered something to Rex.
"Come on guys, hurry up!" Noelle said impatiently to the droids.
"Where is Noelle Smith?" Jesse was saying loudly to Rex. "I don't see her."
"We lost her," Rex answered.
Jesse didn't look like he was buying whatever excuses Rex was making up. He pointed his blasters at them. "Captain Rex, you are in direct violation of Order 66. I accuse you of treason against the Grand Army of the Republic. You'll be demoted in rank from captain and subject to execution along with the traitors Ahsoka Tano and Noelle Smith!"
Cheep beeped to Noelle that they were ready.
Noelle motioned to Ahsoka, and she whispered to Rex.
"NOW!" Ahsoka yelled.
Half of the clone army disappeared into the ground.
Noelle pulled her lightsaber off her belt and charged into the middle of the room to help Rex and Ahsoka fight through the remaining clones. The three of them might just be able to make it through this. Maybe Ahsoka's plan would work.
Ahsoka was in front of Rex blocking blaster bolts, so Noelle jumped behind him. She deflected shots from three different clones blasting at her. She had no choice but to deflect them away as quickly as possible, which meant they fired back at the clones, killing or injuring them.
Then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a swift red and black figure running towards their escape ship.
Maul. Who else had red skin and wore all black?
Ahsoka saw it too. "Rex! Noelle! The ship!" Using the Force, she launched herself into the air at Maul's direction, lightsabers blazing. Noelle and Rex followed.
Maul used the Force to throw crates at Ahsoka, who simply leapt over them.
"You wanted this chaos!" Maul screamed.
Ahsoka threw herself at him and barely missed slicing his head clean off with her lightsaber. Reacting faster, Maul Force-pushed Ahsoka into one of the holes with the clones.
GG tossed a grappling hook at Ahsoka who caught it.
"Go help her!" Noelle said to Rex. "I'll take care of him!"
Maul had turned his back on them and was headed towards their escape ship.
Realizing Maul was actually weaponless, Noelle clipped her lightsaber on her belt and reached out to the Force, stopping Maul in his tracks. Still holding out her hand to keep him from moving, she advanced towards him.
"You're not taking our ship!"
"Oh, I don't think so, Padawan!"
Noelle had gotten too close. Maul whipped around and Force-pushed Noelle away back in Ahsoka's direction. She grabbed Rex's arm just in time to keep from falling.
As Noelle stood up and got her bearings, Ahsoka was now out of the hole and on her feet.
"The shuttle!" she called to Noelle.
Oh no... Noelle saw what she meant. Maul was in their ship and ready to leave with it.
"We can still stop him!" Ahsoka yelled. She reached out to the Force, keeping the shuttle from leaving the hangar. "Help me!"
Noelle squeezed her eyes shut and used all her strength to hold onto the shuttle. She had never been able to do anything like this in her life. Three years ago, when she first began to really use her powers, they were not even close to this strong.
But the gravitational pull of the ship was too much for Noelle and Ahsoka. They began skidding across the floor along with the ship.
"Rex!" Noelle screamed.
Rex got to his feet and grabbed both Noelle and Ahsoka's arms, trying to steady them.
Noelle felt like she was grasping onto a building that was continuously slipping from her fingers. She heard R7 beeping behind them.
"Incoming!" Rex shouted as he let go of Noelle's hand to blast the clones.
Noelle dropped to her knees from exhaustion as she looked up at the ship. They weren't meant to catch Maul. To win this battle, they were going to have to give him up. Noelle stood up and turned on her lightsaber.
"Ahsoka! Let him go!"
Ahsoka ignored her. "I can still do this!" She gritted her teeth, still holding onto the ship.
Rex was forced to let Ahsoka's hand go. Noelle jumped in front of him with her lightsaber, seeing the approaching clones. She swallowed. There was a good ten or fifteen of them. Noelle batted away blaster bolts as best as she could, but Rex got shot in the shoulder.
I can't do this alone.
"Ahsoka!" Noelle yelled in desperation. "Help me!"
Several seconds later, Ahsoka was by her side defending her and Rex. Then, pointing her lightsabers downward, Ahsoka spun in a circle, slicing a hole into the ground. Noelle and Rex yelled in surprise as they fell.
Getting to her feet, Noelle looked up to see the other half of the clone army -including Jesse- pointing blasters at them.
Oh great.
Rex sighed.
"Blast 'em!" Jesse hollered to his men.
Suddenly the clones went flying back upwards.
"What the-"
"Cheep!" Ahsoka explained.
"Why did you bring us down here!?" Noelle demanded, changing the subject.
"There's more ships down here!"
Rex came running. "There's nothing available. Everything here's under maintenance."
Noelle gave Ahsoka a look.
Ahsoka pointed past Noelle's shoulder. "There!"
A blaster bolt flew by Noelle's head. The clones had found them.
That was fast.
"Get me over there!" shouted Rex.
The three of them backed closer and closer to the Y-wing ship, but were at the end of a ledge that separated them from it. Noelle was unprepared as Ahsoka Force-pushed her and Rex onto the ship while she still defended herself from the clones.
"Ahsoka!" Noelle screamed after she pulled herself and Rex up.
"Go!" Ahsoka yelled. "I'll catch up!" A blaster bolt hit Ahsoka's arm.
Noelle started to lunge forward in order to get back to her, but Rex tugged her arm. "We're no good to her dead. Come on."
They climbed into the hatch, which luckily had two seats. Noelle suddenly felt herself tilting left. "Rex..."
Rex was frantically pushing buttons to bring the ship to life. He quickly looked up out the window of the Y-wing. "The cruiser's going down," he said quietly.
"And so's everyone on board," Noelle finished in realization.
Rex nodded. "Let's get Commander Tano before it's too late."
Just as he said this, Ahsoka literally came flying from the cruiser towards the Y-wing. But there was an explosion behind her. She missed her footing and Noelle and Rex went plummeting.
"What happened?" Noelle shouted.
"I think something in our ship was damaged in that explosion! We're going to have to crash! Let's hope she still has some firepower in her!" Rex grabbed the steering and shot the ship forward.
Noelle gripped her seat. She peered out her window on the right and saw blue and white montrals and orange skin flying beside them.
"I see Ahsoka!" she yelled. "Wait! Nevermind." Ahsoka had disappeared.
"I see her," said Rex. "She's up ahead running on top of the cruiser. I'm going to catch up."
Rex steered their ship underneath the sinking Star Destroyer. As they came out from underneath, Noelle looked up out of her window. Ahsoka was above them, reaching down and trying to grab on. She reached and reached. Noelle thought she wasn't going to make it- but she did.
As they flew away, they watched the rest of the Star Destoyer disappear underneath the clouds.
They landed their ship near the crashed Destroyer. Ahsoka had pleaded and argued with them to search for survivors, and finally Noelle and Rex gave in, but they found nobody.
No one had survived that fall.
So Noelle, Ahsoka and Rex buried the remainders of the 501st. They removed each of their helmets and placed them on sticks, marking their graves.
Now, Ahsoka, wearing a long grey cloak, stood alone facing the remnants of the clones, the Star Destroyer, and Anakin.
From behind, Noelle watched Ahsoka examine her lightsaber for several moments. Then reluctantly, she dropped it into the dirt.
Noelle knew now what she had to do. Taking her place by Ahsoka's side, she knelt down on the ground and placed her lightsaber beside Ahsoka's.
She was a Jedi no more. Her lightsaber, the symbol of a Jedi Knight, would stay here, along with her past.
After a long moment of silence, Ahsoka spoke. "What will you do?"
"I don't know, but I cannot spend my whole life running away from Sidious," Noelle answered quietly, still crouched on the ground. "I will stay here and wait."
"For what?"
Noelle didn't answer. She knew she was going to be waiting for one of two things: her salvation or her death.
She stood up. "Good bye, Ahsoka."
The faintest hint of a smile played on Ahsoka's lips. "Good bye, Noelle."
After returning Ahsoka's smile, Noelle began to turn away.
"Wait!"
Noelle turned back around and frowned. Ahsoka had pulled off her grey cloak. "If you're going to stay, you might need this," she said handing it to Noelle.
Noelle nodded in thanks, and watched Ahsoka return to Rex at their Y-wing ship.
"And may the Force be with you."