Chapter Eight: Rage of a Dragon

Anakin woke up slowly to the sound of soft beeping and looked around in a haze of disorientation. As the young Darith moved to get up, he felt tubes and wires pull at him and instantly stopped. "What happened?'

After a moment more of confusion, a pair of nurses walked into the room, one Darith like him and the other Ligith. "(You and your Mate came in contact with too much Bogan energy.)" The Darith nurse answered before he could speak and seemed to read his mind as it drifted to worried thoughts . "(Lucy is tending to your Mate, Young One.)"

Anakin's gaze followed the Darith's right forepaw to a bed next to his. "(See? No harm will come to either of you while you are under our care.)"

Anakin looked around the room and studied the various tools and objects that hung up on the wall. The white room seemed to aggravate Anakin's sensitive eyes, but as he raised his hand to sheiks his eyes, the lights dimmed to a manageable level. Anakin then turned his full attention to the Ligith nurse as she she tended to Ahsoka. As he watched, Anakin noticed the females' tails wrapped each other. He wanted to know why the dragons showed such behavior, but the odd quirk wasn't as important as Ahsoka right now. "(What can I do to help her?)"

The Ligith nurse looked at Ahsoka then back to Anakin. "(Actually, yes,)" The nurse said calmly. "(You can handle the backlash from The Bogan better than she can.)"

The Darith nurse gave her coworker a look. "(Lucy, don't overtax him.)" She growled softly at the Ligith. "(He may be able to handle it better than the girl, but he's susceptible to Bogan Poisoning same as anyone.)"

"(Emily, stop it.)" Lucy reprimanded with a glare that didn't quite reach her eyes. "(The boy needs to help her.)"

Anakin sat up slowly as Lucy quickly freed the young and slightly fearful Dragon from the myriad of tubes and wires which monitored his health. She smiled at the young Dragon and nodded slowly. With permission granted, Anakin approached Ahsoka's unconscious form and nervously leaned over her. He then looked back at Lucy and nodded as the Darith stood off to the side with her arms over her chest in a miffed pose. For a moment, Anakin thought he saw a look of pain on the ebony Dragon's face before he turned his full attention to Ahsoka who breathed a little laboriously in the bed next to his. "What do I do?"

Lucy raised a brow ridge and looked back at Emily. "(A little help, please?)"

Emily nodded and walked over to the unsure Ligith and wrapped her tail around Lucy's before Emily turned her attention to Anakin and gently took his hand. "(Calm your mind, Anakin.)" The elder Darith instructed. "(Link with the abundance of Bogan in Ahsoka and release it into The Cosmic Force. DO NOT hold it!)"

Anakin set his mind with durasteel and began directing the Dark Side out of Ahsoka like an inverted lightning rod. As he worked, images from another time came to him. A shimmering black metal beast with gleaming orange eyes stared at him. "Let Ahsoka go!"

The creature slowly walked up to Anakin, his breathing punctuated with respirator noises as he moved. Part of Anakin wanted to run at the sight, but he held his ground. As it approached, Anakin saw the truth of the "creature". It was a Human in some past existence but now stood as a pathetic thing trapped in a life support suit that vaguely reminded him of Grevious with the calm exterior composure of Dooku.

Outside of the mental battlefield, Lucy began to tremble in fright for the young hybrid as she watched the inexperienced but strong-willed man convulse as he fought the Bogan within his Mate. After a moment, Lucy could no longer watch and buried her face into Emily's chest. The Ligith nurse whispered a soft plea. "Balanced Sisters, help him!"

When the Sith spoke, chills ran through Anakin.."You don't know the POWER of the Dark Side!" The cyborg clinched his fist as he spoke, clearly trying to push an air of strength with his words.

Anakin grit his teeth and for the first time noticed he was in his Human form. The Dragon's pride lead him to laugh at the ignorant Sith. "Power…you crow about it like a new hatchling cries for his or her Protector." Anakin shook his head as his blue eyes flickered red and showed the bridled rage underneath. "What do you know of power? Intimidation? Fear? Oppression? Subjugation?" Anakin walked up to the cyborg with a glare that could burn through Beskar. "You know nothing of power, only cowardice!"

The Sith raised his crimson blade. "You will die!"

Anakin closed his eyes and barehanded the Sith blade. The young man's face showed pain but not the agony one would expect from handling the blade of a sword capable of melting nigh anything bar some rare exceptions. "No, I conquered my past." Anakin growled low for a moment as Darith scales began to cover his body from his fingertips and toes. "I have left Tatooine and moved on!" Anakin folded his wings calmly over his body and continued to press forward until he was in Vader's face."I found and defended my love." Anakin gripped Vader by the throat. "You let your pain control and eventually destroy you."

Anakin closed his eyes and drew the Bogan ghost into himself gradually. Then, he glared as an image rose in the fog of the Dark Side. It cackled and looked at him with glee. The man seemed to be sitting in a chair with binders loose under his wrists.

"Good, Anakin." Palpatine praised. "Good. Kill him!"

Anakin grimaced as Vader turned to vapor and finished dissolving into the young Dragon. Anakin could feel the mound of Bogan energy writhing within him as it sought freedom. Anakin groaned and sank to his knees as he fell the power begin to rage within him. "It's too much!" Anakin began to see the utter pain of the ghost's life. Hatchling-killer?! Friends fade into hardened enemies. Love gruesomely turned to hate. Life turned to undead. It swelled and bucked within him. "So…much pain!" Anakin began to cry in agony. "HELP ME!"

"Son," The voice of Nicholai called gently. "You must release it. Let the Bogan flow naturally across your body from one side to the other. Don't bind it, or you will die as it freezes your heart. It seeks relief and Balance in The Cosmic Force. Let it out!"

Anakin felt tears fall free as he looked up through blurred vision at the form of the man who laughed as someone held two blades at Dooku's throat, one red and one blue. "No…" Anakin growled softly in a vow to himself before he stretched his right arm out with his index and first fingers pointed like the barrel of a blaster. Then, red lightning arced from the fingers and obliterated Palpatine's form.

Anakin came to himself gradually and shivered when he felt a cold current of air flow over him. "Ahsoka!"

The focus of Anakin's worry groaned softly. "Easy, Skyguy. Are you trying to burst my eardrums?"

Anakin sighed. "I just had a rough time dealing with the Bogan as it was trapped in your mind."

"Vader…" Ahsoka whispered as Anakin only stared in shock

"What?"

Ahsoka sat up slowly and gave Anakin a comforting look as she squeezed his hand. "Your father took me to Yggdrasil to test me himself." The young Togruta explained. "I had to prove I could fight your demons before he would accept me."

Anakin felt his hand ball into a fist when he heard this, but the young man quickly released his anger when he realized Ahsoka looked much better than she had since Mortis "In facing Vader…"

Ahsoka nodded. "…I faced the same problems that made me leave the Order. The same rage, helplessness, and fear which consumed him helped…" Ahsoka gently brought Anakin from his locked gaze on the floor to look at her instead as she continued to speak. "That same pain helped us become better people."

Anakin couldn't help it; he laughed. "You are really starting to sound like Obi-Wan, Snips."

Ahsoka frowned and leaned in to kiss the Darith halfling. Once his girlfriend drew away, she said, "I hope I don't sound too much like him."

Anakin blushed. "That's just…" The dragon's eyes bulged. "Gross!"

Ahsoka smirked at Anakin. "I'd love to continue this, but we need to get to Kamino before the clones destroy The Jedi."

Anakin felt an icy shiver roll down his back at the thought of Cody killed Obi-Wan and reaching the planet with no time to stop the genocide. It made Anakin's blood boil to think his friends and brothers could be turned into droids with a simple voice command. "If the clones have a kill order, what's to say the droids don't have an opposite detective to join The Republic if necessary?"

Ahsoka shivered in disgust. "Rex would LOVE that one."

Anakin couldn't help but agree with his Bonded on that assessment, but right now, they had more pressing matters with which to attend. With that in mind, Anakin looked at the pair of nurses. "Are we free to go?"

Lucy nodded as her gold-trimmed, white face twisted in rage. "Give those monsters a message from me when you see them." Off to the side, Emily growled lowly. It was then Anakin noticed a Darith Female Mark on Lucy's neck. Lucy blushed and continued. "…from both of us: Kick their asses into the sea, so they may drown and taste justice." As Lucy spoke, her golden eyes seemed to glow with passion and righteous fury.

Emily walked up to Anakin and whispered. "Come back after you're done there, so we can attend your Venculum Perpetua Ceremony!" She said with a knowing look between the two former Jedi.

Anakin blushed and cleared his throat. "Sure."

Ahsoka just laughed. "What Skyguy means is: We'd be honored to have you there."

Once back on the Aether, Ahsoka couldn't help but marvel at Anakin's people. The level of loyalty they showed to family and Bonded shocked her. In her short stay on the world, the young Togruta learned so much about herself and Anakin, it almost scared her. To know Anakin as apart of race bound through The Force together in their love with their Bonded Mate scared her somewhat. Anakin faced his Darkness and defeated it for me. Ahsoka frowned at the thought and pulled her knees to her chest. What do I offer him in return?

The voice of Nicolai echoed in Ahsoka's mind with a response. (You offer him stability, peace, and balance.) The Elder Darith voice from her time in Yggdrasil seemed to draw her close in a comforting hug that reminded her of Master Plo Koon in a way. (Don't ever think he doesn't need you, Guard of his Heart.)

Ahsoka frowned as she noticed a small compartment towards the aft of the bunk area. When she approached the container, the something inside seemed to grow with intensity in The Force. Whatever the artifact was, it held no allegiance in The Force and reminded the Togruta a little of Yggdrasil, just on a smaller scale. Odd, Ahsoka thought as she reached in and pulled out a blinding white crystal. This isn't a Kyber crystal. Ahsoka could feel as much from the crystal's Force resonance. It's somehow…older

Nicholai laughed in Ahsoka's mind. "(This crystal is unique and vital to the Venculum Perpetua Ceremony, young one, but our laws demand I tell you no more than this.) The elder Darith paused as if in thought for a moment. (Since you are an Outsider and was not trained in our ways by your mother, that role falls to…)

At this moment, a gentle presence flowed over Ahsoka. Then, a Force Ghost materialized next to her, a young brunette with Anakin's eyes and a smile that radiated kindness. "Hello, Ahsoka. I am Shmi Skywalker."

Ahsoka stared in disbelief. "H-How?!"

Shmi turned to show a Mark on her neck similar to the one Ahsoka had grown accustomed to on her own collar bone. "I am Bound to Nicholai and Anakin even while I exist in The Force." Shmi's expression then turned serious. "Now about my son…"

Anakin sighed as he settled into rest in the pilot's seat. A slight numbness from The Force over towards Ahsoka caused the young hybrid to tense for a moment in worry before a feeling of comfort flowed through Anakin and soothed away any lingering doubts concerning the safety of his Bonded.

Then, an Ancient Voice spoke softly yet authoritatively. "(Focus on the Hatchling factory, young man.)" Anakin could feel and hear the tone shifts that identified the speaker as a Ligith. "(You must free them, or all will fall.)"

A new voice joined the first, this one clearly more angry and rough. "(Destroy those money-grubbing fools for their heresy of life, young Dark One.)" The Ancient Darith laughed as she read Anakin's apprehension of genocide, spurred by remembrance of Vader. "(Remember, child, not all ruin comes through death.)"

As the Voices faded, Anakin heard Ahsoka walk into the cockpit and found himself pressed with a new problem. "How do we reprogram millions of clones?" He asked the Togruta. "We can't just stop all battles in the galaxy and take millions of chips out!"

Ahsoka put a gentle hand on Anakin's. "Stretch out as far as you can with The Force, Anakin." After she felt Anakin relax, his Mate continued. "What do you feel?"

Anakin continued to relax until an expression of shock came over Anakin. "Cody and 212th are under the command of Obi-Wan." His voice lightened and threatened to spill with laughter. "Obi-Wan just took on a mission to Mandalore." The moment of joy ended as quickly as it came before Anakin frowned in clear worry for his former teacher. "Apparently, Obi-Wan has had night terrors for weeks and finally convinced the Council to approve a status check mission to Mandalore."

Ahsoka frowned. She had no idea why Anakin found a trip to Mandalore funny or why Obi-Wan would be so determined to reach Mandalore. Never mind. Ahsoka thought as she quickly put the curiosity out of her mind and turned back to Anakin. "Anakin, you're so worried about fixing the clones that you forgot: The Force binds everything together."

"If it is the will of The Force, we will be able to alter all chips in the GAR!" Anakin realized as the fog of confusion lifted. "Once we get to Kamino, I can fix everything."

"I doubt the emotionless monsters will let you tamper with their 'product'." Ahsoka shivered in disgust at thinking of Rex or any other clone in those terms.

Anakin's eyes glowed red as the destination alarm began to sound. "Aggressive negotiations it is, then."

Once the Aether landed on a pad outside Tipoca City, Ahsoka dressed in a grey cloak while Anakin remained in the black one he bought back at The Castle. However, Anakin folded his wings inside the cloak to appear more humanoid for the time being. Like usual, the city stood stalwart in the nigh permanent storm around Kamino's equator. As he and Ahsoka moved towards the door to enter the city, Anakin could sense the confusion around him and smiled. He turned to Ahsoka. Ready?

Ahsoka gave him a dark frown and glared at the door. Are they?

As the Dragon and his Mate walked in the door, they were met by a startled Taun We. "Master Jedi…" She said in a barely lifting tone that made Anakin's skin crawl. "We weren't expecting you." The Kaminoan seemed to glide over to the pair. "I trust The Republic Clone Army is performing to standard."

Anakin and Ahsoka lowered their hoods. The reaction from all surprised Anakin because it was more of a non-reaction. In the corner of his field of view, Anakin could see a few Kaminoan scientists approach him and ignore Ahsoka.

"I'm here on business." Anakin growled. "I have orders direct from The Chancellor to inspect all bio chips." Anakin sighed and feigned concern. "He fears they may be degrading due to slipshod production methods."

At mention of the bio chips, Anakin felt the room shift and tensed as Prime Minister Lama Su walked up to Anakin. The Darith could feel traces of anger from the being. I insulted him. Good.

Ahsoka lightly punched Anakin and muttered, "Not now, Skyguy!"

Lama Su looked down at Anakin. "You question the quality of our clones, Jedi?"

Anakin's eyes flared. "I'm not a Jedi, and I question the making of organic droids."

The Prime Minister's eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, what are you? You're certainly not any race I know, Beast."

Anakin's Dragon pride recoiled at the horrid insult. "Mind your tongue, Minister." Anakin growled dangerously.

Ahsoka shook her head. "You have no idea how much death, suffering, and anger you've personally given to the galaxy by your greed." The Force user glared. "You will continue until you are destroyed unless things change."

"I assure you, female. Kamino is quite safe from your war."

"Safe…?" Anakin shook his head and with a mighty thrust of his wings became eye-level with the arrogant leader. "Let me show you 'safe'!" Anakin put his claws on the Kamino's head and guided him through Yggdrasil until he came to a vision of Venators as they rained down fire on all of Kamino "You are far from safe, Prime Minister. Your own creations shall be ordered, one day soon, to destroy your home and your people." Anakin glared at him. "You're only hope…" Anakin pointed a claw at himself. "…is this Darith you called 'Beast' and Ahsoka, the one you completely ignored!"

Ahsoka shivered at the rolling rage she felt flowing out of Anakin, but she knew the Prime Minister caused his own death by calling Anakin an animal. With a gentle hand, she began to soothe him back to rational thought through their Bond. Calm yourself, My Love. Ahsoka coaxed. He is an idiot.

Anakin growled and threw Lama Su into the wall hard enough to make paste of the Kaminoan. "Don't worry." Anakin sneered before he growled at the puddle. "I'm sure you have another body in cold storage in the city somewhere."

Ahsoka sighed, even as she knew there was likely no other way to save everyone from the horror to come. "It had to be done." She decided. "He would never listen."

Anakin nodded as the last of the fiery rage cooled within him. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Snips." Anakin then looked over and clapped her on the shoulder. "We still have men and soldiers to save."

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