Chapter 11: Hunt

Commander Fox is often disliked by many other clone troopers. People see Commander Thire or Thorn as his better trooper of the Coruscant Guard, and their dislike over him only increased after General Skywalker left.

He is an elite force devoted to guarding Coruscant. Meanwhile, normal clone troopers were stuck fighting in the Outer Rim and other hellholes. None of them likes that he and the other Guard stayed at home in their cushy barracks defending against small fry terrorists, saboteurs, and gangsters.

However, he also has a stickler for strictness, him ever doing one thing out of his own will, rather than just following orders.

The clones never say they hate him, but they see him as an uptight, boring, perfect order following machine that got the cushy job with the politicians.

Right now he has to find this traitor, ARC trooper Fives, CT-5555.

Fox hates clone troopers who dare to desert from the Republic. Unfortunately, those kinds have invested in the clone army. It is beyond treasonous against the Republic.

But this trooper-Fox never dislikes someone like CT-5555. How dare he threatens the Supreme Chancellor, someone who they all swear loyalty to serve above all else.

"Sir."

Traitors like 5555 shall stand trial.

"Sir!"

Kark it, he zooms out since the thoughts of the traitor.

"What is it, Hound?" Fox asks, barely able to keep the growl from his voice.

"One of our probe droids have spotted the traitor at a warehouse on 1313. He appears to be attempting to find something."

Fox growls. "Focus all patrols on that direction. I want this traitor apprehended and brought to custody preferably alive." He stares down at his wrist, comming General Kenobi, "General, one of our probes has detected the rogue clone. He was spotted in the warehouse.

Even after several months, Anakin Skywalker would always recognize the familiarity of his men, the men who he willingly abandoned, such thoughts filling him with shame.

Anakin hates how he could never be able to embrace his men during their time together. Even despite never being the best Jedi he could be, the clones didn't deserve to have someone who is detached and supposedly cares little for their lives as their General.

While Anakin disagrees with their reasoning, the Jedi Order forbids attachment and possession, the reason they do this is quite reasonable.

If you're a Jedi, and your wife and children get kidnapped and murdered by a Sith Lord. You will be filled with rage, for a trained Force Sensitive, rage means the Dark Side.

In the context of the dark side due to the concept spread by ancient Jedi. It turns you into a power-hungry psychopath and must be resisted at all costs.

So what happened when the one Jedi decided not to follow the code? They each fall which is why Anakin never truly admits he was attached, was married to Padmé, care about the clone troopers, and loved Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. He cannot believe he was blind enough to follow the Jedi Order.

He accelerates downwards before landing, not caring if he is spotted in public. He senses several presences, that of Commander Fox, the trooper who arrested him several months prior, and his men. While he should definitely be cautious of how far the guard is from his presence, he can sense he is only nearing the premises of a warehouse of some sort.

His heart freezes when he reaches out with his deeply attuned senses. He feels the presence of Obi-Wan, flanked by Commander Cody, and Ahsoka, flanked by Captain Rex, the two Jedi shocked and curious about what is happening while the two clones want nothing but to bring another brother home. Anakin feels slightly solemn at that, sensing the clone troopers perplexity.

At last, he feels him...

Fives...

Anakin dashes forward, using the ability known as Force Dash, seeing a clone trooper who is moving about, before he grabs him and pulls him in.

"Fives, what's happening?!" Anakin whispers shout, neutralizing the clone before he can put up a fight.

"They think I have lost my mind, sir, but I-I didn't. I'm not crazy! Please, please-just, just-hear what I have to say."

Anakin narrows his eyes before pulling away. "What is it?"

The trooper begins to ramble slightly, "I was framed, because I know the truth! The truth about a plot, a massive deception."

"By whom?" Anakin asks.

"There's a sinister plot in the works against the Jedi! I have proof of it, I can prove that everything I know is true beyond the shadow of a doubt!" Fives exclaims.

"Show me the evidence!" Anakin replies, wanting to believe Fives, but nothing makes sense.

"The evidence, is," Fives replies, pointing to his head where there is a scar which Anakin has never seen before lays before him, "in here, it's-it's in here, it's in all of us, every clone!"

"What is it?" Anakin asks.

"Organic chips, built into us clones genetic code to make us do whatever someone wants, even kill the Jedi! It's all in here!" Fives repeatedly points to his forehead.

Anakin stares downwards, deeply comprehending. What Fives is saying appears impossible, an excuse to escape the law, and to any other, the war has caught up with him.

'Yet, you have flown into death traps which have been impossible odds.'

Anakin bites his lip, unconsciously shaking his head. "Let's just get you some help first, then I can review everything. You'll be okay, Fives. We'll sort this out."

"SIR, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!" The clone trooper roars.

"Fives, I am listening to you. I'm trying to consider things-" Anakin begins, sensing the trooper's havoc emotions, the loss of control radiating through the Force.

"How do I know you're not tricking me, General Skywalker?! How do I know it won't be a trap!? The chancellor tried to kill me! I promise you that!" Fives exclaims.

"The Chancellor?"

Protective fury rises within the heart of the former Jedi Knight. He use to grow angry with anyone insulting the Chancellor or his motives, use to be defensive of him whenever the Jedi Council had their sights on him and purpose he was committing treason, and use to protect him with his life.

"He's in on it, sir! I don't know to what extent, but I know he orchestrated much of this. He told me in the medical bay!" Fives exclaims.

"He told you?" Anakin inquires breathlessly, folding his arms across his chest. "But why would he tell you this? Certainly Palpatine isn't-"

No, he immediately dismisses that thought. He would have felt it yet thinking about it, reaching out with his senses, and deeply considering it, he can see it; Force he can see it! It makes sense! It's suddenly clear! A chilling realization strikes him; if Palpatine is-is...

But he was his mentor, was someone who always passed proper guidance to Anakin in his darkening times, offering comforting words whenever the former Jedi Knight was in an external conflict. Surely that couldn't all have been a pathetic force or in the hope of corrupting Anakin against his friends and everyone who matters to him.

"General?"

Anakin is about to say something when he feels a disturbance into the Force, placing his hand on the ARC trooper's mouth when he hears footsteps, and peaks out behind a corner, seeing Fox leading his men along with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

"Find him."

And they begin spreading out. It is only a matter of time before they find him.

And find him they did once Fives lashes out at one of the troopers, grasping hold of the blaster, aiming the weapon directly towards the clones.

"Get away! Don't come near me!"

Anakin feels his world beginning to become blurry.

He has to choose.

Earlier, the trooper just told him that the Supreme Chancellor was behind a plot to-to destroy the Jedi Order and reform the Galactic Republic.

While he has a hatred for the Jedi Council, was their truth in the trooper's words? He wasn't even targeted by the Republic, only the Jedi Order.

If he allows the Shock Troopers and Coruscant Guard to take his former ARC trooper in, he still wouldn't be targeted by the Republic, but his return would all be for nothing.

If he attacks, the Republic would target him as an accomplice.

The presence of his former Master and Padawan was nearing, along with battalions of troopers. Soon, this place would be surrounded. Soon, the trooper-HIS trooper would be taken back to the Republic and charged for attempted murder of the Supreme Chancellor and recommissioned like a droid.

But what if the trooper is telling the truth? What if the entire clone army is in jeopardy? He had little care for the Jedi except for Kenobi and Tano, but the clones who had laid down their lives for the Republic they had never known might all comprise to practically a switch button that may cause them to snap with only one press of a finger. They were his friends, each of them; Rex, Fordo, Cody, Appo, Bly, Bacara, Jet, Boomer, and so many more clones who would probably be used against their will.

The Chancellor started molding a friendship with him ever since he has freed Naboo. It started off innocent; showing him around the Senate and his office and explaining politics to him. By the age of 14, in outbound flight, he already respected him.

The Chancellor doesn't just tell him that he's going to be a great and powerful Jedi. He was told he was going to be the best. Ever since he had come Palpatine "shaped and molded the person he came to be". He idolized the Supreme Chancellor from the start. Certainly, he couldn't be behind what the trooper claimed.

He breathed; what about when he was framed during the time under the Temple bombing? What if something similar is happening? Ever since he had left the Jedi Temple, he had grown more powerful and considerate of his surroundings.

Suddenly, the troopers begin getting closer and now his former ARC trooper was unable to continue to run. Gunships had flashlights on the trooper in white armor and he was surrounded.

The Force become charged, and he could sense his former Master and his former apprentice getting even closer, along with more troopers that consisted of the 501st and 7th Sky Corps, and now he could hear them; the footsteps of their armored men down an alleyway.

He feels his hand slowly by slowly crawling down to the hilt of his weapon.

For the former Jedi, the universe suddenly seemed frozen in place, as if time itself had stopped. He realized he was at a crux in history; fate and destiny would be forever altered in the next few moments.

The Force washes over him in a wave, and a million possible futures flickers through his mind simultaneously. In some the troopers take the so-called Rogue clone back to the Republic; in others, the trooper manages to escape; and in others, the trooper is killed by his brothers brutally. He sees all outcomes in this scene; he saw variations of his trooper's own life and death played out over and over in every conceivable way, shape, and form.

He has to choose, but there is no way to know which was the most likely outcome, or what actions of his would lead to which results. Qui-Gon had said visions could guide the Jedi, but for the former Jedi, they brought nothing but confusion.

The moment passes and the universe begins to move again, though everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The troopers aim their guns and begin racing forward, ready to initiate the arrest or termination of his trooper.

"Stand down, soldier! Stand down! Get on your knees!" The voice of the clone commander, the same one who arrested him all those months ago, is heard, blaster raised at his brother's heart.

"No no! Stay back!"

The shock troopers either approacheS or takes up positions on top of buildings, blasters leveled at their brother, their intentions to subdue or to kill ringing through the Force.

Anakin knows he has to act now; he has to make his choice.

He jumps towards the scene, activating the white lightsaber, and preparing himself...

For what? He knows not. But this will change his life forever.

He can feel it.