AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I don't normally post on FF, but my brother thought I should so I did. I will be updating on FF second to AO3, so if you're looking for updates, please visit the AO3 posting:
archiveofourown works/ 36357376/chapters/90642307
I've been planning and writing this story for quite a while. It was a pretty big undertaking with long chunky chapters and stuff. I ended up enlisting my brother (NightShark774) and my cousin (SupremelySalty) to help me edit the story, so big props to them. Extra kudos to my brother, who actually came up with the title of this fic, it's really cool.
This story is written as a 'Star Wars: What if?" type deal.
Notes on this Canon:
- Everything that has happened in canon up to this point (deaths, events, etc) still happens. This story diverges from the canon around at around Season 5, but is still canon compliant.
- Certain things from the Legend continuity is carried over. Nothing major, mostly borrowing some 501st clones from there since I need names. Only Coric (from the Clone Wars novels) has an ascended role in this story, though his position is changed from Sergeant to a Medic alongside Kix.
- Takes place sometime during Season 6 of Clone Wars (about 19BBY), about the time the Conspiracy Arc happens. The story itself, starts about the time Fives escapes to 79's.
- The Jedi Temple Bombing didn't happen and Ahsoka didn't leave the Order. Bariss' characterization is changed appropriately (she's an opinionated good guy).
- Due to Fives and Ahsoka's involvement, Echo's rescue happens much sooner (basically replace the Fugitive Arc in Season 5 with Echo's rescue). At this point of the story, he has already joined Bad Batch.
- Ahsoka was present during the Battle of Ringo Vinda and witnessed Tup execute Tiplar. After witnessing Tiplar's death, she was sent back to the Coruscant for reasons.
This story has three Acts in total. As of posting this chapter, Act I: Terror, has already been fully written and edited. I'll likely be posting a chapter every 2-5 days depending on things. When an Act is finished, I'll take a short break from posting to work on the next Act as well as you know, take a break :D
I am also withholding tags until they happen in the story to avoid spoilers, but I will be adding them as the story progresses.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
ＰＲＯＬＯＧＵＥ
Shivering, Fives took a step out of the taxi. With nothing but some shiny's armor to his name, he didn't even have money to pay for the cab. He guiltily told the driver to bill the Republic before slipping into the mess of other drunk clones. Fives has always paid his bills, he was the honourable sort. The fact that he couldn't only piled on the suffocating burden on his shoulders.
After coercing a hat from one of his fellow brothers, Fives knew he wouldn't be so easily spotted here. There was a time he thought it was a curse that looked all the same, but now it was a blessing. He was safe, at least for the moment.
For a moment, he idled outside the building, feeling the weight of the whole situation wrapping around his mind and heart like volatile tendrils. Years of training and his own engineered biology didn't prepare him for this. Between the grungy feeling of whatever narcotics that Kamonian injected into this system and the utter dread, Fives wanted nothing more to shack up in the barracks again, among his brothers. What he wouldn't do to be on the field again shooting clankers and tinnies.
That life seemed so far away now. A different lifetime.
Never before had he felt so alone.
But he had to tell someone about what he knew. About these chips, about this whole conspiracy. If he didn't…Fives shook his head vigorously, a little dizzy from it all. He didn't want to think what horrors would follow. He had to do something. He owed it to Tup.
It was at this moment someone caught his eye, someone a little out of place.
A hooded figure slipped into the crowd of clones, their face was shadowed by the darkness, but Fives knew who they were. Any one of his brothers in the 501st could recognize the shape of those montrals anywhere. Even with the cloak, Fives recognized the stride of his trusted commanding officer.
Ahsoka. His heart fluttered in relief. She would listen to him.
【ＡＣＴ Ｉ： ＴΞＲＲＯＲ】
ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ １
Ahsoka shuddered, that feeling coming back again in full force.
It's been maybe a few weeks since that whole incident with Master Tiplar and the whole thing had been weighing on her mind like a tanker full of rocks.
Ahsoka didn't know Master Tiplar that well. They had only spoken on very rare occasions. The only time they've really talked was this mission. She considered them acquaintances at best, but it was still a shock to her to die like that. It reminded her too much of what happened at the citadel, with what happened with Master Piell.
But that wasn't even the worst part. Tup had been her friend, one she's known for almost her entire time as a Padawan. He was loyal and a good soldier. He's watched out for her more times that she can count. There was no way he could ever betray them like that. The way Tup had freaked out and attacked, it made her remember those Genocian worms. If only it had been that simple.
Between this and the bad memories, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that her mind was a mess at the moment. Anakin had taken note of her mood and sent her back to Coruscant early. She had protested at first, insisting that she hadn't been that shaken up, but he had put his foot down. Anakin knew witnessing this had taken a lot out of her and he wanted her away from the action for a while.
Still, mulling about the temple didn't really help much at all. At least on missions, she could focus on the combat or something, the adrenaline usually distracted her from her thoughts. Here, she could...study, but honestly Ahsoka's had enough of that. She was an all-star Padawan learner with the top scores in all her classes, there wasn't any need to study. Plus, it was just plain ol' boring. Training was no fun and tedious alone, not while Anakin was still busy with things.
In the meantime she's tried to meditate about it, but the emotions and feelings just wouldn't go away. There was just this… underlying feeling of dread that she couldn't get rid of. Ahsoka didn't really understand it herself. Just her intuition, a gut feeling at most. Consulting with the Force didn't make things any clearer.
Grumbling angrily to herself, Ahsoka pushed off the covers with the Force. A Jedi might have chided her for using her powers in such ways, but Ahsoka couldn't really care less at that moment. Her limbs felt itchy and her mind was a warbling whirlwind. She needed to move.
Seeing as she wasn't going to get any sleep, Ahsoka got up from her bed and pulled up her boots and gear. Might as well go for a walk.
The Padawan quietly exited her quarters and began to meander around the temple halls, with no particular destination in mind. She gave a quiet nod to the Temple Guard standing by. Ahsoka could tell they were curious to see where she was going so late, but they didn't ask. Good, because Ahsoka didn't feel like explaining herself either.
Although going outside didn't improve her mood, walking gave her something to do. It eased the turbulent emotions swirling around her, just for a moment. Her legs carried her to the temple gardens, where she sort of just...started walking in haphazard circles. It was pretty dark but the warm light of decorative lamps was enough to keep the place relatively illuminated.
"Isn't it a little late for a walk, young Padawan?" Surprised, Ahsoka turned around to see the familiar face of her grandmaster. Obi-wan exited the temple to join, a kind look of worry on his face. He must have noticed her walking around in the dark.
"Master Kenobi." She greeted him as he fell into step beside her. Ahsoka was happy to see him. "I...just couldn't sleep."
He had an understanding look to his eyes. "What happened to Master Tiplar is…a strange case to say the least." Figured he would know about what happened. Obi-wan was on the Council and all.
"Tup would never do this willingly." Ahsoka stated strongly, tucking in her chin. "I know he wouldn't." This was the one thing she could stand by. "The Separatists must be behind it." She wanted to do something, but she couldn't.
Obi-wan must've sensed her frustration because he put a gentle hand on her shoulder, pulling them both to a stop.
"I know this is all troubling, but the Council is looking into this." Obi-wan crossed his arms. "Whatever is wrong with Tup, we shall find out in due time. Master Shaak Ti is handling this personally."
"I hope so." Ahsoka nervously grabbed one of her arms with the other. But even if Tup was cleared from the guilt, would he be allowed back to the 501st? That was another dreary topic in itself. Ahsoka wasn't even sure if she wanted to think about it. After all, Dogma never came back either.
"You'd best get back to bed." Obi-wan told her. Ahsoka wanted to protest, she really couldn't rest, but she relented with a nod. "Would you like me to walk you back?"
"I can get myself back." assured Ahsoka, a little annoyed he even offered. "I'm not so little anymore." She tacked on the end, for good measure. She really didn't want Obi-wan babying her like Anakin did sometimes.
Sure, she was just almost-seventeen, but she wasn't the annoying fourteen year old anymore. Ahsoka's grown a lot. She wondered when Anakin and her masters would see that.
Obi-wan let out a small laugh, raising one eyebrow. "Indeed. You certainly aren't the little Padawan I met a few years ago." He had a suspiciously knowing look on his face, something Ahsoka raised her own brow at. "Maybe when this war blows over, we'll see about getting you Knighted. The Council has been quite abuzz with your recent bravery, young one."
Ahsoka blinked.
Wait. Did he just say…knighted?
Ahsoka's eyes widened as she turned to stare at her grandmaster in disbelief. This...was unexpected to say the least. She wanted to say something, but the words just wouldn't come out.
"Did you think you were going to stay as Anakin's Padawan forever?" He teased her. "That can be arranged. He'd be quite happy to hear that."
"Well, no." She managed to say, her mouth feeling a little dry, her lips curling in an eager smile. "I just…haven't thought about it in a while." Ahsoka paused for a moment, her eyes darting around as that old childish excitement began settling in again. "I used to be so excited about getting Knighted, but now… I hardly think about it at all."
Ahsoka had just become so comfortable by Anakin's side, for a while, she couldn't really imagine a time where she would stand on her own two feet. She liked to be independent, she's done solo missions before, but it was an odd idea to think that she'd finally have the authority to do things on her own.
"Well, it's just something to look forward to." He patted her on the shoulder. "And something to prepare for."
"Do you think I'm ready…?" Ahsoka asked apprehensively, a little nervous to hear the answer. "Be honest, master."
"Ahsoka, believe me when I say this. For your age, you've experienced a lot more action than even some of us old Jedi Masters have." There was a little bit of sadness in his eyes when he said this, one that Ahsoka couldn't quite place. "When the time comes, I'm sure you'll be more than ready."
Ahsoka couldn't help a grin appearing on her lips as she heard this. "That's…exciting." She finally said, feeling a little giddy.
"Knighting you is the easy part." The older man chuckled. "The hard part is getting Anakin to let you go."
At this, Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Her master had always been a fussy overprotective type. "That'll be the day."
There was a smug look on Obi-wan's face as he patted her shoulder once more. "Don't stay up too late." He was about to turn to leave, but he looked back at her. "Do know that my door is open anytime, Ahsoka. I'll always be here to talk."
The Padawan nodded. "Thank you, master."
Ahsoka watched him continue down the hall, towards the Council Room and Ahsoka turned on her heel, going back to where she came. There was a little bounce in her step, the pride and excitement of becoming a Knight was just that. Sure, there was a bit of melancholy in there to realise she won't be by Anakin's side for much longer, but it wasn't as if she wasn't going to see him again. They'll get to work together just as much as they used to, Ahsoka was certain. But this time, she won't have to bend to Anakin's crazy plans all the time. This time, she can make the plans. What a fun idea.
As she was walking back to her quarters, it had just occurred to her that Obi-wan had told her about this just to get her mind off the whole Tup thing. She inwardly grimaced as the whole thing came crashing down again. Getting excited about being knighted was a welcome reprieve from her tormenting thoughts. While it was fun to think about, getting Knighted wasn't going to make Tup feel better. Or bring Master Tiplar back.
Her mood swung back down to the murky levels it had been before. Ahsoka sighed as she reached her room. There goes her good mood.
When she entered her quarters, she was surprised to see that the datapad on her bedside table was flashing, indicating that she had received a message. Curiously, she went over to the monitor and touched it, bringing it to life. She lazily glossed over some of the coursework she had been doing that day and went over to her messages.
MSG-ENCRYPT_INC: #501-01012010-JSSE Feel like hanging out, skips? Me 'n medical at 79's. Rex not here. He / Skywalker at some brief 'til tomorrow. Coming?
It was Jesse, sending a message over their encrypted line. They had made this encryption and line earlier in the war, a private line for her to talk with the boys, something even Anakin didn't even know about. It had been Echo's idea...Ahsoka pursed her lips at the thought of her friend. At least, he was still alive. But Ahsoka missed him sometimes. She shook her head, back to the message. No use dwelling on that now.
If she got this message, it means that Anakin and the company finally made it back. Medical meant Kix and Coric? While it was a little sad that Rex wasn't there, it was a slight relief. She didn't really want to go through the 'You shouldn't be here, youngling' routine that seemed to happen every time she showed up at the bar.
She glanced at the door, biting her lip as she contemplated her options carefully. She's snuck out to 79's many times before, not to do anything bad or anything, just to hang out. Ahsoka still stuck to her principles and morals, no drinking until she was older and all that, but it was fun hanging out with the boys. They were way more fun than the stuffy rules and regulations here. As fun as it was to talk with other Padawans, she felt more at home with the troops. She could just say what she wanted to say without the whole Jedi code hanging behind her back. While she respected the Order and all, she couldn't help but feel they were a bit...double standard in some ways? Well, it was just a Padawan. Her opinion didn't matter much.
Ahsoka had a feeling Anakin knew about her nightly excursions to the clone bar, but she knew that he spent just as much time away from the temple at a certain senator's house. With each holding the other's secret, it was a draw. If she doesn't tell, he'll turn a blind eye. It was a mutual unspoken agreement. Besides, Skyguy wouldn't miss her for one night. He was at that meeting anyway. Her poor master, being forced to attend a late night meeting...Ahsoka snickered at the thought. He had never liked those, stole precious time from his secret girlfriend.
It's decided then. Beats brooding about the whole Tup thing alone in the stale darkness of her room.
MSG-ENCRYPT_OUT: #501-08102008-JEDI Save me a seat.
Ahsoka sent a reply, before scrubbing the messages from her inbox. You could never be too careful about being caught.
After making sure the door to her room was locked, Ahsoka took out one of her cloaks and threw it on. She took a moment to listen to her surroundings, with both her Togrutan hearing and with the Force. There were the light snores of her fellow Padawans and initiates in the rooms nearby, it sounded like Barriss was still doing some coursework though. Typical. That was fine, even if Barriss saw her sneaking out, she knew her good friend wouldn't rat her out. She hasn't the other dozen times, so why would she now? But her older counterpart was definitely going to try to lecture her about it later if she did spot her. Imagine if Barriss actually knew where she was going.
Sensing that it was all clear, Ahsoka approached her window and pressed the button to open the shutters. The fresh cool night air blasted her face as she slipped out.
This time she had a destination in mind.
"Keep the change." Ahsoka told the elderly cab driver as she opened the door.
"Yousa such a sweetheart." The old Gungan replied, pocketing the leftover credits he had offered her. He paused for a moment, glancing at the bar, filled to the brim with drunk clones. "Is not meesa business, but yous don't seem to much match disa place." He looked genuinely concerned.
Ahsoka tried to bite back a snide remark. Even if she was older now, people still tended to see her for what she was: a teenage Togruta. Though she supposed it was a little strange for a non-clone to go to a known clone bar.
"I know it might not seem like it, but there's no place I would rather be." She smiled at the man as she got out. "Thank you for the ride."
"Okee day." The Gungan cab driver nodded. "Yousa take care of yous self."
And with that the door to the taxi closed and Ahsoka made her way towards the entrance of the infamous clone bar known as 79's. As she approached, a couple of the men there recognized her, giving drunken salutes. Laughing, she returned them.
"Aye, it's Commander Tano!" Some of them slurred, dispersing to let her through. "Sir!"
"At ease, boys." She smirked at them, feeling the good mood here lifting her spirits already. It was worth the irritating smell of booze that permeated the whole building.
It was amusing how much of a cryptid she had become in their eyes, a spunky lady Jedi Padawan who seemed to just be as part of the boys as they were. It was like she was a celebrity, and had many 'fans' who looked forward to meeting her. This whole thing was sort of an open secret among the troopers, never reaching high enough to notify the uppity ups of what she had been doing. Ahsoka couldn't help but feel a little pride in that.
When she entered the building, she tuned her senses to try to find her companions. It was a little hard with all the yelling, music, and overall clutter of noise, but Ahsoka was able to pinpoint the distinct voices of her men. Honestly, this skill has helped her more than once in the battle. Compared to the battlefield, this was easy.
"Commander! Glad you could make it." Jesse greeted her as she approached the time. He gestured to the seat at the table. "Got ya seat."
Sitting at the table, she finally pulled her hood back and sighed, relieved that the hard part was over. It was always an adventure and a half to get here, but it was always worth it. Ahsoka turned to see that Codric already seemed dead to the world, head down on the table, snoring lightly next to several empty bottles. There was still one half-full clutched in his hand. "I see you guys already started without me."
"Coric had a rough day." Kix patted his fellow medic on the back. "He got punched in the nose by a shiny. Twice. And he had to file a report on it."
Ahsoka raised her brows. "Really? That must have been a sight." She chuckled a little. "When did you guys get back?"
"This afternoon." answered Jesse. "It was a bit of a rough one, but nothin' we couldn't handle."
"Wish I could have been there." Still a little bitter about getting sent back. She paused for a moment. "Did you guys hear anything about Tup yet?"
At the sound of the name, Coric suddenly bolted awake. "Tup? Is he here?" He mumbled, still half asleep. Seeing this, Kix patted his fellow medic on the back.
"Not yet." Jesse answered both of them. Coric sagged his shoulders, his head falling back on the table with an audible thud. Before anyone could say anything, he was asleep again.
"Oh." If the Council didn't know what was happening to Tup, there wasn't a chance Jesse or Kix knew, but Ahsoka was still a little disappointed.
"Hey, I'm sure it's fine, Fives is with 'im." Kix said, trying to sound a little optimistic. "I'm sure the folks down in Kamino know what they're doing. They taught me and Coric everything we know after all."
"I hope so." Ahsoka pursed her lips. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Jesse and Kix exchanged looks. Over the countless battles they've shared together, they knew better than to try to brush off Jedi's instincts. "Is it…a Force thing?" Jesse asked, a little concerned.
"I don't know. It just feels like something is wrong." She glanced at the two soldiers. "It might be something. It might be nothing." The young Jedi crossed her arms, leaning on the table. "I could just be worried."
"All of us are." admitted Kix, taking a huge swig of his bottle. "What's happened with Tup…it isn't normal."
'Commander.'
Ahsoka perked up, turning her head to observe her surroundings. She could've just sworn that someone just said her name. It wasn't a Force thing, she had picked it up with her sensitive montrals. She looked through the mess of clones. There were some clones chatting up some of the waitresses and more tipsy clones. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Commander?" Jesse asked. "Are you okay?"
"I thought I just heard something." She looked at the ARC trooper.
"I'd be surprised if you couldn't hear anything, Commander." joked Kix, though he was a little nervous. "Tonight's 'specially loud. Especially since the 212nd is here." He jerked his thumb at the very loud group of drunk clones singing at the bar counter.
She snorted. Cody must be disappointed somewhere.
'Ahsoka. Over here.'
This time the voice was a little louder.
Ahsoka whirled around again and found her gaze being drawn to a trooper standing in the corner of the bar, sort of to himself. He looked like a shiny, but he was wearing one of the admiral hats. The clone wasn't drinking or partying like the rest of the soldiers, which was extremely suspicious. Confused, Ahsoka reached out to him through the Force and was startled to be met with that awful feeling of dread and terror she's been feeling ever since Master Tiplar's death.
When the trooper noticed her looking at him, he made eye contact and Ahsoka realized who she was staring at.
"Fives?" She breathed, shocked to see him there. Wasn't Fives supposed to be with Tup on Kamino? What was he doing here?
'Need to talk. Just you.' Fives mouthed at her. There was an urgency in his eyes, his lips quivered with fear. Before Ahsoka could try to call out to him, he disappeared into the mess of clones, heading towards the exit of the bar.
"What is it?" Jesse tried to follow her gaze.
Ahsoka turned to look at the clone lieutenant and then the medic, who both seemed to be catching on that something was really wrong. That was definitely Fives. All clones may look the same on the surface, but she's been around her boys long enough that she could tell.
What did he want to talk about? Why did he just want to talk to just her?
"I'm just going to check something out." She said, getting up from her seat. "Don't wait for me."
They both stood up. "We'll come with you."
As much as Ahsoka would appreciate their backup, she had a feeling that she needed to approach Fives alone. He looked spooked and bringing more people might scare him. "You boys just enjoy the night." She told them in her more authoritative commander tone. Then she pointed at Coric. "And you better take Coric to the fresher, I sense he's going to throw up."
It wasn't a lie. Coric was starting to look a little green.
Kix quickly began attending to his drunk brother, but Jesse still looked ready to come with her. "Are you sure, skipper?"
"I can handle myself, thank you very much." She said a little dryly. "Now enjoy the night. That's an order."
"Yes, Commander." Jesse said, a bit reluctantly.
"I'll tell you about it later. I promise."
Ahsoka bid them a quick farewell, pulling up her hood once more and pushing through the crowd and to the entrance. Just as she stepped out into the landing platform, someone grabbed her arm. Out of instinct, she was about to retaliate, but she soon realised it was just Fives.
"Fives!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice. The terror in his eyes made her speak softly.
"C-Commander." He sounded so relieved, clutching at her arm. "I'm-I'm glad you're here." There was so much fear in his voice, it was almost overwhelming.
"What's wrong?" Ahsoka asked, noticing that he was shivering more and more. He was pals as a ghost. "Are you okay? Kix is inside, we could-"
"No!" He almost yelled, but he clamped a hand over his mouth, frantically checking around them. Fives shook his head wildly, his eyes almost bulging out of his head. "No, no, just you. I need to talk to you. Just you, Ahsoka."
If he was using her name instead of her title, then this seemed pretty serious. "What is it?"
"Not here. I-I can't talk here." Fives started pulling her along. Still a little confused and overwhelmed, Ahsoka stood her ground, pulling back a little. Seeing her resistance, Fives whirled around in a panic. "Please. Just listen."
Ahsoka looked into his teary, terrified eyes, feeling her own anxiety start to spike. Fives was usually so jokey, so fun, so unlike this. Even under the stress of combat, he had never acted like this, he was an ARC trooper for a reason. If he was acting like this, something must be wrong.
"Okay, Fives." She told him with a small reassuring smile, hiding her own uneasiness. "I'll come with you."
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." He mumbled, half to himself as he kept tugging her along.
Even though she was still highly unnerved by the situation, Ahsoka allowed herself to be led along by the distressed trooper. They were completely silent as they walked and walked. Ahsoka wanted to ask where exactly he was taking her, but she kept her mouth shut. Fives was clutching her arm like it was his lifeline. She could feel the way his hands trembled, the way he kept checking behind them like they were being followed. Fives was terrified.
He took her down multiple alleyways, down several levels, until they eventually ended up at some abandoned warehouse on the 13th level of Coruscant.
When they finally made it inside, he slowed to a stop, still clutching her arm.
"Fives?" She hesitantly asked.
Suddenly, he grabbed the young Togruta by her shoulders. "Ahsoka, I-I need your help."
Ahsoka jumped at the sudden movement, feeling a little uncomfortable at being grabbed like this. If Fives wasn't so distressed she might've clocked him right in the face. Instead, she put a hand on his shoulder and arm, trying to calm him down.
"Of course." Ahsoka agreed with a slow nod. "But you have to tell me what's wrong. You are acting a little…"
"I'm not crazy!" Fives raised his voice, shaking her a little. When he noticed that Ahsoka was getting a little scared, he released her, bringing a hand up to his head. "Please, please…just hear what I have to say."
"I will."
The clone looked so relieved at this, some semblance of a smile appearing on his face. "I-I was framed." He started, pacing a little. "Because I know the truth." Fives turned to her, trying to read her reaction.
"Framed?'' Ahsoka blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?" She hadn't heard anything about this at all. Though to be fair, she'd sort of been kept in the dark since Master Tiplar died. Anakin had been pretty tight lipped, probably being overprotective again.
"You don't know…She doesn't-" The man grumbled to himself for a moment. "There's a massive deception. A plot against the Jedi."
This caught Ahsoka's attention. A plot against the Jedi. She felt her blood slowly frosting over. What Fives just said, it was the confirmation of that awful feeling, that one she had been fighting to suppress. Ahsoka liked to think she was a brave person, she's faced down death more than once, but this…this was a new kind of scary. "What do you mean?" Ahsoka decided to press.
"I h-have proof." Fives stuttered. He jerked a hand towards his head, looking at Ahsoka with watery eyes. "I-It's in here. In all of us, every clone." He tapped his head.
Ahsoka furrowed her brows. "I...don't understand."
"Ahsoka." He said her name like she was his final hope. Maybe she was. "Organic chips. Inhibitors-" He pointed to his head again. "Built into our genetic code, to make us do whatever somebody wants." Fives looked into her eyes, filled with grief. "Even to kill the Jedi. To kill you. To kill everyone in the Jedi Order."
"What?" Was there anything else Ahsoka could say?
Fives took her shocked expression as one of disbelief. "Y-you don't believe me!" He agonized, putting his head into his hands.
"No, no." She told him, touching his shoulder. "Fives, I do believe you. I don't think you'll lie about something like this." But even if he wasn't lying, how much did believe was true? There have always been cases of misinformation.
"They're trying to kill me." The man shook his head as Ahsoka led him to sit down on one of the supply crates.
She frowned. "Who is?"
"The Chancellor." He whispered, like it was a cursed word. "H-he's in on it. I don't know to what extent, but I know he orchestrated much of this. It goes all the way to the top, Ahsoka. They are in on it." He violently gestured, his eyes watery with frustration.
The Chancellor? Like the man on the tippy top of the Grand Republic? Ahsoka swallowed, realizing this might go deeper than she initially thought. This was all rather hard to take in. "How do you know this?"
"He told me, Ahsoka." Fives hissed to her, staring directly into her eyes. "He told me."
Ahsoka scrunched her face in confusion. When did Fives talk to the Chancellor?
"If what you say is true…" She breathed, the tanker-full-of-rocks feeling doubling in intensity. This might be a little too much, even for her.
"It is true." The man insisted, grabbing her arm again, squeezing tight. He wobbled on his feet, looking like he was about to throw up.
Ahsoka took a deep breath, trying to still her own whirling emotions. Fives needed her to be that strong commanding officer now. "Okay. Okay. First, let's get you out of here. I'll take you back to the temple. Anakin might-"
"No!" Fives suddenly shouted, making her jump slightly. "No. They'll kill me. They think I tried to assassinate the Chancellor!" He violently shook his head. "I didn't, I was framed."
Oh, so that's what he meant. Ahsoka didn't think she could get any more surprised. But boy, this whole thing seemed to be getting better and better.
"Alright, I'll…" She thought for a moment, trying to figure out another place to put Fives until she could figure out what to do.
It was then she heard a low buzzing sound. It didn't look like Fives heard it, though it seemed like he was too delirious to really notice anything really. She paused for a moment, listening intently, before whipped around, stretching out her hand. She grabbed the spy droid with the Force that had been sneaking around the corner, crushing it easily. Startled, Fives jumped up as the crushed ball of metal and wires fell to the floor, sparking slightly.
"We were being watched." She walked over the droid to investigate, Fives sticking close by her side. Ahsoka knelt down to scrutinize the pieces.
It was a standard model GAR spy droid, Ahsoka had used it a couple times on missions. Though it looked to be one of the older models, which meant no sound recording. Thankfully, this whole place was a little dark, the only thing it might've recorded was two shady shadows standing next to each other. Good news, but if this thing was stalking them in the first place…
There was a prickle of unease.
According to what Fives said, it sounded like someone was after him. Probably the Coruscant Guards, it seemed within their jurisdiction. If Fives was a fugitive, then she didn't know if she liked the idea of being associated with him like this. She didn't think she'd be in any trouble, she was just sort of dragged into this, but if what Fives said about the Chancellor was true…well, it was a scary thought.
"We need to get out of here." Ahsoka finally said. Though honestly, she didn't really know where they could go. Keep running? Ahsoka could only be gone for so long before someone at the Temple figured out she was missing. Maybe she could…
She picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. They've been found. Not a surprise considering the Spy Droid must've been following them for quite some time already.
"Fives, we gotta go." She whispered to him, grabbing the trooper by the arm this time.
As the two broke into a run, they heard voices behind them. "Hey! Stop!"
Ahsoka glanced back to see that it was indeed the Coruscant Guards. It didn't look like Fox was with them, at least not yet. He must be further behind or in another squad. She's definitely been spotted, but it didn't look like they'd be able to identify her in the dark like this.
"Come on, get up." She pushed Fives up some stairs, onto the higher levels of the warehouse.
Fives was fumbling around, it didn't look like his limbs were moving right. He tripped to the ground when he made it up the stairs. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to walk on his own, she slung his arm around her neck and began dragging him along. He was a bit heavy, but nothing a bit of her Force-enhanced muscles could handle. Anakin was way heavier than this.
"They went up there!" Clones called out from behind him.
The voices were getting closer, they weren't moving fast enough. Seeing this, Ahsoka kicked her leg out at some stacked rebar nearby, smirking a little when they loosened up and began rolling down the stairs. She sent a silent apology to the clones who were going to wake up with a concussion later.
She was startled when a shot bounced off a metal railing next to her. A new kind of horror set in when she realized they were shooting to kill. She hadn't been quite convinced of the entirety of what Fives believed was true but the whole 'they'll kill me part' seemed like it was. This wasn't good.
With some effort, they managed to get onto the roof of the building. She dropped Fives by the edge before using the Force to pile on some barrels onto the door behind them. It wouldn't stop their pursuers, but it would buy them some time. And break line of sight.
"Hang on to me, Fives." She whispered to him. He nodded weakly, hooking his arm around her one more time.
Gathering the strength in her legs, she jumped across the gap to the next building, another warehouse, and then another. When they landed a third time, Ahsoka had to stop, her limbs getting sore from the pressure. It was one thing to run around and be acrobatic by herself, but it was a little different when she had a passenger, one twice her size and weight.
"Ahsoka.." Fives started, his voice wheezing in pain. "I-I can't go on…" He tried to loosen his grip on her. "That woman, she injected me with-"
Then several shots rang out.
Ahsoka didn't register what happened until Fives suddenly slumped over, a smoldering blaster shot in the back of his armor.
"Fives!"
A few more blaster shots flew over her shoulder and she glanced back snarling slightly. What in the world were they doing? How could they shoot one of their own? Pushing those thoughts out of the way for now, Ahsoka quickly dragged her trooper friend behind some cover. Ahsoka laid him down, her hands hovering over the blaster wound, unsure what to do. Her heart dropped when she saw the location of the wound.
She couldn't help. Not from this kind of wound. No one could.
"I-I'm sorry, kid." Fives reached out a hand out to her, his hand shaking. Ahsoka grabbed his hand with her left, at a loss for words. "I-I never meant to…I…I only wanted to do my duty."
"...Fives." She knew better than to assure a dying soldier that things would be alright. So Ahsoka just stayed there, holding his hand in hers.
Ahsoka's watched clones die many times before. But this was a little different. Fives was…he's been with her since the beginning, just like Tup had been. Ahsoka remembered bidding him farewell, promising they would meet up again once Tup was better. She just couldn't…believe anything that was happening.
What happened with Master Tiplar and Tup…what Fives told her, and now all this? She growled in frustration as she heard more blaster shots overhead. Could they just let up for just one bloody minute?
"Ahsoka." He rasped, clutching her hand weakly. "Please, save my brothers...save everyone." His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I…" Her eyes were getting watery. There was a lump in her throat. "...I promise."
A look of resignation overcame his eyes. Peace, maybe.
She watched her friend's eyes stare up into the darkness above them. "The mission… the nightmares…" He murmured quietly. "They're…finally… over…"
Fives' grip loosened and his head tilted slightly, the last of his life filtering out of his eyes. Ahsoka waited for a moment, stunned by what just happened. She continued to hold his hand, yearning for it to squeeze back, but he was gone. There was an odd feeling when Ahsoka realised she wouldn't hear his voice anymore. He was a crazy drunk and always made a huge mess in the barracks. He called her 'General Tano' as a joke sometimes.
Oh.
She just watched Fives die.
Ahsoka sucked in a breath as she placed the hand on his chest, patting it gently. Her fingers trembled as she closed his vacant eyes.
"I…" She stammered, conflicted by all her emotions, muzzled by Jedi training. "You're a good soldier, Fives. A good friend." Ahsoka pulled herself up to her feet, knowing that she couldn't stay. "I'll figure this out. Somehow. I promise."
The sound of footsteps told her that she needed to go. As much as she wanted to take his body with her, back to the 501st, she realistically couldn't. There was no time. With one final look at her deceased friend, Ahsoka made herself scarce, wondering what in the world she was going to do next.
"We found the fugitive, sir." Fox said into the commlink, a dry taste in his mouth. He glanced over to the medics who were looking over the body. They met his gaze, shaking their heads sadly. "He's been…eliminated."
"That is a tragic outcome." The Chancellor's voice crackled over the feed. Though he was frowning, he didn't sound particularly upset. "Do inform General Skywalker of development. He will want to know what happened."
"Of course, sir." The commander nodded. "But there is one other thing."
"What is it?"
"Clone Trooper Fives was not alone." He explained. "There was an accomplice with him."
The Chancellor's eyes widened in surprise, something Fox rarely ever sees. "Oh?" He paused for a moment. "Do you know who this someone might be?"
"No, sir. It was too dark." Fox shook his head. "But, from our observations, we think it might be a Jedi."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I really wanted to keep Fives alive, but I knew that I couldn't, not for this story to work the way I wanted it to. Rest in peace, Fives, Ahsoka can take it from here...?
Fun fact, the numbers in the message frequency Ahsoka had with the clones aren't random, but are actually the character's debut dates. Ahsoka debuted in the Clone Wars movie in 08/10/2008 and Jesse debuted in 01/01/2010 in Season 2. Some of the dialogue here is quoted direction from Clone Wars, so if things feel similar, it's because it is (changed it slightly tho).
Next up, Act I: Chapter 2...
The first Act has about seven chapters at the moment. I suspect the other Acts will have similar numbers, but it may change as I am writing it. Also, I drew the banner, that me art. If you like it, follow me on Twitter or visit me website: D
Anyways, I hope y'all found this What if? concept as interesting as I did, because I really enjoyed writing this. There's a whole lot to go, so I hope you'll stick around for the journey :D
(Again if you want more updates visit the AO3!)