So it has been a pretty hectic week for me. This past Tuesday I graduated from high school and begin the next chapter of my life studying digital film. On top of that, the support that this story is getting is amazing and I can't thank all of you enough for it. In other news, me and my co-author/ editor have started to work on the finale. He is assisting me in writing this story and reorganizing it into the first Nightmare of Kenobi EU. Prequel Memes aside, he'll be assisting me in writing the story, and don't worry, my original vision for this story is still intact. My co-author is helping me expand my ideas into something far greater than any Jedi could ever make. As we work, our combined effort has finished the story with a satisfying conclusion. All that is left is filling in the gap between this chapter and the final chapter which won't happen for a while, we've got 23 years of galactic history yet to cover. With that out of the way, may the force be with you, my friends.
VengetheSith: *Palpatine laughter intensifies*
RyanSquad: 1)… so you're the sith lord we've been looking for. 2) (This is a response to a review on an old story) I wanted to continue it but I lost passion for it midway through writing chapter 2. It was also at the hight of my HTTYD fic Rise of a King and my attention was mostly to that.
Guest: Good, glad you enjoyed it. This one won't be as long though.
Ahsoka and Rex watched as more bodies were dumped into the ocean below. Each man was draped in a republic banner and was given a proper send-off. What remained of Ahsoka's forces had been pulled to the surface as well as the ships. Clone engineers were hard at work trying to repair the damaged ships, including the Resolute.
Rex had bandages across his torso and around his forehead. Though he was hurt, the medics deemed him well enough to get back on his feet. So as they stood there watching the sunset over the horizon, Rex couldn't help but think of what was to come next.
"We can't stay here," Ahsoka said out of nowhere.
"I know but where else do we have to go Ahsoka. Any planet we go to is at risk of being drawn into the fighting."
"That's just it, we have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide and Valicous will return with a larger army we won't be able to fight off. We have three legions max, seven damaged warships, and hardly any supplies. We never did get that kriffing tibanna gas from Bespin," Ahsoka replied, trailing off.
Rex sighed, turning to face the young woman.
"Ahsoka, listen to me. Things look bleak right now, we never prepared for fighting the full might of the Empire. A wrench was thrown our way and we need to make do with what we have. If that means sacrificing Kamino, then so be it."
"Rex we can't sacrifice your home, I can't do that."
"Ahsoka Kamino isn't home to me, hasn't been for some time," he reassured her. "Sure I grew up here, I might have trained here but not all my memories of this place are fond."
Ahsoka said nothing, only looking into Rex's eyes.
"Home to me is that Venator getting its bridge repaired right now, home is where my brothers are currently fighting, home to me was the bunks we set up whenever we were on campaign. My home is with you and my brothers and I'm sure everyone is willing to sacrifice this planet so that we can fight another day. General Skywalker said not to give up and that we always have the ability to fight, we still have that ability."
Ahsoka looked down to the ground, unsure what to say. Rex moved his hand to her chin and lifted her head up.
"Ahsoka, look at me. We can take Fett's DNA, the blueprints for the cloning facility, and set them up wherever we go. We can blow this place to the ground and slow the enemy town. All we need is to set up the explosives and if need be, I'll sacrifice myself to make sure the Empire can't have it."
"No Rex, I can't ask you to lay your life down for me."
"When I first met you, I was given an order to make sure nothing happened to you at all costs. General Skywalker wanted me to keep you safe and even now it's the order I give myself every day. Even if that met starring down Valicous in the eye, I would do it. You mean too much to me for me to let anything happen to you."
Rex brought Ahsoka close and planted his lips on hers. The two of them locked lips until they both pulled away to breathe. Ahsoka wrapped her arms around Rex's neck and leaned into his chest.
"What did I do to deserve you?"
"Not much but I would appreciate if you went easy on my head."
"Oh sorry," Ahsoka quickly replied and pulled away.
Rex flashed her smile and was about to lean in for another kiss but Commander Rockett walked up to them.
"I'm sorry am I interrupting something?" he asked.
"No at all, what is it, soldier?"
"Commander, with all due respect we are the same rank," he replied.
"Not in my book," Rex responded.
"Rex believes that experience outranks everything," Ahsoka added.
"Well then, guess I gotta get more experience. Anyways I've done a final tally of everything we have here. As you requested all of our destroyers are here but if we were to retreat when the Empire attacks, we'll be leaving with at most three of them. As for troops, we have little over twenty-four thousand men ready for combat, almost three full legions. If needed we could deploy the cadets and add another two or three legions to the defense force. As for supplies, Jesse thinks we'll run out of tibanna gas soon."
"Either of us can't leave, we're needed here," Rex told Ahsoka.
Ahsoka pondered for a moment and then looked at Rex.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this but contact Hondo Onaka."
Lord Valicous walked the halls of the senate rotunda. His master had requested him ever since he returned but Valicous needed to get his arm repaired. So now as he walked into his master's office he couldn't help but feel nervous.
Upon entering the room, he saw Palpatine sitting at his desk looking at reports. Valicous walked into the middle of the room and bent his knee.
"What is thy bidding my master?" Valicous said.
"I have been informed of your failure on Kamino, lord Valicous."
"I'm sorry master, they were more prepared then I thought they were. Their fleet ambushed ours and Ahsoka Tano bested me in our fight."
"Ahh, I see. The apprentice of Anakin Skywalker was able to beat Darth Valicous in a lightsaber duel."
Palpatine got up from his seat and made his way over to Valicous.
"If it wasn't for her troops I would have killed her."
"Would you have now? Or did you hesitate because of the memories of Obi-Wan Kenobi still plague you."
"Ahsoka Tano means nothing to me anymore. All she is is a memory and she will be brought to justice."
"Will she now? You've already failed to beat her once who's to say you can do it all, Lord Valicous."
"Master I-" Valicous tried to argue.
"You've allowed a teenage girl to best a dark lord of the sith. All because the memories of Obi-Wan Kenobi still have meaning to you. Tell me Lord Valicous are you loyal to me or does Obi-Wan Kenobi stand before me?"
"I am loyal to you my master."
"How unfortunate that you are trying to deceive me. A dark lord of the sith does not hesitate to kill so prove it. Strike me down and take my place as the dark lord of the sith," Palpatine said as he turned around.
"I can not my master," Valicous responded.
Palpatine made a disapproving growl and turned to Valicous. Without warning lighting shot from his fingers, electrocuting him. Valicous screamed out in pain as he fell back.
"Always the complacent one, Obi-Wan. Forever you shall remain a servant to a higher power."
Palpatine began to laugh maniacally as his apprentice writhed out the ground. He could see Valicous try to grab his lightsaber but to no avail. After what seemed like hours to Valicous, Palpatine let up his attack. Valicous took strained breaths as he tried to get back on his feet.
"Gather your forces lord Valicous, go to Kamino again. Bring young Tano to justice, leave none alive. I do not care if you destroy the planet or not, these rebels must be brought to justice," Palpatine demanded.
"I understand… my master."
"Good, you're dismissed, my friend."
Valicous got off his knee and slowly made his way out of his master's office. The clone troopers that guarded the senate saluted him as he passed them but he paid them no attention. Valicous entered his personal quarters and rested on a chair. As he closed his eyes, he failed to realize the Jedi watching over him.
Qui-Gon placed a hand on his former padawan's shoulder. He could sense the turmoil within him, the pain he felt for he thought he lost everything. There was guilt as well mixed with sorrow for his actions months ago. Obi-Wan wanted to find Anakin to help him escape but Valicous wanted Skywalker dead.
Valicous shook his head and got up from his chair. He then turned to face the force ghost, his eyes narrowing when he saw who it was.
"Oh, it's you," Valicous said in disgust.
"Expecting someone different, my old padawan?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Certainly not you," Valicous responded.
Qui-Gon shook his head and made his way closer to Valicous. He ghosted his hand over the armor that he wore, looking at was left of Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan, look how far you've fallen. The young man I knew would have ever done the things you did."
"That young man died with Obi-Wan on Mustafar when Anakin Skywalker did this to me," Valicous replied, gesturing to his suit.
"You allow yourself to believe that. Obi-Wan Kenobi is not dead, far from it. You're suppressing him, you're refusing to allow him to resurface because you believe there is no other choice. You think that Valicous is the be-all and end-all, I sense the good in you."
Valicous said nothing only looking at his old master.
"Palpatine is lying to you, ever since you had one on one conversations with him, he twisted your mind, twisted the reality you lived in. Ahsoka Tano never did anything to wrong you, Anakin did nothing to wrong you, Satine did nothing to wrong you. Valicous believes that because of the lies he told you."
"No, he wouldn't, he told me I could save them and they betrayed me!"
"Obi-Wan-"
"Get out of my head!"
Valicous ignited his lightsaber and swung at the ghost of his master. Qui-Gon disappeared into thin air, leaving Valicous alone with the humming of his lightsaber. Valicous shook his head and turned his blade off.
Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for the Weequay pirate to finish landing. Going to Hondo for help was normally the last resort for Anakin and Obi-Wan and this was Ahsoka's last resort. When ship finished landing, Ahsoka and Rex made their way over to his ship.
Hondo walked down the ramp, smiling, taking in the sights around him.
"Master Jedi, so glad you turned to me for help."
"Hondo, I only asked for your help because you're my last resort," Ahsoka responded.
Hondo's smile faded as he continued to approach the rebellion leaders.
"I have your gas but it will cost you," Hondo said, getting right to the point.
"I don't have much in the term of credits but I can offer what I can," Ahsoka responded.
"Twenty thousand for all forty canisters," Hondo replied.
"What!?" Rex screamed. "Twenty thousand for forty canisters, we could buy a kriffing freighter with that kind of money!"
Ahsoka placed a hand on Rex's shoulder to calm him down. She turned back to Hondo to try and cut a deal.
"I can do ten thousand now and pay the rest back with protection from the empire."
Hondo didn't say anything, rubbing his chin as he thought.
"The empire will be gunning for you, they know where you operate out of. You aren't safe, they'll wipe you out," Ahsoka pleaded.
Hondo remained silent, pondering what Ahsoka said.
"You have yourself a deal, master Jedi," he suddenly said. "Ever since those two horny men split my crew, I doubt I could take on the empire."
Ahsoka smiled and turned to face Rex.
"Have the men unload the gas, I'll take care of the payment."
"Yes, sir!"
Hondo briefly watched the clone walk away before turning back to the Jedi.
"When you contacted me I was hoping for Skywalker or Kenobi. Please don't tell me of them both died."
"Master Skywalker is fine but I won't tell you where he is. As for master Kenobi, he… he met a fate far worse than death."
"Oh no not Kenobi, we used to have the most wonderful conversations. After all, my mother used to say that if you had good conversations with someone they were good friends."
Rockett walked up to them with a case full of credits. Hondo smiled at the case and took it off the clone commander.
"Pleasure doing business with you, oh and one more thing to show goodwill between us two," Hondo responded as he took out a holoprojector. "It's a map of the more secret areas of the uncharted regions."
Ahsoka grabbed the holoprojector ad looked at different systems.
"Thank you, Hondo. This will be beneficial to us in the long run."
Ahsoka watched as the pirate left and the landing platform soon became empty. Rex soon joined her as their unexpected ally left the system.
"General Kenobi always had a strange relationship with that man," Rex said.
"Tell me about it, even if we didn't plan on running into him he would be there, like that one time on Felucia."
Rex smiled and turned to watch the men bring in the gas canisters. From behind them, Boil walked up to them with concern laced onto his face.
"General," Boil started.
Ahsoka and Rex turned to face the 212th sergeant.
"Yes, Boil?" asked Ahsoka.
"It's Cody, he's uh… he's not doing too well. I think he's struggling with having to fight brothers."
"I'll go check on him," Ahsoka responded.
She then turned to Rex. "Rex stay here and make sure the ships we are taking with us are fueled up," Ahsoka told him.
"Yes, sir," Rex responded.
Ahsoka nodded and made her way to the 212th's barracks. When she opened the door, Ahsoka found Cody sitting on a bunk with his head buried in his hands. Ahsoka quietly made her way over to the clone commander, doing her best trying not to disturb him.
Cody heard footsteps approaching and lifted his head to see who it was. He was surprised to see Ahsoka walking towards him, causing him to straighten himself up as he stood to salute her.
"General," Cody greeted as he placed his right hand beside his head.
"No need to be so formal Cody," Ahsoka replied lowering Cody's hand back to his side. "Boil said that there was something on your mind."
"That's Boil being Boil sir, just exaggerating the… uhh… truth, yeah the truth," Cody stammered.
"Cody I can sense your distress in the force, please tell me what's wrong," Ahsoka pleaded.
Cody sighed and sat back down on the cot, the commander shut his eyes and shook his head.
"I've been thinking, sir, about the men we killed- I killed," Cody began.
Ahsoka wasted no time sitting next to Cody who had started to look more distressed.
"They don't have a choice though, they're forced to do the enemy's bidding because of the chip. Had Rex not found out about the chip I could be on the other side of the battlefield trying to kill you. When the order was given I would have shot General Kenobi without a second thought."
Cody shook his head at looked down at the ground.
"Maybe if I just did what I was told to, General Kenobi would still be alive. I would have stopped him from getting killed by the chancellor and he would be here with us."
Ahsoka didn't have heart to tell him what happened to Obi-Wan. Cody's emotions were already running high and she felt like telling him Valicous's true identity would make it worse. She just made a mental note to tell him before the next battle.
"I just can't shake the thought that we were bread to kill the Jedi, that we served a single purpose, that the men lost meant nothing as long as the true end goal was met. I don't understand, Ahsoka, I just don't."
"I don't understand it either nor does Rex or any of your bothers. To be frank, I don't understand it either, I could never understand what's it like to be bread to kill someone against your own will. But I am always here for you if you need a shoulder to lean on Cody. If you ever feel like you need to talk to someone I will always be here for you, don't hide your pain."
Cody nodded and felt Ahsoka stand up from beside him. He stood up with her and saluted her.
"Thank you, Ahsoka."
"Anytime Cody."
With that Ahsoka exited the room.
"How long are you gonna meditate for?" Rex asked Ahsoka as they walked through the halls of Kamino.
"Long enough to clear my head, keep watch for me?" Ahsoka asked.
"Of course Ahsoka, just don't take too long," he responded.
Ahsoka nodded and entered her personal quarters. She took her spot in the middle of the room and kneeled. Ahsoka then closed her eyes and took a deep breath before entering meditation. After a brief moment, Ahsoka felt herself leave the room she was in. She opened her eyes and instead of being met with the dull white rooms of Kamino, Ahsoka found herself on a grassy planet.
Ahsoka stood up from where she kneeled and walked around a bit, taking in the scenery around her. Wherever she was, it was beautiful with its sprawling hills and calming streams of water. Ahsoka walked over to one of the streams and observed the fish swim up and down it. She then looked at her reflection, oh how far she had come since the fateful day on Christophsis. No longer was she that headstrong padawan that rather used her lightsabers instead of her mind. She and grown both physically and mentally, years of learning under Anakin Skywalker had changed her.
"Peaceful isn't it," a voice said.
Ahsoka looked around for the source and froze when she saw who had spoken. Sitting beside a tree was a ghost from her past, the ghost that now tormented her. Obi-Wan or Valicous or whoever he was, was calmly observing her as if he was debating his next move.
"Obi-Wan," she spoke breathlessly.
It was if he hadn't changed, he was in is old Jedi robes with no sign of his horrid black armor insight. No breathing mask covered his mouth and nose, allowing her to see the ginger beard she had grown accustomed to seeing when Obi-Wan was in the room. Obi-Wan also still had his hair, he wasn't bald and scarred, he looked just like he had before Mustafar.
"I don't know what this place is or why the force keeps bringing me here while I try to clear my head but it's nice. I don't get to feel the pain that was left in me after… well you know," Obi-Wan calmly explained as he stood up.
"Master Kenobi," was the only thing Ahsoka could muster as a response.
"I don't know who I am here. Somedays I'm Valicous other days I'm Obi-Wan," Obi-Wan responded as he walked towards her.
Ahsoka shook her head, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She didn't realize how much she missed the older Jedi but seeing him again, seeing him as he did in her last good memory of him broke her heart. What in the name of the sith hells had happened to him…
"I don't know to be honest with you, things seemed to fall apart when the Jedi betrayed the Republic," Obi-Wan said, reading her mind.
Ahsoka shook her head, her eyes widening when she saw his yellow eyes.
"The Jedi didn't betray the Republic, Palpatine did," she responded cautiously.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "Oh Ahsoka, you don't know what I found, what I was told while you and Anakin were away on Mandalore. You were lucky, little one…" Obi-Wan's voice trailed off.
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
"Barris, I saw what she was planning. She was going to bomb the temple and frame you, had I not killed her when I did, well I think you can figure the rest out," Obi-Wan replied.
"I know Barris, she isn't capable of what you tell me," Ahsoka said, shaking her head.
"You allow yourself to believe that but you must sense that I tell the truth," Obi-Wan responded.
Ahsoka shook her head, not wanting Obi-Wan to get to her.
"What happened to you Obi-Wan," Ahsoka asked. "You were a good man, what changed so drastically to make you fall to the dark side?"
"Everything changed Ahsoka, I saw visions, I had nightmares of what had come and what was yet to come. I saw the Jedi's death, I saw what the Jedi had become and I had to put an end to that. I was promised that you, Anakin, and Satine would be safe but no the three of you had to go and betray me, just like everyone else!" Obi-Wan aggressively answered.
"We didn't betray you, we tried to bring you back, we tried to bring you home," Ahsoka replied.
"And how did that work out for you?" Obi-Wan asked, gesturing to her robotic hand. "How did that work out for me?"
"Anakin didn't want to hurt you, he just wanted you to stop," she tried to reason.
"Oh I'm sure, that's why I'm stuck in a suit of armor to protect what is left of me from the elements when Anakin left me to die on Mustafar. That's why I'm practically a slave to the most powerful being in the galaxy!" Obi-Wan shouted.
The ground around them began to catch fire, burning away any beauty the place held.
"Leave him Obi-Wan, we can help you, we can stop him," Ahsoka pleaded.
"No, I can't you must realize that in the end what I'm doing is right."
"No, Obi-Wan, he's lying to you. We wanted to help you, we just wanted-"
"You can help me, Ahsoka. Join me and together we can bring peace to the galaxy, restore the law and order your rebellion takes away."
Ahsoka shook her head and walked towards Obi-Wan until they were just inches from each other.
"I will never join you or the dark side."
"Then you will die!" Valicous yelled.
Valicous ignited his lightsaber and raised it above Ahsoka who didn't react in time.
Ahsoka fell to the ground with a loud thud and slowly picked herself off the ground. Looking around she was back in Kamino, no doubt hitting the ground alerted Rex. And as if on cue, the clone rushed through the door and to her side.
"Ahsoka are you alright?" Rex asked.
"Yeah I'm fine, I just have more questions than answers…" Ahsoka trailed off.
"Why?" Rex asked.
Ahsoka didn't respond, only shaking her head.
"Why?" Rex asked again.
"I saw him!" Ahsoka shouted through her tears. "I saw Obi-Wan…"
Rex nodded and looked down at the ground briefly before pulling Ahsoka into a hug.
"I miss him," Ahsoka cried.
"I do too, kid, I do too."
