This is...kinda sad.
TW: Fives dies, so offscreen character death, grief, bad decisions because of grief, abuse,
Fox stood, shaking, in the alley beside the warehouse. He'd dropped his helmet from numb fingers and it lay beside him, the faceless visor staring up at him mockingly. Footsteps echoed behind him—not plastoid, but the soft-soled boots that Jedi wore.
"You killed him." Fox turned to see the Jedi's grief-stricken face. "You killed him!" Fox kept his mouth shut, waiting. He'd followed orders, of course he had. He couldn't do anything else. The only thing Fox didn't understand was why the Jedi was angry. Surely Skywalker could've stopped it. Couldn't the Jedi have Force-pushed him, or stopped the bolt, or pushed Fives out of the way?
"Say something." It was Rex this time, coming to the Jedi's side.
"Good soldiers follow orders." Fox whispered. Rex looked confused. Fox turned and started to walk away, but he was frozen in place.
"No." Skywalker hissed. "You don't get to just walk away from this." Fox braced himself, knowing what would follow. Skywalker yanked him around so he was facing them. The Force loosened around Fox, and he could've run, but he knew better than to move.
"General." Rex murmured. Skywalker didn't listen. He hit Fox hard in the face. Fox cringed, closing his eyes. The second blow didn't come. When Fox glanced up warily, Rex was holding his general still.
"Anakin Skywalker, enough." Rex barked.
"He killed Fives!" Skywalker sounded choked now, less angry and more anguished.
"I know." Rex said. "But anger is not the solution. What would Fives want?"
"Dunno." Skywalker muttered. "But he's dead now."
"You didn't even believe him." Rex reminded the Jedi. Skywalker stiffened.
"He-he was sick!"
"Yeah, drugged." Fox scoffed, not intending for anyone to hear. They both looked at him, and it took all Fox's willpower not to flinch.
"What?" Skywalker demanded. Fox snapped to attention.
"Clones suspected of being dangerous are often drugged to lower their response time and capacity for rational thought, sir."
"So, you knew that and you still shot him?" Skywalker was back to angry. Fox took a careful step back and didn't answer.
"Tell me." Skywalker ordered.
"Yes sir." Fox replied, carefully watching the Jedi's hands. Skywalker followed his gaze and flinched a little.
"Why?" Rex asked. Fox frowned. He'd already answered that.
"Good soldiers follow orders." He said stiffly.
"That is not an answer." Rex growled. Fox swallowed hard.
"Protocol states that when a suspect threatens to use a weapon, he is to be subdued immediately." Fox said slowly.
"Stun blasts are also effective." Rex pointed out. Fox gave a short, jerky nod. He'd thought it was on stun. He'd checked before entering and it had been on stun. Not that it made a difference with the orders.
"Stun blasts are slower, less effective with ARC troopers and certain sentient species." Fox said.
"Okay." Rex gave a heavy sigh.
"You still should've stunned him." Skywalker hissed. Fox braced himself.
"I—"
"First you blame Ahsoka, now you shoot Fives!" Skywalker continued, his anger visible. "Why are you so—"
"Anakin!" Rex snapped. "Your temper." He added, once the Jedi looked at him. "Ahsoka was not your fault." Rex continued, staring at Skywalker. "It's not Fox's fault either."
"I know." Skywalker muttered. "But Fives was."
"So you're completely blameless?" Fox demanded, trembling with anger and fear. "If you had listened to him, everything would've been fine! Surely you could've stopped me from firing, I'm just a clone and you have the Force. Maybe you shouldn't have let him go to Kamino to be experimented on—I wouldn't trust you either after that! I couldn't do anything." Fox took a shuddering breath and waited for the Jedi to lash out again. He didn't, just stared at Fox with pain lurking in his eyes.
"Fox, look at me." Rex ordered, and Fox turned to the captain.
"What?"
"What were your orders?" Rex asked.
"Find and execute ARC-5555." Fox said immediately. He knew how to answer this, like a standard debrief.
"Why?" Rex asked.
"ARC-5555 was labeled armed and dangerous. The warrant was given for attempted assassination of the Supreme Chancellor."
"Who gave you those orders?" Rex asked.
"The Supreme Chancellor directly instructed CC-1010 to carry out the orders." Fox replied, not understanding why Rex was asking.
"Palpatine?" Skywalker asked, sounding horrified. "He wouldn't—" Fox flinched at the name.
"I apologize, general, but I have a recording of it if you wish to look." He said stiffly. The words rung in his ears. CC-1010, execute Order Forty-Three.
"That's not necessary." Rex said. He was about to say more when Thorn came running up.
"General, Captain, I apologize for the interruption but the Marshal Commander is needed in his office." Thorn said, and started dragging Fox away. Fox glanced back, half-expecting the Jedi to stop him again, but he was just staring after Fox with confused eyes.
"Are you okay?" Thorn whispered.
"He just hit me once." Fox murmured, nodding. Thorn growled.
"Di'kutla Jetti. They put these chips in our heads and expect us to disobey them when it's convenient." Thorn sounded angry, and Fox shushed him.
"They can do what they like. It's fine, you know I deserve it."
"I know no such thing, Fox." Thorn snapped. "You don't deserve any of this. Now come on, you need sleep."
