A MESSED UP DESTINY

A STAR WARS STORY

Chapter 40

Disclaimer: Disney owns everything and I make no profit from this.

Hello there everyone and welcome to chapter 40 of the story! Today we pick up from where we last left off, with Rex and Cody going to confront Anakin and Obi Wan about the secrets the two Jedi have been keeping from their friends, but they certainly aren't prepared to hear the whole truth. Then again, knowing Anakin, he won't think about that too much while he's dealing with them. On the plus side of things, a heavy burden might finally be relieved from both Anakin's and Rex's shoulders, seeing as they've both had to keep quiet about Sidious' existence for so long. This applies doubly to Rex, who's had no one to talk to in contrast to Anakin, whose entire inner circle is there to support him in this fight against evil.

Also, from a plot perspective, this will be the last 'calm' chapter in a while, seeing as it is all action from here. From finding Sidious, to secret Jedi missions, to assassinations, to tracking down murderers…and so much more! Plus, a certain red-skinned Sith is scheduled to appear sometime before the end of this book…but that's all I'm going to say for now!

Note: Order 44, which is again mentioned below, doesn't have an official mission objective that I could find, so I've written my own thing in the same style other Contingency Orders are written in on the Wiki. Hope that doesn't bug anyone.

So…without further ado…let's jump right into it!

Secrets of the GAR! With Clone brothers Rex and Cody on their way to confront the only people who may have answers to their questions, a mysterious Republic Agent having just entered the game and a plan to undermine the Republic's Chancellor in the works, the duo will discover a lot more than they are ready to hear, but will they be able to bear such secrets, or will they be crushed underneath the weight?

The Negotiator, General's Quarters, Cody's point of view:

Standing right outside General Kenobi's door, I hesitate to announce myself. The medics had said that Skywalker 'Force Healed' him or whatever that means, but apparently he was fine after a few seconds of Jedi magic. In contrast, Rex's General had appeared more drained after he was done, but had adamantly refused any treatment from medical staff, claiming he was fine and only needed some rest. They'd both headed to my General's quarters after that, scurrying away before anyone could insist they stay for a follow-up vitals check. Knowing how much they hated the Med Bay, the Vode working there really should have expected it by this point.

Alas, it seemed that Fate –or the Force- had brought me back here again, not a single step closer to finding out the identity of Darth Sidious. The bastard hadn't left anything behind, even as General Kenobi's attack was burning him to a crisp during their fight, something I –unfortunately- got to see while examining the security recordings from the Palace. The most anyone could make out was his lower chin, but that didn't help much at all since there wasn't enough of an image to run a facial scan on. It was as if that Son of a Hutt knew where all the cameras were, and with the way he was dashing around the room, the stilled images revealed nothing even when he had been forced to face a camera.

There were no records of this 'Sidious' anywhere either. As far as even those with the highest clearance in the Republic –barring the Chancellor and Jedi since I had no way to check that, none that wouldn't land me in a decommissioning room anyways- knew, the guy was a ghost. Of course I hadn't expected that the name 'Darth Sidious' pop up by itself, but there was nothing that even hinted at this guy so much as existing! Nothing in the RIB's database, no transmissions with that name, not so much as an encrypted file locked up somewhere in a Republic Fortress!

Hating to think of the fact that General Kenobi truly wasn't going to find this guy –at least by any means which I knew of- I hesitated at the door. Rex was beside me, waiting patiently, or so he had been until a few seconds ago. Now he was pacing nervously, walking in a small circle and muttering to himself. The sight normally would have worried me, but I knew he was also stressing out about this. After all, it isn't every day that one confronts their General to find out what the people who created an entire Clone Army did to said army while they were still in tubes, or how it was all connected to some apparent Separatist Mastermind.

Taking a deep breath, I told myself that even if all went to Sith Hells, I had to do this. I had to know the truth. So did Rex. The Jedi owed us the truth! After everything we'd done for them they wouldn't keep us in the dark like this! Not Kenobi and certainly not Skywalker! Raising a hand to knock, I was startled as Rex suddenly grabbed it, pulling me away from the door. I was about to yell, but that look in his eyes…he knew something. And apparently he thought now would be a good time a share.

"Cody…Vod, wait!", Rex said, cutting himself off abruptly. He was about to tell me…so why wouldn't he just say it? We're brothers for Force's sake! "Cody…remember the day where I freaked and…said that Skywalker was a Sep? A spy?", my vod asks, and it confuses me. What does that have to do with this whole thing?

I don't respond verbally, wanting Rex to continue undisturbed, which he would be seeing as we'd relieved all nearby Vode of duty and shut off the security cameras that would otherwise be picking up visual and audial tracks of our conversations. Precautions had to be taken, especially now given how things were.

"He was talking to…Dooku, that day. It's why I flipped. And they were discussing Sidious. Who he was, what he'd done, that he needed to pay for everything…" Rex trailed off again, but I was too stunned to do anything about it. If Rex had known about Sidious, why didn't he say anything?

Rex cleared his throat before continuing, as if afraid his voice would dry out. "General Skywalker told me a few things about him. That he was powerful, that the Jedi were trying to find him, or at least that he was. Said that I shouldn't tell a soul and that's what I did, but he also faded to the back of my head over time. I had more…immediate problems to deal with, and I never realized that he –Sith Lord as he was- could do something like this. The Jedi always seemed untouchable, but if he can kill one with such ease, it's no wonder Dooku and Skywalker were considering teaming up to take him on.", my brother finishes, and now that the initial shock is gone, I could see why the thought had passed through Skywalker's head.

The man was good at many things, but one of his best qualities would have to be his penchant for coming up with some amazing strategies. And this move made the most strategic sense. If Sidious was a Sith Lord, then why not team up with the lesser Sith to take the stronger one down? Had we not been at War with the Count and his CIS it would have made perfect sense, but perhaps that last bit was why this couldn't get out. We'd all be charged for treason now that we knew, and every Vod knew very well what happened to traitors. The Kaminoans had warned us that decommissioning was nothing when compared to the punishment for treason.

Stepping away from my rapidly evolving thoughts, I found my voice again, knowing I had to respond less Rex get worried about me. That, was another reason I liked working with General Kenobi. It had started out as a proposal on a rather exhausting day, where I'd been sleeping on my feet and the General had invited me to his quarters for some hot tea, but we'd slowly made a habit out of working in the same space whenever possible, mostly in silence unless the other's input was needed somewhere. We hadn't done that sort of thing ever since the Malevolence was destroyed, but I held out hope that this little tradition of ours wouldn't fade to memory because of all this. I wouldn't let it.

"Cody?", Rex asked politely, voice low and his tone one of slight concern. I looked him in the eyes and gave a nod of affirmation. It was time to go in.

Raising my hand to knock again, the door slid open before our very eyes, revealing both our Jedi Generals in the room, Skywalker occupying Kenobi's chair and my own Jedi laying in his bed, idly reading up on what looked to be a Battle Report. Rex had moved forwards as soon as the door closed behind us, but neither Jedi made a move to acknowledge our presence, Rex's General too focused on conversing with a distorted voice on his private com unit.

"…and I'm telling you Fulcrum that you've done the people of Naboo a great service. For the last time, you deserve the credit!" Skywalker was arguing with someone, though he didn't seem pissed, just a little annoyed.

"And I insist that without you, I would never have made the right call on that day. But alas, let us move to more important matters. I've discovered a clue to the identity of the individuals you're looking into. A list of names to be precise, but they're all heavily guarded. I doubt that you'd be able to sneak inside their homes and vaults to retrieve evidence of the Chancellor's wrongdoings.", the distorted voice responded. Was this 'Fulcrum' some kind of secret spy that the GAR didn't know about? And why was the Chancellor being brought up here?

After a moment of silence, perhaps even hesitation –but no, that would be impossible- General Skywalker answered, a sly grin now on his face. "You're right. A Jedi Knight would never be let into those places, and my…associate, while valuing the virtues of stealth and discretion, isn't one for researching the places he hits. Though perhaps this is where my new ally comes in…", he said, seemingly debating in his head. Had he really not noticed us? Surely he'd have said something, or at least cut off this very sensitive conversation.

"Yeah, she'll handle the research part of the job, don't worry. Angel knows the Senate and its members better than they know themselves.", Skywalker finished, looking a little hesitant to mention this Angel. I wonder who she could be…

"Good.", the distorted voice, Fulcrum, responded. "Anything else before I go?", he asks, his tone undetectable trough the intentional garbling of the transmission.

General Skywalker's face softens for a moment before he speaks. "How are your injuries? Healing well?", he inquires, clearly not expecting Fulcrum to respond. The agent, spy…whatever he was, does so anyway.

"…better than before. I'll be fine in a few days. Keep in touch, Jedi.", he replies, ending the conversation rather abruptly. Had he somehow noticed us?

Before either Rex or I could ponder that question any further, Skywalker moved to get up from his chair, tapping Kenobi on the shoulder lightly. My…friend, yes, took a glance at the door, and upon seeing me, immediately stuffed his nose back into his datapad, which now appeared to be as interesting as a high-speed Pod race, given that he'd granted the object his undivided attention.

"Obi Wan…", Skywalker said softly, a suggestion hidden behind the mention of my Jedi's name, in much the same way we Vod used to speak to each other when we wanted to someone to go do something good for themselves, especially if they were unwell or needed rest.

At the soft tone of his friend's voice, General Kenobi's eyes darkened for a moment, before returning to their normal blue. Determination had now filled the void of sadness and he plastered on a neutral expression, one I pretended not to see him work on for a few moments until he was satisfied.

"Generals.", I greeted hesitantly. General Kenobi seemed like he was about to say something, probably to ask that we leave, but Skywalker cut him off by replying in a way anyone knew not to disagree with him.

"Cody, Rex. We've been expecting you. Please, take a seat.", he offered, but in that neutral tone usually employed around politicians or the Jedi Council. I couldn't think of anything we had done to deserve that kind of greeting.

"General, Cody and I have some questions about…Darth Sidious.", Rex speaks up hesitantly, regretting what he'd said as a frown forms itself on General Kenobi's face.

A look of understanding suddenly falls into Skywalker's eyes, as if he knows everything we're about to ask him. And with that Jedi magic, he probably did. "I had hoped you wouldn't have to find out about him so soon.", he confesses with the voice of a man twice his age, of someone tired whose only desire is to rest, but can't. Then again, that description fits every first-generation Vod I've encountered so far, and for us Clones, the 'twice his age' part is quite literal.

"Sir…I understand that this is a sensitive topic, but I think that now is the time for an explanation. You told me of Darth Sidious weeks ago, and yet I still know nothing about him. And now I discover that you have a contact who is apparently going after the Chancellor, plus that Sidious is far more dangerous than I could have imagined." Rex tries to continue, but is cut off by General Kenobi.

"Precisely why it was important that you keep quiet Captain. Then again, it didn't really matter in the end did it?", General Ken-…Obi Wan asks, looking at the floor. Even without the Force, I could feel his pain, and that certainly wasn't a good sign.

"What Obi Wan is trying to say is that you're right. We only kept this from you to keep you safe, but now that Sidious has made a public appearance, it's only a matter of time until he strikes again, and when he does, it always ends in disaster, so having the right information is key to being prepared.", General Skywalker says, but he does so in the same tone he uses for briefings. He was probably trying to hide his emotions then.

"Generals-", I spoke up, wanting to ask about Fox. Sith Lord on the loose or no, nothing was more important that my brothers, even if the General came in a very close second. "-I spoke with Commander Fox, and apparently something happened to him. He says what you know what did, but refused to speak another word. Looked like he was about to throw up.", I say, muttering the last comment under my breath, even if it didn't go unnoticed.

Skywalker inhaled sharply after hearing my words. His first instinct was to ask if Fox was okay. When he received an affirmative, he took a deep breath, probably preparing to say something big. "Fox…discovered something. More like I told him. About something the Kaminoans did. They…they placed Inhibitor Chips inside of every single Clone. Those kriffing slave chips force you to obey orders! And Senator Burtoni-", Skywalker shouts, cutting himself off at the Kaminoan Senator's name, and as I would later realize while thinking back on this, preventing the wall from shattering in everyone's faces.

"…She tried to order him to execute himself.", the Jedi finishes his sentence, and suddenly, out of literally nowhere, three words pop up in my mind. Order Forty Four.

Opening my mouth to ask what the heck had just happened, I was cut off by Rex, who began reciting the command as if he'd known it all his life. "In the event of a Clone Unit being proven as malfunctioning, unstable, or otherwise presenting a danger to the mission objective and allies, they are to be disposed of immediately. Clone Commanders are to personally carry out an execution to ensure the threat has been neutralized and in their absence, task falls to the highest ranking Clone Officer. If no other unit is able to carry out this command, task falls into the hands of designated threat."

Upon finishing his robotic reciting of the Order, Rex simply stood there, unmoving and trying to process what had just happened to him. He looked at Skywalker, tears forming in his eyes and silently pleading his General, his friend, to tell him that he'd lied to us, that this wasn't true, that our lives were still our own, but the Jedi Knight only failed to meet Rex's gaze, confirming what everyone here already knew. And as if this wasn't bad enough, the next revelation would be by far the hardest to accept.

"Sidious has control over the chips.", Obi Wan muttered suddenly, his voice almost inaudible. "You-Cody I saw you try to kill me.", he said, voice breaking, unable to hold back a tear as whatever vision he had experienced replayed itself in his mind.

I didn't know much about how these 'Force Visions' worked and General Kenobi himself told me he didn't have them often, but I've been around him long enough to know they have a catastrophic effect on him if the number of times I've found him trembling on the floor in a catatonic state are any indication. It had only happened thrice so far, but that was three times too many. I wasn't going to let that number go up to four. Not now, not ever.

Rex found his voice again, pushing away all the parts of him that wanted to break down, to collapse, to cry, to scream, to do something because it was in all of us. Every. Single. Clone. And if these Orders were all half as horrid as Order Forty Four…I shuddered at the mere thought of what we could be forced to do. "We need to get them out.", Rex said eventually, voice cold, not unlike the tone the General adopted when his eyes shone yellow, but his voice wasn't deep, his breathing normal, if labored. And he certainly didn't make my instincts tell me that I was about to die.

Skywalker sighed at the words. It was obvious he agreed, but knew there wasn't much he could do at the moment. "I know. We will, as soon as I program the medical droids to do it while you all stay in orbit around Coruscant. The Council wants me for a mission anyways, to track down the Phantom and bring them to justice, but with how many of Sidious' cronies they've dealt with for me, it's better to leave them alone.", the General said, and while my curiosity peaked at the words 'for me', I didn't push it. Probably an admission of gratitude since it would be impossible for the General to handle Phantom along with all his other duties.

"Sir?", Rex spoke up again, adopting the 'I'm on a mission' tone of his. "Is this Fulcrum an ally?", he asked. A valid question really, about this spy I'd almost forgotten.

Skywalker's mouth formed a hint of a smile before it disappeared. "Yes, he is. And so is Angel, though she works with someone…who isn't exactly the best person. But her partner isn't our topic of discussion. Not for today, no. You both have had enough for now. Soon you'll be ready to know everything, but not yet. Not before the chips are out. And certainly not before I talk with Lama Su and Nala Se about this.", he said out loud, though he didn't seem to be addressing only us, it was as if he was also talking to something…or someone else.

Rex nodded an affirmative, stating he could gather the Vode in the Mess Hall in the next hour or so, to which both Jedi agreed to before my brother moved to take his leave. I'd wanted to speak with them more, to ask every question on my mind, but I understood how much of a risk they were taking revealing just this to us. After all, they couldn't trust us. Not while we were ticking time bombs, just waiting to be ordered around by a madman. Was it the same for those troopers who attacked Skywalker?

Probably having read my thoughts, he sadly shook his head 'no', and I could only nod in acceptance of this as fact. I wasn't remotely ready to talk about any of this with the others, but at least Rex and I could try and make sense of everything we'd learned here together.

And…scene! There it is everyone, chapter 40 of A Messed Up Destiny! And holly crap 40 chapters! I honestly never thought I'd write something this long, but here we are, and not even at the halfway point! Anyways…this chapter, for being 'calm' was certainly pretty intense. Cody and Rex confronting Anakin and Obi Wan wasn't meant to be an argument of course, but still the two Clones are going to be dealing with this for a while, especially since now they know about the Inhibitor Chips! And things will only get crazier from here, seeing as Anakin hinted at having to go on a mission to find Phantom, who in case you didn't remember works for him and Revan. Besides, I did hint at a certain Sith Lord returning soon didn't I?

Anyhow, we have a lot to get through today, so let's dive right in to the exposition!

Firstly, Cody and Obi Wan. I know they haven't been in the spotlight as a duo all that much, with the only other time being in "Horrors of Jabiim", so I decided to take these two chapters as an opportunity to show that their friendship is there and they aren't just Jedi and Clone. Obi Wan clearly cares a lot about Cody, and now we know that the Clone Commander also does, not that it wasn't obvious before.

Also, I thought that including their little 'working together' habit was a nice tidbit of information that hints at Obi Wan trying to be more active as Cody's friend while off the field, since while it can't be denied how close they were in the original timeline, I always got the sense that this side to their friendship existed and we just never got to see it. Oh well, that's what fanfiction is for.

Secondly, Darth Sidious. Force, I feel like I've overstated absolutely everything about Palpatine at this point, but I guess he has to be discussed. Honestly, I think that many stories skim over just how good Palpatine was at planning ahead and staging encounters like this without ever taking an actual risk, which is why I've included the section about how there is absolutely nothing left for the Republic and Jedi to investigate about this guy. No clue, no loose end, no nothing. Darth Sidious is something less that a ghost, since even ghosts have stories about them, or are talked about in the most hushed whispers, but about Sidious…nothing. Not a word anywhere, just the way he wants it to be.

Thirdly, the Inhibitor Chips. Now obviously Anakin can't just get the chips out without Palpatine finding out, so he needs to do it in a way that can't be traced, or can be excused because of something else. There's no avoiding being targeted by Palpatine now, but Anakin and Co.'s biggest advantage is that Sidious doesn't know that they know he's a Sith Lord. So if the Inhibitor Chips are removed, there will have to be a reason behind it that is unrelated to Darth Sidious, hence why Anakin says he'll have to 'talk' with the Kaminoans. We all know how he feels about slave chips, which is essentially what the Inhibitor Chips are, so he'd have a legitimate reason to make a fuss about it if he ever found out by any means at all, which makes it the perfect excuse. Besides, showing such unrivaled hatred for the Kaminoans might convince Sidious that perhaps trying to turn Skywalker is still worth a shot, but I don't know. Anything can happen in a Galaxy far, far away…

Lastly, the story's future. This paragraph is more from a plot and writing standpoint than it is about the characters themselves, but I suppose it should be included. Before writing Siri's death, I had planned to take Obi Wan to nice, relaxing, terrorist-free trip to Mandalor since, let's face it, the dude needs a vacation. That's still going to happen, and it'll run parallel to Anakin's mission of finding Phantom, which really will just be a glorified excuse to look for dirt on Sidious, like Fulcrum said he himself would do.

Also, expect to hear more of Fulcrum, Angel, and their third mysterious partner in the future, since who knows what kind of people this mysterious spy has working alongside his civilian alter ego?

Next time: With the de-chipping of the 501st and 212th safely underway, Anakin and Obi Wan are both sent on urgent missions on behalf of the Jedi Council, but with an old flame's reappearance and the sudden rise in Phantom's activity on Coruscant respectively, can the two Jedi manage to complete their missions, or will everything go off track once more?

That's all for now everyone! Reviews are always welcome, whether it be to ask question or to chat, and I'll see you all next chapter, but until then, May the Force be with you!