Jedi Temple
Morning
The first sensation that The Doctor felt was pain. Groaning, he opened his eyes, finding himself lying in a bed. It took him a moment to realize where he was, realizing he was in the Hall of Healing.
"Doctor."
Startled, The Doctor looked up, seeing that Obi-Wan was sitting in a chair by his bedside.
"Welcome back," Obi-Wan greeted. "How are you feeling Doctor?"
"Alright, aside from the aching pain all over. The guard-" The Doctor began as he sat up.
"A bounty hunter named Cade Bane, he was hired by the Separatists to assassinate you, somehow acquiring the uniform and weapon of a temple guard to do so," Obi-Wan explained. "He has been captured and is now in prison, where our military can keep an eye on him."
"Why would the Separatists want to kill me?" The Doctor asked in bewilderment.
"I'm not so sure they do," Obi-Wan said and The Doctor caught on.
"You think Sidious is behind this?" The Doctor asked.
"It's the only thing that makes sense, Dooku and Grievous answered to him and you did assist us in rescuing the Chancellor. You must have done something to draw his ire," Obi-Wan noted.
"Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm good at that," The Doctor said cheerfully, managing to pull himself into a sitting position and Obi-Wan smiled slightly.
"I do not doubt it. I need to inform the Council that you are awake. In the meantime, I'm sure they'd like to see you," Obi-Wan said, getting to his feet and glancing over to The Doctor's other side.
The Doctor followed his gaze, surprised to see Amy and Rory asleep in a single chair on the other side of the room. Rory had his arms around Amy as she rested her head in the crook of his neck.
"They've refused to leave your side, despite insistence from both the Healers and Master Windu," Obi-Wan mentioned.
"I doubt he was too pleased with that," The Doctor said with a slight laugh, imagining the look on Windu's face as Amy unleashed her 'Scottishness' as she would say.
At the sound of his laugh, Amy and Rory stirred, opening their eyes slightly.
"Doctor!" Amy exclaimed as they saw him.
"Hello Ponds," The Doctor said cheerfully.
"Are you alright? How are you feeling?" Rory asked, immediately slipping into Nurse Mode as they got out of the chair, barely aware of Obi-Wan slipping out of the room as they approached The Doctor.
"I'm alright, nothing some rest shouldn't cure. How long have I been out?" The Doctor wondered and Rory checked his watch.
"Almost a day," Rory said and The Doctor nodded with a frown.
"That wire must have been electro charged. To keep me down this long, it would have killed an ordinary human," The Doctor mused.
"Why would he want to kill you?" Amy asked.
"He didn't, but someone did. Obi-Wan believes it's this Darth Sidious," The Doctor explained.
"What could you have done in the time we've been here to make him want to kill you?" Rory wondered.
"I don't know. But the situation has clearly escalated. It's imperative that I find out what has happened to history and how Darth Sidious plays into it," The Doctor said with a frown. "Before someone ends up dead."
Coruscant, Maximum Security Prison
Not long after
Cade Bane was in the room he was being held in when he felt like he was being watched. Bane got to his feet, looking around wearily when he suddenly found it hard to breathe. He put a hand to his throat, trying to remove the invisible fingers that were restricting his breathing only to find nothing there. He then found himself slammed against the wall violently as the grip against his throat tightened. Then there was a sickening crack and Bane's struggles ceased before he fell to the floor with a thud.
From his office, Palpatine lowered his hand as he watched this from a security feed, his eyes flashing yellow briefly before they returned to their normal color.
Padme's apartment
Not long after
Anakin was sitting on the couch in his wife's apartment, having a brief break from his duties. It felt strangely normal; Padme was folding some clothes nearby as he read a document on a data pad. It was as close to normal as Anakin had ever experienced. Then, his mind was taken elsewhere as he experienced a vision.
Anakin found himself in the warehouse where Fives was killed. He stood across from his former brother in arms, seeing Fives looking at him pleadingly.
"It's almost time General. His plan is nearly complete; he's ready to give the order. You have to stop him; don't let him turn my brothers into murderers. Please General," Fives pleaded with Anakin.
Before Anakin could respond, Fives and the warehouse faded away. A holographic figure in a dark cloak stood on a platform. Although their features were hidden by the cloak, Anakin knew the figure was Darth Sidious.
"Execute Order 66," Sidious said.
The scene then completely changed. Anakin saw a Star Destroyer Bridge. Ashoka was a few feet away, talking to Rex. Then, something in Rex's face changed. To Anakin's horror, Rex pulled out two blasters and opened fire on Ashoka.
"No!"
Padme was startled by Anakin's shout as he jumped to his feet, looking at something wildly.
"Annie? Anakin, what's wrong?" Padme asked worriedly, having never seen him like this.
Anakin didn't speak for a moment, breathing heavily as he realized what had happened.
"It's nothing. It was just a vision," Anakin muttered, still not sure what exactly he had just seen.
"Annie, it's not nothing," Padme said gently as she walked over to him, placing a hand on the side of his face. "Please, talk to me."
"The night I came home…I had a dream," Anakin muttered after a moment.
"Bad?" Padme asked concerned.
"No, confusing. I don't know what they mean. But…in one of them, someone was firing at Ashoka," Anakin admitted and Padme looked concerned. "And I just had another one; I saw it much more clearly. It was Rex, Rex was shooting at Ashoka."
"Annie, that doesn't make any sense. Rex and Ashoka are friends, he cares about her," Padme said in bewilderment and Anakin sighed, placing a hand over his face.
"I know. I know it doesn't make sense, but I know what I saw. Fives," Anakin said, looking up sharply as he lowered his hand to his side.
"Fives? What about him?" Padme said as she looked at her husband wearily.
"He was there, trying to warn me, begging me not to let someone make the clones into murderers," Anakin said, running a hand through his hair. "Fives, before he was killed he was trying to warn me and Rex about some conspiracy, but he wasn't making any sense."
"I thought Fives was under the influence of some parasite," Padme said in confusion.
"Maybe. Or maybe that's just what someone wanted us to think," Anakin said as he grabbed his cloak. "I need to head to the Temple, look into something. I'll be back when I can."
Without waiting for a response, Anakin lightly kissed Padme before running out of the room. Padme stared after him for a moment before looking down at her swollen stomach.
"One day, your father is going to be the death of me."
Jedi Temple
Afternoon
"I'm not sure I believe it myself, but there's a possibility that the Inhibitor Chips the Kaminoians put inside us have a purpose that we don't yet fully understand."
Anakin stared at the hologram of Rex giving his report before it faded away.
"Come on Fives, what I missing here?" Anakin muttered as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Anakin?"
Startled, Anakin looked up, seeing Obi-Wan standing a few feet away. So focused on what he was doing, Anakin hadn't even heard Obi-Wan enter the room.
"Obi-Wan," Anakin greeted.
"Are you alright? I could sense the turmoil coming off in waves from the moment you entered the Temple," Obi-Wan said as he walked over to his former Padawan.
"I don't know, I don't know anything anymore Master," Anakin said with a heavy sigh. "I had a vision, about Fives. He was warning me about someone making the clones into murderers."
"They're soldiers Anakin, good men. They would never be murders," Obi-Wan said immediately.
"It wasn't just that Master. I saw Rex open fire on Ashoka," Anakin said and a look of disbelief crossed Obi-Wan's face. "I know; it doesn't make sense to me either. Then I remembered Fives was trying to warn us about a conspiracy that went all the way to the top before he was killed. What if-"
"He knew about Darth Sidious," Obi-Wan realized where Anakin was going and Anakin nodded.
"What if Sidious somehow got word that Fives was investigating the Inhibitor Chips? What if he was right and there is some hidden purpose to them? What if Sidious managed to make Fives snap?" Anakin asked and Obi-Wan put a hand to his beard, deep in thought.
"It's possible, especially if Dooku was telling the truth and Sidious is a member of the Senate," Obi-Wan mused. "It's certainly a matter that warrants further investigation, but we have more immediate matters to attend. The Doctor is awake and the Council wishes to speak with him. A meeting's been called. Perhaps we should bring this up at the meeting."
Anakin fought a growl of frustration, realizing that Obi-Wan was at least taking him seriously. And they did need to investigate the attack on The Doctor as well. So he followed his old Master out of the room and towards the Jedi Council Chamber.
"Appeared to have angered this Darth Sidious, you have my old friend," Yoda later told The Doctor as the Time Lord stood in the center of the room, facing The Council.
"Angering dictators has always been my specialty Yoda," The Doctor said cheekily.
"Doctor, it's rare for the Sith to make a move this bold. This is no laughing matter," Windu said sternly and The Doctor frowned.
"For once, we agree. I somehow managed to step onto the toes of a Sith Lord. The situation is only growing worse," The Doctor said grimly.
"You talked of starting an investigation. Have you found what you are looking for?" Plo Koon inquired.
"Not yet I'm afraid. Pieces are still coming together," The Doctor said apologetically.
Anakin stared at The Doctor, remembering his vision with The Doctor in it. He was wondering how to broach the subject when they heard the beeping of a Comm.
"We're being contacted by the Chancellor's office," Windu said as he checked the caller. "Doctor, if you'd step back a few feet."
The Doctor nodded, doing as Windu suggested before the holographic form of Palpatine appeared exactly where he had been standing.
"I apologize for the interruption, but a matter has arisen that simply cannot wait," Palatine said apologetically.
"Of course Chancellor. What seems to be the problem?" Windu inquired.
"It's about the bounty hunter, Cade Bane. He's been killed," Palpatine revealed to the shock of everyone in the room.
"Killed? How?" Obi-Wan inquired.
"No one is quite sure. For no inexplicable reason, his neck simply snapped. From what the investigators have told me, there was no sign of forced extremely or any sign of anyone entering his cell. The footage from the security cameras have also been altered," Palpatine explained.
"Hmm, very troubling this is," Yoda said grimly.
"I agree Master Yoda. Considering Cade Bane's target was The Doctor, I was hoping Master Skywalker would escort him to my office when he wakes, if he is not too injured," Palpatine requested.
Yoda did not answer immediately, subtly glancing over at The Doctor out of Palpatine's point of view. No one else said a word, merely looking at The Doctor. At his nod, Yoda nodded at Palpatine.
"Escort him, Skywalker will," Yoda promised.
"Good. I will be waiting," Palpatine nodded before his hologram faded.
"Is anyone else thinking what I am thinking?" Anakin asked once Palpatine had vanished.
"That this is sounding like what happened when Ashoka was framed, when Barriss Offee murdered Letta?" Obi-Wan added as they all looked around at each other.
"Only a Jedi or Sith could have killed someone in such a manner. But to able to tamper with the security holos…" Windu trailed off uncertainly.
"If I may interject," The Doctor spoke up and they all looked at him. "All signs seem to be pointing to the same conclusion: that Dooku was telling the truth and Darth Sidious is a member of the Senate. Possibly someone in Palpatine's inner circle, which would grant him access to knowledge few others in the Republic would have."
"Right, you may be," Yoda mused. "Surround the Chancellor, the dark side does."
"It's possible that the Chancellor has been influenced by Sidious since before the war began," Windu noted uneasily.
"If Sidious is a member of the Senate, it would be next to impossible to determine his identity without taking control of the Senate," Plo Koon noted and a moment of silence descended on the room.
"Look, I want to find Sidious and stop him as much as anyone, but there has to be a better way to go about it. If we go that far, we will never gain the trust of the people back," Anakin argued.
"He's right. We have to think of a better way," Obi-Wan agreed.
"I may have one," The Doctor said and they all looked at him sharply. "It won't be taking control of the Senate, but if anyone ever found out…it would be considered treason."
"So we'd be traitors no matter what then," Anakin said sarcastically and got several sharp looks in return.
"If you have a plan, we are all ears Doctor," Obi-Wan said and The Doctor.
"On the TARDIS, I have what you might call a sniffer. I can gather an entire database of information with it. If Palpatine really is under the influence of Sidious, the only way to know for sure is to look at the information he has," The Doctor said and they all understand.
"You're proposing that when Anakin takes you to see the Chancellor, you gather all the information from his personal records," Windu pointed out and The Doctor nodded.
"A bit extreme but people are dying now. Sidious is playing you all and is involved somehow with what is happening. This war, it never happened, it was never meant to happen. You are living in an alternate timeline that should never have existed," The Doctor revealed, to their shock. "I fear the only way to know what is happening is to know what Palpatine knows."
"You're saying the Clone Wars-" Mundi began.
"Never happened. At least not in the history I know. Someone is changing history and I need to find out how. The only way we can all find out what we want may be to look at what Palpatine knows," The Doctor said and the room was silent for a long moment.
"Great care, we must take. But trust you, I do my old friend. But put it to a vote, we must," Yoda said as he looked around the room.
"I concur. We must know if Palpatine truly is being influenced," Mundi said.
"Aye," Kit Fisto said.
"Aye," Windu echoed.
"Aye," Obi-Wan said.
One by the one, the other members of the Council gave their agreement until only Anakin was left. He hated this. He hated feeling like he was betraying a friend. But if Sidious was influencing Palpatine, if they could stop him, saving Ashoka, Rex and the clones from whatever his plan was, then what choice did Anakin truly have?
"Aye," Anakin said reluctantly.
"Very well. Council adorned. And may The Force be with us all," Windu said grimly.
Things are about to come to a head, as you can see.
Palpatine has as little tolerance for failure as Vader, so I don't think it's a stretch to say he would kill Bane, especially to try and use that to get close to The Doctor.
It may seem OOC for Anakin to support a plan like this, but I think the idea of Sidious influencing Palpatine coupled with the visions he's been having would be enough to get him on board with it.
