Author's Note: So I watched Season 7, Episode 1... and, if you couldn't tell, I'm not the biggest fan of Clones... BUT I LOVE THE BAD BATCH! They are the Republic's A-Team and you can guarantee I'll be featuring them down the road.


-Chapter 85: The Wraith Killer-

Location: Stassia

"Acting hastily without foresight can lead to total defeat."

Stretching out on his bed Wraith breathed deeply as he basked in this moment of comfort. After a hard workout and a shower, he was more than ready for a little shuteye. There was no impending assignments from Dooku, so for the time being he would have some time on on his hands. Time to think, time to practice... and time to both organize and further plan the date he hoped to take Ahsoka on. It would take plenty of coordination and a few credits as well, but he had a feeling it would be worth it.

Speaking of his Togruta sweetheart, a casual glance to the side suddenly revealed to him the familiar sight of Ahsoka's room. Sitting up, Wraith could see the familiar lithe body of the Togruta on her bed and smiled a little.

"Ahsoka?" He asked aloud, the body stirred and Ahsoka was revealed to him as she sat up. She was currently holding a cloth over one eye and seemed to be either a little tired or a little winded.

"Hey..." she slowly greeted, wincing a little.

"Hey." Wraith replied, quickly noticing something was wrong. "You alright?" He asked, concerned.

"Well, I have been better..." Ahsoka admitted. Then she removed the compress over her face.

"Sweet stars above! What the hell happened?!" Wraith exclaimed, shocked by the sight of Ahsoka with a black eye.

"Well... there was this bar fight, see," Ahsoka began, as if telling a bad joke.

"Don't tell me you got into a row with someone." Wraith begged.

"More like I helped Anakin and Obi-Wan break one up." Ahsoka responded. "Anyway, Corsair-"

"Corsair." Wraith repeated, a noticeable edge in his voice. "That kriffing Huttspawn... he did this, didn't he?"

"Well... yeah." Ahsoka slowly agreed.

"I swear by the Force, I'm gonna kill him..." Wraith vowed under his breath.

"Wraith... I'm okay." She gently assured him. "It's just a bruise, no big deal." She tried to calm him down, hoping that her words would soothe him.

"But the fact that it happened..." Wraith muttered.

"Things like this will happen. I can't stop everything from happening to you just as you can't save me from everything." Ahsoka gently told him. Rising from her bed, the Padawan strode over to Wraith and cupped his cheek. "We just have to... be there for each other in the aftermath." The super-soldier sighed.

"I suppose so." He quietly agreed. Still, the notion of Ahsoka getting hurt burned him. Kriffing Corsair. He thought to himself. He will pay for this, I'll see to that myself. Opting to keep his thoughts of vengeance quiet, Wraith looked up with a brighter expression. "Shall we talk about something else?" He wondered.

"By all means." Ahsoka agreed, taking a seat beside him.

"How's the bruise?" He then asked.

"Well... it's there." Ahsoka replied. It hurt to touch and her face had swollen a bit. There were even a few minor fractures that needed to be tended to after the swelling had gone down, so suffice to say, she was in a fair bit of latent pain. Then Wraith put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I find when you're in pain, it helps to have someone around for reassurance." He mused, entrapping Ahsoka in a hug. The Togruta smiled and nuzzled his warm chest.

"Thank you." She whispered, grateful for his close and calming presence. Things seemed to have settled down and nothing could be better, their current situation certainly as preferable to whatever dark thoughts Wraith sought to dwell on. Being here, being comforted, Ahsoka felt better now that she was with her boyfriend.

But Wraith's anger towards Corsair did not fade and she could feel it...


Days later...

Anakin, Obi-Wan, Corsair, Thrawn and Jolt watched as a single hypersonic shot exploded the test dummy several yards away, turning it into nothing more than scattered projectiles. The deafening boom of the rifle lingered in the air, echoing around the room as they were left in awe of the results.

"All I can say is... wow." Anakin stated, nodding slowly as the new rifle impressed him.

"A most impressive weapon, for sure." Obi-Wan concurred. "And I'm told this was your idea, Commander?" He inquired, turning to Thrawn. The Chiss nodded.

"I proposed the notion of a kinetic energy weapon, General Kenobi, since we have already experimented with common blaster and slug-weaponry." Thrawn calmly explained. His crimson eyes turned to Jolt. "Lieutenant, if you would please explain the nature of this weapon." He asked. Jolt stepped up to the plate.

"This, General, is the Republic's new electromagnetic rifle. EM coils charge up enough force to hurl a high-velocity projectile at nearly hypersonic speeds." The Clone explained.

"What kind of projectiles?" Anakin asked.

"Not blaster rounds, if that's what you're thinking, sir." Jolt stated. "This fires dense slugs that rely on speed and kinetic energy to deal damage."

"So instead of shooting through them, you're... punching them." Kenobi surmised.

"With a fist moving at over one thousand miles an hour, sir." Jolt reasoned.

"Very nice." Anakin approved. Corsair thought so too and clapped Jolt on the shoulder.

"If ya don't mind, Lieutenant, I've got a couple a' thing's in mind fo' how ta put this ta use against Wraith." The Titan leader said. "Now his new armah is slug-resistant, meanin' no slugthrowah'll work. So maybe we could try ta crack it with this." He suggested.

"If your Titans were able to put him in such a position, it would certainly be worth trying." Jolt replied.

"I'm guessing this weapon was designed with The Wraith in mind." Obi-Wan observed.

"Yes sir. The ones behind it are quite confident in its abilities, so much so they've dubbed it 'the Wraith Killer'." Jolt informed him.

"Nice name." Anakin stated. "Here's hoping it will earn it."

"Depends on 'o's hands it's in." Corsair mused, puffing a cigarra. "Bettah be someone strong enough ta handle tha inevitable kickback. If ya can't control this thing, ya'll be shootin' all ovah tha place."

"There are some pneumatic dampeners in place that should help the user to cope with that." Jolt interjected, having been informed thoroughly about this particular prototype.

"Ah, so jus' anyboday can use it. Clevah." Corsair mused with a nod. "Thinkin' 'bout mass producin' these, are they?" The merc wondered.

"Pretty sure they won't be for sale." Anakin stated with a frown.

"Calm down ya brat. I was thinkin a' armin' yor boys in white with 'em." Corsair retorted, taking a long drag on his cigarra. "First things first, we gotta test 'er out on Wraith."

"At the rate things are going, I'm sure an opportunity will present itself soon enough." Jolt responded.


Later...

"Theris, keep tabs on tha perimetah. Anythin' moves, I wanna know 'bout it."

"Copy, boss." Corsair clicked off his comms and lit up a fresh cigarra, all alone in the woods surrounding the Republic Special Weapons center.

Stassia was a world of rolling green plains situated within the galactic core, one of the many Core Worlds which included the likes of Foerost, Basilisik and Coruscant. It was a pretty world, boasting a few woods, some rock outcrops and plenty of grass, not that Corsair cared for prettiness or anything similar. His concern was with possible ambushes from the rocks and steeply sloped hills nearby. While Chancellor Palpatine had tasked him with visiting this installation along with the Jedi, Corsair was more concerned with hunting Wraith. After Umbara, he and the Titans really needed another win. Sure, taking down the traitorous Krell had helped, but they were here with a single mission in mind and they had every intention of fulfilling it. Intercepted Separatist comms chatter had helped support the notion that The Wraith might be here and Corsair was itching for another chance to take him down.

Meandering over to the edge of the facility's perimeter, Corsair failed to realize he was being watched from afar...

Concealed behind his cloaking device, The Wraith looked on as the lone mercenary casually walked around. He had been sent to this planet with the simply mission to observe and evaluate the Republic's special weapons facility for potential sabotage. But now that he had sighted Corsair, a sudden urge to lash out and pay him back for striking Ahsoka filled him. The mercenary was alone, far from any backup. He was in one of the best positions for Wraith to get the drop on him. And considering he'd hurt Ahsoka, Wraith was itching to give the merc his due punishment for doing so.

Loosing a simple growl, Wraith waited until Corsair had leaned back against a rock before making his move.

Blowing a few clouds of smoke, Corsair crossed his arms as he continued to puff his cigarra. The grips of his boots were coated in a thin layer of mud, leftover from a recent rain. He didn't think much of it, what with a bright sun overhead slowly drying everything up. What he did notice was the sudden shadow that appeared around him and he looked up just in time to see the face of The Wraith descending upon him with a bellow. The super-soldier tackled the Titan leader to the ground, the two of them rolling around for a brief scuffle before Corsair rolled out of Wraith's hold and sprung to his feet, quickly spitting out his ruined cigarra.

"Jus' like tha Clone said." He mused, recalling Jolt's words. "Fancy seein' you 'ere."

"I heard about what you did to Ahsoka," Wraith growled, picking himself up, "you gave her a black eye!"

"Oh. That." Corsair casually said, rolling his eyes at yet another mention of the incident. Like he hadn't had enough reminders about it already. "Seriously mate, I wasn't goin' for 'er. I was tryin' ta knock this Clone's block off, but 'e ducked an' I ended up rammin' ma fist inta her instead." He explained.

"Liar!" Wraith thundered as he charged and swung again, Corsair ducking back and missing his furious swings. "Attacking me is one thing, but her? You've gone too far and still don't care!"

"I don't see why yor so fiahed up 'bout this. Whaddya care, mate? 'S not like she's yor girlfriend or sumthin'," Corsair shot back. Suddenly struck by a notion, the mercenary put all the pieces together in his head and came to a rather startling conclusion, "wait..." Wraith promptly punched him before he could finish, sending Corsair reeling.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Wraith roared, charging him. Corsair collected himself just in time to grab the incoming Wraith and execute a spinebuster.

"Many 'ave tried boyo," he announced, landing a solid punch across Wraith's helmeted face, "an' many have failed. So good luck to ya, yor gonna need it!" He growled, right up in Wraith's face. The super-soldier responded by rolling back and throwing Corsair off of him, rising to his feet and whirling around as the mercenary did the same.

They squared off, two powerful combatants staring each other down, their blood running hot as adrenaline started to flow. Wraith, a little unstable right now, attacked first with a lunging punch that Corsair sidestepped. The Titan ducked under his swinging backhand before grabbing Wraith and throwing him to the ground. The super-soldier kicked him off and sprung to his feet, lashing out with a tornado kick that caught Corsair on the jaw. The stunned mercenary was then grabbed and thrown into the rock behind him, Wraith delivering swift punches to his gut before Corsair managed the strength to block and parry him.

Wraith was built like a tank and fought like one too. While Corsair might be shorter, the Titan leader had both the strength and the weight to throw Wraith around whenever he so chose to.

Wraith tumbled through mud and grass, recovering from another throw by Corsair. The mercenary, still by the rock, reached into his vest and pulled out his lightsaber hilt. Igniting the orange blade, Corsair jumped off the rock, bringing his saber down hard. But Wraith countered with a mighty uppercut that knocked Corsair senseless and sent him tumbling back to the ground, the hilt falling from his grasp. Wraith was on him in an instant, pinning him to the ground and delivering a swift cross that snapped his head to the side before the merc could raise his arms.

"Where'd you get a lightsaber?" He growled, pitching another punch that Corsair blocked.

"Evah heard o' Malachor Five? Place's a Jedi graveyahd." The Titan responded. "All kinds a' good-"

"Don't lie to me!" Wraith shouted, pitching wild blows towards Corsair's raised arms. "You told Krell you kept it. What does that mean?" He demanded.

"Back in tha day Krell used ta be like yor Grievous; carryin' four sabers around. I shot two of 'em outta his hands, lost one an' used one ta kill somebody. Guess he figahed I'd tossed it." Corsair replied, lying again although Wraith did not pick up on this one. "What? Yor lil' torch not workin' anymor'?" He sneered.

"Shut up scumbag!" Wraith rumbled, arm pulled back and ready to deliver another blow. But just as he threw it, Corsair tilted his head so it missed, then used Wraith's momentum to get the upper hand and flip them over, pushing Wraith into the mud. A smart fighter, Corsair delivered swift yet brutal hits to Wraith's helmet, each one rattling the super-soldier within. But they weren't enough to faze him and Wraith swiftly managed to push Corsair off of him through raw strength alone. As he recovered, Corsair tapped his comms.

"Theris, my position, engagin' a bogey!" He quickly said before Wraith came at him again. The super-soldier attempted to tackle him, only for Corsair to shift his weight and simply slide through the mud, eventually getting his arms around Wraith's head and performing a snap suplex. As Wraith attempted to recover, Corsair turned and struck him from behind with a knee to the back of his head. "Yor goin' through all a' this fo' a girl? Damn boyo, yor gettin' soft!" Corsair taunted as he got up, Wraith much slower to do so. "Where's all tha duty and 'glory fo' tha Seppies' talk ya used ta spew?"

"My intentions... are my own!" Wraith growled, forcing his way to his feet. "I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you."

"Maybe not... jus' means I'm gonna have plenty a' fun pryin' it from yor Togruta gal." Corsair said with a smirk. That got Wraith's blood going and, with clenched fists, he charged Corsair like a wild bull.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, slamming into the mercenary. Corsair beat on his back as the super-soldier carried him onwards, plowing him into a rock. Wraith unloaded into Corsair with heavy rage-fueled blows, still a powerful force to be reckoned with even without RGE-7 coursing through his veins. Each brutal punch delivered to Corsair bore enough force to crack the rock behind it, a fact amplified when Wraith started slamming Corsair's body into the stone over and over again, a man incensed with no intention of slowing down...


Theris walked briskly through the halls of the facility, her destination wherever the Jedi Generals were. Making her way to th testing area, she found the same group of four from before working on stowing the Republic's prototype EM rifle.

"Jedi!" She called, grabbing the attention of Anakin and Obi-Wan. "I got a call from Corsair, he's engaging a hostile outside. We think it's Wraith." She announced as she drew closer. Anakin and Obi-Wan shared curious glances while Thrawn nodded in understanding behind them. While Wraith's sudden appearance wasn't exactly expected, it was anticipated by the Chiss strategist.

"Now what would he be doing wandering right into our laps like that?" Obi-Wan queried.

"I don't know, but I'll take it." Anakin replied, turning to Theris. "Where is he?"

"Northwest quadrant, just on the outskirts." The Mandalorian stated. Anakin nodded and started moving.

"Jolt, contact Rex and scramble the men. I want Tempest Company ready just in case Corsair can't handle Wraith... which might be likely." He stated.

"Right away General!" Jolt promptly confirmed.

"Theris, take your Titans and create a perimeter around them both, make sure Wraith doesn't leave." Obi-Wan stated, addressing the Mandalorian.

"Can do." Theris nodded.


Wraith and Corsair continued to brawl, mud getting all over the two from the time they'd spent wrestling each other to the ground.

Thanks to Corsair's quick communique, Theris and the Titans arrived on the scene first, her party consisting of Cager, Arro, the Houks, Binary, Hater and Maro. The black clad mercs quickly surrounded the fight as Wraith and Corsair continued to grapple.

"Boss? Ya got 'im?" Block asked.

"Want us to take over?" Stock wondered.

"Steady on lads! I can handle 'im!" Corsair grunted as he turned and threw Wraith across the ground. "Anyone got a can openah?" He remarked, wiping some blood from his mouth. The Titans chuckled as Wraith crawled to his knees, Corsair stalking over to him. "Or maybe I'll jus' crush ya in yor armah!" He mused, cracking his knuckles.

Wraith suddenly sprang up and delivered a powerful double-axehandle that clubbed Corsair across the face, sending the Titan spinning to the ground. Wraith got up and rolled a bruised shoulder, flexing his body as pain turned into the burn he craved.

"Not today." He simply rumbled. Corsair picked himself up and spat blood.

"Yor gonna pay fo' that dental work." He muttered, getting to his feet. "Then again, maybe I'll just help myself ta one a' yors!" The two clashed again, fists flying as they tried to overpower the other, throwing one another around in a real knockdown-dragout fight that several of the Titans grew quiet invested in. Here was a real bout, the kind of hard and heavy fighting one didn't normally see on a regular basis. For the mercs, this was a real treat.

The Republic arrived shortly after, namely Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Rex with Tempest Company... but no sign of Jolt. Reverb, Backlog, Sixshot, Lugnut and Ransack stood with their Captain, weapons drawn and ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"Boy! Those guys sure don't kid around!" Sixshot commented.

"I got ten creds one of 'em gets knocked out cold." Reverb suggested.

"I'll take that bet!" Backlog agreed. The Clones now watched the fight with eager anticipation, wondering which combatant would be KO'd first.

The Jedi watched with different feelings as they witnessed the fight play out. Ahsoka noting with silent dismay as she realized Wraith was attacking Corsair for having punched her. Despite her objections to this course of action, he had gone and done so anyway.

Anakin and Obi-Wan studied the angles of the brawl. Both Wraith and Corsair seemed to be evenly matched, but Wraith's armor definitely compensated for Corsair's high-impact moves, allowing him to take more hits and shrug them off. Not only that, but Corsair bore the marks of a drawn-out engagement. Red marks from when Wraith's more powerful blows connected, his lip split, much of his body bore smeared mud from throws and tackles. But what drew the Jedi's attention most was his head.

His bandanna removed, something previously unknown about Corsair was revealed. With the hair on the side of his head shaved so low, an alphanumerical set of characters that had been tattooed into his scalp could be clearly seen.

They read X24-V.

Though neither the Jedi or the Clones knew exactly what it meant, Ahsoka had seen an eerily similar set of characters tattooed into the side of Wraith's head, his A31-B serial number from Project Sunstorm.

So what was Corsair doing with a virtually identical tattoo?

Suddenly, Jolt arrived on the scene, carry not one but two EM rifles. As he did, Corsair attempted to put Wraith in a stranglehold, only for the super-soldier to throw him over his arm.

"Backlog! Catch!" Jolt called, tossing him the other rifle. Backlog ditched his blaster in favor of the weapon, casting a quick glance at Jolt as the lieutenant armed his rifle and took aim. "Watch the kickback," he cautioned as Backlog did the same, "ready?" He asked. With the butt of his rifle pressed into his shoulder, Backlog nodded. Jolt cued his comms, "General, on your mark!" He reported, indicating he was ready. As soon as Wraith had thrown Corsair to the ground, the Jedi believed an opportunity had been revealed.

"Light 'im up!" Anakin called. Jolt and Backlog pulled the triggers, sending twin hypersonic rounds towards Wraith. The super-soldier lurched with a cry as both rounds slammed into his armor with devastating effect, knocking him to his knees while sending splintered fragments of armor in every direction. Stunned by the blow, Wraith slowly picked himself up, only to have two more rounds slam into his side, the thinner armor there shattering as a result. The Clones offered no reprieve and kept shooting, Wraith jolted as he was hit from multiple angles and bits and pieces of his armor flying off with each successful hit. Backlog didn't always find his mark, the intense recoil enough to throw his aim off so the rounds impacted the rock behind him. Jolt, having had a little more experience with the EM rifle, scored the majority of the hits, his aim steady and precise.

More slug rounds hit Wraith in the torso, like a heavy punch thrown at high speed. The super-soldier doubled over and dry-heaved, the shockwaves rolling through his guts and making him feel sick. Ahsoka audibly gasped and covered her mouth, sensing his pain due to the barrage. "Keep firing!" Anakin encouraged and Jolt and Backlog did so. Another round from Jolt slammed into Wraith's helmet, the force of impact enough to leave a sizeable dent behind and tear off his face mask while pitching him back into the rock, Wraith practically crumpling on impact. And so the barrage continued, slug after slug slamming into his body at speeds that would've killed a normal human. Wraith was certainly feeling the effects, the heavy blows resulting in internal bruising and broken bones. His armor continued to be chipped away, splinters flying everywhere. Blood dripping from his mouth as Wraith desperately tried to shield himself, raising a gauntlet and projecting the energy shield stored there. He managed to block the next few rounds, but the impacts were so hard it nearly did him in.

It was then that his opponents acted.

From the plains, Rex turned to Sixshot.

"Draw his attention, put some heat on that shield!" He ordered.

"On it Cap!" Sixshot replied as his Z-6 wound up. Stepping to the front of the line, he took aim at Wraith. "Chew on these, Bucket-head!" The Clone hollered as he unleashed a steady stream of fire. The super-soldier shifted and blocked, the blaster fire something he could withstand. But Corsair also acted, looking up from the ground towards Cager.

"Pop ion, stat!" He ordered. Cager understood the order and pulled a single ion grenade from his belt, armed it, then lobbed it in Wraith's direction. The device rolled across the ground and then detonated a few seconds later, a storm of purple electrical bolts enveloped Wraith, killing the power to his shield while simultaneously shocking him. Trapped where he was, Wraith was helpless as Jolt and Backlog renewed their barrage, fresh clips in both of their EM rifles. More slugs pounded Wraith, his armor slowly coming undone.

From her position, Ahsoka could see the armor coming off in plates and realized that a future shot might just tear through him. Casting a glance at Anakin, she saw he had crossed his arms and was sporting a very smug grin, as if he were actually pleased by what was happening.

It felt wrong to Ahsoka. It felt so very wrong. And not just because she loved Wraith and did not wish him any harm, but this was just cruel. He was clearly beaten, yet they continued to attack him, gang up on him when he was helpless. And that didn't sit well with her. Her thoughts returned to Takodana and the awful moment she experienced his apparent death. She needed to act, to do something. She would not let history repeat itself!

With that thought in mind, Ahsoka raced down towards Wraith, prompting Anakin to cry out after her. But she didn't listen. Wraith needed her, needed her to end this before it ended him. "Cease fire! CEASE FIRE!" Anakin quickly shouted, trying to keep Ahsoka from getting hit. The Clones let up as the Togruta was by his side in an instant, much to the surprise of Corsair and the Titans. Some of them had suspected something was going between the two since Takodana, Corsair suspecting even more given the few interactions he'd had with her. This practically confirmed their suspicions. Kneeling beside Wraith, Ahsoka gently tilted his helmet towards her, the optics somehow still functioning.

"Wraith? Can you hear me?" She quietly asked, worry lacing her voice.

"Yeah..." He groaned, coughing a little as he did.

"It's okay." She reassured him, gently cleaning the blood from his mouth. "It's over." She meant that in more ways than one.

"Have to... go..." He managed, trying to move.

"You can't. You don't have the strength." Ahsoka told him, trying to keep him from rising. After a moment of hesitation, and feeling a burning pain course through all of his limbs, Wraith slumped back down.

"You're... right..." he gasped, coughing again as he keeled over. Ahsoka could sense he was hurt, his injuries many and some of them deep. She gently ran her hands along his chin, the tips gliding over his mouth where he kissed them. "Your eye..." he whispered, realizing her black eye had fully healed. "You're okay now." Ahsoka smiled a little.

"Ahsoka! What do you think you're doing?!" Anakin shouted from his position. Snapped back to reality, Ahsoka rose and turned.

"He's had enough, Master!" She called back. "He can't fight back! He's been beaten! This is just... bullying now!" She earnestly told him.

"Get back here! Now!" Anakin commanded.

"Not until Jolt and Backlog stop shooting! It's over, he's lost! Can't you see that?!" She responded.

Suddenly, the loud CRACK of split rock interrupted the conversation. The stone behind Wraith, having taken multiple hits from the EM rifles, was now coming apart as stress and tension built up. A single chunk came lose and dropped down towards Wraith and Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka look out!" Anakin shouted in warning. Ahsoka's senses picked up the falling rock too and she raised her hands defensively.

But then Wraith got to his feet... and caught the rock.

Every observer froze in shock as they watched the super-soldier took the brunt of the rock, preventing it from crushing him and Ahsoka. Even though he was bruised and bleeding with multiple injuries, his strength proved enough to handle this boulder.

Because of Ahsoka's presence, Wraith drew upon an inner source of determination to find his strength.

Despite his wounds, the super-soldier proved resilient and powerful even when forced to his limit a fact that several observers took note of and warily considered it. Wraith pitched the rock aside, his shoulders sagging as the adrenaline wore off and a sudden pain set in. He slowly turned around to find Ahsoka staring at him, awed by his sudden boost of power despite his wounds.

"Anything for you." He whispered with a slight smile. She returned it.

Anakin and the others saw a standing Wraith as an immediate threat, one that needed to be swiftly handled.

"Jolt! Hit him now!" Anakin quickly commanded. Before Ahsoka could even protest, Jolt fired his EM rifle, the round striking Wraith in the chest and sending him flying into the rock behind him. Hitting the ground hard, Wraith slumped over in a heap, the fight taken out of him. The Titans and Clones paused, anticipating Wraith to get back up in a few seconds. Silence filled the area, each being tense with concern as they waited for Wraith to move.

But he didn't. He was out cold.

"We... W-We got him!" Jolt realized, stammering as he felt overcome by joy. "We got him!" He shouted, the other Clones taking up his cheer as they celebrated a long-overdue victory against The Wraith. The Titans exchange victorious looks, as did Corsair as his crew came to help him up.

Ahsoka stood by, frozen with shock. How could Anakin have ordered something so callous and cruel? All Wraith did was move that boulder, he saved her! And that was what Anakin did? Showed him no mercy? Ahsoka simply couldn't believe it.

Kneeling by the unconscious Wraith, she could sense he was alive, just unconscious. Between his final act of over exertion and this last hit, Ahsoka assumed that had been enough to do him in. She remained in her state of disheartenment even as Obi-Wan, Anakin and Rex approached.

"Shall we put him on your cruiser?" Anakin asked.

"I don't see why not." Obi-Wan agreed. "I'll get a cell ready, with a containment field." Anakin nodded and turned to his Captain.

"Rex, send a message back to Coruscant, tell them we've got The Wraith in custody." He instructed.

"Sir yes sir!" The Clone excitedly agreed, then stopped mid-stride when he saw Ahsoka by Wraith's unconscious body. Recalling Anakin's concern from their closeness on Parnassos, Rex had to wonder... "General... is she...?" He hesitantly began. Anakin knew what he was looking at and sighed.

"I'll go talk to her." He replied. Rex nodded and left with Obi-Wan, leaving Anakin to approach Ahsoka alone. "Ahsoka-" He started to say,

"Master, I said he was done! He didn't need that!" She suddenly exclaimed, turning to him with agitation in her eyes. "I-"

"Ahsoka, enough!" Anakin firmly commanded, cutting her off. The sudden hardness in voice made Ahsoka realize Anakin was in no conversing mood, more disciplinary if anything. "I made the call, I did what was necessary for the sake of the Republic. Whatever thoughts or feelings you have about him, shove them aside." He commanded her. Realizing he was unapologetic and not even broaching the topic with her gently, Ahsoka felt a spark of indignation ignite within her. "I don't want to hear it any more, do you understand?" Anakin asked. His apprentice said nothing further, her gaze drawn back to Wraith's body. "I said, do you understand?" Anakin repeated, a little louder this time.

"Yes Master." Ahsoka ground out.

"Good." Anakin turned and started walking, his mind suddenly filled with questions concerning Ahsoka's rather questionable attitude towards all this. Ahsoka looked over her shoulder, glaring daggers at Anakin's back as he left. All sorts of questionable thoughts suddenly filled her mind, but instead of pushing them aside, she let them remain and simmer, feeling nothing but a sense of resentment towards Anakin that threatened to consume her.

For a split second, unnoticed by anyone else, her blue eyes briefly turned yellow...