Summary:

Ahsoka and Rex go after Anakin.

Anakin confronts the Chancellor.

Ahsoka and Rex arrive at the Chancellor's office.

Things go wrong and Rex and Ahsoka are on the run.

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34.

Ahsoka ran after Anakin. She had to stop him. He couldn't face Sidious alone. He was too dangerous. Sidious was an expert at manipulating the truth. He'll try and make Anakin turn and if he couldn't then he'd kill him. Anakin was still recovering from his injury. He'd be at a disadvantage.

"Anakin, wait!"

"I'm done waiting."

He didn't even look back. He climbed into his speeder and started the engines. Before Ahsoka and Rex could reach him, he had already taken off. Ahsoka watched as Anakin's ship disappeared into the skyscrapers and headed towards the Senate.

"Come on, Rex. We need a ship."

Ahsoka saw several speeders parked in a lot and immediately began to rig one to turn on. Rex jumped into the passenger seat next to her. It wasn't long before she got the speeder operational and they were up in the air.

He asked, "So, what's the plan?"

If Anakin failed to kill Sidious then they would be in trouble. Yet, if she did nothing then there was a chance that Anakin could be captured, turned or killed. She couldn't let that happen.

"We need to stop him. Hang on."

Ahsoka increased their speed. They zoomed out of the transport sky lanes and passed dangerously close to the buildings that surrounded them. Rex was gripping the seat for dear life. He was glad he strapped in or getting the cure and his chip removed would have gone to waste. He heard civilians shouting as they plowed through the narrow streets and passed over their heads.

Ahsoka prayed they weren't too late. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. It loomed over the large dome Senate building and darkened the streets below.

XXX

Anakin was familiar with the Senate building. He had visited it many times when he visited Padme and the Chancellor. It didn't take him long to reach the Chancellor's office. No one stopped him. His status as a Jedi Knight afforded him access without an appointment. He found the Chancellor seated at his desk. The window outside revealed a gathering storm.

The Chancellor looked up. His aids had already informed him of Anakin's visit. However, he was not expecting the young man. Though, judging from his expression it was a matter of grave importance. He smiled at Anakin as he entered the room.

"Ah, Anakin. How good of you to visit. What can I do for you, my young friend?"

Anakin stood in the center of the room and said, "No more games. I know who you really are."

The Chancellor smiled and got up from his seat to approach the Jedi Knight and said, "Who I really am? What are you referring to, Anakin?"

Anakin gave him a steel look and replied, "I know you are the Sith Lord."

The Chancellor chuckled and said, "Me? A Sith Lord? God heavens, who in the world gave you that idea?"

Anakin tried to read the Chancellor's Force-presence. He didn't sense anything out of the ordinary. The Chancellor felt like a normal non-Force sensitive being. However, Anakin realized there was something missing. He sensed no emotions from him. He should have felt surprise or curiosity or amusement, but he felt nothing. There was only one other person he knew who felt like that and it was Jinn when he uses his Force-shields. The rogue Jedi was virtually unreadable with his Force-shields up.

"Don't lie to me. You're hiding your Force-presence."

The Chancellor quelled his Darkness by hiding his hand behind his back and made a fist. He smiled and said, "Anakin, my boy. You've made some sort of mistake. I can assure you that I am not hiding anything. Now, won't you sit down, and we can discuss this? I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding."

Anakin remained were he stood. He spoke as the Chancellor walked towards the sofa and said, "I know someone who has the exact same ability. If I hadn't met him then I don't think I would have recognized your skill."

He then ignited his blue lightsaber and turned to look the Chancellor in the eye. The hum of the saber filled the silent room.

The Chancellor kept his gaze towards the sofa as he stood next to Anakin and said, "It's not a crime to be Force-sensitive, my boy. So, what now? Do you plan on arresting me?"

Anakin narrowed his brow and said, "No. You're too dangerous to keep alive."

The Chancellor smiled and said, "Yes, but dangerous to who? The Jedi? If they are so powerful then why are you here to confront me and not the High Council? Do you really think they know what's best for the galaxy?"

Anakin glared and said, "The Senate-"

"Are nothing but corrupt officials. What the galaxy needs is order. Tell me, Anakin. Do you really think the Jedi or the Senate really care about the people?"

"And you think you're what the galaxy needs? A Sith?"

The Chancellor said, "No. A leader. Someone to root out the corruption across the galaxy and unify them under one rule. All the Senate is good for is talk, but you and I both know they are not men of action. You know how harsh reality is, Anakin. Think of the good we could do together. Instead of so many voices fighting amongst each other, we can act as one. We'd be able to accomplish more than the Jedi or the Senate could ever imagine."

"But the Jedi-"

"You better then anyone knows that the High Council isn't always right."

Anakin shouted, "No! I know you are behind the Separatists. You are the one behind Dooku and Grievous."

The Chancellor lowered his head and said, "No, it's all Dooku's doing. Not mine. At first, I tried working with him to unify the Republic and the Separatists, but he betrayed me. He has been trying to destroy the Republic ever since."

Anakin was confused. Ahsoka told him that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord. She told him that he was controlling both the Republic and the Separatists. She told him that he created the war just so he could rise to power. He wondered if Ahsoka had been wrong. She was from a different timeline. Maybe things are different in her reality.

The Chancellor then stood in front of Anakin and said, "If you really think that I'm a Sith Lord then go on and run me through with your lightsaber. I'm at your mercy."

Anakin grip on his lightsaber tightened. It would be so easy to kill him. Yet, doubt creeped into Anakin's mind. He had no evidence that Palpatine was the Sith Lord besides Ahsoka's word. He had no way of knowing for sure if the events she told him would come true.

"What are you waiting for, Anakin?"

The Jedi Knight turned towards the door. Lightning flashed across the windows. Ahsoka's figure was cast between darkness and light. She entered the room with Rex trailing behind her. The sound of the storm rumbled within the office as the two drew near.

Anakin narrowed his brow and said, "I can't, Ahsoka. What if we're wrong?"

Ahsoka couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Trust me, Anakin. That man is dangerous. I need you to believe me."

Frustrated, he said, "I don't know what to believe. What if this is a mistake?"

Ahsoka took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. She was hurt that Anakin didn't believe her, yet she knew that Sidious was a skilled manipulator. She didn't know what sort of lies he told him, but it was clear that his mind was clouded by doubt.

Ahsoka grabbed her dual white lightsabers and ignited them and said, "Then I will do what I must."

She then leapt into the air and attacked the Chancellor, but Anakin stepped in and blocked her.

"Ahsoka! What are you doing?"

"What you can't."

She then lifted three fingers from her right hand and Force-pushed Anakin out of her way. She then raised her lightsaber to cut the Chancellor down, but to Anakin's surprise, he deflected her attack with Force-lightning. Ahsoka had to use both her lightsabers in a scissor move to parry his bolt. It wasn't the first time that she wished she had her adult body.

"Ahsoka!"

Anakin moved towards her, but Rex shot a warning blast at his feet before calling out her.

"Soka!"

The teen jumped back, and Rex let loose a rain of blaster fire at the Chancellor. The Sith used the Force to shove Rex's hands away and redirect his blasts. His grin was menacing at he glared at the Captain. In response, the two regrouped and stood in formation.

"So, the little Padawan is a traitor."

Ahsoka defiantly said, "If that's what it takes to bring you down then so be it."

She lunged forward to attack again, but the Chancellor shocked her with a direct hit of his Force-lightning. Ahsoka used a Force-push to deflect most of it and was forced to step back. The ground sizzled with electricity and heat.

The Chancellor smiled and said, "Such confidence. Where did you get such conviction, young one?"

Ahsoka said, "It's none of your concern, Sith."

The Chancellor laughed and stepped towards his desk and said, "I bet you learned such defiance from your friend, Master Jinn. My sources tell me that he is a Dark Jedi."

"You should know about Darkness, Sith."

He grinned and said, "As entertaining as this unexpected surprise is, I'm afraid it's over."

The doors were thrown open and the guards entered the room. Ahsoka saw that he had pressed a security alarm at his desk. They started firing at Ahsoka, but Rex covered her with his blasters as she deflected.

"No, stop!" cried Anakin.

Rex then shot the window and broke the glass. The wind swept through the office and disorientated the guards. Rex grabbed Ahsoka around her waist and jumped out the window and into the city below. Meanwhile, Anakin felt his heart sink. He had made a terrible mistake at the cost of his friends.

XXX

It was only dumb luck of a passing transport and the Force that saved Ashoka and Rex from meeting their end after jumping out of the Chancellor's window. There was an immediate response from the local guard to search the city for them. Ahsoka and Rex were officially traitors to the Republic for trying to assassinate the Chancellor.

Once they made it to the streets, they raised their hoods and tried their best to lay low.

Rex said, "We can't wait for Barriss. We need to get off this rock now."

Ahsoka said, "Yes, but our ship is probably being search by now. We need another way to get out of here. Let's pay the Martez sisters another visit."

XXX

Rafa was surprised to see her employers again. She was afraid that they might have changed their minds about working with them. Trace didn't have any experience piloting a ship, but they didn't need to know that. Though, Trace didn't waste any time spending the down payment they received to give her ship the last parts it needed to take off.

Rafa said, "Back so soon? I thought we had an agreement."

Ahsoka marched up the ship's ramp and said, "Somethings come up. We need the ship now."

Trace approached Ahsoka and said, "Whoa! Just a minute. She's not ready."

Ahsoka knew that Rafa was in charge turned to her and said, "We'll pay you for transporting the both of us now. Twice the down payment. Do we have a deal?"

Rafa's eyes beamed. She jumped up and said, "Absolutely! Trace, start the ship."

Trace groaned and said, "But Rafa, I haven't check everything yet."

Rafa shook her head and said, "You heard our new employer. She wants a ride and we'll give it to her."

Rex turned to Trace and said, "I'll give you a hand. Let's go."

Trace tried not to show it, but she was nervous about her first flight. She thought she'd have time to squeeze in a few practice flights before the job. It also made her nervous that one of her employers was sitting next to her at the co-pilot seat. Jaig was a big muscular man. He was quiet and intimating. Yet, as she watched him, she noticed that he had kind brown eyes.

"Ready, Trace?"

She immediately turned towards the controls and said, "Yeah, we're good. So, where are we going?"

Ahsoka placed her hand on Rex's shoulder and said, "Endor."

XXX

TBC

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Thank you for reading and reviewing. Be safe.

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