Hey guys, I'm finally back at it. Sorry that this has been a while coming. Some things have come up that I didn't expect that pulled my attention away. I just wanted to put this little chapter out to get our heroes started on their adventure. I hope you guys enjoy it and, as always. May the Force be with you.
Also, to Andrew. Thanks for the resources, I already use many of them. SWT, Getslys, SWRC, Gen Tech. Plenty of them like that. I of course also scour the Wiki, interviews from people such as Filoni and Hidalgo, a little bit of everything. While I might be creating my own alternate story, I do try to use accurate resources and such.
Rex entered the Council Chamber close behind General Skywalker. They'd been called up here right in the middle of one of the Five-Oh-Firsts regular drills, it was standard, just to see how quickly each man could get themselves ready and get to a staging area within roughly five minutes. Of course, it was almost more to give the men something to do instead of training them. They all seemed restless, especially after the chips had been removed. He saluted the other Generals that were seated around them, including General Kenobi and a youngling that Rex only knew as Kenobi's Padawan.
"Alright, now that everyone is here. We can begin." General Windu said to each of them. "We've been analyzing the chip's we've removed from your men Captain, and it's turned up some interesting results." He said, suddenly pulling up a large, highly detailed holo of one of the chips. It was… interesting. But in that same way that the mangled remains of a battlefield were. Rex felt himself shudder some, even in his armor that thing could send a shiver down his spine. The power it held over him, over his brothers. It was horrifying.
"What was found Master Windu?" General Skywalker asked. Windu had the image to zoom in on a specific part of the chip, past the fleshy parts of it to the actual mechanical circuitry. Rex could see the lines running through the material, carrying the electricity from the neural up-links of its own user to keep the chip running. He analyzed it closely, and then saw something. One set of the lines didn't connect, it started, and went nowhere.
"What is that, General?" Rex asked as he undid his helmet to get an unfiltered look.
"It would appear that the creator of these chips likes to leave a signature to their work. And a well-known one at that." The image changed again, this time revealing a female trunsk. "This is our programmer. We only know her first name is D'yrma and that she's made a name for herself as a black-market programmer. People have been finding that symbol in her work all the way back to when she was writing holonet viruses. Of course, we've also noticed her work in the most recent model of commando droids." He said, pulling up a commando droid processor chip which revealed the same marking.
Rex growled some, "So, you're saying that the same shabuir who put these chips into me and my brother's heads is now programming those clankers!?" He bit his tongue some, having to hold off on going into another rant. His fists gripped tight and he was sure that his knuckles were as white as his armor. He took a momentary breath, "Sorry, Generals. What's the plan?" Rex sat back down for a moment.
It actually caught Rex off guard when General Skywalker looked to him with a look of concern. Rex nodded to his general, but his patience and nerves were thin. He couldn't stop thinking about what'd happened. And how the entire war felt like it was for nothing now.
General Windu cleared his throat, but nodded. "Yes, Captain. That would seem to be the case. We've been trying to find who's been helping the separatists upgrade their droids. It seems while the standard models aren't improving, their advanced models have steadily gotten more and more capable. While she isn't the source of all the upgrades, we have confirmed that she at least makes the new software and chips for their commando units. We think we've finally found her hideout."
The screen changed once again, this time showing a map of the galaxy, that zoomed to a small moon, orbiting a gas giant. "Yavin Thirteen. A small moon. Mostly desert." Windu began. "We intercepted the ship carrying those Commando chips and discovered it had set off from there. The Supreme Chancellor has not yet been notified of this information." General Windu actually gave a smirk.
"So, before he finds out we can hit this base. What then?" General Skywalker asked. "What benefit does this give us beyond dumbing down a few droids?"
"Well, Skywalker. We believe that capturing her alive will give us some proof to Palpatines involvement with the Separatists. Someone had to commission her to make the clone chips." He said. "The goal is to have a small force leave Coruscant on a private corvette and make its way there. We need a roughly company sized element to take the base and capture the target."
"Master Windu, give me a few hours and I can have Torrent Company ready to move out." General Skywalker said, to which Rex nodded. General Windu shook his head though.
"I can't allow that Skywalker. The Five Hundred and First has become a bit of a news icon lately. Even more so than normal due to them being stationed here at the temple. Besides, I have something else that you may want to investigate. Master Kenobi, do you think you could lead a unit of the Sky Corps on this mission?" Windu asked, both getting General Kenobi's attention and causing General Skywalker to listen up.
"I believe so Master Windu. I could have Ghost Company ready to leave within a day."
The General nodded, "Good. See to it then." He then removed a holo disk from the computer and handed it to General Kenobi. "That will provide you with all of the information we have. Including where to meet the corvette."
Kenobi nodded, "Understood, thank you." He said before standing along with his Padawan.
"May the Force be with you both on your journey." Windu told the two Jedi. Rex watched as General Skywalker strode over and grasped Obi-Wan's hand.
"Normally I'd be determined to go with you. Someone needs to watch your back in your old age Master." Anakin smirked. "But, I do believe your Padawan will manage."
Rex shook his head some, the two Jedi once again bickering in a way he'd never seen the other ones do. It reminded him heavily of how his vod would joke. In a way, he guessed that's what the two generals were. Brothers, or father and son in a way. From what he could gather, General Kenobi had effectively raised General Skywalker from when he was nine.
"Oh hush Anakin. Besides, you seem to forget who it is that always needs the rescuing." Kenobi chuckled as he squeezed Skywalkers hand.
With a chuckle, Skywalker squeezed back. "May the Force be with you. Master. Look after him Little One, and make sure you keep him on his toes."
With a shake of his head, General Kenobi left, leading his Padawan along as well.
"Sir, you mentioned you had something for General Skywalker and myself?" Rex asked, once the other two Jedi had left.
"Yes, we do. Master Yoda has been searching out through the force, and believes your Padawan has not yet left Coruscant, Skywalker."
Rex's eyes widened some, Commander Tano was possibly still here on Big C. He could see his General's eyes light up too. "Ahsoka… I'll form a search party now. A squad of my finest troopers."
Windu nodded, and silenced General Skywalker. "I know you're eager Knight Skywalker. But you need to go about this carefully. We can't have you just tearing your way through the lower levels of Coruscant in search of your Padawan. If the people found out, there'd be an outrage, protests. It would further build anti Jedi sentiment." Windu said.
Rex could see General Skywalkers fists ball up some, but the man nodded. "Understood Master Windu. I'll see what I can find." He said.
With that, General Windu dismissed them both, and Rex heard the doors hiss shut behind them as they left the room. He looked to General Skywalker. "What's the plan Sir?"
"We get a squad together. I'll check out to see if we can find where Ahsoka might have headed. Go gather a squad of men Rex. I need to meditate with Master Yoda."
Rex nodded, he had just the men in mind. "I'll have them prepped and we'll be waiting in hanger three with a Laati."
The General nodded, "Alright, I'll meet you there."
Anakin found Master Yoda in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, meditating with a group of younglings. He came over and waited, knowing the Grand Master would already know he was there. He leaned against one of the many great pillars which supported the Room itself, which was more of a hall.
"Ah, young Skywalker. Come to join us you have?" The little Jedi asked.
"Yes Master. I would like your help in meditating on the location of my Padawan."
Yoda nodded some, "I see. Sit. See if your Padawan, we can find." Yoda smiled, motioning to one of the empty seats nearby. Anakin sighed, but sat down. He didn't enjoy meditation… but if it helped him find Ahsoka, he wouldn't complain at all this time.
He centered himself, relaxing some as he focused on Ahsoka. On that day that she'd left the Order. Of how he'd felt. Slowly his inner self calmed, and he was focusing thoroughly on the Padawan he considered a daughter. He could feel the presence of Master Yoda and the younglings around him. Their aid and support through the force. A few flashes began to appear. First heavily unfocused, but slowly clearing up.
His first image came in the form of Ahsoka racing through the Coruscant skies on a speeder bike, heading through the lower levels. Her clothes were new, and gone were her lightsabers, although he knew she'd left them with the order. He caught a glimpse of her boarding a transport headed down an underworld portal, then more flashes. The sounds of talk, her calling herself Ashla, then the sounds of blaster fire, of ships engines powering up.
Finally, it settled. It showed her on a cargo ship, helping to load the cargo by hand. A small ship, but able. The light seemed artificial to Anakin, definitely underworld. He could see her talking, but it took him a moment to decipher it.
"You know this is a dangerous run we're doing, right?" A voice Anakin didn't recognize said.
"Every run we do is dangerous! We're in a ship we stole from a powerful street gang, we're smuggling weapons past that their rival gang's territory, and technically smuggling them past the Republic too." Ahsoka replied with her usual annoyed tone. It was one Anakin knew well, and it brought a smile to his face.
"Yeah… so? They weren't using the ship for anything we aren't. And at least we're smuggling the weapons to people who want to fight this gang, instead of to the gang itself like others do. I'm just saying Ashla, I've got a bad feeling about this mission. Even by thirteen-thirteen's standards… this gang isn't one to mess with. They've had some big names on their payrolls before. Hutt's, bounty hunters, even a few senators from what I've heard." The voice replied. Anakin could tell it was a young man by the sound. Not much different in age than Ahsoka. Then it hit Anakin. Thirteen-Thirteen. It had to be a level of Coruscant!
"I know Nix, I can handle myself." She reassured. "You just focus on flying this bucket, and I'll deal with anyone who tries to interrupt our flight."
'That's definitely her alright. There's no doubt about it.' Anakin thought, smiling some. 'We're coming for you Snip's.'
He watched as Ahsoka practically whipped her head around to where his vision was, causing the man to turn as well. "What? Hear something?" The man asked, drawing a blaster.
Ahsoka just kept scanning, causing him to place a hand on her shoulder to snap her from it. She jumped some, looking to him. "Oh, uh, no. Just my imagination."
The man, Nix, nodded. "Alright. Come on. Let's get the . The droids will handle the rest."
Ahsoka nodded, and then Anakin saw the one last thing he could use. Their ship. A Ghtroc 720 light freighter. Painted with yellow markings on a standard light grey hull. Then, his vision slowly began to fade.
Anakin snapped awake, looking around. He could see that the younglings had departed, yet Master Yoda still sat there, looking expectantly. "I've found her Master. At least roughly. She's on level 1313, here, still on Coruscant."
"Good. Go now you should. My permission to find her, you have." The Jedi Master smiled.
"Th..thank you Master!" Anakin did not wait for a response from the older Jedi, he was already off and running for hangar three.
