Consciousness returned slowly to Fox, his senses gradually dispelling the weightless, timeless fog that had held him captive for… for… well, Fox wasn't quite sure how long. The steady beep of medical equipment guided him back to himself, and he opened his eyes to a view of a sterile, white ceiling.

He stared at the mottled texture of the ceiling for a few minutes as the world solidified around him, his thoughts still distant and slipping through his grasp like vapor through a vent. Then he remembered.

Fox jerked out of bed and his vision swam. The movement pulled at the skin along the left side of his face, setting it ablaze. Fox seized up, all his muscles freezing in reaction to the overwhelming pain.

"Whoa, there, Commander," a voice Fox didn't immediately recognize said. Then small hands were on his arms, guiding him back onto his pillows.

Blue and white striped lekku became visible through the haze of Fox's vision. "...Tano?"

"Yes, that's me," she said, stepping away now that he was settled. "I know I'm probably not the face you'd most like to see, but I'm who you've got."

"The… the Chancellor…" he slurred, his tongue still thick in his mouth.

"She's alright. She's in a secure facility right now, guiding everyone through the chaos."

"And… Bacara?"

"Bacara and all of his men are in custody. Well, we think all of them. Rex is working one finding any clones whose chips might have been activated right now. He wants me to stay here until he's sure it's safe," she said with a frown.

Fox's brows furrowed as his memories returned, and he stared at Tano doubtfully. "Don't… don't I pose a threat to you?"

She shook her head. "Your inhibitor chip was removed while you were unconscious. I guess it was still possible you'd want to kill me when you woke up, but I assured Rex I could handle a partially-sedated, unarmed clone."

The corner of Fox's mouth raised in a smirk. "You sure about that?"

Tano laughed—a rich, sincere sound. "Pretty sure," she said, patting the single lightsaber at her waist.

Maybe Fox could understand a little more why Rex liked having her around.

Fox let his eyes close and he took in a deep breath. His body seemed to sink into the mattress below him, wanting to draw him back to sleep, but he resisted. The Republic might be safe in the immediate future, but he was under no illusions. Everything had changed, at least for him and his brothers.

What… what do you think will happen next?" Tano asked, her voice small.

Fox shook his head the smallest amount, his skin still burning from the slight movement. "I don't know. But I can't see a future where clones are free."

Tano drew her lips to a line and closed her eyes, a deep furrow developing between her brow markings. She shook her head once. "No. Riyo, you, Rex… We'll figure something out."

Fox could see the longing behind her eyes, the hope for a future he recognized all too well. A hope that wasn't going to get either of them anywhere.

"It would be better for you to move on," he said at length.

Tano shot him a sharp gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"There's no future for a clone. And I know he wants you to be happy."

Tano pursed her lips, an angry fire burning in her eyes. "I'll be the judge of what makes me happy, thank you very much."

Fox let out a long, slow breath and settled deeper into his pillows. He was already feeling tired again, and didn't have the energy to argue with her.

The regular rhythm of medical equipment grew loud in the silence between them, and that was fine by Fox. His world was falling apart, and Ahsoka Tano was pretty far down the list of people he wanted to talk to about it.

"You know, I've been friends with Riyo for a while now," Tano said. "If you don't want to be with her for your own reasons, then so be it. But if you're going to push her away out of some misguided attempt to protect her? Well then you don't deserve her."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, you think I don't understand?" she said with a bitter laugh. "You didn't think you're the only clone in the GAR with a tragic love story, did you?"

Fox huffed, unwilling to give space for Ahsoka Tano's perspective in his mind yet. "Well, I don't see that it will matter much either way. Life has a way of forcing your hand, doesn't it?"

The corner of her mouth twitched upward. "I suppose it does."

Tano's comm device beeped and she started, rushing to answer it like her life depended on it. "Rex? Rex, you there?"

"Yeah," Rex's voice issued through the comm. He sounded like he hadn't slept in days. "You good?"

"Forget about me, I've just been waiting around in this hospital. How are you? Are things settled?"

"More or less. We've accounted for all of Bacara's battalion, but it's possible they activated inhibitor chips in other clones, so we're still on high alert."

Tano swallowed, and through half-shut eyes Fox could see the motion bob her throat up and down.

"Any… any Jedi among the dead?"

"There are still some Jedi unaccounted for, but they were all in remote locations or deep undercover. At present we don't have any reason to believe they were killed."

"Other casualties?" She held her elbow with her other hand, her orange fingers digging into her skin.

"Around fifty men, all told. Most of them clones. The 21st had orders to stun unless necessary, so thankfully Senate Guard casualties were low."

Fox screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to think tactically. Fifty casualties was extremely low, all things considered. This had been an attack on the Senate—an attempted coups executed by one of the most elite arms of the military. They should consider themselves lucky.

But Fox was sick of thinking of a few deaths as "lucky."

"And, uh… Any news from the Chancellor?" Tano asked into the comm. "There's someone here who'd be very interested to hear."

"Fox is awake? Well, tell him to go back to sleep. Chancellor Chuchi is fine, and she'll be better if she knows he's recovering. Sedate him if you have to."

Tano quirked a brow at Fox, and he shook his head. "That won't be necessary," he said.

"Good," Rex said. "...And 'Soka? Stay safe."

Tano's fingers curled tighter around her elbow and she bit her lip. "I will if you will, Rex."

"I promise."

Tano closed the comm and sat down in a chair in the corner, slumping over like all the energy had left her body as soon as Rex's voice cut off. She looked over at Fox, her eyes only half open. "Get some rest. I don't know what's coming next, but I have a feeling we're both going to need it."

Fox found he couldn't disagree.


Riyo's hands were shaking. She sat in an armored speeder with three heavily-armed Senate Guards to her front, left, and right. She was safe. Still her hands shook.

Fox had been stable when she'd left the hospital. The doctors had reassured her seven different ways that he was going to pull through, but that hadn't made leaving any easier. Still the smell of burnt flesh wouldn't leave her nose.

"Ma'am?"

Riyo started, turning to the captain of the guard who'd taken over her personal protection. "Y-yes?" What was his name again? "Captain Athel?"

"We're approaching the Senate building now," he said. His brown eyes were patient and kind, but not quite the same burnished copper as Fox's.

She cast about briefly for Maja for support, but Maja wasn't there. She'd sent Maja home with her own guards, determined that at least one of them should get the time and space they needed to recover. But Riyo didn't have that luxury. Senator Glick had called for an emergency session, and Riyo couldn't afford to miss it.

The speeder pulled up to the Senate building and the Riyo's guards escorted her inside. There were Senate Guard and backup from the Coruscant Police everywhere. It seemed every window, doorway, and hall held another security officer, and Riyo couldn't blame them for the extra precautions. They didn't make her feel any safer.

Riyo stepped onto the same repulsorpod she'd occupied hundreds of times throughout her tenure as Chancellor, somehow feeling like she was stepping onto the Senate floor for the first time. The pod lifted into the Senate theatre, her small platform joining hundreds of others with a nervous, charged energy.

"The Chancellor is here!" announced Vice Chancellor Ek, floating nearby on a different platform. "I call this emergency session to order!"

Hundreds of voices all called out at once, each talking over each other in a riot of sound. It made Riyo want to duck for cover, but she stood firm against the cacophony

"There will be order in these chambers!" Vice Chancellor Ek's magnified voice drowned out the crowd, and the sound subsided.

"I represent a large coalition of senators united against the passage of the clone rights and retirement bill," Senator Burtoni said, her pod swooping into center stage. "Recent events have only added to the urgency of our cause. We call for a vote, here and now, to reject this bill."

Riyo stood up. "I understand your concern. Yes, today's events were alarming, but we cannot allow ourselves a reactionary response. We would do ourselves and the men in the Grand Army of the Republic a tremendous disservice if we make such a momentous decision now, while the details of this attack are still unclear and tensions are high."

"Weren't you attacked today, Madam? I would think you would feel the seriousness of the matter," Senator Burtoni shot back. "It was a Clone Commander who attacked you—one of the very highest ranked clones in the entire GAR. If we cannot trust him, how can we trust any other clone to run wild and free among our law-abiding citizens?"

Riyo's teeth ground. She could hear the fear in the voices of the senators around her, and she understood. It was terrifying, to think that any clone trooper could be turned traitor with a few simple spoken passphrases. But just like any citizen of the Republic, they shouldn't be punished for something beyond their control. There was simply no justice to it.

"If Chancellor Chuchi believes we need to know more about the attack, then let's hear the details!" Senator Forthilla said. "We've heard rumors of mind control and Chancellor Palpatine, but nobody knows what's going on."

"There will be a formal investigation over the coming months, which is why I propose we delay the vote until after the Senate has been able to review the results of the investigation," Riyo said.

"We don't have time for that," Senator Wllyllytox said through his translator, his large, alien eyes wide with concern. "I passed by the bodies of several Senate guardsmen on my way to these chambers today. If clones were responsible I need to know. All the clones evacuated this building. Where are they now? What's happening with the GAR?"

Riyo didn't want to talk about this. She wanted to close her ears and shut her mouth and hold out until after the formal investigation came out. But she was a young chancellor, with significantly less political sway than her predecessor. She couldn't afford secrets, and after so many years of corruption and duplicity, she wasn't so sure the Republic could afford them either.

She braced herself. "We have received intelligence suggesting that every clone was implanted with an inhibitor chip under the instructions of former Chancellor Palpatine. This inhibitor chip would force them to carry out specific orders when activated. I came between a clone with an activated chip and his order, which was why my life was threatened."

The Senate exploded in shouts of alarm.

"How many clones are infected?!"

"What is the activation code?"

"Are we safe now? What was the order?"

Riyo glanced at Ek and he banged his ceremonial staff. "Order!"

"All clone members of the GAR are currently being quarantined in a facility where their chips cannot be activated. We've already begun the process of removing their inhibitor chips. Once they are removed, every clone should be perfectly healthy and will no longer be affected by these behavioral modifications," Riyo said.

"How do we know that will work?"

"That could take months!"

"This isn't safe!"

"Chancellor Chuchi," Senator Burtoni said, her lifeless voice cutting through the chaos. "I believe I speak for all of us when I say there are too many unknowns. As a representative of the Kaminoan Clone Research Society, I can state with confidence that these chips were meant to reduce clone volatility and violent tendencies. This was not their intended effect, and at this point we cannot be certain what caused this insurrection."

"If Senator Burtoni says they aren't safe, how can we believe otherwise?" Senator Wllyllytox said.

A dozen voices started speaking at once, but Senator Burtoni silenced them with a simple raise of her hand. Riyo's heart sank.

"If at some point in the future we know that they can be normal citizens, we can reintroduce this bill," Senator Burtoni said. "But for now we must vote it down."

Riyo couldn't let it stand. "I once again call for caution-"

"I call for an immediate vote!" Senator Burtoni cut her off. Each pod in the Senate submitted a vote, and Senator Burtoni's call stood. They'd vote on the clone rights bill, here and now.

Vice Chancellor Ek's pod floated to the center of the Senate and he hit his staff against the durasteel, the sound magnified many times over. "We will cast our votes now for Bill 145662226367009e - Clone Rights and Retirement."

Riyo keyed in her vote, then sat in her seat, feeling faint and sick to her stomach. The vote would have been close if they'd done it a week ago. Now, after everything that had happened? This couldn't be good.

All the votes came in and Vice Chancellor Ek stood again. "The bill fails with 224 votes in favor," Vice Chair Ek said with a resounding bang of his staff.

And that was it. The bill was dead.


Fox sat by himself in the corner of a large gymnasium crowded with anxious clones. The comms blackout zone was in one of the lowest habitable levels of Coruscant. It was a large training facility for special ops troopers specializing in urban warfare, and clone commando Tech and the rest of Clone Force 99 had rushed to set up the scrambling devices that would keep them safe. So far, it was working.

It was working, but that left them with thousands of clones crammed in a tight space with no specific orders. It was a strange new life, and Fox could only hope it wasn't an omen of what was to come.

He'd been picked up by a squad of clones on their way to the blackout zone not long after he'd woken up in the hospital. "You're stable," the doctor had explained, "and they have medics in their facility if you need any care." A short shuttle ride later and he and the other troopers had been left in this large, bunker-like building in the depths of Coruscant. Nobody had heard anything since.

Fox should probably go find Stone, or Thorn, or anyone in the Coruscant Guard. But the entire left side of his face wouldn't move, his body ached, and his head still rang with the sound of the blaster fire that had nearly killed him. He hadn't bothered to check a mirror, but the doctors had told him his left ear was missing entirely. He didn't really feel like moving.

Clone Force 99 seemed to be running the place, a job both difficult and thankless. Fox could feel his fellow clones' resentment every time one of the modified clones gave an order, and he could hardly blame them. Whether they meant to or not the Bad Batch carried themselves with an air of superiority—or at least individuality. But Clone Force 99 was the only complete squad that all had their chips out before going into the blackout zone, so they were in charge.

That was fine with Fox. He was done with being in charge.

A PA system Fox hadn't noticed before crackled to life overhead. "All clones report to the central gymnasium. Not everyone will fit, but we want it to be as full as possible."

For what? Fox wondered, unmoving. He acknowledged that maybe this should concern him, that maybe it was some extended plot by Bacara or some other chip-activated clone. But whoever this was had access to the PA system already. If they were going to activate the order then the GAR was already karked.

The other clones around him started for the door, and he read some relief on their expressions—happiness that they'd finally been given an order to follow. Fox grimaced at the thought. How sick was that? Why had it taken them so long to figure out they were messed up in the head?

A clone Fox didn't know grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet. "Come on, oldtimer. Orders are orders." Fox didn't resist, following after the eager clone with a blank expression on his face. Might as well.

"The Chancellor will be giving a public, broadcasted address," the disembodied voice said again over the PA system. "All troops report."

That got Fox's attention.

Riyo. He hadn't expected to really see her again. He'd almost killed her. He and every other clone was a danger to the Republic as a whole and to her individually. But part of him still didn't care, still selfishly wanted to see her again, and damn the rest. So he pushed forward.

He moved with the crowd of troopers and flowed into the central gymnasium—a massive open room with space for thousands. He expected to see a giant monitor on one end of the room where the broadcast would take place, but instead there was a large dais a good twenty feet above the rest of the room, the area clear of clones. Fox narrowed his eyes in confusion, then the PA system clicked on again.

"Attention!"

Every clone in the room immediately snapped to attention like they'd been pulled by a string, Fox included, and he hated himself a little for it. Then a petite figure in maroon and gold stepped up to the center of the dais, and his heart stopped.

Riyo was here. This wasn't an address they were going to broadcast here on some display. They were recording from here, broadcasting from here. Was she insane?

"Esteemed warriors of the Grand Army of the Republic and all citizens of the Republic watching this message, I come to you with sad tidings," she said, her voice magnified throughout the building by some unseen instrumentation. "The attack that took place today on our Senate office buildings many of you already know. An old scheme of the traitor and criminal Sheev Palpatine was accidentally set in motion, and as a result a battalion of clone soldiers was tricked into coming to the Senate, intent on usurping control of the GAR. But that is not the most tragic event to happen today."

She paused, and Fox focused in on her face. She was too far away for him to see clearly, but he knew from her voice what her expression would be. Her brow would furrow, the corner of her mouth would drop, and she'd hold her head up like it weighed as much as a slab of duracrete. Her eyes would have that distant, pained look—a look both heartbreaking and comforting because it told you that she knew you.

"The Senate just convened an emergency session, and the bill that was going to help a large portion of the GAR retire and also grant the rights of citizenship to every member of the GAR was struck down."

She paused, as if waiting for the murmurs that never came to die down. But the GAR was too disciplined to whisper during an address from the Chancellor herself. That made Fox proud, in a twisted sort of way.

"This will go down in galactic history as a day of great shame for our Republic," she continued. "What can we call a society that does not take care of its soldiers? That does not take care of the men and women who put their lives on the line for the safety of all? That is not the Republic that I wish to be a part of. And yet I am. I am its elected leader, so I stand before you bearing the full weight of this shame, and apologize."

That did elicit murmuring among the troops. Fox doubted if his brothers had ever heard an apology from a non-clone, and to hear one from the Chancellor?

"I understand the fear that has led many of my colleagues to vote against this bill," Riyo continued. "Today's attack was frightening, and the circumstances surrounding it strange and unnerving. For those citizens who are unaware, former Chancellor Palpatine ordered that a behavioral modification chip be placed in every clone such that when given a specific command, the clone would lose all autonomy and execute an order to kill their Jedi generals."

A clone standing near Fox gasped audibly. Rumors had flown fast and loose through the ranks, but many clones still hadn't known the full story. And now the entire Republic would know.

"This chip was activated in every clone of the Galactic Marines, one of our bravest and most-decorated battalions. These marines, acting on an impulse over which they had no control, came to the Senate with the purpose of breaking into my office and seizing a comm device that would send a message to every trooper in the GAR. This message would be simple: activate your chips now."

The secret was out. Now every civilian in the Republic would know about the security breach in his brain. They'd already flinched away when they saw his red armor coming before. Now would they scream?

"Riyo…" Fox mumurred under his breath. "What are you doing?"

"My colleagues in the Senate would have you believe that this means the clones cannot be trusted. That we cannot know your true intent, or that you might turn traitor at any moment. But I know," Riyo said, her voice powerful and sure. "I know that your hearts are true. I know that when this chip is activated, you have no free will to disobey. I know that no trooper is responsible for actions taken under its control. I also know that when the chip is removed, you will all be the loyal, safe, determined soldiers I know you to be.

"Let me tell you how I know these things. Let me tell you about CC-1010, Commander Fox."

A cold freeze started at Fox's chest and spread throughout his body. Every instinct screamed at him to run and hide. Attention was bad. Publicity was deadly. But underneath all the fear, he still trusted Riyo.

"Commander Fox volunteered to be head of my personal security as soon as I was elected," Riyo continued. "Since then he has spent most of his time a few steps behind me, ensuring my safety. During today's attack, he stood between me and the Galactic Marines—one man against a battalion. Then one of our assailants activated Commander Fox's inhibitor chip and ordered him to attack me."

She broke off, a strangled noise escaping her throat. She let out a soft sob, then continued. "I could see him struggling to resist, but it was impossible. He drew his blaster to shoot me, then at the last second managed to turn it on himself instead. He'd rather die than hurt me. I know, if he had had any kind of choice, he never would have come close to harming me."

Silence reigned over the packed hall. Fox reached a hand up and touched the smooth scar tissue of where his left ear used to be.

He braced himself, waiting for the wave of guilt and pain to overpower him. But it never came. Instead a different emotion rose in its place—an emotion that swelled his chest and brought peace to his mind. Pride.

In the end he'd made his own decision. In the end he'd protected Riyo in the face of insurmountable odds. In the end, Chancellor Palpatine hadn't been able to take away his soul. And that felt good.

"Thankfully, Commander Fox's shot didn't quite connect, and he survived," Riyo continued. "His chip was removed during surgery, and when he woke up he was in perfect control of himself. His autonomy was returned to him. I was honored to have been guarded by the clones of the GAR. I know you are among the finest of men. I know this chip was something you had no control over—indeed it is something many of you didn't even know existed until this very moment. And we as a Republic are punishing you for it. For something that we did when we ordered your creation."

Riyo lowered her head and shook it back and forth. When she raised it again, Fox could see light glinting off of the tear tracks down her cheeks. "It is injustice. It is barbaric. And I will not let it stand. Over the course of the next month, we will see that every single clone in the GAR has their inhibitor chips removed. Then I will fight tooth and nail until a new, even stronger clone rights bill is passed. You have my word."

Cheers erupted from among the audience, and Fox joined in. It was a big risk—coming here, telling everyone about the inhibitor chips, telling everyone about Fox. But he was glad she'd done it.

Riyo stepped back from the platform. The whole blackout zone buzzed with energy as excited troopers talked among themselves—some about the benevolent Chancellor but more about the terrifying piece of hardware they'd just all discovered was embedded in their heads. Fox wanted to find Thorn or Stone now, wanted to debrief and get to work putting the CG back together, but before he got the chance to sneak off a heavy arm rested on his shoulder.

"Fox, the Chancellor wants to see you," Hunter said.

"What? Now?" Fox asked. He was feeling energized—alive, for the first time since waking from surgery—and he wanted to go out and do something. But seeing the Chancellor again? Close enough to read the kindness in her eyes? He wasn't sure he was ready for that.

"Yeah. Come with me," Hunter said.

He led Fox out of the fray and to a secure part of the building, where 501st guards gradually gave way to Senate guards. Eventually they came to a conference room with thick enough walls to survive a thermal detonator blast. Hunter guided Fox through the door, and the sight of Riyo Chuchi and her small entourage greeted him.

"Fox! You're here!" Riyo said, brightening immediately at the sight of him.

Fox nearly flinched under the blinding light of her smile, but he held his ground. He wasn't going to be ashamed of himself—not any more.

"So this is the clone you mentioned in your speech?" Vice Chancellor Ek said.

"Yes," Riyo said, taking another step towards Fox. "I believe Fox is just the man we need."

"Ma'am?" Fox asked, already prepared to say yes. Whatever it was, Fox would always choose Riyo.

Senator Organa stepped forward and put a hand on Fox's shoulder. "Son, I'm heading up the effort to dechip the entire GAR. All of the Jedi are on leave until the job is done, and I need a partner within the GAR who knows the organization and can help me."

"I recommended you," Riyo said.

Fox looked between Organa and Riyo. "What would this position entail?"

"You'd travel with me to each unit of the GAR wherever they are currently deployed. We'd organize whatever medical personnel and materials we need, make travel plans, liaise with the commanders of each battalion—that sort of thing," Organa said.

"It would take you away from Coruscant for some time," Riyo said with a slight wince, "but this project is absolutely vital to our plan for reintroducing the clone rights bill to the Senate."

"I accept," Fox said.

Senator Organa's eyebrows raised. "Are you sure you don't need more time to consider-?"

"No," Fox said with certainty. "I accept."

Organa's fingers squeezed Fox's shoulder and he nodded before stepping back. "Good man."

Riyo smiled, with only a hint of sadness peeking through, and she stepped towards Fox as Organa retreated.

"You've already done so much for the Republic, Fox. You don't need to do any more if you don't want to," she said, her voice soft.

"I know," Fox said. "I want to do this."

Her brows knit together and a heavy tear fell from the corner of her eye. She pulled him into a tight embrace, heedless of her Senate entourage behind her. "Thank you for saving me," she said, loud enough for the whole room to hear.

Fox's heart jumped into his throat. He hadn't thought he'd ever feel her body pressed up against his like this again. The status of the clones was messier than ever, the possibility of him and Riyo building anything that lasted between them even more remote than before. And still she held him close to her.

A shudder ran through him, from the tips of his fingers to the ends of his toes, and Riyo brought her lips to his ear. "I love you, too," she whispered, just for him. "I'll wait for you."

Then she pulled away and before Fox knew it, he was alone in the conference room, blinking in the aftermath of her blinding light. Right then and there, he knew that he and Riyo Chuchi would not simply be a precious memory. No matter how long it took, they would find a way to each other.