"Sir, we have to go." Rex turned back to Ahsoka.
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka met his eyes, "We're not done here yet."
"The Jedi have betrayed the Republic!" Rex yelled, "You're in danger!"
"Betrayed the Repub- What?" Ahsoka demanded.
"Just trust me. I need to get you to General Skywalker at the Mustufar system." Rex insisted.
Ahsoka looked over to Ki Adi Mundi. He was rushing into a group of droids, but his Clones weren't following. The Master Jedi lowered his blade, turning to his soldiers. Then, Rex suddenly pulled her away from the sight. "Hey!"
"It's urgent, General Tano!" Rex argued, leading her by the wrist to his ship.
"Alright, alright. Just stop dragging me." Ahsoka groaned. She hurried after Rex, passing the other Clone Troopers from the 501st and 21st legion.
Rex jumped into his ship, with Ahsoka quickly climbing in after him. Rex lifted off, quickly breaking through Mygeeto's atmosphere and into space.
"Now are you going to tell me what's going on?" Ahsoka asked.
"The Jedi have tried to assassinate Chancellor Palpatine." Rex explained. Ahsoka gasped, "Now each one of them are enemies of the Republic."
"What about me?" Ahsoka leaned forward.
"The Chancellor specifically asked for you not to be targeted." Rex said, "I'm not sure why."
Ahsoka sat back in her seat, "So what, all the Jedi are being arrested?"
"Killed." Rex stated matter-of-factly.
"What?!" Ahsoka exclaimed, "Master Mundi!"
"They're dangerous, sir."
"And all the Clones are just going through with it?!" Ahsoka demanded.
"A good soldier follows orders." Rex's voice sounded robotic.
"The inhibitor chips." Ahsoka whispered, holding her eyes on Rex warily.
"Sorry, sir?"
"Nothing." Ahsoka dismissed, "Let's stop at the nearest medical facility. I think a Clanker got a lucky shot on me."
Rex tapped on his console, "The nearest medbay is located on Senator Bail Organa's ship, stationed a few parsecs away. Besides, my orders are to take you to General Skywalker."
"You will take me to Senator Organa's ship." Ahsoka influenced his mind with the Force. Usually, Rex wouldn't be affected by such mind tricks, but since he was under the control of the inhibitor chip, she imagined it would work.
"I will take you to Senator Organa's ship." Rex repeated after some pause, "Jumping to lightspeed now."
"Who is it?" Bail Organa's face came over the ship's communicator.
"Ashoka Tano." Ahsoka leaned towards him.
"Master Yoda, Master Kenobi! General Tano's safe!" Bail called. At the mention of the two Jedi's names, Rex's eyes glazed over, "You have clearance to come aboard."
"You will land inside Senator Organa's ship." Ahsoka ordered as Bail hung up.
"I will land inside Senator Organa's ship." Rex agreed, bringing the ship into the hangar of the larger ship. Ahsoka jumped out, followed by Rex. The two headed into the hallway of the ship, greeted by Bail.
The Senator froze at the sight of the Clone. "Sleep." Ahsoka ordered, resting her hand on Rex's forehead. Immediately, the Clone fell backwards, unconscious.
"Ahsoka, you're alright!" Obi-Wan hurried around a nearby corner, "Uh... is that Rex?"
"I've figured out why the Clones have betrayed us. The inhibitor chip in their brains are controlling them." Ahsoka explained, "If we can remove Rex's, then he'll help us."
"Sure are you?" Yoda asked, stepping into the hall.
"Positive." Ahsoka nodded.
"I'll see what I can do." Obi-Wan sighed. He walked over, picking up Rex's unconscious body and taking him into the nearest medbay.
"Master Yoda, are we all that's left?" Ahsoka asked as her, Yoda and Bail headed into a large meeting room with a round table in the centre. They all took a seat.
"Think so I don't." Yoda sighed, "Any contact with General Skywalker have you had?"
"None. Although Rex was taking me to him before we found you." Ahsoka answered, "So he's ok."
"Good news this is." Yoda nodded, "Go to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant we must."
"Why?"
"A trap the Clones will have set there. Warn other Jedi away we must." Yoda outlined.
"I understand." Ahsoka nodded, "Hopefully we'll find more survivors."
"Find this unlikely I do. Lost contact with the Temple we have." Yoda's shoulders fell.
"Oh." Ahsoka sighed, "What happened, anyway? Rex said the Jedi betrayed the Republic."
Yoda closed his eyes. "Chancellor Palpatine..." Bail answered for him, "is a Sith Lord."
Ahsoka gasped. "No... Anakin..." she whisepred, before quickly shaking that thought out of her mind.
Then, Obi-Wan headed into the room. He dropped a small chip on the table. "I'm sorry." Rex apologised, rubbing his forehead as he walked in behind Obi-Wan. Both of them sat at the table.
"I've repeated our plan to Rex." Obi-Wan said.
"We're going to need blasters. Do you have an armoury on this ship?" Ahsoka asked.
"Yes. But why?" Bail responded.
"I don't want to kill any Clones. They may have betrayed us, but they don't have control over themselves. If we use blasters, we can stun them instead of killing them." Ahsoka detailed.
"I see. I'm not too fond of blasters, so I'll leave it to you two." Obi-Wan said.
"Remember, set for stun." Rex whispered to Ahsoka.
"I know, I know." Ahsoka fiddled with her blaster.
"Stop! We're not letting anyone else inside the Temple, not even Captains." a Clone guarding the entrance to the Jedi Temple stopped Ahsoka and Rex. The two looked at each other, before their raised their blasters. They fired stun waves at each Clone guarding the Temple, dropping them with ease.
"It's no lightsaber, but it'll do." Ahsoka sighed.
Obi-Wan and Yoda followed after them. "Now we have to make it to the Jedi archive." Obi-Wan said, "With any luck, all of the remaining Clones inside the Temple will be guarding the entrances."
"Let's hope." Rex agreed. The four of them hurried up the steps and snuck into the Temple.
Ahsoka let out a disheartened sigh at the sight of the Jedi corpses that lay across the floor. "Come on. Hurry we must." Yoda grabbed her attention.
"It's just that... that's Barriss Offee." Ahsoka pointed.
"Close friends were you?"
Ahsoka nodded sadly, before hurrying after Obi-Wan and Rex.
"Wait." Yoda called, "Killed by a lightsaber these Younglings were."
"But who could've done this?" Obi-Wan wondered, kneeling over the Younglings.
"There." Obi-Wan said, pushing the Jedi Holocron back into its shelf, "That should warn every surviving Jedi to stay away."
"Good." Yoda smiled, "Saved the Order we may have just done."
"Before we go." Ahsoka called, "Maybe we should watch the security recordings - find out how those Younglings died."
"If into the security archives you go only pain will you find." Yoda warned.
Ahsoka turned to them anyway. She gasped as she saw Anakin cutting into the Jedi, followed by a battalion of the 501st. A long frown covered Yoda's face. "I won't believe it." Obi-Wan shook his head. Rex closed his eyes.
Ahsoka felt tears welling in her eyes, but she managed to blink them away. "Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth... Vader." Palpatine's voice came over the tapes.
"As I feared it is." Yoda said, "Stopped Chancellor Palpatine must be. And subdued his new apprentice must be too."
As Yoda spoke, he looked up at Obi-Wan.
"Do not send me to fight Anakin. He is like a brother to me, I will not do it." Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Send... me." Ahsoka wiped her eyes, "Maybe I can talk him down."
"She's right." Rex agreed, "There's a reason she was spared from the purge - because of General Skywalker."
A look of confusion crossed Obi-Wan's face, "I don't... why?"
Ahsoka sighed, before moving over to the security console. She tapped a few buttons, until a recording played.
"I don't think I've sat down all day." the recording of Anakin said.
The recording of Ahsoka moved her eyes around her surroundings, before pulling Anakin into a kiss. Ahsoka quickly shut off the recording.
"Young Tano." Yoda looked up at her, "Broken a crucial rule of the Order you have. Expelled you should be for this."
"We were going to leave after the war." Ahsoka lowered her head.
"I understand." Obi-Wan said, "I felt the same way about Duchess Satine. Had she said the word, I would have left the Order for her."
"Really?" Ahsoka looked back up. Obi-Wan nodded.
"Then settled it is. Fight Chancellor Palpatine, Master Kenobi and I will. Turn Anakin back to the light you must." Yoda said.
"Rex, I want you to stay with Senator Organa." Ahsoka said, "I should go alone."
"Understood, sir."
Anakin watched Rex's ship descend from the dark clouds of Mustufar. He hurried over to the ship, just as it landed. A smile grew across his face as the ramp lowered. "Ahsoka, you're alright!" he called as his Padwan stepped down the ramp.
She didn't respond at first. "Is that you, Anakin? Or am I talking to Darth Vader?" she asked, her hands resting on her hilts.
"Does it matter?" Anakin's smile didn't fade as Ahsoka's feet touched the metal floor of the Mustufar mining colony.
"Why?" she asked simply, her voice as calm as she could make it.
Anakin swallowed. "The Jedi betrayed the Republic. And they turned against us, Ahsoka." he said. The two began to walk around one another.
"So you turn to genocide?" she asked. Nevermind sensing her sadness - Anakin could see the tears in her eyes.
"It was the only way to keep us safe. They're relentless." Anakin repeated Palpatine's words.
"Relentless? Then why-" she took a deep breath in before continuing, "then why were there Youngling corp-"
Anakin had no answer. He desperately wanted to comfort her - to race over and pull her into a hug and tell her everything was alright... but he didn't trust himself to do so. "I'm sorry." he whispered, "I've... made a horrible mistake and I can't go back."
"Then don't!" Ahsoka yelled. The tears were rolling down her cheeks now, "Just come with me!"
"The Jedi will hunt us both down." Anakin argued, "They accused you of terrorism, for fuck's sake! Why are you defending them?!"
"I'm not! I'm defending the galaxy from wha- from what you intend to do!" Ahsoka shouted.
"What I intend to do? Ahsoka, we can overthrow the Chancellor and restore peace to the Republic!" Anakin insisted, "I don't intend to do anything more!"
"You're asking me to turn to the Dark Side." Ahsoka deciphered.
"I'm asking you to join me. To exterminate the Jedi as well as the Sith. Both are evil. But together, we can bring the galaxy to peace. To true peace." Anakin explained.
Ahsoka slowly shook her head. "No more death." she stated, wiping her eyes, "No more war. I won't be a part of this."
Anakin furrowed his brow. His bright blue eyes shimmered yellow. "Don't turn against me too." Vader spoke.
"I won't. I'll never betray Anakin, but I will help him." Ahsoka said as they both stopped walking - now standing in opposite positions to before.
Darth Vader ignited his lightsaber. Ahsoka's shoulder sunk, before she drew her own weapons. "You will try."
Vader flipped over Ahsoka. She found it hard to keep her eyes on him, as he moved with blinding speed. If he sliced the second he landed, he would've already won, but he hesitated - giving Ahsoka enough time to register his movement and block him. Ahsoka stabbed with her shoto, but Vader dodged, before picking Ahsoka up with the Force and tossing her behind him. She landing just outside of a narrow hallway leading into a small Separatist base.
Vader began pushing her through the hallway. They were restricted by the narrow hallway - so they both had to stab at each other. Eventually, Ahsoka had to jump backwards and into the meeting room of the base. The bodies of the Separatist leaders were littered around the room. Ahsoka jumped up onto the table, followed by Vader. They both clashed their lightsabers together. With neither one of them winning out, they both tried pushing each other away with the Force.
They were both sent flying in opposite directions, their lightsabers dropping to the ground. Both of the fighters slowly recovered, both jumping back up onto the table. Vader ran at Ahsoka, but she jumped up, dropkicking him away. She pulled her lightsabers back into her grasp with the Force. "Are you ready to listen now?" she asked.
Vader responded by pulling his own lightsaber towards him, using it to slash at Ahsoka's ankles. She managed to flip away to dodge his attack, landing on the balcony outside. Vader followed, swinging at her once she was in range. Ahsoka blocked, but Anakin kept pushing her back. She reached a dead-end, with Vader pushing her harder and harder. Ahsoka managed to deflect him, before climbing onto a thin rail between the balcony and a large tower floating in the lava river below.
"You have nowhere to go!" Vader called. He reached out with his hand, "Last chance; join me!"
Ahsoka stayed quiet as she slowly stepped backwards along the rail. Vader sighed, then jumped down onto the rail too. He slashed at Ahsoka, but she managed to dodge. However, she lost her balance and had to use the Force to keep herself from falling. Then, she kept moving back along the rail. A torrent of magma fell from an above cliff. "Move!" Vader yelled, using the Force to push Ahsoka to the pillar sticking out of the lava river. Then, he used the Force to hold the lava off of himself, before dropping it into the river below.
Vader kept advancing. Ahsoka frantically looked around for an escape. With no other option, she jumped onto the pillar, before carefully climbing up. Vader quickly followed. He swung at her, but she managed to block. "No..!" she gasped as she dropped her shoto lightsaber into the lava below. Then, the pillar shook.
The support cables holding up the pillar snapped as Ahsoka and Vader climbed on it. It slid off of its foundations, before floating down the lava river. Ahsoka could barely hold on as the pillar shook and rocked. She managed to regain her grip, before climbing back up. Reaching the top, she grabbed onto a thin wire hanging from an above bar. Vader tried swinging at her, but she blocked it and used the force from his strike to push herself away from him. Vader grabbed a wire too, jumping after her.
The pillar began nearing a steep drop. Ahsoka looked around for somewhere to drop to, spotting a few platforms floating in the lava. She swung back and forth, before launching herself towards it. Having used the Force to propel herself forward, she landed on a platform, quickly spinning around to face the falling pillar. Vader jumped after her, landing on a small droid working at the river.
"Anakin, please!" Ahsoka pleaded, "Listen to me!"
"Why can't you just trust me?" Vader called in response, "I want the best for us - for the Republic!"
"So do I." she whispered, before bracing for an attack.
Vader jumped onto Ahsoka's platform, swinging as he landed. Now with her one lightsaber, she did her best to block him. Vader kept htting, but Ahsoka kept blocking. Just before he could knock her lightsaber out of her hand, she jumped to solid ground.
"It's over, Anakin!" Ahsoka yelled, "Why won't you see reason?"
Anakin didn't speak. He just jumped at her.
Ahsoka took a deep breath. Time almost slowed down around her as she countered his attack.
Rex's ship landing on Polis Massa. As the ramp lowered, Ahsoka rushed out, pushing Anakin in a medical pod. "Almost there, Skyguy." she whispered. Kicking open the door to the medical facility on the asteroid, she called for a medical droid, "Help!"
A medical droid rushed out to greet her. It wordlessly took the pod from her, rushing Anakin into a hopsital room. Ahsoka barged in after it. "It is advised that you not be present for the operation." the droid said.
"Nevermind that!" Ahsoka dismissed the droid, "Just hurry up!"
The droid moved Anakin from the pod to an operating table, giving Ahsoka a better look at her Master. Each one of Anakin's limbs had been severed - his left arm just a below his elbow and his legs just below his knees. The ex-Jedi groaned in pain as a mechanical arm began tending to him. Ahsoka gripped his robotic hand. "I'm here, Skyguy." she cooed, brushing his hair with her hand, "Don't worry."
Anakin looked up at her, his eyes still full of malice. Without a second thought, Ahsoka leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Anakin's.
The crimson vultures in Anakin's mindscape matched the red of the sky above. Anakin was sitting cross-legged on the burnt grass of the mountaintop.
"Anakin." Ahsoka whispered as she sat beside him.
"Snips?" Anakin looked over at her, "I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be. That wasn't you."
"But it was." Anakin looked over at the black horizon.
"What happened, Anakin?"
"I killed Master Windu." he choked, "And I thought that the Jedi would hurt you if I didn't stop them. Fuck, I could've killed you too."
"We can still fix this." Ahsoka insisted, "Everything. I'm sure Master Yoda and Obi-Wan have defeated Palpatine. Then we can leave."
Anakin rested his face in his hands, "All those Jedi..."
"It wasn't you!" Ahsoka repeated, "Do not blame yourself."
Anakin didn't respond.
"I love you, Anakin." Ahsoka said. He slowly sat back up, only for her to kiss him. Nothing about the scenery of the mountaintop changes, but behind his closed eyelids, Anakin's eyes slowly changed back to their natural colour.
As Ahsoka returned to reality, she found herself looking over the unconscious body of her Master. By now, the surgery was finished and he'd had robotic prosthetics attached. Ahsoka planted a kiss on his forehead, before she left him to rest. Now outside, she pulled out her communicator. She called Yoda, and waited for him to answer. After about a minute of waiting, he picked up.
"Successful were you?" Yoda asked.
"I was, Master. Were you?"
"Unfortunately, successful we were not." Yoda answered, "Too powerful the Chancellor is."
"Are you alright?" Ahsoka panicked.
"Fine we are. Where are you?"
"Polis Massa." Ahsoka answered.
"Coming to you we are. Hurry we must."