Ahsoka entered Maul's containment unit. He looked surprised to see her.
She unlocked the cage. "Don't make me regret this," she said with as much menace as she could manage. She released his bindings.
Maul fell to the ground with a cough. "You- you survived."
"Is this your doing? Choose your words carefully," Ahsoka held a blade up to his throat.
"No, no, this was not my doing. I do not know what has occurred, but, surely, you have felt it. The voices crying out. The death."
Ahsoka backed up, considering what he said. "The clones turned against me. Even Rex. I don't know why, they just suddenly weren't themselves."
Maul chuckled at his former master's genius. "Brilliant. Brilliant." Ahsoka glared at him.
Maul continued, "I was not privy to my master's plan, but now, now I see it. He turned the Jedi's own army against them."
Maul got to his feet. "Well, you've done the right thing by coming to me. Only together can we survive this. Now if you will follow my lead-"
Ahsoka held the blade back to his neck. "You don't understand. I'm not here to team up with you. I need a diversion, and you're it."
Maul glared at her.
"Now go cause some chaos. It's what you're good at," Ahsoka said, disgusted. She walked away, still pointing her blade at him. She exited, making sure the coast was clear.
"Uh, care to give me a fighting chance?" Maul asked.
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed. "I'm not rooting for you. Now get going." Maul glared at her and walked off.
Ahsoka snuck into the room with the droids. She activated R7, Cheep, and G-G. They all beeped nervously. She coaxed them down.
"I don't know. I don't know why the clones are doing this. But we might be able to do something about it."
The droids beeped excitedly.
"Are you sure you want to help? It could be dangerous," Ahsoka didn't really know what she was getting them into. They beeped in acceptance.
"Alright. R7, patch into the central computer. Bring up every secure file on Clone Trooper CT-5555."
R7 pulled up a screen with Fives' information.
"Okay, Rex. What am I looking for?" Ahsoka asked out loud.
A Kaminoan suddenly appeared. "An independent investigation confirmed that the Clone Trooper CT-5555 experienced a malfunction with his inhibitor chip. Bot the Senate committee and the Jedi Council have accepted these findings. However, a grievance report was filed by CT-7567."
"R7, bring up that report."
R7 shook his head, beeping a problem. "It's sealed?" Ahsoka paused before remembering, "Try Anakin's pass code. 8-1-0-8." It worked. Anakin wasn't even supposed to be authorized, but perhaps they hadn't yet removed his authorizations. Or maybe the Force was giving them a break.
A hologram of Rex appeared. "I already know this report is gonna fall on deaf ears, but I owe it to Fives to record what I saw. I'm not sure I believe it myself, but there's a possibility that the inhibitor chips the Kaminoans put inside of us have a purpose that we don't yet fully understand."
Ahsoka realized what they needed to do.
R7 moved into action, cutting off Rex's path.
"Hey, out of the way," Rex ordered. The droids beeped a stubborn refusal. The other droids closed off three of the surrounding doors.
"Are you cross-wired?" Rex asked, indignant.
A hologram of Ahsoka appeared, "Rex. I think I know what's happening. I saw your report on Fives. It isn't your fault. You were programmed. Your mind was altered to do this when you were very young. I can help you."
Rex aimed a blaster at the droid, "Where is she?"
"I'm right here." Ahsoka said. Rex spun around, aiming his blaster at her.
The droids shocked him, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
"Careful. We're trying not to hurt him," Ahsoka chastised them, turning Rex over.
"They've got the Commander. Bring the charges," Ahsoka heard from beyond the sealed doors.
"Cheep, are all of the doors sealed so the way is clear?" Ahsoka asked. Cheep beeped in confirmation.
"Okay. Let's get him to the medical bay." Ahsoka lifted Rex onto the three droids, who proceeded to take him to the medical bay.
Once they were inside, Ahsoka lifted Rex onto the surgery bed.
"R7, run a scan. See if you can find the inhibitor chip the report talked about."
The scan came back negative.
"But the chip has to be in there. Check again."
Cheep started to beep as the incoming clones began unlocking the medbay door.
"How close are they?" Cheep responded urgently.
"G-G if they override the door controls, you have to reseal it fast."
"R7, anything?" R7 shook its head.
Ahsoka looked at Rex, placing a hand on his chest. She didn't quite know why but she placed her hands on his head and began to chant. "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me." As she recited the line over and over again, Rex began to unconsciously recite it in unison.
She trusted the Force to guide them. It wouldn't fail them.
Finally, the monitor beeped, indicating it found something. She turned and saw the location of the chip inside of him.
"R7, get him under and remove that thing." R7 beeped questioningly.
"I don't know if it will work, but if it doesn't, we're dead anyway."
The troopers had finished working on the door.
"Get ready on the door!" Ahsoka ordered G-G.
The troopers finally broke through, lifting up the door. They unleashed a barrage of fire on Ahsoka. She deflected their shots, while Force pushing as many of them back as she could.
But the onslaught was relentless. Her shoto saber was suddenly shot out of her hand.
"The door! G-G, the door! The door!" Ahsoka desperately trying to fend off the barrage of fire with her remaining saber. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, but she ignored it.
She heard four blasts come from behind her. But they weren't meant for her. The door finally closed.
She turned and saw Rex, breathing heavily with his dual pistols aimed at the door.
"Rex?" She started. "Are you okay?" He was not okay.
"Yeah. Yeah kid, I'm okay. I'm sorry about what happened earlier." He widened his eyes in realization, unable to look at her. "I almost… killed you."
"How widespread is this?" Ahsoka asked.
He turned to look at her. "Ahsoka, it's all of us. The entire Grand Army of the Republic has been ordered to hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights."
Ahsoka's eyes widened in disbelief. Destroy the Jedi Knights?
"Ahsoka…" Rex sounded worried. He was still looking at her.
Ahsoka felt a white, hot pain in her stomach. She looked down and gasped. In her adrenaline, she hadn't even realized she'd been shot. She fell to her knees, suddenly exhausted.
"Ahsoka!" Rex was at her side in an instant. He lifted her onto the surgery bed. "Help her, damnit!" he demanded the medical droid.
The droid did a scan of the wound. Rex held his breath.
The droid looked up and replied flatly, "This wound is fatal."
Rex was in disbelief. "What do you mean, fatal?" He said angrily.
They heard the troopers working the door again.
Ahsoka would have laughed at the pitiful situation they were in, if things didn't look so bleak.
"Rex…" Ahsoka said weakly. "Find Anakin and get out of here…"
Rex couldn't believe what she was saying.
He was about to say respond, when they heard the sound of the troopers outside grunting and being knocked unconscious. "Ahsoka? Rex?" a familiar voice asked. It had been a long time since Rex had been this relieved to hear the General's voice.
"Let him in!" Rex commanded G-G.
Anakin emerged looking worried, as the door closed behind him. He saw Rex and looked relieved. "Rex, it's good to see you're back." He smiled before frowning. "I thought I sensed something wrong-"
His eyes wandered to Ahsoka. "Ahsoka…" He rushed to the surgery bed, placing his hand on her arm. His eyes widened as he saw her wound.
"She saved me, sir. Got whatever it was out of my head. The medical droid said…" Rex looked ashamed. He couldn't even say it. A fatal wound.
"It's not." Anakin said simply, like he was reading his mind. But he couldn't deny that Ahsoka was fading. She was dying.
"Ahsoka…" he said softly, taking her hand in his and squeezing it. Ahsoka squeezed back, managing a weak smile as she looked at him.
Anakin's mind was racing for a solution. Ahsoka was not going to die. Not if he could help it.
He didn't quite know what told him to, but he placed his hand on her wound. Ahsoka winced. He squeezed his eyes shut. He silently pleaded with the Force, anything, for help. He thought of every moment he could remember with Ahsoka. Every moment of their friendship he could bear to hold on to as she lay there dying. Everything he would give up to keep her safe.
He didn't know how to describe it, but suddenly, he began to feel a sort of…energy. Something he hadn't felt since his time on Mortis, when he had used the Daughter's life force to revive Ahsoka.
Rex's eyes widened, when he saw Anakin's hand begin to glow at the place of the wound. How in the world…
Anakin continued to concentrate. After a few moments, the glowing stopped and he suddenly felt much weaker. He stumbled backwards, falling back on the wall for support.
Ahsoka started to cough, sputtering back to life. She sat up quickly, ready to fight. She must have been starting to black out.
Rex eased her up. "Whoa, whoa. Easy, kid."
"Wha-" Ahsoka started, before realizing that just a few moments ago, Anakin had been right next to her.
She quickly looked around the room and saw Anakin leaning on the wall. Her heart dropped. He was alive but looked much worse for wear. Sickly, even. What had he…? She looked down and saw that her wound had healed completely. She felt fine. Completely fine. Her eyes widened in realization.
What did he do?
"Anakin…" she croaked, worried. He was definitely paler.
Anakin tried to give a convincing look that he was alright. He held up his hand, stopping her, "It's okay. You're all right now."
She stared at him for a few moments. He had a weak, apologetic smile on his face.
She finally said, "I don't know what you were thinking." She wanted to sound angry, but it just came out mildly exasperated.
Anakin just smiled and wordlessly pulled her into a hug. Ahsoka widened her eyes, surprised by his sudden closeness. But she soon closed her eyes and melted into the embrace, clinging onto him. Ahsoka let out a sigh and took in his scent. He smelled like smoke and ash, smells of the battlefield, yet there was something distinct about him.
"You know I can't help but worry about you." Her voice was muffled by his tunic. Anakin chuckled.
They were interrupted by the sound of the troopers continuing their work on the door.
"All troopers, new orders. Our priority is capturing Skywalker." Jesse's orders came on one of the clone's commlink, outside the door.
A/N: In canon, the first appearance of Force healing is when Anakin revives Ahsoka on Mortis. This is also probably the only instance of Force healing in canon that I have liked (*cough* sequel trilogy *cough*). Given the closeness of the two characters, I am happy with the decision to include here as well.