Chapter 17 – The 501st

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD

Author's Note: In which Anakin awakens, and the rest of the clone prisoners enter the scene. :P

~ Amina Gila

The first thing Anakin becomes aware of is the unbearable ache in his entire body. The memories filter in next, bringing with them a sinking dread. But if given the choice, he knows he would do it again. There was murder in his master's eyes when he was electrocuting Obi-Wan. He was enjoying it, and Anakin couldn't bring himself to stand aside and let his friend die. Drawing on the Force to siphon away his pain, he forces his eyes to open.

Next to him, Ahsoka is sitting on a chair, doing something to his mechanical arm while Dooku stands beside her, pointing something out to her. "What?" mumbles Anakin, forcing the word out. He would really like a drink, but if he can't get out more than one word at a time, he won't be having much luck asking.

"You're awake," Dooku comments, a hint of relief on his face. "You've been unconscious for several hours." He moves swiftly across the room, boots clacking on the tile floor. That's the sound which makes Anakin fully register his surroundings. He's in the medical wing.

"Sidious is gone," Ahsoka adds, smiling over at him, "And I'm fixing your arm. Dooku got me the parts." Anakin blinks at her in confusion. She's – why?

"Here, drink this." Dooku holds out a glass of water, helping Anakin sit up enough to drink it. He sips it slowly, feeling immense relief as it flows down his throat. He still feels extremely weak, but that's normal. It'll pass given a few more hours, and he'll be back to normal. "I'll let Tano explain the situation to you," the Count adds after giving Anakin another minute to fully regain consciousness. "I have to speak with the Separatist Senate and attend to some other matters. I shouldn't be gone long."

Anakin nods, and with one final glance, Dooku turns and leaves the room. Looking around, Anakin spots Obi-Wan laying silently in the bed next to him. On the other side of the room, two clones are standing over someone – another clone? Probably Appo. Ahsoka seems to catch his quizzical expression because she hastens to explain.

"Two of clones, Kix and Coric, were medics, so they've been taking care of you and Obi-Wan." She pauses, eyes flitting to them for a moment. "Appo is here too," she continues, confirming his suspicions. She hesitates then, shifting uncomfortably. Anakin reaches out, touching their bond briefly. Though it's still quite weak, he can unmistakably sense uncertainty and worry.

"What is it?" he prompts, giving her an expectant look.

"The clones," she breathes, expression haunted. "They have chips in their heads, a-and they can be mind-controlled using them. No one knows what the orders are, except Sidious. Dooku thinks that one of them is to execute you which is why Appo attacked you."

Anakin blinks up at her in a stunned silence. It's – that – no. Just no. "That's wrong!" he bursts out, shaking his head. "That's no better than a slave chip! If we can get one of the chips, I can crack the encryption and figure out what they contain." He glances over at the medics, who must have heard his words though they don't give any indication that they're listening. A new determination floods though him, tampered only by his fear. Whatever he does, he must be very discreet, because Sidious cannot learn what they're doing. It would mean their death sentences.

"Good." Ahsoka gives him a weak smile and squeezes his mechanical hand. "Dooku said you probably could. If you don't mind, I can finish fixing this." She motions to the prosthetic. "It was completely wrecked by the lightning, and another patching wouldn't work. I had to replace it. Dooku got me the parts, but I could use some help."

Anakin hums quietly, inspecting her handiwork. "You're good," he praises with a wan smile of his own. "Here. Pass that." He points to one of the tools, and they soon become complete engrossed in the inner workings of his arm. He doesn't mind Ahsoka's help nearly as much as he thought; he's always been a little touchy about getting help in repairing and upgrading his arm which is why Dooku rarely offers. But this is… pleasant.

He's not sure how long they've been working, when someone clears their throat next to him. Looking up, Anakin sees one of the clone medics standing there. "Sir, the procedure is complete, and we've obtained the chip."

"That's wonderful news, Kix!" exclaims Ahsoka, relaxing. "How is Appo?"

"He'll be fine," Kix replies.

"Good," Anakin murmurs, experimentally flexing his mechanical fingers. They're working properly now, so he shouldn't have any further upgrades to do. "Where's the chip? I'd like to have it." He pauses, reflecting on what he might need to crack through the encryption. "Ahsoka, can you get me a datapad? There should be a spare one laying around here." It'll be easier if he can write up a list for her as well as how to find each thing.

"The chip is right here, sir." Kix holds it out to him. Anakin accepts it from him, ignoring the sudden feeling of dread which sweeps through him. What will he find? What kind of orders do the clones have embedded in their brains? Part of him is too scared to know, but he must find out. If Sidious really has millions of trained men at his beck and call, then Anakin and the others need to know the extent of the danger.

Ahsoka has moved across the room, looking around and sorting through some items in an attempt to locate a free datapad. "Maybe ask Dooku," he calls to her, turning the slide containing chip over in his hand. It's almost microscopic, but the tissue around it is readily visible. He sets it down on the table next to his bed, leaning back on the pillows behind him.

"I got one," she answers, holding it up and tossing it to him. It lands on the bed next to his right leg. He picks it up, opening up the notes feature and begins typing up a list of equipment which he'll need. He doesn't need to ask to know that he won't be permitted to leave the medical wing until tomorrow probably, so Ahsoka will have to be the messenger.

"Here, Snips," he says finally, many minutes later. "Take this. You should be able to find your way around with the directions I provide, but if you get lost, just give me a call through our bond, okay?"

"Got it, Skyguy," she returns, giving him a reassuring smile as she takes the datapad. Looking down at the list, she purposefully walks out of the room, the door soundlessly sliding shut behind her. Anakin turns his attention to Obi-Wan's unconscious form with Ahsoka on her way to find the necessary equipment to crack through the encryption.

"Kix, how soon will Obi-Wan awaken?"

The medic looks up from checking on Obi-Wan. "He should awaken within an hour, sir," he reports. Anakin feels a surge of relief. It could have been worse. Obi-Wan could have been seriously injured, so he'll relax with the knowledge that his brother will be alright, that his open defiance of Sidious wasn't for nothing.

Anakin tentatively probes out to Dooku, but the Count doesn't return the signal, obviously preoccupied. Thankfully, he'll have the decryption to work on, or he'd go crazy with boredom. "How long will it take to remove the chips from all the clones currently located in the mansion?" he questions, suddenly curious. If even one of the orders is dangerous, all of the chips should probably be removed, if only to protect his own life.

"Not long, sir." This time, it's Coric who replies. He shifts, facing Anakin. "Everyone should be able to move around immediately after the procedure. Appo took longer since Count Dooku insisted that we remove the chip. We can simply destroy the others with a laser."

He doesn't need to ask Dooku what they should do next. He's not subservient to Dooku; they're planning their resistance together, and Dooku trusts Anakin's judgement. When Sidious isn't around – like now – Anakin has far more freedom to make decisions. He can put his own problems aside and takes on an entirely different persona: Darth Vader. He's not simply an incompetent, beaten down child; he's a Sith Lord in his own right and he demands that he receive the respect befitting his status.

"Do you know the route to the holding cells?" he demands, sitting upright.

"Yes, sir," Kix tells him, nodding.

"Good. Go down there, and bring all your brothers up here," he instructs. "Do the procedures. I don't want any of you to be able to be controlled. You are human beings. You deserve your freedom." There will be no more slavery. Not if he can help it. Now that he's back on familiar territory, he can fall back into his roles. He's not a prisoner here; he's the commander, second only to Dooku, but again, Sidious doesn't need to know.

Anakin can feel their gratitude echoing into the Force. "Thank you," Coric murmurs, before motioning to Kix. With one final backwards glance, they leave the room.

He leans back against the pillows, mulling over the recent turn of events. It's difficult – impossible even – to quell the dread coiling within him; he majorly slipped up, and he knows it. Until this point, Sidious was not aware of the full extent of Anakin's powers. Now, the Sith Master knows that Anakin is capable of deflecting Force lightning with his bear hands. It's not something he has time to worry about though. He'll have to wait for later.

The sound of footsteps in the hall draws him fully back to the present moment. Turning his head, he watches as Kix and Coric lead all their brothers – ten in total – into the room. He brushes against their minds one by one, silently verifying that none of them have any malicious intents. They don't. He can relax, but he must remain vigilant at all times. If any of them try to hurt him or Obi-Wan, he'll easily be able to defend them, even without a lightsaber.

Of all the men in the room, one of them stands out the most. The clone's blonde hair is unusual, but it's his Force signature that immediately draws Anakin's gaze. He has mixed feelings about interacting any further with the clones, partially because of what happened one of the last times he did. But he still remembers… He'd fancied that they could be friends, even though he knew that they were meant to be soldiers, expendable. It hadn't helped that they reminded him of Boba, the younger brother he'd never had.

He needs to stop thinking about this. It isn't helping. It's not useful or productive. "Vader?" The voice pulls him completely out his reminiscing, and he looks up to meet the familiar gaze, which holds a hint of surprise.

Anakin feels a genuine smile form at the man's attention. "Hey, Rex," he greets him evenly, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I did tell you I wasn't a Jedi."

Rex moves to stand next to his bed. "You're working with Dooku?"

"Mm hm," Anakin confirms shamelessly. "He helped me, guided me, protected me. The Jedi refused." He pauses, pursing his lips, finally realizing that he can tell Rex everything. He doesn't need to hold back. Not anymore. "Dooku is a Sith," he explains, "And so am I."

"Sith," Rex repeats slowly, uncomprehendingly.

"They're a group similar to the Jedi, but they use the Dark Side. And they're livelong enemies of the Jedi." Anakin shifts on the bed. "The Jedi are slaves to their emotions, pretending they feel nothing. We – the Sith – use and embrace them. We are free."

Rex seems doubtful, but he doesn't express any of his misgivings. "Why are you here, sir? Are you alright?"

That's why Anakin likes Rex so much. He's very different from his brothers, and he cared about Anakin in a way none of the other ever did. They respected him to be sure, but they didn't care like Rex does. "Ah, I upset my Master. It's nothing serious." Anakin tries to brush it off, knowing even as he does that his words betrayed far more than he'd intended.

"If it wasn't serious, you wouldn't have been unconscious for several hours," Kix interjects, and how he overheard while he's on the other side of the room is mystery to Anakin.

Anakin makes a face. "Okay, fine," he concedes. "I was electrocuted again. Nothing major."

Rex blinks at him incredulously. "That's – that's torture, sir. How can you accept it?"

"Yes, but it's not as though I can go anywhere," Anakin confesses quietly, eyes skirting away. "I don't think the Jedi know that I'm a Sith, but they know that I'm a dark sider, so I can't trust them anyways. And I can't flee without my mother, who has a slave chip keeping her on Naboo." He bites his lower lip, considering the circumstances.

Rex's gaze has hardened when Anakin looks up at him again. "You can't stay here, sir," he states firmly. "What can I do to help you?"

That reminds him of how Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had acted in the early days of their imprisonment. They'd wanted to help him, even knowing of the things he'd done. They hadn't cared that he's a murderer. Rex must know too, but it doesn't matter to him either.

"Rex…" Anakin shakes his head slightly, holding the other man's eyes. "It won't be easy," he warns. "Sidious is the Chancellor; he's – he's started the Clone Wars, and I'm not going to leave anyone behind. Dooku, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Asajj, my mother, Senator Amidala… they all have to be safe. I – I think we'll have to play this game a little more. If I don't mess up, I'll be okay. For now. But we can work together to destroy my master and save the galaxy."

"You got yourself a deal, sir," Rex replies, voice full of conviction. "I'll stay with you. All of us will." He hesitates, and Anakin feels a tentative worry and something akin to regret. "There was a Jedi Master, Yoda I think, who led us to Geonosis. I asked him if he knew you because I hoped to see you. You said you weren't a Jedi, but I thought you might work with them."

Anakin isn't surprised. He'd already expected something like that from the moment that Appo refused to answer. He obviously suspected that affirming Sidious's fears would lead to punishment, not to him necessarily, but to Rex or Anakin. He'd suffered to protect them. That's a debt that Anakin has every intention of repaying. "Appo knew," he says simply.

"Yes, sir. He did," Rex agrees. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's fine. What's done is done." Anakin waves it away, exhaling harshly.

He needs to tell Dooku as soon as possible, so they can deal with the fallout. While he hopes the Jedi won't be stupid enough to blab their suspicions to Palpatine, nothing is certain. The Jedi have no evidence that Vader is Anakin. Except they could ask the clones if they recognize a holo of Anakin. Please let the others be intelligent enough to evade the questions, because if the Jedi know, Sidious probably will find out. And then, there's no force in the galaxy which will spare Anakin his wrath.

A change of topic is in order. "Who was captured?" Anakin wants to know. "Just names. I don't care for the identifying numbers you have."

"You know Kix and Coric," Rex begins, "And seeing as Appo is in the room, you know he's here too. Domino squad – Fives, Echo, Hevy, Cutup, and Droidbait – are over there." He motions towards the five standing slightly apart from the others.

Anakin searches out Fives before looking back at Rex. He's secretly proud that the Domino squad, who he'd personally spend a lot of time with, were considered skilled enough to come. "And? Who else?"

"Then, there's Jesse, Dogma, Tup, and Hardcase," Rex finishes, pointing to each one in turn. "Redeye and Mixer were with us too, but they were taken some time back." Something in his tone indicates that he knows, or at least suspects, what their fate was. Anakin can't meet the clone's eyes. They were people, but he – and Ahsoka – had killed them. Redeye and Mixer. Those were their names. He doesn't think he could ever forget.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, guilt gnawing at him. He ruthlessly pushes it down. It doesn't matter. They're dead. They're gone. Regrets won't bring them back. Regrets won't prevent him from killing more clones if he's sent into battle. But that would be different because it would be war. What Sidious had them do was an execution.

"For what, Vader?" Rex rarely uses his name, but considering the topic, considering that Anakin is bringing their relationship to a more personal level, it seems appropriate.

"For watching. For helping," he mutters, closing his eyes briefly. "They're – they're dead, Rex." After a while, he forced himself to stop keeping track of how many people he murdered. The higher the numbers became, the more depressed he was. He'd begun to think of himself as evil. There's far too much blood on his hands. It'll never, ever go away.

"I know," Rex replies softly, "And I'm sure you would have saved them if you could." There's truth to that. What did he do to deserve someone like this, someone else who is willing to offer support, undeserved though it is?

"Yes," Anakin agrees. "I would have." He doesn't want to be like this all the time. He's a Sith, and if he kills, he wants it to be because he chose to, not because he was forced to. He doesn't feel guilty about those he intentionally decided to kill, not that the number is high. It's only those that Sidious forced him to torture or maim or murder that torment him.

He looks up into Rex's dark brown eyes, filled with nothing but compassion and understanding. "My real name," he says quietly, "Is Anakin Skywalker."

A smile ghosts across Rex's face. He probably would have said something else, but at that moment, Ahsoka breezes into the room, holding a box of what must be the equipment he needs. "Everything is here, Skyguy," she declares cheerfully setting it down on his bed. "I ran into Ventress, and she offered to help me."

"Thanks, Snips," Anakin murmurs, sitting up completely and rummaging around in the box.

She glances uncertainly between him and Rex. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No," Anakin assures her firmly and maybe a little too quickly. He gives Rex a sideways glance, one which should tell the other man not to say anything.

"What were you talking about?" she pries, obviously sensing something, Anakin isn't sure what.

"Nothing," Rex tells her.

On the other side of the room, Kix and Coric are busy destroying the chips in their brothers' brains, but that alone isn't enough to distract Ahsoka. Her gaze flickers over the men standing in the room, and Anakin sees in her eyes the moment she figures out.

"What were their names?" she asks softly, pain coloring her words.

"Ahsoka, stop," Anakin says firmly, yet gently. "Don't do this to yourself. It's not your fault, okay? Sidious is a sadist. He – he does things like that all the time. Please, Snips, try to let it go."

"Like you are?" Her retort is probably sharper than she'd intended, but he doesn't let it bother him. She wasn't trying to hurt him.

"I try," Anakin counters. "I hate being forced to kill, but you know what? The deaths might bother me, but… I like fighting. Or killing. I just want it to be on my terms."

"You didn't say that before," she notes.

"Because it wasn't relevant." He shrugs slightly. "I was trained as a Sith, trained to believe that killing is okay if you're doing it for the right reasons. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. The power is thrilling… though after all this? I don't really care for it anymore either."

He's torn. There's a part of him which will always crave darkness and violence, but he realizes that satisfying those cravings isn't worth the costs. He wants to be free, to keep his family and friends safe. If he has to live a peaceful life to achieve those goals, then so be it. He doesn't have to fight. He shouldn't have to do anything; Dooku told him as much. If they're successful in destroying Sidious, he already knows where his path will lead him. Maybe part of him will miss the bloodlust, the thrill of fighting, but he's been forced to do it for so long that he won't resent giving it up.

No one says anything after his declaration. Ahsoka understands his meaning on some level; she can feel his emotions after all. Finally, she reaches out and rummages through a few things in the box. "Let's break that encryption." Everything else can wait for later. She doesn't need to say it; it's something they both know.