Anakin didn't say a word when he returned to the ship. He felt far too guilty and it was using all his concentration to mask this guilt, to keep it out of his Force signature. Ignoring the warning signs, Obi-Wan placed a firm hand on Anakin's shoulder, refusing to let him pass.
"What happened back there?", he asked. "Is Ahsoka alive?" Anakin shrugged off his master's hand and sloped up the boarding ramp and into the co pilot's seat. This surprised Obi-Wan because in all living memory, Anakin had always gone for the pilot's seat. He loved flying.
"Anakin, at least tell me if she's alive!", Obi-Wan ordered sternly.
"She's alive", Anakin whispered croakily. "But she may not be for very long."
After that he refused to say anymore, even in his report to the Council. He headed straight for his chambers, the chambers he had once upon a time shared with Ahsoka. Her scent still lingered in the room. Anakin threw himself face down on the bed.
Where would he go if he was expelled from the Order? Would he be sent to prison!?
But Anakin knew something important. He was the Chosen One. He could defeat anything thrown at him. He was more powerful than any Jedi. He remembered when he had first found this out, on Mortis. Ahsoka had been there too. That had been the closest he had ever come to losing her before she had left the Order. How could things have gone wrong that badly? Anakin blamed himself, but deep down he knew this guilt was unfounded. It had been Ahsoka's choice. Anakin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do.
Anakin Skywalker, General of the Grand Army of the Republic reviewed his plan. It was all very simple. Free the prisoners and then pick up Ahsoka and run away from the Jedi. Maybe he could even live with her. Anakin Skywalker, the fearless war hero, packed his bags, ready to run for what may even be his life.
Using the darkness as cover, Anakin easily reached the Republican prison unnoticed. Sneaking past the guards was more difficult but a few well placed grenades served as a good distraction. It worried him how easy it was to infiltrate a high security Republican facility.
Anakin flipped himself up into the ventilation system just as a small squad of scouts ran past below him. It was slow, hard work to push himself through the vents because of his size. Back in the time Ahoska had been his Padawan, this would have been her job, Anakin reflected.
He knew he didn't have much time before the Jedi arrived so he dropped back down onto the floor, pulling his cloak closer around him so he wouldn't be recognised. He raced down the steps and took two left turns before he arrived outside the cells.
The General stopped dead. The cells were surrounded by clones. He was painfully aware of his and Ahsoka's time ticking away with every second that passed. But these clones were his friends! He recognised Rex and Cody standing by prison cell 32666 and others from his battalion, the 501st, grouped around other cells. All the prisoners were in uproar and the clones were having a difficult time trying to suppress them.
Sweat trickled down Anakin's brow. How could he kill all these men, these friends!?
"There!" The shout came from a Jedi running in his direction. It was too late. Anakin flipped the speeder into gear as blaster bolts flew all around him. Quickly, he cloaked his Force signature so no one would know who he was and took a sharp right around a group of clones. He flew down to the lower levels of the prison, a plan forming in his mind.
He knew that the cells were all connected to a main control centre. If Anakin could get his cloak off and out of sight, he would be able to mix in with the other Jedi and get to the control room and from there he would free the prisoners! But there was a flaw in his plan. If any of the prisoners died during the escape, Ahsoka would too.
Anakin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was no hope. Ahsoka was lost.
Ahsoka gasped in pain as a droid stepped on her injured foot. Count Dooku smiled. General Grievous would be arriving soon and he was going to give the droid commander Ahsoka as a gift. He doubted Griveous would show her any mercy, and in her current condition, there was no way she could fight. What a perfect ending for Skywalker's little pet. Dooku raised his hand.
"Again!", he ordered as the tactical droid raised the machine's handle all the way, releasing hundreds of volts of electricity into the young Jedi. Dooku's smug look of satisfaction was the last thing that Ahsoka saw before blacking out.