Chapter 3 - Turning Point

Author's Note: Things are heatin' up! :)

~ Amina Gila

"No," Ahsoka argues fiercely, hands on her hips, refusing to surrender, "That is insane. We might've broken a few traffic laws, but we did not blow up the Senate. Get your circuits checked, or I'll have them scrapped myself. And we definitely didn't blow up a warehouse to 'hide the evidence'."

"That is precisely what the evidence points to," the droid insists.

Maniac.

Ahsoka throws her hands up in frustration. "Skyguy? A little help?"

But Anakin isn't any more responsive right now than he has been this entire time. Rex, beside her, still hasn't lowered his blaster. All he sees is droids, and thereby, enemies, even if they're working for the Republic. Ahsoka has to agree with that. Clones, she might be willing to talk to. Not droids. They're programmed, and they can't think around their programming.

Clones can.

Sometimes. Most of the time – though, Tup couldn't.

"You will now also be charged with resisting arrest," the droid informs, and Ahsoka throws a glance at the others.

She's used to Anakin letting her take the lead. She's used to doing it, too – she's a Commander, and even if Anakin was her superior, he always... let her. He seemed to find it easier. He always treated her as an equal, even if he was her master.

Rex is ready. Anakin is... clearly out of it, and she'll drag him out of this mess if she has to.

Ahsoka sends a Force-shove at the droids and Force-jumps to the speeder, firing up the engine.

It comes on with a roar and a squeal, and Ahsoka sends it forwards, grabbing her master's wrist and yanking him on. He comes on his own, luckily, and Rex climbs on in the back. This is the... what? Second speeder they've stolen today? Yeah, they need to get back to the Temple and sort this out. Jedi have clearances, and the Temple is the best place to take shelter.

Ahsoka's weaving in and out of traffic lanes, heading for home, when Anakin suddenly reaches out, grasping her wrist. "Wait," he argues. "We can't go back."

"What?" Ahsoka asks over the roar of the engine, looking back at him.

"We can't go back," he repeats, letting go of her, and Ahsoka has to bring the speeder to somewhat of a stop, because even if she can fly just fine without problem, thanks to her montrals' senses, it's not advisable.

"What? Why not?" she asks, frowning.

"If – they'll accuse the Jedi of hiding us," he says, shaking himself, but the haze in his eyes doesn't clear. He's in shock, and Ahsoka has no idea how to deal with it.

"But we didn't do anything!"

"I'm not sure that'll matter."

"But it should!"s

"The Republic isn't always right, Ahsoka. If we go back, we'll – it'll look too incriminating on the Jedi. We should wait out here, until it's sorted out. Until things calm down."

"They'll be looking for us," Rex reminds.

"Yeah," Anakin agrees, "We'll have to lay low somewhere."

That's when another thought occurs to her, numbing her. "Anakin," she asks quietly, "What do you think happened to Master Windu?"

"I..." He looks away, uncertainty written all over his face. "I don't know. I don't... feel him right now, but I never felt death."

This is so incredibly screwed up. They're seriously discussing whether one of the leaders of the Jedi Order is dead, and they shouldn't even be having this discussion because they shouldn't even have to, but they do, and they are, and Ahsoka doesn't understand. How could all of this have happened? What did happen? She has no idea.

"What do we do?" she demands finally, looking at him almost helplessly.

"The droids will be on us in minutes again," Rex warns, keeping watch in the back.

They don't know places on Coruscant to hide, but it's a city. There has to be somewhere out of sight, especially in – "The Underworld," she realizes, starting up the speeder again. "There's gotta be somewhere."

"There's always places down there," Rex agrees.

"Do you think this was all a ruse to distract from the inhibitor chips?" Ahsoka inquires. She doesn't know what that would mean, but she can't help worrying. It feels too much like this is all a massive cover-up.

"I don't know," her master replies, nearly inaudibly.

"What are we going to do about them?" she asks, "I thought Master Windu said he lost the evidence."

"He did," Anakin confirms, sighing, rubbing a hand on his face. "He – we need something else. We need to keep looking."

"Which we can't do when we're in hiding," Rex reminds. "We'll have to wait for Fives to come through on Kamino."

"I'm not sure we have that kind of time," Ahsoka worries. There's a disturbance in the Force, and it's hard to think about anything else. But Obi-Wan is alive, apparently. Maybe. She files that information away to worry about later. It's important, but they have to get to safety, first.

"Someone else has to start looking," Anakin says, "Someone we know, but..."

"Anyone in the 501st would do anything to help," Rex replies.

"No," Anakin argues, shaking his head. "We can't. We're already being accused of this. They'll be keeping a close eye on our men."

"Well, who else would be willing to help?" Ahsoka demands, "We're not close with anyone outside of our Legion, that's not one of our men, or..."

"Cody," Rex offers, "He will be willing to help."

"Assuming he hasn't already been told we're traitors," Ahsoka throws back, darkly. They're running out of time, and they need to move fast.

**w**

Ahsoka takes them to a warehouse or something of that nature, Anakin isn't entirely certain, and he sinks onto the floor the moment they arrive. They ditched the speeder, just in case, before sneaking to the Underworld on descending transports. They're safely out of sight for now.

"It was him," Anakin murmurs finally, staring straight ahead of himself, unable to do anything else. "It was – he was there."

"You were right," Rex tells him bluntly, "When you said he was alive."

"It's almost worse than that," Ahsoka adds quietly, "He's – he joined the Sith."

"Obi-Wan would never do that," Anakin insists, stubbornly. He saw it, but it doesn't make any sense. And even if he were to do that, for some unfathomable reason, Obi-Wan would've reacted to him. He... didn't.

Anakin didn't see even the faintest hint of recognition in his eyes.

He doesn't think it's because they were gold, either – he didn't sense anything in the Force. Obi-Wan fought him. He was trying to kill him. And that – doesn't make any sense. Why would he...

What happened to him?

The Sith must have captured him. Is he... is he alright? It's been a year. What have they been doing to him?

Ahsoka's hand is on his shoulder, firm and grounding. Calming. "Hey," she urges, shaking his shoulder, "Focus on me. Okay?"

He looks up at her, but it doesn't feel... real. He can't breathe.

Obi-Wan is... he's alive, and Anakin wanted to believe that. He doesn't even feel a fraction of the relief he ought to, though, and he already hates himself for that. All he can think about is the fact that his master is fighting for the Sith, for some unfathomable reason, and that he – he – he nearly killed Ahsoka.

Force.

Rex finally settles down next to him, and Anakin tries his best to focus on their presences – Ahsoka's rose petal soft one, and Rex's slightly sweet but sour chocolate-like one and tries his best to just breathe. Focus, like he said. But there's so, so much going on right now, and it feels like he and his closest siblings were just flung into the midst of it, entirely unwittingly. They didn't mean to go this far. They were just trying to help. How does that always take them to the dark? How does...

Anakin should've protected them from this. What's going to happen now? Not surrendering made them look more suspicious, no matter how much he doesn't want to be held prisoner anywhere.

"We'll find a way to get him back," Ahsoka promises finally, leaning forwards to wrap her arms around him. Anakin reaches back, hooking an arm around her waist, head against her lekku and shoulder. "Somehow."

"He tried to kill us," Rex points out, bluntly, but truthfully, and that's when Anakin finally registers that they're sitting close enough that their shoulders are touching. "I'm not sure how willing he would be."

"He won't be," Anakin admits, shaking his head, eyes closed. "He won't at all – he's Obi-Wan. He won't back down."

Rex's armor is cool and hard, but it's him, and for one of the first times, he lets go of his worries about rank and that Rex is only twelve years old and leans into his side.

Anakin loses track of time somewhere in the middle, but when he finally manages to get himself together, they must've been snuggling for a while. Sitting curled between his siblings is relaxing, and he can't help wondering what it'd have been like to be raised with them. What would it have felt like, to have had someone he could rely on? To not constantly have to worry about protecting them? But he lets it go, because it's both distracting and selfish.

Either way, he's not fully alone, no matter how much it feels like it sometimes. Rex and Ahsoka will stay with him – they always will.

Ahsoka pulls back first, and Anakin pushes himself upright. "I'll go out alone," he decides. "I'll talk to Cody and... see what I can do from there."

"Can't we just comm him?" Ahsoka inquires.

He shakes his head. "The transmission could be tracked. It's too dangerous."

"Stay safe," she requests, and Anakin nods – he will try, but he can't promise her anything, especially now, before leaving the building.

He keeps his hood up, trying his best to conceal his face as he walks down the streets. This isn't a familiar place, but he finally manages to find what he's looking for.

Cody takes... well, a while to pick up the call, but Anakin can forgive him for that, because Cody is a commander, and he's perpetually busy. They all are.

"General Skywalker?" he queries, surprise evident.

"I don't mean to interrupt anything," Anakin replies, "But we're in a bit of a... situation, and we need some... backup."

Anakin senses more than sees his surprise, even Cody isn't wearing his helmet. "What's the situation?"

"It's not the usual one," he warns. "It's... trickier. Far more dangerous. The Kaminoans had inhibitor chips implanted into all clones before birth. Rex, Fives, and I suspect they serve a purpose for more than what we've been told. Perhaps even something far darker. The Separatists have been going to great extents to cover something up. We need someone to look into it. Fives is on it, but Rex and I are unable to help at the moment."

"How deep do you think this goes?" he inquires.

"Very," Anakin replies immediately, "Everything is uncertain right now. We can't trust anyone. If there's people you know, high skilled and... preferably, without many connections..."

"Clone Force 99," Cody offers.

Anakin laughs, though it sounds almost empty. Fake. "I don't know how excited they'll be about it, but it's important. Far more than blowing up droids. And with much higher stakes." He's met them once. They're chaotic, and they don't sit still. Don't have a reason to. Tech, probably, is the only one who'd have the attention span to see this through – Hunter would, considering he'd probably see the severity – to completion, but he's really the only one they need.

Wrecker is Wrecker and will only care about how there's nothing he gets to punch or blow up, and Crosshair will no doubt just be himself about it. But it was his fast thinking and calculating mind that offed the Fallen Jedi on Umbara, and Hunter promised to gut anyone who tried hurting his brother for it. Wrecker and Tech would've helped no doubt, and no one dared try.

"They have some kind of programming," Anakin adds, "We need to know what it is, and what it's capable of."

"I'll tell them," Cody replies without question.

It's... something. That's all he can ask for.

**w**

Something about the Jedi was so... familiar. Hauntingly so. He doesn't know what or how any more than he remembers anything that hasn't happened in the past year. Some impressions, feelings will come through bit at a time, but nothing... concrete.

Not with clarity.

"The Jedi I fought," the Acolyte says, standing in front of a hologram of Count Dooku, Lord Tyrannus. "He seemed familiar."

"He was the same as the one you encountered on Ringo Vinda," the Sith replies.

"It was something else," the Acolyte answers. "That presence was... familiar."

For a moment, Dooku is quiet. "Don't get distracted over a Jedi Knight," he instructs.

His anger flares with a rush. He doesn't remember but something – something about the Jedi was important to him, and he doesn't know why. He loathes having to rely on the other Sith, to let them tell him about his own past.

It's been nine months. That's just short of a full year, and it's all he remembers. All that time, nothing has come back to him.

All Dooku would tell him was that it was the Jedi's fault.

And yet, there are stray moments that the Acolyte is certain everything about this is wrong and that there used to be a time he wasn't fighting Jedi. That sounds too surreal.

"Who is he?" the Acolyte demands.

"How does it matter?" Dooku responds, "The Jedi must all die, so a new order can come into the galaxy. No one will find peace until they are all dead."

"Not him," the Acolyte argues. He's too important, a quiet voice inside him whispers. And it's true – there was something about that brilliant presence that pulled at the part of his mind he hasn't felt in so long. "He is... different."

"If you are certain, bring him to me on Serenno," Dooku commands, "But the mission is our priority."

He said a name. The Jedi had said a name, and the Acolyte doesn't... know what his name is. He never has – Dooku said he never knew. The Jedi must be destroyed, but there was something about that one. Did... they used to know each other?

The Acolyte will find him, one way or another, and he will find answers.

**w**

Anakin is on the way back to the others when he gets a sudden, and entirely unexpected, call from Master Windu, of all people. "The situation is deteriorating," he says in greeting.

Anakin can't help feeling relieved to see him alive. It's better than nothing. Every moment, he has to physically stop himself from going after Obi-Wan. That's all he wants right now – to get his master back. At least this way, he can focus on something else, but maybe part of the problem is that he doesn't want to. "What's happening?" Anakin inquires, "When we got there, there was an explosion."

"I shielded myself from the blaze," he replies, "The Acolyte was skilled."

I knew him, Anakin wants to say, but he bites it back, holds his tongue. He can't let that on. Can't let the Jedi Master know. Whatever happens, Anakin can't be told to kill Obi-Wan. He can't be sent out after him because the Council deemed the man who raised him a Sith, and thereby, dangerous. He has to help him.

Somehow.

"He escaped," Anakin tells him, "We lost track of him." He holds back an automatic apology, fights the tension within. Tries to imagine Ahsoka's small hand in his own or Rex's soothing presence beside him. It... doesn't help. Not when he's always tensed and poised for attack around other Jedi.

It used to be like that with Obi-Wan, too.

"The greater concern," he replies curtly, "Is that the Senate is blaming the Jedi for the attack. I suspect this may deteriorate rapidly."

"What must we do, Master?" Anakin asks. He's afraid. He doesn't want to think about it, but... but it's the truth.

"I suspect an attack," he replies, "With how severe the damage is, I suspect members of the Senate may push for our destruction."

Fear clenches him like a vice. He needs to... somehow, it feels like everything is coming together. The Separatists are covering up the inhibitor chips. The Sith are, somehow, in control of the Senate. It's starting to make too much sense. This is the Sith's endgame. It's winding down. They're trying to destroy the Jedi and –

Force.

They're going to use the clones to do it, aren't they?

He feels sick.

"I can get through to the Chancellor," Anakin offers, desperately. He has to do something. He has to try.

"No," Master Windu commands firmly, "The Chancellor is not to be trusted. I sense the Dark Side of the Force surrounds him."

Anakin sighs. Now is not the time to be petty. They don't have time to wait or let disagreements interfere. But an order is an order, and it's direct, so... there's nothing he can do about it.

"Good soldiers follow orders" his mind supplies, overlapped with an "you have an immense heart. Don't let the Jedi take it from you" and he bites his tongue.

But still. Anakin can't do nothing. The most he can do is hope that Fives or Clone Force 99 will come through.

**w**

Ahsoka couldn't be more relieved than when she finally sees Anakin return. It'd been a while, and admittedly, she was starting to get afraid that he wasn't coming back and had gotten caught up in some other outrageous suicide mission.

He doesn't look a whole lot better than earlier, but at least he's here.

"Are you okay?" she asks, jumping up and running over to him. It'd been almost long enough and she was almost bored enough to suggest a pointless sparring match with Rex – or whatever exactly her usual training with the clones is called, but it would be pointless, because he wouldn't stand a chance. And the stun bolts would, well, waste charge, and draw attention.

"Yeah," he answers, nodding. "I'm fine. Master Windu contacted me after I talked to Cody. He's afraid this will go downhill fast."

Ahsoka breathes a sigh of relief, either way. She'd been so worried. "At least he's alive. What about the chips?"

"Cody sent Clone Force 99 in on it. Though knowing them, I think it'll take a bit of time on this particular mission."

"What do we do now?" Ahsoka asks. She doesn't want to just wait out here. Everything is too tense.

"We'll just have to wait it out and hope it's not too long."

Her expression scrunches. "Because that will guarantee it all works out fine."

"Hey," Anakin replies, the first trace of his cheerful side showing up since this whole thing started going downhill. "A little patience can go a long way."

She blinks. "That sounds oddly funny, coming from you."

"Yeah. It sounded even funnier coming from Obi-Wan."

She's almost surprised Anakin was able to mention him so... lightly. She still doesn't know what to think of how he's apparently alive, and also a Sith. "We'll get him back," Ahsoka promises again, silently begging the Force that this be a promise she can keep. If she lost her master, Ahsoka can't even imagine how lost and empty she'd feel.

"How long will we have?" Rex asks, "We don't have much time."

"For the Senate to act?" Anakin replies. "It's anyone's guess. It won't be long, but we don't have a choice."

All the Jedi are on the line, for all they know. It's maddening. Ahsoka has no idea what to do. Patience has never been her strong point, nor any of theirs. They don't win by waiting. They win because they move, they're skilled, and they're not too afraid to push ahead.

That has always been the greatest strength of the 501st – their fearlessness. Not their ability to sit around and wait.

**w**

It's been a painfully long time, literally, before they finally get the very long-awaited call. She can practically sense the tension hanging over all of them – not that it's a surprise, but it doesn't bode well.

"Tech was able to break into the programming," Hunter tells them.

Ahsoka shoves herself upright, despite how a very lazy part of her just wants to curl up and fall asleep. She's been sleeping for a while already; it's ridiculous. "What'd he find out?"

"A lot," Tech offers immediately, "There is still more, but –"

"Who controls it?" Rex asks, stepping to the front, "That's what we need to know most."

"The orders must be given directly from the Supreme Chancellor," he answers.

Ahsoka looks wide-eyed at Anakin, who has somehow managed to keep his face blank.

"Then it's the Chancellor we need to keep an eye on," Anakin asserts. "Thank you for letting us know."

"Is there... one to turn on the Jedi?" Ahsoka asks, mostly because she has to. That was why all of this started, and she has to be certain of it.

"There appears to be, yes," he answers, "Executive 66."

"That... is what we were afraid of," Rex confesses, "That means the entire clone army could be turned on the Jedi unjustly."

"We need a way to stop these things," Anakin continues, "Can you find that?"

"We'll work on it," Hunter responds.

"Thank you," her master adds before the hologram disappears, then he turns to Ahsoka. "Master Windu told us not to go to the Chancellor about any of this," he relates, "But under the circumstances, I don't think we have a choice."

"What's the worse you think it could be?" she asks.

"Either he could give it out, or... something could happen to him, which would give the Vice Chancellor that power instead. With how deeply the Separatists are involved, I suspect anything."

She looks at him, gears already turning in her mind. "If Master Windu gave you strict orders not to go, then I can go instead."

"Ahsoka –"

"No one will recognize me," she insists, "I'll be careful. You're far more recognizable than me, especially if something's going downhill." It's not entirely true, but she's still young, and small, and mostly, a Togruta. People don't have much regard for her species in the outside world. It's hard, but she's gotten used to it. Maybe that's just a little bit why she's so hot tempered sometimes. It makes up for it. It makes people notice her.

"It's going to be dangerous," he protests. "The Acolyte could be there, and..." He looks away. Ahsoka senses his fear. It's harsh, burning, and overwhelming.

"Do you trust me?" she asks, looking up at him. His eyes are tormented.

"With anything."

"Then believe I can do it. I'll call you every five minutes. Send a planetary search if you can't find me. I'm sure Wolfpack would pitch in to help."

Anakin huffs out a sigh.

"I'm not joking."

"I know. You're serious, Snips, and so am I."

"I'll be okay."

"What if you're not?"

"It's a risk we take every mission. Not just this one."

"But it's... it's him," Anakin argues at last. "I don't want him to hurt you." And Ahsoka knows just how easily the Acolyte – Obi-Wan – could hurt her, if they were in a fight to the death. He already did injure her once, and she won't repeat the mistake.

"I'll run if I see him. I promise." And she will, if only for Anakin's sake. She'd do anything for him, and maybe just this once, he needs her to, even if running feels wrong. As a Jedi, she should fight. The Jedi's duty is to destroy the Sith, but... she can't do that. Ahsoka doesn't even know what the Council would decide to do, though to be fair, it isn't as though they have any idea what happened to Obi-Wan to make him Fall.

He looked like him, felt like him, and fought very similarly, but... it just wasn't the same.

Anakin's shoulders sag a bit, and he looks at Rex. The clone just watches, not offering any opinion. He never sides in their disagreements. The clones always keep their distance in those cases, but Rex, she knows, though worried, is still willing to let her go.

He's responsible for her, but for him, it's by his own choice.

For Anakin, it's just as much about his duty.

"Alright," he agrees. "Go. And keep your distance. May the Force be with you."

Ahsoka dips her head in a nod. "And with you, Master."

This is where it starts, she senses. This is the beginning of something new.

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