A.N.
Really sorry about the late update. Here's a long chapter to make up for it.
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Chapter 5- Pain and Loss
Shaken and lost, Ahsoka collapsed deep in the jungle as soon as she was out of breath and the adrenaline rush faded away. She sat with her knees against her chest and felt the sudden fatigue take over her. Then the torment began when her mind tortured her with memories of what she's done, but she refused to recall what it. It was too terrible to admit, despite the facts.
Perhaps the worst of it all was the look her Master gave her. The glare he struck her with when he spotted her over the body- even a knife to her heart would've been more painless.
Oh, it was over for her.
No more Jedi Knighthood, no more heroics, no more Yoda, no more Council Trials…it's all vanishing now along with her identity. She has no purpose. She's nothing.
The more those words echoed in her head, the more it hurt. And the more it hurt, the more she thought about it. And the torment went on.
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Anakin stood over the crime scene as soon as Master Jerandeel managed to recollect himself. His friend said nothing since he mourned over the boy's body, he only left to meditate in an attempt to soothe himself.
Captain Rex stepped to Anakin's side, "General, we've sent three patrols into the jungles, so far they've found nothing."
Anakin remained silent. His thoughts focused on what might've gone wrong, what could've possibly driven Ahsoka to do such a terrible thing?
Suddenly his mind recalled words he'd heard not long before all this, words his friend said to him. Something about old stains rubbing off on padawans. A flashback took Anakin back to Tatooine; the very night his mother died and what he did to the entire Tusken camp responsible for her death. Anakin grimaced at the memory, could that possibly be what Forn meant?
Could he really share the responsibility for this heinous act because of something he did so long ago? Did he really teach her to do this?
"General?" the captain repeated, dragging Anakin out of his thoughts.
"Something doesn't fit, captain." He moved around the padawan's body, now covered with his own robe, and analyzed the scene, "There's no motive."
"Are you sure, general?" Rex asked rather boldly.
Anakin glared at the captain, menace showing his glare, "What are you suggesting, Rex?"
Now the captain felt foolish for speaking out the way he did, despite how reckless it was of him, but he decided he had to see it though just like he always did with everything else, "Sir, perhaps she was hassled into doing it."
Anakin considered the Captain's words, he could be right, but if she was wouldn't she have made noise? Screamed? Called for help?
"And with all due respect sir," Rex went on, hesitating for a moment before finishing his words, "Maybe she really did do it out of her own will."
"No." Anakin snapped, shaking his head to cast out such preposterous ideas, "That's not like Snips at all, she wouldn't do it."
But the captain's words never left him. Anakin knew himself, he committed a crime worse than this before, but he knows Ahsoka is better than this. He's sure of it.
His other side said no, his other side echoed Forn's words again. Now Anakin found himself divided between two quarreling sides, his trust in Ahsoka and his trust in Forn.
What if Forn was right? What if Anakin's flaws really did rub off on her and she murdered poor Ross? But what if Forn was wrong and Ahsoka was innocent in all this? But then again, why did she run?
She was scared. She had to be scared…maybe she felt intimidated by my approach. I would've run regardless if I was innocent or not.
Anakin sighed and rubbed his forehead. He was about to give up and leave when he spotted something familiar from the corner of his eye. It was Ahsoka's backpack, casually placed against a tree several meters away from the body. It was open, with some of its contents scattered around it.
"Captain." Anakin called as he made his way over to it and took note of what was around the backpack, her training lightsaber, her towel, and her drinking utensil, "See anything unusual?"
"I see…disorder?" The captain mused, but Anakin didn't smile. He was beyond humor now.
He leaned down and picked up the items, including the backpack, "Take these and put them someplace safe."
"Sir." The captain nodded as he took them and marched off.
Anakin turned back to face the crime scene, biting his lips. If there was any hope of proving Ahsoka's innocence it had to be here.
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"She must be here somewhere." The recognizable voice of a clone trooper snapped Ahsoka out of her sleep. She couldn't believe she had dozed off the way she did, but that didn't matter now, she needs to get away.
Using what stealth abilities she had mastered, Ahsoka dashed from behind one tree to the other, navigating her way out of the jungle. She could make out a clear path leading her to open meadows where she could use Force Speed to lose her pursuers. But something far more terrible awaited her there.
A vast droid army, larger than anything she and Anakin have faced on the planet, ranging from battle droids, to snail tanks and hundreds of vulture droids, all crawling in the general direction of her Master's camp.
This was bad, very bad. There was only one way she could warn her Master about this threat…without actually facing him, that is.
"Over here!" cupping her hands over her mouth, she yelled back at her pursuers "Hey! This way!"
Suddenly a blaster bolt came at her, reacting on Jedi instincts Ahsoka tilted to the side allowing the blast to whizz past her face, then Force leapt into the trees above her.
Two clones appeared from behind the jungle bushes, cautiously panning their blasters left and right. She tried her best not to make a noise as she watched them from above.
"She has to be here somewhere." The first clone gruffly remarked. She immediately recognized his markings as the one she tried to appease back in the camp days earlier.
The other paced slowly towards the meadows, pulling thickly leaved twigs out of his way. He then lost all strength in his arms, lowering his blaster rifle as his shoulders slumped, "Greef, you seein' what I'm seein'?"
"What is it, Torch?" Greef quickly paced over to his side, slowing to a stop as soon as he spotted the threat making their way across the meadow, "Spast…the clankers are brining out their reserves."
Torch switched his gaze back to his friend, "Quickly, warn the camp!"
"I'm on it." The two broke into a dead run back into the jungle as Greef called the alert over his comlink. When she felt it was safe again Ahsoka dropped out of the tree and chased after them.
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The ceremony was bittersweet and quiet. Forn hadn't spoken a word since they set Ross' body on fire, instead he stood and watched. In the Force Anakin couldn't sense his anything from him. No anxiety, no grief, no pain- nothing. He was clearly hiding his emotions, an ability Anakin never knew he had.
The silence was quickly interrupted with a series of crashes and explosions that caught both Jedi off guard. A clone trooper was quick to react, "General, we've got droids!"
With the thickness of the jungle Anakin could see nothing, but in the Force he could sense the imminent danger and the alertness of his troops back at camp, he quickly pulled out his comlink, "Rex, I need status."
"At least three landing transports coming our way flanked by around five Vulture squadrons, sir. Tanks and troops coming in through the jungle, we don't know how many they've got."
This was bad. They barely had time to get reinforcements and now the Separatists throw out everything they've got at them. Assuming this was everything they've got. The fact they brought in drop ships must hint that a fleet has just arrived to reinforce them, and that is a very again a very bad sign.
"I'm on my way. Hold them off as long as you can!" Anakin switched off the link only to hear Forn's lightsaber activate , "What are you doing?"
Forn didn't look at him, his cold stare was stuck on his padawan's body, "I'm not going to allow my grief get in the way of the mission, Anakin."
"No offense, Forn but you're in no state to fight." Anakin took steps to intercept him, "You lost your padawan, I understand, but fighting is not the answer."
Forn rolled his eyes and finally met Anakin's with a smile, "Oh I know. Come, we need to organize a retreat."
With a pat on Anakin's shoulder he set off towards the camp, "We don't have much time."
Anakin's confusion came off as a whisper, "What?"
He was always taught to let go of attachments and accept the reality of death. But, if he was ever expected to handle loss the way Forn does, then that's something else entirely.
A close explosion forced him to shrug it off and follow his old friend back to camp.
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What was once a green and lush area, full of mist and life was now shrouded in the fires of war and hazardous destruction. Clones moved from post to post in a desperate attempt to counter the onslaught of droids and machinery, whether from the shrouds of trees or the immense skies, their attacks were relentless.
Captain Rex did all he could to muster a squad willing and strong enough to follow his lead as he shifted from one side of the camp to the other in order to at least slow their advance, but their movements were too well coordinated, never in his entire career has he seen droids attack with such precision.
Greef rolled behind a broken log beside Rex and some others and emptied the clip from his blaster rifle, "Torch, ammo! I need ammo!"
Torch barely dodged a blast coming his way then turned to his companion shaking his head, "Negative on that, buddy. I'm out."
Rex grunted in frustration as he witnessed another of his squad covering behind crates in front of them signal for more ammo as well, "This is not working."
Greef pulled out his sidearm, hoping that somehow it would make a difference, "Where are the Jedi?"
"General," Rex spoke into his comlink, "we're losing ground fast. Where are you?"
And then the sound of two lightsabers humming to life induced a short but welcoming cheer among the squads. Anakin and Forn leapt from behind them and sprinted towards the countless droids sprinting from behind the jungle trees. Rex quickly took advantage of this, "Now's our chance, charge! Grab whatever you can and fight."
Other clones across the camp were relieved from the pressures of being under fire and quickly joined in. For a moment it seemed the tides were turning in their favor, but then they realized this was barely half of the Separatist invasion force.
Finally the break in the fighting came and Rex sought Anakin out before they start losing more troops to this reckless fighting. He found him near the edge of the camp where most of the droids have poured from behind the line of trees there, giving orders to set up a defense line there, "Sir…"
"Ah, Captain, just the man I've been looking for." Anakin pointed at a distant watch tower set up somewhere at the center of the camp, it was nearly impossible to spot with the amount of wreckage everywhere, "I need you to mount as many marksmen up there, it should allow some of our troops a chance to…"
Rex at last shook his head and interrupted, "Sir, this isn't working. The droids seem to know our camp back to front and they knew exactly when to strike. They've bested us today, sir."
Anakin fell silent, he was clearly aware they were losing the battle, but if there was one thing Rex has learned it was that General Skywalker was notorious for his arrogance, "I'm not going to allow the Separatists gain a foothold here, Captain. There's still a chance."
But that wasn't the full truth. Rex was well aware of what kept his general here and it wasn't the Kluurf Plants, "Sir, she isn't coming back."
"You don't know that, Captain."
"I'm with the Captain on this one, Anakin." Forn stepped in beside Anakin, his flowing robes were stained with burn holes but even that didn't deter him. Rex was surprised at how well he was taking the situation after his recent loss, while Anakin seemed to be the opposite, "You need to organize a retreat, it's not healthy to attach yourself to this planet when the lives of your soldiers are on the line, Anakin. Particularly over your fallen padawan."
Anakin directed his gaze at his friend, clearly trying not to sound angry when he spoke, "She hasn't fallen."
The following silence was shared by the captain and his friend, both of whom could see that Anakin was well aware that he was making a mistake.
"Then what are your orders, general?" Forn interjected, "Die here and hope the Republic can find some other Jedi who can take on command of your army and then perhaps find some permanent solution when they get their hands on your padawan? Or would you rather retreat to fight another day and see this war to its peaceful end? And then maybe you can make peace with your padawan as well? Assuming she still shares the same views on the Force as you do. Well? What's it going to be?"
Anakin grimaced, his teeth clenched behind his shut mouth, unable to argue his emotions with logic and reason, "Very well. Retreat it is."
"Good." Forn nodded towards Rex, "Set up a defense line so that we can cover the troops when they retreat. I'll be joining you shortly."
Anakin stepped in between the two, "No, you go Forn, I'll hold them off."
"I won't allow it, knowing you- you'd probably run off searching for her again."
"Then we'll do it together." He smiled.
Forn opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it, "Fine."
Rex was on his way to the defense line when he turned around, "General Skywalker, where did you want those marksmen again, sir?"
The Jedi smiled, "Where ever you see them fit, captain."
"Then I'll put them on that watch tower up there." The two men exchanged nods at each other before going back to their business.
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The Resolute with its accompanying frigates dropped out of hyperspace and instantly clashed with the Separatist fleet. Despite being outnumbered, Admiral Yularen carried on with his mission.
The pressure didn't bother him at all, he's dealt with worse situations throughout his career, but what did concern him were the rumors he's heard of Ahsoka. He certainly hoped none of them were true.
She has been a beacon of hope and a proven leader, regardless of age. For now though, he shrugged off those thoughts and proceeded with his orders, "Dispatch the gunships."
"Yes sir." The bridge officer coordinated the commands across the panel controllers and moments later numerous gunships poured from the hangar bays of The Resolute and dived towards Toledo's surface.
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"Thirty seconds, sir!" Rex's voice echoed across the blazing battlefield.
His troopers should begin boarding the gunships momentarily, one squad at a time before he, Forn and Rex could at last make their escape…how he planned on surviving that long was a different story.
It's been a rough and long day, the worst he's had since the start of this long and dreadful war. There was no way he was going to explain this to the Jedi Council without some consequence.
Before his line of thought drowned any further his focus was rocked back into the fight when proton torpedoes blew apart the droid attack line, "It's the gunships!"
Torch's ecstatic voice roared, "Hail the winged cavalry!"
"A sight for sore eyes if ever there was one." Rex laughed.
Anakin quickly composed himself and signaled the captain, "Lets get this operation on the road."
Smiling beneath his helmet, Rex nodded, "Don't need to tell me twice."
But something was off, despite the general sense of joy and relief among his men, there was one particular individual that radiated fear, anxiety and distress with youthful energy. And the bond he shared with that one was unmistakable. Ahsoka is here.
He scanned the surroundings, trying to draw out his target by reaching out with his Force Senses, in this state the entire battle around him slowed to a frozen state, as though he hit the pause button on a holo-movie and searched for his favorite background character…and there she was! Sprinting through the gaps between the droid ranks towards the camp, and she clearly has a destination in mind.
The first of the dropships touched the ground and the clones quickly hopped in to make their hasty retreat, hoping their squad mates could successfully cover them from enemy fire while they took shots from the open side doors as they set off. Not all were so lucky though; one particular gunship barely took off before a well targeted rocket struck its mid section and brought the unfortunate shuttle crashing over the camp.
A second attack came from the most unexpected of opponents; the clones were so busy reaching up to clamber on to the descending gunship, they didn't notice Ahsoka throwing a stun grenade in their direction, blurring their vision and defeaning their ears then toppling them over with a burst of Force energy. The escort trooper aboard noticed this but she gripped him using the Force and flung him over board, by then the clones were regaining consciousness and hopelessly watched as she Force leapt into the shuttle and threw the pilot overboard as well, commandeering the shuttle and making best her escape.
Anakin watched the entire thing unfold and hissed, "Ahsoka."
"Whoa! Did you see that?" Forn exclaimed.
The emotions were back, taking over his focus, dominating his discipline, "She's getting away!"
"Go!" Forn yelled over the blaster fire, "We have everything under control, I'll follow you."
If he misses her now who knows how long it'll be before he gets another chance at catching her. This was an opportunity he couldn't miss, "I won't leave you here Forn, I promise!"
"Just go!" And with that Master Jerandeel Forn disappeared behind the fog of war.
Catching the closest gunship he could find, Anakin clambered aboard and gave the immediate command to follow the hijacked shuttle. They quickly elevated over the thick jungle trees, allowing him to oversee the sheer scale of the droid invasion force. And it was a mighty one.
Landing crafts descending from the skies, Vulture droids engaged in dog fights with Republic Arc Fighters and raging fires where droids and clones exchanged blaster fire.
And to his surprise, there was new Separatist technology involved too. Grabbing his binoculars he zoomed in on a particular squadron of hovering craft that soared just a little over the canopies, slowly making its way towards the camp. Their shape was similar to that of a Banking Clan frigate, but much smaller, about the size of a Republic AT-TE.
They weren't firing, they just hovered. Curious, Anakin spotted an insignia on the side of one in the shape of a Kluurf plant, "Those things- they belong to Darjeeling!"
As soon as the revelation hit him the crafts unleashed a wave of blue gas on to the camp, instantly putting out any fires, eradicating all trees, silencing any blasts and bringing a harsh and sudden end to the fighting, it was a deadly spell cast upon all life under its influence, "By the force!"
"Chemical weapons, sir." A clone trooper plainly stated.
Without a moment's thought Anakin called over the comlink, "Rex? Rex, are you with me?"
The hurt in his voice was clear. But every one of these clones understood the loss.
"Forn are you there? Someone…anyone… come in!"
But, there was no response. Their death must've come as quick as the gasses sucked the life out of the trees. He's seen some sick things in this war, and there were times when he felt there was no hope for peace or toleration, especially for particular beings like Dooku, Grievous and Ventress...and now he's having one of those moments again. And this time Darjeeling just found his place on that list.
Anakin slammed his fist against the side, showing no attempt to contain his rage or hide his frown. None of the clones dared to speak, except the pilot, "Sir, we've found the hijacked shuttle."
Grateful for the timely diversion, Anakin peered at the shuttle through the binoculars from the open door, "Any idea where she's headed, pilot?"
"The Resolute, sir."
His grip on the binoculars tightened, "Then take us there. She's after The Twilight."
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A.N.
Some trivia:
1. Rex was always known for voicing his opinion, even if it meant going against his command. It's just one of his traits.
2. The Resolute is Anakin Skywalkers Jedi Cruiser, lead by Admiral Yularen of course.
3. I like to think the Republic LAAT Gunships are seen as the cavalry, swooping in on time to save the day.
4. Torch and Greef were inspired from two other clone troopers that will feature on the upcoming episode, "The Innocents of Ryloth."
5. The way Ahsoka hijacked the gunship was inspired from The Force Unleashed, how Galen Marek hijacked the gunship in a similar way.
Thanks go to GooodPie, Timewatch, newfoundSpartan, 4everTheSickestKid, StarTail, MasterVash, powerstarrk, Florida_Alicat, long time readers- Mo Angel, Cylon One and my brother Tenkan for all your awesome reviews.