Anakin had always loved the rain.
Growing up on Tatooine, water was a rare commodity. The endless struggle to stay hydrated was commonplace on the desert planet, and absolutely necessary for survival. More than once he had witnessed all out brawls in the streets over a simple cask of water, or heard stories about gang wars erupting over control of a water source. It had literally been a matter of life and death.
Suffice to say, the first time he had seen rain on Coruscant had been a marvel for him. He had never seen so much water in all of his life, except for at the swamps of Naboo, and that water hadn't been too appealing in all honesty.
His surprise had been replicated again when he first saw the lakes of Naboo. How could there be so much water in the galaxy, and yet the people of Tatooine were forced to fight over it like it was some rare mineral!
It was wrong! That was what it was. If the Republic, and the Jedi truly cared about everyone, they'd find a way to get more water to Tatooine.
At least, he would have done. But then no one ever listened to him.
The Jedi could stop slavery… but they didn't.
They could give refugees all the supplies they would ever need, but they didn't.
They could help save people from death… but they didn't! They instead chose to 'let them become one with the Force'!
If they just tried harder… everyone who had died, all of the Clones, Duchess Satine, his own mother! They would all be alive!
'I won't let the same thing happen to Padmé! Or anyone else! I'll save them all.'
A flash of lightning, followed by the rumble of thunder that followed it drew him back to his surroundings.
Padmé's apartment. Lunch time. His wife… and Threepio, had made him lunch.
Anakin took a few deep breaths to try and calm his nerves.
Every time he closed his eyes, be it for sleep or some other reason, he saw his dreams. He saw his visions!
Everyone was dying! His wife, dying! Ahsoka, under attack! Rex, forced into fighting… something!
He couldn't rest! He couldn't afford to sit with Padmé and have lunch! He needed to do something! Anything!
He needed access to the secrets the Jedi kept from him! That was the only way! Like Plagueis! He needed to find a way to cheat…
"Ani? Are you alright?" The soft voice of his wife was complimented by a gentle touch on his shoulder, and yet still Anakin jumped out of his skin.
"Don't… Don't sneak up on me like that." Anakin responded, barely keeping himself from snapping. Padmé didn't deserve that.
"I'm sorry! But you were shaking Ani! What's wrong?"
'What's wrong?! I keep having visions of you dying! And the baby! I don't know how to stop it! Please help me!'
"I'm fine, angel, it's nothing. Just a shiver running down my spine."
"Are you sure? You look and feel very tense."
'No… I'm not sure! I've got to protect you. I've got to protect you all!'
"I'm sure. I promise you, I'm fine."
Padmé's expression was one of doubt, just as Anakin expected it would be. He was never very good at lying to his wife.
But as his wife, one thing Padmé had always been was understanding, despite their differences. She trusted him, and wouldn't push him.
"Alright Ani, if you say so. But if something is bothering you, you can talk to me. And if not me, then there's Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and Rex."
'I can't tell them either! It'll put them all at risk! I've got to find a solution and fast! I've got to save them all!'
"I know, I just want to spend some time with you right now," Anakin replied as he turned to Padmé, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a gentle hug, cautious of her pregnant form.
In public, she had to hide the bump with several layers of clothes. In private however, she had it on display, and he couldn't be more happy to see it.
That was his baby! His child! He was going to spoil that baby rotten!
'They are both going to die! I've got to do something!'
"Good, because Threepio nearly has lunch ready." Padmé whispered softly as she leaned her head in, burying it in his robes.
The couple stood together in silence for a short while, the only sounds around them being the occasional rasp of thunder, the patter of rain on the windows, and the sounds of their breathing.
In moments like these, Anakin felt nothing but peace.
'It's not going to last! I've got to do something!'
Placing a gentle kiss on Padmé's head, Anakin spoke.
"You know I'll do anything for you, right Padmé? I'll always protect you."
"I know Ani. I know."
"Good."
"This isn't some sort of intervention is it? The last one was awkward enough." Ahsoka quipped, hoping to lighten the mood in her apartment. Her guests, Rex, Kix and the third unnamed Clone that the Force was telling her she should recognize all seemed beyond tense, as if they had the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Her comment however, seemed to work, at least for one of the Clones.
"You deserved that intervention Commander. Prancing around in that old outfit of yours was foolish. Plus with the way your body was maturing it was no longer feasible." Kix replied, recalling the memory just as Ahsoka was. The day she had been dragged into the med bay by Kix and the rest of the 501st elite to discuss her outfit and how her body was changing had been mortifying to say the least. The only silver linings that came out of it were that Anakin was not present, and that she had been forced to 'update' her outfit.
Looking back, the boys had been right to talk to her about it. Her outfit had been a bit... revealing, to say the least.
"Yeah yeah, I get it. At least I listened to you." Ahsoka replied as she picked up the tray of snacks she had assembled from her kitchen, along with three cans of a fizzy juice the Clones seemed to enjoy.
"Still wish you would have worn some armour." Rex huffed under his breath from where he was sitting in the single chair, helmet in his lap, his facial expression clouded by something.
"Hey, I wear armour now. Guess you got your wish."
At that, Rex chuckled lightly, his expression warming slightly as he glanced up at her approaching.
Setting the tray on the table in the middle of the couch and chair, Ahsoka sat down.
"So, I get the feeling this isn't a social call. What's wrong, and how can I help?" Ahsoka broached, deciding that it was better to get down to whatever business the Clones wanted to discuss.
At her words, Rex glanced over at Kix, who moved to stand beside the Captain's chair.
"It's… complicated." Rex replied, his head turning towards the still helmeted Clone, as if he was asking him to join.
The unnamed Clone moved to stand on the other side of Rex, before speaking.
"Captain, I'd like to take off my helmet."
"Are you sure?" Rex replied, concerned. Normally Rex didn't have an issue with his men removing their helmets outside of the battlefield, so why was he worried now?
"Yes Sir." The Clone replied, before his helmeted gaze turned to face Ahsoka. "I trust her."
Ahsoka watched as the trooper moved his hands up to grasp hold of his helmet, before slipping it up and off.
Her eyes were drawn towards the familiar tattoo on one side of his head instantly.
"Fives!?"
"Hello again Commander. We need your help!"
Lunch had been nice, as always. Despite being a protocol droid, Threepio was an expert at preparing food to eat, unlike his creator, who had a knack for burning everything he tried to cook.
It had been a nice afternoon, all things considered. Anakin rarely got the chance to just sit down and spend time with Padmé. They both more often than not found themselves too busy to say as much as a 'hello' to each other.
"I hate this war." Anakin found himself saying, unable to keep his thoughts from escaping.
It was true. As at home as he felt in command of the 501st, it didn't mean he loved every minute of it. The war had taken many lives, and the longer it would go on, the more lives would be lost.
'How long until Rex gets unlucky? Look at what happened to Cody! It could happen to anyone!'
Gritting his teeth, Anakin pushed the thought aside as best he could. He didn't want his problems ruining the sparse time he had with his wife.
"I know Ani, I hate it too. The Republic looks so different now. It almost resembles a dictatorship."
Anakin didn't comment. He knew they shared different opinions when it came to politics, and the last thing he wanted to do was spoil the mood.
"You'll fix it Padmé. I trust you." He chose to say instead, believing his own words… mostly.
The Republic had never been his favourite. It had problems. It didn't do enough to punish those that took advantage of everyone else.
In his opinion, it needed to change… somehow. But then he was no politician. He didn't know what to do.
Thankfully he had full faith in Palpatine. He would know what to do for the best of everyone.
"I hope you're right Ani. I really do. The Senate scares me some days."
"Shhh…" Anakin whispered as he buried his head in her hair, inhaling her scent. "Don't be scared. I'll protect you."
"I believe you."
Ahsoka had to resist the urge to wrap Fives up in a hug. The last time she had seen him had been under dire circumstances. He was being hunted, just as she had been. For what reason she still wasn't one hundred percent sure, but it had clearly not been good.
She'd let him get away that day, lying to both Rex and Anakin, as well as Palpatine, about the outcome of their encounter. Fives hadn't overpowered her, she had fabricated the whole thing.
Looking at him now, it had been worth the punch to the face. He didn't look as panicked as he had done that day in the lower levels of Coruscant. He looked healthy, and confident. But beneath that confidence there was something else, an element of what Ahsoka would call dread.
If she had to guess, it was likely down to whatever the Clones wanted to discuss with her. But why her? Why not Anakin?
"So, how can I help you?"
Fives turned his head to Rex and Kix and nodded.
"Show her."
Kix moved towards the table between them, extracting three small objects from a pouch on his armor and placing them on the table before her.
Raising an eyebrow, Ahsoka leant forward to inspect the objects.
Each object was a thin rectangular piece of glass that seemed to house a fleshy growth of some kind, clearly artificial in nature, at least Ahsoka hoped it was! She'd hate to think about something like that growing inside, or on someone.
Her eyes moved between the three objects for a few seconds before she noticed something else.
Within the glass rectangles, each of the fleshy growths seemed to be in a different condition. One looked, for lack of a better word, healthy, as if it was in perfect condition. The one next to it however was in a far worse state.
The material, whatever it was, looked rotten, as if it had died and was decomposing. The sight of it made Ahsoka's stomach churn.
Turning her attention to the third fleshy growth, she saw yet another variance. This one looked mostly healthy, however not as healthy as the first. The tone was off, as if it was ill. If she had to guess, she'd say this was how the rotten one had turned.
Glancing back up at the Clones before her, she saw a look of despair on Rex's face.
"What are these?" Ahsoka questioned.
"Inhibitor chips. Implanted inside every single Clone." Kix was the one to respond, his 'medic' mode switching on in a flash. He was all business now, and Ahsoka understood why.
"Implanted? Where?"
"In our heads, Commander." Fives responded, tapping one side of his head as he spoke.
A memory came back to Ahsoka. Fives had mentioned this, back in the lower levels, when she had let him go. He had been convinced that there was some kind of chip in the Clones head that was meant to control them!
Back then, he had even suggested the chip could be used to kill the Jedi!
Ahsoka shuddered at the mere thought.
"How did you get these?" Ahsoka asked, dreading the answer. How else were they going to get them? Extract them from dead Clones?
"Coric and I removed them Commander, on Rex's orders." Kix replied, gesturing to the Captain as he stood from his chair and moved towards Ahsoka, gently picking up the three glass containers in the process.
Taking a seat beside her, he showed her the first chip, the healthy looking one.
"This is Kix's chip. It's in perfect condition."
Ahsoka nodded in understanding, giving Rex the signal to continue. The Captain placed the healthy chip on the table before presenting the next one to her.
It was the heavily decayed and rotten chip.
"This chip belonged to Commander Boil. As you can see, it's heavily degraded."
The thought of Boil having that inside of his head nearly made Ahsoka sick. The poor trooper!
"And that one?" Ahsoka inquired, pointing towards the third chip, the one that was in between healthy and degraded.
Rex placed the rotten chip on the table before turning to look Ahsoka directly in the eyes.
"That one was mine, Ahsoka."
Rex's words knocked the air out of her. Seeing Boil's chip in such a state had been bad, for sure, but the knowledge that Rex's had been going the same way too?
She had to refrain from retching.
"Kriff." Was all Ahsoka could say, fully expecting a reprimand from Rex for the curse.
"Yeah. Tell me about it." Rex's response came as he placed the third chip on the table, before standing from his seat and moving to stand by the windows, watching the rain fall outside.
Anakin hated leaving his wife, especially now that she was pregnant.
But, he had to. He had been requested to join an early evening report at the Jedi Temple, alongside Master Windu and several other Council Members.
He could hardly refuse, despite how much he wanted to.
It had been Padmé that had convinced him to go. To go and do his duty. He knew if the roles were reversed, she wouldn't hesitate to what was expected of her.
But that didn't mean he had to like it.
'My time is running out! I've got to find a way to save her! I need the holocrons!'
Moving swiftly through the halls of the Temple, Anakin entered into the Jedi War Room, not something he had ever expected to see in his time as a Jedi. The very thought of the Jedi going to war just seemed… wrong.
He knew from history that it had happened many times in the past of course, but even still, it left him feeling uneasy.
As he entered the room however he noticed that the meeting was already in progress.
'They couldn't even be bothered to wait for me to begin?'
Pushing aside those thoughts, Anakin moved to stand beside Windu.
"Sorry I'm late."
Windu merely nodded in response as he kept his focus on the holograms before him.
Master Yoda was present, as was Master's Mundi and Secura. The three of them all had grim looks on their faces.
Before Anakin could inquire as to the purpose of the meeting, Mundi spoke up.
"The Separatist forces on Mygeeto are currently entrenched within a large compound. Commander Bacara and I are on the offensive, but the only way to the droid command centre is across a very exposed bridge. I fear this campaign may drag on longer than anticipated."
"Imperative it is, that secure that location, you do." Yoda's hologram spoke, despair in his voice at the thought of sending so many Clones to their deaths. Anakin was pleased to see that, despite their differences, they had this in common.
"I understand Master Yoda." Mundi responded before he gestured over to Aayla.
The Twi'lek nodded her head in appreciation before she continued.
"Felucia is more or less under Republic control. However there are stragglers. Commander Bly and I are going to lead a heavy walker brigade into the wilderness in hopes of eliminating what Separatist resistance there is."
"Excellent work Master Secura." Windu responded before he turned his attention to Yoda. "How is the situation on Kashyyyk, Master Yoda?"
Yoda's face turned grim before he replied.
"Preparing for a full scale assault, the Separatist are. Heavy vehicles, they bring. Preparing, the Wookies and Clones are. Master Luminara, leading from the front lines, she is."
Anakin didn't like the sound of the assessment. Kashyyyk, and the Republic's alliance with the Wookiees, was vital for the war. If they lost Kashyyyk…
"Understood Master Yoda. Do what you can for now." Windu responded. Before turning to Anakin. "Do you have anything to report, Skywalker?"
Confusion hit Anakin. What would he have to report? He wasn't the one on the frontlines! He was stuck playing politics with…
'Oh… he means do I have anything to report about Palpatine.'
"No Master Windu, I'm afraid not."
Windu's face fell in disappointment before he was distracted by a new hologram fading into existence.
The hologram of a Clone Trooper, one that Anakin didn't recognize, appeared before the Jedi, snapping into a salute once the image was clear.
"Excuse the interruption Generals. I thought you'd like to know that Master Fisto has engaged General Grievous on Utapau. My men have begun a ground and space campaign against the Separatist Forces as well."
Anakin felt a rush of excitement flood through his body. Finally! They had Grievous!
'That is assuming Fisto is capable of taking him down. They should have sent me and the 501st instead!'
"Thank you for the update Commander. May the Force be with you." Windu replied before the hologram of the Commander faded away just as quickly as it had appeared.
"Looks like we might be about to end the war." Anakin commented, hoping that the news would lighten the mood somewhat.
Instead, all he received was frowns in response.
"Anakin, please deliver this report to the Chancellor. His reaction will give us a clue to his intentions." Windu was the only one to verbally respond, a determined look on his face. Through the Force Anakin could feel a sense of trepidation coming from the Jedi Master of Vaapad. In the past, that would have worried Anakin.
Now though, he had more important things to worry about than Mace Windu's feelings.
"Yes Master." Anakin chose to reply with a curt bow, before turning on his heels and heading out the door, destination in mind.
"Fives, you said these chips were designed to restrain aggression or something?" Ahsoka asked from where she was sitting, a sense of dread flooding through her body.
"As I said Commander, that's the excuse the Kaminoans gave. But I… we think they are lying. Look at Boil's chip! The answers are all there!" The ARC Trooper replied as he gestured towards the three small glass rectangles on the table.
Ahsoka reached forward once again to pick up the heavily degraded chip, examining it once again.
And once again she felt a jolt of revulsion in her stomach.
"I don't follow?"
"Tup's chip! I got it out of him, after he killed General Tiplar! It was in the same condition as Boil's! All rotten and degraded. I think… that… no, I know what happened. The chip malfunctioned and made him attack a Jedi! And then the same thing happened to Boil on Mygeeto!"
Memories flashed back to Ahsoka in that moment. Boil, standing before her, barrel of his sniper rifle pointed at her head, ready to fire.
Had it not been for Jesse… would he have shot her?
A sense of clarity hit Ahsoka as she began to understand just exactly what the Clones were telling her.
These chips, designed to inhibit the apparent 'aggressive tendencies' of the Clones could malfunction. And if they malfunctioned…
"We need to get these things out of as many Clones as possible!" Ahsoka said, resolute, standing from her seat and adopting her 'Commander' persona. "It's too great a risk to leave these things in. What if they malfunction around civilians? Or younglings?"
A sigh of despair came from Rex as he turned around to face her.
"Commander… Ahsoka, we think that… how do I put this…"
"We think it targets Jedi specifically!" Fives interrupted, answering Rex's question for him. Ahsoka had to admire his blunt nature. She had always liked that about Fives.
"The Jedi? How do you mean?"
"I mean that these things can be used to turn the entire Grand Army of the Republic against the Jedi in a single moment. This could cause genocide!"
Before the war, or at least in the very early days of it, Ahsoka would have called what Fives was suggesting ludicrous. The idea that the entire Jedi Order could be wiped out overnight was just wrong. There were ten thousand Jedi scattered throughout the galaxy. No way anyone would be able to wipe them all out.
Now however, after everything she had seen and done, she wasn't so sure. And besides, this wasn't the first weapon she had seen in recent history that was designed to wipe out the Jedi. It wasn't even the second!
Still, she had to be rational. Panicking in this case would help no one. She needed all the facts before she could act. And there was one thing that came to mind.
"Hold on though," Ahsoka said, gesturing to Boil's degraded chip. "Boil only tried to attack me when his chip degraded, same as Tup with Tiplar. I doubt that the entirety of the Clone army is going to have their chips all malfunction at once."
As she spoke, her eyes were drawn suddenly to the chip on the table that she now knew was Rex's.
Just how close had he been to suffering the same fate as Tup and Boil? Would he have turned and shot Anakin, or Obi-Wan, or even herself if it had reached that state?
She didn't want to think about such a thing. The very idea that Rex, that any of her Clones brothers would turn on her filled her with despair.
"That's just it though Commander. We aren't convinced that this is going to be an isolated incident. If the chips made Tup and Boil do this when they were heavily degraded, imagine what they might do if they are fully functional, like Kix's was!" Rex spoke again, a worried look on his face as he too glanced towards his partially degraded chip. Ahsoka wondered if perhaps he was thinking along the same lines as she had been.
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked, still not fully understanding the situation. The chips had only made the Clones attack Jedi due to them being degraded, hadn't they?
"We mean that these chips were implanted in us for a reason. When Tup turned, he wasn't himself. Same with Boil. It was like they were under the influence of an outside party, like a Jedi mind trick or something."
"So what are you saying Rex?" Ahsoka pushed him on, another sense of deep dread washing over her.
"I'm saying these chips are meant to control us to do someone else's bidding. They can make us kill the Jedi on a whim. Tup and Boil's chip activated prematurely due to the degradation. But the rest of us? We're a timebomb ticking down, ready to be activated on a moment's notice!"
Chancellor Palpatine's office was becoming a far more familiar setting to Anakin as of late. Sure, he had visited the leader of the Republic frequently, but never as often as this. It was practically becoming a third home for him, and in an odd way, he felt more comfortable here than he did in the Jedi Temple.
He didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
Moving into the Chancellor's private office, Anakin stood tall with his arms behind his back as he waited for Palpatine to address him.
The Chancellor seemed engrossed in a red holographic display before him, his head moving from side to side as he read whatever was on screen. Anakin couldn't make out exactly what was on the display from where he stood, but they looked like schematics for something.
'Maybe I should report that to Windu. I might keep him off my back a bit. Plus what's the harm? Maybe if I ask the Chancellor nicely he'll let me tell Windu as a show of good faith or something?'
A few moments passed by before Anakin finally decided that he had to make his presence known.
Anakin coughed lightly under his breath, hoping the sound wasn't taken as being too rude.
In an instant, the Chancellor had powered down the holographic display before him and began to turn his chair around, his head tilting up to acknowledge Anakin.
"My boy, I'm so sorry. I did not hear you enter. How can I help you, my friend?" Palpatine spoke, his tone apologetic when it didn't need to be.
"Forgive the intrusion Your Excellency, but I thought you would like to know that Master Fisto and his forces have engaged General Grievous on Utapau."
"That is good news. I only hope Master Fisto is capable of handling such a threat. I have not had much experience in dealing with him."
"He's one of the best duelists in the Temple, Your Excellency. I'm sure he can handle it." Anakin replied, trying to keep his tone even. He knew Fisto was powerful for sure, but was he truly powerful enough to handle Grievous?
"If you have faith my friend, then so do I." Palpatine responded, smiling warmly at Anakin.
"I only wish they had sent the 501st and myself. I'm going stir crazy at the Temple." Anakin commented in response, forgetting himself in the moment. He knew how unprofessional it had sounded and immediately regretted his words, even more so when the Chancellor's face shifted from a happy smile to a concerned frown.
"I am sorry you are feeling that way Anakin. I was honestly surprised they did not send you to complete this mission. I'd have thought they would trust you and your legion before anyone else with such a task."
"I don't think the Council trusts me full stop, Sir." Anakin replied once again, not even trying to stop himself this time. He knew he could trust the Chancellor with anything. Perhaps he'd be able to offer him some advice. "I feel like. I feel like they are leaving me in the dark about some things."
The Chancellor's expression softened once again as he rose from his seat, an apologetic look dominant on his face
"It is upsetting to me to see that the Council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents. You have time and again proven yourself a vital member of their Order, and yet they don't seem to see it. Surely you of all people would qualify to become a Jedi Master by now?" Palpatine said as he moved around his office towards Anakin, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder and he turned them back towards the door.
"They don't seem to think I'm ready for the privileges that come with that status." Anakin replied, memories of the story Palpatine had told him flashing in his mind. He needed whatever was inside the holocron vault to save Padmé, and he could only get in there if he was a Jedi Master.
"They are wrong." Came Palpatine's response, his words a harsh snarl, critical of the Council in a way that surprised Anakin. The Chancellor had always been a very soft spoken man. This seemed very out of character for him.
"Your Excellency?" Anakin queried as the elderly man began to lead them both out of his private office and back into the hallway that divided the main office from his private one.
"The Council is wrong to distrust you Anakin. However it is something I fear will never change, not whilst the likes of Master Windu and his dogmatic narrow minded view of everything remain on the Council. I fear his influence over the other Council Members, Master Yoda included, is what has kept them from fully trusting you, if at all."
It shocked Anakin to hear Palpatine speaking about Windu in such a fashion. It was true that he had never gotten along with the Jedi Master. The very first time he had ever come into the Temple with Qui-Gon, Windu had shown him nothing but disdain.
But from the way Palpatine was speaking about it, it was almost as if he believed that Windu was intimidating everyone else in the Order into making Anakin an outcast.
Could it be true? Was Windu really the one holding him back? He knew the Council Member didn't like him! Was that why he supported Ahsoka's exclusion from the Order? Was he trying to stop her from becoming a Knight so that Anakin wouldn't have the credentials to be promoted to Master?
"I don't think Master Windu would…" Anakin began to say, trying to convince himself otherwise.
The skeptical look the Chancellor threw his way silenced Anakin immediately. There was no denying it. Palpatine was completely right. Windu had never, and would never trust him… at all.
"They don't trust you Anakin because they fear your power. Remember, even Jedi are afraid of losing it. Master Windu no doubt fears that you will one day usurp him on the Council. That is why he is standing in your way, preventing you from achieving greater power that you rightfully deserve."
'Like the power to save people I love from death!' Anakin wanted to say, but chose not to.
"But perhaps there is another way to achieve the power you seek."
"This could just be a coincidence. The chips making them target Jedi, that is. And how do we know that these chips aren't what the Kaminoans said they are?" Ahsoka questioned, hoping her words didn't offend the Clones. The last thing she wanted to do was alienate her friends, but she had to be sure. She needed all the evidence before she acted.
"No offense Commander, but all three of us have had our chips removed since before Mygeeto. Have we seemed more aggressive to you?" Rex replied.
"No, no you've seemed like yourselves. So I guess the Kaminoans were lying then. How many men have you gotten the chip out of thus far?" Ahsoka said, feeling ashamed that she had even doubted Rex for a moment. She'd find a way to make that up to him.
"A fair few, Commander, but we've left the process voluntary for everyone other than Boil thus far. We didn't want to force anyone into something they didn't want to do, not at least until we have definitive information about how dangerous these chips are." Rex responded as he glanced over at Kix, who nodded back and continued.
"Thus far, myself, Coric, Rex, Fives, Jesse and Ridge have all removed our chips. Several other members of the 501st have agreed too, but they wish to remain anonymous. So far only Appo has refused."
Ahsoka was pleased to hear that most of the 501st veterans had trusted Kix and Rex, but she wouldn't hold it against Appo for not having his chip removed. It was a big risk after all. Removing the chip had killed Tup in the end.
"Ok, what about the other legions? The 212th?" Ahsoka inquired.
"Boil is the only 212th member thus far that we've gotten the chip out of. I told Cody, but he wasn't convinced either." Rex answered, lowering his head in sadness at the mention of Cody's name. "We've been trying to keep it discreet thus far. Don't want to draw too much attention."
Before Ahsoka could ask for any more names, Fives spoke up.
"We got Echo and his new team's out as well. Wolffe and his pack got theirs out too. As did Bly and some of his men. Aside from that we've had to be careful in case we draw the wrong attention."
Ahsoka nearly breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of Master Plo being protected from whatever this was. Master Secura too was in safe hands with Bly.
The rest however could be in very real danger.
"What do you mean by the 'wrong attention'?" Ahsoka pushed, dread building up inside of her again.
At this, the three Clones all glanced at each other, as if debating something between themselves. Ahsoka got the feeling that whatever it was was bad.
"Guys? What is it? What's wrong?" Ahsoka asked, praying they'd give her an answer. Fives had said he trusted her. They had obviously come to her for a reason.
"Ahsoka, you need to trust us here. If this information gets into the wrong hands, we're all kriffed." Rex was the one to reply, his tone steady, but with an underlying sense of fear behind it. If something scared Rex, then it was bad.
"Rex?"
"It's the Chancellor, Ahsoka. We think he's the one behind all this."
Palpatine's words drew Anakin's attention immediately. He had been so fixated on finding a way to save everyone, that he hadn't truly stopped to think about how many ways there were to save them. He thought that his only solution lay within the holocron vault.
But now… was there another way that he had overlooked?
"What do you mean?" Anakin asked, coming to a standstill in the hallway between the Chancellor's offices, facing the man.
"The power you seek Anakin is not one the Jedi will teach you. Their narrow minded perception of the Force clouds it's greatest mysteries and secrets from their sight. They will never be able to help you, so please let me instead."
"Let you help me? How?"
"My mentor taught me everything about the Force... even the nature of the dark side."
At that, Anakin froze.
The dark side? The Chancellor knew the dark side? How?
"You know the dark side?" Anakin asked, a sense of foreboding creeping up on him. Something was very wrong.
The Chancellor's expression changed in that moment from friendly, to what Anakin could only call ominous. The elderly man began to move again, his path taking him around Anakin, as if he was circling him like some sort of hunter after its prey.
"If one is to obtain a complete understanding of the Force, one must study every angle of it. The Jedi lack the conviction to even try to understand all aspects, merely content with what limited knowledge they have. In the end, that is what shall be their undoing. I implore you Anakin, learn to embrace a larger view of the Force. Let me teach you what I know."
The Force swelled around the Chancellor suddenly, and not in a way Anakin liked, not completely. It reminded him an awful lot of Dooku's presence in the Force. Could that mean…
"Only through me can you achieve a power greater than what you currently have. A power you rightfully deserve!"
The Chancellor's circling stopped suddenly, and Anakin found himself face to face with the kind elderly man he expected from the Chancellor once again. His voice had calmed, as had the Force suddenly.
The pit of dread that had erupted in Anakin's stomach however had not calmed down. This was wrong! So so wrong! It almost sounded like…
"Learn to know the dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to not only ensure the safety of your friends, but also save your wife from certain death."
Anakin didn't hesitate. His hand grasped hold of his saber hilt in an instant, the blue blade flashing to life before him, angled across the Chancellor's neck.
"You're the Sith Lord… aren't you!? You're Darth Sidious!"
"Intuitive as ever Anakin. Use the knowledge I can give, I beg you. Only through me can you obtain the power you need to save Padmé!" The Chancellor, no… Sidious continued, his voice changed once again. Gone was the kind grandfatherly figure, instead replaced by a domineering presence that Anakin knew was a serious threat.
He should strike him down, as he had done Dooku. This man had made millions suffer for his own political machinations. He had to be stopped!
But, he was also his friend. He had guided him, supported him, listened to him. He could have killed him a dozen times over, but he hadn't.
And now, he was imploring Anakin, offering to help him again.
Offering to help him save Padmé. How he knew about his relationship with her he didn't know but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was Padmé and the others. He had to save them.
'But like this? By asking a Sith for help?' The thought hit his mind, panic beginning to flood it.
He shouldn't. He knew he shouldn't. Obi-Wan would be so disappointed in him. So would Ahsoka, and Rex. Hell they might even hate him or try to kill him for it.
'But you'll be saving them. Even if they hate you, at least they'll all still be alive!'
"No… I… I won't be your pawn!" Anakin replied, tightening his hold on his saber, ready to strike if the Sith made any moves.
He didn't, however, he simply stood there, blue blade poised at his neck, unfazed.
"My boy you are already a pawn, just not of mine. The Jedi Council have been using you, and they have no intention of rewarding your misplaced loyalty. Ever since I've known you you have been searching for something greater, outside of the life of a typical Jedi Knight! I can help you make your mark on this galaxy. Solidify your significance for all to see as a saviour and champion of the people. It merely requires… sacrifice, if you will."
"You're wrong! You're lying!"
"What would I have to gain by lying to you now Anakin? I have done nothing but tell you the truth and support you."
Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing! The Chancellor had lied to him for years! He had been the Sith under their noses all this time!
And yet, still, he was his friend, and he was offering to help!
"Are you going to kill me?" The Chan...Sidious spoke, tone steady as his eyes glared at the blue blade at his neck.
Anakin hesitated with his response. It would be so easy. One simple flick of his hand and Sidious would be dead, just like Dooku.
He could end it all here and now.
But then he would lose his chance.
"I would certainly like to!"
"I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger!"
The tone in his voice sent a shiver down Anakin's spine. It was dark, twisted, and full of malice, as if he was daring Anakin to move against him.
Anakin tightened his hold on his saber, contemplating striking once again.
And then he took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and extinguished his blade.
"I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi Council. I'll let them decide what to do with you."
Sidious' face shifted from malice to one of sadness, almost as if he was disappointed in a way.
In the blink of an eye, 'Chancellor Palpatine' had seemingly returned. In a way, Anakin found that far more intimidating than anything he had ever encountered. The knowledge that this kind, grandfatherly figure was in actual fact, a Sith Lord, was not something he had ever expected to encounter. He honestly didn't know what to do.
That was why he was going to turn him over to the Council! He was too close to the situation! It needed someone with a level head, and despite his dislike of Windu, and the Jedi Master's evident dislike of him, Anakin trusted him to deal with the situation more than he trusted himself.
'But what if Windu kills him? Then you'll lose your chance to save Padmé!'
"Of course you should." Palpatine finally responded to Anakin's declaration, rolling his eyes in the process as he began to move away from the Jedi Knight and back into his private office. "But you aren't sure of their intentions, are you? What if I am right and they turn against you next, or turn against the Republic?"
"Then I'll be ready for them!" Anakin spat in defiance, images of the Jedi betraying him in his mind suddenly. They had cast out Ahsoka after all. How long before they did the same to him? Maybe they only kept him around because he was a good General for the war?
"So you say, Anakin. But you are not as wise as you seem to think, not yet at least. Learn to know the dark side. The power to save Padmé, and everyone else in the process. It is the only way."
With that, the Chancellor left the room, leaving Anakin alone with his thoughts.
He could save Padmé. All he needed to do was help the Sith. Betray everyone!
He couldn't do that? Could he?
'Padmé will die! Everyone will die if I don't help him!'
There had to be another way… surely? This was not the only path… was it?
'But what if it is? What if I don't help him? Will I lose the chance to save Padmé?'
Anakin wanted to punch something. Wanted to punch someone!
But right now, he knew what he needed to do, or at least what he thought he needed to do.
He had to speak to Windu, to warn him about the threat.
And to judge what his reaction would be. There was a good chance he couldn't trust Windu either. If that was the case…
… Anakin Skywalker had never felt more lost than he currently was.
"The Chancellor?! What do you mean he's behind it all?" Ahsoka had to refrain from shouting in surprise. This was the last thing she had honestly been expecting.
The Clones shared another look of concern amongst themselves, evidently debating what to do next.
"Answer me troopers!" Ahsoka demanded, dropping into her 'Commander' persona in an instant. She didn't like using her authority over them. She never had. But considering the seriousness of the accusations they were presenting, she had to be forceful.
After all, if anyone else had heard them speaking like this they would have been accused of treason against the Republic!
It was Fives that answered first, determination on his face.
"He told me himself, Commander. Back when I first investigated these chips after Tup died. That's why I was on the run."
"What exactly did he say Fives?"
"He said he was fully aware of what the chips were and what they could do. He practically threatened to have me decommissioned if I told anyone."
"He is the Chancellor! It's no real surprise that he knows about the chips." Ahsoka replied, struggling to put the pieces together. She was willing to give Fives the benefit of the doubt. He had never lied to her before, and if he had evidence against the Chancellor, she would act on it.
"You weren't there Ahsoka! You didn't hear how he said it! You should have seen the sneer on his face! It was like he was proud of the fact that he knew about the chip! Please, you have to believe me! There's something not right with him!" Fives pleaded, moving towards Ahsoka and taking one of her hands in his own, squeezing it with a wild look in his eyes.
Part of her didn't want to believe it. The Chancellor had been nothing but kind to her, and Anakin too. The thought of him having an apparently vindictive sneer on his face as he took pleasure in taunting one of her men made her feel sick. If it were true, she needed to have words with him.
The wild look in Fives' eyes was hard to ignore. He was desperate, and if Ahsoka was right, traumatised by whatever the Chancellor had said or done to him. She had never seen him this way before, not even after the Citadel, or after Umbara.
"It's ok, Fives. Breathe." Ahsoka replied as she squeezed his hands back, hoping to calm him down. She knew the signs of a panic attack, having suffered from them herself in the past.
It took a few moments for Fives to calm down before he stepped away from her, nodding in gratitude towards her.
"Sorry Commander, it's just…"
"We're worried about you. You are close to the Chancellor now and if he… well, we couldn't live without ourselves if he did something to you." Rex interrupted in a tone softer than she had ever heard him speak.
"I appreciate that concern Rex, but the Chancellor has been nothing but kind to me thus far." Ahsoka replied, watching as Rex's face fell into a frown.
"However, that doesn't mean I don't believe you. I know firsthand that not everyone can be what they seem. If you think Palpatine is hiding something, then I believe you."
"You… you do?" Fives replied, shocked.
Ahsoka wasn't entirely sure exactly what she believed, but she knew she had some questions for the Chancellor.
"I believe that the Chancellor knows more than he might be letting on. You wouldn't be like this if not. Now, can I ask why you came to me regarding this and not someone like General Skywalker or Kenobi?"
The reply to her inquiry came immediately.
"Because we needed an outside party, Commander. Skywalker was convinced that Fives had attacked the Chancellor when he went on the run, and Kenobi had enough on his plate trying to keep Skywalker under control. Knowing that you were close to the Chancellor, and had some experience in being doubted by a lot of people, we came to you. There's no one we trust more with this information than you." Rex said, straightening his back and standing tall as he did when taking orders from a superior he heavily respected.
It surprised Ahsoka just how willing they were to trust her after all this time. When she had joined the 501st she had been an impudent child. Anyone in their right mind would have sent her back to the Temple.
But Anakin and the 501st had welcomed her with open arms. They had guided her, trusted her, and done whatever they had to do to keep her safe.
And now, here they were, three of the best soldiers, best friends she had ever had, and they were asking her for help, for guidance.
There was no question in her mind. She would help them. She owed them that much.
"Ok. Kix, keep trying to get these chips out of as many men as you can. There is clearly more to this than we know, and if Fives is right, those answers lie with Palpatine."
"What about you kid?" Rex asked, concern on his face.
Ahsoka turned away from the Clones and glanced out of the windows of her apartment, watching the rain.
The grey clouds showed no sign of them clearing anytime soon, even as the sun set behind them. It was as if a massive shadow had been cast over the Republic.
Ahsoka needed answers. If Fives was right…
"I'm going to speak with the Chancellor."
Author's thoughts
And so we reach the pivotal turning point of the story at long last. It's been a long time coming for sure. I just hope it's been worth the wait.
I wanted to get both of these revelations happening in parallel. Gives both of our protagonists something to panic over, in very different ways. Anakin finding out about Palpy and Sidious being one and the same is of course just a rewrite of the ROTS scene, but I hope I made it enjoyable enough with a few tweaks.
As for Ahsoka and the Clones... well... that was a fun one to write. Many of you have already made the guess that some of the chips have been taken out of the Clones, so I figured it was time to reveal just what Rex and the others knew. To be clear, they don't fully understand everything, but they have their suspicions. Why they chose to tell Ahsoka over anyone else however is left up to audience interpretation mostly. :)
Aside from that, I don't really have much else to say. This chapter marks the end of the first half of the ROTS aspect of this story. You can all probably guess what is coming next.
Speaking of next... due to some personal issues, I'm going to be taking a bit of a break from writing. I need some time to rest and relax the mind so that I feel up to it again. Not sure how long that will be, but I will be back at some point.
Thanks once again to my beta reader 'ArrinSnyders' for all his hard work and help.
Next time round, (when I return). we delve into the mind of Darth Sidious himself.
As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
Remnant7: Glad you are enjoying it still then. It's been fun to write, even if it's taken me three years at this point!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter and all of Palpy's manipulations! He's great fun! XD
Gendie01: I mean... that would be telling over how this story ends now, wouldn't it?
Besides, after this story concludes, I'm gonna need a massive holiday! XD
Alfredo12StarLegionaire: You're not wrong with that honestly. The Jedi are happy to jut sit back and let fate take it's course, damned of the consequences. In their position, it's not the best course of actions.
And yep, the final day of the Republic has indeed dawned. How everyone will react to what might be about to happen remains to be seen. I just hope you enjoy it. :)
the Mandalorian terminator: Glad you liked the chapter title. I'm quite proud of it, and this one's title as well. I wanted them to set the mood and scene as you said, so yay for succeeding! XD
Tarkin vs. Windu was fun to write as they can both be hard-headed individuals for very different reasons. Both make viable points in their arguments too, which was what I wanted.
The Anakin and Obi-Wan scene was my favourite bit as well to write. Those two just being friends is something that is sorely lacking sometimes. Be a shame if something was to ruin it. XD
As for Maul... well... what do you expect. He's a bastard cockroach! XD
TragicFiction: 80 chapters... yeah... someone stop me already!
Maul has a role to play. Hope you enjoy it. :)
SpaceJesus17: Heh.. well... I personally love cliffhangers for this exact reason. Seeing people's outrage! XD
Still... sorry!
Mysterious Guest 1: Well mystery guest... hopefully this chapter fills you with a bit of hope regarding Aayla's chances. :)
amerdism: Ha! Both would be interesting paths for sure. Who knows what route she will take? Hope you enjoy it either way. :)
Hekkasi: Less than 24 hours for sure! More like 1-2 hours left on the clock now! 0_0
RyanSquad: Well... were you right about what rex was telling Ahsoka about? :)
Anakin's between a rock and a hard place. He's pretty much being used by most of the people around him. The only ones truly on his side are Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Padmé and Rex... all people he is having visions of in trouble.
...I'm sure it'll all be fine though! XD
tf330129: Doing my best.
anon123123: Thanks. :)