They ascended the steps to the Jedi Temple together, neither saying a word.
Ahsoka knew what they were about to do. She knew that, deep down, this would not go well, that this was wrong.
But what choice did she have? The Council had tried to execute her! They had deemed her an enemy of the Republic in the process.
Yes, Palpatine was a Sith. Yes, he had ordered them to use lethal force if necessary. And yes, he could very well be behind the chips that were supposedly in the brains of the Clones, as well as being responsible for the Clone War as a whole!
But, he had done nothing but help her, and Anakin. He had been there for them both at a time when the Jedi Order had not. When the Jedi Order had turned its back on her, Palpatine had not.
And right now, she needed him alive. If the Jedi were turning against the Republic… turning against them, then they needed to be dealt with.
Or at the very least controlled.
Ahsoka didn't want the Order destroyed of course. That would be a tragedy.
But she knew that, as long as the current council was left in power, the Order would never change.
And right now, if the Order was to survive, it needed to change.
As she continued to ascend the steps, Ahsoka glanced over at Anakin.
His face was unreadable, as was his signature in the Force. It was clouded by anger, by hate, but also by determination and fear. He was afraid…
And so was she.
"Come on!"
Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi raised his lightsaber into the air with a rallying cry as he vaulted over the cover before him, leading the charge towards the Separatist barricade standing between his and his men's objective.
The droid foundry was dead ahead, on a large circular platform. All he and his Clones had to do was push past this last line of defense, and then the mission would be complete.
Pivoting his saber, he deflected blast after blast from the droids, cutting down a pair in the process as he continued to push the advance before…
Pain! Agonizing, burning pain… in his back.
There were no droids behind him! Commander Bacara and his men had cleaned up all resistance along the way, double checking everything to ensure no threats were posed from half destroyed droids.
That meant the shot could only have come from…
Another blast hit the back of his leg, causing him to stumble as he turned around in shock.
"Wha…". Mundi gasped before he saw what he feared.
His men, Bacara at the front, had halted their advance and trained their blasters… on him.
Blue bolts erupted from their weapons towards him, their intent obvious.
Mundi reacted as fast as he could, but it wasn't fast enough.
He blocked the first three shots, before one broke through, crashing into his stomach, and another into his shoulder.
And then, everything went dark.
Upon clearing the final step, Ahsoka found herself face to face with a Legion of Clones, some with red armour accents, and others blue.
The Coruscant Guard and the 501st. A combined strength more than powerful enough to handle any threat to the Republic.
And right now… they were going to be used to storm the Jedi Temple and force it into submission. Ahsoka hoped and prayed that violence wouldn't be necessary, both for the sake of the Jedi within, and that of the Clones. There would be a lot of casualties on both sides if things went bad.
As she and Anakin continued to move towards the assembled troopers, Ahsoka observed the armour, looking for any sign of a pattern she recognized.
But she could see none. No Jaig Eyes, no Republic Cog, not even a helmet with her markings on it.
The only designs she did recognize was of a white arrow pointing down within the blue painted on one helmet, and that of a red helmet with a grey visor.
Sergeant Appo and Commander Fox.
"Commander, Sergeant, where is Captain Rex?" Anakin asked as he and Ahsoka approached, receiving sharp salutes from both troopers in the process.
"CT-7567 is unaccounted for General Skywalker." Fox responded, his words coming out in an oddly monotone way, something that sent a shiver down Ahsoka's spine. She wasn't surprised however by the use of Rex's number, rather than his name. Fox had always been known to be ruthless.
"Unfortunate, but we cannot afford a delay. We'll have to complete this mission without him. Have you been briefed Commander, Sergeant?"
"Yes, General Skywalker. We are to assist you and the Chancellor's agent in the subjugation of the Jedi Temple and its residents. Lethal Force has been authorized if they do not surrender." Fox continued, reciting the words as if he was reading them from a script. Alarm bells sang in Ahsoka's head. Something was very wrong with Fox.
"Excellent. Then follow us troopers, and prepare yourself." Anakin's response sent another shiver down Ahsoka's spine, so much so that she sent him a look of concern. She knew he was struggling. She was too.
But he almost sounded happy to be here, to be leading a mission into the Jedi Temple itself, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
'The Jedi did betray you both. Why shouldn't he be happy?'
Ahsoka did her best to ignore the dark voice in her head. She knew it was true, but she didn't want it to be.
And right now she wasn't in a position to stop anyone. All she could do was try to minimize casualties as best as she could.
She didn't want a bloodbath.
Jaro Tapal allowed a warm smile to come to his face as he watched his Padawan bounce on his heels, joy radiating off of him through the Force.
After seeing him downtrodden for so long at being stuck on a single mission, Jaro had been more than happy to deliver the news of reassignment for his troops to his Padawan. Seeing him this happy was all that mattered.
Yes, he might be hard on the young boy, but that was only because he wanted him to become the best Jedi he could be, and Jaro knew he would amount to something one day.
For now, all he could do was give the Padawan small amounts of joy, and protect him from…
Danger! The Force screamed out in danger, warning him!
He felt death, destruction, despair… all through the Force. Something had gone terribly wrong!
Bringing his hands to his head, he clawed at his skull, trying to ward away the headache that was growing. Only distantly did he hear his Padawan call out for him, concern in his voice and…
Another sound! The clicking of a weapon's safety, changing from stun to blast!
The Clones!
Jaro didn't hesitate. He moved his hands away from his head, grasping hold of his saber staff and igniting the blue blades before sweeping them to the side, catching his once loyal Clone Commander before he had a chance to react.
Jaro Tapal heard his Padawan cry out in shock, as well as the sound of his lightsaber ripping through Clone armour.
The Commander slumped to the floor dead as Jaro extinguished his saber, holding the hilt tight in one hand as he moved to rest his other on his Padawan's shoulder in comfort.
"Master! What's happening! Why did the Commander…"
Jaro didn't let his Padawan finish. They didn't have the time.
"Padawan, something terrible is happening. The Clones have betrayed us. We aren't safe here."
Boots echoed throughout the Hypostyle Hall that made up the entrance to the Jedi Temple.
Ahsoka Tano. Anakin Skywalker. Two legions of Clones adorned in white, red and blue paint. All marching together.
It occurred to Ahsoka that there was no sign of any Temple Guards around. Where was the security? Did they know they were coming? Was this a trap of some kind?
Through the Force she tried to send an alert to Anakin, to voice her concerns, but she was met with only a wall. He was actively blocking everyone out.
Resisting the urge to snap at him, she refocused her efforts on the task at hand.
'Subjugation' was what Fox had called it. Ahsoka didn't like that word. They weren't here to make slaves of the Jedi. They were here to ensure their loyalty to the Republic. To the Chancellor.
'To a Sith Lord you mean?'
She pushed that thought aside. She needed him alive to help with the Clone's chips, that was all.
Boots continued to echo around her as she and Anakin finally passed through the entrance to the Temple, the Clones following behind them, blasters in their hands, ready.
As they entered the main atrium of the Temple, she found herself face to face with Jedi, waiting for them.
A line of eight temple guards stood before them, with Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig standing in the middle of them.
Behind them, many Jedi milled about, watching, concerned.
"Skywalker! Tano! What is the meaning of this!" Drallig's voice boomed out, his hand gripping his lightsaber, prepared.
"Stand down Battlemaster, lest you be judged a traitor like the rest!" Anakin's response was not the most diplomatic, not that that surprised Ahsoka. He had always been an action before words kind of person.
But right now, they needed diplomacy, not a bloodbath.
Ahsoka privately thanked Padme for her lessons in politics. Without her, Ahsoka might never know what to say.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped in front of Anakin and began to speak.
"Master! What's happening? Why are the Clones…"
Jedi Knight Cere Junda did not have time to reply to her Padawan. The situation was too dire.
Right now, they had to survive. They could discuss the events later.
Delving into the Force, she pushed out with all of her might, sending the Clones that were assaulting her and her Padawan to the floor.
Content that they were down for the time being, Cere turned to face her Padawan and spoke only one word.
"Run."
At that, Trilla Suduri ran, her Master right behind her.
"Roughly one hour ago, members of the Jedi High Council led by Mace Windu attempted to arrest Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in his office. When the Chancellor refused to accompany the Jedi, the Councillors attempted to assassinate both him and myself." Ahsoka's voice echoed around the main atrium, her words reaching the ears, lekku, whatever sensory organs the residents of the temple had. The line of Temple Guards, and Cin Drallig, remained unmoved, unshaken by her words.
Those behind them however offered different responses. Some shifted with hesitation, shock on their faces as they contemplated Ahsoka's words. Others had a look of barely concealed anger present, but to whom that anger was directed Ahsoka didn't know.
Whispers began in the background as Ahsoka continued.
"I regret to inform you that Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Shaak Ti, Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin all participated in the assassination attempt, and were thus tragically slain to ensure the safety of the Chancellor."
At that, uproar hit her montrals. Cried of 'traitor' and 'murderer' came her way, the Force screaming at her.
She supposed she deserved it, even if she hadn't been the one to kill them. She had only defended herself. It had been Palpatine that had killed them all.
Well… Palpatine and Anakin.
"So what? You've come here to finish the job? To kill the rest of the Jedi Order?" Drallig spat out, his hand now fully holding his lightsaber. He had yet to ignite it at the very least.
"No." Ahsoka relied, without hesitation. "I'm here to ensure your survival."
"You march here with two entire legions of Clone Troopers and expect us to believe that our survival is what you seek? You delude yourself Padawan." Drallig said, taking a single step towards Ahsoka.
A single step that was interrupted by Anakin, who moved forward between them, halting Drallig's advance.
"That's Agent Tano to you, Battlemaster. Now stand down."
"Or what Skywalker? You'll cut me down like you did the Council Members?"
Several moments of tense silence passed as Anakin and Drallig stared at one another, daring the other to strike first.
Ahsoka didn't want bloodshed, not if she could help it.
Ignoring the standoff, she directed her attention to the mass of Jedi gathered around and spoke again.
"The actions taken by the Jedi Council are to be considered treasonous against the Galactic Republic. The punishment for treason is severe. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has given you all a choice. Surrender, and pledge loyalty to the Republic and the Chancellor."
"And if we don't?" Drallig spoke again, his signature in the Force growing with anger.
Ahsoka didn't want to say it. She couldn't.
Anakin however…
"Then you will die."
"Nooo!"
The sound of his own voice, hoarse from screaming, surprised even its owner as he watched the tragedy unfold before him.
Luminara Unduli, Jedi Master, fell to the ground beneath her, smoldering blaster marks in her chest.
Quinlan Vos had no choice left. Unduli had wanted to preserve the Clones, convinced that something was wrong with them, that they were ill or something?
But now, after seeing their once loyal soldiers gun down their General without remorse, Vos had no sympathy left.
Delving into the dark side of the Force, Vos reached out with one of his hands and grasped hold of the Clones before him. The Force gripped around their necks, suspending them off of the ground, their blasters dropping from their hands as they clawed desperately at their throats.
But Vos didn't let up. He squeezed tighter, and tighter, and tighter, until…
Snap!
The sound shouldn't have sounded good to him. He shouldn't have felt pleased to see the Clones collapse to the floor, their necks craned in unnatural directions thanks to him.
But right now, all he felt was a dark sense of satisfaction, even as the Force screamed danger at him.
Steeling himself, Vos prepared for the next wave of traitorous Clones.
He would kill them all!
Anakin's words, his threat, had the effect Ahsoka expected.
The residents of the temple reacted in different ways. Some reached for their lightsabers. Others took a step back, unsure of what to do.
Cin Drallig and his Temple Guards however, remained unmoved. They stood ready, resolute, determined.
That was until the sound of something hitting the floor drew their attention.
Glancing towards the sound, Ahsoka saw a single Temple Guard mask resting on the floor at the feet of one of the guards. Whispers began to echo around the atrium as the owner of the mask took a step forward, followed by another, and another.
Ahsoka's eyes moved away from the mask as the Temple Guard approached her, her eyes meeting those of the guard.
Before her stood the Pau'an guard she had become familiar with, his pale white face covered with a determined expression.
"What are you…" Drallig spoke, but his words went unheard as the Pau'an came to a halt before her and Anakin.
"I pledge my loyalty to the Republic, and to the Supreme Chancellor." The Pau'an spoke, bowing to his knee in the process in what Ahsoka took as a sign of submission.
Turning her head to the side, Ahsoka eyed Anakin.
Her former Master glanced back at her, before turning his attention to the Pau'an once again.
"We welcome your loyalty my friend. Rise and stand with us."
The Pau'an rose to his full height, nodding his head at them both before he moved to stand beside Ahsoka, flanking her. His eyes surveyed the line of his former cohorts before they moved to the assembled Jedi behind them.
And then he began to speak.
"Brothers and Sisters of the Order! The Jedi have lost their way! They have become stagnant, ignoring any and all threats to their existence. We blindly follow the commands and orders of a Council of senile men and women and for what? What success have we had? Our order was once one of respect and peace! Now we are nothing more than soldiers, fighting a war we had no right to partake in, all because one Jedi Knight was stupid enough to get himself captured by Count Dooku!"
Ahsoka tried not to scowl at Pau'an's description of Obi-Wan.
"Don't you see my friends?" The Pau'an continued. "We were the instigators of this war, not the Separatists! And look where it has led us? Fighting amongst ourselves! And now our venerable Councillors deem it wise to assassinate the Chancellor of the Republic we once swore to protect?! This is unacceptable! If this is the path of the Jedi, if this is what we have become, then I want no part in it anymore, and I implore the rest of you! Join us."
Ahsoka had to admit. The Pau'an had a way with words. He was charismatic and resolute in his beliefs.
He would make an excellent leader for a new Jedi Order.
Now all they needed was for more to follow the Pau'an's example. They had to… or else…
Ahsoka didn't want to think about the alternative. Luckily for her, she didn't have to wait long.
The sound of someone approaching from behind the line of Temple Guards drew everyone's attention.
For someone so large, Masana Tide moved with barely a sound. The Dowutin moved forward, a determined expression on her face as she pushed past Cin Drallig and moved to stand beside the Pau'an.
"I stand with you, and with the Republic." Masana spoke, loudly and clearly, for all to hear.
"So do I!" Another voice echoed around the atrium as Bil Valen darted forward, moving to stand beside Masana. Ahsoka half expected the Dowutin woman to make a joke at the situation, but instead she remained silent.
She understood the gravity of what was happening.
It was then that more people began to move forward. A young Miralian woman that reminded Ahsoka of Barriss came forward, followed by a towering grey skinned alien that Ahsoka had never seen before.
A male Terrelian Jango Jumper bounded forward next, followed by a black skinned Twi'lek and a red skinned humanoid female.
A Kaleesh came next, followed by a pair of humans.
A Weequay, a Cerean, and another Twi'lek all came forward, moving to stand alongside her and Anakin, facing their former friends. Ahsoka could tell from their outfits that most were either Padawans or Knights. It didn't seem like any high ranking Masters were going to…
"Master Dibs?! What are you doing!" Drallig called out in rage as Prosset Dibs moved forward, standing beside Anakin.
"Surviving. The Order is lost. I know what it is like to face Mace Windu's unjust aggression, and I will not stand alongside a Council that attempts to assassinate it's allies."
"YOU'RE ALL TRAITORS!" A cry came from the back of the atrium, voices rising as the Jedi who had chosen not to join them began to shout.
"You are the ones standing alongside a Council that permits assassination and murder!" Valen yelled back, his signature in the Force growing angry.
The Force was screaming at Ahsoka. Danger was all around! The situation was at breaking point! If she didn't do something soon…
And then, it was too late.
A young Jedi, barely a Padawan, charged forward, lightsaber ignited, the tip of his blade aimed at Anakin's heart. Ahsoka saw Anakin move to arm himself, before a blue bolt of plasma sailed past them both, crashing into the Padawan and sending him to the floor, dead.
Ahsoka glanced behind her to see Sergeant Appo, his rifle trained on where the Padawan had been standing.
In that moment, chaos erupted around her.
General Grievous rotated his blades at frightening speed as he advanced towards where Kit Fisto was standing, his back to a potentially lethal drop down one of Utapau's sinkholes.
All he had to do was dispose of this Jedi filth, and he was in the clear. His personal fighter was right there after all, only a few feet away.
Damn the Jedi! Sending Fisto had been smart. The Nautolan had dueled him before back in his lair on Vassek's third moon. The Jedi Master and his former student and entourage of Clones had caught him by surprise, managing to sever several of his limbs in the process.
Grievous had struck back, and whilst he had escaped, Fisto had been the sole survivor of that failure of a trap.
And yet now here he was again, pursuing him across Utapau whilst his Clones lay siege to Grievous' droid armies.
Curse the Jedi scum!
Pivoting his mechanical clawed feet, Grievous lunged forward with his four sabers, crashing against Fisto's one green blade, pushing him back. The Nautolan countered each strike with ease, further adding anger to the cyborg general.
Shifting one blade away from the duel, Grievous delved into his new Force connection, grasping hold of the remains of a nearby B2 Battledroid that had attempted to stop the Jedi Master.
Grievous pulled with the Force, sending the hulk of metal at Fisto as he backed away, hoping it would catch him by surprise.
It didn't. Fisto countered with his own manipulation of the Force, deflecting the droid husk and sending it towards Grievous instead.
Grievous snarled as he brought all four blades up to defend his torso from the incoming object, slicing it into smaller pieces as it hit to ensure it didn't knock him over from the impact.
Once the situation was dealt with, Grievous acted again, sending a Force push towards Fisto in an attempt to throw him off balance.
Fisto took the brunt of the impact with ease, sliding a few feet backwards to the point where he stood at the very edge of the ledge.
Neither combatant moved to engage right away after that, both instead taking a moment to catch their breaths.
It was then that Grievous heard the sounds of boots coming up behind him.
Turning his head around, he spotted three Clones, charging forward, blasters raised.
Snarling again, Grievous pivoted on his heel to defend himself from the incoming blaster fire. If he hoped to win the fight against the Jedi, he needed to dispose of the Clones beforehand.
Bracing himself for a fight on two fronts, Grievous began to rotate all four sabers around his body, defending all flanks from…
"There's the Jedi! Get him!"
This was the last thing Grievous had expected. The trio of Clones ran right past the cyborg general, ignoring him completely as they charged towards Kit Fisto.
Within seconds of passing Grievous, blue bolts of plasma erupted from their blasters towards the Nautolan.
Grievous heard Fisto cry out in surprise as he attempted to deflect the sudden friendly fire before a bolt slipped past his panicked defences, crashing into his stomach and sending him stumbling backwards, off of the ledge.
The last thing Grievous saw of the Jedi was him plummeting off the edge, hand grasping a burn wound on his chest.
"What the…" Grievous began to speak before the Clones turned their attention to him, opening fire.
It didn't take long for Grievous to dispose of them, their ravaged corpses laying by his feet as he contemplated what had just happened.
The Clones had tried to kill Fisto? Had they succeeded? The wound had been nasty, and the subsequent fall would not have a happy ending for most people.
There was a good chance that Jedi Master Kit Fisto was dead… by the hands of his own soldiers.
Grievous wasn't sure if he should be happy about that or not. He would have liked to add Fisto's lightsaber to his collection. A Jedi Council Member's saber would have been a prize for sure.
But either way, he had lost his opportunity now, and he had no time to worry about it. He had bigger problems right now, like the army of Clones that were searching for him.
Extinguishing all of his blades, Grievous turned and sprinted towards his fighter, hopping into the pilot's seat and powering it up.
A few tense moments passed by before he pulled the fighter up and out of the atmosphere of Utapau, deftly avoiding any and all Republic forces along the way.
Utapau was lost. It was time to regroup. He had no intention of rendezvousing with the rest of the Separatist leadership on Mustafar. He knew from the second Sidious had ordered him to send them there that it was a trap.
Besides, he had no use for fools like Gunray or Poggle, not anymore.
He needed like minded company.
He needed General Kalani.
Bringing his clawed hands to the dashboard of his fighter, he began to lock in the coordinates to Agamar. If all went to plan, Kalani should be waiting for him there.
And from there, he would let whatever chaos was happening between the Jedi and their Clones happen, and wait to seize his moment.
The days of the Confederacy might be numbered, but they would rise again, under his leadership.
"Target the Jedi!"
"Defend the Temple!"
"Knights incoming!"
"Traitors!"
"Watch those lightsabers!"
"Suppressing fire! Pin them down!"
"You should have joined us, you fools!"
"Eliminate the Jedi!"
"For Master Windu!"
"Kill Skywalker, and Tano!"
"Master Drallig! We need to retreat!"
"Thermal detonators, now! Knock them off their feet!"
"Got one Sir!"
"We lost a Temple Guard!"
"SKYWALKER! FACE ME!"
"I fully intend to, Battlemaster!"
"Trooper down!"
"Break their lines!"
"The Clones betrayed us! Kill them all!"
"For the Chancellor!"
Blaster fire. Screams of pain and agony. The constant hum of lightsabers. Explosions. Boots on the floor. Flashes, bright flashes. More.
Everything hit Ahsoka's montrals at once, overwhelming her. She couldn't help but cringe in pain, her hands coming up to her head in a desperate attempt to shield her montrals from the sounds, from the pain.
The Force too screamed in agony, yelling at her.
But she couldn't focus. She couldn't see. There was too much going on around her. She didn't… she couldn't…
"Tano! Watch out!"
The booming voice of someone drew Ahsoka back briefly in time to see a Jedi Temple Guard, his saber staff ignited, charging towards her, blade poised to strike.
"No." Ahsoka whispered to herself as the reality of the situation hit her like a tonne of bricks.
The Temple. She had tried to save everyone! She had wanted to… and then…
The Padawan. That foolish, brave, naive Padawan! He had charged, and Appo had…
"No." Ahsoka whispered again. It had all gone so horribly wrong, and now…
The Guard was upon her suddenly, his blade moving to strike her, but she didn't care. Not anymore.
Yellow aimed for her neck, but it never struck. Instead, it was blocked by another beam of yellow energy.
The Pau'an Temple Guard had moved to intercept, clearly believing she deserved to be saved for some reason.
Ahsoka watched as the Pau'an pushed the Temple Guard back, twirling his own saber staff in precise arcs before finally breaking through his former colleagues' defense, impaling the Temple Guard on the tip of his blade before retracting the saber and letting the body fall to the floor lifeless.
Content that his foe had been dealt with, the Pau'an glanced over at Ahsoka, nodded sharply once, and then turned his attention back to the ongoing war around them.
Ahsoka had nothing to say. She hadn't wanted this. This was wrong.
But she had no choice now. The Jedi had clearly decided that she was their enemy. So now she had to fight for survival, and save those that she could.
Glancing around, Ahsoka picked her targets.
Anakin was locked in a duel with Cin Drallig. Any interference she offered there would be detrimental to the ongoing duel. She had faith in Anakin's ability to win without killing his opponent.
Ahsoka continued to survey, the sounds of war still ringing in her montrals, disorientating her.
Clones advanced upon Jedi, who fought back as best they could. Members of both sides fell in the onslaught. There was little she could do to help anyone there.
Moving on, Ahsoka spotted another situation.
Masana Tide was face to face with two Jedi, her lightsaber arcing around her to protect her body as best as she could, but even from a distance Ahsoka could tell she was in a bad way. A gash on her side was present, a clear marker of her already being struck by a lightsaber. Dowutins had strong hides, so Ahsoka knew she could recover from such a wound in time.
Assuming she survived in the first place that was.
Gripping her lightsaber in her hand, Ahsoka broke off into a sprint towards Masana, golden blade flashing into life as she reached into the Force while she ran.
A few moments later, she unleashed a harsh Force push in the direction of one of the Jedi assaulting Masana, knocking him back. The Jedi flew into a nearby stone column, the impact knocking him unconscious in the process. If he was lucky, the Clones might believe him to already be dead and he'd wake up after the fighting had ended.
With one Jedi indisposed, Ahsoka turned her attention to the second one. Delving into the Force again, she launched herself towards the Jedi, her golden blade crashing against his blue one with considerable speed.
The impact caught the Jedi by surprise. He stumbled back in, opening himself up for a second strike, one that Ahsoka took advantage of.
Angling her golden blade precisely, Ahsoka flicked her wrist and caught the hilt of the lightsaber of the disorientated Jedi with her own.
Molten slag fell from the Jedi's hand moments later, and again Ahsoka followed up with a Force push, knocking the Jedi back and into a state of unconsciousness alongside his companion.
Taking a second to catch her breath, Ahsoka turned and looked up at the towering Dowutin, who had a look of relief on her face.
"My thanks. Thought I was a goner there." Masana commented with gratitude.
"You're welcome." Ahsoka replied, glad that she had been able to save, hopefully, three lives in the process.
It didn't make up for the countless being lost around them though, that was for sure. If she survived this night, Ahsoka was certain her sleep would be plagued with nightmares.
"Masana, do what you can to save as many as you can. We don't need to kill everyone!" Ahsoka spoke, hoping her words would have an impact on the Dowutin.
"Tell that to the others!" Masana responded as she pivoted to engage in a duel with another Jedi. The Dowutin woman clashed her blade three times with the Jedi before she charged forward with her entire body strength, knocking the Jedi to the floor before she stomped on his head, knocking him out, but refraining from killing him.
Ahsoka knew Masana's words had merit. At the rate the chaos around the temple was raging, there was now no way to prevent deaths. All she could do was limit them.
The central atrium was a lost cause, but there were other sections of the temple where the fighting had yet to break out. Perhaps, someone there would listen. Perhaps she could save them.
She just had to get to them before anyone else did.
"Master Drallig! No!" The cry of a young Padawan hit Ahsoka's montrals over the chaos. Snapping her head to the side she watched as Anakin cut down the Battlemaster with a stony expression on his face.
She felt sick at the sight, but she had no time to retch. She would 'discuss' this with Anakin later.
"Masana, I'm going to head to the Temple creche. See if I can save some younglings from this madness. Do what you can here."
"Sure thing boss."
With that, Ahsoka delved into the Force once again and let it amplify her speed as she broke into a sprint.
The temple was burning, something that should have never happened under any circumstances.
Their loyal soldiers, the clones, had turned on them. Not all of them it seemed, but the vast majority now stood within the walls of the temple itself, slaughtering the Jedi who had been safe, up till now.
And if the rumours were true, they were being led by a turncoat Jedi.
Whoever this turncoat was was not of concern to Tera Sinube at the moment. What was was the safety of the small group of younglings he was escorting. If a fight broke out, he could delay the troopers, Tera was sure of that. If he had to sacrifice his own life for the safety of the children, to allow them to escape this massacre, then he would without a shadow of a doubt.
He was old, and his time had long since passed. All that mattered now was that someone survived.
"Come younglings, we must move swiftly." Tera croaked out at the group behind him. Six younglings. That was all he had been able to group together before the temple had been under siege. Glancing over their faces, Tera recited their names in his head.
'Petro, Katooni, Ganodi, Byph, Zatt and Gungi.'
They all had shown promising talent as young Jedi, and would have no doubt gone on to become some of the Order's greatest.
Until now. Now, all Tera could do was keep them alive.
Hearing the quiet whimpers of fear from the younglings, Tera reached into the Force, sending what he hoped were calming waves through to them.
Truth be told he too was scared. How had this happened?
Moving faster than he had for years, Tera Sinube turned a corner in the endless halls of the Jedi temple, grasping a single clone trooper who happened to be there with the Force, and slamming him into the wall, before breaking into a sprint, one that was assisted through the Force.
Behind him he heard the younglings following him.
They encountered no more resistance as they proceeded through the hallway, entering into a secluded doorway that accessed a side room.
It was then that Tera felt it. A sudden presence in the Force hit his senses, one that was heavily clouded, mixed with light and dark.
And then another one, this one further away, but closing in on them. This one was different, it was more heavily imbued with the dark side.
Clearly the turncoat.
Shaking off the discomfort and anger he felt through the Force, Tera turned to the children behind him. Petro had a steady look on his face, one that was filled with internal strife. He was angry at the attack, and he wanted blood.
It was only the ever calming presence of his friends, the ones he so often sought to protect, that had stopped him from charging off into the thick of battle. Even now he could see that their survival was paramount.
Tera was proud of him for that. He would make a fine Jedi.
Moving across the small room they found themselves in, Tera found yet another doorway. Reaching into the Force, he found the other side to be empty of any threats. Clearly the majority of the fighting was going on in the central chambers, far enough away that he and his younglings had a chance to escape.
Opening the door, Tera stepped through the threshold into another hallway.
And then he stopped. A presence slid across his in the Force. A signature, so familiar, yet foreign at the same time.
Clearly the younglings had felt it too.
"Master Sinube, what is that? I recognize it, but at the same time I don't." It was Katooni that spoke, the young girl almost trembling in terror. She had been hit the hardest by the attack so far.
Tera did not reply, instead he turned slowly, feeling the presence of the person ever closer.
And as he turned, he spotted a single figure down the hallway, watching them.
The figure was oddly dressed, with what appeared to be some sort of amalgamation of scraps of clone armour arms and legs, as well as a cape that was attached to a chest piece. Said cape was pushed over one shoulder of the figure, dangling behind the figure's back. If there had been wind inside the temple, Tera was sure it would have been billowing gracefully.
And then his eyes locked onto the face of the figure, and he felt his old heart stutter slightly in shock.
"Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She had found someone… finally, amidst all the chaos around her.
The battle had clearly extended from the central atrium. Explosions rocked the temple, fires burst into existence.
People died, left and right.
How had this happened?! She had wanted to save everyone… but that Jedi…
'Damn the Jedi! Those stubborn fools refused to surrender and join you! Let them burn.'
She ignored the voice in her head. She wouldn't leave them to burn, not if she could save them.
Before her stood Tera Sinube, and his entourage of younglings. Younglings that she had personally shepherded on their trip to Ilum.
If she could save just them, then it would all be worth it.
Opening her mouth to speak, Ahsoka found herself suddenly interrupted.
From behind the Jedi, Anakin emerged, anger etched on his face. She didn't know how he had gotten there as well. Perhaps he had taken a different route. He couldn't have followed her.
Images of Cin Drallig, of Mace Windu, hit her mind. Both, cut down by Anakin.
He wouldn't do the same to Tera… would he? Or the defenseless younglings?
"Anakin?" She asked, quietly. She doubted he heard her.
"Tera Sinube. Younglings. By Order of Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, you are ordered to lay down your lightsabers and surrender to us. Failure to do so will result in execution." Anakin's voice boomed around the hallway. For once it was mostly quiet, aside from the distant sounds of fighting.
Ahsoka could see and feel the terror being inflicted upon the younglings. They were scared.
She was scared too, but she had to be brave, for them.
"Knight Skywalker. Knight Tano. I cannot believe you are involved in this. Please…" Master Sinube's voice sounded so hurt, so ashamed. It felt like she had been stabbed in the heart.
Even the use of a title she had never earned struck her. If she had stayed…
If she had stayed… would the Clones be trying to kill her now?
Would Anakin?
"Master, please, let us help you." Ahsoka pleaded, praying that he would listen.
She had to save them!
"You lead an attack on the Temple under the guise of saving us? You fool yourselves."
"Am I right to assume that you refuse to surrender, Master Sinube?" Anakin interrupted, taking a step forward, lightsaber ignited.
A rush of coldness came across their bond. She hated it.
"We won't surrender to monsters like you!" One of the younglings, Petro, cried out, standing with his saber ignited, ready. The other younglings also ignited their sabers, standing back to back.
Ahsoka caught a glimpse of Katooni, her face covered in a look of betrayal that cut deep.
A new sound hit her montrals suddenly. The sound of boots.
Out of the corner of her eye from behind Anakin she saw movement.
White armour with blue markings rushed to surround Tera Sinube and the younglings, their blasters trained on them, but not firing.
Ahsoka caught another glimpse of a pair of blue Jaig eyes on one helmet, obscuring her vision of Anakin briefly.
She didn't know how she felt about him being here.
"Then you've sealed your own fate. Troopers, prepare to fire on my mark. Ready…"
"Anakin no!"
"Aim!"
"Master!"
"Fire!"
The command was given. Ahsoka couldn't watch.
She closed her eyes.
But no sound of a blaster discharging came.
After a few moments, she opened her eyes.
The Clones still surrounded Tera Sinube and his younglings, but they hadn't fired.
It was then that the Clones moved. Pivoting on their feet, they turned, their blasters pointing away from the younglings, and towards Anakin and herself.
As Ahsoka found herself standing down the barrel of Jesse's blaster, she heard Captain Rex speak in the most disgusted tone she had ever heard from him as he pointed both of his prized DC-17s at his Jedi General.
"I'm sorry Sir, but we no longer take orders from you."
Author's thoughts
And so we finally reach the original flashforward... after so many years of writing! About damn time is I'll I will say. This story wasn't meant to last as long as this!
Hopefully all the pieces of this story fit together now and it all makes sense. This was a surprisingly easy chapter to write, even with all of the POV changes. Hope you all liked the cameos of some fan favourite characters in those scenes.
Speaking of those scenes, everyone say goodbye to General Grievous. He's made his last appearance, and I'm pleased to announce he is the first character in this story to be confirmed as a survivor. Nice going Grievous! Bout time you won something. I'm sure some of you would have preferred more for his story, but as it stands this is where I wanted him to end... for now. Suffice to say he's likely going to go on to become a pain in the ass for a certain Sith and his upcoming Empire.
As for the stuff going down in the Jedi Temple, I do not apologise for that cliffhanger. I do enjoy making you all suffer, after all. XD
There is a lot more I could say regarding this chapter, but I'm going to leave it here now, before I get accused of having an author's note section be longer than the actual chapter again or something. XD
Thanks as normal to my beta reader 'ArrinSnyders' for all his help.
Next time round... well... wait and see!
As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
star wars sith: Thank you. I really appreciate those kind words. I try to balance the action with detail and character development as best as I can. I just hope it stays that way as we hit the end.
Drake G Reaper: Looks like you were partly right with your guess. Some situations can end up out of their control and force them into something they aren't comfortable with.
1saaa: Thanks. I'm glad you like the conflict within Ahsoka. I wanted to show her in turmoil with these next few chapters. She's in a position she doesn't want to be in, but she's got no real choice in the matter. Her choices have essentially been made for her by the actions of others. All she can do is react.
As for Shaak Ti... all I will say is she only took a small amount of lightning damage before she went flying out the window. No body... no dead! XD
Mysterious Guest 1: Ha! I know right! I do love inserting irony into situations. Real bad timing there Windu!
Morriganna: That was something I contemplated happening before I settled on the events of this chapter instead. I feel like Ahsoka needs something more to happen before she fully snaps first. What that will be however remains to be seen.
Oryx: Thank you for your patience with my slow writing! I'll get this story done one day, I promise. I just hope you still enjoy it. :)
Triglavian: Windu has a real bad sense of timing for sure.
60FPS: Ha... not quite yet. She's got her reasons to help him, but not to fully commit just yet.
Morality is a Spook: Sidious could of waited and played the long game for sure, but time was no longer on his side. There are a lot of factors working against him at this point. Sometimes, decisive, rash action is necessary. Doesn't mean there won't be consequences for him though.
Alfredo12StarLegionaire: The end is so near now... I've just got to write it! XD
And yes, it's a shame it's not Cody... but on the bright side, with Cody gone, Obi-Wan's chances just went up... right?
Vandal55: You've hit the nail on the head with what I was going for with Ahsoka's character. She has been forced into an impossible situation by the decisions of those around her, and she's just looking to save as much as she can before it all goes horribly wrong. How far she will go to save everything however remains to be scene. Each step she makes now is a very dangerous one for sure.
the Mandalorian terminator: Ha... I guess you are welcome. I hope both the last and this chapter weren't too traumatising for you. If they weren't... then I need to make the next few even worse! XD
Sidious not granting Anakin his title of Vader was done purposefully. He hasn't really proven himself to be Sith yet, so he's not worthy of the name in Sidious' eye. That could still change however.
Stay well as well. :)
TragicFiction: Time to launch me into oblivion then. Though... if you do... you'll never get the end of this story. Just something to think about. :)
princesselsaamidala22: Oh no indeed! XD
tf330129: Doing my best!
RyanSquad: In reference to your request regarding mercy on the cliffhangers... I shall quote Sidious: "There is no mercy."
I'm glad you enjoyed the fight between Anakin and Windu, even if it was brief. Getting that fight right was a tricky one for sure. Hell that entire chapter was a pain honestly.
All in all though, these next few chapters are going to change a lot of things. I just hope you enjoy them. :)
The Dark Sapphire: That's a lot of reviews you've left. I hope that means you are enjoying the story.
I'm sorry that I don't have time to go through and reply to every single one, but I have read them all and I enjoyed seeing them. I understand your concerns about Ahsoka seeming weak, but she is anything but that in my head. Her time to shine is coming, don't worry. :)