Hey everyone!
OneLittleSpark18: Thank you so much! Yeah, I really liked that last chapter. And now the wait is over!
LizzyLuna75: Thank you! And I'll tell you how it's turning out so well: I have been writing every day for around four years. I rarely miss a day. I am also constantly thinking and talking about my fic (luckily my editor sister loves Star Wars as much as I do). I get my stuff edited and reviewed and I am constantly rereading my stuff to catch stuff. I have an end goal in mind for a lot of it. So the real answer is: hard work.
KumquatMan: Thank you! I'm curious why you were hesitant. But yes, I tend to enjoy romances with a plot rather than just pure romance, so I write what I like.
Okay, fair warning. Some of this chapter might be more rough than my usual fare. A lot of it was a rewrite and I didn't have a chance to give it the normal editing process. So forgive it.
Mando'a translations at the end!
Fives paced the empty living room as the holo rang. Once, twice, three times. Dammit, Echo had promised to always answer this comm frequency!
Pick up! Fives demanded in his head.
On the seventh ring it clicked on.
"Fives?" Echo's voice said. "What's wrong?"
Fives let out his breath. Thank the Force.
They'd promised to use this frequency only in emergencies. This was an emergency.
"Echo, you're alright?" Fives asked. "No one's come after you?"
"No?" Echo sounded confused. "Fives, what's going on?"
"You need to come back to Coruscant." Fives said, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. "The Kaminoans are taking brothers back to Kamino."
Silence on the other end. Fives grit his teeth as he waited for Echo to respond.
"That's bad." Echo said, but there was still puzzlement in his voice. "But why does that mean I need to come back to Coruscant?"
Fives hissed through his teeth in frustration. Didn't he see? He struggled to keep his voice calm.
"Rex- Rex is worried." Fives said. "You know how he gets. He'd rest a lot easier if you were here."
It was silent again on the other end.
"Fives, I know you want me safe-" Echo started.
"What makes you think you could protect him better than us?" A snide, unwelcome voice said. "A reg? Really?"
Fives stiffened.
"Crosshair!" Echo snapped before Fives could tear into the Bad Batch sniper. "Tech, get both of you off my call!"
There was a distinct click.
"I'm sorry." Echo said. "I've told them they don't need to wiretap my comms."
Echo paused.
"But, Fives, he's right." He said quietly. "The Batch are in a better place to keep me from the Kaminoans. And we have to think about Omega. We can't risk the Kaminoans getting her."
Fives' stomach twisted and panic began to burn.
"Ey'ika, please!" Fives said. He hadn't used that nickname since their cadet days, a kinder alternative to the name Echo's squadmates had cruelly given him. It was necessary now. Echo had to understand.
"Fives." Echo said in a placating tone. "I'm safe with the Batch. The Kaminoans don't know where we are and we've been evading them for months. I'm safest with them."
The words should have made Fives feel better, but the panic still rose.
"Take care of yourself, okay?" Echo said. "That's how you can help me. Be safe."
Fives stared at the comm, his heart pounding. No, Echo needed to understand that Echo's safety was the priority. And it hit Fives that he was no longer able to protect Echo like he wanted. He bowed his head.
"Okay." He mumbled.
"I love you, Fives."
Fives smiled weakly though Echo couldn't see.
"Love you too, Echo."
The comm clicked off. Fives sank to the ground. He couldn't protect Echo and he sure as hell couldn't protect his other vod'e. What was the point of ending the war if this was what they were left to?
Ahsoka was curled up on the couch, massaging her temples. She had a headache and it was Rex's fault. Not that he was doing it intentionally. How was he to know that his repressed emotions would manifest like this? Especially since she still hadn't talked to him about their Force bond.
He was at the GAR headquarters, burying himself in work. He had done it before, after the Citadel, after Umbara, after Kadavo. He had apparently even done it when she'd been taken by the Tradoshans. The method was fairly effective, if not unhealthy, at keeping his emotions in check. The only time it hadn't been effective was after Umbara.
Rex had been at the headquarters practically ever since Cody's disappearance three days ago. He'd even slept there once. He barely was speaking to Ahsoka, to anyone.
Ahsoka was worried about him. She was worried about all the men. Fives had gone quiet and Jesse only paced if he was ever home at all.
Ahsoka was just waiting for something to happen now that it was known who was taking the clones.
"Commander?" Jesse peeked over the couch. "Are you okay? Can I get you anything?"
"Thanks, Jesse, but this is more of a Force thing." Ahsoka mumbled.
"Ah." Jesse said. "Well, let me know if I can help."
Ahsoka grunted her thanks and went back to massaging her temples. She tried to send soothing feelings to Rex. His response was to further shove his emotions down, increasing Ahsoka's headache.
"Dank ferrik, Rex." She muttered. "This isn't good for you!"
"Commander?" Jesse said.
He was standing at the window.
Ahsoka nearly snapped back at him, but something in his voice made her pause.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
She closed off part of the bond; she hated to do it as it wasn't good for the forming connection. She had the feeling she needed her wits about her.
She joined Jesse at the window.
A Venator class star ship rode low in the sky.
Ahsoka stared. She hadn't seen one in months. Apparently they'd sent most of them-
Back to Kamino.
Damn.
"That's the Kaminoan symbol." Jesse said, peering at the underside. "What are they doing here?"
Ahsoka thought the answer would be obvious. She'd just spent months listening to Padme argue and stall to keep the clones away from Kamino.
It seemed Kamino was tired of waiting.
"Padme won't let them take you." Ahsoka said. "Especially now."
Jesse gave Ahsoka a sidelong glance.
"How are we supposed to stop them?" He asked.
Ahsoka opened her mouth to retort when her comm pinged.
"Ahsoka. The Senate is having an emergency session. We need you." Padme said.
Jesse was serious as Ahsoka agreed and promised to be there soon.
"Commander-" He said.
"No." Ahsoka said. "You'll be fine. Just hang tight while Padme handles this."
"Senator Burtoni, what is the meaning of this?" Padme demanded.
She was half standing at the table she shared with several other senators.
Burtoni looked up with a falsely innocent look on her face.
"Of what?" She asked.
"The five hundred Venator star destroyers surrounding the planet!" Padme said. "And the LAAT/i being deployed from them!"
"Oh, yes, those." Burtoni said. "Kamino has decided we are tired of waiting for you to return the clones and our current method is taking a while."
"You admit to being the ones taking the clones?" Padme said.
"Of course we are!" Burtoni said. "And you'll find it quite legal too."
"Liar." Ahsoka muttered. "It can't be legal. Padme?"
Padme's hands had tightened on the edge of the table.
"So you have decided to invade." Padme said.
"Hardly invade." Burtoni sniffed. "We only intend to attack if you do not comply with our demands."
"Which are?" Padme said through grit teeth.
"Return our product." Burtoni said simply. "The contract is over."
"You do realize I have no control over the clones." Padme said. "They have no obligation to listen to me, even if I order them."
"Any non-defective clone will." Burtoni said confidently. "Any clone that is not retrieved during the initial retrieval will be considered defective and will be reconditioned on recovery."
The words twisted Ahsoka's heart as they sank in.
"And believe me, Chancellor, we will be repossessing every clone. We know where every clone lives, and we are willing to offer quite the handsome reward for any strays."
"And if we refuse?" Padme said.
Burtoni smiled in a way that made Ahsoka want to snap her frail looking neck.
"Really, Chancellor? I don't see that you have much choice except to accept our proposal. To humor you, if you refuse, we will attack the city and continue to take the clones in the way we had before."
"We have defenses." Padme said.
"Defenses?" Burtoni said derisively. "What defenses? We have a force of two million trained men. What is your current reserve?"
"One million." Padme said through grit teeth. "But we have access to-"
"A couple million unarmed clone troopers who have been playing as factory workers for months." Burtoni finished. "And if I am correct, much of your planetary defense system is offline after the Final Battle of Coruscant. Let me repeat myself. You have little choice."
Padme was silent. Ahsoka felt sick herself. These were terrible choices. Order the men to return to Kamino, a place Ahsoka herself had been and knew to be a prison, or stand their ground and fight against a larger force of brothers, and risk huge civilian casualties.
Ahsoka knew her choice. She knew what the men would choose. And she hoped she knew what Padme would choose. They could not return the men to slavery now that freedom had been tasted.
"Allow us a short recess to deliberate." Padme said.
"Of course." Burtoni said, her voice dripping with condescension. "Take all the time you need."
Ahsoka breathed in the Force, trying to calm herself. Almost immediately, Bail Organa, Riyo Chuchi, Mon Mothma and several other of their allies turned to Padme.
"This is too soon!" Lux Bonteri said. "We need more time!"
"We don't have it." Padme said. "We need to make a decision now."
"I'm afraid the answer is obvious." Bail said heavily. "It's not an option to put civilians in the crossfire."
"I'm afraid I agree." Mon Mothma said. "And it would further the dislike of the clones if they were the cause of an attack now."
Padme stayed silent. Ahsoka willed her to refute the other senators, tell them that the clones were worth the risk.
"We have a plan." Padme finally said. "We've always had a plan. We've drafted the amendment and bill, we just need to pass it."
She took a shuddering breath.
"The plan will work whether or not the clones are on Coruscant." She said. "But if we deny the Kaminoans now, they'll be forcibly ejected from the Republic for attacking Coruscant. They won't be under our laws. The amendment and bill will mean nothing."
The senators were nodding in agreement.
"We have to agree." Padme finished.
No.
"Padme." Ahsoka said. "You can't. You don't know what Kamino is like."
Padme turned to Ahsoka. There were tears in her eyes.
"How many would die, Ahsoka? Civilian and clone alike? I am not willing to ask them to lay down their lives for something we can avoid."
"Padme, many of them would rather die than go back to Kamino." Ahsoka asserted.
"It's for only a little while, Ahsoka." Padme said. "I will pass the bill and amendment. It is not the end."
Ahsoka clamped her mouth shut. Two sides still warred within her. One screamed that Padme simply did not understand. Kamino was a place of clean darkness and pristine oppression. The other quietly and dejectedly agreed with Padme.
Padme looked up.
"We agree to your terms." Padme said shortly.
"The wise choice." Burtoni said. "Our ships will be on standby to receive the clones."
Padme shook her head.
"Call the rest of the senators. We will vote on it."
It took very little time to gather the senators. Ahsoka was numb as the pods began filling. Within an hour the session began.
Padme and Ahsoka's pod was beginning to rise into the air again.
"Senators, we are here to vote on a sobering decision." Padme addressed the crowd. "The Kaminoans are here to claim the clone soldiers of the GAR."
No response from the senators. Tension like the Venators hung in the air, just as imposing.
"They are within their rights to do so." Padme said. "Senator Burtoni, you have the floor."
Burtoni's pod was already hovering nearby.
"We want our property back." Burtoni said simply. "I want the Republic to return the clones without a fight. Otherwise we will retaliate in kind."
This brought murmurs from the crowd.
"The plan is simple." Burtoni said. "All clones will report at designated collection points to be returned to Kamino. We will begin with the Senate district and move outward. Any and all clones who fail to comply in one week will be considered defective."
Burtoni looked around the Senate Chamber and seemed to focus on a red clad guard.
"There will be a bounty of five thousand credits on any defective clones."
Ahsoka's fists were clenched and trembling.
"That is all." Burtoni said.
Padme stood.
"I support Senator Burtoni's deal." Padme said quietly. "As much as it pains me, I do. You may now cast your votes."
It took mere minutes before a chime sounded, indicating that all present had voted.
"It is unanimous." Padme said. Her voice trembled. "We will allow the Kaminoans to reclaim the clones."
The Senate burst into noise, echoing Ahsoka's own inner turmoil.
"I wish to address the men of the Grand Army of the Republic." Padme said as the noise died down. There was a pause before she spoke again.
"Forgive me." She said. "I have failed you."
The senatorial sea was silent.
"I made a promise to protect the people of the Republic. And I did not protect you. You, who have earned the right to citizenship more than many who claim it."
A few murmurs from the crowd.
"I beg you to go with the Kaminoans willingly." Padme said. "This is temporary, I assure you. Already many other senators and I have drafted a bill and an amendment that will give you your freedom. It is only a matter of time before you are set free."
Padme paused and looked directly into the camera droid's lens.
"For now, I ask for your trust. And one day, you will be repaid in full for everything you have done for this Republic."
She bowed to the camera droid, to every clone watching.
"Now I wish to speak to my fellow senators." Padme said. "Many of you do not support the clones. Many of you choose to stand in the way of anything that would help them. Many of you do not even see them as sentient. I understand this. The war was distant, the clones faceless. But if we wish to become the Republic we claim to be, we must act to help these men. I will not allow your willful ignorance to continue to harm those who do not deserve it."
While the crowd had been silent while Padme addressed the clones, now it exploded into noise again. Ahsoka, through her grief, realized Padme might be making many enemies for the sake of the clones.
"And now, the Kaminoans." Padme said. "This bill will not only free the men you so callously claim as yours, but will expose you as what you truly are: slavers. Slavery is illegal in both the Republic and the CIS. If you wish to continue to do business with a majority of the galaxy, you will need to make changes."
Padme sighed and adopted her purely professional tone once more.
"Senator Burtoni, please provide the locations where and when the transports will be arriving, as to make this process as smooth as possible. This session is adjourned."
The pod began to move backwards again.
"I'm sorry, Ahsoka." Padme murmured. "I'm so sorry."
Ahsoka couldn't respond. Jesse, Fives, Kix, the clones she loved were going back to Kamino. Rex was going back to Kamino. The thought sent such a violent surge of emotions through her that she was staggered. She placed a hand on the edge of the pod. Her instincts kicked in, and her emotions were pushed aside. This was a battlefield. She could deal with her feelings later.
A shiver ran down Ahsoka's spine. The chamber went dark.
Senators began calling and screaming. Ahsoka felt their pod shudder to a stop. Every muscle tensed in her body and she itched to jump off and investigate. She forced herself to stay still. Padme still needed her.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." A voice echoed through the chamber.
Ahsoka peered through the darkness to the bottom of the chamber. A lone figure stood there. His voice was thin in the expanse of the room, but Ahsoka could still hear the grating modifications in it. She could barely make out a broad shape on the top of its head.
Cad Bane.
"Big things are happening tonight and certain parties don't want them disturbed." Bane said. "So, I have a few requests for the people of Coruscant."
Ahsoka drew her lightsabers.
"One moment, little lady." Bane said. "You'll want to hear what I have to say."
The Force whispered a warning against action, and Ahsoka paused.
"We don't want anyone in the streets except clones. This includes Jedi."
Ahsoka could see his red gaze move to her.
"Especially Jedi." He said. "I have a few dozen proton bombs planted all around Coruscant, upper and lower levels. Including right under the Senate building."
Ahsoka gripped her sabers harder. Could she get to Bane in time?
"The detonator is connected to my heart rate." Bane said. "If I get too excited, or my heart stops-"
He clicked his fingers.
"Don't worry. This should only take a few days." Bane said. "I'm sure we can get along for that long."
The senators burst into noise again. Ahsoka grit her teeth and sheathed her sabers.
"Before you say anything, I can't leave you." Ahsoka spat. "He's got us cornered."
Padme nodded.
"I hate to admit but you're right."
Ahsoka fought tears of frustration. She could have said goodbye. Could they at least have given her that?
It was obvious Bane had been hired by the Kaminoans, but there was no evidence yet.
Ahsoka absolutely hated having to do nothing. Every moment she had to focus on being calm, even when she started to feel Rex's distress through their bond. She slammed it shut. She didn't know if she could handle knowing how he was feeling right now.
Time ticked by. Ahsoka didn't know if it was minutes or hours. All she knew was the constant, infuriating drone of the Senators whispering and muttering. She herself couldn't speak. Eventually a numbness fell over her and she was able to meditate.
"Ahsoka!" Padme hissed.
Ahsoka blinked. The pod was moving again and the lights were coming back on. Bane was addressing the crowd once more.
"Thank you for your cooperation." He drawled. "I've gotten the all clear for this area. But I'll be watching. Those bombs won't deactivate until I say so. And I'm the only one who knows where they are."
He tipped his hat and was gone.
"How long?" Ahsoka asked.
"It's been fourteen hours." Padme said. She looked exhausted.
A dull fear nudged at Ahsoka's numbness. It was likely her clones were gone.
"Ahsoka, go home." Padme said. "There's a chance-"
Ahsoka shook her head.
"Bane is still out there." Ahsoka said. "I need to get you to safety."
Padme hesitated, but nodded.
"Besides," Ahsoka said with a trembling expression that could have been described as a smile. "My speeder bike is at your place."
Ahsoka was suddenly aware of a swelling of grief that wasn't hers. She quickly examined her bonds.
"Padme, Master Plo is here." Ahsoka said.
The Kel Dor Master must have come to confer with Padme and had been trapped by Bane's threat.
"We should make sure he makes it out all right as well." Padme said.
They hurried through the crowded halls. Ahsoka reached into the minds of those around them, shifting their attention from Padme.
They found Master Plo sitting quietly in the room they had met in. His clasped hands and straight posture belied the harrowing grief Ahsoka could feel pouring off of him.
"Little 'Soka." Plo said as they entered, turning his head towards them. "Is it true?"
"Yes, Master." Ahsoka said quietly.
"I see." Plo turned back to face forward. His shoulders began to shake and he lowered his head.
"I understand now why the Jedi do not form attachments." Plo said in a thick voice. "There is no danger in the attachment itself, but when it is lost."
Ahsoka approached him and placed a hand on his knee. Plo made a choked noise.
"They are taking my sons." He whispered. "And I cannot stop it."
"Master," Ahsoka paused. "Plo'buir."
A reminder that he still had one child left behind. He turned his head to her again.
"We need to leave. The people are upset." She said. "We'll find a way to get them back, like Padme said."
Empty words that matched the emptiness ringing in Ahsoka's chest. Nevertheless, Plo allowed himself to be helped up and he followed obediently to the entrance.
A crowd, nearly a mob, met them. Shouts of vitriol and calls of support threatened to overwhelm Ahsoka. She stepped forward. This was no time to be polite.
"Silence!" She bellowed, lacing the word with the Force.
The crowd became quiet.
"Move." Ahsoka ordered.
A pathway formed through the mass of people to the where the speeders were parked. Ahsoka led Padme and Master Plo straight through it.
The effects of Ahsoka's words began to wear off as they reached Padme's speeder. The crowd exploded into noise again as they took off.
The traffic was worse than normal. Ahsoka could feel each second as they were forced to wait, to divert, to make way. Normally Ahsoka would have overlooked the laws and woven in and out of traffic, but it was dangerous, and she was not about to risk Padme.
They could see several Kaminoan ships in the atmosphere. Some were already leaving. Recordings of Padme's speech echoed everywhere.
Ahsoka was still numb as they dropped Master Plo off at the Jedi Temple after over an hour. The panic started to return as they reached Padme and Anakin's apartment.
"Thank you, Ahsoka." A grim Anakin said. Padme had gone silent and walked into his arms as soon as the door opened. "Now go."
Ahsoka ignored every law possible as she rocketed towards her apartment. Maybe she wasn't too late. Maybe she could say goodbye.
She didn't bother with the lift, instead using the Force to make the several story jump. She Forced the door open.
It was dark inside. There was no noise. Ahsoka took a step inside. She moved to call out, but she could sense it.
They were gone.
Ahsoka stood, staring. There was a book on the end table. Jesse's jacket was thrown over the couch. A mug still sat on the table. She half expected Rex to emerge from his room, bright eyed and ready to read, or for Jesse to grab his jacket and declare he'd be back before curfew.
It didn't happen. Ahsoka took another step. Rex's coat hung from the coat rack. He was the only one who used it. Ahsoka reached out and took the coat. She fingered the soft leather and lifted it to her face. It smelled clean and faintly of the GAR issued soap that Rex still insisted on using.
Ahsoka pressed it harder into her chest. The emptiness grew. She stumbled further in. The book on the end table was Corellian Nights. The slip of flimsi they used to mark their place was only a few dozen pages from the end. They had three chapters left.
She picked the book up too. The door opened behind her and Ahsoka spun. Had they by some miracle returned?
Rhys stood in the doorway. She put a hand on the doorframe.
"They're- He's-" The Pantoran woman stammered. "He's gone?"
Ahsoka nodded. Rhys put a shaking hand to her mouth and took a few steps in.
"He- he asked me to marry him." Rhys whispered. "When we could. That's why he wanted you all to finally meet me."
Her eyes were glistening with tears.
"He was so afraid." She said. "That I would leave him. He thought for sure that no one could truly love a clone. It took me saying I'd marry him for him to believe it."
She let out a sob.
"And he leaves me."
Ahsoka watched as Rhys sank to her knees. She distantly wondered why she herself was not in tears. Blankly she knelt next to Rhys. She felt her mouth move, speaking empty words of comfort. Padme would help them. It would be okay. They would see the boys again.
Rhys lifted her head to look Ahsoka in the eyes.
"Ahsoka." She said quietly. "You are welcome to stay with my family for a while. Maybe-maybe we can help each other."
Ahsoka blinked at Rhys. The woman spoke as if they were the same, that this would affect them the same way. But how could it? Rhys had lost the man she loved while Ahsoka-
Then Ahsoka thought of Rex. His gentle smile. His intense eyes that could shine with kindness or smolder with anger. His steadiness, how he always was beside her, always caring. His faith in her. The adoration he looked at her with lately, as if she was worth more than kyber crystals. The happiness she felt at his side.
The feeling of her heart being torn apart by his absence.
Ahsoka clutched the coat and the book to her chest. She bent over and let a noise half way between a sob and a scream. A sound of frustration, of anger, of grief, of heartbreak.
Her friends, her brothers, and the man she loved had all been sent back to hell.
Mando'a:
Ey'ika: Little eyayah
Eyayah: Echo
vod'e: brothers
Ahem. NORMALIZE CLONES SAYING I LOVE YOU TO THEIR BROTHERS.
Anyway, I have inserted Omega. Because I love her. I plan on going back in the chapters they appear in this fic and adding her in. (on a related note, in Guilty I describe Tech as small, but the Bad Batch has revealed that is very wrong. Oops) The concept is that the Batch stole her from Kamino at the end of the war and have been kind of evading them for like a year now. Echo really is safer with them, but Fives isn't happy about it. Or really thinking clearly in general.
On to what happens to the clones.Thisis how I wanted to differentiatethe Fives Effect from other fix-it fics. I couldn't write a story without a conflict, and in Fives' arc, Nala Se mentions that basically the clones are being rented by the Republic. And with the Republic at peace, they want to rent the clones out to other people.
Cad Bane was fun to just throw in there. He's just such a force to be reckoned with.
Poor Ahsoka. Realizing that she's in love with Rex just as he's taken away.
Welp, wear your masks(if not vaccinated), remember to review, and have a great few weeks!