Hey guys!
I am SO SO SO sorry with how late this is! I finished the chapter late, and we just didn't have time to edit until tonight. But here we are!
ZabuzasGirl: Thank you!
Tpoynt: It technically did. Lama Su just shifted the blame to Nala Se when she was arrested for kidnapping Omega.
Venomizer: Phee is S tier, but Tech is D tier actor lol. And yeah, Fives needs to stop being overwhelmingly suspicious. I doubt it will happen soon though. Yeah, can you imagine? And then you find out they don't fit or something lol.
Imaginationflies: Omg thank you so much! I'm so glad that I got it right. And of course it's going to go wrong! You don't have a heist and have it go all according to plan! Ugh I need more Tech and Phee content. I may have to fill that void myself.
Before we get into the chapter, I have an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
I am putting Guilty and Fives Effect on hiatus until November 15th, when Guilty will return. I have simply run out of content and I have not been able to plan beyond this point in the story. Having to bust out a chapter every week has made it impossible for me to properly plan ahead and I fear that my writing will suffer.
Thank you all for the support through all of these months and years.
While I will not be updating on my two main fics, I plan on writing and uploading some one shots that require far less planning and editing.
Anyway, to our last hurrah for the next few months!
Mando'a translations at the end!
Obi Wan pressed his hand to a sleeping Ahsoka's forehead.
"Stay asleep." He murmured, calling the Force to bring power to his intent.
Her breathing deepened and her face relaxed further. Obi Wan drew his hand back with a sigh. That should keep her asleep for a few hours more. She was likely going to be anyway. Obi Wan had felt a strong connection with Captain Rex during his Force suggestion.
Obi Wan wanted to make sure in any case.
He withdrew from Ahsoka's room. He had already given suggestions to Crosshair, Cody, and Oddball. He just had Kor left.
By the time they woke, Obi Wan would be gone with Fives.
Obi Wan quietly opened the door to his and Kor's room. The room was dark, so it took Obi Wan a moment to realize that Kor was not asleep.
"What are you doing?" Kor asked.
His voice was heavy with suspicion and Obi Wan realized his mistake. He had been focused on keeping his thoughts from Ahsoka. He had forgotten that there was another person with a connection to the Force in the apartment.
"I am going to bed." Obi Wan said. "It's quite late, you know."
"No, you're not." Kor said. He got up from his bed. "What did you do to the others?"
"They are merely sleeping." Obi Wan said.
"You did something." Kor said. "I could feel it."
"They're just sleeping." Obi Wan said slowly and evenly.
Kor stared at Obi Wan for a long moment. Obi Wan took the chance to reach for Kor's mind and ease it towards sleep.
"Don't!" Kor said. "I can feel you."
Obi Wan fought a stab of annoyance.
"Please do not fight me." He said.
"Perhaps I would not, if you would tell me what's going on." Kor said.
Obi Wan kept his tone even, though he knew that Fives would be here any second.
"I must leave." He said. "There is something I must do."
Kor's eyes widened.
"You're going after Dooku's secrets." He said.
Obi Wan hesitated and then nodded.
"Yes." He said.
Then the sound of the door opening reached Obi Wan's ears. He cursed silently as he heard Fives carefully make his way towards them.
"General-" Fives started, but then he saw Kor and froze.
They all stared at each other for a long moment. Then Fives began to move, his hand reaching for a blaster.
"No!" Obi Wan said.
"I was gonna stun him, sir." Fives said.
"I know- but it is not necessary." Obi Wan said. He made a quick decision. "He will be joining us."
Both Fives and Kor's eyes snapped to him.
"You deserve to be a part of this, Kor." Obi Wan said.
"I don't know if I want to be." Kor replied.
"In any case," Obi Wan said. "You have to be. We cannot have you telling the others where we have gone."
Kor narrowed his eyes.
"Are you threatening me, Father?" He asked.
Obi Wan sighed.
"Less of a threat, more of a kidnapping." Fives supplied. He drew his pistol. "Come on, or I will have to stun you."
"I could wake the others." Kor said. His eyes flicked back to Obi Wan. "If they are able."
"Do you think me capable of harming them?" Obi Wan asked.
"I don't know what you're capable of." Kor said. "I've been told you're a good man. I've even seen that. But I don't know for sure."
That was more painful to hear than Obi Wan cared to admit.
"I will come willingly." Kor said, shocking Obi Wan. "I don't think you'll be able to get over this here. I might be able to convince you to give this up if I go."
Fives and Obi Wan shared a glance. Why did Kor reject the idea of his mother returning so thoroughly?
"Shall we?" Kor said, a bite in his voice. "I'd rather get this fool's mission over with as soon as possible."
"After you." Fives said, gesturing with his blaster.
Kor silently went forward. Obi Wan could sense no intention to betray them from the boy, but he still watched carefully.
"What of the guards watching the apartment?" He asked Fives quietly.
"Stunned." Fives said. "They're awfully trusting of someone in clone's armor. My friend's got the ship running."
Obi Wan thought vaguely that this could be a potential issue. A shiver ran down his spine as they left the apartment. The Force was whispering to him, but he could tell it had nothing to do with his current mission.
The Force could find another to be its hands tonight.
Something's wrong.
Ahsoka was all of a sudden agitated against Rex's mind. And yet- even as he felt for her, her concentration lapsed. She seemed sleepy.
'Soka? Rex asked.
He was struggling to continue the connection. They had just been basking in each other's presence when she had suddenly drawn away from him.
Obi Wan- her voice was only a murmur.
Rex latched onto her and tried to keep her from complete unconsciousness. Whatever was happening to her began creeping over him. His mind began falling towards oblivion.
Let go, Rex. Ahsoka pushed feebly at him.
Rex did not. He could not. He didn't know what was happening and he wouldn't leave Ahsoka to suffer it alone
Wake up Rex! Ahsoka commanded. Something's happening. Obi Wan-
Rex reluctantly eased his grip on her and tried to swim towards wakefulness. But whatever was dragging her down was now entangling him. The strange half consciousness that consisted their nighttime meetings was fading, pulling him to a deeper slumber.
'Soka. He mumbled. 'Soka, I can't-
Ahsoka's anxiety was turning to confusion.
Who is that? Her voice was more distant now. Someone's here. Who-
To Rex's horror, she began to cry out, her voice echoing in his mind.
No! She screamed, though it seemed muffled. No!
She was forcing herself awake. Rex used what little strength he had left to help push her. She was almost there-
Ahsoka's mind plunged away from Rex, going completely silent.
Ahsoka!
Rex thrashed against the suffocating need to stay asleep for far longer than time had any meaning.
Rex!
Was that her voice?
Rex, wake up!
I'm trying!
"Rex!"
Rex gasped and found himself soaking wet. He blinked a few times before realizing he was awake, half out of bed, and was dripping water. Echo and Wrecker stood at the end of his bed. Wrecker was holding an empty cup.
"I'm sorry." Echo said hurriedly. "But you weren't waking-"
"Ahsoka!" Rex said. Deep unease filled him. "There's something wrong- Ahsoka- General Kenobi-"
His heart sank as he saw Echo's grim face and Wrecker's fearful expression.
"We know." Echo said. "The guard around the safe house just commed us. Ahsoka, General Kenobi, Crosshair- they're all gone."
Rex stared at him.
"No-" He said. "Cody?"
"The place is empty." Echo said.
"What the hell happened?" Rex demanded.
"We don't know." Echo said. His voice held a forced, even tone. "The Commander in charge invited us to check the apartment out."
Rex didn't bother responding; he just shoved his covers aside and got to his feet. Both Wrecker and Echo were in their armor. Rex hesitated. For the first time in a while, he missed his own armor with a pain that seemed too strong.
"Give me a minute and I'll be ready." Rex said.
Echo nodded.
"I'll get Fives." He said and he and Wrecker retreated.
Rex threw his civvies on and felt somewhat better as he strapped his blasters to his belt.
He was relieved that he was able to stuff all his terror into a corner of his mind, just like during the war. He hoped he could keep it that way.
He paused, listening as he heard Echo's voice call.
"Fives? Fives?"
Rex felt the cold weight in his stomach condense and grow heavier. Echo continued to call as Rex left his room, his voice growing more panicked.
"Echo," Wrecker suddenly said, catching Echo by the shoulder. "Listen, he's not as bad as he was. It's not what you think."
Echo stared at Wrecker, eyes wide.
"He's probably with Cross." Wrecker said. "Got caught up with that."
"But how-" Echo started but he took a deep breath. "You're right. He said he was going to visit Leaf earlier. He could still be there."
Wrecker nodded.
"Let's go and see if we can help Cross." He said. His voice was more strained than Rex had ever heard it. "Please."
This time they were able to take a straight route to the former safe house. The apartment was surrounded by speeders with flashing lights. Rex could see red armored figures moving around outside the door.
A few speeders rose into the air and shot towards their own vehicle.
"This area is currently prohibited to the general public." A clone's voice said over a loudspeaker. "Please-"
"HEY!" Wrecker shouted, nearly blowing out Rex's eardrums. "WE'VE GOT SENATOR ECHO HERE!"
His voice carried as well as the loudspeaker. There was a moment's pause.
"Please follow us."
Echo guided their speeder after the Guard , who led them to touch down nearby.
"Please wait here, Senator." One of the Guard said. "I'll go get Commander Mayday."
Rex, Echo, and Wrecker waited impatiently. Rex tried to see what the other troopers were doing. They all seemed agitated. Rex could see no signs of bodies or injured persons. That was good at first thought. But Rex began to wonder what being could take Ahsoka and General Kenobi with so little of a fight. And no bodies did not mean they were alive.
No. He could not go down that path. Ahsoka was alive. He could feel it. That meant the others had to be alive.
A Commander in red with a strip of cloth tied around one rerebrace came jogging towards them.
"Senator," He said as he got closer. He stopped in front of them and removed his helmet, revealing a neatly trimmed beard and hair the length of Hunter's. "You have a brother mixed up in this mess, don't you?"
Echo nodded.
"Crosshair." He said. He gestured to Wrecker. "He's part of our squad."
Mayday's eyes flicked over Rex.
"Captain Rex, I presume." He said. "Same with you?"
"Commander Cody." Rex said. "And Ahs- Commander Tano. What happened here?"
Mayday heaved a sigh and tapped a finger against his armor.
"I don't know what to tell you." He said. "A couple of our guards reported someone in clone armor approaching and stunning them."
"What?" Echo and Rex said together.
"They sounded like a clone too." Mayday said. "But their armor was tagged, not like how it was under the long necks."
"Do you have a description?" Rex asked, a sneaking suspicion growing on him.
"Yeah, let me call Blank over." Mayday said.
He spoke into his comm, and another clone in red appeared.
"Sir?" He asked.
"Tell these vod'e what the clone who stunned you looked like."
The trooper looked over at Echo, Rex, and Wrecker.
"It was ARC trooper armor, sir." He said. Rex sucked in a sharp breath and felt Echo tense beside him. "Blue pauldrons and paint."
"Was there a red mark right above the visor?" Echo asked.
Blank nodded.
Echo, Wrecker, and Rex stared at the trooper for a long moment. Then-
"That di'kut!" Echo snapped out. "That absolute- what the hell did he think he was doing?"
Rex didn't speak, but thoughts raged like Kamino's storms in his head. Why? What could possibly inspire Fives to attack brothers? Especially brothers that were keeping Ahsoka and the others safe?
"So can you think of any reason he'd do this?" Mayday asked.
Echo clenched his jaw. He looked like he was trying not to be sick.
"He-" He said. "He hasn't been well-"
"Send some troopers down to a fighting ring owned by a Besalisk named Grif. Level 1313." Rex ordered. "I don't think the man himself is suspicious, but he might have seen Fives interact with possible suspects. He couldn't be doing this alone."
"Maybe someone's manipulating him." Echo said quickly, as if desperate for another explanation. "Taking advantage of his- illness."
Mayday nodded and spoke into his comm. Rex was surprised at how calm he himself. was. General Kenobi was missing, Cody was missing, Fives was missing, his Ahsoka was missing.
Wrecker had a hand gripped on Echo's shoulder.
"Maybe Cross wanted out, or something." Wrecker said. "To go find Omega and Tech and Hunter. Maybe Fives helped him."
"Fives and Crosshair hate each other." Echo said, rubbing at his head. "But maybe if Commander Tano wanted out-"
"No." Rex said. "Whatever happened, she wasn't involved."
Echo and Wrecker gave him a strange look, so Rex reluctantly told them of his connection to Ahsoka.
"Can you feel her now?" Echo asked sharply.
Rex closed his eyes and focused on the warm, sparkling piece of Ahsoka in his head. Except now it was cold and dark. Instinct told him that she was not dead; the connection would be gone if that were the case.
"She's unconscious." Rex said. "And I don't know how well I'll be able to get information if she's off planet."
Echo swore quietly. Rex wanted to tell him that Fives had a good reason for this, but he didn't know if that was true.
"Do you want to take a look inside?" Mayday said. "We haven't found anything, but maybe you'll know what to look for."
There was no sign of a struggle within the cold and empty apartment. Rex looked around, fear rising in his throat.
"Shouldn't Commander Tano or General Kenobi have sensed them?" Echo asked.
"Something happened to Ahsoka." Rex said. "It was like she'd been given a sedative. If the same happened to General Kenobi, then I doubt they'd be able to sense much."
"Kriff." Echo muttered. "Kriff, kriff, kriff."
Rex noted how Wrecker stuck to Echo like paint on freshly primed armor, not letting him even be in separate rooms as Echo searched them.
"Wrecker!" Echo snapped as Wrecker nearly knocked him over in his haste to join him. "What's wrong with you?"
Wrecker stared at Echo with wide eyes.
"You've all I've got left, Echo." He said in a quiet voice that Rex hadn't thought possible from him.
Echo's strained face softened a degree.
"I'm not." He said. "The rest of the Batch is going to be fine. I promise."
Wrecker nodded dully.
After searching the living room thoroughly, Rex went into Ahsoka's room. The blankets had been thrown to the floor and pieces of flimsi lay scattered like broken droids all around. Rex picked one up. It was one of his letters to her. It could only be a few weeks old, but it was creased and ragged. She must have read it dozens of times.
Rex swallowed and reached for her again. She was still unconscious. Even as he began to search the room, he felt that their first clue would come from her when she woke.
If she woke.
Boba scowled at the console of his ship. The message displayed bad news. Pretty kriffing bad news.
"Dammit, Kenobi!" Boba growled.
"What's going on?" Ventress asked.
She, Vos, and the clone stood in the main bay of the Slave I. They had made their way here after Boba had been notified that he'd gotten an urgent transmission.
"All those people entangled with Dooku's death, the ones that Amidala let a war start over, including Kenobi, have gone missing." Boba said. "It's probably the Separatists. They've got no leads, nothing."
Boba pushed away from the console and put a hand to his head. He still liked Kenobi, despite everything. He'd tried his best to keep the man alive during the Jedi's brief tenure as Mandalor. And now the Separatists were likely going to execute him.
And then- hadn't Omega mentioned that one of her brothers was among that group?
Boba then noticed the expressions on his companions' faces. Ventress looked mostly annoyed, but Boba thought he saw a twitch of concern there. Vos looked stoic with a hint of worry. The clone alone was outwardly fearful.
"General Kenobi is missing?" He asked. "What can we do?"
"Continue our mission." Ventress said, putting a hand on the clone's shoulder. "They'll free him if we prove him innocent."
The clone nodded, but he still looked apprehensive.
"Let's get back to work." Vos suggested. "You said that your contact here might know of more remarkable droids that Tynar Rem might have worked on."
Boba shook himself and refocused. Ventress was right. Their best bet to help Kenobi was to finish their work here.
They left his ship and delved back into the chaos of Daiyu. They all kept their eyes out for any unique looking droids. Vos would do his best to brush against any they considered likely. But each time he shook his head and Boba's mood worsened.
"Orp better have something." He muttered. "He's usually got what I need by now."
"You trust him?" Ventress asked.
"The only person on the planet that I do." Boba said. "He's an old friend of my dad's."
He ignored the clone's eyes on him. The kid was younger and might have never met the 'Prime' as the clones called him. Boba could almost taste the questions the clone had. Luckily the kid had the sense to be quiet.
"I didn't think you could trust anyone on this planet." Vos said.
"I'm surprised you don't spend more time here, Vos." Ventress said. "You seem to like places like this."
Vos shrugged.
"I do." He said. "It doesn't mean I don't know the dangers."
"Even if he were inclined to, Orp knows better than to double cross me." Boba said.
"Greed makes fools of the wise." Vos said.
"Bane wouldn't even know to look for Orp." Boba said.
He was starting to get overwhelmed by the amount of droids in the streets. Vos couldn't touch all of them. But what if one they were looking for was here?
Boba just had to hope that Orp had pulled through for him once again.
"Ugh, a massage parlor?" Ventress asked. "You do know what those usually are a front for."
"Not Orp." Boba said.
"What are they a front for?" The clone asked.
"I'll tell you when you're older, Eon." Ventress said.
"I was a Commander, Ven." The clone said as they entered the establishment.
"The Kaminoans made that decision." Ventress said. "And I think we can agree that they didn't have your best interests at heart."
Boba frowned as no Orp came into view. The Gran was usually quick to notice when he had guests.
"Orp?" He called. "You-"
"Vos!" Ventress hissed.
Boba turned around and saw that Vos had stopped right at the threshold and that his eyes were closed.
"Bane has been here." Vos said.
Boba's jaw dropped, but he forced his mouth shut again just as quickly. He whipped around.
"Orp!" He shouted. "Are you here?"
Then he noticed the piece of flimsi on the main counter. He stepped closer to read it, expecting a ransom note.
Boba-
I'm finally getting out, something you and your dad never managed to help me do. Bane did.
Boba snatched the flimsi up, disbelieving. His father had sworn that Orp was one of the good ones, someone who could always have your back.
Then he saw the almost invisible filament hanging from the flimsi, snapped by him picking the letter up.
Ventress had already grabbed the clone and was leaping towards the exit by the time Boba managed to shout a warning.
The desk burst into a fiery blast, throwing Boba backwards. His head cracked against something, and then- nothing.
Mando'a:
Vod'e: brothers
Di'kut: idiot
I won't say much here, just because I'm kinda tired lol.
Obi Wan is making every bad decision possible and Fives is enabling him. Kor is realizing that his father is occasionally rather dumb.
Obi Wan, way to screw up Ahsoka's time with her boyfriend. Rude.
Uh oh, what happened to the rest of them? Maybe stunning their guards wasn't a good idea, Fives.
Mayday lives. Because I said so. He deserves it.
Poor Wrecker. I realized I took away all three members of his original squad and also Omega.
Boba's life isn't going well either…
And uh…sorry for the cliffhanger. Sorry.
Welp, I'll see you guys in a bit!
Stay safe, remember to review, and I'll see you!