SUP GUYS I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ASLEEP IN 15 MINUTES BUT I'M POSTING INSTEAD

To be fair, I'm very excited about this chapter.

Lothcat99: I have bad news for you about Crosshair when you catch up…and I met him at the Denver Comic Con! He was lovely! And I do these things for plot reasons. And because I hurt who I love.

Bvadams: welp, I think you'll find out if those happen fairly soon…

Venomizer: Well, I won't be needing much more time for these chapters…And yes, may Bo Katan have the balls she has in Mando season 3, so she can do the right thing.

Guys, I have very exciting news.

I've finished The Fives Effect. I have written the rest of it, it has an ending, it just needs to be edited and published. After this chapter, there are two more. I will post the next chapter on schedule on January 31st, but then I will post the final chapter on February 9th, the three year anniversary of posting. I'm still in shock I think, but I know I'm going to miss this story. I do plan on adding a few one shots in this universe that take place after the end, but the main body will be over.

But! We are still 3 chapters away and MANY things must be resolved! And MANY things happen this chapter! Enjoy!

Mando'a translations at the end!

TW: Heavy feelings, mentions of suicide

Obi Wan stood in the middle of Dooku's study. Fives, Senna, and Kor stood at the fringes, watching with hope, skepticism, and anxiety respectively.

Obi Wan stretched out his hand. It had become clear, through their research, that Dooku would have never been able to access this power. He had given himself too fully to the Dark side.

As Obi Wan manipulated the Force, he focused on the three faces that he and Fives had decided on. Tup. Satine. Qui Gon.

With his other hand Obi Wan reached out to the spectators. He could feel the connection that both Fives and Kor clung to. He closed his eyes as he pulled on them, and his own connection to Qui Gon.

This could not be of the Dark side. These connections did not last under its influence. But it was not quite of the Jedi, for those connections needed to be forged in the first place.

He felt something shift as he pulled, somewhere just beyond his senses.

He had expected Satine to come first. Both he and Kor had known and loved her. But it was Qui Gon that Obi Wan sensed approaching ahead of the others.

Obi Wan nearly lost his concentration as he felt Qui Gon's presence for the first time in almost fifteen years. He was similarly overwhelmed when Satine's gentle, yet strong spirit came within his senses. Finally, Tup, so similar to his brothers, yet completely distinct, followed.

Obi Wan heard a choked noise from behind him. He did not open his eyes, though his heart pounded. They were not finished. He heard Fives' footsteps come near.

"Tup'ika?"

Fives.

Obi Wan once again nearly lost control at the sound of the dead clone's voice. He kept his concentration. Whatever Fives could see was only scraps of their loved ones' true essence. He needed to find the rest.

"Mother!" Kor's voice rang out, and then the sound of skin striking skin, as if the boy had slapped his hand to his mouth.

My dear Korkie.

Obi Wan could feel her eyes on him.

My dear Obi Wan.

Obi Wan gritted his teeth though he longed to see what he had wrought. He knew if he opened his eyes, he would lose control over the ritual. It did not matter that he did not see this part.

He was about to have them back.

"I'm sorry, Tup'ika!" Fives was saying.

He sounded unraveled, loose threads of grief and guilt weighing the words down.

For what, Fives? Tup replied. I was dying. You couldn't have done anything.

Fives took a shuddering breath.

"It doesn't matter now." He said. "We're going to make things right."

Fives- make what right?

"Everything." Fives said. "All my mistakes."

Satine spoke again and Obi Wan flinched. Her voice grew stronger as he pulled more of her essence closer to them.

You have worked so hard for our people, Kor. Both of you have. Thank you.

"You- you've seen us?" Kor asked.

All of it. Satine said. We sleep, we rest, and we watch.

"Then you should know, Tup!" Fives burst out. "You've seen what I've done wrong!"

I've seen my brother. Tup sounded genuinely confused. I didn't want it to be so soon, but I would have welcomed you, if you had chosen to-

"Don't!" Fives choked out.

Obi Wan continued his work, though it was getting more and more difficult to pull their pieces together.

"Qui Gon." He finally said. He felt nervous, especially if Qui Gon had seen everything. "You're being unusually quiet. Do you have no words for me? No advice about what I'm doing?"

Oh, Obi Wan. Qui Gon's voice was the strongest of the three. You do not understand what you do.

"I understand perfectly." Obi Wan said lightly, though his heart felt cold. "I am correcting the injustice of the galaxy."

My dear apprentice, must you carry so many deaths on your shoulders? Qui Gon asked. Must you continue to blame yourself?

Obi Wan once again nearly opened his eyes. That had not been an objection he had expected.

"Please do not pretend that I carry no fault for your death." He said. "Or- or Satine's."

Obi Wan- Satine began.

"No." Obi Wan said. "I was there. My actions changed your fates."

But did you hold the lightsaber? Qui Gon asked mildly. Did you take our lives yourself? No. But if you continue down this path, you will destroy one life for every life you restore.

Obi Wan froze, but he did not loosen his grip on their souls.

While our identities remain, our life Force has been bestowed to new veins. If you bring us back, you must snuff out that new life.

Fives made a rough noise from his throat.

"No." He said. "No, this was supposed to fix things!"

"And if the new life is less deserving than you? Obi Wan asked.

He did not know where the glacial words had come from. Perhaps from the ice forming around his heart.

Fives, it's all right. Tup said. Thank you for trying, but this doesn't need to happen.

Obi Wan only heard footsteps stumble away.

"Fives!" That was Senna.

Obi Wan, you do not wish to do this. Qui Gon said. You are in pain and this seems an easy solution. But you cannot undo every hurt, every misstep. It is not your place.

"Then whose is it?" Obi Wan demanded. He tightened his grip on their souls, almost out of spite. "Who rights the wrongs? Who will recompense the acts that oppose the will of the Force?"

Why is it your burden to bear? If there is justice, its weight is too much for one being to carry.

Obi Wan was silent. Now he didn't open his eyes for fear of seeing Qui Gon's disappointment.

Listen to the Force, Obi Wan. What does it tell you?

Obi Wan didn't want to care what the Force told him. All of his life he had done his best to follow its will. Couldn't he just do what he wanted, what he needed, just this once?

Fives burst from the ruined cottage, heart pounding near to shattering. He stumbled a few feet before falling to his knees.

Of course, of course his one chance of redemption was really an atrocity. And of course it wasn't wanted. Nothing he did was wanted.

He gagged, barely able to breathe. He wanted to be gone, he didn't want to do this any more-

He wished Ahsoka hadn't stopped him all those months ago. The dead could rest.

As if summoned by his despair, arms wrapped around him. Fives felt himself being pulled to a heaving chest.

Senna. She knew. She was always there. Even if she was trembling, frightened.

"I-" She started in a shaky voice. "I guess you were right. It is possible."

Fives squeezed his eyes shut.

"Why?" He rasped. "I've changed, I'm not what you loved. I can't give you what you want."

Senna was quiet for a long time.

"You deserve what you want." She said. "You deserve love. You haven't changed enough for that to be different."

Tears flooded Fives' eyes, though he hated them.

"I just want to help my brothers."

"You have. It's your turn to be helped."

"I'm a burden now."

"Even if you were, we love you enough to bear it."

"I don't deserve it."

"Why do you have to earn love?"

Overwhelmed by her kindness, his final sin fell from his lips.

"I tried to kill myself."

Silence.

"Why does that mean I shouldn't love you?"

Her hands cradled his face. He let his tears fall and- and it was putting down a heavy burden at the end of the day. A release. With the tears went pieces of his self loathing and feelings of unworthiness. Those feelings were still there but lessened just enough for him to know two things.

The first was that Senna was right. The second-

"I can't fix this. Tech did so much, but it's not enough."

He felt her tears on his head.

"I know." She said. "We will get you help."

For the first time in a long time, an amused thought crossed Fives' mind.

"If only I could have figured that out without having to go to the heart of enemy territory."

Senna gave a wet chuckle. They sat together for a moment, but Fives could hear the dead's voices.

"Come on." He said. "We need to make sure General Kenobi doesn't do something he'll regret."

Obi Wan was trapped: unable to go forward, but powerless to let go. He kept his eyes closed. He was afraid of what the sight of them would do to him.

He wanted to be selfish, his soul cried out for relief.

Let us go, Obi Wan. Satine said.

"You would leave me alone?" Obi Wan asked.

He tried so hard to keep his voice from shaking.

You are not alone, Obi Wan. Qui Gon said. Bonds take new forms, as our life Force has.

He was right. Ahsoka, Anakin, Cody, and many others had taken up those connections. Even the boy Obi Wan hardly knew behind him. But- they still did not completely fill the hole left by those who had passed.

Still, Obi Wan instinctively reached through his living bonds, to Ahsoka and Anakin.

And he was horrified by what he felt.

Anakin, in the throes of anxiety and fear. And Ahsoka-

Oh, Ahsoka.

Pain, terror, defiance, an emotion nearing despair. The feelings of a captive.

The CIS had found her.

And with a dawning feeling of horror, Obi Wan realized that it was his fault. The Force, grieving, reinforced the feeling.

A wave of clarity washed over him. What was he doing? A war was going on, a war that put people he loved in danger, and he was here trying to play the role of the Force. He hadn't even attempted to bring Dooku back, the one person that could stop all of this.

"This is not right." He said quietly.

How could he be so selfish as to think that the lives he sought were worth more than any in the galaxy?

"Forgive me." He said aloud. "I should not have come down this path."

You are fallible, Obi Wan, as all beings are. Qui Gon said gently. You knew what was right in the end.

Footsteps alerted Obi Wan to Fives' returned presence.

"General-" Fives said. "We shouldn't-"

"I know, Fives." Obi Wan said. "I have made a grave mistake."

It was good to see you, Fives. Tup said.

Fives gave a wet laugh.

"You too, brother."

Be strong, Korkie. Satine said. Know that I am proud of you.

"Thank you, Mother." Kor said.

Open your eyes, Obi Wan. Satine went on. You should see us before we go.

Obi Wan shook his head.

"If I open my eyes now," He said. "I will not be able to let go."

You are wise, my apprentice. Qui Gon said. And a greater Jedi than I had ever hoped to be.

Obi Wan managed a smile and released their essences. He felt a pressure move from the room in a gust of wind. Then all was still.

Obi Wan opened his eyes. He saw only Fives and Kor, Senna hanging back near the entrance. Fives surreptitiously wiped at his eyes, but Kor stood and let the tears flow down his cheeks.

"What do we do now?" Fives asked.

Obi Wan took a deep breath.

"This war is dependent on me." He said. "If I turn myself in, then I believe the conflict will be placed on hold at the very least."

And perhaps they will release Ahsoka. He thought.

"Sir, I don't know if I can let you do that." Fives said. "We all know that you didn't kill Dooku."

"Your brothers will die if I do not." Obi Wan said. "And I feel we can both agree that enough clone blood has been spilt."

Fives fell silent.

"I will go with you, Father." Kor said. "They want me as well."

Obi Wan shook his head.

"That would merely inflame the Mandalorians." He said. "You must return to them in order for them to withdraw from the war."

"It'll be hard getting out of CIS space." Senna said.

"Hopefully, if there is a ceasefire, travel restrictions will lessen." Obi Wan said.

Fives sighed a long sigh.

"Kriffing Jedi." He muttered. "Has anyone told you that you're too self sacrificing?"

Obi Wan raised an eyebrow.

"I believe this is a case of the Wookie calling the Bantha hairy." He said.

Fives managed a slight smile.

"Just- try not to get killed on sight, sir." He said. "I'll tell General Skywalker that this was your choice."
"Thank you." Obi Wan said. "If we can keep Anakin from being rash, it will be a miracle."

Fives smiled and grasped Obi Wan's arm.

"Guess we both needed to make this trip, huh?"

Kor was still frowning.

"I- don't want to lose you so soon after learning you exist." He said.

Obi Wan hesitated before putting his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"If all goes well, Boba will find the chip proving my innocence." He said. "However, I cannot promise my safety. So I will say that- I am proud to have a son such as you."

Kor looked away and did not say anything more.

Obi Wan watched as Senna, Kor, and Fives left the building. He would wait to give them a chance to be far enough away to deny involvement. Then, he would give himself up.

There was something off in this sector. It made the back of Boba's neck prickle. It felt like more eyes than he could see were boring into him.

The way Ventress, Eon, and Vos were glancing around the disgusting street made him think they felt the same.

Then it hit him. Droids. This place was crawling with some of the most unique droids he'd ever seen. That seemed a good sign, as they were looking for a droid modder.

He almost told Vos to start trying to touch the droids, but they didn't look like the touching type. One had thousands of tiny sharp spines welded to its arms. It glared at Boba with segmented eyes. Another, a protocol droid with long, spindly fingers, made a rude gesture at them.

Boba glanced at Vos, who shrugged. They couldn't get much of an accidental touch either; the crowds formed a hostile bubble around them.

Then Ventress shoved Vos.

The clone yelped and Boba stared as Vos stumbled into a gaggle of chittering droids. He flailed, a little too dramatically, and managed to smack most of the droids with some part of his body. A large droid with strange arms made of some sort of bags filled with pink liquid heaved Vos away. It snapped something in binary while Vos apologized. Boba narrowed his eyes as Vos returned to them. The Jedi had seen something. Boba could see the tightness in his shoulders, though he tried to be relaxed.

"Well done, Asajj." Vos said quietly. "One of those came from Rem's shop."

Boba's stomach lurched, the sharp feeling of the trail being found.

"Lead the way." He hissed.

Vos quickened his step, but did not run. Likely a good choice. Boba was surprised they weren't already attacked by the droids Vos had fallen into. Boba looked from side to side, keeping his eye out for a stupid hat. The only thing that happened was more and more eyes falling on them.

"Here." Vos said, gesturing to a short door at the end of an alley. "Do we have any info on this guy?"

Boba shook his head. He looked at the others, who looked back and did not supply any ideas.

So Boba knocked.

"I come, I come!" A high pitched voice called from inside.

Then there was a lot of grunting and huffing. The door opened, revealing an Anzellan the shape of a meilooran. He waddled forward and peered up.

"Helloooo-" He cut his greeting off and his eyes widened. "You- not Bane."

"No." Boba said. "So he's not here yet."

"Mmm, can't hear." Rem said. "Sorry! No hear, no Fett. Goodbye!"

Boba lunged forward into the building, snatching up Rem. The fat little thing was unpleasantly squishy in his grip. And now he was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"NO!" He screeched. "NO FETT! BAD FETT, BAD!"

Boba felt the eyes of every droid in the alley latch onto him.

"Call them off before I pop you like an emerald grape!" He hissed.

He gave a squeeze for good measure.

"Good Fett!" Rem squealed. "No pop! NO POP! Everything o-KAY!"

A moment passed before the droids looked away.

"In." Boba ordered.

They couldn't stand up straight in the cluttered shop.

"Has Bane given you anything?" Boba demanded. "Have you done any work?"

"No!" Rem squeaked. "No work! He come today!"

"Soon, seeing as you thought we were him." Vos said.

"He might have heard this idiot's screams." Ventress said.

Boba nodded.

"You." He said to the clone. "Bane knows us, but you can scout without being recognized. Go see if he's nearby."

The clone nodded and slipped his helmet on, shouldering his sniper rifle.

"Just call and I'll be there." Ventress said quietly.

"I'll be all right, Ven." The clone replied. "I'll even clip his wings, if I can."

Twenty minutes passed and there was no report. Boba kept a firm hand on Rem. They couldn't risk alerting Bane if they already hadn't. Rem whimpered in Boba's hand, occasionally whining that 'Fett bad.'

Then- a noise outside. The slightest hint of a knock. Boba moved to the side of the door, blaster in hand. Ventress and Vos positioned themselves as well. Boba opened the door.

And Bane's stupid little droid floated in.

"Hello?" He called. "Rem? Bane says-"

Boba punted the piece of scrap. The droid shrieked and smacked into the wall. Boba whirled to see Bane lift off into the air from a few yards down the alley.

"Check the droid!" Boba shouted.

Rem screamed as Boba blasted up. Bane twisted as he flew and shot at Boba. Boba let the bolts spark off his helmet. He fired his whip cord and it wrapped around Bane's boot. Then he adjusted his trajectory to barrel towards the nearest roof. Bane gave a snarling scream as he was ripped from the sky.

Boba smirked as he hit the roof and rolled to his feet. His jetpack was far stronger than Bane's rocket boots.

Bane didn't crash to the roof, unfortunately. He hovered above, growling like a massiff on a leash. Boba jerked the cord. As Bane was thrown off balance, Boba fired. Bane managed to twist out of getting a bolt through the chest, but sparks flew as the shot hit his boot. He landed on the roof in a maladroit skid, but he stayed on his feet. Before Boba could jerk him off his feet again, Bane shot the whip cord.

"I'll admit, I'm glad to see you again, Fett." Bane said. He was calm, composed, as if he hadn't just been flailing in the air. "I've been waiting to pay you back for the plate in my head."

"You wouldn't have needed the plate if you'd just died when I shot you." Boba growled.

"I never took you for a Republic dog." Bane said. "They never pay well."

"Some things are more important than a paycheck." Boba said.

Bane sighed, as if disappointed, and placed a toothpick in his mouth.

"That's where you're wrong, son."

He burst into action, dodging Boba's shot. He sprinted towards the edge of the roof. Boba followed. Rem squalled in pain as Boba's grip tightened. Boba fired twice, but missed. Bane jumped and used his remaining rocket boot to boost himself to the next roof. Boba just followed with his jetpack. Bane whipped around and threw a whirring blur at Boba. Boba cursed as the bolas wrapped around his legs, pinning them together. He had to land to get the damn things off.

It took far too long to disentangle himself, especially with a squirming Rem in his hand. By the time he could walk again, Bane was two roofs over. Boba gritted his teeth and began a running start.

A blaster bolt shot from the streets below, right into Bane's chest. Boba blinked, his mind going blank with shock. Who-

He shrugged off his surprise and lifted off again. He'd get no answers standing around like a drunk bantha.

He found the clone, Eon, standing over Bane's body.

"Found him." Eon said.

"How the hell did you manage that?" Boba demanded.

The clone shrugged.

"Ven has been having me practice with a sniper rifle." He said.

Boba shook his head and approached Bane's crumpled form. He checked the Duros' pulse. Nothing.

Cad Bane, one of the deadliest bounty hunters in the galaxy, had just been killed by a clone. Instead of feeling indignant or disbelieving, Boba felt a surge of respect for the young man now prodding Bane's corpse with his boot.

"No plates this time." Boba muttered as he started going through Bane's pockets.

By the time Ventress and Vos had caught up, Boba had found the chip. It was little more than a shard of plasteel, but it held the weight of an entire war on it.

"Oh no!" Ventress had brought the little droid with them. "Bane! Bane, get up!"

"Any clues on who sent him?" Ventress asked over the droid's increasingly panicked cries.

"No. Those would be on his ship." Boba said. He glanced at the droid. "Or-"

"I don't know anything!" The droid said. "Bane wiped my memory right before we arrived on Eriadu!"

"Then you'll have seen his employer." Vos said.
He approached the droid.

"That's why he wiped my memory!" The droid whined. "So I couldn't recognize him! I don't know who it was!"

"But I might." Vos said, and placed his hand on the droid.

He jerked that hand back after a few moments, his eyes wide.

"Who is it?" Ventress demanded.

"One of Palpatine's old lackeys." Vos said. "Wilhuff Tarkin."

Mando'a:

Tup'ika: little Tup, a term of endearment

From the top!

I have made up so many things about the Force and no one can stop me. I think the idea of bringing people back to life is pretty well explored in this chapter. Except the bodies. Don't ask me, neither me or Obi Wan thought that far ahead.

Making it clear now, Tup did NOT want Fives to end his own life. He just would have accepted him either way.

I think Obi Wan gets tired of being the perfect Jedi (or pseudo Jedi as he now is) all the time. And normally, I'd be all about letting him be selfish. But not this time.

I'm honestly really proud of this scene with Fives. Things that Senna says to Fives are things I probably should listen to. So I learned in my Trauma in the Humanities class (excellent class, thoroughly traumatized me) that a part of healing is saying your trauma out loud. If you go back and check, Fives never says out loud that he tried to kill himself. He just alludes to it, talking in maybes and references. And then he finally does here. And lets himself cry and be loved. (and get therapy)

I don't think I was ever going to have the dead coming back work. Just because Obi Wan and Fives' desire was unhealthy. It wouldn't have fixed their problems and they needed to know that. Also, I tried to do a kind of reverse Orpheus here with Obi Wan. Instead of looking and losing, he has the strength to not look and he still loses them. But he's more at peace now.

Nothing like sensing your grandpadawan getting tortured to snap you out of being dumb. And yes, it's his fault, because Fives breaking him out left an opening for Ahsoka and the others to get captured. And after so many bad choices, Obi Wan makes a good one again.

Man, these Boba ones are always by the seat of my pants, I always struggle, and they always seem lame until I read them out loud, and then I realize they're pretty darn good.

I had fun with the droid descriptions this chapter.

So Tynar Rem is basically an obese Babu Frik. I find this concept hilarious. I had fun writing Rem.

I'm sorry, T0-D0, but the idea of you getting punted is WAY too funny.

Side note, doing Cad Bane's voice is IMPOSSIBLE. Main reason I killed him off. And the fact that the story called for it.

GET WREKT BANE. Feels good to have him being taken down by a clone. AND WE GOT THE EVIDENCE! AND A NAME TO WHO'S BEHIND ALL OF THIS? Freaking Tarkin. He's the worst.

That should be everything and also I need to go to bed.

Stay safe, remember to review, and have a great week!