And we're back!
Lots of moving parts in this chapter. So I've put the location of section of this chapter.
Quick A/N before you guys start reading: A lot is and has happened. Beginning two chapters ago 'Trapped' right into the next update, everything has occurred within the span of one day. After the end of the next chapter, it will signal the start of a new rotation. Just don't want anyone getting confused.
This update is going to be very up and down in terms of tone. Lots of intensity but quick witted humor. The chapter title speaks louder than words.
Enjoy!
"Because I'm one step closer to the edge and I'm about to-" Linkin Park
Chapter 38. The Breaking Point
Obi-Wan found himself back in the present day as though no time had passed at all.
Taking in a moment to breathe, the Jedi Master now saw Luke in an entirely different light. So much emotion swirled around in his heart, he wasn't sure what to do or what to say.
"Luke," he said, managing to speak words at long last. The blond looked highly remorseful.
"I know a lot of those images must have been painful to watch. But I had to show you the truth."
Obi-Wan wasn't concerned with that at all. He had far more pressing questions.
"Those things I saw...they are the future?"
"It's the timeline from which I originate," Luke explained. "They are memories passed to me by your future self mixed in with a few of my own. My existence is a result of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Sith. That's why I came back."
He gazed down, unable to look Obi-Wan in the eye, guilt wracking his body.
"Forgive me. I've been unwise, foolish-"
The thirty eight year old enveloped Luke in a hug, all pride and dignity forgotten. Tears stained the light blue eyes of the master who embraced him like a long lost nephew.
"No need to apologize, my old friend. The mere fact you're here is enough."
"But I committed the same error. I should have been truthful from the start."
"It seems past, present, and future neither one of us were completely honest with each other," Obi-Wan remarked sagely as they broke apart. "Let there be no more secrets between us. It is the will of the Force you have come back. Qui-Gon was right."
"Qui-Gon?" Luke inquired. "Qui-Gon Jinn?"
"Yes, it seems that I must have learned the ability to manifest consciousness after death from him judging by your memories...or mine as it were. He appeared to me in a dream last night, similar in how I appeared to you in your memories."
"Is that how you knew to trust me?"
"In part, yes. He did not tell me your true identity but that you represented a vergence, a counter balance to the growing darkness. It certainly explains why the Force behaved so funny around you. Why it intervened that day you were being grilled by the Council under pain of suspension. You're the hero of the New Prophecy."
Luke shook his head, unwilling to believe that.
"If you knew the full depth of the things I've done, 'hero' wouldn't be mentioned next to my name. And we haven't won anything yet. Anakin is on Coruscant with that monster waiting to ensnare him while we're billions of miles away."
He sat back down on the bench and clenched both his hands in frustration.
"I should never have let him go back to Coruscant."
"We mustn't judge ourselves too harshly. He was called away by Palpatine before we had a chance to tell him. And Ahsoka is by his side," Obi-Wan reassured. "But there is still time to ...is your comlink flashing?"
Luke narrowed his eyes and suddenly looked down at the device, letting off a Huttese curse word.
"You really are Anakin's son."
"Ahsoka!" the blond said, smacking himself in the head. "I thought it was Tarkin trying to contact me earlier and I switched it to silent."
"Well, let's not delay. I have no doubt she has important news."
Luke established a connection to the long range transmitter and immediately brought up the Togrutan on a hologram.
"Finally!" were her first exasperated words. "I've been trying to reach you for hours!"
"Excuse me for not trying to get my head blown off twice in one rotation," he sassed back. "I can't talk and swing a lightsaber at the same time."
"Whatever. Look, it's just really important. I-"
She finally noticed Obi-Wan and hesitated.
"Don't stop on my account. By all means, continue."
"He knows," Luke informed her with a sigh. "I told him everything."
"Well it's about time," Ahsoka said with an eye roll.
"Wait a minute, that somehow implies she found out about this before I did," the auburn haired master commented with a hint of both indignance and amusement.
"And Master Yoda," the Togruta said with a playful smirk.
"It doesn't matter who knew first," Luke cut in impatiently. "Let's focus on the here and now. Ahsoka, what's the word?"
"That listening device we planted in Palpatine's office finally paid off. He gave Tarkin permission to use Order 66. That's why I was trying to warn you earlier."
"It came a bit too late, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan said with a bit of dryness. "Thankfully, we managed to overcome that particular crisis."
Ahsoka's montrals flushed purple. A noticeable quirk even through the blue holoprojection.
"Kriff! Does Sidious know? Where's Tarkin?"
"Dead," Luke replied gruffly. "It's a long story. We don't have time to get into every detail. The bottom line is, disaster has been averted. For now."
"Well you might want to hang onto your lightsaber because there's more. I also heard Sidious trying to seduce Anakin to the dark side. Told a story about some Sith Lord who could prevent people from dying."
Luke's blood ran cold hearing that. There was only one reason Sidious would reveal that bit of history.
"Does that mean-"
"Yes. He thinks something bad is going to happen to her. I tried to convince him otherwise but he's still worried."
The blond thought to himself for a moment. He could still detect Padme's signature in the Force. It was strong and no indication of mortal peril as of yet. Visions were tricky phenomena in Jedi lore. Anakin had been tricked by them and so had he.
"I wish I had time to meditate on this. Could we use that recording to implicate Sidious in a plot against the Republic?" Luke asked hopefully. The crestfallen look on Ahsoka's face said it all.
"I don't think so. He told the story as a legend he'd heard from somewhere else, not as a personal experience. It wouldn't hold up in a court of law."
Luke scrambled to find a solution. The clock continued to tick and too many bases were left uncovered to prevent Palpatine's rise to Emperor. Thankfully, Obi-Wan's calm voice of reason stepped in.
"Ahsoka, keep an eye on them both. Try to convince the Senator to seek protection at the Jedi Temple. Keep Anakin away from the Chancellor at all costs. We will be back as soon as we can. If you find out anything new, update us immediately."
"As a matter of fact, I'm headed over there as soon as this call is over," she said. "Anakin invited me over to Padme's flat. I sense he trusts me enough to reveal his marriage."
"Tell him."
Obi-Wan turned as Luke's eyes penetrated into the hologram billions of miles away. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down.
"Tell Anakin the truth. Everything. I don't care what happens to me as a result. Just as long as he doesn't go anywhere near that monster. No more secrets, no more lies."
She nodded curtly.
"I will."
Ahsoka's visage vanished, leaving Obi-Wan and Luke to plan their next move.
"We need to move quickly," the latter said, getting up from the bench and towards the door. "Get back to Coruscant as soon as possible. The Sith's Grand Plan is almost upon us. I can feel it."
The former placed a precautionary hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"Patience, Luke. Yes we must act urgently but not without purpose. Order 66 has to be exposed and eliminated as a threat for this to succeed."
"What do you suggest?"
"Well for one thing, removing those blasted inhibitor chips."
Luke shook his head knowing every last detail counted.
"It would take too long to de-chip every man in our own battalions, much less the entire GAR, but…" he raised a finger in the air as an idea slowly materialized. "We only need to show proof that multiple clones have been implanted with these things. It'll provide us with yet more proof that Palpatine is the Sith Lord behind this war."
"The Senate would have no choice but to order his arrest by the Jedi," Obi-Wan said, catching on.
"Rex and Fives are the best candidates. They're two of the most independent minded, well respected soldiers in the entire army. After that let's de-chip as many clones as possible. We owe them that much."
A sinking feeling like that of a cruiser going down into the vacuum of space hit the stomach as a cackling figure in black robes tortured his psyche. He quickly increased his mental shielding against Sith intrusion. Another thought followed.
"How are we going to prevent Sidious from interfering? He's going to be expecting a report from Tarkin soon and if he doesn't get one, then what?
"Luke, keep in mind I am much more...discreet than anyone in the Skywalker clan," Obi-Wan added with a small smile. "We can ensure this never reaches the Chancellor."
He could sense the anxiety emanating off Luke and sought to give what comfort he could. Obi-Wan's eyes sparkled as he flooded their bond with encouragement.
"Calm yourself, my friend. All is not lost and neither are Anakin and Padme. This is a fight we are going to win."
Luke appreciated the confidence but the words of the prophecy haunted him as an unpleasant reminder that so much could go wrong.
"Obi-Wan, I feel like there's something missing in all this. What if…what if the timeline is repeating itself? What if I can't stop my father from becoming Vader? Sun sets, in twilight one must die, a sacrifice, the other destined to survive. It's either me or him."
The old master placed a firm hand on top of his shoulder. He saw the old 'Ben' in that look. The flecks of gray in his beard, the triangular nose, it took Luke Skywalker back to that calm serenity Kenobi never lost. Not even when faced with death.
"Prophecies do not decide our fates, Luke. Our actions determine that and what we do in the moment. That is a lesson from my old master I didn't quite understand until recently. Whatever those words say, you and Anakin aren't locked into a collision course."
When the blond did not return the same faith, Obi-Wan drew closer, the Force suddenly an oasis of light in the overwhelming darkness.
"Like your mother, you are the only one with the capability of bringing out the good in him while simultaneously calming his darkness. You once said to me love is the most powerful force in the universe, greater than the Sith or the dark side. That rings true even now."
Luke felt a rush of confidence surge through him. He once provided the spark necessary to ignite a rebellion and shake Obi-Wan out of a gloomy, self imposed exile. It was only fitting he'd return the favor now.
"May the Force be with us. Thank you."
Obi-Wan's smile widened as they embraced once more.
"You know I must admit, I have a selfish reason to change fate if only to preserve my good looks. I do not like the idea of being a drunken old hermit stuck on Tatooine."
Luke couldn't help but chuckle in the attempt at levity.
"Believe me. It's no fun."
Kamino
Lama Su waited and waited. Lord Tyrannus was a punctual man. To simply ignore a call was not in his nature.
In truth, he did not understand humans. They were easy to clone but far harder to tame. Of all the species they'd cloned over the course of centuries and improved technology, the human species showed the most aberrations from the original host. The individuality displayed by numerous Jango Fett templates was…disconcerting to say the least.
A malfunctioning inhibitor chip went beyond the normal realm of deviation. If the Jedi or the army as a whole found out, it could complicate a whole array of projects, including their ability to secure more government contracts. One autopsy, one dead trooper had put that all in jeopardy.
"Has Tyrannus answered?" Nala Se asked as she entered his private office.
"No."
"That isn't like him," she said in her airy tone.
"I agree. Which is why I believe we can no longer wait. Contact Chancellor Palpatine."
Nala Se bowed and swayed out of the room to do as told. Something was shifting and Lama Su would ensure that whatever resulted from that shift, Kamino stood to profit.
The Jedi Temple
In the secret halls below the main part of the Temple, there still existed old chambers and cells designed to imprison members of the Sith long ago during the days of the Old Republic. Rarely ever used anymore, it was the one part of the building that failed to mesmerize, rather it was cold, made entirely of durasteel with little light or color.
Yoda disliked the feeling of being completely confounded. He hadn't expected Maul to reveal anything right away. But the dark sider, currently being held in a prison, arms and legs binded in specialized magnets that blocked all Force ability, seemed to delight in taunting him…and talking nonsense.
"Circles, circles, circles…yes, this is what she wanted."
"Waste time, I cannot," he said, placing a hand over his forehead. "Do you know who the Sith Lord is?"
Suspended in midair, Maul only laughed, snapping back to reality.
"It amazes me that a group of beings arguably at the height of their power is unwittingly allowing themselves to be destroyed."
"The apprentice of Darth Sidious, you once were," Yoda continued the line of questioning. "Know of his plan, do you?"
"The plan? The plan has been the same from the beginning. You just can't see it." Yellow eyes began wrestling with light green ones. "Or perhaps…you can. But they won't listen…"
Yoda sighed.
"Tired of these games, am I. Aware I am that you tried to kill Skywalker and of the New Prophecy. Nothing more do I desire from you."
"But that is not entirely true, is it?" the ex-Sith said, a yellow toothed smirk settling across tattooed lips. "Otherwise, you would not be here."
He gave a hollow chuckle as the Grandmaster's presence only spurred his amusement.
"The Jedi are divided. Especially the Council whom you are supposed to lead. I do not need the Force to see that."
"So certain are you? The dark side clouds all. You are a servant of it."
"I despise the Sith," Maul spat. "I am nobody's servant."
"Then help us, you can," Yoda countered, thinking he'd outwitted the Zabrakian, who'd revealed his own allegiances.
"I will give my testimony on the condition you set me free. A small price to pay to prevent your own destruction, is it not?" Maul said with a smirk playing around his lips.
"Always looking for a chance to cause strife, the dark side does. I do not strike bargains with it," Yoda stated plainly. "Look beyond your own self interest."
"Very well. When Skywalker is sticking his blade in your back, don't say I didn't warn you."
"An empty threat."
The Grandmaster began walking out of the cell but Maul had final parting words.
"Not threats. A promise. Not because of me, but from your own hubris."
The door shut, silencing the rogue Sith but not the troubled thoughts and feelings within Yoda. He needed to see if Maul might provide the key to countering Sidious. If perhaps, he might forgo his old ways to defeat a common enemy. But such an effort proved fruitless. Nine hundred years of living taught him that once someone adopted the dark path, it dominated their destiny forever…
…and yet had not Luke taught him differently? Was still too set in his ways? Had he lost the faith of the Council, all of whom he trained at some point or another?
Just then a message came in from the Chancellor, his image popping up on the mini holoprojector in his robe pocket. The Grandmaster calmed himself and summoned his own ancient power, channeling fear into the Force to be replaced by calm strength. Sidious was not the only one with acting skills.
"Master Jedi," he said pleasantly. "Have you concluded your interrogation of Maul?"
"Resistant to our line of questioning, Maul is," Yoda told him honestly, a first in their relationship. "Very little will he reveal."
"If he is not being cooperative then I am afraid we have no choice but to turn him over to the military authorities straight away."
"Premature that move might be." He tried to say in the most loftily ignorant voice possible. Sidious thought him a blind fool. Not inaccurate (sadly) but the Grandmaster played his part just as the Sith did as a politician. "No closer we are to finding the Sith Lord."
"It will happen my friend," Palpatine assured them. "The war is nearly at an end. If the Sith are truly behind this as you say, they will either disappear or be brought to justice."
"Unaware of the master's true identity, we still are," Yoda admitted. "More time, we may need."
"Time is not a luxury any of us have, I'm afraid. Rest assured you will know the Sith Lord's true identity, I can promise that."
Something about the way Palpatine said that last sentence bothered the Grandmaster tremendously. Not because of the implication, but just how little he seemed to care at hiding his more sinister intentions. A Sith barely in disguise.
"I must also add, the Senate is gathering later tomorrow night to debate removing me from office and my emergency authority. There are rumors that the Jedi will end up supporting this effort."
The suggestiveness of his tone was clear enough despite it still being somewhat friendly: oppose me at your own peril.
"A civilian petition it is in the Senate, concerning only emergency powers. No decision, the Council has made on such matters."
"I sincerely hope so, Master Yoda. It would not do for the Jedi to be seen as taking action against the Republic with the war so close to being finished. Good night."
As Palpatine left his sight, it left the Grandmaster frowning deeply. The Chancellor had been right about one thing: Sith or no Sith, time was not on their side. Not anymore.
He decided his next call would be to Luke and Obi-Wan, clinging to hope that the Wookies on Kashyyyk were safe and sound.
The Restitution
Luke ran a million different scenarios in his head as to how they were going to provide an official explanation for the death of the third most senior military member in the entire Grand Army of the Republic. Obi-Wan was likely doing the same. Their dilemma had turned into a game of outwitting Sidious, waiting in the wings like a spider waiting to consume its unsuspecting prey.
One thing at a time, he reminded himself. Breathe. Don't panic. These men need you.
He'd barely opened his mouth upon entering the medical wing when he saw one extra member by Crosshair's bed, conducting what looked like a series of tests using his personalized datapad. The goggle eyed brainiac of the Bad Batch. He and Hunter wasted no time in addressing them.
"Sir."
"Sergeant," Obi-Wan greeted. "What's going on?"
"I had a hunch," the clone said with half a shrug. "That whatever might be affecting the regs might be affecting Crosshair too. I messaged Tech to come check it out."
"Let's step outside for a moment," Obi-Wan wisely suggested. Luke agreed. No need to blitz traumatized men with too much information.
Once in the hallway and safely out of range from any potential listeners, Tech began to explain.
"I'm surprised I hadn't considered it earlier," he said, his tone so matter of fact Luke wondered if he might not be part droid. "But the explanation is obvious. What happened on the bridgehead is a result of Kaminoan programming."
The two Jedi looked at each other, knowing it was best to play dumb.
"Programming?" Luke asked innocently enough despite already knowing what he referred to.
"Yes. Upon creation of the clone army, the Kaminoans modified our genetic structure and behavior to ensure orders would be obeyed without question. This was likely accomplished through the use of an inhibitor chip, placed in every clone at the embryonic stage."
The odd urge to simultaneously laugh and break something, almost caused a crack in Luke's brain. A clone had figured this out the whole time? And decided not to tell anyone?
"Right," he said, not quite regaining the use of cognitive functioning.
"In any case, I analyzed the autopsy from the original report and have begun running scans on my own. The correlation is now causation. Crosshair has the same supposed 'tumor'," Tech emphasized in quotations, "as Trooper Tup. The probability of every other clone in the army having the same thing is above ninety nine percent."
"Above ninety-nine percent," Luke repeated with a bit of bemusement.
"One must allow for the possibility they might be wrong. But in this case, I am not." Tech said with a shrug that belied his own confidence. Then his face darkened. "Although, the existence of the inhibitor chip clearly has a nefarious purpose that was unknown until now. Here…"
He showed them his datapad as an x-ray module of Crosshair's head showed up. A bright red dot blinked on and off near the upper right corner.
"These kinds of chips, once activated, are almost impossible for the subject to resist."
"If that's the case, then why didn't we feel anything?" Hunter asked.
"Obviously, we are different," Tech said, adjusting his goggles. "Our genetic enhancements probably make us immune to the effects…with the exception of Crosshair. Though I cannot be certain as to the reason."
Hunter frowned and made a noise but nothing else. Tech resumed his analysis, though Luke sensed he too was concerned about his brother despite the lack of emotion on display.
"I can say this with certainty. Whoever ordered the implementation of these chips as a means to weaponize them against the Jedi is a genius, if not a fifth level intellect."
"No kidding," Luke muttered, cursing the day Darth Plageuis picked Palpatine to be his next in line.
"Fives seemed to think you knew something."
Luke considered Hunter's statement carefully, knowing that revealing too much might jeopardize their safety.
"I did. I suspected the Grand Army of the Republic might be compromised, and I ordered Echo and Fives to report any suspicious behavior. But you've just given us proof. This is a plot, not just behavior modification."
"Which is why our next steps must be very careful and precise," Obi-Wan counseled. "We cannot let this information spread beyond this ship before we have had a chance to inform the Jedi Council."
Thankfully, neither Hunter nor Tech asked any questions or showed any doubt. In fact, the Sergeant angled his head towards the ground as if deep in thought.
"Tarkin's dead. That's going to be tough to cover up."
"Keep in mind that only six people in this entire ship witnessed the actual death," Tech pointed out. "We four, Wrecker, and Fives. Everyone else was unconscious. And I doubt any of us have an inclination to face a firing squad."
Luke built upon that sentiment.
"If Tarkin is officially labeled dead, that puts us in a position of having to provide an explanation. But if he's declared missing in action, no one can be accused of any wrongdoing."
"He fled," Obi-Wan said, shifting his gaze from Luke to the clones, creating the lie as they went along. "Abandoned his post."
"Who says his shuttle wasn't shot down over Kashyyyk?" Hunter suggested with a gleam in his eyes. "A lot goes unaccounted for during battle."
The Last Jedi saw it now. Conflicting reports. Rumors. A vast web of misinformation and bureaucratic jumble not even Sidious would be able to sift through immediately. It wouldn't be the first time an abusive officer mysteriously disappeared only for his men to claim ignorance.
"Send Nolan and the rest of Tarkin's goons to the Wookies," Luke said. "They can explain to King Grakchawwaa why they deliberately committed war crimes against their people."
Hunter smiled approvingly.
"I like your style."
"Let's just make sure that they won't be harmed," Obi-Wan cautioned. He had a similar expression when Anakin decided to do something reckless. "Wookies have been known to rip the limbs of adversaries from their joint sockets."
"Nah, that's just a rumor," Luke quickly rectified. "They're not allowed to use their claws on sentient beings. Droids on the other hand..."
He barely resisted a small laugh at seeing the nettled look on Obi-Wan's face. 'I suppose you'll explain that later,' their bond seemed to echo.
"We will also need to begin removing these chips as soon as possible," Tech interjected as he began punching in numbers on his datapad. "I have several different theories on who or what might be behind this plot, all ranging from the plausible to the sinister."
Hunter stepped in to reel in the poindexter.
"That's for later Tech. Right now, the regs need our help."
"How are we supposed to remove the chips without a Level 5 atomic brain scan?" Luke asked. "If the surgical pods can't locate them inside their brains, they won't be removed."
"Problem solved. I downloaded the schematics submitted by Kix in his autopsy report into my datapad. It's what I used to find the chip in Crosshair. I can plug it into the surgical pods, and every file will automatically be uploaded into the system's programming. The pods will know exactly where the chips are and can remove them in under two minutes. Setting it up will take a couple of hours, but once started, the process is extremely efficient."
Obi-Wan and Luke's eyebrows both rocketed to their hairlines.
"He's something, isn't he?" Hunter, a rare smirk stretching across his tattooed face.
"Indeed," Obi-Wan hummed. "Well, gentleman, shall we get started?"
Luke almost fist pumped in anticipation. They were not out of the woods yet. Sidious still intended to murder them all. But at the very least, they had a fighting chance.
They had a plan.
"Captain Vaughn," he said into his comlink. "Withdraw the men back to the Restitution. We're going home."
The Chancellor's Suite
"I sincerely hope so, Master Yoda. It would not do for the Jedi to be seen as taking action against the Republic with the war so close to being finished. Good night."
The hologram of the Jedi Master disappeared, but not Sidious's headache.
Dark side orthodoxy dictated that prolonged use of the dark side caused physical side effects. The use of ancient sorcery guaranteed the Jedi never saw his true face. But even if not a single midi-chlorian ran through his veins, Sidious swore he'd aged ten years in the last three alone. Not that such inane trivialities mattered, but ruling the entire galaxy would do that to any person, light or dark.
The Sith had mastered the art of harnessing his anger and aggression after forty years of immersion in the darkest arts. War caused stress. It broke people, remade them, corrupted hearts, and compromised values. He drank their negative emotions like a nourishing elixir. While his enemies grew weaker, he grew stronger. Even the Jedi, supposed masters of self discipline, were now unbalanced and fearful. The constant headaches that plagued them were absent in Sidious.
Until now.
A roaring migraine pulsed through his brain, a sensation not experienced since the days of his apprenticeship under Plagueis. He vaguely wondered if the old fool ever felt this way as a Sith Master; always having to deal with a stream of pathetic refuse at every turn. He almost envied the Muun for withdrawing to focus on personal experiments. Almost.
Darth Sidious had not come this far for the Grand Plan to fall through. But that's exactly what the screen showed upon looking at it for the thirteenth time. A living, breathing document that could potentially expose everything.
The subject passed in the early hours of Coruscant month eleven at approximately zero eight thirty two. Trooper Tup aka 'CT-5385' officially died of a hemorrhagic stroke likely stemming from an incident the prior day involving a sparring session between him and trooper Wrecker of Clone Force 99. Commander Cody aka 'CC-2224' tried to intervene but the damage had been done. Signs of a mild concussion were evident. But attacking a ranking Jedi General, brought further scrutiny to this incident.
Given the nature of this death, unusual and unheard of for a trooper his health and age, I performed an autopsy in accordance with orders received from General Luke Ahch-To. Upon inspection, I found a small tumor on the right side of the brain large enough to impede neural pathways from the limbic system to the frontal lobe. The tumor was not only decayed but seems to have burst minutes before surgery was to occur. Therefore, it is heavily likely that the source of this stroke originates from said tumor.
Tarkin alerted the Kaminoans, who in turn tried to contact Tyranus. Infuriatingly, Tyranus had not answered and therefore the report had come straight into the hands of the Supreme Chancellor. Those revolting longnecks no doubt were thinking of their own bottom line, a defective clone meant less funding, less funding meant profits went down. They didn't know the true consequences of a report like this, which did nothing to quell the throbbing pain inside his head.
He gracefully stood from his elegant, black chair and walked towards the rectangular window behind him in all the spectacular splendor it offered. The sun had already set and a cool bluish hue settled into the horizon. Thick, puffy clouds were forming into the distance bringing the promise of rain as the planet's weather controlled system shifted gears.
The violent storm brewed within the Dark Lord, who longed to unleash his carefully controlled rage against everyone in sight. Alas, he could not. Only silently seethe at the thought of Dooku. What was the man doing? Sitting on his polished arse counting stolen treasure?
And Tarkin…the man simply disappeared without a trace. His key ally, the perfect subordinate to carry out the first stages of the Jedi Purge, dead. It didn't take leaps and bounds to come to that conclusion. The official report in the GAR command logs was vague; missing in action. Conflicting accounts from various clone officers claimed his shuttle had been shut down or being captured by the enemy. A victory never felt more like a defeat.
Of course, controlling both sides of a conflict meant nothing slipped past your gaze. If the Separatists had Tarkin in their clutches, he'd have been informed. And there was a third, unsavory element to this.
Luke Ahch-To.
The longer this went on, the more Sidious regretted leaving him alive. Ahch-To had sussed out the plot against him and Kenobi. Sources told him the political opposition now threatened to expose personal war profiting in the local publications. In nearly three years of war, no one had ever suspected the humble, unassuming Chancellor of any wrongdoing. A bluff perhaps, but where would such information come from in the first place?
The Jedi were ignorant but wary and they would not be fooled for much longer. Subtly threatening them did little at this point. Anakin's mood was aggravated, anxious even, but not desperate enough to fall. The only solace to be taken was that the plan to subdue Senator Amidala remained intact.
Too many enemies were left standing. Too many things left unaccounted for. The final phase needed to begin.
Unable to suppress a snarl, Sidious whipped back towards his desk and studied the report again, striving through the pain, allowing it to feed his power.
An autopsy like this normally meant nothing. Except it was now in the hands of his greatest foe. Luke Ahch-To wasn't stupid. He would discover the existence of the inhibitor chips and connect the dots. And then the current migraine would seem paltry compared to the trouble he'd face from dozens of Jedi showing up at his front door step.
And Maul…Maul was in the Jedi's clutches and they would not so easily let go of him. What if his former, resurrected apprentice decided to reveal everything?
Certain actions foreshadowed certain ends. The gift of foresight was one of his greatest abilities. But now there were too many to account for all at once.
For the first time in decades, Darth Sidious made something of an impulsive decision. Sweeping out of his main suite, he opened the automatic door to the secret chamber located inside one the adjoining walls. It shut as he put on his robes and pulled over the hood.
A few sequences and button pushing later, a blue hologram appeared on the screen.
"Have you been tracking the Tano girl?"
"Yeah. Since she got home with Skywalker."
"It is time to proceed with the next phase of the plan. The next time she leaves the Temple, capture her."
A nod and a tip of the hat coolly confirmed as much.
"Consider it done. Just as long as I get what I'm owed."
"You are already being paid handsomely, bounty hunter. I do not need any further complications in my plans. The girl is not to be harmed. I want her alive and unspoiled."
"She may have a bruise or two but I ain't gonna wreck that pretty face."
A vein in Sidious's temple pulsed.
"Do not test the limits of my patience."
"A deal is a deal and a job is a job. You don't gotta worry." Of course, the bounty hunter couldn't resist one last slight. "Sleep might do ya some good, though."
Sidious chewed on his lip at the disrespect.
"There is also another task I have for you, bounty hunter."
"Then I'm gonna have to raise my price."
"There are three locations in the media district I need to remove as possible roadblocks," he growled, ignoring the not so subtle demand for more money. "Make sure the damage and body count is substantial. I am sending you the coordinates…and your pay."
Satisfied and rewarded, the bounty hunter tipped his hat.
"I'll get straight to it."
As he disappeared from view, the migraine in Sidious's head throbbed ominously, and he vowed to receive some form of medicine. But first, he'd use it to his advantage…
The Dark Lord of the Sith, aggravated, angry, and vengeful poured every ounce of his energy into the dark side; feeding it, tending it, growing it, directing it. Sending carnage and distress among those who dared to stand against him. It ballooned larger and larger as the light steadily faded, dying an obscure death just as all weakness did in the end.
Blue eyes flushed yellow and blue veins turned black. Smirking, Sidious felt the delectable fear amongst the fools living in the Temple, specifically on the Council…Mace Windu. They were all so afraid. So confused and lost.
Let's further that along shall we?
Everything would be his, everything would be conquered, even the Living Force itself. He imagined the stories created in his honor, the legends in Sith lore of Darth Sidious, the Sith'ari, the one who succeeded where Plagueis had failed.
A Master. An Emperor. A god.
Coruscant
By the time Ahsoka finished her call with Obi-Wan and Luke she'd missed her original shuttle departure with Anakin.
"Snips," he teased over the comlink. "You're late again."
"Sorry, Master. Got caught up in something else."
"Something else?" Anakin asked and she could hear the teasing in his voice. "You're hurting my feelings, my former padawan."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to ignore that."
"But seriously, come over quick. Threepio's making dinner tonight and well…Padme is looking forward to you joining us."
Her spirits rose considerably.
"See ya in fifteen minutes Skyguy."
Entering into the evening dusk of Coruscant, Ahsoka stepped outside onto one of the landing platforms where a number of public speeders hovered for personal use. She hopped onto one, revved the engine and took off into traffic.
The speeding hustle and bustle of the city's many residents was familiar to her by now. She'd traveled to and fro from the Temple to the CoCo Town, the Senate building, the Executive Building, downtown, and the clone row many times. Today she'd be going to the Federal District, which housed the majority of diplomatic staff serving in the Senate. She'd been once before.
Ahsoka took a right at one the four way intersections downtown and swerved to avoid an oncoming taxi who took a dangerous turn. Kriffin' asshole.
She went over the directions in her head again. Using the Force might suffice to locate Anakin through their bond, but sometimes a map never hurt. The District itself had a fair amount of security but the apartment complex Padme stayed at was fairly lax in terms of guards.
I wonder if that's a good thing.
Though Anakin still hadn't mastered the concept of healthy attachments, Ahsoka didn't blame him fully for being overprotective of his wife. She'd been the victim of at least five separate assassination attempts during the war. Dooku was no doubt behind many of them, but Sidious lay in wait.
She's going to need extra protection during the Senate session tomorrow.
One of many things she would need to explain to Anakin, some much easier in theory than others. Would he accept Luke as his son? And how would Padme react? She knew of Palpatine's true identity and purpose, but Anakin saw the man as a grandfather. A trusted figure of authority. And he almost never trusted any kind of authority.
Relax.
Everything would be okay. Anakin and Padme were inviting her in. They would listen. There was no such thing as Darth Vader. Not in her book.
She sped through one of the connecting tunnels and emerged near the District entrance guarded by two oblong towers standing tall and sleek in the distance. But something was wrong. The Force called out in warning.
A fire stemming from a crash between a military supply shuttle and a civilian vehicle was being blocked off, denying anyone entry into the district. Clone shock troopers were gesturing for people to go around. A blinking, orange detour directed oncoming traffic to an alternate route.
Ahsoka slowed down as passed by the flames being attended by the civilian fire authority, its light creating a vast lumination of the accident. This would be a problem, the only other way around was through a maze of narrow back alleys leading to the eastern gate.
She ignored her own trepidation and dove towards the detour.
Mygeeto
Count Dooku was not used to receiving transmissions in the middle of a fight from his master but accepted it anyway. He sensed that Sidious was deeply angry, never a good sign.
Then again, the leader of the Separatist movement had become more and more indifferent to Sidious's beck and call.
"It's a signal from an unknown source," the protocol droid asked in its usual monotone. "Should I accept?"
A bomb exploded in the distance outside of his fortress. The Republic was getting closer. Sidious decided now of all times to call?
"Put it through."
"Yes, sir."
He bent down in front of the holotable, much more reluctantly than in the past.
"What news, my Master?" he asked as Sidious came into view who wasted no time in releasing his anger.
"Lord Tyranus, when I took you as my apprentice, your reputation as a cunning strategist preceded you. Perhaps I was mistaken."
"What do you mean?" Dooku asked, chancing looking up directly without permission.
"One of our assets has been discovered by the Jedi. The inhibitor chip of a trooper in the 501st legion activated prematurely. This could expose the existence of Order 66 before it is ready to be implemented."
"How is that possible?"
"I was hoping you could tell me," Sidious hissed furiously. "I learned of this through a report from the Kaminoans in my post as Supreme Chancellor. Are your eyes so blind that Separatist intelligence did not know of a clone attempting to execute his own Jedi General?"
Dooku willed himself to remain calm at the scathing rebuke. He'd never been so insulted in his entire life.
"How was I supposed to know this information when it was only privy to Republic forces, who are currently engaging me on Mygeeto."
"Yet another failure to heed my orders, Lord Tyranus. You were to wait until the war was over to turn yourself in as opposed to drawing more attention."
"Attention I did not ask for," Dooku pushed back with increasing irritation. "The Outer Rim Sieges that you have ordered are responsible for Master Aayla Secura pushing my droids to the brink."
The intense anger and hatred currently felt by both Sith was extremely tangible even billions of miles away.
"You tread on perilously thin ice with your disrespect, my apprentice. But I am willing to overlook the slight if you complete this task for me: send what remains of the second fleet to intercept Luke Ahch-To, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and their clones heading back to Coruscant. Eliminate them and all traceable evidence leading back to Order 66 and we will put this unfortunate incident behind us."
"I will not."
The response surprised even him, but Count Dooku had had enough. The time of being apprenticed to Darth Sidious, the man who ensnared his services thirteen years ago, was finished.
"What did you say?"
"Fetch someone else to do your dirty work, my Lord," he sneered with mocking contempt. "I will not sit idly by while I am cast aside in favor of your prized pet, Skywalker. He too will be a fool for joining you."
"Lord Tyranus if you fail to comply-"
Dooku stood up and smashed the transmission button, ending the conversation. In retrospect, it was probably one of the stupidest decisions he'd ever made, totally contradictory to the careful and methodical image crafted over the years. There was no doubt Sidious would try to wipe him out entirely.
Yet, he did not regret it. Not even for a second.
"Prepare my personal transport," he said to the protocol droid. "We are leaving."
"My Lord, what about the battle?"
"It is no longer relevant to my concerns. Now go."
"Yes, sir."
He didn't mind leaving the action, Mygeeto was lost anyway and the false war as well. The entire Separatist movement had been built on a lie in the first place. The only thing that mattered now? Surviving. And he would do so on his own terms while exposing Sidious for the liar and fraud he truly was.
The Ivory Tower
Yoda was the first to arrive for the Council about an hour before the scheduled meeting. He used to ascend the Ivory Tower on his own during his younger days just to appreciate its beauty, 'younger' being a relative term for someone of his species. How long had it been? A decade? A century? Two?
For years he'd served with distinction on this body. Directing, training, assisting the various generations of Jedi that passed through, outliving most. Doctrine said that mourning those who passed into the Force was at best, an unneeded distraction. All living things eventually met their end. This must be fundamentally understood. For it was the idea of a higher purpose, transcending the individual and the self that defined their Order. Not lightsabers, not incredible acrobatic feats. But the soul. Defending life itself.
Yet on this solemn occasion Yoda saw their faces. Every single one. Every species, every gender, every age. Countless Masters, Knights, Padawans, and younglings. They meant something, not just to the ideals of the Jedi but himself.
Yoda never married or took interest in the idea of romance. But Luke Skywalker, traveling through the road of time in all of its mystery and wonder, showed him something else: love. This was his. Attachments might be forbidden but was he not attached to every single person inhabiting this place? The place they called home.
He'd been meditating more frequently than ever despite the growing darkness. Sidious intended to conquer the Living Force as well as the universe, his shadow stretched across planets, systems, and the galaxy itself. Alas, the folly of the dark side. It could only consume, control, and destroy.
Even amongst the cold chill of the dark side, Grandmaster Yoda found clarity like never before. And he was ready. Ready for what? He could not say. To die. To fight. To protect. To do what was right. Perhaps Qui-Gon had been wiser than any of them. It was the moment that defined the trials of life. Follow the will of the Force.
Do what is right, the voice whispered. One he recognized now.
He flipped up his communicator and called Luke. Ten seconds passed before he answered.
"Master," he said with a bow.
"Alone you are not, I see."
Obi-Wan stood in the background and gave a tacit wave.
"Hello there, Master."
"Sense I do that Obi-Wan is informed of the truth, hmmm?"
Both men failed to hide padawan-like smiles.
"To make a long story short: yes he does."
"About time, it is."
Obi-Wan turned away to hide a laugh while Luke flushed with embarrassment.
"I know," he mumbled.
"Need his support, we will."
"What do you mean, Master?"
Yoda gave them both serious looks, his grizzled features appearing beyond nine hundred years.
"A meeting there is tonight with Senator Organa, to secure an alliance in their efforts to remove Sidious from power. But I sense another purpose. Master Windu…in danger is he."
"In danger?" Obi-Wan appeared nervous. "From what?"
"Himself. The dark side surrounds him."
"Impossible. Master Windu can be prickly and a bit set in his ways but he would never embrace the dark side."
Luke's reaction was different. He shifted in weight and flicked his eyes upward.
"Perhaps Master Yoda doesn't mean danger in the traditional sense of the word."
"Yes. As the dark side continues to grow stronger, so does its corruptive influence. Twist minds and exploit fear it can. And great fear there is in Mace Windu."
Yoda did not believe that the Head of the Order would become a Sith or support Darth Sidious. His self discipline, even as a boy, was exemplary, but this could also make him inflexible and unable to see past following rules. Dogmatic to a fault. Susceptible to absolutism. A holy crusader instead of an acolyte of the Force.
"What do you suggest, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, though the two of them already could guess the answer.
"Attend the Council meeting you both shall. Missed far too many, you have lately Master Obi-Wan," the Grandmaster admonished, though his eyes twinkled as he said it. "The time has come. The Jedi must be united if we are to defeat this evil."
"We are a bit busy…" Luke said slowly.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Kenobi said quite loudly. "Don't you think so, Luke?"
Under reproach from both his former Masters, the blond relented.
"You're right," he said with a sigh. "It actually might be a good time to share the official discovery of the inhibitor chips."
"More than that, we will need. The time has come, Master Skywalker." Luke perked up at the use of his old title, the wily Grandmaster aware of the effect it would have. "The truth about Sidious and the truth about yourself, the Council will need to hear. Tried I did, to interrogate Maul for information. But it did not yield fruit."
Even systems away, Yoda felt just how nervous his old student was. But he never doubted he would do the right thing.
"No more secrets, no more lies," Obi-Wan reminded softly.
Luke straightened.
"Okay," he said. "You're right. I just…never thought it would come to this."
"Sacrifice much you have. But lose faith, you cannot, my old padawan."
"I have faith, Master," Luke insisted. He could not mask the bravado camouflaging his self doubt. The wisdom of a nine hundred year old Grandmaster saw that he still needed one last lesson.
Will he learn?
They would find out soon enough.
"We will see you soon, Master," Obi-Wan said with a closing bow.
The Restitution- Lower Deck
"So then I said, 'Clanker? I barely knew her.'"
Hardcase roared with laughter while Jesse gave a hard scoff of dismissal.
"Hardcase, you've never even met a girl, much less slept with one."
"I have to!"
"Who? One of the models inside your magazines?"
"Ah, go kriff yourself."
The two opened the hatch to the storage room, or rather, the morgue. A frosty freezer with rows of pressurized tombs all containing the same thing. Hardcase gave a shiver.
"Cold?"
"No. It's…the bodies."
Jesse turned towards his brother. He looked ashamed. Even a bit unsettled.
"Come on, this is war. We've killed hundreds of enemy combatants. Not to mention thousands of clankers."
"This is different, though. When you're in battle, you don't have time to think about killing something. In here it's…real."
Jesse felt a chill of his own that had nothing to do with the temperature. But they had a job to do and they'd see it out.
"Let's get this over with. You got the shelf numbers?"
"Yup."
There were only five caskets they'd been ordered to dispose of. Jesse pressed in the sequence to the first shelf and it popped open with a steaming hiss.
"Good thing you can't smell anything in here."
One by one they removed each one from storage, hoisting them up and dropping them in the airlock chamber. Even for strong, sturdy clone troopers such as themselves, Jesse felt the weight of each one.
"What's in these things?" Hardcase grumbled. "Feels like I'm luggin around a Hutt."
"Trandoshans who were killed during battle," Jesse replied with a shrug. "Apparently."
They tossed two into the airlock. Then a third and a fourth.
"How many more do we have?"
"Just the one."
Hardcase pulled out the last bodybag and gave a look of surprise.
"Hey, this one's pretty light." He tossed it at Jesse, who caught it with an oomph.
"Watch it!" he said crossly while Hardcase snickered. He began carrying it over and noticed that his brother had not been lying. "Hey, what do you know? It is pretty light."
"Doesn't feel like a Trandoshan. Whoever's in there probably weighed 150 pounds at most."
Jesse grunted as he tossed the bag into the airlock, wrinkling his nose at the sight. Hardcase had a point. A body on the battlefield hit a lot different than below deck of a ship.
"Who's in there, anyway?" Hardcase asked.
"Don't know, don't care. General Luke said he wanted this done quietly and without fuss. I intend to follow that order."
He pressed the top red button and the airlock sealed in tight. A push of the second green button and the bodies were sucked into the cold vacuum of space.
"Well, that's that." Jesse brushed his hands together. "Lock down the morgue. Let's go back up to the mess hall and get some grub."
"Amen, brother."
Jesse and Hardcase never again thought about what or who they had disposed of.
Three way calls were not unfamiliar to Luke. In fact, the Galactic Rebellion routinely coordinated between different factions and cells in their fight against the Empire. Leia told him stories of how fractured their movement was before he and Han showed up. Therefore, a degree of irony persisted throughout the transmission. The Rebellion wanted to achieve cohesion. The Jedi Council never felt so divided.
Obi-Wan being a Council member was allowed to invite a guest, as was Yoda. Standing on the now cleared and scrubbed bridge of the Restitution, all automatic doors had been shut to guarantee privacy in the holosuite, illuminated by Senator Bail Organa as well as the rest of the Council.
The meeting started with a quick rundown of the war- the Separatists fled Kashyyyk. Master Luminara would be returning home with her troops as soon as a relief force could be sent. Quinlan Vos was close to securing Raxus Secondus. And intelligence located Count Dooku on Mygeeto with Aayla Secura leading the attack there. Once this ended, Bail Organa was introduced and he began a long awaited speech.
"Masters and Knights of the Jedi Council, I thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today. Master Yoda was kind enough to extend a formal invitation."
There were various nods, shakes, and acknowledgments from the Council. Windu, however, didn't move a muscle. Luke resolved to keep an eye on him.
"I will merely restate what is already known to us. We share a dilemma. Palpatine is an aspiring dictator, and democracy stands at the edge of a knife. Much is at stake."
At least Bail, the politician, is attempting to bring a spirit of unity, Luke thought, irritated by the lack of urgency in the Council.
"And the Jedi's position as a neutral, non-political entity is also at stake," Ki-Adi Mundi replied. "If your motion in the Senate fails, to remove him from power by force would be a violation of the constitution."
"We suspect that much of the Senate is under the control of a powerful Sith Lord," Mace Windu expounded further. "Even your own Caucus might be compromised. Any move we make will have to be taken with great care."
Bail inhaled a great, tired breath.
"I wish it were that simple. The truth is far worse."
Here it comes.
Luke copied Bail's breathing. Obi-Wan tensed. Yoda was entirely still.
"I have found out recently from one of your own, that Chancellor Palpatine is none other than Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord you've been looking for."
The resulting ripple of disbelief reverberated across the Council like a shockwave. A silent boom that rattled the Force.
"Impossible," Mundi whispered.
"We would have been aware by now if the Chancellor indeed was the Sith Lord," Windu responded almost condescendingly.
"Master Jedi, I assure you it's the truth."
"Who told you this?" Windu's tone had switched from rude indifference to accusatory. "Which one among our ranks was able to solve what we could not?"
"Me."
Luke had enough. His self restraint at an end, he wasted no time in spilling the bitterness of that truth to them.
"It's been right in front of you this entire time and not one of you…one of you…saw it coming."
It felt odd to speak in a near empty room instead of amongst an entire group of Masters on Coruscant, but Luke cared more about being right than nuance. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his back as a means of calm. It did not quell the irritation.
"Look at the facts. Think on how your Visions continue to grow more clouded, murky, rendered useless by the fog of war. How the dark side grows stronger. Do you believe it's a coincidence that a dark presence is on Coruscant? That every time the Jedi get too close, we suddenly lose the trail?"
"And we have further proof of his crimes." Bail Organa interceded with poise and reason. "Recordings from a device placed in his office."
The Senator began playing back the tapes and Palpatine's voice, smooth, silky, and unctuous, spoke of many illicit activities. Luke had heard them already but he saw that many on the Council were beginning to see just what they were dealing with.
"By the Force…" Depa Billaba whispered.
"Save your surprise, my former Padawan," Windu said. "This only proves what we have known all along. Palpatine is a crooked politician who sees the Jedi as an obstacle to absolute power. The question is, who influences the Chancellor?"
Luke was about ready to jump across hyperspace and smack the man himself but Yoda quickly stood up.
"Master Windu, the truth Luke speaks. Sidious and Palpatine are of one mind. One dark soul."
"What truth has he spoken?" Windu argued back. "I doubt we've heard a single truth from his mouth since the moment he arrived here…" he stopped and his face screwed up in fury. "You knew about this, didn't you? And Obi-Wan…you too."
"You're making a very good case for why we waited until now to tell you," Luke said with no small amount of sass.
"Mace," Obi-Wan cut in calmly. "You are allowing personal dislike to cloud your judgment. This is real. We as Jedi have been caught with our metaphorical robes down and we must make amends before it's too late."
"So he got to you too?"
Even Obi-Wan lost a bit of patience.
"No one 'got to me'. And that is neither here nor there."
"I don't suppose Knight Ahch-To can tell us how he came across this dark secret?" Ki-Adi Mundi spoke as a skeptic but also from plain curiosity.
Obi-Wan took a side glance at Luke and lowered his chin that little bit. It was time.
"I can," he said. "But Master Windu is right about one thing. I have not been entirely truthful."
He took a deep breath.
"My name is Luke Skywalker. I'm the son of Anakin Skywalker. I know what I know because I've lived it. The events that transpired this year in galactic history led to the galaxy I grew up in: one where there are no Jedi and oppressive suffering is widespread from Coruscant to Kamino. A galaxy ruled by Darth Sidious in the guise of Emperor Palpatine. I've come back fifty years in the future."
He looked at Mace Windu directly now, carefully controlling his voice but with the power of thunder behind it.
"I am not the enemy you're looking for. And if you don't listen to what I have to say now, this dark history will repeat itself."
Everyone in the meeting held their breath. Yoda's ears twitched in anticipation. Obi-Wan scratched his beard. Even Bail Organa did not say a word (he did, however, look as though he'd received an electric shock from a jumper cable).
"Luke Skywalker," Mace Windu repeated as if it was foreign to him. "Well I appreciate the honesty, 'Skywalker'. I just have a few questions…"
Luke gripped the holotable. He could tell Mace didn't believe him.
"Senator, who was it who told you that Palpatine was a Sith Lord?" he asked Bail.
"Luke," came the answer.
"And Obi-Wan?"
"You know that already."
"Master Yoda-"
"A point there is to this, Master Windu?" Yoda said sharply.
"My point is the source of this accusation is from one man," Windu boldly declared, getting up from his chair. "I have detected many shatterpoints in my lifetime, but never one as strong as this. Palpatine, Skywalker, the younglings…it all leads back to him. The mysterious warrior who fell out of the sky."
Luke hardly dared to say anything else. But for once, his temper didn't run hot. He felt cold, empty, hopeless…endlessly lamenting that just when something might go right, it slipped from his grasp like the sands of Tatooine.
"Mace, listen to yourself," Obi-Wan half shouted, half laughed with incredulous agony. "Listen to this entire conversation. We're having a debate over the wrong man! The Sith Lord is right there inside the Chancellor's office, ready to take us down with seven syllables."
He tapped a button on the central mainframe and a holographic report with a picture of a familiar clone trooper popped up in the middle of the screen.
"There is an inhibitor chip placed inside the head of every single clone trooper in the Grand Army of the Republic. These chips are linked to the one hundred and fifty contingency orders laid out in the Military Creation Act, including the one that deals specifically with the Jedi, Order 66."
"That order is only used in the event of a Jedi going rogue," Saesee Tinn was quick to notify.
"You're not listening," Luke cut in. "This chip is designed specifically to override the clones' free will. If it activates and they're told to eliminate every single Jedi across the galaxy, there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. Who do you think controls that order?"
Several Council members darted their eyes to the floor, looking uncomfortable. Masters Fisto and Gallia especially seemed troubled.
"Are you saying the Chancellor ordered this trooper to kill you?" Ki-Adi Mundi pressed. "Where are these chips?"
"Well….no, the chip activated prematurely. Trooper Tup attacked me four rotations ago. It's outlined in this specific incident. We haven't had a chance to remove them."
"If that is so, then why didn't you inform us sooner?"
By the Force, Mace Windu served no other purpose than to make his life difficult.
"Tup died from the effects and the autopsy hadn't been performed yet. There wasn't any time." Luke huffed out in frustration, so close to just jamming the damn disconnect button and leaving them to rot. "Then we were ordered to Mandalore, then Kashyyyk and we just had to fend off an attack from the same order we're warning you about! Do you want to see the surveillance footage?"
The Last Jedi's head began spinning from the sheer amount of emotional adrenaline running through it. He wanted to lie down but forced himself to stay, willing that the Council might finally see reason.
Disappointment cut deep.
"Luke Ahch-To, Skywalker, or whatever your real name is," Mace Windu said after a pause. Yoda tried to intervene.
"Master Windu enough-"
"No, Master. This Council does not serve your whims and opinions only," the Head of the Order said harshly. "Luke Skywalker, if you truly wish to earn any good standing among this Council, you will have to return to the Temple to face trial for conspiracy and sedition against the Jedi Order."
"Mace-"
"You will take his lightsaber and bind him, Obi-Wan." The Korunian turned towards the third party. "Senator Organa, you have my respect and assurance that if the Senate votes to remove Palpatine, we will support the peaceful transfer of power. But no more than that. Not until we have answers to certain questions."
Mace's eyes burned like dark coals, even through the staticity of the hologram. He addressed the blond last.
"That is my ultimatum, Luke."
The transmission ended. So did Luke's breaking point as he slammed both fists down on the holotable. Obi-Wan shook his head and slapped a hand across his forehead.
History doesn't repeat. But in this case, it rhymed a little too well.
500 Republica- The Executive Apartment Complex
The anger in Darth Sidious had been watered down only slightly from a boil to a simmer. Dooku's betrayal didn't sting in as much as it would prove to be a prickling thorn in the side. He couldn't kill the traitorous former apprentice right away no matter how much the desire to rip out the man's throat roiled his guts. But that could be amended once Skywalker had joined the Sith, and the Tano girl molded into something more useful.
No, what concerned him was the potential exposure of Order 66. If the Jedi found out before the next Senate session, the Grand Plan would end before a chance at final completion.
Sidious read over the autopsy report once more and scanned the contents for anything of use, something that might point in the right direction. Alas, no existing report of the incident existed in the 501st command logs or on Luke Ahch-To's personal records. He'd been clever enough to hide all traces of what happened that day.
Then a name caught his eye. CC-2224 aka Marshal Commander Cody. That specific clone was one of the top ranked non Jedi officers in the army. He served under Kenobi and was known for being a stickler when it came to protocol and procedure. Clone Commanders were allowed to submit reports of their own.
I wonder…
A quick search of clone's personal briefings, it wasn't long until he found the one he desired: Report 18-7A concerning CT-5385 "Tup".
Sidious's pale, gray lips turned into a greedy smile as he read, as though he'd struck gold on a mountainside. The Sith was back in control, knowing exactly what to do and how to bring his vision to bear. So many witnesses but one popped out at him:
CT-5555 aka ARC Trooper Fives.
Ahsoka didn't like this part of Coruscant.
It wasn't the neighborhood per say, many of the planet's lower levels and underworld systems were far worse. But the jumbled, crooked assembly of housing, shops, markets, visibly suffered from lack of funding, necessities, and a wartime economy that did not suit their needs. She'd only walked among this section a handful of times but the destitution hardly matched her memory before the war.
This is what we've done. What we've ignored.
The few people out and about were clothed in dirty, unkempt attire, human and nonhuman alike. Many of the spaces looked crammed and a stream of saloons seemed to be the only places with any sort of liveliness. When in hard times, drink it away.
I thought Padme had stopped the Military Expansion Act, Ahsoka thought. Then she remembered that preventing more clone troopers from being created did not mean more money for everyone else. Things were already bad, they merely stayed the same.
She resolved to talk to Padme about increasing funds for entitlement programs once Sidious was dead and the war over. Somehow it appeared inevitable. Her sight was as clouded as everyone else in the Temple but she did sense that much. That horrible wrenching in the stomach believed Luke to be right: that Sidious would sooner die and take everyone with him than surrender.
Shifting gears, Ahsoka's speeder sent a few stacked crates on a corner across the concrete ground. She slowed down, wishing very much she could go faster but the layout of the neighborhood prevented revving up to top speed. These people were barely scraping by as it was. Veering right then left she took a turn into one of the narrowest side streets. According to her map, it was the quickest way forward to 500 Republica.
Her heart was so set on what she would say to Anakin and Padme, she almost missed it. The warning in the Force. That eerie sixth sense someone was watching you.
Gotta get out of this alleyway.
Traveling further into the maze of streets only dampened the light as posts began to flicker and buzz. Bars turned into dark, quiet apartments that had already settled in for the night. The height of buildings increased. She did not like it. Coruscant hid many dark secrets but this one she sensed as the end of the street drew nearer.
Someone's up there.
She caught the flash of a scope up above and the shape of the stalker just a parsecond too late. There was no room to maneuver. One *zip later and a dart entered the side of her neck.
"Ack!"
Ahsoka immediately pulled it out, but the dart's effect took hold seconds after. Strength failed and muscles went limp as she lost control of the speeder.
A mighty crash later and she lay in a pile of disposal bins, covered in trash. Her consciousness was beginning to fail as her eyes rolled backwards, but she was able to catch a glimpse of the adversary before passing out.
Brown boots, baggy trousers, and a distinctive hat.
Okay, so I imagine some (many) of you might be very anxious at the moment. Don't worry...at least not yet. There are going to be some major bumps on this flight but it'll be worth it in the end.
A/N#1- I believe the Kaminoans knew that the chip could be used for nefarious purposes but they didn't know Dooku's real identity or Palpatine's for that matter. They're just greedy and unempathetic.
A/N #2- Luke has done an effective job at thwarting Sidious but as a result, his drive to rule the galaxy has ramped up considerably compared to the original timeline. It's not enough to conquer the Republic. He wants to conquer everything including the Force. You'll see more of this next chapter.
A/N #3- I fully believe Obi-Wan to have an extremely highly alcohol tolerance lol.
A/N #4- If you think Mace Windu has gone insane...see note author's note #2. There's a reason.
Updates are going to start to be more frequent. The next one is already finished and I'm working on the climax as we speak. Until then, leave those reviews! And rock on!
~The Wasp