Hello, my friends!
So before we get started I have an obligatory message to convey: don't panic.
That in itself might seem ominous. But I felt it necessary given that these next two chapters are going to follow the same tone as the last one. Dark and unpredictable.
With that said, search for the silver linings . For darkness is only the absence of light. (Also I didn't write this to inflict undue suffering on the Skywalker clan. We have six movies of that already)
Anyway, enjoy!
"Civilization is like thin layer of ice upon deep ocean of darkness and chaos."- Werner Herzog
Chapter 40. End of the Clone Wars Part 1- Misdirection
Fives lightly touched the right side of his head, now covered in a small bandage and light fuzz left over from having during surgery. He should have felt relief. The Sith no longer controlled his mind. But that did very little to soothe his anxiety. The idea of a shadowy figure of evil, unknown and lying in wait, didn't sit well. Especially on a stomach full of army chow.
"Something on your mind?"
Echo walked over to his bunk with his standard inquisitive questioning. Hardcase and Jesse were playing sabacc in the back. Coric sat silently in his bunk. Ridge, Boomer, and Zeer watched the Holonet through a miniature portal by the durasteel rock. They all sported the same, small bandage as Fives. Kix and the medics had been working overtime to remove as many chips as possible. By now, a good portion of the 501st and 212th had gone under the knife.
"Nothing."
"Nothing means something."
Echo probably thought he was being smart or wise. A trait inborn from the time they were young batchmates together. But if there was a clone who could read Fives, Echo came the closest.
"Can't I just sit here and not think for a bit?"
Echo took a seat beside him with a relaxed breath through the nose.
"Brother, I went through the same horror you did hours ago. I would be surprised if you weren't thinking about it."
Fives wasn't sure he should voice his thoughts aloud. Even to Echo. The foreboding was that strong.
"It was the worst thing I've ever experienced," he admitted quietly. "We had our minds stolen from us, Echo. What do you want me to say?"
"You're pissed off. So am I." His brother may not have been as temperamental but his feelings ran strong. A principled clone as much as Rex or anyone else. "I tried as hard as anyone in that room not to follow that Order. It was like being trapped."
Fives remembered doing the same but the whole ordeal turned fuzzy in his brain. He'd been dragged forward against his own will, face to face against the General they'd sworn to serve. Tarkin had been there, egging him on, ordering him to fire even as he resisted doing so. Then everything went black. When he woke up next, Tarkin had seemingly fled. Disappeared into thin air without a trace. It was all very unsettling and part of a broader pattern of disturbing events that occurred within the past couple months.
Sith plot…
Tup hurts head…
Tup attacks Jedi…
Tup dies…
Tarkin shows up…
Battle goes wrong…
Attempted arrest…
Inhibitor chips…
There was a trail to follow leading to a very dark door at the end. Fives wasn't sure he wanted to reach it but felt compelled to anyway. For the sake of the Republic and his brothers. But what if…
I killed Tarkin.
He pushed that away and tried to focus on the company in the room. Coric hopped down from the top bunk and nearly crashed into Ridge. Living below deck on Venators weren't usually very spacious.
"Watch it!"
Coric ignored him and began voicing his own opinion.
"If the Sith are behind this, that means the longnecks are too."
He spoke with a great deal of conviction. Most clones were lukewarm at best towards the Kaminoans, who made a show of putting on a compassionate face but lacked any real empathy towards their creations. Fives had seen it a number of times.
"Here's what I don't understand. The Kaminoans created us to serve as soldiers of the Republic. How would getting rid of the Jedi benefit them?"
The quiet, unassuming Ridge had piped up as he traded one of his sabacc cards for another.
"Money?" said Boomer with a shrug, looking closely at his own hand and placing a card in the interference field.
Zeer broke his concentration for a moment to offer his own opinion.
"It's gotta be one person. One person behind the scenes that no one knows about. Otherwise, they would have solved this by now."
Fives considered that and the more he did so, the more it made sense. The Jedi had been trying to find a Sith Lord for years. Dooku was one, which by default made the Sith in charge of the Separatists. It was an easy enemy to fight against and the early days of the war seemed simple by comparison. But if the Sith were also involved in a plot to destroy the Jedi using their own soldiers against them, it stood to reason that the other Sith Lord, Dooku's master, held great sway within the Republic.
Nausea spread like a virus in his stomach. He couldn't believe that. For both sides to be controlled, the implications were too frightening to think about. Then another question came to mind.
Why haven't we told the Chancellor? Maybe he could help us.
"Hah! Pure sabacc!" Zeer declared in triumph, laying his cards on the table. "Read 'em and weep, fellas."
Captain Rex entered the bunkroom at that moment causing Ridge to hastily stand at attention which sent the cards and the pot flying everywhere.
"Dammit Ridge!"
"At ease," Rex told them. "Not trying to interrupt your game."
"Of course not, Cap," Hardcase said with a grin from across the table. "Because you'd win every hand."
Rex might have appreciated the nod towards his official status as the best card player in the entire company (it was a rite of passage for all shinies to play against him and lose), but urgency ruled his mood. He too had a small bacta patch on the right side of the head.
"I just need to speak to Fives for a second."
The ARC Trooper huped to and exited into the hallway. The Captain glanced front and back before speaking. Fives rarely saw him express anxiety, even if faint.
"I'll make this quick. The Jedi Council wants to hear a report on the inhibitor chips we've been removing. General Kenobi asked me to pick one soldier to help present that report and I've chosen you."
It left little room for argument or objection. It wasn't that Fives didn't want to help expose an evil plot, but in a room full of powerful Jedi Masters? Public speaking didn't come naturally to him.
"Don't worry," he said, reading his worry like an open tablet. "You won't have to do much. Just recount what happened when we tried to arrest Tarkin and tell them the specific instructions General Luke gave you and Echo. It'll be fine."
He pulled out two plastoid cases containing a smallish, pink object.
"We're going to be showing these to the Council. Don't lose them."
"Right." There was a lot swimming through the ARC's head and he put the chips in one of his belt clips. "Captain, do the Generals have a theory on who's behind it all?"
There was no mistaking the shadow that darkened Rex's normally golden brown eyes,
"I think they already know," he said. "I have a few ideas myself. But they don't want to say anything more until we're inside the Temple."
It's that serious.
It had to be, if two of the most powerful Jedi he'd ever met were scared of speaking openly about who the Sith Lord was. There must be a traitor among their ranks. High up somewhere in the military.
"Make sure everyone stays calm," Rex said to him, voice going very deep. "I'm sending word to the other divisions with the instructions to keep it among clone officers only."
Fives understood what he was getting at. As second in command of the 501st, he had a number of others that helped him run a tight ship. Appo, Jesse, Vaughn to name a few. But among the rank and file, he counted on his ARC Troopers to set an example. Echo and Fives, the heroic survivors of the Rishi Moon.
"I'll keep an eye on things," he promised.
"Good man. I'll send for you when we're out of hyperspace in about an hour."
There was no salute. In private, Rex preferred to be as much a friend and mentor to his men as a senior officer. That mutual trust required no further words.
As Fives returned to his bunk, he saw everyone huddled around the holonet in the corner of the room. Jesse was telling everyone to shut their traps.
"What's going on?"
Echo waved him over as the hologram of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine began some kind of announcement.
"You are not going to believe what's happening on Coruscant."
The sound of beeping could be heard, slow and steady, underneath the den of chatter that usually occurred in a typical hospital.
It brought no comfort to Anakin Skywalker, who'd been inside the Grand Republic Medical Facility for almost twenty four hours. He stood by his unconscious wife, holding her clammy, pale hand in his, begging, praying for a miracle to occur. That some issue of divine providence larger than himself might be able to intervene on their behalf.
Such prayers went unheeded. The only power in the universe that mattered was the Force. He did not have enough power within it to do what was necessary: saving the only person who'd ever made him happy.
Struggling to wipe away his tears, the Chosen gazed into the lifeless face of Padme Amidala. Even now, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, an angel descended from the skies to deliver the world, and himself, from the evil and pain the galaxy constantly inflicted.
He still didn't understand. What happened? One moment she seemed fine, poised to return to her powerful position in the Senate. Now? On the verge of death and no one knew what was wrong. R2 beeped and cooed softly as if trying to offer some form of comfort. To get her to wake in a way humans could not.
The automatic door opened to reveal one of the nurses who carried a chart. Standing back up on his feet, he immediately grabbed it.
"Master Jedi, please-"
"Do you know what's going on with her? What are these numbers? What's happening?"
The nurse took the chart back, her aura almost as calm and collected as the woman currently in the bed. She was a Pantoran with deep, rich yellow eyes, and a white uniform, full of sympathy for the young man in front of her but just as confounded by the medical data.
"Unfortunately, I do not. The doctors looked her over at least three times. All indications are that she's perfectly healthy and yet every hour her vitals drop and the heart pumps less oxygen to the blood and brain."
"You must have missed something, let me check."
The nurse was ready for this time, keeping the chart out of reach while doing her best to comfort the brunette.
"Master Jedi, please remain calm. We're doing everything we can."
"Well apparently it's not good enough," he responded, his face suddenly scrunching up in raw fury.
Recognizing logic would not penetrate, the nurse slowly backed away.
"You are welcome to stay as long as you like. The doctor is prepared to run more tests. I will speak to him now."
But Anakin no longer cared about any medical mumbo jumbo as his thoughts went a mile a minute at what to do. How did this happen?! Why was Padme on the verge of death when she had been fine all throughout the prior day?! What could he do?! There had to be something!
His comlink lit up. He could see it was the Council which only aggravated his black mood. Indignation spread like wildfire. They were the last people in the galaxy he wanted to talk to and so he shut the stupid device off.
He felt a whole mix of emotions raging inside of him like a storm: fear of losing his wife, resentment towards the Jedi, an organization that would sooner punish him as opposed to help, anger at himself for not holding the power to save the one he loved most.
Luke lied to me, he thought as anxiety turned to anger. Force knew what that kriffin' bastard had done with Padme. Plotting, scheming, taking advantage of her trust…of his trust.
The dark side whispered and caressed around the body like a serpent delighting in the most subtle of temptations, offering a bite of the forbidden fruit, so close yet unable to taste it completely (Luke probably lied about that too).
The Jedi have proven to be disappointments time and time again. If you truly care about this person and their well being, consider that an alternate path might be the only way to save them
Palpatine's words came back like a haunting ghost. He may not be of the Force, but the Chancellor was now the only man alive with even slim knowledge of the power that could prevent people from dying. It was the only option left.
R2 beeped and bumped into his knee. Anakin tried to smile but it only came out as a watery grimace.
"There's nothing you can do for her, R2. I'm sorry."
Looking back at Padme one more time, the heart yearning...aching for a way to save her, Anakin made the most critical decision of his young life.
He needed to get away from here. He had to do what was best for his wife.
Ahsoka's vision swam and teetered as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings.
Attempting to stand, she found that moving her arms and legs was impossible.
"Wha-"
A weak tug confirmed as much. Ahsoka turned to each side and saw herself locked up in metal restraints. Above her head was a kind of silver dome that projected a forcefield that gave off an annoying hum. Across the room only one, small, flickering light gave any clue as to where she was. A soft, slow drip of water echoed across the concrete floor which began to resemble more of a warehouse now that she got a better look.
Where am I?
She tried to use the Force but found that power denied to her. No amount of meditation or probing allowed for that special ever present connection to the greater. It felt akin to being blind, a palette without color in the universe. Ahsoka knew what it meant to be vulnerable but even in dire situations. She had the Force as a consummate guide. Without it, she felt…weak…faint even.
She tried to stay calm and figure a way out when the memory of her last thoughts before losing consciousness returned.
Brown boots, baggy trousers, a distinctive flat brimmed hat. That attire was intimately familiar.
"Show yourself," she shouted into the void. It complied in seconds.
Stepping into the flickering light, Cad Bane revealed himself at last, chomping on his usual toothpick.
"Welcome back, little lady."
Ahsoka set aside the revulsion at being called 'little lady'. And that she'd allowed him to one up her again.
"Tell me what I'm doing here, Bane," she demanded.
"I see the Jedi still haven't taught you any manners." The Duros tipped his hat. "I respect that."
"You've made a big mistake by capturing me. The Jedi Order will find out where I am and you'll be sorry."
Her defiance only elicited a rusty chuckle from the bounty hunter.
"I highly doubt that. You see that fancy contraption above you? Prevents any of that magic voodoo between you people. No escape this time."
Ahsoka didn't need Bane to go into a deep explanation to be aware that the odds of escaping her situation weren't in her favor. Putting on a brave face bought time and pride. She hadn't cowered three years prior when Bane held her hostage and she wouldn't now.
Keep him talking. He loves to brag.
"What's your angle, Bane? I'm not just any Jedi. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are my Master and Grandmaster. All you're gonna do is piss them off. Just like last time."
It worried Ahsoka just a little bit that the swashbuckling outlaw barely flinched. Sure, he could take on one Jedi but not two of the most powerful in the entire Order.
"You just answered your own question. The padawan of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi is a valuable title. Therefore, someone's willing to pay a pretty penny for your head."
She must have visibly blanched because he began chuckling again, dusting off his hat.
"Don't worry. My client doesn't want you dead. Just give you an education."
"Education." Ahsoka replicated the word, detecting the ominous sentiment behind it even without the Force. The abandoned warehouse grew creepier with each passing second. "And who is your client?"
She could guess but the question was answered in a matter of seconds.
A dozen figures, all dressed in enormous black cloaks, emerged one by one taking their place among a hastily constructed semi circle. They chanted some obscure language she didn't understand. It sounded…guttural as though an inflection of some darker, ancient power gave the syllables life.
Ahsoka looked to Bane, who had such a look of indifference to the bizarre ritual playing out in front of them she wondered if anything truly fazed him.
"What is this?"
"Ahsoka Tano."
The leader, a human male (she was at least sure of that. Palpatine's empire had been overtly racist in the future), stepped forward and spoke in a voice as black and oily as his robes.
"You have been chosen."
Ahsoka couldn't resist biting on that vague proclamation.
"For?"
"To join the ranks of the Sith Eternal. To become the first of many in service of the New Order to come. Marked for transformation by our Master, Lord Sidious."
Oh, hell no.
She sent a scathing look at the bounty hunter. Bane was a tough customer but this went beyond the normal realm of evil. "Do you even know who you're getting involved with?"
"I'm well aware. His credits are the same as anyone else's."
"Don't do this!"
The righteous anger fell deaf on now exceedingly wealthy ears. Bane tipped his cap and began to retreat into darkness.
"I got what I came for. Everything else is your problem now."
The Duro exited, leaving her to face the demented cult without lightsabers or use of the Force. Definitely not ideal.
"Alright, so I'm only going to say this once. There is no way I'm joining your weird little sadist club."
"That is not for you to decide."
The leader gestured and a hover table was brought forth, displaying all sorts of pointy objects, jagged tools, and a dozen other things you wouldn't want penetrating your skin. There was also something familiar.
"My lightsabers!"
The leader of the cult titled his head just enough to show a window into an evil smile.
"You shall have them back…once you pledge yourself to us. It is the will of Lord Sidious!" the leader said with a dramatic flair of his arm.
"Oh brother," Ahsoka muttered, rolling her eyes. "Look, this is super fun and all but I really do have other places to be. So if you don't mind-"
She stopped when one of the other cult members presented a very large syringe filled with a black liquid. The leader took it and trekked a slow, steady path towards the Jedi Knight. Ahsoka's heart started to beat rapidly.
"Don't even think about sticking that anywhere near me."
"There is nothing to fear," the leader said, disregarding her words completely. "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate…leads to power. This," he emphasized, "will help set you free."
The Togruta tried her best to break free of the restraints. She sent out any and all mental signals- Anakin, Obi-Wan, Luke, Yoda- anyone that might be within the vicinity to hear her plea for help. But the ugly truth settled in as that revolting needle drew closer: no one was coming.
She felt a sharp prick on the side of her neck and the sensation of cool liquid entering the bloodstream. That cool liquid rapidly changed temperature- boiling, bubbling rage slowly built inside her chest, as though a white hot vibroblade plunged straight into the center of the heart.
"Agh!"
Twisting and turning, Ahsoka gnashed her teeth as everything went red.
"What-what's happening to me?"
The question came out more as an angry hiss and though instinct told her something was terribly wrong, Ahsoka found she could not control her rising anger. All Jedi training and practice evaporated in the face of the substance rapidly spreading throughout the body.
"The first of many doses," answered the leader and his voice sounded warped, distorted, and deep. "Welcome to the dark side."
The shrinking part of Ahsoka clinging to rational thought began to pray for deliverance.
"Luke…"
The Force was alive with malice.
Luke Skywalker felt its call, its warnings, how the dark side intended to swallow them whole. Evil hung in the air like a cloud of carbon monoxide, suffocating and choking anything that did not submit to its dominance.
Then the bad news from the Holonet hit, one wave after another.
Padme Amidala was suspected of being poisoned by the devious Count Dooku. The Chancellor declared martial law throughout the Republic and issued a curfew on Coruscant. No one was to be out past sundown. A special session of the Senate had been called to grant the executive what were the same dictatorial powers Palpatine assumed in the original timeline.
Adding a further dimension to the madness, Luke sensed his father's Force signature, which could only be described as a violent maelstrom. Confusion, desperation, anger, and fear…so much fear. Every story of the Sith originated the same way. Twenty plus years in the dark side had led Vader to master the advanced emotional pull of the dark side into a cold, detached ruthlessness. But time and experience helped him understand the truth: the hatred of Darth Vader began with the fear of Anakin Skywalker.
On top of that, he could not feel Ahsoka's presence in the Force. Her recognizable signature, a shooting star in the cosmos, was blocked from his reach.
He had to act now.
The moment the Restitution touched down on Coruscant's naval yard, Luke was already speed walking towards the lower hangar where the smaller vehicles were kept. He'd ordered Kix, Roe, and the rest of the medical staff to stay aboard to de-chip anyone who hadn't been yet.
"Luke!"
Obi-Wan shouted but his voice seemed far away.
"Luke!"
He had to acknowledge him if only out of respect for Obi-Wan who ran to catch up. But Luke had already swung one leg around one of the BARC speeders and began checking its gauge and fuel (an old habit learned on Tatooine when getting stuck in a desert meant certain death).
"Luke, you cannot go rushing off into the heart of Coruscant. Shaak Ti is waiting for us. If the Council-"
"The Council," he interrupted more harshly than intended. There was even a hint of a sneer. "I'm tired of hearing about the Council. Mace Windu is just looking for an excuse to throw me in an asylum."
"I would never let that happen."
Luke saw a flicker of flame in Obi-Wan's eyes and saw that he meant every word. His heart softened but not his resolve.
"I know. But do you really believe there's any wisdom left in that building? A group of beings who were told the truth about the Sith and the war and have done nothing?"
Luke clenched the handle of the bike before releasing it with one breath into the Force. There would be more than one trial to face this night. He'd need to be as centered as possible.
"If my father falls into Sidious's lap before I can get to him…we're all dead. And who the hell knows what Sidious will do to Ahsoka. They need my help."
"Then perhaps you'd better leave that to me." Any trace of humor, trolling, or argument had since vanished from Obi-Wan's face. Only the melancholic knowledge of having failed someone he loved. "I know how to reach Anakin."
"So do I," Luke pointed out. "You said so yourself."
"He is not Vader in this medium. At least not yet," Obi-Wan said darkly. "You dealt solely with the broken man behind the mask. Right now, to Anakin, you are not his son but a source of conflict…I can sense his anger towards you. Therefore, it would be best for me to find him."
"For what? So you can slice off his limbs again?"
It was a low blow and Luke immediately apologized.
"I'm sorry. That was wrong of me to say."
"It's quite alright." Luke almost wished Obi-Wan would yell at him for that cutting remark instead of the soft gaze of empathy. "But there has been a monumental shift in the Force. Surely you have felt it?"
Luke could. His father's feelings were a gaping, angry gash in the Force and a solid portion of that was aimed directly at him. It pained his wounded heart but he had no one to blame other than himself. So why had the Force told him so many times to wait? Was this a trick or some sort of divine intervention? Follow the will of the Force and everything would be alright. What did that even mean as the hour grew late?
'Lose faith you cannot, my old padawan.'
Damn Master Yoda and his annoying penchant for reading him like he was still a twenty year old, bright eyed novice.
"I'll go find Ahsoka," he finally said, relenting to Obi-Wan's point of view.
"And if Dooku fails to pinpoint her location?"
"Then I'll have to search every factory and every warehouse at The Works, won't I?"
Obi-Wan placed a hand at the edge of his hairline, shaped by years of recklessness from Anakin. He knew Luke intended to do just that. But he heard just as much Amidala in that determination as Skywalker. Two people who refused to leave anyone they cared about behind.
"I'll make sure that Rex and Fives are escorted to the Temple by Shaak Ti. They are well respected troopers and now that we have proof of the inhibitor chips, the Council might finally see the error of their ways."
Luke wanted to believe that but the Council had given little reason to indicate they were open to the possibility of being wrong about anything. Might Mace Windu find a way to blame him for that too? He chose to focus his emotional energy on rescuing Ahsoka.
"Find Anakin. Keep me updated."
Obi-Wan nodded as Luke turned on the engine and revved it.
"I will. And Luke…"
"Hm?"
"Please be careful.'
The blond stole one more glance from his master. Old Ben Kenobi, whom he still saw as a second father. The one still telling him to lace up his boots and avoid Sand People.
He nodded back in solidarity as the bottom latch of the ship opened up to reveal the dampened light of the evening, the shadow of the planet's skyscrapers and towers creeping to envelop everything down below. A spot of rain steadily drenched the durasteel jungle as the rainy season announced its untimely arrival.
Pulling over his hood, the Last Jedi zoomed off into the fading hours of the Coruscanti evening.
Shaak Ti tried to act as sensibly and compassionately as possible as a Jedi Master. Being on the Jedi Council, discussions and decisions were often bogged down by 'disagreements' over the war effort. Lately those polite disagreements had devolved into full scale competition matches where Master Yoda and Mace Windu argued over the status of Luke Ahch-To, Anakin Skywalker, Palpatine, politics, and all manner of controversial topics.
The Togruta had a strong spiritual connection with the Force, something inborn to her people. Ahsoka Tano carried it as well. To do good, to place others above oneself in the name of kindness was a gift, especially if a being wielded great power as Jedi did.
Compromise. Listening. Mutual respect. If the Order lost these things, they would lose themselves. The Temple already found itself in a state of disorder as hundreds of younglings and padawans found themselves under assault by living, breathing malice. A power from the dark side shrouded by the fog of war.
These are the darkest days, she reminded herself. There had never been such disunity in the galaxy, so much greed, suffering, and chaos. Not since the days of the Sith Empire, now confined to the pages of history.
Was another about to rise from the shadows?
"General."
Commander Fox and his men were nominally in charge of all security now that the Chancellor had declared martial law. She couldn't say she liked that decision, but then again, the Coruscant Guard took an unfair amount of grief for the role they filled.
"Commander Fox," she said with a slight bow. "I hope this current state of affairs doesn't cause you too much trouble."
"We're doing fine, ma'am," Fox replied resolutely. "There's been some itching and scratching, but the city has largely complied."
Shaak Ti wasn't sure to say 'good' to the confirmation that freedom of movement had been suspended, so she kept the conversation's momentum going.
"Well, hopefully it will only be temporary."
She peered over across the navy yard and the Restitution had officially been docked and started the process of maintenance. Clone units exited the ship's lower deck while dock workers and loading speeders assisted in the movement of supplies, as well as other essential military equipment. Being head of GAR training on Kamino exposed her to this routine. War was simultaneously orderly and messy.
"I am duty bound to remind you, General, that there is a curfew which is set to go into effect in an hour."
"Not to worry." She retained her gaze for a sign of two fair haired men in Jedi robes. "I am only here to escort two of my own back to the Temple along with Captain Rex."
Fox said and did nothing and Shaak Ti felt his indifference. He pressed his hand up to the built in comlink inside his helmet.
"Excuse me, General. Have to take this."
He walked off and she thought it a suitable end to the conversation. She saw Obi-Wan Kenobi walk down the cat ramp but Luke Ahch-To was nowhere to be seen. The Force gave a minor lurch.
"Master Kenobi," she said upon reaching the edge of the ship. Obi-Wan returned the greeting and they bowed to each other. "I had expected to see Knight Ahch-To with you."
And then Obi-Wan's face turned sober. Even a bit exasperated.
"He will not be going to the Temple, I'm afraid."
"Why not?"
To lose composure or control was pointless. But this turn of events concerned her. Obi-Wan Kenobi was not a man to embark on reckless crusades or defy the Council.
"Because we are all in great peril, Shaak Ti. Ahsoka Tano is missing, as is my former padawan. As such, I will not be going back to the Temple either."
When the shock on her face became apparent, he only responded in the same grim tone.
"I assume you didn't know about Ahsoka."
"We thought she was with Skywalker," she said, trying not to let a horrible sinking sensation sully her equilibrium. "But he has not returned our communications."
"Which is why I must be the one to find him. He will listen to very few people at the moment."
Obi-Wan's soul represented a kind of mourning in the Force, the type one might find at a funeral. It emanated attachment and the full breadth of what this meant hit her head on. He didn't just care for Anakin, he loved him.
"Master Kenobi," she said as he moved past her. "You must transcend your feelings and look beyond them. You must think clearly."
"No Master Ti, for once I am thinking clearly." Obi-Wan did not radiate anger or pride, but his firm resoluteness exuded passion, a kind she had never witnessed before. Not of selfishness but something unconditional. "Luke has helped me to see that. I pray the Council does as well before it's too late."
"Obi-Wan." She was almost pleading now. "The Temple is unrecognizable. The Order needs its leaders to be united in the face of evil, especially now when the dark grows so powerful to terrorize our younglings. We need you."
"I agree." The man's passion subsided in the face of another emotion: regret. Another violation of the Jedi Code and yet who could deny how suitable it was? "But that's part of the problem. We've already been compromised by the very evil we claim to fight against."
He shook his head.
"The Jedi have run out of time. And so have I. If the Council wants to accept the truth, I suggest they listen to Captain Rex and ARC Trooper Fives, who I leave in your hands."
Obi-Wan took off towards the transport depot, waving down a personal taxi. Shaak Ti had little time to object before the clones in question disembarked from the ramp, their armor dented and blue paint chipped from two successive battles. Both had their helmets removed and one had a distinctive tattoo on his left.
"Captain Rex and Fives, is it?" She was quite familiar with the reputation of the first clone and borderline intimate with the second. ARC Troopers were given a different training regimen off of Kamino, but she recalled Domino Squad and their miraculous rise.
"Yes ma'am. I don't suppose you remember me."
She smiled warmly.
"Indeed, I do. I'm glad to see you have done so well, trooper."
"I just want to do the right thing, General."
Shaak Ti was almost taken aback at that statement, but to hear a man in the army express this much passion for ethics showed just how far he'd come.
"Of course. Gentleman, if you would follow me. We can take my personal shuttle back to the Temple."
She felt their trust acutely and vowed not to violate it. Given the string of abuses against them during the war- Krell, discrimination, mistreatment by the Senate and average citizens- it amazed her they kept such faith in the Republic. Or rather not the Republic.
Us.
Tarkin was the latest in a long line of questionable human officers appointed by Palpatine. Apparently, he'd fled the battle after being outed as a traitor. It was another item on a long list to delve into.
Before any of them moved so much as a muscle, a squadron of red-clad Shock Troopers approached them, helmet lights shining to help better see through the rain.
"CT-5555?"
Fox led the way but Shaak Ti immediately sensed something afoot. For one thing, clones almost never addressed each other by their birth numbers.
"Who's asking?" Fives shot back a little too hotly.
"You are being summoned to the Grand Republic Medical Center. Follow us."
"What? But I'm not injured."
"That's an order."
Fives' aggressively moved towards Fox but Rex placed a hand on his armor, placating the ARC's hot headed tendencies.
"Fox, what's this about?" the Captain asked calmly. "We weren't given notice that Fives had to go anywhere. General Luke wasn't told nor was I."
"Step aside."
Rex disobeyed, blocking the Commander.
"I'm his commanding officer, therefore I decide what's best for my men. Not you."
"If either of you resist, you'll be arrested."
Fox's tone had turned from severe to downright uncompromising. He gave each of his men a nod and they went to take the ARC by Force. Fives whipped out his blaster pistols in response. The shock troopers reciprocated.
"Go ahead," Fives growled, not flinching for a second. "I'm a better shot than all four of you combined."
Shaak Ti intervened, though did not ignite her lightsaber yet. Peace before violence, always. She slowly inched each party back from each other.
"Everybody, calm down. There is no need for this kind of hostility. Commander Fox, ARC Trooper Fives and Captain Rex have been requested by the Jedi Council using the authority invested in us as military commanders. By what command do you claim to override that authority?"
"Strict orders by Chancellor Palpatine," came the stiff answer. "He wishes to question the trooper regarding an incident in which Trooper CT-5385 attacked his Jedi General."
Shaak Ti felt a ripple of fear go through Rex and that fear in reaction to Palpatine was telling. Strangely, Fives did not share it.
"Well that's a relief."
"Fox," Rex said with a lot more authority this time. He hadn't drawn his weapon but held one hand over his left blaster. "We've known each other a long time. What's really going on here?"
"You're being ordered by the commander in chief. Good soldiers follow orders."
The Togruta felt the panic in both clones skyrocket at that last sentence. Rex placed a hand in front of his friend. She'd met Fox on a few occasions. He wasn't normally like this. Grumpy at times, but he sounded like a droid using that dreary monotone. The breaking point rapidly cracked in the Force.
She had to solve this fast.
"He is right," she said to the men of the 501st. "You cannot refuse summons from the Supreme Chancellor." She turned back to Fox. "However, I will be accompanying these men to ensure their personal safety."
She made a point of making her lightsaber quite visible. There could be no misunderstanding.
Thankfully, Fox did not object. Nor did Fives or Rex.
"Very well. Follow us."
Shaak Ti was careful to place herself between her charges and the shock troopers, whom she remained wary of. But that couldn't compare to the danger she suddenly sensed from Chancellor Palpatine and his sudden interest in this specific clone nor a second even more powerful feeling…
…the terrifying realization that Luke Ahch-To may have been right about everything all along.
"Master Drallig, do you copy?"
To her relief, the Head of the Temple Guard immediately replied.
"Master Shaak Ti. You sound distressed."
"The Chancellor has ordered trooper Fives of the 501st to the Grand Republic Medical Facility. I sense this request has a darker motive and request backup."
"Very well," Drallig's smooth voice rang out. "But I can only send two guards. I have my hands full with security at the moment. The younglings and older children are inconsolable."
"You have my thanks, Master. May the Force be with you."
"And with you."
Shaak Ti presented the calmest face possible in the face of a nightmare that was steadily becoming very real.
Bail Organa massaged the edges of his receding hairline. As he and the other key members of the Caucus stood and sat around the spacious confines within his private office in the Senate building, now more or less the unofficial headquarters of the last bastion safeguarding democracy. Low thunder rumbled as the rainstorm outside the building continued to increase in size.
"So there is no consensus among the Council over the exposure of Chancellor Palpatine as a Sith Lord?"
Yoda's hologram nodded sadly.
"Divided we are among those who wish to arrest the Chancellor, and those who wish caution."
"With respect, Master Yoda, it is not caution but blindness."
He never thought he'd ever speak like that to the wise Grandmaster of the Jedi Order but these days, nothing surprised him anymore. Was it comedic or sad irony that non-Force sensitive public officials perceived more than an entire religion devoted to the supernatural?
"No disputing that, there is. Luke Skywalker is the source of the dispute. Master Windu and others wish to question him before doing anything."
"I fear by the time the Council decides on a course of action, it will be too late. Mas Amedda has called an emergency session of the Senate to grant Palpatine more powers. If that happens, our Republic is dead."
"We need the Jedi," Mon Mothma emphasized. "Now more than ever, the galaxy needs those who swore to protect it."
For a brief moment, Yoda said nothing, closing his eyes as he usually did when contemplating something difficult.
"Incredibly clouded, the Force is. Our ability to see is gone."
But this esoteric proclamation did not satisfy Mon Mothma.
"Master Yoda, one of our colleagues, my best friend, is lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I couldn't even visit her this morning because the Chancellor hasn't allowed any visitors. We are out of options."
The steel in her voice belied the raw emotion behind it. A wetness appeared in her eyes.
"In a difficult position are we," Yoda said in response, who was not the slightest bit perturbed. On the contrary, he appeared touched by the show of affection from one human towards another. "Yet hope there is. In Luke Skywalker lies this hope."
"Then where is he? Didn't Master Windu want to question him?" Lux Bonteri asked.
"Summoned to the Temple, he was, yes."
"So he never showed up?" Mon Mothma's eyes were almost bulging out of the sockets. "Has the Jedi Order lost control of its own members?"
"Taking his own path, he is."
The more Yoda talked the more abstract and distant his tone became, as though he were ascending a different astral plane. Almost too calm for the situation at hand.
"Master Yoda, I must reiterate that any plan to save our Republic must include the Jedi. It was your support for the Clone Citizenship Act that convinced thousands of Senators to vote in favor of it," Bail Organa said, seeing that Mon and the others were losing patience.
"Ahhhh, but we are in a different situation, are we not? Legitimate the ouster of Palpatine must be. If not, chaos, civil war…"
The Alderaanian, an otherwise moderate, peaceful man, lamented it had come to this. To ask one being to kill another. But these were extraordinary times.
"You are a legend amongst the Jedi. The most experienced and the most powerful. Your lifespan eclipses everyone in this room combined. Could you not defeat Palpatine?"
Yoda's airy mood sharpened.
"Strong am I with the Force….but not that strong. To defeat Sidious, a different kind of power we will need."
"What power is that?" Riyo Chuchi said now, standing up in her chair. "Master Jedi, we do not have the votes to remove the Chancellor from power. Padme Amidala, our greatest champion, is gone. Three Republic news outlets have been bombed. Not to mention the discovery of brian implants inside every clone trooper who are all under the personal command of a man who intends to eliminate us at first opportunity. For all intents and purposes, it would seem Palpatine has won."
That such defeatist sentiment had been voiced into the thick air of tension in the room, cast a shadow upon the Senator. But Master Yoda cut through it firmly.
"Always in motion the future is. And despair we cannot." He pointed his gimmerstick towards the Alderaanian. "Look to you, the people must, Senator Organa. Do what you can for the Republic, as will I."
There was one last toad-like glance from Yoda and he bowed.
"May the Force be with you, Senators."
Mon Mothma was the first to speak once the transmission ended.
"I do wish Jedi could be more straightforward."
"As politicians, we have little room to criticize on that front," Bail said with a rueful grimace.
"He is just as lost as the rest of us," Senator Danu muttered, head bowed. "He won't even commit to helping us."
Bail could see the despondency infecting the minds of his colleagues, feeling its creeping influence slowly infiltrate his own feelings. He refused their advances.
"Master Yoda may have his own unique way of dispensing wisdom," he said, addressing the entirety of the room from its center. "But he is right about one thing. Whatever the outcome, whatever evil the Chancellor has in store, we must do our duty to the people we serve. To the end."
That was enough to galvanize the needed faith. Each of the other half dozen Senators slowly nodded despite the fear lurking in their consciences. They'd need every bit of moral courage possible to combat it.
"How many of our colleagues have we managed to sway?" he asked Senator Danu.
"By my estimation, forty percent. Strong enough to filibuster legislation but not for removal."
Danu handed him the datapad and the numbers on the screen did not lie. They'd need at least two thirds to enact Order 65. And deep down, even in weaker moments where physical force may remove Palpatine, Yoda's point was the correct one. If the Jedi attacked without Senate authorization, it gave him the exact justification for stripping the last of their liberties.
How then could they snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?
"We still have the prior recordings of Palpatine's war profiteering and personal corruption. As well as the schematics of the inhibitor chips provided by Master Kenobi," he said, trying to piece together a strategy. "Vice Chair Amedda cannot prohibit us from presenting our case."
Lux Bonteri handed over a hard drive that contained the dirt on their adversary to Mon Mothma, who grasped it tightly in her slender fingers.
"It may not be enough," she said. "Especially if we are unable to prove his double life as a Sith Lord."
Senator Breemu grasped her shawl nervously.
"Legends and recorded history speak of Sith Lords in the halls of the national archives. If half the tales are true, I should hide under this davenport and never come out again."
"He must be powerful if the Jedi are afraid of him," Lux Bonteri added with the curiosity and experience of a young person who had never seen the face of true evil.
"This all may be true. However, it is the tongue of Sheev Palpatine that makes him the most dangerous man in the galaxy. His words are his most powerful weapon. But they are ours too."
Bail Organa brushed off the seat of his rich, purple robes. It was an incredibly surreal experience to feel so vulnerable in a place that symbolized safety. A bedrock of the democratic process where the privileged and powerful convened. It shook him to the core. But…maybe such a jarring experience was a hard truth needed to build a better world. The seeds of something much greater. Fancy clothes and empty promises wouldn't do any longer.
"Canvass every single Senator who might have even a smidgeon of sympathy towards liberty," he said in one last plea to everyone in the room. "We have at least two hours before the special session. Our future and that of our children depend on it."
No one argued. No one sought to strike a debate. History would be made on this night, for the right reasons or the wrong ones.
Rex had only met the Chancellor a few times, neither being in an official capacity. Once in a while, Palpatine would take part in the planning of extremely delicate or massive operations that required executive approval, the Siege of Mandalore being one such example.
This was a different type of experience. To be in the company of the man in charge of the entire Republic would normally stoke a sense of pride, honor even. Three years of war had taught Rex a great deal, namely that believing everything superiors told you was a road map to hell. You didn't give trust freely and it took a lot more to earn his these days.
But that philosophy in itself didn't cause him to be extremely wary of Chancellor Palpatine. Tarkin may have issued that blasted Order. But only one person aside from a collective Senate majority could approve contingencies like that. And only one person stood to gain from getting rid of the Jedi.
"Give me the chips," he whispered to Fives as they exited the shuttle.
"What? Why?"
"Trust me."
Fives hesitated then did as told. Fox had transported them to the very top of the Medical Center's tower into one of the private chambers designated usually for the chief of medicine or other medical officials. The storm came down even harder and though their armor protected them from getting completely soaked, most 501st clones had spent enough time on Kamino to dislike constant rainfall.
Palpatine stood at the edge of the foyer. So did two members of the Jedi Temple Guard. Rex slipped the plastoid containers into the crook in his recon pouch before he could notice.
"Good evening, Master Jedi, Troopers," he said with a nod to the three of them, showing a usual pleasant demeanor.
"Chancellor," Shaak Ti responded politely, showing no outward fear. "This is most surprising. I thought you were currently dealing with the crisis in the Senate."
"The tragedy that has befallen Senator Amidala required my personal attention. I came to the hospital as quickly as I could to give my undying affection and support."
The level of Rex's suspicion raised. Something about that warm, grandfatherly smile now appeared smug and empty. Still, he followed Shaak Ti's example and kept his composure, acting as though nothing were out of the ordinary. That smile dropped as Palpatine gestured towards the masked Guards.
"Was the extra security really necessary, Master Shaak Ti?"
"I felt it necessary given the heightened chance of a Separatist attack. If Count Dooku's reach extends this long, we all must be cautious."
It was sound reasoning but Rex thought he saw a flicker of annoyance pass through the wily politician.
"Naturally," he said in the most unnatural tone imaginable. "To get straight to the heart of the matter, I was informed of a disturbing report of an incident between a clone and his Jedi General. I figured it would be prudent to solve the matter here at the facility."
"Of course. We're happy to answer any questions you might have. Though I am duty bound to inform you that I was on Kamino at the time of the incident and that the 501st is not my unit. You are better off asking the troopers."
"Very good. Right this way, if you please."
They were led into a dark, circular chamber filled with gray, lifeless walls, a few droids buzzing in and out. Surrounding them were four more 'Red Guards' in addition to the crimson marked shock troopers which put Rex on alert. He took a small peak at Fox, who said nothing and stared straight ahead as though he were some kind of droid. Unthinking, unfeeling. Their blood red uniforms stood in stark contrast to the white and gray ensemble of the Jedi security team.
It's the chips. He controls them.
If Palpatine goaded them into doing something that appeared treasonous, making their way out alive would be difficult.
Take the situation as it comes. Don't give a reason for him to harm you, he thought to himself.
"Now, in regards to the report. The details are somewhat opaque but most curious. May I inquire as to what that was about?" Palpatine asked them as the doors shut.
Rex stepped up to take the lead. He loved Fives and trusted him to have his back. But to get out of this jam and back to the Jedi Temple required an officer's touch.
"Yes, sir. Clone trooper Tup attempted to gun down General Luke Ahch-To during a sparring session as you have probably been made aware," he explained, keeping straight as an arrow. "Upon investigation, we found the cause. Tup had a violent head injury during a sparring session with another trooper. He died of a hemorrhagic stroke the following morning as a result of said injury."
"Hmmm." The noise the Chancellor made was not one of belief. "And yet that is not the entirety of what I read in the report."
Report? Where the hell had he gotten his hands on an official report? The General specifically ordered that no report be made of the incident.
"Captain Rex, can you explain to me what this 'tumor' was and why this medic Kix placed such a heavy emphasis on it?"
Oh, kriffing hell. He was not a good liar. Especially on the spot.
"I…would assume because we've never seen anything like it before," he said, in a mediocre attempt to deflect. "Tup was physically twenty three years old. A stroke at his age is rare."
The Chancellor said nothing at first, keeping his expression neutral, even light, as though they were simply discussing the stars. Then he shifted, pulling out a datapad from the inside of his sweeping, gray robes.
"I received word before you arrived from Doctor Nala Se who is the Chief Medical Scientist on Kamino. She claims the origin of this trooper's aggression was a malfunction with the clone's inhibitor chip and was quite aggravated about being kept out of the loop."
"Sir," Shaak Ti cut in now, sensing the growing pressure in the room. "We have discovered the existence of these chips through said report, which is why the Council has decided on a policy of caution regarding how to proceed. If word of these chips got out, it could have created panic."
"But this is a serious development. As Supreme Chancellor it is my duty to know about the safety and security of the army under my command," Palpatine countered smoothly. "And it is clear that these troopers are reluctant to speak of these chips. It begs the question: why?"
"We didn't want to burden you, sir," Fives said quickly.
"Burden?" Those sharp blue eyes flicked back to the ARC Trooper as he handed the datapad to one of the shock troopers. "On the contrary, this is a most necessary discovery and I should like to get to the bottom of it."
He turned to the Togruta once more.
"Master Shaak Ti, as the leading Jedi presence on Kamino, have you heard of these chips before?"
"I have not," she said honestly. "Their existence is concerning."
"Or perhaps, they have an essential purpose. I was told by Nala Se, that the chips are designed to limit aggression and pose no threat to anyone's physical health."
The more the man talked, the more Rex didn't like what he was hearing. It was a web of words designed to disarm and express sympathy but they did not come across that way. Parsing through the politician speak, Palpatine hardly showed any concern about the chips themselves, rather he seemed to be digging, even defending their usage.
The longer he stayed in this room, the more he wanted to leave. Shaak Ti looked uncomfortable as well. Thinking of a way to end the conversation, Fives squashed that possibility.
"You have it wrong, sir. These chips are dangerous."
Fives no!
Too late. Rex could have sworn the Chancellor's eyes flashed a different color when switching attention back to the ARC Trooper.
"And do you know this?"
"I saw it with my own eyes. The chips make us more aggressive, not less. Specifically against our own Generals."
He leaned in and lowered his voice.
"It's too dangerous to speak of in more detail here, but there's a massive deception. A plot to turn the clones against the Jedi by the Sith."
"The Sith? My word." Palpatine's surprise threw him back a couple of steps.
"I think that's enough, Fives," Shaak Ti cut in. "No need for those kinds of conspiracies."
Rex might have chafed at the disrespect but then he understood what she was doing.
"Purely conjecture," he said to the Chancellor, building on her sentiment. "In fact, it's best if we return to barracks before curfew. We've troubled you long enough."
"But-"
"I think," and Palpatine's voice became an octave lower to regain control of the conversation. "I would like to hear what this trooper has to say. I want him to feel that he's being heard."
Rex was forced to watch helplessly as the well meaning Fives agreed. It took every ounce of self control not to grab him and make a dash for the exit.
"Thank you, sir."
"Perhaps, it might be best for the two of you to wait outside while I speak to trooper Fives alone."
Rex was about to protest but Shaak Ti was of the same mind.
"All due respect, Chancellor, whatever you have to ask of Fives can be said in front of everyone. Though I am not the Commander of the 501st, right now his care and recourse are under my jurisdiction. I'm sure you will agree that anything said between us will be for the benefit of working together for the Republic?"
She'd just used a check in a game of Dejarik. Palpatine could not possibly object.
"Very well, Master Jedi."
The Chancellor almost sounded sinister at the last sentence but nonetheless, appeared as grandfatherly as ever. Stepping closer to Fives he placed a comforting hand on the soldier's pauldron.
"Trooper Fives."
"Yes, sir?"
"Might you take off your helmet?"
"I uhhh-"
"It's impolite to not address a superior face to face. Besides, I want to truly see the man I'm conversing with."
Rex bit back a swear escaping his lips as Fives complied, the tattoo markings, as well as the scar from the surgery, becoming visible.
But Palpatine didn't say anything, instead he seemed to gaze intently at the ARC Trooper who at first appeared puzzled. This behavior also confused
Shaak Ti as well. However, it turned deadly in a matter of seconds. Suddenly, Fives began shaking his head like a rabid dog, clutching his head and began shouting.
"No..No! No you can't!"
"Trooper?"
"Get out of my head! GET OUT!"
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't know where he went."
"But he was here?"
Obi-Wan didn't enjoy getting the runaround from the Coruscant Guard. He liked them, but they were not as lively as the men who served under Jedi command. Less individualistic and increasingly attached at the hip to the Chancellor. He wondered if spending more time in the vicinity of a Sith Lord might not be the reason.
"High General Skywalker was on this level for a significant amount of time. He left a short while ago."
"Did he say anything on his way out?"
"No, sir."
Well that was just great. He'd normally roll his eyes at Anakin taking off again, Force knew his padawan had been running away from the Temple since he was ten years old. But this had a much darker set of ramifications.
"Can I at least see the Senator?" he asked, indicating with his head towards the private room. "She's an old friend."
"I'm sorry, sir. No one is allowed in under orders of the Supreme Chancellor."
He could have used a mind trick or any number of Force related powers to get in. However, Obi-Wan hadn't survived the bloody war up to this point by being a fool. There were too many shock troopers around. Instead, he offered a silent vow to the woman inside the room, sensing that she was alive but weakening.
I'm sorry Padme. I'm sorry I allowed the man you love, my brother, to be manipulated by that monster. I swear to you I'll bring him back.
"I understand," he said, showing no disagreement.
"Best be off now, sir. Curfew is set to take effect in thirty minutes."
The suggestion from a clone well below his own rank was one of many things wrong with the world at the moment, but before Obi-Wan so much as moved, a commotion shattered the medical tranquility. A loud bang followed by a clone bursting forth from the elevator door.
"Get away from me!"
His first instinct was to jump out of the way followed by issuing his lightsaber. But the haircut and markings of the trooper were easily recognizable.
Fives?
One guard attempted to prevent him from fleeing, but the experienced 501st member grabbed the rifle and used forward momentum to push him into the wall, knocking out the adversary. A few blasts were fired from other guards but Fives was the better shot, gunning down three in seconds.
"Fives, stop!"
Shaak Ti emerged from the second elevator, running to try and catch him but the ARC Trooper had already cut a path through the hallway. Several doctors and nurses screamed and ducked in fear of the perceived madman as he reached the stairs leading to the emergency exit.
And just like that Fives was gone.
"What in the blazes happened?" he asked Shaak Ti, who slowed down as she reached him. He stowed away the lightsaber but another voice answered his question first.
"He attacked me."
Palpatine emerged into the medical wing, flanked by Fox and four other guards who moved as though their joints were made of metal and not flesh.
"It was terrible," the Sith Lord said, faking trauma. "I never could have imagined such a thing. Nala Se warned me this might happen, but this clone has gone mad."
"Chancellor-"
"I saw it with my own eyes, Master Shaak Ti. The trooper's bandage signifies that he removed his inhibitor chip and is now a danger to himself and others."
Obi-Wan blinked and took in what was happening. He saw the face of evil, common and benign, pretending that he was the victim instead of the offending party. And what's worse, he and Shaak Ti could say or do nothing. The script had been flipped.
"We have a code red 1675, repeat a code red 1675. A trooper just tried to assassinate the Chancellor," Fox said into his helmet comlink. "Seal the exits and don't let him escape. Target should be considered armed and dangerous."
"Let's not be rash. Surely, he can be brought in alive."
Shaak Ti's pacifism quaked when a piece of Darth Sidious emerged from the Chancellor.
"There can be no compromise," he said darkly. "That clone is a traitor to the Republic."
"Shall we conduct a search of the area?" one of the surviving shock troopers asked.
"Of course, Sergeant Hound. But I would like Master Kenobi and Captain Rex to lead the search party. It is obvious this situation requires the talents of an experienced Jedi. If you find him...end his life."
The Great Negotiator knew he couldn't refuse a direct order, going along with it for now. There was no doubting the malevolent, malicious glint in the Chancellor's eye. He had to swallow his loathing and comply…for now.
"Very well," he said, giving no indication anything was out of the ordinary. He addressed Commander Fox and his men. "Fan out and keep a sharp eye. Report any findings to me."
"Yes, sir!"
"Let's move."
"Good," Palpatine said with a smile worthy of a Trandoshan. "Now, I must return to the Senate. I shall expect an update in an hour."
The Chancellor was escorted carefully out by his Red Guard leaving Obi-Wan and Shaak Ti alone to process the horror.
"Obi-Wan…it's him," the Togruta Master whispered. "I felt the darkness stirring inside Palpatine while talking to Fives. He did something to his mind."
"I know," he responded in an equal hush. "Our greatest enemy has been in front of us the entire time. We are now in a no win situation. Either we follow his orders or disobey at our own peril. He is baiting us."
Shaak Ti had never looked so…floored, dumbstruck, disappointed.
"What do we do? We can't kill Fives."
"I have no intention of doing so," Obi-Wan assured her. "Which is why we must find him as quickly as possible and bring him back to the Temple."
"Then I'll need to report this to the Council," she said, gaining hold of her own faltering voice. "They must be warned that an attack is imminent."
"They will be." Obi-Wan gestured over with his head to the room housing Padme. "But there is another matter that needs attending. Senator Amidala is dying and from what I can gather, the doctors have not been able to find out what is wrong. My guess is that she's been poisoned and requires Jedi healing."
"Master Kenobi, I am no healer. Anything I do could make her already fragile health worse."
She had a good point. A member of the Halls of Healing would be optimal but they had little time to change course.
"It's better than the alternative," he said. "Use any medical resources at your disposal, including the doctors. Guard her with your life and do not leave this facility, even under curfew.."
Shaak Ti nodded that she would do so but then hesitated.
"Is she…Skywalker's companion?"
The Lothal cat was already out of the bag. No use in denying it, much as he wished to protect Anakin's secret. It could not remain so.
"Yes, she is. And right now they are both in grave danger."
"Then go. Fly like you have never flown before, Obi-Wan."
Heeding her advice, he began running out into the hallway and down the stairs, summoning Captain Rex to rendezvous at one of the public docking stations nearby.
Nothing felt better in the world than a well executed plan, especially one that had to be tweaked now and then.
That was the strength of the Sith and why they would ultimately prevail over the Jedi. Even at the hour of their destruction, the arrogant fools did not have the foresight to prevent themselves from being discarded into the pages of history. A sad group of beings following an equally sad religion. Hypocritical, conceited, and well deserving of their fate. The best part? No one would be the wiser to the power of the dark side controlling the everyday lives of trillions of people.
This was just the beginning. Once everything fell into place, he could devote himself to far more than just ruling– creating, destroying, and using the Force not only to subvert wills, but the midi-chlorians too. The effort to reshape the galaxy in his own image would be a masterpiece, the final coup de grace of a plan well in motion for over a thousand years.
Darth Bane was wise but he did not go far enough. There are always limits to be challenged and possibilities to explore.
"Begin the legislative session without me," he told his loyal servant. He and Mas Amedda entered the Executive Building through a private chamber leading to a backdoor lift to be used in emergencies. Grievous smashed the last one and it had become operational again only recently. But it functioned equally well to avoid the public eye.
"Very well," Amedda said in his usual automatic response. "And what if Bail Organa and his followers cause trouble?"
"Stall the proceedings if necessary, but I am already aware the evidence they possess is inconsequential. Our majority shall hold."
"Yes, my Lord. And what of the Jedi?"
Sidious smirked as they zoomed upwards towards his office.
"They will come to me. I have already foreseen it. Once Skywalker is by my side and the Jedi eliminated, I will rejoin the session proclaiming our ascendancy and the end of the war. Then the traitors shall be arrested."
Dismissing Amedda upon entering his private suite, Darth Sidious did not truly concern himself with the Senate. The majority agreed with his point of view and overall philosophy. Bail Organa's movement would die with the death of Senator Amidala now finally out of the way. All they had to do was vote him the final vestiges of their old authority and the transformation from Republic to Empire at long last complete.
Of course, her passing served two purposes, but there were a few more loose ends to tie up, which he would solve right now.
Sitting down at the desk desk, barely containing his glee, he pressed the button which contacted a secret, built in channel. A black cloak was tied over his plain, gray robes and the hood lowered onto his face creating a dark shroud. He would normally take more precautions, but at this stage, they were not needed.
"My Lord Sidious."
"High Priest Septimus."
The religious leader of the Sith Eternal bowed low to his master.
"How may I be of service?"
"What is the status of the Tano girl?"
"She is strong, my Lord. Several injections of the Sith poison you provided have aroused her wrath but she does not fully fall to the dark side."
Sidious would have been mildly impressed were it not for the fact that it inconvenienced him.
"Hmmm."
"Do I have your permission to increase the dosage?"
"Yes, but do not cause an overdose. Stoke her rage and break her resistance. But she is to remain alive. Ahsoka Tano is critical to my future plans."
"As you wish, Lord Sidious."
The Sith's mouth turned into a snarl.
"Do not fail me, High Priest. Much depends on the outcome of tonight's events. If I fall at the hands of my enemies…you know what to do."
When the cult leader did nothing but now deeply once more, he used a less threatening tone.
"That is all for the moment. Inform me of your progress."
"My Lord."
Sidious stowed away his robes and heaved a small growl. Zealous underlings tended to overdo things. Sith alchemy of the variety they were using could damage a person's organs if not properly administered. Tano's powers needed to be intact for a very specific reason.
A beep suddenly issued outside of his office, indicating someone was at the door. But Sidious already knew who it was. He'd felt the presence within the Senate building the moment he returned to his quarters.
And here he is. The reason.
"Come in," he said lightly.
The automatic door opened to reveal Anakin Skywalker, looking lost, desperate, and utterly alone, dried tear marks staining his cheeks.
Excellent.
"Chancellor," he said. "I need your help."
A/N #1- Bonus points for anyone who can guess what Ahsoka was injected with.
A/N #2- I forgot to mention this last chapter, but additional bonus points for who can guess not just what happened to Padme...but when.
A/N #3- Every scene that takes place from now on during the climax, will be on Coruscant. I won't need to do headlines for locations any longer but you are free either to request it or message me in case there's confusion.
A/N#4- Rex keeps his own suspicions private because he cannot prove them, he still believes in the Republic as a whole, and the human officer class in the GAR are under Palpatine's direct control.
If you'd like to get sneak previews of upcoming chapters, 'thewaspwrites' is my instagram:)
As the climax advances, I aim to update close to once a week. I will let you guys know otherwise. Memorial Day here in the USA is my next target date.
Until then, rock on!
~The Wasp