Kingmaker

by Temujin the Obliterator

In the midst of a Cold War between the CIS and the UNSC. An ONI agent and an ARC trooper discover a more sinister plot beneath the surface and most work together to orchestrate a coup against the Chancellor.

1. Alpha

Chapter 1 Alpha

"Captain, is it true, are you actually retiring?" Asked code name Theseus an ONI operative from section 1. The cop from Mali looked at his superior officer.

The man was dressed unusually formal for his job. In full naval uniform complete with his billed hat. He had his spit shined black shoes up on the desk in front of him as he leaned back hands behind his head. Hardly the plausibly deniable fashion he normally ran in. Because he didn't do much field work anymore.

"Retiring?" He asked, baffled, "That makes it sound like I'm getting old. I'm only forty five. No, I still got plenty of working years left in me." He said, offended by the implication he was done doing things, "No Lieutenant, I'm switching over to the private sector at the end of my commission. That's all. I'm still going out about the stars throwing dice. Just not for the UEG."

"Private Sector," Theseus snorted as if he were offended, "You're going to become a mercenary."

"Wow, wow, wow. That's a loaded word. I'm going into private security." "What's the difference?"

"Well Lieutenant. A mercenary is a thug you pay to go blow things up. I'm going into the business of asset protection. Basically I ensure certain things don't get blown up. It's actually a hell a lot less morally ambiguous then what we're currently doing," Flavius paused, "Spying on allies."

Theseus didn't seem to like the idea. He formed a frown on his hard square jawed dark skinned face. He folded his arms and slowly shook his head.

"But sir, you're capable of so much then protecting rich people and their luxury goods. You can't possibly be satisfied with that."

Flavius kept his smile concealing his true reaction to the comment. How could you possibly know what satisfy me. He thought. Theseus as was his code name was so green that Flavius only talked to him on a code name basis. He'd been in for maybe two years. He still seemed to cling to these grand ideals about defending humanity and still believed ONI stood for just that. He hadn't really seen what the entity stood for. The corruption, the office politics that sometimes turned lethal, the corruption, the bureaucracy, special interest, and so many other things that ran counter to Terran security. Theseus hadn't dealt with any of that yet.

"There's more to life then covert operations and I want to expiernce it," Flavius said with the roll of his eyes, "Why do you think I accepted this post. You were a cop put the details together."

"You planned on this being your last assignment," Theseus said disappointed, "I still don't understand why. The stories they told about you."

"Are more story then fact," Flavius quickly countered, "Cleaned of the details undesirable to what instructors want you to know about how ONI really works. I'm sure they told you the legend Agent Flavius the kingmaker. Finest agent ever produced at the Institute. The guy who can turn any world pro UNSC. They talked about the twenty regime changes I was apart of. They probably didn't mention who it was done for. Nor did they tell you how unpopular I am with command. See I don't play their randeer games I made Captain cause some one else fucked up bad and they needed me to clean up the mess. The Admirals and Generals running the agency they want to stay there for life. They cling to power for powers sake. Guy like me whose famed for disrupting establishments he's a threat to guys like them. So I'm done with it. Done being their janitor, done being an puppet, an extension of some one else's interest. It's about time I look out for mine. So yes I took the Coruscant assignment because I wanted a nice easy low risk assignment as my last assignment."

The office phone rang. A peculiar device to use in a planet with access to the holonet. But utterly untraceable by Republic or Seperatist intelligence services. Flavius answered the phone.

"Hello," he said and listened. His eyes widened, "What?" He said, "Wait run that by me again." He stood up, "What do you mean you're already moving out? First Sergeant I never cleared such a..." he stopped and heard one final line his lips pursed into a frustrated frown, "Damn it, you know what my answer is. You're not giving me a choice!" The call ended.

Flavius stood over his desk. He took a deep breath. He'd formed a fist planted to the right of him. That Damn woman can't just appreciate a little peace and quiet.

"Theseus, go get a tac team together. We've got an asset taking fire inside of Republic intelligence HQ. We need to extract them now."

"Should they pack blasters?"

"Obviously!" Flavius snapped, "You think I want a fire fight outside of Republic Intelligence HQ traced back here. Double time, Artemisia is enroute now."

And suddenly Theseus saw why Flavius was angry with code name Artemisia. He wanted a peaceful assignment meaning there was a chance he wouldn't have saved the asset if he had time to think about. But he wouldn't allow her to drive to her death.

"Aye Captain." Theseus said and left at once.

Good soldier. Flavius thought as he watched the guy leave. Shame they don't last in ONI. Flavius reviewed his billed and quickly unbuttoned his formal jacket. Having no time to properly put in his closet he abandoned both on his chair. A UNSC officer running into a fire fight outside of Republic Intelligence HQ would definitely cause an intergalactic incident and that was putting it nicely.

He kept a personal armory in his office in a foot locker near his desk. Quickly he brought out a durasteal mandalorian style cuirass and strapped it on. Then got rid of his shinny black shoes replacing them with sneakers. He redesressed in just under thirty seconds before grabbing a westar carbine he kept in a gun safe also in his office then sprinted out of his office.

He sprinted through the whole complex that in the outside looked like an insurance building. He began fixing his ear piece into his ear as he got to the garage. In a black speeder can he saw ONI security forces operatives all dressed in dura steel armor packing blasters of a wide verity. Four in all. O'Connor, Jenkins, Reilly, and Marco were their names.

Theseus rolled up in a black speeder van. Everyone jumped I. The back and sped off. O'Connor was the NCO of the group. Ex helljumoer who'd fought on Earth durring the covenant war. Flavius looked to him immediately.

"What's the sitch?" He asked.

"We're extracting an asset taking heavy fire. Last I heard they were inside Republic intelligence headquarters."

"We're clearing a building that an intelligence agency with access to a clone army uses as its headquarters?" He asked making it clear this was insane.

"Artemisia said the asset would fund his way out of the building. We just gotta get him out of the parking lot."

"Still you know how insane this is? This asset better be worth if. The whole core is going to be on high alert after we pop their cherry."

O'Connor planned for every scenario. Including what to do if the GAR found out about the spying operation and sent guys to capture or kill all the agents involved. He actually had a plan to raid republuc intelligence headquarters that involved the entire security forces battalion. He made it very clear said plan would only be resorted to out of desperation. And all assets should be evacuated immediately in the event of such a leak to prevent a situation where they would have to do it. However he did point out Coruscant was horribly unsecured. And was surprised nothing bad had ever happened. However what that really meant was they were so confident that no one would attack Coruscant because of how stupid it would be that they grew lazy and complacent. Well after what they were about to do security wouldn't be light ever again.

Theseus hit the breaks hard as they pulled up in the parking lot. The van doors slid open. Flavius accessed the situation in two seconds. Artemisia pulled up in her vehicle on the other end. The woman was already positioned with a blaster carbine looking over the hood.

He saw two clones behind another speeder taking blaster fire from a team of other clones and intelligence officers. He knew exactly what to do. O'Connor began opening fire letting blaster bolts lose.

"Pop a smoke!" Flavius shouted.

A smoke grenade popped. Filling the horizon with thick grey smoke. O'Connor moved quickly with his squad towards the two clones. They set up a perimeter and kept their eyes leaked on the smoke. Artemisia moved forward as well and placed a bad over one of the clones head then passed him to O'Connor. The squad sprinted back to the van. Jenkins shut the slide door hard.

"Go! Go! Go!" Flavius shouted at Theseus.

They flew off from the scene disappearing as the smoke cleared. They would ditch the vehicles a few blocks down, burned them, and got picked up by seperate speeders and kept moving until they were back to headquarters.

Flavius stood outside the interrogation room where one of they secured assets was. He sat on the other side of a one sided window. He wasn't cuffed and laid his hands on the table. The clone was big. His muscles were built too perfectly. He had a face lacking even hint of emotion. He had the most confident posture that Flavius had ever seen in a man. He was not a normal clone.

"Alpha 17." Another clone said. The other one they pulled out.

Flavius turned to face him. The man was back in his signature katarn class armor with orange markings. Flavius smiled and extended his hand to shake with one if many assets he had.

"Boss," He said to the guy, "That was quite the little episode we had there. Mind filling me in."

He was acting polite. However he was fuming. Boss was an important asset whose role was to provide intelligence on just what he saw as a Republic commando. Not go gallivanting about like he was James Fucking Bond. The guy who recruited Boss said he'd keep a level head. So Flavius was willing to entertain the idea that there was a very good reason for it.

"Look I know how this looks. And I should have contacted Skirata the second I decided to tag a long on Alpha's little adventure."

"Wait, that's Alpha 17. ARC trooper numero uno?" "Uh huh."

Flavius bit his lip. Fuck. He thought. His heart began to pound realizing just the level of shit they were in. The whole GAR would hunting them.

"And you didn't even ask Skirata for permission first."

"Look he wouldn't have said no."

"That doesn't change the fact I'm just finding out about this now!" Flavius finally snapped.

"Flavius!" Skirata's voice boomed from the other side, "Lay off the boy. He's only thirteen years old after all."

Flavius turned to meet the gaze of one of his most valuable assets. Kal Skirata the man was well connected. And whatever Flavius needed to know he could find. He remeber recruiting the guy. It hadn't been difficult all he had to do was assist smuggling rogue clones to freedom. Their relationship grew closer when Flavius pulled the operation to remove Death watch. Suffice to say they trusted each other.

"Right, right, he's a teenager in an adult special forces operators body. I forget these things," Said Flavius.

"Yeah, everyone does," Kal said then turned to Boss, "Still it was pretty stupid not to call me. You little Di'kut."

"Let me explain," Boss said, "See Alpha's discovered something big."

They both looked at him waiting for a further explanation. Both frustrated with his little antic.

"Remeber that ARC trooper Fives."

"The one who tried to kill the Chancellor. Yeah why?" "It was a set up."

"What?" Flavius said raising an eyebrow, "For what."

"Look I could tell you two," Boss began and looked at the interrogation room, "Or he could give you the full story. I'm just hear so you know he's not lying."

Flavius looked at Alpha who was waiting. He considered not going in there. He wanted a nice easy assignment. Yet at the same time the Chancellor setting up a fake assassination attempt by an ARC trooper. It was too intriguing. Damn it. He thought as he instinctively entered the room.

"So you're the famed Alpha 17?" He said entering the interrogation room. "Yeah, what's it to you?" He asked aggressively.

"A lot, I hear you've been on quite the little adventure. I kinda want to hear all about it. But before you tell me can you we you something. Tea, coffee, donuts."

"The kriffs all that?" Alpha asked.

"Get the donuts and coffee," Boss said, "Trust me they're good."

"He ain't lying," Kal said.

Alpha looked at all three of them. For a moment Flavius had a bad feeling that the guy was going to pounce on them. He'd been in plenty of fights. But was he ready for an Alpha class arc trooper.

"I'll take the treats. But why the kriff should I tell you people anything." "Look we're here to help," Flavius said.

"Yourselves maybe. Who the kriff even are you." "UNSC."

"The Terrans."

"Yes," Skirata said, "These boys are the Terrans. Look they're self interested ass holes. But that's just the thing they not plotting Gakactic domination or anything. On the contrary they just want to not be dominated. I've worked with this one for awhile. They have reasources and capabilities whatever's going on it's serious stuff. The Reoublic is probably compromised. So why not tell us what's happening so we can do something about it.

Alpha said nothing. He just staired. Theseus brought him a donut and a cup of coffee. He looked at them.

"Times ticking Alpha," Boss said, "If we do not do something soon."

"Fine, fine," He said and finally took a sip of coffee, "I'll talk. I don't trust Kal but I know enough about to know his instincts are good and that he wouldn't blindly trust people. And Boss is right, I have to do something before it's too late."

It all began one week ago. After Fives died. I kept watching the footage over and over again in my apartment. Footage from the helmet cams of one of the shock troopers responding to the scene. Trench was his name. I watched the footage as he arrived on scene with the other shock troopers. Commander Fox in lead and they came upon Fives confronting the two jedi Generals, Kenobi and Skywalker. The footage showed Fives shouting incoherently and walking around erratically. Truly looked like the mad man the holo news described. Then you know how it goes down he reaches for the blaster pistol. And Bang! Bang! Commander Fox instinctively fires two shoots. Fives tumbles backwards, a hole burned in his armor. I don't see what happens next Trench is distressed and removes his helmet. I hear Fives last words the mission the nightmare are finally over and then he dies. On the surface level looks like he went mad the war broke him or some shevick and this was the result. But I just wasn't buying it. Guy doesn't break after Umbarra why's a guy break now. And there was no mention of any kind of previous signs of him being unhinged. Furthermore I trained him and it didn't match the guy I knew.

It all happened very fast. I zoomed in as much as I could to the scene. I looked specifically at his eyes. The redness, the purple dislocation, all of it suggested drug use. I've seen it plenty of times going undercover in the outer rim. Could that be it? Are reg ARC troopers doing drugs now and these drugs drove Fives off the brink?

I decided I was going to look into it. Why you might ask, well it's simple, last thing anyone wants is a drug problem in the GAR. It's bad from a military perspective because you don't want drugged up troopers wielding weapons. It's bad from a moral perspective because you don't want guys post war being sent into the civil world with drug addictions. So I stood up put on my helmet and left my apartment to investigate.

First I stopped by Arca company barracks as i said there's no reason any one would actually want drug addicted ARC troopers. So I figured I could bring the issue up to General Zey and get this investigation resources. I arrived at the man's office. He was at his desk having a conversation with Captain Maize as I entered his office.

"Alpha, always a pleasure, what brings you here today?" Zey asked, "7th Skycorp pulling another strategic master stroke."

"Knowing Cody, possibly but that's not what I'm here about, I want to look into something and it would be nice to have additional resources to do it."

"Ok what is it then?"

"The ARC trooper, Fives, the one all over the news that every clone's talking about. I looked at the footage. He was on drugs. I could tell from the way his eyes looked. If that's what broke the guy then this could suggest drug use among ARC troopers."

"Wouldn't we know."

"We're different," I told Maize, "I'm not talking Alphas or Nulls, I'm talking about unenhanced ARC troopers. Most of which are not under the constant supervision of the Special operations brigade and are attached to conventional legions."

"If that's the case," Zey began, "wouldn't it be more suggestive of a possible problem with in the five o first legion?"

"Either way shouldn't it be something we look into," I said, "Even if its just one legion that's a problem."

Zey thought about it for a moment and he seemed to be throwing it around in his head. Weighing if it were worth the cost of devoting time, people, and credits. Then slowly he nodded as I knew he would.

"What do you need?"

"Well first I need a full toxicology of Fives's body to see what was in his system and that's really all I need from you for now. Otherwise I'm just going to ask around see if any one knows anything."

"Easy enough," Zey said, "I'll have it done for you by the end of the day."

With that I left. The next step as I've said twice now was to figure out what drugs were in Fives system. I knew he was on drugs that was obvious to anyone with a general understanding, what I didn't know what was what kind. And while the toxicology report would report that I needed to consult an expert in how these things work. So I went to the only man i knew that handles cases like these on a frequent basis.

I arrived in officer Jaller Obrim's office about thirty minutes later. Guy was a friend so all it took was a phone call and a hard Coruscanti ale. He smiled as I entered his office ceasing his previous work.

"Alpha, " he said all happy like, 'What can I do for you?"

I noted the fact that I had a warm welcome from a man who definitely had better things to do then talk to a ARC troopers. So I returned the smile and extended my hand to shake.

"Working on an assignment I thought you could help with."

"Certainly what is it."

"I'm investigating the ARC trooper who was killed a few days ago. I believe he was on some kind of drug. I wanted your thoughts on it."

"I'd say based on his slurred speech he was under the influence of something," Jaller replied, "But I haven't really given it much thought. That said I've arrested more Coruscanti drug dealers over a period of a month then there's clone commandos in the special operations brigade."

"You know how many active commandos there are."

"No but I can take ane educated guess."

"As interesting as that would be let's stay on task here. Suppose a clone wanted to buy illegal drugs how difficult would it be."

"Not difficult in the slightest. I'd be more surprised if there wasn't at least one trooper who'd done it," Jaller replied bluntly, "In fact I bet there's some crime lord who makes his living off of it. And obviously you would know if this were possible or not. But if I were a coruscanti crime lord I'd go as far to try and bribe clones to smuggle stuff for me off world. After all troopers move in on Coruscant on leave, go to the clone bar to get their heads cleared, and then leave. They are not subject to any screening because no one would suspect clone soldiers of smuggling. But I digress, yes it's entirely plausible if this Arc trooper what's his name again..."

"Fives."

"If Fives was on some kind of narcotic during the encounter, he could have easily gotten it from a Coruscanti dealer."

I nodded that was good information. Which led me to next part of why i came to jaller instead of just waiting for toxicology to do its thing.

"If you had to guess what type of drug was he on."

"I'm not as well versed in the effects of drugs as you would think there's a guy in the department I'd have to consult if you wanted to get it exact from just that video. But it was definitely something that was effecting his nerves. Something that numbed him out and effected his perception."

"Interesting and now that your mentioning it and I know this going to be a big ask..."

"Yes I'll definitely put some of my people on it. And we will definitely scope the scene to see if anyones been selling to clones. Not just as a favor for a friend but also because if my worst fears are true there could a whole Galatic drug network in which the Coruscanti underground is using the clone army as a middle man."

"Well fierfek now that would make headlines assuming the intelligence doesn't have it covered up."

"Well I suppose if intelligence has it covered up. Then that would make me a lose end wouldn't it."

"Supposed I'd be a lose end too."

"Really you wouldn't just keep your mouth shut about what you found."

"I don't think they'd trust me to keep my mouth shut. I would by the way, but intelligence is paranoid. If you're not in it they think you're plotting to over throw the place if you are in intelligence they still think you're plotting to overthrow the place they just delude themselves into thinking they can prevent you from doing it easier."

We had a good laugh before leaving. He was a good guy with a sharp mind. I had full faith he'd figure it out.

Ten minutes later I returned to my personal quarters. Fives was still on my mind. I thought about it harder. Something still didn't add up even with the drug theory. I trained Fives one of the last ARC troopers I trained personally and I did after him and Echo were recommended to me by both Colt and Rex. I know the people I train well. Fives wouldn't do drugs.

What kind of man was Arc trooper Fives? Justify to me why he's not the type.

I noted him for two things seemingly contradictory. His exceptional sense of humor and casual mannerisms. The type of guy who just shrugs when an artillery round explodes. And second an

exceptional level of discipline. He took his job so seriously he would never risk such an infraction on his record. He would never risk a court martial just to take the edge off.

Never

Not even if you threatened to kill him. I couldn't buy he was the type to do or help smuggle illegal commodities. But I needed to confirm it. And what better way than to ask the man who recommended Fives for ARC training in the first place.

Captain Rex

Yes, I met him in his personal quarters. He saluted me. As both his superior officer and out of respect for the guy who taught him everything he knows.

"At ease Captain."

"Yes sir, what's this all about?" Rex asked.

"Fives," I said, "I'm looking into his death."

"I see." Rex replied grimly. His smile faded, "What else is there to look into."

"Tell me you notice anything funny about his eyes." "I'll admit I wasn't really paying attention."

"Should've been," I said, "He was under the influence of something."

Rex didn't say anything immediately. He frowned clearly, not liking going over the details again. Not reliving the pain. But I needed to know for sure there wasn't a drug problem in the five o first or among second gen ARC troopers. And Rex never lies.

"Makes sense he was acting erratically."

"He ever do drugs. Spice, death sticks, any of that stuff."

"No, he's never done any of that stuff."

"You've never seen him do any that stuff," I corrected him, "You weren't glued to him Captain."

"I know Fives he would never do anything like that."

"But he would apparently aim a blaster pistol at a superior officer."

"He wasn't in his right mind." Rex's tone became harsh and angry. "Because he was under the influence."

"What's the kriffing point here Alpha," Rex finally snapped. Always had anger in him took a little pressure to bring it out but you could, "Fives is dead."

"Yes and I want to know why. How does a soldier like Fives end up dead in that manner. It doesn't make sense."

"Not everything makes sense."

"But everything is caused by something else. Rex I taught you this. No action happens in a vacuum. This investigation is to establish what caused Fives to go rogue. We need to understand how it affects the GAR as a whole and it's been approved by Director Zey Argilan so Captain, cooperate."

"Always were a cold son of a..."

"Finish that sentence and you'll find yourself private Rex of the 754th janitorial legion." I said, "Now answer this question with honesty. Do any troopers in the 501st use any kind of mind altering substance against GAR regulations? You don't have to name them. It's a yes or no."

Rex looked at me. He didn't reply immediately. And his hesitation gave away the answer. He frowned deeper knowing his hesistation gave away the answer.

"It's a small minority that Fives was not a part of."

"What are they shooting up on and where are they getting it."

"I don't kriffing know I don't do the shevick. I just see guys on their off time smoking it and their numbed out."

"Like Fives was?" "FIVES WAS CLEAN!"

"Then what the fierfek happened out there!" I shouted back, "Tell me what happened before shock showed up. Because I don't have access to your helmet footage. Intelligence won't let it go."

"I'm under strict orders not to disclose anything." "What why not?"

"It involves sensative intel."

"Rex, I liked you because you knew when to bend or even break regulation. Stop playing buy the book now. What don't I know about the case?"

"I'm under strict orders I tell you and it ends up in a report and it's a court martial. Don't put me in that situation."

I won't lie I was tempted to. And had he not been as gifted as he was I would've risked it. But we need guys like Rex on the battlefield so I nodded. He relaxed.

"Can you tell me what he said right before shock showed up."

"He said he knew the truth that he'd been framed and spewed on about some conspiracy."

"Framed for what or is that..."

"Not the classified bit. I don't know what he was thinking. He was just mad and out of his mind."

Definitely sounded like some drug induced madness. I didn't want to piss off Rex anymore then I already had so I withheld. I had all I needed or was otherwise going to get.

I stopped at Dexter's and got myself a cup of cafe. I let all of it stew on my mind. That seeking feeling returned that something was wrong it couldn't possibly have been how it looked. Then my communicator chimed. I answered it.

"Alpha, it's Maize. I got some bad news." "How bad?"

"They cremated Fives before we could even ask."

"Fierfek!"

"Yeah I said the same thing. How do things look on your end."

"I talked to Rex he claims Fives was clean even if the five o first isn't 100% clean."

"Figures."

"You're not surprised."

"Wars stressful some guys gotta take the edge off. We may be clones but we all still react differently to stress. That said how do drugs end up in a guys system if he doesn't do them."

"That's a good question. Rex said something else. Fives claimed there was some conspiracy and he was being framed. Rex casted off as mad rambling."

"Which might make sense if he was a known drug addict. But if he's not maybe..." "Are you suggesting he was telling the truth."

"I'm just saying we should be open to all possibilities."

He hung up after that. I finished my cafe before leaving a tip then leaving the dinner. As I walked outside the thought ate at me. Furthermore Rex admitted to not saying something to me. I was half tempted to break into intelligence HQ and steal some intel then my communicator rang again.

"It's Obrim we should meet now."

I was back at Obrim's office. His hands were folded infront of him and he had a dead serious look on his face. He'd stumbled on to something that much was certain.

"So our narcotics guy told me the exact way Fives was acting didn't match up anything he'd encountered. However the Terrans have been pushing new stuff on the streets. Real nasty stuff so we called up some friends in the UEG's justice department they transferred us to a woman named Sherry who works in the DEA. Sherry says and I qoute while there's substantial evidence of a Terran mafia network stretching from Earth to here, Fives doesn't look mad enough to be on

hard drugs and soft drugs don't and again using a human curse word fuck you up that bad. She says it looks more like he's on an aesthetic or some kind of tranquilizer. Not a narcotic."

"It's unlikely a guy does those for any kind of pleasure."

"I've seen some really really weird stuff. But no I wouldn't assume he willing put whatever those drugs were in his system."

Willingly was the key. I suspected it the whole time. It was the only thing that meant sense. But I wanted to deny it because if it were true the implications are unfathomable. The can of worms from the truth were something I did not want to unleash. Yet I'm driven to do it my nature won't let me just sleep happily when confronted with an unsolved problem. That's who I am I create solutions, I unkriff what's kriffed up, I set things right. It's not a blessing it's a curse because I can count the amount of nights I got good sleep on one hand because of how many things need to be unkriffed. I knew it the whole time the truth was...

"Fives was murdered," I said, "O fierfek."

"Yes indeed." Obrim said agreeing with both, "So I drew up possible suspects realizing the same thing and you know being a cop and all I just had to. And aside from Rex and most of the five o first, all the suspects I came up well they have the power to make people like you and me disappear."

"Rex and the five o first?"

"Look when it comes to murder it's all about access. Most murders are done by people in a position of trust."

"Show me the rest of the list."

"Well there's the General Anakin Skywalker, the kaminoan Nala Se, the Kaminoan prime minister Lama Su, General Kenobi, Commander Marshal Cody, Chancellor Palpatine, and Senator Padme Amidalla."

"Really you have Palpatine and Amidalla on there?"

"Palpatine was the last to see him before he went rogue. Access even if I don't have established motive."

"Alright Amidalla."

"Well she's sleeping with Skywalker." "What?"

"I looked into how much time both of them are on breaks and a bunch of other stuff. Then just how they look at each other in public. I mean..."

"Fierfek you're right they're kriffing."

"Yes and if Fives found hard evidence by I don't know walking in on something. He has information compromising to both of them so even if she doesn't have established access she possibly has a motive."

"I'm going to admit I'm out of my depth with a murder investigation."

"Well Alpha let me help you out. Most murders happen for one of three reasons. Money, sex, or a cover up. And the more interesting ones are a combination of all three."

"So I figure out who has the most motive."

"And odds are you'll find evidence of access a long with it." "My boss is going to just love this." I said very sarcastically.

"I don't envy the meeting your about to have one bit. Also while I'd love to be involved. Protocol states military murders must behind by the military. See when I thought there might be a smuggling ring it was in my territory..."

"Don't beat yourself up. You were very helpful. I'll take it from here."

I went back to Zey's office first and told him everything. His expression changed immediately a deep frown bore on his face. You could tell he preferred it when it looked like a drug episode we both did. Murder complicated matters.

"Murder," Zey said, "And you're sure it couldn't have been any one outside of the GAR."

"Murders all about access. The kind of access you would need to inject Fives with some kind of anesthesiac has to be up close and personal and the only people who would have had that kind of access..."

"Damn, that complicates things."

"Certainly," I replied, "But if there's a murder among the ranks we need to find them."

"Well we've a problem Alpha it was strongly implied to me we let the issue go. I recieved a call from intelligence stating the whole affair was closed and I got a communication from Windu telling me to not look into it further." Zey said, "But we can't have a murder among the ranks. So stay on it but do it on the downlow."

"Yes sir." I replied.

I went back to my personal quarters and began to think through it. Who had the easiest access. Was my first line of thought. Well immediately I through out Obrim's Amadala theory sure she could have arranged it but far to much effort compared to other people. I then threw out Obi Wan and Cody because I knew exactly where they were when Fives went rogue they couldn't have had contact in a 24 hour period so unlikely. That left four people on the board. Captain Rex who would have had the easiest time injecting Fives after all there's no one alive Fives would have placed more trust in. Then there was General Skywalker he's in a position of power and trust even if not as much trust as Rex. And then my last suspect Nala Se she had the most ability to do it. Being a medical officer she would've had access to such drugs. They were spotted exiting a shuttle together to meet with the chancellor for classified purposes. That said I couldn't figure out her motive. Kaminoans wouldn't kill a perfectly good soldier. And Kaminoans wouldn't commit murder on a barely functioning clone. Instead they'd have him sent back to Kamino and 'decommission' him.

Isn't that basically murder.

Murders illegal decommissioning is not. The difference is important because that means Nala Se was acting out of a progrative counter intuitive to the war effort. And that confirms Fives was perfectly healthy otherwise they would go through the process to formally decommission him. They can't do it on false allegations because no General in their right mind would just be ok with one of their best soldiers being removed from the battlefield and decommissioned. Their would be an investigations and they would demand records and hard evidence said soldier proved a danger to the rest of the unit. So if you have a motive to kill a clone that isn't quite legitimate you're better off using illegitimate means to get it done. Such as drugging a guy to make him look mad so he gets shot by the shock troopers.

I see. So Nala Se was your prime suspect.

Again I didn't know the motive. Just because some one has the ability to do it does not mean they did it. And I wasn't about to get some one thrown into prison or executed on false pretenses even if they are Kaminoan.

I couldn't sleep that night and stayed at my desk running through possible motives. Maybe Fives discovered General Skywalker's relationship with the senator and so he killed him. Maybe Rex lied to me for once there was a full blown drug network running through the five o first and Fives was going to tell someone of note and so Rex had him murdered. Maybe Nala Se killed him after Fives discovered some glitch in the clone system but what was the glitch? At some point my mind made up scenarios that didn't make sense. It kept working working as working trying to find some key detail that would put everything into place. I grew frustrated.

Two knocks racked against my door. I answered it. General Kenobi stood on the other side. "How are you."

"Fine sir."

"No your not. I can feel your frustration through the force. What seems to be the problem?"

I was told to keep the whole thing on the downlow. But I trusted and respected Kenobi. And it was beyond the conditioning all clones went through to implicitly follow orders of the Jedi. Most clones fell on instinct when it came to Jedi. When we were in our formative states the kaminoans found ways to psychologically condition clones to be loyal to the Jedi. To the point Alpha classers would follow orders they found stupid after saying out loud these orders are stupid. Psychological conditioning from birth is the real drug if you ask me.

Kenobi was one of the few who took the feedback. In fact I think he broke the conditioning drilled into many clones under him. Instead of falling on instincts he had their genuine respect and admiration.

"Master Argilan gave me a new confusing assignment." "What's it about perhaps I can be of assistance."

I told him everything.

"Let's discuss this in the tactical room at the temple. We'll have more resources to draw from this does sound complicated."

We left the barracks where the 7th Skycorp was awaiting new orders. It was a short trip to the temple. I'd been to the tactical room numerous times in the past briefing jedi on the strategic situation. Often it fell in deaf ears but there were a handful of Jedi who absorbed it. Cody showed up a minute later, called in by Kenobi. He was my sharpest pupil so it wasn't a bad idea. We projected the video of Fives death, pictures of all the suspects, and a bio of Fives from the holo table.

"So you're comfortable with making Anakin a suspect?" I asked surprised at Kenobi's ease that his apprentice and virtual brother was a suspect in a murder.

"I don't think it was him. Even if Fives discovered what him and Padme are up to I could never imagine him killing his own soldier to cover it up. He would let it go public first."

"So it's true then." Alpha said.

"And irrelevant to your case so let's move on."

"If I can," Cody spoke up, "When you think about the answer is usually obvious. It's just sorrounded by tangents. Which one of the suspects could have logically done it based on what we know."

"Can't be Anakin the time table doesn't line up," Obi Wan said, "The reports say he didn't have contact with Fives until after Fives went rogue."

"That leaves Nala Se, the Chancellor, and Rex." Alpha concluded.

"Why would Rex do that? Just like Anakin he'd never kill one of his own men." Cody affirmed, "You know that Alpha."

"Do I? Tell me what motive can you give the Chancellor or Nala Se."

"We need more information. Rex said Fives claimed to be framed that there was a conspiracy." Kenobi said.

"Yes."

"We now know that we can conclude he wasn't actually mad. That means he was framed and there is a conspiracy. Which means he was investigating something. We find out what that is we'll find our killer."

"If only it were that easy. It's classified. I asked about why Fives was meeting with the chancellor and it's classified. Windu appearently knows and as High General decided to keep it wrapped up."

"Why would he do that?" Cody asked.

"Mace certainly always has his reasons. So he isn't unreasonable," Kenobi replied, "Here's what I suggest we do. Rex knows what happened even if he doesn't know he knows. If you can get him to tell you everything that happened before Fives got shot it may give us what we need."

"Let me talk to him." Cody said, "He'll listen to me."

"I'll come with you."

"And I'll see if I can convince General Windu to declassify the details."

We woke Rex up in the middle of the night. So he already wasn't in a very sporting mood. However I needed answers and I wanted them now.

"Fives was murdered." "What? What do you..."

"He had an anesthetic in his system Rex. That's not something you take to enjoy yourself. Someone put it there to make him look mad. Someone murdered Fives."

"Fierfek," Rex gasped realizing the truth, "I don't know who would want to..."

"Tell me everything you know Fives was up to in the last five days."

"Alpha, I told you its class..."

"Kriff security clearance! One of my men one of your boys was kriffing murdered. You tell me right now."

"I tell you that and..."

"Don't bring up a court martial. Because right now your on the list of suspects so either you cough up right now or I'll put it in my report that you did it."

"You piece of shevick." Rex said his whole being changed, "You know I had nothing to do with it."

"Do I. You look like a murder to me. Fives said he was framed it was you wasn't it. The whole five o first is probably involved in some corrupt..."

Rex surged at me snapping completely. I got under his skin, I moved easily dodging a jab met for my face. Cody moved swiftly between us nearly catching a hook from Rex. The Captain then stopped to not injure Cody.

"Both of you sit down. That's enough. We're soldiers of the Galactic Republic. Come on now," Cody said disappointed in his friend and in me his mentor, "Rex you gotta tell us something. Fives was murdered don't you want justice for him? Hell if this murder's still on the loose Fives might not be the only five o first soldier on their list."

"I don't know who did it. If I even had the smallest clue do you think I'd be sitting here right now. I would have killed the fierfeker myself." Rex said.

"Yeah, I believe you," Cody said, "But Rex you might know more then your aware of. Just didn't see it at the time because you weren't looking. What was Fives up to before he died, start there walk us through it and omit any details that are classified. You might not need to give us the parts that are classified."

Rex nodded, "Alright," and then he calmed down after sighing, "So it all started when Tup died. I can tell you that. I can tell you he shot a Jedi. Fives then went to Kamino with the body because the Kaminoans wanted to know more. I can't tell you what he found out. After that he was on his way to Coruscant to talk with the Chancellor. And next time I saw him well you've got the footage."

Cody nodded. I made no visible sign or approval or disapproval. I ran it through my mind. "Clone shooting a Jedi?" I asked, "What happened there?"

"I won't talk about that incident unless General Skywalker oks it."

I was tempted to torture Rex. But I knew he wouldn't crack under it. And besides as I thought about the event sequencing which could easily be confirmed with a travel log that removed every suspect off the board but one. The suspect I knew it had to be and now I had a bit of a motive.

"Was that so difficult Captain," I snarled, "Get some rest."

Me and Cody left the barracks and got in a speeder Kenobi loaned out. He drove as I thought more and more. He started the engine and we rose. Cody turned to me also having pieced it together.

"So it was Nala Se." He said. "Yep."

"And it was do to a malfunction in Tup one so big the Kaminoans can't fix it." "Maybe."

"What else would it be."

"That's an assumption. All we know is Tup killed a Jedi for some weird reason that got the Kaminoan's attention and Fives went back to Kamino with Tup's body. Something happened there, Fives uncovered something and Nala Se had him killed for it before he could tell the Chancellor. What if it wasn't simply a malfunction in our systems they couldn't cover it up. What if it was an isolated incident about something that functions perfectly well inside of our designs that we nor anyone else knew beforehand."

"What the kriff could that be. Are you suggesting we don't know everything about ourselves?" "We need access to what happened to Tup." I concluded.

"Well how are we going to get that?"

"Maybe Kenobi had luck with Windu."

We met back up in the tactical room. Obi Wan Kenobi had no luck with Mace Windu. I could tell because he frowned when I walked in. And his state did not change after we told him what we got out of Rex.

"Windu was stubborn on the matter," Kenobi said, "That's concerning." "So what's our move from here."

"We have three options," I said, "Get Skywalker to talk, break into Intelligence HQ and steal Tup's file, or interrogate Nala Se."

"Why not all three," Cody suggested, "Just to be safe."

"Cody I'd thought you would be against breaking into intelligence HQ?"

"Alpha something about my design caused Tup to kill a Jedi and got Fives murdered. I want know before something bad happens not after."

"Easy Cody. If Anakin knows there's no reason to go that far. That should be the absolute last resort. Interrogating Nala Se our second. But Anakin isn't a stranger to breaking protocol. I imagine all it'll take is really just asking." Said Obi Wan.

"He's got a point." I said, "Hell if we tell him it would drive the entire Jedi council mad I bet he'd do it no questions asked."

"Alright we talk to Skywalker where is he?"

"With senator Amadala."

"O this'll be awkward." I said, "Let's give him a bit of for warning." "Right." Obi Wan said.

Now I never liked Skywalker. He's arrogant and utterly careless. He may get victories but they come at high cost. Too many of his victories and we'd lose the war. So when Obi Wan arranged to meet him I concluded I had to hold my tongue and let Kenobi and Cody do all the talking unless asked a question.

You really do trust them.

No one I trust more in the whole Galaxy. Ever since Jabbiim. We found ourselves in a mess created by our superiors. There was no way to win. And any one else alongside me and I know I wouldn't be here right now.

We met Skywalker at Dexter's. Me and Cody dressed in fatigues the Jedi came in their robes. Dexter walked over chatted with Kenobi for a little and then took our orders.

"Alright," Anakin finally said after Dex walked off, "What's going on. I know it's not a social call, Alpha's here."

"Fives was murdered." Obi Wan said.

Anakin froze the color drained from his face. You could see confusion even anger in his eyes. And then disbelief.

"How'd I not see it," He said finally acknowledging the truth, "That wasn't him. He was drugged wasn't he."

Now while I dislike the guy greatly I have to admit he's sharper then most. Obi Wan nodded and also formed a more serious look. Then there was anger in Skywalker's eyes I'd never seen eyes that hate filled before in a Jedi. It quite honestly freighted me.

"Who did it?" He asked.

"We think Nala Se." Cody said, "And we were hoping you could help us confirm that as well as give us a reason why."

"Nala Se the medical technician?" Anakin said baffled, "It doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does," I said I couldn't stay silent on that matter on something I knew to be true, "Kaminoans view us as product. Meaning any evidence that we're not good product needs to be liquidated."

"But she's a medical technician."

"Anakin," Obi Wan said, "Stay focused here. Fives was researching something before he was murdered. What was it."

"Mace knows."

"He's being less then cooperative."

"Course he is," Anakin rolled his eyes, "Alright I'll tell you everything I know."

All three of us looked at him intently. I had a feeling he didn't have the complete picture. Meaning Cody may have been right about what we should've done.

"It all started when Tup died," Anakin began, "It was the strangest thing I've ever seen. Tup just stopped in the middle the battlefield and he had this crazed determined look in his eye. Like he had to do something. He shot Master Tiplar in cold blood. He then fought other clones as they

restrained him. Then he kept saying good soldiers follow orders over and over and over again." Anakin said forming a fist, "Next I know sepies raid the place and take Tup. But me and the boys managed to get him back..."

"Wait the seperatists took Tup? Like he was targeted?" I asked another new detail, "Why?"

"That's something no one ever learned," Anakin said, "Next thing I know Fives is escorting him to Kamino. That's the last time I saw Tup alive. About twenty four hours from the last time I'd see Fives alive."

"So you never learned what happened to Tup."

"Windu knows," Anakin said, "But Fives he was trying to say something. There was some conspiracy that something in the clones could force the clones to kill Jedi. That's what I got from it and then he died."

"It's in us?" Alpha asked. "That's what he said."

"So the Seperatist take Tup after he kills a Jedi. Fives goes to investigate finds something that causes clones to kill Jedi against their will and then dies." Obi Wan summed it up.

"That's about everything I know."

"The seperatists know. What if the Kaminoans are working for both sides?" Cody asked.

"Jango was," I said, "Why would we assume they aren't."

"Why's Mace keeping this covered up."

"Orders of the Chancellor." Kenobi said.

"Really. We need to know what Fives uncovered because I don't believe for a second that just a medical technician is behind this even if she killed Fives."

"So we kidnap Nala Sala torture the living fierfek out of her and get the rest of the information we need to put this whole thing together." I said very confident of myself.

"Yes, we start with her fingernails." Anakin said too enthusiastic.

"Ok now you're speaking launguage."

"No!" Both Kenobi and Cody said at the same time.

"That's highly illegal we can't just torture people for information." Cody said. "What is wrong with both of you." Obi Wan said.

"Nothing you're both just kill joys." I said, "I mean, what? Do you think we're just going to walk up to Nala Se and go hey tell us all of Kamino's secrets especially the one you were willing to commit murder to cover up and she's just going to go O ok let me just grab some files."

"Well if we make her think we already know then she'll give up that and more to save her own skin." Cody said, "It's just like disabling illegal slavery networks no one wants to go to jail so let's get the other guy in jail instead."

"Alright Inspector Cody if you and Kenobi are playing good cop me and Skywalker are playing bad cop."

"Right we'll leave tomorrow after I make the arrangements." Kenobi began. "Wait are you sure you want them to know we're coming."

"They won't know why we're really there. If we break in it'll create more problems then we really need." Said Kenobi.

"Fine, we'll do it your way." I said.

We decided to get a few hours rest before the next day. I walked outside on my own back to my private quarters at Arca barracks. And waited for a taxi. And that's when I felt off, instinctively grabbed my blaster pistol and snapped around. A mandalorian in Sand gold armor stood behind me.

"Easy son." He said.

I knew immediately who he was and you know who he is. But for the sake of story telling I'll say his name again.

"Sergeant Skirata," I said respectfully, "Don't call me son I'm no one's son."

"Ok," Kal said, "It's a bit of a old soldiers habbit. But I'll try so...Mr Alpha." "We could defer to rank, sergeant."

"You could lower the DC, Captain. You know it's odd you're only a Captain. I mean all the work you do."

"Captain on paper," I said, "Thing about the military is it's about gravitas and authority. Get a Lieutenant who's got no balls he isn't running the platoon. The platoon sergeant is. I'd think you know a thing or two about that. Rumor has it Omega squad only does what Argilan says cause you're around and it's fact the Nulls only do what you say."

"You still haven't lowered the DC."

"Not planning to," I said coldly, "A mercenary sneaks up on you it'd be stupid to."

For all I knew he could have been paid to kill me. I got no personal connection to Skirata or his little clique. We've interacted only in passing. But I hear things about what they get up to. Argilan says they do what suits them.

"Smart. But Captain, if I were going to kill you, don't you think I would have shot you and your buddies while you were seated in the restaurant with a sniper rifle."

"Sure, still not lowering the blaster till I know why you're here."

"I had a contact tell me you were looking into that ARC trooper's Fives death." "Obrim?" I concluded, "He's the only guy I told outside a close inner circle." "Doesn't matter who. I found out."

"Ok what's it to you?"

"Well I want to know. Who did him in."

"Take a guess."

Kal said nothing I imagined he was grinning behind the helmet. His head slowly nodding. He suspected it cause he hated Kaminoans.

"Nala Se," He concluded, "Alright you figure out the motive and why they couldn't decommission the guy?"

"I'm not telling anything till I know more about your motive."

"I care about clones. Nothing matters more to me then my boys. If the Kaminoans are covering something up I want to know what it is."

"Ok new question then," I said, "Why should I tell you. I'll be honest Kal not a fan of you and your boys. You think your shevick don't smell and your single handedly winning the war. When it's actually the infantry guy whose willing to go right through hell over and over and over again."

"You got it all wrong Captain. I care deeply about those guys in fact I want this war to end so they can stop doing that I don't care who wins."

"If you cared then you would. We lose the war what do you think happens to all the clones?" I snarled, "But I digress why should I tell you anything. What do you have in exchange."

"O so Captain Alpha 17 can be bought? The proud Alpha class ARC trooper isn't incorruptible after all."

"If it helps me accomplish the mission then I'll share."

"I have my own intelligence and my own reasources that could help you greatly." "What kind of resources?"

"You don't need to know."

"Fine give me the intel and I'll decide if I give anything back."

"I'm the self righteous one?"

"I walk in three, two, ..."

"Ok ok, sheesh you really are a Fett clone," Skirata said, "Follow the money trail. Republic funds had been siphoned off to new clone production here on Coruscant."

"Prove it."

Skirata threw a data card that I caught out of thin air. I swiftly placed it into a pocket still holding my pistol.

"Everything we found is there. You can verify the information by simply tapping into the treasury department."

I thought about it. It wasn't a smoking gun.

"Thanks."

"Wait, you're not going to clue me in. We had a deal."

"I made you think we had a deal. It's like you said I really am a Jango Fett clone."

"Alpha, whatever your on to its bigger then you and your friends. You need help and protection I can get you both but you need to be willing to work with me."

"Look Kal, I appreciate the gesture. But even if I uncover secret cloning facilities on Coruscant I really don't see how that helps me so it's not worth giving up what I know anyway," I replied, "And I can take care of myself just fine."

"Once again how am I the self righteous arrogant osik." "Hey I never said I wasn't also one."

I put the blaster pistol away and walked off. The truth was I didn't see how off world cloning labs mattered yet. I had a strong feeling things were going to fall into place soon and then I would see it. Now I know what you're thinking you dummy you should've let him in. Well if he said hey I'm also spying for ONI I probably would have reported him because I had no idea the full extent of what I was getting into. I mean fierfek you could have done a better job about trying to pull me in and show me what was going on.

We didn't have a clue because you wouldn't say anything. I mean if I approached you, you would've killed me on the spot.

Fair enough. Fine, I made a mistake. I see that now. Skirata wipe that stupid grin off your face.

Any ways next day all four of us are on a shuttle. I updated everyone on what just happened the previous night. They all concurred with me. We flew off into hyperspace bound for Kamino. It was about a fifteen minute flight.

I looked out from orbit and saw the ocean world bellow. I remembered training under Jango Fett years ago. Running through fierce hand to hand combat drills. Him saying we'd be the best soldiers the Jedi ever saw. No one knowing he was working both sides at the time. We landed and entered the hanger to be immediately greated by Ko Sai the Prime minister.

"General Kenobi you've returned. It's always a pleasure to see you as it is General skywalker and I see you've brought two of our finest models. May I ask why you are here."

"I thought I made it clear in my message. There's word of a Separatist biowarfare program I'm here to talk to Nala Se about clone immunity systems."

Kenobi played it well. Ko Sai nodded his head seemingly accepting that lie. I never took Kenobi for a lier and maybe it wasn't a lie. There probably was a Seperatist bio weapon program.

O there were several but go on.

"Well unfortunately Nala Se has been killed."

It hit all of us like a brick the way he said it. He was too casual about it. To a matter of fact. Which told me they knew why we were really here.

"Killed?" Obi Wan asked.

"We got word that apparently she was working with clones to smuggle Terran narcotics from Coruscant and sent a security team to arrest her. Unfortunately she did not come willingly and lethal force proved necessary."

We all knew that was a huge load of bantha fodder. They took my red hairing and turned it into fact. Instead of claiming Fives died from some kind of malfunction they were going to admit it was murder and invent a believable reason. Well we also knew sticking around wasn't safe either. Because clearly they knew why we were there. So we pretended to scope the medical data based on our own reboarded our ship and blasted off back to coruscant.

No one said anything on the flight back. If they knew we were coming they may have had the ship bugged it was a republic shuttle after all and they had connections. My mind shifted to who ordered Nala Se's death. That was a clear and obvious cover up. Was it simply a Kaminoan

scheme? Maybe, yet I rolled back the sequence of events. And I knew there was a third suspect. The last Fives encountered before going mad. The chancellor.

"Windu," Skywalker said all of a sudden, "He has the last piece we're missing from all this. He met with the Chancellor about what Fives discovered before it was all labeled classified."

"Mace will talk now that we know there's more to this then what appeared."

We arrived back in orbit if Coruscant about ten minutes later and came in to the hanger. Outside the cockpit we could see two squads of republic commandos Omega and Delta squad waiting for us. Zey Argilan stood with them as did the Commander over Zero Five commando, Tur Mukan I believe her name was.

We walked out slowly the commandos raised their blasters. I flinched for the first time taken by complete surprise. Zey had his hand near his light saber hilt. He looked dead serious.

"Master Argilan is there some kind of issue?" Kenobi asked. "Perhaps," He said, "And perhaps not. Delta, search the ship."

I slid my finger to my comlink on my wrist and pressed in Cody's frequency. Channeling it to his helmet alone.

"Cody they're going to find something on the ship." I told him. "Find what?"

"Something we didn't put there."

"Fierfek." Cody said realizing we'd been set up, "What'd we do?" "Follow my lead." Was all I said.

Kenobi gave me a look. He could sense my suspicion. He trusted me and I knew he was letting me handle the situation. Delta squad approached. Boss the sergeant approached first. I read his record he's no joke. Most confirmed kills of any soldier in the GAR most in CQC style combat. Delta has the highest the success rate of any commando squad. But I also know I have a rep.

I punch Boss accross the side of his helmet. He falls back. Before he gains his footing I grab him. Keep my arm tight around his neck. I place a blaster pistol right up against his spine. His helmet collapses to the ground.

"Move and I start blasting. You've heard of me don't try anything funny it won't work." I growl in his ear.

"You piece of osik," He snarls back, "I'll gut you like a pig."

Cody aims his blaster at Fixer the Corporal. Kenobi draws his lightsaber causing everyone to stop moving. Anakin's conflicted and just stands there.

"ANY ONE MAKES ANOTHER MOVE BOSS HERE GETS TO MEET JANGO!" I shout. "Easy," Tur Mukan says, "Let's be reasonable now."

"Here's what's going to happen," I say instead, "You're going to lower your weapons, we're going to walk back into the shuttle and fly away, then we'll release Boss when we're at a safe distance."

"Kriff yourself skirt boy," Scorch shouts, "You let go of Boss now or I start shooting."

"Shoot now damn it!" Boss snarls. And I believe he's willing to die rather than be the reason we get away.

"Everyone just calm down," Tur Mukan said seemingly the only person that cared about Boss's wellbeing in that moment including Boss himself, "Release Boss and see sense you're cornered and have no where to run, there's no reason to keep up this pointless venture."

If there's one thing you never tell me it's I can't win. It only makes me try harder. My gaze narrowed.

"Three seconds," Zey said, "Turn Boss over, lower your weapons, and allow us to search the ship or we shoot."

"Zey." Tur Mukan snapped. "Three."

"I'll kriffing do it Zey."

"Two."

"Master Argilan come now let's try and be reasonable there's really no need..." Kenobi said knowing I wasn't bluffing if they fired I would kill Boss.

"One, fire!"

Boss closed his eyes and I could feel him tense up. He expected a bolt through the back. Nothing happened. Everyone stood there and stood still. Both Delta and Omega squads, despite being ordered to shoot, failed to do so.

"I won't lie," Zey began, "I was hoping you'd cave in first."

I grinned under my helmet he wasn't actually willing to kill his own man to get to us. He was bluffing, I almost laughed. Then slowly I began walking back wards towards the ship to. Cody did the same his DC15 still held up in perfect form he waved it around, checking everyone's movements as he walked backwards. Then he grabbed Boss's helmet from the ground as he and the two Jedi stepped aboard.

I shoved Boss against the bull head and kept my pistol trained on him. Cody placed binder's on his hands as Skywalker got in the pilots seat. The clone commando looked at me with a sly grin.

"I heard the stories. Didn't believe, no I didn't buy a skirt was nearly half as bold as the stories went. Guess they weren't stories." Boss said.

"Nope." I replied.

The ship began to rise. Kenobi ran up from the storage bag of the shuttle. He held two bags of pure white powder. I looked at them.

"Boys I found something very interesting bellow deck," Kenobi said.

"I've never seen anything like that," Cody said, "Not that I'm an expert or anything."

"It's new stuff. Terrans introduced it." I concluded, "And some one planted it in the ship. The real question is do you think it happened on Coruscant or Kamino."

"Kamino," Anakin said as he flew the ship away from the barracks, "I was in the cargo bay before we left."

"If that's the case," Kenobi said, "The Kaminoans knew what we were really investigating. How?"

Anakin frowned as he flew the ship. He looked angry and betrayed as he turned. Anakin had just put everything together and the truth hurt him.

"I told the chancellor what we were up to hoping he could help."

"YOU DID WHAT?" I said in a near shout, "He was one of the suspects. Skywalker this was supposed to remain between the four of us for a very good kriffing reason."

"The Chancellor has always been there for m...the republic. I trusted him."

"Yeah well because of your kriffing mouth we're intergalactic drug traffickers! Fierfek we were probably a mere parsec away from uncovering the truth. You piece of..."

"Don't you start. Positions switched you would've done the same." "No I don't think I would've because I'm not a..."

"Both of you shut the kriff up!" Cody shouted, "We need a plan to get out of here fast. We need to go somewhere they can't catch us immediately and plan out our next steps before..."

"Naboo," Anakin said, "Trust me I know we can seek shelter there. I have a very good working relationship with..."

"Skywalker we know you're kriffing Amadala. Just set the course." I said about to lose it on the Jedi knight I was starting to like not to long ago.

"Watch your tongue Alpha I still out rank you."

"Actually," Boss began, "We already found crystal myth in Alpha's quarters and a money trail tracing between Kenobi and Skywalker. Everyone but Cody was disavowed from the military about an hour ago. So technically Cody is the highest ranking person in the room."

"Really, I'm incharge?" Cody asked.

"Well not for long anyways. You just helped three wanted criminals kidnap a republic soldier and aimed a weapon at a General. You can kiss your career good but Commander Marshal."

"Fierfek," Cody said, "But if I'm incharge..."

"No you're not." Both me and Skywalker said in unison.

"Now now gentlemen Boss has a strong point we're only civilians now. We should probably do as the Commander Marshal says." Kenobi said and I could tell he was finding this amusing.

"I say we plot a course for Tatooine. They have a zero extradition policy. And let's face it if the Galaxy thinks we're drug smugglers that's the best place to go to seek sanctuary."

"He's got a good point." Boss said, "The Hutts might try and get you to work for them."

"Shut up Boss you're not apart of this." I said, "They could also sell us back to the Republic for a handful of credits."

"It'd buy us more time than trying to hide on a very pro-Republic world." Cody pointed out, "And as Kenobi said I'm incharge. So Anakin plot a course for Tatooine."

"Did you just call me Anakin."

"Would you prefer citizen Skywalker?"

"First of all it's been ten seconds, how is the power already going to your head? And secondly fine I get it. But why Tatooine why can't we go to any other world owned by a criminal organization?"

"What's so wrong with Tatooine?"

Anakin looked at Cody. He seemed like he was about to say something. Then an alarm went off on the dashboard. Skywalker turned to it. I'd never seen a man more natural in a cockpit then Skywalker.

"Three bogies on our tail." He said way too calmly for what he was describing, "Everyone have a seat, looks like they're in combat formation."

"Wait what do you mean..."

Engines roared and turbo canons shouted. I fell hard on my back as the ship increased in speed. I looked up front and saw green bolts streak over my head. My eyes widened. I slowly crawled my way into a seat and buckled in.

"Nice to see Alpha's complying with galactic safety guides lines for flying," Anakin mocked me.

Boss laughed. I shook my head. "Just fly us out of here." Another alarm went off. This one louder and more obnoxious.

"Anakin," Obi Wan said the concern shaking his voice, "There's homing missiles." "I know Master and I'm handling it!" Anakin shouted back.

I clenched my teeth as the ship banked right hard. two homing missiles fly forward, I decided to not think where they were going. Then boom! The whole ship shook and I could feel it falling.

"Anakin!" Obi Wan shouted, "We're going down now!" "I know master! Just hold on tight."

I shut my eyes and prepared to die as the ship descended faster and faster. Then bang! I was throttled around like a kernel in a heater. I heard metal screeching and snapping outside. And then we stopped. I opened my eyes.

Somehow we'd landed. We were in the middle of a market place and stopped right infront of a store of some kind. Hell we'd basically parked. I laughed.

"See we're all in one piece." Anakin said.

"And the ships in several." Obi Wan said.

"Who cares, the Republic can replace it. These things aren't rare, master."

Obi Wan rolled his eyes however I had to admit despite the fact we crashed. I was impressed. Skywalker managed to land a ship that had been hit by a missile with out killing us. If that's not proof of good piloting I don't know what is.

"We need to flee," I said immedaitly, "that was clearly meant to kill us. They're going to send ground troops to make sure it did."

"I can't believe they tried to kill us after we took a hostage." Cody said and he sounded genuinely surprised, "You offended Boss."

"No, I'd have done the same thing," Boss said, "I'm just a single commando sergeant they can replace me."

"It's an expensive replacement." I commented, "You know how long it takes to train a soldier sutiable for commando operations and how much longer it takes to find some one capable of leading commandos."

"But its not impossible," Boss commented, "Argilan's not me. It couldn't have been his order."

"The Chancellor," I immediately concluded, "He must have ordered the V wings to shoot us down."

No one said anything because everyone knew it was true. Chancellor Palpatine just tried to kill us. That confirmed he was involved. But why? The question continued to nag at me. What could he possibly need covered up to the point he needed to kill us before we could finish our investigation?

"Why?" Anakin vocalized my frustrations.

"Let's figure this out in a safer place. It shouldn't take very long for the shock troopers to show up." Obi Wan said.

"But where?" Cody asked, "The second they realize we're not dead the whole planet is going to be under martial law."

"I got a place its off the books." Anakin said.

"General Skywalker," Boss spoke up, "Why do you have an off the books place. What's a Jedi Master..."

"Knight." Anakin said.

"Really, I always thought you were a master. Either way why do you have an off the books place."

"Look we don't need to discuss my rank or that. I have one and that's all that matters."

Me,Cody, and Obi Wan all had a fairly good idea about why Anakin had an off the books place. But said nothing deciding it was best if Boss didn't know. And Boss whether he liked it or not was now involved. A small part of me felt bad for dragging him into this. We filled him in on everything before undoing his cuffs and fleeing the scene.

We went to Anakin's off the books hotel room. He checked in under a fake name while we entered through the balcony. It wasn't to big, had a kitchen, and a table with two seats. The walls were white marble.

"Nice place," I said looking around. "Anakin what the he..."

I turned and saw senator Amidala. She looked ready to kill a guy. She stopped mid sentence seeing two clones and a Jedi entering through the balacony. She frowned deeper as I waved.

"Pleasure to meet you senator." I said waving. "You realize you're all wanted."

"O we're overly aware of this fact." Kenobi said, "Are you aware the chancellor tried to shoot us down with our 'hostage' in stow."

"Hey hostage implies I was taken against my will. I could've escaped any time." Boss said, "I just wanted to see where this was all going."

"Can some one just tell me what's going on?" Padme asked.

"Well it's complicated," Anakin said, "And I think you should leave. Just so you don't get looped in."

"If you didn't want me looped in you would've called so I could leave before you showed up." "I didn't think about it."

"You never do."

"With all do respect we really need to talk about our next move."

"Right," Anakin said and looked at Padme, "Are you sure you don't want any plausible deniability?"

"It's too late."

"Well if that's the case," I said, "We know that Fives's murder is of interest to the Chancellor. We know he just tried to kill us. What we still don't have is the why?"

"What was he meeting with Windu about. That's what we need. They talked about the case." Cody said.

"We could," I began, "Break into intelligence HQ and steal some files." "Break in, that's highly illegal." Padme interjected.

"I don't know if you haven't noticed. But we're already the most wanted men on Coruscant."

"Yes but if I'm following correctly you're being framed. We can prove that and get you what you need legitimately. If you actually commit a crime then it hurts your case."

"We took a hostage." Cody said.

"The 'hostage' just said he came willingly so there isn't a crime." Padme explained.

"Senator Amidala," Skywalker said trying his gear to even know make it look like their relationship didn't amount to anything more then acquaintanceship, "If the chancellor is trying to kill us are legitimate options are off the table. What stops him from arranging our deaths in a court room."

"I don't believe there is a single plot that could successfully kill two Jedi, an ARC trooper, the commander marshal of the seventh sky corp, and a republic commando if they're all together."

"I like your optimism," I said, "But a bomb under a speeder is well a bomb placed under a speeder. Not to mention I feel like you're implying we should turn ourselves in. They probably have kill on site orders."

"Kill on site isn't constitutional."

"Niether is arranging the murder of a republic soldier in order to cover up something else that is probably highly unconstitutional."

"There is still no reason to immediately escalate the situation. Why not talk to Mace Windu first."

"Because he's Mace Windu," Anakin said, "You can't convince him of something he doesn't already believe."

"Did he previously believe any one in this room was capable of the crimes there excused of." "No but..."

"So he can be convinced that he was previously correct in his judgement of every one here and that you're not drug smugglers. He's always been suspicious of the chancellor this will make suspicious enough to break protocol and tell you about that classified meeting."

"It's worth a shot." Cody said, "Before we get shot."

"Damn," Boss said, "I was really hoping we would go with break into intelligence HQ. Sounded entertaining."

"Boss you're the only one here who can still walk out. They still think you're a hostage."

"Truth be told," Boss said, "I was losing faith in the war. All the missions they feel pointless. As if we're just attacking for the sake of attacking. This feels meaningful I'm not backing out of the first thing that feels well real."

"You've only been involved for a few hours."

"And it's been more interesting then the two years of this war."

I nodded and respected the sergeant.

"Alright we smuggle ourselves back into the Jedi temple and talk to Mace Windu." Cody said.

That's what was agreed upon. We left towards the balcony. There we had lines already hooked up. It's what little of our kit we had left. Rappelling lines. Anakin grabbed my shoulder.

"You and Boss should go break into intelligence HQ."

"What?" I asked.

"Windu might not have the full picture. And besides they're probably scouring the city. If we split up it'll make it harder for them to track us all down."

"Lying to your lover Skywalker. Now that's bad."

"She's too idealistic about things. I love that about her. But some times you have to break a few eggs."

"Wait," Boss said, "Did you just confirm that you and the..."

"Sergeant, you keep that secret like any number of assassinations Delta squads been or I'll have you transferred to janitorial when this all over."

"Got it just like training those death...I mean police squads on Corinthiana."

I wanted to ask Boss about Corinthiana because well I'd never heard about it. But we didn't have time. So we rappelled down and went our seperate ways.

Republic intelligence HQ was a big square building. Designed to look a normal buisness building, because on paper it was. See CIS they've got agents running little groups of terrorists behind the lines this place would be a huge target for them.

"Alright Alpha what's the plan to break in. I'm sure the security detail is tight."

"What? Boss and you telling me you don't have a plan. I thought republic commandos were good at infiltration."

"Skirt boy. This is republic HQ they plan for guys like me to break in."

"I got one plan." I said, "I bet the security detail are clones."

"You're not really thinking what think your thinking. That's kriffing stupid." "Look, most non clones can't tell the difference."

"Yes and what about the other clones working security detail?"

"We'll be quick."

"Alpha there's a few billion things I think of that'll go wrong with this plan. And a billion things that'll get us killed."

"See that's the issue with you RCs. You want a perfect plan. You want it all thought out. Some times you just gotta take an ok plan and make it work."

"This isn't an ok plan. This is a dumb kriffing plan."

"Well unfornutely for you I already put it in to action. See I tapped into the security details comms it wasn't to difficult to find the frequency. And I told them there's something suspicious at that park bench."

"Alpha, what the hell!"

A pair of shadow troopers approached the bench. I left a back pack. I put my wrist comm to my helmet because as stated I sliced unti their comms.

"Hey boys it's Alpha. Public enemy number one."

The turned and looked at me. Zap! Zap! Boss hit them both a stun we dragged them both off their posts. Then we took their armor.

"CT-446764 what happened out there. You disappeared off the camera."

"I heard something in the bush. Went to check it out. There was nothing there." I said. "And CT432890 followed you."

"I got a name." Boss said.

I looked at him ready to sock him in the throat. We needed to keep it low. "CT432890 is that insolence. Just get back on post Zigs."

I was right the non clones had no clue. We literally strolled right through the front door. The secretary waved. Boss waved back.

We made are way to the lift. We needed to get to the director's office. I'd been there a few times discussing strategy with Armand Isard. Highly charismatic gentlemen who didn't entirely overlook clones. I heard somewhere him and Thire would good friends. He seemed like a good guy.

So we broke into his office. I sat at his desk and got on his computer. Boss watched the door.

"You know what you're doing skirt boy?" "Jango taught me to slice."

"Jango wasn't known for slicing."

"No but he was still good at it."

"Good enough to break into Armand Isard's computer?" "Yep," I said as I broke past the computers security lock.

There were so many files. So many secrets. I read the names of whole operations I'd never heard of. In that moment who knows what I could've uncovered. But I only went for Fives. And pulled up the file entitled that. I read and scrolled past the details I already knew. Then stopped on word one key word I didn't recognize. Inhibitor chip. The file read that the removal of the chip caused him to go rogue. I didn't know what that meant but that was lie. I moved the file over to my personal data pad.

I then went through the files on Isard's computer. Searched inhibitor chip. Then opened up another file. I read through it slowly and carefully.

"Fierfek," I cursed.

"What, what did you find?" Boss asked he approached.

I looked at him. His sudden interest struck me as suspicious. I really started to think about why he was here and how. Boss had the most confirmed kills out of any clone in the war. The phrase operational failure had never even once crossed his mind. So why was it so easy to capture him? The answer had to be he wanted to get captured. I frowned under my helmet realizing I had leak.

"Nothing," I lied to him, "There's nothing here."

"You're joking." Boss replied, "Let me take a look." "Keep watching the..."

I was interrupt by loud thumping. Boss snapped towards the door. He raised his blaster and flipped off the safety.

"Osik," he spat.

Blaster fired roared. I quickly transferred files over to a data card and then slid it in a pocket on the utility belt of the armor I stole before grabbing my blaster.

"Lock and load skirt boy we got coverts."

"Coverts?"

"Covert ops clones. Chancellor dedicated hitmen."

"I've never heard of them. How have you."

"I got my ways." Was all Boss said. And that confirmed my suspicion that his motivations for joining were more complex then suspected.

"How many?"

"Four, got em surpressed."

"Let's bound em!" I shouted at Boss and ran forward to the side of door.

Boss kept firing. Then stopped. In that split second I moved to edge of the door frame and quickly made out the four hostiles. Isard's office on the top floor was positioned right outside of a wider office space in which their were cubicles. The four covert ops troopers were positioned behind four cubicles. It was impartice to keep firing before they could safely split up and encircle us.

I squeezed my trigger allowing the blaster the blare on rapid only firing in the general direction of the hit team. They froze as bolts flew through cubicles burning holes. Once again I simply sprayed. It was close quarters enough that's all it would take to prevent them from moving. After all of any of them poked their head from cover a lose bolt was almost guaranteed to hit them.

This couldn't have been there whole plan. Surely they didn't think bursting in would do the trick. They had to think they had the jump on us. Which raised the question how did Boss get the jump on them. I imagined the chancellor selected these guys from the best infiltration specialist and had them hand trained in various close quarters battle tactics and assassination techniques. When not on missions they probably trained and trained and trained. Meaning it shouldn't have been this easy.

Boss was quick. He dashed west as I continued to fire and dove behind a cubicle. I stopped firing and dashed east. Two of the covert ops clones poked up. I could see them in urban camouflage looking armor. Boss fired on rapid. Thump! Thump!

"Fierfek!" I heard one shout.

I popped up from my cover. Two of the clones laid dead on the floor. Boss killed them fellow troopers and he did it with out any seeming remorse. I was ready to do the same. These boys were here to kill us. Stun wasn't a gaurantee an armored trooper would go down. Lethal force was the only sure way to survival.

I opened fire this time with precision. Three bolt burst. The rounds struck a trooper in the side of his helmet. The first two weakened it and third pierced. He tumbled back and slammed against the ground.

One drew a thermal detonator in his hand. That could clear out the hole room. He knew the mission was over and was ready to die rather then fail. He didn't care about his own life or that of his partner. Boss was faster. Three bolts flew on semi auto. The first went right through the troopers wrist. The last two pounded the troopers breast plate the concussive force at close range stopped the guys heart. He hit the ground dead before being able to activate the detonator.

I moved on the last guy. Brought the butt of my gun smashing against the side of his helmet. He hit the ground helmet off. Me and Boss had the guy cornered. I was ready to interrogate him and get verbal confrontation the chancellor was trying to kill us. Then snap. He began to flinch and gag on something. Foam sprouted from his mouth and he died. He committed suicide instinctively.

"Damn," I remarked.

"They train these boys to be perfect little agents. See a soldier thinks a little about self perseveration his and his guys," Boss lectured as if I needed to know what a soldier was, "These guys only live to full fill a singular purpose. It's debatable if he even saw himself as sentient."

"That aside there's no way they sent just four guys." I said.

"And there's only one way out." Boss said gesturing with his blaster towards the elevator, "And we made quite a racket. Next time it's not going to be just four troopers. Full platoon will come bursting through that elevator. And crashing through the windows all around us. I say we've got maybe two minutes."

"Well if that's the case," I said, "We better burst through the windows before they do." "What?" Boss asked.

"We got grappling hooks on our belts. Might as well use them."

I looked towards the glass window. In truth it was a desperate measure. But going down that elevator would definitely be suicide.

Boss seemed to agree. We both shot through the windows and shattered them. Boss took out his grappling hook and fixed it to the seal of the window and got ready to lower himself to the ground. He jumped out. I grabbed his line.

"Alpha what the hell." He spat looking back up. "Who do you work for?"

"What?"

"Boss I'm not buying you were captured so easily. I'm also suspicious on where you got the intel on covert ops clones. Not to mention you got a bit to aggressive about the intel I found."

"Alpha, we don't have time..." he froze.

I placed a vibro blade close to the cable. If he moved I'd cut it and Boss would fall to his death. I could see the color disappear from his face.

"You would kill a fellow clone."

"Really? That's your question after we blast through a squad together." "That was self defense what you're about to do is murder."

"If you're working for the Chancellor I'd say its self defense. So start talking or I start cutting."

"Fierfek," Boss said, "Alright alright take it easy. I'm a spy."

"Whose the seps."

"Hell no," Boss said, "I can't explain here. You're just going to have to trust me we don't have time."

"Trust you I barely know you!"

I heard a ding. The elevator was coming up. Which meant I'd exhausted our time. But why weren't they coming down from the roof? Did they really think sending guys through a doorway against two special forces soldiers was a good idea. We'd just mow them down.

"Alpha, listen to me don't ask what I know. But the second that elevator opens only one clone is coming through. He's a very special type of clone genetically engineered to have the reflexes of a Jedi and had trained by the Jedi in secret to fight and kill force users. They're called clone assassins. The chancellor has found them very useful for other activities. I will tell you everything if we go right now!"

There was another ding. Which meant two floors remained between us and this clone assassin. Boss could've been lying. However he called the covert ops troopers. Ding. Two floors remained.

"Fierfek."

I grabbed on his line and slid down. We got half way down the building when I saw him. The clone assassin, he wore a BARC helmet and had a purple pauldron and Kama. Each wrist were long blades of I had to guess from the way they shined. Songsteel, they could cut through anything and deflect lightsaber blows. I reacted fast grabbed my grappling hook. I fired it the magnet at the end of the line stuck to the frame of the window right infront of us. The assassin swung.

For half a second we were in free fall. In that second I used my right hand to grab Boss's arm. Then my left hand held the line. Then we hung suspended. I needed to connect the line to my belt so we could then safely rappel down.

"Fierfek," Boss said, "Alpha you've gotta drop me."

"What?"

"The only way we get through this is if you drop me. I'll tell you everything now. Listen I became a spy for..."

"Shut the kriff up!" I said, "Grab your blaster."

He nodded. He aimed it at the window bellow and fired. The window shattered. I swung back and when we swung forward both of us jumped through the window and landed smack dabb on our faces.

I pushed myself up and we were face to face with a pair of agents. They weren't armed and had pastries in their hands. I looked to see we were I the coffee room.

"Ok gentlemen we have a perfectly reasonable explanation. See we were sent up stairs and there's these rogue clone commandos shooting up the place. Whole squad wiped we were faced with either well death or jumping out of a window."

"That why they sent the assassin up there." "You know about clone assassin?" Asked Boss.

"Course we know Jay? Who doesn't know Jay. He's the most popular guy in the building. Tells the best jokes and knows how to party. In fact we were just having coffee with the guy..." the agent stopped as he put his finger to his ear piece. He looked back at us.

Course just our luck he crash through the room that this guys two best buds are in. I ran back to the window and quickly fixed one end of the line to my belt and grabbed Boss. We dove back out the window the line still fixed above. I used it to carefully and slowly lower us. The two agents looked out of the window. One drew a blaster pistol.

We we're close enough to the ground to tank a fall. So I let go. We fell and landed on our feet. Two blaster bolts cracked. I felt the heat.

A speeder swerved into the parking lot. Four clones dressed like civilians sat in it all armed. More covert ops clones probably. They jumped out as me and Boss dove behind another speeder. Blaster bolts tore through it. And if things couldn't worse Jay stood at the front entrance of the building.

"Well we had a good run." I remarked.

"O it's not over yet."

Last thing I remember was a armored van pulled up. There were black figures. They through something. Smoke popped. Next thing I knew a black bag was thrown over my head.

Alpha sat at the table and looked exhausted after relenting the tale. Flavius nodded. He couldn't detect if the man was lying. Meaning either he was good at it or he was telling the truth.

"Now I at least know who Boss is working for. You, the Terrans."

"Technically he works for me," Skirata affirmed, "I'm the guy who actually runs the network."

"Now that's all clear I need to ask what you found on Isard's computer? And why it's concerned you so much."

"I think you already know. After all you took the data card." "I want to hear your interpretation."

"Inhibitor chips," Alpha said, "Every clone has inhibitor chip from birth. It's exact purpose that's classified is to ensure compliance with orders that's what was told to Mace Windu. And yet it's faulty there's countless evidence of clones not following orders or argueing."

"So what's its actual function?"

"One protocol. The classified file only Armand Isard and Palpatine can access. Shows that the chips have only one protocol uploaded to it and they're only triggered when the Chancellor specifically says it. And that's protocol 66 the elimination of the Jedi. In theory in existence if the Jedi try to overthrow the Republic. Everyone knows the contingency order. Even if in theory it's ludicrous to seriously think you'd have to eliminate every Jedi any plot would involve only a few Jedi. But the chips would lock in the clones to eliminate all of them."

"Keep talking."

"Which leads me to believe that's our true purpose. It's not to defend the Republic. It's to eliminate the Jedi on the chancellor's orders. They raise us and condition us to be absolutely loyal to the Jedi so they learn to trust and so they can't sense any deception in us cause there isn't any. That's why easily 99% of all clone soldiers don't know about the chips or this purpose. If

we knew our purpose since birth we'd have to deceive the Jedi, that risks one of them sensing our dark intent and then the whole plot falls apart. So our own purpose was kept secret from us. That's why when Tup's chip malfunctioned the whole thing needed to be kept secret and that's why Fives had to be murdered upon discovering it. That's the truth of it."

"And how do you like this purpose?" Flavius asked. "I don't know what to think." Alpha said.

"Are you ok with killing the Jedi?"

"I'm not okay with killing Kenobi," Alpha said, "I'm also not ok with being a tool in some clandestine plot that sounds like a power grab. If I'm going to kill a Jedi it's gotta be for a reason beyond the chancellor's secret little political Agenda."

"And what is it you want out of life Alpha. What is the purpose you see for yourself." "Why's it matter?"

"Establishing credibility is important."

"They said we were soldiers of the Republic. That's all bantha now. I don't know what my purpose should be. All I know is I've gotta get Kenobi, Cody, Rex, and every other clone commander marshal I trained hell I want every clone to be out to good use. Not wasted."

Flavius looked at him. He smiled and nodded. Alpha wondered what was going on within the guy's mind. What he was plotting. The guy was clearly plotting something.

"Alright Alpha I've got one more thing I need you to do and its urgent"

Alpha looked at the ONI officer. He frowned bitterly. Clearly he didn't trust the man. He looked over to Boss, a bit betrayed.

"If you think I'm going to become your pawn. Think again after everything I've been through, only the orders I'm taking come from me."

"I don't want you to be a pawn. In fact forget the fact I need you to do this. If you care about your friends you'll do it."

"And what exactly is that?"

"Right now Obi Wan, Cody, and Anakin are talking to Windu. They're going to conclude the Chancellor can't be trusted. And you know how Anakin and Windu are. They're going to do something rash. You need to stop them from doing something stupid. You need to stop them from killing the chancellor with out considering the consequences."