With Fives sleeping, albeit fitfully, in a Republic holding facility with a trusted friend watching out for him, Rex grabbed the opportunity to do what needed to be done. After what happened to Letta Turmond, Rex loathed to leave Fives, but his current mission had to take priority.
Fives' urgent whisper on the transport to the detention center made that clear.
If he had the foresight, he should have detained Maelle for another hour longer, but he had sent her back to the Temple - with an escort. Now he felt silly.
Rex had sent her off with strict instructions to sleep, but her delicately raised eyebrow and sassy sparkle in her eye spoke volumes. Maelle would not be sleeping; she would be working.
Rex tucked his helmet beneath his arm and slowly stepped across the threshold into the sacred Jedi Temple. It was not his first visit, but it was his first visit alone. Warm light shone throughout the golden halls. A vibrant sense of life permeated the entire space, despite the utter quiet. It was a far cry from his brief visit to the hangar and war room.
A few passing padawans glanced at Rex before scurrying past. On Kamino, cadets never would have wandered with such a lack of decorum, but a smile ghosted over his lips. Who had Maelle whispered conspiratorially with when she was a young teenager, he wondered. Or had she been like the young Mirialan and walked with her nose stuck in a holobook, devouring words like a last meal?
"I will guide you to the Halls of Healing."
Rex jumped, startled. He flushed with embarrassment. If his brothers ever learned that an old Cosian with a cane - Jedi or not- snuck up on him, he would never hear the end of it. Rex rubbed the back of his neck. "How'd you know that's where I'm headed?"
The Cosian merely chuckled. "I am Master Sinube. Follow me."
Rex bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Master Sinube."
Rex followed Master Sinube through a maze of hallways. Sinube's slow, measured steps made his surprise arrival all the more embarrassing for Rex. Sinube chatted pleasantly about the statues and artwork they passed. Rex enjoyed Sinube's company immensely.
The entire place was filled with warmth and natural light, starkly different from the cold sterility of Kamino. What must it have been like to grow up among such vibrancy? He could almost picture Maelle as a child, all bouncing curls and sweetness, dashing through the halls. Rex smiled.
"Here we are," Sinube announced.
Rex blinked. The smooth chrome arches gleamed in the sunlight streaming in skylights in the high ceilings. The air smelled pleasantly of lavender, nearly disguising the scent of cleaning solution. Intricate motifs decorated the glistening chrome doors.
"In we go." Master Sinube tapped his cane twice on the door and they parted.
"Neat," Rex commented, earning a chuckle. He followed Master Sinube into Maelle's hallowed hall.
Hundreds of biobeds lined the walls, though a few were occupied and curtained off. A myriad of doorways were scattered along the blue-green walls.
"The healer you seek is just there." Master Sinube lifted his cane and pointed to a large circular desk in the middle of the Infirmary.
Rex blinked. "Hey, how'd you know I was looking for Assistant Amon?"
But Master Sinube had already vanished.
A human female Jedi bouncing a toddler on her hip chatted quietly with Maelle, who threw her head back laughing at something her companion said. Maelle reached up and tickled the toddler's foot and something inside him squeezed.
Maelle's eyes met his and her smile softened, eyes lighting with surprise. "Rex!"
Rex exhaled his nerves and, clutching his helmet tighter, approached the desk.
"Rex, this is Master Mariella Kriel. She's a Minder in one of the crèches. And this absolutely delightful little one is Pural." She tugged the toddler's leg. The little boy buried his head in Master Amon's neck and giggled.
Rex blinked at the Jedi Master. Master Kriel was the spitting image of Maelle. Or, rather, Maelle was the spitting image of the older woman.
"She's my aunt," Maelle explained quietly. Amusement sparkled in her eyes.
Rex hastily snapped a salute. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."
Master Kriel bowed her head. "Likewise." She turned to Maelle and smiled. "I'll see you in an hour."
Maelle waved goodbye before turning worried eyes to Rex. "Is everything alright?"
Rex rubbed the back of his neck. "Maelle, I…I need your help with something. It's urgent."
"Yes, of course, Rex. What's wrong?"
Rex glanced around. "It's a…delicate matter."
Maelle grimaced. "Yes, of course. Of course. Follow me." She pulled him into an empty exam room.
"It's about Fives. And Tupp," Rex said when the door closed. Compassion glimmered in her eyes. Rex clenched his jaw. His hands flexed at his sides. "Fives needs evidence. We need evidence."
Maelle's brow furrowed, but she nodded.
"And…" Rex swallowed a lump in his throat. "What if Fives was right?" Maelle opened her mouth to protest, but Rex intercepted her. "I want you to remove my chip."
Heavy silence fell between them.
"Are you absolutely sure? The effects of removing your chip are-"
"Unknown. I know. But Fives is fine and his has been removed for days." Rex gripped her hands tightly. "Please, Maelle." His thumbs drew slow circles on the back of her hands. She swallowed hard and stared at their joined hands.
"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered. Her trembling hands echoed her voice, piercing his heart. "I couldn't live with myself if I…."
Rex cupped his hand under her chin, gently lifting her face. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb and flashed her a smile.
Maelle's bottom lip trembled. She threw her arms around Rex's neck and clung to him tightly.
"Please," he whispered in her ear. "If Fives is right and there is a chip in my brain, hardwired to kill you, to kill Jedi, I want it out. That's not a risk I am willing to take."
Maelle stepped away, jaw tight. She swiped the tears from her cheeks. For a moment, Rex believed she would refuse, but she nodded.
"This is strictly off the records," Maelle said. "If they found out we're doing this - that I'm doing this - we'd land ourselves in a heap of trouble."
Rex raised an eyebrow. "Off the record until it's needed as evidence."
"Fine." Maelle exhaled. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," she muttered. "I'll help you. But I can't do it alone. I'm not trained in brain surgery. But I can get a MedDroid."
Rex hesitated.
"I'll wipe its memory after. No one would ever know."
Rex scrubbed his face. "Fine. But I want you there."
"The whole time," she promised. She pressed a button on the wall behind Rex's head. "A droid should be here shortly. Things are still calming down after the bombing. Alright. Lay down."
"Wait, what? Now?"
Maelle raised an eyebrow. "Why wait?"
Rex let out a nervous chuckle. "I suppose you're right." He laid down in the bed, his hands clenched at his sides. Of all the many times he had imagined being alone with Maelle, laying in a bed, this scenario had never been one of them. He noticed Maelle's lingering gaze and raised an eyebrow. She shook herself once, then closed her eyes.
"Do you trust me?"
"With my life." His immediate response startled Maelle, but he spoke the absolute truth.
She smiled. "Follow my lead when the MedDroid arrives."
"I trust you," Rex repeated. "Do whatever you need to do, just get this chip out."
A minute later, the MedDroid rolled into the room. "Greetings. I am TB-4. How may I be of assistance?"
Maelle smiled at the droid. "This is Rex. He's concerned that the Separatists implanted a chip in his brain during a recent attack." Rex tensed, but Maelle gently placed a hand on his knee and all thought fled. "I'll be taking him down to imaging, but I'll need your assistance in removing the chip, if it exists."
"I will ensure supplies are ready for you in the imaging suite." The droid toddled away.
Maelle turned to Rex with a broad, beaming smile when the door closed. Her smile faltered and Rex realized he'd been staring at her like a moon-eyed idiot. He looked away quickly and cleared his throat.
"That was… That was well done."
"The secret," Maelle whispered in his ear as she bent down to detach the biobed from the wall. "Is to tell the truth as much as possible."
Rex's lip twitched. He nodded gravely.
Maelle guided his bed out of the exam room and deeper into the Halls of Healing in comfortable silence.
The icy air inside the imaging suite slapped Rex's face. TB-4 stood ready beside the massive circular machine. Anxiety knotted his insides.
"Did you know that the Jedi Archives houses over one million romance holobooks?"
Rex blinked. "No…No, I can't say that I did." But he recognized her question for what it was: an attempt to put him at ease. He fell a little more in love with her.
Maelle quietly babbled on, sharing other admittedly interesting factoids, as she slid his biobed into the center of the circular machine. She glanced at TB-4, who nodded once, and Rex knew some sort of silent communication had occurred.
"TB-4 is going to administer anesthesia. And when you wake up, your brain will belong entirely to yourself. I'll be right here."
Rex smiled. He liked the sound of that.
He liked the idea of waking up to Maelle.
Cool fingers touched his temples. Rex drowned in her beautiful green eyes and he slipped away into gentle oblivion.
0
The turbolift drew Anakin and Obi-Wan up, up, up. Senate aides whispered amongst themselves in a smattering of languages. Anakin hardly noticed. Thoughts, worries, and fears circulated endlessly, a whirling vortex he struggled to control.
What would he say to the Chancellor? What would he ask? How would the Chancellor respond? This was all, surely, a severe miscommunication. This was…all…surely….
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Breathe.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
Breathe.
Anakin opened his eyes. The other occupants had all filtered out, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan alone in the turbolift.
"Fives is innocent," Anakin declared. His voice echoed.
Obi-Wan inclined his head in silent agreement.
"And the inhibitor chip…. Maybe it's just a malfunction. Maybe the order was to protect the Jedi, but it got corrupted."
Obi-Wan hesitated - too long.
Anakin bristled. "The Chancellor couldn't be behind this. It isn't in his character."
Obi-Wan remained silent.
Anakin crossed his arms with a harumph. But it had to be a misunderstanding. It just had to be.
Palpatine's guards allowed them entry without question.
Palpatine closed a hologram when Anakin and Obi-Wan entered. A smile stretched across his face. "Anakin! How good to see you. And Master Kenobi, it is always a pleasure."
Guilt roiled in Anakin's stomach. He shifted uncomfortably. How could he accuse such a kind mentor of such a diabolical scheme? How could he even consider it? Anakin couldn't bear to look at his old friend.
Obi-Wan spoke when Anakin could not. "We heard about the incident with trooper Fives."
Palpatine sighed. "Tragic. Truly tragic. I must thank you, Anakin, for apprehending him."
A muscle worked in Anakin's jaw. "I know Fives. He is loyal to the Republic - to his core. He would never try to kill you." Not unless…. Anakin shoved the thought away.
"I know precisely to whom his loyalties lie." Palpatine shook his head. "He was erratic and unhinged. An unfortunate side effect of the loss of his chip. He was not himself - try he did."
Anakin frowned. That did not accord with his own interaction with Fives.
Palpatine clapped his hands together. "But there is good news! My scientists discovered the truth regarding the clone trooper Tupps. A virus corrupted his chip, leading to the tragic circumstances that have brought us here today."
"A virus?"
"An anomaly, extremely unlikely to happen again. Nevertheless, they have prepared a vaccine to administer to each and every clone. This unfortunate business is thus concluded."
Anakin cleared his throat and muttered an agreement. It didn't ring true; Palpatine was hiding something. Something he wasn't saying. But Anakin mustered a smile, the practiced smile his wife so often bestowed to keep peace.
Two loud thumps sounded outside of Palpatine's office. Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a wary glance as the door slid apart.
Count Dooku.
If Dooku was on Coruscant, the Separatist fleet was sure to be close behind. They reached the tipping point.
The Separatists were making their final play.
0
Voices swirled in the peaceful darkness. Sweet voices, familiar voices, speaking words she refused to hear.
Alone in the inky dark, floating on the black sea, Adrina felt nothing but serenity. Perhaps she should fight her way to that distant beckoning light, but she was so very tired and the darkness was so very welcoming.
So she floated, floated, floated…Until one voice finally reached her ears.
Come back to me….
Come back to me….
Muddied and distant, Obi-Wan beckoned to Adrina through the darkness. Adrina turned towards his voice.
Come back to me….
How could she ignore such a sweet, earnest entreaty? But the darkness was so warm, so comforting…
You're everything.
Emotion tugged on her heart. Adrina could deny Obi-Wan nothing. She mustered the last vestiges of her strength and slowly, sluggishly, she swam through the murky black towards his lovely, beckoning voice.
Upwards, upwards, upwards…she followed the invisible string indelibly tethering her to Obi-Wan.
But just as she approached that light from which her love called, the darkness gripped her tight - not to harm, but to warn. A brief, horrific scene flashed before Adrina's eyes: a shimmering lake, bodies scattered at blood-stained feet, Obi-Wan's distant screams…
Adrina opened her eyes, as high above Coruscant, the Separatist fleet exited hyperspace, prepared for war.