Jedi Master no longer, Obi-Wan smiled as he strode towards the turbolift. He answered his comlink with a distracted greeting.
"Master!" Ahsoka shouted over the boisterous laughter behind her. Obi-Wan couldn't help but share their cheer. "The men are throwing a party to celebrate the war ending. You have to be here!"
"Perhaps I will; we could all use some good cheer. I'll join you after I visit Adrina."
"Tell her hello for me if she's awake! But hurry up or all the good food will be gone!" Ahsoka ended the transmission with a laugh.
Obi-Wan's smile froze, cheer wavering. Ahsoka didn't know of his decision, or that she was no longer a padawan. How long, he wondered, until she, too, saw the Order for the farce it had become? Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose.
This was not the time for such grim ruminations; the war was over and for the first time in a long while, he knew he had made the right decision. Obi-Wan lifted his head with fresh hope.
"Obi-Wan!" Windu burst from the Council chambers. "Come with me."
Obi-Wan sensed their alarm and determination. He ran after Windu, making it into the lift before the doors closed. "What's going on? What has happened?"
The lift hummed as it descended. "Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord. Skywalker is confronting him as we speak; he patched the Council in through his comlink," Windu said. "We need your skills, one last time."
Obi-Wan faltered. Dooku and Fives were right. The signs were there, all along, but they were too blind to see… "Palpatine will try to eliminate all Jedi and he'll use the army to do it," Obi-Wan said. "If he has revealed himself to Anakin, then he's-"
Windu raised an eyebrow. "You're referring to the accusations of clone trooper Fives."
"The Jedi are the only thing standing between Palpatine and total control of the galaxy," Obi-Wan argued as the turbolift doors opened. They dashed out and down the hall towards the secondary hangar bay. They stopped outside of a speeder. "We must evacuate the Temple. We would not survive an onslaught." If the full force of the army crashed down upon the Temple….
"We don't have the resources to evacuate. Not before the army is mobilized. This is happening now. Our defenses are extensive; they must be sufficient."
"If you-"
"We don't have time to argue. Get in," Windu ordered. "Yoda and Master Plo will see to the Temple's safety. Palpatine can't afford to dedicate his entire force to assaulting the Temple - at most he could spare a legion. If we end this now, we can prevent even that from ever occurring."
Obi-Wan clenched his jaw, but jumped inside. They sped into the night, disregarding designated traffic lanes.
"We have been outmaneuvered every step of the way, from the beginning of the war," Obi-Wan said, deadly quiet. "Palpatine has been ten steps ahead. He would not reveal himself unless he was certain he had the upper hand in every respect. Whatever his plan, we are playing into it."
Obi-Wan ran a hand through his hair. Plo Koon was a skilled tactician, Obi-Wan reminded himself, with an outstanding record - but hardly a comfort when the woman he loved lay in a healing trance, unable to defend herself or advocate for the voiceless. He clenched his jaw.
"At least remove the wounded and the younglings. We have enough resources for that."
"We are," Windu said. "We have recalled all Jedi to the Temple, away from the clones. The younglings will be removed to Tython. Master Yoda is conferring with Master Che regarding the wounded."
Obi-Wan listened silently. He closed his eyes, sinking into the calming embrace of the Force.
The Senate building loomed. Windu began the descent. Obi-Wan placed his trust in the Force and wrestled his focus back to the swiftly approaching confrontation with the Sith Lord, Chancellor Palpatine.
Obi-Wan left his apprehension and anger in the speeder.
0
Eliminate the Jedi. The haunting words echoed. Anakin bowed his head. He leaned against Palpatine's desk. "That is wise, my master." He nearly choked on the words. "They will seek to destroy you."
Palpatine moved to the panoramic window. "They already do. I sense their fear. Their anger. They believe they can win this war; they are fools. Everything is unfolding just as I have foreseen."
Anakin pressed his lips together.
Palpatine's office doors slid open; Obi-Wan and Windu strode through, lightsabers in hand. Anakin pushed off the desk with a grin. "Took you long enough; I was beginning to think you weren't coming."
"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor." Windu's purple blade hummed to life. "The Senate will decide your fate."
Palpatine swiveled to Anakin. "Don't tell me you've fallen prey to the idealistic moral preachings of the Jedi." His voice dripped with pity his hard eyes lacked.
Anakin ignited his lightsaber. "Did you really think I could forgive you for trying to kill my wife and my sister? You're more stupid than I thought."
Palpatine's cruel chuckle sent shivers down Anakin's spine. Anakin and Palpatine circled each other. Slipping free of its confinement in Palpatine's voluminous sleeve, a red blade ignited as Palpatine's other hand pressed a button. "Execute Order 66."
And with a deafening roar, he attacked.
0
Rex leaned back against the metal wall, arms folded. One sniff of the drink in his hand curled his nose hairs, though none of his brothers shared his reticence of imbibing. He stared down at the swirling green liquid. His brothers' raucous laughter nearly drowned out his turmoil.
Strips of fabric - torn bed sheets, judging by the questionable stains - adorned the barracks mess hall and squashed, wrinkled fabric flowers sat on each long table - Maelle's handiwork from the birthday celebration from a year prior that she and Healer Adrina insisted they hold. Dance music played through a speaker in the corner. It was a true party, if ever they had a party, save for the noticeable absence of the Jedi the 501st adopted.
Rex couldn't begrudge the premature celebration - the war was over, after all - even if he would have waited until Maelle could celebrate with them. But doctoring was a tricky, unpredictable thing and she would have insisted they go on without her.
Jesse slid up beside him. "There's no alcohol in it, if that's what you're worried about," Jesse said, coming up beside him. He raised his nearly drained cup to Rex. "Tastes better than it smells. Made it myself."
"I'll take your word for it," Rex snorted. He sniffed his drink again and grimaced.
"She's gone back to the Jedi Temple. Something urgent, apparently. Grief yanked her from surgery kicking and screaming."
Rex frowned.
Jesse rolled his eyes and gestured vaguely to Rex's face with his cup. "Stupid grin on your face says you were thinking about your lady love."
Heat crept up Rex's face. "That's no way to talk about her. She's-"
"Easy, Rex," Jesse laughed, clapping him on the back. "But you haven't exactly been subtle. Everyone knows you're sweet on her - and who can blame you?"
Rex scowled at his brother. "You've hit your head too many times. You've gone crazy."
Jesse threw his head back and laughed.
"She's a Jedi," Rex snapped.
Jesse sobered. He took a long swig of his drink. "Yeah, she is." Rallying, Jesse nodded towards the table their men congregated around. "Vaughn managed to scrounge up a cake somehow."
Rex grimaced. "What are the odds it's edible?" Rex loved his brothers, but some things should be left to the droids, including culinary pursuits. Maybe Rex could learn to cook once he was drummed out.
"Hey, food poisoning is a great excuse to see Assistant Amon again," Jesse teased.
Rex punched Jesse's shoulder. He brushed past Jesse and nabbed two slices of the suspicious looking cake before resuming his post in the dark corner.
Jesse reached for the second plate, but Rex snatched it away. "Hey!"
"It's not for you."
Jesse raised an eyebrow. A slow smile spread across his face. "How very thoughtful."
"Shut up," Rex muttered, heat creeping back up his neck.
Jesse frowned, noticing Rex's deteriorating mood. Concern replaced mirth.
Rex shrugged. "Don't feel much like celebrating," Rex admitted.
"We'll be alright," Jesse murmured. He downed the remainder of his drink and tossed his cup onto the closest table, ignoring Rex's disapproving frown.
Rex leaned back against the wall to allow a gaggle of his brothers to pass. Their boisterous laughter grated on his frayed nerves. Rex gestured to Vaughn, who was foisting Fox into the air. "You should supervise the children before they land themselves in the Infirmary."
Jesse saluted lazily and sauntered away.
Rex seized the opportunity to slip out of the Mess and head back to his bunk, offering placid smiles to his brothers as he went. He sank onto his bed, placing the plate carefully beside him. He held his head in his hands. His thoughts crowded him in the quiet darkness.
The war was over.
But what did that mean for Rex? For his brothers? What purpose remained for them, men bred for war? Would the Republic maintain them? Could they integrate into civilian society?
Would he ever see Maelle again? Rex clenched his fist. He'd taken their time spent together for granted. He'd taken everything about her for granted - her bravery, wit, intelligence, humor, compassion, beauty, everything. She was everything good in the galaxy. It was selfish of him, he knew, but he couldn't give up her friendship. Rex's throat constricted; it could only ever be friendship. It would be enough, as long as she was in his life.
No, Rex resolved. He would see her again. He'd find a way.
A life without Maelle was not worth living.
Rex pressed his lips together.
I will see her again.
"Captain Rex, come in." Vaughn's voice crackled over the comlink.
Rex groaned. "What now," he muttered and opened the channel. "Report."
"You're needed in the briefing room immediately. New orders have come down."
Rex signed off and scrubbed his face. Leaving the cake on the bed, he donned his helmet and strode from the room.
The corridors were abuzz with activity, all traces of celebration vanished. What was going on? Soldiers rushing to their posts skirted Rex; droids transported gear towards the hangar. Had the Seppies regrouped enough to launch a reprise? Surely not, with their command structure in shambles.
Rex entered the briefing room bubbling with questions and irritation. His heart seized. His brothers clustered around a rotating hologram of the Jedi Temple. "We enter here and here," Commander Appo instructed. Two green dots appeared on the hologram.
"What's the meaning of this?" Rex demanded. "Are the Seppies attacking the Jedi Temple?" Jesse and Vaughn parted, making space for Rex around the projector. Rex remained rooted.
"A direct order from above. All Jedi are to be executed for treason against the Republic, no exceptions," Appo stated.
"Treason? On what grounds?" Rex demanded.
"Good soldiers follow orders," Appo snapped. Chills ran down Rex's spine. "Any soldier that does not comply with the order will also be executed for treason."
Every eye in the room trained on Rex. Rex quickly caught himself. He cleared his throat. "Understood, sir." He snapped a salute. Appo's eyes narrowed, but continued the briefing.
Trembling legs carried Rex to his comrades. He gripped the projector for support.
It was happening. Fives was right. This was the massive plot Fives warned him about. His eyes swept over his brothers and found no trace of the men he knew and loved so dearly. They were gone - wiped away with a single order. Rex clenched his fists.
Appo outlined a simple plan: swarm the Temple, ambushing them while asleep and unsuspecting. Fresh from the battle above Coruscant, the 501st would mobilize rapidly, troops to be briefed in flight.
Within fifteen minutes, the sacred Jedi Temple - Maelle's home - would be in flames.
When Appo concluded, Rex mumbled an excuse and walked from the briefing room as nonchalantly as he could manage. He made a detour through the armory - leaving with a bag tucked under his arm - and headed for the transports.
Rex ducked behind a transport, nearly ready for troops. He frantically attempted to raise Maelle on her comlink.
"Rex?"
"Get to the east entrance!" Rex hissed. "The Chancellor has issued an order for the Jedi to be executed on sight. Fives was right. The 501st is mobilizing as we speak to attack the Temple. North and south. Twenty minutes, at most."
Maelle sucked in her breath. "You're sure?"
An unknown voice murmured behind Maelle, relaying the information to General Yoda.
"Meet me at the east entrance. Whatever it takes, get out. I'm doing what I can to delay them, but it will only slow them." Rex planted an explosive under the wing of the transport and dashed to the next one. "I am coming for you, Maelle. I will see us through this."
"Rex, I…" Maelle's voice trembled. "I'm not leaving the Temple. My… my duty is here, to the wounded that remain and will come."
Rex swore. How could he argue against that? How could he have even suggested such a thing? He placed another explosive and kept moving. "Maelle…"
"We are not unprepared. And I," she paused and continued with false cheer. "I am not helpless. Not anymore, thanks to you." His throat constricted. "Besides, it isn't as though I haven't thought about this happening." Indistinguishable voices spoke behind her. "I have to go. Thank you for the warning, Rex." Fear crept into her voice once more, fanning the flames of his rising anger. "It's been an…. It's been an honor. May the Force be with you always."
She ended the connection. He swore.
Rex placed two more explosives. Swinging his leg over one of Security's BARC speeders, Rex held the detonator. His eyes swept over the field of swarming troopers. He'd been spotted.
With a single press of the button, four transports were crippled beyond repair. Rex launched the speeder into the air. He slammed his feet against the accelerator, pushing it to the limit, and sent grenades flying in his wake.
He prayed he could keep his promise.
He would not allow that to be their end.
0
Maelle stared at her silent comlink. It was happening. The Chancellor's grand plot against the Jedi. The Council ordered the immediate recall of the Jedi to the Temple as a precaution now proved well-founded. This was why Grief yanked her from surgery and tossed her on a transport back to Coruscant. She had only just made it to the Halls of Healing when Rex contacted her. Lucky thing, Healer Nema overheard Rex's warning; emotions choked Maelle into silence.
Twenty minutes.
Maelle's thoughts raced. She stared out across the Infirmary. Med techs ushered the last of the ambulatory patients to the lift to the MedCenter. Those too critical to move were being consolidated - preparation for an invasion. At least three dozen patients remained - more if the bacta tanks were occupied.
Twenty minutes.
Her heart hammered and her legs shook. One hundred younglings, rushed to the few available transports, whisked away from immediate danger.
Twenty minutes.
If only they had been given enough time to remove the inhibitor chips from every trooper before the order had been given…
Maelle gasped. "Master Yoda! Wait!" She vaulted over the assistant's station and ran to catch Master Yoda before he left the Infirmary. She beamed down at him. "I have an idea."