Hey everyone!

OneLittleSpark18: Oh crap did I accidentally call her Chancellor Amidala in this one? If I did, that was a mistake. Unfortunately Palps is still in charge. I hope when you say it's been a week that it hasn't been too bad. If it has, hopefully an update will help. I'm always so pleased by your comments and support!

Warriors 4 Ever2: I really appreciate that! Honestly it's one of the highest honors you can give me.

Fishgirl16: It would have been really interesting. I think Rex might choose Ahsoka though if he had to.

Oh boy you guys, I am SO EXCITED TO POST THIS. I have been waiting so long to get it out there holy crap.

Buckle in.

(also reminder that my sister's fic Will of the Force should be updating today! Though it might be later than I manage. She has more responsibilities than me lol)

Mando'a translations at the end!

A few hours after Fives watched Wrecker blow up an entire space station, he found himself outside the med bay with Hunter. Echo was being checked over inside. He'd been pretty shaken by the system overload.

"Hey."

Fives inclined his head to show he was listening.

"I want a word with you." Hunter said. "In private."

Fives narrowed his eyes but followed Hunter to a storage room. Hunter turned around and appraised Fives for a moment.

"What do you want?" Fives asked, irritated.

"I'm going to ask Echo to join the Bad Batch." Hunter said.

Fives felt his eyes widen and he felt sick. Why in the galaxy would Hunter try and take his brother away from him?

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked.

"Because I don't want you to try and stop him if he wants to come with us." Hunter folded his arms.

"Why the hell do you think he'd want to go with you?" Fives snapped.

Hunter narrowed his eyes.

"Are you blind?" He asked. "Haven't you seen the way the other troopers look at him? He's not a reg anymore."

"He's not one of you, either!" Fives said.

"No, but he could be. We know what it's like to be different." Hunter said. "He wouldn't be treated differently by us."

"I'll be around to beat the shebs off of anyone who treats him differently." Fives growled.

"Every single time?" Hunter asked. "You're going to attack them if they do a double take? Or flinch when he walks by?"

"I-" Fives swallowed.

"Things can never be the same for him." Hunter said. "Let them be at least a little better."

Fives clenched his fists.

"What if he says no?" He asked.

"Then I'll accept that decision." Hunter said. "But I'm not asking you. I'm asking him. Don't try and stop him if he wants to go."

Fives grit his teeth. It would be excruciating to let Echo go again. But- no. Echo wouldn't leave him.

"Fine." He said. "But be prepared for when he says no. He's part of the 501st. Nothing can change that."

Hunter gave him an annoying look, like he didn't believe Fives.

Fives was prepared for when, a few hours later, Echo came looking for him in the nearly empty barracks.

"Fives." Echo said. "Hunter's asked me to join the Batch."

Despite his previous confidence, Fives felt apprehensive as Echo nervously shifted in front of him.

"Well, what do you want to do?" He managed.

"I- don't belong here anymore." Echo said. "I want to, but I'm not who I was."

It took a moment for the implication of Echo's words to sink in. When they did, it burned.

"So?" Fives asked. "You're our brother."

Hunter had only told him not to stop Echo, not dissuade him.

"Am I?" Echo asked. "I'm basically a droid at this point."

"We don't care!" Fives said. "Echo, you'll always have a place with the 501st."

Echo's hand went to his scomp.

"You may think that." He said. "But not every clone does."

"Who gives a damn?" Fives asked. "We've never cared much about what people think, not even when we were cadets."

Echo smiled wanly.

"Yeah." He said. "We weren't afraid to be terrible, no matter who saw us."

Fives plowed on, encouraged.

"It might be hard at first." He said. "But we've done harder. We're ARC troopers! We do the impossible!"

It was apparently the wrong thing to say, as Echo's gaze fell.

"Fives," He said. "I'm tired of doing hard things. If I go with the Bad Batch, things will be easier for me."

"The Echo I know would never back away from a challenge-"

"I'm not the Echo you knew!" Echo snapped. "Hunter understands that, the Batch understands that! That's why I want to leave. I want you to stop expecting to see a brother who is dead!"

They looked at each other for a moment, and Fives saw the determination in Echo's eyes. Echo really did want to go with the Batch. It didn't make it hurt any less.

"Fine." Fives said, looking away from Echo. "Go then."

"Fives," Echo said, his voice softening. "Listen, I don't want to leave you, but too much has happened. I can't go on like nothing's changed."
"I told you to go." Fives said. "I've gone this long without you, I can handle it."

He shouldn't have said it. He felt, more than saw, Echo flinch. Fives stared at the floor, waiting for Echo to leave. He could feel Echo's eyes on him and wished his brother would just leave and be done with it.

After a long time, Echo left, the clicking of his boots echoing in Fives' head.

Fives slumped onto the side of his bunk and put a hand to his head. He should have been happy for Echo, happy that he had a place he felt more comfortable. But all that he could think of was the pain cracking his heart in two. How could Echo leave him again?

Echo gingerly entered the cockpit of the Havoc Marauder. Tech was at the controls and he nodded as Echo came in. Hunter had just finished showing Echo the rest of the ship. Echo's main thought was that no one better get a detonator near the thing or half the galaxy would get blown to hell.

It had been a good distraction, while it lasted. Now Fives' harsh reaction to his decision came back to Echo. Echo understood his brother's feelings, at least a little. It still hurt to hear Fives tell him to leave in such a cold voice.

Wrecker turned in his seat and grinned up at Echo.

"Oh, Omega's gonna love this!" He said. "We've never brought back a whole new brother before!"

"Omega?" Echo asked.

He knew he was hovering, but he didn't know if the seats were specific for each Batch member or not.

"The fifth member of the Bad Batch." Hunter said from behind Echo. "She's a clone, like us."

"She?" Echo said.

"Omega is an experiment by Nala Se." Tech said. "She is not a soldier. She stays on Kamino."

"I've never heard of her." Echo said.

"They hid her away." Crosshair said darkly. He was in the main section of the ship, cleaning his rifle. "Kept her alone until we found her."

"We learned of her existence while I was researching the inhibitor chips." Tech added.

"So she's our little sister now!" Wrecker said happily. "We bring her back stuff from missions all the time, cause she's never been off Kamino."

"Hold on," Echo said, his mind whirling from the influx of information. "What's an inhibitor chip?"

"That's right." Hunter said. "You wouldn't know."

"Scomp into the Marauder." Tech said. "There is a file detailing the situation."

"Oh." Echo said. "Okay."

He made his way to the port on the dashboard and plugged his arm in. A wave of information hit his head. He grit his teeth as he struggled to organize it. It made his head ache badly, but Tech had promised he'd be able to fix that.

He found the file in question and read with interest about how the Kaminoans had implanted a chip in all their heads to control them. He blinked when he reached how they discovered it. A trooper had tried to kill Commander Tano? He read further.

'-the incident occured while Commander Tano and the trooper in question were with Master Bas Gek to investigate the odd effects of the device implanted in Commander Tano during her imprisonment.'

What? Echo took a moment to dig further into the files on the ship's computer. Why had Commander Tano been imprisoned?

He found what he was looking for, a file bursting with tests and data. He sifted through it, until he found the schematics for a miniscule device. A very familiar device.

"Tech, what is this?" Echo asked.

He activated the ship's holo projector and showed them the device.

"That was the device implanted in Commander Tano to constantly excrete a Force altering drug into her system." Tech said.

"Who did it?" Echo asked, his stomach in knots.

"Apparently, Chancellor Palpatine." Tech said.

"Why do you ask?" Hunter asked.

Echo unplugged and the information shed from his mind, leaving him dazed and apprehensive.

"Because that thing was developed by the Separatists." Echo said.

Palpatine felt the final thread of connection to the boy sever. His eyes widened as the politicians around him bickered.

"Chancellor?" Asked Senator Chuchi. "Are you all right?"

"I- am not feeling well, my dear." Palpatine said. "In fact, I must ask that we adjourn this meeting early."

It took too long to shuttle the fools from his office. Once he was alone Palpatine allowed himself a grimace. The boy had fully rejected him. Years of manipulation and encouragement wasted. If only the girl had died. She was the beginning of the growing breach between the boy and himself.

He could sense a few Jedi coming towards the Senate. Master Yoda wasn't among them. It seemed they had received actual evidence of his 'betrayal', but they still did not know his true identity. That made things far easier.

He sighed. The loss of the boy was troublesome. But he still had Dooku, and Amidala was pregnant with Skywalker's spawn. That child would surely be as powerful as the father.

In any case, the time had come.

It was Kolar and Tiin who came with their cries of treason and demands for his surrender and arrest. It was the greatest pleasure, after months of scraping and bowing to the Jedi, to shear Kolar's head from his body. The other surprised Jedi did not last long. Maul and his pathetic brother had put up a better fight than this. When Tiin fell with a burning chest, Palpatine realized there was another presence in the office. He looked up to see the clone Commander of the Coruscant Guard standing frozen at the door.

Palpatine smiled and uttered the sweet words he had waited so long to say.

"Commander Fox, Execute Order 66."

"Yes, sir." The clone said.

Fox ran. He could feel his heartbeat pulse in the scar on his temple he had received only a week before. It wouldn't be long before Palpatine realized Fox hadn't carried out his order to march on the Jedi Temple with the Coruscant Guard.

Fox had until then to reach the Temple and warn the Jedi. He couldn't use the comms; seconds after Palpatine had given the order Fox had heard it repeated on all channels. The comms were surely being monitored.

He had no time to check if the clones he passed were following the order. Surely there were some brothers who had heeded the rumors from the 501st as well. But Fox had no time to test which vod'e were under the chip's control. He hoped they had the presence of mind to play along for now.

They were starting the LAAT/is up as Fox reached the landing pad. Other ships were streaming in, gathering the rest of the Coruscant Guard for a united assault. Fox figured he had around a half an hour before they were assembled.

He grabbed the nearest police speeder and shot away from the rest of the Guard. He turned on the sirens, which blessedly cleared the way for him. The city was as it normally was, unaware of the chaos and suffering potentially planned by Palpatine.

The temple came into sight. It was still so peaceful. Fox landed and sprinted up the temple stairs. Two guards, hooded and masked, extended their staffs to block him.

"What is your business?" One asked in a feminine voice.

Fox hesitated, unwilling to voice what he had witnessed in the open.

"I have urgent news for General Yoda." He said.

"From the Chancellor?" The other guard's voice was male and sharp.

"No. The news is my own." Fox said.

The guards stared at him. They didn't move or speak. Frustration broke through Fox's fear.

"My message is of the utmost importance!" He said. "Many lives are in danger."

"What proof do you have?" The female asked.

"I-" Fox swallowed.

The only proof he had was his word. The word of a clone. He had heard of Jedi who valued their information highly. Fox had met few people who trusted clones that well.

"Commander Fox?"

Shaak Ti had exited the temple. Fox felt a rush of hope. He had heard many good things about the Togruta Jedi.

"General Ti!" Fox said. "I have urgent news for General Yoda!"

Shaak Ti's eyes narrowed slightly, but her face remained placid.

"Come with me." She said.

Fox was dizzy with relief. The Guards uncrossed their staffs and Fox nearly tripped in his eagerness to get inside the temple.

Fox had heard that the Jedi Temple was beautiful. As he was led through its softly lit walls, he could not say if that was true. His focus was on how slowly General Ti walked and how much time they were wasting.

General Ti stopped in her tracks. She raised a hand to her head.

"What-" She whispered. "What is happening?"

"Sir, please, we need to get to General Yoda." Fox pleaded.

General Ti was dazed as she continued to lead the way. Finally she ushered him into a circular room.

Fox had been working as Chancellor Palpatine's guard for a long time, but he still felt slightly in awe when he saw General Yoda sitting in one of the chairs. The small Jedi looked in pain, a clawed hand to his head and his eyes squeezed shut.

"Master Ti." He croaked as they entered. "Feel it, do you?"

"Yes, Master." General Ti said. "So much death-"

Fox couldn't keep his tongue any longer.

"Sirs, my apologies, but the Coruscant Guard is on its way to march on the Jedi Temple."

Yoda opened his eyes and stared at Fox.

"Explain." He said simply.

"You- you already know that Chancellor Palpatine is a traitor." Fox said. He had heard the Jedi's accusations when they had attempted to arrest Palpatine. "But sirs, he's a Sith, or something like it. He killed Generals Tiin and Kolar with a red lightsaber. And he's controlling the clones with chips the Kaminoans implanted to assassinate all Jedi!"

"Assassinate?" Yoda repeated.

His eyes narrowed and his hand drifted to his lightsaber.

"Some of us have had the chips removed." Fox said hurriedly. He gestured to his scar. "We still have free will."

Yoda relaxed, but only slightly. Fox stood stiff as he waited for General Yoda to react further. Finally the Jedi looked up at General Ti.

"Blind, we have been." He said. "To let this evil pass us by."

Relief washed over Fox.

"Sir, we should evacuate the Temple immediately-"

Yoda held up a claw.

"Do this, we cannot." He said. "Our home and temple, this is. Defend it, we will."

"Sir, you don't understand!" Fox said. "The entire Coruscant Guard is coming! And even if you can hold them off, more legions will follow! Do you expect to be able to resist the entire GAR?"

"Do this, we will not have to." General Yoda said. "Defend it until I have dealt with Palpatine, all we must do."

General Ti started at this.

"Master Yoda, you cannot go alone!" She protested. "If he has killed both Masters Tiin and Kolar-"

"Help us, numbers will not." General Yoda said heavily. "A battle in the Force, this will be."

"Sir, even if you are able to defeat Palpatine, the temple must be defended." Fox said.

"And what of those who cannot fight?" General Ti asked. "The younglings and younger Padawans?"

"Take them from the Temple, you will." General Yoda said. "Keep them safe. Risk them, we cannot."

General Ti nodded.

"I'll help set up the defenses." Fox said. "We can-"

"No." General Yoda said. His eyes had taken on a far-away look. "With Master Ti to

protect the younglings, you will go."

Fox blinked at the order.

"Sir, I don't know if-"

"Go, you must." General Yoda said.

"Come, Commander." General Ti said. "If Master Yoda feels it to be right, we must obey."

"Inform the others, I will." General Yoda said. "Go now."

Fox gave a short nod, still unsure why the General would insist he go to protect the children. He followed General Ti, passing several Jedi rushing to the council chambers.

"Sir, is there an alternate way out of the Temple?" Fox asked.

"Yes." General Ti replied. Fox struggled to keep up with her determined stride. "Deep in the catacombs. I believe it would be best to use this route."

She fell silent and her serene face was contorted.

"Sir, are you all right?" Fox couldn't help but ask.

"I have felt not only many Jedi fall, for I now know what it was-" She said. "But the clones- you said they are controlled?"

"Yes, sir." Fox said. "I don't believe they are under their own control."

"I can feel it." General Ti whispered. "They cried out, and were silenced."

Fox thought he could see tears in her eyes. With a strange twist in his gut he thought of all the shinies he had trained, singing praises of General Ti on Kamino. She truly cared.

"There are some of us who got our chips out." Fox reminded her in an attempt to console her. "It's not all of us."

She merely nodded and continued in her resolute pace. Jedi were beginning to hurry around them, calling to each other and giving orders. Fox felt odd not being a part of the preparations.

They arrived at what General Ti called the creche. Many young Jedi were gathered there. Some seemed scared, others defiant.

"Master Ti, why are we being sent away?" An older human boy protested. "We have lightsabers-"

"And no training, Petro." General Ti said sharply. "And I do not count your escapades with Ahsoka. This is not the time to question. You must obey Commander Fox and myself."

Several of the younglings caught sight of Fox and a few shrank back.

"I thought it was the clones who were coming to attack us." A small Twi'lek boy said. "Why is he here?"

"The clones are not acting on their own wills." General Ti said. "Commander Fox has escaped what is controlling the rest of them."

The kids looked at each other skeptically.

"Well, I trust him." A Tholothian girl declared. "Ahsoka told us all about her clone friends. So he's probably okay."

At least one of them would listen to him.

"Come. The eldest must help with the youngest." General Ti said.

She beckoned to some of the older children and Fox as they entered the creche. There were around two dozen littles in the room. Many looked frightened already and a few were crying.

Fox checked the comms as General Ti instructed the children. He heard his own voice, monotone and flat, reporting that the gunships were nearly ready.

"They're almost on their way." Fox informed the General.

She nodded, and then shoved a small child into his arms. Fox looked down at the child, who seemed to be one of General Yoda's species. It blinked up at him and cocked its head.

"Sir, I won't be able to protect the younglings if I'm holding one." Fox protested.

"No, but you can run." General Ti said. "I will be doing the protecting. If necessary, I will hold the attackers off, and you will lead the rest to safety."

Fox grimaced inside his helmet. He was really questioning General Yoda's decision now.

"Keep a close watch on Grogu." General Ti instructed. "He is powerful in the Force, but knows little control."

"Right." Fox muttered.

The kid started scrabbling at Fox's helmet, protesting in grunts and whines.

"Sorry, kid." Fox said. "The helmet stays on."

He kept checking the comms. It was another five minutes before he heard the order for the gunships to take off. Then the comms went dead. Fox swore under his breath. They must have put two and two together and cut him out. He'd be able to manually reconnect to the frequency, but that would take time, and they needed to hurry.

"They're on their way." Fox said to General Ti. "But they've cut me off from the comms."

"We are ready to go." She replied. "Come."

Fox shifted his grip on Grogu and took the rear as General Ti led the way from the creche. The littles and kids followed in a scraggly line. Fox privately thought that any age clone cadet would be far better organized.

More Jedi were running towards the atrium of the Temple. General Ti led them in the opposite direction. No, not all Jedi. One was ahead of them, going the same way as Fox's group. They disappeared down the stairs. Fox narrowed his eyes. He moved Grogu to one arm and placed a hand on his blaster.

Just as they reached the same stairs, there were shouts of alarm from the entrance. The clones had arrived.

General Ti made no reaction, only plunging into the dimly lit catacombs. Fox waited for the rest of the younglings to go down before following suit.

The spiralling stairs seemed to never stop. They passed dozens of landings, but General Ti ignored them all. The lights became fewer and farther between. Fox could feel Grogu's little talons digging between his armor plates and some of the younger ones began to cry. Fox turned on his helmet's light and some of the sobs subsided.

Finally General Ti stepped off of the stairs to a particularly dark landing. Fox shined his lights down the corridor. It seemed to be some sort of prison.

"Master Ti, it feels bad down here." One of the younger children whispered.

"Much Darkness has dwelt here." General Ti replied. "They are no longer here, younglings. There is nothing to fear."

"There's someone else down here!" Another little cried.

"-Yes." General Ti said slowly. "There would be."

She said no more, just beckoning the group forward. Fox didn't like it down here. It was tight and narrow. It would bottleneck any pursuers, but their enemy would have a straight shot. They passed rows of doors. Fox felt strange about them, like he couldn't and shouldn't look through the small window each bore. The place was dry, but the stones were worn under Fox's feet.

General Ti signalled for a stop.

"Master Unduli?" She asked. "What are you doing- oh."

Fox shined his light ahead to see two figures in the dark. One was shorter and stood hunched under the other's arm. He turned to scan behind them. No sign of his bro- the enemy yet.

"I could not leave her to be slaughtered or to waste away." General Unduli said.

"You cannot trust her." General Ti said.

"I have given her a choice." General Unduli said. "She may either fight alongside us, or leave in peace. She has chosen to leave. Perhaps she could go with you?"

General Ti was quiet. Fox turned back to more clearly see who this she was.

Fox felt bile rise in his throat and he bared his teeth inside his helmet. It was her. That hut'uun. Barriss Offee.

"Sir, we cannot trust her." Fox said quickly.

"No, we cannot." General Ti said. "But it would be better to be able to watch her and ensure she does no more harm."

Fox glared at the young woman who had as of yet said nothing. The simple robe she wore hung off her thin frame and her eyes were downcast. No pity spiked at Fox's heart. She had killed his men.

"Sir-"

"We cannot argue." General Ti said. "Barriss, right behind me."

"Thank you, Master Ti." General Unduli said softly. "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you." General Ti said.

"Goodbye, Barriss." General Unduli's voice was soft.

"Goodbye, Master." Offee's voice was cracked, as if she hadn't spoken for a while.

General Unduli moved back the way they had come, leaving them with an unwanted addition to their group. Master Ti began moving again and they all, including Offee, followed her.

Fox grit his teeth. Grogu made a grumbling noise.

"I don't like her either, kid." Fox mumbled, before jogging to catch up.

It wasn't long before General Ti stopped again. When Fox shined his lights on the wall, it showed an intricate carving of a strange white and green convor.

"Please assist me, Barriss." General Ti said.

Offee moved slowly, but reached out with General Ti. Several sections of the carving pressed inward, and the wall opened.

"Commander, lead the way." Master Ti said. "It should be straight forward."

Fox slipped past the younglings and Offee and took point. His lights showed only a simple bricked tunnel. He wondered where it was and how the denizens of this particular level did not notice it. He moved forward with only a moment's hesitation. He glanced back at the line of younglings behind him and General Ti and Offee bringing up the rear. The sight of the traitor brought Commander Tano to his mind.

He wondered if enough of her men had removed their chips for her to have survived.

Ahsoka watched Anakin pace around the Defiant's holo projector. His toxic stew of emotions felt like sludge in the Force. Anger, betrayal, shame, and fear were the most prevalent of these.

Ahsoka herself was agitated and furious. It helped to have Fives and Rex's steadying presences next to her.

"Any news?" Anakin snapped at poor Beep, who was manning the comm station.

"N-no sir." Beep said.

"Anakin, I'm sure they'll tell us when they've arrested the Chancellor." Obi Wan's hologram said. He was on the Negotiator, probably so he didn't have to be up close and personal with Anakin's blazing emotions.

Anakin whirled around, eyes flashing.

"I should be there!" He said. "I should be helping bring that bastard down!"

"And have them wait to arrest him?" Obi Wan asked. "I would think you would want him in custody as quickly as possible so he can't cause any more harm."

"Yes, but-" Anakin looked like he was about to tear his hair out.

"You'll be more helpful when you testify in court against him." Obi Wan said.

Anakin grimaced, clearly thinking it would be more satisfying to pull a lightsaber on Palpatine. Ahsoka agreed. While shocked by Echo's revelation, Ahsoka couldn't deny feeling immensely satisfied by the news. They had actual evidence. And while they couldn't directly confront him, Ahsoka took comfort in knowing her suffering would help remove Palpatine from power.

"If we get him," Ahsoka said. "Then we might finally be able to win this kriffing war."

The others gave nods.

And then what?

Ahsoka glanced at Rex. She wasn't sure he had meant to let her feel that thought. His face betrayed none of the anxiety the thought conveyed.

It'll be all right. Ahsoka promised. I won't leave you or our men.

He looked at her and for half a second Ahsoka saw something tender and wonderful in his eyes.

Thank you.

Her breath caught in her chest. The simple words were filled with an emotion familiar, but never before directed at her. Did he-

The Force shrieked and writhed, snapping Ahsoka's attention away from Rex. She stumbled back and saw a blue figure rising from the holotable.

"Palpatine!" Anakin snarled.

Palpatine's holo gave no sign of hearing Anakin. Instead, he turned to Rex.

Rex.

The chip.

"Execute Order Sixty-Six."

The Force shattered.

The impact of the shattering nearly knocked Ahsoka from her feet. Her vision blurred and she struggled to bring herself back to the present. Fives' shout dragged Ahsoka back to the ship. Just in time to see Fives shove his way in front of her. He took Rex's blaster bolt to the chest. Fives jerked backwards and sprawled on the floor.

Anakin yelled, confused. How could he have not made the connection? And now Rex was staring Ahsoka down with both blasters trained on her.

His eyes. He had been looking at her seconds before with devotion and- and love. Now there was nothing behind them. Their bond was silent, as if it had been filled with duracrete.

"Good soldiers-" Rex grated out. "Follow orders."

A tear ran down his cheek.

The words brought Ahsoka back to Tup. She forced her way into his mind and she found it exactly as Tup's had been. She found the chip and with an overwhelming effort, she snapped the tendrils binding his mind down. He fired at the same moment.

Both bolts connected with Ahsoka's midriff as Anakin shouted. She let out a grunt as she was thrown to the floor.

Rex collapsed a second later. Through the pain, Ahsoka heard a lightsaber ignite. The intent to kill skewered the Force.

"No!" Ahsoka choked out. "The chip, Anakin! The chip!"

"Snips!"

He was at her side now. She could feel herself fading quickly. She forced aside the burning pain and activated her comm.

"All troopers-" She gasped. "Set blasters on stun! Don't-don't hurt them! Kix, get up here now! Medics, standby for chip removal procedure!"

"Ahsoka stop talking-" Anakin said.

Ahsoka obeyed, only because she had finished what she needed to say. She let the pain, both from her stomach and her head, overwhelm her to oblivion.

Mando'a:

shebs: backside, butt

vod'e: brothers

AND THE CRAP HITS THE FAAAAAAAAN. Ugh, so much in this chapter. Lets start at the top. I think it'd be a lot harder for Echo to make his choice to go with the Bad Batch with Fives around, but in the end he'd still go. I voice part of why here. He's one, too changed from a normal clone. A lot of brothers wouldn't mean to change the way the act, but I imagine it would kind of naturally happen. And two, the brothers he's close to, Rex and Fives, keep looking to see someone Echo isn't anymore. I imagine the poor thing is just tired and wants the path of least resistance for once.

I like to think that Wrecker, while knowing that Omega is older than he is, still calls her his little sister. Because she's physically littler than he is. Crosshair, in this universe, really empathizes with Omega because he hates Kamino so much. He absolutely hates the idea of her being kept there by herself with only Kaminoans as company. (and AZ)

And there's the proof they needed to go after Palps. Before, the device he put in Ahsoka was morally sketch, but she was at the time a woman condemned to death. A little wonky, but not a sign that he's a traitor. But when that device was designed by the Separatists... that's proof. Anakin's been iffy on Palps for a while, seeing as he screwed over Anakin's padawan, but now the man's a traitor and Anakin feels it deeply.

SO TAKE THAT PALPATINE. I know he still gets Order 66 off, but it feels so good to remove Anakin from him. That was his greatest victory in the Prequels, I think, is destroying Anakin. I made the arresting team smaller because this time it's not about him being a Sith Lord, but being a traitor. Plus Windu and Kit are off world right now. (and I didn't want Kit to die.)

Fox redemption time! I've tried to build this moment up throughout, for Fox to disobey orders and have his chip removed. I'm not a Fox stan, but he's been fun to explore here. I do believe that even with the knowledge of Order 66, the Jedi would still try and defend the Temple. But this time, we can get the kids out, and not every Jedi will die. Hi Grogu! Hi Barriss! I know the Temple doesn't have canon catacombs but too bad. Barriss will be interesting because we don't get to see her aftermath. And Luminara gets to make a good choice once, as a treat. Side note, a convor is the little owl thing that's Ahsoka's friend Morai in Rebels. She's seen as a representation of the Daughter/Light Side.

And then my favorite scene. Rex is finally starting to let himself show how much he loves Ahsoka. Her defense of and loyalty to the clones just makes him love her so much. And then Order 66. We'll have to see if Fives and Ahsoka are okay next time!

Wear your masks, remember to review, and have a great few weeks!