Dear Reader, Starting 2018 with a chapter on New Year's Day! I fully intend to have this entire story finished this year! Of course, intentions don't always meet reality. We still, after all, have Umbara, Fives' Death, Echo's Resurrection, the climax, and the denouement. But my hope is to finish it up by this time next year. As for the chapter title, it's meant to refer to the fact that Tarkin and Piell are both disagreeable characters, variations on a theme. Also, in this chapter, I really start to focus on Anakin's sometimes dark thoughts and how Rex is also a variation on Anakin in that they both tend to see things in the same light. Since we all know the running and chasing scenes in the Citadel arc, I added a lot of internal character dialogue and thought process to give my readers something more than a mere recounting of what we see in the series. Happy 2018, peace, health and happiness, and God Bless.

Chapter 88 Variations on a Theme

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."

The Dawn
Friedrich Nietzsche

Anakin drew aside into an alcove off the corridor. Obi-wan and Ahsoka joined him.

"We can't just go running from place to place looking for him," Anakin stated. "Master Plo said there were three likely locations where he might be held. I say we hack into their security system and see if we can find him."

"Dodger was the expert at that," Ahsoka reminded them. "Do we have anyone else who's good at that sort of thing?"

"Echo's probably our best chance," Anakin replied. "He makes it his business to know a lot about everything." He raised his voice slightly. "Echo!"

Echo left his position, monitoring the corridor, and reported to his general.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Can you hack into their security system? Access their live feeds and see if we can find where they'll holding Master Piell?"

"I can give it a try, Sir," Echo replied. "I can't promise anything, and as soon as I'm in, they'll detect the intrusion." An afterthought came to him. "Unless . . . "

"Unless what?" Obi-wan inquired.

"Just a second, General." Echo used his wrist-pad to pull up a series of data sets in his HUD. With lightning speed, he scrolled through the figures; shortly, he spoke in a low voice brimming with satisfaction. "Yes, yes, this might work."

"What is it? What are you doing?" Again, this from Obi-wan.

"When the Separatists took over the Citadel, they upgraded the security systems using their own technology," Echo explained. "After their outpost on Teran was overrun the first time, our boys found all sorts of shipping manifests and warehouse inventories. The equipment that went to the Citadel all passed through Teran. It's all right here." They couldn't see his pleased smile. "The EMPEX-4001 Broad Security Platform, preprogrammed with a twelve-digit access code. And while I'm sure they've changed the code, the original code can still be used to access at least the admin functions."

"Meaning?" Ahsoka asked.

"Meaning that if there's a serial number on the control panel, I can find the original access code and gain access to the admin functions," Echo explained. "It's one of the 4001's main weaknesses, but the Separatists were more interested in getting a quick product than getting a strong one."

"If you get in, will you be able to find Master Piell?" Anakin asked.

"I think so. And if I go in using the access code, it probably won't trigger an alarm like hacking in would."

Ahsoka raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Probably?"

"I can't make any guarantees, Commander."

"Let's do it," Anakin said decisively. "There's a control panel just ahead. We'll keep an eye out. You get to work."

As Echo carried out his assignment, Cody moved to stand beside Rex. "I don't like this. It got very quiet all the sudden."

"They may have moved most of their forces to guard Master Piell," Rex ventured. "Or it may just be that they've lost track of us. I don't see any cameras in this area."

"Just because we can't see them doesn't mean there aren't any," Cody cautioned.

"How large a contingent do you think they have here?" Rex asked curiously. "Intel had no numbers. Maybe, if their numbers are limited, they need every droid they've got to defend the location where Piell is being held." A pause. "And the Citadel being what it is, maybe they figured they didn't need a large contingent, that escape would be impossible anyway."

"Those are a lot of 'ifs' and 'maybes', Rex," Cody replied. "The bottom line is we're flying blind. We knew it was going to be this way, but we didn't expect to be detected so quickly. From here on in, we can't afford to rely on guesswork."

"I'm in," Echo announced.

Anakin was beside him in a heartbeat. "Can you access the cameras?"

"Emmm . . . yes." He sounded excited. "I can't manipulate them. I can only get static views."

"That's fine," Anakin said. "We need you to check three locations. The main prison block, the level 6 isolation cells, and the medical wing cells."

Echo first pulled up the images of the main prison block, revealing empty cell after empty cell. And then—

"Woah, woah!" Anakin put a hand on Echo's shoulder.

"Here's something, Sir," Echo said at the same time.

"Those are Republic troops."

"Yes, Sir."

"But . . . I don't see Master Piell," Anakin frowned.

Echo quickly switched to the next camera location: the level 6 isolation cells; and here the question was answered, for the grainy image revealed Master Piell suspended in a traction field, being subjected to the torturous devices of his interrogators.

"Good work, Echo," Anakin commended him. "Can you show us what security looks like outside that cell?"

A second later, Anakin was looking at precisely what he'd suspected: an increased presence in the corridor approaching the isolation cells. "Looks like they're waiting for us. We don't want to disappoint them. Can you disable the cameras?"

"Probably," Echo replied. "At least, temporarily."

"Do it."

"Sir, what about the other prisoners?" Echo inquired.

Anakin had expected this question, and he already had his answer prepared; for to him, there could be no doubt. "Our main task was to rescue Master Piell." A pause. "But I won't leave without them."

"Sir, all our security cameras just went dead."

Osi Sobeck turned slowly, his shoulders drawing up in the tenseness of boiling rage. "What do you mean, dead?"

"They're not transmitting images anymore, Sir."

"None of them?"

"Not one."

Sobeck swung his arm out in a fit, backhanding the hapless droid, sending it careening into the console. "Get them back online, you idiot! This has to be the work of the Jedi! They think they can come in here and save their friend . . . don't they know this is the Citadel? No Jedi leaves here . . . alive."

"Once you draw them out, the rest of us will take care of them. This needs to be fast and quiet."

Cody nodded his acknowledgment of General Kenobi's orders. "Yes, General."

Obi-wan turned to the others. "You'll only have a matter of seconds to get the droid poppers in there. Too soon, and the droids will turn back. Too late, and we lose the element of surprise." He looked to his first-in-command once more and put a hand a Cody's shoulder. "Don't over play it."

"You must be mistaking me for Captain Rex," Cody quipped.

With that, Cody carried out one of the oldest tricks in the book – and one of his favorites. The team was holding, concealed, at a juncture between the corridor they were in and the corridor that led into the isolation block. At a motion from General Kenobi, the commander rounded the corner at speed, coming to abrupt halt, feigning shock at the presence of the droids guarding the entrance. He quickly reversed course, but instead of heading back the way he'd come, he took off in the opposite direction. The witless droids followed; and turning the corner, found themselves face-to-face with the combination of droid poppers and light sabers.

Wanting to maintain their stealth, the team had foregone the use of blasters – too much noise.

Now, the hope was that none of the droids had gotten off a warning prior to be silenced.

"Ahsoka, stay here and keep an eye open," Anakin ordered. "We won't be long."

Kenobi led the way into the isolation block, moving slowly and cautiously. Looking up, he saw at least five cameras.

"Echo, are the cameras still out?"

"I can't say for sure, General Kenobi," came the reply. "But I wouldn't count on it."

Anakin, meanwhile, was looking at the unmanned control console. "It looks like only one cell is in use. Let's go."

The cell in question was at the far end of the block, and there was not a single battle droid in between. It seemed that Sobeck had concentrated his defenses outside the ward, and now the rescuers had a clear path.

No sooner had they come to the door than Anakin gestured Fives and Echo to the front. "Take us in."

The two squad mates did not hesitate. They did not need to form a plan. They had a fair idea, from the earlier surveillance images, what they would find behind the door. All they needed to do was bust in and start blasting. Not exactly the finessed style an ARC trooper might employ, but sometimes the best course of action was the simplest. Nothing else about this mission had been simple, and both clones were feeling a bit of tension in their trigger fingers . . .

There were only a handful of commando droids in the room, and they were taken completely by surprise. Fives and Echo made quick work of them. Coming in directly behind them, Rex took out the torture droid with a single shot.

"Secure the exits," General Skywalker commanded, igniting his light saber and slicing through the suspension field's control grid.

General Kenobi reached out and took hold of General Piell as the field released him. Lowering him gently to the floor, he inquired, "Master Piell, are you alright?"

"Obi-wan, what took you guys so long?"

Piell's gruff humor was reassuring in its own way, but it was a false reassurance, for not a single soul present in that room believed that the hard part was now over. The rescue had been made. The escape still lay on the murky horizon.

"At least your sense of humor is still intact," Anakin noted.

Indeed, General Piell seemed to be no worse for his ordeal. The Lannik Jedi Master's brittle, caustic demeanor was already on display in full force. He answered with a defiant sneer, "It takes more than they got to break me, young Skywalker."

General Kenobi retrieved his light saber and handed it to him.

"So, you have the coordinates for the Nexus route?" Anakin pressed, fully business.

"I have them, alright," Piell replied. "Half of them, anyway. My captain has the other half." A pause. "I erased the computers when we were boarded, then had both of us memorize part of the intel. That way, if, somehow, I cracked, the information would be useless to them without the other half."

Rex, standing behind his general and partly concealed in the shadows, listened to this exchange with cool interest and an admirable effort to not let the past taint the present. Part of his creed as a soldier, as the ultimate professional, was to never let his personal opinions interfere with the performance of his duty.

And as long as Master Piell didn't do anything to cast about aspersions, Rex would hold fast to his ideals. Looking around the cell, the captain decided that allowances must be made for what had likely transpired within these walls. It looked more like a torture chamber than a prison cell. They'd seen on the cameras that Master Piell had, indeed, been subjected to torture, despite showing no signs of it now. Somewhere deep down in the part of Rex's brain where unconscious thought teetered just on the verge of conscious thought, was the idea that, if they'd wanted to succeed in obtaining the information, they'd made a big mistake by leaving the job up to a droid. A Copian would have extracted every jot of information desired – and then some. And while this meandering, filamentary concept bubbled along just beyond formal awareness, it did spark a memory in Rex's mind: the memory of Admiral Vrenhke and the attack on the Monastica, how close he had come to ending up as the Copian's prisoner, and then what would have happened?

"Where's your captain?" Obi-wan's inquiry refocused Rex's attention.

"Being held with the other officers, I assume."

Anakin drew in a deep breath. "We're going to need a new plan."

"General," Echo interrupted. "We saw them on the surveillance cameras. The men we saw in the other cell. That had to be them."

"That's right," Anakin said. "We know where they're being held. Now, we just have to figure out a way to get there."

Master Piell was already headed for the door. As he passed Rex, he turned his head slightly. "I'm sure your hotshot captain can find a way. If I recall, he's very good at sneaking around problems."

Rex stiffened. The tone of voice had not been exactly accusatory or belittling, but it had certainly made clear the fact that General Piell had not forgotten the moment between him and Rex in the Resolute's hangar bay . . .

Krebs! Rex hadn't even seen General Piell since that day. Was it really possible that the general still held a grudge? How could a man—a Jedi, no less!—continue to harbor ill will over an accident? Well, a partial accident . . . okay, maybe no accident at all. But that wasn't Rex's fault. Enh, not fully. He'd only been in charge of overseeing the task . . .

Rex scowled beneath his helmet. He was guilty as hell.

But then, sometimes a man—a clone—had to take matters into his own hands. That's what Denal had done, and Rex had let him, even congratulated him afterwards.

"The best," General Skywalker immediately came to his captain's defense, turning the swipe into a compliment. "I'm lucky to have him."

"Luck is for fools, Skywalker," Piell replied sardonically. "The stakes here are high. I'd rather depend on skill."

Rex was not about to allow his Jedi to be dismissed so readily. "We all depend on skill, General Piell; but none of us would turn down a little good luck."

Piell looked at the 501st captain and smiled in a strangely indulgent, yet challenging way. "You haven't changed, Captain. That's good. Let's see if you have them both: skill and luck."

"I'm not in charge of this mission, General Piell," Rex said, stating the obvious.

Anakin picked up. "And there's no easy way out. For any of us."

"They don't even know I can see their every move." Sobeck felt the building anticipation as he watched the intruders moving cautiously through the halls. For a minute or two, he'd lost the feed on the surveillance cameras, but now it was back. He'd been admittedly stunned and angry to discover that his prisoner was no longer in his cell; but he'd consoled himself with the task of tracking him and his rescuers through the corridors. The prospect of unleashing his commando droids on them was enough to get his heart pumping. "You will never get out of here. Not until I have what I want. And after that, Count Dooku will just have to be happy with Jedi corpses as with coordinates."

The grin deepened across his reptilian face. The commandos had them now . . . any escape route was about to be cut off.

It was instinctive.

Or . . . perhaps it was a learned trait.

Obi-wan couldn't remember ever doing it with his fellow Jedi. But with his clone troopers, it was second nature.

The moment any trouble showed up, he would step to the forefront, placing himself squarely between that enemy and his soldiers. It wasn't anything he'd been taught during his Jedi training. Certainly, he'd never imagined that he would be filling the role of general, leading a battalion of fighting men. But from his very first battle as commander of the 212th, he'd taken to being out front, not only as the one in charge but with the intention of protecting his men . . . as best he could. Still, by the Force, he knew that his efforts only went so far in the face of a determined enemy.

He'd noticed that Anakin did the same thing. As did Ahsoka.

It wasn't as if Obi-wan felt the clones needed to be protected at all costs. No, not in any sense. And no doubt his troopers, Cody especially, would find it highly insulting to imagine that they were viewed as the ones needing defending when they had been bred for the particular purpose of waging war.

True, deflecting enemy fire allowed the clones more freedom to find their own targets. So, there was a practical purpose to it.

But Obi-wan knew there was more to it than that. These men had placed their trust in him, and the responsibility he felt towards them had developed into a series of certain reflexive actions and reactions. In this way, he believed he was doing what a Jedi should do under the circumstances: give his troops the very best he had to offer, balance their safety and well-being with mission requirements, and never, ever permit himself to grow attached to the men serving under him. Jedi Code aside, there were too many losses, too many moments that would result in heartbreak if he allowed it.

Why, even Cody must not fall into the realm of attachment. As much as Obi-wan respected and admired his first-in-command, as much as he would mourn his loss—were such a thing ever to happen—he was always careful to keep his affection for the commander at arm's length. And, if he were any judge, that seemed to be the way Cody wanted things, too.

Anakin, on the other hand . . .

Obi-wan worried about him. The depth of Anakin's attachments was equaled only by the depth of his emotion. For a Jedi, not a good combination. While Obi-wan could only speculate on his former padawan's attachments, there was one relationship that required no guess work.

Anakin's connection with Rex.

Obi-wan often mused that the degree of trust between the two was greater than that between Anakin and himself. And, with each clone being detectable as an individual within the Force, Obi-wan had not had to reach far to discover that Rex's driving motivation, whatever it may have been before coming to the 501st, was now predicated upon his loyalty to his commanding general.

As for Anakin, Obi-wan had discerned within weeks of Rex's arrival in the 501st that there was nothing Anakin would not do for him. Rex was his general's constant supporter, even in the face of decisions by the Jedi Council that often did not go Anakin's way. Rex had become the bulwark, and this was a disconcerting thought to Obi-wan; for he firmly believed that if anything were to happen to Rex, the impact on Anakin could be disastrous.

Rex might have been a clone, replaceable by any one of a million other clones. But not to Anakin, that much Obi-wan knew for certain.

Obi-wan stepped in front of his soldiers and ignited his light saber in the face of a trio of commando droids. Behind him, three more appeared. It was a quick battle, and at its conclusion, the six commando droids lay in pieces on the floor.

The team pressed on, but they hadn't gone far when a high-pitched tone stopped them in their tracks. An instant later, their weapons were pulled out of their hands by the unseen force of a magnetic field emanating from the ceiling. But weapons weren't the only things to be affected. Anakin's metallic prosthetic arm drew him up off the floor, and he dangled from the ceiling, his light saber a meter away. Almost immediately, an electrical shock went through his body; and in those few seconds of agony before losing consciousness, his mind was filled with the images. The images of metal twisting and warping against an unseen power, the shattering and exploding of glass, the rupturing of pipes and hissing of steam . . . these were images he had seen before; but now, there was something else. Now, he knew himself to be standing in the center of it all. Anakin could see himself, unfazed, unmoved by the destruction, both seen and unseen—for he knew there was much greater devastation beyond those walls, and . . . he didn't care. The Anakin of the vision did not care what terrible things might be happening beyond his range of sight. He didn't care that Commander Cody was standing at his side, palpably unnerved at what was happening. None of that mattered. The only thing of significance was there before him—and while this facet of the vision remained obscure, Anakin knew instinctively.

"Rex!"

"You fools!" Sobeck's voice came over the Citadel's comm system. "I hope you enjoy your reunion with your fellow Jedi, because you're going to be my guests for a very long time." As he spoke, more commando droids arrived from both ends of the corridor, trapping the team between them.

A glance of mutual understanding passed between the three Jedi still on the floor, and no sooner had the warden finished his mocking than they used the Force to push the droids back.

Except the droids didn't go anywhere. They slid back only several meters before bending backwards at the hip joints.

"They're magnetized," Obi-wan announced. Internally, he chastised himself. "Of course, they are! They're made of metal! That's why they're not on the ceiling right now!" He pushed again with increased effort. He might at least be able to keep them from using their own weapons, firmly in their mechanized grips.

Behind him, Ahsoka and Master Piell did the same.

The clones did not need to be told that this was their opportunity, and they needed to take advantage of it. As the commandos fired off wild and errant shots, the clones rushed forward to take them head-on; but it was not an easy task. Even Cody, whose hand-to-hand combat skills were second-to-none, found himself landing flat on his back against this enemy. Rex and Echo combined their strengths, pouncing on top of a single droid and forcing its own weapon around on it. Rex pulled the trigger. One down, but that appeared to be the extent of their success. The droids were simply too strong, and even the combined effort of three Jedi was beginning to lose ground. The droids were regaining their upright positions.

Above them, as Anakin returned to his senses, his gaze took in the scene below him, and he grew tense with anger. It was a peculiar rage. He saw the handful of remaining clones going hand-to-hand with much stronger machines. He saw his fellow Jedi using the Force to hold the droids at bay. And yet, he was disgusted with the fact that it took three Jedi to pin the droids in place. Had he been down on the ground, he would have been able to Force-propel the things so hard, they would have smashed into pieces against the walls. He could at least forgive Ahsoka; she was a padawan. But Obi-wan and Piell were Jedi masters.

Anakin looked up to where his light saber was fixed to the ceiling, just within arm's reach. He reached out for it, only to feel the pain of another shock coursing through his body. But this time, he had expected as much; this time, he was prepared and determined.

Down below, Rex looked up at the lightning field surrounding his general and found himself in awe. Not that being in awe of General Skywalker was anything new, but to see him struggle through what must be true agony, to watch him grasp the light saber between his crackling fingers, and then to take out the device generating the magnetic field . . .

. . . there were times when Rex felt he was in the presence of one of the greatest powers in the known universe. And his pride at calling the possessor of that power 'general' was nothing to be taken lightly.

With the magnetic field destroyed, the weapons dropped down, and the fight was over in seconds. Rex started towards his general, who was still on his hands and knees.

Echo beat him to it.

"Are you alright, Sir?"

Anakin got to his feet. "Yeah. Let's get out of here."

As they ran past him, Rex, guarding the rear, felt his pride extend to his two Domino Squad members. Echo had turned out to be everything Rex could have asked for in a trooper: fearless, conscientious, and loyal to a fault. As for Fives, long gone were the days of holding back, of feeling out of place. Still, he preferred to work solo—or with only Echo—although he had developed a certain charisma that attracted others to him. Rex wasn't sure it was the kind of charisma that lent itself well to teamwork or leadership; but there was no denying Fives was one extremely capable, extremely dependable trooper.

Rex turned to follow the others. He saw the camera on the wall above him. "From me to you," he said under his breath, and as a parting gesture, took out the camera with a single blaster bolt.

By the time they reached the main prison block, having fought their way past several more droid encounters and other Citadel traps, Anakin had consigned his worry for his captain to a corner of his mind, where he was working hard to keep it from rearing up and distracting his focus from a mission that require every scintilla of his attention.

Still, he found that he was keeping Rex on the periphery of his awareness at all times, subtle enough not to tip off his captain, or anyone else, for he knew Rex would never tolerate being coddled.

Anakin dropped to one knee outside the cell door and focused his concentration on detecting the enemy on the other side of the door. He was hesitant to open himself to the Force for fear that the visions would force their way in – they seemed to occur without any rhyme or reason. Yet, if he were going to see the guard on the other side of the door, he had no choice.

Ahsoka stood at the ready behind him.

The sound of shuffling out in the hallway must have been enough to draw the droid's attention, for Anakin could almost immediately sense a non-human presence directly behind the door. He closed his eyes, called on the Force, and ignited his light saber, piercing the cell door. He could feel the charge run through the blade and up into the handle, telling him he'd hit home. He turned off the light saber, Obi-wan opened the door, and Ahsoka leaped in with an aggression that took out the remaining guard in one brutal move.

General Piell entered behind Ahsoka, and Rex came to stand on the threshold.

Inside the cell were six men: five clones and one non-clone. Of the clones, two appeared to be bridge officers, while three must have been combat arms, for they wore only their bodysuits, armor having been removed. The sole non-clone got to his feet as his rescuers entered.

"General."

"Captain Tarkin," Piell replied, the perpetual sneer present in his voice.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Tarkin stated, "And you've brought friends." Much like the general with whom he served, the captain had a derisive air of superiority about him. There was also something very refined and precise about the man. Even in captivity, his appearance was pristine. Tall, lean, immaculate in his uniform, he was as cool as a Hothian Penschwaw, giving no indication that he was even concerned about being a prisoner.

Rex, entering the cell with Cody and going to ascertain the condition of the cell's other occupants, could feel the tension between Captain Tarkin and General Piell; but knowing what he did of General Piell's demeanor, he was not surprised. If Captain Tarkin was able to go toe-to-toe with such a disagreeable man, and in the process was disagreeable himself, Rex considered the scales to be even.

"Tarkin, this is Obi-wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker," Piell stated.

Captain Tarkin hardly seemed interested in introductions. "Now that you've found us, how do you expect to get us out? If they've locked down this fortress, there are at least ten squads on their way. It's going to be impossible to escape."

Obi-wan spoke up. "What if we split up? My team will create a diversion while Anakin leads the others away. That way, if one of us is captured, the enemy will only have half the information and not all of it."

Captain Tarkin was not convinced. "General Kenobi, I think it's better if we stick together. A stronger force would have a better chance of protecting the information."

"Not in this situation," Obi-wan replied, a hint of frustration entering his tone. He turned away as the captain continued making his case.

"But surely, we'd have more strength in numbers rather than divide us."

"Obi-wan has a point," General Piell said. "I'll go with him. You go with Skywalker."

There was something so flippant, so scornful in the general's voice, as if the idea of teaming up with Skywalker was somehow inferior to being with Kenobi, that Rex was hard-pressed to hold his peace. He knew better than to speak out against a ranking officer, even in defense of his general. Besides, General Skywalker was more than able to defend himself; and it was perfectly possible that Skywalker did not perceive the same insult that Rex had perceived. After all, Rex's impression of Piell was already tainted. And truth be told, Rex was glad of the reprieve from Piell's presence.

Anakin, on the other hand, was not convinced of the wisdom or logic of Obi-wan's plan. Yes, splitting into two teams and making sure Piell was on one team and Tarkin on the other might be better protection against compromise of the data, but it also meant the added coordination—hit or miss—of the two teams meeting back up at the shuttle to make their escape; not to mention that, instead of leaving with one extra man who happened to be a Jedi, they now had six more, none of whom were Jedi. Add to that, the fact was that Sobeck had cameras everywhere. Tracking the progress of two teams would be just as easy as tracking that of one team.

To Anakin's mind, Captain Tarkin had just as valid a point as Obi-wan. However, Anakin found the man so disagreeable, so patently ungrateful that he was not quite ready to embrace his ideas. And it would not have mattered anyway, for Obi-wan and Piell were already moving out with Cody and his two 212th troopers, as well as three of the captured clone officers.

"I guess that settles it," Anakin said, tongue-in-cheek. "Captain Tarkin, you're with me." He turned to his first-in-command. "Rex, let's get out of here."