Chapter 4 - Digging Deeper
A trip to Kamino to give the younger cadets experience working with Jedi is something he's done on occasion before – like the time the trip was entirely ruined by Boba blowing up an entire cruiser to kill Windu. Asking to take such a trip isn't that unusual. Slipping away from the Kaminoans is a bit harder, though.
In the end, Anakin has to ask the cadets to cover for him. He gives them the impression it's a drill of sorts before he slips out of the room and takes off through the hallways, trying to be discreet.
His heart is pounding as he moves, trying to dodge any cameras that he sees on the way.
No one pays him much attention when they see him because he's a Jedi but that will only stay true until they realize someone's been tampering with their files. If they realize.
What he's doing is... illegal.
Well, technically if Kamino is plotting against the Republic it's not but there's still so many questions about this. He didn't want the investigation to go like this but he doesn't have much other choice. He can't wait for potential Senate permission, even if he'd feel more comfortable having permission from actual authority, like Palpatine or the Jedi Council.
Right now, it feels like he's doing this entirely behind their backs and it feels like it's entirely not his place. It's just... ugh.
Stop thinking.
This is for his boys and that's all that keeps driving him forward past all the questions.
No one's passing by in the hallway when he finally reaches one of their central data rooms. He glances furtively both ways, darting inside. Withdrawing the device to hack into and download all the information about their files, he plugs it in. He designed it so that it shouldn't send a signal but there is a chance they have firewalls that will catch it anyway so hopefully it won't take long.
Hopefully it will also find what he's looking for.
For now, all he can do is wait.
It's taking too long. Somone could walk in at any moment. He reaches out with the Force, trying to sense if anything's coming. No one is yet, but that could change any moment.
No alarms have gone off either but that doesn't mean someone wasn't notified about this. His gaze darts anxiously between the door and the device as he tries not to shift impatiently. Each second feels like it takes an eternity to pass but it's definitely been at least a couple minutes already.
It's – And then he does sense someone coming.
Force.
This is bad.
He can't get caught in here. That's not something he could just play off perfectly innocently. It could end very badly, potentially causing serious problems between Kamino and the Republic and by default the Jedi and the Senate since the Seante didn't approve of this investigation. That's not to mention how upset the Council would be at him for not telling them about this before.
But he just... doesn't trust them anymore. He didn't want to tell them, only for them to tell him that they want him to leave the matter alone or put someone else on the case.
There's no hiding places in here except...
There's a semi-circular shaped console in the center of the room. He could duck behind it on the far side but wouldn't hide him for long. But he has to do something fast. The Force presence is almost right outside the door now.
Anakin circles around the table, crouching out of sight, but he watches the device he installed, waiting for it to finally flash green indicating that it's finished.
The door snaps open first, a Kaminoan entering. He practically holds his breath, heart hammering as the Kaminoan scans over the controls. He has to get the device out now or they're going to see it.
Hopefully he's not being too hasty but he doesn't think he should wait anymore. Catching the device with the Force, he yanks it out, dropping it to the floor and scooting it between the Kaminoans legs before they can turn around. He yanks it over the edge of the console, letting it land lightly in his hand as the person scans the room.
But he still needs to get out of the room and that's going to be difficult. The way they're looking over the computers makes him think they must have come because they were notified of someone breaking into their system from here.
But they'll never know if he can get out in time. There's a pile of datapads on a table opposite the door.
Which... is perfect.
He yanks one with the Force right to the edge and it teeters off, crashing to the floor with a loud clang. The Kaminoan spins around, striding quickly to the device.
Now.
Anakin springs to his feet, soundlessly sprinting out of the room. The door snapping closed behind him makes him wince and he's quick to dart away from the doorway, out of sight so no one can spot him out here.
They'll never know who was there but they're definitely going to know someone was. Well... it could have gone worse. Hopefully this little excursion is going to do some good.
**w**
He can't get away from Kamino fast enough after that. It feels like there's eyes on him constantly but that might be his nerves talking. But he doesn't think he's imagining the... look he gets from one of the top personnel though none of them say anything to him. Maybe they're wondering but they don't have proof. He was careful to avoid all security cameras. He's still on edge, though.
All of those concerns slip to the back of his mind when he starts going through the files. There arecountless detailed medical records about the clones that aren't important but he finally manages to track down a file about the chips – his chest feels tight with dread as he opens it.
Everything about their purpose and programming is detailed here.
It explains the exact way the chip connects to the brain to influence their emotions, thus forcing them to comply with whatever order they're given.
It looks like they're activated by specific words.
Each of the sixty-six orders listed has a specific purpose, but he scrolls to the one on the bottom of the list.
Order 66.
An order to kill all Jedi, any Jedi on sight.
He feels numb suddenly.
Fives was right.
He was right.
This is what made Tup do what he did. This is why Tiplar died, for no reason.
Why do they have this kind of function? Why? And why are the Kmainoas lying about it? They were obviously trying to cover it up. If they had a good reason to install these chips, they could have admitted something must have gone wrong instead of denying it entirely. They're hiding something. Nothing else could explain it. But why?
Why would Sifo-Dyas have told them to have an order like this implanted in the clones' brains? Why would he have wanted them chipped at all? None of the orders seem to have anything to do with making the clones more obedient like the Kaminoans claimed.
None of the remaining files are enlightening about that part.
But this – this is something he needs to get to Salvo and then to the Senate. They have to get to the bottom of it.
**w**
Anakin goes to see Salvo in person as soon as he's back from Kamino. "Fives was right," he explains in a rush as he pushes the datapad over to him to show him the orders, "Tup's chip activating must have been what made him kill the Jedi. But I don't understand why the Kaminoans would do this."
To be fair, in a circumstance like Krell he can understand the reason for ordering clones to kill Jedi but why do they need a mind-control chip for that? If there was another Jedi like Krell who was committing treason, they wouldn't need that for the clones to take action against them.
"There's more to this than we realize yet," Salvo replies, "I imagine the clone's creation is a classified matter but what can you tell me about it?"
"From what I know, Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, a former Council member, created the clones without permission from the Council or the Senate. I don't know what his reasons were," Anakin replies. All he does know is that he knows what to think of him less and less with everything he's hearing about the clones' creation.
How could a Jedi have ordered an army of slaves? How?
"What happened to this Sifo-Dyas?" Salvo inquires.
"He was killed on a mission and the Jedi were never able to find his body. That's all I know."
"Is there a way to find the details of this last mission?"
Anakin hesitates. "Only Council members would be able to access those files."
"This gives us two leads," the investigator muses, "The Chancellor at the time of his death would be Valorum. He would know if there was truly no Senate knowledge of the clone's creation or if they did it in secret. And the Council should know more about Sifo-Dyas."
"If I take this to the Council, I will have to explain to them what we've been... doing." He's still almost scared to do that. They probably won't be happy that he didn't tell them about this from the start. But he doesn't trust them anymore. Not when all he can remember constantly is –
"Reached a decision, we have, though not in total agreement, are we."
Ahsoka is gone because of them.
They've never been overly concerned about the clones' fates but this is a potential risk to the Jedi too, so maybe... he can hope.
"I can talk to them," Anakin concedes despite his reluctance.
"I'll speak to them myself if necessary. But first, I'll go to Valorum," Salvo decides.
**w**
Anakin can't begin to suppress how uncomfortable he feels explaining the entire investigation to the Council. The way they all stare at him from all directions always manages to make him feel like he's done something unimaginable wrong and criminal somehow. It always manages to make him feel small and insignificant.
He can feel Obi-Wan's eyes on him but he, at least, doesn't comment on how he should have already mentioned it. He hasn't talked to Obi-Wan much since Ahsoka left. He knows it's not his fault – the Council wasn't in total agreement and Obi-Wan already told him that he voted against her being thrown out, but it felt like Anakin was trying to defend her completely alone. Obi-Wan and Plo didn't even help with that. It's not fair to be bitter about it but he's bitter about everything right now.
"Spoken to us about this sooner, you should have," Yoda murmurs, expression particularly grave, "Look into it more, we must."
He's never seen the Council this somber before, actually.
"These... orders are concerning," Obi-Wan muses. "They caused the death of a Jedi already. We have to ensure this doesn't happen again."
"I can't believe would have wanted these kinds of orders placed in the clones," Plo comments.
Why has no one mentioned why he would want mind-control chips in the clones at all, regardless of what's on the orders?
The hints of a plot against the Jedi are very concerning, though, so he can't blame them for being totally taken up with that.
"Detective Royak Salvo is requesting to know what happened with Master Sifo-Dyas when he died," Anakin adds.
The Council sends for Jocasta Nu to give them the details about this immediately. They are taking this seriously right now and he's grateful for that.
"Our records definitively state that he died on Felucia. In the fifth quarter, a small skirmish broke out between the native Felucians. Master Sifo-Dyas was assigned to negotiate peace talks between the tribes. The negotiation failed and Sifo-Dyas was killed," Jocasta tells them.
"What became of his body?" Obi-Wan inquires.
"I am afraid I cannot answer that," Jocasta replies, "Any further information on this incident has been sealed."
"On whose authority?" Windu demands.
"By office of the Supreme Chancellor."
"To Felucia, Skywalker and Kenobi will go. A trail long cold it is, yet still lay hidden there a clue might be," Yoda decides, "Question all who were present the day of Sifo-Dyas's death, you must."
"And what of the sealed file?" Obi-Wan inquires.
"Speak with the Chancellor personally, I will, to see what part in this the politics of the Senate have played."
He can only hope that trying to track down what happened to Sifo-Dyas will give them some clue as to either his intentions or if someone else was involved in the clone's creation as well. Jedi die sometimes on missions. There's nothing unusual about that but he can't help thinking that the timing feels too convenient. Maybe it's also the Force that's whispering in warning to him. Something about his death right then is significant and they need to find out what.
**w**
They go straight to Felucia after that – to discover that Sifo-Dyas was in fact there but there was another Jedi with him. The primitive dialect the people are using make it impossible to tell if they're refusing to identify the Jedi or if they don't know who it was in the first place.
Yoda tried talking to Palpatine while they were gone, and evidently the conversation didn't go anywhere.
"As much success with the Chancellor as usual, I am afraid," Yoda tells them, when Obi-Wan asks about the status.
It's a reminder of the constant tension there is between the Chancellor and the Council lately. He doesn't understand it.
Fives' words about Palpatine flicker through his mind again and he tries to shove them aside. It feels traitorous to the Republic and as a personal friendship to even be thinking about it.
He opts for calling Salvo for an update, who has in fact already spoken with Valorum.
"Valorum confirms that he knew nothing of the creation of the clones and he doesn't believe anyone in the Senate could have been involved unless they did it entirely of their own," Salvo says.
So Anakin expected.
"What about Master Sifo-Dyas? Did he know anything about him?"
"Sifo-Dyas was sent on a confidential mission by the Chancellor to deal with Pyke syndicates. They were selling an especially dangerous type of spice below the surface of Coruscant and it was about to explode into a crime war. Sifo-Dyas was sent to Oba Diah to negotiate with the Pykes, only to be called away to Felucia before the negotiations were finished," he reports.
"What was the identity of the other Jedi with him?" Anakin objects, frowning. "The Felucian natives say he wasn't alone."
"There was no other Jedi," the investigator replies, "He said the only one sent with him was an aid of the Chancellor who was also lost on Felucia."
That's weird.
Whoever went with Sifo-Dyas, it's like they both wanted it to be a secret.
"Perhaps this other Jedi was the one involved in these chips," Salvo says, consideringly, "At any rate, he obviously worked closely with Sifo-Dyas. We must find out who he was." Anakin can sense his flux of emotion. He's obviously suspicious about something though he's not saying anything yet.
"I'm heading to Oba Diah now. Their leader should know something." Maybe even the identity of this other Jedi, if they're still living.
But he can't say why he has the sinking feeling that this 'tother Jedi' may not have been one at all. It may have been someone with completely different intentions than Sifo-Dyas.
**w**
As it turns out, the Pykes do know more about this than even Anakin expected.
The Pykes were the ones who killed Sifo-Dyas, under a contract by a man named Tyranus who apparently was also involved in the cloning project, according to Jango Fett.
They're trying to talk to the Chancellor's aid, who the Pykes have imprisoned, when Anakin suddenly senses the Dark Side. It sends a shiver down his spine, one that's at least partly physical. It always feels cold when –
He knows that Force presence far too well.
Fear builds in his chest instinctively, along with a rush of familiar anger. The door snaps open, Dooku standing in the doorway. He snaps the Chancellor's aid's neck with the Force before either Anakin or Obi-Wan can react.
Why is Dooku here?
How did he even know to come?
He wouldn't be here at all, killing the Chancellor's aid unless he was trying to hide something. The Separatists were trying to cover up what happened to Tup, too.
A sudden chilling fear snakes deep inside Anakin, a million questions flitting through his mind. He knows what all that could mean, even if he doesn't want to think about it or begin to imagine how the Sith could have been so prepared for all this.
Not that he has time to think about it right now as he and Obi-Wan throw themselves into the fight with Dooku.
The duel is fast and furious, traveling from the cell area to outside the complex entirely.
The doors into the building behind them open suddenly, a group of Pykes striding out with blasters raised.
"You have no business left with the Pykes, Tyranus," the leader snaps.
Obi-Wan jerks, eyes widening with shock. "Tyranus? You are the man called Tyranus?"
The one who contacted Jango Fett for the cloning.
Dooku was involved in this? He was the other "Jedi" with Sifo-Dyas, wasn't he?
"I told you everything you needed to know on Geonosis all those years ago, Kenobi," Dooku throws back, much too smugly as he brandishes his lightsaber, "You should have joined me."
Wait.
He told Obi-Wan what, exactly?
"Sifo-Dyas understood. He saw the future. That is why he helped me," Dooku adds.
"You lie," Obi-Wan snaps back.
Does he?
Anakin doesn't see any reason to think it's a lie. Though he is more inclined to think Dooku tricked Sifo-Dyas into it, but they don't know that. Dooku is the one who created the clones. He made them to force the galaxy into a war, to give the Republic a way to fight back. Why? Unless he wanted there to be a war. It doesn't make sense, but it certainly proves that whatever reasons he had for forming the Separatists weren't remotely legitimate like he claimed. And really, he's a Sith. He could have any intentions for any of the things he's done.
The Pykes attack Dooku then and he cuts his way through half of them before taking off again, jumping right over the edge of a railing, falling from sight.
Anakin sprints to the edge, looking over it right as a ship flies into view. The engine blast is strong enough to force him to shield his face as it blasts off. No, they can't let him get away. Anakin exchanges a wordless glance with Obi-Wan, enough to communicate everything they need to.
Anakin Force-leaps off the platform and Obi-Wan throws him the rest of the way with the Force. He lands unsteadily on top of the ship, charging Dooku. They only trade a few blades before the Count flips away from him though, slashing deeply into the engine of the ship. It's starting to catch fire, crashing for the ground below and he jumps off onto another smaller ship, taking off before Anakin can pursue.
He's a little too busy hanging off the side of the crashing ship and trying to get clear of the debris to try going in pursuit. He tries to jump free but the debris is falling everywhere. Throwing up a Force shield keeps most of it clear as he hits the ground, but a huge piece of metal crashes right onto his left arm.
Sharp pain explodes through it instantly as he shoves the metal off it. But it's hurting and burning and the pain is sharp enough that he thinks he must've broken it or – or something. Anakin breaths in sharply past the pain, forcing himself back up. He can fight just fine with his right arm except Dooku is already escaping on his ship and it's too far away to jump to it.
He hasn't managed to navigate his way back to the platform above when Obi-Wan scrambles to his side with a frown.
"It's not bad," Anakin promises, lightly touching his rapidly swelling arm. It's severe but not even near as bad as when Dooku cut off his other arm so there's nothing to even speak of there.
He's too worried about what just happened to concern himself with pain this trivial.
"Not too bad even though your arm is broken?" Obi-Wan asks dubiously.
"That is one of the most minor injuries I have ever gotten."
"That's what concerns me."
Anakin huffs out a laugh. "Well, I think we have far more pressing matters to worry about right now. What did Dooku mean about what he told you on Geonosis?"
Obi-Wan's grumpiness quickly fades to seriousness. "The Council didn't want word of this getting out, but he told me there was a Sith controlling the Senate."
...What?
Anakin never heard a word about that.
He'd brush it off as the Sith trying to confuse them too but –
"The Chancellor told me! He's on in it. I don't know what to extent, but I know he orchestrated much of this. He told me."
"I had to stop him! He was behind all of this, behind Tup's death, created all of us to kill the Jedi."
Salvo had agreed with Fives, implying he had some reason to suspect Palpatine.
No, no.
This can't be happening. It's not possible. Palpatine would never do that.
"A Sith controlling the Senate."
Controlling the Senate can really only mean one thing. But that's not possible. Is it?
But Fives... Fives is Anakin's best friend and he's not lying even if he misinterpreted what happened. Or is it that Anakin wants to believe that he misinterpreted something? But Palpatine's always been his friend and he doesn't understand how everything he thought they had could be a lie.
Maybe – he has to talk to Salvo. If there really is any real evidence about anything, he must've uncovered something.
All he can do is desperately hope that he hasn't.
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