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Level 13/13, Coruscant
Sometime in the month following the trial of Ahsoka Tano
Running. Pursued. The garish lights of Coruscant nights dizzying and confusing. A looming shadow exuding dread and fear. Evil. Suffocating Evil.
Why? Why is this happening? Ahsoka thought it was over. She had been proven innocent. Betrayed by someone she called friend.
Barriss
The images shift and Ahsoka is running down the corridors of a frigate pursued by her men. Not their fault. They are being controlled.
Cornered. She turns to face the infected troopers of Tango Company. Hideous parasites writhe from their open mouths. When she looks at her men, she is struck by the realization there are far more of them than there should be. Several other companies are there as well – all of them infected by the brain worms.
As she stands watching the parasites retreat into their hosts mouth only to reemerge from the skull base of every trooper. They burst forth as well from the troopers’ wrists. The worms begin to grow – lengthening into the shadows behind the men until their ends disappear. That's when a Ahsoka realizes they are no longer Geonosian parasites. In place of the worms are thick, blood-soaked strings. The cords jerk and pull at her men, directing them like lifeless puppets. As one the men pull their blasters, point them at Ahsoka, and fire.
Ahsoka throws up her hands in a desperate attempt to protect herself. She feels more than hears the heartrending cry that rips from her throat. Feels, as well, the immense power of the Force flow through her – out of her. Power directed at her men.
NO! No no no no! The young togruta is horrified by the scene before her. The clones – her men – her friends – have been utterly decimated. The passage has been transformed into a sickening scene of gore and death. The bulkheads of the frigate drip with it.
No. Not a frigate. A Venator.
She stares at her hands. Orange skin is drenched in crimson – the blood of her men. She did this. Afraid for her life, she has murdered them. Horror and guilt weigh on her heart – made heavier by the knowledge they were innocent. Her men had been used as tools by some unseen hand.
Ahsoka rushes forward desperate to find someone – anyone – still alive. As she steps toward the stricken men, the durasteel beneath her feet crumbles. She falls with a silent shriek clawing its way out of her throat. When Ahsoka lands, she finds herself in neither frigate nor Venator.
The togruta is in a dark warehouse. A sense of being hunted overwhelms her once more. Her mind is clouded but she has a desperate need to find someone who will listen to her. Someone who will listen and believe.
It’s important they believe! Why can't they see the truth?
Pressure builds in her skull. She lifts her hands to the sides of her pounding head and sees her arms are clad in plastoid armor – clone armor.
This isn’t me! This isn’t my story!
Then whose is it?
She shifts perspective. Ahsoka can see the clone. He is clearly in distress and holds his shaven head in his hands. The man wears unmarked armor but sports a surprisingly familiar goatee. He lowers his hand and Ahsoka’s suspicions are confirmed when she sees the number tattooed on the side of his face. It’s Fives!
Ahsoka tries to reach for him but an invisible force holds her back. She calls out, but he can’t hear her.
Others arrive in the warehouse. They call out to Fives and he calls back. Ahsoka sees the approach of a familiar blue glow – her master's lightsaber. Anakin and Rex are here!
Ahsoka tries to make out what everyone is saying, but all sound is muffled – like her montrals are wrapped in several layers of thick fabric.
Anakin deactivates his lightsaber and Rex sets his blasters down on a crate. The pair make their way toward Fives and the unseen Ahsoka.
Fives taps a command into a panel on the wall. It activates a ray shield – trapping Rex and Anakin inside! Fives steps out of hiding to speak with them. He is becoming more desperate and agitated by the moment. Ahsoka still can’t make out what they say. She looks into the faces of Anakin and Rex. Her former master is growing increasingly frustrated and annoyed at being trapped and unable to act. He just wants this over with.
Rex wants this to end soon, as well, but Ahsoka can see his deep concern for his brother. He just wants to help him. Rex sees how scared and hurt his vod’ika is and it pains him. The togruta runs back to the panel Fives used to activate the shield in a vain hope she can turn it off for her friends. No good. Try as she might, she cannot effect any change on her surroundings.
It is agony to watch her friends in such distress and not be able to do anything about it.
As she walks back to them. She is surrounded by members of the Coruscant Guard. Fox in the lead, they raise their blasters and surge toward Fives.
It all happens so fast. Fives panics and grabs one of Rex’ surrendered weapons. Shouting. A Shot.
Fives with a hole burned through his chest.
Ahsoka falls to her knees, with a heartrending cry that no one hears.
Finally, someone takes out the ray shield and Rex hurries to his brother’s side. Ahsoka crawls over to join them – an invisible companion. The devastated look on Rex’ face breaks her heart into a million pieces. She watches, helpless, as Rex holds his dying brother in is arms.
The vision fades . . .
Once the fever has broken and Ahsoka wakes, she discovers she has been fighting the Shilian flu for three days. The fever dreams are all a muddled blur. She can’t remember details – just vague impressions of horror and grief. She is haunted by a lingering sense of dread and a deep pain in her heart that she can’t seem to escape.
But they were just nightmares. None of it was real – right?