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Chapter Text

Luke’s brilliantly blue eyes faded from his vision and along with it the aches of a broken and tormented body. Somewhere in the back of Anakin’s mind long forgotten emotions surged and rushed up against his minds’ heart. There were many feelings and they mixed and churned in the sea of his mind but do not breach through. Even if they did Anakin would not know, the world blanked out before him.

~*~

When he next gained an awareness of himself it seemed it was ages later. The world was still a white space of emptiness and the only thing Anakin knew was a ringing in his ears, it buzzed and resonated throughout his whole head such that nothing else could be heard, not even his own thoughts. The white before his eyes swam and colors burst into the scene, blurred and indistinct, spinning in a dizzy kaleidoscope. What is this? Anakin squeezed his eyes shut against the whirling colors and felt a wave of nausea swell up behind his throat. He tamped it down and forced himself to breath. Breath? Somehow he was able to breath without the grisly mechanical accompaniment of his ventilator.

Anakin snapped open his eyes. The world was clearer now, and he found that he was lying, inexplicably, on muddy ground as sounds of explosions and blaster bolts broke through the incessant ringing in his hears. White armor clad clone troopers thudded through the slosh as they rushed past him and splattered  water onto a visor before his eyes. Helmet… his mind helpfully supplied and Anakin wondered briefly why he could only think in single words as another explosion sent a rain of dirt, mud and vegetation pulp to rain down on him. A scroll of text started to crawl up to one side of his visor listing out what seemed to be reading of sensors and reports but Anakin could make no sense of it. A pair of numbers [6-25] winked in the peripheral of his vision and became [5-25]. What’s going on? However before he could chase that thought further a comm cracked to life in his ears.

“Cody! Get up!”

Anakin froze. That voice, even if it had been heavily modulated by the comm built into this helmet, rushed and urgent as it was now, even if he hadn’t heard it in years, he still recognized it. His heart shrunk in on itself for a moment then thudded in his chest and it had nothing to do with the bombs that seemed to be raining down on the very ground on which he was lying. Before this frozen mind could utter the name his heart already knew Obi-wan Kenobi’s concerned face dropped into view.

“Cody are you able to get up?” Obi-wan’s cultured voice cracked through the comms again.

Anakin peered through the visor at the Jedi. His face was pale and still smooth, not weathered and tanned by the harsh sand and suns of Tatooie. His beard and hair was full, and auburn in a way that somehow managed to not clash horribly with the white armor and cream tabards he wore. His eyes not haunted by atrocities that had yet to come.

Obi-wan was not looking at him at him anymore, the Jedi scanned the clone commander lying prostrate in the mud before him. “Looks like you can’t. A cut on your left leg, but no other significant injuries, you must have knocked your head from the fall…” the Jedi pronounced after a moment and added “Let’s get you out of here.” Since when did I have leg…?

Before Anakin could come up with anything to say Obi-wan leaned over and hefted him onto his shoulders with a grunt and started sprinting towards a Phantom-class reconnaissance starship that was hovering some 20 meters away from them. Anakin’s vision swam again and would have thrown up in his helmet had a sudden pain in his left leg not seared through the nausea.

“E chu ta!” the expletive was out of his mouth before he even knew it.

“Yes, you’re welcome Cody.” Came Obi-wan incongruous answer with a hint of a sigh. The Jedi sounded far too relaxed while sprinting across what was essentially marshland with a clone decked in full armor slung across his shoulders in the midst of a rain of explosions.

I’m not Cody you old fool! He wanted to shout, but the pain in his leg pulsed in time to Obi-wan’s steps and Anakin groaned, it was highly uncomfortable but it helped to clear his head. The incessant ringing had died down to a manageable buzz and more sounds started to filter through. He realized that there seemed to be some kind of conversation going on in the background of his comms, it was soft and he had missed it earlier. The voices went quiet for a moment and all he heard was harsh panting.

“Incoming!” Obi-wan’s voice cut through the comms again, louder and clearer than the others, before he felt the Jedi carrying him stop and throw himself along with Anakin to the ground near a much charred tree stump. Something dark screamed as it flew low and fast over their heads headed to the reconnaissance ship hovering barely 10 meters away from them now. It exploded on impact throwing more dirt and mud over them. The reconnaissance ship's shields shimmered and someone gave a surprised shout in the comms background chatter.

Mortar… [3-25]

Then they were up and running again, Anakin’s head bouncing over Obi-wan’s shoulder. A clone trooper was ahead of them running just as quickly.

“Shield down in 3, 2, 1… NOW!” an unfamiliar voice cut across the comms. The ship's shield winked out just as the clone trooper ahead of them reach it and he scrambled onto the extended gangplank. Obi-wan arrived a breath later and with a force assisted jump, leapt nimbly onto the ship. He dropped Anakin onto the floor somewhat roughly before reaching over the edge of the gangplank again, snagging hold the hand of another clone trooper who had apparently being running behind them. The ship pull up off the ground as Obi-wan swung the last of his troops into the hanger. The ship’s shield shimmered back into place and the gangplank sealed its' airlocks blocking out the thundering of mortars.

Anakin panted on the ship’s floor as it rumbled and ascended rapidly through the planet’s atmosphere, his thoughts in a jumble. He hadn’t really contemplated much on death before. Why would he? He was young and powerful and then he had been too full of hate and anger to think about anything else. Was this the afterlife? It seemed some what random.

“Commander Toby” he heard Obi-wan say somewhere above his head this time and not through the comms unit in his helmet.

“Yes General?”

“We’re clear, bring in the gun ships.”

“Yes Sir!”

Obi-wan clipped off his communicator and surveyed the rag tag bunch of clone troopers sprawled on the floor of the ship’s hangar. “Captain Rody?”

“Sir” a clone trooper that had been slouching on the wall scrambled up and gave a salute.

“Get everyone comfortable and strapped in, it won’t be long before we dock with the Endeavor”

“Yes Sir!” he gave another salute and began marshaling the clones. Two other clones came over to Anakin and helped him up, propping him up between them.

“And Cody…” Anakin looked up, Obi-wan was talking to him, “make sure you get your head checked out before reporting back to duty.” With that the Jedi turned and swept out of the hanger.

Chapter Text

Once Obi-wan had left, the clone troopers moved further into the ship where the group dropped into two rows of hard back seats facing each other and began strapping themselves in. Anakin allowed the two clones to help him hobble over to an empty seat. He had too many questions and no time to think.

“Disengaging battle sequence.” a digitally emulated voice sounded in his helmet and the texts that had been crawling up his visor disappeared. Around him the other clones un-clipped their helmets and tore it off their head with equal sighs of relief. 26 identical faces started chatting amongst themselves and a few even looked over to him and stuck up a thumb, “Good job commander!” Anakin waved back halfheartedly not looking up. He had been around clones for a long time but it still unnerved him seeing so many sentient beings stamped out like droids. It wasn’t right, but it was out of his control, so he had in his last life ordered that the clone troopers were never to remove their helmets.

“You alright commander?” Rody was standing before him, helmet off as well. Anakin open and closed his mouth a few times before finding his voice again.

“All good Captain.” It didn’t sound anything like the deep rumbling timbre of his old voice, nor was it punctuated by hollow reverberations of his breath in the ventilator. It sounded like the other clones.

Rody knelt and made a quick inspection of Anakin’s leg. “Piece of shrapnel, it’s not too deep and the bleeding’s stopped already. Just leave it alone until we get back to the Endeavor.” Anakin nodded in understanding, he had no intention of touching it without a good shot of local anesthetics.

Rody stood up back and said “I’m sorry about your squad Commander, they were a good bunch.” He gave Anakin another quick check over and darted back to his own seat.

Anakin leaned back in his seat and ignored the chatter around him. It was the first time he had any time to stop and think since waking up in this afterlife, if it can be called that, since he felt very much alive. He had limbs and didn’t need to suffer inside a hermetically sealed life support suit. His hand automatically reached up round the back of his helmet and depressed the release locks as if he’s done it hundreds of times. In the dark reflection of the visor Jango Fett stared back at him. Anakin blinked and swallowed, Jango Fett did the same. A shallow cut down the outside of his left eye smarted in pain. He really was Cody.

Anakin distinctly remembered dying and giving up on clinging to life as he had done so tenaciously for so many years. He found that once his anger and hate dissolved in the light of Luke’s love he had nothing left except a deep gouging sense of guilt. He didn’t begrudge death, it was his ultimate punishment, but he did regret that he could not help his children more, that they’d have to forge their own path in a galaxy that he had helped to ruin, that he could not do more to right the wrongs he did. Was this the Force’s way of allowing him to do so?

Closing his eyes Anakin reached out to the Force, tell me what you want of me? Nothing happened, his mind rang hollow.

Anakin bolted upright and stared at the muddy gloves over his hands. No!

He was Force blind.

Why wouldn't he be? He was in the body of clone kriffing commander Cody who had zilch midiclorians. Anakin fought the rising panic in his heart, he had never been without the Force. It was the equivalent of being disabled, losing one of your senses. Anakin stared at the floor, he could hear the clones chatting around him but the distinct nudge in the Force which indicated the presence of another life form eluded him. This was what had been wrong since he woke up again. He hadn’t felt Obi-wan, he did not sense the incoming mortars, hadn't noticed a clone running behind them… 

The starship rumbled again as its reverse thrusters came on and everyone in the hanger lurched to the side. Anakin tore his eyes from the floor and realized his was breathing in shorts panicked breaths. They were docking and there was no more time to think.

Anakin followed the rest of the clones as they marched in two columns down into the Endeavor’s cavernous hangar, suddenly glad he didn’t have to do more for the time being. He remembered the Endeavor, it was one of the largest command battle ships in the grand army of the Republic and Obi-wan had been her captain. As Obi-wan default partner he'd spent a considerable amount of time here, but that was years ago and he's been forcing himself to forget such things for most of that time.

Anakin discreetly looked around as he hobbled along with the clones to the med bay, the command ship was mostly as he had remembered, orderly, busy and... comforting. During the war, when you returned to the Endeavor you know you’ve made it through another battle, another day, you were safe and you could rest.

The med bay stay was short and perfunctory. The medical droids did their tasks without attempting to strike up conversations for which Anakin was eternally grateful. The droid pronounced that his leg would heal in 5 standard hours after the application of bacta and the cut near his left eye did not result in a concussion. In the communal refreshers later on Anakin steadfastly avoided looking at the mirrors and got out as soon as he was able and was issued a new set of armor. When he checked the wrist monitor in his new armor Anakin saw that he had a summons from the General.

There was no other General on this ship.

~*~

The turbo lifts door slid shut without a sound and shot up towards the ship’s bridge level. His heart had inevitably shrunk in on itself again when he read that message, while standing in the middle of a busy corridor. Anakin lean back against the walls relieved at finally getting a moment of isolation. What was Obi-wan to him? It used to be so easy to answer – the target of all of his anger and hate, source of all lies and betrayals, and then it had all been de-bunked just like that. It was too complicated to sort out in the turbo lift Anakin decided and the best thing to do for now was to just be ‘Cody’. There’ll be time for this, be patient. He could have laughed at himself for that last thought.  

The lift ride was short and Anakin stepped out with an impassive face too busy trying to remember what ‘Cody’ had been like. The two clones standing guard outside the bridge waved him into the room.

The Endeavors bridge was large half oval shaped room several levels high. The front was all transparisteel windows that sloped to the roof with a row of large display screens ringing the top. Anakin could see the planet he’d just evacuated from hanging the darkness of the galaxy from it. The gun ships were returning it seems, their mission already complete. Three decks of controller stations were laid out just inside with Obi-wan’s command station on a fourth level above. He remembered Obi-wan had hated the way the bridge was set out in these ships because he wasn’t near anyone he needed to talk to. Anakin trudged up the stairs leading to the command seat, yeah he hated this setup as well.

Toby was standing at attention beside the Jedi who was contemplating a large holographic map display. Anakin remembered at the last minute to salute like the way he’d seen Rody.

“How’s the head Cody.” Obi-wan asked without preamble pinning Anakin in place with his blue-green eyes through the holo map.

“No issues Sir… Boss.” Anakin cursed inwardly, he just remembered that Cody had always called the Jedi ‘Boss’ unlike the other clones. Perhaps it had something to do with him being the General’s adjunct when he wasn’t out commanding his own squad.

Obi-wan cocked an eyebrow and Anakin felt his teeth grit. That expression always managed to make him feel as if he was 3 and had just done something wrong. When Anakin had tried that expression both of his eyebrows rose and Ahsoka had dissolved in a peal of laughter. Anakin clamped down on that thought, it was another can of worms he didn’t need now.

“I will be fully healed in 5 standard hours.” He dutifully repeated what the med droid told him earlier.

Obi-wan gave a small nod of acknowledgement and said “The intelligence your squad gathered were most excellent and timely. We have now completed all mission objectives on Terion.” Obi-wan had a small smile on his face and Anakin shuffled where he stood. He leg was itchy and he had no idea of anything that Obi-wan just said except for a vague memory of the name Terion, he settled for a quick nod of his own.

Obi-wan then continued in a tighter tone, “I’ve ordered a recovery mission once the ground troops are done. We’ll recover what we can of your squad and new members will be assigned.” Anakin nodded automatically, looks like Cody’s squad was mostly annihilated in the intelligence gathering mission. Obi-wan gave a sigh as well, as if glad that that part of the conversation was over.

Obi-wan glanced at Toby and the clone stepped up next to Cody and stood at attention, Anakin quickly followed suit. “I know that Terion was meant to be our last mission before scheduled off time however the Senator Command council as issued an emergency request that should be en-route to our return to Coruscant.” Next to him Toby nodded at Obi-wan’s words.

“We’re to intercept a shipment of supplies bound for the Canonouse system. We’ll be moving out at 0200 in order to reach the capture point at 0500. Have the commanders of squad 10 to 15 report to the bridge at 0300 for briefing.”

“Yes Sir!” they chorused and Toby gave a textbook grade salute while Anakin hoped Obi-wan didn’t see through his own sloppy rendition.

“Toby you have the bridge for the next few hours, Cody you’re dismissed until 0600.”

~*~

Obi-wan had left the bridge before Anakin after giving his orders looking distracted and tiered, but Anakin was just glad he didn't notice anything amiss with 'Cody'. Anakin glanced at the chrono display in this wrist monitor, 2356, he had 6 standard hours free. The body in which he currently inhabited, he can feel, was nearing its limits, it needed food and rest and Anakin needed to time think about things. He punched the floor for the refectory in the turbo lift and stepped out without thinking when it re-opened shortly. His booted feet made a distinct clanking sound when he strode quickly through the corridors, heading in what he hoped was the right direction. When the smell of bacta hit him Anakin frowned, he was on the wrong floor, it wasn’t the refectory, it was healer’s floor for the non-clones. Anakin turned back for the turbo lifts but a soft voice stopped him.

“How is he healer Branos?” it was Obi-wan’s voice. Anakin looked through the transparisteel window of one of the wards further up the corridor. Obi-wan in his usual Jedi robes was conversing with a Mom Calamarian healer next to a healer’s cot.

“No to worry General, General Skywalker is just sleeping off the anesthetics. We’ve patched up almost everything during surgery and the bacta tank has taken care of most of the worst injuries. I suppose he’ll be a bit disoriented still when he wakes though but nothing serious.”

Anakin glanced at the cot and felt his mouth gap. Anakin Skywalker was resting peacefully there hooked up to a status monitor.

Chapter Text

Well of course there would be an ‘Anakin Skywalker’, Anakin thought to himself, he’d come back as ‘Cody’ didn’t he. He was about to go when Obi-wan, who must have sensed him, turned and caught him looking in. Kriff! The Jedi indicated that he could go in, Anakin couldn’t find an excuse not to so had to shuffled to the wards door way with his heart attempting to jump out of his chest. This really was not the right time. The Mom Calamari healer came out and walked past him as if he was air.

Obi-wan was still standing next to the cot but his eyes were closed and had a hand hovering over Skywalker’s forehead. Anakin walked up to the foot of the cot watching the Jedi, his thoughts churned, there were so many questions he wanted to ask but no way to being.

“Thank you for helping him out of there in time.” Obi-wan murmured without opening his eyes.

It was frustrating, Anakin decided, to not remember what had happened on Terion. As the Clone wars waged on and days blurred into months, months into years, individual missions started blurring into each other as well. He needed to change the subject. “Will General Skywalker be okay boss?”

“He will be.”   

They lapsed into silence again as Obi-wan continued his ministrations and Anakin resumed watching. When he had been a child, and still Obi-wan’s Padawan, the Jedi master had often kept him company whenever he needed to stay overnight at the Temple healing ward. He’d bring datapads of dossiers to read, work on mission reports or grumble over atrocious compositions he received from his students whenever he taught classes. Anakin would giggle and tell his master to fail them all. Sometimes if Anakin had a bad injury that flared up at night Obi-wan would place a hand over it and channel the Living Force into the wound to promote healing.

“You’re Force healing him.” Anakin blurted and felt like biting his tongue. The memory came sudden and unbidden, welling up from places he thought long gone. The Dark side of the Force never healed anything.

“A little, I’m not very good at it and the healers did an admirable job already.” Obi-wan answered, “But a bit of help with the bruising on his brain should reduce disorientation, and his bad mood.” Obi-wan chuckled at his own joke.

Both Anakin and Obi-wan were more in tuned to the Unifying Force, so healing as such was taxing on them. Anakin had been rubbish at it and could barely knock himself into a healing trance despite his considerable Force abilities. Obi-wan was better because he had more patience and a dogged determination to learn it right. Anakin had asked him once why he bothered and the Jedi had gone quiet for a moment, eyes drifting, before answering that it was useful skill to have. It was true and Obi-wan had healed many of Anakin injuries over the years especially when they were out in the field.

Anakin’s thoughts drifted back to the present, the Jedi standing next to the med cot looked dead on his feet. Something in his head started screaming.

“Why are you doing this?” he said with a barely suppressed hiss.  

Obi-wan open his eyes and looked back at his commander with an indeterminable expression. Anakin felt dread spread over his chest even though his unexpected anger did not abate. Force did I blow my cover already?

“Cody, Anakin is my friend and this is something I gladly do for him, as he would I.” Anakin gave an involuntary flinch. “While the Jedi are not family by blood the bonds we share with our own are just as strong. You need only think of the ties you have with your fellow troopers to understand.” Obi-wan’s voice soft but they cut like a whiplash across Anakin’s mind, shattering things he didn’t know he had. Where had his previous anger gone?

“Sorry boss… I meant…”

Obi-wan sighed and cut the clone commanders stuttering, “I know commander. We’re all tiered. Best get some rest before we rendezvous with Separatist transports tomorrow.” Obi-wan gave Skywalker a look, “Lest we let this reckless man here get all the glory.”

Anakin followed Obi-wan out of the med ward, wondering if the Jedi had just praised or insulted him. They descended further on the turbo lift and Obi-wan left at floor dedicated to officer accommodation units.

~*~

Anakin eventually made it to the refectory where he grabbed a handful of ration bars and quickly retreated back to the turbo lift where it took him further into the bowls of the Endeavor. The clone’s accommodation units were located on 5 separate levels just above the cargo holds which were on the lowest levels.

It took Anakin a couple of tries to find the right floor for Cody’s unit as he wasn’t able to find anything against ‘Cody’ and belated realized he should check for CC-2224 instead. Anakin had never been to the clone accommodation floors before so when he finally faced the 2 X 1 X 1 meter capsule unit, he wondered if the Endeavor’s onboard compu system had been mistaken. If it wasn’t for his neighbor, CX-3493, who had slid into the capsule below his and bade him good night, Anakin would have really gone mad.

The capsule Anakin decided after he had settled in wasn’t all that bad. The floor was made of soft rollers that served as bedding and allowed one to slide in. A small view screen was embedded into the roof and the whole thing was sound proof.

Anakin munched on a ration bar as his mind wondered over the curious case of his own situation. The question of “Why Cody?” was first and foremost in his mind. The clone had no special abilities nor was it in any particularly useful position and it was supremely inconvenient that he was Force blind. Anakin mulled over this for a bit, eventually conceding that perhaps this banality was exactly what was needed. Cody could easily swap places with any of the clones that wandered the Senate building or guarded the Chancellor’s door… perhaps he could… Anakin pulled back his own thoughts, that was a dangerous path he was treading and he couldn’t afford to go down it again.

Anakin moved onto other subjects. In terms of time, he was in the last days of the Clone wars but he wasn’t sure exactly how many days it was. Anakin remembered that it was because he had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Padme’s death that nothing much else had registered. That’s another idea, perhaps the Force wanted him to stop himself from falling into the Dark side. Why else would he be sent back to this particular juncture in time? Anakin rubbed his eyes, they stung from lack of sleep. Stop himself from falling? Easier said than done especially since he was running around as a clone trooper. Anakin thought back to the conversation he had with Obi-wan earlier, maybe he can somehow leak that to Skywalker or something…

Anakin yawned and decided that maybe closing his eyes would help the sting. The light in the capsule unit dimmed and Anakin’s sluggish mind could not stay awake any longer.

Chapter Text

Wakefulness came naturally accompanied with none of the grogginess that usually dogged his mornings. Anakin spent a moment starting at the blank view screen above his head, mind quiet. There had been no feverish dreams nor Force induced visions where Padme once again died. That in itself may be worth the Force blindness.

Anakin glanced at the crono, 0550, sith spit!

His meditations last night had not gotten him anywhere and then he had managed to sleep the night away. Anakin slid out of his capsule, chewing on a ration bar while he threw on his armor. He tore the old bacta bandage off his leg and was pleased to find that he was indeed healed. The floor on which his capsule was located was relatively quiet with only a few clones milling about, but when he got to the turbo lifts the usual business that was the Endeavor ensconced him in a noisy bubble. Anakin was practically squash into the lift with what seemed like 2 squadrons of clones. He squeezed his way to the door and wished the lift would move faster and make less stops.

The turbo lift arrived finally at the bridge level and a tall, dark shadow loomed into view at the door way. Anakin froze, Vader… a nerve that been strung too tightly since he awoke in the past thrummed in bewilderment. The two other clones left in the lift standing behind him snapped off a salute, “General Skywalker.” Anakin left out a breath he hadn’t realized he held and followed suit. Skywalker ignored them as he swept into the lift, his black cloaking flaring out behind him like a dark penumbra and descended on the lift.

Anakin walked to the bridge room trying to clear the image of his younger self imposed over the dark form of Vader. Skywalker had had his hood pulled so far over his head that he could see nothing of the younger man face but his disposition had been so inexorably sever that Anakin wondered if he was too late already. How was he even going to approach his younger self? No one that mattered could get through to him in those day let alone a clone. He had been driven to madness by visions and what he perceived as inaction on part of the Jedi and the Senate and wrought out by the incessant war.

They need to finish this interception quickly and get back to Coruscant. Anakin made it to the bridge room with a minute to spare and took one last moment to compose himself before stepping in.

The 3 decks of control stations were filled to capacity with technicians and engineers working fervently at their stations and a quiet murmuring could be heard throughout the bridge. Anakin ascended to the 4 fourth level as he had the previous day. “Good morning Cody.” Obi-wan greeted him without turning and continued his observation of the many view screen in the bridge room. Toby greeted him as well and quickly began debriefing him on the mission progress.

The Endeavor had as planned arrived at about 1000 kliks away from the capture point at 0500. A squadron of scout ships was promptly deployed to verify that no Separatist ships laid in ambush at the target location. Once the area is clear, 6 Phantom reconnaissance ships will fly out to deploy the HSDFA – hyperspace disruptor field array, at co-ordinates calculated by the Endeavor’s onboard nav system. Squadrons 10 through to 15, each assigned to a gun-ship are to lay in ambush formation around the disruptor field. General Skywalker will command the Resolute along with 4 other squadrons and act as secondary strike force. Another 4 squadrons will be on standby in the Endeavor.

The mission dossier said that the supplies convoy they had been charged with intercepting consisted of 10 troughs that were guarded by 3 battle ships with at most 1 battalion of soldiers. The combined firepower from Obi-wan’s deployments should be enough to completely overwhelm the convoy’s defense and pin them in place. The 10 squadrons sent along with the ships will be able to fan out on Starfighters as well should there be a need. Looks like Obi-wan wanted a quick and decisive battle. Good.

Toby and Anakin completed their handover with an efficiency that could only be achieved through years of military service and the clone commander took his leave. Anakin took a moment to familiarize himself with the information displayed on each of the view screens that ringed the bridge room. As he did that Anakin felt a familiar calm descend over him, battles and wars were not new to him, this he can handle. As if on cue, the scout squadron reported an all clear for the target location and Obi-wan nodded to ‘Cody’. Anakin cleared his throat and started ordering the deployment.

For the next two hours or some the two worked in unison. The coordination of the calibration and testing of the HSDFA took most of Obi-wan’s attention and Anakin focused on getting the rest of the strike force in place and the general running of the ship. There was no difficulty in working together and Anakin found himself easily anticipating Obi-wan’s requests and idiosyncrasies. Just like the old days.

The HSDFA’s calibration and test completed at 0853, the 5 minute window in which they’d be able to knock the supplies convoy out of hyperspace would begin in exactly 8 minutes. Obi-wan ordered for all hands on deck. At exactly 0901 the HSDFA fired up weaving a force field that tore open 100 kliks of space. A standard minute passed but nothing came through.

“We need to adjust the array Obi-wan.” Skywalker’s voice sounded through the comms on the control station.

“Proceed.” Obi-wan agreed.

The engineering and technical teams scrambled to apply through adjustments. The disruptor field winked out and came back on a second later with a slightly altered pattern. Nothing.

“Again.” Obi-wan’s order was clipped and Anakin didn’t need to be a Force sensitive to sense the tension in the room. If they missed this window then they’d need to recalculate from the start and relocate the capture point. They could not let the supply convoy reach the Canonouse system. Beside him Obi-wan’s eyes became unfocused and seemed to shimmer.

“You may be right Anakin.” Obi-wan said not a second later. Anakin steadfastly kept his eyes looking forward, he knew Obi-wan had been talking to Skywalker over their Force bond. Obi-wan brought the HSDFA’s control system up on screen in one of the control stations compu systems and began manually adjusting the array parameters fingers flying over the keys.

The disruptor field came back on at the very last second with a blinding flash slicing through space which seem to yawn back from the field. The section of space which formed in between squeezes in on itself deforming the force field along with it before bursting back out and suddenly where there had been empty space a giant cylindrical supply trough appeared along with 4 gun-ships and 2 destroyers. A collective gasp sounded through bridge and Anakin heard Skywalker curse through the comms. Obi-wan ignored everyone and continued to look as inscrutable as ever.

There had been many similar missions where the information provided by the Republic intelligence unit had been so far off the mark they’d may as well not given it to them. The Kenobi-Skywalker team also seem to get these kind of missions more often than not. This was all beginning to jog Anakin’s memory.

These particular ships were easily recognizable. The Trilunarians were the only ones who made ‘cylindrical shaped’ ships in the known galaxy and Anakin thought that they looked as ugly as ever. However as ugly as they were the Trilunarian’s made good battle ships and they’d be in remiss if they underestimated them.

“Admiral Norton.” Obi-wan spoke into the comm unit.

“Yes General.”

“Looks like you need to bring the Negotiator into position.”

“Understood.”

The Resolute hailed the leading destroyer and its captain answered, spitting out Skywalker’s name as if it was phlegm in greeting. Their conversation quickly devolved with the Trilunarian captain calling Skywalker “Jedi scum” – very creative Anakin thought, after he said their ‘ugly tin cans’ ought to just stay at home. The good thing about being older Anakin summarized was that you conduct less embarrassing conversations. Obi-wan must have thought so too because he ordered the 6 gun-ships to drop their cloaking shields and open fire.

Chapter Text

While the Resolute had been distracting the Trilunarian destroyer's captain the 6 gunships Obi-wan deployed earlier closed in on the convoy in a double helix formation. Their cloaking shields ensured that they were not detected unnecessarily.

The gunships and the Resolute opened fire at the same time each taking aim at one of the Trilunarian ships. The first volley of cannon fire managed to knock out much of the convoy’s larger cannons mounted on the 2 destroyers and some of the battle ships. The Trilunarian ships threw up their deflector shield and the two fleets rapidly exchanged cannon fire.

The Republican gunships rotated in their formation around the convoy avoiding fire when possible or relying on their shields when not. For a while the Trilunarian ships were completely pinned down out gunned and not having enough space to maneuver as their ships ended up too close together when they were knocked out of hyperspace. Two of the battle ships were soon completely annihilated and 3 of the gunship closed in on the Trilunarian destroyer at the rear of the convoy.

Onboard the Endeavor some details of the battle started re-surfacing in Anakin’s memory as he watched the progress in the view screens. He remember that he’d been itching for a battle for a while – the mission on Terion had been ‘unsatisfactory’. So when the Trilunarians released their Starfighters in an attempt to break out of the pin, he had taken the opportunity… Had I always been this reckless?

Sure enough a swarm of Trilunarian Starfighters streamed out from each of the enemy ships. They were shaped like flattened out water drops very nimble and light enough to coast on stellar flares. They succeeded in drawing away some of the cannon fire but then the clone Starfighters were ready to intercept the ones who managed to break out of the fire exchange zone. The clone fighters formed a mesh around the gunships but did not move into the fire exchange zone lest they become victims of the Republican gunships themselves.

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From the front of the convoy the Resolute had also deployed its 4 squadrons of clone star fighters and the area was the busiest on the battlefield with all manner of cannon and blaster fire lighting up the darkness of space. Then all of a sudden 2 squadrons broke away from the mesh and started moving in on the enemy destroyer lead by a distinct wedge shaped Starfighter.

“Anakin what are you doing?” Obi-wan spoke into the comms.

“Finishing things quicker.” Skywalker said as he let off a series of rapid gunfire that took out an enemy Starfighter.

“The cannon fire is too dense.” Obi-wan tried again.

“I’ll be fine.” Skywalker snapped and shut his comms.

“Should I order the two squadrons to pull back?” Admiral Wullf Yularen’s voice came through the comms not a beat after.

“We cannot leave him in there by himself.” Obi-wan’s voice was impassive but Anakin could tell from the set of his jaws that the Jedi was none too happy with what his younger self was doing. Anakin couldn’t help but agree. There was enough firepower to contain the Trilunarian convoy and ensured their capture, it was only a matter of time. Attacking proactively may bring victory sooner but it would come at a higher cost.

The Jedi Starfighter wove its way through the fire light taking out enemy ships as it went in an almost lazy manner pulling further and further away from the two squadrons of clone fighters. The Trilunarian battle ships tried to get a lock on it but they missed or sometimes shot their own. Anakin looked away from the screens, he knew what happened and didn’t care to see his own follies play out again.

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Anakin busied himself with checking the statuses of the rest of the fleet while replaying the memory of this particular mission in his head. As Skywalker had said he made it out the fight without a scratch, recorded the highest number of enemy Starfighters downed and assisted in the capture of the destroyer at the rear of the Separatist convoy. The Republican ships had then closed in on the destroyer left at the head of the convoy which…

Anakin quickly brought up a scanner which monitored the leading destroyer. Sure enough from the readings there was a region of rapidly increasing high temperature from the core of the ship. Just like last time… Anakin thought with a cold laugh, either way it will not be allowed to happen like last time.

“Boss, that destroyer isn’t right.” Anakin pointed out the abnormality to Obi-wan. The Jedi looked over at his display, the temperature rose even as they spoke.

“The core generator?”

Anakin nodded at the Jedi’s inquiry and added, “Whatever they did, it doesn’t matter. The result will be the same. The Trilunarians are zealots and they will look to take down as many of us as they can.”

Obi-wan hailed Yularen, “Concentrate all firepower you can spare on that lead destroyer and pull the Starfighters back.” Anakin obligingly sent the scanner readouts to the admiral.

“Also boss…” Anakin said after Obi-wan finished, “if I remember right, the Trilunarians, they have a habit right? They do things in threes.”

Obi-wan gave ‘Cody’ a brief look before turning back to the view screen with a small smile tugging at his lips and said, “I know.”

Anakin knew he needn’t have warned Obi-wan about that last bit, but it was so good, just so good, to feel this old camaraderie again.  

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The reaction to Obi-wan’s order was swift. Two of the gunships who had been finishing up securing the trailing destroyer and enemy battleships, moved to take over the posts of two of the gunships in the middle of the formation which free them up to help with taking out the leading enemy destroyer.

Having been forced into a corner the Trilunarian destroyer attempted to ram the Resolute, its overheating core generator ready to explode at any moment but the heavy cannon fire hampered its efforts. A well timed cannon shot from one of the Republican gunships hit the Trilunarian destroyer’s main propulsion drive causing an ion-surge chain reaction that reached all the way to the unstable core. The resulting explosion tore the destroyer completely apart. At that very moment a 3^rd Trilunarian destroyer exited out of hyperspace right behind the Resolute, its cannons ready to fire.

Had the destroyer successfully detonated itself closer to the Resolute the explosion would have been enough to down the Republican destroyer’s shield and it would have been a sitting duck. Of course that didn’t happen and the Negotiator would not have allowed it to either. Throwing off its cloaking shield the Negotiator shimmered into view above the 3^rd Trilunarian destroyer with its cannons trained on the enemy ship in the harsh white light of the exploded ship.

The battle was won.

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Chapter Text

Hours later, after the battle had been completed Admiral Yularen and Norton and Anakin Skywalker sat with Obi-wan Kenobi in one of the many conference rooms on board the Endeavor for the debrief. ‘Cody’ stood to the back of Obi-wan’s chair while the two admirals sat to Obi-wan’s left and Skywalker slouched in a chair on the Jedi’s right.

“The interception is successful, thank you all for your hard work.” Obi-wan bowed forward in his seat and the two Admirals did likewise in return. Skywalker continued his slouch not having said a word for the entire debriefing.

Obi-wan ignored him and wrapped up the session, “Once all prisoners and capture weaponry are appropriately detained and stored we’ll set course for Coruscant.”

The two Admirals readily agreed, stood up, saluted and took their leave. Skywalker heaved himself onto his feet and was about to follow them out when Obi-wan called out, “Anakin, I wish to speak with you.” Skywalker stopped but did not sit back down.

Obi-wan turned slightly and said, “Cody, go check how the troops are doing.”

Anakin hesitated for a second then saluted in acquiescent and left the conference room. The two admirals were walking further up the corridor, chatting to each other.

“Of all the Jedi, why did I have to end up with Skywalker?” Yularen said with a frustrated shake of his head.

Norton gave his fellow admiral as pat on the shoulder, “Well just think about General Kenobi, he’s had to put up with General Skywalker for years and he’s never complained.” Their voices faded as they rounded a corner.

Anakin looked back to the closed conference room door and left for the med bay. He knew what Obi-wan wanted to talk to his younger self about after all. He went on the attack because he could. Because he knew, he would succeed with as much certainly as he knew that two sun baked the sandy dunes of Tatooie. Whether the clones died was not his problem, were they not created solely for this? He hadn’t understood the Jedi Master’s reprove because to him power had been power, his power. Why limit it, control it under rigid rules and confined, denying it its true strength and capabilities. He had thought that Obi-wan was undermining him and his efforts to finally overcome… death.

Anakin pulled himself from the dark memories with effort. In a way he understood it better now than even Obi-wan or any other Jedi alive because he had seen the other side and made it back.  

~*~

The med bay was busy but orderly and there wasn’t anything for Anakin to do but he hung around anyway. The clones triaged themselves, those who can walked or hobble made their way to the med droids to the right of the room and those who can’t were carried to a separate room off the side. There were still a number of clones still coming into the med bay as the cleanup of the battlefield continued.

A commotion came from behind him and Anakin turned to see a huddle of clones rushing into the med bay with a hover stretcher between them. They rushed past him into the small room but did not leave instead hung around the door, craning their necks to see inside.

Anakin walked over curious to see who it was that got sent in. The clones outside saluted him as he approached.  

“It’s Captain Rody, Sir.” One of the clone answered him upon his inquiry.

Anakin peered into the room. Rody was laid out on an examination table, with half of his body covered in burns. The clone was barely conscious, breathing in shallow pained gasps while the med droid ran a scan.

“Unable to repair.” The med droid said as it completed its assessment.

The clones beside Anakin seem to all deflate and bowed their heads in grief, but they did not contradict the droids announcement.

Alarmed Anakin pushed his way into the room, “What do you mean?” he hissed at the droid.

“Unable to repair. Unit will be terminated.” The droid explained.

“What?” Anakin spluttered, mind skittering to catch up.

The droid did not respond instead it wheeled the examination table further into the room and behind a divider. Anakin followed a step behind and almost ran into the droid when it stopped and placed the exam table next to another med droid and promptly headed back out.

Before Anakin could say anything further the new med droid administered an injection to Rody’s neck. The clone froze for sec and sagged, his arms and legs that had spamming due to pain now laid flat and unmoving, the half burnt chest no longer expanding and constricting to push air in and out of ravaged lungs.

Anakin stared dumbly at the clone on the examination table. The sound of chatter outside in the med bay, the beep of medical equipment faded and Anakin couldn’t hear anything beyond static and muffled white noise.

“Termination complete.” The med droid beside him intoned in its digitally emulated voice and wheeled the table to the end of the room. Anakin followed with his eyes unable to move anything else. The exam table was laid out at the end of a second row of similar exam tables. Anakin’s eyes roam slowly over those and the world whited out before his eyes

The next thing Anakin knew he was flat on the floor with his arms bent painfully behind his back held in a lock. His legs were also held down. Anakin heaved and shoved trying to get out of the bind. Someone shouted something but he couldn’t make out what was said. He felt a sting across his cheek.

“Cody! Get a hold of yourself!”

Someone was shouting hysterically and he realized it was himself.

“Cody!” …I’m Cody!

Anakin stopped moving and panted harshly into the floor. He couldn’t get out of the bind and his throat hurt.

“Are you with us now Cody?” the voice asked again and Anakin looked up from the ground to see Toby kneeling next to him holding his arms in a dead lock across his back. He gave the other clone commander a nod throat still too raw to attempt to speak.

Toby released his arms and stood back. Anakin rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling, his breath finally calming down. He was surrounded by clones. Toby stuck an arm out to him and helped Anakin up. The clones parted allowing him a path to the door and on the floor near the exit Anakin could see the ripped off head of a med droid.

~*~

It was Toby who found him again sometime later in the communal refresher washing his face for the umpteenth time.

“I think you’ll want to be there for this.” Toby had said to Anakin’s back as he scrubbed at tear tracks he imagined to still be there.

Anakin followed Toby quietly not quite understanding what the clone command meant but could not come up with a way to ask without blowing his cover. So the two tracked in silence down several floors to the incinerator room.

In the oppressive heat of the cavernous incinerator room, the clones of the 212^th and 501^st battalion were lined up in parade formation. Upon their arrival Toby signaled that the ceremony was ready to begin. One by one the body of the dead clones were brought to the incinerator and sent in sending waves of heat to waft out over the assembled clones.

Anakin shivered even as another wave of heat washed over him. The incinerator room wavered before his eyes and another scene came into focus.

The flames of the funeral pyre licked at the darkening Nabooian skies and a smaller and younger Anakin has shivered similarly at the rising wind despite his proximity to the dancing tendrils of light.

“…. There is no death, there is the Force.” Master Yoda completed his recitation of the Jedi code in a quiet and solemn voice and the assembled Jedi bowed once, deeply and slowly left the pavilion leaving only a lone hooded figure kneeling before the pyre.

Anakin sidled up to Obi-wan hoping to stay warm. He wasn’t familiar enough with anyone else yet and Padme had left earlier to leave the Jedi to their private rites. The young knight must have sensed his discomfort for he raised an arm and wrapped his thick cloak around Anakin and settled back to continue his vigil.

Anakin glanced up at his new Master, finally feeling warm. He fidgeted with the hem of his new robe wanting to ask questions but not knowing if it’ll sound silly.

“What is your question Padawan?” It was Obi-wan who ended up asking first.

Anakin lookup at his master again, he saw no reproach, only sadness. “Why do you burn him?”

His master didn’t answer straight away, instead he turned and stared back at the flames for a long while before answering, “There is no death, there is the Force. For luminous beings we are, not this crude matter.”

~*~

The incinerator burned much hotter and quicker than the funeral pyre on Naboo and it wasn’t long before the clones filed out of the incinerator room and back to their accommodation units.

“Do you know where Mas… I mean the boss is?” Anakin found Toby again as he was headed to the turbo lifts.

“He’s resting. Is there something you need to speak to him about?” Anakin blinked at Toby’s answer and quickly flipped on his crono, 0423.

“I’ll be on duty till we get back to Coruscant, you get some rest as well.” Toby patted his shoulder and ascended on the turbo lift for the bridge room.

Anakin stood in the now deserted corridor not quite sure what he wanted to do. He was tired he knew but he also knew that there would be no sleep. Anakin jumped into the turbo lift the next time it opened its door and punched a random floor. He exited a bit later at the deserted refectory. Anakin wandered through the empty tables and chairs and took up a seat in one of the couches near a view port.

Splashes of light and energy burst and collapsed in on each other in a dizzying pattern as the Endeavor sped through hyperspace and Anakin stared transfix at the kaleidoscope of colors which matched his chaotic thoughts.

~*~

A bright light pierced through his eye lids and Anakin blinked awake. It took a moment before he realized that he had fallen asleep despite everything in the refectory and it was apparently morning now. Morning? Anakin glanced out the view port again. Instead of the swirling lights of hyperspace he saw a bright star hanging just visible to the top of the view port and another grayish planet right in the middle basking in the light of the star.

Coruscant…

They were finally back.

Chapter Text

Coruscant, the seat of the Galactic Republic, before the Empire came into being, it was the busiest transport hub of all. So despite being the preeminent fleet in the Grand Army of the Republic it was past noon by the time the Endeavor and the rest of the ships in her armada landed. Toby had signed off and ‘Cody’ will be on duty for the rest of the day or at least until Obi-wan officially goes on leave.

Coruscant was teaming with life, that was the first thing that had struck Anakin when they flew out from the space ports. It was far busier than he had ever remembered it during the years Coruscant was the seat of the Galactic Empire. Anakin discretely munched on a ration bar as he drove a sky hopper through the heavy traffic to the Senate building. Obi-wan sat in the back seat working fervently at a datapad, no doubt finishing off whatever mission reports needed. Perfectionist…

The grey dome of the top of the Senate building loomed in his view screen looking like an over grown Nabooian amanita fungus. Lines of sky hoppers and transports streamed from it merging into the busy traffic lanes that crisscrossed the skies. Anakin frowned at it in distaste and felt a familiar burning well up in his heart. Somewhere in that monstrosity resides the real monster, the monster who deceived them all. The hopper dipped precariously and Anakin realized he’d been holding the yoke in a death grip. Quickly righting the hopper, Anakin took a deep breath and breathed out through his teeth, focusing on his hands until they loosen their hold. He needs to release this anger, he knew, because it would do nothing to help and everything to hinder. 

Anakin banked the hopper towards the landing pads. In the shadow of the Senate building Anakin could make out a large group of people lined up around the pathway from the landing pads to the main entrance. They shuffled, pushed and followed anyone who left their vehicle for the Senate building. Oh Force, how could I forget.

“Boss we’re almost there,” Anakin called to the back seat, “and there’s reporters.”

Obi-wan looked up from his datapad with a familiar crease between his brows, mouth pressed into a thin line. He eyed the gaggle of reporters gathered outside the Senate building and pull up his hood as far as it would go. “Land as close as you can to exit.”

“Yes Sir.”

Anakin landed the hopper on the first available place as far away from the reporters as he can but it was to no avail. As soon as Obi-wan stepped from the hopper it was like a pack of rancors getting a scent of blood. They surged forward and crowded around the Jedi in a cacophony of cheers and shrill shouts. Vid bots buzzed around like them like swamp flies and Anakin had to plant himself between the reporters and the Jedi lest they bowl him over in their enthusiasm. Obi-wan on his part walked as quickly as he could, hood firmly pulled over his head, towards the Senate building ignoring all questions thrown at him. It didn’t deter the reporters one bit as they continued to jostle for a better position or a closer shot. For a moment Anakin thought they’d never get past this blockade of sentient beings but thankfully the two hoppers that were behind them landed and Skywalker alighted with along with the Admirals. Seeing as they were getting nowhere with the elder general the mob moved quickly towards Skywalker. Anakin spared a quick glance to his younger self who had stopped to obligingly answer the media’s questions and followed Obi-wan into the Senate building.

The Trilunarian interception had set their return date to Coruscant back by over a full day so the Senate War Committee’s meeting had already been running for several hours when the newly returned group finally arrived. Anakin gave the generals and admirals a salute at the door, immensely glad that as a clone trooper he needn’t attend these dreadfully boring, and not to mention long, debrief and strategic analysis discussions. He was more a man of action than words.  

 “Ah, General Kenobi and Anakin!” said a delightedly surprised gentle voice from behind them.

Anakin froze as if a sheet of ice was suddenly plastered to his bare back and fought to keep the involuntary trembling that shot from his hands and up his whole arm. Whether it was from fear or anger Anakin did not know and he had never been so glad for the clone helmets. The two Jedi before him also stopped and turned back, the younger with a genuinely happy smile and the elder with a barely passable polite smile that did not reach his eyes.

“Chancellor.” They greeted in unison and offered a small bow as demanded by protocol.

Sheev Palpatine strode past Anakin in a precise and deliberately slow pace, face piled high with his own relieved smiles. “Am I glad to see you again General Kenobi and Anakin. It has been far too long.”

“It has only been a month Chancellor.” Skywalker replied with rakish grin.  

“A month too long I dare say.” Palpatine replied in the easy way of a man used to the small talks of politics. “Had I not caught up with you before you set off to rendezvous with General Kenobi, it would have been 3 months if my memory serves me right.” He sent a mock glare at the younger Jedi who laughed it off. Palpatine heaved a sigh and gave Obi-wan another rueful smile as if to say “Young men these days”…

“I am glad to be back as well Chancellor.” Obi-wan said in a much more subdued manner.

“When I saw your latest mission reports come in this morning I was very much surprised,” Palpatine continued, “I had only enough time to skim it but Trilunarians!” he turned to Skywalker, “Anakin, I cannot tell you enough how fortunate it is that the Republic has you.”

“It is our duty to serve.” Skywalker answered but Anakin could tell that is was false modesty from the way his younger self straightened further and jutted out his chin. Anakin fought to keep his revulsion from overwhelming him. Too easy, he was too easy.

Obi-wan’s polite smile faltered for a second but did not say anything. He gave a small nod in acknowledgement and stepped aside to allow the Chancellor to precede them into the meeting room. The group filed past Anakin and the doors closed with a soft click blocking out the murmurings of the discussions taking place inside.

Anakin stared blankly at the doors for what seemed like an eternity. Feelings slowly returned to his limbs as the cold seem to fall away and off him like a shadowy pall that receded into the room beyond the doors. Had it always been like this? Anakin couldn’t answer, at some time in the past, or the future as it were, he had been a part of that darkness. Get away…

Anakin stumbled away, wanting to put as much distance as he could between it and himself. Anakin walked quickly, not letting his mind think when he came across intersections and allowed his feet move on. Corridor after corridor fell away behind him until at last he could go no more. The hallway he was striding briskly down lead to a small secluded alcove. Large windows facing out into the city allowed a wash of sun light to flood the small space, Anakin hastened his pace, and finally he was fully ensconced in the light.

Stepping up close to the large transparisteel windows Anakin looked out into the city scape of Coruscant. Duracrete buildings spanned in an unbroken stretch all the way to the horizon in all directions, studded here and there by a tower of various sizes. Streams of traffic cut the blue skies into grids mirroring the grids that the tightly packed buildings below formed. Off in the distance, standing stark against the horizon a set of towers caught Anakin’s attention. They weren’t particularly tall when compared to others but they were clustered together on the roof of a building. Anakin’s hand rose unwittingly and flattened itself on the transparisteel, the Jedi Temple looked so close, as if he could touch it.

Anakin thumbed the release button of his helmet and took a seat in the low couches that faced the window allowing the sun light to wash out the last of the cold and darkness. This must have been what it was. Sidious’ darkness had brought out his fears, accentuated his anxieties and amplified every one of his more negative feelings and thoughts. He hadn’t known to fend against it, hadn’t know how to release those feelings but more importantly hadn’t wanted to release them. Those feelings he thought was what gave him strength. Young and arrogant, he had been raised to the pinnacle of success in every way without ever having suffered a setback to caution him, to teach him. He wanted to save, he thought he knew how but in the end he could only kill.

The higher you climb, the harder you fall.

Anakin buried his head in his hands. What had happened exactly in those… or rather these waning days of the Republic? What was everyone doing? What was he doing? Anakin squeezed his eyes shut, digging through his mind and hoping clearer memories would surface. However years of suppressing and attempt to forget them left only the ones he already knew. They jump around in time, short, sporadic and always garnished by a strong undercurrent of fear, anger and hate. He had been so firmly entrapped in the shroud of the dark side that even now he could not chain the memories together to form a complete picture. How long did he have left? Days? Weeks? Is there any way or even enough time to get the evidence required to convince the Senate, the Jedi Council or even Obi-wan?

How am I to do this? How?

Anakin cast his mind back in time, to the days when the Empire was first formed. Palpatine held the reigns of the Empire in his iron grip, there wasn’t anyone else, except Vader who would not come into being without all those precipitating events. That means, Palpatine was or is the linchpin, without him the Empire would fall apart as soon as it was created. Without him the Empire would not even form in the first place. Was this really the only way?   

Anakin mulled over the idea for a second time in just as many days but he knew there was no other way. There is no time, he had been brought back too close to the end. Even doing that was difficult enough.

Anakin sat in the alcove lost in his thoughts. The sun tracked its way slowly towards the horizon and the shadows stretched and elongated. Eventually it sunk below the jagged outline of the city scape, leaving only the skies flushed red with its afterglow. Lights came on, like stars studded in the night sky, only denser, brighter and more colorful. Anakin was jolted from his thought by a buzzing from his comm. It was from Obi-wan, the committee meeting has concluded.

Anakin made his way back to the through the much quieter and dimmed corridors of the Senate building. Rounding a final corner Anakin stopped short when he spied a person talking to the Jedi master just outside the meeting room. The light from the rising moon filtered in through the high windows diffusing into a pale glow in the wide pathway. Where it landed on her hair it seemed like a sheen of shimmering frost highlighting the loose curls that cascaded down her back. Padme was not looking at him, she chatting with the Jedi master. Anakin couldn’t hear them, but after Obi-wan said something, she laughed and it seemed that the moonlight had pooled in her eyes.

Anakin stared and thought that he'd be able to just watch her like this for an eternity.

Chapter Text

It was Obi-wan who eventually noticed him and waved him over. Anakin felt as if his legs were lead. Padme turned to greet him and when her eyes landed on him, Anakin felt it as if it was a physical blow. She was as he remembered, warm and approachable, her face aglow in the moonlight, radiant and full of health. Her midnight blue dress was gathered high on her chest and let to hang loose below. It obscured the swell of her pregnancy and Anakin was unable to tell how far along she was.

Stopping a respectable distance from the two Anakin gave a salute as appropriate. Padme smiled kindly at him but he could not trust his voice to speak. Fortunately she turned back to the Jedi master eager to continue their conversation.

“Obi-wan are you and Anakin on leave then?” she asked with quiet anticipation.

“Yes, officially.”

Padme smiled brilliantly at the Jedi Master’s succinct answer. “I wanted to ask you and Anakin to dinner tonight, at my place.” Here her smile became rather nervous, “But I couldn’t get a hold of Anakin, is he with you?” She glanced discretely behind him into the empty meeting room.

“He was, we had been in the War committees’ weekly session all afternoon but the Chancellor wanted to speak with him…” Obi-wan let the answer hang, no one really knew how long these sessions with the Chancellor would be. Anakin remembered that Obi-wan never liked it when he talked to Palpatine. It was often a source of contention during his apprenticeship, especially towards the latter years. By the time he was a knight, Obi-wan had backed off on that point, mostly, but his opinion never changed. Anakin could count on one hand the number of Senators his old master trusted. Hind sight is always 20/20.

“Oh…” Padme let out a soft cry and all her good cheer seem to drain out of her but she recovered quickly, “Will you come then?”

Anakin could hear the eagerness in her voice and could not help it as small stab of jealousy flared in the bottom of his heart. Padme had always been friendly with Obi-wan, the two could converse at length on any topic from current politics to the arts. He could never really participate in those conversations, like how he could do nothing now.

Obi-wan didn’t answer straight away but kept studying her. Anakin could tell he was gauging her invitation, probing the Force unconsciously to validate his own decisions. Anakin wished he could access the Force, he wanted to wad up these destructive feelings and eject them into the oblivion of the Force.

“I would love to.” Obi-wan acquiesced at length and reached for his comm unit. “We’ll leave a message for Anakin. Perhaps he’ll show up sometime during dinner.” He gave Padme a wink.

Padme laughed again, her voice like jangling silver bells and Anakin could not look away just as before. Padme looked over to him again as if sensing his gaze. Startled, Anakin almost took a step back but Padme only smile and said, “You should come too Cody.”

It took a moment before Anakin realized she was inviting him. “Uh… sure.”

Obi-wan left the message and offered Padme the crook of his arm. She took it with a demure smile and the two strolled at a leisurely pace out to the docking stations.

~*~

The drive to 500 Republica was short and it wasn’t long before Anakin guided the hopper to stop on the landing pad affixed to a platform besides the small garden area outside Padme’s apartment. The night was warm but not in a humid way and a soft breeze wafted through the air. Lights beside a winding path through the garden and inside the apartment came on automatically as they stepped off the hopper bathing the path and open plan rooms in a soft golden light. Anakin looked around, taking in everything and nothing, not daring to breathe lest he lose all control over his feelings. Obi-wan and Padme strolled past him chatting in a quiet voice, Anakin followed numbly behind.

It felt as if it was a dream. How long has it been since he was last here?

“Miss Padme you’re back!” a mechanical voice exclaimed from the dim interiors of the apartment before Threepio in all his gold plated glory shuffled out of the door way to greet them. “Is Master Anakin…Ah! Master Kenobi!” the droid all but shrieked upon seeing the unexpected Jedi jerking backwards and almost toppling over.

Padme walked quickly up to the droid and dropped her traveling cloak into its arms. “You do remember that Obi-wan were Anakin were invited to dinner don’t you?” she reminded in an exasperated voice.

“Oh yes! Of course!” it turned to the Jedi again, “I’m so very happy to see you again Master Kenobi.”

“Like wise Threepio.” Obi-wan responded a kind smile on his face as Padme lead him into the apartment. Anakin followed keeping his head firmly down not wanting the others to notice his nervousness. 

“Commander Cody! Oh my, oh my…” Threepio tittered again as he shuffled after them. “Well it’s a good thing that I’ve already set the table Miss Padme and I’ve been keeping the food warm.”

The protocol droid herded his human guests into the apartment and busied itself settling everyone in around the dinner table and serving out food. Anakin could smell the fine cooking and only then realized how hungry he was having only snuck rations bars for lunch. Padme’s staff had outdone themselves. The finest of Nabooian dishes were laid out resplendently amongst candles and elegantly arranged flowers.

“Ah rhubarbs… Anakin’s favorite.” Obi-wan exclaimed in mock delight when Threepio served him a spoonful of the stewed vegetables. “Save the rest of my serving for him.”

Anakin side-eyed the Jedi master and felt a childish desire to balk. The universe had many funny coincidences and one of them was that both he and Obi-wan hated rhubarbs.

Seriously Obi-wan? Is this what you get up to when I’m not around?

“But Master Anakin said that you would always take extra servings of…” Anakin wanted the protocol droid to break down right now.

“Only if there’s extra, and Anakin is sure to have missed this dish during our time away.”

“Oh is that so, I shall keep that in my memory bank.” Threepio readily answered and settled the half full plate of stewed rhubarbs across the table. “And I’ll be sure to instruct the house hold staff to always make extra rhubarbs.” Anakin mentally groaned. Across the table from him Padme bit her lips and smiled into her plate pointedly ignoring the silly men in her life.

They chatted animatedly over dinner, catching up on news and events that had happened in the 3 months they’ve not seen each other. Padme bemoaned the senate’s multitude of inefficiencies and Obi-wan regaled her with stories that didn’t make it into his official campaign reports, but mostly he obligingly gave her news on Skywalker. Anakin joined in where he can but there wasn’t much he could add so he spent most of the time listening and laughing along with their more outrageous stories and shoveling food. He hadn’t had such a good meal in Force knows how long. Even the rhubarbs were palatable.

It was like back then, all those years ago, just enjoying being around the two people he cared for the most in this galaxy. The pangs of nostalgia hit hard and fast and there was nothing Anakin could do to stop it. Wasn’t this what he’d always wanted and dreamed of? The irony of it all wasn’t lost to him. All those years ago in the past, he had had everything in his hands, but he was not here. He was off somewhere else with a Sith, being fooled into believing everything that destroyed this. Anakin scraped up the last bits of rhubarbs and shoved it into his mouth.

“…and he had to call them tin cans. You can image how well that went down with them.”

Padme almost chocked on her drink trying not to laugh. “Not when I’m drinking Obi-wan…”

“Boss, Miss Padme, excuse me…” Anakin pushed up from his seat and beat a hasty retreat to the refresher.  

~*~

Locked in Padme’s spacious refresher room Anakin sat on the closed lid of the refresher unit and stared at the back of a closed door. He could still vaguely hear Padme and Obi-wan talking outside, but at least he wasn’t there, right next to them, where every spoken word buffeted against the last of his controls. Anakin looked to his left, he could see himself or rather Cody reflected in the wall mounted mirror. He hadn’t had a proper look at himself since he arrived in the past.

What a joke, the Hero with No Fear, Master Jedi and Sith, hiding in the refresher for fear of his own feelings. Anakin stepped up to the mirror and forced himself to stare at his reflection.

Through some miracle of the Force, he was here, but he was here as ‘Cody’, who could never be Padme’s husband or Obi-wan’s brother and friend. Anakin swallowed against the lump in his throat. What’ll happen if he succeeded in stopping Siddious? Was he to just watch Padme live with his other self? Just watch his family and never be able to be a part of it? Always hiding and living as a clone? Can only ever watch and never be a part of their lives.

Can he live with that? Can he let them go?

Anakin’s heart thudded heavily in his chest. It was he felt an important juncture in the grand scheme of things and he needed to be sure.

Yes… his heart answered him.

To allow things to happen as it had in the old time line is unthinkable. To see Padme happy, see his child safe and to never see the despair and disappointment in Obi-wan’s eyes that is what is important.

The longing and outrage he felt faded into a quiet realization in his heart. That which is lost cannot always be returned, even if returned if would not be the same, he could not demand for anything. To be given a chance to save the future of the people he loved was more than he could have hoped for.

In a way it Anakin almost wished this realization hadn’t happen in the most mundane of places, a refresher. However when something happened in such an ordinary place it, you knew it was real. Anakin waved at the water controls and washed his face. He was getting ahead of himself anyway, whether he could succeed in stopping Siddious was still not certain but what is certain is that there is nothing that could stop him from trying.

~*~

The dinner table had been cleared leaving only a decanter of Nubian wine sitting next to some unused glasses when Anakin finally made it out of the refresher. Threepio was in the kitchen area carefully placing dishes in a cleaning unit. The lights had been dimmed so low that most of apartment is thrown into shadow. Anakin poured himself a glass of wine and sat back in his seat. From there he could see Padme and Obi-wan out in the garden sitting on some benches. Their low voices could just be heard in the quiet of the apartment, no longer sounding like hammers slamming into his shields.

“I have been meaning to ask you for a while now,” Obi-wan said after a pause, “but with the war and everything it keeps getting side tracked. I may not be around on Coruscant much but…” He paused again and continued at slower pace, “every time I do see you, I feel that… lately you seem a bit… withdrawn.”

“How do you mean?” Padme looked at her friend with raised eyebrows, a picture of innocence but Anakin could hear the guarded tone of her voice. “I’m sitting on more committees than I can schedule meetings for.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.” Obi-wan gently refuted her. Padme looked away, unable to keep up her pretences.

 “I know we’ve been away more often than not since the escalation in the war effort,” Obi-wan continued, “and Anakin is especially not pleased with that. He wants to be here with his… friend, more than anyone, and share in their joys and worries.”

“I know.” Padme ducked her head, “I mean, he tells me that whenever talk over the holos.”

Obi-wan nodded, accepting her answer and her excuse, “So it’s not Anakin then?”

Padme looked up but Obi-wan’s eyes seem to pierce through her mind, she looked away again.

“Getting married and now with a child on the way, these are some of the greatest joys of my life.” Padme began at length. “I so want to share it with my family, my friends but…” Padme took a deep breath as if fighting back tears, “but I cannot tell them the whole truth. I am… uncomfortable with that.”

Anakin squeezed his wine glass, struggling suddenly with twin desires, guilt and shame and an urge to argue. A part of him wanted to say that their love was pure and good, that sequestering their feelings and emotion was wrong, that not forming attachments was against the very nature of human beings. That he was a wild passionate child forced into the rigid confines of an archaic order that had lost its’ way.

But now Anakin could see it, every time he and Padme had met in secret he had made a liar out of her, out of himself and out of his former Master who obviously knew but did not wish to report them. Mayhaps the Jedi Order’s doctrine had been skewed over the centuries but to go behind everyone’s back and blatantly break every single rule that had been put in place to keep the Jedi in Light he’d out casted himself. Like the silk worm that wove a cocoon that eventually imprisoned itself.

“It is your nature to be truthful and sincere to others, it is a good thing.” Obi-wan said with firm belief. “You are also gentle and understanding. Those that you count as friends would hence return such sincerity and understanding. They will understand your difficulties and stand by you and be there to hear your story when you are ready.”

Padme looked back at Obi-wan, conflicted, but was finally able to hold his gaze.

“I hope I am counted amongst those friends.”

Padme’s lips quivered and Anakin held his breath, had Padme told Obi-wan? It was obvious Obi-wan knew about their relationship but he hadn’t pointed it out. Instead he had given Padme the chance to tell him.

Seconds ticked by and Anakin thought he’d pass out from the lack of oxygen. Suddenly a beeping sounded from the comm unit strapped to Obi-wan’s belt. Padme released a breath, almost doubling over. Obi-wan pull the comm unit from it pouch, frowned at the caller name on screen and thumbed the decline button. The urgent beeping ceased.

“You didn’t have to Obi-wan.” Padme said, watching the Jedi stow the comm unit back in the designated pouch on his utility belt.

“I will always have time for a friend.”

“Thank you…” Padme gave the Jedi a watery smile, her voice pitched low and soft. “I’m glad we have you.” She didn’t say anything further and instead rubbed absent mindedly at her extended midriff. The baby was moving, stretching, pushing up against the walls of the womb.

Obi-wan watched her, he knew the moment was lost and with that the Force shifted. “Your children will do great things.” Obi-wan intoned eyes distant and unfocused.

“Great things…?” Padme looked at Obi-wan with a lost expression.

Obi-wan blinked and seemed to shake himself from a light trance, “Yes great things…” He repeated and ran a hand over his beard before propping it under his chin in contemplation. It was his turn to be silent.

Inside the apartment Anakin sat in a stunned silence as well. Children? Luke was not his only child. Who was the other? The Force had always been strangely silent whenever he wanted to sense the child, or children as it were, that was growing within Padme. Padme would tell him that the child was barely the size of the kyber crystal in his sabre. Later on when the swell of Padme's pregnancy was more pronounced he wondered if the Force was prone to being mischievous but Padme just said that it must mean it wanted to surprise him. In the here and now Anakin wondered if it wasn’t trying to protect them from him.

In the silence of the moment Obi-wan’s comm link started beeping again. This time the Jedi did not refuse the call. Obi-wan stood and took a few steps to the side before answering. The call was short and he soon came back to the low benches. Padme stood as well upon seeing his troubled face.

“Padme, I’m sorry, there’s an urgent summons from the Chancellor.”

“Now? But it’s…”

“I doubt the meeting will be long.” Obi-wan assured, “Even the Chancellor has to sleep at some point.”

Padme smiled at his dry joke. “Thank you for the evening.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

They stood for a moment just silently watching the twinkling of lights in the nighttime Coruscant skyline as the pleasant evening wound to an end. Anakin made his way towards them stopping at the garden door’s threshold.

“And Padme, happy birthday.”

Padme looked back at Obi-wan, surprised. She hadn’t wanted to mention it since they were so busy, but Obi-wan had remembered anyway. Rising up on her tip toes, she gave Obi-wan a small peck on his cheeks. Anakin felt again the now familiar squeezing of his heart. This was another thing he’s forgotten. How many things had he forgotten?

Chapter Text

Anakin glanced at the chrono on his arm guard, 2324, and stalked around the ante chamber outside the Chancellors office for the 3^rd time. The plush carpets swallowed the sound of his footsteps and the two guards outside the inner office door ignored him. Obi-wan had been lead straight into the office when they had arrived. That was 20 minutes ago. Anakin made another round of the ante chamber, he couldn’t sit still not when he was so close to that monster.

Another minute passed, the office doors opened and Obi-wan stepped out looking more troubled than before he went in. He swept past Anakin and out of the office without a word or acknowledgement. Anakin stared after the Jedi’s retreating form, caught off guard by the sudden change in behaviour.

~*~

Obi-wans boots clicked an incessant pace as he strode quickly through the empty corridors with Anakin scrambling a step behind. They had walked almost halfway through the Senate building.

“Have Toby assemble the 212^th battalion at port 27 in 20min. We’ll head over now.”

“Wha…?” Anakin started at Obi-wan’s sudden order almost tripping over his own feet but the Jedi ignored him and kept walking towards the docking bays. Anakin casted a furtive glance at the Jedi but Obi-wan’s face was closed and forbidding, not giving away anything. Anakin resignedly commed Toby and passed on the orders. Stowing the comm unit back into his belt Anakin had to jog a few steps to catch up.

This won’t do… something is up and he needed to know what.

“Uh… Boss, if I may ask…” Anakin began inwardly cursing his lack of eloquence.

“No, it’s classified.” Obi-wan cut him off before he could complete the question. Anakin was so stunned for a moment that he didn’t know what to do. Somehow the blunt rebuff hurt more than it should. No he wasn’t the Jedi’s brother-in-arms anymore; he was the clone commander.

Will it always hurt this badly?

“I’m sorry.” Anakin gave weakly but Obi-wan didn't seem to have heard it. The Jedi didn’t say anything else until they were pulling out of the docking bays.

“Mace…,” Anakin heard Obi-wan say in the back seat and felt an involuntary shiver run up his spine. He hunkered down in the pilot seat suddenly scared that the Master of the Order could somehow figure out his deception from over the comm link. It was a ridiculous notion of course but he was not in the best frame of mind. The knot that had been steadily tightening itself in his stomach became like a rock, jutting up against his lungs.

“I need to speak with you...” Obi-wan paused for a second, “… Yes I know it’s late.” Anakin could almost hear his former master’s “eye-roll”. “… Now, if you please, in person.”

Anakin forced himself to not look back.

“At the barracks, yes. Port 27, I’ll be there in 10.” Obi-wan ended the comm call and didn’t say another word.

Coruscant was a planet that did not rest. When much of the more reputable businesses on the planet wound down for the day, others opened up to replace them. Some never closed instead they chased the moon preferring to stay in the shadow of the planet. So even now, nearing midnight, the traffic lanes crisscrossing the Corsuscant skies were still filled with merry makers and party goers. Obi-wan’s sky hopper zipped silently through them, the music and strobe lights bouncing off the windscreen, never once penetrating their bubble of churning chaos.

Did they not know what was going on? Did the galaxy falling apart around them not bother them? Drowning in the lap of luxury and dissipation, they would die in their dreams. Anakin drove on with wordless screams in his head.

Mace Windu was already at the space port when they arrived and Obi-wan leapt out of the hopper before it had fully landed. Anakin watched from the pilot seat as the two Jedi quickly locked themselves into a nearby meeting room.

The space port was quieter and darker than he expected. Only the bare minimum of illumination was provided. There wasn’t the usual hubbub of engineers and logistics personnel prepping the Negotiator for her mission, instead Anakin could only make out the ships' silhouette where it sat quietly on her sunken launch pad. Before her the troopers of the 212^th battalion were already fully assembled. Anakin made his way down to the launch pad where Toby gave him a curt nod as greeting before he began ushering the troops onto the Negotiator.

Obi-wan boarded the ship exactly 10 minutes later and under the cover of the night the Negotiator pulled silently out of port 27 and into the warped planes of hyperspace.

~*~

Anakin groaned and shifted his numb left leg from its cramped position between a cooling unit and a durasteel rack. Of all the things he thought he’d do Anakin never imagined he’d one day be hacking into the Negotiators on board compu systems. Obi-wan had personally inputted the hyperspace jump co-ordinates and encoded it before retiring for the night. Anakin checked and realised that no one else on board the ship actually knew where they were going. He had also racked his brains but no memory of this mission was forth coming. It seemed that his memories would only ever come unbidden. There was no way Anakin could have just sat on his hands and waited to see where they’d end up. He needed more information.

The screen on the datapad resting on his right knee flashed green and Anakin eyed the readouts, Outer rim, Atravis sector… the rest of the co-ordinates were still decoding, kriff. He’d been at it for what seem like hours and all he had to show for it was this half decoded hyperspace co-ordinate. If this takes any longer it wouldn’t matter since they would have arrived.

Anakin rubbed a hand tiredly over his face and turned back to a second datapad he had hard wired into the Negotiators’ main on board compu system and resumed flipping through the classified war intelligence database. He had to do something while he waited.

Trade routes, Separatist forces layout, droid specifications… There was so much information gathered every day that it would takes years for anyone to go through it all.

Mission Reports… Trilunarian Interception… 242YB… last updated 1min ago.

Anakin blinked at the newly update database. They completed the interception not even… Force it hadn’t even been 1 day ago and there was this much information uploaded already? Anakin quickly tapped it open with a sudden feeling of anticipation.

This is new. They never managed to capture the Trilunarian ships in old timeline – in the heat of battle all the battle ships were destroyed with only one small escape pod slipping free of pursuit. Bringing up a particularly large file Anakin scanned the summary.

Files off holocron found on Rune Haako, captured during interception...

A holocron? It was unusual for anyone other than Jedi’s and Siths to have them, and Rune Haako… the name rang a bell but Anakin couldn’t immediately place the face. The file contained some holo recordings and holos but much of it were encrypted. Anakin gave a frustrated sigh and scrolled back to the top where some holos were left unencrypted.

The holos it turns out were enlarged stills taken out of a holo recording. They were all focused on what seems to be a manuscript on which a rather badly composed poem was getting inscribed in ink.

Anakin frowned at the holos, what is so import about this? This form of recording had not been used throughout the galaxy for many millennia. Not only was it inefficient, prone to errors, it was also kriffing expensive to buy paper and thus was indulged in only by the idle rich. The only person Anakin knew who ‘hand wrote’ things was… Anakin stared wide eyed at the holos and sat up unconsciously from his slumped position against the cooling unit. He had seen this handwriting before, but it wasn’t here on these manuscripts, it was a life time ago and light years away, on slips of marble white paper, carefully packed in nerf hide folders, in the open and airy study of a private residence on Naboo…

“Attention, all units report to the docking bay, ETA in 5 minutes.” Toby’s voice cracked suddenly over the comms cutting through Anakin’s reverie. “All squad captains report to the bridge room for briefing.”

Anakin twisted and stared disbelievingly at the comms speakers almost loosing hold of his datapad. How can it be time already!? There are still so much things to look through. Anakin turned back to his datapad and tapped quickly through the rest of the available files. But there was nothing useful, he couldn’t even find the holo recording from which these stills were captured from.

Anakin glanced at his chrono again, he only had 3 minutes left. Kriff! There was no time to look at it now. Anakin set the entire file to download onto his datapad, if he couldn’t read it now he’ll hack into them later. A small timer flashed onto the screen and started counting down, Anakin drummed his fingers. Lights in the compu room dimmed and a loud high pitched humming sounded from the nav computers rack in front of him. The datapad decoding the hyperspace jump co-ordinates was still going. Anakin glared at it in annoyance, it was too slow, the Negotiator was exiting out of hyperspace. The timer finished its count down and Anakin ripped the datachip from his datapad and scrambled up none too gracefully as pin and needles bit into his feet.

~*~

Anakin made it to the bridge room with barely a moment to spare. Toby had given him a questioning look when he lined up next to him but Anakin pretended to not have seen it. Anakin discretely patted his belt pouch, the datachip was inside. Good. Behind him the captains of all the squads in the 212st battalion were already lined up ready for briefing. Anakin stared out of the bridge room’s portside window hoping to get glimpse of the planet they had arrived at, but he couldn’t see anything. There were just masses of what seem to be a glowing brown gas that swirled and buffeted against the Negotiator. Were they inside some gas cloud? But it was much too thick, where in the Force are they?

Anakin heart pounded in his chest. Nothing was going right and it was too late because Obi-wan swept into the bridge room and the whole company stiffened in salute.

Chapter Text

“At ease” Obi-wan said as he made his way to the front of the bridge room. The clones lowered their salute at the command and stood at attention. The Jedi stood for a moment just looking over the assembled group, face set carefully in a blank mask. Anakin could see none of the disquiet from barely 7 hours ago when they were still on Coruscant.

“I’m afraid that due to the urgent nature of things we won’t have much time to prep. Operation will commence at 0833 which gives us just under half an hour.” Obi-wan began after the short pause, his voice steady without the barest hint of inflection. “I will now go over mission objectives and operation details.”

Obi-wan pulled a holocron from his utility belt and brought up the holo map of a star system with 5 planets orbiting a sun. Anakin, Toby and the clone Captains moved to ring themselves around the holo map projector.

“Our mission objective is to destroy any droid holding facilities and or military infrastructure that has been constructed here.” Obi-wan pointed to the planet on the 3^rd orbit from the system’s sun and the holo map zoom in on it in response.

Anakin studied the map intently hoping to see something to jog his memories. The planet in question was situated between two gas giants. Their combined gravitational pull deformed the planet’s orbit such that it sometimes moved outside the gas giant on the 4^th orbit as the three orbited in a tight nit pack about their sun. It wasn’t exactly a rare formation for planets to take but the sense of déjà vu was too strong.

“We will remain in this position and await the planet’s crossover back into the 3^rd orbit.” An indicator lit up on the sunward side of the gas giant 4^th in orbit from the sun marking the Negotiators position. Anakin felt like slapping his forehead, of course, they were hiding in the upper stratosphere of a gas giant. On the moving holo map a huddle of indicators representing clone transports streamed from the Negotiator just as the target planet crossed back inside of the outer gas giant.

“This should bring you close enough to make the final approach before their ground forces respond in time.” Anakin nodded to himself, this manoeuvre was simple enough to plan out on their tight schedule and effective enough to achieve their purpose.

“The window will be short.” Obi-wan leaned over the holo projector and splayed his hands on the edge, “Full speed, full power and take out your respective targets as soon as you can.” Obi-wan stopped to run his eyes over the assembled group checking their understanding. The clone captains all nodded.

Standing back up Obi-wan waved at the holo map and it zoomed further in until it was showing only the lone target planet. “The comms will be targeted first. Squad 1 and 2, you take out comm satellites, squads 3 and 4 the terrestrial comm system.” The 4 captains saluted as they as assigned. “Once the satellites are out stay in orbit to form a blockade, those on the ground will join in the assault groups.” A scattering of marker’s showed on holo map indicating droid bases and comm stations, each was assigned to one or two squads.

“In this way by the time you make planet fall much of the comm systems should be ineffective. Same approach, immediate and all-out attack. I will also suggest making use of the local terrain to your advantage. Secure your respective bases and stand guard unless reinforcements are required for any team. Do not move from your respective areas for any other reason. Am I understood.”

“Yes sir!” the clone Captains answered in unison.

“Any questions?”

“No sir!”

“Very well, prepare for departure and may the Force be with you.”

The clone Captains gave one last salute and filed out. Toby excused himself to go oversee the squad deployments. Obi-wan on his part turned back to look at the holo map and didn’t say anything else. Anakin shifted his gaze from the back of the clones to Obi-wan, the Jedi remained inscrutable. The information given in the briefing if taken at face value was solid enough, but given what he’d been privy to, he would have to be a delirious Gungan to believe that was the true objective.

“You have questions.” Obi-wan said without turning from the holo map.

“You had asked that Toby and I prepare our platoons for deployment as well yesterday.” Anakin began, hoping he sounded more confident than how he actually felt. He wasn’t sure if he could cajole the information from Obi-wan. “But you’ve not assigned us any tasks. I have never been one to sit out of a battle boss.”

A small grin broke out on Obi-wan’s but he didn’t address Anakin’s oblique question. Instead he pointed at the map with his chin and asked, “Tell me commander, when you look at his map, where do you think the droid control centre is located?”

Anakin's brows lowered and bunched in consternation, not quite sure where Obi-wan was going with that question. He eyed the holo map and stepped up to it. The contour map on display showed that much of the planet’s surface was submerged. Whatever bits of land available is mostly dominated by high cone shaped mountains and deep ravines that run for miles between cragged cliffs and escarpments. The droid bases are scattered almost all over the available land except for an area on the eastern hemisphere just above the equatorial line where the land formation was especially harsh and rugged.

Anakin surveyed the bases again but none seemed to stand out. There were some which were clustered close together, others which stood on lonely islets and ones which have been assigned with multiple squads of clones, but nothing shown indicated that they could be control center.

“I’ll bet that it’s none of them.” Obi-wan quipped from beside him. Anakin awarded the Jedi master a frown which Obi-wan didn’t see. He was still looking at the holo map with that infuriating little smile.

“What do you have in mind boss?” Anakin wasn’t particularly in the mood for puzzles.

“Have you ever seen the traditional method of fishing used by the Mon Calamarians? Before they became space farers that is.”

"What?" Anakin gaped at the Jedi confused enough to be knocked off his train of thoughts. Obi-wan didn’t answer and instead walked to stand at the viewport. Outside, 20 gunships glinting in the diffused light slowly disappeared into the churning mist.

Toby came back into the bridge and reported that the troops are in position and that the remaining two platoons of clones are in their transports and ready for deployment. Anakin resigned himself to the fact that he wasn’t going to get any more information.

Come what may, he will not be deterred.

Obi-wan strode to the bridge’s command station and ordered for all hands on deck. “Admiral Yulra, bring the Negotiator into position.”

“Yes General.”

The Negotiator pulled up and ascended through the gas giants’ atmosphere. The mist outside thinned rapidly and soon they were able to see the curve of the gas giant’s horizon. Out in the distance a small dark red planet hung in the velvety blackness of space. The Negotiator hurtled at it with its main propulsion drives gunning at full power.

~*~

It was heat that he felt first, heavy, smouldering and oppressive. Then it was the smell, pungent and acrid. It made his eyes water and his nostrils flare at the repulsive odor.

Through the smoke thick air, a river could be seen, it flowed slowly and seemed to glow in the dark. Every now and then it exploded throwing droplets of glowing rock high into the air and onto bare rocky shores made of thick gnarled ropes of dark stone.

Everything was red and burning, his arms his legs, he can feel it where the fire ringed around the limbs. Initially it smelt like a well done nerf steak, his favorite, ha, but no, it was his own flesh and bone. He felt his stomach revolt.

The stinging flames crawled higher it was on his back, in his hair and the acrid smell of burning sulfur took over everything. He waved a charred stump of an arm but there was no hand to whisk the flames away from his face. The skin around his eyes and mouth puckered painfully preventing them from shutting. A blue light flashed through the smoke, it hovered for a bit and recede into the gloom. No, no he didn’t want to see.

Oh please Force, don’t make me watch…

The air grew thicker and hotter until it was searing down his throat and burning the back of his nose. Oh he couldn’t smell anything anymore because he was choking, he couldn’t breathe. A cough ruptured from his charred throat. He was burning and drying up from the inside out.

“Cody!”

An urgent voice sound in his ear. Anakin felt himself veer uncontrollably forward, but someone grabbed his arms in a painfully tight grip and stopped his fall. The heat and pain receded from his mind and Anakin panted harshly drawing air into starved lungs. His eyes slowly focused to find Obi-wan staring worriedly at him.   

Anakin quickly righted himself. “I’m alright, I’m sorry.”

Obi-wan let go of Anakin’s arm and took half a step back to him some space, not looking terribly convinced.

“It was just a bout of nausea. I may have eaten something bad last night.”

Obi-wan narrowed his eyes.

“Really I’m okay.” He tried again but Obi-wan glared at him. Anakin lowered his head and groped about through his mind for another explanation. None were forth coming.

“General…” Admiral Yulra call from his control station, Obi-wan turned to the Mom Calamari. “The Separatists has answered our hail.”

Obi-wan threw one last glare in Anakin’s direction and moved to take the call. Anakin heaved a sigh of relief. This wasn’t over, Obi-wan was bound to question him but hopefully it would be much later. Perhaps after they finish whatever this harebrained operation was on this Force forsaken planet and preferably after he’s had a chance to come up with a credible excuse. Anakin glanced out the viewport, Mustafar hung there suspended between the gravitational pull of Jestefad and Lefrani.

“Hello there, I am Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi, with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?” Obi-wan asked in a deliberately lilting tone when the Separatist leader’s image finally rendered on the holo communicator.

“Vhat du yuu vant Jedi.” the Separatist leader grounded out in a lisping screech. Anakin felt the alarm bells go off in his head. The alien in the holo image is a Neimodian dress in the garb of a high ranking Trade Federation officer.   

“To say hello I suppose and to give you a chance to negotiate on the terms of your surrender.” Obi-wan answered spreading his hands, feigning innocence. The Neimodian official spluttered indignantly.

“Yuu’re out of yuu mind Jedi.”

Obi-wan cracked a self-depreciating smile, “You must be Viceroy Gunray’s new assistant, Ruok Vaad. Pleasure to meet you.” He continued, unfazed by the Nemodian’s obvious ire.

The Nemodian’s high ridged brow quavered, “…Ve have no business with yuu Jedi.”

“I’m sure Viceroy Gunray wouldn’t appreciate being denied a chance drive a hard bargain.”

“If you do not leave right now Jedi yuu shall be sorry.”

“We shall see, perhaps I can convince you otherwise.”

Ruok Vaad's whole body quivered in anger, but a sudden explosion cut the Nemodian’s response short.

“Assistant Vaad, they’re attacking!” another lisping voice said across the comms. Ruok spun around and shouted at someone off screen in Nemodia. Another explosion sounded through the comms and Ruok was shaken off balance.

“Yuu… Yuu… deceiving rat!” He spitted venomously through the comms at Obi-wan.

“See you soon Assistant Vaad.” Obi-wan gave the Nemodian a winning smile and ended the comm call.

Chapter Text

There was a moment of silence when the called ended as everyone busied themselves with their respective tasks.     

“Mr. Tarin, were we able to determine where the connection came from” Obi-wan asked without stepping from the comm station.

“Negative Sir.” Obi-wan took the answer in stride.

“Have all scanners and sensors focus on sector 10 28 00 to 35 10 00N, 05 04 00W to 20 30 00E.”

“Yes Sir.”

The alarm bells that have been ringing in Anakin’s head spiked to become blearing klaxons even as his mind kicked into overdrive. This is completely different to what he remembered. Had he actually been so out of touch with reality that he never noticed Obi-wan leading such an assault on one of the largest Separatist bases? Had this mission really happened? If it hadn’t, how could history had been distorted so much in so short a time?

“Sir, we’ve not picked up anything from the sensors yet.” Tarin reported.

“Continue with the monitoring.” Obi-wan turned back to his own control station.

On the view screens statuses of the deployed squads are constantly being updated. Mustafar’s communications systems have been completely disabled and several of the droid bases are close to being destroyed as well.

The takeover it seems was progressing smoothly. How could nothing have happened yet.

Questions Anakin couldn’t answer bubbled up from the depths of his memories. Given who Ruok Vaad is, that means the Separatist leaders have been evacuated here already. That means what? That Grievous is here? That Vader is here, or will be here?

Vader… Vader didn’t come into being until after that disastrous assassination attempt by Windu. Had Windu confronted Sidious yet? Was he too late already? Perhaps? Maybe? What had Obi-wan talked to Windu about last night? It seemed it was more related this mission than Sidious’s real identity. Then what happened… Oh…

If what happened in Sidious’s office was him being played like a pawn by a Master Sith, what happened next could only be placed squarely at his feet.

Has order 66 been issued? Anakin darted a glance at Obi-wan, his former master was still standing there bent over his control station. None of the clones had shot at Obi-wan, yet. It wasn’t much of a comfort. Vader shouldn’t have attacked the temple yet, right?

Keep your concentration on the here and now where it belongs… Anakin shook his head. Master Qui-Gon was right, he had always concentrated on the ‘what might be’ even at the expense of ‘what is’. But, the ‘what is’, is that Obi-wan has beaten Vader to Mustafar along with an entire battalion of clones and without Padme. It is no less confusing and Anakin’s heart pounded.

“Sir, Squad 7 is reporting in.” Tarin called out again.

“On screen.” The comms officer connected the call through at Obi-wan’s command.

“Sir, we’ve secure base 9, however during the process a hover pod escaped out of the complex. We made pursuit but the pod was able to go beyond our area of control. Requesting permission to pursue.”

“Do you have visual?” Obi-wan asked.

“Yes Sir.” The clone sent through an additional visual feed. A small craft could be seen flitting through the smoggy air hugging low to the ground. It was well camouflaged and if it wasn’t for some pock marks from blaster fire it would be quite invisible.

“What direction?”

“Due south Sir.”

“Mr. Tarin scan the area.” The comms officer jumped eagerly to the task.

A small indicator blinked to life on the contour holo map, tracing a circuitous route due south into the blank area void of any separatist bases. Obi-wan watched its progress for moment looking almost disappointed.

“Very good, we’ll take it from here Commander, you may return to your base.” The call ended and Obi-wan turned from the comms station to addressed the officers in the bridge at large.

“Admiral Yulra you have the bridge.” The Mon Calamari nodded his acceptance, “Mr. Tarin, pass the tracking and visual feed to the transports. Toby you’re with me, Cody, assist Admiral Yulra on the bridge.” Obi-wan issued the series of commands and started making his way out of the bridge with Toby following a step behind.

What!? No, no no no!

“No!” Anakin shouted before he could properly process the thought. His voice was raised above the din of the bridge room and everyone froze. Obi-wan paused mid stride in the doorway looking back at him with something akin to confusion on his face.

Anakin scrambled for an explanation, “With all due respect Sir, I should be on this mission as I’ve been on this planet before with General Skywalker.” One of Obi-wan’s eyebrow ticked up and he turned fully to Anakin. Crossing his arms over his check the Jedi looked at his clone commander unblinkingly as if daring him to continue with his story.

He was a bad liar at best and Obi-wan’s stare was unnerving. It was probably best to stick with the truth, or some semblance of it. “General Skywalker was tasked with a mission to rescue force sensitive children and it brought him to this planet.”

Obi-wan said nothing and just kept looking. “…I was drafted in at the last minute to help with transports.” Anakin barrelled on, not caring how thin his excuse is starting to sound. “We had covered a considerable amount of ground while looking for the children and eventually found them in a Separatist base. So I also have firsthand knowledge of what separatist bases are like here.”

Obi-wan didn’t answer, instead he scrutinized the clone commander before him and Anakin stared back unable to break the gaze. His former Master probably didn’t believe a word of anything he just said.

“You have to let me come!” he tried again. Anakin’s desperation was palpable and Obi-wan must have read him like an open book even without the Forces confirmation of Anakin’s state of agitation.

“Very well, you may join the mission.” Obi-wan finally answered at length.

Anakin blinked, almost not believing what he heard but then there was a faint phantom light brush across his forehead and a sense of peace and calm descended over him.

“Thank you boss.” Anakin saluted and made his way over to Toby.

Obi-wan turned and resuming making his way down to the hangers not waiting to see if either of his commanders followed. When they were out of ear shot of the bridge room, Obi-wan said, without turning, “Although we were separated to chase down different leads towards the end, that was a joint mission between myself and Anakin. He made no mention of drafting you Cody.”

“…I uh… was on guard duty during the blackout period in the Enemar sytem and General Skywalker needed a ship…” Anakin couldn’t see any change to Obi-wan’s expression except for a minute narrowing of his eyes as if he wasn’t sure how he ended up with the galaxy’s biggest troublemakers. Anakin wasn’t sure either as to how he ended up making up stories to defame both his real and assumed identity.

“We will talk about your dereliction of duty after the mission.” Obi-wan threw over his shoulders and continued his march down to the hangers.

Toby gave him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder but all Anakin registered was that he’s at the bottom of a giant hole he’s dug for himself with no hope of getting out.

~*~

The clone transport was cramped with only standing room in the loading haul. Anakin re-clasped his hand on the stabilising rail above his head. They had been following the small craft Squad 7 found for some 10 minutes already. Obi-wan sat up front in the co-pilot seat instructing the pilot. The transport grounded to a sudden stop and everyone lurched forward. The small craft off in the distance made one last loop and descended rapidly below a rocky outcropping where a hidden hanger door slid open and disappeared inside.

“Release the surveillance drones.” Obi-wan order a beat later. Indicators on the transports monitoring screen charted their progress and soon enough a rough hologram of the base began rendering itself. Anakin swallowed a lump in his throat, it really was the main base.

“You are seeing this Admiral?”

“Every last pixel General.” Yulra replied through the comms.

“Very good, then open fire.”

At Obi-wan’s order several stream of laser cannon fire descended from the murky clouds in the sky and slammed into the separatist base before them. The base’s shields flashed holding out the initial barrage but more cannon fire descended cutting through the shields and boring through the thick stone. Anakin saw a brief glimpse of a cloud of pulverised stone rise up off the ground and spread out rapidly from the epic centre before the static clacking of the laser cannons and explosions cascaded over them. A moment later the transport shook violently as the first of the shock waves arrived as well, flinging molten lava and even boulders at their meagre shields. The sky darkened as more debris was thrown up into the air by the violent onslaught, nothing could be seen or heard through thick smoke and deafening explosions.

The air raid was over almost as soon it started. Through the settling dust they could just make out a crater where the Separatist base was, like an ant hill gouged open and ready for the picking. Obi-wan poured over the sensor readings checking to see what they could pick up. Somewhere in the back of his mind Anakin wondered why the Rebel army never drafted Obi-wan to help them.

“Toby, you take the upper levels and disable the main droid control station.”

“Yes Sir!” Toby answered through the comms.

“Cody, with me, search the lower level and whatever is left of the hangers.”

“Yes Boss.”

The transport kicked off again, shaking off the stones and debris that had built on the shield. From out of the gloom, the two transports converged over the smoking crater.

Anakin made one last check of his blasters with practiced ease. Obi-wan squeezed past him as he made his way towards the back of the loading haul decked out in his own armor. The transports’ gangplank lowered with a tiered hiss and hot acrid air whipped pass the clones. It was every bit as revolting as Anakin remembered it to be.

They stared for a moment at the gaping hole that is now the Separatist base as if aiming for the bull’s eye, then Obi-wan leapt out. A moment later Anakin and the rest of the clones were hurtling through the air right after the Jedi with their jetpacks blasting a full power.

Chapter Text

Hot smoggy air whipped past his visor as Anakin dived towards the lowest level of the exposed Separatist base. The sound of blaster bolts echoed hollowly through the winding corridors snaking off from the newly formed pit. Occasional shots flew past him forcing Anakin to duck and sever sharply to avoid them. Obi-wan was ahead of him, leading the dive, barely visible through the thick smoke.

“Squad 3 in position, clearing level B19-21.” Quick updates from the squad commanders punctuated the background chatter of their internal comms.

“Copy.” Anakin answered back.

The deeper they dived the narrower the crater became and the smoke grew thicker with less room to spread out into. Thankfully there was at least less blaster fire. Anakin’s squad landed at the side of a half collapsed hanger along with Obi-wan.

“Squad 5 team 3 in position. Clearing level B36.” Anakin reported into the internal comms.

“Copy.” Toby answered back.

Obi-wan raised a hand and signaled the team gather round. “I sense something up ahead through that corridor.” Obi-wan informed the group pointing at the entrance to a large passage way that was almost entirely block off by rubble. “Keep your guards up.”

“Yes Sir!”

The squad took stock and moved out. Keeping themselves close to the walls, they edged around a growing lava pool towards the corridor. Anakin shifted the blaster in his hands again, unused to its size and weight, light sabers were really much more elegant.

The corridor was mostly in tact but the only illumination came from emergency lights which bathed everything in an eerie green glow. It was carved into the bedrock, tall and wide enough for a large hover bus to fly through. The initial sections, dipped steeply down before leveling out. Huge mine carts that almost fill out the entire height and width of the corridor ladened with minerals sat randomly along the passageway. Periodically there’ll be openings out to mining platforms where continuous-miners sat frozen, still embedded in the very bedrock they had been digging. There were no battle droids only miner bots standing silent and motionless at their posts.

“This is a transport corridor.” Obi-wan concluded as they paused at a fork. “I don’t sense anything down this side path.”

Anakin nodded, “Wipeout, Payne, Spark, you three make a quick round and clear it out.”

“Yes Commander.”

The rest of the squad moved further ahead but the corridor came to an anti-climactic end some 50 meters down in a storage warehouse. Anakin frowned into the darkness of the cavernous room, Obi-wan could not have been wrong.

“All clear boss.” Anakin reported as he came back out of the warehouse.

“I know.” In the corridor Obi-wan had his eye closed, a hand laid out flat on the wall. “It’s not there…” Obi-wan stepped slowly backup the corridor eyes still closed.

“Here.” The Jedi stopped a few meters away and pointed at a sheer rock wall. Anakin and the clones gathered around their general looking equally confused. Obi-wan didn’t bother explaining and instead started patting and prodding at the stone. With a sudden click hiss a section of the rock face sunk away to reveal a new hidden passageway.

Anakin felt his eyebrows tick up. Really? Hidden pathways? This this so last mega-annum.

“How quaint.” Obi-wan drawled. “Well come along then we don’t have all day.” 

Anakin rolled his eyes, not that anyone saw it since he was wearing his helmet.         

~*~

The new pathway they moved into was pitch black without the illumination of even emergency lights. It was also much smaller, just over two meters tall and allowed only three men to stand abreast. The initial air raid had caused sections to collapse forming small barricades. Beams of light danced across the rough cut walls as the squad made their way down the passageway. Obi-wan’s pace sped up the further along they went before stopping again at what appears to be a deformed blast door.

In the halo of light formed from his torch Anakin could see that a large roundish hole had been carved out of the door. Obi-wan stepped up to it and traced a hand along the cut edge. Anakin moved closer and studied the door himself. The durasteel in this blast door was not very thick so a collapsing wall had deformed its frame locking the door shut. The cut out piece laid on the ground on the other side… someone wanted to get through badly. The cut edge was smooth, precise and still warm as if it was cut by a… plasma blade… lightsabre…!

Obi-wan peered into the darkness beyond, his blue-green eyes seemingly aglow in the dark. Without warning the Jedi darted through the hole, fired up his jetpack and quickly disappeared around a sharp bend just bend the blast door.

Kriff it Obi-wan! His former master obviously has no sense of self preservation.

“Move, move!” Anakin barked before jumping through the hole as well and gave chase. The passage way inclined sharply after the bend. Ahead Anakin could just see the blueish light of Obi-wan's jetpack exhaust. They raced down the passage swerving several more times before the passage abruptly ended and they emerged into a dimly lit underground hangar.

Anakin skidded to a halt and immediately raised his blaster with the rest of the clones following suite. Next to him Obi-wan lifted his arm, palm out and clenched it into a fist before swinging it sharply to the right. A large shapeless form that was on the gangplank of the lone ship in the far side of the hanger was thrown through the air as if flung by an invisible hand. It slammed hard against the unyielding stone walls with a resounding clang. Anakin traced the trajectory with his blaster completely on reflex.

Before it could hit the ground, four spindly limbs shot out from the mass and clawed into the stone allowing it dart with surprising speed and agility down the sheer rock face. It jumped to the ground on two legs and charged at the clones. Anakin managed to squeeze off only a few shots before the creatures’ long arm swept him aside to land awkwardly on his back, winded by the sudden impact.

Kriff, kriff, kriff… he was really not used to using a blaster. Anakin scrambled to get back on his feet but with a sudden and familiar snap-hiss two beams of green-white light flashed towards him. Anakin’s hand scrapped emptily at his belt… Not good!

With a loud static clack the blades grounded to a halt mere inches in front of his face, held back by a blue-white blade. General Grievous’ furious yellow eyes stare back at him from between the blades of the two green light sabres. Obi-wan pushed hard and flung the cyborg back across the room.

Three lightsabres, two green, one blue lit up the immediate vicinity of the hangar each humming a deep note. Beyond the circle of light, the hangar was thrown into deeper shadows making the once cavernous room seem much smaller than it actually was.

“Give up Grievous, there’s no way you can escape from here.” Obi-wan called out stepping in front of the assembled clones.

“Kenobi, you just won’t die will you.” Grievous hissed, spindly frame hunched over like a coiled spring.

“I’m afraid I’m not very good at that General.”

“Hah!” Grievous gave a humourless laugh and stepped sideways on the on the tips of his mechanical feet, light sabres raised. Obi-wan mirrored him, keeping himself between the cyborg and the clones.

“You came faster than you normally do Kenobi, did the Republic intelligence bureau actually become competent.”

“They are as they’ve always been General, but your maps have become more useful.”

“This base was never drawn on any map!”

“Droid bases were spread all over the planet except for this sector. What else could have been here?” Obi-wan explain in a bored voice as if it was the simplest of problems. “All I needed was then to find a good guide to show me the last leg of the trip.”

“Cowardly slug!” Grievous seethed, “It was not enough to have just killed him.”

“There’s no point stalling for time Grievous.” Obi-wan began again, “Your closest reinforcements are over three days away by hyper space.”

Grievous glared back at the Jedi Master. Raising his arms and a second set of limbs separated from them each holding on to a light sabre. “I am the Jedi Hunter…” With a snap-hiss the additional light sabres ignited as well. “You think you can win against me Kenobi?”

Obi-wan cocked an eyebrow, looking for all the world like he was entering a training session rather than a deadly duel. “Of course.”

With a growl, Grievous darted forward, two light sabres at the top spinning in a dizzying fan of light and the lower two swinging forward in a low cut. Smoothly Obi-wan stepped back ducked low and raised his light sabre above his head and caught all four in a classic block. The blades crackled and sizzles against each other. Grievous drew back and swung again, four blades each cutting in at a different angle but Obi-wan deflected them all.

The clones moved around the duelling pair, falling back to form a small blockade at the mouth of the passageway they entered from. They could not help in this duel. Anakin’s hands itched. 

The duel gained paced. Grievous rained blows on the Jedi but Obi-wan blocked them, allowing the force of the Grievous’ attack to propel his own blade to greater speed and power. Grievous tended to rely on the unexpected and attacking from hard to reach positions, taking advantage of the full range of movement of his mechanised body. However, Obi-wan wasn’t the master of Soresu for nothing. The Jedi master anticipated and smoothly countered every strike, using quickness and economy of movement to form an impregnable shield of light around his body. Grievous danced around the Jedi but Obi-wan was like the eye of the storm, calm, centred and utterly untouchable.

“Is this all you’ve got Kenobi? Once I’m done with you, your little clones will be nothing but fodder!” Grievous shouted with frustration.

“Denial does not become you General.” Obi-wan answered coolly pushing forward with his own attack. Catching two of Grievous’ sabres in a lock Obi-wan slid his sabre down the length of the blades and with a glancing blow severed off both the hands holding the two blades. Falling away in a shower of sparks the hands, still clamped around their extinguished light sabre, skidded across the floor.

Grievous went cold with fury. With the remain two sabres, Grievous attacked again, quick and sharp the strikes grew firmer and stronger fuelled by anger and desperation. For a moment Obi-wan was not able to counter attack under the ferocious onslaught. Anakin tore his eyes away from the duel and stretched an arm out to the light sabre lying on the ground – it didn’t move.

Kriffing Cody!

Anakin quickly holstered his blaster and dived towards the sabre. Tossing away the sever hand Anakin tested the hilt in his hand before thumbing the light sabre on. With a familiar snap-hiss a blue-white blade, brilliantly azure at its heart, shot out from the hilt. Anakin eyed the glowing blade with a sense of wonder; it didn’t feel wrong at all, even if it’s been years since he had used one of this colour. Turning back to the duel Anakin leapt forward with a shout and joined the fray.

Striking down with a high overhead cut Anakin managed to land a blow to Grievous’ back as the cyborg fended off Obi-wan’s frontal attack. Both duellists swivelled to look at Anakin with equal looks of surprise. Grievous screamed and swung at Anakin in a back handed strike. Anakin spun away from the sabre and attacked again with a sweeping upward swing. Obi-wan recovered quickly from Anakin’s surprise entry and managed locked Grievous’ blade allowing Anakin’s strike to sever a third hand.

Grievous shrunk back, stunned. He was already loosing when going against only Obi-wan, now with the addition of another attacker there was no way to win. Pushing back hard with the remaining hand Grievous spun and ran for the ship still in the hanger. Obi-wan leapt up spinning with Force assisted grace and landed in front of Grievous cutting off his retreat. Anakin pushed forward from behind sandwiching the cyborg between them. Together they attacked as one, using the swing of their body to propel their sabres in wide rapid arcs of devastating power. It was the light sabre form most familiar with both of them, Ataru.

In a flurry of strikes Obi-wan sliced off the last of Grievous’ arms and Anakin drove his blade through Grievous’ midsection cutting the cyborg in half. Grievous crashed to the floor arms floundering. Obi-wan held his blade by the cyborgs throat. Anakin panted, it had been too long since he’s fought like that.

“You are under arrest Grievous.”

Grievous clawed himself into a half sitting position and laughed. “You think you’ve got me Kenobi?”

Obi-wan didn’t reply, instead he signalled for the clones to bring forth binders and kept his light sabre trained on the cyborg. Eyeing the advancing clones, a hysterical laugh bubbled up from Grievous throat.

“Hahaha… you will not win Kenobi. Hahaha…” Grievous shouted through the maniacal laughter, “None of you would leave here!”

Anakin stared in disbelief down at the disabled cyborg. That was when he noticed it, a faint light flashing from inside the armour over Grievous chest. Anakin looked up in alarm at Obi-wan and realised that the Jedi had noticed as well.

“Go!” Obi-wan shouted and ran forward dragging Anakin by the arm.

“Get out now!” Obi-wan shouted again at the advancing clones.

Grievous laughed again. “None of you would leave here!”

“Go, go!” Anakin screamed herding the clones back through the passage way. The squad of clones barrelled down the narrow passage way with Anakin and Obi-wan bringing up rear. Grievous manic laughter could still be heard from behind them.

The group arrived a sharp bend just in time as Grievous exploded into a fireball that pursued them down the passage way. Obi-wan threw himself around the bend and covered his head as rubble rained down on them. The hanger and the passage way they just run up collapse completely in on itself.

“General! General Kenobi Sir! Do you copy!” Toby’s urgent voice came over the internal comms as the sound of falling rocks finally subsided. Anakin lifted his head off the ground and shook of the debris.

“General!” Toby called again.

“We’re here Toby.” Obi-wan answered dragging himself off the ground.

“Oh thank the Force! Is everyone okay?”

“We’re good Toby.” Anakin replied, while helping the other clones up. “All good Toby.” It was lucky they managed to shelter behind the bend, if not the result could not bear consideration.

“That’s good then.” Toby added again relief lacing clearly through his voice. After a short pause, Toby added, “Sir, I’ve got good new to report.”

Obi-wan paused in his check-up of the clones. “What is it?”

“We caught the Separatists leaders. All of them.”

Anakin blinked owlishly in the dark. This mission was really going too well to be true.

Chapter Text

The ripple of excitement shot through the clones like lightning. They crowded in close around Obi-wan, even pushing Anakin to the side in their eagerness to talk to Toby.

“You sure about that Commander Tobes?” one shouted at Obi-wans’ raised arm.

“Just wait till you hear who we just got!” another enthused over the first.

“Yeah! We got the 501^st totally beat this time round.” “Totally!”

“Sprog, you’re getting drills for that.” Toby’s gruff voice came over comms.

“How’d you know it was me?” the clone who shouted first asked dumbfounded, everyone else snickered. Obi-wan remained steadfastly silent as he indulged the clones around him. The company cheered and slapped each other the back.

“Thank you Toby, I’ll see you up there shortly.” Obi-wan said into his comm when there was a break in the celebrations and clipped off his communicator.

“You were totally brilliant too Commander Codes!” Sprog said while heartily slapping Anakin’s shoulder.

“Yeah, that move with the lightsabre,” another clone joined in, miming Anakin’s earlier upward slash to comic effect, “General Skywalker’s favourite move. I see him do it all the time.”

“And, and those finishing moves, looked just like your moves General Kenobi!” Sprog added and gave Anakin a particularly hard thump across the back.

Oh sweet Force…

Anakin tensed involuntarily under Sprog’s arm that is now slung across his back and shoulder. He had not thought about the consequences, only that he could not let Obi-wan fight on his own.

“Did General Skywalker teach you that Commander Codes?” Sprog asked. Anakin twisted awkwardly to look at the clone, but Sprog didn’t wait for an answer, “So biased, he didn’t teach any of us. I bet Old Rex knows as well.” He huffed good naturedly.

“Ha even if General Skywalker taught you won’t be able to do it.” The return jib from the other clones came almost immediately and the small squad cracked up again. Anakin laughed along weakly and snuck a glance at Obi-wan but the Jedi was smiling and walking up to him.

“Good job Cody.” Obi-wans’ voice was light and full of sincere compliments, his eyes crinkled and crow’s feet wrinkled the skin around them. Sprog gave Anakin a toothy grin looking as if he was the one praised instead.

Anakin’s breath stopped, as if someone had reached inside him, grabbed hold of his lungs and squeezed hard then hollowed out his chest. He knew Obi-wan too well, worked with him for too long, saw too many of their enemies completely charmed by that voice and that smile.

“...Thank you, Boss.”

Obi-wan’s eyes swept over Anakin briefly and his smile grew bigger, “You may keep the light sabre until the end of the mission.”

Anakin’s head snapped down. Sure enough, the light sabre he had grabbed from Grievous’ severed hand was clipped to his belt, on his left side, where he had always had his light sabre.

“Woah, can I have a look at your light sabre Commander Codes?” Sprog bent over to have a better look. Oh for Force sake! Sprog did not know when to quit and Obi-wan was still smiling. What in the Force was he thinking? Why was he still acting like an impulsive teenager? Was he not an experienced General, Jedi and Sith Lord to boot?

“No Sprog, you’ll need training first.” Obi-wan answered for Anakin instead. Sprog was disappointed but Obi-wan turned away and assembled the clones for departure, leaving Anakin to his thoughts.

The group quickly took stock again, dusting off any remaining debris, Anakin followed suit mechanically. Their ascent was quick, without the need to be silent or scrutinize at every shadowed alcove. There was a verifiable spring in the clones’ steps and the tension that silenced everyone on the way down was nowhere to be seen. When they passed the fork, Wipeout reported that they’re still finishing the checks. They left three more troopers as backup and made the rest of the way up.

~*~

“We’ve kept them in the main conference room where we found them Sir.” Toby reported as Obi-wan, Anakin and a small entourage of clone guards made their way through the Separatist base. “They’ve not said much.”

Obi-wan made no comment and instead busied himself with unclasping his armour. Handing Anakin his helmet, Obi-wan tugged at his tabards in an attempt to straighten them. Anakin propped the helmet over his forearm and kept his eyes firmly on the floor. Grey non-descript duracrete flooring scrolled pass too quickly below his feet. Their footsteps echoed and reverberated hollowly, caught between the slanted walls of the claustrophobically small passageway that lead to the control room.

His shadow emerges from murky depths of the unlit hall outside and precedes him into the hallway, extending across the duracrete floor in an echo of his determined march.

A head two clones stood guard at the door, Obi-wan swept pass them without so much as a pause.

The door to the main control room is open. They had received news of his arrival. There were guards but they were not looking out for him.

The main control room was empty except for more clone guards. The holo map stations and display screens shone blue in the shadowy room. Phantom voices susurrated next to Anakin's ears.

Welcome Lord Vader, we have been expecting you…

The entrance door hisses shut behind them.

A dark shape flits past, spinning with deadly grace, where it goes, bodies fall.

They arrive at a door on the far side of the room.

“The war is over… Lord Sidious promised us peace… the only one…” a flash of blue light cuts short the pleading voice.

Two more clone guards saluted them as the door hisses open to reveal the conference room. Around the long table, the Separatist council sat stewing in the suffocating heat and their own fear. Large windows at the end of the room looked out upon a scene pulled from Anakin’s darkest dreams. The red glow of the magma lights stained everything a bloody red.

Stay in the here and now... here and now… Anakin closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the images, but they were burnt into the back of his eyelids.

Obi-wan stopped just outside the doorway and nodded towards Toby. Immediately the clone troopers streamed through the door and stood at attention with blasters held before their chest. Hooking the thumb of his right hand through his belt Obi-wan strolled with deliberate casualness into the conference room. When he arrived at the head of the table, Obi-wan dropped unceremoniously into the chair there and lounged back with the ankle of one leg propped over the knee of the other.

Anakin stood behind Obi-wan’s chair, eyes roaming over the assembled group. Archduke Poggle the Lesser, Emir Wat Tambor, San Hill… Nute Gunray. The Neimoidian was at the other end of the table to Obi-wan’s right, hunched over in his seat, trying to be as unobtrusive as he can. They are all ghosts who have revived even as he had just cut them down outside. Anakin dragged a ragged breath through his mouth.

“What a good catch today.” Obi-wan pronounced into the silence after a pregnant pause, voice pitched low in a posh lazy purr. There was no reply but the Jedi was not expecting any anyway.

“Toby status report.” Obi-wan ordered waving a hand nonchalantly at the clone behind him.

“Yes Sir,” Toby snapped off a quick salute, “We have confirmed from all squads that their respective targets bases have been contained. Both the orbital and terrestrial communication systems are disabled. Squad 1 and 2 have formed an orbital blockade with the Negotiator.

The main base now under our control and the droid control station disabled. During the process, we captured all Separatist leaders and General Grievous is confirmed terminated.”

“Very good.”

Obi-wan looked back to the assembled group, “Gentlemen you are now under the custody of the Galactic Republic. If you co-operate, we will have a pleasant journey back to Coruscant. If not, other arrangements can also be made.”

A murmur of accent passes through the group of council members, “Of course, of course.”

Obi-wan waved at Toby again, “Toby, escort the Councillors to the Negotiator.”

“Yes sir.” With practiced co-ordination, Toby marched each of the Councillors out of the room between two clones.

Obi-wan watched the proceedings with careless indifference but when they reached Nute Gunray he called out again. “Viceroy Gunray, a word please.”

The Neimoidian froze in an awkward half stand in his seat, then fell back into his seat with the sort of finality that a being with no other choice had. The rest of Separatists councillors filed out of the room darting furtive glances at the lone member left at the table with undisguised suspicion. Anakin moved to follow Toby and rest of the clones out.

“Cody, you may stay.” Obi-wan’s voice stopped him before he could take even a step. The tone was light with even a hint of a smile. Anakin felt a breath catch in his chest and forced himself to breathe out. 

“Yes Boss.”

The door hissed shut behind the last of the clones leaving only the three each with their own secrets. The room lapsed back into silence again with only the sound of bubbling lava as accompaniment. Nute Gunray seemed to shrink further into his seat and stare harder at the tabletop. A bead of sweat tracked its’ way slowly down the side of Anakin’s temple. Obi-wan keeping Nute Gunray back was not surprising. After all, all that posturing could not have been for nothing, but why keep ‘Cody’ back as well?

“Viceroy, I’ve been reviewing some of the Trade Federations’ financials and wondered if you would enlighten me on some questions I had when going through them.” Obi-wan asked suddenly into the silence breaking Anakin’s train of thought. Nute Gunray made an aborted attempt to look at the Jedi. 

“It is to my knowledge that the Trade Federation alone has been funding the Separatists war efforts to the tune of several billion credits a week.” Here Obi-wan paused and rested his crossed hands over his abdomen, “Viceroy, I am not well versed in the art of business but, is there hope of ever recuperating these, investments? How much longer does the Trade Federation intend to fund this campaign?”

Nute Gunray looked back at the Jedi from the corner of his eyes, seething with equal parts of anxiety, fear and hate. The amount of loss the Federation is running the last few years was clear to anyone who cared to look. The red line loomed far closer than it was appropriate or indeed logical. Obi-wan’s words hit a bit too close to home for comfort.

“The Trade Federation is committed to our cause.” Gunray bites out.

“Committed or forced?” Obi-wan returned sharply. “You are certainly spending more than you ever did while you were still with the Republic.”

“What would you know?” Gunray rasps, “You’re nothing but a snotty little grub grovelling at the side of your dead master’s body.”

The spike of anger flared hot and violent, surprising Anakin in spite of himself. The urge to fling Nute Gunray across the room chafed against Anakin control. If he hadn’t been Force blind who knows what would have happened. Before him in the seat, Obi-wan somehow managed to draw back without moving a muscle, as if he had drawn back mentally not physically. There was no change of expression in his face, still the same lazy half smile. Anakin hated it with a vengeance.

How often had he sensed the turmoil that raved behind that mask of indifference? That year when he first became a Padawan, when everything had been both too raw and too fresh. The cognitive dissonance had been too much for a nine-year-old child to comprehend.

“You forget much Viceroy.” Obi-wan dismissed the barb as one might flick aside a dust mote. To his credit, Nute Gunray made no comment and kept quiet in lieu of further provocation.

Satisfied Obi-wan continued with his answer as if the previous episode did not happen. “Perhaps at one stage in the past you were committed Viceroy, but that is then and this is now. Have any of the things they promised you come to pass? Or are you just paying the same taxes to a different entity?”

Obi-wan leaned sideways in his seat and propped his head on the knuckles of a hand, “A commitment based on mutual interest will naturally disintegrate when the interest is no longer present. There are no permanent friends or enemies, Viceroy.”

Anakin could pin point the exact moment that Nute Gunray took the bait. The flash of sudden understanding and glint of greed in the Neimoidian’s bulbous eyes sat like a rotting womp rat at the back of his throat.

“…What do you want with me?” Gunray asked voice steadier than it had been since the start of the conversation.

“A promise, that the Federation would support the Republic.”

“Support the Republic?” the Neimoidian repeated in disbelief as if it was the most ludicrous idea he has ever heard. “Why would I believe in the Republic?” Gunray asked in a low hiss.

“Why can’t you believe in the Republic?” Obi-wan threw the question right back at Gunray without missing a beat.

“We are at war!” Gunray shouted incredulously.

“That has no bearing on the matter. As I said, there are no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.” Obi-wan continued with something akin dryness. “The Republic intends to end this war at the soonest possible time. If the Federation is willing to support the Republic this time will come much sooner.”

“And if not?” Anakin had to give Gunray props for having the galls to ask.

Obi-wan’s eyes flicked up and pinned the Neimoidian with a passive stare that pierced far deeper than any blade could. Gunray’s voice choked back into his throat.

“Viceroy, do you really think your Confederacy has a chance of winning after the happenings today?” Obi-wan replied sounding supremely unconcerned.

Gunray’s bulbous eyes twitched in their sockets but he made no answer.

“But I will make you believe that the Republic is sincere in its offer.” Obi-wan flattened the lines of his mouth and enunciated slowly, “The Confederacy has reasons to kill you while it’s beneficial for the Republic to gain the Federations’ support. And that support can only be gained through you Viceroy.”

“Kill me? If they had wanted me dead I would be long gone.” Gunray’s argument was weak even to his own ears.

“Of course, that's a given." Obi-wan interjected with a small huff of laughter. "But then one could never predict how things progress. The future is always in motion.” the Jedi continued completely unfazed. “Who would have known that a Confederacy councillor with too much information would one day be my… guest?" Obi-wan stared straight at the Neimoidian and cocked an all too familiar eyebrow, "Do you really think the Count would risk further losses to save you?”

Obi-wan allowed the question to hang for several seconds before continuing in his slow but surely manner. “If you do, that is its own kind of blind idiocy. No, what the Count would do is replace you someone he can control. That’s what someone smart like the Count would do.” Obi-wan allowed himself a pause for the words to sink in. Anakin released a breath he had not known he was holding.

Had the Republic really been making such plans? Anakin furrowed his brows, something did not add up but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

When Obi-wan began again, his voice was hard like durasteel walls, cutting off every one of Nute Gunray’s retreats. “When that happens Viceroy, what would you be? A useless person? No, worse, you’ll be a liability, a tripping stone in their plans. A tripping stone that must be removed.”

Anakin felt the thump of his heart against his breast, as if it wanted to escape from the suddenly too tight confines of his chest. Even if Gunray’s first reaction is to deny everything that Obi-wan said, they both knew on a visceral level that every one of those words is true.

Neimoidians do not sweat; it is a result of their biological evolution, but the colour of their skin was much more telling. Grunray’s mottle green skin had paled to a sickly grey. Splotchy patches of dark green and indigo either settled into the deep groves or rippled across areas of visible skin. Dark red patches stood prominent and inflamed around the protruding eyes. A small but visible tremor travelled up Gunray’s back making it seem like the Neimoidian was vibrating in his seat.

The intercom on the table beeped. Obi-wan flicked it on with a wave of his hand.

“Sir, we recovered a body requiring identification from the underground transport corridor.” Wipeout’s voice came through the embedded speaker.

Obi-wan cast a brief glance at Gunray before replying, “Bring it in.”

“Yes Sir.”

The conference room’s doorway hissed open and Wipeout entered along with one other clone who guided a hover stretcher behind him. A white cloth laid over the stretcher obscuring the body.

“Have Viceroy Gunray identify it.” Obi-wan ordered and the clone obediently lead the hover stretcher to stop right next to Gunray. Wipeout stepped up and whipped the cloth off.

Anakin gagged. The body could not really be call a ‘body’, more accurately it was ‘pieces’ of the body. Anakin could see the cauterised edges of the cuts and felt phantom rings of fire around his limbs. The clones must have picked the pieces up in a hurry, so they piled in haphazard manner on the stretcher, a leg here, an arm there. The head sat in the middle, titled to one side. Ruok Vaad’s surprised empty eyes stared back at Nute Gunray.

There was a moment of stunned silence then a high keening wail rose from Nute Gunray slack mouth. The Neimoidian rocked back and forth on his seat insensible with fear. His skin darkening into an ashen grey that was only a grade lighter than that of Ruok Vaad’s lifeless body.

Obi-wan waved the clones out and made his way over to the Neiomoidian, voice dipping low but somehow remaining perfectly audible, as if he had the ability to make one strain their ears and listen harder. Anakin had no doubt that Obi-wan perhaps did have such an ability. “Viceroy, you know intimately well how the Confederacy deals with traitors and those who stand in their way. There is no way the Count will keep you alive.”

Nute Gunray gurgled something unintelligible and slipped from his seat. Obi-wan stared impassively down at the weak and trembling mass on the floor. “Co-operate with the Republic Viceroy, it is your best and only option.”

Gunray heaved on the floor murmuring and crying, “…no, he’ll know… no no… no… I can’t… he knows… he reaches everywhere.”

“Support the Republic and you’ll gain the protection of the Jedi Order and the Grand army of the Republic.”  

Nute Gunray’s head snapped up, eyes wild with fear. Grabbing madly for the Jedi’s legs Gunray held on to it for dear life, Obi-wan allowed it. “What must I do? …Tell me!”

Obi-wan nodded in acknowledgement but his eyes were narrowed in thought, looking not at all happy with Gunray’s capitulation. “You said, the Sith Master ‘knows’, you sound very certain of this.”

Gunray freezes as if even fearing the sound the title. Obi-wan ignored the Neimoidian and continued with his deductions. “You had Rune Hakko investigate the Sith Master’s identity, he found something didn’t he?”

Anakin’s hand snapped up and grabbed hold of the belt pouch containing the memory chip off his data pad. Gunray was not able to say anything, still caught in the confines of his own fears. Obi-wan squatted down and gave the Neimoidian a hard shake at the shoulders. “Tell me what you know now, or all your bargaining power will be lost once Rune Hakko’s holocron finishes decoding.”

“We are not sure either…” Gunray finally began, voice feeble, fading in and out, “We suspect it’s him…”

“Who do you suspect?”

“…Palpatine.”

Gunray’s voice was no more than a whisper but the answer hit like an exploding thermal detonator. Obi-wan froze even as his mind went into overdrive. Something like hope blossomed at the bottom of Anakin’s heart and his mind whirled with the unexpected revelation.

Could their futures really be saved?

Anakin’s hand clenched involuntarily over the belt pouch. With the information there coupled with all the intelligence that has been gathered over the years by the Republic and Jedi it was more than enough to pin down Palpatine. He didn’t have to fight that battle alone anymore!

The Jedi would know, the Senate would know… No! Wait…

The tiny ray of hope shrivelled and died and was replaced with a cold tangle of dread. Anakin’s breath became thick and painful in his lungs and throat as if a weight laid over his chest, the weight of the galaxy.

Sidious knows!

The thought rang loud and urgent, repeating like a mantra in Anakin's head. The capture of Rune Hakko, the holocron, the urgent summons, the amount and accuracy of intelligence on Mustafar, how smoothly the mission went… The series of events cascaded one into the other.

Oh Force… He’s moved the plan forwards…

“Sleep.”

The sudden command from Obi-wan knocked Anakin effectively from his thought. Anakin snapped up just in time to see Nute Gunray slump over in a dead faint. The blast shields behind Anakin whirled to life and began lowering themselves over the view ports. The conference room door clicked signalling an engaging lock. Absolute silence descended over the conference room.

Obi-wan stood slowly up from his crouch and turned to face Anakin.

“Who are you?”

Anakin felt the air crystallise around him and could only offer a stammered, “Wh… what?”

Chapter Text

Everything seemed frozen, including Anakin’s thoughts. The moment of awkward silence stretched both infinitely long and infinitesimally brief. Surprise, anxiety, fear vied for purchase in Anakin’s’ mind. Obi-wan looked back at him with a carefully control face half-obscured in shadows, showing nothing.

“Well?” Obi-wan asked again and the question somehow broke through Anakin’s stasis.

What was he scared of? Wasn’t this the opportunity he’s been looking for? The opportunity to finally tell Obi-wan about Sidious’s plans.

Release your fears… There was not time nor grounds for retreat.

“That’s not important…” Anakin finally answered mouth dry as the deserts of Tatooie.

Obi-wan cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head ever slightly so. Anakin wanted to laugh at the familiar pose. He had managed to surprise his former Master, but he was too full of dread and it came out as more of a choked cough.

“You do not deny that you’re not Cody?” Obi-wan asked somewhat incredulously.

“It seems futile to do so.” Anakin answered in reckless abandon. He had, after all, in the space of a day, blew what can be considered a perfect cover.

“Hm.” Obi-wan snorted, mustache twitching, “At least you’re self-aware.” The sarcastic barb was so quintessentially Obi-wan that Anakin felt another helpless laugh bubble up through his chest.

“Since the mission on Terion, the Force had felt different around you. Your emotions have also been particularly unstable, but I sensed no danger from you.” Obi-wan p aused briefly and asked, “Was that when you took over?”

Anakin felt as if he was back to being a Padawan, making the silliest of mistakes, like all his efforts were for naught. Without the Force, he could not sense others, but more importantly, how could he forget that he could not shield himself! Obi-wan must have read him like an open book. Was there even a time when this ‘Cody’ identity was not under scrutiny? Being on the other end of a Jedi’s empathic abilities was very unsettling.

A ripple of light feathery touches passed over his forehead and Anakin had the most inane of feelings that someone was laughing at him from the nether of the Force. Force dammit.

“Yes.” Anakin all but snapped. This was not the time for chitchat. He needed to get this stubborn Jedi off the planet and away from him and away from the clones.

“…If your identity is not important then what is?”

“You!”

Anakin took a step forward, shaking with barely controlled emotions. “You’re in danger! You must get off this planet as soon as possible!”

It seemed as if a floodgate opened and the words tumbled out. “Sidious, he wants the Jedi dead. The clones— they’re all embedded, with this… this bio-chip—it controls their actions. As soon as Sidious issues the order they will shoot down the Jedi without a second thought even if they don’t want to—then there’ll be no one to stop the Empire!” Anakin finished with a shout, breathing harsh and labored.

“Bio-chip…? Empire?” Obi-wan looked back at him with a stunned face, for once too surprised to say anything coherent. Obi-wan turned away breaking the stare, eyes turning inward as the Jedi attempted the process the deluge of information. “…I need to speak with the Council…”

Anakin groaned, “Please you have to leave now! He could issue the command at any moment.”

“Why do you say that?” Obi-wan asked with confusion bleeding through every word.

“The best means of defense is offense.” Anakin answered without a second thought, “He will not sit idly by for you to capture him.”

Obi-wan’s brows furrowed as he worked through the answer.

“The Rune Hakko files,” Anakin dug into his utility belt pouch and pull out the data chip he ripped from his datapad, “there must be something in here that’s enough to pin him down.” Anakin shoved the datachip into Obi-wan’s slack hands. “He knows so he planned this mission to clean everything off the plate.”

“Including the Separatist council… to make way…” Obi-wan added almost as confirmation. Anakin nodded.

“You need to leave and get back to Coruscant.” Anakin repeated again, staring beseechingly at the Jedi and hoping his former Master would understand or just read the warnings from the Force like some kind of Force damned weatherman.

Obi-wan stared back just as unwaveringly. At length the Jedi gave a small nod and hid the datachip in an inner pocket under his armor.

“I expect an explanation of everything Cody, and I do mean everything.” Obi-wan gave Anakin a hard stare. Anakin nodded, once, promising to do so.

Obi-wan turned away and pulled out his comm link. “Toby,”

“Sir?”

“I need you to bring your platoon down. Suspicious activities were reported in some of the lower levels.”

“Yes Sir.”

Obi-wan clicked off the communicator and scanned the room, stopping at the exhaust vent that terminated high up the wall in the conference room. “Cody, go check on Nute Gunray.” Obi-wan ordered as he squinted through the metal grate into the dark tunnel.

Anakin sighed in relief, they are finally moving along. Stepping over, Anakin knelt down and checked the Neimoidian’s vitals. Nute Gunray was still out cold. The lightsaber at his hip tapped against his armor as Anakin moved.

“Bring him over.” Obi-wan called.

Anakin looked back and saw that Obi-wan had ripped the metal grate off the ventilation shaft. The tunnel was just big enough for a grown man walk through while bent over. “The security system is disabled. This should be our safest route.”

“Our?” Anakin asked uncertainly, Obi-wan did not hear him; the Jedi was already in the shaft. Anakin hefted Nute Gunray on his shoulders and walked over. “Here.” Anakin handed the Neimoidian up to Obi-wan. After settling Nute Gunray in the shaft, Obi-wan reached back down again. Anakin looked at the outstretched hand but did not take it.

“Weren’t you the one in a hurry?” Obi-wan asked.

 Anakin ignored the question and instead he unhooked the light sabre from his belt. Turning it over in his hands, Anakin placed it in Obi-wan’s hand. “You should take this.”

Obi-wan looked at the lightsaber ‘Cody’ handed him, confused. Looking back up, ‘Cody’ had already turned to head for the doorway. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to take the clones down the lower levels.” Anakin did not turn around when he answered.

“Toby can do it.”

“Didn’t I tell you that the clones could turn on your at any moment? It’d be better if you keep all the weapons.” Pulling on his helmet, Anakin added, “I wouldn’t want to accidentally injure you.”

“With a light sabre?” Obi-wan returned with feigned disdain, “If you had been facing anyone who had any competency, you’d have to clone yourself a new set of limbs.”

Anakin froze and almost turned around. Force, Obi-wan gives no ground in a fight of words. “Yeah, I guess not.” Anakin mumbled to himself.

The fight they had a lifetime ago on the flaming shores of Mustafar flashed before his eyes. The anger, hate and resentment all seemed so inconsequential now. The only things that were important were his family and friends. “Senator Amidala… she’ll need your help Master…” and so does Skywalker… Anakin did not say the last few words. If Obi-wan could be back at the Jedi Temple then perhaps, there is still a chance to save his past self, but if it was too late... he could not ask Obi-wan to do it.

“Of course I’ll help her.”

“Thank you.”

Anakin took another step forward. “Cody!” Obi-wan shouted again and Anakin stopped just before the doorway.

“Don’t worry, I keep my promises.” Anakin answered one last time and ducked out of the meeting room.

~*~

Anakin made his way to the temporary landing docks in silence while he went over the cover story in his mind. The temporary docks was a large warehouse that had its roof and two of its walls blown off in the initial attack. When Anakin arrived Toby’s transport was just landing. The blue glow of the ion drive stood in stark contrast to the gloom of smog-filled sky. It did not take long for Toby’s platoon to assemble. Anakin and Toby saluted each other in greeting.

“During Nute Gunray’s interrogation we found that the Separatists have apparently made a weapons store in the lower level of this mining facility.” Anakin began without preamble.

“Do we not have accurate locations?” Toby asked.

“No, the General is still questioning him in the conference room. He’s just ask me to start the search.” Anakin heaved a large sigh. “I’ve sent my platoon out already, but there’s too much ground to cover.” Anakin showed Toby a large holo map of the separatist base indicating where he had already sent his clones.

Toby nodded in understanding, “I’ll take the rest of the floors. Keep in touch over the comms.”

“Okay.”

Anakin watched with no small amount of relief as Toby proficiently deployed the clones and headed out along with one of the search teams. Turning, Anakin scanned the two transports on the temporary landing dock. There were no more clones onboard and only a small group of five clones standing guard. Three of them operated mobile ion cannon turrets and two others roamed freely about three stations. They weren’t really paying attention.

“Sprog.” Anakin called out as he made his way over to one of the clones.

“Commander Codes!”

“Get the boys, we’ll move inside a bit, it’s too kriffing hot out here.”

“Force you’re a life saver Commander.” Sprog excited voice came over the intercoms as he gathered his squad. The small group made their way back towards entrance to the main separatist stronghold. Anakin urged the clones along wishing they would move faster.

Beep beep… beep beep…

Anakin’s breath stopped but his hands did not, they moved of their own accord and pull the small communicator disk from its pouch and the call connected itself. A tiny blue hologram shimmered into shape.

“Commander Cody, the time has come, execute order 66.” Sidious’s grizzled voice croaked from the small blue figure.

“Yes Sir…” Anakin intoned. The call ended and the small disk dropped from numb fingers. Anakin reached for the blaster strapped to his belt. Beside him Sprog and his team of clones shifted their blasters to full power.

“Move out!” Sprog shouted and the group of clones charged forward into the stronghold towards the conference room leaving Anakin still standing outside the doorway.

Behind him one of the transports fired up with a low pitched whine sending out a blast of hot air.

Not there…

Anakin rushed back out and sent a hail of blaster fire at the rapidly ascending transport. They slammed into the durasteel hull leaving blackened pockmarks but ultimately his blaster was not strong enough to penetrate the hull.

Throwing away the blaster Anakin skidded onto the closest ion cannon took aim and fired. At the same time, a large explosion went off from the direction of the conference room. The force of if threw Anakin forward over the controls. The beam of hyper-charged energy shot pass the transport grazing its’ side.

What am I doing!?

Anakin pulled himself up from charred ground disoriented but he managed to stay put. Another explosion went off somewhere behind him and through the quickly thickening smoke white armored clones rushed pass him. Another high-pitched whine and three streams of ion cannot fire chased each other through the billowing smoke and up through the air. The transport was so high up now that Anakin could only make out the blue glow of the propulsion drive. It dodged one stream, then another, the third slammed into its’ shields.

The blue glow wavered precariously but continued its’ ascent. Anakin’s vision blurred, it was getting hard to keep his eyes open. A pressure had been slowly building up behind them and now it seemed his whole head was bursting at the seams.

From beyond the horizon, several glowing orange dots rose steadily up through the air and arched in the direction of the lone blue dot directly above Anakin’s head. 18, 19… 20… the gunships… NO! A sharp pain lanced through Anakin’s head knocking him onto the ground. Anakin laid prostrate on the hard stone not caring of the ash and soot falling on his face. The glowing dots of light faded into the churning clouds until finally the world faded into darkness all together.

What hopes you give me…