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Rex, his pistols raised with shaking hands. "Find him," he whispers, a tear streaking down his cheek. "Fives. Find him."
Good soldiers follow orders.
A space station, giant and encircling a planet Anakin has never seen. Tup, eyes unfocused, gun raised.
"On your right!" Master Tiplar calls.
Master Tiplar, lightsaber raised, looking over her shoulder.
"Sister!" Master Tiplee screams.
Master Tiplee, cradling her twin in her lap. Fives, his arms wrapped around Tup, restraining him.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Jesse in ARC trooper armor, standing tall and strong, a legion at his back, his pistols raised with steady hands. "You have your order, sir. Now execute it or I will," Jesse announces, his voice devoid of emotion.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Tup, tied to a chair, his eyes dancing wildly in their sockets.
"He'll have to be taken back to Kamino," Kix states, eyes hard and angry.
Fives and Echo, helmets tucked under their arms, desperate looks on their faces. "Permission to come with you, sir. He's our..." Fives glances at Echo, "...best friend. You may need help," Fives says. Echo, a look of shock then relief on his face.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Scorch, pistols raised and firing, helmet nowhere to be seen. His face is devoid of emotion save for the tears that streak down his face. "Good soldiers follow orders," he mumbles to himself.
Good soldiers follow orders.
"The mission..." Tup murmurs, weakly, all the strength sapped out of him, "free."
"What mission, cyar'ika?" Fives asks, leaning over Tup.
"You...you know the one. The...the mission, the one in our dreams...that never ends," Tup stumbles through the words, speaking slowly, then raises a hand. "Oh, cyare," he sighs as Fives takes his hand. "This is the end. Forget the mission. Oh, the nightmare...I'm free." Tup's eyes roll up into his head, and all that strength, all that fight seeps out of him until there is just a shell left behind.
"No. No, cyar'ika," Fives moans, misery in every line of his body. "I thought I saved him."
Good soldiers follow orders.
Cody, standing by a cannon. "Fire!" He calls, voice emotionless as he points with two fingers to a target on the side of a cliff.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Fives, his head shaved and his eyes wild, in blank trooper armor. "I just need you to listen to me. Please," he calls, desperation in his eyes.
"I was framed because I know the truth..." Fives announces, "the truth about a plot, a massive deception.
"By whom?" Rex asks.
"Well," Fives starts, "there's a sinister plot in the works against the jedi. I have proof of it. I can prove that everything that I know is true."
Good soldiers follow orders.
Ahsoka, her shoulders slumped in defeat, tears streaming down her cheeks. Echo, his eyes downcast and his helmet tucked under his arm. He places a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on, Vod'ika. It's time to go," Echo says in a soft voice. "They wouldn't want us lingering here."
Ahsoka nods, and she and Echo turn and walk away towards a small ship where Rex is sitting with his head in his hands at the bottom of the ramp.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Fox, a small squad following him and with his pistol raised, running towards them. "Stand down, soldier. Stand down. Get on your knees," Fox yells.
"No! No! No! Stay back," Fives screams, desperation and a touch of madness coloring his voice.
"Don't do it. Don't do it, soldier," Fox warns as Fives dives to a pistol laying on a crate.
"Get away from me." Fives brandishes the pistol, pointing it towards Fox.
Rex steps forward, "Fives, no!"
A blaster fires.
Good soldiers follow orders.
The Jedi temple looms over Coruscant, and on the steps leading up to the public entrance is a full legion of clone troopers marching in time.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Fives is laid out on the ground, gasping for breath. "Rex..."
Rex leans down over him. "Fives," he says, his voice soft.
"This...it's bigger than any of us, than anything I could have imagined," Fives gasps. He coughs and reaches out to Rex. "I never meant to..." He trails off.
Rex reaches down, puts his hand under Fives' head, and lifts. "I only wanted to do my duty," Fives whispers, then gasps and begins to go limp in Rex's arms.
"Vod? Vod'ika. Stay with me, Vod'ika," Rex pleads. "Fives!"
"The mission..." Fives sighs, "the nightmares...they're...finally...over." And with that said, Fives goes limp.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Cody, sitting on a rock, his helmet on the ground at his feet. There is a horrified look on his face, and his tears leave streaks in the dust and blood on his cheeks. He is holding a brown robe in his hands. "Good soldiers follow orders," he says, but it sounds hollow, and his voice is full of devastation, regret, and self-loathing.
Good soldiers follow orders.
Anakin wakes with a strangled scream, dislodging Ahsoka from his chest and Scorch from his hip. Fear rises up in his throat, choking him as his eyes move wildly around the room.
Soft groans and exclamations fill the room as the rest of his vode wake. "Anakin?" Obi-Wan asks from beside him, his hand rising and running through Anakin's hair.
Anakin's eyes finally land on Fives, Echo, and Tup. The three of them are clustered together on the outskirts of the pile, looking up at him bleary-eyed. Seeing then there, alive and well, helps. He takes a deep breath, lets it out, and lets go of his fear and panic. The force sweeps it away, and he finally relaxes.
"Another one of your visions, Master?" Ahsoka asks, shifting so she can wrap her arms around his waist. He wraps an arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah," he admits. The members of the 501st in the room relax and start to rearrange themselves to go back to sleep. The 212th members aren't far behind.
A warm hand lands on Anakin's shoulder, and Rex's mind wraps around Anakin's in a telepathic hug that calms him even more as he turns to look at Rex. "Remember what I said the time before last?" Rex asks. Anakin nods. "It still applies." Anakin smiles warmly at Rex, sending love and thanks down their bond.
"Wait, hold on," Obi-Wan says, and Anakin, Rex, and Ahsoka turn to look at him. His brows are furrowed, and he's frowning. "What's going on? What do you mean by visions?"
"Ah," Anakin hums, suddenly remembering that he'd neglected to tell Obi-Wan or the council that he was having visions that were about as subtle as a boot in the ass. "I've...uh...been having visions. They're rare but very clear."
Obi-Wan's eyebrows raise. "How many have you had?"
"This makes four."
"Force," Obi-Wan sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I'm too fucking tired for this. We'll talk in the morning," he says, then turns and lays back down, his head on Cody's chest, right over his heart. Anakin laughs softly and lays back down, Rex and Ahsoka following his lead.
***
"You alright, Snips?" Anakin asks, a laugh in his voice. Everybody's heads turn to watch Ahsoka scratch viciously at her montrals. She pouts, and her lekku twitch with embarrassment.
"I think I'm about to have another growth spurt," she admits. The 501st members make small understanding noises, and Hardcase, who is closest to her, holds his arm out, his hand held in a position that exposes the edge of his armor. Ahsoka makes a soft, pleased noise and rubs her montrals against the exposed armor edge. "Thanks, Hardcase."
"Anything for you, Al'verd'ika," Hardcase responds, warmth in his voice.
"Alright," Anakin says, "Let's focus. It's time for phase two." Anakin, Ahsoka, and Masters Tiplee, and Tiplar kneel down around a holo map. Rex and Commander Doom remain standing, looking over their shoulders. "We're at this position," Anakin starts, pointing to a spot on the map. "Tiplar, you'll take your men down this passageway." He moves his finger along the passage. "Tiplee, you'll move along here." He points to a second passage.
"They'll have to divide their forces to counter us," Anakin continues, "and when they do, Rex, Ahsoka, and I will press through the middle. If we time it right, we'll all converge on this spot at the same time, and the droids won't know what hit them."
"If we're making a run, we'll need backup," Doom says, crossing his arms over his chest. "My men are severely depleted."
Anakin's eyebrows furrow, and he glances at Ahsoka, who looks up at Fives and Echo, who are standing nearby. "Fives, Echo, Tup, take ten of your best men and support Master Tiplar," Ahsoka orders, gesturing to Tiplar with her hand.
"We're on it, sir," Fives nods, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on Ahsoka's shoulder.
Anakin turns the holo map off and stands up. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Tup raise a hand to massage his temples, and tension begins to creep up his spine.
The push through the passages is textbook and easy. It's when they reach the command post that tension tightens his shoulders, and fear drops into his stomach like a ten-ton weight. Anakin watches Master Tiplar out of the corner of his eye, falling back some and letting Ahsoka take the lead.
"On your right!" Master Tiplar calls, and that, Anakin thinks, is his queue.
Anakin moves as fast as he can, and just as Tup has raised his blaster to fire, his lightsaber cuts through it. "Fives!" Anakin calls. Fives jumps forward, holstering his pistols so he can wrap a restraining arm around Tup and start to pull him back.
Anakin can't handle this right now. There's too much going on, and he wants answers. "Fall back!" He yells, then turns to Fives against. "Fives, I don't know what's going on, but you are responsible for Tup now. Get him back to base. I want answers," he orders.
***
Anakin watches as a couple of Doom's men seal the doors shut, then he turns and walks to Masters Tiplar and Tiplee. "Are you alright, Master Tiplar?" He asks, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She looks up at him with wide eyes, her head tendrils quivering with what he thinks may be fear. "What is going on? Why was that trooper pointing his blaster at me?" She asks.
"I don't know," he shakes his head, tugging her close to press their foreheads together to offer her some comfort. She takes a deep breath and lets it out. Her shoulders relax, and she pats his arm lightly. "I'll do my best to figure it. I promise," he says as he pulls away.
Anakin turns and walks over to where Tup has been restrained. "How's he doing, Rex?"
Rex sighs, reaching out through their bond to ask for comfort. Anakin offers it without a second thought. "I'm not sure, General. It seems like he just snapped." Rex kneels down, putting a hand on Tup's shoulder. "Tup, can you hear me?"
"Y-yes, Captain," Tup responds, lifting his head to look at Rex.
"What happened?" Rex asks.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you have any idea what you almost did?" Rex says harshly, pushing on Tup's shoulder.
Tup's head lolls, and his eyes begin to move wildly in their sockets. "Good soldiers follow orders," Tup mumbles and keeps repeating it.
Anakin's spine straightens, and he gulps. Those words, those damned words, had been in his nightmares and echoing in his mind since his last vision. Hearing it straight from Tup's mouth feels like a kick to his chest.
Kix kneels by Tup and says, worry heavy in his voice, "What is he talking about?"
"I have no idea," Rex sighs as Kix takes Tup's face in hand.
Kix examines his eyes then waves his hand in front of Tup's face. Ahsoka walks up beside Anakin, her brow markings furrowed. "What's going on?" She says in a soft voice.
"Kill the Jedi," Tup says harshly, his eyes finally focusing. With a scream, he pushes past Kix and lunges at Ahsoka, who makes a high-pitched whistle of distress and stumbles back. Anakin wraps an arm around Tup's waist and, with the help of Rex, Fives, and Echo, hauls him back to where he had been sitting.
"Ahsoka, go stand with Tiplee and Tiplar," he orders.
"Yes, Master," Ahsoka mumbles, stumbling back to where Tiplee and Tiplar are standing with their men.
Anakin kneels in front of Tup, pulling off his left glove. He presses two fingers to Tup's temple and reaches out with the force. Tup's mind is scattered, thoughts here and there, and some of them just aren't quite right, but beyond that, his mind is fine. So, Anakin turns his focus to Tup's brain. There is a black, near dead spot. Anakin makes a soft noise of distress and immediately heals the spot, then, when he's satisfied, pulls away.
Tup is unchanged.
***
Anakin turns away from the tactical droid he'd just beheaded to look at Tup. He's still strapped to a stretcher, but he doesn't look too good. Fives and Echo stand on either side of him, hands placed gently on his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, Anakim can see that Rex has taken control of the ship.
Anakin steps closer to Fives, putting a hand on his arm. "How's he doing?"
"Not well," Echo responds, his voice tight. "Not well at all."
"I think he's dying," Fives admits, and the pain in his voice has Echo reaching out, searching for comfort as much as he wants to give it.
Anakin sighs. "Help me move him to the cockpit so I can see if there's anything I can do."
"I thought you already healed him?" Echo asks.
Anakin hums. "Yes, but it was more of a cursory scan. Usually, that's all I really need. But, I want to try a deep dive, like I did with you," he says, reaching over to pat Echo on the shoulder. "Now, help me move him."
Once they've resituated Tup in the cockpit and shut the door, Anakin takes off his helmet and left glove. He presses two fingers of his left hand to Tup's temple then leans forward to press their foreheads together. Then, he reaches out and dives deep into Tup's force signature.
Physically and mentally, Tup seems to be okay. All his cells are calm and quiet except for a group in his head. The black spot is back, but this time, it's worse and bigger. The cells in this area scream. Anakin very carefully goes through the cells and soothes all of them, one at a time.
When he's finished, Anakin pulls back and lightly shakes Tup. "Tup? Tup, can you hear me?"
"Good...good soldiers...f...follow...follow orders," Tup stutters, his head lolling to the side.
"What the hell?" Anakin mumbles, a shiver running up his spine as the force swirls disquietly around him.
***
"I want a full report from Kamino," Anakin says. "If Tup is the victim of some separatist plot, we have no idea of how widespread it already is."
Fives and Echo, who are standing side by side, holding hands, glance at each other, their eyebrows furrowed with worry. Rex stands to Anakin's right, and he desperately wants to reach out and pull him into a hug. A couple medics are walking towards them with Tup on a stretcher in between them. As they walk by, Anakin reaches out with his ungloved left hand, healing Tup again.
Fives steps forward, letting go of Echo's hand to reach out to Rex. "Permission to come with you, sir. He's our..." Fives glances at Echo, "...best friend. You may need help," Fives says. Echo looks at Fives, shock on his face.
"Alright," Rex sighs, then he and Fives look to Echo.
"You don't have to come, cyare. I know how uncomfortable it makes you," Fives says. Relief crosses Echo's face before he looks down at his boots in shame, shifting from foot to foot. Fives steps forward, reaching up to cradle Echo's face. "It's okay, Echo. Tup knows how uncomfortable Kamino makes you. He'll understand."
Echo looks up. "Vor entye, ner riduur," he says in a soft voice. "K'oyacyi."
Fives grins. "You too, cyar'ika," he says warmly, then turns back to Rex.
"I want everything done by the book. You're to stay by his side at all times. I don't want any more slip-ups," Rex says, seriously.
Fives stands at attention. "Yes, sir."
"Good," Rex states, then turns to Anakin, who reaches out and puts a hand on Rex's arm.
"Be careful. I'll see you back here in a couple days," Anakin says, pressing love through their bond.
"See you soon," Rex says, then, with a smirk, he adds, "General."
Anakin gives him a dry look. "You're gonna give me a complex if you keep calling me general like that," He tells Rex through their bond. Rex just laughs as he and Fives follow the medics and Tup into the waiting shuttle.
***
"Cyare?" Rex says softly through their bond.
"Yes, akku? Do you need me to comm you?" Anakin responds quickly.
"No," Rex sighs. "This needs to be private."
Anakin's eyebrows furrow, and he stops working on the paperwork he's supposed to be filling out. "What's going on, akku?"
"Kix commed me. Fives and Tup all but ambushed him in the fresher at 79s. Apparently, they want to talk to us and Ahsoka," Rex explains.
Anakin glances over to Ahsoka, who is frowning down at a datapad. "Mathematics homework?" he asks. She hums, nodding. "Want a break?"
Ahsoka looks up at him, relief on her face. "Oh, kriff, please."
Anakin chuckles as he stands and motions for her to follow him. He reaches out to Rex. "Meet you at the barracks hangar?" He asks through their bond.
"I'll be waiting," He responds.
Rex was, indeed, waiting, but he hadn't been idle. When Anakin and Ahsoka enter the hangar, Rex is standing by a speeder, his helmet tucked under an arm. "Ready to go?" Anakin asks, brushing his fingers against Rex's free hand. He nods and gets in the passenger seat. Ahsoka jumps in the back seat, and Anakin takes the driver's spot.
When they arrive at the address Kix gave Rex, a ripple of unease travels down Anakin's spine. Anakin and Ahsoka have their lightsabers out, lighting their way, as they walk into the warehouse. Rex walks just behind them, his pistols raised.
"Fives? Tup? We're here," Anakin announces, looking around with his eyes and the force.
"Come out, vode. We just want to talk to you," Ahsoka calls from beside him.
"General Skywalker? Commander Tano?" Fives voices echos around the room, and Anakin can't manage to pinpoint where it's coming from. "Thank you. Thank you for trusting me."
"Of course we trust you, Fives. You're our vod," Ahsoka calls.
Anakin finally locates Fives and Tup with the force. The fear that permeates Fives' force signature nearly sends him to his knees. "Fives?" Anakin calls again, worry beginning to suffuse his voice.
"Have you come without troops?" Fives asks.
"We have," Anakin responds, turning so he can press his back against Rex's.
"Put down your weapons, then," Fives orders. Anakin's eyebrows raise, and Ahsoka glances at him, her brow markings furrowed.
"I don't think so, Fives," Anakin says.
"Please, sir. Please, I'm unarmed."
Rex and Ahsoka look over to him, and he nods, deactivating his lightsaber and hooking it on his belt. Ahsoka does the same, and Rex lowers his pistols.
"Alright," Rex calls as he lays his pistols on a nearby crate, "I'm putting my pistols down."
"What are we here for, Fives?" Anakin asks, reaching out to curl his fingers around Rex's bicep and walking forward.
"I need your help," Fives says.
"I know you do," Anakin responds, then hesitates for a moment before continuing, "We know you're not well. It's been rough for you these past couple days."
"I'm not crazy!" Fives yells.
"We know, Fives," Ahsoka says, worry heavy in her voice.
"Please. Please, just...just hear what I have to say," Fives pleads, his breaths beginning to come in pants.
"We're listening, Fives," Ahsoka soothes.
"We're here to help you," Anakin states. "Just come with us. Let us take you back to the temple."
Almost as soon as Anakin finishes speaking, a ray shield drops down around the three of them. "No!" Anakin exclaims, slamming his fist against the shield.
Fives steps out of the shadows. His head is shaved, his eyes are wild, and he's wearing blank trooper armor. "I just need you to listen to me. Please," he calls, desperation in his eyes.
Anakin spreads his arms out, his eyebrow raised. "I'm not really sure we have any other choice."
"I was framed because I know the truth..." Fives announces, "the truth about a plot, a massive deception.
"By whom?" Rex asks, stepping forward to Anakin's side.
"Well," Fives starts, "there's a sinister plot in the works against the jedi. I have proof of it. I can prove that everything that I know is true beyond a shadow of a doubt."
Anakin looks at Fives a little closer, and his eyebrows furrow even more. "Fives, are you alright?" Ahsoka asks softly, stepping forward and reaching out as if she could reach through the ray shield and pull Fives into a hug.
"Where's Tup?" Rex asks, looking around.
Fives looks down at his feet, and fear begins to roll off him in waves. He gestures behind him and, there, sitting and leaning against a crate, is Tup. His eyes are open, and his shoulders are moving with his breaths, but he is staring at nothing, and he doesn't seem to be processing anything. Worry and unease shoot up Anakin's spine.
Ahsoka gasps, her hands jumping up to cover her mouth in horror. "What happened to him?"
"Every clone has an organic chip," Fives begins. He points to his temple and continues to speak, "It's...it's up here. It's built into our genetic code to make us do whatever someone wants, even kill the jedi."
Things are beginning to make a horrible amount of sense. Anakin's mind races as he puts everything together, and the conclusion he comes to sends fear shooting through him. "Fives," he breathes. Anakin takes a deep breath and lets it out, forcing as much fear as possible out as well. "Fives, let us out. Let me help you and Tup, and then we'll take care of everything, I promise."
Fives steps forward, his eyes wide. "You...you believe me?"
"Of course, I believe you, Fives, but I can't help you unless you let us out," Anakin urges, taking a small step forward.
"How do I know this isn't a trap? The Chancellor will try to kill me. I promise you that!" Fives exclaims.
Something that feels familiar but unknown and foreign simultaneously presses against Anakin's mind. He lashes out against it with all his might. He forces it out of his mind and looks for the way it came in. He'd call what he finds a bond if he had consented to it, but he hadn't, so he breaks it without a second thought.
Ahsoka steps forward and says, "The chancellor?"
"He's in on it! I don't know to what extent, but I know he orchestrated much of this. He told me in the medical bay!"
The betrayal that Anakin had been ignoring since the temple bombing balloons in his chest. A lump builds in his throat, and his eyes burn with tears. "He told you? Is that why you tried to assassinate him?" Anakin is careful to phrase it as a question and not an accusation.
"I swear to you, General. You have no idea-"
Before Fives can finish whatever he was going to say, Fox yells, "Stand down, soldier. Stand down. Get on your knees." Fox runs towards them, a pistol and a small squad at his back.
"No! No! No! Stay back," Fives screams, desperation and a touch of madness coloring his voice.
"Don't do it. Don't do it, soldier," Fox warns as Fives dives to a pistol laying on a crate.
"Get away from me." Fives brandishes the pistol, pointing it towards Fox.
Rex steps forward, "Fives, no!"
A blaster fires.
Anakin throws out his hand and reaches out with the force, desperation rising in his chest. The blaster bolt stops barely an inch from Fives' chest. Anakin grunts and nearly drops to his knees, shaking with the exertion needed to keep the blaster bolt from moving any farther.
"Fives, move!" Ahsoka yells, and Fives finally stumbles away, a shell-shocked look on his face.
Anakin lets go, and the blaster bolt crashes against the ray shield and disperses. "Let us out!" Anakin calls, and a member of Fox's squad shoots the ray shield generator above their heads. The shield dies, and Anakin steps towards Fives. "Fives," he says gently, "let me help you. Something is wrong, and I want to help." Anakin pulls his left glove off and holds his hand out. "Please let me help."
Fives glances at Anakin's hand, shifting from foot to foot, then points to Tup. "Tup first," he says after a minute. Anakin nods and walks to Tup, keeping one eye on Fives. Anakin kneels in front of Tup, presses two fingers to Tup's temple, then leans forward to press their foreheads together.
He dives deep into Tup's force signature and makes a soft noise of distress. Tup's brain is all but dead, the cells screaming louder than any he had ever heard before. Anakin nearly chokes on the worry rising in his chest. He reaches out and begins to soothe the cells, one at a time, taking his time to make sure he gets every single one. Finally, several minutes later, he pulls away.
Tup blinks up at him, shaking his head. "Gen...general? What happened?" He gulps, his eyebrows furrowing.
Anakin's shoulders slump with relief. "Thank kriff. How do you feel?"
"I'm alright," Tup responds, reaching out to pay Anakin's shoulder.
Anakin breathes a sigh of relief and leans forward to press his forehead to Tup's again. He pulls away a second later and stands, pulling Tup to his feet. Anakin turns to Fives and reaches out with his left hand. Fives hesitates for a moment, then steps forward and allows Anakin to press two fingers to temples to his temple. Anakin leans forward, presses his forehead to Fives, and dives into his force signature.
There is a small area in Fives's brain that is screaming. Fortunately, it's nowhere near as bad as Tup's head. There is, however, a thick viscous liquid running through Fives' veins, and it isn't blood.
"Fuck," Anakin curses. He reaches out and heals Fives' brain first. Then, he grabs the liquid in Fives's veins and starts moving it. He pulls away a second later, just in time for Fives to lean over and vomit.
Fives stands up a minute later. "Aw, gross," he mumbles, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Kriff, that was horrible. Vor'e, Alor."
"My pleasure, Fives," Anakin chuckles, patting Fives on the shoulder. "Come on, lets...oh dear."
Fox kneels on the floor, looking down at his knees with wide eyes. His pistol sits on his lap. Tears streak his cheeks, and he shakes. His squad kneels around him, reaching out and murmuring to him. Rex and Ahsoka kneel in front of him. Anakin, Fives, and Tup walk forward.
"I didn't...I wasn't...I thought," Fox stutters, a horrified look on his face.
Anakin kneels down beside Rex and reaches out to place a hand on Fox's shoulder. "Fox, what happened?"
"I thought is was on stun," Fox mumbles. "I thought," he gulps. "I thought my pistol was on stun."
Anakin's eyebrows furrow. "Tup, what's the last thing you remember?"
"Um...we were making our push through the passages of Ringo Vinda," Tup says, rubbing the back of his neck.
Anakin nods his understanding and turns back to Fox. "Do you have any blank spots in your memory?"
Fox looks up at him, pulling his helmet off. "I...yeah. All...All the time," Fox gasps.
"What happens before the blank spots?" Anakin asks.
"I get a comm from Chancellor Palpatine about a...mission..." Fox trails off, running a hand down his face, drawing Anakin's attention to the scar across his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose.
Anakin sighs and stands, walking away from the group for a little quiet. He takes a deep breath, lets it out, and reaches out to the force which swirls around him in urgent eddies.
"You know what's going on," the force whispers to him. "You know what Chancellor Palpatine is. You know what you need to do."
Anakin sighs again, runs a hand through his hair, then turns back to the others. "I'm deserting," he announces, and every single one of them turn to look at him like he's crazy.
"Master, what..." Ahsoka trails off, shaking his head. "I don't understand."
"I can't stay here. The Chancellor is a part of this, and I think I know how and I can't..." Anakin trails off, fear rising in his throat. He takes another deep breath, and lets go of his fear. "I can't stay a part of the army or even be a Jedi if I want to find the full truth and the evidence needed to convince the Senate and the Jedi Council."
Anakin watches the others think through everything. Ahsoka opens her mouth a couple minutes later, shuts it, then opens it again. "You think this all happened because of the Chancellor? The...the chips, Fox's pistol and his black outs?" Ahsoka asks.
"Oh, Snips," Anakin sighs, "what I'm thinking is much worse than that."
Ahsoka gulps, and her lekku twitch with fear. "You don't have to come with me, Ahsoka-"
"No," Ahsoka interiors, shaking her head. "No, I need...I want to come. If you're thinking what I think you're thinking..." She trails off, shivering with fear. Anakin reaches out and pulls her into a hug.
"We're coming, too," Fives announces, gesturing at himself and Tup. "We can't exactly go back to the army. We'd be arrested and killed for attempting to assassinate the Chancellor as soon as we stepped into the barracks." Tup nods his agreement.
Rex is looking down at his feet. Then, finally, he sighs and looks up. "I'm coming too," he says, looking Anakin in the eyes and brushing his mind against Anakin's. "I made a vow a long time ago that I would follow you wherever you lead. If that includes deserting, then so be it."
"Rex," Anakin breathes, pressing love across their bond.
"I'm not going," Fox snorts, looking at all of them as if they're insane. Anakin snorts. "You'll have to wipe our memories of this conversation." Fox cocks his head to the side. "Can you do that?"
Anakin hums thoughtfully. "Well," he says, "I know it's possible, but i've never done it before. Though, I'm certainly ready to try if you trust me enough to let me."
Fox looks at his men and runs a hand down his face. "I'll go first," he says.
Anakin nods and steps forward, letting Ahsoka step away. He reaches out and presses two fingers to Fox's temple. Altering memories is much different from healing, but he understands the concept well enough, so he sets to work. He alters Fox's memory just enough then does the same with the rest of Fox's squad.
"Come on, every one. We need to go before they wake up," Anakin says, motioning the others out of the warehouse to the speeder they'd left outside.
Once they're in the speeder, Fives says, "What about Echo?"
"What about the rest of the 501st?" Tup asks softly.
"I can't ask them to come. They'll think it's an order and come whether they want to or not," Anakin sighs.
"I'll ask," Rex says.
"Only volunteers. I don't want anybody to come unless they're a volunteer," Anakin says, and Rex nods.
"Don't worry, cyare. I'll take care of everything," Rex says warmly, reaching out to take Anakin's hand.
"Thanks, akku," Anakin smiles, sending Rex a warm smile.
Ahsoka, Fives, and Tup gag. "Oh kriff," Ahsoka grumbles. "That's disgusting. Why do they have to be so...so..." She trails off, trying to find the right word.
"Adorably disgusting," Tup shrugs, which just makes Ahsoka and Fives snort and start laughing.