[She knows. Anakin regards his former apprentice with an even expression, betrayed only by the slightest twinge in his jaw.]
What else did Maul tell you?
[Without warning, a stray blaster bolt grazes past them and strikes the Great Tree. Still holding Ahsoka close, he glares up at its source, his teeth bared. Not now.
As expected, more clones have arrived. The 501st stand in formation with blasters raised. One in front holds a smoking rifle. His commanding officer appears out of nowhere, urgently throwing a hand over top of the muzzle to shove it down towards the ground.
[ ahsoka pulls her hand out of anakin's grip as the stray blast fires past them, and by instinct she brings her lightsabers out and gets into stance. she knows by now what to expect and so it comes as strange surprise when they keep their weapons trained, but don't fire.
have the men come to their senses?
ahsoka keeps position, hands gripping tight, but they don't start blasting. this is either really good or really bad, and she can't discern what's going on. ]
It won't work. The clones haven't come to their senses. No doubt they don't want to risk firing on Lord Vader, their squad leader especially.
"Sir, your orders?"
He gnashes his teeth together. He can feel his insides twisting, burning with fury. How dare they? How dare they?!
"!!"
The squad leader's blaster clatters to the ground. His fingers scramble up to his throat, clutching desperately at an invisible grip as he gasps for air.
So close. They should never have interfered. Anakin won't let them interfere.
[ that they ask him for orders is strange, as if... are they asking permission to fire on her?
but she doesn't get a chance to question it, neither aloud nor in mind any further, before the leader begins to claw at his throat. she has seen enough people force-choked to know what's happening, but still remains momentarily stunned.
she turns half-way to anakin, eyes widening. ]
Anakin, stop! They're not in their right mind!
[ even if they may be targeting them (or, perhaps, targeting her) it doesn't mean they should fight back. if the clones are being used, then she can't permit any harm to come to them if avoidable. ]
[In spite of all the rage that spirals through Anakin Skywalker, there's still the faintest glimmer of light that tries to make itself known. What are you doing? Listen to her.
He doesn't listen. He doesn't stop.]
It's as you've said. They can't be reasoned with.
[Another moment longer and the squad leader stops struggling in Anakin's grasp. His arms fall slack at his side before he clumsily drops to the ground, lifeless and discarded. The other clones' expressions are concealed by their helmets, but he can sense their fear.
Their fear is further amplified as Anakin ignites his sword. surrounding him and Ahsoka both as he prepares himself for battle. Soon they'll be surrounded by fear and dead men.
It's the one who shot first that finds his voice before the others. "Open fire!" he cries out. Without further hesitation, their world is lit up by a volley of indiscriminate fire.]
[ the hard sound of the armored man falling dead to the ground mimics the heavy drop of her heart. she can feel the fear that emits from the men, and they're right to be afraid. ahsoka is not. for that moment, in the silence that follows, she is absolutely hollow.
he is the key to everything.
maul didn't lie.
the men act on their fear - act on what they've witnessed - and begin firing. ahsoka snaps back to reality and starts deflecting the blasts, swinging to redirect the fire off to the sides. to not hurt them. ]
[While Ahsoka moves on the defensive, Anakin surges up the stairs to attack them directly, bolts of plasma bouncing off his saber.
With his free hand, he reaches behind him and thrusts it forward. The clone trooper with the scorched armor is hurtled overhead, knocking several of their attackers off balance on one side. He takes advantage of this opportunity by striking from the opposite end, brutally carving through two of the clones in rapid succession.
These men won't be the first to die by Anakin's blade tonight. They won't be the last.]
[ ahsoka watches him go, sees him carve through the clones without mercy, and races to catch up as the men start directing their fire toward him first. she gets in front of anakin and continues deflecting the fire of the remaining men firing, walking forward as she hastens the swings and rotations of her lightsabers.
once close enough she shoves her hands forward and watches the men lift and fall back from the weight of the psychic push. for a moment, no is firing at them. now's their chance. ]
Come on!
[ she then bolts for the large open doorway that leads into the temple corridors, expecting him to follow. but in the back of her mind, she doubts that instinct that tells her they will always follow each others lead. ]
[Anakin doesn't follow. The attack squad is neutralized for now, but he can't leave any witnesses alive. Ignoring the cries for mercy, he flings his lightsaber from his grasp lodging itself into one trooper's chestplate. The one who shot first now breathes his last.
He calls his lightsaber back to him as the trooper stumbles over, catching one last glimpse of Ahsoka as she makes her way inside the Temple. It's at this moment that his commlink sounds off once more - another request for a sitrep from his Lieutenant. Anakin sighs and closes his eyes.
Now it's Vader that speaks.]
All reinforcements in the courtyard have been killed. ...I couldn't stop her.
[Not the entire truth, but the truth nonetheless. The clone soldier on the other line warns him that the Togruta's advancing through the Temple.]
Execute the others, but leave this one alive. Tell your men to set their weapons to stun if she attacks. Understood?
["But sir - !"]
Understood, Lieutenant?
[There's a pause on the other end before the clone lieutenant reluctantly acquiesces.
[ ahsoka stops when she hears the sounds of the clone cry for mercy, then stop. she thinks to run back to anakin, ask what he's thinking.
she instead turns back and keeps going further in. something is very wrong with this situation. it isn't just the clones. there are virtually no jedi in an otherwise populated temple. the halls are devoid of life and the only sound that permeates is distant blaster fire and explosions. the clones are tearing through everything. why, and how many of them? it wasn't just rex and his company affected - how far does it go?
ahsoka stops at a junction and pauses, trying to think where to go next. then, a robust whistling calls out from the west. she turns bringing her lightsabers up, but lowers them when she sees who it is. ]
Artoo!
[ the droid chimes again, rolling out from the shadows to greet her with a whirl of its top. ahsoka smiles and takes a quick step forward, setting her hands down on his headpiece. ]
Oh, I'm so glad to see you. [ the droid chirps in agreement, and she carefully steps forward into the darkness of the hall. the lights have been blown out from the ceiling, shards of glass everywhere. her expression falls. ] Artoo, I need your help locating some data--
[ the droid whirls, stopping her mid-word, and begins frantically delivering information. ahsoka's eyes widen. ]
Wait, they're where? [ her breath catches, features hardening. oh no. ] Take me to them.
[ the data on fives will have to wait - this is urgent. artoo agrees and starts to roll down the hall as fast as he can, and ahsoka brings out her lightsabers for cover. ]
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no subject
What else did Maul tell you?
[Without warning, a stray blaster bolt grazes past them and strikes the Great Tree. Still holding Ahsoka close, he glares up at its source, his teeth bared. Not now.
As expected, more clones have arrived. The 501st stand in formation with blasters raised. One in front holds a smoking rifle. His commanding officer appears out of nowhere, urgently throwing a hand over top of the muzzle to shove it down towards the ground.
"Hold your fire!"]
no subject
have the men come to their senses?
ahsoka keeps position, hands gripping tight, but they don't start blasting. this is either really good or really bad, and she can't discern what's going on. ]
Men, stand down!
no subject
It won't work. The clones haven't come to their senses. No doubt they don't want to risk firing on Lord Vader, their squad leader especially.
"Sir, your orders?"
He gnashes his teeth together. He can feel his insides twisting, burning with fury. How dare they? How dare they?!
"!!"
The squad leader's blaster clatters to the ground. His fingers scramble up to his throat, clutching desperately at an invisible grip as he gasps for air.
So close. They should never have interfered. Anakin won't let them interfere.
He lost Ahsoka before. He won't lose her again.]
no subject
but she doesn't get a chance to question it, neither aloud nor in mind any further, before the leader begins to claw at his throat. she has seen enough people force-choked to know what's happening, but still remains momentarily stunned.
she turns half-way to anakin, eyes widening. ]
Anakin, stop! They're not in their right mind!
[ even if they may be targeting them (or, perhaps, targeting her) it doesn't mean they should fight back. if the clones are being used, then she can't permit any harm to come to them if avoidable. ]
no subject
He doesn't listen. He doesn't stop.]
It's as you've said. They can't be reasoned with.
[Another moment longer and the squad leader stops struggling in Anakin's grasp. His arms fall slack at his side before he clumsily drops to the ground, lifeless and discarded. The other clones' expressions are concealed by their helmets, but he can sense their fear.
Their fear is further amplified as Anakin ignites his sword. surrounding him and Ahsoka both as he prepares himself for battle. Soon they'll be surrounded by fear and dead men.
It's the one who shot first that finds his voice before the others. "Open fire!" he cries out. Without further hesitation, their world is lit up by a volley of indiscriminate fire.]
no subject
he is the key to everything.
maul didn't lie.
the men act on their fear - act on what they've witnessed - and begin firing. ahsoka snaps back to reality and starts deflecting the blasts, swinging to redirect the fire off to the sides. to not hurt them. ]
no subject
With his free hand, he reaches behind him and thrusts it forward. The clone trooper with the scorched armor is hurtled overhead, knocking several of their attackers off balance on one side. He takes advantage of this opportunity by striking from the opposite end, brutally carving through two of the clones in rapid succession.
These men won't be the first to die by Anakin's blade tonight. They won't be the last.]
no subject
once close enough she shoves her hands forward and watches the men lift and fall back from the weight of the psychic push. for a moment, no is firing at them. now's their chance. ]
Come on!
[ she then bolts for the large open doorway that leads into the temple corridors, expecting him to follow. but in the back of her mind, she doubts that instinct that tells her they will always follow each others lead. ]
no subject
He calls his lightsaber back to him as the trooper stumbles over, catching one last glimpse of Ahsoka as she makes her way inside the Temple. It's at this moment that his commlink sounds off once more - another request for a sitrep from his Lieutenant. Anakin sighs and closes his eyes.
Now it's Vader that speaks.]
All reinforcements in the courtyard have been killed. ...I couldn't stop her.
[Not the entire truth, but the truth nonetheless. The clone soldier on the other line warns him that the Togruta's advancing through the Temple.]
Execute the others, but leave this one alive. Tell your men to set their weapons to stun if she attacks. Understood?
["But sir - !"]
Understood, Lieutenant?
[There's a pause on the other end before the clone lieutenant reluctantly acquiesces.
"Yes, my lord. Understood."]
no subject
she instead turns back and keeps going further in. something is very wrong with this situation. it isn't just the clones. there are virtually no jedi in an otherwise populated temple. the halls are devoid of life and the only sound that permeates is distant blaster fire and explosions. the clones are tearing through everything. why, and how many of them? it wasn't just rex and his company affected - how far does it go?
ahsoka stops at a junction and pauses, trying to think where to go next. then, a robust whistling calls out from the west. she turns bringing her lightsabers up, but lowers them when she sees who it is. ]
Artoo!
[ the droid chimes again, rolling out from the shadows to greet her with a whirl of its top. ahsoka smiles and takes a quick step forward, setting her hands down on his headpiece. ]
Oh, I'm so glad to see you. [ the droid chirps in agreement, and she carefully steps forward into the darkness of the hall. the lights have been blown out from the ceiling, shards of glass everywhere. her expression falls. ] Artoo, I need your help locating some data--
[ the droid whirls, stopping her mid-word, and begins frantically delivering information. ahsoka's eyes widen. ]
Wait, they're where? [ her breath catches, features hardening. oh no. ] Take me to them.
[ the data on fives will have to wait - this is urgent. artoo agrees and starts to roll down the hall as fast as he can, and ahsoka brings out her lightsabers for cover. ]