Chapter Text
Star Wars: Voyage of the Heroes (Jedi Order in SHIELD)
Chapter One – Departed
It was a bizarre feeling standing over his own grave. Even with two others keeping him company, Fury couldn’t shake the uneasiness that pooled at the bottom of his stomach. One day this would actually happen. He wouldn’t walk away from it to start over. Someday there would be no coming back.
Steve Rogers stared down at the headstone that read ‘Col. Nick Fury’. Sam Wilson was trying to look anywhere else but the empty grave before them. Fury wanted to chuckle, but thought best to let it go. If only the others could see him now, they would never allow him to live this moment down. Some of them might even call it a cowards way out. But things were different here then back home. When one needed to disappear it is necessary to fake ones death. Especially with the situation he had gotten himself into.
Honestly, he should have known better.
Clearing his throat he turned to the Captain. “So, you’ve experienced this sort of thing before.”
With a shake of his head, Steve let a small smile grace his face at the comment. “You get use to it.”
“We’ve been dating mining HYRDA’s files.” Fury explained. “Looks like a lot of rats didn’t go down with the ship.” He cast a quick glance off to his right, looking for teat slight bit of movement to let him know that he was still there, waiting for him. “I’m headed to Europe tonight. Wanted to ask if you’d come. ”
The Captain shook his head sadly, getting that far off look in his eyes whenever his past came to light. “There’s something I got to do first.”
Fury nodded in agreement. He understood the responsibility that Steve felt for his lost comrade in arms. There had been many times where he too had done something similar to save his own friends. It was a word he hadn’t used in a long time though, friend. Here he didn’t have friends, he had subordinate. Coulson and Hill were probably the closest he had come to having someone he could truly trust with his back and secrets. And even then he never really had to because Fury didn’t come here alone.
Even though he wanted to simply slip away unnoticed Fury couldn’t help but give the Paratrooper the same offer. “How about you Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities.” A smirk creased his face at this.
The young looked at him disgruntled. “I’m more of a soldier than a spy,” he snapped.
“All right, then,” Fury laughed. “Anybody asks for me tell them they can find me, right here.” And with a nod at the empty grave he began to turn away just as Natasha walked towards them.
“You should be honored,” she called after him. “That’s about as close as he gets to saying thank you.”
Fury smiled as he left the three of them behind. They’d be fine without him for a while or at least he hoped so. He had really come to like this place and hoped it would still be here when he returned in a few months at a time.
“Is the empty grave really a necessity, General?”
He smiled at the man that stood waiting behind a tree a hundred meters or so away. His dark brown hair was cut in a military styled, cropped short to his head. It remained Fury of the first time they met. Surrounded by all of his brothers in arm during the battle that started this blasted war. Unlike many of his other brothers, his friend decided to keep his appearance the same.
“Unfortunately yes.” The other man fell in line behind him as Fury walked past. “It’s harder to slip away seeing as we are stuck on a single planet verses an entire system.”
Brown eyes crinkled slightly as a shallow laugh filled Fury’s ear. “You are a capable and creative person, I’m sure you would have thought of something else eventually.”
“You’re funny, Alpha.”
“I try, Sir.”
“Is the ship ready to leave?”
“It was loaded and ready hours ago, I’ve been waiting on you, Sir.”
“I’d stop while you’re ahead, Commander.”
“Of course, Sir,” Alpha was still smirking as Fury looked over at him though. He was always a smug bastard and the banter was so familiar, Fury didn’t feel he needed to reprimand his commander.
“So, how fucked up are we back home?”
“I haven’t heard anything from the council as of late. So it’s safe to assume that it’s probably bad.”
With a snort, Fury climbed into the passenger side of a black SUV. Alpha made his way around to the driver seat and soon enough they were on their way. They sat in silence the entire ride to the airfield. When they got there a transport was already waiting for them. Standing before it was Agent Hill.
“Nice to see you both are still alive,” she teased.
Fury hadn’t made Maria Hill his second in command for nothing. She could be ruthless when need be yet when it came to getting down to business, she was better than most of the men he had worked with during the start of the war. If he could’ve have taken her with them to help finish this fight, he would have but she was needed here on Earth.
“How did the interview with Stark go Agent Hill?” Always courteous Alpha was.
“It went perfectly,” she smiled back at him. “I start next Monday.”
Within minutes, the few bags they had between the two of them were stored away and they were airborne. The three of them fell into an easy rhythm of exchanging pleasantries, none of them really wanting to talk about what was going to happen now.
“Mace,” she began.
With a sigh he began. “I know what you’re going to say Maria and I don’t need it from you too. I’m getting enough of it from him.” He thrust a thumb in Alpha’s direction.
She gave him a sad smirk. “I guess I’m just wondering when I can expect you back.”
“Soon, I hope. The last transmission we received was showing us that the Battle of Coruscant was a success and now one of our generals has found out what hole Grievuos is has slithered into. He is either on his way or already there with his troops as we speak.”
“Sounds like you won’t be gone long then.”
Alpha nodded at her response. “That is the plan.”
“I wish you the best of luck, but from I know of you two, you guys won’t need any of it.” She fell silent as she looked out the window at the clouds that streamed past them. “Does Clint or anyone else know you’re taking off again?”
“We told who mattered and have received a hand of messages to relay to loved ones,” Alpha began. “I know that a few of them are ready for this war to end so their lives can go back to normal especially a certain Senator of ours and her husband.”
All three of them broke into small grins at the thought of the petite brunette and her pig-headed husband. Even though Maria had never meet the young knight, she had been a part of many conversations with him and his master and had quite familiar with his mood swings. To her is seemed that only a small handful of people were able to calm him, his own student and wife being the main two.
The rest of the time passed in idle chat chit and before any of them realized it they had reached the Hellicarrier that was stationed just outside of New York’s harbor. No one else but the three of them were on the ship deck when they landed, everyone had been order below till they took off. After quick good byes to Maria. The two man loaded themselves and their meager belongs into the ship. They left Maria standing behind them, waving frantically as they made their way into space and to their Hyperdrive Booster Ring was waiting for them a little past Jupiter. After what felt like ages, they were finally going home to the Sky River Galaxy.
~
Anakin tore down the hallway of the main hanger of the Jedi Temple. He had to tell someone what he had just learned, only there were no masters anywhere to be found. He was conflicted. His soul seemed to be tearing in two over what he should do. Palpatine’s words had made sense to him, yet he couldn’t forget everything the Council had done for him. They were his family and he trusted them with his life.
How he wished that Padme or Ahsoka were near so he could confine in them. They had continuously been his voice of reason and both of them were nowhere to be found.
People milled about all around him, each of them doing the same tasks they always did but Anakin wasn’t sure who he could trust. A couple clones worked on ships and checked the supplies coming and going. Even a few Jedi Masters and their Padawins were readying themselves for missions. But none of them belonged to the Jedi Council. He had to find someone from the council.
Only he knew that they all happened to be off world at the moment with their own assignments.
People scurried about as a ship came in to dock. Sadly, the markings weren’t of the fighter Rex had taken in his search for Ahsoka. Though it they did belong to someone he had not seen in a long time. He rushed forward as the ship was brought in and stood waiting for the hatch to lift.
“What do you need Skywalker?” Mace snapped at him as soon as the Jedi Master caught sight of Anakin.
“You don’t know how good it is to see you Master Windu.”
Mace’s face went from slightly annoyed, the usually expression found marring his features, to one of great concern. “What’s happening?”
With a deep breath, Anakin spoke. “It’s Palpatine sir.”
“I thought he was saved during the battle?”
Sighing, he tried to continue. “He was but that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?” he sneered.
“He’s the Sith Lord,” Anakin finally shouted, earning a few heads to turn in their direction and a couple of the other Masters to begin walking towards them.
It that moment Alpha popped his head out from wherever he had been hiding. “That’s not possible.”
“Unfortunately it is.” It was with a heavy heart that Anakin continued to recount everything that had happened up till now to Mace. “He told me in confidence, knowing full well that I would bring the news to someone on the Council.”
Mace fell silent. A frown crossed his lips as he thought on the situation. Kit Fisto was the first to come to their side, his face deep with worry.
“Did I hear something about the Sith Lord and Palpatine in the same sentence?”
“I’m afraid so old friend,” Mace muttered before snapping back to attention. “We need to strike fast and soon if we are to still catch Palpatine unnoticed. We leave now.”
With a single nod between the four of them, the small band consisting of the two Masters, a Knight and a clone took off. Mace and Alpha jumping back into their speeder with Anakin and Fisto hopping into another.
The ride to the senate was quicker than usual and with the adrenaline pumping through their system it only seemed like a matter of seconds before they reached the hanger for the senate building. It was quiet when they landed. There were no guards patrolling the deck or at the check in desk. The hallways were silent, like the factories of Geonosis. Every little creak had them whipping about, ready to strike down anyone who would come at them. Everyone that usually occupied the space was gone. They didn’t know who had all turned against them and sided with Palpatine now. Mace was still trying to figure out how he had never caught on to the Chancellor’s deception when the man had been playing both sides since the beginning. He felt like a fool. It was Hydra all over.
Three lightsabers and a blaster were all raised at the ready when they finally came to door leading them to the Sith Lord. As they came closer the door opened, beckoning them inside. Taking point, Mace led them in with Alpha trailing behind watching for any last minute assaults.
Standing calmly behind the desk was Palpatine. His back was to them as he stared out at the bustling airways of Coruscant. Slowly he turned around and eyed each of the three Jedi in turn as they spread out before him. Alpha was ignored and hung out at the back encase someone came through the door.
“Why, Master Windu. What a pleasant surprise,” he smiled though it never reached his eyes.
Taking step forward, Mace addressed the man before them. “In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you’re under arrest, Chancellor.”
The smile vanished instantly. “Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?” His face now stern and darkening with each passing second.
“The senate will decide your fate,” Mace responded, raising his lightsaber so it was chest level with the Chancellor.
“I AM the senate,” the man growled, eyes flickering to yellow. Mace could sense Anakin taking a step back as the man he once trusted showed his true colors.
“Not yet…” the dark skinned Jedi Master found himself sneering.
With a flick of his wrist, a lightsaber dropped into Palptine’s hand, it was so subtle that Mace almost missed it. The man was eerily calm as he spoke, eyes narrowing as he took a small step forward. “Its treason then…”
Red bleed into the room as Palpatine surged forward, flipping over his desk to attack them. Using the force, the Sith Lord knocked both Alpha and Anakin out of the way as he commenced a siege of attacks on Kit and Mace.
Mace easily kept up with the Sith, blocking his attacks easily and efficiently, looking for an opening. Kit, for all his experience, was no match for the more experienced sword master Palpatine was proving to be. Even with both Kit and Mace pressing in on him, Palpatine was still on the offensive while the two Masters were on the defensive.
Anakin didn’t know where to jump in, feeling torn between his duty to the Jedi and his loyalty to a man he counted as a friend. He activated his blade but remained out of the fight, uncertain of what to do. Alpha had his own blaster up, but didn’t fire, fearful of hitting one of the Jedi in the ever quickening battle before him.
Mace finally saw an opening and lunged forward, bringing his lightsaber under Palpatine’s and flicking his wrist upward, trying to force Palpatine off balance. The Sith Lord let the momentum of the push send him away from Mace and spun towards Kit. The Nautolan caught Palpatine’s blade on his own and shoved back, but misjudged his thrust, sending him past Palpatine as the Sith sidestepped. The error of the Jedi gave the Sith the opening he needed and he buried his red blade in Kit’s back. He only had a couple seconds to revel in his victory before Mace was on him, driving him back towards the giant window that spanned the length of the office.
Mace disarmed Palpatine as they drew level with the window, shattering it as the red blade crashed into the glass. Anakin stepped in, standing side by side with Mace. Both of their sabers were pointed at the now ex-Chancellor.
“Anakin, help,” the old man crooned. “You know this is wrong. You know what you must do. What must be done so this war may come to an end and bring Padme home!”
“You have no right to say her name!” the Knight growled.
In a last ditch attempt to gain control, Palpatine shot streaks of blue lightening at Mace only to have Anankin swing his own saber, deflecting them. Realizing his own defeat, Palpatine filled the entire room with his force lighting, blinding the two Jedi. More glass crashed all around them as the man Anakin once trusted escaped through the window. The two Jedi were left in the Chancellor’s office to clean up the mess left behind.
~
She simply sat there staring out the front window of the cruiser, not saying a word as they readied themselves to land on Coruscant. Ahsoka had been unusually quiet the entire ride from Lothal and it was something that Rex was not use to. He wasn’t even sure how to break the awkward silence that had taken over of the ship since she had boarded. It was maddening. He always knew what to say, even if it wasn’t the right thing, Rex always had something to say. But right now, he could barely make eye contact with the ex-Jedi Padawan, not that she ever looked at him.
In a sense, he maybe had forced her to come with him. It seemed like she was still holding that tiny detail against him at the moment and probably for the foreseeable future. The war just was not the same without her fighting beside him.
Who was he kidding! No one.
Life overall was no longer the same with Ahsoka not in it. She made everything just a tad brighter and the war a touch more bearable. Truthfully, she had given his life a bit more meaning to it. He had begun noticing her impact on his after the encounter with Cut back on Saleucami. The deserter had taught Rex something that night. Between sharing a meal with his family and helping to protect them from the droids, the words he spoke to his brother when they parted were true. Rex did have a family and she was a part of it. A major part of it in reality.
Even though he no longer leading the 501st, he still had a certain responsibility to those that he consider family. And he wanted her to be a part of his personal family again, expect maybe more than a sister.
It was now or never, so he spoke up. “What are you thinking about?”
Ahsoka didn’t turn to face him. “What my life would be like if I had never become a Jedi.” Her voice was low and monotone.
“I know mine wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t here.” A small grin creased his features. “I’d probably died by now if you hadn’t been around to save me stupid ass time and time again.”
“I’m sure someone else would’ve saved that stupid ass of yours.” Rex wasn’t sure if he heard a slight smirk in her voice or not.
“You’re glad to have save my stupid ass,” he teased. “It’s a nice ass and you would’ve missed it.”
She laughed. A deep laugh that reached out from her belly. It was the first time she had shown emotion during this trip. The back of her glove wiped at the tears the prickled at her eyes, threatening to spill down her now flush cheeks. It was clear that she hadn’t laughed like this in a while.
“Feelin’ better?”
“Quite,” she answered. “Surprisingly, I am.” For the first time since they boarded, she turned towards him and gave him a shy smile. Fingers twitched in her lap, as she eyes began to shift about, never actually looking at him.
Still it was a start and Rex would take it. “Good laugh will do that.” He smiled back.
Her blue eyes met his own brown ones but quickly shifted to look up at his forehead. Even after three years of wielding a lightsaber and blusters, she hands were still soft on his skin. They inched along his jaw, up his cheek before stopping at the small scar that now adored his right temple. That glorious smile of hers faded to that concerned pout she would wear during debriefings and after battles.
“That’s new,” she whispered, finally looking into his eyes again. “Where did this come from?”
With nothing for him to do at that moment as they descended, he allowed himself to grasp her hand and pull it towards his lips. Lightly brushing them against the back of her hand, Rex witnessed a small blush creep across the bridge of her nose.
“It was something I did to myself,” he said with a sheepish grin.
Aghast, she stared into his brown eyes, delving so deep she seemed to touch it. “Why?”
“There was something in there, put into my head when I was created to help me do something, though I don’t remember what. Only, I don’t think I want its help anymore…”
“What was it?”
“A chip of some kind.”
The comm beeped at him, flashing red to indict it was now all clear for him to land on the surface below. With reluctance Rex released Ahsoka’s hand. It was an easy landing. After coming to a stop in the Jedi Temple hanger the two of them simply sat there, neither wanting to ruin what they had started moments ago. People were running all over the place; clones, Jedi and other military personnel. It was clear that something had happened while Rex was away. Quickly standing, he made his away off the ship with Ahsoka tailing close behind.
Despite not being in charge of the 501st, Rex still held the position of captain and thus was required to wear his uniform. Appo was now leader, serving under Anakin while Rex lead a smaller group of his bothers on more dangerous mission that took them behind enemy lines. He had gain even more of a reputation during the time Ahsoka was gone for being a bit unorthodox. Now he was known for taking risks and putting himself in the line of fire, must like his General.
Rex’s communicator began being from inside his pocket. All around them the high pitched ding echoed, causing all of his fellow brothers to pull their devices out. He was in the process of digging his own out when small blue lights from the holograms filled the hanger. A single cloaked figure appeared. They couldn’t hear what was being conveyed, only the slight nodded as the orders were acknowledged. Rex opened his open comm to show the hooded figure.
“Commence Order 66,” the voice crooned.
“Order 66,” Ahsoka questioned.
His mind froze. He knew that term, had heard it once a long time ago. Only he couldn’t remember the when and where or what Order 66 all entailed. A sense of foreboding pooled in the pit of his stomach.
“Rex?”
Looking up, Rex saw his brothers pulling out their blasters. Everything seemed to slow down then. All of them slowly raised their weapons till they were chest level. Their eyes seemed vacant. Jedi and the other military members cast confused looks at the men they served with. Rex and Ahsoka could hear the Jedi ask questions as a few of them walked towards the clones while other personnel raised their arms in surrender.
“Rex!?”
Before either of them could act, burst of blue beams shot out of the ends of the blasters. Each of them connected with one of the Jedi present on the deck.
Without even thinking Rex grabbed ahold of Ahsoka’s hand and dragged her out of hanger.
Shouts of ‘traitor’ and other cruel words followed after them. After sealing the door and dismantling the panel with a blast, he continued to pull her down the corridor.
“Rex wait!” she demanded, forcing him to stop with her. “What is going on?”
“Something I didn’t think possible till now,” he shuddered. “Clone troopers turning on their generals.”
“What?!” Her entire frame sagged in defeat. Cries from the hanger reached them causing her to wince as she listened to her fellow Jedi and those that tried to help them die at the very hands of their comrades. Ahsoka wanted to go and help, but Rex’s firm grip kept her in place.
His own body was drawn tight and face pinched in disgust at what was happening. “It’s a preprogramed order on a chip we are all implanted with at birth,” he started, his eyes turning from her as it all came back to him. “It is to eliminate all traitors of the Republic and in this case it’s the Jedi.” At that very moment Rex was ashamed to be a clone, the thing that he once held pride in.
“But that’s insane,” Ahsoka cried, finally breaking free of Rex’s hold.
“I know that…”
Fear crept into her eyes. She found herself stepping back, wanting to put space between him and herself. “Why aren’t you attacking me then?” Ahsoka wasn’t sure if she handle it if he turned on too.
“I took mine out.” Before she can response, Rex continued. “It was during a mission I was on with Artoo, he had to do a scan of me and found something on that didn’t seem right with it. I thought it had just malfunctioned, so I took it out.”
“You knew it was there?” She couldn’t help the surprise in her voice.
Rex turned away from her. “We all knew the chip was there and thought you Jedi knew too.”
Closing her arms around herself, she took a step towards him. After a few moments of silence, she spoke up. “What do we do now?”
“Try to keep you alive.”
~
Obi-wan wondered what he must look like to the clones, racing through the streets of Pau City on his dragonmount, covered in dust and grim and what possibly might be some burned remains of Grievous still clinging to his armor. He wondered if they didn’t think anything of it, used to him being covered in all manner of grim from long days in the trenches. Cody’s men were dependable like that, unflappable to a fault at times. Possibly had something to do with the commander himself, never bothered by the ever-higher demands put upon him as the war went on. With Grievous dead, Obi-wan hoped all the clones could now get a break.
He knew the war wasn’t over yet, even with a key general dead. There were still other leaders of the Separatists that still needed to be hunted down. That was a matter for another day though, they still needed to secure the city.
He pulled his mount to a sharp stop right next to where Cody was kneeling on a landing pad, giving the man some much needed cover. The clone looked up at him and Obi-wan could just feel the amusement rolling off him, “General Kenobi, glad you could join us.”
“Commander Cody,” Obi-wan nodded down at the man, sighing inwardly. The man was infuriating, especially in moments like this when he just knew Cody had something up his sleeve, “Did you contact Coruscant with the news of the general’s death?”
Cody pulled his helmet off, throwing a crisp salute that still felt like it was mocking him, “As ordered, sir. Erm, sir?” Obi-wan frowned down at him, raising an eyebrow at the slight laugh in Cody’s voice. The clone at least looked a little sheepish, “Are you alright, sir? You’re a bit, well, a bit of a mess.”
Obi-wan sighed and wiped a bit of gore and dust off his face with the corner of his sleeve. He looked down at it, frowning at the charred edge, “Ah. Well, yes. It has been a…stressful day.” He looked over the city before them, “But we still have a battle to win.”
“Then I think you’ll be wanting this,” Cody said, holding up the lightsaber Obi-wan had dropped during his fight with Grievous. “I believe you dropped this, sir.”
Obi-wan felt his face heat up a bit, “Ah…ah, yes.”
He lifted up his hand and the lightsaber floated up to it, the familiar weight an instant relief to the Jedi. He let out a sigh and smiled down at Cody, “No, ah, no need to mention this to Anakin, is there, Cody?”
The grin on Cody’s face told Obi-wan he was going to have a high price to pay for the man’s silence, “Is that an order, sir?”
Obi-wan shook his head tiredly, his smile growing fond, “Let’s go. You’ll have noticed I did manage to leave a few droids for you.”
“Yes, sir, I did,” Cody looked like he was going to say more, but a buzzing from a storage compartment on his wrist drew the clone’s attention. “Go on ahead, General. We’ll be right behind you.”
“Of course, Cody,” Obi-wan nodded before snapping the reins against his mount’s neck and the beast leapt forward. He caught a glimpse of a commlink before he was racing back up into the city. He reached out in the Force and guided his mount up a pathway that cut up the rock face towards a hot zone. He sensed a flash of regret from Cody before his world was exploding around him, his mount screaming in pain as the wave of heat dragged them both down towards the water below.
Back down on the landing pad, Cody stood watching the scene unfold before him. Ordering his men to fire left a sour taste in his mouth, but the sense of guilt he felt he should be having right now wasn’t there. He sighed, glancing at some of his nearby men, “Would it have been too much to ask for the order to have come through before I gave him back the bloody lightsaber?”
The men laughed, sounding just as hollow as he felt before they focused back on the battle at hand. Cody looked down at the blaster in his hands, his heart fluttering but he couldn’t place why. After all, hadn’t he just killed a traitor? A sharp pain cut through his head but Cody shook his head and tightened his grip on his blaster. He still had a battle to win, after all.
~
Obi-wan pulled himself up over the lip of the cliff face and rolled into the cavern, chest heaving. What the hell had just happened? One minute he was racing up towards the upper galleries of Pau City, the next he was falling from the cliff face as an explosion rocked the air around him. The screams of his dragonmount still echoed in his ears and the smell of charred flesh would be with him for some time. What he didn’t understand was where the shot had come from. He knew it wasn’t the droids, positive in that in fact. What he couldn’t wrap his mind around was that the clones, his own men, had fired the shot. Had tried to kill him.
Why would they try to kill him? What had changed between the time he had talked to Cody back on the landing pad and having one of their cannons try to blow him to smithereens. Had Cody ordered it? If so, why? What had he done to deserve this? Why was this happening?
Obi-wan was about to roll to his feet when something slammed into his chest with the force of a rancor. It was as though hundreds of voices had cried out in fear and pain before they were cut off violently and mercilessly. It was as though the Force itself was under attack, strings snapping in the web that connected all of the Jedi. It left him feeling weak and hollow and it didn’t stop. He could feel the tears streaming down his face as he felt souls reach out to him, souls he knew. Plo, Luminara, Aayla and Shaak Ti all reaching out blindly, not just to him but to everyone as fear gripped at their senses. Young padiwans, younglings Obi-wan hadn’t even met crying out as something dark bore down on them. All these lives, gone in seconds.