Chapter 15
“Ahsoka?”
A voice called out through the hangar. The Padawan was currently tweaking a few things on her astromech droid. She had only recently been cleared by the medics to return to duty, and sitting around unable to train had done nothing for her patience.
She jumped up, throwing a apologetic glance at her droid, and headed toward the entrance where Anakin was waiting.
“Do we finally have another mission?” she asked eagerly.
Her master smiled. “Something like that. We’ve been assigned to guard duty at the Senate today.”
Politics. Again.
After recent assassination attempts, two Jedi were required to oversee the most important meetings. Today, it seemed, that responsibility fell to them.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Ahsoka said with a shrug, already heading out.
As soon as they stepped into the Senate chamber, Ahsoka felt it—something off. A subtle wrongness in the air. A quick glance at Anakin told her he felt it too.
“We split up,” he instructed in a low voice. “I’ll stay up front near the senators. You mix into the crowd and keep watch.”
Ahsoka nodded, pulling the gray hood of her cloak over her head. From her vantage point, she could see Anakin standing protectively behind the politicians, positioning himself a little closer to Senator Amidala.
Ahsoka smirked. They weren’t as subtle as they thought. But after spending time with Padmé, she had already figured it out anyway. So much for keeping it private.
The first few speeches went smoothly. There were the usual groans and applause at certain points, but nothing seemed overtly suspicious. Still, that uneasy feeling wouldn’t leave her.
Then—movement. Too quick.
A hooded figure in the crowd pulled out a blaster.
Ahsoka lunged forward, but she was too slow. The shot had already been fired.
She could only watch in horror as the red bolt flew straight toward none other than Padmé Amidala.
Only to be blocked by a glowing blue lightsaber.
The assassin had already started running, shoving people aside left and right in a desperate attempt to escape. Ahsoka didn’t waste a second before pursuing.
The hooded figure reached for a grappling hook and fired it, propelling herself up to the second level of the grandstand. Ahsoka used the Force to accelerate her jump, landing gracefully on the upper level as well. Good thing my leg is working again.
For the first time, the assassin hesitated, pausing for just a second too long. Ahsoka seized the moment, igniting her sabers with a sharp snap-hiss.
Two more shots rang out—but they weren’t aimed at her.
The bounty hunter fired at the massive windows behind them, shattering the glass. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. You’re not getting away that easily.
She sprinted after the fleeing assassin and leaped through the broken window.
Now outside, the wind howled around them, whipping through the air high above Coruscant’s endless cityscape. The force of the wind blew the hood off the assassin’s head, revealing a pale skull-like face and long, loose braids.
Aurra Sing.
Ahsoka’s grip on her sabers tightened. The thief who stole my lightsaber back then.
Time to put you in prison where you belong.
She kept up the chase, but running wouldn’t be enough. Near the edge of the rooftop, Ahsoka finally forced Aurra into a corner. With her sabers raised, she took a step forward.
“It’s over.”
Aurra just smirked. “Dream on.”
Then, without hesitation, she threw herself backward.
Ahsoka cursed under her breath. Of course.
Without thinking, she followed, leaping after the bounty hunter. They landed on one of the many landing platforms just outside the Senate building. Behind her, the endless streets of Coruscant buzzed with activity. In front of her, Aurra Sing prepared to fight.
Ahsoka smirked.
Because right behind her, a clone trooper from the Coruscant Guard was raising his weapon.
“Now it’s over.”
The blue rings of a stun blast shot forward, striking Aurra in the back. She crumpled to the ground, unable to move.
Ahsoka exhaled, then turned to the trooper. “Good shot, soldier.”
“Thank you, sir.”
She knelt down, securing the cuffs around Aurra’s wrists before activating her comm.
“Master, I got her.”
It only took Anakin a few minutes to arrive at the landing platform. Ahsoka could sense his irritation even before he reached them. He barely spared her a glance before taking Aurra Sing by the arm and leading her toward the prison facility.
Ahsoka started to follow, but something caught her eye—a glint of metal as a small object tumbled from the bounty hunter’s pocket.
She bent down and picked it up.
A small coin, similar in size to a standard credit chip, but slightly different in shape. The markings were unmistakable—Huttese currency.
Ahsoka frowned. Huttese coins were typically used by the Hutts themselves for trades between their clans. If Aurra Sing had them, there was only one logical explanation.
She tucked the coin into her pouch and hurried after her Master.
By the time they reached the holding cells, Padmé Amidala was already there, speaking with the guards.
“Do you know who might be behind this?” Anakin asked, concern lacing his voice.
Padmé crossed her arms, looking deep in thought. “I have a suspicion, but no solid proof.”
Anakin gave her a look. “Just say it. We’ll find the evidence we need.”
She sighed. “I suspect Ziro the Hutt is involved. But he’s in prison right now. Ani, please don’t do anything reckless.”
Ahsoka didn’t miss the way Anakin’s jaw tensed.
Before he could respond, she reached into her pouch. “I think I have something.”
She held up the coin. “This fell out of Sing’s pocket earlier.”
Anakin took it from her, inspecting it closely. His eyes narrowed.
“That’s a Hutt coin.”
Ahsoka smirked. So I was right.
They later learned that Ziro the Hutt had been freed from prison. Anakin had wanted to pursue him, but the council had already sent Obi-Wan and another Jedi to track him down.
“Don’t worry, they will catch him,” Ahsoka said, trying to cheer him up.
Anakin sighed. “I know.”
Her master got up from where they were sitting in the hangar. “I’m going to my quarters. If you need anything, you know how to reach me.”
Ahsoka nodded, watching him go. It must have been hard for him—seeing someone he loved almost shot and not being able to do anything about it. She stood there for a moment, lost in thought, when a loud clanking noise suddenly broke the silence.
Ahsoka jumped, her hand hovering over her lightsaber as she scanned the hangar. I thought we were alone here.
Moving cautiously in the direction of the noise, she found herself peering around a stack of crates.
“Rex?”
The clone was busy stacking boxes, one of which he had clearly just knocked over. He looked up at her, his posture stiff.
“Commander.”
Ahsoka frowned, noting the dark circles under his eyes and how pale his skin looked.
“Rex, are you okay?” she asked, her concern growing.
“Of course, Commander,” he answered stiffly, but Ahsoka didn’t believe him for a second.
“No. Rex, I’m asking as your friend, not as your superior,” she said, her voice soft but firm.
Rex looked away, his gaze fixed on the floor.
“Please. I just want to help you.”
Rex stayed silent for a long moment, and just as Ahsoka was about to turn away, he mumbled, “It’s the dreams.”
Ahsoka froze, her heart tightening. She turned back to face him, her eyes soft with empathy.
“The same one as before?” she asked quietly.
Rex nodded, his fists clenched tightly.
“On some days, it’s the one. On others, it’s the other. I don’t even know when I last slept for more than an hour.”
Ahsoka felt a surge of anger and concern. “Why didn’t you say something? I can help you.”
Rex’s shoulders slumped.
“How? You can’t fight everything, not dreams.”
Ahsoka took a step closer and gently placed a hand on his arm.
“I can take them away, at least for tonight. Obi-Wan showed me a trick that calms the mind,” she explained. She recalled the time after the battle of Teth, when Obi-Wan had taught her how to deal with her own nightmares.
“It can’t hurt to try.”
Rex hesitated but eventually nodded.
The barracks were quiet, the usual muted conversations from inside barely audible. Ahsoka followed Rex down the corridor to his room at the far end.
Rex disappeared into the small attached bathroom to change into sleeping clothes. Ahsoka took a moment to survey the room. It was bare—no photos, no plants, nothing personal. If she were to ask him why, he’d probably say it was pointless to have such items if he might not make it through the next day.
She didn’t have to wait long before Rex emerged in his black sleepwear. Ahsoka motioned for him to get into bed.
“Get comfortable, Rexter. You’re about to have the best night of sleep,” she said, offering him a smile to hide the nervousness she felt. Obi-Wan had shown her how to do it on herself, but she had never done it for another person.
“Is this alright?” Rex mumbled from beneath the sheets, his voice soft.
Ahsoka couldn’t help but smile, it was gentle and warm. She had never seen him so… vulnerable.
“Yeah,” she said, stepping to the side of the bed. She gently placed her hands on his head, feeling the soft short hair beneath her fingers.
“Close your eyes.”
She started, focusing on the Force. She allowed it to weave through his mind, calming it, like a meditation, spreading out through his skull and into his thoughts. She felt the tension in him begin to relax, but then something caught her attention.
There was a spot in his mind the Force couldn’t quite penetrate. She concentrated on it, trying to understand. What was that?
A… chip?
And it was cracked.
Ahsoka’s eyes widened.
She immediately pulled her hands away from his head.
“Everything okay?” Rex mumbled, his voice groggy.
Ahsoka took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
“Yes, Rexter. Now sleep,” she whispered, her voice calming. She waved her hand one last time, watching as his eyes finally drifted shut. Sorry.
As she stepped back, her heart was heavy with the realization. There was something embedded in his mind—something hidden, something dangerous if her assumption was right.
Ahsoka needed to contact Shaak Ti, and she needed to do it quickly.
It took a few minutes until a hologram of the Togruta Jedi appeared in Ahsoka’s quarters. She stopped her nervous pacing as the familiar image of Shaak Ti materialized.
“Padawan Tano, is there something?” Shaak Ti’s calm voice resonated from the holo-projector.
“Are you alone?” Ahsoka asked, trying to steady her breath.
Shaak Ti nodded.
“Good. I found out about the chip. In Rex’s head. He’s been having these bad dreams, and I wanted to help..I .”
Shaak Ti raised an eyebrow, her voice a little more alert. “Woah, woah, calm down, Padawan.”
Ahsoka took a few deep breaths, trying to collect herself. She felt the urgency in her tone, but she needed to explain it properly. “I think I know what the chips are and where we can find them. They’re…”
Suddenly, a second voice interrupted the transmission. “Master Ti, can we get you for a moment?”
Shaak Ti turned slightly, speaking to someone off-screen. “In a minute.”
A few seconds passed before she turned back to Ahsoka. “Why don’t you come over? I could request your assistance.”
Ahsoka didn’t hesitate. “Of course. But prepare a dead clone.”
The next morning, Ahsoka landed on Kamino. As usual, the rain poured down relentlessly. I really didn’t miss this planet, she thought with a sigh, pulling her hood up.
A clone escort led her from the ship through the long, sterile corridors. “General Ti awaits you in the last room,” the clone said, opening an airlock door. Ahsoka noted the slight hesitation before he stepped back—seems like he didn’t have the clearance to enter this part of the facility.
Inside, she found Shaak Ti standing beside a body on an examination table. The room was quiet, the air thick with the sense of impending action.
“Hello, Padawan Tano. I’ve prepared everything you asked for. Now, please explain everything.”
Ahsoka took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. “I scanned Rex’s head yesterday because he had repeating dreams about orders—about being tasked to kill Jedi.”
The room went silent for a moment. Ahsoka saw Shaak Ti’s expression shift, as if she too had pieced it together. It was similar to the situation with the clone on Shili.
“What I found was a chip, right next to his ear. It was slightly broken,” Ahsoka continued, stepping closer to the body. She suppressed the wave of dread in her chest as she inspected the clone. “It must be in this area.”
Shaak Ti nodded gravely, moving to the clone’s head with surgical precision. She began cutting into the skull.
Ahsoka turned away, unable to watch the procedure. The sound of the scalpel slicing through the flesh made her stomach turn.
A few moments later, she heard Shaak Ti’s voice again, this time a little more detached. “You were right.”
Ahsoka turned back just in time to see Shaak Ti hold up a small computer chip, laying in her gloved hands.
“Let’s finally discover your secrets,” Shaak Ti said, her tone almost reverent.
Ahsoka watched, her heart racing, as the Togruta master inserted the chip into a small slit in the computer behind her. She typed a series of characters into the keyboard, the sound of her fingers on the keys punctuating the stillness.
The tension in the room was unbearable, and Ahsoka held her breath, watching with bated anticipation.
Finally, a small light blinked on the screen. Shaak Ti stepped back, a relieved but cautious expression crossing her face.
“Please work,” she murmured, almost to herself.
Ahsoka didn’t dare speak.
Then, a long list appeared on the screen.
“The orders,” Ahsoka whispered, her voice a mixture of disbelief and dread.
Shaak Ti nodded solemnly and began scrolling down the list. The words blurred before Ahsoka’s eyes as she processed the magnitude of what she was reading. At one point, Shaak Ti paused, her gaze narrowing as she scanned a specific section of the text. She looked up at Ahsoka, her face tight with confirmation.
“We were right.”
Ahsoka didn’t answer immediately. She couldn’t. It had been her assumption—the horrifying suspicion—but seeing it in black and white, knowing it was real, was another thing entirely.
Order 66. The words burned into her mind, each one more crushing than the last:
“In the event of Jedi officers acting against the interests of the Republic, and after receiving specific orders verified as coming directly from the Supreme Chancellor, commanders will remove those officers by lethal force, and command of the Grand Army of the Republic shall revert to the Supreme Chancellor until a new command structure is established.”
Shaak Ti’s voice broke through the suffocating silence. “Whoever commissioned this wants to take the role of Chancellor and eliminate all of us.”
Ahsoka barely processed the words. They were too terrible, too unimaginable to fully grasp. A shadow passed by the small window, snapping Ahsoka out of her reverie. She quickly ran outside, her heart pounding, only to find the corridor empty.
Had she imagined it? Or was someone watching her?
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Ahsoka, you need to get this to the Council immediately. I can’t leave. The Kaminoans will ask questions.” Shaak Ti’s voice was firm but urgent. She pressed a small disk into Ahsoka’s hand. “I’ve put all the information on this.”
Ahsoka took the disk without hesitation, feeling the weight of it in her palm. The burden of what she now knew was heavier than ever.
As Ahsoka turned to leave, she couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was spiraling out of control. The truth made her feel more isolated, more uncertain. Someone—someone powerful—was orchestrating this, plotting to take control of the Senate and erase the Jedi.
But as long as I’m alive, Ahsoka thought, clenching her fist around the disk, I won’t let that happen.