When the Cavalry Comes.

XXXIV

They rewatched the scene again. 

The Chancellor's speech played out as Cav watched the recording intently, looking for something she had missed. The Captain apparently saw something before she did, and raised a hand.

"There." He pointed to a guard in blue armor that was reaching through the ray shield. His disguise, which was now revealed to be a hologram, flickered. It was an alien of a species that Cavalry didn't recognize off of the top of her head, with long tentacles for limbs and digits. He stretched and touched the generator, causing it to spark and flicker, and it failed.

As soon as the ray shield was down, a stun shot flew from a nearby tower from a sniper's position. Then a figure leaped from said tower, slowing their fall impossibly at the last second. Hardeen. He threw the chancellor over his shoulder and then looked at the drone camera. His form flickered, and for a split second, Cav saw the thing that had caused her outburst.

The face of Obi-Wan Kenobi gave the camera a cruel smile that sent a shiver right down her spine. And his appearance... He was unhealthily pale and his cheeks hollow. His beard was gone, and his lips and eyelids bruised and swollen. His eyes were a sickly yellow, the irises bleeding from the destructive force that could only be the dark side coursing through his veins. Commander Tano rubbed at her own eyes at the sight. 

As he had in the recording the last three times Cav had watched it, the General- Ex General, raised a blaster pistol and shot the drone providing the camera footage. It ended in static. 

The Commander was sniffing softly, a far away look in damp eyes. Cav turned away slightly as to not stare as the Captain wrapped a protective arm around her. Gosh those two were bad at hiding whatever they had.

"Was that really him or another hologram?" Captain Rex asked, his voice flinty. 

"It's been confirmed by General Skywalker himself." Cav suppressed a wince at the slight tremble of her voice that belayed the underlying tumble of emotions. "He's given chase to find the Chancellor." Ahsoka stood quickly at the news. 

"I have to help him. He's my Master." 

The Captain finished removing the rest of his electrodes and they all flinched at the screech of the flatline. A very frazzled and frustrated Kix was in the room mere seconds later. 

"CLONE TROOPER 7567 CAPTAIN REX YOU GET YOUR KARKING SHEBS BACK IN THAT BED SO HELP ME HAAR'CHAK!" He roared. Captain Rex ignored him and stood up. His legs trembled ever so slightly underneath him, but he didn't seem to mind. Kix pulled out a blaster, set to stun, and raised it. Cav was faster though, muttering an apology under her breath as she stunned her Ori'vod first. 

Kix slumped in a heap, prompting Cav to attempt to catch him. Despite all of her training though, she was still tiny compared to the full grown clone. His weight brought her to her knees as he fell backwards against her, and she breathed a soft sigh of relief. He hadn't hit his head at least. 

"We need to move fast. Fives, can you go get Commander Cody and Jesse? I don't think either of them are on active duty right now. Have them meet us at the Twilight." Cav said softly, Not paying attention to her words and dropping immediately into planning mode. Fives laughed and took off ahead of them, calling in a couple favors to assure the ship was ready and they got off Corascant. It was time for Cav to step up and she had done so without even realizing it.

"Commander Tano, Ahsoka." Cav said, amending herself. "Are you and the Captain fit for duty?" The Captain seemed a little pale and was leaning against the railing of the bed, appearing lost in thought. 

"Officially or Unofficially?" She asked with a fanged smile. Right. She had those. 

"Unofficially. I trust you to know your limits." There. That sounded like she knew what she was doing. Plan. They needed a plan besides getting to Naboo.