Trial of the Times

Chapter 17 - Resolving Issues - Rewritten

Ahsoka goes straight to the Star Destroyer where the 501st is located upon leaving Obi-Wan's apartment. If anyone deserves to know the truth, Rex does. Besides, she needs someone who can reassure her that she's not entirely losing her mind.

"Commander." He salutes upon seeing her.

She waves the formalities off. "We need to talk," she tells him in a hushed voice.

"That bad, huh?" Rex comments just as quietly as he steers her away towards a private conference room. "What happened?"

"Obi-Wan was kidnapped," she blurts out in a rush, hands fisting as she tries to maintain her calm. "Last night, an intruder snuck into the Temple and took him."

"What?" Rex exclaims in shock. "How is that even possible? How could anyone get inside without being caught by a Jedi?"

Ahsoka carefully avoids his gaze. "There's more," she adds, inhaling to bolster herself. "Anakin was in the Temple last night. I sensed him. He was... I think he did it. I don't know why or for what purpose, but Rex..."

"Is there really nothing we can do? Do we have to wait for answers?" the Captain questions.

She shrugs. "I want to try and find Anakin, but I don't know how. Besides..." She hesitates again, finally forcing herself to look up and meet Rex's brown eyes. "I – I think Anakin was Vader." She's almost horrified to feel her eyes filling with tears. "I think he might have Fallen, or at least he's using the Dark Side."

Rex reaches out, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder while she forces herself to regain her composure. She wants to break down and scream about the unfairness of it all. Why would Anakin do something like that? How could he? This is very different than him touching the Dark Side on missions, she knows that. She felt Vader. She felt the black hole of power he was in the Force... and it scared her.

She trusts Anakin. She trusts that he knows what he's doing, that he's doing this all for a reason, even if she cannot yet understand it. What hurts is knowing that he's betrayed everything they've believed in their entire lives. It's not that she's upset with him; of course, she's not. Ahsoka would willingly follow him to the end of the galaxy if he only asked. What hurts is that he was willing to go to such lengths, sacrifice his very soul for whatever he's trying to do. He didn't tell her anything – perhaps because he was unwilling to let her pay the same cost. That is what hurts most. She would join him; she would use the Dark Side if he told her to. He must know that, and it stings that he never gave her that choice.

"I don't know how the Force works, vod'ika, but the General wouldn't do something like that unless he felt he had no choice," Rex says, his words reassuring her, taking the edge off of the chaos in her mind.

"Why did he attack the Chancellor?" Ahsoka wonders, knowing that she'll never get an answer. "Palpatine is his friend. I don't understand..."

"We won't be able to find the answers without asking him, but perhaps we should keep our eyes open. If I know the General, he's doing what he thinks is necessary." Rex pauses, expression grave. "Perhaps there is something we are all missing. I think we had best keep a close eye on the Chancellor in the meantime."

Well, it couldn't hurt, and at least it'll give them something to do. "Okay, so what do we do?" she asks, mind running through all available options. "We'll need a plan. You got any ideas?"

Rex looks pensive for a moment, before he smirks slightly. "One or two."

Ahsoka leans forward with a grin, excitement suddenly humming within her. "Let's hear them."

***

Later that afternoon, when the sun is setting, Padme finds that she still has been unable to find any calm, her mind distracted by thoughts of the revelations which she made earlier. Her conflict is noticed – of course, it is. "What's troubling you, Padme?" Sabe asks, sitting down next to her on the couch.