The Perfect Jedi • Anakin Skywalker

Ch 37: The Unknown

I blocked blasts as Gree came up beside me.

"We're not gaining any ground" he said.

"I know!" I said.

Assasin droids jumped down as I led the way. I stopped seeing destroyer droids roll in.

"Shields up!" I yelled.

I ducked behind Grey as they started blasting us. I held my hand out slightly levitating the droids. My men rolled grenades as I let go. They went off as the droids fell over.

We walked on as I slashed the droids upon entering the room. I turned my head as Tiplee and Tiplar walked in.

"Don't get too comfortable. This battle hasn't been won yet" Anakin said from behind.

"Master Organa, we just get to the command post" Tiplee said. "Admiral Trench has sent for reinforcements. We must take this post before they arrive."

"Talk to Skywalker, he's in charge of this mission" I said.

We all looked at the hologram as Anakin pointed to an entrance.

"It's time for phase two" he said. "We're at this position. Tiplar, you'll take your men down this passageway. Tiplee, you'll move along here. They'll have to divide their forces to counter us. And when they do, Luna, Rex and I will press through the middle. If we time it right, we'll all converge on this spot at the same time and the droids won't know what hit them."

"If we're making a run, we'll need backup. My men are severely depleted" Commander Doom said

"Fives, you and Tup take ten of your best men and support Master Tiplar" he said.

"We're on it, sir" Fives said.

I tilted my head looking at Tup. He kept rubbing his eyes as Anakin grabbed my arm.

"You notice anything wrong with Tup?" I asked.

"No, why?" He asked.

I shook my head as we ran down the hall. Droids appeared as Anakin and I led the way. I clicked my sabers together as we entered the hall. I levitated one of the boxes in the room, throwing it to a couple of the droids.

I turned my head seeing Tup with his blaster pointed to me. He shot me as I fell to the ground. I held my side, looking at my bloodied hand.

"Luna!" Anakin yelled.

"I'm fine" I said.

I looked around for Tup as he held his blaster to Tiplar's head. I could hear nothing but that single blast as her body fell to the ground as Fives knocked him down. I stood up running towards her body.

"Hold your position!" Anakin yelled.

"Destroyers!" Doom said.

"We lost our momentum. Fall back!" He said.

I helped Tiplee grab her sisters body as we retreated. Gree ran over tending to my wound. Anakin walked over as I frowned.

"Why?" Tiplee asked. "Why would he do this?"

"I'm about to find out" Anakin said.

He looked at me then to the blood on my hands.

"Did Tup do that?" He asked.

"Yeah" I said.

He motioned for me to follow him as I grabbed the bandages from Gree's hands.

"How's he doing, Rex?" Anakin asked.

"I'm not sure, general" Rex said. "It seems like he just snapped."

"Well he shot me, I'd like to know why" I said.

Rex grabbed Tup's body as he slightly fell over.

"Tup, can you hear me?" He asked.

"Yes, captain" Tup said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Tup asked confused.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" He asked.

"Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders" Tup said.

He repeated this numerous times as his eyes darted. He looked between Anakin and I, to Tiplee.

"Kill the Jedi" he said.

He lunged at her as she held her hand out. She leviatated his body to the wall. I put my hand on her soldier, sensing her pain.

"We have to get him back to the medical bay beofre he hurts anyone else" I said.

She nodded, letting him go. She walked away as I bandaged up my wound. We arrived at the medical bay as Tup tried to take the restraints off his body.

"Fives, what's happening to me?" He asked.

"You don't remember?" Fives asked.

"No" he said.

"You murdered General Tiplar and shot General Organa" Fives said.

"What? No" he said looking to me. "That's not possible. I- I would never. I could never."

"Tup, you did" Fives said grabbing his arm.

"I don't understand. H-how could this happen?" He said. "What's happening to me, Fives? Ah!"

The medical droid sedated Tup as Rex walked over.

"What do you think happened?" He asked.

"Did you check all of his scans?" I asked looking at Kix.

"Well, all of his scans are clear. As far as I can tell, this is a combat related stress" Kix said. "It seems he's had some sort of breakdown."

"Kix, you should know better. We were designed to withstand any stress" Rex said.

"I agree" Fives said. "We've been through a lot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened. It's like he's sick or drugged."

"Well, it could be a virus, a toxin" Kix said. "I can't be certain."

"Let's talk outside" Anakin said.

We walked out of the room as my side began to burn. I put my hand over the bandage as Anakin talked.

"You mean the enemy could've made him do this?" He asked.

"It's a possibility. There have been rumors that Separatists have been trying to develop an anti clone virus, biological warfare" Tiplee said.

"Listen, we aren't equipped for this type of situation. He'll have to be taken back to Kamino" Kix said. "Only then will you have your answer."

I stood beside Anakin and Fives as Tup was put onto a ship. I slowly walked away as Gree ran towards us.

"You okay, general?" He asked.

"It burns but I'm fine" I said.

"General Tiplee would like to speak to you in private" he said.

I nodded, going to walk down the hall when his comm began beeping. I vaguely heard the transmission when I turned around.

"General!" He said. "We have lost contact with the shuttle and all men."

I walked back to Anakin.

"Go" I said. "He's a part of your squadron."

He ran to a shuttle with Fives and Rex right behind him.

"If you need back up, let me know" I said.

Anakin nodded as Gree and I walked to the command center.

"Master Tiplee will have to wait" I said.