"Holovid's filled with static, we can't really access everything at the moment.", Anakin explained as he kept working on them.
"Do, it will.", Yoda told the Jedi Knight. "Know more of these, we should. Wanted us to know piece by piece, the Force does.", he explained as everyone watched the screen, but it had skipped some scenes because of the static or that the holovid was corrupt
The lights on the men's helmets helped, but it was still hard to see as they walked through the tunnel. The feeling in the Force had gotten worse and her skin had begun to itch as though something was creeping closer and closer to Ahsoka.
Rook and the other followers of Maul were carefully following the Republic forces from a distance.
Ahsoka crept carefully past the others to the opposite end of the tunnel they were hiding in. They were so close. Just a few more feet...
The Togruta came to a stop as they reached an intersection of tunnels. The itching had gotten worse, the Force faintly buzzing in her head and growing louder.
She spun around to see one of Maul's mebending over and rocket coming straight towards them.
"Get down!" She shouted to the men, throwing her hands up into the air. Ahsoka called upon the Force and wrapped it around the rocket, shifting its course…It slammed into the wall next to her! Ahsoka cried out as it exploded, flinging down onto the ground as something hit her head. The sabers rolled from her grasp as she laid still, eyes shut.
"Ahsoka!" Anakin cried out, distressed at seeing his former padawan in such a state, knowing that this takes place days from now.
But still awake, still aware. But dazed. She could faintly hear the men calling out to each other. Feel the vibrations from the feet as they run past her to chase after the warrior.
"Vaughn, wait!", Squaring her shoulders, Ahsoka ran deeper into the tunnels, hearing her men's voices once more. Only now they were the cries of men as they were shot. Ahsoka came around a corner just in time to see one of her men as he was shot in the chest. Crying out he fell to the ground and lay still. Not a foot away was his brother. She could feel horror and grief start to take over, but Ahsoka pushed herself to keep going.
The Jedi look grim at this, especially the ones who were deeply close and greatly cared for the wellbeing of their respective Clone Troopers.
"Look out!"
"This way! Hurry."
"Watch it! Watch it!"
Ahsoka ran as fast as she could through the tunnels. The Force was still screaming in her head. She kept having to push the pain away, to release her anger and sadness into the Force because she didn't have time. She had to stop Maul. Everyone was counting on her.
She watched as another Clone went flying backwards to never get up again. Ahsoka's feet slipped as she went around the corner, chasing after Vaughn's voice. She caught herself, running harder and faster. Her lungs were starting to burn and more tears were falling, but she needed to get to Vaughn.
Ahsoka came to a stop. She had reached a central area in the systems sunk down lower than the tunnels. There were bodies clad in white and blue armor. Their helmets red-orange and white. In the center lay Vaughn. Still alive, but barely.It wasn't anything new for everyone to see a sight like this one, but it always hurt their souls whenever they stumble upon moments like this one.
Panting, Ahsoka switched off her sabers and returned them to her belt as she jumped down from the edge of the tunnel. She ran to Vaughn, falling to her knees beside him. There was still faint smoke drifting up from the blaster hole in his chest. He raised a shaky hand up to her and Ahsoka grabbed it, holding tight
"I'm sorry, Commander." His grip was loosing and Ahsoka felt her heart crumbling as it had so many times in the past. Ahsoka felt the last of his life leave him as his hand slipped from her grip.
Ahsoka, Rex and Anakin looked down in mourning for the fallen trooper. But at least they would have an insight to prevent his death as a whole.
The Force called to her in her grief. A sharp and sudden warning. Eyes blazing with fury, Ahsoka rose to her feet and her lightsabers came alive in her hands. In the opening to every tunnel around the pit stood members of Maul's forces. Their blasters, gauntlets, rockets, flamethrowers all aimed at the ex-Padawan with the bodies of her murdered comrades at her feet.
"He's there. There's no mistake." Obi-Wan spoke in a grave tone. No one needed to ask who he was referring to as they could feel the darkness that was approaching Ahsoka.
The feeling was back. Of something off. A Darkness that as it came closer oozed with the blood it had spilled. The Force nudged her again as Ahsoka heard the sound of metal feet stamping through a tunnel.She spun around on her shaky legs to face where the sound was coming.
"I was hoping for Kenobi."
Came the soft voice amidst the datkness. The blood-red and black Zabrak emerged from the darkness of the tunnel on his mech legs. His yellow and red eyes stared down at Ahsoka as though she were not worth his time or notice. That she was a bug that needed to be squashed.
The Jedi frowned at the appearance of Sidious' ex-apprentice while Obi-Wan glared at the Zabrak, remembering all those he had lost to him over the years.
"Why are you here?"
The Holovid abruptly ended there unfortunately, due to the static, to the frustration of everyone present who wanted to know what exactly happened.
"What in the kriff was that?!", Kit-Fisto spoke up, dismay visible in his voice while surprising the rest as they rarely heard him curse. And suddenly, the Hologram recording of the woman appeared before them once more.
"Those holovids are a bit...damaged. But they will show you the rest as soon as the second main holovid is finished.", she explained, resulting at some frowning at this. "Think of it as a puzzle. All of you would have to connect them through your minds, though some may contain the truth that is to be kept from now."
Yoda hummed at this. "Testing us, she is. Wanted us to be careful, she does.", he said before another holovid activated and they proceeded to lay their eyes upon.
At first glance however, both Anakin and Obi-Wan felt dread at the place in mind, wondering what is its connection between them.
The scene opened to a transport ship flying over a field of lava and rocks. The ship flew up the side of a volcano and to a massive, very foreboding castle at the top.
"Is this...Mustafar?", Luminara spoke up. All of a sudden, Anakin felt a sudden migraine on seeing the planet firsthand, holding his head to ease the pain with Padmé supporting him.
"Apparently so. Why would they show us the planet anyway?", Ki-Adi asked, bewildered.
The ship landed at a pad and a ramp opened with a hydraulic steam release. Director Orson Krennic descended the ramp, dressed in a white military uniform with a matching cape over his shoulders.
"He's wearing the same uniform as Admiral Yularen.", Rex remarked. "Anyone recognize him?"
However, no one answered at the Clone trooper's question.
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