Trial of the Times

Chapter 21 - A Step Ahead - Rewritten

"I have never attempted infiltration in such a manner, but I imagine it will take us time to figure anything out for certain," Rex replies. "At this point, we don't even know what we're looking for or how to go about looking for it."

"Right," Ahsoka agrees with a sigh, "And it's not as though anything suspicious would be left in plain sight. We can't draw any attention to ourselves or take any unnecessary risks until we know more." She hates waiting, but it seems to be the only thing she can do right now. They cannot realistically break into the Chancellor's files without good cause or without doing it in such a way so that it won't be traced back to them.

"Perhaps we need to call in an expert," he suggests hesitantly. "I can't think of any other way to get more insight, and neither of us know much about slicing."

"Or anything really," she adds with a shrug as she taps on the computer console in the center of the room. "It's risky. I don't want to get anyone else involved unless it's necessary." Ahsoka has never been in command of anything without Anakin at her back, offering support and advice, and she won't deny feeling nervous and overwhelmed. If they look in the right places, they'll find something, even if she isn't sure what. The problem is figuring out where to start.

"Me either," Rex murmurs. She can feel his anxiety and uneasiness as acutely as her own. He's right though. They don't know nearly enough about slicing to know where they should begin.

"Maybe – maybe we should ask one of the others, someone who knows how to splice, to explain the basics to us." Ahsoka can't think of any better options at the moment, and they don't have unlimited time. Probably. Regardless, the faster they move, the better.

The clone looks pensive and thoughtful for a long moment, probably weighing the pros and cons of asking someone else to give some insight. "Okay," Rex nods. "We can get a basic understanding of how splicing works, but we'd better hold off on asking someone else to help us, at least for a couple days."

Ahsoka is relieved that she doesn't have to make this decision on her own. They need to take it slow and careful until they know what they're getting themselves into. "Alright," she says hastily, maybe a bit too hastily if the flicker of amusement from Rex is anything to go by. "We can find someone in the morning."

***

Padme has found sleeping difficult once she and Sabe started their covert investigation into Palpatine. It doesn't help that her mind is plagued by thoughts of Anakin; she has yet to fully understand what she might be missing which has prompted him to take the actions he has. Even after knowing Anakin so well, he often remains something of a mystery. Padme knows that he's fiercely protective of everyone he cares for, which will currently include herself and Ahsoka – she would say Palpatine, too, except Anakin tried to kill him – and to a lesser extent, the 501st. She doesn't know how he currently feels towards Obi-Wan, though she imagines that his former master remains as important as he always has.

Whyever Anakin left, it likely was because he wanted to protect her – them – from something. But what? What could he have learned which he deemed important enough to leave and masquerade as a Sith? Or is she looking at this all wrong? Maybe he is a Sith now. She's not sure, but she can't say that she'd be terribly shocked. When Anakin loves, he loves deeply and fiercely, giving that person his everything. If he thought the only way to protect someone was to join the Sith, Padme knows that he would, even if the realization unsettles her.

But Palpatine is someone Anakin has long considered a friend, something which Padme is less than happy about, and while she can't exactly condone his attempted murder of the Chancellor – because she positively certain that it was Anakin on Naboo – she can say that she's not entirely displeased either. Palpatine has been gathering too much power, and it's disturbing her and many other Senators. But Anakin doesn't even care for politics, so whatever happened must be unrelated. Right?