Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.17.4

The future Ahsoka Tano feared came to pass, in time.

Every press organization in the galaxy ate up the story about the sudden disappearance of the Jedi Order, naming it the Jedi Purge, for lack of more understanding. Reporters crowded the Senate Building, asking why had the protectors of the Republic been executed where they had stood. Some people even tried to look for answers in the Jedi Temple, but all they saw were dead bodies and destruction around every corner. No answers came from there, although some incredible and horrifying footage did.

The Senate, for once, didn't have an answer either. They still hadn't broken to the public that for the second time, the Chancellor was dead. Not only that, but their investigators were still trying to figure out exactly what had happened, and only so many answers were found. Politicians fled Coruscant, fearing that the clone troopers would turn on them too.

Eventually, nearly all of the clone commanding officers were pulled in for questioning. Many of them gave the same answer: Chancellor Kanai activated Order 66. When asked what that was, they explained that any and all Jedi leadership must be executed for treason against the Republic. Yet despite their readiness to respond, none of them could answer exactly what act of treason they committed.

It wasn't like they could ask the Chancellor herself. Every clone that was reported to be on Coruscant the day Kayla Kanai died was brought in for interrogation, but without the Jedi to assist them, it was difficult to tell who was lying and who was telling the truth. Every single clone they brought in claimed that they were innocent and that they had not pulled the trigger against the leader of the Senate. They scoured the planet for anyone who showed the slightest hint of falsehood, but none was found. None of them believed they had killed her.

Not only that, but there was no evidence able to be found for the claim that the Chancellor had ordered for the death of the Jedi, nor was there any sign that they had committed treason. They tried, to their credit, they really did, but there was nothing. All the Senate had to work with were corrupted security footage, a lone blaster with clone DNA on it, thousands of dead bodies, and an empty Chancellor's chair.

The Republic turned to the Kaminoins next. Can you confirm anything your clones have said? they asked. Is there such a thing as an Order 66?

Oh, yes, they answered, as well as 149 other orders. Would you like to know more about them? There's an order where a civilian population may be threatened to be executed in order to capture a single target. There's an order where all communicators must be abandoned. There's an order where the clones must detain the Chancellor with lethal force if necessary. And Order 66? If the Jedi were to be accused of treason, why then yes, they would all be executed on sight.

And why would such horrendous orders exist? the Republic asked, horrified, and beginning to worry for their own safety.

Darth Sideous ordered that inhibitor chips must be placed inside the heads of the clones that Master Sifo-Dyas asked for, they responded.

Darth Sideous?!? they repeated, appalled. Why would you do anything for a Sith? Why was no one made aware of this sooner?

The Kaminoins were perplexed. Your Chancellor seemed well aware of the situation! they exclaimed. Did he not tell you this before he was killed?

It was then clear who the true perpetrator was in this story, but the Senate knew very well that the people would not stand for the blame to be set on a person who was already dead. They needed a living convict for the Republic to be satisfied.

The next day, they issued a statement, ordering for ALL clones to report to Kamino for immediate testing. While nothing was said about the purpose of this recall, the press immediately started jumping to conclusions. BETRAYAL IN THE REPUBLIC!!! the headlines shouted at the citizens. A DEADLY CONSPIRACY EXPOSED!!! THE TRUE PURPOSE FOR THE CLONE ARMY!!! Panic escalated exponentially, and while the clones underwent immediate surgery to remove the inhibitor chips, Dooku sat back and watched his brilliant plan play out exactly as he had expected it to.