19 BBY
Ringo Vinda, Mid Rim
"Stop showing off." Anakin huffed, cutting his lightsaber through another droid. The twins were attempting to stop the Separatists from claiming the Ringo Vinda system. Jaika had agreed to help in an attempt to distract herself from her troubles. The girl could not exactly place what it was, but she felt a stir whenever she stepped foot in the Jedi Temple - which she preferred to avoid if she had the chance.
"I can't help that I'm better than you." Jaika smirked, as she sent Anakin a devious look. He gazed back at her façade that she wore as uniform. To other Jedi she seemed to be happier; but Anakin knew the truth, which he forced himself to ignore.
Jaika looked back at him with a challenging stare. "I see how it is. First to 100." He dared, making a smile spread across her lips. Jaika slid from her place and twirled her lightsabers around her wrists.
She came across a group of battle droids, before Jaika jumped towards them and sliced through their bodies. She twisted her body around when she found herself in the middle of their cluster. "Hello." she tutted, before turning and slicing the droid that stepped forward. The others began to fire at her, making Jaika spin to deflect the blasts.
Jaika leaped into the air and forced her hand down, force-pushing the droids into a clump. The moment her feet landed on the mountain of droids, she flung one of her lightsabers towards them.
Once they were all defeated, her lightsaber smacked back into her palm. Jaika stepped down from the mountain and observed the mess that she made. "What a mess." She muttered to herself. Jaika cringed, "Maker, I spend too much time with Obi-Wan." She claimed, before stepping away from her wreckage. "Who says hello to battle droids?" She huffed.
"You're enjoying this too much." Fives laughed from beside her. Jaika raised her lightsabers and deflected the blasts, while blue blasts fired back from behind her. "Don't act like this isn't the most fun you've had in weeks." She joked.
He threw a detonator towards the group of droids. Jaika stepped in front of the clone and held her lightsabers horizontally in front of her, creating a barrier. "I never said that, but you and Skywalker are playing your little games again; and you are taking that challenge to heart." The clone spoke, stepping beside her.
Jaika chuckled to herself as the ARC-trooper glanced towards her, "I think you're taking it to heart that you're not included, Fives." Jaika smiled, as Fives tilted his helmet to the side.
Jaika ran towards more droids as she jumped and sliced through them, twisting herself around to ensure she caught every droid. Fives glanced towards the clones who stood behind him. "Follow her lead, I guess?." Fives directed.
"Maker, help the clones that end up under her command. Forcing lunatic." Fives muttered.
Jaika sprinted towards two B2 droids droids and slid along the ground, slicing through their legs. Jaika twisted her body and stabbed her blades into the ground to stop her from sliding.
Jaika watched the droids disassemble. "That was unnecessary." Anakin called out. Jaika turned to him, surrounded by smoke and destroyed droids. He was jealous. "You're unnecessary." She countered.
"Can you two return to the battle?" Tiplee yelled, swinging her blade around. Her twin, Tiplar was behind her as they worked together. They were the type of Jedi who did not play around when it came to missions. Unlike the Skywalker twins.
Entering another long hallway, they came across a group of Commando droids. "I hate these ones." Jaika leapt into the air and jumped over the clones before she forced her blades downwards into the Commando droid.
Jaika landed on the fried droid, before she struck the droids in front of her. Jaika twisted around as she sliced through their torso, before slicing the head off of the other droid.
The Jedi turned and continued towards the door which was at the end of the hall. The door opened and Jaika quickly reunited with Anakin's squad and the twin's squad. The Jedi Generals and clones debriefed their next plans for phase two of the mission. After a while of plotting, Jaika was assigned to aid Tiplar's squad.
Tiplar's battalion formed together in a ready position. A hum in the air resonated beside Jaika. She tuned out Tiplar's speech and listened to the singing. The singing grew, as various voices hummed around her. Their tunes filled her ears, making her eardrums flinch.
Jaika's eyes fell onto Fives and Tup.
The singing came to an abrupt stop as the air grew thick and encased her in a tight grasp.
Tup flinched before his eyes met Jaika's. His eyes hardened; he looked at her with no ounce of emotion. Jaika observed the aura that surrounded him. The girl frowned, there was nothing, no fear, no excitement. It was as if she were looking at a carcass - she could not feel him.
"Jedi." Was all Jaika could hear. Jaika was quickly filled with an anxious flutter. In a matter of seconds, his eyes returned to their normal gaze. Tup ran ahead and Fives was quick to follow, sparing Jaika a glance.
The squad tackled through the corridor. Jaika spun her two lightsabers around her wrists. Fives appeared by her side, as he fired at the incoming droids.
They reached a large space filled with more droids. Jaika let out a dreaded breath before she ran into the large room, where she reunited with Anakin.
"84. Where are you?" Anakin questioned, counting his score. Jaika's eyes widened, recalling her personal count. "You've got an advantage, you're working on your own. I was with Tiplar." Jaika defended, making Anakin smile.
"Where are you at?" He repeated. The girl raised her arm and pulled a droid towards her, slicing through it. "66." She groaned, as Anakin cheered in triumph.
Turning around, she inspected the squad of clones that continued to blast the droids. Except one. She turned back to the droids and slid towards another and sliced through its neck. Jaika stepped around, deflecting blasts that came from each angle.
A melodic voice pierced through Jaika's ears. She could feel the vibration of the harmony, as the tempo quickened. Her stomach started to tense as an unsettling feeling clawed at her insides.
The singing echoed into an indistinguishable shrill. The melodies screaming, as her heart dropped. A burning sensation spread through her ribs.
The Jedi was quick to turn around where she saw Fives tackle Tup to the ground. The girl looked upon Tiplee, who held her sister in her arms. Tiplee's aura filled with confusion; while Tiplar's was out of reach.
If matters could not get any worse, a squad of B2 droids levitated above the destroyers, adding to the blaster fire. "We've lost our momentum. Fall back." Anakin ordered. The Skywalker girl was quick to join her brother's side, as she continued to deflect blasts from beside him.
Once they stepped through the doors to the communication room, Jaika deactivated her sabers. Jaika approached Tiplee, who was knelt over Tiplar. Her eyes narrowed as she observed the blaster wound that was burned into her skin. "Why? Why would he do this?" Tiplee expressed, holding back the anger in her voice.
It made no sense. She knew Tup, so did Anakin; he had never shown any kind of resentment towards the Jedi. He was one of the most loyal soldiers in the battalion. The entire situation baffled Jaika, as she could no longer sense his aura, just like before.
"We're about to find out." Anakin answered, as he gazed towards Jaika. Anakin walked towards the small room that Tup was restrained in. "How's he doing, Rex?" Anakin questioned.
Jaika placed herself by the door frame. "I'm not sure, General. It seems like he just snapped." Rex explained. Rex knelt down and grabbed Tup by the shoulder. "Tup, can you hear me?" Rex asked, as Tup muttered a reply. "What happened?" Rex questioned. "What do you mean?" Tup asked, clueless as to what was happening.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rex asked in disbelief. Tup's head fell backwards as he lulled. Anakin frowned, he had never seen any of his men act in such a way.
The clone's eyes twitched as he drifted within his delusions while muttering. "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders." Tup repeated, drooping his head into various directions as he lost control.
Kix knelt on the ground and grasped Tup to stop him from moving. "What's going on?" Jaika asked, unable to comprehend what was happening. Kix gazed up at her with a worried glance, "I have no idea." He answered.
Kix observed Tup, who continued to repeat the same phrase. The phrase that was drilled into their heads from the moment they took their first breath. The medical clone waved his hand in front of Tup's eyes, getting no response.
Jaika frowned as Tup's eyes moved around before they stared back at her. "Kill the Jedi." He muttered, before he launched towards her. Jaika quickly took a step back and held her arm out and force pushed him away.
Tup was thrown back into the room, struggling under the Jaika's grasp. Fives let out a gasp, gazing between Tup and Jaika. Rex frowned, observing her paled face.
Jaika's breath quickened, as she looked at Tup with widened eyes. Her body grew numb as she frowned in confusion. Her hands shook as she tried to process what just happened. When she tried to breathe she could feel the air get trapped in her lungs, as her chest tightened and her bones ached. Jaika's eyes stung as she looked at the clone that was once so loyal.
Jaika felt betrayed, as she looked back at the clone who now seemed so unfamiliar to her. "We have to get him back to the medical bay before he hurts anyone else." Anakin instructed, looking down to Jaika.
~☆~
Tup was laying on a bed with multiple straps holding him down. Jaika kept her distance from the bed as she watched the clone struggle against his restraints. The Jedi frowned as she sensed Tup's anguish and fear. His confusion was what upset Jaika the most. "Fives, what's happening to me?" Tup questioned, as he struggled against the straps.
"You don't remember?" Fives asked in disbelief. Anakin stood with his arms crossed and a frown painted across his face, as he stood between Jaika and the bed. "No." Tup answered. Jaika heard the break in his voice, he was afraid. "You murdered General Tiplar." Fives revealed, making Tup's eyes widen in shock. "What? No! That's not possible! I would never..."
Tup was engulfed in a panic, as he started to seize and mutter. Fives quickly grabbed Tup by the arm to stop him from moving. "Tup, you did." Fives revealed, as he shook in his place in his bed. Jaika's eyes stung as she forced her eyes to the ground, unable to watch.
The clone continued to mutter as a medical droid injected him to put him into a sleep. The room grew still, prompting Jaika to raise her gaze. "What do you think happened?" Rex questioned.
"Did you check all of his scans?" Anakin questioned, directing his question to Kix who stood, reading various data scans. The clone let out a sigh, "Well, all his scans are clear. As far as I can tell, this is a combat-related stress. It seems he had some sort of breakdown." Kix explained, as he approached the two Jedi and gave Anakin the data pad. Jaika peered down and inspected the readings, everything seemed normal.
"Kix, you should know better. We were designed to withstand any stress." Rex informed, making Jaika recall her first visit to Kamino. She remembered how the Kaminoans detailed the intensive conditioning that they were put through.
Jaika gazed towards Fives. She knew that he must have been taking things to heart, as she understood how close he was to Tup. "I agree. We've been through a lot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened, it's like he's sick or drugged." Fives explained.
"Well, it could be a virus, a toxin. I can't be certain." Kix suggested, as he scavenged for possibilities. Fives rose a good point, Tup could not remember a thing. Before Tup murdered Tiplar, she could not sense his aura, it was as if his conscious had disappeared - similar to what she felt whenever she would come across a deceased trooper. Anakin peered between the clones, "Let's talk outside." He suggested, influencing everyone to step outside of the room.
"You mean the enemy could have made them do this?" Anakin questioned, catching onto what Kix was theorizing. Jaika raised an eyebrow, as Anakin's assumption created an entire new branch of probabilities. "It's a possibility." Tiplee expressed. Jaika gazed towards the woman, sensing her grief and frustration. "There have been rumours that the Separatists have been trying to develop an anti-clone virus, biological warfare." Tiplee speculated.
As much as Jaika was aware of the Separatists and their experimental methods when it came to warfare; she could not imagine that they would create something so outlandish. The entire situation was strange. It was as if Tup had transformed into a different person, unfamiliar and unfeeling.
Jaika recalled how he did not target the troopers around him, he practically ignored them. It was only the Jedi that he paid attention to. He glared at her while muttering, he murdered Tiplar, and he lunged to attack her; it was only the Jedi.
Kix let out a sigh, "Listen, we are not equipped for this type of situation. He'll have to be taken back to Kamino, only then will you have your answer." He explained, looking up at Anakin. Kix lowered his eyes and met Jaika's gaze, who sent him a sympathetic smile - communicating that she was grateful for his help. The stressed clone sent the girl a nod, thankful that she acknowledged his attempts.
~☆~
"That is concerning." Obi-Wan admitted, as he stroked his beard. Jaika gazed up at his projection, as she knelt down on the floor in her quarters and spoke to the man who was galaxies away. Jaika lowered her gaze, thinking the last few days. "You seem troubled." Obi-Wan spoke, causing Jaika to glance up at him.
He was observing her. "I'm alright, don't worry." Jaika spoke through a smile. He let out a sigh before he lowered himself to the ground, sitting so he could now look her in the eye. "I don't need to be in the same system as you to know when something is wrong. You can talk to me." Obi-Wan comforted in a soft voice.
Jaika wished she could speak to him in person. In such a short amount of time, Obi-Wan had managed to show her that it was alright to be vulnerable. Her Skywalker genes were so full of pride, but he was able to disassemble that ego. Obi-Wan introduced her to a different perspective, he exposed her to the truth within the human psyche. She learnt that it was okay to have flaws; as he taught her that her weakness is only her strength in disguise.
Obi-Wan made her feel emotions that she thought were not possible. In a way she hated him for it; but she realized that she had found something to fight for, something to ground her. Obi-Wan was the light in her dark room; the stars to her night sky. She did not want to accept it, but she needed him.
"It's confusing." She sighed, struggling to find the right words. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow as he observed her. "Tup is a good trooper, he never stepped out of line, never defied a command. Then...he does that. What pains me is that he turned to me, twice. The way he looked at me, it was something I had never seen before...it was so..." Jaika explained, as her mind blanked while she struggled to word her emotions.
"Ugh." Jaika slumped her shoulders and ran her hands down her face, clawing her mind for any hunch that could steer her in the right direction. Obi-Wan looked at the distressed girl, wishing he was there to help her. "Jaika.."
She felt her chest lighten, as an exhale opened her tense lungs; filling her with a serene positivity. She sighed, "It's just--- You know how close I am to the boys. I always passed on commendations to Anakin. Many of them are like close friends to me, brothers even....and in a split second, Tup had forgotten all of that. It was as if he did not know me..." Jaika voiced, releasing the emotions that she had suppressed.
Jaika felt close to breaking when the clone was trying to attack her. The glare that was burnt into his eyes, as his eyes wore an intent, hungry for blood and ready to mark another tally; like she were a Separatist droid.
Obi-Wan looked at the crushed girl with sympathy. Jaika knew that he wanted to help. He always sought out to help others and comfort them. He wished for nothing but the happiness of other people. That's what she lo--admired about him.
"I know you care for the clones. But you need to remember, this is war. You never know what is lurking around you, what traps are set out for you. Dooku has kept his gaze on you and Anakin for years, don't forget that. I know it hurts you to think of such things, but it's possible he may have targeted those who you are close with." Obi-Wan theorized, as he recalled his many encounters with the former Jedi. She did not doubt it either. She had crossed paths with many Bounty Hunters and ambushes trying to get her into Dooku's possession.
She tried to connect the dots between Tup's behavior and Dooku's antics, something did not seem right. "I do not doubt your theories, Obi-Wan. I am aware of Dooku's deceit. But something doesn't add up, it..." Jaika paused.
She had never been put in a position quite like this. It was overwhelming. All she could hear were her loud thoughts disrupting the sensical rhythm in her head. Things started to lose sense. "Search your feelings. Only you know what is right. You know those clones." Obi-Wan articulated. Jaika looked up at him once again, agreeing with him. Maybe her feelings were telling her something.
A knock on the door interrupted her - catching the attention of both Jedi. "Skywalker, you're needed in the hanger." A voice called out from the other side of the door.
"Fives." Jaika muttered, recognizing his voice before she turned back to Obi-Wan. "How do you manage to distinguish their voices?" Obi-Wan queried, as Jaika sent him a knowing look.
"I will update you on the situation. Thank you, again." Jaika expressed, earning a smile from the man. She knew she did not need to thank him, but she felt obliged to every time. "Stay safe." He requested, looking at her with a longing gaze.
Once the call had ended, Jaika stood up, before approaching her door. The door swept open, freeing her from the small enclosure of her quarters.
She came face-to-face with Fives. The clone looked at her with a devious gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Who were you talking to?" He questioned in a rhythmic tone. Jaika did not respond, knowing that the ARC-trooper reveled in embarrassing her.
Jaika stepped past Fives and rolled her eyes. The trooper quickly caught onto how she evaded his question, making him jog after her. "Come on, Jai. Why won't you tell me? I'm dying to know." He pleaded, exaggerating his words. Jaika continued to walk, before she gave Fives a side eye.
It was enough of a response in her book, but for Fives it didn't suffice. "Was it Obi-Wan?" He asked in a sing-song voice. His statement instantly made Jaika tense up, as she gave him a defensive stare. Her minimalist action was enough of a confirmation. "What did you talk about?" He questioned, invested. "Did you confess your undying love?" He grilled.
"Fives!" Jaika scolded, speaking in a hushed tone. She was quick to smack her hand over his jabbering mouth. The Jedi observed the clones around them, who did not give either of them a second glance. The girl gazed up at the clone, sending him a warning stare before she removed her hand from his mouth. He quickly followed after her. "Scandalous." He smiled, earning another eyeroll.
~☆~
After scouting the wreckage of a lost ship, Jaika, Anakin, Rex and Fives had found out that the Separatists had taken Tup. They had now formulated a plan to retrieve him, where they currently space-walked along the underside of the base.
After a while of climbing, or floating, up the platform; they reached the hanger. Jaika drifted towards the edge and peered along the platform, inspecting the hanger. She watched with wide eyes, as large battalions of droids lined up on either side of the hanger, guarding the transport ship.
Anakin raised his range finger to his eyes and inspected the hanger; to her right, Fives did the same, only his pair were more advanced. "Are your scopes Jedi issue, sir?" Fives teased, making Anakin glance towards the ARC-trooper with a disappointed stare. Jaika bit back a laugh. "Stay focused, Fives." Anakin commanded, returning to his observations. Jaika and Fives shared a look, the Jedi knew that the trooper was smirking.
Anakin passed his scopes to Jaika, as she quickly inspected the patrol which surrounded Tup on a different stretcher. "We'll have to work fast." Jaika expressed, returning the scopes to Anakin. Rex let out a sigh, as he watched the many droids that swarmed the area. "There must be a hundred droids in that hanger, not to mention the starfighters. This is stretching it, even for you, Sir." Rex admitted, drowning in his doubt as the odds between the four of them and a hundred droids did not seem good.
"Rex, you're beginning to sound like Obi-Wan..." Anakin uttered. Fives was quick to nudge Jaika's arm to get her attention, letting out a quiet chuckle while Jaika looked upon him, as he nodded his head towards Rex. Jaika rolled her eyes and looked away from the trooper before elbowing him in the side, as he let out a quiet grunt which went unnoticed to the other two.
The clone Captain let out a tired sigh, "Look, I don't doubt you could pull it off, but I'm not sure Fives and I would be around to see it happen." Rex admitted, while Jaika assessed the droids. He made a fair point, there was a lot of droids, it would be a miracle if they managed to defeat them all without a scratch. "I have an idea." Fives perked from beside Jaika, gaining all of their attention. "Let's hear it, quickly." Anakin beckoned.
Fives did not say a word. He reached into one holster and pulled out his blaster, before reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a grapple and connected it to his blaster. "Grappling gun. Good thinking." Anakin praised.
"Get ready to hold on." Fives prepared, holding his blaster upwards. "That's why he's the ARC trooper." Rex tutted, motioning towards Fives ability to act on his intrusive thoughts. Rex prepared his blaster once they heard the Separatist shuttle activate its engines. Jaika turned Fives, who tilted his helmet down to her. She sent him a warning stare, knowing that he was enjoying the situation way too much.
The structure around them vibrated as the shuttle ascended from the hanger floor, before it drifted from the hanger. In an instant, Rex and Fives fired their grapples towards the shuttle, as they attached to the surface of the ship. While Anakin held onto Rex, Jaika quickly clutched onto Fives as they were pulled from the hanger towards the shuttle. Jaika sent many prayers to the force gods, questioning why her safety was put into Fives' hands.
Once they were close enough, Anakin climbed up the side of the shuttle, before helping Rex up. Fives recoiled his grapple, as they came into contact with the ship's surface, "Your turn, Jai-bird." Fives beckoned, earning a glare from the girl. "I told you not to call me that." She grumbled.
Jaika removed herself from Fives' back, before she grasped onto Rex's hand as he pulled her up onto the ship, before Fives quickly followed after her. They crept along the ship before sneaking aboard the shuttle and into the airlock.
Once the airlock closed, Jaika ignited her lightsabers. The girl shared a look of determination with Anakin, as he ignited his blade before they faced the door. The moment the door swept open, Fives and Rex quickly fired at the Commando droid. Jaika read Anakin's thoughts and beat him to slicing through the droids in front of them. Anakin followed after his fast sister, slicing the droids that dodged her strikes. The two Jedi neared the door where Tup was strapped down on a stretcher.
Anakin reached his arm out and force-pushed some of the droids into the door, while Jaika cut through the rest. Anakin pulled the last droid backwards, throwing it past them and into the clone's blasts, knocking the droid down. More droids started to surround the clones, making Jaika back away from the cockpit door as she slid towards the clones and sliced through the droids. As she did so, the cockpit door opened as a tactical droid walked into the cargo area.
The tactical droid quickly knocked Anakin down, before Jaika sprinted towards the droid and leapt towards it, slicing through both of its arms before she held out her hand and pulled the droid away from Anakin. Her brother quickly stood up and threw himself at the droid, holding his lightsaber to its neck. "What's going on? What do you know about this clone?" Anakin interrogated, while Rex defeated the droids that controlled the ship.
Jaika stood beside Anakin with her lightsabers still activated, warning the droid to answer them. "I am programmed to resist intimidation." The droid challenged and without a second's thought, Anakin sliced through its neck. Jaika deactivated her lightsabers and glanced towards Fives who stood beside Tup, who struggled in his unconscious state. The girl approached them with caution, eyeing the troubled clone. "How is he?" She questioned.
"Not well, not well at all. I think he's dying." Fives revealed, making Jaika's heart drop as she looked up at the clone. The girl watched as he frowned within his sleep, knocking his head from side to side as he resisted from within the strap's restraints. Jaika could sense his trouble, he was lost. She acknowledged Fives assumption, as Tup's force signature started to weaken and grow more distant.
"We have to get him to Kamino." Jaika formulated. Fives looked at her, eyeing the Jedi with respect. He admired how Jaika still approached and cared for Tup, despite how he tried to attack her earlier. Jaika truly cared for his brothers.
~☆~
Back on the cruiser, a patrol of medical officers carried Tup through the halls. Jaika was stood beside Anakin, while he spoke to Rex and Fives. "I want a full report on Kamino. If Tup is the victim of some Separatist plot, we have no idea of how widespread it already is." Anakin advised, earning a nod from Rex. Anakin did not utter another word before walking off.
Jaika stepped after her brother, before stopping by the blast doors. She turned around and watched as the officers moved Tup towards the hangers. Her gaze drifted towards Rex and Fives, "Permission to come with you, Sir. He's my best friend, you may need help." Fives requested, making Rex turn back and face his comrade.
"But everything must be done by the book." Rex ordered. Jaika knew it was not her place to listen into their conversation. The Jedi started to walk away from the clones, as she busied her thoughts with the endless possibilities of what could come of Tup once he returns to Kamino.
A sudden hum from behind Jaika stopped her in her tracks. She knew what it was. From its soft melody, which drifted gently through the air, bending its structures as it stroked the skin around her ears. It was a message.
Jaika slowly turned around and looked upon the clones again. "--You're to stay by his side at all times. I don't want any more slip-ups." Rex ordered in the distance, making Jaika approach the pair. Rex sent Fives a serious glance, telling him that his assignment would be the most important mission that he had been on to date. "Yes Sir." Fives responded.
Rex's eyes traveled past Fives and landed on the Jedi who lingered behind them. He recognized the conflicted glimmer in Jaika's eyes. "Lieutenant." Rex greeted, gaining Fives' attention as he turned around with a skeptical glance and looked upon Jaika. The Jedi sent them a timid smile, before she let out a deep breath.
"I know this situation is nothing that we've seen before.... but...despite everything that's happened...I believe there's still good in him. I can feel it. Something is happening....I can't place what exactly. But I think this may be bigger than we realise." Jaika confessed, while her emotions swam violently within her mind. Fives and Rex shared a confused glance, before Fives looked back at Jaika.
The girl met his gaze, acknowledging the concerned look in his eyes. He did not see Jaika in a worried state very often, it was something she liked to keep locked away. "I had to be truthful. I could not ignore my feelings." Jaika explained. Fives gave her a nod, as he could understand why she would open up to the two clones. He was aware that she could sense every being's emotions, so Fives always trusted her judgement.
Fives approached the Jedi, "I will listen to mine as well, Skywalker." He promised, earning a nod from Jaika. The clone took a step away from her as he joined Rex's side again. The Skywalker girl watched Fives walk further and further away. "Good luck." She muttered to herself.
~☆~
The bright lights in Coruscant reflected off of the high rising buildings. The night sky exposed the brightness within the lower streets of the city, where crowds of people bustled through markets, moving within the buildings. The night life of the lower levels were ecstatic, as the distant drums from 99s vibrated across the ground.
A young child smiled, as a caped figure bent down and offered them a small sum of credits. They stepped away from the lonely children and disappeared into the busy crowds.
Various alarms blared out upon their wrist cuff. Jaika gazed down, frowning in confusion. She had never seen the communication channels so busy before. She let out a breath as the crowds around her trapped her within a compact grip.
Jaika slipped past various people, leaving the main stream that flowed through the streets. When no one was watching, the girl leapt onto a trailer stand before jumping onto a roof. Jaika trailed upon the top of the housing, before she jumped onto a nearby tower.
The wind blew through her poncho, exposing her weapons as she perched on the ledge of the building. Her eyes scanned the streets below as she heard various voices speak over each other from her communicator. There seemed to be some kind of panic, but because they all spoke at the same time, she didn't know what it was. All she could gather was that something had happened of high importance.
The Jedi gazed forward at the neon advertisements that would hang in the air, promoting very questionable products. When the advertisement changed, her eyes widened. The screen projected an image of a clone, with an awarded sum of credits if they were handed in to the authorities. Before she could question it any further, a voice spoke out from the advertisement, "There had been an attempt on my life, capture this traitor and serve this Republic." Palpatine's voice spoke.
Her communicator chimed once again, as a specific button flashed. Anakin. Jaika pressed it, "Jaika. Fives is missing. They're saying that he tried to kill the Chancellor, he's unstable. I need your help. I know that you know your way around those streets, and Fives trusts you more than the other Jedi who are searching for him. I'm with Rex right now, we could really do with your help." Anakin pleaded, as Jaika's eyes widened. What in the blazes happened on Kamino?
Worry started to rise within her. All of the patrols were after Fives after the announcement that he tried to assassinate the Chancellor? Jaika frowned at the thought, surely not. Out of all of the clone troopers that she knew, Fives was the most loyal, most morally right clone in the entire Republic Army. There was no chance that Fives would do such a thing.
She could not believe it. She would not believe it. She needed to find him, before anyone else did.
Jaika gazed down to her wrist which held many buttons for various radio channels. Her eyes lingered on a button, one which she recognized as the secretive channel that she had created. The girl pressed the button, tapping in a coded pattern, communicating in a language that only a handful of people could understand. Fives was one of them.
She withdrew her hand from the button and waited, as her body filled with anticipation. Jaika was not even sure if the message had been received, if he still had the communicator that she had given him on Umbrara. The channel that had saved both of them in so many battles.
A faint beeping chimed through her communicator. It was a short reply, but Jaika understood it nevertheless. It was a simple response, he was alright, but he wasn't sure for how long. She needed to find him.
Jaika exhaled, before she closed her eyes to centre her senses. The wind breezed past her, flicking her hair about her shoulders, as her poncho continued to flurry in the air. Her ears twitched when she honed into different surroundings. She could hear the laughs of drunken clones, which were barely audible over the hammering bass from the club. Different motor engines interrupted the chatter, as bottles clinked together.
Her eyes shot open as she peered to where 99's was. When she laid eyes on the distant lights, the wind blew past her, humming gently as she watched. That was enough of a confirmation, as she jumped down from the tower and slid along the roofing of other buildings before she landed on the ground.
She kept her hood up as she filtered through the crowds, towards the trooper's night club. The wind hummed louder after each step that she took. Jaika pushed through the crowds, as she moved with a quickened pace towards the club. She ignored the annoyed slurs that came from the citizens as she pushed past them. The repetitive buildings and pavement prolonged her journey, as she itched to reach 99's.
After an eternity, she stopped in front of the club. The neon signing illuminated the dark night, as people were welcomed into the social building. Many voices spoke from within its doors, shouting and laughing. It was a normal night, nothing out of the ordinary; but the churning in Jaika's stomach told her otherwise.
The wind howled from behind her, influencing Jaika to turn around and observe the edge of the platform. It was quiet, a stark contrast to the entrance of the club. Drunken clones were passed out, laying on the ground while hugging bottles. Jaika observed them with sympathetic eyes, as she knew the cause of the trouble that was forced upon them.
She tore her gaze away from the drunks and looked upon the group of speeder bikes. Jaika narrowed her eyes when she noticed a clone leave the club, glancing around with a suspicious gaze. The air around Jaika thinned as she took a couple of steps froward. She had found him.
The clone tugged his officer hat further down his face, in an attempt to hide his tattoo. He let out an exhausted breath, as he was relieved to make it out of 99's without being searched. Looking to his right, he spotted a line of speeder bikes parked and ahead of them were two clone officers speaking to a member of the Coruscant guard.
Looking to his left, his eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked upon a cloaked figure who was submerged into the darkness of the night. They were camouflaged, so the average officer and drunk would not see them. He tensed up when he noticed them step closer.
Jaika reached her arms up and removed the hood, revealing herself to Fives. She noticed how his once scared face quickly glossed over with relief, before it was replaced with anxiety. "Fives...What's going on?" Jaika questioned, as she approached the timid clone.
Fives analyzed the Jedi, from her gentle steps to her concerned eyes. He always trusted the Jedi, and he was aware that Jaika could see through anyone; no one could possibly lie or hide from her. Fives looked away from Jaika and observed the Coruscant guard that started to fill the platform, "Not here." He suggested, looking back at Jaika.
The girl followed his line of vision, as she too noticed the guards. Fives crept towards one of the speeder bikes, as Jaika gently stepped in tow. The trooper sat down on the speeder and pressed a button to activate its engines, allowing it to rumble into life. Jaika quickly sat herself on the back of the speeder and flipped her hood back up, concealing her identity once again.
Fives steered the bike away from the parking arrangement and traveled through the busy queues of Coruscant. Jaika held onto her hood, as it flapped in the wind. They passed many streets, as they traveled over the industrial estates. It did not take Jaika long to guess where Fives was leading her.
The rising sun exposed their position as the bike turned towards the Underworld. She looked upon many different platforms, which had mechanical shops or shipments.
Jaika's eyes turned to Fives, as he steered the bike towards a specific platform. Platform 18, an abandoned warehouse. Jaika pushed her worries to the side as Fives parked the bike within a pile of containers. The Jedi was quick to slide off from her place on the bike, before Fives quickly joined her. Jaika observed the clone with a close eye as he powered off the bike's engine, before he took a step forward.
The clone collapsed beside the bike, as he gripped onto the front and blinked a couple of times. Jaika let out a gasp as she knelt down to his level. The girl frowned as she observed him, his aura was troubled, conflicted; he carried a stressful weight to him. She had never sensed that feeling around him until now, which made her question what he saw on Kamino, and what happened to him.
"Come on." Jaika beckoned, as she slowly reached out and held his arm. Her touch startled the clone, making him stare at her. She met his gaze, as she looked into his eyes. They were full of pain and betrayal. Jaika pushed past what she sensed and pulled Fives along, helping him onto his feet.
Fives lead her towards a large door, before he turned around to make sure they were not followed. The clone had lost his officers hat while they were on the bike, exposing his tattoo, which filled Jaika with a level of anxiety.
She met his gaze, making him turn away. Jaika followed after him and walked through the doors, where she came across miles of containers. When she looked back, Fives was out of her sight. The girl was quick to step through different aisles of containers, gazing about in search of the clone.
Turning down another corner, Jaika's eyes fell upon Fives, who was knelt down on the ground. Jaika slowly walked towards him, making sure to take gentle steps to not startle him. Fives detected her, as his eyes shot up and looked upon her with a frantic expression. He was afraid. But of what?
Jaika held her hands out, communicating for Fives to remain calm. The girl slowly reached her hands towards her belt and unclipped both of her lightsabers. Jaika kept her eyes on Fives as she removed them, she acknowledged his tense body language when he looked upon her hilts. The girl continued to move in a slow pace as she lowered herself to the ground and gently placed both hilts on the dusty ground before she stood up again.
Fives did not move, he only stared at her with a hurt expression; but Jaika knew the she was not the cause of his pain. She let out a deep breath before she continued to walk towards him. When she was close enough to him, Jaika slowly crouched down to his level. "Fives.." Jaika spoke, her voice so gentle that raising it by a single decibel could shatter glass. Fives met her gaze as she removed her hood from her head. His body loosened up by a small fraction. "...What's going on? What happened?" Jaika questioned.
"You would not believe me." He muttered, as he tore his gaze away from her. Jaika shook her head ever so slightly, before she reached an arm out and placed her hand on his shoulder. The clone quickly looked back at her, as he felt a sense of calm spread through his system. "Why do you think I came alone? I found you to discover the truth." Jaika stated, as Fives peered towards her.
Her eyes wore a stubborn determination. Her once hurt eyes from days ago had morphed into ones of seriousness. "What did they do?" She asked. Fives looked down at her, as he picked up the faintest crack in her voice. She was afraid; but not of him, but of the Kaminoans, the Republic. She was fearful of accepting that her doubts were indeed the truth. "Tup did not kill that Jedi." Fives started, as he watched Jaika's eyes. He knew that she believed something was behind it all.
"Something is happening, something greater than we could have ever anticipated... I tried to warn Kix... This is... I don't know when...how long...." Fives prepared, stuttering as many thoughts flew at him all at once. Jaika watched as Fives let out a few more pants, as he blinked a couple more times. His vision was blurring again. "Fives, if something is going on, you have to tell me." She advised.
The way Fives looked back at her nearly cut off her breathing. She had never seen an expression that was so broken and helpless. He looked tortured. He was betrayed. Jaika could see it, the one thing that Fives had been created to protect, to serve - turned their back on him, and vilified him. The man Jaika looked upon was unrecognizable. The once enthusiastic ARC-trooper had faded into an exhausted clone. Fives no longer cracked jokes, he now struggled to comprehend his own sense of reality.
The way Jaika looked at him told him enough. He had seen the way that she still stuck by Tup despite what happened, and now she stuck by him. Jaika refused to believe what the authorities fed the civilians, she wanted to search for the answers herself to come to her own conclusion. She continued to trust him, as did he. No matter what, Jaika still saw good in him; which he could barely see in himself.
"There are cruel people in this galaxy, working together to defeat the Republic, to let it crumble. I found out the truth, I was not meant to; but I took your advice and followed my feelings. It's terrible it....they killed him...Tup. They didn't help him...they disposed of him like he was nothing...and me, they nearly..." Fives explained as he gradually fell into a frenzy.
The Jedi's eyes widened, not quite understanding why the Kaminoans would dispose of one of their clones. Something seemed off. The girl placed a hand on his arm, as she tried to work out what he had discovered. What information could have been so secretive that it put Fives life in danger? "Fives, what were the Kaminoans hiding?"
He shook his head. "Not the Kaminoans. Separatists, The Republic; they have spies feeding information. Deceiving people, gaining their trust. It is all part of their master plan. The war is not what we believe it is. There's a sinister side. All of those years, all of my brothers lost because of their deception." Fives explained, his voice breaking as he struggled to calm himself down. The girl frowned in response, not quite grasping the new information that had been given to her.
Fives looked her in the eye, as his face morphed into one of warning and seriousness. "...And the Jedi, they are in the centre of it all. They are the target." He warned. Jaika was at loss for words. She did not know what to think.
"I feel like we're fighting on the wrong side of the war." Fives expressed, making Jaika's eyes widen. She looked at him as if he were a mad man. Never in her life would she expect a clone to say such a thing, especially a clone like Fives. "Fives, surely not. You don't mean that, right?" Jaika questioned.
Fives gazed back at her with a tired glance. She could finally see the man that lived beneath his comical façade; the true effect of war and conditioning, a broken man. "Tell me that you disagree." Fives challenged, as he wore a knowing look. Jaika opened her mouth to counter his claims, only for her to shut her mouth again.
An ignition echoed, startling them. Fives quickly turned to Jaika with a fearful look upon his face, while she looked at him with a comforting expression. She knew it was Anakin. "Fives, calm down.." Jaika advised, as his eyes bolted into different directions. Anakin's distant voice called out for the clone, frightening the rogue soldier.
"Come on, we just want to talk to you." Anakin called out. Jaika could sense that her brother had good intentions for the ARC trooper. Jaika held her hands out to Fives, telling him to remain calm as she attempted to comfort him. "General Skywalker. Thank you, thank you for trusting me. Now have you come without troops?" Fives called out, while Jaika inspected her surroundings, trying to work out how they will resolve the situation. "We have." Anakin called out.
"Put down your weapons then." Fives instructed, earning an unsure response from her brother. The trooper continued to plead his General and Captain to cooperate, as he managed to make them put down their weapons. "Alright, I'm putting my pistols down." Rex called out.
"What are we here for, Fives?" Anakin called out. Jaika turned to look at Fives, who eyed his surroundings with a panicked expression. He was falling back into his manic state. "I need your help" Fives pleaded, making Jaika look down at him with pained eyes.
"I know you do. We know you're not well. It's been rough for you these past couple days." Anakin called out. Fives turned to Jaika and took her by the arm, "I'm not crazy! Please, just hear what I have to say." Fives panted, as he pulled Jaika along the path of containers.
"We are here to help you, Fives. Just come with us. Let us take you back to the Temple." Anakin promised, making Jaika cringe. He really knew when to choose the wrong words in the worst situation. Jaika turned to face Fives, as he reached up towards a passkey which activated the ray shields.
Jaika heard the ray shield activate making Anakin let out a frustrated groan. The girl quickly turned to face Fives. "Fives, you need to calm down. Breathe. He is not here to hurt you. Release the ray shield." Jaika advised, as Fives peered towards her.
"I can't do that." He muttered before he pulled her to her feet and trapped her in his arms. She was tightly secured in a choke-hold. "Fives, what are you doing?" Jaika gasped in surprise, making him tighten his grip around her. Jaika quickly stopped struggling, knowing that it would only make things worse. "I need him to listen." He answered.
Fives walked out of the shadows. Anakin and Rex gasped when they looked upon the trapped Jedi. "Jaika!" Anakin called out in shock, as he hit the shield in an attempt to save his sister. Jaika met his gaze and held her hands out, with a warning look. Rex registered her expression and took her advice to calm down, Anakin did not listen. "I just need you to listen to me. Please."
Anakin shot his trusted clone a disappointed look. "I'm not really sure we have any other choice." He huffed, as he crossed his arms and eyed the manic clone. "I was framed because I know the truth....the truth about a plot, a massive deception." Fives exclaimed, growing more stressed.
Jaika placed a hand on one of his arms that surrounded her neck. The girl let out a shaky breath as she tried to calm the clone. Rex took a step forward, "By whom?" he questioned, looking at Fives in disbelief.
Fives panted, "Well there's a sinister plot in the works, against the Jedi. I have proof of it. I can prove that everything I know is true, beyond a shadow of doubt!" Fives revealed, as he moved around in his mania; shoving Jaika about in his grip as he did so. Anakin peered towards Jaika, observing how she took in deep breaths under his grasp. He could tell that her breath was starting to grow thin. "Show me the evidence." Anakin commanded.
Fives raised one of his hands to his head and looked back at the two men. "The evidence is in here....it's...it's in here---It's in all of us, every clone!" Fives explained. Jaika frowned in confusion, as she shared a look with Anakin. "What is it?" Rex questioned.
"Organic chips built into our genetic code to make us do whatever someone wants, even kill the Jedi. It's all in here." Fives explained, as he staggered around. Jaika's eyes widened ever so slightly. The Kaminoans were loyal friends to the Jedi Order, surely they would not try to plot against the Jedi; and they certainty would not let anyone tamper with their creation. It seemed strange.
Anakin let out a tired sigh. "Let's just get you some help first, then we can review everything. It'll be okay, Fives. We'll sort this out." Anakin comforted, making Fives tense up. Fives let out an aggravated cry, making Jaika flinch in his grip. "You don't believe me!" He called out.
Rex let out a sigh, as he gazed between his brother and the Jedi. "Fives, we are listening to you, we only want to help." Rex defended, as Fives circled around the ray shield. Jaika met Rex's eyes, shooting him a pleading look, begging him to consider what Fives was saying. "How do I know you're not tricking me? How do I know it won't be a trap? The Chancellor will try to kill me, I promise you that!" Fives yelled, earning surprised glances from the others.
The mention of the Chancellor made Jaika look towards Anakin, as she knew how deep his admiration towards the man was. Jaika however, was not in any way close to the man, she stopped speaking to Palpatine a couple of years ago, since then the Chancellor pretended that she did not exist. Nevertheless, Fives making the accusation was still quite surprising. He was just a creepy old man. Anakin looked with an offended gaze, "The Chancellor?"
"He's in on it. I don't know to what extent, but I know he orchestrated much of this. He told me in the medical bay." Fives explained, making Jaika frown. She acknowledged the frowns on Anakin and Rex's faces, as she guessed that neither of them were buying his statement. "He told you? When you tried to assassinate him? You have gone too far, Fives. The Chancellor isn't capable of what you claim." Anakin spat, glaring at the clone.
Jaika sent her brother a warning look, and mouthed a 'Don't' to her brother. Within Fives grasp, Jaika let out a defeated breath. She had tried. She tried to get Anakin to listen, to calm both of them down; but neither of them did.
A distant stir trembled against Jaika's skin. The girl frowned, as she gazed off into the distance. An object behind one of the containers shimmered in the light, as the sun reflected off of its surface. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to work out what it was.
"He is! I swear to you, General. You have no idea---" A chorus of footsteps interrupted Fives, as a squad of Coruscant Guards ran towards the scene. Jaika's eyes widened when she saw them with their weapons drawn, as Fives turned them both around. "Stand down, soldier. Stand down! Get on your knees!" The Commander of the squad ordered, making panic rise within Jaika's chest. The Jedi gazed towards the commander and shook her head at him, giving him a warning stare as she subtly waved her arms; telling him in every way possible, to not engage.
Fives panicked, "No, no, no. Stay back!" Fives warned, as he looked to his side, where Rex's blasters were. The guards quickly caught onto his intentions. "Don't do it! Don't do it, Soldier!" The Commander ordered.
The panicked trooper pushed Jaika to the side, freeing her from his grasp as he turned to the container. "Get away from me!" Fives called out. Jaika sat up from the ground and watched him with wide eyes. Fives grabbed a blaster and aimed it at the Coruscant Guards, resting his trembling fingers against the trigger.
Jaika let out a gasp as a blast was fired, only not from Fives. The Jedi quickly glanced towards the Commander, who held his blasters as they smoked. The Guards did not flinch or react, as Five's chest started to steam.
Fives slowly looked down to his chest, where a blaster hole burned through his armor. The man's eyes glossed over with surprise, as his breath caught in his throat. Each inhale turned into a choke as he dropped the blaster, letting it clatter on the cold ground. Fives did not say a word, as his betrayed eyes gazed towards the troopers who had their weapons drawn, watching him, ready for another blast.
He continued to choke as his legs gave out. "Fives!" Rex called out in pain. Jaika's eyes were wide as her chest grew tight. In an instant, she was by Fives' side, as she rolled him onto his back. The clone looked up at her with regret, as his eyes glimmered with an apology. "No..." Jaika muttered, as she observed the blaster wound that still smoked.
"Get this ray shield off!" Anakin ordered, as a trooper fired at the top of the shield. In a split second, Rex was opposite Jaika. The Jedi moved over, allowing Rex to have more space with his brother, as he held him in his arms. "Fives...brother....Call for help! We need a medic!" Rex ordered, looking towards the emotionless clones.
Jaika watched Fives choke, as she blinked through her stinging eyes. The girl sucked in a deep breath as she looked down at her close friend. Fives gazed up at Rex, "Rex..." He muttered, as his body seized. Jaika placed a hand on his arm, focusing on her calm energy, trying her best to soothe Fives while he suffered. From beside her, Rex clung onto his brother, "Fives.."
Fives let out another pained breath, "This...It's bigger than any of us, than anything we could have imagined. I never meant to....I only wanted to do my duty.." Fives gasped, whispering to Rex. Jaika could sense Rex's anguish suddenly pour from his body, as his brother's words stabbed him, clutching his soul in a tight grip. Jaika gazed down at Fives with sorrow, as he slowly lowered to the ground.
His eyes started to close and his head hung to the side. "Fives. Stay with me...Fives." Rex begged, gripping onto Fives' hand. Jaika's eyes widened as her breath was forced out of her lungs. Her hand still gripping onto his other arm. Rex shook his brother, as his desperation forbid him from letting Fives go anywhere.
His eyes opened by a crack, failing to conjure up enough energy. Jaika could sense his pain turn into peace, as a huge weight was finally lifted from him. "The mission...the nightmares.....they're...finally over." He spoke, as he gasped his last breath. After a few more moments of tranquility, his eyes closed slowly before his head dropped to the side and his body fell limp.
Jaika's eyes widened as her lips parted, while she stared down at her friend. Rex looked down at him in fright, before he started to shake his body. "Fives...no, Fives. Come on, Fives...don't go! Stay with me, Fives!...No.....oh no.." Rex begged, as he grasped onto his memory. Jaika observed the guards, as most of them removed their helmets in respect.
The girl gazed up at Anakin, who looked down with solemn eyes. Jaika looked back at Rex, as he gently placed Fives back onto the ground. The girl closed her eyes, as she sensed his consciousness dissipate and fade into the air around them. The last thing she could sense was peace. His burden was gone. He now laid within the stars.
Jaika met Rex's gaze, as he looked back at her with sad eyes. The girl blinked back her tears as she put her façade back on, for Rex. "He's safe now. No one can hurt him." The girl spoke, looking down at Fives.
(9674 Words)
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A/N:
That was a lot longer than I intended, but I had so much to cover and I didn't want to split it into 2 chapters, so sorry it's long, I hope you guys don't mind that.
This chapter was originally 16.5k words, apologies if its bad, I had to cut A LOT.
currently mourning over Jaika's and Fives friendship because I loved them.
☆