Terror at the Temple! The Jedi Temple is in disarray after a vicious terrorist attack. Anakin Skywalker, Darrel Pullie, and Ahsoka Tano set out to find the truth of who was really behind this horrendous catastrophe. Their investigation led them to discover the true saboteur, Letta Turmond.
Now the Jedi attempt to return the Temple to normalcy. But first, Master Yoda must give a eulogy to the fallen Jedi warriors....
In the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda gives a eulogy for the five Jedi Knights who died during the explosion, attended by senior Jedi and Republic figures.
"One with the Force, they are. And our job it is to remember that we will, in time, also pass on. Luminous beings are we, but temporary vessels, our bodies are. And we shall all find ourselves here in time. A moment of silence, I ask, to remember and to move on." Yoda said.
As Ahsoka and Darrel stood beside Barriss, they noticed that she stressed out.
"You were close to one of them?" Ahsoka asked.
Barriss pointed to the casket in front of her as a tear comes down her eye.
"Tutso Mara. We trained together. He taught me how to hold my lightsaber correctly." Barriss said.
"I'm sorry for loss, Barriss." Darrel said.
Barriss looked at Darrel and nodded, then she looked back at her friend's casket.
"Live for the living Jedi, we must. Live through us, forever they will." Yoda said.
The caskets of the fallen Jedi Knights started to go under the Temple and, then they were sealed away so they could rest in peace. After the funeral, Ahsoka, Barriss, Darrel, and Anakin met up with Admiral Tarkin to discuss Letta's fate.
"So what happens to Letta now?" Ahsoka asked.
"The bomber has been moved." Tarkin replied.
"Moved? Where? Why should she be moved?" Ahsoka asked.
"The Republic military has taken her into custody." Tarkin replied.
"But why? This is a Jedi matter, isn't it?" Ahsoka asked in a frustrated way.
"Clones were killed, which makes this terrorist attack a military matter. An attack on the Jedi is an attack on the Senate." Tarkin replied.
"Admiral Tarkin is right. Letta isn't a Jedi. It's not for us to be judge and jury over a citizen of the Republic." Anakin said.
Ahsoka stepped in front of the group.
"If Letta's guilty, she's guilty, and she should be dealt with!" Ahsoka hissed.
"Calm down, Ahsoka. Remember, revenge is not the Jedi way." Anakin said.
Ahsoka sighed and looked down.
"The evidence seems clear, Ahsoka. Nothing will ever change." Barriss said.
The group continued walking in the hallway until they stopped at a elevator.
"The Chancellor feels very strongly that the Jedi be removed from as many military matters as possible." Tarkin said.
Tarkin approached the elevator and clicked the button, he turned back around and glared at the Jedi.
"You yourselves said that you're peacekeepers, not soldiers." Tarkin said.
"I hope Chancellor Palpatine knows what he's doing." Ahsoka said.
"I assure you that he rarely does anything without a strategy." Tarkin replied.
The elevator door opened, Tarkin entered and waited for Anakin.
"I have many things to attend to. Good day." Barriss said.
Barriss walked away from the group.
"Go be with your friend, Ahsoka." Anakin said.
"I'll come with you, Ahsoka." Darrel said.
Ahsoka smiled and nodded, the Padawans went ran up to Barriss to catch up with her. Anakin smiled and went in the elevator with Tarkin.
"In ways, she is still very young." Anakin said.
"Indeed." Tarkin replied.
Meanwhile as Ahsoka and Darrel caught up with Barriss, Barriss turned her head and smiled.
"Company?" Ahsoka asked.
"Sure." Barriss replied.
"Every time I think about this, I feel conflicted. It's hard not to let feelings turn into attachment and pain." Ahsoka said.
"Ahsoka, Darrel, have you ever wondered if it was right to ignore your emotions?" Barriss asked.
"Our Masters would say, Our struggle as Jedi is to move past them." Ahsoka replied.
"You both make it sound so easy." Barriss said.
"No, it isn't easy." Darrel said.
"But it's possible. Like, remember when we were stuck inside the battle tank on Geonosis, Barriss?" Ahsoka said. "It was hard not to be afraid. Still, you and I got past it. And I guess we'll get past this."
"How come you never told me of this?" Darrel asked with a smile on his face.
"You never asked." Ahsoka replied.
"You've always been capable of seeing things clearly, Ahsoka." Barriss said.
"I guess I've fooled you like I have everyone else." Ahsoka replied.
Then Ahsoka's comlink started beeping, she answered it. It was Anakin calling her.
"Yes, Master." Ahsoka said.
"Ahsoka, Darrel, we're needed in the war room. It appears the Separatists have mounted another attack." Anakin said.
"We're coming, Master." Ahsoka replied.
Ahsoka clicked off the comlink and looked at Barriss.
"Look, I have to believe that one way or another, this woman's going to pay for what she did." Ahsoka said.
"You both shouldn't keep your Masters waiting." Barriss said.
Ahsoka and Darrel smiled and to the war room. Once there, a few members of the council, and Anakin were there to hear a report from Obi-Wan via hologram.
"We've uncovered a Separatist plan of attack. We shall travel to the Anoat system, then move across to Saleucami system." Obi-Wan said.
"So far out of our way?" Mace asked.
"Unfortunately, we must avoid these neutral systems." Obi-Wan said.
Then a hologram of Admiral Tarkin appeared on the holographic projector.
"Excuse me, Master Jedi." Tarkin said.
"Yes, Admiral." Mace said.
"Commander Tano, your presence is requested by prisoner Letta Turmond." Tarkin said.
"The prisoner from the hangar bombing?" Ahsoka asked.
"Why is she asking for Ahsoka?" Anakin asked.
"Not exactly sure. But Commander Tano is the only person the prisoner will speak to." Tarkin replied.
"I'll report back with whatever I find out." Ahsoka said.
"I'll come with you, Ahsoka." Darrel said.
Ahsoka smiled and nodded, then both of the Padawans left the war room. They went to the hanger and boarded two airspeeders, then they flew out the hanger. Once arriving at the Republic Center for Military Operations, located in the Senate District on Coruscant. The Padawans exited their airspeeders, and entered the facility. Once they entered the detention block, the Padawans went over to the control room to see a Clone Trooper named Commander Fox.
"I'm Commander Tano, Letta Turmond requested to see me." Ahsoka said.
"I'm Commander Pullie, I'm just with Commander Tano." Darrel said.
"A lot of innocent people died in that blast. Good job capturing her." Fox said.
"Thank you, Commander." Darrel replied.
Fox turned around to see the two Clone Troopers behind him in the control room.
"All right, scan them." Fox ordered.
The Clone Troopers nodded and started the body scan. The scanners detected the Padawans' lightsabers and comlinks. Fox turned around and opened the drawer.
"Leave your comlinks and lightsabers here." Fox ordered.
The Padawans took their comlinks off their arms, and took the lightsabers from their belts and put them in the drawer. The drawer closed and Commander came out of the control with the two other Clone Troopers behind him.
"Follow me." Fox said.
The Padawans followed Fox and the other Clone Troopers to the cell block, then Fox took out a key card and inserted in a control panel near a cell, opening it. Letta was inside the cell, Ahsoka entered and glared at Letta as Fox and Darrel stood outside the cell.
"What do you want, Letta?" Ahsoka asked.
"I was told if I ever needed help, you were the Jedi to contact." Letta replied.
Ahsoka sighed and looked back at Fox.
"Give us a minute, please." Ahsoka said.
Fox and Darrel nodded, then Fox closed the cell door. Darrel and Fox returned to the control room.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Fox asked.
"I'm good, Commander." Darrel replied.
Just then, an alarm started to go off in the control room. A security camera in Letta's cell showed her being strangled by the force, Ahsoka had her arms up as Letta was being strangled.
"Prisoner health critical, holding cell 1-7-3." said the PA.
"Commander Fox, the prisoner." a Clone said.
Fox took out his pistols and the two grabbed their rifles and ran to Letta's cell. Darrel was about to follow them, but he sensed a disturbance in the force.
"I sense something." Darrel said.
He walked to exit and asked the two guards to come with him outside the cell block, they nodded and exited the cell block.
"What is it, sir?" a Clone Guard asked.
"I sense something or someone familiar nearby." Darrel replied.
Darrel concentrated on the force to see where they were, however, his senses were clouded by darkness.
"Nevermind. Let's head back." Darrel said.
When Darrel and the guards returned, they saw Fox and the clones return to the control room.
"Fox, what happened?" Darrel asked.
"Commander Tano has murdered prisoner Turmond." Fox replied.
"No, that's not right. That's impossible." Darrel protested.
"I'm sorry, sir. We saw Letta lying on the floor, dead." Fox said.
"I need to see her, now." Darrel said.
"Not until Admiral Tarkin arrives to speak with Commander Tano." Fox replied.
Darrel sighed and waited for Tarkin to arrive. After some time has passed Tarkin arrives at the cell block, escorted by two Clone Troopers, they stop to see Darrel.
"Commander Pullie, please come with me." Tarkin said.
Darrel nodded and followed Tarkin down the cell block, they stopped at Letta's cell to recover her hat. Then they exit the cell, and walked to Ahsoka's cell, Tarkin opened the door to the cell and went inside, along with his clone escort, and Darrel. Ahsoka looked up at Tarkin and Darrel and stood up.
"Admiral Tarkin, I don't know what happened. I went in the room to talk to Letta, and she said she was afraid of a Jedi." Ahsoka said.
Tarkin took out Letta's hat from behind his back and showed it to Ahsoka, then he threw it to the corner of the cell.
"You don't have to tell me any more, Commander Tano." Tarkin replied.
"I don't?" Ahsoka asked.
"No. There are recorders in every room." Tarkin said.
Tarkin took out a holographic projector, he clicked a button to play the video of Letta being strangled by the force, it looked like Ahsoka was the one who was strangling her. However, there was no sound to accompany the video.
"Curiously, the sound isn't working on this one." Tarkin said.
In the video, Letta collapsed on the ground, dead. Tarkin sighed and ended the video by turning off the projector.
"It seems the Jedi she was afraid of was you, Commander Tano." Tarkin said.
"I did not kill that woman!" Ahsoka replied.
"You were the only one there!" Tarkin yelled as he approached Ahsoka. "I know that you were upset when this woman was taken into custody by the military."
"That means nothing." Ahsoka protested.
"I beg to differ." Tarkin replied.
"It was someone else, Admiral, someone I didn't see." Ahsoka said.
"You know that is very difficult for me to believe." Tarkin replied as he stepped away from Ahsoka.
"Admiral, if I may, I did sense something or someone nearby while Letta was being strangled. Preharps another force-user was here." Darrel said.
Tarkin sighed and glared at Darrel.
"This is a secure facility. We do not have just anyone running about." Tarkin said.
Then Tarkin looked back at Ahsoka.
"And if there was someone else, why did you not sense them, Commander Tano?" Tarkin asked as he put two fingers on Ahsoka's chin.
Ahsoka glared at Tarkin and removed her chin away from Tarkin's grip.
"And did you see this disturbance you sensed, Commander Pullie?" Tarkin asked.
"No, sir." Darrel replied.
"Then there's no proof that anybody else was here." Tarkin said.
Tarkin left Ahsoka's cell, Ahsoka grabbed Darrel's hand and looked at him.
"You have to help me, Darrel." Ahsoka cried.
"I'll do my best, I'll call Anakin." Darrel replied.
Ahsoka smiled slightly and sat down in her cell as Darrel left the cell and Tarkin closed the door.
Darrel went back to the front of the control room to see Commander Fox.
"Commander, I need my lightsabers and comlink back." Darrel said.
Fox nodded and opened the drawer, Darrel took his lightsaber and put it on his belt. He put his comlink on his arm, and contacted Anakin.
"Darrel, what is it?" Anakin asked.
"Bad news, Ahsoka has been arrested." Darrel replied.
"What? Why?" Anakin asked.
"They're accusing her for killing Letta Turmond." Darrel replied.
"I'm on my way." Anakin said.
Later, Anakin arrived at the facility. He entered the cell block and saw Darrel and Commander Fox.
"Commander Fox, I need to speak with Ahsoka." Anakin said.
"I'm sorry, General, but nobody is allowed to speak with her." Fox replied.
"I said my Padawan is in there. Now, step aside." Anakin growled.
"General Skywalker, Admiral Tarkin has ordered that no one be allowed in there." Fox replied.
Anakin got frustrated at Fox and glared at him.
"I don't care what she's accused of. Let me in." Anakin growled.
Fox signalled the Clone Guards to come behind Anakin, the guards nodded and ignited their staffs and approached Anakin.
"Sorry, sir. The Admiral's orders stand. This is now a military operation and under his jurisdiction." Fox said.
Anakin sighed and left the cell block, Darrel followed him out.
"What should we do now?" Darrel asked.
"We need to talk to Padmé." Anakin replied.
Darrel and Anakin left the building and got in their airspeeders and rushed to the Senate.
Meanwhile at Senate, Anakin and Darrel entered Padmé's office. Padmé was sitting at her desk as she saw the two Jedi enter her office.
"Anakin, what's wrong?" Padmé asked.
"The Republic is holding Ahsoka for murder. They won't let me see her." Anakin replied.
Padmé stood up in shock, then she approached Anakin and Darrel.
"You can't be serious!" Padmé said.
"It's no joke, it's very serious, milady." Darrel said.
"Who are they saying she murdered?" Padmé asked.
"The woman responsible for the bombing of the Jedi Temple Hanger, Letta Turmond." Anakin replied.
Padmé sighed and put her hand on Anakin's cheek.
"Have you talked to Admiral Tarkin about this?" Padmé asked.
"I've tried to, but he won't speak with me." Anakin replied.
"Can you help us, Senator?" Darrel asked.
"I'll see how the Senate feels about this. If the military seized her, then the directive must have come from the Senate." Padmé replied.
Padmé pulled Anakin in for a hug, Anakin sighed and wrapped his arms around her.
"I can't believe they wouldn't even let me speak to Ahsoka. She probably thinks I've turned my back on her." Anakin said.
"Maybe Captain Rex can help us." Darrel said.
"Oh, he's speaking with the Chancellor." Padmé replied.
Anakin and Padmé released each other, Padmé smiled and went back to her desk.
"Good luck, you two." Padmé said.
The two Jedi nodded and left Padmé's office, they saw Rex outside the office.
"General Skywalker, Commander Pullie." Rex said.
"Rex, we need your help." Anakin said.
"Is this about Commander Tano?" Rex asked.
"Yes. The Republic is holding Ahsoka for murder." Anakin replied.
"We need you to speak with Commander Fox." Darrel said.
Rex nodded, then the group left the Senate building. Anakin jumped aboard his airspeeder, Rex sat beside Anakin. Darrel broaded his airspeeder and flew back to the Republic Military Base, along with Anakin and Rex. Once there, the group ran inside to speak with Commander Fox, however, an alarm was going off. The group ran through the halls until the PA was activated.
"The suspect has killed three clones. Code red. If you see the target, shoot to kill." Fox said.
The group finally found Fox, along with two dead Clone Troopers, and one dead Republic Officer, killed by a lightsaber.
"Belay that order, Commander Fox." Anakin ordered.
"She's killed troopers!" Fox yelled.
"I know Commander Tano. She would never do something like this." Rex said.
"Then who did?" Fox asked.
Then Anakin and Darrel sensed Ahsoka's presence nearby, they walked in front of the two Clone Troopers.
"Quiet!" Anakin ordered. "Ahsoka! It's me, Anakin."
"I'm here too, Ahsoka." Darrel said.
"Stop running." Anakin said.
"You can't help me, guys. Someone's setting me up." Ahsoka said.
"We believe you, Ahsoka." Anakin said.
"But no one else will." Ahsoka replied.
Ahsoka sighed and continued to run, Anakin and Darrel sighed and looked at Rex and Fox.
"Keep searching until we find her. Rex, call security. Tell them we need to search the entire base. Now!" Anakin ordered.
Then Anakin and Darrel down another hallway as Rex clicked on his comlink to contact all of the Clone Troopers in the base.
"General Anakin Skywalker has just issued an all-points bulletin on Commander Ahsoka Tano. She's killed three clones and should be considered armed and dangerous." Rex said.
Meanwhile, Anakin and Darrel entered the communications room to contact the Jedi Council via hologram to inform them of the current situation.
"The Clones are searching for Ahsoka now. But we need to be out there with them in case they find her. To tell her everything's ok." Anakin said.
"All the evidence so far points to your Padawan, Skywalker." Mace said.
"Do any of you actually believe that Ahsoka would do this?" Anakin asked.
"Anakin-" was all Obi-Wan could say until Anakin interrupted him.
"If someone said me or Darrel did something like this would you believe them?" Anakin asked.
"No, of course I wouldn't." Obi-Wan replied.
"Skywalker, have you considered that this woman may have threatened to expose your Padawan? And her connection to all this? The bombing? The setup?" Mace asked.
"You're wrong, Master Windu." Anakin replied.
"Ahsoka is the one being set up, Masters." Darrel said.
"Explain the three dead clones, killed by a lightsaber." Ki-Adi said.
"Every Jedi has a lightsaber!" Anakin replied.
Yoda sighed and stood up from his seat.
"A word with young Skywalker and Pullie alone, I would like." Yoda said.
The other council members nodded and left the chambers, leaving Yoda in the room. Yoda approached the holograms of Anakin and Darrel.
"Noble it is of you to defend your Padawan, Skywalker. However, overwhelming is the evidence against her." Yoda said.
"And we're underwhelmed by the proof, Master Yoda." Anakin said.
"Agree with both of you, I do." Yoda replied.
"What should we do about it Master Yoda?" Anakin asked.
"What you two always do. Act! And act quickly, or save Ahsoka you may not." Yoda replied.
Anakin and Darrel nodded and ended the call, then they left the building to meet up with Commander Fox and a few Clone Troopers. Fox turned around to see Anakin and Darrel.
"We've found her. She's heading towards the industrial pipeline." Fox said.
"Set weapons to stun. I want her alive!" Anakin ordered.
As Anakin, Darrel, Rex, and Fox started to run after Ahsoka, Republic Gunships with headlights started to take off to follow Ahsoka. Anakin clicked his comlink to contact the gunship pilots.
"Do not shoot to kill. Do not shoot to kill! Try to box her in. Don't let her escape. Tell me what you see, Oddball." Anakin said.
"She's moving west along the central viaduct." Oddball said.
Eventually, they surrounded her, and she lost one of lightsabers her while deflecting their stun blasts. She jumped onto a nearby pipe and escaped through the pipe system. The Clones, Anakin, and Darrel followed her inside the pipe system. As the Clones went through the pipe, Anakin and Darrel sensed where Ahsoka was going, they followed her trail. Eventually they caught up with her at an outlet leading to a vertical shaft.
"Ahsoka, what are you doing?" Anakin asked.
"You didn't even try to come and help me, Anakin." Ahsoka said.
"They wouldn't let me in to talk to you." Anakin replied.
"You could have if you tried." Ahsoka said.
"How would that look, Ahsoka, huh?" Anakin asked. "Forcing my way in would've made you look even more guilty."
"I'm not guilty!" Ahsoka cried.
"Then we have to prove you're innocent. The only way we can do that is by going back." Anakin said.
"I don't know who to trust." Ahsoka said.
"You can trust me, Ahsoka. You know that." Darrel said.
"Listen, I would never let anyone hurt you, Ahsoka, never. But you need to come back and make your case to the Council." Anakin said.
"No. I'm not going to take the fall for something I didn't do!" Ahsoka yelled.
"I am ordering you to put down your lightsaber and come with me now! Trust me." Anakin said.
"General Skywalker, where are you?" Rex called out.
"I do trust both of you. But you both know as well as I do that no one else will believe me." Ahsoka said.
Ahsoka looked down to see a ship descending down into Coruscant's underworld. Then she looked back at Anakin and Darrel.
"Anakin, Darrel, you both have to trust me now." Ahsoka said.
"Ahsoka, we do trust you. I know you do." Anakin said.
"I know you do. Wish me luck."
Then Ahsoka jumped out the outlet, she landed on top of a transport. Ahsoka looked back at Anakin and Darrel. Darrel had a tear come down his eye, fearing for Ahsoka's life.
"Good luck, my love." Darrel whispered.