Some scenes and dialogue used from The Clone Wars Season 5: Episode 18
Coruscant: 19 BBY
Republic Military Prison
Commander Fox
The prison had gone into full lockdown since he activated the alarms and reported Commander Tano's escape. Several clones had reported sighting her, but none had been able to reapprehend her.
Fox's comm lit up with a prison wide transmission. Every clone who had his comm on could hear it. "She's heading north in the prison corridor," someone reported. "Cut her off!"
Fox switched directions immediately. "Copy that." Already, he could hear blast doors sealing in one section of the prison.
Fox skidded around a corner just as Commander Tano vaulted through the final blast door in the corridor. She saw him simultaneously and was up and running seconds later. Fox chased after her, but she disappeared from sight, turning around a corner. He ducked down it and slowed, firing stun blasts at her. She kept running.
Three clones lay dead in the hall. Two were familiar. Fox paused and knelt beside Wit. Diver was next to him. "I'm sorry, Boys," Fox whispered. He activated his comm. "The suspect has killed three clones. Code Red. If you see the target, shoot to kill." He switched the settings on his blasters. I hate giving that order.
"Delay that order, Commander Fox!" General Skywalker and Captain Rex came sprinting around the corner.
"She's killed troopers."
"I know Commander Tano. She would never do something like this," Rex protested.
"Then who did?" Fox struggled to keep his growing frustration under check.
General Skywalker butted in between them. "Quiet. Ahsoka!" He called. "It's me, Anakin. Stop running."
There was silence for a few minutes. "You can't help me, Master!" Commander Tano shouted back. Her voice was distant. "Someone's setting me up!"
"I believe you, Ahsoka."
"But no one else will."
General Skywalker looked surprised for a minute, then shook his head. "Keep searching until we find her. Rex, call security. Tell them we need to search the entire base. Now."
Fox waited with Rex while General Skywalker continued on. Rex switched his comm on. "General Skywalker has just issued an all points bulletin on Commander Ahsoka Tano. She's killed three clones," his voice wavered a tiny bit, as though he couldn't believe what he was saying, "and should be considered armed and dangerous."
"We'll find her, Captain," Fox promised when Rex lowered his arm.
"I hope so. The problem is, she doesn't want to be found. Let's move." Rex took the lead and they sprinted through the corridors of the prison.
They passed by a window and Fox glanced out into the yard below. Squads of clones raced around, searching. Military vehicles had been mobilized and gunships with search lights flew overhead.
A few minutes later, both of their comms blinked on. "The prisoner was just spotted in the east wing, Cell Block 1218-11."
"That's this way." Fox switched directions and they started running, hoping to cut her off. They reached the cell block shortly, but there was no sign of Commander Tano. A squad of troopers was just rounding a corner. "Blast it. She got past them."
"Let's split up and find different squads. We'll cover more ground," Rex said.
Rex headed back the way they had come. Fox ducked around the corner and joined the group of clones they had just missed. They let him take the lead and headed outside of the prison, towards the shipyards.
The door hissed open and Fox's gaze drifted up towards the massive pillars waiting outside. Rain poured down and it was dark, but it didn't hinder his vision much. Commander Tano was seated on top of one. "Quick! Stop her before she gets to the ship!" He ordered. Commander Tano leaped down from the pillar and kept running. Fox quickly sent his coordinates into his comm, hoping the clones would notice and follow.
They sprinted after Commander Tano. Fox kept his gaze trained on her as she ran above them. The clones behind him opened fire. The shots went wide. Commander Tano leaped down from the structure and continued on. Fox was already struggling to keep pace with her, but he forced himself to keep running.
The gun turrets came online seconds later. We're supposed to capture her alive! Fox growled to himself. Those had better be on stun. Even then, they're going to pack a punch. The guns realigned and fired at the ship that Commander Tano was heading towards. It exploded in a flare of green light. Commander Tano went flying back from the force of the blast. Those weren't on stun.
Several other groups continued to close in around her. She hesitated, catching her breath. Right before they reached her, Commander Tano jumped up and continued to run. She skidded along a staircase and ran down them.
Fox's comm lit up shortly. "Fox, we think we know where she's headed. She's moving towards the industrial pipeline," Clay reported.
"All right. Don't lose her. We'll be right there," he replied.
"What's going on?" General Skywalker asked, appearing behind him. Rex was at his side.
"We've found her," Fox replied. "She's heading towards the industrial pipelines."
"Set weapons to stun!" General Skywalker ordered. "I want her alive." They sprinted towards the pipeline.
Commander Tano had moved onto the catwalks, overlooking a lower level of the shipyard. Clones were firing stun rays at her, but they continued to miss. She activated her lightsaber and deflected a few. More gunships flew overheard, their search lights switching on.
General Skywalker raised his comm. "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."
Rain continued to pour down. I'm honestly impressed that she can pull maneuvers like that when it's slick, Fox thought. At least we have a chance of catching her.
"She's moving west along the central viaduct," Oddball's voice crackled over General Skywalker's comm. The gunships moved alongside Commander Tano now. Fox saw the blast doors swing open and clones opened fire. "All right. We've got her now."
Fox's mouth dropped open beneath his helmet. Commander Tano was vaulting around the blasts, deflecting and dodging every single one of them. There was a flare of light, suddenly, and part of the catwalk collapsed before her. Commander Tano slipped beneath the rail, her lightsabers falling from her grasp. One of them rolled off the catwalk. She continued to hang on, though. The clones kept firing.
If they stun her right there, she'll fall to her death, Fox realized. His fears were unfounded. Their blasts missed and Commander Tano pushed herself back up and onto the roof of a nearby building. She pulled her remaining lightsaber back into her hand and activated it. The rain was coming down harder now, splashing against the visor of Fox's helmet.
She leaped down and started running towards a staircase. Gunships began to block her in. Clones raced down the stairs, circling her. Fox paused at the top of the stairs, along with General Skywalker and Captain Rex. Commander Tano met her master's gaze, looking both angry and disappointed. She glanced at the clone behind her and leaped, suddenly.
"Ahsoka!" General Skywalker shouted.
She landed on top of a pipe and drove her green blade into it. Commander Tano disappeared into the pipe. Clones instantly jumped down after her. "Come on." Fox leaped to his feet and ran towards the pipe. The three of them jumped in and started running. He and Rex continued down one tunnel. General Skywalker paused and didn't follow them.
"Where do these tunnels lead?" Rex called.
"Into one of the openings down to the Lower City," Fox replied. "She'll be stuck."
"Then let's hurry. If I know Commander Tano, she'll find a way out of this too." They started moving towards the nearest tunnel opening.
A sound reached him shortly. "Wait, listen" Fox said. He paused. Rex slowed beside him as well.
"No! I'm not going to take the fall for something I didn't do!" Commander Tano exclaimed.
They glanced at each other, then switched directions. The tunnel wasn't far. Her voice had been clear enough. "General Skywalker, where are you?" Rex shouted.
"I do trust you, but you know as well as I do that no one else will believe me." There was a moment of silence. "Anakin, you have to trust me now."
"Ahsoka, I do trust you." General Skywalker's voice sounded closer.
They rounded the corner. "I know you do. Wish me luck." Fox's eyes widened as Commander Tano leaped down from the mouth of the tunnel.
Fox reached the opening a second after Rex did. Commander Tano plummeted down onto the hull of a ship. At the last second, she reached down and slowed her descent with the Force. She looked back up. Fox glanced at General Skywalker. He watched her with a painful expression.
"Let's get back to the prison and organize search patrols," Rex said after a moment. General Skywalker nodded. He stared down the giant hole a moment longer, before following them.
Coruscant: 19 BBY
Senate Apartments
Riyo Chuchi
Thunder woke her from her dreams. Riyo wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, feeling cold. She was alone in her chambers. She glanced at the clock. It was both very late and very early. Her gaze flickered to her landing pad, just as a speeder touched down.
She leaped out of bed and raced out to the door. Fox entered her apartments a moment later. She helped him out of his wet armor. "What's going on?" Riyo asked.
"The bombing suspect was killed." Fox slumped onto the sofa, rubbing the back of his neck. "Commander Tano strangled her when she came to interrogate her."
"What?" Riyo sat down next to him. "I know Ahsoka. She would never do something like that."
"Everyone keeps saying that." He sighed and scrubbed at his face. "We just finished organizing search patrols. We spent about an hour or two chasing her around the prison when she escaped after her initial arrest."
"Shouldn't you be there, then?"
"Yeah, but Clay is covering for me. I can't stay long."
"What's going to happen to Ahsoka? I can't believe that she would do such a thing."
"I don't know. General Skywalker tried to get her to stay. He told her that he'd help her prove her innocence, but she was convinced that no one would believe her," Fox replied.
Riyo wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against his shoulder. "And what do you think?"
He just shook his head. "Rex and General Skywalker say that she couldn't have done it, and yet Letta is dead, along with three clones. If she didn't, then who did?"
"Isn't there security footage?"
"Yes, but something is wrong with the audio. All we could see was Commander Tano strangling Letta. We couldn't hear anything."
"Has that ever happened before?"
"No. I thought someone might've tampered with it. If that's the case, then Commander Tano really is being set up. If it's just faulty wiring and she's trying to hide something by killing Letta, then I have to capture her. Archer was killed by that blast. I'm not letting whoever did it get away."
Riyo met his gaze. "You need to make sure that you have the right person. If you do find Ahsoka, please listen to her. I know she wouldn't do this. She's a friend. She's helped me so many times. There has to be a better explanation."
"I'll do what I can, but if clones continue to turn up dead, not even an order from General Skywalker will keep her alive," Fox sighed. "I hate Code Red situations."
Riyo kissed him gently. "You'll figure it out."
"I hope so." Fox stood and slid his armor back on. He grabbed his helmet. "I'll update you when I can." He kissed her again, then stepped back out into the pouring rain. Riyo waited until his speeder disappeared from sight, before returning to bed. Sleep was long in coming.