Chapter 10: Victory and Death

The final surge of Maul's forces had been defeated during the night. The Mandalorians of Clan Saxon, Clan Kast, and Clan Onyo had either surrendered or chose to die when Maul was captured by Ahsoka. As part of the deal Ahsoka made with Bo-Katan, The Republic and Ahsoka would be leaving the next day with Maul while Bo-Katan got Mandalore. That night however seemed to last forever for Anthony, but dawn was on the horizon. He didn't sleep and he couldn't get in touch with Ahsoka. He couldn't get the thought of Order 66 out of his head as he knew it was only hours away. Sighing deeply Anthony decided to mediate, to see if it could help his mind. He adjusted himself on his cot, which was given to him by Ursa, trying not to wake Chris, TR, Lorenc, Sorin, and Dom.

Letting himself become lost in the force, he began to feel all The Republic spread across the galaxy. Felucia, Mygeeto, Kashyyyk, he felt each Jedi and their clone battalions fighting for The Republic. But had felt the dark side as well and it was the strongest it has ever been. As he felt each Jedi's signature around the galaxy, he felt one close to him. Someone he wanted to see so bad.

"Ahsoka!" called out Anthony through the force. "Where are you?"

Ahsoka heard the voice in her head and stopped in tracks. She smiled at the sound of his voice. She was so happy to hear her best friend. She had been so focused on fighting Maul and capturing him that she didn't even realize that he was in the City of Sundari. When Ahsoka handed Maul over to Bo-Katan to contain him, Rex told Ahsoka that he was at the docks.

"Step outside and you'll see." she mentally said back.

Anthony shot up from his cot and stepped out of the tent. He first looked to his left at the purged wasteland of Mandalore seeing the sun had risen above the horizon. He then turned to his left to see Ahsoka standing thirty meters from him. They ran towards each other, smiling from ear to ear, and jumped into each other's arms.

"I've missed you so much." he whispered to her.

"I missed you too." she whispered back.

They moved apart a little but still held on to each other. Neither of them wanted to let go. For Ahsoka all the hardship she felt in the past two years melted away. For Anthony he wanted to freeze time and not endure what was yet to come. He gazed into her eyes and she took off his glasses to gaze into his. She always liked his brown eyes. She thought it complemented his long hair.

"I'm grateful you came." she said.

"Well my schedule was clear." he teased.

She laughed at his stupid joke, almost feeling like things have gone back to normal. She wanted things to go back to normal but maybe a little different. Hearing her laugh only brought him out of his trance and back to the lurking future.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she saw his eyes become worried.

"Nothing." he responded looking away from her.

She cupped his cheek with her and forced him to look at her. "Tell me."

"Ahsoka, I uh-" he started but was cut off by her com.

"Ahsoka, they're bringing up Maul. It's time to go." commed Rex.

"Alright I'm on my way." she responded letting go of Anthony. She ended the com and looked back at him.

"Are you coming." she asked, handing back his glasses.

He looked at her then back at the tent with his brothers in it. "I'll meet you back on Coruscant. There are some people that I want to bring along."

"You found them." she said

"How'd you know?" he smiled.

"Because I've never seen you look at a tent with such happiness, Sleemo." she teased. "You better bring them along. I'd like to meet them."

"Will do." he replied, still smiling.

"Well, I'll be waiting for you." she said as she turned away.

"I hold you to that." he called back. He watched her run off until she was out of sight.

"You should have kissed her." said Tom who had appeared at Anthony side scaring him half to death.

"It wasn't the time." sighed Ant.

"Well, she's the first girl ever that is into you. I mean by the way she flirted with you." commented Tom.

"Oh that. That's just some joke between us." blurted out Ant, scratching the back of his head.

"Hmmm." mummed Tom in disbelief.

"Come on let's go see what's up in the command." groaned Ant as he walked to the command room.

Andrew and Owen were already inside and were watching a hologram of Maul being transferred to Republic forces. Some mandos and clones were in the room as well. Within a few minutes the rest of the comrades had joined them and watched the renegade sith lord be pushed along in his containment box. They carefully watched Maul be put on the transport ship, with Ahsoka and Rex, and watched it fly away to the cruiser above Mandalore. Anthony felt both Maul's presence and Ahsoka's presence leave as the cruiser jumped into hyperspace.

Ursa had commed Andrew to say that she was on the way back with Bo-Katan as they wanted to say a few words to Clan Wren. Hearing this the mandos in the room left to spread the word about Bo-Katan's arrival, leaving only The Comrades and the four clones stationed on guard duty. Anthony eyed the clones with caution because from this moment on he was no longer their commanding officer.

Ursa and Bo-Katan had arrived and walked into the command center to personally thank The Comrades for their help in the siege. Bo-Katan was about to speak but Anthony fell to his knees as pain shot through his body. It felt as if he heard of hundreds of souls screaming in fear. With one hand on the ground to support himself and the other on his head, he felt so much of the dark side.

The four clones in the room had all gotten the same message, as did every clone trooper in the galaxy did. Hunt down and kill the Jedi. The two clones closest to Anthony put their blasters to his head but he force pushed them against the wall knocking them out. Andrew simitansily shot the other before they could do anything.

"What is going on?" cried Ursa.

"My Lady, my brother is now being hunted by clones that served under him. It is a direct Order from the now self proclaimed Emperor himself." Andrew told Bo-Katan. "The Empire is now taking over."

Suddenly four more troopers rushed in tow at each door. TR and Dom heard two coming and shot them when they opened the door. The other two clones were stopped by Tom as he beat them down with his bo-staff.

"You need to leave." Bo-Katan said to Ursa.

"But My Lady, what about you?" questioned Ursa not wanting to leave her friend and leader of Death Watch behind.

"I'll be fine. Now go." she ordered.

Ursa looked at her brother and his friends, seeing if they would join her. "We'll meet you at home Ursa." said Andrew as he hugged his sister. "Now go and protect Alrich and Sabine."

Ursa ran out of the command room and flew back, the way she came, to her ship. As she left Bo-Katan gazed upon the Padawan.

"As for the rest of you." said Bo-Katan to all of them, but still staring at Anthony. "I will not lay down my people for a Jedi, but I can buy you some time."

"Thank you, My Lady." said Tom, "Alright guys my ship is this way."

All nine of the comrades ran out of the room just as another squad of clone troopers rushed in. Bo-Katan directed them in the opposite direction saying that the padawan and his friends had killed the troopers, who lay on the floor. The clones rushed out following the directions of Bo-Katan. She then proceeded to erase the security footage in the command room, not to help the Jedi, but to protect Ursa and her brother.

The comrades followed Tom past a group of mandos on their way to the command center. Hoping that they wouldn't bump into any more clones, they quickly moved through the docks. However they rounded a bend to be met by at least ten squads of clone troopers guarding the ships.

"Crap!" yelled Dom as they all stopped in their tracks

"Look it's the Jedi!" cried one of the clones, "Open fire!"

All of the clones turned and fired at them. The Comrades split into two groups and dived for cover behind some crates. Anthony stood out of cover deflecting the blaster bolts back the troopers.

"She set us up." claimed Sorin as blaster fire flew over his head.

"No, it's standard protocol." explained Anthony as he deflected the bolts as best as he could. "If they weren't trying to kill us I would be proud."

The Comrades popped from their cover to take shots at the clones, but they got hit more than they shot. The ducked back to cover as more clones started to come from their back, estentally trapping The Comrades.

"Ah, we're pinned." cried Andrew as he got hit in the chest with beskar saving him.

They all began to take shots at the clones, while Anthony deflected the blots back at them. The clones were relentless and would do anything to see their task be done. They had turned into mindless droids. Anthony was beginning to struggle, as he didn't have a break to catch his breath. A few clones pushed up and hit Anthony in the arm when he was focused on the ones coming from behind.

"Kriff!" he cried in pain. He force pushed them off the platform to only have a blaster bolt graze his other arm.

"We need a miracle to get out here!" yelled Chris as he got hit in the shoulder.

The Clones continued to move in and pinned the Comrades even more. They had no plan, no escape. They began to think it was the end. The sound of jetpacks could be heard in the distance. Thinking it was more Clone troopers, Anthony prepared for the worst. However blaster bolts were being shot at the clones. Looking up, he saw mandalorians firing at the clones.

"It's Clan Kryze and Bo-Katan!" stated Owen as he too saw the mandos coming to save the day.

The clones in front of them had been thinned out by the Mandos. They took this opportunity and made a break for the Black Dog. Killing the few clones that were left in front of them, they ran onto the ship. The mandalorians landed behind them to cover their retreat. Bo-Katan landed next to the ramp still firing at the clones, as Anthony deflected bolts back next to her.

"What made you change your mind?" he asked.

"It's what my sister would have wanted." she replied back as she shot down two clones.

"You know the Empire will declare war on you for this!" stated Anthony as he was backing up the ramp.

"What's one more." replied Bo-Katan. "Now go."

Anthony gave her a nod of respect and ran up the ramp. "Tom get us out of here." he called to the cockpit.

Tom began to lift the ship off the ground, leaving the fire fight at the docks. As they raced to the atmosphere, two Republic ARC-170s flew behind them and began to fire.

"Doesn't this thing have any weapons!" yelled Dom as the ship was hit.

"None in the rear." stated Andrew as he opened the ramp again. "But a mandalorian with a jetpack is a weapon."

Both Owen and him jumped out of the ship to deal with the ACR-170s. Andrew landed on one and Owen landed on the other. Shooting the pilot and the systems they started their jetpacks and flew back into the Black Dog. Once they were inside Anthony punched in the coordinates for one of the moons of Bogden. They made the jump for hyperspace just as another cruiser came out of hyperspace over mandalore. When the stretched stars turned into the blue tunnel, they all sighed of relief and groaned in pain. They had just survived Order 66 and had the scars to prove it.

"You were right Tom, you were right." sighed Anthony catching his breath.

The Black Dog landed next to the blue Y-wing that was parked in front of a crashed Republic cruiser. Before the ramp even touched the ground Anthony had already made his way to Rex wincing in every step. Rex put a hand on his commander's shoulder as he stopped near him. Rex handed him a cloak and gave him a nod, letting him continue on. Chris and Lorenc walked up to Rex with only sadness in their eyes. The rest of the comrades watched from the ramp of The Black Dog, knowing this wasn't their place or time to introduce themselves.

Anthony slowly limped to Ahsoka, keeping pressure on his wounded arm. He was so happy she was alive, but only now he understood how much pain she actually went through. As he slowly reached her, he reached for her hand faintly, shaking at her side. He extended his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers, stopping the shaking. She accepted his comfort and laid her head on his shoulder, not taking her eyes off the graves in front of her. They both felt the pain minimize as they felt each other's presence. But they knew it wouldn't last long, as they had to go their separate ways.

He looked down and saw her lightsabers lying on the ground. He understood that this was the exact reason why she left the Jedi Order. The Jedi council was blind for the Republic and their code, they didn't realize the sith under their noses until it was too late. Now she wanted no part with them again. He glanced at his own lightsaber clipped to his hip. He thought for a moment that he should do the same, but decided not to. He agreed with Ahsoka that the Jedi were blind because of the republic and the code, but Anakin and Obi-wan had become family to him. He won't call himself a Jedi anymore, at least in public, but the lightsaber will stay with him. He knew it was putting himself and whoever he meets in danger, but he would need it if they ever found out about him.

They slowly turned away from the graves and looked back at the ships. Ahsoka let go of his hand and wrapped her arm around his waist, supporting him as he limped back. Rex had gotten into the Y-wing and Chris and Lorenc were waiting for Anthony at the side of the fighter. Ahsoka shifted her body and was standing in front of him as they reached the Y-wing. She glanced at the carbine scorching on his clothes and the bacta patch on his arm. She tilted her head up and looked at his tired face. She saw the fear in his eyes and he saw the same thing in hers. But he somehow gave her a smile that said things would all work out. She cupped his cheek with her hand as the smile faded away. She could sense his feelings and she was so happy to sense them, but now wasn't the time. Standing on her toes she kissed his other cheek. Shyly looking down, she let go of him and jumped into the blue Y-wing. Anthony stood still frozen in shock and happiness as he watched as the fighter lifted off the ground.

Once the ship was out of sight, Lorenc and Chris positioned themselves under his arms and helped him back to The Starbird. Thoughts rushed through Anthony's head. They had survived the purge and the empire would be hunting them. Ahsoka left him because having two Jedi, padawans of Anakin Sywalker, in the same place would draw too much attention. He is already putting his friends in more danger by staying with them. But beside all of that, Owen was right. Their stories were just beginning, as they had survived The Clone War.