The Serpent and Her Men: A Clone Wars Story. (Told Via One Shots.)

"Execute Order 66"

OK folks here it is. The ending of Quailius' story. Don't you just love star wars? Please don't hurt me I don't make the rules. As expected this takes place at the end of the clone wars. Quailius is surveying the few spots of clean up after a long battle when Lupo gets a strange comm call...

And you know what happens next. This hurt to write. It's also a Pick Your Poisen. You can read in Quailius' pov, or Lupo's 😈, or both.

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Quailius's POV

I was standing on the command deck watching the space around me. Though the enemy dreadnought had already surrendered, a few dogfights were still happening. Droids with either broken communicators or just too dumb to surrender foolishly still attacking my flyers. It didn't matter, my men took them down easy. I spotted Wings' fighter taking two droids out at once and smiled. He was probably having fun.

All of a sudden, I felt a surge through the Force. Hundreds of voices cried out in pain and confusion. Feelings of fear, shock, regret, and reluctance ran rampant through the energy. I gasped, clutching my head and stumbling backward. I don't understand, what's happening? If I had been paying attention, I would have noticed all the clones' Force signatures around me shift. They all felt resistant, as if they were fighting against something, but what? I startled at the sound of a dozen blasters clicking.

I was surrounded. My men forming a tight circle around me, their blasters raised and faces set in emotionless scowls. I flared my hood in surprise. What? What's going on? what are they doing? I looked around the circle till my eyes met Lupo's. Apprehension and fear radiated off him. He doesn't want to do this. So why is he?

"Lupo, what's going on? what's wrong with you?" I asked. Staring at him with hurt and anger in my eyes. My Captain is aiming a blaster at me. How could they?

"You....You are in direct violation of Order 66." He growled. His voice sounded robotic and strange.

"What? Lupo, you're not making any sense." I state. Feeling more alarmed and betrayed by the second. His finger moves over the trigger. I can't use my sabers to deflect that. The circle is too tight. It will hit someone else. I won't hurt them. I raise my hands, tucking in my hood and stepping toward him. I look around the circle. 

"Tensi sikui, please, stop." He falters. But only for a second. 

Then he fires.

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Lupo's POV

I was standing on the command deck of the Potestas when I received a personal transmission. That's strange. Only the General has that signal, and she's right there. I answered it. A holo figure appeared, face covered with a hood.

"Captain Lupo, the time has come. Execute Order 66." He spoke.

A pulsing pain struck through my head. Something in my mind told me to obey that order without question. Kill the Jedi, Kill her!  A voice that is not my own shouts in my brain. I wanted to scream no, I can't kill her. General Sorna never did anything wrong. Treason? No way. She'd never betray us. I fought the urge to turn around, but whatever the strange thing was sent sharp jabs of pain through my head and won over my own will. Good soldiers follow orders.

My feet moved on their own, I felt like a prisoner in my own mind. This was worse than having the Force used on me. This felt like my own impulse. Deep down, it's like I want to do this. But I don't! I would never want to kill General Sorna, right? My mind feels foggy, it hurts to think. I watched my hand come up, signaling the others to form a circle around Sorna. As I walked up to her, I noticed her stumble a bit and shake her head. She was too distracted to notice us as we surrounded her, raising our blasters towards her.

I wanted to shout, to scream, to warn her. Tell her to run and most importantly to tell her I'm so, so sorry. This isn't me. I can't control it. She looked up at the sound of a dozen blasters clicking.

Sorna looked frantically around the circle, before her gaze landed on me, and then the blaster in my hand.

"Lupo? What's going on? What's wrong with you?" The look of hurt in her eyes will haunt me for the rest of my days.

"You....you are in direct violation of Order 66." I heard my voice growl. But those weren't my words.

"What? Lupo, you're not making any sense."  She put her hands up, moving towards me. She looks around at each of us. 

No no no, run! I can't stop it I can't... General stop me! Fight back! Please, don't let us do this.

"Tensi sikui, please, stop." She pleads. My heart shatters as I remember what Tenderheart said that means. 

My hands were shaking, I felt my finger pull down on the trigger. No no please! Stop it sto-

I shot first.

My bolt when straight through her heart. The rest of my brothers firing after. Filling her body full of blaster bolts as she fell to the ground.

After she fell, we all just stood there. Staring at the woman we had served under for years. Who had saved all of our lives more than we could count. Who we had gunned down in seconds.

I'm sorry, General, I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it. I.... I killed you.

But I was supposed to, right? Good soldiers follow orders.