Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.1.3

Anakin's gunship landed just beyond the outskirts of the capital. The doors opened and his mind began to clear, somewhat. He was in his element now. He knew how to do this, he had done this a million times. He ran to the corner of a building, with Rex and his other men behind him. He motioned for a stop while he scanned the street for battle droids. Nothing showed itself, so they continued on.

Coruscant's air shuttles mimicked the underground trains of Xlenia. The tunnels were old and grimy from decades of abandonment, but they were perfect for soldiers on their way to the center of the city.

Anakin and his troopers made steady progress east. Obi-Wan and the 212th troopers would be starting on the Eastern outskirts and move in west, but on the streets instead. Hopefully, the Separatist forces would be too busy dealing with the 212th that the 501st could sneak in and sweep the building. That was the plan anyway.

The underground group reached the edge of the building first. The tunnel had a station in which riders would have gotten off the shuttle and climbed stairs to the ground level. There was also a locked, but an easily passable door that led directly into the Judicial Building. That was Anakin's route inside.

Anakin held up a fist to signal for a pause, and he activated his com-link. "Obi-Wan, we're at our entry point. How far off are you?"

"We're not far. Wait another two minutes, and then go in. We'll make sure the droids are distracted."

"Copy that," Anakin responded and relayed the message to his men. "Two minutes, get ready."

The clones double-checked their blasters and firearms, and Anakin pulled his lightsaber from his belt. He didn't activate it, but held it at the ready and waited patiently for two minutes to be up.

He only had another 30 seconds or so left, when he felt another presence in the tunnel. It wasn't one of his troopers, and it was Dark. It didn't feel familiar, not from what Anakin could remember. And they were armed. Not a good sign.

"Rex, take the men in." He looked to his captain. "I'll meet up with you inside, but I need to deal with something first."

Rex nodded from inside his helmet. He didn't know what his general knew, but he knew it wasn't good if he wanted the troopers to leave without him. "You heard the general, let's move!" He pointed forward, and the troopers burst through the door and into the Judicial Building.

Anakin, on the other hand, clenched his lightsaber and went back towards the shuttle rails. He closed his eyes and focused on the new, Dark presence.

It was young, he found, and reminded the Jedi Knight of Asaaj Ventress the more he focused on it. He didn't remember feeling this person, or thing, before, but in the instant that Anakin thought the thought, his gut told him otherwise. Something, something was off about this person. Something about them pulled Anakin towards them. A single string, a thin thread that connected their Force signature to his own. A thread that could not be cut, even if someone tried. Something in the Jedi told him that the thread had been there before, but everything else about this presence was unfamiliar. Confused, Anakin walked towards the Dark figure.

The person, whoever they were, was leaning against the curved wall of the tunnel. They had one foot propped up on the cement, and their arms were crossed. Anakin couldn't make out much else about the person in front of them, and they didn't seem in a rush to speak, so Anakin spoke first.

"Out for a late-night stroll?" He asked, opting to begin with some sarcasm. How would they respond?

The figure turned and snorted. "Even if I was, the stars are up there, not down here."