A Path Less Taken

Chapter 14 - All For Nothing

"Bases locked down, people locked up. What now?" Anakin asked with his arms crossed. Ahsoka had been silent the entire time, and that worried Anakin. Unfortunately, he couldn't really focus on it as of now.

"We need to negotiate with the rebels' leader, Hordun. We use the hostages we have to make them listen, and then we prove to them that we weren't actually doing conducting experiments," Swanton said.

"And how do you propose to do that?" Ahsoka suddenly said, her voice immediately getting Anakin's attention. She gave him a soft nod before turning back to Swanton.

"Well, that involves giving up a certain amount of security codes to show them what we hold in vaults. We'll change them if and when things are resolved. Hopefully, if this blows over as planned and we show them that we have nothing to hide, they'll be convinced and we can end this stupid war," Swanton said, putting his rifle on his back. "I want you both there as protection. The soldiers will hold things here."

"Alright, will do. How are we contacting the leader?" Anakin asked.

"There was an extra benefit to raiding that generator outpost. We have access to the local streaming hotwire for emergency broadcasts. All we have to do is make a message," Swanton said before getting on his radio. "Stream the signal on every island. Stream it to every television, computer, whatever. I want them to see this."

"Yes sir," the voice on the radio said before Swanton moved in front of a camera across from them. Anakin took the opportunity away from his earshot to talk to Ahsoka.

"What happened?" he asked in a gentle tone. Ahsoka looked towards Anakin and shook her head.

"Not here, not now. Later maybe," Ahsoka said softly before focusing her eyes on Swanton as he was conveying his message to the rebels. Master Plo and Anakin may have made her feel better on the situation, but that didn't mean she felt good about it. She tried not to let the look on Anakin's face make her cave in. She knew he was worried about her. She was worried about herself. But now wasn't the time or the place.

"Message conveyed," Swanton said, walking over to the two ex-Jedi. Anakin's face instantly normalized as he turned back to Swanton. "I told us to meet them in the middle of the bridge between here and the Myland District."

"Bridge? Aren't you afraid they'll have snipers waiting to take you out?" Anakin asked.

"Well, with you there, I'm not too worried. It helps to have a couple of those things on deck. Let's just go ahead and meet them there," Swanton said, pointing to their lightsabers and causing Anakin to frown. Ahsoka didn't say a word as she followed Swanton. Anakin paused for a moment to look at Ahsoka before putting on his hood and following them both out.

Anakin was mildly surprised to see that they weren't bombarded with mortars as soon as they got out onto the streets. Then again, we did have some of their men. They wouldn't take a risk on them. After all, these were normal citizens who cared for one another. Some of them were coming along in a separate armored carrier.

"What's the story with you two?" Swanton suddenly asked. Anakin looked at him, his frown even deeper.

"Do you pay us to ask questions about our personal lives?" he asked with a raised brow. He felt it was a very bounty hunter-ish thing to say. If that was a thing. He was still new at the whole thing.

"Well, no. I just thought... never mind," Swanton said, shaking his head.

"You'll be telling no one we were here. Anyone asks, you don't know us or what we look like," Anakin said gruffly. His tone held a deadly undertone, and judging by the way Swanton's forehead creased, he heard it.