Innocent Monster and Malevolent Angel

-Persuasion must be attempted when people are mentally helpless. The fascist who came up with that idea was an evil genius.

Pov Tanya

Tatooine

I looked out over the desert planet of Tatooine from the bridge of the Maelstrom. The plan was set and all that was left was the execution. A false flag operation was complex, however, it would be well worth it if done right. And I trusted Delta Squad and Ares to do their part of the operation.

"Supreme Commander." Anakin greeted, approaching me. I turned, facing him. He had recovered from his breakup, or so it seemed. He was looking better, although I recognized that fake smile.

"Can we talk somewhere private?"

Something in private? He didn't know about the false flag operation. So it must have been personal. My relationship with him was very good but he took too many liberties. I was reminded of Visha for a moment, before putting the thought aside.

"Yes."

Anakin seemed to half smile then turned and walked outside. I accompanied him for a while through the corridors of the Maelstrom, until we reached a private area, my room.

"Well, what's wrong, Anakin? Is something the matter?" I probed, the false flag operation was going to happen in just 16 hours. It was best to avoid extraneous factors like Anakin doing something troublesome for ignoring him. You should never ignore the request of your subordinates... Especially if said subordinate has saved your life and is the only person who makes you feel safe anymore.

"I... was a slave on this planet. I was sold by the Hutts and my mother with me. I know we have stopped to get supplies from the Hutts. Could we go? I mean land... I can go by myself if I have to. My mother, she is still here."

Anakin was my protector and could not be separated from me. Or at least I wasn't going to consciously allow him to stray too far from me. He had demonstrated the power to rescue me under extreme circumstances, if what I read in his report of how he found me was correct.

"Are you going to save her or just see her?"

Anakin scowled, the expression was all the answer I needed.

"I will accompany you, and take an escort as well. I'll also use a LAAT to get in. Do you know her current whereabouts?"

He agreed, excited at that idea.

"Yes, I know where she was. Thank you for understanding."

I nodded. I owed him my life, helping him save his mother was small in comparison. The silence made me think of my mother... even though I don't remember her anymore... I don't think she ever loved me...

My first life seems so far away now...

"Good. Go get everything ready. I'll prepare the LAAT and the escort. I hope you have the credits to purchase her freedom. The alternative is more problematic. Though I don't particularly mind that idea considering slavery is illegal in the Republic."

Anakin seemed quite enthusiastic by my response. He quickly ran off and I sighed. My bodyguard, the one who saved my life, seemed more like a hormonal teenager than a sage warrior.

I communicated with Rex as I watched Anakin leave my room.

"What is it, Supreme Commander?"

Rex had sung the praises of one particular squadron. It seems their performance at the battle of Kamino was more than amazing.

"It's time for you to introduce me to Domino Squadron. You proposed them as my escort. I'm interested in them, hangar in ten minutes."

"Roger that, Supreme Commander." Rex replied quickly. Cutting off the communication I put on the additional gear for my armor. A jetpack, my firearms, and support equipment. Jango Fett showed me how a Mandalorian fought. While I wasn't one theoretically and wasn't built for fighting either. It was better to be safe than sorry.

I got out and walked to the hangar. Reviewing information for the false flag operation.

We had sent a clone delegation to negotiate with Jabba. However, they were false negotiations. Delta Squad was infiltrating reprogrammed BX series commando droids from the battle of Kamino, to harass the clone delegation without ever actually hitting anyone, forcing them to flee, then record that battle to convince the senate. At the same time Delta Squad would infiltrate to kidnap Jabba's son, Rotta.

With that we will force Jabba to attack us, in theory everything should go well with no casualties at first for our troops. Jabba will know it was an ambush, but he won't know if the separatists did it to force him to take sides or if we did it. Giving us plausible deniability of any kind of accusation. The Hutts would become pariahs in republic space once it looks like Jabba and his ilk have allied themselves with the separatists.

Only myself, Delta Squad, Ares and the Grand Chancellor of the Republic knew this. If I were some kind of disturbed mind I would kill Delta Squad and Ares, but I would never do that to a comrade, much less my brothers.

I laughed internally. It's... Surprising... I think two lifetimes ago I would have considered that as a real option... Now I don't know if I will be able to do it...

I thought back to my actions in my second life.

How many allies have I killed or almost killed for less than justified reasons...

Maybe... I was wrong?

The clamor and noise of the hangar tore me from my thoughts. I would have to return to them later. Before me stood five clones adorned in the blue insignia of the 501st. Next to them was Captain Rex.

"At ease soldiers" I said as the six rested. Rex quickly moved to my side.

"This is the Domino squad, they are some of my best men."

Rex passed me a tablet. With information about the Domino Squadron.

"Practical sim performances, bad. However under live fire during the battle of Kamino they were one of the best performing squads in the whole battle." I noted aloud. Rex nodded.

It sounded good. Sometimes being bad at practice didn't mean you weren't skilled.

"Do you know why you all were called here?" I asked aloud. My brothers shook their heads.

"Good. You have been proposed by Captain Rex as my personal bodyguards. That means following me everywhere. You will have no time off unless I give you explicit permission. You will protect me under all circumstances. I hold Captain Rex's opinion in high esteem, so I expect great results."

"Yes ma'am!" shouted all five clones at once.

"Good." I said, and returned to the holo-tablet.

"Hevy, Echo, Fives, Droidbait and Cutup. From now on you are my personal guard and your mission starts today. Arm yourselves as you see fit and prepare for combat, you are dismissed."

The five nodded, heading for the armory. Rex looked at me curiously and I decided to answer his unasked question.

"Anakin's mother is on Tatooine. We're just going to retrieve her, everything will be fine."

Rex took off his helmet and smiled, I reciprocated.

"It's good to see you getting along so well with Anakin, not all non-clones are bad."

That had been a personal failure. Trying to avoid a clone revolution I said they all non-clones hated us. At the time I had not given much mind to the consequences of saying something like that. The results haunt me to this day...

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"What happened in Tipoca City?" probed Rex suddenly.

"I'm not telling Rex. I've told you dozens of times that it is a personal matter."

The clones were impulsive. I had unwittingly created a culture and a society. The clones, my brothers, were associated with that culture. Some more, some less, but none escaped my influence. What began with melancholy discussions about the fate of the clones ended up creating a secret culture out of sight of the Kaminoans. The creation of an identity under these conditions caused a lot of problems during the first years I spoke the most of freedom.

If they found out what the Kaminoans tried to do on Tipocca... I was lucky that only Weiss, the pilots and Delta Squad knew about it. When I made sure they didn't tell anyone, they understood and took heed. If clones knew how to do anything, it was to keep secrets. But even if they knew how to keep secrets, that did not necessarily mean that they would obey.

Each legion had inherited some of the peculiarities of its commander. This came with both advantages and disadvantages. However, this also resulted in controllable and uncontrollable legions.

Weiss listened to me in everything, Lion was honorable to a fault and followed all my orders, Rex was a comrade and had perspective.

But then there were the others, Joker and his legion were unstable. In a previous campaign a soldier of a local militia insulted the clones and me in front of Joker...

I had to hide that bastard's corpse to avoid creating an incident.

Preventing the clone revolution is my top priority.

I have created a monster without even realizing it.

"Are you alright?"

I snapped back to reality at Rex's voice.

"Yeah, yeah, I haven't been sleeping well. You know how it is. Anyway, how are things in the 501st?

Rex understood that I didn't want to argue at this point and chuckled lightly to get past the earlier discussion

"Well, Ashoka Tano is like having a second Anakin around, which is well… you get the picture." he said.

Ashoka Tano...

"I know she came to be Anakin's padawan but I haven't spoken to her much... Well there will always be time I assume. A second Anakin though…"

What a scary thought, one was already far too much.

Rex nodded to me as he took his leave of the hangar.

After exchanging our goodbyes, I opened my communicator.

"Anakin, come to the hangar. We leave as soon as possible."

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The LAAT flew over the surface of Tatooine. We had already stopped at two other locations, each time Anakin returned from these he was more agitated. His impatience was plain to see.

"What's going on?" I asked out of curiosity. For most of the trip was in silence except when Anakin was giving directions to the pilots.

"I went to see my old master, he had sold my mother to another man. Now I have spoken to this second man who married my mother after buying her and setting her free. She had been captured by a Tusken raider a long time ago and is presumed dead." He said bitterly.

The situation was bad, very bad if that was true.

"Prepare for combat." I ordered. My bodyguards began to ready their kits. However Anakin slammed a fist into the LAAT in a fury.

"I will take care of the situation, alone." He growled in a voice that sent shivers down my spine.

I gulped. I could feel it, his anger on my skin. Domino Squad looked at me, I motioned for them to lower their weapons. And they nodded, lowering their weapons.

I looked at Anakin, who was incredibly furious. The bitter rage on his face reminded me of Mary Sue. I killed her father and she chased me all the way through the war to kill me....

I would never want to meet such an individual ever again.

"Head 40 kilometers north." Anakin shouted to the pilot. Who quickly changed direction, flying at top speed. Soon the desolate and deserted countryside of Tatooine disappeared from our sight.

"Anakin, I know you've been through a lot, but the worst case scenario…" I trailed off, uncertain of how to proceed.

The look Anakin gave me shut me up. He had such a cold hatred filled aura that I clammed up, unable to speak.

The LAAT continued on its journey, before finally arriving at Anakin's destination. He jumped as soon as the doors opened. I sighed and sat on the edge of the LAAT, pulled some out binoculars and began to watch. A few miles away there was clearly a camp, removing the binoculars confirmed that it was not visible to the naked eye at this distance.

"General Skywalker is quite strange." Mumbeled Droidbait behind me, to the agreement of his brothers.

"He was a slave." I said in his defense. He has suffered and he has my respect and I think I understand why he is in such a hurry to save her....

It would also be similar when he saved me, though when he saved me it was his job to do so.

"Pilot, land. We will wait for Anakin's arrival on the ground."

The pilot obeyed, landing the LAAT and allowing my feet to touch sand.

"I hate sand, it's one of the worst environments you can put a soldier in." I informed Domino squad. Remembering the African campaign of my second life, a short but intense adventure all in all.

Minutes passed, until I felt something that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Something is wrong." I said. Something has gone very wrong.

I took out my macrobinoculars once more, though I couldn't make out the reason for this anxiety.

"Should we contact General Anakin?" asked Fives, I shook my head, as we couldn't risk it. My chills didn't stop, though.

"Do you feel it too?" Echo asked, fear in his voice. Hevy readied his weapon as the rest of Domino squad followed suit.

"My hair stands on end and it feels like someone is walking over my grave." Muttered Droidbait.

I felt a profound feeling of concern on Anakin's behalf. What if something had happened and his communicator had been damaged?

Damn it, after this we are even Anakin.

"Weapons ready, start hustling, let's find out what happened."

Without waiting for them to affirm. I set forth with my weapons drawn, the thunder of footfalls behind me.

Minutes passed when I finally reached the target, screams filling the silence of the desert.

"ROE, for this operation is that anything not a clone, or named Anakin is to be shot on sight." I called, taking flight with my jetpack. I took in the general situation, dozens of Tusken corpses lay on the ground, children included. Amidst all the destruction I noticed the blue glow of Anakin's lightsaber.

"Head east, rendezvous with Anakin" I ordered over the comms. Domino Squad moved like a well oiled machine through the cramped confines of the village. I dropped down beside Anakinn who was surrounded by the bodies of the fallen. The only one left standing was a young boy.

Anakin used the force to propel the boy to him, cutting him in half.

I approached Anakin, sensing that he was the source of that oppressing aura.

"What happened here?" I asked, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears. He turned for a second, pointing his blade at me.

"It's you." he said, seeming to relax a fraction, the aura following suit.

"Weapons down." I commanded my bodyguards.

Anakin looked around, finally noticing that the five members of Domino Squad had surrounded him, weapons drawn and ready to fire. They did so the moment Anakin appeared like a threat to me. However, they followed my orders and lowered their weapons.

"What happened, Anakin?"

People who couldn't control their emotions ruined me in my previous lives. People who did not accept the world as it was and became ruthless killers. Anakin, who had saved my life and was my protector, becoming that sort of irrational person is unacceptable. I had to help him.

"My mother," His voice was contorted by his rage and sadness. "These monsters tortured her to death!"

"..." The clones relented, finally putting away their weapons, stepping away, allowing me to deal with the situation. I quickly removed my helmet, there was nothing worse than an expressionless mask when you needed to calm down someone who had just gone through a traumatic event.

"Don't let anger control you, even though what you did wasn't wrong, anger can't control you."

"How!" shouted Anakin. "I was born a damned slave, being treated like a thing until one day I was taken in, all because of a prophecy. Feeling their contempt despite their high expectations, I continued on the Jedi path following my master Obi Wan. Who considers me a failure, Padme betrays me and my mother dies. I have no one, I have nothing!" He screamed out into the Tatooine desert, his pain, rage and hatred echoing throughout the night..

A person who considered others an important element of their identity tended to become stressed and lash out when they can't meet their expectations, and lack a support network. He had lost his mother, the object of his affections, he considered himself a failure to his master, who was not at hand to help in any case.

Anakin lacked a support network.

And the only possible solution was...

"I know we've only known each other for a short time. But you already know more about my people than anyone else in the galaxy, you've already done more than the republic has ever done for me."

I looked around, my bodyguards had left the area, they couldn't hear us.

"I was about to disappear but you saved me, if I'm here it's only because you were able to give me this chance." This was so embarrassing, my pride may never recover. But pride was useless if my protector became a threat.

Anakin extinguished his lightsaber, and fell to his knees. I quietly approached him and was surprised when he embraced me, forcing me to my knees in a desperate, one-way hug.

"Don't you think I'm a monster? Scum? I've even killed children!" he shouted in desperation. He wanted to be criticized for his behavior. But neither did I think what he did was wrong nor did I Intend to give him the hatred he wanted to receive in his moment of grief.

"You did nothing wrong, Anakin. They were murderous scum, who cares about their children if they would end up the same scum. Rot must be eliminated with all due prejudice."

Anakin continued the embrace, but loosening, not saying a word. Had it calmed him?

"You need me?"

It was humiliating, but the alternatives were worse.

"Yes."

Anakin silently stood up, I looked at him, he approached a particular hut. I stood up, screwing my helmet back on, then saw Anakin come out with a humanoid figure covered in crude cloth wrapping..

"Help me bury my mother then let's get back to the Maelstrom."

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was in my room, my armor long since removed. In five hours the operation to implicate the Hutts officially began, and I needed some rest after Tatooine. That had been a disaster, I should have never let Anakin try to retrieve his mother. It never even occurred to me how badly this could go.

I looked at my wounded pride, like a dragon with its wings clipped. The pride I had in my achievements in my first life was gradually beaten down. I was no longer a man, I was no longer a free person with my own autonomy, even a name was denied me in this life.

My pride... Maybe I should let it go... it was irrational to maintain pride in something that I am no longer and never will be. I was neither a man nor free.

I opened communication with Ares. Upon my holo-comm appeared a clone, in bedecked red armor, a matching cape, a spear magnetized to his backpack and two blaster pistols in their holsters.

"ARC Trooper Ares reporting. Is something wrong, Supreme Commander?"

"Just a status update." I said, I just wanted to get this over with so I could answer the blissful call of sleep.

"Everything is going according to plan. There has been nothing out of the ordinary except for a moment when an odd chill affected those present, other than that, nothing.

I was surprised to hear that Anakin's rage and hatred was felt from so far away?

Was that the force? A power that defied explanation...

It was a bit unnerving,It wasn't some arrogant being that spoke to you and you could talk back. Or a mage formula, but a force of nature

It was an odd thing that made me both worried and curious in equal measure.

"Understood, keep me informed if anything requires my attention."

I closed the holo-call and I set my alarm for three hours from now. I had to be awake to finalize the details of the plan. The death of a criminal empire, that would be my good deed for the day.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was jarred from my sleep by the sound of my door opening. I turned on the lights and looked at the intruder. It was Anakin, what was he doing here at this hour?

"Did something happen?" I asked. Anakin advanced towards me silently, then sat on my bed. I made room for him out of sheer habit.

Silence filled the room, Then he rested his forehead on the palm of his hand.

"Please don't tell anyone about this." He mumbled from behind his palms.

What happened on Tatooine must have been not only traumatic but humiliating. Anakin presented himself to the rest as an honorable warrior. What happened to him in his anger and grief must have severely affected him. I just had to stick to my principles to get his continued support.

"If a clone knows how to do anything. It's how to keep a secret."

He kept his hand covering his forehead,a s if he really had a headache.

"Really... there's nothing wrong with what I did?"

Yes, it was horrifically wrong, but I wasn't going to tell him that. Besides, in the end they were scum that didn't ask to join in civilized society… The marauders of the sands made no attempt to be civilized or live in society. Relegating themselves to mere murdering vermin.

"No, absolutely not. The eradication of a disease is not a bad thing, your actions were not wrong."

Anakin leaned against the wall and began to think.

"But what of the children, they had not yet done anything wrong."

Again the same stupidity. Did all teenagers have a problem with killing enemies? As much as it's a child it's still an enemy that will soon be ready to kill you.

"If you kill most of the population of an enemy, and spare the rest out of pity they will simply come back to kill you and with even more fanaticism. An enemy is an enemy regardless of his age. The only difference between a small monster and a grown monster is that the small one is easier to kill. A monster will remain a monster. Always."

Anakin stared forward, eyes unfocused, thinking. I sat beside him annoyed that my dream had been interrupted. I checked the time. I slept for two hours. It was already more than what Iusually get most days.

"Thank you..."

I turned to look at him, a silent few tears were falling from his eyes.

"I thought I'd turned into a monster."

Teenagers certainly thought stupid things. It was just their job after all. I myself would have ordered the extermination of the sand raider.

"You're a good military man Anakin, but I don't know if you're a good Jedi" I said, the Jedi had surely put stupid ideas about justice and goodness into his head.

"I support the Republic as a Jedi and as a warrior" Anakin said more to convince himself than to convince me.

"That may be, but the Jedi are inefficient, but let's not argue about that. You need to rest for your own good."

Something I didn't have the luxury of allowing myself. Rest.

"Can I ask you a favor?" he asked. I nodded slowly as I stood up in bed.

"Can I pat your head?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed. Remembering all those times how he seemed to delight in doing so without permission. I had given him my tacit, and unsaid approval. If he asked permission it wasn't going to be a big deal to just accept it.

"I don't mind."

I felt invisible hands grip me as Anakin gently guided me into a comfortable position. He began to smooth my hair with his hand.

"Thank you."

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