TW: Vomiting, graphic depictions of illness.

A/N: I am quite rusty, as it's been a number of years since I've written anything (and never for Star Wars), so I apologize if it's a little rough.
I took some liberties with Coric's personality here. Love me some sassy medic. Second chapter to follow, in a week or so!

Marshal Commander Cody awoke with a pounding headache. He sat up with a groan, letting the sheets pool around his waist and pressed the heels of his palms over his eyes. Glancing at the chronometer on the bedside table, he winced. He had managed a little under four hours of sleep, which would normally have been enough for him to function on without an issue, however, the past tenday had been a long one. The 212th and 501st were fresh out of the Battle of Geonosis, and in addition to dealing with the aftermath and casualties, petitioning for requisition of new clone troopers to replenish their numbers, and attending debriefing after debriefing, the post-battle paperwork had piled up, keeping both Cody and High General Obi-Wan Kenobi up late into the night.

To add insult to injury, one of the troopers - whether it was one of his own battalion or of the 501st, he wasn't sure - had brought a little souvenir with them back aboard The Negotiator. The Geonosian Swamp Flu had began as just a small cough here, an upset stomach there ... and then suddenly several members of both battalions were collapsing in the corridors, in the mess, during training sims, even on the bridge. Cody distinctly recalled the panicked look that had crossed Waxer's face right before the lieutenant's eyes had rolled back in his head and he'd fainted with nary a sound other than the worrying crack of his head against the bridge railing as he went down.

Nearly a dozen troopers had come down with the virus over just half a tenday and The Negotiator had immediately been ordered to quarantine until it ran its course - in the interim they had put General Kenobi's flagship down on an uninhabited moon that was nothing but heat and clay-red sand. Kix, while assuring them that the illness was nothing deadly, had worked himself half to death researching treatments for the previously unfamiliar virus and attempting to contain the spread while still treating the vode unlucky enough to land their sick shebs in his med bay.

And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Chief Medical Officer himself had been the most recent of the vode to succumb to the illness, evidently having worked himself to the point of collapse. Coric, after peeling his stubborn superior off the floor, had apparently wrestled him into a berth within the medical bay, turning his own threats of sedation against him when the CMO had refused to comply with the orders to rest. The argument had ended with some degree of finality when Coric shoved an emesis bag into Kix's hands just in time for him to violently heave the contents of his stomach into it.

The only consolation was that General Skywalker and Commander Tano, along with Captain Rex, had been recalled to Coruscant shortly before the outbreak had occurred and were safe at the Jedi Temple. Small mercies, Cody thought as he rubbed a hand wearily across his eyes.

He sighed, rising unsteadily from his bunk and staggering toward the small 'fresher that his officer's quarters afforded him. Squinting in the automatic lighting, he startled slightly at his own reflection. He looked - and felt - rather like death warmed over. The dark circles under his eyes were more distinct than ever, made even more evident by the slight pallor of his usually olive skin. A thin sheen of sweat settled on his forehead and Cody grimaced as he leaned forward over the sink to splash cool water on his face. Returning to the main area of his quarters, he began to mechanically slide into his blacks and fasten his armor, only vaguely registering his slight feeling of queasiness.

He shook off his malaise, chalking it up to too many recent late nights and stood for a moment to double check that his armor was in order before palming open the door and stepping into the hallway. He had a meeting scheduled with General Kenobi and General Skywalker in roughly thirty minutes, giving him just enough time to make his way down and around the corridor to the mess and get something into his ominously rolling stomach. He noted, with some degree of satisfaction, that the corridors and the mess itself was largely empty - most of the vode opting to stay out of populated spaces as much as possible. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done about the barracks, no matter how much the troopers tried not to congregate, they ended up in close quarters regardless.

Cody huffed faintly, only barely resisting the urge to paw at his eyes as the pounding in his head increased under the bright lights of the mess. He grabbed a ration bar and a hydration pack - fearing that caf would only further upset his stomach - and all but fell onto a bench beside Boil and Wooley.

Boil offered him a sideways glance. "No offense Commander," he said, swallowing a mouthful of caf. "But you look like osik."

Cody grunted, nibbling disinterestedly at the corner of his ration bar. "Not enough sleep. How's Waxer holding up?"

"Still can't keep anything down," Boil sighed wearily. "But his fever finally broke overnight, so we're hopeful that he's on the up and up now."

"I heard that one of the vode from the 501st went down during sim last night," Wooley supplied dourly. "Just went all jiriad and dropped like a stone in the middle of the training floor."

"That was Fives," Tup supplied from further down the table, stuffing a forkful of whatever protein mush the mess had cooked up this morning into his mouth - Cody's stomach did an uncomfortable roll at the sight of the food. "He's laid up in the medbay now, I think Coric has him sedated."

Cody pinched the bridge of his nose with a deep inhale, inadvertently channeling Obi-Wan's favorite this-shit-is-giving-me-a-headache gesture. "According to General Kenobi, the Jedi Council are petitioning the creation of a vaccine, which they've requested to be shipped to us immediately upon completion," Cody sighed, leaning forward on his elbows. "Once that happens, it should more or less stop the spread in its' tracks and we can finally put this osik'la kisol ray'ture behind us."

"Won't it take them a while to get a vaccine going, Commander?" Wooley asked despondently. "The Jedi Council doesn't exactly move quickly."

"With General Kenobi on their shebs, they might," Cody supplied evenly, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smirk. "He's not called 'The Negotiator' for nothing."

Feeling marginally better after getting some water and half a ration bar into his system, Cody rose from the table with a quick goodbye to Boil, Tup, and Wooley and shoved his bucket over his head before heading to the bridge.

His renewed sense of haleness proved to be extremely temporary, however, and it had evaporated completely by the time he walked up to the holotable to stand beside General Kenobi, who was leaning over a topographical map projection and acknowledged him with a tired smile. Cody winced in his bucket - clearly Obi-Wan hadn't slept any better than he himself had last night if the dark circles under his eyes were anything to go by, and he took a moment to give the General a visual once-over, checking for any tell tale signs of illness, relieved to find none.

Cody glanced down at the map the general was studying, regretting it instantly when Obi-Wan moved to rotate it quickly in his direction - the sudden blur and spin of the projected light had his vision swimming dangerously. Unable to stifle a small groan, Cody wished desperately that he could just head back to his quarters, curl up on his bunk and be done with this whole kriffing thing.

"Are you quite alright?" Obi-Wan asked as he deactivated the map, his eyebrows drawing together slightly in visible concern. It would have sent warmth flooding into Cody's chest if he wasn't so busy attempting to continue standing without listing to the side as the room spun lazily around him.

"Fine, sir," Cody ground out, somehow managing to keep his voice steady. "Just a headache."

Obi-Wan shot him a dubious look, but thankfully allowed the matter to drop as the projector in the center of the holotable activated, revealing Rex and an irritated looking General Skywalker.

"How's the situation looking, Obi-Wan?" Skywalker asked immediately, brows knit together in his trademark scowl.

"Well, Anakin, it's looking about the same as it was during our update yesterday," Obi-Wan sighed pointedly. "We currently have thirteen troopers down with the virus, unfortunately that number now includes our Chief Medical Officer."

"Kriff," Anakin said darkly. "Any idea on how long this thing lasts?"

"It seems like the average duration of symptoms is falling anywhere between three and five days," Obi-Wan said, running a hand over his beard thoughtfully. "We have a less than clear estimation of the incubation period, though it's looking to be seventy two hours, give or take, but not much is known about this flu beyond that - we don't exactly have access to Geonosian medical research."

"Yeah," Skywalker had commented, with that brooding air of his that irritated Cody to no end. "Spreads quick, but fizzles out quick. Shouldn't be long, then."

Obi-Wan tossed back a sarcastic remark, but the conversation faded in and out of Cody's attention and he flinched at the sharp pain that spiked behind his eyes, unable to stop himself from hunching forward slightly as the flipping sensation in his stomach redoubled. He could see the bright blue form of Rex, who stood slightly back from General Skywalker, tossing him questioning glances. Maybe he wasn't as sly at hiding this osik as he thought he was, Cody reflected with chagrin, but at the moment, he decided he couldn't bring himself to care. He was beginning to feel unsteady on his feet, and the ominous queasiness that he had awoken with was slowly turning to outright nausea. He shifted a hand to the holotable to orient himself, trying to be discreet, but across the room Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced toward his commander. Rex hadn't missed the motion either, apparently, as his head swiveled to regard Cody with furrowed brows.

A message from Rex dinged on Cody's in-bucket HUD and the commander startled slightly.

- You alright vod?

Cody swallowed heavily, attempting to stand straighter - steadier. He tried to feel irritated with Rex, but nausea coiled in his stomach and swirled upwards into his throat, making him close his eyes tightly against his body's growing desire to greatly embarrass him in front of General Skywalker and, more importantly, General Kenobi.

- No. Gonna puke. Cody sent back offhandedly, hoping the straightforwardness of his response would prevent Rex from asking further questions.

Cody saw Rex's eyebrows rise slightly and the Captain leaned forward to say something quiet and indiscernible into Skywalker's ear. Whatever it was, Skywalker paused and nodded once, curt, before turning his attention back to Obi-Wan.

"Take care of my men, will you?"

"Of course, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, lifting an eyebrow at his former padawan. "They are in safe hands with me. I'm sure we'll come out of this before long."

Cody's breathing became increasingly labored as the briefing neared its end. He only vaguely noted Obi-Wan ending the call rather more abruptly than usual as his legs propelled him quickly to the door and down the corridor, mindlessly moving toward the nearest docking ramp.

He registered Obi-Wan calling his name, everything sounding as if he were underwater, but did not stop or even slow as he slammed a palm against the pad for the docking ramp to open. He staggered down the incline, onto the red sand of the moon below and made it several feet from the ship before ripping off his helmet and tossing it aside unceremoniously. He fell to his knees, lurching forward and using one arm to steady himself while the other wrapped around his abdomen in a vain attempt to ground himself. He retched violently, wincing when he brought nothing up. He was dismayed to hear hurried footsteps descending the docking ramp behind him - Why couldn't they just leave him alone with his own embarrassment?

A cool, long fingered hand settled on the back of his neck as he retched again, this time bringing up the morning's rations. Eyes watering, he glanced halfway to the side only to be met with the worried face of his General. He shook his head slightly, intending to convey to the Jedi that he shouldn't be here for this, but the motion had him lurching forward to vomit again.

"Oh Cody," Obi-Wan said softly, gently carding his fingers through the hair at the back of the Commander's head.

Cody choked and shook his way through several more waves of sickness before collapsing backward, surprised when his back met the solid form of Obi-Wan, rather than the scorching heat of the sand. Groaning, he brought up a shaking hand and wiped his mouth with the back of his glove. He grimaced in disgust, dragging deep breaths through his nose and swallowing roughly.

"Sorry General," he rasped, tilting his head slightly to look at Obi-Wan's face as the Jedi's arms wound their way around his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed himself a token struggle, pushing away slightly in attempt to pull himself up and away from the General, but Obi-Wan was having none of it and his arms only tightened around Cody, keeping him firmly in place against his chest.

"Do not apologize for being ill, Cody," Obi-Wan said softly, a frown settling across his features as he brought a hand up to the Commander's forehead. "You're burning up. Why did you not tell me?"

Cody was silent for a moment, his chest still heaving slightly with the effort to catch his breath. "I didn't t-think - " he began tremulously, before cutting himself off and pitching forward out of Obi-Wan's grip to heave again. Nothing came up this time, and his body was wracked with tremors as his treacherous stomach sent him into fits of dry heaving, the muscles along his shoulders and neck coiling painfully tight. His embarrassment doubled when a whimper escaped, unbidden, from his mouth. Obi-Wan, for his part, kept a steadying hand on the back of Cody's armor, the other holding firmly to his shoulder to prevent the commander from toppling forward.

"Udesiir, Cody," Obi-Wan murmured, lapsing into quiet Mando'a. "Ni taylir gar."

"Ni ceta," Cody gasped, the heat of his shame creeping up the back of his neck.

"Gev," Obi-Wan said firmly. "Vaabir haaranovor teh ni. Gedet'ye."

Cody sat back again, clenching his hands into fists in order to stop them from trembling. Despite Obi-Wan's words, he was ashamed of his own weakness so patently displayed before his General, involuntary though it may be. He squeezed his eyes shut again and concentrated on his breathing as Obi-Wan supported and guided him into a kneeling position with steady hands.

"Come," Obi-Wan said, moving to rise. "Let's get you to medical,"

"Sir - "

"Do not argue with me Commander, please. You are clearly ill." Obi-Wan's firm tone brooked no argument as he gently helped Cody to rise with a firm hand on his elbow to steady him.

Cody staggered as the vertigo slammed into him like a brick wall, but Obi-Wan was prepared. He helped the Commander to loop one arm around his shoulders as he wrapped his own around Cody's waist, steadying him with a firm grip on his hip.

"Will this be alright, or should I carry you?" Obi-Wan asked, clearly meaning to lighten the situation.

"Honestly, sir," Cody said around a heavy swallow, "I'm not sure I can make it all the way to med bay."

"We'd best try, Commander," Obi-Wan said, patting his hip but frowning in concern at the paleness of Cody's face. "Lean on me, please."

Cody was sure they made quite the spectacle, shuffling slowly through the corridors, the General bearing most of his weight as he clung desperately to consciousness. Mercifully, they encountered very few vode on the way, the ones that they did cross paths with standing aside respectfully as they allowed the pair to shuffle slowly by.

They only made it about a third of the way there when Cody's empty stomach began turning ominously again. He lifted a shaking hand to press to his lips with a shuddering sigh.

"General, stop," he managed to gasp. "I'm going to be sick again - "

The words had barely left his mouth before he was shoving forward as far as he could, and Obi-Wan held him up, grip tightening as Cody retched again, his empty stomach bringing up nothing as it spasmed. The Jedi was murmuring quiet reassurances to him and though he could not quite understand what the General was saying, Cody found his voice soothing.

The fit left Cody gasping, black spots dancing across his vision as he slumped, boneless, into Obi-Wan's side.

"Enough of this," Obi-Wan said with an air of command as he bent and swept Cody easily into his arms, ignoring the Commander's sharp noise of protest. "Can't have you collapsing in the corridor."

Cody had no strength in him to argue and simply closed his eyes, pressing his face into Obi-Wan's shoulder, instinctively seeking comfort. Obi-Wan's tunic smelled faintly of the herbal teas he favored so highly and Cody inhaled deeply, allowing the familiar scent to ease his distress. The Jedi glanced down at him with an amused smile.

Cody heard the whispers of the vode as he was carried toward the med bay. A particularly loud whisper of 'Osik - now the Commander, too,' followed them through the corridor and Cody somehow mustered the remainder of his strength to feel mortified, wincing in embarrassment even as he hid his face in Obi-Wan's shoulder. If he noticed, Obi-Wan said nothing, his stride remaining steady.

"You are heavier than you look, Commander," Obi-Wan whispered in attempt to keep Cody's attention.

"Sorry, sir," Cody said, slurring.

"Teasing, Cody," Obi-Wan replied. "I have the force to aid me in this profoundly heavy burden."

"Sarcastic as ever, General," Cody huffed with some amusement.

"I need you to stay awake, Commander," Obi-Wan said firmly , glancing down at Cody, who responded with a faint groan. "Just until we get to medical."

Cody grunted noncommittally, feeling enervated and weak. He drifted momentarily, despite Obi-Wan's admonition, only coming to again fully when heard the whoosh of the medbay doors, smelled the antiseptic scent that clung to the wing like a cloak, and grimaced. Obi-Wan put him down lightly, his hand hovering at Cody's lower back, his steady presence beside the Commander a grounding point.

Coric looked up from his desk at the far end of the med bay and made his way over to them swiftly, a concerned frown settling across his features. "Me'bana, Kote?"

"Naas, Coric," Cody said quietly, allowing himself to be ushered forward to a bed by both his General and the medic. "Bic cuyir be nayc kando."

He saw Obi-Wan's eyebrows shoot up at the comment, but before the General could voice his disagreement, he was cut off by a sharp retort from behind them.

"Banthashit, Commander." Kix, who was lain out in the next bed, had rolled over to face them with a glassy-eyed, feverish stare that he had probably meant to come across as intimidating, but was concerning instead. "Sit down before you fall down."

"Cuyir shev'la," Coric snapped, shooting the CMO a pointed look, which he held until Kix, surprisingly, grumbled something and promptly fell into silence.

Obi-Wan watched the exchange silently, but with a faint air of amusement. Cody swiveled back around to look at his general, only realizing the mistake of his movement when the world started to spin alarmingly around him. He brought one hand up to press over his eyes with a groan, the other reaching out beside him, searching for purchase and finding none. He felt very light, suddenly, and very cold. Blackness crept in from the edges of his vision and he swayed where he stood.

"He's going to faint," Obi-Wan said, starting forward with alarm.

"Put your head between your knees," Coric snipped, pressing him back until he sat on the bed and pushing him to bed over his knees with a firm hand between his shoulders. "I don't feel like picking anyone else up from the floor." Another pointed look at Kix, who narrowed his eyes but wisely said nothing.

Once the feeling had passed and the room wasn't spinning as madly, Cody sat up slowly, breathing deeply, and allowed Coric to activate his scanners. Cody huffed an exhausted sigh, settling back onto the bed and throwing his arm over his eyes in an attempt to block out the harsh overhead lights as they aggravated his pounding headache.

Coric tsk'd, setting the scanner aside and shoving a pair of cotton pants and a plain shirt into Cody's lap. "Well, better buckle up," the medic sighed, long suffering, "You've definitely got it."

Cody glanced up at Obi-Wan, who wrinkled his nose in sympathy. "I am sorry, my dear," the Jedi said. "Looks like you're going to be out of comission for a while."

"I can do some work from here, sir," Cody grunted, even as Coric threw him a dangerous look.

"No, you most certainly will not," Obi-Wan said, seeming to channel Coric's displeasure at Cody's statement. "You will rest until you are recovered, and will be allowed back to work when, and only when, you are cleared by medical."

Cody frowned, trying to rein in a retort as he distinctly heard Kix mumble "Hypocrite," poorly disguised by a cough, behind him. If Obi-Wan heard, he graciously said nothing and Cody winced as Coric started forward to help him remove his armor, making a weak attempt to swat the medic's hands away.

"I can do that," he said, somewhat petulantly.

The medic raised his eyebrow at the statement, but otherwise said nothing, merely crouching to unclip Cody's greaves and set them aside on the floor. The two worked in practiced movements, silent, as they removed the armor in its entirety. Obi-Wan turned politely away as Coric helped Cody into the soft pants and shirt, only turning back once the Commander had been herded into the bed and under the blankets. Cody could feel his earlier exhaustion creeping back in and let his head fall back as he exhaled a deep sigh.

"Gar shuk meh kyrayc," Coric said with an air of finality, turning pointedly toward Obi-Wan and leveling him with 'the look.'

"Ah, right, well," Obi-Wan cleared his throat as he brushed off his robes. "I'd best be getting back to the bridge."

"Sir," Cody said as Obi-Wan turned to go. "Thank you."

"Be well, Cody," Obi-Wan responded with a small smile, squeezing the Commander's shoulder gently. And then he was gone and exhaustion overtook Cody, even as Coric busied himself around the bed while making disapproving noises, and he dropped off into sleep the moment he put his head down.

Osik'la kisol ray'ture - "Shitty couple of weeks"
Jiriad - "Ashen-faced"
Me'bana - "What happened"
Udessir - "Easy" or "Peace/Calm down"
Ni taylir gar - "I've got you"
Ni ceta - "I'm sorry"
Gev - "Stop/Stop it"
Vaabir haaranovor teh ni - "Don't hide from me"
Gedet'ye - "Please"
Naas - "Nothing"
Bic cuyir be nayc kando - "It's of little importance"
Cuyir shev'la - "Be silent"
Gar shuk meh kyrayc - "You're no use dead," or a Mandalorian saying for "Get some rest."