Chapter 27 – Chaos on Ringo Vinda

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars, even if we wish we did. xD

Author's Note: In which chaos begins with Tup... ;)

~ Amina Gila

My green lightsabers swing in unison with Anakin's as we deflect the blaster bolts the battle droids are shooting at us. It's hardly been any time since my return, and we're back on the battlefield already. I missed this. I really did. Right now, us and twin Jedi Masters Tiplee and Tiplar are trying to take control of a space station surrounding the plant of Ringo Vinda, but so far, the fight hasn't progressed further in favor of either side.

The doors ahead of us slide open, revealing the twins destroying the remaining droids in a control room. "Don't get too comfortable," Anakin advises as a nearby clone pulls off his helmet, "The battle hasn't been won yet."

"Master Skywalker, we must get to the command post," Tiplee says, hurrying over to us, "Admiral Trench sent for reinforcements, and we must take this post before they arrive." Stepping over to a hologram map of the station, we all kneel down around it to get a better look.

"It's time for Phase Two. Tiplar," Anakin declares, immediately assuming control, "You'll take your men down this passageway," he points to the one on the left, "Tiplee, you'll move along here. They'll have to divide their forces to counter us, and when they do, Rex, Ahsoka, and I will press through the middle. If we time it right, we'll all converge on this spot at the same time. The droids won't know what hit them."

"If we're making a run, we'll need a backup. My men are severely depleted," one of the clone commanders of the other two speaks up.

"Fives, you and Tup take ten of your best men to support Master Tiplee."

"We're on it, Sir," Fives nods. I shut off the hologram as we stand up. With that, we split up into three groups again. Moments later, Anakin and I step into the hallway again, cutting down droids right and left. It's just like old times, before everything. For a moment, I can allow myself to forget any of that even happened. We fight completely in unison, destroying everything in our path.

Once we finally make it to the end of the hall, the doors open to reveal dozens of droids of all types. This is definitely a very well-defended area. On either side of us, the twins have arrived simultaneously. Good. Just as planned.

I can see Admiral Trench watching us from an observation window up ahead. Then, everyone is lost into the chaos of battle again as the droids open fire. As I cut down droids right and left, pressing forwards as fast as I can, I spot Tiplar jumping onto the largest droids before stabbing them with her lightsaber and moving onto the next. Good move. Those are hard for clones to fight.

As the battle continues raging, I can feel something in the Force, something is off, but I don't know what. I assume it's just because of the battle surrounding us, so I don't pay much attention and just keep fighting, until the Force warns me of danger, right behind me. Spinning around, I see – what? Tup is standing right behind me, his blaster aimed at my head. No. It... it couldn't be happening this early, could it? It wasn't supposed to, right?

In a flash, I swing my lightsaber, chopping off the end of his blaster a split second before he can fire. Hie instantly lunges at me, but I Force-shove him backwards as Fives runs over to assist, jumping on him and pinning him to the ground. Before I can spin around back to the battle, a searing pain rips through my leg, and I fall to the ground with a gasp. Both my lightsabers clatter to the ground beside me, and I narrowly missing getting my head blown off by another blaster bolt flying by.

I guess that's what I get for getting distracted in the battle. I shift into a sitting position, siphoning the pain away with the Force. Dodging another blaster shot, I attempt to stand up again. I can't just lay here, after all. Pain stabs through my leg the moment I put it on the ground and I nearly faceplant. Clearly, I won't be going anywhere, and I definitely can't fight on only one leg.

I sit back down again, trying to stay mostly out of sight behind the piles of fallen droids. With me out of action, the droids begin pressing forwards on the others more than before. More clones go down. If we're going to win this part of the battle, I need to help. But I can't, beyond an occasional Force shove.

"Hold your positions!" Anakin shouts, before darting over to me and gently lifting me into his arms after picking up my lightsabers and clipping them to his belt. I hear the clattering of approaching droids and glance back to see a bunch of destroyer droids roll up. The clones back up with their shields in front of them.

"Pull back!" Anakin orders to the others. We begin to slowly move back towards the entrance. We'll have to try this assault again later.

"Fives, I don't know what's going on. You're responsible for Tup now. Get him back to the base. I want answers," Anakin calls over the noise of the battle. No, he may not know what's going on, but I do. Or at least I have an altogether too good an idea.

We slowly back up from the droids, Tiplar and Tiplee continue to deflect the blaster bolts, covering for us until we've backed up into the smaller halls we originally came here in before making our way back to the control room. The doors finally slam shut, locking out any droids that try to attack us.

Anakin sets me down on the floor and starts tending to my injury.

"Why would he do this?" Tiplee wonders, confused evident in her gaze.

"I'm about to find out," Anakin declares, walking past them and stepping into the next room, "How's he doing, Rex?" I scoot over so I can watch from a sitting position near the doorway.

"I'm not sure, General," he replies, "It seems like he just snapped." He kneels next to Tup, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Tup, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Captain," he replies slowly.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?" He sounds completely confused. Does he even remember what happened? It's likely he doesn't.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Rex demands angrily.

"Good soldiers follow orders," he mumbles, eyes rolling weirdly, "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders." Yes, something clearly has gone off with his head. He's acting completely deranged. It would almost sound amusing if not for what could have happened... and what could easily happen again, everywhere across the galaxy.

The twins are standing in the doorway now. "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders," he continues to repeat.

"What is talking about?"

"I have no idea."

"Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders." What is happening to him?

"Yes, we all hear you," I can't resist the remark. Rex waves a hand in front of Tup's face, but he just continues to chant. "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders."

"What are you talking about?" Anakin demands finally.

"Kill the Jedi!" shouts Tup in response, suddenly jerking away from the clones holding onto him and lunging at Tiplee, despite the fact that his hands are cuffed behind his back. She instantly picks him up with the Force, throwing him across the room into the wall and holding him there. Well, that confirmed my suspicion. But that doesn't explain how it happened, or why it happened now and only to him. Did anyone I talked to in the future know the details? Because if they did, they really should have told me.

Anakin puts a hand on her arm. "We have to get him back to the medical bay before he hurts anyone else." She nods, releasing him as he falls to the floor. Rex, Fives, and the others hurry over to him.

**w**

Tup has already been moved to a transport meant to take him back to Kamino when he wakes up. First, he just seems confused. "What's happening to me?" he questions, concern and confusion slipping into his voice as he tugs on the straps trapping him to the bed.

"You don't remember?" demands Fives as he steps forwards.

Tup shakes his head. "No."

"You attempted to murder Commander Tano," explains Fives.

"What?" he cries, "That's not possible! I would never! I could never do that! I don't understand how this could happen!" He struggles to break free from the straps. A medical droid rushes over to him and injects him with a sedative. He slumps back to the bed, unconscious, moments later.

"What do you think happened? Did you check all the scanners?" Anakin inquires, running a hand through his hair and turning to Kix.

"All his scans are clear. As far as I can tell, this is a combat related stress," he steps over to us, "It seems he had some sort of breakdown."

"That's not possible," I insist. Clones go through extreme stress all the time, and they never randomly try to kill Jedi. This – this might a chance to expose Sidious. We have to get to the bottom of this. I don't know how it happened, but now I really wish I had asked for more details. I should have insisted on speaking to Rex regardless of who might overhear. He must have known. I never should have put it off.

"Kix, you should know better. We were designed to withstand any stress!" Rex argues.

Fives turns around towards us. "I agree. We've been through a lot together. He doesn't seem to remember what happened. It's like he's sick... or drugged." Or was being mind-controlled somehow. Which must be it, because all the clones didn't suddenly get sick or drugged when the Jedi were destroyed. That's simply impossible.

Kix seems to consider that for a long moment. "Well, it could be a virus, a toxin. I can't be certain."

"Possibly," I reply. No, it has to be something more than that. There's no way all the clones could have simultaneous gotten a toxin or a virus and turned on the Jedi.

"Let's talk outside," Anakin decides, casting a glance back at Tup and the medical droid before turning and walkout of the room. The rest of us follow, and the doors slide closed behind us.

"You mean the enemy could have made him do this?" Anakin demands, looking between everyone.

"It's a possibility," declares Tiplar.

"There have been rumors that the Separatists have been trying to develop an anti-clone virus. Biological warfare," remarks Tiplee.

"Maybe," I interrupt, "But I think there's something more than that. If it were just a virus or something, why would he have kept repeating 'good soldiers follow orders'?" No one has an answer to that.

"Listen, we are not equipped for this situation. He'll have to be taken back to Kamino. Only then will you have your answers," asserts Kix.

A reluctant sigh escapes me. "I think this is something we need to investigate ourselves," I argue, "But yes." There's not really much we can do here, anyway. Kix is right. We aren't equipped for situations such as this.

Everyone files back into the room and Fives approaches Tup, who is still strapped down onto the bed.

"Tup, it's gonna be fine. I promise. They'll fix you up real good. We'll be having a drink together in no time."

Tup shifts slightly on the bed, before mumbling, "Good soldiers follow orders... good soldiers follow orders..." I send a pointed glance at Anakin and the others.

"That's what I mean," I remark. Perhaps if things work out right, I may be able to find the reason behind what happened to the clones. I need to use this opportunity. Maybe... maybe I'll be able to take Sidious down early.

"You are a good soldier, Tup," Fives responds, "It's time to go now."

"Be careful," cautions Anakin.

"Yes, sir."

Anakin and I exit the room and watch from a distance as the transport ship flies away.