Well guys, I said the next one would be going up fast, and here it is. The balls rolling, and suspicions are growing. Unfortunately, as they say, "It's always darkest before the light."

Anyway, without further ado, I give you chapter 7.

(Northeastern Afghanistan)

Commander Cody watched as a couple soldiers in crude HAZMAT suits carried four small children into the sterile white tent. Behind him, a group of Taliban fighters half guided and half carried a group of seven pale adults forward. In front of him, a couple doctors broke away from their patients to help settle the new comers. All around him, clones and "regulars" (as the people from Earth were being called) worked to treat the patients. Almost each one was the same. The all sat or in most cases were laying down with high fevers and almost constant coughing. However, the tell-tail sign was the bluish tint in each person's otherwise pale skin. Many of them had looks of fear and desperation. However what disturbed Cody the most was the hopelessness in the faces of many of the sickest ones. I was as if they had already surrendered their lives and were just waiting to be given permission to die. All around, doctors in similar HAZMAT suits and gas masks were trying to treat the patients as best as they could. The sight was enough for Cody to quietly recheck the seals on his suit, before approaching the clone medic in charge.

"How bad is it, Dagger," he asked quietly.

"Not good. Our suspicions were confirmed. Somehow the CIS got their hands on some weaponized blue shadow virus," the medic answered solemnly.

"That's not possible. General Skywalker and General Kenobi shut down that factory. Remember? We got stuck playing cleanup," Cody countered.

He inwardly winced at the memory. Cleaning up that factory had been a long, and tedious job- not to mention dangerous. Despite precautions, Cody had still lost a couple men during the process.

"Ya, I remember quite well," Dagger answered with a shake of his head, "But the signs and symptoms are obvious. This is exactly what Rex and his men dealt with when they got exposed. There are some minor differences, but I'm still convinced that it's some form of the virus."

"Alright, I'll get to that in a minute. First, what are our losses?" Cody asked.

He had a million questions, but only a few that mattered.

"Well, they hit another village yesterday. As far as we can tell, that puts the death toll up to four thousand, and that's just in this area. Other areas in Tajikistan and Pakistan are also reporting outbreak," Dagger answered, "However, there's a couple logic problems with this."

"What do you mean?" Cody quizzed as he crossed his arms.

Dagger sighed as he started, "First, if this was the old stuff, we'd already be looking at a planet wide infection by now, but this stuff isn't spreading like that. Plus, the infected areas would be all joined together, not all spread out and disconnected-"

"Because the stuff doesn't spread as well through the atmosphere," Cody finished for him, "I noticed. It's like smoke. It's heavier than the air and as such doesn't spread as well."

"Right, but here's the other issue. Some of the areas where this virus is showing up, the Separatists haven't touched. Even with this stuff being airborne they shouldn't be having this kind of issues," Dagger added.

"So, how is it spreading? I remember the virus was originally waterborne. Did it get into the water?" Cody quizzed.

"Not that we can tell. However, we are noticing that the sick areas like that were areas where people, often already infected, went to escape the attacks," Dagger answered.

Cody noted the dread that creeped onto the medic's face.

Catching what Dagger was implying, Cody connected the dots, "You think that they made a virus that can't spread as well through the air, but is infectious between people?"

"Yes. So far the evidence supports it, and frankly given the nature of our operations in the area, the tactic is as brilliant as it is savage," Dagger answered with a hint of professional admiration.

"I see. Thank you," Cody concluded as he turned to leave.

"So what do we do?" Dagger asked.

Pausing, Cody turned to answer, "Talk to the general. Then we continue what we've been doing, only with less people."

Noting the Commander's cold stare, Dagger simply nodded before returning to work.

Over the next couple hours things began to move quickly. Cody had immediately gotten on the long range communicator and talked to Obi Wan, who was in eastern France. This is where he learned that he gas attack had not been an isolated incident. Instead, the virus was being reported all across the globe in various spots. Not long after, troops in gas masks and full body suits began quarantining infected areas. Behind the lines, local police officers and reserve troops began the long process of tracking down people who had fled the infected area. Meanwhile, the Cody began organizing his next move.

Five hours later, the sun fell below the towering mountains. Quietly, the squad of clones and local soldiers slipped into position. Sitting on the side of the mountain range, Waxer watched as the men descended into the thick brush. Down at the bottom of the canyon was a narrow dirt road that wove its way between the mountains. It was up this road, that the droids had to move their supplies. The local fighters had nicknamed it the Gate of Hell. The reason was obvious. In the ditches and scattered across the landscape were the remains of hundreds of droids and dozens of tanks and other armored transports. It was here that they had chosen to strike the enemy. If one looked even harder, they could find the skeletal remains of Soviet troops that had attempted the same move. However, they were smart and had only done it once before blowing the entire area to hell with fighter jets. Luckily the droids were not being so smart.

No sooner had the twenty men gotten into position, then did their target arrive. Marching down the road was a full armored column of droids. The group consisted of fifty droids, and five regular tanks. However, in the middle was their ultimate goal. It was two defoliator tanks. One of several that the droids had been moving into the area recently. Capable of scorching the land without harm to their own droids, these were one of the few real threats to the defensive operations in the area.

Waxer, being in charge of the group, waited to give the order. He waited until the column was squarely in the kill zone.

"All units engage!" he called through his wrist comm.

Suddenly, a piercing yell could be heard through the canyon.

BA-BOOM!

Simultaneously, two IEDs detonated, taking out one tank each. Each bomb exploded in two parts. The first part, propelled the warhead through the bottom of each tank, at which point the second part exploded inside the crew compartment. The results were catastrophic as the tank crews were blown apart and smoke billowed out of the hatchways. The twin explosions hadn't even settled when two Taliban fighters popped up from the brush- each one brandishing captured Separatist rocket launchers. Before any of the droids or the defoliator tanks could stop them, twin streaks of light went flying into the defoliator tanks. The resulting explosion sent the nearby droids flying as the tanks were ripped apart.

With the tanks down, the rest of the attackers popped up, and traded fire with the droids. The attack was quick as the droids were surrounded by soldiers carrying captured Separatist weapons. Despite the droid's superior numbers, the fight was something more akin to a massacre than an actual fight. In ten minutes, all four tanks were destroyed and many of the individual droids were completely scrapped.

(Main Defensive line: California/Oregon border)

John watched in horror as the blue mist erupted less than a mile in front of them.

"Masks on! Masks on!" yelled a voice through his comm.

This was enough to bring him back to reality. Ripping his helmet off, John quickly produced a gas mask out of his pack. After an agonizing half second to fix the straps, he shoved it on his face, and tightened the straps. No sooner had he done that, then the mist- aided by strong winds- washed over the group. John quickly double checked the seal and made sure the filter was working good. John may not have been a religious person, but he caught himself praying that he had been quick enough as he donned his helmet and took up his M4.

Shaking it off, he put swung his rifle back so it was behind him, and grabbed his shovel. Staring down the half finished trench, he gathered up all of the authority and attitude that he could as he addressed the worried soldiers.

"Let's go," he commanded, "We ain't dead yet, and until we are, we still have asses to kick and names to take. So, get back to work."

WIth that, he began shoveling dirt over the side. All across the forest, the scene took on a World War 1 appearance as clones and regulars alike dug parallel but staggered trenches, on each side of the interstate. In front, muffled explosions could be heard as demolition crews blew out the bridges and the occasional cut away. While they were doing that, other teams set up mines, and tanks took position. It had been decided by command that they would make their stand here in the mountains. For the first week the gas attacks were intermittent, but as time progressed they were an almost hourly occurrence. Despite the masks, several of the men became ill as the virus slowly picked away at the defenders.

(Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station)

President Damian was livid as his stared Obi Wan down through the video screen.

"Well you sure as hell did a crappy job with containing the info," he yelled, cutting off the General's explanation, "and thanks to that, my people are dying in masses."

For Obi Wan's credit, he was barely flinched as he answered, "Look. I don't know what happened. That info was secured. However, now that doesn't matter. What matters is the current situation."

Damian took a breath. Obi Wan was right. Non of that mattered at this second. As they said, hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

"Fine, all I'm going to say is this. You said, you think there's a central agitator behind this war. I'm willing to bet, if you find this leak, you'll find him. Now that that's said, let's focus on being alive long enough to find him," Damian stated calmly.

"I agree," Obi Wan answered, "So, what's your status?"

"Here's the Deal. Curtesy of their nice little present, We've lost almost everything east Philadelphia and Their forces along the East coast are totally linked up, trapping us out of the coast, and their currently primed for a attack on New Orleans. To the north, Alaska has fallen as has a good chunk of Canada. To the south, Central America is barely hanging on, and Brazil, Argentina and Southern Peru are all cut off from them. All of the countries to the to the north of them on that continent have fallen," he stated.

"I see. Well. We are only doing slightly better. Most of southeast Asia has fallen. Australia has pulled itself in and is gearing for a major fight, while Russian and Chinese troops are fighting to Hold the droids back in the East. Over here, Their forces in Spain and France have linked up and have driven us back to the Belgian and German Borders. Italy is trying to hold on, Grievous has slowly taken it. The only good new is that the droids took Cody's force in Afghanistan as a threat and have turned their offensive in that direction, sparing our flank," Obi Wan reported.

"Here's the question. What in the hell do you plan to do about that virus? We've managed to mobilize scientists to look for a cure, but I doubt us on Earth will be able to find a cure in time," President Damian asked as the glare returned to his face.

"I don't know," Obi Wan admitted, "Our best hope is to get a hold of the Republic fleet or someone who can send them here."

"I already have them working on that, but you know as well as me..."

"That the odds of getting one out, let alone that far are slim to none. I know" Obi Wan finished solemnly, "The best I can say is just continue pressing forward. Eventually, an opportunity will present itself. We just need to make sure we're here when it shows."

(Jedi Temple: Room of a Thousand Fountains)

The Room of a Thousand Fountains was suppose to be a peaceful place, a place where weary Jedi could recenter themselves and meditate between missions. However, now was not the case. As Master Yoda closed his eyes he was transitioned to a new place… hell perhaps? Perhaps. It sure felt like it.

The heat was intense, nearly to the point of burning his skin, as Yoda descended into a dark void, when suddenly images flashed across his vision. People were running in terror, as a blue mist enveloped them. Yoda braced himself as the mist washed over him. He stumbled as he was broadsided by the darkside. It seemed to slam into him hard. A cold shiver went down his back as he stabilized himself. Lightsabers came to life all around him as various Jedi deflected lasers from unseen enemies and screams of terror echoed through his head. Yet through it all, he heard laughter. It was faint but is was there, maniacal and sinister. Upon further listening, there were two people laughing. He recognized the first as General Grievous, but the next one was what startled him. It was distorted, but Yoda was sure it sounded familiar. Before he could place it, a calm voice cut through everything.

"Can you hear it?" echoed the voice.

This one Yoda recognized as the Sisters that had guided him on his travel to Korriban.

"Here what?" Yoda pressed.

"This is the sound. For better or worse, this is the end…" echoed the voice as it faded away.

Then it was gone. Just like that it was gone. The heat and visions disappeared into black. Seconds later, light poured filtered in as he blinked open his eyes.