AN: Thanks for the review Anonymous user it was much appreciated and helped with motivation to write this chapter and the new chapter 1.
Anakin began his chase down the corridor recalling the laboratory schematics in his head so he could get to the landing pad and cut of Dr Vindi's only escape route. After what felt like hours of endless running Anakin managed to catch up to the Dr slashing through the super battle droids with ease his black blade crackling with blue energy bolts cleaving through them like butter. Unfortunately, Vindi sealed the door causing Anakin to panic, ramming his blade through the sealed door Anakin began to cut into it at a painstaking pace.
"Obi-One Dr Vindi is escaping," Anakin yelled into his Commlink.
"Im on my way," Obi-One replied, dashing towards the exit of the bomb room.
A few moments later just as Obi-one arrived Anakin had manages to cut his way through the doors letting him and his trooper into the room. Obi-One jumped up to the quickly ascending platform managing to grab the edge only having to let go to catch the falling viles of blue shadow virus. Seeing one of there Generals unsuccessful attempts at stopping the Dr the clones began to fire up attempting to stop the escaping Dr only to be ordered to stop by General skywalker. Anakin closed his eyes and called upon the force and with one powerful leap and flip he landed in front of Dr Vindi and igniting his lightsaber the blue arcs of electricity jumping along the black blade with eager energy like lightning in a storm cloud ready to strike the Dr down.
"It's over Vindi," Anakin yelled.
Meanwhile, inside the Lab Padma, Jarjar, Echo and Fives had stumbled upon the little droid holding the missing bomb. Padma attempted to reason with droid only for it to screech and jump forward, knocking the startled Senator over. Thinking quickly Fives decided to call the bomb squad, so they were available for when they eventually retrieved on the other hand Echo decided to nail the obnoxious droid through the head with a clean shot from his DC-15 blaster.
"Bomb retrieved," Echo said with a proud smile under his helmet.
"Nice shot brother," Fives replied causing Echo's smile to get bigger.
Helping the Senator of the ground and back on to her feet Echo asked if she was okay before deciding to grab the still armed bomb off the floor.
"Damn where running out of time," Echo groaned, praying the bomb squad would arrive on time.
A short few seconds later, the orange and white-clad bomb trooper came charging around the corner and instantly grabbed the bomb from Echo's hand. A couple of seconds of fiddling around and a swift snip with the cutters the bomb fell silent.
"Deactivated and with plenty of time to spare," the bomb trooper said with there usual calm demeanour causing Echo and Fives to chuckle at there brothers antics knowing the kind of disposition a bomb trooper required.
Back on the landing pad, a currently disarmed Dr Vinidi was being secured ready for transportation to a republic jail on Coruscant when out nowhere a republic gunship landed. Stepping out of the gunship was Jedi Knight Eir Anakin's sister.
"What are you doing here Eir not that im not happy to see you", Anakin asked running up to his sister.
"Im here to help up with clean up," Eir replied, giving her brother a warm smile.
"Good to see you again Eir," Obi-one greeted warmly.
"You to Master Kenobi I best get going I've got a lab to help clean up and your padawan to meet," Eir finished, giving Anakin a cheeky wink and pushing the descent button on the lift. Whilst Anakin and Obi-one where loading Vindi into the shuttle Eir was met at the bottom of the platform by Echo and Fives who greeted the General with there usual respect despite being taken off guard by the beauty of there Generals sister. Walking up to the two troopers who had greeted her Eir followed them off the landing pad and into the laboratory itself.
"So what do I call you two fine gentlemen," Eir asked, looking up and down at the white and blue-clad troopers.
"Im Fives this is Echo," Fives said gesturing first to him and then his brother.
"Nice to meet you Echo, Fives," Eir replied giving them a smile.
Entering the hydroponics bay that Padma and Jarjar where in Eir and Padma greeted each other with a warm hug, before having a few moments of small talk catching up on life. Just as they were ready to get down to business an explosion rocked the base, throwing them all to the floor. The virus from the bomb raced around the base spreading a blue cloud everywhere sending the lab into lockdown shutting all the security doors one by one, locking Echo, Fives, Padma, Jarjar and Eir in the room. On the other side of the base Ashoka, Rex the remaining members of Domino squad and a few other troopers from the 501st who were sent down for cleanup were running towards the safe room. Making it to late Ashoka stopped to hold the door open with the force allowing the clones to pile in and hold it open for there Commander who swiftly dived through the remaining opening.
Back inside the Hydroponics bay, Echo helped Eir onto her feet whilst Fives did the same for Senator Amidala.
"You alright General ?"
"Im fine Echo thanks, is everyone else alright," Eir replied and then took control of the situation just like she had trained to do for the last couple months of the war.
Meanwhile, inside the separatist shuttle, Anakin began to panic his wife, sister, padawan and men where down there being slowly killed by one of the galaxies deadliest viruses. Igniting his lightsaber, Anakin changed his panic to anger and threatened the laughing Dr to give him the antidote.
"Anakin the best way to save everyone down there is to get Vindi into custody and start looking for an actual antidote," Obi-One said reasoning with Anakin chaotic emotions.
A few moments later, they were up in the air heading towards the hangar bay they deployed from just hours ago to start the mission. Down in the Lab Rex and the other soldiers had resigned themselves to there fate as the blue shadow Virus had breached the safe room.
"We may be dead men, but we can still stop it infecting the rest of the planet," Rex said somberly.
"Don't think like that captain my master will find a cure and get us out of this mess," Ashoka replied, giving Rex a sharp look.
Inside the Hydroponics bay, Echo and Fives removed their helmets and gave each other worried looks before turning to the General and listening on their hushed discussion.
"We've got to stop the droids at all costs," Eir growled quietly.
"We can't, you and the clones might not survive," Padma replied.
"With all due respect Senator, General were ready to do our part," Fives said, giving Echo a nod who put his helmet back on in confirmation.
Before the discussion could continue, it was interrupted by Ashoka asking for help and confirming that her men had been contaminated by the virus.
"That settles it then, we've got a job to do it lets do it," Echo announced, earning him a nod from Fives and a grateful smile from Eir.
Opening the door and stepping into the blue mist, the team decided to make quick progress and hurry towards the safe room to get out Ashoka and her men, so they had a larger party to track down the remaining droids. Arriving outside the safe room, the team reluctantly opened the doors despite knowing it was already too late for those inside. With a gentle hiss, the doors opened allowing the occupants of the safe room to join up with the current team.
"You alright, sir," Fives asked Rex.
"Could be better," Rex replied.
"Alright let's move we've got a planet to save," Eir shouted, engaging her pure white lightsaber using it to help see through the blue mist.
With a dozen nods and affirmatives, the team methodically began there search through the labs starting from the bottom floors just to be sure they hadn't missed any that could potentially be a problem later on. They ran across a few droids in the lower levels, which were quickly scrapped either by lightsaber or blaster but the real issues came as they got further up. Coming upon a dozen B1 and B2 battle droids that were cutting through the compound the team quickly engaged. Blaster fire streaked up and down the corridor as clones and droids exchanged fire whilst Eir focused on deflecting fire away from the clones as protecting her troops was always her main priority, on the other hand, Ashoka charged straight forward cutting down droid after droid. Among all the chaos a super battle droid launched a rocket down the corridor at Eir, Echo noticing quickly shoved the Jedi aside letting the missile detonate on the floor sending them and several other flying. Rex seeing the disarray that rocket caused charged forward blasters blazing sliding underneath incoming laser fire and nailing several battle droids, before rolling away from the next barrage. Fives seeing his Captin reckless charge followed up behind tackling a battle droid to the ground and launching several wild shots at the enemy. This was all followed up by Hevy who put his Z-6 rotary to use and scrapped the fleeing droids.
"you alright," Echo said, looking over at the dazed Eir who looked as rattled as Echo felt.
"Well thanks again Echo but im trying to not make it a habit," Eir replied, with a shaky smile.
"I don't mind General," Echo stated helping her to her feet.
"Im sure you dont," Eir said giving Echo a soft smile which caused him to blush under his helmet.
"Alright, we've got a few corridors left to check," Ashoka stated, before going into a coughing fit.
"Damn it who knew ide be killed by stupid blue gas and not a blaster," Hevy yelled, slamming his Z-6 on the floor earning him a chuckle from the group which turned into a round of coughing fits.
Continuing forward the team destroyed what little remaining resistants the droids had before almost simultaneously collapsing on the floor, all except Padma and Jarjar. Dropping herself next to Echo and subsequently the other members of Domino squad Eir decided to ask them how they all got there names getting a few chuckles and groans in reply. However, before they could answer a soft hissing noise spread through the compound and slowly but surely the blue atmosphere they had been breathing disappeared. Then a soft click later and one of the escape hatches opened and medical team began pouring into the lab and seeing to them all.
"Hey General Skywalker I hope to see you again," Echo said quietly to Eir before falling unconscious.
"Me to Echo," Eir thought before being led over to one of the stretchers.
Anakin skywalker was running between his ill men checking on them whilst they where being treated before going over to his family and Padawan.
"You guys alright?" Anakin asked.
"Never better Skyguy," Ashoka replied, earning a chuckle from Eir and Padma.
"Im fine too, for the most part, and Ashoka we need to have a chat at some point," Eir also replied to her brother's question.
Anakin let out a relieved breath as he saw all his friends and family safe and being loaded on to medical gunships who he was told would make a full recovery. Another battle survived but still, the war goes on Anakin thought walking on to the transport he arrived in. Engaging the engines Anakin shot up into the atmosphere heading for the resolute his ship and beacon of hope in this current conflict home of the 501st, home to his family of battle brothers.