Chapter 3: Search in the Crystal City

DATE: 12/05/45875

A blaze filled with horrified faces. A petrified scream. A cackle that led to a burst of crazed laughter. Then she appeared again, in all her terrifying glory.

Death.

"You can't stop me, Chosen One!" she taunted, running a hand along her tattered gray dress. "You can't stop what's meant to be."

The screams started up again; and mixed in were also the howls of those vicious creatures he couldn't identify. Yellow eyed monsters, they crawled on hands and knees like a human, but they were far from that. They were Death's children, not by blood but by possession, and she ordered them to attack.

They ran at him, running on two legs now, baring their teeth, glaring at him. They jumped and sprawled through the air, screeching and screaming, terrifying, petrifying, beasts tainted to the bone with darkness…

Anakin bolted upright in his bed, gasping for breath. This was now his tenth time he's had this same exact nightmare. Every time he closed his eyes he had the visions of Death and the creatures. And each time the same warning was screamed at him: "You can't stop me, Chosen One."

Groaning, Anakin dropped his head into his hands as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there, sweating and breathing hard. The gentle rocking of the Resolute was soothing – in a way. He, Obi-Wan, and another team of Jedi were in hyperspace, flying towards the planet of Christophsis. The Council had received an anonymous tip stating that the suicide bomber that had attacked the Senate had a family on the 'Planet of Crystal Light'. Obviously, the Jedi couldn't let such a tip slide; so four Jedi had been sent to investigate.

That had been 73 hours ago, which made it five days since the bombing and five days since his nightmares had started. Relentless visions of a massive genocide plagued his mind every time he closed his eyes, and it was beginning to seriously unnerve him. Anxiously Anakin glanced around him, relieved he hadn't awoken anyone. At least he was on a bottom bunk – had he been on the top, he was sure he would've fallen and awakened the entire ship. Obi-Wan was in sweet unconsciousness above him, and across the room lay Jason Dean and Quinlan Vos.

The Knight forced himself to lay back down and try falling back to sleep. They would arrive on Christophsis tomorrow to question the Jon Doe's family. The faint hum of the engines was a bit soothing; but not enough to slow down his racing pulse.

The last time he had had these nightmares was when he was still an apprentice to Obi-Wan. The first batch had been about a giant war, and the second had been about his mother's death. Both ended up becoming premonitions, and both times, the dreams had become a terrifying reality. Anakin was haunted by the Clone War and his mother's brutal murder, mostly by the fact that he hadn't been able to stop them from occurring.

I won't let this one become real, he told himself sternly. I won't. If his nightmares were visions of the future, and all the destruction and death he saw in his mind were soon to become reality, he would do everything in his power to stop it. I am the Chosen One. If I can't stop dreams from creating an apocalypse, how am I supposed to save the galaxy? It was a frightening idea when he thought about how Death taunted him, mocked him for being the Chosen One. She would laugh and spit at him, and every time he tried lashing out, craving to fight her and put an end to the nightmare, she would simply dance out of reach. Witch. She was a demon for sure – he had no other words to describe the terror she managed to instill. Anakin Skywalker was the Hero with No Fear, and yet a figment of his deranged imagination had him shaking and wondering…

How long will it be before these dreams become real?

It was a question he hated asking himself, but he had to. After all, his other two premonitions had ended in disaster. What made this even worse was that he dreamt of the destruction of the entire galaxy. If that happened…

"I won't let it happen," he hissed, quietly, to himself. "I swear I won't… I swear…"

And finally, without trying, he slipped into restless slumber.

xXx (The Next Day) xXx

"I'm telling you this is a waste of time!" Quinlan Vos's tone was filled with irritation and exasperation and worst of all… boredom.

"We can't just let this lead go," Obi-Wan snapped at his longtime friend. He had known Quin since they had been Padawan's at the Temple, and knew exactly how exasperating the man could be. "Just try and stay calm enough for us to get some answers."

"You know, Kenobi, Quin could be right," Jason Dean spoke up, slipping into his Jedi robe. "There could be no one here."

"We have to try," was the repeated answer, this time more stern.

Jason shrugged in reply, adding a quiet, "Whatever" to his words before ending the conversation. Twenty-eight-years-old, dark haired with a few whiskers, Jason was a respected Knight at the Temple, a remarkable warrior, clever and well-liked. However, he did have his own opinions, and this was one of them. We should be on Coruscant, he thought to himself silently. Not gallivanting around Christophsis looking for a dead guy's family.

Quinlan, done arguing with Kenobi, strode over to Anakin, who was packing supplies into a small sack. He slapped the younger Jedi on the back, nearly sending him sprawling. "What's wrong with you, kid? You look almost dead."

At that, Obi-Wan turned and stared hard at his partner, for the first time noticing his unnatural silence and exhaustion. "Anakin? Are you okay?"

Anakin shifted uncomfortably, obviously displeased at having three pairs of eyes locked onto him. "I'm fine," he said quickly, going back to filling the backpack.

Quin looked like he wanted to press the issue further, but a sharp look from Obi-Wan caused him to turn around and back off. He would talk to Anakin as soon as he could catch the younger man in private – for now, they had a mission to accomplish. Soon, all four of them were packed and boarding their speeders, prepared to ride in Crystal City.

The sound of engines echoed through the hanger bay as the four speeders came to life. With Obi-Wan in the lead, the small group of Jedi made their way into Crystal City.

As soon as they arrived past the borders, it was obvious something was wrong. The city almost seemed… deserted. No one was in sight, no motion of any kind. Just silence.

"Pull over!" Obi-Wan called out to his three companions, and as soon as the engines died, he continued. "Is it just me, or is something very wrong here?"

Jason looked around, frowning. "There's no one around. I can't even sense a life form within a hundred miles."

"Crystal City is the capitol of Christophsis," Obi-Wan said, tone just as grim. "And on a weekday, this place should be alive and swarming. Maybe there was more in that anonymous tip then we originally thought." They waited in silence for a few moments, as if expecting a rush of people to come out of the seemingly-abandoned buildings and quench their fears. When nothing of the sort happened, Obi-Wan spoke up again. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Anakin was focusing on the Force, searching for any sign of what had happened. Jason was right – he couldn't sense a single life form anywhere in or even near the city. But there was a heavy presence, a malicious one, as if the dark side itself had swept down and caused the people to vanish. "Master, do you feel that?" he spoke up.

Obi-Wan replied with a nod. "Yes – the dark side."

At that, Quin's lightsaber came to life in a brilliant show of emerald energy. "If there's a Sith or some other living scumbag on this rock, I'll deal with it."

"Slow down," Obi-Wan scolded, frowning. "We're going to have to search the city. Quin, you and Jason search the east. Anakin and I will go to the west. We don't want to awaken any sleeping enemies, so we'll go on foot."

At that, Jason had to object. "Actually, you and Anakin both know this place better than us. Maybe Anakin can go with Quin, I'll go with you – the search will go faster."

It was a reasonable suggestion, Obi-Wan had to admit. And though he was a bit hesitant to leave his young partner with the likes of Quinlan Vos, Jason had a point. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Very well – good idea. Anakin, go with Quin. Stay together and contact us if you find anything."

"Don't worry, Obi!" Quin exclaimed, playfully punching Anakin in the arm. "We'll be alright, won't we, kid?"

"Sure." Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, raising an eyebrow. When he saw his Master's reassuring nod, he followed Quin towards the left.

Obi-Wan then turned to Jason. The two were close friends, having known each other for many years, as they were also with Quinlan. "Well – shall we begin?"

xXx ((Quinlan and Anakin)) xXx

"Keep your eyes peeled," Quin instructed with exaggerated command. "Something dark is lurking around here – I can sense it. Evil creeping in every corner."

Anakin chuckled. "Seriously, how did you and Obi-Wan ever become friends? You two are nothing like each other."

Quin looked back and shot the younger Knight a huge grin. "Padawan learner Obi-Wan Kenobi needed some fun. I gave it to him."

Both of them laughed softly, lightning the mood just a bit as they checked each building they passed by.

It was only when they reached an old storage warehouse when Quin's normal smile disappeared, replaced by a worried frown. "Wait," he whispered. "Hear that?"

Anakin paused and listened. Sure enough, there were moans coming from inside. "Well," he mused. "Someone is here."

Once again, Quin's weapon came to life, and soon after came Anakin's. Whatever was inside the warehouse stopped moaning, and was quiet.

"Maybe he doesn't want company," Anakin whispered, raising an eyebrow.

Quin shoved one of his dreadlocks out of his face, and smirked. "I don't care what he wants. We're going in." Then, without further conversation, Vos sliced through the door's lock, and kicked it inward.

The metal door landed on the floor with a crashing noise, which echoed through the entire building. Anakin glared at him. "So much for trying out stealth mode," he commented.

Quin merely shrugged, and then stepped through the opening. "Stay behind me," he instructed quietly, waving his lightsaber around and using it to make the darkness visible.

Anakin glanced around, frowning. I still can't sense anyone. The dark side was getting stronger as they went deeper and deeper into the warehouse, dodging crates and broken pieces of machinery. The entire first floor was a mess, as if a tornado had hit it.

Suddenly, the moaning started up again, coming from the right – near a pile of old speeder parts. Quin lifted his hand and tossed Anakin a series of hand movements, signaling for them to split up and try to surround their target.

Anakin moved over to the right and moved forward slowly, clutching his lightsaber. He was only a few feet away when he caught sight of a leg, lying on the ground, the rest of the body covered by crates and oil-covered pieces of metal.

That's when it happened. The groaning person jumped up, sending fragments and boxes flying everywhere. Quin let out a quick "Look out!" before lunging forward with his lightsaber.

The target began screeching in an animal-like tone, screaming and growling. And then it bolted like a laser blast, sprinting for a door that must've led to a staircase.

"After it!" Quin shouted, already on the move.

Anakin followed without argument, trying to use the Force and pull the man back; but to both Jedis' shock, it had no effect on him.

Then, the man turned to reveal a face with bloodshot eyes, and a dirt covered face, streaked with what looked like tears of blood.

"What the Force…" Quin stopped moving, as did Anakin, and both just stood there staring at what may have once been a human but now acted and looked like a savage beast. It began growling at them, and Anakin could see that pointed fangs replaced what had once been the man's teeth. Its body was hunched over, the clothing torn, the body covered in cuts and open sores.

Anakin's mind suddenly flashed back to the appearance of the suicide bomber and week before, and realization dawned on him. He must have the same virus that the Jon Doe had. "Quin," he whispered, not daring to talk any louder. "I think we should back off."

Quinlan obviously disagreed, never taking his eyes off the creature. "What? Kid, we have got to find out what this thing is – it's certainly not any species I've ever seen…"

"It's a mutant." 'Mutant' was the only word he could think of at the moment. "Quin, I think that was a man, from this city. I think he's sick. The virus ravaged his body."

Quin locked onto the creature, puzzled. The mutant stared right back, baring its pointed teeth and snarling. He could see that short, black claws had grown over its fingernails, and that the rags that clothed it were the remnants of clothing. Quin's eyes widened as he realized what Anakin was suggesting. "Holy Force…"

"This entire place could be contaminated, probably from whatever disease our suicide bomber had," Anakin added, slowly beginning to back up. "Maybe that's why this city is abandoned. Look, let's go and contact Obi-Wan."

"And what about him?" Quin pointed to the creature, frowning. "If he's sick and… mutated, or whatever… we can't just leave him. We've got to find a cure for this thing."

"We will; but I think our little friend doesn't like us very much."

Indeed, the mutant began growling again, louder. It used its hand to wipe away some of the bloody tears, and Anakin noticed its limbs were longer. The creature was skinny so that its bones could be seen beneath the filthy skin – obviously, if this man had once been a civilized being, the disease had changed his skeletal system. Just like what was happening to the Jon Doe, he mused, heart pounding. "Quin, let's go," he repeated, moving faster now that the creature was completely focused on them. "I don't know if this disease is air-born or not. We've got to warn Obi-Wan and Jason."

Quin nodded, and the two Jedi were almost near the doorway when the creature launched itself into the air, hurling its body at them.

"Damn it, Anakin, run!"

Anakin dodged the monster with a second to spare, and then bolted out the door, not bothering to proceed with caution anymore. Quin was right next to him, and the two Knights began sprinting down the street with the mutant running after them on its two, withering legs.

"For a sick guy, he's actually quite fast!" Quin declared, pushing himself to go even faster.

Anakin activated his comm, cocking his head to see that the mutant was actually gaining on them. He put the Force into his steps as Obi-Wan's voice came through the comm. 'Anakin, what's wrong? Where are you?'

"Master, get the ship ready!" Anakin shouted into the comlink. "Right now! We need to leave this place!"

The creature behind them let out a sickening screech, furious that it hadn't captured its prey yet. Anakin grimaced at the thought of what the mutant did to its victims once they were actually caught.

'Anakin, what was that noise? Anakin?'

"This city is contaminated!" Anakin replied quickly, nearly stumbling over a large crack in the street. Out of the corner of his vision he spotted movement in the buildings surrounding them, and felt panic seeping into the corner of his mind. "I can't explain now, but this is an emergency. Get Jason, and get to the ship!" A thought came to his mind, and after hesitating just a moment, added, "Obi-Wan, if you see anything run towards you besides us, I want you to take off. Don't wait for us."

Anakin could feel Obi-Wan's shock and anxiety through the Force, buzzing like electricity. 'What are you talking about? Anakin, what is happening…?'

"Bye, Master."

Anakin cut the transmission short just as dozens of the mutated creatures came tumbling out of the buildings and housings, all of them with red eyes and the same ravaged bone structure.

Oh hell. Quin reached out into the Force and tried clearing a path through the wave of monsters, but nothing happened. "They aren't affected by the Force!" he shouted, gripping his lightsaber tighter.

"Tell me something I didn't already know!" Anakin passed a mutant and cut it down, wincing as steaming red blood splattered across his tunic. "Try not to let any of them touch you! We don't know how this virus spreads!"

"Fast, that's how!" Still, Quin heeded the advice, and jumped high into the air, swinging the vibrant blade at the first monster within reach.

xXx ((Obi-Wan and Jason)) xXx

Jason and Obi-Wan reached the ship within moments of Anakin's transmission. As Jason tumbled into the cockpit, starting up the engines, Obi-Wan waited at the boarding ramp, looking for his two friends.

After failing to contact him via comlink, Obi-Wan switched to the bond he shared with his former apprentice, honing into the Force. "Anakin, are you there?"

To his relief, he got a reply. "Master! I really can't talk right now. Are you at the ship?"

"Yes. Jason and I are here."

"Make sure you're prepared to leave as soon as we arrive. Obi-Wan, did you find anything in your search?"

"No. The entire place is deserted…"

"Not exactly."

"Anakin, what is it? What's wrong?"

He waited a few seconds, and got no answer. "Anakin, can you hear me? Anakin!" Still no answer. He could feel his partner and Quinlan coming closer, and was able to sense their worry – and fear. Confusion. Something was terribly wrong.

Jason came running down the ramp, panting. "Okay, the ship's ready. Where's Anakin and Quin?"

"I don't know."

At that moment, Jason squinted his eyes, and then pointed up ahead. "Isn't that them?"

Sure enough, Obi-Wan spotted two figures, carrying lightsabers, racing towards them at a remarkable speed. "Why are they running like that?" Jason murmured, staring at them. "What did they find….. holy shit!"

Just as the curse escaped Jason's lips, the citizens of Crystal City came into view behind Anakin and Quin. Obi-Wan and Jason gaped as a mob of savage, horrid mutants came racing towards them, screeching and making unidentifiable sounds and growls.

"What the hell are those things?!" Jason took a step forward, his hand reaching for the lightsaber that hung on his belt.

Quin spotted the two and the ship, and screamed, "Get on the ship! Start it up! Get on board!"

Jason waited a second, deciding whether or not to attack the creatures pursuing his companions; but then he dashed into the cockpit and ignited the engines.

"Go, Obi-Wan!" Anakin motioned for the older man to get inside the ship. "Get into the cockpit!"

Obi-Wan's azure lightsaber was already activated, but on hearing Anakin's calls, he reluctantly retreated into the ship.

Quin kicked back a mutant that tried grabbing his ankle, and then used the Force to launch himself several feet through the air. Anakin mimicked his movement, and the two crashed down inside the cargo hold of the ship.

Quin stumbled to his feet and shouted into the cockpit, "Go!"

Jason manned the thrusters, and began closing the ramp. Suddenly, three mutants jumped into the air with incredible speed, and clung to the edge of the ship, hissing and snarling.

"I'll take care of those two!" Quin declared. The rash Knight then dashed forward, and swung his lightsaber in a choppy arc, knocking off the mutants' heads while rarely missing cutting the ship's sides.

Anakin made his way over to the control panel, and slammed his fist against one of the buttons, closing and sealing the door that led into the front part of the ship.

In the cockpit, Obi-Wan programmed the hyperdrive coordinates for Coruscant, and managed to finally close the boarding ramp all the way. "Jason, activate the hyperdrive!"

Obediently, Jason pulled on the lever, and finally… they were safely in the lightspeed tunnel.

Everyone took a few moments to catch their breaths and let the reality of what had just happened sink in. After a minute or so, Obi-Wan walked over to the door that led into the cargo hold; only to find it locked. Confused, he looked through the window to see Anakin and Quin shaking their heads at him.

"Master." Anakin called through their Force-bond. "We don't know how this virus spreads. Quin and I were both exposed more than you two. It's safer if we stay in here until we reach Coruscant and go into quarantine."

Obi-Wan nodded grimly, sighing. "What happened? What were those things, Anakin?"

"I'm not sure. They were the people of Christophsis, but mutated in a way. I fear it may be the same disease that our suicide bomber from the Senate had."

"If this is a virus, we need to warn the people of Standards hospital as well as the rest of Christophsis."

"I know."

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder and saw Jason talking to the Council via hologram, telling them that they were on their way back and that they would explain everything once they returned. Now feeling drained and completely confused, Obi-Wan leaned against the door and exhaled heavily.

What the hell just happened?