So, here we are. The final main chapter of my story. There will be an epilogue with an extended author's note at the end which will serve to kickstart my prequel story. I plan to have that up soon. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please remember to leave a review/comment if you feel like it.

teresa. spanics - Unfortunately, yes that's how Kallus dies. At least he managed to allow Sabine and Ezra to escape, right? And yes, that is the last of the Things and the next story is about Ahsoka's extended fight against the Thing in the Arctic. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Achilles453 - I'm glad you loved the last chapter! It was the last of the action unfortunately. I'm happy you liked Kallus' end. Although getting shot isn't the most pleasant, it's better than getting mutilated by a malevolent alien. Ketsu's death was actually inspired by a scrapped idea for Nauls' death in JC's The Thing. You can find the storyboards on www. outpost31. com storyboards (just remove the spaces and add a backslash before storyboards) if you'd like. As for Ezra, the first few sentences of this chapter should answer it. I do hope your headache got better and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter, even without a lot of action going on.

Ashley Torres - I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, even with all the death and destruction. Don't worry, there won't be anymore death. I hope you like this one as well!

Outpost 17, March 13, 1987, 0645 Hours

Sabine screamed as her eyes snapped open. She jumped up, springing to her feet, with a thermite charge in hand, only to realize that it was just a dream. She had only been asleep a few minutes and she still had a nightmare. Even in death, the Thing continued to haunt her. A few tears escaped her eyes as she remembered that dream. That horrible dream where Ezra was... she couldn't bear to say it now, even to herself. Was it true? It raised the question in Sabine's mind: Where was Ezra? Was he still alive?

The worst of the storm was over, there was only a light wind and moderate snowfall. The reality of her situation sunk back in. She was alone, possibly still in danger, and slowly freezing to death.

Sabine was so lost in self misery and despair that she failed to hear a voice, Ezra's voice, calling over the crackling of the fires. Ezra carefully crept through the destroyed corridor by the kennel. The sun had yet to rise and the only light was from the still burning fires. He had seen the fireball and knew Sabine had to have been the one to set it off. He had to find her. He had to.

"Sabine!" came a voice over the fire. Sabine's head snapped up as she heard footsteps out in the corridor. She knew that gait, it was almost like...

"Ezra!" Sabine yelled as he came to stand in the doorway of Ahsoka's office. His frostbitten face smiled slightly upon seeing her.

"Did you kill it?"

Sabine sighed, "I think so."

"What do you mean you think so?!"

Both Sabine and Ezra spoke guardedly and eyed each other with suspicion. At least until Sabine threw her head back and laughed. "Look at us. Yeah, I got it."

"So you're the only one who made it?"

"Not the only one." Sabine said suspiciously. "Where were you Ezra?"

Ezra sat down, leaning against the wall facing her. "When it came through the roof, it came for me and Kallus. Kallus shoved me down towards the kennel and threw his dynamite. I guess it blew part of the Thing off of it, it saw me and I had to retreat. I burned it outside the kennel, but I thought the rest of it was coming for me. I climbed out through the hole in the roof and got lost in the storm. Then I saw the fireball, and I was able to get back."

He gazed out over the burning ruins, "Those fires have got the temperature up all over the camp. They won't last long though."

Sabine nodded and took another swig from the vodka bottle, emptying it. She threw the empty bottle into the snow behind her. "Then neither will we."

Ezra looked over at where the mostly intact radio room would be, "Maybe we should try to fix the radio... try and call for some help."

Sabine smirked at him, "Do you know anything about how to create or even fix a radio?"

Ezra shrugged and grinned sheepishly, "Uh... no."

Sabine chuckled, "Well there's your answer." Her face fell, "Radio repair was Ketsu's area of expertise."

Ezra's face turned puzzled for a second, "What happened to Ketsu?"

"Saw got her."

"Oh... uh, sorry." He looked down, "If we can't call out for help, then we'll never make it."

Sabine smirked again, "I think we should be asking, 'Should we make it?'" Sabine place one of the thermite grenades in the snow next to her.

Ezra looked at it warily, "Look, if you're worried about me, let's take that blood test of yours."

Sabine chuckled, "If we've got any surprises for each other, I don't think we're in any condition to do anything about it." She smiled and tossed him a knife and a flare, "Though you're welcome to try if you'd like."

Ezra snatched up the flare and knife. He cut his arm, letting some blood collect on the floor. He heated the knife, and applied it to the blood. Nothing happened.

Ezra looked up and smiled. Sabine smiled back as Ezra asked, "Well, what do we do?"

"Why don't we sit here for a little while. See what happens." Sabine opened the bottle of scotch and tipped her head back, taking a large swig. She then smiled at Ezra and tossed the bottle over to him. Ezra grinned and chuckled, before he also threw his head back, taking a healthy gulp. Sabine got up and moved to sit next to Ezra, spreading the blanket to cover the both of them.

Ezra smiled and put an arm around Sabine. Sabine, having not slept in quite some time, laid her head against her boyfriend's chest, and let his steady heartbeat lull her to sleep.

-0-

McMurdo Station, March 13, 1987, 0800 Hours

Ahsoka's snowcat returned to the station just as a helicopter landed. A pilot named Rake Gahree stepped out and walked over to her and Hera. "I'm afraid I have bad news ma'am. We were in the storm, a few miles out from where Outpost 17 would have been. The winds were intense, and it took all I had to keep that bird in the air. Around 0600, there was an explosion, and we could see a glimpse of a fireball rising in the air."

Hera's eyes widened in shock, "A fireball?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm... I'm sorry, but I couldn't keep going. That storm was huge and it's nearing us. I couldn't land and I won't be able to make it back there. None of us can."

Ahsoka hung her head, "There has to be foul play. The only thing that could make an explosion like that would be the station's stock of dynamite and hydrogen tanks."

Hera nodded, "I know. I just hope some of them are alive."

Ahsoka nodded, "I do too. Tell Kanan that we need some Marines down here stat. Have him put out a call, tell command that we suspect foul play occurred at Outpost 17 and we need some armed support. I'll take full responsibility for violating the Antarctic Treaty."

Hera nodded and saluted, "Will do, Commander."

As Hera and Rake ran inside to take shelter from the coming storm, Ahsoka looked out at the storm in the direction of Outpost 17, "Stay safe guys. I'm coming, as soon as I can I'll get there."

-0-

March 13, 1987, 1430 Hours

Ezra shivered as the cold seeped through both the blanket and his jacket. Sabine stirred and opened her eyes. She yawned sleepily and looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

Ezra shivered again, glancing at the dying fires. "Won't be long now."

Sabine instantly knew what he meant. Death by freezing, they needed a warmer, more sheltered spot to wait until Ahsoka and Hera arrived. Suddenly, she got an idea. "Hey Ez, when Saw attacked me in the basement, he came out of a tunnel. The explosion might have collapsed it, but it would be warmer and more sheltered than here."

"You think it's safe?"

"If it isn't, I've got some thermite left and my big, strong fiance with a flamethrower to protect me." She smirked at him.

Ezra nodded, "Well, I don't know how long we'll be waiting. There might be some canned food left, and probably plenty of debris that can become a fire. But what do we do to pass the time while we wait for Ahsoka and Hera?"

Sabine looked up at one of the racks on the wall of Ahsoka's office. On it was an partially burned non-electric chessboard. She got to her feet and wrenched it free. She looked over her shoulder and smirked, "You play chess?"

"A couple times. You?"

Sabine shrugged, "I guess I'll be learning."

Ezra chuckled, "Winner gets their reward if we make it out?"

Sabine shot him a cheeky smile, "You know it." She then gave him a quick kiss. "Let's get going."

Sabine and Ezra walked out of Ahsoka's office and grabbed what intact cans they could find from the destroyed pantry and kitchen. They carefully walked down the ruined basement stairs, having to jump the last several feet down. Sabine walked into the entrance of the old storage room and looked at the ripped up walkway from which Saw had burst through.

Underneath the destroyed walkway was indeed a tunnel. Part of it had collapsed, but it still made a nice, small shelter for the two survivors. Once they had managed to get the damaged lantern working again and a small fire started using wooden debris from above ground, the two snuggled together under the blanket next to the fire, passing the bottle of alcohol, setting up what would be the first of many chess games.

They didn't know what the future held, but they would face it. Together.

-0-

McMurdo Station, March 23, 1987, 2145 Hours

"I guess that wraps up most of it, Commander." Sabine shrugged as Hera landed the helicopter.

Ahsoka nodded and leaned her head back against the bulkhead of the helicopter. Hera called from the cockpit, "We're just glad you two are okay. And that it's dead." Ahsoka got to her feet and jumped out, stretching her arms. "For now, let's get you two into medical. That frostbite's looking bad."

Ezra laughed as her gingerly stepped off the chopper, the adrenaline of the day long since worn off, "I've probably lost a few toes, maybe a finger or two. We should be fine in a couple weeks though."

This time, Hera did the laughing, "That's what you say. The doctor'll probably say otherwise. Get going you two."

Ahsoka watched the two survivors follow Hera back into the Medical Building. A few tears flowed from her eyes as the reality sunk in. This was the second time this creature had landed on Earth. She suspected it to be the same one she had fought in the Arctic after hearing Sabine and Ezra's story. Why did it always have to come after her or the one's she loved? Added with the fact that she had technically broke the law and violated the Antarctic Treaty by authorizing the Harrier strike and bringing a team of Marines to the Antarctic.

She still struggled to wrap her mind around it. 23 people were dead on her watch. The nine researchers from Outpost 17 and the 14 unlucky Marines who succumbed to the Thing. Not to mention everyone that had died at the North Pole years earlier.

There was no way that Ahsoka would escape from this unscathed. This was the second time multiple people had died during a mission she was assigned. She could be made a scapegoat and reassigned to a desk job, discharged, possibly even arrested!

Right now, she needed some comfort. She needed to talk to someone who knew about what had happened. Someone who knew what she had been through.

Ahsoka hurried to her temporary quarters at McMurdo and fumbled through her gear. She soon found what she was looking for, her private satellite phone. Hesitantly, she dialed a number most of her friends didn't know she used.

The satphone rang for about half a minute before the person on the other end picked up, "Ahsoka? It's good to hear your voice again. I must say I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

Ahsoka smiled sadly, "Likewise. I just wish this call was under better circumstances. It's... it's back."

The person on the other end was quiet for a moment, "Has it been contained? Killed?"

"Fortunately, yes. But there's no way I can escape from this unscathed. I've lost nine out of the twelve other people under my command at Outpost 17 are dead. And 14 US Marines as well."

An audible sigh was heard from the other end, "You've still got allies, Ahsoka. Even though they're retired, Generals Skywalker and Kenobi know what you faced and they'll stand by you. Captain Rex and Lux fought against it with you as well. As did I. We'll all be there for you."

Ahsoka relaxed, "Thanks Kaedan. I mean it. Tell you what, once I get back to the US, we should meet up, maybe get some food with Rex."

On the other end, Kaedan Larte smiled, "I'd like that Ahsoka. Give Rex a call, and Lux as well, I heard he got a job at the Embassy in DC. I've got to get back to work, but I'll talk to you later."

Ahsoka smiled as she ended the connection. Kaedan was right, she still had friends who would help her. She dialed the number for the Soviet Embassy, she owed them all a call anyways.

Next Chapter: Epilogue (Four years later)