Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to LeAnn, who suggested the idea of exploring a pandemic situation.

Chapter: 22 Pandemic

"Hysteria exposes two realities: What our true nature is and how little it takes to revert to it."

A deadly disease! On the Outer Rim planet of Rodia, hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance as a lethal virus sweeps through its western hemisphere. Underprepared and already low on supplies, the Rodians suffer extreme casualties with the virus' zero percent survival rate. While doctors race to find a vaccine, lockdowns are enforced on already starving citizens. After Rodian senator Onaconda Farr calls for aid, the Republic answers. The clone battalion is joined by Jedi Masters Mattias and Yelena, along with their Padawans Anna and Elsa.

When Elsa envisioned reuniting with her sister, no amount of Force sensitivity could've predicted watching her scream into a clone trooper's helmet. It was surprising enough to have found both her and Mattias aboard the Venator with them. When it seemed like Anna wasn't raging any further, Elsa dared to approach. "So," the eldest sister began. "How was your last mission?"

"Oh the usual," Anna muttered. Her eyes focused on her lightsaber hilt as she fiddled with it. "Starts off pretty cool, then I realize it was never about me to begin with."

"None of this is about any of us," Elsa intoned. "Right now this is about those suffering Rodians. We have a chance here to be pillars of strength for them in these trying times."

"Well a little while ago, it was my chance." Anna jeered.

"You don't get to guilt me here," Elsa intoned. "Master Yelena and I took this assignment with clearance from the council. As far as we knew, no other Jedi were assigned to the relief effort."

"I didn't even know that was a thing," Anna huffed.

"Then don't go projecting your frustrations because you don't understand something," Elsa said. "I know it's easier to take it out on those closest to you, but trust me...they don't appreciate it."

As Elsa turned away, she paused when her sister uttered, "I'm sorry." Anna tugged at her braid when she said so, but rose to meet her sister. "I can um...be a Jedi jerk sometimes. I'm trying to work on it. I just want to be heard in this massive order we have and sometimes that feels impossible." Elsa smiled faintly and embraced her sister. "Oh...um...we're hugging now. Got it."

"I know it's easy to get lost in all the noise," Elsa admitted. "But please know that I hear you. I hope that can be enough sometimes."

Anna sighed and tried to keep herself grounded in the moment. She tried to focus on the smaller picture and what Elsa's words meant. What was true recognition? Was it the passing of a trial? A shiny medal? Or perhaps it was someone simply saying, "I'm here for you." Someone caring about your existence in a world where violent unrest ran rampant. In a galaxy of turmoil, it was easy to forget that all one had were those around him or her.

"Thanks, sis." Anna answered with a smile.

"So...Jedi jerk?" Elsa queried as they strolled together. "That's a new one."

"Yeah, a clone may have helped me coin that one," Anna snickered.

"Do I even want to know why?"

"Nah," Anna assured. "But I will tell you that the facilities on Kamino are freaking wizard."

Elsa froze as her jaw dropped and eyes widened. "Wait, you got to see them?" All Anna had to do was nod before the rapid-fire questions came upon her. "How many genomes were in incubation? Is it true they grow at twice the rate of normal men? What's Master Shaak Ti like? Did you know Kamino has a rotation period of approximately twenty-seven hours? Say, while it's on my mind...did you happen to learn what material makes up the armor that clones wear? I've always been curious about its components."

Anna had arched away from her imposing sister so much, that her lower back was straining out of proportion. With each frantic question, Anna's mind was further thrown into a jumbled mess, which manifested into a monotone, "Ummmm."

"Plastoid," a clone trooper answered from behind. Elsa turned with raised brows while Anna thanked the living Force for relief. The trooper set a crate of relief supplies down and extended his arm to Elsa. He knocked on his white vambrace twice and said, "Check it out, kid." Elsa was ecstatically intrigued as she examined the vambrace. Anna and the clone were both concerned as Elsa's fascinated smile started to falter. "You alright?" the clone asked as she clutched his arm.

"Sis?" Anna worried.

As Elsa touched the plastoid armor, she remembered how it felt to hold Frost's scorched helmet. She heard the sounds of the Republic outpost on Hoth collapsing around them. The screams of dying clones were real all over again as blasterfire rang out around them.

"Hey," the clone called as Elsa gasped. He wriggled his arm free of her tightening grip as she shuddered back. "Do you need to sit down?"

"No," Elsa assured. "Th-...thank you. I just need to see my master." Elsa stepped away and Anna hurriedly followed her. The eldest Dellian buried her face in her hands, hoping no one saw her moment of panic.

"Everyone's busy working," Anna reassured her. "You're fine."

"Yeah," Elsa said with a forced smile. The sisters neared an entryway where their masters were meeting with a uniformed official. This woman donned a grey, double-breasted tunic with matching color trousers. Her shinings boots were as black as her neatly pinned bun. Her eyes were of the darkest shade of brown and teemed with boldness. As Elsa looked the officer over, she sensed a steadfast devotion to duty. Anna focused intently on the woman's rank insignia plaque. A trio of crimson bars rested atop two sapphire squares. She'd seen uniformed personnel displaying such a rank on Republic posters back in the city. Given her prior knowledge, Anna was able to deduce they were in the presence of a Republic admiral.

"As I said earlier," the admiral backtracked. "I will take as much aid from the Jedi as I can."

"Thank you, Admiral Taka." Mattias answered. "We are most grateful to be here to assist with relief efforts."

"In the meantime," Taka said. "The Haven is...well...your haven. When you are prepared to depart, you'll be sent to one of the most affected cities in the western hemisphere. You can leave your corvettes here and we'll refuel them for you." Taka motioned to a decorated clone commander as his icy, turquoise kama swayed below him. "I'll be sending you in with the 213th clone battalion. They've taken some heavy hits, but are glad to back in the fight for peace one way or another. This here is-"

"Commander Surge," Elsa blurted on instinct and quickly bit her tongue.

Taka's eyes darted between Elsa and the commander's coincidentally matching colors. "If I didn't know any better," the admiral jested. "I'd say you two were part of the same unit."

Surge scoffed at the admiral's remark and ignored Elsa entirely. He instead saluted Yelena and Mattias before speaking. "Sir...Ma'am. Welcome aboard. I'll show you to the unit you'll be overseeing."

Taka returned to the Venator's bridge while Yelena and Mattias followed Surge. Anna noticed Elsa staggering behind and poked her in the arm. "Anna to Elsa," she joked. "Come in, Elsa. You okay?"

"No," Elsa sighed. "Commander Surge and his 213th were stationed on Hoth during the Separatist attack. I'm part of the reason he's still alive today."

"Well he seemed very grateful," Anna scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Elsa thought back to what Surge had said to her in the heat of battle. "Speaking of good for nothing, hey Jedi..." His voice returned as if he'd spoken to her just yesterday. "What good is a lightsaber if you're not going to use it? We could've held."

"Maybe I should speak to him," Elsa considered.

"I'd leave it be," Anna suggested. "He's clearly moved on and you should too. If he won't give you the time of day, why waste a second giving him any grief?"

"Perhaps you're right," Elsa replied. "I just felt responsible for their lives in that battle. That as a Jedi, it was my task to rescue every one of those soldiers." She hung her head and tried to shut out the painful memories. "A lot of clones died that day. I didn't know them personally, nor did I see their faces...But if they were anything like Frost, I know they were good souls."

"Frost?" Anna inquired.

"He was this bold clone who-" Elsa realized what she'd said and suddenly started speeding.

"Elsa? What's going on?"

"Frost!" Elsa called back as her quickened pace became a jog. "If the 213th is here, he's got to be too!" She sprinted down the hall to pass Surge, Mattias and Yelena. The doors slid open before her as she glimpsed a vast array of gunships and supply crates. Icy blue clone troopers were hard at work to load supplies while others were checking over their gear. Elsa felt like she was back at the outpost on Hoth, only this time she was safer and wiser. She stepped by and admired the clones while some started to recognize her. Hushed words and construed intentions swirled through the air as she searched about.

"That's the Padawan that came with General Kenobi," a trooper said. "Saved us all, she did."

"By bringing down the damn base," another scoffed. "How many men do you think were never recovered?"

"Hey," a third realized. "That's the kid that rescued the commander...and got that shinie promoted to corporal."

Elsa paused upon overhearing his words just as another clone hollered, "Let's get two more bacta supplements loaded. I know it doesn't cure this thing, but if what we've heard about the riots is true...it can't hurt to restock those emergency rooms."

"Yes, corporal." a trooper answered the voice.

Elsa focused keenly on the corporal as he swiped through a datapad. She sensed a familiar connection to him as the sounds of blasterfire returned. She remembered working on a gonk droid beside him and teaming up to rescue Surge. Feelings of desperation returned as she clawed through snow to find his buried body. Elsa recalled shaking his hand and brushing the icy crystals from it. Amidst countless clone voices, his was unique. It was earnest and firm with a true sense of conviction. To Elsa, it was still the voice of an old friend.

"We're gonna need some men on this crate!" he called and pointed towards supplies.

"I got it," Elsa assured and stretched out with the Force.

The corporal's head tilted as the crate hovered into the air. Its reflection glided across his black visor as he gasped. As Elsa set the crate onto its loading platform, the corporal's datapad clattered to the floor. "I know that voice," he said and slowly turned. Gazing upon her smiling face didn't feel true until he removed his helmet. The clone's black hair was as neatly trimmed as his personality. His eyes were calm, yet overjoyed to see the Padawan again. A wide grin came upon him as he cheered, "Elsa! It is you!"

"Frost," Elsa answered and nodded joyfully. "Corporal Frost."

Frost nervously put his helmet back on and saluted her. "That's me. You know, when I heard we were receiving Jedi reinforcements, part of me wanted to believe you'd be involved. I've thought about you since Hoth."

"I've thought about you too," Elsa admitted. "It's been hard to forget about about what happened there, honestly. Do those events ever haunt you too?"

Frost shook his head. "I can't help you with that one, Elsa. We were engineered to withstand combat stress. For a clone, bombings and invasions are just another day at work." When he noticed Elsa's sulk, he tried to formulate a different response. "But I can try to understand. We're on a mercy mission after all. What good can I be if I can't have empathy?"

"You sound like a Jedi," Elsa joked just as Anna caught up.

"There you are," Anna panted. "Holy kriff, sis. When you want to run, you can run."

"Oh!" Elsa realized. "This is my sister Anna. Anna, this is Corporal Frost. He was at the attack on Hoth with me."

"It was actually Elsa who saved my life," Frost explained.

"I helped a clone pass his final exam on Kamino," Anna boasted. "He was pretty hardcore."

Elsa and Frost looked to each other, unsure why Anna brought it up during an introduction about Frost. "That's...wonderful, Anna." Elsa complimented.

"I'm sure he really appreciated it," Frost added.

Anna scoffed, "Okay you can stop patronizing me now."

Frost watched her storm off and gave Elsa a nudge. "What's your sister's problem?" he asked.

"I still ask myself that question from time to time," Elsa replied.

Across the way, Yelena paced about while Mattias leaned on a shelving unit. His eyes strained from watching how many times his friend had stressfully trudged past him. "You're making me tired just looking at you," he quipped.

"I just can't wrap my head around what would make you take a mercy mission without the council's authorization," Yelena remarked.

Mattias' brows furrowed as he rose to meet her. "Like you've never done it."

"No actually!" Yelena snapped. She brought her voice to a sharp whisper and leaned into him. "Mattias, you've been cutting some corners lately. The Rovani dilemma was one thing and look what that cost you. Now this?"

"This isn't about me," Mattias intoned. "I am fine. This is about Anna. She needs this and it couldn't wait." Yelena bit back her next comment and offered him a chance to explain. "When I saw Anna's potential on Kamino, I realized I was merely scraping the surface. But all students are reached differently. For Anna, she needs recognition to drive her. You may think it's detrimental, but praise and encouragement can fuel a promising future. It sparks a fire within a young heart. Without it, people like Anna lose the point of it all."

"Or alternatively, they end up lacking humility and think the world revolves around them. We are training future Jedi knights here," Yelena said.

"And all Jedi are unique," Mattias replied. "I wanted to give Anna another opportunity to show people what she's capable of. To show the council what she can do."

Yelena hopelessly shook her head. "You do realize that by coming here without their authorization, you risk discrediting anything Anna even accomplishes?"

Mattias didn't answer at first. His eyes trailed off and he took a deep breath. "Well then," he proudly spoke up. "If that happens, this will be an opportunity for Anna to show herself what she can do. And if she believes it, maybe that's enough. Because I sure as hell do."

Yelena was about to refute his comment when a siren signaled everyone to assemble. "Saved by the alarm," she grumbled while Mattias smirked.

All personal assembled in the hangar's center and Commander Surge prepared for announcements. Intricate markings separated clone ranks and positions ranging from infantry to pilots. With everyone beckoned over and silent, Surge began his briefing. "213th!" he bellowed.

"HOOAH!" The clones roared as a bold, single unit.

"And Jedi..." Surge felt obligated to say.

"YEAH!" Anna screamed by herself while her companions winced.

Surge activated a holoprojection of Rodia and zoomed in on its western hemisphere. "As you all know," he proclaimed. "Rodia's in a bit of a fix right now. With deaths climbing into the hundreds of thousands, its cities are under lockdown." Elsa took a moment to consider what the death of more than one hundred thousand people meant. She couldn't imagine the horrific severity of numbers beyond it. "The Rodians are calling it the halkavirus, or HAL-1." Surge pulled up a second hologram of a cylindrical-shaped bacteria with prong-like appendages. "Make no mistake, this invisible devil is a natural killer. I'm gonna turn things over to one of the Republic's top scientists, Dr. Sionver Boll."

A third hologram appeared in front of Surge. The alien depicted was notably a Bivall based on her crested head and prominent eyestalks. "Greetings," Dr. Boll began. "HAL-1 is incredibly lethal to anyone who contracts it. We first thought it only infected Rodians, but other species visiting the planet have also died from it. Initial symptoms of the disease will include a severe cough, rising fever, and pulsing headache. But make no mistake, the final symptoms mentioned are due to HAL-1 being encephalic. As the disease enters its deadlier stage and infects the brain, a person will bleed from their nose and eyes. Seizures will be a common trait before death."

"By the Force," Mattias uttered under his breath.

"Given its vast spread, the disease is extremely contagious." Dr. Boll added. "During your mission, it is important that all of you beware of fomites when assisting the populace. These will be objects that are most likely to carry the infection." Images flashed beside her and ranged from access panels to furniture pieces. "Stay safe out there and best of luck."

Her transmission ended as Surge continued. "When the disease initially broke out, Rodia's domed cities were considered safe for quarantine. But all's well until the wrong person enters without proper procedures. Cities that were once meant to keep the halkavirus out are now massive containment units for the disease. We're going straight into one." Surge grew impatient as his troops became restless. "Now I know that's enough to get anyone on edge, but if we follow procedure, we'll all be fine. Everyone in this unit is going to get on and off that rock clean. Ships up in five minutes and we rendezvous at Japur City. Move out!"

Frost beckoned the Jedi to him. "You four will be riding with Surge and I in the lead gunship," he said. As the group boarded, they were quickly sealed in a deckplate. A foreboding, dimly-lit, scarlet light illuminated the transport's interior. Frost examined the handholds everyone was gripping as the gunship started to take off. "These will need to be cleaned upon re-entry," he said. "The last thing we want is that virus getting offworld."

The transport's rumble was distinct and eerie. The Jedi stood in silence amidst their group of faceless clones. With barely any visibility through the tightly sealed hatches, it was difficult to tell where they were in proximity to Rodia. Without a place to sit, turbulence was having its crude way with Elsa and even Anna to a degree. The eldest sibling tightened her grip on the handhold as her legs weakened. Sweat soaked her forehead as she belched nauseously.

"It helps if you keep your eyes open," Frost suggested to her. "You'll get dizzier if you don't see what's happening. Just try to focus on one thing." Elsa nodded and stared at her wobbling knees. "Any words of inspiration for the boys?" Frost asked the Jedi masters.

Mattias' head perked up as he noticed the clones turning to him. "Well," he began. "Keep in mind what it is we're here to do. With serving the Republic comes a set of responsibilities beyond the war. Now I know that's what you all trained for. I just got back from Kamino myself, but we need to show patience and compassion here. There's going to be a lot of tension and death, but it's not coming from an enemy force this time. Keep that in mind when handling this crisis. The blasters in your hands are a privilege you must carry with respect. On a battlefield against droids, they are a matter of victory and survival. Here, they're just part of your uniform."

"As much as your code is appreciated," Commander Surge butted in. "I don't need you getting my men killed. Those blasters are all they have if there's a full scale riot."

"There's not going to be a riot," Yelena jumped to Mattias' defense. "We're here to make sure things don't escalate that far, commander."

"Forgive me if I'm not so confident in you," Surge retorted. "You'll likely have no problem forgiving me if your responsible for teaching this one." He gestured to Elsa and an argument sparked within the cabin.

Elsa shrunk as Frost raised his voice over everyone's debating. "You are out of line, commander!" he said with a jab of his finger.

"I lost one-hundred and eighty men, corporal!" Surge growled. "The second company was blasted to bits on Hoth and what was this Jedi doing? I didn't see that saber swing once!"

"She's a Padawan," Yelena said. "My Padawan and I will not allow you to hold her to the standards of a Jedi General."

"If she's in a warzone, she needs to be a warrior." Surge asserted. "That's how the Seppies treat their people where the Republic attacks. How am I supposed to see a Jedi on our side?"

Elsa was utterly sick to her stomach as the noise was deafening around her. The voices were a cacophonous, irksome assortment that plagued her senses. She felt her own anger building up as she thought she'd burst. Whether it was sickness or spite, Elsa chose to spew whatever would come forth.

"We saved you!" Elsa snapped. Her voice brayed and bounced off the tightly sealed hatches while everyone silenced. She stared Surge down while combatting her nausea and continued. "And I was scared out of my mind every moment during that attack. It still haunts me to this day because I don't have the luxury of being resistant to combat stress. But Frost and I saved you. He dragged your wounded body out from enemy fire while I protected you both. I didn't need my lightsaber, for my ally was the Force." Elsa steadied herself and wiped the clustering sweat from her brow. "I don't need you to thank me. I'm not looking for your respect. But you need to know that the only reason you're here in this ship, breathing free air to fling as many gripes as you wish...is because Frost and I saved you."

Elsa concluded with a huff and returned to focusing on her feet. As her emotional momentum ceased, a wave of nausea returned to her. Surge hung his head and averted his gaze from the group. His true expression was a mystery behind his visored helmet. The gunship's tempestuous rumble filled the void of awkward silence until Anna broke it. It's bad enough we've had some extra people tag along for this ride, she thought. Things are not going to be tense before we even land on the damn planet. The Padawan withdrew a handheld device from her satchel and powered it up. The other passenger's slowly turned to the peculiar pattering of Anna's finger on a joystick as a game loaded up on her screen. "UTINNI!" a digital voice called.

Anna leaned over to Frost and tilted her device. "Pssst," she whispered. "Corporal. Do you think I should put Mini-Anna in the tooka cat onesie or the porg onesie?"

Frost seemed honestly confused. "Um...What is this?"

"It's Jawa Crossing," Anna explained. "Don't put too much thought into it."

Frost chuckled and pointed towards the screen. "This one," he answered.

"I like the cat better, too." Anna said and gave Elsa a nudge. "What do you think?"

Elsa clenched her stomach with her free hand. "I think I'm gonna lose it if we don't-" Humidity filtered in through the gunship's hatches as the light of a sunrise crept through. "-land?"

"We're on approach for Japur City!" the pilot announced.

"Alright," Surge sighed. "Check your helmets, boys. As long you've got boots on the ground, your 'sun bonnet' stays on."

Frost reached into an overhead compartment and pried open a medkit. He withdrew several face components and passed them to the Jedi. "Keep these face masks on at all times," he said.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Yelena assured while equipping hers.

Elsa examined the peculiar component in her hands. Thick fibers meshed with sturdy plastoid to form a sleek, tactical face mask. She pressed it to her face as the back straps easily buckled into place. The women tied their hair into buns while Frost distributed gloves and goggles. For a brief moment, Elsa and Anna looked to one another in disbelief. They examined each other's obscured faces as their perilous reality sunk in. A solemn nod between the sisters affirmed what they were in for. Whether Anna wanted to admit it or not, she was glad she had company on the mission. As the gunship's hatch slid open, nothing could prepare the girls for what they'd witness.

When the transport slowed its descent, the passengers glimpsed Rodia's vast swamps and rainforests. The beauty of such expansive greenery was short-lived as several pits had been dug out through the soil. Rows of tightly wrapped shapes lay flat as Rodians could be seen unloading more. A new form of discomfort arose within Elsa. It was one born of dread and loss, which tugged at her senses until she felt like crying. "Master," she uttered. "Is that..."

"It's a mass grave," Yelena grieved. "May those who have passed find their way through the living Force." She gently rubbed Elsa's back. "Steady yourself, Padawan. The Rodians need a Jedi's comfort. Take the grief your feeling and trust in the hope we're bringing. We may not be able to fix this, but we can still make a difference."

Elsa swallowed hard and offered a nod. She averted her eyes from the gravesite while Anna looked on. "Kriff," was all she whispered as more vehicles arrived at the site. Her imagination ran rampant with the thought of how many other Rodians had fallen victim to the plague. The sun glistened through Japur's domed casing as its gates opened for the approaching gunships. The morning streets of one district were emptied with the exception of a few Rodian officials. A separate district seemed overcrowded and several inhabitants could be seen pointing up to the gunships. The pilot landed in an assembly area where the group was met by Rodian medics.

"Let's move!" Surge ordered and was the first to step off. Troopers worked to unload supplies while Elsa helped them with the Force.

Before disembarking, Anna handed her game to the clone pilot in the cockpit. "Here," she muttered. "Knock yourself out." He was left to hold Jawa Crossing while she left.

Yelena stepped towards a decorated Rodian adorned in a yellow cloak. While a face mask protected her snout, her bulbous eyes remained exposed. "Thank you so much for coming, Master Jedi." she said. "I am Governor Pril Stada. On behalf of Senator Farr and all of Rodia, we greatly appreciate the Republic's support. Being alone out here in the Outer Rim has proven difficult as our resources are limited to combat this virus."

"We're here to help in any way that we can," Yelena assured. "We have a substantial amount of supplies, including food for the people of Japur. I assume the city is currently under lockdown."

Governor Stada nodded. "We're trying to keep quarantine as efficient as possible, but the city's populace is restless. I fear these desperate times have gotten the best of them."

"Well food rationing is a start," Yelena assured. "Commander Surge," she ordered. "Let's get a distribution center established in front of this assembly area. Mayor, have your districts report here in an orderly fashion to receive supplies." Yelena's Consular instincts manifested as she remained cool-headed with so many eyes on her. "Mattias, you and I will be guiding people in. Anna, Elsa...work with Corporal Frost. Whatever he needs, you get it done by yesterday. Let's move. Before we know it, this place will be bustling and we'll think we have it under control."

Following Yelena's orders, everyone rushed off to perform their designated tasks. Tables were set up beside supply crates as clones formed a wall between the two. Frost mostly utilized Elsa and Anna for their Force abilities to prevent people from having to touch areas they didn't have to. Before anyone knew it, civilians were on their way. The first districts to arrive did so calmly. "Good morning," Mattias welcomed them. "On behalf of the Republic and the Jedi Order, we thank you for your patience and cooperation."

Mayor Stada's staff set up posts between the rationing tables and the incoming crowd. Yelena pointed to it and said, "Please remain at these markers until you are called to our tables. We are going to accommodate you all as quickly and as efficiently as possible."

While some Rodians graciously applauded, others simply walked up when beckoned. Elsa observed their tired, dreary faces and sighed. "I sense their pain, master." she said.

"I do too," Yelena lamented. "It's a shame that there are still so many Rodians that lack protective equipment. And that could be for a number of reasons. Whether it's a lack of accessibility or an unfortunate disregard for the situation at hand." Elsa gasped upon hearing a Rodian cough in the crowd. Those around him shuddered away and he flinched at their insults. Elsa shook her head at the sight and started to make for one of the crates. "Wait," Yelena said. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting that man a mask," Elsa said.

"No," Yelena intoned. "He'll have his turn to get one when he gets called up. Remember what I said about fear? This crowd might seem orderly in this moment of hope, but it only needs a single push to teeter into chaos. Giving him a mask before it's his turn disrupts the already fragile system we've established."

Elsa was taken aback by her master's answer. "But what if he's sick?"

Yelena's eyes widened and she shushed her. "The same is true for what you say, Padawan. One wrong word and this crowd turns into exactly what Surge warned of. Just trust me." Elsa relented and continued to observe the Rodians.

Anna had finished securing one of the posts when a toy slug fell beside her feet. She peered down at the plush as a Rodian toddler cried, "Kwa-kwa!"

Her mother tried to keep her calm and smiled nervously. She spoke in broken portions of Galactic Basic. "So sorry. Is hers."

"Kwa-kwa!" the child wailed for her toy. Anna smirked and reached for the plush. She almost grabbed it until paranoia got the best of her. Even though Anna was wearing gloves, she still used the Force to levitate the toy slug and bring it to its child. Anna's confident demeanor faded as she observed the Rodian mother's reaction.

While her child was overjoyed that this magician had recovered her toy, her mother scowled. "We not sick," she asserted. "You...can touch." She angrily gestured to her hand. "Respect us," she demanded.

Anna departed with a huff and returned to the rationing crates. What the heck was her problem? she thought. So what if I'm overly cautious. It's not like this virus kills people or anything. She's lucky we came to help.

"Maybe this is payback," Surge muttered beside Anna. She glanced at him as he crossed his arms. "The rodies betrayed the Republic, you know."

"I don't actually," Anna admitted.

"I heard a story from the 41st Elite Corps," Surge said. "Commander Gree and his men responded to a captured senator here. You see, Senator Bug-face Farr put on an act for Senator Amidala. He betrayed her to the Separatists and a rescue operation had to be launched. Sure, relations have quelled since then, but I don't like to forget something like that. People don't just change. Maybe this virus is some kind of karma against their betrayal. That's something you Jedi believe in right?"

Anna bit her lip beneath her mask. "I don't think so."

Surge sighed. "Well I believe we're here to help because they need us. Good soldiers follow orders and I go where they send me. But I wouldn't trust a single one of these greenies for a second. We're offering a hand and it's only a matter of time before they take the whole arm. I mean, what the hell is Rodia contributing to the war effort?"

"Well," Anna thought. "There's...I don't know."

"Exactly. Bunch a bug-faced greenies on a hopeless rock if you ask me. There's not even a cure for this thing, so I wouldn't hold out much hope for them. They're just looking for handouts." Anna scoffed and he looked over. "Am I wrong?"

Anna huffed. "No, you're just...very different." She thought about how Blazer would act if he were put in command of the operation. That got her wondering what part of the galaxy he would get sent off to. Either way, hearing a clone speak so negatively about other species or even her sister earlier made her further realize how unique they were. Unlike droids, clones thought for themselves...in the best and worst ways.

Mattias oversaw a Rodian pair as they approached a rationing table. One of the governor's translators was present to help the family feel comfortable speaking to clones. "This is Roso and his sister Woshi," the translator explained. "Their parents were far too weak to make the journey here."

The trooper examined his datapad and then looked to the siblings. Knowing they couldn't understand him, he mumbled to Mattias. "How do we know they're telling the truth? What if they're trying to get extra?"

Mattias looked into the Rodians' eyes and sensed their fears. He looked beyond their weary gazes to detect the dwindling compassion and desperation present to return home. "They're not lying," Mattias assured. "Give them four rations." The clone wrote off supplies as the Rodians bowed to Mattias. They were astounded when he returned the gesture.

Mattias' smile faltered as he sensed a disturbance from the entrance. He looked across the lines and saw an official dashing over. While he didn't call out for help, urgency was written all over his bright eyes. Mattias motioned to Yelena and they both advanced to investigate.

"Elsa," Yelena intoned. "Stay here."

Yelena and Mattias approached the panting officer as he caught his breath. "We...tried to stop them," he said. "There's just too many."

An uproar echoed from the adjacent stairs as a mob of Rodians marched up. They wore far more haggard garments and had irate faces. Their chants and hollers were enough to prompt gasps and cease ration distribution. "That's a lot of upset citizens," Mattias whispered.

"We can do this," Yelena reassured both him and herself.

A pale green Rodian led the raucous crowd and they halted with a raise of her hand. "We're here for our rations," she said. Her entourage eagerly howled in response.

"I understand," Yelena said calmly. "The Republic is distributing supplies systematically one district at a time, Miss-"

"Ledai," she answered.

A massive titan of a Rodian snorted beside the woman. His biceps were like scaly, green trunks the size of Yelena and Mattias' heads. He towered over them and stood at least seven feet tall. The hulking, maskless Rodian spouted off in his language while staring spitefully at Mattias. "I agree, Big G." The mob's leader said. "Gapu here detects some favoritism. I don't think it's a coincidence that the wealthier, more privileged districts were picked first."

Yelena and Mattias had to think quickly to diffuse the situation. "I assure you," Mattias said. "There is more than enough supplies for everyone."

"We don't mind waiting," Ledai insisted. "We'll stand right here. The whole lot of us."

Yelena opted for honesty as she said, "We didn't bring all of the rations on our first trip but-"

Ledai didn't permit her to finish and threw her hands to the crowd. "You hear that? There isn't enough to begin with! Left behind to rot before and after the virus! I never thought the Jedi would support that kind of system. But maybe that's just how all you hoo-mies are." Gapu mouthed off again. "Exactly, Big G. No surprise considering how they treat each other."

Yelena remained tranquil and focused on her breathing. She concentrated on her connection with the Force to block out Gapu's intimidating snorts. There was no need to turn the argument into a defense about humanity. Once she found her center, she gently answered. "What I was going to say was the rest of our supplies is on the ship orbiting Rodia."

"Sure it is," Ledai jeered. "You think you're the first one to lie to our faces?"

As the situation intensified, Elsa noticed a Rodian in line eyeing the supply crates. She sensed his rising anxieties and watched sweat trickle from his temple. She spotted the weight constantly shifting between his heels and said, "Sir. For your safety, please stay in line." He sighed as Elsa continued to monitor her master's predicament. Frost was slowly stepping towards the center for a closer look while watching the line grow worried.

On the opposite side, Surge had seen enough. "Wait here," he ordered Anna and gripped his rifle. Remembering what Blazer had taught her, Anna's heart sank when she noticed Surge's finger switch the gun's safety off. The commander trudged over to meet the mob as Yelena and Mattias tried to maintain peace. Anna's hand slowly slid towards her hip. As each outburst echoed from the mob, Anna's fingers started to wrap around her lightsaber.

"Please," Yelena implored. "There is a great suffering right now against a nearly unseen foe. Further division among ourselves isn't going to help. You must see this."

"We do," Ledai assured. "But you have to understand that not all of us have much time left, offworlder. We're trying to save who we can in the lower, impoverished districts. Some of these people in line can afford to miss work while rations for them are a bonus. For us, they are a last hope. We don't have an extra few hours to make it through starvation. Maybe you were misinformed, but we need rations now. The others can wait." The mob hollered in agreement as Yelena looked to Mattias.

"Let us confer with the other districts," Mattias said. "It's only fair and we will establish a system."

An idea emerged in Yelena's mind as she added, "We'll alternate. Set up a new line across from this one and we'll switch off, taking groups from each district. The process will be slower, but we'll get everyone what they need until the resupply-"

"No deal!" Ledai shouted. "We're done getting dealt the bad hand. Step aside."

As the mob's fury intensified, Gapu stomped towards Mattias. The Jedi stood his ground as Gapu jabbed a stocky, green digit in his face. While the Rodian cursed Mattias out, Surge squeezed between them with his blaster at the ready. "That's enough!" the commander barked. "You want rations? Get in line!"

"Stay that blaster, commander!" Mattias ordered. His efforts to quell the situation no longer mattered. The crowd was focused on Surge's act of hostility and countless Rodians were hurling slurs at him.

Gapu didn't back down and snarled down at Surge. "Gimme an excuse, bug-face!" the clone jeered. An empty can was hurled from the back of the mob and clunked against Surge's helmet. This prompted several other Rodians to throw objects while Yelena turned to Ledai. The group's leader simply shrugged as if the conflict was inevitable.

"Mattias," Yelena called. "Get the commander out of here." While Mattias fought to pull Surge away, no one in the mob restrained Gapu. Yelena threw her empty hands up towards the advancing mob and exclaimed. "We have to be better! This can and will be resolved!" Thanks to Surge's impulsive action, her words were drowned out by the mob's rising rage. Though she appeared calm, Yelena's breaths were hastening and her hands were stiffening. Sparking a lightsaber solidified an act of violence, so she kept her palms open in an effort to de-escalate the situation. Mattias arms were throbbing from hauling Surge back. Elsa's mouth ran dry as she constantly swallowed. Anna had lost feeling in her hand from death-gripping her lightsaber hilt, waiting for the moment to activate.

Betwixt the increasing hostilities, Roso and Woshi tried to slip out with the rations they were given. "Where do they think they're going?" Ledai pointed to the siblings and several other supplied Rodians. With a unanimous roar, the mob shifted directions like a predatory swarm. Roso and Woshi hugged each other as Gapu loomed over them. The titanic Rodian reached for their rations while other civilians were tackled. While Mattias worked to stop the mob alongside Yelena, he was no longer keeping an eye on Surge.

The commander charged straight for Gapu just as he stole Roso and Woshi's rations. "No!" Mattias shouted amidst the chaos as Surge took aim at Gapu's head. His words did nothing to stop the raging commander as his finger nestled on the trigger. The lumbering Rodian was quicker than expected and snatched Surge's rifle. He forced it up as Surge fired wildly into the sky. Blasterfire sent the populace into mass hysteria as posts collapsed. Adults ducked for cover as children cried over splintering boards. Elsa lost sight of her master as the Rodian's in line made an all out sprint for the supply crates.

"Stop!" Elsa shouted haplessly as if anyone could hear anything. She tried to Force-push the group, or even create a barrier...but the franticness of it all kept her from focusing. Elsa looked to the supply crates and watched the clones stationed there bracing for impact. "No no no!" Elsa panicked after witnessing a trooper bash his rifle into a Rodian's torso.

"Get back!" the clone ordered. He struck another Rodian in the head while other troopers flipped rationing tables over for barricades.

"Stun them if you have to!" Frost shouted. He fired indiscriminately into the approaching assailants. Blue circles spiraled from his blaster as those caught in the shots went limp. "But no one fires a laser!"

Elsa heard a Rodian mother screaming while clutching her infant. Several other civilians were prying rations from her arms with no regard for the child she was protecting. Elsa dashed over and concentrated a Force push on the assailants. She then helped the woman and child towards the nearest exit. "Keep your heads down!" Elsa warned. "Go!"

From the moment the mob swarmed, Anna had sparked up her lightsaber. Her finger had been dancing on the switch long enough that it had grown itchy. She swung her vibrantly blue blade across approaching Rodians to push them back and made her way to the mob's epicenter. Those with rations tried to make a run for it, but many were met by the mob. Yelena and Mattias focused on Force-pushing the most hostile Rodians and worked their way down. Mattias' eyes widened when he noticed an entire ration crate being hauled down the stairs. "Is that what I think it is?" he panted.

"Just let them have it at this point," Yelena huffed. "A chunk of the crowd is going with them."

Gapu wrestled for Surge's rifle throughout the mayhem. Surge repeatedly kicked at the Rodian's thick abdomen, but it barely harmed him. He headbutt the Rodian in an attempt to stun him. Green blood seeped from Gapu's wide eyes and snout...more blood than Surge's headbutt would've yielded. Gapu wiped his face and angrily glared at the blood coating his hand. Further enraged, he kicked Surge hard enough to send him flying back. When Surge hit the ground, he tasted and smelled the worst thing he could on a disease-ridden world...the open air. The clone's eyes widened as he watched his helmet roll away into a crowd of shuffling feet and collapsed bodies. By the time he sat up, his face met a devastating right hook. Gapu's punch was so strong, Surge was knocked unconcious in one hit. The Rodian scavenged his blaster and prepared to shoot the commander when Anna leapt from above. With a rapid swing of her lightsaber, she severed the rifle's barrel. Anna kicked Gapu in the chest, and initially believed her strike had done little damage. After all, her opponent was twice her size. However, Anna raised a brow as Gapu seemed to stagger. More blood fled his eyes as an atrocious cough emanated from his quivering snout. He could barely keep himself upright as he stumbled towards Anna. Suddenly, Gapu collapsed into a series of violent convulsions. Realizing what was occurring, Anna backed away and dragged Surge to safety.

As rations depleted, so too did the amount of aggressors. Many Rodians had fled the scene while Frost and those beside him stunned any remaining attackers. An eerie, filtered gust passed through the ravaged crates. Torn ration packets and emptied canisters rolled against the floor. Groans from the various wounded emanated across the assembly area. "213th!" Frost called when Surge didn't. "Regroup on me!"

Several clones hobbled over. One could be heard patching a call back to the Haven. "This is CT-1109 requesting immediate assistance. We need reinforcements. I repeat. We need reinforcements."

"Elsa?" Yelena worried as she limped over. "You alright?"

"Shaken up," Elsa admitted. "But I'll manage. Where's Anna?"

Pieces of debris shuffled beside them as a Rodian's hand twitched beneath. "H-help," a woman uttered.

"Governor Stada!" Yelena gasped. She, Elsa, and several civilians who'd stayed behind helped to pull her free. The governor emerged with multiple scrapes and bruises running across her temples.

"They'll pay for this," a Rodian cursed.

"Who?" Stada countered. "Our own people? These are painful...confusing times. I need rest. Now is the time to recover, and we'll figure this out." While Yelena beckoned a clone medic over, Elsa looked across the destruction. She spotted Mattias surveying the scene where Gapu had died.

"By the Force," he whispered grievously upon viewing the Rodian's sickly face.

"Medic!" Anna screamed.

"Sis?" Elsa realized. "Where are you?" she called back. Anna's faint figure could be seen hunched beneath the collapsed awning where she'd sought shelter. She used the Force to lift the veil and found Anna cradling Commander Surge.

"Hurry!" Anna exclaimed. "He's badly wounded."

It took the rest of the day, but Admiral Taka was able to send enough units to establish a full command center in Japur city. Medical droids had to completely scrub down the assembly area while construction units set up a durasteel wall around the perimeter. While Elsa felt there was enough of a crisis going on to not voice her concerns, she couldn't help but feel like the same ironic scenario was playing out. The Republic was here to help, and yet now they were building a fortified outpost with walls.

"Chancellor Palpatine," she remembered Senator Ryx Finc saying. "My people grow restless as more bases are built to house your war machines. In the past month, we've seen two additional garrisons get deployed in our capital alone. Whatever protection the Republic speaks of is seeming more like an occupation."

How Elsa wished Surge had never escalated the situation. Perhaps the chaos would've been avoided. Then again, hostilities were already on the rise. By nightfall, all Elsa could do was set up her sanitized sleeping bag in their designated quarters. It felt liberating to remove her protective gear after being deemed clean by a droid scanner. She slipped into a set of grey, Republic-issue pajamas and joined the others. "Is this what normal people wear?" Elsa joked.

"More or less," Mattias quipped as he tried to get comfortable. His spinal cybernetic prevented him from resting peacefully on the sleeping bag.

"Here," Anna said. "Take my pillow. I can't sleep." She stood up and reached for her cleaned Jedi robes.

"Where are you going?" Yelena asked.

"I'm gonna check on the commander. He's pretty banged up."

"Let him rest, Anna." Mattias insisted. "You did your part by saving him. By the Force, now you and Elsa have both rescued his behind."

Anna bit her lip as thoughts of Blazer crossed her mind. "I just need to see how he's doing. He shouldn't be alone."

"Okay," Mattias replied. "Just know if you leave the room, you'll have to be sanitized all over again."

Anna accepted that condition and bid her fellow Jedi good night. She redressed, equipped her protective gear, and traversed the base's halls. When she reached the medbay, she was surprised to see Surge's location had shifted. "Excuse me," Anna asked the nearby medical droid. "Where's the commander?"

"CT-2802 was moved into an isolation chamber," the droid replied. "We are currently monitoring his vitals through the use of quarantined units."

"Isolation?" Anna asked. Her eyes widened as realization gripped at her from within. She remembered watching Gapu bleed and die right in front of her. "Oh kriff," she uttered. "Where is this chamber?"

Based on the droid's provided directions, Anna dashed down to the designated room. There she found a thick screen of glass prohibiting her from entering the chamber. Commander Surge sat in a partial daze and was coughing profusely. While several droids hovered around him, the clone glanced at Anna and nodded. His fatigued hand pressed a switch on his bed's chair and his voice came through a speaker. "I have it, don't I?" he croaked. Anna could't find the words to reply as his sigh became a cough. "You don't have to say anything. I see it in your eyes. I saw it in his eyes. When they bled onto his hand...when those knuckles punched me...That was it."

"No it's not it!" Anna snapped as she pressed on her side's intercom. "You're still here."

"Quit dreaming, Jedi." Surge muttered between breaths. "There's no cure for this thing."

"Not yet," Anna assured. "You just have to hang in there."

"Don't be so naive. This world will...tear you to pieces if you are." Surge coughed until the droids applied an assisted ventilator. "We trusted the greenies. We tried to do it their way. Look where that got us...got me." Despite his ailment, Surge faintly smiled and cackled. "From what I heard, you pulled me out of that mess though. Saber swinging and all...Maybe next time you can come a little sooner, eh?"

Anna didn't take too kindly to his jeer and stormed out of the room. Guilt clawed at her mind as she considered his words. There was nothing she could do for him, and perhaps she could've been quicker. It all felt like a blur as Anna suddenly wished she'd been satisfied with herself. She wished she'd never argued with Mattias and searched for another mission. As boring as the Jedi Temple sounded, she'd take it over the entrapment and despair she felt on Rodia. As she traversed the halls, there was a brief spike in Anna's senses. It was a peculiar, intriguing, sporadic blurb in her mind that disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

She looked into the shadows where the spike seemed to beckon her and stepped towards the dimly-lit area. The shuffling of metal made her freeze for a moment and she clasped her lightsaber. I'm sure it's nothing, she reassured herself. The base was hastily constructed. Things are probably coming loose. Several patters made Anna furrow her brows. Okay...those were footsteps. She wondered who else was roaming the isolation level and quietly followed the sound.

As she rounded the corner, Anna was surprised to find that the level's alarm panel was powered off. Oddly enough, the rest of the hall had power but the panel showed no signs of being tampered with. In that moment, Anna heard a distinct rustling echo from one of the storage rooms. She shimmied towards it and cautiously poked her head in. An armored figure was hunched over a deactivated medical droid and stuffed its capsulated contents into a container. "Hey!" Anna called out.

The thief quickly threw a smoke bomb to obscure Anna's vision. It then barreled through the doorway and shoved Anna to the floor. "Kriff!" Anna cursed and gave chase. She instinctually wanted to hit the alarm, but remembered it was disabled. "Double kriff!" She sprinted after the armored thief as they slipped through an already severed hole in the wall. Anna barely had time to comprehend how the hole was made and kept up her chase.

As Anna emerged outside, the thief picked up a clone it'd knocked out during infiltration and flung him at her. Anna rolled under the trooper as he clanged against the wall. "Sorry!" she mumbled to his limp body. The thief fired a grappling hook at the durasteel wall and swung to ascend. "Oh no you don't!" Anna shouted. She launched herself off one of the outpost's pillars and tackled the thief. Her momentum combined with the swinging thief sent them both flying over the wall. The two sailed across the night sky and collapsed against a nearby rooftop. Rain pattered across the dome above as Anna heard clones investigating from the base.

"Up here!" Anna tried to say before the thief kicked the wind out of her.

Livid, Anna retaliated with a wild kick of her own that struck the thief's hip. Both combatants put space between each other as Anna ignited her saber. She readied herself in an Ataru stance as her armored foe looked greatly familiar. Anna's eyes widened like those of her opponent's iconic, helmeted eyes. The cyan irises zoomed in on Anna as they too recognized her.

"I don't believe it," Anna said. "It's you."

"Red," the Bug mocked. "Never thought I'd see you this far in the Outer Rim. Or again for that matter. As much I'd like to settle the score, I don't think you'd be much of a challenge without your boyfriend. There's a lot a more at stake here, so stay out of this if you know what's good for you. Last chance to walk away." Anna didn't budge and had no words to trade. The Bug sighed and unclipped a lightsaber from her belt. "Very well then," she said and activated her green blade. Only then did Anna notice the unique inscriptions illuminated on the hilt. If memory from Manaan served Anna correctly, the Bug's new saber had Selkatha words on it.

"Where did you get that?" Anna finally spoke.

"I doubt its master needed it any longer," the Bug countered.

Chaki, Anna recalled and furiously flourished her lightsaber. "Surrender the supplies you stole and that saber!"

"You want it all? Come and get it, Red." the Bug taunted. "Ready for round three?"