The Clone's Hero (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Sick (Interlude)

You can tell how much you mean to someone on how they treat you when you're sick

Steele was not feeling well. He hasn't been feeling well since boarding the destroyer for Agamar. And that feeling grew worse since landing.

But he decided to hide it.

"Let's get the base set up!" Aliyah announced upon arrival.

Everyone worked together to put up the tents, the bunkers, and move equipment from the ship to the Planet's ground. Steele tried to hide his unwellness by keeping to one spot.

But eventually, he was called by his general for a quick strategy overview meeting.

Aliyah was on a call with some of the Council members. She looked up to see Steele stumbling towards her.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Despite his sense of balance getting increasingly worse, Steele nodded. "Yeah. Cough. I'm fine..."

The ground tilted to one side. Before Steele knows it, he fell to the ground.

Aliyah rushed to him.

~~~

The clones of the 304th gathered behind the safety perimeter from the meeting bunker. That's where Steele was currently lying, being treated by a medical droid.

Aliyah was amidst a conversation with the Council. Finalizing her decision with them. "My commander's come down with something. I'm afraid we'll have to postpone this operation until a later time. I don't want the entire legion catching whatever he has."

"Have you told this to the Kaminoans?" Mace Windu asked.

"Yes. They're sending over a separate ship for Steele. And several more for the rest of my men. They're going to be transported off in different divisions."

"Good. As long as that's under control." Mace was relieved. "Don't worry about the operation, we'll send in someone else."

"Alright. Thank you, Master." Aliyah ended the call.

She went over to Steele and the doctor. "How is he?"

"He's running a high fever. But it doesn't seem too serious so far," the droid explained. "Nothing that can't be treated back on Kamino."

"Good. That's good."

Aliyah took a look at her unconscious commander. She wondered why he didn't bother telling her earlier.

~~~

The 304th clones all either sat or stood, waiting for the transport ships to arrive. But they all did so with a radius of 6 feet between them.

Suddenly, one of them coughed.

"Who was that?" Kal hollered.

Compass waved his hand. "Geez, calm yourself, captain. I just choked on a piece of my ration bar. I'm not sick."

"That's what they all say..." Egad said ominously.

Compass fake-sneezed in his direction. All the clones around Egad—and Egad himself—frantically scooted away. Which in turn, caused the clones behind them to do the same.

"Aw, that's disgusting!" Egad grimaced.

"You idiot! Do you think is a joke?" Cleaver spat.

"The commander's actually sick, you know!" Dogma retorted.