Consequences

Chapter 30 - Arrival

"There is no reason to wait."

Yes, there is. But she, of course, doesn't see it that way. "Fine," I grumble, "You can tell them, but we need to keep the tumor and investigate it. There is still more to the story we need to find."

"The Council may want to see it themselves now that the clone is dead," she points out.

Oh no. It can't go to Coruscant. If that happens, Sidious likely will demand it taken somewhere to where the Jedi will have no control over it. "We have to keep it ourselves!" I insist, careful to keep my shields up so the Jedi Master doesn't sense anything. Why do they always have to be so... trusting?

"We cannot investigate it on our own," Shaak Ti argues, "Give it to me. I will find a place where someone can look at it and figure out what it is."

What? No way. The Kaminoans can't have it! "Excuse my reluctance, Master Shaak Ti," I state quietly enough that no one will overhear, trying to sound polite while covering my frustration, "I saw the entire galaxy fall apart because the Jedi were too trusting. I don't want this to fall into the wrong hands."

"You forget I am on the Council, young one," she replies, the faintest bit of annoyance creeping into her voice.

My eyes narrow. "I trust you, yes, but I don't know that I trust anyone else on this planet. Except Fives." Well, I suppose I don't trust her at all, but no point in raising that issue.

"I will not let it fall into unsafe hands," she assures me. Sure, you won't. Just as you made sure the galaxy wasn't taken control of by a Sith Lord. I'm two seconds from slamming my head on the wall hard enough to break something, but I can't think of an argument in return. With a frustrated sigh, I hand it over to her.

"I'll be with Fives," I say curtly, "Update me on what the Chancellor and Council decide." There's no way I can be with her when she's talking to the Chancellor. I just might end up blowing up and revealing myself, and we can't have that. I just hope she'll handle the Council properly without me.

I walk over to the door of Five's room – where I know he's waiting – and step inside, closing the door behind me.

"I will not let your brother's death be in vain," I promise him after a long moment, "I will get to the bottom of this."

"Thank you, Commander," Fives says gratefully. "I think we should check to see if I have something like that too." Smart thinking.

"Yes," I nod, "You should. If what I'm suspecting is true, all clones have it. We need to find out."

With the medical droid already being in the room, it only takes a few minutes to complete the operation. Fives gets off the operating table and we turn our attention to the medical droid. "Was it there?" I demand.

"Yes, identical in structure," confirms the droid, "However, it appears that the one I found in your friend had malfunctioned while yours is still perfectly intact." Yes, just as I suspected. The chips are in all the clones.

"I knew it," I mutter worriedly. Now, I just need Shaak Ti to tell me what happened, and Anakin and Obi-Wan need to get here. They better hurry.

"I assume his breakdown was isolated?" asks Fives.

"There is no way of knowing that. And now that we have removed your chip," responds the medical droid, flying over to a lightening up screen, "We do not know what will happen to you."

"So, then I could snap?" questions Fives, turning and crossing the room.

"Possibly, but when we removed the chip from Tup, he died. I am afraid that you may die as well." I do not think that that was what killed Tup, but I decide not to mention it in the presence of the droid.