The Wolf Pack

Chapter 23

Things seemed to be going according to plan. When we were notified of Vindi's capture at least. T.H. and I had finished booby trapping the northern exit and were now trarting the last sweep of the lab that Master Kenobi had ordered. We were to find and terminate any surviving droids and secure the facility so that the GAR could seize the lab's assets. Everything had been going smoothly, until someone reported one last capsule missing. A capsule that contained the virus.

Senator Amidala informed us that Vindi had given it to a droid and that it most likely still had it. So the entire place was placed on lockdown. Comms were alive with chatter and new orders were being relayed down the chain of command. Every hatch was secured, the corridors to those that had been blown up in our attack were sealed, and within less than two minutes, the entire facility was closed off to the galaxy. And most of our troops were still inside. As soon as everything was closed, a tremor shook the entire place and knocked a lot of us off balance. The droid had set off the bomb.

The laboratory's safety measures kicked in and blast doors started to close down on safety rooms. I yelled at my partner to run for the nearest one, but we were right in the middle of the facility and all safety rooms were at least three corridors away. We run anyway. All around us doors were being closed and the feeling of being chased by an unbeatable enemy grew as we grew closer to the nearest safety room.

When we rounded the corner, Senator Amidala and Representative Binks were running through the threshold as well. The door closed down on the safety room as the Senator turned and saw us, eyes wide in surprise and desperation. We were locked out. Behind us, a wave of blue smoke approached with the speed of a Kaminoan wave. I put my mask on as fast as I could and turned the filter on for toxins before T.H and I were swallowed by it. It was ironic, such a deadly and unstoppable virus that closed in on you with the ferocity of facing your worst fears; but when you closed your eyes, it felt like a warm summer breeze on the skin -soft, tender, loving.

"Please tell me your helmet filters toxins as well as smoke." I begged my partner without turning to face him.

He didn't answer. He didn't have to.

Comms went wild with activity, superiors checking in with their troops, making sure the dignitaries were alive, trying to confirm the virus had been contained. I took the built in earpiece out of the comms device attached to my left forearm and put it on. I didn't want anyone listening in. Not when I knew what would come next. The device in my ear beeped with an incoming message.

"Commander Foreas." I said.

"Kriari, thank the Force, are you okay?" said the voice of my master.

He sounded worried. I didn't blame him, we both knew what this meant.

"T.H. and I didn't make it to the safe room. Clone helmets don't filter toxins, and while mine does, I'm not sure it can filter the Blue Shadow virus.," I told him honestly. "We will hunt down the remaining droids, but Master you need to leave-"

"I don't want to hear it, young one." he interrupted. His voice was strained, like even considering leaving me -all of us- here hurt him physically. "Anakin and I will find a cure."

"Master you need to consider that you won't be able to-"

"I am not leaving you there to die on your own, Kriari. I couldn't live with it, and I'm pretty sure I would have two battalions mutineering if I tried." He tried to joke.

I thought about the Pack, about my friends so many systems away, somewhere on the other end of the galaxy, waiting for me to return.

"If I do die here, it won't be your fault, Master. I want you to know that." I said. "Say you understand."