Senator and Soldier

Illogical Reasoning

"Mairin thinks they might be at the old apartment building."

"There's nothing but debris there. If they really are there, we'll have to be careful. The smallest movement could bring the entire thing crashing down."

"Why wasn't it demolished already?" Fox spied Clay nearby. He waved and his brother came running. They climbed into a gunship. Fox gripped one of the bars that hung from the ceiling as they soared over Coruscant.

"The process is taking longer than expected. We've been cleaning up what we can from the surrounding areas, as well as moving the people who live nearby. We can't take the building down until the area is secure," General Windu explained.

"That makes sense."

General Windu stroked his chin, thoughtfully. "Once we get there, it's important to find Senator Chuchi first. If she's been poisoned as well, getting her help is our top priority. If we see the attacker with her, two of us can try to apprehend them."

"Mairin said the attacker was Asha, another one of the Senator's handmaidens," Fox said. Clay glanced at him, but stayed silent.

"Well, let's hope we're not too late," General Windu replied.

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Unknown
Riyo Chuchi

Riyo let out another shuddering whimper. Her vision was worse than before. She couldn't make out anything definitive, other than the bugs that had appeared out of nowhere. Her skin crawled, watching them come closer.

The poison seemed to have heightened her senses. She could hear the clicking of their mandibles and the soft patter of their feet. In the distance, Asha's blurry form was watching her. Riyo shivered and tried to push herself farther away from the creatures. They just kept coming. They were climbing onto her now. She managed to scrape her nails down her arms, trying to brush them off, as she lay on the floor.

Her hand fell to the floor and sent a cloud of something into the air. She inhaled and caught the familiar scent of smoke. A thought entered her sluggish mind, suddenly. The old apartments. That's where I am. A muffled roar filled the room.

"Blast it." Asha began moving. A blaster pressed against her temple. "It seems your commander is smarter than I thought. I don't have time to watch you die after all."

Riyo squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blast to come. Instead, she heard voices entering the building. Asha let out a hiss. She dropped down beside Riyo and forced her mouth open. Riyo tried to cry out as Asha dumped a powder down her throat.

"Swallow it or I'll smother you!" Asha growled. Her hand slid over Riyo's nose. She resisted, but Asha pressed her hand down harder. Riyo swallowed and Asha removed her hand. She disappeared from sight. Riyo coughed and felt a thick substance run along her cheek. The metallic taste filled her mouth again. She struggled to keep her eyes open, waiting to be found.

Coruscant: 20 BBY
Old Senate Apartments
Commander Fox

The gunship touched down near the wreckage of the old Senate apartments. The building was little more than a charred shell, now. Beams and wires made up the structure. The four of them jumped out. Fox drew his blasters and saw General Windu slide his lightsaber into his hand.