Consequences

Chapter 30 - Arrival

An alarm suddenly starts blaring just as we're on our way back to Tup's room, causing us to pause in our tracks.

"I will go investigate what's happening," Shaak Ti states.

I nod. That's probably better. "I'll go to Tup's room. Considering the circumstances, someone better be with him at all times," I tell her. She hurries along down the hall, and I take off running for Tup's room. Somehow, I have the feeling that we're going to find something there. Something feels... off.

I dart up to Tup's room, dodging past the people hurrying through the halls and open the door before stepping into the room to see... what in the world is going on in here? Fives is standing near Tup's bed, and the medical droid from earlier is in the middle of operating on his head. Fives instantly whirls around towards the door, a nearly panicked expression on his face. Clearly, he's decided to do some investigating on his own. The only question is what he found out.

"What's going on here?" I ask, hastily closing the door before someone can get a look inside.

"The droid has found a tumor in Tup's brain," he explains, "We operated to remove it." He looks over at the droid. "Is it done?"

"It is now," it responds, holding out a chip-like object. I knew it. There's nothing else that could be except... some sort of chip with pre-programmed orders.

Just then, the doors behind us slide open again and the doctor strides into the room. Great. "What have you done?!" she demands, marching over to us.

"We've saved my friend's life," replies Fives, turning towards her, "This tumor is the cause of his illness!"

"Give me that!" she exclaims, grabbing it and trying to yank it from his grasp. If that isn't suspicious...

"Enough," I say flatly, "Give that to me. Under orders of the Jedi Council, I will investigate this myself." Without waiting for a response, I pull it away from the battling pair, ignoring her shrieks.

The door opens again, and Shaak Ti enters with a group of clones.

"I found the evidence we were looking for," I announce, "We know what caused it, though we don't know how."

"We shall examine it," replies Shaak Ti, when a sudden movement from Tup draws everyone's eyes to him. He's woken up. Fives scrambles over to him. Tup begins speaking, but he's too quiet for me to make out what he's saying.

"What is he saying?" demands the Jedi Master.

"Brother, what mission?" presses Fives, ignoring her question. I tense. So, Tup knows now, what the reason for this is. Probably because he doesn't have his chip anymore.

"You... you know the one," he gasps out, "The mission, the one in our dreams, that never ends... the one in our dreams... Oh, Brother, this is the end. Forget the mission. Oh, the nightmare... I'm free." He suddenly goes limp, and completely still. The monitors next to his bed flare to life, beeping the news that he's dead.

"No... no," Fives moans, "I thought I saved him." He did save him. I'm sure of it. Tup didn't die because the chip was removed. I think – though I have no way to prove – that he died because before we came in here, the Kaminoans injected him with something. It's the only real explanation.

"We must inform the Council and Chancellor of this new turn of events," Shaak Ti remarks.

I stiffen. "Now?" The Council better let Anakin and Obi-Wan come the rest of the way here. Us three need to investigate this ourselves. I can't shake the distinct feeling that Sidious ordered Tup killed in the hopes no one would find out what the problem was. It's likely he did.