The in Between || A Star Wars Story

Chapter 7 - Contaminated

Kennedy was helping the clones clean up and gather evidence in the room when a clone called her over. "Commander, Senator, you should see this. It's one of the virus bombs."

"It looks like the chamber that holds the virus is missing," Padme said.

"A droid must have taken it."

"Sound the alarm," Kennedy ordered. Her thoughts ran a mile a minute. She let that droid escape and now it was running loose with the virus.

Padme handed her a protective suit, "Put this on, quickly." They hear a loud explosion and the doors to the room slam shut as the ground shakes below them.

Kennedy turned on her comm link, "Master, can you hear me?"

"Kennedy, I hear you. Are you alright?"

"Yes, for the time being. Senator Amidala, Representative Binks, and I were in a safety chamber when the alarm went off. We're wearing protective suits."

"The virus is loose, but Ahsoka has sealed off the entire facility."

"Yes, but any remaining droids will try to break out. I'll do what I can to stop them."

"Be careful young one."

She switched her com link to another channel, "Ahsoka. Ahsoka, can you hear me?" Silence. "Ahsoka?" 

"Kennedy, we're trapped in the safe room at the end of complex 'B'"

She motioned for everyone to follow her and they opened the door and started running, "We'll be right there." She paused, "Are you contaminated?"

"I'm afraid so."

Kennedy's face dropped with dread but she quickened her pace. She ignored the blue vapor around her and she gunned it to get to Ahsoka. They're soon met with remaining droids throughout the halls and they had to sneak around them. She heard droids talking in the distance and shuffled against the wall. It was taking some time to get across the facility.

"Kennedy where are you?" Ahsoka asked over her com link.

"We're right outside your safety room." They all came up to the door. Kennedy looked through the blue smoke, trying to spot the control panel. "Can you get the door open?"

"Go ahead Jar Jar," Padme said. He opened the door to see Ahsoka and a group of clones standing there waiting for them.

Kennedy rushed over to hug Ahsoka. "I'm sorry." She noticed her eyes were becoming bloodshot and she heard the clones around them coughing.

"Don't worry about us. We still have a job to do."

"There aren't very many droids left. We saw some heading toward the south entrance."

Ahsoka straightened her posture, "As long as we're able, we'll help you destroy those droids before they breach the compound."

Kennedy nodded. "You take the north border, and we'll take the south."

They crept their way through the tunnels, and they heard a drilling in the distance.

"The droids are close, they're cutting through the wall," Padme said.

~

Kennedy rounded the corner and ignited her lightsaber, alerting the droids to their presence. "Stay behind me Senator," she shouted over her shoulder. The clones and droids fired back and forth as Kennedy perfect reflected oncoming fire.

"Stop, don't open that hatch," Captain Rex ordered the droid.

"Ha! Too late," it responded. Before it could reach up to the hatch, the clones fired up into the opening where the blaster bolts ricocheted around and eventually hit the droid. Kennedy smiled as it fell to the ground.