A Soldier's Secret

Part 13

It was worse than we thought. These things had three mouths, and all three had bitten her at once. A strange dark ooze was leaking from the bite marks, and Ahsoka said it stung as she wiped it away.

"We don't know how many of these bugs are on the ship" I concluded "But we know they most likely knocked out the power and backup systems, and they're hostile"

"Definitely hostile" She agreed "I don't know if we can get the power online. But we're stuck and need help. Are the communications working?"

"No idea. We should try the power first." I said, and she nodded

"Dam, these bites sting" She grimaced, and we moved deeper into the ship again, this time equipped with flashlights. 

The bugs were skittering everywhere, along the walls and floors, through the walls, jumping out from the vents. I shot as many as I could, and Ahsoka cut a few. But no matter how many we killed, five more fled from us and into the wiring. 

"Goddammit! These things are too damn fast" I cursed and dodged one that leapt at me. 

"We're not going to be able to reach the generator" Ahsoka said "We'd better focus on getting the comms online" We started on our way back to the cockpit, and Ahsoka was bitten again. My armour protected me, but she didn't have armour. 

She sat down and wiped the black ooze from her arm as I worked on getting the communication online. By the time I had a weak signal, Ahsoka was falling asleep

"It's so stuffy in here," She said, and her eyes drooped closed

"Commander?" I asked. I knew why she was falling asleep. We were going to run out of oxygen. It was getting stuffy, and we didn't have long

I worked frantically at the comms, and it opened "Hello?" I asked

"Cedar?" It was Skywalker "What's happening?"

"Stupid bugs knocked out the power. Commander Tano got bitten, and she hasn't woken up," he said a few commands to someone else "We were knocked out of hyperspace about an hour ago. And with the power down, we're going to run out of air. I don't know when, but I can say it won't be long" I sighed, and then the connection flickered and nearly died. It came back, but it knocked me to the reality that I was going to lose my chance "The last reading we got said somewhere in the-" It flickered again "In the Belgary system-" A bug bit my leg, and I stopped talking to shoot it. More jumped to my exposed leg, and I nearly lost the signal as I tried to fend them off. 

"Do you know which sector?" Skywalker asked

"Somewhere near sector 4-" the line flicked dead as more bugs swarmed me and Ahsoka. I grabbed her, and dashed out the door, closing it, and the bugs, behind us.

I put her in the chair, hearing the weak breaths she took. I felt nauseous, and my leg throbbed, along with my head. I peeled away my armour and saw the plentiful amount of oozing black bit marks. I was thoroughly doomed, at this point. The best I could do was keep Ahsoka safe. I got up, determined to take as many bugs down with me as I could, but my leg gave out, and my vision went black before I hit the floor.