Chapter 10
They took Ahsoka and Barriss to the medical station aboard a Venator-class Star Destroyer, where their wounds could be properly treated. The masters were still on Geonosis, searching for Poggle the Lesser, so for now, they were left to recover.
"Ahsoka, please sit still. This is going to sting a little," Kix warned before spraying disinfectant on the claw marks on her shoulders.
Ahsoka winced, instinctively pinching her eyes as the cool liquid hit her skin. It burned for a moment before fading, leaving only a dull ache behind. The wounds weren’t deep, and the bleeding had stopped a while ago, but infection was always a risk. Once Kix had finished, he carefully placed two bacta patches over the scratches and gave her a nod.
"You're good to go, Commander."
"Thanks, Kix," Ahsoka muttered before glancing toward the medbay bed where Barriss had been treated. The Mirialan padawan was already fast asleep. Probably a good idea. But Ahsoka preferred sleeping in her own quarters.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out when a soft knock on her door woke her. Groggily, she sat up and stretched before heading to open it. The sight of the person standing outside snapped her fully awake.
"Starshot?" Ahsoka blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"A part of our battalion got reassigned here as backup," the clone explained. "And I’m here to inform you that General Skywalker and General Unduli suggested you and Barriss for a transport mission. I’ve been chosen as your pilot. I sent you all the information you need on your holopad."
Ahsoka nodded, taking in the information as Starshot gave a small salute and excused himself. She turned back into her room and grabbed her holopad, quickly skimming through the details.
Mission Briefing
Transport: Medical supplies
First stop: Ord Cestus
Final destination: Dantooine
Lead: Ahsoka Tano (Padawan), Barriss Offee (Padawan)
Pilot: CC-3658 Starshot
Danger Level:Low
Ahsoka exhaled, relief washing over her. After the chaos of Geonosis, a simple, low-risk transport mission was exactly what she needed. And with Barriss along, it would probably be a peaceful—maybe even fun—assignment.
For once, things were looking easy.
After picking up the remaining clones from Geonosis, their ship leaped into hyperspace. Ahsoka couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the men. They had been through so much, and they could really use a few hours of rest. That's why she allowed the clones to head to their rooms for some much-needed sleep.
Ahsoka turned to Barris. "So, what do we want to do now?"
"I've already slept long enough," Barris replied with a nod. "Yeah, me too. But I could really use something to eat."
"Good idea!" Ahsoka said with a grin. Both Padawans made their way toward the ship's hall, chatting along the way. Ahsoka couldn’t help but think the ship was far too large for a simple transport, but it was what the Council had deemed necessary. The ship was equipped with self-serve fridges, and Ahsoka was delighted to find that they actually had some dried meat. Meat was meat, after all.
As they sat there eating, the doors to the mess hall opened with a soft hiss. "Edge, Ox!" Ahsoka greeted the two clones entering. "Do you want to come and sit with us?"
But the soldiers didn’t respond. Instead, they drew their blasters. Reflexes kicked in, and the Padawans immediately flipped the table they were sitting at, using it as cover.
"What’s wrong with them?" Barris asked, confused.
"I don’t know," Ahsoka replied, her mind racing. "But we need to take them out. Without killing them."
Ahsoka risked a quick look over the table’s edge. The clones were moving around, splitting up—one going left, the other going right. Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber, ready to defend herself.
Dodge and block. That was the plan for now.
With their enhanced agility, Ahsoka and Barris darted around the two clones. Ox and Edge were keeping up surprisingly well, but eventually, Ahsoka managed to get behind Ox. With a swift move, she slammed the back of her lightsaber into his head, knocking him out cold.
"Always wear helmets if you want to fight," Ahsoka muttered under her breath.
Barris had managed to bring Edge to the ground as well, but their victory was short-lived. The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall again. Ahsoka quickly gave Barris a signal, and the two Padawans hid just beside the door, waiting.
As the door slid open, two more clones stepped in. They held their sabers a at the clones throats.
"Woah. Commander, what’s going on?" Trap asked, holding his hands up in surrender.
"That’s what we want to know," Ahsoka shot back, keeping her voice steady. "Ox and Edge just attacked us!"
The two clones looked at each other, clearly confused. "We... we don’t know. We heard loud noises and just wanted to check!" Havoc said.
Ahsoka and Barris stepped back and slowly put their lightsabers away.
"Okay, but put your weapons down," Ahsoka said, still cautious.
The clones hesitated for a moment, but then obeyed, dropping their blasters to the floor. Ahsoka still didn’t trust the situation fully, but the clones appeared genuine. Barris, however, seemed more suspicious. She was deep in thought, eyes narrowed.
"Maybe we should check the bridge," Barris suggested. "Just to make sure we still have control over the ship."
"And what about those two?" Ahsoka motioned to the unconscious clones lying on the floor.
"I can stay here and watch them," Havoc offered, stepping forward.
"Then I’ll stay with you," Barris replied, her tone filled with doubt. She clearly didn’t trust Havoc just yet.
Ahsoka thought for a moment, weighing the options. Splitting up was risky, but she couldn’t think of another choice.
"Fine," Ahsoka said, giving in. "Then me and Trap will go to the bridge."
With that, the two groups separated.
The ship was silent. Too silent.
Ahsoka had allowed Trap to pick up his blaster again, though she kept a careful eye on him as they moved. When they finally reached the bridge, her stomach dropped. It was empty.
Someone had set the ship to autopilot, and the security shields had been activated. Ahsoka rushed to the control panel, fingers flying over the buttons as she tried to override the system. No use. The commands were locked.
R2 could have helped right now…
A soft click behind her made her freeze. Slowly, she turned.
Trap stood there, his blaster raised, aimed directly at her.
Ahsoka barely had time to ignite her saber before the first shot rang out. She deflected it just in time, the green glow of her blade illuminating Trap’s blank, unblinking expression.
"Trap! What’s wrong with you?!" she shouted, trying to get through to him. But he didn’t answer. His finger just squeezed the trigger again.
Ahsoka’s heart pounded. He wasn’t holding back. Every shot came straight for her, precise and deadly. She could dodge, she could block—but she didn’t know how long she could keep this up without risking serious damage to the bridge controls.
She didn’t want to hurt him. She didn’t want to believe that Trap—one of their own—was doing this willingly.
But he wasn’t stopping.
"I'm sorry, Trap," she whispered.
One swift movement. A single strike. Straight through the heart.
Trap’s body crumpled to the floor. Ahsoka barely had time to process what she’d done before something moved.
A slimy, yellow worm slithered from his slightly open mouth, writhing as if searching for a new host.
Disgust and horror surged through her. Without thinking, she sliced the creature in half with her lightsaber. It twitched once, then lay still.
Her breathing was uneven. What was that?!
She didn't know, but one thing was clear—this was no normal attack.
I need help.
Master Kit Fisto was supposed to meet them on Ord Cestus. If she could reach the communications room, she could try to reach out to him. Warn him.
But how?
She had no idea how many more clones had been…infected. If they were anything like Trap, running through the corridors would be suicide.
Her eyes landed on the vents.
That could work.
Using the Force, she yanked the grate loose and climbed inside, pulling it back into place behind her. The metal tunnels were cramped, but she forced herself forward. Just keep moving. Get to the comm room.
She had to be careful. Every sound echoed in the tight space, and the last thing she wanted was to alert the enemy.
As she passed over another vent opening, muffled noises caught her attention. Carefully, she peeked through the grid.
Her blood ran cold.
Barris was there. Two clones held her down, one clamping a hand over her mouth to silence her struggles.
And standing before her was Havoc.
In his hand, wriggling and squirming, was another one of those yellow worms.
Ahsoka's stomach turned as Havoc slowly lowered it toward Barriss' face.
Barriss thrashed, eyes wide with pure terror. She turned her head, trying desperately to escape, but there was nowhere to go.
Ahsoka watched in horror as the worm forced its way into her friend’s nose. Barriss' body stiffened. The fight drained from her in an instant.
Her expression changed from fear—
To nothing.
Ahsoka clenched her fists, forcing down the rising panic.
She was alone now.
She managed to reach the communication room without further incidents.
To her relief, the hologram of Master Fisto flickered to life. The Nautolan Jedi stood with his usual calm expression, though concern flickered in his large eyes.
"Padawan Tano, what can I do for you?"
Ahsoka took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed as she explained everything as quickly and clearly as possible—the strange behavior of the clones, the attack on her and Barriss, the terrifying yellow worms.
"As long as we can’t control them, I think… I think we should quarantine this ship," she finished, trying to keep her voice steady.
Master Fisto seemed deep in thought. His tendrils twitched slightly before he finally spoke.
"I believe I’ve heard of something like this before," he admitted. "But I need to confirm my suspicions. In the meantime, I agree with your assessment. Quarantining the ship is the safest option until we find out how to eliminate these creatures. Hold tight, Padawan. May the Force be with you."
The transmission cut off, leaving Ahsoka alone in the dim blue glow of the comm unit.
She exhaled slowly. Now what?
The best course of action was to wait. But just sitting here, doing nothing, felt wrong. She needed another plan.
Maybe Master Skywalker would have a better idea.
She quickly activated her comlink, fingers tightening around it as she waited. After a few tense seconds, her master's voice crackled through.
"Something wrong, Snips?"
Ahsoka wasted no time explaining the situation, giving him the same rundown she had given Master Fisto. There was a pause on the other end.
"Maybe Poggle knows more about this," Anakin finally muttered.
Ahsoka frowned. "Poggle the Lesser?"
"Yeah. If these things are Geonosian in origin, he might have some answers. I’ll call back when I find out more."
The signal cut.
Ahsoka stared at the device in her hands, then glanced back at the closed door of the comm room.
She was still alone.
Ahsoka waited in the communication room for at least fifteen minutes, every second feeling like an eternity. Her pulse raced as the silence stretched on, but then—footsteps. Light, almost inaudible. She held her breath, hoping that they would just pass by.
But no such luck.
The door to the room burst open, and Ahsoka's heart skipped a beat. She saw the green glow of Barriss’s lightsaber. Without hesitation, Ahsoka ignited her own, using it to block the strike aimed at her. She had no choice but to push forward, making a run for it the first chance she got. She didn’t want to fight Barriss.
Ahsoka heard her friend’s footsteps following close behind. She rounded a corner and pressed the button to close a safety door, momentarily stopping Barriss’s pursuit. It wouldn’t hold her for long, but it would give Ahsoka a few precious seconds.
She darted into the air vents, holding her breath as she watched Barriss slice through the door with ease and step into the corridor below her. Barriss's eyes searched the hallway, scanning for Ahsoka.
But as Barriss seemed to hesitate, Ahsoka’s comlink beeped. She clamped her hand over it, but it was already too late. Barriss had heard it.
Ahsoka crawled faster, pushing herself deeper into the vent while answering the comlink. "It’s the cold, Ahsoka. Those things can’t deal with the cold."
Ahsoka’s eyes widened. She understood. The next step was to reach the bridge again—the control for the air conditioning system was there.
She risked a glance behind her. Barriss was getting closer.
Ahsoka rounded another corner and used the Force to blast open an exit, leaping out with her lightsaber ignited. She looked around quickly, searching for something, anything that could help her. But the only thing she noticed was that she was close to the bridge now.
She didn’t have much time.
As she crossed another hallway, she had to block Barriss’s strike again. The two green sabers clashed, crackling as the light and dark energies met.
"Barris!" Ahsoka called, her voice strained with desperation. "It’s me! Your friend, remember? We destroyed a factory together."
Barris’s eyes flickered, her gaze clouded for a moment.
“We used the tank together," Ahsoka pressed. "We survived because we trusted each other!”
There was a moment of hesitation, a shift in Barris's expression. Ahsoka saw the light return, just a glimmer of recognition.
Taking advantage of the brief opening, Ahsoka made her move. She kicked Barriss hard, causing her to lose her balance.
“Please trust me again this time,” Ahsoka begged, grabbing the grid of the vent with the Force and hurling it at Barriss, pushing her against the wall.
Barris’s body collided with the hard surface with a sickening thud, her form crumpling to the ground.
Ahsoka rushed over to her, checking for a pulse. It was there—steady, strong.
Ahsoka exhaled, a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
"I’ll get us out of here. Alive."
The bridge was still silent, the only sound being the soft hum of the ship’s systems. The clone that had been lying lifeless on the floor remained motionless. Ahsoka stepped to the control panels, her heart racing. She looked at the temperature readings, and saw the lowest setting: -15. She quickly dialed it up, cranking the air conditioning to its maximum. Cold air blasted from all sides, instantly sending a shiver down her spine. Hopefully, this would be enough to freeze the worms.
Ahsoka turned around, but before she could take another step, she was staring down the barrel of a blaster. Reflexes kicked in as she grabbed the weapon and tried to push it away, but the clone was relentless, holding onto the blaster. Her leg kicked into his chestplate, but it barely had any effect.
Her eyes locked onto the clone’s face. A little star was tattooed over his eye, and Ahsoka’s blood ran cold.
“Starshot.”
The clone didn’t react. He continued trying to force her hand off his blaster.
Ahsoka let go, igniting her saber just in time to deflect a shot. She moved backwards, narrowly avoiding more blasts, but the clone was persistent. She was quickly cornered, her back hitting a table. The clone took advantage of the momentary lack of space, and with a well-timed strike, knocked her saber out of her hand.
She jumped over the table, landing on the other side, giving herself a little more room to maneuver and to avoid the next shot. But the clone anticipated her move, flipping the table onto her. Ahsoka crashed to the ground, the weight of the table and the clone pressing her back into the now ice-cold floor.
Her arm was trapped under the table. She felt the cold steel of the blaster pressing against the side of her head.
It is over.
But then, a voice.
“Ah… Ahsoka.”
Ahsoka looked up into Starshot's eyes. There was fear and sadness in them, swirling with the desperation of someone fighting a battle they couldn’t win. He was trembling, his grip on the blaster shaky. His eyes were locked on the small silver wolf pin on her chest—the one he had given her.
“Ahsoka, please,” he begged, his voice breaking.
She looked at him, helpless.
“I can’t,” she whispered, shaking her head. Not her brother. Not the soldier who had been there for her through everything. The one who had taught her hand-to-hand combat when she was a youngling. The one who had looked at her with such pride when she was promoted to Padawan.
“You need to hold on. The worm will die soon,” Ahsoka said, her teeth chattering from the cold that was rapidly setting in.
“No… I can’t control it, Soka,” Starshot gasped, a tear escaping his eyes. “Kill me before I kill you.”
His finger hovered dangerously close to the trigger.
Ahsoka felt the tears running down her face, freezing as they hit her skin. She knew the reality of the situation. It was the only chance for her to survive. Starshot couldn’t hold on much longer.
“Vod’ika, please,” he begged again, his voice pleading.
Ahsoka gritted her teeth, trying to stay strong. She fumbled with her belt, her hand trembling as she reached for something. Finally, her fingers found it—the dagger she kept from Shili.
“I’m sorry, ori’vod,” she whispered.
With one swift motion, she plunged the blade into his neck. Warm blood coated her hand, droplets splattering across her face. The blaster fell from his hand, lifeless, and Ahsoka didn’t hesitate. She cut through the yellow worm that was slowed down by the cold emerging from his ear, ending its life.
“Thank you, little lady,” Starshot whispered, his body slumping lifelessly against her.
Ahsoka thought her heart broke. She had no choice. There was no other way.
With the last of her strength, she forced herself out from beneath the table. Her body was trembling violently, exhaustion threatening to take over. She carefully laid Starshot's head in her lap, closing his eyes gently.
Tears froze on her face as she activated her comlink.
“Tell Master Fisto we can dock now. The worms should be frozen,” Ahsoka managed to say, her voice barely audible.
She waited, and heard a response from her master but couldnt make out the words. Her exhaustion was too much, and her body suddenly felt as though it had reached its limit. Her eyes fluttered closed, and the world around her faded into nothingness.
Unconsciousness overtook her.