Blue Shadow Virus
Everything was going strangely smoothly. So naturally, Obi-Wan was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Anakin kept his head with the threats the scientist had levied against Padme and the others, and managed to both capture the scientist and rescue everyone. This made it easier to get the scientist out.
Ahsoka was assisting with the arrest, already out of the bunker, while Obi-Wan, Rex, and several others of the 501st, along with Jar Jar and Padme ensured that the bombs were deactivated, and all of the blue shadow virus was secure. But Obi-Wan had a bad feeling they were missing something.
He straightened when the alarm went off. “There's blue shadow virus loose, we're being locked in, to the nearest safe room!” He took off, knowing that the troopers would be following.
Unfortunately, they were too late to make it to the safe room. It was locked, with a few troopers who had been closer locked in. Obi-Wan ordered them to stay put then turned to Rex.
“We may be too late to avoid infection, but we still have a job to do. There's still droids here. We need to make sure none of them can open this bunker.”
Rex nodded. “Right, sir. We can do that. Hopefully the symptoms don't come on too quickly.”
Obi-Wan had done a study of diseases that wiped out populations when he was taking healing classes, and knew the details of the original blue shadow virus. “Unless too much was altered, the first cough will start in anywhere from one hour to six. Once the cough sets in, about three to five hours later, the rest of the symptoms follow. In other words... We could have as little as four hours before some of us start being unable to move, let alone fight, and at most, we have eleven hours. So let's get moving.”
Rex's eyes widened and he nodded grimly before replacing his bucket. “Understood.”
Before they could get far, Anakin contacted Obi-Wan. “Master! Are you okay?”
“I'm afraid that we didn't make it to the safe room in time, Padawan. We're going to ensure that there is no way the virus gets out, and destroy all the droids. Did Padme and Jar Jar make it out?”
“No, I don't believe so. I haven't been in contact with them.” Anakin was doing a good job of controlling his panic. But Obi-Wan knew his padawan. Anakin was worried, and scared.
“Very well. There is a cure. I believe you'll find it on Iego, though I cannot recall the plant name right now. If anyone can figure out how to get to Iego and back before we all die, it's you, Anakin.”
“Obi-Wan... it's not that dire, right?” Anakin's voice took on a pleading note.
“This virus was engineered to be more deadly. Before it was thought eradicated, more than 50% of those that died did so in the first forty eight hours, with the earliest being around sixteen hours after exposure.”
“That fast?” Anakin was horrified. He swallowed audibly. “Ahsoka and I will do our best to get that cure. I'll start drafting the flight plan to be the most efficient possible immediately. The fastest way from Naboo to Iego I can think of would take twelve hours on its own, but I think I can cut it down to reduce the risks of anyone dying before we can get back and have it ready to distribute.”
“Good. Remember to breathe, Anakin. Meditate when you can, rest when you can. You'll do us no good if you can't think with a clear mind.”
“Right.” Anakin hesitated. Then, in Kiffi, he said, “I love you.”
“I love you too, Ani.” Obi-Wan replied. “May the Force be with you.”
“And with you.” Anakin ended the call.
Before they could get any further, Padme caught up to them, suit still on, Jar Jar at her side. “There you are... you're not in the safe room.”
Obi-Wan smiled at her. “Unfortunately, we were too late, and it was shut. But this means we can get rid of all the droids before they can open up the bunker.”
“Right.” Padme hesitated. “And... Ani?”
“With his padawan, preparing to go look for the cure. A variation of what they used for the first one should work. It's modified to be more deadly, which means it might have just been enhanced rather than altered beyond what the cure can do.”
Padme nodded. “Are you okay?”
“No symptoms yet, but it's only a matter of time. So let's get moving.”
“Right.”
Obi-Wan lost track of time as they systematically swept the entire lab-bunker. He lost track of how many started coughing. He was one of the last, but it was still before the four hour mark, he was certain. Around when he started coughing, Jar Jar tried to help, and it resulted in Padme being exposed. Thankfully by then they didn't have too many entrances to clear.
Obi-Wan was finding it hard to breathe as he finished with the last of the droids more than two hours later after finally tracking them down. It reminded him of Quinlan and his struggle with pneumonia after the Chandrilan flu years ago. But he at least he wasn't about to pass out, at least he didn't need to lean on anything for support, yet, the way others did.
They found a place to wait for help. There wasn't anything more they could do. Obi-Wan busied himself once he was there with getting everyone food and water, and checking on the worst of the coughing. He didn't want to lose anyone. He had faith that Anakin would be here in twenty four hours or less. Which meant everyone needed to live at least fifteen more hours.
After his first check on everyone, comparing the progression of the virus between everyone, including himself, and using Padme as a base, as she was only two hours out from exposure and had yet to start coughing. With that information he sat down and mentally compiled a plan for keeping everyone alive. Without killing himself in the process.
Once that was settled, he went to the worst and gave them some healing Force. Giving them extra resources to slow down the spread of the virus. Then he added lesser amounts to each person, even a touch to Padme. That way it would be easier to monitor their health. Only then did he sit down and drink his own water and eat some food.
When he finished, it occurred to him that he should let Anakin know how everyone was doing. That the lab was secure. The virus was not going to get out unless they opened the bunker themselves.
“Obi-Wan!”
“Grandmaster!”
Obi-Wan smiled then coughed. “Good to see you two. The droids have all been defeated. Naboo is safe from contamination.”
Ahsoka's eyes were wide. “But you're sick!”
“I am, grandpadawan, but I have faith that you two will make it back in time. Trust in the Force.”
“And Padme?” Anakin asked anxiously.
“I'm here.” Padme glanced awkwardly at Obi-Wan as she joined him. “If you can't find a cure... promise me you'll never let anyone open this bunker, Ani. Promise me.”
Anakin let out a breath. That would mean leaving all their bodies down there, without the proper funeral rites. But... it was the right thing to do. “I promise. No one will unseal it without a cure on hand.”
“Good... Ani I...” The signal was lost.
Ahsoka jumped up. “We have to help them, did you see them, they're so sick. They're dying!”
Anakin closed his eyes to calm his own fear. “They are. But we can't help them by panicking, Ahsoka. Come here.”
Ahsoka accepted the hug, melting in, hiding her tears against his shoulder.
“Now... we need to think clearly. Drol isn't a god or an entity. It's not natural. Which means we can find a way to disable it.”
Ahsoka pulled away, wiping her eyes. “Oh. I didn't think of that. So we have a chance of getting out of here quickly?”
“Yes, we do.” Anakin nodded. “Believe me, I do want to panic and charge in, but it does no one good if we can't think clearly. We'll miss things we might have seen otherwise. And that's without getting into the danger of drawing on the Force while that emotional.”
“You're really scared too?” Ahsoka whispered.
Anakin rubbed her montrals in the way he knew was soothing for her. “Of course I am. But being scared doesn't mean I'm not a Jedi. What's important is remembering that you can't act in fear. That you can't draw on the Force through fear. Let's take some deep breaths.” He showed her what he meant, and kept going until she met his pace.
“Thanks Master.” She smiled and hugged him again. “Okay, I'm ready.”
“Then let's go figure out how to get past Drol. I think you and I can figure it out, what do you think?”
.
Obi-Wan continued to make rounds to help ease symptoms and add resistance to the virus. Until he couldn't move anymore, then he sat down and leaned back. The coughing was horrendous. He knew they were dying. But Anakin and Ahsoka were getting closer. He could tell. He shivered and rubbed his arms as the energy reminded him that he would need to cuddle with someone soon, especially while so sick. But he would never presume. Especially not with the clones so miserable. Not with Padme so awkward around him. He could endure, alone. He wasn't sure cuddling would do much to stop the spread of the virus, anyways.
Padme was still the best of all of them, as she had been exposed later. But it was starting to get to her too. She was being brave, but there was something of terror and sorrow in her eyes as she did what she could until she, too, could no longer move.
“Obi-Wan?”
“Hmm?” Obi-Wan looked up, covering his mouth when he coughed almost immediately.
“Will Anakin be alright if we... if we don't make it?”
“He will be. He has plenty of people to support him in grief. It will be difficult at first to lose us all at once, of course. But Quin won't abandon him, neither will Qui-Gon or Dooku. Or Tholme or Aayla. I don't know how long it'll take him to come out of the grief. He's always felt strongly, and sometimes it takes longer to pull himself out enough to start letting go than others. But in the end, he will be alright. It just might take a while.” Obi-Wan coughed again.
“Okay, good.” Padme paused. “I never congratulated you on your appointment to the Council. Youngest master, and youngest member of the Council. Records.”
“Just because I'm currently the youngest master on the Council doesn't mean I broke Mace's record. He still holds it.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “But thank you. It was a bit of a surprise, but I have yet to regret it. I enjoy working with the Council. Though it will take longer to adjust to the idea that I am one of them.”
Padme smiled. “It took me a while to adjust to the idea that I won the election to be Queen. Adjusting to being a Senator wasn't too hard after that.” She coughed. “I still can't believe how you handled everything on Tatooine.”
Obi-Wan chuckled. “Did you know that Jedi can sense Force signatures? And everyone, even clones have different ones?”
“No I did-you knew I was actually the Queen the entire time, didn't you?” Padme sighed, then huffed a little laugh.
“Oh I did. It was quite entertaining pointing out that the Queen wasn't with me, her handmaiden was. Did you forget you weren't the Queen in that moment, or were you just being particularly stubborn?”
“Particularly stubborn. I was out of my depth. I'd been training to take care of affairs of Naboo as Queen, with the Senator taking care of international politics, so everything was new to me. I'm still upset that I was taught that slavery no longer existed in the Republic when your story proved that it does.”
“The Republic likes to pretend that it's better than it is, even as much of the Senate and planetary leaders become more and more corrupt.”
“Yes, I've gathered that. It's not right. But I appreciate that the Jedi are always willing to do the right thing, even if it puts them at risk. I still can't believe that was the collateral.”
“Pretty sure you would have torn my head off if I went with the ship, which was our only other true option.” Obi-Wan was aware that those clones still conscious, including Rex, were bouncing their gazes between Obi-Wan and Padme, if they had the strength to do so. Obi-Wan was entertained that they were getting only part of a story. He made a mental note to make sure they got the full story when they were recovered.
“And you trusted Ani when I really didn't want to rely on a nine year old boy.”
“I didn't want to rely on him either, and we had back ups. But I'd recognized him not only as Force sensitive, but as my future padawan, so I thought he might actually stand a chance with the Force backing him. And he did not disappoint.”
“First human to win the Boonta Eve podrace was a nine year old.” Padme shook her head, a fond smile on her lips. “No one saw it coming. And he's grown up so well.”
“He has. Far steadier than I thought he might, considering how late he was brought to the Temple, and his past.” Obi-Wan grinned. “And his mom getting Freed probably helped, too, since it meant he could stay in contact with her.”
“How is his mom, anyways? I don't think he mentioned where she's living?”
“She's on Kiffu, married. Her spouse adopted Anakin.”
“Oh, so that's why he's following so many of your traditions. And where the tattoos came from. What's the significance of the difference?”
“Different Clans. His parents are Clan Vex, I'm of Clan Vos.” Obi-Wan was aware of Rex's confusion and curiosity but decided to let Rex decide to ask the question himself.
“So what does that make you and General Vos if you are of the same Clan?” Rex asked.
“Oh, you didn't know? We're brothers.” Obi-Wan was a little surprised that Rex didn’t know, but then, Jedi files didn’t keep familial relations front and center the way most of the galaxy did, and Rex wouldn't have a reason to look at Obi-Wan’s or Quinlan’s close enough to notice.
Rex was shocked, then that turned to amusement as he coughed. “Ah, that makes a lot of sense.”
He didn't elaborate on any of what he was thinking aloud. He thought it was hilarious that they were brothers, everyone was assuming they were at least dating, and there was no way the medics didn't know. They didn't participate in the gossip, just got exasperated about the speculation. And... Cody and Fox had no clue. He became gleeful. This was a train wreck waiting to happen, and he got to watch it live. He'd have to check but their relationship was probably in their files, which meant that all it would take was his brothers to not be idiots.
Rex was certainly not going to clue them in because this was too funny. And it was harmless, really. They'd figure it out eventually.
With the knowledge that they're brothers, Rex had their interactions put into an entirely different light and he was still amused. Yes, they did look like they might kiss. But there were many siblings and other family relationships where they did act that close and no one suspected kissing. Cody and Fox had it bad that they jumped to that so quickly.
Obi-Wan eyed him weirdly but let the subject drop. His eyes widened. “They're on planet!”
Padme smiled. “I knew Ani wouldn't let m-us down. They have to make the cure... so not much longer.”
Obi-Wan grinned. “Not much longer,” he agreed. “It has been nice talking to you. Why don't we keep in contact?”
“I-uh, are you sure?”
“Oh, yes. It's always nice having friends outside the Order. And you seem to get along well with Anakin. I like to get to know all of his friends, if possible.”
“A bit protective, are you?” Padme asked, amused.
“Maybe a little. He just turned twenty, which means that by Kiffar standards, he just became an adult. And well. Kiffar are protective of those underage especially.”
Padme nodded. “And Jedi are rather protective of their padawans. It's only been... half a year since he was Knighted?”
“Not even. Close, though.” Obi-Wan smiled. “And he's thriving even better than I could have imagined. Especially with his padawan.”
“Ahsoka is a joy. And they get along surprisingly well. I would have expected them to have some nicknames they snipe at each other.”
“They might have, but Anakin and I met Ahsoka when she was eight and have regularly stayed in contact with her over the years, visiting her and helping her out when we could. That's how he could be so confident he was ready to train her.”
“Oh, I didn't consider that. They really are close. And you're her... grandmaster is the term?”
“Yes, it is.” Obi-Wan smiled fondly. “And yes, the closest analogy to the family unit you're used to is grandparent. I'm okay with that. I get to spoil her and watch her drive him nuts the way Qui-Gon spoiled Anakin and he drove me nuts.”
“Did your grandmaster spoil you?” She had to know.
“Dooku didn't spoil. Instead he taught me all the tricks to being proper and how to strategize and debate without offense. Now that drove Qui-Gon up the wall. It was hilarious.” Obi-Wan chuckled.
“Oh, I did not know he was your grandmaster.” Padme stared at him. “Wasn't he trained by Master Yoda?”
“He was. Which, yes, means that Yoda is my great grandmaster. He teaches all his lineage how to be trolls, though we all often find our own ways of trolling people.”
“That explains so much about how you interact with people.” Padme sighed, then coughed once more.
Obi-Wan chuckled, then had to cover his own cough. After this coughing fit, he slumped over, exhausted, deep in his bones. He knew it was getting worse, could almost feel the spread of the virus. After all, with the energy buzzing underneath his skin, he didn't usually feel tired when he needed to sleep. But now... Now he just wanted to lay down and pass out. Which was not a great sign.
Rex was the only other one still awake, but even he did not have the energy to talk anymore. Though his thoughts were full of amusement and plans on how to use this new knowledge against Cody and Fox.
The door opened. “There you are.”
They were swarmed by a team to give them the first dose of the cure. This was meant to keep them alive until a more proper dose could be administered. It also was fast acting enough to sterilize the virus so that it could no longer spread.
Obi-Wan was grateful to be laid on a stretcher. It was over. He was going to live, and they had only lost one trooper to the virus. His mission was a success.
Ahsoka rushed him when they were brought out of the bunker. “Grandmaster! You're going to be alright!”
Obi-Wan smiled and lifted his hand. “I will be. It seems you and Anakin were successful. You'll have to tell me all about it.”
“Of course Grandmaster! I'm sticking with you.” Ahsoka sounded determined as she held his hand.
“Oh, why is that?” Obi-Wan was a little confused. But he was pleased with the way he could feel something ease just with the simple act of holding hands.
She gave him a look. “I know that Kiffar heal better with touch. And Master Ani is going to be busy but I'm not, so I'm going to stick with you until you're out of the medbay.”
Obi-Wan beamed at her. “I will love the company. So long as you are not neglecting your studies.”
Ahsoka huffed. “I am caught up on everything. Master Ani likes quizzing me on all my classes randomly. I can't believe he even knows my politics so well. He doesn't care about politics!”
Obi-Wan chuckled. It turned into a cough. “I did train him. A lot of his knowledge stuck with him because he kept having to use it repeatedly on the missions we got sent on.”
“Well either way, I'm doing the best of everyone in my classes. Thanks to both of you. So I can take a few days off. And I need to spend more time with you anyways.”
“That would be wonderful, Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan smiled at her. She stayed at his side as long as the medics allowed it.
In the meantime, Anakin had rushed to Padme. “I'm glad we made it in time. I was so worried.” He held her hand.
“I wasn't. You always come through, and if this was the one time you didn't... it was worth it.” Padme smiled at her boyfriend. He really was so sweet and caring, and yet so careful of her boundaries.
“Good. I know Obi-Wan would feel the same way. But I'm glad you're going to make a full recovery. You're one of my favorite people, Padme.”
“Aw, always so sweet, Ani.”
He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Um. Anyways. I'll... send you some flowers or something? I kind of have to go with Rex back to the 501st and you're staying here.”
“Flowers or something?” Padme giggled. “How about some homemade pastries or something?” she teased.
Anakin lit up. “I know the perfect recipe to give you next time we meet.” He kissed her hand.
“But for now you should focus on getting better so you can get back to kicking politician ass in the Senate.”
“Ani!” She laughed, before coughing.
.
Anakin was still a bit shaky from how close he came from losing three important people to the Blue shadow virus. Sure, Obi-Wan, Padme, and Rex were recovering, but the fear, the preemptive grief… it was still so raw.
He had never felt so terrified and like so much was at stake. They needed that cure. Not just for those stuck in the bunker (Padme, Obi-Wan, Rex, even Jar-Jar!), but just in case it ever escaped. It could easily ravage Naboo if even the slightest hint escaped.
So he was focusing on making sure they faced the war well, and meditating more often than usual, and with more of a variety of ways than he usually did.
He had just finished a round of moving mediation when he heard his comm buzz with a message.
He picked it up and glanced at it as he drank some water. He nearly choked when he saw the message.
Hello Anakin. I hear you had a close call with the blue shadow virus.
Yeah, and?
I wanted to see how you're doing.
I'm fine. We only lost one person.
Because of your skills at piloting, I'm certain.
That did play a part, yes.
I suppose you are relieved to have lost more.
Obviously. Considering just who was down there.
Ah yes, your captain, your master, and your girlfriend.
Of course you know about that. What do you want?
It is far too soon for you to know my goals. For now, I will just say I find you intriguing. You are truly a special Jedi. I could help you reach your full potential.
No. I'm not interested. I am happy with the life I have. You can offer me nothing.
Nothing? Not even the promise of having the power to save the ones you love from death?
I am a Jedi. There is no death, there is the Force. All die eventually and go back to the Force. I may not be ready to lose them right now, or lose them all at the same time, but death is something I have come to terms with long ago.
Interesting. I would not have suspected you put in that work already.
...would have been difficult for me to be a Knight without having dealt with it in some way.
I suppose that is true. That is all I needed. I will be in touch, Anakin.
Good bye.
Anakin resisted the urge to throw his comm. All that work in meditation, all gone just because Sidious had to contact him.
Though… it seemed that Sidious did not know that Anakin knew he was in contact with Obi-Wan and Quinlan. At least that was something. It meant that Sidious was trying to flatter him by pretending he was the only one, only Anakin already knew he wasn't and could easily see through it.
He sighed and decided to get the (unofficial) report done immediately because at least that was something to help him process before he had to be ready for Ahsoka's next Force lesson.