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darthgloris · 7 months

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Our Padawan

Pairing: Anakin Skywalker x fem!Jedi!reader

A/N: this has been in the back of my mind for so long, I'm so glad I'm finally writing this down 😃😃 I love you all and hope you're happy and healthy

Warnings: fluff, family dynamic, platonic!Ahsoka x reader, Anakin being the best boyfriend ever

Summary: Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano takes a big risk during a mission: fighting General Grievous on her own. Her Masters, Anakin and Y/N, are ready to protect her from every and any danger; when they get her to safety, Anakin is relieved, but Y/N's fear of losing the young girl gets in the way of being glad that Ahsoka didn't get hurt.

Our Padawan II // Our Padawan III

☆☆☆

"They sent the child to destroy my station? The Republic must be running out of Jedi!"

Ahsoka shifted her stance to defensive as she prepared her lightsaber.

To be truthful, this wasn't supposed to be a mission, but Anakin's "do as I say, not as I do" teaching strategy didn't seem to have the best results, and more often than not it ended up in the young Padawan doing exactly as he did.

And now she was facing Grievous nearly on her own, only accompanied by her fellow soldiers.

"You must be General Grievous."

The cyborg cackled exaggerately.

"He's just another tinny, boys. Let's scrap him like the rest." She sassed, lunging forward with her green lightsaber.

Grievous quickly blocked the blow and managed to shove her off. She hit the ground with a pained groan and looked up as the Clones shot at him. He deflected all the blaster shots, killing one of them and slashing two others with his lightsaber. He towered over Rex, who was sprawled out on the ground, and raised his weapon over his head. Ahsoka's eyes widened and she leapt in front of her friend, blocking the General's weapon with her own.

"Sorry to interrupt your playtime, grumpy, but wouldn't you prefer a challenge?"

"That wouldn't be you." As Grievous ignited a second lightsaber, she cringed internally.

Maybe she shouldn't have said that.

...

"Where is the fight you promised me, youngling?"

She was definitely getting in trouble for this.

Y/N and Anakin would kill her. She knew they'd be furious with her for doing this, but there was no turning back now.

She hid behind one of the metal shelves in the storage room, looking out for a way to escape. She used the Force to knock an item down on the other side of the room to distract Grievous, then made for sneaking out.

As if on cue, her commlink beeped. Damn it. She cupped her hand over it to silence the noise before answering. "Ahsoka, it's me, Rex. There are only two of us left. Should we abort the mission?"

"No, complete the mission. Set the charges and rendezvous at the landing bay." She replied as quietly as she could.

Ahsoka cut him off as he tried to protest. "That's an order, Rex. I'll keep the General busy. Ahsoka, out."

She turned off her commlink and silently crawled through the shelves as Grievous' gruff voice rang out again.

"Come here, child, I'm looking for you. So far you have failed to impress me."

The R3 unit found her as she backed up against the wall, flattening her body over the cold metal. "Goldie, over here." To her surprise, the droid shone a light on her, revealing her location. "Goldie, no!"

She gasped as the cyborg pulled the commlink off her wrist and destroyed it, making her miss the message Rex was about to send. "Your friends won't help you. You're stuck with me." His figure towering over her was certainly intimidating, but she slipped through a shelf and away from the General as fast as she could.

She climbed up one of the shelves and watched as Grievous asked Goldie for the report. "That stubby little backstabber." She whispered, feeling betrayed.

"Skywalker has come for his R2 unit?" He chortled. "Go and make sure they do not escape."

A sting of fear pierced Ahsoka's heart. Oh, no.

...

Y/N's brows knitted together as her commlink beeped. Anakin turned to give her a look of confusion, wordlessly asking her a question. "It's Rex."

Anakin frowned, wondering what was going on.

She immediately answered the call. "Rex? What's wrong?"

"We ran into Grievous."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. Fives and I survived."

"Only you two? Where are the others?"

"Three of us were shot down... and Grievous is going after Ahsoka."

"Ahsoka?!" The two said at the same time, worry lacing their voices.

"Y/N, out." She said and ended the call, beginning to walk away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Anakin hollered, running to block her way. "Where you going, tiger?"

"Where do you think? To save our Padawan's ass!" She snapped, then regretted it as she looked at his face. "I'm sorry, Ani. But we need to move now."

"Come on." He said, trying to give her a comforting smile.

...

Ahsoka climbed down and used her lightsaber to illuminate her surroundings as she peeked around the corner. She then turned it off and relaxed her tense posture slightly, but it didn't last long as Grievous grabbed her by the throat in a second, casting her lightsaber aside.

Her eyes widened in fear as Grievous towered over her, grabbing his weapon.

"Another lightsaber to add to my collection." He said as he ignited it and held it up near her face. "My R3 unit has dropped your precious Masters. When I'm finished with you, they're next." She strained her arm out to try to pry the lightsaber from his grip with the Force, failing. She was tired and her breath was running out.

"That was it?" He cackled. "Do it again. Come on." Ahsoka closed her eyes, reaching out to the Force. The weapon was grabbed from his hand successfully, but not by her. Grievous made a confused noise as he dropped the girl to the ground.

Y/N gripped the weapon tightly as she shoved Grievous away from Ahsoka: she blocked all his blows before successfully tripping the cyborg and hovering over him, her lightsaber at his neck. Ahsoka's eyes widened in shock and surprise as she watched her Master fight, with Anakin standing in front of the Padawan to protect her as she handled the fight, glaring daggers at Grievous while shielding Ahsoka with his body.

"If you ever come near our Padawan again, I swear to the Maker I will rip your teeny face off your teeny skull." Y/N growled, leaning the lightsaber closer to his throat.

"Oh, she's-she's under both of your training..? I didn't know that!" He excused himself meekly, stumbling over his words.

"Leave!" Anakin snapped. That was all it took to send him running away. "Snips, thank the stars you're all right!"

He knelt down in front of her to hug her tightly. He could feel the relief flooding him like a tidal wave as the young girl nestled into his embrace. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head in response, raising her head to look at Y/N. "Masters, I-"

She silenced her with a glare. "You nearly got yourself killed."

"I... I'm sorry..." she said quietly, looking at her feet in guilt.

"Let's go back to the ship."

Y/N walked on ahead as Anakin looked down at his Padawan with a pout, knowing the impact the scare had on his lover.

Her mind was running a thousand miles an hour. If they had gotten there a few seconds later, Ahsoka would have been killed. The mental image was crystal clear: her limp body in her arms, her blood staining her fingers, Anakin's bloodstained hands and arms wrapping around her to comfort her as sobs racked her body-

"Stardust? You all right?" As if he knew whenever she was getting into her own head too much, Anakin's soft voice pulled her from her thoughts. When she clutched onto him for dear life, he swept an arm under her legs and picked her up bridal style, kissing her head before walking away. "Wait here, Snips."

He carried her into another room and set her down on the ground, pulling her onto his lap as she broke down in tears, hyperventilating as she sobbed in his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ani..."

"Hey, you have nothing to apologise for, love," he soothed, massaging her scalp gently. "Tell me, what are you afraid of?"

She took a moment to regain her breath before speaking. "What if one day we don't get there in time? Just the thought of finding her makes me tremble..." her voice shook. "I love that girl, all right? I love her like a daughter and I can't lose her, Ani... not to this..."

Anakin's heart broke at the words: he already crumbled whenever he saw her cry, but hearing her speak those words in a desperate, scared tone made him want to take her in his arms and kiss all her pain away.

"I know, my love, I know," he hushed, nuzzling his nose into her hair. "Listen, I love her, too, and I certainly don't want to lose her... but she's not a child anymore. She's making her own decisions and learning from them. I know you feel like you need to yell at her until she promises to never do it again, but we need to stop babying her."

"Fine."

...

As they landed on Naboo, Y/N walked out the door first, not looking back as Ahsoka looked at Anakin in guilt. He responded with a sympathetic look, then walked up behind his lover to give her a back hug. She relaxed slightly as she melted into his arms, letting a few tears slide down her face again. He seemed to notice because she felt him kiss her shoulder and then lean closer to kiss the tears off her cheeks.

"It's alright now, my love. She's safe." Anakin whispered in her ear.

She shook her head, trying to push the lingering fear away. "Ahsoka."

The girl took slow, sad steps towards them, looking down at her feet to avoid catching their angry looks. She didn't know whether her Masters had a fight or not, but she was sure they were going to be mad.

"Ahsoka, what were you thinking?" Anakin asked when she stopped in front of them.

"You could have been killed! And what's worse, you put Rex and Fives in danger!" She continued, trying to keep her composure. "Why did you do that?"

"I... I was just trying to be brave like you guys..." she whimpered.

"Anakin and I are only brave when we have to be." Y/N said, her face softening as she looked at her.

"Snips, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble." He added.

"But you guys aren't scared of anything." She said, looking up at us.

"We're scared of lots of things. And we also were today." Anakin spoke.

"You were?"

She hummed in response, tipping her chin upwards to look her in the eyes. "We thought we were going to lose you. We care about you very much, Ahsoka. And if something were to happen to you, I..." She trailed off, her eyes glossing over with tears. "I honestly don't know what I'd do with myself."

Ahsoka walked closer to her and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, and Y/N sighed as she hugged her back. "I'm sorry I made you feel this way, and I care about you guys, too. I won't do it again."

Her heart swelled at the words and Anakin walked closer to hug both of then, squishing Ahsoka between them. She was surprised to see how calm they were, and honestly she was glad. "Thank you. That's very mature of you."

"Now go back inside, Snips. It's getting cold." He said, chuckling.

"Okay. Good night." She said as she pulled away and walked back inside.

"Eat something before you go to bed!" Y/N called out.

Anakin smiled at her caring attitude and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend once again. She finally smiled in content and leaned into his embrace with a sigh. "You handled that really well. I'm proud of you, my love."

"Thanks." She chuckled and turned around to kiss his lips softly. "I just- I didn't know I loved her that much..."

"Neither did I. But now we have her promise. That only leaves overcoming your fears, doesn't it?" He asked, smiling softly as his blue eyes looked deeply into hers.

"You're right." She replied and pressed their foreheads together, enjoying the moment of intimacy. Because of the Jedi Code, they were forced to avoid public displays of affection, so whenever they could get a minute to just be together, basking in each other's presence in a way they were forbidden to otherwise, they left all cares behind.

"Anakin?"

"Hmm?"

She looked up at him with her big doe eyes, flooding with love and admiration for him. "Thank you for being so supportive."

He smiled, then leaned down to kiss her shoulder. "Don't thank me, my love." Then he pressed his lips with hers in a slow and passionate French kiss. It was when Y/N let out a low moan that he decided to pull away.

"My love, we can't do this right now."

"I know." She mumbled grumpily, making him giggle.

"I promise that'll be the first thing we do when we get home." He whispered sultrily in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I love you, Ani."

"I love you too, stardust."

#star wars #star wars x reader #anakin skywalker #anakin skywalker x reader #star wars anakin #ahsoka tano x reader #ahsoka tano #tcw ahsoka #tcw anakin #star wars the clone wars

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ailani-reillata · 3 months

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The Acolyte - Chapter Ten: The Virus

Oc Centric - Multichapter - 12k - Rated T

Summary: The Separatist Crisis has reached its peak. War looms throughout the galaxy, casting a dark, bloody shadow over the thinning ranks of the Jedi Order. The end of civilization has already started. This is the story of Jedi Acolyte Ailani Réillata. Her end has just begun.

Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine,

AO3 Version

(Please see the AO3 version for the full list of tags and warnings BEFORE reading.)

———

"Fear is a disease; hope is its only cure."

There was still dried blood underneath her fingernails.

Ailani had been in hyperspace for three days now, crammed into the cockpit of her Jedi fighter with no one but R3 to keep her company. She had showered onboard the Resilient , but even then, and even now with hours upon hours to spare, Ailani had not found the courage to scrub away the red from her chipping nails.

Every time she looked at her fingers, all she could see was the gash in Wolffe's helmet and her own trembling hands reaching out for his pulse and finding his blood instead. It had been so warm and sticky, melting against her fingers and smearing across her face.

They had been on Khorm for three days. It seemed impossible. Ailani didn't remember sleeping or eating then, and all memories of the mission blurred together in a red light that smelled like rotting flesh.

Only when she had prepared for takeoff did Ailani fully understand the passage of time. Standing on the frozen rock of Khorm, taking in her last seconds on the planet, Ailani had looked up at the stars.

Each constellation was different by a few degrees. Usually, that meant weeks, but on Khorm, it meant days. Days. They had been there for three days.

She had spent her twenty-second birthday on Khorm and hadn't even noticed. No one had noticed.

Ailani didn't like talking about her birthday; she loathed the day every year. She usually spent the surrounding days sobbing in her room over lost time and childhood memories that never fully came into focus. She didn't want people to remember her birthday, she didn't want people even to mention it, and yet…

She had turned twenty-two on Khorm. She hadn't noticed. No one had noticed.

Another year gone, another age to remember and forget. Another reason to hate celebrating birthdays. It was almost as if the entire mission had happened to someone else. Someone beyond her. It didn't feel real or tangible. Even the fragments that drifted in Ailani's mind seemed unsteady somehow, unknown. She felt numb towards everything, even as burnt flesh twisted around in her mind and blood caked under her fingernails.

At first, she had filled all her time with crying—her legs curled tightly into her chest as she wept and wept and wept. But on the second day in hyperspace, the tears had all dried up. Ailani had gulped down bottles and bottles of water after that, only to vomit them all back. Now, she had no tears and hardly any water.

Restless thoughts fought for control in her mind, and her emotions fluctuated wildly. One moment, she was empty; the next moment, she was unable to think of anything besides Wolffe.

She hadn't gotten to apologize to him or even see him. She hadn't been strong enough to apologize for living. She hadn't had the time to tell him that she wished his brother had lived instead of her, and she hadn't thanked him for saving her anyway. She should have gone into that hospital room and groveled.

Weak. Weak. Weak.

And now she was stuck on cleanup duty.

Ailani stared out the viewport numbly, watching the green-blue glow of Naboo shimmer against the void of space.

Out of all the things she could be doing and all the responsibilities she could have been given, they had settled on cleanup duty. They had pried her away for cleanup duty. They had sent her to Naboo to scrub floors or wrangle civilians.

A whirl sounded through Ailani's cockpit speakers, a message from R3. She looked to her translator and huffed, "I am not pouting," Ailani crossed her arms and sank into her seat. "I thought you were making landing calculations, not cracking jokes." R3 beeped, something close to a laugh, and Ailani tried to ignore him.

R3-K9 had been aboard the Resilient for the entirety of the Khorm mission, and it was clear that both isolation and the fear of being left out had gotten to him. He was snippy. Even more so than usual. He had left her alone the first day, letting her cry out everything, but after that, it was business as usual.

How was everyone pretending that life was the same?

Ailani kept seeing that red saber near her face, and every time she closed her eyes, she imagined that light cutting through Wolffe's face. How was everyone else fine and feeling?

Outside her viewport, Ailani watched as Naboo grew closer and her ship settled into a loose orbit. It felt like she had been here mere days ago for the coronation, but it must have been weeks or months already. Months. The passage of time had not felt real since Geonosis, not since she had been submerged in blood, sand, and bacta. How long ago was Geonosis? How long was she in hyperspace? Did any of it really matter? Even the star lines were not immune to the blending of reality.

Things changed so fast.

Initially, when Ailani had been called, the invitation had come from the Queen herself, mentioning something about loose droids in the wetlands. That summon had stirred a mix of anger and resentment in her heart, yet the feeling twisted strangely with pride. The Queen wanted to see her. The Queen of Naboo. At least Ailani had not failed the Queen.

Yet the next day, while Ailani was still swirling in hyperspace, the invitation had changed, no longer from the Queen but from the Jedi Council. It turned out that Padmé Amidala had arrived before Ailani could, and she had discovered a secret laboratory, so immediate assistance was required. The report said nothing of the nature of the lab, for even encoded messages, could never be truly safe, yet the sudden shift had coincided with her dried tears.

She had been ripped away from Khorm and had not even made it in time. Useless on Khorm, ineffective on Naboo. Numb and alone in hyperspace.

She was useless in dreams, too.

The blurry faces of the Council and the bleeding body of Tauht haunted her, screaming for her and calling for sacrifice. They called her useless. The Queen called her useless. Everyone called her useless. Even echoes of her Father called her harsh things, but she didn’t understand Mando’a well enough to fully know his words anymore.

Last night, she had even dreamed about Wolffe. Rushing to him in the snow, pulling off his helmet, searching for a pulse. He choked to death on his blood, her hands still feeling for the steady beat of his heart. She awoke screaming and swore she could still smell burnt blood.

The communication light on Ailani's dashboard blinked to life, and the voice of the landing officer filled her headset, "Jedi fighter, please state your intention and cargo."

"Jedi Acolyte Ailani Réillata, cleanup and relief." After days of not speaking, her voice sounded foreign and tense—a stranger in her own body. Numb.

He didn’t seem to notice, "One moment, please."

Ailani flicked off her comm and let her eyes linger back on the planet.

Useless.

The tower's landing orders placed Ailani somewhere far beyond the palace and deep into the wetlands of Naboo.

The distant landing gave Ailani enough time to wash her face and practice insincere smiles in her pocket mirror. She needed to look composed. She needed to look sane. She didn't look like either.

Bending trees and endless swamps formed a green carpet, and despite the tower's insistence that the landing location was stable, Ailani feared that the swampland would swallow her ship whole.

When she was little, she often had dreams like that—dreams of drowning in the jungle.

Ailani blinked. When had she remembered that? The memory seemed new and yet known. Another fragment of childhood was granted to her. Another piece of the puzzle.

Something else to obsess over. Something that didn’t smell like blood.

Ailani contemplated her memories as she gazed upon the jungle, thoughts of red blades melting into fragments of tiny boots in the mud and a voice she was certain belonged to her Father. Ever since the coronation, Ailani had thought about these woods often, picturing her Father's hazy face. Glimpses of their time together under the looming trees. He had been trying to prepare her for something. Something that made him proud when she drew blood.

If only she could remember what.

Thoughts of her parents were distressing, but at the moment, Ailani preferred thinking of anything besides Wolffe and the blood on her hands.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker stood on the landing pad, accompanied by a man Ailani did not recognize. He was grey-skinned and tall, with a white coat around his frail frame. He almost looked sickly in the morning light.

"Welcome," Obi-Wan said, his face sarcastically bright as Ailani stepped from her fighter. "Glad you could join the party."

And there it was. The classic Kenobi and Skywalker banter the Jedi temple had been missing. It almost made her smile. Almost.

Ailani merely nodded, forcing ease into her tone, "How are we looking?"

From behind her, R3 left his port, singing again. Always with the singing. Did he know how to do anything else? Maker, she was tired.

"Ahsoka is down below with Padmé and Captain Rex. They're securing the area as we speak." Master Kenobi began, "Anakin and I will be taking the doctor into custody, so cleanup and coordination with the Council will fall to you until we get back."

Ahsoka Tano.

When Master Obi-Wan requested a Padawan for Anakin, Ailani was among the most skeptical. Anakin was reckless and still so young. But the Order was already running thin, and all teachers were now working overtime.

Ailani hadn't expected Anakin and Ahsoka’s partnership to last longer than two weeks. She had only really known Anakin in childhood, but her relationship with the Council had made her privy to a great many things. And she knew that he was not ready for a Padawan. He hadn’t grown up.

Ahsoka was another story entirely. Ailani did know Ahsoka because she often oversaw and assisted with classes and lectures. The girl was hardly a Padawan at all, more like a youngling. Reckless and small, short tempered with a tendency to talk back. She made teaching interesting, that much was certain.

But if Ahsoka was the only Jedi down below, she must have already proved her skill. Perhaps her fire had calmed down Anakin, or perhaps his fire made her realize that burning up was not the way to go.

Either way, Ailani didn’t want any part of it.

"Great," Ailani mumbled, biting back a stinging comment. After multiple sleepless nights in hyperspace, running point was the last thing she wanted to do.

She had been in charge of things before. Often, many things had fallen upon her shoulders, but those had always been purely secretarial responsibilities. She was in charge of reports and assignments and…She had never really been in charge of a field mission before. Not that cleanup and relief work was even a real mission. She would probably catalog lab equipment until she could no longer see straight.

"That's the spirit." Anakin smiled sarcastically, clasping a hand on Ailani's shoulder.

He was only a few years younger than her, and suddenly, despite all she had seen in the last weeks, Ailani found a piece of herself that she had forgotten. They had been Padawans together, caught under the close eyes of the Council and trained under the Coruscant sky. He had bested her in combat training, and she bested him in classroom grades. They hadn't been friends, but they hadn't been enemies either. They were merely children together. And how far from childhood she had felt these past weeks.

Then, the moment ended, as Master Kenobi huffed teasingly and waved Anakin off so his full attention could rest back on Ailani's shoulders.

"We appreciate your assistance." He said, "I understand your mission on Khorm was not yet over when you were called."

Wolffe's helmet flashed in Ailani's mind again, and brown eyes stared at her through bloody snow. Her hands felt sweaty. She could smell his blood again, and feel the hot stuff wiped across her face.

Ailani shivered, forcing down vomit, "It was over enough."

Master Kenobi nodded, thinking. "The report is not out yet, but from my understanding, the situation there is…complex."

Complex was a kind way of putting it.

"Fatalities are high," Ailani confirmed, suddenly looking anywhere but his face, "Yet I'd prefer to keep our attention on the here and now."

"Quite right." He replied, taking her bait mercifully, "Apologies."

For all of his faults and for all of his newness, one thing Master Kenobi was good at was leaving Ailani alone. He was around a decade older than her but still younger than almost all the other Council members and the only one who had not played a part in her upbringing. He mercifully seemed to know his place in that aspect and backed away from sensitive subjects.

It was nice not to be pressed.

"No need." Ailani answered, still not strong enough to look at him, "What did the reports leave out?"

Obi-Wan grimaced, "We are looking at the laboratory that has engineered a new variant of the infamous Blue Shadow Virus."

The words died in Ailani's throat, and Khorm melted away.

Information passed through her mind, flashing images, faded text, snapshots, and moments. It was all moving too fast, tumbling through her head and wracking around in her stomach, and for all the knowledge she had, for all the information she possessed, only one thing echoed clearly in Ailani's mind.

The Blue Shadow Virus had nearly decimated Mandalore. Decades ago, the virus had been responsible for the Candorian plague, a ravenous epidemic that wiped out nearly two-thirds of any city, though it mainly impacted the Outer Rim.

Mandalore included.

Only two sentences could be spared for Mandalore's plight in the Jedi Archives. Only two sentences were written to cover the significant loss: The Candorian plague reaches the planet Mandalore. The Mandalorians are all but decimated.

Decimated.

And now it was on Naboo.

The two halves that made up her whole and the virus that would kill them both.

Most of her wounds from Khorm had healed during her hyperspace travel, slathered in bacta gel and sealed with small bandages, yet now it felt as if the cuts in her head had pried themselves loose and let her skull split open. A lump formed somewhere between her heart and her throat, and Ailani suddenly felt as if she might choke. A strained sound escaped her lips, almost like a gasp.

She thought about her dream again, watching Wolffe choke to death on his own blood.

Obi-Wan's voice came then, beside her and heavy with concern, "Are you alright?"

"Do we…." She sounded winded, "Is it…" The words kept dying before they reached the air, lost in translation between her heart and mouth, "Are we sure we should be going down there?"

He looked at her strangely, trying to read her expression, "It is as safe as it can be for now," He said, "Are you certain you are up for this task?"

No. That is the first word that came to mind, yet Ailani could not find the guts to say it, to explain it. It was her job to make sure it was safe down there. That's why she was here. That was her purpose and her career. And yet…

Decimated.

The word sat numbly in her stomach as images of victims of the virus flashed through her mind. Pale skin, prominent veins, bulging eyes. Sometimes people even choked to death on the blood they tried to cough up.

She was here to prevent that from happening. She was here to fix it. No one else had to die.

Last chance.

"I'm okay," Ailani said, though she must have looked pale because Obi-Wan's eyes did not seem convinced. She straightened, "I'm fine."

Obi-Wan knit his brows, yet a call from Anakin pulled his attention elsewhere. "As long as you are sure."

She wasn’t sure, but the failure on Khorm loomed over her, making it impossible to see anything else.

"I'm sure."

The elevator was dark, and swampy water dripped from the metal ceiling as it creaked slowly into the laboratory. The lights flickered above, and their fluorescent glow hummed unsettlingly.

Ailani's hands had not stopped shaking since Obi-Wan made her aware of the virus, and between the creaking and the darkness, Ailani did not expect the trembling to go away anytime soon.

Obi-Wan had said that Ailani’s task was simple. Destroy the remaining battle droids, find any secrets and clear out any lab equipment. Everything was to be shipped to a far off lab, where the information could be studied safely.

And yet….

This place was old. Based on the architecture, the laboratory must have been made decades ago. In addition to the outdated design, the metal plating on the walls was peeling in some places, and Ailani saw certain screws coming loose.

Was it even safe down here without the deadly virus and murderous droids?

R3 whistled low, bumping Ailani's leg and keeping close. He was shaking. They were both shaking.

Cautiously, Ailani reached out a hand, rubbing it gently over the droid's dome. "It's okay," She said, the comfort on her lips sounding strange. "We're alright."

The droid leaned into her further, still trembling. It was unlike him to be so fearful. Usually, he was endlessly mocking and putting on some display of strength. It felt nice to know that they were both scared. It felt nice to not be alone in her fear. Perhaps they had finally crossed into understanding. At least…for now.

After a few more painful moments in the dark, the elevator stopped, and the doors swung open.

"Ailani!" Ahsoka almost instantly appeared from around a corner, smiling widely and something almost like a skip in her step. She was taller than when Ailani saw her last, and her small frame and bright eyes stood out starkly against the dark walls of the facility. This was not the girl Ailani had observed in classrooms all those months ago. This was a Padawan.

A few clone troopers accompanied Ahsoka, yet only one name came to mind: Captain Rex. With faded blue markings on his armor and a youthful sense in the Force, he followed behind Ahsoka closely, almost protectively.

Rex's reports never came to Ailani directly, but he seemed agreeable enough, for Ahsoka's mission notes spoke of him highly. According to Ahsoka, Rex was always doing something daring, or at least, he was always being dragged into doing something daring. But he never seemed to complain. At least Ahsoka never mentioned any complaining. But Ahsoka's reports often left out a lot of things.

Ailani mumbled a greeting to the group, and mutual sentiments rippled through the crowd. Everyone seemed exhausted and moved sluggishly. It must have been a long morning. Or maybe they were equally unhappy to learn that Ailani was in charge now. They didn't know her. They probably didn't even want her here. Before the Malevolence and before Khorm, Wolffe had once told Ailani that experience meant everything to military personnel. She didn’t have any experience.

Ailani wasn't sure if she was wanted anywhere.

"How was Khorm?" Ahsoka asked, breaking the tension once the pleasantries had ended. With her words, something ripped through the Force, the emotion rippling through the 501st.

They knew something.

Ailani locked eyes with Rex’s helmet, but all she saw was darkness.

Heat. Burning flesh. Blood. A chill. The eyes of the dead. Tauht's organs spilled in the snow. Blood under her nails. Numbness in her stomach.

"Cold," Ailani said simply, not even attempting a smile.

Ahsoka didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were looking beyond Ailani, scanning the empty elevator, "I thought you might bring the Pack back with you."

Ailani’s heart stopped. Did Ahsoka not know about…

The bond between Ahsoka and Master Plo had always been close. He had brought her to the temple, and in her early years, Plo had nurtured Ashoka as if she were his own Padawan. Checking in on her after lessons, accompanying her class on field trips, and keeping an ever-watchful eye on the growing girl. In honesty, his care for her was why Plo had not been appointed as her master. Even without the Clone Wars raging, their attachment to one another was too close for the Council's comfort. He was almost like a father to her. But Ahsoka needed a teacher, not a father.

After the Malevolence, the protective and familiar nature between the two of them grew exponentially, and apparently it had expanded to the remaining members of the 104th. They owed her their lives, and it seemed Ahsoka now felt responsible for them. Or, at the very least, she felt like she owed them in return.

Not that Ailani was against it all. She understood the desire for company and friends that rang closer to family. But that desire had ruined Ailani. And it made her sick to think of anyone being consumed similarly. Ahsoka didn't deserve that ache. She was only a child.

But for all that closeness and for all that friendship, it seemed Ahsoka did not know about Wolffe. She did not know about the Witch or the blood or the gash across his helmet.

And Ailani was not about to tell.

"Just me, sorry," Ailani replied.

Ahsoka let out a slight sigh but, to her credit, masked it well and quickly, "It's good to see you, though!" She said, her small face flushed with embarrassment.

They only formally knew each other, perhaps like how one knew a babysitter or a substitute teacher, and yet at this moment, in this bunker, Ailani knew they would have to be more than that. Ailani would have to play Jedi, and Ahsoka would be the Padawan. They would need to be friends and companions if this were to work. They needed to be a team.

Ailani's mission. She was in charge. She needed to get control. No more thoughts about before. She needed to be fully in the here and the now. She and Ahsoka. Jedi and Padawan.

"It's okay," Ailani smiled, genuinely this time, "I know I'm not as fun, but I promise if we don't die, I'll try to be."

Despite Ailani's lack of skills with most other beings and inability to communicate effectively, Padawans and younglings had always been easier. Children did not fully understand social interactions either, so they and Ailani often fell on common ground. It was easier to be herself when she knew that she wouldn't be judged as harshly. Other Jedi caught her social misgivings. Children simply laughed them off. Not that she liked children. They were loud and endlessly chattering, messy and angry… honestly, they were all too much like herself, and the mirror never felt kind.

But the parts of herself she saw in Ahsoka, the snippy attitude and constant social tension, the parts that made it easy to joke with her during class, those parts worried Ailani. And even worse now that they were trapped in a lab-engineered for death.

As if summoned by her negative thinking, a shrill alarm began blaring, and lights flashed shades of yellow.

"That sounds great," Ailani said sarcastically, pushing dread off her heart as she looked at the rest of the group. "What does that mean?"

She was supposed to be in charge, yet she was painfully behind on any information. Ailani suddenly remembered Ozzel, the fearful Captain who ignorantly pressed forward. She didn't want to be like him. Stupid, presumptions, and awful, and…Ailani didn't want to be in charge. Being in charge got people killed. She didn't need more blood underneath her fingernails. But what other choice did she have?

Captain Rex looked to his communication device, reading out the notices that flashed by. "One of the containers was missing a vial. We're on alert."

That dizzying, choking feeling was back, but Ailani blinked it away before it could take hold. She was the Jedi here. She was in charge even if she was ill-prepared. She was in charge—time to be brave. Hesitation got people killed. Hesitation got that clone in the snow killed. Lack of hesitation had let her live. She and Ahsoka would have to do this together. And it would have to be enough.

"Right." Ailani said, "Okay. Ahsoka, you're with me. We can do a sweep of the outer tunnels while the Captain—"

Yet almost as soon as it started, as soon as she spoke, the yellow alert shifted to red, just seconds before the ground shook and the walls trembled.

Explosion.

Before anyone could breathe or process the change, the lab fell into line, locking emergency hatches and sealing doors. The facility was locking them down and locking them inside. Inside with the virus. Trapped inside with the disease that had whipped out her people. Trapped. Trapped. Trapped. The safe room. There must have been a—

"Virus leak!" Rex yelled, ripping Ailani from her thoughts, "Get to the safe room, come on!" He was already in action. Unfazed. A leader.

Better than she could ever manage. He should have been in charge. Why was she even here? She couldn't do anything. She didn't know anything. She was useless.

Ahsoka urgently grabbed Ailani's hand, saying, "This way, come on."

This was why. This was why she was here. She was looking after Ahsoka. Forget the stupid notion of being in charge or being worthy of command. Ailani was here for Ahsoka: Jedi and Padawan.

It only took one tug of her hand for Ailani to awaken fully, snapping back to the present and sending her soul into practiced action.

Doors around them closed and locked as emergency procedures ran through their lines of code, following protocol and safety measures Ailani was sure were going to get them killed now. What if they didn't reach the safety room in time? Would they be trapped out here until they wilted? She gripped Ahsoka's hand tighter like she wished someone would have gripped hers.

Rex yelled as if reading her mind, pointing ahead, "There's the safe room!" He pointed to a single doorway at the end of the hall.

Someone else yelled in reply, but Ailani's heart was beating so loudly in her ears that she could not hear. The hallway before them seemed to stretch endlessly.

They weren't going to make it. No matter how hard she ran or how urgently she pulled Ahsoka with her, Ailani knew the gap was too great. They were just too slow. Even R3, with his rocket boosters and clean wheels, was not fast enough, and he lagged just behind them, whirling helplessly.

"Hurry! The doors are closing!" Rex yelled, his voice so loud it cracked under the pressure of the voice module.

"Don't worry." Ahsoka said, letting go of Ailani's hand and reaching out, "Get inside, Captain."

With all her might, Ahsoka reached and sent the Captain flying forward with the Force, his body crumbling in the safe room.

And together, as if they were linked, Ahsoka and Aikani jumped, propelling themselves toward the room and slipping through the closing doors. Ailani hit the ground with a thud, the wind flying from her lungs as cool metal banged against her skull. For a moment, her vision flickered, the pain of her fresh wounds returning, but someone was pulling her up before she could give into the lights.

She stood on trembling legs, trying to take in the scene around her. The safe room was littered with boxes and bins, discarded lab equipment thrown this way and that. It was a mess. Ailani's eyes locked onto Ahsoka. Breathing and alive. Fine.

She had made it. Everything was—

And there was no R3.

Ailani's eyes widened, and she spun on her heels, facing the sealed door. R3 was out there. He hadn't been fast enough, and she hadn't looked back. She had been so focused on Ahsoka and… and now he was stuck out there, and she was stuck in here.

Ailani pressed her cheek against the cool metal as if she could hear through layers of time and tide. Silence returned to her.

How could she have done that? How could she have forgotten R3? He was a droid, and therefore, no matter what awaited them on the other side of the door, he would be immune, and yet. She had forgotten him. Even if it was only an instant, even if it was only a moment, she had still forgotten. He had piloted her ship while she had slept. He had saved her on Kamino. He had been her only companion every time she entered hyperspace. And he was annoying. And rude.

And she had forgotten him.

"Did we make it?" A trooper asked, and Ailani let her mind be pulled numbly to the present. She looked back at the group and found empty and exhausted faces staring back at her.

"The virus is odorless, but the reports said it was infected with some kind of dye," Ahsoka said, looking around.

And there it was, blue wisps floating like fish in a pond at their feet.

Dread crept into Ailani, frosting her veins under its icy chill and freezing her heart to stone. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Her mind was blank, yet she knew it should have been racing. She should have been frightened into panic; she should have felt the rush of adrenaline or the dizziness that came from missing death by a hairline, yet Ailani felt as numb as she did in hyperspace. No tears on her cheeks or feelings in her heart. None of it felt real.

"I don't think we made it," Ailani answered in a low voice.

"It could be diluted enough not to be deadly," Rex replied, yet in his voice, Ailani heard only the optimism needed to lead, not optimism held by his faith.

And as she stared at the wisps of smoke, Ailani found herself thinking of Wolffe again, and the blood he choked on, and the smell of burning skin.

Decimated.

Since the war began, they had started practicing lockdown drills in the temple.

Coruscant had not been attacked in millennia, but all kids in the Republic now practiced bomb drills, and since the Jedi were now leaders in this strange new world, they set examples for all.

Bunkers had been common during the Sith wars, and the temple still had hidden places sealed tightly. The younglings would practice sitting quietly, their legs curled into their chest. They would wait and meditate and wait and wait.

And then they would go back to class as if nothing had happened.

Ailani sometimes sat in on these drills, waiting with the younglings in the darkened room. There was never any real threat, and even if there was, clone guards and Jedi Masters oversaw everything and waited with them, too. They were safe. Always safe. Yet the whole time she sat in the dark, Ailani could feel fear rise and bubble in her chest.

She didn't like enclosed spaces. She didn't like being underground.

The lockdown now was a much worse kind of fear. There was a real threat, and it was locked inside with them. There was no cure, no way to end the time in their bunker. Decimated. They were going to be decimated. Every second felt like a day. Was this her last day? Her last day alive? Had she wasted her last day alive?

If she had known the facility layout, maybe she could have done something. Maybe she could have been faster or…

Decimated.

At some point, Anakin called, his voice crackling and searching across the waves, yet his connection was severed before anything meaningful could be exchanged. There and gone in an instant.

Ahsoka stared at her communication device, her eyes desperate. The bunker was so far underground that it was no surprise the device did not work, combined with the fact that they were on lockdown and no doubt signals were being scrambled for safety. It was a miracle that Anakin had called Ahsoka at all. But the look on Ahsoka's face did not say miracle. It said failure.

Ailani knew that look all too well. Because she was in charge, and they were all going to die. And it was all her fault.

"We'll get ahold of him again," Ailani said, comfort forcing its way from her throat, "I promise."

Ahsoka nodded but did not seem convinced. She looked so small in the red emergency lights, so young and scared.

Against her will, Ailani's mind raced back to that first meeting after Geonosis, that call of the Jedi Council—Padawans into Commanders. Ailani had helped make this child a soldier. Was this her fault? Was all of this somehow Ailani's fault? Brown eyes stared at Ailani from under buried and bloody snow. Was she supposed to die there, on Khorm? Was this all her fault now? Punishment for living?

The Blue Shadow Virus melted one's body from the inside out. Burned from the inside out. Like Tauht's organs in the snow. Like Wolffe’s face.

Had she doomed Ahsoka to that fate?

Rex stepped in before Ailani could debate it any longer. "Run diagnostics," He said, "I want all systems up and running in ten."

Ailani cleared her throat, forcing herself back into action, "Right. Thank you, Captain. Update me the second you've completed your check."

He nodded and turned away.

It was so strange to have so many staring at her and speaking to her, watching her in expectation, as if she knew what to do and had any answer. What was she going to do with the diagnostic report? File it in a non-existent datapad and keep it safe until she died of asphyxiation? The diagnostics would only confirm what they already suspected. They were all going to die. Melted from the inside out. Hours left.

Ailani tried to stick close to Ahsoka, speaking quietly with the Padawan and helping her with busy work, but thirty minutes later, Ailani's guess had been verified. They had been contaminated, and the door was locked shut from the outside, per safety standards. It did not take long for panic to set in after that. She could feel it in the Force, how everyone fell strangely silent.

Rex contemplated this moment, "We may be dead men, but we could still stop those droids."

Ahsoka was right. Rex was brave. Ailani hadn't even thought about the droids since they got in here. No doubt the Separatists wanted the virus to be freed from this bunker, and the place must have been crawling with the last remnants of the doctors' droids. While Ailani had been busy worrying about herself and where to place blame, Rex had been thinking of the larger picture. Selfish. Selfish. Why was she always so selfish?

"The doors are locked from the outside," Ailani said, correcting Rex's plan but not dismissing it, "We can't stop anything unless we find a way to override the quarantine."

Ailani was good a good slicer but most of her electronic gear was with R3.

Oh R3…

"Don't worry." Ahsoka said, pushing Rex's shoulder gently, "My Master will find a cure for this virus. We're not dead yet."

Ailani flung more cruel and twisted words at herself. She hadn't even tried to comfort Rex over the "dead men" comment. She hadn't even thought about it. Selfish. Selfish.

How old was Ahsoka now? Thirteen? Fourteen? She was only two or three years younger than Barriss, who was only two or three years younger than Ailani, and…Ailani shook her fuzzy head, suddenly feeling a wave of nausea rise. She was supposed to be the Jedi. She was supposed to be the one comforting and looking after Ahsoka.

What was she doing?

Something crackled through the quiet, "Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear..." The voice of Padmé Amidala crackled over Ahsoka's comm.

Padmé.

Ailani had all but forgotten she was down here. Between the rush and the regret. Ailani reached a hand up to touch the stitches that lined her left temple. Perhaps she had been hit harder than she thought. That was a good excuse. Or maybe the virus was already kicking in.

"Senator Amidala, we're trapped in the safe room at the end of complex 'B.'" Ahsoka spoke into her comm, unaware of Ailani's sudden head spin.

"We'll be right there. Are you contaminated?"

Contaminated. What an ugly word. What a fitting word. Leave it to Padmé Amidala.

What did Ailani even think of Padmé now? She wasn't sure. All those months ago, when Ailani had finally seen the Senator in person, she had possessed all these ideas and expectations of the woman. She had built her up to be this figure. But Padmé was much colder than Ailani had envisioned. That Queen's mask and been…Scary. But the situation now was scary, too.

Ahsoka paused, looking around them, "I'm afraid so."

And then the line went dead, crackling useless in the still air.

Ahsoka turned away from the comm, her face grave. "Let's get our facts straight," She said, her youthful brow furrowed into a deep-set strain. Ailani felt something tug in her heart, but no emotion came. "What do we know about this virus? How can help Anakin and Senator Amidala?"

Perhaps Ahsoka was merely biding time, searching for some sense of control in answers from the past. Ailani should have felt sympathy for that, but her headache grew, and the desperation only worsened. She felt so empty.

Brown eyes kept staring at her from below bloody and buried snow. Melted from the inside out. Decimated.

"The initial report said this virus originated during the Old Republic." Rex started, but he only seemed partially sure of his words. Good. No one had to know anything else. Ailani didn't want anyone to know anything else. No one needed to hear the word decimated. They didn't need to know how painful the ending would be.

Ahsoka didn't need to think about the melting.

Ailani buried the truth under the snow with the dead clone and Wolffe’s blood.

"Maybe we could try and find out what stopped it then. If we catch it early enough—"

"Don't. Save your breath." Ailani interrupted. It wasn't worth wondering over impossible scenarios or digging up the skeletons of the past. Ahsoka did not need to hear the word 'decimated.' Ahsoka did not need to know that the only way to kill the Blue Shadow Virus was to kill its hosts.

They had hours. Hours. How quickly Ailani had accepted that. How quickly she had fallen into that line of thinking. Hours left to live. It didn't feel natural or tangible, almost like the time was ticking on someone else, someone beyond her. Hours left until they were melted.

"We have to try." Ahsoka said defiantly, "We can't just give up."

"We're not giving up," Ailani replied, placing a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, "We're just focusing on what's right in front of us. We should take inventory and go from there."

Ahsoka relaxed a little, nodding her head.

Inventory was sparse. Most clones had blasters and a few backups, but not everyone was near their weapon when the emergency lights went off. There was food in the bunker, but only small provisions. Only two or three people could live off of the rations present. Not that any of them would have time to eat anyway.

"Do you have your aquata breather with you?" Ailani asked Ahsoka, sorting through the contents of their belts.

The aquata breather was a standard part of Jedi gear, and though it only had a short life span, the device made it possible to breathe underwater and navigate through mildly toxic air. Perhaps the correct modifications could give them some defense against the poison. Anything was better than nothing.

Ahsoka grimaced and looked slightly embarrassed, "No."

Ailani pulled her breather from her belt pouch, turning it over in her hands. It would not last long against the virus, and even if the battery did, it was not made for such conditions. It was not—

Suddenly, the device felt heavy, like snow gear in her hands. A life for a life. Brown eyes in the snow.

Ailani shoved the device into Ahsoka's arms. "It only has two hours of power, so I want you to save it for as long as possible."

"I can't take this," Ahsoka cried, her voice almost horrified, "You'll need it."

"You'll need it, too," Ailani said, standing her ground. She could feel eyes burning into her back and knew Ahsoka's cry had drawn attention. "Take it."

"I won't." Ahsoka insisted, "I won't."

Ailani scanned Ahsoka's face, watching the youthful expression twist and turn, and suddenly, she knew it was hopeless. Ahsoka would not take the device of her own free will. Anakin Skywalker was training Ahsoka Tano. She did not know how to back down.

They needed to be united now, strong in front of the group. Jedi together. Upsetting the girl would only make their situation seem worse.

Ailani placed the breather back on her belt. "Fine. Fine."

Ahsoka did not need to take the breather willingly. Eventually, they would all break down, their lungs would rot, Ahsoka would get the breather, and she would survive.

And Ailani would not.

At least that clone on Khorm had saved her for something.

For your sins, you must be sacrificed.

Suffering was a strange thing. Ailani imagined that her entire existence was suffering, was some cosmic game of survival. She could endure any pain. She could lock away any feeling, any regret or hurt.

But others?

Ailani couldn't stand seeing others in pain. The agony of others cut through her like a knife and spilled her guts for all to see. She couldn't stand the moans of pain nor the smell of flesh. It was all too much. And she never had the strength to do anything about it—she just ran away.

The bunker felt like her own personal hell.

What little exposure they had proved to be too much, and even as they waited for the Senator, the symptom list grew and grew, as did the infected.

It became apparent that the clone helmets did nothing against the virus, as they seemed to fall ill much faster than Ahsoka and Ailani did. Jedi breathing techniques granted them more time than others, but even so, Ailani could feel a burning warmth settle into her lungs.

But she could hide it better than most.

Despite the situation, however, everyone had spread out across the room, talking in small groups and making light conversation. They all remained calm. They were all good soldiers. Did that make this better or worse? Was death easier if you were prepared for it? Ailani thought about Tauht again, his organs in the snow and burnt skin splitting his stomach. Had he expected death when he fought that Sith Lord? Had that made his passing easier? The horrifying look on his face said otherwise.

She shook the image from her mind, refocusing her attention on the present. It hardly mattered if they were prepared for death or not. It was coming for them anyway.

Sitting away from everyone else, Ailani snuggled deeper into the corner. Once the Senator arrived, they had all agreed to go out and hunt the droids together. Ailani would need rest if she wanted to be useful. But even as she told herself this, Ailani could not force her mind to relax. She kept seeing Wolffe's melting helmet or the red of the Sith blade in her eyes. She kept hearing the word ‘decimated.’

Captain Rex was making rounds, a true leader who was not deterred by blood or coughing like Ailani was. He didn't run from red and agony. He knew how to help other people through it. Ailani only knew how to make it worse.

It only him took a few minutes to linger near her, but he didn't say anything. Did she look that bad? That unapproachable?

Ailani met his gaze and broke the ice, "I do not believe you and I have ever informally met, Captain."

Rex almost chucked, leaning heavily into the wall and sliding beside her. He looked younger than Wolffe, with shiny eyes and fewer lines on his face. They must have been the same age, yet Rex felt younger than even Comet did, for his hair was bleached and cut short in a schoolboy-like manner, which made his rounded face look even younger. However, the style was probably supposed to make him like a respected and seasoned military officer.

Most of the troopers Ailani had known were Commanders, a role that required a more experienced and perhaps colder demeanor. That could not be faked with a haircut. Rex was probably the first Captain that Ailani had met without a helmet. Perhaps looking younger merely came with the job.

He held out his hand, "Rex."

She took it, "Ailani."

"Good to finally meet you." He said, and despite everything Ailani almost laughed. No one ever thought it was good to meet her. No one. Maybe Captains were supposed to be good at flattery.

"Sorry it is not under better circumstances," Ailani said, deflecting but not quite denying.

"Good a time as any." He replied, and as she gazed upon his face, Ailani realized that he meant it. He was happy to meet her. The thought was as confusing as it was jarring.

Ailani wracked her brain for anything to say, but all that came to her mind were fuzzy words and aching limbs. "How are you feeling?" It was a stupid thing to ask, a ridiculous thing to pry about, and yet nothing else came.

"Headache." He said, "Nothing much to complain about."

The plain way he spoke told Ailani that he knew even a minor headache was not a good sign, and yet, they both ignored that fact. His intuition would prove correct, and Ailani did not need to describe the slow and agonizing details of deterioration.

He would find out soon enough.

They all would.

"Good," She lied, "That's good."

"You?" He asked.

"Headache." She said, "But it's mostly from this." Ailani pointed at the stitches that lined her face and shrugged off the impact of the virus.

In truth, her head was much more clouded than it would have been, and it was hard to nail her thoughts down. But he did not need to know that.

"Good," He mimicked, "Good."

They lulled into silence, and Ailani found herself mulling over his words.

Good. They were both good.

Ailani's eyes scanned the room, glazing over the trembling and tired bodies that littered the space. Then she locked eyes with Ahsoka, her tiny frame shaking in the glow of the emergency lights.

She was so young.

The rasp in Ailani's lungs suddenly felt like an itch, clawing at her breath as the lie settled in her throat. She was already wounded. It would not take long for this virus to pick at the already damaged parts of her. She may have felt alright now, yet how long would that last? She had lost too much blood on Khorm, and only adrenaline had kept her alive then. But this virus and the silence of hyperspace had stolen the emotion and fight from her bones, and what was Ailani without that burning star in her chest? How long could she last buried below the snow?

She needed to give someone else life. She needed to make sure her burial was not in vain.

“When Ahsoka asked me about Khorm…” AilanI trailed off, unsure what she was even asking. The recognition on Rex’s face had been clear, but what did it mean? Ailani’s head was swimming with complexity and regret, nauseous uncertainty worming at her words. Only one explanation found her, “Do you know Wolffe?” She asked.

The question hung between them, heavy and cold. The red emergency lights made everything look as scarlet at Wolffe’s blood.

Rex debated something for a moment, “Heard it was bad.”

Burning flesh came to Ailani’s nose, and blood lingered on her lips and pried at her tongue.

Rex knew, or at least, he knew enough. The realization sat like a stone in Ailani’s stomach. If he knew, that meant that he had also decided to keep Ahsoka in the dark. They had both independently tried to keep her safe and secure.

They both lied.

Ailani could work with that.

“It’s worse than bad,” Ailani whispered, and her voice cracked, “And I don’t want this…” Images of blood and snow filled her eyes, and Ailani cut herself off, afraid that if she spoke more, she’d do something stupid like cry.

Ailani waited another moment before continuing, clearing her throat as casually as she could manage, "I need you to do something for me. When it comes down to it. I need Ahsoka to be the one who survives."

Rex's place in the Force fractured, catching like the shards in Ailani's chest. The Force moved about him strangely, and reading his emotions proved difficult. He seemed pained, and yet…

"We can all survive," Rex said, but he did not look at Ailani. Instead, his eyes scanned the room and watched the smoke dance along the metal floor.

Ailani sat up straighter and forced him to face her, "You seem like a good man, Rex. But I know you're also a good Captain." He was brave. He had checked on everyone. He knew what to do. He would know what to do now. Ailani pulled the breather from her belt, slipping it into his hands. "She's just a kid." The last words came out cracked, more uncertain than she had intended, but he was staring at her now with a horrible understanding, "When it comes down to it, you make sure it's her."

Understanding crossed his face, and his dark eyes scanned hers. For a moment, Ailani was back on Khorm, but this time, she was not herself. She was Wolffe, handing a bleeding and broken soldier the means to survive. Would Rex be angry with Ailani like she was angry with Wolffe? Would he think she was cruel for forcing him into this choice? Would he hate her for forcing him to live?

But Rex merely nodded and slipped the device into his pocket without another word.

And the moment was over.

"Rex!" Ahsoka cried, her voice cracking, "I've got a signal!"

Instantly, Rex was on his feet, offering a hand to Ailani. Painfully, she accepted it and let her stiff legs be pulled straight.

Ahsoka was huddled over her communication device, face set in harsh, desperate lines, "Senator Amidala, where are you?"

"We're right outside your safety room." Padmé's voice crackled back. She sounded…okay. Why was she okay while the rest of them suffered?

"Can you get the door open?" Ahsoka asked, "The emergency protocols have us trapped."

Padmé sighed painfully, the sound faintly echoing over the comm before it switched off.

Instinctively, they all turned and faced the exit. Something achy was arising in Ailani's chest. Certainly not hope, but…

The doors slid open. Padmé Amidala and Jar Jar Binks, fitted with yellow hazmat suits and gear, stood on the other side.

And beside them stood R3-K9.

Ailani felt her legs move before her mind, and suddenly, she was on the ground beside him, watching his little red dome shine in the emergency lights.

"R3, I'm so sorry, I—"

ZAP!

Ailani felt searing heat course through her nerves, burning like fire in her blood before instantly dying out.

"OW!" She cried, harshly pushing the droid away from her. "Jerk!"

He ran at her again, beeping uncontrollably, his electro probe still activated. She kicked out her leg, pushing him away.

"Cut it out!" She said harshly, and with effort, her voice suddenly melted into hacking coughs, throat irritated with strain. Her throat felt like sandpaper, her lungs like soup. Something sticky and metallic caught in her mouth, spraying all over her hands and the floor. Blood.

Instantly, R3 stopped moving, and he put away his metal attachment. And they both stood still on the floor, listening to her bloody, broken coughs.

By the time Ailani's coughing fit had ended, the rest of the group had already agreed upon their plan.

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

Ailani pulled herself up, dragging her aching body to the conversation. The last thing she needed was the Senator from Naboo to think she was a silly child. She already felt stupid and useless. She didn't need that confirmation.

"As long as we can, we'll help you destroy those droids before they breach the compound," Ahsoka replied, her voice cracking slightly but still firm. She nodded at Ailani.

As long as we can.

Rex wordlessly handed the Senator a blaster, and all at once, their last hours alive were determined. They would be hunters.

"You take the north corridor, and we'll take the south," Padmé said, gesturing to Rex and Ahsoka.

"I'll accompany you," Ailani stepped in, unclipping her lightsaber from her belt. Her voice was horribly ragged, and the metallic taste of blood soaked into every word.

Padmé merely nodded, her face unreadable. Did the Senator hate her? Would that even matter if this was their last hours alive? Ailani had spent her entire life praying for a mere glance upon this woman's face, and yet now they were all to die together, and Ailani hardly felt anything at all. The past and her wants seemed so far away, buried below snow and blood.

None of it mattered anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. Well, almost nothing mattered. Ailani looked to Rex, and he nodded softly in reply. Ahsoka still mattered.

In the back of Ailani's mind, she suddenly heard a familiar ringing, a haunting phrase.

Only through the sacrifice of many Jedi will the Order cleanse the sin done to the nameless.

Ahsoka's face was hollowed. Her cheeks thinning. Who would be sacrificed, and who would be nameless? Ailani supposed it would only be a few hours until she found out.

It did not even take that long.

The dark, foggy corridors stretched for miles and miles, and with every step Ailani took, she could feel the haze settle in her lungs. The virus made the air thick and humid, and with every breath, it was as if bacta was being forced down her throat and clogged in her ears. She couldn't breathe right, nor could she hear properly anymore. It was as if her senses were slowing down or giving out. Her thoughts came in fragments, and keeping her eyes open was becoming a struggle.

Exhaustion was too weak a word for what she felt now.

Ailani ignored the feeling and kept creeping forward, R3 on her heels. Silently, on her heels. How unnatural. Her coughing fit had turned the droid into a calm companion. Was he worried about her? How could that even be possible? He was so rotten to her all the time, and if she was being honest, Ailani knew she wasn't always the kindest to him either. But dying together seemed to change things.

The Senator held out her hand, pausing Ailani's steps, "The droids are close," Padmé said, her echoing voice wiggling through Ailani's head, "I can hear them cutting through the wall."

Ailani couldn't hear anything, but her senses were dulled, and her connection to the Force was hazy. She risked a glance around the corner and confirmed Padmé's statement. At least a dozen battle droids stood in the center of an intersection, guarding a ladder, blasters at the ready. The droid in the center had some cutting tools and sparks crackled from the machine as he attempted to pry open the hatch.

She looked to Padmé for orders. Searching for a better mind to lead her or a better heart-to-play guide. Always looking. Always searching. Maker, she was pathetic.

Padmé nodded.

The clones behind them fired first, providing loose cover as Ailani sprung to the front, lightsaber ready. This was child's play. At least, it would have been. If only Ailani's ears would stop ringing, and her hands would stop shaking.

The battle droids attempted to retaliate, but they were mere seconds too slow and vastly outnumbered as Ahsoka and Rex turned the opposing corner and trapped the droids between them. Golden glow cut through rusted metal, and baster blots burned through mechanical skulls.

"Sixteen down," Ahsoka said, her words breathless. "Hopefully, less than sixteen to go."

After that, splitting up became unnecessary, and they roamed the halls like hunters, clearing hatches and emptying corridors. So few droids remained, and with the assistance of R3, the hunt was easy. He scanned hallways and plugged into ports, listening to droid chatter or picking up electromagnetic disturbances.

Ten droids here. Twelve droids there.

All trying to escape.

That was one advantage the Separatists had: an endless hivemind. Droids never needed additional orders. They were programmed with one inherent order: Kill. The droids didn't need anyone to tell them what to do. They knew they needed to escape. They knew the virus would maim and destroy.

Droids didn't need to worry about the paling faces of their companions. They didn't need to stop every two hundred steps because everyone was growing more winded by the minute, and droids did not care if the youngest among them was slowly fading away.

To her endless credit, Ahsoka pulled a brave face—a face as brave as any young teenager could muster. But Ailani saw with eyes trained by the Council and watched Ahsoka's movements slow, and veins became more prominent in her small face.

Often, as they stopped and slowed, Ailani would catch Rex's dark visor, and understanding passed between them.

Not yet. But soon. Soon.

Eventually, two droidekas found them, rolling down the hallway rapidly before activating their force field and opening fire.

Ailani pulled up her protection, spinning her saber before the group as the droids activated matching shields. How were they supposed to—

"Anakin taught me a trick!" Ahsoka yelled as if reading Ailani's thoughts, "Their force field only works at high speeds!"

"What!?” The words made little sense in Ailani’s foggy mind.

"Watch!" Ahsoka cried. And with light steps, she ran towards the destroyers, jumped on top of one, lowered her saber into the field, and activated the blade. The droid fell apart instantly, but even as Ailani watched Ahsoka's movements, she felt something else shift behind her, and an echoing blaster bolt ricochet against the walls and—

"Senator!" Ahsoka cried.

The battle faded, all droids dead and gone, and Ailani suddenly felt herself step into a new battlefield as she turned to face the scene behind her. Padmé was on the ground. Her helmet was cracked across her face, leaking air.

Ailani couldn’t move.

"I'm so sorry." Ahsoka cried, kneeling beside the woman. She looked so pained, so desperately pained that Ailani felt her own heartstrings pull.

Padmé removed her helmet, "Don't blame yourself. These things tend to happen in a war zone." And she was smiling. Sadly but present, a mere whisper of compassion in her worn features.

The mix of emotions swirling through Ailani was much too complicated to name, so she merely stared, face blank. What was she supposed to be feeling? Was she feeling anything? What was going on? Her ears rang so desperately now, her mind like the sinking swamplands above. They were going to be buried here. Two daughters of Naboo. Buried below the swamp.

They didn't have any time.

"Come on," Ailani said, pushing aside emotions, "Let's finish this. There can't be much more."

They stalked through the halls for another hour, slicing, cutting, and destroying everything in their place.

Padmé had no Jedi training to fall back on, no way to slow her breathing or intake of air, and so what had taken a day to wear on Ahsoka and Ailani befell Padmé Amidala in a single hour. Dark eye bags grew on her face, and her already porcelain skin paled to a sickening ashen shade.

Memories of Ailani’s Mother threatened to resurface, but vomit and bloody coughs cleared everything away.

"R3 isn't picking up any more mechanics," Ailani said, her voice cracking as she glanced over the map one final time. Her mouth tasted like bile. "I think that's all."

She turned her attention back to the group and watched the hollowed faces meet her gaze. None of them had any energy left anyway, even if they were more droids. Everyone was a sickly shade, and even with her blurring vision, Ailani could see the trembling in their legs. Everyone's energy was spent. But they had done it. They had saved the rest of Naboo.

Ailani thought about all the hazy faces from her childhood and the glimpses of life she had known during the coronation. They would all be okay now—every last one.

Her eyes drifted back to Ahsoka. Everyone would be okay—everyone except for them.

Only through the sacrifice of many Jedi will the Order cleanse the sin done to the nameless. What did that even mean? Would she ever know now?

"Let's try and contact Anakin," Padmé said, her voice catching, "One last time."

Ailani nodded slowly, chewing on the words. One last time. How many things had she already done for a final time?

She didn't have time to think about it.

R3's transmitter would need modification to contact Anakin successfully, so with shaking hands and a fuzzy brain, Ailani pulled wires and gave the droid a new life. He was compliant and quiet. Never speaking back, letting Ailani do exactly what she needed.

He was going to live through this, Ailani realized as she slipped the final wire into place. R3 was going to be left alone with their corpses for the rest of eternity. He would be stuck with them until all the power died.

Brown eyes stared at Ailani through the pure white snow.

R3 was going to be left with her dead body. He was going to watch her rot. Forever.

Ailani just hoped that forever passed quickly.

R3 pulled out his satellite dish, scanning for frequencies. After a moment, he beeped, signaling Ahsoka to begin speaking.

Ailani moved out of sight, leaning against the wall as Ahsoka and Padmé stood before the little droid.

"Master, can you hear me?" Ahsoka tried, her voice weak and small. She sounded much worse than she had twenty minutes ago. Much worse.

No response.

R3 beeped encouragingly, evidently confident the message had been heard, even if no response could be seen. Was he lying to them? Giving them hope in their final moments?

"Master, if you are out there if you're listening, we destroyed all the battle droids inside the compound, Master." Ahsoka's words were certain but still unsteady. She got straight to the point. "Naboo is safe from further contamination." She continued, "I repeat. Naboo is safe." A vicious coughing fit cut Ahsoka off, and Padmé stepped in.

Ailani watched mechanically.

"Promise me that no one will ever open this bunker. Goodbye, Anakin." And then her lips formed soundless words, secret words.

And she, too, coughed.

And the transmission ended.

With the droids gone, nothing was left to do but sit and rot.

They littered themselves about a storage room, long empty supplies and painkillers discarded here and there, as coughing echoed in the hazy room. All they had to do was ease the passing.

Ailani rummaged through her bag again, counting her items and trying to remember how much she had left. It was so hard to keep numbers in her head, so hard to remember what painkiller treated what symptom. She was out of numbing gel and sleeping pills, and nothing else would help them. No wounds needed sanitation or gauze, and stimulants would do little to reduce the anxiety of death that lingered over the group.

Ailani herself had started seeing double over an hour ago, but it was of little consequence. She wouldn't need to see straight again.

Decimated.

"What a waste," Padmé said, her quiet voice coming from behind Ailani.

She was treating a clone trooper, a wet gauze in her hand acting like a cloth. Her words barely registered in Ailani's foggy mind, but somehow they still stung.

A waste? Is that what she was seeing now? Did senators ever see more than numbers? These were people. This was a tragedy.

"With all due respect, Senator, it's what these men were born to do," Rex replied. Ailani looked at him, and only a grimace crossed his face.

Though the sentiment of his comment was not new, something about his manner made the words shift and twist in Ailani's mind. What did it mean to be born to die?

"I hope that their sacrifice brings us closer to peace," said Padmé, and for some unknown reason, something snapped in Ailani's chest.

Closer to peace. What did that even mean? How did dying make one closer to peace? How much death did peace cost?

"It will, Padmé." Ahsoka spoke, standing on shaking legs, "You must believe that…" Ahsoka's voice trailed off weakly, and she collapsed.

Collapsed. Collapsed. Crumbled. Like Tauht in the snow. Like Wolffe in the mine. Like the nameless clone.

Rex rushed forward, catching Ahsoka before she could hit the floor, an unreadable expression on his face. Without registering that she had moved, Ailani found herself close behind, stumbling and falling beside the pair.

"The breather," She said breathlessly, "Rex, the breather, the breather—" Ailani found herself stumbling through the words repeatedly, unable to stop the breathless panic that crawled up her throat. Her hands trembled, uselessly grabbing Rex's arm and fumbling for Ahsoka's pulse.

Wolffe's blood was still underneath Ailani's nails. Yet even as Ailani faltered, Rex remained the same, shakily pulling the device from his belt and securing it around Ahsoka's mouth.

She took a deep breath, her chest trembling with the effort. But her eyes did not open. Her frame shook, and her body heaved. But her eyes did not open.

Tears leaked from Ailani's eyes before she could process the emotion, suffocating hurt and pain tearing at her insides.

Rex said nothing.

Discomfort turned to distress, and a steering pain filled her chest. It felt like her heart was melting, her insides dissolving into puddles of nothingness.

What these men were born to do.

You must believe that.

The words floated around in Ailani's dizzy head, blending and getting lost between her logic and heart.

Was she supposed to die believing that this was all worth it? Ahsoka was fourteen, and she was going to die here. Ailani was supposed to think that this was all worth it.

Worth what?

What was any of this worth?

Ailani, the last Mandalorian taken by the Blue Shadow Virus, would die here. And it was supposed to be worth it.

Ailani stumbled to her feet, standing on trembling legs, her head shaking back and forth. It was too much. Everything was too much. The people, the warmth of dying bodies and rotting flesh. The horrid humidity. It was all too much. She stumbled backward, pushing away from the group and wandering away with shaking steps.

No one tried to stop her. Not that anyone would even have the strength to try.

Ailani stumbled into a far off corner, the dizziness and horror taking over her body until all she could do was vomit, hoping, praying, begging the nightmare to end with every burning sensation. Her body rejected the pain in her mind, rejected the fear in her heart, and even tried to force the poison from her lungs, vomiting and vomiting until there was nothing but red blood and yellow sick.

It didn't work. Nothing would work now.

She had hoped the breather would buy Ahsoka a few hours, but what would a few hours do now but extend the pain? Ending it all with a blaster bolt would have been kinder, but no one had the strength. Even the mere thought brought back more vomit and tears.

Worth it.

How could any of this be worth it? How could dying alone be worth anything? What was Ahsoka's life worth? What was any of this worth?

Ailani pulled her knees into her chest, leaning heavily into the wall. She was going to die here in this bunker. She was going to die a failure. A useless piece of flesh. A wasted opportunity, a wasted soul.

She couldn't even save a single one of them. This was her mission, her responsibility. And everyone was going to die.

Another cough wracked her body, clawing its way up her lungs and wearing painful gashes into the flesh of her throat. The motion made her dizzy, sending all her agonizing thoughts spinning. Blood was on her sleeve when she finally pulled it away from her mouth. Someone held out a cloth.

R3. The droid stood beside her, a small medical gauze between his metal pinchers, holding it out like a handkerchief.

"Thank you," Ailani said, but her voice would not cooperate, and all that left her lips was a strained, wounded sound.

The droid said nothing in reply, merely watching her with his big black eye as she wiped away bile and blood. He was going to live, and he would be forced to watch her for all of eternity. What a horrible fate. Trapped down here with ghosts.

Ailani sighed, leaning away from the vomit and resting on the wall. "I'm sorry." She said to the droid, unsure what she was apologizing for. Perhaps all of it. Everything she had ever done needed to be atoned for. "I'm sorry."

She had so much to apologize for, so many things she regretted, and so many people she had hurt. But all of it was useless now. Just as she was useless, she wanted to write a letter to her parents or maybe the Jedi Council, but her brain was so fuzzy and her hands too shaky. It wasn't worth it anyway. No one would care to know her final words, and apologies felt wasted when they came from the dead.

And her brain would not allow her to form full thoughts. After burning all her strength with useless bile, rational thinking was becoming hard, her thoughts twisting and dizzying. The room was spinning, falling back and forth like the tide, drifting in and out of her reality.

She tried to feel angry again, mad at the universe, but even that was growing difficult. Her mind was fading.

R3-K9 wheeled closer to her, pressing his dome against her head. Silent and kind.

Ailani closed her eyes for a moment, leaning into his dome as she listened to the hum of machinery. The cool metal felt good against her burning skin, and Ailani sighed softly. Small comfort was all she had now. She just needed to rest for a moment.

She just needed to collect her thoughts. She couldn't think straight. She just needed a moment.