30 Stand Off 5 (1/2)
Republic Cruiser Requiem
Blockade over Naboo
I watched news reports on what was happening down in Theed on a holo-display projected on the bridge. Most of the crew here were glancing from their station to see the events unfolding below us.
Small news droids, were buzzing around the city and catching on camera the tragedy in progress. It was the day after we came back from Iego and the hospitals on Naboo were already busy synthesizing copious amounts of the cure. However, for many people it would be too late. The water borne strain of the virus killed too fast. Already there were tens of thousands dead with the number raising fast. The few stasis tanks which were available to the doctors on the planet and whatever the fleet could spare were full but that barely covered twelve thousand people. It was not even a drop in the bucket compared to the millions infected. The most optimistic projections were looking at least a million and half dead with a twice that number of people that would take months to recover.
Reporters from all over the Republic had a field day. While thanks to the quarantine none were allowed on Naboo in person, that didn't stop them from sending down droids to capture the tragedy in person. I could see images of makeshift hospitals on the streets with GAR and local security personnel attempting to keep the order. Bacta and almost everything else we could spare could at best alleviate Blue Shadow's symptoms at best. There were lots of people dead either on the streets or in their homes and right now I could see groups of Clones gathering the bodies for disposal. The picture changed to an overcrowded military hospital set up in one of Theed's many parks. There were thousands of people either lying where they could or simply sitting on the ground while medics, soldiers and med-droids did what they could but in too many cases it was too little too late.
A mother was carrying the tiny form of her little girl who was covered by large oozing blue spots. She was frantically begging for help only for a clone to take a look and quick scan, before simply shaking his head. The woman fell to her knees and simply stood there on the ground, clutching her child.
Nearby a pair of little boys were shaking the unmoving form of a Zabrak male whose unseeing eyes were turned towards the camera frozen open in death. The horror show continued on and on and that was just Theed.
Once upon a time such images would have moved me. Nowadays... I've seen too much horror that made the tragedy on Naboo pale in comparison. Hell, I've caused worse too. All things considered, even when using only conventional weapons taking a heavily populated world would see much more tragedies than the whole of Naboo had the misfortune to boast. Then there was Crimson and that horror made every other bio-weapon I've seen or heard of inconsequential in comparison. It was a good thing that Crimson was eradicated a couple of decades before I ended in the future.
It was a clusterfuck of epic proportions. At least Amidala had calmed somewhat once Skywalker managed to escape from the hospital frigate where he was recovering and made his way to Theed. He was subject of the quarantine for now too so hopefully Anakin wouldn't be causing any troubles for the foreseeable future.
I shut down the holoprojector and looked outside the bridge through one of the windows. I could see a lot of transport ships, which were disgorging hundreds of shuttles chock full with relief supplies and doctors volunteering to help. The most important commodity was coming from the Medical Ship ”New Hope” - a two kilometre long titan filled with some of the best medical equipment and doctors in the galaxy. Its shuttles were disgorging fifty thousand more stasis pods which would help save a lot of people.
Before the start of the war there were twenty five of those mobile hospitals but they as well as any other medical assets the Republic used to posses were primary target for the CIS. Only ten of the leviathans were still intact enough to travel through hyperspace.
My attention went to the tac-pad in my hands. On it a message from the Chancellor's office stared me in the face. In its endless wisdom the Senate had called an emergency session to discus the events of Naboo. I was to make my way there as soon as the situation on the surface had stabilized and bring Senator Amidala with me. So much for keeping Skywalker and his wife out of trouble.
I smirked and called Anakin. It took him couple of minutes to pick up his comm and then his holo image materialized in front of me.
”General Skywalker, I just received a call from the Chancellor. The Senate is gathering to discuss the situation on Naboo in three days. Palpatine suggests that it would be for the best if Senator Amidala makes her case in person. I trust you'll be able to persuade her what is best for Naboo.” I valiantly suppressed my amusement. No doubt the good Senator would have a lot to say to anyone suggesting she should abandon her people in their hour of need no matter how good the reason. Better him than me.
Anakin apparently shared my thoughts on the mater because he stiffened and I'm sure he was scowling at me.
”Is that all, general Veil?” Skywalker spoke in a clipped, irritated tone.
”There's nothing else of note. Good luck. Veil out.” I terminated the call.
I don't know what he said to his wife but only a few minutes later I got a brief message indicating they should be leaving Theed within the hour.
I returned my attention to the news, though this time I used my data-pad to access those feeds. It showed someone high in the CIS ranks. I had no idea who that was or even the species it belonged to.
”I repeat, no one within the Confederacy of Independent systems had anything to do with that monstrous deed on Naboo! We are ready to provide all possible humanitarian help to ease the suffering of the people of Naboo!” the insectoid continued droning apologies.
As if someone was going to believe it. With Vindi in custody and singing like canary it was a foregone conclusion that the CIS would get all the blame. My issue was that the crazy doctor had no idea who actually released the virus. I made sure he was telling the truth. I did dispatch search parties to scour the areas surrounding the river for kilometres upstream, had other teams checking all cameras within Theed too along with scouring for witnesses though the latter was a very long shot – even if someone saw something there was no guarantee they lived long enough to share it.
As far as I could remember, there wasn't supposed to be such a massive outbreak on Naboo. What Vindi knew supported my fragmented memories. How the hell did my presence cause this mess? What other surprises were waiting for me?
I spent couple of hours pondering those issues without reaching any useful conclusions then went to check up on Jaybo after the Skywalkers were through decontamination and tests to see if they caught the virus. With both of them clean I ordered Pellaeon to get us on our way and left the bridge.
=RK=
I found my apprentice in one of the hanger bays, buried into the mechanic guts of a LAAT's engine. Most of said propulsion unit's innards were strewn on the deck next to the gunship. I could see four technicians around Jaybo. They were looking at what he was doing and giving him suggestions on how to fix the craft. The kid was fast becoming the technician's mascot.
When I brought him on board the previous day, Jaybo had taken a long bath and a warm meal before heading to find something mechanical to thinker with. He had ended in one of the hangars where the mechanics had adopted him like a mascot.
My musings were terminated by the arrival of a certain furious Senator who stormed towards me with a single-mindedness common for a guided missile. When Amidala was close enough her right hand snapped in a perfectly executed motion to deliver a slap on my face. I caught her palm in my armoured fingers and rolled my eyes at her antics.
”Senator. You've spoken with your friends on Coruscant, I see.” I deadpanned.
Behind her scowling face I could see Skywalker hurrying to catch up. He was not too pleased either if his thunderous expression was anything to go by.