Cassandra's motorcade pulled up to the front gate of Xanatos Labs.
The guard stepped out. "You'll have to leave. No one is allowed in"
"I'm Lt. Kathera Oris, Imperial Security," Katie replied, waving her ID.
"You will let us though. Believe me you do not want to have to explain to
Lady Mathem-Steele why she's not being let in."
"Arridor is not Imperial terri..."
"I think you'll find that until this plague is under control that
distinction is meaningless." Katie replied. "Have you ever met a Sith Lord
before?"
Cassandra swept through the outer offices of the main building and into
the infirmary. Her entourage followed in her wake.
As she entered the two men in charge turned towards her.
"Lady Mathem-Steele, I realize that you have an appointment but you
really shouldn't be here, we've had..." the scientist began.
"You've lost control of one of your projects is what's happened."
Sandy answered him. "What are you doing about it?"
"Everything appropriate I assure you. Now if you'll just return to your
hotel."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Dr. Elrod Wilshire, asst. director of the lab." He responded.
"Now I'm really very bus..." He started to reach for his throat.
"Lonnie, stop." Sandy commanded.
Elrod relaxed.
"But, Mother, he insulted you."
"He did." Tiri, Jan and Attiles added in unison.
Elrod looked at the semi-circle of teenagers around her. "What
happened?"
"Lonnie's a good boy. But he sometimes gets a little over protective of
his mother." She paused. "Now, Dr. Wilshire, you were about to explain
what has happened here."
"I'm not at liberty to..."
"Dr. Wilshire will explain everything, or at least as much as we know,
m'lady." The police lieutenant interrupted him.
"And you are? Sandy asked?
"Lt. Tor Kyrsk, Arridor Police, m'lady."
"I can't do that." Elrod objected. "I can't let this news get out. And
any way she'll just panic."
"I doubt she'll panic." Tor answered. "And maybe you should. Do you
know who she is?"
"She's just an aristocrat who owns a biotech company. Of course she'll
panic."
"No, Elrod. That's Lady Cassandra Mathem-Steele. She's the Emperor's
personal physician and a Sith. She won't panic."
"Now, Dr. Wilshire, tell me what you know about this plague, and don't
leave out the technical details." Sandy interrupted. "Is it a virus, or
bacterium?"
"We don't know."
"You don't know? How broad a quarantine have you ordered?" She asked.
"We haven't, yet."
"Why not?"
Elrod gave her a blank look.
"Lonnie, summon the Emerald. Tell Captain Tiraya I want a full
quarantine of Arridor. Circles at one, ten and a hundred miles centered on
this lab. Also at the coast of this continent and planetary." Sandy
ordered. And have my medical crisis team summoned from Zoron."
Sandy's com tech was already setting up the holo transmitter by the
time Lonnie turned around.
"Dr. Wilshire, as you seem unable to cope, I'm taking charge of this
operation."
"What's the Emerald?" He asked.
"My star destroyer." She answered. "Its presence will make everyone
take this seriously. And I want her medical staff's help."
"You can't do..." Elrod started to protest.
"Stop me." Sandy answered.
Lt. Tor Kyrsk stood there watching the verbal banter between the two, in
many ways he felt sorry for Elrod. "M'lady, if there is anything I can do
let me know." He bowed thinking how different these people were from the
Jedi, from Octavia who had just left.
"Now Dr. Wishire, lets examine the zero patient, you have indenifed him
haven't you?"
"Of course m'lady." Tor replied turning to led her to the body.
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