It wasn't long before the other possessed clones in the corridor began converging on their position.
"Oh, great," Peter muttered sarcastically.
Ahsoka, however, was already scanning for an escape route.
"Peter, Barriss—up to the vents!"
"There!" she pointed upward.
Peter fired a web line toward the ceiling and quickly pried open the ventilation cover. Seconds after he disappeared into the ductwork, Ahsoka and Barriss followed, scrambling up behind him.
"Do you think any of them spotted us?" Peter asked with lingering anxiety.
"They definitely know we were here—the vent cover fell and hit a couple of the clones on the way down."
"What's our next move?"
"I'll head to the reactor room and disable the hyperdrive," Barriss volunteered. "You two need to reach the communications center and contact Master Fisto. We have to prevent this ship from docking at the medical station."
"I'll come with you," Peter offered.
"There's only one of you and two of us," Ahsoka pointed out logically. "Who are you going to help?"
There were many times when Peter hated being forced to choose between equally important objectives. In the past, it had been meaningless problems in everyday life. Now it was life-or-death.
"Uh..." Peter rubbed his head nervously.
Thankfully, Ahsoka made the decision for him. "The communications array is on the opposite end of the ship. Right now, most of the infected clones are probably still searching for us back where we escaped."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I'm... ninety percent sure."
"Guys," Barriss interrupted urgently, "we need to move fast and contact our masters immediately."
Ahsoka nodded reluctantly, got into position, and began crawling toward her destination.
"Be careful, both of you," she called back to them.
"We'll be fine," Barriss promised. "You just focus on staying safe."
With mutual nods of understanding, the three friends separated toward their respective objectives.
Ahsoka, for her part, reached the communications center much faster than expected, relieved to discover that the equipment was still functioning normally. She immediately began attempting to contact Master Fisto and the medical station that the frigate was currently approaching.
"Padawan Tano," Jedi Master Kit Fisto greeted her with his characteristic warm smile. "I was becoming concerned when we didn't receive your scheduled check-in."
Ahsoka let out a weary sigh. "We had a very good reason for missing that report, Master."
Fisto's expression grew more serious as he noticed Ahsoka's obvious signs of stress and fear.
Ahsoka quickly recounted the events aboard their ship, explaining to the Nautolan Jedi that Geonosian brain parasites had infected the clone troopers and were now hunting the three teenagers.
"Master, under no circumstances can we be allowed to dock with the medical station while these creatures are aboard our ship," Ahsoka declared firmly.
"But that would leave you, Barriss, and young Parker trapped in extreme danger," Fisto countered with concern. "You should dock with the station immediately. We can quarantine and study the parasites to find an effective countermeasure."
"Master Fisto, these brain worms are incredibly dangerous," Ahsoka argued. "They managed to take complete control of our clone troopers without any of us sensing the infection through the Force."
"We'll implement all necessary safety protocols, young one," Fisto assured her, though Ahsoka clearly remained unconvinced.
"I have a very bad feeling about this plan, Master Fisto," Ahsoka admitted reluctantly. "But I will follow your orders."
While Ahsoka was speaking with Fisto, Barriss and Peter had reached the rear section of the ship and carefully dropped down from the ventilation system back-to-back.
"Looks like we're in the clear," Barriss whispered cautiously.
"For now, anyway," Peter replied quietly.
"This way," Barriss gestured for him to follow her lead.
Peter glanced around the corridor with confusion. "Haven't we been through this area before?"
"There's quite a bit of repetition in this ship's design," Barriss explained as they entered the passage leading to the reactor room.
Peter's spider-sense suddenly flared with urgent warning. He let out a sharp cry, clenching his teeth as he watched Barriss convulse in agony from a stun blast, her lightsaber clattering to the deck.
Suddenly, they found themselves surrounded on both sides by infected clone troopers, all with blasters trained on them.
Peter looked frantically back and forth, desperately trying to think of an escape plan.
Clone Trooper Edge was saying something about how the clones had always known the most effective methods for neutralizing Jedi, but Peter couldn't focus on the words because he heard Barriss whispering urgently beside him.
"When you get the chance, find Ahsoka," she whispered through gritted teeth.
"What?" Peter said in shock and disbelief.
Clone Trooper Scythe stepped forward, holding a Geonosian egg containing two writhing brain worms.
"Go now!" Barriss whispered with fierce determination, and when Peter hesitated, she used her remaining strength to Force-push him past the two clones blocking their original entrance.
Peter looked back in horror as Barriss was stunned again and Scythe grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head back to expose her face.
Peter slammed his fist into the bulkhead in fury, leaving a sizeable dent, and was about to charge back when the passage was sealed by an emergency blast door.
He gritted his teeth in frustration, turned to the two clones he had knocked down during his escape, and quickly webbed them to the wall to prevent pursuit.
Peter mentally berated himself for leaving Barriss behind as he leaped back into the ventilation system. Just as he disappeared from view, the newly possessed Barriss reactivated her lightsaber with cold, mechanical precision.
He had to find Ahsoka. Fast.