The Clone Wars had been going as it usually did. The Droid Army and Clone Army clashed across the galaxy to determine the fate of planets. So far it seemed like there was no clear winner, so the Separatist decided to create a weapon to level the playing field. A Bioweapon called, Purge, was created and thoroughly tested but the Separatist simply tested incorrectly and got results that they couldn't predict. It did kill whatever it touched so that was a plus. When it was given its first ever field test though, that's when everything went wrong.
On the planet named Abren, the Separatist deployed the Purge Virus in hopes it would kill the clones in droves. They had believed it would only target Jango Fett's DNA but what happened next proved they were wrong. So, so wrong. While it succeeded in killing Clones those dead clones soon came back to life, but they were different. These reanimated clones began attacking their brothers and any other civilians they found, biting them and they too came back from the dead.
These Zombies quickly spread across Abren consuming everything in their path. But it didn't stop on Abren, it found a way to spread to other planets and then more planets and then more planets. Both Republic and Separatist worlds were under attack, and the Clone Wars was put on pause for the time being. But that was one year ago. While the Droid and Clone Armies did their best to slow down the virus, it didn't stop. The Outer Rim became consumed with pockets of the Mid Rim falling as well. The Separatist are almost completely consumed while the Galactic Republic has focused on purely defensive operations to prevent the virus from spreading even further.
While the Jedi also did their part, many Jedi fell to the virus and when they came back as Zombies, they could still use the Force, and it made the zombies more powerful. Starships were no longer safe as these Zombie Jedi could just yank them out of the sky. Due to this, the Galactic Republic forbade the Jedi from fighting the virus directly as they could not afford more Jedi turning to the undead.
As if news couldn't get any worse, the Chancellor of the Republic suddenly vanished one day. Palpatine was never seen of or heard of again. No one knows what happened to him, so a new Chancellor had to be elected to replace him. This new Chancellor was Bail Organa. But that was the situation in the Galaxy. A Zombie Apocalypse had arrived, and the galaxy was in chaos. While the situation worsened, it seemed to be contained. But the Jedi knew it wouldn't be for long.
One of these Jedi was Ragnar Jorgan, and he hated the fact that he couldn't be in the field. So, he—with some help from CT-7274 aka ARC Trooper Orion—managed to secure a Nu-Class Attack/Transport Shuttle and left Coruscant with Orion beside him. So, there they were, traveling through Hyperspace in their shuttle. The one piloting the shuttle was CT-1892 aka Manfred. Their destination was Abren, the ground zero of the infection. Ragnar hoped he could find any evidence pointing towards a potential cure for the virus and Abren seemed like the best option despite the danger.
As they sat in the main bay of the ship, Ragnar and Orion sat in silence. Orion tagged along because he also wanted to see this virus end and to avenge his brothers who were taken by the virus.
"So, what's the plan when we arrive on Abren?" Orion asked, his helmet resting on his lap.
"We search for where the virus was first unleashed, and according to reports, the virus was deployed in a town called Telk." Ragnar explained. "That's our first objective."
"You sure this is the wisest thing to do?" Orion asked.
"No. But we need to take risks to end this infection." Ragnar said.
"We have been taking risks, and the hordes have just gotten bigger." Orion said, sounding hopeless.
"That's because we've been fighting conventionally. We need to think outside of the box and fight on different terms." Ragnar said. "No more military protocol, no more formations, no more large-scale operations. Just small nimble operations to deal immense damage."
"If that's the case, then why not bring Clone Commandos?" Orion asked.
"Because they are all busy and I wanted someone who I could trust with my life." Ragnar answers. "That someone is you, Orion."
They then hear Manfred's voice over the ship's intercom.
"We've reached Abren." Manfred said.
As the ship exists Hyperspace, Manfred can see Abren and guides the ship towards it. It takes little time before it enters the planet's atmosphere and then soon goes through clouds. After it breaks through the clouds Manfred pulls back and begins to fly to Telk. As it does, Orion puts his helmet on and grabs his blaster carbine while Ragnar grabs his lightsaber. After a trip, they arrive at Telk and Manfred decides to land on an elevated position overlooking the town. As the shuttle comes down for a landing, the wings fold up as the landing gear deploys. The ship touches down and soon the front ramp drops down letting both Orion and Ragnar out of the ship. Once they step onto the surface of the planet, Ragnar gets on comms to talk to Manfred.
"Stay with the ship, Manfred, we won't be long." Ragnar ordered.
"Roger that, General." Manfred said.
"Let's go Orion." Ragnar said while motioning to the town.
Orion nods and the two make haste to reach the town while keeping their awareness of zombies up. It was a long trek but when they arrived at the front gates of the town, they see the destruction that had consumed the town long ago. They stop moving at the front gate which was open. Blaster bolt scorch marks cover the buildings and the wall around the town. Some Battle Droids rest destroyed on the ground in the town. Ragnar gestures for Orion to move out and stay close as they move into the town. Once they pass the gate, Ragnar can instantly sense something was here. Most likely the zombies. Due to their connection to the Dark Side, Ragnar has learned to sense them. But the feeling of sensing them is unnatural and he hates it.
"I'm sensing something. Stay alert." Ragnar orders.
Orion began looking around them with his blaster raised. They trek further into the town and see some abandoned Republic equipment that was left behind when the infection first began. Ragnar remembered hearing the reports of clones coming back to life and attacking everyone and everything in their path. The virus spread so fast at first that it was impossible to contain or fight. Though, Ragnar and the Republic doesn't know where the virus came from. The Jedi theorized that it was a Sith ritual that went wrong, no one knows that it was a Separatist Bioweapon.
"According to the reports from what Clones survived Abren, the infection started after something fell from the sky." Orion brings up.
"Then we find out what fell from the sky." Ragnar said.
"I take it split up and start searching?" Orion asked.
"No. We do not split up." Ragnar said sternly. "it's a bad idea."
"Agreed." Orion said.
The two began moving through the village in search for something that could've fallen from the sky. As they search, they don't see any Zombies which has them worried. Ragnar can sense them, but he can't see them, and it makes him believe that they're stalking him and Orion. As they search the town, Ragnar sees more destroyed Battle Droids and clone trooper helmets that were left behind alongside their blasters. He couldn't imagine what the Clones on Abren experienced when the outbreak began. Having to watch your brothers fall and then come back before attacking you relentlessly. It must've been hell to experience. Soon, the two find an alleyway and see some kind of large canister lodged into the ground. The two look at each other and walk over to it. When they reach it, Orion knelt to inspect it. He brushed aside some dust and dirt and saw the Separatist logo on it.
"It's Separatist, but what is it?" Orion asked.
Ragnar noticed some letters covered in dirt and dust, so he points towards it, and Orion notices it. He brushed the debris away and sees the words PURGE VIRUS stamped on the side of the canister.
"Purge Virus?" Orion asked.
Ragnar then began to think, if this canister is what fell from the sky and a VIRUS caused this infection. Does that mean the Separatists are responsible?
"The Separatists created the plague?" Ragnar mumbled.
"Those damn Separatists!" Orion cursed as he stood up, angrily. "They created this virus; my brothers fell and turned into those Undead because of the clankers!"
"Calm down, Orion." Ragnar ordered.
"Calm down? Calm down!? My brothers are suffering, and you want me to calm down!?" Orion asked.
"If the Separatist are responsible, then that means we have a shot to reverse the infection." Ragnar said.
"What are you talking about?" Orion asked.
"If it was created, then that means a cure can be made." Ragnar said. "We just need to find the lab where it was created."
"Easier said than done." Orion points out. "It could be anywhere!"
The two then heard gargling and footsteps behind them. They turn around and see a Zombie Clone Trooper without its helmet on.
"Brother..."
The Zombie Clone gets a terrifying shout at the two before charging them. Ragnar ignites his lightsaber, but Orion shoots the Zombie in the head killing it instantly. The Zombie Clone fell to the ground backwards and thuds when it hit the ground. Ragnar then looked at Orion.
"You, okay?" Ragnar asked.
"It's... not the first brother I've had to lay to rest." Orion said.
Ragnar understands this. Especially since the 67th Legion had almost been wiped out by the Zombies.
"We need to get going before more show up." Ragnar said.
Orion nods and the two move out of the alley. As they move through the town and back to the gate, they hear another haunting shout before turning around and seeing a number of Zombies behind them rushing towards them. Both of their eyes widen.
"RUN!" Ragnar shouts.
Before they run, Ragnar unleashed a powerful Force Push and knocked back some of the zombies. The two then started running to escape from the zombies. As they ran, a few Zombies came from the rooftops of the buildings, but Orion shot them out of the sky or Ragnar sliced them in half with his lightsaber as they reached him. Once they rushed past the gate, Ragnar used the force to close it to buy them some time. The Zombies slam against it but it doesn't hold for long as it blasts open and the zombies rush out of the town. Ragnar and Orion hear the gate get forced open by the Zombies and don't bother to look. They just kept running.
"Manfred! Get the ship ready!" Orion ordered over comms. "We've got a ton of Zombies after us!"
The two made a run for the shuttle and as they got closer, the shuttle slowly lifts up off the ground with the front ramp lowered.
"Cutting it a bit close!" Manfred said over comms.
Ragnar unleashed another Force Push to knock back the Zombies before he and Orion can board the shuttle. Once onboard, Orion turns and shoots down two Zombies that tried boarding the ship as it took off. The ramp closed and the shuttle rapidly ascended into the sky. As it flew away from the Zombies, both Ragnar and Orion breathe a sigh of relief.
"That was close." Orion said.
"Too close." Ragnar added.
"Where to now, General?" Orion asked.
Ragnar gave it thought, but now that they know that the Infection was caused by a Bioweapon, they needed to find the Separatist lab responsible for the plague to gather any data on it as possible to then create a cure. Finding it though is a challenge.
"For now, we try to locate the Lab responsible for the virus." Ragnar said.
"How?" Orion asked.
That Ragnar didn't know. The intercom came online as Manfred spoke.
"General, I'm picking up a distress signal from the next system over." Manfred reports.
"What kind?" Ragnar asked.
"Give me a second...." Manfred said before he then checked.
A moment later, he spoke once more.
"It's from the planet Anten, it's coming from a Republic channel." Manfred said.
"Clones or civilians?" Orion asked.
"Hard to tell." Manfred answered. "The quality of connection is rough."
Ragnar then begins to think about it. He could make a detour and help save lives on Anten. They could also gain some supplies from whoever is on Anten.
"Manfred, head for Anten." Ragnar ordered.
"Roger that, General." Manfred said.