Ryloth

[apophenian]

Strong and powerful were the muscle of a snake. Having felt the brutal impact of a kick, he was moving even before he registered what was thrown at him. Years about years of military experience kicked in and he dove behind cover when the grenade went off. With a loud roar the grenade exploded either killing or stunning the civilians on the ground.

 

With the front entrance in shames, clogged and an immovable object Apophenian knew he would have to take his chances with a different exit if he wanted to get out of here alive. Something slammed into him knocking him off balance, but the spider silk held tight on what seemed to have been a stun blast. Yet he was packing something meant for a full on kill blast it still knock the wind out of him. Dropping behind the bartender's counter he weighed his options.

 

I need to get out of here. Assuming there were snipers at the front and back, they would have relocated now that the entrance is blocked.

 

Smoke began to fill the room as Apophenian popped up from behind cover four blaster pistols of equal size and strength in hand. Two fired off toward where Gren was, keeping him pinned down with brutal power. The other two spewed their magnificence towards the front of the bar. Their power was amazing and the smoke quickly began to find an exit out the bar as windows were blown open. With that the patrons seeing a way out decided to rise and run as orderly as a drunken mob could be. Some pulled out blasters of their own and started firing. Others made dashes toward whatever exit they could. All of them were attempting to survive and escape as it was quite clear the longer they stayed there the greater their chances of getting caught in the cross fire. Apophenian seized his chance.

 

The sound of authorities arriving did little to impeded the massive stamped of fleeing patrons. Though he would be blamed for the bar's massive damage, he would also be remember for being the one to provide an exit. Yet he did no lead the way. Instead he joined the crowd and under the cover of pressing bodies, smoke and flashes of gunfire he hunkered down, never allowing a clear shot of him to be taken.

 

Now that he was outside it was a different story. It wouldn't take long for his pursers to realize he had escaped the bar. Dashing into a nearby ally along with some other patrons, as they continued on he dove into a nearby trash heap. It smelled four and was rife with vermin like creatures, yet it didn't matter to him. For moment's later the Thesspiaan was no more. Instead in his place was a trash covered homeless twi'lek who seemed to have the refuge of others as clothes. One who seemed far to down on his luck to care about the current commotion going on at the bar. Needless to say the snake was no where to be seen, all traces of him had been eradicated, or in this case hidden. Yet no amount of combing the area would help as not even the stun cuffs would be recovered.

 

How undignified.

[Rahalin Toral II]

He had not gone far when the first explosions went off at the bar. Cursing, Rahalin turned his speeder around and surveyed the forces that were assaulting the place. He was pretty sure he knew what they were after.

 

The only question he had was whether or not to help Apophenian or allow whomever was targeting him to succeed or fail without his interference.

he sighed, know that his cover required to actually save a known criminal from being captured in order to solve a bigger problem.

 

Rahalin accessed the burner-com's frequency from his helmet's interface. He ordered the number dialed, hoping that Apophenian had left it on buzz.

[apophenian]

His eyes opened a bit in shock as he felt a slight buzzing inside of him. He had forgotten about the little comlink as well as his new found friend. He readjusted to make sure he still sounded like the Thesspian.

 

”œIt ssseems some mercenariessss have caused a bit of a ruckusssss. Are you offering a ride?”

[Rahalin Toral II]

Rahalin shook his head at the irony of the situation. Quietly, so as not be overheard, he said into his comm system, "I am two blocks south of the bar inside an abandoned speeder repair bay. About as close I care and try and get under the circumstances. The sign outside reads 'Pliskin Pistons'".

[apophenian]

It helped to have his abilities. He had a life time of experience, and an advantage that most other beings did not. He was indiscernible from any of the other beings on the streets. On occasion he looked around as if curious of the commotion, but truly there was nothing to draw attention to him.

 

That is until he climbed into the speeder inside of the 'Pliskin Pistons' as a large Thisspiasian reeking of trash. The handcuffs have long been discarded. He felt some what more vulnerable in accepting the ride but, to have not done so would have raised suspicion and could have potential revealed more about him than he wished for others to know. He took great pains in making sure none knew his secret save a select trusted few. Even now he was one hundred percent certain he had no been observed, having used an indoor space to make sure his approach was undetected. He noted that his friend seemed to be rather unworried about the potential heat brought down from Force knew where. Still he spoke to the being.

 

”œWe sssshould perhaps make hassste from here.”

[Gren Sairdonga]

Gren swore as suppressing fire came from Mortise. That guy had a weapon for every arm! He would take great pleasure in cutting them off. Even as smoke obscured the bar, the panic increased and random patrons began firing off blaster shots in both directions Gren moved like a bolt of lightening, sliding out from behind hte rapidly disintegrating bar he found a booth to hunker down in out of the direct stream of fire. Even as a rather large hole was blown in the wall and an exodus commenced. Swearing some more Gren took aim at the large snakemans thermal silhouette but before he could squeeze off a shot it disappeared into the haze of thermal signiatures exiting the bar. Snarling he stunned two patrons who seemed intent on shooting him. They would wake up in jail in a few hours.

 

"All callsigns this is Sunray. Be advised target has left the bar through self-made door. I say again target has left the bar through self-made door. Lethal force authorised. Watch and shoot. Over."

 

"Sunray this is Overwatch. We had a brief flash of the target. Its gone now. Completely disappeared. Also be advised local authorities have closed in on your loc. Over."

 

"Sunray, Reo. Same same. Target has disappeared. Over."

 

Gren frowned. No way a creature that big could disappear that quickly. Not in this press. Something odd was going on. Standing he holstered his pistol and used his HD to find his rifle's tracker amidst the mess. Stepping over to it he picked up the state-of-the-art weapon and slung it before moving to exit the bar. Outside he ran into Veril who pointed up the alleyway to where numerous law enforcement officers were gathered. Nodding Gren stepped past him and approached.

 

"Halt! Hands up!"

 

Once screamed as soon as Gren came into view out of the smoke still streaming from the bar. Weapons came up everywhere. How to handle this situation. He noted his Overwatch team had a bead on the officers. This could get messy and end fast for them. They were just doing their job. Time for Gren to pull rank. Stopping he half raised his hands he took off his helmet.

 

"I am General Gren Sairdonga of the Galactic Alliance. Verify it. Your people know me as a long time freind of the government and all this is authorised through them and the authority of the Galactic Alliance to which we are all servants. I am following a known traitor from Gala. Where he just murdered over five hundred soldiers in cold blood. You people need to stop point weapons at me and begin trying to find the Thisspiasian Apophenian Mortise. You also need to apply aid to those inside. MY weapons were all stunners but Mortise used lethal rounds."

 

"Wait one minute sir."

 

The lawmens position became less aggressive a one of their men scanned Gren. Thirty seconds later all guns were down and they were rushing past him into the bar.

 

Even as that happened Gren's Ace showed up. Mother piloting the Ranger Twin Blade /i] roared overhead, circling the bar. the droid always did have class. Turning to Veril Gren called over to him.

 

"We need to find Mortise. I don't want him getting away. Not this time.Find your contacts. Get them on it mate. I'll probably need to go and explain all this to the planetary body which means you got a day or two before I'm back."

 

Even as Veril nodded Gren's comm crackled to life.

 

"Sunray this is Dogwatch. We have something. Interesting. We followed the targets friend as ordered. He camped in a broken down sppeder repair bay when the fighting started. In wanders this filthy local. Looked homeless. Out flies the speeder. Targets friend and target onboard. Acknowledge over."

 

Gren couldn't help but grin. Looks like it had been a good idea to keep eyes on Mortise's friend. Getting on the comm he froze. If he gave this order. It could get ugly. Was Mortise worth it? He could always track him down later. No. It was. Gren would try once more to take him down now.

 

"Sunray acknowledged Watchdog. Two come around. Keep low and keep blind of them. Ace I need a piickup."

 

Sprinting Gren leapt onto a small street stand and used it to clamber swiftly to the roof of a nearby building, Veril hot on his heels. Even as Mother brought the RTB around and low, boarding ramp out. Both Ops leapt onto it as it passed. Climbing in Gren immediately rushed to the cockpit and hopped in the hotseat. Mother stood and trundled out. A baleful glare cast Gren's way. Getting on the comm Gren could barely contain himself. Time to put this baby to the test.

 

"Reo, Mother you're on the cannons. Lets shoot these suckers down. Here is the plan I'll use the grav cannon to punch them up into the open. From there its a turkey shoot. Two, Mother and Reo you are to engage with all firepower and disintegrate that speeder. Kill them. Both of them."

 

Kicking the RTB into flight he pulled around and found the trail. A quick scan of his instruments and he'd pinpointed the target. He was coming from behind. Colan from low and a distance. Still out of viewing range. Arming his ships specially designed grav cannon he achieved the right overlap angle, targeted the speeder and fired before they could react to the presence of this new threat. Like being punched by a giant invisible fist the speeder was knocked skyward. All off balance even as that happened two sets of quad lasers perfectly overlapped and an E-Wing piloted by one of the best pilots in the galaxy opened fire at once. Flooding the are above Ryloth's city with laser fire. His grin never faded. At that altitude civilian casualties would be naught. Unless they were flying jetpacks or some such.

 

(Killshot on Apophenian and Rahalin Requested)

[Rahalin Toral II]

The one thing that his Mandolorian training, short as it had been, had taught was that battles were fluid, unpredictable and that the man or woman who could adapt moment by moment could turn a battle. When Gren's repulsor beam swatted them into a higher orbit, Rahlin immediately changed his tactics. A quick scan of the surrounding airspace immediately showed that they were nearly alone.

 

Nearly did not mean totally and Rahlin immediately saw a chance for them to escape. A massive freighter, a PCL-27 had entered the gravity well and begun its descent to the local spaceport on a flight path that would take them within a few hundred meters of their rapidly ascending speeder.

 

Rahalin turned to Apophenian and said, ”œI hope you can trust me, because we are about to skim along 800 meters of flying attitude.”

[apophenian]

It had seemed to him that they hadn't even left the shop before the enemy was on top of them. Then again everything was happening so fast and quickly most of it was a blur. Still there were things in his life he had never done before which put him for quite the wild ride.

 

Apophenian struggled to keep his stomach down as he felt the wind get slammed out of him. The Twi'lek was clearly a master pilot and quick on his feet as before Apophenian even realized he was now suddenly in the air, he was shooting forward. The sound of the wind tore most of the words away from the twi'lek but he seemed to catch the most important ones.

 

He decided to add his own input by hunkering down and becoming as aerodynamic as possible. Which helped when he was grabbed by the waist and flung onto the passing ship. Having ship level shots fired at him was sort of ironic but once he was on board he understood the job at hand. Rushing forward as fast as he was able, he quickly jimmied the door open and slipped inside.

"Now this is interesting."

 

Hyper-space capable fighters met his eye as far as the hold could hold.

<>

[Jidai Geki]

Gren vs. Apohenian and Rahalin:

 

The core issue here is really whether or not a landspeeder would be able to manoeuvre with any efficiency at high altitudes, and before the E-wing would be able to fire on it. Given that the landspeeder was expected to cover several hundred metres to a nearby cruiser, whilst under fire, and with some degree of precision, I have to say that no, such precision is not possible in an airborne landspeeder.

KILLSHOT SUCCESSFUL

[Gren Sairdonga]

Gren couldn't help but crow with delight at the fireball that erupted from the pinpoint firing from Colan and his gunners. The freighter had swerved as soon as it saw what was happening and was hightailing. Leaving behind a fiercly burning wreckage plummeting to the ground. Lifesigns nil. Gren had kept an eye on the instruments to make sure they both were eliminated. Regardless he would have a team scrape what was left of them out of the wreckage and sent to the CO of the Gala base. It was the least Gren could do after a serving with the man for as long as he had and watching so many of their friends die due to the traitor.

 

As an afterthought he activated his gravity cannon again. Using it to crush the speeder and ensure it landed in a way as to not damage civilian property or life. He'd done enough damage here and would probably be best to make a quick getaway. Giving the order to have one of the teams retrieve it and sweep it he also sent another order. A distant detonation marked the end of Mortise's stealth ship that had allowed him to so sucessfully attack Gala. Before arcing the RTB around and heading spaceward. He'd let the diplomatic channels already in place deal with this. He was a soldier still... Kind of. No official discharge notice had been given so he'd still act as such. Gaining orbit Gren gave the order to pull out and with a flicker of pseudomotion the small assemblage of ships jumped into hyperspace.

[Gren Sairdonga]

(Edit: Apologies for the double post but I wanted to finish matters here.)

 

The Bothan Opo left behind by Gren was supervising the loading of all the recovered wreckage into his freighter. The old YT-1300 could easily accommodate what was left of the speeder. Its two occupants had already been scraped clean of the interior and put into jars to be examined at leisure by some of the Forensic gurus hidden around the galaxy by the Republic... Now the Galactic Alliance. With any luck it would determine who the driver had been, that might lead to answer questions of why he had gotten involved in all this.

 

On the other hand the crate being loaded on now was far more interesting to the pilot/electronic security specialist. It contained what was left of the equipment of Mortise. Not much considering the power of an E-Wing's triple hit but the clothing was vaguely recognizable and it had shielded the Service Specials... Not enough to stop them being destroyed but enough for them to be taken back to a lab and have tests conducted on them to determine exactly where they had been appropriated from. If in fact the snakeman had not in fact been an Imperial Agent the entire time.

 

Less then half an hour later as the last of the evidence had been packed into his ship. The freighter cleared for take-off and the Opo blasted off for hyperspace. Lucky for him Gren had been thorough in his no killshots orders. As disorientated as some were they had still been able to identify that the only person firing lethal rounds was Mortise. Lucky for the worm he was dead already otherwise they'd probably kill him all over again. The rest of the damage had been covered by financial repatriation.

 

As the last of the Ex-republic Opo's ships flickered with pseudo-motion into hyperspace the remaining local Int agents faded back into the background. After stripping down and taking anything useful left out of the wreckage of Mortise's ship. Revenge had been thorough and thoroughly enjoyed.

[Brina Thalin]

A refugee ship traveling from Chandrila arrived over Ryloth and landed, taking a different berth on a more northern part of the planet's twilight zone than it normally would have. Brina slipped off the ship with a good majority of the rest of the refugees. She moved quickly and quietly, tense and alert for any attack.

 

But no attack came as she made her way though the spaceport. She didn't dare to hope that Slicer had lost her trail somehow, but began to hope that she would make it to her rendezvous point in one piece. She stuck to more crowded areas and doubled back several times, but saw no sign of pursuit. Clearly, Slicer was just biding his time.

 

Eventually, she arrived at the small building that constituted the Link headquarters on Ryloth. She slipped in and was greeted warmly by the staff. She spared them a smile and a few commendatory words before insisting that she had to leave.

 

"Did my ship arrive?" she asked.

 

"Yes, Director. It's in the back."

 

She wasted no time and when she rounded the corner, there was the Crazy Mynock, as good as new. She smiled. "Excellent work. I'll make sure you all get a raise."

 

The staff thanked her and bid her good luck. A few minutes later, she had the ship prepped and ready to go.

[Fulmin Grestic]

He wasn't a green horn trooper any longer. He sat, staring out over the expanse of land that rushed past in a blur. Dark as it was, he could see the daylight was fast approaching.

 

What a strange planet.

 

He didn't pause to admire or wonder about the planets unique structure. All he was focused on was the mission. He tore his gaze away to stare at his datapad. His men seemed ready, though gamble still seemed out of it. He could catch up later if need be. Right now he had a mission to complete.

 

He allowed himself to appreciate the pilot's skill as the deftly navigated past terrible terrain and outstanding defenses in order to carry the small team straight to their destination. Outstanding for a tourist attraction anyway.

 

He knew once they were there, the real fighting would begin. It was a few elites civilian security force. The skill, equipment and tactics they had at their command would be more than enough to stomp them into the dust. A green light flashed above his head and he knew it was go time.

 

The insertion was perfect, yet now it was time for the real work. The came into the grounds with the brightlands to their backs. Fulmin smiled as they slipped past security. They had come at a time when no tourist should be visiting the attractions. Intel let them know that there were a grand total of five guards patrolling the area, with the ability to bring a civilian police force to bear should an alarm be tripped. He knew they would not be tripping any alarms.

 

The men worked quickly and quietly, securing each bomb site and allowing the bomb troopers to do their work. With five sites set up, they would still have enough to achieve their secondary objective. He could only hope that team one who was having all of the fun was getting the job done.

 

Security was knocked out. This entire op was right up the Storm commando's alley. Storm Commandos were trained to perform covert assaults, precision strikes and sabotage operations against enemy forces. This was a cake walk, allowing them to simply test their skills and keep them up to date. They went in unseen and the left mostly unseen. Mostly because of the distraction Fulmin placed near the entrance away from any of the actual heavy duty bombs.

Exiting the facility, Fulmin destroyed a parked speeder. As the flames leapt high into the sky, he counted until he saw all five guards near or around the destroyed speeder. Only then did he give the signal.

Five simultaneous and powerful explosions rocketed through Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth. The wind that allowed the rocks to float temporarily becoming a furnace, helping to destroy and glass more of the rocks. In terms of sabotage it would be enough to make the news, but it wouldn't hurt the actually attraction to badly. Well if the egg heads who had shaped the charges were right anyway. As the sounds of sirens began to fill the air, the team quickly and quietly made their way to the next objective.

[Fulmin Grestic]

Team one radioed in that they had completed their objective. Fulmin smiled, as he had no doubt they had, gotten a chance to have quite a bit of fun. Yet it was time for objective number two and both teams were racing on the clock to complete that objective.

 

After each team's primary objective was complete, both teams were to mine and detonate a few caverns marked before the op. In his case his team was finishing up the two caverns he was to collapse in Kala'uun. While the Civillians would have a hard time operating for a while, it was the spice production in the city that would be impacted the most.

 

Really all was left was for them to do was clear out the civilians and make the place explode. Something two team members were already working on, with carefully controlled explosions creating road blocks so to speak.

 

"It is finished General, it is time to bang out."

 

Excellent

Fulmin gave the order, and like shadows the team left midst an array of explosions. It was perhaps one of the most terrifying terrorist attacks this city would see, yet it would also be seen as a miracle that no civilians...well innocent civilians had been wounded or killed in the action.

 

Sirens wailed, and team one's explosions also echoed through out the city. Yet he knew it was too late. This had gone off like a cake walk. They had robbed a bunch of spice producers, and shaken ryloth down like a sick whore.

 

Fulmin's thoughts were actually quite peaceful as they left the backwater out rim planet.

[Rahalin Toral II]

Rahalin rose from the bed in his compound, a bed that had been a significant part of his life for the past seven months and nine days. He had survived the blast from turbo-laser, mostly because his beskar had only needed to absorb the explosion of the land speeder, not the blasts from the weapons that Gren's troops had targeted him with. The result, however, had been seven months of recuperation just to reach the point at which he was now.

 

He was just beginning the physical therapy now to acquaint himself with the new musculature that still needed two sessions with the bacta tank a day to continue healing. He only had brief memories of the moments after the crash, the most significant being reaching out to grab the arm of a horrified emergency responder and saying, despite scorched lungs and a nearly obliterated larynx, ”œI will not die.”

[Moon Knight]

The Justice popped out of hyperspace above Ryloth, only minutes after leaving Tatooine. ShadowFett immediately began descent toward one of the world's many cities, Kala'uun, situated as it was on the edge between the planet's inhospitable Bright Lands and Dark Lands. All things considered, it wasn't a very nice world. To the Mando'ad, however, it was close and it was civilized enough that he could trust the hospitals there, as a world that had always enjoyed membership in some sort of galactic government despite it's location.

 

Informing the spaceport authorities that he had two beings onboard who required emergency medical attention, he swiftly brought the spectacularly Mandalorian vessel down to the largely-underground spaceport and was met by medical personnel. There would probably be some questions at some point about how the injuries were received, as someone clad in full beskar'gam tended to be associated with mercenary activity, but for now the Twi'lekki personnel were content to rush the injured women off to the nearest hospital.

 

Fett accompanied them to ensure there were no administrative troubles, quite willing to identify himself and Mirdala as CoreSec agents and the girl as a jetii to speed things along. However, he knew it would probably be days before they were in good enough condition for the staff to let him speak with them again, so he would have to hold the questions he had for Mirdala off until then.

 

Finally, he put in a quick notification to CoreSec HQ that he had successfully recovered the habir'jetii, whom 2277 and the medics had identified as one Sandy Sarna.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Emergency personnel scurried about the emergency center of the Kala'uun Regional Hospital, rushing between patients as various alarms went off or new patients were brought into the ward for care. None of them seemed to regard the CoreSec Commissioner as they went about doing their jobs of saving lives.

 

In one of the trauma rooms a piercing alarm started beeping as nurses and doctors rushed to the patient's side. Various medical components where wheeled back and forth between rooms as they were needed. Medical droids buzzed about as well. A cry of "She's crashing!" could be heard as the trauma bay doors parted to allow one of the droids to enter to begin his task.

 

A young doctor, a red-skinned male, exited from the room clutching a datapad and nervously approached Fett. "Commissioner Fett?"

 

Upon recieving an affirmative response, he continued. "I don't know what's happened to the two of these females you've brought in, but Lt. Ad'goran seems to have gotten the worst of it." He paused, knowing that he needed to explain a bit before he broke the next bit of news to the CoreSec officer.

 

"While most of her injuries are treatable with bacta, due to the dangerously high amounts of various drugs in her system, her organs are failing, and we need your consent for the surgery as you are listed as her emergency contact since she has no next-of-kin listed. Growing them will take a day's time with our facilities, so we'll need your permission to keep her on life support, unless there's a DNR that we don't know about?"

 

His mannerisms and the way he delivered the news, showed that he was likely an intern, which is why the duty had fallen to him as the more experienced doctors worked on stabilizing Mirdala's condition.

 

~~~~~~

 

Nightmares plagued her unconscious, and due to the drugs she had no waking word from to escape them. She felt out for the familiar, but there was none to be found, she was back in a harsh alien environment and could feel herself being poked, and prodded once again. Once again she found herself unable to fight back against the oppressive blackness.

 

This wasn't right, Fett had been there. Sandy had been there. They were free.

 

'Cyar'ika' he'd called her, and her mind drifted back to what comfort she could find in her memories before she'd been taken. It was hard to remember through the fog, but it came back in bits and pieces.

 

She'd been injured, an insidious poison working it's way through her body. He'd killed the attacker and was now working on stopping the bleeding and saving her life. "Meh gar kyrayc, shuk bah ni", had been his exact words, and she could now see clearly the full weight that they'd carried.

 

He was different when it was just the two of them, and as much as she'd let down her walls, he'd lowered his as well going so far as to trust her with his very identity.

 

She'd guarded his trust through all the drugs and torture, through either her sheer stubbornness to not betray her traat'aliit'ad, or perhaps more-so because she found herself enjoying his company, even admitting that she loved him.

 

From his last word to her, she truly considered for the first time what that would mean if he really did return her feelings.

 

What was most odd about this situation, was that a younger Mirdala, the same one that had married Tracyn, would have charged in head-first and not looked back.

 

What had changed her? Was it Tracyn's constant recklessness? His own death? Had she not run off to join up with the Augury in her own imperiousness?

 

The more she thought about it, her riduur's death had been the catalyst, but it was the partnership that she'd forged with Fett that caused her to fully consider what admitting feelings for him could mean for the two of them.

 

It would definitely change their partnership forever, but was that necessarily a bad thing? He had been wanting to speak with her after she'd worked the shift that evening.

 

Again, things became slippery in her mind and she began to loose her tenuous grip on coherent thought. Could she have imagined the whole exchange.

 

Again she wandered and tried to block out the nightmares.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Guest

[Moon Knight]

ShadowFett had never liked hospitals. There was something about them that didn't sit well with his Mando ideals. They were sterile, and in most of the galaxy, they were full of trumped-up procedures and experimental medicines. On Manda'yaim, the doctors were pragmatic and effective, and they knew how to take lives as easily as save them. The other thing that bugged him was how they did everything behind closed doors, ensuring that he would be given basically no information on Mirdala's and Sandy's conditions, but instead was forced to wait outside. For Fett, being sedentary for even a few hours was tortorous.

 

When the Twi'lek doctor came out and gave him an update, he was glad he'd at least gotten that much. It was strange that he was the only one who could provide that permission, but Mirdala had no more of an aliit than Fett did. "I know of none," he said. "You have my consent to do whatever you feel is necessary to help the Lieutenant."

 

So the surgery would take place in a day or so, and then there would be the recovery period. It looked like there was nothing else he could do, and it would be at least twenty-four hours before they even considered letting him see her. Fett tried sitting and waiting, but between his restlessness from the recent fight and the stares his beskar'gam was drawing from the hospital staff, he knew he couldn't stick around.

 

Getting up, Moon Knight went back to his home, the Justice. He did have something that could occupy him for a time. Pulling out the stack of datacards he had taken off Uhalu, he started plugging them into the computer and, along with 2277, analyzing them. Lots of it was just numbers. Slaver staff, slaves they'd taken and from where, potential buyers. There was an enormous slave market on that shebs-world Tatooine, as Fett had known, and it was rivalled by that here on Ryloth. Simply put, Twi'lek females were regarded as appealing, and lots of them were eager to get off their homeworld, so they found their way into servitude, sometimes deliberately.

 

Eventually, he came across a card that had the times and specific locations of slave auctions that Uhalu had intended on attending before Fett had shot him four or five times. They were spread out, perhaps one per standard week, but one of them caught the beroya's eye. It was back on Tatooine, which was close, and, checking his chrono, Fett realized it was in just a few hours. Though his anger had abated somewhat with Uhalu's death and Mirdala's current relative safety, he now had greater disgust for the chakaare that dealt in slaves than ever before. He might not be able to clean up Tatooine by himself, but as Moon Knight, it was his duty to serve justice whenever he could.

 

Leaving word with the hospital that he was going to be offworld for a few hours but giving them his contact information, ShadowFett returned to the cockpit of his quintessentially-Mando vessel and soon was on his way back to the desert planet that just couldn't quite stop being one of his most frequent destinations, as backwater and unimportant as it might seem.

[Adenna Alluyen]

As soon as their ship landed in the caves of Ryloth's habitable belt, Adenna began racing toward the hospital with as much grace as she could. She paused only to make sure Ariana didn't get left behind. She could now feel her Padawan, but wasn't exactly happy with what she sensed. Sandy had to deal with a lot of pain, suffering, and traumatic memories. She expected that and was already thinking of ways to help alleviate the trauma.

 

It took a little bit of time and a Force mind trick or two to get the hospital staff to grant them access to a patient with which they had no familial relationship to, but they did at last.

 

Sandy was on a hospital bed with various IVs pumping nutrients and medications into her. She looked absolutely horrible with brown and yellow bruises and slowly healing cuts over her face and arms. Adenna couldn't see what was beneath her hospital gown, but it was probably just as bad. The poor girl had clearly been through a lot.

 

Tears came to Adenna's eyes as she looked over the medical charts. She didn't understand it all, but she saw reports of brutal beatings, a stabbing in the chest, massive lacerations over her back and shoulders, broken bones, and cuts all over. Some of them had began to heal under the influence of bacta treatment, but it was far from healed. The hospital would only put her in bacta for emergency treatment since she didn't have any money to pay for more.

 

That meant that Adenna would have a lot of work to do. She was more than happy to heal the girl, so that was no problem. She carefully stroked the unconscious girl's cheeks and began stretching out her Force senses to get a sense of what needed to be worked on first. After a few moments, she figured she would tackle the wounds to the girl's shoulder that had become infected and were not yet healed.

 

"This is going to take a while, Ariana," she said to the girl. "Why don't you take some money and get something to eat and drink for the two of us. I will need a lot of energy to heal and will eat whenever I can, but I ask that you don't let anyone interrupt me when I am in the healing trance."

 

Adenna pulled a chair up next to the bed and placed her hands on Sandy's shoulder. She slipped into a trance and began pouring soothing energy into the wound as she worked on healing the damage done.

[Ariana La'vohn]

In the interim while Ariana waited silently beside Adenna, plying as she did through the minds of those in her way, Ariana lost herself in a mist of darkness that seemed to creep across her from nowhere.

 

The Miraluka tried to lose focus. She attempted to control her own inattentive manner, but her thoughts seemed to lurch and draw themselves to the cloud of nothing... It hungered for inquisition and fed upon Ariana's innate curiosity. She was a puppet with earnest strings not yet held and a mind that was still easily molded.

 

It wasn't too long before Adenna's journey led them closer to the source of the blackness and after a few more corridors, it seemed that they had made their way to the epicenter of the cloud; without knowing it. Ariana could not offer to look through the mist effectively, as anyone looking through fog could attest to. It was vague, oblique and infinitely out of reach. Until the proximity of the cloud consumed them and they were literally pulling through tendrils to move further on.

 

Adenna seemed to catch no wind of Ariana's contention at first, nor did she seem to let on that she felt the dark presence in the hospital, but something about her movements seemed guided nonetheless. Ariana knew why they were there, but it took a while to realize that what they had come to do linked closely with what Ariana had come to find. The dark cloud permeated their movements, lifting and falling as they moved further in until they found what was the apparent epicenter of the cloud... A little girl.

 

Ariana shook her head, trying to push away the darkness and thought if she shook thoroughly enough that it would go away, but the cloud persisted. The thick essences of uncertainty and fear pulled at Ariana's clean robes and even through the mist, she could feel a familiar clarity that reminded her of the night predation on Coruscant. The clean robes meant nothing; the food meant nothing... She would always be nothing...

 

The long nights where she had to fight to survive; times which she only had herself to rely on would always be there, lingering in the back of her mind. It was a dreadful sensation. It was an awful feeling, and although she could hear Adenna's words, the amount of darkness that poured from the girl's presence drowned them out. The little girl on the operating table had gone through so much traumatically, that feelings Ariana never thought she had, began to rise up in unison.

 

It was a massive barrage of corruption. Thoughts streamed through uncontrollably and even though Ariana almost lost herself a few times, she always held on to hope. Images of her family welling with jovial tears over her small body and the thought of every careful hand to take her in, were enough to brace her for most every conflict. Though, even as time went on and Ariana's attempts continued, the threshold of hope's strength was tested upon the consistency of this cloud.

 

Ariana almost wished she could reach out and help. She wanted to save and renew the girl's hope. The faith she had in whatever she happened to invest in, but she hadn't the knowledge or the skills. She merely watched as Adenna's hands lit up with green fire and touched the small girl on the hospital bed. Now, initially perceiving the fire as something completely different, Ariana thought that the fire would catch and consume, but instead of insatiably spreading, the green fire engulfed the small girl and the cloud around Ariana started to soften. Ariana looked over at Adenna's body again and noticed it was completely still, but the fire continued to pour from her as if she were made of it.

 

It was never ending and although the cloud still pushed through her mind, the green fire was enough to draw Ariana out and allowed her to catch the last few words Adenna said to her, but the cloud was still there, weighing down her steps.

 

Ariana took the money and did her best to remain discreet about the presence she still felt around her, even as she walked away. Not that people were really paying her much attention anyway, but to be considerate of those around her, she still tried to keep what silence or monotony she thought was appropriate at the time.

[Sandy Sarna]

It was so very cold and so very dark. She wanted to call out, to scream for help or mercy! But yet there was no one to hear, she was alone here; within the confines of her fever stricken brain. She could feel the pain in her body, even through the layers of anesthetics and bacta. So now, she wandered in the darkness, striving for a pinpoint of light to strike through the veil of her mind.

 

She was in the world of the visions. That place that they had gone back a hundred years ago. When she had first left the temple on Tython, in that cramped Y-Wing, where she had gotten the role of gunner, with that too big helmet. When there was still mirth and laughter in her world.

 

She wanted, nay she begged herself for a laugh. She wanted to laugh about how she lost her sabre, how she had failed in her first real mission, how she had gotten herself destroyed. The pain of her experiences came shooting back into her mind. The abuse, the torture, the death of her soul. She felt horrible, she had let her master down, no doubt she had left her to die here. She never had been a good apprentice, she never been appreciated by Adenna. Her master had taught her well, but then abandoned her for the next brightest student who strolled through the doors. That Vos man who abused his puppy. That horrid awful man. She hated him, she hated him so much.

 

No doubt, he was gallivanting off with Adenna, corrupting the only mother figure that Sandy had ever known. She looked up to her master like no one she had ever known. She had never really known her real mother. She only had vague memories of her life back on Gala. They had been very poor, Sandy remembered that well enough. They had lived in total poverty before the jedi came. Sandy remembered climbing through the trash compactors with her little sister Sarna, as they searched for salvageable food or equipment. Little Sarna had been 2 years younger than Sandy, and when the Jedi came, Sarna had been five.

 

Sandy missed her horribly, the goodbyes had been tearful, but she would always remember that look in her parent's eyes. That look of relief, of jealously, of happiness. They had been glad to see her gone, that little seven year old who needed more food than her salvaging could provide her. The Senya family was glad to see their daughter gone, to send her off to the dangers of the galaxy. To get kidnapped, assaulted, and almost murdered.

 

Then there was light. A light of comfort piercing through the layers of darkness covering her mind and soul.

 

Her green eyes flickered open, tinged ever slightly with yellow.

 

”œMaster?”

[Adenna Alluyen]

Healing her Padawan was not an easy task, but Adenna was willing to do it. She focused on the most severe issues then worked her way down to those that were less important. The bruises and minor cuts she left as those would simply drain her too much right now and would heal over time on their own. Perhaps when the girl woke and was feeling a little better, she could teach her how to heal herself some.

 

Ariana came and went, but remained silent. As the day went on late into the night, Adenna was surprised that the other remained silent. Whatever her past was, she definitely knew how to remain invisible. At this moment, that was exactly what was needed. The time would come when Adenna could turn her attention to the girl and find some way to help her out. Perhaps the Jedi Order could hire her to help with the daily chores and maintenance of the Temple. It would at least keep her off the streets, give her some money, and let her be around people who were friendly and kind.

 

Late into the night, Sandy regained consciousness. Adenna was still leaning over her healing various wounds and injuries as she did and sensed the shift in the Force. By the time she pulled herself out of the healing trance, Sandy's eyes were open and she managed to say one word, even though it was weak.

 

Adenna smiled down at the girl and said in a soft voice, "Don't call me 'master,' remember?" She had a smile on her face and sent more soothing emotions at the girl to keep her calm.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

There was a chime at the door of the room that they'd put Sandy in signaling someone requesting entrance to the room. A moment later the panels slid aside to reveal the posted local law enforcement stepping aside for one of the Twi'lek nurses, this one a female with deep purple skin, to enter the secured room accompanied by a small droid. She seemed surprised to see Adenna in the room, believing it to be secured, but one look at the lightsaber hilt at her hip was enough to tell the nurse what she needed to know. "Oh, you must be her master. Her records listed her as a Padawan of the Order, that is what they're called right? That effectively makes you her guardian, correct?"

 

She moved further into the room and checked some of the machines that were hooked up to the blonde-haired girl to check the read outs for any abnormalities. She found them, but it was with a curious look in her eye that she turned to the Jedi Knight and continued. "We were just waiting on confirmation back from the Order and here you are. I see that the legendary skills of Jedi healing are true, you seem to have really helped along that bacta," she paused, and glanced at from the still unwashed girl to her master. This was the part of the job that she'd been trained to do well, but that never really took away from the awkwardness of it.

 

"Master Jedi, I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you to step out for a moment." She cast a sympathetic look to Sandy. "I'm afraid that we'll need to gather evidence from you Sandy. This is standard whenever anyone with your type of injuries comes in. I promise I'll be quick and careful. Is that okay?"

 

She waited for Sandy's timid, but affirmative response before shooing Adenna from the room. In a practiced manner she waited for the doors to fully shut before she closed the shutters on the observation panels that ran along the room and showed a view of the opposite hall way from which she'd come.

 

The girl was eerily still and only moved when indicated as the Twi'leki nurse completed her task of collecting samples from under the child's fingernails and toe nails, hair and carefully checked her for any other trace evidence with the evidence droids assistance. The nurse held her distain for the cold callous object to herself, knowing that letting it show would only make this situation even more traumatizing and awkward for the young teen. She did her best to counter-balance the cold, unemotional methodic actions of the droid to keep the girl at ease.

 

Finally, after what must have seemed to be almost an eternity to the poor girl, the final samples were gathered and the nurse helped her from the bed in to the adjoining refresher that housed a sanisteam unit.

 

"Would you like any assistance? I can help you if you like."

[Sandy Sarna]

Dr. Homestead walked slowly through the corridors of Ryloth general hospital. He still limped, and with the assistance of his cane, he had full mobility though over time, his mood had soured. It was one thing to walk with a cane, it was a completely different thing to get your hospital blown apart from underneath you. If had been Coruscant for the force's sake. He grabbed a patient file from a passing orderly, gave it a glance, and then threw it back in her face. ”œIt's Lupis”

[Adenna Alluyen]

Adenna was not exactly pleased to be separated from Sandy again, but it wouldn't do to start a fight with the nursing staff. Instead, she waited outside and said a few things to Ariana. The other girl seemed ill at ease, but Adenna couldn't guess why. She knew so little of the other that she had no idea what would make her uncomfortable. It could be as simple as not liking hospitals or having a fear of Twi-leks. She could understand the hospital part as they sometimes unsettled her even before she was connected to the Force and could sense the suffering and even death. Of late, though, she had grown used to the feeling of death from the battle on Thalassia as well as being around so many hospitals while healing.

 

As soon as she could tend to Sandy, Adenna vowed to find some way to help out Ariana. Right now, though, she needed to focus on her still injured Padawan. Beyond her physical injuries, she was likely to have psychological ones. Adenna couldn't imagine what she had gone through under the slaver's not so tender care.

 

At last, they were done and Sandy had showered. Adenna went back in and smiled at the blonde girl. "We were on your trail, trying to get you back," she said. "CoreSec offered some help as well which is surprising after how many of them died on Thalassia. We were in orbit of Tatooine when we got word that you had been rescued and brought here. Vos stayed behind on Tatooine to pursue something that drew his attention."

 

She gestured to Ariana, "This is Ariana, a young woman in need of help who came along for the ride. As soon as you are well enough to move, I hope to help get her a job in the Temple on staff so she can have a safe place to live and plenty of food.

 

"Is there anything you need or want? I am not yet done healing you, but before I help you go to sleep for the next session, I wanted to talk to you for a bit and see what I can do for you."

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

((I did alter the words to

that drove this post, but only slightly. The song is "Lights" by Ellie Goulding.))

 

((Oh, and sorry that's it's also a crazy long post. I wholly blame the song.))

 

((EDIT: This was apparently my 400th post with this alias.))

 

A medically-induced coma was the only way that the doctors had of keeping Mirdala stabilized enough to stay on life-support while the desperately needed organs were cloned. This was a very delicate balancing act because the tox-screen that had come back on the woman showed a very dangerous mixture of drugs running riot throughout her system.  

 

It was no small miracle that she was still alive based upon her injuries that were sustained along with the dosages and variance of the drugs that she'd been given. According to the evidence from the screen the drugs had been built up quickly over a short span, likely a little less than a few weeks. The Twi'leki doctors didn't want to venture a guess as to what had happened to this poor woman, though some of them had seen less severe cases in their time. Sadly few of them had yielded positive results.  

 

However, this particular patient refused to give in and as long as she was in for the fight, so were her doctors.   

 

~~~~~ 

 

Mirdala continued to wander in blackness, searching for something but unsure of what it was that she was seeking to find. She thought perhaps it was her former self, the one before all of this started, but things were still slippery in her mind and things were becoming more and more distorted. A door appeared, and though it's frame was warped and bent it was still a passible egress from the nightmarish landscape that she'd been held prisoner as she wandered seeking an exit such as this.  

 

She reached for the door and hesitated for a moment. Would this be a door that would lead her closer to escape, closer to Kandor? Or would it take her deeper, to where there was no return?  

 

I had a way then losing it all on my own 

I had a heart then but the Queen has been overthrown 

 

She saw a teenage version of herself, roughly fourteen standard years old, alongside equally young versions of John and another childhood friend, Parjai. It was just after they'd joined up with the Journeyman Protectors after Mirdala's aliit or what was left of it, had relocated to Concord Dawn.  

 

They were engaging in a training exercise with the rest of their rookie class. It was supposed to be a simple tracking mission that had turned into a very real affair when her trio had separated from the group once they'd found evidence of another lenedat, a very mirdala and burk'yc lenedat who was wanted for a string of killings among not just the people of Concord Dawn, but their livestock as well. His work was an almost ritualistic sort of attack against the citizens and the livelihood of the planet. 

 

Mirdala's first instinct had been to call for back up, but the boys had talked her out of it. Surely the three of them, especially John and Mirdala, who'd been at the top of their class throughout training, could handle one simple target. 

 

That was not to be the case, however, as the three picked their way silently through the thick underbrush, their quarry meters ahead in a clearing, seemingly unarmed, for all appearences harmless. Mirdala looked at John who crouched about five meters off to her right. Her "other sense" was going off, and from the nod John gave her, she knew that his was as well. Something wasn't right, but their adrenaline was pumping and their objective was close. The trill of the potential success overrode her sense of self-preservation as Parjai gave the signal to attack.  

 

Though she didn't know it at the time, the Force saved her and John from their own impulsive recklessness. Mirdala and John just managed to avoid getting roasted by the bolts of plasma that seemed to erupt from out of no where, as they both ducked back into the trees. Parjai didn't stand a chance as his charge was more direct than theirs had been.  

 

It was the first time that she'd ever truly known what it meant to be thouroughly defeated, and if it hadn't been for the other two more seasoned squads that had also been on patrol, it might have been the last time as well.  

 

And I'm not sleeping now the Dark is too hard to beat 

And I'm not keeping up the strength I need to push me. 

 

The door led to a curious corridor filled with a seemingly endless amount of other doors and other passages. People hurried about her and moved through the other doors, oblivious to her presence. She shouted at them to stop, to explain where she was, but no one seemed to hear her.  

 

A pulsating red light coming from one of the doors drew her attention and she couldn't help but feel pulled toward it. Instinct had saved her in the past, and she now knew that she also had the Force as her ally now, so she followed the rhythmic red glow to the door.  

 

Here people came in and out, one of them went right through her. This caused her to pause as she approached the door. Was she dead? What was going on? Why couldn't she feel Kandor near her? Where had he gone? 

 

You show the lights that stop me turn to stone 

You shine them when we're alone 

And so I tell myself that I'll be strong 

And dreaming when you're gone 

 

Without trying or even remembering passing through the opening, she suddenly found herself staring at a blurred figure lying still on what looked like a medical bed as a nurse worked, gently cleaning the hands of the person who was lying in the bed. Another was at the head, collecting samples from the prone person's hair. 

 

Mirdala looked closer as the image shifted slightly. The hair was black, and thickly matted with blood, and beneath it, beneath it was a familiar face.   

 

Her heart froze mid-beat. 

 

'Cause they're calling, calling, calling me home 

Calling, calling, calling home 

You show me the lights that stop me turn to stone 

You shine them when we're alone 

 

From amid the swarms of people moving in and out of the scene, she caught a glimpse of familiar gold and tan beskargam disappearing out one of the other side doors.  

 

Noises, I play within my head 

Touch my own skin 

And hope I'll still be there 

 

Before she could identify and place what she'd thought she'd seen, somehow much more tangible than the other phantoms around her, it seemed that every alarm possible in the room began going off, as though she'd gotten too near something she shouldn't have. The swarm around her intensified as more doctors and nurses came in to work to restore what semblance of order they'd exerted over her broken and traumatized body.  

 

It was too much for her to watch as she retreated back out of the doors and into a sudden sea of people. It was as though all points in time were coinciding with this hallway and copies of the personnel were walking their various paths and retracing their own steps from the hours and days prior.  

 

Panic rose within her that she couldn't explain, she was lost, drowning in the sights and sounds that surrounded her. She need a safe haven, someone she could trust. Someone that she could anchor herself to ballast against the storm that threatened to overwhelm her.  

 

And I think back to when  

My brother and sister slept 

In an unlocked place 

The only time that I feel safe 

 

Suddenly she was out of the hallway and in another room. Finally she felt a familiar presence, but was confused when she turned to find that it wasn't who she'd hoped. Still it was just as great a comfort to know that the girl had survived.  

 

Mirdala moved closer to Sandy's presence, sitting on the bed and examining her carefully. She seemed to be doing better, and the hollow cough that she'd always seemed to have was no longer present. They'd also apparently allowed her to clean up as well, because instead of the grimy blonde hair that Mirdala had always known her to have, it had an almost lustrous golden tone to it now.  

 

The look in the girl's eyes told Mirdala that while her physical injuries appeared to be mostly healed, it would be a very long time, if ever, until her psychological injuries healed.  

 

"Ad'ika, be strong and don't turn to the darkness because of all this," Mirdala preyed to whatever being happened to feel like listening and doing something about it. The galaxy was an unfair place, but Mirdala found herself wanting this girl, at least, to be blessed with and over abundance of fairness.  

 

In Sandy's case Mirdala wished nothing more than for the adage to be true - Mishuk gotal'u meshuroke, pako kyore. Whether she knew it or not, Sandy had come through this stronger than she was before and hopefully, she would become a gem at whatever she chose to pursue, be that with the Jetiise or not. 

 

Another person entered the room once the nurse had left, Mirdala could only suppose that this was the habir'jetii's Master, a Jedi that she'd not yet met in person, but from the briefings from CoreSec knew to have been involved with initiating CoreSec involvement with the slavers.

 

Even though Mirdala knew the other couldn't hear her, as thus far where ever she was trapped no one could seem to sense or register her presence, she still had to say it. ”œWhy did you not keep better watch over your charge? Why lead someone so unready into battle in the first place? Were you so blinded by your own mission that you forgot your duty to the one entrusted to your care and judgment?”

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy blinked, looking at her master and this new girl. Older, and better no doubt. She couldn't go twenty minutes without a padawan to elevate her to master. Sandy wanted to punch the other girl in the face. Pimp slap the hell out of her.

 

She wanted to take the rage that had been building since her captivity and strike the girl. But, Sandy kept her cool. She knew it was wrong, though she also knew it would be equally wrong to jump into Adenna's arms and cry into her motherly shoulder. That would make everything better, just like it had with her real mother back on Gala. But this wasn't her real mother, and neither did she act motherly. Sending her charge off to die in a dangerous assault, watched over by a Sith Lord of all people. But still, all she wanted to do was to cry.

 

Her voice trembled slightly as she brushed a lock away from her bruised and battered face.

 

"Thank you for pursuing them and finding me here Adenna." Her lip trembled a bit. "It is appreciated."

 

She could feel an almost invisible hand brush over her hair, the familiar touch of her friend, the one who had stood by her. Unlike Vos. Who was off chasing his demons, and looking forward to a thousand sunsets. And not seeing what stood before him. But Sandy missed his puppy. Alot. But then where was Mirdala if she wasn't sitting beside her....? Sandy did not have time to contemplate the strange feeling. For her master was already introducing the new girl.

 

Sandy glanced up to the new girl, her eyes sparkling with yet unshed tears. "I am pleased that you could accompany us." She managed a pained smile. But was relieved inside. She wasn't getting replaced by another, though no doubt that would have been easier for Adenna.

 

And finally the tears came.

 

She sobbed, tears streaking down her pale, freckled face.

 

"I..I am so sorry master Adenna....I mean Jedi Adenna...Oh god, I am so sorry!...."

 

She buried her face in her hands and wept, as an orderly opened the door to deliver Mirdala's Message.

[Ariana La'vohn]

After navigating herself through the hospital well enough to find and procure some food, Ariana waited outside the operating room, feeling the cold echo of the dark clouded aura that she felt earlier pouring through the door and clawing at her body. It was receding slowly, but she could still feel it fluctuating and stirring around her, like a noxious fog. Ariana didn't really understand what it was and probably wouldn't understand for some time. Even while she sat munching on some miscellaneous piece of food, keeping Adenna's food in a nearby bag, Ariana could still feel a little off kilter from before.

 

Luckily though, after a while, Ariana managed to shift her focus from the dark aura to other things around the hospital. So, when Adenna was asked to leave her padawan and come out into the hallway, Ariana had already changed her focus and was at that point trying to practice shifting and focusing her sight through the force on any orderlies that walked by. It was menial work and it was harder than she anticipated, because occasionally she ended up focusing on small objects or the larger objects around the orderlies instead, but she was getting better.

 

When she 'saw' Adenna leave, she could feel a sense of unease in her voice. It was similar to before, and Ariana was curious what had gone on, but it wasn't really her liberty to ask. Ariana just sat in silence, handing Adenna her food after a few moments and continuing to practice her sight skill over and over again.

 

Adenna attempted to ask of Ariana a couple of times and it seemed she bore a certain curiosity toward her, which was understandable. A few moments later though, after Ariana had scoped out all of the orderlies on that floor, Ariana felt Adenna's hand on her shoulder guiding her forward. She followed graciously, not wanting to push away, but the dark aura still hissed silently at her from the operating room. It still lingered, chained to the aura of a small girl that had seen better days. Ariana couldn't see all of her physical scars, but some of the scars in her spirit were so profound that they were as plain as day to Ariana. It almost shocked her to see it and in some way confused her, because although she had a distinct feeling that they were scars, she hadn't the slightest clue what they meant or how they got there.

 

Ariana almost wanted to leave. She almost wanted the little girl to work out whatever pain she needed to work out, especially since her presence wouldn't make any beneficial difference, but Ariana didn't fight Adenna's grip. Instead, the Miraluke walked under the guidance of Adenna and was introduced to Sandy, Adenna's padawan. Something vaguely swam into vision for a moment as Ariana was introduced, but Ariana didn't know what it was. She suspected it had something to do with what Sandy was thinking, but because Ariana didn't have training in that area, she couldn't be sure.

 

When the little girl began to cry, Ariana was really taken aback. She was caught between several simultaneous instincts.

Do I comfort someone I don't know? Do I let her cry to get it out? Do I just stand her and ponder while she cries away?

 

Ariana had too many questions and didn't really have much in the way of answers. Instead, she did what she could to remain as silent and as small as possible.

[Adenna Alluyen]

Adenna frowned slightly at Sandy's extremely formal tone. It was completely unlike her and was edged with anger. It was understandable, but not good at all.

 

Before she could even consider how to address this, Sandy broke down into tears. That was more like the Sandy she knew. The frown on her face vanished and she guided the weeping girl to the edge of her bed so she could sit. If she stood for much longer like this, Adenna was afraid she would collapse to the ground and that wouldn't help the situation at all.

 

She sat on the bed next to her Padawan and wrapped an arm around a heaving frame that was even thinner than before. "It's okay," she said softly, "just let it all out. Nobody is angry with you or blames you."

 

Another nurse, or perhaps an orderly or someone came in and left a brief message. Adenna didn't know who the person mentioned was and now was not the exact moment for her to find out. She was here for Sandy first and foremost, all other considerations were secondary right now. She wouldn't toss the girl to the side when she needed help so badly.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Mirdala's replacement organs were ready in the early hours of the next morning and they quickly rushed her off to a wholly uneventful surgery.

 

Once they were finished they moved her to a room that overlooked the Dark Lands, thinking that it would help her rest, even with the sedatives. The experienced doctors know that the days ahead for the young woman could possibly be some of the hardest in her life as she battled with the withdrawal of spice and the other drugs from her system.

 

They had no why of knowing who she was beyond the limited information her personnel ID gave them or what she'd gone through in the last fortnight. The doctors had their questions, but that would have to wait until their patient was best ready to answer them. Perhaps when her superior officer returned, they could at least put some of the puzzle together between the two women that he'd brought in, both so badly beaten.

 

One of the nurses had cleaned her up and had left her in a plait so that she had an easier time sleeping as well as keep her hair from becoming tangled again. Fresh, clean hospital garments and linens were ready and waiting for her in the new private room.

 

With her new organs there to help, it was easier to keep her sedated as the toxins worked their way out of her system, and because of the delicate nature of her condition, she was monitored very closely around-the-clock. The doctors estimated that it would be another fourty-eight standard hours until the last of the drugs was out of her system. Sedation was a stopgap measure to keep her from further injury or discomfort while her body waged war within her.

 

After two weeks of torture, assault, sleep deprivation and a number of other unpleasantries suffered at the hand of the late Uhalu the Quick to Anger and his cohorts, the young Mando'ade was more than grateful for a rest.

 

Blessfully, it was a dreamless sleep devoid of the nightmares of the nights prior.