The Laboratory

[Kaini Khatoin]

The Crusader’s science and medical lab was a large, heavily secured, suite of open rooms and a few quarantined cells and alcoves. The floor and walls were white. The lights and climate settings in the various lab sections could be adjusted independently according to current need, but were typically extremely bright, harsh, and sterile. Now was no exception.

There was a monitoring and control station in the center of the main room. Three surgeons and scientists of various specialties, several nurses and lab technicians, and two medical droids were kept on staff: all of whom were currently present and engrossed in monitoring every detail of the two archaically-preserved specimens that they had been informed their immanent visitor wished to deal with today. Things would go very poorly if they permitted one to deteriorate or expire at this juncture…

Secured in standing position beside the first stainless metal table, one of two primitive carbonite cases appeared to encapsulate the form of an adult human female. Four staff members hovered closely around the stasis casing and the sterile examination workspace. There was surgical equipment only feet away in the event they became required. The staff has also arranged restraints within immediate reach in the event they became desired. They were as ready as they were going to become, and waited for orders.

Meanwhile, a second team of staff around the similar carbonite slab on the opposite end of the large chamber were anxiously running through an almost identical set of checks and readings in preparation.

[Kaini Khatoin]

His footsteps fell heavy on the ground as he moved with purpose past the guards at the entrance to the lab, who had snapped to attention as he moved by them. He did not even acknowledge them, for today was the day. The day he had waited for a long time to come, today was the day of reckoning. For far too long he had been patient and he had encured, but it was not for nothing. He was about to know more power than nearly any before him had ever dreamed, with the exception maybe a small number hundreds of years ago.

The medical staff looked at him almost collectively. He turned his masked face to meet their gaze. Not a one of them cared to speak up about how neither he nor his guards were sterile; they simply knew better than that.

::Nothing to say?::

His augmented voice nearly echoed through the sterile room, followed by the overwhelming silence from the medical staff.

::The girl first. Wake her.::

The staff moved quickly and triggered the process to bring the female out of her slumber. She may very well be the key to their plan, and only she could influence the rest to follow.

::How long?::

A doctor gulped and met his stare.

“A matter of minutes, my Lord.”

::Excellent.::

[Ashlin Li]

The storage apparatus encasing the female figure in frozen tibanna gas and carbonite was extremely old. Control panels on the side of the block crackled and flickered while the laboratory staff worked to trigger and safely maintain the reversal process despite potentially lethal fluctuations within the antique power converters' processing ability.

The laboratory staff in front of Kaini managed to bring the thawing process under control with a mix of skill and sheer panic. Heat radiated through the area. The off-gas from thawing Tibanna vapors was extremely potent, triggering ventilation systems and air toxicity alarms.

But, it worked…

“The girl” as she came into view from under the melting carbonite, was a chestnut-haired woman, physically aged within five years of 'about thirty.' Human or near-human female, she was roughly 5’7’’-5’8’’ tall, and wearing an odd patchwork of either extremely simplistic linen garments, or extremely weatherworn trader’s gear that looked like it had seen better decades. After the briefest flicker of shifting Force energies in the room as she was jerked into consciousness, the Sensitive’s mental shields took over and locked tight with deeply instilled control.

Eyes fluttered open for the briefest moment and then slammed closed while she gasped and gagged in the most exquisite, all-consuming, storm of pain, return of awareness, and a fight for blood oxygenation.

“Wh—”

Whatever she’d tried to vocalize choked off in a ragged fit of coughing. She collapsed forward into the hands of medical staff, who transferred her onto the exam table and went to work while the woman’s heart and lungs struggled to get their systems under control. She was choking on the tibanna, bordering on seizures from nervous system overload, and there was not enough oxygen in her body. She choked on a ragged sob when one of the surgeons jabbed a hypospray and several needles into her arms and shoulder, but rotated her wrist towards the staff for easier reach. One of the technicians placed a mask of concentrated oxygen over the lower portion of her face. She breathed with a struggling effort after her eyes blinked one more time without seeing. Inhale through nose, exhale through throat and mouth… Repeat… Start here. It’s alright. Although… ow… It’s alright.

Most of her dark hair was pulled back in an intricate but very windblown braid; several shorter layers framed her face. The woman looked thin. Her weight was light enough that recent diet appeared limited, perhaps for years, but with enough remaining muscle tone to indicate that she hadn't been movement-restricted. She’d been outside, in strong sunlight and elements, for a significant time. It had been nearly two decades since her face had been seen anywhere in the inhabited regions of the galaxy. But whether she was thinner, sun-weathered, or not; she was no stranger.

For here and now, the woman swallowed and focused on the breathing. She was shaking from shock, or pain, or concentration... But she was here.

'Here' was not a temple. She knew that much.

[Kaini Khatoin]

As the technicians and doctors did their work, he paid them no attention. He was focused solely on the unfreezing process. The alarms and vapors were of no consequence to him, he was standing so close to her now vapor obscured his masked face in almost a sinister fashion if anyone would have been paying attention to him at the moment, they would have been struck simply by his appearance.

As she gasped a smile formed under the faceplate of his helmet, visible to no one, but it was a smile of satisfaction. There was pain, she had closed off her mind but physical reactions could certainly tell him something.

:You're awake. Comfortable?::

The voice augmentation system inside his helmet made his smile seem almost audible, yet in a dark and sinister sort of way. The type of smile that could be heard, the type that told others that he had no genuine care for her overall well being at all, but was merely asking in a self gratifying manner, for he knew the answer was decidedly no.

::You and some of your council have been my guests. Sleep well? Restraints.::

A sense of sarcasm echoed through despite the helmets voice augmentation. All it once the team of technicians attached restraints to her arms and ankles, something that a force sensitive could deal with in time, but it would not be advisable under these circumstances right his moment. His robes and cloak, began to wisp and flutter from the fans of the state of the art ventilation system. In moments, the vapor shrouding his face was gone and the red flashing lights of the toxicity alarms reflected off of the blackened eyes of his all black heavy helmet.

::You're wondering who I am. You're wondering why you're here and where you are.::

He took a breath and leaned over her, his hand wrapped around her wrist tightly.

::You have questions Master Li, they will be answered in time, but for now we have questions for you...::

[Ashlin Li]

::You’re awake. Comfortable?::

Her heart sank.

She kept breathing into the oxygen mask and willed herself to remain still under the medical attention. Her Darksided 'host' was critical, but not any more than her own state was. She kept an ear on the monitor sounds and the subdued comments of the med staff. Pulse was stabilizing… Sp02 inadequate, but at least it wasn’t crashing… She grimaced, feeling her pupils constrict and eyes tear up under the heat of a light when gloved hands forced open both eyelids in turn; but her vision wasn’t registering yet. (That’s fine. Just keep breathing, for now.)

Her captor pridefully shared that he had some of the Council… Old ones? Current[..?] Could almost mean anything. Her mother, maybe.

She didn’t spend the energy reserves even trying to keep the feeling of dread from her expression; it wouldn't help anything... He obviously didn't want her dead or much damaged yet. But the man was so full of glory and gloating that he was bound to keep going if she wasted resources on ignoring him.

Restraints clamping down was another excruciating burst; her senses were all so raw. But they weren’t any surprise. (Breathe... That’s fine.)

::You're wondering who I am. You're wondering why you're here and where you are.::

The Darksider leaned over her with his hand clamping into her wrist. The pressure jabbed one of the IV needles out of position in her vein and she choked again. (Breathe.)

::You have questions Master Li, they will be answered in time, but for now we have questions for you...::

The Jedi woman kept her eyes closed against the Darksider leaning over her. Her vision wasn't working yet. They both knew it; but that didn't mean he needed any more windows to her weakness than she'd already given up in such a short span. She carefully inhaled and exhaled again. She wasn't sure if it was to her advantage or a weakness yet, but this man definitely had the wrong Li...

"...Questions..?" Ashlin Faithe swallowed and very carefully enunciated into the mask. She almost got the full word out before choking again.

[Kaini Khatoin]

He sighed ever so slightly.

::I know. Yes, there are questions for you. Obviously, we could have killed you, Master Winterhold and the others at will if we preferred you dead.::

He stopped for a moment and motioned to the team near the other Jedi Master and they immediately began work waking him. Meanwhile, his heavy footsteps echoed on the floor as he circled the female Jedi. His breath more annunciated as he watched her breathe.

::Your eyesight will return soon.::

Once again he stopped and looked down at her, her helpless body reflected in the eye pieces of the helmet. It was true that he could kill her and the other Jedi at any moment, part of him even wanted to. Despite the urge however, they were all part of the plan and they would be much more use to him alive.

::You don't trust me do you? I don't blame you. However, why should I trust you either? Are the restraints for you or me? Lets lay a foundation of trust. You're alive and that should be enough to make both of you trust that we do not intend to kill you. The restraints exist to ensure that neither of you do anything that would make us kill you.::

She was not going to very conversational in this state and that would do no good at all.

::Water?.::

Kaini walked away from the table, slowly and deliberately giving her time. He knew that the carbonate was apt to play tricks on one's mind and much as he didn't care, or have much genuine empathy for a Jedi in distress. He very much understood that she would be all but useless to him in this state. Some torture might help, but then again it probably wouldn't. He grabbed a glass, and placed it under the faucet and let the water flow in gently. Each drop of the water seemed to echo in the room, the alarms were silent now. After a moment, he set the glass down and found a lid and a straw. After securing the glass, he walked back to the Jedi just as slowly and deliberately as he did when he left.

As he approached he set the water down near her head.

::Lets start at the beginning. What is your goal as a Jedi?::

[Ashlin Li]

The brunette Jedi woman breathed in through the mask over her face. Of course she didn't trust him. Trust was very unlikely to be forthcoming in this relationship. Erril was here... That was relevant. If the quiet chaos somewhere far on her left meant they were reviving him—now—then she prayed the staff knew what they were doing. She breathed out; then slowly inhaled again.

The restraints were a given. She'd felt enough of her mother's memories, and made a few of her own... Even in the temple, even when she was barely a teen, Harper had spent a good amount of time on those lessons. She would look into testing the bonds at a later time, if things came to it. But for now she was aware that the man didn't seem hurried to kill her. Recovering her body systems needed to be the first step... And building a rapport with this man needed to be the second, for the moment.

The Darksider offered water... She didn't know if her system was ready for it yet. Her mind wasn't, after the fight with fluid in her lungs. But it wouldn't harm her... and it might help, honestly.

He moved away from the table. She breathed in. Ashlin worked to focus on her internal state, and not on the shattering chaos of sensations all across her body. A physician adjusted the mask. Another tech fixed the needle in her wrist. Pulse-ox levels moved up slowly. Her reflexive struggle to panic and not drown was quieting down when the man returned. Kaytren's grown daughter breathed out.

"You.. have.. odd questions..." she managed with less struggle this time. "Jedi... Serve." (Even when the Ashla you follow pulls you far from what you thought you knew.) "Protect... and... heal..."

She wanted to ask the man his goal, but the fuss and monitors at the edge of her hearing caught her attention. "If.. that alarm is Erril Winterhold... they need... to... very careful. Right now."

[Erril Winterhold]

Coniferous trees loomed all around, dark and foreboding, but somehow comforting and warm as well in their heavy presence. The sleeper ran his hand across the face of one that stood nearby, feeling the rough texture under his fingertips, and savoring the smell of vanilla that churned into the air as his finger nails scraped off flakes of bark. There was something ahead in the woods – a path of sorts, and he followed it, uncertain of what he might find but determined to know anyway. On through the woods he wandered, until at last he saw the trees begin to thin up ahead. For reasons he couldn’t explain, the sleeper knew the thing he sought was just ahead. The reason he’d come all this way through the woods and the night was within his grasp.

Emerging from the woods, the sleeper held a hand up in front of his eyes to shield them from the bright light, and he caught the barest glimpse of a far green countryside. Something wasn’t right though, the light didn’t cool; his eyes didn’t adjust. Everything grew brighter and brighter until the sweltering light made his neck burn, and his vision swim. With a start, the sleeper realized that he was awakening from a dream. The goal he had sought in the far valley would never be attained if he woke now, but it was too late. The fervent heat of the light that washed over him burned the dream away in its entirety, and he was thrust into the fiery maelstrom of the waking world beyond.

***********************

All five of Erril’s senses assaulted him in one fashion or another as the decarbonizing process completed its final burn. His skin itched and tingled painfully as if it had been sunburned, his mouth felt swollen and tasted like talc powder, everything swam over his eyes as they roved around for something they couldn’t see, and the air smelled acrid like copper fumes, but this multitude of unpleasant sensations was washed away after the first second of having experienced them – they were smothered out by a thunderous pounding sound in his ears that repeated itself, and then again. He gasped, reaching clumsily for his ears amidst the protest from limbs that hadn’t moved in years, and the sound of his own voice rattled through his head like a bell, deafeningly loud. The pounding sound repeated again, and again as though a drum were being beaten an inch away from his head. Covering his ears did nothing to stop the sound, and every time one of the nearby bodies scraped against something else or spoke, new waves of thunder peeled into his head through his ears. The sound was so powerful that it made him feel sick, but he fought down the churning in his stomach, for fear of adding even more layers to the overwhelming cacophony that assaulted his senses. He didn’t fight as the others in the room restrainted his movements and began attaching things.

The sephi lay still on the table, breathing as softly as possible, moving as little as possible, and fighting down the nausea that roiled out in waves from his quaking inner ear. The painful pounding was his own heartbeat, he realized after the initial disorientation had passed. Knowing hardly made the thunderous sound less painful, but it armed him with understanding, and that was what he needed most – already he was beginning to filter out the voices and machine vibrations around him. Erril had spent most of his life tuning his hearing through the Force so that he could hear a pin drop in a storm, or zero in on a heartbeat across a crowded room. Having practiced it continually over the years have left a sort of mental default in his mind where he had gradually gotten to the point of focusing to tune the sounds out, rather than focusing to tune them in. That default seemed to have backfired on the heels of whatever had just happened to him, and he lay on the table for a couple of minutes that seemed like a couple of hours trying to filter everything properly and make sense of it all, and just allow his ears to be as they were naturally. Sight still escaped him, but his other senses gradually settled until his skin was just clammy, his mouth simply dry, and the air smelled less like burning metal. Was this… hibernation sickness?

Flashes of a brilliant sunlit place cast across the eye of Erril’s mind, followed by those of a barren place with much less light. They had fled that place, hadn’t they? Yes, they’d fled in the way of… where was he? Erril ignored his hapless eyes, knowing now that they wouldn’t be his allies for awhile still, and turned his hearing back out into the room. While doing so, he made an effort to continue breathing as he had done, so as not to arouse suspicion from an overly perceptive other; he already knew he wasn’t where he should be – the darkness pressed in on his mind like a heavy blanket. In trying to regulate his breathing, however, he found the task of breathing in general to be unusually laborious. That was troubling, but it would have to wait. He was beginning to single out voices, and sift through their content… but it wouldn’t work. The breathing issue refused to be ignored, and the sound of his own lungs grasping at the air began to eclipse his keen hearing. Why was it so hard to breath? His chest began to burn in protest as he tried to take in more air, and it seemed to no avail. He remembered a time when he had almost drown; the sensation was remarkably similar... and so was the eerie calm that accompanied it.

[Kaini Khatoin]

He looked over to the other Jedi, the male on the other table whom the doctors were waking up at the moment. He noted that the cart had arrived, complete with a ventilator and plethora of medical supplies. His doctors knew they were waking a Sephi, they knew what they could possibly be getting themselves into, and he knew that there was a Jedi healer laying on the table next to him that he was having a conversation with. He shot his glare back down to the Jedi on the table before him.

::We know. Do you honestly think we want him dead anymore than you do? Do not tell my doctors their business, they are motivated, almost as if their lives depended on his survival...::

He scoffed arrogantly at her, this little ploy of hers would not be enough for him to release her, yet. He knew that the Doctors were going to be working diligently on the Jedi Master and that if they started to fail, he did have a backup plan.

::So we are aligned on what our mission is. Fascinating isn't it?::

He turned, and started to move to the other end of the room, his footsteps falling heavily on the floor and if it wasn't for all of the commotion, they would echo throughout the lab ominously. He listened to the doctors mention intubating the Jedi master to ensure a constant flow of air into his lungs. If there was fluid in there, they seemed to be some discussion on this subject, they could pump it out, perhaps extracting it with a needle or some other form of treatment. This was not his speciality and he certainly could not keep up with all of the medical talk.

::Master Wintherhold? Welcome, to the Crusader....we are taking......excellent care of you....::

His voice trailed off, the augmentation of his helmet had the tendency to make everything sound darker, it also gave him a bit of an imposing presence. He knew that Master Winterhold could not see him just yet, but his presence and demeanor was a bit more than intimidating. He looked down at the Sephi Jedi master before him, shook his head and went back over to the female Jedi.

::Where are my manners? Welcome to the Crusader Master Li. We are a Star Destroyer, our mission is simple, protect those who cannot protect themselves and to rid the galaxy of the evil that inhabits it. Our mission, is a noble one, we alone, in this moment of time have the ability to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy.::

He stopped for a moment, debating on whether or not to ask the next question. He wanted the answer to the question but he did know if he dared to ask it. In some way he knew, in another he needed the confirmation, the affirmation as to his true purpose and perhaps his identity as Sith in general.

::Did you...know my f...::

He stopped suddenly.

::Never mind. Isn't this your goal as well Master Li? In so many words...::

[Erril Winterhold]

The room seemed to swim for a moment as the medical staff propped Erril up, and then raised one side of the table to maintain his torso at the same 45 degree angle while they worked. He still couldn’t see, but his sense of direction and orientation swam nonetheless. He focused on inhaling and exhaling slowly while they worked, and tried to keep up with what they were saying. Amidst his attempt to keep the oxygen flowing through his body, he became aware of the one who seemed to be the source of the darkness approaching him, heavy footfalls ringing quite clearly against the hard metal floor.

Erril didn’t bother acknowledging the man until the footsteps rang at the foot of his bed, and the synthetically resonating voice addressed him. The Jedi turned his sharp grey eyes directly to the point from which the voice had emanated – a feat that might not have been possible if he hadn’t already been propped up – and stared as pointedly as he could manage in his blinded state. The dark one had simply come to posture a bit; to gloat and maybe rub in his advantage a little. Erril had better uses for his precious oxygen than to respond accordingly, so he simply nodded and followed the sound of retreating footsteps with his eyes, and then closed them again and went back to breathing as efficiently as possible.

Once he was confident in his respiratory rhythm, Erril turned his attention back to the medical staff, and that’s when he, too, heard the discussion of intubation. He wasn’t interested in having a needle stabbed into his trachea just then, especially since that wasn’t the solution to the problem. A second member of the medical team suggested checking his lungs for fluid, but he was overruled by the first, whose voice resonated with what Erril recognized as a thin layer of professional calm holding back sheer panic. He wondered how much these physicians’ lives were worth to the dark one if they made a mistake – their desire to aid Erril seemed motivated by fear more than anything else. Their value estimates didn’t seem to be high, and so he had to assume they were probably right. When his keen ears detected the first physician extending something toward him, he reached out a hand and caught him by the arm as nonthreatening as possible.

”Wait jus…*gasp* just a moment.” As he spoke, Erril’s hand slid up the physician’s arm and across his hand to the object in it. A tracheal insertion needle. His thumb bent the needle over sideways before anyone could object, and he felt a tinge of pain as the sharp point of it pricked his skin.

”It’s not as…*gasp* asphyxiation. It’s pulm…*gasp* pulmonary edema. Less common.”

Letting go of the first physician’s arm, he pointed to the second who had suggested checking for fluids. ”He’s onto it… Use a sh…*gasp* shock-value BNP. Draw the fluid… I need oxygen.”

The effort of speaking, even in a low whisper, had winded Erril entirely. He sank back onto the surface of the table panting and trying to regain his breathing rhythm. It had been worth the effort though. If he could help them save his life, then in doing so maybe he’d save theirs as well.

[Ashlin Li]

Breathe out. On the exhales, she still felt the wheeze of too much buildup in her lungs that required her to keep a conscious stand against panic. Inhaling was getting slowly easier though; as long as she kept her movements shallow enough to not trigger the gasping all over again.

The Darksider scoffed at her. Ashlin ignored the baiting when Kaini threw a hateful reply about his personnel's competence and motivation. The skill and training of his staff was irrelevant when she had direct knowledge and experiences they did not... And even if the Darksider and she were both aware there was some ploy in it, she had the high-ground advantage of being right.

Breathe in. The man stalked away from her; presumably to approach Erril. One of the physicians on her side of the activity had cut away her shoes and along most of a pant leg. The doctor was pressing something (Gloved fingernail? No—definitely needle.) in turn into the skin between her ankle and knee around the restraints. Circulation in her upper extremities was creeping closer to adequate, although she could tell the pitting and fluid buildup in her feet and legs wasn't nearly gone yet. The Jedi murmured a faint thanks to the two of 'her' team nearest her head on an exhale.

With her caring host elsewhere for a moment, she stretched her senses and painstakingly reached out in the Force. Everything felt polluted and heavy here, and her system was still too shocked to be a reliable asset. But... she could pull the energies in enough to ease up the gas exchange in her respiratory system...

She inhaled again with a shudder, pushing back against nausea and requiring her lungs to fully expand and engage all of the alveoli this time instead of only the less inflamed... There. Better.

The haziness in the woman's mind was clearing a little by the time Kaini stepped back and her doctors tensed up again. Their care was more than sufficient, but their adrenaline made everything more clumsy and needlessly painful whenever the man was close enough to watch them directly. The Jedi woman laid compliantly under the physicians' nervous prodding, quietly breathing, slowly shifting fingers and toes to encourage at least a little more circulation despite the restraints, while the Darksider introduced his ship and started to explain something or other about their apparent peace-bringing mission. He started to ask her something interesting right at the end... about a father maybe? She filed it away, but the the man stopped abruptly and honestly she didn't have the time for it yet.

"That's very nice," the woman murmured into the breathing mask like a calming mother or elder sibling. There was a little less of a wheeze in her voice now, and she cautiously eased in a bit more volume.

"We'll talk about goals... and old friends.. soon. Now. We need to talk about.. Erril some more.... Ready?

"Jedi Winterhold is not... Human. You know that.. But not Sephi either. He's at least.. 2nd generation hybrid. You.. can't synth his bloodtype... We tried. He will clot either species'. Tried that, too. There are.. 3 mixed-beings in the order whose bodies can accept his blood with some treatment...

"But even if you had one.. to donate.. altering for Erril to receive it.. takes more skill and resequencing than he has... time for anyone here to do... I can't do it. He is... severely tibanna-poisoned.. We stayed on top of it... there... but now the stasis would have flooded him.. His white cells are extremely reactive to it.. and it bonds with the.. Ht... poorly. He needs..."

She fumbled for the term, but found nothing. Her voice was failing anyway. Ashlin fought down a gasp, breathed in, and nudged an impression at the senior surgeon beside her table instead.

"Chelation therapy agent, to bind the toxins to the drug instead of the blood cells" the man filled in an excyclopedic tone with a feather's prompting. He frowned slightly in confusion, but continued nervously in his own voice. "They started him on one, my lord... But, it is slow... They work over days."

Ashlin breathed while the physician spoke and dipped her head in thanks. Her tone was calm and matter-of-fact. "Yes. Too slow without help. Also, there are at least 3 thrombosis clots in my right leg... I haven't checked the other... or Erril. Do not give him blood thinners either. But I would like to move... I prefer to keep them from my brain and heart... or his... it helps with keeping your guests and staff alive."

[Kaini Khatoin]

The situation unfolded, the needle was bent, the lectures began, the Jedi were being Jedi and if he was being honest with himself, he would just assume killing both of them at this point in time. The arrogance, insolence, and outright disrespect was something he simply could not tolerate. Their life was in his hands and on an academic level it seemed that they both fully understood this, but they continued to give advice and issue demands like children who were not getting their way. He hated Jedi, that much much was clear, this was just about the most time he had ever really spent in the presence of them and again, if he was being honest with himself, he preferred them frozen in carbonite. At least in that particular situation they were agreeable and much more open to suggestion.

He visualized himself dancing merrily through the lab, slicing their limb with a stroke, of his saber, then perhaps lightly burning their faces with another. Then when all was said and done, he would decapitate them slowly of course, so that they could at least feel some of the pain. Then he would send their heads off to be stuffed, so that he could hang them on the wall of his meditation chamber. That and only that would bring a true smile to his face at this point.

In the fleeting second this fantasy appeared in his heavily guarded mind, it passed, being disturbed by another insolent fool. Not the Jedi woman, who he had heard as well, but the doctor who so casually agreed with the Jedi in such a way that she had either used a mind trick on him, which if was the case he was too weak minded to be a doctor, or….or she was right, which of course was a much worse scenario, This scenario of course, had the benefit of being true and he knew it, he was no fool himself.

He nodded finally at the doctor and Jedi woman before him, blood clots in her legs could happily be solved by him slicing them of, but that wasn’t really an option was it?

::Shut up both of you!::

His synthetic voice boomed, a touch of anger behind it.

::Doctor, my loyal aide, fix Master Li’s blood clots, so that she does not die on us prematurely. Of course, this was something you planned on checking for anyway. Well get to it!::

His head turned so that he could look down at the Jedi once more. Her face was calm despite the situation, of course it was, she was a Jedi who had just spent the last several minutes not fully grasping where she was.

::Jedi, both of you, I do not think you fully understand the gravity of your situation. I am in charge here, and we both know that the second I release Master Li here, to run and go save the dying Sephi over there, I’ve created a problem. One that will only likely be solved with a blade, and I do not mean a surgical blade. So both of you, relax sit back and above all shut the f……::

”ENOUGH!”

A voice boomed throughout the room, appearing to have no true origin. Kaini recoiled from his position instinctively and immediately, stopped.

Master Li, Master Winterhold, you have my apologies for the concierge. Please forgive him. He is good at many things, he is strong in the force and he is not one that most would ever pick a fight with. That said, the point that seems to be lost on him is that you are truly our guests here, not our prisoners. That was something that we wanted to make perfectly clear.

Without warning the metal restraints on both Erril’s and Ashlin’s arms and legs opened, then they flew from the table and were gently cast aside, skidding on the floor with a metallic sound, as if someone rolled a hollow pipe across it. Meanwhile Kaini crossed his arms and remained silent.

”I ask only this of you, do not harm my men and stay and listen to a presentation we have for you, before you pass judgement. After that, and of course a small amount of time to ensure you are well enough to leave us, we will send you to a place of your choosing. Deal?”

The disembodied voice stopped, except for the beginning when he had yelled, his voice was calm, cool, and collected, empathy sprinkled in here and there, as well as a certain political tone. One that was unmistakable and hard to refuse.

[Erril Winterhold]

The rate at which the medical staff responded to suggestions was not lost on Erril. He was both impressed and concerned by their swiftness. They did all the correct procedures once they had some traction, however, and though his senses were still fairly dull, it seemed to him that they did indeed know what they were about. The suggestions he made were followed up immediately with a positive pressure mask to ensure that he reached maximal oxygen intake as quickly as possible, and a BNP which was administered not too long after. He knew this because his chest began to tingle only a few moments after they had pierced the skin on his thigh with a rather substantial needle. The tingling intensified to an almost abrasive burning feeling as the drug did its work, and he was reminded of taking too long a run on too cold a day. It felt as though his lungs were seizing up. The reality was quite the opposite, however, and the attending physicians slipped a siphoning tube down his nostrils through a port in the pressure mask only a scant few seconds after the burning in his lungs thawed into a dull ache of heaviness. He did his best to breathe as shallow as possible, knowing the BNP would continue to do it’s work over the next half hour or so.

The med staff knew what they were about, that was a fact, and Erril realized shortly thereafter they might have been the only ones in the room who did at that moment. The dark one seemed to be determined to assert himself over a situation where one simply could not assert themselves. Having spent countless hours and days as head healer and surgeon both in the field and in a number of infirmaries, Erril knew beyond doubt that no one was in control of medical emergencies except time. Time, and the careful, practiced use of it. When the dark one began to try and shout people down again, Erril noted the angry frustration creeping its way into his voice. This was a man not accustomed to being stepped around. Such was the nature of darksiders – they craved power over and reverence from others, even when they didn’t understand the consequences of what they demanded - like just then. But it told him one other thing too; this one was not in charge. Brutality was a means of keeping control, not gaining it, and he began to wonder who was pulling the strings.

These thoughts of balancing power tactics were only just beginning to run through Erril’s mind when another voice emerged and proved his point in a single word. He heard the sudden shuffling of heavy footsteps as the dark one recoiled from the rebuke. The words that followed, as well as the kindly gesture of the manacles being removed, served to emphasize the point of who held the authority, and Erril felt the aggravation simpering within the dark one at having been cast aside like one of the servants he’d been badgering and threatening for the last half hour. He felt pity for the dark one; not accompanied by the concern he felt for the medical staff, but pity nonetheless – he had just been used. Erril wondered if the owner of the disembodied voice had intentionally allowed his warrior servant to make a mess of things like a reek in a porcelain store just to make himself seem more magnanimous by contrast. An appealing tactic to Sith, but a very divisive one as well.

Working his lips back and forth a bit to make sure he could speak with the mask on, Erril glanced around the room with his as-yet unfocusable eyes. He spoke softly, making sure his words took their intended shape and tone around the tube going to his lungs, but already he could feel his body breathing easier. ”I’ve felt quite welcome so far… I’ve only been shouted at twice in the last few… minutes and… the service is excellent.”

Erril shrugged his shoulders to match his casual tone as best as possible, but he was also pleased by the lack of tenderness in their response. ”I feel no rush to leave, so long… as you grant us an appropriate… autonomy in the meantime.”

His mind was still too sluggish to communicate telepathically, and likely would be until the tibanna had been flushed from his blood, but the Jedi shifted his head and cast his eyes curiously toward the blur that he knew represented his friend and whatever surface they had placed her on across the room.

[Ashlin Li]

She'd poked the bear into lashing out... Erril too apparently, based on the Darksider's outburst. Sometimes edging your way up to the line by instinct was the only way to figure out the rules, though. Ashlin kept still while Kaini shouted, breathing slowly and continuing to shift fingers and toes one small muscle group at a time while she waited for the newest stormburst to break.

She was listening... but the specific shouts and veiled threats felt irrelevant, aside from giving her a bit more concern for her physician's present safety. The Darksider wasn't rational enough to predict; he was teetering on the brink of something grand and unpleasant... but something was barely holding the man in check, forcing him to be like an angry nexu champing and slathering near the the very end of his chain. It was—

"ENOUGH!"

—Then, just as suddenly, there was the chain.

She breathed in and listened. When the bonds flew off into a clatter on the floor, the Jedi very slowly brought her arms up over her torso and tested motion. Sensation was there. Parts of her body still felt the tingling-pain like limbs fallen asleep, but her nervous system was valiantly trying to sort itself out. She let out an exhale and carefully drew more energies into her body on the next breath, easing the general healing reinforcements throughout her system instead of trying to focus them into to any particular aspect. Her fingers found the IV lines the med staff had put in, and she tested them gently while straining pick up whatever Erril was saying back to their... chief host.

After what felt like a long time, but couldn't have been, she reached towards her face and tested pulling the mask away until one of the physicians shifted to assist her. Very gingerly and slowly, the Jedi woman sat up on the table and gave her body a moment to get past the vertigo. Her blood wasn't in that much of a better state than Erril's... but it should still be a magnitude of 'better'. The first Darksider with the voice modulator was still standing over her. She regarded his shadow of a shape quietly, and gave the man's form a slight nod before she spoke to the ship in general.

"I appreciate the movement... It will help... I'll check Master Winterhold in a few minutes.. Host permitting."

[Kaini Khatoin]

The air was thick as the voice boomed into the room and a completely guarded sinking feeling found it's way into the pit of his stomach. There was no way out, the hole he had dug himself in was quite significant and now he was going to have to put his tail between his legs in front of the Jedi. He sighed inwardly and turned away for a brief moment and thought of what was in store for him later.

The masked man, turned his attention back to the situation at hand. The words of the disembodied voice echoed through his skull. Of course this was the tactic, of course this is what was done. He made no noise or any indication of anger, but deep down his blood was boiling.

::You have my apologies Jedi.::

His synthesized voice was quieter than normal, he crossed his arms in front of his chest. The words that he had uttered burned his ears as they traveled out of his helmet and into the natural universe. The thought of apologizing to Jedi was so foreign to him that it made him want to smash a hole through wall. He remained calm however, both outwardly and inwardly, at least as far as anyone could tell.

"A reasonable level of autonomy of course. This is of course a military vessel and precautions must be taken to ensure it's safety and that of our overall mission. Outside of that and listening to our presentation, you will be treated the same way in which you treat us. You'll forgive my young friend who has been in contact with you thus far, he is passionate about our mission.[/b]

You will of course be allowed to check on him as your body allows. You see, as I said, you are our guests and we need each other more than you could possibly know at this point in time. All will be explained to you in time. For now, recover, build your strength, both mentally and physically. A lot has changed since your long rest and it will be a lot to absorb. Once you recover, we can have dinner, all of us and discuss the situation at hand. Perhaps, we may even learn to trust each other, once I introduce myself personally of course."

The voice trailed off, Kaini let his arms drop to his side, he flexed his hands which were covered in black gloves, loud pops of his knuckles could be heard in the room. Perhaps this was all there was left to do to break the awkward silence. The doctor who had corrected him could not be killed now, or even publicly punished. What would that make these Jedi think?

::We have accommodations for you, they are spartan but I trust you'll find them adequate.::

[Erril Winterhold]

The emotional turmoil that boiled up from Kaini’s presence continued to be a source of turbulence in the living Force that filled the room, and a source of interest to Erril. This dark one was certainly controlled, but not contained. Erril wondered for a moment if this one would be a rage fighter, or if he could manage his emotions in a battle? It wasn’t a thought process he needed to pursue just then, however, as was made clear by the disembodied reassurances of their host. When the Sith grumbled his apology, Erril nodded his thanks as much as the pressure mask would allow.

A reasonable amount of autonomy… Erril would have settled for just being left alone with Kaytren and the physicians at that point, but anything better was still better.
”I sincerely hope that… we can do you the same courtesy you’ve…. Shown us… up until now.

At that moment, the tube running down Erril's nostrils into his lungs made purchase on some gathering of fluid deep inside his body and rattled with an uncomfortable burbling sound that caused him to wince. He glanced up at the Sith near him, and grinned weakly. ”At this point, spartan accommodations and… a meal sound like kingly luxuries. I certainly hope you… will understand if I stay… here until I’m…”

The Jedi paused and breathed heavily for a moment, catching his breath again. He then shrugged as if his point had been illustrated. ”Well… until I’m in more of a state… to appreciate your hospitality.”

As he finished speaking, Erril reached out his hand and gently tugged on the shape sitting up in the other bed – at the same time pleased the Force had responded so readily to his guidance in that fashion. If what he’d heard a moment ago was true, then his friend was in at least slightly better condition than him. He didn’t enjoy admitting his current state of fragility, but it would have been foolish to pretend it was anything else. The thought of having Kaytren a little nearer was comforting just then.

[Ashlin Li]

Her head swam and the world spun from sitting, causing her to keep a trembling grasp on the bed rail. She kept breathing, her lungs straining again without the mask, but leaned on the energies she could draw from until her instincts and body accepted their current normal.

Ashlin could think of very few outcomes likely to bring any trust into her relationship with any crew members of this vessel. The authority figures were obviously working towards their own agenda, whatever that might be. The subordinates were tightly controlled and fear-motivated, but their minds were their own and she had no impression that they were hostage. Unless far removed from this situation, they were too volatile for her to put any unguarded faith in them... However, there was a far difference between trust and an effective relationship... She'd work at the latter for the moment.

"Thank you." She spoke to both captors at once, but then let her attention drop back inwards; half to following Erril's status, and half to recovering the most she could of her own self while the situation seemed to allow it. She felt the small telekinetic 'tug' from the other Jedi, like a quick squeeze of a hand, and the reassurance helped her heart lighten. Even if her mind still spun with possibilities; she knew Erril hadn't quite meant it for her, and she didn't wish anything about this situation on many... she felt so relieved to be not quite so alone.

After another shaky few moments, the thin Jedi woman opened her eyes again and squinted at the odd blurs and dizzines... nothing extremely useful there yet. She was hyper-aware of the people, but the physical objects and eventually digital readings would just have to fall into place on their own... She expected that they should over the next hours.

"I'm going to move now..." she murmured to the staff hovering around her.

The physicians helped over the next few minutes, one hooking her IV lines differently to be supported by a small hovering droid and disconnecting the monitors that no longer seemed to serve relevant functions. Ashlin tested out the possibility of standing, but her limbs weren't ready enough to be stable, and though the clots interfering deep in her leg were dormant enough for now... She acknowledged from the twinges of knife-like pain that they were in need soon of attention.

The staff procured a chair, which the Jedi woman gingerly eased into with the support of a physician. She nodded acknowledgement to the Sith still watching with his arms crossed, and then made her way to the surgical bed where the man lay propped up to keep breathing. Definitely Erril.

Her hand found his upper shoulder with no trouble, and she grasped it while leaning against the bed a bit.

"Brother..." the younger woman took a breath and commented with a wry smile, her tone ruefully familiar to them both. "You've looked a little better."

(Calm.) Ashlin Faithe spoke deftly along the tight link between her thumb and his neck. Contact wasn't usually needed, but in present state it was instant, so much easier, and did less to make her mind reel; let alone add more static to the headache that was already Erril's. (I'm sorry.)

Asking 'what would her mother do' was a silly question, though it crossed her mind anyway. With a quiet sigh, Ashlin brushed away the doubt and the thousand other pressing questions. The Jedi woman smiled a much more real and encouraging little smile while she drew in another wave from the light she'd been named for even in far viler places, and screened the renewing energy on into them both.

This wasn't where she wanted to be, but they were fine at this time. The best thing was to help their own selves recover.

(Yuck... your blood is awful.) She couldn't help recoiling from sympathy while she looked him over.

"We could use building blocks," she told the Darksider and the staff in general. "Just proteins and base vitamins in suspension are fine... maybe in a few syringes. It's less draining than working so empty."

[Kaini Khatoin]

He watched her moving around and listened to the words that were indeed directed at him and of course the one whose voice echoed through the room. The male Jedi seemed to be the one that had the most disagreeable demeanor amongst the two. In truth, he would not mind sparring with this Jedi to get a feel for the type of man he really was. Now of course that would be pointless as the Jedi was helpless and there would be no sport to be had in a sparring match of this point.

He appeared confused and not in direct control anymore, but this was something he knew was going to happen, something that he might very well have expected for reasons that he did not care to let his aura or body language care to reveal. Perhaps it was better this way as the Jedi made their opinions of him, perhaps it was better that they thought of him as an emotional brute rather than anything else. It might serve their mission well, these were of course thoughts that never crossed into the perceptible realm of the force. Thoughts that he had perhaps already had before entering the room.

::Why not drain him?::

The idea was simple, his mind let it flow from his brain to his lips, through the voice synthesizer and out into the conscious realm. He was not a doctor, and healers were inherently light sided as that was almost a prerequisite for the that power. Yet draining the blood and perhaps cleaning it and thinning it, seemed to him to be a reasonable course of action. Not that he fully cared for the Jedi or particularly wanted him amongst the realm of mortals, it would be a shame however for a man with a warrior's spirit to die in such a way.

::But of course what to do I know? I'm no doctor, dinner is tomorrow night in the Admiral's private dining hall. You are in good hands here, I trust that you will honor us with your presence.::

He stopped abruptly and placed his hands on his hips, his dark tattered cloak, pushed back and away. For a brief instant his lightsaber was visible, secured to his belt in an unorthodox manner. Everything about the weapon was unorthodox, there was no attempt made to make the weapon look beautiful, the metal was unfinished and rough, weld marks were visible on various areas of the weapon. Other parts were scraped, producing a matte shine as bare metal sometimes produces when scrapped. This weapon had been used and if there eyesight was finally returning they could see that the darksider before them had definitely seen combat.

::Failure to do so, barring health reasons may result in a loss of...::

He paused for a brief moment to emphasize a point.

::Autonomy.::

[Erril Winterhold]

The moment Erril’s mind made contact with the one next to him, he knew he had been wrong. Even the pressure and shape on the hand forming the tactile connection suggested subtle hints that he had been wrong. He leaned his head back against the angled work table and sighed, smiling tiredly and doing his best to filter out the mixture of mild concern and sudden protectiveness that filled his heart before it could reach the telepathic connection Ashlin had formed.

It wasn’t that Erril doubted the abilities of his companion, it was simply a condition of the fact that he had been making logistical plans based on a different assumption from the moment he heard the name “Li” pronounced in the room. He had always thought of Ashlin family, from before she was born on through the days when she had elected to occasionally shepherd his own children who so loved playing with her younger siblings. Ashlin was his niece, as far as he was concerned, and the fact that she was here with him now, in this potentially hostile situation made his tingling fingers ache for the familiar weight of his lightsabers. He trapped those thoughts in his mind, however, and closed them away. They were of no use to him, and less than useless if they found their way to Ashlin. She was here now, and very capable, which made her exactly the person he needed.

“Hello, sister mine.” Saying the words felt good, even recognizing the subtle implication of them. “I just need a shave and a shower… that should do it.”

Reaching up, he took her hand in his, noting the subtle shapes and lines that his own fingertips detected there. (Nothing to be sorry for… This tibanna poisoning seems to have prevailed during stasis, somehow, its… clouding my mind, making focus difficult…)

Looking up at the blur which he knew represented Ashlin’s face, Erril leveled a grave stare on her as she turned back to him from requesting supplies, but the humor in his mind was clear. (Ashlin, I don’t think we’re on the Homeward anymore)

For a moment, Erril waited quietly as the room turned about him and tried to focus his mind, but the darksider’s suggestion struck him curiously. It was, theoretically, a possibility. Under the circumstances it wasn’t feasible in his mind, but he had to admit, were he in better physical condition and circumstances, it might have been possible for an experiences healer to suspend him and do just that. With a pang of regret, he realized that he could have done the very same thing on his own without draining his blood – if his blood weren’t contaminated to the point of clouding his focus.

A ripple of sad humor crossed from his mind to Ashlin’s. (It would be a good idea, wouldn’t it?)

Erril sighed and nodded as the darksider made his final implication-laden statement and left the room. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to be in good enough condition to attend the dinner party of doom. They just needed to find a helpful path that would allow them to reach that point.

(How are you? I heard you use the word ‘thrombosis’ a moment ago)

[Ashlin Li]

Ashlin caught the edge of Erril's surprise and the sudden bloom of paternal protectiveness even as he snapped to recover himself in the same heartbeat. A sad smile flickered across the telepath's features as she gave him the psychic equivalent of briefly averting her eyes while she dipped her head and murmured nonverbal apology. She didn't mind the instinct, truly.

Erril had turned the page to their new one and was reaching up for her hand when Ashlin glanced back. He spoke the first words and gestures intended fully for her in the whole last two frightening hours since she'd gasped awake with a zealous but misinformed Sith looming over her... or that she'd heard and sensed in however much longer it'd been since she closed her eyes and fought down panic about letting that poison ice stop her breathing. It almost wouldn't have mattered what Erril even said, but the 'sister mine' and the attempted jokes worked wonders in her heart, and she squeezed his palm back. It felt lighter and so much less lonely to be seen.

(I know. I think the tibanna just leached through during stasis. It's more than I could've breathed at the end... and way more than you would've.)

She made a point of turning back toward their Darkside sub-host when the man shifted and spoke up, a bit fascinated that he'd changed tones and attitudes enough to try offering medical suggestions. External screening wouldn't exactly work in this instance... but the shift in his demeanor for a moment beared thought and remembering. The Sith was more than capable of putting on different faces as they suited him, and he respected at least one of them somewhat. Probably Erril, what with the sarcasm and quipping. Then the tide shifted just as quickly, and Kaini was all back to malice and ominous threats about who was in control...

Until just as quickly, he left them.

That didn't make the situation any safer, but it made focusing on now easier; she was still grateful for that. After a few steadying heartbeats and a long sigh, the younger Jedi relaxed her grip on Erril's palm and refocused herself.

"Right..." she murmured to the still-hovering lab staff, remaining conscious of her own tone and mannerisms. Ashlin kept her planning a half-step ahead of her spoken voice, and her thoughts open enough to Erril's as she went along. "May I have that suspension now? The chelant you started him on was good... My system could use a little more of it later, but not yet. Please raise the strength on his by... 2/3rds... Yes, that's higher than safe. If you keep on with fluids and calcium stream, Erril or I will ensure he doesn't strip out or die from it... Thank you. It's much easier with the help."

(I'm okay right now, I think. There are DVTs in my leg. I don't want them to break off... but they're fine if I'm not moving on it. We can break them up when one of us has more fine focus, but I didn't want to mess with it before then and have pieces travel...)

Ashlin took in a longer breath. She leaned her forehead tiredly against Erril's arm on the raised edge of his mattress while she filtered another small wave of healing energies through them both. Worrying didn't help, but it was hard not to.

[Erril Winterhold]

Ashlin’s sigh was echoed by Erril as he lay on the work bed. It was the deepest breath he’d taken since waking up, and it felt good. Very good. It felt better to have a friendly presence close at hand, though. When he felt Ashlin’s tired weight come to rest on his arm, he reached over and gently placed his hand on the back of her head.

(Hey, you’re doing great. I’m proud of you… You’re certainly a lot tougher than me)

While the physical contact continued, Erril attempted to focus his mind enough to probe Ashlin’s physical condition a bit. It was ineffective, but at least he had a sense of her vitality in his mind. Aside from the obvious issues of hibernation sickness, she was in good health.

(If I could just focus this wouldn’t be such a problem. You’re definitely right about the tibanna seepage though. We both had this pretty much under control when we went into carbon freeze)

Erril glanced up at the blurry shape of the nearest physician and motioned to him. “Also, if you could raise the temperature in… this chamber that would be helpful. I don’t want your people to be un… uncomfortable, but tibanna can sweat out like uh… silver, for example. Thank you.”

As the physician walked away to adjust the environmental settings, Erril turned back to Ashlin and chuckled quietly. "I suppose it’s a good thing this didn’t happen ten years ago. That pontite… crystal had my body temperature all screwed up.”

Erril paused for a moment, thinking about what he’d just said. Ten years was only relative to his point of view. He wondered for a moment how much time had passed… Just add it to my growing pile of questions

(Are those DVTs above or below your knee?)

[Ashlin Li]

That sigh and deeper breath Erril took in was so much better. Ashlin smiled empathetically, reliving her similar relief from half an hour ago. He gave her the slight hug, and she finally relaxed just a little without moving.

(It starts to get easier... Everything feels less sharp and shattered than an hour ago.)

"Oh, yes... You ran a little... chilly there for a few years."

The brunette woman bit at her lower lip slightly, turning her awareness back to her own self and channeling her impressions through to Erril's mind.

(No, they're below in the calf... See? There's some swelling and pooling from circulation not getting back up like it should... I'm not sure what about the tibanna did that.)

She murmured thanks and finally sat up again when one of the physicians returned with injector sprays containing her requested 'building blocks.'

"Erril, do you want this now?"

[Erril Winterhold]

Erril nodded slowly, still mindful of the oxygen mask that was creating a positive seal around his face. “Please. The sooner we can start adding positive factors into the equation the better.”

Needles were nothing new to Erril, but as Ashlin inserted the sharp point into his skin, he blinked sharply a couple of times as his nerves processed the pain response. Apparently his pain tolerance was struggling to recover from hibernation as well. He chuckled as she removed the needle, and resisted the urge to rub his arm, knowing the puncture still needed to be dressed.

“Remind me to tell you how that whole chill spell eventually ended, some time. Good story.”

Erril continued to hold as still as he reasonably could while his arm was tended. It wasn’t hard to remain still with his body in a state of borderline protest, but it was still his habit to accommodate medical workers as best as possible.

“You know… I’d imagine the clotting *cough* ha-“ Erril coughed harder and grinned helplessly as the tube in his lungs found purchase on more fluid and sputtered. He recovered his breath but left his body to just breathe for a moment.

(I think in this case it has less to do with the tibanna and more to do with the prolonged carbon freeze. It’s never been considered a safe stasis method – there isn’t even a lot of good data on hibernation sickness, since it’s the result of an inhumane process. Even by carbon freezing standards though, we knew the tech we found in that strip mine facility was outdated)

[Ashlin Li]

Her hands still tremored a bit, but there was something heartening about listening to the elder Jedi's light verbal musings. That was exactly what he'd meant it for, she expected. Ashlin drifted quiet while she found the right area and depth on Erril's bicep, and then carefully fed the cool serums into his tissues one after another. Placing and administering two injectors into Erril's arm more by touch and Sense than by sight wasn't quite as straightforward as things might have been otherwise, but she preferred the direct control of being able to draw in the proteins and begin directing them through his system now instead of asking a physician to do the same... and then having to gather the solution back up right away anyway.

(I vote that we never travel this way again... I'm not sure I like the results. And the room service gets weird.) She eventually resumed their connection, and let her thoughts wander on while applying the dressing.

"Keep working your arm before the muscle tightens up too much."

She shifted in her seat and worked the other two injectors into her left hip, on the side of her better-functioning leg, and pulled the nutrients on through her own system.

(I can do something with your lungs in a minute now though. It'll feel better, and then your system can focus on getting your blood straight... Sleep might be beneficial for a couple hours; as if we didn't have enough of that already... But my body doesn't think it had enough.)

[Erril Winterhold]

Comments of room service and travel accommodations filled Erril with the sort of levity that he felt was conducive to proper healing. He laughed, leaning his head back against the angled mattress and trying not to choke on the tube in his nostrils. “Yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with you on that one.”

Erril dutifully began working his arm up and down slowly, imagining in his head the process that was occurring in his body at that moment. It was a slow process, but he trusted it, and knew if his tired body could just jump a few more hurdles it would be well on it’s way to a full recovery. An image of running and climbing in the open air flashed across his mind while he thought of being whole again, and he indulged in the memory of fresh water and clean mountain air for a moment before he let the imagery fade. Soon enough.

(I think I could do with some natural sleep…) Erril glanced around the room again, viewing things as best he could through the blur of his helplessly weak eyes. He wouldn’t mind giving that a chance to go away. He talked and quipped with Ashlin a bit longer, and commented on a few medical things as well, but the thought of sleep had taken root then, and in the rising temperature of the medical facility, it began to demand his attention. After awhile, still gently clasping the hand of his sister’s daughter, he nodded off into the first natural REM sleep his body had enjoyed in almost 10 years.