"… so Thanaton is lying there, when Darth Mortis goes over to him and snaps his neck," Six recognized the jovial voice of Darth Vowran from the Dark Council as she staggered on her ship. "I wanted to cheer, that man was entirely too preoccupied with his own gains to see the bigger picture. But now Ravage is fuming about a former slave being on the Council. At least the girl is wise enough to keep her distance, attending most meetings by holo." Smart woman, Six thought, as she listened in on the conversation.
Being a Chiss, she'd always noted that Sith politics weren't as ruthless as the Chiss governing body, the Ascendancy. But that didn't mean Six wanted to be dragged into them. When it came to the Dark Council, she'd also preferred holo conversation, unless her personal touch was required. She was enjoying the freedom of being Wrath, the enforcer of the Emperor; having to answer to no less than the Emperor himself, usually through the Emperor's Hand. She continued listening in until Pierce's groan of pain reminded her to keep moving.
"Blast it, Talon," he muttered, "Are we going to head to the med bay, or just stand around bleeding?" Six couldn't resist elbowing the big man in the ribs, eliciting another grunt of pain from him.
"So, former slaves can be Sith?" Six heard Vette ask, "Thought most Sith would be against that."
"Only when they're uppity Twi'leks," Six couldn't help but call out, her voice strained both by pain and the effort of keeping the huge Lieutenant on his feet. She heard the movements of her crew mobilizing as they realized she had returned, then Jaesa's and Vette's gasps as they saw their master. Carbon-scored, dirty and bleeding, Six struggled to support Lieutenant Pierce as he leaned heavily on her, blood dripping from the wicked piece of shrapnel still protruding from his leg.
"Broonmark, get the Lieutenant to the med bay," Jaesa's voice rang out as she took charge of the situation, "Vette, make sure Quinn is there while I help the Master." Six felt instant relief as the large Talz lifted Pierce's weight off of her, but it was temporary as she was reminded her of her own injuries. Her back felt shredded from the shrapnel that had torn through her thin black armor, and her side burned from the flamethrower attack. Thank goodness for pain stims, she thought, happy that she'd had enough to dull the pain until she'd made it to her ship. She still arched in agony as Jaesa ducked under her arm, and grasped around Six's waist to steady her.
"Watch it, Apprentice," she growled, "Blasted Republic grunts, thought I'd taste better extra crispy."
"Glad to see they couldn't burn away your sense of humor, Master." Jaesa chuckled after adjusting her grip. The former padawan got Six to the med bay, where she saw Quinn administering another pain stim to Pierce.
"Stop complaining, Lieutenant," the Captain's crisp voice snapped, "You'll be up and as belligerent as ever in no time." Quinn shook his head as he examined the metal in Pierce's thigh, then grabbed a sterile pack from the cabinet and opened it. Assessing once more, he pulled the chunk out briskly, and pressed kolto soaked padding to the gaping wound. Six hid her grin behind her hand at Pierce's groan.
"Damnation, Captain," Pierce cursed, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you enjoyed that. Can't believe Talon left it in until we got back to the ship. At least she was good enough to hit me with enough stims to take down a boma." Quinn looked at the piece of durasteel he'd yanked from the man's leg, then back at Pierce. Six had a feeling the Captain wouldn't have minded reinserting it where he'd pulled it from.
"First of all, her judgment was sound," Quinn stated flatly, "Removing it without proper medical supplies would have meant you bleeding out while in the field." He pulled a mini cauterizing unit from the counter and removed the blood-soaked bandage to begin sealing it. "Second of all, it's improper for you to refer to our commander by that odious nickname." Pierce met Six's eyes from where she leaned against Jaesa in the med bay doorway and grinned.
"Think she has a right to say what name is proper to call her, eh, Talon?" At the revelation that she was in earshot, Quinn spun around. For a moment he looked as pained as she felt, taking in the sight of her burned and bleeding. Then, letting out a huff, he stormed over to her, easing her weight from Jaesa's support. She felt the cold rush of a stim into her arm, and realized her body ached so much it didn't even register the sting of the shot. Blending with the ones she'd given herself in the field, Six started feeling light-headed. Her head fell against Quinn and she rubbed her cheek against the comfort of his chest, as he maneuvered her to the padded med bay table.
"Time to patch me up again, Captain?" He straightened her up to examine her injuries, and she could see aggravation warring with concern on his handsome face.
"Jaesa, inform Darth Vowran we have a medical issue to handle," he ordered, ignoring her quip. Taking a quick glimpse of her back, he grumbled, "Seems Lord Sixfee decided I needed a challenge today." Even though his tone was gruff, he touched her tenderly, as if hesitant to cause her further pain. "Durasteel, it figures. Will have to remove the pieces by hand, my lord. But we can avoid major scarring."
"Did I hear you mention Darth Vowran?" she murmured, hearing him sigh in frustration while he examined her durasteel-peppered flesh.
"Yes, my lord," he replied, shortly, "He'd holo'd to notify you of the new Sith on the Dark Council." He turned to the counter, and she heard the clink of metal instruments, before returning to where she sat. "It was a shame to let him go, but it looks like I'll be removing shrapnel from someone's tough, blue hide."
"My hide is not tough," Six retorted, before muttering for his ears only, "You remember that, don't you, Captain." She heard his quiet inhale of shock and saw him blush as she reminded him of the times they'd been together, off duty.
"Incorrigible woman, not the time to mention that." he grumbled under his breath, trying to hide his moment of embarrassment.
"Should have seen her in action," Pierce chortled, from his med bay bed, "No wonder those Hoth boys call her 'Talon'. The way she came down on those Pubs like enraged bogwing, shredding everything in her way. I'm sure blood wasn't the only thing any survivors had to clean from their armor."
Six felt her shoulders shake as she tried not to laugh, and subject herself to any more discomfort. Even if the pain stims hadn't relaxed the rest of the Lieutenant, they had definitely loosened his tongue.
"A crass description, Lieutenant," she snickered, "But apt. Flying leaps into battle can be rather intimidating. Cleaner to not leave witnesses." She and Pierce both laughed at that, though she could feel Quinn's disapproving sigh blow across her back.
"Next time I'll ask how many stims you've taken before administering more to you two," Quinn muttered, "You sound like you've been carousing in a cantina, instead of fresh from the field." He laid her stomach-down on the table, deftly unfastening her armor.