It was quiet and dimly lit when Amira arrived back in the ICU after a meal and a few hours sleep. The FX droid whooshed up beside her. "He has remained in stable condition since the surgery."

She accessed the data log on his vitals. "Thank you Fixit." The droid moved on to another patient as she continued with her examine. The bio monitors kept flawless readouts of patient vitals but she preferred the hands on approach and checked his respiration and heart rate herself just to be certain.

A weary Captain Trimorri walked up next to her casting his glance at the retreating droid. "Do you think the FX droid likes to be called Fixit?"

She shrugged and laughed. "I don't think it cares." She remarked on the bags under his eyes. "Haven't you had any sleep?"

"No, I had patient rounds tonight. I'm off shift now; just stopped by to see if our miracle patient had regained consciousness yet. He should have by now."

She shook her head. "Not necessarily, Jedi can go into healing trances. The body's metabolism slows and redirects energy towards recovery."

He yawned and stretched. "Did you learn that during that summer you wasted studying Jedi healing techniques and physiology?"

"It wasn't a waste, three months cantina hopping from system to system, now that was a waste."

"That was fun and you should have gone." He was already walking away. "I'll see you in a few hours."

With her own check of his vitals complete she entered the data into the log. When she turned back to look at her patient she saw a startling pair of blue eyes watching her. "Well, good evening General Kenobi. How are you feeling?"

His voice was weak barely above a whisper. "Tired."

She peeled back the sheet from his upper body and carefully lifted the bacta bandages from his chest. "You will feel tired for some time, but your strength will return."

"Where am I?" His eyes darted around the immediate area. His brow creased with confusion then concern. "Where is Anakin?"

"You are in the intensive care unit on board the medical frigate Mercy. You were wounded in a battle."

She continued to examine the wound. "Commander Skywalker is well. He was here for many hours. Once you were out of danger he returned to his duties."

After replacing the bandages and pulling the sheet back up she smiled down at him. "If you like I can have him contacted for you."

"No, that won't be necessary." Changing the subject he asked, "How was I injured? I do not remember much."

"According to Commander Skywalker, you were leading an advance on the Separatist line. They were on the verge of retreat when they stopped and initiated a self destruct sequence."

She checked the volume of meds and the rate of drip through the IV going into his arm. "The shrapnel expelled from their metal bodies was devastating. Some of the most severe shrapnel wounds I've ever seen."

She nodded towards his chest and continued. "You took a large piece directly to your chest, severing an artery. A wound which should have been immediately fatal but miraculously, the piece of metal wedged so tightly into your chest that it actually pinched the artery closed and kept you from bleeding out."

"I remember…the battle and…vaguely remember the explosions, but almost nothing after that until…I woke up here…did…Anakin…escape injury?"

"He had some minor lacerations but nothing serious." She noticed he had started to sweat and she moved in closer. "Are you having trouble breathing?"

He nodded urgently but could not answer. As the monitor alarms began to wail she jumped into action looking for the cause. With just a glance at the drainage tube leading away from his wound she knew the answer. It was blocked. "Hold on General, everything will be fine, it will just take me a moment to flush this out. Try to remain calm."

She summoned a droid with a syringe full of a sterile solution and injected it into the tube to flush out the blockage. It loosened immediately and fluid drained freely once again from his chest. "You should start to feel relief almost immediately. Don't rush the air back into your lungs try to take slow even breaths. I know it is easier said than done."

He did exactly as instructed and was soon breathing normally again. "That isn't going to happen often is it?" He asked wearily.

The respiratory distress had left him pale and damp. She moistened a cloth with water and wiped his forehead and face. "No, it shouldn't. In another day or two the chest tube can be removed."

She held the damp cloth to his forehead for a moment. "If you should feel any further discomfort summon a droid immediately they know what to do."

As she lifted the sheet and gently wiped the sweat from his shoulders and chest his body tensed and she briefly pulled her hand away. "Am I hurting you?"

He closed his eyes and took in a long slow breath and released it. "No." When his eyes opened again he was relaxed. "You were there."

"What do you mean?"

"I remember seeing you briefly, during the battle; I …said something to you."

"Yes, I was there. I was the first medic on the scene. We were taking fire and you instructed me to leave you there." She finished wiping him down and replaced the sheet.

"Obviously you ignored me; you realize I meant that as an order."

With raised eyebrows and an amused grin she replied, "Once you were wounded and under my care I outranked you. It's a doctor thing. If you like I can quote the regulation…sir"

"No, commander that won't be necessary." His grin was almost imperceptible, but his eyes gave away the smile."

He continued on a more serious note. "You took an unreasonable chance with your life."

"Nonsense, I was doing my job. There were dozens of people involved in your evacuation and medical treatment."

She tossed the damp cloth in a recycling receptacle. "Besides, I think you had the Force on your side. Even during your surgery there was something else there almost sustaining you, guiding my hand."

"You were my surgeon?"

She nodded. "Yes sir, between myself and Captain Trimorri you had the two most experienced trauma and thoracic surgeons in the fleet."

"It would seem I owe you my life commander."

Her blush and laugh were simultaneous. "General Kenobi, are you saying you owe me a life debt? I didn't think that was a Jedi custom."

This brought the first small bubble of laughter from him; which he painfully regretted.

"General if you will excuse me, I have neglected my duties at the field hospital far too long I must prepare to return to the planet, but I will check in on you again before I leave." She turned to go.

"I think it's been a pleasure doctor." Fatigue ruled his face but he managed a small smile.

"Try to rest; it will do you the most good right now."

As he watched her walk away, his eyes grew heavy and sleep came instantly.