Revan walked out of the Enclave again, and headed to her cabin. When she reached it she was shocked by the amount of damage it had sustained. The front door was completely gone a window was completely shattered, and there was a hole in the back of the building. "Where's Urz?" she thought as she entered and couldn't see it.
While she looked around, she heard a whimper from the bedroom. She walked in, and saw Urz curled up on her bed, one leg sticking out. She could practically feel the waves of pain radiating off of him, and when she walked up to him, he growled. "Easy boy. It's just me." she softly said.
He continued to growl at her, until she pressed her consciousness against the kath hound's mind. After a few seconds he quit growling, and just whimpered. "It's alright. Let's get you to someone who can fix you up." before picking up the creature and walking towards the enclave.
Ten minutes later, she arrived at the Enclave, and went directly to the med-bay. There, she saw a group of doctors attending to Alek and Bastila. "What happened to them?"
"They've both suffered blunt force trauma to the back of the head. They've both got serious concussions." A doctor replied.
"Will they be okay?"
"They should be. They just need some time off their feet to recover. What about you, Knight?"
"I just came here 'cause I noticed my kath hound was injured. I think he's broken a leg."
"I'll take a look at it."
"Don't you need to be focusing on them?"
"There's nothing I can do to help 'em. Their recovery is in their hands, not ours. What about you, Knight? You were the one out with them, handling those monsters, right?"
"I'm fine."
"You should let someone take a closer look at you. I'm sure you got hit a few times out there. And, whatever field patches you may have had out there could not be enough to ensure a proper recovery."
"I'm fine."
"Just do as your told, kid. We don't want anyone to have permanent injuries because they didn't take proper care of themselves and let an actual doctor look at whatever wounds they suffered in combat."
"I'm fine. I don't have any wounds."
"Just do it, or I'll have the Council order you to get yourself looked at."
Revan shook her head, and said, "Fine, but make it quick. I've got stuff I need to do."
"I'm sure it can wait." the doctor replied, and sent her off to the other end of the med-bay, where an old female doctor put her on the examination table and asked, "Where were you struck while hunting the terentatek?"
"Pretty much everywhere."
"In that case, you'll have to undo your robes so I can examine any injuries you've sustained."
She nodded, and after she took it off, the doctor winced and asked, "You haven't looked in a mirror where you could see your torso, have you?"
"No, why? Is it bad?"
"It's really bad. I'm gonna have to do some closer exams to see the extent of the damage."
Revan nodded, and a few minutes later was in a large machine. The doctor said, "Alright, now this will give me a look at what kind of condition you're in on the inside. It may hurt a little."
"Got it, let's just get this done with so that I can go and get some sleep."
The doctor laughed, and said, "I seriously doubt you're going to be leaving any time soon."
-=0=-
Fifteen minutes later, The doctor said, "We're going to have to take you to surgery now. You're in really bad shape."
"I don't even hurt anywhere."
"Yeah, it looks like whoever did a field patch also blocked all of your pain receptors. Your ribs are severely cracked. There's one that looks like it's about to go into your right lung, another that looks like it could hit your left lung, and all the others are seriously cracked. We're going to have to do surgery and leave you off your feet for the next few months. Probably spend most of that time in a kolto bath to speed up the process."
Revan nodded, and asked, "How's Urz?"
"Your kath hound? It's fine. Just got a minor break in a leg. At least that's what I was told by the vet."
Revan sighed with relief as she was wheeled off towards surgery.
Ten minutes later, another doctor walked up to her, and said, "Jedi Knight, we'll be working on putting your ribs back into place and then making sure that they aren't able to move around while they mend. In all likelihood you will be unconscious for the next six to twelve days, depending on the speed of your recovery."
"I can't be out that long. I've got stuff I need to do."
"Better that it doesn't get done than you kill yourself trying."
"I'll be fine."
"If you think messed up to the point where you won't be able to do anything for fear of slamming a rib right through your lung, then yes you'll be completely fine." he replied.
"Fine, just get it over with." she said.
He nodded and put in a small vial of anesthesia into the iv. "Alright, now I need you to count backwards from a hundred."
"One-hundred. Ninety-nine. Ninety-eight..." she began, and a couple of minutes later, "Two, one. What now?"
He put in another bottle of the anesthesia and said, "Start over. Sometimes you Jedi being so damn resistant to being knocked out by chemicals can be a real pain in the ass."
"Sorry." she replied, starting the countdown again.
A minute later, he said, "At least you went down with only two bottles." before she was carted off to surgery.
-=0=-
Master Vandar stood outside of surgery, and when the door was opened and Revan was wheeled out, he asked, "How is she?"
"She'll be fine, but we're going to have to have her unconscious for at least a weak. Probably longer."
"May I make an examination? Perhaps with the Force her recovery can be sped up."
"While we appreciate the offer, Master, it's best to let things such as these heal on their own. Even someone as skilled and powerful as yourself could make a mistake when attempting to mend wounds as delicate as these."
"I understand. Please let me know when she comes to." the Master said, "That way I may speak to her about the news from Coruscant, and hopefully convince her not to go and fight the mandalorians until the High Council permits it." he silently added.
-=0=-
Vrook stood in the Council chambers, and asked, "How is she faring?"
"She will recover." Vandar said, "But it will take time. She has suffered serious injuries."
"The fool girl should have been more cautious."
"I do not believe her wounds were caused by any failure to be cautious. She was facing enemies that many of us would not have handled any better."
"Still, over a week out? There has to be some way to get her on her feet and training sooner."
"The doctors believe that it would be better to let nature run its course and have her heal normally. Any attempts to heal her faster are more dangerous than it is worth."
"We don't have time. We'll need Jedi to be ready for war when the High Council tells us it is time."
"I understand your concern, Master Vrook, but it is not something we can handle. And, I doubt they will change their minds to soon for her to fully healed."
"I hope you are right, for all of our sakes, Master Vandar." Vrook replied.
"Why?"
"Surely you received the same premonition I did."
"Ah, yes, that. While it may be true that only Revan can lead the Republic to victory and end the mandalorian threat, or we entirely misinterpreting what the Force has shown us."
"It would be better to be safe than sorry." Vrook said.
"I agree, which is why Revan must be trained under Masters who show patience in regards to the war. That way we can influence her to wait until the time is right to go to war."
"Indeed." Vrook said.
"And what of her inquiry into Jolee Bindo, Master Dorak?" Vandar asked as the Chronicler entered the chamber.
"She was inquiring into that strange Jedi because he helped her when she was young. It appears that he is the one who saved her from Nar Shaddaa."
"Interesting. Why?"
"He undoubtedly sensed she was strong in the Force, and that if she stayed there she would become a Sith. After all, he lost his wife to the Sith in the war with Exar Kun. He would undoubtedly want to prevent their return."
Vandar nodded, and then turned to Zhar, and asked, "What is on your mind, Master Zhar?"
"We have been told not to fight the mandalorians, and to ensure our pupils do not. Does it not seem strange that the High Council would order such a move?"
"There is something dark on the horizon, Master Zhar, something dark behind the mandalorian attack. The High Council wishes to determine what it is before sending Jedi to war."
The twi'lek Master nodded, and said, "Then we should ensure that our students are well aware as to why we do not act, and to teach them that sometimes to protect the Republic, you must not act, lest Jedi be lost to the dark side and become worse than what they were trying to protect the galaxy from."
"Well said, Master Zhar." Vrook replied, glaring at the floor.
-=0=-
Meetra sighed, and curled up into a ball in her chambers, tears flowing down her face. The image of the man's face as she ended his life taunting her. "Why didn't he just run? Why did he make me kill him? He should have known that if he kept fighting he'd die. Why was he so stubborn?"
Then, Kreia walked up to her, and knocked on the door. She asked, "What is the matter, Meetra?"
"Nothing, Master."
"You are a terrible liar, Meetra. What's wrong."
"I don't want to bother you with it, Master."
"Why are you trying to keep it secret from me? Do you not trust your old Master?"
"It isn't that I don't trust you, Master. I just don't want to talk about it."
"I understand. The first time I killed another intelligent being was difficult for me too."
"How did you know?"
"Your battle with the Jedi Hunter was all over the news."
"I just want to be alone."
"A Jedi is never alone."
"Can't you just leave me with my thoughts, let me deal with it in my own way, Master? Can't you leave me like you did when you found Revan?"
Kreia shook her head, and said, "So, you don't want to talk to me not because you don't want to talk, but because you feel that I abandoned you when you needed someone that you could talk to the most. I am sorry that I could not have been there for you then, but Revan needed my help, and you know it."
"And I didn't?" Meetra asked.
"You needed someone to talk to, and I'm sorry that I was so busy with Revan. But, Meetra, I only did that, because I knew you were strong and would come to terms with it on your own."
"What if I hadn't? What if I'd been like the dozens of other Jedi who couldn't come to terms with what they were and had just killed myself, Master? What then?"
"I knew you would not, and if it seemed that you were going down that path I would have stopped training Revan for a while to help you."
"And why did you have Revan leave? Because you'd found another student no doubt."
"Meetra, I had Revan leave because it was the best for her. She recovered from what had happened here, but it was full of reminders. She was never truly happy here, so I sent her somewhere she could be."
"You don't know that!"
"I do. Revan herself told me that she didn't like the city. That it was too similar to Nar Shaddaa. But, this isn't about Revan, this is about you, Meetra. And coming to terms with what you had to do."
"I'll be fine. I've worked through everything with no one to talk to before, and I've been fine. I'll handle this on my own too."
Kreia shook her head, and said, "Very well, Meetra. I just wanted to talk to you."
Meetra did not respond, but just stayed where she was.
-=0=-
Mandalore stood in the desert, and asked, "Have you found any data about the Map?"
"Yes, sir. It is deep in the desert, and we will require a guide to find it. Fortunately, we have just the man. Though he is, unwilling."
"Bring him, force him to guide us." Mandalore replied.
"As you command." the man replied, hoping on his swoop bike and leaving.
Mandalore smirked under his helmet, and thought, "Soon it will be ours, and nothing in the galaxy will be able to stop us. With an Infinite fleet we shall take Coruscant itself."
-=0=-
Bastila blinked her eyes open, and saw a doctor standing over her. He said, "Good to see that you're up, Padawan... Shan. How do you feel?"
"Fine, I guess. Why am I in here?"
"You had a pretty serious concussion, and we had to give you a couple of days of rest and several kolto injections to get you back in top condition."
"Thanks, can I go now? I probably have training."
"You've still got time off of training, according to my records here." he said.
"Oh right, I'm Revan's guide during her first few days here." she said.
"Good to see that your memory's still in good condition. You can go whenever you want."
She smiled, and said, "Thanks." before leaving. However, just before the door she saw Revan in a kolto bath. "What happened to her?"
"That Knight? It's really bad. All of her ribs were broken or cracked. Have her in there to speed up the recovery."
Bastila nodded, and thought, "I thought I mended those. Must have re-broken when she collapsed in that tomb." then she added, "How long will she be in there."
"Probably a couple of weeks."
"A couple of weeks for a few broken ribs?"
"Normally it wouldn't have been so long, but she kept doing physical activity after they were broken and made the situation worse."
-=0=-
Carth sat quietly in his living room on Telos IV. Morgana walked over to him and asked, "What's wrong, Carth?"
"You heard about the mandalorians attacking the Republic. And how the Jedi rejected their request for aid. I just don't know if I should return to active military service or stay a non-combatant."
Morgana put a hand on his shoulder, "You want to fight them, don't you?"
"Of course I do, but I know how much you hated it when I was in the army."
She nodded, looking around the room and for something to say. Then, she said, "Carth, I'll understand if you want to go and fight, and I won't be upset. I'll be proud to know that you're out there protecting the Republic. Just don't do anything that would get you killed."
He nodded, and said, "I'll do what I can. But, I should contact the recruiter sooner rather than later. The Republic needs as many soldiers as it can get."
"You better be back for Dustil's first birthday."
"I don't know if the war will be over by then. The mandalorians are skilled warriors."
"Carth, you had better find a way to be back for his birthday, is that clear?"
He laughed, and said, "Alright, I'll do what I can." before walking out of the living room into the inter-galactic range communications room. Inside, he hit a few keys, and up came Admiral Dodonna.
She said, "Carth, are you willing to serve in the Republic military again?"
"I am, ma'am. Where am I to report, and when?"
"Coruscant in twelve days time. Hopefully you've not forgotten that special forces training of yours."
"I've kept my skills sharp, ma'am."
"Then do what you need to prepare. The Republic needs soldiers like you."
"Understood." he replied.
-=0=-
Supreme Chancellor David Anderson stood in the Senate Chambers and said, "We stand at the precipice of a war the likes of which the Republic has not seen since the days of Exar Kun. If we are to survive we will need to focus all available resources to defeating the mandalorian menace. They have attacked our worlds in the Outer Rim, so we must attack them and liberate what they have taken. That is why I propose that the Republic is put into a state of emergency and that my term as chancellor is extended so that we do not have multiple issues at the same time."
For a while, there was nothing, then the Senators votes started to come in. Looking at them, Anderson sighed with relief and said, "Thank you. Now, let's get to other matters."
-=0=-
Canderous stood on the bridge of Mandalore's flagship, and asked, "How is this planet prepared to defend itself against our assault."
"It isn't, sir. They're a bunch of farmers, and don't appear to have any weapons other than blaster pistols to protect their animals from local predators." a lieutenant said.
"Alright. Let's see how it will hold against our attacks. Send down six units on Basilisks. If that isn't enough begin a full-scale assault. I want this planet conquered in a week."
"Yes, sir."
-=0=-
A man cloaked in darkness approached a pair of children, and said, "You have great promise. Come with me."
"Who are you?" the older of the two asked.
"I am... a friend of your parents."
"Yeah right. Get away from us." the second said, grabbing his brother and running.
However, the man simply appeared in front of them. He said, "You do not want to struggle." as he waved a hand at them.
They said in a monotone, "We do not want to struggle."
"You will come with me."
"We will go with you."
The man laughed, and shepherded the children into a nearby speeder. "They will make excellent warriors in a few years. The Republic will fall and my new empire will rise in its place."
-=0=-
Three days later Revan's eyes opened, but immediately closed as they encountered kolto. She started pounding on the glass, desperately trying to get out. "I can't open my eyes. They dumped me in a vat of kolto so I can't open my eyes I have to get out."
Then, a doctor walked up and said, "Easy there. You've still not fully recovered."
Revan glared at her with closed eyes, unable to talk because of the breather mask around her mouth.
"Easy, kid. You don't want to hurt yourself further. Just get some more rest."
"You try resting when you're stuck in a tank of kolto, doc." Revan thought, glaring at the doctor.
"Revan, what is the issue?" Master Vandar asked as he entered.
"I'd telly you but there's this giant tank of kolto that's making it kinda hard to talk, Master." she thought, looking at the small alien.
"I see. You wish to leave the kolto tank. Do not worry Revan you will in time, but first you need to recover from your battles earlier."
"Wait, you can read my mind? How?"
"It is a talent I have honed over my many, many years of training young Jedi such as yourself."
"Right, can I please go now? I've got stuff I need to do."
"I am afraid that is not an option at the moment. You have to recover. And this is the fastest way for you to recover."
"I'm fine, Master. Just a little stiff from not moving for... how long ago was I put under?"
Three days, Revan. You should be restored to perfect condition in a few more. Just relax and let the medication pull you under."
"Very well, Master." she replied.
The old man smiled, and said, "All shall be well, Knight."
-=0=-
Meetra walked along the path, and sent another message to Revan. "Why hasn't she responded yet? She's never been this slow before? And it isn't just transmission lag."
Master Oraka approached Meetra, and said, "Knight Meetra."
"Yes, Master."
"I have recently received news from Dantooine, and it seemed appropriate that some of it be shared with you."
"What?"
"There were several terentatek on the planet, and Knight Revan was tasked with eliminating them, with the aid of two Padawans."
"What? They sent Padawans after those things, are they insane?"
"That is irrelevant to what I am trying to tell you." Oraka replied, "During the hunt, she was severely injured, but managed to finish the mission."
"Is Revan going to be okay?" Meetra interrupted.
"Quit interrupting, Knight. All of her ribs were cracked or worse. The doctors on Dantooine performed surgery, and she will make a full recovery in a week or two."
"Thank you for telling me about this, Master."
"It was not a problem, Knight." Oraka replied, walking away.
-=0=-
A/N: Well, here we are, eight chapters in to the story. Hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. And please drop me a review telling me what you do and don't like about the story so far, and I'll do what I can to remedy that in future chapters. 'Til next time, have a great week.
