A/N The character Aelynn is taken with permission from Tailcor's Sheep in Wolf's Clothing. It's a very interesting story, please check it out. The character Jedi Master Ramo Batrioro is taken from Ezio's Jedi Exile and if you would like to contribute or add any ideas or check out any spoilers please check out the forum forum/Discussion-for-the-world-of-Different-Destiny-and-related-stories/149145/
Return
Tyrone Dooku, Knight of the Jedi Order, smiled softly as he joined in the festivities despite the multiple injuries he had received. This mission had seen him change and grow as a Jedi. He looked at Mace as he began a game of sabaac with him and Sora, in quiet contemplation. The Acclamator Class cruiser had picked them up shortly after Master Saa and Tyrone had finished their reports with each other as the mission had been deemed a success and put Tyrone even higher in the graces of the Jedi Council as Tyrone, Master Saa, and the padawans had been able to round up the remaining pirates and they now sat in the holding cells on the freighter.
Tyrone thought of his padawan, Qui-Gon, and the deaths of Masters Doliq and Difusal. He remembered the last time he had seen them alive. He had been on the Consular ship and they had been fighting the pirates. Tyrone remembered looking over at them even as Master Saa gave him the order to protect the padawans. Had that only been yesterday? It seemed like so much longer to him, and it seemed the slight Force push he had applied had only lengthened their lives by mere moments. Tyrone wondered if he could have saved them, or if staying behind would have put his life at risk. It was the will of the Force, or as Master Yoda would say, 'the Will of the Force, that is, hmm.'
Tyrone took a sip of his drink, and smiled at the jovial mood around him. Sora and Mace were also drinking, while they played sabaac with him. The drink seemed to loosen everyone's tongue. "You aren't as bad as I always thought you were," Mace Windu said to him, a grin alighting his face. Tyrone quirked an eyebrow upwards.
"The same could be said for you, Padawan Windu," Tyrone remarked.
"Don't start that again," said Sora, "After everything we've been through on this mission. Force, we nearly died," the Wee-Quay added.
"Fine, have it your way, I was there after all, and I for one will be glad to return to the Temple," Tyrone said. The Jedi weren't really paying attention to their game of sabaac as they indulged in drink and conversation.
"Hope you get looked at," Mace said. "What are we drinking to?" the Korun asked.
"How about to a mission well done?" Sora asked.
Tyrone smiled lazily, "I'll drink to that."
"Looks like you will drink to anything," Mace commented.
"To a mission well done," Tyrone said ignoring the Korun.
"So what was your favorite part of the mission?" Sora asked. "Mine was when we escaped through the sewers, you really have to hand it to Nioman," Sora added, "I would have never thought of going through the sewers, and don't take this the wrong way, Tyrone, but you don't look like you like getting your feet wet."
Tyrone had been smiling and enjoying both the feeling of companionship that seemed to exist between him and the padawans now that they had survived the mission to Tartania alive, and the warm feeling of the brandy sliding down his throat, but at the mention of the experience in the sewers had Tyrone narrowing his eyes and fighting through the fog of the brandy as he tried to ascertain Sora's motives for bringing up the sewers as he and Mace exchanged a glance. "No, I can't say I cared for the experience in the sewers, and am glad that it's over," Tyrone said, with an edge to his voice. "But to answer your question….Sora," Tyrone said, forcing himself not to refer to Sora again as Padawan Bulq, "my favorite part was when we realized Master Saa was alive."
Mace smiled at Tyrone, "That was my favorite part too, when my master-padawan bond suddenly flared back to life and after the pirate leader had been dealt with and the pirates ran around like ewoks with their head cut off," Mace said with a smile, as Sora and Tyrone joined in laughing awkwardly in memory. Tyrone forced himself not to think about how he had eliminated the pirate leader. He had given Samo two previous chances, and the pirate had had his lightsaber, eliminating him had saved the mission, but it wasn't the Jedi way. What part of himself had he given into in the moment that he had held him in a Force grip releasing him as he simultaneously gripped his lightsaber with the Force telekinetically floating it into his open palm, tightening his grip on it as he felt its weight in his hand? He had given into something dark, something lingering when he had performed the Makashi salute as he brought it down Samo's head had came down and then moments later his still body had dropped to the ground with a thud. The sound had sent a shiver through him like an almost-premonition.
"Tyrone?" he heard the voice of Mace say as he pushed his thoughts away. "Is everything alright? You seemed like you were a million miles away."
Tyrone smiled, pushing the dark thoughts away, he would have time to figure out why he had given in and cut the pirate down, for now however, he should be thankful that he was alive, that Master Saa was alive, and that the padawans had survived. "Just contemplating the mission. It was a success. You all did very well, padawans, and because of our combined efforts, this mission was a success."
"Actually," Mace said in a teasing voice, trying to restore the mood from before. "My favorite part was realizing that Tyrone would do anything for the sake of a mission, even reasoning with his least favorite Jedi."
"I assure you," Tyrone said, a faint smile returning, "that there are Jedi I dislike more. This mission has little to do with my personal feelings."
"And let me guess that's why you are a Jedi Knight?" came the teasing grin.
"Sabaac," Tyrone said as they looked down at their cards. "While you padawans were trying to dissect my intentions, I have won."
"Are Jedi supposed to gamble?" Sora asked.
"As long as he takes the losers out for lunch," Tyrone said with a grin. "And a Knight's stipend is more than a padawan's so it's only fair," Tyrone said with a shrug as the eyes of Mace and Sora lit up. "Of course, that is if you don't mind my padawan being there," Tyrone added.
"Qui-Gon Jinn, right?" Mace asked.
"You have a fantastic memory," Tyrone complimented before standing and bidding the other two good night, they would need to sleep off any adverse affects before they returned to the Jedi Temple. Tyrone went into the fresher and stood under the hot water, allowing it to rinse away not only the dirt and grime from his body, mind, and spirit. Tyrone allowed it to wash away his events of the previous day as well as the fact that of all places he had been in a sewer. Tyrone reached out for the shampoo and conditioner and washed the smell of the sewers from his hair, it wouldn't do for him to continue to smell like the sewers of Tartania, it wouldn't do at all. When he returned to the Jedi Temple he would be greeted by the Jedi, perhaps even his former master Yoda, or his padawan Qui-Gon. Tyrone had already seen Jedi Master and Councilmember Ramo Batrorio, and he had hated to soil his appearance and perhaps tarnish the Council's image of who he was.
After all, it hadn't been his fault he had had to escape through the sewers. Tyrone turned the water briefly from warm to cold to wake up his body, to invigorate him. Tyrone shut off both facets and stood there as the water was dried from his body and hair, leaving him warm in the ship's fresher. He reached for clean clothes and found pajamas ready for him. Tyrone smiled as he reached out and buttoned the fabric over his nude body, sighing in comfort at being out of those soiled clothes for the first time in three days.
Tyrone headed for the covers and the bed within, putting his clothes in the laundry chute. He hoped there were droids aboard that would see his clothes cleaned before arriving on Coruscant. Tyrone looked through his medpack and added his cloak to the pile, before gripping his lightsaber in his hand, and putting it on the night stand just in case a certain half-Sith decided to finish the job he had started.
Tyrone was awoken several hours later to dark hands shaking him awake. "Come on Tyrone, Master Saa and Master Batrorio want us at the bridge. I put your clothes on the end of the bed," Mace told him as he left.
"Thank you," Tyrone called out as he examined his Jedi garbs, not as good a job as the Temple would do but Tyrone sniffed them, at least they didn't smell. Tyrone couldn't believe he had slept in so that he had to have been awaken, though to be fair it had been a rough couple of days, he thought as he shed his pajamas and put on his Jedi garb, and cloak. He looked down at his boots, they could really use a cleaning and shine, he thought. As much as Tyrone hated it, it would have to wait until later. Tyrone looked at his reflection and noticed that his goatee also needed trimming, but that too would have to wait. Tyrone did his best at slicking down his hair as he exited the room meeting the Masters and the padawans on the bridge.
Tyrone strode onto the bridge with all the confidence befitting a Jedi Knight. "Hello Tyrone," Master Saa greeted him. Tyrone made a bow to the Jedi Master. "Master Saa," he said, shooting a look at Nioman to see if he would say anything about his late appearance, but for once he was keeping his mouth shut and didn't seem to notice him. "I apologize for my tardiness…" Tyrone began before being cut off by the Neti Master.
"I am sure after the last few days our bodies needed the additional rest. I just thought," she said with a smile, "You wouldn't want to miss our first glimpse home," she said. Tyrone stared out the viewport. Home. The Jedi Temple was there ever a more wonderful feeling, a more wonderful word.
"Master Saa has been telling me about your excellent leadership qualities," Master Batrorio told him.
"You humble me, I only did the same as any other Jedi in the same situation," Tyrone said as he shot a glance back at the Neti Master.
"Your mission was a success," he said, his honeyed eyes twinkling, "Bask in it, I know the Jedi teach humility, but don't overdo it, Tyrone, even Jedi are allowed to bask in success so long as it doesn't go to their heads, and I don't think you are in any danger there," he said with a grin.
"You honor me, Master," Tyrone said, as he looked at the breathtaking view of the Jedi Temple in the artificial sunlight. Since Coruscant was mostly artificial it lacked the sunrises that made even planets like Tartania so memorable, at 0600 every day the sunlight appeared lightning Coruscant with no sunrise, no blast of colors just the color of the sun bathing the planet in light.
"Nonsense, Tyrone," Master Batrorio said, "Master Yoda says that you are a highly accomplished pupil," he added. Tyrone wasn't paying attention as he felt Qui-Gon in the Force, the barriers between them nearly non-existent as he felt the padawan's Force presence. In mere moments, the Jedi had landed at the Temple and Tyrone's arms were filled with his padawan who had launched himself on the Jedi Knight upon spotting him. Tyrone scanned the faces around him and saw Master Yoda hobbling toward him.
"Master," Qui-Gon said, hiding his face in Tyrone's robes. "I was so worried, but you made it back." Tyrone smiled and patted his head, before standing up.
"Be mindful of your feelings, Qui-Gon, and always remember your focus determines your reality, concentrate on the moment."
"Yes, Master," Qui-Gon said dutifully, but that smile on his face wasn't dutiful, it was lit up like the sunrise from Tartania. Tyrone allowed Qui-Gon to slip his smaller hand into Tyrone's larger one as they approached Master Yoda. Tyrone bowed respectfully and Qui-Gon followed his lead.
"Master Yoda," Tyrone said, "The mission was a success."
"Success you say?" Master Yoda asked. "Lost many Jed did we. Though seeing you alive, Ty, brings warm feeling to my heart."
"I'm glad to see you too, Master," Tyrone replied, honestly.
"Knew I did, that succeed my old padawan would," the wizened Jedi said, as Tyrone struggled to release his anger at the name Ty. Only Master Yoda would still call him that childish nickname.
"I thank you for your confidence," he said as Master Yoda hobbled past them toward the masters and padawans. "Qui-Gon how was your training?" he asked. "I apologize that I couldn't see it through myself."
"I learned a lot from Master Yoda, and am ready to put your winning streak to a test," Qui-Gon said good humoredly
"Is that so, my padawan?" Tyrone asked the younger man.
"Of course, Master, I can't wait to finally beat you. Master Yoda showed me some pretty neat tricks."
"Well, come along, I'm going to visit the healers, and as soon as the funeral is over, I'll take you up on your offer, my padawan."
"Are you hurt?" Qui-Gon asked, the smile evaporating from his face as his eyebrows knitted together and a concerned look adorned his face.
"I'll be fine, I just got a friendly warning to keep up with my lightsaber practice," Tyrone joked as both Knight and padawan made it to the healers. There seemed to be a big commotion in the Jedi healers' wing. Tyrone noticed a small little female Fosh with feathers that were like fur and talons with grey fingers and feet. She also had a beak. The healers were talking with her, but the Fosh was loud and rude.
"She's so cute!" Tyrone turned to his padawan, wondering if he was losing his hearing at this young of an age. Surely, he hadn't heard his padawan correctly. "Come on, Master, she will help you," Qui-Gon said leading him in the direction he least desired to go. Tyrone allowed his padawan to lead him. "Hello again, Aelynn," Qui-Gon said to her, "Still having trouble with the healers?"
"It's not me having trouble, but the healers," Aelynn said her voice more gentle than he had heard previously. It seemed his padawan could work magic, "And just who do we have here."
"My master," Qui-Gon said with a grin.
"You don't mean to tell me that this young man is the master you've been bragging about?"
"Yes, this is my mentor, Jedi Knight Dooku," Qui-Gon explained. "He was on a mission by the Council."
"Shh," Tyrone poked his padawan. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes.
"Aelynn he was hurt on a mission, can you fix him?" he asked, fixing his blue eyes on Aelynn.
"I'm sure going to try, Qui-Gon," the Fosh said with a gentle smile as she reached out to touch Tyrone.
"What are you doing?" Tyrone asked as she touched his skin, a soft touch, much softer than he was used to from the healers.
"I'm trying to find the injury," the Fosh explained. "You can either tell me, or I can tell by touching your skin," she explained.
"Why don't use just check for injuries with the Force?" Tyrone asked.
"Because Master, Aelynn isn't Force-sensitive, but she a really good healer, she can fix anyone," Qui-Gon gushed adoringly. "Some of the masters don't really want her around, but Master Yoda said Aelynn was here to stay," Qui-Gon said lowering his voice.
"Well," Tyrone said as he offered her his hands, "I got an unfriendly reminder to keep up with my lightsaber practice," Tyrone said, with a gentle chuckle as he looked up at the Fosh. Aelynn gently unwrapped the bandages and looked at Tyrone Dooku's hands. Tyrone waited under her examination.
"Anything else?" she asked.
Tyrone looked around nervously, "It seems I was flying between some power couplings and got hit with some electricity," he explained as he waited on Aelynn, as she began with the x-ray.
"Remove your tunic," she said in her brash way, "Qui-Gon will you leave Knight…Dooku was it, alone, you can come back in about an hour," she told Qui-Gon kindly, it was the first Tyrone had heard the Fosh use a kind voice instead of the loud, abrasive voice she had used with the healers who had scattered not long after Tyrone and Qui-Gon had entered. "Now, Knight Dooku, you are going to need to strip down to your under tunic and pants," she ordered. Tyrone raised an eyebrow at her. Was she serious? She couldn't really expect him to….strip out of his clothes, could she? It wasn't the Jedi way. "And while you are at it, take off those disgusting boots, I thought you Jedi took better care of your things than that," she commented, dryly. Tyrone glared at her, silently meeting her gaze. "What are you waiting for?" she asked, "Chop, chop."
Tyrone knelt down to take off his boots, dirty indeed. Was it his imagination or did she mention his dirty boots just to get a reaction from him. It wasn't his fault that his boots were covered in feces and mud among other things. Tyrone thought back to the mission on Tartania and wondered if there hadn't been another way to escape, as he slowly slid his boots off placing them neatly beside the examination table as Aelynn looked down at them. He decided that for the time being he would ignore the Fosh as he took off his robe and outer tunic and folded them up neatly beside his boots. "Alright then," Tyrone said to her, "What do you want me to do?"
"Just relax," she told him as she got up on a stool so that she could press her hands on him and feel the difference in the energies in his body. Tyrone took a deep breath and nodded, closing his eyes into slits so he could see what she was doing as he felt her small hands on his chest, on his neck, and on his forearms. "What did you say happened?" Aelynn asked sharply. Tyrone's eyes shot open as he looked at the Fosh standing above him.
"I told you already," he repeated slowly, "I was driving my speeder and got caught between power couplings, I'm sure it happens all the time," he said as he realized that he was staring at her face to beak.
"Knight Dooku," Aelynn said, looking down at Dooku and trying to control her infamous temper. "You have to be a special kind of stupid to drive between power couplings! How stupid do you think I am!"
Tyrone colored, he was speechless, how dare she talk to him like that, no one had ever spoken to him like that, no one had dared. "Why you greasy little monkey…" he sputtered, "Who do you think you are? I'm a Jedi Knight."
"Monkey, monkey?" Aelynn nearly screeched in Tyrone's ear, "Well excuse me Your Highness," Aelynn said her voice exaggerating both the vowels in her words and the title she bestowed upon him, "I'm just doing my job, some Jedi you are."
"Do you have any idea the dedication, the concentration it takes to become a Jedi?" Tyrone asked, his voice low, "Of course not," he answered his own question. "And what kind of healer are you, I don't feel any better? If this is the way you treat Jedi then I can't imagine the Temple has much use for you. I will never understand what my padawan sees in you," he said attempting to look down at her, but as she was standing above him, that was quite difficult.
"I could say the same about you, Jedi," Aelynn continued, "Now on to business, Knight Dooku," Aelynn said, looking down at Dooku and trying to control her infamous temper. "You have to be a special kind of stupid to drive between power couplings! How stupid do you think I am!"
"I have no idea to the level of your intelligence," Tyrone said smoothly though the Fosh looked like she could throttle him, "But I was assume being around and in the Jedi Temple, not only have you passed the security requirements but you must hold some level of intelligence," Tyrone replied.
"So who was your previous healer, someone blessed enough to be deaf?" Aelynn snapped back at him while stepping on his chest. Tyrone considered using the Force to trip her but restrained himself, a Jedi wasn't to use the Force for personal gain.
"No, Jedi Master Vocara Che, and I haven't really had to use a healer much," Tyrone explained, softening his tone. "The Force has blessed me in more ways than one. Perhaps we started on the wrong foot, let's start over," Tyrone said smoothing out his tone and features. "Jedi Knight Tyrone Dooku," he said reaching his hand up for her to shake.
"How about the truth? Who used Force Lighting on you?" she said before taking his hand with her own, albeit hesitantly, "Name's Aelynn...now can you try to be more cooperative this time, I've been fighting people all day and am in no mood for whining or stubbornness. Energy damage is a nasty thing to deal with without patients making it more difficult."
A shudder went through Tyrone's body once more, and he had thought after the shower and the nap that he would no longer be bothered by what had happened in the caves. "It seems there is a severe drop in the minerals in your blood," Aelynn continued after drawing blood and analyzing it.
"I'm not stubborn," Tyrone insisted fighting against the shudders that still engulfed him as he felt himself becoming weak and dizzy as Aelynn hopped down off his chest. "And I don't whine," he continued.
"Hm," Aelynn said placing her hand over the Jedi Knight's heart. "Tell me how has your vision been?" she said assuming a professional air. " Any double images? Cramps?" Tyrone frowned; he wasn't use to showing weaknesses. "Have you bothered to rest since the attack?"
"Attack?" Tyrone frowned as his vision swam in front of him. "I was on a mission to Tartania," Tyrone said, trying to keep his calm even as his muscles spasmed underneath him. Tyrone's thought felt foggy, "The mission was a success….we celebrated afterwards," Tyrone recalled as he fought against the dizziness that attempted to claim him. "I had Corellian ale," Tyrone admitted. "Then I retired for a few hours," Tyrone explained though his voice seemed like it was coming from farther and farther away.
"Idiot, who in the kriff gave you alcohol?" Tyrone heard the Fosh's voice but it seemed to get further and further away, "They need to be shot. Why in all the-"
"Jedi Knight," Tyrone attempted to explain, though his voice was getting weaker and weaker. "Mission was a success…" Tyrone reached out blindly for the Fosh. "Aelynn…Qui-Gon," he asked before his world was covered in darkness.