"Whatever Happened to Captain Rex?"
Chapter 49
Barriss was awakened hours later, by her commlink. It was Master Luminara, checking in. Barriss was in such a deep sleep, it took two beeps of the comm before she even recognized what the noise was. She looked over at Cody, lying right next to her. She was still in the chair, where she'd fallen asleep slumped right next to his bedside. He was still stuck in that deep unnatural sleep. He hadn't reacted or moved at all when the comm had gone off. Barriss bit her lip, and squeezed her eyes shut in sorrow. It was painfully lonely now in this room without the Commander's laughing, teasing, challenging, sometimes-moody presence. The comm beeped again, demanding her attention, waking her up fully. Barriss stared down at it. Master! It was an audio-only call. She flipped her commlink on.
"Master! Barriss here. I'm sorry- for taking so long to respond," Barriss had learned from past experience that outright honesty worked best with her Master, "I was sleeping."
"You sound tired, my padawan. Is everything alright?" Barriss thought she could say the same of her Master. She could hear fatigue in her Master's voice.
Barriss blew out a breath, "No, Master. It's not. Actually, I had a difficult day. I could use your guidance, if you have the time."
"Yes, I have the time," her Master sounded pleased Barriss was asking for help. Barriss had been getting more and more independent lately. She couldn't remember the last time she'd asked her Master for help like this. But, well, she was asking for guidance now.
"Where are you, Master?" Barriss asked. "You're safe?"
"Yes, my padawan. Stop worrying," she could hear amusement in her Master's tone, "We are following up on a lead to the far Outer Rim. It's the most solid lead we've had to date. I'm hoping we'll find something this time. But, it will take the Commando Team and I several days to get to this next planet. Anyway, I have time to talk now. So, my padawan, what is troubling you?"
Barriss took another deep breath, and plunged right into it, telling her Master everything. She finished up her report, and waited for her Master's reaction.
"You should head back home and do whatever it is you Jedi do?" her Master repeated, "Leave the doctoring to us doctors? He actually said that?"
"Yes, Master, that was earlier today. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jedi Council gets a call from the medical center with a complaint about me, and how I am handling Commander Cody's case. They think I am dangerous and ineffective."
There was a pause, and then her Master said, "And, what do you think?"
Barriss closed her eyes for a moment. Here it was- the teaching moment. She thought about it. "Well, Master, I made a serious error in judgment when I allowed the healing session to go for too long. In doing so, I temporarily compromised the Commander's health."
"Yes," her Master acknowledged, "you said he lost
consciousness after his healing session, and required an intervention to restore him to consciousness. He was then fully cognizant, aware and speaking again just a few minutes later. Correct?"
"Yes, he actually even joked about the incident. He's a wonderful sense of humor, Master."
"Yes, living in close quarters with these Commandos, I'm discovering that seems to be something all clones have in common. They can be quite the pranksters."
Barriss wondered what the story was behind that comment. She didn't get a chance to ask.
"Well, you appear to recognize all the errors you've made already. I see no reason to lecture you. Tell me more about how the healing went?" her Master encouraged.
"Oh, Master, I made more progress in that one session, than I did in the past two weeks of passive healing! More than that, Master, it was good for the Commander's morale. He has been very frustrated by his paralysis. Plus, he seems at a loss being separated from the men he normally commands. More than that, just being removed from his normal job duties for this long a time period seems to have affected his psyche. His inability to do anything to change these things resulted in a great deal of frustration. Well, that, and the ongoing communication issues with a lot of the doctors' here. How they get to be medical professionals with such terrible people skills is beyond me, Master. Anyway, being involved in his own healing was a positive step forward for the Commander, very likely because it was also an active step. He's had so little activity with his paralysis," Barriss paused and took a deep breath, realizing she was talking uncharacteristically quickly. And, talking a lot more than she usually did. She wondered if her Master had noticed.
"You seem very passionate about this assignment, my padawan."
Oh, yes, she'd noticed.
Barriss just decided to plunge onward while she had her Master's full attention, "I feel I am making a difference here, which ultimately, is what being a Jedi is all about. You taught me that, Master. And, to suddenly rip that away, to just put the Commander back on Immobilin 24x7, and just throw him back in the General Ward- I fear, Master, it would kill him as surely as if we'd simply let those shell fragments into his brain. The only difference is the shell fragments offered a quick, painless death with much less prolonged emotional suffering than the existence they are offering him here."
There was a very long pause, and finally her Master said, "I see." It was a very characteristic response of her Master, and also a most frustrating one. It told Barriss nothing of what her Master was actually thinking. There was a long silence. Finally, Barriss couldn't take it any longer. "Master, what are you thinking?"
"I think a patient's state of mind is an incredibly important part of the healing process. Look, I have to go. But, we'll talk again soon."
Her Master suddenly cut the communication.
Barriss suddenly felt very alone again. She stared at Cody's unnaturally still form. She tried stroking his face a few times, but he didn't respond at all. She sighed, realizing she'd gotten used to the way he responded to her touches. His face always seemed to light up when she lightly stroked his cheeks, or gave him a soft, stroking mini-face massage. He'd give her a grateful look, his eyes sparkling, and just smile at her. When he looked at her like that, it made Barriss feel – powerful.
"Oh, Cody," Barriss murmured, missing him already, "what did they do to you?" She gave up on trying to get him to respond, and wandered back over to her own cot. She collapsed into her cot, and pulled the blanket over herself without even bothering to remove her shoes or hood.
She stared up at the harsh fluorescent lights, wishing they weren't on all the time. I'm sure I'll get in huge amounts of trouble if I try to turn them down or dim them or something, she sighed, scowling, throwing a hand over her eyes to block out the harsh lights. I feel so worn down by this place, all of a sudden. Why do they get to set all the rules?
She shook her head, feeling some un-Jedi like anger. She blew out another breath, and then feeling annoyed and petty she used the force to shut off all the lights in the room. Exhausted, she sank into a deep sleep.
# # #
When she awoke several hours later, the lights were back on—harsh as ever. She hadn't even noticed them come back on. Normally, she was very light sleeper, but when she got exhausted enough she slept very heavily.
Her stomach growled, and she thought maybe she'd track down some food and then try some passive healing on Cody. It was better than nothing. She rolled over onto her side, and looked over toward his bed.
Her eyes widened in shock and she jumped up in alarm, adrenaline-racing.
The Commander was missing.
His bed was gone—wheeled out of the room. There was nothing on that half of the room. No evidence the Commander had ever been there at all. Barriss went running out of the room, searching for the nearest doctor, nurse or technician on duty. She found a doctor just emerging from a patient room. She grabbed him by the sleeve. He looked down at her hand with disdain. Barriss didn't let go.
"What's happened to Commander Cody?"
"Who?"
"Patient CC-2224. He was in a private room 8524, down the hall. He's not there anymore. Why was he moved?"
"Oh, right, him." The doctor glared at Barriss' hand on his sleeve again. Barriss relented and released his arm. The doctor then pulled a datapad out of his pocket, typed into it, and consulted the main database, "Clone Commander 2224. Yes, found it. Transfer went through a few hours ago. He's been relocated to- General Ward 7909K."
"Where is that?"
"It's two floors down from this one. Follow the signs when you get off the lift."
Barriss was about to make a dash for the elevator, when the doctor grabbed her by the sleeve. "There's a note here in the file, saying you need to relocate to someplace else to sleep until your transport comes to get you."
"My transport?" Barriss just shook her head, decided she'd worry about that later, and made a dash for General Ward 7909K. She got lost on the way there. The medical center was absolutely huge.
"7907… " Barriss walked past a large ward filled with bed after bed of injured clones in the same blue sleep pants Cody wore. "7908…" The sheer numbers of wounded was hard to comprehend. Some of the clones looked out at her curiously. A few even smiled, but most were either sleeping or just staring around bored, drugged, or despondent. "7909, finally!" She entered the large ward, and kept wandering around until she found Section 'K.'
She was glad Cody had a neck brace, because she would have been hard-pressed to recognize him otherwise. . With as drugged up as he was now, it was difficult to sense his presence accurately. And, there were just so many injured clones here, all dressed identically. Unlike Rex, Cody had never modified his haircut. Rex—why had she suddenly thought of him? Barriss sighed, wondering if it the onslaught of injured clones she was seeing, constantly reminding her of Rex's sad fate. Hard to believe the brave, confident Captain met such an ignoble end, all helpless and being shot by pirates like that. Barriss sighed, realizing she was starting to get caught up in Cody's emotional attachment to Rex. Or, no, maybe these were her own feelings because of the times she'd worked together with Rex, Ahsoka and Cody? Barriss wasn't sure anymore. It was all getting very confusing-
There! Barriss' heart beat a little faster when she spied a familiar neckbrace. Cody! She rushed over, yes, it was definitely him! She hurried to his bedside. There was no place to sit, and his bed was crowded close to other beds on both sides. She squeezed herself in.
"Cody? It's me, Barriss," she reached out, and touched his face. She pushed back his hair. His hair now seemed to always want to push down onto his forehead. As she pushed it back, she idly traced the lines of his scar with one finger. "Oh Cody, I wish you could hear me."
Cody's eyes struggled open.
Barriss' eyes widened in surprise, and she felt a huge surge of victory.
In your face, doctor! In your face! Look who's awake!
"Cody!" she smiled at him, and remembered reading in his file that he was drug-resistant. She expected him to smile back, but his lips didn't move. She could see he was having difficulties focusing his eyes.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and then opened them again. She could feel his frustration levels rising, just as they had when she'd first arrived.
"It's OK, Cody, I'm here. Right here," she leaned over him, trying to get her face as close to his as possible so that he could see her.
"B- b- " Cody stuttered, and then closed his eyes. "B- b-" Cody tried again. Then, he squeezed his eyes, shut, and Barriss could feel his frustration change over to anger.
She placed her hands on either side of his face, trying to calm him down. She sent him calming energy.
"N- n- " Cody objected, opening his eyes again. He was actively resisting her efforts to calm him.
Barriss closed her eyes, and opened up a link between them. It was surprisingly easy. She found that Cody's mind was already open and receptive. He had been waiting for her to do so. Plus, with the earlier bond they'd established, the link between them just flowed.
Why are they doing this? Cody instantly demanded.
- The doctors think you will hurt yourself if you are not on the Immobolin.
Those chakaars! Oh, somebody is going to get hurt alright… The moment I am mobile again, I am going to bash heads! I am starting with that long-necked Ithorian-
- Cody, Barriss reprimanded gently.
What?
- Getting angry isn't going to solve anything.
Yeah, well, sorry, maybe I need a new hobby, but it's not like I have much else to do around here!
- I'm sorry, Cody. This is all my fault.
Don't start with that. You haven't done anything wrong, Barriss. It was those other shabuirs. I'm not mad at you, Barriss. It's those other Hutuun that are going to meet up with my fists as soon as I'm mobile again, especially that Ithorian. No, even better, I'm tying them down, and injecting them with this immobilizing poison. That would be a much more fitting revenge.
- Do you really want revenge, Cody? Is that what you want?
What is this, an intervention?
Barriss was amused, that Cody could find humor, even in this situation.
No, Barriss, I just want to get out here. Help me! Don't leave me like this. Please!
She'd never heard Cody plead for anything before, and that saddened her more than any of the rest of it.
A buzzing from her belt captured her attention. She placed her commlink on silent mode when she entered the ward.
- I have to go, Cody. I have a call.
Well, don't let my paralysis interfere with your life. Go, take your call. Tell whoever it is Commander Cody says hi. Oh, no, wait. I'm on Immobilin. So, tell them I said: 'H- h- h- h- [drool….]'
-Cody,I have to go! I'll be right back.
Yeah, well, just go then. I think I'll just wait right here.
She sent Cody a quick burst of calming energy, and then quickly ended their contact. To her annoyance, she actually felt Cody try to block the calming energy. Yeah, he didn't want to be calmed. He was just mad. Well, she couldn't blame him. She hurried outside the ward into the hallway to take her call.
"Master?"
"Yes, my padawan. What took you so long? Is everything alright?"
"Sorry, I was inside a General Patient Ward. I had to get out of it before I could turn my commlink back on. Cody was moved out of the private room."
"Yes, I heard."
"You did?"
"Yes, you were right. The doctors did register a complaint with the Jedi Council."
Barriss had a sinking feeling of dread. Luminara was on the Jedi Council, so of course, she would have heard about it, especially since it concerned her padawan.
"What did they say, Master?"
"Well, very much like you said, except they took four times as long to say it. Bunch of windbags. Anyway, they want you gone, and full control of Commander Cody's case. Actually, that doctor has already assumed full control of the Commander's case. They have even gone so far as to order you a transport home."
"Yes, they mentioned something already about a transport. So, I'm going back to the Temple, Master?"
"No. I said that's what that windbag-, er, doctors said. No, they might have assumed full control, but they do not actually have the authority to do so. The Jedi Council outranks them. It was our decision to have the Commander treated by a Jedi Healer. They overstepped their bounds in reversing our decision."
Barriss felt a surge of hope, but she dared not to interrupt her Master.
"Master Windu and Master Yoda were most displeased, and this was not a good time to displease them. They have been under a lot of stress lately with the missing Jedi," Luminara almost sounded a bit amused. "Let's just say they have now set the doctors straight. They will be issuing you a full apology. They have promised not to interfere anymore with your work."
"The Commander will be moved back to his private room?"
"Well, why they were at it, I asked if you could be given better accommodations. I didn't like that you sounded so exhausted, my padawan. And, I'm sure if I questioned you further, you probably haven't been eating properly either. I know you, and how you get once you get working. So, I took the time to inquire as to what other accommodations there are on a medical station, such as where is it the doctors themselves live? Well, it turns out they live in nice-little apartments, directly adjacent to the medical wards. Very convenient. The medical station where you are was just newly renovated. So, I arranged for you and the Commander to be moved to one of the vacant apartments. It will allow you to work on the Commander, without further interference. You'll still be within the medical center, in case of emergencies. However, in your case, it allows you a better living situation. You'll have a small kitchen, both you and the commander would each have your own bedroom. You'll have a private refresher. But, best of all, the freedom to heal the Commander without anyone telling you what Jedi should and shouldn't be doing."
Barriss had a hand over her mouth, because she couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Thank you, Master! It is more than I could have hoped for!"
"The Commander will be moved to his new accommodations later today. Now, I don't need to tell you, my padawan, that those doctors will just waiting for you to make any kind of slip-up. Any mistake to prove that they were right all along and you were wrong."
"I will not let you down, Master."
"I know you won't, my padawan. I have complete confidence in you, and your abilities. Do keep me posted."
"Thank you, Master!"
She hurried back into the ward, excited to tell Cody the good news. His eyes were once again closed, and she could sense he'd fallen back into a deep, drug-induced sleep. She felt saddened that she couldn't share this great piece of news with him right away. She was also saddened that she didn't get a chance to spend more time with him while he was awake.
She sighed sadly, and looked around for a place to sit. She peered up and down the ward. Just row and row after bed, just like Cody's. There wasn't anyplace to sit anywhere in the ward. It didn't appear as if anyone visited any of these clones.
She looked back at Cody again. He didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon. She should probably make a trip to the cafeteria, and see about eating something. When had she eaten last? Uhhh…. Yeah, not sure. That means it had been a while.
Yeah, I could go eat, or…
She looked around the ward again. A couple of the clones who were awake were watching her curiously.
Or, perhaps she could spend the time doing something else. Perhaps it was time to implement some visiting hours. She walked up to the nearest clone who had been watching her curiously.
"My name is Barriss. I'm here on a special assignment. But, my special assignment is sleeping right now so I have some free time if you're up for a visitor. What's your name?"
# # #
