After finding they're ride taken the team ended up having to look for a place to stay.
They found an inn that seems at least semi-safe. The masters placing the girls on beds lightly.
"Would you boys mind getting us some medicine for the girls?" Mace looks at the boys.
"Sir." They nod heading off.
"You okay?" Fives looks at his brother sitting in a seat.
"I'm okay let's go…argh." Echo holds his side as he sits back down.
"Take it easy. We'll be back soon." Fives pats his shoulder heading out.
'Guess the rings are gone now.' Fives sighs as he gathers supplies recalling the ship missing.
When they return, they're asked to keep themselves at the bar downstairs or in the hall while they take care of the girls injuries. Kit got so mad at Ariel's injuries that a few windows shattered.
Windu for some reason was stoned faced, like he wasn't even reacting to all this. But on the inside, let's just say it was a good thing he never met up with Dooku at that moment.
Both girls had fevers. It was like their connection spread to everything they felt. Where Ariel had burns Nora complained of pain in her fever state and every time Nora's fever spiked so did Ariel's.
"We have to get them off this planet and to a medical bay." Kit strokes Ariel's forehead worried for her.
"I agree. But if we move them…" Mace looks at the feverish girls.
"We have to do something." Kit growls a bit hitting his hand to the wall.
"Breath my friend. Breath." Mace places his hand on his shoulder.
Kit sits in a chair taking breaths as he can. He couldn't stop the surges of emotions; fear, anger, sadness. They all mixed and swirled in him and came out in waves he can't predict.
"I can't calm down. I feel like I'm ready to blow." Kit has his head in his hands looking down as he takes deep breaths.
"If you do you know what could happen." Windu warns him.
"I know! The questions is, why aren't you the same! Are you willing to be that detached from her!" Kit finally blowed.
Windu kept stone faced, knowing his friend needed to do this but said "No, I'm just as mad. If Dooku was here right now it would not end well. But I have to be this way, because she needs me to be strong for her at the moment." Windu looks over at a shivering Nora who whimpered in her sleep.
At that Windu came up to cover her better with the blanket.
Kit looked on shocked and thought 'He's right, I can't let my anger take control. Not when she needs me most.' He looked over at a still Ariel, if it wasn't' for her up and down breathing motions then…..He took a breath himself and came to put a rag on her head to cool down the fever.
"What should we do now?" Kit looks on sadly.
"Cold." Nora whines.
"Is she…." Kit looks worried.
"No it's the fever. She needs to get warmed up." Windu gets another blanket to cover her.
"Is that a good idea?" Kit looks surprised.
"It helps to sweat out whatever is making her sick." Windu nodded.
Kit nodded back as he went to do the same for Ariel but with a softer sheet so as not to hurt her wounds.
Outside…
Echo and Fives stayed out in the hall as they waited to hear what to do for the girls.
Echo was still holding his side with some pain as he looked off, hazed. "I thought the worst way to lose her would be to Dooku. I was wrong, seeing her like this is just as bad." Echo swallows.
"I wish I knew how to feel right now. You saved Ariel but Echo… you could have been killed." Fives shakes a bit at that.
"I… I couldn't let them kill Ariel, if I did Nora would have turned and then… then… I couldn't let that happen." Echo has tears in his shaking eyes.
"You scared me vod. You really did." Fives looks at him teary eyed.
"I'm sorry I scared you I just… I couldn't lose her, but now. Now we might lose them both." Echo shakes as he cries.
'Ariel… Ariel please be okay.' Fives clasps his hands shaking a bit.
Both not noticing the glow in they're necklaces.
Inside the room…
Nora stirred her crystal glowing as did Ariel's.
"Echo, want Echo." Nora mumbles in her sleep.
"Fives. Fives." Ariel calls in her sleep moving about in pain.
The two men look at each other.
"No way, no way he's coming in." Kit crosses his arms.
"Are you still mad at him?" Windu raises a brow.
"Somewhat. I know he cares for her but what are they going to do, be in the same bed." Kit frowns.
"If it means them healing, what choice do we have?" Windu glares.
Kit sighed at that "Good point." 'Though I still don't like it.'
The two went out to find the guys, they found them right outside, the two holding each other as both looked on miserable.
But when they saw them come out. "Sirs!" they jump.
Windu shushes them and says "Come in."
The two are confused but nod, worried about what they would find.
The two frowned sadly at seeing the girls so frail. "Sit on the beds." Windu crosses his arms.
"What?" They both say shocked.
"Just do it before I change my mind." Kit glares.
The two look on wide eyed but nod.
Echo sat on the bed and stroked Nora's face "Nora, please get better. I… I never meant for you to worry like that. I just, I couldn't imagine losing you to Dooku that way. But this way hurts just as much. Please. I never got to say it before face to face. But I'm sorry; I never should have doubted our relationship. And I never will again. Sure, I'll get jealous, who wouldn't with how wonderful you are. But I'll never doubt your love. I just want you to know I'll never let you down again if I can help it."
"Ariel. Ariel please be okay." Fives pats her head lightly careful as he gets on the bed. "I'm sorry for how I acted. I swear if you wake up, I'll spend my whole life making it right to you. Just please. Please open your eyes." He pecks the top of her head lightly.
At that they boys' necklaces glowed a little more as did the girls; the two elders noticed this in shock, 'Are those, bonding crystals?' The two looked shocked at each other. They would need to talk to them later on about this.
Nora opened her eyes slightly "Whine. Echo?"
Echo smiles with tears as he holds her close, sitting her up "I'm here, I'm here amore." Echo cradles her as he hums they're song.
"F-Fives?" Ariel looks at him tiredly and hazed.
"Welcome back princess." Fives whispers pecking her lips lightly then moves her closer gently.
'Fives.' Ariel snuggles into him.
"Looks like it's working." Windu sighs.
Nora's fever seemed to be going down and Ariel's pain was lessening.
"It would seem so. But I'm still not leaving them alone." Kit glares.
"No objections here. Keep an eye on them for me. I have to see if I can find a ship and hopefully a doctor." Mace nods as he heads off.
Kit smirks as he nods seeing his friend leave. 'Now when will you tell her my friend?'
Kit looks back a bit upset at the scene before him, but he couldn't help but think 'Just like Aqua and I.' He put a hand in his pocket to feel the rings. 'When she feels better.' He smiles, wanting to keep her for himself just a bit longer. Even if it meant sharing slightly.
Meanwhile…
Windu headed out, having Ponds come with him to find a ship. As they did Ponds noticed how distracted Windu was "Is something wrong sir."
"I suggest calling me Mace while on the planet Ponds. Don't want to attract any trouble." Mace nodded.
"Of course si..Mace." Ponds said, it felt a bit strange saying that.
"Ponds, how do you tell someone something so important it may change their view of you?" Mace looks at his commander.
"Si…Mace. I don't know exactly. Never really had to do something like that." Ponds quirks his head.
"I thought so." Mace smiles. "I'll just have to figure it out then." As they walked towards the shipyard they passed a store. A few plush dolls there. 'I've seen her get excited over these. Maybe…' He stopped to get her one quickly.
"Um si..Mace what are you doing?" Ponds looks confused.
"Just something for Nora. I think it might make her feel better." Mace paid for the lothwolfe plushy and had it put in a bag before heading off.
As they left, a cloaked figure glared at this as he came up and said to the store owner "I'd like the vornskr please."
"Sure, not exactly our most popular animal though. Most people are afraid of them." The owner bags it up.
"Most have a reason to. Especially jedi." The bearded man smirks before fallowing the other two, knowing they lead him to his quarry.
Back at the inn….
Ariel snuggles into Fives. Fives holding her close gently. Kissing the top of her head lightly. Her taking in his warm and this calm moment.
Nora snuggles into Echo, his warmth helping with the cold and Echo humming as he rubbed her back. 'If I could take all the pain away I could.'
'Stay calm. Stay calm.' Kit tells himself as he watches this.
Then he hears a knock at the door. His hand is on his saber as he heads over to the side of the wall by the door.
"Who is it?" Kit keeps his hand on the sheath ready to attack if needed.
"It's Kelp, I brought a doctor with me." Kelp calls from the other side.
Taking a breath Kit removes his hand from the saber and opens the door. There, standing in the doorway, is Kelp with a tough looking woman with a medic bag in hand.
"I understand you have two that are hurt." The deep blue skinned woman comes in.
"Yes. Over here." Kit motions for the red eyed woman to enter fully.
"Hi." The girls say tiredly.
"I'll ask this now. Are they prisoners? Or did they face a Sith?" The woman turns to the Jedi master.
"Sith." Kit answers hoping she doesn't run out at that news.
"Very well." She takes a breath then turns back to the girls with a calm manner about her. "I'd like your men to leave. And I mean all master."
"What? No. They…" Kit starts.
"Are hurt and have wounds that need to be treated. Some of which will require them to remove clothing." She cuts him off with a stern look pointing out.
"We'll be okay." Ariel looks at her dad softly.
"We'll call if somethings happens." Nora adds.
"I'll be right outside." Kit looks at Ariel worriedly as he heads out.
"Okay now. Let's start with these burns." The doctor sits on Ariel's bed.
She carefully unwraps her to look at the small red marks. Some are a deep red from repeated hits or blistering a bit.
'This is my fault, she's hurt because I did this.' Nora stared on with anger and sadness.
"Looks like they cleaned them but didn't put on anything to sooth them." She goes through her bag to find something to help.
"We didn't have anything." Ariel flinches a bit as she removes her shirt to show the welts on her sides and back.
"This should help cool them down." She takes out a jar of liquids and a cloth. "This is going to be cold and might sting a bit." She dabs it on the cloth and gently places it on Ariel's arm first as to not startle the girl.
Ariel flinches a bit. It did sting but the burns felt cooler already. Then she rewrapped them lightly.
"There done. But remember to bathe in warm saltwater for a week and those should disappear quickly." She instructs.
"I will. Thanks." Ariel nods with a small smile placing her top back on.
The doctor then came up to Nora and looked her over "You seemed to of sweat out a bit of the fever. That's good. But you'll need a bit more help." The woman says after touching Nora's forehead.
The doctor looks in her bag and takes out some medicine "It's bitter but it will help. Here you should take some now." The woman shows her how much and then gives Nora some.
Nora swallows a bit with a frown. "Thank you."
"Take some water as well. And I'm not finished. Let's check you over for wounds." The doctor nods.
Nora sighs not liking this part but agrees. So far, a few bruises but they were taken care of easily. Then the doctor said "You have some fatigue; you'll need to rest for a while. Nothing strenuous for a while. Here this will help as will with it. Take it once a day with a meal for a week. Your strength should be back by then."
"Thank you doctor." Nora sighs feeling tired after that.
"I'll tell them to get you a meal, I don't like the look of how pale you are. And no need to thank me either." The doctor smiles.
Once done she heads out to the impatiently waiting masters.
"Well? How are they?" Kit looks worried.
"Physically their wounds will heal. But mentally…" She looks at their door sadly.
"What is it?" Windu says calmly, yet his eyes shook. He had just arrived intime to hear about the doctor.
"The tan girl kept watching as I treated the ginger. Making a note of the burns, maybe even counting them. Whatever happened she blames herself for her friend's marks." The doctor sighs heavily recalling it. "Then Ginger watches her friend afraid of something about her. Then she also didn't look at her burns, like she's afraid to recall why or how she got them. I'd recommend taking them to see a therapist as soon as possible." She relays.
"Thank you doctor." Kit looks down sadly.
"Yes thank you." Mace is much the same, only anger in his eyes.
"You two should as well. What happened was not your fault and you should remember that." The doctor pats their shoulders heading out.
She then told them what they needed to do for now and so to help them and what medicines to use. The two nodded, giving they're thanks and paying her before going back in.
As they did Windu felt pain to see how pale Nora looked.
Kit looks at a pale and bandaged Ariel. The two then came up to their Padawans.
"The doctor said I should get you something to eat, any suggestions?" Windu tried to say kindly.
"Potato soup, if not chicken is fine." Nora says tired. Windu nodded at that before getting up.
"And you?" Kit looks at his daughter softly.
"I want cream mushroom soup." Ariel says almost like a child.
"Okay then." Kit pecks the top of her head before heading out.
With that the men left to get food for the girls. Placing Kelp and Ponds outside, Echo and Fives wanted to stay but they ordered them to rest. They needed to tell them what happened so they could help.
In the girls' room…
Nora sighed as she looked around then at Ariel, who seemed to be looking away from her "Are you mad at me?" Sadness in her voice.
"Mad? Why?" Ariel looks down at her sheets.
"Because it's my fault you got hurt. I'm sorry, I never thought they'd go so far as to… as to… I should have never come, you'd be safer without me." Nora cries some.
"I'm not mad." Ariel shakes her head a bit.
"Then why don't you look at me?" Nora looks up, eyes shaken.
"I… I'm scared." Ariel hugs her legs a bit.
"Scared? But I never hurt you. You know that." Nora looks shocked.
"You… you weren't you. You wouldn't listen and… and…" Ariel shakes a bit remembering.
Nora just sat there shocked "I don't know what it was. But it wasn't the dark side. I was never cold. I was angry yes, she almost killed you then, then Echo… But it was never, never at that extent. You have to believe me." Nora gulped.
"But then… what was that?" Ariel looks at her friend a bit confused.
"I still don't know. I was so overloaded with power. It was as if my mind was looking at everything so differently than before. The way everything coursed through me was like, like it was… A force." Nora sighs not sure how else to explain it.
"I see." Ariel ponders.
"Is that how you felt when I boosted you? Did that hurt you?" Nora looks over afraid.
"No." Ariel shakes her head. "Just different." She tries to recall the feeling, but it was hazy.
Nora nodded and said "Thank you for healing Echo."
"Of course." Ariel nods.
"What was he thinking? I appreciate so much that he saved you. Yet he understands that I love him as well. That losing him could have done the same. I… I'm not mad at him just surprised." Nora takes a deep breath.
"We should do something for him." Ariel ponders.
"Maybe a hero's cake when we get back. Chuckle. He'll love that. And it will annoy Fives." Nora snorts a bit.
"That would drive him mad." Ariel giggles.
The two laugh a bit before falling asleep. The two feeling better that they talked, but there would be more they would have to deal with. So much more before everything was better.
As they fell asleep fully the window to the room opened. The cloaked figured appeared in the room and came up to Nora's bed side. The bearded man looked down with a frown with almost regret on his face.
He then put the vornskr doll on the desk and said "Get better my foundling. I never wanted to put you in such pain. I hope this will give you some inspiration though." With that he left for now, but he would be back for her.
When the girls woke up…
"What's that?" Ariel rubs her eyes hoping that's why she couldn't see this thing as cute.
"I don't know, yawn. Echo must have gotten it for me." Nora looked it over "It's kind of creepy yet cool. What do you think it is, dog or cat?" It was hard to tell since the tail was cat like, but the face was dog like.
"A mix of both?" Ariel eyes it curiously.
Then Mace and Kit came, Mace's eyes widening at what he saw "Where did you get that?"
"I found it on the table with my name. I figured Echo snuck it in." Nora looked over worried.
"Nora that's a vornskr, a jedi eater. Echo would never give you that." Kit glares at the doll.
"What?" Ariel gasps nearly jumping back, flinching from her wounds.
Nora gasped and threw the doll away.
"Then if it wasn't Echo then who…" Nora then felt a chill.
"You don't think…" Ariel pales.
"He was here, Dooku was here." Nora whimpered.
"T-that monster was in here?" Ariel shivers with fear at that.
Kit and Windu looked ready for a hunt.
Windu came up and said "We have to leave. The message was clear. He's going to come after you again." Mace puts the bowl of food down and picks up Nora with a blanket.
"You too. We're going." Kit picks her up princess style.
Ariel holds on to him with her hands around his neck. Whatever was going on she wanted no part in it.
"We found a ship and I think we can persuade the man to give it to us now. But we are not staying here one second longer." Windu marches with purpose. The troopers saw this and fallow.
"What's going on?" Fives looks confused.
"Dooku was here." Windu growled.
"What?" All the men jump up at that.
"Let's get out of here." Kelp motions for them all to grab their things and go.
They do. All running to the shipyard.
Kelp explains what is going on and the ship owner allows it. The masters getting the girls on the ships in a hurry.
"No! You will not leave with her." Dooku calls drawing his saber.
"You don't get to have that say." Mace draws his blade.
"Mace!" Kit calls.
"Get the ship going!" Windu calls keeping Dooku busy.
Inside the ship…
Nora felt Dooku near and Mace's anger "Windu no!" Nora shot up.
"What's going on?" Ariel looks at her friend worried.
"He's here and Windu is fighting him." Nora gets up as best she can.
"Where are you going?" Ariel tries to sit up with no prevail.
"Stopping this." Nora says determinedly as she limps off.
"NORA!" Ariel calls after her.
She snuck by the others as they were busy trying to get the ship started but at the last moment as the door closed "Nora don't!" Kit noticed and called out.
"No!" Echo calls as the door closes shut.
"Get the door open again." Kit tells them.
"Sir yes sir!" they call as they get to work.
Outside….
"She is my foundling, give her back!" Dooku growls as he tries to strike at Mace.
Mace blocks it though "She was never yours in the first place. We left her on that planet for her safety."
Dooku shoved him away at that "That was your choice. I wanted to bring her with us!" he runs at him.
Mace jumps over about to hit him but Dooku turns in time to twirl away. "She was never ours to take. We would have been kidnapping her. There people didn't understand our ways."
"And yet you suppressed her powers!" Dooku took a fencing pose ready to strike.
"He only did it because he was afraid. But he apologized for it!" They both looked over, shocked to see Nora glaring.
"Nora what are you doing!" Mace calls worried.
"Ending things." Nora calls.
"Ending. You can barely stand. I will leave them alone my foundling if you just come with me." Dooku pleads.
"No! I am not your foundling. You gave up that right when you turned, a foundling is a jedi thing not a sith thing. If anything, Mace is my founder." Nora says with determination.
Dooku looked on shocked as Mace looked on with a bit of happiness.
Dooku glared at Mace and charged, at this Mace tried to defend himself but Dooku was so enraged he pinned him down and held his sword at him.
"Perhaps I went to fast last time. Here is a better proposal. Come with me or the jedi dies. I won't force you to be a sith for now, but you must come with me if you are to save him." Dooku glares.
"No Nora, get back in the ship!" Mace calls, as Dooku pulls the sword closer to his throat.
"Chose quickly, my foundling." Dooku smirks.
Nora glares as she looks down angrily. At that she said "You're a coward."
They both looked shocked at this.
"You use those I care for to get what you want, hurting them. For that, I will never join you. But I will be the one to defeat you!" Nora looks back up with resolve eyes shining teal as did her body.
"Nora!" Mace calls worried as the others finally get the door open and Dooku is about to slice him but he is force pushed away.
At this Nora rushes at him punching Dooku as they fought, her glow able to block the saber.
"Listen up Dooku! Leave them all out of this. Because the only thing you do is make the protector in me grow! That's what happened in that room, the side of the protector in me grew that moment. Not only that, but when they get hurt the side of me that wanted to help bring peace grew. So be careful Dooku, cause with every hit you throw at me, you just make me stronger!" Nora at this hit the ground to unbalance Dooku but he flew in the air ready to strike, to knock her out.
When Mace saw this his eyes widened and he thought 'NO! I won't let him do this!' At that Mace glowed as well, but purple, and then rushed forward striking Dooku back into a wall.
Dooku looked up shocked and said "What, but how, you suppressed it?"
Nora looked on shocked as Windu stood there with his saber out and said "Because I could never watch you strike down my great granddaughter." Windu glared.
"What?" Nora was so shocked her powers flickered out.
At that Mace grabbed her and rushed onto the ship. "Go!" He called, and that's what they did.
They soon flew off and Dooku stared off shocked at what he had learned.
On the ship….
As they flew Mace let his power down and he panted as he leaned on the wall. "Mace, what did you mean back there? You're not my great grandfather." Nora looked confused and worried.
Mace looks at her and smirked "Technically several centuries removed I am."
"Wha-t." Nora looks on shocked.
"I have a lot of explaining to do." Mace pats her shoulder.
"We'll give you two room." Kit nods and gets the shocked men to get back to their stations.
Nora helps Mace to the medbay where Ariel is.
"What happened?" Ariel looks shocked.
"It's a long story." Nora says still shocked. She looked at Mace and asked "So mind explaining what you meant." Nora asks.
Mace nods and sits down and says "Well let's see. It all started when I was a much younger man. On my first solo mission…" And so Mace told his story.
Later on…
Both girls had been shocked, Nora kept asking more and more about the story wanting every detail. She had trouble believing it and yet it somehow made sense.
'This can't be happening.' Ariel looks on shocked.
Ariel couldn't believe this. How could this be?
"I hope you don't hate me for this I…" Mace looks down but just gets hugged.
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought I was galaxies away from family. The story is crazy yes, but after everything that's happened, well I can't deny that crazy wouldn't be the perfect match to this." Nora snuggles him misty eyed.
Mace was shocked but couldn't help but hug her back a watery smile on his face. He had been so worried she push him away, but now he found out that he had 'family' of his own to look forward to.
"I'd like to keep a week to ourselves if that's okay. I'll tell the council at the end of the week." Mace tells them.
"Okay." Nora nods.
"Wow. Just… wow." Ariel stares still stunned.
"I'm sorry for what happened to your father. I really had no right to judge him. But I went as lenient as I could without being suspected when the trail happened. I just, I wasn't sure how to tell her this." Mace nods at Ariel.
"No. It's fine." Ariel shakes her head a bit. "You made it so we could be with one another, so I really owe you." She smiles softly.
Then Nora looked at her friend "Ariel, I found out what happened out there." Nora smiles as she explained what she told Dooku.
"Really?" Ariel looks at her curious.
"It was just my jedi side growing, to be a protector and a founder of peace. I protected my friends and helped to heal them. I must of bean just so overwhelmed with everything, that's why I was so zonked out." Nora smiled, glad to of figured it out.
"That's wonderful!" Ariel cheers.
The girls hug, glad to know she was okay.
Then Windu said "I hope you'll accept this. I was walking in the market and saw this. I remembered you liking these things and well, I hope what Dooku did won't upset you."
Mace brought out the stuffed lothwolf and Nora gushed as she hugged it "Thank you Mace. I love wolves."
"It's so cute." Ariel smiles at it.
Mace smiles at that, he was glad she liked it. 'That's the first time she's called me Mace. It's a good start I suppose.'
"The lothwolf represents the gray jedi you know, for their strength and strong bonds. They're said to have mysterious powers that most cannot understand. I suppose that applies to you very well." Mace smiles.
Nora looks up and smiles at him "I guess it does."
The two talked for a bit but when Nora got cold, he got her to sleep again after taking her medicine and something to eat. Kit came in soon and did the same with Ariel.
Once that was done the two go out of the room…
"So what do we do now?" Mace sighs remembering the doctor's words.
"I think, we deserve a vacation." Kit smirks.
"What?" Windu looks shocked.
"The girls have been through enough and if we go back to the temple now you'll never get anytime with Nora. I say we should head back to Atlantia. They have marvelous healing techniques and I have to face the in-laws." Kit sighs.
Windu smirks and says "I suppose that is something we must do as our duty. And the girls do need to be healed properly as well. And the temple is usually so busy they couldn't possibly get that there, we can always call for counseling over holovid. And not having stress would be the best thing for them as well. Of course, this is strictly business. Right master Fisto?"
"Of course master Windu, strictly business." Kit chuckles as they head off to change course and tell the council they're plan.