Coruscant

470 Days ABG

Java Café.

Ryssa ordered her usual black Caf and sat in a booth next to the window. The next booth was empty and was going to stay that way, as she dropped reserved tags on the seats. Blowing on the rich dark beverage, she watched through the reflection in the window, as the blonde woman took a seat in the next booth, with her back to Ryssa.

The smell of a sweeter version of her Caf, wafted over from the booth behind her.

"You okay? You look tired." The woman asked, not moving.

Ryssa remained looking ahead; "Yes. On call again but no clones to treat. Something's happening but we don't know what. It's hush hush. Just rumours at the moment." She took another sip and looked out of the window, hoping she looked as if she was talking to her Com.

"Everything's hush hush. All smoke and mirrors. Where are they treating the clones?"

"Not sure. Nothing's clear. Can't track anything back. Heard anything from...?"

"Few messages."

"That all?"

"Don't want to push him. You?"

"Same here. I know it's difficult... Food is always appreciated. Sometimes I …" she stopped. Her chrono vibrated on her wrist, they had already nearly run out of time. It was a few minutes but it helped.

"Next month?" The blonde woman asked.

"Yes."

"Food? Thanks."

Ryssa heard the woman slide across her seat; she looked out of the widow and saw Besany's reflection as she left the café. No one else left at the same time; she kept watching. More people came in, no one left. They couldn't be sure but hopefully no one was watching; it was one way they could meet and commiserate, without hopefully attracting too much attention. Besany's idea. Ryssa had been surprised by the call

"I thought we ought to try again." Besany opened the conversation.

"Ordo?"

"No."

"Oh!"

"I think we got off to a bad start."

"We did." Ryssa confessed."I shouldn't drink alcohol. So if I said something..."

"Oh." Ryssa detected surprise in the reply..."No. You didn't."

Ryssa let out a breath.

"You mentioned Caf."

"I can drink that." Ryssa thought she heard a small snigger from the other end.

"Not all three of us together, just in case."

"Okay, how do we do this?"

"Small Cafes...random..."

In two weeks she would see Laseema; they were all paranoid. She would stay at least another 20 minutes, looking at the reflections of the customers in the windows. Anyone they saw more than once in the different places they met was reported to Ordo, or Kal.

.

478 Days ABG

The bed was warm and soft, but there was that infuriating, incessant beeping interrupting her much needed sleep, which she had just managed to reach, or so it felt. Her brain finally registered what it was.

"Kriff!" She sat up, rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and then finally reached for the comlink.

"Fek! Den." She saw the com ID, immediately flicked the switch and his face lit up in a blue hologram.

"Cyar'ika" he looked at her. "I woke you, I'm sorry, I should have checked the time difference."

"No problem, are you alright, you're not injured are you?"

"No" he spoke softly, "I just needed to see you, to talk…" 'to connect' he was going to say.

"There's something wrong, What is it?" The worry came through in her voice. "Where are you?"

He didn't answer.

"Sorry, di'kutla question." She added and he chuckled before saying "I see your Mando is getting better." He went quiet and just looked at her.

"Den…..I can see there's something wrong, just tell me ….please. Is it me?" She was beginning to think he was going to tell her their marriage was over, it hadn't always been easy; a leaden weight settled in her stomach.

"Not you, never you. Just a bad mission with more shabla Osik than normal."

He looked tired; a strained expression on his face. One she rarely saw.

"You sure? I know you can't tell me exactly…"

"No, Cyar'ika, I just needed to see you, talk to you. Remind myself."

"Anytime — my texts. They're not too much are they? I never thought…."

"No. They're just what I need. They keep me going." he paused. "When you send them…..I know you're okay… oh and I told Ordo to 'extract digit' with regard to Besany."

"What did he say?"

"Vor'e." A'den stretched his jaw and rubbed it. "You remember to take care of yourself."

"I do."

He looked to the side; she heard an indistinct clone voice in the background.

"I have to go..." 'before the battle starts' being left unsaid. "I just have a bad feeling about this Cyar'e. All this is only being done for a mining company and it isn't relevant to the war; it's just….nobody seems to listen." He stopped, turning slightly to one side again, as if he had heard something more.

"Den?" She asked.

"Cyar'ika, I have to go now." He announced, more urgently.

"Be safe!" She whispered, he nodded as he leant towards the device and disappeared, leaving an empty silence.

She unwrapped her crossed legs, rose from the bed and padded into the kitchen to get tea, she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now and it still worried her that he had felt the need to see her, talk to her before a battle. To air his misgivings. Perhaps that was it, the fact that it was a battle and not his normal war work that disturbed him. No, he was bred for that, he had said that so many times; there was something more, something else. She would ask him when he came home.

When he came home.

.

GAR Med Centre

483 days ABG

"Kal?" She answered the comlink immediately she came out of surgery, seeing she had missed three of his calls; this must be urgent. Her Com took text only while she was there. She didn't get many coms – work, Kal, Den, Etain and occasionally Ordo now. They were the people she thought of as family, dysfunctional as they all were. Suu had left to go back to Alderaan with her now husband and baby daughter, so there was no one else left. Kal sounded bad, so it was one of the Nulls or Omega.

"It's Fi. He's in a coma; they want to …."

"Oh Kriff. How can I help?"

"Bes'ika's at the hospital. Can you join her in case she needs someone with medical expertise, other than a Fekking droid?"

"Where?" She asked without even thinking.

"Just a minute ad'ika."

She heard other voices, a woman's, a clone's, another urgent conversation, she couldn't hear the actual words but the tone came through loud and clear. She retrieved her medical bag from her locker, and stood tapping her foot impatiently, while she waited for him to finish.

"Republic Central Medical Centre, Neurology Department. We're on our way back to Coruscant and I've called in Obrim, Just in case; there may be a problem with Bes'ika and security."

"I'm on my way." She grabbed her medical bag which she didn't use often now, ensured she still had her GAR medical ID on; she was in her scrubs and set off. She didn't think she could have gone any faster unless it had been A'den in there and Kal hadn't said what exactly the problem with Besany and security but Fi was in a coma so….

Her blood ran cold. Captain Rex's words came back to haunt her and Coma's were difficult things. He couldn't be that bad that they were actually going to euthanise him? Could he? No, not Fi. Everybody loved Fi, he was funny, talked a lot. Everybody liked him. She liked him. She concentrated on getting to the Medical Centre as fast as she could.

The hover taxi should have been the quickest but it was rush hour and some sky lanes were closed; she was beginning to think she could have walked there faster. Finally she got there, jumped out, flung some credit chips at the driver and using her GAR credentials, found his room. She ran along the corridors as fast as she could and as she rounded the corner to the one leading to his room, she heard the commotion and saw the crowd surrounding a smoking door. Something had obviously happened whilst she had been delayed. Heads turned at the next sounds.

The pounding of boots hitting the floor filled the corridor; she flattened herself against the wall as the bodies followed their sounds. Obrim was at the front barking orders,

"I said move it didn't I? You deaf or something? Clear the corridor! Armed police!"[1]

Besany had definitely got herself into trouble, if Obrim was here with armed police. What had she done? Ryssa pushed herself through the retreating crowd, brandishing her ID in front of everyone's face. It seemed to work and they let her through without any argument. Obrim was at the door; he gave her a nod when he saw her.

She heard the whump but didn't realise it was the door, until Obrim walked in the room and started talking. Ryssa couldn't get past the cordon yet but there were some interesting conversations taking place and had it been any other time, place and people, she would have appreciated Obrim's use of "Tinnie Boy". She wasn't sure what exactly he said to the droid but they were not known for backing down from Non medical personnel. She had her splicer tool ready, the one Ordo had kindly supplied for her. He'd pushed it into her hand one night with the words:

"If you have any more trouble with Med droids: you don't have to totally dismantle them before giving them a frontal lobotomy." Den and he had been talking and Kal was right his boys were clever, very clever.

"Paramedics—in here!" It was her cue; she joined the CSF paramedics as they rushed in the room. Obrim nodded to her again; she saw Besany standing looking pale and shaky. The paramedics were busy with Fi unplugging all the apparatus from him. She left them doing their job, they knew what they were doing.

She found herself next to Besany; she couldn't say they were friends or even family but she put her hand on her arm in support.

"You okay? Need anything?"

Besany shook her head, "Just look after Fi." Ryssa nodded, following him with the Paramedics, out of the Medcenter. She didn't know exactly where they were going but she wasn't going to leave him now. Not until he was safe.

.

Obrim had said he had found somewhere safe but she had not expected this. If they had asked, her apartment had an empty bedroom but she supposed this was as safe as anywhere. She stood back, while the paramedics did their business again. As soon as they were finished she would complete her examination. Jaller had brought Fi to his own house; Ryssa thought his wife must love him a great deal and trust him implicitly to allow a bunch of dodgy looking strangers invade their home. Ryssa was in awe of her and her sons, who she had seen for few moments when she entered, they just disappeared into their rooms. They must have been prepped on how to act.

Fi was on a bio bed, in another room; a med droid stood, offline in the corner, waiting. She checked it over, while the paramedics did their work. It was a care droid, nothing likely to baulk at looking after Fi; it would do its job. She would make sure of that. She left the paramedics to finish.

"I'm sorry for intruding." Ryssa apologised to the woman whose home they were taking over, "but could I use the 'fresher to wash up? I need to examine him."

"Of course my dear, anything to help the young man. He's very special to Jaller." She looked over at the room. "He is very young isn't he?"

Younger than you think.

Ryssa nodded. She wasn't sure how much Jaller had told his wife.

"I'm Telti."

"Ryssa."

Telti nodded and left her to finish.

.

Readouts from the bed still said the same; Fi was in a deep coma but he was breathing unaided. He was stable. There wasn't much more she could do. There was nothing that she could physically repair. All that studying, practice and tests and she still couldn't help Fi. She sat with him, and Besany sat opposite looking tired and pale. Telti brought in some Caf, they both mouthed 'Thank you.' Between chatting to Fi.

"Kal's coming soon." Besany said.

"He's bringing Ordo and Jusik." Added Ryssa. "I'm sorry I was late." She continued.

"That's okay; it was never going to end well."

"No."

They looked at each other; they had reached an understanding. They both felt betrayed by their government in the way it treated the clones and they both hated it.

.

Skirata came, together with Ordo and Jusik, as promised. Jusik had said he was going to attempt to heal him; he had done something like that before. She had seen him using the force before but never to heal, more to influence. She watched intently as he just sat with his hand on Fi's head, his eyes closed. She wanted to ask him if he could see inside Fi's head and if so, what he saw. How he knew what to do? What exactly was he doing? What did it feel like —Being a God?

It was hours. He sat for hours and she sat with him, watching him, then Fi. Nothing. She saw nothing. Kal passed her a Caf; she couldn't remember drinking it but the mug was empty when she passed it back. She knew they were sitting together though, leaning on each other. Jaller would occasionally come and sit with them then go and arrange something with his officers. Ordo and Besany had fallen asleep together but she couldn't just in case she missed something. Then Jusik leaned back and sighed.

"Is that it?" Kal asked.

"Let's see." He ruffled Fi's hair; Fi moved. Ryssa blinked. He did it again. There was definite movement and it wasn't random.

"Fierfek!" She muttered.

Kal sat next to Fi as Jusik ruffled his hair again. The movement was there again. Ryssa couldn't bear it, she left the room to stand in the hall. She suddenly felt very tired.

"I don't know how exactly but it gets easier the more I do it." Jusik had come to stand next to her. He looked really tired, drained and if she had to say it, even thinner. She had seen a change in him.

"How does it affect you? You look drained." Looking at him closely, he actually looked older. She pulled out her scanner.

Jusik backed away, hands in front of him. "It's just tiring; I'm not a trained healer.."

"But you should be." She finished for him. He gave that enigmatic little smile he had.

"I scanned Fi, when they brought him in and I can't say that if faced with the same information, I wouldn't have made the same decision, or at least put it to the relatives that the machines be turned off, in time."

"Yes but you wouldn't have recommended a lethal injection."

No, I wouldn't.

.

Ryssa stared at the scanner's readout; there was a definite improvement this time. After the first few healing sessions, there nothing changed on the scanners or any of the machines, even though they could physically see the change but now. Yes, there were definite changes and in the intricacies of the brain, they were significant.

She called in every morning and evening to check on him and recalibrate the care droid; she couldn't not do that but she also wanted to check on Jusik. She wasn't sure if any one else had noticed but he continued to look older, and drained after each session. He 'pooh poohed' the idea that it was draining him in some way but she could see it. She was trained to see the minutest changes in a patient and she could see it in Jusik.

Today was going to be a better day. A'den was back, he would be visiting Fi after debriefing and then coming home, finally. She had baked last night, cookies of course, and took a tin through to Telti in the kitchen.

"Thought the boys would like these. It's not much to say Thank you."

"Thank you, but you all keep saying thank you, even though this means so much to Jaller. Helping Fi, helping all these young men. It's made him, made me question things."

Ryssa was glad she called them young men and not 'clone'; at least there were other people who could appreciate them for the men they were.

.

Ryssa's Apartment.

A'den braced himself above her, gently dropping his forehead to hers; a bead of sweat trickling down his chest, his control was wavering. "Nayc. Ke jorhaa'ir," He demanded.

"Su…cuy'…gar!" Ryssa pronounced it slowly, her Coruscanti accent still struggling with the words and trying to buck with her hips at the same time; she just wished he would move but he had her pinned to the bed and it was driving her insane. She didn't have any problems with "Elek" or "gaan" she could pronounce those but now he'd stopped moving.

"Hmm."

"Gedet'ye."

"Ori'jate!" A'den moved in for a kiss; this wasn't what Ryssa has expected when he said they were going to practice her Mando'a pronunciation. He finally moved against her and she couldn't help the whimper that came out of her mouth. It had been so long and she was so near.

"Mesh'la." He continued, as he worked his way down her throat.

"Kriff, Den!"

"Mando'a, Ner." He took a breast in his mouth, and heard her sharp intake of breath as she arched up to him.

"Usenye!" The rumble in his chest reverberated along where they were joined. Her low growl joined his rumble, as he finally moved with slow deliberation inside her. He felt her tighten around him, arching against him, rigid, as he possessed her again; he held onto her hips, all thoughts of Fi, Kal and the war, pushed from his mind, as he moved with determination to his own release.

The silence in the room was broken only by their ragged breaths; his forehead touched hers again, for a second, as they lay there, before he rested his cheek next to hers.

"Your Mando'a's getting better."

Ryssa slapped him on the chest in reply and he rolled off her onto his back; his breathing finally slowing.

"Thanks for helping Fi."

"There's lots of people helping, Jaller, his wife…."

"But it pleases me that you're there as well."

"I couldn't not be. You know it wasn't your fault that he was hit."

"I know."

Ryssa pulled the sheets up; the sweat causing her to feel chilled.

"Kal gave me some credits."

"Yeah. He said."

"Den, it's thousands."

"He's got plenty."

"I can't just keep it."

"Why not?"

"I can't. I don't need it. My fees were already paid by someone. Anonymously. My salary pays for everything else."

He grunted, a salary wasn't something he ever thought of, none of the clones did; although they now got a few credits when they were planet side.

"Just hang on to it then. Just in case."

Ryssa opened her mouth, then closed it again. Perhaps it would upset Kal if she tried to return it again. She just curled into her husband again, waiting for him to recover.

"Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum." She whispered.

"Ner Mesh'la Baar'ur."

.

[1] Star Wars Republic Commando – True Colours. -Karen Traviss.

Mandoa Translation -

Su…cuy'…gar – Hello.

Gedet'ye – please.

Ke jorhaa'ir – talk

Nayc - no

Ori'jate – Very good.

Mesh'la – Beautiful.

Usenye. - Fuck off.

Gaan - want

Ner Mesh'la Baar'ur.- my beautiful medic.

Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum.- I love you.