Chapter 4: A Lesson
-.-.-.-
**This chapter contains graphic depictions of injury and medical care.**
"To live in fear is no life at all." —Padmé Amidala
-.-.-.-
Faro paced slowly back and forth in front of the main viewport. So much nervous energy was built up; she wanted to storm off the bridge and join Thrawn in his office. But what would she do?
What could she do? Faro wanted to do something, but she felt trapped and sidelined.
She was so worried, but also so angry. She hoped Thrawn would be able to maneuver out of whatever trap this situation became, but the malice of Lord Vader was immense. Faro had heard stories. She had never seen Vader like that before herself though, and Thrawn had stood up to him. No, she had a bad feeling about what was happening.
An unusual ping suddenly sounded from the tactical display.
"Um... Commodore Faro," the tactical officer said. He hesitated. "I've- I've never seen this before. We're getting an unusual internal alert."
"Report!" Faro said, more forceful than she intended.
The tactical officer quickly pushed a button sequence and studied the report. The seconds felt like eternity, and the bridge was hushed with a silent tension. The tactical officer had a sudden look of horror glance across his face as he interpreted the alert.
Faro's heart dropped.
"Three Sentinel Droids… appear to have been activated in Grand Admiral Thrawn's office. They are attacking." The tactical officer looked up at Faro with confusion and disbelief. "It's a distress call sir."
Everything slowed down for Faro. "Are they the aggressors? Or are they defending?"
The tactical officer turned to his console and shook his head. "'I'm- not sure. It's not specific sir. It must be an automated alert we're receiving."
Faro strode down the command walkway to the tactical display. She was focused with sure authority. She looked over the alert, and the bridge paused for her for leadership.
She decided. "Stormtrooper Commander Ayer send a security team immediately. Alert all commands. Secure the ship and protect the admiral." Her voice lowered. "And send Chief Medical Officer Cody with a trauma team for any casualties."
-.-.-.-
Rukh hobbled through the hallways of the Chimaera toward the hangar bay. He tried to suppress any noise, but it was getting tough with each pained step. He tried to forget the broken bones as he maneuvered around personnel otherwise unaware of his cloaked presence.
He slipped through the doors to the hangar bay and leaned against a crate. He surveyed the area, while crew members bustled hurriedly to their stations. Rukh decided that the distress signal from his droid activation must have gone out. He didn't have much time then.
Rukh saw that Vader's shuttle was abandoned, the entire First Legion responding to his master's office. He suddenly felt an onslaught of guilt and wanted to run back to Thrawn's aid. He quickly repressed those feelings. He was Thrawn's only hope right now to enact his contingency.
Rukh took in a deep breath and pushed himself forward toward the shuttle. He found the pilots seat and began the startup sequence. The shuttle radio came to life, but he quickly shut it off. Rukh didn't have the patience to listen to confused traffic control. It would slow him down.
He took off and flew underneath the star destroyer before Empire forces could react. He pushed the engines as hard as they could go. The shuttle shuttered as Rukh piloted almost too close to the hull of the Chimaera. He heard the faint beep of a target-lock, but it faded as he punched the shuttle into hyperspace.
-.-.-.-
Commander Kimmund watched in awe as Lord Vader stabbed the tip of his lightsaber into the right photoreceptor eye of one of two remaining sentinel droids. The droid fell, deactivated, as Vader fluidly turned and deflected bolts from the last droid. He bellowed with fury.
Vader stretched out with the Force. He pulled his forearm up and clasped his hand into a fist. The air fizzled and groaned with energy. Lights flickered, and the sentinel droid's armor plating suddenly crumpled. It fell to the ground with a loud thud and burst into a shower of sparks.
Lord Vader deactivated his lightsaber. It was silent.
Only Lord Vader's steady respirator replaced the sounds of battle. He walked forward and stood over the crumpled droid. Small fires clung to life upon wires and burnt plastoid. Sparks flashed from the crumpled debris as if the droid's synthetic soul fought to maintain its light.
-.-
The Jedi's memories unwillingly came forward.
The acrid smell of burnt plastoid curled in The Jedi's nostrils as he stared at the droids on the floor. It was a horrid smell. He looked up.
Padmé stood at the edge of an elevated platform, her S-5 held shakily in a two-handed sharpshooter stance, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. Thrawn stepped forward into view beside her, holding a long, shoulder-slung ion rifle in the crook of his arm. His Chiss armor was still mottled and damaged.
Thrawn stiffly slung the rifle behind his back, casually plucked the S-5 from Padmé's hands and hooked the grapple around a nearby strut. He smoothly dropped down to the ground and sent the blaster back up to her in ascension mode. He walked toward The Jedi.
"Well done," Thrawn said. His glowing red eyes scanned their surroundings as he approached.
The Jedi nodded, smiling thinly. "Thanks for the assist. Next time, feel free to join the fight sooner."
"If I had, you wouldn't have learned how to defeat them."
-.-
Commander Kimmund flinched, as Lord Vader suddenly growled in fury and launched the crumpled droid at his feet into the far wall with the Force. It exploded in a puff of fiery smoke and left a deep dent in the metallic wall.
Padmé.
Vader ignited his lightsaber again and sliced furiously at a nearby chair. Sparks and metallic pieces flew across the suite. He diminished the chair to many damaged and burned pieces.
Vader stopped. He focused on the burning pieces. Focused on the fury.
Forget the memory. Forget the pain.
Forget her.
A meek voice brought Vader back to the present.
"My Lord Vader?" Commander Kimmund knelt on the floor in front of Thrawn's still form. Shielding him? He held a hand to the Grand Admiral's shoulder, and his helmet was off, revealing the commander's conflicted emotions. Heavy sweat covered his face.
Vader's hearing came back to the present in a delayed transition; he became aware of Thrawn's strained gasps for air. His body unconsciously continued to fight for life.
"He- he's still alive Lord Vader," Commander Kimmund said. He looked down at Thrawn his brow furrowing. Vader noticed Kimmund's grip on his shoulder tighten briefly, as he sensed a hint of regret through the Force emanate from the Commander.
"What of the Noghri bodyguard?"
Kimmund shook his head. "I believe he's gone my lord. He activated his cloak during the fight."
Vader remained silent a moment, considering. Pounds suddenly sounded on the main entrance door to the office and a muffled, commanding voice echoed through the metal.
"This is Stormtrooper Commander Ayer! I demand entrance to Grand Admiral Thrawn's Office immediately and demand status on the Grand Admiral!"
Commander Kimmund's comm sounded. Tephan's voice was strained with stress. "Commander Kimmund, the First Legion is holding back the Chimaera's security and medical team as ordered, but I fear not for much longer. It's going to get more heated than just words very soon."
Lord Vader faced the door. Still holding his lightsaber hilt in his hand, he took formidable steps toward the disturbance.
-.-.-.-
"What do you mean the First Legion is denying us access?!" Commodore Faro was appalled.
"Major Ayer reports they are being held back from entering the Grand Admiral's office at Lord Vader's orders," Lieutenant Lomar said, clearly stressed. "He sounds ready to break through the door sir."
Commodore Faro started pacing, her hands behind her back. This situation escalated beyond anything she anticipated. They were about to have Imperials fighting each other on a Star Destroyer that was now fully under her command. "Any status on Grand Admiral Thrawn?"
"No Commodore." Lomar hesitated. "But- Major Ayer reported loud bangs and blasts coming from the office on his approach. It is silent now however."
Commodore Faro stopped and stared at the Lieutenant. She feared what the silence could mean. And Lord Vader wasn't letting the Chimaera's crew inside? Faro came to a cold realization. Lord Vader had punished her Grand Admiral, and he must have fought back... unsuccessfully.
Faro decided for the sake of the Chimaera and the crew.
"Tell the Major to stand down. I'm on my way personally," Faro said. She turned and walked toward the two Death Troopers flanking the door to the bridge. "You two are with me."
The Death Troopers moved from their position and flanked Commodore Faro as she walked with purpose off the bridge to Grand Admiral Thrawn's office.
Without Thrawn, she was the only person that stood between Vader's wrath and the rest of the Chimaera. Faro would be the bulwark for her crew, and act as Thrawn had done for them during their mission to the Unknown Region. She would attempt to walk the narrow sand bridge of peace that was being slowly eroded by the fierce wind of Vader's wrath.
She would try.
-.-.-.-
The doors to the bridge hissed shut behind her.
Stormtrooper Commander Ayer held his blaster rifle in front of him at a tense parade rest. His fingers twitched with the need to act. He needed to do something.
Ayer stood in his stormtrooper armor, unmoving and glaring at Tephan and the rest of the First Legion. Despite the expressionless armor, the First Legion saw his anger in his stance. He was irate. They denied him access to his commanding officer. The rest of his security and trauma team stood behind him with anticipation and concern.
Ayer's patience thinned. He took a step forward but stopped immediately, as the First Legion raised their blasters at him. Ayer responded in kind but kept his blaster pointed to the side, not fully pointing it at them. But the threat was the same.
"Hold! Stand down," Ayer said. He held up his left hand. "It is time that I speak with Grand Admiral Thrawn. That is all I want."
"We are still under orders Major Ayer," Tephan said. "We are not to allow anyone entry beyond this point. That includes you and any crew from the Chimaera."
"That is unacceptable. I am under orders from the Chimaera's captain herself. I must verify and ensure Grand Admiral Thrawn's wellbeing, and you are preventing me from fulfilling my orders."
"As I've repeatedly stated Major Ayer, that is impossible- "
"Unacceptable!" Stormtrooper Commander Ayer lowered his left hand back to his blaster rifle. "You are denying me access to my grand admiral. I heard explosions on my approach to this location. I have reasonable command here. Either you let me pass or I will make it so."
Loud bangs, sounds of a lightsaber igniting and screeching metal suddenly sounded beyond the office entrance. The First Legion stormtroopers flinched, and this gave Ayer enough leeway to push forward. He shoved through them toward the door and started pounding on it. Ayer's team tried to follow.
"Hold it!" Tephan recovered quickly, pointing her blaster to the Chimaera's security team. The medical staff behind them gasped and held their hands up, their eyes wide. The Chimaera's stormtroopers paused but kept their blasters pointed at the First Legion.
Ayer pounded on the door. He heard the effects of metal and plastoid being sliced and melting on the other side. What was happening to Grand Admiral Thrawn?
It was suddenly quiet.
Ayer glanced behind him. One First Legion Stormtrooper had their blaster pointed at him, while the others were in a tense standoff with his own stormtroopers. The situation was about to erupt.
Ayer pounded on the door again. "This is Stormtrooper Commander Ayer! I demand entrance to Grand Admiral Thrawn's Office immediately and demand status on the Grand Admiral!"
Tephan rose her left wrist to her helmet and keyed her comm. Deep, garbled sounds emitted from her helmet though as what she said was encrypted.
Ayer slowly turned and faced the standoff. His blaster rifle still held to the side and downward but in a ready position. The First Legion Stormtrooper pointing his blaster at him gripped his blaster tighter and emphasized the targeting of Ayer's chest. Ayer expected the worst to suddenly ignite.
Everyone held their position.
The door behind Ayer opened, and the blasters of the Chimaera's crew were wrenched from their hands. Ayer quickly turned around, shocked. Vader stood before him, lightsaber hilt in his right hand at his side and his left forearm raised as blaster rifles flew behind him to the ground in Thrawn's office.
Ayer tried to survey Thrawn's office, but he only saw the remains of burning plastoid on the ground and charred blaster bolt stains on the walls as Vader pushed at Ayer with the Force.
Ayer flew back. He grunted in surprise, and the Chimaera's stormtroopers caught him, preventing him from falling. He stood back up strong and took a step forward. He looked poised to fight despite not having a weapon.
"Stormtrooper Commander Ayer," Vader said, pointing. "You will stand down."
"Grand Admiral Thrawn," Ayer said. "Commodore Faro orders that I ensure his safety. I demand to speak with him."
"You make no such demands of me." Vader turned his attention to the trauma team. "I will allow one of you entry."
A female medical officer with curly brown hair and green eyes rose her hand. She had a large ECM-598 Medical Backpack over her shoulder. Her uniform indicated her as Chief Medical Officer of the Chimaera and the trauma team's director. "I am Chief Medical Officer Zahara Cody. I will go Lord Vader."
"Very well; come." Vader turned to go back inside the office, Zahara following.
Ayer immediately objected, stepping forward. "Lord Vader, if Grand Admiral Thrawn requires medical attention, I must demand entry and assess the situation. You must understand my position- "
Vader swiftly turned and held out his left hand reaching with the Force. Ayer suddenly couldn't breathe and instinctively reached for his neck. He rose slightly in the air, his feet unable to touch the ground.
"The only thing you must understand Major Ayer is that I have power," Vader growled.
-.-.-.-
Faro took each step down the Chimaera's corridors with dread. The two Death Troopers followed with loyalty and attention, and they flanked her on either side closely. Faro wondered if they had a similar dread for Grand Admiral Thrawn and didn't want to lose another commanding officer.
Vader's wrath in this manner was not unheard of; there were rumors constantly circulating the fleet. The Dark Lord had been known to discipline and remove officers of the Imperial Navy from their commands. Some never heard from again…
To do the same to Grand Admiral Thrawn? Perhaps more conflict occurred between Lord Vader and Thrawn than she realized during their mission to the Unknown Region, and this detour was the tipping point. Perhaps Thrawn became too curious about the unusual target scanned in this area of space.
The reasoning didn't matter to Faro though. The well-being of her superior officer, someone who earned her respect and loyalty through their careers together, was at the forefront of her priorities. She was determined to reciprocate that loyalty back to Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Faro and the Death Troopers rounded a corner. A chilled tension was immediately felt. She saw the backs of the medical and security response teams as they approached Thrawn's office.
The air became energized and, Faro saw from behind, Stormtrooper Commander Ayer suddenly rise above the group and grasp at his throat. The Chimaera's response teams backed away and revealed Lord Vader with his left hand outstretched. His other hand held his lightsaber hilt.
"The only thing you must understand Major Ayer is that I have power," Vader growled.
The two death troopers immediately raised their E-11D Blaster Rifles and protectively put themselves in front of Commodore Faro as they advanced on the scene. Encrypted garble quickly transmitted between them and filled the corridor. This gained the attention of some from the group ahead.
Faro was appalled. "My Lord Vader, what is the meaning of this!"
The death troopers stopped at the perimeter of the group, but Faro pushed in front of them to face Lord Vader. She had had enough. Despite the sure power of Lord Vader, Faro was tired of his machinations here on the Chimaera. She would reinstate authority on her ship.
"Release Major Ayer immediately!"
Lord Vader turned his head toward her and searched through the Force. He felt a mixture of fear and determination emanating from her but loyalty echoed like a mighty beacon. He felt a similar confidence in her that Thrawn had during the conflict against the Grysk.
Vader released Ayer, and the Stormtrooper Commander fell hard to the floor, coughing for precious air. He immediately moved to get up; he growled in anger.
"Major Ayer stand down," Faro said forcefully. Her hands clasped behind her. Ayer deflated as if just realizing she was there.
"Yes- yes Commodore Faro."
"All of you, stand down," Faro said, eyeing both the First Legion and her own stormtroopers.
She rose her chin toward Lord Vader, waiting. Vader clipped his lightsaber back to his belt and then rested his hands on either side of the belt.
"We must speak Commodore Faro."
"Yes… I think we must Lord Vader."
Vader held Faro's commanding gaze for a moment and then turned to go back inside, his cape billowing at the quick turn.
Faro quickly addressed the group around her. "You will all keep your weapons lowered and hold your positions here until further orders are given. Is that clear?"
"Aye sirs" echoed from the group. Thephan nodded her head as well.
Faro looked at her two death troopers. "Wait for me."
"Aye Commodore," one of the Death Troopers said as Faro moved to follow Vader inside Thrawn's office.
-.-.-.-
The door closed behind Faro, and Vader stood in the hallway corridor leading further in to Thrawn's office. His back faced her.
"Let what you see here be a lesson Commodore Faro," Vader said slowly. He then continued his pace into the room.
Faro didn't move for a moment, as she took in her surroundings. Melted plastoid and shards of metal were strewn about, dents and blaster burns littered the metallic walls and remains of Thrawn's Imperial Sentinel Droids lay before her on the ground. Most of all, she became aware of someone struggling to breathe.
Faro broke out of her frozen state and trudged forward. Horror gripped her as the rest of the office was revealed, and her heart broke.
"What in the universe…," Faro said. She rose a hand to her mouth in shock.
Thrawn lay on his left side, slightly leaning forward toward the ground, unconscious with Commander Kimmund and the Chimaera's Chief Medical Officer Zahara Cody kneeling above him.
Zahara was positioned directly above his head. She had her left hand on Thrawn's forehead and her right delicately on his throat. She grimaced and shook her head. She moved her right hand from his neck and gripped his right wrist that was curled on the ground in front of him, as if he was gripping at his throat just before going unconscious.
Faro saw that Thrawn's neck was bruised heavily with a greenish tint, but the rest of his skin was a much paler blue, almost gray, in comparison to the vibrant blue that was normal. His lips were covered with blood and his gasps were becoming thready. Zahara was intense with concern and looked to Kimmund.
"Help me turn him over on his back," Zahara said. She motioned with her head. "Come on this side."
Kimmund stepped over Thrawn and knelt between him and the wall of art. Zahara leaned down further and carefully placed her left-hand underneath Thrawn's head, moving it down toward his neck. Thrawn's left cheek now rested on her forearm while his neck was then gently secured against her hand. At the same time, she secured his right jaw with her other hand and nodded to Commander Kimmund.
Together they gently rotated Thrawn on his back. Zahara matched Kimmund's movement, keeping Thrawn's head straight relative to his body.
Thrawn was so limp in their grasp. His left arm and hand remained in place, slightly stretched out from his elbow on the ground, while his right was pulled across, resting on his chest.
"Secure his head here and keep it straight," Zahara said to Kimmund. Kimmund put his hands on either side of Thrawn's face, and Zahara rummaged through the medical backpack.
Zahara pulled out a moist cloth and wiped Thrawn's face clean of the blood around his mouth. She returned it to a sanitary pouch inside the pack and then pulled out a clear oxygen mask. It had tubing connected to the ECM-598 medical backpack.
She pressed a button on the inside of the pack and oxygen began flowing from the mask. She placed it over Thrawn's face, covering his nose and mouth.
"Hold this here," Zahara said to Kimmund. "Make sure it stays sealed against his skin."
Kimmund gripped the mask, his hand shaking slightly, as Zahara turned back to her backpack. She began placing instruments on the ground. A long plastic tube, a metallic and curved blade with a handle…
This was too much for Commodore Faro to just stand by and watch. Faro let out an involuntary gasp as she rushed forward. She fell on her knees at Thrawn's side. She didn't care what Vader would think about her loyalties.
She reached for Thrawn's left hand on the ground and held it up to her as she watched on helplessly. But he didn't respond to her grip. His hand remained limp, while his chest continued to heave with each unconscious and wheezing gasp. Despite the breathing mask, his breaths were becoming more irregular and jagged.
Faro rose her other hand to her mouth again, her eyes filling up with emotion. His body was failing him. Kimmund glanced at Faro grimly, almost sorrowfully.
Zahara took a deep breath. "Okay, I need to intubate him to give him an airway. He might react, so I need you both to hold him steady if he does."
Kimmund nodded and Faro's eyes widened.
"Okay…," Faro whispered, hesitant.
"You can set the mask aside Commander Kimmund," Zahara said. "Place your left forearm underneath his shoulders and lift slightly."
Kimmund followed her order and placed his other hand on top of Thrawn's right wrist resting limply on his chest. Zahara at the same time grabbed Thrawn's head with both hands. Her fingers grasped the back of his neck while her palms and thumbs cupped his jawline and chin.
Kimmund lifted and Zahara angled the top of Thrawn's head backward slightly toward the ground. This ensured a straighter path to his troubled lungs. Zahara moved quickly. She took the laryngoscope blade with her left hand and inserted the curved blade deep into Thrawn's mouth and passed his tongue. Once far enough down inside, she tugged forward carefully at an angle and revealed the opening to his trachea.
There was so much blood. Zahara quickly pressed a button on the medical pack with her right hand and grabbed a connected suction tube. She guided it down the laryngoscope's pathway deep into Thrawn's throat and started suctioning out all that she could. This made Thrawn react.
Thrawn unconsciously flinched. His shoulders slightly bucked, and he began to gag.
"Damnit," Zahara said. "Hold him steady."
Kimmund braced him with his right arm against Thrawn's chest and Faro held down Thrawn's left shoulder with one hand. Her other didn't move from his hand.
"Hold on Grand Admiral," Faro said. "Try to relax if you can hear us…"
Thrawn was so weak. His body could hardly do anything but gasp for air anymore, which was being impeded now by a large laryngoscope down his throat.
"I can't wait any longer," Zahara said.
Zahara stopped suctioning and grabbed the long plastic endotracheal tube. She glided it down the laryngoscope's blade down into Thrawn's mouth and throat and passed the opening to his trachea.
Faro watched as the plastic tube disappeared farther and farther down into Thrawn's mouth. She was horrified once again. Never would she have imagined having to see Grand Admiral Thrawn in such a state. So weak and helpless after everything they've gone through…
Faro became aware suddenly of Lord Vader watching everything from across the room. His hands were resting on his belt as he passively observed. Did he even care how this all turned out? Faro realized that Vader probably cared more about her reaction as the ranking officer of the Chimaera and seeing this as a warning. Unfortunately, it probably didn't matter if Thrawn lived through this. The gruesome lesson would be learned all the same…
Thrawn's gasps began to slow even more and his shoulder muscles began to relax from their brief tension.
"No, come on," Zahara muttered. There was damage in Thrawn's trachea from being crushed that she had to maneuver around. She was able to finesse around it though with slight corrections with her wrist and was eventually satisfied that she got the tube far enough down passed the damage.
Zahara placed her right hand down firmly against Thrawn's mouth and nose and held the tube in place, while she smoothly lifted the laryngoscope up between her fingers and out of Thrawn's mouth. Now only the plastic tube protruded from his mouth. Faro found it odd seeing Thrawn's expressionless, almost peaceful, face with the tube sticking out.
Zahara grabbed a syringe full of air and inflated a balloon that was at the end of the tube, now inside of Thrawn's chest. This sealed and secured the tube inside against his trachea and would allow ventilation.
Thrawn was so still now, when Zahara knew he shouldn't be. His body should be fighting the temporary seal blocking its ability to suction air. Zahara's pulse quickened, and she quickly attached a puffy bag ventilator to the endotracheal tube and pumped air slowly.
She waited a few seconds, watching for the rise and fall of his chest, but it felt like eternity to Faro.
"Commander Kimmund you can lower him to the ground now, gently," Zahara said. "Hold this bag and pump slowly like this okay? Only at about ten per minute."
Kimmund leaned up and did as Zahara ordered, slowly pumping the ventilation bag. He watched in dreaded awe as Thrawn's chest rose and fell with each of his compressions on the bag. Zahara then unfastened Thrawn's white uniform tunic and opened it, revealing the front of his sleeveless black undershirt he would wear during sparring sessions.
Faro helped hold his white tunic open while Zahara used a stethoscope on his chest. She hovered over the top and lower portion of Thrawn's chest and analyzed each breath. Zahara visibly relaxed and took what seemed to be the first deep breath of her own.
"His breath sounds are good," Zahara said as she leaned back and placed the stethoscope around her neck. "You're doing well Commander Kimmund."
Zahara then reached into her backpack and took out a prepared stick of medical tape. She unraveled the tape into a straight line, revealing a sticky middle with more of the tape on either side, each folded around a stick. She slid the middle part underneath Thrawn and stuck it to the upper part of his neck.
"Commodore Faro, I'll need your help," Zahara said. "Please hold the tube in place while I secure it."
Faro held onto the tube with one hand, still determined to hold onto Thrawn's hand with her other. Zahara further unfolded the left side of the tape and tossed the stick to the side.
"You're doing well Commander Kimmund. Keep ventilating him like that," Zahara said, as she tore the double-sided tape in two all the way down its length like a lizard's tongue.
Zahara guided the top torn portion up along his jaw and cheek, placing it along his skin between his nose and upper lip, and secured it down his other cheek. With the other torn portion, she followed the same line up his cheek but then, once reaching his lips, twisted it around the tube protruding out of his mouth. She mirrored her actions on the other side, tearing the tape and following the established route along his cheek, between his nose and upper lip and down the other side.
After twisting the last portion of tape around the tube, she gently gripped the endotracheal tube and found it secure and delivering precious oxygen to Thrawn's labored lungs.
"Is he… going to be alright?" Faro said.
Zahara pulled out a small, square mechanical ventilator attached to the ECM-598 medical backpack, and she briefly met Commodore Faro's troubled gaze as she pressed a button sequence on the machine.
"He's stabilizing," Zahara said. "You can stop Commander Kimmund."
Kimmund stopped ventilating and watched as Zahara quickly removed the bag from Thrawn's endotracheal tube and connected a tube from the mechanical ventilator. The machine began breathing for Thrawn, and the sounds, while quieter and rhythmically slightly different, were eerily like Lord Vader's respirator. Faro was too focused on Zahara's non-answer to her question though to notice the similarities. Worry gripped her heart still.
Zahara once again listened to Thrawn's chest with her stethoscope to verify good breath sounds. She then held Thrawn's right wrist and waited there for a moment. Faro stared with anticipation.
"He continues to stabilize, Commodore," Zahara said, nodding her head. She lifted Thrawn's wrist and folded his white uniform tunic back over. She gently lowered his wrist back down to rest there on his chest.
Zahara had a small and relieved smile on her lips. Her green eyes were kind when they met Faro's gaze again. "You may notice his color slowly returning to normal now, yes?"
Faro looked down. She saw how the skin on Thrawn's face and hands began to return to a lighter blue hue. Though, the color was still far from normal.