My pulse blares through my head like a siren. I feel no pain, only an aching sensation and slight paralysis, similar to the feeling of being half awake. You can hear everything, but you can't make your body move. I can tell without opening my eyes that I'm laying on a soft bed in a bright room. My limbs feel like dead weight with a dull ache radiating mainly from my shoulders and biceps. I avoid lifting my eyelids for as long as I can so I'm not hounded by a bright light. As I finally open my eyes, I squint as the harsh white light glares above my body.
After allowing my eyes to adjust to the light, I realize I'm in a hospital room. The window showed the vast city-planet Coruscant, or at least the first level of it. Even in the day, the glittering cityscape was an amazing view, but I doubt that is how it seems on lower levels. The further you are in the Coruscant underground, the dirtier it is.
I force myself to lift my arm as hair falls into my face. Pushing the strand behind my ear, I notice a large patch on my right bicep. Slowly, I set my arm back down and use my left hand to graze my hand over it. It's not completely noticable, but a different enough pigment to see it if you're close enough. The texture is sleek and soft, like skin; however, I could feel where it changes to my actual skin. It must be synthskin to heal a wound.
My mind then travels to the hot, dry planet of Geonosis where I was jumped by a massiff. I can still recall the feeling of its sharp, dry claws tearing into my skin. I remember my skin ripping and the wounds burning.
The opening of the door pulled me out of my thoughts, and in walked someone with familiar brown hair. Padmé looking as radiant as ever, seemingly had a new self-found confidence. "Leya, you're awake!" the senator exclaims as she runs over. Two men follow her in, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
"Where are we?" I ask, my voice coarse.
"The Grand Republic Medical Facility," Obi-Wan answers. His appealing voice now sounds hoarse.
"Do you remember what happened?" Padmé asks.
I shrug and then wince in slight pain. "I remember everything leading up to falling out of the transport."
"So there's no amnesia like the droid suggested," Anakin quips. No one found that amusing.
I gaze at them all standing above me around the bed when a thought occurs to me. "Why am I the only one still injured?" I question. The three look between themselves. "What?"
There was another pause as the three silently decided who would talk. Finally, Obi-Wan did. "It seems as though the claws of the massiff were covered in poison."
"We believe that it was another thwarted attempt to kill me," Padmé adds.
"So that means someone thought not only the massiff was meant for the senator, but also they thought a rescue was in place in for us," Obi-Wan explains.
I froze, completely stoic. This didn't make sense. "But even if they knew a rescue team was coming, they would think it was only Jedi, not an army," I counter. The Republic before Geonosis did not have a standing army. All we had were the jedi, militas on certain planets, and security guards. "Or at least wouldn't have had much time to process the new army."
"That's where we get confused," Anakin admits.
Padmé's shoulders droop as she sighs. "Regardless, I should thank you for saving my life. The massiff was meant for me. I was the one that was supposed to be poisoned, so thank you," she says in a breathy voice.
Shaking my head, I hasten to speak. "Padmé, I didn't do-"
Milady cuts me off. "Don't do that," Padmé commands. "I tried to make you stay on Naboo. If you had done so, I'd be in your position."
"I doubt it," I tell her earnestly. "You stayed on the column. The only reason you were injured is because nexus can climb. If the massiff was for you, you would have been safe."
"Can you just take my gratitude?" Padmé pleads with her big brown eyes. I let out a deep breath and nod with a small smile. "You are so stubborn. One day it'll be the death of you."
"But not today," I reply.
At that moment, Dormé walks through the door. Obi-Wan and Anakin move out of her way as she approaches. "You've looked better," she jokes.
"How was playing senator?" I joke back.
"More entertaining than almost dying," Dormé assures. She then turns to Padmé. "Milady, the Loyalist committee would like a word before your departure."
I turned my head to face Padmé. "Departure?" I repeat. "You're leaving Coruscant?"
Padmé nodded in affirmation. "I'm visiting Naboo for a short while. The Chancellor believes I should take a short vacation before jumping into politics again." She looks up at Anakin and Obi-Wan, mainly Anakin. "He's actually requested all four of us take short vacations." Looking back at me, she says, "Unfortunately, the time he requested for us is the same amount of time as your hospital stay."
"Darn," I stress sarcastically. I don't need a vacation, but I would still prefer to be at Padmé's side. "You sure you don't need me to come along?"
Her laugh lifts the spirits of the room. "I'm sure. Take as much rest as you need. I'll see you when I return from Naboo," she promises. Padmé straightens her clothes then exits the room, Dormé nodding to me before following.
Obi-Wan and Anakin were left alone in the room with me. I turn my gaze to the two Jedi. They stand to the side, as tense as ever. "I take it you two don't particularly like the forced vacation," I note.
"I believe our skills would be put to better use if we were taking immediate action in the war," Anakin asserts.
My eyes meet with Obi-Wan's as I say, "Spoken like a true Jedi."
His gaze lingers on mine. "Anakin, go get a medical droid. Tell them Cattleya is awake," he orders his padawan.
"Yes, Master," Anakin replies. The young Jedi then takes his leave.
The silence is defeaning after Anakin left. It was as if Obi-Wan didn't know what to say, so I took initiative. "Do you know what I was poisoned with?" I inquire.
"Teccitin," Obi-Wan answers without missing a beat. "The droids say you'll feel weak for, at the most, a few months, but you'll recover without any lasting damage."
I scoff. "Well, that's good. I don't know what I will do regardless."
"Pardon?" Obi-Wan interupts with uncertainty.
"I'm no longer a handmaiden," I explain to him. "Padmé only let me come with her to Tatooine if I was no longer her handmaiden. If I'm correct, it's because she thought if I wasn't in her employ, I would not risk my life for hers. But she should know better by now."
Obi-Wan's eyebrows furrowed, matching his questioning gaze. "So you don't know what you'll do? You don't have any dreams? An aspirations?"
"I never had time to," I confess. "What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you," I repeat, amused.
The Jedi Knight pauses, unsure of what to say. "I guess I've never thought about it either," he finally states.
"We're both pitiful," I remark, only partially joking.
This make him laugh a little. The hoarseness in his voice has now disappeared. Talking must have helped a bit. "Do you at least know where you're going? Are you going to stay on Coruscant, go back to Naboo, maybe travel?"
Before replying, I paused. His smooth, pleasing voice had lightened, indicating a slight hopefulness. Why is he hopeful? "I was thinking of staying on Coruscant," I reply honestly. "I could live comfortably for a while. I might visit what's left of my family on Naboo."
Obi-Wan smiles. "Well, no matter what you do, I consider us friends, so I would like to see you."
I return the grin. "You can count on it."
