Kyle had no idea how badly the last couple of days mangled his body until he got in front of a mirror. His left ankle still hasn't recovered from its sprain. His right shoulder hurt like hell and still bled noticeably through his sling; probably why his head feels so light all of a sudden, his skin had turned pale. It took all the swallowing of his pride to admit to his master he was in need of some urgent care the moment they arrive on Coruscant. Tera obliged.
Back at the Jedi Temple, Kyle again received the attention of his peers. Like after Christophsis, news traveled back home fast about Kyle's brush with the assassin Ventress. Keyon informs Kyle of the irony, Ahsoka tangled with Ventress just a week prior to him doing the same. "Did you really kick her in the face?" Asuka asks, amazed at how a pedestrian, last ditch move could nail a skilled assassin like Ventress.
"I've been telling you guys for years, that kick is my go-to. It's my finisher. It's the best thing I have." He puffed out his chest, obviously proud of himself.
Keyon's next comment is curt, it could have been misconstrued as rude. "It's probably the only thing you have." Kyle was about to retort when he felt his body on the verge of shutting down. He couldn't hold himself up anymore and crumbled to the floor like a house of cards. The students panicked and called for a medic. Their scream were the last thing he heard before blacking out entirely.
When he woke up he found himself hooked to an IV. The medical droid assigned to him told him he looked very pale upon entry and color has just returned to his skin. Kyle looks in the mirror, his right eye is swollen slightly, explaining his blurry vision. His copper skin color was returning to normal, though a noticeable shade of pale remained prevalent on certain parts of his body. On the bright side, his right shoulder felt numb. He looked over and saw it still attached to his body. The droid must've loaded him up with painkillers.
"So how long am I here for?" He asks the droid.
"Until you feel better." It responded curtly. Kyle responded only with a quizzical expression. When did the droids get snippy?
"Can I get a timetable?"
"You can leave once you're done with the IV. Which'll be in twenty-minutes." The feminine sounding droid finally answers.
To his delight, he had visitors. The first being his master, the second being Asuka. She was very talented, more than Kyle he'd even admit. Like he, Asuka had all the gifts needed to be a great Jedi. Except she actually knew how to use them and never took them for granted. Kyle always thought Obi-Wan would have made for a great tutor for Asuka. Though he's a believer in opposites attracting, a master like Kenobi, someone who can further her knowledge in the Force is vital to her growth.
Tera didn't hide her concern for her tutor and cursed herself for forgetting to call for a medical droid. The chancellor had requested her presence to report on the Kamino bombings and subsequent losing of Asajj Ventress. She didn't like the fact Jedi reported to the chancellor. Politicians legislate, Jedi fight. The powers of the chancellor granted Palpatine complete and total autonomy over all matters pertaining to the war. She knew that oaf Jar Jar Binks wasn't so bright as she's heard.
"How are you?" Tera asks. Asuka hands Kyle a drink of water. Kyle just noticed Asuka's hair color was very similar to Tera's, only brighter and lacking the visible grey, and it hangs ever so slightly above her shoulders.
"I'm fine" He wolves down the water, just aware his throat was bone dry. "They said I can leave in twenty-minutes."
"Oh, I don't like that. You should stay here and rest at least for a day. You've had quite the last couple days." Tera advises. Kyle hates being talked to like this. He's not a child and Tera sure as hell isn't his mother.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Asuka asks. "It's not like we're far from the treatment center. All he probably wants to do is walk around the temple."
Actually, what Kyle really wanted to do was hit the town and attend a party or two. Kyle was never one to sit around and let life pass him by.
"Well, I suppose." Tera relented. "Just stay here a little while longer and make sure there isn't another issue. I have to leave to talk to the chancellor. Asuka, make sure he doesn't-"
"Do anything stupid, gotcha." Asuka beamed at the direct order. It couldn't have been the first time someone told her to watch over Kyle.
Just as Tera left, Ahsoka walked in seemingly to take her place. Kyle decided it was time to leave since the IV was now empty. "I know you're not happy to see me-" Ahsoka was about to quip, however Kyle cuts her off.
"I'm just itching to move again. Come on, let's get out of here." He slowly tries takes the needle out and winces severely. "Can someone gets the medical droid for me please?"
(Scene break)
The Chancellor seemed all too calm at the troubling news the Confederates could overwrite the Clones inhibitor chips and have them turn on the Jedi. The summit included Windu, Tera, senator Padmé Amidala and Bail Organa. Master Yoda was the only other person there, via hologram.
Amidala was beautiful. Despite the daily stresses of her job, she carried on with the heaviest of hearts. At 25 she's accomplished so much. Serving as the Queen of her home world, saving it from invasion at the age of 14. Later becoming a senator after willfully relinquishing power, now leading the charge against the dastardly Confederates. The news of the Clones ability to change sides on a whim frightened her. She never wanted a Clone army. Turns out she was right to have reservations.
"We need to recall all of the Clones across the galaxy." Bail stated. "The Jedi are in danger right now."
"And what do you propose we do?" The elderly Chancellor asks calmly.
"We need to institute a call to service. My people on Naboo over 170,000 volunteers. Senator Organa's home world of Alderaan raised 140,000 volunteers. We have 1,200,0000 a Clones in the field right now. By my estimation, if we accepted volunteers from Coruscant, Kashyyyk and Mandalore we'll have 500,000 more in our ranks. They wouldn't be green either." Amidala explains. Her proposal intrigues the chancellor. Though he prefers remaining with the Clones, it be far to troublesome to fight for such a position right now.
"The Separatists have fighting force that's infinite. We'll need to establish the Galactic Republic Draft." His counter proposal shocked the senators. A draft? In this day and age? However, the chancellor was right to believe this. With no end in sight and with their disposable military now compromised, there's little choice but to pluck people from their homes and plop them into the battlefield.
"We cannot discriminate." Padmé ached. "Rich, poor, middle class, all have to serve." Palpatine nods, accepting these terms.
"Of course, Senator."
"How long should they be conscripted to serve?" Organa grilled the chancellor for details.
"That'll be determined for a later date. Right now we have bigger fish to fry."
(Scene break)
The medical droid was kind enough to let Kyle leave, though he needed to spend the rest of the day in a wheelchair, as per protocol. Kyle wondered if the droids circuits were fried. Hospitals only do this to minimize the chances of injury when the patient is leaving the premises, to avoid being sued for a freak accident occurring right when they are about to depart.
"No wonder this war is going south, our droids don't even understand the differences between a hospital and a medical ward in the bowels Jedi Temple. Ahsoka didn't care for that joke. Having just come from a very critical mission in saving Jabba the Hutts son from Count Dooku, thereby solidifying good relations with the Hutts and putting the C.I.S on the gangster's enemy list, she certainly didn't feel like the Galactic Republic was losing in the war.
"I can't believe that slug is on our side now." Asuka comments, Kyle concurs. Jabba cannot be trusted.
"That fat, gross worm will sell us out." He promises.
"To who? The C.I.S kidnapped his child."
"Money gives people amnesia." He retorts. Ahsoka rolls her eyes.
"Money isn't everything." Kyle nearly experienced a coughing fit at such a outlandish statement. Asuka didn't want her friends to fight so she stepped in the middle and played peacemaker.
"We can all agree the Jedi should look at Jabba with skepticism. Right now, we're in his good graces meaning we can utilizes his trade routes and other resources he might have. This is a war. We have to make friends with some unseemly people." Both parties could agree to that. Ahsoka remembers when Plo Koon told her during the ancient Jedi-Sith Wars, the Republic relied on the mafia to protect their ports from sabotage from the Sith and their allies.
"Come on, you guys just got back from your first missions. You really wanna fight?" Asuka pleads for sanity, which is luckily returned. A segway to a less controversial topic is initiated.
"So you ran into Ventress too?" Kyle questioned. "I think she mentioned you."
"What she say?" Ahsoka asked, somewhat interested in what her rival had to say about her.
"She said I was the more respectful of the two of us." He jabbed lightly.
"Oh, really? Well, you should be proud." She teases him right back. "Did you really-"
"Knock her teeth out? Yessiree!" He smiles. "She didn't see it coming."
"You better watch out the next time she gets to you. She'll be out for blood." Asuka warns, Kyle brushes her off.
"Ventress may have more talent and athleticism than I do, but she doesn't have my brain." He points to his forehead. "This bad boy is keeping me alive single-handily."
"I mean, if that's all you want." Ahsoka whistle innocently.
"What's that Tano?" Kyle begins to show signs of irritation.
"If you want to actually win, then you'll need more than 'brains'." She taps her index finger on Kyle's forehead. "You have to buy some cream for that pimple." She couldn't stop staring at it. Why is it humans are the only race of people in the galaxy who experience acne?
"Oh, so now you're mocking my physical appearance? How grown up of you." He pretends to be hurt, wiping away nonexistent tears on his cheeks. He notices the Jedi Temple dojo is right next to them. Their mindless wandering brought them here. He looks at Ahsoka mischievously. "Ahsoka Tano, you have insulted my honor and I demand satisfaction!" He pretends to take out and glove and mimics slapping her with it from a distance.
"Oh, please no." Asuka knew how competitive Kyle was and how much he hated to lose. It was no secret how much he wanted to beat Ahsoka, perhaps except Ahsoka herself.
Ahsoka's inner delinquent came out, knowing she was being goaded into another installment of their "legendary" sparring sessions, as Kyle put it. He was feeling lucky today and wanted to push the envelop.
"Well, I would be nothing but a yellow bellied coward if I didn't accept. We shall draw lightsabers in the immediate future." Ahsoka replies, trying to speak in a gentle and slow manner to match Kyle's homespun tone of voice.
"Don't do that" He tells her. "You'll ruin the joke." She elbows him the gut, he nearly falls to the floor. "Penalty!" He croaks, making the case he deserves an extra point for the preemptive strike.
