"Helix, Stitch, we got a location on the General. We're on our way to extract him now." Helix hears Cody say over his comm and then Cody hangs up. Helix and Stitch look at each other in both relief and worry.
The General has been missing for over a month now, not even Skywalker could find him. It was supposed to be a relief mission but instead it took a great turn for the worst. Multiple men died that day, and they were forced to retreat. The General sacrificed himself once again for his men.
"Stitch, get Stim over to the med-bay, we need to prepare for the worst. And it was a good thing they did, because when Skywalker came hurrying into the med-bay, they all gasped, even Helix.
Helix had thought he had seen the worst of the General, but now this surpassed it by a lot. The General was dirty, bloody, bruised, starved, and looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep for the time he has been missing.
"Anything you can tell me, General Skywalker?" Helix inquires as he starts to clean his General so he can scan for injuries, Force knows there's already ones he can see over all the dirt covering his General.
"Yeah, the captor stuck a hypo in Obi-Wan, he started seizing a short while after that, but I was able to purge the drugs from his system." Skywalker replies.
"Okay, I'm going to have to ask you to all leave besides my medics." Helix commands. Skywalker is about to protest but Cody objects and leads him out.
"What do we even start on?" Stim ask, his voice cracking at seeing his General so hurt.
"Pick a side." Helix grumbles out as he gets to work.
Surgery and a round of bacta later, Helix settles his General gently on top of one of the nicer medical cots. He sets up the machines and IV next to Obi-Wan's bedside and then leaves to go inform Skywalker and Cody.
"How is he?" Skywalker says as soon as he exits the medical room.
"He will be all right. He has extensive injuries I'd like to keep an eye on. The Bacta was able to heal some injuries but not all of them." Helix informs and he sees Cody visibly relaxes.
"Can I sit with him?" Skywalker urgently asks.
"Yes, but if you wake him, I will kick you out. If he wakes up, call me. I have other patients I need to tend too." Helix says slightly hesitating, he checks over Obi-Wan one more time and then leaves Skywalker alone with Obi-Wan, Cody would stay but he has to report to the Council of there rescue mission.
"Helix, we need you in the Generals room now!" Stim states over his comm, his voice urgent. Helix drops his data pad and quickly rushes out of his office to the General's room and opens the door, he looks at the scene in front of him angrily.
There is his General, currently huddled in the corner of the room, his knees huddled to his chest, and his eyes bouncing back and forth between the room fearfully. He looks over to Skywalker and sees him approach the General too fast making him flinch and try to make himself smaller. Skywalker puts his hand on the General and he whimpers, Skywalker looks hurt and retreats his hand back.
"Please, please no more hurting." The General whimpers out. Helix looks at him shocked, he never had heard his General sound so small and defeated, and it pains him to hear it. He walks forward into the room, refusing to let his General feel like this anymore.
"Get out, Skywalker. I told you to tell me when he woke up!" Helix grits out, Obi-Wan flinches at the new sound and Helix scolds himself for sounding hostile. Skywalker looks at him in disbelief.
"I'm not going to leave! He needs me!" Skywalker says, raising his voice, making Obi-Wan shake in fear. Helix looks to Stim and he nods. Stim moves over to Skywalker and with the help of Stitch, they are able to safely escort him out without any violence.
Helix looks over to Obi-Wan and sees him looking at him, terrified. He crouches on the ground but doesn't move next to him, so he doesn't terrify him even more.
"Hey, Obi-Wan. It's me, Helix." Helix gently says. He would normally call him General but Obi-Wan needs a friend right now, not a soldier. "I'm here to help you, I promise."
"S'fake. All fake." Obi-Wan mutters. They must have had him on hallucinating drugs. Helix thinks.
"I promise, this isn't fake." Helix comforts. "Why do you think it's fake?"
"Is not real. Nothing real." Obi-Wan whispers, his voice sounding so defeated that Helix's heart breaks a little bit more.
"I promise, it's real. All of it. Cody and Anakin saved you. You're on the Negotiator now." Helix assures.
"Said that last time." Obi-Wan replies.
"I just need to prove it then. Your mind made up fictional characters based on us. So, I have to do something I wouldn't normally do." Helix mutters. "Can I get closer?"
Obi-Wan looks at him suspiciously but doesn't do anything else. Helix takes it as a yes and moves closer to him, not missing the way Obi-Wan flinches as he moves closer.
"I'm going to prove to you this is real, okay." Helix says gently. He moves over to Obi-Wan and engulfs him in a hug. Obi-Wan goes stiff and holds his breath.
"Helix would never do that." Obi-Wan says as soon as he pulls away.
"You're right, I would never do that, so, therefore, your brain would not be able to come up with that." Helix confirms.
"It's real?" Obi-wan timidly asks, it sadly reminds Helix of a child who needs protection from the evils of the Galaxy.
"It's real." Helix says and hugs him again, but this time for comfort as he hears Obi-Wan began to sob. "It's real, I promise." He hugs Obi-Wan as he cries, and he can't help but feel like they need to resurrect the guy who did this and kill him again.
"It's going to be okay; I promise." And Helix says that with all his heart, the promise is real. It won't be okay for a while, but he will make sure his General gets there, and that's his promise.
