Brodey cursed as his cup of caf splashed down the front of his clean shirt. His clothing seemed to be a magnet for stains lately, but that wasn't what concerned him. He struggled to manipulate the fingers of his artificial hand and found them to be malfunctioning. A sudden jerk of the tiny mechanics had caused the spill and he put his cup quickly down on a flat surface to avoid any more-expensive casualties of his quirky mechanical arm.
He searched through a storage closet for his toolbox, glad that he still had one arm that was real while the other one continued vibrating erratically. He wondered smugly what the Yuuzhan Vong would think if they saw such an abomination. A darker side of him took great pleasure in defeating them with his mechanical arm. All mechanical things still needed their occasional tune-up, he reminded himself.
The constant and coarse vibrations made his nerve endings cry out with the same type of agony that came with being tickled too much. That was one thing Brodey was quite familiar with since his older brother had been fond of that type of torture when Brodey was a little boy. It was a sadistic thing to do and Brodey had never done anything like that to his two younger siblings, but at least it made him cautious.
He opened up the dermaplast-covered metal door so he could get at the wires and circuits inside. Somewhere, amongst all that technology, was his glitch, and he reached out with the force to see if he could pinpoint the problem. He zeroed in on a blown 20 ohm resistor, replacing it with a new one from his tool kit.
He thought again about his older brother, the man that was seven years his senior. The man that he'd grown to loathe for the simple reason that Ch'aanlei always seemed to have his nose in Brodey's affairs. Now, as he was slowly making his way back from the dark side, he still harbored resentment toward his brother. He didn't know why, at least not entirely. Thinking of it made him want to chuck the entire toolbox across the room and scream out as loud as he possibly could. He wanted revenge, but for what?
"Dare I enter for risk of being deep-fried?" Kyp laughed, walking slowly over to his apprentice as Brodey jerked to attention. "I sensed a lot of hostility coming from you."
"It's just my stupid arm," Brodey said sharply. "It's acting up again."
"That's too bad," Kyp said, a note of suspicion lining his voice. Brodey could tell that Kyp didn't buy his story one iota but to his surprise the older man didn't press. Kyp's respect for Brodey's privacy calmed him and he smiled at the realization that he was finally beginning to trust the jedi master.
"You're only beginning to trust me now? After half a year of apprenticeship? Man, that's not too good," Kyp commented.
"Durron!" Brodey began.
"I know, stay out of your head," Kyp droned, rolling his eyes up into his head.
Brodey nodded ominously but inside he felt like the occasional intrusion wasn't such a bad thing. It was right, what other people said about him. He did keep to himself and hold everything in, yet there was a difference between connecting with him and prying every little detail out of him. Kyp, so it seemed, was more of a master of subtlety than everybody thought.
"So, are you and Anja giving each other any breathing room?" Brodey asked with a yawn.
"No more than usual," Kyp chuckled. "She and I have a special relationship."
"If by special you mean seriously warped then I'll agree with you," Brodey laughed mockingly. "At least she's always glad to see me when you're around."
"Well, if I'm that talented at driving women to hate me and love their boyfriends then I should start a service once the war ends," Kyp joked. "What do you think?"
"I'd say go for it," Brodey said, yawning again.
"I think I will," Kyp answered, his eyes looking as if they were glancing toward a distant horizon. "For now I think I'll just stick to pestering people around here. It's my only defense against all the sickening cuteness."
"Also a good plan," Brodey agreed with a grin.
"You should get to bed, kid," Kyp said in his best father voice. "We've got a big day ahead and you definitely need sleep."
Brodey quickly discovered that Kyp was right. He desperately needed sleep. He hadn't slept more than seven hours in the past two days and no amount of jedi meditation could make up for a good night's sleep.
As Kyp left and Brodey crawled onto his sleeping pallet he contemplated his chances of getting restful sleep tonight. That, like everything else in his life, was uncertain. His last thoughts before his third eyelid glazed over the surface of his eye and his other eyelids drifted shut were of his brother. Why did he hate his brother?
~*~*~
"You almost ready?" Chaser asked his friend as Brodey strapped his vortex board to his ankle and finished zipping up his wetsuit. He didn't know what it was but something just didn't feel right. He didn't think he was ready and yet he was. Perhaps it was because of the dream he'd been having for the past few weeks. It seemed almost silly that he might miss a jump and injure himself. No, nothing bad was going to happen.
Even so, Brodey couldn't ignore the gnawing headache that scorched his brain and pounded through his skull. He needed a fix and he needed one now.
Chaser smiled, recognizing the withdrawal symptoms that were visible even without the force. Brodey looked haggard, dazed, and his skin was more translucent than usual. Chaser quickly fished into his pack, hoping that he could find the right stuff so his friend wouldn't pass out right there on the dock.
"This will get you ready," Chaser muttered as he secretly slipped an ice cold vial of a glowing gold substance into Brodey's palm. Brodey wasted no time, opening the vial with trembling hands and pouring its contents quickly down his parched throat.
The effects were immediate but surprising. His senses became enhanced and everything around him was brighter or louder or smelled stronger than before. His pupils dilated and the debilitating headache went away. All at once he felt more powerful than he ever had before.
"That's some good stuff!" Brodey gasped with wide eyes. "I feel great!"
"Best stuff I can get," Chaser answered proudly. "Pay me later for it. Get out there! I think they just called your number."
Brodey nodded. It wasn't every day that he made regionals for vortex skiing and boarding, and he'd really get embarrassed if he missed his call. His mind worked through his planned routine as he walked to the starting gate, board in hand. Nothing was going to mess this up for him. Nothing.
"Brodey!" A harsh voice yelled from behind. Brodey turned slightly, rolling his eyes in frustration. Ch'aanlei just couldn't leave him alone. "Father said for you to skip this match. It's too dangerous."
"Well you can tell father to go shove it you-know-where, because I'm NOT missing this match, not for anybody!" Brodey snapped back, turning fully around to confront his older brother. He only managed to take a step in Ch'aanlei's direction before he was thrown hard against a tree.
"Listen, you little druggie waster, and listen well," Ch'aanlei growled with fire in his eyes. "You do not speak that way about your father. He's bent himself over backwards trying to put up with you for the past year and he deserves some respect. I also won't put up with your constant sass. You, as the crown prince of this dynasty, are not going out on the course. I forbid you."
"Who died and made you chief of police?" Brodey lipped off back. "I'm going and there's nothing you can kriffing do to stop me!"
Brodey stalked quickly to the gate, brushing off Ch'aanlei's telekinetic attack as hatred filled his soul. They were already waiting for him to start. He didn't want to disappoint.
The hovership started off, pulling him up onto the surface of the ocean. Brodey stood up quickly with professional grace and gave them the thumbs up to increase the speed. A quick rev of the engine doubled the ship's velocity and pulled him across open waters toward the obstacles. A million things were on his mind as the spice worked its magic and his thoughts were a jumble of anger toward his brother and duty for his team. Academy's honor depended on his run. He wouldn't disappoint.
He landed the first ramp perfectly, performing an inverted twist flip and landing backwards. From this position he hit the smaller ramp and did a pike back flip to face forward again. The next two tricks were twin grinds on opposite sides of the ship's wake. He landed on top of the first rail edge and he could feel the scrape of the board as he slid along it. He jumped and turned a couple of times with expert accuracy and continued on along the rail. That's when pain exploded in his head, ripping through his brain like a lightsaber.
Brodey faltered, falling off the railing prematurely. He raised his arm in the air to call off the run but his board caught the wake of the ship. Like another ramp, the wake sent him flying through the air, only this time he was too blinded from the pain to land it correctly. Brodey fell, head first, toward the sharp edge of the rail. The last thing he remembered was sticking his left arm up to protect his head. Everything else after that point was observed through a hazy inferno of pain. He vaguely recalled being trapped under water, unable to breathe, and surrounded by swirls of crimson. All he could think of was that he was about to die.
~*~*~
Brodey shot up straight on his sleeping pallet as beads of sweat ran down his face. He breathed heavily from the nightmare and he discovered he was both drenched in sweat and shivering involuntarily. The horrible headache was still there and rapidly growing worse. He tried to swallow but found there was nothing to swallow as his throat and mouth were completely dry.
"Oh stang, not this again!" Brodey groaned as a chill coursed through his overstressed muscles. His body seemed to confirm the obvious, that it was indeed 'this' once again, as his stomach lurched with nausea and the world began to spin around him.
Brodey vaulted off the bed and hurried into the fresher. There he vomited, until there was nothing left of the small breakfast he'd devoured an hour earlier. Then, to his discomfort, he continued to retch violently. In between retching and blacking out for short amounts of time he cursed silently at the drug that was causing such horrible withdrawal. These episodes were merely flashbacks. Just little reminders of how much of an idiot he'd been three years ago. He'd messed around with Ganliet spice and now he was paying the price for his stupidity.
"Oh Brodey," Anja called sweetly as she entered the compartment of the ship where Brodey had been sleeping. Her hands fumbled with the sash of the robe she was wearing. "I have a surprise for you!"
Her eyes widened in shock as she passed by the fresher and found him lying motionless on the floor.
"Oh gods," She whispered, running in to help him.
~*~*~
"By the grace of El'aanus, did you see the spill he just took?" The medical attendant on the hovership shrieked. "Circle back around, now!"
The captain swung the ship around and headed for the spot next to the rail where Brodey had fallen in. Once the boat was close enough the medic jumped off the side of the ship with a life preserver, trying desperately to pull the young man out of the water before he bled to death. He knew just where to dive as he found the spot where the blood clouded the water. A meter below the surface he found him, bleeding profusely from a wound that had nearly severed his left arm just above the elbow. The crown prince's features were screwed up in agony and he feared that shock would set in long before he was able to pull the young man from the warm ocean waters.
~*~*~
"Brodey, can you hear me?" Kyp asked forcefully as he shook Brodey by the shoulders. The younger man's eyes opened slightly from the movement but all that was visible were the whites of his eyes. "Come on kid, come back to us!"
"What's wrong with him?" Jaina asked with a quaver in her voice.
"I'm not sure," Kyp answered truthfully. "It looks like some sort of sudden intestinal illness. I just don't think he gets sick that often, from what he told me."
"It does seem odd," Jaina agreed, snuggling up to Jag as looked down at her friend with a pitiful expression. "Do you think we should call off the mission?"
"No," A small voice answered weakly, and they all looked down at their fallen comrade. "Don't give up on the mission. I'm not that important."
"Oh, you're not that important, except that whoever we're meeting made a point of sending a message to you," Anja said coolly, narrowing her eyes at him. She already knew the reason for his illness. It was obvious. His skin was translucent, his eyes were widely dilated, and he had headaches and chills. All were common symptoms of spice withdrawal.
~*~*~
"Get my pack! We need to get a pressure wrap on his arm, now!" The medic gasped as he hauled Brodey's limp body onto the ship. The captain froze, staring in horror at the youth's arm. "Don't just stand there! Move!"
As the captain ran to retrieve the life support kit that was onboard the medic performed an assessment of Brodey's condition. The young prince's rapid heart rate wasn't helping the blood loss and after a quick check he'd determined the cause. Spice. Now he just needed to find out which type he'd taken so he could administer the proper antidote.
The hovership sped back toward shore at an illegal speed and all the medic could do was stop the bleeding and pray that he would make it.
"Don't give up on me now, kid," He muttered to his patient.
~*~*~
"Please, just don't give up on me now," Kyp said softly as he wiped Brodey's forehead with a cool cloth. "Stay with me, kid!"
"Do you think we should try giving him some water?" Jag asked with a frown.
Kyp was about to answer when Anja interjected. "He wouldn't be able to keep any of it down."
"Why is that? How do you know?" Jaina questioned, still looking visibly shook up.
"Because I've seen this before," Anja said cryptically. "And so have you."
"You don't mean. . ." Jaina gasped in shock but then trailed off as if she feared the next words that would come out of her mouth.
"Spice withdrawal," Anja said in a grave tone.