His mind couldn't seem to focus. He couldn't recall what was going on.
All he can focus right now, is the woman he held dearly in his arms... And, how much his heart is breaking, over and over, at the sight of her.
Kylo's face was blank... Haunted, completely numb from any kind of thought or emotion, as he stares down at the calm, the peaceful expression on her face.
If not for the blood coming out of her neck and the rain splashing over her face... And, most of all, the empty connection that he once felt was their Force-Bond, he could make himself believe that she's merely sleeping.
But he can't lie to himself. This is reality.
...And, in his arms, Rey's-...
Something flashed in her left-hand, and he sees it being her lightstaff, that once was his uncle's very own lightsaber.
He had expected her to give it to Chewie, so he could give it to his mother to hold on to what was left of her brother. But, no doubt, even in her delusional sense of thinking, she didn't want to give the Wookiee the clear sign that she's finally reached her breaking point and had come to believe her life isn't worth living.
It still didn't make finding her, cold and covered in blood... Lifeless, any easier.
He choked on his sobs, pulled her against his chest, rocking the two back and forth.
His eyes could barely make out the Lanais in front of him, speaking in a language that he assumes to be them giving him their condolences and apologizing for his loss.
He didn't wanted their apologies... He wanted Rey. He wanted their Bond-...
...Their Bond...
His eyes clenched tightly. Tears escaped from the corner of his eyes.
"...Reeey..." He winced out.
His fingers fisted into her cloak, as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, ignoring that he going to have her blood cover his face. That he'll be smelling copper. Feel the faint rising of her che-...
His eyes snapped opened, pulled back, stared down at her so calm face.
...Then, with a shaky left-hand, laid a hand over her chest. Where her heart-... Her heart.
...
...
...*Thump-Thump*...
A quivering breathe left him and, almost immediately but gently, laid her down on the ground to rip part of his cape to make makeshift bandages to wrap around her neck and stop the breathing. Tight enough to slow the flow of blood, but not too tight to suffocate her.
Then, pulling her back against him, Kylo pulled the communicator out from his belt.
"ETA! NOW!" He yelled through the storm.
"Ten minutes, the soonest, Supreme Leader." Pryde answered, being calm. "But, two of your knights, Kuruk and Vicrul, with a medical staff on hand, went on ahead to Ahch-To in your Command Shuttle to meet you before we do. They'll be arriving in a few minutes."
Kylo sent a muttering praise to the Maker for having his knights coming to the rescue.
"Continue through, double time!" He ordered, pulling Rey against him with one arm. "And have the Medbay ready for injured! -He paused for a moment, using the time to carry Rey in a bridal-style and getting to his feet.- And Pryde, when you get here, have the tractor beam bring my TIE Silencer back on the Finalizer... Do NOT attack the Millennium Falcon, the Wookiee or any of the inhabitants of Ahch-To. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Supreme Leader."
As soon as the line went dead, Kylo immediately started for the Millennium Falcon, knowing that Chewie may have some medical items to help him keep Rey alive until Kuruk and Vicrul arrive with a medical staff.
One of the Lanais called out to him and when he turned, barely containing himself to stop when his senses are telling him to move and save his Sonellia, she said something that he couldn't understand through her words.
But, from the look in her eyes, a clearer message was seen.
"Save her, and cherish her as she deserves to be."
He gave her a firm nod and, with a sudden burst of energy, took off running in the rain.
Rey didn't make the slightest of sounds, but the slight wincing from the jostling reassured Kylo that she's still responsive to pain and discomfort.
Kylo tightened his hold on her, pressing her face against his the throat, as his fingers pressed into her neck-wound.
"Keep fighting, Rey." He whispered, straining to focus on the slight sliver of their Force-Bond, faint and wavering to fade. "Don't give up. Stay with me... Don't leave me...!"
"Chewie!"
The Wookiee, standing before the ramp and simply staring down at his feet, slowly turned to see a man that was once his Little Starfighter, his little nephew, before Han and Leia sent him away to go train with Luke.
He expected to see Ben to go on a rampage, to attack the Falcon and demand to know where his mother was hiding, or even the screams of peril from the Lanais... What he didn't expect, was for him to run to him, face covered in blood. With a pale, lifeless Rey, with blood oozing from her neck underneath makeshift bandages, in his arms.
He didn't want to hope, not wanted to be wrong and mistaken on what this meant. But, still...
He yelp grumbled.
"Little Light?"
He reached his massive paw to her, but Ben wasn't going to let her go. Not now. Not ever.
His grip tightened, his body shaking from the cold and adrenaline.
"We need to stop the bleeding," he told the Wookiee. "My knights will be here, with a medical staff on board, in a few minutes. Do you have any medical devices to help with the bleeding?"
Chewie wasn't really on board to the thought of First Order troops coming anywhere near him, let alone Rey. But, he knew that time was of the essence and there was very little to help keep her alive.
Quickly, he motioned for Kylo to follow him and entered the Falcon. The Porgs, while uncertain of the stranger, flew into the ship, too. Mostly, to stay warm from the rain and, also, to see what was wrong with one of their human companions.
Once in the bottom deck, Wookiee had Ben lay Rey out on the seat, while he digs through the drawers in search for a med-kit and/or whatever he could find that can help stop the bleeding.
Kylo had little time to look upon childhood memory of being in the Millennium Falcon, for the first time in so many years, as he keeps his gaze on a still, pale Rey. The material of his cape is thick to help keep the cold from touching his body, but even its sturdy material can't keep the blood from seeping through after seven minutes of adding pressure.
He clamped his right-hand over the wound, as he went to remove both the blanket and the cloak off of her body, knowing that being in very wet clothes may make her body temperature drop and go into shock. Though, at the same time, the cold would help slow down the flow of blood.
But, again, whatever decision they choose, will have a consequence to deal with.
Twenty seconds later, and Chewie was still going through whatever material he was able to stock up on the ship.
"Chewie!" He called out, looking away from Rey to see the Wookiee pulling and throwing items that are in the way. "We need to stop the blood-flow, now!"
In response, Chewie turned and roared at the boy. A clear "I KNOW!" could be heard in his tone, as he kept digging.
...Then, seven seconds later, he pulled out a field cauterizer.
Without thinking, he tossed it to Kylo, who caught it with his left, and came over to hold both of Rey's cold-hands.
Quickly, Ben unwrapped the bandages around her neck, grimacing at the sight of the exposed muscles underneath the open cut of her skin her scavenging-knife left.
He'd seen his fair share of open wounds, mostly from his enemies and not batting an eye of a Stormtrooper received similar injuries. Training with Snoke would result near to fatal wounds, which includes sever cuts and open wounds.
When he saw Snoke's guard leave a burn-cut on her right-shoulder, back on the Supremacy, he went berserk and took it out on the two guards that kept him from going to her.
...But, seeing the self-inflicted cut, done by her own hands, the classic sign of her surrendering to cease from the trials she had to endure... His heart panged heavily, as if he was the one being stabbed by an unknown assailant... As if to punish him, blaming him, for not being there when she needed him.
He knew how much it was going to hurt, and knew that Rey isn't a stranger when it comes to pain. It still doesn't make it any easier, let alone better.
But, he knows that he has to do this.
He leaned over, whispered into her.
"I'm sorry, Rey." He apologized, then quickly laid a kiss over her forehead, not caring that Chewie was there.
He turned the field cauterizer on, watching it spark to life and, taking a deep breath... He pressed it to the wound.
Kylo had hoped she wouldn't respond to the burning, despite that her screaming or showing some kind of reaction to the medical tool would be a good sign. Thus, he was in mixed feelings when Rey screamed and started writhing in pain.
Chewie kept her on her back, as Ben forced himself to cauterize the wound, which the field cauterizer succeeded to do, plus clean and disinfect the wound.
Rey's screams were brief, having to stop and cough out what Kylo thought was blood... Only to see a dark-brown liquid-like substance escape through her pale-blue lips, almost the color of mud.
Kylo turned to Chewie, confused.
"What is that, Chewie?" He grunted, keeping the field cauterizer directly over the wound when Rey sluggishly attempted to pull away.
The Wookiee gave his pseudo-nephew a grievous look. He didn't know how the thirty year-old man was going to react when he tells him about the disease Rey gained from the many years living on Jakku.
He practically threw massive tantrum, screaming and tossing around any form of cargo within his reach, including rocking an X-Wing and tipping it over. Poor Finn nearly gotten himself killed, four times, in his attempt to calm him down.
So, he gave him a simple answer, a low rumble that Ben understood.
"Her sickness."
His brows knitted together.
"'Sickness'?"
Chewie, rather than clarify, jerked his head towards a desk. There, a small-medical screen-pad sat.
"It progressed, a few months after Crait." He informed Ben, as he gently instructed him to pull the field cauterizer away from Rey's neck and brought out gauze to wrap around her wound. "...Kalonia had identified it as Stage Three."
Kylo glared at the Wookiee.
"Stage Three of what?!" He hissed.
Chewie shook his head, not having the strength to say it without having to go through another rampage.
Before he could push the Wookiee to tell him, a static sound came into his ear.
"Master, we've just exited Hyperspace and arrived on Ahch-To!" Vicrul announced.
It was a makersend to hear they came.
Kylo pulled Rey against his chest and carried her in a bridal-style, again.
He started making his way to the exit, when Chewie grabbed for his arm, grumbling and roaring at him.
"Where are you taking her?!"
At a time like this, he'd use the Force to get the Wookiee to let go of him. But, really, he didn't want to bring harm to one of the few loved ones in his lives that truly did care for him. However, he didn't have time to argue, knowing the field cauterizer will buy them some time to help save Rey and keep her alive.
He jerked his arm free, taking a few steps back and tightening his hold on his Sonellia.
"Where do you think I'm taking her, Chewie?" He growled. "She taking her back, with me, on the Finalizer. The Medbay are heavily equipped with the latest medical devices and, if you want Rey to keep living, you'll stay out of my way and let us go!"
Chewie growled back at the man he knew since birth. Though, while it may seem to be one or of distrust, the growl was more of his turmoil to let her go and be taken to the enemy.
...Of course, despite witnessing Han's death by his own son and having to shoot him... He doesn't view Ben as the enemy.
Still, he doesn't feel comfortable on letting the girl leave his sight and taken away from him. Not again.
So, he made a compromise.
"I go with you, too."
Kylo narrowed his eyes on the Wookiee. Whether he didn't want him to come with him, or was hiding his shock to the Wookiee's demanding request, Chewie doesn't know and doesn't really care what he thinks.
He grumbled and growled.
"I wasn't there for you, when you needed us the most, Little Starfighter. And, as a result, you were lost to us and killed Han. I refuse to lose Little Light, too!"
Then, to Ben's astonishment, Chewie pulled out his Bowcaster.
"You can use the Force to kill me, stop me from blasting my way to take Little Light somewhere you won't ever find us, again, and I won't care if it does ends up getting me killed. But, I won't let another cub I love and cherish to be taken from me, just to hear they didn't make it and I wasn't there to help them or even say goodbye!"
Kylo stared at his pseudo-uncle, one of the very few that never feared him and had openly loved him for who he was. Then, back down at Rey, who coughed another mouth full of the dark-brown phlegm.
He grunted or a low curse... Then, he looked back at the Wookiee.
"...Follow."
"Master!" Vicrul greeted, being followed by four medical staff members, two on each side of a hovering medical stretcher.
They all stopped in their tracks when they see, not just their master and the pale-girl he held in his arms, but a giant, intimidating Wookiee, armed with a Bowcaster... And, on both of his shoulders and the top of his head, five Porgs hitching a ride on him.
Kylo didn't say anything, as he gently placed Rey on the stretcher.
"Get us to the Finalizer!" He yelled, removing his cape and placing it over Rey to shield her from the rain. "Have Pryde use the tractor beam to bring the ship with us... Have somebody get a room ready for the Wookie... And inform all of our troops that neither the ship or the Wookiee are to be harmed."
Vicrul and the rest of the Knights of Ren had met the Wookie, Chewie, the very few rare moments he and Han would come over to check up on Ben. And, like many, they were very intimated by the large creature's appearance, being children and the low population of the Wookiee from their imprisonment in slavery and dying as a result.
And as an adult, he was still as intimidating as ever, Bowcaster and all. Even with the Porgs riding him making him look more like a giant Ewok.
"Vicrul!" Kylo yelled, bringing his friend from his train of thoughts and to focus on what he told him to do.
"Right away, Master."
Vicrul ran on ahead back into the shuttle, as Kylo, Chewie follow the medical staff guiding the stretcher back on the ship.
"What's the status?" One of the doctors, a nurse, questioned, pulling a breathing mask to place over Rey's face.
Two of the four doctors pulled out five electrodes from a compartment of the stretcher, as a second nurse pulled the black-cape down to expose the upper-half of her body, pulled out some scissors-like equipment and started cutting her tunic open.
Kylo didn't like that they were going to expose the top-half of her body, but knew that they're only doing their job and mustn't have anything in their that. Besides, her clothes are a bit bigger and needs a new set of clothing, which he'll order the ships top tailors to do once she's taken cared of.
He was a bit taken that she was wearing an old breast band to support her size-B chest, which the nurse, also, cut off with the scissors. He didn't think his mother would have her wear the same clothes she wore on Jakku, which he knows that wasn't the case and had come to term that Rey, herself, chose to wear her old-clothing.
Kylo glared at the decoration of scars, a few burn-marks and what looks to be whip-marks that covered her shoulders, arms, part of her chest and stomach*. The evidence of her harsh past she had to endure on her own, before the defected traitor founded her. He had to bite his tongue when he sees the showing of her ribs, and how sunken her stomach was from her hip-bones sticking out underneath her skin.
The doctors placed two of the five electrodes on both side of her first, over where her lungs are, one directly on the right-side of her heart, and the last two directly on top of her ribcage.
A holographic imagery of a heart monitor popped up, showing waves of Rey's heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration, and body temperature.
As soon as the screen popped up and they were all on the shuttle, an irritated beeping screeched out and startled everybody by the readings and a computerized voice reading them out loud.
WARNING! WARNING! PATIENT'S HEALTH STATUS: CRITICAL!
HEART RATE: 42 BEEPS PER MINUTE
BLOOD PRESSURE: 80/40; STATUS DROP, STEADILY
TEMPERATURE: 92.7 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT; STATUS DROP, STEADILY
RESPIRATION: 8; STATUS DROP, VARY
OXYGEN SATURATION: 87; STATUS DROP, CRITICAL
CAUSE(S) OF STATUS:
BLOOD LOSS
DAMAGE TO CAROTID ARTERY
HYPOTHERMIA
RESPIRATORY FAILURE
SOURCE CAUSE(S):
FOREIGN SUBJECT (KNIFE, IDENTIFIED AS CAUSE TO DAMAGE)
PNEUMONIA (SEVERE) [UNKNOWN CAUSE TO SOURCE]
TEMPERATURE CLIMATE; INABILITY RESISTANCE TOWARDS COLDER CLIMATE
"'Unknown'?! What the Sith?!" One doctor cursed out, pulling out a Mylar blanket from their medical pack to replace Kylo's cape.
"How is this affecting her oxygen level? This doesn't make any sense!" Another exclaimed, turning up the stretcher's oxygen tank to give Rey more air through her mask. "Increasing Oxygen Level. Raising to five percent... Ten percent... Fifteen percent."
The hissing sound of oxygen can be heard from underneath the mask, forcing air into Rey's closed, pale-blue lips and nose.
Kylo stood by and watch, unease from how anxious the medical staff are about her condition.
"Have that blood ready." The head nurse ordered, forcing knitted socks on Rey's feet and pulling out what looks to be some form of vacuum hose and, flipping a switch, held it underneath the Mylar blanket and warm-air blew out.
The second nurse pulled out her stethoscope, and went to listen to Rey's heart and lungs. The expression on her face, confused and worried, told Kylo that something else is seriously wrong with his beloved.
"What the-...? -She removed the ear-buds and turned to a male doctor.- Dr. Skid, you need to listen to this."
The doctor, a near middle-aged man with greyish-white hair, came over to the nurse and used his own stethoscope to take a listen. He, too, appeared unfamiliar with what he was hearing.
Kylo glared at the doctors.
"What is it?" He growled. "What's wrong?"
Before he could answer, Rey coughed into her mask, leaving small-spots of dark-brown phlegm to decorate the breathing mask.
The four doctors were startled by the sight. The head doctor went pale at the phlegm she asphyxiated.
"It can't be..."
Immediately, Dr. Skid went to his medical bag and pulled out a wand-like device and a tube of clear-gel.
"Please, don't be what I think it is." He hissed, forcing out a few small-streams of gel on her chest and glided the small-device over chest, above and in-between her breasts.
They all heard the thumping of her heart, which was going at a slow paste... But, when he moved the wand to her chest, they heard crackling sounds with each breath she took. And, with each breath she took, sounds as if she's straining to catch a breath.
Dr. Skid turned to the doctor who was still slowly but steadily increasing the amount of oxygen to give to their patient.
"Up the Oxygen Level to thirty!" He barked, before turning to the head nurse. "Have the computer run a scan for Silica, with the phlegm she just asphyxiated! -He turned to the other female-doctor.- Contact the Medbay, and tell them to ready the Bacta tank for our patient! Also, to have our leading surgeons on standby!"
His three colleagues gave him looks of uncertainty, but all they all quickly followed his orders.
Kylo and Chewie were at a loss on what was going on, though Chewie had ahunch that he knew why they were panicking.
The thirty year-old man, annoyed that his question was being ignored and nobody telling him what was wrong, stomped towards Dr. Skid.
"What is the meaning of this? Why the demand for the Bacta tank to be ready?" He growled, containing himself to not Force Choke the doctor when he's treating Rey and seems to know what's wrong.
Or, so he thought.
The lead doctor turned to Kylo, very much nervous and terrified of his presence and demand, but remain standing beside his patient.
"Supreme Leader," he said. "I believe I may know what's wrong with the girl-"
"This 'girl', who you're addressing to, is going to be your Empress." Kylo hissed, his hand teaching out and clenching at the Mylar blanket. "You best be careful on what you say, the next time you're address my Sonellia, Doctor."
The doctors are very much taken back by the this reveal. And soon, their concern turned into terror and frantic.
Dr. Skid swallowed at the lump in his throat.
"...Supreme Leader, if she is to be your Mistress and our Empress, then you must answer me this important question, if you truly desire her as your beloved: What planet was she born on, and how long had she been living on a planet with at least sixty-seven percent desert environment?"
If it was anybody else, Kylo would pin him to the wall, with or without the Force, and stab him with his lightsaber, for having such insolence for speaking up to him. But, he knows that he and his colleagues are working hard to keep Rey alive until they return to the Finalizer.
Still, his brown-eyes glared darkly at the older-male.
"...Jakku," he growled. "She was born and raised on Jakku, for most of her nineteen years ofl life, until she finally left that dustball, six months ago."
Dr. Skid's Autumn-like eyes widened to the answer, which seem to grew when the computer told the results of the test.
SCAN COMPLETE
READING LEVEL: CRITICAL
PROGNOSIS OF SILICA: FATAL
RESULTS FOR SILICA FINDING: STAGE THREE SILICOSIS
The four doctors were all frozen in horror by the announcement.
Chewie lowered his head, whimpering of the news he was reminded that the girl was dying.
The thirty year-old male was completely at a loss as to what the condition meant, but didn't get the chance to ask when Dr. Skid ran over to the second nurse and was given the comm to the Medbay.
"HAVE THE BACTA TANK READY FOR US, AT THE LOADING DOCK! I REPEAT, HAVE THE BACTA TANK READY FOR US, AT THE LOADING DOCK! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! WE HAVE A STAGE THREE SILICOSIS PATIENT! HAVE THE SURGEONS THERE, TO ANALYZE AND DISCUSS COURSE OF ACTION TO SAVE THE SUPREME LEADER'S CONSORT!"
Kylo watches the doctor give order to the Medbay, as he removed the glove off of his left-hand and gently grabbed Rey's right-hand. It was pale, with her nails looking whitish, and icy cold to the touch.
He searched for their Bond with the Force, needing a distraction to help him focus on something and to ensure himself that she still alive.
Like before, it was faint, but it was beating. Like her heart.
It's the only thing that's keeping him from murdering the doctors, Chewie and, if possible, Kuruk and Vicrul.
[Vicrul, have General Pryde exit Hyperspace as soon as we're a minute away from meeting! We can't risk colliding the shuttle with the Finalizer, not like how the Resistance used their own ship to bring down the Supremacy!] Kylo
[Already gave him the order, Master! They shall rendezvous with us in the Batuu System!] Vicrul
They're heading for an ally planet. Meaning, safety and gathering resources to help Rey.
He only pray that she holds on. She only has to hold on, for him.
For Kylo finally has her, and he wasn't going to let her go.
A nine year-old boy sits in front of his window. Eyes full of longing and desperation, as he stares up at the moon that greeted him for the night.
He wished it would speak to him, like the voice that comforts him when his parents spoke of him, fear and angry.
"...Please..." He pleaded.
A Few Minutes Later...
"Make way! We have wounded!" Dr. Skid yelled, pushing from the head of the stretcher, with his colleagues assisting him on pushing the stretcher.
As he ordered, the surgeons he requested are all on the deck, all standing around a tank filled with blue-liquid and a couple of equipments with them. A few droids are there, as well.
"Dr. Skid!" One of the surgeons greeted, as he looked down at Rey and seeing her stats hanging over her.
"Nineteen year-old female! Self-inflicted wound to the neck! Cauterized by a field cauterizer, but damage has been detected in Carotid Artery!"
Kylo, following from behind with Chewie to his left, glared as he watches the male doctors quickly removing her torn clothes and leaving her in nothing but her underwear, which seem to be made of the same scratchy material as her clothes and are styled as boyshorts. Other than that, however, the female-staff quickly took over and, with the males holding up some sheets to cover her nudity, quickly put her in white, medical breast band and shorts-like underwear.
Kuruk and Vicrul, without stopping, left to gather the rest of the knights and inform them of what occurred.
After that was done, the head nurse injected a shot of anesthesia into her arm... Then, gasped when she stared down at her wrist and saw the lines she instantly recognizes as self-inflicted wounds.
She stared up at Dr. Skid, who, also, saw the marks.
"...Doctor..." She whispered.
Dr. Skid, knowing what this meant, nodded his head.
"Do it." He told her.
Immediately, she pulled out a sedative from her pocket and quickly injected it.
While all of this was going on, Pryde went over to Kylo. And, as expected, he was very taken back by Chewie's presence.
"Supreme Leader." He greeted, bowing his head. "We received the order from Master Vicrul and had brought in the Millennium Falcon, as instructed."
Kylo didn't turned to him, but nodded his head to confirm he heard him and approved of his actions.
"Any issues with the prisoners?" He asked, watching the doctors put in a different form of breathing mask and nasal cannula to Rey's mouth and nose, along with removing the electrodes off of her body.
On the ground, he sees that her lightsaber had fallen when the doctors removed her clothes.
"Only the usual rambling and struggling to resist, but nothing too serious, Supreme Leader." Pryde informed, looking over to see the medical staff getting a thin, unresponsive girl ready for the Bacta tank. "...I take it that something is medically wrong with the girl?"
There was no form of disrespect or insult of any kind coming from his Allegiant General, though didn't seem worried as to know why she's in a state that requires her to go into the Bacta tank.
Not bothering to answer him, Kylo walked over, bent down and gently collected the lightsaber into his left-hand. He, also, saw that underneath the lightsaber, was a small-leather bag. He reached for it in his right-hand.
He turned to Chewie, who stayed quiet but continue to watch the doctors on how they handle Rey.
"What is this?"
The Wookiee made a grumble wobble response, which many don't seem to understand but Ben.
"She couldn't get all of the pieces to get together."
Kylo was confused by the news, so he opened the little-leather bag and, to his shock, sees the remaining pieces of the Kyber-crystal of Rey's lightsaber. Luke's lightsaber.
He was unconscious when he and Rey fought to take the lightsaber on the Supremacy and the blast of the crystal pushed them back. He assumed that it was destroyed into two pieces and that Rey had his mother help her to heal the crystal into a whole, but clearly, his assumption was wrong.
"Patient's ready!" Dr. Skid announced, gently pulling her against him and, with some help from his colleagues and avoiding to not mess with the medical equipments attached to her, scaled up the ladder and let her sink into the liquid of the Bacta tank.
As soon as she went in, they began to wheel her towards their Emergency Room.
Kylo turned to Pryde.
"Return to the command deck. Vicrul and Kuruk will debrief you on what needs to be done. Continue your duties, do notpermit anybody but my knights to go into that ship and keep a constant visual on Hux." He ordered, and quickly ran after the doctors, with Chewie at his side.
A Few Hours Later...
He watches from above, forbidden to be in the room without any protective gear or risk contaminating the sanitized room and complicating Rey's condition.
Still, even behind the glass and watching her floating in the tank, being observed and treated by doctors and a couple of droids, it was painful for Kylo to not be able to be down there with her. Let alone, touch her.
Chewie, standing on the other-side watches the doctors and droids work. They couldn't hear what they were saying, but he can tell by the expression on their faces, it wasn't good.
A couple of holographic imageries popped up, showing them the inside of Rey's body and the status of her condition. The one that shows her heart rate and breathing, is the only thing to tell them that she's still alive.
Standing in front of her, the six surgeons talked amongst each other. Whether they couldn't come to an agreement or are already making plans as to how to treat their patient, the Supreme Leader couldn't know for certain.
A big, furry-paw keeps itself on his left-shoulder, puking him to look up and stare at his pseudo-uncle.
"They'll save her... Right?" He asked, not wanting to get his hopes up until he knows for certain that they can save Rey.
Kylo's eyes glared up at the Wookiee, shoving his paw off of him.
"My medical staff are the most skilled and highly recommended healers in the First Order. Of course they'll save her." He growled, turning back to stare down at his beloved. "Because they know what's at stake, if they let her die."
The Wookiee stared down at the young man, unease by his words and how his expression appear very menacing.
The double-doors behind them opened, and Dr. Skid came in. A Droid, called XLR-8, walked beside the doctor.
"Supreme Leader, we have her results." He started, before he went quiet and gave him a clear look of dread. "And, I'm afraid they aren't good."
He had a hunch that it was going to come down to that, but even his cold-stone heart wasn't prepared to hear the devastating news.
Kylo glared at the doctor.
"Proceed." He hissed underneath clenched teeth.
Instead, XLR-8, a droid to have the skeletal structure of a male-human, only with it face blank, walked up and, with his robotic eyes, produced a holographic screen of an X-ray to a human's chest and lungs.
...More specifically, Rey's X-ray.
"Thorough scans indicates sever scarring to both lungs," the robot reported. "Moderate/High exposure to Silica had been detected within the patient's body, mostly through exposure through inhalation of sand and old-metal particles. Patient's health had, also, been damaged, due to lack of nutrients, over-exhertion and history of physical abuse. BMI score twenty percent below average, concluding patient bring underweight. Tests indicate, due to conditions, the patient could have difficulties conceiving children and, if not treated, can cause premature labor to likely occur*."
Kylo's hands clenched into tight fists, seething in rage towards Unkar Plutt for all he put his beloved through and is more than ready to have his knights to go hunt for that slimy sack of Hutt fat and bring him to the ship for vengeance.
"So, you're saying Rey will be incapable on having children?"
He hoped that the droid wasn't going to tell him that their children, their sons and daughter, hopefully more of them, are merely a longing dream that'll never come true, unless he chooses to endanger their health and risk Rey giving her life for them.
Luckily, the robot shook its head.
"Not at all, Supreme Leader. She'll be able to conceive, once her body is at a healthier state to help her cycle regulate and aid her to carry the full cycle of pregnancy."
That was a major relief to hear for Ben. Of course, even if there was a chance that she couldn't have children, they would've gone to adopt children that are left to tend for themselves, unloved and rejected. Like he and Rey were.
He will gain the family they longed to have, whether it be through their lovemaking or to take in treasures that others had carelessly tossed away or made into orphans.
"While that's one issue that can be fixable, Supreme Leader, I'm afraid that isn't the main issue as to what's been ailing her." Dr. Skid cut in, looking very regretful on tarnishing the relief from the Supreme Leader but needed him to hear what he has to tell him. And show him.
He walked up to the hologram and pointed at one of her lungs. Which, he realized, had a bunch of white-parts all over the lungs instead of being full and black.
"What we're seeing here, are scar tissues from the Crystalline Silica she inhaled over the years. They're badly inflamed and, from the exposure she's been breathing in, many of the cells had died and had now left her lungs severely damaged... But, I'm afraid that's not the worst of it."
Chewie jumped to that last part, slightly trembling and whimpering on what the doctor was going to say next.
XLR-8 changed the imagery from Rey's lungs, to what Ben could best described as wrinkled, shriveled beans.
Dr. Skid could tell that both were confused by the imagery, and he hated on what he has to tell them.
"These are her kidneys... They're both damaged, from Kidney Disease."
Neither Kylo, nor Chewie, could find the words to even ask the doctor or the droid on how she contacted Kidney Disease.
XLR-8 turned off the imagery of Rey's kidneys, then turned to the quiet Supreme Leader.
"The Bacta tank will keep the patient's vitals steady, and heal the self-inflicted wound to her wound. The surgeons are still in discussion on what they need to do, but, given the information of the patient's status, the best and only solution to help improve her health, is immediate Lung Transplant and Kidney Transplant... Yet, even if the surgery ends up a success, chances are she'll end up being on permanent medication. And, if she's to have a longer life period, she can no longer engage combat."
Chewie growled lowly, barely able to hold it in to hear that his cub she'll be weakened and be unable to keep fighting, even if they do end up helping her.
Kylo was just as angered to the news that she won't be allowed to fight, but would rather she has a long life that involves her standing outside of the battlefield than fighting by his side and pushing herself to the point her body gives out from the strain. Plus, he's plenty strong for the both of them and can take on just about anybody, with or without assistance. Besides, she's strong in the Force just as he is and won't require her to use her physical strength to strain her health. So, with him training her to use the Force, she won't be entirely defenseless if something were to happen and he isn't around to protect.
Not that he's gonna ever leave her. And, if for some reason he has to leave her, he can leave one or two of his knights to guard their new sister-in-law.
"Do it." He grunted out, turning away from the doctor to stare down at Rey.
Both the doctor and the droid turned to each other, a bit astonished that he would tell them to do the surgery. Chewie, hearing his decision, simply stared down at him. Not happy with the decision, but also not apposed to it.
"...Supreme Leader." Dr. Skid said. "While surgery will be the most ideal on treating the girl, we'll need to go over on what is likely to take place, during and after the surgery. And, if you still insist on having her go through surgery, even after hearing what the consequences will be-"
"Consequences be damned." Kylo seethed out, almost ready to Force Choke the doctor. "I want you and the surgeons to do whatever it takes to keep Rey alive. Whatever it takes for her to live, as long as she can.
He laid his left-hand on the glass, as if trying to reach out to his Sonellia from down below.
He knew that this is the only choice to save her life... To save them both.
"For her to stay by my side... No matter what."
TBC
*: We all expect Ben to have scars from his training, beatings and battles when under Snoke's care. But, while Rey clearly shows to be starved, we gotta expect she, herself, had earned her own fair-share of scars from beating, scavenging and fighting for her life when under Unkar's care as his slave.
*: I'm not certain if they still use the same droids as Palpatine had, or stuck with new droids before the Supremacy was destroyed. So, for the story, XLR-8 is a made up droid.
*: I'm gonna be honest. In spite my mom being a NICU Nurse and knowing some medical stuff from her studies, along with her mom and sister being doctors, I'm not a hundred percent certain of this is true or not. I had to look up some medical things, online, to give me an idea on what's going on.
So, if I made an error that people who know their medical smarts, I apologize.
R&R