A/N: Wow! Somewhere along the line I lost track of time. It's been awhile since I updated this story. Hopefully my muse will cooperate. Once again, this story carried me away and didn't end where I expected it too. Oh well! On to the story and I hope this update makes up for the delay. Enjoy! I would like to thank Erisjadeblack for beta'ing this for me!

Taking Down the Fortress

Chapter 12

Jayd's POV

"Let me know if there is any change."

"Yes doctor," the nurse answered, taking notes on a datapad as she left the room.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as I dragged a tired hand down my face. My eyes were glued to my friend and patient's body floating in the green liquid inside the kolto tank. "Gods Theron," I mumbled.

How in the frack had this happened?! He should've been safe. I just sent him to take a shower and get something to eat. Even Theron couldn't find trouble inside our own base. Oh, how terribly wrong I was! I was blindsided when Tora came running into the medbay, yelling about Theron being hurt, and pushing a datapad into my hands. We had only moments to prep before Koth and company came in carrying Theron. There was blood everywhere and on everyone, marring skin, soaking into clothes, and dripping on to the floor. Under the bruises covering his face, Theron was unnaturally pale and his lips were blue from lack of oxygen. He looked so bad, for a long moment I thought he'd died on the way down here. Relief washed over me when I saw his chest rise and fall with a breath. It was small but there. By far, the worst was…the metal protruding through Theron's chest. He was run through! What the frack?!

Unable to believe what I was seeing, I momentarily froze. Luckily during lapse, our trauma team immediately took over, trying to save and prep him for surgery. I snapped out of it and we quickly worked together, removing clothes, starting intravenous lines, and inserting a breathing tube down his throat. While another doctor put in a chest tube, I'd contacted Theron's father, Jace Malcom, to get permission to treat.

Gods Jace! What in all the hell was I going to tell him? Hopefully he was already en route to Odessen and I still had no idea how this happened. And if Theron died? What then? How would I tell Jace his son was dead? Or Zane? Frack…

Because Theron dying was still a very real possibility…and if that happened there would be hell to pay…

"How's he doing Doc?"

The voice surprised me. Turning I found Koth standing just inside the room, a look of concern on his face as he studied the kolto tank and Theron inside. "He made it through surgery," I answered.

"Well that's something," Koth said, walking up to stand next to me, "Isn't it?"

"Maybe," I sighed, rubbing my temples, trying to relieve my nagging headache.

"We could still lose him?"

"If he makes it through the next 48-72 hours I'll be more optimistic."

"Kriff," Koth cursed, shaking his head. "What happened in there?"

"We," Jayd started but stopped, shaking his head. He continued, "Theron's heart stopped twice on the table. The second time I thought we'd lost him; that he was gone and there was no getting him back. Just as we were about to give up Dr. Belman got it started again," I explained.

"Frack."

"Yeah," I agreed. Our eyes were glued on Theron in the tank and the beeping of the monitors that assured us that he was still alive, that his heart was beating. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked the other man, "So what in all the hells happened?"

"Remember the fubar'd mission and the new kid, Samgir?"

"Yeah," I hesitantly answered.

"From what I've learned, the kid caught Theron in the mess hall," Koth started to explain. "I'm not sure what was said between the pair but it came to blows."

"Theron," I sighed, shaking my head. I could guess what set my friend off. He wouldn't react well to any negative comments about Zane.

Nodding toward the tank, Koth went on, "He was getting the better of the soldier until two of Samgir's friends jumped in to help. Three against one, when I got there they were holding Theron while Samgir beat the shit out of him." With a look in his eyes, Koth said, "I wasn't letting them get away with that."

"That explains some of the injuries," I mused, the orbital fracture, broken ribs, and ruptured spleen.

"My crew and I jumped in," he said, "pretty much turned into a brawl before it was broken up."

That still didn't explain one of Theron's most significant injuries. Puzzled I asked. "How did he get run through?"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Koth took a few long moments before he answered, "That's even more screwed up."

I didn't say a word and just waited for him to finish.

"The fight was over, broken up for the most part when a force wave swept across the room," Koth continued, "knocked us all around. Apparently it knocked back an already injured Theron, threw him into a broken table. The leg of the table was driven through him."

That sounded about right, just Theron's dumb luck. "Who did it?" I questioned.

"The force wave?"

"Yes."

"Lana," he sighed.

"A Sith Lord injured Theron?" I asked to make sure I had the facts straight.

"In her defense, I don't believe she intended to hurt him or anyone for that matter."

"I'm not sure that's going to matter."

"Why?"

"Theron's father is headed this way."

"The Supreme Commander?"

"Yes," I replied, "And I'm not sure how he'll take his son being injured by a Sith, particularly a Sith Theron trusted."

"Well kriff," Koth groaned, burying his face in one hand.

"Exactly," I said. Before I could say anything else an alarm sounded in the hall.

"What's that?"

"Not sure," I answered, heading for the door of Theron's room, "But I'm going to find out."

Stepping out into the hallway, I saw a nurse dart into Zane's room and as I got closer I heard shouting. "Just great," I groaned. These two were going to give me an ulcer.

Jogging down the hall, I quickly entered the Commander's room and found chaos. Zane was conscious and seemed to be fighting against someone. A nurse danced around the struggling pair, trying to get closer but failing miserably. "What's going on?" I shouted over the noise and chaos, trying to get everyone's attention.

"Doctor," a voice said, I believed it was Senya, "I could use your assistance."

Moving around the edge of the bed, I could see a sweat soaked Zane trying to get out of bed and Senya trying just as hard to keep him there. It was taking everything the older woman had to keep the bulky trooper in the bed. If he'd been healthy I was positive he'd already be up.

While he fought, Zane kept asking over and over, "Where's Theron?"

"Zane!" I said, grabbing his face with both hands. "Look at me," I ordered him, turning his head so he could see me. His eyes were glassy and it was immediately obvious that he may be conscious but he wasn't truly aware of what was going on.

"Jayd!" he replied, an edge of desperation in his voice.

I could hear his heart monitor racing in the background and his blood pressure monitor clearly showed his pressure was skyrocketing. I had to get him calmed down immediately or risk serious injury or death.

"Take it easy, I'm here," I tried to reassure him, "Everything's fine."

"Thereon," he asked again, slurring his words, "Where's Theron?"

Frack! I wouldn't lie to him. "I'll take care of Theron, just worry about yourself," I tried, hoping it would satisfy him. The last thing I wanted to tell him was his mate was injured and fighting for his life in a kolto tank.

Fear filled Zane's eyes, "No, no," he said, renewing his struggle against us, "Where is he?"

"Zane stop!" I ordered him, fearing he'd harm himself and hinder his recovery. Being careful of his injured shoulder, I tried to push him back into the bed but he fought me and I wasn't sure how long I could keep him there. Injured or not, he had size and muscle on me.

"Theron," Zane said, as he ignored my order. Using his uninjured arm he shoved me back into a wall.

"Doc!" Koth shouted from the other side of the bed.

"I'm fine," I said, shaking the cobwebs out, "Grab him and don't let him get up!"

With a sharp nod of understanding, Koth grasped the commander from behind, trying to restrain him and pull him back into the bed.

"Lemme go," Zane growled. As he pulled the Zakuulan across the bed, he unfortunately managed to twist his surgically repaired shoulder in the sling. Crying out in pain, the commander crumpled forward, sliding toward the floor.

"Damn it," I said as I quickly pushed myself off the wall and grabbed my patient. Wrapping my arms around him, I carefully lowered him to the floor, letting him lean into me and rest his head on my shoulder. He was panting in pain, sweat soaked, and I could feel his heart pounding through my scrub shirt but he still fought.

"Theron," Zane managed moan in pain.

"You idiot," I grumbled, "Enough."

Quickly moving up behind Zane's back, the nurse showed me the hypospray in her hand. "Sedative?" she asked, wanting permission to administer it.

"Do it."

Without another word, she pressed the hypo to Zane's neck and with a hiss injected the medicine into him. Thankfully, the affect was almost immediate and the fight went out of him. He slumped against me, and I was the only thing that kept him from hitting his head, again, on the floor.

"Let us help," Koth said, as he and Senya came to my aid.

Working together we got Zane back on to the bed. Senya and I laid him back into the pillows and Koth swung his legs back on to it. While I checked him over, Senya adjusted the pillows underneath him and pulled the covers up to his waist. After getting him settled, she moved back to the head of the bed and ran her fingers through his hair, humming a tune I didn't recognize.

Turning my full attention to my patient, I made a quick visual assessment of his injuries. The most glaring thing I could see, his blood pressure, while slowly coming down, was still much higher than I liked. After checking the incision site I was fairly sure he hadn't done any additional damage to it, just tweaked the injury. It would be sore for a while. After listening to his lungs and doing a few more checks, I had the nurse replace the nasal cannula giving him supplemental oxygen, start another IV line, and gave her directions for the sedative.

"How's he doing Doc?" a worried looking Koth asked.

"No more damage done," I answered, "He'll heal with time."

"Good," Senya said, "I was worried. He did not seem," she searched for the word, "right."

"What was that?" Koth added.

"That was the after effects of his severe concussion," I replied, "It can affect his cognitive abilities, memory, and mood among other things."

"Will it get better?" Senya asked.

"Yes, his brain is slowly healing and the symptoms will fade with time," I said, typing some information into a datapad, "We'll treat the symptoms but right now the best medicine for him is rest and minimizing his stress levels."

"That seems next to impossible considering Theron's condition," Koth sighed.

"Exactly," I said, typing in a few last letters on the pad, "Which is why I plan on keeping him sedated until Jace gets here. If the unimaginable happens and Theron takes a turn for the worst, I want someone here to be with Zane."

"Jace?" Senya asked.

"Theron's father," Koth explained for me, "After what happened just now, seems like a good idea."

"Agreed," I sighed. "Theron didn't handle Zane's death well. I can't imagine Zane will do much better."

"Has the Commander's family been notified?" Senya questioned.

"Jace and Theron are the Commander's family," I said, "And I'm not currently aware of his sister's whereabouts."

Senya nodded her understanding and started to sit back down in the chair but Koth stopped her.

"Senya," he said, getting her attention, "Why don't you take a break? I can stay with him."

"I don't mind staying," she started but Koth interrupted her.

"You should get something to eat, clean up, and get some rest," he argued, "I got this."

"Thank you," Senya said, resting a gently hand on Zane's uninjured shoulder, "If you're sure?"

"Yeah," Koth replied, motioning to the door, "Go, I got a chance to take care of that stuff earlier."

She started toward the door but turned back to the other Zakuulan, "If you need anything holo me."

"Will do," the pilot answered as he turned toward me, "You too Doc. You look like hell."

"I have patients to take care of," I started to argue but Dr. Belman choose that moment to step in the room.

"I heard what happened Jayd but it looks like you have everything taken care of," she said. Giving me a stern look, she added, "He's right, go Jayd. We'll holo you if we need anything."

"But," I protested as she took the datapad from me.

"I'll make it a medical order if I have too," Dr. Belman threatened.

"Alright, alright," I said, throwing up my hands and heading for the door, "But if anything happens with Theron or Zane, you'll me immediately." They weren't just my patients, they were good friends too.

"Promise," Dr. Belman said, booting up the datapad, "Now go."

"Yes ma'am," I laughed and shook my head as I stepped out of the room. I continued down the hall and out of the med bay. I couldn't wait for a shower and my bed…

TBC