Chapter Ten: Wonders of This World
1081 days ABG
The Wookiee Gunner was only an unassuming freighter, but Kalinda thought that she was never quite so relieved to see any ship in her entire life. They paused the Wayfarer's motion long enough to allow members of the Jedi Master, Djinn Altis' ship to board, as Honi didn't want to move any of their injured just yet. After setting Traxis at the helm with Zara at the navacomputer, Kali went to speak with her former Padawan and the new arrivals.
Honi's face was red and her hair was a mess, but she looked just as relieved as Kalinda felt to see another Jedi even as she knelt over Crest. "They're stable, but we'll need some bacta tanks as soon as possible, Master Altis."
The elder Human male beside her nodded, his eyes resting on the unconscious clones stretched out in pallets on the floor. Already some of his crew – a Twi'lek male and an Ithorian female – were distributing bacta patches and Kali felt the knot in her chest relax a fraction of an inch. Weave rose from his place beside Honi to speak with her. "The other boy...the one that Creon dabbled with...he's in my bunk."
She gave him a startled look. "Dabbled? You don't mean..." Most of the blood drained from her face as he nodded, his implant glinting in the light.
"Yeah. He's out cold, thanks to the captain's Force-trick. I'm not sure..." Weave swallowed and shook his head. "I'm going to check on him."
Kali nodded and watched him slip off. Her eyes fell on Master Altis, who was regarding her. A subtle tilt of his chin indicated that they should speak privately, but she shook her head. "Master...we need to head to the nearest base..."
"There's nothing out here, Kalinda. We were returning from relief efforts on Vena, on our way back to my praxeum ship, the Chu'unthor, but we're only hours away." After looking down at the injured clones, he lifted his comm and began giving directions to the Wookiee Gunner before crossing to the helm to speak with Traxis.
As she felt the Wayfarer begin to move again, Kali took a deep breath and knelt besides Stonewall. Parts of his body-glove had melted, but it looked like Honi had gotten most of it off of his skin, which looked red and raw all over save for a few more severe areas that her former Padawan and Altis' people were in the process of bandaging. His lips were cracked and bleeding. She felt her heart tighten but swallowed her emotion, instead reaching to him through the Force.
Stone?
He did not reply, but she was able to get a sense of the jumble of his mind: fire, smoke, heat, rumbling...then her own face, aureoled and glowing with a light that had nothing to do with the flames. Love. It throbbed beneath it all and she put a hand to his cheek even as she felt her eyes prick.
You're going to be fine, Stone. I don't know if you can hear me, but you're going to be fine. I love you. She pressed her other hand to his chest, over his heart, which was one of the few non-bandaged areas. The beat was weak but it was there and she exhaled, long and slow.
"He will be fine, Kalinda."
She glanced at her former apprentice who was watching her with interest. After she caught the other woman's eye, Honi looked over at Crest. Kalinda followed her gaze and noted that he looked a bit worse than Stone, but he was breathing steadily and appeared peaceful. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked up to see Zara holding a glass of water. After a moment she reached for it, noting that the liquid within seemed to be trembling a little too much for the gentle motion of the ship. "Thanks, Zara." She lifted the glass to her lips; the water was cool against her throat.
The Nautolan girl inclined her head to the clone boys, who were hovering around Weave, asking him about their brother. "Thank you, Master Halcyon."
Still kneeling besides Stonewall, Kali turned to study them. As Traxis had said, they looked filthy and tattered, but their attitudes were animated while they talked to Weave. Though the elder clone looked a bit overwhelmed by the attention Kali noticed that he had not covered up his implant, and none of the boys seemed to even notice it. She listened and caught the hem of their words.
"...Levy's going to be okay?"
Weave radiated uncertainty but he nodded. "I think so. He's resting now, but you can see him soon." Their disappointment was palpable, but the boys nodded and began speaking to one another in hushed voices while Weave moved to help Honi and Altis' crew.
A sudden presence beside her made Kali look up; the Jedi Master was watching the cadets as well, his expression thoughtful. She did not rise from Stone's place and in a moment he came to kneel beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder. For several minutes they were silent. Finally she spoke. "They're alive. I can hardly believe it. After our search...after all those months..." She felt her eyes grow hot again and looked down at Stonewall. "They were almost left to rot in that place."
"But you found them," Atis replied, squeezing her shoulder.
Kali wanted to answer. She wanted to at least give a nod of acknowledgment, as his words were true, but all she could do was keep her hand pressed to Stone's chest and take comfort in the beat of his heart. But if we hadn't...would anyone have ever found them? As much as she knew the answer, she was loathe to admit it even to herself.
Part of Weave had felt like a bumpkin when he'd first stepped onto the Chu'unthor; his eyes had rounded and widened to take in the new sight as he followed Altis' people, the Twi'lek and the Ithorian, to the infirmary. A praxeum ship. A mobile Jedi Academy...never thought I'd see one of these. Well, I didn't even know it existed until a few hours ago. It was the largest ship he'd ever been on that wasn't a military vessel.
They were walking through a wide, clean corridor to the ship's infirmary. It was quiet on the Chu'unthor, and his boots hardly made any sound on the floor. The infirmary was close to the hangar where they'd left the Wookiee Gunner and the Wayfarer, with good reason, and Master Altis had assured them that the facility was more than equipped to handle their wounded. Weave followed the hovering stretchers on which his three brothers were laid out; the modified clone boy – Levy – was, was still in his arms, as he'd refused to let anyone else take the child.
Striding ahead of him through the brightly lit corridor that lead from the hangar to the interior of the massive ship, General Tallis was speaking in sharp tones to an elder Arunai woman with pale hair coiled neatly atop her head – the lead healer who'd met them once the Wayfarer had docked. "Mistress Upala, I understand that you have your own opinions, but in the case of burns of this nature I must stress that-"
"It's Honi, correct?" The lilting accent of the Arunai woman made Weave recall his squad's brief tenure on the planet, and he noted how her voice was calm as the group made their way through several turns; beyond the large transparisteel windows Weave could see black space and pinpricks of stars.
There was a frown in the red-haired woman's voice as she replied. "Yes, but-"
They had reached the infirmary at last and the staff that Altis had brought with him to the Wayfarer began easing the stretchers into the main room. It was spacious and brightly lit, as were most medical bays that Weave had encountered, but this one had an open feel that was inviting rather than intimidating; breaking off from the main area that contained four bacta tanks were several rooms for surgeries or examinations, as well as a few smaller rooms where patients could recuperate.
Upala stood in the center of the main room and directed the Twi'lek male where to set up the stretchers even as she interrupted the Jedi. "Your comrades will receive the best care, Honi. Please don't worry...I've been tending to wounded longer than you've been alive."
Levy stirred in his arms and he glanced down. Whatever Stonewall had done with the Force had long since worn off, but Weave had given the lad some tranquilizers – just in case. I don't like keeping him sedated, but I don't want to risk him 'attacking' anyone else until I have a better idea of what's going on. I only hope I can help him.
General Tallis did not seem convinced by the Arunai woman's words. "Mistress Upala, field medicine is no substitute for proper treatment. How often do you calibrate your bacta tanks? I've found that the most effective-"
"Honi." Until she spoke, Weave had almost forgotten that Kalinda was behind him, along with Traxis and the clone cadets. The other Jedi's voice made the red-haired woman glance back, her face drawn in a frown, for all that she fell silent.
Mistress Upala cast Kalinda a grateful look before she spoke to the Twi'lek and the Ithorian, both of whom began preparing the clones for the bacta; several minutes later his brothers were floating peacefully in individual tanks, bubbles rising from their breathing masks even as Tallis fussed over the settings on the instrument panels before she turned to stand by Kalinda's side.
"They're adequate for now. I want to take a look at the cadet, though." Her voice was calm but held no room for argument and the dark-haired Jedi nodded.
After speaking to the Ithorian, the Arunai woman indicated the boy in Weave's arms. "Ressa will look over the other lads. Will you please bring him here?" She gestured towards a separate room that contained an examination table.
Weave eyed it warily; it brought back very unpleasant memories for him and he thought that Levy wouldn't appreciate it either. As if sensing his discomfort – though he realized that he had no clue if Upala was a Jedi or not – she spoke to the Twi'lek male, who slipped out of the room, returning moments later with an assortment of blankets and pillows that he began arranging on the table. "We must examine him, Weave," she said in a calm voice that was used to dealing with people who were frightened. "I promise he won't be harmed, but I would like to assess his condition."
"I want to stay."
She nodded. The table was now covered with soft things that had no resemblance to anything in Creon's lab, so he thought it would be okay as he set the boy down as gently as he could, keeping a hand on his non-modified arm even as the Arunai woman ran through the usual motions of checking his pulse, temperature and reflexes. By contrast, General Tallis stood before him, eyes closed, hands outstretched over his slender frame with a look of stern concentration on her face. What is she doing?
His confusion must have been evident, for Kalinda leaned over to Weave and whispered in his ear. "She's really quite gifted. Honi's using the Force to determine the extent of his...modifications." Weave nodded but made no reply.
Several minutes later, after both healers had finished their work, the Twi'lek assistant murmured something to Upala, who shook her head. "No, thank you Ares. Please see if Ressa needs help."
As she stood beside him, Weave could feel Kalinda's tension. After a moment she looked at him again. "I heard them say his name is Levy?" Weave nodded, his eyes not leaving the boy and she swallowed. "Can either of you tell exactly what Creon did to him?"
Tallis' jaw was tight and she shook her head. "Save the...implant, he's in satisfactory condition, physically. I'm not sure, otherwise. This is beyond me." Her brows were knitted and her voice wavered.
The Arunai woman gave Kalinda a look that Weave could only think of as kind, but he could tell there was pity in her eyes as well. "Not the extent of it. I have some knowledge of cybernetics, but I've never seen anything like this."
Weave nodded. "It looks like a more advanced version of my own implant...I think it's connected somehow to his brain, as mine is. When the captain and I came across him he attacked us, like he was programmed or something." He shuddered at the memory.
"He feels..." Kalinda knitted her brows. "Strange. Alien...like there's something else within him." She shook her head in confusion and glanced at her fellow Jedi who nodded in confirmation.
"The nanogene droids," Weave murmured, causing the women to look at him. "Creon tried to do something with them on Perdax – with an adult clone – but it didn't work. When I was collecting his notes on Sethos, I caught sight of a report." Kalinda still looked confused so he elaborated. "Nanogene droids are microscopic devices that can be injected into the bloodstream; essentially, they 'reprogram' a living organism by taking it over on a cellular level. In Levy's case, I think Creon used them to help his body adapt to the implants."
Kalinda stilled as she stared at Levy, who was still unconscious as Upala bent over his implant, a pair of thick, magnifying goggles over her face; General Tallis had closed her eyes again and he thought that she was using the Force, perhaps to learn more about the nanos. Stepping forward as well, Weave was able to get a better look at the intricate network of wiring; with his implant he could magnify what he was looking at to take in every detail. "Wow..."
"What?" The dark-haired Jedi's voice sounded breathless.
"I may be wrong, but it almost looks like Levy can...plug in to a datajack," Weave said, his brow furrowing as he took in the edges of the implant. "See that bit at the base of his hand?" Kalinda nodded, though she looked a bit pale; Weave hardly noticed. "I'll need to take a good look at all of Creon's notes, but it might be..." He frowned and shook his head.
"He's strong to have survived this," Tallis said. Her eyes had opened and she was regarding Levy with an unreadable expression.
This observation seemed to be too much for Kalinda to handle at the moment, as she turned and touched Weave's arm. "I'm going to check on the others. Let me know what you find out?" Her words barely registered, as his entire world had shrunk to the size of the fragile body before him.
Master Tallis had not even glanced at Zara before she followed the stretchers into the body of the Chu'unthor, towards the infirmary, and the apprentice was reminded of Orea. She's so different when she is acting as a Healer. The moment that someone needs help, she forgets everything else. Even her Padawan. She felt ashamed for feeling a spark of jealousy...but there it was, mixed with the scent of anesthetic and cool bacta. Matters weren't much improved when her master did look her way at last.
"Zara, you and the others shouldn't be in here; you'll be underfoot." As she said this, she unclipped Zara's lightsaber from her belt and passed it to the Padawan almost absently.
Despite the fact that she was happy to have her saber back, her master's words words stung. However, Zara only nodded as she watched several of Master Altis' people move to the clones to begin prepping them for the bacta tanks while Kalinda and Weave followed another humanoid woman out of the room with the boy that Creon had modified; she noticed how the other clone boys watched their brother. Afterward, they were briefly examined by the Ithorian to ensure that they were uninjured; it appeared that they were healthy enough to not remain in the infirmary, but she could still feel their fear and anxiety for their brother. I guess I don't have it so bad. I'm alive and whole. That should be enough.
Indeed, once the medical staff had gone, the only adults left behind with her and the cadets were Traxis and the Jedi Master Altis, of whom she'd only heard whispered rumors. He smiled down at Zara and the clone boys with the air of a kindly, elder uncle, not at all like any other Jedi Master she'd encountered. "Are you all hungry?"
There was a chorus of "yes sir, General Altis," which made the elder Human male chuckle as he lifted his hand and indicated that they should follow.
However, Traxis held back, uncertainty flavoring the air around him. "I should stay with my brothers." Despite his words, Zara could feel his discomfort as his eyes darted to the bacta tanks.
"Please stay with us, Traxis," she said, meeting his gaze. I know I need to be more brave...but maybe not right now. Beside her, No-Name, Keo, Risky and Finn looked up at him as well, though they were too well-mannered to say anything Zara could feel that none of them wanted to be far from the scarred clone, who nodded at last, letting out a long sigh.
"Sure. I could eat." He gave a noncommittal shrug but Zara could feel that he was a tiny bit pleased at their reaction, which made her smile more than anything else. No-Name caught her eye and gave her a wink, which made her cover her mouth to keep from giggling.
Master Altis lead them to an inner section of the vessel and she marveled at how quiet it was, but it wasn't without activity. There was an aura of peace within the ship's bulkheads. Like the Jedi Temple, only I don't feel like I'm centimeters tall. Indeed, the Chu'unthor lacked the majesty of its Coruscanti cousin; it looked like it had seen better days but was comfortable in a way that the "proper" Temple had never quite been, at least for her.
The cafeteria was small, but well-equipped and soon Zara and the others were seated at a long, wooden table - an incongruous sight aboard a starship - while the adults went to fetch some food. She felt a little strange having a Jedi Master bring her meal, but found that she was too tired to care much at the moment. I could use a nice cool bath, then maybe a few days of sleep. At this, she looked at No-Name, who had taken the seat beside her on the slender bench. "What did Creon feed you? I never even asked."
He blinked at her once before he replied. "Nothing, Commander. Well," he amended, pulling a face. "Nothing we wanted to eat. Nothing anyone would want to eat."
She gaped. "For how long?"
Keo, who was on her other side, answered. "We were in stasis for..." His face screwed up in thought. "Five months. Just over, actually."
"The pods broke down about two months ago," Finn added. "That's when he put us in that cell."
Horrified, Zara stared from one to the other. "How did you survive if he didn't feed you properly?"
Risky rolled his eyes. "We're troopers, Commander. We're trained to survive against all odds. Besides," he waggled his brows at her. "The long-neck didn't think to take our emergency rations." The other boys nodded and sat up straighter, obviously pleased with themselves.
"We got by," No-Name said in a soft voice. "It's what we were taught to do, after all. And he did remember to have the droids give us water." He gave her a small smile.
Zara was prevented from commenting further when Traxis and Master Altis returned with trays filled with steaming plates that made her mouth water. She marveled at how the boys – who must have been starving – waited until the food was laid out before them and the adults were seated before reaching to help themselves in an orderly fashion. Even Padawans at the Temple would be shoving each other aside. She shook her head in wonder before taking a plate.
While they ate, Master Altis questioned them in his gentle manner, seemingly as much at ease with a table full of cloned boys as he would be with other Jedi. "I heard that none of you were harmed during your stay with the Kaminoan. Is this true?"
No-Name nodded, his eyes downcast. "Well, we're okay, sir. I wish I could say the same for our brothers who didn't make it out of the stasis pods. And Sergeant Motor."
"And Levy." Risky's face was set in a glower but Zara could sense his sorrow. "Do you know if he'll be okay, sir?"
The Jedi Master paused to run a hand through his beard; the thought struck Zara that he was considering both the question and his answer. "I hope so," he said at last. "He's in good hands now." He glanced at Traxis, who was picking at the food on his plate, emanating a mixture of discomfort, fear and affection. "They are all in good hands, son."
The scarred clone nodded, his jaw tight. No one spoke for a moment until his brows knitted and he looked at the Jedi Master. "Sir, with all due respect, I can keep an eye on them if you have other things to take care of."
"I'm where I need to be, right now," Master Altis said with a smile as he watched the clone boys. His eyes fell on Zara at last, and she found herself warming to the Human man almost instinctively.
Even though they're allowed to get married and have children, the Altisians are still technically Jedi; but he's nothing like any Master I've ever met. From all the talk at the Temple, you'd think he was a raving lunatic, but he seems...kind. A little humble, too. Indeed, he had also taken a bowl of food and was slurping a measure of soup with gusto, not seeming to notice that some had found its way into his beard.
Again, No-Name caught her eye and they shared another quiet smile. Yes, she thought. Things could be a lot worse, considering.
Milo's last memory was staggering out the door of the facility besides his brothers, when he recalled being two things: very hot and very uncomfortable. Now, happily, he was neither. But I don't know where I am. Hopefully I'm alive. His eyes were closed and he tried to wriggle his fingers and toes, checking for injuries. Once he was satisfied that his feet and hands were in working order, he moved up to his wrists and ankles, then knees, elbows and so forth. Okay. I am alive, and despite the fact that I feel like five kinds of hell, I'm not really injured. That's a good start. But where the kriff am I?
At first his eyes didn't want to open but he was patient; when he was finally able to get a look at his surroundings, nothing made sense and he couldn't make heads or tails of the room in which he'd found himself. Dim lights. Wide, open feel. I think I'm on a ship but this isn't the Wayfarer. He swallowed and tried to sit up.
"Milo." It was Kalinda. The next thing he knew she was standing over him, her expression calm despite the fact that she was sporting a large bandage on her cheek and her left upper arm. He tried to speak but she shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're okay. We're on Master Altis' ship...he and his crew came to rescue us once we left Sethos."
He nodded, though there were still unanswered questions. But she was a Jedi, so he thought she knew and would tell him soon, if he waited. "Here," she said, handing him a glass of water with a slender straw. "You look thirsty." As he drank she filled the gaps in his memory, which was trickling back the longer he was awake. "Stone and Crest were a bit worse off than you, but they're both out of danger now. A few more days in a bacta tank and they'll be good as new." Her smile did not reach her eyes.
The water was perhaps the best thing he'd ever tasted while also smoothing the way for his voice. "Are the boys okay? And General Tallis' Padawan?"
"Everyone's fine, Mi. Except Creon." Her voice held a bitter edge and Milo furrowed his brow. "He's buried beneath a few tons of Sethosian mountain right about now."
"Trax must be disappointed," he said, giving her a smile that she did not return. After a few moments of silence he frowned and she leaned forward.
"Are you in pain?"
Looking down at the glass, he shook his head. "No...well, a little, but it's not bad." After a moment he managed to meet her gaze. "Did the captain talk to you by any chance?"
She studied him with dark eyes that – in his mind – missed nothing. "About what?"
That's a no. "It's not important now," he replied with another shake of his head. "Don't worry about it."
"Does it concern your well being?" There was an inkling of a smile on her face and he sighed.
"Kind of... " At her look he shrugged, the motion making him wince. "Okay. Here it is: I think I'm ready for a promotion and Captain Stonewall agreed to make a recommendation...but it will mean more if you make one as well."
She smiled at him, in earnest. "I'd be happy to, Milo."
"You wouldn't be angry with me for leaving? Well, not angry," he amended. Jedi and all. Don't think they're supposed to get angry, though I've seen her miffed once or twice. "Disappointed?"
She shook her head and patted his arm. "Of course, I'll miss you, Mi, but that's the way life goes. The important thing is that you're doing what you want with the time you have. Your life is your own, after all; it's what I've been trying to show you and your brothers." For a moment her voice sounded strange and distant; he got the sense that she wasn't speaking to him, but her eyes were on his in that unsettling but reassuring way that made him think she was looking inside his head and liking what she saw.
"I know," he said with a nod. "That's kind of why I want to move on. I'll miss you all as well, but I really think I can offer more, you know?"
The Jedi's voice was quiet. "If it's what you really want, Milo, then I'm behind you. One hundred percent. It's your life, your choice. You always have a choice."
Milo nodded again and studied the glass in his hand for a moment before looking back at her. "That's pretty much how the captain said you'd react. I guess I was worried for nothing." He gave her a smile that she returned. "I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner, Kalinda."
Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I understand that change isn't easy, but it is necessary if you want to do more with what time you have." Neither of them spoke for a moment before she cleared her throat. "Are you hungry?"
As he opened his mouth to answer, his stomach let out an undignified snarl and there was a moment where they looked at each other before they started laughing. "Nah," he said with a grin. "Me? Never."
After she'd checked on Weave and made sure that Milo was brought some food, Kali made her way to the cafeteria to find Traxis and the children – that was a strange thing to think, for sure – happily stuffing their faces. As she did so, Master Altis gave her a look that indicated he wished to speak with her; moments later he had risen from his place beside the clone boys and they stepped out of the wide room, though he said nothing for a moment while they walked. The ship was so quiet, but the thought occurred to her that she'd forgotten what peace sounded like in the wake of the past few years.
No, that's not true. I know that sound. In her mind it was the quiet rhythm of Stone's heartbeat beneath her ear while they slept in each other's arms.
She thought again of the men under her command and also of those that she had never met, but felt she knew all the same. I suppose it's naïve of me to think that I can keep them all safe, or make the Council change their minds when we're mired so deep in the war. Perhaps I should focus on protecting those whom I can, for now. It was not a comforting thought, compounded by the fact that she was exhausted and it felt like there was still so much to do.
Again her thoughts turned to Stonewall and felt an all-too-familiar pang in her chest at the memory of him floating in a bacta tank. His time is so short; it isn't right that he should be cheated of a proper life. Even if we weren't...together, it still wouldn't be fair.
"Your men will be well looked after," Altis said, the words lifting her from her reverie and making her realize that he'd been guiding her away from the infirmary, where she'd intended to return. "But you should also rest, Kalinda."
She shook her head. "I need to check on Weave and Levy again, then I need to talk to Honi and make sure that she gets something to eat – she'll run herself into the ground before she'll stop – and I have to call the Temple as well. And I want to look in on Crest and Stone..." It was here that her voice broke and she stopped, pressing her hands to her eyes and fighting back the burning sensation that indicated she was about to start crying. No. I have to be stronger than this.
Djinn Altis' hand on her arm was warm. "Come," he said, indicating a nearby corridor.
She lifted her head. "Where?"
He smiled, the expression held nothing but kindness. "You must rest, child. Take your own advice."
"I have too much to do." She inhaled deeply and resumed walking, keeping her arms at her sides. They're all depending on me to see them through this; I have to be strong for all their sakes. I can't afford to waste one moment of their time.
"You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of those you love," he replied. "I know that it is the way of the Jedi to offer everything you have to give, but if you want to stay alive to do the work that you do, you need to rest. At least eat something. Even young Zara knows that."
At the mention of Honi's Padawan, Kalinda closed her eyes. "I have to let the Temple know that she's okay," she said. "Then I'll get some rest. I promise," she added, lifting her eyes to his.
"And something to eat."
Even her face felt tired as she smiled. "Don't push your luck." He returned the look and gestured that she follow him to the nearest communications array, where he left to speak with another person at the other side of the room. Within moments she had opened a secure channel to Coruscant, watching the display as the signal was waited until the green light flashed, indicating that it was time to record her message. Kalinda cleared her throat.
"Masters, I want to inform you that myself, Honi Tallis and Shadow Squad have successfully retrieved Padawan Zara Karell from her abductor: the Kaminoan scientists Creon Dai. He was killed during our rescue of Zara and the missing clone cadets – who were still in his custody – and although his lab was destroyed, we were able to salvage much of his research. However, several members of my team were badly injured during the rescue, and the children need to rest after their ordeal, as well. We are in a secure location where I believe they will have the opportunity to do so. For now."
There was a pause while she considered her next words. "I know that this comes at an inopportune time, but I cannot in good conscious allow these children to undergo any further trauma at the moment. I will contact you again soon and keep you updated on their condition." She bowed. "May the Force be with you." After giving the numbers of the clone cadets for the GAR records, a slight lift of her fingers ended the transmission and she moved to the comm to ensure that it was sent without error.
The moment her hand lifted from the device she felt a heavy weight pressing down upon her and the room began to grow dim and muffled through the haze of her exhaustion. She was vaguely aware of Altis appearing beside her, guiding her out the door and down a nearby corridor.
Then, darkness.
The Wookiee Gunner, the Chu'unthor, and the Altisian Jedi are all canon; I first came across them in Karen Traviss' (amazing) novel, No Prisoners. There are some discrepancies regarding Master Altis and his praxeum ship as far as the EU is concerned, so I did my best to make everything "fit." We'll learn more about them, later.
Heaps and heaps of gratitude to my amazing reviewers: Admiral Daala, MandoJedi, sachariah, Queen, Moondoe, outlaw hunter, SerendipityAEY, Just A Crazy-Man, and Cnwriter...your comments and thoughts always make my day! :D