Class: Jedi Consular

When: Episode III, before the Javelin

"CEDRAX!"

The shout jolted V'ryss from her meditation. Reaching out with the Force, she could feel the anxiety and dread surrounding the ship. Not content to simply let matters run their course, V'ryss stood up, wrapping her robe tightly around her, ready to investigate.

She followed the heightened sense of alarm towards the cargo bay. On her way, she passed Tharan stumbling out of the medbay. "I am in the middle of a number of delicate experiments," he grumbled, running his hand through his hair. "I do not have time, my Jedi, to be interrupted whenever one of these buffoons you insist keeping on this ship has a papercut."

Holiday popped up out of nowhere. "Hurry, Tharan."

Her words spurred Tharan into action, running at full speed into the cargo bay. V'ryss followed at a slightly slower pace, not wanting to delay him. She tried to figure out what might have happened. The cargo bay was used as an unofficial training room. Her companions worked out and sparred there often. If they required Tharan, an injury must have occurred.

But who? Surely she would be able to tell if Felix was inured? Though their bond was still so raw and new.

The answer to her question came more quickly than she'd like, seeing a pool of maroon blood on the floor. "Zenith," V'ryss said under her breath.

Tharan knelt by the Twi'lek's side, already applying a med pack. Zenith looked pale, but she sensed life in him and a slow steady pulse. "Holiday, darling, prep the kolto tank, please." His voice was calm, the same demeanor she had grown used to on the battlefield.

Holiday blinked out of the room, leaving the rest of her companions. Qyzen stood in the corner, arms crossed over his chest. Felix paced uncomfortably on one side. Based on his body language, V'ryss guessed that he caused the injury to Zenith.

"Qyzen, Iresso, a little help, please," Tharan said, standing up.

"He'll be okay?" Felix asked.

"An hour in the kolto tank will do wonders," Tharan said. "Can you two carry him into the medbay? Gently, please?"

V'ryss watched in silence as the men carefully picked Zenith up. Blood pooled on the right side of his tunic, where the injury must be. She tried to catch Felix's eye, but he refused to look at her.

"What's going on?" Nadia asked as she jogged into the cargo bay. "I felt something." V'ryss watched her scan the room and her eyes land on Zenith. "Oh no! Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine, my dear Padawan," Tharan said as he performed another medscan.

V'ryss stayed in the cargo bay to clean up, letting the rest of her companions go with Zenith. The medbay was small and it would do no one good to hover. Best to work on tangible goals, like cleaning. Tharan could give her a full report later.

"Well, he's in the tank," Felix said, walking into the room a while later. He looked tired and weary. "Cedrax says he'll be okay with a little rest…"

Throwing away a rag, V'ryss sat down on a nearby crate and patted the space next to her, inviting him to join her. Felix lowered his chin and walked forward. Standing in front of her, he held out his hand. V'ryss brought his hand to her lips and waited. Felix would tell her what happened when he was ready.

He sat down and V'ryss felt his body warmth thanks to his loose workout gear. "All my fault," he said finally. "I'm an idiot."

"You know that's not true," V'ryss said softly, squeezing his hand.

"Qyzen and Zenith have been helping me out," Felix said. "I've been… trying to learn how to heal."

"Heal?" V'ryss said, blinking rapidly. "Whatever for?"

Felix put his head in his hands. "Because I told you, I'm an idiot."

"Please stop saying that," V'ryss said gently, placing a hand on the back of his neck. "You're speaking of someone I care a great deal about." She leaned in to him. "There's nothing wrong with learning new skills."

"There is if it's for the wrong reasons," Felix said moodily. He sat up straight and let out an annoyed sigh. "I thought… maybe if I learned how to heal, you might bring me along on missions more instead of Cedrax."

V'ryss looked down at her hands. She would love to bring Felix along with her more than she did. But for an extended trip away from the ship, Tharan was the most logical choice thanks to his healing abilities.

"So I talked to Qyzen and Zenith, asked if they'd let me patch them up after sparring," Felix said, still staring down at the floor.

"And they agreed?" V'ryss asked.

"Never hurts to have another healer," Felix said, with a shrug. "I think I got cocky. Zenith told Qyzen to let loose. And did Qyzen ever let loose. I couldn't stop the blood. There was just so much damn blood."

She remained silent, sensing there was more to what he had to say. Her fingers traced the lines of the tattoo on his neck, then sliding down to his shoulder, where she traced the pattern by memory.

"I'm sorry," he said finally.

"For?" V'ryss asked. "All I've heard is that you'd like to spend more time with me." She cocked her head and felt a sense of shame radiating off of Felix. "Unless, this is really about me spending less time with Tharan?"

"I don't even know anymore," Felix said. "At first I think I wanted to learn out of spite. He's so damn smug sometimes. And I know you were only with him one night and that you're with me and he has Holiday…"

V'ryss, as a rule, did not question her past actions. Second guessing led to doubt, which was something she could not afford. But occasionally she wished she hadn't been selfish the night she slept with Tharan, that she had told him no. It certainly caused more problems than the solution she had hoped for.

"Are you saying you don't trust me alone with Tharan?" V'ryss asked quietly.

His eyes widened. "No!" he said, sitting up straight and turning towards her. He grabbed her hands anxiously. "Please, don't ever think I don't trust you. I trust you in anything and everything," Felix said, palming her cheek with his hand. ""V'ryss, I love you."

"And I love you," she said lightly. "I love you for who you are, not who you might become."

"That Jedi speak for 'stop trying to heal?'" Felix said. He chuckled and V'ryss sensed some of the stress and doubt leave his body.

"Not at all," V'ryss said, turning so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "If you want to learn how to heal, I'd welcome it. But I would encourage you to learn from Tharan instead of on your own."

"Doubt he'd want to teach me," Felix grumbled.

"Perhaps if you appealed to his better nature," V'ryss said. "Or possibly his vanity."

She scooted in closer as Felix put his arm around her shoulders. "Vanity sounds about right. Humble myself a bit and he'll be happy to lord it over me," he said.

"You're talking about learning skills that keep people alive, that heal them, Felix," V'ryss said, putting her hand on his knee. "I'd say learning that sort of power is humbling."

Felix took a breath. "You're right," he said. "These are skills to keep you alive. That's worth anything."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Including a lecture by Tharan."