Cody
...
.
.
Somewhere along the line it had all gone terribly, terribly wrong, and Obi-wan was still trying to make sense of it as a stool came sailing overhead and crashed into the wall behind him. It fell to the floor with a metallic clatter and the wall spat thick splinters in its wake.
The jedi rose and dusted himself off with an air of dubious amusement. He gave the men around him a soft smile and swept a hand before them in a consoling manner.
"I truly am sorry for any misundertandings we-"
The sound of glass being smashed and then crunched amid the grunts and clatter of wrestling caught his attention briefly, and he rasied an eyebrow at the tangled forms on the floor before continuing.
"...may have caused. And we will be going on our way now."
Those flanking him were harsh lines and menacing faces, unmoved by his words and terrible in the sallow flickering light.
"Right...er, Cody?"
A scream trailing a body made an arc across the room and collided with the bar, sending more glass objects to the floor with a cascade of shards.
Cody wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and began plucking small shards of glass from his bodysuit in the places his armor didn't cover with a hitched eyebrow. He had an air of tempered satisfaction about him.
"As you say, General."
His eyes flitted across the men around them with indifference and he made an exaggerated gesture of dusting off a shoulder bell as he crossed the room to the door.
Obi-wan kept his hands raised, a wide smile, as he backed in that direction also.
"Just a misunderstanding. Right, gentlmen?"
...
.
An hour later, they were walking back to the main security complex, bodies a little worse for the wear, but moods boosted somewhat.
"You know, that wasn't quite the evening I had in mind when I invited you out for drinks..." Obi-wan mused, glancing sideways to his companion with hands linked behind his back.
Cody gave him a half smile, stretching a busted lip. He shifted his helmet to the other hand to run a fingertip across. He was pleased to note that it wasn't leaking anymore. Still zinged something fierce, though. It made him grin more.
"That's all right, sir."
Obi-wan shook his head.
"When Anakin hears about this..."
The trooper on duty gave them both an indiscreet once over, taking in their disheveled state in obvious shock, his helmet swiveling between them.
"Is everything all right, sirs?"
"Oh yes, quite so." The jedi's eyes were on the tall building across the street, scanning the advertising neons. A mischievous grin crossed his face and he turned back to the guard.
"There seems to have been a disturbance at a bar a few blocks down the way. Zinghets, I think it was called. A lot of fellows requiring some medical and...legal assistance there. If you could call it in for me..."
"Yes, General." The guard snapped a crisp salute and began doing so immediately.
Cody gave Obi-wan a look. "We're not going to do it ourselves, General?"
The jedi gave his beard a few strokes, his eyes narrowed and cheerfully impish. His face caught the light of the overhead neons as he turned and fixed Cody with a slow smile.
"I have a better idea."
...
Cody sat perfectly upright on the polished bench, hands clasped in his lap and eyes roving slowly from side to side. Beside him a large decorated pot presented a display of tailored ferns which gave off a fresh, green scent. Across the space an indoor fountain gurgled, the water splashing a pretty path down shimmering stones, and above the light was toned with pearled overlays. A soft melody came from a sound device on the edge of the large counter where Obi-wan stood.
The general was bent over, elbows on the sheen of the marbled surface, discussing something with the receptionist.
Cody listened while trying to make it look like he wasn't.
The receptionist gave a small hum of consideration and tapped a stylus upon the holochart before her, pursing lips.
"I've got two of my girls still on shift right now." She turned to glance at the holoclock behind her. "One is just about finished with her current client and the other has about half an hour left with hers. I can schedule one of you for right now and the other a little after. Is that ok?"
"Oh yes, that's fine. Thank you, my dear.'
The recpetionist gave him a nod, her eyes once again roving his face and shirt curiously. "Would you like to pay now or after?"
"Ah, now's fine." He plopped a sum of credits on the counter and slid them across to her. She gave him another odd look, but then shook her head of it and took the apropriate amount from the stack and slid the remaining ones back to him as well as two charts.
"Fill these out please. Your therapists will be with you shortly."
He winked at her and she gave a tentative smile back before returnng to the holochart and scratching some things in.
Obi-wan sat beside Cody and presed one of the charts into his hands.
Cody perused the lengthy questionnaire, confused.
"They require medical data?"
"Better safe than sorry, I suppose." The jedi began filling in the boxes with the attached stylus and Cody took up the task without further questions, though many raced through his mind.
As he sat filling out the form he found himself astounded at the incredible variety of health conditions and ailments that civilians appeared to be prone to, becoming more and more aghast at each question. But he diligently set to answering each and every one with the appropriate check.
He had just finished signing the end when there was a sound of a door opening followed by the smart click of heels against the floor tiles. He and Obi-Wan both looked up to see a stunning woman step into the waiting area and watched as she made her way gracefully across it to the counter.
She was tall, nearly as tall as he, Cody thought, with a dress of golden gauze and her hair was like black braided silk woven intricately at the back of her head. She shared a laugh with the receptionist as she paid, then came to sit at the empty part of the bench beside Cody. She gave him a brilliant smile, dimmed somewhat by a curious expression as her eyes lingered on his lips and her eyebrow arched in question.
Cody flushed and pretended to check his chart for any missed questions.
He heard her give a soft snort beside him and she began rummaging in her purse, lifting some credits from a pocket within. She closed them in her fingers before giving him another smile and leaning over his chart.
"Who've you got?"
Cody blinked at her, unsure of what she meant.
She took the chart from his hands and tapped to return to the front page. Her smile widened and she winked.
"Lucky you. She's got magical hands. She really does."
She lifted her arms above her head and gave a long, feline stretch. "Feels like I can tackle the world just about now."
There were footsteps approaching from the passage once more, but this time muted and soft. The woman beside him rose, beaming. Another woman stepped into the soft glow of the waiting area and greeted the one who had risen with a grin and as they met in a brief embrace, Cody marveled at the contrast between them.
Everything the first woman was, this new woman was the opposite. Short where the first was tall, pale and thin where her friend was bronze and curves. She wasn't striking in any way.
But she had a modest look, tidy and friendly, a shine to her eyes and a pretty smile. She approached after her friend left and her eyes passed over them warmly as she retrieved their charts and skimmed them before nodding to Obi-wan.
"Maey will be with you soon. Cody? If you'll come with me?" She held out an arm for him to follow and he rose to do so. She dropped off Obi-wan's chart at the counter and made her way down the hall off the waiting room. Cody shot Obi-wan one last desperate look over his shoulder as he left. But the general just gave him an incorrigible grin.
...
.
.
The woman had been right.
Cody sat once more upon the bench in the waiting area, this time alone, but with a much different feeling. He looked around the room in open wonder. The soft sounds and lights now seemed unmatchable, soothing and peace, an abode worthy of gods.
He found himself entertaining the though that it might not be so bad being a regular citizen. All things considered. He had the flash of stars and cannons, the thrill of battle, the thrum of the larty and the feel of a blaster against his palms. His General. His brothers.
But they had...this.
He could still feel her hands on him. Firm and warm along his arms and back, finding and smoothing away anything and everything that wasn't harmony. Her thumbs weaving down his spine and between his shoulders, kneading his palms and feet. Her fingertips rubbing circles against his scalp.
The beautiful woman had spoken of magic and he had received it. He felt impossibly light and new, and he sat, blinking and thinking beneath the rosy lights, enchanted.
He'd never doubt the general again.
She emerged from the passage a little later, soft feet and the swish of a light jacket. She had changed to street clothes and turned in her holopad to the receptionist with a cheerful farewell.
She approached Cody with a smile, which he returned in honesty. She made him feel oddly wonderful in a way he wasn't used to. Her hands had been the most intimate anyone's had ever been upon him , and it made him feel warm in a way he found difficult to describe. Not romantic or anything of that nature but...brotherly? In a female way. Maybe that was how mothers felt. She felt...comforting. He felt safe, with her hands on him, and in her presence.
"Here." She held out something for him to take and he took it, his smile fading with question.
"For your lip. It's a salve." She made a pass with her fingertips over her lips as she spoke.
Cody nodded in acknowledgment and gave her a shy smile of thanks. She returned it and walked across the room to open the door to the lobby outside the clinic, giving him a small wave.
"Come back to see me whenever, ok?"
He nodded.
He hoped.
...
Aiya ruffled through her bag as she walked across that level's lobby to the lift, pulling out her comlink to let Fox know she had finished her shift. As she rezipped her bag she grinned, her thoughts finding and lingering on Cody. He had been so formal at first, and obviously one who gave orders and took command easily. Yet he had been reduced to a shy timidness by her.
It made her giggle a little. But he had also been kind, and endearing. He reminded her of Fox more than a bit. She wondered if they knew each other. That'd be neat if they did. She'd have to ask. The doors to the lift opened as she approached and three men stepped out.
She gave them a smile and they paused to glance at her. The last one off the lift eyed her briefly before he spoke.
"Hello, Miss. Going home for the night?"
"Yes." She blinked at them in confusion. The only place still open on that floor was the clinic, and it was about to close. "Are you lost?" She asked politely.
The man looked at her for a moment before he gave her a sweet smile in response. 'Actually, we are looking for someone. Two men. A jedi and a soldier. The main reception said they asked about the clinic on this level."
'Ah, yes. They're there." She returned his smile. "You're friends?"
"Yep! Could you point us to the right door? Im afrain we've never been here before."
"It's that one." She pointed across the lounge at the green door on the other side.
"Thank you, Miss!" He winked at her. " You have a good night."
He held the door open for her and she stepped inside the turbolift with a nod of thanks.
A sudden chill hit her, icy strings lacing their way up her backbone as his jacket brushed against her hair when he moved away. Her hand hovered over the panel as she watched them all walking across the lobby.
Something felt wrong. Very wrong.
As if in confirmation the front man of the three withdrew a blaster from his jacket at that moment, long and mean, and their pace slowed. They were half way to the clinic.
Aiya's eyes widened and her fingers moved fast as a bird's heart, keying the distress code Fox had made her memorize into her com as her heart clenched with fear. In her haste she fumbled and it clattered to the floor.
The three men turned to face her in unison. The one with the blaster raised it at her, but the man who had spoken to her waved for him to lower it. He looked at Aiya and gave her another grin, a finger to his lips. He pointed between her and the blaster, then shook his finger.
She was dead if she made a sound.
Aiya knew that if she didn't give Cody a warning, he'd die. If she was silent and closed the doors fast enough she might live.
But she knew he would die.
She screamed.
...
Agh. I am so close to finishing this but it didn't happen. Sorry for the cliffie! It seemed like the best ( naughty) spot to split. I should have the rest up tomorrow night.
If you guys aren't too mad at me for how long this took, you can check out my new sister story, Tales of Kamino while you wait :)
Shout out to TGP 212th for making me another lovely cover, for TOK. She is a sweet and wonderful lady!