Chapter Title: Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Ages in this chapter: Tanner (15), Dashen (21)
Chapter Summary: Dashen has a run in with leeches.
"Um, Dash?"
Tannerlin Vai stood staring. Head tilted to one side, then to the other. Taking in the sight of his brother, Dashen Lesedi. It was an unexpected sight. A very strange sight. His brow rose in question.
Dashen glared daggers at the boy, green eyes peering through the long bangs of his black hair. "Tanner if you say what I know you are gonna say, I will kick your butt halfway across the galaxy."
A shrug followed from the younger of the pair. "Well, since that's not humanly or non-humanly possible, I'll just say it, because… yeah, it needs to be said. Dash, you're covered in Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches."
"Yes, I am. And how the hell did you know that kind they are?"
"I am me."
"Of course you are. I hate you right now."
"I know. Should I ask my follow up question?"
"No."
"Okay. Why are you covered in Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches? And my follow-up to my follow-up, how did you get covered in Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches?"
The good news, the brothers were standing outside. The bad news, every time Dashen tried to peel a leech off of his skin, the creature latch on with second jaw that would not permit the extra strong oral sucker mouth to relinquish it's hold.
"Stop asking questions," Dashen said with clenched jaw, "and help me remove them, damn it."
Tanner smiled and stepped toward his brother, "You are cranky when you're covered with bloodsucking worms."
"Remind me to kill you later, okay?"
"Nah, I'm good." Tanner studied the first of many creatures, this particular one stuck hard to Dashen's forearm. "Hmm. Hello there, little critter."
"Tanner, do NOT talk to it!"
"It's not gonna let go, I may need to coax it. Maybe a little pat on the head…"
"Stop petting the damn thing!"
"Yes, he is cranky when he's covered in leeches. Can you let go of my brother, little one? I promise to find you a good home if you let go without eating his arm, all right?"
Dashen rolled his eyes. It's what he got for asking his animal loving little brother for help. "I should've gone to Colton for this. Please don't promise it anything, Tanner, just pull it off my arm."
"Hmm."
"And stop hmming."
Dashen's arm being yanked up and down as Tanner tried to remove leech number one, it was a no go.
"It's stuck."
"Of course it's stuck. It's a leech. By definition, they stick."
Several more unsuccessful tries later, Tanner gave up. "Mmm, sorry, Dash, you need more help than I can give you."
"Can't you use your magic to pick them off?"
"I cannot."
"Ugh! Sometimes, Mouse, your freaky magic abilities are absolutely useless."
"I know. Especially when it comes to leech removal. I never made it to that part of the Jedi training."
Dashen tried to swat at his little brother but missed; Tanner using a little of his Force ability to duck at the exact anticipated moment. Not that he needed the extra assistance, they knew each other so well at this point, six years into their fake-brother life that it was fully expected for Dashen to try and whack him in the head. Tanner's face wrinkled up in a grin.
"Missed!"
"I'm thinking about trading you in, you know."
"Sure thing, Dash. I think you need a healer. I'll call Quinn."
"Great, I'll never hear the end of it. Quinn will lecture me. Colt will lecture me. You've already tried to reason with the damn things. Can you at least spring me a ride so I'm not walking through town with leeches suckered over my face? Leech Boy is not a moniker I am fond of."
"You've been called Leech Boy before?"
This time, instead of a whack, Dashen reached out to grab Tanner's collar and dragged him toward Colton's security house. "Just get me a damned ride!"
Hitching a ride with security man, Kebrey Pacus. Pacus gave one look at Dashen with his keen lavender eyes and said "Damn, Lesedi. What the hell happened to you?"
"That's what I asked him!" Tanner announced, sharing a smile with the large bearded man - a man not known for smiles - but Tanner always seemed to bring out the best in him.
Dashen held up both hands. "Both of you, stop! Please."
"Hey, Tannerlin, did you try your magic?" Kebrey asked.
The boy shook his head. "No, these are sort of like Super Leeches. They won't let go."
Settling in the rear seat of the ground car, Dashen chimed in with a sarcastic, "He did however try to reason with them and make friends."
"How'd that go, kid?" Kebrey asked, passing a glance to the younger boy sitting snug in the passenger seat.
Tanner offered a shrug. "Eh, it didn't. Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches are some of the more aggressive of the leech family. I did try though."
"I guess leeches were not meant for human companionship. As long as they don't devour your brother before Quin can get them removed, we should be okay."
"Great. Just great." Dashen said from the back. "Thanks for putting that in my head, Keb. Eaten alive by Spotted-Red Sewer leeches. What a way to go."
"Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches." Tanner proudly corrected.
"Does it really matter, Tanner? Does it?"
"No, but the Spotted-Reds are much less sucky. Too bad you didn't get into a nest of those guys."
With an audible grunt, Dashen sat back and waited for the end of the ride into town, then rushed into the infirmary. Tanner dragged alongside. "Tanner, find Quin. Now."
"Dash, I'm not a compass. We have to follow proper procedure. It's busy here today."
"I don't care. She is Colton's personal healer, therefore by default, ours. Just… put my name on the list. I'll com Colton, he can pull some strings."
"Too bad he can't pull some leeches off of you." Tanner quipped.
With a slump, Dashen tried to hide himself into a corner of the lobby. Thankfully, despite the cluster of needy patients already waiting, their connections did get them through. Dashen was called back within minutes of his com to Colton.
—-
Healer Quin Kalis stepped out to observe the twenty-one year old Lesedi. Her pale eyes missing nothing, seeing everything. With one hand, she pushed her long gray hair-braid back behind her shoulders. "Hmm" said said curiously.
"Great. More hmming." Dashen responded with rolled eyes.
Quin ran a finger over one of the bloodsuckers. "Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches, I see. Nasty buggers. How'd you land in a nest of these, Dashen?"
"Long story, can we just get them off me? I think I've already lost a layer of skin."
"Give me a moment." A medical droid rolled in and presented Quin with a anatomy readout of this specific leech. "Dashen, stop scratching them," she said with her back turned, knowing exactly what he was doing while she studied the anatomy information.
"They itch, Quin! And I'm pretty sure they're all in cahoots and in the process of removing every drop of blood from my body. I feel pale, do I look pale? Tanner?"
A gentle Force push and Tanner had Dashen on the medical bed. "Pale? Well, you look… well, you're covered in leeches, Dash, that's what you look like."
Dashen sighed, humphed and stayed seated.
Moments that felt like hours slogged by before the healer turned back to him.
"Okay then, we are ready. I will apply a slight sting to each leech and that should shock them into detaching."
"Sting?"
"Yes, you will feel it. It will cause some pain. The other option is to leave them attached. Did you want to opt for that?"
"Ah, no. Sting away, Quin."
The sting was less slight and more of the painful skin-jumping variety, but Dashen was on the receiving end of a bit of help from Tanner. The former Jedi apprentice held tight to his big brother's arm in order to send through a gentle Force wave.
"Thanks, Mouse," Dashen said calmly. "I'm not the best patient, I know."
"Well, you do have Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches stuck all over you. I'd be antsy and unsettled too. I'll forgive you for being an idiot this time, big brother."
"You always do, kid. Thanks. Ow! Did you see my leg jump? How many is that?" The question was pointed from Dashen to Tanner, he knew the boy was counting the leeches as Quin detached them dropped them into a glass jar.
"Seventeen."
Having already removed his tunic, Quin had him strip off his pants and socks. Naturally, they had to be all over his lower body too. Quin motioned toward his undergarment. "Did you check there?"
Dashen quickly crossed his hands over his groin area and called it off limits. "I did and stay out. Those damn things didn't get near there, or I'd have been screaming bloody murder. I do think though…" he reached up to scratch at the back of his hair, "Yup, they attached to my scalp. Ow!"
"Might have to shave your hair, Dashen." Quin said in a most serious tone. Her eyes though, they gave away the joke.
"Ha ha. You're as funny as my brother." He looked down. "Is that one sucking on my toe? Stars, come on! Quin, if I lose a toe…"
The healer, unamused, stared daggers at her most annoying of patients.
"Keep babbling and I'll stick one to your lips."
"Dash, you are babbling." Tanner said, offering semi-support.
"I know, I know. Sorry. I'm sorry, Quin. It's been a day and topped off with leeches… Maybe I'll just retire and curl up into a hole in the ground somewhere. Ow!"
The toe-sucking leech was shocked and released it's grab. Quin worked in silence the rest of the way, ignoring any further commentary by Dashen and grateful to Tannerlin for keeping his brother occupied.
"Last one," she said, rooting fingers through his hair, "There. That one didn't need a shock. Do me a favor, Dashen, whatever you did today, wherever you were today, don't do it again and do go there again. Best advice. Here," she handed him a small metal container. "Salve. Use as needed for itching. The red marks will vanish in a week or so. Those on the underside of your right arm may take longer. Those were sucked there like sticky-glue. Good? Good. Now, you can get out of my medical bay."
Quick and to the point. That was Quin. Dashen slid off the bed, got dressed and followed Tanner out the door. There were stares from others still in the waiting room. Actually, they were more glares than stares after he'd jumped the patient line. Those people, they didn't know about Quin's arrangement with Colton. They never would, so they glared.
"Just keep moving, Dash," Tanner set a hand on his back and pushed him through the room. "Oh, by the way, we're on our own to get home. Kebrey got called for duty."
That was fine with Dashen. After the day he'd had, a walk home in the brisk weather could do him good.
"So, you gonna tell me what happened?" Tanner asked, tilting his head up to his much taller brother as they started for home.
"Not much to tell, Mouse. Seriously. My run went south, I got tossed into a pit of leeches. The man actually keeps a pit full of leeches! I promised to stay away from him and he let me walk away with only how many?"
"Twenty-nine total."
"With only twenty-nine leeches attached to my body. Colt will be upset that the run failed, but what can you do? I suppose I'll live to run another day. Just not in that guy's direction. I need a drink."
"You don't drink."
"I have an ale here and there."
"True. You want to stop at the Rathskeller?"
"Nah." Dashen said as he turned in the opposite direction and sped ahead. "Let's go to Rayne's place. It's calm there, relaxing. She makes a mean house brew and you can stuff your face with one of her famous desserts."
With a nod, Tanner bounced on his heels and quickened his stride to keep pace with his long-striding brother. "No argument from me."
When they were side by side again, Dashen put an arm around Tanner's shoulders. "Hey, Mouse. I'm sorry for being an ass. As I said, it was a day. I'm glad it's almost over and I'm glad to end it a lot in a better place than it began. With some good food and the best of company."
"Just don't think about scratching."
Dashen released his brother and held his hands up. "Damn it, Mouse. Why?"
"What?"
"Don't say the word scratch or itch or anything of the sort. See?" Sleeve pulled up, Dashen fiddled with one of the wounds.
"No, Dash! Don't scratch. Think non-itchy thoughts."
"I was until you said don't think about scratching."
"Come on, Dash, look at the bright side. At least you'll never have to take another dive into that leech pit. I mean, in reality, Speckled-Orange Swamp Leeches are rare on Terra. Invasive even. It's the Blue-Stripe Wookie Leech that you really need to be wary of."
"Tanner, there is no such thing as a Blue-Stripe Wookie Leech."
The boy's head tilted to one day, "Mmmm, you sure?"
Dashen sighed. "Hell no, I'm not sure. Can we stop talking about leeches please? And itching? Let's just get an ale into my brain so I can relax. I've earned it damn it."
"You have. My treat, big brother!"
"You idiot, you have no money. You need a job for money. You go to school."
"Colton slips me a little cash now and then. I've got a few credits to my name."
"Enough for dinner and ale?"
"Enough for dinner, ale and dessert."
"Hmm. All right then, your treat it is."
"And when we get home, I'll show you a holo-pic of a Blue-Stripe Wookie Leech."
With that, Tanner jabbed Dashen in the side and took off running.
"Okay, you little… Tanner! Get back here!"
Dashen took off after his brother. They ran full on until the reached the diner owned by their friend Rayne. Hand on the door before sliding it open, Tanner said out of breath…
"B-beat ya. T-truce?"
"T-truce." Dashen agreed, just before he smacked his little brother on the head and walked inside.
Rayne smiled brightly as the boys stepped inside the diner. "Well, if it's not my two favorite customers. Come on in boys. Ale is on the house, Dashen."
Huh, Dashen thought, almost as if she knew it had been a day. With a look downward, he caught Tanner's wink to their friend followed by a warm knowing smile toward his big brother.
With a hair ruffle, Dashen gave in, "Fine, when we get home, you research and tell me all about the Blue-Stripe Wookie Leech."
"It's a real thing, Dash. Swear it."
"I'm sure it is, Mouse. Come on, let's go eat and forget all about this stupid day of mine."
END
