"Commander Ren, I was expecting you back in my sickbay before you departed the Supremacy. Another 'training accident' I assume?"
"You're not at all amusing Dr. Kelley," sneered Kylo. He was sitting on an examination table in a flimsy medical gown. That, and the fact that he had to remove his mask made him feel uncomfortably exposed.
"I'm not trying to be, Commander." answered the doctor calmly as he flipped through Kylo's medical report on his datapad.
"I see you have a dislocated left shoulder, extensive bruising on your back and around your neck, and electrical burns on your torso. The bruising suggests an impact with a hard surface. Fortunately, there doesn't appear to be damage to your spine."
Kelley continued to read Kylo's medical chart for a few minutes. "Unless the scans show internal damage you won't need to take a turn in a bacta tank. We can treat your bruising and burns with bacta pads."
The doctor turned to a tray of medications. He selected two syringes and turned back to the Knight. Kylo eyed him uncertainly.
"Now sit still Commander while I pop your shoulder back into the joint. It will be painful but less so if you let me give you a muscle relaxant and something for the pain."
"No injections, Doctor," huffed Kylo petulantly. "Pain helps strengthen my connection to the Dark Side."
"And you don't like needles," commented Kelley shrewdly.
"A Knight of Ren disdains human weakness," replied Kylo, a bit pompously.
The doctor hummed thoughtfully.
"Lord Vader hated needles," he remarked.
Kylo perked up. "What makes you say that?"
"I was on his medical team, back in the day," replied Kelley. He looked at Kylo's surprised face and smiled thinly. "Did you think he was shoved in a life support suit and that was it? Lord Vader required regular monitoring and periodic medical intervention."
"But he had the Force," murmured the Knight.
"I don't know much about the Force," conceded the doctor, "but I do know that he couldn't live outside of his suit."
Kelley picked up one of the syringes and looked at the Force user. "It helps if you look away."
**KS**
In another room in the Medical Center, General Hux, fresh from a session in the bacta tank, was sitting on an examination table wearing a flimsy medical gown. It would have amused him slightly if he had known he was mirroring Ren's situation, but at the moment his mind was focused on someone showing up, preferably with his uniform, and releasing him back to duty.
There was no reason for the delay, he grumbled to himself. He was fine. Well, he was fine enough to go back to work. Alright, his ribs still ached a bit and he had a mild headache, but that had never kept him from working a full duty shift. Or possibly two in a row. Ok, sometimes multiple back-to-back shifts. He was a General. It happened.
He was contemplating getting off the exam table and looking for someone to bully into doing his bidding (flimsy and slightly revealing gown notwithstanding) when a perky blond medic bounced into the room.
"Good morning General," she exclaimed cheerfully. "How do you feel?
"Impatient. Irritated." he deadpanned. "In dire need of my uniform, or, failing that, a pair of pants."
The medic was unfazed. She had dealt with General Hux on prior trips to the Medical Center. She opened her datapad and flipped over to his current chart."
"I have good news, sir," she smiled. "the bruises have healed up beautifully. Your sprained wrist, broken fingers, and broken ribs were taken care of by emersion in the bacta tank. There doesn't appear to be any lasting damage from the concussion."
"What about the electrical burns?" asked Hux "There is still scaring on my arms."
"Yes sir," replied the medic. "These are largely superficial and will resolve over time."
"So am I released back to duty?"
"You will need to talk to CMO Kelley for that sir," she stated as she closed her datapad. She pointed at a door to his left. "Your uniform is hanging in the fresher. Dr. Kelley is waiting for you in his office when you are dressed."
After she left the exam room Hux grumbled "about bloody time" under his breath and went to don his uniform.
**KS**
"General Hux," acknowledged Dr. Kelley as Hux walked into his office. "Please have a seat."
The doctor was sitting behind his desk. There was an unoccupied chair in front of the desk. Right next to an occupied chair. Occupied by the black-draped form of Kylo Ren. Sigh. He just can't get away from that overgrown child.
"Thank you, doctor," responded the General. He sat, uncomfortably aware that his shoulder was barely an inch away from Ren's.
"Could you remove that ridiculous bucket, Ren?" Hux sneered. "Everyone in this room knows what you look like."
Kylo silently removed his helmet so he could properly glare at Hux.
Kelley looked at both men. "I am going to release you both to duty," he stated as he opened his datapad. "After we discuss the long-term ramifications of repetitive injuries to the human body."
Hux and Ren stared at each other, confused. The doctor apparently had decided that they had time for a biology lesson.
"I don't have time for this, Dr. Kelley," growled Kylo. He started to get up from his chair.
"Commander Ren," cautioned the doctor, "I would hate to report to the Supreme Leader that you are being uncooperative."
Ren slowly sat back down. He didn't want to be lectured, but he didn't want to have another 'session' with the Supreme Leader. "Well, get it over with, doctor," he groused.
Hux maintained his silence and his composure. The soon Kelley had his say the sooner they would be back on the Finalizer.
"I'll make this as succinct as possible gentlemen. Bacta is damn near a miracle medication, but it has its limitations. As does modern medicine. As does the natural reparative ability of the human body …"
"With all due respect CMO Kelley," interrupted Hux, "but could we speed this up a bit? I have a Star Destroyer to command and a mega weapon to build."
"Fine," said Kelley tartly. "At the rate, you two are being injured in your 'training sessions' you risk long-term disabilities by the time you turn 45. Perhaps sooner."
Kelley wasn't a fool. He knew what they meant by the term 'training sessions.'
They looked at the doctor. They looked at each other.
"These 'training sessions' are mandated by the Supreme Leader," ventured Kylo.
"Then I suggest that you find some way to make them less severe, Commander," noted the doctor. "Because if you continue at this rate of damage one day my staff and I won't be able to put you back together."
Author Notes: Summary - Kylo ends up in the Supremacy Medbay. Hux and Kylo are lectured by CMO Kelley
Honestly, you can't get smacked around the way Kylo and Hux have been by Snoke without sustaining long-term injuries. And don't wave bacta at me. That's just a medical deus ex machine.
I may squeeze another chapter or two out of this concept. I haven't decided how long I'm going to travel down this bunny trail.