Private A Promise Kept...Kind Of

[Viera]

After Generis
Medical Facility​

The events on Generis had been grueling, and the various members of their small group had come back in different states of injury. But the most important thing was that they were all alive. A promise made, a promise kept.

...make sure they get back home safe and sound.

Viers and Viera had been the first to escape the proximity of the crumbling temple, only to run into Violet and Dagon along the way. The latter of whom was unconscious, slung over the former’s shoulder. A feat that would’ve been questioned, if Viers wasn’t unconscious and Viera’s vision wasn’t blurry at best.

Once everyone had reached the transport, it became apparent that Kaska was missing. And with both Dagon and Viers out cold, it was down to Violet and Viera to find and bring her back. With the Thyrsian running on fumes, and Violet barely looking like she had broken a sweat. The duo returned to the temple to find and pull Kaska from under the rubble.

Some time passed and the group found themselves in the safe confines of a medical facility. Each in various states:

Kaska Arden was the worst of the lot, confined to a bacta tank for however long it would take for her to heal.

Dagon Kaze was the next worst off. Adorned in numerous bandages, but managing to be on his feet, brooding and staring out a window.

Viera was seated on her respective medical cot, abdomen bandaged up and eyes now fully open. Albeit, the area around them was reddened from dust irritation.

Viers Connory was on the cot next to her, having only suffered a concussion from headbutting her Sith opponent. She had opted to message Aeris Lashiec , seemingly trying to get the bookworm to bring them alcohol.

Violet Horne was the only one who had gotten discharged so far. The young woman was virtually unscratched despite the apparent blows she had taken during her and Dagon’s fight. Something about that didn’t sit well in Viera’s mind, but she didn’t vocalize it. Not right now at least. Either way, Violet had disappeared somewhere, stating that she’d be back.

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Aeris Lashiec //: Viera //: Dagon Kaze //: Kaska Arden //: Violet Horne //:

​

Viers stared up at the ceiling of the medical facility. Everything hurt, mostly because she was tired and had pushed herself beyond her limit. Muscles that she had never used before ached and cried out for attention, but Viers didn’t complain. Others were worse than her; she only knew a few things about the others. Ears only catching small and quick conversations of the caretakers.​

They were trying hard to keep quiet about the status of the others. Viers wondered if this was done on purpose. Keeping the padawan in the dark allowed her to focus on her own needs and ensured that she accepted the offered care. Still, Viers found her mind wandering to her friends. ​

Looking over towards Viera, the Corellian paused, seeing the damage to the woman’s eyes. It seemed no one really came out unscathed, and Viers was thankful for her quick thinking and the training the old crone had given her growing up. Thinking about the old woman made the girl crack a small smile. If she could hear Viers being thankful for her tutelage, it would knock her socks off. ​

For just a brief moment, the sadness of missing her guardian showed on her usually bright and smiling face. Small memories made her chest tighten, but with a cough, she cleared it and smothered the memories. Sitting up slightly, Viers caught sight of the two rocks at her bed stand. Her brow furrowed, trying to remember where the rocks had come from. They were nice rocks, but why? ​

Looking about the room, she sighed softly with relief; they had made it - she had made it. Things couldn’t be as bad as they felt. Surviving, they had done it. Viers remembered what a lot of her favorite action heroes usually did in times like this. Closing her eyes, she remembered some of her favorite holoshows and holofilms. When the heroes survived something together, even by the skin of their teeth, they always celebrated somehow. The common factor in these celebrations was alcohol. The idea made her grin twitch as she reached over for her comm device and sent a message to Aeris. ​

-

Dear Master, ​

Hope you’re well! Finally made it back from Generis, I headbutted a Sith, I think I broke her nose. I’ll have to tell you all about my EPIC fight with this VAMPIRE - her TEETH were so big! I drew a picture for you. ​

I was thinking! You should come down and celebrate with us - some of us are worse off than others, but I’m sure everyone would love to see you!​

Bring alcohol, please! ​

Your Padawan Extraordinaire, ​

Viers​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

tune

Flashing lights, starry nights, high-rises, low flats, passing people, passing speeders; the cacophony of it all blurred into a blank canvas that was his reminiscing mind. For an hour Dagon brooded over the window struggling to recollect his memories from Generis only for every dig he found almost nothing. Only a sensation of uneasiness. An unnerving echo of a whisper. A flicker of emerald and vermillion.

Something had happened between Violet and him but his mind refused to tell him, and she was nowhere to be found.

The next hour he spent ruminating the conversation with Ryv and the consequences of Dagon's actions on Jakku. Viers, the recklessly rookie he had recklessly beckoned to the front, along with Viera, the composed healer he had shoved the burden of looking over the Corellian. They had survived, wounded and scathed, but survived; yet, he struggled to find solace in the fact. Dagon had put their lives in danger and had hardly done anything to protect them from it. What if next time was the last time he failed? The thought pierced through his heart like a spear.

Then there was Kaska, the stubborn and head-first Knight. Seeing her unconscious in the bacta tank had drained any color from his face. Sure, she had chosen this path much similarly to him but he could not shake off the feeling of guilt. Kaska was the one to find him and drag him out of the rubble on Ziost, out of certain death. And how did he reciprocate? With failure. Failure to protect her, failure to save her, failure to rescue her. Failure. The word rippled across every inch of his very soul. You don't have to take on the galaxy alone. But how much he wished for it to be so.

He remained lost in thought. Lost of hope.

Viers Connory Viera Violet Horne Kaska Arden Aeris Lashiec

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Kaska Arden // Violet Horne // Viera // Viers Connory // Dagon Kaze

The temple had been empty. It wasn’t a place that was bustling with life, but with everyone in the field it was almost extraordinarily quiet. The silence had spread from the archives to the hallways, and if you listened particularly careful you could hear someone sneeze from the other side of the campus.

Across the grounds there were a few new souls who paced back and forth as they anxiously awaited their friends to return, but not Aeris. Those that she had waited for had already returned. They were bound to beds, but they were back. One had to take a bacta bath, but as far as injuries went it was most likely just a matter of pride. Well, hopefully at least.

As the public transport pulled up by the medical facility and she got off with the rest of the crowd she couldn’t help but give the shuttle another look. It was far off to assume that was the kind of shuttle they had arrived on, but it stood to wonder just exactly what they looked like by now. Alive and injured was one thing, it was the other permanent scars she worried about. The ones that clouded the minds and judgment of those who should know better.

The doors opened, and with it there was a picture on her screen. Viers was still mistaking her usage of proper honorifics as a sign that Aeris was her master. Figures.

She pondered granting the padawan an answer, but there was something far more eloquent than a ‘no.’

Read.

The doors to the recovery wing opened and in stepped Aeris to see the state of her friends.

“Hello.” She announced herself, clearly empty-handed and perfectly fine with that. “Sorry that I’m late, traffic was a mess.”

 

[Kaska Arden]

Aeris Lashiec | Viera | Dagon Kaze | Viers Connory | Violet Horne​

B l o o p .

The comatose form of Kaska Arden stirred in her tank. The movement was accompanied by a faint tremor within the force, a formless echo that was lost in the void, the unconscious Jedi stilling a second later as she drifted further into dreamless, bacta encased sleep.

Clearly the life of the impromptu party.

 

[Viera]

Feeling the ever encroaching feeling of boredom, Viera decided she wanted to check on the others. With careful movements, she shuffled down the cot a little before swinging her legs over to the side. The Thyrsian winced as her side burned with pain, but it didn’t deter her. Another little push and Viera was off the bed and onto her feet.

She shivered slightly, bare feet touching cold metal. But she pushed on and headed along the length of the cot, using it as leverage as the pain continued to spike. Taking a deep breath, Viera wrapped an arm around her injured abdomen and stepped away from the bed. She brushed the curtain aside and stepped into the aisle just as the doors of the large room opened.

Viera turned to watch as Aeris walked in. “Ahh, heya Aeris.” She gave the blonde a warm smile, albeit slightly pained too. “I take it you got Viers’ message?” Viera glanced down at Aeris’ hands and noticed they were empty. Stifling an amused chuckle, she looked over at the curtained off area where the Padawan was located. “Hey Viers, Aeris is here.”

With that she gave the blonde librarian one last nod, before turning on her heel, wincing in the process, then heading further down the hall. She paused briefly as a soft bloop echoed out. Viera peered through the curtain where Kaska was, seeing the Nyriaanan Jedi still unconscious in the tank.

She at least looked a bit better off than when she and Violet had pulled her from the rubble.

Viera turned again, this time to take a step through the curtain that was concealing Dagon’s brooding presence. She said nothing initially, just watched him as he stared out in thought. “Hey,” Viera started as she approached, a soft pitter-patter of footsteps echoing in her wake. “How are you holding up?”

Kaska Arden | Dagon Kaze | Viers Connory | Aeris Lashiec | Violet Horne​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

the crimson idol

It took Dagon more than just a second to register the voice from behind calling him. "Hmm?" And a few more before his mind reluctantly allowed him to escape his plaguing thoughts. He turned around to see Viera stepping up closer to him and her words echoing in his head until they became comprehensible.

"Fine." he erected a facade in the form of a smile and a lie; a barrier to keep the scourge within, not allowing it to spread to anyone. Even if it chewed him from the inside. Dagon forced himself to lean casually on the wall, brushing away the stiffness. Aeris' voice on the other side of the large room surprised him for a moment, then his attention shifted back to the Thyrsian, "How about you? It's good to see you on your feet."

Viera Viers Connory Aeris Lashiec Kaska Arden Violet Horne

 

[Viers Connory]

//: Aeris Lashiec //: Dagon Kaze //: Viera //: Kaska Arden //: Violet Horne //:

The world around the padawan faded as she focused on the datasheet notebook she had with her. Heavily used colored pencils scratched against the surface. Viers didn’t even hear the beep from her comm device, letting her know that Aeris had seen her message. Biting her lower lip, Viers focused, more than she had focused when she had sent the message and artwork to the Jedi Librarian. ​

​

It took Viera alerting her of Aeris’ arrival to make the Corellian break her concentration. “Oh?” Two chocolate orbs lifted their vision from the datasheet and eyed the blonde that walked in. “Ugh.” She released a groan after seeing that Aeris had forgotten the alcohol she had so nicely asked for; either way, Viers was happy to see the blonde. After a few more minutes, Viers tore the sheet from her notebook and left her colored pencils on the bed. If anyone glanced over - it was evident at the age and the use the pencils had gone through. They were a quarter of the typical size, seemingly hand sharpened with a small knife, and warped from constant travel. Still, they were one of Viers’ most prized possessions. ​

​

Mismatched socked feet wandered along with the room until she crossed paths with Aeris. A bandage over her head showed from under her brunette trestles, “Hello, Master.” Viers greeted the woman politely, a rare occasion, “I’ll be back, and I’ll tell you about everything that happened.” Not giving Aeris much time to respond, Viers continued on her journey, swiping a spool of medical tape from a countertop. ​

​

It didn’t take her long to make it to the bacta tank that Kaska was suspended in. Viers watched as the bubbles came from the little gas mask covering the knight’s face. “I’m sorry, Kaska.” She apologized as a part of her felt guilty; she had heard that Viera and Violet had to dig the woman out of her temporary tomb alone. Looking down at the sheet in her hand, Viers sighed softly and then smiled. “Hurry up and get better - so we can go on more adventures.” She tapped the paper facing the comatose Jedi so that when she woke up, she was greeted by something other than an empty room or a doctor. ​

​

​

Viers made sure to really tape it down so that the doctors couldn’t take it off. When she was finished, she stepped away and wandered back to Aeris and frowned. “Where’s the booze?” She asked pointedly, showing her disgruntlement.​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

To walk among the wounded without being part of them yourself was often said to be a blessing and a curse. To see the suffering they had to undergo, set upon paths that differed from who they once were, and yet not have to suffer the same pain for yourself. Although a considerate frown had spread on Aeris’ lips there was not much else that seemed to give away how she actually felt.

Did she feel regret or even remorse at what she saw? No, it had been her choice to stay. Did she feel as if she could have prevented this? Most certainly not. What she saw was the outcome of her ‘friends’ actions. One of them floated in a tank, the other in deep thought as he stared out the window. One cradled a wound as the other approached her with a disappointed frown.

This wasn’t an unfamiliar sight. As a child she had seen numerous masters return from battle, many more knights had headed off only to never return. Loss was a concept with which she stood on far more familiar terms than her companions might have known and it had most likely shown in just how unaffected she seemed to be in her worry.

“I am not bringing alcoholic beverages to a recovery ward, Viers. Are you even old enough to drink yet?” Aeris answered back with, once again, not a single hint of regret. “The illusion of feeling better is not the same as actually becoming better.”

“But, with that said,” Aeris let out a sigh. “I am very happy to see that you are all alive. Given the circumstances.”

“What happened?”

 

[Violet Horne]

Aeris Lashiec Dagon Kaze Viera Kaska Arden Viers Connory

You could fake being ill only for so long, before the doctors kicked you out.

Luckily they lived in a setting that had the Force. They were used to miraculous chit happening all the time. Oh, the patient with second-degree burns, broken wrist, ribs and a concussion was okay already? Well, the Force must be with them! It was more difficult to explain to her compan- to her friends, of course.

They were forcers themselves.

"War happened." A thin voice would answer from the other end of the room. They'd see Violet slipping in and closing the door behind her. "Time as old as tale." She added there sadly, as her glance went towards Kaska in the bacta tank. There her expression softened. She didn't know the young Knight as well as she did some of the others, but apparently Kaska had fought ferociously. It had cost her. That was the cost of war however. None of them would come out on the other side the way they had been.

After one more look she stepped further into the room with a smile.

"I heard something about people having a thirst." Smile turned to smirk as she revealed a durasteel layered thermos bottle. "They think it's soup, but in reality it comes with a surprise." Mischievous as she brushed past Lashiec and Viers, slipping the bottle into the latter's hands.

"Heya Dee. How are you holding up?"

There she settled next to him, her hand gently settling on her shoulder as she watched him carefully.

Violet looked exactly like she had on Manaan and Jakku. No traces of the nightmare that kept his mind on edge and away from the memories. Perhaps... a little more confident than any of them remembered though.

 

[Viera]

"Fine."​

Oh, Viera didn’t believe that for a second. She might not know Dagon very well yet, nor was she an empath. But she had seen that look in his eyes, heard that same kind of tone in many others. She had helped heal leaders in the past, not the ones that sat behind the safety of their desks. But the ones that marched onto the battlefields with the everyday soldier.

It was a heavy weight, be it a Jedi or not shouldering it.

“Me? I’m doing alright, glad to be able to see again that’s for sure.” The temptation to rub her eyes was high, but Viera had been warned it would just worsen the irritation around them. “Fortunately the wound was a glancing slice, even the Sith wasn’t expecting to land it.” Viera had said nothing on why she had been hit, the fact it had been Dagon’s outburst that had distracted her.

The young man already had enough on his mind, he didn’t need those kinds of details. But at the same time, Viera wasn’t going to remain silent.

“Hey,” she began placing a gentle hand on Dagon’s shoulder. “You did good, Dagon. Things might’ve not been perfect, but it rarely ever is. What’s important is that we all came back.” The Thyrsian stepped back, giving Dagon a small smile. “Personally speaking, that Force Valor of yours saved my butt. Fairly certain I wouldn’t have been able to help Violet with Kaska, if I didn’t have that.”

From what Violet had told her, she had immediately just crashed the moment the ship was airborne. And just as she was thinking about the young woman, her voice suddenly cropped up. Viera peered over to see as Violet walked up to Aeris and Viers, seemingly handing something over to the latter. Then approached and sat down by Dagon, asking how he was.

Viera stepped aside slightly, and just watched. Something about Violet was an anomaly, or an enigma. The Thyrsian knew her healing, and was familiar with how much the Force could work miracles with it. But there was something about Violet that seemed...off.

Could some Force Healing have mended Violet’s wounds that perfectly? It’s not exactly far fetched. But there was something about the way Violet held herself, and not just the dash of new found confidence.

Sustained wounds, even healed, still had a toll on the person. Physical fatigue, emotional and mental effects. And yet Violet seemed to have bounced back like nothing at all.

It was a curious mystery in Viera’s mind, but for now she would remain silent on the matter.

Kaska Arden | Dagon Kaze | Viers Connory | Aeris Lashiec | Violet Horne​

 

[Kaska Arden]

​

B l o o p .​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

The flaring red around her eyes clearly standing out did not go unnoticed. Another too close moment. Would the margins be enough next time? Viera placed her hand on his shoulder, a sense of reassurance seeping into his conscious. The veiled pain behind his smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "You did good. We did good." he corrected her, a dose of hope rising in his voice. From behind the Thyrsian emerged the familiar form of Violet, abruptly something began clawing at the back of his mind at her sight. That, and the tones of confidence in her tone, drew out a hundred questions Dagon was too reluctant, too craven to dare ask. It remained a chasm within a chasm he dared not to look within. She settled her hand on his shoudlers, not unlike Viers had done a moment ago. The Jedi's eyes loomed on her, examining, scanning but the audacity of his innate curiosity never spurred to life; obstructed by layers upon layers of pusillanimity to learn the answers.

"Not too bad, really." the earlier dose of hope manifested into a tone of sincerity, "I'm glad to see you." he pushed himself from the wall, the small smile growing larger diverting them from the topic of him, "I heard you brought 'soup'; let's see what Aeris has to say about that if Viers hasn't chugged it all down already." Behind the mask, a tide of determination and responsibility began to rise. If he could give them just a little bit more chance, a little bit more respite, it would have to come through taking the reigns to lift their spirits. His own somber ghosts would need to be buried into the chasm of his mind. Any cracks within would need to be completely out of his fellow Jedi's sight, out of their mind. What burden he was to carry, he would carry alone.

Emerging into the wider area of the large room, the sight of the bacta tank nearly decimated the brittle pillars of hope forming in his mind. Like a tempest out of the blue, grief and pain crashed into his center being; he froze, only barely, exerting an intense will to keep the whole foundation from falling apart. A small sticker caught his attention, its hilarious contents pulling a lopsided grin on his face - Viers; the short respite forced the storm to subside.

"How'd you find yourself out of the library, Aeris?" the grin grew larger, even if a scolding was to come.

Aeris Lashiec | Viera | Viers Connory | Violet Horne | Kaska Arden

 

[Viers Connory]

The frown slowly faded into a grin as Viers shrugged. “I’m old enough; I’m like nineteen, almost twenty. I make up my birthday every year. Only once, though, so I can keep track.” There was a matter-of-fact tone in her voice as the padawan explained her age. She figured, like many others, they assumed she was far younger. Good genes, and Viers wasn’t going to complain. ​

​

“Yeah,” Viers paused, remembering that some of them were in better shape than the others. As she thought quietly, something appeared in her hands, and Violet had dropped off the ‘soup.’ A quick smile to the other padawan and Viers kept the thermos hidden behind her back. “Happy you could make it down here. I know how busy you are. I wanted to tell you everything in person mostly so I cou--”​

​

Before Viers could finish and actually get into the tale of her fight with the vampiric sith, Dagon interjected himself into the conversation. There were several questions that the padawan needed answers to about the oddity of the girl she fought, but it seemed Dagon felt his comment was more important. Frowning, the Corellian looked at the thermos and decided she should find some cups. Leaving Aeris and the others, she took off looking for them.​

Aeris Lashiec Viera Dagon Kaze Violet Horne Kaska Arden

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Time as old as tale? Aeris looked confused for a second as she wondered how the saying that was as old as time had managed to get itself tied into a mental knot within Violet’s mind. Violet who, unlike the rest, seemed awfully chipper and relatively unscathed. A seed of doubt planted itself in Aeris mind that she quickly buried under other more pressing matters.

“Well, consider today your birthday.” Aeris raised her eyebrow at Viers. “A whole day without my acting in better judgment. As, for example, not confiscating the alcoholic ‘soup’ you just came into possession of.”

She turned to look at Dagon. “Got wind of a transport carrying individuals that sounded suspiciously like those that I knew.” Aeris responded to Dagon. “Figured I would at least ensure that you were okay.”

Her eyes set on Kaska as yet another set of bubbles ‘blooped’ from her breathing mask.

“Seems I was right to do so.”

 

[Kaska Arden]

 

[Viera]

Viera smiled to herself as she watched everyone gather. Viers was chiming on about her ‘elusive age’, drawing the conversation into other matters until Dagon appeared. The young man seemed to have drawn himself from his reserved emotions, at least for now. Violet was well, being Violet. Idly watching as things unfolded before her. Watching, and not watching at the same time.

“Thanks for checking in on us, Aeris.” She smiled at the blonde Librarian. Glad to see her out of the library, or whichever archive she had situated herself into lately. It was always one or the other, rarely the third option unless someone had managed to drag her out on a mission. Which was often enough Viers than anyone else.

She looked around, catching sight of Viers as she gazed at the thermos before disappearing from the room. Viera’s gaze fell back down the hall towards where Kaska resided. “While Viers is off getting cups, I think. We should pull up some chairs together.”

Viera walked between the medical cots, picking up a couple visitor chairs that were between them. She winced in pain from the effort, but she brushed it aside and carried them further down the larger area to where Kaska’s tank was. The Thyrsian placed her chairs down, forming the beginning of a crude semi-circle.

Now being up close, Viera noticed the piece of notebook paper attached to the tank. Heavily taped to it too, to a point no one from this side could even get an impression of what was facing Kaska. She raised an eyebrow, wondering who had done this. But it didn’t take long for it to click, and for the Thyrsian to chuckle.

Kaska Arden | Dagon Kaze | Viers Connory | Aeris Lashiec | Violet Horne​

 

[Violet Horne]

Aeris Lashiec Dagon Kaze Viera Kaska Arden Viers Connory

Violet plopped down in one of the chairs.

Closest to Kaska.

While the others talked she studied the floating shape behind the glass. we could heal her. They could, but Violet was already starting to feel seeds of suspicion among her friends- companions. She had healed too quickly. Sure, the Force could explain something, but even with that the people in this room were all force users themselves.

They knew it couldn't explain everything.

"Sure as feth hope Viers didn't gulp down the entire soup herself." Violet finally said bemused, while looking around to see where the other Jedi Padawan was. She slouched in her chair. Confident, relaxed, it was a far cry from the Padawan they had gotten to know before the battle.

As if going through the flames had made her shed some of her naivety.

Maybe it was as simple as that.

"Anyway, Dee. When are we going out there again? I wouldn't mind a round two with some of those evil chits." Where was that past hesitation? The fear and trepidation of jumping into the fire?

It was all gone now.

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Head nod for the check-in. Viera at the very least tried to make Aeris feel like she belonged in this group. In reality it was more their insistence on bringing her along that had put her here in the first place. She was their age, she had been here for a while, but she had never truly formed any real form of roots. The archive was in reality an archive same as any other. Where she was mattered not, what her chose cause was — did.

Still, there were only so many good people around her left, it would be wrong to count what others technically counted as her own order out of that circle. Mostly because, well, why would she stay if it didn’t?

“Don’t be a fool, Violet.” Aeris shook her head in disapproval. “Only a fool goes looking for battle. Focus on the present, learn from the mistakes you made before you go charging into battle again.”

“And unlike you, your friends will need to steady themselves before they rush out there again.”

And why was that?