Private No Rest For The Weary

[Amani Serys]

In spite of her efforts, the time came when Amani capitulated to overwhelming fatigue. Mind, body, and spirit had all been tested to their limits on the crucible of Tython. There was only so much to expend before consciousness gave way to a long, recuperative slumber.

But eventually Amani shot upright in her cot. The motion twisted in such a way that pain shot from head to toe, preventing any more sudden movements. A glance at her surroundings brought only vestiges of recollection. A ship. The medevac? It had to be. Her broken hand had already been set in a splint, the leg wound properly treated and bandaged, and her dislocated arm fixed. On top of whatever other injuries surely marked her body. Short-term memory was hazy, at best.

She blinked. Kai must be here as well. Hopefully nothing worse had come of him, but paranoia won out over optimism. Amani pulled out her IV, and wobbled onto two feet, taking a moment to ensure no patrolling medics would take notice to stop her.

“Kai?” After a brief search, she came upon the matching figure, “Kai-” Amani pursed her lips as she then recognized a second figure in the same bed. Iris? “Ope.” The mirialan swung around and made an attempt to leave without further attention, already flustered by her perceived intrusion. He was confirmed alive, sooo, mission accomplished?

Arlo Renard | Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai's sleep was fitful. His body was trying to rest and repair an annihilation's worth of action, injury, and woe, but his mind remained active. For the first time in his life, he was dreaming, truly dreaming.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a very good dream.

The boy's curly hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. His breathing and heart rate were irregular. Gritting his teeth, his expression suddenly tightened, his joints locking up as if bracing for impact. He awoke with a jolt that pulled his broken leg, suspended in a hanging splint, in a way that made him gasp in pain.

His vision blurry with unsated exhaustion, he turned his head just in time to see Amani gawk at Iris being in the bed with him. <Amani?> His telepathy seemed unfocused, vague, uncertain if what he was seeing was real.

Amani Serys Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris's sleep was surprisingly peaceful. She'd gotten used to the horrors of war. Well no, she hadn't. But exhaustion was something that could put anyone into a deep sleep if it was strong enough. She laid curled up on her side, softly snoring away the past days exertions. Too much healing had her pass out a couple times before she forced herself up to keep going anyway.

Kai suddenly bolting awake had her bolt up too, though. Colors of pain were the only thing that caught her attention as she glanced to him. Her gaze stayed on Kai, looking him over as she tried to figure out what happened. Oh, right. His leg. She frowned, not saying anything as she turned to slip from the bed and find some more medical supplies. Maybe morphine or something to help dull the pain.

Then blinked as she looked at Amani.

She looked like hell. Why was she walking? Iris's frown only worsened as she lifted a hand, pointing towards a chair.

"Sit, now."

Arlo Renard | Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

Too late. Amani spun back around and plastered a smile across her face, “Heyyy. Looking all good here?” She gave a thumbs up, then tried to leave again when Iris made a more directed comment.

“Nooo, I couldn’t. I’ll just uh, let you… kiddos… get back to... whatever it is you’re doing.” Is that how you’re supposed to talk to teenagers? Considering she was one herself only a few years ago, it sure felt like there was a bit of a disconnect.

Though not quite what Iris meant, she did get her wish. Amani made a third attempt to spin around, and in doing so was hit with a wave of nausea, which in tandem with her leg injury and the persistent body-wide ache she felt, dropped the mirialan to her knees, “Eugh…"

Arlo Renard | Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

“Nooo, I couldn’t. I’ll just uh, let you… kiddos… get back to... whatever it is you’re doing.”

<Huh?> Kai glanced over at Iris, who had gotten out of bed, then turned back to Amani. <We were sleeping.>

Then Amani collapsed, and Kai, in a moment of impulse, started to rush to her side. His elevated leg caught him, but not before momentum knocked the rest of his body over the edge of the bed, leaving him dangling in a very compromising position.

The resulting pain and general weirdness left him stupefied, his head hanging just above the floor, wet curls dripping sweat onto the tiles. He blinked, then slowly but surely managed to hoist himself back into the bed. Let Iris take care of Amani first. He could wait a while... he was okay for now... oh man, morphine sounded great right about now...

Amani Serys Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris wasn't sure how to act at this point. Amani collapsed, so she was already rushing for her side. Only Kai followed in suit, clambering out of the bed only to get caught on his leg. Frustration welled in her, but she pushed that down as she scooped the woman up first to set her in the chair as quick as she could. Then rushed over to help Kai get back in the bed.

Then back to Amani to make sure she didn't hurt her head. Then to the medical trolly to get some morphine. She didn't even administer it, instead tossing it into Kai's lap. "Take off the cap and inject it into your IV. Should kick in immediately." She spoke while looking over Amani. Frowning deeply. Yeah, she was as hurt as she look.

And spinning around didn't help. Iris let lut a frustrated sigh as she set her hands atop Amani's head. Slowly pulling at the Force, pulling the pain away, healing the bruise.

"I get the impulse to help and such, but both of you are way too hurt to be wandering around. Have you even seen a doctor? There's no way they'd let you.." She trailed off as she saw the back of Amani's hand. And the bit of blood from where the IV had been tugged out. She didn't even continue, instead just grumbling under her breath as she started on Amani"s other wounds.

Arlo Renard | Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

"Two of ya? In that thing?" She glanced back at the bed, "A bit of a tight squeeze for my tastes, but whatever," Really she was just grasping for any point of conversation that might take the focus off of her.

But there was no stopping Iris. Amani knew that look in her eye all too well. It was one she often wore herself, in similar circumstances. "Waitwaitwait, I can do it myself," She grumbled in protest, plopping down into the seat like a pouty child. Being on this end of the medical exchange was a notable pet peeve of hers. She was supposed to be the one helping people, not the one needing help.

Amani sighed and let Iris work, "...How long has it been?" Her voice fell quiet and solemn. "Is Tython…?"

Arlo Renard Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai brightened as Iris tossed him a vial of morphine and a syringe. He quickly stabbed the needle into the vial, sucked up the drug, and inserted it into his IV.

The rush of morphine in his veins was a sweet relief. Perhaps it felt a little too good, but Kai wasn't thinking about that. He only wanted to banish the pain.

Eyelids fluttering, he watched Iris and Amani. His brow furrowed as the latter continued to sputter about the bed being too tight a fit for the both of them. Finally, he began to catch on.

<Smut?>

He waved his hand at her, dismissing the notion. The gesture looked very loopy. <Nah.>

She asked about Tython. <Been like, a day. Tython got beat up but still here far as I know. Still getting beat up. I should be there to beat the beater-uppers up.>

He then promptly fell back asleep, his arms going limp.

Amani Serys Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

A younger Iris wouldn't of thought anything about it. But she actually knew what smut implied. Red took over her cheeks, just for a moment. She wasn't sure how to feel about it, especially the casual nah, so she focused instead on helping Amani.

"Just sit still, I got this. You've been hurt, I haven't. Let the medic do her thing." Her frown deepened, though, at the question. And the answer from Kai.

"There are other, not so injured people fighting. Get fixed up, then go back. So trust them and focus on healing, okay..?"

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani snapped her fingers at Kai, as if to silence him from expounding further. TMI.

Thankfully, he immediately passed out, after relishing in that morphine high perhaps a little too much. She glared curiously at the sleeping boy before responding to Iris, "I'm supposed to be a medic, too."

Amani knew full well she wasn't in any condition to fight. But it wasn't really about her. "Tython is my home."

Arlo Renard Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai continued to sleep, snoring softly.

Amani Serys Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"I am the medic here." Iris put a bit more emphasis on it than she normally would. Then again, here she was sleeping while Amani, injured as she was, wanting to go out and help people again. Even came here to check on Kai. She lowered her hands once the pain in Amani's head was gone, instead turning to the other wounds that hadn't had the Force to heal them yet.

"You can't fight like this. Just.. Let me heal you." Iris didn't know that feeling. The color that had tinged all of Amani's own. The longing to protect home. Without a home to speak of, Iris just didn't know how to talk her down.

And Kai was snoozing. How much did he take? She frowned further, glancing to the boy, then to the vial. Patients weren't supposed to self medicate. "I'm not much of a medic, though. I'm pretty sure he just took too much."

Arlo Renard | Amani Serys

 

[Amani Serys]

Not even Amani was obstinate enough to claim the relief was unhelpful. The pounding against her skull seemed to fade, and the quiet that followed was a welcome reunion. Iris was only a padawan now, but the promise she showed was undeniable. Perhaps Amani could play the patient. For now.

She followed Iris’ gaze towards Kai, studying him for a moment before she simply chuckled, “He’ll be alright. Needs it anyway.” He was eager to get back in the fight as well. But of course Amani wouldn’t admit she needed the same.

“Didn’t know you two were familiar. Paddy pack friends?” Amani turned back to Iris and clarified, “That’s what my friends and I called ourselves anyway.”

Arlo Renard Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Caught in the midst of a morphine-induced pipe dream, Kai was unaware of his surroundings. In his dream he was back in the Reef, floating high above his body, severed from the physical plane. He could see the witch who had tricked him, and the friend whom he believed had betrayed him, and the empty husk of the Doppelganger he had been for so many long, bitter years.

He realized that if he didn't find another form to inhabit soon, he would become one with the Force. Losing his individuality was not something he desired, not one bit. So he flew through the air, passing through walls and roofs as if they didn't exist, and scoured the endless streets and alleys of Coruscant, looking for a new home. A new life...

Amani Serys Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"He never really felt part of the Paddy Pack, but yeah. Pretty sure that's what we called it too." He probably did need the sleep. Peaceful, at that, given how he woke up and woke her up. Still, Iris couldn't get rid of her frown as she glanced between the wounds on Amani and him. "He was my first friend, after Domxite. He showed me how to see through the colors. Well, no. He just.. Made me want to. I love him."

And her face reddened as the word 'Smut' went through her head again. She quickly shook it from her thoughts.

"A.. And not like that. We tried that. He kissed me and felt nothing then ran away when I got upset. It was a whole thing. Um. We're good now though. He's my best friend, without a doubt."

Amani Serys | Arlo Renard

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani chuckled a bit. Funny how terms like that carry over.

I love him.

“Oh.”

A.. And not like that.

“Oh.”

She rested her cheek against her palm, and seemed to fall into some kind of PTSD-like flashback of teenage padawan drama. So much drama.

A little too long a time passed before she shook herself out of it, “Welp. Uh, if you’re both happy, then that’s great.” Amani was unsure of how to expound upon relationship advice like that, given she hadn’t been in any serious relationships since…

…

Well, seemed like they were doing fine anyway.

“You uh, find Domxite yet?” She barfed out the words. Anything to make sure the previous topic didn’t come back around to her.

Arlo Renard | Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Oblivious to the two attractive young women talking about him while he slept, Kai continued to search the dreamscape of Coruscant, looking for a new body. In real life, he had eventually located the fresh corpse of a dead boy... but in the dream, his search was endless. Always the clock was ticking, time slipping through his fingers like sand through a sieve.

Frustration gave way to rage. I will kill you for this. I will destroy you as you have destroyed me. He seethed with hatred for the witch. Then there was the agony of betrayal. Claudia... Claudia had suggested he go to Erictho for help. She had stood there while the witch tore him from his body. Claudia, who said she loved him, that she could give him things Iris never could.

Then cold fear poured through him like ice water. If he couldn't find a body, couldn't reach one in time, he would die. Not just die, he would cease to exist. He was made of energy in a purer form than beings of flesh and bone. There would be no journey through the Netherworld that awaited him, only the silence and oblivion of total oneness with the Force.

Amani Serys Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Yeah. I did." At this, Iris actually smiled. A really bright, relieved sort of smile. She hadn't even told Kai yet, mostly to keep him from trying to leave the bed to go see Domxite.

"They're still bled, but, I have someone who will help me heal them. But they're safe. Home, finally." Everything wasn't completely okay, but they were healing. Everyone was healing. Mostly. Her gaze shifted, the frown returning as she watched Kai.

"He's having another nightmare."

Amani Serys | Arlo Renard

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani’s smile grew much more genuine at the good news, “That’s amazing. You did it.” She’d shower Iris with more praise if she didn’t think it would sound excessive. Her attention had turned to Kai anyway, “Hm?”

A nightmare. Amani frowned. So much for the boy getting a good night’s rest. Before Iris could protest, she stood up and limped over beside the bed, “Hey,” Amani gently shook his shoulder, hoping she could wake him from his slumber, “Kai. You okay?”

If she couldn’t be out on the front lines saving Tython, she could at least make sure this poor kid wasn’t having some bad dream about being naked in front of a crowd.

Arlo Renard Iris Arani​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai felt a hand touch his shoulder. He seized the wrist attached to that hand, then the throat of the person standing over him.

Amani Serys Iris Arani​