Private Rebirth

[Inanna Harth]

The medic glanced up at Amani, wondering how he was going to handle this. He was familiar with idealism that overrode realism—he’d begun his career with the same starry-eyed optimism. But he had soon learned that it simply wasn’t possible to save everyone.

He didn’t expect her to start using the Force, but he wasn’t totally unfamiliar with the healing powers the Jedi possessed. “Why didn’t you do this sooner?” he asked, his numerous eyes blinking simultaneously in disappointment as she then revealed that she also had a bacta tank on her ship.

Whatever. Hindsight is 20/20, at least Amani had remembered she possessed both mystical healing abilities and a shipboard bacta tank now rather than later.

That hurricane outside might pose a problem getting patients to her ship. Weather conditions had worsened in the hours since Amani's arrival. The medics pushed the repulsored gurney out of the quarantine zone, down the hall, and through the exit, shielding the body from the rain and wind with little more than a tarp.

Meanwhile, the head medic did a quick survey to see who was the worst off, passing those patients along to Amani to let her work her magic.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani shrugged sheepishly, “I won’t be able to do it for everyone,” Technically not a full justification for her delay, but admitting it was also a blend of forgetfulness and uncertainty of its effects felt unhelpful to both her and them. They could just let that little blunder slip through the record. Besides, it hadn’t actually cost them anything thus far, right?.

Eager to make up for it, she got to work curing each patient as they were brought to her. Sure enough the power continued to prove beneficial, purifying the bioweapon’s symptoms with little more than a touch. As with any intensive use of the Force though, it sapped the Jedi’s energy reserves the more prolonged it became. “Any idea how many are actually left?”

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"If you intend to cure them all this way, there's seven left." The medic looked at the weakening Mirialan curiously. "Can you handle that much?"

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“Seven?” Amani chewed her lip in contemplation, the gears visibly turning in her head as she ran a bit of mental math, “...Shit. Yeah, okay. I can do it.” The swearing may not have inspired much confidence, but she remained resolute in seeing the task through.

“Just don’t freak if I pass out or something, yeah?” Amani reached out to the first of them, and began the process. A bioweapon as potent as the Wretchedness took a lot more strain than your standard poisons, and a lot more than a few too many sips of jet juice. Still, a single detox? No problem. But after several in a row, the repercussions start to grow exponentially. Each one left her noticeably more lethargic than the last.

By the final patient, she looked like she was going to doze off standing up. “I can do it,” She stressed, before anyone could even try to speak up on the matter. Amani wiped a few beads of sweat from her temple, and forced the connection once again. And as soon as the last vestiges of toxin were flushed from the patient's system, she toppled backwards and landed right on her ass. “Ow…” Amani clutched her throbbing forehead, and promptly dropped out of consciousness.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

The medic elected to watch and wait as Amani used the Force to accomplish what would normally have taken a team of doctors hours or days to complete. A practical man, he had never discounted the miraculous abilities of the Jedi—if anything, seeing them in action only made him lament the fact that their power was reserved for a select few.

But at the same time, it quickly became clear how much of a strain it put on the young woman. By the time she reached the final patient, she could barely stand. The medic grabbed a chair and placed it behind her, yet she was either unaware of it or didn’t have the strength left even to sit down. She collapsed on the floor in a heap, forcing the medic to scoop her up and deposit her on an unused bed to sleep it off while he and the other doctors completed their work.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

A few hours later Amani sprung up in her bed, freezing about halfway from the uncomfortable stiffness she still felt from her impromptu nap. The headache was much more faint now, though still tapping rhythmically above her eyes.

"Whozit-?" She blinked, remembering where she was, "Did it work?" The healer asked to no one in particular.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Three dead, nine in stable condition."

The medic's voice was coming from somewhere off to the side, his body hidden from view by a curtain.

"Excellent work," Inanna could be heard saying. "I should look into getting more Jedi healers."

"I doubt you'll find any more willing to help. With powers like theirs, they must be in high demand."

“Naturally. I was being facetious.” The curtain was pushed aside by Inanna. "Looks like sleeping beauty is awake."

"Try not to move too much," the medic warned Amani. "You collapsed from exhaustion and were out for over an hour. Want some water?"

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

"Um… sure," She responded hesitantly, as if she hadn't quite understood the question at first.

"Three dead?" Amani asked, disappointment creeping into her voice. The conversation had only just been picked up on, but she could only assume that it revolved around her own work.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

While the medic went to get Amani some water, Inanna remained, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yeah,” she confirmed wearily. “Three of the patients didn’t make it.”

Ultimately they had waited too long to treat them, due to a lack of hands on deck. “More probably would’ve died if you hadn’t done what you did. I, uh, appreciate it. And I’m sure everyone else does as well.”

The medic returned with a cup of water and handed it to Amani. Inanna waited a few moments while she considered her next words. The other doctors had expressed concern that Amani would overextend herself. The last thing they needed was for her to become a patient herself.

“None of the other patients are critical right now. You should get some more rest while you can.”

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“I should’ve got here sooner…” It was hard to hear the success in their endeavors underneath the failures. Amani groaned and slumped back onto the bed, pressing her palms over her face. A couple seconds passed before she registered the medic standing over her with the cup, at which point she took the cup and leaned herself over the bed in an awkward fashion that allowed her to drink while still lying down.

“...Do you get new cases often?” Amani turned her gaze to Innana, eyes wide in an almost sad puppy-like expression.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“It depends.” Inanna crossed her arms over her chest. “We’ve had a few new arrivals show up infected, but these were from a terrorist attack recently. There seems to be an organization affiliated with the Maw who are devoted to… eradicating us.”

Inanna could think of no other explanation for why they would spare the time, effort, and resources to attack a refugee camp on such a far-flung planet. Someone or several someones had it out for the Shi’ido and wouldn’t stop until they were all wiped out.

“But hopefully, we won’t be here for much longer. If I can successfully make arrangements with the Alderaanians, the Shi’ido will soon have a new sanctuary city better equipped to deal with this sort of thing.”

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

“That’s terrible…” Not that such a description was out of the ordinary for Maw-affiliated activities. But even as part of a full-scale genocide effort, it still stood out as particularly evil.

Amani took another sip when the mention of Alderaanians perked her ears. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. “Well I’m… sure they’re good for it. And from what I’ve seen, you’ve been a pretty good leader for these people.” The healer offered a genuine, if weak, smile.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna’s smile was more private. She was thinking about the date she had planned with Alicio. For once, things seemed to be really looking up in her world…

She snapped out of it upon hearing Amani call her a leader. “Oh, uh—I’m not really the leader of this place or anything. I’m just a… a spokesperson.”

Her negative reaction to the moniker probably seemed disproportionate, or even ridiculous in light of how involved she was in running the camp. But she had an intense aversion to the idea of being that responsible for her entire species. It was bad enough that their future might depend on her diplomatic efforts… she wanted no more of the burden.

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

As prone as Amani was to refuting Inanna's humility, her emotional intelligence was more than enough to intuit she was simply discomforted by the idea. It was understandable; Sure, no one ever claimed the survival of a species rested on Amani's shoulders, but the Jedi could commiserate with the sense of overwhelming responsibility. At least Inanna was wise enough to not attempt carrying the entire galaxy on her shoulders.

"Well… then you've been a pretty good spokesperson." Amani nodded, tracing her finger along the brim of her cup, "What are you going to do? Once all of this is done?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“I dunno,” Inanna murmured thoughtfully. “My old life is… gone for good, but I have a few ideas and even some hopes and dreams, believe it or not. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to plan too much. You never know what the future might hold…”

Aaaaand she was thinking about Alicio again. Touching her hand to her cheek, she said, “I better leave you alone. Get some rest.”

Amani Serys​

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani frowned as the woman seemed resigned to the loss of her past, but managed a faint smile as Inanna became lost in a sort of reverie. Looking toward the future; another cue she could learn to take one of these days.

"Sure. I'll just… be here then," Amani chuckled faintly, "Um, if you all need anything else, just let me know, yeah?" She laid back down on the bed, her gaze turning blankly to the ceiling.

Inanna Harth​