Slow Healing

[Valkren Calderon]

"Raider 1-1, Concord Actual, how copy?"​

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The communications chatter cut through the silent air of an unknown planet; wind whistling through hip-high grass and between the gaps of trees that surrounded the source of sound. For a moment, the request for a response would go unanswered.

After another moment, a hushed voice would speak back from behind the visor of lightweight combat plating.

"Concord Actual, Raider 1-1 copies. First team is in position."

"Solid copy Raider 1-1, proceed onto target. Actual out."​

​

The communication fizzled out in Commander Calderon's ear, leaving the operator in dead silence in his prone position. One of the moons of this planet seemed to shine its illuminating glow between the clouds and trees at the right time, lighting up the ranger's position to reveal another six bodies spaced out around Valkren.

The clouds moved back into the preferred position of the soldiers, casting them into the dark again and prompting the commander to make his next move:

With a quick motion of his right hand the six bodies would rise from their hidden positions, revealing identically darkened armor and plating. Weapons prepared, they moved in unison towards their destination- with Valkren taking point.

Two-maybe-three minutes pass by, their movement still remained quick but silent. Commander Calderon threw a hand motion forward, sending a ranger on either side of him forward ahead of the group as the rest crouched down in the grass.

Valkren watched the two carefully from behind his visor as they crept forward, scanning the tree-line and immediate area with their weapons leading.

Suddenly, another breach in the silence.

hissssssssss​

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"Boss, you hear tha-"

----------​

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Location: Kashyyyk​

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Silver's Rest Medical Center and Healing Center​

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Commander Valkren Calderon woke up sweating, shooting up in his bed at Silver's Rest into a sitting position and giving the room a quick once-over to confirm where he was:

Soothing lighting, the sound of birds, some features of the room 'intertwined' with the flora...

A sudden wave of relief overtook the commander as he collapsed back onto the bed, tossing his forearm over his eyes to cover the natural light that was flooding the chamber. Unless his mind was playing some nightmarish trick on him, he was pretty positive he knew where he was.

He was on Kashyyyk. He was home.

Valk' mumbled to himself as he sat up once again, calmly this time around, "Well, it's no infirmary..I'll give 'em that."

He certainly didn't want to throw any shade at the medical personnel at the Ranger base up the mountain from Silver's Rest, but there was a reason why the healers of the Silver Circle were commended for their abilities. In a way he was almost relieved to wake up from this unknown slumber at Silver's Rest and not on the Concord, his team's ship.

As his bare feet touched the ground, Valkren began to wonder why this all seemed familiar to him. Not Kashyyyk itself, but this specific chamber and this feeling of confusion. It was almost as if he had done this before.

Then came the splitting headache.

[member="Auteme Denko-Durren"]

​

 

[Auteme]

The door opened across the room. Auteme pushed it with her back as she entered -- her hands were full, carrying a tray of food for the patient, as well as a few bits and bobs that she might need for a checkup. She'd been tasked with meal duty today. Honestly, it was her favorite. Bringing food to people, talking with them as they eat, seeing how far a little bit of organic interaction could go to cure the sick and heal the wounded. It truly was magical -- she wouldn't be surprised if the Force had something to do with it.

The Force was also what alerted her almost immediately as she entered the room. The Ranger had probably sat up too quickly. Auteme wasn't even injured, and sometimes when she sat up in the morning -- especially after a long night in the library -- she'd get a migraine that'd force her to go back to bed. The beds here were really comfortable anyways.

"Woah woah woah," she said, scuttling over towards Valkren. She put down the tray on the bedside table, then turned to the man, placing a hand on his shoulder and chest, beginning to guide him to sit back on the bed. "Slow down. There's nothing you need to do today." She gave a warm smile. "I've brought you breakfast. The kitchen staff said they knew your favorite." The kitchen staff knew everything it seemed. Still, Auteme honestly had no idea what was on the plate... didn't much matter, so long as the man ate.

"I'm Auteme. It's nice to meet you."

 

[Valkren Calderon]

It wasn't long after his splitting headache began that Valkren had a visitor. Where he originally suspected a much older healer, or Antarian Ranger personnel for that matter, to walk through the doors of his room- instead he witnessed a much younger girl. Even with the head pains making it difficult to focus his vision, it was close enough to tell.

The commander was soon ushered back onto the bed. Sure enough, the stillness provided some of the relief that he needed.

Valk would take a moment to regain his composure, closing his eyes tightly and opening them back after a moment to attempt to focus on the situation at hand. His head was spaced for sure, he had so many questions that he could almost grasp at. For some reason he couldn't seem to piece any idea of what they were about. Kark, had his mind finally gone? Had all the years of fighting finally cracked the soldier. Was that why he couldn't remember anything?

He took another moment, calming himself before jumping to anymore extremes.

Valkren stuck with what he knew, speaking hoarsely for a moment before clearing his throat and going again.

"We're on Kashyyyk?" He'd wince momentarily, reaching up towards his face to rub whatever facial hair he must have- a sort of way to gauge just long he may had been out.

"Valkren, by the way."

[member="Auteme Denko-Durren"]

 

[Auteme]

For once her senses to be on a bit of a roll -- she could tell with just a glance that Valkren wasn't fully here, as well as his self-doubt. It worried her, but also shored up her resolve to help the man. Auteme nodded to him, grabbing a stool nearby and pulling it over to take a seat next to his bed. "Yes, we're at the Silver Rest." With his name she gave a warm smile. "It's nice to meet you, Valkren."

The teenager glanced at the tray she'd set down on the bedside table. She wouldn't force him to eat, of course, but it was important that he did... first things first, though. "How are you feeling?" She asked, a look of slight concern on her face. From what she knew, he'd been out for a while -- surely such a long rest would mean he was mostly alright? Though there'd probably be a bit of an adjustment period...

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren traced along his somewhat over-grown facial hair with three fingers, until his eyes grew wide at the location of an empty patch. On the right side of his cheek a fresh scar rested. His facial expression relaxed soon after as his fingers traced the recently-healed wound. It wasn't uncommon for the commander to wake up in a situation like this with fresh scars, but to remember nothing about it was different. He was atleast thankful that whatever wound he received had been healed quite well- even if the scar was rather visible.

The work of a healer most definitely.

With a glance back over to his newfound 'friend,' he'd look forward and rub his jaw.

"I feel like a kriffing rancor kicked my teeth in-"

After a lull in his words and a moment of feeling out just what injuries he might of sustained, he'd look back to the young jedi next to his bed.

"-but I'll live. How long have I been here?" His composure was returning, and with it so were the questions that had previously rocked his mind into a migraine.

"Where is my ship?" Ofcourse, this question included a non-spoken question of where was his team? What had happened to the Concord and his men, and why couldn't he remember anything? He didn't want to overload the girl with questions as he wasn't sure how much she would actually know- but one at a time would work..

Though he still needed his answers one way or another.

[member="Auteme Denko-Durren"]

 

[Auteme]

Auteme didn't know much about scarring, but there was a time where she'd woken up without recollection of what'd happened before -- it'd been a long time ago. She empathized with the man, seeing his slight confusion about his situation. Unfortunately there was little she could do to help, aside from make him eat, talk a bit, and all that stuff. His soreness and migraine weren't things she could heal directly.

"I'm afraid I'm not sure," the teenager replied to... all of his questions. She wasn't privy to troop movements or mission reports, really, and she'd decided just to go off what the nurses had told her about the patient rather than the full medical report and history. She loved reading, but the files and documents were more tedious than the excellently calligraphed histories of Arkanian customs. Nothing could be more boring.

"Would you like something to eat?" She didn't want to force it on him, but it was important that he began getting his strength back -- actually eating something was always better than the IV machine.

Valkren Calderon

 

[Valkren Calderon]

"Would you like something to eat?"

Her words elicited a sudden grumble from his stomach, and an audible one at that. His gaze was almost pulled to the food she had set in front of him- a mix of some kind of eggs, toast, and other breakfast commons. Although Valkren couldn't be quite sure of the actual time of day from the lighting within the room, he was sure of one thing: He loved breakfast.

He began chowing down almost immediately, scooping some of the eggs up into his mouth and then switching to the toast right away. It was a simple but perfect meal in Valkren's book. It was more than needed, as the placebo effect of just eating some long-awaited food had already eased his stomach. Plus he was sure that it would do a great bit for the slight headache that was present.

He gave a sidelong glance to Auteme as he took a bite out of the bread. It was obvious to this point that she wasn't informed about anything that had happened, so he could at least stop grilling her for answers. He looked back down to his meal and swallowed the bread he had been chewing on.

"You a padawan?" Valkren scooped up more eggs as he said this, looking back over before he ate the bite. "You look a little young to be a master, I mean."

Auteme