Shattered Stars (TCW)

Chapter 22 -- Blasted Clankers

Taska Rokanh and her men return to the Noble after a successful mission. The Jedi fought long and hard against several droids, earning injuries in the process. Though the Force protects its users, the war continues to prove dangerous for the young Knight.

A'den could always tell when his general was hiding an injury. "General, are you feeling alright?" He asked on the way back to the Noble, holding on tightly to the overhead straps of the gunship.

"No, A'den, I'm fine," she smiled unconvincingly, a thin layer of sweat coating her forehead. His sharp eyes didn't miss the way she resisted cradling her abdomen with her free hand.

"Why don't you come down to the medbay anyway? I'd feel better if I checked you over," he tried again as they landed in the hangar.

"A lot of men were injured in this fight, Sergeant, I don't want the medbay to get too full or for you to be overwhelmed," Taska insisted.

The medic relented. "Fine. Come to me if you need help, alright?"

He had not gotten more than 10 feet from her when he heard her stumble.

General Rokanh didn't stumble.

She seemed to be fighting to regain her balance when he turned around, one hand on her head and the other at her side.

"You're coming with me, General," A'den said as he walked briskly to her side again. It wasn't a request. "You're bleeding internally, and I'm not having you die on my watch."

"Yes, sir," she replied weakly.

Once they were in the medbay, A'den gently maneuvered her to a levitating bed, where she laid down with a groan.

"Now. Be honest with me. What happened?" A'den asked, using the voice he used on uncooperative shinies—and commanders, more often than not.

"I was fighting a B2 with an electric staff," Taska explained. "He got a few good hits in, especially near the bottom of the ribs. Lots of things happened, but I think that was the worst."

"I'm going to have to remove your tunic," he warned.

"I trust you," she reassured him, becoming even paler.

"Splint!" he called, and the younger medic rushed to his side.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm going to need you to handle any other incoming injured. I'll have the general stabilized in a few minutes, so if there's anything life-threatening that you need help with, you can ask then, but I think you can handle yourself," A'den said quickly as he washed his hands and applied gloves and a mask. "Understood?"

Splint nodded solemnly.

"Now, try to give the General some privacy, please."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Ace was brought onto the ship a few minutes later, having finished directing the secondary battle. "Sergeant," he said, grabbing the arm of Scrapper as he passed. "Where's the General?"

"I think I saw A'den taking her down to the medbay, sir," he informed him. "Didn't look too well."

"Thanks," he replied, releasing his brother and marching towards the medbay.

"Commander!" Splint said as he saw Ace approaching. "What do you need?"

"I'm looking for the general," he said sternly, already moving past the medic.

"Stand back, Ace," A'den said, even-toned. "I don't need any battlefield Force-knows-what in the medbay, especially while I'm doing surgery."

"Surgery?" Ace exclaimed.

"The general is injured," the medic patiently explained. "But she'll be fine, and she was much calmer than you about this."

"What happened?"

"What always happens when Jedi are so selfless they almost kill themselves," A'den deadpanned. "I've got it under control." He glanced up to see the commander had not left, and still looked a bit... queasy.

"If you want something to do so badly, you can come back when I'm done and keep an eye on her until she wakes up," he relented. "She'll need someone there to tell her she's not allowed to get out of bed."

"Got it," Ace nodded. He mumbled the phrase again to himself before he took the hint and left, finally leaving A'den to his work.

* * *

Taska woke up a few hours later, almost immediately groaning in pain—the painkillers wearing off was what had woken her.

"Hey, General," Ace said gently, and her eyes rolled to look at him.

"Hi," she said, then paused for a moment. "So I take it I survived my surgery?"

"You are still among the living," Ace confirmed with a relieved grin.

"I should be among the working," she protested instantly, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

"Hey!" A'den yelled from across the medbay before Ace could stop her. "Don't move too much or get worked up! The bacta hasn't finished working yet!"

She obeyed, dropping back onto her pillow with a sigh.

"You know, you should view this as an opportunity," the commander reminded her with a sardonic smile. "You need to rest. You overwork yourself as it is."

The normally long-suffering and good-humored Jedi shot him a glare. "Revenge?"

"I prefer to call it a learned response."

She gave a small laugh. "I guess that's fair."

They sat for a while in silence. "Would you like to meditate with me?" Taska asked. "It might help me to feel less... anxious."

"Uh, alright," Ace agreed. "As long as you don't expect me to lift anything with my mind."

She smiled. "It's nothing like that," she promised. "Just something to calm your mind, and connect you to your surroundings. Close your eyes. Think about something peaceful."

Ace closed his eyes obediently. What brings me peace? War was inherently chaotic, and being bred for it, he automatically assumed nothing in his life could be peaceful. He forced himself to relax, and the thoughts flowed freely—Lark's easy smile, Vis's calm demeanor, Zevi's gruff humor, Mags' mischievous antics. Their easy approach to everything could grate on his nerves from time to time, but he was all too aware that he would be a disaster without them.

After a few minutes, he cracked his eyes to see Taska completely relaxed, hands draped over her knees as she took slow, deep breaths.

It was nice to see her so calm.

"I don't think you're focusing," she teased without opening her eyes.

"What can I say? I'm not a Jedi," he smiled. "I did manage to meditate for a little while though. It was nice, I thought."

"It is," she agreed in a light tone.

"What do you, er, focus on when you meditate?"

Her cheeks pinked. "Many things," she answered vaguely. "Mostly things that I am grateful for. It might be trees, or people, or, um, well, it could be anything. Anything that makes hardship worth enduring. Anything that makes me want to keep going."

Ace nodded, still smiling. He hoped, however foolishly, that he was on the list.