Only Hero Left

Chapter 2 - Medical Nightmares

Author's Note: Just a head's up for how majorly messed up Vader's condition is. :)

~ Amina Gila

No one is happy about it, but the Alliance reluctantly concedes to try reaching an agreement with Vader, probably only because they don't have much choice right now.

Leia would have expected Vader to be a little happier about it, though, so she doesn't know why the first thing she stumbles into almost right after he was taken to be treated is a panicking med-droid. Because apparently, Vader's being incredibly uncooperative with being treated, and he's destroying things.

Leia can't say why she decides to go when it's probably something security should deal with. She's close by, though, and – Frankly, she has no idea why Vader would be suddenly acting like this, if he's really trying to gain her and Luke's loyalty. And if he wants to be in walking condition.

Leaving the fretting med-droid hovering behind her, she stalks into the room, jolting to a stop at the sight in front of her.

For some reason, she thought – When they said Vader was being violent, she didn't know they meant that he was in the middle of being treated.

She didn't know –

And okay, yes, it's very rude, but she can't help but stare. The man on the operating table now looks nothing like the intimidating Sith he is with his armor. All his limbs are obviously mechanical, and he's mostly out of his armor right now.

But somehow, she didn't expect...

Force, what in the galaxy happened to him? She didn't expect it, but somehow part of her isn't surprised. How he felt in the Force was... So much the opposite of how he acted.

His skin is far too pale, and it looks like layer after layer of healing scars. All of it.

The ones that stand out most are the one running across his head, and one down his right cheek. He has a respirator over his mouth that mostly covers the second one, but she can still see it. The skin right above his arms is also badly scarred, some of it still obviously healing, and unless she's thinking about it too hard, they look like electric burns.

And he's covered in implants. His entire chest seems to be one. She really, really should stop staring.

She just didn't expect... this. He doesn't even look like he should be moving in this kind of health condition, much less leading an army. (Maybe that's why he always seems to be in such a mood. She would be too!)

The other med-droid that was once at his bedside is now rather smashed on the floor, and she's not sure if it's from the Force or his fist.

"Master," Vader mutters to nothing in particular, gaze unconfused as he stares up at the ceiling.

What?

"Vader," Leia calls sharply, crossing the room. Being here is beyond awkward, but she needs to deal with what she came here to. The still understandably nervous med-droid stays in the doorway.

Standing right next to him when he's like this is – is beyond weird, given their history. And... she can feel the fear pouring off him, even stronger than at the crash site, and she doesn't understand why.

"No," Vader practically whimpers, twisting on the bed. He's clearly not present at all, from whatever drugs they gave him, presumably. He doesn't sound anything like Vader without the vocoder either. His voice is barely audible, and it sounds strangely weak.

She swallows past the frustratingly uneasy feeling in her. She just needs to... She doesn't even know. How do you handle situations like this?