STAR WARS: CONFLICTED

CHAPTER XII - RECOVERY

Shaak Ti's lightsaber rubbed against Dooku's, above the head of her padawan. She pulled it away from Nathan, before using the force to push Dooku backwards.

"Fight somebody your own size, Dooku." She said, her lightsaber still humming in front of her. Ki Adi Mundi and Obi-Wan Kenobi had also arrived, and now stood beside the Togruta, waiting for her or Dooku to make the next move.
Dooku looked down at Nathan, who was still holding what was left of his arm.

"You may have gotten lucky this time, boy," Dooku hissed. "But next time, no one will be there to save you." He turned and left the room, not being followed by the Jedi because of the wounds that had been dealt to Ahsoka and Nathan. Anakin, who was previously unconscious, had now come to, and was being tended to by Kenobi.

"Master? What are you doing here?" Anakin muttered, holding his head.
"Well, I had heard you were in trouble, and so I came to your aid." Kenobi explained.
"Thank you, Master. I'm sorry I let him get away." Skywalker said. "I promise that next ti- hang on, is Nathan okay?" He stopped, noticing the crowd around the young padawan. Ki Adi Mundi and Shaak Ti were stood over him, alongside Rex and some of the other clones, including some from Kenobi's battalion.
"He'll be fine. As you well know, arms are more easily replaced than anything else." Kenobi said, folding his arms.
"Very funny, Obi-Wan."

Ahsoka had begun to awaken also, holding her head and her leg uncomfortably. The lightning from Dooku has struck her lekku, which were very sensitive for Togrutas, and this was why she was knocked out so quickly and for so long.

* * *

It took the Jedi around an hour to load the three wounded Jedi back onto the gunships and out of Felucia. Thankfully, their efforts were not in vain, as the planet was now safely back in Republican hands. But it had come at a cost.

Once back aboard the Venator, Nathan was taken straight to the medical bay. His arm had been sliced almost clean off, up to where the peak of his bicep would normally lay. The pain was still incredible, despite the medication he had already taken.

As he laid there, he took a moment to rest. His first mission was certainly not one to forget. He had infiltrated a Seperatist factory, despite not destroying it. He faced Count Dooku, the leader of the Seperatist Alliance, stood his ground firmly, escaped a cell with Ahsoka, fought Dooku again with Anakin, and then nearly killed the Sith Lord, if it weren't for his lack of awareness. If he had sensed Dooku's force pull, he would still have a right arm. But now, he laid there, in agony, yet relief.

Anakin entered the medical bay, with a small cut on his cheek from the lightning strike. He noticed Nathan in the corner, and walked over to the padawan's bedside, offering a smile as he did.

"How you holding up?" He asked.
"Could be better, could be worse." Nathan replied, adding a weak smile.
"Look," Anakin said, kneeling down so he was level with Nathan now. "What you did out there, holding off Dooku, not just any Jedi could do that. I've had enough run ins with him to know he's more than a handful."

Nathan realised something. No one had seen when he choked Dooku, both Ahsoka and Anakin were unconscious. He considered mentioning it to Anakin, but he thought it would do less good than bad.

"Thank you, Anakin." Nathan finally replied.
"Is Ahsoka okay?" He realised he also hadn't spoken to Ahsoka since the fight.
"Ahsoka is fine. She hurt her leg, but it's just a cut, nothing more." Anakin said. "Would you like me to get her?"
"That would be helpful. Thanks." Nathan responded, as Anakin got up and left the medbay room, leaving Nathan alone again with his thoughts, apart from the medical droids, of course, who were working away on his arm. The entire right arm would need to be reconstructed, a metal arm. Just like Anakin, Nathan thought to himself.

There was a silence momentarily, and Nathan took a moment to sit back and think properly about the mission.

But before he had much time to do anything, the doors burst open and his Togruta friend rushed in, scanning the room for Nathan.

She ran over to him, jumping onto him and embracing him with a hug.

"Woah, woah, remember the bruises, Ahsoka." Nathan chuckled, wincing slightly.
"I'm so glad you're safe." She whispered, resting her head on his chest. Nathan used his left arm to embrace her.

"Thank you for letting me use your saber, that saved my life." Nathan smiled.
"Well, then thank you for saving all three of us. I guess that makes us even." Ahsoka said. She lent forward and kissed him on the cheek, before stepping back so as to not touch any of his bruises. Nathan's eyes began to water slightly, but he brushed them away with his remaining arm.

"Your whole right arm came off?" She asked, surprised.
"What? Oh, yeah. Went through my upper arm. Right here." Nathan said, happy the subject changed, motioning to his wound. "It was actually your saber he used."
"Oh, Nathan." She hugged him tightly, now beginning to tear up herself. She felt guilty that this had happened to him, not her.

"Wait, where's my lightsaber?" Nathan asked slowly. He remembered he never retrieved it from Felucia.

"Oh, don't worry. Master Mundi found it soon after Dooku fled." Ahsoka replied, still snuggled onto his chest. She turned her head to look up at him.

"Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry this happened to you. Just, please be safe." She whispered.
"I'll be fine, Ahsoka. I've got you."
He closed his eyes as he said this, relieved that she cared for him as much as he did for her.