Medical Wing

Mon May 09, 2011 11:36 pm by Aerandir Calmcacil

*Aerandir just watched Ambar, listening as he retorted in a voice that was not a yell, but could have been. So that was why Ambar had volunteered to be the teacher to Aurora earlier, because he had a bad feeling about Psallo and wanted to get information out of the woman. Aerandir's first, human reaction was to wonder what exactly Ambar had tried to do, but Aerandir then recalled that somehow he had a good feeling about letting Ambar take control of that situation.

He spared a glance at the bacta tank, at Morgan's form, and wondered now why he had a good feeling at all. Perhaps it was because letting Ambar do so led to Aurora warning Ambar and him getting to Morgan before Psallo could devour her. But Morgan was almost dead now; it was practically no use. Unless the Force was just sparing him the horror of having even less of Morgan than he did now. For that he could be thankful. But only barely. She was still dying, after all.

But Aerandir turned back to Ambar and watched as he looked at Samantha, then to the wall, then looked as though about to start pounding again. Aerandir's body suddenly jerked forward, as though to stop him, but Ambar only rested his fists on the wall, vowing to find Psallo and perform brutal acts to the creature. Aerandir lowered his head; he could not say that he did not wish to see the same happen to Psallo. But he also knew that that would not bring Morgan back. Slowly, he shook his head and took another step towards his brother, just one step, and spoke steadily.*
That won't—
*His words were immediately cut off as, suddenly, a voice entered his mind. A soft, gentle voice. A familiar voice. A voice he loved.

Morgan's voice.

Immediately Ambar became the last thing on his mind as he whirled to face the bacta tank and her body. She had said a single word. "Daddy." She was calling out to him, and suddenly, he could feel her Force essence strengthen, but only barely. And there was something else mingled with her own presence, something familiar, that was seemingly giving her strength. Was she... going to survive after all?

The voice had not gone unheard by the rest of the group. Everyone else had also whirled to face the tank much like Aerandir had. All of them widened their eyes. All of them suddenly felt hopeful. Kayla even audibly whispered "Morgie... ?" But it was Aerandir who stepped forward towards the tank, ignoring the others, before standing just before it, looking at Morgan's form.

She wasn't moving; physically, there was no change. He glanced at the monitors of her vital signs; they had not improved at all. In fact, they had weakened. So... what did this mean? How was she communicating? ... or was it just a final act? He slowly looked back up at his daughter, focusing upon her eyes, though they were still closed. She had called out to him through the Force... Did that mean she wouldn't hear him if he spoke aloud? Best not to risk otherwise; he would reply to her the same way she had spoken to him.*
<< Morgie? Are you okay, angel? >>
*How... how?! He was surprised he had said as much as he had said, but the words he had said were instinctive; they were also open for all present to hear. But he was hopeful. Maybe One-Bee was wrong. Maybe they were all wrong. Maybe they had all underestimated the fighting spirit of Morgan Calmcacil. The prophecy... Of course. How could Aerandir have lost faith so easily? She had survived so much before, she would survive now. She had to. She was fated to...*

Tue May 10, 2011 12:17 am by Ambar Calmcacil

*Ambar heard Aerandir begin to speak, and he almost instinctively groaned; he didn't even want to hear the man's words. He didn't want to be consoled. There was a cruel and twisted sense of satisfaction from degrading himself and making himself bleed, and he didn't want it to end; he wanted to shoulder the blame for this. Wanted to feel bad about himself; why would anyone want to comfort themselves after letting something like this happen?!

All these thoughts immediately subsided and Ambar perked up when a new voice was heard. This one in his head. A child's. Soft. Calling out for her father. ... Morgan's. Ambar straightened slowly, almost in disbelief; he felt a slight whoosh of air against his frame from Aerandir's sudden whirling. Ambar slowly turned towards the tank, glancing over Samantha as he did so, just enough to see that her eyes were transfixed upon the tank as well.

And Ambar turned fully, even as Aerandir approached the tank. Ambar watched, blankly. She had spoken... She had spoken! Was all... not lost? Ambar suddenly raised his hands and looked at them, at the sliced skin and the blood flowing. At the bandage around his right elbow, where the IV was once inserted. But then back at his hands. The IV had been there for a reason; it was a reminder of what he had gone through to protect Morgan. The hands, however, were self-inflicted. In a childish reaction, perhaps. Now he almost regretted it. If Morgan were still alive after all...

He slowly looked up towards the scene again as he heard Aerandir's words echo in his mind, no doubt aimed towards the child's consciousness—or what was left of it—as well. It was now an open conversation, and Ambar would be listening eagerly. And just then he noticed that Samantha was now standing right next to him again. She was watching him concernedly. He wanted to put an arm around her, but didn't, for fear of getting blood on her. He only lowered his gaze to the ground and looked up at the tank again, letting his hands fall to her sides, awaiting Morgan's response...*

Tue May 10, 2011 1:20 am by Morgan Calmcacil

*She felt him coming closer. She felt him, and everyone, start to become more hopeful. Still a bit sad, but not as sad as before. That was good; she didn't want them to be sad. If only she could open her eyes and look at them... But she couldn't. She only had energy for this one last thing, and she had to get it over with before this energy that her mother was lending her ran out and it was too late.

And then her father spoke to her through the Force, speaking her name, asking if she was alright. And the answer was simple: Yes, she would be alright. Her mother said so. Her mother was going to take care of her right now, but she needed Morgan's body to actually be on Felucia right now. And her father needed to know that, or else she wouldn't be alright. So she immediately responded with what her mother had said to her.*
<< Daddy... Mommy says... to take me to Felucia... She's gonna... she's gonna fix me... >>
*Already she felt herself beginning to fade again, but this time, the cold and pain wasn't gripping at her again. It was an inviting presence instead, one that Morgan somehow looked forward to. She was fairly certain that, could she have smiled, she would have. But she had one last thing to say, one that would sound fainter than her previous words, but was still soft and gentle as it had been before.*
<< It's okay, Daddy... Mommy will take care of me... >>
*And then... Morgan succumbed. But she did not resist it. In fact, she welcomed it. It was better than death. After all, that's what had been pulling her before, right? But this was not death; this was her mother. It felt more like a call to Morgan than a pull. Her mother's call. And she willfully, even happily, let her spirit fade away from beyond the mortal coil as she ran to answer the call, to her mother's open arms...*

*The others present would feel her spirit fade and her body become an empty shell. The monitors displaying her vital signs would display failure. The heart-rate monitor would initiate the telltale drone of flat-lining. Through the Force, through machinery, Morgan Calmcacil would appear to be dead. And yet, a small smile lingered upon the child's face...*

Tue May 10, 2011 3:49 pm by Aerandir Calmcacil

*"Mommy says." She had said "Mommy says." Had she... somehow met her mother's spirit in this process? Was that what was giving her the strength for this one last message? Aerandir almost didn't understand it. If her mother was talking to her, why wasn't her father communicating with her as well? This almost certainly meant that Morgan's time was close to expiring, she just had one last moment to—

... "Felucia." The keyword. Not her deceased mother, the one that gave physical birth to the child. She was talking about her new mother. The one that had protected her when she had been lost in Felucia's wilderness. The one that had guided her and accepted her as one of her own. The planet itself. And Aerandir was simply amazed; the consciousness Felucia itself had managed to reach out this far across star systems and wrap itself around her? And was giving her this small amount of strength?

Annabelle and Michelle, who watched in awe at this news, suddenly stood to their feet. They had been there, after all. They had experienced firsthand how the world had protected Morgan as well as themselves from fatal danger. Bix, Shells, and Cassie were aware of this story through secondhand telling of it. Kayla had heard about it, but she didn't grasp the concept at the moment; she was just trying to figure out what Morgan was talking about. She knew that, as complex as it was, her mommy wasn't Morgan's mommy even though they were sisters, so of course, she didn't know what Morgan was talking about. But, she said nothing.

They only listened. Listened as Morgan said that Felucia—her mommy—was going to fix her. But her words grew ever fainter, as she told her father that it was okay. That "Mommy will take care of me." ... but then she faded away. Her spirit left her body and the mortal world. Her body was now an empty shell. And the feeling stung. It stung Aerandir deeply. He felt almost as hollow as Morgan's body was now. He was reliving Jamie all over again. The only difference was that Jamie died in his arms outside. His death didn't include a flatlining heart monitor.

A sudden chill swept throughout the room as the feeling set in. Morgan was gone. Dead. Her spirit was no longer with her. Her body had failed and was lifeless. And all simply stood there, cold, empty, staring blankly through moist eyes. And the first sob was heard. But not from who anyone expected. It was from Kayla. The one who understood it the least. And yet, at the moment, the one who was most afraid. She stood there, shaking, face contorted in sorrow, tears pouring from her eyes.

Aerandir turned to look at his other daughter. Now, his only living daughter. And immediately he was upon her, approaching her and kneeling down before her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Kayla threw her arms around him as well and buried her face in his shoulder where she started to cry. Cassie immediately was upon them as well, and Aerandir welcomed her into the hug as Cassie lay her head atop Kayla's, stroking through the child's long brown hair while she herself let tears fall from her eyes. Aerandir wept, but he was the one who was whispering comforting hushes and words to the daughter that looked so much like himself.*
It's okay, Kayla. Don't worry, baby. She's not gone. She'll just be away with her mommy for a little while. Then she'll be back. Honest. Her mommy's gonna take care of her.
*And then it sunk right back in. Aerandir had been such a fool to react so to Morgan's "death." "Take me to Felucia... She's gonna fix me..." And now Aerandir realized. He had been foolish to react so soon and relive Jamie's death. Morgan wasn't speaking metaphorically. Morgan was speaking literally. Felucia had come for her spirit. And now it had her. And now it wanted her body there. For a burial? No... Morgan had used the word "fix." He was fairly certain that burying someone wasn't fixing them.

And now he knew. Now he knew why he had that good feeling about letting Ambar attempt to train Aurora, even though Ambar truly just wanted information out of her. He did not know what happened, other than Ambar had been "too easy on her," but whatever he had done, she had returned to warn him in the middle of the night. And he had intervened. And because of that, there was still a chance to save her. Had she moved on to the Netherworld, Aerandir would have been hesitant; transferring a spirit from death to life was a dark side power, after all. But Morgan was not dead. Not truly. Felucia was just giving them more time. She truly was Morgan's mother after all...

Aerandir kissed Kayla's little head and released her. She seemed to understand that he couldn't continue to hold her and only clung to her mother as soon as he was free. He looked around at all of them. They all seemed choked up once more. But he was not. He looked saddened, sure. But new determination was upon his expression. They had a new job to do, and only now did Morgan's life truly hang in the balance. He looked around at all of them, and he spoke.*
It's not over. Morgan is with her mother now. You heard what she said. We just gotta take her body there. I don't know what exactly will happen, but I know what Morgan wanted. We'll just have to move her. The quicker, the better.
*Even while he spoke this, he tried to think on exactly how they would move her. Sure, it seemed simple enough to just take her body out of the tank, place her into some sort of preservation unit, and transport it to Felucia, but by all accounts, Morgan's body was dead. He didn't want to risk any sort of damage to the body by moving it around. But he had no choice, right? He had to move her, that was it. Could they somehow transport the entire bacta tank? It was a great preservation unit; maybe they just needed to insert some sort of devices that would keep the body's processes alive once it was repaired... He was so confused, so unsure what to do, but he had to do something...*

Tue May 10, 2011 5:48 pm by Ambar Calmcacil

*Ambar furrowed his brows slightly at the words Morgan spoke. "Mommy"? "Felucia"? "Fix me, take care of me"? What was she talking about? He and Samantha were both aware of Felucia's "parentage" to Morgan. But what in the world did this mean? Was there more to it than just that? Ambar didn't understand. He was trying to. But he couldn't.

... but then he stopped trying when Morgan's spirit faded away. Leaving behind an empty shell. Heart monitor flat-lining. Death had taken her. So that was it, then. One final word, and then death. At least she had been strong enough for that. She always was strong. But no longer. Not even she could fight death. Odd how she had been the one to inflict death upon Ambar, and now he stood at the sight of her own death. Once he imagined he wished he would, and that it would have been by his hand. But that desire ceased, and instead he was devastated that it had happened at all. He even had tried to prevent it. This was not what he had ever expected. And yet, here it was.

And the first one to sob was Kayla. Even Ambar was surprised by that. The girl was usually so indifferent; he remembered that one time on Bassadro when he was technically still a Sith that she had wanted him to play with her, and then that big scene between Aerandir and Mapio... She had just remained in the pool and kicked her legs, looking bored, while Ambar himself had tried to break it up. That she was actually disturbed now? It shook even Ambar.

But he was unsure of how to react himself. Samantha was just staring blankly. Ambar clenched his fists and shook once more. But while he once more felt he had enough energy to pound on something again, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. But then he heard Aerandir's words. That it wasn't over. That Morgan was "with her mother now." Ambar let the single tear that was forming fall from his eye as he looked up. The man was right. Ambar had heard Morgan's words. Maybe... there was still hope. Morgan's last request... It had to be granted.

Ambar slowly turned his head to watch One-Bee. The droid had been watching the scene with confusion and curiosity; he, being a droid, had not heard Morgan's messages, after all. So their reactions confused him. The words, however, were clear, except for what Morgan had said despite One-Bee not hearing anything at all. But the girl was dead now. The monitors said so. Yet despite that, Aerandir seemed to want to move the body. And the way he spoke, One-Bee seemed to infer that he wished to take the bacta tank with him. One-Bee was utterly confused, but he would not deny the man whatever odd wish he had. He was the girl's father, after all. One-Bee took a step forward and spoke.*
= One-Bee =

Sir, I would be happy to send for a crew to move the tank. It has its own internal systems and can operate on its own for some time, and a separate power source can even be applied to it. In fact, allow me to remove the restraints.

*One-Bee turned towards a control panel, where he entered in a few commands. A few clicks, hisses, and whirs, and restraints on the bottom of the bacta tank and above it detached themselves, ready for relocation. They would just need some sort of heavy-lifting team. With that in mind, One-Bee turned to face the group—specifically Aerandir—again.*
= One-Bee =

Shall I send for a team to move the tank?

*Ambar simply stared blankly as One-Bee carried out this task. And then he realized. It wasn't over. Not yet. There was still hope. And it was on Felucia. And if they were moving the body, well, Ambar wasn't going to let it move without him. He wanted to be there. Immediately, he turned towards the two medics, the ones that had tried to fix his hands, the ones that had blood on their shirts for trying. He pointed at them and beckoned them to him.*
Come on, I'm not gonna fight this time. Just bandage me up, would ya? It's your job.
*The two medics blinked, looking somewhat wary of the man after earlier, but, well, he was right. It was their job. Maybe they were also just surprised that he cared so much about his hands after Morgan had just died, even though they too had heard the brief exchange between mother and daughter. As one moved off to grab a supply kit, Ambar glanced back over at One-Bee.*
One-Bee, when we move this tank, I want you to come with us. That's an order.
*One-Bee looked at Ambar, clearly surprised. Even the droid's photoreceptors blinked. But he only made his best approximation of a nod to the man.*
= One-Bee =

Understood, Master.

*Ambar nodded to himself as the medics returned with the supplies. He raised his hands so that they had a clear view of the injuries, even as Samantha looked around both surprisedly and confusedly. If Morgan was dead, how were both Aerandir and Ambar acting so determinedly? She didn't understand fully, except that Morgan wanted to be taken to Felucia so that... it could... fix her... ... A planet could fix someone? That was confusing... Ambar didn't notice her reaction, however. He only watched as the medics took their kit and cleaned and wiped Ambar's sliced hands with a sterilizing substance that stung a bit, before patching the sliced-up areas and bandaging them around both of his palms. He was ready to move now...*

Tue May 10, 2011 6:23 pm by John-117

*There they all went. There they all began their mourning. John could see the tear from Aerandir's eye fall upon Kayla's forehead. John watched her place her hand on the glass and Cassie begin to cry. John watched the twins Michelle and Annabelle hold each other and weep. John watched Bix wipe away a tear. John watched Shells not know how to react. John watched Samantha do the same. But the one that caught John's attention the most was Ambar growling and beating the wall until it broke, his hands bled, and his IV came loose, spraying the wall with blood until medics tended to it. John wanted to do the same. But he was too empty to want to do it. He just watched as the medics tended to his elbow but they then threw them away, leaving his hands to drip blood. John watched as Aerandir tried to comfort him, but Ambar only vowed brutal revenge. John wanted to agree, but assure them that his image would torture Psallo's mind. John wanted to say something. But just couldn't.

... and there it was. The voice in his mind. Morgan's voice. Slicing through all of these thoughts. Telepathic communication. It wouldn't be the first time said communication had happened with John. But this was from Morgan. The little girl they all thought was dead. And he looked at the tank, only to see that her condition hadn't changed. And then he frowned. What was happening? Aerandir moved towards the tank, and a very brief set of communications ensued, ending with Morgan entreating her father to take her to Felucia, where her "mommy" would "fix her." That she would "take care of her." John remembered his and Morgan's conversation by the overlook, when she had told him everything that had happened on Felucia, including how it had somehow become her "mommy." He still didn't truly understand it, but if that's what was happening now, why question it? The monitors were displaying that Morgan had died by all appearances. And Kayla was crying, but her parents were comforting them. But then Aerandir spoke, saying that they needed to move her. That it wasn't over. And the droid even unsealed the tank so that they could move it, and asked if he should send for a team. John glanced at Ambar as he recruited the medics to fix his hands, then ordered the droid to come with him. But John ignored all of that and simply stepped forward towards the tank.*
Forget the team. I'll handle this.
*Cortana had watched this whole time, solemnly, wishing she could weep, or at least approximate the action. Due to her being a mechanical piece of software, she, like One-Bee, did not receive Morgan's messages and was likewise confused as to what was going on. But she was not confused as to what they were doing, as she watched John head towards the tank.

John took notice of no one. There was a clear path to the tank. He only stepped forward spread his legs and arms, bent his knees to give him some more leverage, then wrapped his arms around the tank. It was then, at this close distance, he saw it. Morgan's eyes. They were closed, but the muscles around them... she was smiling. Whatever had happened... She had... died peacefully... ? John suddenly felt slightly more relieved, but still, that didn't make the task less urgent. He gripped the tank, but not too tight as to break it, and stood to full height, lifting the tank out of its loosened restraints. It was somewhat heavy, but nothing John couldn't handle. He then carefully turned, looking around at everyone from his now-limited vision, and spoke to them.*
I'll take her to the hangar. I'll load her in whichever ship you take. And I'm going with you.
*He left no room for argument or suggestion. He stated it as fact. For that's all it could possibly be. And with that, John simply started forward, carrying the tank towards the exit, careful not to tilt or rock it too much. Cortana watched him with amazement, but suddenly a thought came to her.*
= Cortana =

Chief, wait!

*John paused, looking at the hologram as best as possible. Even with his helmet on, it was clear that he was impatient. Seeing this, Cortana changed her mind and shook her head.*
= Cortana =

Never mind. Just go! I'll have someone else take my chip to Felucia later.

*John nodded to her as best as he could with his body tilted backwards somewhat, and only continued out of the chamber. He didn't stop; he carried the tank on through the medical wing, through the waiting area, and back out into the halls, and onward to the hangar. And not once did his grip falter, not once did he wish for a respite from this task.*

Tue May 10, 2011 11:24 pm by Aerandir Calmcacil

*Aerandir's attention was drawn to One-Bee as he suggested he summon someone who could move the tank, and even went so far as to loose it from its restraints so it could move. The group glanced at the tank as the sounds were made, then looked back up at One-Bee as he offered to send for a team. There was a brief distraction when Ambar asked for the medics to bandage his hands, then ordered One-Bee to come with them—to which Aerandir agreed mentally—and Aerandir prepared to turn back to answer One-Bee.

... but then he was interrupted yet again as John himself stepped past the group, squatting down slightly and wrapping his arms around the tank, then lifting it up and looking around at them, saying that he was gonna take her to the hangar and that he was going with them. And he made sure that it was not a statement. Aerandir was only watching in surprise as John managed to lift the heavy tank, but he only nodded, grateful for his aid, and he wouldn't ever dream of denying the Spartan the chance to come along.

He simply stepped back, giving the Spartan some room, and nodded to him, watching the brief exchange between himself and Cortana. Cortana wished to go too, but the Chief needed her chip, which was in the command center. But the Chief had speed on his mind; so would Aerandir. And Ambar was coming too. They would have nothing, however. No gear, no equipment, just Aerandir in his nightclothes and a shirtless, bandaged Ambar. ... but that's why there were other people in the room. Immediately, Aerandir was once more the strong, determined figure he normally was, as he looked around at all of them with a sturdy expression that was marred only by the moist eyes and tear streaks.*
Ambar, One-Bee, the Chief, and I are going on ahead. The rest of you, I know you're not gonna want to just sit here. So pack clothing. Pack necessities. Pack for me as well. And pack for Morgan. Then come separate and meet us there. You'll know where to find us.
*The man's determination seemed to inspire the others. Bix stood up a bit straighter, tightened his brows, and nodded. Michelle looked a bit more determined as well, though Annabelle just looked hopeful. Shells just looked around confusedly. Cassie stood, lifting Kayla with her, then nodded, trying to look determined, but failing. Aerandir looked around at all of them. No words really needed to be said beyond what was said. He nodded to them, then turned to quickly follow the Chief to the hangar. Once he was gone, the others looked around at each other, silently agreeing to move as well, and exited behind him, all headed to their own respective quarters.*

Tue May 10, 2011 11:37 pm by Ambar Calmcacil

*Ambar and Samantha both watched with widened eyes as the Chief simply picked up the tank and carried it out of the room. Ambar knew that John was strong, but now that... that was impressive. But then Aerandir was suddenly determined again, like he normally was. And, as though it was because of Aerandir's determination, Ambar somehow managed to find himself smirking once more, though wincing slightly from the pain of his multiple injuries.

Aerandir directed the others to go pack stuff to bring while himself, the Chief, and Ambar and One-Bee came along. Good to know Aerandir wanted him along. Ambar glanced around at the room, towards the other occupants, then down towards Samantha, who looked slightly confused. He only continued to smirk; this new determination was getting to him. Especially if Morgan was going to be saved after all. He pointed down at Samantha, then spoke.*
You do the same. Get bags packed with clothes, bring 'em with you, join them. Get help if you have to. One-Bee, come on.
*He raised his hand to gesture for the droid to follow him. One-Bee only nodded to his master, then to the other medics, who were staring in awe at the man who had just carried the tank; those things were heavy, after all. But Samantha couldn't help but look slightly insulted that Ambar suggested she get help for packing. She folded her arms and looked up at him, but Ambar only continued to smirk. He then headed out of the room, as did One-Bee. When the others began filing out, Samantha simply unfolded her arms and headed out after them.*

Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:05 pm by Aerandir Calmcacil

*The last time Aerandir had arrived in the medical wing, he was carrying a broken and bloodied Morgan. Now, the only similarity between that visit and this one was that Morgan was bloodied, but not broken; the only major wound she had was on her forehead, instead of a torn-up chest and her shoulder missing a chunk. This visit was far less urgent, and Aerandir thanked God for that.

The medical wing was still active, Aerandir knowing full well their services may have been necessary. It was simply well-guarded. It was fortunate that it hadn't been what was attacked by that blast that had torn open a hole in the wall. They wouldn't be doing any more of that; they wanted Morgan, and they weren't going to risk killing her.

Immediately upon entering, a medic on duty approached them, asking what it was they needed, though her eyes were looking down at Morgan now and again with apprehension for the girl's safety. Aerandir explained what had happened to the kids, that Morgan was simply unconscious and just needed bandaging though may have had some bruising, that Michelle also was likely bruised, and that Ethan possibly had a cracked rib. Before he could be asked, he also explained that the battle for the Academy had dwindled down, and that two of the Sith had at last been killed.

The medic called for others, and then led the children into the med bay. Ethan was helped up onto a mattress, was examined, and, upon confirmation that one of his ribs was indeed cracked, had the rib set back in place and then wrapped in a bandage soaked in bacta. He was then given an ice pack to help him ease some of his other bruising. Michelle, luckily, exhibited no internal damage, she was merely fairly bruised and felt pain from movement as a result, although she had narrowly avoided a concussion. Her bruising and swelling was tended to, and she was also given an ice pack to help ease the pain.

Morgan, surprisingly, had only minor bruising; her only true injury was the gash in her forehead. This had been cleaned and bandaged, and Morgan was simply left to rest upon a mattress. It had been of note to Aerandir that it was clear the girl had been crying before she passed out. She had also cried after she had killed Ascin, and Aerandir would have simply assumed it had been for the same reasons, had he not been made aware of the fact that she had projected Jamie's image over herself before killing him.

This was a story Aerandir was incredibly intrigued about and wished to hear more upon. But for now, he would wait till she awoke and instead headed over to Michelle's bedside, where she was holding her ice pack behind her head to ease the bruised area. He smiled down at her, and she smiled back up at him. Aerandir took a seat beside her, reaching out to take her hand and held it gently within his own.*
Quite the close call there. Fate knew what it was doing when it sent Master Mallan here.
*Michelle smiled and squeezed her brother's hand in return, nodding and wincing slightly at the pain. Aerandir almost frowned at the state she was in, but decided he'd instead try to get further details about the injuries.*
What'd Maul do to you?
*Michelle sat up slightly, but only groaned and lowered herself again. However, she smiled strongly, trying to ignore the pain, as she looked up at her brother.*
= Michelle =

Me and Ethan tried to stop him. We told Morgan to keep running and we were gonna like try to fight Maul or at least slow him down, but he just jumped in, knocked away our lightsabers, used a Force push to throw me against the wall, then turned and kicked Ethan as well. Then he attacked Morgan and Ksandra fought him and then Morgan came out looking like Jamie and stabbed him.

*Aerandir's eyebrows had raised. Michelle and Ethan had attempted to stand up to Maul? That was almost foolish. And he knew Michelle knew she and another child couldn't stand up to someone like Maul. She... had basically put her own life at risk, only to protect Morgan. And so did this boy... Aerandir glanced over to where he lay nearby, then back at Michelle. He smiled again, pride filling his expression.*
That was perhaps the most wonderful thing you've ever done, babe. I'm proud of you. I'll have to give Ethan my thanks too.
*He leaned forward and gently kissed Michelle upon the temple. Michelle smiled, perhaps tearing up a bit, glad her almost-foolish decision had been justified after all. Not only that, but it had made her brother proud of her for being willing to put aside her own life to preserve Morgan's. It hadn't been an easy choice, but at least now she knew it had been the right choice; she may have been knocked aside with no effort, but she had bought just enough time for Ksandra to arrive right on time and stop Maul from inflicting anything else upon Morgan.

That, above all else, made her proud of the decision she had chosen to make.*

Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:35 pm by Morgan Calmcacil

"I did it, Jamie... I took care of him for you..."

*Morgan awoke with a small, almost inaudible gasp. Her eyelids parted and she looked around, realizing she was staring up at a white, tiled ceiling. The words echoed in her mind. Images, Jamie's face and form, flashed and vanished like a slideshow. Finally, they ceased, focusing upon a single image: The site of Maul, laying on the floor with a lightsaber blade through his chest, smirking up at her before dying.

... wait a moment. Her lightsaber hadn't been yellow...

Morgan sat up on her elbows and looked around. She was in the medical facility. Not far from her was Michelle, who was laying upon a bed with an ice pack behind her head; Morgan's father, who was sitting besides Michelle and holding her hand; and Ethan, who was laying upon his own bed with a bandage around his chest. Morgan suddenly became aware of something upon her forehead, and, upon reaching up, discovered that she had also been bandaged as well.

She felt a bit weak, but not as weak as she would have expected, considering the blow that had sent her flying had been rather powerful. She sat up a little further, reaching up as though to inspect her forehead but then stopping when she remembered there was a bandage there. Must have been some kind of gash or something... she could remember some of that debris hitting her forehead, she just hadn't felt it at the time.

She looked towards her father again. She wanted to go over to his side, express how joyful she was to see him, and explain everything about her visit with Jamie to him. But Ethan... no one was at his side. And he had gotten hurt trying to protect her. ... that's right, he and Michelle had tried to protect her, and both had obviously survived! Morgan could at the least tell Ethan she was grateful, and... and...

Morgan sat up all the way, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She slid off and landed in a crouch after falling the short distance, then got to her feet and ran towards Ethan, ignoring the somewhat-woozy feeling she had in her mind. She grabbed a nearby chair and pushed it up to the bed's side, then climbed up onto it, placing her hands upon the edge of the bed as she stood up and faced the boy.*
Ethan! Are you alright?
*She looked down at the bandage again. What had happened? Did he break a rib, or did he get cut or stabbed or something? ... probably not stabbed, at least not very deep if he had been. All this because Ethan and Michelle were trying to protect her... she started to feel a bit guilty now, but at least they were all alive and Maul was now dead. At last. He hadn't deserved to live after what he had done to Jamie...*

Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:15 am by Ethan Row

*All things considered, that hadn't been too bad. Comparatively... well it could have been worse at any rate. Ethan had been helped up onto a bed, quickly receiving confirmation that the rib was cracked. He had figured that setting a broken bone couldn't hurt too much. He was so wrong...

Keeping a straight face was out of the question. But at least, aside from a few deep breaths, he didn't make any noise. Although he had nearly bitten through his lower lip trying to hold it all in. But after they were done setting it, the pain was gone, replaced more with a dull aching. That he could live with; he was pretty used to it in fact.

That was all done; now all that was left was to wait for it to heal. They'd wrapped him up in a big bandage, and then given him an ice pack, as if that would make a big difference. Closing his eyes, Ethan let himself sink down into his pillow, figuring he deserved a little bit of rest after all he'd been through. This had sure been one heck of a day. It had started out with him falling down a flight of stairs and meeting Morgie, and now was apparently ending with him in the medical ward and a large-scale battle going on outside.

But it seemed it wasn't over yet; the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor opened Ethan's eyes. Morgie was sitting there, looking down at him, asking if he was alright.*
Oh, yeah.
*He quickly pushed himself up, leaning back against the pillows at an angle.*
Yeah, it's nothing, just a broken rib.
*Her forehead was wrapped up in a bandage, presumably to cover the gash that Maul had inflicted on her earlier.*
Are you alright?
*He imagined that after getting hit in the head like that, she'd be slower to recover than him. But then again, Morgie didn't exactly seem like the kind of girl to care about stuff like recovery time.*

Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:03 am by Morgan Calmcacil

*"It's nothing"? A broken rib was "nothing"?! ... he was so brave... He had stood up for her, had been injured by Maul, and was sitting here shrugging it off like it was nothing. Morgan smiled at him, then frowned a bit when he asked if she was alright. She thought about that for a moment, between the head injury and being sent flying, neither of which she had felt...*
I guess I'm fine. I didn't really feel any of it.
*She reached up to rub the bandage on her head, looking away briefly and contemplating everything that had happened. The the flight for her life, the attack, the awaking in Harmony, the meeting with Jamie, the return to the living, and the death of Maul. That was when she had passed out. And now she had awakened, with the woman that had been fighting Maul nowhere in sight, but she could still hear the faint noises of battle outside.

Morgan sighed and leaned forward, looking down then up at Ethan again. The boy she thought she had liked ever since she laid her eyes on him. And then she found out he was quite the neat person, and had gone as far as standing up for her to protect her life. If he was willing to do that for her, then... maybe... he liked her back! ... or was it because he liked Michelle instead and wanted to go down by her side?!

Morgan almost recoiled in fright, but caught herself. That was ridiculous... Right? Morgan grimaced, then lowered her expression. She had to get this over with now, before worry overtook her too much. Seeing that she was on the opposite side of where Ethan's cracked rib was, she gently hoisted herself up onto the bed, then laid herself down beside Ethan, careful not to disturb him in any way, looking at him tentatively.*
Ethan? I...
*Her eyes looked away, feeling a bit nervous. There were butterflies in her stomach... This scene was all too reminiscent of when she had first met Garren, and had been getting ready to take a nap with him on her father's bed, where they had confessed their love for each other. Granted, that just felt like a little crush with too much childish exaggeration; Morgan almost felt like there was something more to the present.*
... When I first saw you, I...
*She began to grin bashfully, her emerald eyes looking up into his as she tried to word all this properly.*
... I thought you were funny. Then I started to think you were... cute...
*Her cheeks began to turn a shade of red as she looked down again.*
... I was worried you would start to like Michelle instead of me, so I got scared for a bit, but...
*No more beating about the bush. She had to just get it out there. She looked him in the eye once more, still grinning, cheeks still red, but her face was also determined.*
... The way you stood up to protect me from Maul—
*"No, stupid!" her thoughts yelled at her. "Shut up and tell him!" She gulped, then opened her mouth. For a moment, there was an odd silence. And then finally, she said it.*
Ethan I like you.
*There. She had said it. She froze entirely, her expression locked with that odd mix of bashfulness, hesitance, and determination. Her eyes were locked on his. This was a make-or-break moment... The next few seconds between her words and his response would be the longest, most anxious amount of time she had ever had to endure in her lifetime, she knew that already. She hoped he liked her back, she hoped so much... If he said that he didn't, she didn't know what she would do. Cry? No... She would probably be sad though. And she didn't want to be sad right now...*

Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:34 pm by Ethan Row

*She didn't feel it? Then she'd been knocked out from the impact, which, all things considered, was probably a good thing. Well, if it didn't hurt, it couldn't be that bad of an injury, Ethan reasoned. Funny how Morgie was the one the Sith were after, and now she was the one with the least serious injuries. Or at least in the least amount of pain.

Wait, was she doing now? Morgie had hoisted herself onto the bed, lying down next to him. Was she lying about not feeling anything, having to lie down now to disguise that? Or... was she just trying to get close to him? No, that was silly. But then again, the thought of her lying seemed pretty silly too.

But now, looking at him, she was trying to say something, pausing after saying his name, fishing for words. What was it? Ethan was confused. Was she trying to thank him? He hoped not; he was always bad with responding to stuff like that. No, that wasn't it, now she was talking about when she first saw him. Oh great, now he knew. She had seen that stupid fall he did down the stairs. Well at least she was tel- no, that wasn't it either, she kept talking.

She thought he was funny? He was funny? In a bad way? Oh he sure hoped not; he didn't want people laughing at h- CUTE!? Had he heard that right? She thought he was cute? That didn't make any sense, girls were supposed to think guys were stupid, not cute! Wait, now she was bringing Michelle into this... she thought he was starting to like Michelle? Why did she think that? They were in a competition against each other; there was no time for liking there. Why was she even worrying about him liking Michelle anyway?

Wait, this was her thanking him for the whole Maul thing. Dang it, now he was back to square one, completely unsure how he would respond to this. How was he supposed to respond to this? What was he supposed to do when somebody thanked him for something like this? He was so inexperienced with these iss-

Ethan froze. Had he heard right. He couldn't have. But he knew he had. "Ethan, I like you." That's what Morgie had said. Suddenly the whole thanking issue seemed so simple. How was he supposed to respond to this? He'd only just met her a few hours ago; how was he even supposed to know how he felt about all this?

And more importantly, what was he supposed to say to her? Her expression was possibly the most tense thing he'd even seen. What was he supposed to say to that? Did he say he wasn't sure how he felt about all this? No, that would be devastating. He could pretend to think she meant "like" as in "like you as a friend". No, she'd see right through that. What could he do here? He couldn't think of anything. She'd backed him into a corner.

Well no, that wasn't entirely true. Sure, he had no options, but that had never stopped Ethan before. If he was faced with a problem he couldn't solve, he wouldn't bother solving it, he'd just go do it. That could work here. Pushing everything else from his mind, Ethan turned as best he could without hurting himself, looking Morgie square in the eyes. He stared at her for a few seconds.*
Morgie... I...
*Then he kissed her.

It was only a quick kiss, probably not even enough time for her to react. But then again Ethan hardly knew how to react either.*
I like you too.
*He had absolutely no idea what he was doing. But then again, when did he ever? When all else failed, he'd always run into things headfirst and waited for everything to resolve itself. Would this resolve itself? He had absolutely no idea. But his method hadn't let him down before, so why stop trying now?*

Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:33 pm by Morgan Calmcacil

*Morgan's eyes studied Ethan's face intently now. And from what she could tell, he was suddenly as nervous as she had become. But in a good or bad way? Was his nervousness preceding rejection or reciprocation? Oh gosh, this whole thing was a mistake and Morgan knew it; if this turned out to be against her favor, then she would be crushed after having to endure all these painful seconds.

Then again, if it turned out that Ethan also liked her, then it would have been the greatest risk she had ever taken in her life. And who knew; maybe Ethan was nervous because he did like her, and, even with her confession, he was having a difficult time of coming out and saying it? Yeah, that was it! Or so Morgan hoped anyway. It had been so much easier with Garren; compared to then, this was one of the most difficult trials in her life.

Ethan had turned a bit, Morgan watching in surprise, remembering that he had broken a rib. He stared at her, and she stared back. After a few long seconds, he spoke hesitantly before trailing off. He was going to say he didn't like her, wasn't he? Morgan blinked, not wanting to look away, but nearly feeling the urge to. When she finally succumbed, the moment she began to dip her head downward, the most curious thing happened:

He kissed her.

Granted, it was on the cheek, and it was a quick one, but still. Morgan's eyes widened and she looked up at him again, just in time for him to declare that he liked her too. Once more, her heart went aflutter. He liked her too! This meant that she had been worried about him ending up liking Michelle for nothing! And he kissed her on the cheek! This had actually gone better than she expected!

Morgan startled to giggle, a small, happy little giggle, before she shifted her position so that she was laying on her back but still looking at Ethan sideways, beaming at him. Maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all. But... now what? She couldn't think of anything else to say... Garren had expressed his desire to marry Morgan one day, but... so much for that one, it seemed. So Morgan definitely wasn't going to touch that subject. But what else could she say?*
... I'm sorry you got hurt cuz of me, Ethan. I didn't want you to...
*That was when Morgan began to realize just how often people had put themselves in the way of danger to preserve her life. All because one psychopathic old man wanted to abduct her and turn her to the dark side. Morgan's eyes traveled downward, flesh of her left cheek being sucked in-between her teeth, where she gently chewed on it in thought. This... they had to end it. They had to kill the Earth Empire so people could stop risking themselves for her.

Morgan released the flesh, took a deep breath, and sighed. It was almost over. All this craziness would be past them. But for now, Morgan looked back at Ethan, then shifted back onto her side. She raised a hand tentatively, then, after some hesitation, placed it upon his shoulder. She smiled at him, a loving, affectionate sort of smile.*
But... thank you for helping me anyway. I'm... really glad I met you, Ethan.
*Morgan just looked at him for several moments, smiling at him. She almost wanted to nuzzle up against him, but his injury held her back. She was certainly starting to feel a bit tired, as though she hadn't quite recovered her strength from this whole ordeal. But, if it made Ethan uncomfortable, she didn't want to fall asleep right here next to him. Her eyelids did sag a bit, but she jerked her head upward slightly in an attempt to keep herself awake. Besides, she wanted to see Ethan's reaction first.*

Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:41 am by Ethan Row

*Oh no, this was suddenly making a turn for the worse; she was thanking him for earlier. He hardly knew how to react to her liking him, and now thanking him? Ethan nearly gulped; he had no idea how he would respond to this.

But then suddenly, he had his way out, as Morgie quickly followed up her thanking with a statement. How she was so glad she'd met him. Now this he could respond to. Thank goodness... he didn't want to think of what it might have been like otherw- was he making a mountain out of a molehill? Probably.*
I'm glad I met you too, Morgie.
*He smiled at her for a few moments before he felt his eyelids drooping. Oh boy, he was falling asleep right in front of her. That was sure romantic. About as romantic as a dying slug... but he couldn't help it; after what they'd been through today, he was too tired to fight it off.

Trying (quite miserably) to stifle back a yawn, Ethan felt his eyes closing, substituting his view of Morige with a quiet blackness. He wanted to whisper back an apology, but he was too tired; already he could feel his mind slipping away... He didn't regret anything that had happened that day. Sure, he'd made a fool of himself multiple times, had broken a rib, and was now lying in a hospital bed. But he'd met a new friend, who'd somehow evolved into a... was Morgie his girlfriend now? He'd always thought people didn't get girlfriends until 16, or at least 12, but he didn't know what else to call her. Girlfriend... he had a girlfriend now.

And with that, Ethan drifted off to sleep.*

Thu Feb 16, 2012 6:38 pm by Morgan Calmcacil

*He... was glad he met her, too?! Morgan's little heart fluttered, and she smiled dreamily. This was turning out to be a pretty good day after all. But he seemed pretty tired, and so was she, a bit. Not enough to yawn like he had just done—and tried to fend off, an effort which Morgan thought was quite cute—but enough, she supposed. And, well, he seemed content to simply fall asleep beside Morgan.

Morgan smiled sweetly, thinking about everything that had happened. Met a new friend, developed feelings for him, became defensive of him when Michelle challenged him to a match, ran for her life with him, kept running when he and Michelle stood up to defend her, was attacked by Maul, had met Jamie's spirit, had returned with a vengeance and took out Maul herself, then awoke in the medical wing, where Ethan had become her... boyfriend?

Boyfriend... it seemed kind of... binding, in a way. Sure, she had used the term regarding Garren before, but she had been younger then and thought nothing of it. She liked Ethan, she really did, and if he liked her too, well, she guessed that would make them boyfriend and girlfriend. Well, that was fine, she guessed; she wasn't really thinking about all that. She cared more about how he had stood up for her and had been such a good friend to her so far.

She smiled, then shifted a bit closer to him, careful not to touch his bandage or anywhere near him. She let the hand she had placed on his shoulder slip past it, around his back. She then nestled her head under his chin, closed her eyes, and relaxed, ignoring the slight sting from her forehead. Yeah... this was a nice place to take a nap. The war wasn't over, but her daddy would take care of it. She had done a lot herself and needed some rest, as did Ethan...*

Thu Feb 16, 2012 6:57 pm by Aerandir Calmcacil

*Aerandir and Michelle were not unaware that Morgan had awoken. They had merely silently observed, watching as Morgan came to check on her friend Ethan. Aerandir thought he recognized this boy, but not by name. At least, before he had learned his name anyway. So he and Morgan could have made friends at any point, but it was probably recently, due to the fact that he would likely have seen him around with Morgan by now if they had known each other for a while.

Morgan climbed up next to him. Aerandir was about to suggest she not do that because of his injury, but she seemed to already be making careful movements. Plus, he wanted to watch what happened next without interrupting. Morgan was starting to get all nervous and hesitant; Michelle grinned, having already deduced that Morgan liked Ethan earlier, and so she knew what was coming. Aerandir had suspicions, but decided to let the scene play out, should he be wrong.

And he was not, nor was Michelle disappointed, as Morgan expressed that she liked Ethan. After a short pause, Ethan, maybe equally nervously, replied that he liked her in return. And to prove it, gave her a quick kiss. Aerandir grinned and Michelle was doing her best not to giggle conspiratorially as she watched. After Morgan apologized, thanked Ethan, and expressed how glad she was that she met him, he returned the feeling, before the two of them drifted off to sleep together. This elicited a soft, almost-inaudible "aww," from both siblings.

Aerandir looked at Michelle, asking if she'd like to rest as well. She shook her head, then stopped. After a moment, she expressed that she might as well, but asked that he didn't leave just yet. Aerandir promised he would remain here for a while longer, squeezing her hand again. She smiled back, then she shifted her position slightly, laying her head down upon the pillow and attempted to rest herself, her hand still within her older brother's...*

Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:21 pm by Ksandra Mallan

*Soft footsteps clicked on the hallway floor, before Ksandra looked into the room, Ranger poking his head round the doorway too, his whiskers twitching as he sniffed curiously. She pressed a hand to the sandpanther's head, making the big cat stop and sit down obediently just outside the door to avoid contaminating the medical area, before approaching Aerandir. The winged woman looked a little tired, her dark hair escaping its braid and a slightly haunted expression on her face, but she flashed him a quick smile, tilting her head towards the kids to silently inquire how they were.*

Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:14 am by Aerandir Calmcacil

*It had been a few moments, maybe nearly an hour. The noises outside had begun to die down before ceasing entirely, and already Aerandir could tell that the battle had been won. And they had hardly needed his help. Just how much of a joke had the Earth Empire diluted itself into? It was amusing, and Aerandir even chuckled softly to himself. He would have liked to have helped, but seeing how easily they had won here, well, that wasn't so bad.

He was still holding Michelle's hand, which occasionally flexed as she slept. These kids... he could never be more proud of them. Of Michelle, and also Ethan, for standing up to Maul against impossible odds and only in an attempt to buy time for Morgan to escape. Of Morgan, for pulling through the attack on her and, somehow and for some reason projecting Jamie's image over herself, killing Maul, then, once she awoke, checking on Ethan instead of herself.

But he had to wonder, why Jamie? Was it merely because she knew Maul had killed him, and so did it in hopes of distressing the fiend? There had to be a deeper reason than that, but he would let the girl sleep for now. She had earned her rest. All three of the children had. He had to smile as he considered just how much they had done in comparison to him. Perhaps more, even. It was quite a fact, an amusing one at that, but also an amazing one.

Finally, a few moments after battle sounds had died down entirely, Ksandra reappeared. When she smiled at him, he smiled back, looking as though ready to thank her for her help, but she had made a silent question by indicating the children with her head as though to ask how they were. Aerandir glanced over at Morgan and Ethan, cautiously cuddled together, and down at Michelle, whose hand he still held. It flexed. He gently squeezed it, smiling at Ksandra.*
They're fine. Some bruising, mainly. Michelle narrowly avoided a concussion, Ethan cracked a rib, and Morgan has that gash on her forehead, but they're otherwise in perfect shape, just resting right now.
*He looked away for a moment, to the far window, at the light that was coming in.*
I can't thank you enough. You made short work of those troopers.
*He looked at Ksandra again, and this time there was an earnest smile on his face.*
And most of all, you protected my girls, and Ethan. Who knows what could have happened had you not been here.
*Something he wasn't willing to think about, that was for sure. Why Maul had acted violently enough to injure Morgan like that was beyond him; he could have killed her. But he didn't, and likely he could have been on his way to take her to Sidious at this very moment. Michelle could have been killed, Ethan too. Fate was certainly on the side of the Jedi, this day, for the Sith was now dead and the family was preserved once again.*

Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:47 am by Ksandra Mallan

*Ksandra nodded slowly as she took in the information, her soldier's posture relaxing into more of a tired slouch.*

"That's good to hear..."

*When Aerandir thanked her, she smirked crookedly, shrugging one shoulder, the wing rising in a corresponding motion.* "Ah, think nothing of it... you would have done the same in my place, and I sure wasn't going to stand by and let them do what they were here for."

*The smile became slightly twisted as she continued.* "Besides, I should be thanking you for giving me an... opportunity. To exorcise some old demons."

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