He turned then to the jedi. "I'm afraid we don't have time to get her back to the ship," he observed then worriedly, a lump now growing in his own throat. While he hadn't a clue about Ryn physiology, by all looks she was still quite young. To have to face a thing like this so early in life...

...it was horrible. "I have a quick-acting sedative," he commented then, reaching once more in his medkit and quickly pulling it out for use.

--------------------

"You won't feel a thing, I promise hon," I said softly, knowing that part at least to be true what with the sedative Terrin was even then injecting into her veins in combination of what I presumed to be the finesse of Kyan.

I didn't even bother to motion to anyone. I merely laid her wounded arm out to one side, handling the injured member as gently as I could, and trying not to jostle her any further. For a moment I wavered, trying to keep my composure--

Her arm felt so horribly, horribly squishy...

Then I regained my self-control and gave her a big smile.

"I'm right here with you, we're all here with you," I said as I then laid either hand alongside each side of her face, forcing her eyes to look nowhere else but into mine, and effectively blocking her from the shadowy movement I knew was about to come swooping over her arm, which was laying quietly on the ground like some sort of sacrificial offering.

--------------------

"Atiniir, gedet'ye," Kyan softly whispered.

Kyan brought the tip of his saber into the ground right below her elbow and held it there for a moment while he drew in a quick breath. Then with a quick jerk of his arms he brought his saber up and clear through her arm right at her shoulder cleaving off her arm.

He could see her wince even through the sedative she was on, but it did the job she probably wasn't feeling most of the pain of her arm being cut off and the lightsaber cauterizing the flesh as well.

"We'll get you fixed up good as new," I whispered a promise. "Better, even."

Then I carefully scooped her into my arms, taking care not to place any undue pressure on the fresh wound. After I had a firm grip upon her I rose to my feet, raised my head and firmed my shoulders. They shook a moment or two, however, when I saw the nearest group of amphistaffs which appeared to be trying to reach out for fresh prey.

I took an involuntary step away from them, tightening my grip upon Link as I did.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

--------------------

He trailed, looking back at the wounded Ryn in Yaoksi's arms. "...but Yaoksi's little friend has been seriously wounded. Her arm had to be taken in order to prevent any of the amphistaff poison from spreading."

He paused then, just long enough to strap the medkit back on his shoulder. "We'll be there as soon as we can; we need to get out of here and get to the Hornett's medical facilities."

Sending the message off, he turned back to the others a final time. "We'd better keep an eye out for more than just the amphistaffs, I'm afraid. Something csame flying out of nowhere at me a few minues ago, and I didn't get a good look at it after I blasted it because an amphistaff group latched onto it. I'm not sure if it was something predatory or not, but the way it came sailing at me and the fact it's out here in an amphistaff field..."

He trailed one final time, shaking his head. "You know what I mean."

Saying nothing further than that, Terrin took the lead and carefully lead them back in the directin of Eagle II, knowing the dangers to them all were still lurking and very real.

--------------------

"Get back as fast as you can, but not so fast as to be rash about it. I'm reading lifesigns on the prowl in that field you're in the middle of; what in Hell's Seven Circles can wander with impunity in a field of Vong living weaponry is beyond me, but it just can't be good. So keep your wits about you; I'll leave the porch light on.

"Galen, out."

With that I rose to go check our tiny med-bay, in order that whatever we had that the little Ryn would be needing would be ready for her when the boys brought her aboard.

--------------------

Much louder.

Terrin froze, and unholstered his blaster once more, staring at the sky. "I heard this before the thing came flying at me," he commented quietly, warily. Disturbingly enough, the sound was getting impossibly louder, as though it were moving towards them. Terrin actually took a protective step back, shielding the wounded Ryn and Yaoksi from whatever might be coming their way.

And then it happened. A flock of the flying things began swarming over them frantically.

"Get down!" Terrin yelled over his shoulder as he did just that, debating over whether or not he should fire his blaster with the amount of creatures flying overhead, still uncertain as to whether or not they were predatory or not for the fact that they really hadn't attacked.

At least, not at thus far.

--------------------

They where flying by so fast that Kyan couldn't get a good look at them but he was fairly certain it was one of the two species.

"I'm thinking their either thud bugs or razor bugs." Kyan yelled to the others. "Vongese ranged weapons. I can't be sure but with the amphistaffs here it would make sense. We are fine as long as they don't hit us."

As suddenly as they came they where gone and the loud rustling sound they made quickly faded as well. Kyan cautiously stood up to take a quick look around using the binocs built into his helmet but couldn't find them a trace of whatever it was anywhere.

"I think their gone," he announced. "And they don't seem to be tracking us, they probably stay above the amphistaffs and so they don't get caught by one. At least I hope they do, last thing we need is a flying creature that can eat amphistaffs."

"The sooner we're in hyperspace, the better I'll like it. And Link needs medical care; can we step up the pace a bit?"

With that I took a step forward, which in turn prompted Danner to do likewise. Flanked fore and aft by my weaponed comrades, I hustled along in Terrin's wake, glad of the sounds Kyan's footfalls were making behind me.

--------------------

Too quiet.

After some length of time in which they all heard little else aside from their own footfalls, Terrin could stand the silence no longer. "We're getting close," he said over his shoulder, unconciously stepping up the pace just a bit more. "It's too quiet here," he then stated, voicing his concerns aloud.

As if on cue to that voiced thought, an eerie, shrill cry rang from some distance away, its origin unknown. Terrin stepped it up a bit more, Eagle II now visible. "I don't know what that is," he then commented under his breath, "But I don't want to find out. Eagle II is just up ahead."

And walking perhaps even more swiftly, Terrin headed in her direction with all due haste.

--------------------

"Don't look at me," Kyan answered. "I only know what half this stuff from the old war holos my parents made me watch and the combat lessons from my mother. I don't know what every piece of vongese tech is."

I shuddered again, trying to put my eyes everywhere at once.

"Hey guys, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get a bad feeling about--"

And that was when it burst in upon us like something out of a nightmare. Big and leathery, it didn't seem to have any features, no parts; it was as if it was nothing more than a huge living kite. And as it descended upon us from out of nowhere, it was preceded by an overwhelming and nearly physical sense of doom, of evil, of helplessness and pain, which descended upon us like some kind of horrible, noisome cloud...

That overbearing shrill abruptly blasted over our position, seeming to come from the entirety of whatever this thing was, almost as if it was too powerful a thing to be emitted by merely a mouth. I crumpled to my knees without realizing it, bowing over Link's still body and cradling her upon my thighs with my chest, my freed arms now being busy trying to protect my head. For, again inexplicably, I had a certain foreknowledge that the thing, whatever it was, was aiming straight for my brain. I hunkered lower, squinting my eyes tightly shut against the onslaught, trembling and sweating and dimly wondering how the others were faring...

...or if they were being as neatly incapacitated as I was.

--------------------

"Ke'gyce, k'uur," Kyan shouted as he continued to drop. At once all audio went silent as his helmet cut off all outside noises. For once Kyan was relieved that not listening to the jedi counsel about not wearing his armor or even removing features that jedi wouldn't need was a good call on his part. Slowly as if the sound emanating from the creature was still incapacitating him he reached for his lightsabers at his waist unclipping them, then getting on the balls of his feet ready to pounce.

Kyan waited for his moment, studying the creature. He had no idea what it was it was just a huge flying thing, seeing what he thought where eyes or at least something he hoped was important. Aiming for that spot he waited until the creature drew closer until it was only 2 meters above them, close enough to strike.

Shooting off from the ground like a rocket Kyan light both his sabers as he flew. His first strike was with the shoto a shallow cut along the surface of the creature, it wasn't designed to do much more then distract it from his true objective. Kyan had his other saber in a reverse grip, continuing to follow through with his initial strike he let his body spin. Snapping his arm with his full lenght saber he plunged the blade straight through the spot he picked earlier all the way to the hilt and hopefully out through the other side.

Almost the instant after his attack as if a reflex the entire creatures body slammed against Kyan like getting his by a shuttle straight into the ground. Landing on his back Kyan felt as if the wind got knocked out of him, he opened his eyes and saw nothing but static.
Kriffin thing must have busted my helmets visuals.

Kyan rolled onto his stomach and propped himself up so he could remove his helmet when he was greeted by a sharp pain in his chest, probably cracked a few ribs he thought to himself if he wasn't wearing that armor it might have crushed him on impact. Reaching up Kyan removed his helmet and was reminded of the assault on his hearing but now it was an inconsistent shrill as he saw the creature writhing in what he hoped was agony. The noise was still very loud but at least now he could withstand it without the aid of his helmet and he hoped the other could do.

"What are you two waiting for?" Kyan shouted in between his wheezing and coughing. "Shoot that thing already."

And Terrin had been around Jasyn Lancaster long enough to know that when you fire a blaster to incapacitate and kill, you aim for something that either looks important or looks damaged. Or both. First he aimed for the now purplish streaks on the creature's underside and "eyes," where Kyan had thrust his sabers through. Then he aimed more steadily for the the thing's middle, hoping to hit an important organ or something.

He fired again. And again and again. At length the already slowly-moving creature fell to the ground, its writhing slowing significantly. Terrin got to his feet and trained his blaster on the creature, calling back to the others but not removing his eyes from it. "Hurry to the ship!" he said, hearing movement behind him even as he did so. He took another step closer to what he assumed was a dying creature...

...and was assaulted by one final, debilitating shrill. He gripped his blaster and tried his best to stay upright...

...and the thing made one final attempt to fly and knock him to the ground. It never quite made it very high, however. It did, nevertheless, knock Terrin off his feet. Still, its injuries were significant, and it was apparently making its last effort to catch any prey at all. The shrill ceased, and the creature fell to the ground with Terrin's leg underneath...

...and Terrin fired his blaster two more times. It writhed and gripped his leg for a brief moment, and then let go entirely and fell limp. Terrin worked his leg out from underneath its body and got to his feet, ignoring the minor pain in his leg knowing that others had suffered far worse injury. Taking the lead once more, seeing Eagle II clearly, he lead them on, keeping a firm grip on his blaster...

...and not stopping until they had entered hte open hatch of the ship and all were aboard.

--------------------

But my imagination was only too eager to supply the rest. More than once I instinctively began leaping to my feet, hand flying to the blaster yet snugged against my hip, the other going to the central control of my Sith flightsuit which had stood in good stead more than once during my colorful past. But each time I forced myself to settle back, hovering over the readouts like a mother hen, one hand ready to slap open the hatch should the returning party need entrance in all due haste.

Which they actually did.

It seemed I had transported from my seat directly to the hatch I had just opened, I moved with such alacrity. But to my relief I only saw Terrin, coughing and waving a blaster as he led his comanions up the gangway: a worried looking Captain Joao, who clutched a small furry form closely to his chest, and a stranger clad in--

Sorben.

I couldn't help it; our relationship had been too strong, we had been tempered for too lengthy a time by the forge of all we had gone through together. Not everyone in the galaxy gadded about in Mandalorian armor, after all..

I swayed against the bulkhead before firming. Of course this wasn't Sorben, he was head of the Imperials now or something, wasn't he? And Mandalorian armor or no although this stranger carried himself with something of the same elan as did Sorben, his structure was far different from his. I shook off the visceral shock and rushed forward to take the Ryn from Captain Joao's arms.

"I've been monitoring you; get in there and get us at least into orbit before something else wants to eat you. I've got med-bay prepared, so if you'll excuse me..."

Knowing that Terrin would forgive my apparent rudeness toward Captain Joao and the stranger, I sped aft to see what I could do for the little Ryn. Soon I had her safely nestled in a miniature bacta tank -- nice...!, the wound on her shoulder beginning to toughen and heal as what emergency nutrients we had began to course through her body.

--------------------

So with the the thought in mind of checking up on my little charge at the first opportunity -- like whenever Galen returned! -- I took a moment to regain my composure and take a look around. The craft I found myself in was sleek, roomy, yet efficient in size. A central gangway led forward to what I assumed to be the control center, and aft to the medical facilities and who knew what else, perhaps a small galley.

The thought of a galley broadened into a mental image of the biggest eleven course meal I could possibly imagine; my stomach answered with a not-so-polite grumble, voicing itself loud enough to shush my trembling muscles, which in turn were crying insistently for rest. But this wasn't my ship, I was a rescue victim. Memories of the time I came to the aid of Captain Danner and his fiery little wife rushed into my head; maybe they'd return the favor? But in the meantime, I could only offer a heartfelt, "Thank you."

Then, still wondering what exactly to do with myself, I turned to Kyan and held out his shoto, for surprisingly enough I had managed to hang onto it throughout the entirety of our recent ruckus.

"You too, pal," I said simply, then let myself fall back against the bulkhead and just stood there, propped at an angle like some kind of beat-up and thoroughly worn out mop.

[ 05-21-2008 11:32 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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He paused then, nodding towards the Eagle II's control center where there were enough seats for the entire group. "Come'n, let's strap in and head out."

Saying nothing further, Terrin headed for the control center, knowing the others were going to follow him as he took a seat at the pilot's station. Taking systems off standby and into full gear, Terrin pushed the ship-wide comm channel. "Galen, just a head's up. We're heading off into orbit."

Then he turned to the nav controls, his fingers playing about them like it was mere child's play, smoothly moving Eagle II from its resting position on the unknown planet's surface, into sky, into atmosphere, and then to space beyond, establishing a low orbit around the planet.

Only then did he pause to key in another comm signal, one which was dually encoded and totally secure. "Hornett, this is Captain Danner. Requesting med preparations for an injured Ryn. Prosthetics required. Make sure the best we've got is ready and waiting." He paused. "The best. ETA will be sent shortly."

Sending the message off, Terrin turned a meaningful look back Yaoksi's way, his gaze growing then to include both passengers with him, concern evident. "You guys should both get checked out for injuries...

...and get you something to eat and drink. Still, I'd love to put quite a bit more distance between us and this planet."

Right after you make sure and tag its location for later introspection, a little voice pointed out as the confirmation of the receipt of his message to the Hornett came through.

--------------------

"I'm surprised you carried her all this way with you hands like that without so much as a complaint." Commented Kyan. Was either of your parents Mandalorian?"

Before Yaoksi could answer Kyan put an armored hand on Yaoksi's shoulder ignoring his own pain from what he surmised where a few cracked ribs and led them both to the med bay. Kyan had Yaoksi's sit down in one of the chairs in the medbay across from where Link was immersed in a tank of bacta. Kyan quickly located what he needed some bandages and some bacta gauze. Pulling up another chair he sat down across from Yaoksi letting out a slight wince of pain and proceeded to apply the bacta gauze to both of Yaoksi's hands and bandage his hands. While still bandaging Yaoksi's hands he briefly turned his head towards Galen to see her at the monitors of the bacta tank that contained Link.

"She- she's going to be all right," I said when I finally got myself under control. I turned back to the little Ryn to make certain nothing about her condition had somehow changed. The readouts remained true, indicating that she was in a healing slumber, and that her lifesigns had stabilized. In fact, if it hadn't been for the terrible vacancy along her one side, one would think that at any moment she would wake up and go about her business.

I returned my attention to the stranger, who was engaged in bandaging up Captain Joao's hands. A surge of guilt immediately washed throughout me; I should be attending to those we had rescued, after all. But this man seemed adept in what he was doing, like he was used to such things, and healing others came second nature to him.

I cocked my head a little, noticing the little wince that escaped him which in turn suggested that he himself was not operating at one hundred percent.

"Are you a doctor?" I finally asked. Everyone in the galaxy knew that doctors were among the worst patients; if they got hurt they tended to either whine like baby nerfs or ignore the injury altogether. Well, those doctors who still existed; I know they were still working out in the far reaches of the galaxy, where med-droids didn't exactly abound. And after all, we'd found this guy in exactly such a place.

I nodded fractionally.

"Physician, heal thyself," I said, indicating his torso which he seemed to be trying to prevent from moving too much.

"Looks like you're hurt yourself; is there anything I can do for ya, since Captain Joao is a little incapacitated at the moment?"

I turned a smile Yaoksi's way, more to acknowledge his presence here than anything --

Sheesh, we sure owed the guy, didn't we?

--before turning back once more to the armor-clad stranger.

[ 05-22-2008 11:17 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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"No not a doctor, Ori'ramikade Mandalorian commando and Jedi," Kyan answered while continuing to remove the armor plates from his body. "My Buir or father is basic was a sort of combat medic I learned basic battlefield medicine from him before he was killed when I was around seven. My Buir or mother, Mando'a has the same word for mother and father, was a death commando for Mandalore himself so after my father died I never learned anymore. They had basic first aid at the Jedi Accademy as well, but I learned more from my Buir then I did from them."

Kyan had finished removing his armor plates from the upper half of his armor leaving the sealed flight suit. Unsealing the upper half of his flight suit from the lower half he removed it like it was merely a sweater setting it with the rest of his armor. Underneath that however was a set of Jedi robes that he wore under his armor minus the identifiable outer cloak. Pulling back his Jedi robes it reveled the scars that covered his body from all his past battles. Looking down he could see a massive bruise on his right side, running his hand along his rib cage in that area he found that none of his ribs felt broken but that didn't mean they where not fractured or cracked.

"I think it's just a few cracked ribs," Kyan commented. He reached out and grabbed a scanner and some compression wrap and handed it to Galen.

"Umm, er--" I fumbled, taken somewhat aback not only by this but by the information he let flow out from him.

"Ahh- sure, yeah."

Now didn't that sound intelligent? I couldn't help seeing the little smirk, quickly stifled, which crossed Captain Joao's features as I moved to take the materials this almost-a-Jedi was handing out to me. My brows lowered at this, and I grabbed the bandaging and scanner a bit more brusquely than I actually intended.

"Hold up your arms," I ordered in turn, and began running the scanner up and down his lithe frame. It immediately set up a noisy medical chattering, informing me that he had suffered two cracked ribs, a deep contusion, several strained muscles, and various and sundry scratches, pulled ligaments and bruises.

"Wow, did you tangle with a rancor or something?" I muttered as after turning off the scanner I turned my attention to binding him up. Now taking up the bandage material he had given me, I placed one end of the long, soft strip just beneath his left armpit.

"Here, hold this."

With no further ado I began wrapping him up, keeping the bandage taut yet not suffocatingly tight, stopping every so often to slip a couple fingers between it and his body. When it covered the injured area to my satisfaction -- and hopefully his as well -- I expertly wove the loose end off into the bandaging and stood back to scrutinize my handiwork. Then I lifted my eyes up to meet his.

"So, you have a name or what?" I chuffed, still a little put out at being seemingly ordered about in my own ship. Off to the side, Captain Joao's smirk only appeared once more, and began to slide wider. I only ignored it again and quickly whirled away, going now to the cupboard and returning with some pain-killer which I offered out to both men.

Captain Joao's amusement notwithstanding.

[ 05-22-2008 03:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

--------------------

"My apologies," Kyan answered. "I am Jedi Master Kyan Jetiis'ad, thank you for the rescue."

Rising to a standing position Kyan, removed the rest of his armor and stacked it neatly with the rest he removed a few minutes prior, leaving only his Jedi robes and his armored boots. Picking up his lightsabers he clipped them to his belt. Minus the black armored boots he wore, without all the Mandalorian armor Kyan looked like any other typical Jedi.

An obviously intentional cough echoed into my ears from Captain Joao's direction; I ignored it completely.

"That is something not up to me alone," I returned, allowing a small smile to flick about my lips. It faded then, however, as thoughts of what might lie ahead flashed upon its heels.

"If you're up to it, we can go to the galley and get a cuppa caff or something; I'm sure Terrin--"

I trailed, my eyes widening.

Dang, if Terrin hadn't appeared injured himself coming aboard. And I was so caught offguard by Kyan's choice of garb that I hadn't even really considered that until just this moment.

"I'm sure my husband would love us to all have a little chat; I'll show you guys the galley, or a place where you can rest if you want, while I go talk to him and get his input on--"

I paused a moment, fumbling.

"Things."

--------------------

...but it was minor, and not nearly worth worrying about while he still was taking care of the responsibility of getting them all the kriffing hell away from this place.
Wherever this place was.

Tagging it in the ship's navcomputer as the coordinates from the Hornett came streaming in across the same secure frequency as before, Terrin again turned to the ship-wide comm unit. "Hey, guys, I have coordinates from the Hornett. Hate to be momentarily anti-social but I figured you'd like to get out of here first."

He paused, keying the coordinates into the Eagle II's hyperdrive. "Presuming of course that no one is going to have any objections, we're headed for hyperspace in..."

He trailed a moment, "...15 standard seconds. After that I'll be back to join you."

Saying nothing further then, Terrin turned his attentions completely to the navboard as the hyperspace counter ran to zero...

...and the space before him exploded into starlines. Secure in the knowledge that they were headed to safety, only then did Terrin place the ship in autopilot and wince...

...ever the slightest as an annoyance of a pain shot through his leg. still, he managed to get to his feet and began to head aft where the others were most certainly getting the medical treatment and food they needed.

[ 05-22-2008 07:58 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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Involuntary she tired to jump but only managed to mash herself into the side of the very small tank. It was then she remembered everything, the planet, the amphistaff, her arm. She reasoned that she must be in a bacta tank, but where. Looking back into the room she saw a group of three staring at her from when she jerked into the wall. A woman the didn't know, a man that looked like Kyan without his armor, and Yaoksi. From the fact that Yaoksi looked fine or not chained down or at gunpoint, Link assumed they must be on that ship that came to that planet. Link tried to raise her remaining arm to wave at the trio but found the confines of the bacta tank prevented it, so she raised her tail and emulated a gesture instead hoping its meaning would get across.

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