Doctors with Borders

[Adriana Fortemps]

Coruscant
[member="Nylea Apollodor"]

The city streets of Coruscant were never dull at least, whether they were being bombed or some politician or another was trying to rile up the people. Jorryn had hoped that the business of the planet would distract her from the horrible pain of these plain clothes the Inquisitor was forced to wear, some boring worn clothes that the Saaraisash provided her for the mission. She could feel the poverty seeping into her pores as she shoved her way through the crowds that had gathered in the lower levels.

The Order of the Sacred Lotus' time as a significant threat to the Sith Empire's goals had mostly passed, and Jorryn was there to ensure that there sedentary way of life would stay like that. The Inquisition had heard news that Lotus members had begun to spread out into the galaxy once again, mostly to provide aid to worlds that had seen there good share of brutality.

Which is why the Echani had found herself on Coruscant.

News of a woman supporting reconstruction efforts on the lower level had given Jorryn enough of a hint as to where the Jedi could be found, though unfortunately not specific enough for the Knight to avoid the groundwork.

That's where the grubby outfit that the Inquisitor now found herself wearing had come into play. It wouldn't do for a loud and proud Sith to be wandering the streets of a planet that they had left ruined multiple times, let alone if she was trying to get information out of a Jedi.

Hardly anybody reacted openly to Sith, and Jorryn didn't have the hunger for torture that many of her peers did. So she would have to try to win some sympathy.

It had taken quite a bit of dirt, but the Echani felt that she had mostly managed to cover up her extremely tidy figure that she normally cut. And as much as it hurt the girl, she had managed to become a proper looking vagabond. Jorryn's nails scrapped together as she sadly looked upon her intentionally dishevelled fingertips, wondering how long it would be before she could enjoy the high life she had grown so accustomed to.

There was one glaring issue with her disguise, however. The burning amber eyes that she wore proudly.

Fortunately the Inquisitor had thought of a way to not only hide the fact that she was a Sith, but instead to use the flair of the Dark Side to win more sympathy.

And it was time to get to work.

"Please Sir, please!" Her face taking on a look of false desperateness as the Echani grabbed at passerbys. "You must help me find the Jedi!"

A few more generous souls did turn to the poor figure clutching at them with a look of sympathy, though it quickly soured to disgust for all of them that knew the pain the Sith brought. They pushed and jeered at Jorryn, mocking the red eyes that peered through the darkness.

The Echani grit her teeth against it, wishing that she could just pull out her lightsaber and begin to slaughter anyone who thought they were above her. But she couldn't compromise the mission.

So she continued with the act pleading and grabbing at any stranger that walked by her, hoping that through the madness the Jedi would manage to find her. For now though, she needed to show weakness. It wouldn't do to have a Jedi confront her aggressively on a planet sympathetic to their cause.

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Coruscant didn't fill Nylea with particularly fond memories. From it being the planet she bad been abducted to and the horrible things she had done here all those years ago to the destruction the Sith had brought mere months ago, the woman had all the reason to forget it ever existed. Yet, she had once again returned for the first time since that fateful day of what so many called 'the Endgame'. The wounds she herself suffered had healed since then but the same could not be said for the planet- which was what brought the Order of the Sacred Lotus here now. It had been Nylea who had called for making the effort as temporary leader while [member='Nora Lithos'] slowly recovered from the effects of the burnout caused by the mantle she now carried. She was much less afraid to let others help her in ensuring the Lotus' work would continue to be done, but even so it was quite the burden to bear.

"It is not much, but it will keep these people fed for another week." The echani watched a crowd of Coruscanti citizens queueing up in front of a Lotus shuttle while boxes of rations were being loaded out of it. Although some parts of the planet had begun rebuilding, others were very much still in a state of chaos. If they were able to bring relief to only a tiny part of Coruscant, then that was worth the effort.

"I wish we could've done more. As much as I am still proud to be able to help, I can't help but wish for the old times to come back." Karl, a friend of both Nora and herself, stood next to her. He had been her right hand ever since she had taken up her current responsibilities. He was one of the few reasons she was able to keep the stress and fatigue at bay.

As much as Nylea wanted to help out with giving out the rations, she was needed elsewhere. In another part of the city a small group of Jedi and doctors were treating the sick and injured, but it had become quite clear they needed all the manpower they could get. Now that the food operation was set in motion, she would turn her attention to that. "I know, but we have to work with what we have. I shall leave it to you now, if anything comes up please let me know immediately."

"Don't worry, we will handle it. Now go, I think the doctors and healers are desperately waiting for your arrival."

With an affirmative nod rather than words as a response, the echani turned on her heel and began her walk to the medical outpost. However, what she did not anticipate was fate dictating she crossed paths with another one of her kind...

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]

 

[Adriana Fortemps]

The ruse that the Inquisitor had to hold grew tiresome fast, faking desperateness was never a good look and if it got out to the other Inquisitors she'd have to kill them. She continued to pull at strangers, inconspicuously drawing herself closer to where she knew that the Jedi had set their relief effort up. It would be a bit suspicious if a Sith barrelled their way straight towards the Jedi, and Jorryn herself couldn't get into a fight in plain sight and complete her mission.

After what felt like an eternity of degrading herself, the Echani could finally see the end of the crowd. It was difficult to hide the grin of relief behind her visage of despair, but Jorryn managed to keep her face looking as tragic as possible. Not a trace of products on her face, scratches and bruises covering her face so that they would buy the story that she sold.

Just a little sympathy was needed agains these fo-

The thoughts in the Inquisitor's mind came to a sudden halt as a look of surprise came over Jorryn, her desperate guise giving way as she looked upon the first of her kind that she had ever seen aside from in a mirror. It gave the Knight a sense of longing and nostalgia that felt alien, not understanding where it came from. She managed to quickly pull herself together though, turning away to collect herself before falsely collapsing towards her fellow Echani.

"Please Master Jedi, please you must help me!" Her voice braking as she reached out towards [member="Nylea Apollodor"]. "I don- I don't know what I did. I don't understand."

The Inquisitor made sure her enchanting amber gaze was on full display, though it was a struggle to fill them with sadness instead of pride. Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to catch her breath, conveying as much weakness as she could. It was sure to grab the Jedi's attention at the very least, though Jorryn just had to hope that attention would be pity instead of anger.

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

While Nylea traversed the streets the occasional figure would recognize her garments as those of the Jedi and gift her with shows of appreciation, some non-verbal and some consisting of a few words. Not a single one of them was left ignored, always returning the gesture made with a gentle smile and a humble nod. Convinced that she deserved any praise she was not, but the least she could do was be gracious. She had to be a rock for others to rely on, so she placed herself below the greater good. To some her very presence was the only ray of hope they had- dousing it with her own insecurities was the last thing she wished to do. She had witnessed first-hand how much the smallest gesture can do to inspire another and if she was able to do that to just a single soul, it would help getting Coruscant back on its feet just that little bit faster.

It was simply in the echani's nature to set aside her own struggles when another was in need. There was a place and time to address the things that weighed heavy on her heart, but this simply was not one of them, for the entire planet of Coruscant called out for help. So, although her surroundings continuously attempted to break down the wall that kept out her demons from her conciousness, it stood unyielding so that she could remain in a state of peace.

"Please Master Jedi, please you must help me!"

A woman, speaking with a pain-filled voice, collapsed towards Nylea, which immediately brought the Jedi to a halt in order to not collide with her. She carryied with her an aura of desperation and grief that was readable to those who could see into the layers of the Force. They were emotions that she was closely familiar with, but when her eyes were laid upon the woman, it changed from merely being familiar to looking into a mirror to the past. A fellow echani, victimized by the Dark side's wicked grasp and wishing that someone could save her from who she had become. And that on the same planet Nylea herself had been in that exact same position.

"I don- I don't know what I did. I don't understand."

And with her guard down as her eyes met the amber gaze of the other woman, those words became that battering ram that broke through the wall that kept her peaceful mind safe. A lump formed in her throat that prevented her from speaking and instead, she stood there in shock for a moment. As difficult as it was to collect herself, Nylea did so to the best of her capabilities and with all the mental fortitude she was able to muster, she gave the stranger a reassuring look.

"Focus on your breathing. Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. Feel how your chest rises up, and hold it there for a moment before slowly breathing out. Let it relax your body. I will do it along with you." Nylea closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths in and out for the stranger to use as an anchor, but also for herself to let the last remnants of emotion smoothly glide off her shoulders.

"I am sorry for how I reacted earlier, I was taken a bit off-guard," she said after she felt that the other woman had regained a sense of calm, no matter how long it would take, the natural warmth of her voice radiating in her tone as it always did. "I am Nylea, Jedi knight of the Order of the Sacred Lotus. We are here to aid the people of Coruscant in any way we can." Her intonation laid a heavy implication on the fact Nylea was there for her. "May I ask for your name?"

The stranger would be given the room to answer the question before Nylea continued. "It is good to meet another echani, although I wish it was under better circumstances. I was on my way to help a group of doctors and Jedi healers, do you want to come with me?" She smiled, hoping it would give the other woman at least a small amount of comfort. "You could tell me your story."

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]

 

[Adriana Fortemps]

It was difficult to maintain her disguise as the Jedi stared speechlessly at Jorryn, anxiety clawing at the back of her mind as she wondered if the Jedi's next words were going to slam at the Inquisitor with anger and fear. It was difficult for her not to show relief when what came out were kind words of sympathy, something the Echani had admittedly not been gifted with in quite some time. The empathy was an... unusual feeling to say the least.

But the Inquisitor had to play along with it for now.

Jorryn's eyes stared fearful back up at the Jedi, making sure that stayed lower than the healer. Her mouth was agape as [member="Nylea Apollodor"] stared at her in shock, before falling back into a sad quiver as the Master Jedi recollected herself. The Inquisitor looked down as her fellow Echani tried to calm her, an attempt to focus on making her movements look weak and submissive so that she could be viewed as someone needing saving.

The breaths she drew were haggard and choked, but after awhile they managed to slow down.

It was a familiar meditation, one that the Inquisitor had practiced since she was a child. This was, however, the first time she had done it alongside another person, let alone a Jedi. It was disturbingly calming, taking away some of the feelings that Jorryn wanted gone and some that she didn't intend to be. The fire that typically burned in her chest was sedated a bit, the sensation causing her to cut the exercise short a bit. She had to avoid fully snuffing the flame out, lest she end up becoming a good person herself.

"I'm so sorry, Master Jedi." The apology coming out loudly and suddenly as the Echani's eyes watered up less intentionally than she wanted.

The warmth in the Jedi's voice was another alien feeling to Jorryn, something that she had felt from only a few Sith. The good-natured Echani's continued tone of pity and comfort had started getting on the Inquisitor's nerves, plucking away at feeling that the Valkyrie had buried a long time ago to become the best Inquisitor she could be. Still, she had a part to play and she would perform her heart out.

"My name is Myra Adali." The words coming out after a short aside, wiping away some stray tears that fell down her face.

The Inquisitor nodded softly when her fellow Echani asked if she wanted to come join the Jedi healers, pulling the ragged black robe she wore over her shoulders as she returned the Jedi's smile with a weak grin of her own. Her posture became defensive yet again when the question of her story came, wanting to look discomforted at the idea of having to regale her tale to anybody.

"It happened just a few short days ago," Though it was difficult, Jorryn managed to cause her eyes to swell heavily as she dug her nails into her palm. "Gamorreans came on my family's ship and my fat-."

The sentence was cut off as the Valkyrie bit deep into her lower lip, an attempt to look like she was holding back tears. The real reason was that she had to lay bread crumbs. Her investigation couldn't be cut short by a short healing session, the Jedi coming across a vulnerable girl and rescuing her. Jorryn needed to find Monestary and how the Sacred Lotus were doing, and in order for that to happen she needed to make this process as long and difficult as she could.

So the Inquisitor stopped in her tracks, tears flowing from her eyes like the blood now flowed from her hidden hand. The right hand raised to her mouth as she began to sob, tucking the left one further behind her back as she slipped it into a glove on her waistband.

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

The woman identified herself as Myra, at which Nylea gave a confirming nod. "It is good to meet you, Myra. And please, feel free to just call me Nylea. I am not one for titles, they make one seem more significant than they truly are." Although she had introduced herself as a Jedi, it was because of the comfort it brought others, not for herself. Had this meeting been under better circumstances, she would have omitted it. No one being was more important than another and so the echani was always keen on allowing people to simply refer to her like a friend would. "We are all one soul that together makes the web of the Force. That makes us equally significant." That belief was at the root of everything she believed and did.

It was after this when Nylea would invite Myra to tell her story and it quickly became clear it was a difficult topic for her. While they slowly moved forward towards their destination the Jedi remained silent, giving Myra the space necessary to speak at her own pace. It was something that happened only recently, and the fresh wounds were clearly far from healing still. Internal pain flared up in the aura she carried with her in the Force and she did not even have the strength to finish what she was saying. The sight weighed heavy on Nylea, so while still keeping up her silence she did make sure her calming presence remained a constant. The fellow echani then came to a halt and instead of urging her to continue she herself stopped walking and remained at her side. Carefully a hand was placed on Myra's shoulder, gauging the reaction in order to respect the woman's boundaries.

"Take your time. If you are not ready to share it, then I will wait until you are." Patience was one of the most important things a Jedi needed to have. "When you feel like you are ready to continue walking, we can be on our way to the healers. I am sure they can wait for a little longer."

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]

 

[Adriana Fortemps]

It was a strange feeling to choke back fake tears, trying to limit what was already forced forward. But still, the Inquisitor needed to show some false attempt of self-control to avoid any suspicion. [member="Nylea Apollodor"] didn't seem to suspect anything so far, Jorryn trying to conceal any feelings of pride in her subterfuge skills and she hide her face away with a hand.

Those feeling were pushed aside with disgust as her fellow Echani placed a caring hand on her shoulder, her sob catching as the light that fell over her began to embrace her.

There was a small pause before Jorryn managed to catch the slip, forcing her voice to shudder in an attempt to explain it before her hand began to move to wipe away the tears. For as long as the Inquisitor could remember, she had been shrouded in darkness. Protected from any weight of the light over her with the protection and pride that she felt in her own aura. It was a fierce fire that burned within her, the passion in her emotions burning bright to warm her through any harshness she faced.

The light that she felt gently placed over her offered a different warmth than the dark did, the Knight's unfamiliarity with it not telling her if it was just the nature of that side of the force or the woman embracing her. It was less like a fire and more like a sun in the morning, dull but nurturing. Jorryn's own darkness had been suppressed as much as the young girl could, discomforting her as the light pressed against her core far more than it ever had before.

The Echani had never even giving it a chance.

The Inquisitor forced her attention away from the discomfort by turning to the healer she found herself with, leaning towards her somewhat as she stifled the last of her tears. It wouldn't fit for someone of her position to lose a situation as important as this due to simple discomfort, so she would have to press through and continue her job. At least the feeling was soothing in it's way.

"Thank you for your patience, Master Jed-." Her voice catching once more as her brow furrowed with worry that she offended the Jedi that offered her empathy. "I'm sorry, my Lady."

The worry lasted just for a second before Jorryn cleared her throat and corrected herself, wanting to seem proper as she looked up at the Jedi.

"I'd be fine to keep walking, Nylea. It's just-," The Echani returned to her slow pace as she drew slightly nearer to the Jedi, her eyes narrowing angrily as she stared off to the side. "I'm not sure I want to recall what happened."

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Nylea knew how painful it was to talk about traumatic events and her answer, an understanding nod, reflected this. She had experienced things that even to this day remained unshared with anything but her own mind, although it seemed that Myra's reasoning for keeping it to herself was different. From her own point of view it was unreasonable to use anyone to unload even the slightest emotional burden she carried. It was her own fault, so she was to live with the consequences. It was a hypocritical view as she was seemingly always willing to lend a listening ear to others, yet even though she was fully aware of this it changed little. She was a Jedi. The life of a Jedi was one of sacrifice. It seemed illogical to her to think of herself when so many others required her help.

Slowly she would continue walking, but made sure Myra could follow along at her own tempo. "I understand. It can be incredibly painful and difficult to bring back such memories." Nylea's intonation made the subtle implication that she too had her struggles, but had found the strength to battle through it. "There is no shame in wanting to keep them buried until you are strong enough to face them. Time is a powerful ally in that struggle." She hoped the woman would be able to process those memories in time, so that it would not weigh her down like her own had done to her. Even if it would take a long time for her to begin opening up, it was an important step towards moving forward.

Making their way out of the mass of people the two echani would eventually find themselves in a medical facility that had been abandoned until the Sacred Lotus had touched down on the planet. Now it was slowly but surely getting up and running again- it would be a long-term project, but hopefully in time there would be enough native Coruscanti who could continue the efforts when it was time for the Lotus to return home. "The sight is a little depressing, but in a way this may become a small beacon of hope in time," the Jedi Knight said as they stepped inside. "I do have to apologize for the way we met, though. You asked for my help and until now I have neglected this. Please tell me if I can help you in any way."

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]