Private I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay

[Finley Dawson]

If he could have squinted with his eyes then he would. If she had just described what he thought she had, then it wasn't just a simple matter of pest control.

"Tarentateks," he corrected aloud, pulling away slightly from her neck.

If that was the case then it was a pretty big frakking deal. The Sithspawn were the apex predator. Large, fast, cunning. Invulnerable to lightsabers and the Force thanks to their thick hides. Also, venomous. While he thought Sadira was prepared to be a Knight, he was afraid of her being deployed for such a dire threat.

They're native to Kashyykk, usually they keep away from the Rest and reside in the Shadowlands, but I saw from the reports they've been driven into a frenzy since the attacks.

Tarentatek hunting was usually a job for Jedi Masters and Senior Knights. The Silver Jedi must have been really hurting for manpower these days.

Why do you say that about yourself? Why don't you think you're being a good Jedi?

He began to stroke her back, to console himself as much as her.

Sadira Valen

 

[Sadira Valen]

Terentateks. Now that he said it, it did ring a bell of...vague dread, if she were being honest. At some point in her many years of studying and training, she knew she had stumbled upon them somewhere. Being such a high level threat, it was no wonder they hadn't crossed her agenda until now. She only had to face them because there was simply...so few left to answer the call?

That was very concerning.

But the Padawan didn't exude much concern, as she had yet to refresh her memory on the species. Finley's apprehension wasn't fully registered, and since he didn't elaborate on his knowledge of the beasts, she let the subject slide. Giving only faint hum.

I'm sure I'll get all the details soon enough. There are so many creatures to keep track of, it's hard to remember them all.

His question was answered with a snort of amusement. Well for one, I can't even remember what a Terentatek is.

There was a pause, as if she didn't want to explain, or didn't know the right words. She wiggled closer to him as he stroked her back. There wasn't much space left to begin with, but she found a way to become flush with him.

It's been hard to focus, I guess. It's... I'd just like to take a vacation from being a Jedi. I'd feel better if you were fully healed and at your best again. I know you will be... But I want to be here.

He'd feel her kiss his forehead above his bandage, and then she closed her eyes.

Things change in a blink. Sometimes it seems there is never enough time. It's terrible, isn't it? The Order has taken a massive blow, and I'm here procrastinating as long as possible.

Finley Dawson

 

[Finley Dawson]

He returned her kiss, brushing his lips against her as he pulled into his chest. A small burning sensation flared up in his chest from the pressure, but he could hardly care at that moment.

Take it from me, I know a little bit about some change - now you're the pretty one of the relationship.

Breaking off their kiss, he was now smiling, gently scratching the back of her scalp.

I'll be fine. I'm in about the best position that I can be. If anyone needs to be worried about right now, it's you. As your technical senior, I won't allow you to leave for any mission until you have the details of your quarry thoroughly mastered. Miss Valen, we have our work cut out for us.

Truth be told, while he had made up a convenient excuse to procrastinate, he really did want her to review the details of the Sithspawn and all the other danger fauna down in the Shadowlands. The area wasn't for the faint of heart, which included the resident Silver Jedi.

I trust you to make good use of your 'research' time.

Sadira Valen

 

[Sadira Valen]

The rest of the galaxy and all its concerns vanished when he pulled her into a kiss. She could kiss him a hundred times a day now and it wouldn't be enough. Fear of hurting him made her reluctant to take initiative sometimes, or be too firm, but she'd gladly follow his lead.

Then he graciously informed her that she was now the pretty one. She broke the kiss with a laugh, barely reigning in the urge to slap his arm playfully.

I guess this is a win-win situation. I get to be the pretty one, and now you really can't run away from me! All according to plan...

When she finally stopped giggling, she rested her head on the pillow and gazed off in thought. If Finley had ever been worried about her before, she didn't recall. This upcoming mission with Terentateks was beginning to make her wonder what kind of challenge she'd be up against...aside from the challenge of being away from him.

Well... Since you are my senior, I will be sure to give you a full report on what I learn about them. It might take, hmm...at least a week, if I'm going to be thorough. Oh she'd be thorough all right. In between visiting him to make sure there were no speedbumps on his road to recovery. He wasn't in the bacta anymore, so he needed a double dosage of hugs now.



Finley Dawson

 

[Finley Dawson]

Later

Past the plateau where the Silver Rest lay, the massive trees of the surrounding forests were almost incomprehensibly large, stretching kilometers into the air. The thick canopies they produced were difficult to pierce by ships and satellites overhead, while the forest floor below was practically impossible to see.

The reason would become evident as the Jedi and Rangers were ferried down to the floor by Wookie guides. First, they had to pass green miasma that covered the base of the trees. It was so thick that people couldn't see past a few meters even without a headlamp. Past that, they were greeted with a network of gnarled roots that created vast mazes that could contain their own city.

It was little wonder why the marauding Tarentatek were so hard to find once they retreated from their attacks.

"Once all teams have made it to ground level, then I want a headcount," Master Kul ordered over commlink. "Then we'll establish camp."

Tarentatek were hardly the only threat they had to worry about, Kashyyyk rife with all sorts of predators that delighted in making a snack out of unwary Jedi and Wookies. There had already been a few attacks on teams on the way down to the Shadowlands.

This mission was not one taken lightly - the Shadowlands were one of the most dangerous areas in the entire galaxy - but one that had to be for the entire security of the planet. Something was riling up the Sithspawn, causing them to assault all major settlements, resulting in ever mounting string of disappearances. This disturbance persisted even after the Io's attack on the Rest, prompting further investigation.

It was time to tame the beast.

Sadira Valen

 

[Sadira Valen]

A mask of determination and focus overcame the Padawan upon her departure to the Shadowlands. Though she wasn't known for being a chatter-bug, she was noticeably quieter than usual. All business and no pleasure. She always believed that knowledge was power, and true to her word, she had studied as much as she could about the terentateks before leaving the safety of the Boram. It would have been a serious mistake had she not done her research, but what she learned brought no relief.

They were likened to a smaller version of a rancor, but with highly venomous tusks and claws. Considered to be one of the most dangerous creations of the Sith. Their favorite munchies were Force users. And of course, their hide was extremely resistant, if not immune to, the Force itself. The Dark side seemed to bring them out of hibernation, and spur their populations to rise.

Knowledge was power. It helped her at least understand what to expect, and prepare. How did she prepare for this?

This seemed less like a mission and more like a mass execution, even if she wasn't working alone.

Standing at the bottom of one of countless tree scaling high enough that it appeared to blend into and become the sky itself, Sadira gazed up at the blend of mossy shadows that swayed and blinked with beams of light. They had finally made it to what would become their first camp, and were about to do a headcount.

There was a deceptively peaceful silence blanketing them. It wasn't a comforting one, but one she felt was akin to a screen blocking the horrors surrounding them. She could feel the whisper of the Dark as loud as the silence. It was everywhere, like the green miasma they trekked through. She wondered if everyone else felt it as keenly. They were certainly on high alert, especially after the skirmishes some of them dealt with on the way down.

If Finley was here, she would feel better...but she was glad he wasn't. If they got wiped out, he would still be safe.

Finley Dawson

 

[Finley Dawson]

As the strike teams started coming down, Rangers would begin releasing small spherical drones into the air. One by one they would zip into the depths of the root mazes, mapping out their surroundings in all directions.

Others began to erect the camp that would serve as their base of operations for the mission. One of the first modules setup were the osmotic field generators. The advanced force fields would filter both the air and unwanted trespassers like the creatures the prowled the jungle floors. Another added benefit would be the regulation of temperature and humidity, so everyone would at least find some respite from sleeping in their own puddles of sweat.

That was how the Jedi, Rangers, and Wookies would spend their first day on the floor, establishing a safe base before venturing further into the wilds. Without a chronometer in hand, it was hard to tell exactly when each day began and ended, as the miasma ate up most of the light anyway. It was all a dim haze beyond the barriers.

"We have the safety of barriers, and the drones providing early warning capabilities, but I still want some volunteers to keep watch as dusk falls," Master Kul explained. "Machines can only do so much."

Much more formidable defenses could be found at the Rest itself, but that hadn't stopped the attacks against the campus. The relative peace of their stronghold had left the Silver Jedi lax.

Sadira Valen

 

[Sadira Valen]

The osmotic field generators were a relief after their long and dangerous journey to the forest floor. The sweat was just starting to dry and feel annoyingly sticky on her skin when Master Kul asked for volunteers to keep watch when dusk fell.

When was dusk, anyway? Everything looked the same as it did hours ago. She could always find out when things turned pitch black. Hopefully there was some time to sit and relax before she had to be on alert again.

"I'll watch." A female voice responded without hesitation. Sadira glanced at one of the Padawans that was part of her team. A Mirialan with dark brown hair and green skin that would have blended in with the maze of green shades around them if it was a little less bright. She lacked the tattoos that were common for her species. From what little Sadira had picked up during their tense and tiring day as she listened to the conversations around her, the Padawan was another orphan trained by the temple. Her Master was killed when the Sithspawn swarmed the Silver Rest.

Sadira watched her walk past without waiting for further instructions, and begin scaling one of the thick roots churning out of the earth and meandering through a tangle of others. Each easily wide enough to serve as their own winding pathways. An air of impatience and eagerness trailed after her. Something she could sympathize with...but in a place like this, it could lead to a fatal misstep.

After a procrastinating pause, Sadira hoisted her butt, now speckled with dark soil and moss, off the ground and gave a respectful nod toward Master Kul. Dusk or not, there was no sense letting one person keep watch alone. It was too easy to be picked off.

Finley Dawson

 

[Finley Dawson]

In the end, a handful of Knights and the two Padawan would make up the first watch. This was on top of the Ranger squad assisting them, most of whom were wookies.

Since they were taking their first watch in a few hours, Master Kul only had these few performing light duties to help set up the base. Otherwise, they would have some downtime to eat and rest as they pleased. Comms were also working fine, providing a direct link to the upper world.

That was a good thing, as Finley eagerly awaited communication from Sadira. In the meantime, the new cyborg was adjusting to his new implants. Within a matter of hours, with Sadira present then, he had been up and walking, and finally breathing on his own with no trouble. When it came to basic movements, he seemed okay, only running into problems as he attempted to spar (against the doctor's wishes). It was in those times he felt a strange sense of dysphoria with his new legs. At once there were the metallic limbs, but also the ghostly sensation of his old ones still lingering like an overlay. The experience could be overwhelming.

Speaking of overwhelming, he was also having issue adjusting to his new ocular implants. It wasn't that they didn't work, but that they worked too well. His normal human eyes had been used to seeing the world in a very limited spectrum and scope. Now, he could practically see in nearly 360 degrees in multiple bands all at once. His mostly fleshy noggin was unused to processing such rich visual data, even with neural enhancements.

For this reason, he spent most of his time in the dark blindfolded, working on getting his movements down perfectly before even engaging with his other implants. Right now, he just felt useless and wanted to get back into the fight as soon as possible. Needless to say, he didn't feel comfortable letting Padawan like Sadira shoulder a Knight's duties as he got to lounge in the comfort of the medical cruiser.

Despite his progress, he was as blind as ever.

Sadira Valen

 

[Sadira Valen]

Much to at least one Padawan's relief, the two didn't slink very far from the protection of the field generators before a senior knight made them stop and come back. Mumbling something under their breath about being overachievers. Sadira retreated to the comfort of the cool and much less humid camp they were setting up, with a sighing Mirialan lagging behind her.

It was to her benefit. Being selfless in turn allowed her to be a little selfish, without feeling guilty. The bulk of the camp setup was left for those who weren't taking first watch. Hiking in the damp heat all day while being on high alert was draining, so it was nice to take a breather now. After getting her limited personal belongings squared away, and helping with some other menial tasks, she would plop down on her bedroll and get to the most important business of the evening.

That's when Finley would get the call. Sadira waited for him to answer with false patience, all while curiously eyeing the quiet Mirialan from her cozy temporary quarters.

When he answered, her face would light up like a giddy child, safe from view of the more somber and contemplative face around her.

Finley Dawson