Sand. It Gets Everywhere.

[Caid Centurion]

Bright eyes watching the writhing, raging girl on the floor with impassive curiosity. She wasted much energy focusing on the existence of the pain. Alwine needed to focus on the true source, feel the affected area down to the cellular level, and then stave of messages of pain being sent by her nerves to her brain.

For a handful of moments, the Sith Lord watched her struggle once more. There was, of course, a less building-block-of-healing method to mitigate the pain. That was simply to use the Force to alter ones own brain chemistry, utilize it to shut the pain out in an almost similar fashion to the mental blocks they had discussed earlier.

Inching closer to Alwine, Caid calmly pressed his middle and index fingers of his left hand to the side of Alwine's head. When his voice drifted through her mind, it was the usual; calm and deep. You think the pain is in the leg that you are clutching, but it is not. If you cannot focus enough to affect the location of the wound, then you must block your brain's ability to feel the pain, the signals being sent to it by your nerve endings. Imagine yourself pain-free. Imagine yourself being able to look down at your wound and feel nothing whatsoever. Allow the Force to respond, react to your will.

Through the fingers touching the side of Alwine's head, Caid gave her a brief rebuff of his own strength. It was nothing serious, but it would at least be enough to get her started, to get her over-the-hump of her pain so to speak. I have faith in you, little wolf.

[member="Alwine Lechner"]

 

[Alwine Daye]

When Caid’s finger moved towards her face, it took the last shreds of Alwine’s self-control not to rip it off with her teeth. She truly wanted to at that moment, wanted to hear the crunch of his bones snapping, the taste of the blood running in her mouth as she shred the flesh. But it was not to be.

Again came orders and instructions, and again she snarled. What good was imagination when she was in this pain? Even while tortured, it had not been imagination that had been her key to retain her sanity, it had been her need to protect her eldest brother, to make sure, to know, that he was safe, that they would not come after him for sins he had never committed.

And then it happened. She felt it. He was giving her more of his strength again. Oh, how Alwine wanted to claw his face out for doing it, for not giving her a moment to even see if she could do it herself. And yet, she could not deny that this helped. That when she looked at her leg now, and not imagined, but commanded for the pain to cease, there was a difference.

The wolf blinked in surprise. Not even in her wildest dreams had she thought it would be this fast. She resumed her focus, willing the pain not merely to decrease by a bit, but by more. No, not all the way. She’d have to know if she did anything to worsen the damage, but… But there, after very long minutes, it happened A dull ache, and little more.

She still glared at Caid though. “Thank you,” she said with a nod, her voice rough, “now where are the bacta tanks?”


[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

The instant that the Sith sensed Alwine's success beginning, he withdrew his support. In truth, she completed the bulk of the action entirely on her own. Standing to his full height, Caid waited patiently for Alwine to finish. Her thanks were entirely unnecessary. "Control your body's momentum in the future, and you can decrease the likelihood of dealing with this again." Yes always a lesson, a lecture. This was not a friendship as many Jedi characterized their interactions with students. This was a very linear arrangement.

That being said, Caid was not open to learning things about himself or the Force based on interaction with Alwine. In fact, this had been his stated purpose for arriving at the enclave of the Knights Obsidian. "This is your facility, little wolf. I am no member of the Knights Obsidian." In truth it might have been the first time he'd made mention of the reality.

"Can you find it?" Caid had every intention of following Alwine...just to make sure she did in fact arrive without further complication.

[member="Alwine Lechner"]

 

[Alwine Daye]

Alwine openly rolled her eyes at the lesson. They were going to have to talk about timing after she’d advanced some more. While she had no objections to his general methods, and would never deny that they worked, it would hardly hurt him to hold back in certain situations.

Caid mentioned that he did not know. Well, he said it wasn’t his place, but that was almost the same. The problem was, Alwine barely knew the place either. And there were a few things that were even worse. Even if she could find it…

She shook her head. “Not without going from door to door,” she admitted, “and then I wouldn’t know how to operate it.”

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

It wouldn't hurt Caid to do, well, anything. If Alwine really thought he wasn't holding back, she would undoubtedly be in for a rude awakening as her training left the classroom environment. Did she think that her injury during an actual combat mission or some operation away from the safety of the temple would just be easy? Did she think she could just lay on the ground crying about pain on some backwater planet? Did she think not knowing how to extract herself from a bad situation to the nearest medical aid would be acceptable even to the Knights Obsidian?

Caid didn't know. He just knew that the more you sweat and suffered in training, the less you would bleed in combat. Ignoring the eye roll for the sophomoric gesture that it was, the large Sith simply stepped in front of Alwine. At least, she did not pretend to have knowledge she knew she did not. That level of honesty was refreshing. "Very well. Follow me."

As a nod to her condition, the Sith Lord maintained a casual, even pace. No, he was not a member of the Knights Obsidian. Yes, it was in fact Alwine's facility. No the two realities did not necessarily equate to ignorance of the clinic's location. In silence, Caid escorted Alwine to the clinic where a medical professional immediately moved to the young girl's side.

"What happened?"

"Likely tibial shaft fracture or perhaps a femur fracture from a training accident." Caid would wait and watch as Alwine's clothing items were removed and she was affixed with a breathing device. He would also stay to make sure she got into the tank without issue. A part of him wanted her to have some level of comfort for the experience. A known quantity...even if she was presently pissy.

[member="Alwine Lechner"]

 

[Alwine Daye]

Even with the pain managed, it was an effort to get herself off the floor. Her leg hurt and she was forced to limp, but it was still better than crawling. He followed Caid in silence, the wolf inside her growling again, demanding to be released. Just like on Stewjon, when she had at last shifted after months of not, and the wolf had to walk on three instead of four until the bone healed properly. Even after that, it was days before she could walk as a woman without a limp. And now, if she made the wrong move, she could feel the pain threatening to overtake her again, needing to pause every so often to adjust her application of the Force to it to ensure that it did not. Her mind went reeling, thinking how much worse this walk was making matters for her leg. If she’d held any belief towards the gods she had been raised on, she would have prayed.

She didn’t know how Caid knew where the clinic was. There were probably signs that she couldn’t read spread all over the place. Even for the training halls, she only knew where they were because someone had shown her. That someone hadn’t thought it was important to tell her where the healing rooms were though. She’d been just about to explain her leg to the… Healer? Nurse? When Caid spoke for her, giving a barrage of words she did not understand either. Anatomy had not been in her lessons, alongside many other things.

Instructed to strip of her clothes, no trace of shame or embossment was on her face as she did so, her hands automatically folding them and setting them neatly where she was told to. Next came the breathing mask, and she took a step back, needing to be explained what was about to happen before she could bring her wolf in reign and avoid lashing out in fear of the unknown. The mask, while intended for breathing, felt like a muzzle, but she said nothing against it.

And then… She was in the bacta.

Chocolate eyes opened in amazement. She had been subdued in water before; in lakes, both as woman and wolf, in a freezing river as a woman tortured. As a child, she had loved to swim. But this… This felt nothing like the waters of Stewjon’s lakes. She did not even know how to describe the sensation. Her hand came up and she waved it in front of her face, filled with wonder.

Alwine wasn’t sure how long she had been in there, and looking outside the tank resulted in blurry vision. But she knew Caid was still there. She could sense him.

Have they made mention of how long I am to be here? She asked him, her voice cool and calm as it had been in the morning.


[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Silver-green eyes danced over Alwine's body as it had the last time she'd appeared before him in the nude. However, as was the case before, his gaze held no actual emotion. It was simple detached observation...regardless of the girl's obvious beauty.

Watching as Alwine settled into the viscous substance, the Sith Lord remained for several minutes. The doctor had managed to rattle on about a number of concerns and follow-up treatment recommendations, but Caid was more focused on the girl enduring yet another alien experience. He'd heard stories of patients freaking out in bacta tanks and almost strangling themselves with the hoses connected to their air supply.

When Alwine's presence brushed against his own, Caid replied with a series of numbers he'd heard the doctor rattle off. Twelve hours, little wolf. Afterwards, your body will likely still be very exhausted and weak from the effects of the healing agents. It is recommended you rest for no less than an additional twelve hours after your treatment has concluded.

Pausing for a moment, the Sith Lord finally added. They can administer a sedative if you'd like.

[member="Alwine Lechner"]

 

[Alwine Daye]

Twelve hours. And then rest. A full day, then, before she was fit to physically do anything, assuming the resulting fatigue would be of the body alone and not of the mind. This was far from ideal, but she couldn’t really object or argue against it, not with her leg having been hurt the way it was. She still didn’t like it though.

A sedative was offered. Did she need one? Alwine blinked, looking at the bacta water again. It was beautiful, and she loved the cool and smooth feel of it over her skin, but… Twelve hours…

No, it was too much time to remain awake and idle.

Yes, please, she answered Caid, and may I ask for a favor? If I am to be here for so long, I would like to send word to my brothers so they know not to worry. I am usually back much earlier than that.


[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid offered a silent nod towards his apprentice before turning his head to regard the doctor. "She would like a sedative to ease her mind during the healing process. Not too much, I don't want her in anymore of a fog than she inevitably will be."

The doctor calmly nodded his head and set about the task of administering the sedatives.

Returning his eyes to Alwine, Caid offered her a silent statement. I will ensure your brothers know of your present location and situation...should they wish to visit. Get some rest little wolf. You did very well today. Despite the cold brutality of his training, he was in fact impressed by Alwine's progress and capabilities. She would do very well so long as her mind was not poisoned with the teachings and ramblings of the weak.

Quietly, Caid waited for the young woman to nod off before turning to uphold his promise.

[member="Alwine Lechner"]