Steel & Doom (Attn: Cathbodua)

[Zagara Vao]

"That's about all of them."

Sonorous lay on the medbay hibernation unit, having made the decision to finally go the last step towards her rebirth into the clans, and dedicate her very existence to fighting for them; in their name. Not everyone was too keen on, let alone privy to, the idea of surgically embedded implants onto their persons - the major con being the discomfort and possible information/sensory overload that came along with it. Removing the implants too, if one was not careful, could prove to be fatal. And yet, all this was a brutal, painful but bold existence she was willing to face - if not for the Mandalorians' honor, for her own.

She'd met the good doctor standing above her now just a few weeks ago, but only after days of insisting on her pre-researched list of "improvements" she desired did the transaction finally materialize and culminate today. By all means, she was a good soul, but the range of enhancements she wanted would make even the most veteran of warriors question her sanity - was it worth it? The list went on and on - poison and toxin resistance, electrical resistance, improved coordination and motor function, augmented strength & reflexive capabilities, bio-mechanical stabilizers, improved retinal tracking abilities, the ability to hack into computer systems and analyze combat analytics, a biocomputer and commlink for her communicate with and link up to external computers and comm frequencies, and even a tracer orb for her to directly relay video and audio surveillance to a remotely located third party. She reckoned she'd be the ultimate fieldwoman - the go-to dynamo for military solutions.

The medbay was cold as she lay there, the only patient surrounded by bay droids and of course, the good doctor who would hold her life in her hands throughout this delicate process, and hold her hand through the aftermath as she acclimatized.

She knew better than to deceive herself - this was going to hurt, but the adjustments after were going to be even more difficult to internalize.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

Sakura welfare was well getting better with the success of Project Crucible they had managed to construct the largest hospital stations in the galaxy that few could compete with and they were creating new implants and technology to well correct flaws and dangerous things that had happened to people. She wasn't afraid to admit to a little pride that Hapen side of her sneaking out... and the atrisian side... okay so she was a glutton for pride and arrogance but she was also a jedi and medical doctor who was meeting a patient here on the station was well worth it. Large, imposing with the different implants that had been designed on the wallls and the lab next to them working on the final steps of the latest project. The rybocourse and synmesh weave in the bodies muscles to strengthen them to a point few others could match or meet. It would be painful... oh it would hurt but it would also be something she could work on while this twi'lek was getting her implants since she was her doctor not her surgeon. "Welcome to Sakura Station, so what procedures are you in for today?"

 

[Zagara Vao]

The sudden query startled Sonorous, who was almost spacing out in nervousness. To think that she'd go as far as to leave the sector and actively seek out the expertise of those who were as alien to the Mandalorians as the Yuzhaan Vong were to the Twi'leks. Still in her scoundrel's get-up, complete with bomber jacket, she looked up. "Oh doctor, forgot you were there.. sorry." She then took a deep sigh and continued, "I thought my surgeon was here already. I settled an appointment a few solar cycles ago. Here." She showed the doctor her datapad, illustrating the general outlines of what was going to happen - basic details Doc Cath would have already known by now; Sonorous was no doctor, and although medical science interested her, it'd be folly to proceed without proper instruction from a professional.

"Surgical implantation of a couple cybernetic implants I procured over the past few trips I made", she sheepishly remarked as she sat up to face the doctor level eye-to-eye. "Will you folk be helping me rehabilitate and get used to the implants post-surgery too?" A tone of nervousness was clearly evident in the young Twi'lek's voice.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

"Yes we make sure you are able to handle the strain that will go with it and the number of implants you wish to get are a high enough number something can happen and go wrong. So you will be kept in one of the phyla chambers which is for implant healing using some of the nysillin." She stayed with it and was looking at her with her face mask of the bodysuit on so she could remain there and brought it all up on the screen. "We'll put you under and begin the process of setting it up over the course of several days. You'll be submerged in the solution in the tank between to aid in healing and to allow your body to recover enough between each surgery. I warn you about the risks again though because i don't want to have you get crippled."

 

[Zagara Vao]

"I understand the risks, doc", Sonorous tried to reply with some conviction as she watched [member="Cathbodua"] make her illustrations as well. It was an intricate process indeed, and if even professionals took the time to caution her against the repercussions of such a high-risk, and most would say unnecessary operation, it must really be just how she says it - potentially crippling. The Twi'lek nodded and looked back at the doctor. "Around how long will it take before all the implants are embedded and I can be let out of the Phyla chamber?"

"[...] And if something goes wrong, doc, what kind of 'bad' are we looking at here?"

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

"You could be crippled if there are complications and the mental strain that comes from implants, the psychological impact of it where some have experienced many things that scar and harm them mentally.." She said it for all of the things but was sitting there in a seat while they were finishing up and double checking all of the things. Her notes were there and she was putting them on the chart. "As for how long it will take to recover that depends on you entirely. Some people recover faster then others and some take their time. We'll just have to work on some things to see to it that you are doing well and healed up." She wasn't going to release her after they had implanted her but she also wasn't going to be able to keep her in the chamber for years or months so they would hve to work with it and given all of the procedures they had developed and their own implants they knew how to aid the recovery efforts.

 

[Zagara Vao]

"....."

"I understand."

With a deep, prolonged sigh, Sonorous nodded, gently patting herself on the cheek to psyche herself up and shake the fear off. Just let it wash over you, Sono. It's just another day like back on the Corellian Run or along the Mara Corridor. You've been through worse, yet she had that aching, creeping feeling deep down - she was worried. Her headtails twitched a bit at the thought of the aftermath - if things went wrong, she'd probably go mad at the least; worst case scenario, she wouldn't wake up. This chrome, empty and cold medbay would be the last thing she'd see, and Doctor [member="Cathbodua"] would be the last person to see a violent, subconscious struggle on her part while she was under: perhaps that was it - the thought of dying and not being around to fight it back.

If the string of procedures succeeded, it'd still be uncomfortable initially at least. Heightened awareness, the ability to interface with external computer systems and droids, the ability to neurotically link up to commlinks, and analyze real-time sensory inputs from a HUD embedded into her retina - the prospects for a normal life afterward seemed slim, and yet, here she was.

"Whoo, alright doc", she said as she tried to psyche herself up one last time. "Let's do this."

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

"Alright then we shall begin." She said it while standing up and motioning for the droids to come and continue while the moved to start the procedures and put the girl under the sedatives to undertake the procedures. Working with many of things that they were doing for now until she went into her office staying over with some of the things. She was looking at the different sections that had been set up when she looked over the larger procedures with the muscle grafting and enhancement process. THe protein used to enhance and increase the muscle mass of the subject that was going to be going under the surgical bay for themselves. The twi'lek would be alright here but she would need something to do while passing the time and running the simulations of the procedures were running and some tests that they were doing as the days past and the different procedures for the twi'lek were being done. Leaving her in the phyla chamber so she could float submerged in the solution to heal up.

 

[Zagara Vao]

Floating in one of Sakura Welfare's technological marvels, yet unable to appreciate, Sonorous floated in the fluid, barely half-conscious and numbed from all the sedatives and the beating her body, especially her nervous system, had taken. She slid in and out of what could barely pass as consciousness as she faintly distinguished the warm, green fluid she was immersed in. The blurry smudges beyond the glass seemed to be droids, and she could somewhat make out the medical facility she thought she was in prior.

How long has it been?

None of her implants were operational yet at this point, presumably, but she could feel the wounds from the implantation procedures that had been done on her - a process repeated several times until everything was in place: it was a nightmare, but not quite as bad as the nightmares she was having sleeping in that tank - her mind and body assaulted by the invasive surgical procedures. For what it was worth, her circulatory and immune systems seemed to be adapting well, but her nervous system was taxed - vexed and battered. Her heart rate regularized just an hour or two after each implant, but she would occasionally jerk or twitch in her sleep.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

Cathbodua continued to monitor the patients recovery process, with everything happening and everything going on well it wasn't exactly easy but she found the time to check her charts and was next door able to see if anything went wrong. The medical AI was always watching her and it gave them both a chance to work with the different things they were doing. She was looking over the muscle enhancing procedure that was being developed and intramuscular injections of the complex with the augmented muscle tissue was the plan to make the subjects stronger, better able to handle the strain that came from their new bodies and implants. She'd have to work with a lot more data but that is what she had a chance to do here in the more advanced research station with the rebirth AI and the all important endeavor of getting a very nice patient who could listen to her while she was asleep recovering. yes talking to yourself wasn't the best but sometimes it could just help when she finished and was pacing back and forth looking into the tube. "Are you feeling alright? Give a thumbs up if you can."

 

[Zagara Vao]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Sonorous even managed to smile with her eyes a little through her rebreather mask as she slowly gave the doctor a little thumbs-up gesture, although from her sluggish movements one could presume she was still banged up. Her left eye had begun to go a little dark now as her retina recovered and assimilated the new implant's arms and chip. She also seemed to lose weight slightly, no doubt owing to the fact that up until now she'd been sustained with the rationed, nutritionally designed and balanced injections of supplement that were introduced into the Phyla tank. Without her old high-protein, nutrient-rich diet typical of Mandalorians, or the need for extended muscle mass and strength for combat, it only made sense for her body to make the natural adjustment. Despite this however, she looked healthy, and while lethargy was an issue, her skin maintained that nice orange glow she was known for.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

Staying with her for the time while the days passed until she was able to and ready to come out of the tank and at least be in a bed was there. Between check up the jedi knight continuedd to work on theother projects they were handling and the other patients that were there until finally the time had come. Draining the solution and emptying the tank so that she would be able to be moved by the droids to the bed and dried off before the jedi knight came in and was checking the areas. "Scars are healing nicely and everything seems to be working properly. You are going to be tired and your limbs likely stiff for awhile but that is normal. We're also going to try and get you on some solid foods if we can so you'll be able to get some real food in you instead of just the feeding solution."

 

[Zagara Vao]

"Solid food'd be nice", Sonorous faintly said as she lied down in her patient's dress in the medbay bed, still shaken up but obviously a lot better now. Her headtails seemed to vibrate a little at the thought of real food, as well as the thought of her temporary plight finally coming to an end. She was lots more comfortable lying down; body seemed to naturally ease into the soft, comforting mattress underneath her.

"So", she then began again after taking a quick look around and at herself from her toes upward, "how long will I be bedridden? When will the testing start?" She was starting to get ahead of herself again.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Sonorous Vao"]

"Depending on how your body it the recovery shouldn't take that long before you can start moving. We'll be working on it daily and when you are able to do a lap around this section of the hospital then we'll start to see if you can do more." She was looking at many of the other things they had been setting up in the small section of the massive medical station. This place was not an easy one to work with but it was the type of place they could aid in the recovery with while she was thinking about it. Going over more of the larger sections before she stood up bringing out one of the healing cubes and she was working at it. "We have several healing methods available to what we want to be able to work on."