Warlord as a Patient

[Jaster Awaud]

It had been some time since the whole incident happened, while his Fel Empire prepared for war and expansion into the Unknown Region, he chose to stay here and uncover the misunderstood. The Emperor understood, after all he was fixing up their allies leader and securing... Bla, Bla, Bla. In truth, Jaster was tired of the politics. The Emperor was sick so he was forced to fill out all the bureaucratically paperwork that followed. Fleet Expansions budget approvals, Civil Works Projects, hell he even had to get final approval for economical tariffs from the Moff Council before he left. Being away from it all was a good thing in his mind. However, the current mystery he faced was something that caught his interest.

Moving through the halls of the Sundri Palace, he truly already made himself at home. Dug up Blackmail, Bribed the right people, and was not modest to tell other Alor's that he funded the Terri forming Process of Manda'yaim. He felt so at home, that he was now board at how easy it was to get information around here. He now spend his every waking breath monitoring and securing every little detail he could in hopes to know when the other nurses were lying for the Mand'alor. Like today.

He kicked open the door leading to medical room, from here the tall Mandalorian Man threw a Phrik Dagger that stuck in the wall next to a nurses head with pin point accuracy. The male nurse quivered. "Doctor Awaud, how can I he-"

Jaster was at his face within seconds of the dagger being thrown, "Just because Yasha threatens to rip you in half and send your family to the mystical 5 levels of the netherworld itself does not allow her not to take her medication or skip meals, you are a Medical Professional, PROFESSIONAL," Jaster stopped for a second, "Next time you find time to be scared of the Mand'alor, remember there are more terrifying powers out there then her, Meds." He held out his hand.

"That only happened like a hou-" The nurse started.

"Meds, Nurse Daniels," Jaster was not in the mood for this. The Nurse handed over the Liquid Herbs and the other Medicine Tablets that were meant for Yasha. She was not being difficult, more like she often stated she was fine and shrugged off his medical help in favor of her daughters health. Over the last few days, Jaster left her care to his Medical Staff while he worked day and night to figure out the way her daughter was that she was.

The man was in his doctors lab coat, datapad in one hand and the Mand'alor's meds in the other. Walking up to the door that belonged to the Warlord of the Mandalorain Empire, he was stopped by two Death Watch Guards that Yasha named her personal guards. Being his 6 foot 3 inch tall, they looked up to him as they blocked his path. Without words he looked through their helmets and glared their souls as his anger sucked them out through their eyes. Jaster was often a kind heart man, yet today was not one of those days, and the guards felt it. They stepped out of his way, mainly due to him being her personal doctor now, but also because the doctor was on a war path.

Walking through the doors, Jaster looked at [member="Yasha Mantis"], "Yasha, scaring my nurses from giving you medical attention will not take precious medical resources away from the test I am doing on Adara, so please stop refusing medical attention," He set the meds on a table and began putting them in an injector, "You have the full financial backing of mulitiple nations, several companies, and donations from the citizens, so resources are not a problem."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Mand’alor the Infernal was locked away in a side chamber off the Throne Room, half apparelled in her beskar’kandar, stripped down to a red stained tank top on her upper half. The young woman’s buy’ce rested on its’ perch, beside the transparisteel encased Helmet of Mand’alor the Uniter.

Yasha’s private armoury, this small room also functioned as a triage for the battle-prone young woman, who, due to her Epicanthix biology, towered over [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] by some inches. Yet, Yasha’s muscles hung ill on her bones. Recovery from the starvation rations of the Netherworld was hard enough on a woman’s body, but going through pregnancy and labour simultaneously had taken more than its’ toll on the Mantis Scion. The indents of her ribs showed like shadows through the underlayer tank top.

Leaning over a small sink, Yasha kept her left elbow on the wall above her, and her right hand on a crimson-soaked bandage she held to her right side.

“It is not my money, Jaster. It is my People’s money and I won’t spend it on myself.” Yasha chewed on her bottom lip, “Those resources were given to save my daughter… I will use them to save as many daughters of Mandalore as I can.”

A soft grunt exited Yasha’s lips as she turned from the sink to slump down on a stool beside it, and face her doctor. How could she open to Jaster the way he deserved? It wasn’t that Yasha thought she was worthless, nor was it that she wanted to be difficult… not really. The pressure upon her shoulders was monumental, and far be it for Mand’alor the Infernal to show any more cracks in her armour than half the Mandalorian militias overheard as she screamed for her infant’s premature life on the filthy pirate floor of Barataria.

She’d been found to be weak enough, giving birth in a war zone with a body broken by explosive careening through a building. “I was busy, Jaster. I had something else on my mind this morning… I might also still have something else in my liver, it feels like the tip broke off and…” Yasha looked past Jaster to the side and down, momentarily shutting her eyes.

“I still can’t keep anything down. Anything bigger than a nutrient shake is out of my gut before I can finish chewing.”

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster tapped on a injection bottle before confirming the label. More pain killers, antibiotics, and nutrient packs. He preferred she eat what she could as she was not looking so hot. Her test were not what many professional doctors would call healthy. It was a miracles that she was even able to keep together this whole time. Any more of this and she could fall to mail nutrition and fatigue, and a great worrier that she was would not allow that and battle could take her first.

He placed the injection bottle in the auto injector and spoke to [member="Yasha Mantis"] as he continued on. "And that is why I turned them all away, public news is stating your fully recovered and Adara is still recovering but on the up," He turned with the auto injector in hand, "Clan Awaud is secretly funding your recovering so that if anyone looks too close nothing will be missing from the right people." The injection was then placed against her arm and the liquid emptied into her circulatory system. "And don't worry, I am not doing it as a charity, the longer your in power and not starting another crusade, the more money my family makes on trade." He pulled the injector away. "Ice Mushrooms and Pommwomm, that should help with any more pain and help you keep some food down, lets not forget to take your Polybiotic either," He placed the bottle of tablets on the table next to her. "Regular injections and tablets will keep you going till you heal up, However,"

Her body scans and medical reports showed there was still a lot wrong with the young women. While many her age of Mandalorian Culture paled in comparison to her strength and combat prowess, physically, she was slowly falling apart. He had seen this before, when he was taken by the Netherworld Incident and was forced to survive like those few who survived. He never wanted to be reminded of that time, and what he 'had' to do to survive. Putting down so many patients in the name of saving them from a slow painful death. Jaster could only think that Yasha could have been one of the many he would have had to put down if they crossed paths back then. This was not time to think like that, he blinked quickly to wake up from his day dream.

"Yasha, I know what your gonna say, but as a doctor I am going to say it anyways," He put the Injector away and stood straight, "It is going to take at least a month or two for you to fully heal and to put you on a meal plan that can adapt your body to the new eating habits as well as work your body through Physical Therapy to really get you back to one hundred percent."

Before she could work up the strength to fight back, he lifted his hand to stop her, "And since Kaine always told me your not one to sit out a fight, I know that is not do able so I brought an alternative," He lifted a small blue cylindrical object out from his lab pocket and lifted it up between his index finger and thumb, "This is Aspha, from my personal supply and the cost of such a thing is outside the reach of some nations, this will heal all your problems and allow you to act as if nothing happened to you in the past month," He placed it on the table next to the injector, "I brought it here to heal Adara, but with her recovery, your the next viable patient in need of it."

He leaned against the wall now not able to look at Yasha, "If your take this, there are very strong side effects, that due to the healing properties of the medicine it repairs the connective nerve tissue in the users spine as well as all nerve endings, so as the vial heals everything that is wrong with the patient, they will feel everything being repaired and not everyone survives."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

“Thirteen years in the Nether, Jaster. Thirteen years and here I am, barely enough muscle tone to carry my body in armour, let alone hold my little girl. I remember my mother, when she recovered... she never recovered what am I saying? Guess I got used to growing up small. Sure, it didn’t look like it, with the humans about, but... I’m surprised I carried Adara successfully at all.” Yasha grunted as Jaster put the injector to her arm and the warmth of the medicines filled along her bloodstream. Amber eyes, dulled by her health, winced as the pain killers filtered through her system. They kept her moving. They kept her in armour. They kept her able to continue without faltering, without being seen to take a rest.

“It’s probably why she... why she wasn’t going to make it in the first place.” Reaching for another clean bandage, she ripped the sterile package open with her teeth, dug out the bandage and applied it to her wounded and seeping side.

“Ice mushroom, pommwommommomm… is that a real word?” Yasha raised an eyebrow, trying on a smirk for size. Her eyelids rimmed with red, squinted up at her doctor from her seat.

“It’s bad... I know, Jaster. I know. I can’t seem to heal, too many injuries over a short, traumatic lifespan. I’ll take the pills, I just… had a pressing matter with a knife and a spy to deal with this morning. If there was a panacea, I’d take it and keep up the Emp-ire...”

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] held a prize worth a planet’s economy in his hand.

“Is that...” Had she paid for the Aspha herself, Yasha would be indebted the rest of her life without so much as a drop against the debt. She knew of the legendary Aspha Serum from her own mother’s research. Aditya was tenacious, yet in her years returned from the Netherworld, Aditya never got her hands on it. Never got close. She could have sold her entire company, all her holdings and never get within the same room as Aspha.

“That is a critical mass of injuries, I’ve broken almost every bone in my body at some point. Kidneys near shut down as a kid, back when Ordo’s wife was my doctor.” Yasha gulped and stared at the vial. Global healing, with a cost. A lifetime of war and survival given its’ own virgin snow. Jaster offered a royal gift indeed to the young Mand’alor. But why? Gulping down a mouthful of water, she swallowed a polybiotic tablet and pondered the offered gift. Jaster wanted her to remain in her position, to keep the space lanes open and forge ahead without a series of crusades. The cost was high, personally and professionally, for the young ruler. As with all the costs pushed onto her over-burdened shoulders, Yasha Mantis could overcome even this, and shoulder it she would.

How much longer could the Infernal hold out, before Manda’s call took her on the battlefield, or in her bed as her heart fought to beat in tandem with the colossal and consistent lack of nutrition her body absorbed? Would she make it?

“I can’t promise I won’t start screaming… I can’t do this here. I can’t be weak near the Mandalorians… my suite is soundproofed, but… how long will that set me back time-wise? Should we do it in my suite, or give the ruse of going to Dad’s place on Concordia? Moon’s what, ten minutes via ship? Might want to give you the backup of having someone else around who can handle me down if I tweak and go berserk with the pain. [member="Kaine Australis"] could help… so could Dad. Maybe we should do it there.” Another layer to the petition to move. If she did succumb to the cure and perish, Yasha wouldn’t be alone.

Could a woman fight harder than when she was surrounded by her family? Call it what it was, Kaine and Gray were family. They held keys to unlock Yasha’s coping mechanisms, and counting the sheer amount of injuries the Aspha would likely heal in her mind, Yasha knew she’d be in for one massive ride. "Just don't tell Kain'ik I got stabbed today. He'd flip and that's the last thing I need."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster had worked a lifetime and over to get all the dominoes in place for his inevitable mission to end his journey. Was he making this decision out of logic, or was it out of his feelings. In the years he worked with Yasha, he had grown close to her. She was not like any of the other Mand'alors before her, and he could see great potential. He smiled as she smiled about the words of the medicine that were difficult to say. It was nice to see a leader who was not all about stern glared and warlike tendencies. If his destiny did not take him on another path, he would have bent the knee then and taken up her offer to join the ranks of her new Empire.

He laughed as he nodded at the women when she questioned what the liquid was, "As part of a deal with the largest Trade Cartel in the world, ATC allowed the UTC access to their closed supply," He still leaned against the wall, "It is my only supply in the whole galaxy, getting any more is impossible, so we need to be sure we are going to use it." He was surprised she did not ask how he got it, and as such it would not matter.

Jaster looked to [member="Yasha Mantis"] as she mentioned where she wanted to do this. Concordia would work, work closely with [member="Gray Raxis"] and the two clans that would have to help secure and keep the lid on this closed on this matter. Clan Raxis, Clan Mantis, and Clan Awaud would have to work closely on this matter as he figured not even one clan would be enough if Yasha would go crazy.

"I agree that we should transport you to Concordia," He paused as he heard the addition of [member="Kaine Australis"] to Gray, "If we are going to bring Kaine then we will have to be quick about everything," As he was working to get all information on Yasha, he came across some information about Adara being taken from the medical room and Yasha not being in her room. He blackmailed some guards and even threatened a Death Watch Member to get more information. After he found out about her visit to Kaines quarters, he silenced all who could find out. Paying exuberant amounts to keep the story within the palace and throwing threats at the wall till they stuck. Kaine and Yasha were some of his closest friends within the Mando Empire, it was not his first time sweeping rumors and hearsay under the rug and replacing them with stories of happiness about the recovery of their leader and child.

He continued on his train of through, "If we use this chemical I can not be sure, but I have heard that those who take it recover within the day, though two week of physical therapy will still be needed to get you use to the new body form." Deep though came through about all outcomes, "The procedure is just a injection and some data analysis equipment, a standard medical room can work, I can bring other stuff on my person, also-" His eyes narrowed in on the crimson blood soaked rag and his mind went into doctor mode, he grabbed a Bacta Bandage from his kit and placed it on her side, "How did I not notice this before, I am going to have to get whatever is inside out before the procedure, if we are doing this, tell your father to prep a medical table to get all foreign object out of your body, otherwise the chemical will heal your tissue over them and we would have to start over again without the Chemical."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Jaster had an ease about him, which brokered no question of competence and made Yasha feel in these private moments, that all would balance right in the end. It was his confidence grown over time, which eased the young and impetuous woman to realize that she did have value after all.

She could lead. She could serve the Mando’ade without disaster following perpetually in her youthful wake. The rule of Mandalore had been, since its’ inception in Yasha’s mind, a burden and duty-bound role. It was not one chosen, but lofted upon her once, twice, until there was nothing for it. No other. Nothing but the throne.

And it was decimated utterly the day she approached it. Head still high, yet shoulders bowed, Yasha Mantis continued to do what she was raised to do since the day she released herself and her mother from the Netherworld’s clutches: solve messes, fix problems, and stand perilously tall.

Yet, the effort of a terrifying and tempestuous life had taken its’ pounds of flesh from Yasha’s bones and sinew and muscle and years. Her body was failing. Jaster saw and knew this. He pushed without restraint to fix what part of the horror he could reverse, and now he held the only thing in the known universe which could reverse the ache and decimated damage of a Force Dead woman’s failing body.

He held it aloft, her personal and professional salvation. The Cin Vhetin Yasha never got. How could she receive a virgin snow, when she was the Wolf’s Daughter? The Infernal Child? The Little Rekr?

“How can I accept this, Jaster? It’s more than I deserve... but dang I want it... there's so much more I can do here.” One might think the young woman was overt in her desire to be healed. [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] brought about the key to a corporeal happiness and life without the chronic pains and aches of the clinical survivor. Yet, the cost!

The dashed cost. How could he pay such a cost?

“Kain’ik could do it… If I hallucinate and tweak, we’ll need him… and Gray. [member="Kaine Australis"] took the Force Cure, Jaster. I gave it to him myself I owed him that much for… I owed him enough to make sure he was okay after he took it. He’d do this, I know he would.” Cover ups in the Palace weren’t the impression Yasha wanted to make, it was far harder to explain that nothing happened between Kaine and Yasha than it was to speak the truth of their emotional vulnerability. Of the secrets they spoke to each other in whispers as he took the cure and she slept for the first complete night in days.

“Hey, Dad? Yeah, how’re Baiko and the twins doing? Oh! Awesome, that’s… that’s good, it… yeah, Dad? Umm… I’m coming home.” Yasha kept her comm to audio only, the voice of [member="Gray Raxis"] filtering in her MBE. She looked to Jaster, as she held the bacta patch in place and eased off the seat to stand gingerly in her armour room. “Yeah, that’s… can you prep the Med Room? Jaster and Kaine are coming, and… yeah. Oh, I’m fine, no! Dad! No, I’m fine Dad, it’s just a stab wound and… no I am not lying to you… okay it’s not a total lie… okay, Dad… just… just get the med room ready and we’ll be there in like, fifteen, twenty minutes. Thanks. Yeah… thanks, I… I love you too. Bye.”

Yasha shut off the call with a weary smile and slumped against the wall, gulping through a thick tongue.

“Dad’ll have everything ready to go. Baiko’ll swing in if we need her, but she just had the twins and… it’s a knife tip. I tried to yank it out, but it broke off. Another hired gun pretending to be an assassin for the Silvers… huh… startin’t’feel a’bit…” Yasha’s dull eyes drifted closed, her lips tinted blue and skin a pallid grey tone.

“Oh fr—“ Without intervention, Yasha’s body would hit the floor, her heart rate raised and blood pressure low from the seeping wound, and extreme exhaustion she suffered from years of war and woe.

By the time they got to Concordia, Yasha’s eyelids would quiver and shake, her body twitching at the extremities in an attempt to wake up.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster cleared off the medical table, and had the guards place [member="Yasha Mantis"] on it. The Doctor did his best to clear the wound and use medical equipment to stabilize the women. He worked with Medical Droids he had with him and with other nurses to clear the wound and extract the bladed tip form her wound. It was a difficult procedure and with the limited supplies he brought with him it took some time to really get the blade out. After a hour long surgery however, he was able to get the sharp tip and extract it with minor lacerations from its extraction.

"I want a full body scan of and lets extract all foreign objects we can get, we do not need more work should this procedure work." Jaster cleaned his hands as the Medical Droid closed the wound.

He wiped his brow after leaving the room and looked through the data. The women really was frail in her current state. One more wrong move and she would be forced back into the operation room and he would be forced to implant cybernetic components to keep her alive. He figured the women would not want that, so he could only really work with what he was currently given. The data did not look good, but the work needed to be done by him and his team would be minimal compared to a full body repair needed for such a case. He only looked at the blue liquid that was sitting on a table across from him.

"Bring me the Medical Report for Adara while we wait for the scan needed for the next operation." The droid turned to a terminal and then extracted the information. Handing him the data-tablet he read the new information, Yasha was not his only patient after he returned to Mandalore. The information here was interesting, and he could only really get one true answer to the data that was provided. He was unsure how, and knowing the Family linage he was astonished. The Child was a Force User, the test he ran on her confirmed it, she somehow was now connected to the Force and access to the ability to manipulate it, Interesting.

He needed to snap out of it however, he would tell the patients mother when she awoke later. For now he needed to proceed with the operation.

2 Days Later

Jaster stood at the foot of the bed of the Mand'alor the Infernal. Her recovery was amazing, as to be honest he never actually saw the material being used on a person. After the operation to remove the weapons edge, he moved on to remove all non-biological object from her body and health were on par and level with any other of her species and age. Her muscle mass and bone density was the only thing that was oddly different in his opinion. It may have been due to her previous aliment and adapting to her health issues, but Yasha currently had a tougher bone breaking point, as well as larger muscle mass then the average Mandalorain Women of her age. Truly interesting.

He noticed while looking over the data that Yasha was beginning to wake. He set down the data-tables and walked over to her side. "Morning Yasha, be careful, it will take some time to get use to the new environment you have found your body in, it will take some time to get acustom to it all."

He grabbed a Military Issued Liquid Pack with the label 'Water' on it. It already had a straw in it and he held it out to her.