Hoth: Blood and Ice

Luth Khalan finally, at long last, stepped into the med bay to have the slug in her shoulder from that afternoon treated. She'd almost forgotten about it, if it hadn't been for the water stinging it when she finally showered. "Omandri? Are you in?"

The med bay was a bit busy even though the attack was mostly thwarted there were still some new injuries mixed with some of the old.

A door on the other end of the bay opened and Omandri poked his head out "Hey Luth." He said as he stepped out of the office his smile was a mixture of emotions both tired and sympathetic but also welcoming.

He walked up and gave her a once over looking for any obvious damage "Are you alright?"

She met his eyes, and tried to return the smile, but it was almost like her face had forgotten how. Her lips twitched a little at the sides, pulling up unevenly before seeming to give up.

"... Slugthrower wound." She said quietly, pointing at it. "Earlier t-this afternoon... You'll probably have to retrieve the slug." He can see where some blood has soaked through the fabric on her shoulder.

"Force Luth, you've had that in there since this afternoon?" He said voice radiating concern. He leaned closer looking at the blood soaking through.

He looked about "come on to the surgery wing, this place is a bit crowded and we'll need the sterile space to fish it out." He turned and headed toward a different door that lead to the clean sterile surgery room.

She followed along after him. "... I didn't really notice it. Not with Sylvain and Baras dying."

He looked back briefly and nodded in understanding and sighed "in that case I'll save the lecturing." He said before ppinting to a chair "have a seat here."

He went and grabbed some tools and a tray and wheeled them over to her "we don't have any spare drugs to put you under with but I can give you a bit of pain killer it won't feel great but it'll dull it." He said as he snapped on some gloves "let's get a look at this thing."

She smiled a little. "I've been thoroughly lectured about a lot of things today," she said with, finally a tiny ghost of a smile.

She took off her shirt, leaving her in a close-fitting cropped tank top beneath. In her shoulder, fortunately seeming to have missed anything too important, was a small hole, somewhat clotted. The flow of blood was sluggish, almost stopped, more just soaking into anything nearby that flowing out fully.

Omandri leaned in closer inspecting the wound "Well I actually have to say this is probably a first for me. Not too many people use slug throwers these days, I can't remember last time I treated an actual wound for one." He said a little absent mindedly as he inspected. He leaned back and grabbed a syringe

He gave her a reasurring smile "don't worry though this mind is a steel trap and they do still teach about slug thrower wounds on Courscant." And he leaned in "now this is a local numbing agent, pretty strong but you'll still probably feel some pinching and pressure while I work." He says injecting the shoulder.

He gave it some time to work and looked up to Luth, she would fairly soon begin to feel the area numbing "So, you're the only one who is known for using a slug thrower on base, we're you disarmed?" He asked curiously.

She didn't even flinch as he injected her shoulder, not even looking toward the syringe. "It's not the first time I've had this done, so it's fine," she replied with a shake of her head. "Slugthrowers are generally good against lightsabers. Some Force users can reflect even physical projectiles, though. I got my own bullet bounced back at me. Sylvain was protecting me, though, so it could have been worse."

She swallowed a little at that, more emotion finally coming to her face as tears welled up. She didn't move the arm with the numb shoulder, but the other hand came up to press against one eye.

She'd feel his hand go to her other and give a soft squeeze, gentle to not disturb her arm. He held it there for a second before moving to clean away the wound examining it closely as the old blood washed away.

"Luckily it seems like a pretty clean shot, at least didn't seem to hit anything vital. Alright going to get in there and grab it real fast." He said to brace her for the worst part.

She squeezed back with a smile smile. "Thanks, Omandri." She looked at the wound. "That's good. I probably would've felt worse... Physically, anyway... if it had hit anything worse than muscle." She simply watched the wound, waiting for him to begin.

He gave her a look "most people prefer to look away when I do this sort of thing."

Regardless if she looked away for not he went in the local would blunt the worst of it but not everything as he pulled out the deformed lump of metal dropping it into a little cup on the tray next to him "you'll have some discomfort for the next few days probably but like I said clean wound a little muscle damage that a kolto rinse will help knit together pretty quickly." He spoke as he sprayed some kolto into the wound that seemed to actually alleviate the lingering pain a bit.

"I'm sorry by the way. I know what it's like." He said while he cleansed the wound "My door is always open if you need anything."

"... I could use an ear, but I know you're busy," she admitted.

"Not too busy for a friend." He replied warmly as he applied a synthskin patch.

She let out a soft exhale through her nose that was a little bit mirthful. "Thank you, Omandri."

"You heard the announcement earlier by Draahg, I'm sure. I was there. I had to watch both of them go down."

He frowned a little in sympathy "that must have been hard. I know Darth Baras was your master and you and Syl were....close." He wasn't sure exactly what that relationship was but it was deep.

"You know it's ok to not be ok, you don't have to be strong right now."

"I know... It's hard... I've had to show strength for so long..."

"Sylvain and I... We were close for twelve years. Mostly platonically. He was married and I was... involved with Baras. I have no idea how to define what it was," she said quietly. "But... we raised our children around each other. We supported each other whenever things went sideways for one or the other of us. I spent a whole year with him a long time ago, traveling with him in pursuit of Force-related stuff. He felt abandoned by everyone, and the choice just seemed so obvious to be there, even though I didn't know him well then. I was there after his wife died fighting the Emperor... just to support him, not to step in. I could never take her place, she was so amazing and strong, and I wouldn't want to try. And... he was my rock during everything with the blackmail and betrayal and my master..."

She pressed her hands into her eyes. "Knowing he's gone... I know I'm not alone, but... I've also never felt like I am so deeply before."

"He sounds like he was a wonderful person."

He wheeled around to her other side as he put a hand on her shoulder and just sat there for a moment, just was there for her while she cried.

"You're right you're not alone, but other people can't fill the hole he left. It's OK to miss that."

She smiled a little. "He really was. I wish I could have helped him see himself the way I did."

"Baras was... my life feels emptier without him, too. Even though he was a monster who caused problems for both of us. If he saw his true self unwoven from all the lies and masks, I don't think he would recognize himself. But still..." She wiped her eyes. "These tears are for him, too, and I feel like an idiot for crying them."

He shook his head "he was your master, your teacher, and something deeper. Nothing wrong with feeling that pain of loss. Our hearts don't always make sense but they feel what they feel. We don't get to choose who we love." He said rubbing her shoulder gently.

She gave a small huff of a laugh. "Yeah... That's true... Thank you, Omandri."

She was silent for a while before finally saying, "So... I'm going to talk to Tethys tomorrow, depending on what happens. And maybe Thy Yulani. It's time for be to go back, after I retrieve the kids."

He rose eyebrows a little bit "Coming back to the Republic? Wow that'll be...big. Think you'll try and become a jedi then?" He said noting she was talking to two jedi and not the senator.

She paused for a long moment, then nodded. "They have the experience for handling a Force user and understanding the unique issues surrounding us. I think it's the best chance to try and reverse some of the damage I've done and stay on the right path."

A nod "I hope that works out for you and know that if you need anything, help with legal issues, a job if the jedi thing doesn't work out, or just to visit, the doors of House Rist are always open to you."

She took his hand and squeezed it gently with a smile. "Well, I was rejected by the Jedi once before, so it's possible the same reasons might still apply. I have to set aside my pride and try again, but it's another know, I'll probably be knocking on your door."

"Mind you, I'll probably visit anyway. You're fun to hang out with, Omandri, and you've been a good friend despite us not knowing each other too well yet."