Aftermath

[Darth Perilius]

.

Aboard Markov’s Patrol Craft: The Vindicator. Enroute to Serenno.

He didn’t know the time. He didn’t know when or where he ordered his captain to send the ship to. All Markov knew is that they must get The Empress to professional treatment as soon as possible.

The speed of time felt infinite as he observed the medic put Aadya on painkillers and attempt to sooth her wounds. She was disfigured from the battle, and horribly burnt. Markov felt significant pain still, both physical and emotional. Through the Force he could feel Aadya pain with the reality that her comrades had fallen in battle, and it was her fault, except Markov didn’t know that she caused the explosion.

The medic ordered his comrade to remove the armor in order to reach the wounds hidden. Whenever he did, Markov saw how her skin had become charred and melted, but not nearly as much as the already exposed areas. He’d cool down and soothe the wounds with water and medicine and Markov stood, removing his armor. His sharp orange eyes were still slightly blurry from the explosion, and filled with extreme rage.

He was furious; not at Aadya but rather himself and at the Mandolorians. He could’ve entered the bar earlier and kill the Mando quicker, and prevent the explosion. The Mandolorians, however, caused this catastrophe through their terroristic actions. The Sith were attempting to chill in a bar but then the mandolorians caused chaos. The bombing of Mandalor was just for the terrorism they did to Imperial Space, and Markov won’t feel satisfied until he hunts down every single Mandolorian who attacks the Sith.

Markov looked at Aadya with concern as she showed obvious pain and suffering. Markov stood beside his Empress as he began to speak.

“You’re safe.. I don’t know what to say except.. I’m sorry... but I have to do my duty for the Empire and to keep you alive as the Empress...”

@Logan

 

[Aadya Drast]

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Aadya's eyes flickered open, the bright lights of the surgical lights aboard the ship blinding her momentarily. The painkillers that were pumping steadily into her veins were doing little to abate the pain radiating across her body as the medics cleaned and debrided her wounds. Aadya had felt pain before but it was nothing compared to what she was experiencing right now. No matter how hard she tried, the young Empress could not contain her screams of agony.

Markov's words fell on deaf ears. While obviously in time she would be grateful that he'd managed to survive and save her, right now Aadya did not want to hear him talk. She only wanted the pain to stop, in any way that would be possible. Right now, Aadya longed for death.

Minutes would turn to hours as they traveled to wherever Markov had them going, Aadya's level of pain slowly becoming more manageable as the medical droids and staff did their best to comfort her. Eventually, Aadya would turn to Markov, pain and sadness displayed clearly in her eyes.

"What have I done, Markov?" She asked weakly, turning her eyes to the ceiling as she still lay on the bed in the medical bay. Hopefully a kolto tank was something that would happen in the near future. "Zandrali is.. gone."

A normal person probably would have been falling over themselves to offer thanks to the person who literally saved them from dying, broken and burned in an alley on some shithole planet. But right now, Aadya couldn't think of anything but what she had lost. You'd think by now she'd be used to this process, the grieving of a lost love.

But no, it still shred her insides to pieces like the very first time.

@ByakuyaXVTogami

 

[Darth Perilius]

.

Markov watched as Aadya began to stir, her pain becoming more verbal as she screamed in agony. He really felt the pain and trauma radiating off of her now as he stood beside her, attempting to use his company as moral support. It would be in vain, however, as she’d remain in constant emotional pain from her actions within the bar. The Crusader observed the droids and the Empress as the hours went by, and the closeness to wherever the destination was had been decreasing.

Soon enough, she’d turn to Markov to finally speak to him after what felt like forever. A simple, but distressed question was asked of him, and it was hard to answer. She had guilt over her actions in the bar, and he didn’t know how to help her exactly.

“It wasn’t your fault.. it was the terrorists who engaged you and the others... if they didn’t try to kill you or the others then it wouldn’t have made you make that split section decision... Don’t let the burden prevent you from recovery.. I feel really bad about this...” he said in a somber tone. He tried his best to communicate his sympathy. “Zandrali was a good person... she will be not remembered for going out with a bang, but going out as one of the most influential and greatest Sith in our era..”

He didn’t want to create an argument, but he wanted to get Aadya to move forward, especially due to the consequences of the battle. “You are the Empress of an Empire that needs you and your guidance... We must push forward despite the traumas of war.. I’m always here to help you...”

The room suddenly jolted as Markov noticed from a window that they had finally arrived out of hyperspace. They had reached the planet Serenno finally, and the ship began to head to the surface and land on a pad that’s close to a professional medical bay.

The weather definitely set the mood for the current grief: it was raining continuously and moderately as the sky was a light grey. The medics rushed to carry Aadya outside of the ship and onto an awaiting gurney. Markov followed beside Aadya and the medics as a pair of droids took over. They headed inside the facility where they rounded a few halls until they reached an operation room.

Aadya was laid on the metal table as droids prepared to get to work to save the Empress from her wounds. Markov stood beside nervously as he watched the scene unfold.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Drast]

____________

Markov's words made sense, of course. Or well, they would have if Aadya had any intention of listening to logic and reason. Her brain seemed incapable of processing anything that wasn't misery or grief. She could barely think straight, the image of Zandrali and the others vaporizing in the blink of an eye playing over and over and over in her mind.

She didn't even really notice that she'd been taken from her spot on Markov's ship and ushered outside, not until the rain fell onto her skin. It felt nice, and the smell of a good rain took Aadya back to different times for a fleeting moment. That felt nice, too.

The medical droids doing their job did not feel so nice, however. They focused on her back, the largest area that had suffered severe burns. Something that these droids had that wasn't present on Markov's ship was some kind of cooling gel substance that made the process much more tolerable, though still quite painful. Just not scream-till-you-shred-your-larynx painful.

In different circumstances Aadya probably would have been embarrassed to have someone like Markov see her so vulnerable; she barely even knew him and now not only had he seen her burned and broken, but since the droids needed to get to all of her to fix what damage could be fixed, he'd seen her pretty much completely naked too. But now.. that all seemed trivial. He'd saved her life, their relationship was irrevocably changed for that.

Aadya turned her eyes back towards Markov again, a look of solemness still pained across her damaged features. "You're probably right," She said with a small shrug of her shoulders, which sent an unexpected pain shooting down her back, causing Aadya to wince heavily. "I could use some advice on what to do moving forward, Markov. The whole of Atlas needs to pay for what has been done."

The contempt and malice in Aadya's voice was heavy and unmistakable, her hatred and anger white hot in her chest. Atlas was going to suffer like she was suffering, that much was certain.

@ByakuyaXVTogami