Mission: Backwater Medecine

[Zenya]

Mission Four: Backwater Medicine
Many settlements have an extreme shortage of medical supplies. An odd sickness has begun spreading through some of the remote farming villages. The Jedi have offered to send several of its members who have experience in healing to investigate. While there is not believed to be a heavy Sith presence in the area, it is important for the Jedi to keep a low profile, and hide their identity if at all possible.

Objective: Investigate the spreading illness and stop it from spreading
Participants: 2
Type: Ask
Filled


Okay, I thought I would put this here for when you guys are ready to begin~

 

[Zenya]

Aaaand, I'll go ahead and start. :D

Lanna stood on a dusty brown road among clouds of dirt that were being kicked up by the surrounding townspeople. She was in a central market, which explained the fair amount of civilians around her. Various farmers were leaning over the their self build structures they sold their various merchandise at, up and down the designated path. There were drapes of muted cloth hanging in various directions, creating a sort of sloppy arrangement all over the scene in front of her. It seemed as if it's purpose was to protect them from any sand that might come blowing their direction.
The young girl had not been to a planet quite like this for several years. She grew up on Tatooine, which on the surface, looked similar. The dry scorched land, and the heat. She had spent many burning mid-days running around barefoot on the hot sand with her friends when she was a child. They would build things out of scraps of metal and junk, wrestle, and play soldiers. She could not help but feel ever so slightly reminiscent on this planet. Of course, they did boast vast differences when it came to culture. Where Lanna stood, she was surrounded by simple farmers and generally peaceful individuals. Tatooine's residents had a bit more of a chaotic nature to them.
Along with the heat of the day, she wore a hood to cover her Jedi uniform. She was hot and could already feel the sweat on the back of her neck, as well as the condition of her hair worsening as it began to get more and more poofy. however, she did not particularly care about her hair, as it was always messy anyway. She was rarely vain when it came to appearances, and the thought never crossed her mind.
She studied the locals and the way they acted. They wore the typical native clothing, with the exception of a grand ratio wearing cloth over their mouths. She knew it was because of a mysterious illness. She could sense the low moral of the people all around her. She had been told that they were at a shortage of medical supplies, which was greatly unfortunate suggesting the recent outbreak. It had already taken it's toll on the people. They wore gloves. Work gloves that were thick and meant for dirty tasks. They were careful to not touch each other. Nobody seemed to be in a rush because they did not want to bump into each other, or create a reason for confrontation. They simply grabbed what they needed, and then moved on. She saw a store owner wrap up his things and close shop. As he was trudging away, she casually turned her attention to him noticing his air of obvious anxiety.
"Closing so soon?" She said, politely.
"Yes Ma'am. And I would suggest you go home as well. It is not worth being out at the market anymore since the outbreak. I was a fool to think continuing to sell my merchandise was a good idea." He put his bag of goods under his arm, and waved her off, leaving down the road.
Lanna felt a heat rise into her face. It was not the heat of the earth she stood on, but an internal feeling best described simply as anxiety. She sighed, brushing it away. To catch this illness would only give her more motivation to aid in finding a cure.
She turned, looking back down the road a little, to the two Jedi Knights she arrived with. It seemed suitable for her first independent mission.

 

[saam]

It was a quiet mission. Ikora stood in a wide lane down what seemed the main market area as the sun beat down upon her, almost stifling her breath. She had come somewhat prepared for the heat, dressing in more modest layers of clothing and leaving her arms bare beneath her cloak, but it was still uncomfortable. She lightly tugged at the corner of her hood, her horns slightly protruding out. It was a particular feature that was difficult to conceal but it was all she could do. If someone wanted to pick her out as a foreigner, it wouldn't take much of a perceptive glance from the right angle.

She doubted there would be much trouble though. It looked like a shanty little place and the people scattering about only seemed to be concerned about the illness racking their town, just like the other surrounding towns. The origins of the illness were odd but not suspect. And yet for the most part Ikora would observe, and help were she could. But it wasn't particularly her area of proficiency. She was no healer, she was a fighter and she was ready to play her part should it come.

Looking about the marketplace she spotted the Padawan; a young girl, standing about and talking to one of the merchants who quickly hurried away. She turned and their eyes met. Reaching out with her telepathy Ikora spoke with a soft voice as to not startle the girl 'Come, we should see the true scope of this illness.'

Then turning to face the other Jedi Knight besides her she asked "Are we meeting with anyone?"

 

[Zenya]

Lanna turned at the sudden voice in her head. It surprised her at first, as telepathic users always seemed to do when they decided to intrude on her mind. This time, however, she did little more than glance back at the woman that spoke to her. Typically she would flinch, almost jumping out of her skin, but the voice she hear this time, was soft and cautious. It could have very well been one of her own thoughts. As she was about to make her way over, the other Jedi Knight standing beside the woman began to talk to her. He looked down at his wrist, then continued to point back to where they had come from. The woman nodded, and he turned and left.

Lanna watched, wondering what had happened. She approached her partner, the female Jedi Knight. "What happened?" She asked, watching the man's figure disappear down the sandy road. She turned back to the marketplace. "This place is doing terrible. The people seem to be living in fear, and only makes sense to seclude yourself in a situation like this. And we can't start healing people until we know what is wrong with them. That means we need to start asking around." She looked up at Ikora, the Jedi Knight. "How would you suggest we go about that?"

She continued to pop her knuckles, one by one as she always did. Especially when she was resolving scenarios and possibilities in her mind. She had a scarf to wrap around her mouth in the bag slung over her shoulder, if worse came to worse, and they had to speak to any diseased individuals.

 

[saam]

As Lanna watched the other Knight walk back the way they had come from, Ikora gazed at the girl and began to speak to her using telepathy again He's going to, suddenly realising she was using telepathy she apologised "Sorry, He's going to check something, he may not join us for the rest of the mission. It's just us now, " she managed a weak smile.

Ikora looked off into the distance in a sort of daze. An internal debate of leading this girl firing in her head. She was not a leader, she did not know this girl nor her abilities. There was an anxiety of leading her astray, perhaps to harm by her inability as a leader. All the thoughts came in a crashing wave, closing her eyes she focused her mind and quickly decided to ignore that role, simply play off what she was sent to do, quell the illness.

She looked around her "We should find who's in charge, speak to them. Maybe speak to some of the people along the way. Then we may begin to discern the illness." Staring intently at the girl, she said with a somber tone, "But be careful, some of these people may be sick, but that may make them desperate also. Don't let your compassion for the people lull you into lowering your guard."

She motioned for them to walk up the main stretch of road, leading further into the town.

 

[Zenya]

Lanna nodded at Ikora's fair warning. She would not want to get herself into trouble with the locals. After all, it was their job to protect them, and gain their trust. Lanna looked back down the road, and then back at the woman. "Seeing as it is mid day, we have some time before we should find a place to stay. Small towns like this don't usually have Jedi outposts, or specific rest stops. Luckily, we can always rely on the hospitality of a small town. That is... When there is not illness rampaging throughout their streets. It may be harder than usual to find someone to take in two strangers. I'm sure we can figure it out though." She gave a smile to Ikora, ready to be on their way. First however, she took her scarf, and tied it around her mouth as a faint attempt at blocking out the potential disease that everybody else was trying so hard to do. Even though it was hot, she did not mind. Might as well sweat a little, over catching something so deadly.

Beginning to walk down the street, the marketplace went on. She looked around at the tables that had various selections of produce laid out. It was a perfect place for something to be stolen. Lanna had actually seen it happen before. She wondered if it could also have been a way of spreading disease. Possibly the food they touched. The food could have been contaminated by some sort of pesticide. A parasite could have made its way into the food that was lying out in the heat and open air, and someone could have consumed it. There were so many possibilities to the puzzle they were currently trying to put together, and they had no pieces. They had to talk to someone.

"Why don't we go over there? That woman looks nice." She had her hair tied up, and a cloth tied around her mouth. she wore gloves, and worked at a table along side a man Lanna assumed to be her husband. The two of them looked friendly enough. And they seemed to be focused on what they were selling over the illness going on around them. They were simply working hard. "What do you think about buying something from them, and then asking a few questions?"

 

[saam]

Ikora listened to Lanna as she scanned their wares, then briefly studied the two behind the stall before spotting a particular item they were selling "That sounds like a good idea." Turning to Lanna she added "I'd say we are simply two travelers in need of some parts, and at the moment intrigued in the local cuisine. Also, when I offer it to you, don't actually take it okay?" And before the Padawan could ask what she was talking about, Ikora was strolling over to the stall.

"Greetings."
The woman looked up from her tasks a little lost for words at the formal greeting, speaking cautiously she said "Hello, what can I do for you today?"
"We've just arrived and while we wait for business, I think we will enjoy some fruit."
The lady nodded, though her eyes glanced over Lanna and then to the man off to her side who was in the middle of stacking crates, he looked over his shoulder and met her eye. Walking over he said with more a genuine friendliness, "Welcome, my name is Joseph, and this is my wife Lisa." She forced a pained smile. "Can we help you with anything in particular today?"
"Well there are these..." Ikora had spotted an oval space fruit sitting amongst several others, it was placed rather discreetly off to the side and dwarfed by the larger products. Reaching out she picked up the fruit carefully, rotating it slowly in her hand, then eventually pressing into it lightly with her free hand. She looked up from beneath her hood and saw the man's eyes shining "Aye, they're beautiful aren't they?" he said.
"They seem to be perfect, just ripe."
"You have refined tastes, I'll say that much. Not many folk round here enjoy it, to be quite frank, just myself who enjoys it," his smile grew until it would nearly engulf his whole face, "bein the selfish man I am, mostly bring em in for myself," he barked our laughter.
Ikora smiled at at, and he quickly noted "You Iktotch, I've seen your kind around, they don't smile much. Judgin by that right there be reason for you to smile more," he pointed a knobbly, gloved finger at Ikora's face before giving a placid smile. His wife fidgeted besides him, "Don't mind Joseph, he's a plain speaking man."
He rebutted immediately "True it is."
Looking back to the fruit in her hand, Ikora said "I'll take three"
"Of course! Lisa, get them bagged up for...
"Ikora."
"...for Ikora here and her friend...
"lanna."
Lisa nodded and ducked beneath the stall to retrieve a small brown bag. As she was packing it with the fruit, Ikora said "Actually, can we have a little sample first? I don't believe Lanna has ever had these."
She turned to the Padawan and the man smiled and nodded furiously, "Of course, no mind at all. Here." he quickly whipped out a knife and cutting board and sliced up the fruit. It had a light pinkish skin, the inside however was bright yellow and it's core ripened into a deep orange.
Joseph reached over the table and offered it to Lanna.

 

[Zenya]

Lanna and Ikora walked to the stall with the man and woman that were selling a variety of fruits. There were three different types in rows of color set carefully out on display. The girl listened closely to the Jedi Knight, strike up conversation with the two individuals. They way they interacted made her feel at ease. Like she was watching a happy marriage. That was the first thing. She noticed that the husband was a loud, boisterous man, who fit the stereotypical version of a hillbilly farmer. He wore a beige shirt, slacks, and boots. His wife was short and thin. She smiled as her husband talked, and she seemed to listen intently, cutting in every so often to add details.

Lanna smiled. Even laughed a few times when she was listening to the man, Joseph, speak to Ikora. They were about to buy some of the fruit, when her partner decided it would be best to sample it, because Lanna had never tried the mysterious food before. Joseph cut it up, and offered her a slice of the vibrant colored fruit.

"It has a beautiful color," Lanna said, smiling. She looked up, eyes gleaming a bit when she noticed that they were looking at her. When she bit into it, the taste was sweet and the texture was spongey. "Mmm... I like it. It's almost, dry."

They ended up buying three more pieces of fruit, and placing them in Lanna's bag.

"Where do you two ladies come from?" Lisa questioned, leaning on the table. Her husband stood next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Well," Lanna began, taking a quick glance at Ikora. "We have been traveling for some time now, and our ship landed a ways off to the southern end of this village. We did not intentionally land, but unfortunately we had some... malfunctioning. We just like to move from place to place, really."

"Oh I see! Like nomads." Joseph added.

"Exactly. So right now we are looking for a certain part for our ship, but I am not sure we could find something so unique and pricey. We have a strange model ship." She had rehearsed the story of why they were there before they had arrived. She tended to use the same, or a similar story every time she was working in a new place that had little to no tolerance for Jedi.

"Well, I am sure you have seen, but there is a sort of illness going around," Lisa whispered, leaning in to say it.

"Really?" Lanna muttered, looking up at Ikora. "Tell us about that."

 

[saam]

Ikora was surprised to see Lanna not only accept the fruit, but eat it. She had told the Padawan not to, merely to insight conversation about the current standing of this illness. Nevertheless the conversation came to a head.

"Came out of nowhere, it seemed." He leaned in with a conspirators tone, "but I the wiser."

"Explain."

He a stuttered a little, caught off guard by the authority in Ikora's voice "M-My uncles, nephews daughter said she seen a bunch of sick folk come into town not long ago, with a sour look to them. They've been holdin up here for a time, trying to escape the illness, instead they've bought it with them. Now our folk are fallin to it."

"Do you know where these people came from?"

He hesitated, gave Ikora and Lanna a good look up and down before he said "Why would you want to know that?"

Ikora's voice fell rather flat "So that we can be sure to steer clear of the town, in our travels." She knew the man was thinking twice about them now, with all the questions she was asking, but appearances didn't matter anymore.

He looked at her suspiciously and his body language changed, "Yar, sure. little place called Dime."

Ikora nod, "Thank you for the fruit." she started away, then turned and added, "Oh, and should we stay away from anything?" she looked to the food.

"It's not in our wares that's for sure, we be selling this with a clean conscious." He looked at her, with noticeable distaste, "A rude question that is, accusing."

"Got to look out for our own," She looked to Lanna and then they left the stall. Walking back down the main road, pondering aloud in her mind, she spoke to the Padawan So the illness has not originated from here. We need to go to Dime, however, she stopped and turned to the Padawan, "We don't eat food where people are sick." She threw the bag of fruit aside, "It's all a diversion, we do it in combat, and we can do it with these people so they feel comfortable and talk. I'll keep an eye on you, but tell me if you start to feel off. Let's get to the ship."

 

[Zenya]

Lanna watched Ikora grow slightly more focused on the goal at hand. The woman opened up more of her interrogator's disposition, which ever so slightly surprised Lanna. She was sweet and kind, and yet had the ability to be just as serious and down to resolving the business at hand. Joseph almost seemed to become defensive, but Ikora pressed on, eventually getting the information she wanted out of him. He told them that a person he knew had witnessed a group of people that were trying to escape the illness, and ended up bringing it with them to their town. The town they were currently standing in. So to the girl's added list of information she had been storing in the back of her head, she kept the word, "Dime." That would surely be their next stop. After all, they were sent to find the cause of the illness, and begin healing it. That was what she intended to do, and she was quite determined, in a way that was almost translated through excitement.

When they were finally finished with their questions, they turned and left, leaving their two encounters behind. Something about them left a sour taste in Lanna's mouth, despite how kind and friendly they seemed, before they started asking questions. She was glad to be moving on.

Lanna could feel a cloud of heat rush into her face, when Ikora decided to educate her on what and what not to eat. She was embarrassed, of course, but didn't argue. Her partner was right. Eating the food was a stupid move. Unfortunately she had found herself confused at the time due to the fact that Ikora went out of her way to have her taste the food, so she thought it would be okay. Either way, she knew now, and she was not horribly resentful after that. The only thing that nagged at the back of her mind, was the worry for illness. She did not want to contract whatever it was these people had.

The closer she looked, the more she noticed an excess amount of sweat on a sick person's face, and neck. They were shaky, and their eyes were yellowing and droopy. Lanna only caught one ill person without a facial mask of some sort, and he had white saliva at the corners of his dry lips. It made her shudder. She subconsciously breathed strange, as if she were trying not to suck in too much air at one time, for fear that the sickness would travel into her lungs.

"Ikora..." She muttered, shrinking ever so slightly beside the woman, then stopped. It would have been very difficult to notice, but still she didn't want to appear weak. "There are sick people just walking around out here. They should be inside don't you think?"

 

[saam]

Lanna flushed at Ikora's remarks. It reminded her just how young the girl was. Ikora had looked away to save the padawan any further embarrassment. But it was important that the girl should grow, even at the cost of her discomfort. And that made the Jedi wonder whether the girl was ready for this war, for there would be much Lanna needed to learn to be able to survive against the Sith.

The day was still stifling, the sun near it's peak in the sky, beat down upon the shoddy little town. They came to a widening of the dirt road finally away from all the stalls and markets, to where various hardened clay buildings sat further apart. There was a deep container of water alongside one of the buildings, sitting partly in shade. Whether communal or for the animals, Ikora could not tell.
Lanna commented on all the sick people lingering about, her voiced filled with unease, which was understandable. Ikora simply nod, "They should, and yet.." she stopped, becoming fully aware and mesmerized by the odd number of sick outside in the heat. Many seemed to flock to the water, staggering towards it in small jarring steps. Finally dropping to their knees in reprieve, shoulder to shoulder, feebly scooping the water with their shaking hands. The task seemed laborious and taxing.
There was one figure with their back against the wall, head collapsed on his chest with one arm dangling in the water. Ikora brushed the man with the force, keeping her distance. He was dead. She looked to the others and saw they were shaking fervently, their faces glistening and clothing damp with sweat. She spoke slowly, coming to understand the severity of it all "There is a fever. They're not thinking straight." She looked around again and noticed hardly any healthy people about, and those that were covered their faces and walked briskly, ignoring the sick without even a glance at them. "I feel Lanna, that we should hasten. For the sake of our goal."

She begun to walk again, now with a faster pace as she thought of what exactly was happening here and almost unconsciously she spoke to the girl, I can't imagine what Dime will be like.

 

[Zenya]

Lanna could feel something lurch inside of her when Ikora told her that they should hurry. She was ready to get moving, as if what her partner said, was confirmation for her to feel extra motivation to remove herself from the situation. When it came to disease, there was no question of fight or flight. The correct answer was flight, every time. Unfortunately for this situation, flight was only a slight option. They had a responsibility to heal, and discover the cause of the epidemic. Even though Lanna would have loved to retreat to safety, up in space, she would finish the job.

The two of them would have taken their ship to the nearby town of Dime, but their earlier companion had been called away. They would end up having to call the army if they needed a ship, and there was no point in that, until they had to leave. This being the case, the two Jedi simply rented a speeder. It was a cheap trade, and they got a decent vehicle for the credits they had.

When they got inside, Lanna put down her coat to cover the seats, and carefully sat inside. She had her own gloves on, but she was still tentative not to touch any exposed parts of the speeder, as if that careful action would spare her from catching the horrible disease. She sat in the passenger seat, and Ikora took the driver's. It was not as if Lanna particularly wanted to drive. In fact, she hated driving.

They were off, towards Dime. The Padawan had plugged in the coordinates to her tablet, which brought up a map of all the towns around them from her archives.

As they approached the place, after a few long minutes of coasting over the hard sand, they could see it as a mud and brick looking place that waved in the heat. Lanna squinting though the light of the setting sun, trying to get a closer look. This place was diseased.

They landed a ways out, and stepped from their speeder, into the ground.

"Lets stay together. We might get robbed if they think we have any medecine. Which we do." Lanna said it, hesitantly. she did not know what to say, really.

 

[saam]

After Lanna and set in the coordinates Ikora thumped the speeder over the harsh, barren ground. Finally, after a time they approached the town She tore on the breaks, bracing her leg on the ground as it came to a complete stop, dust flying up in a small dry puff. The sun was leaning on the horizon just behind the town, it's last bright rays casting long shadows of the buildings ahead. The sharp contrast of orange and dark shadows made for an eerily ominous presence. She watched it for a moment, seeing some twisted beauty in the picturesque scene, before climbing off the speeder.
They had stopped a kilometer or so away from the village to keep a more discreet arrival. Lanna spoke, and Ikora agreed with her. The Jedi Knight also noticed that the Padawan seemed fearful of the situation. Seeking to comfort her in some way Ikora said, "They can try Lanna," meeting the girls eye, "but nothing good will come of it, for them. But be aware like before. I had not noticed the numbers of the sick but you did, I was too focused on threats."
The severity of the illness had stuck in her mind since they moved out of the previous town and so she ask Lanna "Do you have a spare piece of cloth, I'd like to take more caution here." She reached out a hand, ready to wrap it about her face to cover her nose and mouth. Lets go.

As they came into town, light was quickly darkening and it added atmosphere in making the town seemed desolate. A few less sturdy buildings looked to be ransacked, their entrances littered with broken pots and their windows smashed. Though unlike the previous town, no people seemed to be roaming the streets and Ikora thought that they may be too late, for this town at least.
Walking further into town the image did not abate any. Looking down side streets one would see carcasses, some rotting, others merely husks clearly at mercy to the sun. There was chaos everywhere. Houses had had their roofs caved in like cracked eggshells, and there was black charring on the walls and earth. Litter was strewn across the ashen ground, stalls knocked over and smashed beyond recognition. And as if on cue, a blackness surged overhead and the deep roars of lightning beginning to play their tune. Rain begun to fall, a bitter downfall, one that could have come much sooner.
Too late for respite. She couldn't believe the carnage that seemed to unfold around them, all from an illness; it proved to show that perhaps the people here in the end became more dangerous to each other than the illness itself.

She heard more than spotted the child, a dry rasping calling her immediate attention ten meters or so ahead of them. A small figure, gaunt and still, lay half concealed beneath a tarp. Coming closer, Ikora stood before the child. Looking down at them, she could see they were infected; their eyes yellow with dark circles beneath them and white crusting about the mouth. But that wasn't the worst of it. A large splinter of wood stuck out of the child's stomach, dry blood crusted over the wound.
It was perhaps one of the testing scenes Ikora had scene, and it momentarily broke her stoic demeanor. A tear ran down her cheek. She tugged at her hood to cover more of her face. Composing herself quickly, she spoke, yet her voice was sallow, "There's a child, Lanna!" Beckoning the Padawan over, hoping that she would be able to aid the child, or at least calm the pain until their passing.
Kneeling down besides them she cupped the child's face. Their eyes opened groggily, filled with fear and pain. Ikora asked softly, "What happened here?"
They seemed to go in and out of consciousness before replying, "R-r- riot."
Ikora tensed at the coarseness in the childs voice, and stilled herself and her emotions. The fools that had done such a thing, so recklessly harming such a young life. She stood.

 

[Zenya]

A chill ran up her spine. And a heavy feeling grew in her stomach, up to her throat. The image of a child, pale and wide eyed, sat before her She looked down at the little girl who's long hair fell over her face in stringy clumps. Ikora had knelt down, tentative to the girl's needs, and Lanna simple stood there, stiff and filled with a stinging sense of pain. Pain for the unfortunate turn of events that dragged a child into their disputes and chaos. It made her feel sick to her stomach.

Kneeling down as well, Lanna pulled her scarf down from her mouth. The garment was wrapped tightly around her whole head, as a way to block out the sun and the disease, but she could very well take it off because the sun was now almost gone. it illuminated only slightly, and pushed their shadows across the road, stretching them a great ways.

Reaching into her bag, Lanna ran her fingers along her cool, thin metal medicine kit. She did not want to remove it. She had no idea where to begin trying to save the girl, even after hours and hours of self inspired research. A thick piece of wood had entered her body, and broke through the flesh above it. From the location the obstructing material was in, it looked to have possibly ruptured her stomach, and definitely her small intestines. How it got there was of no importance, at that moment. There was a various list of ways it could have happened, but none of them would help Lanna remove it, and save the girl.

On top of her physical injury, she had the disease. Her eyes were filled with what looked to be overwhelming thoughts, but they were covered with a layer of yellow tinge and fatigue.

"I'm so sorry this happened," Lanna said through her dry throat. She licked her bottom lip, searching for words. Subconsciously popping her knuckles, something she did when she was stressed, she watched the girl's eyes slowly close, and open again, as if she were very sleepy. She was barely conscious.

Lanna looked at Ikora, with a heavy breath, then looked back at the girl. Her eyes were closed once more. She was still alive, breathing lightly, Just barely. She opened them once again, and looked off to the side, somewhere else.

What she said next surprised Lanna. It made her mouth linger open, and her eyes rest wide upon he tragic image.

"I want to see my mother."

 

[saam]

The Padawan was flustered. Ikora watched as Lanna struggled to overcome her emotions. She was at a whim to them and they held her back. Shuffling through her bag, she contemplated acting but decided against it. Looking to Ikora and then to the child, her expression frantic, searching for something to be able to do for them. Ikora knew in that moment, that what she had to say would leave a bitterness in the Padawan and perhaps even resentment. The decision seemed heartless and yet there was little they could do.

The child looked away, off to the side. "I want to see my mother." Ikora regarded the girl closely and followed her gaze, but there was nothing there, just another building. She half expected to actually see something just by the awareness and acknowledgement in the girls eyes, as if she regarded something real.
But then she could feel the girl was fading, and yet not fast enough it would seem. Ikora gauged that it would be hours still before she died. And in those final moments it would bring only more pain and suffering. Considering her options, the Jedi knight let her hand momentarily brush against the lightsaber on her belt. Mercy, it wasn't an entirely noble gesture but would letting a child suffer in agony be any better? She considered how exactly Lanna would react, perhaps hysterical, and then the Order...It was not something they condoned, and still is seemed the proper thing to do. A cruel reality came to her, they would have to do what Ikora herself though more unthinkable, simply turn their backs.

She spoke quietly, not proud of what she had to say, "Lanna. We must move on." Her voice was cold. "There is nothing we can do for the child..." She stepped away and then quickly stopped, feeling a peculiar feeling wash over her. Closing her eyes she saw something in that moment, something of the girl. There is more to this. She focused on the girl once more and put her palm against the girls forehead. Ikora felt something she had missed before, a faintness barely as palpable as the girls life. "This is..." She's force-sensitive. There was a moment of uncertainty and disbelief, but the presence was persisting and not before long Ikora saw it as an absolute. Then suddenly, there was a tug within the girl. Ikora resisted it at first just at the unusual nature of it but then the sense felt instinctive and she decided to yield to the compelling pull, feeling herself reaching further into the girls soul, noting hurriedly to Lanna as she was swept away Give me a moment.
It was as if an alternate reality manifested itself around her with just as much substance as the real world, there was an alien sensibility that Ikora understood as the fact that it was all tangible and subjective to multiple possibilities. Colours swirled to form shapes as the vision, the premonition unfolded around her. Ikora saw the girl. She was grown, dressed in the garb of the Jedi, a lightsaber on her belt and fire in her eyes. And Ikora could feel the strength of her, it was palpable ,She was strong. But there was more. Minutes seemed to pass as the vision sped up detailing so much and yet maintaining a vagueness that prevented the understanding of the full scope. Ikora came to realise the importance of the girl should she survive. There were many possibilities, but the potential of this girl was extraordinary, and then there were others. They walked a different path and though they were fuzzy she could feel they were inextricably tied together.

Abruptly, the vision ended and Ikora was left with a feeling of uncertainty, much of which relied on this moment. They needed to get this girl off the planet and to medical attention promptly. She has a purpose. Ikora opened her eyes. "Lanna, call it in, we need a ship immediately. And make sure their's a medical droid on board."
She glanced about her before, feeling others nearby, not too far off, but approaching. Focusing on Lanna she said "I need you to direct me with force healing, then together we may be able to give her more time." A defiant notion that it was still too late for the girl burned in her gut.

 

[Zenya]

Lanna was ready to go so she turned away. She looked onto the Setting Sun, prepared to leave behind the tragedy of a lost child. It was their silhouettes now, walking on the dry earth, the scene illuminated behind them by glowing orange light.

Ikora had began to walk. Then she stopped, mid step, and turned her head slightly, as if she could feel something. Likely, the force.

Lanna looked from the girl, to Ikora. The woman, now hastily telling her what to do, the Jedi initiate jumped into action, calling a branch of the army to send assistance. She had faith in her companion. Faith that she was not making a big mistake. She honestly thought that it was unfair to the girl to only be worthy of saving when she showed potential of wielding force powers.

Kneeling down once more, she took off her gloves. She did not want to get sick, but if helping the girl was necessary, she would do what she had to do. She waited for Ikora to do the same, then got to work. She we highly training in physical medics, and the steps taken to achieve health an safety, but she only knew a bit about force healing. Unfortunately, for this moment, she could not rely on her text book studies.

"Basically, you call the force to your hands. And you set them with a healing intention. Now, don't focus on the wood, or the main injury, there," she said, pointing to the girl's puncture wound. "Thats for the medic droid. Just focus on an area like her head, or upper torso that might be feeling discomfort."

They set off to work, attempting to heal the girl.

 

[Gamov]

Flames gleamed in the ebony visor of her helmet, the faint malodor of charred flesh seeping through the filters to sting her nostrils. Black smoke billowed against the soft purple hues of a twilight sky, guards hoisting another body onto the pyre. The vision was a startling one for her, the sight of so many bodies, twisted and mangled, heaped together carelessly like so much kindling. She remembered seeing her people like this as a child on Lorrd. Thousands of them packed into mass graves, left to rot in the open air, their figures bloated and distended until they barely resembled anything close to human. On some level she empathized with these poor villagers. That's why she had ordered their village exterminated. It was better they died quickly than be left to the ravages of this accursed plague.

"That's the last of them, ma'am."

The guard's voice seemed a near whisper against the crackling flames. "Any word from the men in the southern districts?" Her gaze slowly drifting from the macabre scene.

"We lost contact since the riots." Hesitation edged into his voice, "shall I order a search and rescue?"

The news was unwelcome, though not surprising. Rioting in the southern districts had been particularly violent, casualties were to be expected. Still, she could not simply ignore a missing patrol. At the very least she needed to know whether not they had been KIA so she could properly account the losses in her report. With a short sigh, Mila waved the guard aside. "No, keep heading west. Burn every village you come across. I will head back south and see to this matter myself." Setting off alone into this blighted land wasn't exactly high on her list of priorities; then again, neither was being assigned to this investigation in the first place.

She was truly beginning to wonder if her superiors weren't conspiring to have her killed. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone had tried - doubtless it would be the last. Mounting her speeder, Mila revved the engines and sped off towards the south, the nagging feeling of the unknown beginning to creep into her thoughts as she did.

----​

The trip had taken a couple hours, leaving the sun dipping below the horizon at her back as she brought her speeder to a gentle stop near the outskirts of a small farming village. Scanning the edge of the town with her microbinoculars, she couldn't find any signs of recent activity - or life for that matter. The town appeared deserted from her vantage point, though thin trails of smoke seemed to snake into the sky from somewhere near the center of the village. There had certainly been a battle here, of that she had little doubt. Clicking over to the secure military comms channel, she set her helmet's instruments for a passive scan, hoping to pick up any distress signals in the area. When the comms hissed back with static though, any slim hopes she held for finding the missing patrol alive faded.

Still, there was something wrong about this village. Something... off. And it was more than just her natural intuition speaking to her senses. The Force felt unbalanced here. Not by what was missing, but rather by what was still there: a glimmer of light. It was dim in the back of her mind, like a distant light shining through fog. But it was there. The real question was why was it there. Dismounting her speeder, Mila took another moment to survey the town before taking her first tentative steps forward. Wind kicked up a cloud of grit around her as she picked her way down the side streets, a hand never far from the lightsaber resting on her hip as she gave cursory inspections to the huts she passed by. All around her were signs that this village had suffered just as much as the others. The windows in every home were dark, their doors boarded up, some with warning scrawled across them in red paint telling others to "KEEP OUT!" or "STAY AWAY!".

Step by cautious step though, she picked he way through the village, following her senses towards the spark of light at its heart. It was rare that she reacted this strongly to a ripple in the Force. Her connection had never been overly strong. She'd learned to tap into its energies and manipulate it as a weapon, but its more mystical aspects often eluded her grasp. Winding through the dingy side streets and dank alleys, Mila felt the sensation grow palpably as she came upon a pair of figures in the middle of the road, their backs turned to her as they seemed to be tending to a wounded girl. Snapping her lightsaber from her belt, she started a slow, methodical gait towards the pair.

"Identify yourselves!" She called out, voice echoing into the eerie stillness. The Force swirled around the figures ahead, of this much she could be absolutely positive. But its origins remained unclear. The thought had crossed her mind, however briefly, that one - or even all - of the people could be a Jedi. But surely they would not be so brazen as to be operating in Sith space...

@saam, @Zenya

 

[saam]

She watched for a moment as Lanna begun to heal the child. Ikora could feel the energy circulate in the air around them like faint wisps flowing and ebbing as Lanna focused on the child. Following suit and keeping the instructions in mind Ikora leaned in close to the child and held out her hands over their head and chest. Setting her mind with the intention, the force begun to flow through her culminating at the point in her palm. Reaching out further from herself she released the energy cautiously until it caressed the child. Ikora could feel the girls reciprocating force and it's own hunger for the healing energies. Soon enough she fell into a trance, omitting her surroundings in order to properly focus and channel more of the force.

She did not realise how much time had passed until a voice spoken with authority broke her focus. Immediately she dropped her hands. Moving her head slowly around she became aware of the silence around them and then the slow crunch of approaching footsteps. Reaching out with the force she lightly brushed the individual behind her. They were a lost soul, shrouded in a wicked veil. Ikora could feel that watchful gaze burning into her back. There was a brief pause in her mind, then she spoke to Lanna Stay with the child. This was something that she did not want the Padawan to be involved in, this was something that she would tackle alone.
Ikora slowly stood and pulled her lightsaber to her hand. Shrugging off her robe she faced the Sith and let a moment pass between them. To recognise your enemy, that was what Ikora was taught and that was what she believed. Igniting her lightsaber she begun to walk forward. Reveling in the moment she noted the coarse dirt beneath her feet, the sweat on her arms and face, the cooling breeze, the low hum of her lightsaber as a calming battle cry before the storm, illuminating it's blue light as the darkness seemed to envelop them all. Taking measured steps now she spoke to the Sith "I am Ikora Kal."

 

[Zenya]

Lanna was focused on the current situation at hand. The girl who was suffering from an unfortunate impalement, and her terrible wound. They would have to worry about infection first, and how to prevent it. That would be the trickiest part. She was lying on the ground, in the dirt and sand. A Ikora worked on her head, and chest, Lanna worked on her sides, and directly under the wound. They could not remove the wood until the ship arrived to do it professionally, with medical droids.

She did not notice at first, when Ikora broke away, and turned her attention to something on the horizon. A strange feeling that must have been nagging at her. Meanwhile, the initiate continued to work. While that was taking place, the girl closed her eyes, and slowed her breathing. She seemed as if she were focusing as well, trying to will her pain away. Maybe she was. Maybe she was bringing the force around her.

When her partner stood up, she followed her with her eyes. Ikora's expression was sharp, and intense in that moment. Lanna looked down the
dirt road, at their new encounter. A woman walked towards them with a pattern to her stride. And to the girl's disappointment, a light saber.

Lanna wiped a bit of sweat off of her forehead with the back of her arm, and continued to work, and Ikora had instructed. If they were getting into a duel with a Sith, she would have to be ready.

"Okay. We are changing up the plans," She muttered to the girl. She was unsure if she could hear at first, but a slight turn of her head towards her voice, was enough to notify her. "I am going to have to get you on that medic ship as soon as possible. It should be arriving in five minutes. We have company."

She linked in her communication device on her wrist, to the medic ship, and told them to speed it up. They would have to land right on the edge of the South West side of the town to be in their general vicinity.

As Ikora was occupied for the time being, Lanna began to check around the girl. The piece of wood was connected to the building behind her, so it was not as if moving her was going to be all that easy. She huffed under her breath, as her hands shook at the scene of gore before her. Taking a single glance back at her companion and the Sith intruder, then back to the girl, she got to work. With her bare hands, she dug under the piece on wood. She would have to make an area underneath that she could slip her light saber under to sever the wood. Then she could transport the girl without pulling it out.

Her nails had been cut down from the rough digging, but at least she had accomplished what she had hoped for. Grabbing her light saber, she placed it in position.

"Just be calm, and don't worry."

She lit the blade, and it cut clean through the wood. She held onto the girl, supporting her. The least bit of movement could have caused her organs to shift, and worse, blood flow.

@saam @Gamov

 

[Gamov]

The cloaked figure rose, slowly, shifting to face her, shedding the shroud from its shoulders as a gleam of sapphire ignited against the dull earthen tones around them. Mila scowled behind her visor, a pang of surprise racing through her before the shrill hiss of her own sanguine blade sang out to meet the Jedi's weapon. Her gaze panned over Ikora's shoulder towards the other Jedi - presumably her apprentice - and the injured girl. "It's simply easier to put them out of their misery." She chided, "the longer you allow the poor thing to linger in her condition, the longer she suffers." Mila studied the Iktotchi's motions, observing her deliberate gait forward, noting the conviction in her voice. If she had any illusions to the contrary, they were well and truly expelled by now. She knew to expect a fight.

"As a Jedi, I would expect you to understand mercy." Gracefully shifting her posture into the opening Ataru stance, Mila began the silent mental ritual to prepare herself - mind, body and spirit - for combat. It was a well practiced task which she had completed countless times, bringing the Force to her aid as she felt its familiar presence begin to well up in her body. "You should leave while I'm still feeling merciful." She warned, eyes diligently tracking Ikora's every move. The most subtle shift would be all the indication she needed to attack. Or perhaps she would launch into a vicious flurry all her own without warning. It was a rare moment of indecision in her mind, one underscored by a slowly burgeoning lust for the vigor of combat. "I cannot be held responsible for what happens next should you choose you zeal over your better senses."

@saam, @Zenya