Ruane wasn't sure what happened. One moment, he was assisting one of the Alliance Jedi and one of his own Sith in getting the survivors of Vaylin's attack to Odessen's med bay. The next, pain like nothing he'd felt before blossomed behind his eyes. He dropped to his knees, too startled to do anything but give a choked cry. Beside him, he heard Nuro'tarkona gasp and he saw the Jedi stumble and lean heavily against a nearby tree. Then his vision, all of his awareness was gone, turned inwards as a hideous something ate its way out from his brain. He screamed. He was aware that his throat was beginning to hurt from his screams just as he was aware that he was on his feet again, lashing out at something, the thing that was hurting him so badly. But that awareness was peripheral, as his mind tried to wrap itself around the gaping hole eating its way outwards, a gaping hole where his Master's power had been. He swung the electrostaff with all of his enhanced speed and fury. He heard a sound like a wet thunk, the sound of the sharpened blade of the electrostaff meeting flesh, and someone's scream was choked off mid-cry as Ruane ripped that unseen blade upwards, through as much flesh as possible before ripping it free. The pain in his mind crested even as the unseen foe in front of him choked, and the Guard fell first to his knees, then to the rocky Odessen ground, his consciousness slipping away along with the pain.
Ruane woke with a start, and the harsh light of the med bay immediately reignited a fierce headache. He groaned and settled back against the pillow of his bed. His thoughts swam lazily and he had a hard time even focusing on his surroundings. A sure sign he'd been drugged, probably heavily. His throat was raw. Part of it, he recognized, was from thirst. He'd been asleep for a while, then. But the other part of that ache...it came back to him slowly, the pain like a living creature tearing its way out of his mind and his desperate screams. Ruane opened his eyes again, carefully, and looked around.
Floating in a kolto tank nearby was a Jedi, the same Jedi that had been helping Ruane and Nuro'tarkona with the injured. His midsection was a torn mess. Ruane blinked. Had he done that? And what about the others...? He looked around, noting how many of the med bay's other tanks and beds were occupied. Keller floated in a tank nearby, his hands shackled, as if even unconscious and seriously injured the doctors were not completely convinced he was harmless. Another of Ruane's Guards was shackled to a bed...heavily shackled. Ruane examined the bonds holding him to the bed and found they were similarly heavy and, if his eyes were not deceiving him, also meant to block out use of the Force.
Ruane groaned and his head fell back heavily against the pillow. There was an odd, hollow feeling in his mind that he didn't dare probe too far. He could feel pain and madness lurking within that krayt's nest. To distract himself, he looked around again, noting for the first time that he was not in Odessen's med bay, but rather in the med bay of a ship...a Republic ship. Awareness returned then, sharp and sudden, as adrenaline cleared the last of the drugged stupor. He heard movement beside him and turned, to be greeted by a robed Jedi doctor.
"Awake, are you? Good. Do you know where you are?" She reached for a glass of water and helped him to slowly drink, easing the stinging of his throat to manageable levels.
Ruane tried twice before he found his voice. "A...Republic ship, I assume. Med bay. Hopefully...still in orbit of Odessen." He looked in askance at her and she nodded.
"You and your men were...strangely afflicted." The look she gave him stated clearly that she knew more than she was telling him about the nature of his affliction. "Some of you were brought here to recover. Odessen's facilities were already overflowing with those wounded in the battle with Vaylin's forces."
Ruane gave a soft, bitter laugh. He didn't see any reason to hide the truth and he said quietly, "Someone killed the Emperor." It wasn't a question. He could feel it, the emptiness a howling void in his mind.
The Jedi nodded carefully. "Yes, we all felt it to some degree. The Commander gave a speech a few days ago from the Eternal Throne. The war is over. We won."
Ruane's laughter must have alarmed her. He felt her press something to his skin, and he shook his head sharply. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just...this wasn't the outcome I was expecting."
"You and your men were prepared for Valkorion to ascend to the Eternal Throne." It wasn't a question. The Jedi pulled a chair closer and began to peel away kolto-soaked bandages from his flesh, to reveal forking burns down his neck and torso, towards his heart. His surprise must have shown on his face, because the Jedi said softly, "Several of your men were similarly affected by the dark side." She gave him a careful look, and he noticed for the first time that she wore armor and a pair of lightsabers were strapped to her waist, even here. "None of the most seriously afflicted survived. I'm sorry."
Ruane shook his head. "Don't be. It's...it's intentional. As close as we were bound to our Master, I'm surprised any of us survived at all." At her look, he said, "How many died?"
"There are about a dozen of you left. Sixteen, if you count the ones who went mad after Valkorion's death. We've had to keep them under sedation or they become a threat to themselves and everyone around them."
Ruane looked away. His voice was grim as he said softly, "I'm sure. Before I passed out I felt...something eating its way out of my mind. All I wanted was to make it stop, by any means necessary. I remember...attacking someone." He looked over at the Jedi in the kolto tank, and her gaze followed his.
"Master Anaro will be fine. When you passed out, Lord Tarkona called for a medical transport for you both. He'll be in the kolto tank for a while longer, but he should make a full recovery." She gave him a small, mischievous smile. "Knowing Master Anaro, he'll likely want to spar with you when he's able to move again. He doesn't take defeat easily."
"That's reassuring. I'll live. And possibly not in a holding cell somewhere." His head started to pound again, and he laid back on the bed again.
"We're talking it over with the Commander's personnel, but so far they seem to be leaning toward releasing you all once your injuries are healed." She gave him a sad look. "The Sith you were with, Darth Exedo...he killed three of his own apprentices and disappeared into the Odessen wilds when Valkorion died. I assume he...?"
"Served the Emperor for a time, yes." Ruane rubbed at his wrists as the Jedi removed his shackles. Immediately, some of the pain in his head subsided and he sighed. "Ah, that's better."
She patted his shoulder and stood. "Get some rest, Commander. I imagine you won't have much opportunity for that in the near future." She turned to leave as his breaths came slower and more regular, softer with sleep.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2019-11-18 11:40 pm (UTC)Ruane wasn't sure what happened. One moment, he was assisting one of the Alliance Jedi and one of his own Sith in getting the survivors of Vaylin's attack to Odessen's med bay. The next, pain like nothing he'd felt before blossomed behind his eyes. He dropped to his knees, too startled to do anything but give a choked cry. Beside him, he heard Nuro'tarkona gasp and he saw the Jedi stumble and lean heavily against a nearby tree. Then his vision, all of his awareness was gone, turned inwards as a hideous something ate its way out from his brain. He screamed. He was aware that his throat was beginning to hurt from his screams just as he was aware that he was on his feet again, lashing out at something, the thing that was hurting him so badly. But that awareness was peripheral, as his mind tried to wrap itself around the gaping hole eating its way outwards, a gaping hole where his Master's power had been. He swung the electrostaff with all of his enhanced speed and fury. He heard a sound like a wet thunk, the sound of the sharpened blade of the electrostaff meeting flesh, and someone's scream was choked off mid-cry as Ruane ripped that unseen blade upwards, through as much flesh as possible before ripping it free. The pain in his mind crested even as the unseen foe in front of him choked, and the Guard fell first to his knees, then to the rocky Odessen ground, his consciousness slipping away along with the pain.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ruane woke with a start, and the harsh light of the med bay immediately reignited a fierce headache. He groaned and settled back against the pillow of his bed. His thoughts swam lazily and he had a hard time even focusing on his surroundings. A sure sign he'd been drugged, probably heavily. His throat was raw. Part of it, he recognized, was from thirst. He'd been asleep for a while, then. But the other part of that ache...it came back to him slowly, the pain like a living creature tearing its way out of his mind and his desperate screams. Ruane opened his eyes again, carefully, and looked around.
Floating in a kolto tank nearby was a Jedi, the same Jedi that had been helping Ruane and Nuro'tarkona with the injured. His midsection was a torn mess. Ruane blinked. Had he done that? And what about the others...? He looked around, noting how many of the med bay's other tanks and beds were occupied. Keller floated in a tank nearby, his hands shackled, as if even unconscious and seriously injured the doctors were not completely convinced he was harmless. Another of Ruane's Guards was shackled to a bed...heavily shackled. Ruane examined the bonds holding him to the bed and found they were similarly heavy and, if his eyes were not deceiving him, also meant to block out use of the Force.
Ruane groaned and his head fell back heavily against the pillow. There was an odd, hollow feeling in his mind that he didn't dare probe too far. He could feel pain and madness lurking within that krayt's nest. To distract himself, he looked around again, noting for the first time that he was not in Odessen's med bay, but rather in the med bay of a ship...a Republic ship. Awareness returned then, sharp and sudden, as adrenaline cleared the last of the drugged stupor. He heard movement beside him and turned, to be greeted by a robed Jedi doctor.
"Awake, are you? Good. Do you know where you are?" She reached for a glass of water and helped him to slowly drink, easing the stinging of his throat to manageable levels.
Ruane tried twice before he found his voice. "A...Republic ship, I assume. Med bay. Hopefully...still in orbit of Odessen." He looked in askance at her and she nodded.
"You and your men were...strangely afflicted." The look she gave him stated clearly that she knew more than she was telling him about the nature of his affliction. "Some of you were brought here to recover. Odessen's facilities were already overflowing with those wounded in the battle with Vaylin's forces."
Ruane gave a soft, bitter laugh. He didn't see any reason to hide the truth and he said quietly, "Someone killed the Emperor." It wasn't a question. He could feel it, the emptiness a howling void in his mind.
The Jedi nodded carefully. "Yes, we all felt it to some degree. The Commander gave a speech a few days ago from the Eternal Throne. The war is over. We won."
Ruane's laughter must have alarmed her. He felt her press something to his skin, and he shook his head sharply. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just...this wasn't the outcome I was expecting."
"You and your men were prepared for Valkorion to ascend to the Eternal Throne." It wasn't a question. The Jedi pulled a chair closer and began to peel away kolto-soaked bandages from his flesh, to reveal forking burns down his neck and torso, towards his heart. His surprise must have shown on his face, because the Jedi said softly, "Several of your men were similarly affected by the dark side." She gave him a careful look, and he noticed for the first time that she wore armor and a pair of lightsabers were strapped to her waist, even here. "None of the most seriously afflicted survived. I'm sorry."
Ruane shook his head. "Don't be. It's...it's intentional. As close as we were bound to our Master, I'm surprised any of us survived at all." At her look, he said, "How many died?"
"There are about a dozen of you left. Sixteen, if you count the ones who went mad after Valkorion's death. We've had to keep them under sedation or they become a threat to themselves and everyone around them."
Ruane looked away. His voice was grim as he said softly, "I'm sure. Before I passed out I felt...something eating its way out of my mind. All I wanted was to make it stop, by any means necessary. I remember...attacking someone." He looked over at the Jedi in the kolto tank, and her gaze followed his.
"Master Anaro will be fine. When you passed out, Lord Tarkona called for a medical transport for you both. He'll be in the kolto tank for a while longer, but he should make a full recovery." She gave him a small, mischievous smile. "Knowing Master Anaro, he'll likely want to spar with you when he's able to move again. He doesn't take defeat easily."
"That's reassuring. I'll live. And possibly not in a holding cell somewhere." His head started to pound again, and he laid back on the bed again.
"We're talking it over with the Commander's personnel, but so far they seem to be leaning toward releasing you all once your injuries are healed." She gave him a sad look. "The Sith you were with, Darth Exedo...he killed three of his own apprentices and disappeared into the Odessen wilds when Valkorion died. I assume he...?"
"Served the Emperor for a time, yes." Ruane rubbed at his wrists as the Jedi removed his shackles. Immediately, some of the pain in his head subsided and he sighed. "Ah, that's better."
She patted his shoulder and stood. "Get some rest, Commander. I imagine you won't have much opportunity for that in the near future." She turned to leave as his breaths came slower and more regular, softer with sleep.