Nicole slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was me, curled up as well as I could in the small(well, small for me) sickbay.
"C-c..." She stuttered and I opened my eyes.
"Welcome back, Padawan." I murmured gently, while uncoiling to give her some water. She drank it and then collapsed back against the bed.
"Master?" she asked weakly. I sighed a little forlornly.
"She is alive. There was some damage that...could be permanent, however she will recover and will be able to continue as a field Jedi. The worst injury was her hand, and I've been told that can be repaired with cybernetics."
She swallowed and nodded her head. "You...abandoned us...at the pickup."
I moved to curl up again and nodded my reply. "Yes...the risk to my ship and passengers became unacceptable. I couldn't risk the hundred lives of my passengers when the LZ was that hot. I...apologize. We returned as fast as we could after unloading the passengers."
Nicole looked at me.
��What happened?" She asked.
Again, I sighed.
"Nothing good. My plan was a complete disaster and we were lucky we didn't lose anybody. We got our tailfeathers pulled out of the fire when the republic navy showed up." I shook my head. "Ground assaults were always a female task. One I don't have any training in it...I should have kept my beak out of it."
Then the door opened to allow Jedi Knight Nizzal Zebb to enter. She was battered and bruised as well as sporting a freshly healed scar across her left eye, a scar that left her eye intact. The largest change was that the end of her right arm was a hand shorter, despite being covered by her robes.
Nizzal gave me a nod of acknowledgement, then started lecturing. "I know you did your best, Captain, but if you'd had any sense you would have stayed away afteryou pulled out."
I snorted in affront. "I owe a debt to the Jedi, Knight Zebb. I couldn't just leave you there....even if the first attempt was a bit of a failure."
"As was your second one, Captain. We are grateful, but civilian freighters are not meant for combat operations." She replied while shaking her head, before walkingover to her apprentice. "Nicole, how are you doing?"
Nicole grimaced. "Better than you, Master. I was just knocked around a bit."
Nizzal smiled at her before sitting down on the empty bed nearby. "True. Still, it was my mistake that we were discovered in the first place. Besides, we did find the Black Sun base we were sent to locate..."
Nicole huffed and shot her master a look. "Master...the next time you try to convince me to hide in a shipping container, I will have to do more than just protest."
I uncurled my body and stood, nearly filling the room. "I will leave you two to recover now. I need to check the damage to my ship and see whether we can get her to a proper shipyard or if we need to be towed."
Nizzal turned to give me a small smile. "Thanks for the rescue, such as it was, Captain Atreus. And the damage you did to their base made the Republic Navy's job easier."
I snorted, then exited the sickbay. Trying to move myself through the cramped corridors, I worked my way back to my ship, which was docked on the port side of the republic cruiser. As I did so, I reflected upon the second rescue attempt.
The assault team suffered some injuries, the worst being a broken arm for Commander Swan and a blaster shot to the leg for Jack Melton. They will both be fine...the navy assault shuttle swooped in and saved them before anything worse happened.
The ship suffered worse, though...First, the top aft turret is just plain gone. The starboard engine nacelle is completely wrecked and will need to be replaced.Finally, the power system had also taken a beating and the hyperdrive suffered some damage.
My engineers are currently looking to see if they can get the ship working well enough to get us to a shipyard.
At last, I reach the docking port and enter the Clear Skies, the lights are dimmed as it's the middle of the ship's night. I ponder for a moment on whether or not to disturb my engineers. On one claw, Sarah Honor is a workaholic techno wizard, but on the other claw she was just part of a ground assault. That, and it's been only a day since the rescue and everyone is likely still asleep...
I shake my head and turn to head towards the food court instead of engineering. Not even Sarah Honor will be up and working at this hour, so soon after being in combat.
I press the button to open the door to the food court and enter, pausing to reach over and turn on the lights...Only to get a small surprise as soon as they flick on.
Now, I'm not opposed to relationships between my crew members. This isn't a military ship, and even if it was I wouldn't be. But I would prefer that they didn't have said relationship on a table in the public food court.
More specifically 'My' table.
I clear my throat as they stop to look at me with wide eyes. "Tel'te, Sarah. Would you two please get of my table?"
This...is going to be awkward.