Before - Legends C.S.I. Corellia, a young Rostek Horn story completed

Leading to more

the dark will win...

You will see more in the next chapter. Who is the officer?



Chapter 11

“I think I have killed the sniper,” an officer wearing a traffic patrol uniform rushed in. “I heard a shot when I was in the vicinity and came as soon as possible.”

“Thanks for your help officer,” Jack said. He was intrigued by the sudden appearance and observed the man. ‘The uniform is a bit sloppy with trousers not matching with the shirt. The blaster isn’t official either. But maybe Hollowtown doesn’t stick to regulations that much. He is here and right on time.’ Those thoughts going through his mind he continued “Our friend here is down with two particle-slugs in his right shoulder and lung. We must get him to a medical facility as soon as possible.”

“Hollowtown medcentre is the only facility on the station and can tend to his needs,” the officer said. “I will alert an ambulance. It can be here in thirty minutes.” He reached for a comlink.

“No time,” Jono looked up. “I have him stable for the time being using my powers. Help me to carry him to the speeder. Our corvette is nearer with the equipped medbay. We have to get him to Coronet city.”

“Agreed,” Jack saw a distant look on the face of Jono and knew what effort the man was taking to save Steve. And being unfamiliar with the medical facilities and means of transport in Centerpoint station he opted for a faster and proven way to get help for Steve. “We have no time to lose to get him to the university hospital. I have old friends working there. I can use the emergency kit in the medbay and some supplies in my case to stabilise him further. Rostek take his legs. Officer; take my case and come.” Very carefully he slid his arms under the body of Steve and counted “one, two, three and lift.”

Rostek lifted the legs and walked with Jack to the door.

Jono – keeping pressure on the chest-wound – had his other hand under the chest and stayed with the two. And he did keep the pressure when he slid in the back-seat of the speeder and had Steve resting in his lap.

The officer had followed with the case.
Rostek took the case and was in the passenger-seat.

“Thanks again,” Jack took the controls. “We will contact Hollowtown headquarters. Secure the scene. You know what to do?”

“Yes sir,” the officer saluted.

Jack guided the speeder in the air. He had no time for more orders and hoped that the officer was trained and stayed at the crime-scene. He was very silent, concentrating on getting the speeder as fast as possible towards the tube.

“I will contact the pilot first,” Rostek took his comlink. With Jack and the controls and Jono occupied with Steve he was now the one to get more help.

“CorSec two nine.”

“Horn here CorSec two nine. Get ready. Officer Magaron is severely injured. We are coming in.”

“Copy that. Will ready stretcher. Out.”

Jack flashed a fleeting smile towards Rostek when he reached the tube. “Excellent Horn. You can contact CorSec Hollowtown.”

Rostek did. First he told about the left behind evidence for the Dorsetti case and got the assurance that CorSec Hollowtown would get the holocrons. He was telling about the valiant help of the traffic patrol officer when the speeder came to a stop.

“We will send a team to the Koro Zavala estate. ETA forty minutes. Out.”

“Nice work Horn,” Jack jumped out of his seat and began to help Jono when the co-pilot rushed with a stretcher to the speeder.

tbc

AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Whew! Every second counts. Glad they could get somewhere asap.

 

“Nice work Horn,” Jack jumped out of his seat and began to help Jono when the co-pilot rushed with a stretcher to the speeder.

Nice work, too, bird.

 

They could but...

But nice planning too from....


Chapter 12

Hatty Burras gave a wicked smile when he saw the unmarked speeder leaving. He headed to his speeder, doffed the uniform, took another set of clothes from his bag and changed before arranging the uniform with the metal ID-shield on the driver-seat. He made sure that the package he had installed after renting the speeder was in place and set the timer at ten minutes. He took the bag and waited for a few moments before walking towards the estate. It was deserted and would be for at least the coming half hour with CorSec going after Blonde Dolly and the forensics team away with their injured member to Corellia.

Kai Teemto – using his crutches – appeared from the garden. “Nice fight Hatty. Our back-up plan worked.” His first plan had been a visit by Hatty – in uniform – to Koro Zavala to enquire about his recent addition to his collection and telling him that it was needed in a murder-case. He would have appeared as a private detective giving some interesting details if Hatty had taken too long to convince Zavala to give the holocron.

“Excellent shooting,” Hatty said. “I could get them out as soon as possible giving inaccurate information about the medical facilities. They didn’t question my remarks at all and just decided to get their officer to Coronet city. Now they have him as their only priority and we are free to go and get the stuff. I guess we will have about twenty minutes before CorSec arrives to investigate the shooting. But the fire-department will be here sooner. Let’s hurry!”

“And they have left the holocrons,” Kai followed Hatty inside and indicated the shelves with works of art and the discarded evidence bags on the floor. “Our employer will be pleased.” He began to doff his coveralls.

“That one is from Aira Dorsetti,” Hatty had one of the holocrons in his gloved hands. “It’s dusted by forensics. We have the one. I recognise it from the pic given by our employer. We will take some forgeries too. CorSec will have a mystery of a missing corpse and officer.”

“Your corpse,” Kai smiled and gave the coveralls to Hatty.

“Yeah burned to a crisp in my poor patrol speeder with maybe only the remains of a shield to be found,” Hatty stuffed the coveralls in his bag and took two red coloured holocrons from a shelf. “And they have some missing holocrons – if they are clever and have recorded all of them – and a resurrected and missing sniper and holocron thief.”

- - -

Captain Eustache’s SWAT-team was in the Lizard club.

Major Semendiger was outside the club and he was just beginning to wonder if the team had nothing to find when he saw Captain Eustache and a member of the team coming out with a scantily dressed woman in binders. The woman was a sight to behold. A fleeting smile passed his face when he saw the flushed face becoming rather pale of the officer holding Blonde Dolly. In the harsh light of the glowpoint sun Dolly wasn’t blonde anymore with the wig gone and revealing sparse grey hair. Everything was sparse on her or artificial. The captain – oblivious to the transformation of Dolly was holding her comlink and shouting. He heard the agitated conversation between her and CorSec headquarters.

“I hope he will stay there. Ah you want a team. Great. I will go with mine after I am finished here. Semendiger will be pissed off.”

“Pissed off? What’s up?” Major Semendiger rushed to the captain.

“One of your officers has been shot by a sniper,” the captain replied. “A patrol officer came to the rescue, managed to kill the sniper and will stay at the Zavala estate until my team is there.”

Major Semendiger was pissed off but appeared outwardly calm and asked with a steady voice “what about my officer?”

“The team has gone back to Coronet city. Bel Hana and Wells were tending to Magaron. Horn contacted Hollowtown headquarters and gave a thorough and precise update before leaving with the corvette. After my team is ready here we will go back to the Zavala estate.”

Semendiger began to show his agitation. “First a dead woman on Corellia, you asking my forensics team for assistance, now Magaron injured and your patrol officer alone at the scene until we arrive?”

“He has shown ini,” Eustache began when her comlink began to beep. “Eustache.”

“An explosion in a speeder near the Zavala estate.”

“More trouble,” Semendiger smirked dryly. “We are needed at that place as soon as possible. Your officer might be the next victim.”

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Oooh, clever indeed

 

Whoops, wrong way. If they don't figure out their "officer" is out of place soon, that's going to be trouble. Yay trouble!

 

clever and trouble indeed and who wil profit?


Chapter 13
“This is great Hatty,” Kai Teemto was putting a holocron that was very obvious a forgery in the bag of Hatty when he heard the sound of a loud explosion. “Nothing will remain to identify the speeder?”

“Nothing,” Hatty said. “We had a fully fuelled speeder. My stuff was top quality and you will see. Let’s go. We have to catch the public transport to the docking station.”

Kai scooped up his crutches and hurried after Hatty who had shouldered his bag.
Public transports were everywhere and this close to the tube he had spotted a terminal at only 1 K away.

Kai was very satisfied when he saw the remains of the speeder and the fierce fire. Hatty was thorough and that’s what he liked about the man. Working together with him had been very profitable for the past ten years and he intended to continue this work.

- - -

Steve was glad that the corvette had stocked A-blood in the medbay. Both hands were now sporting IV’s pumping his system with much needed fluid and A-blood. He couldn’t speak but he didn’t mind. His airway was secure. Jack had used his former skills as an ER-nurse to put a tube there. He was getting air and was strapped to the stretcher. He felt Jono’s hand – now with a pressure bandage – to the wound in his chest and felt his support. The pain was diminished, Jono’s work and some hefty doses of painkillers. He was impressed by Rostek’s actions. The student had secured everyone with crashwebbing before shouting to the pilot to leave the kriffing station and get as soon as possible to Coronet city university hospital. The com to do that shouting had been left open. Sounds from instruments, toggles were heard and there was the rumbling in some stomachs. The packed meals from Smithers were entirely forgotten.

“We have an emergency. I told you piece of Bantha poodoo.” That was coming from the cockpit. “Get me a free vector or I will ram through the piece of space junk.”

“Hold CorSec two nine.”

“Stay with us Steve.” Jack’s smiling face was appearing in Steve’s vision. “Gilbert is fuming.”

“Yeah our pilot must have angered some traffic control officials.” That was Rostek.

“We are entering orbit and have emergency clearance karking sleemo.”

“He sure is pissed off.” Jack again.

“Missing Smithers,” Rostek laughed patting his belly.

‘Not forgotten,’ Steve thought. He had felt the transition to normal space minutes ago. ‘But now I am glad my stomach is empty. I will sure need surgery to remove that slug.’

“You will need surgery Steve,” Jono said. “And we will grab a Smithers meal after delivering you to the hospital and before going to headquarters. Semendiger sure wants to know where his transport and crew has gone. Hold on. We are minutes away from touch down.”

‘Many minutes,’ Steve was certain about that and listened to Jono’s small talk. It kept him conscious and almost unaware of the discomfort he was again beginning to feel.

“Give him another dose. He can use it before your friends get busy.”

“A keep-Steve-unaware-of-nasty-objects-in-his-body dose now coming,” Jack smiled.

‘Bugs is being funny,’ Steve mindtalked.

“He is and you are doing great,” Jono grinned.

‘I feel ah yes.’ Steve felt a weary feeling. He was tiring or was it Jono.

“I can go on and will be very tired after delivering you to the hospital,” Jono said.

More sounds from the cockpit were heard.

“CorSec two nine you have emergency clearance. What’s the hurry?”

“Who is asking?”

“University hospital dispatch.”

“Patch me through.”

“CorSec two nine. What’s the emergency?”

“An injured officer hit by particle slugs.”

“ETA?”

“One minute, thirty seconds.”

“What?”

“Yes, we are coming in hot. Clear the field NOW.”

“Gilbert is chasing the blues away,” Jack grinned. “And we have touch-down. Move him.”

Steve felt the hover-mechanism of the stretcher activating and someone – Jack or Rostek – beginning to push. He saw the grey curved ceiling of the medbay being replaced by the grey curved ceiling of a corridor. That was followed by a cloudy sky.

“This way.” That was a new voice. “Hey Jack!”

Steve saw two humans wearing blue-green clothing taking over. But Jono, Rostek and Jack kept glued to his side. He saw the higher ceiling with some very bright lights after he heard the swooshing sound of opening doors. Another opening door and a large light became steady. Moving hands and now he saw who was holding the IV-bags. Jack was placing them on the pole.

“You can go.” That was a man with a kind voice. “I will put him under and move him to the OT. Kick is ready.”

“Steve hang on. We will…”

Steve knew no more.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Kai/Hatty -- conveys self-satisfaction very well

The scene with Steve etc. -- superb detailing in sensory fashion: through sight and sound descriptions.

 

“Steve hang on. We will…”

Steve knew no more.

Some of your updates are NOT suitable reading before bedtime. They vex me...

 

Thank you for your excellent comments. I am experimenting with POV's in this story

More of those are coming



Chapter 14

Jono Bel Hana was hesitant to leave the emergency room.

“Come lieutenant,” Jack patted him on his shoulder. “Surgeon Kick Hangolo will dig the particle slug out. He is a slug expert.”

“Slugs and bugs,” Rostek was trying to be funny and saw the smile appearing on Jono’s face.

“Kick and his slugs were the main reason to become a bug expert,” Jack began to laugh and doing so he felt his stomach. “We have to get back to our cabin in the corvette. Slugs and bugs will devour the Smithers meals.” He began to walk back to the ER-entrance. “Up to the meals and I will drop you off at headquarters before going back to Centerpoint station to get Semendiger,” Jack followed Jono and Rostek.

“Yes and the evidence for the Dorsetti case,” Jono turned slowly his head and showing the fatigue in his eyes before entering the corvette. “Maybe Maura wants to see the art. She is quite a lover of arts. She should have returned after visiting the Raging Ronto.”

- - -

Getting from the landing place of the university hospital to CorSec headquarter took only a few minutes and Rostek was carrying his packed Smithers meal out of the cabin – Jono was following with his – when Maura Grimes came running to the cabin followed by Lydia Kaplan.

Jono gave a tired nod thinking ‘Maura has returned from her mission and is up to a new one.’

The two women – lugging along cases – spurted inside.

“Semendiger called,” Maura shouted. “He asked you to come.”

“I am going,” Jack grinned. “The major is craving for his meal and needs a taxi.” He was – crashwebbing in place – enjoying his meal. “We were too occupied with Steve to take care of the meals.”

“The major is going back with captain Eustache to the Zavala estate,” Maura said. “There’s a fire.”

“Ah the poor flies and grubs are now crispy critters,” Jack reached for a tasty piece of Nerfchops that spread a smell of burnt meat in the cabin.

“Not the Zavala estate but a patrol speeder,” Maura settled in one of the seats and began to secure her crashwebbing.

“The officer must have gone back to his speeder,” Rostek remarked. “What has happened to him? Was the sniper really dead? Were there more holocron hunters?”

“We are called to investigate,” Lydia sat down after securing the cases.

Jono – forgetting that he was tired – and Rostek were about to sit down on the two remaining seats when Maura took the packed meals from them and gave one to Lydia.

“Hey,” Rostek began.

“You can get a new one from Smithers,” Maura said. “And during eating you can examine the holocam records taken from the Raging Ronto and the security cam of the Dorsetti apartment. I was just about to start the first one when Semendiger called. The Zavala case has now top priority after the shooting.”

“Gilbert go and anger the officials again,” Lydia shouted.

“Will do and it will get me as soon as possible to enjoy my meal.” That came from the cockpit. “I have to keep Nicky happy too.”

“Gilbert and Nicky want to go. Let’s go Rostek,” Jono – thoughtful look for a moment on his face – said. “I want to go back to Steve as soon as possible.”

“Kick Hangolo will need time,” Jack said. “He will call you when Steve can have visitors.”

“And we can spend our time watching the holos,” Jono headed to the ramp. ‘And I can get maybe some rest as well.’ Now he felt even more the weariness creeping in his body and mind. Supporting Steve with his powers had cost him.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Ooh, more clues emerging and a meal for all is definitely called for. Time to refuel body and mind energies.

 

“Kick Hangolo will need time,” Jack said. “He will call you when Steve can have visitors.”

I am getting a kick out of this...

 

Yes but will the meal be....?

and out of cliffies I presume?


Chapter 15
Semendiger was anxious to go. He had contacted CorSec headquarters in Coronet City to come as soon as possible to Centerpoint station with a forensics team. An officer down was for him reason to investigate that first. And hearing about the speedy transport of Magaron to the university hospital he had asked Grimes to bring Wells along. As a former ER-nurse Wells could tell about the used particle slugs. Maybe the patrol officer had met the same – and now deadly – fate.

- - -

The handsome young man smiled. He was back on Naboo to see that Senator Vidar Kim had stashed his desk with work. And he had activated his computer when he saw on the republic wide web (RWW) a message meant for him. It was quite inconspicuous – in an advertisement for an art-exhibition – but it caught his attention immediately. A drop-box was rented by him in one of the Theed spaceport terminals. Some use of the vast wealth of his inheritance and he would wait for the next message before transferring the code that made all the credits available.

- - -

“Now we wait,” Hatty put his comlink away with a big smile on his face. He had been evaluating the mission and hoped that the officer would be alright. “Next stop Denon?”

“That’s where the liner is going after we board her,” Kai had seen the message on the RWW as well. He had been busy wrapping the holocrons in a package and was just adding the address to a drop-box. “I will post the package.” He walked to the counter and was soon back, admiring the thorough planning of their employer. He had one third of the credits, very good for a few hours of work and already more than enough for covering the expenses of the used gear and explosives. A luxury cabin on the liner could have been his goal too but he had decided to save the credits for purchase of new gear as soon as he arrived on Denon. And he was glad that the mission had been completed with no deaths but he wanted a better scope for his rifle. His first shot could have killed the officer. He prided himself and knew that Hatty would be the same. No mission had ever resulted in deaths.

- - -

The packages were empty. Two stomachs were grumbling with satisfied noises. And the owners of those stomachs were watching the last part of the first record from the Raging Ronto security cam. At least Rostek was.

Jono was – sleepy eyed and supporting his head on his arms spread out on the table – resting a bit and sure that Rostek would alert him if he found something interesting.

“Was this why Semendiger didn’t want us to come along,” Rostek grinned when he saw a scantily dressed dancer giving a male a slap on his cheek with her discarded string. The man was young and handsome.

“Nah,” Jono opened one sleepy eye followed by the other, raised his head in an upright position but supported by his hands and laughed when he saw more of the dancer and the woman that was of real interest to them appearing at the counter. “Ah there she is.”

“And that must be Julia,” Rostek began to point to the screen where the young man turned to get a better look at the women. “I will see if I can filter the conversation.”

Jono was now fully awake and what was there? Had he indulged too much in the nerfchops? His stomach was churning. And he felt. And he paled with a shouted “Steve!”

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Jono was now fully awake and what was there? Had he indulged too much in the nerfchops? His stomach was churning. And he felt. And he paled with a shouted “Steve!”

Och, a churning stomach.

 

Oops, there's another one, a cliffie. A worrisome one too. Those delightful meals had something wrong with them.

 

But why?

The meals or...


Chapter 15

Jack was back and doing what he loved most. And that was under the watchful eyes of Semendiger and Eustache pointing at the crispy critters, collecting them and searching the wreckage of the patrol speeder – if it was one because he hadn’t seen one when he had left the place almost two hours ago to get Steve to the hospital – for a body. Coming to the crime-scene ten minutes ago he had heard the major muttering to the fire-chief about the possible destruction of evidence. The fire-crew had doused the speeder with foam and water until it was a dripping wreck. He saw Maura and Lydia searching the surroundings of the Zavala estate, mainly where the supposed sniper – or holocron thief – had been.

“And,” that was Captain Eustache hopping from foot to foot and holding a perfume drenched cloth to her nose. The fire-chief had already explained about the intensity of the fire, scorching the surroundings and killing all living creatures in the vicinity of the speeder.

“Ordinary leaf-flies and yellow-mud mites,” Jack held a satchel aloft. “I have found boot-prints too. Too many to count as relevant and all are muddy.”

“His doing,” Semendiger smirked nodding towards the fire-chief who was ordering his men to stash the gear back in the engine. “We can print all the boots from those guys.”

“And what will we get?” Jack bent down again. A gleaming piece of metal had caught his attention. “Hey here is a piece of metal that could have been a shield.” He picked it up in his gloved hand and dropped it in a clearplast satchel.

- - -

“Jono, what’s wrong with Steve?” Rostek saw Jono – hands supporting his body leaning on the table – standing or more trying to stand up. He stood up too and rushed to Jono’s side when the man started to walk with unsteady steps to the door.

“Have to go … hurry… danger… dark…”

“What?” Rostek had Jono leaning against him and saw the terrified eyes before Jono pushed him away and stumbled further towards the door that was opening.

“Darkness is here,” Jono mumbled.

“It is and we have to go to the hospital. Your friend is in trouble in the bacta-tank.”

“Nejaa? You here?” Rostek gave a surprised shout when he saw his friend dressed in his green Corellian Jedi garb entering.

“Help me to get him to my speeder,” Nejaa Halcyon resolutely took Jono by his left arm and draped that over his shoulder.

Rostek took the other arm and had to use all his strength to keep up with the running Jedi knight who supported Jono as if he was a little child to an elevator.
Nejaa pushed the up-button.

“Steve hang on,” Jono mumbled.

Nejaa’s speeder was on the roof of the building.
Rostek helped Nejaa to put Jono in the back seat of the open roof speeder. He secured the crashwebbing and saw Nejaa taking an impossible jump towards the driver-seat and succeeding.

“Hurry!” Nejaa powered up the speeder.

Rostek settled down next to him and felt Nejaa for a moment shifting in his seat when he reached for the crashwebbing.

“Kriffing dark mayhem,” Nejaa grunted.

The anguished looks on Nejaa’s face when the Jedi guided the speeder in the air had Rostek shimmying to the right and settling as far from Nejaa as possible. He secured his crashwebbing.
Nejaa was doing the impossible, guiding the speeder with his Force-powers.

Rostek was turning green and decided to comment about the Jedi-ride and the un- or expected show-up at the right time after he was back on his feet or sitting somewhere in a non-moving place. And he tried not to puke and was about to do that when the speeder touched down near the emergency entrance of the hospital.

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Oooh, evidence to sort through and a crisis for Steve. Glad Nejaa rushed.

 

You have a great wit when you write. Also I enjoy your characters and pacing!

 

Nejaa is there and...

thank you for your nice words



Chapter 16

Rostek swallowed and forgot that he was about to puke when Nejaa Halcyon jumped out of the speeder and rushed to the emergency entrance. He reached for the controls and powered down the speeder and turned with a small smile towards the backseat to see how Jono was doing.

“Nejaa save him,” Jono mumbled.

“He will,” Rostek helped Jono to climb out of the speeder and supported him towards the entrance.

- - -

Nick Remick – ER surgeon and a handsome middle aged man – was busy in the admittance room when he heard his superior talking to one of the nurses.

“It was easy. I was the best for him. I got the slug out and put some stitches in. The bacta will take care of the rest. Patient Magaron should be ready to come out of the bacta in one hour. You can tell him that he will be released in two days time. Here are his records.”

‘Bragging Kick Hangolo is always so sure about himself. He is an excellent doctor but his bedside manners are bad.’ Nick was thinking when the doors to the emergency entrance opened to reveal a green clad man that hurried with impossible speed towards the room where the bacta-tanks were located. “You!” he shouted and was about to run after the green blur when the doors opened again to reveal a gasping man supported by another. He turned to the newcomers sure that the bacta-room attendants would stop the green mayhem and ordered “inside room one.”

“No,” the gasping man cried. “Get Steve out… Bacta room… Have to help… Nejaa help him.”

“Nejaa is my friend and a Jedi and he will help Steve Magaron.” That came from the slightly sick looking man holding the right arm of the mumbling man.

“Alright let’s go,” Nick resolutely took the non-supported arm and began to guide the men towards the bacta-room.

“Remick what are you doing?”

“My work,” Nick ignored his superior. If a Jedi knight was involved there must be something very serious going on with patient Magaron.

- - -

“Some disturbed foliage and one more casing,” Maura gave a shrug with her shoulders when she bagged the casing. “And a missing body.”

“Not a very intense shooting between the sniper and the officer,” Lydia said. “We have no blood at all here. The sniper must have played dead before getting his revenge, sneaking towards the officer and torching him and his patrol speeder. Come; let’s go back to the remains of the speeder. We have to see if Jack has found something. I might be able to help to identify the officer.”

“Yeah if there are bones or teeth left to get some DNA.”

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Hope there is some residual evidence that can be analyzed. Hmmm. The surgeon's "all's well" report combined with the urgency of getting Steve out of the bacta He might be allergic.

 

Two exciting updates, filled with drama & fun. I just was too hot & uncomfortable going on-line after work the past evenings. So I could NOT react before... and next week I also will not be on-line that much during the week.

 

Yikes. Poor Steve's not having a good day.

I was interested by the conversation between the thieves a couple of chapters back, that they specifically tried to avoid fatalities. Made me curious if it was an ethical thing or if they wanted to avoid further investigations tracing them.

Well, I think Rostek has learned that there is no such thing as a slow day at his work!

 

He is and Nejaa will save him

Only short updates

He is growing and the thieves



Chapter 17

“What are you doing?”

“Getting this man out.”

Nick blinked with his eyes, amazement showing on his face when he guided his charges into the bacta-tank room. There atop of one of the bacta-tanks was the green clad man busy with coupling the harness that was securing and supporting the patient in the tank to the grapplers of a crane. The speed astounded him. Monitoring leads and breath mask were already uncoupled. For a bacta-room attendant, taking the elevator to the walkway, activating the crane and guiding it to the tank would have taken at least ten minutes. And here he was – the Jedi – already busy lifting the patient out of the tank. A nurse was looking up waving wildly.

“I need an anesthesiologist. The man needs to be on a respirator.”

Nick heard the booming voice from the Jedi and the soft click of an activating com. Another nurse caught up with the emergency and was paging the anesthesiologists. He ran towards the tank donning blue gloves. Two pair of feet were following soon accompanied by the sounds of a gurney. He saw the traces of blood colouring the fluid in the tank. Had the patient ripped a suture? Had he been trashing around? The limp form told a different story. There were rashes all over his body. This was looking serious. Bacta allergy? “Get me the crash-cart!”

“Catch him.”

Nick was just in time to take the limp patient by the straps of his harness. He lowered him to the gurney and removed the mask. A face covered in rashes became visible. He heard the laboured breathing and began to feel something when he ordered to the arriving nurse “tube A and airway-scope.”

“Steve hang on. I need gloves.”

The something was water. The Jedi had activated one of the water-hoses to clean a patient after he was taken out of the tank. And he had opened the nozzle at setting deluge. Nick felt it pouring over him and the patient when he was using the airway-scope to insert the tube. “Hey!”

“Sorry. The bacta has to go.” That came from the Jedi.

Nick understood. He was busy assessing the condition of his patient. He removed the bacta-patches that covered the wounds and saw more rashes. Wounds were open. Sutures had unravelled. “We have to move him back to the OT.”

“Patient trouble?”

Nick had a brief smile on his face when he saw the gloved hands of his friend and colleague Doug Frost taking the bag.

“Steve is a Dunai elder and quite allergic to bacta. I am Jono Bel Hana and can tell you all about him.” The man was holding his gloved hands on the forehead of the patient. “He is unconscious. I have no contact with him. Get the bacta out of his lung.”

“Are you done with flooding us?” That came from the now not so sick looking man.

Nick felt the water trickle down and stopping.

“Steve will be alright.” That came from the Jedi jumping – more appearing as if he was floating – down from the crane.

Nick knew now how the Jedi had gotten topside, just jumping up next to the crane and guiding that to the tank. He saw the hands of Bel Hana lifting and ordered “OR two Doug.” He followed the gurney and heard the soft conversation of the three men following him.

“Now I appreciate your Jedi-ride but what had you being at CorSec?”

“I had to get permits to take an orphan to the Jeditemple. Those permits are in my speeder and I was just about to go when I felt your anguish Jono. We will go to the orphanage before going back to headquarters.”

“After Steve is safe.”

“He will be Jono. Let’s go back to our records. We will be busy with something else until the doctors call us.”

“I will know and yes something different on my mind will help. Nejaa lead the way and.”

“Not a Jedi-ride this time. And get me first to my place to get some dry and clean clothes.”

“My idea too.”

Nick smiled when he entered the prep-room. The ride towards the hospital must have been a thrilling experience.

- - -

Hatty Burras settled in his seat with a grin on his face. At the last moment before boarding the liner Kai Teemto had surprised him with a package. ‘Could you spare the credits?’ had been his question and Kai had replied that disguises had kept them out of trouble. Sure the ‘patrol officer’ disguise had been useful but Kai’s non-lethal shots had been essential to get the investigators away. And no victims meant that there would be no hot pursuit. ‘I will buy a new scope’ was what Kai had said followed by ‘we are gentleman thieves. No deaths are our trademark.’

tbc
AzureAngel2
Nyota's Heart

 

Super update. Now progress can be made on two fronts: recuperation and further clue-finding.

 

I really liked that sequence and how Nejaa and company managed to get their friend out of the tank so efficiently. The action moves really well.