Who Says You Can't Go Home? (Otter, Semi-Open)

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Master Teer Ka was finally at home. At long last, after what seemed like an interminable delay on Coruscant, she had made it to her home world of Shili, to take up her duties as Jedi Watchman there. It easily felt like the greatest change she'd ever had in 58 years of life, something wholly for the better.

For four whole decades she'd been fighting, engaging in duels and skirmishes with every foe imaginable, and now it felt good to have no more foes to face aside from wild predators. That was, of course, barring the unforeseen. Still though, Shili was hardly a magnet for the Sith or for Dark Jedi. It was far from just about everything in fact, though it had been a founding member of the Republic.

At the moment Master Ka was settling in to the office she'd been provided, in a traditional building made of stone near the outskirts of Corvala, the capital. She had a balcony, and a view of the nearby mountains that was quite pleasant, though she didn't plan to spend much time inside. Not when there was so much to do and see.

One thing she'd learned about herself on her first visit to Shili so many years ago was that she could spend a lifetime simply existing in the midst of nature. Growing things fascinated her, and every rock and tree was like a riveting tale. While nature bored some terribly, she reveled in studying botany for fun, or in hikes alone in the morning. Even simply stargazing at night enthralled her.

On Coruscant you couldn't see the stars. The lights from Galactic City radiated up into the sky and outshone all of nature, which was quite sad. On Shili one had a clear view of all the stars, and the various nebulae and galaxies within visual sight. The only limitations were the moons, which didn't often rise at the same time.

Master Ka looked over to Ashla, her Corellian Banshee Bird. Her counterpart was resting on a large perch of orange wood Teer had obtained, tired from the long journey from the Core Worlds, now resting her heard under her wing.

"You're tired aren't you?" Teer whispered in Togruti with a smile. "Rest well."

The Togruta Watchman pulled open the sliding door and pulled it closed behind her, passing out into the reception area where a young Togruta woman was sitting before a computer display, reading a magazine. She was an employee of the offices themselves, responsible for helping Teer.

She was her very first assistant. Normally Master Ka worked alone.

With a nod, the Jedi walked past and exited down the stairs and out into the street, walking through light crowds of her own people, heading for a local bazaar where she hoped to find food, some of her own native cuisine, which was in short supply on Coruscant, not withstanding the large Togruta population of the Jedi Order.

[Otterling]

Wind rustled through the high turu grasses of an open field, the shift of red and white performing a hypnotic dance that would confuse any predator, and distant birds called to one another in the clear afternoon sunlight. Mountains rose to one side in sweeping peaks that disappeared into the clouds and forests covered their sides in a blanket of greens. That scene of peace was shattered unexpectedly, however, as a smuggler’s craft burst through the cloud cover like a meteor. Tendrils of smoke, fire, and debris spiraled off in its wake as it plummeted toward the ground and nearby birds screeched in terror. Just as the vessel neared the ground, the top canopy burst off in a shower of hardened plastic and steel. A lithe figure leapt from the smoke and debris in the moment of impact and then tucked into a roll that carried it a few feet away.

Mon’vuuem had barely landed before she reached out into the Force and drew it around her like a blanket. She crouched on one knee, her head bowed almost to the ground and her arms extended. She centered herself, her mind devoid of emotion, and breathed in the power of the Force around her. As she exhaled, the energy coursed down her arms and out of her fingers until the world around her slowed. She could feel every molten bit of metal, every swirl of flame, and she willed them away from her with a press of her mind. The debris clattered and slammed into the dirt, carving huge trenches in their wake as they skidded to a stop, and the body of the vessel gave one last grand explosion as the fuel tanks finally caught fire. The plume of smoke rose a good hundred feet into the air but a circle of just under five feet around the kneeling Jedi remained unscathed in the midst of scorched earth.

Mon’vuuem sighed and let her arms fold gracefully back in to her center. She was strong in the Force but a year of strife and pursuit had left her fatigued. Shortly after the battle at Subterell, she had been called out to duty once more, an unusual thing for a High Council member, but she had gone willingly when it became apparent that her skills as a diplomat might be needed. A message had come in stating that a representative of Felucia was interested in discussing terms for the planet’s inclusion in the Republic. With more and more outer rim planets falling to the Sith, Mon’vuuem had been loathe to turn down the opportunity. That was over a year ago. What she’d discovered was not a welcome discussion but a trap. The Sith she had run into along the way had not expected a high ranking Jedi but they were all too happy to have one walk right into their midst.

Mon’vuuem had barely escaped the initial battle with her life for while she was a capable enough fighter, even she could not withstand the might of a Sith and the military reinforcement he had brought along. She had spent the next several months just moving from place to place, trying to keep the Sith off of her trail. It was not as easy as hoped to find safe passage back to the more Republic friendly planets but Mon’vuuem was not one to give in to despair. Despite being hunted by the Sith and those friendly to them, she had finally been able to locate a transport off planet in the form of a smuggler who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Sith who had been dogging her steps were none too pleased as she fled and her ship had taken heavy damage. Still, she’d been able to make it farther than hoped and had limped the ship along until she could land it on Shili…in a manner of speaking. Mon’vuuem slowly eased herself back to her feet and winced inwardly as a sharp pain tore through her left side. She peeled back the folds of her cloak and craned her head down to look only to find a spreading pool of green there. Blood. She must have taken some damage before the ship crashed or perhaps during her leap from it. In her already worn state, the Kaminoan wasn’t sure how long it would take to mend.

She peered out across the field until her eyes settled on a city in the distance. The Force was with her this day, it must have known she would have need and guided her here of all places. Mon’vuuem would trust its wisdom and take comfort from that. She gingerly began to pick her way across the tattered ruins of the field, her tall form swaying with each limped step forward.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer was halfway to the bazaar when she heard gasps and noticed a few fingers pointed into the sky, mingled with exclamations and questions in Togruti over what exactly was going on. A summary twist of her head revealed some kind of object was leaving a fiery trail in the partially-cloudy sky.

Whether it was a natural phenomenon or a man-made object falling from orbit she couldn't tell. All the Jedi Master could do was to try to estimate where exactly it was heading, and to mentally run through the list of possible actions.

If it was natural, there was a chance whatever the material was might be harmful, and she did have a portable scanner tucked into her belt opposite her saberstaff. If it was a ship, then perhaps there were occupants who had fled in escape pods, or who were trying to land the ship, and apparently failing in their effort.

Either way, inactivity was not advisable, and neither was it Teer Ka's way. Her experiences were all centered around action, around taking an initiative and engaging. While she'd come to realize there was a place for careful rumination, she was also intimately familiar with the values of prompt action and immediate results.

Rather than walk, Teer jogged swiftly back to her office, where she'd left one other item she'd arranged to have for her duties on Shili. It was a battered-looking orange speeder bike, with a sidecar bolted onto the left flank. Clearly it had seen better days, but like Teer, it proved that age didn't necessarily impair performance.

Rusty hands swiftly and surely flew over the controls, starting the repulsors with a whine, and then the soft rumble of the engines. Within mere seconds Teer was racing off on the back of her mode of transport, streaking through the scrub outside Corvala, aiming for the general area between the mountains and the city, where the craft had gone down.

As she drew closer, she realized something through her senses. There was just one survivor she could read, and it was a powerful Force user. Teer could only tell one other thing from such a distance: The person was not immersed in the Dark Side, unless they were skilled at weaving deception.

Sadly, many of the enemy were. Good Jedi had fallen victim to foes thanks to naivete, thanks to their dreams of honor and proper conduct. Certainly Master Ka had strived to instruct her students in constant vigilance, in keeping defenses always at the ready in case of the unforeseen.

Certainly she would follow her own advice.

While whipping through the tall grass at high speed, Teer caught sight of a figure in the distance, and she paused to pull out a pair of macrobinoculars she kept in the sidecar. A quick examination revealed that the figure in the distance was white-skinned, extraordinarily tall, long of limb, and most definitely not a Togruta. While Teer wasn't entirely sure, she thought the figure might be a Kaminoan. What was more, it was obviously wounded, judging by the way it was moving.

Come to think of it, wasn't there a Kaminoan on the High Council who had gone missing some time back?

That thought was dismissed as supposition, and Teer accelerated towards the figure, arriving as quickly as she possibly could. Immediately she cut the power to the bike and climbed off, walking briskly to the injured figure with a medkit in hand.

The Watchman promptly placed her palms together and dipped her head in a Togruta greeting, the tall and curving montrals on her head falling and rising with the movement. And then she spoke in her deep and slightly gruff voice, with that Togruti accent that had only grown every minute since she'd set foot on Shili.

"I am Teer Ka. You are injured, please let me provide you with medical care."

[Otterling]

It hurt to walk but Mon'vuuem was not one to shy from a little pain. Physical feelings were always transitory and she knew it would pass once she'd received some medical attention. She delicately moved one leg before the other, the tall grasses barely brushing against her upper thighs, and her mind turned inward instead. The Force was a constant ally and companion and she had relied heavily upon it over the past year so it was to this old friend that she turned now in her time of need. It would guide her, of that she had no doubt, all she must do was be patient and listen carefully to the ebb and flow that would lead her in the right direction.

Kaminoans had always been noted for their lack of outward emotion and Mon'vuuem was no exception. If anything her Jedi training had only made this more apparent, however, this did not mean she never felt any emotion, only that she never displayed it. In truth, Mon'vuuem very much missed her fellow Jedi and her year had been one of little rest. Her thoughts also turned to her young padawan. Asani would surly be missing her and she wondered for a moment if the young Kushiban had been taken on by another master in her absence. She hated to think the youngling's training had been interrupted or put on hold. Her apprentice had been frail of emotion before Mon'vuuem's disappearance and she only hoped that the young one hadn't thought herself abandoned.

Mon'vuuem took each of these thoughts and gently laid them out in her own mind. She pulled upon the Force and smoothed the ripples of her own emotions until she could clearly see how to deal with each item in turn. She would change what she could and accept what she could not but there was little point in fretting over it until she could act so she tucked the thoughts away carefully. Just as she began the calming technique of using the Force to quell her body's painful complaints, she felt a surge in the energy ahead of her. Another Force user was approaching. The Kaminoan raised her long neck and blinked in the bright afternoon sunlight. In the distance she could make out the plume of dust and the wind whipped grasses that marked an approaching speeder.

The occupant slowed and stopped, perhaps to take stock of what they were facing. With unwavering tenacity, Mon'vuuem did not slow her trek across the field. The other Force user would either come of their own accord or would leave. There was little she could do about it either way. She didn't sense any darkness in the other person though that was no absolute guarantee of safety but she had no hiding place and running seemed pointless. The figure on the speeder had apparently made their decision and Mon'vuuem watched calmly as they closed the distance between them. As the speeder bike drew near, it's rider came into view. Mon'vuuem could make out the tall montrals and rusty skin of a Togruta. Little surprise given that this was their planet but the presence of a speeder was rather unusual.

As the woman finally slowed and pulled up before her, Mon'vuuem tucked her head ever so slightly in greeting. She watched as the Togruta dismounted and grabbed a box from her vehicle, likely some kind of medical equipment. A swift native greeting was offered and Mon'vuuem politely bowed in return.

"I am Teer Ka. You are injured, please let me provide you with medical care."

Mon'vuuem allowed her mouth to curl into a small but genuine smile. "Thank you," she said in her placid and lyrical voice, "your timing is most fortunate. My name is Mon'vuuem. It is a pleasure to meet you." Despite the urgency of the situation, with her own blood creating a larger and larger stain along her side, Mon'vuuem was not to be rushed. Her every movement was a slow, graceful dance and even her words came out measured and drawling as if she were having a pleasant conversation rather than a life and death discussion. She gingerly slid her outer Jedi robe from her shoulders and allowed it to pool at her feet, turning slightly to the side to present the wound for better inspection. Her tunic already bore a sizeable blue stain from just below her ribs down to atop her hip.

She tugged at the tunic with her long fingers, revealing a clean slash all the way through the fabric which she blinked at impassively. "I believe it may be fairly deep," she said matter-of-factly, "Will you be able to seal it?"

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Up close, Teer could tell the woman was wearing Jedi robes. That, and her light side signature in the Force, was enough to convince her the woman was a threat. While the double bladed saber on Teer's belt wasn't likely to ever be forgotten, it was no longer on the forefront of her mind.

Once the Kaminoan provided a name, Teer visibly reacted. This was indeed the name of the missing High Councilor. Her first instinct was to bow to the tall and slender woman with a musical voice, but she realized that would be foolish as the woman was actively bleeding out.

As the soft breeze swayed the turu grass in a changing pattern of red and white, Master Ka had precious few options. If she'd been a powerful Jedi healer, she could have woven the flesh together again with the Force. She wasn't. If she'd been a surgeon, she could have sewed up the wound. She wasn't one of those either.

Teer resisted the urge to sigh. Her whole existence as a sword for the Order's use was coming back to bite her, proving to be a distinct disadvantage. What she was was a Jedi Master skilled with a lightsaber. And that had saved her on many occasions.

Now she had to hope it could save someone else.

The Togruta Jedi opened the medkit with rust-colored hands, ending in slim fingers with neat silver nails, and she rummaged through the contents. A pair of kolto patches, a can of synth skin, and some bandages.

There were several options of varying strengths, and Master Ka wasn't comfortable carrying out a single one of them on a High Councilor without permission.

"Councilor," She began in her deep and richly accented timbre, "I can cauterize the wound right now with my lightsaber, or we can bandage it, or we can try applying synth skin and hope it works while I take you back to a medical facility."

The dark eyes directed what she hoped was a demeanor of the utmost respect, her own formality struggling against the importance of prompt action to save a life. Mon'vuuem had to understand the respected and deference Teer had, had to understand her devotion and loyalty. But she also had to be helped.

Kneeling and bowing would wait until later.

[Otterling]

Mon’vuuem saw as much as felt the subtle jolt of surprise from the Togruta when her name was mentioned. There were few who would recognize her outside of the Temple and when coupled with the Force signature that hovered around her and the lightsaber dangling from her belt, it didn’t take much of a deductive leap to assume Teer Ka must have been a Jedi. For her to be so far out of the Core Worlds, the woman would have had to have been assigned to this planet as either an emissary, a knight on a mission, or a watchman. The way Teer Ka carried herself said she was more advanced than a knight, likely a master whose padawans had graduated to knighthoods of their own, and the presence of a speeder here meant the Togruta was likely settled in for a long stay. That placed her squarely in the realm of a watchman.

Mon’vuuem waited patiently while Teer Ka seemed to struggle with a decision. She could feel some measure of inner conflict in the woman but she refrained from snooping into those troubled thoughts. It would be easy enough with her knack for telepathy but to Mon’vuuem, it was an invasion of privacy. One’s thoughts were their own and unless she felt it would keep herself or others out of immediate harm, the Kaminoan rarely exercised her skills in that way. Instead, she watched with rapt attention as the Togruta dropped down to rifle through the contents of the medical kit. Her fingers moved swiftly through each item, cataloging them and moving to the next, but the woman’s mounting frustration thrummed against Mon’vuuem’s empathetic senses.

"Councilor, I can cauterize the wound right now with my lightsaber, or we can bandage it, or we can try applying synth skin and hope it works while I take you back to a medical facility."

The title of Councilor confirmed that Teer Ka had indeed recognized Mon’vuuem and she could see finally that the struggle seemed to come from a desire to show proper courtesy while still rushing to save the bleeding person in front of her. Mon’vuuem, while a diplomat who knew and respected the tiniest of details pertaining to customs and courtesies for over 100 races, had no real importance attached to them when it came to herself. She would of course return any polite bows aimed in her direction but so long as a respectful tone of conversation was maintained, she was happy to simply treat other Jedi as equals. Or at least as students she could teach and even learn from occasionally.

Mon’vuuem smiled politely and gestured toward the synth skin. “If you would be so kind as to apply it for me, I can heal myself once I’ve rested some,” she stated simply. Her own healing abilities were strong enough that given a few days of meditation and rest, she should be completely mended but at the moment her trials over the past year had left her too tired and drained to do much yet. The synth skin would at least bind the wound shut and hopefully keep her from bleeding out long enough to allow for healing. It would hold so long as she didn’t do too much physical activity and all the councilor could desire at that moment was a few days of respite anyway.

“Have you been on Shili long?” Mon’vuuem asked politely, “I am afraid that I have had little news of the current war. Would you be able to provide some information on its current standing?” She did indeed want the answers to her questions but normally such things could wait. In this instance, however, she hoped the conversational tone would help ease some of the tension she could feel in the other Jedi. Her own mind reached out ever so gently to smooth at the ripples of tense energy radiating off of the woman in what she hoped would allow her companion a sense of peace.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer nodded swiftly when the Councilor made her decision, and she pulled the cap off the synthetic skin, quickly familiarizing herself with the directions, feeling a comfortable familiarity with the material by the time the Kaminoan Councilor asked her a question. It seemed straight forward enough to apply, and the question was similarly straight forward.

Sadly, she couldn't answer with the confidence and happiness she'd hoped for. While she'd felt like she'd always been living on Shili, Master Ka had only been present for a few days in her capacity as Watchman. She couldn't claim with pride that she'd been serving for a lifetime, or even for five years. She'd have to earn that right.

The Togruta Jedi was placing one hand on Mon'vueem's side and applying the synthflesh to the open wound as she made her reply, her full attention remaining on the medical treatment she'd learned the basics of a long time ago.

"Only a few months Councilor," Teer said in a tone bordering on reverence, though she added in a caveat with the nervous smile of a much younger woman. "I just assumed my duties, but I feel like I've been here for years."

And then the topic of the war came up. Teer winced as she applied the synth skin to the wound, finishing up with the can. Why did it have to be the one topic that disturbed her so? She could understand why the topic came up, but she didn't like discussing the conflict the Jedi Order was refusing to participate in. To her it felt lie a betrayal of trust.

Yet, her superior had made a request of her.

She was duty-bound to answer.

"Forgive me Councilor if I give you old information. I do not recall when you went missing." Teer removed her hands from the Kaminoan's side and recovered bandages, wrapping them around to secure the synth skin better.

"Dantooine and Rhen Var have both fallen to the Sith, Yaga Minor was seized, Mon Calamari fell, and a skirmish was fought at Subterrel against members of the Sith. All save the last were defeats."

Defeats for the Republic we swore to serve, to serve, to protect.

There was a bitter taste in Teer's mouth over that. So much evil in the galaxy, and so few willing to combat it. Certainly she'd anticipated carrying on as a fighter with the Blades, but everything had changed. Now she was in her state of semi-retirement, letting others fight. She wasn't pleased with what she was doing, yet somehow she felt she was entitled.

And serving Shili was no less noble in its own way.

"Even now there are rumors of new Sith attacks being planned against Republic defenses, and skirmishes with the Mandalorians are taking place as well. The Republic stands alone."

Teer felt a pang in her heart at her last sentence. Guilt.

[Otterling]

A genuine and warm smile pulled up the corners of Mon’vuuem’s mouth as the younger Jedi before her began tending to her wound. It was a welcome relief to be in the company of another Jedi again. It seemed far too long since she’d felt the familiar tug of a strong Force user. The past year had been spent hiding in dark alleys, decrepit buildings, and abandoned vehicles she could manage to crawl into given her lanky frame. Teer’s very presence was like a balm on Mon’vuuem’s nerves despite the young woman’s obvious apprehension.

She listened patiently, filing away her body’s protests as her wound was covered, but the soft smile fell from her lips at the news Teer gave about the current state of affairs in the Republic. Mon’vvuem’s large grey eyes saddened at the news of several Republic worlds falling to the darkness that was threatening their whole galaxy. Too long she’d been gone. Too long she’d been taken out of the struggle and she’d been unable to influence the struggles her fellow Jedi had undergone.

As a high-councilor, it was her duty to ensure the safety of the next generation of Jedi and to help guide her fellow members in their decisions about the order. Now she wasn’t sure whether the Jedi were even involved in the war. Had they finally come to the decision that Vreem Took and the Blades had offered when the fighting began? Had the Jedi committed themselves to the cause or were they still confused and struggling with how to defeat the Sith with minimal loss of Jedi lives?

"Even now there are rumors of new Sith attacks being planned against Republic defenses, and skirmishes with the Mandalorians are taking place as well. The Republic stands alone."

Teer’s words told Mon’vuuem everything she needed to know. The guilt and confliction in the Togruta’s voice were echoed tenfold in the energy radiating off of her. The Jedi had not yet committed themselves to the war then and the young woman before her was struggling with that reality. It was hard on many to understand the Council’s reasons for not going to war, especially the younger Jedi, and the argument had divided many of the number.

“Perhaps not. Do not give up hope, Teer Ka. The future is not written in stone and not all is lost yet. We will see what is to be done about the war when I return to the Temple. I am sure the rest of the Council will have much to discuss on the matter but do not despair, we have not abandoned the Republic to its fate.”

Mon’vuuem offered the Togruta woman a soft smile. “I would very much like to hear your opinion on the matter over a warm cup of tea. Would you be so kind?” The Kaminoan gestured off toward the distant city with a sweep of her long arm.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer couldn't help but feel that same ambivalence she'd felt ever since she'd come to Shili a few months ago. Nothing was ever easy, and her conscience and her sense of duty were waging war within her, threatening to carry their fight further into her mind.

On the one hand, she'd had her full measure of violence and death. 42 dead enemies were enough, and the one who had been almost 43... A little child who didn't know anything but the Dark Side, now suffering without an arm. Just like her own Padawan had become.

As terrible as that was, it could have been worse. There was so much potential for death and destruction, and as a duelist she'd been in the thick of it. Her only escapes had been leaving it behind, or eventually making her own fatal mistake. She'd chosen to leave it behind, and now Teer Ka was the Watchman for Shili.

But on the other hand, with the Republic at war with the Sith, didn't they need every capable fighter at the ready to wage war? Instead she was living a rural existence in a peaceful planet, without experiencing hardship, and very likely to see no fighting at all.

Which was her duty? Did she suppress her newfound qualms about death, and instead go once more unto the breach, or did she stay back and let younger Jedi go to war?

The Togruta Jedi's dark eyes looked at the Kaminoan High Councilor, and she nodded slowly as Mon'vuuem told her not to despair, and that she should trust in the Council.

Maybe it was as simple as that. Put faith in the leadership, and follow it. It was just so hard to have faith in them, as they'd remained idle while two Jedi enclaves fell to the Sith. One of them...

Dantooine. Master Ka had grown up there, and spent her time as a Youngling there. The meditation groves were well known to her, and she'd assembled her first lightsaber there, one she still possessed today, though she never used it. But what galled her even more, what made it truly personal, was that her own Master had died in the Sith attack.

He'd been ancient, old and feeble. His eyesight had failed years before, but he'd never stopped being proud of her on her visits. Teer had made one every year to him, and he'd never failed to recognize her, even without the use of his eyes. He'd deserved better than that ignoble death.

He'd deserved a funeral pyre and a formal ceremony, and she should have been there. The Sith had deprived her of that, as they had many other Jedi. Their unprovoked attacks had gone without response.

It was hard to trust in the Council.

But the Kaminoan woman was right. She had no other choice.

The offer to discuss things over tea was indeed generous, and Teer had every intention of doing so. But she couldn't quite give up yet. It was worth one last effort.

"It would be a great honor Councilor, but are you sure you do not want medical treatment first?"

[Otterling]

Mon’vuuem tucked her head in acknowledgement of the offer for medical treatment. “Thank you for your concern, Teer Ka, but that will not be necessary. A few days rest will suffice. I shall be able to heal myself well enough by then for the journey back to Coruscant and in the meantime, I would much prefer your company to that of a medical droid,” she said with a light playfulness to her voice. “You will unfortunately have to bear the burden of my slower pace, however, as I do not believe I will be able to ride your speeder.”

Mon’vuuem gestured to her overly long legs. There was no way she was going to fit on the back of that bike for the ride to the city. It was a problem that had plagued much of her life and once she’d hit full maturity, she’d had to learn to make due with other modes of transportation. She’d been very lucky that her master had shared the same towering height and all of the problems that went with it. He’d been able to guide her on how to deal with the fact that most speeders would not carry her, she would have to duck to get through most doors, and when visiting other worlds, she would have to deal with too short beds and too small chairs.

The whole experience had only taught her more patience and she looked back on those days with fondness. There were days when a part of her would miss her former master but she contented herself with the knowledge that she would see him again when she became a part of the living Force herself.

((Sorry for this being so short. ))

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer looked between the long-limbed Councilor and the speeder bike. In particular she focused on the sidecar. While her legs wouldn't fit inside, she could sit sideways and let them dangle over the side.

It wasn't ideal, but Master Ka wasn't one to give up easily or at the very first obstacle. She was tenacious, and had a way for battering down every problem and getting to the solution. That definitely extended to this circumstance, particularly when the consequences were not at all fun.

It was at least seven kilometers back to the city, and the Togruta woman wasn't about to force the Kaminoan woman to walk. It was either try to fit her in that sidecar or else call for someone to take her in. Given the options, Teer preferred the simpler one.

"Councilor, it might not be comfortable, but you can lie across the sidecar and back onto the bike behind me. It's too far for you to walk like this, and arranging for other transport would take much longer."

Teer's voice was the clipped and firm one she used when she was commanding, the one that accompanied instructions such as 'don't be so linear Padawan,' or 'watch your footwork Knight.' Despite her reverence for the woman and her rank, Master Ka was not about to submit to a decision she felt wasn't safe.

Excessive motion could reopen the Kaminoan's wound. Besides, Teer often hunted on her long visits into the wild, and she knew a wounded beast couldn't go too far. Not in situations like this.

"If you move too much, that wound could reopen. Please trust my judgment Councilor."