Owner	Pose
Athena	The Baron blushes furiously, averting his gaze, instinctively reaching for one of his capes and holding it to his chest, trying to cover himself in embarrassment. But Zetha will start to notice how right she is, as soon as she's made the observation that he doesn't look well. He looks terribly pale, and exhausted, and there's a strange, melancholic look in his eyes when she mentions the hospital. "Have you ever heard of a synthgraft failure," he says softly, "it can occur if the body develops an allergic reaction to the synthskin." He doesn't even look at her, it's almost like he barely recognizes she's there anymore, "Monstrous, isn't it..." Zetha might have a vague memory of one time the doctor had been telling her medical facts she didn't ask to know (this happened more often than Zetha probably liked). Synthskin in and of itself, he'd told her, was indication of a wound so great that the body could not heal. And sometimes, especially among humans, a body might refuse the synthgraft. This could sometimes result in death, and in rare cases where loved ones refused euthanasia, it could be excruciatingly slow and painful.
Zetha Rumir	"I've been told of it...I've never actually seen it before though. And for the record...I don't think you look monstrous. I think you look like you're in pain, and a lot of it." Zetha says this much before she stands, slipping her personal slicer back into a pocket. "And I suppose the allergy doesn't have any sort of cure so you're left to suffer the results of it? Can't be a very nice life..." Which puts the journal entry she had read into a little more light, but she's still upset about what he wrote on her. She won't bring it up though, and instead takes a slow breath in. "Anyway. I don't know if anything was taken but I didn't find anything corrupted in what files I managed to read before you got here. So there's that. If you tell me where things go I wouldn't mind helping you clean up in here a bit..."
Athena	He looks like a porcelain doll, cheeks red but skin deathly white. It's becoming, but in a terrible way. Why isn't he in a hospital? "..." His expression softens. Perhaps he'd been about to say something. But then he suddenly looks like he feels horribly ill, and collapsing to his knees, manages to grab a small wastebasket and vomit into it until yellow bile drips down the side of it. The bending over causes the wound on his back to split open even more. Blood begins spill down his backside, creating a small pool of scarlet liquid on the floor. He seems alarmingly unconcerned or bothered by it.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha watches only long enough to realize what's about to happen and averts her gaze just in time - though just hearing the sound is enough to make her stomach lurch a little. When she looks back, she sees how that wound on his back has split open and so she has to turn away again. "I'm going to send for help. You cannot keep going like this, Caine." Using the other name she's learned of his, though she has to wonder if that's even his real name. She'll pull out her communicator and puts in an emergency call to the hospital, giving them the location of the Jedi Temple and how someone is suffering from a terrible case of synthskin allergies and needs immediate aid. Then she'll send a message to Soren. <<Didn't get info. Caine showed up. Trying to get him to hospital. Synthskin allergy. Bad too.>> And really, Caine could protest all this, but in the end, what good is it going to do him?
Athena	"No..." Caine says quietly, seemingly done vomiting. He wipes his face with a nearby washcloth and moves to flick the communicator out of her hand. He doesn't quite succeed. "It's alright, I'm fine., I've done this for more than a decade, now." He lies down on his cot, elevating his upper body slightly with a couple of pillows. "I have medication." He heaves a sigh. "Unfortunately, the side effects are ... less than ideal." Soren doesn't respond. Where the hell is he? "Nausea, insomnia, chills, anxiety, mood swings, hormonal imbalances... and perhaps worst of all, an ever decreasing probability that I'll become a biological father." He pauses, his expression dimming even more.
Zetha Rumir	"Right, because according to you, I had already written you off as a monster and will prey on the soooo many suitors I have until one of them caves and asks to marry me." Zetha offers because she's finally got a stick up her ass enough to say something when he speaks about imbalances, mood swings, and other symptoms. "Can't you do something to, like, ensure you leave a sort of legacy. I'm sure they have programs for that...and at the very least someone could be born with your genetics." She notices Soren doesn't respond, but that has to be on the back burner for a moment. "So I hear tell you've let some people know where this lab is...but there may be an issue with a matter of entry..." She looks at her communicator as she says this, like she's reading something from someone. "Do you need your medication? Is it somewhere here where I could get it for you?"
Athena	"I am a monster," he says quietly, without looking at her. "I took it already," he says in a dazed, melancholy sort of way. He doesn't comment when she says that she's certain they have programs for that. There's a pregnant pause, and then he laughs very softly. "You? Mistress Misfortune? That can't be. You must be happy. Your mother loves you, you have a father figure in the doctor and I'm assuming, a supportive significant other." "The reason why I approached you at the grav-club was because I thought you might understand what it felt like, to be hopelessly lonely while in a sea of people..." "I loved you. That's why it hurt so much." Then his expression becomes unsettlingly blank, as if he'd completely forgotten the world around him.
Zetha Rumir	"You realize that Zabrak woman isn't my mother right? Not really? She found me abandoned here on Teeno when I was a kid. Left behind by slavers who took off with my parents but without me. And she..." Zetha pauses, sighs. "I guess she loves me. She has a hard time showing it though...as for Soren...he's probably as much a father figure as I'll ever really have...but..." Trailing off, she shrugs. "I do know what it's like to feel that way...the grav-club was not the place for me. And I keep feeling like no where on Teeno is anymore. But I digress..." "How can you say you loved me? You barely know anything about me, truly. You may have loved the me you created in your head...but you don't love -me-...you wrote like I had seen you. All of you. And I haven't. Ever." Then she watches him blank out and that gives her pause. Almost like she has to wonder if he really heard anything she just said. So she looks around and at least begins to tidy the mess Soren left behind.
Athena	Indeed, she might wonder if he had heard her at all, as he doesn't say anything to her for a bit. But then, while she's starting to tidy up, he finally says, "Well you have now..." in a voice so quiet she might have missed it if she were a step farther away. If she looks over at him, she'll see that tears are flowing freely down his cheeks, wetting the pillow beneath him. "The heart wants what it wants," he continues, "a bit unfortunate, isn't it? What lengths it will go to, in an attempt to repair itself."
Zetha Rumir	"And yet I don't see the monster you claim to be. I see a man who is suffering. In many ways." Zetha offers, putting up a few more bits of strewn items before she does indeed look at him. Seeing those tears. "You're right about one thing. I do have a significant other. It's a newer relationship though, and it's not with the one you would likely think it is. I'm sorry I don't love you back...but there was never really any time....you played things very aloof...and the only bits I knew where mostly fed to me by other people." What she really hates is how she feels like she sounds a lot like Soren. Like he's rubbing off on her in certain ways. "I can't change how I feel or how you feel...but if it's worth anything...I could consider you a friend. If you weren't, you know, actually actively trying to make clones out of Mandos and Jedis...."
Athena	"You don't understand," he says, "cloning Tarre was never about power or prestige. It was a desperate attempt to bring peace to Mandalore, a society born to breed on violence and civil disorder. It's about unity, about trying a radically different approach towards an age old problem. We haven't known true peace in thousands of years, Zetha. At the current rate things are going, Mandalore will be a desolate world, laid barren by our constant fighting in a few hundred years." He stares at the ceiling and sighs. "I didn't think it would work, anyway," He says softly, "it was more out of impulse than anything else that I tried it, and the likelihood of the clone maturing or even being remotely Force sensitive is extremely low. But then the Arkanians interfered. They'll do things I'm not willing to. And now it's out of hand, and I have no idea what the outcome will be like." He sighs, and sitting up, takes a small syringe out of a box lying on the ground. Then, wiping a few of his tears on his palm, he uses the syringe to draw up the liquid before pressing the button on the syringe that moves the cover over the needle. "I haven't been very fair to you, Zetha," he says, handing her the syringe. "Access to the lab can be granted via my biometrics in lieu of a badge swipe."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha listens and then she sort of lowers her head while looking contemplative. "Maybe Mandalore wasn't yours to try and save alone...but I can appreciate the idea behind it. Your intentions were there...just perhaps gone about in a rather impulsive and construed way..." She offers this much before watching him draw his vitals into a syringe that is then handed to her. Which she takes. Reluctantly. "Thank you, Caine." Is spoken gently. "Would you be alright with me coming by to see you again? Provided I can find you here once I'm done?"
Athena	He laughs softly again. "Story of my life," he says, and perhaps Zetha will find that relatable. He stares at her for a good long minute or so, his baby blue eyes an ocean of sadness one could drown in. There's a pure, raw longing in his expression, it's not romantic or sexual, instead, it's childlike and innocent. Finally he tears his gaze away, his words grief soaked. "No. You're seeing someone else. I can't -- it's not appropriate." He lies down on the cot again, turning away from her. "You... should go." Her commlink buzzes. Soren's finally pinged her back. << Where are you? >>
Zetha Rumir	Zetha would fight it, and maybe she'll defy his wishes and come back anyway because she's stubborn like that and he needs a friend. A good, solid friend. Though his words still hurt a little, and as he turns away from her and tells her to go she nods. "As you wish." So she leaves the hab, looking at the message on her commlink and types back, <<Leaving the Baron's hab. I have a way into the lab. Not the card, but his biometrics will work in lieu of it, and I have that. Where shall I meet you?>>
Athena	She'll be looking at the message when Soren suddenly appears, right in front of her. She might actually just bump into him, physically. "Zetha...!" He gives her an expectant look.
Zetha Rumir	"Oomph...!" Just as Zetha bumps into Soren and she raises a brow. "You expected me harmed? I'm fine. Here." And she places the syringe into Soren's hand. "Take that and get into the lab. Don't ask questions. Just...go...and see this finished." With him here, she's no intention to follow him. Instead, she has a very pressing inner want to see Crane all of a sudden.
Athena	Soren frowns when he sees the syringe. He studies it for half a second, then suddenly goes over to the Baron's tent and peers in through the half open flap. "He gave this to you?" he says, very softly, though his tone conveys urgency and concern. He turns to Zetha, and the Twi'lek girl be able to see tears glistening in his eyes. Seems like she has quite the effect on the males tonight! "Look--" He pauses. "I need you to know that I -- I might not ever see you again. And because of that I need you to do this last thing for me. I need you knock him out --" he hands her another syringe with some sedative in it, "stitch him up, and stay with him until he wakes back up or the others arrive back here. I know," he says, "I know you haven't been properly taught to do stitches, but you'll do fine, you've watched me a couple of times, it's good enough." He seems to be getting increasingly emotional. "I'm sorry. I know you want an explanation, but I can't give you one. Someday, maybe you'll understand." Then he turns to leave. "Goodbye Zetha. And good luck."
Zetha Rumir	"Wait. What?! No. No no no... You were supposed to go with me to Coruscant.. you're supposed to... what the kriff do you mean I'll never see you again?!" Zetha says that first and then her jaw sets tightly. Stitch up the Baron. Stay with him. And watch this man just walk out of her life with no explanation as to why and no way to process it all while it's happening. "How can I understand what you won't....kriffing explain! What...I..." She grips the syringe with the sedative in her hand tightly and then turns away. Listening to him leave. To his goodbye. Not see you later. Talk soon. A final goodbye. Then she takes a breath and walks back into the Baron's tent. Things will happen - she'll do as Soren asked - all while fighting tears of both sadness and anger.
Athena	She'll see him disappear into the dark hallway, and be able to hear his muffled dry sobs as he retreats, maybe forever. The Baron is curled up in a half fetal position on the cot inside the temporary hab shelter. The positioning of his body is aggravating the wound, but he doesn't seem to notice, or care. What he does seem to notice and care about though is that she's visibly distraught. "Oh, Zetha...cyar'ika..." He rolls over with some effort, and reaches a hand up to brush a tear away from her cheek, his expression tender. She'll recognize that look in his eyes. It's the same one Crane had given her, right after he'd told her he loved her. Maybe he had loved her, after all. Maybe he still did. "Do you know why you're beautiful? It's because you're kind..." But then the sedative takes effect and his eyelids flutter shut. Minutes later, she'll hear footsteps in the hallway, and see lights turning on. The other Mandalorians, Navi, and the Jedi, had returned. But there are others, too -- the Disciples from the Convent, and among them, Crane.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha is slightly caught off guard when she sees him roll over and feels his hand brush away a tear. Watching his expression and seeing how it's exactly the same one Crane gave her. Her heart twitches even while it breaks and when he drifts off unable to finish his thought she'll almost wish she hadn't given him the sedative so soon. The tears fall freely, being wiped away every so often as she tries her best to make shoddy stitch work of the wound in Caine's back. When she hears the footsteps, she'll finish the stitch work before moving to peek out of the temporary hab and see everyone arriving. Including Crane. She watches him with hope he'll notice her standing there - though she doesn't want to draw much attention either. Regardless of how much she wants to just run over and hug him - knowing he's not good at public affection.
Athena	Crane will immediately notice Zetha as soon as she leaves the temporary hab shelter and comes to stand in the dojo. How his eyes light up! They always did, but maybe it'll warm Zetha's heart all the same. He hurries to her side, but immediately seems to know something is wrong. He takes her hand. "Zetha, what is it?"
Zetha Rumir	There's a flutter in her heart when she sees how Crane lights up as he spots her. Watching him hurry to her side, but she knows as soon as he's nearer that he can tell she's in distress. As he takes her hand, she shakes her head, letting a few more tears freely fall as she manages the words "Soren...made a comment he may never see me again...and then said goodbye...."
Athena	His brows furrow. "The doctor??" His expression grows more concerned. "Was he here? Why? Zetha, what happened?" But the doctor had made her promise. He'd made her promise that she'd not tell anyone he was here, or that they'd spoken about the lab...
Zetha Rumir	Zetha shakes her head. "Not here, no. Just recently enough that thinking about it still hurts. And I don't know why. He wouldn't tell me. Said he couldn't tell me but that one day I may understand." Then she glances back behind her to the Baron's tent. "Caine's in a bad way. Synthskin allergy. It doesn't look good. And actually I guess talking to Caine kinda opened up some inner wounds. It's been a crazy few days..." It's not all lies. She did see Soren before and he did run off without explanation. Cropping the story helps her keep a promise or few and still allow herself the emotional roller coaster. "...It's good to see you, love." She finally manages.
Athena	"My love, I'm so sorry," he says, embracing her gently. "Do you want me to tell the Jedi to go looking for him?" Somehow, Zetha will know that is exactly what the doctor doesn't want. Why, of course, she'll never know. He wouldn't explain a damn thing. But she knows the doctor well enough to know that he takes keeping secrets very seriously. Especially his own, apparently. He strokes her lekku, giving her a faint smile. "I can't imagine," he says softly. "I'll talk to Navi, I'm sure she can do something for him." He pauses. "You have to go to Coruscant first thing in the morning too, don't you? Ah, the timing is so bad. I wish you didn't have to go."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha shakes her head. "No. And in truth, please don't tell them anything, actually. It's best kept between you and me. For now." Perhaps until she's certain that whatever fate Soren thinks he's facing actually ends up the way he imagines it. Is it the lab? Everything seems to point to that... "T-tomorrow? Oh for kriff's sake...no one told me!" She sighs and then looks Crane in the eyes. "I don't want to go. Soren was supposed to go with me....but I have to. Key witness and all that..." Though that also means.... "I have to go home and pack..." And then, "Could you not go with me?"
Athena	"Oh," he says softly, that look of concern still on his face, "Okay. If you say so." "I know, and I'm sorry. But think of it this way -- you're doing a wonderful service to the Republic by helping to administer justice," he says. "Like the heroes of old and now, do," he says with a soft chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood. His indigo eyes turn mournful when she asks him to go with her. "I would, Zetha, I really would, but... the Disciples want me here, to help out with the rebuilding of the Convent." A pause, and he starts ushering her down the hall, towards the archives and away from the the dojo. "In all honesty, the other Disciples don't really like me seeing you all that much. They tolerate it, but you're not of the faith. And that bothers them."
Zetha Rumir	"No. No that makes sense and you should. Stay here and help rebuild. I wish I could too cause I always have after the monsoon seasons... but..." Zetha frowns a little as he ushers her down the hallway a bit - away from the others. When he speaks on how the other Disciples don't like him seeing her and just tolerate it, she actually makes a face. "What so if I don't kneel at an alter and pray to the Force that means I'm not worthy of something? Not everyone worships the Force the same way....they ought not be so closed minded about it..." Then she softens her features a bit. "Gosh there's so much more to tell you but...if it's late and I have to pack and then catch a ship in the morning..." Cause she would tell him about the conversation with the Baron. -That- isn't a secret and something she ought to let him know about just in case. Instead, she suddenly asks, "Does their not liking us being together hinder potentials in the future?"
Athena	He gives her a sad look. "I wish you could too," he says, "but you're serving a greater cause by going to Coruscant," he says, "and I'm sure there'll be a lot of wonderful things to see there. Hopefully you'll feel like telling me all about it once you're back," he says. He actually looks a bit hurt when she says she doesn't kneel at an altar and pray to the Force. "I mean, we don't do that, and I didn't mean you have to adhere to our faith. It would just be nice if you did," he says, "however, I don't want to force you to do anything. And it certainly doesn't change the way I feel about you." "I suppose I shouldn't keep you from packing," he says softly, taking both her hands in his and squeezing them. But when she asks about hindering potential, he tilts his head to one side and says, "Like what? Getting married?"
Zetha Rumir	"Of course I'll come back with stories. Won't be much of a trip if I don't. And I'll call...or text...we'll keep in touch. I promise." Zetha offers this with a smile and then when he looks hurt she sort of winces. "Sorry. I know. I'm really ignorant to your faith and I shouldn't judge it. I mean I'm not...opposed to the idea? I just...like I said...I don't know much about it." Then she smiles. "But I'd be willing to learn." When he mentions not keeping her from packing she almost deflates and gives a nod. Though now he's holding both her hands and squeezing them. That makes her heart flutter again. And she's asked another question. "Well. I guess more near future of still seeing each other. Spending time together but... I mean... in the future. At some point. It....could be a possibility?"
Athena	"Yes," he says softly, touching her cheek gently. "We will. I'll still miss you, though." He looks sad for a moment, and then embraces her again. "It's okay," he says, "you could always come by the Convent more after it gets rebuilt. There's a plan to make it bigger, and even turn the place into an educational facility. Not just for faith based learning, but all kinds." His eyes light up. "If we can secure the funding, many of the displaced children in Kublop, and those who stowed away on the vessel that brought the colonists to Tenoo, will have a home and be able to get an education." "Of course not," he says. And then more softly, he says, "I think so. I hope so." If only the doctor were here. He would have been the first person she would have told, probably. But he's not here, and she might not even get to tell him, at all.
Zetha Rumir	That just makes Zetha smile. Maybe she doesn't have to say anything about Caine so soon. It was a thing, she'll deal with it, and she'll come back and talk to Crane about it like it was just something that happened. Though after a moment she takes a breath. "I'll miss you too. Kinda do already. I cannot wait to see the convent rebuilt and I would love to learn about your faith at least. Have a better understanding of it." Maybe embrace it. Who knows. Zetha could certainly use the structure. Just before she decides to go she actually gives a little smile. "You remember when we first met? I can't believe where we are now. It's surreal and amazing and admittedly kinda scary but in a good way? All at the same time. I'll message you when I'm at Coruscant to let you know I got there safely." She then looks around quick before leaning in to kiss the corner of his lips. Just a quick peck. "I love you, Crane."
Athena	His eyes light up when she says she'd love to learn about his faith. "You would?" He seems flattered. "I'll worry too much if you don't," he says, giving her a puppy eyed look. When she kisses him, again, he seems flattered. He always does. Like he doesn't deserve her affection, but is too shy to say that he thinks he doesn't. He kisses her back, briefly. "I love you too, Zetha."
Zetha Rumir	"Alright. I should go before I don't go because I don't want to go but I should go because I have a duty to uphold and all that. I'll message." Zetha offers and slowly but reluctantly pulls away from him. "Try not to miss me too much..." She offers and then turns and begins to walk away. Though she does pull out her commlink to send Crane one message. <<uWu>> If only she knew where the lab was...and Soren's already long gone so she couldn't follow him. It will bug her until she learns the truth of it all...but for now...she will likely relent and head home....
Athena	Crane will just send her a bunch of affectionate emojis back. But that's pretty typical of him - normally he sends more emojis than actually text. Zetha will just have to wait, and hope, that Soren's goodbye wasn't final. Only time will tell. Maybe she could use a little bit of that faith Crane had, after all.