Hyperspace

[Aralee Galor]

"It would, though you may want to rethink allowing a 4G AI hard access to your personal reliquary, even IF it's through an astromech. As for where to find your Dark Lord, give me a moment to collate...."

If anything, Lilith was honest. Part of it is because of her mandated firmware....but even that allows for deception if necessary. The rest is what she gathers to be simple good form....and intuition, which is to say, her donor's intuition. The Diktat was to be extended certain social graces.

Aralee, meanwhile, does her best not to betray her conflicted emotions on the topic of the Vagrant Warrior, as the galactic media had once dubbed Freedon Nadd during his recent time in the galaxy. She was open to the idea of entities with great power and long lifespans.....Corellia may be mundane by comparison, but its history had be irrefutably forged by veritable gods in its past. No, its wasn't her worldview that was challenged....but the fact that when gods are thrown into mortal equations, things progress very quickly to the sorts of old tragedies the ancient Corellians enacted in outdoor amphitheaters....

Finally, she decides on a course of action: "I'll take your thoughts under advisement, Madame Diktat, and invite you to append a report to the one I'll be issuing to Centerpoint. But I'm nevertheless going to recommend that we divert fleet intelligence resources to keeping an eye on this situation. Raiding Republic worlds is not the best way to make a big comeback...."

And as if on cue, Lilith interrupts: "And by way of narrowing down the fleet's search.....," she waves a luminescent hand across the primary holotank, and a star map extends from her fingers, settling into the familiar shape of the galaxy.

"These are all known instances of black dwarfs in the Obroa Skai Interstellar Survey Institute's database."

Multiple blips, two dozen or so, pop up in various places on the star map, with the majority in or near the galactic core.

"However, judging by the rate of decay and prevalence of some of the radioactive elements in the mass spec data, the search can be narrowed down to younger black dwarfs that have recently decayed." Lilith snaps her fingers, only 5 blips remain: 3 in the core, one in the midrim, and one lying almost outside the far edge of the Tingel Arm.

"If what you say is true, that he left this galaxy some time ago, I'd say the most likely candidate is this star almost outside the galactic rim. But that's only guesswork at best..."

[Jet Almeara]

Although still worried about Taaru, Lilith's honestly amused her somewhat. It seemed the AI was full of new surprises and Jet almost found herself liking the ship. "I had thought to have him download the necessary files to an independent drive and hand them over in that fashion" She clarified.

To Aralee's remark Jet merely arched a brow "Keeping an eye on him is wise...I fully intend to do so myself. I like to know the players in the Galaxy - and am vaguely curious just what he managed to find and return with from outside the Galactic rim. It could prove...helpful. However I do hope you word your report with caution - having a bunch of flyboys taking potshots at his ships because they've been encouraged to believe he's a dangerous sith warlord coming to chew on Corellia is just going to piss him off." She remarked in a frank tone, and then as though anticipating Aralee's rebuttal against taking such a 'let them shoot first' posture she continued. "Don't worry - if Freedon decides to attack us we'll know it, he's never been the sneaky type, he doesn't have to be - he'll just jump in with a battlegroup and start shooting, no guesswork necessary and it would likely be the shipyards or Centerpoint he focused on, probably Centerpoint so we couldn't cut off his escape with the gravitational fields. Freedon is an all guns blazing type of enemy, not a black ops stab you in the back guy. If he comes to Corellia broadcasting old friendly codes then he's probably just there for a visit to CCC and a bit of catching up." She paused and then smiled a bit "Though it wouldn't surprise me if he showed up in a rather large ship....he always was a bit ostentatious and he likes to remind me he's been around allot longer then I have. Take the precautions necessary to plan for the possibility of an attack but try not to stir everyone up about it. I don't think he's an immediate threat and now that I know where he's likely to be.." She nodded towards the star map "I can try and get a better read on his intentions. It's too bad another prowler wasn't ready just yet...would be an excellent way to keep an eye on him"

[Aralee Galor]

"Funny you should mention that. Reports from Tyrena suggest the newest Prowler will finish construction within the week and will have completed its sea trials about ten days after that. A dictatorial order is all it would take to have it assigned to Sigma Insula Devia," Lilith preens, using the black dwarf's astronomical designation, as it lacks a proper name.

Cpt. Galor, who had been attempting her best not to look horrified by Jet's description of the rogue Sith warlord's predilections, breaths a defeated sigh: "Finally something sensible.... I'll add the suggestion to my report, as well."

A double chime from the captain's collar comm.

"Captain Galor.....I'll be right there. Apologies, but I'm needed on the bridge, we're transiting back to real space for a course correction. I'm sure you'll want to get back to the medical bay, Diktat. Send Major Masako my regards and well-wishes when he wakes up."

A smile, hiding a thought: If he wakes up....

Aralee departs for the bridge.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet wasn't sure why exactly she'd decided to ramble on about Freedon's various habits - except that it had amused her to see the Captain attempt to hold back the mounting horror over her words. Crossing her arms slightly Jet nods in a serious looking fashion and remains studying the star charts while Aralee leaves. It was just far to easy to torment Military types, especially non-force using ones. Taaru would have picked up on her purposeful goading quite some time ago. not that anything she'd told Aralee was untrue, on the contrary..but she did hope the women used some discretion in her report.

Thinking of Taaru - she hadn't heard anything from Erika and so had to assume that he was still receiving care. It was far beyond the time she ought to have been back in the Medlabs. "Lilith...I'll have Ice get you a copy of the necessary files, just in case we find a few more of his ships running about the Galaxy during our trip...and if you would alert me when Aralee has composed her report so I can add to it, I would be grateful" She told the ship's avatar, eyeing hte floating hair for a moment and wondering briefly why she choose to look like she was floating before giving her a slight nod and heading for the door.

Her trip back to the Med labs was hurried. "You can go back to sleep" She dismissed Erika once she arrived. "And thank you" She added almost as an after thought.

[The Thruvarans]

Jet arrives just in time to see Mikhail, dressed in self-sterilzing surgical scrubs, walking into the observation room and daintily stripping the steri-membrane off his hands before tossing it in a nearby incinerator unit.

"It's done," he announces, the sound of his voice weary, but betraying the optimism of success.

He awaits the inevitable questions.

[Jet Almeara]

Relieved that she hadn't missed the news Jet arched a brow at Mikhail and his lack of a detailed synopsis of Taaru's condition. He hadn't died..even in her lackluster force state Jet knew she would have felt that and Mikhail would have sounded far less positive. But surviving was not necessarily in itself good news - people could survive and never recover fully, especially with head injuries.

"and..." She prompted "His current condition? Recovery prognosis?Summary of his injuries..."

[The Thruvarans]

It wasn't that he favored any sort of dramatic pause before beginning an exposition. He didn't particularly care about keeping people guessing either. But what "Mischi" DID know that there was going to be about 3 solid minutes of everyone asking question and talking at once. This was a simple question of experience, and it was as true this time as it was all the rest...

Had he been able to HEAR Jet's initial response, he may have marveled at how calm and level-headed it seemed. Everyone else's reactions seemed pretty typical though: Miko, Konrad, Victor and Sofie (being the Thruvarans that personally knew Taaru beyond his military involvement and thus decided to attend this vigil) were making most of the noise.

Jorunn, consummate to her personality, was still sitting in one of the far corners with her back to the wall. She'd briefly glanced up as Mikhail had entered the observation room, with the sort of sinking look a medium-sized herbivore manages before it's sprayed across the grill of a hovertruck. But it seemed that Miko's non-chalance had told her everything she needed to know, and she leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling and breathe a sigh of relief. Eventually, she'd take up a vigil at Taaru's bedside, that is as soon as the medical staff would let her. But for now, there was no point in pointless dramatics, and so she drifted into that state of half-sleep, half-waking that comes inevitably to exhausted warriors.

Meanwhile, Mikhail held a hand up in placation, waiting for the hub-bub to die down before he continued.

"In short, he's stabilized but still unconscious, mostly due to the anesthesia and the bacta wash," he says, finally, before taking a breath to get the rest out: "The long of it is that he suffered a mild traumatic brain injury, two broken ribs and a bruised kidney. We performed a craniotomy to reduce intercranial swelling, treated the the immediate impact area with a neuro-stabilizer cocktail and bacta. It's too early to tell how severe the mental effects will be, but we'll be at their worse as soon as he wakes up. The stabilizer will take some time to stimulate repair and regrowth, and we'll be administering growth factors and glial scarring inhibitors for the next few days. At worst, he may lose some motor control in his left side. At best, he'll make a full recovery. The broken ribs and the kidney are trivial at this point....those should be mended by tomorrow with the localized bacta application."

"Any questions?" he asks finally.

[Jet Almeara]

Recalling various times back at the mansion when such announcements caused similar outbursts from those waiting Jt was willing to overlook the chaos for a moment rather then demand absolute - and if needed force enhanced silence - until she had the details she desired. But she was still to tired to effectively bother with such a effort when all her questions had been answered already. Or at least all of the important ones.

She was relieved to hear that they were optimistic, but she did not cheer with the others, merely considered Mikhail's words with a grim expression on her face. One that probably wouldn't leave until he was truly awake - but then none of the other's had had a peek into Taaru's inner turmoil. Brain injuries were funny things and Jet wouldn't rest easy for a while yet. She'd seen allot of people die or return as something other then what they had been despite medical optimism. "When do you expect him to regain consciousness? I believe there are some of us who would like to be there" Certainly by the look on Jorunns face she would and Miko as well perhaps. It went without saying that she intended to be present.

[The Thruvarans]

Miko is in the middle of shaking Victor's grateful hand when he responds to Jet....and everyone else in ear shot.

"The anesthesia will wear off in 2 hours or so, which would be the earliest. But chances are he'll be out for much longer than that, if my experience with similar cases is applicable. There's really no telling....It's up to him...."

He glances back in the direction of the surgery room.

He turns to the next of kin:

<<Jorunn? Ein Wort?>>

Jorunn, who seems more tired than relieved, has managed to get to her feet, and has been hovering around the small gaggle of concerned individuals. Now she peals off, as Mikhail has some quick words with her in their mutual tongue.

They finish, and Jorunn is unreadable.

Mikhail approaches Jet: "There's one last thing I'd like to discuss with you, Madame Diktat..."

[Jet Almeara]

It was pretty much the answer she had expected - but one couldn't be blamed for hoping some other news would be forthcoming - something akin to 'he'll be awake in a day' would have been nice, even if it was a pipe dream at best. She was however instantly suspicious of Mikhail and this discussion he desired to have and regarded him as such. The 'we need to talk' type discussions generally brought to her were rarely good and generally dissolved into fights,arguments or shambles in a matter of moments. Jet was far to tired to fight right now - verbally or otherwise and sighing slightly motioned for him to go ahead. "And what might that be?"

[The Thruvarans]

He gestures somewhat way from the main group, as amiable as possible, given the circumstances.

"I wanted to talk to you on behalf of the surgical staff, since you seem to be the on running this....what do you call it.....gaggle of Force users?"

He doesn't expect an answer, so continues despite one.

"We ask that you don't try, in any way, to resolve our mutual friend's condition with mysticism. I don't know who did it, and I don't really care, but that work someone did on his ribs wasn't very professional, and we ended up having to break and reset them anyway. Just leave it to the professionals, all right?"

[Jet Almeara]

Jet's eyes narrowed slightly at his so slightly veiled insult. Gaggle of force users? Mysticism?!? "if.." She told him in cold tone "I was not so tired after using 'Mysticism' to reach across space and drag our mutual friend out of a collapsing building...and kill the thing that attacked him in the first place this entire conversation would be moot" She continued "However..I have no abilities in the healing realm and o who ever fixed his ribs it was not I, I will make sure however that the next time one of you lay wounded in the field that those of us with such talents let them alone" It was words spoken mostly in anger - Jet would never truthfully leave someone wounded and dying if he could help it but she was tired...and worried and no longer in the mood to be diplomatic.

Rubbing her temple for a few seconds she sighed "I'm far to tired to argue with you right now over your view of force users and honestly I could care less on your opinion of them. just...keep Taaru alive and see him through this. I do not want to loose another friend." her voice no longer the cold and angry tone but one weary and worried.

[The Thruvarans]

He didn't know what she was going on about "reaching through time and space" but he dismissed it as so much witchcraft. He didn't really care about the details.....while some promising research had been made into the bio-genetic basis for force abilities in the galaxy's millions of species, there was as of yet no consensus. Analysis techniques had only recently gotten to the point where this could become valid research.

But to Mikhail, it was still a realm of drakes and superstition, and so it was something to be dismissed as inexact and dangerous. It wasn't something personal.....it was a conservative scientific conclusion.

"I'm not arguing, I'm telling you, as a medical professional, that digging around someone's insides with voodoo and without any medical training is dangerous. I've seen this before....plenty of people healed by force users on the battlefield, only to die of complications on the surgery table later."

"Look," he says, hands out placatingly, "I don't want to pick a fight. Your concern is my concern....him," he points back at the surgery ward.

[Avery Heartshorn]

Avery had been in her room for a long time. (SHUT UP, I'M TIRED AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THIS BACK ON TRACK.) Eventually though, the same words in books, the same pictures on diagrams- they were all wearing thin and driving her to the point of madness. She lounged in her bed, a book open and laying across her chest with a hand perched on top. The other hand was busy pinching the bridge of her nose right between her eyes.

"Damn stress headaches..."

But she knew a few remedies that could definitely relieve some stress. A smile crept over her lips and she laughed to herself, a throaty chuckle that spilled out from her lungs to the open air.

She pressed 2 fingers from either hand against her temples as she forced her eyes as shut as they could be. She tried sending dirty thoughts to Miko- thoughts of whiskey and sexual acts. Pausing for a moment, she opened those grey eyes and shot them to the door, half expecting Miko to come in, kicking the door down in his wake. But clearly- the force was not with this one.

She rolled over off the bed as she casually tossed the book in a corner where a pile of similar items had already been collecting. She tugged on a pair of her boots, hopping to the door as she stuffed her pant-legs inside them. She knocked on doors as she exited, asking around for Miko. The encounters seemed to come with a sense of timidness, it was if they weren't telling her something. She squinted a bit, the confusion setting in until she finally reached where everyone seemed to be gathering.

Avery arrived just as the surgeons began to explain Taaru's trama. Leaning against the entrance, she examined everyone's reactions. Miko's indifference, Jaruun's tired expression...

She exhaled softly as she spun on her heels, stepping back away and around the wall- out of sight. Her hands rested behind her back, pressing against the cold wall as her eyes flicked down to the floor.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet crossed her arms she might have told the man just how many times such healing had saved her on the field, might have explained how the process worked, how it was not 'blindly mucking about' and might have given him an example of just how precise something done through the force could be...but snapping the bones of the guy who was looking after Taaru was not a good plan, even if her knee jerk reaction was telling her to do so.

His words were frighteningly similar to the sentiments being expressed in the Alliance and throughout the rest of the galaxy at the moment, but how do you explain colour to the blind? It was nearly an impossible task - he was ignorant and while ignorance was not an excuse it was certainly a reason for such words and she excuse them though it was hard to rein in the temper that wished to snap back. "You are one of Taaru's friends and you care about him, I'm willing to take your advice under advisement and even pass it along in lieu of this common ground, but I would be careful in the future just how you go about telling force users that their abilities are mysticism and voodoo. It's insulting, It would be like someone telling you that your a butcher, your methods primitive and archaic." She told him "And..I have seen plenty of so called medical professionals who are just that. I am confident you are not - or I would be demanding someone else treat him. I do hope he wakes in good time however - the place he is trapped in is not a good one" But again it would be pointless to elaborate further, doubtless he would chalk up her comments as more voodoo and dismiss them. Jet found herself wishing for Steps and not for the first time since the petite doctor had gone so many years ago. Steps would have understood.