(no subject)

[imthepilot]

The medical team moved Bodhi into the room opposite Galen two days later. Still groggy from painkillers, Bodhi sprawls naked across the weirdly wide bed. Officer's quarters. Much bigger beds that the barracks.

Made Bodhi wonder if they were lonelier too.

Strange things like that occur to him at strange times. Probably something to do with the drugs.

At least his back didn't hurt so much any more. And he only needed the oxy if he moved around too much.

But he was here, so near to Galen. And Galen would come see him soon enough. In the mean time, maybe some more sleep was a good idea.

Comments

[galen_erso]

"Is there a way to ask him and explain things to him?" Galen asks.

Bodhi looks well out of it.

"What are the known risks?"

There are always unknown risks with anything in its experimental stage, but that goes without saying, for a scientist.

[imthepilot]

She gives him a withering look. "Of course I'll be talking him through it and getting his consent. I won't start till he's fully aware of all the possible outcomes. I'd experiment on people without their consent." She cocks her head in a particularly nasty smile. "I'm not that kind of Imperial scientist."

"The positive pressure chamber will just get the oxy into him a little cleaner. It should revive him enough to talk it through."

She nods towards the door as the medic droid brings in an anti-grav gurney. "If you're worried, come down to the med-bay with us and we can talk it through."

[galen_erso]

"Yes, I will," Galen says, placatingly. "I simply meant the eventuality that you can't wake him enough to talk the treatment through. But if you can, thanks to the pressure chamber, it's much better, of course."

[imthepilot]

"Let's get him onto the chamber first." She and the droid lift Bodhi onto the gurney, draping his back with a silver cloth to protect his burns during transport.

She moves him carefully towards the Medbay, the gurney floating along smoothly. "The treatment involves using ultrasonics to release bacta into his lungs, kick-starting the healing process."

"The critical issue is managing the size of the aerosol droplets. Too large and they won't be absorbed into his lung tissue. If that happens, your pilot ends up with pneumonia. Which can be treated but will be painful. And it will set his recovery back by weeks."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods. "It would send him stir-crazy, especially if he can't see any improvement," he nods. "And he'll try too much, too soon."

As he had now. Even if the memory of those few moments of closeness and touch makes Galen's cheeks and ears warm up at the very thought, fortifying him against any cold dread that might follow.

[imthepilot]

"But if it works, he's out of the tank and breathing normally day after tomorrow."

The jury-rigged positive pressure chamber is not exactly the most elegant thing in the world. It's more or less a plexiglass coffin half full of water with some hoses attached. But as Bodhi's breathing gets worse, there's isn't time to waste on pretty. "Let's go him in and get the chamber gassed but." The medic calls to her team. "The sooner he's in, the sooner he's stable."

They manhandle Bodhi into the tank, floating him on the water which seems to hold him up just enough to protect his back.

"Seal it up and lock it down. Get that O₂ pumping." She turns to Galen. "Went he wakes up, he may panic and I'd rather not sedate him again. I need you where he can see you. You need to keep him calm."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods. And nods, and nods again. He likes her attitude.

And is cetrtain Bodhi will want the treatment.

"I will be here," he says, standing where Bodhi will immediately see him when he opens his eyes.

[imthepilot]

"There's a pick up in the chamber, he'll be able to hear you." She assures.

It doesn't take more than a couple of minutes before Bodhi's eyes are fluttering open. He gulps air in a rush of panic, bracing his hands on the lid of the tank. The motion pushes him down, his back touching the plexiglas and causing him to cry out in pain.

[galen_erso]

"Bodhi," Galen says, gently. "Bodhi. I am here, and you are safe. Look at me."

[imthepilot]

"Galen?" Bodhi turns to look at him, eyes wide and panicked. "What happened? Why am I in here?"

The medic nods to Galen, encouraging him to keep Bodhi talking as she adjusts the O2 levels, monitoring Bodhi's CO2 output.

[galen_erso]

"You got worse over night, and when you were really poorly this morning, I called the medics," Galen explains. "How do you feel now?"

[imthepilot]

"Like an attraction in a travelling menagerie." Bodhi reaches up to push his wet hair back from his face. "But otherwise I'm okay."

"Pilot Rook," the medic greets him, not unkindly. "You've got an infection to the lining of your throat. The infection has been interfering with the way your body has been taking in oxy. The chamber will help with that but it's not a long term solution. I want to talk to you about some treatment options."

She pulls up a chair next to the chamber, explaining the treatment she had explained to Galen.

As she talks Bodhi keeps one hand pressed to the plexi nearest Galen, as if steadying himself.

[galen_erso]

At the quip, Galen barks a laugh, relief making him more amused than the actual words deserve.

Casually, he puts his hand on the plexi, listening to what Bodhi and the medic have to say.

[imthepilot]

He listens seriously, taking in everything she says and weighing up his options. He glances to Galen, biting his lip. He wants to do this for the right reasons, as well as being back in Galen's arms sooner.

He clears his throat, wincing a little. "I'd like to try the treatment, ma'am. I understand the risks and I trust your professional judgement."

"Alright them." She nods, clearly pleased. "It'll take us a couple of hours to get everything set up. I think it's best to just rest and let the chamber do it's thing." She smiles. "I'll put a curtain up so you don't feel so much like a squid bowl. We can pipe you in some music or set you up a holoplayer if you like."

"Thank you, ma'am. But it's alright, I'd like to sleep some more." That way Galen might get some work done without worrying about him.

[galen_erso]

"I would like to come back when you start the treatment," Galen says. "Could you just call me on the comm when you are ready to go?"

[imthepilot]

Bodhi gives him a deeply grateful look.

"Alright." The medic nods. "Rook, I'm going to pump a sedative in with you. It'll give you a few clean hours of sleep. Just give me a minute to get set up." Incidentally given them a minute to talk privately.

"Galen." Bodhi whispers. "You should get back to work. I'm sure there's a lot to do. I don't... I don't want you to be missed."

[galen_erso]

"We are still running in emergency mode, and all resource intensive experiments are halted," Galen says. "That said, I will go see to things and get all the admin out of the way and listen to people. I'll come back when you are done sleeping."

They are unobserved, so he dares smile into Bodhi's eyes, assuring him of love and loyalty.

[imthepilot]

"Thank you. I don't know I could do this on my own." He presses his hand to the plexi again. His lips form the words he dare not say aloud. I love you.

[galen_erso]

Galen echoes the words, just as silently.

"I am here for you," he says. "You heard the lady. You're my pilot now."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi smiles that sad, sweet smile. "Your pilot."

The medic makes a point of walking heavily so they hear her. "Aright, Rook. Time to sleep. When you wake up, we'll start the procedure."

She adds the gas to his mix. "Count backwards from ten." Bodhi's out before he reaches six.

The medic watches him drift off, monitoring his bios. "Chief Erso, I'd like a word with you in my office before you go."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods silently, and follows her to her office.

[imthepilot]

She leans against her desk, arms crossed. "How long have you and that young man been in a relationship?" He asks without preamble.

[galen_erso]

"Since his last visit here," Galen says, deciding to trust her. "Why?"

[imthepilot]

She nods. "Good. I'm glad you didn't try to lie to me about this. You know I could your lives a living hell? I'm not going to. I just need to remind you that anyone who knew could."

She taps her foot. "Rook is technically imperial fleet, which means he's not in your direct chain of command. As such I have no legal requirement to report you." She tilts her. "And I don't believe you're taking advantage of him. But under any sign that you are-" the threat lingers in the air between them.

[galen_erso]

"As I'm not his direct superior, it's not illegal, just rather inadvisable," Galen says. "Because of what you say, yes."

Pause.

"Thank you. For everything. And it seems love isn't always advisable. We will keep as quiet as possible about it, as we don't need anybody on our case about it. It would be worse for him than me."

Apart from the part where Galen would give the Empire a whole new hostage for his continued cooperation, and that would make things hell for them both.