(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

[imthepilot]

The medic chimes him much later that afternoon, letting him know to join them if he can. And if not, to let her know so she can go on without him.

[galen_erso]

Of course Galen can -- he is in the med station as soon as technically feasible.

[imthepilot]

"Welcome back, chief." She greets, moving from one read out to another. "Everything is looking positive so far. We've had zero rejection and his O2/CO2 balances have been good. I'm ready to bring him up."

"What I need you to do is talk to him. Tell him something new, something he doesn't already know. Your favourite food, your first pet. Tell him a story. The next time we wake him, we'll test how well he's retained that information. The privacy shields will be on and nothing will be recorded but his bios."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods and stands eight where Bodhi can see him, a hand on the plexi of the tank.

He is ready.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi comes up slowly, thankfully without panic this time. He presses a hand on the plexi, his eyes hazy but warm over the edge of the mask. He gives Galen a thumbs up sign and glances over to the medic.

"Everything feeling okay? No pain in your chest?" Bodhi reaches for the data pad, the words displayed in the chamber screen as he types.

All good. Felling groggy but okay.

"Glad to hear it. Everything is looking good here too but this is only the first stretch. Now, Chief Erso is going to talk to you a while then we'll put you back under. I want you to focus in remembering what he tells you."

She nods to Galen to go on.

[galen_erso]

"You have seen the drawings from my daughter, Jyn, in my room," Galen begins. "The oldest one just looks like a brown blob with short legs, remember? That's supposed to be an Ewok. We saw a real live one at a spaceport shippimg out to a job I got after my first big research project had gone south. She was so excited to see the Ewok, and it was hard for us to keep her from runnimg right up to him. She kept babbling about the encounter, and drew Ewoks for quite a while. They all looked like that, more or less"

[imthepilot]

Bodhi's eyes smile over the mask, glad to hear Galen talk of happier times. He gestures for Galen to go on.

[galen_erso]

"I got her an Ewok doll from the core worlds for her birthday, and she loved it. It was important to her that it was a doll, not a stuffed animal. Dolls are toy people, she said."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods slightly and reaches for the datapad. What's an Ewok?

[galen_erso]

"A small furry people from a moon named Endor," Galen says. "They live simple lives and hardly ever leave there, so to see one going about their business in a space port is rare."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods. He'd never encounter an Ewok. And and less and less alien races since joining the Empire. Xenophobia was a somewhat entrenched attitude. Galen was right to teach his daughter to think of the Ewoks as them rather than it.

"Couple more minutes and I'm putting you back under." The medic called.

Bodhi taps the datapad. Thank you for telling me. I want to know all about her. All about you.

[galen_erso]

"We will have a lot of time to talk once you are out of there, and we can share our past," Galen promises, his hand still on the plexi next to Bodhi's.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods, hand pressed against the same spot. Love you

[galen_erso]

"As I love you," Galen whispers into the tank's mic.

[imthepilot]

The words threaten to bring tears to Bodhi's eyes. Because Galen means it. Really means it.

The medic touches Galen's shoulder. "It's time. Go back to sleep now, Rook. I'll make sure he's here when you wake up again."

Bodhi nods and presses his hand flat on the plexi for a moment longer, his chest moving as he gives in to the sedative being pumped in with him.

[galen_erso]

"Bodhi", Galen whispers.

[imthepilot]

"It's working." The medic assures softly. "Already we're seeing considerable improvement in his breathing."

[galen_erso]

Galen wants to say something clever, but only manages a very happy smile.

[imthepilot]

"Sap." She teases, smacking his shoulder lightly. "But you're helping. A lot. And I'm grateful for that. I wish all the injured had someone looking out for them like that."

[galen_erso]

"There has been far too little affection and far too much bravado lately," Galen nods, summing up the Empire.

[imthepilot]

"No truer word." She nods, pouring him a mug of caf. "I take it this affection has come as a surprise to both of you?"

[galen_erso]

Galen takes the car, grateful.

"Utter thundering smack-over-the-head type of surprise," Galen says.

It changes so much. Everything, really.

[imthepilot]

She cocks her head. "If you don't mind me saying, neither of you strike me as the sorts who are very good at this sort of thing."

[galen_erso]

Galen shakes his head. "No, not really," he says. "But we're sure of it; there is less awkwardness than I would have suspected. I remembered well enough what love feels like."

[imthepilot]

"Confirmed sap." She grins into her drink. "Just keep yourselves on the down-low. I'll do what I can to give you cover."

She shrugs. "I was the same once. And regulations screwed me over. Don't let it happen to you."