Bankor

“One of the first things to suffer in any war is medical aid, especially for non-combatant collateral.” Running a hand through his curls, Cole crossed his arms over his uniformed chest, there was a single ribbon on the breast. “I have expertise and supplies, but there always seems to be someone who disagrees with charity.”

"Sounds like a just cause." he nodded. "I'm in."

“Good to know, I’ll give you my comm information,” Cole unfolded his arms and slipped his datapad out of a pocket. “Until we control the area, it may be dangerous getting around. I can patch you up, but you should know what you’re signing on for.” He activated the device and, when the screen came on, it was displaying an image of Cole and the actress Jin Vaya. Vaya was wearing a Republic Military cap at a jaunty angle, mugging for the camera.

Nodding, Galen pulled out his own. An image of a young pink twi'lek was visible. "Trading contact information is a good idea, regardless."

Tapping the screen, Cole quickly pushed his contact details to the other man’s device. “Tell me about you, Galen. I feel like I should know something about a man before I ask him to risk his skin.”

"What would you like to know?" he asked. "I assume you don't want my life story, but my day to day isn't that exciting."

Looking the man up and down with a critical eye, “what’s your specialty? trapping, tracking, shooting large game from the back of airborne vehicles? What kind of training do you have? What kind of weapons do you use? You know, the kind of information that might help me decide how to go about my goals.” His questions came rapid-fire, impatiently, the doctor looking incredibly tired.

"I prefer to hunt on the ground." he answered. "That's how I was taught. I track and trap. I'm also good with a blaster rifle. It depends on what I'm hunting and what for. Live captures require different preparations than kills."

"Beyond all of that." he added quietly. "I do have other abilities. I can sense nearby people and creatures and even get an impression of their mental state. I can influence that as well, but I don't care for it."

Cole narrowed his eyes, adjusting the spectacles on the bridge of his nose with his index finger. The man's comment reminded him of a young togruta with no medical training and a father figure infinite times worse than his own. "Sounds good. I don't expect the same kind of trouble here as I had on Nar Shaddaa, but I guess I've gotten used to having a ally at my back."

"I've grown used to being a part of a crew. It will be nice to work beside someone." he nodded. "I trust you doctor, you made Aphr laugh."

Cole turned to look out at the expanse beyond the the vessel and sighed. Aphr... he cast his mind back two years. Nar Shaddaa had been a parade of new names and faces, a lot of them he only met once or twice. The name wasn't ringing any immediate bells.

He held up the image of the pink twi'lek. "The last time you and I met, you were throwing her in the pool. We had had a rough few days, but you made her laugh."

Cole looked at the image. recognition flooded through him, a lopsided smile blooming on his lips. His eyes became distant and he ran a hand through his curls, remember how she'd washed his hair for him, flicking water at him, giggling like the young girl she was and wriggling when he'd playfully grabbed her. He remembered how she'd kicked when he picked her up, how he'd pulled her into the pool when she tried to push him in.

The smile melted away, and the man looked weary again. He was pale and his cheeks were hollow.

Galen put the datapad away, seeming a little somber himself for a moment. "Tell me about yourself, Doctor. Have you served in a situation like this before?"

"Not precisely like this," he answered. "There's a lot worlds on the Outer Rim that had been contested up until the peace talks. I've been out that way, dropping onto planets that aren't blockaded any longer with my team." Cole ran his hand through his curls, "those worlds weren't active, but they weren't exactly demilitarised either."

He nodded. "And, how are you with a blaster? Or, are you adverse to such things?"

Cole looked at his hands before running one of them through his hair, “not adverse, per se, but the last one I picked one up was two years ago at my last fitness assessment.” His pale grey eyes are wary, “I’m in the business of patching holes in people, not putting them there.”

"Good to know." he nodded. "Gives me some idea of what to expect if something happens."

Cole lifted his chin, it was a fair thing for the man to ask, and Cole let his guard drop slightly, the wariness fading. “Were you close to Aphr? I didn’t get much of a chance to know her.” He wondered, idly, what had become of the twi’lek who’d been confident and excited to start the next chapter of her life.

"We're like family." he smiled. "We were both kind of lost when we met, and we were always there for each other. But, we had to find ourselves separately."

Cole grunted, Nar Shaddaa had had no shortage of big brothers eager to adopt the girl. He’d found his own little sister, not that he’d ever admit that to Ashla.

Navi had returned to Galen's shoulder, staring at Cole curiously.

"Do you know anything about Bankor?"

Cole adjusted his spectacles, "nothing beyond what's in the standard debrief, you?"

"No." he shook his head. "But, I'm hoping the conflict hasn't torn up too much of the natural terrain. It sounds beautiful."

"Huh," the doctor sounds sceptical at the comment.