Bankor

Feeling somewhat better situated in his own mind, Cole had returned to the medbay and helped the ensigns clearing away the debris and scrubbing away the blood and blaster burns that marred the the gleaming white and chrome facility. The Mandalorian's had taken their toll, chipping away at the crew and leaving almost no one untouched in their wake.

Between righting fallen equipment and throwing away broken implements, he tended to the wounded.

Layne still wasn't feeling too great after yesterday. And oh yes, there were some Mandalorian blaster marks here and there now. Still, there were people with worse injuries who needed help more, so Layne lingered on the sidelines, patiently waiting until triage doctrine deemed it feasible to give her some medical attention.


(11/17 health, plus still 2 criticals)

Cole had been distracted when Layne came in, running his hand through his hair and crossing to her when he spotted the Jedi. He tended to her quietly, concentrating on the work. When he was done, "did you want some kaff?" he produced his hip flask, "something else?"


---
D12 ME: Crit-Layne; Medicine, Easy, Mini-Med, Physician's Kit: 2eP+3eA+2eB+1eD 3 successes, 5 advantage

+1 Success Mini-Med, +1 Advantage Physician's Kit
Lowest Crit removed.

D12 ME: Heal-Layne; Medicine, Average, Master Doctor, Mini-Med, Physician's Kit: 2eP+3eA+2eB+1eD 5 successes, 2 advantage

+1 Success Mini-Med, +1 Advantage Physician's Kit
10 Wounds, 3 Strain healed.
Cole takes 2 Strain.

"I can use some," she said, taking an offered cup. "But you probably need it more."

Cole pulled a stool over and sat next to the young woman, he tipped a generous tot of whiskey into his kaff and offered the same to her. "Layne, this might seem like an odd question, but, if it's not prying, why did you leave the Empire?"

She looked at him, wondering where that question came from. Then thought about the question itself for a moment.

"The immediate reason? I fought my scumbag of a master, and he thought he killed me in the process. Afterwards, he used me as propaganda, calling me a terrorist and cutting off my options. I had nowhere else to go."

She sighed.

"But I had been wanting to leave for a lot longer than that. The Empire is a seriously messed up place. Slavery is everywhere. Mindless obedience to authority is demanded of everyone who isn't a Sith, and those that don't fall in line or who dare ask questions end up disappearing. There is no place for mercy in the Empire. And the Sith themselves constantly fight among each other, caring only about their own individual power. And there's often a lot of collateral damage."

There was a pause, as she stared at the cup in her hands.

"And I didn't want to have to keep murdering people just to not get murdered myself."

Cole nodded solemnly as Layne spoke, his expression grim. “Do you believe that, in time, the Empire can change? Perhaps not in our lifetimes, but one day?”

"No," she said with rather absolute certainty. "Not so long as the Sith remain."

Cole smiled wryly at the definitive answer. “Thank you,” he ran a hand through his hair and took a deep drink from his mug.

"There a reason you're only asking this now?"

“I suppose it’s been in the back of my mind,” he admitted, “I don’t like to pry where it’s none of my business.”

"I don't keep many secrets any more. Not since leaving the Sith anyway."

Cole nodded and ran a hand through his hair, “it didn’t seem like a handshake question. Hello, it’s been a while, hope you’re well, and by the way,” he said, half shrugging.