Star Wars: Tears of Fire (Book II)

Part 2: Chapter 9 - Friend or Foe

"I don't care who he is. I want to know where he came from and how he got here!"

"It will be some time before we find out anything. It's safe to say he didn't fare too well, that's for certain. Even so, he got further than any previously have. He succeeded in wounding the beast. There are already rumors going around that he is the prophesied. The one spoken of long ago."

"Then let them stay as rumors until we find out more, Tagi. How is he?"

"His wound is looking better but the infection is still present. It'll be some time before..."

Suddenly awakening with a start, Jolis' awareness seemed to explode with sensory overload all at once. Unsure of his current location, Jolis felt a dark cloth of some sort over his eyes along with the sensation of several people standing in close proximity to him.

"Wait...he's awake!"

Right away, Jolis could sense that something was off. An incredible pain surged within him; undoubtedly caused by the large beast he'd previously fought which had severely wounded him. The infection seemed to be all over his body which created a burning sensation in nearly all of his muscles. He tried to look inward but the Force he'd once called upon seemed muted and distant.

Additionally, he had the sensation of numerous insectoids crawling about his wounded leg. Suddenly feeling someone pressing two fingers onto his neck, a voice replied, "His pulse is racing. This is too soon. He's not ready."

Jolis then heard a voice which sounded as if it was very close to his left ear.

"Listen to me, young one," the voice insisted. "You are safe but you must calm down."

Reaching up to remove the cloth from his eyes, Jolis felt restraints on his arms which greatly restricted his movement. The idea of being blinded and restrained in an unknown location surrounded by strangers while still feeling the poison of the beast within him nearly sent him over the edge.

Jolis could feel his breathing rapidly increase. In doing so, his heart felt as if it were about to burst out of his chest.

"We're going to lose him!"

"Tagi, you must sedate him."

"No! It's too dangerous. If I sedate him again, he may never wake up."

"And if you don't, his heart will give out. Do it!"

Hearing a brief pause followed by the rapid sloshing of several liquids, Jolis then recalled feeling another cloth upon him, this one covering his mouth. The cloth was wet and had a pungent odor to it but just as soon as Jolis breathed it in, he felt his consciousness give way as his heart and mind slowed and the voices he heard turned into a distant echo.

"That was close. We almost lost him."

"There's no promise I can make to you that he will survive. He's in bad shape."

"Keep him alive, Tagi. The Elder will want to see him as soon as he's able."

"Understood. What will you do?"

"I will stay with him. I have many questions for him when he awakens."

* * *

A harsh and bitter scent in the air slowly pulled Jolis back to consciousness. As moments passed, more senses began awakening as he gradually moved the tips of his fingers.

The sensation of solid rock under his fingertips was the evidence Jolis needed to explain the dull pain he felt in his back. Unsure of how much time had passed, Jolis had a realization that he'd been laying in this one spot for some time now.