Chapter 47 - Sometimes friends can't even help

Ash awoke in a room that was made only of windows. She was lying on a bed. Her bandages where still soaked with blood and she was really dizzy. The room she was in was about twice as small as her room at the Temple. Echo was lying on a separate bed next to hers. Her vision was foggy and it took her only a few seconds to realize where they were. Outside there were medical droids and other doctors surrounding the room, but mostly droids. She looked around and saw Kiro and Xiang talking to a couple of droids. Ash literally jumped out of her bed and ran to the window wall. She banged on it as hard as she could to get their attention. Kiro noticed first and ran over to her. His eyes were red from the lack of sleep and he looked extremely tired.
“What’s going on?” she yelled.
His mouth moved, but she didn’t hear anything. They must be in a sound proof room. She felt like a monster in here; trapped and scared.
Ash put her hand up to the window. Kiro put his to overtop hers. For a split second she felt alive again and that she was actually touching him. But that didn’t last long. She then realized that there was inch glass separating her from him.
He kept his hand on hers but he yelled something over to a droid. The droid walked away and clicked a few buttons on a computer. A few seconds later, Kiro’s voice came over the intercom as it clicked to life inside the room.
“Can you hear me Ash?” he said.
“Yes! You have no idea how happy I’m am to hear you!”
“Good, you’ve been out for about 2 days. We have just about every medical droid we could get out hands on working to find a cure. So far we haven’t found anything. Most of the healers and medical experts are out in the fields helping the Clone troopers.”
“That’s fine. They are where they’re needed. I can’t stop that,” Ash replied.
“I know…you’re strong Ash. I know you won’t give up easily,” Kiro replied.
Behind her she heard Echo starting to wake up. She looked and saw her sitting up rubbing her eyes.
“Xiang! Get your fat butt over here! Echo’s awake!” Kiro said. This caught Xiang’s attention and he came running over.
“You should really be nicer to him,” Ash said.
“I can’t help myself,” he said, giving her his crooked smile.
Echo woke up behind her and came running over the wall. She put both her hands on the window and waited for Xiang to get closer. When he got there he put both his hands up against hers.
“I’m so sorry Echo,” he said slowly.
“It’s okay…really. I know you’re trying,” she said.
“Apparently I’m not trying hard enough,” Xiang said.
“Hey! Chin up mister!” Echo said jokingly. Then her face got serious and she looked straight at Xiang. “Don’t worry…I will not die…I’ll wait for you. I’m alive as long as you’re near me.”
Her words almost brought tears to Ash’s eyes. Ash didn’t know her sister could be so touching.
“Hey guys…can you turn off the comm channel. I want a little alone time with my sister,” Ash said.
“You’ll never be alone as long as I’m alive,” Kiro said. “But I guess we can give you some privacy for a little bit,” he said, giving her another crooked smile. He walked away with Xiang and went back to talking to the medical droids. When the comm channel clicked off, she looked over to Echo.
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“Wait…we must have patience,” Echo said. It was something Ash had expected her to say.
“Echo…listen to me VERY CLOSELY! We don’t have time to wait! We’re dying a little bit each second!” Ash almost yelled at her. She hated waiting.
“If we aren’t patient then we will make bad decisions. One mistake could cost us our lives…we have to take the time to think everything out,” Echo said. She spoke calmly. Ash wished she had Echo’s patience, but she didn’t and never would. Echo spoke words of wisdom like a Jedi Master.
“You’re right…we have to come up with something before our minds turn to huttslime,” Ash replied.
“Don’t think I’m trying to avoid you….but I’m going to try mediating. It really helps me concentrate. Maybe I’ll be able to come up with something then,” Echo said.
“No problem,” Ash replied. “I’ll just sit here all by myself and do nothing.”
She smiled and her sister went back to her bed, sat up straight, and closed her eyes.
Ash sat on the floor. She wished she had her lightsaber with her, but the medical droids had taken it away. Staring into the bright colors of her lightsabers always helped her think. So instead she looked into the bright red of her oozing blood. To her surprise it made her fell very nauseous or maybe it was just the fungus growing inside her.
The thought made her shudder. To think that something inside her was slowly eating her away made her want to die right now and spare the pain, but she knew if she waited she would come up with something to help them.
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Juno, Kali, Hiro, and Sakura come running into the room. She stood up and stood near the wall. She heard the comm channel click on and her friends rushed over.
“You look terrible!” Kali said.
Ash laughed. “Thanks.”
“We just heard you were awake,” Juno said. “We’re all so sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. Danger just tends to follow us,” Ash said.
Hiro pointed over to Echo.
“What’s she doing?” Hiro asked.
“Meditating. She claims it helps her concentrate more.”
“That’s so like Echo,” Hiro replied. “Always trying to find a solution to everybody’s problems, but this time it’s her problem she needs to fix.”
“We’ll find a way guys. We’ll survive…don’t worry.”
“That’s kinda hard to do,” Sakura said. “Who’s going to be my battling partner? No else is tough enough for me.”
“Hey!” Juno, Kali, and Hiro said at the same time.
Ash smiled.
Suddenly, a shooting pain went up her leg.
“OOWWW!” she yelled grabbing her leg.
“What is it?” Juno asked.
“My leg…it’s killing me…literally,” Ash said. As she talked the pain became more intense, until she finally couldn’t feel her leg at all. She dropped to the ground and looked at her friends.
“What’s happening?” Kali asked.
“My leg…I can’t feel it,” Ash said rubbing her leg.

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