Fifteen year old Jedi Padawan Seamus Junaid made his way out to the central living area of the apartment he shared with his Master. His usually vibrant blue eyes betrayed his weariness. Seeing that his Master had yet to rise, he continued on to the kitchen and began to prepare their breakfast. He opened the refrigeration unit and surveyed its contents. A carton of milk and some leftovers that seemed to be migrating out of their container, which he decided he shouldn’t get too close to. He took out the milk and had just started sniffing it when he heard grunts and groans mingled with muttered curses, from the other room. He looked up to see his Master, a Knight in his late twenties, doubled over in pain holding the small of his back. “What’s the matter, Master?” Seamus asked, ignoring his Master’s bad case of bed hair. It was unlikely his was any better. The young Knight made an effort to meet his concerned gaze. Vala winced in pain as he straightened up. “I think I’ve done my back out again,” he said. This latest injury was the result of an ill-conceived plan to dive from a balcony into a hotel pool. The teenager simply stared at the Knight for a moment, wondering what to do. His Master made up his mind for him when he said, “As much as I hate to admit it, I think I need to go to the infirmary.” Immediately Seamus set about getting his master his robe. Vala might not care what he wore down to the infirmary, something he had demonstrated on many occasions, but some of the other Jedi would, if the last few times were any indication. Seamus also quickly put on an overtunic, covering his previously bare chest. He met his Master back in the main room and despite his protests and claims that he could do it himself, Seamus helped his Master as they left their quarters and made their way, slowly but surely, to the infirmary. On the way there they received several curious glances due to the time of day they had risen and their disheveled state. At one point, Seamus was concerned that his Master was going to yell at some of those staring, but Vala merely settled for glaring at them, challenging them to comment. They soon arrived at the infirmary and Seamus settled his Master on one of the beds before going off in search of a healer. Vala became increasingly agitated when one wasn’t forthcoming, but he remained seated until Seamus returned. It was not like he had much of a choice. Seamus soon came across Padawan An-Paj, a young man a few years older than he was. The healer’s antennae perked up slightly and swiveled to point at Seamus. The blue healer turned around with mask of professionalism, which he had recently mastered, on his face. “Seamus, has your Master hurt his back again?” An-Paj asked. Seamus had noticed that An-Paj had a strange talent for knowing exactly what the problem was. After seeing Seamus nod, An-Paj looked around for his own Master, but the majority of the healers were busy with treating the victims of a Wemu outbreak. He concluded that he was the only one available and took a deep breath before turning back to Seamus with a reassuring smile. Seamus led him back to the ward where he had left his Master. An-Paj quickly diagnosed the chronic injury, but had little to offer other than mild pain relief. Vala had been in and out of the infirmary many times with the same sort of injury and nothing had helped. An-Paj considered his options and soon came to a conclusion. “My Master has often mentioned a specialist practice outside the temple that deals with chiropractic complaints. I think the best thing I can do for you is make an appointment.” Vala simply nodded, clenching his teeth as a new wave of pain shot through his back. An-Paj disappeared back into the Healer’s offices, returning a few moments later with a small piece of flimsy. He handed it over to Seamus who quickly skimmed over the neatly written address. “Thank you, Padawan An-Paj,” Vala gasped. “If you have any more problems or questions, feel free to come back,” the young healer apprentice said. “Uh, yeah,” Vala replied. Seamus knew it would more likely be a question of feeling pain that would bring his master back. With that, An-Paj hurried back to see if anyone else needed assistance. The streets of Coruscant were busy, as they usually were at the middle of the day. The crowds parted, noting Vala and Seamus’ Jedi clothing, and allowed them to pass easily, most of the time. Seamus was still heavily supporting his Master, trying to hurry, but not so much as to increase his Master’s discomfort. “I think this is it,” Seamus said as they came to a halt outside a tall, somewhat run down looking building with mottled paint work and chipped permacrete stairs. “Are you sure?” Vala asked, looking doubtful. Seamus looked down at the flimsy grasped in his free hand and compared the addresses. “Yes, Master.” The both looked up, searching for any indication of what floor the office was on. A simple sign advertised their destination, looking somewhat out of place compared to the garish neon lights. They then walked inside and searched for a lift. After a few frustrating moments they found one, and Seamus pressed the button. The lift door’s opened with an unsettling grinding noise and the two Jedi shared a look before stepping inside. They waited as the antiquated carriage rose through the equally aged building. When the lift halted on their desired floor and the doors opened, Seamus peeked his head out, looking both left and right and after seeing an arrow with the word “Chiropractor” below it, Seamus motioned for his Master to follow. They followed the arrows to their destination and eventually came across the entrance. They opened the door and walked inside but found no one at the reception, and so they waited. As the seconds ticked by, Vala started to get annoyed and dinged the bell for service rather forcefully. To Vala’s horror, a woman came out wearing a silky negligée, and forgetting his abused spine, Vala straightened like he’d been burned. Seamus’ eyes grew wide before he quickly averted his gaze to the floor. “Here for a lunch time quickie?” she asked in a sultry voice. She smiled at Vala with something akin to approval before sliding her gaze down to the young man at his side who was staring rather intently at the floor. “He’s a bit young, isn’t he? But not a bother, we do all kinds here. So what can we do for you two gentlemen today?” Vala coughed before saying, “Excuse me?” “No need to be shy, so do you just want a romp during your lunch break, or something more…substantial?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Vala said, “Uh…no, I think we’re in the wrong place.” “Really?” she purred, sidling a little closer to him. “We’re looking for the chiropractor,” Vala said. He straightened his stance, trying his best to approximate a stern Jedi Masterly pose. The woman laughed self-consciously before shaking her head and taking a step back. She gestured to the door and said that the next office down was where they were after. “And if they can't help you there, come back and let me give you a massage!” “Uh, thank you, ma’am,” Vala said. He took a few steps towards the door before realising that Seamus wasn’t following. “Padawan, you can look up now.” Seamus did look up, but only enough to see his way over to his Master. Vala kept his hands tucked into the folds of his robe, maintaining what he thought was a stoic Jedi facade. As they closed the door behind them and began walking to the next office, Vala suddenly paused and took a deep breath. He ran a hand through his hair and began to chuckle. “Padawan, can we just keep this to ourselves?” “You don’t think it’s a good idea to let the Council know we went to a brothel, even though nothing happened?” “Well, no, not after last time. I don’t think they’d buy the ‘it was an accident’ explanation a second time. It just sounds too lame, even for us.” Seamus grinned. “So we’ll just stick to the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ tactic?” “That plan has served us well so far.” “Kinda like the diving?” Seamus asked, quickly ducking the playful swipe his Master aimed at him. “As I recall, you took part as well.” “But I’m not the one in need of treatment,” Seamus pointed out. “Because you--” Vala’s protest ended abruptly and he clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. “You were saying, Master?” “Just help me to the chiropractor.” |
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| Bedside Manners By Imzadi |
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