Chapter 14: Chapter 14
"What exactly do I put? Sith Lord? Imperial personal assistant? New emperor?" said Isis. "Got me there but I'm sure he does have insurance" said Luke
"Oh I'm sure he does too, I just have no idea what it is" said Isis
"His mother's name was Shmi?" said Luke
"Yeah, I'm surprised I remembered half of this stuff" said Isis.
"I'm just glad one of us does," said Luke.
A few minutes later the doctor came back out.
"This way please" said the doctor. They went back to the first room. The doctor plugged the scanner into the vid screen.
Images began to pop up on the screen. Filling it with close up pictures of Anakin's injuries. Isis wanted to hurl as the visions she didn't want to see. Suddenly were displayed in vivid detail. She turned away from the screens she just couldn't look without becoming nauseous. Luke looked at her with a concerned look on his face. She smiled at him in what she hoped was a reassuring look.
"Now let's see here," said the doctor.
Isis turned her attention to his words and tried to ignore the images on those screens. "First of all we need to replace those prosthetics, not only are they outdated but they do not fit properly," said the doctor.
Vader nodded for the doctor to continue.
"Then of course there is the scar removal you mentioned earlier" said the doctor
"And last but not least, those lungs of yours will have to be replaced" said the doctor "replaced how?" said Isis.
"Easily my dear we simply clone him some new ones from the undamaged portions of his own" said the doctor.
"Then of course there is the surgery to implant them, "said the doctor.
"Yes of course, how soon can you start?" said Vader
"Well we can fit you in tomorrow morning for some of the prosthetic replacements" said the doctor
"Then of course we can schedule the rest from there" said the doctor.
"Very well doctor I shall see you tomorrow morning, about what time?" said Vader "eight o clock sharp" said the doctor.
Isis stood up, as did Luke. That was obviously their clue to leave. She couldn't wait to put those images behind her. She walked quickly towards the lobby doors. She just wanted to be out of that room.
"Isis are you all right?' asked Vader
"I'm fine, just peachy, ah here I got as much as I could, I'll be in the lobby" said Isis.
She handed him the data pad and practically ran for the door. She turned into the first fresher she came to and emptied the contents of her stomach.
"Your lady friend seems to have a weak stomach?" said the doctor.
He took the form from Vader's outstretched hand
"you forgot occupation and your insurance number," said the receptionist droid.
"Oh hand it here" said Vader.
He filled in the information, noting Isis' address as he checked over the rest of the form. "Here you are" said Vader.
Isis came out of the fresher. She was straightening her hair and putting herself back together.
"We can go now, Isis are you all right now?" said Vader
"Yeah I'm fine, why?" said Isis
Vader put an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the door.
"You looked like you were going to faint back there" said Vader
"Sorry guess I'm not so good with blood and stuff" said Isis
"That's not all that bothered you, was it?" said Vader
"I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind" said Isis
"Isis?" said Luke.
The concern in his voice drew her attention.
"He was a coward Isis and now you know why I hated him so much," said Vader "Anakin I, I can't talk about this right now" said Isis
"That's all right I understand" said Vader. Luke had started forward to hail a cab. "That's not necessary son the hotel is with in walking distance," said Vader. They walked down the street to one of the poshest hotels on Bellasarius. Vader walked in like he owned the place. For all she knew he probably owned a lot of things she didn't know about.
The man at the counter handed Vader his room code. Vader waved Isis and Luke over to the lifts. They rode the lift in silence to one of the top floors. Getting off when Vader did. He punched in the door code on his suite door. The door slid open and they walked in. the room was huge it consisted of two bedrooms a fresher and a living room like area. Isis sat down on the couch and curled up.
"Are you not feeling well?" said Vader.
He sounded concerned about her. "I'm fine really just tired" said Isis.
Vader sat down beside her on the small sofa.
She scooted over to make room. "It bothered you what he did, didn't it?" said Vader.
Isis nodded yes and clutched the throw blanket on the sofa's back closer to her.
"You wouldn't have left me like that would you?" said Vader.
His voice was soft and understanding. Isis nodded yes again. He brushed a hair from her eyes.
"Would you have killed me Isis?" said Vader.
She nodded again "yes, even if it was only to give you some mercy, you deserved that at least" she said softly.
Vader pulled her into his arms.
"I know my love and you would have cared enough to have given me that release, thank you" said Vader
She buried her head in his shoulder and accepted his hug.
"You deserved so much better than that man treated you," said Vader.
"Anakin stop please, I don't want to talk about him" said Isis.
He tightened his grip on her.
"Then will you talk about us?" said Anakin
"Is there an us?" said Isis
"I want there to be but that is entirely up to you" said Vader
"Let's just wait and see then ok" said Isis
"As you wish my lady" said Vader.
Luke turned on the holovid and watched some shows while Isis and his father talked.
Anakin eventually released her from the hug. Isis sat back down on the sofa and took her shoes off. Luke yawned and stretched.
"I'm going to turn in, good night," said Luke
"Night son" said Vader
"Good night Luke" said Isis.
The boy smiled at her.
"Good night Isis" said Luke. Luke went into the room with the single sized bed and closed the door.
"He's right, you at least have a busy day tomorrow" said Isis
"I know but I want to spend some time with you" said Vader.
"Nervous?" said Isis
"Very, it's been so long since I went without this mask that I don't know what to do without it" said Vader.
"I'll be glad when it's gone, I miss your smile" said Isis.
"I haven't had reason to for quite some time" said Vader.
She pulled the small blanket up over her legs.
"What are you doing?" said Vader
"Going to sleep, you can have the bed I'll be fine out here," said Isis.
"You most certainly will not, I can take the sofa, you have the bed" said Vader
"No, your about to go through surgery, I'm perfectly fine out here besides its too short for you" said Isis
"Then sleep beside me in the bed, I'll keep my hands to myself you have my word" said Anakin.
She sighed and tried to grab the blanket back. He had taken it off of her.
"Anakin quit it," said Isis
"When you agree and not until" said Vader
"Damn it Anakin give it back" said Isis.
She tried to snatch it back and he held it up out of her reach.
"Will you consent?" he asked
"Fine, but you better behave I mean it" said Isis.
She headed for the room and Vader tossed the blanket on the sofa as they passed it. Isis slid her legs into the bed on the side nearest the door.
"I would rather you took the other side" said Vader.
"And I would rather you stopped harping, be glad I consented to this in the first place" said Isis. He sighed in defeat.
"Still just as stubborn as always I see" said Vader.
"Yep and you wouldn't want it any other way and you know it" she murmured.
Then she buried her head in what should have been his pillow. He chuckled and stripped the outer armor off and slid in beside her.
"Goodnight Isis" he whispered.
"Goodnight Anakin" said Isis.
The next morning found them back at the clinic. Isis and Luke were stuck in the waiting room. Talk about boring, they had already gone through all the holozines in the lobby. They were both relieved when Anakin finally came out of the back. He was moving slower than usual.
"Sore?" said Isis
"Yes and I must get used to these all over again" said Vader
"Are we all done for today?" asked Luke.
"Yes for now, but I have to be back for the sampling tomorrow morning again" said Vader.
They opted to eat in the hotel room that evening, after Isis found something Vader could eat. Ironically it was the exact same nutritional supplement she had been forced to eat at Dooku's Sith school.
She wondered if Anakin was making the same faces she had under that helmet of his? She didn't bother to stifle her laughter about it either. Answering only the word irony to their puzzled inquiries.
The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Too bad they were stuck in a waiting room again. Isis had brought a data jack with her. She was using it to play videogames on. The doctor came out of the back
"miss he requested your presence" said the doctor.
Isis handed her data jack to Luke
"Here see if you can get me past level four I keep dying" said Isis.
Luke took the game out of her hands and started playing it.
Isis followed the doctor into the back and he handed her a smock and gloves and told her to put them on. She did and walked back out to where the doctor was waiting.
"This way please." said the doctor.
Isis followed him into an exam room. Anakin was lying in the room.
It was the same oxygen rich room she had observed him through the glass before. Only today she was on the inside.
"Isis?" said Vader his voice sounded harsh and scratchy. She walked closer to him
"Yes it's me in this get up" she said.
"I'm nervous can you ah hold my hand?" he asked
Isis slid her fingers into his hand.
"It's ok I'm right here" she said.
"You'll stay?" he asked
"Of course I'll stay" she said
"Are we all ready now?" asked the doctor
"Yes proceed" said Vader.
The doctor pulled out a huge needle like device and Isis almost fainted. The doctor positioned the needles tip underneath his ribs.
"Now hold very still this will hurt" said the doctor.
The doctor shoved the needle in and Anakin tensed. Squeezing her hand as he did so. She thought her bones would break he was squeezing so hard. Then as suddenly as it had begun, the doctor was done.
