Sometime earlier, med-bay.

Coda and Trilla were sitting face to face with crossed legs. Beatrix was standing close by observing and making sure they wouldn't be interrupted. Coda was looking at Trilla checking out the lightsaber hilt in her hands. She looked nervous.

''It feels strange doesn't it?'' Coda asked. She looked up at Coda then back down to the hilt.

''Yes... Why does it feel so heavy?'' Holding it brought an eerie calm to her senses, making her unnaturally calm. Muted even.

Smiling sadly he answered. ''Both of my sabers are connected to me. They cannot even be used by others if I don't allow it. Each of them represents an aspect of myself that I've locked away.''

''Turn it over, its name is engraved into it.'' Trilla quickly found the engraving. ''What's it say? I've never seen this language.'' Six letters were written in black and white. Looking like a scetch someone decided shouldn't be finished.

Looking up at Coda again she asked. ''What does it mean?'' Surprised by the solemn look on his face he responded. ''It means Apathy.'' Trilla's eyebrows raised slightly at the answer. ''Why apathy?''

''Why indeed.'' Shaking his head. ''We can go into it later, we've got something else to do.''

Seeing he didn't want to talk about it any longer she just nodded. ''So how does this work?''

Coda looked up while tapping his chin. ''Right, well, it's a type of force meld. I'll be diffusing the corruption that's infesting your... Soul? Mind?'' Tilting his head. ''Whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter.''

''Is that safe? Something like that sounds like it could be painful.'' With a nod, he responded. ''I'm going to try my very best to make sure there's as little pain as possible. But I'd be lying if I said there isn't a chance of this being painful.'' Shrugging he continued. ''It is what it is. You're just going to have to trust me.''

Trust huh... Looking down at the object in her hands. He did save me... Somehow. He might be strange but I don't feel he's a bad person... It can't be worse then what I've already gone through anyway.

Nodding resolutely. ''I understand, let's get this over with.'' Coda laughed softly. ''Heh, name of your... You know what, never mind.'' Receiving a tilt of the head from Trilla in response. ''Just relax and start meditating. I'll put my hand on top of your head and we're off. Got it?''

''Yes, just get on with it.'' Another chuckle followed. ''Now you're just doing this on purpose.''

Seeing her just becoming confused at his words. Doing what? ''Never mind. Let's start.''

They both exhaled and shut their eyes. Coda put his hand on Trilla's head. She felt something akin to a film layering on her mind, searching out stains on her psyche. She didn't know how long it had been until she felt something starting to tug and pull on parts of her mind.

As he kept pulling on parts of her mind she felt like things were tearing apart, the pain started building as he continued. Keeping her eyes on the prize she tried to focus on keeping calm but it wasn't working.

The threads being pulled on forcing her to relive her past in bits and pieces.

The combination of the stinging pain in her head and the memories she wanted to forget caused tears to start running down her face. As the first tear-drops splashed down it instantly stopped.

She felt the film over her head shudder slightly. Feeling self-loathing, worry and irritation flash through the connection between them.

*Drip*Drip*Drip*

She's crying again... This isn't working, I didn't think it would be this difficult. What should I do...

Stopping for a now, Coda ran through and discarded ideas in record speed. His focus intensifying as he reprimanded himself. When did I get so arrogant, just because I know it should be possible... How idiotic.

It was resisting him, he'd already cleared away most of the infection. The parts of her mind causing it though refused to be budged, at least without potential brain damage.

Coda didn't realize. The more he cleaned up, he became that more upset. To hell with this! If you refuse to dissipate... So be it. I'll just consume you instead!

Trilla was desperately trying to remain calm, trying to refrain from lashing out at him. She understood that he was trying to help her. She was on the verge of giving up when something changed.

Coda felt upset, angry even.

Before she could make head or tails of what had happened her entire system received an electrical shock as her body locked up. I knew it! The thought flashed through her head as she thought he was trying to hurt him.

Before that thought could be taken any further the pain started receding rapidly. Mind clearing up at an accelerated pace as parts of her memories seemed to lose relevance to her.

They were still there, but they felt like she was just watching someone else. Instinctively she understood these memories were hers but they just felt... hollow.

Jolting out of her ruminations as she felt Coda's hand removing itself from her head. She opened her eyes to see Coda bent over as a hot orange aura was leaking up from his body. ''Coda?! What happened to you!?'' Trilla shouted as she put her hands on his shoulders, only to pull them back almost instantly as he was scorching hot.

Coda could barely stay lucid as he gritted his teeth. ''Get her out of here!''

Beatrix responded slightly unsure of what was happening. ''My lord?''

''Nooooow!'' His deep voice sounding hoarse as the heat kept intensifying. Needing no further clarification, she moved quickly picking Trilla up only to have her scream out in pain as she rubbed against Coda's other saber hilt hanging off Beatrix's waist.

Looking down to her waist she noticed the hilt was giving off massive amounts of heat as well, making the split decision to let it drop to the floor. She bent down, leaving imprints on the floor as she shot into motion.

As she moved she sent out orders as well as declaring an emergency causing a flurry of activity all over the vessel. -(RG1, evacuate Scmi to a secondary location right away. RG11-100, stand by around Lord Coda's position. Assistance may be required.)-

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Getting an affirmative in response, she was flooded with digital questions marks from most of the RG units. Sending a data packet of what she had observed back instantly. Causing a strange shudder through most of them before they all sprang into action.

Landing between two droids. Trilla had barely registered what was going on before she saw Beatrix shoot back into what was now a room filled with fire and heat.

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''A couple of minutes after I watched Beatrix getting batted around by those tendrils surrounding Coda, you two arrived.'' Her narration finished, Qui-Gon and Plo Koon stood there in utter shock.

''Are you telling me, he... ate your memories?'' Plo Koon asked. Seeing Trilla shake her head.

''Not just memories... Everything related to those memories and what I did, or what I had to do to survive.'' Resting her hand on the saber attached to her waist. ''It's all just gone. Now I just feel... Unburdened.''

While Plo Koon pondered what he heard, Qui-Gon spoke up. ''I've read about individuals capable of similar things, but they are usually far older then Coda is. I mean, he doesn't look older than thirty.''

Plo Koon nodded, adding. ''I wonder who trained him. He's obviously quite powerful in the force, I haven't seen anyone this proficient in pyrokinesis... It isn't even really taught anymore.''

Seen? I haven't even read or heard about something like this. ''Who is he?''

Having the question directed towards them, Trilla and Qui-Gon shared a look.

''We don't know. Both of us woke up on board this ship hours ago. Though we do know he's somehow responsible for me coming back to life. That goes for her as well.''

Nodding slowly, Plo Koon put a pin in this line of inquiry as he saw a droid exiting the room Coda was in heading their way but not before he quipped. ''We also know he runs hot.'' He delivered completely deadpan.

The other two looked at him with completely done expressions on their faces. Before they could take it any further the droid came to a stop to their side.

''Hello again, we've finished checking on him. He's doing remarkably well, shortly after he was put into the tank and we started healing him we noticed he's somehow accelerating his own healing progress.''

Keeping their attention on RG2 as he continued. ''He had intracranial swelling, multiple bone fractures as well as massive damage to most muscle groups. We believe if there is no permanent damage to his brain he should wake up sooner rather then later.''

An audible sigh escaped Trilla's lips. ''That's wonderful news, thank you. Do you mind if we wait here?''

''Of course Lady Trilla. I'll have some furniture and refreshments delivered here shortly. Now if there's nothing else, excuse me.''

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Coda felt like he was floating, his skin feeling like it was on fire. He could hear garbled sounds as if someone was speaking close to him. His eyelids felt like they weighed tons as he struggled to open them.

''How fucking lazy does one have to be, he's unconscious and he still finds time to sleep.'' Who?

''Now now, you know as well as I do why he's like this.'' Who's speaking? Where am I...

''Fuck you old man! He did this to himself!'' Coda could hear thumps like someone was beating on glass.

''Open your eyes you lazy piece of shit! I know you're awake, I can feel it.''

Struggling to do just that he could hear a sigh coming from another direction. ''Do you have to be so crass?'' His eyes finally peeling open. He could see a marble white coffee table in front of him. Looking down on himself he seemed to be wearing clothes from home. I'm sitting on a sofa? Where the hell am I?

''Oh lookie here! Good morning sleeping beauty, I fucking told you he was awake.'' Looking up he saw what looked like two gigantic panels of glass angled towards him and each other. Peering into the right one he saw himself as a child. ''Who are you calling a child you piece of...''

''You need to relax, let him catch his breath'' Turning his head over to the other side he saw himself as he remembered. Still handsome, but old... weathered. ''I wonder if this inner monologue can be considered narcissistic behavior. Though I'm inclined to agree with it, objectively of course.''

Confusion marred his expression as he started feeling slightly better. ''What's going on?''

''We had to pull you in here, it was the only way to protect you from, well, yourself. What you did cannot be considered a very intelligent course of action.'' What did I do? What was I doing before...

Loud laughter came from the boy... him? As he keeled over laughing like a crazy person beating on the floor. A sigh sounded from the old man as the boy said. ''What did you do?! Bwahahahahaha! Look at his face! He looks so fucking stupid!''

The child recovered a bit as he sat upon the floor. ''I'm all for trying new things as you should know yourself, but this was something else. It takes a special breed of stupid to do what you just did. Oh, you're such a dork.''

''You invented a new and creative way of turning yourself into a god damn vegetable! If we hadn't pulled you here you'd be spending the rest of your days drooling more then usual.'' As he finished berating Coda. He noticed both of them... Him? Them, looking up.

Looking up as well he didn't see anything. ''You're so fucking useless! You can't even...''

Hearing an irritated sigh coming from the old man. ''Just! Be! Quiet!''

''Old man! What are you doing?! Don't you dare! Don't you fuc...'' As if someone just hit a mute button all sounds coming from the kid just stopped. He didn't look happy about it as it was obvious he was still screaming as he started using a red coffee table to pound on the glass.

Looking over to Coda with a neutral expression the man said.''You need to go. She's calling for you.''

Calling for me? Who is?  ''Trilla, obviously.'' Trilla? Who's Tri... Trilla... TRILLA!? ''Is she...''

Anticipating the question the man answered before he finished. ''She's fine. Unbelievably your little escapade paid off.'' Coda felt relief as he started feeling extremely tired again as he asked. ''Will I see you two again?''

''That's unlikely. Unless you plan on doing something this stupid again, though I wish you didn't.'' The old man finally cracked a slight smile. Nodding, Coda started slipping into unconsciousness again.

As he was falling asleep he heard the old man speaking. ''Besides, we're always by your side.''

Feeling like a red mist was receding, his eyes regaining focus, the first thing he saw was Trilla.

''Trilla..? Are you alright, who...*cough*cough*'' Feeling liquids coming out of his throat was the last thing he remembered before collapsing.