Mandy Goes to Med School (D2 EE/ME, Side Job)

[Cole Ormont]

It's not a bad thing
To get professional
Its got a nice ring...


With nothing better to do than sit in his quarters and stare at the wall while the diagnostic data he'd gathered in the Free Clinic compiled, looking for trends, he accepts a request to brush up a few of of the Republic's soldiers on their first aid skills.


(( First Aid Class; 160 credits ))

[Nekoinu]

A knock at the door. "Hey Doc, is this a bad time?" O'nera announced, "I heard you were doing some work down in the lower levels of this moon."

[Cole Ormont]

"Welcome, I'm Petty Officer Ormont. I've been helping at one of the shelters in the Red Light District. Was there something I could help you with?"

[Nekoinu]

"Oh, no, just thought I'd check in." She then smiled and gave a small laugh. "Oh, right. O'nera Aeser, Jedi Knight. But, yeah. Has it been dangerous down there at one of the clinics?"

[Cole Ormont]

"I've been fortunate, so far. In more ways than one. I wish there was more I could do."

[Nekoinu]

The Jedi Knight sighed. "Don't we all. You look down there and there's always more problems. Well, there're problems in the upper levels too, but those are a bit more insidious and not as obvious."

[Cole Ormont]

"I'd like to help, if I can," Cole replied earnestly, and he was genuine in this, "if there is more I can do than a paltry few hours of clinic care to those in need, I'd very much like to know."

[Nekoinu]

"Corruption and greed rule the upper levels. I wish I had some way to fix it myself." A pause. "Why I came to you, honestly. I'm not suited for much other than combat."

[Cole Ormont]

He murmured at this, "the galaxy would be a simpler place if we could defeat all of our problems in combat, though a deadlier one."

[Nekoinu]

"Simple doesn't always mean better," she mused with a sigh. "I wonder if that's just what this moon will be. Tatooine is known for deserts, Hoth for the snow, and Nar Shaddaa for crime?"

[Cole Ormont]

"You're very astute, Jedi Aeser. Though I would like to believe that Nar Shaddaa's crime isn't as immutable as the weather. Perhaps that's naive of me."

[Nekoinu]

"If the Republic wanted to bring order to this moon then we'd have to battle every criminal syndicate in the galaxy. Maybe one day we will be able to. For the time being, I believe the Sith Empire is a greater concern."

[Cole Ormont]

"You think Nar Shaddaa is a symptom, not the disease? That's good to know. Treating the symptoms makes for poor doctoring."

[Nekoinu]

"Yeah, Doc, one way to look at it." She paused and thought on it a bit. "Nar Shaddaa is kind of like a beacon of crime. It would be a major blow to take that away but crime would still remain."

[Cole Ormont]

"Sounds like a two-prong approach is required. Treat the disease - the crime - and provide symptomatic relief on Nar Shaddaa."

[Nekoinu]

"We'd probably have to do that for Nal Hutta and all the other planets and moons too." She shook her head. "I wish I could do something here, right now. But here we are, selling out to the Hutts so we can grovel to the Sith, beg them for peace."

[Cole Ormont]

Pushing a hand through his hair, "is that what we've been doing? Do you think making peace is just unwise, or actually futile?"

[Nekoinu]

"I do believe in peace, Doc. It's what I've dedicated my life to. However I believe with the Sith it is futile. Our two traditions have been in conflict for too long. Their Code also starts with saying that, 'Peace is a lie.'"

[Cole Ormont]

"If you want for peace, you must prepare for war?" he quotes. "Codes and creeds can be changed. The sith wouldn't be here if they didn't see some value in the idea."

[Nekoinu]

"Perhaps." She let out a sigh. "I just can't shake the feeling that this is another one of their ploys."

[Cole Ormont]

"Well, seeing value in the idea of peace talks doesn't actually preclude using it a cover for something else."

[Nekoinu]

"Right." She stretched and let out a groan. "Once again, you're proving to be more clever than I, Doc. Though now I do have a question: did you choose to come here or were you deployed?"

[Cole Ormont]

"I was deployed, probably with a little help from Group Commander Ormont. No idea what he was thinking, unless I'm secretly a sleeper agent who's going to be triggered any day now. You know, I wouldn't actually put it past the Group Commander."

[Nekoinu]

"Group Commander Ormont?" A pause. "Oh wow Doc, I can't believe I didn't even realize." She swallowed. "What's it like? Being his son, that is."

[Cole Ormont]

Cole snorts and runs a hand through his hair, "not as much fun as you make it sound," he deadpans.