🐺 ~PROJECT SAC-1~ ⚔️

Chapter 9 - Long Road to Recovery Begins🤕

(DAY 9 w/ THE BAD BATCH)

The next morning, the Bad Batch brothers got to watch with high amusement as Talla argued with the medic over her plans to go to General Kenobi's funeral.

"My ribs have healed; my concussion is gone, and I have two legs again - I'M GOING!" Talla vowed, arms crossed in defiance since he had immediately said 'No' after her original, more polite request.

Girl definitely bounced from one extreme to the other alarmingly fast.

Hunched over at his desk, the medic had been pinching the bridge of his nose so hard he was surprised it wasn't crushed by now. "SAC-1 -"

"Talla." It was still taking some getting used to, but the Agent was already fiercely defensive about her new name, and only wanted to be referred by that now.

He rolled his eyes, not liking being corrected, "Talla, you just had your procedure yesterday. You are going to have to learn how to properly walk again, and that is going to take some time and patience -"

"For a normal person, maybe, but I'm an enhanced clone, created to be superior to the average regs. If I can predict blaster bolts or lift ten-thousand-pound gunships, I'm pretty sure I can relearn how to walk within the next two days." She countered.

"It's going to take a lot more work than that." The doctor insisted. "You have to relearn how to stand, how to balance, and how to take steps -"

"And I'll work on it the whole next two days, like nonstop."

The doctor switched from the nose to massagimg his temple that was starting to throb, heaving another tired sigh. "Talla -"

"Look, Doc, I swear I'm not trying to be difficult, but my commanding officer and friend has just lost a comrade and mentor, and asked me to accompany her to the funeral for moral support - I'm going, even if I have to crawl there."

The medic threw his hands up. "Alright!" He made an up gesture with his hand, but with a smug upturn of his lips. "Let's see you try to stand up."

Giving him a testy look, Talla did not break eye contact when swinging her legs over the edge of her bed. "I won't try - I will stand up." Gripping the short guard rails on her bed, she let out a breath to steady herself before heaving herself upwards.

When pressure was put on her modified leg, white hot searing pain knocked the wind out of her, she cursed, and fell back onto her mattress. Tears pricked her eyes, a bead of sweat had formed on her brow. But she was going to try again... Though that didn't keep her from taking a long pause to catch her breath so she wouldn't face plant on top of everything else.

From his place in the corner the Sniper had smirked, not at her agony but at her improvement in using cuss words. At least she actually sounded angry when yelling 'KRIFF' although it was still cute to watch the newb cuss.

The medic bore a triumphant look, but Tech stepped in before he could call this whole scheme off. "Research says that some pain will be normal the first few times you put pressure on the leg due to the limb not being used to having the metal parts attached to your flesh, bone structure and nervous system, but the pain will go away the more you practice using the limb."

Hunter nudged him with his shoulder. "Maybe we should just leave this to the doctor." He murmured as he did not want to continue seeing Talla in pain. It tugged at his heartstrings. She didn't deserve this.

"The pain will be there regardless of how long we push off the walking lessons." Tech factually pointed out.

Mouth pressing into a hard line, Hunter was forced to watch Talla in pain.