Royal Blood

1 The Test

Ezra's pov:

All Sabine and I have to do is get this infected data chip mixed in with the ones at the genetics lab. If we're right the chip which they think is just a copy of my dna should put a virus on the computer that will give the rebellion access to any databank the chip is plugged into. Now all that's left is to.... umm...get my..blood taken.....by the Pau'an waiting in medbay 6, Doctor Rauff who looks way too much like a female grand inquisitor for my liking, AND with a needle bigger than my arm to top it off. Why needles, doesn't saliva contain all the same stuff?

I hurried down to the hall, already late to the appointment. Why am I always running? I guess it comes with being a rebel. I opened the door to the annoyed grey eyes of the tall Pau'an doctor, her pale skin made to seem paler by the deep burgundy tattoos on her forehead and cheeks, she quickly pulled out a data-pad and beckoned for the chip in my hand. She clicked the chip in a slot on the side as i went to sit on the medbay's stretcher bed. Her anger subsided, and she looked back up at me with a smile before asking:

"Do you want to do the blood test or the body scan first?"

No one told me about a body scan, no, I don't even let Hera look at more than what I hurt when she cleans my wounds after a firefight. The fear in my head definitely made it to my voice as I croaked. "Body scan? You mean the thing that creates hologram of...everything?" My voice almost disappearing to nothing. "Is that entirely necessary...?"

I can't have that, what if it shows them my force sensitivity, or my...inconsistency

Although she was concerned for me, a sigh escaped her, you could hear a tiredness in her voice. It was probably pretty common for people to stop reading her ad after '500 creds for blood sample'. with a tired and sarcastic grin she said "Of course, how else would the research be effective without the final result! Plus this way you are actually earning the 500 credits we are paying you young man."

I fidgeted a bit and tried to force a smile to seem braver, but the anxiety in my voice certainly shattered that illusion. "How deep does this scan go?" Normally I'm better at hiding things than this...

She answered me calmly realizing this wasn't regular fears about a doctor seeing my butt, but something a lot more serious. "It's a full 360 view, organs and stuff sweetie. Don't worry the important stuff is blurred to anyone without full clearance if decency is what you're worried about."

She motioned for me to take off my jacket and I complied, revealing a pale blue tank and a couple scars across my arms and shoulder blades.

Her sweeter tone didn't calm me down at all, so I thought perhaps a personal story might get her to forget the scan, but being all I could think, I blurted out "Have you ever been scanned?"

She seemed surprised at my question, but smiled and spoke quietly as if telling me a secret. "Yes, with my twin brother, we wanted to see why he is force sensitive while i'm not... "

I almost jumped out of my skin. I knew she reminded me of him!

Does that mean she will know i'm a jedi?! Or worse is this brother of her's the late...wait, she said "is", not "was". AHH...! The grand inquisitor might still be alive! But I saw him fall...

Luckily she had turned her back this me while speaking to prepare the needle to draw blood. "The scan told us nothing of a valuable difference. From his and his wife's research so far it's either a neural mis-wiring or the will of parents shown to the child during their developmental stages or as Nyra, his wife insists, it's 'magic', that wiccan fanatic is nuts... I'm getting off course, what were we talking about?"

"How I get out of this scan?" I smiled shyly, hoping that she would settle for the blood test. Good to know my force sensitivity is safe, but i'm not normal in other ways too; I can't have anyone knowing i'm not just a guy

Doctor Rauff was having none of it, responding in a motherly tone "Not happening, we already gave your lady friend out there the money and you signed the papers Mr. Bridger, so now we are starting with the body scan immediately after the blood is drawn rather than looking at the computer simulation then. What has you so concerned child? If you think that i'll turn you in for anything I find then you have nothing to worry about there is nothing you could be or have short of a bomb in you or a bag of spice for me to have you arrested. I'm going to find out no matter what so tell me, boy."

My voice was shaking again as I tried to answer "That's the problem ma'am."

I couldn't help but flinch, i haven't talked to anyone about this since my parents died.

The doctor was confused as she cleaned my arm with a swab asking again "What's the problem?"

"I'm not just a boy... i'm a...a..." My voice froze before I could finish. How the hell could I tell her what I am if I'm not entirely sure myself?!

Dr. Rauff began to look at me with worried eyes before guessing at my cause for worry, but continued her work. I flinched as she stuck the needle into the crook of my arm drawing out some of my warm, red blood. After she removed the needle she placed a small orange bandage over the penetration mark. Hey look! My favorite color! I cheered up for a nanosecond before remembering my situation. She guessed:

"Shapeshifter?" (That I wouldn't be ashamed of, so I smiled as I shook my head and my hands moved up to my lap giving her an idea of where my 'problem' is) "was something...removed?" Wait, what? I shook my head again as i turned red "Transitioning?" I don't think that quite covers what i am, but closer than my thing being hacked off. I shook my head to that too, but less so. "Perhaps you are a Hermaphrodite?"

"I've heard that last one before," I responded shyly, cocking my head to the side with curiosity. "But no one ever told me what that means." I think my family's doctor called me that once, then my parents came in and asked me which I wanted to be, a boy or a girl. I eagerly picked boy because I wanted to be just like dad.

Doctor Rauff seemed almost relieved in her given answer. "To put my point simply, it's when an individual has both male and female parts; most of the time it's rare in humans and most humanoid species. Typically the female side is visibly dominant" -that works up to that last bit - "for most species, while hutts are all Hermaphroditic and identify primarily male.' (I couldn't help but smile at that, who knew Jabba was like me.) 'I can see why you were so shy now. Would it help if i increased the required clearance level for your scan to be deblurred?" still red from earlier, I nodded) "That's fine, and there is nothing wrong with you, my brother introduced me to a couple people like you, in fact he's the only reason i know people can even transition between genders or have any other non standard status."

"Thanks, that means a lot to me to finally get that off my chest but no-one can now, not even the people I came here with." I figited even more, but her words relaxed me enough to trust her. "Alright, let's get this over with..." I was finally ready to trust someone with my true self.