suitably_heroic | MCA #4, Sunday Morning

Thankfully, Atton was already up when his comlink went off that morning, or he might've contemplated throwing it at the wall. But he hadn't slept much last night - he couldn't - and he'd been up since the sun came up, messing around with his lightsaber.

He reached over, making sure not to stretch too bad, and punched the comlink. If it activated the thing, fine. If it broke it, also fine. He needed another project after this anyway.

Atton	Atton didn't really need to check the ID tag to know who'd be calling him over his comlink this time of day. Despite that, though, his opening "Hey" held none of the usual snark he tended to pepper it with.
Mical	"Atton." For his part, Mical sounded relieved. "Good. You're awake. You left in a hurry."
Atton	"I had to bail for a while," Atton said. He didn't shrug physically, but it was audible in his voice. "It doesn't really matter whether I'm laying on my ass in the Temple or in my apartment anyway."
Mical	"It would have been easier had you returned to the kolto tank, you know," Mical said lightly. "Another day, and your injuries would have been entirely healed."
Atton	"I don't like spending too much time in the kolto tanks," Atton said. "My body winds up healed, but it takes my brain another day to catch up, it's a pain in the ass. Better to just ride it out." Beat. "Now that I'm not dying, anyway."
Mical	Atton was a whole realm of anyways, apparently, but Mical relaxed somewhat. Though he wasn't foolish enough to kill the detente where it stood by drawing attention to it, he was also relieved to find Atton being more or less forthcoming for a change. "If you change your mind, we've still got your tank operational," he said.
Atton	"Thanks, but no thanks." Atton set the lightsaber hilt, now nearing completion, down on the floor in front of him. "So what's this about? I mean, you're not just calling to make sure I haven't passed out on the floor, or you'd have hung up already."
Mical	"It's Atris," Mical said. "We must move on her judgement sooner rather than later. I needed to know when you were capable and willing to return to the Temple to sit on the Council."
Atton	Atton let out a sigh. "Later this week?" he said. "I can come back in a couple of days. Not like this one's going to take long."
Mical	Mical frowned. "Really?" he said. "It is a rather complicated case, and she's asking for exile--"
Atton	Seriously? Atton immediately pulled a face. "Are you kidding me?" he said. "She's broken. In the head. Lock her up, get her a therapist, and don't let her out until she's stable. Letting her wander around the galaxy is just asking for trouble, for her and for the rest of us."
Mical	That got him a long sigh. "We'll discuss this when you return," Mical said at last. "In several days. I'll alert the others."
Atton	All right. That bought him some time, at least. "When's Mira coming back?" Atton asked.
Mical	"She'll be returning soon," Mical said. "Brianna has passed on the story of what happened to her-- and to me."
Atton	"I'd love to hear it, too," Atton said. "I mean, I don't remember much of any of it. Brianna and Visas covered most of the fighting."
Mical	"Brianna said you received your injuries while protecting her," Mical said quietly. "I'm not certain if that was the right decision, but thank you all the same."
Atton	Atton rubbed at the back of his neck and shrugged, not that Mical could see it. "It was our best bet," he said. "And it would've backfired hard if the rest of you hadn't gotten me out of there."
Mical	"I'll pass your thanks on to Brianna, Visas and Bastila," Mical said. "They went through quite an ordeal of their own."
Atton	Atton blinked. "...Wait, Bastila Shan was actually there?" he said. "I thought I was dreaming that part."
Mical	"She is the one that led us to the correct valley on Korriban," Mical said, smiling faintly, "And brought the Hawk back home with her."
Atton	"Great," Atton muttered, "I'm going to be washing haughty ex-Jedi out of my ship for months."
Mical	"Jedi," Mical corrected easily. "She has consented to join us, at least on a... consulting basis."
Atton	"A Jedi consultant," Atton said dubiously. "Now there's a new one."
Mical	"She will be helping Visas train her new apprentice," Mical said. "As Visas has chosen to forfeit her personal quest and join the Order in full."
Atton	"The new Jedi are really starting to roll on in, aren't they?" Atton remarked. "You've got to be happy. You're finally getting that Order up on its feet."
Mical	"We are," Mical corrected gently. "Without you, Brianna and Mira, there would be no Order. That is something else we should discuss when you return-- I would like to make the Council official, submit a roster to the Republic..."
Atton	"...So you're submitting a Council made of you, Mira, Brianna, and me. Officially." Atton looked up at the ceiling.
Mical	"Unless you have a problem with your inclusion, of course," Mical said quietly.
Atton	Atton was silent for a little while. "No," he said. "I'm just thinking Force help the galaxy, if we're the best the Jedi've got. I mean, I'm surprised Shan didn't just march in and annex the Temple."
Mical	"Bastila prefers to focus her efforts on raising her son," Mical said wryly, "I don't think the idea ever passed her mind."
Atton	Atton let out a breath. "Well, I'm going to regret this," he said, "But sure. Submit away."
Mical	"I will." Mical was silent long enough, Atton was kind of starting to wonder he'd already hung up. "I do not think anyone will regret it," he said. "You might be abrasive, Atton, but you are a finer Jedi than you believe."
Atton	"I'm not a Jedi," Atton said, though at this point it was mostly just a reflex. "But thanks. I guess? Anyway, I've got some construction to do, so..." He hung up. Look, the last thing he needed was Mical making more nice words at him. Or anybody else doing it. It was... yeah. "I wish," Atton muttered. Then he reached up and pinched his brow, "...Meh."