Pat pat.

Sigh. "Wanna - think. About the chip. But I want the explosive out."

"You have as much time as you need."

Hug. 

She - wants to schedule getting the chip out, then go somewhere without any strangers to have feelings.

Entirely doable

Does she want company for the latter?

...Yeah.

Elesse will stay with her, then.

She climbs into Elesse's lap to bury her face in her shoulder again. 

Hugs.

She doesn't seem to be sobbing this time, though it's a while before she says - "I don't want the chip in me."

"I know. You shouldn't have had this done to you."

"I want it out. I - I don't want to wait - "

"But something hurting my neck feels - scary."

"It's a risky surgery. I- don't think you should get it out here. We can look for better doctors, like I said, but..."

"...But they might say the same stuff?"

"I'm not an expert. But I think that's likely."

"...I'll have time to think on the way, though, and - if I decide the risk's worth it, they'll do a better job?"

"I think a Core surgeon would have better odds if it can be done at all, yes."

Small nod.

"...If we go to the Jedi healers, will they tell you not to teach me on your own?"

"I suspect they would. But they can't force you to join the Order, and I would ignore them if me teaching you was still what you wanted."

"I want it. Would you get in trouble, though?"

"Some trouble, I think. Nothing irrevocable."

"You shouldn't get in trouble for helping me."

"In a perfect world I would not, but this is not a perfect world. The rules, sadly, don't account for your specific existence."

Sigh. 

Then: "...If they probably won't be able to remove it safely, and I decide I don't want to take the risk, then ‐ maybe we shouldn't go to them? So you don't get in trouble."

"That would be... cleaner, but I don't want to close off your options."