Lockon and Halleluiah lowered Setsuna onto one of the tables in the infirmary as Joyce Moreno ran around gathering up water, antiseptic, bandages, and needle and thread. They had yet to finish building the cell regenerator and she was mentally kicking herself for not having it done yet. "I need you to help him out of his flight suit." She ordered the other two pilots. They shared expressions of embarrassment for their young comrade, but the feeling was short lived as they started to remove it from his torso. The feelings of embarrassment were replaced with feelings of anger and hatred towards the people who had hurt Setsuna. Lockon's eyes widened as he revealed a large black and blue welt extending from just below his armpit down to his stomach and spreading to his back. The skin was broken in a few places, but none so bad as the wound on his left side. Dr. Moreno was paying especially close attention to it as the ship gave a sudden jolt and the exhausted Setsuna winced at the movement. Setsuna was fighting to keep conscious. He could see the look on Lockon's face when they removed the suit from his torso. He felt warm hands on his left side gently pressing around the wound. He made an attempt to move away from the contact, but failed as his strength gave out. Just then the ship gave a jolt and Setsuna's body screamed with pain. He could hear Sumeragi's voice over the intercom telling them they were being attacked, that about to make a break for space, and for everyone to hold on. Stars bloomed behind Setsuna's eyelids as the ship gave another shudder. He could hear voices, but they were too far away for him to understand.
"The bullet is still in his side, I have to remove it, but Setsuna doesn't have enough time for me to commence surgery." Dr. Moreno announced to the others in the room. Lockon and Halleluiah exchanged looks. "What do you need from us?"
"I am going to need you to hold him still." She replied as she grabbed a small blade from the tray next to her. Halleluiah's heart was in his throat, "What! Now!?"
"Yes, right now." Ms. Sumeragi's voice came over the comlink next to Dr. Moreno,
"Joyce, what is Setsuna's condition?"
"Not good, we have to get this bullet out now and stop the bleeding and we can't do that with the ship moving around as much as it is." As if to answer the ship's shuddering slowed and eventually stopped as the Ptolemaios left the atmosphere. Ms. Sumeragi left Lichty at the helm and went to the infirmary with Feldt and Mileina following close behind.
Setsuna's breathing was shallow and sweat dripped from his forehead as Lockon and Halleluiah positioned themselves on either side of the table. "I am really sorry about this Setsuna, but I have to get it out." said Dr. Moreno in a gentle soothing voice. She looked to the other pilots who nodded and placed their hands on each shoulder and bleeding wrist. "Okay here it goes." Just as Sumeragi arrived at the window to the infirmary Setsuna gave a gut wrenching scream. Feldt covered her ears and began to cry. Lockon and Halleluiah fought to keep the young man still, but even in his weakened stated Setsuna's lean cordlike muscles fought against their grip. "I almost have it, just a little longer Setsuna." Setsuna's back arched and his chest heaved as he struggled. "There, I've got it. Everything is going to be okay now." Dr. Moreno quickly mopped up the new flow of blood from the wound and set to work cleaning it. Setsuna's eyes opened slightly as she began stitching the wound closed. Lockon was the first to notice, "Setsuna? Setsuna can you hear me?" Setsuna gave a small nod. "What the hell man, you get to go on a solo mission and you come back all beat to hell." Dr. Moreno moved around to his left side to get a better look and the large bruise. She gently pressed her hand against the dark area and as she did Setsuna quickly swatted her hand away and grabbed her wrist to prevent her from touching him again. "Setsuna, I have to this is for your own good." He let go and looked up at the ceiling. He cried out as she continued her palpation of his injuries. Each of the pained sounds that Setsuna made tore at Ms. Sumeragi's heart strings. She cared for everyone on her crew, but none so much as Setsuna. He was the youngest by far and she felt the need to protect him because of that. Lockon and Halleluiah left to join Ms. Sumeragi at the window giving Dr. Moreno the space she needed to work. "Well it looks like five maybe six broken ribs, won't know for sure unless we get access to a scanner, but as long as he doesn't move around too much they should heal in a few weeks." She then had Lockon come and sit Setsuna up while she tightly bond his chest with bandages, by then Setsuna had finally lost consciousness and was easier to treat. So she set to work looking over and cleaning the more minor injuries. After hours of pouring over Setsuna's many injuries she strapped him down so he wouldn't fall from the table and left. The others had left earlier and were all on the mess deck sitting around a table with various beverages in front of them. Dr. Moreno sat down and gave them all a tired wave. "He'll be okay as long as we can keep the fever under control, but I will let you know he is in pretty bad shape. He won't be piloting the Exia for a while." Ms. Sumeragi looked up from her beer with slightly watery eyes and said that they would be taking a small break anyway and that it would be good for all of them to rest for a while.
