Bela whipped around at the sound of the heavy thud behind her. Captain Mahariel had crumbled to the floor; she wasn't moving. Rushing to Lyla's side, frantic fingers pressed to the pulse point of the elf's long frail neck. The throb beneath her fingers was weak, but it was there.
"She's alive. We need to get her to sickbay." Bela looked at Alistair, waiting for the first officer to give the order to have someone take the captain to medical. But he just sat there dumbfounded, as if his brain hadn't caught up yet.
Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Bela rolled her eyes and began hoisting Lyla upright, draping one lithe arm over her thin, ripped caramel shoulders. Out of nowhere, Hawke appeared beside them, throwing the captain's other arm over her own shoulders, lightening the load considerably.
Bela nodded her thanks to the Lt. Commander and received a nod in return. Together, they half dragged half carried Lyla toward the turbolift. Bela grasped Alistair's shoulder as they passed, forcing him back to reality.
"Bridge is yours, Commander."
Alistair blinked, he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Right. Err… everyone, continue scanning for life signs."
Bela and Hawke shared a knowing look. Alistair being second in command of the Griffon was like putting a sweetcake in charge of an army; utterly useless and would be eaten alive before the day's end. But they didn't have time to deal with that at the moment. The captain needed medical attention.
As the turbolift doors hissed shut, Bela's heart beat wildly as she realized who else would be lying in sickbay. "Deck five."
She remembered the overwhelming relief that flooded through her when the Griffon had finally picked up the shuttle's signal and made contact with Lyla. From the sounds of things Crystal was worse off since she had been infected with the mysterious virus much longer.
Her worry grew as she began to buckle beneath the captain's weight. If this was Lyla after a few hours, how much trouble was her lover in? Bela shook her head, willing the thoughts away. Morrigan would say it was pointless to worry until they had all the facts, and she would be right. Taking a deep breath, Bela tightened her grip and proceeded to sickbay.
Bela's eyes immediately fell on Crystal when the doors flew open. Leliana stood beside the bio-bed talking to a burly man caked in blood; the substance also matted his dark beard and ponytail. Their arms were crossed, and they spoke intently in hushed whispers. They broke apart once they noticed Hawke and Bela carefully maneuvering the elf onto the bed beside Crystal.
Wynne, the Griffon's doctor rushed over; a medical hyper spanner already in hand and scanning for damage. "How long has she been like this?"
Bela and Hawke shared another look as Leliana pushed past them, rushing to her wife's side and grasping the elf's thin, limp hand.
"About ten minutes." Hawke offered. "She just collapsed on the bridge."
"We need to stimulate her before it's too late." The doctor's skin tone was as ghostly as her hair color. She rushed around the bay, gathering medical instruments of every sort. Her reaction was alarming.
Bela rushed to Crystal's side as the doctor gathered the necessary tools. She slipped her warm palm into her lover's, intertwining their fingers. Crystal's hand was cold, too cold. And like Lyla, she was unconscious, but something was different. Something was considerably off about her inert features. Her eyes had sunken, dark circles framed them, darker than ever before. Shadowy blue, ropey veins were visible above her torn uniform, slightly wrapping around her neck. It almost looked like they were moving as if they had taken on a life of their own and were slowly slithering up their host.
Eventually, Wynne returned and pressed one of the instruments into the captain's neck, clicking the button on the device with her thumb. A quick swishing sound erupted from the device for no more than a second. Bela recognized it to be some sort of injector; Wynne had given her medication.
Lyla inhaled deeply but didn't open her eyes. Bela noticed the tears that stung the moral officer's stormy eyes as she kissed her wife's forehead. "Please vhenan, wake up my love."
Lyla groaned, but no intelligible words came out, nor did her eyes open. Morrigan walked in just then. She glanced around at the scene, observing the situation carefully before hurrying to Bela's side and draping an arm over the former pirate's shoulders. A few tears escaped Bela as Morrigan pulled the crewman into her arms.
"Any change? Has she woken yet?" the Lieutenant whispered.
Bela pulled away and shook her head before sliding onto the narrow bio-bed beside Crystal and wrapping her arms around the unconscious woman. Morrigan pulled up a chair beside the bed and wrapped her arms over both horizontal women.
"Neither will wake for some time, I'm afraid," Wynne announced to the room. "Morrigan and Isabela, this man is Duncan; he's from the surface. He's told Leliana and myself that he is familiar with the lethal disease taking over Crystal and Captain Mahariel. He calls it the taint." Wynne crossed her arms and narrowed her brows as if she was slightly bitter about what she had to say next, "He believes he can stave off the disease by pouring some sort of blood down their throats. He calls it a blood ritual. Let me be sure to add he will not allow me to analyze the substance he claims to be something of a cure."
The man named Duncan looked angry with how the doctor spat the words. "There is no other way," he insisted. "Without drinking the blood, they will surely die."
"What do you suggest, doctor?" Morrigan asked.
Wynne relaxed ever so slightly when someone asked for her opinion. "A blood transfusion. I don't believe there's a way to eradicate the disease completely, but I believe a transfusion is the best way to proceed and will save their lives. I'm leaving the choice to the spouses of the patients, but you must make the choice immediately."
"Blood ritual." "Blood transfusion." Bela and Morrigan replied simultaneously. Bela held Morrigan's fierce glare with one of her own.
"You two discuss. Leliana? How shall we proceed with Lyla?"
"I will listen to Duncan on this. I'm sorry doctor, I believe it is what she would want for herself."
Wynne rolled her eyes and sighed. Sympathy fell over Duncan's features as he began to speak, "I must prepare. Is there a place I can meditate?"
"Of course," Leliana said, first placing a kiss to Lyla's forehead and whispering something into the pointy ear before stepping toward Duncan. "I'll show you to your quarters." The morale officer stopped short as she glanced between Lyla, Hawke, Morrigan and Bela. "Who's commanding the bridge?"
"Alistair," Hawke responded.
Leliana was not subtle with the roll of her eyes and facepalm as she muttered, "Oh Maker, guide us all."
Hawke failed to hide a laugh as Leliana faced her, "Marian, please show Duncan to his quarters so he can prepare. Then return to the bridge immediately. I'll be relieving Alistair of command."
Hawke let out a breath of relief, and together the trio left sickbay, Leliana heading in the opposite direction.
Bela scooted up the bed, lifted Crystal and shimmied behind her, wrapping a leg and both arms around the other brunette. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into the unconscious woman's neck; she wished desperately for her lover to wake; she wanted all of this to be over.
"Morrigan, even Leliana is going with Duncan's suggestion! He's familiar with this taint. He knows how to stop it."
"'Tis a ritual, Bela! There is no guarantee. Wynne is a specialist in the medical field and believes she can save our love's life. 'Tis logical, safer, and honestly love, 'tis downright smarter."
Bela's jaw dropped. Her words hurt. But she knew they were both just frustrated and angry. They both just wanted Crystal to be okay again. But neither truly knew the correct course of action. It was really no different than flipping a coin.
Wynne shuffled her feet and cleared her throat, causing both women to look up. "I'm going to run a comparison blood analysis to see which crew members are compatible donors in case you choose to go the medical route."
Both women nodded, Wynne rushed away from the uncomfortable argument. Morrigan's firm hands gripped Bela's shoulders, "Please, Isabela. I love her too. I want her back just as badly. I just want to take care of my family. Please let me do that. The transfusion is safer; it will bring her back; just let me show you."
As more tears silently cascaded caramel cheeks, Bela nodded and allowed Morrigan to press soft, supple lips to her own. As she hugged Crystal's lifeless body to her chest with one hand, she allowed the other to slip behind the Lieutenant's neck, pulling her impossibly closer. Kissing her impossibly deeper as the weight of this decision settled over them both. When they finally broke apart, tears stung Morrigan's eyes too.
"Wynne?" Bela called.
Wynne returned a moment later, "Yes? Have you two decided?"
Bela tried to answer, but her voice caught. Morrigan's warm hand gripped her own as the raven haired woman answered for her.
"We're going with the blood transfusion."