Crisis Care

"Anna? Can you hear me?" Elsa asked frantically as she looked over and saw the red-haired woman slumped over in her seat. "No, no! Anna! Please… stay with me!"

Anna had fallen unconscious and from a glance, she looked as if she had been partially chewed up and spat out. Her arm was badly mangled and bleeding heavily, not to mention the fact that three of her fingers were now missing. The vicious attack had only lasted mere seconds, but when Elsa replayed the horrific event in her mind, it felt more like hours.

Elsa feared the worst for a moment, then she reached over to Anna's neck, slick with blood, and searched around with her fingers until she found the pulse point, beating weakly. Anna was still alive, but she wouldn't last much longer without immediate medical care. The red-haired woman was losing blood rapidly and her seat along with much of the interior of the truck was painted with shades of gore that nearly matched the color of her own hair. That, along with the fact that in the few seconds that Anna was maskless in the open air, she had already absorbed a dangerous amount of radiation. Without K's booster shots, she would already be a living corpse on borrowed time.

Ultimately, this meant that if Anna didn't immediately die from the wounds she sustained from the wolf attack, she would surely succumb to radiation poisoning. Both would be terribly slow and painful ways to die, so Elsa had to act fast.

"Hold on Anna," Elsa spoke aloud, though Anna was no longer able to hear her. "Just hold on, you're going to be okay. I'm gonna fix you, I promise, just stay with me!"

Elsa kept the accelerator floored the rest of the short way to West Point and she did not slow down until she blew past the entrance to the ruined military academy. She didn't have the slightest idea on where to go and by this point, Elsa was running on desperate protective instinct alone which provided unseen guidance. With each minute that passed, Anna's life slipped further and further away.

As she drove through the academy grounds she looked carefully around at each of the buildings. Many of them had been reduced to rubble, while others stood empty and abandoned, completely exposed to the elements. If Elsa was going to save Anna's life, she would need to find a place that was clean and unexposed to the radiation that plagued the land. She realized that then she had no issues in breathing in the air nor did she feel any other effects from the radiation, which she didn't think to question at the moment.

Elsa glanced over at Anna once more, who had become deathly pale. Despite the mask Elsa had given Anna, her breathing was slow, shallow, and ragged. Unable to look at her any longer, Elsa turned her attention to the academy grounds which was when she finally spotted something promising in the distance. Far ahead, built in what had once been a large and empty field was a tall windowless structure in the shape of a massive cube. The walls were tall and thick, reinforced with lead shielding and a single paved road led up to its center.

Surmising that to be Gjallarbru, Elsa took her chances and sped towards it, pulling to a stop at the base of the structure where the road abruptly ended. The wall in front of her was seamless, with nothing else to indicate there was anything to find there save for a single camera pointed out towards her. If this place was indeed Gjallarbru then it was certainly possible that the facility was still manned by VanirCorp staff. That in turn meant if Elsa entered, she would likely be apprehended and turned over to Rosenthal. Elsa glanced over to Anna once more, then made her decision. If it meant Anna received the care she needed, Elsa would bargain for her life and trade her own willing to save the red-haired woman.

Elsa stepped hurriedly out of the truck and went over to the front. There she began her desperate petition for aid as she frantically waved her arms above her head as she spoke.

"I know there's someone in there!" Elsa called out to the camera. "I know this facility is Gjallarbru. I'm Elsa, Enhanced Learning Systems Android. You made me here, and now I've come back!"

She paused for a moment and looked back to Anna, who remained unconscious.

"I need your help. My friend is dying and she needs immediate medical care. Please… if you help her, I'll turn myself in. I'll… I'll come home."

Nothing happened for a long moment and Elsa began to fear for Anna's life in earnest as she glanced back to ensure she was still there. The camera on the wall had a single red light that seemed to blink in response to Elsa's petition, then, seconds later, the wall in front of them split down the middle to reveal the entrance to Gjallarbru.

Elsa immediately returned to the truck and drove in, entering a large chamber that was crisp and overly clinical like so many of the rooms she had been in at VanirCorp. She stopped as the entrance closed shut behind them, then nervously fidgeted until pressurized gas was pumped into the room through large vents in the walls and overhead. At the same moment, an automated voice spoke out.

Decontamination in progress.

Several seconds later, the pressurized gas stopped and the decontamination process finished. Elsa gathered their bags, looping one around each of her shoulders before she exited the truck. After, she stepped out she rushed over to Anna's side where she opened the door and gently picked up the unconscious woman, cradling her in her arms. Directly in front, another door opened which allowed Elsa further entry into the facility.

She carried Anna through a narrow hallway, then passed through a checkpoint of sorts. As she entered another chamber, the doors slammed shut on either side and pressurized gas filled the space once more.

Decontamination in progress.

Elsa nervously fidgeted and glanced down at Anna while she waited, only to find that the red-haired woman was still unconscious and dripping blood onto the white flooring. Once the second decontamination process concluded the doors opened once more, admitting Elsa into a large reception area. There was a semi-circular desk far ahead, but nobody was there to greet her. In fact, it appeared that the entire facility was abandoned as no staff or any other people were anywhere to be seen. It would have been disconcerting and highly suspicious to Elsa given that the power was still on, but at the moment she had greater things to worry about.

She made her way past the reception area, passing beyond the desk where she entered a long corridor that stretched down in a single direction. Elsa quickened her pace and walked along until she reached the end where she entered a massive, circular foyer. Lining the outer edges of the circle were all sorts of doorways with signs above them that indicated which department they led to.

Starting clockwise and directly across from where she stood, Elsa began to read off the signs.

"Android research, living quarters, bioscience division, engineering bay, facilities and maintenance…and medical wing!"

As Elsa made her way to the center of the foyer, the lights suddenly shut off, bathing her in complete darkness. Seconds later, blue emergency lights came on and each of the signs above the departments flashed red, indicating that they were locked. All except the doorways to android research and the medical wing flashed red, something which clearly had not happened by accident. Somebody was observing Elsa and that same person had likely also permitted her entry to Gjallarbru. However, there was still not a soul in sight to be found.

Elsa stopped and glanced side to side. She was standing in the middle of the foyer and from where she was, android research and the medical wing were lying on opposite sides. She knew then that she was being tested somehow and the two doors before her represented a choice she had to make. Would she turn left towards android research to find the answers to her life that she so desperately wanted, or would she turn right and head towards the medical wing to save Anna?

It was hardly even a choice and Elsa immediately turned left, heading towards the medical wing. There she turned down a corridor and passed through a final decontamination chamber before entering a large and vacant space, filled with beds, equipment, and supplies.

"Okay, Anna we made it. We're here," Elsa muttered as she brought Anna over to the nearest bed. "It's alright. I'm gonna fix you, I promise."

After she gingerly set down Anna's body, she removed the respirator mask from her face then set their bags on the floor nearby. As she did, a holo-display appeared at the foot of the bed with the following message.

New patient detected. Perform scan?

Elsa tapped on the display to perform the scan, then stood back as a ring folded out from beneath the bed, which then turned perpendicular and began to slowly run up and down the length of Anna's body. After it passed up and down twice, the ring folded back beneath the bed and the diagnosis report appeared on the display.

Patient Summary

Sex: Female

Age: 25

Height: 1.62 meters

Weight: 51 kilograms

Blood type: AB+

Diagnostic report in order of severity.

Major compound fractures of the left ulna and radius detected. Major avulsion detected. Major external hemorrhage detected. Inoperable trauma. Suggested treatment: emergency amputation of the affected limb required. Cybernetic prosthesis fabricators are operational. Please proceed to the cybernetics lab for a consultation.

Moderate radiation poisoning detected. Absorbed dose of 451 rads. Multiple organ failure imminent. Suggested treatment: administer Detoxicillin, emergency blood transfusion required. Patient is of blood type AB+ and as such qualifies as a universal recipient.

Minor lacerations detected. Suggested treatment: apply sutures and bandages, administer medi-gel as needed.

Warning: vital signs critical. Current survival odds: 11.53%

Please consult the surgeon-in-chief for a treatment plan.

As Elsa read the exhaustive laundry list that catalogued each one of Anna's injuries, she balked at the severity of them and then felt ice clench around her heart when she read Anna's predicted odds of survival. Nonetheless, Elsa was determined to save Anna's life and given that the facility appeared to be abandoned judging from the fine layer of dust that covered everything, she would have to do so on her own.

Just before Elsa set to work, she reached up and cupped Anna's bloody cheek. The three parallel cuts there were deep, but they were not the most severe of Anna's injuries. Still, they would likely leave a scar which Anna would carry for the rest of her life, not unlike the scars she already carried in her heart and in her mind. To Elsa, they would serve as a symbol of her failure to protect the woman she had come to care so deeply for. Elsa didn't have time to berate herself and without further delay, she left Anna's side and crossed over to the nearest supply closet where she started gathering all the materials she would require.

First, Elsa had to deal with Anna's arm which required amputation. She loathed to bring Anna to any further harm, but her left forearm and hand had been so badly torn and shredded to pieces from the wolf attack that nothing could be done to save it. To do that, Elsa acquired a surgical plasma cutter, the largest tube of medi-gel she could find, a tourniquet, and a liberal amount of bandage wrappings. The diagnostic report mentioned that cybernetic prosthesis fabricators were available, but Elsa would deal with that later.

Second, Elsa had to address Anna's case of radiation poisoning. An absorbed dose of 451 rads was not the most severe, but it was nothing to scoff at either. If it weren't for K's booster shots, Anna's would have absorbed much more and her organs would be slowly liquefying by the second. Elsa didn't find any extra detox meds, nor did she have time to search for any more so she simply hoped that the amount they already found would be enough. Finally, Anna needed an emergency blood transfusion, so Elsa procured a line of surgical tubing and a set of catheters. Anna's blood type made her a universal recipient, a uniquely rare trait and a miraculous stroke of luck for them both as it allowed Elsa to give Anna her blood.

Third, Elsa had to tend to the cuts on Anna's face. They were the least serious of all Anna's injuries but even so, the state of her arm and the radiation poisoning that compromised her white blood cell count meant that she was highly vulnerable to infection. Thankfully, Elsa had already acquired antibiotics that she could dedicate to Anna's recovery. Elsa found a set of shears and a suturing kit, and with everything she gathered, she placed the supplies on a nearby cart and wheeled them over to Anna.

Using the shears, Elsa started to cut away the fabric of Anna's coat around her left hand and forearm, being careful not to agitate any of the exposed flesh or bone. From the look of it alone, it was easy enough to tell that even if Elsa were somehow able to repair the injury, Anna would never be able to make use of that limb again. The bones were pulverized and the flesh had been torn to ribbons so much so that it was surprising the wolf hadn't severed her hand completely. He did, however, succeed in removing three of Anna's fingers. In fact, the only thing that wasn't damaged was Anna's bracelet which served as the housing unit for her omni-pad.

Elsa gently unclasped the bracelet from Anna's bloody wrist, then set it aside after she finished cutting away the fabric of Anna's long-coat. Once the wound site was clear, Elsa tied the tourniquet around the upper part of Anna's left arm to restrict the blood flow. Then, she picked up the plasma cutter and picked a spot over the wound site, just above the elbow and placed it against her skin.

"I'm so sorry Anna," Elsa whispered as she prepared herself. "Please… forgive me."

Taking a deep breath, Elsa began to slice through flesh and bone, a mercifully expedient process thanks to the plasma cutter. Starting at an angle, Elsa cut down from the elbow upwards until she reached the humerus bone, then repeated the process on the other side to form a sort of v shape. With the bone now exposed, Elsa sliced through it, then let the severed limb drop inside a wastebasket after which she folded the flesh back together and began to suture it shut.

The hardest part was now over, but Elsa was shaking like a leaf as she finished up. Her hands were covered in Anna's blood and she had to spend several moments hyperventilating as she regained her composure.

Get it together, Elsa thought. Keep it together. You can't panic now, Anna needs you.

"Okay," Elsa said shakily. "Okay… that's over with," she sniffed, took a few more breaths then turned her attention back to Anna who remained blissfully unconscious throughout the whole ordeal.

Elsa opened the tube of medi-gel and applied a liberal amount to the stump before wrapping it in thick layers of bandages. Tears had begun to sting Elsa's eyes as she worked and she hated herself every second for allowing such grievous harm to come to Anna as she fought to save her life.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Elsa repeated over and over, struggling to maintain her composure.

With Anna now short of her left hand and much of arm, Elsa turned her attention to the second thing on her list. She went over to Anna's bag, searching through it until she found the detox meds and the injector gun they had acquired from the hospital. Next, Elsa returned to Anna's side where she rolled up the sleeve of her right arm enough to expose the elbow joint. Picking up the vial of the medicine, Elsa affixed it to the injector, then placed it against Anna's skin before depressing the plunger. There was only the one vial, enough for only one of them and Elsa had selflessly used it all on Anna.

She's more important than me, Elsa thought as she put away the now useless injector and empty vial. She needs it more than I do. If anything happens to me… I'll find a way to deal with it.

Detoxicillin, as it is known by its technical distinction, was invented in 2025 as a way to combat radiation poisoning which had become a rampant affliction following the events of the collapse. The classified chemical solution would bond with particles of ionizing radiation inside a patient's body, after which it would be purged from their system to counteract the harmful effects of cell destruction. Once administered the process could take up to a week before a patient would be completely purged, not to mention its own adverse side effects that it brought on.

Those included severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, aches and pains, and high fevers. Compared to a slow death by radiation poisoning however, it was infinitely more tolerable. It was life saving medicine that could completely cure even the most severe cases of radiation poisoning, so long as it was given as soon as possible after exposure. As such, Detoxicillin was highly expensive both to produce and acquire. It was not uncommon for hospitals in New York to turn away patients with severe cases of radiation poisoning, leaving them to a horrible fate simply because they could not afford it.

Now that Anna's worst symptoms had been dealt with, Elsa glanced over to the holo-display and was thrilled to find that her survival odds had significantly improved; rising from 11.53% to 51.24%. They still weren't out of danger yet and the last thing that Elsa had to contend with were the cuts on Anna's face.

Elsa set to work right away and began wiping Anna's face clean with a disinfecting cloth. By now, much of the blood had coagulated and the wounds were bleeding more slowly. After she finished wiping Anna's face clean, she picked up the suturing kit and started to deal with the deep lines carved into Anna's cheek. Somehow, despite being caked in blood and looking as if she were ready to knock at death's door, Anna remained beautiful as ever to Elsa. A realization which only added to the guilt and shame that Elsa felt.

This is all my fault, Elsa said to herself bitterly as she worked. If it wasn't for me, Anna wouldn't be in this situation.

In that moment, another far more frightening prospect dawned upon Elsa.

If Anna lives through this she'll hate me. She'll resent me… and she'll leave me.

There simply wasn't any other scenario that Elsa pictured in which Anna stayed with her and forgave her. Anna had risked life and limb for Elsa to reach Gjallarbru in search of answers and for that she had paid dearly. She would recover from the radiation poisoning and the cuts on her face would heal, but nothing could replace the limb that she had now lost.

Once each of the cuts on her face had been mended shut by Elsa's skillful hand, she applied a line of medi-gel over top each one, then carefully covered up the cuts with a pad of gauze and bandages.

The only thing left to deal with now was the blood transfusion so Elsa looked around until she found a chair, then pulled it up alongside Anna. She took a seat, then removed her leather bomber jacket and rolled up the shirt sleeve of her right arm to expose her pale skin. Taking the surgical tubing and catheters in hand, Elsa pierced a vein in her arm and watched as blood began to flow through the tubing as she taped the line to her arm. With it secure, Elsa held the line up, allowing the blood to follow it before reaching over and repeating the process of piercing a vein in Anna's arm to transfer the blood.

"It's going to be okay," Elsa murmured as she watched her own blood flow into Anna. "It's okay now, you're going to be okay."

Now that the ordeal was over, Elsa leaned back in her seat and thought over the events of the day. The escape from the hospital was harrowing enough, but on top of it all was the wolf attack. After Anna was mauled, her mask had been destroyed and Elsa had willingly given up her own. Despite that, she had no issues breathing in the toxic air which she hoped meant that she was unaffected by the radiation. Additionally, the three decontamination chambers they had passed through gave Elsa enough reason to believe that there was little cause for concern. Still to be sure, Elsa decided that once Anna's condition stabilized, she would perform a scan of herself.

As she sat there in quiet contemplation, Elsa's thoughts turned to the bizarre acts of providence that led to where they were now. The fact that Elsa had been able to find Gjallarbru, much less gain entry to it, was entirely too convenient. Further still, it appeared that Gjallarbru remained fully operational and was still stocked with the exact medical equipment that Elsa needed to save Anna's life, another suspiciously lucky fact. Most disconcerting of all however, was that whoever had allowed Elsa to enter the facility was apparently also testing her.

Access to the rest of the facility had been closed to Elsa, save for the medical wing and android research. Undoubtedly, the answers to the riddle of Elsa's life were contained within the android research sector of Gjallarbru. Many more questions continued to run through Elsa's mind but she decided she would not think anymore and set them aside for later. Now, the only thing in the world she cared about was the red-haired woman lying unconscious in front of her.

Elsa shuffled her chair closer until she was right next to the bed, then turned towards Anna. Gently, Elsa took hold of Anna's right hand and squeezed it between both of her own. She was exhausted from the events of the day and completely drained from worry. With nothing else to do but wait, Elsa laid her head to rest by Anna's side and shut her eyes.

Yet, she did not sleep a wink at all for fear of Anna's condition.

… … …

Hours later, Elsa opened her eyes and glanced over to the holo-display that monitored Anna's vital signs. A new message had appeared, stating that Anna's condition was now stable and that her survival odds had risen to 87.93%. Elated at this news, Elsa straightened up and rose to her feet, looking down on Anna who had only marginally improved visibly.

Anna's skin was still pale, but her breathing had slightly evened out into steady breaths, though they were still quite ragged. Minimal as the change was, Elsa was now presented with a new set of problems she had to face to ensure Anna made a recovery. Namely, Elsa had to ensure she avoided infection by administering the antibiotics she had found, followed up routinely swapping out the bandages and cleaning her wounds. Those could wait however so first, Elsa removed the surgical tubing which had been slowly and steadily transferring her blood over to Anna.

She felt slightly woozy as she did, given the amount of blood she had donated but the feeling quickly passed. Next, Elsa had to determine her own state of health since she would not be able to look after Anna if she herself came down with a bout of sickness. Reluctantly, Elsa released her hold on Anna's hand, then took a longing look down upon her. She swept an errant of Anna's red hair away from her face, then smiled softly before turning around and walking away.

Elsa approached an empty bed just next to Anna's then gently laid down on top of it. Just like when she set Anna down, a holo-display appeared at the foot of the bed which Elsa interfaced with. Seconds later, the familiar ring appeared and scanned Elsa up and down, head to toe twice. When it concluded, Elsa's diagnosis report appeared on the display.

As she read it, Elsa was surprised to find that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her. The report stated that there were no issues detected, at least none that required serious attention but moreover, Elsa was completely unaffected by the radiation. The amount that she had absorbed had amounted to practically nothing and was ultimately harmless as it remained far within acceptable limits.

Patient Summary

Sex: Female

Age: 25

Height: 1.74 meters

Weight: 56 kilograms

Blood type: O-

No immediate issues detected.

How can that be? Elsa thought as her mind filled with questions once more. I breathed in the same air that Anna did, for longer than she did in fact. How could I be completely unaffected?

The answer to that question, along with all the other ones that Elsa had, invariable lay within android research. At the moment that didn't matter to Elsa though for she was simply relieved for the fact that she could now turn her full attention to Anna without fear for her own health. Deciding not to question their good fortune any further, Elsa slipped off her bed then returned to Anna's side.

If it wasn't for Anna's blood staining the immaculate white flooring of the medical wing, or the fact that she was missing her left hand, or the fact that her face was covered in bandages, Elsa would have thought that she was merely asleep. Hot tears stung Elsa's eyes once more, so she wiped them away hurriedly then went over to her bag to retrieve the antibiotics. Taking them in hand, she prepared the injector then went back to Anna to administer the medicine.

Anna grimaced in her sleep, as if sensing the needle before her expression returned to one of sickly calm. Now that Elsa had tended to Anna with the best of her ability, the only thing to do now was to wait for the red-haired woman to hopefully wake soon. Elsa returned to her seat next, but she found that she was still restless so she immediately stood back up and began to pace back and forth, a habit she had picked up from Anna.

There was one thing left to do, which was to replace Anna's missing hand with a cybernetic prosthesis and since she wasn't conscious to make that decision for herself, Elsa decided for her. First, she unwrapped the bandages around the remaining part of Anna's left arm and was relieved to find that the medi-gel had stopped the cut line from bleeding any further. Next, she went over to the foot of the bed and summoned up the diagnostics report once more, scrolling until she found the section detailing the injury to Anna's left arm.

"Cybernetics lab," Elsa said to herself to reaffirm her decision. "Need to get to the cybernetics lab."

Elsa looked around for a wheelchair that she could use to take Anna there, but she found none. Next, she crouched and examined the sickbed for any wires or cables connecting it to anything and also found none. Thankfully, the entire thing was on wheels which allowed Elsa to easily push Anna along, going as gently as she could while she searched for the cybernetics lab.

For several minutes, Elsa wandered around aimlessly, pushing Anna along through the abandoned medical wing. In her exploration, she came upon a shower room which she made a note of, as well an incinerator to dispose of hazardous waste. Eventually, she came upon the cybernetics lab which lay tucked away in a darkened corner of the medical wing. As she approached, the lights flickered on in response to the motion detectors and Elsa went on in with Anna.

There she found various examination tables, as well as a bizarre array of various cybernetic limbs just laying about. At the far end of the lab lay a large piece of equipment which looked like a cross between an MRI machine and a 3D printer with a viewing port. Next to it lay an examination chair surrounded by robotic arms that held various surgical tools. Surmising that to be the fabricator that the diagnosis report mentioned, Elsa wheeled Anna over to it and began fiddling with the controls.

In truth, Elsa wasn't a doctor nor was she any kind of technical expert on the subject of cybernetic implants but even so, whoever had designed the equipment had evidently made the interface very intuitive and user friendly. Such was the kind of providence afforded by bleeding edge medical technology that only megacorporations could have access to. For Elsa, it was yet another stroke of good luck that was entirely too convenient. Still, she thought better than to question it and so, she gently picked up Anna's frail body and set it in the examination chair.

Like before, a holo-display appeared which prompted Elsa to perform a scan of Anna's body, which she initiated. Unlike before, the machinery seemed capable of sensing Anna's injury and focused its scanning rings around her right and left arms, running up and down repeatedly. On the display on the fabricator nearby, a 3D image of a replacement limb began to form, sized and measured to the exact same proportions of Anna's old forearm and hand.

Once finished, a message appeared on the display which stated that fabricator was now ready and prompted Elsa to accept. She did, and at once, tiny mechanical arms appeared from inside the viewport and a 3D printer began to lay down a mould which would form the shape of Anna's new limb. Since the procedure was entirely automated, there was nothing left for Elsa to do but wait, monitor Anna's condition, and oversee the fabrication process. She pulled up a chair and simply sat, watching with idle curiosity at the fabricator carry out its routine, while occasionally checking in on Anna.

Once the mould was finished, a liquid metal alloy was injected to fill it which hardened after several minutes. With the outline of the hand and forearm now complete, even tinier mechanical arms appeared to start laying down the complex inner workings of circuitry and biocomponents. Elsa marvelled at the speed and precision with which the entire automated process worked and she knew that no human hand could ever replicate such results.

After the better part of an hour, Anna's new limb was completed and the viewport opened, allowing Elsa to reach in and grab the prosthesis. She carefully held it with her own two hands, testing its weight and inspecting it closely. The prosthesis was lighter than Elsa expected, but she could tell from the solid construction and inventive engineering that this new limb would be considerably stronger than Anna's old one.

With that, Elsa carried it over to the examination chair where Anna was still sitting, then set the new limb down on a nearby tray. There, she interfaced with the holo-display and initiated the transplantation procedure which brought the various robotic arms to life as they set to work with installing Anna's new limb. Elsa stepped back to observe the procedure, but remained close by out of worry should anything occur. Meanwhile, the robotic arms worked diligently away, whirring and spinning and moving around as they fussed with the new limb and the remaining part of Anna's arm. After a lengthy process, the union of flesh and metal was completed successfully and Anna now had a new, cybernetic arm.

The starkness of the gleaming metal complemented the paleness of Anna's skin and where the two joined it was nearly seamless. The prosthesis consisted of three main parts; the elbow joint, the forearm, and the hand. All of it was composed of a corrosion resistant metal alloy which completely covered and sealed the inner workings to protect them. Additionally, the entire thing was connected to Anna's nervous system and equipped with haptic sensors, meaning that her new limb was capable of providing physical and sensory feedback which would feel just like the real thing.

Now that they were finished with the cybernetics lab, Elsa picked up Anna and set her back down on her sickbed before returning to the medical wing.

It was well into the evening now and though the facility was windowless, it seemed that the interior lighting was tuned to the daylight cycle outside and it had dimmed accordingly. For the next several hours, Elsa passed the time by cleaning up the blood around Anna's bed, disposing the gruesome contents of the wastebasket inside an incinerator she found, dutifully monitoring Anna's vital signs, and pacing back and forth.

She had briefly entertained the notion of leaving the medical wing to explore the rest of Gjallarbru - namely the android research sector - to discover what secrets lay therein but Elsa thought against it. She didn't want to leave Anna out of her sight for even a second. Eventually, Elsa returned to her seat next to Anna where she sat down and adjusted her bed so that she was lying in more of an upright position. Next, Elsa shuffled up as close as she could to Anna.

She was uncharacteristically exhausted, both from the chaotic events of the day and the busywork of keeping Anna alive and with that she decided she would finally get some rest. She leaned forward and laid her head in Anna's lap, keeping her face pointed towards Anna just in case she awoke from her stupor, while she held onto her organic hand.

Elsa shut her eyes and was rocked to sleep by the gentle and rhythmic movement of Anna's steady breathing.