A Javelin to Strike the Core

Chapter 10

This one will probably bleed more into the next episode as well given Han's influence will be limited and most things will stay the same. Especially since he's already injured. And the main focus of this episode goes to Yoshika and her investigations. So on with the show.

(No POV)

When Han and Mio were brought back to the base, Yoshika kept alternating between the two with her healing magic. All the while Perrine is calling to the Major to wake up. "Do something!" she cries to Yoshika with tears in her eyes. After alternating her magic over two people, Yoshika is completely exhausted. Though some of her efforts bore fruit.

"Yoshika. Don't worry about me right now. Mio's hurt worse than I- AAAH!" Han starts out before feeling the pain spike in his back. Right when Yoshika is about to start again with Han, but the doctor and nurses arrive to help both injured members of the 501st. "Major! Major…." Perrine says with a whimper.

While in the operating room, the doctor first worked on Mio to better stabilize her condition. The nurses meanwhile worked on Han to ease the injury on his back. They eventually had to put him under from the pain he was in. Once Mio was stable enough, the doctor began working more intently on Han. "At least you removed the larger fragments from his suit. I'll get started on the smaller ones. Nurse, prepare to treat the burn wounds. We're not done yet." The doctor instructed before operating on the Freelancer.

It takes two hours, but they eventually remove most of the metal and treat the wounds enough to ease the pain. Mio on the other hand is still at a point where the doctor can't tell if she'll make it. Both are unconscious when he reports to Commander Minna. "Any improvement? On either of them?" "Its too early to make predictions. The major is in a coma right now, while the specialist is sleeping. I removed most of the fragments of metal I could find from them," the doctor explains.

As Perrine runs by him to stay by Mio's side, the doctor details some of the injuries both soldiers displayed. With Han having severe burns across his back. "It'll likely leave scars. And I don't know about any future pain he could have." "Alright. Thank you doctor." Minna says before going in herself to check on the two. Perrine is just sitting by Mio's bed, looking on in worry. Minna is equally worried and looks down at her combat commander with watery eyes.

She sighs before going over to check on Han. He is currently laying on his stomach, and even with the bandages Minna can see the extent of some of his injuries. She reaches out to the injured sections but hesitates. She then sits before grabbing Han's hand. "You said you'd keep an eye on her. But who will watch over you? Please, hang in there Han." Minna says in a quiet voice.

Her eyes widen when she feels Han's grip tighten. Even if it is only slightly. While the freelancer doesn't wake, he is at least somewhat able to respond. Minna then checks over Mio with a sigh. "You are just too reckless Mio. Don't leave us behind. We all have a duty to save our homes. But we have to fight together." Perrine is a bit confused at what the commander is saying but she too is hoping the major with come back to them.

After Minna excuses herself, Perrine just sits and prays that the major will wake up. After an hour or so, Yoshika arrives. And Perrine is quick to not only blame the girl but attack her as well. But Lynne fires back at the angry blonde for being unfair to Yoshika. "Take it down a notch, will you? Some of us are trying to rest… or maybe die in peace. Not sure which I'd rather," the girls hear from the side of the room.

Han had started to wake up and was grunting while trying to move. Lynne ran to his side while Yoshika ran to start healing Mio. Lynne steps up and says, "Mr. Han you need to stay still. Your wounds are still fresh, and the doctor only got the bigger pieces of metal out of your back. He didn't know if there was more." Han gives the girl a sideways look before sighing and agreeing with her. "Alright. But….. could you get me a painkiller or something? I still feel like I've got this stabbing pain." Han says before resting his head back on the pillow.

Lynne does that before watching over Yoshika who was still trying to heal the major. It was dinner time for the rest of the squad, so they were all gathered to eat for the evening. "Is there any news on the major and Han?" Francesca asks in the dining room. Shirley shakes her head before saying, "in the meantime I've got some food here." And she then sets out a can of SPEM. With Francesca looking at it with annoyance. Sanya though asks Shirley what was going to happen to Yoshika. Eila has the answer instead. "I've been reading Yoshika's fortune," the girl said after putting out a set of tarot cards. Sanya lights up a bit hopefully and asks what it said. And the card Eila brings up is the Death card. "Says death." "That's not helpful." The three others in the room say with flat faces.

Meanwhile the other commanding officers are discussing the actions that resulted in injuries. "We're dealing with unauthorized actions and a violation of orders. Leading to not one but two superior officers being injured. It's a serious offence." Trude said while discussing matter with Minna. Erica though was a bit flippant about the whole matter. "Damnit Erica! Can you not take this seriously!?" "Okay that is enough. We will discuss this more when Han and the Major wake up." Minna says, bringing the argument to a close.

"Han huh? Something you want to talk about Minna?" Erica says with a teasing lilt. Trude though elbows the girl before telling Minna to not go easy on Yoshika. Minna looks down before heading back to the infirmary.

Yoshika though had started to make some headway on healing Mio. Upon hearing the grunting and struggling that Mio was making on the other side of the room, Han started to try and get up. "Mio….. Hang on. I'm." "No Mr. Han you are not!" Lynne says before gently pushing Han back down to his bed. She tells him to stay put while she gets the doctor. When Yoshika is crying about wanting her mom and grandma to help her, Perrine is the first to say that she's the only one who can save Mio. "Please don't give up Miyafuji!" Perrine says with some tears building in her eyes.

Yoshika looks up with some tears of her own, and still nervous about the matter. "She's right Yoshika…. No one else can heal her. It's up to you… and you know you can do this." Han says with a minor wince trying to move a bit. Yoshika gulps before agreeing with both. "I can do this. And I'll heal you too Han." "Don't worry about me….. focus on Mio." Han says before laying back down in bed.

It takes a serious push with all of her magic, but Yoshika manages to pull Mio back from the brink. It is enough that she falls asleep after finishing. "That's an amazing magical touch she has," the doctor says with a smile before leaving Minna and Lynne who had come in with the man. Minna goes up and checks on Mio. With the black-haired soldier looking up at her commanding officer with two brown eyes instead of one magic eye. "Are you still going to fly?" Minna asks with a worried look.

"You know she is. And so am I." Han says from his bed. He turns toward Mio and Minna as best he can, and then smiles at both. Mio smiles as well before saying, "I probably should have listened to you Han. I guess you knew something was up. But when you got hurt….. I just. I saw red I guess" "Let's not worry too much about that right now Mio. Both of you need to heal. As for you Han." Minna says before walking over to Han's bed. She put her hand in Han's before gently feeling the bandages on his back. She then moves her hand up to Han's face before saying, "I don't want to lose either of you. So please… don't make me worry again."

Han is a bit surprised, but he smiles a bit before leaning slightly into Minna's hand. "I wish I could make you that promise. But…. Freelancers. Witches. Even soldiers. We go into the fray to fight against the monsters at the door. The best I can promise is that I'll try to save you….. and maybe you two can try to save me." Han says with a minor chuckle. Both witches just smile a bit at that before agreeing.

Minna then stands before kissing Han's cheek. It surprises all those conscious, but Mio smile grows a bit bigger. She chuckles a bit before saying, "you've let go a bit huh?" "He's not the only one." Minna says before going over to Mio. And kissing her cheek as well. This makes the Fuso witch stiffen up and look at Minna in shock.

Lynne meanwhile has been watching all of this with a bright blush across her face. "Hey Lynne….. maybe don't say anything for now please…." Han says from his bed. Lynne gulps and nods before sitting on a couch in the infirmary. Perrine eventually moves from spot on Mio's bed, to sitting on a couch with Lynne.

In Han's mind, he keeps swimming through what that little kiss from Minna meant. Especially since she did it to both him and Mio. "I wouldn't think about it too much Han. Right now we both have bigger things to focus on. Like healing. And I don't know about you, but I'm still exhausted." Mio says from her bed before relaxing and eventually falling back asleep. Han sighs before he does much the same.

When the next day starts, Mio wakes up first and waits for Yoshika to awaken as well. When she does, Yoshika wants to cry out how happy she is that Mio is alright. But the major stops her before pointing to Lynne and Perrine. "You look pale. You should get some rest. Thanks again." Mio says to her protégé. The girl smiles and blushes while being extra happy her healing worked.

Mio though has a stern face as she asks why Yoshika didn't shoot the neuroi. "I don't know I just couldn't," was all Yoshika could say in her defense. When Mio is about to berate the girl because the neuroi looked like a human, Han speaks up next. "Mio there was something else off about that neuroi the other day. It's why I said to stop." Han is trying to at least push himself up, but he is in enough pain that he can't. Yoshika then goes over and starts to work on his back.

This eases the pain significantly, to where Han feels like he could move after a while. "That thing….. whatever that witch sized neuroi was after. I don't think it wanted to attack right away. I was picking up something strange on my radio and other sensors. It seemed like it was trying to talk. Or something." Han explains while Yoshika works on his back a bit more. Mio isn't willing to fully believe it, until Yoshika mentions something that happened. "I was originally going to shoot it. But I had my safety on, so I couldn't shoot it when it got close. Right when I didn't shoot it, the beam I thought it was going to fire shut down." "Meaning it made a conscious decision to not attack." Han finishes for the girl.

Mio meanwhile isn't buying the idea. She's about to push forward when she feels a bit exhausted and lays back in bed. Once Yoshika had fixed what she could on Han's back, she left the infirmary. What follows her, is her confinement and reprimanding from Minna. When said commander goes to visit the two in the infirmary later, she tells them what her judgement was. "I don't want to bring a true court martial down on Miyafuji. So, for now she's just been confined to her room."

"Minna, I'm not sure that is the best. Because I'm willing to bet that she's going to try and find out what that neuroi was after." Han says while laying on his side. Yoshika's healing magic fixed his back, but it was still tender. Minna looks down before agreeing with the Freelancer. Especially once he brought up the strange signals he was picking up during the first engagement with the humanoid neuroi. "Then what would you suggest I do? Let her run free and try to find the neuroi she met? That could be catastrophic for us. The higher ups could use that as an excuse to shut us down or something worse. We have to be careful." Minna says with a worried glare to Han.

Who just sighs before asking her, "at least take a few other things into consideration? Please?" Minna nods before heading out. But his predictions end up being true, as Yoshika escapes during the night and through a rainstorm to try and find the neuroi she met with. While most of the squad goes off to capture the girl, Perrine stays behind to keep an eye on Mio and Han. "It's because of Yoshika Miyafuji that the whole base is in an uproar!" Perrine says when Mio questions about what is happening. "I warned Minna that this was the likely outcome. But she still went along with it." Han says from his own bed.

Mio agrees before asking Perrine for some help. The girl then brings a wheelchair and helps Mio into it. "I need you to take me to the hanger. There something we need there." "Hold up! I may not be able to move very well, but I'm not just gonna stay in the infirmary either. I can move my arms well enough so get me a chair too. I have to set up a few things in my strider." Mio nods before asking Perrine to do just that.

While Han expected the temperamental blonde to deny him, she went along and brought another wheelchair to the infirmary. Once both were situated, Han used his own arms to roll the wheels and move himself forward. When the trio reached the hanger, Mio had Perrine help with hiding and securing her striker unit within the chair. Han meanwhile set up some extra defenses on his strider. To make sure no unauthorized people could access it.

Han didn't know what Mio was worried about, but he had enough respect to know she wasn't planning this for no good reason. And that reason showed it's face when the storm cleared, and the hanger was lite up brightly. Pounding knocks were heard on the door to Han's strider just when he had finished enough of the preventative measures for his Javelins. With that Han rolled over to the door and right into the barrels of the guns of the soldiers. "Well, this is bad." Han quips as he rolls out of his strider and locks his door behind himself.

Once outside, the group is soon surrounded by soldiers. With General Maloney coming up to the whole. In his mind Han isn't the least bit surprised. 'He's just been waiting for the right moment. And now he's got enough of what he wants.' Han thinks to himself as Yoshika, Minna and the rest who had gone to look for the Fuso witch arrive. "Well done Commander Minna." Maloney compliments before said commander asks if he was in charge now. Right as he is about to answer, a strange machine flies in and lands behind the general.

The group that went after Yoshika recognize it and while they are stunned, the soldiers all point their guns at the members of the 501st. With the general smirking at their shocked expressions. "Now what?" Han asks while sitting next to Mio with all the guns pointed their way.