Chapter Four
"Bayonne, with Ludovick. Malone, your with me. Von Konig, your with Doc..." Vaughn paused, realizing that one trooper would be left on their own.
"Don't worry about me, Lt. I'm a big girl." Cidney grinned.
"I have no doubt in your abilities, Sergeant. Just be careful." Moving past the lieutenant, she disappeared into the fog. Leaving the others to go their own way.
Cidney moved quietly through the stillness. Her eyes sweeping the foliage around her.
"Sarge?" a weak voice rose from out of nowhere. "Sarge, I can't feel my legs. Are they okay? Are they okay, Sarge?" Cidney sat down beside Campbell and pulled the soldier in close, holding him as if he were a child. 'such an innocent child'. Campbell gasped in pain, his stomach muscles tightening and releasing pinkish intestines from his mangled midsection. Tilting his face upward she looked into his eyes. He seemed unaware of what just happened. "Am I going to be okay?" Trying hard to hide her growing fear she nodded.
"Uh huh." She smiled, knowing that everything she would say to the Private would be a lie. "You're gonna be fine. Do you remember what happened?"
"A warrior. It came out of nowhere." He gasped for a breath. "It attacked me. I can't feel my legs, Sarge." 'He's cut in half. A fuckin' bug cut 'em in half.' Campbell's shaking hand grasped her arm so tight she could feel the lack of blood in her fingers. None-the-less she did her best to ignor the dicomfort. Her cold fingers gently caressing his pale cheek.
When the others finally arrived it was too late. Campbell's face was tucked in against Cidney's neck as her head rested lightly on his. At first sight Vaughn had feared that she had also been wounded, but as he got closer he could see that the blood belonged to the lifeless Campbell. His unmoving torso still clentched tightly in the bloody arms of Sergeant Velasquez. Kneeling next to her Vaughn lifted her chin. Her lips were purple from the cold rain that had momentarily subsided. She seemed otherwise unscathed. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. It was unfortnate about Campbell. The young trooper never got the chance to feel like part of their family. When they got back to the Valley Forge, Pvt. Campbell would be given a military funeral that every citizen of the Federation deserved.
The hum of the transport's engines was soothing. Lulling Cideny into a half sleep.
"Sarge?" A warm, male voice roused her from her sleep. Opening her heavy eyes she looked around the compartment. The red lights overhead painted everything in a soft tone. Unhooking her restraint bar and scooping her up in his arms, Vaughn turned towards the door. Peering over his shoulder she realized that the transport was empty. Even the docking bay was quiet.
"where is everyone?" she whispered. Her head nestled against the side of his neck. His sweet scent filling her lungs.
"Asleep. Have been for hours."
"Hours?" Cidney raised her head and stared at the Lieutenant.
"You were exhausted. I didn't want to wake you."
"So you left me strapped to the seat?" A puzzled look on her face.
"I didn't want to come back and find you on the floor," Vaughn let out a soft chuckle and Cidney smiled. Her head finding its way back to his shoulder. Her arms circling his neck.
"So you left me strapped to the seat...How sweet."
"Just call me Prince Charming." A teasing grin spreading accross his lips. It was then that the Sergeant realized she was short her powersuit and weapon. The blood on her arms had also vanished.
"Where's my gear?" She pushed free of his grasp and stood on her own feet.
"Bayonne took everything to the squad barracks. I also took the liberty of cleaning you up a bit." She nodded.
"Well thanks, sir. I think I'll go to my quarters now." Vaughn reached out his arm and stopped her. Placing her in the army-carry he turned and walked down another hallway.
"Sir? My quarters are that way." She pointed in the opposite direction. The way she was facing.
"I know that, roomie." Cidney wrinkled her face in question.
"Roomie?"
"Your door panel is busted. It'll take time to get the parts. So guess where you're bunking!"
"How convienent." The sarcasim in her voice was evident. The next sound she heard was the hissing of the door as it slide open, then shut. Then, in the darkness, she was falling, falling, and hitting the surface of a cot. Then the lights flicked on and she was in Vaughn's quarters.
To her left, spread proudly across one wall was the Communist flag of Russia. Cidney looked in aw at the room. Most quarters shared the same bland, gray appearance, but this room told a story. It was history itself. Slid under the rug after the victorious German cursade a hundred and thirty-three years ago, back in 1945. A few years later, SICON (Stratigically Intergreated Coolation of Nations) had been formed.
"Where did you get all this?" She asked, still looking at the red flag.
"After my parents died I returned to Mother Russia..." He paused, correcting himself. "Sector Two-four-nine. Everything had been left to my younger sister, Avivah. She gave me our country's flag the day I left. It was a reminder of what everyone once had. I guess she realized that I wouldn't be coming back." Cidney's eyes shifted to the floor. A feeling of guilt for opening a healed wound. This new guilt adding to the one she had for Campbell.
Sitting down beside her, Vaughn clasped his hands together.
"Campbell?" He knew he had hit a nerve when her body tensed.
"Yeah," she said, her fingers figiting with eachother. "I can't stop seeing him. He was so scared. I couldn't help him." Her brown eyes looked up at Vaughn as if searching for some kind of remorse. "I should have gone back. I should have gotten Doc. I..."
"If you had gone to get help that soldier would have died alone in the mud. There was nothing anyone could have done. I saw his wounds. It was only a matter of time before he slipped into shock and bled out. You did right by him, Sergeant. You stayed with him to the end. He was part of the family... and family sticks together."
"If I did the right thing how come it felt so wrong?" Vaughn didn't answer and he felt compelled to leave it at that. It was just one of life's many unanswerable questions. No one knows why. It just happens.
Standing up he moved towards the door.
"I have to write a report." Raising his hand he placed it on the switch panel. Not turning to look at her he paused before continuing. "I won't be expecting you at rollcall in the morning. Take some time for yourself. You know I would normally give an Ape orders to visit the Phsychologist before returning to duty, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Good night, Sergeant." Without waiting for a reply the door slid open and Vaughn disappeared.
Kicking off her boots, she stripped down to her boxers and tanktop then climbed between the warm sheets. Closing her eyes she slipped into a restless sleep.
