In the medbay, Posa was still fast asleep on the bunk. Zutel just finished brewing a pot of coffee on a Vortian machine set up in the infirmary for the three medics as a much needed addition. It was just about time for her to wake Posa and get some rest herself. Before she could go wake up the sleeping one-eyed apprentice, the door opened, revealing the Commander. Zutel walked over, hand over her mouth as she shielded a sudden onset yawn.
"Commander, what can we do for you?"
Two of the beds remained occupied, Haxx and the still recovering Rem. The former was more or less fine but needed a few days of lighter duty to fully recover. The latter needed constant monitoring but was improving, albeit slowly. The three of them pulled off a miracle on Vort.
The sterile environment of the infirmary was always off-putting. The scent of antiseptic and harsh disinfectant cleaners. The uncomfortably bright lights reflecting off of every white surface. A necessity to maintain cleanliness to the proper standard. Various sounds of monitoring equipment actively maintaining vigilance over the patient they were attached to. Vult found it an affront to every sense. Less because of his willing visit, but each time they reminded him of his close brush with death. The engagement with Tak. His right hand turned to vaporized ash. The PAK leg through his chest. Being rushed to the infirmary for emergency surgery.
None of which compared to what Rem was contending with. She appeared less Irken than even before in the mangled cockpit. The abundance of gauze, bandages, and dressings left hardly any pale green skin visible. A ventilator kept the intubated Navigator's body breathing at regular intervals, a feeding tube ran into her mouth and down her throat into her spooch. A myriad of machine wires and plethora of intravenous medications on monitored, programmed dosages met at the nexus that was her body. By all accounts, she should have perished in the crash. Through some miracle or sheer obstinance to fate itself, her will to live remained.
Sula stood at Rem's bedside, checking the monitoring equipment and making adjustments accordingly to their patient's condition. Her recovery was slow, but progress was progress. Stability was good. They could work with stability.
Vult, taking all of this in, his attention drifted back to Zutel.
"Making my rounds, checking on everyone," He answered. "You have any good news for me on Rem's condition?"
Zutel walked over with him, standing on the opposite side of the bed. "The good news is she's recovering, but it's slow going. She's a fighter; Sula and I are extremely confident she'll pull through by the end of this. After we pull her out of this induced coma and some rehab to get her back up to strength…" Zutel paused, "and some replacement legs and eyes. She'll be good to go again. So long as IIA doesn't see her first."
The most senior Medical Officer's hand slammed down on the bedside railing with a surprising rattle, garnering both Vult and Zutel's attention. She looked up from her work with a glare of annoyance at her colleague.
"Do you have selective hearing?"
"Is…something going on here that I need to be made aware of?" Vult interjected at Sula's temperament.
"I was giving him the good news to blunt the bad, Sula." Zutel countered.
"Start with the bad, end with the good. Softens the blow." She corrected, looking back to Vult. "After everything that has happened and will continue to happen, Commander, I lack the patience and tact to deliver this with subtlety."
She paused, taking a deep breath, closing her fatigued eyes briefly before continuing.
"...Physically, she is recovering…I have two major concerns that Zutel conveniently left out. The first? Abnormal brain activity. I haven't determined the root cause, only that she was severely concussed. The force of the impact was violent enough to rip her ocular implants free of her eye sockets, safe to assume that is where the concussion came from…which leads me to my second concern that requires no further investigation."
"That being?" Vult queried cautiously.
"Both ocular nerves are severely damaged, Commander. It's a miracle they weren't ripped out of her brain with the implants. Even if cloned replacements can be fashioned for either socket…I don't know if her body will repair the damage sufficiently enough to make use of them."
The Commander grimly read between the lines on both accounts.
"...you believe she has brain damage and is permanently blind?"
The Medical Officer sighed, turning her attention back to her unconscious patient. Several seconds passed before she spoke again.
"It's too early to tell for certain, Sir…but the outlook does not look good." Sula reluctantly admitted.
"I hold some optimism personally," Zutel added, "but it'll be a long road. Commander… Sula, my mistake. I'm still trying to get used to how you guys do things here. The General always prefers the good then the bad" She sighed, taking an open seat nearby and rubbing her face.
"No, it's fine…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped." She apologized, rubbing at her fatigued eyes. "Everyone's running on fumes, even with shift rotations."
"Understandable. All of you are doing a fantastic job beneath the circumstances. Try to limit your frustrations from being taken out on each other though." Vult felt it prudent to boost morale and temper discipline gently. "If you need to take a short leave or simply need to vent, come to me."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir." Sula nodded with a thin smile.
The Commander turned his attention to Haxx's bed, gesturing to the incapacitated Heavy Weapon's Sergeant.
"What's his condition?"
Sula scoffed, shaking her head.
"Aside from fighting us until we knocked him out, recovery has been as-expected. When we opened him up for surgery…Commander, I don't know how he was conscious, let alone upright and fighting as long as he did on Vort. His ribcage may as well have been non-existent. Completely shattered and fragmented. We spent hours picking bone shards out of every major organ. He should have been unconscious from a lack of oxygen as much blood we sucked out. Thankfully…Zutel's steady hand was able to piece his shredded guts back together."
"He seemed intent on getting through us and then going after the Captain…Anger seems to be one major motivator. Also thanks to Sula that he even has ribs to put back together."
"Enough wire, screws, and plates, anything can be fixed." She morbidly observed with her own sense of dark humor. "Frankly, I don't know how he's alive. I've seen some pretty serious cases of trauma, Commander…Haxx's injuries were only surpassed by Rem's and I hardly think that's a fair comparison."
"That these two are even alive and in the condition they're in after a shuttle crash of that magnitude for Rem and then two separate falls and a close call with some artillery shells from what I was told of what Haxx went through…it's some sort of miracle."
Despite the severity of their injuries and grim news delivered, the Commander couldn't help but feel a bit proud.
"Perhaps…I made certain I got the best of the best for this team. Grating as Haxx is on my patience at times…he's as hard as they come. Suppose that thick skull of his is good for something after all: A powerful will of mind over matter. Nerves of steel. A never-quit attitude…I can't wait for him to wake up and deliver the news."
Sula's tired eyes furrowed in confusion.
"Deliver the news, Sir? What news?"
An alarm set on the far counter sounded off, eliciting a curse from the Medical Officer as she rushed past Zutel for the supply closet.
"What's that for? Rotation?" Vult queried, watching the experienced Medic throw the door open and turn the light on.
"Yes, actually," Zutel managed to answer before yawning again. "I was actually about to get some sleep and wake Posa when you walked in. Duty comes first, Commander."
Right around that time, a groan also escaped the Sergeant.
"Posa, get up."
The one-eyed, freckle-faced Private curled into the bunk with a groan of obstiance.
"You overslept and missed Haxx's next dosage of sedatives! Get UP!"
"Nnnn…fivemore…min…utes."
She gave her two chances. Third strike it is. Sula knelt down, grabbing the frame of the cot, and stood up tipping the bunk over and dumping Posa off unkindly onto the unforgiving deck.
"Off your c'hurta, on your feet!"
"Owwwww…what'd I doooo….?" She whined, seething as she held her arm.
The time kept and alarms set were part of their redundancy system…and meant she was overdue for her turn in rotation. No overlap or passing down of information. She heard the alarm going off and eyes widened in realization before scrambling out of her twisted-up blanket to leave the supply closet.
"Crap, crap, crap!"
"But Vollllx I don't wanna get up." Haxx mumbled from his bed hearing Sula yell at Posa from across the bay. Clearly the man was in a more pleasant space in his dreams…
Vult stood by, watching the scene unfold as Posa, still in her underclothes, rushed to Haxx's bed. He was coming out of sedation.
"Okay…uhhh…problem."
"What?" Sula caught up to her, looking over Haxx's monitoring equipment.
"He's coming to…which throws ALL that dosage calculation out the window. Too much too quickly will kill him." She explained, sheepishly, to her superior.
Zutel ran a tired hand down her face. "I'm not in the mood to fight an angry Haxx again."
That news was not taken well by Sula either. Her hands rose, trembling with frustration as they appeared poised to reach out and choke the living daylights out of Posa until they formed fists of frustration at her temples. After several tense moments, her hands fell to her sides with an uneven, forced exhale.
"...I am beyond furious with you right now." She calmly uttered, her goldenrod eyes glowering with tired rage.
"I'm sorry! I-"
"I don't want your excuses, Posa!" Sula all but bit the Private's head off, mindfully stopping herself from going further, pinching at her nasal bridge to alleviate her anger. "Just…get the restraints…and strap him down. I have my hands full with Rem and we don't have the time or energy to fight with him right now."
A tired Zutel handed Posa the restraints, sitting nearby in case Haxx got out of hand while she was still awake, barely as it was. They weren't even fully fastened by the time the Sergeant's eyes fluttered open fully to the sight of the ceiling of the medical room, before glancing about to see the three medics and the Commander. "...Either this is what the Vortians call hell or I'm still alive. Which is it?"
"At this point? Both are about equal." Vult commented, semi-serious, watching as Posa cranked down the last of the restraints to pin Haxx in-place on the bed. "...how are you feeling, Sergeant?"
"I fell out of a shuttle, took the impact of two, nearly got hit with a tank shell and fell a few stories with that, semi-thrown by a Vortian, shot multiple times, fell a second time off a roof…" Then he paused. "And I couldn't help because I was on my back after that time."
Zutel blinked, surprised at Haxx's ability to remember the events of that fateful night. "His recollection is still solid."
"Surprisingly lucid for someone that's been knocked out," Vult responded curiously. "Sula told me it's a miracle you're still alive."
Welcoming the distraction from Posa's slip-up, she joined the conversation.
"The inside of your chest cavity looked like you swallowed a grenade made of glass…also, your ribcage is less bone and more metal after all the reconstruction work we had to do. You're awake a little sooner than we anticipated. Stubborn as always."
"I…well…" Haxx glanced around the room. "I thought that second fall was going to do me in for sure. One of those SIS guys was standing over me ready to drive his sword into my chest…and I couldn't do anything to stop him."
"Thankfully the right person at the right time was there," Vult candidly spoke, purposely not using the late Lieutenant's name to set him off. "Aside from the discomfort of being on the mend, you still here? Didn't suffer any hits to the head?"
"A minor concussion, but it's came and went with the healing from his PAK," Sula explained. "...and for the record, I don't appreciate you punching me in the face. Jerk."
"...or shoving my dressing into my eye socket. That hurt. A lot." Posa chimed in.
"You punched me in the tit, you ass." Zutel spoke from her chair. "Rude."
Haxx blinked thinking back for a bit… "I remember getting up and saying I was going to kill Corr but then after that my mind kind of goes blank." He spoke genuinely, the sedatives probably knocking his fight with the three medics out of his short term memory.
"You were bleeding out internally and we needed to do emergency surgery. You fought all three of us trying to get at the Captain, so we gave you enough sedatives to knock a slorrbeast out…" Sula elaborated, casting a hesitant glance to Vult before continuing. "...under orders, we were told to keep you sedated until further notice. Equal parts to mend…and, well…"
"Stop me from committing a murder, yeah, yeah." Haxx spoke with some disdain. "Commander, I don't want to get too personal but…what happened was extremely personal. I can't let this go unanswered."
Vult studied the recovering Sergeant briefly. His chin tipped up ever-so-slightly, peering down at Haxx as he mulled over how to address the challenge presented before him.
"You loved her. You were close." Vult summarized, cutting to the heart of the matter. "...and you believe the Captain is the reason why she's gone. You blame him and think killing him in revenge will bring you…what? Peace? Justice? What do you gain in doing so?"
"If it wasn't for him ordering that half-brained diversion to an uncleared LZ…" Haxx started, some tears forming in his eyes and wanting to reach up to deal with them but finding himself unable to, "Rem wouldn't be in that bed, Volx would still be here, Rha wouldn't have lost his legs…"
Posa aided him, a tissue to dab away his tears and said nothing. The Commander, however compassionate and sympathetic, remained steadfast and unbiased. He had to. What was done was done. They could only move forward.
"The entire city was uncleared, Sergeant. That is why we went in. To clear it." He pointedly spoke. "Do not confuse my words for defense of the Captain's deviation from Purple's primary objective. Did you happen to catch why that deviation was ordered, Haxx?"
"...Something about intelligence. SIS related…I mean…" He sighed, "The snipers could've at least warned us about the AA if he had just coordinated it with them, or something, I don't know."
"The lens of hindsight blinds all," Vult sagely observed. "There are so many variables that could have been addressed differently had you the knowledge in advance…hindsight is perfect vision. The Captain made mistakes. I have made mistakes. You have made mistakes. We all make mistakes."
"...you're awake because I made a mistake." Posa reluctantly admitted.
"How is it fair to hold the Captain to an impossible standard that you cannot meet either?" Vult challenged the bed-ridden Sergeant.
The Commander was right…and even now that he had more of an ability to think without being blinded by the fire of rage he was right to see that. "I still want to kill every single member of SIS that comes before my eyes once I get out of this bed. But…Commander…whatever was that Corr got that we got absolutely mauled for, I just hope it was worth it."
"So long as that anger is directed at the enemy and not your commanding officer. They did try to nuke us and millions of civilians out of spite." The Commander attempted to find middle ground with his subordinate and allay his grievances. "...these three are not going to let you out of that bed until I have your word that you will return to duty beneath Captain Corr without incident. We have enough to worry about on our plates as it is, let alone you trying to kill him."
Haxx thought for almost a quarter of a minute, tension evident as he mulled it over in his head. How to put this? He may as well just say it, it was his style. "I'm not going to stand idly by and make an insane decision like that, Commander. If I ever get the sense that he's going to do something that will get people killed again I will do something about it. I don't want to get any more of my family killed. I want to see them all come back, our new sniper friends too. Just…I can't have it happen again, Commander. If it means putting me to sleep forever because of that, so be it." Then he went quiet, he laid out what he was thinking.
His conviction earned a…smirk and bemused chuckle from the Commander? Surely he wasn't mocking him…was he? Vult noted Haxx's souring disposition and thought it prudent to explain.
"Hearing you say that alleviates many of my concerns, Haxx…and ironically enough, you are going to get your wish. I was intending for the Captain to deliver this news as an olive branch to you but its for the best to keep distance from one another for a little while longer."
"News, Sir?" Posa curiously pursued. "What news?"
Vult straightened up, looking to Haxx as he spoke.
"After what has happened, I have made several personnel changes out of necessity. All of them will become official in the near future through ceremony and a celebration afterwards, but there is no harm in telling you now. After lengthy discussion between myself and the Captain, we both feel it prudent to promote you to Lieutenant and be Purple Team's second."
At the risk of slandering Corr or speaking ill of him, the Commander carefully chose his next words.
"...you will be the voice of reason to remind Corr of your mortality. No leader is infallible, even me."
"I guess it helps with three sets of eyes on you? I mean, you have Kazak and Hesa, right?" He paused, thinking back to what was said on Haven. Volx's words, how he was capable of this…and how one day it would all just click. A sullen look overcame him. He never wanted it like this but there was no going back. No way to turn back the clock. He shook his head. "Volx really thought I had that in me…You…you both think I have it in me? Both of you? Even when he knew I wanted to lob his head off if I could get my hands on him?"
"I had Kazak. I've pulled him off-roster and placed him on his own in his element. Another personnel change that warranted a promotion. Aero is Red Team's second at Lieutenant now."
After the explanation, he paused, considering how to answer his questions of uncertainty.
"Haxx…" He sighed, choosing his words wisely. "...you have been one giant pain in my c'hurta for a very long time. You were brash, reckless, impatient, and disrespectful. Notice how I said "were". In your service with this unit, you have grown immensely as not just a soldier, but as a person as well. Those nagging thoughts of regret and second-guessing my selection of you for this team evaporated quickly. While Tallum proved devastating to all of us, some more than others…it was your trial-by-fire. You were tested, tempered, and emerged differently than you landed on Vort. What was already inside of you came to the surface proper. You put the well-being of the team ahead of your own. Your conviction is something to behold, not as a soldier, but as a man. The lengths you are willing to go for those you care about and never a second-thought about sacrificing life or limb for them is why we chose you. That is what a leader needs to be. Purple Team needs that more now than ever before."
He blinked…dumbfounded. His words echoed Volx's, they both saw his potential. Yet, something ate away at his brain until the realization hit him like a brick. "You might want to hold it on the disrespectful bit. I distinctly remember telling Aero to go fuck herself if her slow driving got me killed." He paused again… "I actually had a few moments like that during the whole ordeal."
Vult couldn't help but chuckle at Haxx's rare display of humility.
"I think she'll find the capacity within herself to forgive you. We all say things in the heat of the moment we regret later." He reasoned, smiling.
"Does this mean I have to start calling him "Sir", Commander?" Sula queried.
Haxx quickly butted in, "Do not call me that, I work for a living."
"Good, I wasn't going to anyway."
"Love you too, Sula," Haxx glanced right at her. "Seriously…thanks."
"Wasn't just me. It's what we do." The Medical Officer smiled at him. "...but seriously, you hit me like that again, next time I have to work on you, no anesthesia."
"I'll try not to carry the rage of a hundred suns deep in me next time." He huffed.
"Sooo…am I leaving the restraints on him or…" Posa interjected, gesturing with her hands.
Sula looked to her superior officer. "That depends on the Commander. Personally, I'd rather he stay strapped down only because he'll be less inclined to move around and aggravate his mending body. Zutel stitched your guts back together and there wasn't much to work with."
Haxx just blinked. "Rage is one damn good painkiller then."
"I wasn't kidding when I said it was a miracle you're alive. If it makes you feel any better, you should be on light duty in a matter of days. Your PAK is aiding with healing as-intended. The worst of it has come to pass."
"I'm sure if you're reasonable, these three will accommodate you until then, Lieutenant." Vult nodded, reminding him of his promotion.
"...So it's not a joke…" Haxx blinked, looking around the room again. Sula in uniform, Zutel now asleep in the chair in uniform. Vult in uniform. Posa…nearly naked. "Did…did you ask Posa to be a stripper to celebrate, boss?"
Before Vult could hope to mouth an explanation, the Private's face twisted into an ugly scowl as she stood upright and slugged Haxx in his shoulder with a huff. The nerve!
"I ran over here to help you after being dumped out of my rack! Jerk."
"Oooowwww! I've suffered a grieeeevouuuus wouuuund!"
"Stop whining or you're getting a catheter. No lube."
Haxx mumbled and just kept his mouth shut after that.
"...to answer your question, Haxx, no. She's not…that."
"...Can you just demote me to Private for a bit? I feel stupid right now."
"As you should!" Posa said, incensed before muttering. "Stripper…"
"Maybe you should take that as a hint to get in uniform, Private. I'd like to get some sleep sometime today. Going on two days without."
"Right, sorry, Ma'am." The one-eyed medic hurriedly shuffled back to the supply closet.
Vult watched her go with mild amusement before turning to Sula.
"Haxx isn't the only one that's changed as of lately." He alluded, nodding his head to the Medical Officer. "I am approving of the direction you're going as well, Sula."
"...even if I disobey direct orders from you, Sir?" She gave a wistful, pursed expression.
"You made a judgment call and likely saved Rem's life as a result. I cannot fault the results." He conceded. "This…assertion. Taking charge, leading by example…keep it up. Posa needs the guidance…oh, and trying as she may be on your nerves at times, Medical Officer…be gentle. She'll learn. Give her time."
Sula nodded in humility with a sigh. "Yes, Sir. No excuse, just cranky."
"With Haxx awake, the three of you should be able to get more rest now, correct?"
"In theory, yes…I plan to take full advantage and passing the heck out…Sir."
"You three are fine too, right?" Haxx asked, trying to lift his arms but still finding himself strapped down. Right… "I mean, you nearly got killed by a sniper before all that happened, Posa's now a pirate, and I remember Zutel saying she cracked her ribs."
"We'll live. My shoulder's sore, but it's healing." Sula began in summary. "Posa took a facefull of grenade shrapnel like a champ. Zutel has hairline fractures. Nothing we can really do save for painkillers with that…I'll be fine after a week of sleep in my own bunk. Hot-bunking that cot is terrible."
"You're also less…" Haxx rolled one of his restrained hands trying to find the word he was searching for, "...stammery? Hesitant? I'm not sure if I'm using the right word. But you're more assertive like the Commander said. I like it."
Despite the praise, she shrugged.
"Never know what you're made of until you're pushed past your limits…and Tallum shattered mine in more ways than one." She alluded. "Think we've all grown and changed in our own ways after that mess."
"No kidding…Haven too for those of us that were there. I'm kind of proud of Rha." He paused, glancing around, "He's good, right? I don't see him. I just know that Zok guy cauterized his legs before his team had to make a break for it." Haxx sighed, wincing a bit, "Honestly the sooner I can get off this bed the better. I'm already feeling restless."
"Rha's fine," The Medical Officer responded, checking the equipment hooked up to Haxx, ensuring his other medications were dosed correctly. "...well…as fine as someone can be after having both their legs blown off. He's taking it surprisingly well. I believe the plan is to facilitate replacements for him, similar to the Commander's arm."
"That is the general plan, yes," Vult confirmed with a nod. "For now, he's keeping himself occupied with PT and other tasks he is still capable of. He isn't going anywhere, only temporarily off-duty."
"Great, Rha's getting gains and I'm wasting away." Haxx tried to throw his hands up. "Can I at least get a datapad or something to do if I'm going to be stuck in this bed for a while? If you're going to promote me I don't want to be a drag already. If it weren't for…being a walking corpse, apparently, I'd want to get up now. Rha's got the right idea, keep the mind busy."
"I think we can make that happen." Vult nodded to his request. "Like Sula said, it'll be a matter of days before you're back on your feet on light duty. The discomfort is temporary. Not the first time you've been uncomfortable before, right?"
"Yeah…" Haxx sighed, "I'll try to do you and Volx proud. I promised her I'd try to be happy." He said solemnly, remembering the last thing she made him promise. "I intend to make good on that."