Back at base, Miyafuji stood over the supine Perrine. Erica, Minna, and Sanya had taken turns carrying her back to the airfield; Barkhorn retrieved her strikers and Lynne recovered her Bren machine gun. Eila flew in loops around Clostermann, wracked and useless with worry and guilt.
As the other witches gathered around to celebrate the victory, Perrine sighed, and, eyes rolling back, went limp. Minna performed a quick empathic scan while checking her vitals. Perrine's breathing was shallow, her pulse irregular, and Minna detected no signs of consciousness. Realizing Perrine had been severely injured, Minna ordered the assembled witches back to the base as fast as possible.
The base EMTs had met the witches on the runway, placed her on a gurney, performed triage, and raced to the medical wing while attempting to stabilize her.
Miyafuji was already there with the attendant doctor. After the EMTs placed Perrine on the operating table she expertly cut off Perrine's uniform with specialized scissors, leaving the Galian in her skivvies. Yoshika's ears and tails manifested as she glowed star blue, evaluating Perrine's injuries.
"She has multiple lacerations, severe contusions, internal hemorrhaging, three broken ribs, a fractured femur, a ruptured spleen, and a concussion." Yoshika reported. Smiling, she looked up at Minna. "I've treated worse!"
Then, all business, she said "Now all of you shoo! I need to heal her and you standing around won't help."
As the other witches left, Yoshika was wrapped in a brilliant blue bubble of magical energy. She began her healing arts with the internal injuries, starting with the ruptured spleen, then the concussion. Twice during her healing she asked her squadron-mates to share their magic with her, as she was still low after the day's training.
Finally, after two hours she came out of the operating room. "She's healed; she won't even have a scar," she smiled. Her fellow witches cheered the news. "Shhh!" She continued. "She's going to need rest for a few more days, but she's going to be good as new."
Although she was bone tired, Yoshika graciously accepted praise and thanks from her friends before lumbering off to bed, accompanied by Lynnette. The other witches began breaking up for their own dormitory rooms, chatting about get well gifts for Perrine and thank you gifts for Miyafuji.
Eila stood in the waiting room, dejected. "Is it okay to sit with her a little?" she asked the attendant doctor.
"Sure, if you don't disturb her," the doctor replied compasionately. Eila nodding her agreement. Sanya stood beside her, nodding also.
Minna had also stayed behind. "Eila," she began.
"It's my fault!" blurted Eila, remorsefully. "It's my fault that she was hurt, and if Miyafuji wasn't here, she'd probably be dead!" A tear formed in the corner of her eye.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Minna said. "If you hadn't tried that maneuver, the Neuroi would have destroyed Holzheim. "
"Still..."
"Still nothing. That's the risk of being a witch. Perrine knows it, I know it, you know it." Minna noticed Sanya gripping Eila's arm tightly, she sensed the dread and loneliness, not to mention love emanating from the Orussian witch. Poor girl, Minna thought. She fears her own mortality for Eila's sake.
Hard as steel, Minna continued. "I leave you to exercise your best judgment, but the Ilmatar formation is only to be used in the most dire circumstances. No other witch will be injured like this. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am!"
The Soumi witch was clearly miserable, and not because of the reprimand she was receiving. Softening, Minna said, "After Perrine wakes up, you are to be grounded in your quarters for two days. Flight Officer Litvyak will guard you to ensure you leave your quarters only for meals, bathing, and calls of nature. Is that understood?"
"Y..yes," replied Eila, in puzzled wonderment. Sanya indicated her understanding as well.
"Good. Dismissed." Minna turned to go. As she exited the waiting room, Eila heard her muttering "...owe five karlsmark to Shirley...".
They sat with Perrine the entire night. Eila fell asleep sometime after 0100 hours, head on Sanya's lap curled up on the visitors' couch in the room. Sanya looked down lovingly at her girlfriend, stroking her hair.
Eila woke at 0600 with the morning bugle recording and switched places with Sanya who was barely able to keep her eyes open. She was running her fingers through Sanya's hair when Perrine woke up.
"Eila?"she said weakly.
"Perrine!" Eila's entire being rediated happy relief. "You're awake! How do you feel?" she asked with concern.
"Okay. Tired." She smiled thinly.
"Oh, Perrine! I... I'm sorry! I was reckless! I didn't think about your getting hurt! I saw you live through the attack! I didn't know you'd be injurred! I'm so sorry." The words gushed out of Eila, her voice cracking by the time she finished.
"It's okay. It's not your fault. I forgive you." Perrine replied. Squinting, she saw Sanya sleeping in Eila's lap. "Have you been here all night?" she asked.
"Y...yes. I wanted to make sure you were all right. And... and to apologize." her brow was scrunched in worry and contrition.
Perrine smiled again. "Thank you," she said humbly.
Sanya shifted with a sigh; reflexively Eila stroked her hair from brow to neck.
"Why are you being so nice to me these past few days?" Perrine asked.
Looking furtively down at her sleeping lover, Eila replied, "I know how you felt when Minna made her announcement. I wanted you to know you have friends - you aren't alone."
"But Sanya loves you," Perrine exclaimed, surprised. Pocketknives of sorrow poked at her sternum.
Eila blushed. "I... I didn't always know that," she admitted. "Everyday I worried: maybe she didn't, and it nearly killed me." She looked up at Perrine.
"But why do you care?" Perrine pressed. She and Eila had never hit it off. Usually Eila's attention involved teasing her mercilessly, or pulling some kind of prank.
Sanya purred in her sleep as Eila absent-mindedly stroked her back with her fingernails.
"Because beneath that haughty exterior, you're a nice person," Eila said simply. "You give so much of yourself. You donate all your pay to the Galian Reconstruction Fund. You've even sold off irreplaceable heirlooms to help out. Miyafuji told us about the orphan children you've taken in and teach." Eila looked at Perrine with admiration. "You do it all without bragging or making a big deal about it. You're a good person. You have friends who support you, and you should know it."
It was Perrine's turn to blush. She didn't realize that her charitable work was known to witches other than Yoshika and Lynnette. But she was more embarrassed that Eila was telling her this. It was obvious by the way she stuttered, figited, and chose her words that Eila was not used to speaking honestly about her feelings. Perrine considered Eila's honesty the greater compliment.
"You're a good person, too, Eila," Perrine said. "Thank you for being my friend."
Clearly embarrassed, Eila played with her fingers. "Th...thank you," she said quietly.
Sanya stirred, opened her eyes. "Ah! Perrine! You're awake, good!" She sat up, "How are you feeling?" the Orussian asked.
"Much better now, thank you."
The Doctor attendant came into the room. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave now," she told the two witches, preparing to take the Galian witch's vital signs.
Eila helped Sanya up.
"Get better soon," said Sanya.
"Yeah," agreed Eila. Mischief twinkling in her eyes, she leaned forward and gently pinched Perrine's cheeks. "You better get well soon, cranky four eyes!"
With a wink, she led Sanya out the door.
つづく