Carpathia IV: Episode 291 - Liquor
Shuttle Bay, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire stood in front of the shuttle car with a poignant gaze. It still sat where it stopped just hours ago, skid marks on the shuttle bay deck leading up to all four of its tires, rear hatch and all the doors hanging open. Mikado was still in the triage bay and no news had come out of there since he went in. No news was still good news, for it meant, at least, that he wasn't dead. Still, it was hard to imagine that he survived, judging from the state of the car. The body panels, particularly on the front, were covered with pock marks from the sentry bot weapon blasts. Soot covered the entire car, most heavily on the back. Most striking, however, was the wide blood smear on the windscreen and upper hood.
A part of Aire thought that the car should be left as it is, uncleaned and untouched since its last mission. A museum piece. With the other car scavenged for parts to modify this one, it would not be pracitcal. Would others be interested in a museum car? Perhaps not, but to Aire, it was an important and meaningful symbol.
Sylvar: Captain!
Sylvar's voice. Aire turned quickly to find Sylvar charging at him with his arms outstretched and tears streaming down his face.
Aire: Sylvar! How are you...
But Sylvar neither slowed nor stopped, crashing into Aire with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet. Sylvar wrapped his arms around him and squeezed tight, getting untold gallons of tears and snot all over his uniform. It took some time for Sylvar to compose himself enough enough to speak.
Sylvar: You came for me!
Sort of true, which made him feel like he couldn't take all the credit.
Aire: If we are able, we will come for you. That's the rule around here.
Sylvar relaxed his grip, enough to pull his face off of Aire's chest and look up at him, red-faced and wet.
Sylvar: Nobody has ever come for me before. I mean, Voxx plucked me out of that ship when he happened to pass by, but nothing like this!
Aire: You have yourself to thank, at least partially. We never would have been able to track you without your earpiece.
Sylvar: I made that in case I got lost or something. I suppose I did. How's Mikado?
Aire stole a glance in the direction of the triage bay which had a cluster of tokki hanging around even though it had been three hours since Mikado disappeared inside.
Aire: No word yet, which is good, in a way. No news means no bad news, right?
Sylvar: I suppose so. There's one other thing I wanted to ask. Have you seen Quenya yet?
Aire hadn't, even though she had been released from sick bay hours ago. He had the distinct impression that she was avoiding him, but that wasn't for Sylvar to know.
Aire: Not yet, but I'll be having a debrief soon with everybody, one at a time, including you.
Sylvar: I don't know if it's my place to say anything, but please go easy on her. She only answered The Hand's questions to keep me from being tortured.
Aire: Thank you for that. I have no intention of being hard on anyone. We're not spies and none of us are trained for capture and torture, least of all a cadet. I'm just glad that everyone got back in...
Aire paused, stealing another glance at the triage bay, and adjusted his thoughts.
Aire: I was going to say, in one piece, but let's just say alive.
Enough with the bad news and brooding, Aire thought. He leaned in close to Sylvar and smiled.
Aire: You are precious to us. Don't forget that.
Sylvar sniffled again and rubbed his eyes on his sleeve.
Sylvar: Yes, Captain!
Then, a ruckus. The double doors to the triage bay parted and out came a gurney surrounded by a herd of nurses, swiftly rolled away. Behind, followed Sorchae, moseying along with no effort to keep up, hair disheveled and face looking ten years older. Their eyes met from across the shuttle bay with Aire casting her an expectant gaze. Sorchae responded with a nod and a smile, coupled with a weary thumbs up. Aire smiled back, patting his hand to his heart. It was all he needed to know for now. The details could wait. Aire took out his communicator and tapped the pad.
Aire: Shipwide channel.
Baal: Yes, Captain. You're live.
Aire spoke, his voice reverberating around the shuttle bay.
Aire: Attention crew. I have just received word that Mikado's surgery was a success and he is now being moved to sick bay. Please join me in applauding our talented medical staff for their expertise. Aire out.
Though Aire did not mean "applaud" in the literal sense, applause nevertheless broke out from every corner of the shuttle bay. Probably throughout the ship too, if he were to guess.
Aire: Sylvar, go rest. Have a soak. Play a game. Whatever it is you do when you unwind. Things are going to get busy again very soon. Commander Joust will get you on the debriefing schedule soon. Again, nobody is in trouble. This is for intel.
Sylvar: You got it, Captain! I have a lot of people I need to thank, so I'm going to do that!
Sylvar skipped away with one last jaunty wave while Aire watched, his heart feeling lighter than it had just moments ago.
Sick Bay, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Darius had a new job, keeping Mikado company, though there was little company to be had with him conked out on his bed. Despite having little to do other than listen to the medical equipment for precarious noises, there was nowhere else he'd rather be. Mikado hadn't woken up again since that one moment when they wheeled him into the triage bay. In one paw, Darius held his tablet with a book he hadn't been able to finish in so long that he had to start over. In the other, Mikado's remaining hand.
Three hours of reading and holding made Dairus weary, possibly also since he hadn't eaten anything since before the shuttle car landed. Not long after he started thinking about requesting someone to relieve him, he felt a squeeze in his paw.
Mikado: Darius?
Mikado's voice was hoarse, sounding not like him at all, but like a creature rising up from the swamp to devour unsuspecting teenagers. Darius dropped his tablet into his lap and slapped the doctor call button.
Darius: Yes, Mikado. I'm here.
Mikado: Wha happen? Last thing I remember... I'm not sure...
Darius hesitated, unsure of how much to say because he didn't know how much Mikado remembered.
Darius: You're on the Shadowdancer in sick bay. You took a nasty hit to your head and several other injuries. It will take some time, but you'll be fine.
Mikado: Ohhhh! We were in that big ship and I was wrecking robots. We made it?
Darius: You all made it. Everyone is safe.
Mikado squeezed Darius's paw again and again.
Mikado: I can't feel my other hand.
Darius sniffled as his eyes started to glass over, so much that it was becoming difficult to see.
Mikado: And one of my legs too. What happened?
Darius: I don't know how to tell you this, but...
Saved by the doctor, who rushed in the door and started checking Mikado's vitals.
Sorchae: Hello, Mikado. How are you feeling?
Mikado: I'm tired. Also, I was asking Darius why I can't feel one of my arms and one of my legs.
Sorchae lowered herself into a hearby chair and put her hand on his shoulder.
Sorchae: I'm sorry, Mikado, but you lost your left leg, your right arm, and your left ear in the Blood Agony.
Mikado blinked sleepily while Darius braced himself for what might happen next.
Mikado: What? No, that can't be right. My head feels so weird though... I just wanna sleep.
Sorchae: That's fine, Mikado. You need plenty of rest. Sleep as much as you like.
Mikado squeezed Darius's paw one last time before his eyes fluttered shut. As quickly as he woke up, he was asleep yet again.
Darius: Doctor, can someone else watch him for awhile? I need some time.
Sorchae: Of course. I'll send in Nurse Teke. Take all the time you need. He probably won't wake up again for awhile.
Ready Room, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Aire gave a yawn and a stretch as soon as the door to his ready room closed. Though he hadn't done any official debriefings yet, he had a pretty good handle on what happened on the Blood Agony, the most notable new information that it was likely that The Hand is dead. Official debriefings could wait until tomorrow. It was late, they were safe, and it had been a long day. Now was just a moment to check on a few things before retiring for the night. Upon completion of his stretch, Aire noticed a bottle sitting on his desk. Crystal, or an approximation thereof, with a side base, intricately sculpted glasswork, and a thin neck. It looked like a liquor bottle, a very expensive one, but one that he did not recognize.
As he cautiously drew closer, he examined the writing on the label. Not a language that he recognized. To confirm his growing suspicion, he spotted an envelope, the corner of which was tucked under the bottle to keep it in place. It sported the blue flower symbol present on all of the Vashta ships. Only two explanations, the first and likely only in the most infinitesimal sense, was that someone on the crew was playing a prank. The other was that Lazmaedia left him a gift.
Aire picked up the card first, gently shifting it from under the bottle as if it were full of explosives. He felt the envelope all around, but it appeared to be nothing more than the sort that one would expect from a greeting card giving birthday wishes. As he opened the flap and peered inside, that's exactly what it appeared to be. The card was blank, simple white on the outside and inside. As he read, Lazmaedia's words spoke to him.
Lazmaedia: My Valro,
Aire winced at just the salutation.
Lazmaedia: I commend you on the success of your mission. Do not worry yourself over the loss of The Hand. My deputies are quite replaceable. I was very curious to see how a team concocted by one of my Valros would fare in such a dangerous mission. Your success proves my capabilities.
Narcissistic bitch, was all Aire could think about in that last sentence. Somehow, her failure was a success to her twisted brain and it was, of course, all about her.
Lazmaedia: Enjoy this moment. It will be your last success.
That was the end. Aire shoved the card back into the envelope and tossed it onto his desk. Only one thing left to do and it was most certainly not drink anything out of that bottle.
Aire: Aire to bridge.
Nalma: Bridge here, Captain.
Aire: Send security here immediately, Trex or Shep if either are out of sick bay, with a S1 security container.
Nalma: Right away, Captain. Anything else?
Aire: That will be all. Aire out.
Aire left his desk behind, plodding around the credenza to have a glass of juice in his lounge.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
