To Hell and Back (Hellworlder pirates)

Ch10 Decisions

Decisions

Amputations were an apparently universal concept and process, only so many ways to cut off a limb. Or so she had thought. Alwen had believed that since humans and Torweni had shared so many physical traits and were about equal in capability's then the internal biology of both would be very similar. She was wrong, very wrong. The only thing that stopped her from completely mutilating the engineer was her five days of studying human biology and doctor Bachir's calm guidance. Taking over when he needed to, but refusing to hold her hand entirely through the process. Which she had appreciated, Alwen had graduated top of her class every year, and was often praised for her ability as both medic and surgeon. People began to say she was better than her elder sister, and those comments that were completely out of Alwen's hands had earned her sister's enmity.

As a head priest of the hospital Alwen had joined her sister was supposed to help Alwen rise through the ranks. Instead she had been relegated to a glorified nurse, and her attempts to transfer were blocked.

But now she was doing what she had really wished to do, help the sick and injured, and grow her skills. She was lost in the work and only realized they were done when Bachir stepped away to take a message.

He nodded a few times and said "Understood" and turned back to Alwen "I will finish up here, prepare the other table. A marine has been gravely injured, a steel beam pierced his chest and perforated his left lung. Just between below his heart. Prepare the grinders and shears to cut him out of the armor." He ordered before turning back.

She blinked twice before she turned to prep the second table. "Nurse Brevot will be able to assist, he was one of mine before he joined the marines as a field medic" Bachir added.

Not long after two marines bearing a stretcher burst in, followed by a third limping raider. They moved with efficiency to the table and gently shift the injured man onto the table. The object in question had already been cut down to his chest and back.

The molded monstrous visage of a marine turned to her "the object is clotting the wound, but he defiantly needs a oxygen mask and pain killers."

"I will prep, you two cut him out of his armor. The other man, is he critical" she said with a jerk of the head to the third marine.

The second pirate answered "Limey got cocked pretty bad, but he's not critical" a female voice answered, Alice?

She glared at the women who had misled her "get him out of his armor, I will examine him soon" she ordered before turning away.

Sparks flew as Brevot removed the sealed chest piece, once it was off they gently pulled it off his blood-stained furry chest, careful not to remove the object yet. Without the chest plate everything else was easy to remove, when Brevot removed the helmet Alwen saw that it was Gato, the black furred Felid she had first examined yesterday. It seemed so long ago.

Brevot worked with a natural efficiency that came from lots of practice and had the IVs attached in a matter of seconds, and was already injecting painkillers into the blood stream. As Alwen brought the oxygen mask around Gato's eyes flickered and he stared up at her blearily. "You're not Brown"

She smiled for the pirate, a murderer. "No I'm not"

"You're violet" he mumbled. "Did we get that slaving asshole?"

"Yes" the choked words came from her side, defiantly Alice. "You got Gaw."

"Good, I didn't get him the first time, I thought I did" he mumbled before fading.