Arknights: Starsfall I

Chapter 44

"Bottoms up...!"

Ch'en Hui-Chieh

After the meeting, Ch'en and Daniels was quick to leave and go find the room that Swire is staying in. The crowd of people now heading out, with some people cursing silently the Ursus Captain under their own breath. The 2 with some haste, but not a suspicious amount, trudged down the large corridors of the Rhodes Island Mobile City.

Soon passing a sign, reading 'Medical Ward', Ch'en and Daniels began to slow down, passing by Hibiscus, who was still admiring the Rifle that she was given back during the City Mission. "Ah! Good evening Ms. Ch'en!

By now, Ch'en began to wonder, The United Nations has been calling that thing New Geneva, and last I heard it was building up to be a massive production and storage center for them.

That was... fast, faster than what even Wei could order.

That dim thought exited her head, just as Daniels announced that they were getting close. Ch'en subtly picked up the pace, Daniels following suit. With a stomp, Ch'en stopped before the door that was signed as 'Beatrice Swire'.

Letting out a deep exhale of air, she gripped the handle, and turned. The door clicking open to reveal a pretty advanced Hospital room. Courtesy of Rhodes Island.

A TV screen sat at one end of the room, plenty of tables, cabinets, and others at another. And somewhere in the center of it all, was a bed. And from the immediate gaze, it was occupied.

Swire was laying in bed, wires and coverings all over her left arm and right leg, as well as her mid section. Her upper head was covered in bandages, and there appeared to be multiple tanks of blood all around.

Each of those coverings was soaked in a red substance.

It didn't take a genius to realize it was blood, especially with the smell of Iron in the air.

And it didn't take much from Ch'en's imagination to see what it looks like under there. She held her hands to her horrified mouth, blocking the doorway and

"Hey Ch'en?" Daniels politely asked, "Mind moving out of the way? I want to see... oh..." he winced at the smell of Iron, before his gazed focused on Swire in the bed. "Oh..."

"Oh goddamn... when they said it was bad, I didn't know that it was this bad."

Ch'en finally got to realize what the hell happened to her comrade, and she stood in the doorway stunned, hands over her mouth retreating as she slowly walked forward. Daniels entering behind her. Her steps, besides the soft hum of machinery, echoed through the room.

She finally approached the Bedside, and looked down at the bits of Swire's face that weren't covered. Her eyes and most of her face. Its just the head, which, according to what Daniels remembered, blunt force trauma and some cuts were up there.

Her tiger ears still looked relatively okay.

Swire seemed to have noticed her presence, her ears twitching. She then looked up at Ch'en, who seemed to be at a lost for words, "H-hey Ch'en..." she sounded so weak, so wrong. Daniels kept his distance, feeling as if this moment between comrades, something he's too familiar with, should not be interrupted.

Ch'en felt the words die in her throat, still looking her over, "H-how did it get... this bad...?" She began to question, her eyes growing a little watery, "Y-you shouldn't have been this bad, he only slashed across." She stopped herself, her words wavering only slightly.

A bitter smile graced Swire, "You can thank the Scimitar exploding. Damn thing... damn Reunion..." she coughed.

Daniels heard a knock behind him and he turned, "Oh, hello Ms... Silence correct?" The owl lady gave him a polite nod, "Yes, that is my name, hello there."