War of Elysium

Chapter Four: The Morningstar assault

        Hard plastic mattress, rough cotton pillow, no blanket. It was the infirmary. How many times had she awoken like this? Dazed, confused and fussed over by Sash; no, Iris.
"Hiya, sleepy." Iris whispered. Her voice was the only blanket Lara needed. Warmer and softer than the best cotton sheets. "Was I out long?" Lara asked.
"No, less than an hour." 
"Any damage?"
"Some internal bleeding, it's sorted now. Your rib is broken but it's nothing major. You'll be fit to fight after a nap and some good food." Iris told her. She stroked Lara's hair from her face. That's when Lara noticed that her combat mask had been removed. Instinct took hold and her hand moved to cover her face. Gentle cotton met her hand. Her mother's scarf. Iris must have swapped them out while she was under. "Reese brought it." Iris told her. She knew what swapping her mask meant to Lara so Lara knew she had done it properly, with the curtains drawn and no witnesses but herself. "Thanks." Lara said. She meant it, her mother's scarf always brought her comfort and she wore it anytime she wasn't in uniform. Then she noticed she wasn't in uniform. She was in a hospital gown. She hated Elysium's hospital gowns. They were a hideous mix of orange, green and blue leopard print with a buttoned window on the lower back for 'easy access in emergencies'. "Please tell me he brought some clothes too." She begged. Iris shook her head. "He did not. I've got some spare in the staff room. You can borrow them. Do you want me to stitch up your top or just throw it out?" Iris asked.
"Thanks, Sash. Just throw it out, i've a dozen just like it." Lara answered. A light slap on the hand told her she said something wrong as Iris looked around for evesdroppers. "Iris." Iris said in a scolding tone. "Sorry... Iris." Lara said, she didn't realise she had slipped up. It had been a long time since she had. She must still have been light headed.

"Right, clothes then food. Is Ade okay?" Lara asked as she sat up. The painkillers Iris had flooded her with numbed the worst of the pain but a severe ache still persisted. Iris stood and glided over to the closed curtain beside Lara. It swung open and Ade sat no longer wearing Lara's hoodie but a well fitted black cardigan and navy blue shorts. "Of course you took her clothes shopping in the hour I slept." Lara laughed. 
Iris looked offended at the implication Ade's outfit was specifically chosen. "That's just the best I could get in the lost and found. We'll get her some real clothes later on. For now, you both need fattening up." Iris said, nearly jumping up from her seat. "You, get dressed." She ordered as she closed the curtains and threw a set of clothes at Lara. 

Ade tip-toed, Iris near floated and Lara could barely limp. 
"Hold on, ma'am. We need to set the records" A nurse shouted from across the room. Iris grunted and groaned but still grabbed a set of three clip boards.
"Adeladia Tempish. Middle name?" She asked as she started writing. Ade hesitated with her mouth agape. "It's for your medical records. Nothing major." Iris reassured. 
"No middle name, Just Ade Tempish." Ade meekly said. Iris continued writing and mumbling to herself. A smile crept across Ade's lips when she looked at Iris' focus face. Her tongue stuck out to the side, her jaw jutted and her eyebrows wrinkled and furrowed. A far cry from the typical grace and elegance most associated with her. "Age: sixteen Height: short-ass. Weight: too little. Injuries: Big ass metal spike to the abdomen. Random lacerations. Attained in field. Patient notes: New recruit, needs medical profile." She finished writing and pulled a sticker from the form. She stuck one half on the paper and the other on Ade's forehead with a smile. She pulled the next form. "Name: Lara D'julianos Black. I will never get over how great of a middle name that is. Height: One-sixty-five. Age: Twenty two. Injuries: Fucked. There we go. That's that done." She said with a smile. She turned to leave. 
"Hang on there." Lara said. "I see three pages. Don't worry, i'll fill out the last for you, babes." Lara said with a laugh. She grabbed the clipboard and immediately doodled a small cat at the top of the page. "Name: Iris Commons. Height: Giant." 
"Five foot ten." Iris corrected with an evil glare.
"Exactly. Weight: Not going anywhere near that one." Lara laughed.
"Wise." Iris commented again. Her glare getting no less murderous. 
"Age: 27. Not that she'd ever admit it."
"Ade, darling. Say goodbye to Sgt. Black. Her injuries are worse than we thought, it seems she won't make it through the night." Iris calmly said. Her serious glare broke and a small snicker broke through. 
"Injuries: Married, sadly terminal." Lara finished. She swapped out the clipboard for a red lollipop and offered it to Iris with a grin so wide it shone through her mask. Iris laughed as she swiped the sweet from her. "Come on, Sparks. Food awaits." Iris said with a mocking grin and a hand on Lara's shoulder.
"You too, Adeladia. You're Not a vegetarian are you?" Iris asked. Ade shook her head. A grin had found its way onto her lips and she struggled to shake it. Lara knew that Iris had been playing up the banter in hopes of making Ade smile; it was working. She seemed less on edge, somewhat awkward but who wouldn't be after getting whisked away by a bickering special forces unit?