A Dash of Scarlet In Paradise

INFINITY

XX

Marcus lifted his eyelids very charily, for a blinding light was shining into his face. He found himself to be horizontal, lying on a bed with a thick mattress. Several medics were tending to him, and he was hooked up to a life support system.

Vector was in a bed next to him, with a blanket over him. Marcus could only see his pale face. He was asleep. They were the only two patients in the room.

"Uh...hey..." Marcus rubbed the back of his head and his vision cleaned up a bit, "Doctor?"

One man responded, he had a mask over his nose and mouth so Marcus couldn't see how he looked like, but he assumed that he was the doctor.

"Calm yourself, don't move too much. You have some serious damage done to your body."

"Where am I?" Marcus only moved his lips and followed the doctor's instructions.

"On board the Conciliator, UDCF command ship.

"Oh, thank you."

Then Marcus heard somebody else entering the room, but he didn't want to move his head. The man sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"Marcus Ranger, you're quite the soldier, aren't you."

"Admiral Locks! Such an honor to meet you sir, I'm sorry but I can't shake your hand."

Laughs.

"So you're a sergeant?"

"That's right."

"What if I told you that I wanted to promote you to the rank of captain?"

That remark left Marcus speechless for a moment.

"I don't know what to say. That means I skip two ranks, but why? I only did what any soldier would have!"

"That's where you're wrong. Not every man would give up his life for something impossibly unachievable. The odds of your survival were so scarce, but you still went on to complete what you were meant to, that's something we all have to learn from you."

Words like that, coming from the admiral himself, not something you get every day.

"I don't deserve it."

"You do, and your partner does too."

"Is Vector okay?"

"In stable conditions. He told me all about your heroism, I've decided to promote him as well. Seems like you two make a good team. What if I assign him to your new squad?"

"Excuse me? My new squad?"

"Being a captain means taking over your very own squadron! You and Vector will be the top ranking soldiers in Cosmic Squad."

"That's...unthinkable. Thank you. But what about the hostages?"

"They're also being treated by our medics as we speak."

"I couldn't save all of them, you know that, right?"

"The past is the past, Ranger."

"I could've..."

"But you see, none of them would've been alive anyways, you changed everything. If you decided to run back and save yourself, even these 15 men would've died."

"I suppose so."

The admiral did one pat on Marcus' good shoulder.

"I'll catch you another time, Ranger. Nice talking with you."

"And with you too."

Marcus faced Vector and stared at him for a while, he looked different without the mud and blood, leaves and hair covering his face.

"Thanks buddy." He tilted his head back to see his injuries. The medics were all mainly attending to his stomach.

He recalled that pain when the bullet hit him, and it wasn't an amiable thought. He closed his eyes one more time.

The admiral got up and walked towards the door, "Go to sleep, Ranger. Go to sleep."

END