Wars and Rumors of War... PT 2
03 Oct 2016Amar Epsilon
I wish it need not have happened in my time...So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us...
-JRR Tolkien
The flat lined tone rang subtly around the room. Jansen stepped forward and examined the empty bed. Amar reached for the medical screen at the end of the bed. Accessing the panel he briefly looked over the file. Taking notice of the pilot's physical features and physique, he flipped to the injuries report. Minor bruises, that was it. Jansen lifted up one of the leads, and examined the ends. Seeing nothing abnormal, Jansen then examined the saline drip, still nothing abnormal. Amar walked over to the window overlooking the garden plaza built into the Hospital. Looking over the plaza, he noticed those milling about some just starting rehab, others moving along at a fast pace. One was even at a full sprint weaving in and out of the those in the plaza.
"That's strange," Amar muttered.
Taking a moment to look at the pilots picture again, Amar realized exactly who the runner was.
"Jansen, we got a runner!" Amar shouted sprinting out of the room.
"Wait, what?" Jansen yelled chasing Amar down the hallway.
"The pilots in the plaza."
"Ok, but why would she run?"
"I don't know."
"I mean was someone chasing her?"
"If you mean other than the hospital staff, then no."
The elevator hit the lobby and like an eagle out of the station, Amar and Jansen dashed towards the veranda. Slowing at the wide stairs leading down towards the gardens, Jansen spotted the chase first. "There!" he shouted, gesturing wildly at a figure weaving in and out of the hedges, frantically avoiding her pursuers. Her head whipped back and forth looking desperately for an exit. Spotting one she ran even faster.
"Jansen, get the exit!" Amar yelled.
"On it!"
Amar sprinted after her, reaching his full stride after a couple of steps. Seeing Jansen at the exit, she turned onto a side path. Jansen continued after her. Amar stopped, looked around, then leaned against a hedge. waiting patiently, he listened. Hearing rapidly approaching footsteps Amar crouched, then bracing his foot against a tree, he launched himself through the hedge. Perfect timing he thought as he collided with the pilot. Both tumbled to the ground in a heap. Not loosing a beat, he pinned her arm behind her back.
"Enough, what on earth is going on?!" Amar exclaimed.
Jansen, finally catching up, took a moment to regain his breath. "Nice job, sir!"
"Just hand me a pair of binders already." Amar growled, annoyed at this little fiasco.
At this time, the hospital staff arrived. "Sirs, can I see some ID?" said a young nurse, her ID tag read Williams. Jansen handed Amar the binders and then pulled out a small leather pouch about two inches across and three inches wide. On it was the platinum emblem of the fleet, and below was his name and rank within the fleet. Slightly taken aback, nurse Williams asked, "What do you need, sir?"
"I don't know, Commander?" Jansen said gesturing towards Amar who had finished cuffing the pilot.
"I got a couple of questions, first, why was she running and second, is she fit to be released from the hospital?"
"She woke up this morning and just took off. we have been chasing her for the better part of the hour. I thought she might have been in shock, but I have never seen someone so active and in shock." Nurse Williams replied.
"Interesting, and what about the second question?" Amar said.
"We just need to run a diagnostic, and if everything checks out, she is free to go."
"Alright. See to it, then we will need her released into our custody."
Nurse Williams stepped forward to receive custody of the pilot. Then a sound like thunder erupted from across the plaza. Nurse Williams collapsed almost immediately, a red pool forming beneath her frail frame. Instinctively, Amar shielded the pilot with his body and then sought the cover of a marble ledge. Jansen at the same time drew his service weapon and began to look for a shooter. Across the plaza, a high powered rifle thundered over and over again. The shooter emptied his clip into the remaining staff, and then proceeded to unload at the ledge Amar and the pilot were hidden behind.
Jansen fired wildly, hoping that blind luck would be on his side. Seeing a new target, the shooter shifted fire and just as Jansen sought cover, several rounds ripped over his head. At first Amar was relieved thinking his friend had been very fortunate. Jansen smiled at him, and shouted something unintelligible. The jubilation was short lived as Jansen's position was hit by another salvo. Shards of granite, marble, and concrete sprayed around him. The dust blinding, the fragments biting. Amar ducked back, shielding his eyes from the deadly torrent. Another moments rest, the shooter was reloading. Jansen looked up, blood streaming from a gash half an inch above his eye.
"Amar we have to get out of here!"
"What's new!" Amar yelled back.
Jansen fired wildly and received another onslaught from the shooter. Amar drew his weapon and unloaded from his position, despite knowing that only a miracle would ensure a successful hit from this range. Jansen seeing an opening turned to fire exposing his shoulder to their assailant. Amar turned to see Jansen collapse as a round ripped through his exposed arm, two inches below the shoulder. Shock was written all over Jansen's face, then the pain tore through his nerves. Using what strength he had left, Jansen pulled himself back behind cover. The rest of the rounds tore through the hedges surrounding them, and the marble raised garden beds. Taking a chance, Amar ran to aid his friend, dashing across the path. Using his left arm he fired at the shooter, while the other arm dragged the pilot to their new position.
"Sorry, sir." Jansen said between clenched teeth. "It was a stupid mistake."
"Don't worry, I gotcha." Amar responded as he applied a hastily made tourniquet out of a ripped shirt and a pencil retrieved from the medical personnel dead already.
As quickly as it started, it ended. Amar became acutely aware of the silence. Faintly he heard the sound of sirens moving closer to the scene...
To be continued.