The small ice crystals bounced against eachother and Barrier Gate in what would be a quiet scenery within the ice nebula were it not for the two pairs of fighters, several clicks away from the station, having at it.
On one side, a pair of fighters with unknown identification strolling by. Scans revealed a Military Wraith alongside a Royal Navy Linx, both bearing a set of unusual set-up in terms of weapons and equipment.
On the other side, Helena and Elise, began debating the familiarity of said vessels. Not a day before, they were violently 'greeted' by a similar group in a few more numbers. As they remembered the previous encounter and labeled the two strangers as hostile, the girls approached in formation
The unknown vessels responded in kind, within but a few moments, the immediate area turned into an astonishing display of fireworks. Laser weapon emissions and nuclear mine blasts lit the entire proximity as they tailed eachother relentlessly.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Helena's shield emitter gave in under the pressure from enemy fire, the fighter's windshield also beginning to crackle as she lost control of her failing ship and prepared to eject. During her drift however, within the few split seconds before the escape pod slammed shut, one of the more sharp and resilient ice shards from the field flew her way. The failing integrity of the ship's protective glass allowed it to shatter as the shard dismantled aswell, a single splinter going past and straight towards Helena's chest.
Despite the woman's body armor protecting her from fatal damage, the shard did manage to fisure the stern bone, along with a fractured rib and minor lung puncturing. While in shock from seeing this, she did not seem able to react or even feel for that matter, falling unconscious in her escape pod soon-after, due to her injuries, coupled with a split second of severe air depravation from vacuum exposure.
Elise remained speechless for a few moment, seeing her companion's ship shatter in a bright explosion. She was forced back to her senses by incoming fire soon enough, the enemy pair now turning their focus to her. She sustained some heavy damage herself during the fight and seeing herself outnumbered, she made a run for it. Breaking past her pursuers' crossfire, she snatched Helena's pod with the tractor beam and forced an ungly landing on one of Barrier Gate's docking bays to escape.
Once inside, she unstrapped herself from the pilot seat and left for the cargohold, where she opened the hold doors, making way for a pair of paramedics with a hover targe. They opened up the escape pod, carefully taking Helena out and racing towards ICU after she was secured on the targe.
Elise ran with them most of the way, holding Helena's hand all the while.
"Mon dieu..come now, don't die on me!" she hushed in fright, a moment before noticing Helena opened her eyes for a few seconds, gazing around without being able to make out anything before she passed out again. The doors towards ICU flew open as the paramedics passed through with the injured, a nurse arriving at the same time to stop Elise in her tracks before she could enter.
"We're sorry miss..but this is for medical staff only. We'll give you updates on her conditions once they are available.." the nurse mumbled with an appologetic expression before going back inside, the doors closing behind her.
Elise was left in the corridor infront of ICU, staring forth with an empty gaze and blood-covered hands, breathing heavily.