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The limosine pulled up to the emergency entrance. A frantic man in robes emerged as he picked up a bleeding, pregnant woman from the back seat. His identity was no secret but it was the first time the medical staff at Canaria Medical had seen him this way.
She was unconscious and bleeding and he was wearing it.
"Someone clear the way to the OR!" he screamed.
"What the hell is wrong, Doc?" asked an attending doctor.
"She's bleeding and she's 6 months pregnant with twins," he hollered, "Dammit, clear the way!"
Carrying his wife, Doc walked as fast as he could to the O.R. As he did, the attending doctor paged the attending surgeon, "Dr. Naggers, report to O.R. 5. Dr. Naggers, report to O.R. 5. You have an emergency."
As she entered the room, her coat covered the dress she was wearing from an engagement.
When she saw a bloodied John Holliday, the man who taught her much, frantically trying to help his wife, the smile ran from her face. She then turned to a nurse on her staff, "Get her ready!"
She then got in front of her mentor and pushed him back, "John...JOHN!! You are in no shape to help her. Please, let me do it! She'll be fine! Please, John, go out and collect yourself. I'll get you when I can."
He knew Doreen and trusted her implicitly. As she plead with him, his resistance weakened into emotions. As he cried in fear of his wife, he just replied, "Take good care of them, Doreen. She's got twins inside."
She nodded, "I will." With that, he left the room, finding a place of solace away from everyone else.
Doreen wasted no time as she ran scans of his wife. With twins at six months, her belly was large and firm, the stress causing internal rupturing and hemorrhaging. The bloody kibuki was removed and Doreen finished her scans. "I have no choice," she said, "we go in now. Get two incubators ready and plenty of type B blood."
As she scrubbed up, the team got things together. By the time Dr. Naggers returned, the prep was done.
She began her work. All the while, she remembered who she was working on....the wife of the man who taught her much of what she knew. She also knew that she was in rough shape having lost a lot of blood.
So far, the team was doing well to keep her alive with blood transfusions.
"Vitals holding weak but steady, Doctor," announced an attending nurse.
Within twenty minutes, both twins had been removed by c-section and placed in incubation. Both were alive but would need time in those incubators to develop. They were small, only about 2 pounds, 4 ounces each but they were alive. Once the twins were delivered, the team went to save the life of the mother. Several hours later, they had done so but she was left in a coma due to heavy blood loss. She lay resting. When Doreen was finished, she went to speak with her mentor.
"John," she said softly as she approached him from a blind spot with a serious face.
"Doreen," he answered in a voice from a very tired man, "what can you tell me?"
"Well, I'm sorry I pushed you away......," she began.
"No, Doreen, no apology needed," Doc interrupted, "You did the right thing. I did it to you and Benjen if you remember."
"I do, John," she answered, "Listen, the twins are alive and in incubation where they must remain." She forced a small smile, "Congrats, on your new son and daughter."
"One of each," he said, ".....nice. And their mother?"
She just spoke as he had taught her, honestly and to the point, "John, she's alive but comatose. She lost a lot of blood before she got here. A small framed woman with twins that far along tore her up inside. She hemorrhaged in her uterus. I fixed it but now.....it's not up to me."
Doc nodded and leaned against the wall where he just began to shake his head and softly mutter "no," over and over.
For the time, Doreen put aside being a doctor and became a friend, "John, come here." As only a good friend could, she hugged him, trying to take the pain away, to take the despair away. In a small way, it was return for the many hugs he gave her when she found herself without a family and only an infant son of her own to tend to.
The boarding ramp hit the helipad deck as soon as the armoured transport landed. A paramedic hastily appeared out of the transport pushing a hover stretcher with an unconscious woman visually in her mid 30s, her face and her burnt flying suit covered in blood. Not even a second later the medical personnel from the emergency unit was with them
[size=small]'Samantha Marquez, Maltese 63, vacuum exposure, head trauma, fractured vertebrae and femur, 4th degree burns on her right arm and 3rd degree burns on her back'
The paramedic quickly explained as the doctors surrounded the stretcher and quite literally flew through the hospital doors
[font=Palatino Linotype]'God, what happened to her?'
'She got shot down in '37, the bastard must have fired on her pod, I'm the squadron medic'
'Make way we're taking her to operating room 2!'
As they reached the operating room the paramedic remained outside watching as the doctors were preparing Samantha for surgery as quickly as they could
'You are too stubborn to die, Sam, don't change now...don't change now...'
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He woke up, slowly at first, his eyes opening. Then, he sat straight up and after looking around a bit, he realized that he had fallen asleep in a couch in the waiting room he had been in the night before. His robes, now all wrinkled from being slept in, were also damp from sweat as was his hair. After rubbing his eyes a bit, he found his feet and stretched. For the moment, he was alone. Uncomfortable in his wet, wrinkled robes, he removed them and draped them over a nearby chair. Still, the vest he wore underneath was damp in the back. If there was anything good in it all was that his pistols were still tucked into the front of his belt.
He then pulled the gold pocket watch from his front pocket, flipped it open and read it.
"My, my, John Henry," he said to himself, "you were a tired man." He then closed the watch and returned it to it's pocket. As he began to collect himself and his belongings to get cleaned up, a familiar voice was heard. It was Doreen.
"We didn't want to wake you, John so we decided to keep folks out of this wing."
He managed a smile. "Thank you, Maam," he said with joking affection as he took her hand and kissed it, "that was very kind of you."
She took interest in the well being of her teacher, checking out his state of mind.
"You slept for twelve hours," she commented, "I do hope you feel at least a little better. You have been under a lot of stress."
"I know," he answered, "I do feel better thank you and I'll be even better than that after I get cleaned up."
"Come on," she smiled, "I'll buy you a cup of coffee on the way."
Before the coffee bar was the maternity ward. Together, they stopped to look at his new twins. He put up his free hand on the glass as he watched the tiny babies sleeping.
"How are they?" he asked Doreen.
"Guarded but stable," she answered. "they're very small but will be fine."
His face then sunk, "And Midori?"
She just sighed, "still in a coma but she too is stable."
As they passed the coffee bar, the intercom sounded. Dr. Nagger, please report to Emergency. Dr. Nagger, please report to emergency."
She sighed but smiled, "As you once said, it never ends."
He returned the smile, "No, Ma'am, it doesn't. Let me get cleaned up, visit the wife and I'll come down and give you a hand."
With that, Doreen Nagger headed to Emergency where she would first meet the patient, Samantha Marquez.
It's a weird thing being in a coma. You are aware of what's going on around you yet there is a certain level separation. You feel strangely elevated above the border of reality and dream mediating between the two. The brain requires surprisingly little bodily functions to operate a defensive action perhaps. You cannot feel pain nor the lack of it, you're just a static observer inside of your own body as the doctors struggle to preserve what little life there is left in it. Every statement of your oblivion said in medical terms, every heavy breath of near desperation as they look for a way to salvage what's left in your soon to be carcass ...all registered in your mind as simply being there. One cannot comprehend those inputs as she usually does but they are there provoking a response. Memories start appearing; past mixed with what seems to be reality...Perhaps the brain keeps itself occupied just so it can continue functioning, suddenly the voices become all too familiar, you can hear your loved ones, the hated ones, the indifferent ones as the dead and gone become living once again. Reality is nothing but a control volume and now that control volumes are all the memories carved in your dying brain...
Rewind...
780A.S. Happiness...carefree, young...
[size=small]"How was your day Sam?"Victor leaned towards her and kissed her on the cheek
[font=Palatino Linotype]"Pretty busy, I've got a course work to submit by the end of the week"
"Can I help you with anything?"
"No, Vic, I'll be fine. Are you hungry? I was thinking about getting pizza?" Samantha smiled and looked at him
"Sounds good"
Sam got up and gave him a kiss then headed to the shelf where her phone was...Happiness...The little things that make us be, the comfort of your home, the comfort of being with your loved one...Happiness...
...happiness is a cruel mistress.
It took a whisper to prove that, a single whisper in her ear. Not the whisper of somebody afraid of being heard, not the whisper of somebody telling how much he loves you. It was the whisper of a high-velocity round flying past her head. A whisper straight into the heart Victor...a real heart breaker
Rewind...
772A.S, teenage, servitude, family...
"So Sam do you have any plans what are you going to do when we earn get out of here?"
"Don't know, probably go to university then get a nice job in Maliena City...if we "get out" that is"
"Of course we will, the Don's a kind man, I'm sure he'll let us go when we are 18"
"What about you Vicky?
"I want to go off-world, maybe even enlist in the navy"
"You won't forget your sister Samantha while you are out there bathing in fame and fortune will you?"
"Ha ha, not a chance"
Fast forward
"Misses Marquez,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of your sister, Victoria-Jane Marquez at 4:00 on 18 August 779 A.S.
Victoria was on her post when a massive explosion took place. She alw...."
The rest was meaningless, words copied and pasted by somebody who couldn't care less about her loss
And all of a sudden the "unrealized" realization comes; people die, loved ones die why do you hang on? It's easier if you just let go, it's easier if you just accept the voices coming from outside "Life signs fading" "We are losing her". Terrifically simple really - just fall asleep inside of your own dream and let life go, make room for somebody else in this universe...
...Or not! Wake up instead, prove the voices wrong. Get the bastard who put you in that position and make him feel what it's like, no don't make him just kill him on the spot. Live because you are you too damned hypocritical to die without first getting what you want. Don't give in, death is boring you can only die once, gain strength and hold on to whatever you have. Heal your mind while the doctors try to heal its vessel. This makes all the difference between being a name in a sad letter and being alive...all the difference in the world
A Roc landed not far out from the Medical Center, Nothing special about it. A girl stepped out.
Somewhere around the age of twenty. After she did some checkups on her ship she walked off
towards the building. CMC written above the entrance, standing for Canaria Medical Center.
“This should be the place where he was talking about.”
Anna walked through the entrance while reading something from her PDA, as she arrived inside the
building she putted her PDA away and looked around for a information counter. It didn’t take her
long to find the right counter. She walked towards the counter, resting both arms on top of it and
smiled shortly towards the lady behind the counter.
“Good morning there” ”Morning to you too, how may I help you?”
The woman behind the counter seemed to be enjoying her morning, smiling at everything she saw.
“Well I’m looking for person who… work here. Doctor John Henry Holliday?” “Let me see, do you have a appointment with him?” “Don’t think I have, he told me he would be around here, so I just came by and visit.” “Okay, you know what, I’ll give him a little bleep, saying you’re here, what name can I
give him?” “That would be Anna Prentice. I wanted to talk with him about something.” “You may take place at those seats over there, shouldn’t be too long before I know when
he’s avaible.” “Thanks.”
Anna nodded shortly at the lady behind the counter and turned around, picking a seat pulling out
her PDA again. Reading over some news and other things of interest. These Zoners, their
hospitality still amazes me. Anna sat in the waiting room patiently waiting.
As Sol was decending towards the landing pad, he gazed upon the planet's surface for the first time. Unlike Malta's seemlessly extending orange fields, Gran Canaria had vast green pastures, trees and plants Sol had never seen before, ponds and lakes providing life freely around them and shining brightly under a different light than Malta's. It was a very relaxing sight for Sol who has lived his whole life under the green sun, and above the orange earth...
I would happily live here forever, Sol thought. But I need more than the air the planet can provide me.
He finally landed his sabre in the city after a brief tour around the planet, and stepped out of his ship. Took a deep breath first, oxygen filled his lungs, smelling and tasting the planet before he put on his cardamine breather. Now he had to look for someone named "John Henry" as Concordia instructed him.
Looked around and scanned the people, they were also scanning him, he had a very unconventional look. The clothes were dark and dirty, a torn up cape hanging over his left shoulder, a huge giant like frame, but the cardi breather took their attention the most, or Sol thought so. They did not see many outcasts around probably.
For half a day he searched for John Henry with no success, and while doing that he learned that many here are corsairs, outcasts' worst enemies. They would look at Sol's cardi breather with a wicked grin or an annoyed stare, then ignore him. If Sol was still like his old self and didn't feel so weak and desperate, he would probably cause some trouble there. His appearence didn't help one bit, people were afraid to talk to him and tried to get away from him as soon as possible. "I don't know", was the best answer for that.
After he got tired of walking around, he found a park and sit on a bench. Took his head between his arms and lost himself in thoughts. His cardamine stock was getting low, only enough for a few days. Had nearly no money left and didn't know where to get the cardamine around here either. Then he heard a little girl's voice appearantly calling out for him.
"Hey mister! Would you buy some flowers?"
Sol raised his head and stared at the girl, she was around thirteen-fourteen years old, wore a yellow dress. She was smiling with all her strength. Sol didn't know what to say for a second then tried to speak softly as if trying not to scare the girl.
"Sorry... I... don't have much money."
Girl's smile didn't fade away... and stared at Sol's face for a short while, then looking into his tired eyes hidden behind the weird looking goggles Sol wore.
"Mister, you don't look too well... May I help you with something?"
Sol was surprised... he didn't expect a question like this now... Did he look very bad? Didn't check a mirror for weeks.
"No! I am fine... Ah... Actually... Do you know someone named "John Henry"?"
The girl's smile was gone now as she was trying to concentrate on the name John Henry...
"John... John... John Henry... uhh... mister... Could it be that Dr. John Henry --- Holliday?"
Sol felt that this is it. A doctor, named John Henry Holliday... He grabbed her hand without thinking about it and rose up from the bench he sat with a sudden move.
"Yes! He must be the guy! Tell me please, where can I find him?!"
The girl looked at her hand Sol's holding now and smiled. Sol now realized what he did and blushed, her hand got free again.
"Hmm... I think, he is probably where docs are... yeah? Canaria Medical Center?"
Sol was taken aback by his own stupidity... Of course he had to be there, how couldn't he guess it. The girl spoke again...
"Mister, CMC is easy to find just follow the signs over there *pointed the signs with the label "Canaria Medical Center" just behind where Sol sat before*... I am sorry, I have to sell these flowers... oh... here take one!"
She gave a flower to Sol, still smiling, the flower was bright yellow like the dress she wore.
"T-thanks..." Sol muttered as he watched the girl rushing away, running and jumping around merrily...
----
It didn't take too long for Sol to find the CMC. He slowly and tiredly climbed the stairs leading to the entrance.
After a few trial and error, he found the right counter and asked to meet Dr. John Henry Holliday... The woman said there is already someone waiting to meet the doc. Sol thought that the guy is the real thing, and must be famous, since Concordia said that he can even cure the cardamine addiction... Sol really hoped that his time here would not be a waste, as every second he loses means that he could be closer to death now.
As soon as he entered the waiting room, he saw a girl sitting there waiting, her face was hidden behind her PDA... But he took a peek... Sol knew her from somewhere... But where...
A lightning struck in his mind, he realized that the girl is Anna Prentice, the girl Sol caught in the Barrier Gate and even killed her boyfriend... Sol didn't know what to do now... Should he leave there and come back later? Ignore her and wait somewhere else? What a damn annoying coincidence!
The last thing he wanted was to create a commotion there now... He turned back and was about to leave as he came.
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Doc tried to find some sanity in all that was going on. He figured by keeping busy that he could keep his mind off of his twins and ailing wife. A fresh set of doctor's whites after a long, hot shower made all the difference. He barely had time to finish his hair when his com badge sounded.
"Dr. Holliday, you have an Anna Prentice waiting for you in the lobby," came the receptionists voice.
"I'll be right there," Doc responded. Throwing a stethoscope around his neck, he headed to the lobby.
Once there, the receptionist pointed out Anna. Doc thanked her and went over to Anna.
"Miss Prentice," he stated as he walked to her, his hand extended, "it's nice to meet you. Come, let's talk in private."
He then escorted her to a small room normally used to talk with the family of patients.
"Christopher Dangen," Doc began, "that is a name I haven't heard in a very long time. He just sort of....disappeared. I thought that maybe someone had killed him or something. What is it that you wish to know?"
Anna sat down gently in the chair opposite of Doc.
“I talked to him before I went to see you, so he isn’t dead or anything. Still paranoid
though, about people that might be after him. I told him what had happened of the last few
weeks and he said that it might be a good idea to come here and talk to you.”
Anna leaned back a little, thinking about where to start and what to say.
“You know me and Jake were engaged right? Well, the Outcasts chased us down for the
things we did. They didn’t seem to like it. They caught me and Jake on Barrier gate. I may
only speak of luck that I’m still alive.”
Anna paused for a moment and sighed.
“They killed Jake …”
“… and took me to Malta for some further questioning. They let me go, though. But they
left a trace. I suppose you can guess what sort of trace. Cardamine. ”
“So I came here to ask some advice, I spoke to some people who were addicted to it. And I
heard that getting rid of it isn’t really easy either. Most fingers pointed towards you, saying
you were one of the most experienced people when it came down to these sort of matters.”
“Although, I myself am not too sure I want to get rid of it, after hearing the stories about
some people who have been ‘fixed’. Hearing all the drawbacks from it.”
“I know that in the past I haven’t acted as I should towards you and others but people can
change, right? All I need is your advice, what sort of advice would you give to me?”
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Doc took Anna's hand and held it for a moment at the news of her fiance.
"Anna, I'm very sorry," he said softly, "I have no words."
Releasing her hand, a scowl crossed his face as he shook his head. He then sighed. Anna could tell he was angry but did well to contain it as he asked himself "Why in Sirius must these Outcasts infect everyone even when they don't want it."
He then focused back on Anna.
"Anna, while I did experiment with trying to treat cardamine addiction, I had little success in it," he explained, "I just didn't have the time or contacts to finish what I started. Listen, I can't tell you to maintain the addiction or not to. What I know is this. Long term use will permanently alter your genetic structure. Sure, you may have some enhanced abilities and a longer life span that is, if you don't get yourself shot or something but you, Anna, may well lose the ability to have children due to the genetic changes. Do you really want that? You may not want children now but you may want a family some day."
"Lastly, if you keep the addiction, you will spend the rest of your days stealing and killing to get the credits to buy it. Ask yourself, is it worth it? Before you give me an answer, think that and what I said about family over."
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Meanwhile:
Dr. Nagger arrived to the E.R. to find a badly beaten and burned patient being tended to by staff.
"Who do we have here?" she inquired as she gave her an examination.
"Samantha Marquez," replied a trauma nurse, "she's got 3rd degree burns over much of her body, internal injuries and some broken bones."
"Yeah, someone shot up her escape pod," added one of the paramedics bringing her in.
"As if people don't get enough thrill from shooting up one's ship from around them, hm?" asked Doreen outloud with sarcasm as she ran a bio scan.
"All right, get her into the O.R. before we lose her," instructed Doreen, "and keep her under with some pentobarbital."
Before she went to scrub up for sugery, she stopped at the receptionist to address the incoming paperwork for the new patient.
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