Time To Pay The Piper

Posted on Sun Aug 14th, 2016 @ 12:22pm by Colonel S'er'in'e & Captain Liarra Von
Edited on on Sun Aug 14th, 2016 @ 12:24pm

Mission: The Art of Survival
Location: Unknown M Class Planet

S'er'in'e returned to the cave later than he expected, he didn't realise that his injuries followed by the brief exertion only worsened things. Still regardless the task was done, one lay dead and the other two would be more cautious now as a result which may buy at least Von more time.

For the last twenty minutes of his trek blood had been dripping from his mouth as one lung slowly filled. S'er'in'e knew Caitian lungs were substantially larger than a Humans but it was still a contained vessel, it would eventually fill if nothing was done. His breathing was increasingly laboured as well which made him more tired and he'd expected because of the lack of oxygen to the blood. He could feel his chest had become softer over time, he knew what it was and would have to drain the gathered blood somehow if things were to, if even slightly, get better.

He knew his claws were out of the question, aside from his present injuries he couldn't risk infection from an open wound and the med kit was doubtful given what he'd managed to salvage from the crash. He had to think of something, quickly.

Slowly he entered the cave making no effort to hide his approach or who it was as he rapped on the entrance with his claws again, notification to Von it was him.

Von was staring at the cave wall, almost not even paying attention when S'er'in'e made his presence known. Her leg wasn't getting much better, and she was afraid that she could lose it if she didn't get medical attention soon. But losing her leg was the least of her worries if they weren't rescued soon. But with S'er'in'e's return to the cave, her attention moved to him. He didn't look like the same cat that left her earlier that night. He was covered in blood, and looked more tired than she had seen him so far.

"You don't look too great, S'er'in'e. I hope that's not your blood," she asked with a look of concern.

"A mix I am afraid." S'er'in'e replied nursing his left arm. He gingerly knelt down and filtered through the med kit, nothing of use. "I have killed one, the others will more cautious now." A quick look around and still nothing that would aid him. "My chest cavity is filling, I have no way to drain it and it is compressing my lungs." His search stopped when he looked at Von again. A hair pin would be too small, it would bend easily and no reach deep enough. "I do not mean to be rude and forgive my asking Liarra, but I require your undergarment. I need the wire support within." Part of him screamed at the utter shame of his request, asking a female for such a personal item of clothing but the underwire was the only thing strong enough to hand that would do the job.

Liarra hadn't realized just how hurt S'er'in'e was, but his sudden announcement about his chest cavity filling set her into crisis mode. She sat up straighter against the cave wall and tried to take assessment of the situation. "Did he get a shot on you?" She asked, pulling the coat and the double layers of uniform tunic up around her. Trying to keep some privacy, she worked under her uniform tunic to free her bra. With her modesty mostly intact, Von handed it to S'er'in'e. "Here, work the wire out." She picked up the phaser and adjusted the setting. "We can sterilize it with this."

"No, I was injured from the crash." Having turned to give her privacy he waited until she called to him, S'er'in'e took the phaser and bra using his claws to tear through the fabric to get at the underwire he needed. "I ask that you do not come out." Not that she could with her leg but last thing he needed was to lash out mid action at doing what he needed. He left the cave and off just a short distance. Using the phaser to sterilize the wire having sharpened it against a rock and knowing it had to be done he prepared himself for what was to come next.

When everything was ready he assumed the best position for him on his hands and feet and with one swift thrust he jabbed the wire into his chest. The roar the followed rolled for some distance as the pain shot through him, a gentle pull opened the wound and almost straight away he heard the blood begin to pool under him. The relief was immediate as he felt his chest ease. It took some minutes but he'd gotten as far as he would with it, even as the wound stung it bought him precious time. The coppery scent of blood hung about him but there was little he could do about that right now.

He returned to Liarra, he had to get out of the elements and perhaps sleep and recover a little.

Von had started to protest when S'er'in'e left the cave, but she figured that it was just going to be something he had to do himself. Likely his ethical code as Caitian prohibited her from helping, but that was pure speculation on her front. Instead she pulled herself along the floor of the cave, trying her best to keep her bad leg elevated. Every inch was painful, but she knew he would need some help with the bandages. As she went through the meager medkit, S'er'in'e let out his roar, a sound that left even her frozen in fear. The pain of stabbing through his own chest cavity had to be unbearable. When he came back in, Liarra held up the bandages and hypospray. "Don't argue with me now, but you need these. A light dosage should help you at least get through the night with a little rest."

S'er'in'e was in no mood, mental or physical state of mind to argue. To help Liarra given her injured leg he positioned himself on his hands and feet side on across her legs. This meant he was close enough for her to bandage him without much movement bar leaning forward to wrap the bandage around his large chest. The hypospray though intended for her was a welcome addition and dulled the pain. "I apologise for what you heard." His voice had taken a deeper rough tone to it due to the effort it just had to make vocally. He didn't doubt his physical odour may have been off putting, considering the lack of water, rain and what he'd been doing over the last few days there was little reason to question as to the cause.

As pained as it was it was enhanced by the need for rest and the need for Liarra to play protector over him instead of the other way round. This little bit of rest would help him resume that duty, if only briefly.

Liarra worked quickly with the bandages and gauze, but was careful to go easy on them. They didn't have much left, and who knew how much longer they would need to last. "There's no need to apologize, S'er'in'e. If I had to perform medical procedures on myself, I think I would have yelled too." She tied off the roll of bandages and put the rest of them back in the med kit. "That will hold for now, but you should refrain from any strenuous activity. Hopefully it heels enough that we can move in the morning, if we need to." Von sat the kit aside and pulled herself into a position where she could see the cave entrance. With the phaser at the ready, and set back to stun, she took guard. But she wasn't done with S'er'in'e. "You said you were injured in the crash. Why didn't you tell me before now?"

"You are my Captain but also a female. I know my ways make you uncomfortable but you're life is more important than my own." S'er'in'e eased himself fown to the floor laying. "Duty demands I protect my Captain. Tradition dictates I put you above all other considerations." The way he was laying eased the pressure on his chest but he knew time had only been borrowed.

"I had scanned myself after the crash. My injuries are internal. Without a medical facility there is little to be done. That in mind I focused on what needed to be done." S'er'in'e continued. "Perhaps when we return my Mate can explain it in more detail from a female perspective to you who is constantly treated so. Maybe then it might not make you so uncomfortable if you had another point of view as comparison."

"I appreciate the concern for my comfort, but that's irrelevant when a member of my crew is in danger." It was true that some of his customs were odd to her, but she supposed many of her customs were odd to him as well. Few other humanoid species were comfortable with the idea of having another living organism implanted inside them, but for her was considered an honor. "S'er'in'e, I want to apologize for what I might have said back on the ship. I know that you were trying to be a gentleman and to live up to your tradition. It was callous of me to not respect that. I'm just not the kind of woman that expects to be waited on hand and foot. But nevermind that. I know that you were trying to spare me the concern about your injuries, but as your captain that is something that I needed to know. You could have been even more seriously injured from trying to move me around. We could have come up with a better plan given the circumstances."

"Would knowing have changed anything Liarra?" S'er'in'e asked. "My wounds are internal, outside of our means of treatment and without that treatment my time is limited." He shifted his head to look at her more from his laying position. "Captain or not, fleet or civilian you are still a female. My ways make up what I am, molded me, guided me. They tell us that the life of a female is worth more than that of a male. We had to move which meant I had to carry you. Had I not we would have been caught or worse." It was hard for him to explain ways soo deeply rooted in his upbringing to someone in the position of not liking to be on the receiving end of it. "My discomfort has kept us alive, I understand your position but as a Marine we are trained to think ahead of moment. We needed to move, my injuries could not be treated, if moving you would have caused further injury I would have accounted for it. You are not heavy Liarra." Wondering if she thought her weight was an issue.

He had a valid point, but Liarra was still a bit frustrated. "Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, but I still would have liked to have known. It shouldn't matter if I'm a female or not, and it has nothing to do with concerns over my weight. I'm still your commanding officer. What if I had ordered you into a situation, thinking that you were healthy? You would have complied, both because of your traditions, but also as a Starfleet marine. If I had known that you were as hurt as you are, then maybe we would have had a different plan of attack. Maybe I'm just worrying over contingencies for things that would never happen. But how can I expect to have control over a situation when I don't know all of the variables?"

Maybe it was his injuries, lack of sleep or perhaps the constant edge of potentially being discovered and captured, or worse but S'er'in'e's mood was not one for squabling over may haves and maybes. "Captain. With all due respect you have no control here. I suspect that is at the root of your problem, you try and control everything. You feel helpless because of your leg, you have to be carried in order to stay alive. More over, you are dependant on someone else entirely and for someone if your rank and position I can see why it can be a difficult setting to be in."

He paused a moment to let that sink in. "When I left my Homeworld upon graduation to join Starfleet I was put in the same position. It's a difficult one to be in going from a position of authority, ability and control to then be stripped of such and in my case also on an alien world, Earth" S'er'in'e looked at Liarra. "It bothers you that you are so utterly dependant on me for your survival, you have had that control taken from you and not by choice. It bothers you not because of what I did not tell you but because you seek to control that which you cant."

He didnt know if that was a Trill trait or maybe one Liarra had grown comfortable in due to her position. S'er'in'e gingerly sat up to a seated position. "I know you worry about the attack, I know you question yourself if you did everything you could. I know because I have seen the look on your face in the faces of others, even my own." He paused again as a wave of pain swept through his chest. "You did all that you could, a situation was thrust upon you and you handled it as training and experience has taught you. You wonder what Admiral Quinn will say, worry that you didnt do something at a critical moment." He paused again. "I know you dont like my ways, especially now given the situation. But a I ask that you consider that if you were to look at yourself, your injuries, your position here and now. What kind of control are you expecting to have?"

Liarra was stunned. When she had started asking about his injuries, the last thing she had expected was for S'er'in'e to have turned the argument back around against her. But maybe that was her problem. Was she really arguing over having control in a situation in which she was completely stripped of it? Was this the way other people saw her? She thought that she was a fair but firm commander, but could it be that she had a need for control that went beyond what was expected of her.

But what might have stung even hard for Von was his mentioning of the battle. There was still a lingering concern in the back of her mind, one that she hadn't vocalized to anyone. Had S'er'in'e somehow guessed it, or was it just a coincidence? She wasn't sure. "You're right, S'er'in'e. It's probably foolish to be so worried about having control. I'm not ashamed that I have to rely on you, nor do I resent your help. I'm grateful for everything you have done, and it's very likely that I would already be dead had you not been here. I just don't like losing, and I feel like I've nearly lost too often lately. First was Thane, where the Sojourners made us look foolish. Myaz wasn't much better. We managed to escape, but we could do nothing for the people of Myaz to stop the Sojourners. Now we're stuck here. Sure, we may have won the battle, but not without great loss." Von paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "I never mentioned this to anyone, but I was a breath away from surrendering the station when the reinforcements arrived. Had our ships not arrived when they did, the Sojourners would have the station. And who knows what would have happened to us."

"The most important thing is that you did not surrender. Take pride in that." S'er'in'e returned to a laying position. "We need to rest." Ears wilted and features softened. His head rested upon his feet letting the sedative do its limited thing.