Chocolate Chili 14; Prune 21
Author: Marina
Story: The Worldwalkers (aka The Story Formerly Known as The Dragon World)
Challenges: Chocolate Chili 14 (weariness), Prune 21 (the wisest mind has something yet to learn)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel (Carrie’s eldest is an adult)
Word Count: 1,332
Rating: PG (injury caused by a gunshot, swearing)
Summary: Kaylee didn’t want it to end like this.
Notes: This piece operates off the assumption that women will be allowed to be Navy SEALs by 2045 (when this piece takes place); they can’t, currently. Kaylee is Carrie and Dean’s oldest daughter; Howard, Maggie, and Karina are all characters that originate from NIEE but have crossed over to the modern world (I write Howard, though, which is why this isn’t a Milkshake). Also, hi :P
As Kaylee slowly drifted toward consciousness, pain began to register in her mind. It started as a vague ache on her right side. Then, as she became more aware, it grew until she could hardly stand it. She prided herself on a high pain tolerance, but this pushed her limits. She let out a low moan.
“Hey, Dakamar,” came a familiar voice. “You back with us, then?”
Kaylee opened her eyes and squinted at the blindingly white ceiling. She looked quickly away, but her vision was still blurry. It took a moment for it to clear enough that she made out the IV in her left hand. She glanced to the right, and there sat her superior officer. “Howie?” she mumbled thickly.
Howard grinned crookedly. “I’ll let that pass this time. How do you feel?”
“Side hurts like hell.” She swallowed, which helped her mouth feel less dry. “This a hospital? How’d I get here?”
“You don’t remember?”
She shook her head.
“Well, you saved Sorrenti’s life yesterday, but you also almost got yourself killed in the process. Lockholme’s livid at you, by the way.” Despite the grin, Howard did not seem terribly amused himself. “They shot you in the hip. We’re on our way back to the mainland now.”
Kaylee stared at him in stupefied silence. She did not remember that. She found it hard to place her last clear memory at all. “The mainland?” she repeated, after a long pause.
He nodded. “You need surgery.”
She did not like the sound of that one little bit. “For what?”
“A hit like that causes damage. Your hip pretty much shattered from the impact.”
“So what does that mean?”
Howard looked her in the eye, his expression unhappy, but resigned. “You’re being discharged.”
The word “discharged” seized her attention in a way none of the rest of it had. She tried to sit up, despite the pain that immediately shot through her right side at the effort. Howard got to his feet, putting a gentle, but firm hand on her shoulder. “Lie still,” he ordered.
“You can’t discharge me,” she snapped, still struggling.
“Dakamar, if you don’t lie down on your own, I’m going to have to call someone in here to sedate you again. Is that what you want? Because I don’t have a problem doing that, if I have to.”
Kaylee stopped. She leveled her iciest stare at him, but slowly settled back against her pillow despite her frustration. “Don’t send me home, sir,” she said, trying to sound a little more reasonable.
Howard stepped back, but remained standing, his arms folded over his chest. “It’s out of my hands. The bullet destroyed the bone, Kaylee. You need surgery and physical therapy and you won’t be at one hundred percent for a long time. No one in their right mind would send you back into action like that and you know it.”
“But I can’t go home now! The war’s not anywhere close to over! You need me!”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, so you’d prefer to go when you’re actually dead?”
“Howard.” She glared at him, feeling even further annoyed when he only smiled at her. “That’s not funny.”
“No, but your reaction was. Listen, you’re not going to do anybody any good, fighting this. There’s no shame in getting an honorable discharge because of an injury.” He had the gall to wink at her. “That’s why it’s an honorable discharge.”
She scoffed and looked away toward the ceiling. Honorable or not, it still did not feel right to her.
“Don’t do this,” said Howard reproachfully. “You know I’m right, or you will when you’re out of the morphine haze.” When she kept silent, he went on. “I’m not any happier about this than you are. You’re one of the smartest officers I’ve ever trained and I hate to lose you. But I’m grateful I can send you back to your family alive. Some of the others haven’t been so lucky.”
When he put it like that, Kaylee had to acknowledge the truth of it. She sighed heavily and covered her eyes with her right hand. Even that much movement aggravated her injury. “Is Don okay?”
“Just fine, thanks to you.”
“What about Maggie?”
“Also fine.”
“Why’s she mad?” Bits and pieces had started to come back. From what she could remember, Kaylee doubted she had done anything particularly brainless. She had been moving to help Don with…something, which had to have been the moment she had been shot, since she could not remember anything afterward. “Did I do something stupid?”
Howard frowned. “No, they snuck up on us. I don’t know if there was anything you could have done. Lockholme’s just concerned. She’ll get over it.”
“How’d you get me out?”
“We had to drag you back to cover and hold it until we got backup. Luckily, Karina brought in more people pretty quickly.”
Kaylee made a face. Karina de Carlin happened to be a fantastic officer, but a terrible person in general. It would be her they owed their lives to. “Bet she’s pissed I made it out of there alive,” she murmured.
She could just hear Howard’s smirk. “Of course not. If you die, her fun’s over.”
Lowering her hand back to her side, she took a deep breath, and immediately regretted it. “Too bad the painkilling effects of morphine don’t last as long as the haze. I really didn’t screw up? You can tell me, if I did.”
He shook his head. “No, I think I’m at fault if anyone is. We thought the area was secure and it wasn’t. As I said, at least you’re alive.”
She raised her eyebrows and tried to smile. “Howard Dell, screw up at something? Never.”
“I know you like to think I’m perfect, but I’m not,” he said mildly. “Sorry about that.”
“Not blaming you.” Kaylee let out a breath and closed her eyes. Her brain still felt hazy enough that she could almost believe it was all a dream, but the pain felt much too real for that. This is not happening, she thought, deeply upset. She missed home, badly, but she had never wanted to go back this way. Howard was right about the fact that she was not fit for combat with a shattered hip, but she felt as though there had to have been something she could have done to prevent it. She could not help the guilty feeling that her discharge meant she would basically abandon her fellow officers.
“It’s even less your fault,” Howard said gently, “and we’re not going to lose just because you have to go home, Dakamar, so stop that. We’ll miss you, but we’ll be fine. And so will you.”
She nodded.
He reached over and clapped her shoulder. “We’ve already informed your family and your father will be there to take you home by the time you’re out of surgery.”
She opened her eyes and eyed him, alarm creeping up on her again. “Was he okay?”
“Shocked, but still on his feet,” said Howard, with a slight smile. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay.” Even though it was foolish, Kaylee wished he had not had to tell her family. She hated the thought of worrying them for any reason. She had already given them way too much reason to worry over the past several years, and the fact that most of that had also been out of her control did not make her feel any better about it. “Can I have more drugs now, then? The pain’s starting to get unbearable.”
Howard spared her a concerned smile. “I’ll flag someone down for you.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” He gave her a little salute, and then headed for the door.
Kaylee let her eyes drift shut again, and tried to will away her discomfort by focusing on thoughts of her family. At least she would be back with them soon. It would be good to see them again, no matter the reason.
Story: The Worldwalkers (aka The Story Formerly Known as The Dragon World)
Challenges: Chocolate Chili 14 (weariness), Prune 21 (the wisest mind has something yet to learn)
Toppings/Extras: Caramel (Carrie’s eldest is an adult)
Word Count: 1,332
Rating: PG (injury caused by a gunshot, swearing)
Summary: Kaylee didn’t want it to end like this.
Notes: This piece operates off the assumption that women will be allowed to be Navy SEALs by 2045 (when this piece takes place); they can’t, currently. Kaylee is Carrie and Dean’s oldest daughter; Howard, Maggie, and Karina are all characters that originate from NIEE but have crossed over to the modern world (I write Howard, though, which is why this isn’t a Milkshake). Also, hi :P
As Kaylee slowly drifted toward consciousness, pain began to register in her mind. It started as a vague ache on her right side. Then, as she became more aware, it grew until she could hardly stand it. She prided herself on a high pain tolerance, but this pushed her limits. She let out a low moan.
“Hey, Dakamar,” came a familiar voice. “You back with us, then?”
Kaylee opened her eyes and squinted at the blindingly white ceiling. She looked quickly away, but her vision was still blurry. It took a moment for it to clear enough that she made out the IV in her left hand. She glanced to the right, and there sat her superior officer. “Howie?” she mumbled thickly.
Howard grinned crookedly. “I’ll let that pass this time. How do you feel?”
“Side hurts like hell.” She swallowed, which helped her mouth feel less dry. “This a hospital? How’d I get here?”
“You don’t remember?”
She shook her head.
“Well, you saved Sorrenti’s life yesterday, but you also almost got yourself killed in the process. Lockholme’s livid at you, by the way.” Despite the grin, Howard did not seem terribly amused himself. “They shot you in the hip. We’re on our way back to the mainland now.”
Kaylee stared at him in stupefied silence. She did not remember that. She found it hard to place her last clear memory at all. “The mainland?” she repeated, after a long pause.
He nodded. “You need surgery.”
She did not like the sound of that one little bit. “For what?”
“A hit like that causes damage. Your hip pretty much shattered from the impact.”
“So what does that mean?”
Howard looked her in the eye, his expression unhappy, but resigned. “You’re being discharged.”
The word “discharged” seized her attention in a way none of the rest of it had. She tried to sit up, despite the pain that immediately shot through her right side at the effort. Howard got to his feet, putting a gentle, but firm hand on her shoulder. “Lie still,” he ordered.
“You can’t discharge me,” she snapped, still struggling.
“Dakamar, if you don’t lie down on your own, I’m going to have to call someone in here to sedate you again. Is that what you want? Because I don’t have a problem doing that, if I have to.”
Kaylee stopped. She leveled her iciest stare at him, but slowly settled back against her pillow despite her frustration. “Don’t send me home, sir,” she said, trying to sound a little more reasonable.
Howard stepped back, but remained standing, his arms folded over his chest. “It’s out of my hands. The bullet destroyed the bone, Kaylee. You need surgery and physical therapy and you won’t be at one hundred percent for a long time. No one in their right mind would send you back into action like that and you know it.”
“But I can’t go home now! The war’s not anywhere close to over! You need me!”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, so you’d prefer to go when you’re actually dead?”
“Howard.” She glared at him, feeling even further annoyed when he only smiled at her. “That’s not funny.”
“No, but your reaction was. Listen, you’re not going to do anybody any good, fighting this. There’s no shame in getting an honorable discharge because of an injury.” He had the gall to wink at her. “That’s why it’s an honorable discharge.”
She scoffed and looked away toward the ceiling. Honorable or not, it still did not feel right to her.
“Don’t do this,” said Howard reproachfully. “You know I’m right, or you will when you’re out of the morphine haze.” When she kept silent, he went on. “I’m not any happier about this than you are. You’re one of the smartest officers I’ve ever trained and I hate to lose you. But I’m grateful I can send you back to your family alive. Some of the others haven’t been so lucky.”
When he put it like that, Kaylee had to acknowledge the truth of it. She sighed heavily and covered her eyes with her right hand. Even that much movement aggravated her injury. “Is Don okay?”
“Just fine, thanks to you.”
“What about Maggie?”
“Also fine.”
“Why’s she mad?” Bits and pieces had started to come back. From what she could remember, Kaylee doubted she had done anything particularly brainless. She had been moving to help Don with…something, which had to have been the moment she had been shot, since she could not remember anything afterward. “Did I do something stupid?”
Howard frowned. “No, they snuck up on us. I don’t know if there was anything you could have done. Lockholme’s just concerned. She’ll get over it.”
“How’d you get me out?”
“We had to drag you back to cover and hold it until we got backup. Luckily, Karina brought in more people pretty quickly.”
Kaylee made a face. Karina de Carlin happened to be a fantastic officer, but a terrible person in general. It would be her they owed their lives to. “Bet she’s pissed I made it out of there alive,” she murmured.
She could just hear Howard’s smirk. “Of course not. If you die, her fun’s over.”
Lowering her hand back to her side, she took a deep breath, and immediately regretted it. “Too bad the painkilling effects of morphine don’t last as long as the haze. I really didn’t screw up? You can tell me, if I did.”
He shook his head. “No, I think I’m at fault if anyone is. We thought the area was secure and it wasn’t. As I said, at least you’re alive.”
She raised her eyebrows and tried to smile. “Howard Dell, screw up at something? Never.”
“I know you like to think I’m perfect, but I’m not,” he said mildly. “Sorry about that.”
“Not blaming you.” Kaylee let out a breath and closed her eyes. Her brain still felt hazy enough that she could almost believe it was all a dream, but the pain felt much too real for that. This is not happening, she thought, deeply upset. She missed home, badly, but she had never wanted to go back this way. Howard was right about the fact that she was not fit for combat with a shattered hip, but she felt as though there had to have been something she could have done to prevent it. She could not help the guilty feeling that her discharge meant she would basically abandon her fellow officers.
“It’s even less your fault,” Howard said gently, “and we’re not going to lose just because you have to go home, Dakamar, so stop that. We’ll miss you, but we’ll be fine. And so will you.”
She nodded.
He reached over and clapped her shoulder. “We’ve already informed your family and your father will be there to take you home by the time you’re out of surgery.”
She opened her eyes and eyed him, alarm creeping up on her again. “Was he okay?”
“Shocked, but still on his feet,” said Howard, with a slight smile. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay.” Even though it was foolish, Kaylee wished he had not had to tell her family. She hated the thought of worrying them for any reason. She had already given them way too much reason to worry over the past several years, and the fact that most of that had also been out of her control did not make her feel any better about it. “Can I have more drugs now, then? The pain’s starting to get unbearable.”
Howard spared her a concerned smile. “I’ll flag someone down for you.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” He gave her a little salute, and then headed for the door.
Kaylee let her eyes drift shut again, and tried to will away her discomfort by focusing on thoughts of her family. At least she would be back with them soon. It would be good to see them again, no matter the reason.