Read Online Loyalty to the Cause (TCOTU, Book 4) (This Corner of the Universe) by Britt Ringel - Free Book Online Page B

In and out.  I need to disinfect
the wound but I couldn’t find a working shiver-stick.”  She stepped closer to
Vernay and lowered her voice before continuing.  “That’s also why I can’t
relieve Vivian’s pain.  Hardly anything works in that compartment.”
    Vernay’s
voice wavered.  “Is Vivian going to be okay?”
    Gables
grimaced and shook her head.  “I don’t know, ma’am.  I don’t think so.  I think
the bullet’s path went through the large intestine, maybe a kidney and possibly
even her small intestine.  The auto-doc doesn’t work so I can’t see.  I tried a
visual examination but it’s too painful for her.”  She sighed.  “The good news
is I don’t think any major arteries were hit.  She’s not bleeding too badly but
none of that matters if a major organ got hit.”
    “So
what do you recommend?”  Please don’t say there’s nothing we can do.
    “There’s
not much more I can do.  I was just an emergency med-tech when I was a damage
controlman.  She needs a surgeon.  My recommendation would be to put her off
the ship where she can get real medical care.”
    “And
if she doesn’t receive it?”
    Gables
eyebrows furrowed as she lowered her voice.  “Then she probably dies.  You just
can’t recover from a wound like this without proper medical treatment.”  She
shrugged pathetically.  “I’m sorry, ma’am.”
    Vernay
gestured Gables back into the sickbay.  “Do what you can for her.”  She resumed
pacing in the hallway as she deliberated.  If I hand her over to the orbital
medical facilities, we can’t wait for her.  Eventually, word will arrive in
Erriapius that she’s an escaped prisoner and she will be arrested.  But if I
keep her aboard, I could kill her.   She kicked savagely at the dingy bulkhead
again.  Dammit, Stacy, this is your fault!  Fix it!
    Vernay
stepped into the sickbay.  Chief Brown was lying on his back, right arm draped
over his eyes.  His left pant leg had been cut away to the knee.  A pale Ensign
May lay on her side, half-curled on her bed, holding a bandage in place as
Gables wrapped gauze around her waist.
    “Hi,
Vivian, I’m sorry about this,” Vernay began.
    “It’s
okay, ma’am,” May said with a wince.  “Gabes will fix me up.”
    Vernay
blinked furiously.  Heskan wouldn’t cry, Stacy.   She swallowed.  “Viv,
you need more help than we can give you here.  I think we need to get you to a
real critical care center.”
    May
shook her head frantically.  “No, ma’am.  They’ll find out who I am and then
they’ll come and take me back to Bree…”
    “Vivian,
you’re going to die if you stay on this ship,” Vernay insisted.  You’ve
killed her, Stacy.  Whether she stays or goes, your recklessness killed this
woman.   “We don’t have what you need here.”  You might as well have taken
one of the station’s rifles and pulled the trigger yourself.   The last
thought prodded at her relentlessly.
    May’s
face contorted.  “But, ma’am, you know what’s going to happen if you leave me. 
Please, don’t.”
    Lieutenant
Selvaggio stuck her head inside the compartment.  “Stacy, orbital control wants
to know what’s going on.  Are we leaving or not?”
    Vernay
stared at Selvaggio and inspiration struck.  “Wait a minute!  Gables, if you
had working equipment, could you treat Vivian?”
    Gables
stared up at the ceiling briefly before answering, “I don’t know, ma’am.  I
know I could stabilize her but I don’t have the skill to perform the surgery
she needs.”
    “How
long could you keep her stable?”  Vernay grasped at straws.  “A week?”
    Gables
hedged.  “Maybe.”
    Vernay’s
eyes bored into the ensign.  “Denise, write down everything you need.  I want a
full shopping list.”  She poked her head out of the sickbay compartment and
yelled, “Olson!  I need my datapad!”  Vernay then looked at the injured woman
and asked, “Vivian, if I can get what Denise needs