II
I can't help it
Oel ketsun srung fì'ut
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The next day, Kyra was pulled in for evaluation. It was highly uncomfortable. Strapped to a chair and having blood drawn and multiple vaccinations, a Pap smear for aliens, just as uncomfortable for humans. But she didn't really have a choice whether she wanted to or not. They make the rules. She follows. For now.
"Do I have a purpose? Or did you bring me back from death just for me to lay around?" She asked finally, rubbing her sore wrists and the spot where they IV'd her.
The little doctor turned around with surprise.
"If something opens up, we'll let you know, 18-02." She said. Kyra squeezed her jaw shut.
"I have a name you know. Wouldn't hurt to use it."
All day, she'd been called 02 or 18-02 instead of her name. Turns out the others have these designations too. Hound is 18-01. The marine is 19. The scientist is 18.
The scientist is an actual scientist who made a near-na'vi body to drive as an avatar, but accidentally got stuck. That led to 19 being a repeat of that with a normal avatar. Hound was an official experiment before her. He was technically a failure due to his body being in such poor condition. And Kyra was a success. But they didn't really have a need for her.
The Marine was getting guard duty with one of the guards going MIA. He'd leave his equipment behind during a shower.
That was her idea. She used the scientist's tools to mess with his gas canisters. Apparently war crimes aren't war crimes if they're on another planet so, might as well let it back fire. It was set to go off while he was on patrol at night.
All they had to do now is wait and relax in the agricultural sector. It was tense for about an hour, two hours before something happened.
A high pitched wailing, the siren went off. Distant screaming.
"Now's our chance." Hound said. He got to his feet and pulled the fence open, "you go first." He said.
"No, you will. I need you to keep an eye out for me while I cross."
He nodded and scraped his way through the fence before he pulled it open from behind.
They heard voices and then sudden gunshots.
"They're here! They're here, hurry!" Hound panicked. Kyra scrambled to get through, digging her fingers into the clay-like dirt, the metal of the fence narrowly avoiding her skin. The gunfire continued until the opened flap of the fence scraped at her skin, carving grooves into her back as she clambered out.
Her hand found Hound's wrist and they began to sprint. Deep, terrified breaths between them both as their feet pounded at the ground, forcing them forward. They didn't stop until there was no sound but the forest. The sun was starting to set, they were at another shack.
"This should be good shelter for now." She said, letting go of John.
He dropped with a sickening, jumbled thud. His knees buckled and he fell back.
"John!" She looked him over, finding a deep bullet wound in his ribs. She tried to think. She tore off her shirt and pressed the fabric against the wound.
"C'mon, John. We've been through worse, you're gonna be okay." She said, her eyes found his face, he was looking bad, real bad.
She looked around frantically, "I-in the book, there's a clan not far from here. I'm gonna get you some help, I promise." She picked him up, straining her back.
"Keep pressure on it, John. You're gonna be okay." She said and she kept walking into the forest until she came to a stream. She followed it. They live by a large lake.
"Lieutenant." John murmured, "Kyra, put me down. The suns setting." He said in a faint voice. He felt distant, cold.
"No no no, John! Stay with me!" She set him down, applying pressure to his wounds over his hands gripping his fingers and trying to keep him awake.
"You're gonna be okay, you're okay, please!" She started to cry.
The forest around began to light up with bioluminescence, illuminating the world around them. Bright red stained the coming purples and blue in the sky.
"It's beautiful." John said, that distant tone seemed to drown any sign of sadness or joy.
"John, focus on me, look at me! Stay awake, please don't do this to me!" She sobbed. Her hands focused on his wounds. She didn't notice the pounding of hooves, the surprised sounds of people. He looked weak, slipping away, his eyes grasped onto her frantically as fear seeped into him. His pupils dilated and relaxed.
"No. No no no no!" She sobbed. She wailed over him, gripping his shoulders and pressing her face into his chest, willing him to wake up. Without him, she'll be completely alone.
"Wake up! Please!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into her friends chest.
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