Action Is More Than Words (Part 2)

Posted on Sun May 19th, 2024 @ 7:17pm by Major Samantha Snyder & Colonel Jason "Jack" Frost

993 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.
Location: Planetside: Colony Grounds
Timeline: Current

***Jack's Perspective***

They say that in the heat of the moment that training takes over, fear and worry subside as what is known, what is comfortable, what's clear and precise takes over....training. As marines they are trained to conduct a variety of tasks and many of them dangerous. Everyone wearing green knew that one day putting it one came with risks, that it might also mean it would never come off. Kneeling behind a damaged wall with sweat running down his spine Jack could hear the sounds of chaos all about him. The fearful screaming, the sounds of weapons fire, shouting, explosions, voices giving orders.

Jack felt someone kneel next to him, the wall that small and damaged there was a partial lean against him by the other person. "Colonel. Sectors 2, 3, 5 and 7 are secure." One of his Captains spoke kneeling next to him.

"The rest?" Jack asked, mentally painting a picture of the colony. The eastern side was secure flanking south, but that still left a lot of territory to go.

"Slow gains in 4 and 6. We are being held off in 8 through 10. Seems that's where the hostiles billeted, they are dug in."

"Lab entrance?" Jack asked knowing that sooner or later that would be a key holding point.

"Centre grounds, ringed by a garden its currently hot but we are making gains. 2 and 3 have some overwatch but angles are limited."

"Any word from Snyder?"

"Negative. Comms have been spotty since the enemy forces started a defensive action." It was expected that once action was met then things would start to get crazy. Jack had every confidence in Sam, she was a tough marine, true, dedicated, she'd get the job done.

***Sam's Perspective***

In the chaos of the fighting, trying to save civilians and fighting off raiders, while clearing another building Sam found her team and herself inside it when it was brought down. A raider had thrown an explosive which detonated against one of the load bearing walls, which already compromised from room to room fighting and the damage to the building itself was all it took to bring it down.

Dust, the acrid smell of burnt conduit and wiring, the skittering of small debris sliding down steeply angled surfaces and dim light. Sam felt like she'd been hit by a shuttle and then some. Everything was a blur, a daze, every time she went to move it felt like her body lagged behind the will driving it.

Then came the pain, from the limited mobility she did have she looked down. Sam was impaled on a piece of debris, entering from behind and out the front. A large piece of glass protruded from her shoulder. Her attention was caught by someone coughing. "Who's there?" She called.

Movement could be heard then a figure. "Staff Sargeant Dockard, Major."

"Are you hurt?" Sam asked.

"Right leg is broken, a rib or two." Dockard replied. He shuffled his way to Sam who appeared to be laying on a slap of wall structure held in place by what she was impaled one that was preventing her from sliding down its surface. Dockard knew that his injuries could wait, the Major's couldn't. He needed to find something for her to 'stand' on, or at least take her weight so the wound wasn't being held open by the body's wanting to slide down the wall segment. "One second." The only thing he managed to find was a picture frame, the picture long ruined but the frame looked sturdy enough in construction to serve the need. "Ok, I need you to stand on this, it's going to hurt but we need to stabilize your weight to close your wound. Dockard could already see the blood from under her, fresh, still wet and bright red.

"Ok, keep still I need to check the rest." The prognosis wasn't great, even using the medical kits from the combat gear of both people it wasn't going to be enough. Carefully tearing open the injury to the Major's leg it didn't look great. Deep cuts, debris, glass.

Sam did her best to keep still but it hurt, even trying to keep herself propped up on what even was put under her feet was difficult. Even the pain killed she was given didn't do much. "How bad?"

"It's not great." The sigh that followed spoke entire sentences. "I can't stop the bleeding with what we have, and I have no idea on internal injuries. You're losing blood from behind and I can't risk moving you."

"Anyone else?" Sam asked, trying to keep some measure of control but even that was waning.

"No, just us, everyone else is dead, or they managed to get out before the building collapsed."

"Comms?" Sam whispered, her mouth dry.

"Nothing, they must have some device blocking comms, or there is something in this house material that's just as good." It was easy to say that, but Dockard could already see the signs of Hypovolemic shock in Sam. Taking Sam's wrist he felt an elevated heartbeat, Sam's breathing was quick and shallow, and she was cooler to the touch considering the exertion they had recently undergone....and there was nothing he could do about it.

Sounds of battle could still be heard outside, little they could do about it now. He flicked open his tricorder and set it to emit an emergency pulse, it was all they could do in the situation they were in. He also knew he had to keep Sam engaged, active, thinking. "How do you think they are going out there?"

"Better than us in here." Sam replied trying to keep something up, be it spirits, moral, humour...she'd take anything right now. Tired....soo tired.

"Major, you've got to stay awake. I know you want to rest and close your eyes but you need to stay awake. Talk to me, about anything, I don't care what but you can't fall asleep."

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