Carpathia V: Episode 4 - Distressed Demigod
Polaris Sector, NCCS Chrono Blade
Though the battle was over, the work was not. Ivy had a ship and crew to tend. Teren had his orders and rushed around the bridge to ensure every department was ready for the medical and repair teams from the Neptunus. Ivy kept to her task, helping the three nurses who were bagging and tagging the Vashta corpses.
Teren: Permission to go to the shuttle bay to direct the Neptunus teams, Captain.
Ivy looked up and gave Teren a quick nod.
Ivy: Granted. Take note of what you see along the way that might need our attention.
Teren: Noted.
Before leaving, Teren turned to the area where Dr. Raad was working.
Teren: Dr. Raad, be sure to check the captain when you have a chance. She took a nasty hit on the head.
Teren darted into the lift while Dr. Raad's ears started to flicker. When he looked up, Teren was already gone and so he turned around fully to give Ivy a mighty glare.
Dr. Raad: What!?
Dr. Raad snorted and then shuffled his jaw around, as though he was consternated about something, but Ivy couldn't tell if he was upset with her or something else.
Dr. Raad: Right, shoulda picked up on that myself as soon as I saw you what with the blood on your face and all. Right, then. Noctus, 30cc cortiplex and the rest of you keep digging while I give the captain a once-over.
Noctus: Yes, Doctor. 30cc cortiplex.
Noctus was already rushing to his kit while Dr. Raad approached Ivy with a medical scanner and started waving it around the moment he was in range.
Dr. Raad: Yup, got plenty of inflammation there for sure. The cortiplex will keep that in check for the next 24 hours, but I want to see you in sick bay before you go to bed tonight. Got that?
Even if Ivy dared to argue with Dr. Raad, she wouldn't. He was right, of course.
Ivy: Yes, Doctor. I will be there.
Noctus jogged up to Dr. Raad, jet injector in hand. He took it and pressed the tip into Ivy's neck and squeezed. Within moments, the headache that Ivy didn't even realize she had started dissipating.
Ivy: Thank you, Doctor. I feel better already.
Noctus: We have a path down the stairs, Doctor. Two more live ones down here, both CEF.
Dr. Raad: On my way! Get stretchers ready!
As Dr. Raad rushed off, Ivy reassessed the bridge. The three nurses working the areas away from the stairs were now laying out body bags next to each of the Vashta. As there was little more she could do to help.
Just as she was about to ring Engineering for an update, there was a flash of light at the front of the bridge. Then another. Followed by many in rapid succession, each followed by an airy crackle, like something paranormal was happening right in front of her. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look.
Ivy: Arm yourselves! Fire only on my command!
Everyone who could find a gun, did, and aimed at the light show. It continued, intensifying, until there was a final, sharp, crack that deposited a gray, furry body with massive wings onto the bridge deck. Ivy instantly knew who it was and lowered her gun.
Ivy: Do not fire! Return to your work.
Ivy rushed over to the figure on the deck. It was Aionaptara, now pathetically crawling along on his belly, inching his way forward by no other means than digging his claws into the carpet and pulling.
Aionaptara: I pray thee, grant my dear and blessed star,
That Happy Pillow which I hold so dear.
But once again let these weak arms embrace
Its gentle form before I meet my death.
It was not difficult to tell that Aionaptara was gravely wounded. Though she could see no injuries to his flesh, his movements told the story.
While Ivy rushed to collect Aionaptara's pillow, the one he left under her care just as the battle began, she called out to Dr. Raad.
Ivy: Doctor, when you're done down there, we need you up here!
Dr. Raad's voice boomed up the stairs.
Dr. Raad: Almost got the last one stabilized! Noctus, get an initial assessment!
Noctus: Yes, Doctor!
Ivy and Noctus ran in opposite directions, Noctus toward Aionaptara and Ivy toward the stub of a post that once held her command console. The small cubby inside the post was, thankfully, the only part that remained undamaged throughout the battle. While Noctus scanned, Ivy opened the door and retrieved the yellow, star-shaped pillow that Aionaptara had left in her care.
After a quick confirmation that the pillow had not suffered the scars of the battle, she rushed it to Aionaptara. He accepted without a word, snatching it from her hand and pressing it to his chest.
Noctus still scanned, running a medical diagnostic as best as he knew how, but his grim expression and the way he kept shaking his head told Ivy that the prognosis was, indeed poor. That is, if there was any prognosis at all. Did Carpathia even have any data on demigod biology? She had no idea.
Noting new movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned to see four nurses with stretchers, carrying her wounded crew away. All she could do was hope they would be okay while Dr. Raad sprinted up the stairs toward the front of the bridge. He snatched the medical scanner from Noctus's hands and started reading the results. Noctus, for his part, didn't seem offended in the slightest and stepped back, opening his kit to fiddle with whatever he had in there. Dr. Raad kneeled beside Aionaptara with a grimace on his face that caused even his wrinkled whiskers to sag.
Dr. Raad: By Anubis... He doesn't even have a heart! Or anything else I recognize! What the hell am I even supposed to do about this?
Ivy's Captain instinct wanted to shout something. Try this. Do that. But what? She had no idea. And neither did Dr. Raad. That much was clear and he was probably feeling just as helpless as she did while Aionaptara began to loosen his grip on the pillow and go limp on the deck.
Noctus held a jet injector next to Dr. Raad's face, some sort of idea he had while Ivy was distracted by Aionaptara.
Noctus: Here, Doctor. You can try this. It's...
Dr. Raad snatched the injector out of Noctus's hand before he could finish and pressed it up against Aionaptara's neck.
Dr. Raad: Anything you got is better than any of my ideas, because I don't have any!
Ivy could barely hear the hiss of the injector as it entered Aionaptara's body, what with all the shouting from Dr. Raad. Then, they waited, only for a few seconds, but what seemed like minutes, before Aionaptara suddenly spasmed. His eyes fluttered briefly before he went back to cuddling his pillow even more tightly than before.
Dr. Raad: Holy shit, that actually worked!
Aionaptara spoke, his voice slow with a trembling cadence.
Aionaptara: Nine thousand years have fill’d these hands with fear.
All gifts were chain’d to dread and trembling hearts.
Yet this fair star was giv’n for kindness’ sake.
When Death himself did seize me by the throat,
I clutch’d this gentle light against the dark.
I shall not loose it whilst I yet draw breath.
Dr. Raad, voice panicked, leaned in close to him.
Dr. Raad: Hey, can you tell me what I can do to help you?
No answer, for Aionaptara went limp, all life seeming to leave him yet again.
Dr. Raad: Dammit, not again! Noctus, get me another 100cc of whatever the fuck that was and keep it coming until he stays alive!
Noctus: Yes, Doctor!
Dr. Raad held up his paw, awaiting another injector. In a few seconds, it arrived and he immediately set to putting another dose into Aionaptara. A few seconds later, Aionaptara again revived, this time with a heavy gasp. A development that confused Dr. Raad, because he didn't have any lungs. Now, Ivy, Dr. Raad, and Noctus together awaited what would happen next while the other nurses kept to their duties, occasionally stealing glances at Aionaptara. This time, he remained stable for much longer.
Another demigod entrance, but this time without the theatrics. A small whoosh, and Bastet now stood near them.
Ivy: Bastet! I haven't called Engineering in a bit. How is it down there?
Tiggy: Same as up here. Just a lot of clean up. I turned six of the vashtari down there into kittens and I told Sauron to take them to the brig. Dr. Imhotep and several nurses are tending. Anyway, I felt that Aionaptara arrived and he looks pretty messed up. The dragons know things about demigod physiology and I'm here to take him there.
Dr. Raad: You certainly have my blessing! Raa knows I've got no expertise here, but Noctus is one hell of an improviser!
Dr. Raad gave Noctus a hearty slap on the back which nearly made him splat face down onto the deck.
Tiggy: Stand back, please. I need to prepare Aion so that I can move him.
Dr. Raad: Oh, of course!
Dr. Raad's eyes widened as he scooted backward. Bastet stepped close to Aionaptara's head and spoke in a soothing voice.
Tiggy: Aionaptara, I'm going to shrink you so that I can take you to the dragons for help. May I?
Aionaptara: Proceed thou mayst, yet harm not this dear star.
Tiggy: Don't worry. I'll make sure it's safe.
Ivy watched as Bastet put her paw on Aionaptara's forehead and, almost immediately, he began to shrink. In a few seconds, the intimidating form of one of the most dangerous demigods known to exist was transformed into a tiny fruit bat. The pillow shrunk with him, still clutched in his hands, but now resembling a tiny, fluffy cookie with a happy face.
Before anyone had a chance to even think about taking a picture of what they were seeing, there was a whoosh, and both were gone. All three paused for a moment, blinking stupidly at what they just saw, until Dr. Raad got to his feet.
Dr. Raad: Well, that's going to be a scan that I'll study on my spare time after you get your replacement doctor. I believe we're done up here. I'll leave a couple of nurses behind to get your bridge cleared out so that you can work.
Ivy: Short tenure, but glad to have you. Sounds like Engineering is handled. Perhaps you can help Teren in the shuttle bay.
Dr. Raad: My thought too.
Dr. Raad pointed to the three nurses who he'd previously charged with bagging the dead vashtari around the bridge.
Dr. Raad: You three, keep at it. The rest of you, with me.
The other nurses closed up their kits and followed Dr. Raad into the lift. Once again, the bridge was quiet, aside from the console beeps and dead vashtari being zipped into body bags.
Ivy: Time to see if we'll be able to have any engines in the near future. Kau, get me Engineering.
Kau: Contacting Engineering, Captain.
Commissioned art in Carpathia from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
Nalaxa Art
