Dark Fall

Chapter 16 - Psi-Surgery

Upon arrival at Freehold, Terra went directly to the hospital, walking in through the emergency entrance to the pleasant greetings of several who recognized her. She caught the attention of Zoe Bliss, the trauma nurse who led the triage team two nights ago. Zoe's grappling hug caused Terra to yelp in sharp pain.

Zoe stepped back and glanced at the wound. Blood stained the bandana wrapped tightly around Terra's left arm. "What do we have here?"

"Could you help me out with this, Zoe?" Terra asked.

At Zoe's direction, Terra hopped up onto a padded examination table in a nearby treatment room. After removing the makeshift bandage and studying the wound for a moment, Zoe narrowed her eyes at Terra. "I've seen this kind of injury before. Looks like a high-velocity graze. Do I want to know how you got it?"

"Umm," Terra stammered. "No, you don't."

"That's what I thought. Okay, I'll clean it up and then get a doctor to close it."

As Zoe carefully washed out the wound and applied an antiseptic, Dr. Liz Gaur entered. "Terra, you don't have to get hurt to visit us. Let's see what we have here." She snapped on a pair of sterile gloves and held up Terra's arm to examine it. "Hmm, nasty gash, but it's not too deep. Bet it hurts."

"Yeah," Terra grunted, pressing her lips together.

Liz dabbed on pain killer, much to Terra's relief, and closed the wound with tissue adhesive. After Zoe wrapped it in a bandage, Terra let out a deep breath of relief.

"Better?" Liz asked.

Terra flexed her left hand. "Much better. Thanks."

Liz sat down in a chair, folding her hands. "Terra, I would ask another favor from you. We have a patient who came in with the Norhold casualties with a piece of shrapnel embedded in his neck very close to the brain stem. The risk with conventional surgery is very high. Would you be willing to do a psi-surgery procedure to clear it?"

"I will try. When do you need this?"

"As soon as possible. Can you do it this evening?"

Terra nodded. "Okay, but let me go get something to eat while you get him ready."

As Terra placed her food tray on a table in the dining hall, Ginny came up and sat down across from her. "So, what did you learn at Norhold?" As Terra jerked up, Ginny raised a hand and answered her unspoken question. "Will wanted me to check on you. He does care about you."

"I know. I had to go see it all for myself."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow. "So?"

"The village was completely destroyed. I wanted to know who shelled them. Turned out both sides did, and the bastards used anti-personnel loads. Those poor people never stood a chance."

Ginny shook her head. "War at its very worst."

Terra peered directly into Ginny's eyes and then glanced down. "You were right. To the villagers, it didn't matter who attacked them."

Ginny pointed to the bandage on Terra's arm. "And that?"

"I, uh, ran into some soldiers that did not want me to be there."

"I see. So, what now?"

Terra balled a fist. "I am going to raise hell in the Blue Uprising!"

"Be careful, Terra," Ginny cautioned. "People who do this kind of thing do not like having their methods challenged."

Ginny stood up to leave, but Terra motioned her back down. "Ginny, I need to ask you something. This clinic, the dining hall, the school, the orphanage — what keeps all these good things going?"