A resistance warship flies into battle against the Conglomerate, a mecha-company conquering planets for minerals and slave labor. When the ship crashes above the plains, the five people on board battle for survival across their world, pursued by th...
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Somewhere between the cold dawn and his transport to a medbay to secure their special hostage, the Recruit swims far enough into consciousness to see a Conglomerate soldier with talons for fingers open four ugly lines across the Double's torso.
The sight of all that vermillion, liquid and ragged on a smooth stomach shocks him to his senses. The Double is being escorted by a full squadron, which clearly does not fear repercussions for damaging a prisoner about to be tortured for her unique knowledge of Saa'be's troop deployments and counter-strategies. He makes some kind of wordless protest and her whole body tries to turn to him, but a fist clips her jaw, knocking her gaze away from him.
They bring him to a medbay where, in the span of hours, they return him from near death to almost better than before. He flails at their ministrations in the beginning, fearing they are splicing monstrous appendages to him as the main nurse uses skin grafts to heal the deep cauterized burns in his abdomen. The nurse is strangely sympathetic to the Recruit's plight, hushing him gently with calm fingers and a tenor that is soothing despite the pain the nurse's stitches bring. The Recruit is so afraid of being remade, but the nurse understands the problem immediately when the Recruit's shirt is peeled away and old surgery scars are revealed. The nurse presses his cool hands to the Recruit's brow and tells him to breathe, letting him calm down and explaining each step needed to heal his internal injuries.
The Recruit eventually calms enough to be fascinated with how close to death he came. He finds himself entranced by the nurse. The man has a similar air to the Double, calm and responsible and world weary beneath facades of smiles. He watches the nurse work with silent focus, observing like she does now that the pain and terror no longer dominate his every thought.
The nurse doesn't say much more than what's necessary and the Recruit is grateful. He expected threats or hostility; that's all that he's ever known from the Conglomerate. He tries to harden his heart towards this kind man among his enemies, but he just can't summon the energy. He thinks it will feel like a betrayal of the Double, but her sad smile swims in his tear-filled vision and he knows even now she wouldn't want him to hate.
The nurse eventually leaves him to his thoughts, telling the Recruit how to summon him if the pain returns or worsens. There is an implication in there somewhere that the nurse will come if the Recruit feels he is in danger. The Recruit wonders at that, disliking the gradation to his enemies. He supposes all sorts of people are part of the Conglomerate, think it is a good system even. He cannot judge, the Gunner's story and the Double's history lesson still recent reminders that all cultures and societies have their failings.
He worries and rests and frets and sleeps.
He loses track of days, healing, almost hale but filled with dread. How can he possibly escape? He's on a Conglomerate base, alone except for the Double, who is likely enduring the Spy's wrath. He has no doubt resisting torture was part of her training which is sickening and heartening at the same time. But he is her weak point and he fears the Spy will summon him, hurt him to break the Double.
