Kadance

3

Jayse shakes off the memories once more staring at the city lights below. Yesterday it became official, he'd been discharged. Jayse figures they were only waiting for Rory to have the final grace first. If he had been discharged earlier than he wouldn't have been allowed to give Rory the final grace. Jayse smiles bitterly at that, he's unsure if the high command was being compassionate or cowardly for that decision. The high command isn't known for their compassion.

Now that he's honorably discharged with full honors earned (which surprised him. He had fully expected a court martial for Bandro). Jayse turns his sight inward not realizing just how much his face is showing, how haunted his appearance has become.

As a warrior honorably discharged he'd be allowed any job he wants. Or he'd be allowed to take full retirement benefits. Jayse snorts at that. Retirement, he's heard that civilians work towards early retirement but for Jayse he always thought retirement would mean he was dead. Now the world was his for the asking and the only thing he wants is what he is being denied-Sigma Company.

Thompson's voice comes back haunting him, "I don't know anything but the armed forces, Sigma Company. I don't know what I'm going to do."

As that memory fades Jayse replies silently, "Neither do I Thompson. Neither do I." He crosses his arms and leans back against the window frame as he closes his eyes to hide the fear he might see reflected there as he reflects on the question, Now what?

"Corporal are you up to a full workout yet?" Jayse barks out to Thompson once he locates him. For once he was actually in his room, but there was something different about Thompson that Jayse couldn't decipher in the split second of time he had before Thompson swung a knife at him.

Jayse easily side steps the knife as Thompson sheepishly puts it away. This was all done so quickly that those watching thought they might have been seeing things.

Thompson's voice is irritated as he says, "Geez Sarge you could've gotten yourself gutted sneaking up on me like that." Thompson looks at Jayse and lets him see the irritation he feels.

Jayse on the other hand replies rather dryly, "Thompson, if you've gotten that slow I'm in no trouble. Now answer me soldier, are you up to a full workout or not? And since when did you get your knives back? I thought weapons are prohibited for patients here?"

Thompson's face puts on an innocent mask and his voice matches. Jayse knows that Thompson lies through and through when he does that and he doesn't care if others know it or not. "As for the workout I am a bit out of shape, but I think I can handle at least a small one. As for the knife, what knife?"

Jayse gives Thompson a hard stare, "Maybe the others didn't see it, but I know better. You have your knives. Besides when I talked to the hospital about borrowing their gym for our little workout I stopped by to pick up a knife for you from your personal affects. They weren't there. Now you may fool the others but I know you too well for you to bs me like that, so don't try."

Thompson lets out a sigh, "Never could get anything past you. I feel undressed without some weapons, you know that Jayse. So I took back my knives. Now I'm not nearly so jumpy as I used to be."

Jayse nods to himself. That is true. When they were first brought here to Gaia to recover Thompson had been as jumpy and nervous as a civilian when a shifter attack is announced. He thought that Thompson had just calmed down but it makes a lot of sense about the knives. Now Jayse smiles, leave it to Thompson to make his own entertainment here. There was no way the hospital staff would have caught him if he didn't want to be caught.

Thompson's voice brings him back, "I think they're finally about ready to discharge me from the hospital, maybe this will decide them.

"You know I'll be glad to get out of this place Jayse. The smell of the antiseptic and the despair that pervades this place is almost overwhelming at times. I prefer the clean death in battle than the slow death here in the hospital," Thompson says conversationally.

Jayse gives a short bark of laughter and looks at Thompson like he is crazy. "There's nothing clean about death Thompson. You should know that as well as I by now. You've been through as many battles as I have. I know you've seen the photos from our last battle. There definitely wasn't anything clean about those deaths." Just talking about it brings up the nightmare memories.

Thompson gives a shrug, "You know what I mean. Here people are just waiting to die, most have just given up. You and I have both seen people that should have died that survived because they didn't give up."

Jayse's mouth twists up in dislike, "True, but we've both seen people die that should have lived because they've given up. But I understand what you mean. Hospitals kinda make me jumpy. Maybe because I've spent so much time in them."

"We both have Jayse," Thompson says quietly. Their tenure in Sigma, the elite fighting team meant they were always sent to the hottest fighting. They've both received many wounds and scars, some were even visible. Thompson lets his voice trail away, but shies away from the memories. The memories are still too fresh and raw for him to look at too closely.

Thompson changes the subject, his thoughts were getting just a bit too dark and that wouldn't help anyone. "So how did you get permission for the use of their gym? The therapists, I've noticed, are a bit touchy about their equipment; very territorial kind of thing. They've been very not nice about sharing."

Jayse snorts, "Probably because you never bother to ask before taking. Thompson this is a civilian location. You're here for long term recuperation not to take their things. But I had to do a lot of fast talking, promise not to break anything and at most use only knives." Jayse makes a face at that; he wants a full work out but this will have to do. "And," Jayse is reluctant to continue.

Thompson knows that when Jayse is reluctant then there is usually a good reason. "And what Jayse?" Thompson's voice is a bit harder than before. If Jayse doesn't like it than he's even less likely to.

"I had to promise that they could set up camera feeds so that any here in the hospital that wanted could watch. HQ thinks it's a good idea. They feel it will boost morale in the civilian population that the warriors are so whatever..." Jayse fails to find the word he's looking for and just waves his hand at it all dismissing it.

Thompson stops in his tracks and stares at Jayse incredulously. "What!"

Jayse sighs, "This war has gone on for years now, the populace needs some reassurance that we can handle things. HQ seems to think watching us spar will do that. Although why watching a couple of discharged soldiers that haven't sparred for some time and have slowed down would help I don't know."

Thompson laughs, "Jayse your slowest means that the rest of us might have a chance against you. At my best I could barely keep up with you. It's a good thing I fight dirty."

Jayse snorts in derision, "Whatever. Anyhow the last reason is they agreed that if you can do this you can be discharged soon." Jayse looks at Thompson slyly, "You have to prove that your arm is working of course. Your stamina will be shot due to being shut up for so long without a proper workout. Try to keep up with me for a bit anyway, they said if you can and they can certify your arm as being bug free then you will be."

"I can check myself out of here anytime I want Jayse," Thompson says smugly.

"Sure if you want to pay for your rehab on your own. You check out before the docs give the okay then benefits stop. You know that Thompson." Jayse retorts and is pleased to note the slightly sick expression on Thompson's face. Jayse knows that Thompson is only playing along. It's likely that Thompson leaves on a regular basis and returns at night. He hates being stuck inside more than just about anyone else Jayse knows. He knew before Thompson turned down the desk job that he would.

They walk the rest of the way in companionable silence. The smells of disinfectant fill their noses. Thompson is used to the smell and doesn't take much notice of it, but Jayse is more than a bit uncomfortable. Jayse hides his discomfort well, but Thompson can read him better than anyone else and knows how much it bothers him.  When they get to the gym Thompson uses that knowledge to his advantage.

Their fighting is intense and hot. They are moving so fast that many of their moves look like blurs. It's only when they back off for a small amount of time for a breather that the onlookers can see the rips and cuts in their clothes to see that the contestants are in earnest in their fighting. But there are no corresponding marks on the skin, no markings of any kind.