At Ara'Novor

Chapter 3: Aaray ("Pain")

Footsteps echoed across the wet stone.

"Captain? Rex, are you ok?" Kix asked. He spotted his Captain on the floor before him.

A low grunt was the only response he received so he rushed over to Rex immediately. Kix crouched down next to him, he needed to start treatment right away. Kix was about to lift Rex's hand off the wound but Rex cocked his head to the left and hissed. "Her first, I'm ok."

Kix eyed him doubtfully, but proceeded to get up, and appeared on Rex's left. Kix kneeled before the shivering girl.

He took off his helmet. "Hello there little one, is it okay if I examined you real quick? It won't hurt, I promise!" Kix smiled. He treated many children during other raids and commissions, and the practice of trying to calm down scared vod made it easier too. Eida gazed over at Rex for reassurance. Rex nodded and then Eida looked back to the medic.

"Okay..." She said with a trembling voice.

Kix smiled reassuringly. He pulled a blanket out of his bag and handed it to Eida, who gladly took it and wrapped it around herself. Eida sat patiently as Kix checked her heart, her pulse, and her lungs. He also checked her reflexes and shined a flashlight in her eye. Afterward, she blinked furiously. Kix chuckled. That's the reaction I'm looking for. "You are all done, kid. You got a few bruises. But you'll be able to sleep it off."

Eida snuggled back into the warm blankets and stared at the medic. She studied Kix's face and tried to process something. Jesse took off his helmet as well and this confirmed her suspicions. Her eyes grew even wider, "You all look the same!" She pointed in awe. She looked between the three. "As I said, they're my brothers!" Rex said. He smiled as best as he could in his state, but it looked more like a grimace, and Jesse smirked at Eida.

"Sir, you'll have to take your hand off so that I can inspect the wound." Kix pointed out. Now he's back to kneeling beside Rex again. Kix opened his bag and pulled out tools. Rex hesitated because he had his hand on the wound for so long, he felt a little nervous, but he did it anyways with a hiss. His hand shook with effort as he slowly peeled his bloodied hand away from the sticky, painful wound. Kix shined another light onto the injury and inspected it.

"Kriff, I think we have no choice but to start treatment right away. You've been sitting here far too long!" Kix murmured. He handed the flashlight to Jesse so that he had free hands.

"You mean... perform surgery? Right here?" Rex asked.

His eyes widened for a second and then he shivered. It's starting to hurt quite a lot again.

"Yes, Sir, if you try to move the wound anymore than you already have; it'll only get worse. The blaster bolt must've made an impact with your armor and bounced off, which did some extensive damage to the tissue underneath. That's why you are bleeding. If it had gone through then it would've cauterized it. So, that's why we'll have to perform mild surgery here." Kix explained the best he could.

He read the fear and hesitation in Rex's eyes.

Rex took a deep breath. Don't be whiny. You're a soldier and you've been worse off than this. He thought to himself. Rex glanced at Eida, who was staring at the wound with terrified eyes. She looked up at Rex.

"Kid, I need you to go outside, this could turn nasty, I don't want you to see that," Rex said. He tried to shoo her away. Eida's eyes widened even further, and tears started to form once again.

"No! Don't hurt him!" she whined. Eida shuffled closer to Rex. She wrapped her hands around his left arm.

"We're not gonna hurt him, we have to treat his injury. We have anesthesia, uhh, something that'll block the pain. Don't worry." Jesse reassured her. He walked over to Eida and extended his hand for her to take. "No, I'll stay!" she refused and clung to Rex's arm even tighter. Rex holds in a slight groan as her nails dug into his forearm, but she wasn't the reason for his pain, it was the goddamn wound.