HELIOS

Chapter 37

I lay in bed at the royal medical center that is just for the King and family, as do all my other injured Marines. Hal is sitting next me giving me the after action report, and Jahní is standing right next to me. "That's nine Marines that are KIA Sir." He looks at the tablet. "The Helios was hit to Sir, just moments after we left. They hit the engineering section."

      My God, it was a coordinated strike. "What are the casualties?"

"Four from the engineering are KIA, plus two wounded." He stops looking at the report and it's as if he doesn't want to read the rest.

"Go on Hal, what's the rest." I say to him.

"A fire broke out and Major Roberts lead the fire fighting operation." He looks down. "They successfully put out most of the fire, unfortunately a junction transformer blew. Major Roberts was caught in the explosion." He lets out a short breath. "They don't think she's gonna make it Sir."

"What?" I look at Jahní who has a sad expression on her face. "Did you know?" I ask her.

She glances at Hal and he nods his head. "I saw when they brought her in. I wanted to tell you, but  the Gunny thought it would be better to wait a bit, though she has been asking for you." I look down at my leg.

Jahní has a worried feel to her right now. "Hal, thank you, but I need to speak to Jahní."

"No problem Skipper." He gets up salutes me and inclines his head to Jahní then he turns walking out of the room.

I extended my hand to Jahní and she takes it. "Jahní." She looks at me quietly. "I had a relationship with Mandy. Once upon a time it was romantic." I look at her she nods understanding that Mandy is at deaths door, and she might say anything that pops into her head.

She squeezes my hand and lets go heading for the corner of the room. There she pulls out an anti gravity wheel chair; don't quote me on its actual name, but she brings it over. Then she helps me to get into it and it's not so easy, and I almost fall causing the both of us laugh. God it's good to hear her laugh.

then she gets serious looking around remembering the current status of my Marines and Mandy. Her people are stoic to begin with and with this they seem to become very somber, when those they see as warriors meet their ultimate fate. I finally manage to get in the chair and she starts to push me to where Mandy is.

As we approach the room where Mandy is there are a few crew members there, and they give Jahní the evil eye. I suppose they feel that part of the distancing between Mandy and I is Jahní's fault. The door is open and Jahní pushes me in. She sets me right next to the bed then she puts her hand on my shoulder and I hold her hand for moment. She then leaves closing the door as she does.

She is bandaged almost from head to toe, with what looks like moist linen. She is burned terribly and she lost an arm and her leg. She seems to be sleeping right now, but I don't want to disturb her. Just as I was thinking of leaving she stirs. "Ant... is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." She tries to move but she can't. "No it's ok you don't need to move."

"I'm sorry Ant, I'm sorry." A lump forms in my throat.

I clear it out so I can speak. "Hey, There's nothing to apologize for. You saved the ship, you really did." I tell her.

Her breathing is labored, as she tries to speak. "It was my fault... I should've... more honest." She is working just to keep breathing.

"Hey, hey just take it easy there's no need to get worked up right now." She shakes her head. "don't spend your strength tying to talk."

"Mindini... He-he wants you to fail." She is left breathless. I already knew that about him. He disliked my father because he stood up to him. Now he wants to disgrace me.