The Cresperian Alliance by Stephanie Osborn Page A

deep, booming grunt escaped its mouth, a sound of annoyance at the amount of disturbance its home waters had experienced in the last couple of hours.
    Then it dove back down. A large, smooth, dark grey body followed the head, leaving not a ripple in its wake.
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Chapter 6
    They were met by the Sea Wolf's small medical staff, with Dr. Ontan Forcula, the Chief Medical Officer, leading the way. “I hear we have injuries?” he asked.
    "One abused Crispy and one injured soldier here, sir,” Tomlinson noted.
    Forcula instantly spotted the bandage on Bangler's arm, and the Crispy Piki clinging to the other arm. “Nature of injuries?"
    "Sergeant Bangler took a bullet in the arm and one in the vest, sir,” Nunez reported. “Cresperian Piki was beaten, raped, and suffered rope burns to her hands in the rescue."
    "I think I got a busted rib, sir,” Bangler murmured, still light headed from the pain and difficulty breathing.
    "You sound like it,” Forcula noted, listening to his shallow breathing and choppy speech pattern. He turned to his team. “Two stretchers, to sickbay, NOW."
    Bangler all but tumbled into the stretcher, but Piki refused. “I can walk,” she averred, starting to improve her grammar through listening to the others talk. “I have already repaired most wounds.” She turned to Sira. “This nice man,” she waved a hand at Bangler. “He help me."
    "He did,” Sira agreed. “Bang is a very nice man. And very brave."
    "Bang. Like the weapon sound—bang-bang. He has—uhm, fun? No, that what bad man try to do; funny is right word. He has funny name. You shall help me fix him?"
    "I'll help you fix your hands first, then yes, I'll help you fix Sergeant Bangler,” Sira said, smiling gently.
    "Fix?” the CMO wondered. “I've heard scuttlebutt about alien abilities, but how can a human woman help a Crispy fix something?"
    Sira just smiled. “Come, doctor,” she said, taking his arm, “you'll see."
    By the time they'd reached sickbay, Forcula knew Sira's origins; Sira and Piki had repaired the superficial rope burns on Piki's hands, removed the bandages, and were concentrating on easing Bangler's pain. He sighed in relief. “Thanks, guys,” he murmured groggily. “Between that and the pain meds, it's not too bad."
    "You save me,” Piki said softly. “I help you."
    "You SAVED me, I WILL HELP you,” Sira corrected gently.
    "Ah. Yes. That, too,” Piki gave a half Cresperian, half human grin. Most of the other humans glanced away, not quite able to handle Piki's current facial appearance, but Bangler fixed his gaze on her and responded with a lopsided, drug induced grin of his own.
    "I take it you two can fix the busted rib?” Forcula wondered.
    "Yes,” Sira verified, “but you'll have to remove the bullet in his arm before we work on it. We could probably do it ourselves, but it will be faster if you do. Then we can close the wound behind you."
    Forcula nodded and began scrubbing up as Nunez removed Bangler's shirt and Piki and Sira tended to the broken rib. Soon Bang was breathing much easier.
    "It is not broke too badly,” Piki told him. Her grammar was still a little rough on the edges, but she was learning fast. “Everything is in place. We,” she indicated herself and Sira, “is just reattaching."
    Bangler, thoroughly looped by this time, decided Piki was cute to listen to.
    "There,” Sira said. “It's intact. There may be a little residual soreness for a few days, Sergeant, but you'll be fine."
    "I will help,” Piki declared. “Make him all well soon."
    "Now for the arm,” a masked Forcula noted, bending over the man on the stainless steel table. “Scalpel...” His nurse placed the scalpel in his gloved hand.
    "CUT?!” Piki almost shrieked, reaching for the injured sergeant. “Don't cut Bang-bang! No!"
    "Hush, Piki,” Sira whispered, grabbing her hand. An anxious Piki clutched onto Sira tightly. “They have to get the bullet out. Then you and I will fix