The high pitched noise from places unknown wasn’t exactly a whistle or a whine but somewhere in between. It was reminiscent of the sort of ringing that followed an explosion or a burst eardrum. Accompanying it was the eye wateringly bright light overhead, bathing everything in white and creating an assault on the senses.

Ryley could hear his heart beat thundering in his chest. Felt every breath as though he was gasping for air. Perhaps he was. His eyes were open but what he could see made little sense and confusion battled understanding while he tried to sit upright only to find himself restrained.

“MOTHERFU…” he heard his own voice, hoarse with disuse, yell out load as his hearing began to clear and something cracked his shoulder realigning the joint. The flood of pain ebbed immediately.

Someone was speaking to him, he strained to focus and a dark haired woman in teal came into focus above him. “Can you hear me sir?” She asked.

He groaned. “Ribs…” he muttered.

“Sorry?”

“Ribs.” He said again. “Fix my damn ribs…before one of them punctures a lung.” He gripped at the material under his right hand feeling foam. Biobed his brain supplied. Slowly his vision cleared. The pain in his ribs, the strain on breathing lessened. He relaxed. The dark haired woman peered back over him.

“I’m going to give you something for the pain.”

“No!” He said slightly alarmed it seemed when the hypo came into view. He struggled. “I don’t want it.” He became slightly more agitated. “Release me!” The monitor above him blared an alarm. He had the presence of mind to realise what it meant.

Conversation above him and a different hypo pressed into his neck.

“No. Don’t sedate me.” He muttered but it was too late. He could feel himself being pulled back into the dark void of unconsciousness. His eyes rolled.

Hours later, with most of his injuries healed or healing Ryley lay staring at the ceiling on the sickbay he now knew he was in. while he had been released from the restraints he had been categorically told he wasn’t allowed to leave his bed never mind the sickbay in general. And so he lay on his back pondering if he was happy at having been discovered and rescued from what he heard was now a derelict or if he had been better off as a popsicle.

Ryley
MD