The Taste of Battle (Squad 5 Assignment)

[Rozalin Kendal]

The things Rozalin had been hearing were...not ideal. She had been in the infirmary at the time of the explosion, stuck with a busted up body that would have done little good in battle. Instead, she felt the explosion, heard the screams and shouts from those fighting outside and the whir of machines. In the end, many were injured, and who knew how many were dead. The enemy had retreated, but the loss was great.

Despite the pain, she sat up at the edge of the bed, pushing herself off with one hand to get a better look at who passed by. Thankfully, none of those brought in for triage were Preston. Time passed, and more were brought in. Some were struggling for life, others amputees. The wait seemed like forever, and still nothing. Her mind wandered at the possibilities. Grabbing her crutches, she went to take a look at those still waiting with less severe injuries. Nothing. No dark hair with a glint of the light on their glasses. No cloak, no familiar voice.

Was he merely in the back, or was he not there?

Frowning, Rozalin would push herself forward, trying to stay out of people's way until she was eventually shooed back into her room by a nurse. She couldn't be blocking the path.

After several of hours, the worry increased. If he wasn't, then did that mean....?

Her lips pressed into a tight line. She'd rather not think about that.  Competent men were hard to come by.

________________

Name: Squad Training
Requirements: Assigned a Squad
Job: It's time to get the squad together and hash out our problems. Be they in the field or with each other personally.
Bonus: Fight each other, discuss problems, and grow together or apart.
Payout: +5 exp, +$250

[Preston Salabim]

Preston had never been so injured in his life. But compared to most of the fighters he was unscathed. A few slashes from the blades of the attackers. But he had been kept safe thanks to the bravery and sacrifice of some of Cabal's soldiers. One in particular who had shielded him from an explosion with his body. Preston had spent some time in the showers, scrubbing himself clean of the bits of person that were clinging to him after that last explosion.

He had a lot to think about. What he could have done better, if he could have changed things, or avoided that death entirely. He wasn't a fool, he knew people would die in battle, and if he was to lead his choices would determine who lived and died. And yet, it was different to know that then it was to have someone explode on you.

He didn't even know the man's name. He needed to find out, preferably before the funeral. But cleaned up as he was, and some bandages wrapped around his cut he thought he should go and visit Roz in the infirmary and make sure she was alright. He didn't think that any of the attackers had made it that far, but with the rush of injured, he imagined she would be worried.

Dressed in clean, undamaged clothing with his book under his arm he would poke his head in.

"Is this a bad time?"

[Rozalin Kendal]

The movement from the doorway caught her attention, and thankfully it was a familiar face than that of another nurse. They were doing their job, but now she was trapped in four walls with no way out until she was deemed okay to do so. Apparently, they thought she still needed time before going back out in the world, which meant that single window on one wall was a small source of sanity.

"Not at all." Seated back in her bed, she set the book she'd been thumbing through aside on the table nearby. Treasure Island, for the tongue and cheek of a pirate reading about pirates. She looked him over, frowning a little. He was cleaned up, but there was a haggard look to his eyes that was new.

"Were you hurt?"

[Preston Salabim]

"Yes. But nothing serious."

He decided to not lie to her or hide the fact that he was injured. And while he was in pain, it wasn't anything close to what others were going through. He could tough it out, the doctors had other people to focus on.

"How are you recovering?"

[Rozalin Kendal]

"Glad it wasn't serious." She gave a light nod. Again, competent men were hard to come by, but Preston had presence of mind to know his own strengths and weaknesses. That didn't always mean much in a battle, but it helped. As for her recover, Rozalin grimaced.

"It's progressing. They seem to think I need to stay bed-bound until I'm climbing the walls to get out of here." Every word dripped distaste at being stuck as she was. That last attack had been brutal. Broken bones, including her ribs, and her body was a patchwork of bruising from that coffin and the projectiles.


"How are you holding up?" She didn't know if he had battle experience or not, or if he knew anyoen out on the field.

[Preston Salabim]

"I was afraid that I wouldn't get you to the infirmary in time after that last attack. I had never seen something so brutal. It wasn't just you either. Most of the fighters on the field were entombed at once. It was... terrifying. We are fortunate that the Commander stepped in when he did".

Who knows what would have happened otherwise. It had escalated quite quickly. But then she turned it back to how he was doing. The answer was... complicated... He just gave a light one-shoulder shrug.

"I'll make it."

[Rozalin Kendal]

"True. I've not seen anything like it." She shuddered at the memory, the rocks being hurled at her, then the ground rising up with a roar and crashing down around her in a solid tomb. Landlocked was bad enough, but being pressed in like that on all sides was maddening. She wasn't even sure when exactly she lost consciousness.

"Thankfully, I also had a partner to get me out of there in time." Her lips quirked in a hint of a smile, slightly teasing to ease the tension. As it was, Preston went back to being distant, as if he were not bothered. She raised a brow at him.

"There's future tense in those words, partner."

[Preston Salabim]

He shifted under her gaze, pushing his glasses up again. The light reflecting off the lens.

"I admit, I was unprepared to have someone explode on me."

To put it mildly. He wasn't expecting anything that had happened, it was brutal. And he still couldn't get past the fact that not only did that man die in such a brutal way. But he died to save Preston. He felt like he had failed him somehow.

[Rozalin Kendal]

That made Roz pause, looking at him more carefully despite the blinding glint of his lenses. Surprise lit her features, then a frown as she waved to a nearby chair reserved for visitors.

"That's new." She'd fought, she'd bled, and she'd lost men. Thankfully, they didn't have access to things that allowed them to use cannon fire anymore, so she had been spared something like that. But death and battle were gruesome, regardless, and despite the calm demeanor, it clearly bothered him.

"It would surprise many, I think. What happened?"

[Preston Salabim]

"Do you want the long or the short version?"

[Rozalin Kendal]

"Whatever one you are most comfortable telling."

[Preston Salabim]

He frowned. He didn't want to talk about it too much. Maybe later, when it was less fresh. He would go for the short version if it was all the same to her.

"We were attacked, don't know who. There at least a hundred of them though. I was cornered and some men came to my rescue. The leader was able to create explosions and one was heading for me and one of the soldiers jumped in front of me and saved my life..."

He trailed off as his frown deepened. He just couldn't wrap his head around it.

[Rozalin Kendal]

"Ah." Her expression softened a bit at the end of the explanation. Death and killing were one thing, but it was different when someone took the hit for you. She nodded and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry, Preston. That's rough. But it also means he saw you as someone worth protecting." Welcome to being part of a crew.

[Preston Salabim]

"I'll need to get used to it."

He straightened up, trying to be tougher than he felt.

"I'm going to lead my people someday. I need to get used to it."

[Rozalin Kendal]

She made a sound of agreement and a nod.

"True enough. It is a part of war, and of life. But now you have an understanding what some will do, too. They knew you were important to the team." Then, after a second, "But that doesn't mean that means losses will happen, and a learning curve with it. The first time I lost a member of the crew, it was...difficult. I was younger, and had what we came for on hand." No, she was not going to indulge what it was.

"I was shielded by one of the older members. We were fond enough of each other, but I had what we needed, so he made sure we succeeded." She shook her head, remembering the strength of the tremor as his body hit the deck behind her.