susuro

When I came yesterday, the courtyard over there was still a cargo station from the local council. Now it's been appropriated as a normal patient treatment area.

They don't have enough doctors. Only the most seriously injured get prioritized for the treatment rooms.

What's the situation... with those lying on the ground?

These are all Infected by my reckoning. This town's pretty small, and has no Infected quarter, and they can't keep them in the same place as the regular people...

But they can't just be strewn across the plaza. Operator Ferl, how much space can you make in the office warehouse?

I'm arranging to get everything moved out. Shouldn't be much of a problem.

We still need a space to hold the injured Infected. Ideally, somewhere that can be isolated...

Then we can empty out the operator dorms. That'll need a bit of time.

I'll leave it to you.

Team one to the warehouse, and inspect the condition of Infected.

Teams two and three with me, and move all equipment into the operating room!

I'll have to leave classifying the injured to you, along with the corresponding zones they go to.

Al—Alright.

I—I'll pitch in too.

Good. You come help me out. Carry these few indoors with me.

Before we use Originium Arts to expedite wound healing, we must confirm they're all cleared and cleaned.

If the wounds aren't severe, then hold off using Arts as much as possible. A doctor's strength is our most precious resource right now; only reasonable allocation can allow us to save even more lives.

Understood.

Deal with this bed first! This patient is critical!

What's the situation?

(Gasps)

Needleflies bit his arm off as he was protecting his family. He was unconscious by the time he got to us.

He's Infected, but his illness is stable.

And his arm...? Do we still have his shorn limb?

(Shakes head)

Wound is already bacterially infected. Left hand also has visible broad lesions. It will likely still require partial amputation.

At this rate... both his arms are going to be...

Go and assist team two. Leave this end to me.

Bless you!

Don't lose focus. Prepare for Infected emergency treatment.

Patient's surface crystallization is located in the throat. Inspecting blood.

Watch his wrist scales, and ready Savra-specialized scalpels.

This room's still too dark. Piston, sir, check the condition of the generator.

On it!

Three hours later

Within the office infirmary, operation on the acutely injured still hasn't stopped.

Doctor... am I hopeless... Doctor, you have to tell me...

Internal bleeding relatively severe. Change the bottle on the blood suction machine.

I'm begging you... I'm begging you, Doctor, take this ring... take it to my wife, I'm begging you...

You're going to live. Stay with me.

Gauze out! Need more!

Don't... Don't lie to me, I know...

Don't speak! You're going to live, I guarantee it!

Hold down here for me, and I'll suture.

Hydrogen peroxide's out! Someone go to the warehouse and bring a box!

Piston, sir!

On it! I-I'll go right away.

Bleeding stopped. The rest is yours. I'm checking on the other beds.

Roger.

Over here! Doctor! One just came in, they're on the brink!

I'm coming.

The man laid on the stretcher gasps a mottled breath, his state almost too miserable to look at.

A giant gash is torn across his abdomen, the cavity's contents exposed until now to Leithanien's frigid winds.

Parts of his organs have already been contaminated by needlefly toxin, the scent of it nauseating.

Yet his consciousness is still fully with him—it may be the poison is stimulating his nerves, strangely colored bodily fluids dripping incessantly from his mouth and nostrils.

*cough*... ngh...

Thoracoabdominal injury. Open wound to abdomen.

Push him in, prioritize him for treatment, and incise his esophagus and windpipe!

...oh, god... oh, god...

...this...

Don't stop! There are still other patients!

Look for any internal organ damage! Find any points of bleeding in his peritoneum! Quickly!

...I... I'm a little—

Sorry... I... I.

That's alright, you did well. Head outside and rest for now.

Thank you... thank you...

...this is too much...

Ulghh...

The young Leithanian's strained nerves are finally relaxed for a moment.

After profusely vomiting in an alley behind the infirmary, he feels both a weight off his back, and an immense regret of the extra bun he ate this morning.

...Do the landship guys... see this stuff all the time?

...urgh... not again... urlgh...

You okay?

I'm alright... I'm alright, I'm just not that used to all this...

Here, a towel. Wipe your face.

Ah...

...urghh... kinda embarrassing. Didn't think I'd be the first on the scene who couldn't keep going.

It's alright. You haven't been doing bad.

You're telling me that didn't suck?

You went and volunteered to help, held out for half the day, and you're no Medic Operator. I figured you'd give in after half an hour.

That girl... no, that Medic Operator. She's something major alright.

Hah. What did I tell you before, huh? They're from the landship, from HQ. They're the best.

That Medic Op, Sussurro, was there for the Palermo incident a few years back. Don't underestimate her.

The Palermo incident? Oh... that big one that stirred up Siracusa?

It was an Originium mine explosion, right? I remember a whole lot of civs got infected bad. Couldn't prepare enough treatment. Led to a huge number of acute Infected dead... I think half the city was on the edge of collapsing.

That's what hell on earth truly is. Imagine it, a huge breakout of acute Infected, people's remains everywhere, already starting to disintegrate, whole air full of active dust. It's a terrifying scene.

Almost everyone who went through Palermo got left with heavy psychological trauma.

And to our Medic Op here, the scene today is barely anything.

The young Leithanian falls silent, crouched on the ground, window of the Rhodes Island branch office above his head.

He looks out towards the plaza.

Not far away, the people in the zone for minorly injured throng about.

And on the other side of the rigged-up divider wall, the infirmary is still a battlefield.

Forget it. I'll go back in to help.

Calm down first.

You don't want to throw up in there, that'll just give them all trouble.

Fair.

If you want to help out so bad, go to the reception area and see if there's any communication work. Check to see if any other supply cars arrived while you're there.

Okay... I'm going now!

...Hah, brat.

Phew... Heavens...