The First Age

Full Version: The Long Road Forward
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Jacques nodded quietly, accepting Natalie's decision not to return. Indeed, he could not, and would not, force her to. Her decision to stay was hers, although likely it would lead to further complications for the Legion in the long run; her mother could easily level a breach-of-contract charge against Jacques, although technically speaking they were no longer a corporation, and whether there really was a contract or not was legally ambiguous enough to raise the question of whether she would even try it or not.

Messages chimed for his attention, and a quick glance indicated a sudden spark of hostilities on the front line between Legion-led Sierra Leonean forces and Liberian military elements in the south-east of the country. No requests for fire missions from the Legion-held M777 artillery was a quick indicator that the Legion's four Chinese-built tanks were proving effective at keeping the Liberians at bay.

"Two weeks. The doctors say I am not yet fit for travel, and I am due for fitting of a prosthetic soon."
His gaze shifted to Lt Carpenter, and he frowned in concern, the man looked rough around the edges to say the least. Which was odd, as the past week or so had been far quieter then any of them could reasonably have hoped for.


"Lieutenant. Make sure to stop by the clinic. Have the medics check you over, then get some rest."
The initial shock-induced peace that had come with the collapse of both Wallace-Johnson and Katlego's commands, and the end of the civil war they had sparked, had faded to a level of peace that Jacques hoped would last.

"As for you, Lieutenant Vanders. We need to start developing our own program for people of your abilities. Most importantly, for civilians. As effective as your skills prove in combat, I have no intentions of conscripting. But training is required, and there is too much work to be done, too many needing help, to simply let these abilities be used for selfish reasons. It is short notice, but do what you can. There are obviously more like yourself out there, and surely some can be entrusted to this task here in Sierra Leone while we are in the CCD."


Unless there were further questions, the three were free to go.
One hour later:


Jay frowned. Shirtless, sitting on the world's most uncomfortable plastic chair, he was about ready to swat the medic's hand away. He definitely wasn't going to let him take his temperature any other way except in the old fashioned way: the armpit. "I told you I'm fine. I'm only here cause Danjou ordered it."


The doc, as Jay automatically thought of him, wasn't convinced. "There's a bunch of infectious diseases popping up in the region. Even old ones once thought eradicated have come through. I have to be thorough. Sometimes these things start with small signs and explode over night."

Jay ground his teeth. He'd had every vaccine known to man. The marines didn't mess with that shit. "But I'm not sick. I just got overheated. A good drink of water. Maybe a whiskey if you got it and I'll be right as rain."
He smirked. The medic wasn't amused.

He watched as the man wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his arm. "Come on man. Whiskey. Cards. Maybe a slice of pie? Can't get any better than that."
His stomach rumbled thinking about it.

The medic sushed him while listening to the cuff. Jay ignored him. "Yep. Last time I had good pie was last summer. Right before joining up LP. I was going stir-shit crazy in Iowa, but fuck it if they don't have good pie. At least at my mom's house. And don't tell her but Aunt Sara does a better apple..."


The medic glared. The ripping of Velcro signaled he was done. Jay's arm was free. "Alright I'm satisfied you're clear. But if you show the slightest rash, chills, bump or dizziness come back immediately. Measles and Yellow Fever is going around. Not to mention Ebola."

Jay pulled his shirt around his shoulders.
"I'm up with all my shots."



The medic nodded. "I know. Vaccines are like body armor. They protect you but they don't make you immortal."

Jay laughed. "Right. Guess I should mention it burns when I pee."


The medic looked up, then shook his head and laughed. "Go on Hollywood. I don't want to see you back again."

Jay grabbed his stuff to go. "Roger that, doc."

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