Anita watched as Quillion continued to move. He didn't speak. She had requested it just so she would know what he was doing. If he was using magic, she didn't want to be in the way. He began to work, using a metal disc as some sort of focus which he placed above Penny's waist. Anita looked at Penny who seemed more curious than anything. Then the girl gasped.
Ivan moved as if he was going to stop it, but Anita held him back. She had seen enough of this magic stuff. She thought she understood what Quillion was after now. He wasn't going to hurt Penny. She smiled a bit as Penny shivered and then the shivering stopped. Penny complexion changed from pale to normal as her blood began circulating correctly. The air in the room had shifted, but the temperature was still the same, but Anita was willing to bet it wasn't around Penny. He had essentially made an electric blanket around her. Penny spoke her gratitude to Quillion and Anita saw her begin to shift under then blanket. Penny's hand came out and grabbed Quillion's, squeezed once and then disappeared back under the blanket.
It was like a weight had been lifted from her. "Thank you for that Quillion," she gave him a smile. "That was really amazing." she turned to Penny. "How are you feeling, Penny?"
Penny gave a smile. "Nice and toasty," she said. The medics let out a chuckle.
Anita stood then. "You should get some..." Anita's voice trailed as the exhaustion hit her like a hammer. The room spun and she found her balance by leaning on the nearby wall.
Ivan was at her side in a moment. "Which way you going, LT?"
"Down," she said, and she felt herself being lowered. Anita took a seat leaning against the wall.
[color=#51e7a]"Anita - are you okay?"[/color] Penny's voice worked its way through the mind fog.
"I'm okay, honey. Just tired," Anita said. Her body was finally telling her it had been pushed too much and needed to stop. It seemed like both her and Penny needed rest.
She turned to ask Quillion if they could rest here, but was interrupted by her radio. "Rescue 1 for MFD," Cor's voice was clear, but she knew him well enough to detect the hint of concern in his voice. They hadn't checked in in awhile.
She held up a hand and mouthed the word "sorry" to Quillion. "Go ahead, MFD."
"What's your status?"
"We're sheltering in place at the Sanctuary of the Ascendant Flame. All crew is safe and accounted for. I'm guessing by now our ambulance is buried. We have a patient - 14 year old girl - no longer hypothermic thanks to the efforts of the Brotherhood. I think," Anita's eyes met Penny's and the girl gave a nod. "I think she's alone now."
"We can deal with the details on that later. For now, she's in your care. You're instructed to shelter in place for now. There's nothing more we can do out there." She felt her chest tighten and saw the tension in her crew. People needed help and they couldn't do it. "I have some numbers for you - since yesterday, your unit has responded to over forty calls." That struck Anita. Fourteen calls was considered a busy day. She knew what he was doing - getting them to focus on the good they did. "Your unit saved a lot of people in this mess. You're bona fide heroes."
Heroes. The word caused something to snap in Anita. Her breath hitched as she felt warm tears sting her face. Her mind had told her she had reached her limits physically. Now her mind was doing the same thing emotionally. The tone of her voice shifted as she spoke through the tears. "Yeah...big damn heroes sir." She didn't feel like a hero.
"Anita - how are you?" Cor had detected the change. His question was not a simple pleasantry.
"Not so great, sir, but I'll be fine after I get some rest."
"Ivan?"
"Agreed, sir. She was fine until just a few moments ago. We were able to sneak in naps here and there, I don't think Anita has."
There was silence for a moment. "Ivan, you'll relieve Anita of command of the unit until she's rested enough to go back to work. Use your judgement on that. As for now, you all have emergency management training. You are to assist the Brotherhood in whatever way they need you to."
"Yes, sir," Ivan responded.
"Anita - you understand why I'm sure. You stay with the young lady. Both of you get some rest."
"Yes, sir," she responded quietly. She did understand.
They said their goodbyes and promised to check in later. Anita turned to Quillion. "Quillion, this is Ivan and Yuri. Good men both. We'll assist you in any way we can during this situation. Not me - I'm ordered to rest - but I'll be there when I can." He would know that. He would have heard the whole conversation. She looked at Penny and turned back to Quillion. "Could Penny and I rest here, or is there somewhere else you'd like us to go."
Ivan moved as if he was going to stop it, but Anita held him back. She had seen enough of this magic stuff. She thought she understood what Quillion was after now. He wasn't going to hurt Penny. She smiled a bit as Penny shivered and then the shivering stopped. Penny complexion changed from pale to normal as her blood began circulating correctly. The air in the room had shifted, but the temperature was still the same, but Anita was willing to bet it wasn't around Penny. He had essentially made an electric blanket around her. Penny spoke her gratitude to Quillion and Anita saw her begin to shift under then blanket. Penny's hand came out and grabbed Quillion's, squeezed once and then disappeared back under the blanket.
It was like a weight had been lifted from her. "Thank you for that Quillion," she gave him a smile. "That was really amazing." she turned to Penny. "How are you feeling, Penny?"
Penny gave a smile. "Nice and toasty," she said. The medics let out a chuckle.
Anita stood then. "You should get some..." Anita's voice trailed as the exhaustion hit her like a hammer. The room spun and she found her balance by leaning on the nearby wall.
Ivan was at her side in a moment. "Which way you going, LT?"
"Down," she said, and she felt herself being lowered. Anita took a seat leaning against the wall.
[color=#51e7a]"Anita - are you okay?"[/color] Penny's voice worked its way through the mind fog.
"I'm okay, honey. Just tired," Anita said. Her body was finally telling her it had been pushed too much and needed to stop. It seemed like both her and Penny needed rest.
She turned to ask Quillion if they could rest here, but was interrupted by her radio. "Rescue 1 for MFD," Cor's voice was clear, but she knew him well enough to detect the hint of concern in his voice. They hadn't checked in in awhile.
She held up a hand and mouthed the word "sorry" to Quillion. "Go ahead, MFD."
"What's your status?"
"We're sheltering in place at the Sanctuary of the Ascendant Flame. All crew is safe and accounted for. I'm guessing by now our ambulance is buried. We have a patient - 14 year old girl - no longer hypothermic thanks to the efforts of the Brotherhood. I think," Anita's eyes met Penny's and the girl gave a nod. "I think she's alone now."
"We can deal with the details on that later. For now, she's in your care. You're instructed to shelter in place for now. There's nothing more we can do out there." She felt her chest tighten and saw the tension in her crew. People needed help and they couldn't do it. "I have some numbers for you - since yesterday, your unit has responded to over forty calls." That struck Anita. Fourteen calls was considered a busy day. She knew what he was doing - getting them to focus on the good they did. "Your unit saved a lot of people in this mess. You're bona fide heroes."
Heroes. The word caused something to snap in Anita. Her breath hitched as she felt warm tears sting her face. Her mind had told her she had reached her limits physically. Now her mind was doing the same thing emotionally. The tone of her voice shifted as she spoke through the tears. "Yeah...big damn heroes sir." She didn't feel like a hero.
"Anita - how are you?" Cor had detected the change. His question was not a simple pleasantry.
"Not so great, sir, but I'll be fine after I get some rest."
"Ivan?"
"Agreed, sir. She was fine until just a few moments ago. We were able to sneak in naps here and there, I don't think Anita has."
There was silence for a moment. "Ivan, you'll relieve Anita of command of the unit until she's rested enough to go back to work. Use your judgement on that. As for now, you all have emergency management training. You are to assist the Brotherhood in whatever way they need you to."
"Yes, sir," Ivan responded.
"Anita - you understand why I'm sure. You stay with the young lady. Both of you get some rest."
"Yes, sir," she responded quietly. She did understand.
They said their goodbyes and promised to check in later. Anita turned to Quillion. "Quillion, this is Ivan and Yuri. Good men both. We'll assist you in any way we can during this situation. Not me - I'm ordered to rest - but I'll be there when I can." He would know that. He would have heard the whole conversation. She looked at Penny and turned back to Quillion. "Could Penny and I rest here, or is there somewhere else you'd like us to go."