The temporary hospital at dock 13 was relatively well kept and mostly clean, the clear plastic tubes connecting the three poly-weave tents were almost see through and had no blood spatter on their upper two thirds at all.

Valerya was resting in a bed in tent 3, where most patients were put to heal, their respective privacy ensured by thick drapes between the various beds and 9mm guns under their pillows. They were not supposed to have them, but the Peacemaker Corps had no people to spare just to check each and every visitor for firearms. Especially when visitors usually carried several at all times.

Valerya’s privacy in particular was protected by a viral pistol, lent to her by Druze Lt. Mc. Handson-Theirskoll, a large french-caledonian with very interesting scars on his face.

“Look, if I grab it by the handle the way I’m supposed to, the whole little-finger-space is empty” she was showing the weapon off to Julie, with a bewildered smile “I gotta use two fingers to pull the trigger!”

“NotHink new tHere tHen” went an anonymous voice somewhere behind the drapes, with a Haqquislamite accent to thick you could stir it with a stick

“Shut the fuck up Mohammed, always with the same joke!”

“Well I sHut up Hif you stHop making always tHat same noise at nigHt already. Contain yourself!”

“I don’t make weird noises at night, what the hell are you saying?!”

“Kids, kids, behave” Julie interjected “you can fight plenty once you’re out of here, now you gotta rest. Both of you.”

“Yeah but JUuuulz, he’s accusing me of some sort of..” Julie shut Valerya up with a quick but very well aimed kiss “Behave, I said, or I’ll stop coming here to check up on you”

Valerya pouted for a second

“You better come check up on me after this mission. I don’t like you going without me having your back”

“Like you did last time?”

“I’d like to see YOU have a quantronic battle againist the EI, princess”

“You were so brave and strong, if only you didn’t catch that bullet for standing up out of cover”

“Ha Hamateur move”

“Shut up Mohammed”