บท 8: Chapter 7

Carter was debating with herself on whether or not to take another dose of painkillers when she heard a knock on her open door. Her nose told her who it was. "What?" She growled. "I'm going to cut the bullshit and get right to the point." Traeger growled as she entered, closing the door behind her. Squeezing her bulk into the small enclosed berth left Carter very little room to maneuver and the submarine had to crane her head back to look at the destroyer. Carter's constant divisional ITEs ensured Traeger had a good solid layer of muscle on her frame. She'd always been lean but now she was all buffed out. "I am going to hand you this inter station pass. You are going to sign it. Then I am going to escort you down to medical." Traeger growled, holding out her RTC Training Guide. Carter stared at her, then took out a pen and signed the pass. "What's the point of all this yeoman?" She asked. "The point is to ensure you don't collapse from your own foolishness." It was then Carter realized she had underestimated Traeger. Her yeoman knew far more than what she was letting on. Still, she refused to give in without a fight. "I'm fine." "That is a bald face lie and we both know it!" The destroyer hissed. She'd seen it too many times. Ship's hiding or down playing their injuries, sometimes even outright ignoring them. The result was always the same. And frankly, Traeger was done with it. She could not allow the submarine's pride or whatever it was, put her life at risk any longer. "You have to put your pride aside senior chief. For your sake and the sake of this division which you command." "It's not pride." Carter growled. "Then what is it? Tell me!" Traeger demanded. "NO!" Carter snarled, moving to shove her back. Traeger, aware of how fragile the patch on her flank was, tried to back away and give her more room but there was only so much she could do. Carter was a chase predator and the destroyer's maneuver only further fueled her anger. She rammed her and her weakened pressure hull paid the price. She gave a soft keening cry. That was as much as she was willing to show as the shore supports gave way, collapsing on her already fragile shaft causing it to snap like a twig at one of the joints. The sound was like a twig breaking. Traeger moved into action immediately, recognizing the significance of the sound and caught Carter before she fell, laying her against the wall while she checked on the damage. "It's a good thing I've gotten used to running my diesel around here." Carter rasped. Traeger snorted. A sense of humor was a good sign. But she didn't pause in her work. Carter took notice of her focus. "You a corpsman Traeger?" She asked the question softly, all previous traces of her anger gone. "I'm a certified EMT and have the qualifications to be one due to my experiences in the Gulf." "You're a gulf child?" Carter would never have guessed. "Mmm. Born and raised. I was the only warship born to a fleet of Kuwaiti merchantmen. I caused quite the stir." Traeger chuckled. "I'm sure." Carter winced as Traeger pulled on something. "Sorry." The destroyer quipped and resumed her work. "So why come here? Why not join Kuwait?" Carter asked. "When I was born my mother almost couldn't bear it. An injury had her laid up in Dubai. A US warship helped with the delivery. I took my first breath against her hull and the first milk I tasted was American." Carter nodded. She could understand the feeling of debt Traeger must feel. The destroyer's face hardened. "Now you didn't answer my question." She said. Carter could've pulled rank here but she didn't. After all the destroyer had spilled her secrets. She sighed. "Being the youngest in a class of 30 to survive makes me a curiosity to some. And a demon to others." She said. "That section behind my sail right there," she quivered as Traeger touched it and the destroyer felt the old welds where it had been attached. "That section's not on anyone else in the class." Traeger's eyes widened as the implications hit her. "I spent more time in hospitals growing up than I did with my own mother. And not for any excess of ill health either." Carter continued forlornly. "I am so sorry." Traeger whispered, tracing the outline just behind her sail. Carter shivered under her touch. She could never demand that Carter go to medical now. Not after what she had just heard. Her fear of corpsman was at an all time high understandably and Traeger was not willing to add more stress to her right now. Which left just one thing for her to do. "I will manage this." She said and Carter looked at her in shock. She had expected Traeger to take her to medical anyways, forcibly if necessary. She was very pleased and grateful when the destroyer didn't. "The division cannot know." She said. "I know. Can I at least bring RPOC into the loop?" Traeger asked and Carter nodded. "Do you still have your medications?" Traeger asked. "Up there." Carter pointed to the bag sitting on the table. Traeger opened it and pulled out all the bottles. There was even a bag of nighttime injections in there. It took her experienced eyes only seconds to figure out which ones to give Carter and she set down two bottles in front of her. "One of each. I'm going to grab RPOC and be back in a minute. I'm serious about taking those." Traeger growled. Carter nodded, already twisting the cap off one bottle. "I know and Traeger." She called, it was the first time she'd called her yeoman by her name and the destroyer paused in the doorway. "Thank you."