I stared at the kit longingly.I didn’t know what to do for Finn.“I’m afraid of hurting him more.”
Her hand settled on my shoulder, a warm, comforting weight.“The medic is almost here.They’ll take good care of him.”
She kept speaking, her voice a calming counterpoint to the thud of blood rushing in my ears.“Bruce has his crew clearing the stupid shooters that they managed to unload out of the area.They’ll be safely stored and that will free up the space aroundFortuna.They won’t be able to unload the others until we’ve helped Finn.”
“I want them off my ship,” I rasped.
She rubbed my shoulder.“The team will take care of them as soon as it’s safe to do so.Right now, everyone is focused on getting Finn to safety.”
“And that’s what I’m here for.”A breathless voice joined our conversation.
A figure clad in a dark jumpsuit dropped to his knees next to Burn.Despite the white armband emblazoned with a big red cross, his shock of red hair and the freckles scattered over his cheeks made him look twelve.
“I’m Jefferson,” he said in a calm, soothing voice.“Your friends call you Finn, but everyone here on the station is calling you a hero.”
“Damn...straight,” Finn wheezed from beneath the cart.
If the sound concerned the medic, he didn’t show it.The ginger medic’s calm, easy manner and steady movements eased some of my concerns.As did the gentle, almost magical way he urged Burn—and me—to move out of his way.
Lacy helped Burn to her feet and wrapped her arms around her.
I felt a rush of affection for her.Even after everything my team had said about her and done to her, she was still here, willing to step up for them.
I stood too, ready to help however I could, but Jefferson shooed me out of the way.While understandable, I hated being sidelined like this.All I could do was watch as Bruce and his team, directed by the unflappable Jefferson, slowly and carefully disassembled the cart from around Finn.
I nearly darted forward when the cart gave an ominous rattle, but Lacy grabbed my wrist.“Let them do their jobs, Dax,” she whispered.
“But I can help!”
“They’re a well-trained team.Used to working together.Let them do their jobs.”
I understood her message.I wouldn’t want someone interrupting my team.Except her.I shook my head.Not the time or the place, Dax.
Time had no meaning as we watched them work.Watched Jefferson stabilize Finn and get him loaded on a hover stretcher.
Jefferson carefully removed his gloves and disposed of them.“The medical transport is at the next dock.You can have a minute with him, but then we need to get him to the hospital immediately.”
“He’s coming with us.”Burn dashed past the medic, stopping at Finn’s side.She reached out to touch him, then pulled her hand away.
I followed more slowly and put a hand on her shoulder.“Burn, we can’t.”
“He’s one of us.He belongs with us.”Her voice was thick with unshed tears.
“I want that too.ButFortuna’smed bay is small and we don’t have the proper tools.We can’t help him the way he needs, can we?”I looked over to Jefferson.
He shook his head, regret stark on his face.“It was touch-and-go there for a minute.We’ve got state-of-the-art facilities down on the planet.”
“The planet you use those bombs on?”Burn was shaking now.Shock probably.Maybe rage.
The medic took her question in stride.“The hospital is well away from the active mining sites.We take safety very seriously in all aspects of life here.”
“What about the emergency medical pod?”Burn asked.
From her position behind Jefferson, Lacy shook her head.
“You don’t know that,” Burn said.“You’re not a doctor.”
Lacy flinched from Burn’s verbal blow, but she didn’t try to convince her.
