Contort me against your body and mind - Chapter 17 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Slate

Bonnie’s touch clung to Slate’s body for the rest of the day. She had a strong presence, a resilience that shone from her, but physically she was soft. Soft and delicate. Pressing her against the window, feeling her hands pulling him closer, the memory had him almost delirious. He would see a doctor if he didn’t know he would get referred straight to the object of his desires.

He listened to the recording three more times, the young man calling for help cleared his head. Set him back to the task at hand. He had an awful, gut twisting feeling about this retrieval mission. Although his second-in-command was ordered to bed rest, he couldn’t wait to inform her. It would help no one to leave her in the dark.

He sent a message to the ward to inform Major Ellie he would be visiting her shortly.

Before he had finished collating and sending all of his Alliance-mandated reports for the day, the unique ring of Major Ellie’s entrance request ran through his office. He granted access immediately.

“This is a surprise, Major,” he said as the door opened. Major Ellie entered stiffly and slowly. Slate stood from his desk and gestured to the seat on the other side. “A pleasant one, I mean. I was told you were not to leave the ward, yet.”

“I’m not, sir,” Major Ellie replied. She did not look well; it saddened Slate to notice. Out of uniform, but with her hair brushed back into a knot at the base of her skull. Barely reminiscent of her usual sleek bun and crisp shirt and trousers. She began to lower herself into the chair but lost her strength halfway down and slumped into it. A wince crinkled her face. “But I needed to speak to you in a place that offers more privacy than those blue curtains do.”

“Yes, my topic also requires absolute privacy. I was wondering how we would discuss such a thing there.”

Major Ellie smiled wearily. “Your calling down that you would be visiting gave me the credibility that I would stay in my bed - they knew I wouldn’t want to miss your news,” she said.

“And you used the drop in their watch to sneak out,” Slate guessed. “How rebellious.”

“Rebellious only for the means of order, sir.”

Slate chuckled. “I like that.”

“The nurses don’t,” Ellie said with an awkward grin. “I’m already in the doghouse today, though, so I figured a bit more bad behaviour couldn’t hurt.”

He was momentarily distracted by her choice of words. “What is a doghouse?”

“Well, it’s a house for dogs.”

“Yes,” he said slowly. “I could have guessed that part.”

“And if you’re in it, it means you’re in trouble with someone.”

“I have more trouble for you, unfortunately,” he said with a short sigh, bringing them back to the serious topic at hand. “There is an update in the case of the officer who took his own life: Legacy.”

“Actually, Commander, I already heard about the autopsy.”

He asked bluntly, “Effervescence?” The medical assistant under Bonnie’s mentorship. Young and naive in appearance, from the little Slate remembered of her. Apparently, also loose-lipped.

Ellie nodded. Slate caught the slightest of pink tingeing Ellie’s cheekbones. It brought some much-needed colour to her skin. The flush lasted only a few seconds before she gathered herself, but his suspicions had been stoked. Bonnie had hinted at some affection on Effervescence’s part, but it seemed Ellie reciprocated. Slate supposed it was fine, and none of his business, as long as the feelings were shared on both sides.

“I had been warned there was a connection between the two of you,” he advised her with his most neutral expression. “Therefore, I am relying on you to keep her from spreading this information any further.”

“Understood, Commander.”

Slate tucked his seat closer under his desk and laid his hands across the top deliberately. “Is there… anything you have told her that you want to share with me also?” he asked.

“No, sir.” Ellie shuffled her own seat closer. Every inch it scraped across the hard floor seemed to pain her more. “But I did want to speak to you about something I haven’t brought up with anyone else.”

Slate pressed the lock button on his console. The door, which had already been locked, beeped in confirmation. “Go ahead.”

“I have no evidence-

“This is not starting off very promising, Major.”

She continued, “And until hearing about Legacy’s autopsy, I didn’t even trust my own memory of the ambush.” Slate sat up straighter in his chair. He had been informed that outside of her recount to him, Major Ellie had refused to discuss the incident with anyone. “But now, I’m pretty sure Forest tried to kill me. And I’d bet a lot of money that he succeeded with Legacy.” Slate’s insides plummeted. The air around him seemed to dry so suddenly he could only blink, and swallow, and listen to his second-in-command’s words. “I’m sorry I waited this long to say something, sir. When I felt the ship move, I knew I couldn’t mull it over any longer.” She clasped her hands together tightly. “We need to turn back, Commander, he’s probably still hiding out on that planet-

“We can’t,” Slate answered quietly. Major Ellie stared at him as though he had gone mad. “I would take us to the surface without hesitation if we hadn’t already received another mission.” He pulled the briefing from the top drawer of his desk and slid it across to her. “It’s important, our sister ship has been grounded.”

“Grounded?” She took the papers and began sifting through them immediately. Her eyes, though weary in appearance, darted across the information on each page.

“I have no real evidence either, but I believe there to be foul play.”

Ellie brought her fist to her mouth and sighed. She let her grip loosen and the briefing wilted into her lap. “But Forest-”

“I have requested for a team of my best officers to pull that dusty rock apart until they have every last squatter captive. Unfortunately, that is the best I can do at this time.” He did not have the time, nor would it be appropriate, for him to explain to her just how badly he wished he could tear the planet apart with his bare hands. But orders were orders. “We have a duty to our sister ship.”

Ellie nodded solemnly. “I understand, sir.” She raised the papers again and scanned them thoroughly.

“I had one more thing I have been instructed to raise with you, although I hope you know by now that this is not the type of thing I like to meddle in.” She glanced at him briefly, green-brown eyes curious. Already, Slate wished he had not begun speaking on the topic. “Dr Nathaniel came to me, asking that I attempt to encourage you to take up your psychiatry referral. He believes it will help greatly in your recovery.”

“I appreciate his concern. But I don’t have any interest in discussing the attack.”

“He said you could talk about anything. I think you can choose not to… repeat the pasts you would rather not.”

“Well, I don’t have time for chatting.”

Normally, he would absolutely agree. Far too much time was wasted by officers looking for someone to listen to their gripes. “You are not permitted to return to work until you are fit and well,” he reminded her. “Maybe this is the only time you have to use for chatting.”

She finally dropped the Cornucopia briefing back onto his desk with a weary exhale. “I don’t mean to speak out of turn, sir, but this seems very unlike you.” She was completely correct.

Slate leaned back in his chair. “My priority is to maintain an immaculate crew. All working to their full capacity to fulfil their duties. If Dr Nathaniel believes the therapy will cause faster healing, I don’t see a reason to avoid it.” Major Ellie was watching him with eyes filled to the brim with scepticism. Slate didn’t blame her for feeling as she did. “Either way, I am bound by the doctors’ decisions when it comes to ability to work,” he hinted with an eyebrow raise. He added, “As are you.” If obedience to doctors’ orders was the key to his Marine major’s swift return, he could only hope she would play their game well. “Until they approve your return, you are not permitted to work. And I need you at my side now more than ever. It is, of course, your choice. I simply don’t see a reason to avoid it when you are confined to that ward anyway.”

Major Ellie nodded slowly. “Understood, sir. I guess I can find something to talk about if it means I might get back to duty sooner.”

“I am grateful for your co-operation. The sooner you return, the better a position we will be in to tackle whatever awaits us at the Cornucopia’s crash site.”

“Thank you, Commander.” Slate looked to her in question, but Major Ellie was busy pulling herself out of her seat. “I should get back before I get into too much trouble with the nurses,” she said with a strain to her voice.

Slate unlocked the door and bid her farewell. Watching her limp away only watered the hard seed in his stomach.