The Last Spartan – Chapter Twenty-Nine

Don’t own any of it, but do so love playing with them.

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Simon worked feverishly over Inara. His tux was ruined, covered in her blood. Prim’s was worse, but neither cared for that at all. Prim hovered beside the young doctor, face intent.

“Master Tam, will she. . .?”

“I don’t know,” Simon replied brusquely, in full doctor mode. “I’m still. . .there it is,” Simon interrupted himself, having found the bullet. He reached for a retractor.

“Prim, I need you to hold the wound open for me,” Simon told him, grabbing a pair of forceps. “I need to get that bullet out, and repair the damage. I think. . .yes, see? It’s nicked an artery. We don’t have much time. Hold this,” he handed the retractor to Prim, who took it gently.

Simon worked quickly, carefully removing the bullet from Inara’s abdomen. He finally located the damaged artery, and began prepping it for repair.

“Need help, Simon?” Zoe walked asked as she walked in.

“I need an arterial needle, with internal silk,” he told her at once. “And see if. . .River,” he said as his sister walked in behind Zoe. “River, I need you to prep Inara for a transfusion, and get it going. She needs blood. And quickly.” River nodded and went to work at once. Zoe handed the readied needle to Simon, who took it wordlessly.

During all this, Prim had been quiet, looking down at the still form of Inara Serra, and cursing the duty that had taken him from her side when she needed him most. He vowed, as he watched Simon work, that someone would pay for this.

Pay very dearly indeed.

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Neera Trivett looked at the scene before her, eyes grim.

“Nam Phin,” she muttered quietly. “Who in the hell would hire Nam Phin to attack the estate?”

“Gunfire in the main house,” her radio operator informed her. “Situation under control, but Lady River was attacked. Lady Inara has been wounded.” Trivett’s growl was audible even yards away. She looked at the two survivors lying before her. Three of her own men were down