Hi Guys! Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Life still goes on and mine has been very chaotic lately. I've also been focusing on editing, since it's my weakest link. I tried to keep the personalities of Dex and Mitch intact and as realistic as possible. This chapter involves the National Federation and the men who work for them. And word to the wise, Sten's involvement in this story is not quite done yet ;) As always comments, feedback and suggestions are welcomed. Enjoy!
xxxYaoiLover21
Three Years Ago, St.Agnes Hospital
"Sir. Sir?"
Captain Dex Ordenal looked up from his seated position in the surgical waiting room. His eyes were red rimmed, dried tears leaving pale streaks on his face. His strong hands clenched together, half in prayer half in anger.
"Y-yes." Dex's throat was dry and his body ached as he stood up to face the middle aged surgeon who addressed him.
The Surgeon was a tall, handsome black man with short hair and a long face. His dark eyes were sunken in like he hadn't slept for awhile . His body was slouched, deflated; a sad expression on his face.
"Your wife came into the Emergency room today just after 2pm. She was in a lot of pain and had heavy uteral bleeding. She exhibited the signs of Environmental Degenerative Tissue Syndrome so we put her into surgery right away. We did the best we could to stop the bleeding, but sir I'm sorry... she died." The Surgeon looked away like he was ashamed, like it was his fault.
The cases of EDTS were streaming in by the dozens an hour and 80% were fatal within the first 24 hours. So far the skilled surgeon had operated on 15 women, all died within a day. He didn't think he could take telling another family member that their loved one bled to death and no one in the world knew how to stop it.
Captain Dex's hands were shaking and the tears started to flow freely again. Kay couldn't be dead. It wasn't possible. Dex collapsed into the chair and laid his head in his hands and cried silently for a few minutes before speaking to The Surgeon again.
"Can I see her?" Dex could barely get the words out.
"It's against NF protocol but I don't see the harm in it. EDTS doesn't seem to be contagious in males so....this way." The nameless surgeon lead Dex down a series of hallways and corridors until they came to a room with a hospital curtain pulled across it. The Surgeon turned to the Captain.
"Take all the time you need." He said then was gone.
Dex took a deep breath before he moved the curtain and stepped into the room. It was an operating room, walls were lined with surgical kits and necessities. A large overhead light hung above a polymer operating table. And on the table was the outline of a body covered by a sheet.
Dex slowly walked up to the table and moved the light away so it didn't shine directly down on the figure below. He removed the sheet and let out a low, whining moan as the face of his young wife was revealed.
Her face was paler than usual, her lips blue. Her hair was stringy and wet. They had shut her eyes but Dex opened them, their once vibrant color forever dulled. His whole body shook as he pulled Kay into his arms and cried. He mumbled and apologized for what she had walked in on earlier, his words so soft and pleading. Dex repeated her name over and over again as he rocked her body in his arms, almost chanting.
Blood started to seep threw the thin material of the sheet from the swaying motion and Dex only cried harder as the stain grew.
It was 4 hours later when he final left that room and went to the front desk to make arrangements for transportation of the body.
"Ahhhh!!!! Dex!!!!!!" Mitch was on the floor of the bathroom, naked, clutching at his sides. He had just gotten out of the shower when another flare of pain hit him. Ever since the modification surgery he'd been plagued by these debilitating bouts of intense pain. His doctor said since the surgery was experimental nothing was really expected. He just prescribed Mitch doses of an intense pain killer called Nuroxitin.
Captain Dex ran into the bathroom to see his companion hunched on the floor, gripping at the tiles and gritting his teeth. Dex had took a leave from the Helm to help Mitch recover from his surgery and tried to help Mitch as best as he could, but Mitch always seemed to be pushing him away.
A horrible scream snapped Dex back to the present and he rushed over to Mitch, the Nuroxitin shot in his hand. He crouched down next to his screaming companion and pressed the purple circular tube against the flesh of Mitch's thigh and pressed the white button on top. Six needles filled with the drug dug into Mitch's skin providing instance relief. Mitch sighed and his hands unclenched. His eyes glazed over and his breathing slowed.
Dex was concerned about this new pain killer. It was introduced recently and though it worked miracles it was rumored to be highly addictive. Mitch had only needed the shots maybe once or twice a day but now it was up to almost triple that. The Captain didn't like it but he couldn't deny Mitch.
Mitch's face still haunted him from the day of his surgery. The look of betrayal and fear on his face had reminded Dex so much of his wife Kay's final hours that he'd been almost in a constant state of emotional shock since then. He'd left most of the flight duties to Nate and the navigating computer INES. He wanted to talk to Mitch, explain to him what had happened but Mitch just always gave him a deadly stare and that stopped Dex from saying a word.
"Ahh, much better." Mitch said as he sat up against the shower door and pulled a towel over himself. His face was sweating but he was calmer.
"Do you need me to call Dr.Welsh?" Dex wanted to see if maybe there was something else he could give Mitch for the pain.
Mitch shuddered at the thought of seeing his creepy primary physician and facing that blinding white hospital room. He'd woken up with nightmares ever since the surgery.
"No, no. I'm good now thanks. Plus, I see him tomorrow for post anyways." Mitch stood up. Dex tried to help but Mitch shrugged him off, he's hadn't let Dex touch him.
"I've got to go to the Control Room and make sure we're still on course and everything's fine." Dex hadn't been to the Helm in a week.
"Sure, whatever." Mitch just turned and limped out of the bathroom, clutching his side.
Dex dropped his head in frustration and just walked out of the suite. Mitch couldn't have cared less.
Mitch went to stand in front of the wardrobe mirror and look at himself. He didn't feel sexy anymore. The scar was a symbol to everybody that he was no longer a man. He felt like everyone who saw him could tell what had been done to him and what he was. He was no longer hot, no longer desirable, just some freak designed for breeding. Mitch sat down on edge of the bed.
The only thing that stopped those thoughts was the Nuroxitin. At first Mitch had used it as prescribed for the pain, but eventually he started using it whenever the walls closed in on him. He could tell Dex was becoming suspicious, but fuck him. He'd let them do this to him.
Mitch thought about how at first he wasn't afraid of having the modification surgery. But his feeling changed when he walked into that lobby. All those terrified faces. What had really scared Mitch was seeing companions together and realizing that Dex wasn't there. Dex was never going to be able to handle any of this. The reality that Mitch was facing this alone broke him and all he wanted to do was run...and the one thing Dex should at least have been able to do was let him.
Mitch was tired of feeling like some freak medical experiment and decided he wasn't going to wait around for another awkward dinner with the captain. Mitch went into the wardrobe and pulled on the tightest pair of dark jeans he owned and a black, long sleeve, sheer shirt. He left a note for Dex saying he had went out and would be back later. Mitch was determined to get his old self back.
Captain Dex spent a couple hours in the Helm checking over flight plans and navigational boards. His crew were highly skilled and had handled things well while he had been caring for Mitch. Dex got back to the suite later that night and found the note on the bed that Mitch had left.
"God damn it." Dex growled. Mitch shouldn't be out in his condition. He'd just been through an experimental procedure and anything could happen. He should be in bed.
