#Hospital – December 13, 2016

Halisi is standing next Steve's hospital bed, datapad in hand as she waits for him to wake up. It's been a few days since their return to Freedom Falls. The mercenary has been kept sedated until now, necessitated by the fragile nature of the large omni-blade gash in Steve's side. The injury has required extended surgery to deal with. It is now stiched and coated in post-surgical medigel as well as a cloth-like protective covering

Steve starts with a dry, throaty groan. Soon after, his eyes blink open a few times as he tries to lift his head up. The confusion on his face is clear as he finally spots Halisi, though he doesn't say anything. Another low groan escapes him as his hand moves to his side, brushing over the cloth covering.

Halisi looks Steve over, maintaining a comforting expression. She makes a quick entry on the datapad as he starts to come to. "Hello, Steven." she says in a gentle tone. "Please, be careful with your movement. You're badly injured. You're safe. We're back in Freedom Falls."

Steve glances down at the cast on his hand, rotating his arm slightly as he studies it before returning his attention to Halisi. "The hell is goin' on, doc...?" he asks, his voice hoarse and gravely. He blinks a few times as his mind tries to fill in the gaps and push back at the blackness brought on by the days of sedation. He begins scooting in place in an attempt at sitting up, but quickly gives up on that as another pained groan

Halisi nods, glancing at the datapad briefly before looking back to him. "You were on the verge of death when you were brought on the ship. I've had to keep you sedated for the last five days, primarily due to the gash in your side. I've included a custom cocktail with the rehydration formula and the regeneration boosters to substitute your... usual medication."

Steve lays back against his pillow, deciding to simply stare up at the ceiling as Halisi talks. As she finishes, he casts a glare in her direction as he catches the change in tone regarding his medication. "On the verge?" he asks through a scratchy throat, giving a quick snort. "Ain't no in-between, doc. You're either dead or ya ain't. So what's the damage and how long is it gonna take for me to get out of here?"

Halisi offers the faintest of smirks. "Matters of medicine are rarely quite that simple." she says in response to his first comment, before letting out a faint sigh as her gaze goes back to his injuries, and she double-checks the datapad. "Multiple lacerations and puncture wounds. The smaller ones have been stiched, and the major injuries - back and side - have been surgically mended. They will heal with time, but there will be

Steve listens in silence as Halisi speaks. Once she mentions the possibility of permanent damage, he sighs and lifts his left hand, looking it over before settling his gaze squarely on Halisi. "I ain't too concerned about a bit of scarring, but permanent damage to my hand ain't an option, doc." he says, lowering his hand and setting it across his chest. "Do whatever you gotta do, but I need my hand. The sooner the better." he adds,

Halisi nods, doing her best to maintain her reassuring expression. "Of course. I understand how important full mobility is for your line of work. By far the most important thing you can do to ensure it heals properly is to avoid using it until the cast is removed. I will be providing you with rehabilitation exercises at that point. I'm afraid you will be unable to work for some time. You are not yet ready to be released, but when you

Steve seems to relax somewhat at the doctor's assurance. He gives a nod when she finishes speaking. "That ain't gonna be a problem. After this shit-show, I ain't plannin' on doin' a whole lot of anything anytime soon..." he says, giving a quick glance around. He quickly pantomimes taking a drink of something with his right hand as he looks back to Halisi, "You mind gettin' me somethin' to drink? Feel like I just swallowed a glass of

Halisi smiles slightly. "It's good to know not all you mercenary types are chronically opposed to allowing injuries time to heal..." she says, sounding both a little amused and frustrated as she walks over to the sink, grabbing a plastic cup from the dispenser and filling it up with water. "Here." she says upon returning to the bed, holding the cup out for him to grab. "Take it slow."

Steve leans forward and reaches out to take the cup with his right hand, wincing slightly as a pain shoots down his back. "Appreciate it." he says before sitting back and taking a large drink from the glass. He rests the cup against his chest, holding it in place with his hand as he looks to Halisi once more. "I ain't about to ruin my body if I got any say in the matter. Plenty of other people out there willin' to take on that

Halisi nods. "I know. I promise we're not going to keep you any longer than we have to. You'll be allowed home as soon as I'm sure there aren't any complications from the surgeries. It shouldn't be more than a couple of days. I'll be arranging for an IV stand and a portable vital sign monitor to be brought to your home when you're released so that you can spend most of the recovery there. Not normally a service we provide, but... I

Steve sighs upon hearing he'll be stuck in the hospital for a couple more days, but nods a few times. "How are the others?" he asks, "Everyone else make it back in one piece? That whole ordeal-..." he shakes his head, "...All just kinda blurs together. Things are still a little fuzzy, I guess. I remember taking care of the drell, then being on the ship, but details are still-..." he trails off.

Halisi nods once more, glancing down and swiping at her datapad as she speaks. "Everyone is alive." she confirms. "Battered, but alive." She focuses on Steve once more. "You took the worst of it. You're lucky to be alive, you know. If that blade had hit a little higher..." she shakes her head with a sigh. "The archeologist, Namira, she's alive too. Badly injured, though. But it looks like she's going to make it. It's remarkable that

Steve takes another sip of his water as Halisi speaks before setting it aside on the table. He waves her comment off. "Eh, I've been through worse, doc. I'll be fine." he says dismissively, settling back against his pillow once more. "Hey, you mind lettin' Ren know I'm up? Gotta make sure she ain't already figured me for dead and tossed my shit out." he jokes, giving a snicker that quickly breaks down into a cough. He winces and

Halisi offers a mildly amused smile at the comment, which is cut short by the coughing. "I'll tell her." she says, once certain that the coughing is over. "Take it easy - you've taken a real beating. I need to be getting back to work, but just tell the VI if you need anything. It'll let one of the nurses know."

Steve nods again. "You got it, doc." he says, eager to just roll back over and shut the world out for now, the combination of medications and sedative making him feel like a stranger in his own body.

Halisi offers a final nod before heading out of the room.

Renala arrives in the hospital room twenty minutes later, knowing where to go. And were he moved, she would have found him eventually. Upon spotting him, she starts approaching the hospital bed. "Steve?" she asks in order to determine whether he's awake. She's wearing a simple red winter jacket coat, which she decides to keep on for the time being.

Steve had just begun to doze off when Renala arrives. His eyes open and it takes him a moment to focus on Renala. "Ren? Shit, you didn't have to come all the way down here so quick. Just figured they should let ya know I'm still kickin'." he says with a groggy smirk, "Gonna be a few days before they let me out of here, though."

Renala gives a shrug and sits down beside the bed. "I was about to head out to grab lunch anyway," she says, "and I don't think anyone will even realize I'm gone." She gives a brief smirk before changing the subject. "How are you feeling?" she asks. "Must be well if you're out in just a few days, right?"

Steve snorts loudly. "Oh yeah, Ren. Feelin' fantastic. Figure I'll go hit the bar as soon as you leave." he jokes as he tries to reposition himself which causes some obvious pain and discomfort. "Sounds like I'm in pretty bad shape accordin' to the doctor. Lost some of my liver. Had a rib removed. Broke most of the bones in my hand-..." he holds his cast up, "...Not to mention the bumps and bruises here and there. They're lettin' me

Renala chuckles. She was having an optimistic assumption for once: that he might be out and about sooner than she would have thought. This is what happens when she strays too far from her pessimism. "Fuck, that doesn't sound good," she says. "I guess that means I'm going to stay at home to help you out for a couple of days. Or isn't it that bad?"

Steve gives a dismissive shake of his head. "Eh. I'll be fine, Ren. Just need to take it easy for a bit is all." he says, not exactly comfortable with the idea of someone else taking care of him. He gives a deep sigh as he looks over to the asari, "That was a shit show out there. Gonna cost me a fortune to replace my gear..."

Renala nods. "It's... just good to be home again," she says with a sigh. There wasn't much more to say about that job, not now at least. "I was considering sneaking off to Thessia for a while too," she says, sounding a bit dejected, "but I figure that might have to wait now."

Steve gains a look of guilt and shakes his head in protest. "Nah, you don't go lettin' me keep ya from your vacation, Ren. I'm gonna be fine. Gonna take more than a few angry drell to keep me down." He reaches out and pats Renala's shoulder, "I appreciate you lookin' out for me, though. But really. Go be with your daughter."

Renala looks down to his hand wrapped in the cast. It didn't feel right to take that opportunity, even if she desperately needed a few days without worrying about anything. "Just accept it, Steve," she says. "I'm not going to leave you home alone like this. What kind of a friend would I be then?"

Steve gives a roll of his eyes, though a snicker follows. "Fine, fine. Whatever you say, darlin'. I know better than to fight with a lady when she's got her mind set on somethin'."