[happyturtle]

Missy Halifax
Heart, part 3

Spoiler

Halifax had fought the heart transplant for years. No matter what cybernetic implants she'd received, her heart had been her own. But using her wired reflexes, especially in Accelerant Mode, put a lot of strain on an organ that wasn't designed to support feats of superspeed. And then she'd gone into a burning building. Hypoxia had done further damage.

"Your heart is nearly dead. Sure, if you did paperwork for the rest of your life and never used your cybernetic enhancements again, it might live until you pass onto old age. You've abused the poor thing too much to be on active duty any more." Bugs had told her. "Unless you take the replacement, I'll be forced to put you to clerical work and deactivate your enhanced speed. I won't even be able to allow you a Reserve Status."

And so the decision was made. In an hour, she would return to sick bay and undergo the operation. She sits on a bench near a raised flower bed, where daffodils are starting to bloom.

"Prophet. I know it's stupid to think I won't be able to love if my heart is gone."

Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub.

"But I'm scared anyway."

Lub-dub.

"Please. Please, can you make it better? Can you make me not afraid?"

Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub.

"Or maybe you don't listen to me at all because I'm a soldier."

Lub-dub. Lub-dub.

"I guess... maybe this is a test. And if I was a good Arnaudin, I would keep my heart and stop fighting. But I can't do that. I can't live with myself if I let innocent people go undefended. Even if it means I'm damned."

Lub-dub.

Her prayer falls silent. She watches the daffodils flutter in the wind.