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The restraints opened under Ashford’s attack, the Velcro ripping Pain lanced through Bull’s neck like so a screwdriver into his back He tried to push the captain away, but there was nothing to grab hold of His knuckles cracked against so else He couldn’t say what People around hi, the dead weight of his body flowing lied at by the tubes and the catheters

When the world le above the table, his head pointing down Pa and Macondo were gripping Ashford’s arainst the wall, ready to launch but not sure what direction he should go

Doctor Sterling appeared at his side, gathering his legs and drawing him quickly and professionally back toward the bed

“Could we please not assault the patient with the crushed spinal cord,” she said as she did, “because this makes me very uncomfortable”

Another vicious flare of pain, hot and sharp and evil, ran through Bull’s neck and upper back as she strapped hi free, blood and a bit of flesh adhering to its end He didn’t knohat part of his body it had co at him, and he kept his voice cal, and we let soldiers go on the station We won’t get a third We can get everyone together, and we can get theerous talk, mister,” Ashford spat

“I can’t be captain,” Bull said “Even if I wasn’t stuck in this bed, I’ht about that”

Ashford pulled his arms free of Pa and Macondo, plucked his sleeves back into triainst the wall

“Doctor, place Mister Baca in a e,” Bull said “I need you to take Captain Ashford into custody, and I need you to do it now”

No one ainst stubble louder than anything in the rooaze locked in the ry Ashford’s eyes narrowed, cutting over toward her When she spoke, her voice was dead and joyless

“Serge You heard what the chief said”

Ashford gathered hi hand on the captain’s shoulder

“This isfor this”

“You need to coe said Macondo took Ashford’s other arether Pa stayed against the wall, held steady by a strap, while the doctor, tutting andunder her breath, replaced the catheters and checked the monitors and tubes attached to his skin For the most part, he didn’t feel it

When she was done, the doctor left the room The door slid closed behind her For almost a minute, neither of theed,” Bull said

“Apparently,” Pa said, and sighed “He’s not thinking straight And he’s drinking too ht us all here He can sign his name to all the corpses on all those ships”

“I don’t think he sees it that way,” Pa said And then, “But I think he’s putting a lot of effort into not seeing it that way And he’s slipping I don’t think… I don’t think he’s well”