Interlude: Unhappy Triad

Several Years Ago

Cassandra’s self-deprecating session was interrupted by a knock on the wooden door. The door opened and she could see the white coated and masked figures shuffling around outside clipboards in hand. A similar man stepped through the threshold. Sandy blonde hair and sharp features are only somewhat masked by his Anthropic training mask. He was younger than the venerable Vet Skaggs.

“Hey, I remember you, you're one of Cody’s friends.”

“Well, everyone is Cody’s friend.”

“Yeah but not everyone gets sloshed and sang a duet with him on stage.”

“Oh…you remember that.”

“Everyone remembers that. Karen still complains about the fridgeman who ruined her birthday.”

“Then as Cody might say, “mission accomplished.””

“Please don’t make me laugh, it hurts.”

Cassandra sat in the hospital bed perfectly still but allowed herself to smile. Her hands gripping the metal rails as if she might slip. Her swollen and braced leg strapped to the ceiling. Jason moved over to the side of her bed which she followed with her eyes not face.

“My name’s Jason, I’m on rotation today.”

“Nice to meet you Jason, I guess you probably already know who I am.”

“Yeah, I saw the game, everyone knows who you are.”

Cassandra’s bed was surrounded by well wishes and gifts. Candies her medication wouldn’t let her eat. Cards she didn’t want to reach for and read. Flowers from fans and friends.

“Probably not for much longer, but fun while it lasted.” She watches through the corner of her eye as he moves to her side with IV’s and clipboard. His movements were small, slow, and deliberate. He didn’t try to take up space, just occupy his own spot but be immovable within it. She tried her best to keep her tone casual, even confident. “I mean this was always a risk, had a lot of family play Lacrosse, you know. My mom almost made it to college before her shoulder injury. My aunt even played for a bit. Was this a little earlier than I was hoping? Yes, but it’s expected.”

“What about your studies?”

“Can’t afford it without the scholarship. But that was always in the cards. I prepared for that. Took nothing but useful electives. I have one semester left. I can get a nice job back home. I’m just an hour flight from here. I could come back one day.”

As she talked she tried to comfort herself, but couldn’t dare to look at her swollen and purple knee hanging in front of her. She slowly turned towards Jason so as to not make any sudden movements.

“Is Lacrosse big where yer from?”

“Not really, we don’t really have competitions like that. Going to the games here, seeing you play, felt more like a religious event than actual sport competitions.”

“Well welcome to the Polachya, I guess. You pro'ly think we're all kinda weird then.”

“Not at all, you've preserved a pre-collapse sport of ancient origins and transformed it into a celebration of excellence.”

“Huh, well when ya say it like that… I guess I should keep the torch going somehow, maybe coach one day. Make sure someone else can get farther than me.”

“And that's it? That's all you want?”

“Beg yer pardon?”

“A statue of you was growing out of the field here and you are going to leave it buried? For others to trip over or use as a footstool?”

Cassandra's antennae twitched in sync with her eyes, she tried to look at Jason but could only see her helmet behind him.

“OK, Listen here, pal. I don't know who you think you are, but It's my life, my shot, if I say im done, then that's

She reflexively crossed her arms, only as the daggers of pain ripped from her leg, did she realize her mistake. 

- ah -ah huh wa ha - aghhhh!”

Cassie choked on her screams as the pain ripped her breath from her. Long fingernails dug into her arms and she ground her teeth. The small antennae on her head stood up and pulled. Her wings spasmed out and crashed against the metal rails.

Jason took a breath to assess, before immediately went to work, softening up the antennae with gentle brushes of an ice pack, while his other arm eased up her convulsing back and trembling head back into her seat. Tears fell from closed eyes hot and fast.

“Cassie, you need to be careful. You metabolize faster than I would. The good news is, you are going to heal quickly, but you go through pain meds faster than we can administer them.”

She nodded in small jerks, eyes still closed.

“I…I…cant. Please I don't want it to end like this. I can't go home a failure. I worked too. Damn. Hard. After everything please I cant. I can't. Damn it”

She felt a cold but comforting hand on her shoulder which slowly emitted its warmth. She opened her eyes. There was her swollen leg a testament to her failure and herald of things to come. But opposite to her was Jason. His mask slipped off as his face burned with quiet intensity.

“Why can’t you continue?” He asked.

“Look at me, even after surgery, there’s no way ill be able to play again. Im going to hobble around like an old woman at 25.”

“Cassie, there are ways to get you back. You are at the largest Anthropic University on The Continent. Plus I have access to my vault’s archives.”

Cassie had never seen the fridgemen as people really before. More like ghosts or walking statues, hovering around the campus and watching from a cold distance. Jason's fire draws her in a way she cant explain.

“So?”

“So, there are techniques you can use to get back from the ancient sciences: therapies, massages. No one here wants to lose you. We can help you. I will help you.”

When she looks at him with conviction she feels like a figure from ancient history is calling her.

She tries to look at him, but her eyesight is warped from the tears and medication. His mask has slipped off of one ear, and she can see the unflappable resolve in his face. His youthful yet timeless appearance commands her as if he emerged from an ancient mural or poster. Gun and banner in hand, his conviction pulled her out of time as if she suddenly felt the call to arms from a language long dead to fight for a land now swallowed by the sea. Yet words echoed in her mind, "Don't let it be in vain!"

“Is it possible?”

“Its possible, But it's not going to be pleasant and it's not going to be easy."

Cassandra drew in as much air as she could and she clasped one of her hands into Jason's. Her fingernails dug into his hands. He did not flinch.

“I’ll do anything.”

"Then I'll do everything."