Your other arm is quite free, besides for Emma. As for Lucille, you do not see her, and feel faintly uncomfortable with that. At least, you grin to yourself, there isn't a turret in here anymore. You do, however, lift your free hand, waving it at the camera. It takes a few minutes, but eventually the door slides open, and a medic pushes in a cart. He smiles at you, gesturing to the...nutrient paste, like its a buffet prepared by a gourmet, all elaborate flourishes and smiles. You slowly disentangle yourself from Emma, leaning forward and eating with the hand you still have.
You put down four bowls before you feel full, and the medic checks your vital signs, noting them down and as he leaves, comparing them to your baseline. A clever little invention by Silas, the measurements taken over a week of calm for future medical emergencies like this. Zachary steps into the room, gesturing to a seat beside the door away from the sleeping Emma.
"Mother Alphira. I'm glad to see you awake." He does look happy, to his credit, but there's a vague uncertainty about him, "I'm glad you answered our prayers, especially after news from the battlefield reached us."
Finally he breathes a sigh, "I've never been good with delivering bad news, Mother Alphira, and I hate to have to start getting good at it. Rodstadt fell after they evacuated you. I'm told your battalions were all destroyed, with half of the Thornton Mercs and only a few others as survivors. Major Anderson, Gem Thornton, and the other officers all fell in the retreat. The encirclement under Maxwell later reclaimed the city, and purged it of the Infection."