Untitled Part 1

This story is set in a world of my own making. I've got quite a bit of the history in my head already, along with some of the culture and such. This is in the middle of a short story for the world but it's a part you can read without needing the whole story. I don't have a title for it yet.
Happy Reading!

“We should have heard from her by now.”
At Markus’s words, Justin stopped his pacing to stare at the commander. One hand clenched into a fist as he thought of the possibilities. Broken radio, wounded too badly to continue, in hiding . . .
Elyssa . . .
“It doesn’t mean anything, Justin.” Markus grabbed Justin’s arm and shook him. “She could have been delayed.”
“Or she could be dead.” Luc muttered from his seat at the radio control. “You shouldn’t --”
“You should shut up and get out of here.” Markus’s voice was soft, a sure sign that he was angry. Luc was up and out in moments; he had been on the receiving end of Markus’s wrath many times. “Justin, I’m sending you after her.” Risky move, considering Elyssa and Justin’s relationship; not something that Markus usually did, send partners after each other. It could interfere with the mission. “Take one of the bikes and find her. If she’s not hurt, let her finish the mission. If she is, take her to the old outpost and I’ll send a transport for you. Lili will have an emergency pack ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Justin saluted quickly and ran from the room. It wouldn’t take long to throw together a pack and med-packs were on any form of transportation here. He was in cold weather gear already, just had to grab a jacket and he was ready.
Lili was at the hangar door. “Another cold suit and basic supplies but there’s not room for another jacket. Be careful.” She squeezed his arm as he left.
The packs barely fit into the bike’s storage compartment; it was crammed with extra blankets and other supplies for the ever-present threat of hypothermia. Justin jumped on the bike and started it in the same motion. He sped from the hangar, barely missing a scout coming in to report.
Outside was frigid. The station was far enough north that it never got about sixty degrees out. Luckily Justin’s troop would be leaving in another month or two. No one was stationed there for more than six months at a time. The base was necessary though to protect the northern boundary of the Empire. The natives were always pushing to get in and the Empire wanted them kept out. Besides, there was a large, productive silver mine not too far from the base and it needed to be protected.
It had snowed. Elyssa had set out that morning and any tracks she’d made were gone by now. But she had been setting out for the abandoned base as a half-way point so he’d head in that direction. The forest loomed ahead, ominous in the half-light. The trees were bare and skeletal, stretching up toward the sky like bony fingers.
The first clue came halfway into the forest. A dead goblin was sprawled on the ground with Elyssa’s best throwing knife sticking out of it. Quick kill and she was running. She’d never leave that knife. It was one of a pair, a gift from her father when she left the Elf holt. Bad sign. A mile farther in, he found a dead native. There were signs of a scuffle here; it was more recent than the goblin because there were signs of a scuffle. This had occurred after the snow stopped falling. The native had a sword in his hands, bloodstains on the blade. She was hurt. Elyssa was out in the cold, bleeding.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Close to the edge of the forest, he found more signs of a fight and another dead native. Elyssa’s jacket lay half-buried beneath the snow, torn and bloodstained. He swore under his breath. There were tracks -- Elyssa’s -- veering off to the right and he could make out goblin prints following them. But Elyssa was clever and she was an Elf. Her tracks disappeared a short way away but the goblin’s continued on the same path. If he knew his girl . . .
“Clever, woman.” Climbed a tree, used the trees to get past the scene of the fight and head left. Goblins wouldn’t have the imagination to check the trees. And if he was right, there was a cave ahead, a small cave formed by a hollowed out boulder. Big enough for an Elf woman.
He jumped back on the bike and followed Elyssa’s trail left. Too far for comfort. If she was wounded and had no jacket . . . How long could she last out here?
AF\fter an eternity, the cave appeared ahead and he thought he could make out a figure.
“Elyssa!” He braked abruptly and flung himself off the bike. He floundered in the snow, past his knees here, until he was kneeling beside her.
Too pale, shivering violently, bluish tinge in her lips . . . Hypothermia. She was still alive.
Clothes were soaking wet; he’d have to get her out of them at the outpost. Some mild wounds, mostly on her arms but there was a deeper cut on her right shoulder, probably requiring stitches. He jerked his jacket off and carefully wrapped it around her. That would have to do for now.
“Elyssa, I’ve got you.” He carefully picked her up, trying not to jostle her. As he did, her eyes fluttered open. She stared at him blankly, blinked, then her eyes focused. A hint of a smile appeared on her face but the next minute, she was out again.
Somehow, he got her on the bike in front of him, cradling her carefully. Lucky she’s an Elf and weighs next to nothing. It was awkward, supporting her and directing the bike but he could manage the last two miles to the outpost.
He pushed the bike as hard as he could, torn between not tossing her around and the need to get to shelter fast. The outpost wasn’t large -- it had been built for four, maybe five people -- and the heating was old but it would be adequate until the transport arrived.
“Elyssa?” No response. He held her up with one hand and fumbled with the storage compartment with the other. He managed to open it and yank out a blanket, which he spread on the floor and carefully laid Elyssa on.
First thing, contact the base. The transport was ready and would be there soon. Next, first aid for Elyssa. He had to cut off her wet things before he could patch her up. Hopefully it would hold for a healer. Luckily her thermal suit was still dry. He supposed she’d be warm enough with that and his jacket and the blankets so he just cocooned her up and settle back to wait.
Maybe half an hour later, the transport arrived. Lili came running off it, her eyes intense already.
“Sent the best, eh?” he nudged her and she nodded absently. Her movements were sure as she examined the wounds and did her other healer magic.
“She’ll recover without a problem. Good work, Justin. Bring her aboard. Gentle!” she glared at him as he carried Elyssa onto the transport. One of the other soldiers was directed to get his bike as he took Elyssa to the medbay. “Go get warm. She needs to rest. I’ll let you know when you can see here.”
He paced the transport, unable to sit still. It kept him warm and that was what the healer ordered. Besides, that was the love of his life laying there and he couldn’t help her. Sure, Lili claimed Elyssa would recover but there were no guarantees. And Elyssa was pulling back. He knew that. He didn’t know why.
Hadn’t he told her he loved her?
“What is wrong with you, woman?” He ran his hands through his hair anxiously. He had to know. Had to set her straight.
Back at the base, he had to watch as Elyssa was once again taken to the medbay. Lili stared him down until he turned to his quarters. He knew he’d be kept away while Elyssa was recovering.
“Just wait, woman. I’ll get you soon enough.”