A silence from the priest is Eric's answer, his manner obviously distraught at the new knowledge he has of his dining companion's past. He looks away, down at the table, trying to find the proper words to say or even any words at all, because he's seen suffering in the soldiers but he hasn't seen suffering like that. What had been done had been... inhuman, on so many levels.
"I k-know... it won't mean much... if anything..." he begins, his volume gradually dropping as he speaks, hands clenching in front of his face, "but I- I can't tell you how sorry I am that you... had to endure all..."
It's impossible to find the words to finish, and Erik clearly doesn't want to continue the conversation when Mulcahy looks up briefly, having gone back to hiding said numbers. There's a brief nod and he takes another bite of his soup, sitting in silence for a few moments, before blinking at the other man's new words.
"N-Not much of one - a MASH, a surgical camp, a field hospital, really. So the boys who are wounded can be brought to us as soon as possible for treatment, and hopefully their lives saved. Our doctors are rather good at that."
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"I k-know... it won't mean much... if anything..." he begins, his volume gradually dropping as he speaks, hands clenching in front of his face, "but I- I can't tell you how sorry I am that you... had to endure all..."
It's impossible to find the words to finish, and Erik clearly doesn't want to continue the conversation when Mulcahy looks up briefly, having gone back to hiding said numbers. There's a brief nod and he takes another bite of his soup, sitting in silence for a few moments, before blinking at the other man's new words.
"N-Not much of one - a MASH, a surgical camp, a field hospital, really. So the boys who are wounded can be brought to us as soon as possible for treatment, and hopefully their lives saved. Our doctors are rather good at that."