The Abandoned Fishing VIllage (part 4)

Posted on Thu Nov 14th, 2013 @ 8:53am by Commodore Samantha York & 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Lieutenant JG Anastasia Morrow & Captain Cameron Bourne & Warrant Officer Sterling Kamala IV & Gaia

1,278 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Tabula Rasa

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Anastasia smiled, as she grabbed the woman's wrist. "Good. Get me something sweet. Fruit, something that's quick and easy to digest."

Sam remembered passing some trees that bore fruit so she nodded and hurried out of the abandoned village to find some fruit.

She returned twenty minutes later with an armload of fruit. She set it gently on the ground next to Anastasia. "This should help. There's enough for the others, if they want some."

[NEW]

By the time Sam returned, Cam and Kara had also returned to the group with the small list if items they'd found in the surrounding buildings, "sorry it took so long, there's bearly anything left here" Cam said, looking into his pack.

"That's what I was afraid of," Sam said. "Let's see if we can catch some fish. If so, our trip here won't be a total loss."

She glanced at Chumani. "How is she doing?" Sam asked Anastasia.

"Sick. You would be too if you almost died." Anastasia snapped, sarcastically. "I'm busy."

Sam left Chumani in Anastasia's care and turned to the others. "Anyone want to help me see if there are any fish out there?"

Cam looked to Kara than back to Sam, "count us in"

They found a mostly-intact net in a dilapidated shed near the dock and slowly walked out onto the pier, taking great care to test every step before she put her weight on the old wood.

Sam gave one end of the net to Cam and together they tossed the net out into the water and waited for it to sink to the bottom, then slowly pulled it back, pleased to see a large number of fish inside.

Kara helped them pull the fish to shore. "The sun will be down soon. I suggest we set up some sort of smoker to cook the fish overnight, then take them back to camp with us in the morning."

"I think that's an excellent idea," Sam agreed.

Sterling had been walking around the perimeter of the village while the others had been exploring the inside of it. He had found and shot a creature that resembled a goat and he brought the carcass back with him, slung over his shoulders.

Xanthus had followed behind the rest of the group. He wasn't the most adventurous nor the best at hunting. He was however good at one thing he found out. Following others and then gathering the necessary items together to put together the makings of a fire. He had found a old thick lens in one of the buildings and a bit of dried paper remains that had been bound in a type of journal or book. Unfortunately the pages were empty but they would make good tender for the fire they would need to roast or smoke any fish that was caught. Xanthus had trudged back and forth with pile after pile of wood that could be used to keep their fire going. He gently blew the soft spark that had begun to smolder.

Sterling saw the man hunched over then saw the bright orange flame. He headed that direction and dropped the dead animal close to where the fire was starting to grow.

Sam slit the fish and dumped the entrails off the side of the dock, then cut off the head and tail, tossing the remainder on the dock to wash off and then cook. By the time she was done, the fire was going well and someone had prepared and spit an animal. "Looks like we'll have plenty of food to take back with us tomorrow."

She went back into the woods and gathered an armful of large leaves to wrap around the fish. She went back, wrapped the fish and set them carefully around the perimeter of the fire so they would cook slowly.

"How is Chumani?" Sam asked Anastasia.

Chumani's hand looked swollen as streaks of the poison continued to creep up her wrist to her elbow. It appeared to be but a matter of time before the poison would completely make its way to her heart and she would perish.

"We need something to stop the poison. We didn't draw it out fast enough. The antioxidants in the fruit will help slow it down." Anastasia grumbled.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Sam asked. "Is there something we can do to combat the toxin?"

"If we had something clearly labelled as 'anti-poison', yes." Anastasia said. "Otherwise, Chumani's not... going to make it. We don't even have a-" She paused. Shook her head. "Nope. It's gone."

"Let's go back to the cabinet with the anemone. There's got to be something in that room or that building that will counter the toxin," Sam said. "I'm not going to simply stand here and watch someone die."

"I'll go," Kara offered, running back to the hut.

"What if we cut across where it stung her and try to suck the toxin out?" Sterling suggested.

"I'd rather use leeches. I don't know if bloodletting would do much good. I'd be afraid she'd bleed to death," Sam said. "What about the salt water? Could that have any sort of astringic benefit?"

"Salt water wouldn't work well. The bloodletting has a potential. If we cut above the toxin, and apply the algae, it might draw the poison out of the wound. Then all we need is some way to cauterize the wound, once we draw the poison out." Anastasia noted. "It's not... the best of options. Unless we get an anti-toxin, though, that's probably the safest bet."

"We are running out of options,"Sterling replied,"I'm not proposing we let her bleed alot, but something has to be done, if we sit here and debate she is going to die."

"It'll take too long to get back to the compound, and I don't think they have anything that will help," Sam said, trying to think of something, but coming up blank.

Several minutes later Kara returned. "Found something." She handed Sam a small vial of liquid. "Not sure what it is, but it was buried under some broken wood below the cabinet. It may have been inside. at one time."

Sam looked at Anastasia. "Well, this will either cure her or kill her, but right now I don't think we have much choice."

Figuring it would be better if she gave Chumani the liquid rather than asking someone else to do it, just in case it was poisonous, Sam knelt by the woman and gently put the vial to her lips. "Here, drink this."

Chumani leaned up at to drink what was given to her but before she did she asked her voice barely a whisper "Do you think it will kill me?"

Anastasia shrugged. "Either it'll kill you faster, or it'll cure you. Either way, it's better than letting you suffer."

Chumani looked at Sam and nodded and then drank the vial. It tasted awful and she coughed after it was down. She laid back down and closed her eyes and waited.

After several minutes, the streaks of poison began to fade. Sam looked at them critically, then looked at Anastasia. "I think we have a winner."

Then Chumani jerked as if she were having a seizure or an allergic reaction of some sort and she collapsed, dead.

"Well. That's what you get for thinking." Anastasia said, with a wince. She closed Chumani's eyes, and bowed her head. "Heiwa." She said, softly.
____
OFF

Lieutenant JG Anastasia Morrow
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

2nd Lieutenant Cameron Bourne
Marine CO

Warrant Officer Sterling Kamala IV
Security Investigations

Chumani - unknown

Xanthus - civilian scientist

 

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