Survival - it is the post that never ends...
Posted on Tue Feb 2nd, 2021 @ 3:01am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant JG Sarah Wilson & Chief Petty Officer Ronson Mitchell & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Dean House & Lieutenant Aurora Vali
Mission:
The Jungle
Location: Jungle
Together once again the small team rested briefly - having found a ledge wide enough for them all to sit and catch their breath. Lt House had brought some vines fashioned into ropes that would assist them in the more difficult climb to the top of the cliff. The Captain was grateful, her energy was gone, the strength sapped from her body with the humidity and the infection that had taken hold. She looked up towards the top of the cliff - to where her husband and one of the ships medical officers had been seen. She just had to hang on until they reached them.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ll be glad when all this is over” Aurora offered a brief smile. “The path ahead looks ... narrow to say the least. It’s going to slow us down.”
"I share your opinion Aurora. I too shall be most grateful when this situation is over." Savar remarked to his wife.
“What if give to be back aboard ship with you Imzadi.” She gazed back towards Savar. “We need to find fresh water, dehydration is a real danger in this heat.”
" What I wouldn't give for a shower... and a real coffee" Rhenora smiled, adding to the banter that was going around. "And a bed.... a nice fluffy comfortable bed. I'm so tired"
“I most definitely concur!” Aurora nodded as she stifled a yawn. “I think I’ve pushed my Vulcan stamina about as far as it wants to be pushed.”
" We get to the top - we all rest and regroup. We know there are others out there, we just need to find them" Rhenora replied, pulling herself together despite how she felt. She still needed to feel as though she were somewhat in control and not sliding down a slippery slope.
Aurora nodded but she could feel what Rhenora was feeling and it was worrying her more than how she was feeling. “We’ll do this” She got to her feet and nodded to Ronson. “Let’s get up there.”
"Everyone ready?" Rhenora asked with more strength than she felt. She hoisted herself into a standing position and waited for Savar to be ready. Lt House was setting up some ropes that would make things a little easier for them. "Let's do this"
Savar moved to kneel in front of Rhenora. "I agree let us do this. I am ready when you are Captain."
Aurora slowly started moving the path ahead looked pretty unstable, all she could do was hope it would hold them all. “This path looks ... pretty unstable!”
Rhenora shimmied onto Savar's back, thankful for the Vulcan strength he possessed. As much as it bothered her to be carried, she knew it was a necessity if they were going to make any progress at all.
Once Rhenora was in place on his back, Savar began to walk, taking cautious steps as they moved along the trail. "Maintain a tight grip Captain the trail here is decidedly uneven."
"Doing my best" Rhenora echoed from his back, wrapping her legs a little tighter around his torso. She didn't want to grip too much with her arms lest she throw him off balance. The trail narrows ahead, turning sharply uphill in what appeared to be a narrow animal track
Aurora gasped as she stood on a loose piece of ground and almost slipped, this was one reason why she hated climbing and hated heights. She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the path ahead and not down.
Hearing Aurora gasp, Savar called out to her, "Are you alright Aurora?" Even as he proceeded up the path, showing the surefootedness of a mountain goat.
Rhenora held on, her eyes focused on the goal, to reach the top of the cliff without anyone falling - not that she could directly influence that happening but her mindset was still the same.
"Everyone be careful...focus"
“I .. I’m okay!” Aurora called out in response to Savar. “Did I forget to say that I’m not overly keen on heights?”
"Just focus on the goal" Rhenora replied, refocusing on keeping on Savar's back as the terrain changed upward again. One step at a time they progressed.
“I’m focussing” Aurora was talking quietly to herself keeping herself calm and collected. Few things scared her but heights were another matter, the sweat on her forehead was from her fear not from the heat. << Savar I need your strength, help me keep my fear away >>
The cliff edge was a good 100 metres above them, they were so close however Remal and Sarah could no longer be seen. Had they not noticed the crew scaling the cliff or had they moved back to rest a while? Rhenora resisted the urge to call for her husband, focusing her energy into not moving on Savar's back least she throw him off balance.
The last stage was a vertical climb through a crack in two large rocks. It would require strength and dexterity in the confined space.
Aurora took a moment to focus herself, she was going to need all her strength and concentration for this and she couldn’t let fear get in the way. “Alright, lets do this!” She followed Ronson keeping to each and every hand and foot hold he used as he climbed. “You’re going great!” She offered Ronson a smile. “We’re almost there.”
Ronson pushed forward, checking each hand hold and foot hold before applying his weight. Thankfully the channel between the two rocks was solid and contained numerous grips. The only issue is that it was vertical and narrow.
Both Aurora’s bandaged arm and her side wound were hurting like hell, the strain of climbing had opened up the wound on Jeff side again and it was straining it pulling it open for infection to get in. She reached for a hand hold and slipped, a small yelp of surprise went up as she started to slide.
Ronson tried to reach down to grab Aurora's wrist but missed, hoping that Savar would be able to.
Aurora knew if she hit Savar she’d most likely topple both him and the Captain, digging her feet in she managed to grab a lower handhold, breathing a sigh of relief she started climbing again little realising she was leaving a trail of her green copper based blood behind her.
Ronson popped out the top of the crevice first, hauling his exhausted body out onto the level rock that formed the top of the cliff. He looked around and couldn't see anyone. Turning around he reached down to help those behind him.
Savar waited while Aurora moved in front of him and through the passageway, then he moved through the passageway being careful not to bump Rhenora into the rocks as they came through.
Ronson reached down and grabbed first Aurora and then Savar and finally Dean as they emerged from the crevice. He assisted them to move away from the edge a safe distance so they could rest comfortable.
"Everyone ok?" He asked, taking stock of the team.
"I am well. Mr. Mitchell. Thank you for your assistance." Savar answered before addressing Rhenora. "And you Captain? How are you?"
There was silence from behind him, the Captain lay still against his back, her entire weight supported by him.
"Captain?" Savar repeated, no answer. "Captain? Mr. Mitchell, Aurora, I fear something has happened to the Captain, help her off my back, so we may see."
Ronson was there in an instant, easing the older woman off the Vulcan's back and laying her on the rocks. She was non-responsive, pale and sweating profusely.
"Ahh Commander..."
"I see Mr. Mitchell." Savar replied as his eyes fell to Rhenora's leg he pulled the bandage off and could the wound had split and was now infected. "Aurora, your assistance if you please. The Captain needs your attention."
While they all were having fun with all that. Considering they just left Dean there at the bottom. Now he had to catch up. What was the point of him going to gather all of that and craft them up if they weren't going to use them? He wasn't even Vulcan and it was illogical.
Giving a bit of a sigh, Dean then had to start catching up to them. At least unlike their illustrious Captain, it wasn't his leg that was injured. So there ensued the climb once the 'path' that has apparently been worn through ended and it was an actual climb, wasn't that hard. "At least I didn't find a body laying down here." Dean started the rest of the way up, but regardless of how fast he could traverse it didn't mean they'd be there once he got to the top where they were.
Aurora moved across to Rhenora, ignoring her own bleeding wound she checked the Captain’s leg. “This leg is infected.” She looked at Savar. “If that was Sarah you saw we need to find her. Without medication or knowing what plants to use there’s not a lot I can do besides irrigate the wound and re-cauterize it.” She sat back placing her hand over her side, her own wound needed tending but right now Rhenora was more important.
Ronson looked around. "They can't be far from here, it must be only 15 minutes since we saw them. Should I go looking?" He offered. Looking at Aurora he realized she would also be requiring medical attention. "We need Dr Wilson, or Dr Thesia..."
Dean finally got up to them. "Why did you not wait? Seriously?" Shaking his head, then giving a look a moment. Was that what he heard? Dropping the 'rope,' "Who needs what? And infection..that shouldn't have happened. Did none of you pay attention to even just Basic Medical or Survival at the Academy?" Motioning his hands. "Just move a moment and let me look."
"Just a minute" Ronson stood up, bristling a little. "They tried, we have no supplies, they tried their best. They did everything by the book" he said firmly, having grown in character considerably over the last few days.
"Just a minute, what, Crewman?" Dean sighed again, he's been doing that a lot lately. "I'm aware of the situation, and trying, but by the book is not going to cut it. Look at where we are, what we've already dealt with. Now may I take a look or not, Princess? Considering my loyalty is to the Captain and the crew. Also we don't have a Doctor here."
"Look Lieutenant, I know you mean well but we need to work together. They did what they could with what they had, no unless you have a medkit stashed that no-one knows about, or are a doctor, can the attitude" Ronson said in a voice that brooked no argument. "Now if you can help her, help. We don't need a lecture as to what we could have done better" the poor Yeoman was almost shaking with emotion.
"Which also means, there aren't any herbs or plants near, more than likely up all the way up here. So they have to be searched for that might will work. Chewed, and ground for the infection. Aurora's wound looks like its more critical. I'm guessing she kept hiding it?"
Ronson had noticed the half Betazoid favouring one side. "Let us help you" he said kindly to the counsellor.
"Let me feel on it, and.." not finishing that sentence. Moving to Aurora. Checking her vitals. Pushing on that side that Ronson mentioned. Waiting her reaction, and pulling her clothes up to see if there was discoloration there, or bruising, which can signify internal bleeding.
Ronson hovered nearby to ensure Aurora's dignity was maintained. He watched on, keeping out of the way but following everything that went on. He offered the almost empty antiseptic tube. "This is all we have left, it's not much, we were saving it for the Captain"
Dean took it and gave a thoughtful look a moment. "Lets just wait first and see if we can do something about it without. Figure out what the issue is. That might not be good to be used."
Aurora nodded. “Good advice Lieutenant. Maybe they left us contaminated ointment” She appreciated Dean’s help. “As for hiding my wound, there wasn’t much that could be done climbing up this mountain.”
Ronson took in the comment, they'd packed the captain's wound with the ointment, had it done more harm than good? She roused as the team were working with Aurora
"Leave me behind..." She said, eyes bright with fever.
“No Captain!” Aurora shook her head. “Unless ...” she looked at Savar and the others. Find us somewhere that’s hidden, another cave, anything. I’ll stay with the Captain, we’ll just slow you down. Get to the end then when you win you can come back for us.”
Both the Captain and Aurora's words stung, bit into his sole, it went against every fiber in his being but it was logical however sometimes being logical also brought great pain. "We will first find shelter then consider the rest." He replied.
Aurora nodded in agreement then looked at Rhenora. “Captain I’m sorry, this is my fault. I treated your wound, maybe I missed something.” She sighed.
" It's nobody's fault but the madman who put us here" Rhenora sighed, indicating that she wanted to sit up. They hauled her into a sitting position, her back resting against a tree. "It's nobody's fault"
"I don't think that they gave us tainted supplies. That would make us weak, and that would make us boring prey. Is there a suture kit in the first aid kit?" Dean said over his shoulder.
“There was one in the kit I used” Aurora nodded. “As much as I hate to say it I’m going to need to be awake while you do that, we can’t afford for me to be unconscious.”
Dean glanced from Aurora, to Savar, Rhenora and then Ronson a moment then back to her. "Well we have a decision to make then. Who gets the last injection of anesthetics? I'm not trying to act macho. My arm still hurts like a bitch. It had to be done. Savar can suppress pain. I don't know you three enough to know if you can. Other than just hiding it. So if not, we need a belt or maybe this rope for you to bite down on. Also, Commander, you might want to help Ronson help hold her. That deep this is going to hurt. A lot."
Aurora took a deep breath. “I don’t need Anaesthetic, I can cope without it.”
"If you're sure." Dean still gave a glance to the two men about his suggestion to hold her, reason being so if she moved it wouldn't be to much.
Aurora nodded her permission as she looked at Savar and Ronson. “I’ll do my best not to scream” she looked at Dean and nodded.
Savar looked at Aurora and then House. "When this over Lieutenant, I want you to set off and find Dr. Wilson and whomever was with her and bring them back here."
" Savar, can you knock her out like you knocked me out?" Rhenora asked from her tree, trying to assist despite not being able to move.
"Yes, I can Captain." He looked over to Aurora. "You will feel no pain Aurora until you regain consciousness but it will be less than what it would be now."
"I don't have a problem finding them, sir." Dean looked to Rhenora and then Savar. "Are we sure that's a good idea? It was hours before the Captain woke up. She also already expressed that we don't need her unconscious." Mentioning under his breath, "This would be so much easier if I'd learned Dim Mok."
" Help Aurora, then see if you can find Wilson, you're the only hope we have to getting help" Rhenora replied weakly. "Savar and Ronson can help us find some shelter for the time being"
"Lieutenant your thinking is illogical. Aurora did not have the option of being rendered unconscious before. Further if we proceed now. Her pain will be so intense she could nor move for several hours. My way, she will be spared the pain and get some much needed rest." Savar replied crisply.
"It may seem illogical, Commander, however it also goes against her wishes." Looking to Aurora, "If you are fine with it, then I won't voice any more protests about it." Reaching for the kit, whom ever gave it to him, to start prepping.
"You are out of line Lieutenant. How dare you presume to tell me what is best for my wife. We will finish this once we are back aboard the Liberty." Savar promised.
“Savar” Aurora looked towards her husband. “I won’t presume to correct you, if the Captain Wishes it you may render me unconscious, I can’t guarantee I won’t pass out anyway.” She looked to Rhenora. “I leave the decision with you Captain.”
Rhenora didn't have a second thought about it " Savar, knock her out, it's the merciful thing to do. You don't need the additional stress. In the meantime we can find a cave to rest in and Dean can find Dr. Wilson. "
Savar moved quickly to Aurora, "You will feel no pain Aurora." He whispered as he applied the nerve pinch and Aurora lapsed into unconsciousness.
Aurora felt the momentary pinch before she was out cold, now House could get on sorting out her wound without worrying about her being in pain.
"I'll take your word for it, Commander." Waiting and Aurora did give her consent at that point. As he said he would, Dean didn't say another thing about it. With that, he got to work. Considering his physiology, regardless of his arm being a little defunked. It should heal nicely with little to no scar. All that is, is precision. He still wasn't an actual doctor, just knew a thing about a thing. It was going to take about an hour to do it correctly with what they had. Make sure nothing was tainted. Make sure it was serilized. Make sure to remove any foreign particulars out of the wound. It was kind of a task but its better than her bleeding out just like the Captain almost had.
Ronson hovered between the Captain and Aurora, doing what he could to make both as comfortable as possible. He was concerned and frustrated by the situation but said nothing, merely trying to assist.
Rhenora watched on, her eyelids heavy with the morning sun. She felt as though someone had dunked her in an ice bath, shivering as though freezing.
