The First SaR Mission Ch. 07

"I shouldn't ask, but, are your guy friends there, gay?"

"No, what makes you think that?"

"I guess that I'm just not used to the nudity. It's just that when you bent over to pick up your pack...Well you kind of spread everything out on display, but, I noticed that the boys didn't react, at all. I would have expected them to instantly go 'boing,' as if it were made out of spring steel."

"Oh! Sorry, I guess that wasn't a very lady-like pose, was it? I forgot myself. As Weres, we're just so used to it; well it's sort of normal. We have to be naked when we shift, so, ever since we were pups we've been naked around one another. If a girl slid across the bleachers and got a splinter in her butt, she would most likely think nothing of asking the good looking guy sitting next to her, to pick it out. Intimacy is, quite, contextual for us. I guess on top of that, the den for most of us in the search teams is The Full Moon Retreat and that is a nudist resort in the woods. It's a really nice place to live."

Anna, laughing: "I'm sorry, but the 'Full Moon' nudist resort!"

"Yeah.., No, that's not the inference in "Full Moon Retreat." Full Moon, hello...Werewolf here, but yeah it's funny."

"So, I guess you were a passenger on the plane. That must have been awful."

Anna, in a shaky voice: "Yes... I was startled and confused, at first. There was so much happening; I didn't get scared, right away. There was this big "whump" sound and then the whole back seat was on fire..."

Anna, beginning to shake and sob: "Then, it hit me. My babies are back there."

Anna doubles over, racked by sobbing and crying, Becky throws her arm around Anna trying to comfort her.

"Oh, Anna, I'm so, sorry. You're all alive and we're going to do everything we can to keep you that way and get you out of here."

Anna, crying and sniffling: "Suzy, my daughter, is badly burned. No one will say so, but I know that she is going to die."

Becky, still holding Anna: "Anna, maybe not. Luna looks out for the young ones. It will be ok."

"Bobby, my son and Suzy were both in the back, laid over in the seat asleep. They had an old wool blanket pulled over them, because, it was drafty and could get a little cold back there. Suzy had slipped around, and was kind of hanging off the seat and was mostly uncovered. I guess that I must have screamed when I turned around. There was Aaron, cool as a cucumber, as always. He had already unstrapped the fire extinguisher and was holding it in front of my face. I grabbed it, yanked the pin out, and sprayed the back with it. The fire went out. I could smell fuel. I turned back around and Aaron was busy twisting knobs on the dash. I could hear that the engines weren't running right. There was this sort of rhythmic vibration in the plane. I think that the engine on his side was slowing down and then it just made this loud pop and stopped. Then, I'd swear, that the plane kind of went sideways. Aaron pushed and pulled some levers on the console and revved up the engine on my side. Everything seemed ok, for a few seconds, but the plane didn't feel right, or something."

"I...I think we were losing altitude. Aaron had his clipboard with the map in his lap trying to fly and look at the map all at the same time. It was really tense. I knew that something was badly wrong. Then the engine on my side just sputtered once and stopped. There was some kind of, like, rumbling coming from the engine. Aaron reached over, pushed, and pulled some more levers and the noise quit. That was when it felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest. That was because, suddenly, the only thing that I could hear was the wind rushing past my window. Aaron was spinning wheels and pulling levers, I don't really know what he was doing, but we were defiantly losing altitude, then. In less than a minute, I think that we went into the clouds, because, everything went black. Just, black! The only light was from some of the instruments, and I looked over and, the little airplane dial right in front of Aaron, was spinning. Some of the others were, just dead or turned in odd ways. I heard Aaron, talking on the radio. I think I heard him say may-day or something a couple of times."

"Then we seemed to, just fall out of the bottom of the clouds, because, the darkness seemed to change. I think you could see out, but, there was, just nothing, to see. He reached up and flipped a couple of switches and the headlights came on. Then suddenly Aaron yanked the plane over real hard to the left and then flattened out. He reached under the steering wheel and put the side of his hand on some switches. Everything got very quiet, for a few seconds, it was weird. Aaron looked totally calm like he was sitting in his easy-chair, drinking a beer. A second later, there was this thump on the wing on my side; I turned to look out the window, and... Oh, God, there were trees whipping past. Just then, Aaron did something and everything went totally black. I felt the plane tip back, like when we're going to land, except it felt like it went back further than usual. Then there was a loud thump, and a jolt, then it did it again. All of a sudden, everything threw forward, really, hard. I think that must have been when Aaron's seat broke. Suddenly there was water everywhere."

"When it stopped moving there was junk thrown all over the plane. Aaron was pressed up against the steering wheel and pinned there in his seat. The kids were on the floor, behind the seats. Suzy wasn't moving and bobby was crying holding his side. I got them out and laid them down up here. Then I went back to get Aaron out. It took me, at least, an hour to tip his seat back and get his seatbelt off. I finally managed to drag him out onto the wing and slid him out to the end. I dragged him up here beside the kids. That was... I guess a day and a half ago."

"I tried to get a fire going, but everything is wet. I finally managed to start a small fire. It was just a bit after that when I heard George yelling "Hello, the plane." It didn't make sense to me, at first, and then I realized that it was someone trying to get our attention."

A few moments later, more wolves began arriving; one went directly over to where the Aaron and the two children lay. After looking them over the wolf began sniffing the young girl then, used its snout to flip the sweater up that covered her. The wolf began whimpering and whining and looking over to Anna and Becky.

Becky shouts: "No! Nancy, you can't. She's human. You will turn her."

The wolf looked at Anna and Becky for a long moment and then left the encampment crying as only a wolf can.

"What was that all about?"

Becky explains: "That was Nancy. She's Ben's mom. She wanted to lick your daughter."

"Why?"

"Well, you see that is what a mother Werewolf would do if Suzy were also, Werewolf. Nancy would lick everywhere she was burned and then again about every hour. Each time she licked the burns they would heal, just a bit. It would take most of the night, but probably by morning, the burns would be completely healed, without scaring."

"Why can't she heal my little girl?"

"Well, you see, burns that bad are like open wounds. While our wolf's saliva has magical healing properties, it also carries the vector that might change her DNA. It would be like our wolf biting a human. If our teeth break the skin, our saliva gets into the wound. There is a high probability that Suzy would be 'turned.' She would become a Werewolf, like us."

"That seems like a pretty good trade for surviving and not being horribly scarred, to boot!"

"Well, of course, we think so, but there are many things that you need to know before making that decision. I can tell you what I know about it, but we are absolutely forbidden from turning a human, without their permission and our Alpha's permission. I honestly don't know what all is required for him to give his permission. All that I really know is that which is common knowledge among Weres. If Suzy were turned I think that she would be required to live within a pack and to be coached, for a year or two, in how to bond with her wolf and make sure that the human half was the dominate of the two. If something were to happen and the wolf took full control and her human could not wrest that control back, well... She would be put down. I know that sounds harsh, but when that happens they are said to be a "rogue." An unrestrained rouge wolf is extremely dangerous. They can become killing machines. In my sixty-eight years, I've never seen it happen, but I have heard stories."

"Wait! You are sixty-eight years old? That isn't possible!"

"Yes, Anna. That's how old I am. Werewolves are very long lived. There are a few that have made it to eight and nine hundred years old. Mostly females. Historically, Werewolves were pretty rough and tumble and the males were often killed in fights, by hunters or in accidents. The average for them is maybe four or five-hundred years. We're all hoping that those things that used to kill our men will be less likely to happen if we become a part of open society, but we are very scared. We can't know what will happen."

"Are you sure that she could be healed if she were licked by a wolf?"

"Yeah, I'm reasonably sure. We heal even worse injuries to Werewolves and I've seen it work on bruises and sprains on humans, but nothing where the skin was broken. However, I've always heard that it worked the same on humans as Weres."

"What do I have to do to make this happen? What about Bobby and my husband, Aaron?"

"Do you mean change them, too?"

"Yes, Aaron has both legs broken and there is bleeding. By the time he gets out of here, he could die of blood clots or 'gangrene,' and I think that Bobby is hurt internally."

"We're getting into scary territory that I don't know enough about. I think that the best advice that I can give you is to talk to my Alpha."

"Who is he? Where is he?"

"My Alpha is John McClintock and he goes by 'Jack'. He is back at our base camp. It's maybe, fourteen miles from here. We all carry radios and can talk to base camp, though. I don't know what he will say. You see, there is this big stigma about turning humans. You know, all of the legends and Hollywood movies. He may be hard to convince or want to hold out for extraction, for as long as possible. I just don't know. No matter what, he is where you have to start, though."

"Are you sure that you want to pursue this? You must be sure. Because, once it is done, it can never be undone. And, your lives will change drastically. You will be required to be a member of a pack, this one or some other. For some period of time, you will have to live within that pack, as I explained before. A pack is not a democracy. The Alpha is monarch of a pack and you will do as he tells you. You have to hope that the pack that you choose to join has a strong, but benign Alpha. We think Jack is one of the best. He's kind and doesn't let power go to his head. You can reason with him, but don't try to argue with him. And, I for one would love to have you as part of our pack. Learning to live as a Werewolf will be very strange for you, but it is one big family. We live, work, and play together. We police our own. We also, care for and protect our own. There is a hierarchy and everyone fits into it somewhere. There are also, a lot of benefits that go with being a Werewolf, too, but, they are all pluses that, just sweeten the pie. If you had a career or a job in the human world, then you may be able to continue in that career, but it will be interrupted for that year or two that you are learning what it is to be Werewolf. So, do you want to think about this for a while, before I say anything to anyone?"

"Yeah, I would like to come to grips with the idea, but, I love my family and they need this and, if I am with my family, then, I am not afraid."

"If, and when you are sure and are ready, tell me and I'll talk to George over there. If need be, you can talk to him. He is the on-scene manager here. I don't imagine that he is expecting this. I'm sure that he will want to talk to you before he starts the ball rolling."

"Thanks, Becky. I really appreciate you talking to me."

[13:15, Wednesday, the radio room]

Jack sends Leon to the radio room with instructions where he finds Rob Fox and Jane Goodman sitting before their radio consoles...

"Rob, Put the word out that anyone with medical skills is to go to the crash site. Also, when George has all of his people, recall the remaining teams to base camp. Tell them to report to the dining hall. Get a roster of the people that are staying at the crash site."

"Ok, I'll put the word out Leon."

"Also, the Alpha asked if you could set up a half dozen hand-held radios that had a channel for comms around camp, as well as a channel to speak to the crash site."

"Yes, I can do that. Let me turn the recall of the teams over to Jane and I'll go and start programming the radios."

"Jane, did you hear all of what we were to do?"

"Yeah, I got it. You go take care of the radios."

[13:18, Wednesday, the operations room]

Jack is talking to Berry Thornton...

"Berry, You know, of course, that we have found the crash and the survivors. Three of them are injured. One, the four-year-old girl is burned. George Scott, my on-scene manager said that she had third-degree burns over eighty percent of her body. Now, he is not a doctor, but George is old enough and worldly enough that I trust his judgment. He says that, if we try to carry her out, she wouldn't survive being carried over the first ridge. The adult male, to start, has two broken legs. From the description, they may, both be compound fractures. The medics haven't yet arrived on scene to fully assess him. If we try transporting him, I expect that he would lose both legs or die from complications. The third injured survivor is a six-year-old boy. He may have internal injuries. So, he is an unknown. Right now, we don't know if he is transportable or not. We are going to set up enough of a camp at the crash site to do proper triage, and, hopefully, stabilize them. Do you think that there is any chance of getting a medevac chopper in there?"

"Jack: I don't know. Nobody is going to order someone to fly into this soup. Let me go make some phone calls and see what we can get."

Jack calls the Retreat's infirmary and speaks to Dr. William Denny, DVM, MD, on the sat-phone to discuss what will be needed to tend the crash victims.

"Doc, I've told you all that we know about the crash victims. Now, can you give me a list of the supplies that we need to get to them? Keep in mind that they are thirteen or fourteen miles from base camp in the wilderness, that is only accessible by a wolf. What we take to them has to be transportable by Wolf saddle pack or, at least, what we can strap on to a wolf's back."

"Jack, I have to tell you that from the description of the girl's burns and the extent, it would be touch and go to save her in a good hospital."

"What sort of people medical people will you have working on her?"

"I don't know, yet. I'm hoping for an EMT or maybe an ex-combat medic."

"My first choice for her would be the combat medic. He will have some experience in treating burns. Whoever you get, here is the order of business."

"First off, prevent infection. This is something that you will need to help with. I want you to get three, new, nylon dome tents. I want one for each patient. Make them as large as you can carry in. Make sure that all windows and doors can be zipped closed. The object is to stop dust, pollen, and bacteria from getting in, once you have sterilized the inside. I want you to spray the entire inside surface with a fifty percent solution of phenol. That would have to come from a medical or chemical supply. Failing that, get a case of unscented Lysol spray. With either one, wet the inside surfaces of the tents and let it dry. Air it out with the bug screens closed, and then move one patient into each tent. If you can manage it, put them on cots with a pad under them. Cover the cot and pad, and then the patient, with clean white sheets."

"The girl with the burns is, most likely going to be dehydrated from the loss of fluids. They need to start a slow drip of five percent dextrose in ringer's lactate, interspersed with normal saline. She has a very small blood volume, so watch her blood pressure. Adjust the drip to keep it in the high, normal range. For now, cover her with hydrocolloid dressings. Then, we wait. If we can get her to a burn center soon, we won't dabble with antibiotics. They can have a downside for burn patients.

For now, keep her hydrated with normal saline, fed, and stabilized with 'D-five-W in ringer's. Keep the burns covered with 'hydrogel' dressings, and keep her as sterile as possible. That means that anyone entering her tent has on a surgical mask and gloves. Douse the gloves in alcohol before touching her. And, we wait. And, Jack: It would be a good idea to have a couple of vials of thiopental sodium, (that's sodium pentothal to you), and three-cc syringes with one inch, twenty-one gauge needles."

"We don't need to make her talk. What is the sodium pentothal for?"

"Jack, Pentothal is used as a general anesthetic, used to keep her under. If she regains consciousness, the shock of the pain would very likely kill her."

"Oh. I see."

"The next most critical patient is likely to be the man with the broken legs. First, we need to find out if, indeed he has compound fractures. If not, we need to get an estimate of how badly broken his legs are. A pair of badly broken legs can kill, just as fast as compound fractures. If blood flow is interrupted by the damage, gangrene will set in. If the fractures have broken the skin, an infection can set in. Get him stripped, and into one of the tents, (same accommodations), then cleaned and get those legs examined by someone with, at least, a little medical experience. Decisions will have to be made, then. He may be a customer for the Pentothal, too. Setting the bones is not going to be pleasant. Then obviously, treat any other wounds he has."

"The boy with possible internal injuries is a problem. Without equipment, it's going to take an experienced medical person to divine whether the injuries are just bruises or actual tearing damage. When it comes to that, we can try diagnosis by radio and sat-phone, but that is going to be slow and imprecise. Nevertheless, it may have to do. How long would it take to get medical supplies from here to you?"

"By car or pickup, I figure about four hours."

"How about if I were to call over to the university's medical center and order medical supplies from them and get them delivered to you? I'm a 'Fellow' there and if I explain the need they would probably sell us the supplies, and they will have everything on hand, in their supply room. I should warn you, though, assuming that they will do this, they are going to charge the hell out of us, for them."

"That would still be our best option if it can be done. Gathering medical supplies, 'willy-nilly,' would be almost impossible to do from here. I'll take care of the tents, cots, and bedding, though."

"Talk to Larry Wheaton, he knows where we are and maybe he could find you a delivery truck and driver."

[13:35, Wednesday, The Full Moon Retreat, the infirmary]

"Hi, this Dr. Bill Denny, I need to speak to the hospital administrator. Yes, I'll hold"

"John, This is Bill Denny. Say I have an unusual request. I am working with a large group of search and rescue people. They have been searching for a light plane that went down... Ye...Yes, it's that team of Werewolves. Yes, I know that it has been on every channel with live updates. Yes, they have found the crash site and they have three critically injured crash victims. The weather is too bad to get them medevacked out right away and the terrain is too rough and they are too far out to get the injured out. They are going to have to stabilize and treat them, as best as they can, in place. Well, they need a laundry list of supplies, and I am hoping that you would let us buy them out of your supply room. Yes, it's a pretty big list. No, there is no major equipment. Everything will have to be taken to the crash site by 'wolf express', so, it's all relatively small, packable stuff. Great, I'll fax a list over to your office. Could you just have it boxed and waiting at the dock? Yes... John, that's very generous of you. Yes, I'll tell them to make sure that the hospital gets full credit with the media. Thank you, John. I'll fax that list over shortly. Yes, I have one of their Werewolves arranging transportation for it. Thanks, John."