CH8 (89)
Driving to Myrtle Beach for 4th of July. Not sure who gets there first. Me or the hurricane/tropical depression.
No updates till Tuesday. Shoot off some fireworks for me everyone.
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Three weeks later Roy was meeting up with Rick and Kate and Roy had a long case in hand.
"All of the residence domes have completed construction and each has a furniture package all in boxes that you will need to assemble.
The barn dome for the farm equipment and the barn dome for the quads have also been completed.
As far as domes go the only one left is your submarine pen that I'm going to leave for you to decide where it goes.
Your windmills are up and operational and the electrical system has been tested and is presently working.
Lucy has been plugged into the server and the few monitors that you do have are all in public places. The main three domes and all of the secondary domes. Hopefully the next ship will bring more.
Since I've been eating your cooking of late Rick, I know you two have gone hunting already. And trust me when I say I'm going to miss your cooking till I make it back here. I think the crew is too. Showing up at one of your colonies is one of the highlights of doing this job." Roy is smiling. He could eat the baby food, but Rick was spoiling him and he knew it.
Rick looks at the ground for a second. "Thanks. … The freezer is about half full already. We need to go looking for perishables soon and fill up our dry storage and we'll be set."
"We're thinking of hunting crocs starting tomorrow. If we can at least get two or three Rick can change up our meals a little. " Kate adds. There was something about kangaroo meat that just didn't sit well with her.
"Speaking of which I've got a little toy for you." Roy places the case he has on the ground and opens the latches holding it closed.
"I picked this baby up from a friend. He wasn't supposed to give it to me and I'm not supposed to give it to you. So I trust you'll keep this to yourself. I don't want any of us to get into trouble." Roy looks at both of them, then opens the case.
Roy stands up holding what was inside in both hands. Kate sucks in a breath knowing exactly what it is.
Rick's eyes are wide open and trying to pop out of his head. "Wow a rifle."
"Not just any rifle, this is an army issued M41A Pulse rifle. It functions in a manner similar to Detective Castle's weapon that she wears. The power core is self-regenerating just like hers. It also is capable of firing a stun and damage setting. The tiny plasma ball it shoots is identical to the one her weapon shoots. Its range is comparable to hers." Roy explains. Hefting it up for Rick to see.
"This is the power button here. It takes a few seconds for the power to build up, unlike detective Castle's weapon. It is capable of firing a total of 99 rounds within a 24 hour period. This is the safety, this is stun and this is damage. The sights are fixed so it is meant for close in fighting.
It's a single shot, however as fast as you can pull the trigger it will fire off a round. There is a new one under development that can fire off a 6-shot short burst if selected, but it's not available yet. There are also plans for a long range version. Up to 2 miles I'm told." And Roy hands it over to Rick.
Rick is feeling the weight of it noticing it is a lot heavier than the Henry rifle he had back at the summer home. However it was a shorter weapon.
"Why?" Kate looks squarely at Roy.
"Mostly two reasons. You remember the time when you were pregnant and unable to hunt? At that time only you and Rick had done the hunting, and without you he was forced to use a bow and arrow system.
Well you two are the only ones on this colony that have any hunting skills. And we both know Rick has had practice shooting and hunting back on Earth. So if for any reason, Pregnancy, injury or just sick in bed, Rick doesn't have to rely on his bow and arrow." Roy explains, hoping she sees the point.
"And the second?" Kate asks him, knowing she has no intention of being pregnant this time. Though she hadn't planned on being pregnant the first time, or the second for that matter.
"I'd like to think the next ship is only 4 months out, but there is a good chance it will be closer to 6 months. This thing may come in handy before then. And I trust you two. Or to be more precise I trust you to keep Rick in line using this thing." Roy looks directly at Kate.
Kate was starting to grin, knowing that if she had too she was going to beat Rick over the head with his new gun. But she could also understand Roy's reasoning. "Fine. But you pull that thing out only when we go hunting babe, or I'll hurt you with it instead." Kate glares at Rick, getting Roy to chuckle silently. These two were a blast to have around.
"I'm sure you and the others will be fine." Roy tells them bye and boards his shuttle. An hour later the Sun Rises has broken orbit and is headed for home.
"Let's put this thing away and go start dinner. Maybe Alexis has a clue where we can find us some gators for tomorrow." Rick offers and heads for their dome.
"We also need to get those greenhouses up so Alexis can get started. It's what's going to feed us thru the coming winter." Kate reminds him.
Rick didn't have any trouble with dinner; he had after all lots of practice. And the colonists were fast learning that they were not going to go hungry as long as Rick, Kate and Alexis were around.
Come morning after telling Alexis where they are going and what time they expect to be back, Kate was flying the shuttle to go croc hunting.
"We're going to stop somewhere so you can get in some practice with that thing." Kate tells Rick. Plus she wanted to see him use it and if he knew how.
"I've hunted with a weapon before Kate. What did you think you were eating at the summer house?" Rick asks her remembering back a few years.
"Small animals mostly. That's why you had traps. … We have some of those this time don't we?" Kate wasn't sure but Rick did bring a bag along with the case with the weapon in it.
"It's true a lot of the meat was what came from traps, but not all of it. Some of it was from deer meat that I shot and froze from the previous year." Rick assures her that he knows what he is doing.
"I keep forgetting you and Alexis had been going out there for years before I came along." Kate started thinking back to that time. "Do you miss it?" Kate turns to look at him.
"Miss Earth or miss the house?" Rick seeks clarification.
"Both, either." Kate just wanted to know.
"I can't say as I miss Earth. I miss parts of Earth. … Some of the places, like the library and museums and some of the people I knew. It was just a different life then.
But I have you now and I wouldn't trade it for anything. We could live in a one room cabin in a swamp and I would like it so long as it had you.
As for the summer house. Yeah, I miss it some. Alexis and I put a lot of work into that place. A lot of time, a lot of money, and we were happy there." Rick thinks back to when they lived there summer after summer.
"You think it's still there?" Kate asks remembering that house too. It's where she fell in love.
"Unless there has been a giant forest fire, yeah it should still be there. Sitting all alone, waiting for us. The windmills will keep the freezers running for years to come. What's in the freezers will eventually get freezer burn and go bad. With no maintenance it'll start to fall apart someday. …. Buy yeah, it's still there.
And with no bridge to reach it, it should still be empty too." It was isolated. No one but he and Alexis ever went there. Even the propane guy wouldn't go out there unless he was paid to. Though without a bridge to cross, even he wasn't going to make it.
Kate landed short of their destination and they both got out so Rick could get in some practice with his new toy. Although Kate soon found out that when it came to guns Rick was anything but a child and did not treat it like a toy.
Kate also found out that while he had to get used to the weapon, he was also a pretty good shot. Apparently he did have practice at this.
They finally reached a spot that was likely to be a salt water river and did some minor scouting.
Kate finally found what they thought was a good location so Kate moved the shuttle a lot closer while Rick watched for gators.
Kate finally found one that was in a good position to be shot and then recovered with little fuss.
Her first shot was a little high and it grazed its head. This got it to rear up and dive for the river. Kate's next shot however blew a hole in its head and it died just on the edge of the river.
"Took you two." Rick teases, getting a glare from Kate.
Rick walked for the shuttle to get the rope to drag it from the water's edge while Kate went down to look at it.
It wasn't very big. They had shot and killed ones twice its size. Kate was all set to bend over and grab its tail to pull it further in land when Rick yelled. "KATE NO!"
It got her attention and turned to look at Rick. Problem was she already had someone else's attention and a croc almost twice its size leaped out of the water and snapped down on Kate's leg.
Kate screamed in pain. The croc let go and then clamped down on her leg again and then started to twist its body, twisting Kate at the same time.
Then the croc turned itself to drag Kate out into the river still holding onto Kate's leg.
Rick came running down to the bank and was all set to shoot it when the croc and Kate disappeared below the surface of the water.
By now Rick could see other crocs making their way into the river to get their own piece of Kate. And Rick started firing shot after shot after shot.
Rick already knew the croc probably already had Kate at the bottom of the river trying to drown her.
With dead crocs on the far bank and all their blood it was attracting still more crocs.
"KATE!" Rick yells at the river, like somehow it would actually do any good. While Rick is watching where she went into the river he can see a sudden burst of three blue flashes in the river water below.
A few moments later Kate breaks onto the surface sputtering and coughing and slapping her arms all over, trying to keep from drowning.
The river was taking Kate downstream a little and Rick went with her on the shoreline.
Finally Kate was close enough that Rick risked wading out into the river to grab her.
He shouldered his weapon and grabbed Kate with both hands and started pulling her to shore.
Up on the bank he could tell her leg was badly injured and there was blood everywhere. Ripping open her pant leg he was partially sickened at what he saw. As her heart pumped out came a large squirt of blood.
The croc had gotten a major artery and she was bleeding to death, fast.
Rick didn't have much on him so he ripped off his belt and started tying it around her upper leg as tight as he could. Then he bent down and lifter her up and Kate screamed in pain and fainted.
Once in the shuttle he grabbed the medical kit and found a proper tourniquet and switched out his belt for it. The leg was a mess and he didn't know what to do first. So he closed the rear door and hopped into the pilots seat and started flying.
Rick didn't land where he was supposed to and landed with the rear facing the dome. Opening the rear door ramp he picked up Kate and started trying to run.
His arrival location had gotten some attention of the colonists, one of which started running for him to help. "Get the door." Rick just yelled at him. Watching him turn around and run for the door.
The second Rick was in view of a monitor he could hear Lucy. "Medical emergency. All medical teams to medical. All medical teams to medical."
Rick burst into medical where only a single nurse was in at the time. "In here." And opens the door for Rick. "Put her here." And pats the table and starts gathering supplies.
A minute later in bursts Madison and the only other nurse. "BECKS! …. BECKS?" Madison can tell she was unconscious. "What happened?"
"A croc got her and pulled her under water." Rick tells her scared out of his mind.
Madison moves to the leg. "Oh crap!" … "Get out Rick! GET OUT! …. Let us do our jobs." And Madison shoves him out the door.
Rick just stands there staring at a closed door, crying and scared. Finally he turns and moves away from the door but can't sit, doesn't even really remember how to sit.
Then in bursts Alexis. "DAD?"
Stepping over to hug her dad. "It's mom isn't it?" Scared of what the answer is.
Rick nods his head, not that Alexis can see since her head is buried in Rick. "A croc got her." Rick whispers out.
"How bad?" Alexis wants to know but doesn't really want to know.
"It's bad pumpkin. …. Really bad." Rick tightens his hold on her. He had to keep from falling apart somehow. He had three daughters that needed him.
Now Alexis is even more scared. She only just got a mom, she couldn't lose her now! Not now.
"Where are the girls?" Rick needs to know. Last he knew they were with Alexis.
"Shawn has them." Alexis responds.
Two hours later both Rick and Alexis are sitting in medical when Shawn without the girls comes in followed by a few colonists.
"Ok, I think we can use this table." Shawn tells the colonists.
Not understanding what is going on, like where are the girls Alexis said he was watching. "What's going on?" Rick asks.
"Lucy sent out a call for blood donors. Apparently she needs blood. These three are the first of many. Since I was helping Madison study for her final tests I know how to draw blood so I was drafted." Shawn explains.
After the second person is done. "Tell Lucy we have two units ready." Shawn tells the colonist as the next lies down on the table with two more right behind him.
Only seconds later one of the nurses comes out. Her hands are bloody as is the front of her gown and takes the blood units from Shawn.
"How is she?" Rick hops up and follows her to the door to where his wife is. But she didn't say a thing and Rick stops at the door.
He wants to go in and find out how Kate is doing, but he also knows if he does he'll just be in the way. Standing there for a minute before he turns around and goes back to sitting and waiting.
Then it hits him. "Where are the girls?"
"Some of the colonists are looking after them. Lucy called for help." Shawn replies as he keeps drawing blood.
Rick didn't know if he was happy or ashamed. It had already been three hours and it's only now he thinks of Emily and Kali, and places his head in his hands bent over. This couldn't be happening.
Shawn was done with the next two. "Tell Lucy we have 2 more." As the next volunteer lies down on the table with two more right behind her.
Seconds later the same nurse comes out to collect them and gives Rick and Alexis a quick smile before she disappears back behind the door.
The lady on the table twists her head to look at Rick. "Everyone in this colony knows what you and your wife mean to this colony. There are only a few of us with her blood type, but we would all give twice if we thought it would help.
There are already volunteers lined up to watch your girls." And she smiles at Rick and Alexis.
Rick isn't sure what to say. He's never had this kind of help before. "Thank you." Is all he can think of at the moment?
A little later Shawn has finished with two more. "Tell Lucy I have two more units ready." And watching him walk out while the next in line lies down on the table.
"You've already given blood." Shawn remembers him.
"So have the others. Just take what you need." He tells Shawn.
"You need to eat, drink and rest after this." Shawn warns him.
"I know, so do the others. Lucy has explained it to us. Just do it, you're wasting time." The colonist tells him.
A moment later out comes the same nurse who takes the units from Shawn. She is still caked in blood, gives a quick smile to Rick and Alexis and disappears behind the door again.
Rick is sitting there holding onto Alexis not sure who is comforting who. "It's almost dinner time." Rick notices.
One of the men in line. "It's already being taken care of. My wife and three others are going to give it a try. It may not taste like yours, but no one is going to go hungry."
Now Rick really doesn't know what to say. Their giving blood, twice even. Their watching his children and now they are cooking for him.
Shawn has run out of donors, all they have with Kate's blood type have all given twice. Now he is sitting with Rick and Alexis, waiting.
It's a few hours later when Madison walks out the door, looking dead tired and barely standing.
She immediately has everyone's attention. Madison takes a chair and moves it to sit in front of the three of them.
"She's alive." Madison starts off with. Getting everyone to start breathing again.
"However, it's bad Rick, really bad. I've done what I can for now. We'll need to operate again in a week maybe two at the most. Her left leg was broken. We've dealt with that. She has lost a portion of the leg that the croc literally ripped off. There is also a lot of muscle damage along with some tendon damage.
She's also going to need knee surgery eventually if she ever hopes to walk again.
Right now our major problem is the muscle damage. There just isn't enough left to allow her to walk on that leg again. And if the blood vessels don't hold from all my work, she'll lose it. Probably just above the knee down.
If over the next two weeks her leg gets the blood flow it needs to keep the tissues and the little muscle she still has healthy, we're going to steal muscles from other areas to shore up that leg.
Then we are going to start giving her steroids to help develop muscle growth.
Around that time we'll do another operation to attach our artificial skin grafts that we have. If it's not enough we'll take skin grafts from some other area of her body. Most likely the thigh area of her other leg.
Maybe in about a month, if all goes well, we can start physical therapy. It'll be very light. If we wait too long to start the muscles she still has will entropy and then she'll never walk again.
About that time we'll do another operation to repair her knee, or replace it completely most likely.
If we are careful, lucky and get cooperation from a likely stubborn Kate, she may be able to walk short distances on her own about a year from now. Even then she is likely going to need a cane to help her.
Running is likely something she will never be able to do again. And then there are the long term affects. As she grows older her leg will start giving her trouble. It is likely that later in her years, she will not be able to walk at all and require some kind of assistance to get around." Madison looked so sad for her friend.
"Can we see her?" Rick really wanted to see that she was alive. The rest was something they would all have to deal with.
"Give us an hour to clean her up and get her moved to a bed and make sure she is stabilized. We're also going to make sure that one of Lucy's monitors can see her and that Kate can see it.
I intend to keep her unconscious for the next week. If she was awake right now, the pain would be overwhelming, even for her." Madison had some kind of idea just how much pain Kate could cope with.