Weathering Storms

by Taborri Walker

  “Tea, hot for all, add milk for the children,” Florence was crisping out orders and bringing all those in need of care to one table. “Prop back Delia’s chair… Sesha, if I may, are you up to a quick check?”

  Darren and Nick set Sesha on the bench, then Nick turned his hand to Florence. “Her lower back injuries be broken open worse; her suit be blood-boltered over the whole area, mid-back to hips.” Quiet, Sesha heard nonetheless.

  “Shni, is there a way to get the Aga to tighten up along my back?”

  “Almost there, Sesh… I’m staying on vocal mode only, less energy. Dunk me in seawater again, I’ll get a boost. Computer says if you can dunk in water too, it’ll give the Aga systems a boost as the nutrients in the water are imbued in the suit’s material.”

  “How about a bucket poured on?”

  “Not as good but it would help.”

  “Will hurt your injuries terribly, the salt shall,” Ruth worried.

  “Please just do it after I check Dinah,” and took the medical unit Florence was keeping for her. In the time it took two men to run to the ocean and get four buckets of water, to a quiet, watching crowd Sesha ran the scan.

  “Dinah, the medical unit tells my computer that you’re going into labor again and if it’s not stopped, the baby will die, perhaps you too. I can have the device stop the labor again or you can choose to give birth now. The boy will die, he’s too little but you would have a chance.”

  “If… Timothy and I go with you to your ship, could they save the baby?” Her eyes were huge with fear and holding her hand, her husband nodded hard.

  “I believe they could save him. There are so many wonderful things that can be done. Until we get home, you will sleep a special sleep that will not let you or the baby grow any older – or anyone else, for that matter – until the special doctors and nurses come on board. So choose, Delia… you’re awake and aware, your husband is here. Let the baby die and have more later or I have my medical program help you stop the labor. But if I do that you must follow the instructions it will tell me, for you.”

  The girl looked at her husband and for a moment Sesha wondered; were they paired intentionally or was love at least, allowed? But she waited, leaning back against Nicodemus who held her gently while Beulah pulled her again bloody hair back into a braid and dripped wax liberally on the ends to hold it together.

  “We will have the labor stop… we jus’ pray th’ babe is both of ours. Can you tell now?”

  “Afraid not, dear. Would that make a difference?” at that, both faces moued.

  “Our belief will not allow the babe to die, an’ it could live,” Timothy explained. “But… we be not sure could love the child rightly if tis… his.” Ah. The hatred that ran deep here was finally coming out.

  “If the babe is born now, he will definitely die,” Sesha reiterated. “If you wait and help is able to save him then you could give the baby to a family who would raise him well. But you need to choose now; I have to do my work to wake up my crewmates or we’ll all be in a bad way.”

  Nick brought a cup to her lips; fruit juice and reluctantly Sesha drank. A warm biscuit was brought too, with heavy butter for longer lasting energy. Nick had to coax bites down her as she just didn’t feel like eating.

  “Please,” Delia settled back. “We will try.”

  Sesha used the medical device to painlessly extract a drop of blood which was used to fit the medicine to her DNA – of course, Sesha didn’t explain all this. Perhaps later, with time and education….

  “I’m going to touch this to your neck and you’ll feel a cool spot, like ice there. You’ll get sleepy too. The medical programs says absolutely not on your feet at all, Delia, not even to void. Soft foods too, no meat of any kind just breads, fruit and vege – um… I hate that word,” it was a real stumble for her. Came out vege-tebble. “Stay warm too. All right?”

  “Will,” and she yawned, for the medicine was in.

  “Now to you,” Florence ordered. “Rebandage the wound or do the water first?”

  “Water. Shni says to rub some right in no matter how hard I scream. It’ll wash some of the gunpowder out and the salt will seal the small bleeding areas.”

  “Florence?” now Shni’s voice sounded.

  “Yes, Shni?”

  “Put your hand on me first… I need to tell you something that Sesh won’t hear.”

  “Excuse me?” she fussed but by then it was too late.

  “Bring her here, Nick, Darren, to me. Men, pour the seawater an’ soak ev’er bit of our Sesha even if she yell. Hold her head steady, Nick.” Florence took Darren to the side and spoke quietly to him and Beulah. Luckily for Sesha she didn’t see their eyes widen before they turned away.

  Sesha was set down in a chair and one of the teen boys held her shoulders firmly while a man slowly poured the seawater from her shoulders all down her front. And Sesha did scream and howl as she threw her head back to prevent the water from hitting her in the face. Another man then scooped her up, turned her carefully over his raised knee and they soaked her back and legs with water again. This time she managed to kick some, then went limp, exhausted.

  “Please to stretch her out on a bench,” Florence asked, and the people of one table gladly vacated their bench fastest for the limp girl.

  “Dry out the wound well, Rachel.” The three were coming close as the bloody, wet cloths were tossed to the side. “Darren, as I just said,” and in a sudden move Darren sat across Sesha’s thighs, his hands clamping down on her wrists. “Brace or cover ears, all,” Florence’s yell bounded around and then Beulah tipped the contents of the bowl into the huge wound.

  The scream was truly incredible; babies and toddlers started to cry even though it was brief for Sesha passed out. Florence pressed a clean folded cloth on the wound which Beulah held. Then she passed a long strip of cloth under the opposite arm pit, tore a hole in the other side and had Darren put her hand through it.

  “Give me a baby’s bowl,” Beulah said and a clean one was fetched. Pressing the small, shallow dish into the wound, the candle wax just poured in formed around it. The bandage was tied at the bowl, wrapped twice around the shoulder and tied again. Then they woke Sesha up and she treated everyone to a full repertoire of alien swear words until Shni made her stop.

  “I told them to, Sesh. The bleeding has to stop completely until you get to the shuttle and get the first aid kit out. You know the pressure pack? You’ll have to use it. The Aga is set up but in the meantime the hot wax and bowl bandage will stop the hemorrhaging. I know it hurt but this will be less than when you use the pressure pack.”

  “And you know this how?” Nick and Darren had sat her up, then lifted her onto the top of the table. Sarah and Rachel sat on either side of her legs. A bowl was set down, with a spoon. Sesha looked at the fruit cobbler and her stomach turned even when Rachel proffered a bite by her mouth.

  “I wouldn’t, it’s just what the medical program says. And I agree, you should eat.” The Shni construct gave her a little push.

  “I don’t think I can after what I just did.” Slumping on the table top, Sesha was somber and truly on the verge of tears. “I’ve never even considered killing anyone and I’ve just burned away 10 men! Taking off Hosea’s leg will count as murder too. Killing is always criminal, no matter what the issue. I think I’m in for a mind-wipe after we get home.” Sesha buried her face in her hands and fought the urge to weep.

  ““We” meaning you and your crew?”

  “No, “we” meaning me, my crew and all of you who still want to go now that insaniac is dead, and all his little twelikies… um, silly animals that follow you around, too.”

  “That would be monkeys, here on Earth,” Theodore, Hannah’s husband informed her as he moved by, going to a table. “They mimic what they see people do.”

  Sesha nodded and managed a brief smile.

  “As we eat, we will begin compiling a list of those who wish to leave. Peter-John?” Beulah caught the attention o
f a man sitting near by. “Would you please fetch paper and quill, and begin a list of those who are going?”

  “I woulds’t gladly, Righteous –“ he stopped mid-sentence and sighed. “Beulah. I’m glad to do it, Beulah.” He clapped a hat on his head and hurried into the storm.

  “What may we bring?” Deborah bustled over with a warm wet cloth and wiped down Sesha’s face again, then pulled off her shawl and draped it over. Sesha was shivering, both with chill and shock.

  “Well first, for those who are not coming with me, let them take what is theirs and more to survive.”

  “The storm is worsening; if the hurricane comes ashore there will be much damage an’ leaving will be difficult.”

  “Have you had these kind of storms before?”

  “Oh yes… this is the twelfth one in our years here. Some be short, easy blows but this one aims to be the worst yet.”

  “We should camp out in the root cellars then,” Florence sat on the table beside Sesha and took her hand. “Leave after the storm is done.”

  Leaning against her, Sesha sighed deeply. “Have those who are going pack the wagons with what they want to take first. Then all of you choose things; layer your clothing if you want, bring some sheet music please, books, items easy to carry – tools, stitchery, personal objects. Oh, and seeds. Plants, or just snippings off them. Keep them wrapped in wet cloths, samples of your foods, especially. While my ship is… huge… there’s only 100 beds total, but each one can take several babies and two or three children, so there will be room for all of you. Your possessions will be secured; nothing will be lost, I promise. That’s what the ship is for, room for goods.”

  “Lass,” one of the city’s many men approached. “I be Gabriel, Master ship-builder. You sat with my son on his arithmetic,” When Sesha nodded, smiling, he went on. “What of the dogs and other animals?”

  “Oh… where are the dogs?”

  “Since coming in, they have laid akimbo on each other in the corner. The little ones are crawling on them, playing happily.”

  “Help me down? I need to ask them what they want,” even more odd looks all turned her way as Gabriel scooped Sesha off then knelt and carefully set her on the floor where she crossed her legs. “They’re very smart, you know… just badly treated. Brutus!” she called. The huge dog started to rise, realized a baby was draped over him and gently shrugged the child off onto another laying down animal, then trotted over. Sesha had to endure sniffing, especially her shoulder, then a good face wash.

  Put me against his throat Sesh… quickest way to the brain.

  Sesha just petted the dog using her injured arm despite the horrible pain, the Gem pressed against his side-neck. After a minute he washed her face again and trotted back. Everyone watched quietly as he nosed his mate, who turned and nosed another dog who turned and nosed another until all the dogs had touched noses and made soft noises while they carefully shifted around.. Without hurting any children they got up, slipped the children and babies gently to the floor, shook well and all trotted over, where they lay down around Sesha.

  “Shni asked them; stay and roam the forest or try to live with the native people here, go with the group going back to the City or come with me.”

  “They chose,” Gideon smiled. “Are these truly animals?”

  “Their far distant ancestors were from another planet,” she was honest, “and over the generations lost the intellect as they bred with similar animals on your world. Their appearance is still virtually identical but yet, these are animals. Just not the ‘brute beasts’ as the Monitors thought. Okay guys, you’re coming with me.”

  “Where will the dogs be?” Benjamin sat down by Sesha.

  “There’s a whole floor for animals. They’ll get a room and sleep, just like us. But folks, I need to get going. The sooner I get my ship awake the sooner everyone can go their ways,” her voice choked up a moment; this meant losing Florence for her and Beulah. Selfish to include herself she knew and didn’t care.

  “How much seawater do you need, child?” Darren asked. He picked up a blanket off the growing pile, for people were making short dashes to collect things, and wrapped Sesha in it while Nick brought over a warming pan and nestled it into her tummy, making her sigh with the relief.

  “A lot. Lots. Maybe 20 buckets would get enough energy to wake up a few – the engineers – and they can help get more.”

  “There be a barrel,” Ezra threw himself on top of Benjamin to shove him aside, “at the forges. Be our chore to roll it empty to the pump for fresh water. Takes 50 buckets to fill it, then we roll it back with prybars and bricks to make it move. Tis our only chore, almost. Picking fruit too,” his face soured until Sesha leaned sideways and gently knocked her head with his.

  “That would be wonderful… if someone could get it to the ocean then,”

  “I’ll help,” “Me too,” the voices overlapped each other as the two boys pushed at each other again, the common urge to wrestle still strong in them.

  “Here,” Beulah handed them a bowl. “Feed Sesha to help first,” so they began to force feed the woman who protested and pushed the food away.

  “Ya need ta eat a little,” Benjamin pushed the bread at her mouth again.

  “Yea verily,” Ezra agreed, “or ye’ll… you’ll,” he corrected, “faint b’fore you can do what you gotta. So open,” he lifted the cup of milk and obediently Sesha took a swallow. The boys kept at her until she’d finished the small portion.

  “Is there a way to get to my shuttle, quickly? It’s down the road I came in on… while I go get it and fly it here, someone could get the barrel and fill it? I’ll land on the shore, refill my shuttle tanks with fresh water if needed and get to the ship.”

  People swirling around preparing to start packing stopped and stared again. Sesha understood immediately.

  “My ship flies, the small one does. Is there something I can draw with? I’ll kind of show you,” a piece of coal was handed over and Sesha just drew it on the floor. A large rectangle with a long skinny rectangle under it connected by little lines. Then she curved the top of the large box from the middle to halfway down the width and put in a door. “Basic shape here. You’ll see light – kind of like fire without lapping up or jumping – from the back, bottom and spurts of air from the sides. It’ll make an odd type of… screaming noise? Not harsh, but different from anything you’ve ever heard.”

  “Is it a monster?” a child asked with a touch of fear.

  “No darling, it’s not. It’s a funny shaped box people sit in and go places. Just without wheels! You’ll fly in it.”

  “Like a bird?”

  “Um… a little, maybe. Just stay back when you see it until it sits down and becomes quiet. Then you can come close and touch it, okay?” The child nodded an ran back to her group of friends.

  “So for plans, those returning to cities, start packing the wagons now, all know where they be kept. Get the oxen from their paddock,” Florence had no fear of taking charge, she was a woman far ahead of her time, here! “get them hitched up. Woulds’t someone to please pack the Infirmary items, the herbs, oils, bandages? All but the beds and large furniture. My personal effects still be packed in the trunk in the Single Women’s room. I would appreciate someone taking it to a wagon, prithee.”

  Sesha wouldn’t let anyone help her up though hands reached willingly. She had to do this on her own, had to show she was strong enough. It took longer than she wanted and tottered a moment, then steadied as Shni had the medical unit give her a boost. She started to open her mouth to ask about going to the shuttle when a man came in from the wet weather.

  “‘Tis beginning to rain very hard, Miss Sesha.” Lewis said,

  “Does it squall like this very often?” she asked. “This was the weather when I crashed.”

  “‘Tis unpredictable. We may have days and days of this, or just one day. My wife and I do journal the weather and we cannot make sense of it yet.”

  “Give your world a few h
undred years and it will be better,” she smiled. “In the meantime, I need to get to my ship and the sooner I do that, the better we’ll all be.” Another totter as she stepped forward, only to have her elbow caught firmly.

  “Miss Sesha, I be… I am Robert. The piece of washed up wood, remember?”

  She smiled up at the young man and he colored at that.

  “I… ride well, and can take you to where your ship is if you show me. Then you can bring it here. The stables are not far away and I have sent another for my horse already.” He blushed again at the presumption he’d taken.

  “Hey!” both boys yelled. “We asked first!”

  Sesha raised hands palms up facing out, so they fell quiet. “Let me get to the shuttle with Robert. He’s coming right back. I have to do several things before I start it up, and I have to fly by sight to your shoreline. The ship will be real… unstable at first. But once I get it fully ready, we’ll talk to your parents about coming along for the first trip. I will need someone who can roll barrels!” The grins on their faces made her smile and Sesha looked at the mothers standing there, who both nodded agreement. Then two men joined the women and they nodded too. “If it is alright with you, I’ll take the boys with me when I get the water. We’ll be back,” she swayed with faintness again, “in perhaps one full day. Can everyone be ready to go by then?”

  Affirmatives rang out everywhere, and then Darren threw the blanket around her again and caught a men’s hat thrown to him which he planted firmly on her head and did up two strings under her chin to hold it on. Then he went out with her and Robert into the now-pouring rain. He mounted the horse easily despite two lanterns hanging from the horse’s side, then Darren put his hands around Sesha’s waist.

  “Will try not to hurt you whilst putting you on, lass,” he shouted.