"Okay, don’t try to move him," Mario said. He clambered around the wheels and got his first look. "Shit." He checked the spar. "Not good." He tried to heft it, but Toshi screamed. "Crap. Tess get Joyce sorted out. Toshi calm down, breath, focus on not passing out. I am going to grab a jack to get that off you." Mario ducked out and sprinted to the nearest rover.
Tess grabbed Joyce by her pack. "Turn, I see." She pulled out a patch and then pulled Joyce's hand aside. "I have. Nasty." She placed the patch and sealed its edges. "Will hurt. Should go to rover."
Joyce shook her head. "No way. I'll be okay." She slowly rolled her shoulder. "Toshi, I owe you a beer," she said looking at him. Toshi groaned softly.
"Not into beer," he chuckled weakly. His breath could be heard over the radio. There was ragged sobs in it, but he seemed to be getting under control.
“Sorry, we don't have a warm Saki either,” Joyce joked weakly.
“I don't drink,” Toshi said weakly. “Though a shot now would do me some good,” he sighed biting his lip in pain. It felt like his legs were on fire.
Tess knelt and plugged into his suit. "Okay, your vitals aren't good, but you’re relatively stable. No sign of leak." She looked up to see Mario coming in with the jack.
"I'm cold," Toshi said, trying to suppress a shiver...
"You’re going into shock. We'll bump up your heater, but you need to stay with us," Mario replied as he dug out a spot under the spar and then jammed the jack in.
"So, what do you want?" Joyce asked, trying to distract Toshi.
"A kiss," Toshi replied softly. "Never mind, forget I said that." He groaned as Mario started jacking the spar up.
"Okay, when the spar is high enough, we can pull him out. Are you sure your back is okay?" Mario asked.
"Back is fine. Butt is numb. Legs are in pain," Toshi replied through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, I think you got spanked a little hard," Mario chuckled. "Almost there buddy." He watched anxiously as the spar rose a few millimeters above his calves. When it was two centimeters above his calves he nodded to Joyce. "Grab an arm Tess." Joyce and Tess carefully pulled. Half way through the pull Toshi screamed and passed out. "Damn," Mario said, feeling like his ears were bleeding.
"He's clear." Joyce reported. "Here."
They maneuvered him out from under the Hab. "How are we going to carry him?" Joyce asked as they got a look at his broken legs. "Damn, is that bone sticking out under the suit skin?" she asked softly. Her stomach roiled at the sight of it.
"Yeah. Glad it didn't pierce the suit," Mario replied. He grabbed the little Japanese man's right arm and quickly slung him up over his shoulder into a fireman's carry.
"Tess get to the rover, let them know we are coming in hot and prep for injured," Joyce ordered, training kicking in. Tess sprinted for the nearest Hab. Mario followed as quickly as he could Joyce followed watching anxiously.
...*...*...*...*...
"You're awake, good. Well little man, you've got compound fractures of both legs. Nasty." Doctor Waldecker rested her hand on his shoulder. Toshi tried to lift his eyelids but they felt heavy. "Sedatives are wearing off. We're giving you morphine for the pain," the Doctor reported. He felt confusion, then a sense of embarrassment. He knew he must have said things he had kept to himself.
"You were lucky the broken bones didn't break your skin or suit. It is still going to take you a long time to recover," the Doctor finished. His eyelids drooped. "Yes sleep. Good. It will help heal. I will turn heat up to combat shock," she said and then moved off. An anxious voice asked if he was okay and they murmured. He tried to focus but was suddenly too tired. He felt himself drift then fall asleep.
"Is he going to be okay Doctor?" Joyce asked feeling an odd sense of anxiousness.
"Yes, his injuries are severe, but recoverable. I set all four bones so he should recover without any loss of motion," the Doctor replied. "Let us just look at that shoulder shall we?" She motioned Joyce to sit. Reluctantly she did.
"It's nothing," Joyce replied.
"Than you won't mind my having a look. Oh my, this is a little more than nothing commander; you’re going to need stitches." The Doctor sucked in her breath as she lifted the bandage back. "Oh yes, what did you do?" she said, voice full of dismay. She felt along the edge. Joyce gasped and flinched. "Yes a local at least. The flesh is bruised; we may have to wait on stitching until the swelling has gone down. Glue may work."
The Doctor went over and pulled out a set of rubber gloves. "I'm not contagious doc," Joyce teased.
The Doctor grimaced. "I hate getting blood on my hands," she sighed. “Glue is even worse,” she replied and then smiled. "Okay, let’s get your top off and have you lay on your front that should let me get to this a little easier." Joyce pulled her top off and instinctively covered her breasts.
"How are they doc?" Mario came in and caught a glimpse of Joyce's front before he hastily backed up around the corner. "Oops, sorry Joyce," he called.
She sighed. "Never mind, we're all family here," she replied. She groaned softly as the Doctor probed the wound.
"Toshi will be okay, he is out. I set both legs," the Doctor replied as she probed at the wound. "Let me just get that local your flinching too much." She went over to the medicine cabinet and started pulling supplies.
"And Joyce?" Mario asked.
"Ten centimeter bruise and four centimeter laceration. I am going to give her a local and then clean and disinfect the wound," the Doctor replied.
"Do you need an assistant? Tess and I both have paramedic training," he replied.
"I think I have it in hand. I will call one of you if things change," The Doctor dismissed him.
"Thanks doc. Hope you get better soon Joyce," Mario replied and then went to check on things. He'd have to find a way to patch her suit. Fortunately the Hans and Commander Brower had left theirs behind so they had plenty of material to work from.
...*...*...*...*...
Tess looked over the site and grimaced. Mario had dragged the broken truck away from the hab with the rover and winch. He was examining the thing. He kicked the tire and then unhooked the cable. "Is not safe to work alone Mario, close to dark," Tess reminded him.
"Yeah. Stupid. So stupid. It was on the outer edge of the tires tipped, I should have known better, I should have propped it up so it wouldn't have done that," he grumbled. He slapped his thigh.
"Is accident. These things happen," Tess said softly. "Is no one’s fault," she said.
"No it's mine," Mario replied with a growl.
"Is everyone’s. I should have known, Toshi, Joyce, we all should have thought of it. We didn't. Toshi and Joyce will live and learn," she replied firmly and then shrugged. "Is best we can hope for. No sense crying over split hydraulic fluid." She waved to the puddle. He chuckled.
"I think you're confusing your metaphors there but I get you," he sighed.
"Joyce and Toshi don't blame you. They will tell you themselves if you listen. We will learn." She waved. "Is much better, we have four wheels fixed. Can move with them."
He nodded. "Yeah, but Toshi is right, we should go with five." He looked at the broken and cut spar hanging.
"Can weld patch like you suggested," Tess suggested and waved. "Tomorrow. Now we need to get back to base before dark." She waved to the rovers. "Coming?" she ordered. He nodded.
Mario nodded to Joyce as he passed her when they returned. "Cutting it a bit fine aren't you? Sundown was twenty minutes ago," she asked arms crossed.
He shook his head. "Sorry for breaking curfew mom," he replied, head down as he passed her and left. Joyce looked over to Tess.
"What's eating him?" she asked.
"He feels responsible," Tess replied, racking her gear.
"Yeah, well, it was an accident," Joyce said and then shrugged then grimaced as the wound on her shoulder stabbed her.
"Damn," she sighed. "Well, we're not going back to hab three for a couple days; another storm front is rolling in." She shook h
er head.
"Will fester. Need projects to keep mind occupied," Tess sighed then brightened. "I have idea. I check on it, let you know in morning." She rushed passed the commander smiling.
"Glad someone can think of something to do," Joyce chuckled.
...*...*...*...*...
The next morning Tess looked Mario up. He was looking out the porthole moodily. She cleared her throat. "What? If this is another speech you can save it." He didn't turn from the view.
"No, need you to get off ass and help," Tess replied. He turned on her eyes glittering. "I need help with project," Tess smiled. He raised an eyebrow. "Will help Toshi." She beckoned him to follow. Reluctantly he did.
"This sucks, no way am I going to be trapped in this bed for the next three months!" Toshi grumped for the thirtieth time that morning. "My butt is already numb and getting bedsores. If I have to watch another re-run of Ninja gladiator I swear I am going to break something," Toshi growled as Joyce came in.
"Awe it's been two days and you're already going stir crazy?" she teased and then smiled. "Glad it finally set in, I thought you were made of iron or something," she said. She came over and rested her hand on his arm. He looked up at her. "So I seem to remember owing you something for saving me," she said, voice softening. He tried not to blush. She leaned forward and looked into his eyes. "Something like this." She tilted her head and kissed him. He returned the kiss, arms instinctively reaching out to hold her. She sat down on the edge of the bed.
"My samurai hero," she said as they broke the kiss. "Next time you want to get my attention, find a less dangerous way of doing it okay?" she said softly. "I know it takes a lot to get past my guard, but you have my full attention." She smiled at him. He ducked his eyes. "I'm not immune to charm you know," she teased. "And the anonymous gifts in training didn't go unnoticed."
He really did blush then he thought he had gotten away with it. "As a commander I wasn't supposed to get into a relationship. But since Mario is in charge, I don't think we have to worry about that right?" She captured his chin and pulled it up gently so she could look into his eyes. He nodded, struck dumb by her sudden change. "We've got all the time in the world," she said softly. Tess cleared her throat behind them. Reluctantly he broke her lock on his eyes to look. She turned and looked as well. "What?" she asked lifting an eyebrow.
Tess smiled. "When the Doctor lets you out of bed we have something for you to move around deck in," Tess replied. She motioned to Mario. He pushed in a makeshift wheelchair.
"Nascar regulation it's not, but it should get you around for a while," he replied sheepishly rubbing his thinning hair. Tess smiled.
"How did you do it?" Toshi asked, eying the contraption.
"We took the wheels from carts, bits from the Reprap, and the seat from plastic sheets..." She waved. "You can look it over yourself." Mario wheeled the chair up to his bed.
"That is cool," Toshi smiled. "Thanks."
Mario nodded. "Thank Tess, she thought of it.” He nodded to her. “I know it sucks to be stuck in the bed, hopefully this will help." Mario finished with a shrug.
Toshi nodded. "Thank you for carrying me back to the rover." He looked at both of them.
"No problem." Mario blushed. "I'm sorry you got hurt..." Mario began.
Toshi waved. "It was worth it." He looked up at Joyce. "Wasn't it?"
She smiled. "Yeah. It was," she said with a slight smile. He sighed. Mario and Tess gave each other a look then retreated. Tess grinned but didn't say anything as they went their separate ways.
...*...*...*...*...
"Almost there, you got it." Mario waved as Tess rolled past him. The Hab was at the edge of the crater, teetering. All six rovers had been drafted to pull the hab up the slope. Doctor Waldecker had pitched a fit over loosing mission time to do the pull pissing Mario off to no end. Joyce had intervened and sweetly suggested the good Doctor start processing some of his recent finds in the lab while they worked on the Hab.
"Okay we're at the edge. Good, keep up the momentum... “Joyce called out encouraging. They had dozered the lip of the crater a little to make it a little easier to get over. Hopefully anyway she thought. "Okay over the lip, easy! EASY! This slope down is rough!" She pulled ahead, trying to keep the line taught to keep the hab under some control.
"Wish we could have had something behind to pull back like train," Tess replied.
"You’re good,” Mario replied. He looked over to the empty rover being controlled by Toshi remotely. A camera turned to view him.
"Everything okay Toshi?" he asked. Toshi was doing a bang up job remote controlling three of the rovers. It gave him something to do and feel like he was a part of the team.
"No problem," Toshi replied. His voice sounded strong.
Mario chuckled. "Good to hear." He waved the truck on. "We're over the worse part. Just keep it moving," he ordered. Momentum was key to getting the thing where they needed it. Getting it rolling had redlined all six rovers. He watched as the hab passed him, moving to one side to see if he could spot any potential problems. "Okay gang, move to the left ten degrees, we have a rock to dodge." In unison the six rovers turned. He trotted up to the rock and eyed the approaching Hab.
"Okay... yeah, a little more to the left, okay, we're good," he sighed in relief as the wheels passed within a couple centimeters of the rock. "Next stop base." He waved as the hab passed.
"Better get a move on or you'll get left behind," Wanda chuckled. He looked at them retreating and moved back into a trot. He caught up with the hab and managed to grab the ladder rungs and swing himself off his feet.
Carefully he climbed the hab, pausing when it shook a little or turned. When he got to the roof he clambered over the top then leopard crawled to the edge. He nestled down in between a satellite dish and a solar panel near the edge. "Okay, I'm set," he reported. He watched as they maneuvered around rocks. "Now I know what a wagon master must have felt in the Wild West," he joked.
"Where are you?" Toshi asked.
"Should we stop and go back?" Wanda and Joyce asked.
"Nah, I have a ring side seat. I'm on top of the hab," he replied with a grin.
"Hope it doesn't fall over," Wanda replied darkly.
"As long as you keep to the straight and narrow, we shouldn't have a problem... Wait, female drivers... Oh god, I'm going to die..." he teased.
"No, but you will when we get back to base," Wanda growled.
"Oh!!! Meany!" he teased. Joyce laughed. "Looking good, we need to edge twelve degrees, no maybe fifteen to the right, there is a creek bed up ahead," Mario cautioned.
"Is he going to back seat drive all the way there?" Joyce asked with a laugh.
"Probably," Tess replied with a sigh.
...*...*...*...*...
It was nightfall when the convoy pulled into base camp. "Should we try to dock?" Joyce asked tiredly.
Mario grunted. "In the dark? Nah, put the cars to bed for the night, we'll go over them in the morning before the rock heads leave." He climbed down from the hab and looked around. He had been forced to jack into the Hab's life support to resupply his suit twice. Now that it was in base camp he'd have to go over the thing with a fine tooth comb to make sure nothing leaked or was busted up enough to cause a problem later.
"I'm clear," Wanda called, waving as she coiled her winch line.
"Me too." Tess finished.
"I'm not exactly able to unhook mine," Toshi replied.
"I gotcha." Mario went over and unclipped the line and safety chain. "You’re good." He patted the back bumper. Toshi drove his rovers off. Mario coiled the line the left it in front of the wheel. "Just leave the lines attached, we'll need them in the morning." He looked over to see the drivers had already done so. He chuckled softly to himself as he watched the last, Sergei depart. "Well, that went well..."
The next morning Tess, Joyce, and Mario ran an extensive service of each vehicle before waving the impatient Doctors to theirs. "All set. Keep an eye on the rear motor, sh
e's acting a little hinky. Probably picked up a pebble or two," Mario cautioned. He watched as the scientist climbed in. "Have a safe trip hon," he said as he hugged Wanda. She hugged him back then climbed in.
"See you in a few days," she replied with a wave.
"Okay, let's finish the job." He turned as his wife's rover left to look at the Hab. "Toshi, can you mind the cameras and laser range finders? Keep us honest?" Mario asked. He knew it was important to keep the man busy, to make him feel he is contributing to keep his moral up.
"Yeah, I can do that," Toshi responded slowly.
"Good we need to keep this thing aligned, the closer we can get it the better. We can't link them directly, but the less travel between..." Mario replied. Toshi clicked the channel signaling he understood.
"What are you waiting for?" Joyce waved at the foot of the Hab. "Mine is already hooked up!" She waved to indicate her rover. Mario chuckled and got to work.
...*...*...*...*...
Three days later another dust storm drove Wanda and Waldecker back early. Waldecker wasn't happy about mission control ordering them back.
Wanda shrugged. “We've got plenty to do around base. We can run the last two surveys through the spectrometers; update the survey maps, and chores,” she replied when he started to gripe once more. He stomped off. She'd put up with his sullen attitude for the entire trip back and was heartily sick of it.
She met Mario and Joyce as they came out of the vault. Mario gave her a hug and they entered the airlock together arm in arm. “That place is amazing!” Joyce shook her head. “I've seen the video and the Sims, but it has really changed!” She smiled. Mario nodded. Now that the Hab was back they'd finally had the time to take her out on a tour. Sergei was going nuts, eager to get the ponds finished.
"See, he really isn't as dumb as he looks." Wanda said, giving the suddenly scowling Mario her best innocent expression.
"Dumb as he looks?" he growled. "Perhaps a discipline session in the bedroom is in order..." he suggested.
Her eyes widened in mock fear. "Oh I can hardly wait," she murmured wickedly. He chuckled.
First Steps (Founding of the Federation) Page 28
