Blood Brothers by Vicky Seleya

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As the adults worked their way down to their quarry, they found True sitting on the ground, sobbing quietly as she cradled her father's head in her lap.

Uly rose from where he vigilantly knelt next to Alonzo to hug his tutor. "I'm sorry, Yale. We got lost."

"It is all right, Ulysses. Just, do not do it again," the tutor gently admonished, then asked. "Were the men like this when you found them?"

Uly looked around briefly before answering. "Yeah. What's wrong with them, Yale?"

The tutor bent at the pilot's side, wincing as he made note of the man's injuries. Silently, he rose and stooped next to Morgan who lay shivering feverishly in Bess' arms. A quick glance in John Danziger's direction was all he needed as he addressed the small group. "Julia is on her way out of the tunnels. We need to get these men back to camp immediately." He nodded in Mazatl's direction. "Could you and Magus please get the TransRover and bring it as close as possible?" As the two crewpeople scrambled back up the slope, the tutor turned back to the others. "John and Morgan both appear to be suffering from high fevers. Move them closer to the brook and apply cold compresses until the others get back. Do not move Alonzo until we need to. We do not know the severity of his injuries. I will stay with him until help arrives."

The others nodded and set themselves to work caring for their sick comrades until the TransRover could be heard crashing through the forest above. With the winch from the TransRover, the crew made short work of getting the three indisposed men up the hill and securely loaded onto the large vehicle. Almost halfway back to camp, they rendezvoused with the doctor and the rest of the first search party.

Julia leapt into the back of the TransRover as it ground to a halt and immediately triaged her patients while the remainder of the group anxiously watched. As soon as she was satisfied all that could be done for the moment was, the TransRover crawled the rest of the way to camp where Julia closely supervised as they were installed in the med-tent.

While they were being brought in, Julia rapidly went from patient to patient, carefully scanning each and initiating treatment, all while dodging the various people who hovered in every corner. She announced her results as she went for her worried friends' benefit and set each to work as she moved on to the next patient.

As the doctor finished with the immediately necessary treatment and settled before her microscope, she more thoroughly detailed her findings. "Alonzo has a severe concussion, a broken nose and multiple lacerations. There is an aggravated brain injury, but I do not see any permanent damage. We will have to keep him quiet and on anticoagulants until the swelling goes down. He was incredibly lucky. I'll have to seal several of the lacerations and his nose will require some attention but that can wait. John has some back trauma -- mostly pulled and bruised muscles. Additionally, and more importantly, John and Morgan are suffering from a viral infection of unknown origin. I need to investigate it further before I can tell you anything more. For now, we need to continue the compresses and monitor their progress. I administered a broad spectrum antibiotic I developed. It should help for now until we know more. Let me know if there are any changes at all." As each of her helpers nodded, Julia gathered her samples and turned to her microscope.

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The Grendler hooted quietly as it swayed from side to side. Another chill coursed through its body, almost knocking the creature over with its force. The Grendler brushed at its eyes, lethargically clearing some of the encrusted discharge out of the way, then finally noticed the creature standing before it.

Ears up and tail waving slowly, the canid danced just out of the Grendler's reach, tossing its prize in the air and deftly catching it again while craftily scrutinizing the diseased Grendler. The Grendler watched the display greedily, advancing a few steps only for the creature to back away, maintaining its distance. The Grendler advanced some more, eager to reclaim its prize, only to be thwarted again. The Grendler stopped and hunched miserably while watching the small animal, which had stopped its dance and was considering the sick Grendler thoughtfully.

The canid approached the Grendler cautiously and lay the gear just out of reach, stepping backwards a pace. The Grendler slowly waddled forward only to find the canid had already scooped up the gear to edge it further away. As the canid continued its tantalizing ritual, the Grendler continued to advance. As soon as the Grendler neared a more dense stand of trees, the trap sprang shut as the pack quickly descended, the Grendler barely having the time to bawl out one last time before the darkness swallowed him.

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Devon looked up from Alonzo's restless form to the doctor bent over her research. "Julia? I think Alonzo's waking up."

Julia instantly rose from the samples she was analyzing to hurry to the pilot's cot. "Alonzo?" She scanned his head and quickly reviewed the read-outs. "Come on, Alonzo, wake up." As the pilot winced in discomfort, she added, "I know it hurts but I need you to open your eyes."

The doctor quickly crossed to her table to sort through the medications before selecting one. Inserting it into her Dermapplicator, she injected the medicine into the pilot's wrist then perched next to him, watching closely for results. Alonzo groaned and rolled away from them onto his side, pulling his covers tightly around him as he muttered incoherently.

Julia pursed her lips and looked at Devon in frustration. Turning her attention back to the pilot, the doctor leaned forward to gently shake him. "Alonzo, time to get up." At no reaction, Julia shook Alonzo harder, then pulled his arm to roll him onto his back. Meeting resistance, she chided, "Alonzo, I know you're waking up. Come on, roll over. Devon, help me move him," Julia directed. With Devon's assistance, Julia pulled Alonzo over and bent to examine him. As the pilot's eyes fluttered open, Julia tenderly reached out to stroke his battered forehead.

The exhaustion and pain superseded by the insistent prodding, Alonzo opened his eyes reluctantly. He squinted as he unsuccessfully tried to focus his eyes. Above, a blue form swam into view, reaching for him. Alonzo ducked away and fell with a grunt.

"Alonzo!" Devon and Julia cried, as the pilot pitched out of bed onto the dirt floor.

Bess and Yale rushed over from their charges to help boost the groggy pilot back into bed.

"Didn't have to hit me..." Alonzo muttered.

Julia looked at the others in confusion. "Alonzo, I didn't hit you."

"Julia?" Alonzo slurred in surprise, as he concentrated on distinguishing her blur from the others. He frowned unhappily. "I can't see straight. Can't focus."

"Yes, Alonzo, it's me. You have a head injury, your eyes should be fine in a few days once the swelling goes down. You're very lucky, I anticipate a full recovery." She smiled as the pilot relaxed in relief. "But, right now, I need to ask you some questions."

"Hurts to think..." Alonzo commented with a yawn.

"I'm sure it does," Julia agreed gently, "but we need some information. John and Morgan are very sick. I need to know what they may have been exposed to. Specifically, what they were exposed to that you were not."

"John and Morgan?" Alonzo sighed and closed his eyes. Just as Julia began to suspect the pilot had fallen back to sleep, he murmured, "I don't remember much of anything. We found a hole..."

"Yes, you found a hole. And you fell. Then what happened?" Julia prodded encouragingly.

"Dunno. Smelled really bad. And hurt." Alonzo's hand strayed to his nose. "Something hit me." He sighed in frustration. "Dunno."

Julia looked to the others, then back down at the pilot kindly. "OK, Alonzo. Rest now." She smiled as he relaxed with a sniffle and, this time, allowed her to smooth his brow. "I didn't expect him to remember," she told the others, as she regarded Alonzo's face while he dozed. "We know he was injured early on, most likely in the actual fall." She sighed, glancing past them to the other two, both shivering feverishly in their beds. "I'd better get back to work on those samples," she added reluctantly, as she rose.

"Julia!" Uly burst into the tent, as the adults all rose in alarm. "There's something wrong with Cameron! He's sick!"

Julia knelt down in front of the boy, grasping both of his arms and willing him to settle. "Where is he? What happened?"

"He's over by the TransRover. He was sorting supplies and he just fell. He won't wake up!"

Julia nodded gravely. "Show me where he is."

Closely trailed by the doctor, the boy raced to the other side of camp. When they arrived at Cameron's side, Walman and Magus were crouched nearby, cautiously watching him.

"Did either of you see him go down?" Julia asked, as she began scanning the fallen colonist.

"No," Walman began earnestly. "We were working on the compressor when we heard Uly shouting. What's wrong with him?"

Julia grimaced at the read-outs. "He has the same symptoms as Danziger and Morgan. Would you please help me get Cameron into the med-tent?"

Both crewpeople nodded uneasily. They carefully picked Cameron up and carried him to the med-tent, placing him on a cot Yale hastily erected.

"How is he?" Devon asked.

"The same as the others, only not quite so far along," Julia replied absently, as she collected some samples from her newest patient before medicating him. "I don't understand it. I can find no mode of transmission. Cameron has been separated from the men since they disappeared but, even before then, they weren't exposed to anything the rest of us were exposed to as well. Of everyone here, he'd be the last I'd expect to have this. He wasn't even near the men after they were found. What's more, I cannot understand why Alonzo is not sick as well. At best, my tests on him have been inconclusive. Either he was never exposed to whatever this is or he has some sort of tangential immunity. Perhaps this will help us determine which virus this is." Hurrying back to her research table, Julia urgently bent over her new samples.

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