Bootstrap Colony

by Hechtl, Chris

  His face fell. “Shit.” Doc groaned. She felt about herself, not finding any damage, she took over from Cassie patting her hand as it retreated.

  “Ookaay, what’s the breakage?” Doc asked wearily.

  “In a word? Bad.” Cassie patted her mother’s left arm.

  “I have a dislocated shoulder, damaged ribs, and sprained knee, maybe a broken ankle. Mitch here has a broken arm, possible neck injury, and a head wound like you.” Cassie gave her mother the run down, beginning to fall into the dispassionate speak of a trained medic.

  Her mother looked over Mitch then patted his arm. “Okay, I am starting to track again; my head is killing me though!”

  Cassie patted her arm; she looked down and noted the injector. “Not a good idea right now dear, it might suppress my breathing or do other damage and it will definitely keep this head wound from clotting,” Doc said.

  Mitch grimaced. “Yeah.” He fumbled with the radio, trying it again, but only getting static.

  “Great, just great.” Cassie muttered. He turned to try to see her. “I said, I don’t think this was part of the tour,” she said dryly.

  He snorted. “Yeah, the roller coaster ride was not part of the plan. Did anyone get a good look at what hit us?” he asked.

  “More importantly, is it coming back?” Doc asked.

  He looked to her. “Not that I know of, I gave it a shock.”

  She smiled. “My aren’t we a pair.” She looked up to his hand clutching the blood soaked pad at his forehead, then up at her own.

  He chuckled. “Monkey see, monkey do...” She chuckled. The chuckle turned into a hiss of suppressed scream as something nudged her side of the car none too gently. A shape could be seen outside, and then a massive eye. She gasped as the eye's pupil dilated. Cassie began to shake crying softly.

  “Quiet,” Mitch whispered, keeping his hand near the switch. Another shape nudged his side of the car, and then they could feel something hitting the hood. “Damn and only two charges left,” Mitch said softly.

  Doc looked to him. ”Wait then.” He gave a small nod, feeling the ache. The loud grumbles and hisses outside make Cassie cry louder. Her mother leaned over and reached behind, finding her daughters hand clutching her own. “Its okay baby, just stay quiet and they may go away.” Cassie let out a shuddering breath as the sobs ebbed.

  “Crocs most likely,” Mitch replied. The sudden squelch of the radio had him fumbling with the volume control. Then Paul’s scratchy voice could be heard. It was clearer than before and getting stronger by the second.

  “We are outside, about one hundred meters away. Whatever you do, don’t get out. There are crocs all around.” They felt a smack as something hits the side again, then the blurred sight of a massive scaly tail swinging over the hood. Another nudge and then the giant shapes began to fade as they moved away. “It looks like they are going back into the water,” Paul observed. “Yeah, there is a sauropod herd approaching from the north, better make this quick.” They felt something bumping the side, then the rhythmic shave and a hair cut two bits banging.

  Mitch smiled. “Okay, I have you hooked up to the winch; we are going to pull you further up the embankment and away from the edge of the creek to get to you,” Paul said after a moment, matching sudden jerking motion with words.

  “Keep your hands and feet inside the car till the ride came to a halt,” Doc sniffed. Mitch swore and popped the truck out of gear and into neutral as they felt the wheels skating as they were dragged through the muck. The wheels turned slowly, Paul kept up a slow pressure.

  They could just hear the whine of the electric winch. “Boss it looks bad from the outside. Lisa is going to kill you if that thing ever made it back to the garage.”

  Mitch chuckled. “My truck, my problem. Getting the other guy’s insurance was not an option,” he replied. Cassie giggled, and then hissed in pain.

  “Paul, Doc and I have head wounds; Doc’s is pretty bad, definite concussion. One pupil is dilated more than the other. Cassie has a wrenched knee, damage to one ankle, right ribs cracked and broken, and her left shoulder is dislocated,” Mitch reported.

  “I have a minor head wound, broken left arm, banged up left knee, and possible neck injury.” The literary of complaints made him sigh. “The truck isn’t the only thing that will have to be in the body and fender shop,” he finished. Doc smiled wryly.

  Paul waited a moment before replying. “Ten four, passing it on to base. Maggie is here as medic. I am putting a call into Jacklynn to get Nicole.”

  Mitch frowned a little. “Can’t Dora or Riley handle it?” he asked. Doc slowly shook her head, and then groaned.

  He flicked the transmit key. “Ah, roger that Paul. Doc said good idea, possible internal injuries.” She groaned a yes, closing her eyes as the jerking motion slowed. “Nausea?” he asked, voicing his concern.

  “Yeah, oh god I think I am going to be...” Too late she barfed all over herself and then moaned.

  Cassie groaned, “Great.”

  Mitch looked over. “Normal, perfectly normal.” He let out a long suffering sigh. “I don’t see any blood, so that is a good thing,” Mitch said, breathing through his mouth instead of his nose. Cassie sputtered a little, and then quieted.

  The motion stopped and they heard and felt a bang on the door. “Okay, you're up to us, we’ll get you out,” Paul yelled. They can see the shadows of people around.

  “Paul, keep an eye out for predators,” Mitch yelled.

  “Not so loud!” Doc groaned.

  “Sorry Doc,” Mitch sighed glancing her way. Paul banged on the hood.

  Doc groaned again. “Cassie, try the passenger side door.” The young woman did, fumbling at it with her good hand before it clicked and swung open. A hand reached in and grabbed the edge of the door then pulled hard. When it failed to move the hand retreated and was replaced with a metal clip.

  The whine of the winch was overcome by the sound of metal groaning under protest. The door opened grudgingly, and then the winch stopped. Maggie leaned in, giving them a once over. “Hi yah folks. I have a couple people out here just itching to play Doctor.”

  Mitch snorted. “It looks like you took some of their fun though,” Mags observed, smiling wryly.

  “Oh don’t worry, when Lisa sees this heap he will be even more banged up,” Cassie replied, and then groaned as she tried to pull herself and her shoulder complained. “Damn, that hurt!” She hissed a breath of pain.

  Maggie chuckled. “Yeah, Lisa will be pissed.” Mitch snorted. “Okay Cassie, let me see if we can ease you on out of there. Oh, by the way, Jacklynn took off from Copper town an hour ago; she was almost there when Pete called her to pick up Nicole,” Maggie said, voice all business.

  “Good to hear,” Doc replied, sighing in apparent relief over that news. Maggie felt Cassie up, noting the injuries. Paul was by Mitch’s window. He pulled at the door with a crowbar, slowly it opened. Mitch fumbled with his belt and got it off.

  “Paul, give Cassie a hand getting out will you? She and Doc are worse off,” Mitch ordered. He waved the young man off. Paul nodded, jogging around to the other side of car. Cassie scotched herself across the seat, then eased into Maggie’s arms and felt Paul reach across her hips as they pulled her out.

  “Watch the ribs on the right Paul,” Mags ordered. He grunted an acknowledgment. Mitch could hear Dora as she directed them to ease Cassie onto a stretcher.

  Paul returned to his door to find Mitch half out of his seat. He pulled his right leg out painfully, and then teetered as he tried to stand. “Bloody fool,” Henry said as he stopped him. Doc pushed from behind.

  Together they got him out of the car, and more or less standing, leaning against the car. He sighed and then let Henry help him away from the door, and Paul who was trying to climb inside to help Doc out. Henry noted the splint and nodded. “Good work with that mate.” He looked up at the head wound.

  “It is a lot bloodier then it looks,” Mitch replied.

&
nbsp; “Right mate, head wounds usually are,” Henry replied with a nod. Dora came over, flashed a light into his eyes making him cringe.

  She checked again, and then asked a few questions. “It looks like you lucked out, no sign of a concussion. I am not happy about that neck pain though.”

  He waved it off. “Check Doc. Triage Dora, triage.” She nodded, handed Henry a C-collar and then stepped into the fray around the open door to help Paul.

  Henry muttered, “What the bloody hell am I to do with this contraption?” he demanded and fumbled with it. Mitch took it in his right hand and then held it up to his neck. They got it on; he winced and had Henry eased up when he almost choked him.

  “Glad you got the ambulance,” Mitch said. He pointed to the four by four.

  “Yeah, Dora is going to keep an eye on Cassie in it,” Henry replied.

  “Good, she got pretty battered in the back.” Mitch quickly sketched out what happened. Henry nodded.

  “Well have you right as rain soon enough gov,” Henry replied. “Least till Lisa gets a hold of you that is.” Mitch snorted.

  Henry eased him into a passenger seat. Doc’s stretcher was loaded behind him, with Maggie keeping a close eye on her. They loaded Cassie into the ambulance Hummer. The guards rigged the broken hummer to tow behind the third vehicle, and then they got into motion back to base. Mitch sighed, feeling the ebb of adrenalin and anxiety at a possible attack ease and the knot in his chest recede. The sun had set a few moments before, it was already getting dark. They were still twenty minutes from the safety of the base.

  At the base they pulled in just as the plane landed. “Nice timing,” Doc muttered. Mitch looked up and smiled wryly. Nicole pulled herself out of the airplane clutching her baby, and then jogged to them.

  Mitch grabbed Paul urgently. “Paul tell her to slow down, no need to fall,” he cautioned. Paul yelled, telling her to take it easy.

  Nicole abruptly slowed, and then slipped a little in a mud puddle. From then on she took it much more cautiously. Paul pulled up at the garage door, illuminating an angry Lisa standing with her hands on her hips. “I think I would rather have another encounter with the creature,” Mitch muttered eying the angry teen. Paul and Doc chuckled.

  Paul helped unload Doc as the second truck pulled up. Mitch pulled himself out, and then held himself up by the door while Lisa came over. She planted her fists on both hips. “Just what the hell were you doing? What passed through that tiny pin shaped thing you call a head to go off gallivanting with one of MY trucks then bring it back damaged!” Gone was the shy severely traumatized teenage girl Mitch thought wryly.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. Lisa stepped up to Doc, checked her over as Paul helped extract Cassie.

  Anne came into the garage. “Oh lordy lordy.” she said, flapping her hands then turned as Janet passed her. They eased Doc’s stretcher onto the rolling one, then wheeled her to the hall.

  “Go easy, she has severe motion sickness!” Mitch called after them. “Lisa I am sorry, it wasn’t our fault. We got ambushed on our way back. Honest,” he said. He started to motion with his right hand.

  A commotion behind him made him turn as Paul stepped up beside him with a wheel chair. Paul got him to sit as the third truck pulled through the inner gate, then turned. Lisa squinted into the darkness. “Gotta go now bye!” Paul said in a rush and then swiftly pushed his charge to the hall. An inarticulate cry of rage and horror followed them. Paul smiled “Guess you’re in the doghouse till the end of time.”

  Mitch chuckled. “Yah think?” Mitch answered, covering his face with his good hand.

  “Oh don’t worry; I am sure Maggie will toss you a bone or two from time to time,” Paul teased. Mitch groaned.

  In the infirmary Nicole handed the baby off to an eager Janet, and then became all business. “All righty then how are we?” She looped a stethoscope behind her neck, checked the head wounds, and then stepped over to the sink. “Any sign of internal injuries?” she asked over the water spray as she cleaned up.

  “No, some minor swelling, but no sign of a bleed. Doc may have some brain swelling though,” Maggie reported. Nicole nodded as Dora handed her paper towels to dry her hands.

  “She almost sounds disappointed,” Mitch observed, looking at her warily.

  “She always was a knife hungry little snot,” Doc muttered. He looked over to her.

  Then Cassie popped in with a laugh. “Can you believe she wanted to do her own C section?” Dora looked at Nicole in shock, as did Maggie.

  Nicole shrugged. “Yeah but Doc here hogged the entire honor, so I guess I get to have my revenge now,” she replied with a mock evil grin. Doc chuckled. “How the mighty have fallen eh?” Nicole asked, stepping to Mitch’s side.

  “Keep an eye on him, he is liable to wander off and do something stupid,” Doc called.

  He groaned disagreement, but Dora smirked and crossed her arms in front of her. “Yes you would!” she growled. He shrugged then laid back as the other women agreed.

  “Okay okay, but if you start talking about gossip or feminine hygiene I am SO outa here,” he joked. Doc snorted. Cassie gave a groan of disapproval; Paul watching from the hallway chuckled.

  “Wash your hands again Dora,” Doc called from behind her.

  Dora turned. “Huh why?” she asked.

  Nicole didn’t even look up as she flashed the light into Doc's eyes. “Because you just touched your arms,” she admonished. She continued with the examination.

  “Damn it. I forgot,” muttering Dora complied.

  “I say no more hooky,” Mitch observed.

  Doc groaned a little. “I second that, your playmates play rough.”

  Cassie snorted. “I am still trying to figure out how I got roped into that trip, did anyone get the number of the train that hit us?” Doc groaned.

  Paul cleared his throat. “I think it was an anklasaur from the size and shapes of the dents. We passed one stumbling along on the way in.” Mitch looked over to him and then laid back as Dora pressed on was chest with a hand.

  “Why did you slow down?” Cassie asked suddenly.

  “I knew something was wrong, but couldn’t tell from where. If it had attacked from the front, that tail would have smashed the windshield or banged up the engine,” Mitch replied, sighing.

  “Oh,” Cassie softly commented. “Still didn’t help though.”

  “No, it didn’t,” he replied, sighing again, this time in frustration.

  “Well, you won’t be meeting up with that anklasaur again,” Paul commented, a curious note to his voice, almost satisfaction. Mitch looked over to him, raised an eyebrow.

  “And why is that?” Nicole asked, not looking up from her work.

  “It is dead,” Paul replied, a slightly smug expression.

  Mitch sat up abruptly. “You didn’t...”

  Paul waved him off. “Nope, passed it on the way back, it was down and a raptor pack was around it. I don’t think they killed it though.”

  Mitch sighed and sat back. “I think we did.” Cassie made a querying noise. He cleared his throat. Anne gave him a sip of water. “Thanks.” He looked over to Cassie. “I think the zap messed up its heart.”

  Nicole looked up, and then slowly nodded. “Yeah, give an animal a jolt and it can do damage, even a milliamp can stop a heart.” She returned to Cassie’s shoulder. “Cassie, we are going to have to put you under to reset your shoulder,” she warned. Cassie nodded.

  Dora scanned Mitch. “It looks like you were right, the knee has a lot of swelling, but it doesn’t look like anything is broken or any soft tissue damage. You’re going to be sore for a couple days though.”

  He chuckled, “Not as sore as Lisa will make me when she is done.”

  Dora laughed. “Yeah, that girl is pissed!” She checked over his neck. “And you lucked out again; it looks like some swelling in the muscles on the right side, but nothing broken.” She scanned the arm. “Yup, broken. It looks like a good clean break though, you lucked ou
t there, nothing poking through the skin.” Paul gulped a little, he turned pale.

  Mitch looked over to him. “Paul why don’t you check and make sure everything is in for the night. Check with Travis, Lisa, and Phyllis, pass on a warning.” He felt the collar being removed from his neck. Maggie touched his foot, removing his boots.

  “I’d rather face a raptor,” Paul muttered but left. Mitch and Maggie snorted.

  “You think Universal Studios will have that on the tour?” Mitch joked when it became too quiet in the room.

  “NO!” Cassie, Doc, and Nicole all answered in unison, not even looking up.

  “God I hope not.” Cassie said with a suffering sigh. Dora giggled.

  “Quiet you,” Doc gave her a mock growl, then soft groan. “Can you turn the lights down? They are kinda bright,” she groaned. She squinted, and then tried to cover her eyes. Nicole brushed her arm aside.

  Nicole examined Doc’s head injury and then muttered about having a scanner. A scanner was thrust into her field of view. “Thanks.” She took it, and then squeaked in shock when she noted the hand handing it to her was artificial. She looked up into the robotic camera lenses of the J five medical assistant droid. “Yipe!”

  Cassie looked over, grimaced then sighed. “Just a bot Nicky, you’ll get used to it.” Doc groaned an affirmative. Nicole turned a wondering glance to Mitch, who smiled. Behind him an android came in, carrying fresh linen. Nicole looked up at this, then shook her head and returned her attention to her patient.

  Dora completed a full scan of Mitch, double checking his torso and head. “No sign of any other damage, just the cut, swelling, and broken left ulna. We can give you some Motrin for the pain until the swelling stops.” She looked up at him.

  “UMM, I am allergic to Motrin,” he warned her.

  Cassie called out “Just give him the placebo.”

  Her mother hushed her. “Dora, check the database for...”

  Mitch interrupted. “If it is all the same with you, some Advil or aspirin will be fine.” Dora looked up. He shrugged, and then winced as she helped him sit up.

  She checked the scratch on his forehead, noting that the foam had stopped the bleeding. “The foam works better than stitches, it acts like glue,” Mitch answered her unasked question. “Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of it, and just started making it so we can't export it yet,” he sighed. He took the sling from her hand then pointed to Cassie. “Triage Dora, Triage.”