Elsewhere

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The thing is though, now that you know they're not dead, it'll be entirely your fault if they do die. Just keep that in mind.

>More hands mean more skills and knowledge that would otherwise be lost would be at our disposal. Let's hope they can survive.

>You might not know what to do, but maybe, just maybe, your ComPad does. There should be compressed survival lessons files that'd be useful right now, even if you should've learned all of this before. Maybe snoozing in physiology wasn't such a great idea after all!

Deep down, you know that it's the scared and desperate parts of you, telling you the pilot probably won't make it. Mostly so you can feel justified in taking their things and leaving them to their fate. You also know that, if you did that, the guilt would keep eating at you forever. Stealing their water to stave off your own dehydration, and taking their very warm-looking flight gear to stay comfortable tonight might save you, but it'd guarantee they wouldn't survive too. It's as good as killing them.

You should at least try to help them recover. After all, you weren't planning to survive here on your own; you were expecting to meet up with a team of other explorers and colonists, before you and Dee Dee wound up being sent somewhere else. You may not know where your team is, but if this pilot makes a recovery, that means having another friend in this place.

If, of course, they turn out to be friendly...

Regardless, you decide you're going to at least try to help the pilot. And since you have no clue what you're doing, you pull out your handy Quantum ComPad. Before you left on this mission, you were sure to load this thing up with libraries worth of texts and guides, and all the top-rated utility software you could pirate off the Laynet. You're certain there's something on here that could help you treat the unconscious pilot...

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Dex's Logic (★) and Quantum ComPad (★) are tested:

9+1 (Fate) +1 (Logic) +1 (Quantum ComPad) = 12 (Compromise)

After scanning through your software library, you find a medical tool on your ComPad. It was based on an older military triage AI, turned into an overpriced commercial product, then hacked for folks in cities where there wasn't much medical access.

You boot it up. With any luck, it'll offer some help in treating the unconscious pilot.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Welcome Dr. TEAM_LIBREWAREZ, to MyTriage Pro. Please type or say the symptoms affecting the patient, and any related circumstances or context.
[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Okay... so, I found the patient unconsciousness. They're breathing kinda slow? They were in a crash. They had protective gear on and hit the sand, so it might not be that bad, but they're out cold.[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Thank you. We understand the symptoms to be "Comatose," "Slow or Shallow Breathing," and "Blunt Trauma." Before we continue, is the patient bleeding, bruised, burned, or suffering from obviously broken bones?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Uh, I don't actually know? Their legs look... weird? But they're still wearing their gear, so I haven't actually checked.[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Understood. Please check the patient for the symptoms "Bleeding," "Bruised," "Burned," or "Broken Bones," before continuing. We will wait. If you need assistance during the diagnosis, please ask.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

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Suggestions:

First things first, get them out of that flight suit. At the very least get the helmet off.

Once they're out of the suit, it might be clearer exactly what's wrong.

You're hoping you don't have to deal with anything like that, but you may have to. Regardless, though you're no medical expert, you're pretty sure you'd have an easier time seeing those injuries with that helmet and flight suit out of the way.

You close the water flask, set it next to your shoes, take a deep breath, and give the pilot's helmet a quick wiggle. It seems to be fastened on securely, and doesn't budge. The pilot is collapsed face down, in a way that both makes it hard to move the helmet, and also doesn't look too comfortable. You take a moment to roll their upper body onto their back, being careful not to disturb their weird-looking and possibly broken legs. You'll worry about those later.

Once their body is reclined on the sand, you reach under the bottom of the helmet and fumble around blindly with your fingers for a bit. In time, you find some straps fastened under the pilot's chin. With some more blind fumbling, you eventually succeed in finding the buttons that secure the straps and helmet.

Being extra careful not to wrench anything, you carefully lift the helmet free from the pilot's head.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]What the heck...[/box][/2x1]



After removing the helmet, a shaggy mess of surprisingly blue hair spilled out, followed by a pair of very large, very pointed, very fuzzy brown ears. Given the size and shape of the helmet, they must have been folded up inside. They... she? The pilot doesn't look like any person you've ever seen.

Not by a long shot.

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Did you need some help performing the patient diagnosis?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Uh... maybe? The patient apparently isn't... Human?[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Understood. Unfortunately, MyTriage is not designed for Veterinary Medicine. Would you like to launch MyVeterinarian?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]N-no! I mean she's not... a Terran? She's an Alien?[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]We're sorry. We can't match a diagnosis to the statements "Not a Terran" or "An Alien." Please clarify.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Well, okay, uh... she looks normal Human-shape. But her face is covered in brown fuzz? She has huge ears? And her nose has these cuts or ridges that... remind me of something?[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Thank you. "Hirsuitism," "Swollen Ears," and "Nasal Lacerations" added to Symptoms.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Wait, that's not what I meant! What I'm trying to say is that her... oh! Holy crap, that's what her nose reminds me of. She looks like Alf. Except she's got blue hair.[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]We're sorry. We can't match a diagnosis to the statement "Looks like Alf." Please clarify.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]This is not gonna help the diagnosis, but Alf was a video series from another Terra, about a...[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Very well, disregarding. Would you like to continue the patient diagnosis?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|]

Oh yeah, of course. But that... that might be a bit difficult? Her physiology isn't what I'm used to?

[/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Understood. If you need further assistance during the diagnosis, please ask.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

You take a moment to chastise the part of your brain that saw a literal alien person on a literal alien planet, and rather than focusing on literally saving her life, decided to dredge up literally the least flattering comparison imaginable to a literal muppet. Then decided to share that thought with a medical AI that could literally not give fewer shits.

Where's Dee Dee, when you need them?

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Suggestions:

Give the pilot as much water as they can handle once you get their helmet off, and drink the rest. Both of you will be dead soon without a source of fresh water anyway. Might as well keep your strength up for searching.

You suppose you could try to get them some water to drink. If they've been unconscious for a while, they might be a little dehydrated.

>You could use the water, but they could use the water more. Get only a little. You can survive a few hours and/or a day with little water.

You do your best to refocus your efforts on the injured alien pilot. If she's been knocked out for a while, you realize she might be as dehydrated as you are. Since you don't know what else to do for her right now, you decide to split the remaining water with her. You fetch the flask, open it again, lift and tilt the pilot's head with your free hand, then pause when you realize her mouth is closed. You feel weird about putting your fingers in another person's mouth. Instead, you try to use the neck of the flask to pry her mouth open. As you do, you catch a glimpse of what might have been unusually pointy canine teeth. Very unlike Alf, you think, until you abruptly stop thinking that. Because what the actual heck.

Re-refocusing, you slowly pour water into the unconscious pilot's mouth, a bit at a time. After a delay, she seems to swallow it by reflex, though she doesn't stir. In time, you get her to drink about half of the water. At least, you sure hope she's swallowing it, and not breathing it in or something. Or maybe that's no big deal, since she's a literal alien? Heck, maybe she doesn't even need water?

You realize you're kinda going into this whole Alien Medical Care thing with a lot of assumptions. But, to be fair, you've never been around an alien before, and weren't exactly expecting to meet one today. Sometimes when watching Star Trek, you'd wonder what it'd be like to meet an actual alien. Back then, you'd have thought it would be a bigger deal? But... it's kinda just a thing.

Huh.

Anyway, you retrieve the flask, wipe off the rim of it, and drink the other half of the water yourself. It's cool against your throat, and extremely refreshing. You hadn't realized just how dry your mouth had gotten until now. You drain the rest of the flask in little time. Once the last drops are gone, you seal it up and set it back down with your shoes. You still feel thirsty, but you do feel a bit better.

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[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Our best matches for the conditions you have reported so far are: "Coma" and "Concussion," with the possibility of "Minor Blunt Abdominal Trauma". The patient's care should be a Moderately High Priority. Would you like to hear our Treatment Recommendations for the patient?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

By now, you've finished your diagnosis of the pilot's condition, with some guidance here and there from the medical software of course. Thankfully there were no major injuries, apart from the sudden stop that knocked her out, plus some bruising on the forearm and side she landed on. As it turns out, the pilot's weird looking legs weren't broken after all either! Just naturally sorta... backwards? This caused a fair bit of confusion for the AI at first, since it was made for Human physiology. Once you figured out how her knees bent differently than yours, you just made some mental adjustments on the tests, and everything seemed fine. As far as you could tell, anyway.

However, the whole diagnosis process ended up running significantly longer than it might've for someone with more experience, and took up a good chunk of your evening. You can't see the sun over the hills anymore. Judging by the darkening of the sky, you're pretty sure it's nearing Twilight.

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Yeah. What do you think we should do for the patient?[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Our recommended course of action would be to contact Emergency Medical Care. Your current location is "NODE INVALID; LAYLINE CONNECTION NOT FOUND." Unfortunately, we have no registered medical facilities in your location at this time. You will need to contact Emergency Medical Care on your own.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]That's not gonna happen. We're basically in the middle of nowhere right now. And the only vehicle around is the one the patient crashed.[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Understood. Would you like to hear our Medical Care Guidelines for the patient?[/box] [|] [/2x1]

[2x1] [|] [box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/dex_left.png border=32]Yeah, please. Just let me know what might help her recover.[/box][/2x1]

[2x1][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/info.png border=32]Understood. Medical Care Guidelines for patient are as follows:

Keep the patient warm and dry. Check their breathing and pulse regularly. If either stops at any time, begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Roll the patient onto their side, supporting their body by bending the topmost leg, so that hip and knee are at right angles. Keep legs elevated relative to the head to improve blood flow, and tilt the patient's head back to keep their airway open. In the event that the patient regains consciousness, engage them in conversation to check for abnormalities in cognitive function.

Do not administer CPR unless the patient's breathing or pulse have stopped. Do not elevate the patient's head on a pillow, or give the patient food or drink while unconscious, to prevent risk of asphyxiation. Do not slap or splash water on the patient to attempt to revive them. Do not leave the patient unattended for a significant length of time.[/box] [|] [/2x1]

Committing the last bits of medical advice to memory, you finally stow your ComPad. A little late on the "No Food or Drinks" warning there, you think... but that sounds pretty doable otherwise. With the way the sky is darkening, it wouldn't be safe to leave her unsupervised for very long anyway.

Speaking of which, you should probably start thinking about what to do with the Twilight, while it lasts.

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Suggestions:

What you can do after caring for the new arrival is look for a 'black box' recorder and emergency transmitter. You want to know where they came from and how they got here.

>We have little use of a flying machine. We sure can scrap parts of it.

The aircaster's cargo space can make a decent shelter for you and the pilot tonight. Better not to scrap the glider just yet.

Evening is coming fast, but a few ideas come to mind. For one, you could unearth the wrecked Aircaster, use some sand or dry and hopefully non-deadly grass or something, and convert the cargo bay into a simple, cozy shelter for the evening. It won't be the most comfortable thing, but at least it'd be warm and dry. You'll probably only be able to pack 2 people inside, judging by the size... which means you'd also need to pick which of the three of you would be exposed to the elements tonight.

Alternatively, you could just scrap the half-buried Aircaster instead. Use the wing material to make a bigger shelter, dig for a transmitter or something to contact wherever this glider came from, rig up a heater or a power supply, or... well, you could maybe figure something else out too. But there's no guarantee you'd find anything of use in there, let alone make something that works. And you haven't really had the time to check if this glider might still be operational after the crash...

Whatever you do, you'll have to manage your time carefully.

[box=#993399 border=2]What do you do?
> [/box]

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PARTY ROSTER:

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Dex Wright, Human Technician
[2x1][|][box=https://solifuge.github.io/elsewhere/chat/item.png border=16]Quantum Compad (Communicator, Computer, Database, Illegal, Unreliable):
Unlicensed, military-grade handheld computer. Loaded with information and utility software, mostly pirated. Powerful but temperamental, after many, many repairs.[/box][/2x1]

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