Home » The Archives » Chapter 7 » Trouble Under the Hood
| Re: Trouble Under the Hood [message #1841 is a reply to message #1840] |
Sat, 28 July 2012 15:58   |
Lillehafrue
Messages: 478
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northeastern USA
Karma:
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TB Pilot
Evil Genius |
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From: Tikatu Sent: 3/7/2006 7:46 PM
"Make sure communications are open, everyone," Dianne called to the group as they prepared to set out. "The program on Thunderbird Five will pick up what our patients say, translate it to us, then translate what we say back to them. There'll be a time lag, which will be frustrating to all concerned. But once we get them inside Seven, things should go more smoothly."
There was a chorus of "Yes, Doc," "F-A-B," and "Sure, Doc."
"How's your Arabic, Sweet?" Dianne asked Tin-Tin.
"I'm not fluent, but I think I can manage," the Malaysian replied.
"Good. You're with me. I want a more immediate translation if I can get one. We'll check out the first truck. Once we have that clear, then we can pull the patients out of the other."
"F-A-B," Tin-Tin answered as she fastened up the hood on her heat resistant suit.
Dianne put her mask on over her mouth and nose, made sure she was breathing easily, then fastened up her suit. "Thunderbird Five from Doc. Communication check, please."
"Reading you five by five, Doc." A tiny image of Alan flashed up on the HUD of Dianne's visor. "Should I do the same for the others?" Alan asked.
"If you would please, Indy. We'll need that translation program very soon."
"F-A-B," Alan replied. "I'm on it."
"Which way do you want us to go out, Doc?" Nikki asked.
"Through the control cab, Angel. It will keep the sand out of the medical cabin and surgery."
"F-A-B." The nurse turned and led the way to the control module. Dianne brought up the rear and closed the door firmly behind herself.
"Are we ready?" Nikki looked back at the other women, a hand on the door.
"Ready," Dianne said, nodding.
Nikki slid the door open, and all but jumped to the ground. She and Kat wasted no time in hurrying to the upside down vehicle. With both Thunderbirds Two and Seven acting as windbreaks, the storm was easier to deal with. Nikki gestured to Kat and they made their way to the front of the truck.
Dianne climbed carefully down, and closed the cabin door behind her. She and Tin-Tin went around the back of the overturned truck to the one that was leaning on it. It was partially sheltered by the first truck, but leaned at a precarious angle.
"Do we dare climb on the other truck to get into this one?" Tin-Tin asked.
"I don't think so. We'll either have to go in through the windshield, or through the back doors. And we need to be careful not to tip it over on its side," Dianne replied.
"Then let's hope we can get the back doors open," Tin-Tin said.
They reached the dirty white vehicle from behind, and Dianne reached up to wipe some of the clinging dust from the back windows. She and Tin-Tin peered inside. A child's frightened face looked back at them, and the little mouth opened in a shriek of terror.
"Damn!" Dianne swore. "These kids are going to be scared to death of us!"
"Let me go round to the front and see if I can speak to the drivers," Tin-Tin suggested. "Maybe if they see my insignia, they can calm the others down."
"Good idea, Sweet. I'll see if I can open these doors," the doctor replied. Tin-Tin hurried off to the front of the truck, and Dianne tugged on the doors. A young woman appeared, and Dianne pointed to her suit's insignia, hoping that the woman would understand that they were trying to help. She turned back toward the front of the vehicle once, then swung back and pulled on what looked like the door's locking mechanism. She pushed, Dianne pulled, and with a sudden release, the lower of the doors swung open, hanging down as gravity had its way.
The young woman jabbered loudly at Dianne in Arabic. After a few seconds, the translation sounded in Dianne's earpiece.
"You are from International Rescue? Allah be praised!"
Dianne nodded, and said, "We are. How many people are in this truck and who is injured?"
The response came a few seconds later and sounded out from a speaker in Dianne's visor. The woman looked at her, puzzled, as the words came out. She spoke again.
"I cannot hear you," was the translation of her next sentence.
"Computer, repeat operative's response, and amplify," Dianne murmured. Her own words played back at an earsplitting volume, but this time, the young woman heard and understood.
Tin-Tin came trotting around to the back. "I've checked the men. One of them has some cuts on his face from the windshield, and the other was unconscious for a while. He's come around, but he's been vomiting. They both complain of neck pain."
The young woman had been speaking all this while, too, and her words finally reached Dianne.
"We have four women and three children here. One of the children has a twisted arm that gives her much pain. Another child is unconscious, as was one of the wives. The other concubine has pain in her shoulders, and we all have pain in our necks."
"All right. I understand," Dianne said. "This is what we will do. We will take the able-bodied out first to make room for our equipment. Then we will remove those who are conscious but injured, then the unconscious." She waited for the translation to sound out, then turned to Tin-Tin. "I'm going to need a number of neck braces, and some Penelon blankets to help wrap them up and give them some extra protection from the occasional gust. I don't dare move Seven around here; it's as much of a windbreak as Two is."
"F-A-B," Tin-Tin said, turning to head for Thunderbird Seven.
Just then, she heard from Nikki. "Doc, MGM and I have managed to get in through the windshield. We have one fatality, one of the men. The other is unconscious. I'm starting to triage as best I can, but we'll need those back doors open to pull people out."
"F-A-B, Angel. I'm going to call for help." She reached up and tapped her earpiece under her hood. "Thunderbird Two from Doc."
"Thunderbird Two here, go ahead," Elise's voice sounded loud in Dianne's ear.
"Frankie, we need an extra pair of hands, and the power pry bar from Thunderbird Two's supply room. Bring it out with you and help get this overturned truck open."
"F-A-B, Doc. On my way," Elise replied.
"Doc to Recovery Vehicle," Dianne said, tapping her earphone once again.
"Ursa here, Doc. Are you ready for me?"
"Yes and no, Ursa. We need your hands out here right now to help evacuate this first truck."
"On my way, Doc."
Tin-Tin came up behind Dianne, a medikit slung over one shoulder. Dianne dug into it and pulled out a silver square.
"Take this to Angel, Sweet. They have a fatality."
Tin-Tin nodded behind her hood, a barely noticeable motion. Then she turned and trudged off. Dianne looked up into the precariously balanced truck and said, "Now, who's ready for a ride in a Thunderbird?"
98% pure evil...and loving every minute of it.
 
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