CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle Two: A Captain's Journey

83 ∞ A Standing Still in Time

Shortlisted – Day 0004

Gareth fought the strain of cradling Caitlin in his arms as Harlin finished stowing the camping gear. As the air transport approached overhead, its noise amplified by the canyon, Harlin strode to him to shout next to his ear.

"You need to go up first and hook up the basket to lower it. While you're bringing her aboard, that will give me time to talk to the Ranger."

Harlin stepped toward the rope as it dropped within reach. Snagging it, he hooked the two military bags to the end and returned to Gareth.

"Here, I got her."

Gareth kissed Caitlin's forehead before shifting her into Harlin's arms, but she was still unconscious. For a moment, he locked eyes with Harlin, who responded with a nod.

Gareth ran to the rope. As soon as he secured himself, the rope started rising, pulling him and then the bags with the gear below his feet into the air. When he reached the transport, he climbed inside and brought both bags in with him.

The basket hung secured to one wall with netting. He freed it and set it down, hooked the rope, and shoved it outside for the winch to lower it to the ground. He grabbed a handhold to lean out and watch Harlin settle Caitlin into the basket and secure her. Harlin waved all done, and Gareth switched the winch override to manual reverse. Harlin ran off toward the Ranger as Gareth monitored Caitlin's ascent.

The basket swung into the hold and gently lowered Caitlin to the floor. Gareth slid the basket over to one side, detached it from the rope, and started securing it for transport. Caitlin stirred inside the basket. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear her, so he kneeled and turned his ear to her mouth.

"I didn't want this."

"It's okay. This gives Harlin an excuse to turn on the lights and siren. You wouldn't want to deprive him of his fun now, would you?"

She started to say something, and he bent close with his ear cocked.

"I'll be fine... in a moment. This doesn't last for very..."

Gareth straightened to look at her, but her eyes were closed. He cupped his palm on her cheek and watched her, but she didn't stir. She'd lost consciousness again.

"Hang in there, Linn," he said, just as much for himself as for her.

He headed back to the door opening. The rope had already been lowered to the ground. The few minutes it took for Harlin to return to the transport ate at Gareth.

When Harlin climbed inside, he looked Caitlin over as he unhooked himself from the rope. He nodded in approval and pointed at the back wall. Gareth saw a box labeled with the medical symbol hanging on the wall and felt like an idiot. As he went to retrieve it, Harlin retracted the drop bar and closed the doors.

Gareth knelt down next to Caitlin and opened the emergency triage kit. Dismissing the standard injury supplies, he went straight for the triage sensors package. The simple diagram inside showed him where to stick the sensors—temples, heart, lungs. Once in place, he hit the switch inside the kit.

"Got it!" Harlin called from the cockpit. "Maat will take it from here. Come take a seat—we're moving!"

A gentle tilt, and the transport started forward with force, the motor noise climbing in pitch. Gareth fought his way forward to the co-pilot seat and dropped heavily into it. As he grabbed the extra headset hanging above him and donned it, the acceleration increased even more.

"Maat," Harlin said into his comms, "make up a report for us. Military personnel on training exercises heard the call go out for a missing hiker. Military personnel joined in the search and thanks to the expertise of Park Ranger Williams, the hiker was quickly located. The hiker was found to be dehydrated and disoriented, possibly suffering some underlying medical issue. The military personnel volunteered to take the hiker to a hospital facility immediately. Name of the hiker is being withheld at this time. Details to follow later. End report."