"This
isn't something I should improvise a replacement," George
decided, "You'll have to order a new part."
"Nights
are going to be trouble without that," Dr Havillund grumbled.
"I'll
just remove the broken piston," George said, "The generator
should still work, just not as efficiently."
"That's
something at least."
"I'll
note down the part number." George looked through the manual for
the required number, then dragged the detail to create a note on his
wristcom.
Dr
Havillund took out his own wristcom. "Sure, send it to me."
Once the
data was transmitted, Tricia spoke up, "We should get going."
"Can't
stay any longer?" Dr Havillund asked.
"No,
we've other tasks to finish," Tricia told him.
After
George had packed his tools, he remembered the small packet Iona had
given him. Dr Havillund must be the person the tribeswoman called
'Old Man Have Ill'. George reached into the pocket behind his
breastplate and took out the packet. "Iona wanted me to pass
this to you." He said as he extended the item to the other man.
"That
tribeswoman!? What does she want?" Dr Havillund accepted the
packet and opened it. He took out an oval object and held it up to
the light for a look. "It looks like the bulb of a Lilium
mutalidae. Why would she give me this?"
There
was a pause. "Oh susbuckets," Dr Havillund swore quietly.
"What's
wrong?" Tricia asked.
"The
bulb's been soaked in some paralytic agent." Dr Havillund sank
slowly to the floor.
Tricia
quickly moved to hold him up.
"Curse
that tribeswoman," Dr Havillund said weakly.
Iona
must have applied something to the bulb. The poison must have been
special too since the man was wearing work gloves when he examined
the object.
"You
can't move?" Tricia asked as she rubbed her nose.
"Yeah.
Could you take me to my bed? I just need to sleep it off."
Tricia
helped the man up the stairs. "Anything else?"
George
followed them up. He felt a little bad to be a part of Iona's prank.
"Well,
if you could make the antidote, it'll be helpful," Dr Havillund
mumbled as he was carried, "Well, I'd have to identify the
paralytic agent first. I don't think a general antidote will work
with this one."
Tricia
appeared to know where to go as she brought them out to the corridor
and into another behind one of the other doors.
The
scientist sighed. "It's easier to lie down. I need the sleep
anyway."
"Why
aren't we affected?" George asked as he followed behind the
Vixen.
"Must
be that awful drink Io gave us earlier," Tricia replied without
turning around, "Could that have been the antidote?"
"You
don't happen to have some of that with you, do you?" Dr
Havillund asked.
"Sorry,
no."
The
scientist groaned disappointedly.
The
living quarters of the facility were a pair of apartments. Each
apartment had separate rooms for individuals. In addition to that,
each apartment had shared living spaces, kitchen and bathroom. Since
Dr Havillund was the only resident in the facility, he occupied only
one room of one of the apartments.
Tricia
carefully laid Dr Havillund onto his bed in his room. Strangely, the
bedroom was cleaner than the rest of the facility. The bedsheets were
crumbled but otherwise clean. The desk and end table had a little
dust on them. The floor was clear.
The
scientist sighed. "Do me a favor and set the defenses to auto
before you leave."
"Okay,"
Tricia said, "Sleep tight." She adjusted the shutters on
the windows to dim the room before she left with George.
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