I open the first-aid kit and go through it’s contents. The most outstanding thing about this kit is how efficient the use of space is. It’s filled to the brim and practically overflowing with medical supplies. Despite his filled the bag is, it still retains a sense of neatness and order like a closet crammed with folded clothes.
I unpack the bag carefully, setting the contents onto the relatively clean surface of the elevator. While going through the bag I find a small manual in a side pocket that I set aside.
…
Once I have almost everything laid out, I open the book and flip through the first few pages before landing on the table of contents.
I browse threw the table, eventually stopping towards the middle of the table of contents.
[CONTAMINATION FIELD GUIDE :165]
[CHEMICAL :166]
[PATHOGEN :169]
[RADIATION :175]
Seems like exactly what I need. I turn to page one-hundred and sixty-five.
[Before beginning treatment ensure that the environment is safe and free of contamination…]
[The first step in treating contamination is to identify the nature and exact type of contamination...]
On page one-hundred and sixty-five is a small introduction on contamination, and how to diagnose and treat contamination. It also stresses that you should leave a contaminated area before beginning treatment which makes sense.
I check my built in EHS on the suits wrist, all clear.
…
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
I continue reading the page.
Underneath the intro paragraph is a handy info-graphic on diagnosing contamination in the form of a ‘decision tree’.
The chart is a little confusing but I figure it out eventually, now I know that I should treat Claire using the ‘type C-eight method’ which is detailed on page one-hundred and sixty-seven.
I flip to the page in question and start from the top.
[1.Ensure that the environment is as uncontaminated and sterile as possible.]
I use a few sterilizing wipes and wipe down the area and my hazard suit that still has a some alien blood on it.
It’s not as sterile as a hospital but it will have to do.
I look to the next step.
[2. Wear sterile gloves, and mask. Exercise caution around patient as there still may be harmful chemical residues.]
I don’t need to worry about that.
[3. Remove and discard any contaminated clothes from the patient.]
…
‘Uhhhhh, mmmhh……’
…
...
‘Fuck-it she’s going to die if I don’t treat her.’
I remove her clothing.
Any thought of awkwardness are drowned by her disfigured appearance, hopefully they will be able to heal her scars when this is over with.
Usually I would try and burn the image of a naked women into my mind, but her skin covered in boils, blisters, and discolored skin is horrific, and leaves me wanting a memory wipe.
The only part of her body that isn’t badly damaged his her face by the virtue of the full-mask respirator.
...
I move on to step four.
[4. Use chemical neutralizing pads (C94) to remove as much chemical residue from patients skin as possible.]
I wipe down her skin with the dark oily pads, focusing on the parts of her skin that had direct contact to the air. Parts of her ears are missing. And her neck, god don’t get me started, it’s a wonder that she is still alive.
After I have wiped her down with half the pads in the medical kit I move one to step five.
[5. Use blood test kit (M9) to run a blood toxicity test (see page 65), If positive inject Dextrorudin (K13) (see page 143), if negative continue to step 6.]
I read step five a few times to make sure I understand, then I bend the corner of the page and flip to page one-hundred and forty-three.
The page details a small instrument similar to an old fashioned diabetic blood sugar meter thing. Except it doesn’t just test for blood sugar levels, it can detect all sorts of things including chemicals in the bloodstream.
…
Eventually I manage to get the machine to work and I prick Claire’s finger with a provided needle.
…
The device loads.
…
When the results get back it paints a grim picture.
While the toxins in her blood are not at immediate lethal levels, it is very close. if something isn’t done to purify her blood supply then she will suffer irreversible and life threatening organ and tissue damage.
Fortunately there is a solution.