Emu Hunt

Run on 12 June, 2011

The next morning started early for most of the passengers and crew of the RSS Medici.  Although it had been a late night, the longer hours of darkness meant that almost everyone was up by dawn.  In fact, Captain Margrite had to usher his autistic son, Raphael, away from swabbing the pier and being mocked by some local urchins.   Still, between breakfast and discussion of how to handle themselves at the market, and what they had collectively to trade, they did not actually visit the market for some few hours after sunrise.

Birdie and Dr. Smythe had set out to investigate the market for provisions.  Sydney was looking for cultural cues.  Sydney, who was browsing, chatted without too much enthusiasm with the young man she’d danced with the night before (the same man who offered to get Dr. Smythe some mushrooms). Randy wanted picturesque and exotic goods to photograph.  Count Visconti wanted to sell some jewels for local currency.  They all set out to examine the market.  Meanwhile, Jason went in search of a swimmable beach, and Dr. Smith decided to look for exotic fauna.

Jason wandered a bit, and was told that a swimming beach was on the East side of town.  A little travel showed him that the side of the settlement across the river was deserted and foul smelling, and he decided not to look too far for his recreation.

Dr. Smith wandered out of the Western gate, and found himself at a rabbit farm.  He took some pictures of a gravid beast with his cell phone camera, and asked about buying the creature.  The herder offered to trade it for the cell phone.  Their haggling was interrupted by a signal (a pipe played in the middle distance, and the farmer mobilized.  Behind him, the guards in the town did as well.  Smith went to return to town, found many of his companions, armed, coming to  join in, and he changed his mind and accompanied them.  They followed the sound, and the guards, and found a swarm of strange, feathered creatures attacking the rabbits.

Click on the image to read the Wikipedia article.   This image licensed by  Nobu Tamura, attribution, share alike.

There were a great many of the small, deadly creatures.  Most of them fled, but five were killed, and one seriously injured one of the guards, Fred Martin, before being brought down.  The courage, skill, and firepower of the newcomers made a tremendous difference in the battle, as did the speed and sureness with which the injured Mr. Martin was brought to Dr. Smythe, who operated on him on board the ship.  The town was then scoured to find matches for Fred’s blood type, which did not read clearly on the standard ABO test strips.  However, his half brother was willing to donate blood, and that and the saline in the ships stores was enough to make the emergency operation a true success.

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