Adventure 2.0 - Heli 3. Will Rat survive a nasty new world?

[Carthrat]

"See? She should be ok in an hour or two," says Carthrat, quickly moving to support Rachel.

[Anastasia]

She leans on you as she takes a deep breath, rubbing her arms. "I'm alright, Carthrat," she says after a moment, standing. "It was just harder than I thought."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat nods, gently, before turning back to the woman who seems to be in charge.

"I've proven my word," he says. "You said we could talk, huh?"

[Anastasia]

She has gone to sit next to the first injured person, the two talking momentarily. "As you wish," she nods. "You seem to have delivered your end of the bargain well so far." Rising after patting his hand, "This way," she says, beginning to leave the tent.

[Carthrat]

Carthrat starts to follow the woman, feeling slowly more at ease, now.

"What's your name?" he asks, wryly.

[Anastasia]

"Kim," she says as you go along. "Kim Vera. Yours?"

[Carthrat]

"Tanewaki Carthrat," replies Carthrat. "Er, well, technically, Carthrat Tanewaki, but I'm so used to how the Japanese do it."

[Anastasia]

Exiting the tent to the improptu city beyond, you find your host leading you onto the small lake where the water gathers. A few men and women are taking pots full of water away from it, back to the structures. "I haven't heard of that race," she notes. "Japenese?" she asks, slightly mangling the unfamiliar word.

[Carthrat]

"They're a subrace of humans on Earth," replies Carthrat, shrugging. Hey, everyone knows about Earth, right?

Though only a few knew that Japan was a central landing area for estranged fringers. Ah well.

[Anastasia]

"Mmmm," she nods understandingly, coming to the edge of the water and kneeling. Taking a cu pped handful, she drinks. "If you are thirsty, it's clean enough to drink as is - the water doesn't have any local nasties that we're aware of."

[Carthrat]

"I'm allright," replies Carthrat, absently tapping the canteen at his belt. "Where does the water flow from?"

[Anastasia]

"There's a deep water source that the city tapped into," she begins, wiping her lips gently. "It drives the water to the near surface into a holding tank, and it goes to the city - or something to that effect, the finer points aren't my field. We think this comes from a leak in it from all the attacks."

Pausing to stand, "We think. We're not in a position to do much but speculate on it."

[Carthrat]

"You're lucky these other guys don't find out where it comes from," comments Carthrat. "I'd check that water daily if I were you. It's not hard to poison, and if it's your only supply..

It'd be wise to boil it before drinking it, if nothing else."

[Anastasia]

"We do," she nods. "A few local viluas test the water each morning for that or an impurity." With that, she turns to see the gentle river, sighing. "As it stands, any number of small things could spell our end."

[Carthrat]

Carthrat nods.

"As I said, I have a ship," he comments. "You could easily claim refugee status, I suppose. I'm not sure how many I could transport at a time, but certainly a fair number could get off-planet within a day, if we began soon."