Eggspirement

[Lixue]

Spring 87th, 512 AV -9 Bells in the morning The weather felt almost comfortable. Outside of the Injury Ward, that is. Inside, temperatures were high, even with the windows opened. Individuals moaned and groaned, calling for anything ranging from mates to water and back again. Fevers were rampant today. Doctors worked steadily alongside assistants in hopes of saving the lives strewn awkwardly into their hands. Always on call, the healers at the Injury Ward often worked odd hours and sleep could not be guaranteed. If it had been a busy day, sometimes the workers would crash on one of the comfortable cots, if one was available for use. Lixue had fallen asleep more than once at her workplace, sometimes on the floor and other times not. Blankets were always available because fevers were necessary to sweat out. Patients occasionally became violent in the grip of deliriousness. Hallucinations and pleading for certain things, or talking, were not unheard of. When violence overtook an individual, they would often have to be restrained. Jamoura, with their size, could do a lot of damage unknowingly. "This herb is safe to use on children and infants," the Jamoura explained. Lixue was learning what drugs relaxed a person. So far, the Jamoura had explained that herbs could be used to help aid doctors. If a person was not eating, there was a herb for that. If the person wanted to bring on their monthly bleeding, to breed, there was a herb for that. Lixue had also learned how some medicines had to be grown and others could be found out in the wild. This herb, called Lemon Balm, doubled as cooking ingredient. The smell seemed almost.. Too fruity but too sour at the same time. Lixue had never smelled such a thing. The Jamoura, Lalaya, explained how the plant had a certain look to it. The plant was a perennial? Lalaya had claimed it came up every year. The herb stood at four feet high, only nine inches less than Lixue herself. The leaves were rough looked as though they had been crinkled. Two leaves were opposite each other on the "outer stems". While growing, the plants spread. They could be found in clumps near each other. Sometimes, the edible herb would flower purple or white. Lalaya had said it could be harvested multiple times, but needed to be grown indoors in the Spires. The plant could be confused for others easily. Lixue tried to remember the looks and feel in case she ever saw some, but figured since users grew it, she could always just ask someone. "How do you prepare it?" Lixue questioned, fingers running over the plant almost absentmindedly. There was a coarse feel to it, but at the same time, was soft. The leaves were bumpy and the stem had tiny hairs. The coloring was dark green. "And how to do you know how much to use?" So many questions, so little time. An assistant wandered up to Lixue, asking if a person with a fever was supposed to have a hot cloth or a cold cloth on their forehead. "How high of a fever?" The assistant replied with very high. "Put one rag on their forehead, and two under the arms. Change them every ten chimes. If necessary, use lukewarm, not cold or hot, to sponge-bathe them. Do not cover them. It will only increase their temperature and may do more harm than good. Go now, may Rak'keli be with you." Nodding, the assistant ran off to do the bidding. "I apologize. Please, continue." Lalaya was a light colored Jamoura. No hair lay upon her face or her front. It was apparent she had just had a child from the way her torso looked. Wise, dark eyes watched Lixue patiently. Lalaya appeared to stand around seven feet in height, towering over the petite Vantha. With a deep voice, Lalaya explained, "You go by the size. If it a small babe, you cut back on the leaves and water. First, I will explain you would make the tea. Fresh or dry leaves can be used, but in different amounts. With fresh, you would use two to three small leaves. Dried only needs half of one leaf. Make sure to wash off the plant. You will want to boil the water. After it is bubbling, set the leaves in the cup. Pour the liquid over the leaves. Stir softly. It will need to steep for eight to ten chimes. No more, or it will lose the wonderful flavor and be replaced by a bitterness." "What does steep mean? I do not drink tea, nor do I cook often," Lixue explained apologetically. Tea sounded incredibly easy to make. Water and the plant. Simple! How did one know when the tea was done "steeping"? Lixue was uncertain. She would have to make some Lemon Balm Tea for Ly one day, to see how he enjoyed it. If she ever managed to get some free-time, that is! Lixue had become so busy as the Injury Ward, she and Ly barely saw each other. Even at night, it was not guaranteed they would be able to say goodnight. When she slept at the longhouses, she and Ly would often be in the same cot. So far, neither were comfortable enough with their marriage to go past cuddling. They had cuddled when they were only best friends. The main difference now, besides the Cheva marks on the left side of their necks, was the shy kisses exchanged. Lalaya cut off Lixue's train of thought with, "Steeping is to let it soak. To not touch it, nor mess with it in any way. Afterwards, you take the leaves themselves out and let the food cool." The Jamoura gently removed the plant from Lixue's hands, which were unconsciously strangling it. "Anywhere from five chimes to thirty chimes does it take for the tea until you can drink it without burning your mouth. The effects kick in after about ten chimes. The person may talk more, or their muscles may loosen. If they are agitated, they may become calmer. Headaches can be soothed. So can a short attention span. When the effects wear off, the person may sleep, or feel somewhat dizzy. If they are dizzy, you used too much tea. With children, give them more water than flavor." Lixue nodded. "May I have this plant of Lemon Balm?" The roots were still attached, a starch white compared to the rest of the plant. "My bag is here. I can store it there until my shift ends." Slowly, the Jamoura nodded. "Thank you, Lalaya. I hope to learn from you again soon. If you are in need of medical attention, please, seek me out. I would be honored to treat you." Lixue strutted away, heading toward the back of the Injury Ward. Her backpack had become a necessity to carry around and she often left it near the back, with the supplies, during her shift, in case the Injury Ward did not have something she did. On the way back, Lixue dodged more than one hurrying Jamoura. The plant was set safely inside of her bag, as it was still growing and appeared only to be about a foot tall. Deciding to check on the assistant who had asked her a question earlier about the fever, Lixue set off. Her cane tapped silently on the ground. Distracted by thoughts and planning, she bumped into one person, a woman, and stopped to apologize before realizing she had never seen the woman as one of the workers. "Hi there! Are you injured or in need of medical attention? If so, please, follow me."

[Zandelia]

Zandelia had been thinking for the past few days, always a dangerous occurrence for someone or something even if it was herself on occasion. Centroc’s words had seeped into her mind and danced their merry tune to a beat she was not altogether unfamiliar with. She suspected he had far more skills at his disposal than mere salesmanship but had found little energy to follow up on the matter – for now at least. She did plan on trying to get the creature alone at some point and ask a few well placed questions, a feat that would prove to be difficult she was sure. He was in high demand what with the current affairs. Still, his cryptic suggestion that she could not fathom the workings of his Sleep Eggs had niggled at the back of her mind.

Bastard gets into my thoughts without an apparent effort and he has the audacity to be a mere merchant! Something is not right with that picture, not right at all! she thought as she made her way across the rough encampment towards her intended destination.

She looked down at the small item she was carrying in her hand, so seemingly fragile and useless when one did not know its effective properties. She had seen it first-hand now and it had made her sure that it was one of his more dangerous supplies if used well enough. It was so obscurely deadly that she knew it had to have been made by a shrewd man indeed. Its design was simple, a breakable object filled with a sedative-like center. It was ingenious and could fell a Jamoura with ease indeed. Such a tool could be used for more than capturing wild animals, she was sure, just as long as one could figure out its secrets. Zandelia was no adept with herbalism and the mixing of solutions, however she could work with secrets well enough. They called to her, the one she held in her fingers now teasing her silently – a puzzle needing to be solved.

“Put him out of business!” she scoffed to herself as she continued her trek towards the makeshift injury ward, a building visited by many indeed of late as expeditions began to get into full swing.

She had the workings of true power at her disposal, she could feel t like the blood in her veins. She had a knack for processing raw data in ways that others could not, a perception that was decidedly dark and dingy. Where many would see a mere item for the good she could see a twisting of its creation into a sinister tool for her own uses upon her return to Sunberth. The data she had was simple, a sedative that worked when breathed in, but her mind had analyzed it and created something more – a way to tip the balance in her favor. How wonderful it would be if she could but use it on one of the syndicate’s leaders! To have Robern at her mercy, or Ruby in her bed and half-asleep, such thoughts filled her with an electricity not easily forgettable. She merely needed a medical mind to harness the potentialities and here, outside the Injury Ward now, she had it in spades.

“Time to roll the dice” she whispered as she pushed her way into the interior and shuffled past the half-injured and outgoing visitors, towards the center of the initial room where the doctor’s held their counsel.

Not that it is a merely a weapon I want, it would be nice to get a nights damned sleep too she sighed internally, all too aware that her dreams had been haunted of late, specters of both the present and the past looming into her skull in the dark watches of the night.

She was greeted almost immediately by a younger woman with a cane, upon closer examination found to be the means with which she walked – one leg seemingly damaged by some unknown occurrence. She merely nodded and followed the woman to a quieter location within the bustling maelstrom, taking care not to allow someone to jog her lest she break her purpose of visitation. Once they were alone Zandelia took a few moments to look around her to make sure others were too busy to hear her words, or too focused upon more important tasks. She presented the Sleep Egg before her, arm extended for examination.

“I have come to gain the secrets of this item, one of Centroc’s designs. I have had…trouble sleeping…she opted for half of the truth to lend credence to her words, “trouble that could lead to other’s deaths if I am found to be sloppy in my leadership. It is something that vexes me greatly and I would love to get rid of it, at least for a few nights” she all but whispered as she wondered if the woman could even find it in herself to help a seemingly healthy woman.

[Lixue]

Lixue had heard of Centroc, the merchant who resided in base camp. Others said he gave out supplies for capturing feral Jamoura. One of these items was an egg. According to her patients, if you threw them at the ground before the Jamoura, it would explode and create a type of gas cloud. The Jamoura would run through it before collapsing about four chimes later. The main problem, several injured Jamoura complained, was the fragileness of the eggs. Half the time, the eggs were broken before even arriving at the city. Lixue, before now, had now seen one of the eggs. When the stranger held out the rarity, Lixue took it gently within her own grasp. The thing barely fit in her palm! This was supposed to stop a beast who wanted to kill you? Absurd! Unless the "magic" powder was a large quantity, Lixue would not trust the device. Doubtful at best would it stop a creature overly twice her height and more times her weight. Before the woman had even finished her plea, Lixue was nodding. The plant she had been holding before was placed next to her bag, resting against the tough fabric. If the woman needed attention medically, she would help. "You may call me Doctor Lixue. You say you have trouble sleeping? Before I can help you, you will need to answer several questions. I am assuming you want me to use the egg on you? If so, you will need to explain the uses, how effective they are on humans, what exactly causes the egg's sleep-inducement and what you hope to gain from this experience. I realize you want sleep, but will you be using the eggs for this or are you open to other ideas?" Motioning for the woman to follow her, Lixue left the supply room, egg in hand. "How long has your insomnia been going on? How often are you up at night? Around what time, if you can remember? What do you when you are awake? What is your regular schedule like? How could this cause the death of others?" Lixue approached an empty cot. On the way, she snagged an assistant and demanded, "I need a tool to write with and something to write on. Thank you, Dayna." The Jamoura woman nodded before moving on all fours in the opposite direction. "Please wait until the nurse returns before answering the previous questions. Thank you." A blanket was folded neatly at the end of each cot. They were used for patients with modesty issues, fevers, sleeping, etc. Lixue set the egg carefully down on it. "If you will have a seat?" Another assistant made his way up to Lixue, who greeted him with a smile and, "Morning, Molsh. What do you need?" The Jamoura went on to ask about what to do to stop bleeding. "Extensively?" A nod. "Take a rag and apply pressure for several chimes. If this does not work, sprinkle sugar on the injury and repeat the previous step. If it still does not stop, seek one of the doctors. I would say me, but I am busy currently." Molsh seemed to understand and made his way through the maze of beds, back to the patient in his care. The helper Lixue had sent to retrieve the supplies sought had returned. She handed them to the doctor, who balanced several pieces of writing paper and sharpened charcoal in one hand, before disappearing. Lixue found a movable table and placed both items on the flat surface before repositioning it next to the cot Zandelia occupied. "What questions you remember from before, if you will answer them, I will write down what you say. It will be necessary to record this information for future use." Holding the charcoal in her right hand would be difficult with her cane, so she leaned it against the table. Near the top, Lixue wrote the date in slanted penmanship. "Name, first, then start."

[Zandelia]

As Zandelia was led through the ward, its busy interior stifling in the extreme, she tried to keep track of what she was being told. Her mind was adept at absorbing and dissecting information rapidly but the speed with which the crutch-bound girl was talking tried even her intellect. It did not help that she was tired, so damned tired. Her mind was only working at half of its true capacity, which made her even more proud f herself that she got the general gist of all of her questions. Still, the details were difficult to remember, as if her head was fogged and hazy. It was with great relief and growing comfort that she found herself being seated and allowed a small measure of respite from the world. This was her time, admitting the need of aid or not. Still, it was dazzling how the girl managed to snap orders at others and still keep her calm. Here was someone with true leadership ability in her field and Zandelia wished she could say she held the same skills.

But they are untested as of yet she admitted with melancholy of lethargy. It was Lixue’s words that snapped her back to reality, her thoughts wandering through the cloud of her mind. It took a few moments for her concentration to get back to the matter at hand, a pause before her words she was not happy with in the least.

“Zandelia, my name is Zandelia” she snapped back, trying to keep her emotions in check as her mental barriers were eroding by the hour.

“As to the uses of the egg, well that is a mystery to me also for the most part. It is why I came to a professional,” she smiled wanly at the girl, “but they can knock out a Jamoura for a few hours so I’d assume twice as effective upon humans at least. As to how they work, they are breathed in. Within is found some form of solution that…billows…dissolves into the air I think. It has an area of effect of about three feet roughly” she continued doggedly, her words not as crisp as a few days previous.

“And yes, use it on me. I want to know how effective it is because I am open to other ideas. You can use it as a sedative, whatever you can make of it. I merely want to get some decent sleep and use it on myself,” she lied easily, her tongue not silver in her lethargy but perhaps a dulled bronze, “and I have always had trouble sleeping. It comes with my life. It has got…worse…lately though. Perhaps the last half a season or so. I can’t be seen to be weak, not here. Too many would see it and question. It’s the reason I came for help” she admitted, though the words felt like leaden nails in her own coffin to say out loud.

“I lead a team of hunters, a large team. They could die. Or the hunted could die. Take your pick I suppose. The point is that loss of life is not desirable, not for me. As to how often, I cannot count, I can’t even truly remember. It…is difficult…the days running together with the nights and the awakenings. Perhaps I am crazy, perhaps not” she shrugged then, her shoulders half-slumped as she watched the girl skitter and scratch the charcoal across the parchment deftly, her mind clearly racing twice as fast as Zandelia’s was at that point.

I wonder what she sees in me? A strong woman trying in vain to battle long odds? Or perhaps a whiny girl with nothing better to do than complain? she thought as she waited for the scratching to stop, her teeth gritted against the minor irritation as its presence grew.

“So…can you help me?” she asked out loud finally, half expecting a curt refusal.

[Lixue]

Time: 9 bells in morning Patient Name: Zandelia Gender: Female First Observation: Determined. Uncertain. Tired. Skilled. Problem: Insomnia Main Solution: Sleep egg? Other Solutions: Use as sedative around clinic. Notes: Egg explodes into air in cloud, covers area of three feet. Knocks full-grown Jamoura out for few hours. Human twice as long? Schedule: Uncertain. Leads team of hunters. Setting the parchment and charcoal down, Lixue folded her hands in her lap. Green eyes watched Zandelia. No words slipped from pink lips and no movements jolted Lixue's body. Lixue found the woman interesting. She appeared to be fighting with all she had, yet seemed so vulnerable. Not physically. Of course not! The female was fit and appeared to be in good health. Emotionally, however, Zandelia was bouncy. There appeared to be insecurities, assuming from the way the woman choked over asking for help. Her words ranged from snapping to stuttering. Perhaps she was simply tired? Feeling sleepy affected everyone differently. Bags did lie under the stranger's eyes. And she was at the Injury Ward for insomnia. "I will help you." The statement was crisp, clean, confident and held no hesitation. "I assume you know of the risks. If something were to go wrong, the team will do all that is possible to save you. The medicine may not work and you may leave here as you came in, tired and weary. During this experiment, you will stay here at the Injury Ward for as long as necessary. An assistant will monitor you around the clock. Every bell, I will check your vitals to note any changes. Everything will be recorded. If you mumble in your sleep, your words shall be written down. If you have a nightmare, it shall be noted. Do you understand?" Glancing around, Lixue spotted one of her assistants, Chamaeleon. The employee worked hard and was constantly improving. Her temperament was easing-going and always willing to learn. Patient and dedicated, Lixue was glad to have Chama under her wing. The woman would go far in the medical field. "Chama! Fetch a dish of room-temperature water and a needle. I will need two masks, please. And a container with some type of lid. Thank you." Picking the egg up, Lixue studied it. The liquid inside was an odd-colored orange and appeared to be thick. The outside of the egg was fragile and had a tiny bit of give when Lixue pushed. For a moment, Lixue wondered if it would be possible to slide the needle into the shell and inject water inside, to thin out the medicine and make it less dangerous to inhale. On the other hand, if the medicine were to be given a certain amount of water, perhaps it would cover more ground? Lixue would test it both ways, to be certain. First, however, she would only need a small amount of the mixture. To see how little could be used to force a human into sleep for one bell and work her way up the clock.