Into the storm by Taylor Anderson

Author:Taylor Anderson [Anderson, Taylor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, General, Space Opera, Adventure, Fiction - Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction - General, American Science Fiction And Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical, History, Alternative histories (Fiction), Alternative History, War & Military, World War II, Military, 1939-1945, World War
ISBN: 9780451462077
Publisher: New York : New American Library, 2008.
Published: 2008-06-02T22:00:00+00:00

Gray grunted. “Silva!” he muttered. “He’s part of what I was worried about.” Everyone, including Tamatsu, laughed at that.

“Well,” said Matt, “you must be starving. Juan? Pass the word for sandwiches, if you please.” The Filipino bowed his head and whispered through the wardroom curtain. There was no telling who was on the other side, but he returned to his place against the hull with the expression of one who fully expected the task to be performed.

“While we’re waiting, tell us what happened when you went to see this Keje again,” Matt suggested. “Lieutenant Shinya said you should be the one to speak, but I’d like to hear what you both have to say.”

Sandra nodded. “He was weak from his wounds, but not debilitated, I think. Their medicine’s not nearly as primitive as I expected. They have no concept of germ theory, but their infection rate is low. They clean wounds with hot water for no other reason I could see than that it just makes sense to do so. They hold cleanliness in high regard.” She glanced down at her uniform blouse and wrinkled her nose to the sound of sympathetic chuckles. “They also apply a kind of salve to wounds that must be antibacterial in some way, in addition to being a local analgesic. I asked for a sample and they gave me a whole jar. There’s no telling if it’ll be helpful to humans, and I don’t know what it’s made of yet, but I want to try some on Seaman Davis, with your permission. His fever just won’t go away. He’s still in danger of losing his leg, at least.”

Bradford nodded enthusiastically, but Matt regarded her thoughtfully.

Gray looked downright dubious. “I know they believe in the stuff-nearly everybody over there had some smeared on ’em, but do we know it actually works?”

Sandra held out her hands palm up. “The only evidence I have after so short a time is their absolute faith and certainty. Many of their wounds were bites, you know, and some who were bitten far worse than Davis were treated with the stuff and considered lightly injured.”

Matt scratched his ear. “Does it have the same effect on the Grik? I mean, have they used any on the Grik wounded and if so, do they think it’ll work?”

Sandra glanced down at her hands, clasped on the table. When she looked back up, her expression was hooded. “There were no Grik wounded, Captain.”

“But… that’s impossible!” interrupted the Australian. “They can’t all have died! It’s imperative I see one alive!”

“There were no Grik survivors on the Lemurian ship, Mr. Bradford,”

Sandra restated. “Many committed suicide after they were abandoned, mostly by jumping into the sea. The rest were… helped over the side by the Lemurians.”

“No prisoners, then,” Captain Reddy observed quietly.

“No, sir.” Sandra shook her head. “Like everything else we’ve observed in this world, there’s no compromise between total victory and total defeat. You win or you die. Warfare among the Lemurians themselvesat least ‘Home against Home’-is so rare there’s no memory of it.

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