Hidden in the Depths

Chapter 8

"So... this is supposed to heal?" Toby eyed the plant suspiciously as Techno and Fit worked on grinding some of the heavy leaves into a thick paste, like the scans suggested.

Sure, this was probably not really sanitary in the slightest, using some spare plating as a massive chopping board for Fit's knife and then just grinding the plant into a paste with whatever they could find... but hey nothing about this was really sanitary in the first place. Kind of hard to do with no showers or soap or a way to properly wash tools. They did at least have the mind to use the little alcohol wipes to clean the knife and metal before using it to try and make medicine. Plus, the leaves were given to them by some giant sea creature and left at their pod, and who the hell knew how sanitary that thing's claws were in the first place.

Techno grumbled in suspicion, still not trusting that giant creature thing in the slightest. "Well, I do hope it does." Toby squirmed seeing the heavy gaze Techno had on that bottom hatch, knowing there was the creature somewhere down there. Knowing Techno, he was probably already plotting the murder of said creature, if the leaves did in fact not work and would only harm him further. The younger appreciated the thought, but still it was just slightly unnerving that his friend doubted the scan's information. Was definitely very calming that the one person he trusted the most here, did not trust the stuff that was going on his injuries in a second.

Fit sighed, seeing the youngest's growing unease, and crouched down in front of him. Which, in retrospect, seemed like a bad idea with the pod rocking back and forth on the waters, so he kneeled down instead of balancing on just his feet. Toby's eyes fell on him and locked in on his face.

Fit considered his words carefully before he began to speak. "Listen, we don't have any actual medical supplies left to treat your burns. If this can help you, has even the slightest chance of treating your injuries and make them heal faster, we are going to try it." Toby's body stiffened and he nearly visibly backed away against the wall. Fit's face fell, before jumping back to word, "Of course only with your consent, Toby. It's your body after all", he hurried to add, to hopefully ease his fear a little bit.

It seemed that Fit also sometimes forgot how Toby was just a kid, just how Techno had in the beginning of their journey through space. With everyone you ever interacted with on the ship being trained to receive orders and knowing how to distinguish a suggestion or idea from an actual order that you couldn't question... You were so probable to forget that there might be a person together with you on that journey, that wasn't taught that, solely for the purpose of keeping the innocence or freedom of his age.

Fit tested the substance on his finger, under the watchful eyes of Toby, rubbing it slowly over his skin. All three of them stared at the area, all awaiting some visible effect, that would confirm that the scan had been wrong, too much focused on human nature and unfamiliar with alien plants to know their actual concomitant.

Within a few moments Fit only sighed, relaxing visibly, drawing the other's eyes on him. Oh, he could definitely feel that cooling effect the scan had described, its working wonders on his slight sunburn that has been building slowly but surely for the past days.

Fit cleared his throat quickly with a cough. "Okay. I think this is good... Doesn't burn or sting or anything", he added looking intently between Toby and Techno to reassure them. "Let's test it on Techno's hand too and maybe a weaker burn? To see if it's the same for all of us."

Toby nodded in response, already trying to fumble with the soft fabric of his bandages, but ultimately failing to reach the knot and instead settling to watch Techno roll up the end of his tight sleeve. Fit took a small smear of the paste, trying to save most for Toby even though there were more leaves still drifting outside in the water, close to the pod, as well as a hefty pile sitting in the corner, slowly forming a puddle of water underneath.