4710/Is It Still Called Humanitarian Aid When They're Not Human

Is It Still Called Humanitarian Aid When They're Not Human
Date of Scene:	21 June 2018
Location:	The _Heart of Asgard_, Earth Orbit
Synopsis:	Vintridr, T'Challa and Suzanne discuss the refugees' medical situation.
Cast of Characters:	Vintridr, Black Panther, Sister Reinhardt

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Vintridr has posed:
    As the leader of this pack of refugees, Thor's attention is quickly needed elsewhere; before departing, he gives directions to the area of the ship they've set aside for the wounded, where the people most familiar with what's needed immediately and what can wait are working.

Black Panther has posed:
Having finished his conversation with Thor and wanting to make good on his promise of help, T'Challa follows Thor's directions. He drinks in everything he can about the ship he and Okoye walk. As they go, T'Challa uses a Kimoyo bead to contact Shuri and tell her to have their best doctors ready to receive some critically wounded people soon, and secretly.

T'Challa walks into the converted storage bay being used as a hospital. He quickly spots the Blue Lantern and makes his way over. "Lantern, I am T'Challa, King of Wakanda. How can we help?"

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    "If you can find ones that are actively bleeding and get their wounds wrapped, or stop the bleeding, that would help, T'challa. If you don't think you can stop the bleeding, call for me." Suzanne says as she actually turns her ring towards a very heavily injured man and turns a wide ranged beam onto him. The wounds on the man slowly begin to close, or slowly to the human eye. In fact, his wounds are healing very very fast. "I imagine I'm going to have to recharge once or twice while I'm here....Depending upon whether I'm able to recharge while I'm doing this."

Vintridr has posed:
    Of course, Earth doesn't have much in the way of interstellar-capable craft to compare with - not even Wakanda - but it's fairly clear that of all the things you'd use to describe this ship, "spaceworthy" would be low on the list, well below "old", "decrepit" and "should probably have been melted down for scrap decades ago". Several bulkheads have been welded shut, with barriers riveted across them that suggest the atmosphere beyond them isn't breathable even to people who don't recognize the writing. That said, the parts that are still functional are in good repair -- or as good repair as can be made with only the resources onboard. Fortunately, it's not /too/ far to the medical bay.

    The medical bay is exactly as unpleasant as you'd expect from a triage area -- a lot of injured people on insufficient medical cots; overworked healers doling out medicines with the grim expressions of people who intend to make every single grain count and are aware that there still won't be enough. Most of the patients seem to be burn victims, with deep third or fourth degree burns over large parts of their bodies, but a number of them are twisting in agony while something vile and black seems to pulse in their veins.

    In the midst of this, a taller woman with long dark hair and armour that looks like it's seen better days is speaking to a shorter woman in robes, who nods grimly before turning back to her patient...

Black Panther has posed:
T'Challa approaches one of the healers and offers a handful of medical Kimoyo beads, explaining quickly what they do, and asks who he should talk to. He is pointed in the direction of the tall woman in armour and comes over to her, keeping a cautious distance from the people who seem to have something in their veins.

As they make their way across to the woman, who T'Challa soon recognizes from intelligence files, Okoye taps his arm and nods to the side. In that direction there is a room with shrouded bodies. T'Challa nods and shakes his head. Thor had understated the trials his people had been enduring.

"Ms. Conyers," T'Challa says after introducing himself. "Wakanda's resources are at your disposal. I can bring medical supplies up to your ship, but I think some of your people need attention we can only provide in Wakanda, unless the Lantern will help them all."

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    Suzanne has no engineering experience, but she still winces at some of the welds and bulkheads. "Yeah...they were desparate...." She says as her ring blinks and she enters the medical bay. She winces a bit at the people there. "Who's the worst off?" She says attending to the first Ms. Conyers directs her to. But she starts to talk to T'challa. "Excuse, T'challa. Is your friend familiar with Green Lanterns?" She says as she bathes one of the men that is writhing in pain with her blue light.

Vintridr has posed:
    The woman's eyes widen briefly in recognition, then offers a nod and crossed arms in greeting - and if the bow is slightly more perfunctory than would technically be appropriate, the visibly seared hole in her outer armour over her kidney probably forgives a great deal - then gives Okoye a nod of respect, one warrior to another. "Your Majesty. Welcome aboard the _Heart of Asgard_ -- such as it is," she offers, before gesturing around the ward. "In most circumstances, we heal quickly compared to humans; however, Surtur's fires burn not just with flame, but malice..." She indicates some of the burns, which are disturbingly shaped like hands and claws, then indicates some of the writhing men. "... While Malekith's Svartalfr favour curses, deceit and poisons. Worse, most of our healers' skills are with medicines we no longer have in abundance."

    Turning to Suzanne, she nods. "I'm quite familiar with the Lanterns' reputations, Hope-Bearer. Any aid you can provide will be welcome."

Black Panther has posed:
T'Challa returns the arms crossed greeting when Vintridr makes it, faintly impressed by her etiquette.

"Perhaps you could spare one of your healers to come to Wakanda. We may be able to create or provide something that will meet your needs," he suggests. "And I will send for doctors to come and assist your healers. I can see they are exhausted," he says and nods to Okoye to send the word back home.

"We understand the role of the Green Lanterns, but little more about them," T'Challa answers Suzanne.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    "I may need your attendant to find one, T'challa. I know of two in this sector. One is male, has brown hair, 6 feet tall, and is with the Justice league. The other has brown hair, brown eyes, and is female." Suzanne says softly. "this may take more than flagging hope to heal."
    That is when a 'window' appears in Suzanne's line of sight and she blinks a couple of times. "this....might requier a change of tactics......" She says as she stops the beam.....and looks at her ring. "From what I heard from Thor....the people who assaulted your world did not survive the fall of your world. But they do live on.....in a way." She then looks to the beleagered man.

"The rold of the Green lanterns is meant to be the will of the universe. Steady, determined, and steadfast. It is not the most powerful emotion, but it IS the most reliable. Hope is the most powerful, but it is also the most unreliable. But....one thing a Blue Lantern CAN do...."

And she points her ring at the patient on the table.

"Is purge hatred out of someone's body for a time...."

And that when a VERY intense blue beam is fired out of the ring....and into those wounds....attacking the poison in earnest.

Vintridr has posed:
    The man groans as the light washes over him, but even after a few moments it's plain to see that the blackness is receding back toward the wound's center, while the healer next to him looks up at Suzanne with eyes shining with wonder and sudden hope.

    "A moment, please," Vin asks T'Challa, then calls to her side. "Hrud, please bring it." A younger-looking girl nods and runs off, returning shortly after with something wrapped in cloth. When she removes the wrapping, it turns out to be a transparent case of some sort holding a dismembered hand in suspension in its center -- the wrist appears to be quite crudely hacked, by a weapon relying more on brute strength than a sharp edge.

    More disturbing, however, is the weapon that appears to be grafted onto it -- a blade protruding from the back. Thin and curved to easily slide through gaps in armour or ribcages, serrated barbs to tear at the flesh when pulling out, and the surface glistens greenly as it catches the light, an oily sheen hinting at the poison almost certainly coating it.

    "This is the only pure sample of the Svartalfr's cursed poison I managed to recover; please take it, with my hope that your scientists will be able to produce a counteragent using Midgard medicine. As for the rest, we'll need a great deal of anaesthetic; most Midgard compounds work on us, albeit requiring three times the dose for the same apparent body mass. And there are some cases... I'd prefer to see treated in better facilities than here."

Black Panther has posed:
"We will find one of them, Lantern. I think I know who to contact," he says and watches with much the same feeling, if a bit less expressiveness, as the healer working on the man.

The severed hand catches T'Challa off-guard. "I will deliver.... this... to my best scientists, and we will find a way to make a cure," he says taking the case from Vintridr and handing it to Okoye. She makes a face as she takes it that suggests T'Challa may hear about making her carry it later.

"Let us get some of these people on my ship. I will transport them to Wakanda myself. But it must remain secret from others or pleading Thor's case may become difficult at the United Nations. We will depart as soon your people are onboard, Ms..." T'Challa stops and notes her side. "Conyers... Perhaps you too should get some attention, or at least one of these. Press it against the wound and it will keep it from getting worse," he says and offers her a Kimoyo bead.

Sister Reinhardt has posed:
    The beam against the man's body brightens as hope begins to flow into the ring, but Suzanne's brow knits with concentration. "Trying to get the poison out without tearing off a body part is going to be difficult.....and knowledge in medicine is non-existant." She says softly as she grips her ring hand.....but you can see the determination her face. "Come on, out of him, blast it....."

Vintridr has posed:
    "... My apologies for the crudity, Your Majesty," Vintridr replies. "Unfortunately, the Svartalfr enchant their poisons to expire quickly when their wielder does, in order to prevent defenders recovering a pure sample like this. The assassin I took it from..." She scowls, her lips curling in a snarl as she leads the way to a side area, where a number of entirely too small bodies are lying still. "... found his way past our lines and struck in our back, going after the children."

    She takes a deep breath as she looks over the row of bodies. "... Our one stroke of fortune is that this poison is meant to maximize suffering rather than kill instantly. We had time to... I suppose the most apt Midgard comparison is 'suspended animation'. Odin was a master at it; he could sleep away a decade or more and awaken refreshed, free of any injuries - but without Asgard's magic to draw upon, we can't match such a feat. The best we've been able to do has bought them a few precious months, but it won't last - very soon we'll have to let them awaken and the battle for their lives will resume."

    She sighs again, then meets T'Challa's eyes. "My lord can not accept your offer of hospitality just yet, because he must heed the possible political consequences. But I will ask you if these children, at least, can be cared for."

    She takes the bead with a faint smile, then pulls away the tunic to reveal reddened but unburnt skin underneath. "I appreciate your concern, but I am Valkyrie; the All-Father tied my strength to Valhalla as well as Asgard, and I am not so quickly diminished. I will be well."

Black Panther has posed:
"It seems I have much to learn about your people," T'Challa says when she shows the reddened skin. "Most of your ways are foreign to me, but concern for children is universal. They are the innocent victims of war."

He considers the small bodies. "These we will take. They will get the best care we can offer, I give you my word," T'Challa says and holds his hand out to Vintridr.

Vintridr has posed:
    Vintridr takes the proferred hand, gripping firmly without squeezing - although T'Challa can feel the carefully controlled strength in that grip. "With your permission, Hrud will accompany you. She knows as much about Midgard medicine as I've been able to teach her in the time we've had."

    She smiles, then. "On behalf of the people of Asgard, you have my thanks -- and my personal vow that we will repay the debt we owe for your hospitality."