[MINGLE] Worried/Sick 2: Snake Expedition & Recovery!

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: Anywhere; multiple locations
WHEN: Apx. 19-27 November
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE
WARNINGS: Serious illness and reactions to such, snakes, hallucinations

IMPORTANT NOTES: This is the second of two mingles. Please see the timing and general event details here.

Not putting any mod top-levels in this one — Just make sure you label your own top-level clearly as to whether it's Expedition or Recovery, and as always, whether it is OTA or not!

Please keep in mind the established plot details, but creative license is welcome and encouraged as long as it doesn't step on toes.

Comments

[eaglesonofnone]

He blinked, eyes slightly watering, but--

"I have leapt into worse," he muttered. "I am glad I wore these horrible clothes."

His scrubs, vibrant as they were. He had known better than to wear his robes, sure they would be ruined if he attempted it. And he only had the one set now - good reason to keep them in good condition.

But then he was moving with as much care as Alex had shown, moving with a smoothness and certainty that came with years of training. Not for this, but now, it showed its benefits. "This is not something I was ever taught. We were more apt to kill the creatures as they threatened our livestock and our children."

[cryptoherpetology]

"That's understandable. In my time, we've been able to produce medical treatments for snakebites- antivenom does exactly what it sounds like. But you need the venom itself to produce the medicine," he says, as he selects a particularly chilled (literally, he's keeping them in a fairly cool (but not cold) environment to make them more sluggish) snake for Altaïr, showing him where and how to hold it in order to support its weight.

The scales are smooth, and even in a non-heated enclosure, it's retained enough heat to still be warm as any other living thing to the touch. Alex talks him through prying the jaws open to encourage its needle-like fangs into the membrane atop the jar.

"This is part of what we do where I work back home. We keep the snakes on display to educate the public, but we're a research facility as well. We extract venom for people to manufacture antivenom, and a few experimental drugs. It's not unheard of for snake venom to have medicinal uses." This is how Alex keeps himself calm when faced with danger. Science is reliable and safe and full of things he knows to be either provable fact, or at least very educated guesses.

"This is actually the part of the job I like better. Dealing with the animals, I mean. Giving tours to schoolchildren is... less in my area of expertise."

[eaglesonofnone]

"I do have some experience in some matters similar to this," he said thoughtfully as he followed Alex's instructions and, after a bit of trying, managed to begin the process of milking this first snake. "We knew of herbs that were medicinal in small doses but dangerous in larger ones. We knew that if we exposed ourselves to them gradually, we would eventually become immune. Much like one of our horses who enjoyed hunting snakes. The beast was dealt many a glancing blow by the creatures until he no longer feared their bite; they had no effect upon him." Immunity granted by exposure.

And the thought narrowed his eyes. Made him consider. "I believe I may know of something else similar. The practice of exposing people to small amounts of disease..."

A snippet of what the Apple had shown him but he hadn't quite been able to grasp until now. His mind had just been too old to make the connection.

[cryptoherpetology]

Alex nods. "Vaccination. If the body is exposed to a trace amount-" Alex begins to explain the process of antibody production until the snake's fangs stop dripping poison. He stops, and talks him through putting the snake back in its box without getting in to its strike zone.

"Antivenom is similar- though in this case a minute dose of preserved venom is administered to an animal- a horse, or sheep usually. The antibodies the animal's body produces can be filtered from its blood and used to treat a bite victim."

It's a smooth, even ramble as he continues to move on to the next nigh-deadly snake, and it's very possible that this repetition of nice, familiar Facts That He Knows is his version of idly humming to himself. It seems to be keeping his hands steady, anyway, which seems like a rather important skill when playing with snakes.

[eaglesonofnone]

The answering question to that comes swiftly. "How? How can it be filtered from blood? Sheep carry illnesses that can pass to humans - that would be a danger. It seems a horse would be safer, but again, the method of filtering the blood..."

Undoubtedly Those Who Came Before had an answer, but he no longer had the Apple to ask questions of. (And that alone was enough to keep him awake some nights, his hand missing the cool curve of metal against his palm, the golden gleam and the voice that would echo in his mind. He had known since the first time he touched it what a danger it was, but he had never been able to put it down in a way that lasted. Now, here, he had no choice as it wasn't here to use. And he missed it like an ache. Almost as much as he missed--)

Enough of that. There were questions to ask.

"Is there such a fine cloth that it can be done? Is it something that could be recreated here?"

[cryptoherpetology]

"Centrifugal force. The antibodies are in one part of what makes up the blood- hemoglobin- which separates from the rest of the blood when it's put through a machine that spins it fast enough," he explains, and then, as he moves on to the next snake- this time demonstrating how to gently massage the top of the snake's head to encourage the venom glands to empty as much as possible.

[eaglesonofnone]

As he spoke, the images swam into the forefront of Altaïr's mind, a glimpse that the Apple had given him as he had looked for ways to formulate medicines and poisons alike, a hint of what Juno could give him if he gave her more. And that moment's thought was enough to have him stepping slightly back, allowing more of a demonstration as he rubbed at one temple. Damnation, why was this coming back now. He pushed it firmly out of his mind and, instead, began working alongside Alex to do as he was shown, care taken with every motion. These were dangerous creatures, after all, and he would give them the respect they were due.

[cryptoherpetology]

Alex is about to go into some babbling about the difference between inoculation and vaccination, and how those discoveries led to antivenoms when he notices Altaïr growing distant. After a quick check to make sure the snake he just put back in its enclosure is, in fact, entirely enclosed, he puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright? You look like you could use a break. Maybe a glass of water?" Alex suggests.

[eaglesonofnone]

He lifted a hand, shaking his head - the snake he'd been handling was safely back in its enclosure and he'd yet to begin to retrieve another, leaving the gesture thankfully safe. "I am well, only... remembering. I was old before I came here, my memory failing. Now, it seems much is coming back that had faded away." And while some was welcome, when it came in flashes that made him nearly hunger for the Apple in his hand again, it was - at the least - difficult.