Some Seafaring Rescuers

Gabe breathed deeply of the air, far from home. Dr. Sherman had only protested a little when he stated his intent to volunteer for the search and rescue expedition. 

"I knew you'd both grow up and leave me." He'd grumbled. 

"Victoria's coming back, and so am I," Gabe had comforted. 

"Are you? Are you both coming back? I doubt it. I'll have to find a new apprentice. I don't think Mrs. Sherman is up for raising another child from the start." The old doctor had shrugged. 

Gabe frowned. "I don't want to leave you in hardship. I know there is much need here with all the Cetoans having come."

"There is likely more hardship out there amongst the ones who could not complete the journey to the city. Go help them. And their animals." The Doctor had softened. If not an apprentice, then one of the proper doctors of the city would be sent. Likely they would anyway, as multiple groups would be sent out to complete the search more efficiently. 

"I'll be back when I can." Gabe hugged his mentor and Mrs. Sherman. That goodbye was almost harder than the farewell with his own father, who had clapped him on the shoulder and told Gabe he was proud of him. 

Amelia had sniffled a little. Gabe was the youngest of her joint brood, and it nudged at her heart to see him leave, even temporarily.

He didn't see what the big deal with it was, he had already moved out to become an apprentice. This was just one step further. 

Plus, he'd done his year of military service. He was sure they must be used to living without him by now. 

The air outside the city seemed fresher to him. The fields of spring flowers were in full, riotous bloom. He wondered briefly if Victoria was seeing similar sights on her journey, but then pulled his mind back to the present. 

It would do no good to dwell on her when he could be concentrating on the task ahead. He was assigned with a half dozen soldiers in his group, a mix of recruits to be trained in tracking, and veterans who were to do the teaching. 

They were on a boat on the river towards the sea, and would fan out from there. The boat would be loaded with any survivors and quickly sent back to Klain for care and shelter. 

Gabe was lulled into a mild doze by the gentle swaying of the river. The sunshine was bright, and there was nothing much to occupy his attention. The soldiers were to watch the banks for signs of people in need of help; Gabe's energy was to be preserved for the treatment of any injured. 

He opened his eyes, feeling a little useless so far. The Cetoans who had made it to Klain were not optimistic about the prospect of other survivors, and it was a sad thing to contemplate. Gabe pursed his lips. 

They should be reaching the Cetoan settlement soon, he thought, glancing at the sky. The description of the large portal was disturbing. He'd never seen one bigger than about the size of a person. Of course, there had to be larger ones for the giants to come through during the War Between Worlds, and the leviathan made portals big enough for entire ships to sail through, but still…

The mental image he conjured was not an entirely pleasant one. What else could it let through? If rocks as large as mountains, what manner of monsters might come? 

"We're almost there, I think," Said a younger soldier. "The air smells different now." 

Gabe inhaled again, and an acrid scent filled his nose. He stood up, and the others' eyes moved toward the shore of the river. The mouth of the moving water came into view, and the man at the rudder quickly steered them to shore. There were no remnants of the sturdy dock that they were told once graced the shore of the river. 

"Something's strange," Gabe said. 

"Well of course it is, a civilization was wiped out," An older, grizzled man glared at him. 

Gabe spared a glance for the man but didn't respond. It was more than that, he could feel it, but not quite put into words exactly what the issue was. He couldn't pin it down, and contemplated in the quiet. 

"Refill the waterskins before we begin our search. From the river, upstream from where it becomes brackish. Any wells likely have been contaminated by seawater in the wave." Captain Napier, in charge of the group, began giving instructions. Gabe didn't know much about the man as of yet, but from appearances he seemed capable.

"Yes, Sir!" The men responded. One moved upstream a short way to test the water, taking a small scoop of it with his hand to his mouth before committing them all to taking it at this location. 

"Gah!" He scrambled back, spitting and choking. Gabe moved to his side, offering his waterskin for the man to wash his mouth out. 

"The river did flow backwards several days ago for a short time, perhaps the saltiness persisted in this section?" He looked towards the Captain. 

Napier pursed his lips in thought, but the drinker regained his voice, albeit hoarse and a little slurred. 

"It's not salty," He croaked. "It's bitter. Like acid." 

"Open your mouth," Gabriel demanded, turning the man's face towards the sunlight. The soldier's tongue and the inside of his cheeks were raw, and small sores were forming. This wasn't normal. The man's hand was red and blistering. Gabriel turned his waterskin over it to rinse off any residual river water. 

"Check the boat, quickly!" He turned to the Captain, who was already kneeling to look. 

"The wood's being eaten away!" He said in alarm. "Quickly, men, pull the boat up onto shore!" 

The men on shore, except Gabriel and the injured man, leapt into action. There was no time for care, and they pulled the ropes on the bow as hard as they could in order to get the shallow-bottomed boat out of the water.

Gabe breathed a little more easily now that the supplies, including the stores of water, were safely out of the embrace of the acidic flow. 

"When did it turn that way?" Captain Napier wondered aloud. "The lake in Klain is clear of this problem, and the river for most of the journey had to be all right or our craft would have sunk long ago." 

"We could travel upriver and check periodically," One soldier suggested. 

"No, of course not. We must find survivors more quickly than ever. If they don't have supplies of drinkable water, they won't last any longer. We will continue until our supplies run thin and we are forced to head back," The Captain dared any of the men to disagree, and all remained silent. 

"The settlement, or what's left of it, should be to the West of the river." Another responded. 

"Then let's begin there. Doctor, are you satisfied that he'll be all right?" Napier asked. 

Gabriel finished wrapping the man's hand in a bandage after applying a salve. "As satisfied as I can be without knowing the exact nature of what's wrong with the water," He replied, "And I'm not a full doctor, just an apprentice." 

"You're our doctor and I'll call you one," Napier responded. "Join the three of us in the search in case we find anyone. The rest of you, begin setting up camp for the night. The sun will set before too long." 

The apprentice followed the Captain towards the settlement. The sound of the water lapping on the shore might have been mesmerizing on any other day, but for Gabriel, it was a reminder of the great wave that had wreaked destruction. 

There was debris everywhere. Trees pushed over, hanging on by the merest thread of remaining roots, pieces of houses scattered like a giant child had stomped through with a kicking, screaming tantrum. 

Nothing was left standing, he realized as they reached the beach. Except… his eyes widened. 

Up towards the base of a sandy hill, a huge ship lay on its side. Battered and beaten with holes in its sides, it nevertheless was in… well, two or three main pieces. 

He hadn't seen a large ship up close, and to see one completely out of the water was awe-inspiring. The enormity of the task of building one, all shown to be for naught in the face of a giant wave that dashed it into this sorry state.

"Do you think anyone was aboard?" He asked. 

"Perhaps, but I think likely no longer," Captain Napier replied. "But so far it's our best hope for survivors in the immediate vicinity. Hello! Anyone there?" He called as they moved closer. 

No reply sounded. Gabriel picked his way carefully through the debris, morbidly eager to explore the ruins of the ship. He didn't really want to see what was inside, but something drove him to look anyway. Someone might be in need of aid. 

"Hello?" He called when he reached a great crack in the ship's side. The darkness inside was ominous, but he heard a bit of movement. Hope sparked inside him. 

"Hello?" Gabriel's voice carried deeper inside.