(This story so far resides here: https://ofourmaker.com/2023/10..../17/adolphus-search- )

Adolphus Search and Rescue had dealt with many serious injuries, and could have saved Moses if the murderess had only assaulted his throat. However, the angle and violence of the final blow had broken both his skull and his neck. He was dead before his murderer was killed.

"It doesn't seem right," Raleigh said, "to go and bring in another gluckast so soon after this happened."

Dr. Kilver's humorous gleam had been replaced with a downcast but stubborn front.

"We do not know," he said, "how long Number One will be contagious - it is most crucial that we continue, now that she is all we have left. She is square one."

"This is not a search and rescue," Mundbern said then, "no human dies if a gluckast remains a gluckast. Are we to abandon the purpose of Adolphus Search and Rescue, and let human beings go unhelped because we are spent on this endeavor?"

"Gluckasts are one of the chief threats we face - eradicating them is a cause even without their humanisation."

"So far it has proven more dangerous than killing them outright. And how quickly do the gluckasts breed? Eradication may never happen."

Elroy put in a word: "This could change very rapidly: it is a unique case where in less than a month we have a fully grown person, ready to help so long as they are willing. This is faster than even insects breed, and with their help we could build an entire compound: soon we would even be capable of infecting the gluckasts and tending for the infected en masse."

"And," said Dr. Kilver, "this all rests on our success at this present stage."

Raleigh sighed.

"It appears that you ask us to declare a war."

"I do. Only I would say that war is already declared."

"Remember," said Mundbern, "that it was not a gluckast who killed Moses. It was a human."

"I mean that the very nature of the gluckast is a declaration of war. We simply see now a path to victory. We must take it, or we have surrendered to the Devil."

"I wonder," said Raleigh, "how the gluckast originated, having such a nature."

"Some diabolical foul play - perhaps better not to know. I have no doubt that this mysterious contagion of humanity is the riposte of heaven."

Gareth said, "It will succeed."

To be continued.

#dailycreatedoom #writtenoom #adolphussearchandrescue 2023/11/15