Lost in Translation

For a long moment, Jade wondered if she should go after Alex. He was in one of his upset-embarrassed-angry moods, Jade wasn't sure if going after him would make him worse or re-assure him that everything was ok. She had been lucky enough to escape the attacks from the norovirus-stick, a few of the others were still cleaning up after the fact. As a Doctor, she had seen worse.

She shook her head and began looking over the combined medical supplies that people were hauling out of the crashed crate.
"Basic first aid kit: needle, thread, adhesive bandage, non adhesive bandage, antiseptic... three plasters," She raised an eyebrow at the Mr Men and Little Miss decorated plasters. "Children's size... Tube of Bonjella paste, extra strong, super mint flavour and an out of date bottle of aspirin... Fantastic..." She sighed and added the small pile of goods to the pile of growing useful kit they were taking with them.

"Damnit..." Jay huffed and kicked a pebble across the sand. Jade watched it skitter out into the desert and puff up a dusty cloud in it's wake.

"You know it's not your fault right?" Jade said as she walked over to the frustrated Captain.

"What?" He asked, looking up from his pebble kicking gaze.

"All the atrocities in the name of God. You can't be responsible if people twist words for their own ends. They selectively use things as it suits them, and not taking their meaning as it should be." She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"It's not that.." Jay began.

"If you are worried I probably have something to calm you down." She rummaged in her bag for a moment and pulled out a handful of capsules, offering them to Jay. "Lemon balm, Passion flower and Lavender are good for anxiety. If you'd prefer, I have some Fennel tea when we get back to the Dwarf?"

"No. Jade listen..." Jay said, a soft grin encroaching his face at the heartfelt efforts of the Doctor. "It's really ok. Thank you for the kind words," He pushed her hand away gently, not wanting the herbal remedies. "But it's just that I dropped the lid to my canteen..." He grinned, lifting up the lidless water carrying device.

"Ah! Oh! Really?... Urm..." Jade flustered, shoving the tablets back in her bag and blushing red, thankfully, slightly disguised under the pink sun burning skin.

"Perhaps, Doctor Pritchard if you adjusted the volume of..." came the voice of Kenneth, concern etched into the words. There was a small hissing pop and an explosion of angry cursing from Artie.

"...You could avoid an overly volatile mixture." The A.I finished.

"Indeed it seems that that particular mix was not suitable. What would you suggest?" Artie said, his voice clipped slightly with a tense edge. Jade could only imagine what was being brewed up inside the ship and it provided a good enough distraction from Jade's faux pas.

"I need to make sure that they aren't going to blow us all up too soon." Jay sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"You know, I think I have something for headaches too?" Jade grinned, poking fun at her own foot in mouth moment.

"Maybe later." Jay chuckled and walked gingerly towards the source of the potential chaos.

Jade looked out into the endless sands and something caught her eye, a small caravan of camels laden with fabrics. Maybe it would be possible to barter for some of them, clothes to wear. No one wanted to be the person ending up with 'Naughty Santa' to wear.

***

"أنا لا أفهم" The man said.

"I'm sorry. I don't understand you. I just need some of the fabric you have. The clothes on the camels." Jade gestured as she spoke slowly and loudly at the man in the lead.

"كنت ترغب في شراء الإبل؟ مع ماذا؟" He frowned down angrily at her.

"Can I trade you for it?" Jade thought for a moment and then removed the earrings that herself and Cass had bought on their shopping trip in Vegas. She held them out to the merchant. "Trade?"

"آه! نعم! تأخذ منهم!" His eyes lit up and he untied six of the camels from the chain. Cradling the expensive jewels.

"No! No! Just the clothes!" Jade stared wide eyed as the merchant rode away. "Oh... Dear..."

***

She returned to the camp shortly after, finding it still busy with preparations.

"I found a solution to the unpleasant issue caused by the simulants urm... weapon." Jade said, looking towards some of the worse affected Dwarfers. "There should be enough here to... Ah... change clothes."

<Tag>

OOC - Oops! Not just clothes but six camels as well. Heh heh heh. I've only tagged those spoken to/about in the post as my brain can't cope with the full list! Lol.