The Teragoid Incident

4. Pain and Presents

CPO Randall Perez was deep in the focus zone with the grow process, that nano-shielding process had real potential, he thought, it looked like it might be able to produce anti-protons in real quantity if you ... 

Perez's PIM chimed at him with a message to get to sick bay to collect his charge. He'd been in the Fusion One shop reviewing plans to grow nano-shielding around the most radiant modules of the station, as well as some horsing around with the EVA donkeys he had dreamed up in case the crap got so deep that they needed some quick interdiction muscle. 

 First thing he noticed when he reported to the Medical section was the AI Med unit hovering over Reagan, direct injection pad on his shoulder. Second thing he noticed was the Ship's Doc, HMCS Cynthia Tunney, glaring. At Perez.  

"I didn't do it," said Perez.  

" That's bullshit. I've known you thirty years, Randy, somehow this must be your fault. Thirty years! Every time you have a problem with someone, they end up on my table!" said Tunney 

Perez thought, "I'm betting this isn't the time to be a smartass, here..."   

"Cindy,  I didn't do it.. Honestly. I'm sure you heard about that stunt he pulled, putting me on report. He used that emergency article in the Legal manual and Joe showed him why that wasn't a good idea," Perez said. 

"It's still your fault, I don't care about the particulars. If you are involved someone always gets hurt. You're a damned bloody magnet. I hate having you at the same duty station!" 

Perez switched to Japanese, "I am very sorry, Senior Chief, I guess the COB agrees with you. He's put the little guy in my charge, to try and turn him around. How bad was he hurt?" Perez asked with a formal bow. She was Japanese, and formal apologies always diminished her anger. 

"He has contusions over 90% of his body! Did you run him over with a truck," she asked. 

"Nope, Skipper put him in the ring with Muschvik." 

"Jesus Christ, why didn't you just hit him with an EVA module!" 

"I am very sorry, Senior Chief," said Perez, bowing again. 

She took several deep breaths, "EEMU is waking him up now, he's been giving some meds to help with the blood loss for bruising, but I need to keep him under observation for 24 hours or so. He might need a unit or so once the bruising starts to fully develop. He'll be conscious in a couple of minutes. I don't want to start any meds to counteract the bruising, they slow overall healing." 

EEMU was the Emergency Medical Unit, an AI controlled assistant to the Independent Duty Corpsman. The medical AI's were the most advanced, with a sense of humor, a general heuristic for 'common sense' and a severe prosaic attitude.

"Will he be rational?" 

"That depends on how hard you knocked his head!" 

 "I am very sorry, Senior Chief," said Perez, bowing again. 

"STOP THAT. I don't want to calm down, I want to have you for breakfast!" 

"It's dinner time, Senior Chief," said Perez. 

"Medical: Patient is regaining consciousness," interrupted Eemu, in Standard English. 

Tunney turned and stepped over to the table and said the same thing every doctor says when you look like crap," How are you feeling?" 

Reagan looked up at her and wheezed, "You should see the other guy. Were you speaking Japanese?" 

"Medical: Humor. Excellent. Prognosis is good. Recommend 24 hours rest under observation."