The
Media!
Inside
the University Medschool!
Dr Mincey strolls into the room, he is
followed by a flock of interns, like ducklings swarming after their mother.
-Jones, can you tell me what is wrong with
this man.
Our Venerable physician points at the patient
with a pen while fumbling
through the notes.
Jones, a young man reddens, he loosens his
tie and stutters
-Is he dead?
-Dead, oh no no no, certainly not dead...if
in doubt Jones the electro-cardiogram machine is a real giveaway. No indeedy
our patient is very much alive.
God knows how you ever got into this institution. Can anyone else shed
any light on what may be the problem?
There is a small cough
-Ahh Mr. Heinrich Schwartzenberg, what can
you offer up?
Heinrich speaks, he has the reddened eyes of
someone who has been up all night
poring over arcane texts.
-Dr Mincey, although the patient does not
appear to be breathing, and despite the lack of heartbeat, the ECG clearly shows
brain activity. If we look closely behind the ear we can see
small punctures, relatively fresh. These are
consistent with injection points for oxy-cranius, a substance used by specialist workers in a hard vacuum.
The drug keeps the brain alive in an emergency while the rest of the body is
shut down. This gives a chance, albeit small for rescue. Unfortunately in this
case the body has shutdown and
these swellings are consistent with organ detonation due explosive
decompression. I recommend we whip the old brain out and drop the body into
bacta rejuve as soon as possible.
-Brilliant, quite brilliant Mister
Schwartzenberg, your natural diagnostic skills, and frankly Benedictine work
ethic will see you go far. Now we must head to the Precinct 32 mortuary on the
docks....It really is the most fascinating pier of police medicine.