Once on board the ship, Eriane and Djaisiuk were met by the two Komislavian doctors who had come. These led them quickly through a few short halls to an emergency medical room and then, with the help of the ship's mechanic, very carefully transferred Djaisiuk from the invalid's chair onto the medical bed. Eriane administered a local anesthetic (Djaisiuk did not now object), and they removed the two braces from Djaisiuk's arm and leg. These and the chair were then sent out of the ship by the mechanic.
The two doctors very briefly introduced themselves to Eriane as Farion and Cieru, medical instructors of the IC School. They then held a very brief conference between the three of them to decide how to proceed.
"One of us ought to examine the other members of your crew," said Farion to Eriane, "unless you've done that recently and can be sure that none of them need immediate medical attention."
"No, I haven't and can't," answered Eriane sadly, shaking his head. "I believe that most of them are well at the moment, but I can't be sure. Three of them though were being held as prisoners, not as workers, and I would very much like for them to be examined as soon as may be, especially Faquire, our nutritionist. For myself, I would prefer to stay and to help with Djaisiuk. His leg needs immediate attention if we want to have any hope of saving it."
"I'll examine the other students," said Cieru. "There's no room for pride in our profession, Farion; you're the better one to treat this one's injuries."
"Very well then," said Farion. "We'll begin here, and you can join us as soon as you've finished, if the others need no immediate treatment."
Cieru took a scanner and a portable medical bag, similar to the one that Eriane generally used on their own ship, and left the room to go and examine the other boys. Farion picked up a second scanner and began a detailed scan of Djaisiuk's leg, preparatory to beginning the surgery. Eriane worked at one of the side counters, preparing a full anesthetic.
"How horrific!" exclaimed Farion as he continued the scan. "What did they do to you?"
Djaisiuk only closed his eyes at this and did not respond.
"I don't know what they did, but I can't imagine that he'd care to relive it in the telling," said Eriane, shaking his head and not looking up from his work.
"How could they do so much damage without breaking the skin? This is inconceivable."
"Inconceivably horrific," muttered Eriane. "I prefer not to think about it." Finishing his work, he turned and continued, "Djaisiuk, I'd like administer this anesthetic now, if you don't mind. We'll have to do so before we begin to work, you know."
Djaisiuk opened his eyes but made no reply, so Eriane stepped forward. He then noticed Kiacyl still standing at one side of the small room, leaning against one of the counters and watching the proceedings silently.
"You don't need to stay, Kiacyl," said Eriane. "I'm sure that you can go and join the other boys if you'd like."
Kiacyl did not answer, but looked to Djaisiuk. Djaisiuk turned his head to look at him, then shook his head slightly. Kiacyl looked back at Eriane and shrugged, not moving to leave the room. Eriane swallowed uncomfortably.
"Djaisiuk, this is going to be a rather intensive surgery," said Eriane. "I'm afraid that he may become sick if he has to stay and watch this. It's not going to be pleasant."
Kiacyl a short exhalation that might have been amusement or contempt. "I've seen worse," he said.
Eriane blinked at him in confusion, then shuddered with disgust as he suddenly understood Kiacyl's meaning. He shook his head.
"I really didn't want to hear that just now," he said quietly. "Djaisiuk, may he at least step into the next room and wait there? This is probably going to take a long time, and there's nowhere in here where he can sit."
Djaisiuk turned his head again to look up at the ceiling and seemed to consider for a moment. He then nodded silently. Eriane looked to Kiacyl, and the latter shrugged indifferently and left the room. Djaisiuk then closed his eyes again, and Eriane administered the anesthetic. The almost immediate relaxing of the muscles indicated that it had been successful, and Eriane turned to help Farion to begin the surgery.
"They couldn't have done more damage if they'd dropped an engine on his leg," said Farion. "I can't imagine how they were able to perform this much damage and yet leave the leg attached and the skin practically unbroken!" He shook his head. "I don't know that we'll be able to repair it."
"Well, we're going to at least try!" exclaimed Eriane, looking at him with a shocked expression.
Farion returned the look. "Of course we will," he answered in a tone of surprise. "I'm a doctor; did you suppose that I would suggest that we not?"
Eriane lowered his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry," he said, returning to his own preparations. "I'm afraid that I've been around the Vukasovians for too long. They wouldn't have even tried to save his leg, if he had been a Vukasovian. The medic who helped me to prepare him to be moved to the ship went so far as to suggest that we amputate both his arm and leg then and there so as to save time and work."
"How unfeeling!" exclaimed Farion with a look of horror. "Even if the possibility is remote, we will still try."
"Yes," nodded Eriane. "I would say that 'unfeeling' describes their race very well."
"If I may ask -- though you needn't answer, for it's none of my business --" said Farion as he continued to work, "why did you all bring one of them with you?"
"You mean Kiacyl?" asked Eriane.
"If that's his name, yes. The one whom you sent out of the room just now?"
"Yes, that's Kiacyl. And I really don't know why he's here. Djaisiuk brought him, and we're not supposed question his actions, much as we'd like to do so sometimes."
"But you know this Vukasovian?"
"Yes. He worked with Djaisiuk while we were there, and he spent a lot of time with the rest of us."
"I wouldn't have thought that any Vukasovian would allow himself to be taken by Komislavians willingly. But he seemed to have no objection."
Eriane shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Djaisiuk will doubtless give Taician his reasons, and Taician may or may not tell the rest of us. Kiacyl too might tell us, if he wants to do so. I do wonder, but I can't even begin to guess, so I don't try."
As they continued to work, the discussion continued also, though there were often long breaks throughout. Both were concentrating fully on the task at hand, yet they seemed almost to function as one, so well did they complement one another in their work.
"The damage here is incredible," said Farion, after they'd been working for a short time. "This is going to take a rather long time."
Eriane nodded. "Several hours at least," he murmured.
"Are you sure that you feel up to this?" asked Farion. "You've been through a lot yourself, I'd imagine. If you really want to do something, you could always trade places with Cieru; that work would be less difficult. I don't want you to wear yourself out."
"No, I'm alright," replied Eriane, smiling gratefully at the suggestion, though he had no intention of accepting. "Thank you though. I want to do this. I've had to trust all of my companions' care to our enemies for so long that I would so much prefer to be doing it myself at last. I do trust you, but I'll feel much easier working on him along with you."
Farion smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said. "I was a doctor for the group of the Chearu for nearly eight years. I hated to trust the members even to their own families when they went on vacation. I did eventually get over it though."
"Did it get easier when the group was disbanded?"
"No," he laughed. "No, it actually got harder. I was always wanting to check up on all of them. They humored me for a while, but our counselor finally told me that I needed to be able to let go. He was older than I, so he was retired too. Our pilot was much younger and had become a member of another group. He was the hardest to let go. He's so fool-hardy! I was always having to treat him for some injury or other."
Eriane smiled. "We have one like that too," he said. "He's a mechanic though, not a pilot, but he's older than I am, so he'll probably retire before I do."
Again there was silence for a time as they worked.
"The bone may not heal straight," said Farion at last. "We'd have to apply an outer holding to it if we wanted to be perfectly sure that it would heal properly, but then the muscle here would be less likely to heal at all."
Eriane nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid we're going to have to do it somewhat 'old-fashioned' and just pray for the best. Djaisiuk is not an active person, so having him keep the leg perfectly straight and fairly still for a few weeks shouldn't be very difficult. If he was any other member, we might have some trouble. Except with Detrin, of course."
"Detrin?" asked Farion distractedly.
"Oh, he's our electrician," replied Eriane. "He's very reserved and incredibly mature for his age. He's very patient too."
"Mm," replied the other, and there was quiet again.
"I wish that there was something more that we could do about his knee," said Eriane after they'd been working for well over three hours. "Even if the rest of the leg heals, if this doesn't heal properly, it'll cause incredible difficulties."
"That's true," said Farion, "but I'm a bit more worried about the ankle." He shook his head. "I really have far less hope for saving his foot than for the rest of the leg."
Eriane nodded. "I wouldn't say it if he were awake, but I agree with you." He sighed. "We can but try."
"Yes," agreed Farion quietly. "We can do no less."
The two doctors very briefly introduced themselves to Eriane as Farion and Cieru, medical instructors of the IC School. They then held a very brief conference between the three of them to decide how to proceed.
"One of us ought to examine the other members of your crew," said Farion to Eriane, "unless you've done that recently and can be sure that none of them need immediate medical attention."
"No, I haven't and can't," answered Eriane sadly, shaking his head. "I believe that most of them are well at the moment, but I can't be sure. Three of them though were being held as prisoners, not as workers, and I would very much like for them to be examined as soon as may be, especially Faquire, our nutritionist. For myself, I would prefer to stay and to help with Djaisiuk. His leg needs immediate attention if we want to have any hope of saving it."
"I'll examine the other students," said Cieru. "There's no room for pride in our profession, Farion; you're the better one to treat this one's injuries."
"Very well then," said Farion. "We'll begin here, and you can join us as soon as you've finished, if the others need no immediate treatment."
Cieru took a scanner and a portable medical bag, similar to the one that Eriane generally used on their own ship, and left the room to go and examine the other boys. Farion picked up a second scanner and began a detailed scan of Djaisiuk's leg, preparatory to beginning the surgery. Eriane worked at one of the side counters, preparing a full anesthetic.
"How horrific!" exclaimed Farion as he continued the scan. "What did they do to you?"
Djaisiuk only closed his eyes at this and did not respond.
"I don't know what they did, but I can't imagine that he'd care to relive it in the telling," said Eriane, shaking his head and not looking up from his work.
"How could they do so much damage without breaking the skin? This is inconceivable."
"Inconceivably horrific," muttered Eriane. "I prefer not to think about it." Finishing his work, he turned and continued, "Djaisiuk, I'd like administer this anesthetic now, if you don't mind. We'll have to do so before we begin to work, you know."
Djaisiuk opened his eyes but made no reply, so Eriane stepped forward. He then noticed Kiacyl still standing at one side of the small room, leaning against one of the counters and watching the proceedings silently.
"You don't need to stay, Kiacyl," said Eriane. "I'm sure that you can go and join the other boys if you'd like."
Kiacyl did not answer, but looked to Djaisiuk. Djaisiuk turned his head to look at him, then shook his head slightly. Kiacyl looked back at Eriane and shrugged, not moving to leave the room. Eriane swallowed uncomfortably.
"Djaisiuk, this is going to be a rather intensive surgery," said Eriane. "I'm afraid that he may become sick if he has to stay and watch this. It's not going to be pleasant."
Kiacyl a short exhalation that might have been amusement or contempt. "I've seen worse," he said.
Eriane blinked at him in confusion, then shuddered with disgust as he suddenly understood Kiacyl's meaning. He shook his head.
"I really didn't want to hear that just now," he said quietly. "Djaisiuk, may he at least step into the next room and wait there? This is probably going to take a long time, and there's nowhere in here where he can sit."
Djaisiuk turned his head again to look up at the ceiling and seemed to consider for a moment. He then nodded silently. Eriane looked to Kiacyl, and the latter shrugged indifferently and left the room. Djaisiuk then closed his eyes again, and Eriane administered the anesthetic. The almost immediate relaxing of the muscles indicated that it had been successful, and Eriane turned to help Farion to begin the surgery.
"They couldn't have done more damage if they'd dropped an engine on his leg," said Farion. "I can't imagine how they were able to perform this much damage and yet leave the leg attached and the skin practically unbroken!" He shook his head. "I don't know that we'll be able to repair it."
"Well, we're going to at least try!" exclaimed Eriane, looking at him with a shocked expression.
Farion returned the look. "Of course we will," he answered in a tone of surprise. "I'm a doctor; did you suppose that I would suggest that we not?"
Eriane lowered his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry," he said, returning to his own preparations. "I'm afraid that I've been around the Vukasovians for too long. They wouldn't have even tried to save his leg, if he had been a Vukasovian. The medic who helped me to prepare him to be moved to the ship went so far as to suggest that we amputate both his arm and leg then and there so as to save time and work."
"How unfeeling!" exclaimed Farion with a look of horror. "Even if the possibility is remote, we will still try."
"Yes," nodded Eriane. "I would say that 'unfeeling' describes their race very well."
"If I may ask -- though you needn't answer, for it's none of my business --" said Farion as he continued to work, "why did you all bring one of them with you?"
"You mean Kiacyl?" asked Eriane.
"If that's his name, yes. The one whom you sent out of the room just now?"
"Yes, that's Kiacyl. And I really don't know why he's here. Djaisiuk brought him, and we're not supposed question his actions, much as we'd like to do so sometimes."
"But you know this Vukasovian?"
"Yes. He worked with Djaisiuk while we were there, and he spent a lot of time with the rest of us."
"I wouldn't have thought that any Vukasovian would allow himself to be taken by Komislavians willingly. But he seemed to have no objection."
Eriane shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Djaisiuk will doubtless give Taician his reasons, and Taician may or may not tell the rest of us. Kiacyl too might tell us, if he wants to do so. I do wonder, but I can't even begin to guess, so I don't try."
As they continued to work, the discussion continued also, though there were often long breaks throughout. Both were concentrating fully on the task at hand, yet they seemed almost to function as one, so well did they complement one another in their work.
"The damage here is incredible," said Farion, after they'd been working for a short time. "This is going to take a rather long time."
Eriane nodded. "Several hours at least," he murmured.
"Are you sure that you feel up to this?" asked Farion. "You've been through a lot yourself, I'd imagine. If you really want to do something, you could always trade places with Cieru; that work would be less difficult. I don't want you to wear yourself out."
"No, I'm alright," replied Eriane, smiling gratefully at the suggestion, though he had no intention of accepting. "Thank you though. I want to do this. I've had to trust all of my companions' care to our enemies for so long that I would so much prefer to be doing it myself at last. I do trust you, but I'll feel much easier working on him along with you."
Farion smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said. "I was a doctor for the group of the Chearu for nearly eight years. I hated to trust the members even to their own families when they went on vacation. I did eventually get over it though."
"Did it get easier when the group was disbanded?"
"No," he laughed. "No, it actually got harder. I was always wanting to check up on all of them. They humored me for a while, but our counselor finally told me that I needed to be able to let go. He was older than I, so he was retired too. Our pilot was much younger and had become a member of another group. He was the hardest to let go. He's so fool-hardy! I was always having to treat him for some injury or other."
Eriane smiled. "We have one like that too," he said. "He's a mechanic though, not a pilot, but he's older than I am, so he'll probably retire before I do."
Again there was silence for a time as they worked.
"The bone may not heal straight," said Farion at last. "We'd have to apply an outer holding to it if we wanted to be perfectly sure that it would heal properly, but then the muscle here would be less likely to heal at all."
Eriane nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid we're going to have to do it somewhat 'old-fashioned' and just pray for the best. Djaisiuk is not an active person, so having him keep the leg perfectly straight and fairly still for a few weeks shouldn't be very difficult. If he was any other member, we might have some trouble. Except with Detrin, of course."
"Detrin?" asked Farion distractedly.
"Oh, he's our electrician," replied Eriane. "He's very reserved and incredibly mature for his age. He's very patient too."
"Mm," replied the other, and there was quiet again.
"I wish that there was something more that we could do about his knee," said Eriane after they'd been working for well over three hours. "Even if the rest of the leg heals, if this doesn't heal properly, it'll cause incredible difficulties."
"That's true," said Farion, "but I'm a bit more worried about the ankle." He shook his head. "I really have far less hope for saving his foot than for the rest of the leg."
Eriane nodded. "I wouldn't say it if he were awake, but I agree with you." He sighed. "We can but try."
"Yes," agreed Farion quietly. "We can do no less."
* * * * * * *
After a full five hours of steady work, they had finished all that they could do on Djaisiuk's leg, and both young doctors breathed a deep sigh of relief.
"Oh," sighed the older doctor, stretching his arms. "That was a task like none I've ever performed."
"I think that we did well," said Eriane contentedly. "I've a lot more hope now than I had a few hours ago."
Farion smiled and nodded. "Yes, indeed," he said. "But now you really ought to go and take a rest. You should at least get something to eat; when was the last meal that you had?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten about that," Eriane replied, lifting a hand and rubbing his forehead. "No, I've not eaten since breakfast today, and it must be nearly bedtime now." He sighed again. "Yes, I suppose that I should go."
"Just send Cieru in here to help me, if you see him and if he's nearly finished," said Farion. "Really, even if he isn't, it'd probably be better for you to take over for him and let him come and help me. I'm going to get started on the arm now."
"Don't you want a break yourself?" asked Eriane. "His arm is nowhere near being in as much danger as was his leg. It won't hurt it to wait for a few minutes while you have something to eat."
Farion nodded but made no move to leave. "I know," he said, "but I'll stay. I am on a slightly different time schedule than all of you, you know, though it's only off by a few hours. I had my midday meal just before we arrived at Vukosava, and I'll be alright for at least a few more hours yet. It shouldn't take nearly that long to repair the damage to his arm. I'll take at least a short break after that."
"Alright," said Eriane. He went to the door, then turned back to Farion for a moment. "I'll send in Cieru if he has finished. And thank you so very much. I really do mean it."
Farion smiled and shrugged. "I'm just doing my job, really," he said.
Eriane smiled too and walked out of the room, silently thanking God for returning them to their own loving and caring people at last.
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