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No. 11622
Scout never felt comfortable in the airship's apothecary. Despite the many times he had come here for treatment, the Doctor's station always put him on edge, for reasons he couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was the fact that he only approached the apothecary when he was hurt, and the idea of pain was now associated to this place. Perhaps it was simply the way that Medic insisted on lining his shelves so proudly with the creatures of past experiments, unidentifiable animals that hung suspended in amber liquid, their dull eyes following Scout across the room as he sat on the examination table. The scent of stale blood and ether hung about Medic as he stood over Scout, inspecting a now-healed wound.
"So, 'm okay, right?" Scout said, trying not to fidget his way further from Medic's probing hands.
"I shall administer a bleeding," Medic paused as he watched Scout's expression move from relief to fear. "For ze removal of impure vitae, of course. I assure you it iz quite painless."
The explanation was less than soothing. Scout reflexively clutched at the goggles that hung around his neck. "So y-you're gonna cut me?"
"Nein, nein," Medic chuckled gently, moving to collect a large glass bottle from his endless collection. He cradled the bottle gently in the crook of his arm, as if it were a sleeping babe, and revealed its contents to Scout. Some.../things/ in the bottle moved; a writhing, mottled collection of black shapes in slow but constant movement.
"What the fuck!" Scout shouted as he recoiled. "Can't you just hit me with the medigun?" As much as he was willing in his ignorance of how the Medic's device (now idling in the corner of the room, its brass body humming gently) worked, there was something far more sinister about these tiny creatures.
"True zat ze technologies and sciences of man have been used to our great advantage, we must not ignore ze simplicity und thoroughness in which nature itself preforms," said Medic, his eyes never moving from the jar he held.
"You're not gonna make me eat 'em, are you?" Scout was hesitant to even venture the question, and his fear were rewarded when the Medic gave a sharp shout of laughter, smiling like the cat that had convinced the canary to leave its cage. Rather than immediately replying, Medic placed the jar beside Scout on the examination table, and opened it, dipping his gloved hand into the contents. When he removed his fingers to display to Scout, several leeches had already attached themselves to the palm of his hand, industriously attempting to draw out sustenance from the impenetrable leather. Watching the undulating creatures wriggle vainly across the gloved hand had the same affect on Scout as a sudden, unexpected ascent; his stomach dropped out from beneath him to leave him queasy and unbalanced.
For a few minutes Medic seemed quite content to ignore Scout and watch the futile efforts of the leeches. It was only when Scout attempted to shift to the far side of the table that he remembered himself and where he was, looking up to find Scout now pale and wavering slightly. Medic gently shook the leeches from his hand back into the bottle.
"Shall I prepare a tincturn of opium for you, to calm the nerves?" Medic asked.
Scout weighed his options. To flee from this place now would only result in pursuit by the other crew members until he was bound and returned for treatment. To endure this treatment with a waking mind was currently unthinkable to Scout, leaving him with the option of allowing the doctor to sedate him. He and all the other crew mates had endured it time and time again, but the painful aftermath of ether and the whispered rumors of what happens to those that place themselves in Medic's tender mercies made him hesitate. He glanced from the jar to the Medic who now watched him with a barely-concealed hungry expression.
"Yeah, okay, just do it quick, right Doc?" Scout sighed as he watched Medic move to procure the proper medicine. As Medic approached him with the dosage, Scout closed his eyes and opened his mouth to accept it, hoping that the price he paid was worth a few hours of oblivion.
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