Read Online Dana Cartwright Mission 1: Stiletto by Joyz W. Riter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joyz W. Riter
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turned to Dana. “You’re here. Why not now?”
“It’s not a simple procedure,” Garcia protested. “And once we start there is no stopping.”
Dana looked to her guardian. He did not have the stamina for such an operation. “I’ll stay.”
DOC Cartwright scowled his most frequent disapproving face, but said not a word.
“The decision is yours, Colonel,” Garcia said.
Kieran readily announced, “Now.”
While Dana moved the coffin to the side of another diagnostic bed, Garcia readied instruments. She explained to Kieran the levitation and anesthesia process, sounding as if she were quoting word-for-word from a textbook.
“I trust you,” Kieran told her. “Do what must be done.”
Garcia offered Dana a rest break, but she declined. He took a quick one to bid DOC Cartwright a farewell.
To Dana’s dismay, DOC accused them both of being reckless and foolhardy, loudly enough for the patient to hear — and half the galaxy. When Garcia returned, he looked far less confident, but she just shrugged. “He’s grumpy today.”
“You’re used to it, I assume.”
Kieran’s suggestion of forming a mind link proved impossible, with the level of anesthesia needed.
She and Garcia proceeded.
Weaving with ultrasound took time. After twelve hours of non-stop surgery, they locked stares. “Complete?” Garcia asked.
“Complete,” Dana Cartwright agreed.
They used the levitation system on the C-FIIN to move Kieran to a facedown position on the second diagnostic bed, ordered a full neuro-scan and gradually Dana brought him up from the deep levels to a very mellow, conscious one.
Kieran’s eyelids were still heavy, but he easily answered some basic questions, showing full cognitive function. “My feet tingle and my toes…” He happily wiggled them. Eager to test other muscles, he tried to move his left leg and cried in anguish. “Pain…all down my left leg, and my right leg, too.”
Then the twitching began; both legs quaked. Dana grabbed the DIA-dermal injector and administered a muscle relaxer that made the twitching stop. She looked crestfallen as she covered his lower torso with a blanket, but he simply smiled. “I can feel my legs.”
She nodded. “You’re going to need physical therapy. Maybe we can go back in after the inflammation subsides.”
Kieran looked to Doctor Garcia. “I can feel…”
It quickly become apparent he couldn’t control bodily functions.
Garcia urged, “I think you need to spend another night in the coffin. We’ll reassess in the morning.”
Kieran pleaded, “No, please…”
Though Dana and Garcia were beyond exhaustion, she offered to stay. And she even did the duty of changing the diaper.
Garcia sighed. “I guess residents are used to long days.”
She didn’t offer a retort that ship’s surgeons went soft. It was a standing joke among the interns.
Once Garcia left, Dana saw to it that Kieran was comfortable. Then she pushed a second unit next to his and stretched out, close enough that their hands touched. He gave hers a gentle squeeze.
“Sleep,” she urged.
Though his eyes were closed and he was physically without pain, unmoving, his heart ached. She sensed it through the mind link.
Dana?
Yes…
There are no words to thank you for what you’ve done.
You need to rest.
He was silent for a time, but then telepathically sent a very emotionally charged, I love you.
She whispered aloud, “Rest. Doctor’s orders.”
“Why does DOC hate Alphans?”
“I don’t know; but don’t ever ask. He’ll lecture you for hours about Republic politics. I hate politics.”
“I bet you’d enjoy my parents’ lectures on interracial…” He paused before admitting, “One of my brothers was disowned for marrying a Shonedren. I never understood why. We were all rebels. You’d think father would…” He chuckled and changed the subject. “Let’s go flying?”
He sent her the thought of being on the highest ledge above the canyon, both
“It’s not a simple procedure,” Garcia protested. “And once we start there is no stopping.”
Dana looked to her guardian. He did not have the stamina for such an operation. “I’ll stay.”
DOC Cartwright scowled his most frequent disapproving face, but said not a word.
“The decision is yours, Colonel,” Garcia said.
Kieran readily announced, “Now.”
While Dana moved the coffin to the side of another diagnostic bed, Garcia readied instruments. She explained to Kieran the levitation and anesthesia process, sounding as if she were quoting word-for-word from a textbook.
“I trust you,” Kieran told her. “Do what must be done.”
Garcia offered Dana a rest break, but she declined. He took a quick one to bid DOC Cartwright a farewell.
To Dana’s dismay, DOC accused them both of being reckless and foolhardy, loudly enough for the patient to hear — and half the galaxy. When Garcia returned, he looked far less confident, but she just shrugged. “He’s grumpy today.”
“You’re used to it, I assume.”
Kieran’s suggestion of forming a mind link proved impossible, with the level of anesthesia needed.
She and Garcia proceeded.
Weaving with ultrasound took time. After twelve hours of non-stop surgery, they locked stares. “Complete?” Garcia asked.
“Complete,” Dana Cartwright agreed.
They used the levitation system on the C-FIIN to move Kieran to a facedown position on the second diagnostic bed, ordered a full neuro-scan and gradually Dana brought him up from the deep levels to a very mellow, conscious one.
Kieran’s eyelids were still heavy, but he easily answered some basic questions, showing full cognitive function. “My feet tingle and my toes…” He happily wiggled them. Eager to test other muscles, he tried to move his left leg and cried in anguish. “Pain…all down my left leg, and my right leg, too.”
Then the twitching began; both legs quaked. Dana grabbed the DIA-dermal injector and administered a muscle relaxer that made the twitching stop. She looked crestfallen as she covered his lower torso with a blanket, but he simply smiled. “I can feel my legs.”
She nodded. “You’re going to need physical therapy. Maybe we can go back in after the inflammation subsides.”
Kieran looked to Doctor Garcia. “I can feel…”
It quickly become apparent he couldn’t control bodily functions.
Garcia urged, “I think you need to spend another night in the coffin. We’ll reassess in the morning.”
Kieran pleaded, “No, please…”
Though Dana and Garcia were beyond exhaustion, she offered to stay. And she even did the duty of changing the diaper.
Garcia sighed. “I guess residents are used to long days.”
She didn’t offer a retort that ship’s surgeons went soft. It was a standing joke among the interns.
Once Garcia left, Dana saw to it that Kieran was comfortable. Then she pushed a second unit next to his and stretched out, close enough that their hands touched. He gave hers a gentle squeeze.
“Sleep,” she urged.
Though his eyes were closed and he was physically without pain, unmoving, his heart ached. She sensed it through the mind link.
Dana?
Yes…
There are no words to thank you for what you’ve done.
You need to rest.
He was silent for a time, but then telepathically sent a very emotionally charged, I love you.
She whispered aloud, “Rest. Doctor’s orders.”
“Why does DOC hate Alphans?”
“I don’t know; but don’t ever ask. He’ll lecture you for hours about Republic politics. I hate politics.”
“I bet you’d enjoy my parents’ lectures on interracial…” He paused before admitting, “One of my brothers was disowned for marrying a Shonedren. I never understood why. We were all rebels. You’d think father would…” He chuckled and changed the subject. “Let’s go flying?”
He sent her the thought of being on the highest ledge above the canyon, both
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