As the craft’s journey drew to the end of its trip, the doctors examined Rylan for the last time. Sitting on the edge of an examination bed, Rylan’s fingers were tapping away. So far not one of the crews who landed on either Latria or Medicia developed radiation sickness. Rylan suspected that he was the only member of the landing parties to receive this level of care. As time dragged on the captain’s voice boomed through the intercoms. “We’re about three hours from the Larian system. Any member of the crew that has made planetfall, report to sickbay immediately.”
Bouncing his head side to side, Rylan glanced at the doctor hiding behind a console. “Well doc, can you finish up my exam before you get slammed with the last minute rush.“
The steely-eyed doctor shifted his eyes, “No, I’m not going to hurry your exam. Believe me, no one will bump your results. Now be quiet.”
Rylan shook his head as his fingers continued tapping away. He did not like waiting for his official diagnosis. As he stretched his neck as he asked, “What was wrong with the results from a few days ago?”
“Be quiet,” the doctor ordered with an abrasive voice. When Rylan sighed, the doctor retorted, “They were only good for last week, now be quiet.”
Rylan shook his head, at the lunacy of the repeated scans. It was evident that whatever happened on Lataria, occurred in a moment. The lack of communication and the state of the world told him that. If the radiation was still lethal, then it should have done its damage already.
The doctor coughed, bringing Rylan out of his revelry, as he stepped away from the table and spoke at Rylan. “Well your scans look clear, there are no traces of that radiation in your system.”
“Has anyone had the radiation show up in their system?” Rylan asked as he leaped from the bed.
The doctor’s scowl told me that I shouldn’t have asked that question. But my puppy dog eyes only intensified the look and earned me a reproach. “You’re not the captain, and you do not need to know. Now get out so I can see the next patient.”
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