@clarke.griffin

[strove]

Hi. I have some information that I think we should all know about. It's not pertaining to us getting taken. Not exactly. Or anything that's been going on. It's about our lives here, and what's happened to us.

First, I want everyone to know that there's nothing in your chests. I mean, there is, but it's not a physical item. Which ... makes sense. We don't have any scars there, at least not ones that may have been added since we showed up. The ones on the back of our heads? Still there. So, I don't think that's a coincidence. I don't know who found this out for us, or why they decided to go into digging into themselves on their own, but since you're presumably still out there: look up X-rays and MRIs. I'm not saying Morningstar has access to these things. Maybe they don't. But it's worth asking.

Second, and know that this is coming from a ... unique place: trust the hospitals here. They aren't out to get you. I work at one every day. I'm in their database, both as an employee and someone with access to medical records. For those of us with unique physiology, this doesn't apply, but from what I can tell, we're far from the majority. Now that we know for sure nothing is kicking around in our chests, we can safely go.

Where I came from before, it was hard. We didn't have any of the things available to us. If three people needed X-rays, we'd try to figure out who needed them most just in case. And that's before I left where I grew up—a space station, for those of you who are curious—and went down to the ground to help reestablish ourselves there. [This is the prettiest way to put the horrible thing that happened to a hundred expendable kids. She is not going to tell anyone that. The rest of this little anecdote is meant to guilt people enough. That is her goal, and she doesn't really care if it's a transparent one.] Here, it's all available, and it's free. I'm not going to tell anyone to stop helping people, even if it gets you hurt. I am pleading with you to be smarter about it.

Health care here is free. All of it. Whether you have poor vision or you had an accident back home and you lost a limb, it's all free. You don't have to go through with any of it, but I feel that it's partly my responsibility to make all of this known to you.

Comments

[kleptocratic]

It's an occupational disposition.
Part of the Oath of Hippocrates, I think.

[strove]

Bellamy didn't mention that part.

[kleptocratic]

It's not the Oath of Bellamy Blake.

[ It's a guess, that the name on these devices is an actual name (his isn't), but he figures there's nothing to be lost in guessing. ]

[strove]

Bellamy isn't the doctor type. I am.

He mentioned you to me.

[kleptocratic]

See, you admit it's a type.

He said I should contact you. [ But because medical attention is his least favorite attention, he put it off a while. ]

[strove]

Yes.

Are we going to have a problem? I've made sure to look into the information you need.

[kleptocratic]

Then you can probably guess I've had a lot of experiences with physicians.

[ Which is to say that despite his needling he does know how to hold still at the proper moments. Though it would probably be much easier if you sedated him. ]

[strove]

Do you cut someone a break if they aren't technically one yet? No title and all.

[She kept her training out of this whole thing, in part because she doesn't want anyone to rely on her before she's even finished.]

[kleptocratic]

Are you trying to win me over with a lack of credentials?

[ A novel strategy. ]

[strove]

I'm trying to convince you to let me help you without you making me regret agreeing to it.

[kleptocratic]

You can help me?

[strove]

I can give you the information you need, and maybe even assist with the medical terminology that you'll have to listen to along the way. Essentially, I can act as a translator between you and any medical professional. I get the sense that you'll need it.

I can't do the procedure myself.

[kleptocratic]

So there's a procedure.

[ He'd honestly wondered. ]

[strove]

What were you thinking would happen?

[kleptocratic]

I don't know. Something beyond what I can easily think of. I can't assume things here will make sense.

[strove]

That's where I can help.

If you don't decide I have a vendetta against you.

[kleptocratic]

Oh, I like to be helped by those with vendettas against me.

Especially when they don't notice.

[strove]

Unfortunately, if I was a fully qualified physician, you would have messed up that part already.

[kleptocratic]

Lately my plans have been very much derailed.

[strove]

I've heard that tends to happen after you learn about the multiverse.

[kleptocratic]

Ah, and here I thought it had to do with being abducted.

[strove]

They tend to go hand in hand.

[kleptocratic]

That must explain my difficulty.

[ A hand joke, terrific. ]

[strove]

I should have thought that one through.

[kleptocratic]

Don't worry, I rarely think things through myself. Seems excessive.