Home World by Uphoff Pam

Author:Uphoff, Pam
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Iron Ax Press
Published: 2022-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

What doesn’t kill you

Friday, 2 February, 3738

Roland heaved the last box up into the truck and doubled over in pain. “Oh, dammit. I hate doctors. I hate doctors with a passion.”

The supervisor snorted. “You’ll hate dying of a burst appendix even worse. Go. See. A. Doctor. Now! And don’t come back until you have.”

Roland grunted. “I guess . . . I have to.”

He straightened carefully and walked out. Gingerly.

The supervisor muttered something under his breath. Stalked over to the office. “Glenda? Call that clinic over on Chivvy Street. Make an appointment for Roly, then take my car and drive him there.”

Roland heard her voice. “They’ll need a reason.”

“Abdominal pain.”

The nice lady—well, Exec—popped out a few minutes later. A comfortable middle-aged woman, who handled all the money for the company, she shook her head at him. “Men! Always waiting until the last minute!”

“It only hurt a little!” Roland sighed. “Until about an hour ago.”

“Umm, yes, likely story. Now, can that nice old man that owns you pick you up?”

“Oh yes, he’s got a car. I didn’t know you knew him.”

“I don’t. But you mention him with love in your voice.”

“Oh.”

“Now, here you are. Hurry up and heal, everyone says you’re a hard worker.”

He climbed carefully out of the car and walked inside.

The clinic was all modern and mechanized. He keyed in his ID, stats, complaint, fed the machine a cash card . . . a nurse ushered him back and closed him into a scanner, then a doctor . . . well, these days, an Exec with the medical program installed, walked in.

“The pain is caused by compression of your retained testicles. They need to be removed.”

“What? I’m a Eunuch. I don’t have testicles.”

The doc tapped the wall and a scan popped up. “Those are testicles. They have most likely recently migrated to their current position. Retained testicles are a serious cancer risk, and should be removed.”

Good thing I’m sitting down.

“They, uh, look like they’re almost . . . where they belong. Can’t you just shift them down?”

“Retained testicles are a serious cancer risk. Removal is the only recommended procedure. As you note they are in an easily accessible location. The procedure will be simple. The cost will be . . .”

“The procedure will not happen.” Roland stood up. “Thank you for your diagnosis.”

The doc-exec frowned. “Notification of refusal of recommended treatment is being sent to your owner.”

“Right.” Roland pulled out his phone and tapped in Lord Siegbert’s number. “Sir? You should be receiving something from a medical clinic. No, I’m fine. Just decline treatment, please.”

“Hold on a minute . . . this can’t be right . . .”

“Exactly, so decline and I’ll explain when I get home.”

“Do you need a ride?”

“I’m right by a metro stop, but if you could pick me up at the Walnut station, I won’t have to walk the last bit.”

“Right. I’ll be there.”

The doc, eyeing his tablet, sniffed and sent him off with a disapproving glower.

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