Hospital Ship (The Rim Confederacy #5) by Jim Rudnick

Author:Jim Rudnick [Rudnick, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RUDNICK PRESS
Published: 2015-12-22T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

As he sat in the psychiatrist's office, this homage to bland, he really had nothing on his mind.

Except, he thought as he made a list, the thing about me and a sidearm, me and my love of Black Scotch, me and how I feel about killing those hundreds of Navy crewman years back in the Earldom of Kinross, me and what I did on Halberd and killing a woman that I had feelings for, and then there was the whole OneTon bar-room brawl. Or what someone told him about that night. He shook his head.

Nothing to worry about at all, he thought and he watched as Dr. Etter continued to read from his tablet and made some notes.

Waiting is always fun. Not as much fun as counting your shortcomings—but still better than being in jail.

Least so far, he thought and waited patiently for his doctor to notice him.

Beige walls, no art to look at, except the framed diploma over there from Ishtar, the doctor had said—where the weapons were so plentiful they exported them all over the RIM. Wasn't that crazy he was thinking when the doctor looked up at him.

"Captain Scott, I see you're here, in person and a full five minutes early. Thank you for being so prompt, Captain," he said.

His voice is maybe just a teensy bit sarcastic, Tanner though.

"Nice to be here, Doctor. Been here on the Hospital Ship for what like almost a full month now. And waiting to prove to you—to all of you—that I'm sane. Honest, Doctor," he said and smiled. No sense in missing a chance, he figured.

"I see that, yes, you've been here a month, and so far, so good," his psychiatrist said.

Tanner nodded. That was true.

"And so, after all those tests, after the nuclear MRIs et al.—we have some news for you. You are an alcoholic, Captain Scott. Plain and simple," he said and looked sad.

But again, it is true.

"I suppose my answer is supposed to be able to tell me something I do not know," Tanner said as he crossed his arms at the news.

Dr. Etter smiled at him and then pointed at his face.

"But after all those tests, here's what we also know, Captain. That your liver is healthy; a little enlarged, a little less than peak in efficiency, but on the whole, in great shape. This is very important to you too, as the cure as they say is right around the corner—well, down on Deck B-18, the outpatient clinic on our Psych Ward. You've an appointment there in about forty minutes for a single vaccination. And that's the alcoholism gone."

Tanner stared at his doctor and then a moment later, chuckled.

"You had me going there for a moment, Doc," he said and the chuckle continued as he uncrossed his arms and was about to really laugh right out loud when his doctor held up his hand to stop him.

"I'm the science guy here, and you pilot star ships, but here's the story in a nutshell, Captain.

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