NOVEL NEXT 36: A Deposit
She was a storm
She was a blaze
She was the unnavigable ocean depths
She was churning
She took everything and shook it
Nothing would ever be the same again
Collected Unpublished Lyrics
-Sibsil Creed, Stories of Shurwinn (2783)
RYST
"Tomorrow you'll be getting up to walk the first time when the physical therapist comes. Once you move your bowels, you can start having solid foods. So, there's a bedpan here, and we will assist you. Please call the nurses' station for help. We don't want you to be moving about too much until you begin your therapy," the nurse finished her rounds and left the room.
"Ungh," Peydran groaned. "Why is it 'here's a bedpan, please make a deposit' every time they come in here?"
I laughed. It felt good to laugh with Peydran again. "They're doing their jobs, and they're doing them well. Agh- Peydran, I want to talk about something with you, but I want you to know that it's a suggestion, and everything I tell you is just information that you can use to make your own decisions, okay?"
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"Keep talking, Ryst. I'm listening."
"Remember how I asked you about a video with Gentia— my new researcher friend in Bootes Galaxy?"
"YES!"
"Well, he published a study on cybernetics and the type of diet I'm doing. His daughter is augmented and needed a special diet for some complications she developed, and it has been working for her for years."
"Seriously? Like, they're actually studying what you're doing with augments?"
"Yeah, it's only a small study, so, it's just a start, but the results from the first stage are very good. I'm not telling you—"
"No, I'm doing it. At least, I'll try it, like you always say. Right now I'm just sipping broth and water, but I'll do it. Can you do a research study with only one patient?"
"That's called a case study—"
"Then I'm our first patient. Tell me everything, Ryst," he commanded, opening his pad with his right hand. "Tell me about research. We're going to do this."
And he looked at me with a determined look that also said, "I need this. I need to focus on a goal. Don't leave me sitting in a hospital bed, unable to move around. I need something to do."
And since he asked, I complied. I told him how to design a study, about outcomes, data collection, metrics. About medica visits and questionnaires. When his surgeon examined him, Peydran told Dr. Abrams he was designing a research study with Dr. Nova about nutrition and cybernetics postoperative pain outcomes and would like his participation as an objective observer. Relationships were established and expectations set.
Peydran started drinking juice and moved his bowels like a good boy with the aid of his assistants. I reflected, that really, research and production design had a lot of similarities, and he was an excellent choice of business partner. I really wished he wasn't our first patient— really, really wished it. But I was glad that I had given him a reason to focus. To use all that focus he normally used in the dojo or his business for something that was new and kept his mind on moving forward.
"Ryst, why were you in a coma?" Peydran had been asking me questions since he woke up from surgery 3 days prior. About Paulo and Chaludra and Ancient Earth. Then about research and juicing and nutrition.
"Well, Peydran. If you read my recon file and public records, there are some pertinent facts missing. Facts that can go missing for victims of attempted murder." The story spilled out. Darwin. Amped up on drugs. Countertop to the head. Broke his stars-forsaken leg. Coma. Trial. Atraxis 7, prison sphere.
Instead of shock, Peydran's expression turned calm, flat, and quiet. He didn't say much for a while. Just, "I'm going to take a quick nap, Ryst."