User blog:The Weary TimeLord/Memoir of a Dimension Hopping Madman: Love in the face of pain. Chapter 16.

Author's Note:

'''I tend to publish a new chapter every four months on the other sites my novel is posted on. Seeing as my publish date for those other sites are coming up I figured I'd put this up a tad early (A few weeks) So here you go.'''

Chapter 16: Holistic Healing via Hellfire.

As I slip back into my new house after Vellantha has flown away my legs waver slightly before I collapse to the floor wracked with pain. I knew my affliction would catch up with me eventually, it always does. My body had gone too long without the revitalizing serum I used to keep my condition at bay, now it was reasserting itself and tearing me up from the inside. Pushing myself up from the floor I stumbled towards the kitchen, but just as I reach the breakfast nook my balance departs and I fall forward in a heap upon the grey countertop. My legs had shriveled, atrophying into dead weight that bore me down. ''I have to get to the lab! ''My head thundered with noise as my heart beats increased in response to my change. Dizziness came next assailing my mind, and my eyes lost their focus as the nausea overwhelmed me. Lowering myself from the countertop to the floor I groaned as I felt as though I was going backwards instead of forwards. “Ugh bloody hell! Back to the floor again like a damn worm!” Shifting my weight with my still functioning arms I crawled across the floor dragging my worthless legs behind me. It could have been mere minutes, or an hour I could not say. But I eventually made it to my goal; the dark wooden door inscribed by copious sigils and warding. My body may have been failing but my abilities were resolute. Stretching out my left hand I let a storm of golden lightning race through the air which struck the door and coaxed it to life.

As the sigils blazed wreathed in gold, the door swung open mindful to my call. Hauling my body over threshold I screamed as my ribcage snapped and readjusted itself into a gaunt and twisted pattern. I slipped forward as my skeletal structure metamorphosed into its natural feeble state, the ribs pressing outward against the skin like a mark of disease. My right arm was next; withering into a thin uncontrollable extremity with its fingers curled inwards resembling an immobile claw. “Not enough time… (huff)…need to move faster…” Now only possessing a modicum of movement in my left arm I leveraged my body around so my legs faced the slope of the stairwell. Sliding down the cold metal of each of the stairs I made it to the bottom in a heap of disjointed and uncooperative limbs. Summoning forth what little strength I have left I pull myself up to the security panel and input my information to grant me access to the lab. Who the hell has to be so paranoid that they put a laboratory underground, protected by sigils, and without an elevator?!

>'' Identity Confirmed: Welcome Doctor. ''

As the computer accepted my credentials the massive bulkhead door begun to swing open and crawl into the lab. By now the pain of my physical regression into a broken form has become nearly overwhelming. Slowly I pulled myself along the cold hard floor of the lab until I reached the corner that housed the computer mainframe. Using the rim of one of the consoles I pull myself into a somewhat stable standing position and lean my weight against it. Gliding my hand over the sleek reflective black alloy which comprises the console the way Vellantha had shown me, a luminescent blue holographic keyboard appears. “Well then, time to find out what this lab is stocked with.”  I begin a root search algorithm to discover as much as I can about my new home and technology. I am a paranoid man by nature and being handed a house and state of the art laboratory out of the blue struck me as off kilter. The basic search revealed nothing out of the order. The lump sum was a list concerning inventory items, such as chemicals and routine medical supplies, as well as a number of complex circuitry systems, and everything was time and date stamped with a complex series of interchanging numbers along each entry. “I assume these are specific entries based on when each change to the inventory was created, there must be thousands of items here. It will take too long to find what I need, unless…” My fingers worked at the keyboard again typing furiously. “…If I could backtrack along the root directory I could spike the data and just possibly find what I need for the serum.” Taking to the keyboard once more I laid down the foundation of my plan.

>'' Root Spike Implemented. ''

>'' ERROR Hacking Attempt Detected Terminate Interface. ''

>'' ERROR…Rebooting. ''

>'' Reboot Successful Access Granted. ''

“Huh that was easier than I expected. I must be getting better at hacking in this incarnation.” It took me a few minutes to sift through the data and find everything I needed to create my serum but in due time I had everything set up and was ready to begin. Pulling myself along by gripping the console I stopped in front of a centrifuge which was set into the floor and began the tedious process of implementing the necessary sequences to begin combining chemicals and formulas into a stable compound. Having access to the compounds and chemicals I needed to bond retroactive enzymes in a self-sustaining string together inside a molecular splint was fairly surprising. Most of the elements and proteins were considerably rare I still could not shake the feeling that this was a bit too perfect. “Leave off the paranoia Nick you have worse to worry about!” I mutter under my breath as I watch the first stages of the genomic sequences lock in place. Checking the monitor I let a subdued smile creep over my face.

>'' Genetic synthesis stable. ''

>'' Enzyme Catalyzing Approximate Completion Time: 3 Hours. ''

“Well, looks like it is about to be another long night, I should probably make coffee.” I look back towards the entrance to the lab, “Ugh so many steps think I can walk all the way back up the stairs and through the house to make coffee like this.” A swoosh noise from behind me causes me to whirl about. My eyes flared with threatening golden energy. Honestly I could not have put up a fight in my weakened state, but old habits die hard. The sight that met my eyes was an unexpected, yet welcome surprise of a sleek coffee pot rising out of the depths of one of the control consoles. Tilting my head slightly I rubbed the back of my neck with my left hand as I pondered this turn of events. “Well that certainly is interesting, I just mentioned coffee and…there it is.” I frowned and rubbed my chin in thought before starting to prepare the coffee and get it brewing. Turning back to the centrifuge, I note that it is hard at work whirring away at incredible speed mixing and infusing chemicals together into a stable deoxyribonucleic acid compound. “Alright then, since that is taking care of itself perhaps I can indulge my curiosity.”

Moving back to the console I begin typing in more commands. Pulling up a graph I check how many doses I can safely create from the current batch without adverse effects. “That can’t be right…oh my word!” I crawl to a white board and begin scribbling calculations. “Carry the seven, and divide that into the overall sum” I limp back from the board looking at the equations and mathematical models scrawled over the board’s entirety. “That is strange; the equations suggest the mixture of an invasive element which can be introduced into the formula to bring about a stronger molecular bonding between the sequenced pairs of damaged Alleles and their corresponding Loci! This could be the missing component after all these millennia! This is absolutely lovely! Ha-ha, yes!” I am pulled from by excitement as I notice that my coffee is done and I pour some for myself before dragging myself to a chair in the library section of the lab. “If I could heal the broken bonds between each genomic pair perhaps the genes would retain their strength, and I could free myself of my malady…” Moving to one of the bookcases I pull out several texts on Biology, Genetics, Gene Therapy, and a thesis on the benefits on genetic reconstruction. I settled in for a night of reading and an over caffeinated frenzy by way of coffee.

Time Jump: 3 Hours.

I lay back in the chair, my legs and right arm hung uselessly from my form, but it was little more than a minor inconvenience. I was much too immersed in the groundbreaking journals I had uncovered amongst the clutter of the ancient repository to care. The texts spoke of gargantuan leaps in genomic testing and its application in treating disorders involving motor dysfunction. The research indicated promising treatment options for folks with similar symptoms to my own condition. But if I wanted to explore anything further I would need to have a starting line, so to speak. After all I did not want to rely on the serum forever. For all the care I had put into its development, it still possessed its share of glaring faults. “Perhaps I could use this research as a launching pad for devising new treatments! Why I haven’t had a spark of inspiration like this in near on 2,000 years, and that was in my last body too! Hmm, this is lovely! Now all I need is a place to begin. Let me see I will need a way to monitor the effect of the treatments…” I snapped my fingers together as an idea formed in my mind. “…I need a full physiological and genomic template compiled on the current prominence of my malady.” Pushing myself up and out of the comfort I crawled my way back across the floor to the main console. A feat of sure, simple effort made no less arduous the second time around.

Clinging to the cold metal of the computer console I clawed my way up the side until I was standing over the interface. “Now then, you seemed to respond to my voice when I mentioned wanting coffee earlier. More than likely some form of highly advanced AI.” My eyes flitted to the coffee pot sitting against the far end of the control console before returning to the luminescent holographic keyboard. “Excuse me, pardon the interruption but I need to run a full physiological and genomic template to determine the current state of my body and how far it has regressed to its true form without the serum…Hello? Anyone?…Great talking to thin air now eh Nick? (Sigh)” A bright flash drew my gaze as one of the many screens along the consoles lit up with information.

>'' Request For Compilation Of ‘Physiological And Genomic Template’ Received. ''

>'' Please Take A Seat And Remain Still While Scans Are Being Conducted. ''

A dark coal colored examination table rose from beneath retracted metal plating in the floor and set itself into position with a mechanical hiss. Shrugging I lowered myself to the floor once more and crawled to the table before hauling myself onto its stable frame to take a seat. ''If I knew I was going to end up having to crawl back and forth across a lab floor so much; I would have invested in one of those motorized wheel chairs, yeesh. ''As I lay back on the hard table a bright blue light enveloped me. The beam of light moved erratically across my body, it would hover in one place and then move off to scan elsewhere. I would estimate that the whole process of scanning me all the way down to the sub molecular level took no more than two minutes at most. I contemplated having to crawl across the lab once more to reach the control consoles and groaned at the thought. So I was taken aback when a miniature folding console expanded from the side of the bed to display the data. An ingenious construction of engineering I had to admit, and I grinned brightly. “Much obliged.” Pulling the console towards myself I checked the data sequences quickly, with my eyes flitting across the screen.

>'' Scans Complete: Variances In Genomic Sequences Detected. ''

>'' Reassertion Of Original Genomic And Physiological Patterns In Progress. ''

“'''Ugh yes I know that! '''(Sigh) I apologize for my outburst. Could you please tell me how long I have until my condition reasserts itself completely?”

>'' Referenced ‘Condition’ Identified As: A Mixture Of Ataxic and Athetoid Cerebral Palsy. ''

>'' Complete Degradation Of Physical Form And Reemergence Of The ‘Condition’ In Approximately 15 Minutes. ''

“Damn…How long until the serum is ready?”

>'' Enzyme Catalyzed: Genetic Synthesis Complete, Serum Synthesis Currently Complete. ''

>'' Warning! Scans Reveal Repeated Use Of The Serum Leads To… ''

“Of course I know.” I flicked a switch along the miniature console powering the computer AI off before straightening up. “Ugh” I hauled myself out of my scrunched over sitting position and pretty much crawled to the centrifuge, my bane now having taken full affect. I struggled for a moment having only the use of my left arm and minimal use of my legs before wresting myself into a semi stable position while leaning on the centrifuge. I grab hold of the computer console which thrums to life as the keyboard appears. “Now let me see… separate the batch into two compounds” I punch in several commands. “Serum and Anti Serum viability” checking the monitor I see everything is ready and hit enter. The compounds are separated rapidly into the two specified groups and per instructions are all transferred via a dimensional portal to an underground vault to be locked away. The only exception was one vial of serum which I had to make use of and quickly. Starting to turn away I stop and pivot back to the console, one more thought on my mind. Typing quickly against the blue keyboard I activate the voice recognition system. “Create new passcode identification pertaining to the underground vaults which contain the serum. Register the code as a verbal lock, and key the vaults to my voice print only.”

>'' Request For New Passcode Accepted, Code Type: Verbal, Keyed Only To Your Voice Print. ''

> Provide Verbal Passcode Now: 

“Klaatu Barada Nikto.”

>'' Passcode Accepted, Verbal Locked Initiated, Vaults Are Now Keyed Only To Your Voice Print. ''

Nodding I turned from the console and began my preparations to use the serum I drew a quick protection and meditation circle in fiery flowing gold on the floor of the lab. It was especially crafted of my own design; a circle like this could hold back the highest level dark lords or bring peace and serenity to the most lost souls. Seeing what was about to be released this protection would become essential. Activating the ring of fire and flame I can already feel its affects but one more piece was still needed. Grabbing the vial of neon green liquid as it soon as it was relinquished by the centrifuge I typed frantically into the computer. A black alloy cube rose from the console before dissolving leaving behind a syringe and an injection gun. (An injection gun does what it says on the tin. It’s basically used for fast release of medicine or other compounds into the body.) I empty the contents of the vial into the syringe before slotting it into the gun. Grabbing an electronic wrist watch I set a timer for three hours and latch it over my wrist. Once that is done I roll up the sleeve on my right arm and tie it off with a tourniquet so the vein will become more pronounced. Tracing my fingers over the tapestry of pinprick needle scars, the inheritance of my reliance on the serum; I search for a suitable vein. Upon finding my quarry I press the gun down and pull the trigger.

Almost instantly I begin to feel heat spreading strongly through my veins, the familiar dizziness and euphoria quickly accompany the feeling. But all too soon these effects are overwhelmed by the searing pain the drug induces. “Gah… should be used to this by now” I grit my teeth as the pain takes me and I begin to lose my breath. By now I’m breathing heavily and the pain is becoming unbearable “Really sorry I have to do this, but I don’t have a choice…AGHHHHH!”

Time Jump: One Month.

Pale red light crept into my room signaling the start of a new day, great, my alarm’s going to go off in 5 4 3 2…  a klaxon like noise sounds from the clock on my nightstand while the clock face tauntingly displays 6:30 am in nauseating neon blue light. I fumble in the semi lit room and finally slam my hand down on the clock turning the alarm off. “I really hate mornings, I need coffee.” Rolling out of bed I trudge out of my bedroom and into the kitchen to begin making that sweet caffeinated ambrosia known as coffee. Things had been going well and I was settling in nicely to my new environment. I never really eat breakfast so after setting the coffee pot to begin percolating I moved to the breakfast nook, now a converted workspace to check my email and the morning news. Scrolling through my emails I find nothing of note so I switch over to the news.

The top results include a forecast of Demonic Energy patterns instead of weather since Rathengalia stays the same year round. The energy would be moving west by south west throughout the day, and the wind will be minimal. Before I can check the rest of the current events I hear a shrill beep come from behind me. “Ah, coffee’s done.” Moving from my seat at the breakfast nook I saunter over to a cabinet where I retrieve a white ceramic mug, before returning to the coffee pot to pour myself the first cup of the day. To quote an old saying from my family “Life should not begin before 9am or three cups of coffee. Eh and I might as well get the rest done too.” Tapping the granite counter of the breakfast nook a blue holographic hued keyboard appears. Typing in a quick command and giving the verbal passcode a black alloy cube manifests before dissolving away. A vial of neon green elixir and an injector gun its relinquished bounty. I slot the compound into the gun and let its contents flood my veins. Now that I was using the serum regularly again the pain had dulled to a manageable ache, like an old friend.

With the essentials covered I return to my computer with my mug and continue looking through the top news stories before clicking on one which piques my interest. Congratulations Yumika and Corbin: Newly Married Couple Take Exotic Honey Moon. I click on the article as I sip my coffee. Corbin was the leader from the group of Order Knights we had um, turned so to speak. “I guess what they say is true there’s someone out there for everyone.” Apparently Yumika who I had learned was an Imp had sat with Corbin and charmed him with her sweet nature while he recovered fully from me throwing him like a ragdoll. I really did feel bad about that and had apologized several times, he was thankfully very forgiving and brushed the whole thing off as simply “A battle between two warriors.” Reading the article I couldn’t help but smile, a picture showed the two together embracing in a passionate kiss. Corbin, who stood at 6’2 while Yumika was a whole two feet shorter at 4’2, had to cradle her in his arms. ''Aw so cute! ''The article went on to explain the two would be Honey Mooning in Zipangu (No I cannot pronounce it, I can’t even say Rathengalia right yet so don’t ask) for three weeks.

Checking the time, the clock on the computer read 7:05 am. “Well I’ve still got time before I have to get ready for work, I’ll check that Encyclopedia I’ve been reading in my spare time.” One night while trying and failing to fall into the inky blackness of sleep, I had discovered an Encyclopedia all about the Mamono that live in this universe, and since I’m going to be here a while and possibly treating several as the new resident GP, I figured it would be a good idea to learn a little more about my new neighbors. Using the Encyclopedia and asking questions of the few people I knew; I had learned more about the war between the ‘chief god’ and Lilith the current Demon Lord. I’ve been around the block enough to know the information in the Encyclopedia was biased, but judging from my own experiences over the last month I believe the Mamono are in the right.

After reading through several entries including ones about Nightguants, Dark Elves, and Echidna I began thinking about the problems facing Mamono society. The only problems were the fanatical Order and the fact that Mamono cannot currently conceive male offspring. ''I’ll have to talk to Vellantha about that, maybe I can help. ''But now was not the time to worry about such things I had to get to work. I rinse my mug out in the sink and slip it into the dishwasher before returning to my bedroom to get ready for the day ahead.

After taking a quick shower and brushing my teeth, I shave away my stubble and change into a long sleeved black shirt and grey pants. I grab a black jacket and slip on a pair of sneakers as I run to the door, it’s my fourth week here and my second week working at the hospital and I don’t want to be late. After locking up behind me I take off running in a blur of golden lightning. As I move faster than anyone could perceive zigzagging a trail between people and around cars time stands still. I perceive everything as I move as if my surroundings were a photograph suspended in one second of time. (There is a reason I’m called a Time Lord after all. Bet you didn’t know we could do that, admittedly magic helps.) In just under a minute I arrive at the Nine Circles of Hedonistic  Healing Rathengalia Regional Hospital. The building looks like an old Gothic Cathedral on steroids, spires stretch towards the sky while stained glass windows depicting rather lewd medical ‘treatments’ allowed light into the building. I enter the hospital through a side door and while it may have seemed old on the outside all the technology inside is cutting edge stuff, a mixture of magic and science resulting in the best of both forms.

As I walk through the white corridors my footsteps resound off the polished andesite floor. I stopped by a hospital map to double check the distance between me and my destination; I never was very good with navigating unfamiliar locales. Now that I knew where I was going I wound my way through the hospital towards the main Nurse’s Station. “Morning Trisha, how’s the family?” A small woman with grey skin and hair looked up at me as I approached the desk her purple eyes glowing with necromantic energy as she replied in a monotone voice. “Hello Doctor, my family is doing well.” I found that the Undead Lich necromancer, while possessing exceptional skill in magic, lacked emotional expressiveness. In some ways she was very similar to a Vulcan, while they have emotions they don’t express them the same way most folks do. “I’m glad to hear it” I reply smiling. “Your first patient of the day is on level 4, room A113.” Trisha directs me back toward the elevator with a wave of the hand. “Thanks Trisha” with a wave I move back to the elevator. “Oh, and Doctor you might want to change into your scrubs first.” Trisha yells after me. “Thanks, will do.”

With that I board the elevator and punch up the basement level where the locker rooms for hospital staff are kept. Finding my locker room was the easy part, actually gaining entry proved somewhat annoying. As I walk up to the door, the door lock, which has a happy little computer voice chirps “Please scan retina and enter your passcode to continue”. Well therein lies the problem; I’d only had this job for two weeks and that was because Vellantha was kind and pulled a few strings for me. My retinal scan and passcode were still being processed in the database and I wouldn’t be fully cleared for about two more weeks.

Now I know what you’re thinking ‘How can this guy go to work without access to the basic necessities of his profession?’ Well I’ll tell you, I started out with everything I needed, my scrubs and the like were kept at home; then I was told it was ‘simpler’ to keep them at the hospital in the on call lockers, yeah sure. Glancing around to make sure I’m alone; I draw a set of fiery yellow sigils in the air which opens a storage space of sorts. I rummage around in the storage bin and finally find my Sonic Screwdriver. Now that I have what I needed I draw a few more sigils and the whole compartment disintegrates away into nonexistence. With my trusty Sonic in my possession gaining entrance to the staff locker room was easy. Because Mamono were a lot less cloistered when it came to anything of a sexual nature the locker rooms were made to be used by men and women.

Unlike a Mamono I am quite a bit more modest; as such I glance around quickly before entering as I don’t want to see anyone undressing. Once I ascertain that there is no one about I move to my locker and grab my scrubs and my ID. ''Now why is it that my Passcode and Retinal Scan had to be processed and yet I was provided an ID card within two business days? Hmm I just don’t understand sometimes.'' I enter a small changing cubicle and draw the curtain; I rapidly undress and bundle up my house clothes into a small pile. ''Now that I’m naked I half expect to be jumped by a lust crazed Mamono. ''Luckily this did not occur and I was changed into my scrubs within a few minutes. Taking my house clothes up I shove them into my locker and grab my stethoscope and lab coat. I pocket my Sonic Screwdriver since it comes in handy for most situations.

I exit the locker room and stride back to the elevator a clock on the wall displays 8:47 am. Which is great for me my shift technically starts at 9:00 am but I see no reason I can’t get a jump on the day. I enter the elevator and muss to myself “Now let me see, Trisha said my first appointment was on level 4 room, A113.” I punch in the floor and the elevator jolts to life. Ding the elevator sounds out the floor number and the doors open with a swoosh noise. Stepping out I walk the hallway checking the room numbers until I find the one I’m looking for A113. I grab the medical chart listing the patient’s history from the box on the wall and smile slightly.

I knock and after hearing a voice telling me to come in I saunter through the door. “How are you folks today.” Melanie the Tentacle I had helped during the explosion was sitting in an armchair while the man I had helped her free from the rubble sat next to her. She smiled brightly upon seeing me enter the room and pointed to me “This is the man who saved you Erik” Erik smiled and tried to rise from his seat gripping the cane next to him, he grimaced slightly and slumped back into the chair a sour expression crossing his face. “Damn it” he swore out before realizing fully what he’d said. “Sorry Doctor I…” I stop him gently with a wave of my hand “No need to apologize, this is a big change, you’re still recovering.” He nods before I continue “Now then I’d like to take a look at your legs, make sure everything is working and healing correctly.” Erik tried again to stand, a look of sadness and anger passing across his face as he failed to do so. ''My first instinct tells me to help the man but, he already seems so hurt I would rather not damage whatever pride he has left by shouldering him up. ''

Thankfully the problem was solved when Melanie picked Erik up in a bridal carry and gently laid him on the examination table. Any look of anger immediately passed from his face and was replaced by one of happiness and comfort. “OK then, I’m going to check over your legs, I need you to tell me if you feel and pain, numbness, or tingling when I do.”

He nodded and I moved to grab a pair of latex gloves from the dispenser hanging from the wall. After pulling on the gloves I start checking his legs over. The bruises are starting to fade and the swelling in his legs was diminishing from where the walls had trapped him. “Anything so far?” I ask looking up at him. “No not y…” he yelped slightly as I moved my hands over his left calf. “Does it hurt there?” I glance up and Erik nods. I take my Sonic out of my pocket and point it at his leg; the familiar buzz of the device fills the air as I scan the calf muscle for damage. I check the reading and grumble slightly. “Well it appears most of the calf muscle in your left leg has been shredded, most likely from shrapnel during the explosion.” I state in what I hope is a calming tone. Melanie has worry written across her face and Erik is actually doing his best to comfort her. Erik spoke up after calming Melanie down “Our last doctor couldn’t figure out the problem thank you.” I clear my throat and nod at this.

“If I might be frank with you, I do not know who you had as a doctor before the hospital assigned you to me, but they obviously need to be retrained, how they could miss damaged muscle tissue is beyond stupid.” I scan through the patient history on my clip board and start scribbling notes. “We can repair the damage through a combination of surgery and sorcery. I’m not on surgery this week, but I know a good surgeon and you will be in capable hands.” I smile at the pair as I look up from my note taking. “We’ll do whatever you think is best Doctor.” Melanie states with a confidence I hadn’t seen in her before. “Very good, when you’re ready talk to the man at the nurses’ station just down the hall, he’ll help you from there.” I bid the couple farewell as I dispose of my gloves in the proper bin and head for my next patient.