[Audio: Stop Plaguing Him, People] Monday, Week 22

[damn_it_jim]

This is Dr. McCoy.

No thanks to our charming neighbours behind the blue dome, we have both a treatment and a preventative vaccine for both stages of the plague, so put any plans to torch any more of the damned city on hold.

If you're new around these parts and/or you haven't been exposed or infected, come to the hospital and we'll vaccinate you.

If you or anyone you know is sick with the second stage, come to the hospital and we'll dispense the treatment for it. First stage too, but if you don't remember that we've been able to treat that one for some weeks now, you should arrange for a hearing and memory test while you're at it.

On the subject of tests, if you've been around enough that you reasonably should've gotten sick, come to the hospital. We'll vaccinate you, but we'll also want to screen your blood to make sure that you aren't an asymptomatic carrier -- we've found a few of them so far. If that's the case, then you're a walking, talking vector to reinfect people until we can give you a course of drugs to clear the bug from your system. This isn't something to be ashamed of, it's just something that you need to get sorted out. Don't be an idiot out of some sense of misbegotten pride or guilt or whatever screw's come loose.

McCoy out.

Comments

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Supplies and food aren't my area of concern, although I'm sure that the people who do look after them wouldn't object to more. Normally I'd tell you to talk to Edmund, but he's still up in the hills. Go find Professor Lyall or Ms. Potts and they can put you to work.

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

I spoke to Professor Lyall earlier, so I know who that is. I'll look for him.

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Do that. And then, if you get bitten, stabbed, mauled, trampled or break something in a fall, come see me and I'll patch you back up so you can probably go right out and do it all again.

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

This isn't exactly making me WANT to go risk my neck for people I've never met.

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Who's saying you have to? People staying sensibly where they're put and not rushing off into whatever damned fool adventure calls to them would make my life a lot easier.

Of course, you'll just go anyway. People always do.

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

I intend to go exploring. I don't intend to get mauled or shot or whatever.

[ And she doesn't really intend to risk her neck for other people, despite what McCoy says. In the end, she probably will do it, because that's how it goes, but it's not in her immediate intentions. ]

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Nobody ever intends it. Just watch your back anyway. Think of my stress levels.

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

Are you the only doctor? What about Dr. Banner?

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Nuclear physicist, not MD, for all he's got some decent practical training from somewhere.

There are other doctors, but it would be just my luck to have you come in when I'm on shift, having gotten on the wrong end of an andrewsarchus.

[Although really, is there a right end to those things?]

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

[ She has no idea what that means, but she gets that he's not the medical kind of doctor. Okay. ]

I'll be careful, but, what's an "andrewsarchus" exactly?

[voice]

[damn_it_jim]

Big, fangy prehistoric creature. Some young idiot out with the quarantine group was on the network with a pair of cubs he'd gotten.

Take care. See me if you need patching up, and if you lose a limb or some fingers, at least try to bring 'em all back with you so I can sew them on again?

[With a shake of his head, Bones' hand moves to end the call, athough he hovers in case of any final questions.]

[voice]

[agirlonfire]

[ she's too confused to ask anything else. Andrewsarchus, what the hell. ]

Yeah. I'll do that.