Paragon, Medical WingThe Mon Calamari's holocom let off a low ringing. “Aaaiser here.”
The reply was short. “Your Mon Calamari patient has arrived... The one in the shell.”
“Understood. On my way.”
***
His patient seemed out of place here. He was the only sentient wearing armor. “Mr. Ghylthir. Are you ready to begin?”
The suit of armor stood up and came to the door. The Master Chief Petty Officer heard a faint robotic voice. “I am.”
Concise. I like that. “Very well. If you would please follow me. I wish to fully discuss the operation with you and introduce you to my surgical team.”
They entered a very spacious office. “Please, have a seat wherever you like, Mr. Ghylthir.” The Mon Calamari waited until his patient sat down before he took his chair behind his desk. As he was sitting down, he paged his surgical team to report to his office.
Silence prevailed. “Mr. Ghylthir, while we wait on my counterparts-”
“Are they Mon Calamari?”
“Pardon, Mr. Ghylthir?”
“Are they Mon Calamari?”
“I fail to see how that-”
“Just answer the question.”
“No. They are not. But I-”
“Then I am cancelling the surgery.”
“Mr. Gylthir. They will not be operating on you. They are only here to assist me.”
“I requested you. And only you. I do not want to be put under the knife of a chopper.”
“I assure you, Mr. Ghylthir, that none of my staff is in the mood for sushi today. I trust them fully. Besides, I will be the only one operating on you.”
The other Mon Calamari was silent.
“Mr. Ghylthir?”
“Very well. But if anything happens, it will be on your head.”
“Of course, Mr. Ghylthir. Now, are you comfortable with proceeding?”
“It seems I do not have a choice if I want to have this armor removed, but yes, I am.”
There was a knock on the office's door. “Come in.” The doctor stood up and welcomed his staff into his office.
“Now for a quick round of introductions.” The Mon Calamari pointed towards a Duros. “This is Ms. Kit Reu, my anesthesiologist. She will be ensuring your safety, applying the anesthesia, and ensuring that you will not experience any level of pain.” A quick moment's pause ensued. “This Twi'lek, Vika Talaan, is my nurse anesthesiologist. Her role is to support Ms. Reu in every stage of the surgery. And finally, this is Mr. Tal Dorn, my operating nurse. His role is the support and assistance of me during the surgery.” The Falleen gave a quick wave in recognition.
“Now that the introductions have been placed, do you have any questions before we finalize the details of the surgery, Mr. Ghylthir?”
“None.”
“Very well.” He turned to his medical staff. “Please wait for us in pre-op room one. If any complications come up, I will contact you. Understood?” His crew nodded and promptly left the room. Once they had left, the doctor initiated conversation with his patient once again. “I've read over your reports, but I'm afraid I'm unclear with a few points on the procedure you have asked me to perform. You want me to remove your armor? But you've made a special request about an AI?”
“Yes.”
“What I fail to understand is why there is an issue with the armor. Could you please elaborate on that?”
“I was injured very badly while operating a set of Leviathan Battle armor. This particular armor has an AI built into it. When the injury occurred, the AI fused the armor with the cybernetics and the skin. Since then, I have not been able to remove the armor.”
“I see. Why does the armor necessarily need to be removed?”
“The prevailing issue is that I cannot easily fit into starfighters. The new problem is that the AI has begun to malfunction and I am worried that it will begin to affect the cybernetics and cause them to fail.”
“I see. That could be very problematic if cybernetic failure were to occur. The skin fusing is very concerning. Removing the armor won't be simple. This will be a multi-step process. But before we begin, I need to know where the cybernetics are located, so they can be replaced. Or... I can replace the organs entirely without fear of your systems rejecting them. I'll leave that choice up to you.”
“I want to be as normal as possible. Let's replace the organs.”
“Very well. The next issue in the armor removal. I can do that, but there is a very high potential for severe damage. When I first break into the armor, there is a very high chance you may lose an appendage. Then there is the issue of scarring. For a procedure such as this, there will be scarring, even with bacta. Removing cybernetics can be a very nasty process.”
“Can you just not coat me with a synthetic skin?”
“No. You see, the Mon Calamari skin is very unique... No one has been able to synthesize a skin to properly function without killing the subject. Do you understand our basic dermal anatomy? Why it is easier for us than most species on Dac to live freely without a nearby source of water?”
“I do not.”
“Have you ever studied plant anatomy? Specifically, how stomata on leaves can absorb enough water to keep the plant alive?”
“I'm afraid not.”
“The basic principle is that stomata can absorb water as a secondary source to the plant's root. We, the Mon Calamari, have a similar anatomy in the skin. We can absorb water and moisture through our skin; enough to where we can survive without a ready supply of water. We are one of the few species in the known galaxy who has this skin anatomy.”
“I see.”
“So with this anatomy, typical skins cannot be utilized on us. We would suffocate because typical skins do not allow for the level of breathing our skin requires. Do you follow?”
“I think so. I don't want to be scarred, though. What can be done?”
“At the moment, absolutely nothing. But... I can begin probing techniques that we can attempt in the coming months. Just to note, this is by no means an immediate fix. It will take time. The scarring... Will be profuse, and worst at the sites of the removal of the cybernetics. Is that clear?”
“Yes, doctor.”
“Very well. I feel that this operation is going to need a bit more planning. I do not want to jump straight into this, for there are many things that can go awry. Are you comfortable prolonging the surgery?”
“I suppose so.”
“One last thing before we finish this session, then. I need to know where your cybernetics are located so I can plan accordingly. I will also need to take tissue samples soon. If you could schedule that on your way out...”
“Very well. The cybernetics are located in my right arm and leg, a good section of the right side of my torso, and a portion of the right side of my head...”
- OOC:
- WC: 1180
AAR: Fishhead and Norse meet to begin planning the surgery. A few complications arise that push back the surgery. They scheduled another meeting where Fishhead would take tissue sample to grow organs and tissues for use in the surgery.
