Black Out

6:55PM - Dr. Richard Sanchez - 7th Street Morgue

by shadowrunner13

Only an hour and a half into the emergency clinic and Richard was already getting tired.

“Ya gotta patch me up, doc!”

A local ganger had been shot up and had staggered into the clinic. His wounds were superficial, save for a nasty bullet hole in his brand new obvious cyberarm.

“I’ve done the best I can for the time being. You’re not going to die on us.” Richard replied for the fifth time. This guy was beginning to grate on the easy-going doctor’s nerves.

“But my arm…I can’t use one o’ my fingers. I can’t deal wit dat, doc…”

“It’s your pinky finger…many people live their lives regularly without it. For you, it’ll be until power returns. It’s a temporary thing. Now, I’m rather busy…”

“Busy?! There’s half a dozen people here!”

“Yes, but there was a subway accident not too far from here. I’m expecting patients and bodies and I need to be ready for the new arrivals, and if I’m pleasantly talking with you, I’m not doing my job properly.”

“You ain’t doin’ yer job properly right now.” The ganger proclaimed, as he stood tall beside Richard. Posturing himself, he continued “So, finish the job, ya injun halfer.”

David looked up from the patient he was tending to, and watched this face-off unfold.

If Reaper was nervous, he didn’t show it. “First, I’m not an `injun`, I’m Hispanic. Second, I’m not a `halfer`, I’m a dwarf. Third, insulting your doctor is not a good way to get treatment. Finally, I’m not a cyber technician I’m a coroner. Most of my patients are dead. Their cyberware not functioning properly is the least of their concerns. I am not qualified to repair your arm. Now, if you don’t let me do my job, I’m going to have to press my PanicButton and call Lone Star here, and then your problems are worse than your pinky finger not working, neh?”

“Uh, Dr. Sanchez…?” David began.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few minutes Dr. Crestman.” Richard quickly dismissed his student, motioning to be quiet.

The ganger sized up the dwarven doctor and when he realized the man wasn’t backing down, he quickly turned and left the clinic.

“So, what is it David?”

“Your PanicButton doesn’t work due to the black out.”

“I know that, but he didn’t.” Richard said with a smirk, as he motioned to the door the ganger left through. “Now that we can actually get some work done, we need to get the rest of those beds set up. We’re about to get very busy.”


Copyright 2002 - Jason Mallory

Return to Story Page