part?”
“Well—er—Malo, we have to put your arm back into its natural position and—well—um—you didn’t exactly get this taken care of in a timely fashion, so the swelling will make it much more difficult to set your arm.” If the doctor was trying to hide how painful the procedure would be, he was doing a terrible job. His face twisted into a dreadful grimace as he spoke. “It is going to require a tremendous amount of… force… to put it back where it belongs.”
The mechanical arm housing the off-set contraption with the manacles movedominously into place, and Bertie’s right hand closed the top two cuffs around Malo’s bicep with a cold clank. Bertie had to readjust the lower portion of the attachment, as the standard angle was not extreme enough to account for the position of Malo’s contorted limb. Upon closer inspection, Otto and the colonel both noticed that the two off-set sections of the device clasping Malo’s disfigured arm were joined by a series of cogged gears that glistened with a slick coat of fresh lubricant. The cogs had several black tubes snaking between them which then continued up the length of the mechanical arm and disappeared into the side of Bertie’s rectangular body. The lower manacles clattered grimly into place, and Malo grunted in pain as they tightened uncomfortably around his swollen flesh.
“What about an anesthetic, Doc?” Colonel Abalias asked with more concern than Otto had heard in his voice in over twelve years of service together.
“I’m afraid that—with the infirmary being dismantled for the evacuation and the amount I would have to give Malo, not to mention the time to take effect—I just don’t have anything that will do the job.” Dr. Blink sighed heavily and gave Malo a regretful look. “He’ll just have to wait until the bandage is in place and the nanomachines start administering the pain medication.
“Bertie is going to restrain you, Malo, please don’t be alarmed.”
Bertie’s left arm reached over the top of Malo’s shoulder and across his chest, gripping him tightly under his right arm. Bertie’s other arm wrapped securely around Malo’s waist, pinning him to the flat surface where he sat, anxiety and adrenaline beginning to course through his veins and overpower his senses.
“I’m going to need full power, Bertie, if you please.”
A throaty rumble shook from somewhere deep inside the medical machine as Bertie prepared himself for action. Both Otto and Colonel Abalias exchanged uneasy glances as the charging sound emanating from Bertie’s power core escalated to a high-pitched frenzy. Malo was breathing in short, rapid bursts and concentrating on channeling his fear to help quell the intense pain he was certain would overwhelm him at any moment.
“Now, Bertie!” Doctor Blink yelled over the tumult.
The black tubes surrounding the shiny cogs on the device shackled to Malo’s arm stiffened instantly as pressurized gas sped through them. The ridges of the slickened gears dug into one another as they strained for a micro-instant against the resistance of swollen tissue and blood. Then there was a palpable, blood-chilling crunch as flesh and bone moved, against its will, back into place. Malo wailed in unbearable agony and everyone but Bertie clasped their hands over their ears.
Malo’s enormous legs pushed against the ground with torment-charged might, and Bertie strained to keep the Moxen from thrashing against the manacles that held him and damaging his tender arm any further. Dr. Blink’s face registered alarm as Bertie’s treads lifted from the floor.
“Doctor,” Colonel Abalias shouted over the pandemonium, “put that damn bandage on and get this man some pain killers!”
“His arm has to be free from the device in order to apply the bandage, and I can’t release him if he’s thrashing around—he’ll offset his arm again and we’ll be right back where we started! We have to deaden the pain or render him
“Well—er—Malo, we have to put your arm back into its natural position and—well—um—you didn’t exactly get this taken care of in a timely fashion, so the swelling will make it much more difficult to set your arm.” If the doctor was trying to hide how painful the procedure would be, he was doing a terrible job. His face twisted into a dreadful grimace as he spoke. “It is going to require a tremendous amount of… force… to put it back where it belongs.”
The mechanical arm housing the off-set contraption with the manacles movedominously into place, and Bertie’s right hand closed the top two cuffs around Malo’s bicep with a cold clank. Bertie had to readjust the lower portion of the attachment, as the standard angle was not extreme enough to account for the position of Malo’s contorted limb. Upon closer inspection, Otto and the colonel both noticed that the two off-set sections of the device clasping Malo’s disfigured arm were joined by a series of cogged gears that glistened with a slick coat of fresh lubricant. The cogs had several black tubes snaking between them which then continued up the length of the mechanical arm and disappeared into the side of Bertie’s rectangular body. The lower manacles clattered grimly into place, and Malo grunted in pain as they tightened uncomfortably around his swollen flesh.
“What about an anesthetic, Doc?” Colonel Abalias asked with more concern than Otto had heard in his voice in over twelve years of service together.
“I’m afraid that—with the infirmary being dismantled for the evacuation and the amount I would have to give Malo, not to mention the time to take effect—I just don’t have anything that will do the job.” Dr. Blink sighed heavily and gave Malo a regretful look. “He’ll just have to wait until the bandage is in place and the nanomachines start administering the pain medication.
“Bertie is going to restrain you, Malo, please don’t be alarmed.”
Bertie’s left arm reached over the top of Malo’s shoulder and across his chest, gripping him tightly under his right arm. Bertie’s other arm wrapped securely around Malo’s waist, pinning him to the flat surface where he sat, anxiety and adrenaline beginning to course through his veins and overpower his senses.
“I’m going to need full power, Bertie, if you please.”
A throaty rumble shook from somewhere deep inside the medical machine as Bertie prepared himself for action. Both Otto and Colonel Abalias exchanged uneasy glances as the charging sound emanating from Bertie’s power core escalated to a high-pitched frenzy. Malo was breathing in short, rapid bursts and concentrating on channeling his fear to help quell the intense pain he was certain would overwhelm him at any moment.
“Now, Bertie!” Doctor Blink yelled over the tumult.
The black tubes surrounding the shiny cogs on the device shackled to Malo’s arm stiffened instantly as pressurized gas sped through them. The ridges of the slickened gears dug into one another as they strained for a micro-instant against the resistance of swollen tissue and blood. Then there was a palpable, blood-chilling crunch as flesh and bone moved, against its will, back into place. Malo wailed in unbearable agony and everyone but Bertie clasped their hands over their ears.
Malo’s enormous legs pushed against the ground with torment-charged might, and Bertie strained to keep the Moxen from thrashing against the manacles that held him and damaging his tender arm any further. Dr. Blink’s face registered alarm as Bertie’s treads lifted from the floor.
“Doctor,” Colonel Abalias shouted over the pandemonium, “put that damn bandage on and get this man some pain killers!”
“His arm has to be free from the device in order to apply the bandage, and I can’t release him if he’s thrashing around—he’ll offset his arm again and we’ll be right back where we started! We have to deaden the pain or render him
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