The needle cast a long, thin shadow that seemed to bend and sway in the dim light of the operating room.
"Don't worry," said a calm, gravelly voice. "This won't hurt for long."
Satisfied with the results the paralyzing agent had on his subject, a tall man wearing boots, trousers, a T-shirt, and a long rubber apron slowly and deliberately put on a surgical mask and safety glasses. There was a quiet humming sound as the man activated a small object in his hand.
"Subject A-21, name...hrm..." said the man into the object. He paused and rummaged through the "subject's" uniform, which lay in a small pile next to the operating table. Finding a pair of dog tags, the man took a look at them.
Lt. Santiago Ruiz
Reapers of Sirius
"Hrm," muttered the man. He shrugged and dropped the dog tags back on the ground. "Santiago Ruiz. Beginning operation for kidneys."
Kicking the dog tags aside, the man revved a small buzzsaw. Directing the saw away from him, he made an incision.
Certainly an interesting specimen. The first A-type specimen that I've dissected in a long while. Santiago, hrm..., Ruiz, of the dear Reapers of Sirius, had a kidneys possessing function nearly 2 times that of normal human kidney function. It was a pity, but I just had to dissect one of them to investigate how exactly cardamine had altered it.
I was surprised, though only moderately so. Only a novice would have suspected additional nephrons, but that would only speed up the filtration process, not make it more efficient. It turns out that persons like Mr. Ruiz have two loops of henle. Essentially, his one kidney could perform the work of 2.
Kidneys are essential to human life and longevity. Perhaps they are the key to Outcast longevity, even with the base medical systems that they have on Malta?
The other, I've already iced and packaged to prepare for shipment.
The request was rather an interesting one... apparently it was bound for Kusari. All protein diet getting to them?
Remarkable specimen indeed. A perfect, unadulterated, lovely, set of lungs, enhanced by the wonderful life-enhancing powers of cardamine.
I'm not surprised, to be honest. My specimen was only a few years shy of adulthood. In a sense, I feel remorse that she could have had so many other experiences in life, but unfortunately, my work is something that needs to be continued.
The idiots at Cryer obviously did not understand my purpose... My passion. von Leischer may be well-educated, but also a total buffoon. The man was head of one of the pharmaceutical projects Cryer headed before being transferred to my former research department. What Cryer seems to misunderstand is the fact that my research is not all chemical. It is biological as well...
