Planet Yuma, New Corinth, Richard Estate, 1336 Crayter Standard Time
Michael Richard, finally took a short break from most of the military matters as conflicts driven smaller-sized. managed to visit the estate christened to his name for his deeds, rising from the grounds of New Corinth. He had a hovercar readied for him at the parking slots of the estate. Thinking about recent arguments with Ex-Admiral Peter Henn, he entered his car with deep thoughts in his head. He was going to meet with Dr. Rio Umeda, a woman that devoted herself to science, medicine and well-being of Crayter people. He, interestingly did not bring any of the guards with him while he was off-duty. He made a medallion of sorts out of the Battle of Tau-44 medal he had insistedly given by the other members of Admirality even if he did not want it at first place. He considered his scars from a direct Secondary Battery fire to the bridge of Phobos was enough for him. He looked at his cybernetic arm and leg, touched slight cybernetic fragments on his chin. As he finally had time and those replacements werent filling the place of a natural organs, he had to visit Dr. Umeda as she was an expert in such field of science and medicine. As the hovercar descended upon New Astarte, he started calling the "Shiro Soare" Medical to learn whereabouts of Dr. Umeda.
While her eyes last on the portable device and the patient data there, the kusarian women walks around in the small green place on New Astarte. The students passing her were all repeating the same kind of greeting "Hey Dr Umeda" in various forms. Rio Umeda smiles and nods as it is expected of a person within her rank, even though she is not paying attention of those who are around her. At least until a chuckling sound she learned to recognize when she takes a so called rest at the bureau she received in Shiro Soare as soon as the medical facility was finished. With an raised eyebrow she looks to the young student infront of her.
"Good day Miss Hood", Rio takes a closer look at the purple hair of the women "I have to admit since you recovered you seem to change whenever I return here. But the colour suits you. How have you een? Any further improvements with your recovery and your studies?"
"I am doing fine Doc. But I decided that sadly enough I am not in the position to earn a medical degree. But I found something else I can do to help out here. So... uhm... the chairmen approved but I think it would be more logical if you would do the same." The woman kneads her fingers nervously "I would like to be your personal assistent and secretary, at least when you are residenting on New Astarte. Maybe even when you are on your normal tours of visiting every medical facility which needs your knowledge. I am positive that I can organize the normal stuff around you so that you can focus even more on working without getting distracted by not so important things."
Rio sighs and strokes her black hair back "It seems that the chairman talked with you too, Rebecca, he was nagging me with getting some help for some months already... But if it is you... It might be worth a try. I am not agreeing to more than a trial periode. When do you think you can start?"
With a smile as bright as the rising sun Rebecca screams out from happiness, stopping as she remembers that she is now talking with her boss. "Thank you Doctor Umeda! But, uhm, to admit it I already started. There was a request from Admiral Richard, it seems that he would like to meet with you. The administration put the answer on hold since they were not sure if you are leaving again. May I say them that they can set up an appointment?"
"Go ahead, I will return to the bureau in the mean time. Would you show the admiral the way? Thank you." With a yearning gaze on the reports on her device Rio returns to the rooms she will welcome the admiral. Preparing a pot of black tea for the waiting time.
Planet Yuma, New Astarte, 1405 Crayter Standard Time
While he was waiting at a room that appears to be lobby, he saw a woman approaches him. He could read her nameplate that writing 'Rebecca Hood'. Meanwhile, she was thankful that she did not need to draw attention of the Admiral as he noticed her. Rebecca pointed at admiral in a way that she wanted Admiral to follow her. Richard stood up and followed her to Umeda's room. "So um... Miss Hood, am i right? What is your position here?" Rebecca replied "I am Miss Umeda's assistant while she is residing at New Astarte. Also i am your ehm... 'tour guide'." Just a moment later of some walking and climbing stairs there they were. "Miss Umeda, Admiral Richard is here, ma'am." Richard went into the room after Umeda gave the signal that she was available. "Greetings Miss Umeda, it is good to finally meet you in person."
Rio looks up from her studies as the Admiral greets her. "Good day Admiral." Her eyes wander over his body, resting a moment on the artificial arm he calls his own. "You definitely look better than the last time I see you... and way more alive."
A small smile lights up her face. "It is a pleasure to see you this healthy again. So have a seat and tell me why you asked for a talk with me. Would you like some tea as well?"
While she talks she shows on the chair infront of her desk and prepares a cup for her guest. As he sits down and remains silent Dr Umeda leans back in her chair, crossing her legs and waits for Michael Richards to talk to her.
Planet Yuma, New Astarte, 1420 Crayter Standard Time
"I prefer coffee, ma'am." Richard said. He tidied his admiral suit a bit and turned to Umeda, while sitting at the chair he was shown to. "Dr. Umeda, i am here for a rather personal request involving medicine. As you can see, i carry a lot of artifical origin parts with me, i've seen many battles and got many scars and injuries, led to usage of cybernetics, somewhat extensive that is. However i am trusting, people of Crayter can find a more... elegant solutions for me as i have more time for more... in-depth treatments. To recap, i seek to get rid of those clunky cybernetics. They reached to a point decreasing my personal physical performance rather than enhancing it. That is alleviated by military-grade implants however being physically-able is important for me as i never been an 'armchair' commander."
Richard let a slight chuckle go as he said these things. To some it could get understood as a weird thing, however, Richard always wanted to be with his brothers and sisters on the field, even joining ground operations himself to personally handle killing of gallic soldiers in times, even if rest of Admirality disagreed with him in that matter, he continued to do so until he lost one whole arm and leg and got replaced by cybernetics. Those clunky parts prevented him to be able to participate in ground operations as he always seeked.
"Will you and more importantly, can you, help me in this endeavour, Miss Umeda?"
The doctor listens carefully, making notes at some points and raising an eyebrow in an inquiring way. "Very honorable and so on from you... But, you honestly think these artificial replacements who look like they were crafted roughly one hundred years ago would still improve you?"
Rio relaxes her face and tilts her head to one side. "Tell me honestly Admiral... what were you smoking? Replacements as yours I saw when I started to study medicine back in Kusari. So either when you got them you must have been really young or the one adding them to you in a hurry to get you ready for battle with using replacements they found in some dusty corner."
Knowing her rather rough way of speaking tends to slightly shock people, but from her experience people working in the military need this rather direct way of getting spoken too. Especially since it is far from her usual way of treating patients. "Oh and I do not have any coffee here. So you can either have a cup of tea or a glass of water. The good news I have for you that in theory we can do something about your problem rather quickly. On the current state of medical possibilities it is more or less a piece of cake to replace your external cybernetics and cover the new ones under synthetic skin based on your skin composition and tone. So the looks won't vary much from your actual body."
"What we both can do is to keep eyes and ears open if there is a possibility to do even more for you but I guess that has some time after we brought you to this centuries state of artificial replacements."
Planet Yuma, New Astarte, 1425 Crayter Standard Time
"Well, probably the latter about your first comment. I just know basic first aid, i am not a medic, so cant tell about quality of those parts as much as you can." he said. "We were in a hurry to keep me... 'intact' when i had my injuries in a ground operation." He started to have a flashback about that operation, where Richard nearly sacrificed himself to save a soldier from dying to a gallic marine's knife and got his arm cut and leg shot from a distance. Killing the gaul in the process. After a second he thought about new synthetics and all the possibilities. "So um... synthetics sounds really good to me. No more buzzing and vizzing from those metal parts. No more slow responsiveness and most importantly looks natural-ish from what you say. I am all ears about the process, doctor." "By the way, if no coffee here, then i will take some tea."
Dr Umede pours some tea in the other cup and takes a sip from hers. "Well Admiral, the cybernetical parts became rather common. It will get connected to your body via various sensors which will allow you to move the arm as fluently as you can use the one you still have in flesh and bone."
For a moment she stops offering her new patient the time to think over her words.
"The artificial skin will need a small sample of yours to adapt it, as well as it may need a change when you age so that it will still keep it's natural look. Depending on the time you are willing to spend there is the possibility to let you regain your sense of touch, preasure and pain to a certain degree. Naturally the full control over your 'new' arm will require some certain training. From what I read in your record you tend to be in the front row when a fight happens, with the exchange completed that will need to rest until you regained enough control in the artificial arm." A small smirk can be seen on her face. "As you will notice you will need a lot more susceptibility to not damage things and other peoples parts."
Rio has a look at the man infront of her. "I guess that the question of how to finance it is something you do not really worry about, correct? From my experiences with your pilots the military has some service who helps them with the rehabilitation of a rather normal state of living."
Planet Yuma, New Astarte, 1425 Crayter Standard Time
"I see, so i will have to rest for a bit and get some training. I wouldn't want to damage things in crucial times. Best i do it the correct way. Financing part can be arranged as i have quite the sum left from my famility around. With some government help and my own fundings i should be able to fund the operation. Meanwhile Admiral Moliere can take care of things, i am not that much worried right now. Me being in the front lines is a personal choice to bolster troops, not a necessity. And i prefer to keep my skills sharp that way.
"Proceeding depends on your availability and the decisions you make. Or rather when you are willing to give the needed sample. Then our laboratories can start to create the arificial skin."
Rio smiles slightly.
"From that point on, depending quite much on how busy the laboratory is since emergencies will still have a higher priority than your case currently. It might take a week or two until we are set with every preparation.
The cybernatical parts need a decision as well. Right now we are planning that your arm is no special custom product, unless you wish for one. Those should be more or less on 'storage'. Naturally one made specially for you would match your body in a more natural way and could be crafted for your needs and desires. Of course it would extend the time until we can start just as the costs will get higher.."
Once more she pauses to give her patient the chance to think her words over.