Payment where it's due

[yessirmrjohnson]

Where: Trevor's Compound
When: Tuesday Evening
Who: Caroline, Chell and Trevor
What: Caroline and Trevor are giving Chell the payment she deserves for all her hard work as a good and faithful test subject. Her voice.
Warnings: Mention of major surgery

Comments

[lovethedemiurge]

Trevor wished to put the events of the last few weeks behind him. It had been a while since he truly performed any surgery, nearly a year. He figured it'd be best to give his surgical 'muscles' a workout. Besides, the prospect of giving a voice to someone who lacked it presented interesting possibilities.

Trevor had the equipment ready. All that was required was for both Caroline and Chell to show up. Again, Trevor was a man of near-infinite patience.

[lovethedemiurge]

Gently he lays her against the table and promptly turns to Caroline. Hopefully she would be prepared as him.

"We have to work within the next two hours, the anesthesia has a limited time frame. I'm need you to hand me the scalpel."

He throws his hand out, already focusing and making notes on the anatomy of Chell's neck.

[yessirmrjohnson]

The tool is produced quickly and without hesitation.

At this point, Caroline has rationalized Chell into an organic machine simply going in for repair. It helped keep her nerves calm and for the moment dehumanize the subject to avoid any sort of emotion or shock. The human body was simply a very complex organic device.

[lovethedemiurge]

"Excellent, I'll need all my concentration--hand me the small red box."

He gestures to a box seated by the other neatly-placed implements.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"Here you are."
Caroline has it already open for him once it nears his hands.

[lovethedemiurge]

Perfect. Trevor gently places the box down on the operating table as he begins his work. Very neatly he makes two incisions at the base of the neck, being careful to avoid any major arteries. From the box he selects two extremely small metallic tubes which he gently inserts into the incisions.

There, almost done. He places two cotton bandages over the incisions to prevent excess bleeding.

He motions to Caroline again, "Give me the next device, to the left of the scalpel. Hurry."

[yessirmrjohnson]

She's quick to do as he asks, making note to ask more about his techniques after the procedure.

[lovethedemiurge]

He takes the device, nearly claw-like in its appearance as begins to work. Removing the bandages, he places the device over the incisions. A garbled sound, almost like the sound of digital water, echoes from the device as it reads her skin, regenerating the cells lost.

When he's done, the neck gives no sign of an operation taking place. He sets the device down and wipes his forehead with a towelette.

"There," he explains to Caroline, "I've placed minute wires by the base of her spine. They'll provide a strong neurological link between her brain and vocal chords, enabling her to speak."

Hopefully.

[yessirmrjohnson]

"Outstanding. I am utterly impressed, Mr. Goodchild. Will she need time to recover before being able to speak?"

Caroline gathers with gloved hands the discarded bandages and the used scalpel.

[lovethedemiurge]

He nods his thanks to Caroline, washing his hands beneath the sink. Did he do it out of some altruism for mankind? Or simply to elevate himself to a godhood? The answer wavers between the two, it seems.

"She needs two days of letting the wiring to integrate with her spine, so try to keep her from speaking. Other than that, she should be fine."

[yessirmrjohnson]

His kindness and hospitality had earned a great deal of Caroline's trust. She lifts the device he had used to close the wound.

"Would this also be able to remove scars?" Her eyes remained on the device, not daring to glance his way in fear of conveying any sort of emotions she didn't wish to show.

[lovethedemiurge]

Trevor's all about covering emotions. His manner remains detached, unaffected.

"No, I haven't developed it that far. It can only repair wounds, in essence."

[yessirmrjohnson]

"I see." She put it in its proper place and disposed of her gloves. "Maybe another project for another day." There had been a want to tell him of her recent scars, about anything at all, really. For just a moment to have someone to know or listen to her speak about herself, it would be.. so nice.

A few moments of silence pass before she stepped closer. "While I've made progress on your project, I feel you should still be compensated for this. It was more than kind of you."

[lovethedemiurge]

Compensation, now that's something Trevor would like to hear. Removing his gloves, the chairman cordially takes her hand, "Moving the frontiers of the human body and mind has its own rewards...though you might be able to help me."

[yessirmrjohnson]

She blushes a little despite herself. How long had it been since anyone made contact with her?
"Helping is what I'm here for. Wh..What do you have in mind?"

[lovethedemiurge]

The chairman offers a thin smile in return. Yes, this is him turning on the charm.

"As I've told you your project interests me. I might even be able to contribute."