The Let's Play Archive

Trauma Center: Second Opinion

by Opendork

Part 17: 3: The Darkness Within




Chapter 3-3: The Darkness Within





Derek: Where could he be? I didn't think he had any patients today.

And so, Derek does what anyone would do in this situation: rifle through all his stuff.

Derek: Huh... Is this a new thesis? I guess he still finds time for academics, after all. Netherlands... Utrecht... Euthanasia. Why would he keep a euthanasia thesis in his files?

There's dense, and then there's "cannot put two and two together. I'm not even being figurative. He's dumb."

But enough of that; Tyler still has some privacy that hasn't been invaded.


Derek: Oh, there's a letter. "Thank you, Doctor. Because of you, my husband finally found peace." What the!?



Derek: Crap, he's coming back. Where do I put these?



Derek: Uh, I... uh was just coming to... ask you about... something... It was... oh, right! Medication for the GUILT patients!

Tyler: Post-op medication? As far as I know, there hasn't been any-



Derek: Oh, well, okay. If you don't know, then I'll just... Sorry to bother you! See you later, okay?

Tyler: Wait, Derek. I've been meaning to show you something. You would've found out about it sooner or later, anyway.

Derek: W-what!? I swear, I didn't-

Tyler:[/b] Follow me.


-Recovery Ward, Room 305-


Tyler: How're you doing, Amy?

Amy: Not so good...

Tyler: Oh, that sucks. Sorry I made you get up. Derek, this is my sister, Amy. She's been hospitalized here for two years.



[I]They made her hair stick out a bit less, I guess.


Derek: You mean, she's infected with GUILT?

Tyler: Yeah. Amy's condition is the reason I came here in the first place. Amy, this is Derek Stiles. He's an old friend of mine. He's going to be treating you, so go easy on him, okay?

Amy: Hee, okay.





She currently looks after several GUILT patients, including Amy Chase.

Leslie is a little like Dr. Clarks in that she really only exists so Atlus could show other Caduceus staff without having to, say, draw new art for them every time.



The thing I notice most is that she didn't have the little dog pin back then. What's up with that thing, anyway?


Tyler: Nah, I just came to see how my little sis was holding up.

Leslie: Oh, I see. Amy hasn't been doing her homework lately. I was actually hoping you would talk to her about that.

Amy: But, it's soooo boring!

Tyler: Sis, if you slack off, then you'll end up dumb like your big brother. You want people to know how smart you are, don'tcha?

A guy who leaves his Euthanasia papers laying around in the open can be a doctor at a prestigious organization like Caduceus and still call himself dumb.

Tyler: Think about it, okay? Anyway, big bro's gotta run, but I'll visit you again tomorrow.



Tyler: Yeah, I guess it's payback for what I've been doing, huh?

Derek: Huh!?

He's either still covering(badly) or he just has a short attention span.

Tyler: Look, dude, I know you saw my paper and that letter. I've been practicing euthanasia ever since I graduated. That's my deep, dark secret.

Derek: I'd heard rumors, but I never thought the death doctor would be someone like you. Why would you do that!?

Oh, boy! It's time to watch Japan awkwardly try to deal with a complicated issue!

Tyler: One of the professors I had before we met died of cancer. It was already too late when they found it. Professor Bonca told them that himself. All he had to look forward to were a few weeks of suffering and painful treatments. Good people shouldn't have to go through pain like that before they die. So I gave him the gift of a painless death.

Derek: But, that's-

Tyler: Of course people would prefer to live. It's only natural. But if everything causes pain, and there's no chance of recovery... then, are you really living? No, you're just sticking around so other people don't feel bad.

Derek: That isn't true...

Tyler: I know it's naïve. But, I knew there might be consequences when I started doing it. You probably think it's just suicide. Or worse, murder. But, things are different now. I have to be there for Amy! If you're going to turn me in, at least wait until Amy's gone, okay?

Derek: You aren't doing that to Amy. I won't let you.

Tyler: ......

Abrupt End of Chapter 3-3

Chapter 3-4: Something Precious





Leslie: Her vitals are dropping, and she's losing consciousness.

Clarks: What!? Everyone, prepare for surgery! Angie, bring the patient! I'll meet you in the O.R. Hurry!

Angie: Yes sir!

Derek: Tyler, this is an emergency! C'mon, Hurry!

Tyler: ......

Derek: What are you doing!? Let's go!

Tyler: You can't operate on her.

Derek: What!? I have to!

Tyler: Haven't you seen the PET results? The GUILT's already migrating. Her respitory system's in trouble, and her digestive tract is next.

Derek: What are we supposed to do? Are you just going to watch her die!?

Tyler: Do you have any idea how many things we've tried? Dr. Clarks couldn't help, and he's the best there is! All he could do was thin out some of the tumors. I just watch her get weaker, day by day. Amy... doesn't have a lot of time left. What are we supposed to do? I'll tell you-we're supposed to leave her alone so she doesn't have to suffer. Do you really think cutting her open again and again is going to do anything!?

Derek: So, what? You want us to watch GUILT tear her apart?

Tyler: You don't get it! She doesn't need to go through all this suffering. Even if this operation helps, she might never open her eyes again. She'll just be connected to some machine! ...Waiting to die. If that's the case, then I'd rather send her off myself.

Derek: You call yourself a doctor!?



Tyler: You think I'm going to watch my sister suffer just because it's my job!? I don't care if I lose my license... we're talking about my sister!



They oblige, seeing as how, no matter how angry they are, neither can match Angie in a shouting match.



Derek: What?

Clarks: The GUILT's in her lungs. It moved a lot faster than we expected. And, I'm afraid she's not strong enough to survive the surgery.

Derek: What if we separate the operation into two procedures?

Clarks: No good. If we don't extract the GUILT entirely, we'll be right back where we started.

Tyler: Now do you get it, Derek. This is how it always works. I always knew it would come down to something like this.

Derek: I'll operate on her. She'll be okay if we can extract all of it, right?

Tyler: Leave her alone, you bastard!

Clarks: With the Healing Touch, it might be possible.



So much for losing consciousness.

Tyler: Amy!

Amy:Tyler! Please, do... the operation.

Tyler: I know you could hear us. Aren't you scared?

Amy: No...I'll be... fine... You worked so hard to become... a doctor. I'm going to try hard... too... I'm glad... that you're a good doctor...

Tyler: I thought I was doing what's best for Amy, but I was just a coward. I didn't even consider what she wanted. Derek... Can you handle this operation for me? I don't deserve to touch her... not with these hands.

Derek: I joined Caduceus so I could help people. What about you, Dr. Chase? Shouldn't we do everything we can if it might save a person's life?

Tyler: ...Yeah.

Clarks: Dr. Chase, please brief Dr. Stiles on the Deftera strain of GUILT.

Tyler: Yeah, no problem. Hang on, sis-we'll be right back!

With all the melodrama out of the way, we can finally get to the good stuff.



Amy and her brother are named after Chase from House, M.D.

Deftera is the Greek word for "Monday." It's literally "second."


Tyler: The Deftera's basically a tumor. A really gnarly one. It replicates its DNA while actively moving through the body.

Derek: A tumor that moves!? That's impossible!

Tyler: Well, to be fair, "moving" is kind of a bad way to describe it. It copies itself to other locations, so it just looks like it's moving. Basically, it keeps replicating its DNA and creating new tumors.

Angie: That's horrible.

Tyler: Good news, though: We just might know its weak point. Deftera comes in two flavors. We'll call 'em Type A and Type B. Type A's and Type B's like to eat each other when they meet up, but they're both equally strong, so they kinda just stall there. And, if they're not moving, they're just like any old tumor, right?

Angie: So, after we drain the GUILT's tissue, we can just excise it!

Tyler: Hopefully. I mean, this is all theoretical. One wrong move and they multiply, so there's no room for trial and error. It's not like we could safely test the theory before trying it. ...But, you have the Healing Touch. I've seen you use it, man. It's amazing. If anyone can save Amy now, I know it's you. I don't need to tell you the objective of this operation, do I?

- Remove the GUILT from... the patient's stomach and lungs.

That's all. Just save her, man. All that stuff I said before? Forget it. Please, Derek.





OPERATION VIDEO
Gamevee
Viddler

This is the biggest operation yet, and another good one to watch in its entirety.



As with Kyriaki, you have some wounds to deal with before the main battle begins. Deftera's main form of attack is these small tumors, which can be destroyed simply by applying the laser.



In Under the Knife, Deftera looked like red and blue blobs. This time around, it was deemed acceptable that tumors look like floating ying-yang fish.

The actual difficulty of the operation comes down largely to luck. If the cells decide they don't want to combine, you could be in trouble, since they move somewhat randomly. You can guide them around with antibiotic gel, but every time they touch it, you'll lose a large chunk of vitals.



When the two cells combine, you can drain them. You need to do that three times before you can excise them.



Keep in mind that, after the third drain, the Deftera will go completely crazy, draining vitals and making smaller tumors. You need to remove it as quickly as possible at that point, and treat the wounds it left.



Don't forget that this is a two-part operation. After bandaging up the first cut, you immediately proceed to part 2.



Dealing with two pairs is much harder, and there are a handful of complications to keep in mind. First, if two same-color Deftera combine, it reduces vitals and leaves a tumor. Second, If another cell collides with a pair you're draining, they will come apart, and you won't be able to drain them. Third, if you're going to let them both go crazy at once, be sure to use the Healing Touch.



I drained this pair for the third time when vitals were low, which is usually a very bad idea. I got lucky and managed to get rid of it, though.




Tyler: Thanks, Derek. Thank you so much. You're a real doctor, dude. I respect that.



Tyler: Derek, I owe you, man. How can I ever repay you for all this?



Another GUILT defeating without needing the Healing Touch. So much for 'untreatable.'



I missed MAX CHAIN over 60, here, but I was close. Just a few more small tumors would have done it. Using the HT would have given me some more time points, as well.



I think I deserve an A for that, but I guess the game is boss.




Tyler: I'll resign, if that's what it takes. I don't care. I'm just glad Amy's okay. Thanks, Derek.

Derek: I want you to do me a favor. Re-edit that thesis you wrote, and offer it to Caduceus.

Tyler: You feeling okay, dude/

Derek: Tyler, you've always been good at writing detailed papers. Despite how you used the research, your thesis was no exception. Eliminating pain and suffering... facing death... Doctors and patients can both benefit from your research. Find a way to use that information to save people's lives. That's all I ask.

Tyler: No problem. You got it, bro.



Leslie: Amy's going to be awake soon.

Derek: Let's go check on her, then. What do you think, Big Brother?

Tyler: Hey! Don't call me that!
End of Chapter 3-4