Part 17: - Filler on a Plane

17 - Filler on a Plane

(Music: On the Cutting Edge of Medicine.)





"I was worried when I heard about the attack. I'm glad you're both safe."

"It's all thanks to Dr. Myers."

"Haha, she's definitely the toughest woman in medicine today. You should ask her about some of her adventures on the police force!"

"Ah, Chief... Derek's going to take you seriously."

"He'd have good reason to. ...Oh, that's right, there was one other letter I received. Dr. Stiles, Caduceus International has requested your prescence as part of the research team headed to the Delphi facility in Africa."

"They asked for me?"

Must have made a mistake.

"That seems like a mistake..."

...I'm starting to like our increasingly self-aware protagonist.

"Don't be modest. We've all seen your amazing skill. You have experience treating GUILT, and you diffused a bomb... Langston Miller, Director of Caduceus Europe, was very impressed. And, the rest of the committee voted unanimously... You should be proud."

"Yeah, but... I've never left the country before."

"Well, you don't have much choice. I've already accepted the offer."

"Give it up, Stiles. Once he decides on something, there's no arguing. Looks like you're going to Africa."



"I guess he's always been that difficult. That's what Greg said, anyway. I remember him talking about the arguments they'd get into as kids. The only reason Sidney went to school overseas is supposedly because everyone told him not to."

"Dr. Kasal could be stubborn sometimes, but not like that."

He made up for it by being a smug asshole.

"At any rate, have fun in Africa. As long as your partner's reliable, I think you'll be fine."

"Partner?"

That's right, even Derek forgot. Hear that? ..... ...That was the sound of no Angie for three whole episodes. Hallelujah!

(Music: Airplane noises that make a really annoying popping sound when it loops)



-International Flight 326, Destination: Africa-



Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. ...And anyway, who wears their medical scrubs on a plane?

"I mean, three transfers and 33 hours total travel time? ...Wow."

"...At least you're used to it... I've never even been to Mexico... and I don't like flying."

"Remember to drink plenty of fluids, and get up to stretch your legs. It wouldn't look very good for a doctor to get sent to the hospital. It'll be hot in Africa, too. Try not to get heatstroke."

"I hope getting vaccinated for the endemic diseases was enough."

Enjoy that malaria, Derek!

"Attention, please. Is there a doctor on the plane? I repeat, are there any doctors on this flight? One of the passengers is sick. We don't know how to treat him. If you have any medical training, please notify a flight attendant!"

"Doctor!"

"...I guess I won't be sleeping on the plane."

Derek is like Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote. Don't invite him to anything significant, because someone will probably get sick.

(Music: Patient Profile)



The patient this time around is named after John McGinley, who played Dr. Cox in Scrubs. "Chi" comes from Chi McBride, who played Edward Vogler from House.

"From what his wife explained, he'd suffered from edema of the lungs. He was prescribed medication which stabilized the condition. They were given permission to return home. But, stress from traveling must have aggravated his symptoms. I'd recommend an immediate lobectomy to drain the pleural fluids."

"We're going to perform surgery in mid-flight?"

"The captain has allowed us use of the crew's cabin. Sterilized gowns and operation tools have been prepared, as well."

"...We really don't have a choice..."

"Once we land, he can receive more permanent treatment... But for now, we have one objective: -Drain pleural fluid from inside the patient's lungs. Use the ultrasound to find where fluid has collected, and drain it."

"Understood. Let's hurry."



(Watch this Operation: Mission 3-8, S Rank.)

(Music: Precision)



OF COURSE.

"They're going to try to avoid as much turbulence as possible... but this is far from an ideal operating environment. Try not to let the shaking of the plane distract you, Dr. Stiles."

Or let you jab the drain right through his lungs. Anyway, this operation is piss easy, and boring. You can even miss up to five times and still get the S-Rank. Five times! This operation is so filler that Atlus knows you're only going to want to play it once.



"Try using the ultrasound to locate an ideal draining area."



I'd be saying it's a little bluer than it should be...

"Drain it immediately, before we hit more turbulence!"

This is the whole operation. Ultrasound, shadow, cut, drain, gel. Do it ten times. Exciting, right? If you let any fluid out while there is turbulence, it will cause inflamation and you have to inject the treatment. Also, if you're doing anything while extreme turbulence hits, you miss.

Partway through, there is a roar, and the plane starts shaking:



"It stabilized... If the plane starts shaking again, it could cause a lot of problems. We might need to stop operating temporarily until it lets up."



I love flying. But as soon as we hit turbulence, I go on full-blown panic mode. The sensation of falling is the most unpleasant sensation in the world.



I used to be fine with turbulence. I was on a flight once where the plane almost crashed into another one while landing, and they had to make an unannounced emergency dive to avoid it. My sister and I, we would have been 12 and 14 at the time, were completely okay with it.



On our return flight, we were on standby in the middle of a blizzard, and for some crazy reason my mother accepted an offer for seats on some 25-person tin can.

"He should be okay, for now. Let's finish up the treatment."

My sister and I observed the flight crew throw a shivering kenneled puppy into the cargo in -30 degrees Celsius weather. We then hit a storm cloud and had turbulence the entire flight. A plane that small, you can feel every bump.



I guess it traumatized us pretty bad, because neither of us can stand any tubulence at all anymore, even as adults. Two years ago, I think I had a panic attack on my flight home from Japan with my SO. Can't really remember it...

"...Tch, don't let it go to your head, Dr. Stiles!"

In the video, I S-Rank the mission. But really, who gives a shit? This mission was called "Caduceus on a plane" in Second Opinion. Because snakes.



"I contacted a hospital near Rubora. We can take him there once we land."

"Doctors really are on call 24/7, aren't they?"

This was the most boring update on the internet and I'm depressed you had to wait a week for it.

Next Time: Derek gets malaria. Or not, but Africa is still a thorn in his side.