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Rocky sat in the silence. He didn’t really like it when Grace was asleep, He didn’t like the silence, it reminded him too much of when he was alone on his ship-
“Good morning, Doctor Grace.”
Rocky stretched his legs from where had been sitting on them for the last 28800 Earth seconds. Grace groaned from under his cover.
“Grace awake. Good good good.” Rocky climbed into his ball from his sleeping bay, he was excited to get the day started so they could continue their experiments. He rolled his ball to the edge of the bed. Grace was normally up by now. He never really stayed in bed after he was awake. Rocky huffed to himself before ramming his ball into the head of the bed. He knew it annoyed Grace.
Grace let out a groan, something Rocky had learnt that meant he was annoyed or frustrated. Rocky was more frustrated though so he grumbled mockingly in response. His understanding of human tone and semantics was improving, and he planned on being mischievous with it.
“Grace awake, statement. Grace get up now, statement.” Grace threw his quilt away from himself and slowly sat up. Rocky could tell something was wrong, but he wasn’t sure what. Grace was sitting up right but not straight. He was folded at his middle, something he typically only did to pick something up that he had dropped. Grace groaned again, Rocky shuffled in annoyance.
“Grace just woke up. Why Grace grumpy, question? Sleep meant to make Grace not grumpy.” Grace stared down at Rocky for a moment, Rocky could tell something was really not right as he didn’t respond.
“I’m not grumpy. My stomach is very uncomfortable.” Grace rubbed at his midsection. Rocky wasn’t sure what he was doing or why he was doing it. Rocky had read on the portable Earth thinking machine about the human body and some of the ailments that affected it.
He had read about what happens to the body when it doesn’t get enough food (not because he was concerned about Grace—).
“Grace eat, statement.” Grace nodded.
“Food please, Mary.” Rocky watched as the machines whirred and handed him a parcel of food. As Grace bit into it, he pulled cover over his shoulders tighter. Rocky tapped, that wasn’t normal for Grace. Rocky knew the Hail Mary’s life support systems made it the perfect temperature for him.
“Grace, okay, question?”
“Yeah, just feeling a little cold this morning is all. I should check the temperature controls.” Rocky knew he was hiding something but didn’t want to push it too much. He continued to watch as Grace tried to take a second bite of his food. He heard the gurgle of Grace’s stomach as he rushed to the bathroom.
Grace took a second bite of the burrito but couldn’t swallow it. His stomach felt like it was coming up through his throat. Rocky was quick on his heels as he panicked.
“Grace leak from mouth! Bad bad bad! Grace not well-!” Grace groaned again.
“I’m alright, bud. I’m sure it’s just an upset stomach. Nothing to worry about.” Grace leaked from his mouth again, but then his entire body started leaking.
“Grace leak! Grace leak from all over!” He started spinning in circles, if Adrian were here they’d chastise Rocky for his behaviour. He’s a mechanic. Rocky needs to think logically.
Grace let out a sudden deep groan of pain as he folded almost in half. Rocky stopped on the spot to observe Grace before thinking of what to do. The medical bot!
“Armando! Grace go to Armando now, statement!” Rocky rolled behind Grace to get him moving. He could see the human was unsteady so he only gently nudged him. Grace took a couple of uneasy steps before stopping.
“Water-” A bag of water was handed to him, and he continued to Armando. Rocky stayed behind him, supporting his shaky legs as best he could from his ball. Armando was waving frantically at the pair.
Rocky watched on as Grace laid himself down on his back. He was clearly in pain now and there was much more leaking from all over his body.
“Computer, scan.” Rocky started rolling on the spot. His anxiety (that’s what Grace had called it) was getting the better of him. He watched as the arms scanned him.
“Doctor Grace, Ryland. Low grade fever, ɐqpoɯᴉuɐl sʍǝllᴉuƃ, vomiting, and pain on the lower right bnɐpɹɐuʇ of ɐqpoɯǝu. Diagnosis: ɐddǝupᴉɔᴉʇᴉs.”
Grace groaned in response. Rocky wiggled in frustration.
“Rocky no understand word.” Grace rolled onto his side to face Rocky more as he curled up again.
“We have these things —” Grace took a sharp breath. “Called an appendix. It can become inflamed and burst.” Rocky squealed in panic. Internal organs bursting sound bad bad bad to Rocky. What if it kills Grace? Rocky would be all alone again and stranded. He had to do something to help Grace.
“How help Grace, question?” Grace’s breathing was all wrong, his face was screwed up as he focused on his breathing.
“I need to have it surgically removed.” Rocky relaxed slightly, that was something the robot could do. It had helped Grace before so it could do it again. Grace looked up to the robot. “Computer, perform appendicectomy.”
“∩uɐqlǝ to dǝɹɟoɹɯ snɹƃǝɹʎ. Programming not detected.” Grace sighed again. Rocky rolled around again.
“What that mean, question?” Grace looked back down at Rocky again, Rocky could see the fear on his face now. His eyes were watering like they did every time before they leaked.
“It means I'm going to have to remove my appendix myself.” Rocky tapped his claws again.
“Bad bad bad, question?” Grace started leaking from his eyes again.
“Well it’s not ideal. I think the best way to do this is to get Armando to give me painkillers, and then I’ll perform the surgery on myself. Armando can stitch me up afterwards.” Rocky rolled up to the side of the bed.
“Rocky here if Grace need.”