Work Text:
30/06/2026 08:06 Experiment
"What are you doing, Doctor?"
"Oh, just a little experiment, Mel. Nothing important."
"Is it anything I can help with?"
"Oh, no, no, no." The Doctor flapped his hand dismissively.
Mel stared at the test tube. "What's in there?"
"Oh, a mixture of ethanoic acid and oleic acid, with a touch of linoleic acid and palmitic acid, plus a little sodium chloride and some crushed Piper nigrum."
"That sounds like a nasty mixture. Shouldn't you be wearing goggles?"
"My dear Mel, goggles are for the protection of people who make mistakes. As you know, I never do!"
"You've spilt a bit on the bench there. Should I get a haz-kit to clear it up?"
"No, no, it's perfectly safe. I'll clean that up when I've finished."
Mel put a hand on her hip. "I've yet to see you clear anything up, Doctor."
"What? Yes, yes, whatever you say. Now I'm considering adding a little Brassica nigra to the mix, which should release a little sinapine if I agitate the vessel enough. What do you think?"
"I think this sounds very technical and I'll leave the decisions to you."
"Very well, I will. Stand back!"
The Doctor added a few crushed seeds to the large test tube and put a stopper in it. He began to shake it. Mel leaned away from the experiment. The Doctor held the tube up to the light and stared at it closely.
"What do you think, Melanie? Is it ready?"
"Ready for what, Doctor? I've no idea what you're doing."
"Why, Mel, I'm simply following your strict diet regimen. This is a little dressing of my own concoction and I think it's ready to go on the leafy salad that you insist is what I must have for my lunch."
The Doctor removed the stopper from the test tube and poured the contents over his lettuce.