About 02:25, Docklands, NMK, Monday the 26th of April, 2055.

We're at a bit of a loss about what to do next. To give us time to collect our thoughts we decide to see about getting Crash sorted out. I help Yuki carry him back to the Ripperdoc's in the other alley, as that's the nearest place where we might find a slab to lay him on. Sykes and Roland are keeping an eye out for trouble on our way over there.

I knock on the door. As expected, a gun answers. I manage to explain without any of us having to resort to gunfire, and he lets us in.

We never did get much of a description out of Crash, so it's interesting to see inside the place. It's nothing to get excited about though. We find ourselves in a dirty, grimy waiting area, with vinyl seats that have been polished by far too many butts.

As it has been with doctor's waiting rooms since time immemorial, there's a collection of old paper magazines on a small table in the corner. I'm not sure you can even buy them any more. I wonder if Sykes has noticed? I'm sure someone, somewhere still collects Horse and Hound. Wow! There's even some old wooden toys, including an old steam train in a box under the table. This place really is retro.

Dragging my eyes away from the box of toys, I take a better look around. Apart from the grimy walls, there are two doors present, other than the one we just came in. There's a heavy steel door, and a flimsy wooden one with W.C. on it. The other point worth mentioning is all the bullet holes. There's a surprising number all around the walls. None seem particularly freshly made and it's obviously been a while since the place was last plastered. Is that a spider living in the large calibre hole over there?

The 'Doc himself is an old guy who looks like he's probably in his 70's and not weathering too well while he's about it. All his clothes are blood stained, even his rubber apron, and from the look on Yuki's face, she's none too impressed.

He opens the steel door and tells us to bring Crash through. We find ourselves in his surgery, where the 'Doc's continued his retro theme. There's a bed, the obligatory green curtain and more unusually an operating table. The place isn't as dirty as it might have been, but Yuki is still far from impressed. I think it's mainly the ochre coloured blotches floor that she's most concerned about in here.

"Right", says the 'Doc, "Down to business. My standard consultation fee is 100eb. What else do you want doing?"

That's a good question. Crash obviously needs a new leg and the options in order of cost are basically wood, metal or meat. We decide that the best option is probably metal. The 'Doc checks and says he has a suitable second-hand leg and foot. It's 2000eb for the leg and another 200eb for the foot. Plus 2500eb fitting.

Yuki asks if he'll do it any cheaper if she helps. There's a glint in his ageing eyes that says he'd really quite enjoy working alongside young Yuki for a while, and he says he'll do the fitting for 1500eb if she helps out, bringing the total cost down to 3800eb.

All the talk of money seems to have got a reaction out of Sykes. He starts his wheeling and dealing to try and improve the price still further. To his credit he bargains the 'Doc even lower, though I'm not sure what he was bargaining with. By the time Sykes is done, the 'Doc says he'll only charge 1500eb for the leg, and he'll throw the foot in free. Maybe the 'Doc fancies Sykes even more than he does Yuki. Guess it takes all sorts.

Still that means the cost to us, well, actually Yuki and Sykes, of getting Crash fitted with a new leg is only 3100eb. I have a suspicion that the cost to Crash will be far higher by the time that pair are done milking their 'charity' for all it's worth.

Thing is, it's now almost 3AM and the op's gonna take about 5 hours or so, and I swear I just saw the 'Doc shooting up. Yuki's in for an interesting time.

Meanwhile, we've only got 3 hours left to get the case to Nanotech Industries, in order to save the kids necks and probably ours too. Roland expresses an interest in taking a look around Nanotech Industries and Sykes goes with him to watch his back.

Meanwhile, I take a chance and head back towards the Shooting Gallery to see if I can get us some help...

This page © Greg Aldridge, 20 October 2004