Challenge #02446-F256: Do No Harm

In her late teens, early 20's, she went into space to learn to be a medic. From the time she was a small child, she had wanted to be someone who saved lives. She was a Lucker with a twist. For though she never won at cards, dice, or at any game she played, when it came to the struggle between life and death, death would always lose. And she had vowed, no matter her patient be a friend or an enemy, death would never win. -- DaniAndShali

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required... -- Hippocratic Oath.

Allie was obsessed. What she was obsessed with was medicine and medical help. Alliance-wide medicine and medical help. She searched the infonets for all free information on how to help the assembled cogniscent species of the Alliance, and even those who existed in or near the Edge. Every day, she would find something new. Every day, there was something new to know.

Her first rescue happened when she was eight. Her school was on a field trip to a museum to see... something. It was forgotten by her adulthood, but she never forgot the Fethrix woman. As part of the gathering and show, small refreshments were going around. Simpler fare because some of the more resilient Havenworlders were present. Many didn't think twice about the nuts on the cupcakes, but Allie did. When the Fethrix woman began to have a reaction, Allie knew exactly what it was and how to administer the correct medication. That was the day she knew she was going to be a Medik.

It wasn't easy. The worthwhile things never are. Even with her obsession, it was years of study, tests, onsite training, and the mandatory running around and doing the essential menial tasks that are overlooked until they are not done. Working as an assistant to a doctor, running triage, listening to patients... it took years.

One test was a surprise. The Luck Factor test. People entering Galactic Space - especially humans - had to be genetically tested for the Luck Gene. It was a safety issue and some certain Luckers could never travel off planet because of it. Some, once tested, had to live inside a bunker in the bottom of a hole underneath a mountain and communicate exclusively by telepresence. Fortunately for Allie, she had an interesting variant of the usual Luck permutations.

Her Luck was in gifting others with it.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Lucky you were here"? That applied directly to Allie. When death was on the line, she always one. Her first idea was always the best one. She learned to use it, to hone her Luck like a knife, to trust that she could win against Death.

Not all death. Not all the time. Even in the twenty-fifth century, some things are inevitable. However, if it could be prevented, Allie was the bulwark against mortality.

One might think that this would lead her to being an exclusive servant of the elite, of the wealthy or of the powerful. Such was not the case. She spent most of her time in one of the more extensive Medik Hubs, where she dealt almost exclusively in kill-or-cure cases.

Cure always won.

When she toured on the Edge, as all Mediks must, one of the patients was a Vorax captive who attempted to opt for death before dishonour. It took her five hours, some intensive surgery, and several medication options that had not been options before that day, but the captive survived.

That Vorax would provide so much useful information, and not just in battle strategy or tactics. Just a glimpse of everyday life for these Deathworlders was enough to develop new negotiation lines. Thus ending war in a different direction.

[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / jroblesart]

If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!

Send me a prompt [40 remaining prompts!]

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Check out the other stuff I'm selling