Cleyrdefreye was fussing over him, words of concern and urgency he didn't really grasp the intensity of.

It was no matter, that Nova had bit him. He had upset him, and caused him to act irrationally; he clearly felt much worse about it than William did.

" Honestly, General Masterson, how are you not screaming in pain?! Doesn't that hurt? Humans have very advanced pain rece-"

" Of course it hurts," he replied with a smile. " But it was an accident, so I don't see the need to be upset. You don't even really need to use the localized anaesthetic. Just stitch it up and make it look tidy."

She gave him one of those looks- he hadn't gotten one of those in a long time. Not for five or so years.

Well, he was rarely on Siluria, and it was rarer still for him to need to see the doctor there, so it was probably just because she wasn't used to him.

Despite his request, she injected him with an anaesthetic before she started treatment.

... He didn't like feeling numb. The searing pain was much better. It was real.

He watched it, how she pushed up his sleeve and held his wrist and threaded thin filament through the torn edges of flesh.

... How long had it been since he'd been scarred?

Well, Diurn had scarred up his legs a little bit, but no worse than they had been before.

The doctor took out a bit of PlastiSkin, peeled the backing off; stuck it over his stitches, wrapped bandaging around his hand.

" Isn't that a bit excessive?" he asked, feeling impatient.

" General Masterson... That was a serious injury," she said. Then a pause. " What did that? It was a bite-"

" Oh, it's no matter. Don't concern yourself," he replied, attempting to wave it off.

He stood.

" Thank you for taking care of me," he said, and left.