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“Good morning, Doctor Grace.”
Grace groaned as the lights slowly got brighter.
“Grace awake. Good good good.” Rocky clambered to his ball. He appeared next to Grace’s bed. When Grace made no effort to move, Rocky bumped the wall by the head of the bed.
Grace groaned again. Rocky grumbled in reply.
“Grace awake, statement. Grace get up now, statement.” Grace threw his quilt back, regretting it immediately. The sudden movement made him feel nauseous. That was weird.
Grace slowly sat up. His stomach felt tight as he did, but he’s sure it was just because he was hungry. He put his legs over the side of the bed, but his stomach stayed close to his knees. It was just more comfortable right now. He groaned again. Rocky grumbled again.
“Grace just woke up. Why Grace grumpy, question? Sleep meant to make Grace not grumpy.” Grace stared at the Eridian for a moment as he gathered himself.
“I’m not grumpy. My stomach is very uncomfortable.” He rubbed around his belly button to try to ease the tightness. It didn’t really do anything, but it made him feel slightly better if nothing else.
“Grace eat, statement.” Grace nodded wordlessly.
“Food please, Mary.” Mary obliged and gave a breakfast burrito. It was warm in his hands. He hadn’t realised how cold he was. Grace took his first bite with one hand as he pulled his quilt around his shoulders. Rocky tapped.
“Grace, okay, question?” Grace really regretted teaching Rocky about Mary’s life support systems. Rocky knew the ship was at the perfect temperature for Grace whether he was awake or asleep. So for Rocky to see him pull the quilt onto his shoulders wasn’t really a good thing.
“Yeah, just feeling a little cold this morning is all. I should check the temperature controls.” Rocky nodded his carapace. Grace wasn’t actually sure if Rocky had believed him or if he just nodded along.
Grace took a second bite of the burrito but couldn’t swallow it. His stomach felt like it was coming up through his throat.
Grace dropped the burrito on the bed and ran for the toilet. He just made it before he threw up the first bite of the burrito. Rocky chittered in a high pitch tone (which didn’t really help how Grace was feeling, not that he’d tell Rocky—), a sign that Rocky was upset or panicking.
“Grace leak from mouth! Bad bad bad! Grace not well-!” Grace groaned again. Rocky was smart, of course he would figure out that he was ill. Grace felt bad, Rocky probably immediately assumed that Grace was going to die and that he’d be all alone again.
“I’m alright, bud. I’m sure it’s just an upset stomach. Nothing to worry about.” Grace spat into the toilet and got back to his feet. It took him far longer and with much more effort than it normally would. The nausea returned again and the cold chills started.
“Grace leak! Grace leak from all over!” Rocky was spinning in circles now on the floor. Grace imagined it was the same way a human would pace in circles when stressed or thinking about something. He huffed a small laugh as he thought about just how different and similar their species are.
This however was a mistake as it sent blinding pain across Grace’s stomach. His hands shot to his stomach where he could feel himself start to swell up. That definitely wasn’t good.
Rocky stopped spinning to watch Grace as he almost folded in half. Rocky tapped his claws together again in thought.
“Armando! Grace go to Armando now, statement!” Rocky rolled behind Grace and gently pushed against the back of his legs to get him to move. Armando was only on the other side of the room, but it felt like miles to Grace right now.
Grace took a couple of uneasy steps before stopping.
“Water-” He couldn’t even muster a small please at the end. The computer arm reached down with the bag of water for him. Even the computer knew he couldn’t be trusted with a cup right now.
Grace stuck the end of the straw in his mouth. He used one arm to keep himself steady as he walked whilst the other massaged his lower stomach as best he could. Rocky stayed behind him, supporting his shaky legs as best he could from his ball.
It was a slow and painful walk, but eventually they made it over to Armando. Armando who was waving frantically at the pair.
Grace managed to lay himself down on the bed as flat as he could. He laid the water bag on his chest, still within reach if he needed it.
“Computer, scan.” His words were short and blunt, the pain was just too much for him to be able to speak properly. Rocky rolled around on the spot next to the bed in anticipation.
“Doctor Grace, Ryland. Low grade fever, abdominal swelling, vomiting, and pain on the lower right quadrant of abdomen. Diagnosis: appendicitis.” Grace groaned in response. Of course, he had to develop appendicitis whilst in space, away from any real doctors or surgeon with a robot that could barely understand half of his commands and an alien who had no understanding whatsoever.
“Rocky no understand word.” Grace rolled onto his side and curled into the fetal position. It provided some relief to his physical discomfort. His emotional discomfort however, was another kettle of fish.
“We have these things —” Grace took a sharp breath. “Called an appendix. It can become inflamed and burst.” Rocky squealed in panic.
“How help Grace, question?” Grace tried to breathe in through his nose and out of his mouth.
“I need to have it surgically removed.” Grace took a deep breath before looking up at Armando. “Computer, perform appendicectomy.”
“Unable to perform surgery. Programming not detected.” Grace sighed.
“What that mean, question?” Grace looked back down at Rocky again.
“It means I'm going to have to remove my appendix myself.”