Hope - writing test.

First person.markdown

Ow.

Though my 'ow', didn't escape my mind. Nothing but a quick involuntary breath.

"Ok, blood is done. now, Iris, I want you to press your hand as hard as you can against this pad, can you do that for me?"

Yes, of course I can, old man. I'm not 12.

"Ok Doc."

This tiny metal doctor's office, pristine, drawer-filled... I bet those drawers contain all sorts of delightful tools: little saws, needles, diags, electrical wire, all wasted on this little man's doctoring, Oh well...

"Excellent. Well done!" (Ugh, such small praise...) "Janet: 12 Newtons" (TODO - what should this be?)

I don't like the way he says that number. So I'm not strong enough? Whatever. I'm strong enough to hide an 'ow.' Being born in space makes us weaker than the Land-born. so what? I keep up.

"Alright, now we're going to measure your bone strength - have we done this before?"

He has my records right there, in front of his nose... ...co-operate Iris.

"No I don't think so..."

"Ok, how it works is, we put your leg in this machine engineering made for us-"

Engineering threw together for you more like, that's the least elegant hardware I have ever seen...

"- you might feel a short quick jolt, like a small shot of electricity. It won't hurt, but I just need to warn you - it takes some of the kids by surprise "

"That's cool, I-Ow" Dammit, that one escaped.

"Oh, sorry, Just once more for the other leg... (twelve over nine)"

Gritting my teeth this time, no 'ow's escape. That's worse than a little electricity though - I'm a roboticist, I've electrocuted myself more times than I care to admit.

"Ok, (that one's fourteen over nine, Janet); Ok Iris, you're good to go."

"Thanks Doc, can I have a lollipop?"

"Really? you're 17..."

Nice of you to finally admit I'm not a kid. I did want that lollipop though... my legs were achey all the way back to my room.

Third person.markdown

Iris watched as the needle pierced her arm. Looking away was for chumps. A slight, indrawn breath was all the sound she made as her blood dribbled into the tube.

"Ok, blood is done."

The doctors office would be pretty spartan, was supposed to be, with little white drawers lining the room, except someone appeared to have decided to dump a pile of badly welded machinery in it. The interior designer would be horrified.

Iris was suprised the doctor wasn't horrified.

"Right, we've had engineering make up this diag machine to test your bones"

That explained it then, Iris thought. Space life equals pragmatism. They could've at least painted it white.

Janet and Dr Nguyen fussed around, clamping the machine to her leg.

"Ok, this won't hurt much, and'll be over in a second"

"That's cool, I-Ow" Iris hated showing pain, but that 'hurt much'. Liar.

"Sorry, we'll quickly do the other leg and then you're free to go"

Dr Nguyen tried not to let his face show as he read out the numbers to Janet, these kids were screwed. They knew it would be bad, but... this was a disaster.

"OK you're all done!. That was easy, wasn't it." Nguyen hated his own patronsing-doctor voice. It just operated on instinct, he'd just shot 120V of electricity into her proven-to-soon-be-useless legs...

"Take it easy for at least 12 hours Iris"

"Cool, thanks doc" gingerly she steped down "See you at dance practice later, Janet?"

...Kids, Nguyen thought. Don't know the meaning of take it easy. at least Janet had her head screwed on.