Truth and Beauty 2-10

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Molly returned with their entrees, breaking the flow of their conversation, and Stephen applied himself to his dinner with the attention that it deserved: the sirloin was indeed excellent, a bone-in cut; and was accompanied by lightly-steamed vegetables, still crunchy; and mashed potato with brown flecks of potato skin mixed through it, perfect for greedily mopping up the steak’s juices and consuming them, too. Only once his meal had been reduced to a wreckage of bone and scraps of fat did he return to the subject of serving as a ship’s doctor, “I presume that the Navy provides its ships with instruments, equipment, and so on? These would not have to be provided by the physician?”

“Oh, yes,” said Jack. “Mercury Hall sends a chest aboard, which belongs to the ship. Saws, knives, hooks, that sort of thing. And a medicine cabinet of sorts - I think sloops generally get the kind that prints drugs to order - what’s the learned term?”

“Compounds?”

“Yes, that’s it. Confounds each medicine as needed, so you don’t have a proper cabinet, just the printer.”

“You can bring your own tools if you wish, though,” said Jevons, “In the Juno, Captain Weiss, Mr Richards was a lefty, and he brought a selection of left-handed saws and such.”

“So why not come along?” said Jack. “We won’t be able to get you an appointment from Mercury Hall before Wrath ships out, but come along as my guest. The surgeon’s cabin should be free, and even if it isn’t, we’ll make room.”

“Well,” said Stephen, “I believe you’ve convinced me. I believe I could take a month or so away from my duties here on land.”

“Excellent!” said Jack. “I will need to report aboard tonight but I could send a midshipman for you, shall we say 4pm here at the inn?”

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