Specimen, by Elleth

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge:
O67: In a Manner of Speaking: Skeletons in the Closet, Injuries: Stomach Ache
Format: Drabble
Genre: (morbid) humor
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Medical procedures, crawlies
Characters: Idhlinn (OFC Fëanorian healer), OMC
Pairings: N/A
Summary: The way to a woman's heart... (for GG, Steel and Pandë for their betaing help and encouragement involving Idhlinn's fic. ^^ Thank you.)


Idhlinn's brow furrowed. "You expect gratitude."

The hunter's face crumpled in dismay at her tone, not the obvious joy he had expected. The carcass he had brought dropped to the floor with a clank of armour.

"I am grateful," she said quickly, nodding. "I was assuming everyone believed I spoke in jest. Put it on the table."

That done, Idhlinn stripped the creature."Interesting. I hoped for a male specimen." The hunter, a hand on his stomach, fled when she set the scalpel on the orc's chest for the first incision, humming, and fondly glanced at her dermestid jar. "Soon."

Comments

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Yay for geekery! I love the hunter's reaction to Idhlinn's unfettered curiosity. (Though then I looked up dermestids and wished I hadn't, on my coffee break... ;-) )

[pandemonium-213.livejournal.com]

SQUEE! Fantastic, Elleth! Hey, I'm not at all squeamish so the prospect of dissecting a female orc? Works for me. I can certainly understand Idhlinn's disappointment. She's an excellent character, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her life and times.

As an aside, you've been posting what I call "golden grains" :^) here in B2Me, so will try to catch up on comments this weekend.

ETA: dermistids. One of my husband's first gigs (he's an architect and specializes in labs and hospitals, or prefers them anyway) involved a renovation of labs in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's life sciences' buildings. He got to see "the bone room" where specimens were placed so the dermistids could wipe 'em clean. The guy who showed him the room goofed on my DH, saying "Don't stand too still." :^D

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

*applauds*

[engarian.livejournal.com]

For a time there one of my regular customers used these lovely bugs for the local Science Museum. I always wanted some of them since I do a fair amount of work with skulls of various critters. Hmmmm.....I wonder if they would like my basement?

- Erulisse (one L)

[dwimordene-2011.livejournal.com]

LOL! Black humor first thing in the morning - how lovely! Great timing throughout, and I loved how you set us up with the note that the carcass is wearing armor. I wonder what Idhlinn will discover about orcs (or at least female orcs) through her autopsy and skeleton mounting - strange similarities to Elves, perhaps?

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

... and the Award for Best (And Possibly Only?) Use of Dermestids In a Fic goes to Lady Elleth!

Loved this.

[nelyo-russandol.livejournal.com]

Yuk! It got me by surprise, though I wondered at the clank of armour... very well done.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

I'm with the hunter here--wanting to gag and run! She's the consumate scientific investigator. And love that this orc turned out female. Amanda from the LOTR cast would be honored, I think!

[shadowbrides.livejournal.com]

I liked this a lot! The very small glimpse of your OC is intriguing - do you include her in other stories as well? Plus, I learned what dermestids are. ^^

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

Hooboy, this is great--as someone who writes about surgeons and healers as well, Idhlinn sounds like a lady after my own heart. I like how the hunter can't detect her sarcasm.