"I won't. I don't have anything against doctors; I owe my life to several of them." Odeon paused, thinking. Joanie was taking them into the Empire, which knew even less about the Kingdoms than the other way around, so-- "Since you've got to start learning about us, too, I'll go as far as a complete physical--provided it doesn't include the use of any drugs." "It doesn't. He'll be delighted." * * * * * The examination didn't take as long as Odeon expected, less than three hours, but it was the most complete he'd ever had--and the least understandable. The doctor tried to explain, but Odeon didn't have the background to make sense out of body scans, biochemical and genetic analyses, or other procedures. After a bit he told the doctor so, to Drulet's amusement. "Okay, Captain, no more jargon. I'll wait till we're done and just give you the results, okay? If you want them." "The results, sure, if you can keep them down to a layman's level. I'm not even trained in our medicine, and this--" Odeon gestured to the equipment around them, "is so far ahead of ours it isn't funny." "I think I can manage that. Okay, nothing but chit-chat until we get to my office. Do you like coffee?" "I'll drink it, but given a choice, I really prefer herb teas. Something with a tang, like cranberry or ginger." "I know just the thing." Drulet grinned. "I'll stick with coffee, and you can try Blue Ginger. That originated on Herbert's World--have you heard of it?" "Afraid not." * * * * * Odeon sipped his tea, then nodded appreciatively. "This is good, Doctor. Okay, what's the verdict?" "You're healthy as the proverbial horse, Captain. More injuries than I've seen on a single individual before, but no lasting damage--and contrary to what you told me about your medical history, you've never been sick a day in your life. No chickenpox or measles, no colds--and no satyr plague." He shook his head as Odeon started to object. "Oh, you're a carrier, all right; the pseudo-virus is in your body fluids. It just isn't inside your cells." "But I've got all the symptoms!" "Yes, you told me--the diagnostic ones being the increased sexual capacity and the penile moistening during arousal. The tests are conclusive, though; in your case those are genetic, not disease-caused." Odeon frowned. "Then how come none of it showed up till the day after I had intercourse the first time? Because that's when the urge got strong and I started getting wet." Drulet shrugged. "That question I can't answer; I don't know enough about the disease. Could be pure coincidence, or maybe the virus' presence in your body pulled the genetic trigger, so to speak. Possibly any physical stress or trauma could've set it off, once puberty hit. But that's all guesswork."