imaginative.

"I understand this is distressing, but you can't leave the

unit until you're better, and you can't go back to work
until we are sure what you have isn't contagious."

The Wookiee scowled.

"Hey, I don't make the rules, I just work here. You have a
complaint, take it up with the Emperor."

Hahrynyar snarled an offensive remark concerning

Palpatine's personal hygiene that Uli was ready to swear
brought a blush to 4ME-0's durasteel skin. Then the big
Wook reluctantly conceded to the treatment.

After finishing his rounds, Uli went back to his office and
looked at his calendar. Barring an emergency, he had
nothing on his surgical schedule until tomorrow, and that
was a routine triple bypass on a naval officer who was
too fond of fats in his diet. The man was just a hair short
of clinically obese; a kilo more, and he'd have to be put
on medical waivers to continue serving. Given the nature
of the war, that wouldn't surprise Uli-the Empire's need
for warm bodies in some arenas was critical, as he well
knew. Short, tall, thin, fat, it didn't matter; they always
needed more blaster fodder.

He shrugged. Every time he thought about it, it made him

angry, but his anger didn't matter. The war kept going.
There were times when he thought he'd never get home

140