"Thank you," he says.

"Should we be making some update to how we advertise the risks?" Ruan asks.

I don't- 

A doctor's first surgery might have worse outcomes on average, statistically. Because of inexperience. I'm not sure if that is truth, maybe they're very careful on their first surgery but that's not the point. There are things that must be seen to be learned and complications that an experienced doctor would barely blink at that a new one would react incorrectly to, yes? I came very close to - that, approximately.

I should watch the first Amentan Enkindling of any others who wish to do something like this.

"...all right. Are you expecting to be available long term...?"

Well, how long of a term? I don't intend to die.

I will make myself available, as a duty to the art of Enkindling and to... Flourishing. Peace.

"My understanding was you weren't planning to be on this planet full-time."

Ugh, the prospect of regular exposure to Seeker's ship is not appealing... Once there are others who can do this I could leave if I did not want to try to keep my position as the best of this new specialization, but still...

I'll think about it. I'll certainly stay long enough to teach a few others. I might fetch my pets.

"Thank you."

I'll want to start seeing more lavish rewards from this work soonish. I can take the long-term view of returns on effort but at some point there must be a return.

"Do you have something in mind?"

I don't know. Money? Shiny things? Extensive construction work to convert this place more to my liking? Land? Fame?

I want to talk to some colleagues. They'll think I'm heretical, some of them. But I don't see any of them trying to keep your kind from overrunning everything.

"...you're very famous already. And we're working out the kinks on deeding you this place, should be able to do it smoothly soon. We can start charging your patients and give you most of that, and you can buy shiny things and construction services."

I am rambling. This reminds me of that thing with the purple girl I don't like feeling this way that is why I take pains to be strong in Earth. I'm just upset that I nearly made such a stupid mistake! I never would have predicted it but the interaction with that hormone is blindingly obvious in hindsight. I cannot stand failing in this art. I thought I had gotten my one big mistake behind me already but I nearly did it again.

"Is there something we can do to help?"

...Not really. This is the thing where anything I truly put all my effort into must be perfect. If it's not, I have to improve and try again. I think it's a common impulse among Draak.

"How do you want to schedule patients going forward?"

I can keep doing non-hereditary fixes. It'll even be sort of soothing since I can definitely do those right. Yes, that sounds good. More of what I did today should wait a week or two and I want to be looped in on all the analysis.

"Of course. I'll let them all know. You'll be able to command higher prices for hereditary fixes but we can start charging for the simpler kind and our finance people can itemize anything they want to call administrative costs for you to OK."

Well, I can't do those yet. Anybody who was already scheduled for free treatment before today should still be treated for free. That seems fair, yes? Promises are somewhat sacred. And I have no idea what is reasonable as fees for something like this. I think I will simply trust you to realize I will be annoyed and that will be unpleasant for Baravi if I later find out I am being blatantly cheated.

"Sure, everyone with a time slot can be seen for free. It's that we haven't been scheduling very far in advance since we didn't want to jerk people around if something about your availability changed; there's only the one of you. I trust our yellows to come up with a fair scheme."

That sounds good. Thank you. There will be more of me, in this metaphorical context, sooner or later. The prideful part of me thinks they will all be worse at it, but I know that is not necessarily true.

"But adding capacity will be very welcome."

It's still overwhelming just how many you are. I think they'll tell everyone to have as many eggs as possible.

"Really? Why's that?"

We're nowhere near global carrying capacity especially if meat-bearing plants are developed and there is a global Amentan population - even if they only count greys which they won't - over a thousand times greater than our own. Draak have always been few but it feels dangerously vulnerable.

"...why would they only count greys? Is the idea to be able to hold your own if there's a war? I'd hope we'd both be trying very hard to remain at peace forever."