You head towards the Security Central.
Security Central
Unlike most of the rest of the complex, the security offices are designed for ease of use rather than aesthetics. Wood paneled walls and marble floors are not to be found here. Brushed steel and plate flooring take their place. The acoustics in this room are designed to muffle sound, so despite the metal flooring and the constant coming and going of security personnel, the area does not quite achieve a cacophonous state. A large bank of monitors takes up the bulk of the east wall. On each is displayed video from various security cameras as well as information garnered from customs and immigration. It is from here that security can keep an eye on most everything that happens in the Complex. There are always at least two uniformed guards on duty with nothing to do except watch the monitors. A broad desk is located near the entrance, with an officer present to handle queries.
Three arched doors lead from this area. One to the brig, one to private offices, and the third to the elevator lobby.
Contents:
Niko
Tally Board
Obvious exits:
Chief's Office Brig Elevator Lounge
You arrive from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
Niko is seated at his desk, a study in terrifying banana yellow.
Kyara has probably never appreciated olive drab so much as she does now. Murmuring a "Good afternoon" to the room in general, she sets a plate with slices of banana nut bread next to the coffee maker and goes about mug-scrubbing.
Niko lifts his head to murmur a greeting to Kyara, yellow with envy at the sight of her olive drab. That banana nut bread gets a sour look, and then he turns back to his paperwork. Scribble. Scribble. Peer at monitor. Scribble.
Kyara chuckles softly, calling over, "It's /good/, Niko. You should try some."
Niko shakes his head. "It's banana," he says mildly. "Considering my current clothing--or facsimile--I'm afraid that I'd take 'you are what you eat' a little too literally."
Kyara giggles, reaching for a piece herself. "More for me then." After a moment of snacking, she ventures, "Um, Niko, I need your help on something."
Niko nods affably. He sets aside his paperwork, though his gaze still flicks occasionally to his monitor. "What can I do?"
Anya is calmly involved in playing a game of tic tac toe on Denner's back. She and another officer have discovered the joys of dry erase markers and vinyl uniforms.
Kyara's expression might betray just a bit of nervousness. (Is that a word?) "Well, you said not to bother Riley when cleaning his office, but I get the idea he's bothered by the whole cleaning itself, and," her volume begins to diminish, "Couldn't I do something else in lieu of that," Almost a whisper now, "Like... I dunno, cleaning tunnels or something?"
Niko considers that. He flickers a glance towards Denner's back--no, making Kyara scrub these uniforms would just be too cruel. "One moment," he says mildly.
Kyara nods- he's not yelling; she looks relieved.
Niko looks like he's having some form of internal discussion. "No," he says finally, with a pleasant smile. "You can continue to clean the Chief's office. Just try to do it when he's not there." His smile shifts to a rather crooked grin. "I know those times are few and far between, but when one is trying to concentrate on paperwork and is -used- to having a haven of relative sanity, having someone moving around and cleaning and such can be distracting. I likely should have been more clear on that."
Kyara nods in acknowledgement. "That's not precisely what I meant when I said he was bothered by it, but I'll do that. Thank you."
Niko's brows arch. "What did you mean, then?" he inquires, tone still mild. "Precisely?"
Kyara blinks, and gestures toward the office. "Well, if by 'cleaning' you mean to tidy as well as getting rid of the miscellaneous blood/dirt/pudding, et cetera, which is how I took it, it's, well, his set-up's basically being arranged in there. Not the furniture, I mean the stuff. I'm not sure he'd even be able to find some of the stuff, though it's all been stowed in logical places."
Niko takes up his pencil once more. "I'm sure you can handle the situation, Kyara," he says unhelpfully. "I have great faith in your ability to carry out your task." The scary thing is that he sounds sincere, so smacking him, besides being against regulations, just wouldn't suit. "You could get creative. Paint the walls, something like that." The way that he's said it doesn't really sound like it's an order. Fortunately. Of course, it could be construed as such, too. Riley's going to strangle him. But that's what a brother is -for-.
Kyara's expression wavers between faint doubt and sudden thoughtfulness. Her tone, at least, is enthusiastic. "Oh, in that case, not a problem. Thanks, Niko." A sheepish gaze is turned on Anya.
Niko nods affably. His gaze is on the paperwork once more, so he doesn't see
Kyara's expression. He does not know the monster he has unleashed upon Riley. "Glad I could help. You're welcome."
Kyara nods, ducking her head to actually watch what her hands are doing. The toe of one boot rattles a quiet tapping rhythm against the floor.
Niko keeps up his scratch-scribbling. He pauses to frown at the form, pencil idly tapping a counterpoint to Kyara's toe-tapping. (I want my baby-back baby-back.) (Chileeeee's baby back riibs.)
Kyara mumbles something about barbecue for lunch. After a few moments, She mutters to Niko, "How busy... I... her, but... talk..."
Niko senses "Kyara mumbles something about barbecue for lunch. After a few moments, "How busy is Anya today? I don't want to bother her, but I need to talk to her at some point.""
Niko peers over to Anya. Anya is playing tic-tac-toe on Denner's back, still. "I think it's safe to say," he murmurs, voice serious but humor unmistakable in his eyes, "That she's not too busy to chat."
Kyara nods, glancing over at the woman. As she's not sure if it's a good or bad thing Anya's fairly free to talk, her expression is neutral. Setting aside the current mug, the Stilvani gets up to cross the room, coming up behind the woman with a clearing of her throat. "Anya? I mean, Lieutenant?" Yeah, title's better in this case.
Anya turns from her 'task', "Can I help you, Private?" She's not going to use names anymore.
Kyara pauses- Anya's response is not the best of signs. "I wanted to apologize for being," oh, what's a good term for it? "Insolent to you the other day."
Anya's brows raise a hair. She'd not been expecting that exactly, and it's a pleasant surprise. "Apology accepted," she replies affably.
Niko's pencil-tapping resumes once he hears Anya's response. It's clearly something he's not aware of, as he's quite obviously busy attempting to bludgeon some information from his head. Maybe if he bludgeons the desk with the pencil, that'll help, too.
Kyara nods, indecisive for a moment, then decides to back off, returning to her own task. "Thank you, ma'am."
Hey, maybe there's hope for Kyara after all, Anya offers the Stilvani woman a smile as she turns back to drawing on Denner.
Niko finally gives up and puts down his pencil. He gets to his feet and moves to snag a file, muttering something under his breath about the pointless nature of query rates.
Kyara relaxes at Anya's expression, not realizing til just then just how tense she was. The tone of her mumble is definitely lighter than it's been lately.
***** A few hours later *****
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
You head towards the Medical Bay.
Kyara glances toward the desk, giving a nod as she pauses. "Is the boss in?"
Kramer glances up from his paperwork and nods affably. "That she is. Just don't tell her she's the boss, or she'll be insufferable. G'on in."
Kyara grins, nodding as she continues on her way.
You walk towards the Chief Aleron's Office.
Chief Aleron's Office
Bright and airy, this fair sized office is far from pretentious, but instead useful. A large wooden desk faces the doorway, a pair of pointillism paintings in soft pastels flanking either side of the wall behind it. A second desk adjoins to the first, branching back from one side, upon which a terminal and keyboard rest. A pair of fairly comfortable chairs face the desk for visitors, wooden with soothing sand colored upholstery. On one side of the door is a simple brass coatrack, and on the other a bit farther down the wall is a full sized synthetic human skeleton. Along the right hand wall, a low couch covered in brown velour looks frighteningly comfortable, graphic print depictions of Stilvani and Edreeni internal anatomy framed neatly above it. Across the room is a single bioscan bed, much like the ones outside, just as the easily cleaned white tile flooring is unchanged.
Contents:
Clara
Obvious exits:
Medical Bay
Clara is seated behind her desk, turned to the side to use her computer. Still in the same dress uniform she wore this morning, she's taken off the jacket and draped it over the chair behind her, leaving the dress pants and a black t-shirt. She glances up at the door and smiles absently. "Kya, hey there."
A horn seems to twitch, and Kya takes on an inquisitive look. "Heya... what's with the fancy duds?"
Clara glances down at herself and grimaces, swinging the chair around to refill her mug before turning back. "Had to give a rather long and windy speech to the full Council this morning. Councilman Touquet is an officious twit."
Kyara wrinkles her nose, settling a (clean) coffee mug on the desk. "The budget?"
Clara grins at the mug and reaches over for it. "Want something to go in this?" she offers, then wrinkles her nose. "I almost wish it were. I could go cry on Riley's shoulder about that. Nope, they wanted a long and detailed summary of the nutritional aspects of bananas."
Kyara grins, glancing toward the coffee maker with a nod. Then she blinks. "You have /got/ to be joking. I take it Touquet is the delegate from Anbabis 8?"
Clara turns to fill the mug from the coffee pot and then slides the now-full cup across the desk. "Hah. I wish. The man is, unfortunately, from my own native Caribbean islands, though, and informed me I was a heathen and traitor to my heritage because I don't like the stupid things."
Kyara rolls her eyes, deciding to allow a snicker to escape. "Bananas are going to be pretty much fructus non grata around here after today." She reaches for the mug with a grateful smile.
Clara makes a decidedly rude noise before taking refuge in her own coffee. "I -hate- bananas," she explains firmly. "The way they smell, taste, feel...everything about them. Although I have to admit, there is something almost fascinating in all of Security in yellow."
Kyara giggles. "I thought somebody was going to thwap me when I walked in this afternoon, for the nasty looks that I got."
Clara waggles her eyebrows and grins. "Tell me about it. I'll trade the dress blacks over yellow vinyl everyday." And for some reason, this causes a slightly distant look and a blush, as if she were remembering something.
Kyara grins, taking a testing sip of her coffee. "I only wish I could tease 'em, just a bit."
Clara snaps out of the blush just as quickly and snickers. "Yeah, me too. But I didn't. I was a good girl, and I didn't even laugh when Niko said I could."
Kyara chuckles. "Notedly, he did not tell me the same thing. He did, however, glare at the banana nut bread I brought in." She grins evilly.
Clara manages to only look mildly discomfited. "Leave out that first bit, and it sounds delightful. At least it wasn't, uh...never mind. Have you seen that those uniforms are -lined-? Everyone of them must be burning up."
Kyara shakes her head. "I didn't look that closely. Those things are scary. Who came up with such silly clothes anyhow?" She perks up slightly. "At least it wasn't what?"
Clara folds her arms, resting her elbows on the arms of her chair and grimacing. "Banana split," she answers without thinking. "I imagine someone on the Council came up with the, though. Someone councilman who thinks he or she is -really- clever."
Kyara chuckles, quickly suppressed mischief in her eyes. "That describes most of 'em. I will give Ela the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't her." She snaps her fingers. "Oh! That reminds me- what's Riley's favorite color?"
Clara clears her throat, blushing again almost furiously. "Uh, actually it was Riley who said it," she mutters, then gratefully swings onto the topic shift. "You know, I really don't know? I imagine something bright though...remember those awful socks?"
Clara suddenly flushes again, figuring out she'd misunderstood. "Er, I mean, of course Ela wouldn't suggest those uniforms."
Kyara grins, nodding. "It does seem the sort of thing he would say. I should've guessed." She thinks back for a moment, finally nodding doubtfully. "Yes, I do remember those. Scarier than walking bananas." The Stilvani flashes a grin. "I knew what you meant."
Clara would be hiding behind her mug if she could right now, and does do a fairly good job of holding it in front of her face. "Uh, thanks," she offers a bit wanly, then takes a quick sip. "Sorry, there's more to it, but that's enough. Yeah, the socks are just -scary-, but they fit him. I'll bet Anya would know. Or Honalee."
Kyara settles back in her chair, her expression neutral. "Yeah, I'll have to ask Anya. I made my peace with her at least, I think."
Clara's eyes flicker with curiosity. "Made peace? Oh...oh, yes. Kya, if you're not comfortable asking, I can always ask Honalee via comm. I've been meaning to call her anyway."
Kyara says "Eh?" She shakes her head. "I'm not uncomfortable with her, though I can't think of a way to let her know she used my name wrong without sounding insolent." She takes a drink. "Why've you been meaning to call Honalee?"
Clara blinks at the younger woman in complete astonishment. "You corrected an officer on how to use your name? Oh, dear..." she murmurs, then ventures a small smile. "Uh, would you like to know how many years I was 'Cadet Ice Princess' because I corrected a sergeant on pronunciation?" She laughs and shakes her head. "Never mind. Why? Because Honalee's a wonderful person, and I like to consider her a friend."
Kyara shakes her head, turning red. "I merely suggested, rather icily perhaps, that she should review the protocol for Stilvanian nomenclature. I don't know how you humans feel on it, but what she did was a rather grave insult back home." She smiles a little. "You two knew each other before you came here?"
Clara literally winces. "Uh, ouch. Kya, as much as I like and respect you, -I'd- have been terribly offended if you'd said that to me. Still, water under the bridge and all that." She shakes her head affably over another sip. "No, I didn't meet her until Riley introduced us. But some people, you just get on with well instantly."
Kyara frowns slightly, the expression quickly suppressed. Finally she shakes her head. "I'm never going to understand y'all completely. Officers are allowed to take offense but enlisted are not?" The question just might be rhetorical. "Honalee's one of those, eh? I wish I could have met her."
Clara sets her cup down and spreads her hands apologetically. "In a word? Yes, that's exactly how it is. Now most officers will forget being insulted and get over it, which is as it should be. Holding a grudge for -anyone- is a bad thing. I've always found to just let insult roll over me and forget about it," she answers honestly, despite the nature of the question. She lifts her brows then. "You did, though. That night I reported for duty. Tall Edreeni woman? Calls Riley Greg?"
Kyara thinks back, and shakes her head. "If I did, I don't remember," she says rather apologetically. "If only I'd known then... ah well, can't expect myself to be a mindreader. And I said nothing about grudges, Clara."
Clara shakes her head, smile kind. "I hadn't meant you, dear. I'd meant Anya. Or any other officer, for that matter. Or any person. It was completely general. And no, most people aren't mindreaders." She sighs suddenly, amused. "But if you ever meet one? -Arrogent- folks."
Kyara blinks, then laughs! "Well, I would be to, if I could do that. Good gravy, that'd make me even more insufferable. Talk about having to control your temper though. I mean, hearing what people actually thought about ya..."
Clara waves a hand, snickering. "Oh, there's -lots- of folks who can halfway tell what you're thinking about them. They just pick up the feelings and not the words. Empathy's common enough. They spend years learning to control it." She grins. "I'd be pretty smug to be telepatic too, though. Nifty idea, that."
Kyara nods thoughtfully. "That'd be awfully handy in Security, wouldn't it. Make interrogations that much easier."
Clara considers this for a moment thoughtfully. "It might...might not. I've actually studied this a little. It's remarkably hard for a human telepath to dig into more intricate thought levels. There's a few other races that do it better, but not us."
Kyara takes a thoughtful sip from her coffee. "How come?"
Clara inhales a deep breath, gaze going distant for a moment as she thinks. "Mainly because most humans aren't entirely honest with themselves. Very few, actually. We see and hear what we want rather than what's real. It's hard to decipher those personal images from the truth at a level to contain symbols like speech."
Kyara blinks, then shakes her head. "How come you studied it?"
Clara's eyes snap into focus at the question. "What? Oh, uh, because I'm a shrink. It's part of the curriculum."
Kyara looks a little surprised at that. "One would think it's a rare enough phenomenon that it wouldn't be required study."
Clara regards you for a long moment, then says slowly, "It was a topic of interest for me, Kya." Her expression is completely impassive at this one sentence explanation.
Kyara's eyes narrow slightly, though her expression remains amiable. "Everybody needs a few."
Clara's lips quirk up in a grin as she nods. "Everyone does. Me, I like the drums. How 'bout you? Any topics of interest other than pushups and reassembling firearms?"
Kyara chuckles, blushing slightly. "I'm not sure if it counts as a topic of interest, but I like mystery novels. Sherlock Holmes especially. Completely unrealistic, but fascinating nonetheless."
"Sher-lock...Holmes?" Clara repeats the unfamiliar name carefully. "Mystery, hmm?" She thinks a moment more, then shakes her head helplessly. "Sorry, it's not ringing any bells. Good stuff?"
Kyara nods, smiling slightly. "Not bad for stuff centuries old. Riley can explain it better than I." She pauses, indecisive, then shakes her head. "I haven't had much time to develop very many outside interests."
Clara nods almost apologetically, half smiling. "I can see that. You've packed a lot into two decades. I'll bug Riley and see if he has any extra copies in all those awful noveltapes he has."
Kyara shudders. "I sneaked a peek at some of those. They're... how's the phrase go?... so bad they're good? Nothing I would ever imagined him reading, but then he's full of surprises."
Clara's smile goes goofily sappy for a moment as she nods. "Mmm. That he is," she agrees quietly, then clears her throat and does her best to go back to looking professional. "Uh, I guess music was always my escape more than reading."
Kyara grins at the sappiness. "Ah, music... performing it at least... was never a good thing for me. Listening, yes, I enjoy a good tune or two, but I simply cannot play."
Clara folds her hands on her desk, the ghost of the former insipid smile still lingering. "Hey, listening is almost as much fun as playing, trust me. What do you like to listen to?"
Kyara starts to say, "M'mah c'p..." then offers a sheepish grin. "Classical folk dance music from Stilvan."
Clara can't help but laugh. "Thanks. Languages aren't my strong point," she adds. "I don't know if I've heard that, actually. Now...Stilvani don't have much in the way of vocal music, is that right?"
Kyara nods confirmation, taking a sip of her coffee. After a grimace at its temperature, she drains the mug dry. "That's correct. It's something with our vocal chords. I'll admit, I've never understood it, but then physiology was never my best subject."
Clara grins and flicks a glance at her print of Stilvani anatomy hanging over the couch. "I could explain it in long and gory six and seven syllable words, but it's dull lecturing." She leans back in her chair thoughtfully. "Haven't sung in years."
Kyara tilts her head curiously, leaning forward to set the cup on the desk. "Why not?"
"Hmm?" Clara asks, eyes widening. "Oh, haven't had much of a chance. Other things got in the way, y'know." She glances at her comm briefly to check the time, then shakes her head slightly. "I used to do a little in college, but now it's just fun."
Kyara drums her fingers thoughtfully on the arm of her chair. "Don't they have karaoke on the band's night off, down at the Fruvous?"
Clara blinks, then bursts into laughter. "Me? At the Fruvous? Nonono. I did that -once-. The guys are so, so way much better to listen to. That's okay, I'll pass. The drums are more my specialty anyhow."
Kyara grins. "I'd like to hear you play."
Clara grins and lazily picks up a pair of pens, twirling then to have one in each hand before she does a quick roll on the desktop. "How's that?"
Kyara blinks, fingernails rattling a staccato against the armchairs. "Quick. It was very quick." She grins. "You'll have to demonstrate your full aptitude... " The grin widens, pure mischief dancing in her eyes. "But all in good time."
Clara taps out a slightly more complex tattoo, then drops both pens into a desk drawer, chuckling. "That grin worries me, my dear. What are you plotting in that little blonde head of yours?"
Kyara doesn't bother pretending innocence. "Nothing bad, I assure you."
Clara quirks her brows, trying not to smirk. "If I turn up green, I'm hunting you down and forcibly -painting- you blue."
Kyara acks, snickering as she shakes her head. "No, no, no, my days of coloring officers are through."
Clara lifts a hand and intones melodramatically, "Excellent idea. Very satisfactory, indeed." She loses the expression in another grin. "Especially since I look awful in green. Not even going to give me any hints?"
Kyara smiles warmly. "You'll be able to indulge in music again."
Clara's brows flicker together in puzzlement, although she's still smiling. "I -do- have a full trap set and sound unit in my room," she offers hesitantly.
Kyara laughs, shaking her head. "You won't object to it, believe me."
Clara looks a little more worried, but still not displeased. "Okay, Kya. I'll trust you." She flickers a glance at her terminal absently. "Think Addison's still on duty? I'll have his hide for doing triple shifts again, I swear."
Kyara shrugs, her expression making an attempt at neutrality. "I'll agree he's too busy, and with him being on call all the time, there's no way to know. I don't get a look at his shift schedule."
Clara makes a rude noise and reaches for one of the kidnapped penguins, turning it thoughtfully in her hands. "I'm on call all the time too. You don't see me pulling triple shifts." Okay, that's because she does it -quietly-. "Ah well. He's a grown man, makes his own choices and all that."
Clara's communit crackles to life and announces "... need... the... send... We've... a..." in Anya's voice.
Kyara starts to speak, but pauses at the beep of the communit.
Clara glances down at her comm, a furrow forming at her brows. "The Vault?" she murmurs, eyes flickering up before she jumps to her feet and moves to snatch her medkit from a shelf. "Kya, I have to go. There's a problem," she says vaguely, then taps at the comm on her desk. "Jones, front and center. Meet me in the lobby stat."
Kyara blinks, startled, but nods. Just nodding to acknowledge, she slips out.
You walk towards the Medical Bay.
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
You head towards the Security Central.
***** An hour or two or so after that *****
Anya arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
Kyara glances up from the terminal she's absorbed in, giving Anya a curious look. "Had some excitement, I hear?"
Anya slides into the chair behind her desk, nodding. She's entirely calm, which means of course she isn't. "Guido shot Niko and the Chief." And here's the kicker, "He's still loose."
Kyara blinks, waking up entirely. "He got shot again? I mean, they did? He is?" An awful thought strikes her. "Please tell me he didn't turn green again?" See, she's thinking tangler, not plasma...
Anya shakes her head as she calmly turns back to her terminal. Everything is calmness, "Not that I've been told. I just got that he was out of surgery and stable. And that Niko'd broken a couple -more- bones, but would be okay."
Kyara sits up straight, paling. "Surgery?"
Anya nods, still calm, gee, I like that word calm, don't I? "Yeah, he took a plasma bolt in the chest. Point blank." Like it were the -weather-. "Niko got hit shoulder and arm, an abdominal hit, and broke ribs and a wrist. He's talented."
Anya's communit crackles to life and says "... Anya?... a... and broken... "They're both... Niko's... pause.... But he'll... to." in Clara's voice.
Kyara bolts for the door, but stops just short of the hallway as Anya's communit goes off, poised and ready to flee.
Anya says "Thanks, doc." Anya sounds in no small part relieved, although there's a hint of falseness to her calm. "I appreciate the heads up." into her communit.
Kyara does not look reassured.
Anya turns to regard the would be fleeing Kyara, "Where are you going?"
Kyara gestures vaguely down the hall. "They're in medbay, right?"
Anya nods, she's not going to -stop- Kyara, but she does ask, "You sure you want to go in there? You can stay out of the way?"
Under any other circumstances, Kya'd be amused by that question. Now she just edges a few steps more toward the hallway. "Yes, and yes. Promise."
Anya nods at that, gesturing with a shooing motion. "On with you then, just don't disturb them."
Kyara looks so grateful it could be considered pitiful. She scrams.
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
You head towards the Medical Bay.
Kyara runs in, skidding to a stop beside Kramer. "Where are they?"
From behind his desk filling out the paperwork for the night, Kramer looks up, just as exhausted as Clara, likely. "Short term...but Kyara? Take it easy, huh? Lots of tired people in there."
Kyara nods, gives Kramer a second look, and ducks into Clara's office. She emerges with a cup of coffee, sets it on the desk for the man, and heads for STC in an exaggeratedly careful walk.
You pass through the swinging doors into the Short Term Care ward.
Short Term Care Ward
All is quiet here, save for the occasional moan alerting a nurse more pain medication is needed. Impeccably clean, the ward stretches for quite a ways from the door. The nurses' desk, always manned, is tucked to one side inside the door, facing the corridor. Opposite that is the large cabinet holding medicine and supplies. Half a dozen beds line each side of the ward, separated by temporary partitions.
Contents:
Bandit
Innocuous Not-A-Kender
Clara
Niko
Riley
Obvious exits:
Out
Clara inhales a slow breath, still attemptint to hold back the hysterics that threaten. That can wait for later. "I'll get Kramer after a bit. But you're welcome. We'd do it no matter what." She looks back down at Riley then, using her free hand to brush back his hair, and doesn't see Kyara come in.
Kyara comes up very very quietly, countenance somber and face pale. "Clara?" It comes out in a whisper.
Niko opens his eyes as he hears a female voice say 'Clara?'. Clara, after all, shouldn't be doing that. He squints vaguely towards Kyara, but doesn't say anything just yet, as he's a bit confused and all.
Clara glances blearily over her shoulder at the voice, blinking away suspicious moisture. *flash* "Kya? Heya, hon. Whatcha doing here?" she replies softly. "Did you see Anya?" She glances back towards Niko to check on him.
Niko mumbles, "Anya's gonna be -mad-. I shoulda got him." His eyes close once more, though his mumbling continues--something about not wanting to shoot civilians, and how one should not dive over tables, even when the other guy does it and makes it look suave.
Kyara nods slowly, her eyes going to Niko as well. "Yeah," she says softly. "Anya... she said I could come here. Oh Niko..."
Riley just lies there unmoving. The soft rasp of his labored breathing is barely audible, but it's the only non-monitor involved sign that he's animate.
Niko hears his name and hauls his eyes open, with the extra added help of a mental crowbar. "Huh?"
"Kaycen'll get him, Niko," Clara reassures gently, then peers back at Riley as she inhales a slightly shuddered breath. "Kaycen'll get that..." And then Clara finally gives vent to a long strand of something in oddly accented Standard. Very creative. Is that anatomically possible? "And then everything will be fine. It -will- be," she adds, almost in a whisper.
Kyara's eyes widen as she stares at Clara. Despite the circumstances, she can't help but admire /that/. "Um, what she said, Niko." If she doesn't get her hands on Guido first, at any rate. "Clara, you do not sound very sure..."
Niko's eyes don't need that crowbar, as Clara speaks, as they widen on their own. He didn't know she knew -those- words. "Kaycen's good," he agrees vaguely, mentally shoving the crowbar back into place as the shock of Clara's really neato epithets wears off. He adds a mumble in Hellenic.
Clara is infantry. Of course she knows those words. She just doesn't use them unless necessary, and in this case, they were very, very necessary. "I...don't know," she finally admits, lifting a hand to brush against Riley's cheek, far too wrecked to worry about professionalism right now. "I did what I could. It's up to him now."
Kyara bites her lip, inclining her head to fasten her gaze on the floor. She does, however, sound confident. "Nothing'll happen to him. He's strong. Niko said so."
Niko blinks several times at that, pushing himself up on one elbow--the right one--so that he may peer at Riley. He says something in Hellenic, then catches himself, with a vague frown of frustration. "He's strong," he concurs, though -he- sounds rather worried. Hard to dissemble when you're drugged to the gills. Even if you don't have gills.
Clara nods vaguely, still staring up at Riley mournfully. "I know he is," she agrees quietly. "He came back from flatline faster than nearly any other patient I've ever stimmed. He'll be fine. Fine."
Kyara's eyes widen. "He flatlined?" she squeaks.
Clara glances over her shoulder, brow knitting together in a somewhat pale face, eyes reddened. "Kya, half his major arteries needed replacing from his heart. I had to patch...oh, lord. Don't ask what all I had to patch." Mainly because the player wouldn't have a clue. "But the rate's steady now," she adds, eyes flicking to the steadily spiking monitor.
Niko spits out a few words in Hellenic, then says, with precarious calm, and careful enunciation, "Kaycen had better not kill him."
Kyara somehow takes a measure of comfort from Clara's words. Blindly she reaches for a chair, dragging it between the beds to sit.
Clara reaches out with one white covered boot to snag the chair and drag it closer, then stops as Kya gets the chair. Fine with her, she stays seated at Riley's side. "If Guido comes in here," she notes in a very low voice, "I still have Riley's sidearm."
Niko sinks back onto the bed. "Guido's not coming here," he mumbles. "Not after he shot Riley. He's not -that- stupid."
Kyara gives Clara an odd look. "If he comes in here, I don't /need/ a sidearm." She snorts softly at Niko's assertion. "If he's stupid enough to set you up for shooting Riley, he's stupid enough to try and finish the job."
Clara nods calmly, flickering a cold glance at the door. "This is good. I'm not supposed to shoot anyone," she notes, then stifles another reaction as she straightens another chocolate colored curl.
Niko shakes his head, letting his eyes close. "Tha' was spon--uh--quick. Di'n think about it. So was shooting Riley."
Kyara smiles grimly. Her typist is getting a lot of use out of that phrase tonight. "What the heck happened anyhow, Niko? How'd y'all end up getting shot?"
Clara glances up for a moment at this question, a spark of interest flickering through the shadowed green in her eyes. "Can you tell us, Niko?" she asks gently. "If you're too tired, it's all right."
Niko replies vaguely, "Guido -shot- us, s'how." Give him a break. He's had a hell of a day, and this is very likely his first experience with plasma fire.
Kyara appears apologetic. "Sorry, Niko."
Clara considers this, then sighs faintly. "I know he did, Niko. I saw him. He likely thinks Riley's dead," she adds, gaze irrevocably going back to said man who certainly isn't dead.
Niko opens his eyes to stare at Clara for a moment in startlement, then blinks. "Oh. You were there. That's right." He nods vaguely to Kyara. "S'okay. Not everybody knows that getting shot means people shot you." And he's not even remotely being snide.
Riley is most assuredly not dead. Dead people don't breathe, however softly, and those monitors and all are still going ping and all that.
Clara blinks rapidly, watching one of said quietly pinging monitors for a moment. "I should comm Honalee," she murmurs absently, then abruptly shakes her head. "Later." She peers back over. "Niko? How's it going over there? In any pain?"
Kyara acks softly. "Honalee'll go nuts."
Niko nods vaguely to Clara's question. "Yeah," he says. Rain Man with an accent, that's he. K-Mart. 400 Oak Street. "S'okay, though." He blinks at Kyara's words, then shrugs, followed hard by a grimace. "Remind me not to do that again." Funny, he sounds a little more coherent, there, for a moment.
Clara makes a somewhat noncommittal noise about Honalee's reaction, then gets up to check Niko's IV, adjusting the amount of drip slightly. "Niko, don't do that again," she notes quietly, offering a somewhat weary smile down.
Kyara manages a watery smile. "What she said. Don't do that again or I'll get Anya in here with paperwork."
Niko offers one of those rather not-quite-there smiles, until the mention of Anya. "She's gonna be mad." At the threat, though, he lifts his casted right hand, mumbling, "I... am not left handed."
Clara leans down slightly to repeat the gesture of pushing hair back with Niko, and shakes her head firmly. "Anya is -not- going to be mad at you. Understand? Not unless you don't get better. So get better. That's an order, Lieutenant," she adds, then returns to Riley's side.
Kyara grins faintly at Niko. "Anya'd make you learn how to be left-handed very fast." But she relents in the teasing, nodding at Clara's words. "Anya's mad, but not at you."
Niko mumbles an "Aye aye, ma'am" that isn't altogether clear, though he's blinking a few times. "Di'n say she was mad at -me-. Jus' mad. Anya mad at me... scary, scary thought."
"Very scary," Clara agrees vaguely. "Which is why we couldn't let this big goof go," she attempts at a light tone. "Anya'd have my hide."
Kyara shudders, having experienced just that all too recently. "Yeah. I wouldn't want to be in Guido's shoes for /anything/."
Niko would be kind of upset, too, if the big goof had gone into that good night, whether gentle or no. But he doesn't say that, instead just nodding. "Really ugly shoes," he mumbles.
"I don't envy him," Clara supplies absently, then slowly climbs to her feet, hands stuffing into the pockets of her scrubs. "Excuse me a moment?" she asks, voice strained before she disappears around the curtain, just out of sight. And completely silent.
Kyara blinks after Clara, hesitates, and decides not to follow. Instead she scoots her chair up a little further toward the head of the beds.
Niko frowns rather muzzily as he peers after Clara, but he's not going to go after her. He's not even sure he's got feet, at this point. "Poor Clara," he mumbles.
Clara is likely still just beyond the curtain, since the sound of boots hasn't gone off towards the door, but it's still oddly quiet. See, unlike Niko, she still has feet. Oh, wait, Niko has feet. Somewhere? Surely Vryce wasn't =that- mean.
Kyara nods, anger in her eyes. "Guido'd best not cross my path," she growls softly.
Niko's tone is utterly insincere. "Poor Guido. Everybody wants to kill him, now."
Kyara blinks, shaking her head. "Oh no. That'd be too easy. He's gotta hurt first."
A deep intake of breath can be heard on the other side of the curtain before Clara returns, face composed again as she retakes her seat at Riley's side. "More pain isn't the answer," she supplies wearily.
Niko starts to shrug again, then stops the motion. "Yeah," he agrees with Clara, "But it'd sure -feel good-." Too bad he can't use words like 'catharsis' when he's this doped up. Then he sighs quietly, with a shake of his head. "Couldn't do it, though. Not 'nless he was hurting -back-."
Kyara nods her agreement with Niko, though at his last remark, her head stops bobbing. She remains silent, however.
Clara just shakes her head, though, by now fairly well drained. "No. No more pain. No more hurting. Not tonight," she adds, lacing her fingers through Riley's unresponding ones.
Niko lets his eyes close once more, though he's quite firm on one thing, and elaborates it. "Hurting," he decides, "Is bad."
Kyara sits on her traitorous hands. "Anybody want some coffee?" Hey, it's the best she can come up with on short notice.
"Please?" Clara replies quietly. "Coffee would be good right now. A -lot- of coffee. It's gonna be a long night."
Niko shakes his head, with a mumbled thanks. After a pause, he adds, "Water? Could I have some, maybe? Please?"
Kyara nods, getting to her feet. She pauses to hear Clara's answer to Niko.
Clara slips off the side of the other bed and moves out of the curtain range. The sound of water running is heard for a moment before she returns with a pitcher and a glass, both full. "Here, Niko," she offers the glass. "Water you can have. Easy now..."
Kyara heads out for the coffee.
You head out the swinging doors into the Medical Bay.
***** Bye-by travel-spam *****
You pass through the swinging doors into the Short Term Care ward.
Short Term Care Ward
All is quiet here, save for the occasional moan alerting a nurse more pain medication is needed. Impeccably clean, the ward stretches for quite a ways from the door. The nurses' desk, always manned, is tucked to one side inside the door, facing the corridor. Opposite that is the large cabinet holding medicine and supplies. Half a dozen beds line each side of the ward, separated by temporary partitions.
Contents:
Bandit
Clara
Niko
Riley
Obvious exits:
Out
You walk here from the Medical Bay.
Clara leans against Niko's bed to fold her arms and look back at Riley, nodding. "He'll need it," she repeats quietly. "I just wish I knew when he'd wake up," she says quietly.
Kyara is already pouring coffee for two before she comes to a stop, offering one of the mugs to Clara. "It's fresh."
Clara accepts the mug with a look of utter gratitude and heads back over to perch by Riley's side, taking a long draught. "Kya, you're an angel. If this turns me green, you'll be my next patient," she adds, a flash of humor in her eyes for a moment.
Niko fumbles his glass to a spot on a table that he assumes is somewhere near the bed. If there's not actually a table, well, then, he's just on too many drugs, and the glass falls to the floor. In any event, he eases himself back to a reclining position. "Gotta remember to shoot the rest of the coffee," he mumbles, adding, "Got the -weirdest- looks for that."
Kyara smiles slightly, shaking her head. "I think Niko confiscated all that stuff." She sets the coffee pot carefully on the table between the beds and retakes her seat, unable to supress a snicker.
Clara laughs quietly as well, absently reclaiming that hand again, coffee mug in her other. Yes, there's a table there. No crash. "I think I'd like to watch that, Niko. Confiscation's good."
Niko mumbles something vague about vicious, killer coffee, and how brave he was to subdue it. "Was going for the jugular," he adds. "Comin' right for us."
Kyara giggles at Niko, bending over to retrieve the dropped glass. "Should've quarantined it."
Clara smirks vaguely, taking another long drink. "Psychokiller coffee," she decides. "Very gallant and brave of you, Niko."
Niko lets his eyes close once more. "Galahad has to be brave and gallant and all that," he informs the room at large, though still in that quiet, vague kind of tone. "And Ela said I'm Galahad."
Clara flickers at fond glance at Riley, murmuring something about a round table, then grins over at Niko over her mug. "Is that where that came from? Why does she call you Galahad, Niko?"
Kyara murmurs, "Thought it was just Riley called ya that."
Niko's brows furrow at that as he tries to come up with an answer to Clara's question, but Kyara sidetracks him. "No, Ela calls me that. Not Riley. Riley's not Ela." How's -that- for an ironic pose, folks?
Clara can't help but laugh at that quietly. "Uh, no. Riley's a little taller than Ela," she decides. "But wasn't life awfully perilous for Galahad? You know...grail shaped beacons and all."
Kyara grins at Niko, shaking her head. "Nope, Riley said it too, when I thought you and Ela were lovers." She gives Clara a curious look. "Grail shaped beacons?"
Niko has fortunately never seen a certain disturbing movie. "Galahad's a knight," he says, muffling a yawn. "Peril's his middle name. Galahad... Peril... uh. Knight." Then he catches Kyara's statement, and his eyes snap open. "What?" It's really quite startling how sudden he can sound deadly serious. "What did you say?"
Clara's eyes snap to Kyara as well, although more with surprise than dismay, then very quietly retreats into watching Riley. She'll just stay out of this one, yeah.
Kyara repeats herself, word for word, then pauses, "Was my speech unclear the first time?"
Niko very slowly sits up, bracing himself on one arm. "No," he says flatly. "Inappropriate." He really looks like he wants to say more, and, in fact, his player typed out a whole massive spiel before realizing the unlikelihood of getting out that many words. "We're not," he says finally, his speech starting to get blurred with exhaustion and drugs and such. "Even if we were--none of your business."
Clara finally looks up to shake her head fractionally at Kyara before peering over at Niko sympathetically. "Niko, rest. It doesn't matter what the details are. As long as you're happy, that's -all- that counts," she adds. "Okay?"
Kyara nods slowly, turning dead white. "He said /that/ too, sir..." She trails off at Clara's gesture.
It says a lot that Niko promptly lowers himself back to the bed. "Details matter," he mumbles, in negation to Clara's words. "If -she- thought I was saying that..." He ignores Kyara altogether, after the briefest of looks and a mostly-incoherent mutter about the use of the word 'sir'.
"She'd confront you to see if it was true," Clara supplies gently. "Don't worry about it, Niko. The details matter, but only to you and Ela. Not us," she adds, hoping this distracts any questions about her relationship with Riley as well.
"Kya, relax. It's late, and we're all frayed."
Kyara nods, concentrating on her coffee. Over and over she mutters 'Niko' under her breath.
Niko bobs his head in a vague nod to Clara. At the barely-heard repetition of his name, however, he starts to look decidedly confused, asking rather plaintively, "Clara, what drugs did they -give- me?"
Clara reaches over to set her now empty mug on the table before lifting her hand to Riley's forehead as if checking for temperature. "Cortrazime, Niko. That's what's in your IV along with an antibiotic. Why?"
Kyara automatically reaches out to refill Clara's cup, curious enough now for her gaze to return to Niko.
Niko mumbles something about hearing somebody calling him. "Really weird."
"It was Kya," Clara supplies absently, still watching Riley with a vaguely sad expression and a nearly inaudble murmur at him.
Niko ohs quietly, and peers rather vaguely at Kyara. "Did you want something?"
Riley is still just sort of there, only the soft rasp of labored breathing and the constant hum of the monitors attesting to the fact that he lives.
Kyara nods, looking rather annoyed. "Yes. Not to snap into 'sir' mode around you."
Clara wordlessly rises to vanish beyond the curtain, only to return a moment later with a stethoscope. She takes a moment to warm the business end, then hooks it in her ears before pressing the disk to riley's chest above the bandages.
Niko casts what he imagines to be a reassuring smile at Kyara, but it, like all of his expressions lately, is just kind of vague. "I do that too sometimes. Usually when I'm scared, or tired, or something. S'okay. Only I don't do it to -me-."
Clara's actions attract his attention, and he tracks her as she moves, falling silent once she presses the disk to Riley's chest.
Kyara nods, smiling slightly. "I won't. I'll try not to."
Clara moves the disk a few times, listening to the labored breathing with a benign expression. She finally unhooks the scope from her ears and loops it over the back of her neck, peering down at Riley. "Fight," she murmurs pleadingly.
Niko nods to Kyara, then, after a brief glance to Clara, murmurs three words in Hellenic. It -could- be a brief prayer. It could also be 'Go, Fight, Win'. Since he's the only one in the room that speaks this language, the world will never know.
Kyara frowns vaguely in Clara's direction. "Something wrong?" she murmurs.
Clara shakes her head distractedly, then tears her gaze away, obviously back to keeping a modicum of control again over her reactions. "No change," she says quietly, turning back to the others. "Nothing more wrong, at least."
Niko frowns for a moment, but then something smacks him upside the head, and his eyes sag shut, despite his valiant efforts to keep them open through sheer force of will. "Um," he mumbles, "D'you ladies mind if I sleep? S'rude, m'sorry, but I'm so -tired-."
Clara tilts her head over at Niko, a slight smile quirking. "I'm surprised you stayed awake so long. Sleep, Niko. Rest. I'll be here when you wake up," she assures. "Sleep well."
Kyara shakes her head, quickly getting to her feet, abashed. "No, of course not, I'm sorry, Niko."
Niko mumbles something utterly vague and incoherent, with the exception of a muttered, "N'night."
Clara smiles over slightly, climbing to her feet to move to tug Niko's blanket a bit higher over him. "Night," she offers, then heads for another chair, carrying it back to rest beside Riley's bed before dropping into it. "You should get some rest, Kya."
Kyara nods, replacing her own chair in its proper spot. "I'd advice you of the same, but I don't think it'd do much good."
Niko promptly goes right to sleep. He does not, it may be noted, snore. So, huzzah, Nick sleeps!
Clara glances back after reclaiming Riley's hand, wearily amused. "Not a bit, you're right. But thanks for the thought. Go on, private. Someone has to help Anya while these two goofs recover, so you're gonna need your rest."
Clara won't need earplugs! Yay!
Kyara blinks, distracted from the situation. "You really think she'd let me help her a little?" She seems rather doubtful, but there's no doubt of the hope in her eyes. "Oh! I'll be able to get Riley's office clean too. Tis hard to do when he's in there almost all the time. Silver lining." She nods toward the coffee. "I left another pot to brew, so when that's gone, there's more. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything, Clara."
Clara nods slowly, eyes back on the taller of the two unconscious men. "I will, Kya. Thanks for everything," she adds quietly, voice a bit shaky by now.
Kyara hesitates, then comes up behind Clara, grateful the doctor is sitting, to give her a quick hug from behind. "Everything's gonna be okay. He's stronger than any man I've ever known, and that includes the Emperor himself."
Except this is the finaly stroke that breaks Clara's resolve, and she finally bursts into tears, trying madly to dash them away as she leans back into the hug. "I can't lose him," she whispers. "Not now."
Kyara shakes her head, hugging fiercely. "You won't. He won't leave you alone. He'd never do that. By the Crown, anybody else would be dead already from that wound. Harsh words, I know, but hear me- he's /alive/. And he's going to stay that way, and get better. For you, for me, for himself... and so he can continue to annoy Lexington."
Clara continues to stare at the unconscious older man, tears coming freely now. "I did my best," she murmurs, pushing at frizzed curls. "He died on me once tonight. I was so afraid to let him out of stasis, and then he flatlined, but he came back. He came back."
Kyara nods firmly. "Of course he did! Clara, he loves you /so/ much. I don't know if you realize just how much. He fought death, and won, because of /you/. I... I don't think he'd've made it otherwise. Forget about the medical stuff for a few minutes. Okay, so we've got fancy machines. So what? You gave him a reason to come back. And that's how it'll always be."
Clara's hand shakes lightly in Riley's, the motion evidently not disturbing him in the slightest. "I know he does," she says quietly, voice nearly cracking from the overburden of controlled emotion. "And I love him...oh, saints...working on him. Seeing him in the bar face down...I wanted to scream and break down right there. I want him to be awake and laughing and ... What if he doesn't wake up?"
Kyara snorts, giving you a gentle shake. "He's coming back, Clara." The confidence in her voice is strong. "So he's got a bit of a journey to make- he's coming back to you. And there's nothing that'll get in his way, you can be sure of that."
"Everyone I've loved...I had to give up," Clara admits in a broken whisper. "Eddie, my daughter..." She buries her face in her hands for a few moments, oblivious to the shake. "He has to come back. Too many people care about him," she finally adds in muffled tones.
Kyara says "Ah, it's time to break the trend then, eh? You've paid your dues." She glances toward Riley's still form, very glad Clara can't see her face right now. "Too many? One's enough, but the principle's the same. He /will/ come back, for all of us. You can't let yourself think otherwise.""
Clara nods slowly, studying Riley intently after lifting her face from her hands, reaching forward to reclaim his motionless fingers. "He has to come back. I can't feel him," she murmurs mournfully. "He has to fight with my rabbit."
Kyara blinks at that last, confusing sentence, filing it away to ask about later. "He feels you though, I'd bet on it. He knows you're here, for him. That's the best medicine he could have right now."
Clara closes her eyes for a moment, as if attempting to concentrate, then reopens them with a sad sigh. "I won't leave him," she notes quietly. "Just come back to me," she adds, presumably to Riley, tears starting up again. After a moment, she sniffs slightly and glances over her shoulder, trying to smile. "Sorry...I really meant to hold off on this till everyone left."
Kyara quickly ducks her head, but probably not fast enough to hide her own tears. "It's okay. I kinda figured as much." She hesitates a bare second. "I'll ask Kramer to rearrange the schedule so you can stay with Riley, or get Anya to ask him to, if he won't listen to me. And I'll bring your meals up here too- you /will/ eat, even if I gotta hold you down and spoonfeed you." She tries to sound stern on that, but she doesn't even come close, and she has to laugh at herself a little bit. "Otherwise he'll thwap me when he gets back, and you don't want that now, do you?" She's really trying hard to keep a straight face at this point, but the night's events have taken their toll on her self-control.
Clara can't help but laugh as well through the tears, smile tremulous. "I'll eat. I'll be good," she agrees. "Kramer...hell, he's likely already rearranged. He's one of the few people who knows." She glances back at Riley, smiles warming considerably. "No, I don't want him to thwack you when he comes back. And he won't." Without turning back, she slowly adds her other hand to hold his in both of hers. "Thank you, Kya. Thank you so much."
Kyara nods slowly, smiling a little. "Anytime," she says softly. "Will... will you be okay? I can stay here all night if you want. I don't think Anya'd be /too/ mad if I don't show up in the morning. Tis not like I've got a set schedule."
Clara smiles faintly down at her hands, shaking her head. "Go get some sleep. I'll be fine, really. I'll stay here with these two, maybe get a little sleep myself. You can spell me in the morning so I can grab a quick shower and change clothes."
Kyara nods in relief, finally allowing a little of her weariness show on her face. Tightening the hug briefly, she lets go reluctantly and plods toward the door. "Sounds like a plan. Night, Clara." And she slips out.
You head out the swinging doors into the Medical Bay.
Kyara heads for the door, almost forgetting, then turns back and drapes herself on the desk. "Hey, Kramer, Clara's not gonna be available for a bit..."
Just putting away the last of the paperwork, Kramer offers a weary, knowing grin. "Tell me something I don't know, Kyara. I know where to find her if I have questions. You look beat, though. Hit the sack, okay?"
Kyara nods with a grateful smile, turning toward the door again. "Thanks, Kramer."
Q-HTML V2.1 (evaluation copy) by Craig Cockburn created this page on 05-Feb-1999 at 10:04:06
