Tylen's acceptance of her offer is a pleasure for Shui; some people just can't seem to become at all relaxed around a doctor.  "Please."  Ushering him in, she carefully takes his coat and, should he be amenable, the now-unbuckled gunbelts.  "There are some comfortable chairs by the desk," she hints, hanging up his jacket (and, possibly, the gunbelts).

Moving quickly behind the desk, she flicks the switch on the brewer.  "Not long; two cargo hauls.  I could look up the exact date if you wish -" a pause to shoot him a quick smile, then back to the machine "- but I have noticed most spacers tend to think in terms of contracts and agreements, rather than days and weeks."  Except, of course, when life support is failing...but she doesn't mention that.  Hardly the sort of thing with which to begin a conversation.

"The café will be a moment."  Coming back around the desk, Shui moves to one of the comfortable chairs.  "Perhaps we might sit for a moment, and you can tell me about yourself."  Again, the small smile.  "Whatever you wish, of course, though there are some things I should know."

When the cargo arrives, Yas takes up her usual post; top of the ramp, keeping an eye on the unloading, and chatting to the tall blonde driver (Kaylan, she says her name is).  The heavy work is all done by a smaller, thin, dark-haired woman, strapped into a cargo exoskeleton, but she doesn't seem much inclined to chat.

Kaylan mutters, when her partner is busy fetching the thirteenth or fourteenth container, "Alex don't talk much normally, and she's worried about her twin brother today.  He signed up for the Marines, two days before we got word about the trouble with the Zhos.  Now she's convinced... " she stops talking as Alex clomps past in the exo, carrying the container into the hold, "She's convinced he'll get shipped out somewhere and killed in the first fight."

"Well, I'm an ex Marine, and so's one guy here that is rejoining them.  We both came through fine.  But I can understand her worry, it isn't easy to stand on the side and just watch," Yas says to Kaylan as Alex is out of earshot.  "But, with him being so new, she won't have to worry, I think.  They'll have to teach them which end of the gun to use when, for starters," she then chuckles and a crooked grin creeps over her face.  "If he ever gets shipped out it will be a long time from now, I bet.  No point in sending rookies to do the fighting of veterans, after all.  It'll be a long war before that'll happen."

Of course, if the local Marines were short-handed, it would come up qicker, but she doubts he will go anywhere anytime soon, regardless, considering the distance to it.  It takes desperation to send out untrained troops, and this was merely starting.

"Doesn't make it easier, but that's how things work from where I am anyways.  The Navy's different, where whole cities, more or less, floats about with rookies and old squids alike, and goes looking for trouble.  Nah, he'll need basic training and stuff, and that'll keep him busy for some time."

Tylen offers up his weapons to the woman and smiles his thanks at the suggestion of a chair. With a grin at her humorous remark, "that won't be necessary Doctor, the exact time... you seem to be capable and if Lanza thinks that your good enough then so do I. And thank you for making me feel welcome. Well, a little about me...hhhmmm.

He takes a moment as he sits and makes himself comfortable in the plush seating, not sprawling out but conservatively and comfortably. "Well, I have a copy of my health records on my dataglove," he says reaching into duffel, "it will detail an accident that I suffered a year ago and affected nerves along my right side. That was the main reason that I left the IISS, they were putting me to work as a administrator/truck driver. Not a shiny prospect...let me tell you."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:00, Thu 09 Feb 2006.

Returning the smile, Shui waits for her guest to sit and then settles in herself, leaving her tea for the moment.  "I certainly hope I will not disappoint," she murmurs while Tylen considers the request.  It's not a polite nothing - with the responsibility for the Low Berths, the Doctor is quite nervous about missing something.  People have died, in the past, due to improper care in the Low Berth.

Nodding to his offer, Shui activates the infrared receiver on her Dataglove so that Tylen can send his information directly.  Her thin eyebrow rise at his comment regarding his troubles, though.  "An accident?  Neurological damage they could not properly adjust?"  There is a hint of disapproval in her tone.  "I would expect as much from a shipboard doctor, but one would think...."  The woman shakes her head.  It isn't her place to criticize (well, unless it is obvious that poor medical aid was given), and certainly she doesn't wish to dredge up the past.

There is a beep from the brewer and, with a polite nod, the doctor rises and slips around behind the desk.  "Milk?  Sugar?  So, the life of a truck driver was not amenable to you?"  There is the question of his injury, of course - why, if the IISS cashiered him from the front lines, would he be capable of working aboard the Profit Margin.  There must be a reason, Shui decides; she isn't going to ask, though.  That would be...more than rude, and give the wrong impression - that she did not believe him capable.

Certainly the relevant information must be in his medical history.

Tylen shakes his head, "No thanks, just black."

He hits a few studs on the dataglove and sends the information to Shui's. The vidscreen indicates it's success and beeps when the task is complete. "Well it's definitely not as bad as I make it out to be. Up until a few weeks ago it was scarring and a bit of pain. Now it's mostly just scarring. If you take a look at the most recent dates, you'll notice that I just completed a follow up surgery to dislodge some of the shrapnel which the Service decided to ignore."

He was amused by the Doctor's disapproving expression and tone. He looked at her with a smile, which hid a bit of pride, "It was actually a pretty amazing incident. During one of my survey mission we met with some nasty buggers, they ended up not liking us and panicked, blew up one of our rigs. It tore up my shoulder pretty good, even though it was classified as a 'Light wound'."

The café Shui pours is a carefully bred strain of bean that contains all of coffee's heavy flavour, with little of the bitter aftertaste.  In terms of caffeine, it has approximately two thirds the 'regular' amount for a cup.  Not exactly the foul brew of choice for people wanting to stay up overnight.  Pouring herself a cup of lemongrass tea, the woman returns to her chair, passing Tylen his steaming drink.

Her dataglove gives acknowledgement of a file received via a slight vibration; Shui prefers it to be silent, so as to not disturb any person with whom she might be speaking.  She nods at the explanation, then gives Tylen a sympathetic look.  Living with pain for so long - it must have become a constant companion.  "Good news, then...and some bad, I fear.  I will have to do a physical if there has been a change.  I fear every silver lining comes with a dark cloud, Mr. Ogresh."

At his description of the circumstance, Shui leans forward, balancing the teacup on her knee.  "Evidently the surgeon was given to understatement," she notes, one eyebrow rising.  "I hope you did not suffer casualties...obviously your team escaped."  Firefights...no wonder he carries so many weapons.  Shui doesn't approve of killing, but her experience tells her that sometimes a situation may require one person to die so that another may live.  Good people can be pushed into those situation; evil people create them.  She takes a thoughtful sip of her tea.  "I expect you have a wealth of experiences, Mr. Ogresh, after such a long time with the Service."

Tylen nodded at the news inside he wasn't too worried but there was still a nagging doubt about the damage she might find. The work done on his shoulder in his own eyes had been considerable but she might see it as very routine and normal prodcedure. Whatever the case he didn't mind a checkup to see if there was anything further wrong, in the worst case she might see where the Service's surgeon's had missed something. He sipped his cofee, noticing the flavorful content and not missing the lack of bitterness, "that's very good thank you."

"There were only a few of us performing survey operations, luckily no one was killed though another of my friends made out slightly worse than myself. Most of the experience I gained through the service was between the generous voyages, which were long I can tell you. So in actuality, the balance of my time with them was between systems," he added the last as almost an afterthought.

"Though out on the edge can be a troublesome place to find oneself."

Very pleased that the café is acceptable, Shui sips at her tea and continues to listen to the man explain his past.  It helps, sometimes, to understand from where a person is coming.  This is something she learned back with her family, but it transfers well into her current vocation.

"I hope the service doctors did better work upon your friend," she says quietly.  "As I understand it, being in the scouts can demand your time for months on end without any chance of time off.  Understandable, but certainly a high-stress environment."  High stress environment - she knows the feeling quiet well.  "Having seen a few vids," this said with a depreciating smile, "I suspect what happens out upon the fringes is quite difficult at times.  Different, of course, from what the movies project, but equally challenging in its own way."

A pause for thought.  "You have seen a bit of the Profit Margin and its crew thus far; I am curious, of course, to your first impressions."  She waves one hand around the room.  "Should you wish to say anything, it will not leave this room; this is a personal question from me, not a professional one."

Understand from where a person is coming, to see where they might go.  An important rule.

"Jago?" Saskia's voice comes over the intercom, intermittently almost drowned out by something humming in the background, "I just got the results back on the engine tests.  All looks good, apart from a 0.001 percent variance in the T.F.M., but thats only a twentieth of the I.B.S.S. allowed discrepancy, so I can leave that be for now.  It'd probably take a few days to set right anyway."

There is a clatter from the intercom, metal on metal, "As it stands though, give me ten minutes to get the cover back on this housing, and we can jump as soon as you like after that."

Kaylan nods at Yas' words, but says nothing as Alex passes them to fetch the next container.  As soon as she passes though, the blonde woman speaks again, "See, I tried explaining that to her.  Even pointed out that sending him out untrained would just be wasting the Corp's budget, but she just asked what I'd know about it, since I never joined up."

"Say... could you have a word?  She might believe it from you."


Elsewhere, Saskia reports the good news on her progress to Jago.  The ship is looking in good shape, age, and wear and tear taken into account.

Kal-chan and Jett sit drinking coffee in the crew lounge, discussing their plans.  Jett is doing surprisingly well, despite his somewhat delicate state of health, though Kal-chan would admit, if asked, to an odd feeling of depression and loneliness, despite the sounds of the ship all around him.

Shui conducts her medical interview with Tylen.


Across the port town, Conrad Dietz rides a gravbus towards his new job...

”Thank you Saski, you’re a gem,” Jago’s disembodied voice responds over the intercom, “I’ve been waiting for you to finish before processing the raw fuel we took on.”

OOC
How long does that fuel processing take, about eight hours if I remember.

"Sure thing.  I'll grab her when next she passes, push her up against the wall and tell her the lay of the land.  Marine humour.  I'll try to do it more subtly, even if it isn't my forte," Yas says with a grin in place and then waits for the opportune moment to catch Alex when she is a bit off to the side.  Then she lunges her like a predator lunges at it prey, if in a figurative way.

"Hey,  Alex, right?  I'm Yas, in case you forgot.  Head of security and all that.  Heard your brother signed up for the Marines!  As an ex Marine myself, I tell you you should be proud he made it.  Few get in there, you know, only the best, unlike the Navy!  I remember when I first joined up!  By the Fuming Swamps of Loomis Demise, I swear I never thought basic training would end, but they dragged it out for quite some time!  No point in sending rookies out, they said, if in less charming words.  And then I ended up dealing with rookies for years myself!  Boy, it was a sight to see their faces when they realised they wouldn't see real action for months!  Heh!  But they needed someone to show them the ropes," she starts to ramble, as if she was dying to talk memories with someone, and Axel with her brother was the perfect victim.

Tylen is all smiles at the question, it seemed that she was implying that he might have doubts as to his new position or how he might get along with the rest of the crew. Thus far he had a very good impression of the crew, especially the captain who it seemed was a very admirable fellow. Even Yasmine, with whom he had almost overstepped his bounds with earlier. He could hardly argue in retrospect, she had acted as he might've in her place given the situation. He laughed a genuine and good laugh, "So far so good, I'm relieved to be aboard and filling a position of some import actually. I was starting to feel retired for a while there. Like perhaps I'd have to take up whittling. No, everyone I've met so far has been very accepting and quick to offer a welcome. Though I still haven't met Saskia, the engineer."

Another sip of her tea, and Shui studies Tylen over the lip of her cup.  "I am pleased you think so - very pleased.  Saskia will certainly not ruin your impression of the ship, then.  She is a fine engineer, and an even better person - my own personal observation."  Shui smiles, cocking her head to the side.  "Though there is really nothing to prevent you from taking up whittling here, of course.  Hopefully you will be pressed into boring work, such as maintenance and the like...forgive me if I hope you are not required to perform the duties for which you have been hired."

If their ship is shooting at someone, it's likely because someone has started shooting at them.

"Of course," she continues smoothly, "it might be difficult to find wood in space."  Setting her cup down on the desk, Shui leans forward.  "Well, Mr. Orgesh.  How do you feel about a quick physical?  Nothing unpleasant, beyond a blood test.  Of this, I can assure you."

"Your reservations remind me of the paradox of military medicine. Of course, it appears that the Captain is a good man and wouldn't force me to use our weapons on...anyone who didn't require it," he said looking up at her, a grin slowly spreading across his face, "So I'll welcome the boring work. Mostly as a personal favor to you Doctor."

He studied her for a moment and nodded. He didn't much care for medical work or check-ups or needles, but he knew it was a necessity and resigned himself to it. "Let me know what you need then, and where you want me."

"'The paradox of military medicine'."  Shui nods.  "I rather like that.  Yes, that is it - precisely.  I lament the necessity, but...."  She glances away for a moment, obviously a touch embarassed by the attention, then looks back to meet his gaze.  "Well, then.  That puts me in your debt."  A small smile quirks the corners of her mouth.  "What does the military say about having the ship's doctor in your debt?  A good thing, or bad?"

It's pretty obvious Tylen isn't too happy about the upcoming physical, but Shui requires the information.  "You may trust that I will make it as painless as possible," she notes, waving toward one of the cots.  The lighting there is kept deliberately dim, to avoid tension.  "Which is to say, completely."  She smiles.  "Even the blood test.  If you could sit yourself on the bed, there, and remove your shirt?"  One hand snags a small headband, complete with a fibre-optic light at the temple.  "I keep my devices warm, Mr. Orgesh, so you need not fear a cold touch on your back."

Another good reason to drink tea before, as well - it warms up the hands, holding the cup.

Tylen takes all of it in stride, withdrawing his shirt as he sits on the cot. His left shoulder bears the scarring he had told her of, a viscious spider-webbing of tissue, although they had already started to fade in places with time. "Well, I'd say that a man in my position couldn't hope for a better person to have in his debt. Definitely a good thing," he says deliberately turning from the look in her eye regarding the shoulder.

"As for what the military says about such things, I'd say it's a better thing than having an angry doctor treating you," even with his head turned away, Tylen's voice is laced with mirth and his cheeks grow with a smile. "You have an excellent manner Doctor. You have managed to put me at ease quite easily."

OOC:I'll have a hard time posting much this weekend, so I hope you don't mind. However don't let me slow things down.

"Well, I am pleased to say you take that way of looking at it," Shui murmurs, moving around behind Tylen so that she can examine the injury without embarassing him.  It's pretty obvious he doesn't like the fact that he's scarred, given his reaction.

"And thank you, though putting you at ease was not the primary goal," she continues distractedly.  "Please tell me if anything hurts.  No, I think that since we will be working together, it helps to have a more comfortable relationship."  Her fingers probe the scar, but very gently.  And very businesslike, as well.  Her eyes study the injury, then she pulls out a medscanner.  "I will take a quick sample from the area - you can tell a lot about scarring from the blood - then I'll get the regular sample from elsewhere.  Hold still please."  A swab paints a line of cold along Tylen's shoulder, the medication seeping in and numbing the muscle before she inserts the extremely thin and strong needle.  There is no pain, and it's over in an instant.

After that, there is a similar treatment for his arm (more blood), then Shui moves on to his heart and his lungs, checking breathing as well as heartrate.  Stepping away from the table, she makes a few notes, then moves back.  "Would you please lie down, Mr. Orgesh?"

The small woman stops the exoskeleton and regards Yas with a somewhat irritated expression, which gradually softens as the former Marine explains about such things as basic training, and the distance to the front lines.  "So what you're saying is that by the time they get the lunkhead trained enough not to shoot himself in the head with his rifle, and get him to the fighting, the war might not be there any more, yeah?"

"Okay.  I'm not the one who's worried really, but I've been catching grief from my Mom.  I'll explain all that to her tonight.  I'm sure it'll relax her.  Thanks."

She returns to her work, while her partner continues to chat to Yas, and count off the containers.  Meanwhile, a stranger steps into the bay, hidden from sight until he steps around the transport, at which point Yas spots him.

Yasmine gives Alex a smile and a nod before returning to chat with Kaylan, at least until she spots the figure that looks something like a flasher skulking about the transport.  He will find otu he picked the wrong bunch of ladies to show his meager hot dog to.

"Excuse me, duty calls," she says with a smile to the two workers and steps down the ramp, stopping about halfway.  She levels the shotgun at the figure with casual disinterest, or so it would seem, tilting her head down slightly.

"We ain't buying," she says and shifts her weight over on one foot, in effect taking up a stance in case she needs to fire the shotgun.  "So unless you got any legit business here, I'd suggest you mosey on out of here."

She shows him a smile that unquestionably tells him that she is being very serious regarding this matter.

"I'm guessing you're Yasmin Crow?  Jago's told me all about you, all good, by the way." the stranger replies, his voice deep, slow and drawling.  He spreads his arms from his sides, showing his hands empty.

"Me'n'Jago, well, we go back a ways.  Name's Deitz, Conrad Deitz.  Jago's 'xpecting me."

He flashes the security officer his most charming smile.

"He never said you were so cute, or full of flatter," Yasmine says as she lifts the shotgun up over her shoulder and strikes a post by putting the left hand on her hip.  She flashes him an equally charming smile.  At least he was not half bad to be resting the eyes on, and so far he has not said something that makes wanting her to shoot him.

"As for what Jago said, don't believe a word of it," she jokes as she turns to let him pass her.  She may have lower - or raised - the gun, but she was not about to lower her guard.  Plus, if he goes past her she can check him out some more.

Jago sits at the desk in his stat room, the door to the crew lounge wide open as usual. Unusually, the cigar in his mouth is lit and a plume of fragrant smoke drifts up at an angle towards the air duct. On the desk, in a shallow, stainless steel tray, is a pale blue thing, about twenty centimetres tall, in the shape of an egg that’s been twisted in the middle. Jago regards the thing, while puffing speculative clouds towards the ceiling.

Saskia checks the readouts, then starts up the fuel plant.  Eight hours, and the tanks will contain pure deuterium.  Nothing but the best for her babies.  She pats the side of the Jump drive as she passes it, and gasps at the stab of pain in her hand.

She lifts a corner of the dressing and looks underneath, then replaces it quickly, fighting down a sudden wave of nausea, inspired more by the memory of pain than by the actual sight of the wound itself.

Still, she should get Shui to take another look at it, now that her own small domain is all in good order once more.