Nothing much has changed.  Jump Space still continues to be dull and uneventful around the ship.  Inside Profit Margin the excitement of the burned out fuse, such as it was, has long since abated.

The self defence lesson for the day is over.  Shui has done a quick check on Keryn Taylor's physical condition, finding the young woman to be healthy, if a little tired.  The medic considers resting for the remainder of the day... but then remembers that she was supposed to give Ash a medical at some point.

With the ship in Jump, and little for anybody to do, least of all a navigator, it occurs to her that now might be a good time.

Sighing, Shui sets down a lettuce leaf into each of the two containers she has in her quarters - very carefully in one case, less so in the other.  She checks to ensure both still have occupants - oh good, they do - then keys a message to be sent out from her dataglove.

** Recipient: Tescali, Ash.
** Sent By: Tiesi, Shui
** Mr. Tescali -
** If you wish to have your physical completed, I have some time at the moment.
** Please let me know, then meet me in my office.

There.  That should do the trick.

Humming quietly, Shui shakes out her aching muscles, struggling to relieve herself of some of the tension, then slips into a laboratory coat and adjusts her glasses.

Ash looked up from the datasheet that he was reviewing at his desk.  Ever since he was young, he had always found reading, no matter what the topic, to be a great way to unwind; it helped him to relax, to escape.  So, he was sitting there, just out of the fresher, with one towel wrapped around his neck and another around his waist when he heard a three tone 'ping'.

He glanced over at his p-comm and wrist computer.  The latter was tied to the former and the former had received a message, which had resulted in an audible alert on the latter.  He tapped the computer key pad bring up the message.  The missive was short, but Ash took a moment to respond.  He stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck.  Ash looked thoughtful for a moment before he tapped out a confirmation:

** Recipient: Tiesi, Shui
** Sent By: Tescali, T. Azton
** I will be in Medical in 10 minutes.  Thank you, Ms. Tiesi.

Ash rubbed his right knee thoughtfully, touching the pinkish scar tissue, and then slowly got up to pull on a set of coveralls for his meeting with the good doctor.  By rote, he pulled on his belt, strapping his knife to his hip and grabbed his electronics from the desk.  En route to the medical bay, Ash put on his headset, wrist computer, and p-comm earpiece.  He would likely have to remove them during the physical, but that thought hadn't really crossed his mind yet...

The door pings, and Shui answers it, her lab-coat starched and bright in the dim light of her office.  "Mr. Tescali, please come in."  The message had prepared her for his entrance; as such, the water is heated to the proper temperature, the teapot ready for pouring.  Stepping aside, she beckons him inward.

There really isn't a great deal of space in Shui's quarters - they double as a Med-bay.  Her own bed is a cot that folds up against the wall; her desk and the medical table/bed - another cot, but larger than her own - take up the bulk of the room.  Besides those, there are small storage units for medical supplies, and a little table on which sits a pair of glass terrariums (covered and locked down).  A pair of small lamps are currently in use for lighting - there's a swing-out system beside the medical table, for working illumination.

The doctor motions to one of the two chairs in front of the desk.  "Tea, Mr. Tescali?"

Ash stands in the doorway for a moment after it opened, a slight smile plays on his face.  The petite doctor in her very white labcoat is a stark contrast to the lighting in the room - quite a picture actually.  And the room itself is not quite what Ash had pictured for the doctor's living quarters.  He is not exactly sure what he expected, but it was probably not as spartan.  "Th-Thank you, Doctor." he manages to say without too stumbling too much over the words.

He ambles into the room, his movements are practiced, though not overly precise.  Ash moves towards the pair of chairs that the doctor specifies near her desk.  He selects the one more towards the middle of the room.  As he tries to sit quietly in the chair, it creaks slightly.  Ash glances sheepishly at Shui.

"Ah, yes, please." the navigator notes in response to the question about the caffeinated beverage. "I'd love a cup." he adds dutifully.

He looks puzzled for a moment, as he realizes that this same room doubles as Shui's quarters.  While, it makes perfect sense given the limited space on the VanRijn, Ash still finds it interesting.  With the limited furnishing and the cramped quarters, he can't help but ask, "I ... I never thought of you as an ascetic, Ms. Tiesi."  Ash reddens slightly, afraid that he has spoken out of turn, and glances down at his hands and fingers which are tightly interlaced together and laid on his lap.  All of a sudden they seem quite interesting - as though he had never seem them before.

Shui bows Ash in, somewhat concerned for the man, so obviously ill-at-ease.  She cocks an eyebrow at his worried expression when he sits - is he concerned about which chair to choose - and shifts that to a small nod as he agrees to the tea.  Moving to the sideboard, she pours the water (specifically heated to an exact temperature below boiling) into the small pot, allowing it to stir through the mesh container holding the tea.

"I hope you enjoy green tea," she continues, hoping to put the man at ease.  Leaving him to fill the silence seems a poor idea.  "This one is has an interesting aroma and flavour, and I so rarely have opportunities to share it with guests."  It's not easy to purchase, and even with modern vacuum-sealing containers, does go bad over time.  Hopefully Ash isn't merely being polite in this regard.

A clock counting down in her head, Shui turns to face her 'patient', blinking in surprise.  "Ascetic?"  She swivels in place, studying the room, then smiles.  The poor man appears quite flummoxed.  "No, no.  It is merely that I wear too many hats, and do not have enough space to carry them all."  ...41...40...39...  "A small jest, Mr. Tescali - please forgive me."  The steward takes a moment to bring out a small tray and a pair of thin, porcelain cups.  Were the light brighter, one might almost be able to see their near-translucence.

...6...5...4...  At zero, out comes the basket of tea into a bowl, and Shui pours a cup for each.  Bringing the tray, she places it on the center of the desk and offers a cup to Ash.  Once he takes it, she seats herself - not behind the desk, but in the other chair.  Casually - the better to put him at ease, she hopes.

"I once tried to fill this place with plants, ornaments, hanging pictures," the doctor confesses, then laughs.  "Unfortunately, the clutter brought me so much stress!  Quite the opposite of what I had hoped.  These days, I keep it to a minimum."  She takes a sip of Home, closing her eyes for a moment, recalling happier times in her childhood.  "And you, Mr. Tescali?  You do not require your room for work - have you decorated it, as yet?"