[002] VIDEO

[doc_pompous]

[Today's video post reveals Simon against the usual backdrop of Medbay--it's clear he's a little exhausted from the blackout and subsequent jump, but he does his best to appear put-together and professional, because that's what you should do when addressing large amounts of people.]

At this point I think the customary welcome would be…more than a little redundant, so I'll try to be brief.

[He coughs a little, more to fill the silence than anything, clearly a little unaccustomed to making these kinds of announcements.]

My name is Simon, I'm one of the doctors on board. My background is in trauma surgery, but we're all used to working outside our specialties here. Physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, you…get the idea.

I won't pretend we're not understaffed, or that the hours aren't long, but anything you can offer is appreciated. If you're interested in joining the medical team and have the knowledge or experience, let me know, and we can put you on staff.

[Simon's brow furrows. Even if he didn't know them very well, good medical personnel is something of a precious commodity in situations like this.]

We've lost a few good doctors recently, and we could use any willing volunteers.

Comments

[sangfroid]

There's enough for a month, but... I'm used to higher doses, and bad things might happen if I undergo withdrawal.

[doc_pompous]

If you bring me a sample, we can try and find something like it. In the meantime, take the least amount you can without experiencing symptoms.

What...kind of bad things?

action? :o

[sangfroid]

Yes, Doctore. If it's okay, I'll do that now. If you're not too busy.

...Ummm, my limbs might start malfunctioning? And I might experience, um, violent flashbacks or tendencies, confusion, or death.

action B)b

[doc_pompous]

[She might experience death. WELL OKAY.]

I think it would be good for you to come down as soon as you can.

\o/

[sangfroid]

[ She arrives at the Med Bay, nervous as all get out. In one hand, she has her conditioning medication, and in the other, Triela's Christmas bear. Its head is hanging on by threads, mostly thanks to the hand gun Rico has stuffed into its body.

Convincing camouflage.

She knocks before entering. ]

Excuse me. I'm looking for Doctor Simon.

[doc_pompous]

[When he hears his name, he looks up, setting aside what he was doing to cross to her.]

Just Simon is fine. What can I do for you?

[sangfroid]

Hello.

[ She waves with the hand holding her medication, because waving the Christmas teddy bear might make its head fall off. ]

I'm Rico. We talked over the communicator, and I brought my medicine.

[doc_pompous]

[He extends a hand before realizing she's got hers full, and withdraws it a little awkwardly with a cough.]

Rico, okay. Thanks for coming in. Why don't you follow me and have a seat?

[Right on this exam table over here.]

[sangfroid]

[ Rico doesn't notice. She's too busy worrying about explaining her condition to this non-Agency doctor, but luckily, getting onto examination tables is like second nature to her. She swings onto it, sets the teddy bear on her lap. ]

Umm, Doctor Simon, I know you said just 'Simon' is okay, but... I'm a little uncomfortable addressing adults by their first names. Is it okay if I...

[ She leaves the rest of the question unasked. What if he has a good reason why he would rather not be addressed as 'Doctor'? What if it makes him uncomfortable? She is unsure how to approach this situation. ]

[doc_pompous]

[Simon pulls up a data pad and starts a new patient file.]

I, uh. Sure. You can call me whatever you like.

[He pauses for a moment, not entirely sure what he's getting into.]

Can you describe your condition to me? Does it have a name?

[sangfroid]

[ Her condition? Hmm. How to describe her condition. He is a doctor, so she should be as candid as possible, right? ]

Umm... more than 50% of my body is synthetic, and my medication helps me... control my implants and follow orders properly.

[ She holds her pills out to Doctor Simon so he can, uh, examine them. Or do whatever it is he needs to. ]

[doc_pompous]

[He pauses, lips slightly parted, because this is not what he was expecting at all.]

Syn...thetic. What do your implants do?

[Simon takes the pills and turns them over in his hands before placing on a nearby countertop.]

If you don't mind, I'd like to take a sample of your medicine to the chemists in the science department so we can work on recreating it.

[sangfroid]

They, um. [ She isn't sure how to answer this question. ] They move. I would be a quadriplegic without them.

[ Rico nods, eyes moving from Simon to the medicine to Simon again. ]

Um... how many do you need for a sample? There aren't a lot of extra.

[doc_pompous]

I think I'll need to have you come in for some imaging, so I can get a better idea of where they are and what they do.

[He writes a few things down, apparently puzzling over these details.]

I'm going to try and take the smallest sample possible. One pill or less.

[sangfroid]

Where they are...?

[ Rico has never had to deal with a doctor who didn't know where her implants were. Well, more accurately, she has, but those doctors were back from the time when she was still bedridden. She instinctively folds inward, hugging herself in a way. ]

Um... they're everywhere. My muscles and skeleton mostly. They help me move and protect me from... getting hurt. And if I get hurt, they need repairs.

...Does that help?

[doc_pompous]

[There's not much he can do except nod along, recording everything she says, still not quite sure how he's going to make this work, but at the same time knowing he doesn't have a choice. He'll have to pull some brains together for this, but he's confident they'll be able to find some kind of solution.]

Anything you can tell me helps. How often do you need to take your medicine?

[sangfroid]

Um. Every day, but especially during repairs or missions. My... brother kept me on higher doses than the other... girls.

[ Consciously substituting 'brother' for 'handler', 'girls' for 'cyborgs'. But she can't help but wonder if those terms would be useful in treating her... hmm. ]

[doc_pompous]

Missions? What kind of missions?

[sangfroid]

Umm... that's... [ halp halp fidget fidget ] classified information, Doctor Simon.

[doc_pompous]

[He raises his eyebrows, but after a moment resigns himself to a nod.]

Okay. I think I will need to have you come in for an MRI, if you're all right with that.

[sangfroid]

I think... I think that'd be okay.

[ Much better than discussing missions right now. She's still in guarded mode and not yet ready to accept the neutrality that comes with space. ]

...What's an MRI?

[ whoops ]

[doc_pompous]

It, uh. Lets me take a picture of what's inside you.

[More-or-less, anyway.]

Are your implants metal? Do you know?

[sangfroid]

I think... they're made of carbon. [ she pauses ] Is carbon a metal?

[doc_pompous]

It's not. I'll run some test and make sure.

[He pauses, frowning a little.]

Have you always been like this?

[sangfroid]

No, um, only since my eleventh birthday. I'm [ she has to think about it ] fourteen now. [ But she looks younger, twelve maybe. Possible late-bloomer. ]