ways_infirmary | (no subject)

Mal, following, relaxes against a wall to wait, discreetly tense.

Don't attack him, whatever you do.

Arithon lounges against the wall, utterly unconcerned. They didn't hire him for his sword, after all, and everyone casts a shadow.

Sands sits on the edge of the bed, eyes darting around the infirmary nervously.

“I can tell you what happened,” he hesitates. “You don’t need to examine me."

Guppy nods, a little more gentle now that he doesn't have to worry about being stabbed.

"It isn't my job to assign blame to whatever happened between you. All I need to know is what is wrong with you. As for the examination, I can do everything non-invasively through the scanner if you prefer. You needn't even remove your clothes. One of the benefits of advanced Milliways tech."

"That'd be good."

Mal speaks up from her position against the wall.

"Just...don't touch his face, okay?"

A faint twitch at mention of technology, but otherwise Arithon just stays quiet and watches.

Technophobic? Ari? Hell yes.

He glares at Mal, before turning his attention to Guppy again.

“Okay. Sure.”

Guppy would sympathise with Arithon on this one - he'd far rather do things his way. But the tech is there, and Sands is Awkward to say the least.

He runs the scanner over Sands, looking at the moniter.

"It'll take a couple minutes to process everything. Am I correct in thinking Mal is referring to some recent surgery you had here?"

Because really, the clues are all there. It's just a case of making the jigsaw.

A pause.

A slow grin spreads across Sands’ face, without a trace of humour.

Calmly, “You could say that.”

His fingers begin to drum on the edge of the bed.

Mal tenses slightly, and against her better instincts, reaches out to brush his mind with her own, not speaking aloud, but he can hear her anyway.

Don't even think about it.

Glances at Guppy, "That might be a topic to stay away from."

"I would,"

The little bastard mentions quietly,

"prefer not to have to Bind and jail anyone today."

He's got shadow between his hands, and appears to be playing something not-unlike tetris using nothing but shadows.

I would also prefer to leave this room in one piece

Guppy nods.

"I need to know what medication Mr Salazar or your healer gave you at the time, or afterwards. Like I said, I'm not here to judge, I just need to know what you're already on so that I make sure what I give you won't interact."

He knew what was going on, he just didn't know who the patient was. He and Ramon had a very detailed discussion of this.

"It's part of his medical history Mal. It could therefore be important."

“I don’t know what Ramon gave me, but it sent me as high as a kite.”

He shrugs, relaxing slightly as the subject changes.

“It was a few weeks ago. Nothing left in my system.”

And that is Mal in the corner, choking with supressed laughter as she imagines Sands on drugs.

But still glances at Guppy, worry in her eyes, and glares at the ex-CIA agent.

He would facepalm, but he did know what Ramon was when he decided to keep him.

Oh, Athera, you have no idea what you are in for.

"Did your healer leave any notes?"

He gets the scan results and looks at them.

"It really would help if I knew what you'd been given. Is there any other medical history I should know about? Long term health conditions, any other surgery?"

The grin returns, sharp and brittle.

“That would depend,” he replies tursely, “on whether or not getting drills stuck into your eyeballs counts as surgery.”

And Mal grimaces, reaches out with mind and pushes, just a little bit, shutting her eyes as she presses down on supressed rage.

Sands jerks away under the mind-pressure, but she's fairly sure he won't attack for a few more minutes, anyway, and withdraws her mind, discreetly holding the wall as she digs in her pockets for a pack of cigarettes.

She hates going into his head.

He glances at Mal, briefly, and murmurs,

"I am quite good at my job."

As he's assuming from the grimace and the jerk that Mal did something.

"It counts as medical history, yes."

He's seen things almost as bad. He tries to keep a neutral face still.

"Well Mr Sands, it seems you have several fractured ribs and a broken collarbone. Fortunately for you they are undisplaced. You're also pretty badly bruised, but you knew that already. You will need to be in a sling for four to six weeks whilst your collarbone heals, unless you get it done magically or find a doctor who is trained in the use of the bone fuser. As for painkillers, I can give you a prescription, but I will need to know if you habitually use or abuse painkillers. Otherwise what I give you may not have as much, or any, effect."

He shakes his head, glaring at Mal.

“No, I don’t.”

And she glares right back, before turning to Arithon.

"Better to avoid a fight."

"There will be no blood shed."

He says quietly,

"I am Master of Shadows. Binding is what I was born for."

Guppy nods and gets a clean sling out of a nearby drawer.

"Can you hold your arm so you're touching the opposite shoulder for me please?" he says, coming closer to put the sling on him.

The sling is eyed before Sands begrudgingly touches his hand to his opposite shoulder, wincing slightly.

He watches Guppy with narrowed and mistrustful eyes.

Mal watches, chewing her lip before reminding Guppy; "Don't touch his face. At all."

Arithon returns to silence.

"It's a sling Mal. I won't go anywhere near his face." He ties it on gently and expertly, putting a little padding on the area it touches Sands' neck so that it doesn't rub the bruises too much.

"How does that feel?"

Sands glares at Mal warningly, and then focuses on his shoulder.

“Better,” he admits at length, lips quirking into a faint smile.

And she just smirks, lighting a cigarette and blowing smoke into the shape of a lemon.

Nobody has attacked anyone.

Better yet, nobody has attacked him.

This is the most peaceful Security issue he's had to deal with yet.

Guppy smells the smoke, looks around and scowls.

"Mal! This is an infirmary, you can't smoke in here! Besides which Sands has broken ribs, so he really shouldn't be coughing more than he needs to. Either you can stubb it out or take it outside."

He writes out the prescription for painkillers.

"Okay, you can get the painkillers from bar with this. You can take up to four a day at six hour intervals if you need them. The prescription will last you two weeks but Bar won't give you them all at once. If you find they aren't working, or you're still in a lot of pain after two weeks, you need to see me or another doctor. You mustn't take these with any other painkiller, or exceed the stated dose okay?"

Solemnly,

“See how you risk my life, Mal?”

He can’t quite keep the amusement out of his eyes however.

“Sure thing,” he nods, taking the prescription and slipping it into his pocket.

And she shoots him a Look, but snickers softly, stubbing it out on her wrist and watching the burn begin to fade.

"C'mon, Sands. Let's get that filled."

Arithon hangs around until the two of them have left, just to make sure that Guppy feels safe.

Guppy nods to Arithon as the others leave.

"Thank you very much. I have been attacked in here before, when I brought a dangerous patient in alone, so I guess you can see why I'd be a little apprehensive."

He smiles and approaches the door. "Can I buy you a drink or something? You can save it for when you're off duty if you prefer, just get it off my tab."

"It is what I am paid for."

He says with a mild form of amusement,

"I do not mind. You may call upon me at any time."

Guppy is given a shallow bow, and Arithon wanders back out. ~~So his player can go to the market.~~

[ooc: And so Guppy's mun can go to bed. Thanks, nice playing with you.]

[ooc: Thanks, what do you want doing with regards treatment? He technically should be in a sling for broken collarbone since it holds the bone in place whilst it heals.]

[ooc: Er... several weeks. Can't find it on the website I'm looking at and the book doesn't say. I'd guess four to six weeks or so.]