Episode 3: Hub

[Emit Culpepper]

LOCATION: MEDICAL WARD

"In the room next door is a woman who seems to know you Mr. Culpepper, a fine lady, Miss Charity.  She'd like to see you if you feel up to it. I'm going to fetch breakfast and afterwards you may visit if you like. But only if you feel up to it."

Her words stunned him, had the Verse given him a break. Was it going to be as easy as crossing the length of a hallway to be reunited with the crew of Wushu.  Wait, what had happened to Miss Charity, to the crew. Why was she in the medical facilities, had she and the crew suffered injuries too from the bombing.

"Calm yourself Emit you're safe, means they're probably safe too. Didn't see any Alliance guards on the way in, no red flags. Breathe, listen to this kind hearted Doctor and breathe."

Emit steadied himself, concentrating on his breathing allowing the device over his face to assist him. No,he'd wait for her return then cross the hallway to see what's what.

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical Ward

Gwen decided it was a good thing that Amorru hadn't been detained by security.  And as far as she'd been able to find out he hadn't left the station.  But she also hadn't been able to find him either.  She hadn't given up on that. She'd just left that in the hands of the security personnel for the time being. She had patients to tend to.  She'd asked security to bring him to the medical ward if they located him.  She made it clear he wasn't in trouble and it was a request, not orders. She'd go back to check on her patients and then go hunt for him once more.

She arrived back at the medbay about the time the food arrived.  A nurse had already been in and taken off Emit's breathing treatment and given him the antibiotic the size of a horse pill.

The nurse was setting up breakfast for Charity and Mr. King when Gwen knocked softly on Emit's door and let herself in. "How are you feeling Mr. Culpepper?  The breathing treatment should have made it a little easier to draw a breath." She was smiling as she placed the stethoscope to his chest, listening to his lungs. "I think, if you feel up to it, you can come see your friends, perhaps have breakfast with them if you don't get too overexcited."

She helped him up and escorted him down the hall to the room Charity and Mr. King shared, letting him lean on her if he needed to.  She knocked on the door and brought him inside. "I"ve brought Mr. Culpepper to see you.  I'm still working on tracking down your wayward pilot but hope to have Mr. Amorru here as soon as he is located. I'm afraid he might still be sleeping off last night." An apologetic smile. "He hasn't left the station to the best of my knowledge Miss Charity and if he's here I'll find him."

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

Ever the perfect image of polite refinement, Charity watched the maid laying out their meal with mild curiosity, offering the worker a smile whenever they happened to glance her way. Despite the less than modern or affluent feel of the station (or what little she'd seen of it, namely, just this room), their customer service was impeccable. Every so often she lifted her hand to run careful fingertips over the stitches in her arm, but generally she avoided remembering or acknowledging what had happened. She'd deal with that later.

"I can't recall if you've met him," she began, turning her head to look in King's direction. He was resting on the bed beside her, sitting up as she was, and despite his lounging he was clearly wrapped tight like a coil, ready to leap at whatever new threat might show itself. He'd failed to protect his charge before, and he had no intention of doing so again. When Charity spoke to him, his eyes moved from the nurse to her face for the briefest of moments before returning to their vigilant observing. "He came aboard Wushu with Grace, who you have met. Unfortunately, I was not able to speak to him at any great length, but he did seem to put our pilot into quite a antagonistic mood," she told him, laughing softly at the memory of that first day aboard Jax' ship.

A knock on the door drew her attention and after offering King one more mischievous grin, she turned the full force of her glimmering warmth upon whoever might enter next. The doctor woman entered with Emit, and without Amorru. Her head cocked to the side and she rose a questioning brow, but seemed satisfied with the woman's explanation for having not brought the pilot. Still, she had at least brought the lawman.

"Emit," Charity greeted sweetly, lifting her hand toward him with her palm facing downward, either for a gentle touch of hands or a kiss on the back of it. It was unclear sometimes. "I hear you're a folk hero now? What a story that must be," she continued, although very specifically did not ask him to retell it. "How did you end up here? Did Grace reach out to you? Or is this all cosmic serendipity?" she asked, tilting her head and lifting a hand to push her dark curls away from her face.

From his seat, King watched intently, offering a polite and affable smile in greeting, although it was clear he wasn't one to trifle with.

[Emit Culpepper]

LOCATION:MEDICAL WARD

Upon being asked how he felt by Doctor Eiber, Emit gave a cheerful smile. "Doctor you've been nothing but kind and gentle with me.I know not how to repay you if you won't accept having a simple piece of pie." The young Doctor touching his chest with her stethoscope made Emit blush once again. Before he realized what he'd done he found himself holding her hand gently, within his own."My apologies Doctor not sure what came over me,didn't mean to offend you none."

With the young doctors assistance, Emit managed his way to Miss Charity's room. As Doctor Eiber announced their presence, he heard a familiar name escape past her lips. " Doctor,did you say Amorru?" Shaking his head as if in disbelief of what he'd heard her say.

That fellow has a degree of explaining to do! Captain Jax too for that matter!" Realizing that he had just started into a foolhardy rant he adjusted his posture,embarrassed slightly by his own actions.

"Ladies do forgive my outburst,my manners escaped me briefly. Miss Charity it's a pleasure to see you once again, however I must say I did not expect it to be under medical care for either of us."
Taking a moment to acknowledge the man seated across from Charity with a head nod. "Were you and your companion here also injured in the Newhall attack as so many were?

Emit's face lowered slightly a sadness behind his eyes visible. " I truly tried to do all that I could,wish I could've saved more. The Crew! Lord the Crew! Is everyone alright!? Miss Charity are you alright? What of Grace and Artemis, Captain Jax and his wife, hell even that Sean fellow. What happened to everyone?"

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical Ward

She was definitely pleased to see him doing better. His color was better and after the breathing treatment his lung sounds were better, though his heart rate was a little elevated.  She found him offering to buy her pie again and this time she didn't say 'no' right away, especially as he had once again taken her hand. Her cornflower blue eyes met his for a moment before she looked away demurely, her cheeks flushing a delicate shade of rose. She didn't say anything really, just helped him get ready and then helped him in to see Charity.

At Emit's outburst she seemed even more flustered.  "Oh, um, yes, Mr. Culpepper.  I was tasked to find Mr. Amorru by Miss Charity and I'm still working on that task."

She made no further comment, took no further action other than to get Emit settled and breakfast placed before him.  The nurse had seen to Charity and Mr. King already.  There really wasn't anything else for her to do.  She should excuse herself as this conversation wasn't her business.

She stepped back towards the door, intending to leave them to discuss whatever they needed to.  No matter what part of her might want to stay and listen it certainly wasn't her place. If her eyes traveled from Emit to Charity to Mr. King on her way out that was just manners to acknowledge them all right?

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

An eyebrow rose as she listened to Emit begin a rant he'd likely never finish. She was patient and allowed him some time to figure things out for himself before he began rapid fire asking her questions. She rose a hand to still the onslaught. "No, no, we escaped Newhall relatively unscathed," she informed him, turning her head to look in King's direction. He'd sheltered her with his body when the blasts had hit the market and thanks to him, she'd gotten away unharmed.

Charity turned her attention back toward the lawman as their food was laid out before them completely. "My, where to begin," she mused, running the pad of her index finger over her lower lip. "After the blast, Captain Jax and his wife never returned, nor did you. But we had a time table to keep and Amorru pushed the Wushu hard to get us to the wedding on time. The whole plan was...well without the Captain, there wasn't much of one at all, really. Artemis vanished, we picked up a stray or two, and there was a small kerfuffle," she lifted a hand to her injured bicep as she spoke, shaking her head a little, "Nothing too worrisome, I assure you. I can't tell you where Sean or Grace are, or Amorru, but our handy doctor is looking for him for me." She had been unconscious when they'd arrived, after all, and as such hadn't seen Grace storm off into the distance in an emotional rage or Sean masquerading about the station like a fool in a shoddy disguise.

Seeing the doctor edging politely out the door, Charity lifted a hand to wave her back in. "Doctor, would you be so kind as to check on the status of this?" she asked, gesturing toward her arm. "I would like to get up and about and see if I can't find our wayward pilot myself, if I'm able," she clarified, brows lifting in question. "And, I don't believe I caught your name? Or perhaps my mind has turned it to gossamer and fog while my mind was clouded with the pain medication."

[Emit Culpepper]

Emit was transfixed on Miss Charity's description of events leading her here to this medical facility. It indeed appeared that she and a number of the crew were lucky to have gotten this far.

"And, I don't believe I caught your name? Or perhaps my mind has turned it to gossamer and fog while my mind was clouded with the pain medication."

Emit looked to the young Doctor,offering a warm smile. "Eiber,her name is Doctor Eiber. However I don't think that I had the honor of learning her whole name. She's got talent! I can attest to that firsthand, near death's door when I got here I was. Dam collapsed lung and a thick headed skull like mine don't dance the waltz to well. If the good Doctor gives me her blessing,maybe I can join you on your search."

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical Ward

It sounded as if these people indeed lived adventurous and dangerous lives.  No wonder Mr. King and Mr. Culpepper and Mr. Amorru bore serious injuries upon their persons.  Even with Mr. King acting as her bodyguard, Miss Charity was shot. Very dangerous lives indeed. 

"Of course Miss Cherry, I'd be glad to check and see how the healing is coming along."  She stepped full into the room again and washed her hands, pulling on a pair of blue gloves before moving to evaluate Charity's arm. The bandage was carefully removed and underneath the skin looked almost good as new.  The dissolvable stitching was all internal and as evidenced by the movement in her fingers the nerve and muscle seemed to be healing well. The dermabonded skin was pink and shiny new.  There was a chance of a small scar on the underside of her arm, but if so it would be the width of a piece of paper and at most two centimeters long.  Truth be told Grace had done an amazing job with the initial injury and Gwen and been quite skillful finishing it up. Plus Dermabond was amazing stuff. The nerve damage remained to be seen.  She could have pins and needles feelings that might not resolve for years, if ever, but so far the young woman had made no complaints so she might have lucked out. "It actually looks like it's healing quite well.  Are you having any pain or discomfort?" She gently manipulated the arm, carefully putting it through range of motion, watching Charity's face of any signs of pain or discomfort. Her head canted slightly to one side listening for any crepitus. 

When Charity asked about her name she had started to respond but Emit spoke up. By the time he finished her introduction, her cheeks were warm and flushed with spots of color. "Thank you Mr. Culpepper, but really, you are much to kind.  He is right about my name though, last name is Eiber.  My first name is Gwendola.  And truthfully the doctors on Newhall had done a fine job patching you up, I think it was your insistence on traveling too soon to find your comrades. I've got you back on the mend though and you'll be on your feet in no time."


And then he asked to accompany Miss Charity and it all made sense.  A woman that looked like her with her delicate features and slender frame, fine manners and beautiful chocolate tresses. Perfect sense.  Charity inspired a man like Mr. King to take a bullet for her and a man like Mr. Culpepper to travel from planet to planet with a chest tube in place searching for her. Cornflower blue eyes glanced from one man to the other and an inaudible sigh escaped her, thinking all she had ever inspired was Mathias holding her hand in his sweaty fumbling grasp. On the plus side it meant there would be no harm in having pie and coffee with Mr. Culpepper, he really was just being cordial and appreciative of her care, which would be nicer than dining alone if Uncle Jed was busy with classes.

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

Her free hand rose, elegant index finger extended as she looked the doctor over with deep honeyed eyes, "Charity," she corrected softly, feeling strangely possessive and selective about who was allowed to call her by the nickname King had made up for her. She'd never had a nickname before, you see, and that made it special. She watched the woman work at her arm but tried not to look at it too closely to prevent herself from feeling faint at the sight of the gentle scarring.

The debutante chewed prettily on her lower lip as the doctor lifted and rotated her arm. She winced a little when her appendage reached a parallel position to the floor and shied away from the other woman in a subconscious response to pain. "That pinches," she told her, finally lifting her gaze to settle it upon Gwen's face, brows knit with mild concern. The tips of her fingers tingled and she felt like there was something stabbing into her arm, making her feel the intense need to immediately cease whatever movement caused the pain.

She listened to Emit's account of the doctor's talents, and the Doctor's insistence once again on refusing any praise or compliment. "Forgive me, Doctor Eiber, but I have never been to this station before and I must admit I would be quite lost on my own. Even with these fine gentlemen accompanying me," she gestured with her unharmed hand toward King and Emit. "Perhaps, and I understand that this is quite demanding on my part, but perhaps you could assist us in locating our pilot? I'm not sure I know where to start, or where I might find the sort of place he's likely to visit. Bars...house of ill repute, that sort of thing," she continued, smiling winningly up at the other woman, although she did look concerned about the imposition.

[Emit Culpepper]

LOCATION:MEDICAL WARD RECOVERY

The young Doctor had given him her name and it sounded so sweet. "Gwendola,what a lovely sounding name. Might I say Gwendola it is once again my pleasure to make your acquaintance. My foolish insistence was, well foolish to say the least. After the explosion I didn't know what happened to the Captain or crew. Pure luck in finding our passenger Miss Charity here and her male companion, Mr. King was it."

Emit seated himself more comfortably in the chair as not to jostle the tube protruding from his chest. Attempting to show respect as Miss Charity spoke to them, but found himself distracted stealing glances of the good Doctor Gwendola. Just something about her tugged at him,in a good way,a way he'd not thought of in a very long time.

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical ward

"I'm sorry Miss Charity, I'll try to remember." She wasn't hurt or offended at the correcting, just had been introduced one way and would have to learn it the other. She frowned slightly though at Charity's wince, lowering the arm slightly, her touch deft and gentle. "I'm so sorry if this is painful.  I promise, just a couple more movements to assess, then I'll get something for pain if you wish." She moved the arm carefully, supporting it with one hand the other manipulating. "Does it hurt when it raises up, or out?" Going slowly, gauging her face and body language as well as her words. "If I raise it beyond that point does the pain get better or worse? If I rotate it inward a little does that feel better?" She lowered her arm gently, smiling encouragingly at her.  "Can you grip my fingers with both hands and squeeze as tightly as you can?" She offered index and middle finger of each hand for Charity to grip and squeeze simultaneously. Simple enough tests but they would tell her a lot about the potential nerve damage and Charity's recovery. "Do you need something for pain?"

I'd like to remove your old dressing in a bit Mr. King, make sure the dermabond has taken as it should. I don't believe you should have any lasting damage, not even much of a scar to add to your collection." She barely looked at him now, just a hint of a nod.

"As for you Mr. Culpepper, you once again are much too kind. It's my pleasure entirely to take care of you and your friends. You'll be due for another breathing treatment in a few hours.  If your lungs sound good I'll do another scan and if everything looks good I'll see about removing the chest tube, as long as you promise no thrilling heroics for a few days. I will let you out and about the station to escort Miss Charity to hunt for your missing pilot.  He has some stitches that need attending to I believe." The smile she gave Emit was a bit more good natured. "I'm glad you found at least a few of your companions, and I assure you if Mr. Amorru is on the station we'll find him as well."

She turned back to Charity once more. "You may venture out Miss Charity, as long as you are accompanied. I'd be happy to take you about the station personally, it's no trouble at all. I'm sure Jedikiah can watch over things for a while, or one of the other staff. Do you have fresh clothing or things you need so you can clean up first?" She smiled warmly at Charity and gave her a mock finger shake, her tone teasing. "No kerfuffles though okay? I will be very cross with Mr. King and Mr. Culpepper should they let something happen to you again. Plus they've already met their own patching up quota for this week."

She washed her hands and moved to help unpack Emit's breakfast.  She buttered and cut up his pancakes before pouring the syrup, afraid his arm might still be giving him trouble the way fastening his shirt had. "How do you take your coffee, Mr. Culpepper?"

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

"Mr. King was it?" Emit asked, turning his attention toward the seated guardian. King nodded his chin in affirmation and smiled pleasantly in greeting before sitting up a little straighter and offering his own wounded arm to the doctor for re-bandaging. His eyes moved about the room for a moment, assessing the situation and potential threats, before lifting to settle warmly upon the doctor's face. "Thank you," he said briefly, but genuinely.

"Oh!" Charity exclaimed a little, mid arm movements. She had been beyond rude, hadn't she? She hadn't even thought to introduce King to Emit, perhaps thinking incorrectly (she'd blame it on the chaotic and ungrounded experience of being in a hospital) that they'd met. Of course, they hadn't. "Emit, this is King, I've hired him to be my personal body guard. I hadn't thought it entirely necessary, but after Newhall, it would have been silly for me not to have one, don't you think?" she asked with a honey sweet smile.

As Gwen moved her arm a bit more, she winced again and turned her head to stare up at the doctor almost accusingly. With a sigh, her shoulders relaxed and she took a breath to calm herself and push down the occasionally sharp pain in her arm. Whenever the arm rose to a ninety degree angle, the aristocrat winced and almost pulled away gently from the doctor in pain, although she was loathe to say anything aloud about it. Once the woman had lowered her arm, she reached out with a raised brow and grabbed Gwen's offered fingers. With her arms back at the resting position, she could grab relatively normally, although her injured hand was weaker which was to be expected with an injury.

"Do you need something for pain?" Gwen asked, and Charity shook her head 'no'. It only hurt if she moved it a certain way, so she wouldn't move it that way if she could help it. That was a simple enough solution. She listened to the doctor instructing King and Emit on the next plan of action for their own injuries, her uninjured hand picking idly at the lace at her neck, eyes occasionally moving sideways to glance at her own arm with a frown. She might need to hire a maid to assist in dressing her and doing her hair if raising her arm was going to become an issue. Were there any available on this station? Surely not. "Do you have fresh clothing or things you need so you can clean up first?" the doctor asked and she shook her head again, her luscious curls slipping over one shoulder with the movement of her head. Folded on the chair next to her bed was a dress King had brought to the med-bay when he'd brought her nightgown and she'd slip into that once it was time to go.

A finger was extended in playful accusation at her and she pulled her head back a little, eyeing it and then the woman attached to it. "No kerfuffles though okay?" she demanded sweetly. Really, while it might have been said in jest, it was coming from their Doctor and the debutante took it as an order. Usually, this might ruffle her feathers, but she understood the need to obey and honestly, she didn't want to have any further kerfuffles either.

While King and Emit ate, Charity slipped off the bed cautiously and grabbed her dress, moving around behind a changing curtain to get out of the nightie and into something a little more fashionable. An unnerving amount of minutes later, she emerged dressed in emerald greens, jeweled beetle wings glimmering on the edges and bodice of her decadent dress when she moved, skirts rustling with every step she took. She'd pulled her hair away from her porcelain face in an elegant ponytail, her curls cascading over her shoulder. King, uncertain of which accessories she might have wanted, had picked a simple emerald and onyx necklace for her that she held in one hand, unable to lift her arm high enough to clasp it. "I hate to ask this of you, doctor...but...perhaps some assistance?" she asked sweetly, albeit a little shyly, embarrassed that she needed help with such a simple task.

[Emit Culpepper]

LOCATION: MEDICAL WARD RECOVERY

Emit was taken back by Gwendola's actions of preparing his breakfast, even to the point of buttering and cutting his pancakes. She'd taken care of him more so than most had in many a year. Made him feel worthy again.
Speaking closely to her but not loud enough for all to hear. "Gwendola? May I call you Gwendola? "
Taking her hand in his, purposely now,  not by accident. Holding her hand softly in his own. "I just wanted to truly thank you for everything that you've done for me. Thank you for your kindness, your gentleness with me. It has meant so much to me. Made me remember better times that I'd forgotten. Please Gwendola,I'd like to take you to dinner to show you my appreciation once able to freely move about the station."

He'd held her hand close in his,his heart racing,feelings he'd buried deep for so long resurfacing in her presence. His words had been genuine but may have sounded  fumbled. He'd not talked to, nor felt the need to talk to someone like her in a very long time.
"A little cream,a dollop of honey if you have it dear Doctor, you're to kind."

As Miss Charity departed to change,this allowed Emit to speak with King. "Mr. King it's nice to meet you. As Charity said I was formerly employed on Wushu,providing protection to the Captain,crew and passengers. I was a law man for a number of years on Bernadette before. I'm glad to see that Doctor Eiber was able to help both of you as well with her talents in medicine. Charity was lucky to have found you on Newhall,troubling times indeed for the Verse and having someone with your skills sad to say a must."

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical Ward

She listened as Charity introduced Mr. King to Mr. Culpepper as her hired man, her body guard. That certainly changed her imaginings of things a little.  She had thought that they were, well, it didn't matter what she had thought. Her eyes darted to Mr. King during the introduction but she quickly refocused her attention on Charity.

As Gwen prepared Emit's breakfast, Charity slipped behind the screen to change into some fresh clothing.  Then Emit surprised her by taking her hand and speaking in such a warm and heartfelt manner.  This was different than when he'd taken her hand while she was draining the blood out of his lung or examining him this morning; she'd had patients do that when they were nervous or afraid and needed human touch for comfort.  This was something else.  His tone was so earnest and sincere. There was something in his eyes that touched her. To say the man was haunted might be an understatement. At least he was discrete, kept his voice low. The way she was standing in front of him to prepare his tray the exchange would be almost unnoticeable.  The flush in her cheeks she couldn't hide though and the slight stammer in her reply, her own voice low as well. "Yes, I suppose you may call me Gwendola if you wish Mr. Culpepper." She hesitated a moment and then nodded. "It wouldn't be appropriate while you are a patient but once you're discharged I don't see the harm, though it's hardly necessary. It is what I do after all.  You wouldn't have expected such a thing for helping someone when you were sheriff, it's just the job." She extricated her hand gently but it was obvious she was flustered as she fixed his coffee, spilling some of the cream and sloshing a little over the side as she stirred the honey in.

As soon as his breakfast was set up she excused herself quietly and quickly, practically fleeing the room.  She missed Charity's request for assistance and Emit's discussion with King.  She needed a minute, asking one of the nurses to attend to King's dressing and pick up the tray's when they were finished.  She fled to the privacy of her office for a moment, her cheeks still crimson, hands still trembling.

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

Charity stared at the void in space where their doctor had been and blinked in confusion, still holding the necklace in one hand while the other hovered hear her stomach in an uncertain sort of posture. "Well..." she began, looking first at King and then Emit, "...how rude?" she finally managed, thrown off by having been speaking to no one. "Well, I suppose my decolletage will remain unadorned, for now," the debutante accepted, pushing the necklace into a pocket hidden in the side seams of her full skirts. "I suppose we ought to try to find our pilot now, although I must admit I'm not sure where to start..." she murmured, looking between Emit and King with a pretty pout on her cherry lips. Finally, her gaze settled hopefully on her bodyguard, who had been nodding politely as Emit spoke to him.

King returned her look with a raised brow before he too slid his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up straighter, looking at his charge with a thoughtful frown. "Could try and find a local information broker, or... there was one name I heard last time I was through here. Little something. Little.... S something. Sabeth? Sebolia? Seb... Sebastian! Did a little work for one of his lieutenants. If anyone would know where to find Ru it'd be that guy," he told her in his calm, matter-of-fact sort of voice.

Charity clasped her hands together at her chest in pleasure, her eyes twinkling and a smile lighting up her face. From there, the debutante turned her attention to where Emit sat eating his breakfast and enjoying his morning drink. "Emit, dear, now I turn to you," she began, lowering her hands and using them to brush invisible dirt off the front of her many skirts. "As a lawman, I'm sure you'd know where we might find an information broker? Surely you've had experience with those sorts of individuals before and might be able to direct us in the location of their typical sort of haunts?" she asked, brows raised in question.

[Emit Culpepper]

LOCATION: MEDICAL WARD RECOVERY

Being a former lawman with many years of legitimate investigation experience,Emit noticed rather quickly Gwendola's flushed cheeks and flustered state of being. He immediately felt bad for causing the young Doctor any extra distractions. He didn't regret taking her soft hand into his,nor asking her to dinner. No those feelings and actions came from a place within that he thought would never live again.

He'd seen his family on Newhall, heard their voices,felt their presence. She came to him in his dreams like all the restless  nights before,yet something was different.  When he reached for her he didn't awaken screaming. No, she stayed this time,holding him close,speaking softly. Her words telling him that he still has time,telling him to live, to love and be loved. Her words offering him comfort and forgiveness.

Emit needed to tell Gwendola, needed to explain,needed to hold her soft hand once more within his.

Miss Charity's words brought him from his daydream requesting where to locate an information broker. Emit thought for a moment regarding the way stations handled themselves opposed to towns and cities.
"It would be safe to say Miss Charity that one should look to the local watering holes first. Those next would be a Companions House or similar establishment. Both places have walls that hold secrets.

Pushing up from the chair with a light degree of visible discomfort Emit politely excused himself from Miss Charity and  Mr. King's presence. "I do apologize, I'm not feeling fully myself yet, Doctor said I have a few more treatments for my lungs. If you'll excuse me I feel the need to return to my room to lay down."

[Charity]

Location: Medical Ward

Her eyes were glimmering with hopeful intrigue as King and Emit both offered their two cents about how to best go about reacquiring their wayward pilot. However, she deflated rather quickly upon being abandoned now by their lawman. Her hands clasped at her stomach and she frowned at the space where Emit had been, elegantly arched brows furrowing in thought. Was she unappealing? Never before had she had so many people run out of a room to get away from her. She looked down at her dress, running her fingers over the fabric and making a soft noise of worry. Was this dress no longer in fashion? Would this backwater station have an acceptable replacement? Charity turned to look at King with a puzzled tilt of her head and he smiled back in response.

"No sense dwelling over things I cannot fix," she finally decided, beaming at her body guard and watching him get up off the medical bed like a great cat stretching its muscles in dangerous silence. "Let's go find Mister Sebastian at the 'local watering hole'," she suggested cheerily. First, she'd need to find the local watering hole*...

*Charity and King Exit the "Hub" and enter "Sectors/Shops."

[Gwen Eiber]

Location: Medical Ward

Gwen returned to the medical bay; carry-out bag in hand.  She was still a bit conflicted and confused about her feelings regarding Mr. Culpepper but figured the best course of action would be her Mama's own advise of "Pretty is as pretty does."  It certainly would do no harm to be kind to Mr. Culpepper.  He'd been through the some things, suffered certainly and the least she could do is care for him and be kind in what time remained to her on the station.  Some pie and coffee seemed a fine start.  As she made her way down the hall towards his room she noticed that Charity and Mr. King had both disappeared.  She frowned and did an abrupt about face, heading to find the charge nurse. 

The pie and coffee was set in her office as she got a full report consisting of mostly hangdog looks and "I don't knows".  The nurse had gone in to remove the trays and re-bandage Mr. King's shoulder as asked, only to find that both patients had disappeared. A quick check found that Mr. Culpepper had returned to his room. Gwen was fuming and it was a testament to the thickness of her braid that she didn't pull it clean out of her scalp as she listened and interrogated the poor staff member.  In truth, she was more mad at herself for allowing herself to get so flustered and neglect her patients. 

She instructed the nurse to see to Mr. Culpepper's breathing treatment and to make sure he took the antibiotic on time.  She herself would be back shortly to scan his lungs and hopefully remove the chest tube if everything was healing well.  First she needed to make sure Charity and Mr. King were fine.  She had promised to find Mr. Amorru and she'd been woefully slack about that.  Charity's arm was healing but there was some nerve damage there and she didn't want there to be any further problems and the dressing on Mr. King hadn't been changed because she'd assigned the task to someone else rather than taking care of it herself.

She left the nurse to her duties and then called security, inquiring again about Mr. Amorru.  The description she gave was unmistakable but as yet there were no details other than a lead that he had been seen previously at the karaoke bar.  She left her pager number and asked again to be alerted if he was located, after once again clarifying that no, he wasn't in trouble and she wasn't asking for him to be stopped or detained in any way, though they could let him know he was wanted in the med bay.

She a grabbed a sling and some dressing supplies, stuffing them in her bag, then bag in one hand, walking stick in the other she went on the hunt for Charity, Mr. King and Mr. Amorru.  First stop would be the nefarious karaoke bar Tiangong-5 that she had been previously cautioned to avoid. Unfortunately, pie and being cordial would have to wait.

[Lomari]

Location: Med-Bay

Just as Gwen had requested, the Head Nurse has been in to see to Mr. Culpepper's breathing treatment and made sure he took his last round of antibiotic on time. Despite being assured that Gwen would return shortly to to scan his lungs and hopefully remove the chest tube, the nurse did not see that as being a necessity and set a timer to check back up on the man should the volunteer nurse not return in a timely manner. When enough time had passed and it appeared that Gwen was indisposed, the Head Nurse slipped back into Emit's room with a rolling tray full of equipment.

"Mister Culpepper, I'm here to see about your chest tube, get you sorted and ready to head out. No offense intended, but we do need these beds for more serious injuries," she told him with a friendly wink, trying to assure him that his wounds were healing nicely and to give him the idea that he'd be just fine. Bedside manner was important, after all. It didn't take her long to run a scan of his lungs, hmm-ing and nodding thoughtfully as she looked over the results. "Looks like Eiber was able to undo the damage you did to yourself getting here, 'Verse be praised," she told him. "Should be good to go on removing that tube, as long as you promise not to engage in any more silly heroics for the next couple of weeks. No jumping off tall buildings, wrestling any criminals, or engaging in underground fighting rings," she told him, grinning merrily once more.

The tube removal went slowly, only so that the Head Nurse could be sure it was done gently and efficiently, the entry hole closed with sutures and reinforced with gauze and bandages. Reaching over toward her tray, she took a bottle of pills off the metal surface, "You're taking two of these a day for two weeks. Morning and Evening. With meals and plenty of water. No other drugs while you take these," she told him, pointing at him with a serious expression, "I mean it. Nothing else."

With that, she patted his shoulder, cleaned up her station, and left him alone for a few minutes to gather his thoughts and head out when he felt up to it. Of course, if 'when he felt up for it' was longer than an hour, she'd be back in to encourage him to get on with it. Politely.