heartofhealing

[ Well hell. He was just going to hint to Baizhu that he's got his image file, but with an answer message like that, how can he not be a little shit? ]

This is Wolfwood, requesting a prescription for tobacco on a purely medical needs basis. Come down to the repair bay to discuss.

[ Ha-ha, like he hasn't heard something like that a million times. ]

We don't even carry tobacco, Mr. Wolfwood. I'll come down and give you suggestions.

[ At least Baizhu got the hint. ]

Edited 2025-02-03 21:18 (UTC)

[ Wolfwood pretty sure that Baizhu could synthesize tobacco, if he really wanted to, but it just wouldn't taste the same.

He's in his faraday cage again, and he'll wait until Baizhu enters and closes the door before handing over an external memory stick. There's only a single piece of data on the whole stick -- a very large image file, called CONFIDENTIAL-N_Wolfwood_exam-020325. The image is sharp, but given the scale of the room being imaged, Baizhu will only barely be able to make out his kid's cryopod. All the lights in the room are green, though. Everyone's sleeping soundly. ]

Here. ...You can't see much, sorry.

[ Oh, he definitely could. Doctors have better access on the synthesizer for medicine, after all. He could even make some pure nicotine and put it in a shot... if he wanted to.

Not going to happen, though.

Baizhu makes his way down to Wolfwood's... setup, and is a bit surprised to be immediately offered a memory stick. Taking it, he opens it on his CL-10 - and once he realizes what it is, he resizes the tablet and the image to have as close of a view as possible.

It's rows and rows and rows of pods. It's the settler bay, yes, but... it's almost impossible to pick one pod out of the image. He thinks he sees Qiqi's lavender hair, but it might just be wishful thinking.

At least the lights are stable. Everyone's safe. ]

...thank you.

[ If Baizhu's done copying that file over, Wolfwood holds out his hand is a gimme gesture -- he wants that memory stick back, thanks. ]

Don't mention it. Ever.

[ It was a wonder of good fortune ~~and lucky dice rolls~~ that got him access to that image. So many things could have gone wrong... but Wolfwood can't deny that there's something satisfying about the expression on Baizhu's face. It feels nice to do nice things for people, even if he'll enver admit it out loud. ]

You sure you can't get me tobacco as payment?

[ He's kidding. Isn't he? ]

[ Baizhu hands it over as soon as everything's done, gold eyes a bit amused behind the glasses. A very impatient patient. ]

As you wish. Unfortunately I swore an oath to do no harm, and giving you highly addictive and cancerous payment would be quite harmful.

[ Hypocrite of the highest order, this guy.

Still, that amusement only brightens as he continues. ]

I can, however, prescribe an herbal tea concoction that would satisfy the dopamine rush of tobacco and be stress-reducing at the same time.

[ That memory stick -- and all traces of the image on Wolfwood's CL-10 -- are getting purged, written over, and purged again as soon as it's back in his hands. He's not taking any chances with L3TH3 discovering what he's been up to. ]

No drugs.

[ His reply is curt and immediate, as he slides the memory stick home into the port to start the erasing process. He'd mostly been kidding about the tobacco (although he would have accepted any amount that Baizhu wanted to provide with glee!)... instead, he'd meant it as a way to bring up his real price for this work. ]

But apparently everyone's got to go through a checkup, and I'm not letting' that bastard Hilbert anywhere near me.

[ He keeps his attention on the memory stick, as though it's a complicated procedure and not just a matter of clicking the format button. ]

You give me any mandatory checkups that have to happen. That's my price.

No drugs.

[ Baizhu agrees as Wolfwood makes his point and starts fiddling with the stick. The doctor is about to excuse himself to let the man nuke the thing, when he finally continues.

It's... surprising, to say the least. Wolfwood would take him over Hilbert? ]

If that's your price, I'm happy to agree.

[ It seems Wolfwood has some nasty history with the general practitioner, but if it helps him to both get him checked over and pay for his assistance, there's no reason to not accept. ]

Do you want that done now, for efficiency's sake?

[ Of course Wolfwood would take him over Hilbert. Has Baizhu met Hilbert? The man's a menace.

He didn't expect Baizhu to take him up on his offer so immediately, but he doesn't have a good reason to put the exam off, either. I don't want to doesn't fly, so Wolfwood takes a deep breath to brace himself and nods. ]

Yeah. We need to go up to Medical for that?

[ He hasn't seemed like a menace to Baizhu yet, but then again... he's barely out of his cryo pod. All Baizhu knows is that the man isn't very personable, but this seemed beyond that.

No matter. It all works out, now. ]

Not at all, right here is just fine. If there is something wrong, we might need to go back to medical, but otherwise these checkups can be done on site.

[ Baizhu takes his scanner out and slowly starts to move it over Wolfwood at a bit of a range to not get too close or crowd the guy. Friendly little social bubble without being awkward at the same time. ]

I'll just take a quick scan and check your bracelet. Meanwhile, have you been feeling well? Any additional stress over the general stress of our situation? Any questions, medical or otherwise?

[ From the way he's holding himself, it's like he expects the scan to hurt. He doesn't -- he knows how the thing works -- but look, trauma often isn't rational.

He's healthy enough, at least. He could stand to eat more, and more regularly -- coffee isn't a meal, no matter how much he relies on it -- and he doesn't remember the last time he had 8 hours of restful sleep, but he's no more run down than the rest of the crew. Mentally he's not doing great -- he needs shore leave -- but physically he's fine. He can keep working.

Baizhu's questions just get a shake of his head. ]

I'm fine. Nothin' broken.

[ Baizhu is thankfully aware that trauma isn't always rational - so he goes slow, talking as the scanner works. ]

You know your body best. [ The doctor agrees, a green brow slightly crooked as he reads the data. ] It looks like nothing's broken, just as you say, but I'm sure you know that you need more food and sleep. Everyone does.

[ Finally, he puts the scanner away and holds out a hand to Wolfwood's wrist. ]

May I see the bracelet, too? It tracks long-term rather than a once-over like the scan does, so it can show how your health has been lately, any ups-and-downs. After that, I just have a few suggestions to help you stay healthy, and we'll be done.

[ Nothing invasive, barely even touched. ]

[ A snort is the only answer to Baizhu's comment about everyone needing more rest. No shit everyone needs to eat better and have more downtime, but until the AI decides to allow them to wake up a full shift, they're going to be running around working 18 hour days and eating only what they grab between tasks. It's not sustainable, for any of them, but they'll all make it work. What other choice do they have?

He holds out his wrist when prompted, glaring at Baizhu the whole time. It's nothing personal, Doc.

The recorded data on his bracelet shows mostly more of the same -- he's active all day, and even when he's not moving he's using a lot of energy thinking (and stressing) over various projects. At night, he's getting very little sleep, and what sleep he is getting is frequently interrupted by a racing heartrate. There's a lot of nightmares recorded on that tracker, and they've been getting worse. ]

If you're gonna suggest takin' more time off and eatin' more veg, I'd fucking love to. Find me more crew and I'll sleep in every day.

[ Baizhu reads off the bracelet and puts the results down in his CL-10 to compare to Wolfwood's medical records later. If it has taken a deep dive from the usual results, they'll have to get that medical bay visit.

He doesn't seem to take offense to Wolfwood's glares. ]

I'm not suggesting such things, even if they would be helpful. It's not feasible right now, so we have to try to prevent as much damage as possible while keeping things going at the same time.

[ Baizhu takes a step back and puts away his scanner, giving the other man a surprisingly gentle look. ]

Thank you, Mr. Wolfwood. I think the only issue I see is that you need better sleep. Would you consider a sleeping aid? I can prescribe a kind that doesn't force you asleep, but manages the REM sleep to keep you better rested. The only side effect is less dreams. I'll also unlock the herbal tea I recommended for you at the synthesizers, in case you wish to try it.

[ He puts the Cl-10 away as well. ]

Any questions?

[ Baizhu's been nothing but kind, but Wolfwood's sleep -- and whatever he might be seeing there -- is his own damn business. He won't throw Baizhu out for suggesting a sleep aid -- although he's thinking about it, just for a moment -- but he will turn back to his work, completely ignoring the other man. ]

I said no drugs.

[ Think that's the end of the interview, Doc. ]

[ Baizhu takes the dismissal pretty well. At least he's not yelled at for suggesting something Wolfwood already said no to, which is a relief. ]

Alright. I'll contact you again in a week.

[ Nodding, he then heads for the Faraday cage's door to return to the med bay and log these results.

Sooner or later, they're all going to end up scraped clean of everything they've got, and he wants to keep people together as long as possible.

...at least he has proof that Qiqi's okay, now. He won't forget this, Wolfwood. ]

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