ASH: Dahlia

[Laraqua]

"No, you can take a look, all hair is accounted for," he says, looking confused. "Someone at the hospital lose their hair?"

[trixie]

Dahlia looks confused as well. "Then what was this place before you guys got here. Was it always a military base? Or was it a medical ward of some kind? Maybe a psych ward?" She knits her brows together, trying to read his expression.

[Laraqua]

"It was a Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. You oughta have worked here! You're more questioning than the Arch-Duke himself!" He snickers. "By that, I mean Blackworth. He does look a whole lot like royalty, don't he?"

[Mr. Handy]

"We had a number of cancer patients at the hospital undergoing radiation therapy," says Sarah. "That would make their hair fall out. I think one of them was in the Children's Ward. Was that why you asked, Dahlia?" She looks back to Morrison. "Defense Science and Technology Laboratory? Sounds ace! I think I would have liked to work here too. What did they do here? Yeah, I noticed the resemblance between Blackworth and a certain Prince too. Is he related to the Royal Family? Say, that reminds me - Blackworth had some kind of seizure in the hallway earlier. It might be a sign of an impending stroke. I saw him take a pill after he recovered, but I'm not sure what kind it was. Do you know anything about his medical condition? He really ought to have a full examination, and perhaps an MRI."

[trixie]

[O.C. Over 1,000 Mr. Handy! Join the crazy thousand club! congrats!]

"No, it's not why I asked." Dahlia answers Sarah simply, then looks at Morrison with a strange look in her eyes.

[Mr. Handy]

[OOC: Thanks, Trixie! I knew I was in the upper 990's last night, but hadn't even noticed I'd passed the millennium mark. Yay! *dances*]



Sarah shrugs. I'll have to ask her in the medical lab, she thinks, when Morrison isn't around to overhear. I wonder what's been going on here...

[Laraqua]

"Hard to tell, the way those royalty behave," Morrison shrugs. "Quite possible that some royal member did something naughty with a commoner. Blackworth's about as common as they come... Well, not really, I mean, you're probably not used to commoners like that. But anyhow, about his sickness... He'll be fine, really, he's already an MRI and all the rest of them. If he were real ill he wouldn't be considered fit for duty. It's just the stress. Gives him migraines. That's all. So you wanna tidy up the rest of them in there or you wanna go to bed? Been a long day, right?"

[Mr. Handy]

"It's just that..." starts Sarah. "my mum died of a stroke. She thought it was migraines too. I just want to make sure he's okay. It has been a long day, but the patients shouldn't have to wait until morning. I'll help the rest of the patients first, and then go to bed. You ready to help, Dahlia?"

[trixie]

"Yup!" Dahlia replies brightly.

[Mr. Handy]

"Great!" says Sarah, already feeling a little better. Doing what I do best will help me keep my mind off of things, she thinks. She goes back into the medical lab with Dahlia and resumes treating her second patient, but she's still finding it hard to focus. She lowers her voice so that Morrison, who is waiting out in the hall, won't hear. "Why did you ask about people's hair falling out? Did you...see something?"

[trixie]

"Well, ya, kinda. I can see something's past. I saw this place, only with bald people on the exercise machines, and doctors timing them. But there's more, I just don't think now's the time." Dahlia's eyes flicker apologetically to the patient, who is looking at her with sudden interest.

"We get to share a room, so I'll tell you then...when we're in private ok?" She continues along, handing Sarah things when she asks for them, and watching in fascination.

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah nods. "The only problem with that is that they may put listening devices or spy cameras in our room to keep an eye on us," she says. "We can check when we get there, but if we find any then we won't be able to talk there either. I never used to believe in psychic powers, but after everything that's happened today I know they're real."

She tries to busy herself in her work, but she's still having no luck. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm just so tired, and worried, and with everything that's happened to me...maybe we should just call it a night..."

[Laraqua]

Morrison sits at a table at the other end of the medical bay, playing solitaire.

[Mr. Handy]

Sarah pulls herself together. "I'll give it another try," she says, getting back to work and finally finding her rhythm. She does a passable job with Dahlia's help. Taking care of the patients helps her keep her mind off of her painful past and her uncertain future.

[trixie]

Dahlia nods in quiet reflection of Sarah's words. Big brother is watching you....She'd read the book, not that anyone in her class had, but she always did have a mind for a good heavy read, and a reading ability far above her classmates.

"We can check when we get in the room. It doesn't take more than a thrown rock to knock out a surveillance camera, really. But the sound, I'm not sure. Maybe snipping a wire? Take your scissors with you, just in case. We'll try to keep our room off limits of their recording stuff."

Dahlia watches Sarah fumble. "Are you sure you're ok? I don't think we really need to do all this tonight. After all, we haven't slept...or at least I haven't...in a long time. And we've been running from everything." Dahlia shakes her head, and smiles apologetically at the 50 year old patient in front of her. "I'm sure they can wait til morning for us to be well rested."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sorry, you must be exhausted too," says Sarah. "I think we've done enough for tonight. We helped out the two patients who were in the worst shape, and I think the others can wait until we're both fresh and rested. I wouldn't need to bring scissors, as Stephen will drop off our knives in the room, but I don't think it's such a good idea to destroy any surveillance equipment if we find it. They'll get quite cross and just replace it, and they'll justify its presence by saying it's for our protection and that they don't trust us yet. The best we can do is not let on that we know it's there if we find it, and not say anything in our room that we don't want others to overhear. If you want to talk somewhere in private, how about the medical supply storage room? We need to take an inventory of what's in there anyway."

[Laraqua]

"Oh for fuck's sake," says Morrison, surveying the cards. "Looks like I've backed myself up into a corner." He shuffles the deck again and lays them out. Looks like he's doing the three-card draw variant.

[trixie]

Dahlia shrugs, "Well I guess so. I don't really like being watched though. I'm anxious to see the room. What if the lights were off? Do you think they'd still see us?"

[Laraqua]

Morrison looks up at them, somewhat dejected. "Ready for bed yet?" He seems a little over-eager at the idea.

[Mr. Handy]

"It's quite possible," says Sarah to Dahlia. "We'll have to see when we get there." She nods to Morrison. "Yeah, I think we're both bushed. I guess you have to be tired as well. Ready to turn in, Dahlia?"