<@JesseLman> [Friday, October 10th. 1:30 PM] <@JesseLman> [Redcoat finds herself on a rather crummy side street in Hell's Kitchen. Down the block, inside Crazy Eddie's Veternary Clinic, is apparently a super-sekrit clinic for injured supers.] <@JesseLman> [Sister Admin has directed Redcoat here so that she can visit a particular injured hero, and has told Redcoat that she'd be expected. As she walks in, she sees an average-looking young woman behind the counter. "May I help you?"] <@JesseLman> [Mini start] * TheRedcoat nods curtly and clears her throat. Looking away a little, almost as if embarrassed, she mutters, "I've got a bad case of time travel sickness." <@JesseLman> [The woman grins slightly. "Seems to be going around lately." Suddenly, the floor next to Redcoat opens up, revealing a hidden staircase. "Down the stairs, through the waiting area, fourth door on your left is the guy you're looking for." ...ah. All right. Thank you. * TheRedcoat nods again and heads on down. <@JesseLman> [The staircase goes down about 50 feet, to a door guarded by a pair of large, heavily armed battle droids. The door opens as Redcoat gets near, and the droids step aside.] * TheRedcoat pauses slightly, nonplussed, then continues on. <@JesseLman> [Redcoat steps through the door into what appears to be a fairly large triage center, where about a half-dozen costumed folks are getting stitches and other minor medical care. A couple of them have what appear to be metalic casts on a limb or two, and there are a few folks off to the side in what appears to be a physical therapy area, rehabbing various injuries.] * TheRedcoat looks around, in particular for corridors. <@JesseLman> [There's one straight ahead! Redcoat also notes the lack of actual medical staff; the entire operation seems to be automated, with floating droids of various sizes handling the medical duties.] * TheRedcoat goes straight ahead then! As she probably recognizes zero of the other supers. <@JesseLman> [Nope, she really doesn't.] <@JesseLman> [She walks down the hall! Presumably to the fourth door on the left. A few of the doors along the way are open, and she can see that more seriously injured heroes, two to a room, are being treated in these rooms. Some are battered but awake and alert, but a couple seem to be in really bad shape.] * TheRedcoat frowns a bit on seeing that, but continues on to the fourth star--er, door--to the left. <@JesseLman> [The door's opened a crack.] * TheRedcoat pauses and peeks in first. <@JesseLman> [Redcoat can see two beds. One contains a long-haired man hooked up to a ventilator, while the other contains a large man with brownish-red hair peeking out from under some bandages wrapped around his head, slowly reading something on a laptop.] * TheRedcoat , after seeing that there are no other visitors in the room, and that the other man appears to be unconscious, knocks softly--five times in rapid succession. <@JesseLman> [The man looks up from laptop, and grins. "Aha. My hero arrives. Come on in, please."] * TheRedcoat comes in quietly, and closes the door behind her. She looks over at the other man briefly, then walks over to the awake one. "I'm...sorry I took so long in coming here." <@JesseLman> [The man waves dismissively. "Don't worry about it. This place isn't exactly common knowledge, and Sister Admin says you're new in town, so there's no way you could've gotten here until you hooked up with them. And, from what I've heard, you've been pretty busy these past few days."] <@JesseLman> [He starts to get up to pull up a chair for Redcoat, then sways for a moment and flumps back down onto the bed. "... keep forgetting about that."] <@JesseLman> [There are various medical monitoring devices around the room, a TV, a bunch of comfy looking chairs, and a single Spongebob balloon on a table next to Smasher's bed.] * TheRedcoat frowns, and quickly steps over to stop him. "...you would think it's been long enough for you to remember." She pulls up a chair herself and sits down. This is probably a question you've heard too much recently, but...how are your injuries? <@JesseLman> [He shrugs. "Mind's willing, body not so much. I'm itching to get back out there, but..." He chuckles. "That's second after 'Have you lost weight?'"] <@JesseLman> [The chuckling stops, and he leans back in his bed. "Bullet I got hit with tore up my hepatic artery, and the docs had to remove a kidney. The support pillar fractured some ribs and some vertebrae, and I couldn't move my legs for a while, but that's faded as the swelling went down. Left leg's still a bit weak, but that should pass as well."] * TheRedcoat eyes him. "You do seem rather more svelte... ...oh. That...doesn't sound good. Have they told you how much longer recovery is supposed to take? <@JesseLman> ["Hey, only need one kidney, really." He sighs. "They're not sure. Spinal stuff is tricky, so it's pretty much whenever my body decides to get better. And yeah, my powers add some bulk when they're activated. Nobody wants a skinny bruiser." Oh. I see. I'm sorry. <@JesseLman> ["No reason for you to be. My teammates say that the only reason I'm still alive is that you got those guys off of me. So I owe you big time."] * TheRedcoat hehs a little. "You'll owe me more pretty soon." She reaches into her coat and brings out a large paper bag, redolent with meaty, delicious odors. "Have you had lunch?" <@JesseLman> [He sniffs, and breaks out in a wide grin. "Real food. You're a goddamn angel, you know that?"] * TheRedcoat smirkgrins--that might be a dimple under her half-mask, but it's hard to tell--and sets the bag on the table, pulling out containers and utensils. "I went to this..halal stand that was recommended to me by some people." <@JesseLman> ["Sheikh Kebab swears by that place. An excellent choice." He helps Redcoat set things up.] * TheRedcoat stops for a second while setting things up, and quickly takes off her sunglasses, setting them on the table. Without them, her eyes are an icy blue-grey, with more of the former than the latter. <@JesseLman> [Smasher raises an eyebrow, then smiles. "So how'd you end up at that airport anyway?" Ah. I had been going from Lisbon to Toronto, but my original connection from Heathrow had been cancelled, so they gave me a different set of flights, from Heathrow to New York to Toronto. <@JesseLman> ["So it's basically luck that you were there when you were, hmm?" He shakes his head and grins slightly. "My lucky day, then."] * TheRedcoat half-shrugs, cocking her head a little. "Indeed. Though thanks should probably also go to the security guards who didn't get in my way when I jumped the line." She smirks. <@JesseLman> ["You can always count on airport security that way."] <@JesseLman> [He rubs his neck. "So how bad are things out there? My teammates have been giving me updates, and I'm in on strategy sessions, but I still feel outta the loop."] * TheRedcoat sighs and leans back a little. "What I've seen is pretty rough...before I was drafted onto this team, in my patrol area, I was having 3-5 encounters a week. And this is only my fourth week here. <@JesseLman> ["It's killing me to be stuck down here. I should be out leading my team..." He shakes his head. "Sorry for the self-pity. It's just... frustrating. I'm not used to staying on the sidelines."] * TheRedcoat shrugs and, not having much else to say, starts eating out of one of the boxes. If nothing else, it will be...a little less fraught. My team convinced a squadron of Amazons not to fight on our enemies' side. <@JesseLman> [He blinks, seemingly remembering that there's food in front of him, and starts working on it as well. "Captain Starlet's good, and smart... but I've been running things while she acts as our public face, and she doesn't feel like she has the chops to lead. Especially with the team bone-tired and down two members."] * TheRedcoat nods and swallows. "That reminds me, how is your com...patriot?" <@JesseLman> [He points over to the other bed next to him. "Sage Wisdom... nicest guy you'd ever meet." He pauses. "Just a normal guy with powers, though. Took a shot to the head from a powered bruiser. They've had him in a medically induced coma since."] Ah. Oh, dear. Do they know...? <@JesseLman> ["The head doc here keeps telling me that he'll most likely recover eventually, so that's good, at least."] * TheRedcoat nods. "It is." <@JesseLman> ["How's the team you've hooked up with? Sister Admin didn't go into much detail, but she said the roster's... unusual."] <@JesseLman> [He grins. "Her term was a bit more colorful."] ...unusual is a good word. * TheRedcoat eats a few more thoughtful bites before continuing. "They're quite powerful, for the most part...I'm the least powered person on the team. A priestess, a young man with kinetic powers, an inventor, and a superhero with strong aerial magic powers. <@JesseLman> [He smirks. "Don't sell yourself short. From what little I remember through the wooziness and the internal bleeding, you were pretty damn impressive."] * TheRedcoat scratches the back of her neck with her free hand and gives him a smile which goes from demurely modest to on-the-edge-of arrogant. "I know." More dimples, then more seriousness. "So it should say something about how powerful my new...teammates are." <@JesseLman> [Smasher grins widely. "Anyone I'd know?"] I'm...not sure. I only knew one of them beforehand, but then I'm not familiar with the...the "scene" here. Mizuki, the priestess. And...Horus is probably rather well-known. Christian informs us that he's probably not. The inventor...is Dr. Jacqueline Hyde. * TheRedcoat takes another bite after that and watches him covertly. <@JesseLman> [He nods. "I've heard the name, but haven't met her... oh, that new Horus is on the team? Wow. The original was a damn legend." He nearly chokes on his drink when he hears that last name. "Hyde? Seriously? I know Solaris has made reforming her a pet project for a while now, but that lady's crazy."] * TheRedcoat takes a drink herself, not making eye contact. "She's somewhat erratic...but not so bad." <@JesseLman> ["Well, yeah, she's better than she used to be, but the stories I've heard from back in the day... ask Eternal Warrior about her sometime. She's been after him for decades now." Well, that much does show. <@JesseLman> [He waves a hand. "But hell, if Solaris trusts her, and you think she's okay, that's good enough for me." He chews thoughtfully, and swollows. "How're you holding up through all this?"] * TheRedcoat shrugs. "It's all right...it's good to have a real goal in sight, and I do enjoy the idea of not always being on the defensive." <@JesseLman> [He nods, takes a sip of his drink, and is about to respond when a shaggy golden retriever with a stethescope around its neck hops onto the bed between the two of you. He glances at the food and sniffs briefly before turning to regard Redcoat.] * TheRedcoat blinks and eyes him. "...would you like some fries?" <@JesseLman> [The dog wags his tail, and responds with a slight German accent. "Very much so, yes, madam."] * TheRedcoat blinkblinkblinks this time, but opens one of the side-dish boxes and offers it to him. <@JesseLman> [The dog eats a few fries. "My thanks. As busy as it is, I haven't had a proper meal in several days." He turns to Smasher. "I like this one much better than that awful woman who refused to stop smoking."] <@JesseLman> [He turns back to Redcoat, and holds up a paw. "I am Dr. Hauser, the chief physician of this fine establishment. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."] * TheRedcoat coughs and glances down at her coat pocket, but takes his paw and, well, shakes. "The Redcoat. It is nice to meet you. <@JesseLman> [Smasher grins. "Dr. Hauser was trained by five of the six greatest minds in the field of superhuman physiology and extreme trauma medicine: Hu, Watts, Wier, Wye, and Hao." Smasher starts scritching behind the dog's ears with a chuckle. "Who's a good doctor? Who's a good doctor?"] * TheRedcoat raises an eyebrow at this byplay, but smiles. <@JesseLman> [Dr. Hauser wags vigorously for a moment, then hops off the bed and looks up indignantly. "Please do not do that. I have a reputation to uphold."] <@JesseLman> [Dr. Hauser looks up at Redcoat. "I'd appreciate it if you could wrap up your visit soon. Smasher here needs his rest, as loathe as he is to admit it." He looks up at Smasher. "Don't think I haven't noticed you doing extra physical therapy exercises in here, young man." The dog flashes what looks like a toothy grin, then saunters out.] Ah...of course. Thank you. <@JesseLman> [Smasher grins sheepishly. "Didn't think he'd notice."] * TheRedcoat hehs, then raises an eyebrow. "What sort of...extra physical therapy can you do in your state, anyway?" <@JesseLman> ["Some basic exercise stuff that I used to do everyday... pushups, situps, stuff like that. Plus some stuff to work on my leg, which is probably what he's annoyed at. I know I shouldn't push things, but I *need* to get back out there."] * TheRedcoat eyes him as she starts clearing off the table. "No, you don't." * TheRedcoat stands up. "You need to be back out there *on your best form*. So overdoing it and prolonging your stay, or worse, damaging your fighting power, doesn't count. * TheRedcoat flicks him on the forehead, very lightly. "Silly." <@JesseLman> [He blinks, then smirks. "Smart lady. I'll be good, I promise."] * TheRedcoat grins back, and almost moves to pat him on the head, but draws back. "I'll hold you to that promise." <@JesseLman> ["And once I'm back in top shape, you've gotta let me take you out for a good meal, show you around town a bit." He grins rakishly. "For saving my life, of course. s'only fair."] * TheRedcoat snerks and straightens up, what may be the faint traces of a blush barely peeping up above her half-mask. "Well, if you're offering..." <@JesseLman> ["I most certainly am."] * TheRedcoat smirks. "I couldn't slow down your recovery by turning you down. It just wouldn't be...heroic." <@JesseLman> [He chuckles. "Your self-sacrifice is truly inspiring."] * TheRedcoat throws out the rest of the trash, then picks up her sunglasses. "I do what what I can." She grins at him again, and puts them on. Give my regards to your team, if they remember me. <@JesseLman> ["Trust me. Nobody forgets you."] * TheRedcoat sobers at that thought. "A mixed...result." And turns to head out. "Feel better." She pauses at the door, stops, and turns around, pulling something out of her pocket. * TheRedcoat throws it at Smasher--it's a little paper airplane!--and quickly leaves, closing the door behind her. <@JesseLman> [Smasher catches it, opens it up, and grins as he reads. "Lucky day, indeed."] <@JesseLman> [Mini End!]