Cruiseface

Log Title: Cruiseface

Characters: Ace, Lifeline, Nightingale, Slipstream

Location: Medical Center - The Pit

Date: August 01, 2013

TP: Shadow War TP

Summary:

As logged by Ace - Thursday, August 01, 2013, 7:08 PM

Medical Center - The Pit

 * The base infirmary is a spacious room, with high ceilings, blue tile

floors, and plenty of room in which to walk around. The place is brightly lit by row upon row of fluorescent lighting. There are about six beds ready for use, with fourteen more that can be readied if necessary. Each bedside is surrounded by state-of-the-art medical equipment, in addition to the more standard medbay fare like trays of supplies and such.
 * Beyond the recovery ward are a pair of double doors leading into the

surgical ward itself, which includes six separate operating tables and the best surgical equipment the US government can provide. A smaller room to the side is set up as a biocontainment ward, including an armored window through which doctors can monitor the patients inside.
 * While not a place to set someone's mind and soul at ease...it's a place

to spend time healing...to watch the large, industrial-grade 12-hour clock on the wall, and consider the virtues of being more careful.

*Ace *Plush Microbe - Flesh Eating (Streptococcus pyogenes) *Psyche-Out's Office
 * Contents:

Ace lays in bed, slowly recovering. He has already gotten into a betting pool about how quickly he'll recover.

Lifeline is silently tinkering with Ace's pain medication.

Ace looks over at Lifeline. He seems more alert every day. He flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Hey, doc. How's it hangin'?"

Lifeline grins. "Pretty good! Everything copacetic? I'm trying to find a balance for you between pain-free and mentally alert," he says.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Youre doing a good job stop im doing better both mentally and physically"

"OK, excellent." That's what Lifeline wanted to hear. "Your physical therapy, barring any unseen complications, will be right here. I requested, and GOT, the best physical therapist. I want you to be able to begin gaining your strength back as soon as possible."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "ITS NOT SGT SLAUGHTER IS IT"

"No...He's not a physical therapist. Technically. Well, I wouldn't call what he does 'therapy', exactly," Lifeline comments dryly.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "IM KIDDING THANK GOD"

"I know," Lifeline says, suddenly grinning. "This one's prettier, I promise. Will make it a little more bearable, at least."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "PRETTY IS GOOD STOP ONE OF US SHOULD BE"

Lifeline blinks. "...Hey, you ARE going to get that face back, I promise! I won't discharge you until you look like you used to look," he insists.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "HOE ABOUT AN UPGRADE STOP MAYBE YOUNG TOM CRUISE"

Lifeline smirks. "Oh yeah, right. Hey, no flirting with Dr. Miller, by the way, that's strictly prohibited." He's missed Ace's sense of humor. He is having a Morse Code conversation with an awake Ace.

Ace is tapping verry slowly for the Morse noob? =) Or the Joes have given him an electronic translation pad? Or LL knew it the whole time? =)

Lifeline probably knew it the whole time, but wanted to give Dr. Miller a specific job during the awakening process.

Ace is looking better for someone with his face all bandaged up. =) He flicks his fingers in Morse code, "IS DOCTOR MILLER THE CUTE DOC THAT WAS WORKING ON ME WITH YOU I BARELY REMEMBER HER BUT DONT WORRY I WONT MOVE IN ON YOUR WOMAN"

Lifeline can't help but laugh. "Thanks. I'll be able to rest easy tonight."

And yeah, he looks kind of pinkish. Ace called it!

Dr. Miller is just arriving for her shift, and is chewing a breakfast bar as she goes to her desk, checking her paperwork. She looks over, hearing quiet talking by Ace's bed. "Oh, you're awake Ace?" as she steps in to check on the pilot. "Oh, hello Dr. Steen!"

Ace slowly turns his head, the bandages hiding a broken wince. "Yhh," he mutters. "Thuh dnc is tnnknn gnnd crr mm me."

"Hello, Dr. Miller," Dr. Steen greets. As Ace tries to converse, the doctor folds his arms across his chest. "...Stick to Morse or writing, if you can. Please," he requests. He'll repeat this as many times as he feels is necessary.

"Hello Ace. Please don't strain yourself. I know it must be frustrating, but do as Dr. Steen says." Dr. Miller says with a kind smile. "So, how are we feeling today?" She stands near Dr. Steen, giving him a sweet smile.

"He said he wanted me to travel back in time, and steal Tom Cruise's rookie face," Dr. Steen deadpans.

Ace is in bed, recovering from his injures. He has an electronic pad under his right hand, which is translating Morse code into speech. He nods his head painfully in agreement with the plan.

Slipstream comes striding in, his bandaged arm held carefully across his stomach, carrying a few small devices in his other hand as he glanced about, making his way to Aces' room for the daily check on the mans' mp3 player to make sure it was still working.

Dr. Miller stares at Edwin for a moment before going into a fit of giggles.

"Oh, dear!" she laughs, holding a hand to her mouth as her face reddens from all of the laughing.

Ace spots Slipstream approach, and weakly waves hello.

Slipstream grins as he spots his fellow pilot awake again "Hey man. " he missed the earlier conversation unfortunately "Just checking that your music hasn't stopped until you do. Are you tired of it yet though? " he asked, moving to glance, and nodding. All was well. "You need to get better sooner though, so I don't have money for pranks!"

Lifeline quietly does some sort of tooling around with Ace's IV bags. Who knows what he's doing back there?? He doesn't really TELL anyone what he's doing; he just tends to...do it.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Are you in the betting pool for how fast I get better"

Slipstream shakes his head with a grin "Nah. I just miss our card games." he notes and steps back once more "I forget which action movie hero said he only gambles with his own life."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Don't remember stop Bond"

"How's your arm feeling, Slipstream?" Dr. Miller asks, as she finds a chair and sits down. She seems a bit tired, even though her shifts just starting.

"Do you need a rebandaging?"

Slipstream gingerly lifts his arm away from his body and flexes his fingers "Stiff, sore. I touched the bandage today but I didn't feel any heat." he notes, perhaps getting used to knowing how to tell if something is going bad.

"I think its okay. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV though. Hey Lifeline. Everything quiet in the medbay?"

Ace is quiet in the medbay. =)

"Oh yeah, we're just morale-boosting Ace." Lifeline points to the bag hanging on the IV. He knows Dr. Miller's probably going to admonish him for this offense, but it's just how the guys joke around. "Hey, Ace? It's pumpkin flavored. Hope you like it." Of course, IV food tastes like nothing, because it bypasses the mouth completely. "I know. That was...tasteless."

Ace mutters a muffled 'Ha ha.' He flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Inject some coffee"

Dr. Miller gives out an exaggerated grown. "Edwin, that was terrible!" she says, shaking her head with a grin. "In fact, it left a bad taste in my mouth!"

Slipstream faceplams at that, but was snickering quite loudly "Hey careful! I don't like competition to my title as Jokester of the pit!" he chided the medic gently, but his grin was huge.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "You guys are killing me stop that's B-L-U-D-D-S job." The Morse-to-Speech translator has difficulty with Bludd's name.

"Well, he did a pretty crappy job, because little does HE know, we're going to have you walking out of here and back on duty!" Dr. Steen insists. He pats Dr. Miller's shoulder. "Nice one..."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Can you build a Phantom of the opera mask into my helmet"

Slipstream shifts a little at the mention of Bludd, but just stuffs his free hand into his pocket, the other one kind of 'resting' on his stomach again

"Ooh, that would look kind of nice, but didn't he get shafted by the girl he loved and then dying of a broken heart?"

Dr. Miller blushes a bit. "I try..." At Ace's comment, she snickers. "Sure, why not? Then we can give you a magical noose to hang people with." She's a musical fan, of course she's gonna make an obscure joke. "He was already dead, I think." she tells Slipstream. "Which... makes implications unsettling."

"I don't think he was. He was very much alive. Unless you mean metaphorically dead. " remarks Slipstream as he rubs his bearded chin.

"You guys and your musical references!" Edwin exclaims. "...I haven't even seen any musicals. Ever. Am I missing out?"

"Possibly. Its a book too though. I think it was a book before it was a musical." admits Slipstream. "I read it as a book when I was stuck in an airport, out of battery power and nothing I could do that wouldnt get me put on the Do Not Fly List."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Ooh that reminds me can you get me some books on tape"

Slipstream eyes Ace, then looks at Miller "What year did you say it was? 2130? What are books on tape? Is that some sort of ancient way of communicating, like stone tablet?"

"Yes, you are missing out!" Dr. Miller says with a grin. "But... we're going to fix that, aren't we?" She winks, and turns to Ace as he 'speaks'. "What books would you like, Ace?"

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Uh not sure surprise me" Behind his bandages, Ace gives Slipstream an amused look.

Slipstream states "He has an MP3 player. I can download him every audiobook he ever wants without needing a 'tape' that probably is just as old as my grandpa. I can probably even rig it up to that morse code pad he has so he can control it himself.." he notes, thinking.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "You know what I mean"

"What? A tape as old as your what, now?? Cassettes work JUST FINE," Dr. Steen counters, shaking a finger at Greg.

Slipstream remarks "Let me know how well they stand up compared to CDs when you wave a magnet at them then." he notes, waving his arm, then wincing.

Dr. Miller chuckles. "Hey, I still have my tape deck! It's built likt a brick..." she chuckles. "I prefer cassettes to mp2 players. Guess that makes me an old lady."

Dr. Steen gives Slipstream a perturbed look, as if the man had just gone into his room and insulted his precious 'Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits' cassette. Blasphemy!

"The tape deck is yes, the tapes not so much." points out Slipstream with a grin "I'll get some up here for Ace though. " he really wanted it seems, to help out his fellow pilot.

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Thanks"

Slipstream thumbs up awkwardly "Excellent. Did you want your phone or, if Boss Lifeline allows, an internet computer? " he asked.

"Dr. Miller, you're very far from being an 'old lady', I assure you," Dr. Steen says pointedly. He turns to look at Slipstream. "Oh, you can use mine -- not the one on my desk, that's on lockdown, but the auxiliary one is on the counter over there."

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "I think he meant me"

"If you say so, Dr. Steen." Dr. Miller replies with a grin. "I'm sure a computer can be brought down here for Ace."

"Oh, if it's for ACE...that's a different story. Ace can use an iPad," Dr. Steen says with a smile. No iPad for Greg :(

Slipstream has one of his own anyways. The pilot nods "I can bring up mine then and set it all up for Ace." he offered. He rubs at his arm.

"Need those bandages changed, Slips?" Dr. Steen offers.

Slipstream looks at the sleeve, and tugs it up to peer at it. The edges were a little frayed and he states "I think so. It only needs it what, once a day? "

he guessed.

"Once a day, unless it gets gross." Dr. Miller confirms, nodding. "I'll stay with Ace while you handle Slipstream, then Dr. Steen?"

"Absolutely, Dr. Miller," Dr. Steen says with a wink, then he heads off to go get some new bandages for Slipstream. "Nearest chair, please!"

Ace flicks his fingers in Morse code, "Thanks Doctor Miller"

"Me and my big mouth!" mock-groans SLipstream as he makes his way over to a chair, settling into it and carefully rolling up the sleeve past the bandage.

"I think after we're done saving the world I am going to take time off so I can stop being bandaged in a different place each week."

"No problem, Ace." Dr. Miller replies with a smile. "Can I get you anything? Do you want to talk about something in particular?" She's being conversational.

"Does that mean you don't like spending time with us?" Dr. Steen asks Slipstream, as he begins removing the yucky old bandage.

Slipstream states "Oh, you know I love coming up to harass you and make your life interesting and exciting, Edwin. Its just the 'getting stuck with things and tape being applied to embarrassing parts of my body' I prefer avoiding. I think the saying goes 'Try to see your doctor on the golf course more than in the office'.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm a terrible golfer. Went out with a bunch of private physicians one time, and they finally kicked me out of their game for being so bad," Dr. Steen admits with a grin. "I spend time in the clinic, and not out on the course, that's why." He peers at the unbandaged arm, and pokes at it gently. "How painful is that? It kind of looks inflamed."

Slipstream laughs a little bit "Hey, how is your table tennis these days? I haven't had a good game in a while, and with my good arm all wounded you may have a - YIPE!" he jumps, startled as it was poked "...it didnt hurt till you did that!"

Dr. Steen frowns, peering at the inflamed area. "Might need to drain that. Looks like you've got some infection in there." He raises a brow. "You uh...are you familiar with how that's done?"

Ace lays quietly as the others talk.

Slipstream ughs "I seem to get infection each time. That's starting to worry me." he admits "Didn't my back get a few spots like that too? " he grimaces "... Yeah I think so. I'll just look away during the process. Just a quick warning before the stab though so I don't jump please."

"Alright..." Dr. Steen grabs a basin and a sharp instrument. "There's going to be a sting, OK? In 3...2...1...now." He makes a very tiny incision in Greg's arm, and there's some minor drainage taking place. Nothing shocking, but still enough to drain into a basin.

Slipstream flinches, mostly in anticipation, but the drainage went well and he sighs, relaxing "I wonder if its something I'm doing or not doing that I seem to get infections in each wound." he remarks. "I mean... okay that sounded HORRIBLE."

Dr. Miller is sitting with Ace, who seems to be dozing right now. She looks like she's dozing too!

"I want to run a little test," Dr. Steen says, prepping a syringe. "Just need a blood sample for it." He pauses in the middle of prepping, glancing over at Dr. Miller and Ace tandem-snoozing. "Oh god, that's adorable," he murmurs, then he goes back to prepping the syringe.

Ace dozes comfortably, happy in his drugged haze. =)

Slipstream peers over as well, and blinks. While Steen prepared to do that, he pulled out his IPhone and snapped a picture with a huge grin. "It IS..." he spots the syringe then, and the doctors' earlier words hit home "Test for what?"

"I want to test your blood sugar, because you're right, you shouldn't be getting this many infections," Dr. Steen says. "I won't be taking much, and this won't hurt anywhere near like the infection drain did. Just a pinch..."

He draws some blood from Greg's opposite arm, then once that's done, he checks the drainage on the infection. "Okaaaay. I think I'm ready to clean this out.

"You pretty good at tolerating stings?" he asks, brow raised.

Dr. Miller is snoozing. But not snoring!

Slipstream looks away again, and then relaxes once more "... I hate them, but it has to be done right? " he remarks simply to the doctor "AFter my back getting cleaned several times I think I can do a little shrapnel. I cant think of anything I'm doing that would be infecting - you know, I'm relatively

clean, wearing clean clothes and using clean bedding... so that narrows it down I guess.

"I think you might be prediabetic," Dr. Steen muses, "But I just want to determine it for sure." He starts sanitizing the wound with some kind of alcohol-based cleanser. Yup, it stings. But it's super-clean when the doctor re-dresses it. "There you go!"

Slipstream murmurs 'ow ow ow ow.' softly and calmly, like a litany during the cleaning. And then its rebound. He wriggles his fingers and relaxes finally

"Thanks. I'll ease off the Xbox too for a few days and try not to do anything too exciting. For now I better get out of your guys' hair!"

"Alright. I'll take your word for it, if you're dedicated enough to take a break from video games, then you're dedicated." Dr. Steen peers at Slipstream's phone. "...Can you send me a picture of that, the one you took before?"

Dr. Miller is now making soft 'cooing' sleeping sounds. AKA, cute snores. :P

"Sure! " using it one handed, Slipstream has the picture mailed "There we go. I get first dibs on posting it on 'cuteoverload.com' though." He stands then "For now, I'm going to go do that 'rest' thing I keep

hearing about it. If they made it a Wii game I'd have an esier time. You take care of my buddy Lifeline!" he turns to make his way to the door

Lifeline steps over to Dr. Miller, and places his hands on her shoulders. "Dr. Miller...."

Dr. Miller keeps snoozing. She must be exhausted.

Ace keeps snoozing. He must be on heavy pain medication. =)

Lifeline gets out a blanket, and covers Ace...then he gets out another blanket, and drapes it over the sleeping Dr. Miller.

Dr. Miller mumbles something, and shifts in her sleep. "....am...."

Ace twitches slightly in his sleep, muttering to himself, "... no..." He seems to be having some sort of drugged nightmare.

Dr. Miller might be having a not-drugged nightmare!

"Guys, wake up!" Lifeline says. "No bad dreams on my watch!"

Ace mutters, shaking his head.

Dr. Miller wakes with a start. "Huh?! Oh, did I fall asleep? Sorry..." she mumbles, blushing a bit as she notices the blanket on her.

Ace remains asleep, muttering and twitching.

Figuring no one's around to really notice him sneaking some tenderness into the medical center, Dr. Steen plants a kiss on Dr. Miller's cheekbone. "It's OK...Ace is not relaxing very well, though. I'm kind of torn about leaving him alone, or putting some good-rest medication into his line, because he really does need quality sleep."

Dr. Miller blushes at the kiss, but smiles sweetly. "...He's probably remembering what happened." she remarks, sadly, She pulls the blanket around her without thinking about it. "I think a little medication will do more good than ill, here."

"OK, agreed." Dr. Steen then heads back to Ace's IV pole, and adds a little something to the IV drip. Some magic narcotic juice.

Dr. Miller blinks a bit. "...I... Oh, never mind." she says quickly. "But I think I need coffee."

The juice works, and Ace slides off to peaceful slumber.