Help, I need somebody

[dalectable]

My apologies, but is there a healer or doctor among us...? I'm in need of some assistance.

[Her psychic voice might be slightly strained]

Comments

[morethanashadow]

[oh shit.]

Are you ok?

[dalectable]

I'm not dying. Or in physical pain. Or injured.

[That's not her saying she's 'ok' though.]

[morethanashadow]

[He notices that. But he does kind of wonder what's left.]

I mean, I'm not a doctor, but could I help?

[dalectable]

I... need a 'professional opinion', but thank you for the offer.

It's- It will be fine. Something has gone... very wrong, but I'm sure it's-

It will be fine.

[morethanashadow]

...Yeah. It'll be fine. [whatever it is.]

Do you want company, or anything?

[dalectable]

Once I know what this is, I'm sure I will.

[triggerhappytraitor]

I have both medical training and healing ability. What do you need?

[dalectable]

A professional opinion on some... recent developments. Do you perhaps have any equipment to draw and analyse toxic blood as well?

[triggerhappytraitor]

I do, yeah. That sort of analysis is what most of my work back home was centered around. [[Even if it was less toxic blood and more immortal and how does this even blood]]

[dalectable]

Excellent. Would you be willing to meet me at the Forge, or do you have your own quarters somewhere here?

[triggerhappytraitor]

I have my lab and a small clinic set up here. Some of the equipment is portable, however, so I can meet you if you'd prefer that.

[dalectable]

I will come to you. Just give me a few minutes.

[As promised, she does show up, sans armor but still in her loose tunic and breeches, crystal-studded wolf at her side and sniffing around the clinic curiously.]

Hello?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[The air in the clinic has a faintly herbal scent, from the mist humidifier on the side of the desk having a few oils in its water and the glass cabinet of dried and tinctured herbs (that stood in contrast to the one next to it that held far more modern medical supplies.)

Tachibana got to his feet, closing the laptop he was working on, giving her a nod of acknowledgment.]]

You're the one I spoke with on the network, right?

Private, Protection II

[dino_zarf]

My training is... specific, but it sounds like it might apply to this particular situation.

[dalectable]

I take it Riddick spoke with you?

[dino_zarf]

He did.

I spent some time studying midwifery in Bando.

[As one does on the murderjaunt]

[dalectable]

I sincerely hope he wasn't asking you to teach him midwifery? [Because the idea of Riddick attempting to help deliver their child is sweet yet mildly alarming.]

[dino_zarf]

No, only baby wrangling.

[It's a different category]

But I might be able to answer... some questions.

[dalectable]

That seems more like him.

... I take it you helped deliver your daughter?

Not on the network...

[itsananimalthing]

[Somebody's waiting at the forge for whatever answer she gets from the various doctor-ish type people on the network, sitting at one of the tables with a tablet, rather than a sketchbook or a regular book, scrolling through various texts he's picked up from more technologically advanced Jaunt worlds without really paying much attention to them.

None of them, after all, are on babies.]

[dalectable]

[When she returns, she hovers in the doorway, staring at Riddick in silence and wondering if he'll forgive her for this. Ever.]

... I'm at least 4 months along. It must have happened when we were on that island with the repressed elves.

[itsananimalthing]

[Riddick sighs, runs a hand over his head, and says succinctly,]

Fuck.

[This is not the place for babies. It is not the time for babies. He is not the person for babies. A beat later, he adds:]

Is it okay? Healthy and shit?

[dalectable]

Apparently I kept the immortal ichor from Olympus, which we're guessing either healed some of the Blight damage or reversed some of its effects. The Blight is still present, but so is the ichor.

[As for Riddick's question:][Takes the print-out of the sonogram and passes it to him, pointing out the blurry features.] That's the head. These are the legs, and that's one of the arms.

[Hesitates, then adds:] Tachibana also offered to work on something to keep the infant safe from the Blight while in my womb. To make sure there's no chance of infection.

[itsananimalthing]

[The only time Riddick has ever seen a baby ultrasound is in an infiltration, well before Jaunt time, and that was literally only once. It takes her pointing out the features before he has any idea what he's seeing-- and even then, he's just glad it's in black and white or he might not make out anything.

He sits and stares at it for a long moment, expression all but nonexistent. Finally he says:]

Vilari, I don't got any idea how to do this.

[dalectable]

For what it's worth? I don't, either.

[She watches him a while longer and finally asks, voice soft:] Do you want me to leave? We... aren't actually married. You don't owe me anything, and the child doesn't need to be your responsibility. You have enough to worry about, here, and more than enough people who depend on you.

[It would hurt. A lot. But she'd remove herself for him, even if she might refuse to terminate the pregnancy itself.]