Ash glanced up at Blackshade. "Yeah? Work alone, die alone."
He didn't answer, but just contemplated her quietly. Next to her, Azreth grinned. "Work together, die together is better?" Behind Azreth, Gray chanted quietly about working alone, living alone and dying alone.
Ash glanced at him, then shrugged nonchalantly. "So don't listen to me. Just don't be crying to me when I'm sewing you up." With that said, she reached for some more coffee. Azreth grinned at her again good-naturedly.
"Ah, I"d have to be smiling."
"Why do I believe that?" Ash -- almost -- smiled.
Ed had been listening to the conversation and found a perfect moment to join in. "But, if you die alone, your corpse doesn't smell bad for other people. And no one will want to bury your corpse. So the animals get to eat, too!" The room was quieted as everyone turned to look at Ed. He just smiled. "Didactyl's especially. They get mean if they don't get fed!"
Ash sipped her coffee as Blackshade offered more alcohol to anyone wanting some. She smiled at Gray's quiet inquiry as to his own state of being when he was brought in. She contemplated what Ed had said, then shook her head. "Corpses don't last that long here, Ed."
Az grinned to himself. "Then again, if you die alone, the animals get your meat, as opposed to something wholesome like your best buddy."
Ed looked at Ash, his admiration open. She did not notice as she went off to get her third cup of coffee. Azreth shrugged at her indifference. Ed looked at Ash a moment longer, then looked at Azreth. "You have incredible ears," he said.
Azreth grinned. Your voice carries when no one else is talking."
"I will have to remember that," Ed said, his voice thoughtful.
Near them, Gray noticed Ash going for her third cup of coffee and looked at Mera worriedly. "Is she that tired?"
Mera shrugged. "I don't know if she's tired or addicted." The group broke out in merry chatter, each adding their own barb about the joys of being addicted to caffeine. Azreth noted that her coffee addiction was far better then the usual amphetamines most took. Gray confessed he was not addicted to anything, except coffee. And Mera realized, with growing concern, that her coffee was getting very cold. As the talk continued, Dr. Rictor Mortis arrived elsewhere on the floor for his usual rounds. The good doctor was the hospitals mortician and he tended to love his work more then most. As his feet slapped around the bare hallways, the conversation in the cafeteria continued.
Ash looked at Shade, who had broken out in song. She questioned him on that as Azreth and Ed fell back into idle chat. "What brings you here tonight, Ed? The conversation?" Azreth asked cheekily.
Ed shook his head. "A job. If anyone has one to offer."
Ash sidled up to Ed, looking at Azreth. "Fetch me motor oil. I'll pay you in.. hmm what do you need?"
"The love of a good woman. Or food that doesn't come from here."
The slapping sound increased, then stopped by the cafeteria doors. They swung open slightly as Dr. Rictor Mortis came in. Mera spotted him first, her face not changing. Gray looked at her cup and began to offer to warm it when he saw the doctor. The doctor had a stethoscope hanging over his neck, its metal tip swinging over his heart. His usual meticulous appearance was soiled only by a spot of dark crimson in his coat pocket. The pocket bulged a bit, his fingers delved into it twitching constantly. He smiled a toothy grin as Ash answered Ed.
"I can get you a woman. I can't guarantee she'll love you after the nights done, thought."
"I can't guarantee your can of motor oil's going to be full," Ed barked back, shrugging.
Ash grinned crookedly. "Well, I might be able to scrounge up some food, though."
Ed looked up at her, his eyes reemphasizing the food could not be from the cafeteria. Ed then saw Rictor and his face went a bit pale. The doctor smiled again. "Hello, Ed!"
"Uh hello doctor." Ed's voice was forcibly polite. The doctor continued to stare at him, not appearing to care the crimson spot on his jacket was growing larger.
Ash folded her arms across her chest. "So. You'll get it?" Her voice was impatient, but was drowned out by the doctor.
"What is for dinner tonight?" He seemed almost to leer as he looked at Ed, the duality in his words unmistakable. Behind them, Gray showed Mera his ability to control the power of his brain by warming her coffee with only his mind. She paid close attention to him, desiring no awareness of the disturbing conversation unfolding between Rictor and Ed.
"I heard they are having liver and onions." The doctor's hair was shiny, as slick and oily as his voice.
Ed just stared at him as he answered Ash's question on their deal. "Yeah. If you get me what you promised me. You'll have your oil."
A drip of crimson fluid dropped from the doctor's pocket.
"I'll get it." Ash said, annoyed. She looked at Rictor as Ed continued his walking around the room.
"Liver and onions?" Ed asked, assuming not to know what the doctor spoke off. Ash rolled her shoulders. Might be some left." The doctor got in the serving line excitedly, his face eager as he always enjoyed food preparation. Ed erased from his mind the thought of WHOSE liver it was being served.
Nurse Mera, now holding her hot coffee thanks to Gray, wrinkled her pretty nose. "Liver and Onions. Yuk."
Blackshade looked up from his table. "I need a pulse cannon. Anyone have one of those?" he asked.
Azreth shook his head, but Gray turned to look at him. "Pulse Cannon?"
"Didn't the nukes outlaw them?" Ed asked.
As the conversation turned to the guns available in Sabatt, Ash noticed the reddish tint to the doctors pocket. She made the comment to Blackshade that Cain could possibly help him, then turned away from the men. Concerned, she made her way over and tapped the doctor on the shoulder. He stiffened under the human touch and looked at her.
"Hey," she said. "You OK?"
"Yes, very well, thank you." His voice was smooth, polite.
"Your cut, aren't you?" Ash said, indicating the pocket.
He looked down and laughed softly. "Part of the trade, I'm afraid."
"Would you like me to look at it?" Ash asked, thinking him wounded.
His eyes grew excited as he stepped away from the cafeteria line. "You would like to see it?" His eyes were wide, like a thrilled child. Ash nodded, silently wondering if she was making the right decision. "A beautiful thing, quite rare actually," the doctor said, delving his hand into his pocket. Behind them, each of the people in the cafeteria watched, though none was aware of any of the others, so compelling was the scene taking place at the tray line. Gray felt chilled inside at the presence of the coroner, but tried not to show it. Mera leaned her arm on the table, propping her chin in her hand. Azreth watched Ash, grimacing a bit.
"Lets see it." Ash's voice was brave. Curiosity killed the cat, but how many times? The doctor smiled and withdrew a clump, like a mass, from his pocket. Ash leaned forward. She did not flinch or pull back; her nursing had forced her to see many unpleasant things. In the palm of the doctor's hand rested a human eye, pink and eternally sighted. Ed got up and left. He went to lobby, asking himself why he always had to see things like that.
Back in the cafeteria, the doctor preened over his prized. "Remarkable, isn't it?"
"Yup. Its an eye. Gonna put it on ice?" Ash was nonchalant.
"Yeah," Azreth piped up "Their always better on ice."
"Yes, On ice " the doctor's voice was slow, Ed's sudden departure not lost on him.
Ash reached up and gripped the doctor's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Just what I was thinking. We don't get enough good specimens around here."
Incredulous looks passed between Gray and Mera, who had been having a quiet conversation about various states of fatigue. Azreth, who had his own sense of humor, simply settled back and allowed the night to continue on its own path.
Outside the cafeteria, yet another patron moved towards the hospital doors. The man's gait was methodical, each footstep a purpose. He had one blue eye that constantly moved, watching each corner he turned. His name was Zac and he was all about business. He searched in his pocket for a package of cigarettes and was annoyed when he came up empty. He grunted and turned to the double doors of the emergency room. Pushing them open, his bangs fell into his eye as he moved noisily into the lobby. His boot heels left marks on the floor as he moved through the room to the cafeteria. He slipped into the cafeteria quietly, only interested in how many were in the room and not the actual names of the patrons.
Rictor suddenly closed his fingers around the eyeball in his palm. "No, we don't get too many specimens" he repeated. In his mind, Ash was the prize. He slipped the eye back into his pocket.
"Well, Rictor. I won't keep you from your dinner. I'm just glad you didn't slice yourself." Ash smiled a silly grin.
"Never." The doctor's voice was almost a wheeze.
Zac's entrance was met with a nod by Azreth. He nodded in return, curt, but never much more than that. Zac grabbed an apple, Rictor brushing past him. The mortician had almost forgotten what he was in line for. The smell of liver and onions drifted over the air, reminding him. Zac moved away from the coroner to go to his usual spot in the back of the room. Rictor, still thinking of Ash, left the cafeteria. Behind him, a trail of perfectly round dots of blood followed him.
Gray, wishing to not think of the mortician, turned to Mera. "What was your childhood like?" he asked, pulling the vague question out of nowhere. Behind him, Zac bit into the apple and the juice ran over his chin. He wiped it on his shoulder as Mera, not hearing Gray at first, looked at Ash.
"Was Rictor all right?"
Ash inhaled deeply, the only sign she was at all creeped out by Rictor. She nodded at Mera. "Oh yeah. He had an eyeball in his pocket." Ash said, then glanced oddly at Zac. Her gaze was met with only a flickering glance.
Azreth looked up from his table, remembering something and grinning. "You have still managed not to tell me why you dislike your name, Ash"
Ash just looked at him as Mera pondered her in wonder. "In his pocket? Strange place to store one, isn't it?"
"Oh, yeah, I'd say strange." Ash nodded swiftly. Then, she finally answered Azreth. "No one pronounces it right, OK?"
Azreth snorted. "That is such a cop out."
Ash grinned weakly. "Its all your gonna get."
"You're no fun." Azreth feigned attempt at a pout. Behind him, the soft sigh of relief could be heard from Zac. His gratitude at finally being able to eat was extreme.
Ash snorted and went to the coffee pot. "Ask anyone. I'm barrels of fun."
"Eh. To each their own" Azreth shrugged his shoulders in resolve. The doors to cafeteria pushed open, Ed Archer once again behind them. He had run into the chilly coroner on his way in and was looking for a diversion. And on the wall, the clock kept ticking.
Mera finally noticed Gray had been trying to get her attention and turned to him. "You're quiet." Her voice was soft.
"Oh. Sorry. Was thinking of something."
"Something bothering you?" Mera sipped her coffee.
Gray flushed a bit as her chestnut eyes regarded him. "Actually, I asked you something, but you didn't hear it."
"Umm. What was it?" Her voice flitted over to the far side of the room. Ash, baring two cups of coffee, headed in Zac's direction. Without being asked, he raised his legs to lean on the table and one toe pushed out a chair for her. Ash smiled at him and took the offered seat. She was off duty. As best as he could, offered a weak smile in return. Mera watched, then looked back at Gray.
"Just about your early childhood." Gray shrugged, though his tone said he was apparently hurt by her indifference.
"My childhood? Oh, it wasn't anything special. Dad worked at the hospital all day. I kinda grew up here." Gray nodded, listening intently. From the doorway, Ed watched Zac, curious as to what the one-eyed man ate.
"Nothing much, huh? Guess that is nice in a sense. Not much danger, I suppose?" Gray asked Mera, his attention completely on her.
She nodded, her mind drifting to get lost in the nostalgic reverie of memories of her father. "When he was off duty, we would have fun. He would take me to the library, or one of the old museums. Not that there was much left in them, but it was interesting." Gray nodded. Mera looked fully at him. "Danger? Not for me. The doc's here keep me pretty well confined. I don't get to get out much. Never really have."
Close to her, Ed leaned in, trying to pick up her soft words. "It is nice that you were safe, at least. Had a loving father..."
Mera nodded. "He was the best. I miss him very much."
"Sometimes it is for the best that you couldn't get out much." Gray's voice trailed off
'I wanted to follow in his footsteps, be a doctor." She looked up at Gray, who had wandered off in his own head with his own memories of Azriel.
She smiled. "What about yours?"
On the other side of the room, Ash had been sipping at her coffee, trying to think of something to say. Zac kept his feet up and looked at her. "Hey doc." His voice was low, very raspy. As he spoke, the cafeteria doors swung open again. Nurse Terra came in, her shift ready to begin. Behind her, a young woman walked with her head bent, writing on a very small piece of paper. She was not looking where she was going. Ash glanced at them, then up at Zac.
"Hey." Zac bit his apple again, watching her. Her movements were almost shy, awkward. He tilted his head to one side, his thoughts reverting back to last night then clearing just as quickly.
"There a cat in here?" He attempted to jest.
Ash's shoulders hunched. She laughed softly, realizing how ridiculous she must seem. "Maybe in the stew."
Zac chuckled. "Great. Cat stew."
"Among other things." Ash's voice was sly. Zac grinned, then changed the subject.
From where she spoke with Gray, Mera caught sight of Nurse Terra and waved. The young lady who was still keeping her head down twitched her ears a bit. She smelled food. Her name was Kait and she clutched to the small piece of paper in her hand like it was gold. She stuffed it and a piece of ragged charcoal in her pocket as she made her way towards the stew.
Gray watched the girl with the paper, then looked back at Mera. She had asked about his childhood. "Me? When my parents were alive, they were wonderful. It has been so long since they have been alive. Or so it seems. " He brightened a bit as he talked of his parents.
Nurse Terra approached him and Mera. "How are you, Mera?" The nurse smiled.
"I'm well. And you?" Mera sipped her coffee again.
"Well enough. Complaining never helps, " Terra said, shrugging softly. Her shrug was caught by Ash, who was still seated near Zac. Zac crossed his ankles one over the other. He and Ash had been discussing the need of a driver, a subject that kept them off the more personal one of some mutual spark from before which they hadn't really delved into anyway; both of them self dancing around it repeatedly. Ash twisted her coffee cup around, watching him.
At the food line, Kait had found a bowl and helped herself to more then most would take. Near her, Ed washed his face and hands. Azreth kept his chin in his palm, his expression one of boredom.
Mera leaned forward and squeezed Gray's hand. "Old memories are always wonderful."
"I mostly remember growing up on the streets. Had my good and bad times." Gray droned on." The cafeteria was just a quiet hum of mechanical and huumunn rhythm as yet another hour slipped by.
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