She snorted a bit at that. "I don't know anything."
"Yeah you do." Ed's voice was insistent, knowledgeable.
Ash picked at piece of fabric pill. "Yeah, right."
Ed looked at her for a moment. "Your skeptical about your own abilities?"
"I know what I can't do. And that's a lot. You think I want to spend my time stitching up bullet wounds?" Her voice was agitated, as if being forced to admit something she didn't really want to.
"What would you rather be doing?" Ed's question was laced with curiosity.
"It's all I know how to do," Ash replied, knowing in her heart that really wasn't an answer.
Ed shrugged a bit. "That's not what I asked...but if you don't want to answer..." his voice trailed off purposely.
Ash glanced at him, but his eyes remained on the wall. She shrugged. "I always ... well ... This magic stuff always interested me...but, I know it don't work, so what is the use?
"That's like wanting to fly and telling yourself it is impossible. Where there is a will there is a way." He sighed a bit. "But, I do not know any magic, so you're on your own.
"It is impossible. It is all myth and stories."
"The stories have to come from somewhere," Ed said pointedly.
"Maybe. I'm too busy here...to look into it. Too much to do." Ash's response was almost drowned out by the chirping of the E7 paging system, calling for Doctor Terra Skye.
Ed glanced at the ceiling; source of the page, then returned his eyes to the wall. "There is never too much work to live, you know. If you want to learn magic. Then learn it."
Ash chuckled, almost bitter but more resigned. "You don't work here."
"That is all too true. Maybe I spoke too soon," Ed mused.
"This is life," Ash responded, before noticing the messenger waiting at the nurse's desk. Her head turned a bit as Terra emerged from the OR, then stopped to speak with the messenger.
"This is your life for now." Ed's voice was a bit cryptic. Behind him, Terra confirmed she was Dr. Skye to the messenger's query. A sealed paper was thrust at her. One glance brought a smile to her face.
Ash smiled. "Well, she seems OK. Guess the surgery went well." She then looked at Ed again. "Right. My life."
Ed sighed. "You shouldn't be limited to this place." He glanced to his left, watching Terra peruse the note.
"Who else is gonna do it, Ed? Who else are people gonna go to?" Ash was almost insistent as the messenger cleared his throat behind her.
"I'm waiting for a reply," the boy said. Terra finished reading it, then wrote a reply.
Ed watched for a second, and then frowned, looking back at Ash. "I don't know. I wish I could help."
"You said we, huumunns are a dying breed. Well, the medics and docs are endangered."
"That is true. And you keep us from extinction," Ed said as Terra approached them.
She stuffed her hands in her pockets, and then smiled at Ash. "Well, he is alive, anyway."
Ash nodded and smiled at Terra. "Good to hear. That doc...he's a good one."
"I should get back up there. The next 24 hours will be touch and go." Terra ran her hand over hair.
Ash cocked her head at her. "What was that all about?"
"Oh … you mean the message?" At Ash's nod, her face colored. "Oh, just a friend."
"Just a friend?" Ash smirked, her face breaking into a bit of a grin at Terra's flush.
Terra just gave her a look. "I better check on the patient."
"Sure, Terra. When you're done, you must tell me about your friend." Ash's voice was knowing. "Or, you could just tell me now."
Terra ran a hand over her back. "Oh, just a friend. A Freeman … you probably know him.
Ash sat up a bit, her curiosity piqued. "Oh yeah? Who?"
"Do you know their leader?" Terra attempted to keep her voice light. "He is a good friend of Garth's, so he checks in on me from time to time." The cafeteria door opened softly as Dr. Rictor Mortis walked in. Terra smiled at the odd mortician. He had just returned from the street where, unbeknownst to them, he had watched a woman die in her husband's arms. Death was the doctor's symphony, the one thing he truly loved and was good at handling.
Ash watched Terra smile at the doctor, and then leaned forward. "Huh? Gideonn is writing you notes?"
Rictor looked up from his notes on the woman's entrails and gave Terra a smile. "She was a lovely woman. Much like yourself, dear doctor.
Terra nodded, not sure how to take that compliment, before glancing back at Ash. "Yes. Commander Mikkaill."
Ash let out a low whistle. "When did you meet him, Terra?"
"Oh, he visited Garth when he was here."
Ash finally noticed the doctor and inwardly shivered. She had had experiences with what the odd mortician carried around in his pockets and did not want to revisit that scenario tonight. "And he's leaving you notes? Terra, what are you two doing?" Ash's voice was low and conspiratorially.
Terra smiled at the doctor. "Busy night, tonight?" she asked, before looking back at Ash. "Nothing, Mira. Nothing. He is concerned." Her flustered voice said otherwise.
Rictor licked his bottom lip, the taste of the salt there fascinating to him. "Oh yes, quite busy," he said to Terra as he continued to write his notes. "Though nothing of use. The injuries were too, shall we say, devastating?"
Ash glanced at the doctor as he spoke, and then looked back at Terra. "Hmm. I didn't think Commander Mikkaill was concerned with anything but the Freemen." Her point made, she pushed her feet to the ground and stood, twisting her neck from side to side to work the kinks out. She looked to the right as the hospital janitor, Chumba, pushed his cart in. "Hey Chumba," she called kindly, as Chumba was one of her favorite people.
Terra smiled at Chumba, then began gathering up her notes. "Yes, well, Ash, Ricohh just said he may be around the hospital tonight. That is all."
Chumba grinned at them both. "Hey, Mira… How is the cutest paramedic doing this evening?"
Ash flushed, and then whirled her head at Terra again. "He said that?" She whistled lowly, and then punched Chumba in the arm playfully. "Tired, my friend. As usual."
Chumba grinned at her. "Well, you should take a break sometime."
Rictor leaned forward, watching Terra eagerly. "Pardon me, Dr. Skye, but I hear there was a gunshot wound this evening?"
Terra took the opportunity to turn her attentions away from Ash. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I should go check on him. He is in ICU."
The doctor tipped his laser pen in his fingers. "Will he live?" His voice was hopeful, not unlike a child who has been promised candy if they are good.
Terra smirked at the anxious doctor. "Don't count on seeing him anytime soon, Dr. Mortis."
Rictor stood and began pacing. "No? What does he look like? Is he slender or short, tall or rotund?" He moved closer to Terra, his thoughts racing on the strange man.
Terra looked at him oddly. "He is tall and very well built." Her face reddened a bit at saying that, but the doctor didn't seem to notice.
"Yes, Yes…" The doctor's voice was nearly breathless. "Tell me, does he have hair?"
Terra began to back up a step to the ICU. "Yes, he does. Black in color. Nice and thick."
Ash watched the two, almost laughing. "How is that knee doing, Chumba?"
Chumba watched the coroner, shuddering. "He gives me the creeps," he said in a low voice. "The knee's fine, Mira."
Ash smiled. She gave Terra a knowing look that they would talk later and then smiled at Chumba. "I think I will take that break. I need one." She turned on her heel and walked out to the ambulance bay.