Topic: Is there a Doctor in the House...

Raye

Date: 2011-09-22 18:23 EST
(Continued from Faster than a Speeding Bullet

Another long day between work and therapy/healing herself. Everything was so difficult in getting around and just doing. Raye was not feeling so comfortable and it showed. Up to the stairs of the inn and looking for Guido to help. She called Guido over and was tired enough to be begging a hand up the stairs. No, this place was not accessible, not by a long shot. The bouncer picked her up and placed her on the swing, while he wrestled the chair up the stairs.

Hex's head turned from where it sat in the booth, amber-lit eyes observing the newcomer for a moment.

"Miss Raye. Miss Raye!" Katt called. Geez chasing after a woman in a wheelchair was not easy and who knows how long she had been attempting the feet. Spluttering she stumbled in behind the chair, an eye on Guido as he had to..ehehhehe. ..fight with the chair!

Raye looked up and smiled at Katt. She hadn't tried moving from the swing. Too nice a day to be inside. "Hoi, Katt."

Katt stumbled to a stop, hands resting on her knees. Giving herself a moment to catch that breath. Poor girl. She looked like she hadn't slept in a day or two but that smile was ever polite. "H-Hey..wow you can really move in that thing...geez.."

"You know what they say about practice." Raye eyed Katt a bit, "You look worn out."

"Chasing you and you wonder why I am worn out." She spluttered and corrected her stance slowly, a hand resting to the small of her back. "I've been chasing you for...well a really long while. How are you?"

"Getting by, just trying to keep up with normal activities." Raye chuckled a bit, "And why are you stalking me?" She quipped playfully.

From down the street comes the Playboy, dressed as usual in his long black coat over a forest-green polo and blue jeans, whistling to himself as he strides casually along the street. The blue-grey eyes wander back and forth along his path as he meanders along.

Katt spluttered. "I'm not stalking! I wanted to talk to you." A hand rubbed at the back of her head feverishly. "Uhm.." Great now she forgot what was so important!

There was that gentle laugh, "I tease Katt. Now was it business or pleasure?"

Lips pursed as Katt attempted hard to remember. The fact she forgot was a bit startling to herself. "Well I was wondering if you've had a chance to talk to Mister Edward or Leo. You are going to right?"

"I am. I am taking Leo's advice. Either Edward or Kyle." Raye knew someone else in Batten it seemed.

"Mister Edward." She demanded firmly and sagely nodded. She was just...giving her friendly opinion of course. "Oh! I got something for you." Katt waggled around, trying to get her bag from her hip to her stomach and started to dig through.

"Yes, Ma'am." She arched a brow at Katt. Strangely enough there was a green ribbon tied around one of the handle of the chair.

Coming down the street, Edward spies the Inn. And those on the porch. Hmm. Well, at least there's no one trying to kill him today; that's definitely a plus. Turning towards the porch, his steps take on a more direct, purposeful stride as he makes his way towards the building.

Katt stopped digging when she heard steps and glanced over to Edward. "Wow..speak of the devil." Ha! "Mister Edward! Hi!" Exhausted as she looked there was nothing stopping that excitement for some reason or another.

Raye

Date: 2011-09-22 18:26 EST
Raye hadn't made an attempt to move herself from the swing yet. "Indeed, Speak of the devil." There was a smile though.

"Oh! Here we go." Katt found the thin, nice sized box and offered it out to Raye with a smile. Her eyes drifted to Edward briefly, the smile losing some of its strength. Never mind the dark look that crept into her eyes. She turned back to Raye. "I hope you like them."

Raye blinked at the box and opened it, very much off guard. It was just a little self-indulging kit really. A delectable chocolate-dipped assortment consisting of chocolate truffles and giant, delicious strawberries smothered in rich dark premium chocolate. Some of the strawberries even had almond shavings or sprinkles. Yes....Katt had recently found out that candy sprinkles are available to buy. And buy she did!

"An' he's sure t'show." Edward grins as he approaches the porch and climbs the stairs, clearing most of them in a single bound up and taking the remainder in a single stride. "Alt'ough Ah've always been sure dat de Devil is a woman, myself."

Raye smiled and blinked, "Ohh, This is wonderful Katt." Chocolate covered strawberries had her tearing up a little.

Katt's eyes flicked to Edward, considering how to even go about stating something about the whole devil thing. She decided to bite her tongue which...hearing Raye made it easier to do. She didn't say the reason for the yummy treat. She didn't need to! She just smiled a bit. "Would you like me to go get you a drink Miss Raye?"

Raye smiled at Katt, "You are going to seriously spoil me, Katt. If you don't mind?" She was seriously gonna make it up to her, she just kept it to herself.

"What would you like?" Katt stepped a few to the side and glanced to Edward, silently seeing if he too wanted a drink fetched. Aka...she wasn't letting him go inside. Sneaky sneaky.

"Juice would be fine." Raye glanced at Edward a moment

Edward shakes his head at Katt, correctly interpreting the look. He hadn't meant to go inside just yet anyway. "Ah'm good, t'anks."

Hex's eyes watched the porch through one of the windows, audio sensors picking up the voices outside and identifying Edward Batten by his voice.

Katt stared longer at Edward but the stare was almost as if she was seeing past the man. Far off expression was snapped and she blinked, a hand lifting to her temple to rub at it. "Right..Okay..yeah.."

Raye shook her head, "Why do I feel like I've been checkmated?" She said good naturedly

Edward chuckles, moving over towards the outside wall of the Inn and leaning against it, his blue-gray eyes sweeping the street and the scenery beyond. "Mebbe 'cause ya have been?"

"Maybe, Knowing the way Katt has been trying to help me. So how much have you been told?"

Edward shrugs, his gaze still moving around and along the street as he leans, his hands moving to shove themselves into his pockets. "'Bout what?"

A polite little smile was flashed to Julianna and was just about to ask if she needed anything but seems like she had her drink already. So..off to the cooler with Katt. Sliding her way along she remained ever out of the way. Poking the cooler, she kept her attention on it as she dug inside, pulling out two bottles of cranberry juice. The cooler was allowed to close on it's own as she retreated out from behind the bar, slowing on her way to the door.

Raye

Date: 2011-09-22 18:37 EST
"The fact I plan on walking again and lack the resources to do it." She said quietly enough and used her hands to shift her weight to sit kiddy corner on the swing.

"Oh." Edward nods, still not looking in her direction...almost deliberately, it might seem. "Dat." His gaze takes in the surrounding scenery once more before he directs his gaze towards Raye with a grin. ?"Mebbe de bes' question isn' how much I know, but how much Ah don't know."

"Well, let's start with what you don't know." Raye smiled a bit at him.

Nudging the door open, Katt was quick to slide outside and make her way to Raye. For now her eyes remained down and ears to herself.

Raye glanced to the Katt. "(vq) Yanno. It's a good thing I like you so much. Thank you."

The bottle was held out and Katt's eyes tilted to Raye with a blank stare. "(vs) Mrm?"

She took the bottle. "(vq) For being there."

Whatever cheerful mood Katt had been in seemed to of been lost at some point. There wasn't even a smile to be offered. "(vs) No clue what you are talking about.."

Raye looked at Katt, "(vq) What's wrong?"

Edward Batten: He chuckles softly, turning his attention back to the street for a moment. "Doc, y'all'd be s'prised at what Ah don't know."

"(vs) Nothing." The word was hollowed out to the point it was almost cold. Katt's eyes shifted over to Edward when he piped in.

Raye looked worried about Katt now. "Don't make me sicc the Gryphon on you."

Katt's eyes slid over to Raye with a look that could of chilled most men's hearts. "Don't do that." Because it would probably become a football. Punt!

Raye shook her head with a soft sigh. "And there's a lot I don't know." She pulled her chair closer and dug out a disk. "Been working up the specs and schematics for the implants I plan on using."

Edward grins, still not looking at either of them, and therefore missing both looks. "She's not happy wit' me. Eit'er dat or it's her way of tellin' ya not ta t'ank her."

Katt glanced over to Edward. "Me?"

"Well, dere ain't no one else here t'be talkin' bout, mon souer." He turns a grin and a wink towards Katt.

"You are wrong in your assumptions." Katt snipped a tiny bit then raised a hand to her forehead. She grew silent and shook her head. "S-Sorry.."

Raye murmured quietly, "What I am thinking is that is has something to do with something you saw in the inn and when you are ready to talk, you will." The voice was gentle when she said.

That gets a roll of Edward's eyes, and he reaches out to pat Katt on the shoulder. "No 'pologies, petit. Ain't de firs' time Ah've been wrong." He chuckles, looking over towards Raye. "So. Yer gonna have t'tell me what it is ya need b'fore Ah'm gonna consider it."

"No.." Katt shook her head and dragged her hand up her face and through her hair. "That wasn't it either. I don't..know.." She didn't quite know what crawled up her spine but whatever it was..felt dark. "Sorry. I didn't..mean to snap at you two. Maybe I should go.."

"I am looking at medical grade cybernetic and Bio-ware implants. The idea is to reroute the nervous system past the damage and reestablish a working connection." Raye replied to Edward's comment.

It'll be one of the few times Edward ever directs a look at his favorite pastry chef that's anything other than a positive one. "Don' be silly, chere. Ya know yer welcome anytime 'round me." Turning his attention back to Raye, he nods as he hears her out. "Ah figured as much. A good idea, too."

Maybe it was just the lack of sleep. Katt nodded to Edward but otherwise kept quiet. Techno mumbo jumbo..over her head.

Raye nods to Katt in agreement to Edward's words. "The tech is cutting edge in my time, but it's fairly safe and thoroughly tested. Problem comes in the manufacture. I've had one offer....nearly crammed down my throat by someone that thought he could bully me into trusting him."

Raye

Date: 2011-09-22 18:38 EST
There's a thoughtful look then as Edward looks over at Raye, and he's silent for a moment before he speaks again. "Not an easy t'ing t'come by, in any world. So. what is it y'all're wantin' from me?"

"I've been informed by a certain Security chief that you might be able to manufacture it." Was she now sounding unsure. Maybe a little bit. Raye opened her bottle and took a drink.

A little smile twitched Katt's lips. Maybe at what Raye said or that she actually got who she was talking about. Something she finally understood! Lowering her eyes she started to toy with the cap of her drink, trying to get it open.

Edward nods, a thoughtful expression coming over his features as he looks out towards the street again. "Cert'nly poss'ble. Even likely. But as someone of yer background prob'ly knows, dere's few t'ings in any world dat come free."

There was a nod to that, "I know." Here come those price tags and strings. "What do you have in mind?" There was sort of a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Though she'd rather deal with a dragon from her world than deal with anyone else.

The bottle fiddling came in and out, most of the time Katt spent rubbing at her temple as if there was a hellish headache forming. Maybe it was the attempt to keep up with the conversation' Who knows!

Edward's attention remains on the street, though a grin tugs at his features once again. "Well...my comp'ny has a medical an' cybernetics research division...problem is dat no one in dat department has anyt'ing resemblin' practical experience. Deir job to dis point has been t'eoretical, for de mos' part, tryin' to adapt certain designs to be used in sit'ations such as yers."

"But no one with the degrees to put it into practice." Raye nodded at that, listening. Maybe this might just be a win-win. "And?"

Either Katt was really listening or she totally zoned out. That empty stare was off down the street like nobody was home. La la~

That gets a chuckle. "What d'ya mean, 'and'" Ah'd've t'ought've it'd be pref'ctly obvious. Ah need some'ne wit' de knowledge an' de skill to head up de department."

Okay, Department head wasn't as obvious as work for him in said department, "So I bring along the information and head up this department." Talk about dream come true. "And is there a catch?"

Katt grunted and elbowed Edward. Stop beating around the bush man! Turning slightly she mumbled at him. "(vsw) Don't make her beg. No more beignets."

Raye had to bite back a bark of a laugh at Katt's comment. The girl knew how to get to the heart of the matter

Edward chuckles....shaking his head as he looks over at Katt. "Ah'm not makin' her beg, petit. Ah'm tellin' her what Ah need, jus' as she told me what she needs." He turns his attention back to Raye. "No catch. Ah'll even t'row in a place to stay an' any amenities ya might need in de bargain." He grins. "It's not a free ride, mind you. Yall'll have to work for what yer gettin' out de deal. But Ah promise ya...ya won' be dis'pointed."

Heyyy! Raye wasn't suppose to hear that. Apparently her headache was stopping Katt from being quiet. Something Edward said made her snort a laugh out. Something she ended up clamping her hand over her mouth to hide. Innocent look!

Raye

Date: 2011-09-22 18:40 EST
Raye crossed her arms. She was expected to work one way or another, though this was better than she hoped. There was a look between Edward and Katt....Innocent. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeyeah right. "Where do I sign?"

Katt blinked at the man who she just now noticed was on the porch with the rest of them. Her eyes flicked over to Aerol curiously then Shy who got a little wave in return.

That gets a snort. "Where Ah come from, de word is de bond." He grins, putting his left hand out towards Raye. "Well, dat and a handshake."

Erde burst out of the storeroom where she made her nest with all the energy of a firecracker, chasing after a rat! The rat was taunting the gryphon, holding up a stolen cookie and laughing before darting away. Erde slid across the floor diving after the rat, who hid under a table. "Badddd Rat. Erde's Yum!!!"

Raye grasped the hand. "Alright. I can accept that." She was from a harsher time, good thing she got out while she could.

Katt's eyes flicked to Edward and Raye, watching the two close the deal so to speak.

Edward gives Raye's hand a single, firm shake. That hand is hard and calloused, not the grip of a man who sits behind a desk all day at all. Releasing his grip, he takes his hand with a grin and nods to her. "Good 'nuff fer me."

"So I am assuming the sooner I get settled, the sooner I can get to work?"

Katt felt a little better now for Raye. Soon she wouldn't have an excuse to call herself a cripple any longer. Her eyes shot away, staring down the street. Painfully the muscles of her upper arms coiled, enough to make her twitch.

Raye looked to Erde and chuckled softly, "That rat's in for it."

There was a scuffle under the table, before Erde emerged with a rat tail dangling from her beak, and a cookie in her claws.

Edward nods, a grin still on his lips. "Oh, if ya need stuff moved Ah can arrange dat...ya can start whenever yer ready." Pointedly he looks at the wheelchair, then back to Raye again. "Ah understand if ya feel de need to get t'ings settled b'fore ya get down to bus'ness."

She toddled her furry self over to Raye and held up her cookie in triumph, "Erde win!"

"I don't have too much I'm attached to." She gave a shrug, "Just have to pack the personal effects." She patted her lap for the Mini-Gryphon, "Good Job." The Mini-Gryphon hopped up.

Raye chuckled. Edward's men were going to be in for surprise at how little she really had.

"(vsw) Stop it.." The words hissed out of her lips thinly and blink. She looked over to Raye and Edward, her head tilting to the side. "She is going to move in or something?"

Erde sniggled down into Raye's lap and nibbled her cookie. Raye ranher fingers along the gryphon's back. Erde purred with the light touch.

Edward shrugs. "Ah wasn't jus' referrrin' to your possessions..." there's another grin.

Raye arched a brow at that. Color her preplexed...."The Chair?"

"Actually,. ah was referrin' t'gettin' ya out of de chair."

"Erde like the movin chair! Is fun." The little gryphon nods, still nibbling.

Katt grinned. Raye sounded like herself. The grin was short lived and she pushed away from the two to stumble her way to the railing. Grabbing onto it she leaned forward and stared over the edge.

"That's the plan." She smiled at him.

"Naturally." He pushes off from the wall and stretches. "Jus' so ya know, yer prob'ly gonna wanta work on a step-by-step fer dose dat'll be performin' de procedure...somehow Ah doubt ya'll'll be able to do it yerself."

Raye nodded at that, "Agreed. Think you can point out the best in the department?"

Edward chuckles, nodding. "Oh, dat won't be a problem."

Raye chuckled at that, "Why do I think you've already got someone in mind?"

Bored, Erde rolled over on her back, and started batting at Raye's hair like a kitten at strings. Raye chuckled, tickling the Gryphon. Erde giggles.

There's another chuckle as Edward heads towards the stairs. "Why, 'cause Ah do, o'course." He turns his gaze towards Katt and gives her a wink. "Ah'll see ya t'morrow mornin', mon souer." And with that he's headed out into the night for home.

Raye shook her head laughing. Not much was surprising her. She tossed a sketchy salute to the new boss and looked thoughtful.

Katt blinked slowly out of her sickly daze and peered at Edward. She smiled a bit and waved after Edward. "T-Tell..mrm..Leo I sorta need to speak to him. T-Take care mon frere.." Did she say it right"

? She said it right. With a grin as Edward reaches the bottom of the steps he looks back at Katt. "Ah'll relay de message, petit." And then he's headed off down the street and out of sight.

(Based on Live-RP with Edward Batten, Katt and Erde. Thank you soooooooo much!)

Raye

Date: 2011-09-24 20:31 EST
Doc took a moment to breath and review her case files. She some special cases as well as her duties with Batten and the work at the Hospices.

The work at the Hospices was slow going and heartbreaking. While she was able to save many, a few still slipped through her fingers. The very young, elderly and those whose systems were compromised by other illnesses were the common victims. It was not an easy task but one made bearable by the help and support of the Priestesses.

Equally heartbreak was being the attending physician on Leo's case. Leo was grievously injured trying to rescue Katt in what could only be described as a cluster-f**k. Were it not for the quick thinking of the students from The Institute of Arcane Principle, he might not have survive. As it was, he was currently in a coma with no signs of coming out yet.

Bad enough she was considering stepping in to cover the gap in the line of defense though Mystique had the training and the instincts needed. Yet that would not work either, as the Amerind Elf was allergic to synthetic materials. No, she was better off in the background and keeping the guys alive. Her calling really"

Maybe she needed to pattern Batten's emergency response after Doc Wagon, especially with the HTR services. Something to design and run by Kyle at some point.

It hurt to know that the wheelchair hampered her effectiveness. She would need to see if Edward had any options. If not, Race had been making noises in that regard. She wanted to work with her employer/friend first before looking elsewhere" No matter how much she enjoyed Race's company.

Katt had been trying to set her up with any guy that she showed interest in. Leo, Race" Even Kyle" She had gotten indignant when Doc spoke of Edward in the same light. Raye had to clarify that she knew Edward was off limits and that his interests lie with Francine" Hells she knew Leo and Kyle did not see her in that way.

What male did" It was a hurt she tried to keep buried yet it reared its ugly head sometimes. At first she knew that if was her intelligence that put most off. Now the wheelchair made it easier to overlook her. People kept assuring her otherwise, but she knew better. She knew first hand how it felt"

People wanted her to rest but life made that difficult. She was supposed to have an elf rooming with her yet no one finalized that with her. She felt a bit bullied into accepting the help in spite of the fact she had a real hard time accepting strangers close to her. She needed help with the day-to-day things. People seemed content with pushing strangers on her. No one asked her how she felt or what her thoughts were on the matter. She needed to be able to walk again?

Which led her to her personal project. Ed had sanctioned the project as a benefit of working for him. The cybernetics were being designed and fabricated at this moment. That was the easy part. She needed to know who would be doing the procedure. She needed to know their skill set so she could tailor the walkthrough accordingly"

" Most of all she needed to be able to trust who was acting as surgeon"

That scared her most of all in this.

Then there was the bioware implants she had to cultivate. The lab jockeys had been surprised with her request until she explained what to do"

" She needed to start charging for lessons"

Once she had a viable process established within the current technology, then she could expand it to pubic uses. For not it was best as an emergency solution. She did not think Rhydin could handle the body shops the made use of cosmetic bioware enhancements"

So much heartache, and little time to deal with it"

Raye

Date: 2011-09-25 10:58 EST
She dragged her tired tail back to her apartment. She figured it was penance for getting involved in the continuation of that mess. She put herself through the ringer again last night and was feeling rather battered for it. When it was all said an done, the doctor had been left to fend for herself.

Worse of all was seeing Race ....disintegrate. She couldn't shake the image at all and couldn't stop the slow tears as she rolled through the streets of the city. She was feeling worse than useless in many ways, though she was able to give the city's defenses a much needed information boost.

"(vq) Heroes 1, Villians - 7." She murmured to herself.

There was a couple of times, she had to keep her pistol in hand to warn off anyone thinking she would be an easy mark.

No, it was time to accelerate the projects as much as safely possible....She needed to know who would be the surgeon and how much help they would need.

That was the priority...

Raye

Date: 2011-09-25 22:05 EST
Raye was still looking so tired as she maneuvered her wheelchair to her laptop to begin focusing on her work. She would take the time to do her rounds later; she just wanted to make headway in the design and the walk-through needed. She had a cup of coffee with her and still could not shake those images.

~...raye...~ her name a ghostly whisper, almost muffled in its utterance from seemingly nowhere.

She looked up, the brow knitting in concern. She recognized that voice. "Race?"

~....raye...~ her name came again as though from some place vastly far away. ~...help....~

She wheeled away from the computer as if looking, "Where" How can I help, Race?" Yes, the doctor accepted without question.

Green dots begin to glide from every surface available in the room like a miniature big-bang as the swirl along the floor and build upward. Flickering like a hologram, his image shifts erratically. ~...radiation...~ the words move out of synch with his green colored mouth. ~...sickness.....basics....~

"Frag, It took Wolvinator's tech to cure me. What do I need to do?" She moved towards the image.

The gathered particles of the image splice a few times in a broken feed. ~...knowledge....~ his face was scrunched in extreme concentration as if took everything he had to keep the image together. ~...my power...~

"The Ring?" She murmured, "Wolvinator has it."

The image waves its hands as if that's not what he's talking about. ~...knowledge...is...my....power...~ the particles fall to the floor like a broken bead necklace. Green motes of energy scattering across the horizontal surface and falling through.

She moved back to the computer then. "Then maybe we can find what you need." She started tapping into the databases she had access to looking up Radiation sickness and the cures. There was a couple of hits and she pulled up the information on the most promising results. "Here."

Silence answered her words and stretched into uncomfortable absence. Raye looked up and around worried. Her hand clenched and she prayed. This was seriously not her week. "(vq) Come on Race....Don't scare me like this, Omae." She wheeled herself to one of the big glass windows and looked out over the property. She was trying to hold it together.

A light touch brushed against her cheek, ethereal with barest substance....~...than...yo....~ then the silence returned as oppressive as ever.

She blinked again at the touch and sighed softly. The brains in the background - that's all she felt she would ever be. She fought back a fresh wave of tears. The days since the Mabon attacks taking a toll and at least here....well the only one who would know is Race. She laid her head in her hands; the computer was left on to allow the info to remain on the screen

(Live play between Raye and Race.)

Raye

Date: 2011-10-11 07:13 EST
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Hn_3berimbau.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Hn_caxixi_baqueta_vadero.jpg

....A Discordant note on a Berimbau sounded across the grounds of the apartments.

The doc sat in her chair on a patio and attempted to learn the instrument. The instrument looked simple, but learning the lesson it posed was difficult. Race had been trying to tell her and she was stubborn.

One of the Elders had seen that streak and posed the challenge in a different light.

"So, you do not walk. You can still teach....Your hands still work." The Elder had admonished. "You can play and lead..."

It was then she was given the Berimbau. "You will learn."

There was no arguing with him on this. Though it allowed her to see that she had been doing too much. She had been overstepping her bounds. Learning the instrument brought things into focus a bit more. She could still contribute, within her abilities. She could still lead....Could teach.

And when the surgery was completed, she would learn that in the scheme of things....

She had a role to fulfill. One that was a satisfying and just as important.