... And the cogs start turning.

[Doc Holliday]

John Holliday entered the I.C.U. room where Alvin Katz lay resting, recovering from his injuries. As he did, the attending nurse smiled and greeted him.
"Good afternoon, Doctor," she smiled.
"Afternoon, Miss," he replied, "How's he doing?"
"Stable, Doctor. No change," she answered. She then handed him a chart with his vitals on it. Satisfied, he handed it back and she placed it on a table.
"Doctor, if you don't mind, I'd like a break," she asked of him.
He just nodded his approval and she left with a "thank you."

Doc then took an updated scan of his injuries. As he expected, Alvin was slowly healing. Putting the scanner down, he gave a chuckle as he began tending to the dressing that covered his head injuries. As he removed the old dressings, he spoke to his old friend,
"My, Alvin, what a mess we find ourselves in," he said as he inpsected the healing wounds. As he cleaned them with an anesthetic, he continued, "Your men need you, Old Friend. They are expecting me to get you back to them." Doc paused a moment and forced a weak smile, "My people need you and while they don't know it, so does Sirius."
He began applying clean dressings, "So long as I'm your physician, Alvin, nothing further will go wrong."

Doc then began tending to the burns over his body. They were random, marks from electrical arcing outside and inside of his body. Doc could only shake his head at the site. As he cleaned them, he gave another chuckle.
"I haven't forgot the time you went to find Midori when I was on my death bed. Do you remember?" he asked, still talking like someone was awake to answer, "Stuttgart. I'm betting you damn near irritate everyone in system with your general broacasts but you found her." For the moment, Doc went silent as he began applying some fresh dressings, "You saved me, Alvin, by finding her," he said meaningfully.

He then checked where the breaks in his arm and leg bones were.
"Like a true soldier," Doc said softly, knowing the pain he must have suffered when the Volkhan's men broke his bones, "and last I knew, no one gave you permission to die yet so...." Doc then shook his finger at Alvin, "...and you still don't!"

Satisfied, he took a seat next to Alvin, again studying the scans of his neck and the staple. He again shook his head in disgust.
"I will figure out how to fix that, Alvin," Doc stated in quiet confidence, "but in the meanwhile, you must sleep to be spared it's torment." Doc again shook his head and began muttering to himself, "Mind staples! It must be the new Coalition's forced loyalty. Hmph! Much like the Outcasts and cardamine!"
He then slammed his fist on a table, "Slavery is what it is!"
As he worked and spoke, the nurse returned but stood quietly at the door, not saying a word but only listening. In each of her hands was a cup of coffee. Still, she stood and listened as Doc kept talking.

"I contacted Colonel Rhade, Alvin," Doc said to his friend, "I told him that you are stable. He hopes to have you back soon." Doc smiled, "Imagine the morale boost your men would have when they hear you on the com themselves." Doc then turned to see the nurse, cofees in hand, smiling.

"I thought you could use one, Doctor," she said, handing him a cup. "I didn't know how you take it so for now, it's black!"
Doc accepted the cup and took a sip, "this is just fine, Miss," he responded with a smile, "and you weren't wrong, I could indeed use this."

The nurse sat down and for a few moments, they shared some coffee time. She then gave him a compliment, "I like your style, Doctor, speaking to him as if he was your friend."
Doc put down his coffee and turned to her, stone faced and replied, "Miss, there is no 'as ifs' about it. Alvin Katz IS my friend." He turned back to his coffee and took a sip and then softly added, "the only one I've got." The nurse said nothing, only sipping her coffee.

He didn't know if Alvin heard any of what he had said. Quietly, he hoped that he had.

---

[MFE]Med Force One | Tales of Recovery|Med Force Enterprises