Drizzle dampened down the dust and gave New Rydynn a deceptive shine. The hospital lights caught the misty droplets and turned them silver and gold. Inside, it was nice and toasty. Inside is where Shin, also known as Shad, sat watching the way the light played off the rain while he took sips from a small cup.
It seemed Shin was on guard duty, watching over wounded gangers brought into the hospital hours ago. There was nothing much to watch except the freakish double doors that threatened to open, only to snap shut like the gnashing jaws of a greater bull vory'kk. It was a moment of respite for the young Shin, with nothing to do but watch a leather-gloved hand shoot through the latest gap in the doors. Instead of shutting the hand, the doors remembered their programming and opened up smoothly. Shin only glanced casually at the hand, but soon found it attached to an arm that was attached to the body of a cloaked and hooded figure, dripping water.
The acidic scent of rain made Shin frown, focusing past the rank smell, Shin remembered and found it odd to find himself back at the hospital where so many remembered him as someone else. Shin knew nothing about this new fellow who shook like a wet phlupp and shed water droplets in a wide radius about him. The man drew down the hood to take a better look around the gleaming lobby.
There was a Demmish slant to the stranger's eyes and roadmap of weathered wrinkles surrounding them. He had a ready smile for Shin and a soldier's haircut. There was much gray in the buzz cut. Shin recognized the features as Demmish. He and his family had spent a lot of time in Demm.
"A fine night, is it not, brother?" The stranger asked Shin.
"Aye, a wonderful moment," was Shin's reply.
"Only a moment? Life, my fine fellow, is wonderful." The stranger raised a bushy brow in inquiry.
"Life is moments," Shin corrected.
~*~
Upstairs in the psyche ward, Chia'nall was considering moments in her room. She was back in the hospital, in the same room and she'd been there for how long? She didn't know and wasn't even sure why she'd agreed to voluntarily enter rehabilitation. If she'd agreed at all. Slick rescued her from the hospital rehab program only to bring her back. She'd spoken about his business and he blamed the drugs.
There were perhaps worse punishments than being left to face yourself, but if there were, Chi wasn't sure what they might be. Slick had left her there, alone, and hadn't been back since. Nothing quite like looking into the unbreakable mirror in your room and hating what you see.
~*~
The philosophy discussion continued downstairs. Shin carefully noted everything about the man in his quest to figure out where the stranger was from. The man seemed unconcerned that Shin's opinion about time differed from his own. The stranger took it in stride and immediately became distracted when Bliss Lovejoy stepped off the elevator with her newborn daughter Shiloh in her arms.
It was Bliss who figured out who the stranger was. The stranger was Commander Ellis Starr of the Legion of Freemen. Once Bliss spilled the beans and gave Starr a name, Shin recognized the man fully. Shinn had not seen Starr in more than a year.
Bliss admonished Starr for continuing to wear wet clothing. Starr responded by asking for a pen. He'd been inspired by the sight of the sleeping Shiloh. It was Shin who provided the pen and Starr recorded his thoughts on the palm of his hand and promptly palmed the pen. The kleptomania did not go unnoticed by Shin.
~*~
Nearby, at the front desk, handsome and studly Darynn was talking and flirting with the desk nurse, a pretty thing called Lyndda. Lyndda was a hobby for Darynn. Darynn tried to get Lyndda to accompany him on an all expense paid vacation to his homeland.
"It's called Celebration ... it's just about the biggest party all year back home! Bigger than Carnivale, even." It was the word party that piqued Lyndda's interest. Darynn mistook it as interest in him. Encouraged, he continued to talk up the upcoming Celebration hosted by the Sinlarshh herself, Myrrinn Jainnierr. Former head nurse at the hospital, Myrrinn now commanded the Y'tallish Province, a part of Perdoxx (but don't let her hear that.) The Summer Celebration and Carnivale were big events for the capitol city of Trokk'ann and Myrrinn invited all her friends to attend. Transportation to the other side of the world was free.
Chia'nall got up from her place in the corner of her room and paced to the door to peer out the tiny reinforced window into the hall. A small, slightly upturned nose pressed against the glass in a very childlike gesture as she gazed out.
Darynn, having gotten a vague, noncommittal answer from Lyndda, Darynn sighed & started upstairs to do his rounds. Rounds that brought him to the floor and into the hallway that Chia'nall stared at through the window. Darynn still had conflicting thoughts about the girl. He wasn't sure if he was still angry with her for escaping his genuine attempt to get her help for her drug problem. Locking her up and forcing her to 'dry' out had started out as a means to keep Chia'nall from pulling knives on pregnant women. He stepped up to look into the window not realizing she was right there.
~*~
"Still writing on your hand, I see." Starr was a stranger to Bliss these days as well as Shin. The Legion Ranger spent most of his time on assignment outside the city and recently returned with the Legion Commander Mikkaill Gideonn from a tour of the bases in Sabattann and Kermadikk.
"Inspiration deserves immediate action. Now there is a fine looking baby." Starr had a knack for putting together thoughts that had nothing to do with each other. His comment about Shiloh, none-the-less, was well received by her proud mother. Shin was more concerned with getting his pen back.
Starr stripped down to his uniform, one he said he wore proudly when Shin commented upon the danger of such accoutrements.
"But, it's best to be discreet around here. Agents are everywhere," Shin said quietly.
Starr chuckled. "Do I care about an agent? I am what I am. I am sure that when fate decrees me discovered, I shall be.
"As for you, you sound like an analyst. Be sure those moments do not pass you by. Hmm?
"Interesting way to look at it," Shin said.
Starr found a pen beneath all the gear he carried. Strangely, it was not Shin's pen. The commander seemed not to notice. He also found a gift that he gave Bliss. A gift for the children. Bliss and her man Mik Gideonn (yes, the very same) had twins. Within the box were two scrolls that contained the children's names in Demmish calligraphy. Suitable for framing. It was a gift from himself and his partner in all things, Marissa.
Starr announced he was to be a father and hoped that Marissa would bear the child in Demm. They were scheduled to leave for Demm with Mikkaill soon. It was an agenda that Bliss did not like. Mik leaving so soon after the twin's birth was not a good thing.
~*~
Darynn wasn't the only one conflicted. Chia'nall's gray eyes blinked as Darynn came into view outside the door, and there was a long moment where she didn't do anything. Just stared. Darynn grinned back despite himself. His grin inspired Chi to incline her head a bit and turn up one corner of her mouth. Then he opened the door and poked his head in.
"You receiving visitors today?" Darynn was charming, if one was in the mood.
"Do I have a choice?" Her grin grew a bit, and then she turned and moved to the cot. She half flopped, half sat on it. Darynn hadn't moved.
"Yes. I can go, if you want," he said.
"Was kidding you. You can visit. If you want," Erin whispered. She crossed her legs, and then uncrossed them. "I am...yanno...sorry bout the whole escape thingy."
Darynn came in and took a chair next to her bed. "Hey ... I know you didn't want to be here. It's ok."
Without the drugs, she was different. She still weighed less than the shadows on the floor, but her eyes were clear, if a bit vacant. "Not sure I wanna be here now. But maybe it's not so bad. I dunno."
The goofiness he'd tried to impress Lyndda with was gone. He shrugged. "It should get better. So I heard. Never had to kick anything, myself."
There was sympathy in his eyes; he'd seen it enough to have an idea of what she was going through. He'd seen the results, too; enough to know that what she was going through was worth it. And the sympathy in Darynn's voice gave Chi a kind of warm feeling
"Thing is? All I do is drugs. Or did," she said. "Whatever. And now what, yanno? Now what do I do?"
"Well, no one can tell you." He grinned. "NO ... *lots* of people will tell you- but they might be wrong."
He brushed a stray lock out of her face, then returned his hands to his lap. He spoke quietly. "The hospital will take care of you, 'til you're ready."
~*~
Downstairs the talk between Commander Starr, Shin and Bliss Lovejoy was still of pens and how Starr looked in his uniform. Finally, Starr announced that he and his partner, Legion Lieutenant Marissa Chenn, were to have a child. Being a father pleased Starr greatly. Even more than the news he and Chenn would be able to return to their homeland of Demm. The news up impending fatherhood made Bliss happy. Starr's leaving for Demm did not. Starr would be traveling with Bliss' husband across to the ocean to the Church-run provinces. Bliss was not happy that Mikkaill Gideonn, Legion Commander and unofficial husband, would leave so soon after the twins were born.
"Fair child of my heart
The promise of joy in life
Suns rising for you"
Eyes turned to Shin, who recited the bit of poetry Starr had written on his hand in the characters of the Chinn province in Demm. Characters that had been smudged and smeared when Starr removed his wet rain gear. So how then did Shin know the bit word for word?
"It will look better in kanji," Starr said. "You have good eyes, brother."
Shinn found a scrap of paper and wrote the poem down. He gifted Starr with it, so the words would not be lost. Starr revealed the poem was of Shiloh, Bliss' daughter.
The talk then turned to perception and what it meant to perceive. And also of Shiloh and how long her stay at the hospital would be. Shiloh had hidden herself in the womb behind her stronger brother Taggart. The hospital staff was concerned for the girl and kept her, and thus Bliss, in the hospital for observation and tests.
~*~
Darynn and Chi spoke of her getting well some more. Darynn commented that rehab was not just getting clean of the drugs, but it was also getting Chi healthy again. He hoped she was being fed decently.
"Yeah, they feed me pretty good," she said, "but I could really go for some coffee." She ended the sentence with a shy smile. Darynn went off to fetch Chi some coffee and left the door open for a new visitor. A visitor cloaked and shaded from clear visions of anyone he met. He surprised Chi, who paced and thought about how cute Darynn was.
"Geez. Scared me," she told the man she recognized as Slick, the one who rescued her from the hospital, only to bring her back.
"Shut up. I don't have time. Here." He thrust out his hand and within was a cloth-wrapped bundle. Her eyes closed halfway, a near squint as she reached for the bundle.
"Huh? What is it?"
"Reward." He didn't bother to take off the hood or elaborate. He wasn't staying that long.
The words 'for what' didn't come out of her mouth. She just started opening up the bundle. Then she peered in and found some chocolate. There was much, only a few pieces that elicited an instant childlike brilliance that shone in her eyes.
"Oh my gods. Is this ... oh wow." She reached in and carefully plucked out a piece. She took a very small bite. When she looked back up for Slick, she found he'd gone without even a goodbye.
Darynn came back with the coffee just as Lil, Shin's mother and Union counselor, stopped by to check up on Chi. Starr bid his farewells to Bliss, who promised she would visit him and Chenn in Demm when she could.
