191. New inmates.

[thegooddrjones]

n case you don't know me, I'm Dr Martha Snape-Jones. For those who are wondering my medical qualifications, I passed my exams in 2007, after spending almost two years doing special on the job training as it were outside of school. Then I worked with two organizations that increased my specialty fields to emergency medicine and xenobiology.

Comments

Private

[likedarkmatter]

Alright. In an hour. Where do I find you?

Private-Spam?

[thegooddrjones]

Level two, room eleven.

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

[And so she arrives almost exactly an hour later, tapping lightly on the door. She's spent the intervening time picking over Martha's file but there's no need at all to point out that she's got it.]

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

[Martha already has had tea on, and she's set out some chocolate digestives as well. When there's the knock, Martha opens the door and smiles.]

Welcome. Come on in.

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

Thank you.

[Alice returns the smile and steps over the threshold, glancing around Martha's flat with polite interest; it all fits approximately into the bracket of what she would have expected. Beyond that brief exchange of pleasantries she's silent, letting Martha direct the conversation for now.]

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

Please, have a seat.

[Martha gestured towards the purple sofa, and then she headed over there herself. The file she'd been studying (and covering with post it notes) had been put away, and the room looked a bit less-lived in than one would expect.]

How are your headaches? Are you finding it easier to sleep now?

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

[She settles on the sofa, crossing her legs and steepling her fingers together on her knee.]

A little, thank you. I suppose it was all just a little jarring, at first, but that seems to have passed. [She offers a brittle smile.] But the Barge does find its ways to replace one source of discomfort with another, doesn't it?

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

It does. It's good at that, keeping us on our toes. I try to believe that the insanity is meant to help more than it's meant to hurt though.

Tea?

[Martha picked up the pot and poured a cup before she offered it to Alice.]

I know you've recently just been unpaired from Claire, and I'm sorry for that. You should know I'm here for the long haul, Alice.

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

[Alice took the teacup, giving Martha a sidelong glance.]

Are you? You gave the impression that your timetable was being dictated to some extent by your husband's current and former Inmates.

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

I'm not the sort of person who would abandon someone. It's not in me to do it. I'm here until you graduate, unless something happens that I don't have any control over.

I'm not going to deny that my family is important to me, but you're important to me as well now.

Milk, sugar, honey?

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

Milk. Just a splash. Do you not think you'll become...resentful, when everyone else is ready to leave except you? [There's nothing judgemental or critical in her tone; she just sounds vaguely curious.]

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

[The splash of milk was added before the cup was offered.]

I don't think so. Sev will stay until we're done, and Mozenrath will go to a point in time where it will have been instantaneous for him. I've been here three years in my personal timeline, Alice, I'll be fine with staying as long as you need me too.

Spam

[likedarkmatter]

[Alice arched an eyebrow.]

You mean until I graduate. It's a little presumptuous of you to think that I'm going to need you, specifically, for that.

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

I believe I was assigned to you for a reason. I believe that I was assigned to you because there is something that I, specifically can do in order to help you graduate. I don't think the Admiral pairs people at random.

So perhaps it is, but I believe that there is something that I will do that will help you. My only goal here is to help you.

Re: Spam

[likedarkmatter]

[Alice smiled.] By the same rationale, Claire was assigned to me for a reason as well. Maybe to make me more grateful to have you.

Spam

[thegooddrjones]

Perhaps. [Martha smiled as well, and then she took another sip of her tea, and offered a biscuit to Alice.]

From your file, I expect that you'd like to be given access to the lab. I think that we should do that as soon as possible. Is there anything else that you need?