LOG: River/Cuddy

[takingcareof]

River had decided to walk around the first floor approximately every four days, just to document the changes it had perpetuated upon itself. It was useful, she told herself; not merely an excuse to leave her room and/or the library. She was trying not to bother Dean quite so much - certainly he wasn't Simon, or even Cap'n Reynolds or Kaylee - but

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[l_cuddy_md]

Cuddy had just spent--wasted--a couple of hours messing around in the clinic. She was slowly making her way back to the center of the Hotel, slowly because really there was no reason to hurry. Ever. The Hotel wasn't going anywhere soon and apparently neither was she.

She heard a muffled curse as she walked. She didn't recognize the language but she recognized the tone, and that was definitely a curse. Curious, she followed the sound around a corner and came across someone she hadn't met before.

"Is something wrong?" she asked as she approached the girl.

[takingcareof]

Someone new. What a tired looking woman. River blinked as the woman appeared, looking up from the floor where she'd sat down. "It's the 'verse's prerogative to hurt me, if it wants," she replied. "But I certainly don't think it's kind to do so." She held out the bottom of her foot, which was still bleeding. She'd tried to staunch the flow with the hem of her skirt - it was dark red anyway - but hadn't been successful.

[l_cuddy_md]

Cuddy had no idea what this "verse" was or how it had hurt the girl. It didn't really matter at the moment. She crouched down and gently grasped the girl's heel so she could see the injury.

"It doesn't look too bad, but it needs to be cleaned up and closed," Cuddy said with a reassuring smile. "Let me help you to the clinic and I'll take care of that for you."

[takingcareof]

Her fingers were cold. River could barely feel any pulse, though she was aware it could have been the atmosphere. They chilled the inside of this place as if it were a villa on Jiangyin, but the desert outside had never bothered her much.

She let the woman inspect it, but as she heard the word clinic, River blinked, mouth falling open slightly. " ... They couldn't have followed me here?" She fought not to cringe away from the woman - she didn't seem like a doctor. She was too awkward, too uncomfortable with herself. But there were doctors here. "Met that man. He's not homey at all. Houses don't limp. But he said no one would hurt me."

[takingcareof]

River nodded. "The Earth was used up, so we began to terraform new planets. The core worlds were first - Osiris, Beaumonde and Sihnon. But there are more, and more are being terraformed."

When Doctor Cuddy said she was from the same Earth as Dean, though, River cocked her head to one side, curious. "What is it like?" she asked. She could ask Dean, but he would tell his stories, and they were too fascinating and terrible to be dispassionate about. She wanted cold facts, just this once.

[l_cuddy_md]

"I suppose it's reassuring to know the human race will survive, even if we were too stupid to protect our own planet."

Cuddy checked that the dermal glue was dry, then applied a bandage. If River went barefoot as much as the condition of her feet indicated, the cut would need extra protection.

She lowered River's foot to the floor. "What's our Earth like?" Cuddy wasn't sure how to answer such a broad question. Did River want to know about politics, geography, culture? She decided to start with what interested her. "Mostly it's just ordinary people living their lives. We have homes, families, jobs. There's a university where I live, so there a lot of young people around, people your age."

[takingcareof]

River nodded. "Things are different." She took her foot back, folding her legs underneath her and smoothing her skirt. She saw no reason to get off the floor. "There was a war in my time. The Browncoats were conquered at Serenity Valley, and now the Alliance runs everything. But no one's conquered you." At least not that she remembered. If Doctor Cuddy was another of the American race, they were the last civilization standing, after all. They and the Mandarin-speakers.

[l_cuddy_md]

"You mean America still exists, after all that time?" Cuddy was dumbfounded. If that were true...well, it would be pretty damn amazing. Historically speaking, human governments weren't known for extreme longevity.

Just as she had all during the conversation, she had to stop and try to piece together--interpret--what River was saying. Cuddy's mind was too straightforward to follow her easily, but if the Serenity River lived on and this Serenity Valley were linked, then.... "The Alliance, they're the bad guys?"