I'm an Archsage, not a Bishop [Open]

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Eventually, the tide of patients he'd had to deal with had decreased, leaving Soren finally able to take a moment to breathe. He was rather uncharacteristically slouching in his seat on the Obs Deck, staring balefully out at the view outside.

He hadn't realized what a chore it was to have to pick up healing duties. Where he came from, every army had a contingent of clerics to supplement the use of vulneraries by the common infantryman. That he'd seen none in use by the forces fighting on the ground was dismaying. He'd attempted to save what lives he was able to during the events on that moon or planet or whatever (Soren was not great with the proper scientific classifications of celestial bodies), but without adequate support, he knew a number had simply fallen through the cracks. There was only so much a single unit could do, especially with the tools at his disposal.

Healing wasn't even his specialty; he'd studied the use of staves mainly to better fill gaps in the Mercenaries' pool of abilities. Better than learning knives, at any rate. If he'd only had a Fortify staff...

Comments

[indeliblepast]

Out of all of the parts of the ship, the Observation Deck was perhaps the one that reminded her the most of her old life. It was a little easier forget the weird organic structures of the ship when confronted with a few like that.

Though she wasn't the only one at the moment. She took a seat next to the rather sullen-looking Soren. "You know, I know you said you don't drink much, but you look like you could use one right now."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Soren gave her a rather sour harrumph. "No, thank you. I ended up feeling as though my head were about to split the last time." Apparently, no one had told him he'd hit his head while at the tavern.

"What I need is--" he stopped. What did he need? His commander. Information. A war that made sense.

"This situation is intolerable," he said finally.

[indeliblepast]

Suemragi managed to hold back the laugh at that attitude. "I don't know, I think the view is pretty nice from here," she said teasingly. He probably meant something else - the issue was getting him to say what.

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Soren looked a little annoyed, but he didn't get up out of his chair. He was tired, all right?

"The view," he repeated. "Fresh from fighting off the advances of giant insects from the stars, and you're concerned about the view."

[indeliblepast]

"Actually, you're the one that seems more concerned with it," she replied, unfazed. "What with the glare you're given it and all."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Now he was becoming irritated in earnest. "I wasn't aware my facial expressions were being monitored at all times. Not that it's any of your business."

[indeliblepast]

Sumeragi put her hands up a touch defensively, though her smile didn't fade. "Hey, sorry. You looked like you could use someone to talk to, that's all."

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

In a cynical way, it's a relief to have someone else in Medical with an even worse attitude. It makes Howard look good by comparison for not letting disdain color all his comments to patients.

So, he might as well get to learn the new guy. He hadn't really been in the mood directly after Galilee.

"Lame view."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"And yet, still better than a hundred coughing, complaining injured," Soren said, eyeing Howard. He recognized Howard as one of the Medical staff, though he'd never gone out of his way to talk to him. "And how are you faring?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"And don't forget their worrywart friends and family telling you how to do your job."

Sometimes Howard forgets that some of the people here talk like they're from Dungeons & Dragons. 'Faring'? He raises an eyebrow.

"Personally? In comparison to all the other missions, that one was practically a cake walk. So I'm doing great." He nods to the window. "And I take it you're sulking."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Soren snorted. "Or the fact that they'd be healed much more quickly if they weren't demanding to know the exact specifics of what magical treatment entails and whether or not it poses any undo risk." Friends and family should all be banned until he was finished treating everyone. Banned!

"Faring," he confirmed, then scowled. "Pardon me? Sulking?"

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Howard would agree with this, but then again, he wouldn't feel that bad about banning patients altogether. He's there for the Med Bay coffee, honestly. "Or the ones that refuse to tell you anything about how to treat them because it might be a violation of privacy for them to mention they had chicken pox when they were eight."

He can't imagine Soren would have been happy with the whole Melting Clock fiasco.

"Sulking," he says, mimicking Soren's tone of voice when he said 'faring'.

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"Their own fault if they end up dead." Soren had very little patience for difficult patients (heh heh heh). If it was limited to casting a spell on someone who wouldn't sit still, that was one thing. If they were actively trying to hinder his job, however, he was more than willing to simply let them slip away while he helped those who weren't so uncooperative. It saved time, too.

"And I suppose you claim to be engaged in some other, better activity," Soren said, the disdain creeping back into his manner and voice.

[iceiceprincess]

It had become a habit for Pram to wander around the ship ever since she learned what was where in the ship. Ever since she had realized her powers had diminished more than she had first assumed, she hasn't been in a good mood and it made it easier to bear with the humiliation by wandering around rather than sit in one place.

She forgot about the other she ran into at the Media Library some time ago until she saw him sitting and looking outside the ship.

"Oh, it's you." She greeted the other as she brushed her hair away from her face. Come to think of it, she never got the human's name the last time they met, did she?

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Soren turned at the voice, spotted Pram. "Oh," he said. "It's you."

No personal offense meant (so far, anyway), but Soren was even less in the mood for pleasantries than usual. "I see you aren't bleeding from any major orifices. I appreciate that."

[iceiceprincess]

"Hmph!" Pram placed her hands on her hips, annoyance appearing on her face. "Like I would easily be injured in a fight."

The warrior she had ran into during the war had done a surprisingly well job at getting any surprise attacks away from her. Otherwise, who knows what kind of condition she would have been. Not that she would admit it openly...

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"Yes, yes, how wonderful for you." The dismissal didn't have quite the bite it might normally; Soren was exhausted and running on even less sleep than usual.

"Now, what is it that I can help you with? Or have you come to appreciate the view?"

[iceiceprincess]

"What view?" She glanced over at the window before scoffing. "Netherworlds have better view than this."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

Soren cast another glance out at the stars. "I'm sure. So, what sort of miraculous vantage points do demonic overlords enjoy?"

[combustible_me]

"Yer jus' a bucket'a cheer, ain'tcha?" Though the scowl on Soren's face probably matched Ellyn's pretty well, at that moment.

She hadn't made a very good showing in the battle on the Calnus, and Ellyn was still pretty sour about it. The only upside was that she'd had no idea space would affect her that badly.

It might have something to do with her pyromancy. But she didn't know for sure.

"So whadd'ya do, suck on a lemon or somethin'?"

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"Nothing so pedestrian. I've merely spent an interminable amount of hours treating people who apparently have nothing better to do than complain. Complain about their wounds, complain about not needing treatment, complaining about my bedside manner..." Soren snorted. "Better uncomfortable than dead, if you ask me."

In his day, you got healed by an Archsage and you were grateful for it, dammit.

[combustible_me]

"Well, 'least ya ain't got me goin' on, right?" Even if she was. Sort of. It wasn't asking for healing, anyway.

"Guess that might kinda be the plight'a healers though. Or so I was told. Made me awfully grateful my powers di'n't turn out that way, ta tell ya the truth."

Because Ellyn could just see herself, if she had the same personality, but healing powers, telling someone off because she didn't choose to triage them immediately. Especially if THEY thought their injuries were worse than they really were.

Ellyn never did know how her mother did it. And did it with a smile, to boot.

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"I suppose." Soren ran a slender hand through his bangs, irritated. "I'm not a healer. I'm an Archsage. I merely branched out into staves to better assist my mercenary troupe. If only more of this crew had had a similar inclination."

[combustible_me]

Ellyn shrugged, then. "Sad ta say, I ain't got any talent f'r anythin' but cauterizin', an' people hate seein' stuff like that go on. 'Specially when they're the ones who're burnin'."

She mused a moment, and then shrugged again. "Though I know a bit o' herb-healin', that never seemed too 'mport'nt in th' end when lots'a people knew how ta use healin' magic. Not ta mention most people seem ta not want ta be laid up, either."

[facepunching.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I can imagine the scent of burning flesh must be something awful." Or at least it was when he smelled it on the battlefield.

"In my opinion, every soldier ought to know those sorts of basic skills. It lightens the load on healers whose efforts would be better directed towards the more seriously injured."