Sixth Cream Cake: [Written/Action]

[vor]

[Filtered to Ivan Vorpatril, 65% unhackable because it's early and he's sick.]

Ivan,

Would you please look in on the horse for me? The Imperial Ass seems to be having trouble getting out of bed today, as the Imperial Sniffles have turned into the Imperial Plague. We apologize for Our impending death and your impending resulting frustrations.

Regretfully,

Gregor

P.S. If this letter caused you alarm, please give yourself a refresher course in detecting the Imperial Sarcasm.

[/Filtered]

[Gregor is sick as a dog. Apartments adjacent to his have probably heard violent, deep, chesty coughing for about two weeks now. Ordinarily, he'd have on-site approved physicians checking him out and prescribing whatever antibiotic was necessary, but here, he has to actually go seek out help. So. To the Battle Dome clinic he goes, looking specifically to see Adele LeBlanc when she's in. He will wait for her, if necessary.

Afterwards, he's going to the library, then the bakery for coffee and something sweet. Anyone stopping in can see him sitting inside, devouring a psychology textbook and sipping coffee, the cream cakes reduced to crumbs. They are the only thing he has eaten all day. He is not looking great, occasionally falling into bad coughing fits, for which he ducks outside, but recovering fairly quickly. When he heads home, he goes straight to bed despite his plans to work out. And the fact that it's the middle of the day.]

[Filtered to Phoenix Ikki 79%]

PI--

I suppose we're supposed to be pen pals, whatever that entails. I hope you're adjusting to the village well.

--GB

Comments

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

"I had routine physicals." He sits in his chair. "My staff were trained to contact my personal physician if anything came up. I didn't think any of the physicians here would appreciate being expected to wait hand and foot on an exiled...on me, that way."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"You know for next time." With the cough he has it narrows the possibilities down a fair amount, but the usual questions needed to be asked all the same. A fresh form on the clipboard for notes, and she takes notes as she speaks.

"It is safe to say that you're having some difficulty breathing, yes? Have you had any flue like symptoms, headache, chills, fever, tightness in your chest, and mucus when you cough?"

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

"Very little mucus, but some. I'm easily winded. Climbing the stairs triggers coughing. Any kind of exercise, really. And there's the general malaise. I sleep a lot."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"Have you been around anyone that smokes, hazardous chemicals, or someone with a cold recently?"

She has a fair idea of what this could be, now, and is already pulling a stethoscope from one of the drawers. The tests are simple enough.

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He shakes his head. "Just the tail end of what I came down with in the Malnosso facility. It just...got worse."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"I hope it wasn't something they gave you on purpose."

She warms the scope against her palm and nods in his direction. "Remove your shirt, please?"

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He does so rather un-self-consciously. "Have they done that? Given diseases for people to spread around? They can probably kill us faster in other ways."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"That I am aware of? Not yet. I wouldn't put it past them." One last rub to the chest piece to warm it before she slides the ear tips in place and rests the warmed disk against Gregor's chest, listening. "Inhale deeply for me."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He obeys, somehow resisting the urge to cough, although it forces him to take a slightly shallower breath than he would normally be capable of.

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"Try once more, please?"

Adele frowns, listening to the shallow rasp. After a moment she reaches up and taps his chest, listening for blockages.

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He obeys again, feeling slightly ridiculous. The little instrument must be amplifying her hearing.

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

Not her usual field, nor her usual tools, but it's easy enough to confirm that there are blockages here and there. Bronchitis. Bacterial or viral- she'll have to test. Adele steps back and looks up to Greg, pulling the nubs from her ears.

"I'll need a sputum sample to make certain it's not a viral infection."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

"...Very well."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

Adele steps away, the scope still looped about her neck. It doesn't take long for her to fetch and return with a small sample cup.

"I need you to cough, Greg."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

Gregor musters up a hearty cough into the cup.

[Action, Clinic] time for handwavium. Threading the entirety of the diagnosis will be tedious.

[fleurdesel]

It's not much, but it is more than enough for the test required. She takes the sample to a side room for a quick examination- finds the proper prescription for him. Cough syrup and an inhaler. Not contagious but worth the caution, especially for how thick and wet his coughs were.

"Bedrest, fluids, the syrup to ease the coughing and the inhaler when it becomes most difficult for you to breathe."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He takes both meds carefully, like a snake.

"How do I use the inhaler?"

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"You place the mouthpiece in your mouth, depress the canister on top, and inhale simultaneously. It may feel odd if you are unaccustomed to this form of medication, but it will help when you are least able to breathe."

The inhaler ought to last as long as the remainder of his illness runs, Adele doesn't think it's quite so bad that he'll need a refill.

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He nods, looking closely at the inhaler. A little too focused on it, maybe. Eventually, he clears his throat.

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"What else can I do for you Gregor?"

At this she sets the clipboard aside, watches his face. His hands. Hopes it's something she can actually assist with since she's had such a lovely run of helplessness regarding those close to her as of late.

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

He pauses to consider his words carefully.

"I'd...like to talk to you about anti-depressants."

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"..."

That wasn't something she's qualified to discuss. At all. She doesn't even know what sort of medication they have in the clinic that would suit Gregor- anti-depressants were variable and finicky enough when one knew all the important factors.

"I'm not...this isn't my area Greg."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

"Of course not," he says flatly. "Whose is it?"

[Action, Clinic]

[fleurdesel]

"We don't have anyone qualified to prescribe those in the clinics. We've physicians and surgeons but...that's all." She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. "I'll do what research I can for you, find what we have available."

[Action, Clinic]

[vor]

Gregor sighs. "I realize this isn't what you do. Even in my time, these meds can be hit-or-miss."

Hazel eyes look straight at Adele, solemn, but gleaming with a tense vulnerability. "I have a duty to someone here. A very real, very legal duty. If he needs to be protected, he has the right to come to me for help. And I have to give it to him. I'm as sworn to him as he is to me, and I have to be alive for that. Mentally alive."