Eighth Gate [Video]

[forsometimenow]

Who: Jennifer Keller and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: N/A unless you really want it...
When: December 10th

[Confidence. Sureness. That's what the audience wanted, wasn't it? As much as Jennifer hated playing up to them and dancing to Atroma's whistle to any degree, confidence was what was needed here, too.]

for those who haven't met me, my name is Dr. Jennifer Keller, and I'm the medical officer on the Wonderduck. Allen mentioning his blood drive reminded me... since we seem to be back on our ships for the time being and I actually have an infirmary again, I'm going to resume offering first aid lessons for anybody willing to learn. If you do have prior medical experience, all the better, but even if you have none, I can teach you.

Just let me know and we can set something up. Thanks!

[[OOC: Actual lessons will be handwaved.]]

Comments

[tallasaking]

It is fortunate ... since so many of us seem to run right into desperate situations. [He paused, before looking down.] Ah, no ... my legs never grew quite straight. I have always had something of an odd ... waddle.

[forsometimenow]

Or desperate situations find us. That's usually what happens to me. I try to stay out of trouble as much as I can, since my job is delicate and stressful enough as it is.

[She nodded and began leading Tyrion toward the infimary. It made sense that it had been there from birth, given his dwarfism, but she still wished she could do something to fix the leg.]

Well, if there's anything I can do to ease it, let me know.

[tallasaking]

That is true - ones in the healing professions should try to keep out of situations where they themselves can be wounded. Seems like that would throw off everyone's confidence.

[He smirked faintly, before giving her an odd look.]

You truly mean that, don't you?

[forsometimenow]

It does... I'm not the only doctor in Atlantis, thankfully- we're a lot better staffed back home than we are here on the Fleet- but I am in charge. When the leader goes down, it can be a big blow to morale.

[She nodded.]

I like helping people. It may seem like such a simplistic way to put it, but... I do.

[tallasaking]

Oh, that I have seen ... time and time again. [First Robert, then Ned Stark, King after King. Doctors did seem a great deal more useful however.]

[He gave her a bemused smile.]

And you ... help everyone? No matter their station?

[forsometimenow]

[She nodded.]

I do... back home, I did enjoy my job helping my team, but I also got just as much satisfaction helping people who didn't have access to a doctor. Everyone deserves to be healthy.

[tallasaking]

What made you want to become a Doctor, if you don't mind my asking? Healers are not uncommon in my world, but not often are they women.

[forsometimenow]

Aside from liking to help people... it was a challenge, for one, and I was never much of a risk-taker growing up. I barely left home because I was so shy and preferred my parents' company. But because I was, if you'll pardon me sounding like a braggart, so intelligent, I also accelerated through school faster than most of my peers. I wanted to put my gift of intelligence to good use.

[tallasaking]

[He smirked at that.] Oh, never be embarrassed by being smarter than everyone else. In fact, I would have to say I have made it a life-long attitude to be more wily than those around me.

[forsometimenow]

Well, it does have its advantages. I like to be humble, though. Being boastful wouldn't have made me as much friends. And I'm glad I took the path I did, because I was able to meet those friends.

[tallasaking]

You make an excellent point, dear Doctor. For all my wit, I have very few friends. [His smirk is somewhere between bitter, and quietly knowing.] I think you are better off being humble, and obviously well liked.

[forsometimenow]

[She chuckled softly.]

I admit, even being humble it wasn't all that easy. I was very painfully shy when I was a little girl and never 100% grew out of it, so it's sometimes hard for me to connect to people outside of being a doctor to them. My friends never cared. They wanted me to feel like I was their equal.

[tallasaking]

And so you are. I have never met a more pleasant genius.

[He dipped his head into a bow.] And I cannot say I find you overly shy, my Lady.

[forsometimenow]

Well, you sure know how to make a lady blush.

[She nodded toward her lab entrance.]

Right now, that's partially because I'm on duty, so to speak... and, well, you're being so kind to me, too.

[tallasaking]

I have had my moments.

[Is his simple statement, as he angles in towards the lab.]

It is easy to be kind to someone who encourages it.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... if you're kind, you tend to get kindness in return. I'm not sure I have a mean bone in my body, anyway. [She winked.]

[tallasaking]

I dare say you do not .... [He laughed quietly, as he looked at her, then looked around with bright interest.] Unlike me, who has quite a few to spare.

[forsometimenow]

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing- everyone on my team has times where they get mean. It's human nature, I've found. And me being so nice means it can be difficult to be assertive when I need to be.

[tallasaking]

So what you are truly saying is - there must be a balance in things. Between kindness, and cruelty. [Tyrion made a soft, thoughtful noise.]

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... because nobody can be nice 100% of the time. Just as nobody can be cruel 100% of the time, either. The world's far from ideal, as much as I'd like everyone to be good and kind to each other.

[tallasaking]

I like your version of the world a lot more than mine, I must say. [He hobbled around the infirmary, before looking back at her.] So tell me, precisely what is it that allows you to know so much of the human heart?

[forsometimenow]

I'm not sure I do, honestly... I just know what my own experiences have told me. My world has had its fair share of conflict and hardship, but I've also been lucky enough to have good people by my side to get through it.

[tallasaking]

You have a truly warm soul, Dr. Keller. I admire your idealism -- even though I know a great deal of that can be turned against you. I truly hope you never lose it, or have cause to lose it.

[forsometimenow]

[And there she is, going red again.]

... me, too. I wouldn't want to be anybody other than who I am now. Maybe idealism isn't always the best attitude to have, but it's what works for me.

[tallasaking]

[He gave her a little smile, before he found a stool to pull himself up on.]

We all must find what works for us, in this life.