MINGLE - Blood Drive!

[save_the_souls]

Who: Anyone Participating in the Blood Drive!
Broadcast:
Action: Open to All!
When: BACKDATED TO LAST SUNDAY, March 15th

[Hey remember that whole Blood Donation network post that came up a few days ago? Well it's time for the actual blood drive! On the network, there will a message posted reminding everyone of the blood drive located on the SS Blue Fish - which is parked in a volcano in Mor. You know the volcano.]

[If your character is Donating, please fill out this form here! ]

[If your character is Volunteering - they'll have been sent a message asked to arrive before the blood drive start to set up and go over procedures. Only Volunteers with Lab Assistant Augment or a Medical background will be helping with drawing blood! Volunteers without that (or lab assistants not interested in drawing blood) can be assisting with greeting people, helping people with paperwork, checking on donor's well-being, handling payments, or manning the cookie table. There's lots to do!]

[Be warned that since it's a blood drive, sections of this post will Contain Content with Blood and Needles. If that stuff makes you uneasy and you wish to handwave your character's involvement with the blood drive- that's totally fine! Otherwise go, have some fun full of blood and cookies!]

Comments

[dancingmd]

[Okay, even Beverly has to stare a little here. Is he... made of wood? How is that possible ? She quickly recovers, however, and she returns his smile with a cheerful one of her own.]

You're in the right place! I'm Dr. Crusher.

[She picks up the donor list.]

May I have your name please?

[puro]

Pleased to meet you, Doctor Crusher. I'm Manolo Sánchez.

[Here to help!! :D :D]

[dancingmd]

All right, Mr. Sanchez, let me just find your chart...

[Easy enough, considering the relatively small amount of donors they received. She's going to have to work on that. Reading over his chart, she is staring again. This can't be right. She frowns slightly.]

I'm sorry, Mr. Sanchez. It says here that you have... wooden... skin? Is that correct?

[puro]

Just Manolo is fine.

[Ah. Right. That thing, he gives an apologetic shrug. ]

Apparently, that's something weird. It's normal, where I come from. I promise I still have blood, though.

[dancingmd]

Oh! All right then. [This really explains nothing but she'll take his word for it. Allen has vetted him already anyway, and explained how to compensate for Manolo's thicker skin.] I just wanted to make sure I wasn't misreading anything.

[She steps over to a small sink nearby to wash her hands, then pulls on a pair of rubber gloves.]

If you've never given blood before, the process can be a little alarming to some people. I am going to be taking this needle [She picks up an appropriate sized needle to show him] to draw blood from a vein in your arm, and we'll save it in one of these tubes. It's pretty simple, though it can hurt, and you might feel a little dizziness or wooziness afterwards. That's normal. We have plenty of cookies [She glances over at Sokka hovering near the food table. Okay, maybe not plenty.] for you to eat afterwards. Any questions before we begin?

[puro]

Afraid not. It's not really a thing, in my time.

[He's one year out for it. Shame. He nods, taking in what she's saying, not looking the least bit nervous despite it all being completely new to him. He turns his gaze to the other teen scarfing down cookies like they were going extinct and gives a shrug and a genial smile. ]

That's okay, he can have my share.

[dancingmd]

[She blows out some air in frustration, causing her bangs to fly up.]

No he cannot. I am not having you faint on us.

[She double checks that all the paperwork and labels are in order before having Manolo sit down.]

Do you have a preference for which arm you want me to use?

[puro]

[Wow. Looks like he'll be having a cookie, then.]

Not at all, take your pick.

[He needs both to play his guitar, so it makes little difference. ]

[dancingmd]

[She takes one of his arms, and then the other, studying his veins. They're harder to see on account of his thick skin, but she eventually finds a promising one.]

All right if you could stretch out your right arm for me here on the armrest? Make sure to keep your arm straight. Now can you make a fist for me?

So, Manolo, what's your universe like? If there is one good thing about being here, it's the chance to meet so many interesting people.

[puro]

[He follows her instructions with zero fuss, unlike Sokka- who probably questioned every single thing she did. ]

Well, I'm from a planet called Earth, specifically I'm from a country called Mexico. [He gives an apologetic smile. ] It's hard to know what counts as interesting, really. I never got out of my small town, really, so I haven't seen all that much of my home planet.

[dancingmd]

[She talks as she continues to work: disinfecting his arm, preparing the needle, etc.]

Oh! I'm from Earth too! Well, technically, I'm from an Earth colony, on the Moon, but close enough.

... this might sting a little. [She inserts the needle.]

You know, it's funny, I've been all around our quadrant of the galaxy, but I've never been to Mexico. It looks beautiful.

[puro]

[He doesn't seem to notice, only beaming, because this is honestly fascinating to him.]

You lived on the moon?

[His smile softens. He really, truly loves his country. ] It is, and my town? It's incredible, it rests on an island in the middle of a lake. I go out of town every morning, to watch the sunrise hit the buildings. It's amazing.

[His heart pangs a little, he'd been showing it María, just before everything fell apart. He manges to keep his smile on, though, no need to trouble anyone else with his less pleasant memories. ]

[dancingmd]

[She grins at his amazed expression. To her, being from the Moon is so ordinary, no one at home ever bats an eye when she tells them. It's nice to be reminded of how remarkably far humanity has advanced.]

For a while, yes. I later lived on two other planets, called Avarda III and Caldos II.

[She pauses, suddenly serious as she is reminded of the unfortunate memories she has of both places.]

The Enterprise is really where I consider home, however. My home, and my career and my family. It's where I belong.

[Her smile is back. She too, does not want to burden others. Everyone here has experienced enough of their own loss.]

What is the name of your town? I wonder there is a parallel of it on my Earth. I would love to see that sunrise.

[puro]

That sounds fascinating. Before I cam here, I could never imagine travelling the world, much less the stars.

[He's being absolutely honest here, thought thought that life in the Fleet could be anything like normal for some people is astounding. ]

San Angel. It's right in the centre of the country.

[dancingmd]

Much of what we do is more mundane than it might appear, but you're right... the amazing things I've seen out there, I wouldn't trade it for any other life. I hope, when you return home, that you will get your chance to travel.

[She ponders for a moment.]

I can't say I've heard of San Angel, but that doesn't mean it's not there! If it is, I promise I will find it.

[She finishes filling the last of the collection tubes.]

Alright, we're almost done. You can open your hand now.

[She starts to apply the guaze.]

[She finishes filling the last

[puro]

I'm sure María would happily take me all around Europe if she could.

[Assuming she hasn't married Joaquín while he's been dead. Ha. Ha.]

Good luck, I'm sure you'll love it.

[He does as asked. ]

That wasn't bad at all.

[dancingmd]

Maria? Who is she?

[She didn't waggle her eyebrows when she said that, but she might as well have been from the tone of her voice.]

[puro]

[His smile is usually pretty bright, but with this subject, he absolutely BEAMS. ]

She is the love of my life.

[He says this so surely. As if he didn't know anything else in the world, he would know this as one absolute, unending certainty. ]

[dancingmd]

[Beverly's smile has a hint of sadness in it. His surety reminds her of Jack.]

She's lucky to have someone like you, Manolo. I hope you'll get to return to her soon.

[puro]

Gracias, so do I. I'm doing everything in my power to get back to her.

[dancingmd]

[She rests a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. The more people she meets here, the more determined she is to find a way out.]

I have no doubt about that.

Well, you are all good to go here. Thank you very much for your donation! Every bit helps! And don't forget to drink lots of fluids and eat something before you return to your ship. If Sokka gives you any trouble at the cookie table, just let me know.

[puro]

[He smiles, standing. He considers just making a run for it, not eating his cookie, leaving it for someone else. He doesn't think it would be wise running the gauntlet og Scary Ladies, though. ]

I'll do that! I promise.

[And off he goes!]

[dancingmd]

[Beverly will be watching him like a hawk as he goes by the cookie table. No skipping food for this mariachi.]

[puro]

[He pauses and picks up a cookie, waving it at her, look he's eating ooonnne. ]

[dancingmd]

[She grins and waves back. What a good kid.]