[JunkXIII] Kim's Clinic (S 1-3)

Rich

Kim's clinic is the newest building in Boomtown. When you first came on, she told you it took her eight years to get enough support from Logitech and the other merchants to bankroll the construction. She even bragged that the Libs kicked in some scavenged materials, it was a community effort. She's still paying down her debts to them, which is why most folks try to avoid a visit to the clinic, she charges by what she thinks you can afford to pay.

She has one nurse, Duracell, and three guards (two are brothers named Diesel and Del Monte). She used to have more, but she can't afford to pay much, so they usually only last a couple junkfalls then disappear.

Here's a look at the very airy clinic:
Main room:


People come in the front, get treatment, sometimes rest for a bit on the few cots.

For the really sick, that don't have family and can afford it, Kim has a big canvas tent she calls Long-term care. It looks more like this:


Let's say you go see Kim in the late morning. She sees you come in, early for your shift, and smiles, giving you a nod. She finishes up with a mom and her kid. The kid got bit by something out in the waste, looks angry red, but Kim's bandaging it up, telling her she'll be fine. The mother and daughter are both young. And you're not so sure Kim is right with that diagnosis. But she's about to move on, to come over and check on you.

What do you do?

Genevieve

I try and politely pull Kim away, before she tells the family to go. "You know what bit him? He looks like he's about to puke." I look her in the eye, but keep my voice quiet so only she can hear me. It's her clinic and she doesn't need me second guessing her.

I put my hand on the kid's forehead, expecting to feel a fever.

Rich

You don't feel a fever, Kim didn't miss that. But the area around the bite, it's probably going to become infected soon. Kim says, "Some little green lizard, isn't that right, baby?" She pats the kid on the head.

The daughter, maybe six, her name is Hennessy, she says, "It was in the dark river. I went for my stick. Ikea said it was a sludge wiper."

The mother, her name is Kenwood, her face creases with worry that was just beneath the surface, "It-it can't be a viper. Right, Kim? Is there any meds for that?"

Kim says gently, "No, darlin, it wasn't a viper. Now you all head on now. Hen, you want a hard candy?" Kim's lying.

What do you do?

Genevieve

I wait until the family leaves, making sure to remember the mother's name in case I need to find her later.

"Why did you lie to them?" I whisper to her after they are gone. "What's a viper?"

Rich

Hennessy takes the candy and smiles. She still looks weak, but they're going, the mother trusting Kim.

Kim replies low, "A poisonous, legless lizard. I've got no anti-venom. She'll die in the night from heart failure. It won't help her to die on a cot scared." She watches them go while talking to you, offers the girl a friendly wave.

What do you do?

Genevieve

I nod slightly, wishing there was something I could do. I've been through the contents of both my small medkit and the larger pack I grabbed off the ship and there's no anti-venom in there.

"I'm going on the caravan with Kiddo tomorrow. Not sure when we'll be back."

Rich

Kim's mouth quirks with slight dismay, "That supply haul?" She pulls you back to the slightly private area by the water coolers (near the bottom of the picture above).

"You want a drink?" she pours some fresh water into a cup for herself and one for you. After a drink, she says, "I could see why they'd need a medic, but I sure as hell hope they're paying you well. Two trips through Wendys territory, there and back? That's insane."

Genevieve

I take the water and drink it. "They are paying pretty good." I say, trying to hide my anxiety about the Wendys. "Plus I owe Kiddo."

If she hadn't come along and opened the container, I might still be asleep. I might have died in that thing. Supposedly the iso-cube could maintain a person for hundreds of years, possibly even a thousand, but who knows what would have happened to the ship by then? And I still wasn't really sure of how much time had gone by.

"I'm a triage doctor, in truth." I explained to Kim. "I've got no bedside manner, whatsoever, and you know it."

Rich

Kim chuckles, "Triage is all these folks need, Stitch. Fix em up, they'll work through everything else on their own." She takes a breath, like she's trying to gauge your words and what they mean.

She exhales, then says, "Kiddo's a good kid, her parents were friends of mine. But, Stitch, she is just a kid. She is more than a little impressed with herself, and I worry it'll get her killed some day." Kim puts a friendly hand on your arm, "You need to be careful. Go out there, never come back, that does nobody any good. I get why you want to settle your debts. I do. But we need you here, too."

Genevieve

"I'll be careful." I say, not sure if I'm convincing her or myself. "And I'll come back. I'll be back for my shift."

I go to talk to Caesar before my clinic shift starts.

Rich

Kim nods, lets you go without anything further.

You find Caesar back at Loots. The place is nearly empty, and Caesar is reading a book he found about particle physics and eating from a bowl of something fried that he doesn't want to know what it is. He looks up, "Hey Stitch, what did Logitech have to say?"

Genevieve

"Me and Kiddo and a few others are gonna do escort duty. The pay is good, but it's dangerous." I give the book a funny look. "Since when are you a physicist?" I laugh.

Rich

He furrows his brows, "Dangerous? How dangerous? Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean... these folks pay in barter, you know, livestock and half-used batteries and stuff. Seems like the only thing they have in abundance is bullets."

On the book comment, he huffs a little laugh, "I'm not a physicist, but Brillo lent this to me, said it would unlock untold secrets... and I was bored. Listen, you sure you wanna go out there, Stitch? Maybe we could find other work."

Genevieve

"What kind of work is that, Caesar? Waiting tables and stitching up drunks? It'll be fine. Svenja and Rinso are coming."

Truth be told I'm not sure it'll be fine, but it won't serve anyone to have him sitting here worrying himself.

Rich

"Well, then I'm coming, too. If its so damn safe, sign me up." He impulsively reaches out to cup his hand over yours on the table.

Genevieve

I let him put his hand on mine. We've been through a lot, that's for sure.

"There's not room." I say. "Small crew, small target. Plus you being here is the only reason I got to come back safe and sound."

I'd thought that I'd wake up from the iso-cube in a new settlement- that had been the plan. But not like this. I wasn't sorry I'd signed up for the program, but I hadn't expected to end up on a junk planet- surrounded by people who would kill me given half the chance.

Rich

Caesar smiles at that assurance, squeezes your hand. He'll change the subject, he was never one to dwell on unpleasant topics. He chats about some book the two of you read on a lark. What was the name of that one? Do you have a copy of it anymore, like on one of the tablets they scrounged, or is it lost forever?

Do you have anywhere you go before you start your last shift at Kim's? Any place where you just relax, or is it work and sleep all the time?

Genevieve

We both read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden- I don't even remember how I came across it, but we both loved it. I hope it's on one of the tablets- I feel a sad pang when I realize I will never be able to just go to a bookshop and buy whatever book I like.

I fidget with my left ring finger for a few moments, staring off at nothing. I wonder what Rinso's doing. I imagine I could kill some time with him... Svenja's more his type, though, and I'm sure he's got his pick of girls around town. I cut that train of thought off and head off to work.