[DVFP] Don't Take a Bit off at the Knee (E 3.5, G 3.7)

Rich

Esco,
Cinch walked with you until she delivered you to Fleece's clinic. She told you to come in, and Cinch headed out. Or Cinch tried to come in, and Fleece told her to go on because "there's no room in here".

Fleece is standing just inside when you open the door. She moves up to help you walk once she sees your limp. "What the hell happened to you, Esco? I thought you were getting recruits and taking it easy?" She helps you to her metal exam table, pulls a step-up stool over to help you move until you're sitting on it, and drops down to start working on your leg.

What do you do?

Adam

I make sure to thank Cinch for gettin' me here, in one piece — or, well... Pretty much one piece. I wasn't tryin' to rub it in or nothin'... It just sounded weird is all.

Once Cinch heads out, I close the door behind me, and hobble a few steps over towards Fleece's examination table. "Yeah, well... Cinch got into some trouble with the UF, and they decided to send some folks to mess her up. I tried to clear a path for her, but shite kinda went south..." I sigh, "took a slug to the shoulder, too."

Rich

Fleece helps you out of your jacket and shirt, working quickly and without hesitation or show of modesty. "Lay down on your stomach, Esco." She helps you lie down and gets to work on the wound.

"Looks like a graze, the bullet didn't go in. So there's that." She walks over to get some thread and a needle, "Only a few stitches, aren't you lucky? I'll use some meatmesh to minimize scarring, but it's already stretched thin. This'll be the last of it." Her needlework is quick and nearly painless.

Adam

Fleece never was one to fek about with her work. I follow her directions to the "T", fallin' into old habits pretty quickly — even if I don't realize it right away. Oddly enough, I feel a little guilty usin' up the last of her meatmesh when the miners use so much of it. "Nah... Save it. I can do with a scar or two... Teach me a lesson for bein' a fekin' blazebrain."

I'm quiet as she works for a spell, then images of her and Sierra flicker into my brain, and curiosity gets the best of me. "You've been spendin' a lot of time with Sierra of late... There somethin' there? ... Between you two?"

Rich

"Esco," Fleece says as she finishes the last stitch, snipping it and moving back to her cabinet to put things away, "If you're watching out for Cinch, then you're not being a blazebrain. That's actually decent of you." She shoves the drawer closed, then comes back to you.

"Let's take a look at your legs, roll back over." She helps you lift with minimal pressure on sore spots. You ask her about Sierra and the mask hides her expression. "There isn't now that the Fippers drove her off. Don't worry, I wasn't poaching your affections, Esco." She starts pulling at your pants, "Come on, I need to see your hip and your knee."

Adam

I flip back over, and sit up to face her. I don't have any comments about bein' decent... I guess I just ain't used to people tellin' me that. Kinda nice, though...

"Poachin' my affections?" I ask, with a dubious look on my face, "what do you mean by "drove her off"? Last I could tell, those Fippers intended to leave her alone... You sayin' there is somethin' between you two?"

Rich

"She feels like they only came because of her. I'm inclined to think she's right. She... remembers things about the outside, Esco. I know that doesn't matter, since we're all serving the same sentence. Still, she wants to become her own person, and all she's brought to the Diamond is trouble." She finishes stripping you to your underwear, and stoops down to check your knee, peering through the mask and testing.

Adam

She didn't really answer my question 'bout her and Sierra... She's dancin' around it, it seems. It doesn't help that she's sittin' here tryin' to sell Sierra's leavin' like it's good for us all... Though I guess it might actually be. Maybe I'm just hangin' on to some bitterness with Sierra. I let it slide.

I sigh, and lean back on my palms. "Probably for the best... Sierra fekked with my head more'n I care to admit — in an almost unnatural way. Not that I've been entirely right in the brain for quite some time... Last night I was lyin' in bed, stoned out of my mind on this shite, and I kept havin' visions of you 'n her." I flinch at some sudden pain in my leg, and force myself to relax again. "Maybe she wasn't made for the Irons..." I look her in the eyes, or as best I can guess through that mask, "Not like some women I know..."

Rich

Fleece is inscrutable in her mask, but you swear you sense some tension at the talk of your dream. "I'm sorry she isn't here to fulfill your fantasies of her, Esco. I'm sure you can arrange something with your girls, though."

The pressure on your knee grows and you'd swear Fleece is squeezing it until it hurts, "Are you saying I'm made for The Irons? Or are we now talking about a third woman?"

Adam

Did that come out wrong? I let out a sharp breath at the growing pain in my knee, and jerk it away from her. "Fleece... I made a mistake, lettin' myself get wrapped up in Sierra's world. I wasn't good for her, and she wasn't good for me. Apparently, she thought the same 'bout the Irons..."

I reach down, and put a hand on her shoulder — beckoning her up to me. "Why are you still here?"

OOC: Reading Fleece. Roll+Sharp. Highlighted.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 6, 6. Total: 13)

Rich

"She has a magic about her, doesn't she?" Fleece says with uncharacteristic fondness. She clears her throat, "Loving Sierra wasn't a mistake, Esco. Caging her up, that was. It..." She waves a hand, then gets back to her exam, "Fug it doesn't matter. You two were a mess. She's gone, nothing can be done about it."

"I'm here, Esco," Fleece says as she bandages up your leg, "Because the miners need medical care. And this place was relatively safe. Now the miners are off drilling for oil on your say so and ignoring their checkups, Fippers think this is a new stop on their patrol, and people are dying on the regular. Onk if I know why I'm still here."

Adam

Ever play two truths and a lie? Sometimes I think that smooth accent of hers was built for that game. Her candid little slip about Sierra puts a frown on my face, and I don't bother hiding it. I don't know where she got the idea that I was tryin' to cage Sierra — but if that's what Sierra told her, then that fekin' smarts...

"I sent them there, cause they had the ambition to try and make their lives a little better — and I figured if I got in on the ground floor, that they might keep the jingle here in the Irons. Give us all the float we desperately need for when the Fat Man makes a play on this place. The same kind of ambition I had when I traded my pride on camera for that Fipper's co-operation..." I pause a moment, "I ain't gunna claim I didn't play a part in the string of deaths lately... I did what I did, regardless of who it was, or why... But it ain't right that I get all the fekin' blame for doin' what needs to be done to keep this place afloat.

I put a hand on hers, to stop her from dressing my wound, and give her a very serious look. "Look me in the eye, and tell me you didn't stay for me — that the only reason you ain't out galavanting with Sierra right now is on account of whatever is left between us."

Rich

Fleece reaches up to the seam on her mask, then wriggles it over her head.

"I happen to have a clinic, which took me three years to build to the current state you see right now. Sections of it are built into the earth. I'm not going anywhere without much more motivation than gallivanting." She returns your very serious look, "What is left between us, Esco?"

Adam

OOC: Is she telling the truth about not staying for me?

Rich

She is soooooo lying.

Adam

I sigh, "I'm not a fekin' blazebrain, Fleece... As if someone with your skills couldn't make a life for yourself anywhere? I still think about you, you know... When I let my mind wander off work, or get a little too drunk... Hell, even when I'm with other folks... You always come up, and I end up feelin' like shite."

I lean back in the table again, and look up at the lights strewn up on her ceiling. "I feel like I shoulda made time for you... Like I wouldn't feel so fekin' empty alla time if I had. Is it too late to see if we can make somethin' work between us? Tend that garden again? Are we really different folks? Or are we just too busy to give it a proper go?"

Rich

Fleece's expression softens when you open up to her, and she looks down at you, searching your eyes, before taking a deep breath, exhaling and saying, "I... I don't know, Esco. We've had some great times together, that's no lie. You are a king in the sack." She laughs lightly, her mind wandering over times past.

"I want more than sex, Esco." She says it with finality, like she doesn't think your relationship is built on the concept, or capable of reaching it.

Adam

More than sex... OK... Like what?

OOC: spending hold 2/3: What does Fleece wish I'd do?

Rich

She wishes you'd ask what she wants, listen to her, then, try it.

Adam

I regard her seriously, and offer the attention she craves. "And what might that be?"

Rich

Esco,

Her mouth tightens, then she relaxes, like perhaps this is an opening. "Intimacy. Quiet time alone. You're... difficult to occupy. Farathoom, Esco, you have your fugging office in your bedroom." She pauses, like she's going to say more, but there's a knock at the clinic door.

She closes her eyes , then calls out, "Who is it?" She starts putting her mask back on so she can open the door as the doctor.

Gigg,

You park at the mine entrance and tromp down with Mimi to Fleece's clinic. The door's closed and nobody's around. You knock at the door and hear her query from the other side, "Who is it?"

Adam

I'm about to yell out to the visitor at the door, tell them to take a fekin' hike, when I remember I ain't in my office, and I shut it. I reach out and gently grab her arm, askin' for a moment more of her attention, "I'm gunna hear you out — I promise."

Rich

Esco,

She pauses before putting the mask on, looks down at your arm, then leans in to kiss you. It's quick, but not a peck. She whispers, "Not saying no sex. Just more." Then she pulls over the hood and looks like an alien creature.

Adam

I smile, and in a joking tone add, "More sex. Got it." If she bothers to look over, she'll catch me winking at her.

exterminatorx

"Fleece? Ah good, you're on call. It's Gigg. I got shot. Again. I need ya to take a look at it... and... I got a friend too I'd like ya to take a look at and get your doctoring opinion on. Can we come in?"

Rich

Fleece opens the door and sees you, Gigg. She looks at Mimi, and then remains in the doorway.

"I'll need you to remove weapons. This clinic is a place of peace. I'm happy to work on you both, but I need to feel safe." She says it clean and professionally, doesn't look at either one of you for too long.

Has she ever asked you to drop weapons before, Gigg, or is this new?

Adam

"Gigg!" I call out, unable to contain myself, "you sun-scorched blazebrain! You nearly got Cinch and me killed!" My tone is light-hearted, but there's a bit of annoyance in there too. I sigh, "you done with me here, Fleece? I can get scarce..."

exterminatorx

Fleece has a old Rubbermaid plastic bin next to the door, and I start unpacking. "Sure thing, Fleece. You drop your weapons in there, Mimi," I say pointing at the bin. I unclip the 8 lb steel wrench from my belt and drop it into the bin, along with the sawed-off 12-gauge and the MAC-10 I'm surprised to discover is still in my hand. Ah, that's probably what prompted Fleece's reaction. That and Mimi's perma-snarl. Mimi looks to be carrying Tusk's AK and that 9mm, and her big ole fugging knife, which is pretty damn scary too. I futz awkwardly with getting the hockey stick to stay in the bin, and after several trial and error attempts, I discover blade-side up and wedged against the door trim finally works.

Assuming Fleece gives her patients a visual look-over, she would note that Gigg has scores of fingernail-sized scabs on exposed areas of his arms, still healing from that fight with Ziggy's cowboys. "Fleece, this is Mimi. Mimi, Fleece." An obviously wounded Esco gets my attention, "Esco! ... hey, what happened to you? Yeah, Cinch saved my hide for sure. If'n wasn't for her, there'd be pieces of ole Gigg spread out all over The Depot from that UF fugger with the mortar. I thanked her and chatted her up, but I didn't see you with her. Last time I saw you, you were gettin' cozy with that Amazon gal. Looking at you, I'd have thought she was the one that did a number on you, man! Living the life!"

Adam

I sigh, and shake my head in frustration at Gigg's indiscretion. Whatever. I'll deal with that later. "Well those UF fekkers came lookin' for her, and she came lookin' for me — A bunch of them jumped us while we were tryin' to grab her car from the garage and bolt." I'm tryin' to remember if Cinch said Gigg drew first, but I'm not remembering... My memory's all a little hazy, for obvious reasons.

"Did you throw down on them?"

Rich

Esco,
Fleece seems reluctant to scoot you out of here, but the clinic is small, so she nods so you can go on. I assume you slip out while Gigg and "Mimi" are removing weapons. Mimi gives you "the eye", Esco, sort of measuring you up and down, but not for sexy things. What happened the last time United Front came here? Do you know Mimi?

Adam

Last time the United Front came through here, there was a brawl of epic proportions... Folks got way too drunk, insults were traded, and the miners thought it best they throw those disrespectful feks out on their asses... Fleece made a good amount of jingle that night. JD and I even ended up with a split lip, and black eye to tell the tale.

I know Mimi. She's the one threw the first punch – at me – for tellin' her to calm the fek down, or get the fek out.

OOC: Spending my last hold: What does Fleece wish I'd do (re: staying or going)?

Rich

Gigg,

Fleece looks at you, Esco, when Gigg talks about an Amazon gal, but it's not like you didn't mention something like that, right? "Yes, yes, Gigg, hustle up and get in here, I don't have all day." Fleece says with some irritation, but it's her default setting.

Fleece gets you on the table first, and it groans slightly with your weight. She leans in to look at the bullet wound in your chest, reaching up to touch it.

"What promok pulled the bullet out of you, Gigg? Did they use... a stapler or something? This is going to get infected if I don't clean it." She casts a glance at Mimi, but still addresses you, "What's Mimi's troubles, other than the arm?"

"Mimi's a talking walking killer, Fleece. She even knows words and stuff, it's magical." Mimi answers. "I want this bolt outta me. It hurts." She reaches up with her right hand to touch at the metal and rust. "Hurts so bad, I have trouble calming the fek down."

Esco, Fleece has left the door open, which isn't normal. You get the feeling she'd like it if you hung around a bit with Mimi here, to make sure she's safe.

exterminatorx

"Yeah, I threw down on 'em, Esco. Mimi, here, is ex-UF now. And they're huntin' her like a dog, and I was tryin' to get her outta The Depot, to safety. But those fuggers parked their truck right next to swagman, and I knew they wouldn't let her leave if they saw her gettin' into to my roller. So... ya know... if a fight is gonna go down, I wanna it going down on my own terms.

"So, I just walked up to their truck unawares and caved in one skull, broke the neck of another after taking some machine gun fire, but then got caught staring down a mortar tube. Who knew they'd have heavy weapons, right? That's when Cinch put a bullet in his head. Right place, right time. Thanks to her I'm alive and I got myself a mortar to go along with that 50-cal from Ziggy's cowboys at the roadblock. I'm gearing up for something big."

I wince as Fleece prods at my bullet wound. "Honestly, Fleece, I didn't know I was coming back to the Irons so quick. Thought I was heading somewhere else, so figured it was better it got out by any means. It was deep."

After Mimi explains her situation, "You think you can help her, Fleece? If you need parts, tools, equipments, jingle, just tell me. I'll get what you need, alright?"

Adam

I park myself in the corner of the room not far from Fleece, but out of the way. When Mimi takes a jab at me, a shite-eating grin spreads across my face. I wanna ask her how the new helmet's treatin' her, since — if I recall correctly — Sash smashed her upside the head with a whiskey bottle shortly after she suckered me right in the mouth.

I don't, for Fleece's sake. Knowin' my luck, I'd have to stab her, and Gigg would likely kill me. I ain't always gotta run at the mouth — I just really, really want to right now.

I listen to Gigg's story, completely lost as to how this fekker is still alive... It's a right fekin' miracle, really. "Trouble fekin' follows you like a bitch in heat, Gigg — and that's comin' from me."

exterminatorx

"Hey, stop talking about Mimi that way, Esco," I say jokingly as I shoot a glance towards Mimi, big smile hidden behind my mask, and let out a growling Horshack laugh.

Rich

Gigg,

Your laughter's cut off by some sharp pain. Fleece cleans your wound with some alcohol. Otherwise she's much more gentle than Mimi, and she works quickly, too. "I'll take a look after I'm done with you. Gigg, I've got a salve I want you to apply to this wound. It is deep, and it could be some serious trouble if you don't do what I say."

She fetches out her thread and needle and sews it closed. Once she's done, ""You can hop up, Gigg."she looks over to Mimi, "Will you please come take a seat, Mimi?"

Mimi climbs up on the table and sits there as Fleece picks and prods at her wound. "It's installed, dug in real hard. Parcher didn't want me to forget his work." She sucks in a breath when Fleece touches a spot, then blows out the breath and grits her teeth.

exterminatorx

"Fleece, what you know about Parcher?"

Rich

"Farathoom." Fleece curses, or at least the tone seems like a curse. "Parcher is a drumdik hack job. He thinks metal and flesh can be slammed together like peanut butter and jelly, just put bread around it and..." she looks around. "Lifers. You've never seen a PB and J. Let's say he makes things go, but it's slap-dash and never last long. I'm honestly surprised this thing hasn't killed you, Mimi." She peers closer.

"Graks! It's fused to your collarbone, and there are leads to your spinal column." She makes a few thinking sounds, then steps back. "It's in there but good, Mimi. I can remove the bolt, but I'm out of meatmesh, so you'd bleed out quick. Getting the leads out of your spinal column is the real trick, and I'd need someone who was insumatt at neural work. I don't know anyone around here with the know how on that."

exterminatorx

"I'm just a junkman, Fleece, so I'm sure I'm not following... but if Parcher put them leads in, couldn't he take 'em out? Especially with his arsehole wrapped around the barrel of Mr. Twelve Gauge over there?"

Adam

"Ain't June a brain fekker? She could likely rewire ya." I grin over at Mimi, but it's a crocodile smile.

Rich

"I don't know about June, but Parcher and the barrel idea would work. He's still in UF?" Fleece asks Mimi, who nods. "Tall order. Listen, Mimi, I am almost out of pain meds, so you can put this numbing agent on the wound before you sleep at night. Once that's gone, it'll be a barter before I can get you more." She walks over to her cabinet and pulls out a small green jar. "It smells like a sand ganger's ass, don't ask me why I know, but it works."

exterminatorx

"Fleece, besides Parcher and the Depot hospital, who's got meshmeat i can rhyme and steal?"

Rich

Fleece answers briskly, "No idea, Gigg. I just trade for it at Bordertown East. Not a clinic, with the Security office, when I have enough of what they want. Right now, they want grown food items that we don't grow here, and borax soap, which we don't mine anymore."

exterminatorx

I let out a long sigh, feeling like I've hit a wall on the help I can get for Mimi. Gonna have to talk to June again about Parcher, and come to some decision about his future plans.

Adam

Fek me... Why've I always gotta play the go between... For all I give a shite, Mimi could have that fekin' thing in her forever — but it just so happens I know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy that works in the Depot Hospital.

I'm gunna regret this...

"Say I could get you some... Would that keep your violent arse outta trouble for a few fekkin' days, at least?"

Rich

That gets a suspicious glare from Mimi. She looks at you for a long moment before answering. "At least a week, I'd say. What's the catch, Esco?" After a moment, she says, "If it's killing someone, or rolling on the UF, I don't have a problem with that, just trying to get a gauge on the cost."

Adam

I look over at Mimi, my arms crossed, and shake my head, "I want you to stop killin' folks at the drop of a hat — especially here. We need some fekin' peace for a change." I look to Gigg, "especially from you."

exterminatorx

I shrug my shoulders and look at Esco strangely, "What?"

Adam

I stare at him blankly for a second, dumbfounded.

What indeed.

I regard Gigg with a great deal of uncertainty... He's a wild fekin' bull in a china shop, this one. He can sniff out danger like no-one I ever knew. I ain't sayin' I want him passin' through here often, since he leaves a trainwreck of shite in his wake; but it looks like there's a small area around him that stays safe from it all. Him. Mimi. I'd be stupid to stand in his way — but in his slipstream? That ain't so dumb.

I shake my head, and turn back to Mimi. "I'll get you your fekin' meshmeat. Just keep shite civil if you're gunna be hangin' 'round the Irons." I pause, realizin' how ridiculous that might sound to someone like Fleece. I turn to her and chuckle, "Well... As civil as it gets 'round here, I guess..."

exterminatorx

I pick up on what Esco is gettin' at. "Don't worry, Esco, I don't think we gonna be here long. We're riding with the 'Zons and we just came to collect Motley and his Crue, and then we'll be heading out. Everything back to normal.

How much jingle it gonna take, and how much time you need?"

Adam

I point to Fleece, "She's the one who knows what these things cost. Ask her. You might wanna throw in a bit extra so she can have some on hand..."

"Back to normal" ain't exactly what I was hoping for. "Just don't leave me holdin' a pile of shite, Gigg. I'll get on it soon as I'm able..."

exterminatorx

"Esco, I don't have words that says how much I appreciate your help. That's why you ain't never gonna be left holding a pile of shite. You care 'bout folk that don't normally get that. All that comes back to roost.

I got that set of yours in swagman. All them fancy silver forks and spoons, and what not. That set I was telling you about back at The Pit. That oughta be worth enough jingle to get what Mims needs plus some extry, dontcha think?" I'm looking back and forth at Esco and Fleece.

I move closer to Fleece and Mimi, "Whoa. That does smell like sand ganger's ass. We found out last night what that smells like, didn't we Mims? Wooo! But that smell brings back some good rememberin' flashes, huh?

Hey, Fleece, do ya think Mimi can ever get another arm? You know one that works and all, and doesn't hurt like the blazes? She's already got the leads, right? So, that's the hard part ain't it? Whatdya think? With the right parts, can you do that kind of sawbonin'?"

Rich

Mimi gives a sneer about the sand ganger comment, but doesn't object to your exuberance or correct you, Gigg.

"Cybernetics are technically contraband in DVFP. No idea how Parcher gets a pass on it. If Parcher, or someone with similar skills, assisted, I could do it. It's risky, there's a chance you'd bleed out, Mimi..."

"One thing at a time." Mimi grumps. "Take out the bolt and all the other shite, slap on meatmesh, then we can figure out how to kidnap Parcher, give me a new arm, then put a bullet in his ugly face." She exhales a bit, "And that's after this Foster job."

"I need meatmesh now. I am out, and anyone with significant tissue damage is going to be out of luck until I get it. I'll patch and sew till I'm out of mats, but I need meatmesh to keep people whole, not just living and breathing."

Adam

I put a hand on Fleece's shoulder. "I'll get the word out on a more regular supply of meat mesh — till then, I can send folks out to get some."

exterminatorx

I nod agreement at everything Fleece and Mimi are sayin'. Sounds like Esco's got a contact, and I've got the jingle. I can leave the barter with you, then, Esco.

I guess me and Mimi are gonna help Last and the 'Zons with a thing, and then we'll circle back to the Irons once Esco gets the meatmesh, yeah?"

Rich

Gigg, please go here.

Rich

Esco, please go here.