Post by Lavinia Wren on Feb 20, 2007 20:31:49 GMT -5
Lavinia stormed into the emergency room, furious. Facing the collection of medics around the gurney, she snapped, “This man is my bodyguard. I know his parents. Please, do your best to make sure he sees them again.”
A short, reddish-haired woman, already pulling on a pair of plastic gloves and a surgical mask, answered her without looking up. “That’s why we’re here, honey. What, do you think we use bleeding bodies to warm ourselves?”
One of the medics said something Lavinia could not quite hear, but the woman scowled at him and he subsided. She turned to Lavinia and said tiredly, “I’m sorry, miss, I’ve had a long day. Can one of these shmucks help you?”
Lavinia gazed steadily at the woman. “I take it you are in charge? I would appreciate it if one of your people would show me to somewhere I can contact the authorities and wait while you treat Ailil.”
The woman waved at a tall man with a pepper-and-salt mustache to Lavinia’s left. “Actually, he’s in charge.”
Lavinia gave the man a curt nod. “I leave Ailil in your capable hands, then,” she said as she followed a medic from the room.
Lavinia slumped into the uncomfortable plastic chair, massaging her temples and trying to ignore the late-night drama playing on the holonet in the corner. Dealing with the Fobosi District police had been very trying. They were not used to having senators’ body guards shot on their doorstep. She sighed, trying to recall exactly what had happened.
It had started quite pleasantly. She and a few of her friends from the Senate had attended the new opera, which had been a roaring success. They had parted on the front steps, each getting into her own speeder, but the traffic had been terrible. Abiran had mentioned a shortcut through the Fobosi District to bypass the worst of the traffic, so they had turned and gone down a few levels. Abiran was right, the traffic was moving much faster down there, and they had almost been out of the district when… Lavinia shivered. The actual attack had been a blur of red light and Ailil’s scream, but she was fairly sure that she could pinpoint the direction the shot had come from, and she was certain Abiran could find the spot again.
Her fury was wearing off, and she felt suddenly cold. She shivered again, and couldn’t seem to stop. Delayed shock, she thought dimly, wrapping her coat around her and stepping out in the hall. She found a vending machine and bought a cup of hot stimulant. Grasping the warm cup in both hands, she sipped gently at the drink and sat slowly back down. As the chills receded, she took several deep, calming breaths. She hadn’t meant to doze off, but the next thing she became aware of was the copper-haired woman she had spoken to earlier stripping off a pair of bloody surgical gloves.
Lavinia stood hurriedly, brushing the wrinkles from her long turquoise tunic and disposing of the empty cup. “Ah, doctor?” she said, her voice rough from sleep. She cleared her throat before continuing. “I would like to apologize for my earlier rudeness and introduce myself. Senator Lavinia Durada-Vashte Wren, of Cularin. How is Ailil, if you do not mind me asking? I assume you are finished with the surgery.”
The woman looked surprised to see Lavinia still waiting, but she smiled and extended her hand. Lavinia shook it warmly. “No doctors are quite insane enough to be out of bed this late,” she said, her mouth twisting into a wry smile. “I’m Nurse Louvellu. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senator. Your friend will be ine; the surgery went very well. It may be a few weeks before he’s fully recovered, though.” The woman shrugged. “That’s only an estimate. Some people just heal faster than others. As for your being rude, I’m afraid I was a bit… quick myself.”
Lavinia smiled. “The pleasure is mine, Nurse Louvellu. I thank you for your hard work and time. I assume that he will need to stay in the hospital for some time, but may I see him now, or is he resting?”
“He’s probably a little groggy, but you can see him. Follow me.” The nurse gestured toward a hallway. Lavinia followed her through several antiseptic passageways until she pointed to an open door. Lavinia rushed forward, kneeling beside the bed as Ailil’s eyes fluttered open. “Thank the Powers that Be you’re safe,” she said quietly. “How do you feel?”
He blinked sleepily. Lavinia was shocked at the pallor beneath his deep tan. “I think I’m too drugged up to feel anything right now, but I’ll live.”
Lavinia managed a trembling smile. “Can’t keep you out of commission for long, can they?” A tear of relief slipped down her cheek.
He raised his hand to brush the tear from her face. “I was beat up worse than this at Rennokk and you didn’t cry then. And I can’t stay in bed, as much as I have to save your life.”
She brushed a lock of dark hair from his forehead, then stood and beckoned the nurse forward. “This is Nurse Louvellu. She helped save your life.”
Ailil shifted under the stark white sheets, trying to sit up before giving up and simply nodding. “The pleasure is mine, Nurse Louvellu. And thank you.”
The woman smiled, stepping forward. “All in a day’s work. Or night’s, rather.” Lavinia caught her brief glance at her watch, and a look at her own confirmed her fears.
“I apologize for keeping you so long. You look exhausted. Please allow me to offer you a ride home.”
The nurse smiled wearily. “Ordinarily, I would turn you down, but tonight-” She looked at her watch again. “This morning, rather, I’m so exhausted I don’t think I could tell an airtaxi from a… a…” she rubbed her forehead.
Lavinia nodded sympathetically. “It has been a long night for us all.” She unclipped a delicate comm unit from her belt and tapped in a message with delicately manicured fingers. “There. My pilot will be waiting outside the main entrance. Is there anything you need to do before you leave?”
Nurse Louvellu shook her head. “No. I had just finished before they brought him in. I’ll just go get my purse and meet you in the waiting room.”
Lavinia nodded again. “I’ll see you in a minute, then.” As the nurse turned to leave, she turned back to Ailil. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Is there anything you want me to bring?”
Ailil shrugged, then winced. “Nah, not tomorrow. I’ll think about it.”
Lavinia bent and kissed his forehead. “Don’t think too hard. You need to rest.” She gave his hand one least squeeze before turning away.
After dropping off the nurse at her apartment on the two hundredth level, Lavinia slumped in the deep plush of a window seat. The same seat Ailil was shot in, she thought, trying to convince herself that he would be fine. She leaned her head against the window, watching the cityscape fly past. She moodily ran her fingers over the hole melted in the window by the shot, then pulled it back with a gasp. A thin red line on her fingertip oozed blood. Ignoring the wound, she pulled the commlink from her belt and gave the belt an exploratory tap.
Abiran sighed. “And just why, Lady Wren, are you beating your commlink against my poor speeder’s window?”
She hit the window again, harder, and a chip flew from the melted edge of the hole. Her eyes narrowed. “Abiran, this isn’t transparisteel.”
“What do you mean?” Abiran asked sharply. “Of course it’s transparisteel.”
“Transparisteel,” she said slowly, “doesn’t chip when hit by a commlink, nor should it have melted in the first place if it was properly shielded.”
Abiran scowled. “Sabotage. I knew we shouldn’t have hired local.”
Lavinia sighed. “We have no proof, although that is the most ready explanation. I think we need someone who will be more enthusiastic about our problem than the local law enforcement. You don’t know of any competent private investigators, do you?” As Abiran shook his head, she continued. “I’ll ask around. Surely someone has dealt with this sort of thing before.” She wearily rubbed her eyes. It had been a long night, and she had another long Senate session to look forward to the next morning. She wondered if it would be worse to sleep in and skip the session, or to fall asleep in the middle of it. She shook her head. Better to be there, just in case the Supreme Chancellor’s toadies tried to give him even more power. She grimaced. Why had she ever gotten involved in politics? She could have stayed on Cularin, settled down, had a family and a cushy bureau job. Instead, here she was, parsecs from home, with a sabotaged speeder and a bodyguard in the hospital.
She shrugged. Fortunes of war, he’d say, and laugh off her offer to take him home to recover. He only entirely trusted himself with her life, although Abiran and the other members of the Old Guard were a fairly close second. Closing her eyes, she smiled. Ah, for the old days of the resistance against the Trade Federation, when the only people trying to kill her had to face her with a blaster in her hands!
She was surprised when her solicitous maid touched her shoulder, saying, “You’re home, lady.” She followed the woman into the apartment and was glad of her assistance for once, since without her Lavinia would probably just have slept in her clothes. As the cool white nightgown slid over her head, she yawned, and was asleep almost before the maid turned off the lights and slipped silently out the door.
A short, reddish-haired woman, already pulling on a pair of plastic gloves and a surgical mask, answered her without looking up. “That’s why we’re here, honey. What, do you think we use bleeding bodies to warm ourselves?”
One of the medics said something Lavinia could not quite hear, but the woman scowled at him and he subsided. She turned to Lavinia and said tiredly, “I’m sorry, miss, I’ve had a long day. Can one of these shmucks help you?”
Lavinia gazed steadily at the woman. “I take it you are in charge? I would appreciate it if one of your people would show me to somewhere I can contact the authorities and wait while you treat Ailil.”
The woman waved at a tall man with a pepper-and-salt mustache to Lavinia’s left. “Actually, he’s in charge.”
Lavinia gave the man a curt nod. “I leave Ailil in your capable hands, then,” she said as she followed a medic from the room.
Lavinia slumped into the uncomfortable plastic chair, massaging her temples and trying to ignore the late-night drama playing on the holonet in the corner. Dealing with the Fobosi District police had been very trying. They were not used to having senators’ body guards shot on their doorstep. She sighed, trying to recall exactly what had happened.
It had started quite pleasantly. She and a few of her friends from the Senate had attended the new opera, which had been a roaring success. They had parted on the front steps, each getting into her own speeder, but the traffic had been terrible. Abiran had mentioned a shortcut through the Fobosi District to bypass the worst of the traffic, so they had turned and gone down a few levels. Abiran was right, the traffic was moving much faster down there, and they had almost been out of the district when… Lavinia shivered. The actual attack had been a blur of red light and Ailil’s scream, but she was fairly sure that she could pinpoint the direction the shot had come from, and she was certain Abiran could find the spot again.
Her fury was wearing off, and she felt suddenly cold. She shivered again, and couldn’t seem to stop. Delayed shock, she thought dimly, wrapping her coat around her and stepping out in the hall. She found a vending machine and bought a cup of hot stimulant. Grasping the warm cup in both hands, she sipped gently at the drink and sat slowly back down. As the chills receded, she took several deep, calming breaths. She hadn’t meant to doze off, but the next thing she became aware of was the copper-haired woman she had spoken to earlier stripping off a pair of bloody surgical gloves.
Lavinia stood hurriedly, brushing the wrinkles from her long turquoise tunic and disposing of the empty cup. “Ah, doctor?” she said, her voice rough from sleep. She cleared her throat before continuing. “I would like to apologize for my earlier rudeness and introduce myself. Senator Lavinia Durada-Vashte Wren, of Cularin. How is Ailil, if you do not mind me asking? I assume you are finished with the surgery.”
The woman looked surprised to see Lavinia still waiting, but she smiled and extended her hand. Lavinia shook it warmly. “No doctors are quite insane enough to be out of bed this late,” she said, her mouth twisting into a wry smile. “I’m Nurse Louvellu. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Senator. Your friend will be ine; the surgery went very well. It may be a few weeks before he’s fully recovered, though.” The woman shrugged. “That’s only an estimate. Some people just heal faster than others. As for your being rude, I’m afraid I was a bit… quick myself.”
Lavinia smiled. “The pleasure is mine, Nurse Louvellu. I thank you for your hard work and time. I assume that he will need to stay in the hospital for some time, but may I see him now, or is he resting?”
“He’s probably a little groggy, but you can see him. Follow me.” The nurse gestured toward a hallway. Lavinia followed her through several antiseptic passageways until she pointed to an open door. Lavinia rushed forward, kneeling beside the bed as Ailil’s eyes fluttered open. “Thank the Powers that Be you’re safe,” she said quietly. “How do you feel?”
He blinked sleepily. Lavinia was shocked at the pallor beneath his deep tan. “I think I’m too drugged up to feel anything right now, but I’ll live.”
Lavinia managed a trembling smile. “Can’t keep you out of commission for long, can they?” A tear of relief slipped down her cheek.
He raised his hand to brush the tear from her face. “I was beat up worse than this at Rennokk and you didn’t cry then. And I can’t stay in bed, as much as I have to save your life.”
She brushed a lock of dark hair from his forehead, then stood and beckoned the nurse forward. “This is Nurse Louvellu. She helped save your life.”
Ailil shifted under the stark white sheets, trying to sit up before giving up and simply nodding. “The pleasure is mine, Nurse Louvellu. And thank you.”
The woman smiled, stepping forward. “All in a day’s work. Or night’s, rather.” Lavinia caught her brief glance at her watch, and a look at her own confirmed her fears.
“I apologize for keeping you so long. You look exhausted. Please allow me to offer you a ride home.”
The nurse smiled wearily. “Ordinarily, I would turn you down, but tonight-” She looked at her watch again. “This morning, rather, I’m so exhausted I don’t think I could tell an airtaxi from a… a…” she rubbed her forehead.
Lavinia nodded sympathetically. “It has been a long night for us all.” She unclipped a delicate comm unit from her belt and tapped in a message with delicately manicured fingers. “There. My pilot will be waiting outside the main entrance. Is there anything you need to do before you leave?”
Nurse Louvellu shook her head. “No. I had just finished before they brought him in. I’ll just go get my purse and meet you in the waiting room.”
Lavinia nodded again. “I’ll see you in a minute, then.” As the nurse turned to leave, she turned back to Ailil. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Is there anything you want me to bring?”
Ailil shrugged, then winced. “Nah, not tomorrow. I’ll think about it.”
Lavinia bent and kissed his forehead. “Don’t think too hard. You need to rest.” She gave his hand one least squeeze before turning away.
After dropping off the nurse at her apartment on the two hundredth level, Lavinia slumped in the deep plush of a window seat. The same seat Ailil was shot in, she thought, trying to convince herself that he would be fine. She leaned her head against the window, watching the cityscape fly past. She moodily ran her fingers over the hole melted in the window by the shot, then pulled it back with a gasp. A thin red line on her fingertip oozed blood. Ignoring the wound, she pulled the commlink from her belt and gave the belt an exploratory tap.
Abiran sighed. “And just why, Lady Wren, are you beating your commlink against my poor speeder’s window?”
She hit the window again, harder, and a chip flew from the melted edge of the hole. Her eyes narrowed. “Abiran, this isn’t transparisteel.”
“What do you mean?” Abiran asked sharply. “Of course it’s transparisteel.”
“Transparisteel,” she said slowly, “doesn’t chip when hit by a commlink, nor should it have melted in the first place if it was properly shielded.”
Abiran scowled. “Sabotage. I knew we shouldn’t have hired local.”
Lavinia sighed. “We have no proof, although that is the most ready explanation. I think we need someone who will be more enthusiastic about our problem than the local law enforcement. You don’t know of any competent private investigators, do you?” As Abiran shook his head, she continued. “I’ll ask around. Surely someone has dealt with this sort of thing before.” She wearily rubbed her eyes. It had been a long night, and she had another long Senate session to look forward to the next morning. She wondered if it would be worse to sleep in and skip the session, or to fall asleep in the middle of it. She shook her head. Better to be there, just in case the Supreme Chancellor’s toadies tried to give him even more power. She grimaced. Why had she ever gotten involved in politics? She could have stayed on Cularin, settled down, had a family and a cushy bureau job. Instead, here she was, parsecs from home, with a sabotaged speeder and a bodyguard in the hospital.
She shrugged. Fortunes of war, he’d say, and laugh off her offer to take him home to recover. He only entirely trusted himself with her life, although Abiran and the other members of the Old Guard were a fairly close second. Closing her eyes, she smiled. Ah, for the old days of the resistance against the Trade Federation, when the only people trying to kill her had to face her with a blaster in her hands!
She was surprised when her solicitous maid touched her shoulder, saying, “You’re home, lady.” She followed the woman into the apartment and was glad of her assistance for once, since without her Lavinia would probably just have slept in her clothes. As the cool white nightgown slid over her head, she yawned, and was asleep almost before the maid turned off the lights and slipped silently out the door.
