Card Sharks |
Summary: | Addie visits the wounded marines for some Triad. |
Date: | 11/25/2008 |
Related Logs: | None |
Players: |
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11/25/2008
The recovery ward is a row of hospital beds that are currently seating a line of marines. Most of them asleep, Ramiro sits up in bed. Recently assisted in being showered by the nurses, he is barechested and his right arm is immobilized to the side of his bed. A small lamp over his head, he's quietly reading something on a small reading unit. His right arm bears a huge number of bandages over it, and his fingers are left to dangle over a small tray on which upon a ring of prayer beads rest.
As for Skip, he's sitting in his own bed, not paying too much attention to the rest of the room. He seems to be looking through a book of some kind, and there's something very unusual about the Staff Sergeant. He's actually smiling as he looks through that book of his. Must be the end of everything soon.
Addie walks in from the main Sick Bay area with a fresh line of sutures along a two inch would in her left forearm. She carries a deck of Triad cards with her, and wanders along the line of sleeping marines surveying their injuries. She walks past the one who looks like he's on drugs, and pauses near the one with the prayer beads.
Sensing a presence approaching, Ramiro looks up with a lifted eyebrow in Addie's direction. Not seeing a rank available, he turns off the reading unit with a nearly inaudible 'beep'. Grunting, he sets the reader aside and sips his water. He waves his hand. "Hi…Lance Corporal Ramiro, SST."
Lance Corporal Wulf, MP, is not far behind Addie as he enters the Ward. Looking around, he soon recognises both Skip and Ramiro. "Well now" he says with his deep, hoarse voice, "If it isn't the juiced up gunslinging toaster-busting heroes I've been lookin' for! Good to see you boys alive and well and doing good. I was a bit worried about you people, but now I see I have nothing to worry about. Hardcore brass balls on the lot of ya."
Skip pauses as he hears someone speak, and his expression quickly turns back to the non-smiling one that people are used to. Closing the book and putting it down next to him, he shakes his head a little looking between the new arrivals. Shaking his head as he sees Wulf. "Here comes the radio," he remarks lightly.
"I'm more interested in your injuries," Addie replies, idly shuffling the cards. She pauses as deep throat chimes in behind her with a miniature inspirational speech. She does not look inspired. She glances at the Sgt, then back to the bedridden marines. "Do you play?"
"Pyramid's more my game, but I do cards too, yeah…" Ramiro replies with a charming grin on his face as he looks to Wulf. He brings a finger to his lips and motions to the sleeping marines. "Isn't rank if I smack you for waking them up, chatterbox." Ramiro chuckles and motions for Addie to take a chair between his bed and Skip's. "Well…this wound here's from a Centurion sawblade. Hit bone, but I'm keeping it and getting feeling back." Ramiro replies. "I didn't get your name…?"
"Chatterbox?" Wulf says, looking somewhat confused. "What in hellfire do you people mean by 'Chatterbox'? Do I look like some god damn machine? Is that it? Like some friggin' hotwired toaster that takes a twelve pound shit and eats a pound of beans for breakfast? What you people on about, calling me a gods damned radio, huh? Well, I never." He crosses his arms and frowns, standing in the middle of the room like some sulking kid.
"Only that it might seem like you talk a lot," Skip offers rather quietly to Wulf, before he looks over at the
others, "Card game, is it?" he remarks, before he offers a grin. "There's been a few of those throughout the years…"
"Addison Nikos," the brunette replies without offering rank or callsign. She drags over a chair, and drops to sit in it, kicking her feet up on the edge of the bed without so much as a by your leave. "A saw blade? Impressive." She points to the little suture line in her arm. Two whole inches of tiny stitches. "Sharp panel edge." It's not as sexy. She glances from Ramiro to Wulf. "Does he have an off switch?"
Ramiro looks over to Wulf. "Hey cheer up…just keep it down. People are trying to sleep." Ramiro replies, giving Addie a little grin as he hovers his finger over the nurse call button. "Yeap…Skip and I got one of each of em. Yeah…most of these guys in here right now were from that mission on the platform." Ramiro says as he sits up, grunting a little bit with a bit of color to his cheeks. "Deal me in, Addison?"
Wulf shakes his head. "Here I come on down to pay my respects, and what do I get? What do I get? A bitchslap across the dingdong that gives me no chance of having granchildren. Damn, I oughta pull you all to the brig just to flex some muscles and shut you people up… Calling me a 'chatterbox'. Puh!" Shaking his head, Wulf then heads on over to the cardgame. "So what's the game and what's the stake?"
Skip just shakes his head a bit, "I'm in," he offers to the card game, before he looks over at Wulf, "Think some of our friends from medical might object," he offers lightly.
Addie nods, dealing out a hand of Triad. She glances over at Wulf as she deals. She asides to Ramiro, "Maybe you should call the nurse." Someone sounds like they're off their medication. She finishes dealing out the hand, and sets down what's left of the deck before she sweeps her cards together in one hand. A hand is scooted over to Skip, and one to Ramiro. She sits between their beds tipped back in a chair.
Ramiro presses the button and shakes his head a little bit, giving Wulf a smirk. "Well pay your respects man, and thanks, but keep it the frak down allright?" Ramiro asks, needing some more water anyway. He looks to Scipio and then down to Addie. She's prettier. Reaching out, he takes his cards and looks them over. Scowling at the lack of an arm, he sets them down on his chest and lifts them up a little to look them over, and then sorts them that way. "I don't speak for everyone here, Addison, but I owe you one. This is exactly what I was hopin for."
"Well, hot dang" Wulf says. "I believe I was just cut out of the game right here" he says as he eyes them all. "Am I being descriminated or something? Huh? If so, I will call the MP's on your ass… Namely myself. Scoot over and deal me hand, people. I got myself some winnings to snatch from your sorry skinny asses."
Skip takes the hand as it's handed over, and studies the cards for a few moments, shaking his head for a few moments. When he notices Ramiro's troubles, he is unable to hold back a comment, "That's why you should get hit in the legs next time. You'll have the hands free for card games."
Addison resumes shuffling her own hand of cards around. She doesn't glance up as she notes, "You're disturbing the patients, marine, and you weren't invited." Some might find Addie rude. Some. It's clear which marine she's speaking to.
"I'll remember that next time, Staff." Ramiro grins, shaking his head a little. "Next time I'm face to face with a toaster I'll block with my knees." He chuckles, looking over his cards as his eyes drop to Wulf. They sweep to Addie as she talks and then back again. "Buddy, it's late and everyone's sleeping. Come by tomorrow when everyone's awake." He says, turning to the approaching nurse and whispering to her. She then leaves, taking his water cup with her.
Eyes widen and nostrils flares as Wulf is dismissed from the cardganme. "Oooh, so that's it, huh? I get it… I see what's going on here, yes sir, I do. Well then, that's that, now aint it. Well, don't let me disturb this fine and mighty gathering of fine, decent folk. Carry on, as you were" Wulf says and backs away, heading for the exit. "Alot of ego floating around in here t'night, that's for daaamn sure."
"Not ego," Addie replies, choosing a discard with a deft motion of two fingers. "Just standards."
Skip keeps quiet for a long while, blinking a few times as he eyes his cards. "Must be more tired than I thought…" he mutters, looking at those cards, discarding two of them.
Discarding two as well, Ramiro picks up his new cards and shrugs to Wulf as he exits. The nurse returns with fresh water for him. "I'll make sure it stays down, Skip. Want me to hit the light away from ya?" He adds, turning to look to Addie. "So…what do you do?"
"Spread love and joy throughout the fleet," Addie replies taking a new card and shuffling her cards. "Like this card game right here." She glances up an eyes Ramiro's arm, as Skip starts to drift off. "They figure a recovery time for you?"
"Well…miraculously the doctor said two days, then a long physical therapy and light duty string." Ramiro replies, a bit of disappointment on his face. "I don't like it, but given the circumstances I'm not gonna turn a long healing process into being taken off the roster because I pushed it, yanno?"
Wulf stops for a moment in the door, and then turns to take a look back over his shoulder. "Just remember, folks; You may think you have some juiced up ego's… But there is only one problem; My dick is bigger than your ego's combined." And with that, Lance Corporal Wulf steps out of the ward.
Skip sighs a bit, folding his cards, "Sorry, but I think I should try to get some of that sleep myself. Hate to give up in a game, but I can barely see what cards I've got at the moment."
"I do," Addie nods, glancing over to see how Skip's faring in his battle with sleep. "Anything to get you back on the line. You didn't join the Corps to spend the war in bed." She glances up.
"Right…" Ramiro replies, shaking his head at Wulf's comments. He lays his cards down to see who has the better hand. "My thoughts exactly, though. I got a job to do out there." He shrugs. "But I -did- a job out there, that's why I'm in here." He motions to a guy in a bed far away. "Harris had a headwound and was dead meat for the Centurion, so D'artanion…" He motions to a sleeping form in the next bed over. "…and I ran over and bailed him out. I got cut, she got shot, but we all made it back alive." Ramiro replies. "Only so many of us left, right?"
Skip nods a bit, "See you folks later, at a time when I can actually keep my eyes open," he offers, then leans back to his pillow, and is asleep not long after.
Addie nods. "Yep." She slides her cards into a single stack in her hand, eyes roaming the line of marines. "Only so many of us left." She folds her hand and tosses it down. "I can't even bluff that crap hand." She reaches down to pick at her fresh sutures. "How many you lose?"
"Two…my folks." Ramiro replies, not exactly comfortable talking about it, but not afraid to either. "About two blocks away from the College of Kobol on Gemenon." Ramiro replies quietly. "I'm pretty sure it was painless for them, because I'm pretty sure the college with a high priority target." He pauses. "They'd want me to do my job and keep these people safe. So that's what I do and I leave it at that." He looks to her. "You?"
Addie's expression shifts slightly, with a soft, slow intake of breath. "Your squadron." She blinks. "I meant your squadron." Her dark eyes remain on the marine, and her fingers lace and her hands rest in her lap. She does not answer his question.
"Frak…" Ramiro sighs deeply. "I'm so sorry Addison I didn't mean to…" He pauses, letting out a slow breath as he meets her eyes. "We…all made it back home that day."
Addie is silent for a moment before she nods. "Good." A pause. "Good." She nods again and picks up the cards again.
Ramiro's lips flatten as his picks his cards back up. "Sorry…we're blunt creatures sometimes." He admits, taking up his cards. "What branch are you in?"
Addie glances over again, to meet the marine's eyes. "Navy. Air Wing." She gives the cards a shuffle, feet still up on the edge of the bed. "Viper jock."
"Opposite end of the spectrum eh…" Ramiro replies, watching her over his cards before he prepares to play his next hand. "…I really respect what you guys do." He pauses, giving a little smile. "Chances are so far you've kept me alive more than once while ferrying to my target."
"You take the saws and small calibers, I'll eat the raider fire. It evens out," Addie smiles slightly, brushing
strands of dark hair from her eyes. "Nobody drinks like a marine."
"I've never been drinking." Ramiro replies, a small grin on his face. He shrugs. "Not that nowadays I don't consider it, but I'm a sniper. I've had to roll around in enough panther piss to ward off predators that drinking it never really drew me in." He winks. "Don't let the guys know, arright? That fact would make my tough new scar nil."Addie laughs at that. "Duly noted, marine. Duly noted." She shakes her head slightly, clearly amused. "Your secret is safe with me." She reaches up to cross her heart, managing to hide the smirk that follows.
"Allright, sounds fair. In return for keepin the secret, and if you're not too afraid to be seen drinking with a grunt, I'll get a beer with you someday." Ramiro replies, playing his last card and looking at the time. "Addison, I've got physical therapy in the morning, but believe me when I say, you get a chance to come on by again, please do."
"Of all the things in my life, one of those I'll do anytime and openly is have a drink with a member of the CMC." Addie rises, and sweeps up the cards. "Not a bad hand. Luck with the PT." She knocks on the table lightly, and smiles. "Evening, marine."
"Evenin' Pilot." Ramiro replies, dimming the light above his head after giving her his most charming smile. Not too afraid to look her over as she walks away, he leans back down against his pillow with a grin. "Best part of my day so far…" He says, closing his eyes.