Scintilla Narthicis
The Spark in the Stem of the Narthex
Summary: Greje attempts to be useful in sickbay and in assuring that the knowledge of the old rites rests in someone's mind other than her own.
Date: 9 ACH
Related Logs: None
Players:
Greje..Jocasta..Ramiro..

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Sickbay Genesis - Deck 13
9 ACH 6735 Souls


The medical facility is large enough to hold a few dozen beds. Each bed is set with a curtain for privacy, a chair near the bed and any monitoring or medical aids needed. A nurses desk sits at the front near the hatch and a surgery area, Medical Officers area and supplies are on the far wall behind the desk. Nurses, doctors and medics man this area at any time day or night. Visiting hours are usually kept to the day and evening schedules, unless stated otherwise by medical staff.
-----< Condition Two - Duty Area >----——

Greje enters the bay in her usual timidly effusive manner— making a noticable effort not to be in the way, but turning into the main ward and immediately making eye contact with the few who had actually waned to talk to her the last time she ambled through, giving each of them a warm smile of encouragement from across the room as she begins on her 'rounds,' quietly greeting those who are awake, chatting with those who seem receptive to company.

Jocasta isn't here to play patient. Not in the classic sense, at least. She's not confined to a bed or stripped to her skivvies or otherwise attired or behaving in a manner to suggest she's sick. She is, however, occupying a chair in what might be considered the 'waiting area' of the medbay, impatiently flipping through a magazine and looking up every. single. time. someone walks by.

Greje slips into the space between two of the beds, bending as if sore, one hand on her knee as she lowers herself to perch her skinny butt on the edge of an unoccupied bed, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees to make as casual and comforting conversation as possible with the person in the next bed, raising her eyebrows as she makes a lame joke or two, funnier for their lame delivery than for their content. She then shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head with a warm smile as she replies a little more seriously to something the patient tells her.

As Greje is not Reighner, she earns only passing interest from Jocasta. However, she's also really the only form of entertainment that the grounded ECO has access to… that magazine? She's already gone through it three times. "Hey," Jocasta cals, lifts her head and looking her eyes on the woman in an attempt to earn Greje's attention.

It takes a while, but Greje finally realizes she's being hailed, and she gives a few words of encouragement and a see-you-later to the patient she's speaking with, standing quietly and moving to meet Jocasta in the entryway. "Hello," she greets warmly, "How can I help you?" It's an actual question, not a perfunctory greeting.

Jocasta's spine slowly stiffens and she sits up straighter as Greje approaches but still keeps her seat. "You seen Doc Reighner?" she asks, trying to seem nonchalant.

The entrance to the CMO's office opens, allowing Craven to make his way back into Sickbay. There's a slight smile on his face and where Petty Officer pins once adorned his collar, they've since been replaced by those of a Lieutenant. He moves over towards the duty station and gives a slight nod of his head to the nurse stationed there, "Make a note. If I'm needed, I'll be over on the Pandora checking the facilities."

"Not very recently, no," Greje replies, then, tipping her chin down a little, "If I see him, do you want me to relay a message? Or just tell him you're looking for him?"

Oh, hey. The guy she almost beaned with a tennis ball… totally on accident, of course. Jocasta's eyes immediately flick over to Craven upon his departure from the Chief of Medicine's office but, since he (like Greje) isn't Reighner, her attention is captured only briefly. And, speaking of Greje, it's she who gets a slightly smirking reply from the anxious ECO. "I'm pretty sure he knows I'm waiting for him. Say… you don't happen to have a clue about giving someone a brain scan, do ya?" Now… there's a question you don't hear every day.

Greje's eyes widen and her look of concern deepens, "No, no I'm sorry. Is the doctor late for an appointment? You should go see Doctor Zaharis," she reccommends, "He ought to know if Doctor Reighner has gone missing or needed to re-schedule something. He might also be able to give you the procedure if Doctor Reighner is unable to."

The door opens and in walks the tall, lanky form of Lance Corporal Dane Ramiro. Turning at the door, he narrows his eyes and pulls a slip of paper out of his pocket. Pausing, he turns it over in his hands and then makes his way towards the memorial board, posting the notice for the records. The paper reads "Ramiro Family".

Once again, Jocasta's eyes snap to the door with Ramiro's arrival. Not Reighner; just another mourner. Greje's words galvanize the ensign and Jocasta finds her feet slowly while wearing an intensely interested look. "Oh yeah? Where would I find him?"

Greje turns an indicative glance to the CMO's office door. "That's his office. If he's not in right now I'm sure you can leave a message for him there," she offers gently, some practical advice rendered with a warm note of worry in her voice.

If Greje doesn't note Dane, yet, it's likely because she's worried on Jocasta's behalf.

Ramiro reaches back up to the posting and pauses, pulling it off of the wall. His back to the room, he seems half tempting himself to not put it up. Slightly turning, he lowers his eyebrows and then posts it back on the wall. "Bye guys…" He says quietly, making a hand signal in the air towards their picture.

O rly? That door right there? Jocasta mirrors Greje's gesture and takes a step in that direction and while she's doing her damnedest not to stare while Ramiro makes his goodbyes to the board, it's hard not to sling her gaze in his direction ever so often, if only because she's well aware that soon she's be doing the same thing. But, not yet. Not now. Now, she's going a doctor to stalk. "Thanks, doctor…" says Jo, letting the word drag in case Greje felt inclined to insert her own name in the gap.

Greje ohs! "I'm not a doctor. I'm Greje Karthasi, your chaplain," she explains. "If… you need to talk, about the scan, or about anything… well, my office is upstairs, and my door is always open. Good luck…" she trails off in a similar way, not, evidently, interested in rank, but curious to know the woman's name. She still remains intent on the one focus of interaction, holding out a hand to shake Jocasta's if she'll take it, her other hand to rest comfortingly on Jocasta's upper arm if Jocasta engages in the handshake.

Placing one last finger over the picture, Dane turns on his heel and starts to make his way slowly across the floor, back in the direction that he came. Eyes focused and serious, he bears a very expressionless look on his face.

For a second or two, Jocasta eyes the proffered hand cautiously, almost suspicious. However, she's quick to overcome her wariness and eventually accepts the gesture for what it is — tactile comfort. Jocasta's smile is slim but seemingly genuine and she nods her head in acknowledgement of the correction. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again."

Greje gets a lot of that around here. But still she smiles, trying simply to dispense some good old-fashioned secular support. She doesn't push the interaction any further past Jocasta's comfort zone, but backs up and looks toward the speaker at the announcement. Then she spots Dane and gives him a brief smile of greeting.

Dane stops, giving her a weak but honest smile as he regards Greje. "Lieutenant…" He addresses her formally with that look of outer strength reinforcing his more recent visit to the memorial wall. It's the kind of look a strong man wears at a funeral. "How have you been, Sister?"

That comm announcement? It's Jocasta's cue to ditch her anxious waiting game and go do something useful. She'll track down a doctor to have a poke at her brain later. What could possibly go wrong in between now and then…?

Jocasta leaves for Corridor 13B [O].
Jocasta has left.

Greje lowers her chin a little bit, joining her hands together behind her back and walking to join Dane, falling in with him as if to show she'll walk with him if he wants to walk. "About as well as can be expected. And yourself?" she asks gently, eyes shifting sideways and upward to meet his, if he lends her eye contact.

"I'm fine, nothing I can't handle." Dane replies, nodding quietly to her and making slight eye contact. "I'm focusing on the job right now, way I see it is that the people here need me to be a guard dog…" He looks over his shoulder at the memorial. "…and grieve on my downtime."

Greje looks back with him, though she can't make out which picture among the many he's glancing to. "You're doing everything you need to do. Grief is important. It offers resolution to a rent spirit," she comments gently. "Remember that I'm here if you need someone to grieve with," she murmurs lowly. "Though I understand there are some things you need to do on your own. All the same I'm praying for you."

"And I'm praying for you." Ramiro replies, turning to look at the Lieutenant, he stops, speaking quietly. "I know that being the spiritual Atlas around here could wear you down. So if you ever need someone to talk to for a change, let me know back, allright?" Ramiro flattens his lips. "In the meantime, it's like basic…marching in the rain. One step at a time and focus on the march." He sighs. "And trying not to focus on revenge."

Greje nods her head gently, "Vendetta brought low the heroes of old, that only men were left to walk on Kobol," she murmurs, "And thank you, Dane. It is… it's very much like that. We have to keep on. To hide the spark of flame inside the marthex stem and pray that it's enough to make it through the storm."

"You're so much better with words than I am." Dane manages a small chuckle, shaking his head. He breathes in slowly and lets out a small sigh. He folds his arms and speaks quietly with her. "I had a few extra hours to prepare for all of this, said my prayers going in. I could just see that something was coming, but I never would have guessed it was this…" He pauses. "…I have faith that my family were at the university, and that they didn't suffer. They'd tell me to protect these people and not go mad with rage so…" He nods, sniffling inwardly while furrowing his brow. "…people depend on me. Warrior at the gates."

Greje keeps her own hands folded behind her a while longer before she extends a hand to rest on Dane's upper arm. "Be strong. Remember that Patroclus three times attacked the Scaean gates… and three times he was repelled. And on the fourth attack, when all seemed lost, Apollo spread his arms over the citadel and cast Patroclus back, striking from him his shield and all his armour on the dusty plain of Ilium. You honor the Lord with your service and bravery. I pray he spreads his arms over you in protection."

"So do I…" Dane replies, smiling quietly and looking to her with a bit of that strength returning from the vulnerable moment. Swallowing, he nods a few times. "I'm hoping to get the right drops, whether or not they decide to recon this planet. I'm a sniper, so I may be in and out…" He pauses. "…but please, message me with any services that I can attend. I know that your office is a Naval branch, but if there's anyway I could help you around the services, let me know. My parents would like that I did that."

Greje nods her head again, then, thoughtfully, slowly: "If… you'd be interested, I could teach you Apollo's rites. We have a… serious deficiency of priests, now, and… it would be nice to know that someone else knows how to perform them properly. I mean. Just in case. I'm… assuming that nobody is going to require you to go to Delphi for an ordination, at this point."

"I wonder if that's even possible, while being a marine." Ramiro replies, giving a slight shrug. "I will admit, I've considered taking the path before, but to learn Apollo's rites and to be able to perform them, under your supervision of course…definitely." He smiles, giving a small shrug. "After all, you're going to need a fundamentalist around to keep you in line, Lieutenant." He grins.

Greje laughs lightly, "It's… quite true. I don't suppose you've had a chance to read over that paper I gave you, have you?" she asks with the same sort of smile. "You'll have to talk me down when I start teaching the unification of Zeus and Dionysus. And… considering the situation, I'll be glad to accept a part-time pupil. I'm sure Apollo will understand."

Dane returns her laugh with a smile, a few pounds lifted off of his shoulders in the process. "No, I'm sorry I haven't had much time but for sleep, rotation, guard duty. Shake and bake." He replies, scratching the side of his head. "I think that you'll have to submit the request to my CO, but when he gets it I'll make sure he knows that I'm approving of it if they'll let me." He shrugs. "Now's not the time for sitting around, if I'm not sleeping I intend to be helping out around here." He pauses. "So with some luck, you'll find I'm a quick learner, but I'll do things -your- way, allright? I may be from Gemenon, but this ship is your flock."

Greje chuckles softly, looking down, almost bashful, "The ship is most decidedly not my flock— not in its entirety, at least. I knew when I signed up that my post would mostly be among non-believers. I didn't mind. I thought it would give me more time for my research. But now… good Lords… our way of worship is going extinct much faster than we are. I'm not going to push my beliefs onto anybody. But I fear that those for whom I'm of any use at all are of very limited number."

"Well…if you get any marines that have a hard time understanding their place in things, feel free to send them my way for a conversation." Ramiro replies, standing boldly. "I know a few of them aren't about it, but if they want another marine's opinion, I'd be happy to give a thought or two in their direction."

Greje's frail-looking fingers pat against Ramiro's arm a few times, gently. "I will, Dane. Thank you."

Dane nods at the pat on his arm before turning to leave. "You know where to find me, Lieutenant…I'll pray for you as well…" He says before slipping out.

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