Smash

Who: Keto, Shakespeare, Wildflower
Where: Medibay
When: Eleventy-two minutes past whenever
=======================
There was a semi-regular banging coming from Keto's office.
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *Thunk.*
Those crewmembers who were slightly accustomed to the usual bevy of
crashes and smashes that were the normal result of Keto being in a bad
mood might have thought that this quiet, regular rhythm was a sign
that the doctor was in and, presumably, was not in a violently
destructive rage. These crewmembers might then have chosen to
approach the office in the hope that Keto was receptive to requests.
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *Thunk.*
Those who had slightly more experience of the doctor would have known
better.
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *SMASH!*
There was a long, pregnant pause. Then...
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *Thunk.*
Wildflower and Shakespeare were crouched next to the door, behind one
of the medibay desks, occasionally peering over it and fearfully
looking in the direction of the office.
"How long has he been doing that now?" whispered Wildflower, over the
thunking noise.
"As long as the heavens hath turned," murmured Shakespeare. Then,
when Wildflower glanced at him, he coughed and said, "In truth, a mere
seven hours and twelve minutes. But it doth feel like a far more
vexatious stretch of time!"
"And how many ointment bottles has he broken?"
"To mine mind, ni-"
*SMASH!*
"-...ten."
"I'm worried," hissed Wildflower, waving away a crewmember that made
as if to enter the medibay, "He hasn't said a word since coming back
from that planet. He's just...standing in his office, picking up and
dropping ointment bottles on his desk until they break. For seven
hours. You've known him for a long time, have you ever seen him like
this?"
"Nay, not for so long an age," replied Shakespeare, looking over the
top of the desk. Keto's silhouette was outlined against the door,
dropping the same bottle over and over, "But I hath experienced
Charles' dark moods before, when he hath fallen silent as the grave,
such as now."
"And what did you do to snap him out of it?" asked Wildflower.
Shakespeare blinked and looked at her.
"I did nought," he replied, looking puzzled, "It be'eth Charles. I
did trust in him to recover his senses."
"And did he?"
"...nay," admitted Shakespeare, "Nurse Cleavage dids't talk to him,
then. I hath no experience of such matters."
*SMASH!*
"Well, then, now may be an ideal time," hissed Wildflower, "Before he
breaks the entire ointment stock! Go and talk to him. Gently."
"But I-"
"Now!" snapped Wildflower, and Shakespeare nodded unhappily. He
gingerly stood up from behind the desk, looking for all the world like
a man expecting a farmhouse to fall upon his head at any moment, and
crept towards Keto's office.
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *Thunk.*
Shakespeare carefully prised open the office door and looked inside,
Wildflower observing him from her position behind the desk.
Keto was, indeed, standing just next to his desk, the ointment
cupboard on his other side open and (now) half-empty, shards of glass
and spilled ointment all over his desk. He was staring at the desk,
unmoving except for the continual pick-up, rise, drop motion of his hand.
Shakespeare cleared his throat.
"...Charles?" he managed, in barely a whisper.
*Thunk.* *Thunk.* *Thunk.*
Shakespeare coughed and spoke again, louder this time.
"Charles."
*Thunk.* *............*
Keto stopped moving, his hand poised in mid air, holding the ointment
bottle, his eyes still focussed on his desk. Shakespeare stepped
fully inside the office, still white-faced and nervous-looking.
"Charles, thou can'st not stand here for all eternity dropping and
breaking thy ointments," he said, slowly, "It be'eth...unseemly."
Keto still did not move. Shakespeare tried again.
"Besides, thou be'est a physician. Thy crew need healing, Charles,
thou can'st not abandon them to the fates!"
The only movement in the whole office was the ticking of Keto's clock,
now plainly audible over the deathly silence. Shakespeare hesitated,
and then decided that he had to tackle the root of the matter.
"...Nurse Cleavage woulds't not want thou to do this," he said, and
then instinctively cowered back, his arms covering his face.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened for a very long time, long enough for Shakespeare to
lower his arms and peer out from between them.
Keto was still standing, unmoving, staring at his desk. And, finally,
Shakespeare followed his gaze.
Sitting on Keto's desk, almost entirely obscured by the spilled
ointment and shattered bottles, was an opened parcel from the JMC
Medical Corps. Partially unpacked from it were several examination
books, learning materials, syllabuses (syllabi?) and a covering
letter. Shakespeare leaned closer in, throwing caution to the wind,
to read it.
The heading read 'One (1) Set Examination Materials for T. Cleavage,
JMC Medical Examination Level 3. Examination date to be announced.'.
Shakespeare stared at it for a while.
"Nurse Cleavage desireth to become a physician also?" he asked,
finding his voice again and looking up at Keto. The older doctor
still refused to move. Shakespeare looked back at the materials, a
sad expression crossing his face. Then he sniffed heavily, and forced
a half-smile.
"Well," he said, trying to lighten the deathly depressing atmosphere
that was hanging around Keto's office, "Mayhap she pursueth thy job,
Charles! Thou hads't a little competition for a short space of time,
nay? Mayhap it did thou good to-"
Suddenly Keto spun on his heel, releasing the ointment bottle and
sending it hurtling to the floor. Shakespeare leapt backwards,
yelping, as Keto swept silently past him and out of the office into
the medibay proper.
Wildflower stood up as Keto stormed out of the office, Shakespeare
following worriedly behind. "Charlie?" she said cautiously, "What's
going on?"
Keto said nothing, heading directly for the medibay doors. Wildflower
couldn't stop herself from putting out an arm to try and slow him down.
"Charlie!" she insisted, "What are you doing?"
Keto paused his march right next to her, standing directly against her
outstretched arm. Then, slowly, he turned to look at her.
Wildflower had never seen his eyes look like that.
Slowly, she withdrew her arm.
And finally, Keto spoke.
"I'm quitting," he said, quietly, "I'm going to the captain and
handing in my resignation. Stay out of my way."
And before Wildflower or Shakespeare could react, he was moving again,
exiting the medibay in a swish of automatic doors and allowing them to
seal solidly behind him with a final, resounding *thunk*.
===============================
OOC: Oh stop panicking, I'M not quitting! :P It's an in-character
resignation (or attempted resignation) only. Bear in mind Keto wants
to hand his notice in to the captain personally...and, given Jed's on
New Stoke, this will not be simple. So if anybody wants to run into a
dangerously quiet and unstable Keto in the corridors of the Dwarf as
he searches for Jed, feel free. ;)
And Andy, good luck with the wedding! And enjoy the honeymoon!
Also, Becca's asked me to say that unfortunately she's still without
internet access in her new uni house, so won't be able to post for a
little while - apologies for that. I'll ask her if there's anything
in particular she'd like me to post on her behalf.
- Chris (JHXMT)