text | un: m.cabrera

[naloxone]

[ turns out? space doesn't give a single fuck about your circadian rhythm. or maybe insomnia is just that attached to her that even the absence of a sun dictating her internal clock doesn't faze it, like an old friend you wish would just forget you already.

one night (?) late into the early hours (???) marta finds herself drifting out of the room she's come to assume will be hers for the indefinite future, passing through stark white walls with all the sterility of a hospital, but none of its familiar chaos.

she's still getting used to the earpiece. still getting used to hearing other people's voices in her head. she doesn't mean to add another in the void, but one of her own thoughts blares out too vividly as she stares out into an actual void: ]

—but where are the stars?

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[naloxone]

[ she is quiet throughout the tour, carefully attentive, though if her gaze trails every now and then to one of the occupied beds, she's careful not to linger for very long. by the time he's finished and turning back to her, she has more or less memorized where things are, already reorganizing things in her own mind in a way that makes sense for her to better adjust and adapt. fortunately, a lot of the infirmary is similar enough to what she's used to that familiarity helps.

when he asks about questions, marta's already got a few in mind. but none of them are about the infirmary itself.

she keeps thinking back to those beds, to the sleeping bodies occupying them. ]

These people here... All of this is just because of the last mission?

[ her voice is quiet, her eyes wide and searching as they look up at him. ]

What happened?

[homeostatic]

In Kilnan? There was this sleeping sickness-

( McCoy keeps his explanation brief and to the point, sketching a summary of the castle they arrived at, the dreams that many fell into and the wounds they suffered as their dreams turned into nightmares. The hunt for the wizard, Remi, and his niece, Aureliah, culminating in his waking, and the return of the orb to the station– with its last 'taste' of several orbers.

After a beat, he pulls the stool out from under the counter for Marta, insistent she take a seat. )

Everyone in here now should be out in a day or so, aside from our stasis patients.

[naloxone]

[ like before, marta listens dutifully, silent and attentive throughout his explanation. but it isn't until he pulls the chair out for her that she realizes she'd begun to lean heavily against the counter, as if ever word in his recounting became a new weight for her to bear.

her head dips in a silent gesture of gratitude, slowly taking the proffered seat.

as his words settle, she takes to looking mccoy over himself. given his attention to detail with the infirmary, she has no doubt he's taken care of everyone there to the absolute best of his ability

but what about him? it's late, after all. and here he is, still working. ]

And you, Doctor? Have you been able to get any rest?

[homeostatic]

( Honestly, he might have been disappointed if she hadn't asked. Nurses are the backbone of any good, functional unit, and Lord knows his keep after him at home. )

I'm fine.

( That's a little too quick, Doc. He realizes his coffee's gone cold through all his explanations, but he sips it anyway, and continues, blunt: )

We have plenty who know enough first aid to patch themselves up for anything minor, a few with supernatural healing--Sabriel, you may have met, she's a night owl too--and Finn's coming along in his training, but our one paramedic's in stasis right now. I'm getting by.

[naloxone]

[ she doesn't say anything, but the slight upward tick of her brows at the speed of his response probably says it all... it's fortunate her mother's taught her to be so polite, because she definitely could have chosen to call him out on that had she known him any better.

instead she'll just give a slow, acknowledging nod. because he knows she knows, and sometimes that's enough. ]

Well, I'm happy to help lighten the load where I can. Don't hesitate to call on me, okay?

[homeostatic]

( That... yeah. Considering how well she's taken everything so far, she stands a solid chance of being just the kind of formidable he appreciates. Lowing his mug, he nods too. )

Understood. It's good to have you here, Marta.