Ficlet: Messages (PG)
Title: Messages
Author: lavvyan
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Lirren has been the Healer's assistant for two years and prides herself on her patience, but the honoured Doctor McKay makes her want to yank her hair and scream with frustration.
~~~
Lirren has been the Healer's assistant for two years and prides herself on her patience, but the honoured Doctor McKay makes her want to yank her hair and scream with frustration. He will not stop pacing up and down right before the Healer's shelter, nagging her with, "What are you doing to him?" and, "Shouldn't Teyla and Ronon be at the Gate by now?" and, "I sincerely hope that you are aware that I can eradicate your entire backwater planet if he dies," and, "No, seriously, what are you doing to him?" until his face is red and he looks no more than a cricket's chirp from collapsing, himself.
She forces her teeth to unclench and prides herself on managing a smile as she explains - again - that the day reky will have started to bloom before his friends reach the Circle of the Ancestors and that the Healer is treating the honoured Colonel Sheppard with the herb that weakens the poison from the ekrit's talons and no, the honoured Doctor McKay may not watch the procedure. Perhaps he would like some refreshments? A fresh serving of the okku'ura bread he had liked so much when his trading party had arrived this morning?
For a moment, the honoured Doctor looks tempted, and Lirren allows herself to hope. Surely not even he can talk with his mouth full? But her hope is in vain: the honoured Doctor takes a deep breath and tells her - and the air and the shelter and everyone and everything within hearing distance - his opinion on stupid lieutenant colonels who get themselves mutilated by poisonous killer bunnies and stupid witchdoctors who insist on chanting their spells where the honoured Doctor McKay cannot keep an eye on their fingers. Lirren can't help but feel offended on the Healer's behalf. Not that she has any knowledge of what, exactly, a witchdoctor is, but coming from the honoured Doctor, she doubts that the term is favourable.
What a loud, unpleasant man. How unfortunate for his companions to be forced to endure him day in and day out. He must be as intelligent as he claims, or else she has no doubt that they would have disposed of him in a ditch a long time ago. Poor Colonel Sheppard - he had seemed so nice.
For the first time, Lirren wishes that Aroika were closer to the Circle of the Ancestors. Her day could have been so peaceful if only they had been able to send the unfortunate honoured Colonel back to his own healers with a sample of the herb and their best wishes. The brief notion of remorse she feels over her ungracious thought is squashed when the honoured Doctor complains about her not even being blonde.
He breaks off when the Healer steps outside the shelter. Lirren waits for him to smile and announce, "It is done," as he always does. Instead, his gaze wanders straight to the honoured Doctor McKay, and there is an imploring note in his voice as he says, "Honoured Doctor, please come inside."
The honoured Doctor straightens and huffs and snaps, "Well, it's about time!" as he strides past the Healer and enters the shelter without looking back. Lirren is about to comment on his rudeness when she notices that the Healer is dabbing at his forehead with the soft cloth he keeps in his pocket. He looks exhausted, and for a moment Lirren worries that the honoured Colonel Sheppard did not take well to the herb, but then surely the honoured Doctor McKay would have been screaming by now.
"Are you unwell?" she asks, relieved when he shakes his head in negation, putting the cloth away.
"The honoured Colonel asked for the honoured Doctor. Repeatedly."
"He did?" It is not an easy statement to believe, but the Healer's words are always true. "Why?"
Had it been her in the honoured Colonel's place, she would have been glad for the respite, the comforting silence of the Healer's shelter. Perhaps he was worried that the honoured Doctor would insult the Aroika'ta beyond recovery?
"I have seen this before, although it is not common among our people." The Healer shakes his head and looks at the shelter, his brow furrowed in bemusement. "I did not think these two were, as well."
Lirren waits for him to continue, but he remains silent, so she asks, "Were what?"
The Healer favours her with a look she does not understand and pats her shoulder in the fatherly way he has. "That, I will leave for yourself to discover."
He walks back into the shelter and, a moment later, the honoured Doctor McKay steps out, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he scowls at the cloudless sky and demands oku'ura bread and water, or perhaps ale or something stronger, though not with citrus because, "this day has been shitty enough already." Lirren grasps the excuse and hurries away, wondering what the Healer was trying to tell her.
She will not figure it out for another two years.
Author: lavvyan
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: Lirren has been the Healer's assistant for two years and prides herself on her patience, but the honoured Doctor McKay makes her want to yank her hair and scream with frustration.
~~~
Lirren has been the Healer's assistant for two years and prides herself on her patience, but the honoured Doctor McKay makes her want to yank her hair and scream with frustration. He will not stop pacing up and down right before the Healer's shelter, nagging her with, "What are you doing to him?" and, "Shouldn't Teyla and Ronon be at the Gate by now?" and, "I sincerely hope that you are aware that I can eradicate your entire backwater planet if he dies," and, "No, seriously, what are you doing to him?" until his face is red and he looks no more than a cricket's chirp from collapsing, himself.
She forces her teeth to unclench and prides herself on managing a smile as she explains - again - that the day reky will have started to bloom before his friends reach the Circle of the Ancestors and that the Healer is treating the honoured Colonel Sheppard with the herb that weakens the poison from the ekrit's talons and no, the honoured Doctor McKay may not watch the procedure. Perhaps he would like some refreshments? A fresh serving of the okku'ura bread he had liked so much when his trading party had arrived this morning?
For a moment, the honoured Doctor looks tempted, and Lirren allows herself to hope. Surely not even he can talk with his mouth full? But her hope is in vain: the honoured Doctor takes a deep breath and tells her - and the air and the shelter and everyone and everything within hearing distance - his opinion on stupid lieutenant colonels who get themselves mutilated by poisonous killer bunnies and stupid witchdoctors who insist on chanting their spells where the honoured Doctor McKay cannot keep an eye on their fingers. Lirren can't help but feel offended on the Healer's behalf. Not that she has any knowledge of what, exactly, a witchdoctor is, but coming from the honoured Doctor, she doubts that the term is favourable.
What a loud, unpleasant man. How unfortunate for his companions to be forced to endure him day in and day out. He must be as intelligent as he claims, or else she has no doubt that they would have disposed of him in a ditch a long time ago. Poor Colonel Sheppard - he had seemed so nice.
For the first time, Lirren wishes that Aroika were closer to the Circle of the Ancestors. Her day could have been so peaceful if only they had been able to send the unfortunate honoured Colonel back to his own healers with a sample of the herb and their best wishes. The brief notion of remorse she feels over her ungracious thought is squashed when the honoured Doctor complains about her not even being blonde.
He breaks off when the Healer steps outside the shelter. Lirren waits for him to smile and announce, "It is done," as he always does. Instead, his gaze wanders straight to the honoured Doctor McKay, and there is an imploring note in his voice as he says, "Honoured Doctor, please come inside."
The honoured Doctor straightens and huffs and snaps, "Well, it's about time!" as he strides past the Healer and enters the shelter without looking back. Lirren is about to comment on his rudeness when she notices that the Healer is dabbing at his forehead with the soft cloth he keeps in his pocket. He looks exhausted, and for a moment Lirren worries that the honoured Colonel Sheppard did not take well to the herb, but then surely the honoured Doctor McKay would have been screaming by now.
"Are you unwell?" she asks, relieved when he shakes his head in negation, putting the cloth away.
"The honoured Colonel asked for the honoured Doctor. Repeatedly."
"He did?" It is not an easy statement to believe, but the Healer's words are always true. "Why?"
Had it been her in the honoured Colonel's place, she would have been glad for the respite, the comforting silence of the Healer's shelter. Perhaps he was worried that the honoured Doctor would insult the Aroika'ta beyond recovery?
"I have seen this before, although it is not common among our people." The Healer shakes his head and looks at the shelter, his brow furrowed in bemusement. "I did not think these two were, as well."
Lirren waits for him to continue, but he remains silent, so she asks, "Were what?"
The Healer favours her with a look she does not understand and pats her shoulder in the fatherly way he has. "That, I will leave for yourself to discover."
He walks back into the shelter and, a moment later, the honoured Doctor McKay steps out, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he scowls at the cloudless sky and demands oku'ura bread and water, or perhaps ale or something stronger, though not with citrus because, "this day has been shitty enough already." Lirren grasps the excuse and hurries away, wondering what the Healer was trying to tell her.
She will not figure it out for another two years.