Underground Medicine (Charlie)

[Poludnica]

Ambient

Various smatterings of assorted races were scattered throughout the market, embroiled in the lively scene and the music from the opened bars that woven into the the pitch black night. Each group was engaged in their own dramas - they watched street performers, exotic dancers, fire acrobats or simple illusionists drawing pazzak cards out of thin air. They bought things, molding the ebb and flow of commerce on the humanity homeworld or haggled with savvy, veteran merchants over new shipments of more or less legal goods. The Galactic Market rarely slept and every evening was filled with various species intermingling. It was the cultural heart of the Coruscant that let you bought nearly everything. And today a fair haired woman wanted to buy doctor's skills.

The boy was heavy in her arms; Golda had to stop for a moment to catch a breath. Eli complained aloud about a chest pain again and the woman closed her eyes overwhelmed by growing helplessness. The boy had been sick for the past few days but as many things Golda hoped it would pass but as days went by her son's condition had only gotten worse. With little money she had, the paid help in a private clinic was not an option. The doctor's had warned her that it may happen and the underdeveloped heart could cause problems without a surgery but Golda hadn't listened and now Eli was paying the price.

Desperate, she went to look for help through less legal means. Black market doctors where cheaper than proper, official care. Hazardous but better than nothing. She couldn't risk going to public care or emergency with her growing criminal record, either way it meant losing Eli for good. The underground was her last hope.

”We are almost there. It will be over soon.” The woman whispered weakly. Even a three year old could sense lack of confidence in that and began to weep quietly. ”Oh, for fu...” She cursed, stumbling over some trash. This day couldn't get worse. Looking through a veil of tears Golda spotted the cheap motel the message mentioned. The buzzing sign could barely stay illuminated with letters going dark in seizure inducing pace. 'Cargurator' spoke the name in bold, yellow galactic script.

With a sigh of relief, the woman walked over to the entrance and looked around. The doctor she had contacted through one of her shady friends should have been here. The message was vague but had enough information to know a child needed help and there were credits to make. Maybe something had happened, maybe the doctor had changed her mind. Golda felt a raising tide of panic, especially when Eli went quiet, too weak to even cry.

[Charlie Sharper]

Morwynn looked at her timepiece again nervously, she hadn't been on Coruscant for a long time, not since she was kicked out by the Republic navy. It was a dark time for the Zeltron but she did what she always had done, just kept moving forward. Morwynn was a survivor plain and simple, she couldn't let anything stop her lest she take time to think about all that had happened to her and how much she had been hurt. That wasn't productive so she would just push the memories to the back of her mind to keep from dwelling on them.

She had caught a ride from Nal Hutta two weeks ago and once she arrived on Coruscant she set up her modest (and illegal) practice in the Lowercity, away from the prying eyes of the Republic. She was still blacklisted in republic space and if she was caught, she could do jail time for an unlicensed medical practice, not to mention her time as a spice dealer, which the Republic may or may not know about. She wasn't proud of that time in her life, but it was over and she would never let herself be pulled into that life again.

She looked down once again to her time piece. "Late...damn...." She looked up and saw a woman enter the hotel lobby carrying a child, she was human, like Morwynn's contact said, but if that was her, the child she carried was half human and half...."Zabrak?" She said out loud again, it was an odd and mostly unheard of combination...Morwynn remembered reading an article in medschool about the possibilities of non-nearhumans and humans mating, but it was all just theorizing and hypothesis. She looked up the paper and all the related material again in an attempt to learn as much as possible about treatments, but this was still uncharted territory for the Zeltron, nevertheless she would do her best to treat the child.

Morwynn waved over to the woman as she walked towards her. "Golda? You're Golda Idriya right?" Morwynn asked in a warm voice.

[Poludnica]

The lobby reeked with cigarette smoke, forcing a cough from the woman's chest. It was not a place where a mother should bring her child but the reality often met standards Golda had set for herself. She caught a glimpse of a red skinned female – Zeltron no doubt. Her heart skipped a beat. ”Doctor Skye?” The blond woman asked when the alien approached with her eyes on the boy. Golda's brows furrowed. ”His father is...Was...” Sound of exasperation left the woman's lips when the Zeltron confirmed to be the doctor. She looked young and had pleasant, comforting smile.

”Yes, thank god. This is Eli, he got sick few days ago.” Golda explained, her eyes traveling to the young child. He had fallen into erratic sleep occasionally broken by sharp cough. ”He have been feverish for last three hours.” The woman closed her eyes to gather the scattered thoughts. She was scared, scared and angry. Why this child would always get sick? It's like the boy knew where was the worst time to do it. Golda immediately felt guilt of course, what kind of impious mother was angered by a suffering kid?

Closing her eyes, she brought Eli closer to her chest. His breathing was becoming heavy; Golda pleadingly looked at the Zeltron woman. ”Can you do something for him? Please.” The woman bit down on her lower lip, holding back tears. She noticed a paper in the alien's hand, glancing over the title. It was always like this, the woman had yet to meet the doctor who had extensive knowledge on the subject. It made her mood to grow even darker. ”Are we staying here?” Golda asked, looking around cautiously. The motel was not sterile to say the least. Actually it was rather disgusting with stains on the walls and sticky floor.

The owner was eying them suspiciously finally commenting, pointing at Eli. ”You better not be selling it!” He gurgled loudly. Golda's eyes widened in shock only to narrow in obvious hostility. ”You pr*ck!” She took a step closer to the alien but the commotion had woken up the boy who began to whimper into his mother's shoulder.

[Charlie Sharper]

”Doctor Skye?” Morwynn nodded, hearing a sigh of relief from the woman. "He's been having chest pains?" Morwynn asked getting right to business. ”Yes, thank god. This is Eli, he got sick few days ago. He have been feverish for last three hours.” The mother looked down at her child as did Morwynn, the sleeping child was obviously in pain, she noted the small nubs that she assumed would become horns as he grew.

Morwynn cautiously reached out to hold open the young boys eyes, he responded instantly, but he also woke up with a cough. Morwynn withdrew her hand as his mother spoke up again, ”Are we staying here?” Morwynn looked up to her. "Yes, I have a room set up for this." She began to walk toward the hallway leading to the room she had set up for the boys treatment as she heard the manager make a snide comment, Morwynn shot him a mean glance but said nothing. She lead Golda toward the room she had set up for this occasion, it was a modest suite in the upper floors, as sterilized as one could hope for, thanks in most part to the chemical bath she gave it.

As they arrived she slid her key across the wall and the door opened. Once inside she looked back at Golda, "Right over there is a table to set him on. Take off his shirt, I'll be right back." The Zeltron said as she walked over to the sink and began to wash her hands.

Once she was done she walked back over to the boy and put her stethoscope in her ears and placed the bell against the boys chest. She moved it around to a few places. She then took the stethoscope out of her ears and put it around her neck and felt the boys neck and chest with her hands.

[Poludnica]

Hot tears were stabbing at her eyes, threatening to spill over as she watched the boy being placed on the makeshift table. Golda pressed herself in the corner too scared to look at Eli but unable to turn away. Instead her eyes flickered from the boy at a set of medical equipment and back. She closed her hands on the child's shield, not really sure what to do with a growing fear.

The woman inhaled sharply when Skye began to examine the boy. The room was certainly cleaner than everything else in the motel. Aroma of chemicals and detergents filled the air, prickling on Golda's nostrils. Even if young, the Zeltron did have an air of confidence and professionalism around her. For a moment the human wondered what had happened who looked like a skilled doctor had to work underground. It was not very polite to ask though.

The boy coughed again and mewled a cry like a kicked kitten. Golda's heart shrunk and stiffen sob left her lips. ”Will..will he be alright?” She finally asked, though after one examination it was hard to tell most likely. To kill some more time, the woman sent a message to Zelada who was somewhere on a job. The woman hated to push her problem onto the Twi'lek but this time she couldn't keep it to herself. Feeling now guilty over disturbing her lover, Golda cursed silently.

Nibbling on an already abused nail, the blond walked over to her son and placed few fingers on the boy's forehead. Eli woke up and called his mom which instantly caused a new wave of tears trickling down Golda's pale cheeks. ”Please do something.” She begged the Zeltron doctor.

[Charlie Sharper]

”Will..will he be alright?” The boys mother asked to Morwynn with concern in her voice. Morwynn didn't respond which triggered a tinge of guilt in the Zeltron. The doctor just continued to feel the boys neck and chest. She could tell the boy had two hearts, which she theorized was the root of the boy's problem, as one was definitely not working properly. She just wasn't sure which one, and right now she couldn't make a diagnosis without finding out which one it was.

Morwynn ran her mind through the average circulatory system for a Zabrak and a human circulatory system, then began to expound on how the boy's hybrid systems would likely work. She grimaced realizing that she could only theorize what was wrong with the boy without extensive means. Her mind kept going back to what she was trying to avoid, opening the boy up. Morwynn went back to thinking about the Zabrak circulatory system where the second heart worked more as an extension, the first heart oxygenated blood which would go to most major organs and the lower extremities, then the blood would return to the second heart to be reoxygenated then sent to the rest of the extremities and other organs. It was one of the reasons that Zabraks were so robust, they basically had an extra heart that would oxygenate blood at twice the speed and allow their hearts to work half as hard.

The boy began to stir and then called out to his mother, who was obviously worried. ”Please do something.” The mother said again, Morwynn looked at Golda and as she removed her hands from the boys back. "He has two hearts but one isn't at full working capacity. If he were full Zabrak this wouldn't be a problem, but for some reason it is trying to." She walked over to the cupboard next to Golda. Morwynn retrieved some Liziprin along with a syringe. She took the Liziprin and filled the syringe with it and walked back over to the boy. "This will sting for a second" She said to the boy. She injected the solution into the boy and then retrieved her stethoscope and placed the bell on the boys chest. She listened for a second, then looked at Golda. "I've stabilized his heart with Liziprin, it should calm his fever and-" Suddenly the boy started convulsing and writhing in pain. Morwynn grabbed the boy's arms and held them down. "Get me a syringe out of the cupboard and fill it up with 15 cc's of daritsol!" Morwynn yelled. As she waited she reached over and grabbed the Defibrillator and pulled it towards her.

[Poludnica]

The room, the colors, the sounds. Everything in the room grew blurry. Golda could hear her heart racing like a scared rabbit and red t-shirt was swimming with sweat. For her the entire world suddenly shifted in some other, horrible dimension. Because it couldn’t be true, her son wasn’t dying. She expected it was bad after doctor Skye didn’t answer her question but not this bad. Never in the woman’s mind would appear a scenario where Eli could die.

For a moment Golda stood, shocked – watching body convulsing on the table. Morwyyn’s sharp command kicked her into movement. As always when flooded with adrenaline, the woman began to relay on her instincts. She was fast, very fast but it was something different than beating your opponent to unconscious. Her attention was never something to be proud of and the human found herself searching few places at once before finally getting a syringe with the drug.

The woman stumbled and nearly fell over while trying to get to the Zeltron. Eli was unconscious, pale and weak. Golda thought she knew fear. Fear of barely escaped death; fear of being rejected; fear of being in pain but nothing could be compared to what she had been going now. Her breath came in sharp sobs – unable to hold back helpless cry. ”Please don't let him die. Please…” She begged breathlessly not even sure if it was directed at the doctor or some abstract entity some called God.

The boy's heart was in a bad shape, it wasn’t news for her but no one had really warned her about the true consequences. If he died now, Golda couldn’t see any future. For all the problems Eli’s birth had caused, for all the misery and pain she still had strong mother’s instinct that reminded her how much there was to lose.

When the Zeltron woman reached for the defibrillator Golda couldn’t watch anymore. She turned and ran toward the bathroom, barely managing to get to the toilet right before throwing up. Short of breath and feeling every bone in her body aching from the violent attack, the woman pulled herself up, gathering strength to go back to the main room if it wasn’t too late. Her head was swimming and hands were shaking, but as if led by some invisible force pushed the young human out of the bathroom.

[Charlie Sharper]

Morwynn reached out her hand to receive the syringe, but it didn't come quickly enough. She looked up to see Golda struggling to find the medicine the doctor had requested, "Left cupboard, bottom shelf!" After retrieving the syringe, Golda handed it to Morwynn and Morwynn injected the boy. ”Please don't let him die. Please…” He stopped convulsing and eyes closed, the boy then went limp. Morwynn grabbed the defibrillator paddles and charged them. "Clear!" She said out loud out of habit. The boy jumped as the defibrillator discharged it's energy into him. Morwynn felt the boys heart beat, it was still absent. "CLEAR!" She yelled as she discharged the paddles again into the boy. This time his hearts started again, to which Morwynn made a sigh of relief.

Out of her peripheral vision she saw the boys mother return from the bathroom, Morwynn wasted no time in giving the mother another command, "Dylizopan, 30 CC's, NOW!" She said before adding "Same cupboard, middle shelf!" Once she received the syringe she injected the boy again. His breathing slowed and his eyes opened again. Morwynn smiled down at the boy, "Feeling better little guy?" She asked placing her stethoscope back to her ears and examining the boys heart beat through the medical instrument. His hearts were calming, but it was only a temporary fix, she had to find something that would slow the heart rate without stopping the functioning heart..."That's it!"

Morwynn walked over to the cupboard and retrieved a bottle of pills and one last syringe. She walked over to the boy and gave him one last injection. "That's Falilosine, it will make him tired and hungry, but it will stabilize the Dylizopan." She held up a bottle of pills. "This is the Dylizopan. It will stabilize the weaker heart. He takes it twice a day." She then held up another bottle of pills. "This is Falilosine. It will stop the other heart from stopping. This one is once a day." She handed both bottles to Golda. "As long as he takes these consistently, he'll be fine." Morwynn then looked back at the boy. "All better?" She asked in a childish voice. The boy responded by nodding his head enthusiastically. Morwynn smiled at him again "That's a trooper."

[Poludnica]

Sound of the defibrillator still buzzed in her skull. Golda thought fear couldn't get worse, it was as bad as it got but seeing her son's body jerking under the electric current set a new wave of panic rolling through her. She mustered enough wits to fulfill another order, trying not to look at the boy. Tears made it difficult to search for anything farther than a tip of her nose. The blond woman closed her fingers on another syringe and like a drunk stumbled over to the table, watching helplessly her boy getting another injection.

Something was happening, Eli's colors were returning and he opened his purple eyes. Golda let out a sound between exasperation and a cry. She immediately fell to her knees and kissed the boy's tanned cheek. He seemed in much less distressed, confused and scared a bit but clearly not agitated like his mother. Certainly not her genes in the work there...

”I am sleepy...” Eli complained and yawned, showing a row of small teeth. Golda couldn't calm herself down enough to respond. ”Mommy...Why are you crying?” The boy asked, clearly confused, becoming now frightened himself. It didn't take long for Eli to break into tears so the two of them now wept uncontrollably. The human couldn't even properly listen to the instructions Morwynn had given her. ”I can't... breathe...” She complained, heaving loudly. Her head began to swim and leg felt numb. Familiar symptoms of panic attack developed, making the woman to fall on the floor. The thought of dying at this moment flashed in her mind, causing the knot in her chest to tight harder.

A cry of scared child joined in the beastly racket caused by Golda's attack. Eli pulled himself up and looked down at his mother's distress. He stopped weeping now, watching everything with wide opened eyes which reflected so much fear it was amazing the boy was not hysterical.

[Charlie Sharper]

Morwynn looked down at Golda as she fell to the ground and quickly thrust herself towards the human in an attempt to catch her. Morwynn grabbed her arm and let her slowly lay down. "What's wrong?" She asked, beginning to make a diagnosis in her mind. The woman's breath was short and she was losing motor control, seeing as she was feeling a great bit of distress with what was happening to her child, it was no doubt a panic attack. "Golda, you have to breath, take long, deep breaths." Morwynn said in a calm but firm voice. "You have to try to relax."

Morwynn got up and grabbed a bag, which she held up to Golda's face. "Breath in slowly and count to five." She five seconds before continuing. "Now count to two, then let it slowly out and count to five again." Morwynn lifted Golda's head and body up a bit to allow her to relax. Morwynn ran a hand soothingly over Golda's hair. "We have to slow that heart rate down...It's okay, everything is going to be alright." The Zeltron assured the mother.

[Poludnica]

Surprisingly strong, slender arms had caught her before she could reach the floor. Golda tried to catch a breath but to no avail. Warm, comforting voice broke through the haze of panic. The woman placed her head on the Zeltron's shoulder and tried to inhaled deeply. Second time she even managed to hold air for whole five seconds. Slowly the attack began to subside. 'I am alright...I am alright.” She breathed and released from the blue haired doctor's embrace.
Slowly, the girl stumbled over to the boy and caught him in her arms. Eli, surprised by his mother's sudden show of affection ,stiffened a bit but only for a moment. His small arms closed on the golden haired woman's neck. ”Thank you.” She whimpered and let go of the child who still seemed confused and scared by the whole ordeal.

For a moment Golda was calming down enough to speak again. Her head felt light from the relief and physical excretion. ”I am sorry...I just.” The woman brought hand to her forehead in a helpless gesture. With a bit of hesitation Golda turned to face Morwynn. [color=crimson[“So..he will be alright now?”[/color] A question sounded weak but she still had troubles breathing deeply.

Eli curled on a table but didn't fall asleep, just stared at the two wide eyed. His normally lively and prone to tantrums temper was now held back by fear and shock. Not for long though as his feet already started to fidget from boredom even if the need to sleep didn't want to go away. Golda scooped the boy into her arms, not ready to part with him yet. Her pale grey irises searched for Morwynn's gaze. ”I...don't really know what to say.” Tears were drying, stinging her eyes.

[Charlie Sharper]

Morwynn smiled at Golda as she embraced her child. "I...It's my job." she shrugged as she walked back over to pick up the two drugs she had set down. She turned back to Golda, "This is the Dylizopan. It will stabilize the weaker heart. He takes it twice a day." She then held up another bottle of pills. "This is Falilosine. It will stop his good heart from going tact again. This one is once a day." She handed both bottles to Golda. "Like I said, as long as he takes them consistently, he will be fine."

Morwynn's smile slightly faltered as she waited for the embrace to end, she hated this part, the asking for payment. It was easy with mobsters and drug dealers, but not with honest people just trying to make it in the galaxy. Morwynn cleared her throat quietly enough to not interrupt the moment the mother and son were having, though the son was much less relieved then his mother.

"Umm...About payment..." She said rather suddenly and awkwardly. She waited for the mother to respond before saying anything more.

[Poludnica]

The boy began to squirm and Golda put him down. Calmer now she could gather her thoughts. The woman reached for the medication and nodded. It didn't really sink in yet her son would have to take medication all the time, but maybe if she got money a proper care could be provided, maybe a surgery. Golda didn't expect a doctor performing anything more here, especially not a heart surgery. If only there was more money...

A sigh escaped her, at the Zeltron's words. ”Of course. How much?” She said, noticing the uneasiness in Morwynn's voice. Maybe the pink woman didn't expect Golda to pay much or it was something else. The human's gaze escaped to Eli who was now getting very interested in the Zeltron's bag. ” Oh no. Leave it alone!” The girl hissed angrily at the child who disgruntled moved away. ”I am sorry, he...does it sometimes.” Golda added, trying not show how little competence to her parenting was.

Slowly, the woman walked over to her bag and pulled all the money she managed to gather. ”What should I do when the pills run out?” The girl asked suddenly as if remembering something important. Her brain felt like shapeless mush by now, when finally the tension dropped the blonde human didn't want nothing else but to sleep.

[Charlie Sharper]

Morwynn ran the numbers in her head, it wouldn't an obscene amount, mostly she just needed her costs covered, as she still had a bit of spending money after her last surgery she did. A rather crude dug got himself shot in the Works during a dispute with another dug. "How's 150 sound? She asked the woman.

"Oh no. Leave it alone!” The mother scolded the boy. ”I am sorry, he...does it sometimes.” Morwynn smiled at her in an attempt to comfort her, "It's fine." The woman handed the Zeltron the amount she asked for. Morwynn took it an stowed it in her bag before turning back to the mother and her child. ”What should I do when the pills run out?” Morwynn took out a piece of paper and scribbled a name.

"This is my contact, he's a middle man, and rather dodgy, so be weary and don't let him overcharge you. I will be on the planet for awhile it seems, so you can just contact me the way you did, and I'll help you out if he has any other problems." Morwynn smiled again and then handed the paper to Golda, then looked down at Eli. She just hoped she'd be on planet if anything else went wrong, it wasn't that Morwynn was attached to the boy or his mother, nor did she really 'need' the money. But as a Doctor she felt a need to help her patients, be they criminal scum, or like today, just a woman trying to do what she can for her son. It was days like this that kept her going.

[Poludnica]

The price was laughably low and for a moment Golda hesitated, unsure if she heard right. ”Thank you.” She said with a relief, happy to find few goodhearted people in this den of leeches. Gingerly the girl took the contact details, tucking it in a pocket. ”You saved my son...I don't know if I could do more to repay you.” She said feeling a crimson glow brightening her cheeks.

Not really sure what to do more and not wanting to take more of the doctor's precious time, Golda grabbed the boy and took him into her arms. Eli protested with a tired growl. Normally he would be more feisty but the whole ordeal had worn him out as well. Maybe there would be couple days of calm in the house.

“Good bye.” The fair haired woman bowed her head with a smile. She checked if medication was there . For a brief moment the human considered asking something of the Zeltron female but she changed her mind. It was just a job for Morwynn, even if low price was a sign of sympathy, Golda knew not many doctors would like to associate themselves with small time criminals. Even if they had helpless kids that stirred warm feelings. She gave one last glance at the Zeltron and walked over to the door.