Break, Breaker, Broken

==Break, Breaker, Broken 1==
2 February 2025
Clang clang clang 
"Come in," calls Hermann.
“Good afternoon, Doctor Gottlieb, Doctor Geiszler,” greets Miss Yeung.
“Oh, hey, Tang Min!”
“Good afternoon, Miss Yeung.”
“Up for coffee?”
“You came at a perfect time,” said Hermann.
She nearly smiled, and handed him-
“You fixed the Matrix mug!”
“Doctor Geiszler?” That travel mug went on an instrument tray. “Officer Jihu helped a lot, and some of the numbers don't change colour anymore, but yes, it's fixed.” She pointed to a crack. “Miss Miyahira told us about kin-tsuku-ro-i and Liông suggested dyeing the glue to match the strings of code.”
“It's beautiful,” said Hermann.
The dark patch on Miss Yeung's cheek bloomed, and she blinked rapidly even as lines of pain crept outwards from her eyes. “We got back and I… I had to do stuff, polish deliverables- I needed to be useful?”
Hermann handed her a little tube of skin cream.
Newt said, “Mirror's…” he spun his arm around his head and finally pointed “That way.”
She bowed in thanks and scurried away.
Satisfied his tower of books wouldn't collapse in the near future, Newt hopped over to the instrument tray and made an odd, gaspy squeak.
“Her--Hermann,” he breathed, “you gotta see this!”
Hermann came over and peered into the mug. “It's a Kaiju made of foam--is there something wrong with the milk?”
“It's chocolate powder and blue sprinkles!” Newt's voice hovered somewhere in the soprano range. “It looks like Hundun and it looks like Hundun.
“Think about it very hard,” suggested Hermann.
Newt apparently did, because in his mind's eye, Hermann saw a flicker of Hundun (darkbrownblackdarkbrownblack swirling across its skin) terrorizing tiny milk people, (cyancyancyancyan marching in rivulets over its armour), not nearly as epically against (greygreygreygrey in so many sizes) plastic as the night sky.
Hermann grinned quickly and returned to his desk.
Miss Yeung reappeared and returned the tube to Hermann. “If only I had scales because I was actually a dragon and needed moisturizer because I was growing too fast,” she laughed weakly.
“Okay, so totally eerie,” said Newt, “Hermann and I were quite literally talking about PERN, like, last week. Did you read much of it?”
“Of course I did, they were about dragons. The triplets...” She swallowed. “They were about dragons. I must keep appearances.”
Newt set down his mug and checked his hands and clothes. “So, because there is an amazingly incredible masterpiece in my cup and I want to thank you, may I give you a hug even though it would be unprofessional?” asked Newt.
“Now you worry about decorum?” scoffed Hermann.
“Tang Min did an awesome thing to top all the other awesome things she does and the least I could do to show my appreciation is to not freak her out with surprise hugging.”
Hermann gave him a glare to end all glares, and then asked Miss Yeung, “Have you decided where you'll be going now?”
“I'm still working, actually,” she replied. “Now that the PPDC has money, I'm responsible for coordinating salaries and life support-,” she swallowed, “-life insurance.”
“That's pretty neat,” said Newt, “you can hit where it hurts the most!”
Miss Yeung looked at him blankly.
“It's this thing…? The wallet's the most vulnerable spot? Nevermind. Do you have a tan?”
“So if I gave you – yes I do – a letter from the bank, it would be like a dagger?”
“Not quite- how are you not pasty pale like the rest of us?”
“You probably don't spend all your waking hours in a basement laboratory,” said Hermann.
“You may not ever see daylight but I know for a fact you can't get a tan with this sun. So, Tang Min, your secret?”
“I went to the Dominican Republic, with Liu, for a week.”
“Oh!- wait, how-?”
“Don't ask. Do you want your letters or not?”
“Ooo, we have mail?”
Miss Yeung produced a stack of envelopes from her bag, sorted into groups with elastic bands. “Yes, you do,” she replied absently, flipping through the pile. One bundle, straining against two elastics, went to Hermann, and another went to Newt.
“The mailroom must be ridiculous,” said Newt.
The dark blossom went livid. “Yes, especially since I don't know what to do with half of it.”
(Hermann didn't want to hear the end of that sentence.)
“Ye know,” she said thickly, “that not everyone's got the memo? I got another bunch of diplomas for the triplets. Another. It's like, this is worse than useless. People keep sending fanmail and thank you letters and real money- And there's stuff for the Kaidanovskys, too! Parcels are still coming for the Marshal, obviously…”
(Hermann's heart shatters.)
“And it's just sitting there. I have no idea what to do with it. I mean, I guess I could forward it to their teams, but if I feel this rotten how bad must they feel? How can I possibly inflict this kind of pain on them?”
Hermann blinked back tears and swallowed. “There-,” he swallowed again, “"there's a letter from you in here.”
“You didn't spend money on stamps, did you?” asked Newt.
“I didn't have money to spend on stamps if they were to arrive today,” Miss Yeung pointed out. “You'll see that when you find it.”
“Ooo, goody, I get one too!” Newt craned his neck. "Metallic gold, nice! Or should I say," he wiggled his eyebrows, "Shiny?"
Hermann carefully pried it open and removed an array of laminated cards held together with yarn.
Miss Yeung didn't get the reference.
"Firefly? The catch phrase?"
"I mostly remember how bad their Chinese was, sorry."
Judging by the variety of greys, it clearly represented an easy-to-solve colour-coded system but the nuances... tea | 600ml | serve with- “Miss Yeung, this is your tea chart.”
She shrugged. “Just a photocopy.”
“Miss Yeung, your chart is at least a decade old, on what I assume is formerly white poster paper, and held together with packing tape. This,” Hermann indicated the collapsible-fit-in-a-pocket guide, “is a work of art.”
“I'm glad you like it,” says Miss Yeung.
Newt finally found his. “'Do You Want to Make a Latte?' Aw hell, Tim, the one day Disney agrees to stop playing that damn song you go and stick another in my head. Thanks for that.”
Miss Yeung made a 'if you flip through it' gesture. “It's a manual on how to assemble the very best coffee machine – grinder, percolator, stuff like that – and, kinda the same thing as,” she nodded towards Hermann and his chart, “but with coffee stuff. I explained everything pretty well, but if you come by later I can show you what's what in real life.”
"That would be awesome, thanks!" said Newt. 
"You're wel-," 
Something on Miss Yeung's person chirped «He's here! He's here! The Great One is here!»
Miss Yeung sighed and deflated. "More mail." She bowed to Hermann. "Have a nice day, Doctor Gottlieb."
"Take care, Miss Yeung," he replied gently. 
She nodded at Newt. "Doctor Geiszler."
"Later, Tim- Tang Min I am so sorry you're awesome I'll see you later and she's gone."
==Break, Breaker, Broken 2==
2 February 2025
Message sent 16:06 (Feb02/2025) 
«Dear Miss Yeung,
Pardon my words; I'm using Doctor Geiszler's tablet and it hasn't yet learned my vocabulary.
Decorum has nothing on a human being in pain, but these are the times we live in, and while I would not give a limb exactly, I would negotiate to part with a bit of my brain to make you feel better (perhaps the bit that forces me to be polite to Doctor Geiszler?).
I wish there was something I could say, however I imagine you've already heard that sentiment a hundred hundred times by now. I will say that I am so very proud of you for pursing counselling- did your doctor really recommend the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or have the grandmothers finally fallen apart?
My heart is in pieces for you, you brave, talented, kind young woman. Please accept my deepest sympathy. I would offer support in any way I can.
I hereby present my salutations, »
H Gottlieb
==Break, Breaker, Broken 3==
2 February 2025
And so Newt came by the cafeteria during a dead period to find a blond and two dark-brunettes engaged in a fierce game of Spoons-meets-Jacks-meets-War.
“Hey Doctor G!” called Liong.
“Hey, dudes!”
Min's hand snapped out - Setsuko snatched away a mahjong tile – hard enough to shake the table.
Newt winced.
Setsuko walked away with three tiles of fifteen, Liong won five, and Min won the rest.
“Never,” said Setsuko, “ever play any of these games with her.” She glared at Min. “Damn girl, it's a game!”
Min shrugged. “You ready?” she asked Newt.
He waved a notebook. “I come prepared and eager to learn.”
“Awesome.” She joined him on the gallery. “Have a pen?”
Newt checked where a pen might be – behind his ears, in his pockets, his shoe – and found nothing. “Apparently not so prepared.”
Min rolled her eyes but smiled and held open the gate.
“Thanks,” said Newt, scurrying by.
“You're welcome. Take a look at the frother.” She rummaged through a drawer that Newt hadn't even seen.
“The what?”
Without looking up, Min pointed at the front counter. “Box thing, stage left of the sink.”
“This thing?”
Min glanced over. “Yup.”
Newt dropped to the floor for a better look at the machine's insides – the three employees kept this place so stupidly clean - Medical had more dust bunnies - and found Min to be really accurate with technical drawings. 
A pullback motor clicked as it wound back, and then he heard a clunk.
Newt looked up.
“This is Marvin the Paranoid Eggtimer,” said Liong.
“You can't have him yet, but he'll be off to New Zealand with you,” continued Setsuko.
“I don't understand.”
“We use him to time Doctor Gottlieb's tea,” said Min.
At that point, Newt realized 3 young people with well-honed bodies had him cornered.
“Doctor Gottlieb's one of our favourite patrons,” said Setsuko.
“He's always polite, no matter what time it is or how much you've aggravated him,” said Liong.
“He inquires about our day, our health, how we're doing…” added Setsuko.
“He always gets our names right,” said Tim-Tang Min.
“I don't think we're friends, exactly,” said Setsuko.
“But we do care for him,” said Liong.
“So if, for whatever reason, he complains about his tea,” said Min.
“We will find you,” said Liong.
“And we will take over your house and we will never leave,” said Setsuko.
Min fiddled with a tiny jar on her necklace half full of white powder.
Newt saw black.
 
Marvin sighed. “I don't think it's good to have all these numbers on my head.”
.
“Dude!” hissed Newt, creeping into the lab and closing the door behind him as softly as possible. “This Shatterdome is full of terrifying children!”
“Newton, they're not children.”
“Fine. They're not. But they are terrifying!”
==Break, Breaker, Broken 4==
2 February 2025
Message sent 21:36 (Feb02/2025) 
«Dear Miss Yeung,
Please do not poison Doctor Geiszler, for all his faults I do love him.
I hereby present my salutations,»
H Gottlieb
==Break, Breaker, Broken 5==
3 February 2025
Message sent 3:05 (Feb03/2025) 
Doctor Gottlieb
«You have nothing to fear, Liu has since taken away my cyanide. It was fun while it lasted. 
Alas, the rumour mill spins on; Doctor Ng did in fact ask me to read that book. I made it as far as Mr Dent's recollection of hamburgers and haven't touched it since. I do not know if 'unfeeling' and 'stalling' over the same thought again and again is more comfortable than 'feeling' and crying all the time, but I suppose I am healthier for the latter. I did enjoy the stickers though. 
I truly appreciate your kind words. Intellectually they are of comfort. Emotionally, they are not but as you said, nothing much is. I think Doctor Geiszler prefers your brain intact. 
If I am concerned about a matter I feel is getting nowhere with Doctor Ng, would it be best to consult you or Doctor Lightcap?
Best regards, »
Yeung Tang M.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Tang Min grieves
Category:Liu (mention)
Category:Wei triplets (mention)
Category:Wei triplets are dead
Category:Wei triplets are dragons
Category:Hewt
Category:Hewt (ficlet)
Category:Hermann is colour-blind
Category:Tang Min is a coffeeslinger
Category:Tang Min
Category:Tang Min (ficlet)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Liong
Category:Liong (ficlet)
Category:Setsuko
Category:Setsuko (ficlet)
Category:Newt
Category:Newt (ficlet)
Category:Marvin the Paranoid Eggtimer