Karma Hits Dogma (Day 5 Morning)

*"Couch, huh? We might have some beds to spare, maybe we should check with Riley. I mean, I bet she knows where ‘empty’ beds might be, since, you know, she knows that sort of thing."*

Dorian was stung. The cold judgment in the Sister’s tone was both unexpected and, if he had to admit it, somewhat piercing. “Of course yah right,” he replied in the awkward silence. “Silly of me not tah.”

*"I was picking up some gauze in case I needed to redress Gill's leg. He was still sleeping when I left him."* All during this exchange, Sister Lyen's eyes were either steadfastly upon the ceiling, or she kept her back turned altogether. Yeva met his gaze, her brow furrowed in confusion. Dorian shrugged his own bemusement.

“It is time tah replace his dressin’, the medic replied. “An’ his daily Rheumone application.” Ten minutes later, the medical team entered Dorian’s room, converted for Gill’s recovery. “Good mornin’ Mistah Gill,” he greeted the boy. “How yah feelin’ tahday?”

As they worked, Dorian took note of his two assistants. Sister Lyen was still avoiding anyone’s gaze, speaking only when spoken to, and minding her task. Yeva, however, was building to a silent boil. He could see the muscles of her jaw tightening every time she worked shoulder to shoulder with the nun, a building tension he attempted to blunt with a nonstop stream of medicalese. “Look at that,” he pointed toward the muscle tissue that now puffed it’s way through the mesh. “That is remarkable growth, don’t yah think?”

With abrupt motions, Yeva stripped off her gloves. “It was long night,” she said without preamble. “I am go to bed now.” Her eyes flashed at Lyen as the word “bed” escaped her lips. “Please to clean up, Seester. Thank you,” she said as her gloves landed on the bed. “Doktor?” the widow turned in the doorway, “May I have speak with you?”

“Ah’ll be there in just a minute,” Adler nodded as he watched Lyen paint the fresh Rheumone onto the growing muscle of Gill’s calf. “Nice work, Sistah. Ah’ll be back shortly."

Dorian removed his gloves as he returned to the infirmary. There, he found Kate, pacing to and fro, arms folded as a storm cloud rode upon her brow. She stopped as he opened the door, facing him in silence until it clicked shut behind him. “I help you with back pain. For this I am whore?”

“What?” Now he was equally dumbfounded.

“Seester!” Kate pointed an angry finger in the direction of Gill’s hospital room. “She passes moral judgment on us? She has no right to say!”

Through it all, Dorian admired the way in which Kate held the Yeva persona. The bugs had all been found, their owner outed, but the agents well knew that another listener was now established…the *Serena net…* “Ah don’t think she meant it like….”

“You hear what she say!” Yeva stormed. “Couch, huh?” she mimicked Lyen’s voice. “Riley knows where *empty* beds…Doktor, she calls you liar!”

He lifted a hand. “Ah really don’t believe…”

“She turned her back! Would not face us. Is insult in so many cultures! So, you are liar to her. This makes me whore? I teach her pious ass…”

“No!” Dorian raised his voice. “You won’t!” He finally cut the tense silence with an offer. “Ah’ll talk with her. In tha meantime, yah should get some sleep, Yeva. Take tahnight off. Ah’ll take yah watch. It’s Solstice…go see Marisol at tha cabaret. Yah won’t believe how good tha show is…”

“You make clear to nun,” Yeva pointed a finger at him, “that I am medic! Not every time I touch man is for sex!”

As the infirmary door slammed shut, Dorian’s shoulders slumped. *Couldn’t be perfect all day long,* he sighed, before making his way back toward Gill’s room.