[Starboard Side Passenger Quarters - ]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A moderately sized room, the steel starboard section wall being painted a dull cream, giving the area a calming, surreal feeling. In the center of the medical bay are two beds, spaced a few feet apart; the light blue sheets tucked firmly and crisply, white pillows sitting where the covers end. Also noticable is a light positioned immediately above the beds, bright enough to illuminate the beds like a spotlight. In the far corner from the entrance is a v-shape of cabinets, pressing against each far wall of the bay. An assortment of medical equipment resides within and on top of these white cabinets, packages, needles and bandages being placed neatly to their accessible locations. In the very corner of the cabinets, upon their surface, is a sink, a small purple box containing rubber gloves positioned next to it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amery stands in the door of sickbay, while Travis is seaed on the empty bed with his crutches beside him. Ishmael is standing next to Cole's bed, in front of a chair there. Judging by their expressions, a quiet but intense conversation is taking place.

Ishmael listens to Am's side of things without a word. At the end, he nods. "I can see your point, easily. I'd have probably done the same thing in your place. But you need to be careful of that one. That's a button anybody could push, and you'd react. Then that person would be justified in their mind and to the authorities in taking action to restrain you. That's a bad thing if they've got friends around, doubly bad if they're armed and don't have any compunctions about killing to avenge an insult to a friend. Think about the consequences first. Then act." His eyes are forgiving, however, and his voice is soft.
Then he turns to Travis. "It might look suspicious to you, but I don't know. I know she wanted him to stay on the Che when he left, since she thought he'd get hurt out there." He indicates Cole's sleeping form, his hand pointing mostly at the boy's maimed hand. "Look at him now, though. Can you honestly say she was completely wrong about that? Yeah, she's clingy as hell when it comes to Cole. We've all got our issues. Long as they don't pass a certain point, that's no big deal. Though I plan to keep a closer eye on her until she leaves the ship. She's thinking too much with her heart and not with her head."

Travis shurgs, "I imagine I'm the last person to be complaining about not thinking with your brain here. But I don't know if she was so worried about him she could have tried to smooth things over with Cole and the crew. Maybe it's just me but I think she thinks this is a second chance. Get Cole back without him remembering everything that transpired that caused him to leave. And if she does that.. when.. if he remembers I imagine it'll just drive a bigger wedge 'tween them. Cause if it was me I'd resent the hell out of that."

- Cole rolls Stealth with a modifier of -10. Result: 8
- Rolled Stealth with modifier of -10. Result: 0+1+-10+17=8

Sometime during the night, Cole again reverted to a fetal crouching position, though whether it was a conscious choice or an act borne of his dreams is left for anybody to guess. Like a turtle popping out of it's shell, his eyes emerge from the crouch, slowly, warily trying to discern who's around without letting them know he's awake. Of course, being the center of most of their attention, that's near impossible.

Amery draws a slow breath at Ishmael's admonishment and releases it just as slowly. Turning at Aurora's entrance, she smiles at the woman, "Hey. I'd like somethin', if it ain't no trouble. Ain't et yet as it happens. Do y'want any help?" Turning a glance back, she nods to Travis, "I ain't sure what happened t' make Cole leave, but I agree 'th you. Pretending it didn't's right stupid. But, Lilly, lives in a sort've maliable reality. She seems t' think that 'f she wants it hard enough it'll be so." Looking back at Ishmael, she seems about to add something when she notices Cole's eyes peeking from beneath the blankets. He gets an almost tentative smile, "Hey. Didja sleep good?" Kind of lame, but the woman means well.

Aurora glances back towards Amery and the rest, shaking her head a little. "Nah, I can do it on my own. Gives me something to do other than sitting around, you know?" She sorta sees they're all pretty much distracted by Cole, yet again. Damn that kid's popular.

Ishmael glances to Travis. "Hmm. Hadn't considered that. And you're right about the results of it, too. I definitely need to talk to her before she gets herself forcibly evicted." The last two lines are said to both Travis and Amery.
He nods to Aurora. "That sounds good to me. I could use somethin' to eat." For the moment, he turns back to Cole, smiling a little. "Hey, buddy. Feeling any better?"

Travis picks up his crutches and stands, "Ya need some help with that Aurora?"

The popular kid is apparently not pleased about it. Looking first to Amery, then Ishmael, Cole declines to answer either question right away, instead sulking his head back into the ball.

Ishmael sighs. "Seems he's not in a mood to talk." He turns toward the door. "Maybe I'll see if Aurora needs help with that food. 'Scuse me." He leaves, giving Am a nod. "If you want to talk later, I'll be here or outside."

Travis sits back down, "Well if he's gonna help her I guess I don't need to. So.. Cole.. you gonna curl up like that all the time? Or ya gonna sit up and talk?"

Amery lifts a brow slightly, then nods to Ishmael, "Aye." She pauses, then nods, "Thanks. Likely I'll be about outside. I've been stuck here f'r days it seems." She looks back to Cole, then half smiles, "Hollar when y'feel like talkin', Cole." She turns toward the door herself, "He might talk more, Trav if I ain't around. Seems I'm upsettin' t' folks o' late."

Travis shakes his a bit, "I wouldn't run anywhere Am. I don't think you're making anyone mad. It's all the doc's fault."

Cole doesn't weigh in on Amery versus Mei Li, at least not in a way discernable as one being more favorable. What he does do is make a soft moaning sound, likely the result of a resurgence of pain.

Amery stops with her hand on the door. She glances back at Travis and nods once, "Thanks. Still... Ish's likely right. I should aughta think thin's through better." She flashes the man a somewhat teasing smile, "Though... I didn't shoot her." Still, there is something in that look and tone that hints that, perhaps, she gave that alternative some consideration. Cole's noise catches her attention and she frowns, "Hey, Cole. You a'right?" The pain in the sound is not lost on the woman and she starts to walk back almost hesitantly.

It seems Aurora's finished making that food, and she comes in with everything packed up in a basket carefully, almost like a little picnic. "I even brought something for Cole, if he's up for a little something to eat." She murmurs, setting the basket down as she begins to unpack the foodstuffs she brought in.

Travis smirks, "You should think things through better? You weren't the one staking out a table to kill someone." Glancing over to Cole, "Are you still in pain Cole? I don't think they'd want to give you much else for the pain. Don't want you growing dependent on the things ya know?"

Cole's moaning stays fairly steady, though the sound itself might remedy the hurt. It trails off in intensity, however, as the scents of Aurora's fine cooking hit his nose, causing him to peek outward again in interest.

With a visible wrench of will, Amery changes whatever it was she was going to say about Mei Li and killing people. Instead, she clears her throat and makes it at last to the bedside. Lifting a hand, she lightly brushes Cole's forehead, then aims to take the boy's hand briefly, "Hey, Cole. That sorta noise's all well an' good, but it don't really get your meanin' across too good. And its likely t' hurt your throat a'fore too long." She looks over at Travis, then nods, "Lilly's..." Again, she bites off an ascerbic comment with a shifted glance to Cole. "Anyway. Yeah."

Travis shakes his head as he watches Cole, "Ya know I'm not entirely convinced he isn't faking this whine. Trying to get more sympathy and attention."

Aurora glances to Travis, shaking her head. "He can't get much more attention than he's already got. Whole crew's fawning over him." She peers towards Cole with a bit of a smile. "Got you s'more of that broth, as well as a little dessert, if you're good. I thought I'd try making something nice and soft so you could eat something sweet."