Paging Dr. Robinson, Dr. Robinson Dial 2187

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]


"Afford? You're thinking the wrong way Matt. The penthouse is just a perk of the job. You don't own it nor do you pay rent. If you'd like to negotiate terms and keep it after your contract is up then we can address the issue then. You know how some jobs give you a company speeder? Think of it as the same."


In reality, most of the Salacia workers staying on Celestia Station had the same perk. While large, the space station could often be viewed as a sacrifice, especially being out in the middle of 'backwater' planets. As such, most workers were only on two to three contracts in the area unless they were particularly attached to the station. Some chose to live on Tabaqui if they wanted the taste for a slow, country life. Local agreements had guaranteed Salacia wouldn't create a sprawling mass and destroy the planet.


"Take your time and enjoy this experience Matt. Don't feel bad about it, you've more than earned it."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

"Bloody, hell," hand finally dropped from his head and he spun to Judah. "I can see why you build life-long employees, mate. But I'm afraid if I stay here too long, my mum would visit and then she'd never leave."

He chuckled and then frowned.

He'd just been working on back-water worlds. Nothing extraordinary, well, nothing he thought of as that. He'd just been helping people. Doing his job. Using skills his mum taught him and what he went to school for. He wasn't used to luxury. But that wouldn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

He'd probably be rarely here, anyway. It was more than what Judah offered, though. It was that the man believed in him.

"Well, if anything in here breaks, mate, I'm putting it on your tab." The herbalist elbowed Judah playfully in the side.

And that was that. He'd sign whatever paperwork needed to be signed. He would clear it with TKO, and he'd start this new chapter of his life.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Baloo Village | Tabaqui

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Yawning, Judah stood looking out over the mountain range as the morning mist started to burn off. Faintly into the distance he could see the Salacia Tabaqui facilities that many of the villagers worked in. He would be showing [member="Matthew Robinson"] around the village and explaining issues with the planet and surrounding areas. Baloo village was fairly decent but there was still a lack of medical coverage.


What better place than to expand out the pilot programs they had in the works? Well, Matt had been working from afar. Doing five months of time back and forth they had been working from a distance. Now it would be time to see some of the unique challenges, get the interest of some of the locals. They would need people to train after all....

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Matt stumbled off the transport shuttle. He pulled an all-nighter to get ready for this little outing but mostly it was to finish some last minute cases that came into the station's E.R. He'd volunteered to be the extra doctor on call.

Hand coveted the cup of black tea with cream and honey as he stepped off, nursing it. A pair of shades hid the dark-circles under his eyes. Hazel-eyes scanned the crowds for Judah. Then he saw him, he waved.

"Oy, mate! Look who the nexu dragged from the bed."

He definitely spoke to the billiontrillionaire CEO like a brother now. No blushing.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

The early morning 'crowds' consisted of locals buying things at the market or waking up for the day to tend to the various fields around the village. Most had come accustomed to small shuttles stopping by in the area and dropping off non-natives, so most barely turned to look at [member="Matthew Robinson"] .Judah noticed the shuttle and spotted the brown-hair of Matt working his way towards him.


"Me? Give you an apartment and you don't even sleep. Life will go on without you standing by every second."


Judah came to clap a hand on the young mans shoulder.


"Ready to get down to business? You're in the busy village of Baloo. Most of Tabaqui remains in the dark, still stuck from their plight of slaves left behind during the Gulag. Baloo is the only village trading with outsiders, the only one with an outside company."


"So, unique. Figured a perfect place for the medical corps, or training for them to fan out around the area."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

A grunt left his mouth as Judah's clapped him on the shoulder. He rolled his arm, nearly dropping the tea. "When'd you get so strong? Too much time working out to impress the ladies, huh?"

A smart-arse grin wove it's way on his face. Business, right.

"Right, mate. Sounds good. I've researched some files before coming. There are a few candidates I've set up a meeting with to talk with more, see if they have connections to the outside villages. Don't want to go in blind. Most of these places have mystical beliefs and take awhile to trust outsiders. If we can get them on board, should give us an in and maybe identify more local recruits once those connections are established."

He grinned.

"Free candy always helps."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Working out for the ladies? I don't waste my time, they don't notice me. More like Makai is running me ragged everywhere."


Judah wasn't sure what was worse, four year old Makai or fourteen year old Makai. Both were making him go crazy, although he suspected that was the purpose of kids. Ignoring the smart arsed grin on [member="Matthew Robinson"] 's face, he listened to the plan instead.


"Salacia has an understanding with the local tribal council. However we've never worked any of the locals on a grand scale. When it comes to medicine, well....I imagine you're right and its going to be more difficult to win the locals over. Might want to speak to the local medicine woman, she has a lot of weight around here, more so than the tribal council at times..."


Judah lifted an eyebrow as they walked. Time to pick on the Doctor.


"Free candy? You're a grown man. Don't hand out free candy, its creepy. I'm not wasting good credits getting you out of jail."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

Matt didn't know Judah's story, other than what Makai told him. He frowned slightly. It was clear the man had to get out more. But he wasn't going to push it or blamed the bloke, really. Losing someone you loved, he didn't want to think about that. Maybe that's why Matt buried himself in his own work.

Or, maybe the doc just wasn't ready for something like that.

"Good. We'll start with her. Anything I should know about before we get started?"

Mouth dropped open in surprise. "You wouldn't even spring for my bail, mate? I'm offended."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]



Judah knew deep down he had to get out more. It was difficult to do when he wasn't much of a bar/nightclub/social party type of person. Knowing Thessa should have been by his side during such events made it even worse, especially whenever he came across one of those 'overly-in-love' couples. It was approaching a decade later and her passing still stung. Time apparently didn't heal all wounds.


"Bail is a waste of credits. Sprung bail for a cousin once, complete annoyance."


They began to walk along the village streets, paved with handmade clay pavers, roughly laid in with small pebbles and gravel in between.


"Nothing too important to know. Former slave labor world pre-Gulag. Much of the population has been isolated, Salacia has been the first contact...well, first long sustained contact in awhile. Personally I'm worried about disease catching hold. I've got workers flowing in. Something innocuous to us could be devastating out here. Anywhere out in these backwaters really."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Judah Dashiell"]

"Oy, a cousin bail-out story?" Dark-brows rose and a low whistle left his mouth. Hands buried themselves in his pockets. "Gotta tell me that one sometime."

Hazel-eyes scanned the open food carts. His stomach rumbled a bit but he ignored it. Dark-brows furrowed and lips thinned. "Does sound like an outbreak waiting to happen. We have vaccines for that but the trick is getting the locals to take 'em." They approached a large, two story log-built home up ahead. Must be where the medicine woman lived.

"Have you heard of any reports yet? Of any strange diseases from the locals?"

He was surprised other outbreaks were contained, like cholera.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]


"Yeah, I didn't want to bail him out but you know...when your Ma tells you to do something, you do it."


They were quickly approaching the large two story structure that served as the home and business of the medicine woman. It was already mildly busy for the day judging by the small crowd that had just dipped inside. Judah slowed his pace so they could speak more on the locals before entering.


"Nothing major that I'm aware of. You can always have a go at our attendance records and see. I can get it out to you later on in the evening if you like. Now, before we head in, use your brain. Don't need you speaking about mass vaccinations off the bat and getting us chased out of town. Remember, your project first."


Reaching the door, Judah pushed it open and went inside with Matt. There was already a line to see the medicine woman, an elderly wrinkled woman hunched behind the counter, currently making a poultice for a customer.


"Busy day."