video | un: r.chambers

[herbmixing]

Hi, everyone. My name's Rebecca.

[ The video opens on a small, homey apartment, filled with plants and books. Rebecca sits at a small piano, a mug of coffee steaming by her side. She looks...tired, really. It's been a difficult few weeks.

But that's no reason not to keep trying. ]

I was just wondering...what's the state of medicine like in your world? I had thought we were on the cutting-edge back home, but with everything I've seen here, you realise just how far we have to go. Considering everything that happens to us so regularly here, it can be really easy to lose track of your health.

I'm a field medic and a chemist, so I'd never call myself a doctor, but I still wanted to extend an offer to everybody: if you need someone to patch you up or do a quick check-up, call me. If you need medicine - over-the-counter stuff, obviously, not anything serious - then I'll run it over or get someone to deliver it to you. Just... [ She gives a weak smile. ] I want to help a little more, and I don't think being okay with a handgun really holds up against everything others can do, you know?

...anyway, I'm rambling. [ She looks down, playing an idle few bars of a melody. ] I've been staying in a lot. Watching old Disney movies, mostly, and I ended up working on this...

[ She adjusts the sheet music and sets her fingers in position. What follows is a nice little rendition with very few errors. Being able to just concentrate on something helps, a lot. Once it's done, she flashes a quick, embarrassed smile at the camera, then leans over and shuts it off. ]

Comments

[spah]

Yup. Kid on my team got his own back after a stray rocket knocked 'em out once. Accurate right down to the buckteeth.

[He chuckles.]

The Medic? Nah, he's not. But one of my machines uses the same formula he came up with. I'd be happy to show ya, either on-camera or in-person.

[herbmixing]

Wow...that seems world-changing.

Don't knock your own teeth out to do it, but I'd love to see how it works!

[spah]

Yes ma'am. You wanna to now, or in person? Don't mind a demonstration here and now, unless you'd rather see it up close.

[herbmixing]

If it'll come across clearly, you can show me now. If you don't mind!

[ She totally does want to see it up-close too, but curiosity wins out. ]

[spah]

It should. Gimme a moment.

[He nods, then turns off the camera.

When he comes back he's in his workshop space below his apartment, positioning his device in front of a tall box-shaped machine with a glowing gauge. He steps back into view, idly rubbing his hands, and nudges it with a foot. The machine whrrs to life, and a dense blue "gas" starts to pour out of a yellow canister attached to the side.]

The doc never gave the vapor part itself a name as far as I know. He made a whole dang device for it he called a "medi-gun"... if a gun could shoot healin' out. This here's one of my machines, though. This here's called a Dispenser.

[Also, he's going to just. Nonchalantly pull out a switchblade, because he's intent on a full "demonstration" here.]

[herbmixing]

[ She nods. He can take his time. Rebecca plays a few bars of the song again, trying to pick up where she had made errors earlier. There's so much precision to it...which works for her. It keeps her brain focused on one thing.

She's concentrating enough that the feed coming back on startles her a little. Rebecca turns and examines the feed. That's... ]

What is it? That looks like a cross between a vending machine and a gas tank.

[spah]

[Engineer chuckles as he flicks the blade open.]

You're nearly on the money, miss. Dispensers are... essentially that. Battlefield dispensary. The slot here on the bottom--[He gestures.]--puts out ammo, should y'need it. And the canister puts out the vapor, for first aid.

[He holds the knife out, just as a heads-up.]

Do you mind a demonstration?

[He doubts she'll mind some blood, being a field medic, but he's also just met her.]

[herbmixing]

Interesting...

[ She figures what's about to happen. It puts her a little on-edge - the last time she'd seen blood, it hadn't gone well for her at all - but she knows she can handle it this time. There's no demonstration without something to heal. ]

If you wouldn't mind. [ She nods, shifting the device back into her hand. ] I'm ready when you are.

[spah]

[Dell nods and gives a small smile. He then looks to the knife and lifts up one of his wide forearms (heavy lifting and cartoon proportions, don't ask). The knife comes up to the top of his arm and he gives himself a long, shallow cut.

He doesn't flinch much beyond a sharp, quiet exhale through his nose after the initial prick. Especially when, not even two seconds after the cut, the gas pouring out of the canister seems to hone in on his body like a blood-sniffing shark. It pours over his arm and, near-instantly, the cut disappears from his skin.

He grins.]

Just like that.

[herbmixing]

That's...world-changing.

[ Her mind is racing. The implications of that kind of healing vapour! Why is it not in every medical centre in the world?! ]

Does it have any side-effects? Can it heal diseases or is it just for wounds? How much can one of those machines dispense?

[spah]

Wounds, for the most part. No side effects as far as I know... and it dispenses for a while. I gotta make my own occasionally, jut to fill up the canisters.

[herbmixing]

[ 'As far as I know' is somehow more comforting. It's always nice to hear someone who leaves that room for error. ]

And you can make it pretty easily? Whatever the vapour consists of?

[spah]

Pretty easily, sure. Just, uh... takes a lot of odd ingredients.

[once again, Team Fortress 2 is a stupid, stupid video game]