Upon Vestia: Chapter Sixteen

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"All those aliens, always hyping up how great they are, and it always turns out to be a lie," James said sagely. "I'm not like that though, I mean I've been known to punch minotaurs. I'd be a proper villain, I wouldn't lose."
He watched as the guy went back into the train, "Ooooh nooooo. They so should not have done that. It is ON!"

Dawn nodded again, with the battle they were planning on going into, there could very easily be call for advanced medical skills, if they survived and stayed free...
She reached the holodeck and started looking through the programs available. "Even if such skills aren't needed (They did have a lot of self healers after all) it is still good to know and have it."

Esk nodded. "Well James is scared of blood, my brother has an annoying habit of getting himself hurt so that leaves Asher and you as actual medical professionals." He snorted at the word professional. "Pretty sad state when you realise the highest ranking medic on the ship isn't even a doctor either. " He leaned against a wall while she scrolled through programs. "Sorry to say it Dawn, but we kinda need you to know this stuff. Well, those guys do. There's only so much Sawna can heal up."

Dawn glanced to him and nodded "I know, though Asher could probably learn this all faster than I can and with a better memory for it." As could James, though with his blood thing that wouldn't be the best. "I am trying to learn all I can as quickly as I can, both medical and with my powers" She said as she found the medical files, depressingly not as full as they could be for what she wanted. "We will need more programs for this before we leave here, but this is a good start."

"you think they have holodeck programs? these guys are all magic magic magic aren't they?" He shook his head. Yeah sure Asher could learn this too, but that suggested they'd never leave Vestia. He doubted Acus would be okay with that long term. "Are you worried about the cost?" He asked, changing the subject. "With the magic school."

Dawn shrugged and looked to him again "Why wouldn't they have the holodeck programs? They are all about 'learning' and 'knowledge' as well as their magic." she said then looked away and bit at her lower lip lightly. "I haven't spoken to anyone about paying yet, they haven't said anything about Uncle Rigel or me just being there and learning with the classes." oops?

"Who knows with these guys." He shook his head and folded his arms. "Maybe they haven't noticed you yet. They don't seem to charge for anything. You look at the pamphlets, there's no cost listed, but I find it hard to believe they do everything out of the goodness of their hearts. There's gotta be a catch, there always is." Always the pessimist. "Maybe it's just a way to force loyalty, I dunno. "

Dawn thought about it too and frowned "We have to pay for supplies for the ship, but I haven't heard of any costs for the schools." Hm

Esk nodded. "that's what makes me uneasy." He admitted.

Dawn frowned at the thought that they would demand loyalty for learning, but that didn't sit right with what she had seen either. "But loyal to which faction?" She asked softly, thinking of the trips they had made into the cities

"you got the faction lecture too?" Esk snorted. "This place is a mess. So much for perfect beings, can't even get along with one another."

Dawn tilted her head then shook it "Not a lecture, no, just observations. What was the lecture?"

Esk made a face and recited flatly what the peacekeeper had told him.

The Old Doves believe that the Guild should stay peaceful and not involve themselves in any war but still take in refugees and enslaved races indirectly. The New Doves believe the Guild should become more isolated and withdraw, just observing from a distance and doing nothing. The Hawks believe the Guild should reveal ourselves and go to war if necessary against slaver empires and presumably anyone else they don't agree with." Wasn't a stupidly good memory useful? bah.

Dawn frowned at those three choices then sighed "Great, so status quo, hide away or actually fight." Hm..."Technically, they could do all three, just not in the same place."

"Either way, sounds like this place is more screwed up than we were told. Might still be the safest place in the universe, but that isn't the same as being SAFE."

Dawn shook her head at that "No place is fully safe, even if they have the best laws and worst punishments. Where there's life there will be conflict of one sort or another." She said, looking at the program choices studiously even though she knew what was there by now.

Esk nodded. Always sensible and realistic Dawn. "Still, if they can't sort their own shit out and work together, they don't stand much chance uniting against the family. or maybe that's exactly what they need. Nothing like a war to bring people together right?"

Dawn frowned but nodded "Maybe talk to the new and old Doves about making a bolthole, then the hawks about preparing to fight in defense at least?"

Esk shrugged. "If they'll listen." He came closer to look over her shoulder at the console. "You gonna pick a program or not?"

Dawn blinked and actually looked at the programs, touching the first one, why not? Even if it was just review, it was 'hands on' review.

Esk looked around as the room changed. "Hands on review huh?" He could just hear Ellie somewhere, giggling about playing doctors. Eugh. He shook his head to get that image out of his head. Stupid Terran and her unrealistic gossip.

Dawn smiled a little at that "Why not, gotta have some real life experience to be good in the real thing, right? Besides, they don't have any of the advanced materiel in here." She said as she got ready. Basically it was a 'small town' clinic that would teach basic skills like setting bones and simple stitches and finding other 'normal' problems. No surgeries here.

"Good point." He found a chair and sat down, looking around the room.

Dawn would go through the patients that were presented until there were no more. When that was done, she came over to sit beside Esk and sighed.

Esk looked at her. "What?" He asked.

Dawn shrugged then stretched "that's the 'easy' stuff on this one, and it was tiring." She said then looked around. "Nice setting though."

Esk looked around again. "Why did you decide to become a medic?" He asked. He was kinda curious okay?

Dawn blinked then turned, changing the program to a random field with forests, though she kept their chairs. "My Aunt was sick. I wanted to help her. After she was killed I just wanted to learn so that others wouldn't live with that though I didn't really pursue that path until I came to the Devil and sort of got placed in this position. I had learned the basics and some more about what made my aunt sick, but not nearly what I know now." She said, looking at the field instead of him then she smiled wryly "Besides that, working on engines and shuttles makes for injuries and learning the basics like first aide and stitching was a must."