- Medbay, 1300 Hours-
"She is doing well."
Zuman answered.
"Good to hear, when's the big day planned?"
When it's a cheerful beautiful person like Karina asking it's kinda hard to not answer.
"She already had it."
He said it in a neutral tone.
"Good for her….. Ummm. W-Wait, what sir?"
The cheery nurse stuttered, sensing she might have set off a big landmine with this seemingly innocuous topic.
"She's married. And I was there looking on from the stands during the ceremony."
Again the answer came out in a neutral tone.
"Ummm… Well.. Golly. I'm sorry sir."
Nurse Carina looks at him with gentle eyes, though strangely, pity was lacking in them.
Sighing, he looks at her.
"It's ok. I'm still kinda in a shock myself. And it's not your fault for asking since you didn't know, so don't feel guilty. I already have enough people getting antsy around me about this. RIGHT SERRA?"
The last part was in a raised voice because he saw Serra lurking at the entrance for his examination room.
"Sir, you can't blame me for worrying about you now can you?"
Serra answered while pouting.
"*sigh*, I guess not. And I know you mean well. Thanks."
"Sir, if you don't mind, I'll need to enter this in your psyche profile. As potential risk for your mental state you understand."
Carina informed him gently, knowing this is a sensitive topic.
"*sigh*, yeah sure. I understand."
"Also, Serra, please inform my team about this. Might as well let them know. And tell them no being antsy or avoiding this topic. I don't want them to treat me like glass now. I'll grieve on my own time. But our project still needs attending to, got it?"
"Affirmative sir."
Serra replied softly. She is aware that he is genuinely distraught by what happened, but since the person in question himself has asserted that he's okay, there's not really much that she can do about it aside from just monitoring him.
"Alright sir, if you don't mind now, would you please lie down."
Nurse Karina asks him so that they may continue with his check-up.
He only nods and takes off his top before lying down, the check-up routine already engraved on his memory since god knows how long now.
"Sir, we'll begin scanning now. As usual, please tell if there's any discomfort or unusual sensation okay and then.... Oh, Doctor Dalbir, I presume you're here to monitor the check-up?"
Nurse Karina was surprised that the doctor came into the examination room. Since it's a routine check-up, usually they'll just take readings and only at the final report readout will the doctor attend.
"Carry on. I'm just here to chat with this idiot while you do the check-up."
Doctor Dalbir Singh told the nurse of his purpose so that she won't needlessly worry that she did something wrong and the doctor is checking on her.
"So. I heard about it."
This was said directly towards Zuman.
"From who? Serra?"
While saying this he looks at Serra.
"No sir, not me. I only told Steven and that's coz you and him are like, godfather and godson."
Serra flatly denied, and frankly, Zuman didn't believe it himself when he said it. He is well aware that Serra won't gossip with uninvolved people.
"No worries, it wasn't Serra. Apparently the groom was part of my social network. One of my friends knew him and went to his wedding. I saw the pictures he took with the happy couple and I thought the bride looked familiar. Then I saw the name. And it is kinda hard to have 2 similar looking people with the same damned first and last name, AND living in the same DISTRICT."
Dalbir said this with a hint of disgust on his face.
"Ah. I see. I notice you said the word 'was' there."
Zuman calmly noted.
"I said was. Because I made it known among my family, friends and contacts that anyone who has anything to do with this person from here on, can forget about requesting me for any favours in the future."
That shocked Zuman. Dalbir is a pre-eminent figure in the medical field. He is the foremost authority in the nanomedicine field, both theoretical and practical. As such, while he himself doesn't seem to be such an influential person, the people who know of him are influential, most of them being movers and shakers of their own respective industries. Add to this the fact that he is most definitely THE person they will go to in the future for advice and help, and you can see how he can indirectly wield that power. And he has just used it on his behalf.
This is not to be taken lightly. Zuman is unsure what industry that poor soul is in, but say for example it's the construction industry. He can forget ever building anything again. It's either he'll face delays in getting approval permits, delays in getting construction materials, or even delays in getting medical fitness approval for his workers. And all these delays will be done in such ways that they're barely legal, always toeing the line of the law, but it'll end up costly for him because in business, money is time and any delays equates into lost profit and lost profits that go on indefinitely equates losses in the long run.
"Why though?"
He calmly asks Dalbir, while in the foreground the 2 ladies are looking on with a curious mixture of a horrified and an impressed look at the feisty doctor.
"Because you're my friend. I think my only friend that's left now, and if I don't use this power I have for you, then there's no point in me having it."
Dalbir answers simply.
That answer touched Zuman. And it is true that they're both the only one left from their generation. Both he and Dalbir were old friends from primary school and they graduated together, one from the medicine course and the other from practical sciences. After all these years, they're the only ones left now, not counting Dalbir's wife. As much as they both have insulted each other before, apparently those insults were just a front for their affection towards each other. He can't think help but think (Never knew that for all these years, this big softie is actually such a tsundere. But then again, I'm the same aren't I).
"Thanks Dalbir. Kind of over the top, but thanks nonetheless."
Nothing else he can say but these simple words to convey his gratitude.
"Tch. Don't get all soft on me now. I still expect you to finish this project soon, at least that's the rumours I heard recently, that you're ending it soon. Kavita is asking me when the next period of my holiday is, and since your project is at such a critical period I can't give her a definite answer now can I? Fool."
"No worries. We're almost there. The next breakthrough should be sometime latest this end of year."
"Fine. I'll hold you to that. If it doesn't go as you say, I'll tell her to have free hits at you."
Dalbir grinned.
"Oh god, please no you idiot. You want me to die is it?"
Zuman is shaking in horror now. Kavita Singh, a former reporter, part-time model and part-time boxing instructor. Yes, you heard that right, boxing instructor. And her punch can actually lay you out cold, as she did to Dalbir the first time they met because of a misunderstanding.
"Stop exaggerating. We both know you CAN'T die."
Dalbir smirks at him.
"Alright now, resume your checkup. I'll be waiting in my office. And don't call me about this idiot unless he's dying. If it's just general pain or aches I'll ignore the calls."
Again with the evil smirk.
Zuman is rapidly feeling that touched feeling evaporating to be replaced with an irrational impulse to punch that smirking face.
"Get out of here. You're disturbing this lovely nurse from doing her job. Tch."
Zuman spat at Dalbir as he sashays out.