Title: Another Crazy Day
Author: MissAnnThropic
Email: miss_annthropic@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Please refer to the general disclaimer that can be reached through the main page.


Zhaan examined the cut on Chiana's palm intently, light blue eyes focusing closely on gray skin parted to expose bright blue blood.

Chiana shifted on the table, fidgeting... again.

"Child, sit still or this will take longer."

"Is that even possible? We've been here for arns, is there a sliver in there or not?"

Zhaan sighed in restrained annoyance, "You came to my apothecary only half an arn ago, Chiana, and Ginshalk fruit scale fragments are notoriously difficult to detect."

"I don't feel anything there, I just wanted a frelling 'strap-aid'."

Zhaan almost smiled at Chiana's use of the Erp-term, knowing Crichton would have been amused, and admonished, "Ginshalk scales can infect the blood if left embedded."

Chiana huffed and shifted again, fingers twitching and causing the tendons in Chiana's hand to jump.

Zhaan gripped the girl's wrist tighter, saying with a down-turned face as she studied the wound, "You brought this upon yourself; D'Argo advised you against purchasing Ginshalk at the commerce planet."

Chiana laughed, "D'Argo wouldn't know fun if it was stuffed down his pants... Ginshalk juice works as an aphrodisiac."

Zhaan's rejoinder was flat, "I hardly thought you needed extra assistance with that."

An ensuing silence that threatened to stretch into discomfort was forestalled when a hurried form filled the apothecary's door. Chiana was already looking up at Crichton when he spoke and caught Zhaan's attention as well.

"Hey, Blue, Pip, got a sec..microt..uh, time to spare?" Crichton said in a rush, shifting slightly on his feet and making a concerted effort to keep his hands still.

Zhaan turned, "What is it, John?" looking up and down his form seeking a cause of his agitation.

Crichton began gesturing with his hands. "Did either of you see Aeryn streak through here naked?"

Zhaan and Chiana looked at one another, expressions matched, and Zhaan shook her head, "No, I'm sorry, John," and her elegant brow crinkled at him.

Crichton looked down both ends of the hallway, stepping backward, "All right, well, thanks anyway," and moved off again with a hurried step.

Chiana and Zhaan looked again at each other a microt before Chiana asked, "What the frell was that about? Aeryn doesn't hate doing the laundry THAT much."

Zhaan frowned, then shook her head and ended her concern with merely the all-encompassing statement, "He is Crichton."

Chiana nodded and it seemed to be good enough for her too, both women looking once again at the injured hand in center stage.

Their attention was broken again by the sound of John Crichton whooping and hooting wildly, quick-succession footfalls detailing his running approach on their location.

Both Chiana and Zhaan looked toward the doorway and soon afterward saw Crichton blaze by at a dead run... entirely nude. He was yelling and hollering, arms waving over his head as he charged by in a flash of pale skin.

Chiana and Zhaan stared at the door and into the empty corridor a microt or two in utter silence before Chiana pulled her hand free and moved to get off the table.

Before she could make her escape D'Argo appeared at the doorway, tenkas swaying as he came to an abrupt halt before them and asked in a winded voice, "Chiana, Zhaan... have either of you seen Rygel pass through here, strisbat naked?"

Chiana and Zhaan only shook their heads, watching the Luxan half-snarl then disappear down the corridor.

Zhaan moved toward the spot just shy of the doorway where Chiana stood and took her by the wrist of her wounded hand, pulling her once again toward the table. Before leaving the door Zhaan reached up and released a cloth screen that had been pinned up to serve for privacy.

"Let's close this," Zhaan said seriously, and Chiana relented to being taken back to the table to have her fruit splinter dug out.