Vastra knocks on the adjoined door.
Nothing.
She licks the air, "Dear they are not in their room."
"They know we have to be at the Medical school at nine. I am sure they aren't far."
As if on right on cue, there is laughter coming from next door.
"Well, you lost the bet. You have to knock, we need to know if they want breakfast."
Mother Vastra smiles and knocks on the door again. This time Alaya swings the door open, "Good Morning Mothers!"
A Scottish voice echoes the sentiment from behind, "Morning!"
"I knocked earlier but you weren't in your rooms."
"We went for a hike. I hope we didn't bring you worry?"
"No, Where did you hike?"
"Arthur's seat."
Mother Jenny asks, "What did you climb?"
Alaya enters her parent's room, goes to a large window, draws the curtains open and points. "That is Arthur's seat."
"How wonderful. How was the view?"
"We can go again if we have time. It is not far."
Fiona pokes her head into the room, "Mothers you will love the climb and the view is amazing. You can see the waters."
"It sounds perfect, but Vastra and I went directly to sleep last night. We are famished. Will ladies like to join us?"
"Absolutely." Fiona goes back into her room. She quickly pops her head back in, "Alaya dear. I need help with my hair."
"Yes," Alaya shifts her body and leaps over her mothers' bed and into the other room.
Jenny affectionately looks to her tall Silurian, "You and your daughter are quite pleased with our hair."
As Vastra walks closer to her wife, "I love your soft curls," She smiles into her wife's brown eyes.
"Even though I now have grey hairs?"
Vastra fights the thought of her wife growing old, strokes her wife's hair, comes down for a kiss but interrupted by a conversation next door.
"Aye!" Fiona teases her wife. "I will tear off one of your scales with my teeth if you aren't careful. Softly, please."
"I am so sorry, I need to get used to using a brush. I never used one before." Alaya softly reminds her wife.
"Let me show you how to do this. Wait, get your mother Jenny."
Alaya pops her head into her parent's room, "Mother, will you assist me?"
Vastra and Jenny both come into the other room.
"One of the things I had to learn when I brushed your mother's hair is to work from the bottom up. But this," Pointing to Fiona's wild frizzy hair, "My dear Alaya, is a whole different matter."
Fiona spins around wiping her long hair, "It does seem to have a mind of its own."
Mother Jenny comes over to Fiona's hair and demonstrates how to brush her hair. The tall Silurian and half-Silurian daughter listen as if their lives were utterly dependent on the information. "You start here and work your way up. Once you have all the hair in sections then you go like this ... this and put a pin here, here ... I need more pins ... Done."
"Beautiful," comments Alaya.
"All that hair is now under control?"
"Yes. Alaya, when we get home we can work on this together." Mother Jenny smiles while thinking to herself 'my Alaya needs to learn this for her own family'. She makes a mental note to teach her daughter other things about human children. As she pulls her wife in close for comfort, she wonders if it not too late.
"Can we eat now?" Mother Vastra ask her wife.
It was a short walk to the school. All women enter the meeting room to find Elsie waiting.
Elsie doesn't look back, she just sits there stoic tapping the folder in front of her.
Louisa immediately goes to her, "Welcome home. How are you?"
Silence.
All the women pick a seat, watch as a staff member adds coal to the fireplace and leaves through the rear door.
The clock strikes nine and five women enter the room and take their seats behind the long desk. The head of the committee, "Good Morning. Thank you, all for coming. This committee was formed based on the request of Doctor Louisa Anderson on behalf of Doctor Fiona Flint-Saint Clair. Please inform the committee of your request."
Louisa stands, "We formally request that Doctor Flint-Saint Clair be transferred back to London Medical School for Woman along with her medical logs and academic record."
The committee looks to each other whisper.
"That is all. The request is approved, unless there is a reason unknown ..."
The committee goes quiet as Elsie stands and clears her throat.
A mumble could be heard from a committee member, Elsie snaps her head up looking for the culprit. "It is imperative that Dr. Flint-Saint Clair remain here with Edinburgh Medical school and be sent overseas for her training under my authority."
"Why?"
"Because she is skilled and talented surgeon. We should encourage her with more work, more adventures not lockup in an operating room."
"That is not your decision to make."
"The war office disagrees."
"There isn't conscription for men or women, even during wartime."
"How can we expect her to be a physician if she is not willing to serve?"
The committee head directed her attention to her left, "Do you have Doctor Flint-Saint Clair's logs?"
The woman passes a small folder.
"Doctor Flint-Saint Clair, we have your log files here from the past year and it seems that you have had not taken opportunity to expand your skills."
"You do not have all Dr. Flaint-Saint Clair's surgical and medical logs."
"Do you have additional log files?"
"Yes we do." Louisa instructs Fiona, "Please take these up to the committee."
Fiona makes the short journey to the Committee Head and hands one folder at a time "These are when I was in Edinburgh, Brussels, Wimereux, Serbia, Durres, Bari, Northern Italy and South of France."
"I did not know we have a hospital in Italy or South of Paris."
Fiona returns to Louisa's side.
"You do not," Louisa said with a sense of authority. "Doctor Flint-Saint Clair was faced unusual set of circumstances and returned to London on her own. She paid for her trip from Servia to Bari by doing medical services. The Bari, Italy file includes references and appreciation to the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Doctor Flint-Saint Clair's services."
"Doctor Inglis, can you shed light on as to why Doctor Flint-Saint Clair was fending for herself?"
Doctor Inglis stood tall, "I woke up one day and I was told Doctor Flint-Saint Clair abandoned her post."
Alaya grew angry and balled her fists. Vastra shifts in her seat. Lou and Mary look to each other. Jenny crosses her arms. Fiona looks at Elsie while shakes her head in disappointment.
Louisa feels the tension of those sitting behind her. She whispers something to Fiona, instantly Fiona stands a little taller.
"We are not here to quarrel. We simply request a transfer."
Elsie tapping a folder on her table, "If Doctor Flint-Saint Clair runs from her duties we should not, in good faith, recommend her to any medical school. This committee should take it under advisement and bring her up for disciplinary actions.".
Louisa asks the committee, "Please have Doctor Inglis clarify for our own understanding, is Doctor Flint-Saint Clair a gifted surgeon or a delinquent? If she is as unreliable then why invest time and energy in someone who is irresponsible?"
The air in the room shifted from a calm curiosity into agitated tension.
Elsie just taps the folder. "I need a moment. My I have a few minutes?"
The committee head nods yes, "You can have five minutes."
Elsie turns around and walks out the meeting room.
"What do you think she is going?" Fiona asks Louisa.
"I have no idea."
Fiona looks to Elsie's table 'the folder'. Fiona doesn't hesitate and runs over to the table and grabs it and places it on their table.
The committee head, "Doctor Flint-Saint Clair, please return the property ..."
"I will not offer any official complaint, nor will I offer any evidence against Doctor Inglis. So please have allowance for my immaturity."
Before anyone had a chance to respond Elsie returns with a cup of coffee. She stops in her track as she notices the missing folder. "Where is my documentation?" She turns to Fiona and then back to the committee, "Please return my property."
"We were addressing the unethical behaviour and request your documentation be returned." The Committee head consoles with Elsie.
Fiona nods yes, picks up a folder from the table. She walks across the floor, Elsie has her hand extended. Instead of handing Elsie the folder she shocks the room by tossing the contents into the fire. Elsie leaps forward, but Fiona firmly plants her feet and will not allow any rescue attempt. She hold Elsie in her place and watches the paper burn quickly into ash.
Everyone stands.
"Doctor Flint-Saint Clair this is most inappropriate."
Fiona turns to the committee head, "It was not inappropriate. Is was documentation of lies. You have my logs and medical records from Doctor Inglis and from Doctor Anderson. Which is complete? Doctor Inglis has held my academic career hostage with threats and inappropriate behaviour. If Doctor Inglis feels that this," Fiona points to the fireplace, "information is vital then have her verbally disclose it's contents to the committee. Doctor Inglis has my respect as a surgeon, but not for documentation."
Elsie was absolutely livid. "How dare you? That was mine."
Fiona stood taller, "No the information was about me. Why not tell the committee what was in the documentation.:
It only angered Elsie more and she pounded her fist on the table, "I demand that Doctor Flint-Saint Clair be investigated!"
"Why?" Louisa asks the committee, "Please ask Doctor Inglis as to why there needs to be any investigation. We have proof of her skills and references as to her abilities."
Elsie turns to Louisa pointing, "You! I hold you responsible. You manipulated her, just like you did before. This time I will win, Fiona will work by my side."
Fiona shakes her head no, "Doctor Inglis I shall never work by your side."
"I demand an investigation!" Elsie hits the table again.
"Why? If you know something, please tell the committee."
Fiona agitates Elsie further by getting close and whispering, "You submit to the committee a token of my log files. You have nothing but lies to offer the committee."
Elsie saw red, "I demand an investigation to Doctor Flint-Saint Clair and her family!"
"You have nothing to offer this committee except requests?" Fiona speaks to the committee and the room, "I have come with evidence of my good works, my academic success, and my surgical logs. Doctor Ingles offer nothing. She does not even offer an oral argument." Turning her attention to Elise, "You say I am should be investigated but want me hostage and serve by your side. You have no evidence." Fiona points to the dying fire, "My act of rebellion is forcing your hand ... you have nothing." Fiona returns to Louisa's side. She leans over to Louisa is a loud whisper, "She has nothing."
"I demand this committee to investigate! At once." Elsie repeats her plea.
Louisa calming asks, "If you have an insight into Doctor Flint-Saint Clair, please offer evidence. If you do not, our original request for transfer stands."
"She is fowl!" Elsie points to Fiona while addressing the committee. "She ... she is illegally married and practices bestiality. She is an abomination to god. Her husband is nothing more than a female reptile as her mother-in-law is a lizard. Doctor Flint-Saint Clair's family should be captured and brought to science to experiment. That is what has been burned into the fire, evidence and proof of the revolting facts."
Fiona remains calm.
The room is quiet.
The committee head looked at Fiona, "Thank you for your services. Your transfer, logs and academic records are hear-by transferred to The London School of Medicine for Women."
Louisa walks up to the committee table and quickly gathers all the documentation, academic record and log files of Fiona. "Thank you," She nods to the committee and returns to standby Fiona.
"The committee wish you luck in your academic and professional career Doctor Flint-Saint Clair. Thank you for your service and patience."
Everyone exits leaving Elsie to stand in her anger to face the committee alone.