H, I, J...: Team Gino has relocated to the Center for Bad Ideas.
Ooops all dialogue.
All the good things belong to MonolithSoft, but the skell gas sations are mine.
"I just want to repeat that I think this a bad idea," said Diego, one arm flung over the shivering shoulders Gino. They were not exactly cuddled on a couch, but it was now a different one, because everyone had regrouped to the West Gate Auxiliary Skell Refueling Station (part of C&C Industries).
Lila Brown, Gino's boss, was on the floor of the station office, taping down the edges of a tarp pulled fresh from its packaging. "It's a terrible idea," she corrected him as she crawled around. "But if Gino won't go to the MMC-"
"No," Gino whispered. He was long past shouting, but he was still clear on that point.
"- and if none of us trust Yardley either -" she added.
"Gino's legs would be sold to the Ganglion in an hour," Josefina agreed. "Possibly with Gino still attached." Yardley's back street mimeosome enhancement service was mostly for cosmetics but still deeply criminal.
Lila sat on her heels and looked at Diego. "You can go. You don't have to stay."
Diego squeezed Gino slightly. "No. He's my best friend. But it won't be as easy as sticking tab A into slot B."
"More like plugging wires C, D, E, and F into sockets H, I, J, ..." Josefina muttered through her teeth as she used them to tear another strip of tape.
"Use the scissors," Lila said. "We need to keep this as sterile as possible."
Diego leaned forward, still keeping a hand on Gino. "That's why it's a bad idea. You have no business doing this in a gas station office. The floor is beyond disgusting."
"That's why it won't make more of a mess."
"You're going to ...," Diego bit off the end of his sentence. Gino wanted this, bad idea or no, and everyone else seemed hypnotized or delusional and therefore had agreed, and so they were preparing to do the unthinkable: they were going to remove and replace Gino's legs. Here. At a gas station.
Lila looked at him and took a deep breath. "We have a Ma-non doctor I'd trust with the Commander's life arriving in 20. He's bringing the best replacements that C&C could make, matching scans of Gino's legs pre-incident. I'm not a bad engineer, and Josefina has medic training. We have a stasis bag ready and the keys to a Verus to transport him to the MMC if things go south. Not to mention Susu's surrounding the whole building with a ring of salt, on top of the runes she put down under the tarp."
"This is nutso," Diego groaned.
"Then split," Josefina said. She had finished taping down her half of the tarp and had stood up.
"He's my best friend," said Diego helplessly.
"Still here," said Gino sourly, but he managed to nudge Diego.
"I get that you're not good with injuries," said Lila. "How are you at keeping busybodies out of an area? Once we start, we don't want to be disturbed."
Diego massaged his face, not exactly clawing at his eyes but close, then sighed. "Fine, I'm on bouncer duty."
a/n: Gino will be fine! Just fine!
Next up: Clap. We may be done before the 20th. Maybe.