(Untitled)

[wellsuited]

So I guess we need a head count.

[Elena's head is lowered when she first flips on the video, her face hidden. But she forces it up to look directly into the camera

Comments

Voice/Private

[fingersloophole]

Elena? [His tone is worried. He's still examining the disease, wondering why it is exactly. It's alarming to see it on one of his Turks. Because Elena is his now.]

Do you require assistance? Is there anything I can do? I apologize I've been largely absent. The headaches seemed to have eased and I'm ready to help. [If only he knew how. He's trying to pretend to be in charge when he still needs her to tell him how things work here.]

Voice/Private

[wellsuited]

Sir...

[She lowers her face again, clearly not wanting him to look at it.]

I'm sorry I didn't have a report prepared in advance. I just never expected to see it here. But then...

[She never expected to see a lot of bad things here. And she had her moments of doubt about seeing some good things here too.]

And then I thought it was just bruises at first, and by the time it started showing up on other people and I realized--

[She was tired. But that's no excuse.]

You don't owe me an apology, Sir.

[A smile touches her voice. And despite everything, her next words are genuine.]

I'm glad your headaches are easing up a bit.

Voice/Private

[fingersloophole]

We're far from home. Far from the beuracracy that makes me file reports, Elena. Don't worry about that.

[He frowns, wanting to examine it for himself. He doesn't know what to do. Gunshot wounds, stab wounds, burns, he can handle those. Not a disease.]

I would like to see you. I'm ordering you to partial duty until you are healed. Now you will come to see me. [He's plotting to make soup. But that seems somehow too odd to say out loud.]

Voice/Private

[wellsuited]

Yes Sir...I'll be there right away.

[She only hesitates because to be seen like this...

Elena knows that it's not her fault, knows that it's not some rookie mistake that gave her Geostigma. She just doesn't want her boss to think otherwise.]

I'll be bringing the list that I've compiled...just in case.

voice

[princely_calyx]

I have it. On my shoulders and it's working its way down my arms.

You know what it is? [Hope colors her voice.]

voice

[wellsuited]

I was afraid you might.

The symptoms that I've seen look identical to something called Geostigma.

[A pause.]

I want you to take some time off for now. Get plenty of rest.

[Elena just gave someone more sick days? That's not a good sign.]

voice

[princely_calyx]

What's Geostigma?

I'm sure I'll be fine, it's just annoying right now. I can keep doing my duties!

voice

[wellsuited]

It's a disease where something alien has invaded your body...and it's working overtime to try and fight it off.

It's...pretty serious.

I admire that, I really do. But...

If I have to take time off, everyone should.

[video | private]

[twoswordjuniper]

[Hello, you see an arm. It's a pale arm, muscular in a very streamlined way, and bare except for the sick dark patches. If she looks hard and long enough, Elena might notice a subtle fight between Deneve's skin attempting to regenerate and the virus attempting to take over.

But the arm is retracted, hidden under the folds of a dark cloak and instead Deneve's silver eyes stare at the screen. There are splotches making their way up her neck, too.]

What is it?

[video | private]

[wellsuited]

[Elena stares at the arm. From the pale complexion alone, she guesses that it's one of them. What she sees going on underneath the skin confirms it even more.]

It's called Geostigma. It's from my world...although I guess all the ingredients for it are here too.

Don't worry--

[She stops herself before she can namedrop.]

I have reason to believe that you might recover.

[video | private]

[twoswordjuniper]

Is that so?

[She's never really been sick before, so this is new territory. However, she seems to be facing it quite calmly and with mild curiosity.]

And what happens if I don't?

[video | private]

[wellsuited]

If you don't...then we'll just have to find a cure for you too.

[She's trying her hand at this whole optimism thing.

It feels a lot like lying.

Fortunately, Turks are pretty good at that.]

[Voice | Private]

[tin_boy]

M-my friend Dawn has it. She's... at the clinic.

Is she going to be okay?

It's good that it's not contagious! Dawn was worried about that.

[Voice | Private]

[wellsuited]

Yeah. It's because of her that I realized that my bruises...weren't bruises.

I know people who are looking into things. I'm sure the word will spread fast once something's figured out.

[It's the best she can do.]

[text I private]

[jaytodd]

How many people have this, and how many of them were also at the battle against the tentacle monster?

Just throwing a few lines out your way. I'm clear by the way.

[text I private]

[wellsuited]

Nine of us, by my count so far. I'm not sure if the youngest affected was involved with the fight or not. As for the Natives...I've tried to get that info, but it's not working very well.

That's good. ...Is anyone close to you sick with it?

[text I private]

[jaytodd]

Haven't seen too many people lately. Wouldn't know, aside from what's on the network.

Natives won't talk - I think most of them