Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 302: On Shaky Ground
Air Date: 14 Jan 2015
Present: Andy, Kim, Terri, Matt, and Maer
Jump to: Part 1 | Part 2 | Special Features
Monday, 29 Oct 2525
Erebor Mining Station
Somewhere between Blue and White Sun Systems
The crew has landed on the Centaur's mining station of Erebor to make repairs. The station's AI, Gandalf, has agreed to help us obtain deuterium in exchange for repairs to the station's power generator and maintenance robots.
Everyone is suited up in vacc suits and Valentine insists that no one work alone. He assigns Vikki to repair the power generator and the robots and has Rachel go with her to keep her on task. He assigns Poco to finding the last of the hull breaches aboard Delilah and Tian is paired with him.
Tian is worried for Eli's welfare—she can't tend him and help Poco at the same time. Valentine has Vikki rig an alarm on the med bay monitors should Eli's vitals fall to dangerous levels. The alarm is keyed to Tian's suit comms so she will be able to respond quickly. Tian accepts the arrangement and goes off with Poco to find that leak.
Valentine appoints himself as manager and free floating assistant.
Speaking of free floating, there's a lot of dust all over the station and ice crystals have formed on the walls in some places. Seeing them, Vikki gets an idea and without further ado, raises her faceplate, spits on the wall nearest and starts counting slowly as the spittle slides down.
Vikki: One … two … three … four … (gauges the speed) … Aw, it's going to reach the floor. Never mind.
Rachel: Vikki, girl, that was narsty. Can't take you anywhere. It's like you were born in a barn.
Vikki: Look at the ice crystals on the wall! It's got to be freakin' cold but it's not below—
She names a rather low temperature.
Rachel: Well, thank God you didn't drop pants and piss.
Vikki: Eww, that's gross …. But that thing with the wall …
And she starts off for the generator, rattling off the story of how an ETW space station had lost power and the mechanics sent to fix the generator had calculated the interior temperature by counting the seconds it took for their spit to freeze on the walls. No power, no thermometer readings, they had to improvise …
See?
Vikki gets to the power generator and sees that it will be a harder repair job than at first glance. As with the rest of the station, there is a lot of dust everywhere in the generator room: on the walls and floor, on the generator and equipment … and in the space where the actuator is supposed to be. It routes power to many of the station's systems, like the doors, and it's clearly been removed.
Vikki: Now why would anybody remove the ability to open the doors?
Perhaps it broke and it was removed to be fixed. But judging by the amount of dust on everything, that was a long time ago. How long ago? Hmm … Vikki eyeballs the height of the dust on the generator and compares it to the level of dust on the actuator's vacated spot.
Rachel: Tinkerbell? What're you doin'?
Vikki: (preoccupied) Getting the generator working … So it can run the lights and doors and… wait. Hold on a minute. Do we have anything in our stores that we can cannibalize or jerry rig or machine from scratch … ?
And off she goes again. Rachel pokes her.
Rachel: Poke, poke. All right. I gotta question for ya. Your inner monologue with yourself is as long and windy as it is with everybody else. Stop talkin' to yourself and fix the damn thing so we can get outa here.
Vikki pats the generator as if comforting a pet, then turns to the pilot, her voice dangerously low.
Vikki: Rachel. Do I tell you how to fly?
Rachel: No.
Vikki: Then please don't tell me how to think. I'm working on it.
Rachel: Faster.
Vikki: (even lower) Stop distracting me and I'll go really fast.
Rachel: I don't know if I can distract you any more than you already distract yourself.
Vikki gives up trying to explain her process. Instead, she spends the next half hour fixing everything else that's broken that would prevent anything from working once she replaces the actuator. Once that's done, she steps back and checks her work. It's as fixed as it's ever going to be, minus the actuator. Delilah has her machine shop. Vikki's certain she can make an actuator there.
Vikki: Okay. Everything else is done. I gotta make this part. You coming or what?
Rachel: Well, if I don't, you'll just sit there and make love to the whateveritis you're making, just like you just did that. (points at the generator)
Vikki: (sniffs) Jealous.
But talking about feelings and relationship makes Vikki think of something else. The lack of the actuator prevents power from reaching most of the station's systems … but not all. She calls Gandalf, thinking that maybe he could direct her to the station's machine shop. With a little luck, the actuator might still be there on the bench, just waiting for someone (like her) to come along and fix it. It would save her time from making one.
Vikki: Gandalf? Can you hear me? Hello?
No answer. She taps the wall.
Rachel: Now, see? You shouldn't'a spit on the damn wall.
Vikki remembers that Gandalf turned himself off to conserve power but she can still route power to his computer systems, even though the computer won't have access to anything else. She manages to make that connection and she hears the hum as Gandalf powers up again.
Gandalf: Cycling power … please wait.
Music flows through the nearest wall comm. Thankfully, it's not "The Girl From Ipanema".
(Because that's never a good sign.)
Gandalf: Systems check … Central Processing Unit is functional and nominal … My exterior sensors and actuators are offline …
Vikki: Yeah, about that—
Gandalf: My Primary Memory banks are offline.
Vikki: Um … Gandalf. I have a question for you. Somebody took the actuator off your generator and it's preventing computer access to certain systems. I'm wondering, do you have anything in your short term memory logs or any memory logs you can access that—
Gandalf: My short term memory indicates a match for vocal prints to current speaker. I don't have an identification for you.
Vikki: Oh. Um … You can call me Vikki.
Gandalf: Is that short for Viktoria?
Vikki blinks. She's so accustomed to people either getting that question wrong or mispronouncing her name that someone getting it right, even if it's a computer AI, is a pleasant surprise. She also thinks that the code modulating Gandalf's vocalization is rather well done, too. The AI sounds courteous and friendly. She beams at the comm even though Gandalf cannot possibly see it.
Vikki: Yes, it is. Wow.
Gandalf: Would you prefer I call you Vikki or Viktoria? Or do you have a surname that you prefer?
Her surname is a bigger problem for most than her first. Better not jinx it.
Vikki: Vikki's fine. I'll answer to Vikki.
Gandalf: Hello, Vikki. What can I do for you?
Vikki: I'm looking for the actuator that's supposed to be on your generator. It was removed some time in the past. I thought perhaps it might have been removed for repairs and it would have gone through the pipeline and there would have been a note made of it and it would be in the computer …?
Gandalf: Attempting to access computer …
There is a pause and when Gandalf speaks again, he almost sounds puzzled and embarrassed.
Gandalf: Vikki, I'm afraid I can't help you with this … immediately. It appears there's been damage to my primary memory circuits. I can attempt a repair program but that would require all my processing power. Do you wish me to begin this process? I will be offline effectively during that time.
Vikki: If I repair the power generator before you're finished doing that, if I turn the power on will it hurt you?
Gandalf: Do you mean … cause pain or cause damage to my systems?
And by that, Vikki's reminded that she's talking to a machine and not a person. Not that it matters to her. She doesn't want to hurt Gandalf.
Vikki: Would the resulting power surge cause damage?
Gandalf: I am unable to evaluate your skills and so I do not know. Have you operated on a CyberDyne Systems 27-16 such as myself?
Vikki: Not the SMG model, no.
Gandalf: You may be voiding my warranty, but given the circumstances that might be appropriate.
Vikki: Okay … hmm. You're going to need your memory. Go ahead and do the memory thing and … I'll try to come up with the actuator myself. (sincerely) Take care of yourself. Thank you.
Gandalf: I should warn you my short term memory indicates that there has been unstable geological activity on this Centaur.
Vikki: How short term was this?
Gandalf: My memory goes back 73 hours.
Vikki: Seventy-three hours?
Gandalf: The last geologic instability was 56 hours and 23 minutes ago, shortly before your ship arrived.
Vikki: Thank you. That was my next question. Hmm. Can you remember to the one prior to that?
Gandalf: I cannot.
Apparently, the instabilities may not recur inside 73 hours, which means she and the crew will still have some time before the next one. Vikki decides that fixing the generator is more important than worrying about what might happen 73 hours from now.
Vikki: Look, you do what you gotta do. I'll do what I gotta do. Take care of yourself, okay?
Gandalf: I am concerned for your well-being.
Vikki: Oh! Well, the feeling's mutual. All right. Well, I got to—
Gandalf: You're certain you wish me offline?
Or maybe she should worry about what might happen.
Vikki: What's going to happen to this station if you do go offline?
Gandalf: What's going to happen to it?
Vikki: Well, I mean … Is life support going to stop working? Or we not going to be able to open the doors, we're going to be trapped in here and die?
Gandalf: You would only be lacking my information.
Vikki: At least until I can get the power all the way back on. Okay. I'm willing to take that risk because I have to fix the generator.
Gandalf: I understand.
Vikki: (really, truly!) As nice as it is talking to you, I can't fix this and talk to you at the same time.
And Rachel's just watching this and wondering if Vikki's falling in love with an AI. Because it's plain as day to Rachel that Vikki thinks Gandalf is just so CUTE. Certainly she seems worried for its welfare. As the conversation goes on, Rachel starts banging her head softly against the wall. Why did she have to get stuck with this particular young'un?
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Vikki: I gotta go … so … bye ….
Gandalf: Initiating Memory Repair …
Vikki: Oh, and … Thank you!
Vikki decides to try finding another actuator. She grabs Rachel and starts looking around for either another one or parts to make one. She's so preoccupied with the task that she flat out forgets to tell Valentine or the others about the quakes.
Meanwhile Poco and Tian are looking for that leak. She's distracted and he grouses.
Poco: You gonna sit there on your ass or are you gonna look for it, too?
She helps. They find the leak. It's in a recovery room off med bay. In the ceiling of the room, near one of the lamps.
Joy.
Valentine is exploring the station, currently in a non-atmo section. He goes from corridor to chamber to corridor, keeping a running monologue of his progress on Tian's suit channel. His suit doesn't quit fit, however, and it's hampering his ability to get around. Nevertheless, he perseveres and goes through all the constructed areas of the station. As he explores, he finds robots frozen mid-task. Most are small but one in the cargo area is tractor-huge. It's a driller, obviously intended for ore extraction. He also finds reinforced standard shipping containers holding the lithium, selenium, and platinum that Gandalf mentioned were ready for shipping. There are dozens of them. At the far end of the cargo area he finds another landing pad. He also finds a labeled access hatch. He leaves it unopened. He's exploring the station but he's not the type to poking through the medicine cabinets and refrigerators uninvited. There's a thick layer of dust over everything. Unlike Vikki, Valentine has no urge to measure it. He just notes it seems to be thicker in some places over others and moves on.
He turns back for Delilah and his crew, calling in his findings to Tian. The comm crackles as Vikki's med bay alarm is stealing bandwidth.
Valentine: I've reached the end of the complex. I think I've found all the robots, including a huge bulldozer one. I have no idea how any of it works although Poco might. I also found another landing pad. I think I'm going to head back. I'll see you in a few minutes.
In the med bay, Tian confirms the news and informs him that she and Poco have found the leak. She and Poco grab the tools and get to work. Poco's repairs aren't quite bubble gum and bailing wire, but close. It's certainly not an invisible repair—it makes quite a … textural … addition to the overall look. Nevertheless, it's a repair and we're no longer leaking atmo. We can fly again without worrying unduly about decompression.
He's only just fixed the breach when everything starts to shake.
EARTHQUAKE!
Poco is thrown to the deck and a heavy tall medical supplies cabinet falls on top of him, pinning him. It hurts like hell but he's miraculously uncrushed. He can breathe and move a little but he just can't quite get out from under the damned thing pinning him to the deck. It's too heavy for him to shift on his own and Tian doesn't seem to respond to his calls for help.
He's on his own.
Tian grabs for the nearest stable handhold and rides it out. In her fright, her senses are jacked up to the max and everything takes a turn for the sinister. It's a paranoid place she's in right now and the med bay suddenly closes in on her. Fighting off claustrophobia, she staggers out into the hallway.
Valentine meanwhile is on his way back to the ship and has managed to take his helmet off—the darned thing wasn't fitting right and he wanted to readjust it. The earthquake takes him by surprise. Everything's shaking and coming down and he spies a girder overhead coming straight for him. He's got his helmet in his hands and he reacts without thinking: he swings his helmet up like a shield and WHAM‼ the girder hits it instead of his head. When the shaking stops he finds the girder jammed between the wall and his helmet. He carefully steps aside and lets that girder drop.
Whew.
His helmet is still operable … just … and it fits on his suit … just. Valentine gets his suit comms working and hails his crew.
Valentine: Check in. Is everyone all right? Tian?
Poco: (groaning) …. Owwwwww-wwwwwwww ….
Valentine: Poco. You're awake at least. How are you?
Poco: Arghhh … Half of me's okay … I really can't feel the other half, so I don't know.
Valentine: You're with Tian. Is she with you? Is she all right?
Poco:… No … I don't know. She's not eating me so I'm assuming she's all right.
Valentine: All right. I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. Hang in there, all right?
Poco: Well … I'm not going anywhere.
Valentine switches channels.
Valentine:Rachel? Vikki? Rachel? Vikki?
No answer. He hails the women again. Still no answer. Valentine starts making best tracks for Delilah. He doesn't know where Tian, Vikki, or Rachel are or even if they're alive, but he knows Poco is alive and that the man needs help. Maybe once he gets Poco free, the rest of his crew will have checked in or at least indicate if they need assistance. As he makes his way back, Valentine notices that the dust in the chamber is moving … but not from anything he's doing.
It's moving toward a breach in the walls.
He investigates. The breach is about a foot and a half wide and it's between him and Delilah. The station is pretty much broken in half at that spot, as if cut with a knife and the two halve shifted vertically. He has mag boots built into his suit and it should hold against the suction but even if he makes across to the other side of the breach, it's going to be a long walk back through the station to his ship and his crew.
Furthermore, his air supply is limited. He doesn’t have much time. Consulting the mental map he's made of the station, Valentine thinks he can go overland outside and get to Delilah before his suit runs out of air. Outside, however, is riddled with micro-meteors that would hole his suit like a hail of bullets. but even so, just as ship hulls are designed to withstand micro-meteors, vacc suits are likewise built to hold up to the abrasion … just not for as long. Valentine decides to walk on the metal roof of the station to Delilah. If his air runs critically low, he'll risk jumping the rest of the way to the ship.
He has to find his crew and check on their condition. As Captain (and as their friend) he's responsible for them and he doesn't take that responsibility lightly. It's worth the risk.
Poco, meanwhile, is getting a handle on his situation: he's managed to fish out his cigarettes and he's sucking down the soothing menthol of his favorite smokes. Calmer now, he takes stock. He becomes aware of a droning sound from somewhere in med bay. He realizes it's the alarm that Vikki's rigged up. Eli must be in vital distress. Is he dead? There's no way to tell from here.
Poco has his pocket tools and he can move, if only a little, under the cabinet. He realizes that he might be able to dismantle the cabinet piece by piece off him with those tools. By wiggling and struggling he manages to pull them out. Once he's got them in hand, he starts dismantling the cabinet, one piece at a time. Poco works as fast as he can to get that cabinet off him and finally frees himself. Instead of being trapped and injured, he's now only injured.
Poco staggers toward the alarm but he's no fool: he draws The Baron.
He enters the recovery room and finds something he never thought he'd see: Tian's on the floor, cradling Eli's unresponsive body. Half-cradling him like frightened child, half-covetously stroking him like a cat with a captured bird, Tian's spooned on the floor with Eli and softly murmuring something Poco can't quite making out. She's not hurting the man but Poco can't tell if Tian even realizes where she is and what she's doing.
It's quite frankly disturbing.
Poco: (to self) Ahhhhh …. gorrammit.
Poco cocks The Baron's hammer.
Valentine calls in to Poco.
Valentine: I'm getting ready to go up top. If you never hear from me again, I'm lost in space.
His air is running out and he needs the faster route, despite the elevated risk of suit breach. In case Poco doesn't hear from him again, at least he'll have an idea what's happened to him.
Poco confirms Valentine's status report and silently debates telling the Captain what's happening in med bay. Poco's concerned for Tian but he's hinked by her behavior. He knows he has to snap Tian out of it. Maybe he can talk her down from the Reaver ledge she's on. Or rather, maybe a direct order from Valentine as Captain will snap her out of it, but that means he'll have to tell the Captain what's going on. But how? He's not sure if Tian can hear him and if she can, he doesn't want to back her into a corner by sounding alarmed or accusatory. What if he sounded merely conversational? What if he managed to have it hide the fact he's talking to the Captain? Hoping he doesn't send her into Reaver mode and holding the gun out of sight behind his hip, Poco leaves his comm channel open and gruffly greets Tian.
Poco: Hey, ah, how's the patient doin' there, Doc? Sit-rep? I see you got him, ah, wrapped up real tight there. Is that strokin' his hair, is that helpin' out?
Valentine hears this, groks what's going on, and takes a very deep breath. In his ear, Poco continues:
Poco: Maybe you could, ah, put him back up in the bed and make sure he's doin' all right?
Tian whips her head around and for a split second, it looks like she thinks Poco is going to hurt her and Eli. She's in the grip of that shadow-vision paranoia: What is Poco going to do to her? She tenses, wary and ready for violence …. But she somehow manages not to panic.
Tian: (cautiously) I … can't get him up alone.
Poco: Oh, well, uh … I'm hurt pretty bad and maybe you can treat him where he is. Just stop being … freaky.
Freaky. Yeah. That.
Tian comes off the floor slowly and carefully. Her medical training is overriding some of her mental confusion.
Tian: How badly are you hurt?
Poco: Probably don't wanna be liftin' Eli-pounds but … (shrugs) …
Coming more and more to her senses, Tian realizes that Poco can wait a moment more for treatment. He's upright and coherent and not visibly gushing from any severed arteries … Mmm … Arteries … She shakes off the distraction. As Poco's unable to help her move Eli to a bed, she checks Eli right there on the floor. He got banged up falling off the exam table but his surgical wound is intact. No torn stitches, no bleeding, just a bump on his head and a bruise.
Valentine is listening to everything and breaks in.
Valentine: Tian?
Tian: Yes, Captain?
Valentine: Vikki and Rachel haven't been reporting and I'm running low on air. You get things settled, do what you can.
Tian: He's not in the bed but at least for the moment, he's stable. I can't get him up myself so I'll head in your direction—
Valentine: Poco will help.
Silence from Poco.
Valentine: (Captain voice) Poco will help.
Poco has to figure out a way to hide the fact he's drawn the Baron on Tian. At the moment, it's still hidden behind his back but if he's to help Tian with Eli, he's going to have to use both hands and the Baron will be discovered. Despite his best efforts to set the gun down without Tian noticing, she sees the gun and realizes that Poco is afraid of her. Keeping her eye on Poco, she comms Valentine.
Tian: Once I get Eli settled, I'm headed your way, Captain.
Valentine: No. I'm on top of the station. Do not come for me. Find Vikki and Rachel.
Unhappy but bowing to the chain of command, Tian acknowledges his orders and gets to work. With Poco's help, she gets Eli back on the table and hooked up to his leads and IVs. The medical routine steadies her nerves, anchoring her in the here-and-now. Once she's done with her patient, she notices Poco's banged up and that his pants are shredded.
Tian: Are you actually hurt?
Poco: Nahh, well, the pants're—
Tian: (Doctor voice) Sit.
Poco: (small voice) Okay.
He doesn't have any broken bones. That's a mercy. Poco's got plenty of cuts and scrapes though. Unfortunately, the bulk of her medical supplies are smashed on the deck—they were in the cabinet that fell on Poco—and she's got limited meds to treat him. Nevertheless, she manages to take care of the worst of his scrapes and he's feeling better.
Tian tries not so show how wary she is of Poco at the moment but Poco picks it up anyway. For what it's worth, the feeling is mutual. Tian ties down the last bit of bandage and steps away.
Tian: I need to go check on the others. Can you watch Eli?
Poco: Nope. I'm stayin' with you. (waves toward the door) Ladies, first.
Tian: Val? Where are they? Do you know where they went?
Valentine: I don't know. I was hoping you did. You're closer to them than I am at the moment, almost certainly.
Tian: I have no idea where they were going.
Valentine: What's the situation like there? How's the ship holding up? The whole station shook and at least part of it broke in two places.
Tian: What were they doing?
Valentine: They were working on the generator to restore power to the station and the AI.
Poco: Where's the power room?
Valentine: (short laugh) What do I look like? The engineer?
Tian: (to Poco) I would actually like it if you didn't go with me.
Poco: (back at'ya!) Rachel and Tink might prefer it if I was there.
Their comms are still live and Valentine heard that exchange.
Valentine: What the hell's going on? I think both of you should stay together. It's bad enough that I'm out here by myself, stupidly. Don't follow my mistake. Find your crewmembers and help them. XO?
Tian: Yes, Captain?
Valentine: Are we clear?
Tian: Yes, Captain.
Tian mutes her channel and looks at Poco.
Tian: Gentlemen, first. You're not walking behind me with a weapon pulled.
Poco: Well-lllll …. Just … You kinda are a crazy weapon.
Tian: Gonow.
Poco: I'm not really certain that I want you behind me.
Tian: Go.
She stabs a finger toward the door. Despite Tian's precautions, Valentine is still able to follow the conversation through Poco's channel and though Tian's voice is thinner thanks to Poco's helmet, Valentine can still hear her.
Valentine: All right. First of all, figure it out, you two. Figure it out. Take two lefts out of Delilah to get to the power plant and they should be there. Judging by my progress, I should be there in twenty minutes. I haven't shown up in an hour, just look to the skies and take off when you get enough deuterium.
Valentine's manually working the airlock hatch to let himself out as he speaks. Just beyond it should be the far landing pad. Aboard Delilah, Tian slings on her medical bag and pivots on her heel and marches out.
Poco be damned.
Speaking of whom … Poco watches Tian leave and when she's through the door, he comms Valentine.
Poco: Why don't I bring you a new suit rather than you trudge all the way back to Delilah yourself? We do have extras.
Valentine: I don't have any idea how much air I have left. I'm worried about Vikki and Rachel. I haven't heard a word from them.
Poco: But you can stay in the station and help look for them if you had that extra suit. I could take the shuttle.
Valentine: What I'm worried about is the time it would take to get the shuttle out would be time better spent looking for them. I would rather you get to the two of them because you can't leave without the pilot.
Poco: Cuz you could shoot the doctor and leave her behind, but not the pilot.
Valentine: I'll be along shortly. I'm actually heading out now. I'll be along soon. I have no idea what communication is going to be like once I leave the station.
Poco: (gruff) All right.
Valentine hopes that whatever bugs his doctor and engineer have up their respective rear ends gets worked out soon. Vikki and Rachel's lives might depend on it. Valentine gives the airlock door levers a final shove and hauls it open to the vacuum of space.
He's going outside.
Outside, the large flat tarmac of the landing pad spreads out under his feet. Overhead, the stars shine like diamonds … where they're not occluded by clouds. The clouds are pellets and micrometeorites that periodically pelt the station like hailstone strikes. Despite the danger, the vista outside is stunning. Valentine pauses on the threshold to take it in … then, his air going thin, he shakes off his shock and awe and starts moving.
He realizes that he's going to have to hopscotch across the station in a series of zero-g jumps. It has the advantage of covering the distance much faster … but it also carries significant risk. If he bounces his landing instead of nailing it with his mag boots, the force will send him tumbling out into space with virtually no hope of recovery. A flat landing surface is best.
Valentine starts climbing for the roof. It's harder work than what one would expect and his breath gets faster and heavier. His air gets thinnger. He keeps going.
He slips. He falls. He lands on his back … and manages not to bounce. He stares up past the dust raised by his landing and realizes that there's a crack in his faceplate.
Tian and Poco come to an agreement on their marching order and make their way to the generator room. They find the generator running but not hooked up to anything. Poco sees that the actuator that would transfer the power to the station is missing … as are Vikki and Rachel.
Where are they?
Meanwhile, Tian and Poco push through the station making a series of left turns through it and find the generator room. The power's on but there's no sign of Vikki or Rachel. An access hatch in the wall hangs open and investigating, he and Tian see that it's to a tunnel that leads down down down a vertical drop. He puts a cautious hand through the hatch and can tell immediately that the station's grav plates aren't working at full gee in that tunnel. Poking his head inside, he sees emergency lights strung along the tunnel, lighting the way into the distance. There are hand holds provided down the length of the tunnel too. Maybe this is a shortcut to the far side of the station, made easier to traverse given the vastly reduced gee of the tunnel. Or it could be a service tunnel to haul heavy goods from one end to the other.
Poco sees no sign of Vikki and Rachel yet he can tell this tunnel was only recently opened. If not by the quake itself, it had to have been opened by his missing crewmates. As a clue to their whereabouts, it's about as solid as it's going to get.
Again, he and Tian debate who goes first.
Poco: You don't think I'm too crazy for being unwilling to trust you, do you? Cuz, less than an hour ago, you were cuddlin' a dyin' man … (off her look) … I mean, seriously! What would you do? Probably shoot me full'a sleep meds and—.
Tian: It's not that I blame you for being wary. It's that I'm ready for you to shoot me at any moment. I don't trust you at this point.
Poco: Well, good. The feelin's mutual.
Tian pauses just a moment, then:
Tian: It's the first time I've ever been afraid of you. Or not trusted you.
Poco: Well now, hold on just a minute. You've been walkin' round on this ship as a tickin' time bomb and, you know, the Cap'n may be okay with puttin' all'uv us in danger up front but I'm not a particularly big fan. I held my mouth because the only person you managed to after was him and, you know, whatever, but if you're goin' to be like, goin' all … crazy … at the drop of a hat, then I think we all got a right to be a little bit … I don't know. Upset?
Tian: It's not the fact that you're upset that bothers me. It's that this is the first time that I ever, in the entire time we've been on the ship together, that I've been afraid of you. That you'll shoot first before you even give me the opportunity to snap out of it.
Poco: In all fairness, I had the finger on the trigger just in case, which I don't think is unwarranted but I did try to snap you out of it. First. Could'a shot first.
Tian: And next time? Because there will be a next time, Poco.
Poco: The situation as the situation dictates, Doctor. You understand the gravity of the situation? We're not talkin' 'bout the sniffles. We're talkin' 'bout turnin' into a Reaver.
Tian: No, we're not. That's not exactly what the problem is.
Poco: I know I am not trained in the medical profession, but I know what I saw on the floor on med bay and it wasn't human.
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