Editing Episode 411: Humanity
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| − | We spend a couple of days after the sea rescue in Mystic, getting our cargo sold or bartered and give von Braun the extra time to stabilize and heal. On the 3rd we thank the Sheriff for her hospitality and lift off for von Braun’s ship in orbit, the | + | We spend a couple of days after the sea rescue in Mystic, getting our cargo sold or bartered and give von Braun the extra time to stabilize and heal. On the 3rd we thank the Sheriff for her hospitality and lift off for von Braun’s ship in orbit, the Valdric. We hail the ship, we’re instructed where to dock alongside her, and we disembark with von Braun. <br><br> |
| − | + | Valdric is a sleek 4000-ton beauty, her lines evocative of speed and power. We’re met by the crew and are given a tour of the ship when von Braun is settled in his quarters. Valdric is extensively finished on the inside to look like a dirtside spa. Walls are paneled in costly materials, the floors are a high-tech amalgamation of wood and cork for their sound-dampening qualities. The walls are likewise geared to deaden sound, the crew reassures us. Everything is made to enhance a person’s journey on the Valdric in the utmost comfort that money and the Core can provide. Why, one wouldn’t even be able to tell they are aboard a ship at all, so smoothly and quietly does everything run.<br><br> | |
Knowing you’re on a ship is kinda the point for Rina. If you’re gonna be on a ship, then by God, be on a ship, not some fancy-dancy hotel spaceship wanna-be. In fact, throughout the tour she’s straining all her senses to hear the engines or the atmo system or anything mechanical and she’s met with … nothing. At first it annoys, then it creepifies. How the hell can she tell if anything’s gone wrong if she can’t track the sounds or feel the vibrations of a living breathing ship? Damned unnatural is what it is. <br><br> | Knowing you’re on a ship is kinda the point for Rina. If you’re gonna be on a ship, then by God, be on a ship, not some fancy-dancy hotel spaceship wanna-be. In fact, throughout the tour she’s straining all her senses to hear the engines or the atmo system or anything mechanical and she’s met with … nothing. At first it annoys, then it creepifies. How the hell can she tell if anything’s gone wrong if she can’t track the sounds or feel the vibrations of a living breathing ship? Damned unnatural is what it is. <br><br> | ||
| − | The others are suitably impressed—no surprise, since | + | The others are suitably impressed—no surprise, since Valdric is a ship made to impress. It’s also made to meet a passenger’s every whim and the attentiveness of the staff reflects this. Mind, there are some looks and mutterings about our relative low class. By comparison, we are by far the coarsest folk aboard, practically trash pickers and guttersnipes. However, we did save the Big Man’s life and that counts for quite a lot. The staff is instructed to see to our comfort by Armand Khan and we are duly shown to our rooms. And what rooms they are: suites, really, well above first class in size and furnishings. The beds are huge, deep, and soft. The attached marble baths have actual bathtubs and luxury fixtures. We are gently reminded that dinner will be served soon and we might want to freshen up? We agree and set about doing just that. <br><br> |
Of all the crew, Kiera is the most familiar with this level of luxury and service and she slides right into the shipboard culture like a seal into water. She’s not at all adverse to ordering drinks and nibbles to be brought to her and asking that proper attire for dinner to be delivered to her room and so on. After cleaning up, Rina comes to the realization that she’s got nothing to change into but the clothes she’d walked aboard in and sheepishly asks for something to be brought in. Expecting plain trousers and a shirt, she’s surprised at the elaborate wear she’s presented with and chooses a red kimono as the least fussy.<br><br> | Of all the crew, Kiera is the most familiar with this level of luxury and service and she slides right into the shipboard culture like a seal into water. She’s not at all adverse to ordering drinks and nibbles to be brought to her and asking that proper attire for dinner to be delivered to her room and so on. After cleaning up, Rina comes to the realization that she’s got nothing to change into but the clothes she’d walked aboard in and sheepishly asks for something to be brought in. Expecting plain trousers and a shirt, she’s surprised at the elaborate wear she’s presented with and chooses a red kimono as the least fussy.<br><br> | ||
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And what a dinner it is. Joshua is in raptures over the food. It’s extreme gourmet quality and he gleefully tries a little bit of everything. Little puddles of this and that, bits and pieces from all the plates and platters being presented to the diners. The first tidbit to hit his tongue makes him moan. Sitting across from him, Rina watches, amused, as he divides his time sampling the food and working out how he could recreate it aboard the Gift with the ingredients on hand. Alas, we need to make more money before he can attempt nearly any of it. At one point he insists Rina taste something. Eyeing it dubiously, she tweaks it off his fork and pops it in her mouth … and has to steel herself against spitting it out. What is it? she manages to say through her teeth. Raw oysters, he tells her, pleased. She swallows it down with difficulty. She’ll stick to caviar, thanks. <br><br> | And what a dinner it is. Joshua is in raptures over the food. It’s extreme gourmet quality and he gleefully tries a little bit of everything. Little puddles of this and that, bits and pieces from all the plates and platters being presented to the diners. The first tidbit to hit his tongue makes him moan. Sitting across from him, Rina watches, amused, as he divides his time sampling the food and working out how he could recreate it aboard the Gift with the ingredients on hand. Alas, we need to make more money before he can attempt nearly any of it. At one point he insists Rina taste something. Eyeing it dubiously, she tweaks it off his fork and pops it in her mouth … and has to steel herself against spitting it out. What is it? she manages to say through her teeth. Raw oysters, he tells her, pleased. She swallows it down with difficulty. She’ll stick to caviar, thanks. <br><br> | ||
| − | The dinner is cut short before the dessert course when a faint unpleasant odor permeates the room. Sensitive Coreside noses notice it first and after a minute or two, it’s obvious to us hardened spacers, too. The staff apologizes and ushers us out of the dining room into the cleaner air of a comfortable lounge. Only the odor starts to spread throughout the ship. At this point there are a few remarks about us newcomers contaminating | + | The dinner is cut short before the dessert course when a faint unpleasant odor permeates the room. Sensitive Coreside noses notice it first and after a minute or two, it’s obvious to us hardened spacers, too. The staff apologizes and ushers us out of the dining room into the cleaner air of a comfortable lounge. Only the odor starts to spread throughout the ship. At this point there are a few remarks about us newcomers contaminating Valdric with something unpleasant and Nika orders Rina back to the Gift to check things out. And murmurs an aside to make sure nothing from the Valdric has contaminated our girl. Rina gets back to the Gift, ditches her kimono for her coveralls and inspects the ship from top to bottom. She even dons protective gear and goes into the bilge and waste reclamation system—a nasty job under the best of circumstances—to verify the problem does not originate there. She finds there is a small kink in the algae recovery hose and a few other small repairs are needed throughout the ship. None of the problems have caused the foul odor on the other ship. Of course, the entire time Rina makes her top-to-bottom search of the Gift, her twitchy is pinging hard and she’s not entirely convinced that what happened to us with Potemkin’s sabotage isn’t somehow happening again. <br><br> |
| − | And she might not be far off the mark—as the evening progresses, Arden comes down a headache and feels slightly ill. He excuses himself as soon as he can politely do so and goes back to the | + | And she might not be far off the mark—as the evening progresses, Arden comes down a headache and feels slightly ill. He excuses himself as soon as he can politely do so and goes back to the Gift’s med bay to check himself over. <br><br> |
| − | Kiera, meanwhile, has taken off and is enjoying herself at the | + | Kiera, meanwhile, has taken off and is enjoying herself at the pool—Valdric has a bona fide swimming pool aboard and it’s very nice. Lounging in a deck chair, with a drink at her side, Kiera’s soaking up the luxury. She doesn’t get to enjoy it for long. An attendant comes over and tells her that she’s wanted back on the Gift. Dr. Arden is sick. Could she go help him? Sighing, Kiera packs up her things and goes.<br><br> |
She finds Arden in the med bay going over his test results. Nothing seems wrong really, aside from a slightly elevated temperature. He might be suffering a cold. Maybe it was something he ate? Not satisfied with the test results, Arden and Kiera run some more tests and the results come back inconclusive. At the end of the battery of tests, he feels worse, not better. Arden and Kiera talk the while and he tells her about his origins—he’s a crèche clone from Sophie and he’s got a brother who looks just like him who’s ten years older. Arden tries to work through it by running culture tests of this bacteria he’s found in samples taken from his body that might be causing the problem.<br><br> | She finds Arden in the med bay going over his test results. Nothing seems wrong really, aside from a slightly elevated temperature. He might be suffering a cold. Maybe it was something he ate? Not satisfied with the test results, Arden and Kiera run some more tests and the results come back inconclusive. At the end of the battery of tests, he feels worse, not better. Arden and Kiera talk the while and he tells her about his origins—he’s a crèche clone from Sophie and he’s got a brother who looks just like him who’s ten years older. Arden tries to work through it by running culture tests of this bacteria he’s found in samples taken from his body that might be causing the problem.<br><br> | ||
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Kiera’s convinced that Arden’s been a target of a very nasty sort of bioweapon, one that was engineered specifically for him. After all, nobody else is sick. He is. Of course, at this point, Rina walks in after cleaning up from her inspection and presents her latest conspiracy theory—that Valerie had enough medical knowledge about Arden to make that sort of weapon possible and von Braun had somehow obtained the files. Once he had them it would be a snap to whip up something that would be Arden specific and—<br><br> | Kiera’s convinced that Arden’s been a target of a very nasty sort of bioweapon, one that was engineered specifically for him. After all, nobody else is sick. He is. Of course, at this point, Rina walks in after cleaning up from her inspection and presents her latest conspiracy theory—that Valerie had enough medical knowledge about Arden to make that sort of weapon possible and von Braun had somehow obtained the files. Once he had them it would be a snap to whip up something that would be Arden specific and—<br><br> | ||
| − | And Nika tells Rina to zip it! Not another wild-assed conspiracy out of her, thank you. Get your tools and go back to | + | And Nika tells Rina to zip it! Not another wild-assed conspiracy out of her, thank you. Get your tools and go back to Valdric and make yourself useful. Or just take advantage of the luxury of the ship and enjoy it, suggests Joshua. Either way, Nika is adamant: Kiera and Rina had better leave before Nika’s head explodes. She calls after them to take duct tape for Rina’s mouth. Rina cuts an eyeroll and grabs her tool bag. Kiera states she going back to the pool. Nika goes with them to make sure they get the hell off her boat.<br><br> |
| − | When they open the airlock door to leave, they almost run right into the man standing on the threshold: It’s Khan and he has a long but shallow carrying case with him. Nika asks Khan what he’s got. Rina interrupts and says it’s a sword case. Khan adds it’s not just a sword case but a dueling case for Arden. He’s brought the weapons for the duel so Arden can choose his. Nika quickly takes the case from him with her thanks, assuring him that she’ll get to it right away. Khan asks if there’s anything wrong? Nika says that Arden’s a little ill at the moment and that she’s concerned that something in that odor aboard | + | When they open the airlock door to leave, they almost run right into the man standing on the threshold: It’s Khan and he has a long but shallow carrying case with him. Nika asks Khan what he’s got. Rina interrupts and says it’s a sword case. Khan adds it’s not just a sword case but a dueling case for Arden. He’s brought the weapons for the duel so Arden can choose his. Nika quickly takes the case from him with her thanks, assuring him that she’ll get to it right away. Khan asks if there’s anything wrong? Nika says that Arden’s a little ill at the moment and that she’s concerned that something in that odor aboard Valdric might have been the cause. Is anyone else reacting poorly? Oh no, Khan says, saying nothing out of the ordinary beyond the usual complaints about the smell. Khan also says they don’t have a real doctor on board and since Kiera’s a doctor, could she possibly check the passengers over? Oh no, I’m goin’ to the pool darlin’.<br><br> |
But Kiera agrees to stop and check on people on the way.<br><br> | But Kiera agrees to stop and check on people on the way.<br><br> | ||
| − | Is Arden doing poorly, Khan asks next. Is he going to be all right? Just a little bit feverish, a little bit snotty, says Kiera. Khan seems unalarmed by that. Probably a virus, he says, nothing serious. Hopefully, yes, Nika affirms. Please pardon the impertinence of the question, Khan says next, but this isn’t a ruse to get out of the duel, is it? Oh, no, Nika says quickly. You’re welcome to go see him if you want. Khan quietly suggests it would be no greater shame if the | + | Is Arden doing poorly, Khan asks next. Is he going to be all right? Just a little bit feverish, a little bit snotty, says Kiera. Khan seems unalarmed by that. Probably a virus, he says, nothing serious. Hopefully, yes, Nika affirms. Please pardon the impertinence of the question, Khan says next, but this isn’t a ruse to get out of the duel, is it? Oh, no, Nika says quickly. You’re welcome to go see him if you want. Khan quietly suggests it would be no greater shame if the Gift decoupled and left ... if this was Arden’s way of getting out of the obligation. Nika tells him in no uncertain terms: Go speak to the man yourself, please. Khan is sure we have two skilled doctors who can simulate any illness they wished. Oh for heaven’s sake, exclaims Nika. Kiera adds that she doesn’t care if Arden dies, she’s not personally attached to the man and so she wouldn’t bother to pull such a trick, and also? the crew doesn’t have enough money to pay her do such a trick, so therefore why don’t he let her take care of the other passengers?<br><br> |
Joshua walks into the airlock. Haven’t we left yet? Oh, good, says Nika, grabbing his arm. He can talk to the nice man and tell him that Arden’s really for-true sick and not faking it, won’t he? Can I help you, Joshua asks Khan firmly. Why don’t we go see Arden, Khan says. Come with me, Joshua says and waves him aboard.<br><br> | Joshua walks into the airlock. Haven’t we left yet? Oh, good, says Nika, grabbing his arm. He can talk to the nice man and tell him that Arden’s really for-true sick and not faking it, won’t he? Can I help you, Joshua asks Khan firmly. Why don’t we go see Arden, Khan says. Come with me, Joshua says and waves him aboard.<br><br> | ||
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When Khan walks into med bay and sees Arden’s condition, Joshua does a surface Read of Khan. What he gets back is the sense that Khan is very carefully cataloguing Arden’s symptoms as if he’s checking the progress of the illness: he’s perspiring … his eyes are sunken ... Whoa. Does that mean Khan knows what ails Arden? If so, what is it and why hasn’t the man offered us that information?<br><br> | When Khan walks into med bay and sees Arden’s condition, Joshua does a surface Read of Khan. What he gets back is the sense that Khan is very carefully cataloguing Arden’s symptoms as if he’s checking the progress of the illness: he’s perspiring … his eyes are sunken ... Whoa. Does that mean Khan knows what ails Arden? If so, what is it and why hasn’t the man offered us that information?<br><br> | ||
| − | Khan says aloud that Arden does look too ill to fight and that he will tell von Braun the news. He certainly cannot fight for now, not in his condition, surely. Von Braun will be disappointed, of course, but perhaps we can come up with other arrangements. Khan turns to Joshua and apologizes for insinuating that Arden was trying to weasel out of the duel. And Khan turns back to Arden and tells him that there are three choices of weapons in the case that was brought up. He’s sorry about the paucity of the selection, but it was all that was available aboard | + | Khan says aloud that Arden does look too ill to fight and that he will tell von Braun the news. He certainly cannot fight for now, not in his condition, surely. Von Braun will be disappointed, of course, but perhaps we can come up with other arrangements. Khan turns to Joshua and apologizes for insinuating that Arden was trying to weasel out of the duel. And Khan turns back to Arden and tells him that there are three choices of weapons in the case that was brought up. He’s sorry about the paucity of the selection, but it was all that was available aboard Valdric. <br><br> |
Please don’t bother, he’ll let himself out.<br><br> | Please don’t bother, he’ll let himself out.<br><br> | ||
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How are you feeling, Joshua asks him then. Well, a little weak feeling. It could be a toxin working on him. If he’s still asleep when the tox screen’s done, could he do these other tests for him? Arden hands him a list and describes what needs to be done and Joshua notices that Arden’s speech is slurring a little. Rest, Joshua urges Arden, keeping his alarm from his face and voice. <br><br> | How are you feeling, Joshua asks him then. Well, a little weak feeling. It could be a toxin working on him. If he’s still asleep when the tox screen’s done, could he do these other tests for him? Arden hands him a list and describes what needs to be done and Joshua notices that Arden’s speech is slurring a little. Rest, Joshua urges Arden, keeping his alarm from his face and voice. <br><br> | ||
| − | Meanwhile at the airlock, Nika, Rina, and Kiera are about ready to go. Rina wants to go aboard | + | Meanwhile at the airlock, Nika, Rina, and Kiera are about ready to go. Rina wants to go aboard Valdric with her usual suspects and Nika orders her to leave her weapons behind. After an argumentative moment, Rina gives in and goes to the weapons locker and locks up her gun, clips, and knife. Nika wears a headset comm just in case someone on the Gift needs to reach them in a hurry.<br><br> |
| − | She sticks close to Kiera and Rina for the next little while as Kiera checks over the passengers. The passengers are now a little uneasy over the fact that they have no real doctor on board and are grateful for whatever attention Kiera can give them. Von Braun joins us and politely asks us what the concern is. After all, it’s just a bad odor. There’s certainly no cause for alarm, is there? Kiera tells him there must be something to it, for our doctor has come down with something. Wow, that’s the fastest illness he’s ever seen, says von Braun with no little sarcasm. Actually, something did show up on the med computer when she ran tests on Arden, Kiera calmly answers, else she’d be laughing up her sleeve, too. But no. There’s definitely something in the air. It’s real. As a matter of fact, his second in command, Khan, verified this when he went aboard the | + | She sticks close to Kiera and Rina for the next little while as Kiera checks over the passengers. The passengers are now a little uneasy over the fact that they have no real doctor on board and are grateful for whatever attention Kiera can give them. Von Braun joins us and politely asks us what the concern is. After all, it’s just a bad odor. There’s certainly no cause for alarm, is there? Kiera tells him there must be something to it, for our doctor has come down with something. Wow, that’s the fastest illness he’s ever seen, says von Braun with no little sarcasm. Actually, something did show up on the med computer when she ran tests on Arden, Kiera calmly answers, else she’d be laughing up her sleeve, too. But no. There’s definitely something in the air. It’s real. As a matter of fact, his second in command, Khan, verified this when he went aboard the Gift to deliver the weapons and it was on his suggestion that she’s checking the passengers. The passengers are all hideously healthy, except for those two hypochondriacs over there and she has no idea what they’ll say they’ve got two days from now. Oh, those two, von Braun says. He’s not surprised.<br><br> |
Now you, however, Kiera goes on to say, look spectacular if she must say. What is his secret? Well, men in his position have access to the best medical treatments available. He has experts that help him stay in shape. And he has access to them this far away from the Core? on this ship? she asks. Well, he has a regimen of sorts, von Braun hedges politely. Kiera says she’s impressed and stunned. Would it be something he’s willing to lend Arden so that he may become well enough to fight him in the duel?<br><br> | Now you, however, Kiera goes on to say, look spectacular if she must say. What is his secret? Well, men in his position have access to the best medical treatments available. He has experts that help him stay in shape. And he has access to them this far away from the Core? on this ship? she asks. Well, he has a regimen of sorts, von Braun hedges politely. Kiera says she’s impressed and stunned. Would it be something he’s willing to lend Arden so that he may become well enough to fight him in the duel?<br><br> | ||
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'''Kiera:''' Well enough.<br><br> | '''Kiera:''' Well enough.<br><br> | ||
| − | Von Braun bows and leaves and Kiera goes back to checking the passengers. Nika and Rina meander through the ship, ostensibly enjoying their surroundings and occasionally asking a passing steward or staff member what the odor is. They tell them that it’s a bacteria in the atmo system and at this point, only a full decon of the entire ship will get rid of it. There is a repair tender, the | + | Von Braun bows and leaves and Kiera goes back to checking the passengers. Nika and Rina meander through the ship, ostensibly enjoying their surroundings and occasionally asking a passing steward or staff member what the odor is. They tell them that it’s a bacteria in the atmo system and at this point, only a full decon of the entire ship will get rid of it. There is a repair tender, the Tao Hu Yan, on its way to fix the problem. Until then, there are fans running to lessen the odor and everyone’s cleaning things extra-thoroughly. The faint tang of antiseptic floats in the air now, mingling with the odor and the scents the ship automatically dispenses to enhance the passengers’ experience. They thank the staff and rejoin Kiera.<br><br> |
Kiera asks Nika if it’s possible Khan had done something to Arden in order to thwart the duel. Why would he do that? Don’t know. Just wondering, says Kiera, because it’s an honor thing and she can’t see von Braun, when given the opportunity, poisoning Arden or otherwise making him unable to duel. Nika counters with the fact that Khan himself suggested that our departing now would be no greater a stain on Arden’s honor than already exists. Exactly, Kiera agrees. She turns to the passenger she’s currently examining: Oh honey you’re fine. Go on. <br><br> | Kiera asks Nika if it’s possible Khan had done something to Arden in order to thwart the duel. Why would he do that? Don’t know. Just wondering, says Kiera, because it’s an honor thing and she can’t see von Braun, when given the opportunity, poisoning Arden or otherwise making him unable to duel. Nika counters with the fact that Khan himself suggested that our departing now would be no greater a stain on Arden’s honor than already exists. Exactly, Kiera agrees. She turns to the passenger she’s currently examining: Oh honey you’re fine. Go on. <br><br> | ||
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'''Joshua:''' Okay. Give me a minute.<br><br> | '''Joshua:''' Okay. Give me a minute.<br><br> | ||
| − | He goes to check on Arden and finds him napping on a cot in the wardroom. He’s not comatose but his vitals are off, he doesn’t wake up when Joshua calls his name, and it doesn’t take a doctor to know that there is something wrong. Back on | + | He goes to check on Arden and finds him napping on a cot in the wardroom. He’s not comatose but his vitals are off, he doesn’t wake up when Joshua calls his name, and it doesn’t take a doctor to know that there is something wrong. Back on Valdric, Nika fills in Kiera on her conversation with Joshua and that he too suspects that deliberate action is responsible for Arden’s illness. Rina grimaces, having tagged along and heard everything, and finally offers her opinion on everything.<br><br> |
'''Rina:''' Told ya.<br> | '''Rina:''' Told ya.<br> | ||
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'''Kiera:''' So … would you like to bring this up to von Braun or would you like me to make the segue?<br> | '''Kiera:''' So … would you like to bring this up to von Braun or would you like me to make the segue?<br> | ||
| − | '''Rina:''' You don’t want | + | '''Rina:''' You don’t want me doing it.<br> |
'''Nika:''' Oh, hell no.<br> | '''Nika:''' Oh, hell no.<br> | ||
'''Kiera:''' I thought you were supposed to be cleaning a sump pump. Go away.<br> | '''Kiera:''' I thought you were supposed to be cleaning a sump pump. Go away.<br> | ||
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'''Nika:''' Your wife’s actions were not of her own volition.<br> | '''Nika:''' Your wife’s actions were not of her own volition.<br> | ||
'''Von Braun:''' My wife, to you, was … no one, a pawn.<br> | '''Von Braun:''' My wife, to you, was … no one, a pawn.<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' That is | + | '''Nika:''' That is not true.<br> |
'''Von Braun:''' But to Arden she was—she ought to have been more. <br> | '''Von Braun:''' But to Arden she was—she ought to have been more. <br> | ||
'''Nika:''' That was never true.<br> | '''Nika:''' That was never true.<br> | ||
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'''Von Braun:''' And then her death when all of you survived seems a bit …<br> | '''Von Braun:''' And then her death when all of you survived seems a bit …<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' We did | + | '''Nika:''' We did not all survive. We lost two of ours as well. They remained behind to get the broadcast out. And your wife lost her life attempting to make sure that people knew what was happening. She was doing her level best to try to clear … everything. Maybe that changes nothing for you, I don’t know.<br> |
'''Von Braun:''' Mm-hm. How did she get involved in all that in the first place, that she would have to do such a thing?<br> | '''Von Braun:''' Mm-hm. How did she get involved in all that in the first place, that she would have to do such a thing?<br> | ||
'''Nika:''' We took a patient to her, who needed help, needed a good neurologist.<br> | '''Nika:''' We took a patient to her, who needed help, needed a good neurologist.<br> | ||
'''Von Braun:''' I remember, when she told me of it. That was …. not long before … I didn’t see her for over a year.<br> | '''Von Braun:''' I remember, when she told me of it. That was …. not long before … I didn’t see her for over a year.<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' We did not | + | '''Nika:''' We did not know they would kidnap her.<br> |
'''Von Braun:''' Well, why should you care? Some Alliance surgeon is… caught up in some scheme? Collateral damage. <br> | '''Von Braun:''' Well, why should you care? Some Alliance surgeon is… caught up in some scheme? Collateral damage. <br> | ||
'''Nika:''' (affronted) Wow.<br> | '''Nika:''' (affronted) Wow.<br> | ||
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It’s not a question. Then again, hers was not a suggestion.<br><br> | It’s not a question. Then again, hers was not a suggestion.<br><br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' Well, | + | '''Nika:''' Well, who else has reason to poison him?<br> |
'''Von Braun:''' Who of my people would have reason to poison him?<br> | '''Von Braun:''' Who of my people would have reason to poison him?<br> | ||
'''Nika:''' Not a clue.<br> | '''Nika:''' Not a clue.<br> | ||
'''Von Braun:''' None that I can see. Every step has been taken to—<br> | '''Von Braun:''' None that I can see. Every step has been taken to—<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' The only person | + | '''Nika:''' The only person I can think of—<br> |
'''Von Braun:''' I think we’ve been more than gracious—<br> | '''Von Braun:''' I think we’ve been more than gracious—<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' We’ll leave off the ‘more than gracious’ at this point because I think that all of us have done our fair share in terms of being | + | '''Nika:''' We’ll leave off the ‘more than gracious’ at this point because I think that all of us have done our fair share in terms of being gracious. You can take it for what it’s worth and do whatever you like with the information. Excuse me.<br><br> |
And Nika walks away. She goes back to Kiera and Rina to round them up. She comes up to them just as Kiera jocularly announces her diagnosis to an obviously healthy exam patient.<br><br> | And Nika walks away. She goes back to Kiera and Rina to round them up. She comes up to them just as Kiera jocularly announces her diagnosis to an obviously healthy exam patient.<br><br> | ||
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Arden is not looking very good, meanwhile. His condition is steadily getting worse. Joshua is still watching over him in med bay, looking at the various machines hooked up to his friend for a clue as to what is making him sick. The lights blink, the machines beep and ping, and Joshua deduces from the data that Arden’s symptoms are similar to those caused by any number of neurotoxic metals. Only there’s no trace of the metals required anywhere in him. If Arden’s removed from the source of the neurotoxins, will he improve? There is no way to tell without knowing which metal is involved. Is there something he can do to slow down Arden’s decline?<br><br> | Arden is not looking very good, meanwhile. His condition is steadily getting worse. Joshua is still watching over him in med bay, looking at the various machines hooked up to his friend for a clue as to what is making him sick. The lights blink, the machines beep and ping, and Joshua deduces from the data that Arden’s symptoms are similar to those caused by any number of neurotoxic metals. Only there’s no trace of the metals required anywhere in him. If Arden’s removed from the source of the neurotoxins, will he improve? There is no way to tell without knowing which metal is involved. Is there something he can do to slow down Arden’s decline?<br><br> | ||
| − | If there were a way to cleanse his system, like dialysis, it would help. The | + | If there were a way to cleanse his system, like dialysis, it would help. The Gift isn’t designed with this sort of thing in mind, but with Rina and Kiera working together, they might be able to jerry-rig something. Joshua has to wait until the women get back but he resolves to tell them the second they do so. He greets them at the door when they arrive and says to Rina and Kiera together:<br><br> |
'''Joshua:''' I could actually use the two of you to put together a dialysis machine. Not to imply that anything is going horribly wrong with Arden …<br> | '''Joshua:''' I could actually use the two of you to put together a dialysis machine. Not to imply that anything is going horribly wrong with Arden …<br> | ||
| Line 252: | Line 252: | ||
'''Nika:''' I don’t care.<br> | '''Nika:''' I don’t care.<br> | ||
'''Joshua:''' I know you don’t but—<br> | '''Joshua:''' I know you don’t but—<br> | ||
| − | '''Nika:''' | + | '''Nika:''' I don’t care. <br> |
'''Joshua:''' Yes, Captain.<br> | '''Joshua:''' Yes, Captain.<br> | ||
'''Nika:''' How long does he have?<br> | '''Nika:''' How long does he have?<br> | ||
