TSW 15 (Part 2)

[22:54]	Kasra	"I wasn't kidding! Whatever you saw and heard, I'm sure it was just as crazy as what I did You /know/ I can't make sense of it, and there's no way I can make it make sense to you guys!"
[22:55]	Arina	turns to face him again. "All that happened was that I was offered a drink."
[22:57]	Kasra	"Okay, okay, who offered it to you? What were you going to drink? Why would you just /do/ that?"
[22:58]	Arina	"You may have noticed my faculties weren't in order."
[22:58]	Arina	"As far as I knew it was water in that pool."
[22:59]	Arina	"And the statue offered it. ... The face under the mask was my mother's."
[22:59]	Arina	"And I'm still thirsty. That's everything."
[23:02]	Kasra	wheels towards her grabbing her shoulders. "It wasn't your mother, that wasn't water and it could've hurt you!'
[23:05]	Arina	glares up at him. "I gathered as much, yes."
[23:06]	Arina	"In order, I deduced this from my mother not being a statue half a kilometer underground in Spain."
[23:06]	Arina	"From seeing the blood."
[23:06]	Arina	"And from witnessing whatever was inside it 0x1dgetting up0x1d."
[23:07]	Arina	"But you knew that much long before seeing any one of those things."
[23:07]	Arina	"So what did you deduce it from?"
[23:08]	Kasra	looks desperately to John.
[23:09]	JohnH	looks like he's ready to crumble, as if he just watched a close friend get shot, but you aren't sure who it might have been
[23:12]	Kasra	"I...I can't tell you everything right now, I just...something told me to go down there, that it was important, top priority, nothing else mattered. Then when we got there...somebody...something in me said that that water would kill you that we had to get away," he trails off and you're fairly sure that you hear another apology, but glean that there was nothing more of import.
[23:14]	Arina	takes a deep breath. "... That's farther from satisfactory than I am from home, Kasra."
[23:15]	Arina	brushes her hair off her shoulder and resumes walking towards METI.
[23:15]	Kasra	"It's all I can give you right now."
[23:15]	Kasra	looks to John again.
[23:16]	Arina	"I'm aware. I'll take what I can get."
[23:17]	JohnH	has no words
[23:18]	JohnH	is at a loss for what to say or even do
[23:18]	Kasra	"...come on."
[23:19]	JohnH	chokes out a few words "don't fight
[23:19]	JohnH	"
[23:19]	Arina	sighs. "I won't."
[23:19]	Arina	glances back over her shoulder at Kasra. "Just remember how much METI is demanding of us without a whit in return."
[23:21]	Kasra	looks at John, then back to Arina before throwing his arm around John's shoulders and gives a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry if I seem demanding, but this is for the best, and I think you can get that. The return is pooling knowledge to figure out what happened, try to use it to our advantage."
[23:22]	Arina	"Pooling knowledge requires more than one person to pour it into the pool, Kasra."
[23:23]	Arina	"It's true, but don't speak so glowingly of things you're unwilling to do."
[23:23]	JohnH	manages to scratch a few more words "I want to do the best we can, but for now we need to make sure we're okay"
[23:23]	Kasra	smiles weakly at her. "I get that you're scared, and don't trust us, but just give us some time, alright?"
[23:24]	Arina	"I 0x1ddid0x1d trust you. I gave you time. Why do you think that 0x1dchanged0x1d?"
[23:24]	Arina	shakes her head. "... we weren't going to fight."
[23:24]	Arina	just walks ahead.
[23:24]	Kasra	"It's alright John, we're all just shaken is all."
[23:25]	IcePickLobotomy	Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have a very loving and supportive marriage
[23:26]	Arina	[Presumably they do but I don't think it was meant to be said in this channel so redact for log]
[23:32]	IcePickLobotomy	------
[23:34]	IcePickLobotomy	Walker finds a small conference room for you, similar to the one you've debriefed in before. Vernbeck finds his way inside not too long after you do and takes a seat. "Afternoon, I was told there was something we needed to discuss?"
[23:34]	Arina	laces her fingers in her lap. "We had an... interesting... experience today."
[23:36]	Arina	"We were exploring the undercity in our free time."
[23:36]	Kasra	"Hello Walker, Doctor."
[23:36]	IcePickLobotomy	He raises a eyebrow at this, as does Walker, but they motion for you to continue
[23:37]	Kasra	"And bear in mind, we're not sure how much of this was hallucinatory."
[23:37]	IcePickLobotomy	He nods.
[23:39]	Arina	"We were following a fairly recent cave-in, from the battles, which led to a very 0x1dold0x1d section of the undercity. I'm not exactly expert in archaeology but it was medieval at the most recent."
[23:40]	IcePickLobotomy	"We've ran into old sections of tunnels of varying ages and eras."
[23:41]	IcePickLobotomy	says Vernbeck
[23:41]	Arina	"Inside that section there was a... mm, temple of some sort. Statue and a pool. When we entered, all of us hallucinated... something or other. I think it varied but I'm the only one who's said what I saw."
[23:41]	IcePickLobotomy	He blinks very slowly.
[23:42]	IcePickLobotomy	"Arina, this is deeply important, who was with you and /where/ are they?!"
[23:42]	Kasra	"I tried to get them all to come in, but only John and Arina came with."
[23:43]	Kasra	"We told Robin and Mary to stay with the other two, classmates, Alex and Sally.
[23:43]	Arina	frowns slightly. "What's the concern, Doctor? I gather it was more than just bad cave air."
[23:43]	IcePickLobotomy	"Walker, get on the phone, the one on the wall, and call the apartment, make sure none of them leave. Kara, Arina? Last names, *now*."
[23:44]	Kasra	looks anguished, but also like he wants to smack someone
[23:44]	IcePickLobotomy	He sighs, and removes his glasses
[23:44]	JohnH	realxes a bit when she doesn't call his name out like that
[23:45]	IcePickLobotomy	"It will take some explainning, but the short version is that we may well have unleashed the Red Death again."
[23:45]	Kasra	attempts to convey their last known location.
[23:46]	IcePickLobotomy	"Did you get that Captain? Get a containment team down there immediately, time is of the essence."
[23:46]	JohnH	flinches at the mention of a possible red death outbreak
[23:47]	Arina	's breath catches. "... I... see. Alexander Blebov and Sally... never got her last name."
[23:48]	Kasra	"Fortunately, Robin, Mary, Alex and Sally all agreed to stick together and stay put."
[23:48]	Arina	[Glebov, Icepick misspelled it when he first said it and later corrected it]
[23:49]	IcePickLobotomy	"To explain in full, The Red Death was not a natural disease. It is a bio-weapon, that temple was where the original strand was first found. We're not sure who or how but a enhanced version got loose in Brazil, and . . . well you know the story from there no doubt."
[23:50]	Arina	"... I see. This would be why there are bunkers built so deep since the Second World War? To... exploit this resource?"
[23:51]	Kasra	sharply intakes breath. "I'm very sorry, but could I be excused? I believe I should speak to the colonel."
[23:52]	JohnH	"Wait a minute. This is being exploited? And harvested? Like some kind of raw material?"
[23:53]	IcePickLobotomy	"Absolutely not. You are not leaving this room Kasra." Walker turns to face you, hand edging to her holster.
[23:53]	IcePickLobotomy	Hanan blinks and sits down on the couch, shaking like a leaf
[23:53]	JohnH	's face goes from worry to anger
[23:53]	Arina	"Quarantine. If we have it... anyone we get in contact with..."
[23:53]	Kasra	"Of course. May I recommend that we provide a means that I may contact the colonel?"
[23:53]	Arina	[Hanan isn't in here]
[23:54]	Arina	's hands clench in her lap. "... We shut a door behind us, but it was entirely open when we arrived."
[23:54]	Kasra	bites his lip. "Arina, I can tell them the rest of that. But I really should speak to the colonel, ASAP."
[23:54]	IcePickLobotomy	"For now we wait, we'll be moved into a clean room in Layer 12, and tested for infection. If we after 3 days we have no viral levels we are fine. If not. ." The doctor shrugs "Well we die."
[23:55]	Kasra	"When will we have a chance to communicate with the rest of METI?"
[23:55]	IcePickLobotomy	"Kasra, you can use the phone. And we can talk to them through that."
[23:55]	IcePickLobotomy	She hangs it up and takes a seat.
[23:56]	Arina	"Mm, why the Colonel in particular?"
[23:56]	Arina	pauses, turning to Walker. "And if we weren't hallucinating that part, something is alive in there."
[23:56]	Kasra	"Fine, yes there was."
[23:57]	IcePickLobotomy	"Arina? Do you mind continueing with that out of the way? Nothing else to do so we should continu-" He stops "What do you. . nevermind, mind starting where you left off?"
[23:57]	Kasra	"The door was broken open from inside, and I found a bullet casing, military grade. Furthermore, something contacted me and informed me that something was 'awake,' and I can only assume that it had something to do with the seve eyed statue in the temple."
[23:57]	IcePickLobotomy	"And no Mr/ Hunter, we've already gathered the samples we need and sealed it off."
[23:58]	Arina	blinks. "Ah, that's what that was..."
[23:58]	Arina	"Do... things regularly 'contact' you about these things, Kasra?"
[23:58]	Kasra	is breathing rather heavily. "I didn't know what I should reveal, but this is urgent, and I think the colonel needs to know as soon as possible."
[23:59]	IcePickLobotomy	". .  Kasra, I trust your discretion."
[23:59]	Kasra	"Arina! Not. Now." Kasra picks up the phone and attempts to contact Yeffim.
[00:00]	Kasra	stops dialing.
[00:00]	IcePickLobotomy	The phone rings. "Klemenko here."
[00:01]	IcePickLobotomy	Walker shakes her head "Hold off a moment Arina, why don't you finish telling us what happened if you've already told Kasra."
[00:01]	Arina	taps her fingers against each other. "After the hallucination, there wasn't much. We realized that the pool in the temple was blood... the fact that it's still fresh is actually worrying... and something moved inside the pool."
[00:01]	Arina	"Most everyone ran at that point, the three of us were slow enough that we saw something humanoid climbing out, but we didn't stay to see details."
[00:02]	Kasra	After a formal, but brief introduction, Kasra conveys the gigantic mess of festering crap to the colonel.
[00:02]	Arina	"We locked the blast door behind us and that's the end of it as far as 'parts I'm not sure were hallucinated' go."
[00:06]	Arina	"We immediately returned to the clubhouse, talked a bit, and then the three of us started heading this way."
[00:08]	IcePickLobotomy	Kasra: "I see. I need to think on this, is there anything else?"
[00:09]	Kasra	"No, sir."
[00:09]	IcePickLobotomy	The phone hangs up.
[00:09]	Arina	raises an eyebrow, glancing at the adults as the basic rundown finishes.
[00:10]	IcePickLobotomy	"Kasra, Arina just finished telling us what happened, is there anything you'd like to add?"
[00:11]	Kasra	leans in and whispers to Vernbeck.
[00:12]	IcePickLobotomy	He nods back.
[00:13]	IcePickLobotomy	You hear somethign knock on the door. "Ah, that should be the quarantine getting set up to move us to a clean room." "Ah, Mr. hunter, there anything you want to add?"
[00:15]	Arina	hums. "As far as the hallucination itself goes... I don't know what anyone else saw, but in my case the statue pulled off its mask and offered me a drink from the pool."
[00:15]	Arina	"Fortunately I regained my faculties before actually doing so."
[00:16]	JohnH	"I saw the statue nearly kill you."
[00:16]	Arina	blinks.
[00:17]	JohnH	(retcon that to "a priestess" not the statue)
[00:19]	Arina	"Well... good thing we were hallucinating."
[00:20]	JohnH	"Yeah. Hallucinating."
[00:20]	Kasra	"No offense? Not really."
[00:20]	Kasra	"A couple of us dying might have been preferable to...this."
[00:20]	Arina	"... Mm."
[00:21]	Arina	purses her lips, turning to Vernbeck. "And... just in case this is a symptom, I'm still thirsty. I've had an actual drink since, but it only faded."
[00:22]	IcePickLobotomy	Vernbeck shakes his head. "No, initial symptoms are easy bruising and discoloration of the skin within 72 hours, followed by coughing and the excretion of blood in stool and urine."
[00:23]	Arina	"Ah. Well, that's... encouraging."
[00:28]	Arina	rubs her temples. "... ugh."
[00:28]	Kasra	"Everyone, I'd like to apologize. Not for the whole scenario, but specifically to you."
[00:29]	IcePickLobotomy	The door opens, revealing a mobile air-lock. A group of bio-hazard equipped soldiers are on the other side. "Doctor, we have the containment suits in here." the lead man says, before gesturing to a box "Please strip and place your clothing in the box to be burned. We will provide you clothing in the clean room."
[00:29]	Kasra	complies.
[00:29]	IcePickLobotomy	Walker sighs "I forgive you Kasra, I don't think anyone could have expected this."
[00:29]	IcePickLobotomy	Vernbeck shrugs "I've had a good run, if this is the last of it."
[00:30]	Arina	frowns, averting her eyes from Kasra.
[00:33]	IcePickLobotomy	Walker passes Arina and John their own suits before compiling, unconcerned at the surrondings.
[00:34]	Arina	turns to a corner to preserve as much of her modesty as she can and changes into hers with all the dressing speed of an idol who has a performance coming up soon, blushing.
[00:35]	JohnH	changes like it's just another day on the job
[00:35]	IcePickLobotomy	Vernbeck is too old to give a fuck.
[00:38]	Arina	swallows as she finishes changing, a blue-and-silver medal on top of the clothing in the box as she steps up to the soldiers. "... Please keep that somewhere safe until quarantine is over. Rather than... destroying it."
[00:39]	IcePickLobotomy	One of the men nods. "[I understand Miss. I'll make sure it's returned to you if you survive.]"
[00:40]	Arina	"[... Thank you.]"
[00:40]	Arina	swallows, and looks like she's forcing herself to hand the box over.
[00:40]	IcePickLobotomy	"[. . . I can imagine what it means to you." he takes the box "[Thank you for cooperating in such trying times ma'am."
[00:40]	Kasra	"I'd appreciate the locket in my jean pocket as well, if possible by quarantine,"
[00:40]	IcePickLobotomy	"We can arrange that as well."
[00:41]	JohnH	"Burn it all. Nothing of importance there."
[00:41]	Kasra	"Something parent related too, Arina?"
[00:41]	Arina	"... Yes."
[00:42]	JohnH	"Sucks to think that I might die before my old man."
[00:42]	JohnH	seems strangely calm about this
[00:43]	Kasra	"Well, we can't give up hope."
[00:43]	IcePickLobotomy	"I'd drink to that." Walker says as she trudges down the hallway with you and the escort.
[00:43]	JohnH	"Sure we can. Ain't nobody going to tell us otherwise. Just stick to your guns if you decide to quit"
[00:44]	Kasra	"Well...I suppose you have a point there John."
[00:44]	Arina	's hand clenches about where her pocket would be. "... Just the same..."

In The Apartment
[22:56]	RobinE	Lana heads for the street and turns towards home.
[22:58]	Mary	"Uh, do you not think it might be sensible to let METI check you out?
[22:59]	RobinE	"Maybe, maybe not. But I am tired and I'd love to go home."
[23:01]	Mary	"Okay, lets, lets visit home for a moment ,.."
[23:01]	RobinE	"So far, METI science seems to be bad for people
[23:01]	RobinE	"
[23:01]	Mary	"If we are there, we can alwas think about it , and if something happens let artonym drive us to the base, yes, but well, it is about well a drug test of sorts."
[23:04]	RobinE	"I think we will be fine, Kasra is worrying too much. We should go home and relax."
[23:05]	Mary	"Well I, well I am also a bit worried."
[23:05]	RobinE	"About them?"
[23:09]	Mary	"Yes, and , that incident had me scared shitless."
[23:09]	Mary	shivers
[23:09]	RobinE	"Did you see anything weird like they did?"
[23:09]	IcePickLobotomy	Tower three looms tall in the harsh Spanish sun, the heat rolling off the pavement in a sweltering wave.
[23:11]	Mary	"Only, in the end when there was the blood.."
[23:11]	Mary	shivers and looks around
[23:12]	RobinE	Lana sighs, "Alright, if it will make you feel better we can go see them. But I'm not doing any testing."
[23:15]	IcePickLobotomy	The Apartment is as it always is, and you find Artyom on the floor, Meagan crawling over him as Hana watches on with a smile. "Oh, hello Mary, Lana." Artyom looks up "Ah, hello as well."
[23:15]	Mary	"Hi.."
[23:16]	IcePickLobotomy	He frowns and carefully hands Meagan back to Hanan. "What's wrong? You look upset."
[23:17]	RobinE	"We'll be fine." Lana mutters out.
[23:18]	Mary	"its..complicated.."
[23:18]	IcePickLobotomy	He pulls himself onto the couch. "Do you want to talk, or would you rather speak with Walker when she gets back?"
[23:19]	RobinE	"I don't much feel like talking about it." Lana goes to the kitchen.
[23:22]	RobinE	Lana comes back with some coffee.
[23:23]	Mary	shivers and then heads into the bath to scrub her hands
[23:27]	Mary	then returns "its ..yeah
[23:27]	IcePickLobotomy	"Do you want some lunch then?"
[23:27]	Mary	softly looks down on meagan like she is ready to cry
[23:27]	IcePickLobotomy	Hanan hands the baby over, who promptly presses herself against her sister.
[23:28]	RobinE	"Sure," Lana looks into her coffee, pondering.
[23:28]	IcePickLobotomy	He nods and stands up, heading for the kitchen.
[23:31]	Mary	shivers and starts to play with her as a distraction
[23:33]	RobinE	"Mary, they will be fine." She looks around, "do you want to go see them? Artyom would probably drive you."
[23:36]	Mary	And what about you?
[23:38]	RobinE	"I'm fine, but I don't think I was as rattled as the others," she looks over to Mary, "I think you and I were a bit luckier."
[23:40]	Mary	"I am just controlling myself right now better.."
[23:41]	Mary	plays with Meagans tummy.
[23:42]	RobinE	"If you want to go see them, by all means go ahead." she takes a sip of coffee, "I'm home now, so you don't have to worry about me."
[23:50]	Mary	"No.. I.. I am okay."
[23:50]	Mary	"Hannah can you hold her for a moment?"
[23:50]	IcePickLobotomy	The phone rings, and Artyom picks it. "Yes, they are here. . . . . . . . No ma'am, I understand perfectly. No, they will not, I understand the stakes."
[23:51]	RobinE	Lana's eyes focus on Artyom, "who was that?"
[23:51]	Mary	was currently standing up and heading towards walkers room
[23:52]	IcePickLobotomy	Artyom marches out from the kitchen. "No one leaves the apartment," He opens the security locker next to the door and removes his rifle. "Or I will kill you . There is a chance you are both infected with the Red Death. Standard quarantine and observation protocols are now in effect," His voice is hollow, cold. "Compliance is mandatory."
[23:52]	RobinE	"Oh..."
[23:53]	RobinE	"I /can/ go to my room?" Lana is noticeably more pale.
[23:53]	IcePickLobotomy	Hanan blinks and sits down on the couch, shaking like a leaf
[23:53]	IcePickLobotomy	"Correct."
[23:54]	RobinE	Lana gets up and quietly heads to her room.
[23:55]	Mary	blinks and slowly turns towards him shivering as she looks between him and meagan.
[23:55]	IcePickLobotomy	Mary: There is no compassion in that face
[23:56]	RobinE	"Artyom," Lana comes back out, "there were two others."
[23:57]	IcePickLobotomy	"They will be dealt with."
[23:57]	RobinE	"Do they know where they are?"
[00:03]	Mary	shakes
[00:04]	IcePickLobotomy	"We will find them."
[00:06]	Mary	"There, there, there are still some desinfectants, nto in the bath but in the lkitchen I you .. you have to act..."
[00:06]	Mary	sounds panicked
[00:07]	RobinE	"Mary," Lana spins around, "Calm down, I- we will be fine."
[00:07]	IcePickLobotomy	He shakes his head. "If you are infected it won't work. There's nothing you can do. Sit down, keep calm, and wait."
[00:14]	Mary	"I. I..."
[00:14]	Mary	is currently not quite in controll,
[00:15]	RobinE	"Mary, I know it's scary, but we have to be strong now," Lana looks around frantic, "If not for yourself, then for Meagan."
[00:21]	Mary	"i. I have to do something."
[00:21]	Mary	"For her"
[00:21]	RobinE	"There isn't much we can do right now."
[00:26]	Mary	"But I, there is anything that I have to be able to do !"
[00:27]	Mary	hits the wall with her fist , hard
[00:29]	RobinE	"I bet there is a chance to live through Red Death, we have to hope for that chance."
[00:32]	Mary	"If I hadn't listen to you and the others I would not even have been down there!"
[00:34]	RobinE	"Now is not the time for blame Mary, cause what happened has already happened! You can be mad, but you can't change the decisions you've made. You had plenty of chances to turn back."
[00:37]	Mary	"I should I should have left you down there! "
[00:37]	Mary	has started to cry
[00:37]	IcePickLobotomy	Hanan puts a arm around Mary and joins her in crying
[00:38]	RobinE	"Maybe you should've Mary!" Lana storms to her room.
[00:41]	Mary	"I.. " she throws the first breakable, non living thing after her.