TSW 20

[18:39]	IcePickLobotomy	Mary, RobinE, JohnH: Arina's room is down deep in Layer 13, in a room similar to the clean-room you were in before, though it lacks the airlock as is a bit more friendly. Arina is laying in the bed, a pair of IV's hooked into her arms. She looks a tad pale, and a thin trail of blood is slowly leaking out from her eyes and nose.
[18:41]	JohnH	"Does it hurt?"
[18:41]	Arina	has a few sheets of paper in front of her that she seemed to be trying to write on whilst getting minimal blood on it, but puts them aside and waves slightly. "Not that much, actually..."
[18:42]	RobinE	waves back.
[18:42]	JohnH	"But...you're bleeding. From the eyes."
[18:42]	JohnH	"I get what women go through normally, but this is something entirely different."
[18:44]	Arina	"I think some kind of AT nonsense happened there, because if this were a conventional wound it would have sealed over at least a day ago. But it's more... mm... annoying than anything else. Just keeps dripping."
[18:45]	Mary	"Well, the main thing is that you need to drink and that if it gets worse they can do a transfusion. " She looks like she wants to say something to john and then holds back
[18:47]	Arina	"If this keeps up it's 0x1dall0x1d going to be coming from here." She taps one of the IV needles in her arms. "It's... slowed down, hopefully it'll stop sooner or later."
[18:48]	JohnH	"I've never understood that AT stuff. Kasra has been talking about it, but at least he isn't bleeding from the eyes."
[18:48]	JohnH	"How are you doing otherwise? Keeping entertained?"
[18:49]	Arina	"Well enough, I have enough things I still need to get done, so I'm basically using this to get a head start on paperwork."
[18:50]	RobinE	"fun," Robin says sarcastically.
[18:55]	Mary	"It, well in a certain way the synchronisation makes your body think it is the outrider, and , well at field harmonics are, based on a theta wave that interacts with you as vernbeck said and the sinus curve there is normally not to flexible beyond its normal movement, but if something disturbs that it goes back to yor body and like , whenn you have a rash or
[18:56]	JohnH	"Woah Mary, big words."
[18:56]	Mary	with the placeboo effect your body acts in a way, and as our interpretation what is or shouold be happening there is also invluenced by our non thinking brain parts like the subconsious.." she stop and looks a bit embaressed at the other.
[18:56]	Mary	"uh.. sorry."
[18:57]	Arina	's eyes are a little blank until Mary finishes. "... All right."
[18:57]	RobinE	"sounds about right," Robin feigns intelligence.
[18:58]	Mary	"Brain thinks its outrider, brain thinks its hurt brain is good at lying to body so body think its hurt, and freudlike brain does not even need to think so while you being ware "
[18:58]	Mary	goes for cavewoman speak
[19:00]	Arina	taps the trails of blood running down her cheeks. "... I think this is a bit more than psychosomatic Mary."
[19:01]	JohnH	"Yeah, its blood."
[19:03]	Mary	"Youur brain and body thinks you should bleed and so you bleed, and then AT stuf happens which is " she makes a vague handshake " complicated "
[19:03]	RobinE	"point is, she is alright."
[19:04]	JohnH	"She's not alright. She's bleeding. From the eyes."
[19:04]	Arina	"Well, all right 0x1dish0x1d."
[19:04]	Mary	"In a , it could be worse way"
[19:05]	IcePickLobotomy	"Yes, much worse." Verbeck enters the room with a file-folder tucked under his arm. The labcoat swishes slightly as he moves. "Helloy everyone, Ms. Alkaeva, how are you feeling? No changes from when I spoke to you last?"
[19:05]	Arina	shakes her head. "Nothing new, no."
[19:06]	IcePickLobotomy	"And Mary here is right, you're very lucky actually. We think we know what happened to you."
[19:08]	Arina	"My plug caved in - proximity to its AT field from the hand that made it that far?"
[19:09]	JohnH	reflexively rubs his arm, remembering the feeling of his Outrider's arm being torn off
[19:09]	IcePickLobotomy	He nods "Yes, and your units AT Field protected you from the worst of it. The support personal caught out were not so lucky. They appear to have. . . melted, for lack of a better term."
[19:09]	IcePickLobotomy	*in the open
[19:10]	IcePickLobotomy	"MAGI estimates that if it had gotten into the city we'd have lost 3 shelters to the field."
[19:10]	Arina	winces. "... They sustained a lot of damage when it went nova."
[19:11]	Arina	nods. "... Good thing we kept it at the outskirts, then."
[19:12]	Mary	"Still far less, as that would be the shelters and the effects of its physical passage.."
[19:12]	IcePickLobotomy	"Yes, we're writing up new protocols for Pattern Gold events. Though so far it looks like it'll be that we pull back our forces and wait for it to run itself down." He checks his wristwatch "Ah, but I need to go, I wanted to check in on you." he gives everyone a small wave before stepping back out of the room.
[19:13]	Arina	frowns slightly.
[19:14]	JohnH	"Causing destruction on a grand scale, Arina? That doesn't seem like something a pop star should be doing."
[19:15]	Mary	looks like she wants to say something but then shakes her head as he leaves
[19:16]	Arina	"Well, we prevented destruction on a grand scale, instead, so I think that's in line with my role."
[19:17]	Arina	It isn't even slightly in line with a pop star's role and you have no idea how it could be.
[19:18]	Mary	"Yes, grand destruction is something that your mob of fans should be doing as they try to reach you"
[19:19]	Arina	blinks slightly, making no comment whatsoever.
[19:21]	Mary	joke fell flat
[19:21]	RobinE	"Why are you both joking about destruction?"
[19:22]	Mary	"Because it prevents us from crying."
[19:23]	RobinE	"That doesn't make it ok," Robin says before leaving the room.
[19:24]	Arina	sighs. "That's fair enough."
[19:33]	Mary	"I, will go and talk with her ." She says concerned and nods at arina
[19:33]	Mary	walks after RobinE
[19:33]	Arina	"Ah, thank you."
[19:34]	JohnH	lets them go without a fight "You want me to stay and keep you company, or should I go too?"
[19:34]	Arina	"Up to you. I wouldn't mind the company, but if you have anything else to do I won't keep you."
[19:35]	JohnH	"There's Kasra, but he's out like a light. He wouldn't gain anything from my being there and probably wouldn't be much fun to talk to right now, anyway."
[19:37]	Arina	purses her lips. "Probably not. You might, though - I won't keep you if you'd rather see him."
[19:38]	JohnH	"He's not going anywhere."
[19:39]	Arina	"Not for the moment, no." She sighs.
[19:40]	JohnH	"Whats the sigh for?" It wasn't a question
[19:42]	Arina	"We've faced four Intruders and Kasra's gotten himself hospitalized against two of them with his heroics. So has Mary, for that matter."
[19:43]	JohnH	"Us group of, lets face it, children, getting hospitalized a handful of times is still better than the millions of people who can-" John puts extra emphasis on this "- *will* die if we fail."
[19:45]	Arina	nods. "That's inarguable. But if we're in a hospital bed - or a cemetary plot - when an Intruder arrives, we've already failed ahead of time."
[19:54]	JohnH	"We could haunt the intruder to death, though."
[19:54]	Arina	"I'd really rather hack it to death."
[19:57]	JohnH	"We could hack at it with spookiness"
[19:58]	Arina	looks like she had an abortive giggle that didn't quite get through her mood.
[19:58]	Arina	"That's one strategy."
[19:59]	JohnH	"You know, you probably shouldn't laugh." John sounds light hearted
[20:00]	JohnH	"Its one of the best medicines, but they didn't prescribe it to you. You know how doctors can get when you take medicine you're not supposed to."
[20:00]	Arina	chuckles. "Not all that much to laugh about lately, to be honest."
[20:03]	JohnH	"What about this?" John makes armpit farts
[20:04]	Arina	"Well that's... certainly something."
[20:05]	JohnH	gets serious for a moment "Well just remember. You've done your duty, the intruder has been defeated. You can laugh at stuff now."
[20:13]	Arina	"Today was a success, and probably our largest success yet, but it's not that easy to just forget about the future."
[20:13]	Arina	"If Kasra keeps this up he's going to get himself killed, if this sort of Gold event happens again policy is leaning towards 'back away and let it burn through the city until it dies of boredom'... And there's no end in sight, or at least none they've deigned to tell us."
[20:14]	JohnH	"It wouldn't get the chance to burn its way through the city. I would get out there and stop it. I can only hope that there are others who would do the same."
[20:17]	Arina	smiles faintly. "It seems that'll be explicitly against orders next time."
[20:19]	JohnH	"If it gets the job done, then so be it. There are worse things that can happen."
[20:20]	Arina	"I didn't say I wouldn't be right there," she idly points out.
[20:22]	JohnH	"I couldn't ask you to, since you didn't choose the service, but I would definitely welcome it."
[20:27]	-->|	Reagan ([email protected]) has joined #TSWIC
[20:27]	Arina	"I shouldn't, honestly. But even if we're the only ones doing our job it still has to be done."
[20:52]	JohnH	grabs a chair and sits down
[20:55]	Arina	"Ah, I'm sorry, I should have offered you a seat rather than keep you standing."
[20:56]	JohnH	"Ah no, its fine. You were busy." John jokes
[20:57]	Arina	"Bleeding takes surprisingly little effort."
[20:58]	JohnH	"I'll take your word for it. I have had surprisingly little blood escape my body since I started this mission."
[20:58]	JohnH	"If it makes you feel better, you can have some of mine"
[21:00]	Arina	holds up her IV-embedded arm. "Feel free to donate, I'm cycling through a 0x1dlot0x1d."
[21:02]	JohnH	perks up at the mention of something he can do
[21:02]	JohnH	"Should we call a doctor in? I might have the right blood type."
[21:03]	Arina	"Well, no immediate rush, the tanks are pretty full, but if you want to later I doubt they'll complain."
[21:07]	JohnH	"But wouldn't it be weird having my blood in you?"
[21:09]	Arina	looks at him with a half-lidded gaze. "John I literally have no idea whose blood is in me right now. It could be half of Gibraltar for all I know. It is going to be literally everyone 0x1dbut0x1d me within a week."
[21:10]	JohnH	"Yeah but you don't know them. I mean, I just thought it would be kinda weird."
[21:11]	Arina	"Well, they probably wouldn't tell me when it was your bag up there. Blood is a little anonymous."
[21:15]	Arina	"To be honest I didn't really think about that much. I mean I'd quite appreciate it, but I don't imagine it'd be 0x1dtoo0x1d weird."
[21:15]	JohnH	"You're right. Sorry."
[21:16]	Arina	smiles slightly, shaking her head. "I don't mind. I didn't think about it from that angle, that doesn't mean it's wrong to."
[21:17]	JohnH	goes silent
[21:19]	Arina	"I am sorry if I embarrassed you."
[21:20]	JohnH	"wha- oh you didn't"
[21:21]	Arina	smiles. "Good, then."
[21:26]	JohnH	is still silent, almost awkwardly so
[21:26]	Arina	doesn't press him, simply smiling quietly.
[21:33]	JohnH	"Do they know when you'll be out?"
[21:34]	JohnH	"Dr. V did say it was getting better..."
[21:37]	Arina	"Well, this is a bit of new ground all-round, so I don't think anyone's making too many predictions just yet."
[21:45]	JohnH	"Well I sure havent ever heard of someone bleeding from the eyes."
[21:48]	Arina	"I imagine it's 0x1dhappened0x1d, but for three days straight, not so much."
[21:53]	JohnH	"I'd gladly be in your position right now if it would mean you weren't. I can't imagine the torture of not being able to go anywhere and to just be bleeding constantly."
[21:56]	Arina	"Well, the bleeding is more inconvenient than painful, and I have enough work to do that I'm not getting all that bored."
[22:13]	Arina	taps the papers. "Need to prepare a concert, for one."
[22:13]	JohnH	"For who?"
[22:14]	Arina	"Public relations. Though we'll wait to 0x1dschedule0x1d it after we know when I can get up again."
[22:15]	JohnH	"But who would you perform for?"
[22:16]	Arina	chuckles. "Well, it's a public concert, so..."
[22:19]	JohnH	"So here, not back in Russia?"
[22:20]	Arina	nods. "Ah, yeah, here in Gibraltar."
[22:23]	JohnH	"Well next time you sing, we better not get attacked. Remember the beach?"
[22:23]	Arina	pouts slightly. "That had 0x1dbetter0x1d not be a pattern."
[22:35]	JohnH	"I'd be more owrried about the eye bleedy thingey"
[22:36]	Arina	"That would be pretty inconvenient to have happen at a concert too. Hopefully it stops and, well... stays stopped."
[22:41]	JohnH	"We'd all like that."
[22:41]	JohnH	sighs and slumps a bit into the chair
[22:42]	|<--	Reagan has left irc.systemnet.info (Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 47.0/20160604131506])
[22:43]	Arina	"It's been pretty rough, hasn't it?"
[22:47]	JohnH	Almost as if that reminds him of something, he perks up a bit "Oh yeah, my dad wanted me to apologize for him"
[22:49]	Arina	blinks. "Mm? Sorry?"
[22:51]	JohnH	"He's sorry about your sister."
[22:52]	Arina	"... Ah."
[22:53]	Arina	sighs, slumping into her bed. "I'm jealous but I can't really blame him."
[22:53]	Arina	"He was able to protect his family. He mattered enough. We... don't, apparently."
[22:54]	Arina	smiles weakly. "At least your sister's safe."
[22:54]	JohnH	"He did what he could but duty to family is his instinct."
[22:54]	JohnH	"But don't worry, I'll protect you. I promise"
[22:55]	Arina	chuckles. "That's appreciated."
[22:57]	JohnH	"I'm serious, though."
[22:58]	Arina	"That's why it's appreciated."
[23:02]	JohnH	"What happened to your sister anyway?"
[23:04]	Arina	blinks. "Ah, he didn't tell you?"
[23:05]	JohnH	"No. Lot of classified stuff from him."
[23:08]	Arina	"Mm. Well if METI wants it a secret they can tell me that personally. I don't particularly care to second-guess what they want classified."
[23:08]	Arina	"She was conscripted as the next pilot. She isn't hurt 0x1dyet0x1d, but... well, suffice to say she's far from safe."
[23:09]	JohnH	"Ah, well I guess my sister is a prime candidate then. I can only hope that we can finish the job before our siblings make it into our shoes."
[23:10]	JohnH	"But if for whatever reason yours gets here, I will protect her to"
[23:10]	JohnH	her too.*
[23:10]	Arina	nods. "It's at least partially genetic, apparently. And METI was in a rush to activate the next Unit and hasn't found pilots from any other sources yet."
[23:11]	Arina	"And, well... Nadya was the best candidate who wasn't politically protected."
[23:13]	JohnH	nods apologetically
[23:14]	Arina	shakes her head. "As I said, I'm jealous but I don't really resent it. Your family had protection mine should have. I can't blame him."
[23:18]	JohnH	"My entire family has served the country, I think it's fair that we get protection. But I don't think it's fair that yours doesn't get any, especially since you're here now."
[23:20]	Arina	"It's not even that we have to fight. I volunteered. But I'm still hardly happy about my sister being so close to harm's way, and it just... hardly seems fair that my mother has to give up every member of her family other than Roza to this ludicrous war."
[23:28]	JohnH	"Let's hope then that nobody else has to give up their families"
[23:29]	Arina	"Let's hope nobody does at all."
[23:29]	Arina	"Everyone makes it home alive."
[23:49]	|<--	RobinE has left irc.systemnet.info (Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 47.0/20160604131506])
[00:08]	JohnH	after a few minutes of silence, John gets up "You get some rest."
[00:08]	JohnH	heads for the door
[00:09]	Arina	nods. "Have a pleasant afternoon, John."

[19:47]	RobinE	is walking down the hall away from Arina's room.
[19:48]	Mary	Mary walks after her, her sneakers not making to much of a sound as she picks up speed to get next to her,  even if she then takes a moment before adressing her waiting if she says something
[19:52]	RobinE	"yes," she sounds tired.
[19:54]	Mary	"Normally I would be the one that says that others should not make light of this , because, in a way it lacks dignitity to try to hide from your problems like this ..."
[19:55]	RobinE	"Ironic."
[19:55]	Mary	"I blame stress and me resisting the urge to cry by this "
[20:00]	RobinE	takes a while to respond, "do whatever you need to, but I don't want to be around to hear it."
[20:01]	Mary	nods trying to grasp for strwars here
[20:12]	Mary	"I.."
[20:16]	RobinE	"What, are you sorry? Do you want to say something to make me feel better?" she lets out a tired sigh, "look, Mary I've been though some destructive things. I don't like to remember them, and making jokes about it feels wrong. But if you need to do it to feel better go ahead. I just don't want to take part.""
[20:19]	Mary	"Fuck i am not normally joking and i am not joking as i watch as klasra is dying right now but.. but..."
[20:19]	Mary	lets her temper run ot for a moment
[20:23]	RobinE	"I'm not mad at you, and I'm not blaming you," she rubs her eyebrows, "I left the room so no one would argue about this stuff."
[20:24]	Mary	"i .. yes .."
[20:27]	-->|	Reagan ([email protected]) has joined #TSWshenanigans
[20:28]	RobinE	"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"
[20:36]	Mary	seems to waver for a moment " Do you want someone to listen to you?"
[20:39]	RobinE	seems caught off guard by the question, "what? No... I'll be fine." She averts her eyes as she answers.
[20:45]	Mary	"I will be fine all to often means, I am to scared to talk abot things, and you should not be, we are here for each other ."
[20:49]	RobinE	looks like she is debating in her head.
[20:50]	Mary	looks like she is readyto offer a hug
[20:53]	RobinE	"Is there something you want to know about me?"
[20:56]	Mary	"Only that which you are willing to share and if I can do something to help you"
[20:57]	RobinE	"Ok. There is one secret, you can't tell anyone though."
[21:00]	Mary	"Cross my heart. "
[21:02]	RobinE	"I'm done," she looks at Mary with exhausted eyes, "In a couple of months I am moving off of the active pilot roster."
[21:03]	Mary	"I can understand that.. but.."
[21:04]	RobinE	"But what? I'm not going to have to fight anymore."
[21:05]	Mary	"Well, and who shall replace you?"
[21:05]	RobinE	"Walker said there was another pilot that would be done with training in like 2 or 3 months."
[21:06]	RobinE	"And I'm sure they will help you guys more than I have."
[21:07]	Mary	"You did good work "
[21:07]	Mary	employs tactical hugs
[21:08]	RobinE	"No, I just hold the net, you guys do the work."
[21:09]	RobinE	"There are other problems too."
[21:12]	Mary	"Heck, you are despite them acting more healthy then some of us have done. And Let ,let no one tell you that you are useless or so because you are not!"
[21:13]	RobinE	"Have you noticed how tired I am?"
[21:17]	Mary	"Yes, and I seem just to be better at you then hiding that stuff because.. I fuck, I am, sorry, "
[21:18]	RobinE	"I am tired because I spend some nights lying awake in fear that I wont wake up tomorrow, but my life will continue."
[21:20]	RobinE	"I am tired from trying to remember events that I /know/ never happened to me."
[21:21]	RobinE	"I am tired of someone else having more fun with my life than I am."
[21:22]	Mary	decides to forgo an answer and just to hug her harder
[21:24]	RobinE	pushes out of the hug, "Mary, I get that you are trying to help, but I need to find a way to help myself. I'm sorry" she turns away and starts to walk again.
[21:35]	Mary	"I, I know but.. I..."
[21:35]	Mary	looks after her