RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 20] Strangers (Essai Dreamworld)

Medical Lab

After getting access to the microphones in the lab, Chieko's headed lifted slightly at hearing Izokia's most recent comment on the drug. She recalled what her job was supposed to be and asked Charisma if she'd be able to relay voice for her. Upon receiving an affirmative a voice similar to the scientist's came from the speakers in Medical.

"Sorry about the very little information about the drugs," the omnipresent seeming voice began, "It was supposed to be my job to start analyzing it in greater detail, but the team was affected too quick for me to start collecting samples. If someone can get them for me, I could see about using the ship's information systems to deliver me observational data and work on the thinking part of it while I heal."

Chieko's head then lazily slumped over again, as if to take a rest.

Medbay

Ayumi turned to Izokia and Mitsuko as they entered, frowning as the Neko and the human were tied down. She looked up at Mitsuko, "There is a single containment cell left over," She explained, "If Itto Hei is capable it is right there." She motioned towards the single open cell. And then turned back to Izokia.

For a moment she was very confused, she specifically remembered the other medic speaking of a third patient, and while she knew there was no way the other Neko could possibly carry three people throughout the ship, she seemed intent on staying in the medbay. As she moved to ask where this third patient was, Charisma relayed Chieko's speech to them.

"Koizumi-Hei under normal circumstances, I would insist upon you relaxing, and focusing on healing, however under... These circumstances," She glanced around the very full medbay, "I would appreciate this help, I simply implore you to rest if your body requires it." She turned to the pink haired Neko who was standing nearby.

"Santo-Hei, if you wouldn't mind compiling what information you have, and perhaps looking at the scanner currently in Nayacesen-Tai's possession?" This was all very exhausting. So many things were going on all at once and she was unsure exactly how to handle it. Should the rest of the crew return in such states- No. She did not want to think about it.

Finally she turned back to Izokia, "Orshira-Hei," She began looking over the two tied down patients, "There was a third patient, was there not?"

Dreamworld Market

"Not not, but I will take a can for later," Hanako told the the spray-on clothing merchant, exchanging some batteries and putting the canned clothing in the back of the LUT.

She turned to the Qak'toro envoy. "I am not sure how much a battery would be worth, and they are probably worth more here than anywhere else in the known universe," Hanako told Sepop. "But I would not charge you for running scans or for making a few batteries for you to spend. My ship has an artificial intelligence that reads over any new code before the ship's computer is allowed to execute it. Are the spirits that you speak of...minds without bodies to put them in? Perhaps similar to the mind backup technology Yamatai uses as a safeguard against loss of life?"

Spotting Akane wandering in the alien crowds and looking lost and unsettled, Hanako sent the neko a message: "Over here, Miyako-santôhei!". Hanako floated up so her torso was just above the crowd and waved her hand.

Medbay

Sienna was little else than dead weight, the stun pulse having more than done its job as Izokia hoisted her limp body on the examination table and secured the restraints. He jaw was slack and her eyes were frozen open and partially rolled back into her head, vacant and corpselike. The slow rise and fall of her chest and her flushed skin were the only telltale signs the unconscious woman was even alive before the automated equipment applied sensors to monitor her vital signs and set to work taking small blood samples and analyzing how to neutralize the hallucinogenic aphrodesiac.

Pain was the first sensation as Kale fluttered back to consciousness. He had one hell of a headache.

What the hell happened... he thought before the last few hours of memory slammed into his mind like an eighteen wheeler. He stopped partially in shock at himself and his actions. The shosho is going to kill me. Well if the others don't off me first.

He slumped back against the wall. Damnit. If I go to med bay they'll probably take me as hostile given the circumstances and I daren't go outside in this atmosphere right now. Oh well they probably won't kill me on sight so thats a plus.

Stumbling to his feet Kale took a look at his surroundings. The back of his head was bruised but there seemed to be no blood. His NSP was lying on the ground at the entrance to the next compartment. The clip was empty.

Probably a good thing that I don't have another magazine given the circumstances.

Picking up the spent pistol he dropped it back in its holster and set off towards medbay.

Dreamworld Market

Sepop pondered Hanako's words before answering.

"Sar-Hanako, let me start first by answering your question about the Living Spirits. The process to create a spirit is very similar. The difference is that where you store the mental image and it is static. Living Spirits are aware, they can interact with other spirits and with people. Like your backups they are the property of the originator.

However, they are not used to 'recreate' a person in the physical sense. We have very strict laws about cloning people which prohibits putting a spirit into a created body. The primary purpose of creating a Living Spirit is so that the Wisdom and judgement of a person can be preserved. We have some Spirits that were from the first to come to your region of space. Not everyone chooses to make a Spirit. Many of our greatest leaders live on in their Spirits.

If those photonic bodies are compatible with our technology, then a Spirit could make use of one to be able to interact with the physical world. In as much as such a form would allow."

She paused before addressing the computer situation.

"The only reason I asked about having your people scan a datarod is, since your AI already found and destroyed a virus. It is already aware of the architecture the Essai use. So your AI would be more efficient at finding any other viruses the Essai might try to use.

As for your generous offer of batteries to purchase such. I would have to insist of some form of payment. The Learned Bear does have some trade items which I could use."

"I'll get to work on it," said Deziarra taking the scanner from Nayacesen Takeyu.

She was a technician who knew more about computers and mathematics than she did about medicine, but these were desperate times and they needed help wherever they could get it. She programmed the computer to find the differences between the recent data and the normal data for each person individually, then look for patterns in the differences. Hopefully she could find out which parts of the brain had been infected. For additional information these differences should be greater in people like Sienna than in people like herself.

As she was compiling the data, a worrying through occurred to her. It was a comment she overheard about the possibility of the drug being a gigantic distraction, hiding the aliens' true intentions. What if the strange dreams are the aliens true objective?

"We know the aliens use dreams as currency," she remarked.

It looked like she was about to say something else but she was not yet ready to complete her thought.

The message beamed to Akane without the chance of misinterpretation. "Over here, Miyako-santôhei!" She saw the Shosho waving to her, using a little flight to become even more visible.

Akane waved back and started bobbing through the crowd. So many bodies stood in her path. Voices called out, wanting her to buy their wares and not the ones from some stall she hadn't looked in. Once she pushed through the bulk of the crowd, she saluted her commanding officer.

"Thank you, Shosho. I apologize for losing my bearings." She bowed as well, showing how much she regretted disappointing herself or the Shosho.

Medical Lab

"Actually," came Chieko's voice again, her head rising, "If we can get read a hold of some readings on how it has been affecting Sienna, Riko-Hei, and I believe it's Yamashiro-Hei, that may help. Also, if I can get the shape of the drugs in their absorbed form - which would mean drawing blood - I may be able to run a check against a medical database for what receptors they could be keyed to."

The scientist's brow seemed to furrow as she listed off her request, but then her her head popped up more. "By the way," she added, "Could I trouble anyone to let me know whom all is present - conscious or unconscious as they may be? I'm particularly interested in Yamashiro-Hei's team, the one I was part of."

Medical Lab

Izokia paled slightly at the memory of Kale. "Oh yes he was... also affected by the drug his behavior was hostile to say the least. I attempted to disable him it worked too well." She searched for an excuse, " I thought it best to pursue the other two while he was disabled, but I completely disarmed him so that there was no way he could be a threat when he woke." She dove back to her work before Ayumi could conjure what ever form of ire she actually possessed.

When she heard Chieko speak up again she counted off the names,
"Sienna, Natsumi, Ayumi, Deziarra, Nycessan-Taii, and Kale is....out at the moment." Thankfully the blood tests for her paitents finally came in.

Izokia looked over the first set of readings coming in on Sienna and Natsumi and they weren't exactly comforting. "Well it appears their bodies contained compounds intended to increase lethargy and maybe heighten ones ability to dream. Our earlier guesses seem to be right the drugs have the side effect of lowering inhibitions which would make them susecptable to subtle suggestions." She swallowed hard, "And if it couldn't get any worse these compounds increase lucidity makeing it very hard to wake a person up without sufficient trauma." She looked at Natsumi and Sienna hoping they had recieved the recommended dose of trauma.

Medical Bay

Natsumi lay unconscious on the medical treatment bed she had been set on by Izokia. The decontamination process was well underway again and her system was being cleared of the drugs.

The operator's eyes fluttered open as the decontamination process completed and she awoke from another strange and uncomfortable dream. She tried to sit up and rub her temples and found herself strapped down to the treatment bed.

"What...really?" she said, tugging at the restraints. "Why am I tied down?" she inquired, her head really did hurt like hell and her left eye just did not want to open due to all the swelling. Her built in quick healing was at work, but it would take some time to repair the damage Sienna had done to her face.

The nervous medic looked down at her feet before moving closer "Well you definitely showed some signs of lowered inhibitions in the cargo bay." We will wait until your head trauma can clear up before we know whether or not you are truly docile." Izokia was well beyond taking risks at this point in her day.

Medical Bay

Mitsuko lugged her cargo to the open containment cell, while the others conversed. She laid Bors out, exiting the cell, still holding his NSP. The Neko didn't seem to be paying much attention to what the others were saying. "...w-well, I'll leave him to you, then. He should be waking up soon." Murakami glanced at the weapon she was carrying, before excusing herself and slipping out. She was starting to feel a bit light-headed, after all of this excitement, swaying slightly as she exited.

Soon she was heading back to the Cargo Bay. Mitsuko had no desire to set foot on this planet again, but she hoped to meet Misato as she returned. She settled onto a cargo container as she waited, yawning, weapon resting on her lap.

Kale trudged up to the med bays doors. It had been a hell of a task to make his way up the grav corridor but he had managed it, barely.

The door opened an he stepped through tossing the NSP off to the side. He dropped into a chair and leant back against the wall.

"Im sorry."

Sienna felt cool, wet sand between her toes, a salty breeze blowing in her hair. White linens were elegantly draped around her as clothing, blowing behind her like a comet's tail. The sky was a velvety purple that was fading with dusk, and a fiery green sunset burned on a distant horizon before her as she gazed out to sea amid rocky cliffs and jagged rocks jutting above the water's churning surface. She closed her eyes, letting the gentle breeze caress her face. She couldn't see them with her eyes, but she could see them in her mind all around her: the decaying husks of hundreds of ancient seafaring sailing vessels built from wood and primitive metal alloys scattered and broken amongst the jagged rocks.


Medbay

Her hand twitched.

A slow, quiet groan rumbled in her throat. Her hand twitched again, then her eyelids fluttered.

Sienna's senses very gradually started to come back to her. The blurry colors in her field of vision swirled about, and the voices she could hear around her sounded muted and distant. The sensation was as if she were deep underwater looking up to the surface, listening to a conversation between people observing her, or unaware that she was even there. Her chest felt heavy and tight, and it hurt to breathe, like she was struggling to do so with a full grown man sitting on it.

Her nerves began to wake up, and the feeling slowly returned to them. Pins and needles permeated her entire body, the unpleasant tingling sensation causing her to grit her teeth slightly as she tried to pick her head up. Doing so was extremely uncomfortable, however, and she soon gave up trying. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and moaned as the light got brighter. The voices around her started to take form and become intelligible, and she recognized one or two of them, vaguely.

Consciousness finally starting to take her, he realized that her knuckles and fingers felt like they had been slammed repeatedly in a door. Flexing her fingers, opening and closing her fists was mildly painful. She tried to lift a hand to her face so she could see why.

But she couldn't.

The colors around her started to form more coherent shapes. She tried again, harder this time, trying to fight off the dread that was growing in her mind. Something was preventing her from lifting her arm. Straining to lift her head again, she managed to pick her face up just enough to look down and see that she was once again on the examination table in the Eucharis medical bay, only this time she had been bound. Machinery and tubes were next to her and above her, and the barely recognizable visage of one of the ship's medics loomed over her.

Partial lucidity hit her like a truck, and her eyes flared open in alarm. "What the--?" she exclaimed loudly, yanking her arms against the restraints with her sudden burst of strength as if feebly trying to break them. "What the frack are you doing to me!?" she demanded angrily, though her eyes were wide and darting about the room in hyperalert panic.

Medical Bay

Natsumi was frustrated that Izokia was leaving her restrained. What nerve she had! She was about to argue the point when she heard Sienna come too.

She turned her head, looking at Sienna on the bed next to her. "Sienna, they are decontaminating us, thats all. They are not doing anything else to you" she explained. "I'm sure they will let us go once the process is complete" she and glanced at the medics.

Dreamworld Market

Hanako returned the bow to Akane. "In light of the commotion and loss of some of the away team, I think it would be best if we regroup. We can return to the ship and have lunch." With this, Hanako sat on the tailgate of the light utility truck and sent out a wireless announcement to the crew: "Attention please: All Eucharis crew please return to the Eucharis."

Victory began driving the truck back towards the ship at a walking pace so Sepop, Yosmet, and Akane could follow along.

T7 Transport

The now slightly outdated human-form neko fidgeted in her seat as the shuttle rolled into its final approach vector. She had begged, pleaded, and very nearly groveled to organize an itinerary to reach this far from the core systems and then endured the long, boring passages on the succession of freighters, couriers, and shuttles until finally, here, she was about to land. That unsettled her. Much as she wanted this moment, dreamed of it even, the length of her absence and reality of her return had just set in and she was starting to feel a bit nauseous.

That’s no way to herald your return, she thought to herself remonstratively and, with a few slaps to her cheeks, stood as the light over the rear hatch turned green. She shouldered her kit as the seals cracked and the ramp dropped, revealing the Eucharis perching in all her glory only meters away. The shuttle lifted the instant she stepped off the ramp; it had made the detour and dropped her off, but now had to get back to the tender ship checking the sensor networks near the Tsuya nebula. She paid it no mind.

Instead, her eyes were focused dead ahead, taking equally little notice of the alien world she had just deposited on. She walked forward, barely short of running, until her feet touched the deck of the cargo bay ramp and she finally felt home.

She lingered in the bay for only a short while, her eyes closed, before looking up with a small smile and, with a telepathic greeting of ”Hello, Charisma”, set off for the crew lounge. Arriving and not knowing her cabin assignment, she set her baggage on the carpet next to a coffee table.

She fished out her communicator and once it had been set to broadcast on the ship main and bridge frequencies, she spoke.

“This is Takeda Junko-Itto Heisho, reporting for duty.”

Medical Lab

"That's unfortunate," the scientist replied to Izokia, "I wanted to tease him some while I waited." She then picked out the voice of Natsumi and her face went from a disappointed frown to a teasing grin. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Itto-Hei."

Chieko then started to hear more voices, but Sienna's came up the loudest. The academic managed to keep her internal laughter off the line; however she could not stay silent. "Sienna," she began with a synthesized chuckle, "you are part of the reason we're like this now."

Med Lab

Izokia shook her head this was more stress then she was comfortable causing and it was beginning to show on her. When Kale stepped in only moderately wounded she simply stared out mouth agape. When he sat down she could only say "I'm sorry" in the exact same instant he did.

She took a minute "Kale please I didn't mean to knock you into unconsciousness, I don't want any kind hostility between us-" She was prepared to continue her stream of apologies when Sienna woke up.

She was at her side immediately ready to prevent any further attacks from the intoxicated civilian.