keeps_a_cool_head

Log 0012

[Infirmary Spam, pre-flood]

[Some time after Gard's unconscious, coma'd body is discovered and moved, Scorpius plants himself on the edge of the man's bed, casually running through his datapad to pass the time. There's no obvious reason to outsiders why he feels the need to watch over his warden in typical creeper fashion, but he does, and presumably will make difficult the lives of anyone attempting to get near to either without a solid reason]

[Public, post-flood]

In some ways, I feel as though a comatose warden is simply not holding up their end of the bargain. The game feels less interesting when one of the players is absent.

I wonder if Hiziki Gard thought to leave anyone in charge of my supervision in the event of his...disposal.

[Private to Horatio]

I believe I have something of yours, Horatio. If you wish to collect it, come to my cabin.

[Private to Crichton]

John. Yet another flood is happening. Be on your guard - I have yet to discover the logic of this one.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Wow Scorpius, really? He couldn't have figured that out for himself from The Admiral's announcement or from the creepy doll he woke up to in his room this morning? No shit Sherlock!]

Oh thank you dear, what ever would I do without you to look after me?

[Can you hear the sarcasm Scorpius? Can you?]

What are you, my mother?

[Yes, really, John. Despite his no longer hunting you down for the wormhole tech, you're still a key player and it's important to keep an eye on you to make sure you're not up to anything ridiculous. Scorpius has Hornblower's doll in his clawed hands, turning it over curiously]

There's no need for sarcasm, John.

No. If I were, you would be significantly better adapted.

Another of these dolls, I presume? I just returned to my room to find yours there.

Please tell me your room number? I'll bring it with me now.

[Him, up to something ridiculous? No, never.]

That's debatable. And, I think you need a review on what a rhetorical question is.

Besides a friendly warning, what are you calling me for? I thought I made myself pretty clear last time we spoke.

Did you?

[Well, that's ominous. Scorpius hides his concern well]

Level three, cabin five. And please be urgent. I tend not to trust floods.

Yes. You were adamantly clear.

[When you broke his nose, you jerk. B[]

Is all my interest in you to be treated with due suspicion? I believe I have no further use for you as a product of wormhole technology.

I'll come at once. No disrespect to your likeness, of course, but I'm really not at all fond of this thing.

[Though he's holding it rather tightly all the same. It's as if he's plagued by a nervous, unhappy tension as he makes his way to Scorpio's cabin, thumb and fingers absent-mindedly digging into the chest and stomach of the doll as he carries it.

He only ceases this restless torment when he arrives at Scorpius's room and forces himself to compose somewhat. His grip finally relaxed, he lifts a hand to knock on the inmate's door.]

[In his cabin, Scorpius feels the alarming concern of being short of breath. He leans over his desk with palms splayed, gasping hard with labored breathing. Nothing he does seems to make the sudden pain in his chest and stomach go away.

In response, his claws dig tellingly into the doll's neck, held fast under one hand. In an instant, though, the pain vanishes like it never existed. Perturbed, he straightens up, looking towards the door]

Enter.

[Horatio's hand is on the door knocker already, when the sharp stab of pain jabs into his neck. It's quick and brutal, and real enough that his first guess is that he's been shot, or stabbed by some unseen assailant. He makes a snap decision to trust that it isn't Scorpio's doing, and wrenches open the door to fling himself inside.

Slamming it behind himself, he reaches up with his free hand to paw at his throat for blood, trying to find the wound that surely must be there.

There's no blood though. No sign of injury. Only a stabbing pain that makes him feel as though his throat's been mauled by some wild creature.]

Excuse me, Sir. I fear thus far I am finding this flood to be most wanting.

[His grip on Scorpio's doll has tightened again, but it isn't lasting now. Horatio steps across the room to deposit the thing carefully on Scorpio's desk, still rubbing his neck, absently searching for an injury.]

Edited 2014-04-22 18:49 (UTC)

[And there's that worrying pain again, compressing his ribs and making it more difficult to breathe. Scorpius hisses low, sinking down into his chair and glancing suspiciously to the doll in front of him, as if it's the cause of it.

He glances up as Horatio enters, and watches the man claw at his throat. Slowly, his fingers release the man's doll, but it doesn't move from his lap just yet]

You're in pain.

[And suddenly, barely a moment before Scorpio makes his observarion, Horatio isn't in pain any more. He drops his hand from his throat with a low, thready sigh.]

I was. Only a moment ago, I felt as though someone had driven a nail through my throat, but I am fortunate to find myself now relieved.

[He shrugs, and nods sullenly towards Scorpio's doll, slumped in a floppy heap on the table.]

Some unlikely symptom of this flood, I'm sure.

Edited 2014-04-22 19:13 (UTC)

[Scorpius did not claw his way to the top of the food chain by ignoring obvious facts in front of him. There is a reason why these dolls resemble him. There is a reason why Horatio and him were in pain.

Could it be that simple?]

Perhaps not so unlikely.

[He picks up Horatio's doll again, turning it over in his hands...and, very abruptly, he twists one of the arms in a vicious maneuver]

[It's the shock, as much as the sudden jolt of pain that sends Horatio reeling. A strangled sound jerks from his throat, and suddenly he's clutching the edge of Scorpius's desk with what feels like his one good arm, because the other is screaming dislocation at him.

He can see Scorpius's grasp upon the doll. His likeness. The logic doesn't escape him.

Wordlessly, he goes to snatch the tiny doll version of Scorpio back up off the table.]

[As Horatio lunges for his own doll, Scorpius is already climbing to his feet. His arm pulls and he backhands the other man. Were he at his full strength, it would have been a blow that could shatter Horatio's jaw. Tempered by the Barge, however, Scorpius' strength remains at near human levels]

I'm not sure that falling comatose is something anyone gets a say in.

Not at all.

But knowing me as he does, it seems surprising he would not engage in a contingency plan. Especially as his body lies vulnerable.

How long's he been comatose?

Some matter of solar days. Perhaps longer.

[He frowns, thinking back to the discussion he had with Scott about people randomly falling into comas around here. This is the second person he's aware of who's currently in that state. It perturbs him. A lot.]

And I'm guessing it was just a random thing, not injury related or something?

I have conducted my own preliminary examination. If there was foul play, it is not immediately apparent.

Though I have not ruled it out, it would appear that this is customary for some on the Barge.

Fishing?

Thinking.

Hello, Catra.

[Unfortunately, being hit in the face at near human levels is still quite a bit harder than Horatio expects from a man who had struck him chiefly as a scholar and strategist.

The blow staggers him, and he has to clutch the side of his head to steady himself. His arm is still wailing in pain, but movement doesn't seem to make it worse.

Because there's no real injury.. A very distant part of his mind makes the deductive leap, even as his body revolts against reason, Pain is only the fantasy of damage. This is the fantasy without the true harm done.

In theory I t works. In theory, he should be able to calm down and think.

In reality, Horatio only throws a wild punch back at Scorpius, hoping to knock the doll from his hands, or jarr him into dropping it.

Edited 2014-04-22 22:54 (UTC)

Hello, Scorpius.

[Scientist though he may be, Scorpius is ruthless, and did not survive as long as he has by allowing others to take advantage of his chief weak spots. Namely, the doll of him sitting on his desk. He eyes it, and then turns back to Horatio, mild and calm once again as he cradles the lieutenant's own doll with delicate precision]

[He's not a brawler by nature, though, and the punch is wild enough that he avoids most of it, turning his body to one side and grimacing as knuckles hit his leather-clad shoulder. Two fingers wrap tightly around the doll's throat]

Cease these actions, Horatio. I don't wish to fight you. Only to understand.

[These are calm words, for someone determined to see what happens when you squeeze the breath out of a human]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 9

Log 0012

[Private]

[Private]

Private

[Private]

Private

[Private]

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

Private/Spam

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Private]

[Private]

Private/Spam

[Private]

Private/Spam