Log 0012

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[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.

Comments

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[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.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[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]

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[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.]

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[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]

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[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.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[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]

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[The awful part of all this is, Scorpius's reaction isn't confusing, to Horatio. He isn't flailing madly and wondering why the inmate is doing this to him. On the contrary, it makes a perfect, awful sort of sense.

Just as Horatio's thoughts scramble for purchase on what is being done to him, it makes sense for Scorpius to be fascinated by all of this. It makes sense for him to... experiment, even. Only the current experiment is culminating in Horatio's throat closing over. Breath and objections strangled to silence in his throat, and he tries to remind himself that this is only the phantom of suffication... But god help him, no matter what he tells himself he is not breathing right now.

His lungs are burning, eyes swimming with black blotches as he lurches weakly at Scorpio. Not attacking him any more, just grasping at him, trying to arrest his attention well enough to beg him to stop, through wordless, breathless choking sounds.]

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Catching Horatio carefully with one arm, Scorpius holds the doll away from him and gently eases the man to kneel with him on the ground. He studies the man's face, watches him fight desperately for air that won't come.

At last, his grip loosens around the doll's throat. He continues to hold up Horatio until the man can stand of his own power again, watching him with undisguised fascination]

Remain calm. I don't intend to needlessly torture you via this...external proxy of yourself, Horatio. This flood is all-encompassing in its choice of targets.

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

Meaning that you'll find someone else to target, Scorpio?

[His words come in short, indignant gasps, real or not, his throat is raw and aching from the pressure.]

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Scorpius stands, looking now at the doll in his hands. He walks to his desk and places it beside his own]

Meaning your weaknesses are also mine. But you were wise to return it to me.

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[Horatio's skin is still crawling with the hot frustration of his own helplessness... but it's over, for the moment. The twist of his arm, Scorpio's grip on his throat.]

I hope you'll understand if I'm not feeling entirely confident of my judgement in coming to you, at this moment.

[He touches his throat gingerly, approaching the desk with the two dolls on it.]

Though I'm grateful you stopped.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

Of course I understand. You were right to arrive. If I may suggest an alternative path for the future: never give up a tool or possession unless it benefits you. Now I have the advantage.

These are things you must learn, if you are to climb the chain of command, Horatio.

[It's spoken almost kindly, without sarcasm. Scorpius sees a goodness in Horatio, but it will do nothing except lead him to the slaughter if it's not tempered by ample suspicion in others]

For the moment, yes.

[All things that could potentially change, if Horatio sought to turn the tables on him]

I admit, while I now understand the mechanics of this flood, the logic behind it remains...inconclusive. This is meant to serve as a lesson, but what is it teaching us?

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

But you and I aren't enemies.

[Horatio's tone remains frustrated, as though he's explaining something basic.]

I had no reason to withhold possession of a doll that looked like you.

[But, okay, he catches the shadow of threat in Scorpio's words, and forces himself to focus on the question at hand. What is this teaching them. What do they learn?]

The dolls seem to have been distributed across the Barge. They make you utterly helpless, but... I'm not sure that the damage lasts from them. Now that you've put down the doll, my arm and throat feel... fine.

[He stares at the two dolls, and another undercurrent of disapproval washes through him.]

I... I do strongly dislike yours. I know it's irrational, but... something about it sets my teeth on edge.

[The thought settles on him, like morning dew. Cold, steady and certain.]

When I was bringing it here, I would have liked to break it. I don't know what that teaches other than self restraint.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

You had every reason. Until you trust me absolutely, do not trust me at all. Do not give me a window of opportunity to take advantage of you, even if we are not enemies.

[It's survival advice he's learned from many years of pain and broken promises, and while he may be surrendering his own advantage, Horatio has nothing he wants. He can afford to boost this young lieutenant on his way. Scorpius, too, glances to the dolls]

I am experiencing similar feelings of distaste. The urge to tear yours apart...


I believe this flood serves one of two purposes. Either it is meant to help us control our tempers and most base urges to injure, or it serves as a way to drive us further apart from those we would not normally consider our enemies.

Less likely, it hopes to teach us compassion for others, but this is a particularly clumsy effort.

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

It seems a clumsy effort for any of those intentions. I don't believe that the compulsion to harm that thing is my own temper, any more than I would consider you my enemy for unwittingly harming me through it.

[Emphasis on unwittingly. Horatio is still less than impressed with you.]

Perhaps the lesson is that we stand and fall by one another's mercies.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Look how much he cares about your impressions of him, Horatio. Look how much.]

And I do not harm unless there is purpose to do so. Which here, there is not.

Possibly.


Take your doll then, Horatio. Leave mine. I wish to further experiment with it.

Private/Spam

[sssiiiiirrrrr]

[Horatio is sure he is crestfallen, really.]

Yes. Well. Thank you again for returning it.

[This said, he reaches out for the Doll, and just as he's about to touch it... it vanishes into thin air.

He hesitates, staring at the empty space where his doll once was, then glances back to Scorpio, stony faced.]

You may not wish to touch yours.

Private/Spam

[keeps_a_cool_head]

[Glancing up, Scorpius watches the doll disappear. He frowns, staring at the doll and then to Horatio]

This complicates matters. But if it is off the Barge entirely..