[Daniel] The Unpleasant Announcement

[fikgirl.livejournal.com]

Who: Daniel
Where: Medical Facility, Kitchen #2
When: Day 23, noonish
Invited: Open to everyone at the Bunker
Status: Incomplete

"I'm letting them go."

The announcement, predictably, was met with shouts of outrage and protest, which was precisely what Daniel had expected. The archaeologist merely steepled his fingers together, and watched the gathered group of castaways and waited for the uproar to die down.

"They know everything about us," someone pointed out.

"They don't know anything at all," Alex said quietly. The girl had been moving in the shadows the past few days, working hard to avoid notice. She seemed convinced that there were those in the bunker who would lump her right in among the DHARMA scientists, and she worked hard to stay under the radar. "They're just . . . useless."

"She's right," Daniel interjected before anyone could challenge Alex's words. "They are what they appear to be – support staff. They don't know anything about the inner operations of DHARMA or even this facility. Letting them go isn't a problem. Even if they fall back into DHARMA's hands, it's not as though DHARMA doesn't already know *everything* about *everyone* here. Keeping them here is simply putting a drain on our supplies.

"Dr. Wilson, Dr. Sakai and Ethan on the other hand, are going to be our guests for a little while longer."

Comments

[Ami] Numb Indifference

[fikgirl.livejournal.com]

Ami shuddered at Rose's outburst, and wished that she felt her friend's conviction. She squeezed Scott's hand and said in a tremolous voice, "I don't really care what happens to them. Throw them out, keep them, but ... as long as I don't have to ever see them again, I'm good with that."

"So, then we keep them in stasis, then, yeah?" Rose asked.

Ami shrugged. "As long as I don't have to ever see them, I don't really care one way or another what happens to them." Truthfully, the further away from the bunker they were, the happier she would be. She already slept easier knowing a good mile separated her from Ethan and Sakai.

Re: [Aiden] I wish I didn't understand

[det-aiden-burn.livejournal.com]

Aiden look to Rose and Ami. She felt suddenly guily. So filled with anger her focus had been on punishing the bad guys, not healing the wounded. Doctors could only heal physical wounds she knew. She wish she didn't.

"They won't hurt you again. I promise you that."

[Rose]

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

Rose knew she wasn't going to get anywhere. Not really. It was obvious that minds were made up. And if the Doctor had absented himself... he had to agree with the descision. He was backing Daniel but bowing out for her sake. He was the bravest man she ever met, but a coward when emotional stuff got a bit tricky.

She heard Aiden's reassurances. That wasn't it. She was a little afraid of being hurt again, but she chose to travel, she'd been locked up and interrogated before, faced death. Although never actually been through as much pain, or used as a medical experiment. No, she just thought it was wrong to let criminals go free, AND to have them return to bite them in the ass. They might not offer any further information to their bosses, but Ripley was right... this was war. They were more bodies on the opposing side able to come at them with weapons.

She spotted Jack behind her, leaning against a counter in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in hand.

She looked at him, silently pleading for him to help her make them see reason. But he shook his head. He didn't avert his eyes or seem guilty about it. So he was backing this decision as well. Least he wasn't a coward about it.

She sat down with a huff, feeling another headache gathering behind her eyes. Great, a migraine. She never had them before. They were a byproduct of the shit done to her.

"I hate this damn island." She muttered.

She was assaulted by images of what could happen. The prisoners returning to their camp, their trackers getting captured as they were anticipated, the trackers not being captured and returning with news, an attack on this bunker, and attack on the enemy camp, deaths, blood, whose was unclear, no descision seemed fully right. Hundreds of permutations of possible futures roared into her mind. No one standing out as more likely just yet.

She felt sick, and suddently the light in the room was more than blinding, it was agony.

[Mayday]

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

((OOC: Cut short because I need to get moving. Feel free to pick up.))

Okay, something was up here, May was sure of it. Useless or not, just letting the prisoners walk away (as opposed to dropping them off elsewhere in the jungle or tracking them) just didn't make sense, and Dr. Jackson had to realize that. But if he did, he wasn't telling, and the bickering was getting annoying.

She turned her attention to the others in the room as Rose sat down in a nearby chair with a huff, holding a hand to the bridge of her nose. May looked at her with sympathy, thinking the arguing was probably giving her a headache too.

But then Rose suddenly doubled over, squeezing her eyes shut and toppling to one side. May jumped up, barely managing to catch her before she hit the floor.

[Ami]

[fikgirl.livejournal.com]

As the bickering grew, Ami focused her full attention on Daniel. Normally the man was hard to read, his shields were stronger than most and when she focused on him, she received an image of glittering water or a bright white aura. Not so today. Today his emotions and thoughts blared brightly and loudly, and when she focused on him, it was hard not to pick up on what he was thinking and feeling.

He had a plan. After all this time under his leadership, one would think that her fellow castaways would realize that - but they didn't. Apparently a few did, like Jack Harkness and Jon Murphy, but everyone else wanted to argue and debate. Even Megabyte recognized that Daniel hadn't gone off the deep end.

Normally in her state, Ami wouldn't have skimmed the surface, allowing the thoughts to roll off of her, but Daniel was broadcasting so much that all she had to do was focus on him and she knew what the plan was. He was planning to use DHARMA's own arrogance against them.

Ami gave Scott a mental nudge to get his attention, noting that her husband had been oddly silent for the whole meeting. Part of it was simply Daniel's presence, but she wondered what he was making of the man's announcement. /Daniel knows what he's doing, love,/ Ami told him. /Now, shield yourself for what I'm going to do next./

That earned a bit of curiosity from him. /What are you -/

She gave his hand another squeeze. /It's important, trust me and I'll tell you later./

Scott sent a pulse of compliance and understanding and she sensed her awareness of him dwindle. After giving the same order to Megabyte, Ami dropped her shields as much as she could and focused on the whole room. Concentrating and putting as much understanding and support behind the words, she empathically projected, /Trust Daniel./

Ami was only hoping it was enough when Rose toppled next to her, barely being saved in time by May.

(Please let that be a coincidence!)

Ami turned immediately, joining May beside Rose. That was a mistake. Touching Rose, focusing on Rose unshielded was like being hit with the force of an ancient, powerful mind. Recoiling, Ami slammed down her shields protectively and withdrew with a startled and alarmed gasp.

[OOC: Ami is not trying to brainwash anyone into doing anything. She's simply applying encouragement. Also, purplerhino, I'm playing this like Rose is having another attack of 'Bad Wolf.' If I'm wrong let me know.]

[Scott]

[starborn-scribe.livejournal.com]

Scott had deliberately kept quiet during the debate. Most of it was pointless. Despite how wrong it seemed to let the "staff" go, it made sense. Ripley could follow them if she wanted. The bunker would be attacked no matter what was decided here. Too many of the DHARMA people had escaped. Strategy wasn't Scott's forte, and he was too emotionally invested in the prisoners because of what the bastards had done to the women to trust his own conclusions. So he simply listened and kept an eye on Ami's physical well-being.

The mention of this "buffer" that could hold people(!) was also a welcome distraction. (I'll have to see if I can tolerate McKay enough to convince him to let me help work on the thing.) Ami must have overheard the thought, because she grinned and squeezed his hand.

Ami's warning and the following empathic projection were a surprise. Then Rose collapsed, and Ami touched her and recoiled. Despite their narrowed link, Scott felt a psychic slap in the face as well. Shaking his head and wiping tears from his eyes, he wrapped one arm around Ami protectively. "What happened?" He scrutinized Rose's prone form worriedly. /I want to check on her, but... is it safe?/


OOC: While the above makes sense IC, the reality is that I've only just now caught up with this thread. *blush*

[House]

[lost-mckay.livejournal.com]

"Yes, and if you read the study with modern day application, you'd know that college students were more than happy to be the sadistic bastards as guards. A two week experiment had to stop after only six... count 'em, six days. Detective." The good doctor looked around the room, that unamused smile still painting his unshaved visage. "Kangaroo court, anyone? Or how about right to the firing squad?"

House waved his hand dismissively and began shuffling to go out the door again. He knew what was in the medical files, he'd seen with his own eyes what they'd done. Still, little Indians taking orders from warrior braves and chiefs. Well, more like warrior chickens and chiefs.

"Let me know what you're going to do. I'm going to go check on mother and child."

House didn't make all the way around, however, as he noticed the women in the corner... and Rose effectively collapsing. His manner and mien shift into a more professional mode as he swings around rapidly, the action forcing him to hold on to the door jam briefly to get his balance once more before making his way towards where the girls were sitting.

[Mayday] Medic?

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

((OOC: Don't know if Rose is still conscious - I'm assuming it's a Bad Wolf attack too - but I'm keeping it vague. Hence, no mention of standard first aid procedures, which May would know but it depends on how Rose is reacting.))

May noticed Ami's distress, but only peripherally; she was too focused on Rose and keeping the other woman from hitting her head on the floor. Since Rose had been more than halfway out of the chair by the time May had caught her, she opted to ease Rose down to the floor, running through the immediate first aid steps she knew. "Rose? Can you hear me?"

"Move, people!"

She looked up as House approached, suddenly all business. He'd switched from snark to serious in under a second. Well, he was a doctor, and if he knew what he was doing it didn't matter if he was a jerk.

[House] The doctor is in

[lost-mckay.livejournal.com]

Know your ABCs. Kindergarten teachers sang the song in their classroom, and the medical profession easily and happily co-opted it. Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Take care of those, and the rest, well, was up to the professionals... in the best case scenario.

"Move.. let me through..." House had read this one's file, most definately. There was stuff going on in there that he'd only read about in the random sheets coming from K. Erik Drexler's office out in Washington in the late '90s. 'Unbounding the future', he'd written. Nanotechnology is on the horizon, he'd said. No one could have dreamed this up...

"Rose..." The doctor 'in residence' glanced at Ami, at her startle, and groaned inwardly, casting a more meaningful look at Scott and muttered under his breath, "Take care of her please." He doesn't need an infirmary filled again, thankyouverymuch.

"Rose... can you hear me." Certainly no question, not with the inflection he's got. Fingers go directly to the neck to check the pulse. Something's got her rate up, and at this point, he's got to crosscheck his times in the chart of these attacks. "I need to get her out of here..."

Wiping at his mouth in frustration, he'd have been able to do it himself before the shooting. Now? He didn't care what anyone'd said. He had damage, it had maimed him, and with it, the commensurate pain. Can't carry a usually healthy woman while fighting with a cane, much less barely managed pain. "Anyone volunteering?"

[Blaise] Right here!

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

Blaise moved in beside Dr. House, none too gently pushing his way through some of the gawkers. He knelt and slid his arms beneath Rose, surprised at the heat he could feel coming off her skin. He gathered himself and picked her up.

"Make way, people!" he called. "Your lab, I assume?" he said over his shoulder to House, and already ignoring whatever snarky retort House was certain to make.

"Somebody get the doors for me," he added, heading for the nearest one.

[Mayday] Right here!

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

Grateful for Blaise's intervention, May was up like a shot, nimbly ducking the crowd to get to the door and hold it open for Blaise and House to get Rose safely to the infirmary.

"Where's the Doctor?" she asked Blaise as he carried Rose out into the hallway. "I can go get him."

[House] Coming through

[lost-mckay.livejournal.com]

Nooo... in this case, snark was not high on the list of House's things to do. Let Rose get comfortable, get her restabilized, then talk snark. Until then... "Yes. On the bed, shoes and socks off, shirt loosened." Nothing constricting.

House rose slowly and painfully, making sure that the sergeant had the young woman completely, putting what was probably an ineffectual arm under in the attempt to support just in case. It was more a 'just in case', and one that he knew wasn't really necessary. Still, it was what it was.

With a violent shake of his own head in the aftermath of his burst of speed in a vain attempt to get a grip, the medico on call began the slow path from the room, his hand rising in a dismissive wave, his voice called out as he left the meeting. "Carry on, carry on... don't mind us."

[Jack]

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

Jack had gone through military training, and the four years of academy required for the Time Agency. He knew tactics, and he knew about crowds and group mentality. Ripley was right, this was war. Daniel was making a sound military decision. He rather hoped the man had a way of implanting tracking devices. It would make the idea all the better. Besides, he wasn't advocating letting the real monsters go.

That Rom guy should never get out to play his twisted little mind games.

Rose was angry, defiant and disappointed. But she was a smart girl and would see the sense in this given some time. Besides, it was very personal to her. She needed time to cool off and think without her gut reaction being involved. He met her glare unflinching. Because he had faith she'd come around, and because his own conviction was as strong.

Things moved forward a bit more when Rose went down.

People crowded, they always did. Wheather it was a need to try and 'do something' or out of train wreck curiosity, it made getting to Rose damn difficult.

"Let me through." He pushed someone, just a bit, to get in there, but House was already on the case and Blaise, bless him, had Rose in his arms and was heading for the medical lab.

She was having another attack, she could die. May better get the Doctor. How much did House really know about what was happening to Rose? Could he grasp it?

"No. Death is not imminent.” River leaned over and looked at Jack, her brown eyes locking with his blue. His own widened for a fraction of a second before he brushed it off. River continued, "Lost. Find the breadcrumbs home. New pathways, open and flooding. Flooding and drowning. She swallowed up the sun and some of the fire remains. Lets her see as it blinds.”

"Do you know what's happening to her?" Jack spun and took River by the arms. She didn't tense, and he wasn't being rough.

"She's becoming." River half whispered.

"Becoming? Becoming what?" He was feeling rather desperate right now.

"What she was meant to be. Time abhorres a vacuum. There's a balanve, and one of the tools was taken out of the equasion, till only a fragment remains. A loose screw. She will help rebuild. She made herself. And now the wolf is huffing and puffing to make the house of bricks."

"River, honey, you know I like you, right?" Jack smiled.

River beamed at him.

"But you're totally off your nut." He left her there to follow after House.

[Scott]

[starborn-scribe.livejournal.com]

Ami was shaking off whatever shock she'd gotten from Rose, so Scott guided her out of House, Blaise, and Jack's way. He'd caught some of River's ramblings, as well. Those and the gold motes swimming across Rose's eyes chilled him to the bone. The Doctor needed to know right away.

/Damon!/ Scott 'shouted,' shielding the thought from Ami. The redhead didn't react, so Scott poked him telekinetically. Damon scowled and looked around who'd prodded him. Scott caught his eye and tried again. /DAMON!/

/What?/

/The nanites are active again. Find the Doctor and tell him. There's not much House can do for Rose./

OOC: In case anyone's wondering, Scott's not sure who knows about the nanites, so he's playing it safe.

[Damon] Getting the Doctor

[fikgirl.livejournal.com]

Scott's words about Rose dismissed any annoyance Damon might have felt from the telepathic shouting and telekinetic prodding. He gave the other man a nod, and hurried from the cafeteria on the heels of House, Blaise and Jack. Realizing that he could make progress a lot faster if he didn't follow behind them, he ducked into the first room they passed.

After a moment of concentration, he fixed on The Doctor's location and teleported directly into the lab.

"Doctor!" Damon announced his presence without any preamble. "The nanites are active again. Rose needs you." All right, so the last probably went without saying, but he wanted to cover all bases.

[Rose]

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

Rose was vaguely aware of someone catching her, and she was able to crack her eyelids just enough to make out May and Amy, then Scott, but the light was too much as she closed them all the way again.

She couldn't grasp her own thoughts. Percentages, variables, equations working through the probabilities she'd seen, narrowing down the most likely. It hurt.

"M' head. It's math, and possibilities and... it's killin' me." She managed to half whisper.

Someone was carrying her, but she didn't know who, or much care. It felt like her ears should be bleeding. She felt cold tears slide from her eyes to her hairline.

She half opened her eyes, trying to get her bearings. The lights overhead were blindingly bright. In her brown eyes, speks of glowing gold flickered, tiny dustmotes of light.

"I think... I need... a doctor."

OOC:

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

This is not Bad Wolf. This is the affects of what Bad Wolf and the nanogenes have been doing. New neural pathways have opened up allowing her to see possible timelines, probable outcomes. Not like a person considering the future, but actually seeing things unfold based on certain variables. Much like a ... well... a Gallifreyan. But she doesn't know how to control it or suppress it.

For the sake of game play, this also triggered a sudden burst of nanogene activity as well.

Hey, Rodney, been working on those nanogenes at all? LOL.

[Mayday]

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

((OOC: Gah! Almost double posted again! I'm just guessing on where the heck the Doctor is.))

She was already running before Rose spoke, once Blaise's shrug indicated he didn't know where the Doctor was. Fine, she'd just have to check everywhere.

May dashed down the halls, checking in doors for the Doctor. Laundry? No. Control room? Of course not, he'd see it on the monitors.

Oh. Of course.

The lab door was, predictably, closed. May knocked on the door before opening it. "Doctor? Are you in here? Rose just collapsed!"

[Doctor]

[purplerhino.livejournal.com]

It was Rodney who had suggested an EMP. But the trouble with those were it was damn hard to set off a small, localised one. He was willing to shut down everything electronic in a quarter mile if he had to with Rose's humanity, if not her life on the line. But it was only a temporary measure. They still needed to extract the little bu...

Recalibrating the sonic screwdriver wasn't usually that hard. Unless you had substandard supplies and tools, of course.

Damon's appearance didn't so much as make the Doctor flinch/. He just looked up at him expectantly. After all he wouldn't teleport without good reason. The last time he had...

"Doctor!" Damon announced his presence without any preamble. "The nanites are active again. Rose needs you."

Right. Looks like Damon had been elected doomsayer.

Ignoring the clenching he felt in the vecinity of both his hearts the Doctor snapped the casing back onto his favorite tool and gestured to the door. "No one's seen Pierson since this morning. Best get House then..."

Damon cut him off, "He's already got her, heading for the medical lab."

He was efficient, and possibly talented. Too bad he was an ass and an adict as well. "Then we'll need Rodney as well. Hopefully we can go something to stop this once they're done this round."

The Doctor heard a knock at the door as he reached for the handel. "Doctor? Are you in here? Rose just collapsed!"

He opened the door, revealing himself and Damon. "So I heard. Thanks. Someone get Rodney. He can be helpful when it comes to this."

OOC

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

Will delete the below comment if it's contradictory.