( 004 » ENSEMBLE ) decay

[reveriemod]

» WHO? EVERYONE
» WHEN? August 1 - 31
» WHERE? the entire station
» WHAT? Characters begin suffering mysterious and varied symptoms. (More info can be found HERE.)
» WARNINGS? illness, body transformation, loss of limb, general body horror, blood, gore

0 0 1 » STAGE 1

Characters start suffering from a light fever. They’ll feel tired and achy, more inclined to bundle up in a warm sweater (if they have one) and drink tea or have chicken soup in bed than anything else. Unfortunately, the food fabricators still don’t provide the best comfort food.

Admittedly: some people are more affected than others. Some don’t seem to be affected at all.

0 0 2 » STAGE 2

For some characters, the fever will go away and they will feel fine for a brief period. It was probably just a cold, right? And then new symptoms set in: something dark and black spreads from their heart toward their extremities through their veins, making them stand out strongly. It hurts a little, or maybe a lot and no one knows what causes this or what it is that is spreading so darkly through their veins.

For some other characters, the fever will also go away and they will feel fine for a brief period before different symptoms set in: something hard starts spreading beneath their skin, making movements just a little more difficult for affected areas. The pain of this ranges from light discomfort to severe.

For yet other characters, the fever grows worse. They experience hallucinations of their extremities turning to dust, just the way it looks when someone arrives on or disappears from the station. They lose sensation in their extremities during those hallucinatory episodes, so if they reach out to touch something with a hand they think has disappeared, they’ll feel nothing. If they try to walk and then hallucinate their legs disappearing, they’ll stumble and fall to the floor.

0 0 3 » STAGE 3

For some characters, the blackness spreads and brings additional symptoms and worsening conditions with it: their skin starts to rot and fall off, toe or fingernails or entire toes or fingers might rot and fall off, wounds open that ooze a black and foul smelling, thick fluid dripping without looking to stop even if pressure is applied. It’s painful, and the open, infected looking wounds will not close, however much characters try to treat them.

Slowly, these characters’ bodies seem to rot and decay while they still live. For non-organic characters, it’s as if their wires are melting down, metals merging together and seeping through components.

For other characters, the hardness spreads and brings additional symptoms and worsening conditions with it: some of their joints may no longer move at all, their skin turning hard and impenetrable. Characters will also their sensory perception of affected limbs/surfaces, becoming unable to notice when someone touches them on an affected area. They may also lose any other sense if the infection spreads to their eyes, their ears, their mouths. Moving is slow, difficult, painful, until it becomes practically impossible. The noises their joints make seem robotic.

Slowly, these characters seem to turn into something else. Something hard and metallic, something unfeeling and impenetrable. Something inhuman?

For those who were still suffering from the fever, it seems like there is finally some good news: the fever lets up - but then affected characters find first their skin and increasingly the entirety of their body turning translucent and insubstantial. It will start with their skin and spread to the tissue beneath. One moment, they are able to see their own organs working, their heart pumping as their ribcage turns see-through… and a while later, well. Have you ever watched someone’s heart disappear? Now’s your chance.

It might reappear for a moment, as though flickering in and out of existence. It might disappear entirely. Slowly, these characters seem to fade from existence.

0 0 4 » STAGE 4

The tables turn as characters’ bodies gain ground in the fight to return back to normal, but some changes disappear sooner than others and some might even seem to be permanent.

0 0 5 » INVESTIGATION

What is wrong with you? What is wrong with everyone? What caused it and how can these symptoms be treated, halted, reversed?

Is there a cure or is it possible to at least understand what’s going on?

Comments

Karen Page

[subplot]

[I'll be tossing up some open + a closed prompt below. If you'd like a closed thread set up for you hit me up at porgs]

OTA

[subplot]

STAGE 1, P1
Karen is well aware that she's not feeling well. The symptoms start to settle in while she's working on access codes on the bridge, but she ignores them and pushes through. It isn't until hours later when she's in the mess hall that it really hits her that she's sick. It makes sense on some level, that the recycled air in this place would eventually get to her. What worries her and really puts her on edge is that they're not back on Earth. She has no idea what kind of germs are even out here, or what she could possibly be sick with.

At least it doesn't feel like anything more than the onset of a cold or a light flu. She's exhausted and knows she's running a fever, and feels like she needs a nice warm bath to deal with her body aches. But it's nothing unmanageable, up until she takes her turn at the fabricator and it isn't able to give her what she wants. Soup would be perfect, but the color and texture of what comes out makes her stomach turn. It earns a curse under her breath and the usually composed Karen Page hits at the fabricator like she's trying to get a stuck soda free from a vending machine. Somehow, the effort is enough to make her sweat more than she's already doing, and in order to distract from her mind racing with panic over the fact she's sick in space she tries blowing it off like this isn't a big deal at all.

"I thought I heard that these things were doing better lately."

INVESTIGATION
By the time Karen's illness reaches a point where she's able to remotely function, she ignores common sense and gets dressed so she can venture out and do what she does best. She knows she's good at being nosy and intrusive when it comes to looking for information, and she's not going to let whatever is going on here stop her. After being bed ridden for a few days, she knows she's behind anyone else that might already be looking into things. And it's not a competition as much as it is Karen's tenacity and desire to help as many people as possible. Sure, she might still have some darkened veins in her face and hands. And yeah, she might still have a slight fever. But she's determined to try and find some kind of cause as to what's going on. Her symptoms have started to go away, but not everyone's has.

That's exactly why she ends up in the med bay, checking out the cryopods and anything else she can examine. When she hears the sound of someone else entering the area she'll stop and offer a hint of a smile. Typically she might be more eager to find someone to work with, but she's lucky to be standing right about now. There's a little wobble as she presses a hand against one of the pods, and she figures that it's probably a good idea to try and be useful.

"If you're here for treatment, I'm not sure anything here will help."

[adjy]

Jyn was laid up for a few days herself, but most of her time away from the investigation has been spent firmly taped to Bodhi's side. There's nothing she can strictly do for him, however, and she's desperate to find out what's happening to everyone. The sound of a familiar voice catches her attention as she enters the medbay, nose red from blowing it so much but Karen looks like she received that dark sickness others had developed. Her eyes widen slightly as she processes the words, taking a few light steps forward. She's in her clothes from home and light cloth boots, feet falling near silently as she traverses the room and takes hold of Karen's shoulder with a gloved hand.

"You look like you could use it more than me."

[subplot]

"Use what? A treatment?" Karen scoffs at the idea, like she's above needing help. There's still remnants of her issue on her, but she thinks she's healing nicely. Or as nice as can be expected, given the circumstances.

Jyn is someone that's intelligent and capable, and Karen's incredibly grateful that she's the one that's here right now. Together, they might be able to find out actual information and make a difference. So any thought of talking about herself is surprisingly forgotten so she can focus on what needs to be done. Her hand touches at Jyn's on her shoulder and she tries smiling, but nothing can shake the look of exhaustion.

"I'm looking for information. We need to figure out what's causing these illnesses, and how we can treat them."

[adjy]

She frowns, no one on this station wants to admit they're sick. She supposes even she's been guilty of it so she's deciding to let it go. If only because she really wants in on the investigating part.

"You think this has happened before? To the past crew?"

[subplot]

"I didn't before," Karen frowns, not wanting to think about what must have happened to them if they were all sick. "But after this, I'm starting to think that the last crew was tortured and either killed or found a way to escape."

Accepting that as a thesis though means that she has to accept that there may be no information out there to find, that there isn't a treatment. They just have to wait it out and see if this is temporary, the same as everything else. It makes her hesitate in poking around further in the medbay. This room hadn't been able to help her when she was feeling at her worst. She isn't sure that it's going to help her now either. So she starts to head out, motioning for Jyn to follow. Thankfully, her gait is slower at the moment, so she's not up to her usual brisk pace.

"I'm not sure this is the right room to be looking in. If you were information on test stimulus being given to lab rats, where would you be?"

[adjy]

Jyn listens without contributing her own opinion, quick to catch on when Karen heads for the corridor. She follows on silent but quick feet, contrasting the click of Karen's mag-boots as she slots in next to her.

"The Bridge," she answers without hesitation. There has to be something in the files still inaccessible to the station, but it isn't like her father's password being his nickname for his daughter. Jyn knows nothing of these people, she had only broken into the library incidentally. She feels like she'll never get the hang of this place or its secrets. She knows Karen must feel much the same.

Closed to Frank - Stage 2

[subplot]

She doesn't make it to his room her first day of not really feeling well. By the time she gets to her own, she barely has enough energy left to collapse in bed. It definitely feels like the flu, and she can't stop her mind from panicking about the fact some other people she saw seemed sick too. Being trapped on a space station with an unknown illness doesn't exactly bode well, and she wants to get up to type a warning to send out to others. Instead, her body gives in to the fever and body aches and she falls fast asleep. She's still fully dressed and in her mag boots when she does.

There's no concept of how much time has passed when she feels something wet and clammy at her hand. Eventually she realizes that it's Max licking at her hand, and she makes a sound caught somewhere between misery and a warning. Frank's there, and she's been changed out of her dress clothes into something light and comfortable. Her eyes open to the sight of an incredibly worried Frank, which causes her to keep her reaction to everything nice and subdued.

"Are you taking care of me?" Her voice is thick and dry, like she's been asleep for days instead of just hours.

The words no sooner leave her lips before the burning pain registers with her. It's in her arms and chest the strongest, and her fingernails rake against her skin like it's going to be able to relieve anything. Her face contorts in pain as she doubles over, but holds out a hand to try and keep both him and Max away. Whatever this is, it isn't anything that exists on their world. This is dangerous new territory, and she can't risk either of them getting sick because of her. She doesn't even notice the darkness in her veins yet, already starting to creep up her neck and toward her face.

[oorah]

"You bet your ass I am," he gruffs out, straightening up from where he'd been hunched over in the desk chair he'd slid over to her bedside. Max is worried too, sitting right beside Frank and watching over her fitful sleep - now into fitful waking. She starts to scratch at herself and he leaps up to put a stop to it, only to be paralyzed by fear when she curls up a moment later, afraid of hurting her. And afraid of that black marking he'd seen. "Karen." He sounds desperate, but it isn't her fault she's like this. She can't help him help her.

He sits back down and roots around the floor for the stuff he'd brought from Medbay. Mostly cold compresses and minor painkillers. Nothing else seemed like it would treat whatever this is. Though he should try getting her to a bed. Maybe when picking her up won't put her in agony though. When or if she can focus on him, he isn't in his usual blue coveralls but black ones that seem to hug him just right. His name, well, his legal name (Castiglione) is spelled out in a patch over his heart and an American flag patch is on the uniform's left sleeve. Other than the short tailored sleeves, everything else about them is like the ones everyone has. The RT logo, the faded, worn fabric. Except this one obviously belongs to him; was made with him in mind. It thoroughly creeps him out, but it's better than what he had.

"Can you... describe it to me? What the pain feels like?" Then maybe he'd know what to do for her, at least to make her a little more comfortable in the short-term.

[subplot]

She doesn't answer him right away, still paralyzed by the searing pain. There really aren't comparable events for her to try and describe it to him. His concern is obvious, and she appreciates it, but it's hard to force words to come out. A pathetic choked sob is what slips past her lips instead, and she tries to breathe through the pain until she's able to look up at him and talk.

"Shower," she manages to say, jaw clinched as she tries setting out for the bathroom alone.

Earlier, she had wanted a hot bath. Now she just wants to douse out what feels like fire beneath her skin with freezing cold water. Her fever's so high that she's hot to the touch, but it's not what she focuses on as she reaches out for him to grab hold of his hand to steady her. Her eyes catch sight of a flash of stitching on his jumpsuit. Castiglone. Has she seen this one before? Her hand touches at his name seconds before her legs give out and she literally collapses against him.

"It hurts, Frank." She's not whining, she's finally trying to describe what it's like. "It feels like I've been set on fire."

[oorah]

Frank is right behind her, as always, ready to catch her should she fall. But he still remembers his own searing pain, how much Karen had hurt him inadvertently. It's the last thing he wants to do to her in return. When she reaches for his hand he clutches on, his other hand curling gently around her waist.

"I know, Karen, I know it hurts." And he hurts for her, running a bit of a fever himself so he doesn't notice quite how hot she is. That and he's starting to lose feeling in his fingertips again. Or is he just remembering what it had been like to be disassembled that way? Either way, he doesn't tell her of his own struggles, just walking with her step by step until they get to the shower. "It's temporary, right? Everything on this stupid station is temporary." He's not sure if he's trying to convince her or himself as he directs her to lean against his chest so he can help her take off her clothes.

[subplot]

"Right," she agrees with him, voice trembling as she tries to ignore the pain. "Everything's been temporary so far. This will be too." It has to be, or else she isn't sure what will happen. It's not good to focus too far ahead right now though. No, right now she needs to concentrate on helping get her clothes off so he can shove her into the shower.

"Are you feeling sick too?" It dawns on her to ask about him now that she can actually get the words out, even if she doesn't bother turning her head to look his way. She still doesn't want to get him sick, but she isn't refusing his help or sending him away. She's secretly selfish enough to be glad that he's here, and is grateful he's willing to take care of her.

[oorah]

"No, not like you," he assures, tossing her top aside and gently moving around her front to help her get her panties off next, directing her to hold onto his shoulder. Frank takes her hand again and helps her into the stall before turning the water on, not quite ice cold, but cool enough to bring her temperature down, he hopes. "How does that feel?" he asks, already losing sensitivity to it the same as before. As long as he's not hurting her he can ignore it, right? He leaves the door open even when water starts to spray out of the shower in a light mist, it feels nice and cool on his face at least.

[subplot]

She wants to feel embarrassed that he has to help her this way, but any sense of awkwardness she might've felt at one time for letting him help her is long gone. So much has happened between them since he had to hold her hair and take care of her after she had too much to drink. There's nothing to be ashamed of here, but it's hard to convince herself fully of that as she slumps over against the wall and lets the cool water fall over her.

"Better," she tells him once she feels a little less like throwing up from pain, and the sound of the water is able to transfix her into a state of concentration on her surroundings rather than what she's feeling. "How are you able to handle being shot so many times? This is awful."

It's easier if she makes this lighter, if she tries to ease up his fear for her safety by making him think she's well enough to be joking around. Determination fuels her and she goes a step further, shakily pushing herself off of the wall so she can stand up. It's easy to hide how weak she's feeling as she leans forward and presses her hand against the shower wall, right by the faucet. Her head ducks down and she gets a good look at her chest and stomach, and can see just how dark and swollen her veins currently are. The sight makes her stomach twist, and there's a lurch as the nausea starts to become unbearable.

[oorah]

"It sucks, doesn't it?" he half-jokes, even while his expression creases in sympathy, reaching into the shower to touch her wrist.

"Look at me, Karen. Focus on me." He remembers saying the same thing to Matt and he swallows. "This is temporary, OK? Remember when you helped me. We're gonna get through this. Together."

[subplot]

Her jaw sets, teeth gritting as she tries not to snap at him. He's doing what he can, and it isn't fair that she let her pain get the best of her. It takes counting to ten in her head and slowly nodding, moving her arm so she can place her hand against his. She doesn't want him to let go. Her head turns and she looks at him, eyes brimming with tears.

"You don't have to be afraid to touch me." If they're going to get through this together, she doesn't want him thinking that he might cause more damage than good.

[oorah]

"I'm not," he argues, his other hand reaching in and setting against her cheek gently as he allows her to keep him hostage. He doesn't care if he gets soaked or floods the whole bathroom at this rate. "Just don't cry, OK? Please."

[subplot]

She weakly nods, eyes closing as she tries to remember to breathe. "Okay." She promises him that she won't cry, and that means having to keep her eyes shut tight for a little while longer so she can will them to just go away. Her hand fumbles to reach for the faucet to turn the water off, and she just stands there dripping wet for a while before opening her eyes and looking back to him.

"You're sure you're feeling fine?"

He feels warm to the touch with his hand against her cheek, and she isn't really sure if that's because of her or him.

[oorah]

"Y-yeah," he manages, not quite convincing. But he pulls away from her to get a towel before leaning back into the stall to wrap it around her shoulders and start herding her towards him and out into the open air. "Don't worry about me, Karen. I'm fine." He sounds a little congested, actually.

[subplot]

She wants to slap him away and tell him that she can do this on her own, just due to stubborn determination telling her that she's weak for not even being able to walk back to bed. But as she shuffles along with him and starts to feel genuinely sorry for herself and what might happen to her, she ends up leaning up against him and letting him basically drag her along while she stays standing on her feet.

"You don't sound fine," she counters, taking note of that congested. When you spend a long time stalking someone, you tend to pick up on when they do and don't sound normal.

[oorah]

He knows she'd usually fight against this kind of babying, so the fact that she leans into it means she really must be in a bad way. Not that the black veins don't concern him, but he just has to focus on her now, on what she needs. Frank helps her sit at the edge of the bed, gently nudging Max away when he comes up to lick water droplets off her legs.

"I'm doin' better than you, alright?" She needs him more than he needs help of his own right now, of that he's sure, only going to her dresser when he's sure she can sit up. He comes back over with a fresh pair of undergarments and begins helping her into them. "It's just... a little fever." And she might notice how his hands fumble, just a little, movements not nearly as smooth as they usually are.

[subplot]

The feeling of Max licking at her legs makes her cringe, and she's grateful for the fact that Frank is quick to shoo him away. Her eyes stay focused on Frank as he moves to get her something to wear, and even as she wobbles and threatens to topple over she doesn't look away. By some miracle she manages to hold herself up, and lets him help her get dressed. She takes notice of the way his hands move and her lips draw a tight line, and she finds herself grateful for the slight murmur of pain she has to give when he makes her move in a way that's uncomfortable.

"We're a team, remember?" She probably sounds angrier than she actually is, but her patience is at an all time low right now. "That means you have to be honest." She definitely has an or else tone to her, even though there's absolutely nothing she can do right now.

[oorah]

Frank finishes getting her underwear and bralette on and starts stripping off his own wet jumpsuit. He leaves the towel and his clothes in a pile on the floor to tend to later and drops onto the bed next to her in his own matching underthings. His head gently touches down on her shoulder and one hand coils around her waist before he speaks up again.

"It's my hands again." It's soft, halting. But she has to know, right? They're a team like she said and he knows she's right. The last thing they should be doing here is hiding things from one another. "I just didn't want you to worry about it."

[subplot]

Karen hates that she's so sick that the focus in on her. All she can do here is slump over like a dead weight against him, ignoring how hot she feels pressed in this close. She likes the feel of his hand against her, and tries pressing more firmly into his touch. Maybe he'll be able to feel it too.

"They're just testing us, Frank." She has to believe it, because she might break down if she doesn't. "It's temporary. Yeah, of course I'm worried, but we'll figure this out." What there is to figure out here, she isn't sure. She's sick and might die, and he's lost his sense of touch. They're essentially at one of their lowest points here, but she's never felt stronger because of their connection. He's going to get them through this.

"Do you think the pods in the medbay will help?"

[oorah]

He nods against her, their combined heat making it impossible to tell who's more feverish. It makes his eyes drift closed, already halfway towards nodding off when she speaks up again.

"Yeah... I mean. I don't know. You didn't want me to take you before." Which he gets, he'll have to carry her. But it is worth a try. Frank lifts his head so he can look into her eyes, fingers digging into her side until he can feel it again. He doesn't really think about if it could be hurting her, so focused on this new plan. "You wanna go now?"