( 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

2

[oorah]

Frank is well-attuned to his neighbors by now. Especially Kamala and now Matt. Not to mention he'd know that scream anywhere. It's enough to get him moving, that's for sure. Frank tells Max to stay behind before rushing down the hall towards the shout, mag-boots clicking heavily as he checks every inch of the corridor for Matt or the danger threatening him.

"Red, Red it's me," he mutters, afraid to reach out for him in case he has what Karen has. Matt seems to be in one piece from what he can tell, but there's obviously something very, very wrong. "Talk to me."

[blindninja]

Well it's too late for him to be embarrassed by his reaction. It's more of the surprise at his hand crumbling to dust right in front of him than the pain at first, but now it's only the pain that overwhelms him.

He starts to strain his hearing to check if getting his hand jammed in the door broke any bones but the thunderous roar of clunking magboots drown out the other noises and Matt turns half over his shoulder, honing in on Frank. His hand drops instinctively behind his back and he chews his lip, tolerating the throbbing ache behind his knuckles.

"Yeah. Sorry. I was just... clumsy."

[oorah]

Frank gives Matt a look, sure he'll be able to feel it. He's had a fever for days running and he really doesn't have the patience for this.

"You're never clumsy, asshole. What happened?"

[blindninja]

Matt can feel the Dad Look. It makes him uncomfortable enough to confess half of his problem. At least it's the more pressing half. "Got my hand stuck in the door." He ducks his head and swallows, moving his arm a little out from behind his back. His hand doesn't look a lot more fucked up than the usual when he gets into a fist fight, but it's pretty bad.

"Might have broken something."

[oorah]

"How the fuck did you do that?" But he's already taking a look at Matt's hand, hissing in a breath because it looks painful. "...You're not gonna make me carry you to medbay again, are you, douchebag?" This is how he shows affection if you aren't picking that up yet.

[blindninja]

Frank wouldn't believe him if he said he was hallucinating. Or maybe he would and Matt would get insulted. Either way he tries to gingerly pluck his hand out of Frank's grasp by giving it a faint tug. Pain is better than having no hand there.

"I didn't break my foot." So, no, no carrying required and no fathering either.

"My hearing was playing up again. Didn't hear the door close," he tries to lie.

[oorah]

He lets go instantly, not wanting Matt to hurt himself further. "Good, so let's go." Frank touches Matt's other shoulder and starts trying to head down the hall, hoping the other man will follow. Except, wait- "Since when does your hearing play up?"

[blindninja]

Matt makes a face and starts walking with no small amount of reluctance. He would insist he can take care of his injury himself. Hell Frank could wrap it up for him without kicking up such a fuss. "Since you shot me in the head and knocked my hearing out. You're full of questions today Frank."

[oorah]

That gets a scowl, looking down at his boots with it instead of turning it on Matt even if he wouldn't be able to see it. Maybe it's naive to say he didn't know... couldn't know, that that's how it would affect him. It seems kind of fucking lame to apologize now for something he definitely wasn't sorry for then.

"What can I say, I'm a curious guy." It's soft, he's still going over what Matt said, knowing it isn't the whole truth. "Something's happening to everyone again. Karen's sick." It's obvious he's worried about her, but now he's worried about Matt too. He's worried about everyone on this damn station and he knows he can't do anything for any of them. That's what really gets to him the most.

[blindninja]

"It's okay, Frank." Unspoken apology accepted. He didn't move like a blind man, no way Frank could possibly know how much even an unmuffled gunshot at close range could debilitate him. As usual it's easier to talk about other peoples' problems rather than their own and Matt is certainly encouraging it with the way he picks up that loose thread.

"A lot of people are sick. Their heat signatures are... off." He'd only just gotten used to it too, reacquainting himself with how different people feel to him in space first with the people he was close to and then just with everyone he passed by.

"Nothing wrong with the food or the water as far as I can smell," he adds as they get to the elevator and wait. "Have you been digging around?"

[oorah]

Is he forgiving him for shooting him in the head right now? Or saying it's okay he's sick? Because both are pretty irritating!! Frank ignores it and focuses on making sure Matt isn't about to trip or otherwise injure himself but for once keeps his hands off the other man. What he's saying is interesting information and all stuff he files away, but if Matt's senses are wonky maybe he can't trust it 100% either.

"I hurt myself a lot when my sense of touch was gone," he says suddenly as a rejoinder, fingers rubbing together idly as if to prove to himself he's better. There's a tingle, some numbness... he plays it off as something normal. Maybe he strained himself hefting Karen around, not like that's likely. She's thinner than ever in this awful place. "Not really. Karen always takes the lead on that stuff." Which sounds like a cop-out. Maybe it is. Everything else that happens like this is temporary. The music, his senses, the gravity... They just have to wait it out, right?

[blindninja]

Matt's not going to comment on Frank losing his sense of touch. He's not necessarily more or less worried - he just has to deal with it the same way he's dealt with losing his sight and the occasional disabling of his hearing. He has to wonder why Frank is bringing it up though. Maybe he knows.

"Sounds like a cop-out," Matt points out, echoing exactly what Frank was thinking. He doesn't pass off as a mindreader for nothing. It's one thing to have everyone play to their strengths. Another to stick their heads in the sand and pretend everything will be fine.

"You've been taking care of her." It wasn't a question. As Matt clambers onto the elevator holding his hurt hand against his chest he turns his head in Frank's direction. "Someone who puts her first ought to."

[oorah]

He doesn't even bother arguing with him, maybe Frank really is sick (and tired.) Frank climbs into the elevator and hits the buttons before engaging his boots automatically. He doesn't even lecture Matt about his, allowing him to do whatever it is he's going to do. When he brings up taking care of Karen though, he can't be so stoic. No, Matt had never put her first, but that isn't his fault. Least of all here. Frank just shakes his head.

"We take care of each other," he counters, voice rough and serious. They'd relied on each other for survival since the beginning. Karen is far from a damsel, but Matt knows that too. He doesn't have to defend her honor in this small space between just them, only gently correct the record.

[blindninja]

Matt's worked out his own quiet way of tapping his boots on, turning around softly inside the elevator with his head turned away from Frank as they head down. He knows that they'd gotten close during his trial. At first he had some residual worry for her, even though he knew she could hold her own. Now he's relieved, even though he might never see eye-to-eye with Frank.

"I'm glad things worked out in their own way, in the end."

[oorah]

Frank grimaces, wanting to snap something unhelpful but he holds it back, knowing he's not angry at Matt but this place. The fact that they're all helpless.

"We're alright, thanks for asking." It's soft, no hostility to it. He's not about to be party to Matt's self-flagellation and he really doesn't have the energy to ask him how it's going with Elektra though maybe he should. "It's happening to you, isn't it? Your touch. Is your hearing okay?"

[blindninja]

"Something's happening," is all Matt is going to say about the accident with his hand. He doesn't want Frank to worry. Especially not over something that they can't do anything to fix.

"I can hear fine," he reassures Frank. "Just. Some chambers around here are oddly soundproof. I wish I could be of more help. Tell people what's on the other side."

[oorah]

"No shit," he agrees dryly. Something is always happening here. The rest gets a thoughtful frown. "Which ones are soundproof?" That seems relevant and nothing he had ever given much thought to before.

[blindninja]

"Well. One of the people trapped here. Tall and uh... rather brusque gentleman with some sort of spinal implant." Kovacs never left his name. "He said something about a hangar with a possible... 'spaceship' or something to get out of here with. I went walking around looking for it. I think I found the door he was talking about but I couldn't hear what was on the other side." It didn't strike Matt as odd since he knows the limitations of his hearing, but maybe he is missing some important detail.

[oorah]

He's not sure who Matt means, but it doesn't matter. Not really. Slowly, Frank nods as he accepts the information.

"Another security measure, maybe? Or just because spaceships are fucking loud." It's not like either of them know the real answer, but it's worth filing in case it becomes relevant later. "When you're back to tiptop we should see if those ears pick up anything behind the locked doors."

[blindninja]

"Everything echoes several times over in here," Matt agrees. "But it's. Oddly silent outside." He doesn't know what silent is. Hasn't known it since his enhanced hearing developed, apart from that time Frank shot him in the head. It's just vast and empty and silent outside. He's uncomfortable about it.

"There's more than one?" he asks, sounding genuinely surprised. "I just. Sort of assumed people would have tried getting into everywhere by now."

[oorah]

"We've all been trying." The elevator lets them off on Deck 5 and he nudges at Matt to get him moving. "If you haven't noticed, this place fights back."

[blindninja]

"Did you try asking nicely or did you just shoot at the lock?" Matt couldn't help but quip as he staggers forward and starts walking towards the medbay.

[oorah]

He shoots Matt a glare ineffectually and lets out a rough sigh. "When Karen and me first got here we were trying to open doors. She fell into one and got hurt." Yes, he means into. "After that, a paper showed up telling her every door has a different code and we stayed up almost a week straight putting codes in until the church opened. So, I guess, a little of both."

[blindninja]

"She fell into one?" Matt reiterates, surprised by the phrasing and also not quite able to picture how that would have worked.

"Sounds like someone's playing with us," he muses with a sigh, clenching his teeth as he slows down when they get to the entrance of the medbay. It's unsurprisingly busy - Matt's not the only one having a bout of... clumsiness, it seems.

"Look it's- no big deal. I can just wrap it up," he says, not wanting to get in the way of other people needing help and care.

[oorah]

"Right through. And got stuck," Frank confirms seriously, then nods at Matt's assessment. That seems to be the consensus around here lately. He takes in a sharp breath at the overflowing state of the medbay,, his hand alighting on Matt's arm before he can remind himself why he's keeping his hands off. He's not babying okay, just... supporting. "Why don't you sit down and I'll do it." It's not really an offer he's going to let Matt refuse.