M1qdTJrm

1The sun'll come out...tomorrow. Betchyer bottom credit that tomorrow... 
2
3There IS sun. But it's still a very clouded mind that gets more or less dumped from a taxi on the tarmac, obviously closer to the docking spaces than the driver wanted to be. Considering the speed at which they take off the second the passenger's feet touch down. Said passenger lingers there a moment, habitually checking pockets that aren't there before stiffly shuffling on to the Hermi. The ramp's already down, somebody from within obviously expecting a visitor. The little brunette ascending the ramp doesn't even give pause, though. Like she owns the place!
4
5
6From the other direction a more familiar figure ranges in, the distinct slink of his stride eating up ground as he moves away from the shuttle services. There seems to be no pressing direction, at least not one to note, only following the broad scan of his attention as it scopes the ships parked here. 
7
8For all it's worth, the PI looks much as he had the night before; showered, dressed now in the tawny brown of his jacket, but otherwise still stuck in the hawkish expression that had settled once his helmet was off, all of them tramped aboard that ship back to Nar. It had been... well, quiet. Beyond the wounded and the navigation, nobody had seemed overly inclined to comment. Iollan had slipped off with only the briefest words. Conversation didn't seem the mood. But now, trailing smoke from one hand, he looks at least more approachable by half. 
9
10"Muri," and that's softer too, lilting but strong enough to cut over the din of the starport as he hoves in close enough to spot her face. The rollup gets another pulls, idly tapped to the side as he asses the new hair for a beat. "Shouldn't you be resting?"
11
12The smaller, foreign figure slows a half step, head down, but throws a hesitant look over shoulder before /too/ long. Yup. Either Muri's got a sister with /precisely/ the same facial tattoo, or that's our girl. The tat and numerous studs of metal jewelry are the only semblance of style that's survived the past 24 hours, however. Gone are the YELLOW eyes, replaced by a more natural color scheme of hazel. Her wild mane of curls is still, in fact, unkepmt - untempered by the beads and baubles typically weighing it down. Gone is the vibrant rainbow of color. What's left is more human, darker than the shade of brown in her eyes. The eyes, the hair, the overly benign if not /soft/ fluttery fabrics swaddling her now create a shroud of approachable fragility that is most definitely not....."Muri." But turn around she did. 
13
14"Shouldn't you?" There's Muri. She's still in there, after all. Her cheeks puff for a moment, shoulders wracked by a brief but stiff spasm. She's suppressing a cough, from the inside. "I got all I need, right here." One of her fists unfurls to rattle a small bottle of pills. "Might could do for another shower, though. I fraggin hate the stench of bacta." And she resumes her uncomfortable trek up the ramp, into her domain. The invitation for him to follow comes in silent form, non-pill hugging hand making a subtle gestures of finger.
15
16
17It was a good guess, frankly. The ship was recognizable, and leastwise what sort of PI would he call himself if he couldn't make a spot like that? But there's something off-beat about seeing her turn around, seeing all the so decently human accents pulled to the forefront. He hides surprise well, truly, tucks it under the crooked half-grin that hols handsome features for a moment instead. "Looking a little rough there, darling." 
18
19Of course, who is he to talk? It wouldn't be a longshot to claim he hadn't slept yet, darkness encircling his eyes, something faded in the usual seagreen there. But either way it's a conversation best had inside; the buttend gets flicked off to the side as he turns to follow her up the ramp, ducking into the entryway. 
20
21"Surprised you're on your feet at all, truth be told," he offers, no unkindly. Gloved hands dip into his pockets as he follows. "That doctor sure knows how work, yeah?"
22
23
24"Yeah." Netep shares in the shadowy-eyed, hollow look. Either she's still taking his command for radio silence to heart, or she hasn't slept a wink. Now that he's caught up to her splinted pace, she reflexively jerks her bared, left arm closer to self, pretending to scratch a non-existant itch. A flash of numerical symbols are briefly in view on inner forearm before she folds it against torso, only to be reminded of just how tenderized said torso is. It drops to her side instead and swings a little stiffly in cadence with her steps. 
25
26"I haven't had my hide handed to me like that in a loooong time," she mumbles and concentrates on opening that vial while making a turn into the galley. The tamper-proof lock doesn't stand a chance against her drug-seeking skills and it pops loose in just a heartbeat. "Ruptured spleen, they say, so...I guess that's been addressed. The ribcage requires time, not credits, but the knee's another story. Opted to wait at home before they can work me in. Not payin for a damn cold table for a bed till then." A few tablets shake out into palm but the shake itself is a little overzealous - or her hand's shaky as hell - so the whole bottle squeaks out from between fingers and PINGS off the fall. Iron supplements....everywhere.
27
28
29If he's noticing anything, he isn't saying. Hell of a poker face. Or he's just polite, in some awful sort of way. But there' no hurry to either of them now, Iollan taking his time in threading through the ship after her, looking over the decor since the last time he's been here. "Could'a been worse, yeah? Least your leg is still attached and all." 
30
31It almost sounds like a joke. They're both having difficulties with that usual humour that snakes through their conversations, easy as breathing. It doesn't seem to hold ground like normal. Broad shoulders shrug gently, roll in as his eyes find her again, taking a slightly more thoughtful once over of the whole thing. Whatever expression haunts his eyes remains distant, unreadable. 
32
33"We still do-" Oh no. He barely gets the first off-hand comments through the door before there's a rain of medication, tinkling around the metal with an almost comical sound. A sharp exhales punctuates with the same energy as s curse while Iollan steps forward, hands appearing from his pockets as he scoops the empty bottle from just by his feet. "Fuck's sake, Muri," comes softly, not angry but /flat,/ "You need to sit down."
34
35"We're not in the field anymore, Mr Commando," Muri growls ever so maturely, leaving the pills scattered where they lay while continuing her slow plod into the galley. She starts to rummage through the sparse cabinetry and netting, searching for HER mug. They're all her mugs, but there's this /one/ with the weird dent that just....there it is. Fingers close around it like a lifeline. "*I'm* the captain, here." 
36
37Even if she sounds like she'd rather cry in a hole than bark orders and snide retorts. An angry jerk of faucet forces a trickle of water to take its sweet time piddling away into the mug until it's half full and she's tired of waiting. Equal force of hand shuts the water off and she drinks her way over to the couch for a proper collapse on one end. The bum leg kicks up and takes up another third of the space. When the mug lowers from her face, she does slide a sly eye sideways to the bottle of Blossom wine still sitting on tabletop. Pre-expedition.
38
39Perhaps it's a little harsh. Lips draw a thin line for a moment, something akin to regret chasing quickly over his face as he follows after her even still. The empty bottle a home on the table, set down with a hollow /plunk/ of plastic. Instead of attempting to fit himself onto the couch with her, Iollan opts to sit just here at the table, leaning an elbow pack against it as heavy boots stretch, find something comfortable in his posture. 
40
41No reply comes for a moment. A hand runs over his face instead, scrubs some fatigue from his eyes as a long and heartfelt sigh creases to life. The sharpness in his tone seems to go with that as the PI then levels a far more amicable look on Muri, takes another beat of well-meant pause to consider things. "We still have no idea what that things even was, do we?"
42
43Netep's mashed four fingers into her right eye, rubbing excessively at what was just a small tickle of an eyelash but is now an angrily inflamed patch of itchy red. The more you scratch, the worse it gets. She knows this adage, having heard it aplenty as a child, but lack of sleep and the lingering effect of hospital drugs have her feeling extra ornery and spiteful. Even against herself. 
44
45"I can't unsee it," she says in somewhat relevant response. The heebie jeebies linger still and those nubby nails dig ineffectively at her neck instead for a few seconds before anchoring back around the mug. "And I've...I've seen a LOT of...of weird, of really, really, borked up stuff." Life on the hyperlanes isn't always smooth sailing, even for fast talkers with killer style. 
46
47"Did you--" Hummmm, her hand wipes at her face again, then she eases her arm over the side, sets mug on the floor, and rocks herself into a one...two...three...UP! To her feet. "Did you /see/ it? I mean not the rush of putrid chaos bearing down with a hungry violence totally uncharacteristic of ANY of the races aboard that ship - OBVIOUSLY you saw that, but...did you see /it/?" And she's on the move again, making a teeter-tottering escape of the galley, back toward the ring corridor. "Before I handed that projector over to whatsherface 'leader', I plugged it into my pack. My pad, in my pack. I made a copy."
48
49The ceiling holds his attention for the gracious span of another few long moments. It's that thousand yard stare though, glassy and barely tracing anything at all. Both elbows find the table, sink weight against it as he just sort of falls into though. But he's listening at least, even as she heaves her way back to standing, rattling off ideas either way. 
50
51"Mhm, yeah," comes hazy agreement. Another sigh, chasing whatever memory has been tugged up by that. "Got the closest, pretty sure. Was all a bit of a blur, but-" 
52
53A hand waves, just from the wrist, some halfhearted end to the trailing thought. Chin tips down slightly to watch as she moves off into another space, not keen on following this time, clearly. "I might have some ideas, but I don't like them."
54
55"Oh, did you have one climbing into your suit, too, like some overeager, drunken date?" Netep scoffs dryly over shoulder as she disappears. The faint skittering sound of kicked pills rescattering is the last noise she makes for several minutes. 
56
57And then she's back, with a similar 'portable' (but bigger'n palm sized) device held in arms. The way some wires are hanging free, it looks like she's disconnected it from a larger ensemble. Not lifting anything over five pounds? 
58
59Box not checked. Sorry, doc. 
60
61"Thought at first the thing was stuck on a loop, figured the circuitry was fried, but then it sorted itself out and spat up this new content, as Sajin was giving me the worst eopie ride ever, through that airlock." Netep plunks it down onto the table in front of Iollan, then blindly reaches under to fiddle with some more hidden conduit. The power source for the gaming element to that table is pulled free and mated to one of the wires snaking from her projector. 
62
63There was probably an easier way to do this. "Okay, watch," she instructs, as if he hadn't gotten a good enough glimpse last night. 
64
65When the hazy images flicker to life, it begins just as it had before, following behind a line of people that were boarding a landed Tamburro on Umgul. "I'm so glad.. we're finally getting off this waste.." A young woman said, looking into the source of recording. She walks under a corridor and groans. "You'd think they'd fix these leaky corridors. Oil is dripping everywhere." She shows the recorder her hand. The man operating it says here, offering a napkin, and when she goes to wipe it, the oil is gone. "Huh.. weird."-- The recording cuts. When it comes back on, it's the man's face we see as he falls over and seizes in front of the camera. His face strains, his eyes roll up a bit, then they simply move separately of each other like something cut the optic nerves. He lets out a final breath as grey matter emerges from his nose, but its drawn back in by the ooze and disappears. Something moves beneath the flesh of his face, then the recording idles out. 
66
67"Okay not that part, although that's definitely not normal," Muri mutters about the escaping/retracted brain bits. "HERE. Her face. That's it. It's in the smile." (the camera being picked up by a child and studied by unblinking eyes. An inhuman smile followed as the camera panned from the child's face to the nearby porthole, where a Coruscanti rescue craft was using a tractor beam to bring in escape pods. When it had them on board, the ship shot into hyperspace and the camera dropped. An airy laugh followed before the image cut completely.) Netep rewinds it to the part where the dead-eyed girl smiles. Chilling, to the core. 
68
69"It...that's it," there's a waver in Netep's voice. This is the part she can't unsee. The dead girl and living PI are blurry through a veil of held tears. "/It/ smiled. It's something sentient enough it-it's...deriving /pleasure/ from this."
70
71
72By the time she's back in the room Iollan is sitting up again, not straight but tipped over, elbows to knees. For a beat it seems he looks at the heavier machine in hand, glancing as if he's considering jumping up to help her, but ultimately stays just where he is. As it thunks onto the tabletop he twists slightly on the bench there, scanning mild interest over whatever she's fiddling with on the technical side. 
73
74It's hard to watch; he doesn't show it. Pale eyes hook on the projection and watch with muted, distant clam. Professional, almost. He watches to the end, until she rewinds, and finally blinks. 
75
76Some part of him seems to uncoil at that, something in the deep oh his chest, and another weary sigh escapes as his head tips forward. The loose fall of blonde covering whatever expression befalls there. On the next inhale he comes back up, looks directly at the screen for another couple seconds. 
77
78"Can you send me a copy of this footage?" is the only comment. It's careful, as if not to startle her, but still very... withdrawn. Mechanical, as if this is a job.
79
80Unblinking eyes watch him watching /it/. That moment in time when whatever /it/ is best reveals its true nature. As he reveals a touch of fatigue and emotion typically kept under wraps. It's a subtle release, but Netep's mastery of /unspoken/ language (in addition to spoken!) catches it with keen eye. Which finally blinks free that tear. "Yeah," she says a bit gravelly, then corrects her thickened speech with a short clearing of throat. "Yeah, sure. What're you going to do with it? Is one of your 'friends' an expert in this sort of thing? Studies corporeal possession of unknown origins? Catastrophic symbiosis?" 
81
82Netep's lower lip draws in between teeth and she holds it there, awaiting an answer with baited breath.
83
84
85With the gravity of it all he gets to his feet, slowly, pulling upwards to the full cant of his height. Still, eyes stay on the projection; still, he holds silence close, let's it play out even as her questions hang there, grasping. Gloved hands have fallen to his side, lax, and in the subtle motion of only a heartbeat they flex. "Someone knows something. It's just digging." 
86
87Then, like an echo, the terrible gravel in his own voice lifts slightly as he clears his throat, finally swinging attention over to the explorer. His own eyes are dry, focused, and they take plain stock of her face for only a second longer than perhaps would be polite. "I spend all my time solving these, Muri. It's my job. Crime, murders, the whole lot of it." A finger points at the scene, easy gesture that highlights the serious heavy of his voice. "That's a murder. Someone knows something."
88
89"But what if they don't? You saw what came out of those...those people, didn't you? What if nobody's seen that and lived to tell about it, but us? Our team? It almost /had/ us. I mean it might, for all we know -- what if I'm infected!?!? Would I even know?" Muri swallows back the oncoming wave of nausea brought on by the revisited moments of life flashed before eyes. "The thought of...I am /scared/ to be alone." And yet the option of calling upon her siblings to come to her rescue seems like an even worse option for her mental health. 
90
91"I want -- let me help?" The way she's looking at him, it's like somebody's little sister begging to tag along with the big kids. Big, pretty-please eyes focus on him a moment longer, then she pulls the plug. On the machine. The image sputters and dies. "I want in. I wanna find it. I mean...find answers. About it." 
92
93Because they already done found it! 
94
95"Please. I know people. Science people. Good people. Smuggled'em off Coruscant after the Order moved in. Maybe they know people."
96
97
98
99What remains of the nearly curt distance seems to fade, gradually, into the more familiar patience he's so known for. The softer eyes, steady on her. Only when she pulls the plug does he glance away, just at where the image was, for a bare heartbeat. Something pools in the steady of his gaze, some consideration, and it stays even as the smallest grin comes back, minuet twitch in the corner of his lips. 
100
101"Then ask who you know - make your calls." A nod, underlining that. "This is something we're all gonna deal with, as it comes, yeah? I'll talk to the doctor later, see where she's at. None of us are in this alone, darling. That much we know." Suddenly, but with measured tenderness, a half-step forward has him close enough to reach out, find the outside of her shoulders with both hands, firm enough to feel. Because he wants to look at her properly. Crystal green eyes skim over her face, one second, then another. 
102
103"You're gonna be fine, Muri. This is just a shit situation, but we'll get it figured. Promise."
104<Newbie> Palena Maris(Palena) says, "There's a command to switch from the imperial to the metric system, isn't there?"
105<Newbie> Oozlevort(oo) says, "+help metric is for height/weight"
106
107Netep releases a trembling exhale, then draws in a steadying breath. And another. In, Out, all the while nodding the flightiest of nods and willing her darker eyes to stay locked on his unearthly calm. For the scarcest of moments, she's not a woman just shy of thirty, but a girl of nine who's climbed MUCH too far up that tree with the native Omwati children like she was warned against doing, and now cannot find a safe way down. So she breathes. That much she can do. 
108
109And she does. Somewhere around focused breath five or six, Netep the shameless wanderer repossesses her faculties and lifts both hands to curl over the tops of his own. She gives them a squeeze and nods, a final time. "I only wonder..." (definitely not the ONLY thing she wonders) "does anyone know they need mourn her? She's just so very small. The little girl. And as awful as her fate was, how awful still might it be, if no one knows she's dead?" 
110
111Recomposure is on the verge of collapse, starting with the shaky smile warped by lips pressed too tightly together. Before meltdown can reach critical phase, Muri abruptly breaks from his reach and turns away to smudge her face in uplifted hem of sweater, then gets busy disconnecting her outdated projector. 
112
113"Sorry. Copies. Can do. Calls - also can do. I'm sure they're already attuned to the latest adventure of Lord Foll-of-it. Having been old colleagues, and all." Keep that mouth workin Muri, you'll be back to self in no time...
114
115
116There lives something in the eyes; her own or his, both. It takes too long, too much looking just at her face here for the insulation of an endless held breath. She's breathing, he isn't, holding so still as if not to startle this moment into reality. Only the plants can see whatever this thing is, passed between them. 
117
118Does anyone know she's dead? 
119
120For the first time there exists the smallest flicker in the bedrock of his eyes, like a current of something dark beneath the water. Something hurt. Maybe it's a memory; maybe a terrible thing for the future. He releases her shoulders without resistance, heavy hands dropping to his sides as she turns away, goes about the motions. Again, they flex, go lax. A deep inhale pushes at the line of his chest as he draws upwards, gaze turned to the ceiling. He holds it for a count of six and then ever so slowly lets the air out, coming back to look to Muri. 
121
122"Whoever you think might know about this, or anything like this. I'll take rumors at this point, or old freighter stories. Whatever it is," comes, a shrug lift broad shoulders. "I'll try and see what anyone else on the team knows, or what they're digging at."
123
124
125The plants have seen much in their many months growing within their halos of soft UV light, though maybe not as much as the epiphytes clinging to Muri's shower walls. Maybe. In either case, the secret remains sequestered behind their cellulose structures, because somewhat sedated Muri is still a little frazzled and unsure and untrusting of even her own instincts. 
126
127Something he says draws a very quiet 'heh' and sniff from the awkwardly hunched Netep as she reconnects the imbedded gaming system to its hidden hub. "Freighter stories, eh..." A glimmer of mischief reanimates her morose expression.  Warning beams slyly his way over shoulder from beneath a mess of ringlets. "Careful what you ask of me, Investigator Canem. For as many as I myself posses, there are but thousands out there, waiting for a willing ear to listen. How much time does yours have?" That eye crinkles in its half-hidden corner and she grips the table's edge to pull herself upright. Only to slide around the corner and lean into the booth, hands crossed to cup either set of ribs. A low 'mmmm' exhales the throbbing regret through her nostrils, and dark lashes seal closed. 
128
129"Regardless, you'll have a head start. If you find anything...Muri@holonet.net." So she's not creative ALL the time.
130
131
132Another breath. Another six count, but subtly this time, quiet and only for himself. But the grin is gaining traction, crooked as ever, urged on by her meandering teasing about freighter stories. That's deserved, at least. A low noise at least close to a laugh rises to life and he shakes his head. "I'll trust your judgment, Muri." 
133
134Habit swings in like an old friend as a gloved hands slips into his jacket, pulls out that black tin. This time though he pulls out a rollup, tucks it to the corner of his lips, and then also plucks free a business card. His full name is printed there, neatly in the middle, and icanem@holonet.net underneath it. He taps it sideways on the table once before setting it down, already moving the sway of his step towards the door. 
135
136"Call if you need anything, darling. I'm always up," he lilts, the pleasant cadence sinking back in as the rambler heads off to the exit, already lighting up that smoke.
137
138
139----------------------Round TWO at the BEACON MEDICAL CENTER-----------------------------------
140
141*--< Beacon Medical Center - Starport District, Nar Shaddaa >*---**---**---**-
142Deep tonal browns and rich reds encompass the decor of this reception area which is small but fitting to its purpose. A picture of Nar Shaddaa is raised up behind the reception desk on the wall on a gunmetal grey metal plate, splayed against painted walls of white. The reception desk itself is made of a beautiful red wood, oiled to perfection and manned by a member of the staff, a secretary of few words.
143
144Wooden chairs line the wall opposite the reception desk, finely carved from the same wood as the desk. Light shines down from pot hole ceiling lights, providing a warm, but clinical glow, over everything and everyone.
145
146
147~~~< Treatment Area - Starport District, Nar Shaddaa >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
148Once one enters in from the reception area they are greeted with stark, harsh white light that illuminates this state of the art clinic, pouring down from large paneling sunk into the ceiling. The same white paint that coats the reception area is utilized within the clinic itself, the flooring comprised of tiles of alternating slate grey and off-whites.
149
150The area is partitioned off into three main sections, one for the surgical bay, which lies behind a set of large, glass windowed double doors, the other into half-walled cubbies, partially private areas equipped with biobeds and curtains to provide complete privacy when needed for general patients.
151
152The ever present smell of antiseptic and other biological cleansers lingers in the air, with cleaning bots hustling through the area to keep everything spick and span.
153~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
154The sedative did its thing, then Ayeeou did hers. She and her aides were at it a good while, too. There was a lot of work needed. When Netep wakes though, she's on a fairly comfortable bed in a rest area that's been curtained off from others. Things are wrapped and kept still, and it has a 'not done yet' vibe. The discomfort she's in probably tells her that, too.
155
156NOT DONE. Yup. That's the vibe she's feeling. That and the residual fuzzy-mouth from the sedative that makes her want a drink but also not want a drink, because finding a drink requires movement. The way her head swims just looking from one side of her curtained cell to the other tells her that she'll not be hopping up anytime soon. Also, motion sickness might be a thing. 
157
158*HUURK* 
159
160Over the side of the bed. Fortunately for her new orderly friend (or the cleaning bots) it's mostly froth and bile. Signs of an empty stomach. "Owowowowowoowow..." she whimperygasps to self, easing down onto her back once more, where head and shoulders may disappear into squishy pillows. Okay. She'll be good.
161
162When movement is detected, notice is sent to the desk and then to the doctor. By the time Netep has learned an important lesson in staying put, Ayeeou is appearing through the gap in the curtain. "Good evening." Which gives the woman some idea how long she's been out. "How are you feeling?" That might be rhetorical. Especially with the wet, slightly frothy floor next to the bed.
163
164Under the papery thin fringe of bedsheet, a thumb goes uuuuuuup. Her drowsy grin is probably equally nonconvincing. "Feel like I could race a round through Kafrene. Just...just great." The thumb deflates. "Maybe after a nap, though. So. Have I still got a leg?"
165
166
167"You still have a leg." Ayeeou replies. "Congratulations. I needed to give your body some time to catch up, but there's more I need to do before you can properly start to heal. Most of that bandaging is just holding things in place until I can get back in there. Is there anything you need, besides a nap? I don't want you having a lot in your stomach, but if you need some water I'll have it fetched."
168
169
170"Could you have'em add a little flavor to the water, like say....some lum?" It's worth a shot. Hahahah. A 'shot'. Of lum. Netep cracks herself up sometimes. While there's no outward laughter noisying up the cubicle, there is a dopey grin stretched across her face. She's awful and she knows it. Meanwhile, her left leg is crooking up at the knee to tent the sheet so that when she peeps under the edge, there's some open line of sight through to said bandages. "D'ya wanna know how I /got/ all those rips and tears an..an /smashed/ bits?"
171
172
173Yee can't help a laugh. "Uh huh. How about we save the lum flavoring for once you can keep things down?" she suggests. Then the sordid details are offered, and she replies "If it's something you're comfortable sharing with me, sure." A chair sits near the bed, and she settles onto it.
174
175
176"Dead people." Hernk. Netep lets a little snort escap in spite of self because it DOES sound so...so very ludicrous. Sedatives or no sedatives. But three cheers for those sedatives because MAN she SLEPT!! At least, she thinks she did. She honestly has no memory past the doctor asking if she was ready. "Really....really strong, dead people." Holding Yee's gaze levelly for a few long seconds, Muri then quirks a brow, scrunches nose, and decides to amend her statement. "Not actually the /people/ I s'pose, technically it was...." The face scrunching worsens by a degree and she uplifts both hands next to shoulders as if to confess lack of knowing. "Whatever /it/ is."
177
178
179Yee makes herself as comfortable as possible, and listens. Dead people, she's familiar with. Really strong, dead people... that gives her some pause. Her huge, black eyes blink. Twice. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Were they... dead, but moving?" That's not disturbing at all...
180
181
182"Were-her they /moving/..." Netep's mouth stretches into a yawn, and lolls her head to the side. "Tore the armor off my environmentally-sealed suit, shredded external elements of my life support, aaaand..." both hands flourish limply at her supine frame. "Honestly not what I foresaw coming when we breached that airlock." So that's that. "Wasn't just the one, of course. Started with nine. Then another room full. Then they just came in this herd, pouring out the passenger compartment and...and it was time to GO. Fire's all that helps. FYI."
183
184
185There is more blinking, from the huge-eyed Nautolan. Yee doesn't seem to know what to do with this information. Finally, she uses her words. "So... they were dead. But moving. And attacking." Nope, still can't wrap her head around it. "Are... you sure they were dead, and not just really ill? I should maybe do a thorough examine for pathogens..."
186
187
188"Pretty sure," Muri rubs at her forehead, then jaw. The hollows under her eyes just add to the grim effect of her haunted half smile. "Shoot'n em didn't exactly slow'em down. Lobbed off limbs didn't bleed, just....oozed black. Things. That crawled away. Fire though, fire's good. Burn one and they aaaallll screamed. And there was the recording we found. And the smell." 
189
190There's no smile anymore, just an empty look at the dead space spanning from self to curtain. 
191
192"I have no idea what they were. Er. What was...inside? Just. It didn't just want to kill me, I think. It wanted /in/." The legnthy stare into oblivion persists until her eyeballs DEMAND a blink. *Blink* "I dunno, maybe. Maybe you should. In case it did."
193
194
195Yee can't help making a face, to all that Netep describes. "I see..." she says, a little weakly. "Yes, I think I'll run more scans. Maybe you should make sure everyone who was with you is scanned thoroughly, too. Have them come in, if they don't have a usual clinic." She scrubs her face briefly with one hand, then says "That must have sucked. I'm sorry you had to deal with it. Was the ship destroyed? Whatever they are is gone now, I hope?"
196
197"Well..." Netep makes a wincey face. "It's gone, yeah. When the returning party of firepower was sent to blow it apart it uh...it wasn't there anymore." 
198
199Dun dun dunnnn... 
200
201"So, there's that to wonder about. You see, Doc, I don't think this is a germ er whatever. I think it's sentient. And knows what it's doing." Muri swallows with a little difficulty, tongue smacking against dry palate. "So sleep's not been easy to come by. Thank your tranq boy again for me, if you would please."
202
203The doctor's eyebrow ridge rises. "Wasn't there anymore?" That's not concerning AT ALL. "Um. Well, I'm glad you told me about it, but that's really, really creepy. If you need something to help you sleep until you've figured out how to cope with that, let me know. And yes, I'll thank the orderly for you. Fortunately, you have more sleep coming very soon, so at least you will be very rested."
204
205
206"Sounds grrrrrrrrreat," Muri groans softly, eyelids drooping to scarcely open. "To all of the above." Although these squishy pillows are helping to lull her sleep-ward without the big girl meds. ;)