Aberrant: The Long March - Chapter 10: All roads lead to Rome

[Mr Fox]

Morgan looks to Steve and then to Amber, "What do you see Amber? What will happen if Andrew takes the serum?"

Amber took Steve's hand and moved her body closer as if for comfort. "I don't really like to look at your individual futures, but I guess this is important." Her gaze moved away from Morgan and settled on Andrew becoming both sharper and less focused at the same time as if straining to see something at a distance while looking through the man in across the bridge from her. After a few minutes she focused on the present and a smile spread across her face. I see several possible futures branching off from this moment and most of them offer significant change. I don't see any harm coming from Andrew taking the cure however."

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew looks almost relieved but he looks around the table at each of his colleagues. "I leave the final choice in your hands. I'm confident enough to risk my sanity and thus my life on this but if you don't all agree I can work up a version for Joani."

[Ulric Reikspar]

"That seems to be settled then," the German statesman says. He would have perferred that he be the choice rather than Joani, but that had seemed pointless to point out.

"Once you've been able to analze the results of this dose, Andrew, how long will it take you to prepare dosages for the rest of us who want it? Any way you could have it done by the time we head to Atlantis?"

[Andrew Murphy]

"That depends, I can't predict how quickly it will work or which aberrations will be repaired first. Currently I can produce a dose of serum in a day provided I have determined the parameters already. I estimate that with Lorean's computing power I can work up the genetic treatment for a person in about two days." Andrew taps him fingers on the table, "Yes, about 3 days per person for the first dose. After that a day per dose. Of course I could work faster if my clones could operate unhindered, but as I said before I don't even know if this will work let alone how it will go about the process."

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

Amber took Steve's hand and moved her body closer as if for comfort. "I don't really like to look at your individual futures, but I guess this is important."

Steve tucked Amber's hand close and put his hand around her shoulders. He put on the blank expression to mask his concern.

They'd talked about this. She didn't like looking at people's futures for lots of reasons. Her powers were more art than science. She might see their death or something equally unpleasant. Worse, she might give them advice that would 'create' a worse event, maybe even their death. Economics was easier and safer... people didn't die from misreading a commercial transaction.

Quote:

After a few minutes she focused on the present and a smile spread across her face. I see several possible futures branching off from this moment and most of them offer significant change. I don't see any harm coming from Andrew taking the cure however."

Steve thought... *Well then, that's it. No... let them reason it out for themselves. She might be wrong, precognition is a tool, not a trump on sound thinking.*

Steve said,

"There's also a risk of doing nothing. Andrew's condition is progressing. We're assuming he still has years or decades, but it might only be days."

"And if it does work a large number of sane clones would be a real benefit for curing everyone else."

[Joani]

"Whatever...", said Joani half to herself and waved the discussion off. Then she headed out of the bridge without having an idea where to go to. She was sick of it all, sick of herself and facing the others was almost unbearable.

What was she supposed to do? She felt trapped within her own misery.

[Courier]

Steve sends to Lorean,

*Lorean, please forward this only to Joani.*

*Joani, this is Steve. I suspect you're afraid you'll lose it again. You might feel better if Lorean had some radioactives on board that she could teleport around.*

*I doubt it will be needed, but having a safety switch in the hands of someone you trust might be reassuring that there's an upper limit to how bad things can get.*

[Joani]

Joani abruptly stopped as she heard Steve’s voice in her head. Turning around as if he stood behind her she felt the compulsion to scream at him but swallowed it down.

*Since when do you care about me? I’m not afraid about anything, Steve! I’m angry! But if you think I’m a security issue, why don’t you just do what you suggested. I don’t care.*

Then she stomped off aimlessly through the corridors of Lorean.

[SalmonMax]

Meredith hesitates, but in the end she doesn't think she can help much in the question about Andrew. She's already said her bit, and hasn't changed her mind about it.

So instead she goes after Joani.

She wasn't hard to find. Meri just followed the thumping noises of her stomping.

"Joani?" she calls on seeing her. "Look, I don't know everything that happened to you, but I can tell you're upset."

That sounded really lame, given how Joani was acting, but she pressed on.

"I guess...I'm just saying...if you want to talk to someone who, you know, is a sort of third party? You helped me a lot when we first got back to Earth. I just want to return the favor."

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Joani Reikspar

*Since when do you care about me? I’m not afraid about anything, Steve! I’m angry! But if you think I’m a security issue, why don’t you just do what you suggested. I don’t care.*

Steve sends,

*Lorean, please set that up. I think Andrew has some samples you could use. Please also inform the others except for Joani about this.*

[Mr Fox]

*Andrew does have some radioactive material in his lab, I will have that placed in the transporter room in a safely lined compartment ready to be sent anywhere necessary. I don't think it will be however, Joani is just upset right now.* Lorean sent directly to Steve and relayed the plan to everyone else.

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew watched sadly as Joani left. "Does that have anything to do with Michael's revelation or have I missed something?"

[Courier]

Steve answers,

"Hopefully it has everything to do with Mike. The alternative is that in the quantum pulse she picked up another aberration or two."

[Mr Fox]

Morgan nods, "All the more reason to hope that Andrew's cure is effective." Looking to Andrew, "So, how is it administered, orally, or intravenously? And of course the 64 million dollar question, when do you plan to take it?"

[Ulric Reikspar]

Ulric hangs his head when Joani leaves. For a moment he looks after her, but then keeps his seat.

"She believes she's been jumping through hoops most of her life, so yes, that pretty much sucks. Either she comes to believe that there are people here who are her friends, or love her, or she decides that none of us are worthy of trust. It's her choice."

He gets up and starts pacing.

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Meredith hesitates, but in the end she doesn't think she can help much in the question about Andrew. She's already said her bit, and hasn't changed her mind about it.

So instead she goes after Joani.

She wasn't hard to find. Meri just followed the thumping noises of her stomping.

"Joani?" she calls on seeing her. "Look, I don't know everything that happened to you, but I can tell you're upset."

That sounded really lame, given how Joani was acting, but she pressed on.

"I guess...I'm just saying...if you want to talk to someone who, you know, is a sort of third party? You helped me a lot when we first got back to Earth. I just want to return the favor."

Again Joani stopped in her tracks turning around with a rather angry look in her face. For a short moment she considered ramming her fist through Meredith's face but she quickly shook that thought off. Sighing she forced a fake smile on her face.

"I appreciate that, Meri - honestly. I just don't know... how or where to start. I shouldn't unload on you. You've got nothing to do with this and I've got family which I should turn to... but I can't. How am I supposed to face them after what has happened?", she looked sadly to the floor.

"I failed, Meredith - I failed on so many levels that I'm losing track how deep that spiral goes. I've been used... and I let myself been used. I was so blind - so stupid - so naive. I guess the only one I can really blame is myself, but it helps nothing to quench this fury I've got. I feel like ripping everything apart - even myself. I wanted to kill Michael - do you understand? Kill him...", she sounded scared of her own voice at the end. Her eyes reflected conflict and uncertainty and Meredith could easily tell that there wasn't much left of the Joani she met a few days ago.

Joani could hear Ulric approaching and it seemed as if she shrank with each step he came closer. She wanted to run away.

[Ulric Reikspar]

He rounds the turn and looks quite suddenly at Joani. His eyes flicker to Meri for only an instant.

"Excuse us," he addresses Meri without looking back to her.

"Joani, I am here for you whenever you want ... for anything. Nothing has changed my love for you. Nothing will."

[Andrew Murphy]

Originally Posted By: Mr Fox

Morgan nods, "All the more reason to hope that Andrew's cure is effective." Looking to Andrew, "So, how is it administered, orally, or intravenously? And of course the 64 million dollar question, when do you plan to take it?"

"Actually its a suppository." Andrew waited for a reaction but quickly laughed, "Kidding, intravenous injection. Though once we know for certain it works larger doses could be administered via an IV. As for the when ... well anytime really. I'd have done it already had I not felt the need to bring this to the table. I suggest we clear the medlab save for myself and possibly Omar. Hopefully if this fails he could subdue me without killing me outright. Though I admit, I'm not really sure I'd want to keep living if this fails and I fall over the precipice."

[Mr Fox]

Morgan shook his head adamantly, "I'll be in that med lab. I don't know what help I can be, but I intend to monitor your vitals and watch over you as best I can."

[Courier]

Steve looks at Amber and she shrugs. He looks at Andrew and says,

"This is a medical procedure, not a sporting event. I'll be on the bridge I think."

[SalmonMax]

Meredith jumps and looks behind her, startled to see Ulric there. Immediately she blushes, and the substance of her body wavers, making her momentarily metallic, then crystal, then back to flesh.

"I'm sorry...I'll just..." She gives Joani a quick look and says, "If you still want to talk later though...it's always good. I don't really sleep anymore so...anyway sorry."

She quickly backs off to let husband and wife speak alone.

[Joani]

Joani raised her hand indicating at Meri that it was ok if she stayed. Looking at her husband her smiled became an honest smile but her eyes remained sad and almost blank.

Originally Posted By: Ulric Reikspar

"Joani, I am here for you whenever you want ... for anything. Nothing has changed my love for you. Nothing will."

"I know my love... it's just... I don't know whom to trust anymore. I don't know what I should believe. Is this real or just another layer of Michael's plan? This uncertainty is driving me mad and I wished I could turn back the time and undo everything. At least my life wouldn't be a lie then. I'm so frustrated and angry I can't even explain how much. It's ridiculous - I should be better than that. I should know better, but I can't. I don't have the strength nor the willpower to do this. I want to tear it all down.", she swallowed hard and then continued.

"You know that I'd never do harm to any sentient being. I've defended life as long as I can remember. I never understood people that were able to kill someone else. But now I know... and I can't go back. I'm just like them now... just like them.", her voice got quiet and she slowly slid to the floor as if all strength has left her body. There she sat and stared at the floor.

[Ulric Reikspar]

He kneels down beside her, keeping his wife at eye level. Even if her eyes have no life, he can try to will some of his spark into her.

"Honey, we start over and build anew. I'll tell Gabriel and Kara. They can tell the rest and we can find a place were you can discover who you are and what you want."

"It's not ridiculous what you are going through. Your very foundation was born out of Michael's machinations. I don't know what you are going through, but I know I can be here for you until you find your place."

"I know we aren't fake, you and I. Start with that."

[Omar]

"I'm ready to go when you are?" Omar said to Andrew as he stood up from his chair.

He turns to Morgan. "I want you to monitor his vitals, and have several doses of Mox ready. Just in case he becomes like the scorpion who has intoxicated himself on mead." He said the last sentence in Arabic. It was an old quote from his original Iraq. It dated back to the days of the Babylonians.

[Mr Fox]

Morgan mentally asked Lorean to have the mox ready, but given the untested nature of the serum he was feeling reluctant to administer it for fear of complications. Looking to Omar, "Only if necessary, but it will be ready." Leading the way he headed to the med lab and prepared the bed with restraints. When Andrew and Omar entered he led the heavily tainted nova to the bed and secured him with straps. Lorean's mini probes flitted about the room recording the scene from many angles while Morgan prepared the syringe filled it with Andrew's cure. Moving to back to the bedside and looking to Andrew, "This may be one of the most momentous moments in nova history, do you have any words you would like to share with the future?"

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Ulric Reikspar

"I know we aren't fake, you and I. Start with that."

"How can you tell?!", Joani accused him swallowing down her anger and frustration.

"It's like a cardhouse, Ulric. Pull out the right card and the whole thing collapses and that's exactly what happened.Everything is dependent on what Michael did. He was in control all of the time. He was the one who manipulated Caroline and me just to test the cabal's "sincerity" concerning their true ambitions. Given his powers he could have probed everyone's mind and make sure that way without exerting control but he decided to pick the easy road - the fast way and sacrifice Caroline and me.", her anger was slowly taking over again and her eyes seemed to burn with a reddish inner fire.

"And now I tell you the irony of it all. After you saved me I fell in love with you, Ulric because you've been there for me from the very beginning. You've been the only one who showed real concern about me above mutual respect. We fell in love and gave birth to two wonderful children... and now Kara is Michael's wife. He made her fall in love with him and I'm defenseless. Stripped. If I hurt him, I hurt my daughter - I can't hurt my daughter.", she shook her head defeated by the obvious futility of the situation.

"He won, Ulric. I was a pawn nothing more. How can you tell what had happened if he hadn't manipulate Caroline and me back then? Would we have ever met? Would all this be happening now? The truth is - we got nothing - not even our freedom of choice or peace of mind. He violated that and there is no turning back now. You will never tell what the truth is, Ulric because you just don't know if your next thought is your own or influenced by him. He has become... god", the fire in her eyes vanished and she stared blankly at her husband. She didn't even have the strength to cry.

[Ulric Reikspar]

"He wins if we live in fear, Joani. He wins if we let him rob us of what we want to do ... and I know, he could be messing with our minds even now. Hell, I know he has the power of a God and I know what it is like to have that power aimed at me. How can I know my daughter is truly happy with him and not merely his ... thing. I can't, yet I choose to believe we did a good job of raising Kara to know wrong from right and I choose to believe that he couldn't strip that away from her."

Ulric sits down next to her.

"Know that as much as I love you is as bright as my own anger burns for what he did to you and what he has stolen away forever. We can't go back to what we had and what you were."

He reaches out and strokes her hand.

"But, I am not giving up on you, or us. We know what's wrong now, so what are we going to do about it?"

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew looks bemused as Morgan and Omar strap him down, "Do you guys honestly think these will even slow me down?" He smiles though as everything is ready. When Morgan asks if he has any prepared words he chuckles, "No, not really. Hell this might not even work. I'd hate to end up a footnote in history who gave a self important final soliloquy." Andrew closes his eyes and takes a deep breath trying to relax. "OK, let's do this."

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Ulric Reikspar

He reaches out and strokes her hand.
"But, I am not giving up on you, or us. We know what's wrong now, so what are we going to do about it?"

Joani tried to find solace in Ulric’s words and for the first time since she knew him it was hard to believe him. She trusted him but his words barely reached her. Some part of her knew he was right and everything dependent more on the decisions you made and less on the circumstances because there was always a choice.

She reached out for his face and cupped it carefully in her hand like it was the most precious thing she had. “Ich weiss nicht mehr weiter, Ulric… (ooc: translation – I don’t know how to go on, Ulric), she said in his mother tongue because it expressed more precisely how she really felt like.

Joani sobbed but didn’t cry. She felt like she was cramping from the inside and had trouble to breath regularly. Then she embraced him and held him tightly hoping to find solace by listening to him breathing and his beating heart. At least touching and holding him felt real to her and that was all that mattered to her for the moment.

[Omar]

He looked at Andrew and then at the syringe in his hand. It looked like a child's crayon in his large hand. In half amused thought, he sighed. Why do they make medical equyipment to fit normal sized hands? He knew why they did, and it made sense. It did not make his job any easier.

Omar grasped the syringe carefully, grateful that he had always been a dextrous person. Gently but quickly, he pushed the needle into Andrew's shoulder. Once the tip was at the depth that Andrew had told him, he pressed the plunger and stood back.

Omar would take no chances. He called forth his claws in case he needed them. What came out, surprised even himself. They were no longer made of bone. They were made of some strange earthen metal that had a sickly red tint to it.

[Andrew Murphy]

Andrew's eyes widened as the sight of Omar's claws, "Damn, looks like you've ... ARRRRGGGHH!" His head slams back into the padded headrest on the bed. Andrew's jaw clenched, wiry muscles standing out like cords beneath his skin. Flesh rolled and liquefied uncontrollably only to return to a solid state in the next instant. Andrew's eyes rolled up into his head as he thrashed. Nearby the diagnostic equipment lit up like the proverbial Christmas Tree with lights blinking rapidly between red, yellow, and green, alarms going off and more. The genetic scanner showed Andrew's DNA getting sliced up and rebuilt in real time even as Andrew himself ground out snarls and cries of pain.

Finally and suddenly, as though a plug had been pulled or a switch thrown Andrew collapsed into the bed and began to liquefy. In seconds he was reduced to little more than a puddle of reddish-brown ooze. Behind them the machines gave up and simply cried out in alarm as no recognizable signal could be found for pulse and heartbeat. Only the EEG and DNA scanners spoke of Andrew's continued life. Mental activity was faint by steady, a reading that Morgan was all too familiar with coming from Andrew, who's brain had long since become decentralized within the greater mass of his being. The genetic scans showed his DNA as stable though what that meant for the cure was unclear.

[Courier]

Steve watched events from the main viewer on the bridge.

Amber asked, "Medical Privacy?"

Steve answered, "Or the illusion of the same. Also if he dies, I don't want my fingerprints on the injection needle. We've been friends for almost 80 years."

Quote:

Andrew's eyes widened as the sight of Omar's claws, "Damn, looks like you've ... ARRRRGGGHH!" His head slams back into the padded headrest on the bed. Andrew's jaw clenched, wiry muscles standing out like cords beneath his skin. Flesh rolled and liquefied uncontrollably only to return to a solid state in the next instant. Andrew's eyes rolled up into his head as he thrashed. Nearby the diagnostic equipment lit up like the proverbial Christmas Tree with lights blinking rapidly between red, yellow, and green, alarms going off and more. The genetic scanner showed Andrew's DNA getting sliced up and rebuilt in real time even as Andrew himself ground out snarls and cries of pain.

Steve's hands balled into fists and his fingers whitened.

Quote:

Finally and suddenly, as though a plug had been pulled or a switch thrown Andrew collapsed into the bed and began to liquefy. In seconds he was reduced to little more than a puddle of reddish-brown ooze. Behind them the machines gave up and simply cried out in alarm as no recognizable signal could be found for pulse and heartbeat. Only the EEG and DNA scanners spoke of Andrew's continued life. Mental activity was faint by steady, a reading that Morgan was all too familiar with coming from Andrew, who's brain had long since become decentralized within the greater mass of his being. The genetic scans showed his DNA as stable though what that meant for the cure was unclear.

The world paused and waited.

[Mr Fox]

In the medical bay, Morgan stood transfixed by the response to the serum. He had expected pain, possible complications, or even odd displays of supernatural phenomenon. He hadn't really expected Andrew to dissolve into a puddle of goo, but given Andrew's taint, he wasn't exactly surprised either. The big question, was this normal or did it mean that Andrew had finally scummed to the taint and lost all grip on reality. He supposed only time would tell. Looking up at the monitors and at Andrew's vitals he felt at least a touch optimistic. Pulling over a chair he watched Andrew and the monitors waiting for any sign of change.

[Omar]

Andrew's reaction surprised Omar, who proceeded to take several steps back. The serum had an effect, it just wasn't the one he expected. He figured that Andrew didn't either. Inside, he now wished he had volunteered. Andrew was too important to the mission to take these sort of chances. Now, as his friend lay in a puddle of goo, Omar realized that it was too late.

[Andrew Murphy]

For what seemed ages there was silence save the quiet beep of scanning machines. Minutes ticked by before the a blip on the EEG. Another quickly followed and slowly, steadily, Andrew climbed back to consciousness. The ooze collected itself, shaped itself, and solidified once more into a more than familiar shape. "Ow."

[Mr Fox]

Morgan sighed in relief and took his first real breath in what seemed like forever. "Damnit man, you scared the hell out of us! We thought we'd lost you completely this time. So how are you feeling? Are you lucid?"

[Courier]

Steve says,

"Alive... but did it do anything?"

[Andrew Murphy]

"Ow." It was less a cry of pain and more a statement of fact. "Holy crap that hurt." Andrew lay on the bed his eyes closed for another minute before he opened one eye and looked at Morgan and Omar. "Did I freak out or something? I feel like Omar just went ten rounds with my body as the target." He smirks, "I'm always lucid. Maybe a little distracted at times, or a little extra cranky, but always lucid ... well except for when we picked up Meri back then..."

[Mr Fox]

Morgan smirked, "Lucid... I think you are using that word a bit loosely, but I'm glad you are back. My point was, how do you feel, any indications yet whether the treatment worked?"

[Andrew Murphy]

"Hmmm, I dunno. Physically I don't feel different, well expect from the stunning pain. Seriously. Omar did you beat the crap out of me while I was out or something?" Andrew looks at Omar as though expecting another punch to the face at any moment. "No? OK, if you say so. Morgan you'll have to observe my behavior to determine if there was any effect. We'll discover what if any effect the cure had within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours I would suspect."