Space 6

[4/8/2013 10:08:44 PM] Josie: Coil just finished getting Lou to dig up information on Stella Lark.

[4/8/2013 10:13:09 PM] Josie: He gave her a couple of hours to do it.

[4/8/2013 10:13:30 PM] Josie: What's he want to do for those couple of hours?

[4/8/2013 10:13:55 PM] Coil: He's probably going to go lay down for a bit!

[4/8/2013 10:14:46 PM] Coil: Get a couple hours nap until Lou is ready.

[4/8/2013 10:15:40 PM] Josie: Smart man.

[4/8/2013 10:15:55 PM] Josie: After two hours his intercom bings.

[4/8/2013 10:16:06 PM] Coil: He answers it. "Yes?"

[4/8/2013 10:17:49 PM] Josie: Lou: Hey cap, got the information you requested. It's on your pad.

[4/8/2013 10:18:05 PM] Coil: Thanks, Lou.

[4/8/2013 10:18:13 PM] Coil: Coil checks out his datapad.

[4/8/2013 10:18:17 PM] Josie: Lou: Toldja you'd be glad to have me around.

[4/8/2013 10:18:27 PM] Josie: She sounds smug. And severs the connection.

[4/8/2013 10:19:46 PM] Josie: The chunk of information she got is *huge*. You can tell by the size of the (virtual) file. When Coil opens the file he finds everything from Stella's financials, including past purchases, paycheck stubs, and account numbers and passwords to get into them.

[4/8/2013 10:20:34 PM] Josie: There's also her entire Coalition file, which includes a biography and assessments, and her entire medical history, from mental health assessments to the time she twisted her ankle.

[4/8/2013 10:21:18 PM] Josie: There's also a *lot* of pictures and even some video footage, in various states--naked, playing competitive sports, working, reading, sleeping.

[4/8/2013 10:22:39 PM] Coil: ... wow. Thorough.

[4/8/2013 10:22:51 PM | Edited 10:22:57 PM] Coil: Coil is looking into her Coalition file, not the nekkid pictures.

[4/8/2013 10:23:44 PM | Edited 10:23:53 PM] Josie: Everything is there, from favorite color (blue) to shoe size ( 8 ).

[4/8/2013 10:24:29 PM] Josie: The part about her augmentation is pretty interesting, and marked as so highly classified it's probably a capital crime to read it.

[4/8/2013 10:24:50 PM] Coil: Coil promises to forget it afterward.

[4/8/2013 10:26:17 PM] Josie: Stella was part of an experimental project meant to create and train telepaths. The "creation" part was somewhat successful, in a way--humans were augmented to be able to pick up on and sense the same minute changes in the body that the butterflies do.

[4/8/2013 10:26:30 PM] Josie: While it's not  mindreading, it can very much pass for mind reading.

[4/8/2013 10:28:14 PM] Coil: Coil frowns. "Well, she's definitely too dangerous to have aboard."

[4/8/2013 10:30:19 PM] Josie: Unfortunately, the experimental augmentation has turned out to be faulty, and the subjects have all begun to experience neuronal drift that eventually results in neuronal collapse--a process hastened by use of the powers. At least one member of the group has already become brain-dead, which will be the ultimate fate in store for those augmented.

[4/8/2013 10:32:15 PM] Coil: Hrm.

[4/8/2013 10:32:50 PM] Josie: Some members of the group have committed suicide.

[4/8/2013 10:32:58 PM] Coil: How many were there?

[4/8/2013 10:33:55 PM] Josie: Nine.

[4/8/2013 10:35:01 PM] Coil: ... damn.

[4/8/2013 10:35:47 PM] Josie: Stella doesn't seem to be exhibiting symptoms so far.

[4/8/2013 10:36:31 PM] Coil: ((What *does* she do? Is she an interrogator?))

[4/8/2013 10:37:10 PM] Josie: Yes, and a very good one.

[4/8/2013 10:37:43 PM] Josie: Even before augmentation she was pretty good at persuading people to talk--not through torture, mind you, but actual persuasion and verbal tactics.

[4/8/2013 10:38:53 PM] Josie: She's been flagged for risky duty assignments, as the Coalition has decided that since she's going to die anyway it might as well be for a good cause.

[4/8/2013 10:39:03 PM] Coil: What's her latest assignment?

[4/8/2013 10:40:31 PM] Josie: Waiting for several prisoners to arrive so she could interrogate them on various subjects--a member of a proscribed species about other members of that species, a thief about where she hid the rest of her assets, a kidnapping maniac about where he hid the bodies and an android about coconspirators.

[4/8/2013 10:43:09 PM] Coil: Hrm.

[4/8/2013 10:43:47 PM] Coil: Coil rubs his eyes. He feels bad for her... but he can't have her on board.

[4/8/2013 10:44:47 PM] Josie: Her next duty assignment includes mine-clearing duties.

[4/8/2013 10:45:59 PM] Coil: ...well, that is awful.

[4/8/2013 10:46:26 PM] Josie: Survival probability is about 4%!

[4/8/2013 10:46:54 PM] Coil: ...jeez.

[4/8/2013 10:47:46 PM] Josie: They *really* want her dead--and the evidence of her failing brain gone.

[4/8/2013 10:48:42 PM] Coil: Coil sets the pad aside and stares up at his ceiling.

[4/8/2013 10:49:57 PM] Josie: It's ceiling-shaped!

[4/8/2013 10:50:11 PM] Coil: Coil was hoping he'd find something that would make things very black and white.

[4/8/2013 10:51:55 PM | Edited 10:53:28 PM] Josie: It did! She has a 96% chance of death if you leave her.

[4/8/2013 10:53:07 PM] Coil: ...God dammit.

[4/8/2013 10:53:49 PM] Josie: God does not answer! She does smirk and say na na na boo boo out of Coil's hearing, though.

[4/8/2013 10:55:25 PM] Coil: He checks the pad again, looking for any other details. Like, while they were operating on her brain, did they make her slavishly loyal to the coaltion or anything?

[4/8/2013 10:55:41 PM] Josie: No.

[4/8/2013 10:55:53 PM] Josie: That's about it.

[4/8/2013 10:56:18 PM] Josie: She's not particularly special at much else. Mediocre pilot, mediocre shot, mediocre hand-to-hand combat.

[4/8/2013 10:57:06 PM] Josie: Fairly healthy, sadly. Probably live a long life while she's braindead, assuming they don't harvest her organs and let her die.

[4/8/2013 10:58:51 PM] Coil: ...

[4/8/2013 11:00:28 PM] Josie: She loves music, and she plays the cello, as well as the viola.

[4/8/2013 11:02:03 PM] Josie: What else does he want to know?

[4/8/2013 11:02:35 PM] Coil: Nothing, really.

[4/8/2013 11:03:19 PM] Josie: *nodnod*

[4/8/2013 11:03:23 PM] Josie: What next?

[4/8/2013 11:04:20 PM] Coil: He puts the pad aside, and clicks the intercom. "Vir, gather everyone up in the bridge."

[4/8/2013 11:04:35 PM] Josie: Vir: All right.

[4/8/2013 11:06:21 PM] Coil: Coil goes to the bridge to talk to his 'crew'.

[4/8/2013 11:07:50 PM] Josie: He finds the Slug standing on her hands, balancing.

[4/8/2013 11:07:58 PM] Josie: Lou is staring at her. Alice isn't there, of course.

[4/8/2013 11:08:32 PM] Coil: Coil sits in his seat. "What are you doing?"

[4/8/2013 11:08:46 PM] Josie: Slug: Standing on my hands!

[4/8/2013 11:09:06 PM] Josie: Vir watches her out of the corner of his eye.

[4/8/2013 11:10:44 PM] Coil: I thought it was time we should all... talk about this arrangement.

[4/8/2013 11:11:21 PM] Josie: Lou: Yeah? What about it?

[4/8/2013 11:12:02 PM] Coil: You both want to be on the crew.

[4/8/2013 11:13:47 PM] Coil: We do need a doctor and a computer expert.

[4/8/2013 11:15:48 PM] Josie: Lou: And?

[4/8/2013 11:15:59 PM] Josie: Slug: I like it here! All the wonderful smells.

[4/8/2013 11:19:23 PM] Coil: .... You have any problems with each other?

[4/8/2013 11:21:32 PM] Josie: Slug: No, not at all!

[4/8/2013 11:21:38 PM] Josie: Lou: ... that thing creeps me out.

[4/8/2013 11:21:43 PM] Josie: Slug: What thing? Where?

[4/8/2013 11:21:52 PM] Coil: She means you.

[4/8/2013 11:24:29 PM] Josie: Slug: Oh!

[4/8/2013 11:24:39 PM] Josie: Slug: Well, I *do* creep in my natural form, I suppose!

[4/8/2013 11:24:46 PM] Josie: Lou: Whatever, it's not a problem, cap.

[4/8/2013 11:25:12 PM] Coil: Vir? You have a problemw ith either of them?

[4/8/2013 11:26:45 PM] Josie: Vir: Of course not.

[4/8/2013 11:27:04 PM] Coil: All right. Next order of business.

[4/8/2013 11:27:14 PM] Coil: ... up until two years ago, I was a professional killer.

[4/8/2013 11:30:46 PM] Josie: Slug: Oh, I say! ... isn't that illegal?

[4/8/2013 11:30:58 PM] Josie: Lou: A *killer*?

[4/8/2013 11:31:12 PM] Coil: An assassin, whatever you want to call it.

[4/8/2013 11:32:35 PM] Coil: And yes, it's pretty illegal.

[4/8/2013 11:34:06 PM] Josie: Slug: ... oh, well. ... isn't killing rather permanent for humanoids?

[4/8/2013 11:34:12 PM] Coil: ...very.

[4/8/2013 11:34:20 PM] Josie: Lou: A *killer*? I thought you were... a, a thief or something...

[4/8/2013 11:34:24 PM] Josie: She's horrified.

[4/8/2013 11:34:41 PM] Coil: Yes, well, they all had it coming.

[4/8/2013 11:42:09 PM] Josie: Lou: ... what are you going to do now?

[4/8/2013 11:42:15 PM] Josie: Slug: I do hope it doesn't involve killing!

[4/8/2013 11:42:28 PM] Coil: Nothing. I'm not doing that anymore.

[4/8/2013 11:42:29 PM] Josie: ((Sorry. I'll show you why I'm so damned distracted. Hang on.))

[4/8/2013 11:42:38 PM] Coil: ((It's okay!))

[4/8/2013 11:44:00 PM] Josie: (( http://eschergirls.tumblr.com/post/47485639697/iamdrawberry-submitted-so-my-boyfriend-just  See this?))

[4/8/2013 11:44:26 PM] *** Josie sent grimm.jpg ***

[4/8/2013 11:44:28 PM] Coil: ((Yeah?))

[4/8/2013 11:45:02 PM] Josie: ((Take that.))

[4/8/2013 11:46:41 PM] Coil: ((huuuuuh.))

[4/8/2013 11:46:58 PM | Edited 11:47:15 PM] Josie: ((It's not a redraw, I just cut her up and put her back together again to see what the proportions were like without the distracting S-shape.))

[4/8/2013 11:47:09 PM] Coil: ((looks better!))

[4/8/2013 11:51:02 PM] Coil: ((All it took was basically resorting space/time!))

[4/8/2013 11:52:37 PM] Josie: ((Yep! Though my main idea was to see if her proportions were really that out of whack. If you assume she has boob implants they're actually not.))

[4/8/2013 11:54:14 PM] Josie: ((She actually has thunderthighs. There are women out there who have rather large thighs and thin tops--my sister in law is built a bit like that.))

[4/8/2013 11:54:51 PM] Josie: ((Anyway, back to the game. Sorry, I just wanted to fix the broken mirrorgirl by breaking the mirror.))

[4/8/2013 11:55:17 PM] Coil: ((No worries!))

[4/8/2013 11:55:30 PM] Josie: Lou: ... so why're we here, cap?

[4/8/2013 11:55:45 PM] Josie: Lou: Are you... are you turning us in?

[4/8/2013 11:55:50 PM] Coil: Of course not.

[4/8/2013 11:56:58 PM] Coil: I told you about my... previous career as a step toward... trust, I guess. I wouldn't turn you in, and even if I did, you have something on me now.

[4/8/2013 11:58:06 PM] Josie: Slug: Something on?

[4/8/2013 11:58:16 PM] Josie: Lou: Oh.

[4/8/2013 11:58:20 PM] Josie: Lou looks suspicious but doesn't argue.

[4/8/2013 11:59:18 PM] Coil: As you know, Stella Lark wants to join the crew.

[4/9/2013 12:00:07 AM] Josie: Lou: She's Coalition!

[4/9/2013 12:00:17 AM] Coil: She'll resign if she joins.

[4/9/2013 12:01:12 AM] Josie: Lou: She'll turn us all in.

[4/9/2013 12:01:24 AM] Josie: Vir: Why does she want to join us?

[4/9/2013 12:02:07 AM] Coil: This is where her sister died. That's what she told me, anyway. She knows I was lying about the circumstances, I'm pretty sure she wants to get to the truth of it. Turns out she doesn't have much longer to live.

[4/9/2013 12:02:57 AM] Josie: Lou: So?

[4/9/2013 12:03:18 AM] Josie: The slug falls over, and then scrambles up. "Oh dear. What on earth happened?"

[4/9/2013 12:03:34 AM] Coil: Her augment surgery.

[4/9/2013 12:04:24 AM] Josie: The slug looks appalled. "... that's terrible. Poor Stella!"

[4/9/2013 12:04:37 AM] Josie: Vir: One should die where one wishes.

[4/9/2013 12:07:15 AM] Coil: ... The next mission the Coalition is sending her on is basically a suicide mission.

[4/9/2013 12:08:03 AM] Josie: Slug: We've got to rescue her.

[4/9/2013 12:08:22 AM] Josie: Slug: We've got to!

[4/9/2013 12:09:51 AM] Josie: Vir: What are you going to do?

[4/9/2013 12:09:54 AM] Josie: He eyes Coil.

[4/9/2013 12:10:40 AM] Coil: I don't know. I wanted opinions. She joins us, there is one *humongous* issue. And that's the slug-animated corpse of Irene Lark.

[4/9/2013 12:10:54 AM] Josie: Slug: Oh, that's me, isn't it.

[4/9/2013 12:11:03 AM] Coil: Yes.

[4/9/2013 12:11:22 AM | Edited 12:11:33 AM] Coil: What's the penalty for harboring a proscribed species?

[4/9/2013 12:13:02 AM] Josie: Slug: I have no idea!

[4/9/2013 12:13:41 AM] Coil: I'm assuming it's awful.

[4/9/2013 12:14:28 AM] Josie: Vir: Likely prison.

[4/9/2013 12:17:33 AM] Josie: Lou: I say we leave her where she is.

[4/9/2013 12:17:48 AM] Josie: Slug: We ought to rescue her!

[4/9/2013 12:18:04 AM] Josie: Vir: ... we'll bring her here.

[4/9/2013 12:18:28 AM] Josie: He turns around and heads down to the engine room.

[4/9/2013 12:18:40 AM] Coil: Vir?

[4/9/2013 12:19:20 AM] Josie: Vir: Yes?

[4/9/2013 12:19:32 AM] Coil: Where are you going?

[4/9/2013 12:20:11 AM] Josie: Vir: To the engines.

[4/9/2013 12:20:49 AM] Coil: ... I'm still trying to figure out what to do in regards to the prospective new crew member's reanimated sister here.

[4/9/2013 12:21:00 AM] Josie: Vir: You have my opinion.

[4/9/2013 12:21:45 AM] Coil: It's not terribly helpful for the problem that I'm currently struggling with.

[4/9/2013 12:21:54 AM] Josie: Vir: Which is?

[4/9/2013 12:22:29 AM] Coil: What do to about the prospective new crew member's reanimated sister here. I don't imagine she'll react well.

[4/9/2013 12:24:19 AM] Josie: Vir thinks. "Tell her accepting it is a condition of her being here, and that if she cannot she can leave."

[4/9/2013 12:26:38 AM] Coil: ... one other thing. She's a trained interrogator, and her augmentation left her very able to read people.

[4/9/2013 12:27:30 AM] Josie: Vir: And?

[4/9/2013 12:27:45 AM] Josie: Lou: Even more reason to leave her where she is.

[4/9/2013 12:28:10 AM] Josie: Slug: Charity, Miss Lou, charity!

[4/9/2013 12:29:50 AM] Josie: Slug: We have nothing to hide!

[4/9/2013 12:30:00 AM] Josie: Lou grumps. "Yeah, right."

[4/9/2013 12:30:01 AM] Coil: Proscribed. Species.

[4/9/2013 12:31:44 AM] Josie: Slug: Er... she'd find that out rather quickly.

[4/9/2013 12:33:16 AM] Coil: So. That's two for yes, then.

[4/9/2013 12:33:29 AM] Josie: Lou: And one for no!

[4/9/2013 12:35:11 AM] Josie: She glowers!

[4/9/2013 12:35:18 AM] Coil: All right.

[4/9/2013 12:35:26 AM] Coil: Thanks..

[4/9/2013 12:35:56 AM] Josie: Vir nods, and heads for the engine room.

[4/9/2013 12:36:04 AM] Josie: Slug, anxiously: So what are we going to do?

[4/9/2013 12:38:45 AM] Coil: ... I don't know. She might want to kill you.

[4/9/2013 12:39:10 AM] Josie: Slug: We can't leave her behind. I won't stand for it.

[4/9/2013 12:41:07 AM] Coil: She doesn't have long left.

[4/9/2013 12:41:18 AM] Josie: Slug: All the more reason to bring her here.

[4/9/2013 12:43:13 AM] Josie: Slug: Please! She's my... well, she's Irene's sister, at any rate.

[4/9/2013 12:44:26 AM] Coil: All right. Thanks for your input.

[4/9/2013 12:44:58 AM] Josie: Lou: Hmph.

[4/9/2013 12:45:02 AM] Josie: Lou stomps off.

[4/9/2013 12:45:12 AM] Josie: Slug waits with a worried expression on her face.

[4/9/2013 12:45:21 AM] Coil: I haven't decided yet.

[4/9/2013 12:46:42 AM] Josie: Slug: Er... is there anything I can do to help persuade you?

[4/9/2013 12:47:09 AM] Coil: YOu can't travel in time, can you?

[4/9/2013 12:48:49 AM] Josie: Slug: No?

[4/9/2013 12:50:40 AM] Coil: ...then no. I have to balance the risk here.If it was just me and you, sure. But there's Lou and Vir.

[4/9/2013 12:51:30 AM] Josie: Slug: I'll leave then. Would that help?

[4/9/2013 12:52:18 AM] Coil: Whos' talking here? you or Lark's memories?

[4/9/2013 12:52:33 AM] Josie: Slug: ... both. Do we get two votes?

[4/9/2013 12:52:47 AM] Coil: Is Irene Lark alive?

[4/9/2013 12:53:14 AM] Josie: Slug: ... I don't... think so?

[4/9/2013 12:55:51 AM] Coil: ... then no. I'll... let you know what I decide, okay?

[4/9/2013 12:57:01 AM] Josie: Slug: ... she shouldn't be.

[4/9/2013 12:57:16 AM] Josie: Slug: Most odd, most odd.

[4/9/2013 12:57:23 AM] Coil: ...what do you mean?

[4/9/2013 12:57:30 AM] Josie: Slug: Well, she *was* dead.

[4/9/2013 12:58:18 AM] Coil: .... *was*?

[4/9/2013 12:58:30 AM] Josie: Slug: I'm quite certain of it!

[4/9/2013 12:59:10 AM] Coil: ... what are you talking about?

[4/9/2013 12:59:27 AM] Josie: Slug: That Irene was dead, of course.

[4/9/2013 12:59:35 AM] Coil: Is she alive now?

[4/9/2013 1:00:04 AM] Josie: Slug: Why, I really don't know.

[4/9/2013 1:00:12 AM] Josie: She looks down. "I do appear to be breathing!"

[4/9/2013 1:00:30 AM] Coil: ... you weren't breathing before?

[4/9/2013 1:00:58 AM] Josie: Slug: Why no, not at all.

[4/9/2013 1:01:36 AM] Coil: And that's not normal?

[4/9/2013 1:02:07 AM] Josie: Slug: I have no idea! Is it?

[4/9/2013 1:02:38 AM] Coil: You're supposed to be the doctor. Was she dead when you took over her body? or dying?

[4/9/2013 1:02:53 AM] Josie: Slug: Dead, of course. Though people *do* get over that at times.

[4/9/2013 1:03:16 AM] Coil: They *do*?!

[4/9/2013 1:03:43 AM] Josie: Slug: Oh yes. Quite miraculous. Their hearts stop and then all of a sudden, bam.

[4/9/2013 1:03:59 AM] Coil: What would happen if you left her?

[4/9/2013 1:04:33 AM] Josie: Slug: Oh, she would die again. Likely permanently.

[4/9/2013 1:04:41 AM] Coil: ...oh.

[4/9/2013 1:05:00 AM] Josie: Slug: I'm in a rather critical position in here.

[4/9/2013 1:05:43 AM] Josie: Slug: I suppose I might be removed if you didn't object greatly to killing me.

[4/9/2013 1:05:52 AM] Josie: Slug: Er... one hopes you *do*.

[4/9/2013 1:06:39 AM] Coil: How does this work, then. Shes alive, but only while you're inhabiting her?

[4/9/2013 1:07:36 AM] Josie: Slug: I'm... really not sure.

[4/9/2013 1:12:08 AM] Coil: ... did you figure out a name yet?

[4/9/2013 1:12:26 AM] Josie: Slug: No. Aren't you going to give me one?

[4/9/2013 1:14:23 AM] Coil: ... I haven't really given it much thought yet.

[4/9/2013 1:15:06 AM] Coil: My life was so much less complicated when I was navigating a web of complex criminal networks as an assassin.

[4/9/2013 1:15:35 AM] Josie: Slug: Well, there's no hurry, I'm sure.