HALO 183: The Not Remotely Gritty Reboot

[billtodamax]

HALO Phone

Hey, Faith came through with some info on New Inside agents. Most of them are staying in the New Inside embassy but there are a couple you can pull off the street. If you give me an email address I can shoot through all the info. Nigel says, reading through Faith's email.

[Deathkeeper]

HALO phone

“Important targets, yees? Send them to meee.” He rattles off an address.
“Our agents must be swift. Is there, anything else?” Artax asks.

[billtodamax]

HALO Phone

Nigel will forward Faith's email to ARTAX while he talks. Nothing much here. Making some progress on the disease but nothing to get too excited by. Looks like the effects won't be permanent at least.

[5a Violista]

[Leaving the Pool Area]

Julia has had enough time lying on the ground after that swim, so she gets up and walks over to her things. She picks up her jacket and wraps herself in it. She puts on the watch-thing again, and then slips her soggy socks into her shoes.

She is immensely relieved that that's over with. Hopefully there'll be no more magic around, and everything will go swimmingly from now on. "That...could have gone worse," she says to herself. "Went pretty well, actually!" Julie brightens up.

Trailing water behind her, she leaves the pool area, wandering the hallways on the prowl again in search of Reinholdt.

[Reinholdt]

[Kitchen]

Since two people are looking for Reinholdt, he'll be impossible to find. Such is just the nature of cats.





I mean, unless they wander anywhere near the kitchen and hear the loud and insistent meowing within. Inside is a small blue cat, standing on the counter, rubbing up against the refrigerator - complete with head nuzzle - and meowing at it. He stops the second someone spots him though, tensing up and staring at the person with distrust.

[5a Violista]

[Kitchen]

Julie hears meowing. Wait, didn't her background research say that Reinholdt is a cat? She's heard conflicting information on whether he's pink or blue, but there's not many cats around of either color, as far as she knows.

She approaches the kitchen, pauses at the doorway long enough to fiddle with the thing on her wrist, and then enters.

"Aww, little kitty, are you hungwy?" the drenched woman says upon noticing what he was rubbing against. She approaches the cat and fridge, slowing down as she gets closer. She holds her hand out, moving it closer and closer, but not close enough to try to touch him. If the cat wants to be pet, he'll have to finish closing the gap himself.
It should be noted that, from earlier, her hand is still pretty warm.

Holding her hand there, she says, "Did you want milk? Or maybe some fish or something?" She opens up the fridge door with her other hand. "Or, I guess, some...salad? Do cats eat salad?"

[billtodamax]

Kitchen

Around the same time Nigel arrives at the other door, pausing on the threshold. Good, you found him. He says, slightly out of breath. Just keep him riiiiiiiight there. He tells Julie, pulling a syringe gun from his satchel and carefully taking at Rein. He's a small target but he's also dumb as a cat right now so it shouldn't be a problem, right?

[Reinholdt]

[Kitchen]

Rein hunkers back as Julie approaches, but then outstretches his neck to sniff at her hand. Sniff sniff sniff. It's uncertain if he finds her acceptable though as he draws his head back and meows at her, licking his lips. And passing along the memetic virus to Julie if she can be infected at all. At least symptoms don't start immediately or anything.

Suddenly, Rein freezes, coiled in full alert mode. It's him. Reinholdt remembers him. The mean jerk who stole his kitten and caused him pain with bad touch. Reinholdt khissses at Nigel, fur getting large and goes to leap upon Julie's shoulder, claws digging in for support as he swipes the air in front of him, trying to scare off the doctor. Bad doctor! Begone!

[5a Violista]

[Kitchen]

Unfortunately, not long ago somebody told her that being mostly human means that she's immune to the memetic virus. So, she won't be vulnerable to it...at least, not yet. All it'll take is somebody making her doubt that by giving a better explanation.

"Hey, ow!" she says as the claws enter her....leather jacket. Most animals can't dig through leather jackets into the skin below that easily, but Juliet pretends that it's hurting her.

She turns towards Nigel and lets the fridge close. "You're a vet, aren't you? This cat is old enough to have gotten his shots already, so why does he need more?" she asks. That syringe gun looks a bit too big to be a simple shot, so...
She looks over at the cat.

"Unless...no!" The dripping-wet woman moves her hands up to protect Reinholdt. "I don't care how much they paid you, castration is torture!"

Jury's still out whether she seriously thinks Nigel's going to do that, or if this is the start of the prank.

[billtodamax]

He's sick, ma'am. It's that virus that's going around. Nigel says, staying well enough away from Rein so as not to spook him. He's normally fully sapient, and I need a scan of his brain to help try and cure him. Sorry, you are human, correct? Nigel asks to double check. Oh no Julie he might get you infected! D:

He's holding his syringe gun but he isn't aiming it at Rein - don't want to shoot this friendly human who is presumably a member of HALO.

[Deathkeeper]

[HALO Phone]

“Have been making own strides. Will send you some data. Secrecy measures lifted slightly in emergency circumstances. Best of luck.”
Nigel will get a reply email containing the data of several blood and DNA samples from infected victims brought in and one infected officer from T Division. Their findings seem to line up with Nigel’s own.

[billtodamax]

HALO Phone

Sweet, cheers. After Nigel gets off the phone with Artax he'll check over the data and begrudgingly send his data through to Artax as well. It's likely more in depth than his but still not very revealing. Need more data!

[Recaiden]

[Science Labs]

Honeysuckle walks through the door and sets down a bundle of blood samples.
Now, where was she? Right.
Near a breakthrough, just like that old member said.

Is there someone else in the lab? Perhaps an overworked Nigel just getting off the phone? Unimportant.

Now, to a first look, there's nothing wrong with infected people at all.
It's only on that second, non-physical, almost undetectable level that something is going on.

Honeysuckle puts on some gloves and starts mixing drops of blood (in a quite non-medically-safe way), with the ultimate goal of testing whether the strangeness of the meme can move from infected to clean blood, whether it can mix and recombine with itself in any interesting way, and things like that.

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Nigel's happy to ignore whatever Honeysuckle's doing.

At first.

Eventually though he gets upset enough from looking at what Honeysuckle's doing that he has to speak up.

Sorry, are you... do you need help there, or...? He says, trying to be polite.

[Recaiden]

"Oh yeah, hold this." Honeysukle says, pushing a microscope and rack of blood film slides and a test tube into Nigel's hands. If he does, that frees her up to pour two test tubes' contents into a beaker and put that beaker in a cooler next to a large sugar-cube.

"Thanks. Are you another old member, or someone new?"
It doesn't seem like he even has a HALO badge on, does he?

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Uh... new, sorry, is that a sugar cube? Nigel asks, cradling the equipment he's given and trying to get a closer look at what's in the beaker. What exactly uh... are you doing?

Nigel definitely does not have a HALO badge on and hasn't noticed that badges are even something that HALO members need. He's still not really sure what HALO is? They have lab equipment and space and noone gets mad when he answers the phone, so...

[Recaiden]

"It's a label." Yes, it's definitely a sugar cube.
The beaker is full of blood. Some from a human and some from an ogre, if he can note that somehow.
"Testing the mixability and spreadiness of the disease in these samples." There are words for exactly each of those things, Honeysuckle.
She goes to take the microscope back and shove it away onto a high shelf where it would be impossible to use.

I'm not sure people are very diligent about wearing badges.
"And what're you doing?"

[Reinholdt]

Badges aren't really a thing. There's only a few test ones as the procedure is being considered.

[Kitchen]

Gah, the wet human is turning. Oh and ew, trying to put her wet hands on Rein. No, that won't do at all. Reinholdt goes to move to the other shoulder, but it's wet too! Not used to so much wet leather, let alone traversing the shoulders of a moving human, Rein falls off, clawing down Julie's back. Julie's lucky she's wearing that leather jacket. The jacket is probably not as lucky.

The cat lands on the floor on his feet and shakes his head, licks his paw, and power walks towards the exit opposite of Nigel as if he intended to do that and no one else was here at all to see anything.

[Felandria]

[Felandria's Office]

"Zeus... I think I've heard about him, too. Thunder-god. There's one in every pantheon, it seems," Dorota observes. "That was when you found out you'd been a deity all along, I take it."

In a sense.

See, sometimes when a child is born of a god and a mortal, if the child is kept unaware of this fact, their divinity doesn’t manifest until they discover their true lineage.

So, when I unlocked the gateway, my true nature was revealed and my body adapted to reflect that.

I would imagine that the fates conspired to grant me the spell required to take the form necessary to open the gateway and take me to my father.

All I really know for sure is that when my father held me in his arms for the first time, everything felt right.

For the first time in my life, everything made perfect sense.

Now, I can’t say for sure if I will ever truly ascend to full godhood or anything, but I do hope to make my father proud and prove that the gifts I have received were not wasted.

[5a Violista]

[Kitchen]

The impulse to lie about her species flashes through her mind, but she already told somebody else so she might as well actually try to keep her story straight this time. Especially if all these members talk to each other when she's not looking.

Julia's jacket is probably ruined - rather unfortunate, since she actually managed to take it off in time earlier to keep herself from ruining it. Drat.
"Aww," she says, not wanting the cat to leave but watching him go, "is the poor widdle kitty sick?" she asks. No wonder this vet-guy is here. Probably because she's going to need time to re-plan things out, she doesn't give chase.
Interesting. Animals can catch it. That's too bad; it's a good thing that, as mostly-human, she is immune.

Turning back at Nigel, she says, "Nope, I'm mostly human. Don't worry, though, I'm not going to eat your brains because I only eat brain-substitute; not in the mood for the real thing right now."

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

So it's like... it's there... as a label, or...? Nigel is a bit distracted from the question, but he does eventually get around to answering it. Sorry, I'm um... I'm also researching the disease - do... do you need like a pipette or something, or? He says, looking at the beaker with concern again.

Kitchen

Yeah, um... Nigel looks at Rein as he starts to slip, gun starting to rise, but he doesn't get a clear shot. You're probably sick now so... try to get somewhere safe where you can't break out when you go nuts and I can find you, hopefully. Nigel says, before looking after Rein. I really need to get that cat subdued though so good luck! Nigel doesn't know if HALO has anywhere Julie can stow herself but since she is presumably a member she definitely knows where she can go. Instead he'll start walking after Rein, trying to walk slowly enough that he doesn't get spooked but quickly enough that he still keeps pace with him. Heeeeeere kitty kitty kitty... He says under his breath as he follows Rein.

[Felandria]

[Hallway]

Felandria is pacing the halls on her cell phone, speaking to her mayoral staff.

Okay, we’ve definitely got to keep this thing under control, quarantines may be neccesary.

Make sure you keep me updated if any new cases are reported, I’m checking in with my people here at HALO to see if they’ve figured anything out.

[Reinholdt]

[Hallway]

Rein keeps glancing backwards and keeps moving just a little faster as Nigel moves, stopping on occasion to see what he'll do, though any motion sends him moving again.

Oh, there's Felandria! Reinholdt knows Felandria. Rein scurries under and behind her feet and has a very high chance of getting stepped on and tripping her if she's not particularly careful. He's mostly there to hide from Nigel, staring suspiciously at the doctor from behind Fel's legs. Though he does look up at Fel and give the most adorable meow. Might even start rubbing up against her leg. Anything to convince her to feed him.

Mew.

[billtodamax]

Hallway

Nigel is frustratingly close to lining up a shot on Reinholdt, but every time he tries the damn cat skitters away just in time. Quit moving you damn thing... He says under his breath as Reinholdt skitters away one final time, before he notices Felandria. Ah, hello! Oh gosh... He says, looking up at her. God she's tall. Probably... - his heart sinks - probably not human. Sorry miss, do you mind awfully picking that cat up? Nigel says, holding his gun low. He used to be sapient, I'm trying to cure him.

[5a Violista]

[Kitchen]

"Wait, but...but..."

Juliana doesn't give chase as they leave the kitchen. "...but I'm almost human. I'm immune," she tells herself, suddenly having small doubts.

Those small doubts are enough to prevent the disease from eradicating itself based on her thoughts of immunity.

Realizing that her heritage has come back to haunt her again, Julie curls up in a ball in a corner of the kitchen and holds her head. "But I have to be immune, I'm practically human."

[Recaiden]

Science Labs

So it's like... it's there... as a label, or...? Nigel is a bit distracted from the question, but he does eventually get around to answering it. Sorry, I'm um... I'm also researching the disease - do... do you need like a pipette or something, or? He says, looking at the beaker with concern again.

Honeysuckle nods. "Right. Don't wanna look too closely to identify which is which."

"Those the little dropper things? Yeah, if you know where they are. There's so much plastic stuff around here; I didn't have time to track them down." Way to go Nigel, you're being helpful!

If provided with pipettes she'll start preparing blood samples on the slides in a significantly less alarming and more precise manner.
"How far've you gotten? What'd'we know?"

[Felandria]

[Hallway]

Rein keeps glancing backwards and keeps moving just a little faster as Nigel moves, stopping on occasion to see what he'll do, though any motion sends him moving again.

Oh, there's Felandria! Reinholdt knows Felandria. Rein scurries under and behind her feet and has a very high chance of getting stepped on and tripping her if she's not particularly careful. He's mostly there to hide from Nigel, staring suspiciously at the doctor from behind Fel's legs. Though he does look up at Fel and give the most adorable meow. Might even start rubbing up against her leg. Anything to convince her to feed him.

Mew.

Hallway

Nigel is frustratingly close to lining up a shot on Reinholdt, but every time he tries the damn cat skitters away just in time. Quit moving you damn thing... He says under his breath as Reinholdt skitters away one final time, before he notices Felandria. Ah, hello! Oh gosh... He says, looking up at her. God she's tall. Probably... - his heart sinks - probably not human. Sorry miss, do you mind awfully picking that cat up? Nigel says, holding his gun low. He used to be sapient, I'm trying to cure him.

Fel looks down to see Rein mewing at her, she giggles.

Hey, Rein.

I see we’re playing kitty today, you want food, huh?

Then she sees Nigel.

Sure, c’mere, Rein.

Fel will reach down to scoop up Rein as she hears Nigel mention the “used to be sapient, I’m trying to cure him” thing

Wait, what?

Don’t tell me he’s infected.

Uh oh.

[billtodamax]

Science Labs

Nigel will dutifully pull a clean pipette from his bag, shuffling around the stuff he's carrying carefully to get to it. It's still wrapped in plastic when he gives it to Honeysuckle. Well it's mostly a mental affliction. Whatever the disease is it mostly expresses itself in the brain, only way I was able to nail it down for study in the blood was with some alchemical runes. The thoughts themselves seem to be infectious? God damn but magic is a pain in the ass. Despite complaining Nigel actually finds the work very fulfilling. He's also easily distracted by it. It also spreads via a combination of sight and sound, so... pick whichever one of those you need less, I guess. You didn't run into Rein when he came back from getting samples, right?

[Morty]

[Felandria's Office]

"So you're part-deity because your father is a deity," Dorota summarizes. "I've heard about divinity being hereditary before. I don't know if it's ever happened in my homeland. Officially, it's not supposed to. But it's not just hereditary, because you had to be aware of it. That's curious."

[Recaiden]

"Oh yeah, don't worry about me. I'm bliiiiiiind." Honeysuckle drawls, tapping her big-impossible-to-see-through goggles. "Can't see anyone to get infected. At all."

"But nah, haven't run across Rein. Ad yah, magic is the worst. It's literally all in their heads. Still just as bad as any bacteria or whatever."

She runs her hand along the edges of a few of the sample slides.
"It's showing to me like what shows up in the blood is just a side effect."