Epidemic Exsilium: Stage Two

[initiates]

Date & Time: June 8th - June 14th
Location: Throughout Exsilium
Characters: Anyone participating in hunting down the sleeper agents; anyone participating in taking care of the ill, or being ill themselves.
Summary: Stage Two of the Super Virus Epidemic strikes; sleeper agents of the United Earth are revealed.
Warnings: Illness, violence, needles. (Those IVs, man!)

Sniffles and coughs aren't unusual during the spring, with people combating allergies even in the far future, and colds being as present as always. But with more and more people falling ill, and none responding to antibiotics, things are starting to get worrying.

The first death is of an infant, on the night of the 7th. It's not the only one: three more are recorded not long after. It's unknown about the state of patients who never presented for medical assistance. Those familiar with viral infections fear the worse, especially as the usually healthy demographic starts arriving, coughing and displaying symptoms of the same sort of illness.

If that's not enough out among the natives, the Initiative has received its own information and insight into the true nature of the virus. "Wasmannian" Agents, spies of the Initiative in the United Earth, have reported back information at great cost to their security in their undercover positions. There is a super virus headed your way. They've been shipping it in to the island since December 3312. These are the manifests. We've deciphered most the code-names. Good luck.

Now the Initiative turns to the Transports for additional manpower to hunt down the United Earth's sleeper agents, pick up the shipments of the virus, and track down its physical origins in order to do something to stop the impending decimation of Exsilium's population.

Things are getting scary. It's a sick, sad world out there. Where are you, in the middle of it all?

Comments

[curatesecrets]

[Artie's come to check on people, and make sure no one he knows is sick ... Ed's face isn't familiar as some, but he's still someone he knows, and as such, he feels obligated to at least say hello.

he squats down and picks up the papers]

Here... do you need me to bring you something for that? Glass of water, cup of tea ...

[imperfect]

No... [Ed has to cough one more time to clear his throat, but after that, he attempts to smile. His eyes aren't completely focused just yet.] I mean, no, I'm good. Must've fallen asleep somehow, that's all. Thanks, though. [He holds his metal hand out for the papers.] You... couldn't pass me that pencil as well, could you?

[curatesecrets]

[Artie frowns. he knows that if the shoe were on the other foot, he'd be just as stubborn about it, but still -]

Maybe you should be resting. It's looking like this epidemic's Priority One, now ... once it's taken care of, you'll have more help to iron out the kinks in those things.

[imperfect]

Hey, this is resting. And I'm stuck here either way. [He says it quite cheerfully, under the circumstances.] Might as well use all the free time for something.

But if you didn't catch anything yet, I won't force you to hang around. [This part is slightly more pointed, though.]

[curatesecrets]

I guess you've got a point, as long as you're not actually working on it. [he hands over the pencil]

This is really getting bad. ... I've been pretty lucky so far, so - if there's anything I can do to help, I'll probably throw my hat in the ring.

[imperfect]

Not a doctor, huh? [If he sounds a little indistinct, it might be the phlegm, or it might be the fact that he's wasted no time diving right back into his notes and stopped paying his full attention.] I can understand that... It's not exactly my field either, but if they'd let me out of here, I'd want to help in some way too. That's only natural.

[curatesecrets]

No, just - just concerned, that's all. And knowing the Initiative, they'll probably find something we can do that's not necessarily medical. I just have to wait for my chance.

[imperfect]

Well, if you're just gonna wait, that's hardly -

[He coughs a couple of times, and immediately looks annoyed with himself.]

Oh, but what do I know? I'm the one stuck in a bed.

[curatesecrets]

Normally, back home? I'd be gathering information on whatever I could. But with just the tablet, I'm afraid I don't have the breadth of resources I used to. I'm -- used to paper. Tactile information.

[imperfect]

You and me both. It's hard to forget what you grew up with.

[He flips a page. The notes on this side are slightly less spidery.]

Although I would've thought a time like this is when they'd have less people to spare for the pencil pushing they do need, if anything. If you were really set on helping right now, there'd be a way.

[curatesecrets]

Is there someone in particular I should go to? Normally I'd ask Saul, uh, Mr. Goodman, but he's not exactly above the weather himself, right now.

[imperfect]

Who? [A memory of something he saw on the network once vaguely stirs, which is apparently a dramatic enough movement to give him a headache.] Oh, one of those high-faluting -

[He coughs.]

Well... if you really think you're sunk, I'd say asking anyone would be a start. My little brother, he ran off to look for errands he could do that way... Something like that. Even if they just tell you to can it, at least you've narrowed it down.

[curatesecrets]

I wouldn't say "sunk", per se, just.... used to knowing where to find what I need to know. But if there's one thing I can do, it's ask questions. Thanks. And.... Let me know if you need anything, okay?

[imperfect]

[He waves his hand in a way that probably isn't as reassuring as he thinks.] Save it for the people who need it. But... you be careful, too.

[curatesecrets]

I will. [he nods, and heads off to see if any of his other friends have been laid low]. I'll talk to you soon.