002 | Voice | Text → Scout, Blake, Murphy

[watashinonamaewa]

[ An audio transmission kicks on around four in the morning. Cibo sounds out of breath and her voice is shaking. There's not much other than the shuffling of sheets. ]

Every time I fall into my restful state, I have these terrible... visions.

[ More shuffling. She sniffs up her runny nose. Sounds juicy. Gross. Then a cough. Now it's obvious that her voice was dry and suffering from the exhaustion. ]

In them, I'm in The City again. Killy is still gone, passengers of the Tranquility are there and the Safeguard have — I just feel like we're all really there. That we're all...

[ Her voice trails off. A small hum and the occasional zapping sound of her electrical prod breaks the silence and coaxes her to speak over it. ]

I've never felt like this before. Never so... I'm so tired. Can someone please tell me what this means? What's happening to me? Why do they feel so real?

[ The transmission cuts. Text to follow. ]

I am looking for RESNIK or WARD regarding my wire-cables for connection to the Tranquility's technology. Sulu said that they may be able to help me. I am also still looking for XAVIER or DATA for information on the Science Department. I have already spoken with Doctor Elizabeth Ross, but I am looking for further confirmation.

TEXT → SCOUT
Are you up? I thought of you first. Are you okay?

TEXT → BLAKE
This message may be interrupting your sleep-pattern, but I am concerned. How are you doing?

TEXT → MURPHY
If you are awake, please reply. I have questions that I feel you would be able to answer.

Comments

[text]

[yardbird]

[Murphy's sleep schedule has been all over the place these days. So when he gets a text, he's already partially awake.]

What's up?

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

The visions when I rest. They look like memories, but they aren't really. Do you know what they are?

[voice]

[fuckinghysterical]

[Sarina is hesitant to respond to this, because she was all to familiar with what this woman was experiencing; she herself went through it almost every night. Granted, they were probably far worse dreams than what Cibo was having.]

Did you have something terrible happen to you recently? Heeheehee? Or sometime in your past?

[Realizing that she probably came off as nosier than she intended, her tone starts to back pedal.]

Ah, not that I need specifics, but it-- [A short pause follows, as she briefly deliberated relating her own experiences, but decided against it.] --it happens.

[Because being vague about important topics was what she was all about.]

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

[ What a question. Something terrible? The entirety of The City was terrible. Every day was a struggle for survival. This woman must have meant something more traumatic than usual. The answer was still 'no' but Cibo appreciates the concern. ]

Nothing in particular. It was a critical moment when I was taken, but I didn't think it would cause anything like this.

text

[dashhole]

[It's 4 am. Do you know where your girlfriend is?

Scout rolls over and clears his throat, rubbing his face before looking at the glowing screen. She knows none of this, the response being in text.]

i am now

i'm fine

u ok?

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

I do not think so. The visions were very bad and startled me from resting. I feel panicked like something is very wrong.

( v o i c e )

[wont]

[ The voice that answers is politely curious. Gentle and young and vaguely concerned. ]

You speak of dreams. Or— [ A pause. ] —nightmares, if they disquiet.

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

If nightmares are the negative of the action, then that is what it was. But why did that happen? I've never seen such a thing before.

[audio]

[testgasm]

Nightmares, yeah. That's what they're called. Don't, worry, they surprised me, too. Didn't--didn't expect them at all, those little video files that play back while you sleep. But uh, there shouldn't be anything wrong with you, it's just something that. Happens. To humans. Or so I'm told. Perfectly normal. Unfortunately.

I really wouldn't expect help from Ward or Resnik. What did you need to know about the Science Department?

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

So, to us, it must be some sort of side-effect from boarding this ship then, right?

Sulu told me that Resnik or Ward may have been able to help with my cables. But this is the second time that I've heard they would be difficult to contact. I'll give up trying to contact them for now.

I spoke with Doctor Ross about the Science Department and taking up a position there. She said it was just something that I assume for myself, but I just wanted to make sure.

text;

[learnedtosmile]

[Eh, he might've been sleeping, but honestly, Blake is a bit of an insomniac. He gets nightmares, too.]

They're just bad dreams, Cibo. I'm fine. Most people have bad dreams, once in a while.

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

I have not had them before. It felt as if everything that happened was real. Is that normal?

[Test]

[excessivehubris]

Which Xavier are you looking for? There are two of us aboard this ship.

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

I am not sure. I was told to contact an Xavier about a position within the Science Department. I spoke with Elizabeth Ross but I am looking for confirmation that I am able to assume a position myself. This would be very informal compared to my previous positions within a corporation, so you may see why I am cautious.

audio;

[dirtyword]

You the type of dame that sees the future?

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

No, I don't have that ability. This looked more like a memory to me. It wasn't exactly...

Text

[godofthemachine]

Nightmares. Audiovisual manifestations that occur during Rapid Eye Movement sleep. The human brain attempting to process what it's learned.

Tell me more about yourself.

[Sorry, Cibo, but you seem to have caught AM's eye, seeing as you're some kind of android.]

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

[ Hold the phone. Cibo just understood that. This text obviously wasn't from a human, was it? ]

My name is Cibo. I am presiding in a cloned body created by the Bio-Electric Corporation. My mind has been converted into data for ease of access into systems of The City and for the purpose of memory-restore in the event of death.

Because of this, I never would have thought that something like 'nightmares' were possible. It sounds to be a very organic concept that is unnecessary for me.

text;

[anthropos]

This is Data. Please state the nature of the information that you are requesting.

Text |

[watashinonamaewa]

Are there any requirements to joining the Science Department? I am considered a geneticist but I am experienced in most other fields.

voice;

[sweetmotherofgod]

Nightmares. They're going around at the moment, by the sound of things.

[a pause, because it's hard to think of a polite way to ask "what are you?"]

Where are you from that you don't usually dream?

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

Going around? Are they some form of sickness? [ oh boy. ]

I am from a structure called The City. Predominantly inhabited by monstrous creatures and people like myself. Clones, you could say. Though we are few in number as well.

Dreaming is just something that does not happen. I believe this is for a few reasons.

[leaps]

nightmares
are you alright?

[watashinonamaewa]

I do not feel alright. There is nothing physically wrong with me though. It is difficult for me to describe.

voice;

[scamp]

Could mean that you're crazy.

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

I don't think I understand. I don't display any symptoms of mental instability. At least from what I can tell.