voice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Gotta question for you medical an' science types. Has anyone figured out what it is about those rat bites that makes 'em so dangerous, yet? I heard people got pretty sick. Seems worse than your average infection, by the sound of it.

Comments

Voice |

[watashinonamaewa]

It's most likely a high toxicity level of their saliva or a poison in their bodies that's released through the fangs when enough pressure is given. Many creatures use this as a way of paralyzing their prey so they can eat it without fighting it or killing it themselves.

But I haven't had the chance to dissect one just yet, so I'm going back to do so very soon. If I can get some of the machinery working in Genetics or use the systems in the science department, I'll probably be able to work on some sort of anti-venom.

permavoice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Yeah, I know about venom, I just wasn't sure if that's what was goin' on here. Good to know someone's lookin' into it, though.

PermaVoice |

[watashinonamaewa]

If you would like to come with me back down to Genetics you are free to. I'll need a few good specimens just to test the average levels of their venom, among other things. I'll also need a live one, which could be more risky for unarmored humans.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Hell, I was gonna head over there this afternoon, myself. Might as well make it a team effort so you can get your rats sooner that way.

[watashinonamaewa]

Sounds good. I'll be ready to head out whenever you want to.

Also, I'll need some way to contain the live specimen if we're able to get one. I'll only be able to paralyze it for a short time, so... Do you have any ideas? An available cage or way to safely restrain it?

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Sorry chica, I don't really have anything that'd be real useful for that. Gotta either be somethin' strong enough that it can't chew its way out, or maybe you can come up with a way to muzzle it somehow.

[watashinonamaewa]

Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll find something that will work.

Just let me know when you're ready to go and I'll meet you there.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Sure, I'll do that.

[voice]

[doc_pompous]

We're currently working to find out what it is, exactly. The most we've been able to do right now is treat the symptoms. It seems to clear up in about a week.

permavoice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Damn, I was hoping someone woulda figured it out by now. Guess we're not that lucky, huh? What exactly are the symptoms?

[doc_pompous]

I have staff working on it. We're not certain if they're actually venomous. It's likely they're just disease-carrying, with something passed through the saliva, but I want to wait until we compare results with the genetics department before we confirm anything.

Generally, symptoms are fever, vomiting, headache, nausea, that sort of thing.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Yeah, that's what I wasn't sure about. Sounded worse than the average infection, but that doesn't mean it's not still an infection.

Main reason I'm asking isn't just for my own health, though, or anyone else here. I wanna get my bird killin' those things, and I need to know what the risks are to him if he gets bitten, or if he eats any of the meat. He had some an' it didn't seem to matter, but I dunno if that's just luck or not.

[doc_pompous]

I'm...not sure if that's something I can recommend. I mean, pardon the phrase, but we don't know where those things have been.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

The kinda bird I've got, they eat just about everything. They do a lotta scavenging in the wild, an' the animals on Pandora aren't exactly the cleanest, either. So I know they can handle a lotta things a human can't, but I figure I'd rather know what he's eating, just in case it somehow does get to be a problem. Especially since I don't think anyone on board's got veterinary experience.

[doc_pompous]

If it is venomous, it will take much less venom to kill your bird than it will a human. I'd...assume it's a problem until we have concrete evidence otherwise.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

If he gets bitten. But yeah, agreed. I'll be waitin' to hear the results when you guys figure it out.

[doc_pompous]

They still might be poisonous. We'll try and get our findings out to the general public as soon as possible.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

You dunno about the other things at all, do you? The ones with all the teeth an' no eyes, I mean. I haven't heard anything about them bein' poisonous.

[doc_pompous]

The science department has information on their genetic makeup. Not...poisonous, but also...not pretty.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Yeah, I do know about the genetics. Makes you wonder what the goal was.

[doc_pompous]

I'm not sure I want to know what the goal was.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Guess I figure if I'm stuck here for who knows how long, an' shit like this keeps happening, I kinda wanna know what the hell was goin' on here before we got here. Especially if it explains why we're all here.

[doc_pompous]

I don't think it could have been anything good.

Voice

[soyed]

[Dave isn't any of those people; he's just curious. He's also is out of the loop as to what's been going on.] The rats are making people sick? Are they purposely going around biting people or something?

[Oh shit.

There was that one guy he talked to- the one who was terrified of rats and on the floor cowering, did the guy- considering what he'd said to him- oh, sorry.]

permavoice

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Well, if you go bug 'em, yeah. Just stay outta the deeper hallways an' outta the genetics lab if it's a problem for you.

permavoice

[soyed]

Not a problem for me. I have no plans to go poking mutant rodents any time soon.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Then I'm sure you'll do just fine. The rats an' those other things don't like comin' too close to where most a' the people are.

[soyed]

[Nervous laughter.] You're sure.

[Because see, things have a tendency to just show up around Dave. So even if he were to be careful to avoid certain "things out there," something would come after him. Spaceship or not, his things hung around unseen until they decided to play with your head; he had a feeling that they came with him here.]

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Well, that's how it's gone so far. Guess I wouldn't say anything's a hundred percent on this ship. But considering how half the people on board are armed to the teeth, just stick around other people if the thought freaks you out that much.

[soyed]

It freaks me out more knowing that half the people here have weapons. At least I have a chance with the monsters, not so much when someone loses it and goes on a shooting spree.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Sounds to me like you're easily freaked out, then. At least if someone loses it, there'll be a buncha other people nearby with guns to stop 'em.

[soyed]

That makes me feel so much more comfortable.

[And nervous? Who, Dave?]

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Whether it does or doesn't, it's how things are here. Better get used to it.

[soyed]

Nah, I plan on being out of here before I'm forced into getting used to things.

[idkmybffbloodwing]

Fair enough. I've been here months now and I'm still not used to a lotta shit here. So how d'you plan to get out, huh?

[soyed]

[There's a pause on the other end. He hasn't figured that out yet.]

Portals.

[Best thing Dave can come up with without sounding like he's got nothing- even with saying portals- he doesn't even know about that.]

[idkmybffbloodwing]

The hell kinda portals are you talkin' about?

[What with that being an awfully vague word, with its many variants between universes, after all.]

[soyed]

Whatever first brought us here has to have been some kind of portal, right? Maybe it can take us back. [Or, more likely, somewhere else.

Portals at home were easier to figure out, even if they transported you to places you had no idea where you'd end up in.]

[idkmybffbloodwing]

So, you've got nothin' concrete, just some vague ideas. No offense, muchacho, but that won't get you real far. I don't wanna be here any more than anyone else does, an' I'm always lookin' for a way off this damn thing, but a hunch about a portal isn't gonna do much unless you go find it an' figure out how to get it working.

[soyed]

I plan on finding it and figuring that out.

[If he does find it... Then again, how hard can figuring out a portal be? Near to impossible.]