fourth tear ♫ video;

[songburdened]

[ Compared with all of her past broadcasts and the sweet, curious, bright-eyed impressions she's given off in the past, today's view of Elizabeth is a little more on the disturbing side. The young woman is clearly terrified, looking very, very worse for wear. The keener eyes in the ship's residents may notice signs of malnutrition. Dehydration. Exhaustion. In the meanwhile, Elizabeth clutches her device close, shaking, eyes shining with fear. ]

Is... Is this real? Can anyone-- [ She takes a deep breath, trying to keep things together, not doing an especially good job. ] Is there someone there? I... I need help. Please--

[ The lack of the ship's usual humming doesn't help; Elizabeth glances around, terrified, the silence cutting deep into her already-overwhelming panic. ]

Just let me go, I can't take this anymore!

[ Apparently, she and :) don't see eye to eye... ]

Comments

[video]

[yardbird]

Where are you?

[Said in a voice of a man who's trying to be very calm and failing.]

[video]

[songburdened]

I don't-- [ She glances around, shoulders tight at her sides as if she's trying to make herself smaller. ] Near the Medbay... I think.

[video]

[yardbird]

Okay... Okay.

[Think, man. Think.]

I'll be there as soon as I can, alright?

Are... Are you safe, where you are?

[video]

[songburdened]

I don't know. [ She says quickly, clearly fretting. ] I don't even know if this is real.

[video]

[yardbird]

[His camera is shaky, like he's moving at a hurried pace while walking. He doesn't want to hang up on her while he's on his way.]

You're gonna be okay. I'll come get you.

[Murphy knows that look Elizabeth is sporting better than most, having been lost out in the corridors for almost a week, himself.]

[video]

[songburdened]

Yes... okay. [ She can't say how long she's been on the corridors, considering how warped the passing of time seemed. Still, she tries to keep herself composed as she waits, counting the seconds in an attempt to stay focused and in control. ] Thank you, Mr. Pendleton.

[video]

[yardbird]

Don't mention it. Just stay where you are... I'll be there soon.

[He gets into the lift, hoping that it'll get him to where he needs to be faster than on foot, the pace he's going.] I'm gonna keep you on the line, in case somethin' happens.

[A pause, while the lift is moving.]

What... happened?

Text

[toomuchtenacity]

This is Chell. We talked before. Where are you?

Text

[songburdened]

[ Her message is slow, a little less composed than usual as she's still trying to work through what's happened, what is real and what isn't. ]

In the medbay.

Mr. Pendleton came to fibnd me.

Thank iyou for asking.

Text

[toomuchtenacity]

Good.

I'll be down in a few minutes. Do you want something from the kitchens?

Text

[songburdened]

Water

Please

Text->action

[toomuchtenacity]

Sure thing.

[And it doesn't take her long as she was in the kitchens already. Chell knows what Elizabeth looks like, so she'll just look around the medbay until she finds her.]

action;

[songburdened]

[ Elizabeth, slightly better than earlier, though not by much, only vaguely recognizes Chell. When she sees a young woman looking for someone, however, she raises a hand meekly. ]

Here, Ms. Chell, I'm... I'm Elizabeth.

[Video]

[sophically]

Elizabeth! Where are you? I'll come to you! [As fast as she can.]

[Video]

[songburdened]

I... I'm in the Medbay right now. Someone's come to look after me.

[ She swallows, still looking worse for wear, though a tiny touch more calm than she'd been during the broadcast. ]

video;

[peckish4action]

[ The boy's voice is quiet. ]

Were you down there to visit somebody who hasn't woken up?

[ Tiny detective has been keeping an eye out for... most of the jump, really. ]

video;

[songburdened]

No. No, I... followed it into the corridors, I couldn't help it...

[ She'd been so sure that it might lead to answers, that it was for the best, and yet nothing had come from it at all. ]

video;

[peckish4action]

I'm sorry. You safely and all right in medbay, by now? Or do you need help, still?

video;

[songburdened]

I'm in the medbay, yes. [ She looks down, almost ashamed that she'd followed the voice. ] But thank you very much.

video;

[peckish4action]

Okay, that's a start, and you're welcome.

[ A small smile under the shades. He knows that look down pretty well, himself - he's given it, now and again. ]

Hey. You thought it was going to be something important, right? We can't see the future. You didn't know it was going to be horrible, and you tried.

video;

[songburdened]

I did... [ She appreciates the pep talk, despite her unease and experience, and smiles very faintly. ]

... Thank you. Maybe it wasn't right, but... I'm glad it wasn't worse.

[ She's alive, in any case. ]

Does that happen very often?

pretend this was on time

[regulatingpressure]

Elizabeth?

[ here's a familiar face, looking sharp and concerned despite her own obvious fatigue. ]

Hey, listen to me - I'm gonna come find you, but I need you to try and tell me where you are.

[ she can track her down if she has to, but this way's much easier. ]

always

[songburdened]

Raven. [ She's a little--just a little--more put together than she'd been during the broadcast. ] ... Mr. Pendleton found me, I'm staying in the Medbay. Please, don't... don't go out of your way.

[regulatingpressure]

You sure? [ raven sure doesn't sound convinced. ] I could drop by.

[songburdened]

I don't know, I'm still a little confused. [ About what happened, about what to do, where to go from here... whether it's all really, really real. ] Maybe we could talk tomorrow?