Jan 21 19:01:12 107 PA - A favour and flu investigation

From Chronicles

Logfile from Rifts.

The current game time is: Sat Jan 21 19:01:12 107 PA. Kingsdale - Public Stables

The Public Stables is a facility that is perhaps one of the largest in Kingsdale. When one hears the word 'stable' they typically think of horses, maybe cows and pigs and the like? Whilst this place has them, it is so much more than that. Exotic beasts from all over North America are cared and looked after here -- special facilities existing to seperate them when required. For example, in the heavily guarded South West of the Stables one can find heavy renforced MDC structures that are meant to hold beasts such as Fury Beetles and the like as well as smaller stalls for horses and the like in other places. Trained handlers ensure that for a fee, each beast is well fed and well exercized. Armed KDM guards keep an eye on them as well. Near the entry to the stables is a small shop where one can buy tack and feed for almost anything as well as to 'check' your creatures in.

A humming sound comes from one of the horse stalls as Sage spends some quality time with Summer Riddle. "That's a good girl." She murmurs approving as she brushes out the animal's coat. She runs her other hand behind the brush to revel in the soft hair.

A bright, almost cheery clip-clop clip-clop sounds from the enterance as LightFeather walks herself in, followed by Vadania with a pail of grain. A soft laugh escaping the shorter of the pair before she states rather affectionately. "You, my dear sib, are a greedy gut. You know your stall." The humming is noted as she passes following the paint into her usual stall.

The arrival of someone else doesn't draw attention from Summer's stall just yet, "There..." Sage says softly as she finishes off, "And now for your reward..." She murmurs before offering the horse the feed that it had patiently been waiting for. Once the horse seems content to munch away, Sage peeks out from the stall. "Hello?" She calls softly, unsure whether she recognized the voice or where the person and mount went.

Vadania answers from farther down the row. Perhaps two or three stalls. "Hello in return." She peeks up herself, half leaning over the door to get a better angle. Then yelps as it seems LightFeather decided to help her lean farther and boosted her over the door so she could look as well. Vada grumbles something softly in that odd tongue of her's as she mock-glares up at LightFeather's head. LightFeather for her part just seems to take it in stride if not a bit of amusement.

Once the other woman peeks out, Sage responds, "Ah!" in recognition as a smile forms on her lips, "Just the woman I wanted to bump into." She mentions before giving a surprised chuckle as she guesses at the other woman's plight. "Need some help?" She asks as she moves towards the other woman's stall. Vadania gets up and dusts herself off as LightFeather actually bumped her up and over the door. "I think then that my four legged sister here has bene borrowing your thoughts as she enjoyed bumping me as well." Her hands idly tracing the lines of the hackemore she took off, then itching where the leather sometimes builds up. A grin showing as she glances back to Sage and blushes a little. "Sorry, you were saying you needed to bump into me?"

A soft chuckle comes from Sage as she's just a moment too late to be able to offer the other woman her hand to aid in getting up from the ground. "I had something more figurative in mind." She replies with light amusement. She glances towards the other's horse to reach out and rub its forehead a little. With her empathic relationship with animals, she doesn't figure this horse will mind the assumption. She glances back to Vadania with a smile that forms again at the hint of blush in the other woman's cheek. "An expression... but I could truly bump into if you like." She says the last bit with a teasing tone. "I had an idea... a favour to ask, really." She adds.

Vadania cants her head slightly to the side as she studies Sage. "After the tickle wars that nearly tipped the teepee, I believe you would bump into me, yes." Her grin setting her eyes a dancing as she lifts on shoulder in a half-shrug. LightFeather on the other hand dips her head farther to see if she can get even more attention. Vada for her parts starts brushing along the extended neck. "If I can do the idea or favor, I would. But without knowing it I can not fully agree to it, yet."

Amusement grows in Sage's eyes as she can't help but smile at the remind of that night. "That was Tirzah's idea... and you seemed to enjoy yourself well enough, if I recall correctly." She comments, bemused. She lets the topic of bumping slip to the side as she reaches her hand to lavish more attention on LightFeather. "Fair enough." She comments, before she purses her lips to consider how to place that. "It was actually something you said that night that made me think of it..." She comments as she considers the other woman, "Since Tirzah and I are planning to become bound as recognized mates... or marriage as some may call it... I was wondering if you could act as a Shaman to perform the ceremony... we are more tied to nature and the elements than by anything else... and, you seem to be share a similarity there..."

Vadania nibbles at her lower lip as she mulls that over. "It is part of what I do, yes. Though still fairly young in the ways of the Shaman." Her grin growing if anything, "It would be a pleasure. Though I would have to speak with you both as to which spirits you wished to bless the union." Her hands moving smoothly through the strokes of brushing out LightFeather's coat. A smattering of white and tawny-brown hairs collecting against her hands.

Patiently Sage awaits the woman's deliberations on the matter, glancing back towards her own stall as she hears noise of movement indicating the horse has either finished or grown bored of the feed. She makes a soft whistling sound as Summer begins to exit the stall she hadn't closed up. "Over here, Summer." She comments, before the horse begins to wander over on its own. It doesn't take long after Sage turns back to Vadania that Summer is nosing her shoulder and looking at the person and other horse. Sage smiles and pats Summer before offering up a carrot stick. Her smile grows a little warmer when the other woman agrees to the favour - in principle at the moment. "Of course, are there any other special things that need to be done?" She asks, "And, I would be glad to hear of any favour you may wish to ask in return."

Vadania's lips twitch at that last bit. Then a laugh bursts out as LightFeather turns her head to look at Vada sadly as if wondering where her carrot is. "Time has to be spoken of. And location. Maybe a sweat lodge time to ponder if it is truely what you both wish. Then an offering to the spirits to hold the binding. All in all pretty easy stuff." Her off hand pointing LF back towards the grain bucket. "There are sweet apples in there and you are wanting a carrot as well, greedy?"

Sage's gaze shifts to the other horse and gives a soft chuckle as she picks up on some of the horse's intent. She glances back to Vadania with a nod, "High noon in the garden belonging to the museum on the first day of spring." She comments, patting her horse affectionately. "And, would a bath house do? You could come along if you wished." She adds, before she purses her lips. "I imagine we could figure something out for the offering." She comments thoughtfully, before smiling softly, "I have another if sweet apples aren't appealing enough at the moment." She murmurs with amusement.

Vadania ahhs and nods. "If hte bathhouse has one of the wooden sweat boxes, then yes it should work. Would work better if they allow one to bring in your own water for steaming." A small grin showing as she shakes her head. "Perhaps when she finishes what she's already got. The apples were a treat as it is becasue the grasses have been chewed short out at the camp."

"I'm not sure if there is one there... but I have only been there once. It seems possible, though." Sage replies, before nodding faintly. She stands over by one of the horse stalls with Vadania. Sage's horse (Summer Riddle) stays beside her outside of the stall - likely having come from two or three stalls down where the door is open. Inside the stall they stand near is Vadania's horse (LightFeather). "Alright." She replies to the comment.

Vadania continues brushing out LightFeather's coat, much to the horse's pleasure. "I would think that most bathing houses would have one. Sun-naw or something like that. Else it is not hard to make one. Even with the woods mostly asleep, I think I could get enough responce from the saplings to get a few to bend for us."

"I have only been there once myself, but I imagine it would be easy enough to find out for sure." Sage replies, "Another possibility could be my greenhouse... but, it isn't all wood." She comments, before nodding to the comment Vadania makes. "Or that." She purses her lips, "And, your favour? Or is it too soon to ask?"

A black shadow glides over the stables and settles on top of the main structure. A few minues later, Vargus appears on the trail back to the landing strip area. His form wrapped in his chitinous armor, he seems to be searching the roofs of the buildings around the area. "There you are...." he says to himself and walks over to the roof that the shadow drifted to. "Okay, I found you... was this your grand plan for something to do tonight?" He seems to be addressing the structure. But after a moment there is a squak, and a slightly amused chitter and Vargus' large metalic familiar swoops down and lands on the man's shoulder.

Vadania's lips quirk slightly as she shakes her head. "I know not a good favor to ask yet. Though you are only asking me to fulful a duty that I would do anyway. Perhaps later we could work on finding some items I need for a fetish I want to attempt." She blinks and rises to lean out of the stall to glance down to see who is talking to the squak.

Sage ahs softly, "I think we'll be good friends then." She murmurs softly, before raising a brow slightly to the talk of fetishes then nods faintly. "If you wish." She comments, She glances up to commotion, "Let me put Summer away..." She decides as she leads her horse back to the stall with a promised carrot stick offered just out of reach. soon enough the man's voice is heard and she smiles a little. "Perhaps your bird wishes to see you try to ride something, Vargus." She comments teasingly.

Vargus's facemack smushes up a little as he frowns underneith it. "Eh, I'm not big on animals... well, unbonded ones anyway." he gives Steelwind a thump on the head. The bird doesn't seem to notice. "Hard to count on when you jump through a random rift, or stumble across something that has more arms that is right.. and the thing gets freaked out and runs. No, he just had this idea to basically play hide and seek. Although, now I find out he was just amused seeing me run all over Kingsdale looking for him... he was orbiting a mile or two above the city, where I couldn't see him." The eagle makes a chittering sound that, even to those unfamiliar, would sound amused. Vargus shakes his head and looks at the pair, "You two makin' your beasties all pretty-like...?" He looks to where Sage just emerged, and to Vadania's horse. "Big..." is his professional assessment.

Vadania pats LightFeather's cheek as she steps out of hte tall and leaves the door open. "Actually she is only a little over the step into medium. I have seen some horses that tower over her and me for that matter. Though that one had someone in really odd armor on it's back. Looked like something out of the posters I saw for some King Arthur."

Offering over the promised carrot stick, Sage will close the door off. She pets her own horses forehead some in fondness. "We'll be doing a little riding again soon enough." She says softly with a smile, then looks over to Vargus with a faintly amused look. "Something like that." She comments, before glancing to the bird then back to Vargus. "Then perhaps you should have choosen something that doesn't fly..." She points out teasingly, "Horses wouldn't be able to do that."

Vargus smirks at Vadania, "Was he swinging a weapon in the air and spouting noncensical blather and boasts? If that was the case, most likely it was Sebastian. He seems a bit touched... but fights like a demon with his blades." He grins over at Sage, the corners of his waxy armor's facemask quirking up. "Maybe.. but his flight has saved both of our asses more times then I can count. Fantastic recon and air cover..." he turns his head to look at the bird. "Although, need to get you some heavier weapons. Those feathers of yours run out too fast in an extended fight." The avian squaks, slightly disgruntled and pecks the side of Vargus' head, leaving a small gouge in the chitin. "Hey! That'll take time to repair, birdbrain..." another chitter. "Gah... maybe a horse would have been better. At least it couldn't damage military armor."

Vadania chuckles softly as she shakes her head. "I do not know, Sebastian is someone I do not think I have met." Her arms folding lightly as she leans back against the gate post for the stall. Her eyes studying the gouge made in the armor as she pures her lips. "I would not bet on that if the horse was properly outfitted and trained."

"I have met him... he is a bit eccentric and full of himself... but he does make a good ally on the battlefield." Sage replies, figuring its hard to deny the man's prowess on one kind of battlefield at least. She nods to the comment about flight, "Yes, flight can have its advantages too." She admits, before she leans gently against the side of Summer's stall. She glances between the two before she chuckles at the last comments exchanged. "Nothing is without its... quirks."

Vargus nods agreement with Sage. "That's my impression of him as well. Although, I don't really think I've associated with him at all that hasn't been in some battle or another." he pauses, folding his arms across his chest. "Yeah. It's only been in fights. Havne't seen him out and around the city all that much. Guess he's not much of a social creature." He shrugs his grayish shoulders. "Flight is what i prefer... picked up a jetpack a number of years ago. Pretty fantastic peice of equipment. Small, portable... and means I've always got a vehicle with me if I decide to go Wander." The last word there obviouslly has some sort of significance to Vargus, given the inflection he used. "It's saved my ass a number of times as well. Besides... it's better then walking."

Vadania's nose wrinkles at that last statement. "I have often found that walking is a better way to see the world. Less of a hurry ripping past the beauty that envolops the world once more." She drops her eyes to there she's scuffing a spot in the aile, "Often times makes me wonder what happened to how folk saw the world when I walk in the cities."

A look of amusement comes across Sage's features at Vargus' comment, "I imagine you would seen him around more if you were... a woman and had his interest." She replies simply, "I saw him more earlier when I hardly knew him." She adds, before shrugging faintly. She nds to the comment about the jetpack, "I get the impression that Erica - if you've met her - likes her jet pack for the same reason." Then glances over to Vadania. "But, she does bring up a point too... hard to appreciate beauty when its more of a blurr that's behind you before you really saw it."

Vargus looks around the group, and around at the stalls. Another glance at the two women and he nods his head a little and brings a hand up, pressing it into the neck of the armor to peal back the facemask. "...nobody sneezing around here. Might be safe to actually breath." he rolls the goo back off of his head and takes a deep breath. "Damn... didn't realize how long I've had that thing on." he looks to Sage and nods his head. "Yeah, I kinda got that impression, too... about the female thing. Yup, know Erica... didn't notice the pack. Will have to ask her to go flying sometime." he pauses a moment. "She seemed too... grounded, to want to go zipping around on some peice of random tech." He looks back to Vadania. "It's more for getting from here to there, without something with teeth too big then is quite natural wanting to apply them vigorously to my very on personal self." He smiles to her. "I like everything right where it is..."

Vadania offers a small smile back to Vargus. "I never said being able to go fast was a bad thing. Just that it was hard to look at the beauty when you scream past it." She lifts a hand to tap a fingertip against her lower lip in thought. "Do not most people travel armed and armored now? If the creature is biting past that to get to your very personal self. Then I think you are in trouble anyway." . A slight frown comes as the man mentions sneezing, "Speaking of which, I might be able to help figure out what is ailing people... although, I would likely need to make sure it was safe enough to get somewhat close to someone ill." Sage comments before pursing her lips. She nods faintly to Vargus' response to her comment about Sebastien. "I don't think she always wears it... but I've seen it." She comments, before glancing between the two other person here.

Vargus grins at Vadania. "That's very true. And yeah, it's very foolish to travel in the world not protected in a few ways, at least." he looks over at Sage, "Do you have environmental armor? Should help you if it's an air-born thingy. Although, I've heard a few people say that they think there's a magic component to it. Makes me wonder... don't have any experience with that kinda stuff myself. But, could give you a hand if'n you're lookin' for one."

Vadania hmms softly as she glances back to Sage. "Sneezing and feeling warm? I know Erica checked into the hospital the other day with those." She frowns a bit at that, "I am not certain it is something I could track though. Do illnesses move like animals and people?"

Sage looks over to Vargus with a nod, "Yeah, I have a set." She comments, before glancing over to Vadania. "Oh?" She asks softly, "Perhaps I should call over the hospital and see if they've figured out whether environmental armor is enough." She glances over to Vargus with a thoughtful look. "Well, I may be able to get a little more insight into the matter if I can diagnose it with ... my psychic senses."

"Hummm... brain stuff." Vargus replies. "Don't know much about that, either." He looks at Vadania and tilts his head slightly to the side. "Hummm... what do you mean.. move like animals and people? Like, move between them?" He shrugs his shoulders melodramatically, "I never studied biology, too squishy for my tastes. Give me a dusty old tome, and some cracked pottery... that's right up my ally." He chuckles, more to and at himself then anything.

Vadania snorts softly as she shakes her head and gestures at the floor where there are all sorts of tracks showing in the dust. "Those move like a man or animal. Though perhaps I should go to the hospital as well to see if any of hte herb remidies I know might work."

"I should go make a phone call and get ready in case my armor wil be enough to protect me." Sage comments simply, "I should be able to tell if herbal remedies will work if I can diagnose it psychically. Perhaps we can meet up before heading there if its safe enough for us..." She looks over to Vadania as she begins to get ready to head out.

Helmet in hand Tirzah casually makes her way through the somewhat familiar stables. Having a very acute sense of small has it draw backs though, as she wrinkles her nose over the din of the air. Luckily it comes with a high resvoire. she simply avoids breathing as much as possible.

Vargus nods his head to Sage again. "Sure... I can head over there with you now, if that's where you're going. Or give me a buzz later on and I can meet you there." He turns and sees Tirzah, and gives her a wave-of-greeting.

Vadania hmms softly at that and nods. "You are going to signal the hospital to see if they know already? How many are affected would be a good bit of news too. Then maybe a pattern could be found other than that it's just the darker areas." Sage nods, "Hopefully they've figured something out... or the hospital may well be having issues of their own." She comments, "And, perhaps we can figure more out... but if there are too many uncertainties... it may not be worth risking everyone getting ill trying to help." She comments before realizing that Tirzah has arrived and offers her partner a smile. "Hey..."

Tirzah moves to silently enbrace Sage with the greeting softly exhaling to still herself for the intake talking requires. "Hey. Thought I'd find you at the hospital already. Pretty bad in the Dregs from what I saw." she notes returning the wave to Vargus after a moment.

Returning the embrace, Sage smiles softly. "Vadania agreed to perform the ceremony for us in spring." She murmurs softly with the happy news, "But, she has some specific things we'll need to do." She comments before nodding, "We were just talking about that. Do you know if environmental body armor is enough? I was going to radio over to the hospital to check."

Vadania makes a fat at Tirzah, then offers a hug in turn. "Congratulations on your choice. We'll have to speak more of what's needed before spring. But perhaps the illness needs to be taken care of first?" A grin showing, "Otherwise it could be scarce on guests."

Vargus's eyebrows quirk up, eyes shifting between Sage and Tirzah. "Ceremony...?" a pause, then he smiles, "Congrats you two..." He looks over to Vadania. "You seem to know stuff about things..." he furrows his brow and shakes his head. "At least, sounds like you know things about the stuff that's going on.. have you been by the hospital yet? Sounds like they might could use you."

"Well I haven't come down with anything despite a thorough tour of the Dregs. You can almost watch it spread there as hours pass. But I did run some fire over it after to sterilize it just in case. From what I saw it doesn't take much." She explains her expression a bit grim. She does force a smile though for the congratulations and Vadania. "Thank you Vadania, it means much to us both to have someone so in touch with nature and the elements to do the honors."

"Yes, we'll need to deal with the ilness." Sage agrees, before looking to Vargus with a smile. "Thank you. I suppose you could come if you like." She comments, before looking to Tirzah. she nods faintly, "Alright... then I guess I should get ready to diagnose what's going on." She comments, before looking Vadania with a smile. "Alright... we'll worry about happy stuff later... I don't suspect any of us will be smiling in a little bit."

Vadania nods to that as she turns to gently close the gate to LightFeather's stall halfway. "Sister, if I am not back by the fall of night's shades. Head back to the camp. I'll come out if you have left before I return here." Then turning back to the group she shrugs, "I don't carry many credits. So she should be safer at the camp anyway. Lead onwards?"

Vargus smirks at Sage and rolls his eyes. "You suppose? Gee... that's the best invitation I've ever had." he chuckles and shakes his head. "Well, sounds like you're off somewhere...?" he asks of Sage. "I think I gave you my comm number a while ago, just give me a ping when you want to head over to the hospital. He turns and asks the group. "I've just heard that it's a cold, and wide-spread... has it turned fatal?"

Knight's Hospital - Waiting Room

The main entry and hallway of the Knights Hospital building is a simple and yet cheerful place. The doors are quite big and quite wide to permit the entry of oversized D-Bee visitors if they so wish to come. The opening area is big enough for two guards to sit on either side of the door, usually armed. Though they are the quintessance of curtious and polite and are actual Knights of Hippocrates Employees as opposed to the gang members that help with the outside patrols. They serve the double function of being receptionists as well and direct people to where they are supposed to be in the building. Sometimes they even function as emergency triage to help get a severly wounded person to the Clinic area. They are very well equipped and one is usually a magic user or psionic, and people who cause trouble are gently but firmly shown the door. Sometimes, other 'security' personnel can be seen walking the hallways to make sure the peace is kept.

Despite being called a Hospital, a clinic is a better word. Off to the left is a big waiting room and the doctor's offices while off to the right are the adminsitrative offices. Straight ahead down a little hallway are the building's classrooms. Here and there are motivational posters but what makes the place really cheery are decorations made by some of the very young children that are taught in the classes.

Erica is lying on a stretcher on the side of of one of the hallways of the crowded hospital. Just one of many stretchers, but she is the only person in gladiator armor. She is sealed up in her armor despite the fact she is coughing frequently. Everyonce in a while she removes her helmet slowly and wipes the inside of it off with a sigh.

Vargus arrives in the middle of a fairly sizable group. He is also buttoned up in his armor, covered with the grayish-purple waxy substance of it. He walks with his elbows pulled tight against his torso, and his hands up near his chin. Every time someone walks by, he backs up and follows the person with his body language, as if everyone nearby is a plague victim. "...tell me why we're here again...?" With her own armor sealed up, Sage is one of the group. "I need someone to diagnose... but, you didn't have to come along if you didn't want to." She comments, "I'm not sure if we'll be able to find Erica among all this either. Should I just pick someone at random?" She asks, looking to her companions.

Vadania walks while sorting through one of her pouches as if looking for something. Then finding it. She pops a small sprig of something into her mouth and starts chewing as she glances around the folk gathered here. Her brows furrowing as she notes there are so many here now. "Mmmm.. it does seem to be focused among the poor and foriegn." she mutters as she glances towards those armoring up.

Following Sage Tirzah shrugs, not sure what to make of the crowded hospital. "The only other time I've been here it was also in disarray, but from a bomb not an outbreak. Lets ask a nurse or orderly where they are putting everyone diagnosed an awaiting treatment for a start." She suggests

Erica sits up slowly as she lets out a groan. She has her helmet off right now, and she covers her mouth as she coughs and hacks for a minute or two. She finally manages to sit all the way up on her stretcher and looks around the crowded hospital halway. Being one of the few that can sit up makes her stand out a little better then the rest of the moaning patients.

Vargus nods to nobody in particular, apparently still distracted by the environment. "Someone at random is as good as anything. Random samples are good..." He spots the figure that sits up amidst the sea of prostrate bodies. "Lets pick that one.." he points at Erica's bare head floating above her armored torso. He reaches up and squeezes his throat, and small organic-looking vents exhale near the side of his helmet and release a small burst of air. "Gah..."

Nodding to Tirzah's idea, Sage lets herself be distracted momentarily by Vargus' random selection. "Nevermind." She says reaching out to touch her partner's shoulder. "Our random selection is the one we seek, I think." She comments, as she begins to move over towards where Erica is settled. "You just had to run off and get yourself sick." She comments, with a faint tease. Then she begins to look around for a place to sit, "I'll need some time to focus to be able to diagnose her..."

Vadania hmms softly as she glances to the coughing Erica. Then nods to Sage's statement. "I'll see about finding a doctor then. See what some of them have bene trying." One hand lifting to waves to Erica as she turns to head towards the central desk. Ohh, she's going to get some reactions to this for certain. No armor, no mask. Perhaps she knows something.

Clad in her black Armor Tirzah's visored helmet nods as Erica is found. "See, piece of cake. Good call Vadania would save you both from trying them over again." She encourages before keying her helmet to turn the visor transparent. "Hang in there kiddo, I dont employ corpses." She advises with a smirk.

Erica's lips curl into a faint smile that she offers Sage. "Well I wanted to give you more work to do Sage." She raises a hand up and gives a half hearted wave to Vadania before the other woman walks away. She closes her eyes for a moment and lets out a soft sigh before opening them again and watching Sage, Vargus, and Tirzah. "I do hate to be a bother, but usually I am healthy. I guess I shouldn't spend so much time in the bars in the dregs."

"I suppose you're going to ask me to look after you after kicking this thing too." Sage says in a faintly teasing way, before she glances to Tirzah. "I didn't know you were hiring her." She murmurs, before she finds a place to sit near Erica. She finds a spot thats unobstructive but within about three feet of where Erica sits. She assumes a comfortable pose as the meditation can be lengthy. She begins by moderating her breath and closing her eyes to focus...

Vadania doesn't take too long in finding a nurse. Her expression could be classified as stone faced as the nurse follows her back towards the group, "Miss? Miss, I don't know why you aren't worried. At least wear one of the masks." murmurs the nurse while flapping a bright yellow paper mask at Vada. Vada finally looks down at the mask and sighs, "I do not get sick as long as the winds blow." Then turns towards teh armored group and shrugs, "They have tried everything they consider mundane and civilized. Though I do not know whay they consider shooting shark urine up the nostils to be uncivilized." Her arms crossing as she fights to hold the stone face.

Tirzah raises a brow as she turns to Vadania with a nod. "Well I can tell you I would not be very civil if you shot shark urine up my nose.." She states before looking back to Sage to see if her senses bring up more information.

Erica laughs softly for a moment before visibly palling. She turns her head quickly to cough again into a tissue. After a moment she composes herself and turns back to the group. Noticing that Sage is lost in her meditation she turns to Tirzah and offers Tirzah a weak smile. "Tirzah can you do me a favor? If I don't make it would you open and read this letter. I'm sure I am just overly worrying." She reaches down and picks up a sealed letter and holds it up for Tirzah to pick up. Turning her head to Vadania she smiles warmly at Vadania as she comes back with the nurse. At the shark urine comment Erica's eyes grow wider and she starts laughing again, but her laughing again turns into a fit of coughing.

Vargus gives Vadania an odd look at the odd comment. He pushes a hand pretty far up his arm into a small sack at his hip and pulls out a peice of stiff cardboard. He uses it as a fan to stir the air around Vadania. An occasional hiss seems out of the air valves at the sides of his helmet peice, far too long apart for normal breathing. Maybe he's holding his breath.

Setting aside everything but the task at hand, Sage begins to focus her psychic senses on Erica's body. Whether the other woman will know it or not, her senses will examine the other woman down to the finest detail. Time will tell what she turns up.

Vadania looks over at Vargus as he fans her. A perplexed look showing as she shakes her head slightly. Then offering softly to Tirzah, "It was a remidy I heard mention of from a medicine man. I have never even seen a shark." She glances at the nurse who is looking rather exasperated and still holding out the mask. Finally she takes the yellow thing and nods to the nurse. She actually waits for the nurse to turn and leave before tucking the mask into a pouch and sighing.

Tirzah takes the envelop to tack it away in a compartment of her armor. Her humor dimming to a solemn nod as she accepts that possibility. "A little early for that but I will we will do everything it takes to find a solution to this though." Ninsun has arrived.

"Well I would be a tad more optimistic if any of the treatments had been effective, but I'm sure something will be worked out. I just like to cover all my bases." Erica says as she wipes off her mouth with a tissue. She sticks the tissue in a orange bag she has by her side and pick out another tissue from a box.

Vargus looks around the ward and then back to Erica, "How long have you been sick? Seems to be spreading quite a bit... have they tried anything normal? And from what I've heard, it's just a flu or something right? Or has it turned fatal and they're just not talking about it?"

Reviving from her meditative trance with a gasp, Sage is thankful that she seems to be protected within her sealed armor. She has to suppress the urge to scuttle backward. "Normal treatments wont work." She comments, before she begins to get back up to her feet. "One moment and I'll explain..." She adds, before she lets her gaze see beyond into the aura of others. She focuses her view on Erica to see if what she sensed will be true there as well.

Vadania hmms softly as she watches Sage. One brow arching upwards at the wandering gaze. A small smile showing as if she wonders what she looks like in the auras at the moment. Then she turns to glance towards the nurse's station to see if she's going to get another lecture about how she should be in a mask at least. Concern marks Tirzah's features as the results of Sage's diagnosis starts to come out. "What would work?" She asks, to the point seeing as the med staff seem to have the first one down pat via trial and error.

Erica turns back to Vargus and offers him a weak smile. "Well I've been sick for three days now. I came here yesterday just thinking I had a cold or something, but today it got a lot worse. I have a fever, and I ache all over. I can't really hold down any food, or even water. I'm really trying to fight dehydration." She lets out a sigh as she takes an ice chip from a cup beside her and sticks it in her mouth and starts sucking on it. "I have heard of a couple dying but they have mostly been weak or pretty old. I had a room here, but as the hospital has gotten more crowded I gave it up to some children that have gotten sick." As Sage comes out of her trance she turns her head to Sage. She nods her head slowly and she frowns at the news that normal treatments won't work. She starts gnawing on her lower lip nervously before another coughing fit takes her over and she starts coughing into another tissue.

Vargus nods his head a little to Erica, "...oh. I see." he starts a bit at Sage's return, looking around the hallway as if expecting to see something crashing through the gurnies. "Humm... are you alright? I've not seen many of those brainy-type scans, but... did you pick up on something else in and around there?" He gestures with one hand and moves it around and over Erica.

A soft sigh comes from Sage as she studies Erica, but the emotion sparking it remains unclear. She glances around to see if anything else might show up to her gaze, before looking back to Erica. "Perhaps I should take care of you for a bit once this is all done." She comments, this time her tone isn't playful or teasing. She looks to the other's around here. "This is no conventional flu or illness." She comments, "It is caused by a creature that seeks to bring suffering and death to those it infests." She comments, not sugar-coating it a bit. "This is no bacteria or virus." She continues, "It must have a source... perhaps a brood mother... I don't know if destroying or killing the source will end this, though."

Vadania hmms softly at that. "If nothing else it may keep the illness from spreading farther. Now how to track it? The spirits here are too different for me to try to contact.

Tirzah shakes her head slightly thinking through what Sage is saying. "So its like a possession? what do we do about a possession?" She asks, the solution escaping her for the moment. "Do we need the source over all? will the solution work on individuals too?" She adds to her broken train of thought.

"Well it has the suffering part down pat that is for sure, but at least I've lost some weight." Erica says in a half hearted attempt at a joke. She offers a weak smile to the rest of the group before she closes her eyes and starts coughing again. Her coughing fit wracks her body for a good few minutes before it finally fades away and she is able to open her eyes again and look again at the group. "I've seen many more people arrive since I have been here. This thing is spreading much too quickly. A lot of innocent people are going to die. You have to find whatever is causing this."

The ridges of Vargus' armor arch up. "....a demonspawned infestation?" He rubs his hands together and hunches forward conspiratorially, "Ahhhh, now that's something I can do something about." he looks over at Sage. "You didn't have to get any inklings on where this thing hangs out, eh?" He pauses a moment. "...unless it's hanging out somewhere in the Dregs. But, that'd be too obvious."

Vargus thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "Well... nothing popped into the city via rift in the last few weeks. Nothing's opened within a few hundred miles of the city, anyway."

With her pronouncement of the diagnosis, Sage looks to her companions for their thoughts on the situation. She considers the comments being shared before she looks to respond to them. She looks to Tirzah, "Erica isn't possessed in the conventional sense... but that may be because it is an off-spring rather than the brood mother." She comments, before offering a shrug and a faint sigh. "But, if what Erica says is true... and I sincerely hope that these things can't replicate on their own... the source very well may be within the Dregs as this seems to be one of the main concentations of... these things." She pauses, "I am willing to find out... and if the brood mother needs to possess its host, I'll be able to see it." She looks to her companions once more, "Shall we hunt, then?"

Vadania hmms softly as she nods. "If it is like some of the nastier creatures I have seen then it will like to watch over the mess it makes. I think hunting it is the place to start. What happened after we locate it will be interesting."

Tirzah grins as things turn towards one of her favorite pass times. "Never one to turn down a hunt. So what do we do when we find the host? Will he know. Could be some stranger with no diea what he's inflicting.." She points out.

"Well I hope you have good hunting at least. Please try to hurry otherwise everyone will become overwelmed quickly." Erica says while trying to muster some enthusiasm. She tosses her tissue into the orange bag and grabs another one from the tissue box. Closing her eyes for a moment she lays back down on the gurney.

Vargus nods his head emphatically to Sage. "Ohhh yeah. I'm definatly up for kicking some demonic bastard in the teeth. I have no problems with dee-bees.. but something that gets off causing suffering? Yeah. That needs my boot up whatever passes for it's sphincter." he looks down and checks this display on his left wrist. "My evening's open... so when do we start?" Another shift in the goo on his face, most likely the result of a smile.

"Rest up, Erica." Sage comments, before looking to Tirzah. "If its an unknowning innocent... we'll try isolating him and figure something out.... if its a knowing one, that is a different matter. This can't go on." She holds herself higher, "Let's grab what we may need and re-form when ready... radios to frequency 5.2301." Vadania just gives Sage a blank look at the radios to frequency bit. "I'm ready already. But I do not think I can adjust my braids to pick that frequency up." A small smile showing she's at least partially teasing. She will have to pick up her weapons form the front counter after all. Something about them not wanting armed people inside the building.

"I'll listen in and see if I can offer any help if you don't mind. Sage if you need anything here is the card to my room. There is some equipment there that might help out. You can use my armor or anything else in there." Erica says with a frown. As she offers her room card key as well as her weapons locker key. "I wish I could come help, but I don't know how helpful I would be." Turning to Vadania she giggles softly at the braids joke. "Well I would be impressed if you could pick up radio frequencies with your braids. All of you be careful, and don't get sick."

Vargus nods to the group and updates his radio with the frequency, "Ohh, damn... think I missed the twenty minute mark. I'm going to go run and grab some equipment, and refresh my air supply. Humm. If we're going after this thing, I'll probably want to get some supplimental oxygen or something." he gives the others a nod and quick-steps outside.

"Hold on a second, Vargus." Sage attempts to forestall the man, "You said this kind of thing is right up your alley... if the creature needs a host, how are we supposed to deal with it?"

Vadania hmms softly, "If the merging is perminant do we destroy the creature as they do the contaminated wastes that go out the back doors of the hospital?" Ninsun goes home.

Vargus pauses, checking his wrist display again and sighing. "It's hard to say, I'll need to get more information. Most parasites and possessing entities need hosts, because they can't exist in our reality on their own. It could be the organisms the demon is creating are transfering energy back to the source. It's really hard to say based on the information out there right now."

"Well, we have a hospital fill of people infested with these things..." Sage comments, "Perhaps if you're able to drive one of these things from someone here, the same thing will work on the brood mother." She suggests, "I don't expect this hunt will be a quick one... go get whatever you need, though." She glances back to Vadania. "We'll have to figure something out there."

Erica hands over her keys and the laying back on the gurney she offer the group a warm encouraging smile before her eyes flutter close and she falls into a restless sleep.

Vadania nods as she sighs. "Yes, if we can identify the host or brood mother. I might be able to track it. If not by prints, then perhaps scent." A small crooked smile showing as she colors softly. "Would be easier yet if we could get it to a less walled place."

Vargus nods to Sage, "Well, I'm all about the demon-killing thing... I'd need to study up on the possession angle. I never really got into the summoning angle of Shifter-ness. I'm more in it for the dimensional travel... but, I'll meet you guys outside somewhere... not here." He gives a finger-wave and dashes through the crowd and outside.

With Erica falling asleep, it seems to be about time to begin getting ready. "Let's go." She decides simply as she heads out, giving a meeting place for them to re-convene later.