lostnetwork | 00110000 || text + action?

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00110000 || text + action?

[Full, unadulterated consciousness -- something he hasn't had for many solar sweeps -- was a rude awakening. When the navigation code's electronic lullabys were replaced by the pain of severed biowires, he screamed.

[He tried to. But his ill-used voice was only a grating sound and hacking coughs. Computer systems aren't supposed to scream, but this is a resurfacing of simple, protein-based primal instincts. Speaking of protein, there goes his liquid lunch. It's tinted with the dull gold color of his blood. He chokes on the taste of his panic.

[Unable to lift his atrophied limbs, he tries moving his body with his psionics. But the pain of biowires trailing exposed nerves makes him scream in silence again. He writhes on the table, throwing red and blue light every which way. Instruments fly, appliances are destroyed, and windows shatter.

[As he wrecks the room, the mirror activates and begins playing its welcome message. He's not calm enough to listen, but he knows a communications device when he sees it. He quickly hijacks the easy-to-use interface. He can't move his hands, but psionically typing on the touchscreen is second-nature. So is hacking.

[He activates all mirrors and any other technological communications devices within the city. Without leave, his text dashes across the screens.]

Helmsman System to Battleship Condescension
Helmsman System to Battleship Condescension
HELMSMAN SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPROMISED
Connection status: No direct connection available
Coordinates: UNKNOWN
Planet: UNKNOWN
Star system: UNKNOWN
No hostiles detected as of this message.

Requesting assistance from any and all intelligent life-forms.
Property of Her Imperious Condescension must be returned immediately, or face severe consequences.
Error: Cannot establish connection with Battleship Condescension
Will retry ii
Error: 01010111 01100001 01101011 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 00100000 01110101 01110000 00101110
Error: Ψ 01101001 01101001 01101111 01101110 01101001 01100011
Oh 2hiit
Oh 2hiit 2hiit iit hurt2 FUCK
Where am ii
Plea2e help me
Wiire2 2tiickiing out everywhere
IIt hurt2!!
Where the fuck am ii??
Where2 the 2hiip??
Where ii2 2HE?!?!
Oh 2hiit 2he2 goiing two cull u2 all!!
IIt2 all my fault!! Get out whiile you stiill can!!
01010010 01110101 01101110 00100000 01110010 01110101 01101110 00100000 01001110 01001111 01010111 00100001 00100001
Help me 2iignle22
01010011 01001001 01000111 01001110 01001100 01000101 01010011 01010011
01000001 01001110 01001111 01010100 01001000 01000101 01010010 00100000 01010011 01001001 01000111 01001110 01001100 01000101 01010011 01010011 00100000 01010111 01001111 01010101 01001100 01000100 00100000 01000011 01001111 01001101 01000101 00101100 00100000 01001000 01000101 01010010 01000001 01001100 01000100 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100000 01010100 01001000 01000101 00100000 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010100 01001001 01001101 01000101 01010011 00101110
WARNING: Bad code
Unable to handle paging request at
fan-proverbial(21117): 2hiit
local_optic_count[2] optics_running[0]
STATE: corrupt data

Error: Cannot restart system
Manual reboot required

WARNING: Please connect to a proper energy probe, or insert helmsman liquid nutrition formula.

[He's the kind of helmsman that isn't supposed to be removed. His mind and body shut down from the pain, and he falls into the first true sleep he's had in a long time.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

-=the thought that psii would have ever used his psionics like that on them never even crossed his mind. it breaks his heart, but he can't blame him. he can't imagine what his precious friend has been through=-

It's okay.

-=he wants to scold disciple for putting herself in harms way as well. this over protectiveness is getting to be too much now and the last thing he needs is to have hurt her by landing too hard on her. he keeps it to himself for now and is quick to stand, still overing close to psii=-

We won't touch you. I promise.

[The names mean nothing to the Helmsman, except maybe a distant, unexplained ache in his head. That voice is so soothing to him, though. Something deeper than his programming tells the Helmsman that this troll and his companion mean no harm.]

Thythtem apologitheth. Thythtem thought utherth would hurt Thythtem.

[His voice cannot rise much beyond a whisper, as he talks through the waves of pain. It helps to concentrate on the bright red eyes of the one nearest him. Weird color. There is nothing in his helmsman databanks on this. Yet, looking at them distracts from the pain.]

In an emergenthy, Helmthman Thythtem may grant utherth temporary adminithtrative privelageth.
Biowireth in need of theriouth repair. Thythtem needth medical unit, nutritional and thoporific liquidth.

[In his desperation, his psionics rummage through the supplies thrown all over the room.]

Shh, no, it's okay, there's no need for you to apologize.

[Signless can scold her as much as he likes. He's suffered enough, if there's any more pain to be had then Di's determined to be the one to take it.

She's on her feet again and on the Helmsman's other side, careful not to touch him this time.]

I have water on me, but that's about it. [Still, she takes it out, a small flask that she uncorks and uncertainly holds towards Psii's lips, hoping that perhaps he'll be able to use his psionics to take it and drink.] Signless, we have to ask someone for help. Willow's been kind to us, I trust her, I'm going to ask her if there's anything she can do for him. He's in so much pain, we can't waste any more time.

-=he nods, feeling so lost and helpless for his friend and he hates it=-

Hopefully she may at least have a way to put him to sleep for a while, so he's not..

-=he swallows harsly. in so much pain.=-

Stay will him, I'll try to contact her.

[The water sure is soothing. Even if it makes him cough. He looks at Disciple, sure he's supposed to say something, but unsure of how. Computers do not thank people.]

Thythtem apologitheth for the inconvenienthe.
Uther nameth?

Easy, easy now, not too much at once.

[She gives Signless a quick nod, hoping he'll be able to get in touch with their friend soon.]

It's not an inconvenience, it's fine, I promise. It's...Di. Disciple. And Signless.

[As it turns out, Willow doesn't need to be called, because she's already seen his post on her own and decided to help out. She comes walking quickly into the room, alert and on edge in the way that someone is when they're looking for an anticipated crisis, and she stops in surprise when she sees them.]

You guys are already here-- [But enough stating the obvious, Psiioniic is in pain, and she won't leave him that way.

Willow comes another few steps closer to where they're huddled together around the table.] What can I do? [she asks seriously, looking at each of them in turn for direction. She might be powerful, but badly applied power would only make everything worse.]

-=he was in the process of heading out of the room to contact her, nearly walking right into her in the process, but instead grabs her shoulders=-

Willow! -=he looks relieved beyond words=- I was just about to contact you.

-=he looks back over his shoulder momentarily, pained for his friend=- I was hoping you would be able to at least put him to sleep for a time. We don't know what it is they've done to him, but at least then he wouldn't be in pain. We can figure out what to do then.

["Disciple." "Signless." The throbbing in his thinkpan escalates into a shooting pain.]

Thythtem -- Thythtem cannot thtore uthernameth. Data ith corrupt--

[He sees the stranger enter the room and panics, instantly surrounding himself with psionics.]

Shoosh. Shoosh, Psii, she's here to help, she's not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you now, okay?

[She can't get through that wall of psionics to try and comfort him somehow, so instead she merely remains close, hands outstretched to him, trying to get him to realize he's not on his own.]

[Unlike healing, telekinetics is something Willow has a lot of experience with and is pretty good at, so although she spares it a glance and tenses a little in preparation in case she needs to defend herself... she's not unsettled.

She wants to wait, wants to ask his permission before putting him to sleep, but there isn't time with the state he's in. Willow gives Signless a grim nod, and then turns back to Psiioniic, raising a hand.

This part, too, is easy for her. She takes a silent breath, draws in strength, and it's just a little mental twist, no outward motion--] Sleep, [she says in a strong, level voice. He should fall asleep instantly, and sleep without dreams or nightmares, something she knows is a particular problem for trolls.

Willow exhales when it's done, looking less confident but still determined.] He should stay asleep until I wake him up again. I don't like to do anything without permission, but-- [She bites her lip.] He can't really give it like this, can he?

-=in any other circumstance, he would never allow something like this to be done to his friends without their express permission, not if he could help it. worse has already been done, so much worse, and they needed to make quick, hard decisions=-

No.

-=a pause=-

... I don't know.

-=what if there's no choice?=-

They made him into a Helmsman.

-=his hands ball into fists. all his fault all his fault all his fault all his fault=-

They're made to pilot starships. We'd only ever heard tell about them but I never imagined it would be like... this.

Thank you, Willow.

[Her shoulders slump as tension eases away; as much as she hates having to do this to him, anything is better than seeing him in such unimaginable pain.]

They messed with his mind - it's like Psii is trapped in there and fighting to try and get out.

[She shudders, eyes filling with green tears as she wraps an arm around Signless' waist, needing the comfort of him being close and at the same time trying to ease the mental anguish she's sure he's in.]

We need...we need to do something so that he won't be hurting once you wake him up again. Then we can talk to him, and try to see where things stand.

I'll do what I can, [she says to Di with the tone of a promise.] I... don't really want to do any mind magic with him like this, and honestly, maybe not ever-- and my healing isn't like it was for Signless. It's not instant. I mean, there is a way to make it instant, but that's not a good idea. [She hopes they don't ask why not. Willow is trying to be honest about her mistakes, but it's still embarrassing to have to explain to people she doesn't know well that she's a recovering addict.]

All I can do is help his body heal on its own. I can go faster if I have a source of strength to draw from, so usually I use myself, but...

If you don't mind getting a little worn out, I could use yours, too. [She looks at each of them in turn. She assumes that they'd want to help, is counting on it, in fact. Willow's white magic based healing was so, so slow when it was just her doing it.]

Edited 2012-09-13 20:00 (UTC)

-=he winds an arm around Di and holds her close to his side, but his eyes never leave the unconcious form=-

It's a small price to pay.

-=there really was no thinking about it, and honestly they had no one else to turn to. she knew magic better than they could ever hope to so they had no choice but to put their trust in her=-

Yes, go ahead, Willow. Take as much as you need to from me, I can take it. [Which is another way of quietly asking their friend to take as little from Signless as she can. He's still recovering, in Di's opinion, she doesn't want anything to threaten that.

With Signless tucked close beside her she reaches out to Psii, brushing his hair out of his face, the backs of her fingers gently resting over his cheek.]

Okay-- that'll make it easier. You should just get tired, [she warns,] but if it starts to hurt or anything, let me know.

I need one of your hands, and make sure you keep touching, too. [Willow holds out her own hand to be taken, more businesslike now that she has a plan and something to focus on. There's no room for self-doubt when doing magic like this. Her other hand reaches out to settle lightly on Psiioniic's unconscious form on his upper arm, and she starts to search mentally for that sense of inner peace she'll need for healing.]

-=he falls silent then, letting Willow work whatever amazing miracles she's able to work. his eyes are wet and red around the edges but he's calm for all intents and purposes, even if the hold on his disciple is tight.

he rests his free hand on Psii's arm, gentle but firm, wanting somehow to let him know they're still there=-

[Disciple reaches out to take Willow's hand, still clinging close to Signless' side. She's a bit tense but that's more with worry for Psii than anything else. She trusts Willow, and is ready to let her take anything and everything she needed if it'll ease Psii's pain even the slightest bit.]

[It's a slow, subtle process, as she'd warned. It's less like a miracle and more like watching a plant bend toward the sun; it's happening, it's moving, but in such small increments that if you watch it the whole time, it's almost unnoticeable.

Willow's closed her eyes and her breathing's leveled out into long, deep inhales and exhales. Gradually she gets more tired, and they will, too, nearing exhaustion, but as it happens Psiioniic starts to sleep easier. The advantage to this slower method is that she doesn't need to know what's wrong in order for it to be healed-- and it's healing the right way, not rushed, so that when he wakes up the worst of it won't just not be painful anymore, it'll be gone completely.

She can't take too much from them or one or all three will pass out, so she has to stop eventually. Her eyes open with a shuddering breath as she comes down out of the magic, drawing her hands back to herself.] I couldn't get everything, but he's not in danger anymore. He should be okay to wake up when we're ready.

[Even if they're ready, Willow needs a moment to gather herself. All that power was heady.]

-=he could feel his strength draining bit by bit, and yet he willed more more to be taken, everything he had left if need be.

he shudders himself when it stops, blinking his eyes but forcing himself to stand strong=-

You've done... more then we could possibly thank you for. If you ever need anything, anything at all, I'll be there. I promise.

[As drained as she feels now she still supports Signless, trying to get him to lean on her at the very least until the two of them have time to sit somewhere and rest.]

It did work, then? Oh, thank you, Willow, thank you. This is...you've no idea how much this means to us.

[First Signless, and now Psii, everything Di has in the world that she cares about. There really aren't enough words to thank Willow properly, but she hopes she can see the gratitude in her eyes.]

[Helping is just something Willow does, it's part of being a Scooby, part of being a white hat. She blushes faintly at their effusive gratitude, well able to tell how much they meant it. She still doesn't think very positively of herself, so it's a lot for her to take, and it makes her flustered.]

No, um, well, I just-- I'm glad to help? I just sped up his healing, you guys did most of the work. And he's still going to be whatever he mentally was before he went to sleep, [she warns them.] Which I should do now, so...

[Willow's exhausted too, maybe even moreso than either of them, despite her words. She wants to get this part done before she feels any more like she's going to collapse. She reaches a hand out, raised and level without touching, and says in the same commanding voice as before,] Awake.

[It really will feel just like he'd been sleeping, except now he'll be waking up with only faint, aching pain.]

[He sees the two trolls -- now designated temporary system admins -- and... the alien who used her psychic powers to make him black out.

[Part of him wants to throw her against the wall, and the other wants to beg her to just finish with him quickly. So many sweeps spent with the Condesce, who used her psychic powers for whatever whim struck her that day. But helmsman programming is as disciplined as it is pervasive, and protocols must be met, organic instincts aside. Who is she??

[He surrounds himself with psionics as he flies back away from them. Hovering against the far wall, he raises his arms as his biowires try to grasp at nonexistent ports in the ceiling.]

Unauthorithed uther activity detected. Input uthername and adminithtrative pathword.

Wait...

-=he steps forward, holding his hands out at his sides to show he wasn't meaning to be threatening. he lifts his head enough to show his eyes, those bright red eyes that shouldn't be, and he keeps them trained on the helmsman's face=-

Brother, please... It's alright.

-=he's visibly exhausted at this point, but he won't back down=-

She's a friend, here to help. Her name is WIllow.

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