text ; @Qubit (backdated prooooobably a week-ish?)

[superposition]

[ AND NOW IN THE RIGHT COMM... ]

Qubit here. Keeping this quick: I need a few volunteers to provide blood samples for testing purposes. These will need to come from both sick and healthy individuals, please. Contact me if you're interested. Thanks in advance.

Comments

@mage | video

[braidmage]

I can help, if you still need samples.

[ Whatever Qubit is doing, it's probably important, and Reynir doesn't have to be a genius to figure out it probably has to do with helping to deal with this illness that has struck. He wants to be helpful! ]

text still

[superposition]

Thank you. Where are you located? Any symptoms?

[braidmage]

I'm down in my room... do you want me to come to your lab?

My only symptoms are being tired of picking up everybody's trash now that all the robots are busy taking care of sick people.

...but no, no symptoms. I had a fever a few weeks ago but I'm fine now.

[superposition]

No, I'm on the ground floor right now. It'll be quicker if I come to you. Room number?

[ Once he's got that, he arrives inside of five minutes, knocking on the door. ]

Reynir? It's Qubit.

[braidmage]

[ Those almost five minutes are still enough time that, when Reynir lets Qubit in, there are two cups laid out on a little table and a teapot next to them, with steam curling from the spout. It might not be steeped yet but it's on the way. There's even a tiny plate with ginger biscuits that Onni had baked a few days ago. Never say he isn't a good host!

This probably only slightly counters the perhaps very distracting fact that Reynir's quarters (which are attached to Onni and Lalli's with a shared living area and kitchen) are plastered with runes, all over the walls. There are thick lines drawn in dark paint, circles filled with spikes and spirals and sharp lines, warding out who knows how many different kinds of evil and harm. They are just... everywhere, drawn huge and in lines that are just a little unnaturally neat and symmetrical.

But Reynir seems to have entirely forgotten about them and greets Qubit with a warm: ]

Hello! Come on in. I know you might not be able to stay for too long but there's tea! If you want tea. Do you like tea? I guess maybe I should've asked that first, huh?

text [un: longinmouth]

[abheirrant]

What are you doing with such samples? Or should I ask?

[superposition]

I'm not doing anything. Cho's helping me put together a profile of the illness going around.

[ Translation: She's doing all the actual work. But it was his idea, and that means she's helping him and not the other way around?? I guess???? ]

And to answer your next question: we need uninfected samples for comparison. A lot of people came down with this same illness last month, but it's only resurging in some of us. I want to know why.

[abheirrant]

A fair question, I suppose. And charitable of you to help.

[He means 'help' in a loose sense, obviously.]

→ private

[superposition]

[ He's... honestly not sure how to take the compliment? (Is it a compliment?) So he'll just change the subject. ]

By the way, I've got the test results from the bile on your clothing.

text [un: bearly.bewitched]

[birdical]

I would like to help. How may I?

[superposition]

Thank you. Shouldn't take too much time on your part. Just let me know where to find you and I'll be along within an hour or two to take care of it.

[ unless she meant she wants to, like, help take the blood samples? which does not even cross his mind, honestly. ]

[birdical]

[Thank goodness that didn't cross her mind either, because you know who might be terrifyingly eager when taking blood because of all the stuff she could learn from it? This gal.]

I will come to you.

[Remember that time you told her where you live, Qubit? Remember?]

[superposition]

[ ok but. he's not at home right now??? i mean yeah he did tell her where he lives but he's not there right now. ]

That won't be necessary. I'm out and about already, it's not as if it's an imposition for me.

@KaballsDeep

[kaballin]

Going full mad scientist I see.

[superposition]

[ lol ""going"" ]

Don't be absurd. It's to better our understanding of the pathogen, nothing more.

[kaballin]

So when I see a bunch of evil clones running around in a few weeks that definitely won't be your fault?

--> private

[superposition]

Ha, ha. Very funny.

[ aaand, private. ]

Frankly, you've got some cheek, after that little stunt you pulled by the generators. Nice job putting everyone's lives in danger, by the way.

[redwinekindofgirl]

Sure, why not.

[superposition]

Excellent, thank you. Location? Any symptoms?

[redwinekindofgirl]

Haven't been carted off by the bots yet - still in my room. Been coughing hard enough to bring up blood. Loads of fun.

[superposition]

[ Yikes. Well, found an infected volunteer, at least. ]

I see. Sorry to hear that. Message me your name and room number, I'll be along shortly.

[ And having got those, he shows up and rings the buzzer within half an hour, since by now he's got something of a queue to work through. ]

Julie? It's Qubit.

[text | @hot.damn]

[circumitus]

just like with most illnesses, seem to be immune to whatever the fuck is going around

unfortunately itd probably be a shit idea to donate any blood for Science

[superposition]

Why's that?

[circumitus]

the 156 cells have a pretty long sordid history of unpredictable mutations when someone fucks around with them

[superposition]

[ Waaaaaait wait wait wait. Did somebody say unpredictable mutations? ]

"156 cells"? I'm not familiar with that term.

It's not as if we're performing genetic recombination here, though, just antibody profiles.