driftfleet | 006 - action/voice; i came in like troy walking in with pizza

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006 - action/voice; i came in like troy walking in with pizza

Who: Clay Terran + You people
Broadcast: Yes!
Action: On the Iskaulit
When: June 7th, a bit after this

[You know, Clay hadn't been expecting a day like this. All he was doing was going to the Iskaulit to do some workouts in the gym, even bopping to a tune playing in his head.

Of course, that all comes a stop when he sees the mess before he sees anyone else. Blood trailing through the hallway, like someone had been walking with it. His stomach churns a bit, and his first instinct is to flee and get someone with medical help. Like Jennifer, or Beverly, or...

But no, he's here, and he... doesn't really realize just how bad it is yet. He returns to his shuttle first to grab the first-aid box, then heads in to see who needs his help.

And upon following the trail, well... Turns out, it's a lot worse than he thought it'd be, and that instinct from before comes back full force. He's only had some lessons, he's not prepared for this level of medical trauma, he really isn't -

And that's why he'll be calling out on the comms - not video, because there are kids on the network, but it's pretty clear by the state of his shaky voice that this is definitely an emergency.]

I-I need doctors - healers, medics -

[He takes in a deep breath - ]

I need all medical personnel to the Iskaulit right now!

((ooc: Everyone's free to branch off, tag other threads, etc! This is a general rescue/medical aid post for Winter's wrecking ball.))

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Come on, you. [He moves his hand to hold Allen's shoulder instead, directing him to a seat.] We should at least get them disinfected and bandaged. If not by me, then someone else who knows how to do it.

Alright, alright. [He'll let himself be directed to the seat, sitting down. ]

You should sit down too though, before you pass out on your feet.

I'll be fine.

[Nevertheless, after he calls for someone to help Allen with his back, he sits down beside him, leaning forward to rest his head on the table while hiding his arms underneath it, just so that he doesn't have to look at his sleeves.]

So... what happened? [He turns his head so that he can look at Allen, his cheek against the table]

It's...

[A pause, then he gives a small sigh]

I'm not entirely sure. I was heading to Crowley's bar, when Winter came up to me. He didn't speak or seem to recognise me, and then he immediately started attacking me.

[He frowns, his hands curling into fists under the table. He hates the fact that someone did this to Allen, hurt him like this. But Clay tries to think about this rationally; there are two sides, no, several sides to this situation, and he wants to hear them out before making judgement... even though he'd still really like to give the guy a solid punch to the face, just once.]

You know him, right? He never acted like that before?

No, never.

[He says so quickly, because he can only guess what Clay's thinking right now. God knows he'd probably think the same kind of things, if the roles were reversed.]

He's-

Back in his world, some group called HYDRA brainwashed and controlled him as their own weapon. But while he's been here, he's been trying really hard to undo it. He doesn't want to be a weapon. I know he wouldn't choose to do something like this.

Something or someone must have set off whatever HYDRA put in his head. That's the only explanation.

[Clay frowns at that, his gaze moving forward to look at the wall instead. HYDRA brainwashed him... that sounds about like all the things he heard prior to this. And it sounds kind of familiar, too.]

This guy - Qing, he said something about Winter going back to being brainwashed, or something like that. And I met with Steve, too. He's pretty sure Atroma had something to do with it.

[He sighs a bit] This sounds kind of like Orion, too.

Yeah...

[Orion, that's right. He didn't know the guy's full story, but the bits he's heard? Lined up pretty well to Winter's, honestly]

It's still possible it was someone in the fleet that triggered it. But if it was Atroma... [He feels a twist in his stomach] Well, part of me always had a feeling there'd be a day where they'd set people off like this.

Just when we did something potentially good, too.

[He pauses, then his arm shifts as if he wants to move it out from under the table, then decides against it. Running a hand through his hair sounds good, but not when his arms are messy.]

Maybe that's why, if they were behind it. There's been a lot of good being done.

[The audience thrives on drama.]

[Allen meanwhile just looks down at the table, his shoulders feeling heavy]

Maybe...I don't know.

[Was Atroma that malicious? That they'd get back at them for doing something good? What about the next time they decide that something bad needs to happen to them? Would they trigger another person in the fleet to go off? What would happen then?]

You don't think they could...break the seal, do you?

[He lets out a noise at that first part. He doesn't know either, and he doesn't like to think that Atroma's behind it all. They never came across as purely malicious, in his eyes. Annoying? A bit sociopathic? Sure. But actively setting someone loose on innocent people? It just seems so awful, so unlike them.

The question, however, gets him to look up at Allen, then sit himself up, straightening up and scooting over enough to push their sides together, and even though his clothes are still messy, he'll wrap an arm around Allen's waist to pull him closer to himself. Sure, they're in public and they've both seen better days, but that's no reason to keep his distance physically.]

You said so yourself, right? The seal can't be tampered with unless someone actively went in there and did something to it. Atroma doesn't reach that far; all they can do is mess with your augment. That shouldn't affect the seal.

[At least, that's how he understands it. He considers that, then presses a light kiss to Allen's temple.]

And... if they do, we'll work it out, just like we did when you first told me about the fourteenth. We'll be fine, no matter what happens. Til the end, right?

[He feels himself be pulled into that close hold, and he lets it happen. He didn't care if either of them were messy, it was still a comfort to have those supportive arms around him. Unconsciously, he leans against Clay. It was an action he seldom allowed himself to do with other people, letting others support his weight.]

Right...Til the end.

[He takes a calming deep breath, accepting those facts. This wasn't Paradisa, Atroma wasn't all powerful. Just because they triggered Winter, doesn't mean they'd be able to undo his seal. And it doesn't mean they couldn't work out a way to stop it. There were still plans put into place, still caution. It wasn't the same situation.]

Sorry. It's just stuff like this happens, the worries can't help but cross your mind.

[Right. Triggering a brainwashing that had been naturally fought against was different than undoing a seal that had been put into place with magic. Clay's a normal guy, so this stuff is kind of hard to understand. But he tries, for the sake of those he cares about.]

Yeah, I know. You've got to worry about it a lot more than others do.

[Allen's the one with the fourteenth in his head, after all. Clay tips his head to rest it against Allen's, though not with as much pressure as he normally would, if only because he knows Allen's head is still aching.]

But I'll be here every time you do. That's as sure as there are stars outside.

[Honestly Clay, the non-normal guy finds it all hard to understand too. You aren't that far behind. And yeah, he appreciates the gentleness- what with the killer headache and all]

Thank you.

[He felt more grounded in Clay's arms, less inclined to spiral down. Even if a small part of him still doubts he can fulfill such a promise, Clay's warmth and sincerity still made it possible for him to believe.]

And I promise I'll try to make sure you don't have to find me unconscious again.

Please do. I'd definitely appreciate it. Once was more than enough here.

[His hold tightens just a bit around Allen's waist - Allen's not the only one feeling more grounded here. Holding him like this lets Clay know that everything's okay now, the worst of it is over, and he did his part. He still feels faint and a little nauseous, and he's not sure he can stand back up without falling right back down. But with Allen here, it pushes those awful feelings back some, makes it a bit more manageable. He's only strong for Allen because Allen makes him strong.]

I know, I know.

[He had no intention of making it a habit. He's been on the other side of that once too many times and he never wanted that for Clay]

You did really good though. I think a few people here owe you their lives.

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