21st Prescription and Fifth Gate

[atadiscoverer]

Who: Carson Beckett (atadiscoverer), Jennifer Keller (forsometimenow), and anyone unlucky enough to be asleep at the same time...
What: Nightmare Plot
When: 5th October
Where: The lost city of Atlantis, Pegasus Galaxy.
Rating: 15, for horror and stuffs.

Jennifer had fallen asleep at her desk in her bedroom while pondering Conan's problem and her frustration with thus far being unable to do anything about it.

Anybody entering into her and Carson's shared nightmare will find themselves in the beautiful city of Atlantis- though currently, it is in a state of disarray and horror.

The two doctors are in the infirmary, where a group of patients is groaning and screaming in pain- and underneath their skin, movement can be seen- parasites inside their body, stuck beneath their skin, ready to burst out at any moment.

Jennifer is clearly in a panic, but she's trying her best to be brave and direct anybody nearby to help her get the patients sedated so that she can begin to operate on them.

Meanwhile, Carson has, likewise, fallen asleep at his desk, only he was pondering over various materials he would need to set up a clinic in the City Royale. He has quite an extensive list so far...

...In his dreams is another story. He's panicked, too, having never seen an outbreak like this before. Coming to the Pegasus Galaxy meant that this was nothing new, however.

Of course, the following announcement doesn't make things any better:

Intruder Alert. Intruder Alert. We have Wraith in the city. Repeat. We have Wraith in the city. All defence teams report to stations.

"Great. Just what we bloody need. More injured..."

OOC: There are going to be sections going up for maximum interactivity. This nightmare is going to be split into two parties, one to help Carson fight off intruders, one to help Jennifer with the parasite. Your character can be anything from helping with wounded, killing Wraith, being infected with the parasite or helping keep our two doctors calm.

This nightmare is based on Stargate: Atlantis Episode 04x04 "Doppelgänger" and the three-part SG:A Season 1 Ending "The Siege."

Information on the Wraith is here, information on Atlantis is here. Plot synopsis of "Doppleganger" is here.

There are going to be four sections. Two will go up initially, while the next two will go up when the nightmare has progressed some.

Any questions, feel free to ask, and have fun with your nightmares.

SECTIONS: [ The Parasite : The Wraith : Jennifer's Fear : Carson's Fear]

Comments

[squartatore]

Sayaka enters, and is immediately drawn to the commotion. The parasite-infected patients all look like they're in a bad state. "What's going on?"

[forsometimenow]

Jennifer barely registers that she doesn't know who the new arrival is, but gives them a glance at the question.

"Parasite infestation," she replied, her voice filled with a clinical calm. "I've never seen anything like it before."

[squartatore]

"Me neither." Which can't be very reassuring, so she adds, "What can I do to help?"

Healing spells might not be of use, she thinks, they'll have to go about this the old-fashioned way.

[forsometimenow]

"Do you have any medical experience?" Jennifer asks, wincing when she glances over at a patient and sees one of the parasites straining underneath the skin; she looks away again with a visible effort. "We need to get those things out of everyone without killing them."

[squartatore]

The parasite's movement is disgusting to behold, though nowhere as bad as some other things she's seen. She tamps down the urge to avert her eyes. "Are they in the bloodstream, or just underneath the skin's surface?"

[forsometimenow]

"Underneath the skin," says Jennifer, once more going to wash her hands and prepare as best she can to remove it from the patient. "But they can still do plenty of damage; they appear to be trying to break out, and that's enough to kill a person."

[squartatore]

"So we put the patients to sleep, and cut these things out before that happens." Surgery seems like the most efficient way for get this done with, and a scalpel can't be too different from a large blade, can it? Bleeding, at least, she can handle. "That's what I think -- unless you had a plan already."

[forsometimenow]

"That was my plan," Jennifer replies with a grim smile. "I've got my team working on it, but we're already overwhelmed. Any help you can offer would be invaluable."

[squartatore]

"All right." Sayaka nods, and steels herself. "Tell me where you want me --"

It occurs to her that she should probably sterilize her hands, maybe hide somewhere private for a moment to call forth her magic if necessary. "Also, what do I do to prepare?"

[forsometimenow]

"Make sure you're as clean as possible. I'd love to have time to prepare to do proper surgery, but we can't-"

She's cut off as there's a shriek, louder than all the rest, and Jennifer's words die on her lips as a parasite suddenly bursts out of the skin over the nearest patient's stomach, blood flying everywhere.

[squartatore]

Stunned, she goes still, unable to take her eyes off the patient. The sight has driven home just how grave the situation is.

Hesitance be damned! These people need help right now, she can't worry about maintaining falsehoods at a time like this. The ring on her left hand shifts, taking the form of an egg-shaped jewel that bathes her body with light. Now in her Puella Magi outfit, she rushes over, focusing her will on the wound to close it.

"I'm sorry." Whether the apology is directed at Jennifer or the patient, even she doesn't know. "I should have done this sooner."

[forsometimenow]

Jennifer, despite her fear and desperation (and the blood spattered all over her, is unable to do anything but stop and stare as the girl transforms before her eyes- and all of a sudden, the patient is healing.

"... How?" she whispers. "I didn't even think..."

She had seen a lot of things in her time in Atlantis, but nothing quite like this.

[squartatore]

If it were up to her, no one would see this at all. "Just know that I can." Explanations can wait. As the spell circle fades, the patient's stomach looks almost good as new, bloodstains remaining as the only suggestion of what had transpired.

"Takes time we don't have, and removing the parasites is beyond me." Which brings them back to the original solution: surgery.