2022-10-14: The Doktor Is In
- Cast: Yuliana Dispersal, Franziska Edelweiss
- Where: United Emirates of Orb
- Date: U.C. 0096 10 14
- Summary: The Good Frau Doktor receives a visitor.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
Despite her restlessness, Yuliana fled back to the Institute quickly, after her encounter with Rena; she called on Elisa for her support, because she needed so much more help. Latching to her made it so much easier to endure the awful process of healing, dismal and depressing though it was, and Yuliana hungrily drew on Elisa's validation for her anger over the awful Newtype who upset her. It's been a very...
... supportive environment.
But Yuliana has never been a particularly good patient, and it's scarcely been a week before she starts getting uneasy about being stuck in Medical again. This time, when she asks Elisa if she thinks she's fine to leave, it's a less presumptive and more earnest query. She doesn't connect the thread, between last time and now. It's fine; she doesn't have to.
The notes, of course, are published under the details of one Taisiya Petrov. She can't mind.
Spending so many days at rest has done wonders for Yuliana's constitution, at least; though her right hand is still in a wrist brace, her various dressings have left her skin, and the pharmaceutical concoctions she's been taking to heal her on the inside have done fine work. Now she's back on her normal medications, and much steadier on her feet, which means she can doesn't need that cane any more. Unfortunately, there's no rescuing her bangs -- the hair which used to hang over her left eye has been clipped right back, revealing the scar running down that side, alongside new tissue on her forehead suggesting recent injury.
It's something she can travel with, at least -- and Yuliana certainly has something to occupy herself with, a certain project consuming her attention now she doesn't have work to distract her. She's on stress leave, you understand. On account of the stress.
She's been counselled. The paperwork is all in order. Don't worry about it.
And now she's visiting a particular part of the Emirates -- a part given to science of a particular class of ethics -- to follow up on a lead she's been chasing. She walks out of the research office, flicking through a folder of information, gestures a little too broad and stiff with her bound wrist. As she thought, she'll have to go... further afield.
But her hunt is going well.
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
The good Frau Doktor Franziska Edelweiss is vexed.
She sits at her desk in her personal office at Janus Research Concern, approximately five chewed-through pencils strewn across her work surface and a sixth in the process between her teeth. In her hands was a printout from her...even more personal workspace. Her eyes dart around it, multiple attempted breaches. Someone was on her tail.
What to do, what to do, was not careful enough, NO, I was extremely careful, I would DIE if I was not careful, then why? Person must be better, locks are only as protective as the other party is willing to get in, no stolen data, no blackmail, no tampering, what do they want? Do they want results of experiment, do they want ties to benefactors, are they coming to meet me face to face? Frau Doktor, calm down, this is fine, this is fine.
The scientist runs her gloved hand through her half-grayed hair, the rest of it threatening to go white with the rest of it.
"It is no matter, it is no matter. Must increase encryption, double proxies, change hard drives. Nothing I cannot do."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
And, as it happens, Yuliana's next stop is the Janus Research Concern.
She steps inside easily, as if she belongs; it is so, so important to cultivate an attitude of belonging, particularly as a visitor. To find what she's looking for, she walks down the hall, looks for --
Well, sometimes what you're looking for isn't what you find. There are plenty of contacts in a place like this, but someone like Yuliana hears certain worries easily. She pauses, by Franziska's office; knocks, gently, and with her left hand.
"Doctor... Edelweiss?" She reads a nameplate, deliberately, without hiding the way her gaze stops there. To explain how she knows the name, you understand. "Are you all right?"
Certainly, Yuliana sounds concerned, fingers curling under her wrist brace; and if she felt anything else, no one could tell. (Mercifully, the emptiness which surrounds her goes unfelt by normal humans; to the unawakened, she's normal as anyone else.)
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
Dr. Edelweiss looks up, the pencil falling out of her mouth and onto her desk with a clatter as she shoves the printout into a drawer, quickly trying to compose herself into a professional manner for the visitor.
"Ja, ja, I was just looking over some research data is all, no concern!"
Who is this woman, the Concern was not expecting any visitors today, or were they, was there an email missed, no matter, no matter, must be ameniable and hospitable, she will go away soon and I will be left alone again.
"Ah, but manners, manners. As you see on my door, I am Dr. Franziska Edelweiss, please call me Dr. Edelweiss. If you do not mind the imposition, might I ask who you are and your purpose for visiting the Concern?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
"Ist mir gleich," Yuliana offers, casually, the fact that it's all the same to her, and she isn't intent on Franziska's research. (Her German has the accent of someone who learned later in life, though her particular accent is difficult to pin down; it's standard Hochdeutsch, which marks her, again, as a visitor to the tongue.) "You just sounded a mite frazzled..."
She smiles, and has full functional range of her smile, despite the scar running down her face. She must have had a good surgeon. "I understand that someone here may be able to help me with... tracking down a certain laboratory. Since it's up there," she gestures, vaguely, to the ceiling, and perhaps she really means 'space', "it's somewhat difficult to find information on Earth. But Orb is quite occupied with the sciences, no?" With another smile, she points out: "I thought it a fine place to ask."
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
Searching for information, Orb is a good place. Hm. But why Janus? A laboratory up there? Space? The Concern has several research hubs in the Sides, yes, it would only make sense for the research we do. But what purpose would she have with them? Curious, curious.
"The life of a scientist is a stressful life sometimes, it is, it is, just look at my hair. To think, I thought I was done with all that after graduation, ha! But to the matter, you are looking for...a laboratory? There are many laboratories in space, many laboratories. Held by just about every organization in Orb. Is there a concern with one of Janus'?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
"Hmm? And here I thought Janus was the Concern," Yuliana smiles, a shade sharp. A little joke. She laughs, and shakes her head. "No, no. I doubt this is one of yours. I suspect it's historical, in fact -- hence the struggle." Yuliana gestures, with that folder of information she's holding. "But as I'm sure a scientist of your value knows, a dozen scraps of information from various sources can paint a... comprehensive picture."
And why isn't she in space to paint that picture? Because space is the worst, that's why. The more Yuliana can figure out here on Earth, the better. Scraps from Orb, from Ravnui, from Central Africa... they all serve to paint a picture, slowly, all in pieces.
"But you do sound very stressed," Yuliana points out, as if she'd know. (She's supposed to know.) "Are you sure, perhaps, you're not the one who needs help, Doctor? I would hope your comrades would be willing to offer you assistance..."
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
"Oh, I see, I see. Early Century laboratories, then? Side 7 alone is full of decommissioned research stations. I will...see how I can help."
Her eyes dart over to the drawer for a fraction of a second as her stress is pointed out, forcing a toothy grin to keep her cool.
She knows she knows she knows somehow she KNOWS. No, let's not jump to conclusions. Being paranoid. Will lead to more mistakes. Nobody knows. Nobody has to know. Act normal, normal.
"Don't we all need help in a way? Ha ha. I ask again, please do not worry on my part, please do not worry. It is a personal matter, you see. I do not want to inconvenience the other researchers with my own problems, my own."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
"Would you? Wonderful!" Yuliana chirps, with a bright smile, as if it's that easy. And it is that easy, to hear her tell it.
She catches the way Franziska paints her smile on, her animated gaze. She hears her repetition, not unlike cluttering a sentence. She isn't trying to upset her, unlike so many others; even so, she has some curiosity.
Call it scientific, if you like, but Yuliana's not a scientist. She's that other thing.
"Oh, it's all the same to me," Yuliana assures her -- in English, this time. "Of course, I don't mean to impose... but you're repeating yourself an awful lot, Doctor. It's the sign of a hurried mind, don't you think? Oh, I know it's easy to get carried away, but I wonder if you hear it at all." She offers her advice with a helpful tone; she's speaking from experience.
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
Damn damn damn who IS this woman? This vile intruder is overstaying her welcome!
"Oh dear, oh dear, was I doing that again? I apologize, it is a bit of a tic of mine, as you suspect. My associates are always teasing me about it, always teasing. We all have our quirks, it's the tapestry of humanity! My mind is hurried because it is full of science, you see!"
The good Frau Doktor stands up and walks towards the door, holding out an arm.
"Now, is there anything else you require of me, kind stranger, so kind? I have a busy schedule you see, and I cannot be held up too long."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
"Certainly," Yuliana agrees. "But this world frequently doesn't understand such energy... you may be saying more than you wish to say, Doctor. Of course, I don't mean to be rude," she assures her, not unkindly. "Only, I find myself in much the same situation, at times."
Yuliana inclines her head, and smiles, stepping away from the door; she matches Franziska's body language without complaint or comment. "Oh, of course," she agrees, easily. "I don't wish to keep you. I'll see to my associate... I can find my own way out, so don't trouble yourself on my account."
<Pose Tracker> Franziska Edelweiss has posed.
"Of course, of course! A very good day to you, good day!"
The Good Frau Doktor completely ignores the attempt to get under her skin as she leads Yuliana out the door, quickly closing it behind her. Opening it back up a crack and checking to see once Yuliana has left, she growls and kicks at her wastebasket, sending crumpled papers onto the floor!
Scheisse scheisse scheisse scheisse "Scheisse!"
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Dispersal has posed.
The tragedy, of course, is that she wasn't.
Trying to get under Franziska's skin, that is.
But Yuliana is an island unto herself, all at the bottom of her bell jar; no wonder, then, her attempts to reach out and connect with others are futile. Her own smile grows a little fixed, as she walks down the hall.
It looks perfectly natural, again, by the time she reaches another office.
"Hello, Doctor! Yes, yes, I know I've no appointment -- I just wanted to confirm a little something with you -- have you ever heard of..."
... she's searching for a laboratory, because she's sure that ship has more than one science crime aboard. Even if it's not in their official documentation... especially if it's not in their official documentation.
Because if it's a secret, she can use it to hurt the Ra Mari's people.
It's such a shame how many people get hurt in the process.